The Daily Briefing Friday, October 14, 2022

AROUND THE NFL

Two straight weeks the Thursday Night Football winner has scored all of 12 points. Twelve! If there’s an argument against making players play a game on three days of rest, this is it.

In more than 102 minutes of TNF action over the last two weeks, we saw:

41 drives

20 punts

8 field goals

5 turnovers

We got two whole touchdowns in Washington’s 12-7 over the Bears — who looked like a traffic cone in these alternate jerseys — last night. It was a game noted more for its misses (including a potential game-winning TD that was dropped) and for infuriating play-by-play man Al Michaels than anything. Meanwhile, Ron Rivera was enraged after the game.

Both teams are 2-4. Let’s sim to Sunday, please.

The Bears will be exposed to a national audience (or nearly so) in their next two games.  They visit the Patriots for Monday Night Football on October 24.  Then, on Sunday, October 30, they are at Dallas for a game FOX seems likely to send to most of the country.

GREEN BAY

QB AARON RODGERS missed practice Wednesday, but returned Thursday.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has returned to the practice field.

Rodgers hurt his right thumb on the final play of last Sunday’s loss to the Giants in London and he did not practice on Wednesday in order to give it time to recover. Reporters at Thursday’s practice shared word of Rodgers’ return and video of him going through drills with a taped thumb in the open portion of practice.

His exact level of participation will be revealed with the release of the team’s injury report, but the lack of concern about his status on Wednesday suggests that he’s on track to play against the Jets unless things take an unexpected turn for the worse.

Tackles David Bakhtiari (knee) and Elgton Jenkins (knee) are also practicing, but wide receiver Christian Watson (hamstring) and linebacker Tipa Galeai (hamstring) are not. Tight end Marcedes Lewis is also absent, but it is likely a rest day rather than an injury for the veteran.

DALLAS

Michael Gehlken with a note on the D of Dallas:

@GehlkenNFL

Cowboys have allowed fewer than 350 total yards, recorded multiple sacks, and not allowed multiple touchdowns in every game this season. They are the first NFL defense to achieve trifecta in first five games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

NEW YORK GIANTS

P JAMIE GILLAN has been allowed back into the U.S.  Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com:

New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan was back with the team Thursday blasting punts off the ceiling of its indoor fieldhouse during practice after getting stuck in London because of a passport issue.

Gillan, a native of Scotland, returned to the United States on Wednesday night after the issue was resolved.

“He’s free. Jamie’s free,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey joked. “He got back last night probably around 10 o’clock, whatever it was. But he’s good. He’s ready to rock.”

Gillan said he had to get his passport visa (P-1A, which is specifically for athletes) extended to get back in the country. It was something that could only be handled in person.

They knew it would take some time.

“Humongous thanks to the Giants organization and Laurie Tisch for allowing that to happen and talking to the right people,” Gillan said. “And the people at the U.S. Embassy, fantastic people there. They were really helpful there because there is paperwork, quite long and involved.

“We had a goal to get me back in two days, and we did. So we did it, and I’m back there.”

Tisch is the sister of Steve Tisch, the chairman and executive vice president of the Giants. She assisted in expediting the process.

It took two days, expedited, to change Gillan’s status from a NATO visa (from his father’s work) to a personal work visa.

WASHINGTON

Moments after their narrow victory, Ron Rivera became incensed in the postgame press conference and stormed out.  The question that incited him involved Dan Snyder.  John Keim of ESPN.com:

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera strongly defended his role in acquiring quarterback Carson Wentz, then ended his news conference by walking off the podium.

“I’m sorry, I’m done,” Rivera said as he headed toward an exit door after Washington’s 12-7 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday.

Rivera was fired up during much of his news conference, upset about certain penalties or what he called undisciplined play. He also was animated about what his players had been through the past four games — all losses. But he saved his most heated comments about Wentz.

In an ESPN story Thursday, it was reported that owner Dan Snyder was the one who wanted Wentz. Washington traded for Wentz this past winter.

Rivera strongly denied that the owner demanded they trade for Wentz. Rivera had compiled a list of analytics that showed Wentz’s effectiveness and had him on a list of desired quarterbacks to possibly acquire entering the offseason. He has said they learned Wentz was available while at the scouting combine in Indianapolis last winter. The report also came out two days after Rivera had answered “quarterback” when asked the difference between his rebuilding team and the other three in the NFC East. Rivera later said he meant that those teams had quarterbacks who had been with their teams longer.

“Everybody keeps saying I didn’t want anything to do with Carson, well bulls—,” Rivera said. “I’m the f—ing guy that pulled out the sheets of paper, looked at the analytics, watched the tape when we were at Indianapolis, OK? And that’s what pisses me off, cause the young man doesn’t deserve to have that all the time.”

He then ended the news conference.

– – –

For Rivera, it was another time where he had to answer questions about off-the-field stories. The ESPN article detailed owners disdain for Snyder.

“I’m trying to get beyond all the stuff that’s on the outside as far as noise,” Rivera said. “What I’m focusing on is the development of this team. I don’t want to get talking about something that I can’t control. I have no input I have nothing to do with that, what I want to do is everything in that room. And that’s what I just wish we could stay focused on. It’s difficult, it’s hard, but for whatever reason, we’re going to stick to what’s interesting and that’s playing football.”

Rivera rarely gets as animated in news conferences as he did Thursday, gesturing at times toward the locker room to emphasize his players.

“I’m going to speak my mind for a minute,” he said. “For the last couple of weeks, honestly it’s been hard, it really has, you lose four games in a row and everybody just wants to get on you. And they’ve played their asses off, they really have, they play their asses off for everybody. They come out and they show up, they work hard, alright? They don’t complain, OK? They hear all the stuff and they’ve got to deal with it. I get that and I respect them for that cause they’re resilient and they come back.”

Rivera also received the game ball from his players after winning for the first time in Chicago as a coach. He played for the Bears from 1984 to 1992 and has talked about how that shaped his coaching career. He said he received well-wishes via texts and emails from former teammates before the game.

“We all know what this place means to coach Rivera,” Washington receiver Terry McLaurin said. “A lot of the reason the way he is today as a coach is because of his time spent here as a player, the connections he made. To come back and get a win in tough circumstances was big for our entire team.”

More from Wentz, who is all in with Rivera, and other Commanders on their embattled coach.  Ben Standig of The Athletic:

“Coach was in his feels this week,’ offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas said. “Rightfully so. He got a win (with) his job on the line and his reputation on the line. He’s very proud, wants to do the right things, and wants to win.”

– – –

It was the same on Thursday. Wentz said he was informed of the report a moment before entering the interview room, having zero idea the entire NFL world was talking about his team and a bit about him. Therefore he could not comment on one of many topics everyone else spent all day pondering. But Wentz was made aware of Rivera’s passion play on his behalf.

“Coach Rivera, he’s awesome,” Wentz said. “I have a ton of respect for him playing in this league from afar, but getting to play for him is even better. It’s definitely special. . … He’s going to speak his mind. And he’s going to be very direct and to the point. And in this business, that means a lot. And I think guys love that about him.”

Others took their turns imploring players to meet the moment. An intense Jonathan Allen stood in the middle of his huddled teammates as they concluded their pregame warmups, intensely.

“I told the guys that when we look back at this game, one way or another, it’s going to be the defining point in our season, either good or bad,” the Pro Bowl defensive tackle said.

Washington had several sloppy moments, and Rivera lamented “silly stuff” like the defense being flagged for 12 men on the field — twice. Wentz passed for only 99 yards, and the offense converted an unsightly 2 of 11 third-down attempts while being outgained 392 to 214. But the group many have counted out stayed focused on the task.

Rookie running back Brian Robinson rushed for 60 yards and scored the eventual game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 7:21 remaining. The score came two plays after a Bears muffed punt gifted the Commanders the ball at the 6-yard line, and one play after Wentz helped clear space for Robinson with a stunning block of Bears linebacker Roquan Smith despite an ailing shoulder and having jammed his fingers after smacking his hand on a defensive lineman’s hand earlier in the game.

“It’s a little sore,” said Wentz, who anticipated having an X-ray upon returning home. “But I think I’ll be all right.”

Chicago moved the ball into the red zone three times. Each time, those drives ended without points. The first trip concluded with Allen’s first career interception after a pass from Bears quarterback Justin Fields ricocheted off the helmet of defensive lineman Efe Obada.

The game ended inches away from disaster for Washington. After kicker Joey Slye missed a 48-yard field goal with a chance to increase the lead to eight, the Bears (2-3) quickly moved to the Commander’s 5-yard line as Fields ran for 39 yards.

“Everything was fine until we let the kid scramble for 40 yards,” Rivera said. “That’s the heartbreaker.”

On fourth-and-goal from Washington’s 4 with 35 seconds remaining, Fields found wide receiver Darnell Mooney at the goal line. Mooney jumped high and successfully caught the pass for what seemed like the winning score. Except cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, Jackson’s replacement, somehow kept Mooney out of the end zone.

“A little butt-clencher,” Lucas said of the nerve-racking finish. “We had done it before. … I was just praying to the football gods to give us one more, because we needed this.”

The football gods answered. Forget style points. Somehow, the Commanders scored the most points.

“We took a good step,” Allen said, “Nowhere near where we want to be, but we took a good step.”

Roars emanated from inside the winning locker room as players gave Rivera the game ball in honor of his first win as a coach at Soldier Field.

“See, that’s important,” Rivera said of the player’s excitement, “because their energy, their excitement is something we can build off. It’s something we can talk about, that feeling, that sensation of what it means to go out and play well.”

Did they play well? Eh, those unaffiliated with the organization probably don’t agree. From Washington’s perspective, who cares? They will head home victorious. Who knows what tomorrow brings?

Multiple investigations into Snyder and the organization loom. Rivera’s job security might be tenuous if the Commanders do not raise their game.

Regardless, this wild victory let the football man in charge roar in defense of his players. After a week in his feelings, this one felt good.

– – –

The consensus among the media in-crowd was that the NFL used Al Michaels to send a message to the owner of the Commanders.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

During the third quarter of Thursday night’s game between the Commanders and the Bears, Amazon’s Al Michaels made a comment about the lingering controversy regarding Washington owner Daniel Snyder. Given Al’s connections at the highest levels of the NFL, his words — carefully couched as speculation — seem to reflect accurately the mood of the powers that be.

“Just my feeling, I think what the league would love is for Snyder to sell the team,” Al said. “Not have to go to a vote, but just sell the team. Because it’s become a major problem around the league, obviously. And we’ll see what happens. I think it’s got a long way to go, and Dan very well known for digging his heels into the ground.”

That’s the problem. Snyder has dug in his heels. He won’t sell. The harder they try to make him sell, the harder he’ll fight — whether through litigation or spreading “dirt” he supposedly has collected, or both.

As we’ve been saying since the outset of the controversy, Snyder’s determination comes from a desire to eventually give the team to his children. Earlier this year, we suggested that the best compromise would be to have Snyder permanently step down, with his wife running the team until it’s officially transferred to his children. During the Amazon pregame, Michael Smith mentioned that possibility.

It makes sense, but it could be too late for that. The same owners who want Snyder out may want all Snyders out, with Dan having no direct or indirect influence over the franchise.

Former NFL GM Randy Mueller:

@RandyMueller_

Al Michaels is wired in at the top of NFL food chain. For him to say “the league would like for Dan Snyder to sell” is delivering a message from somebody 🤔

Albert Breer:

@AlbertBreer

Al Michaels saying on a national game broadcast that he thinks the league wants Dan Snyder to sell the Commanders is worth paying attention to.

Mike Freeman:

@mikefreemanNFL

Forgot to mention Al Michaels saying what he did about Snyder, that he should sell the team, is a HUGE DEAL. Al is essentially a league PR guy. When he speaks he’s speaking for the league.

Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic:

@kalynkahler

I still can’t get over what Al Michaels said about Dan Snyder on the broadcast… Amazon is a rights holder obviously and has to keep the league happy … the networks never get into controversy! so this message was okay for that and maybe even given to Al from someone important…

ATLANTA

Not only did Falcons DT GRADY JARRETT get a penalty for roughing the pass on what appeared to be a routine sack – he will be fined.  And there may also be another fine issued, on the sackee.  ESPN.com:

The NFL has looked at Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett’s disputed roughing-the-passer penalty on Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady to determine whether Brady attempted to kick Jarrett and if that warrants a fine, according to a report from The Associated Press on Thursday.

Fines for kicking are $10,500 for a first offense and $15,500 for a second.

Jarrett was flagged for slinging Brady to the ground during Tampa Bay’s 21-15 win over Atlanta on Sunday. It appeared Brady tried to kick Jarrett as both players were getting up, but he didn’t make contact.

When asked if he was aware Brady may have tried to kick Jarrett, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told ESPN that he “didn’t see any of it so I couldn’t answer that question.”

Jarrett and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones are automatically subject to fines for roughing penalties in Week 5 that sparked outrage among players, coaches and fans because the hits didn’t seem to warrant flags.

Fines for roughing the passer are $15,000 for a first offense and $20,000 for a second. It was the first offense this season for both Jarrett and Jones.

No one has been fined, as of yet, for commenting on the evidence of their eyes.  Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com:

Dean Pees usually has something to say about almost anything. Ask him a question, he’ll give a thought out, verbose answer.

Unless, that is, you ask the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator about the roughing the passer penalty his star defensive lineman, Grady Jarrett, received on a critical third down late in last Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ask Pees, 73, about that — like during his weekly media availability Thursday — and you’ll get a long, cold, serious stare. And then very few words to follow up on it.

That comes not necessarily from him, but on advice from his wife, Melody.

“No, my wife told me, ‘Do not say anything,'” Pees said. “We’re moving on. San Francisco week, moving on.”

It’s probably a smart move — financially, at least.

The NFL has fined players and coaches for criticizing officiating in the past. While it’s not specifically listed in the fine book, what is listed as “a verbal, non-physical offense against [an] official” is a $29,785, first-offense fine and $59,575 as a second offense. It’s not clear if criticism of officiating after the fact would fall into that category.

TAMPA BAY

ESPN reporter Jenna Laine asked Coach Todd Bowles about matching up with Mike Tomlin, another Black coach, this week.  Bowles did not respond as expected.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles on Wednesday downplayed the attention on his upcoming coaching matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, one of the few games this season that will feature two Black head coaches.

“I have a very good relationship with Tomlin,” Bowles said Wednesday when asked about them being two of the league’s four Black coaches, a group that now includes Steve Wilks, who replaced the fired Matt Rhule on an interim basis this week in Carolina. “We don’t look at what color we are when we coach against each other, we just know each other.

“I have a lot of very good white friends that coach in this league as well, and I don’t think it’s a big deal as far as us coaching against each other, I think it’s normal. Wilks got an opportunity to do a good job, hopefully he does it. And we coach ball, we don’t look at color.”

Bowles then was asked about the impact of representation and what it means for aspiring coaches who are minorities to see NFL coaches who “looks like them” and possibly “grew up like them.”

“Well, when you say, ‘They see you guys,’ and ‘look like them and grew up like them,’ it means that we’re oddballs to begin with,” Bowles said. “I think the minute you guys stop making a big deal about it, everybody else will as well.”

The NFL has come under increased scrutiny in recent years for its lack of Black head coaches when roughly 70% of the league’s players are Black. Following Wilks’ promotion, there are four active NFL head coaches who are Black: Wilks, Bowles, Tomlin and Lovie Smith of the Houston Texans. Aside from those four, three additional head coaches are people of color: the Miami Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, who is biracial; the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent; and the Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera, who is Latino.

McDaniel doesn’t count as “Black”?

SAN FRANCISCO

EDGE NICK BOSA is iffy for Sunday in Atlanta.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has said that star edge rusher Nick Bosa has “a chance” to play Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

But according to multiple reporters on the scene, Bosa is not practicing again on Thursday.

Bosa is dealing with a groin injury suffered against the Panthers last week. A key piece of San Francisco’s defense, Bosa is currently tied for the league lead with 6.0 sacks. He’d recorded at least one sack in every game until the Week Five win over Carolina.

The 49ers are dealing with several injuries along their defensive line. Per Jennifer Lee Chan ofNBCSportsBayArea.com, defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw also was not practicing on Thursday. Defensive lineman Arik Armstead did not make the trip — the 49ers are staying in West Virginia between trips to Charlotte and Atlanta — so he was also not on the field.

But edge rusher Samson Ebukam (Achilles) was practicing after he sat out Wednesday’s session.

DENVER

The Broncos are downplaying the shoulder ailment of QB RUSSELL WILSON.  Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com:

 Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, who has taken plenty of the heat for the team’s 2-3 start and is dealing with pain near his right (throwing) shoulder, said Thursday that he’s physically ready for Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

Wilson was officially listed as limited on the team’s injury report for Thursday’s practice but was in his customary spot with the starters during the open viewing periods. Wilson suffered a muscle injury — to his latissimus dorsi — in his back near his right shoulder in the second quarter of the Broncos’ Oct. 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Wilson then played every offensive snap in last Thursday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts as he looked out of sorts for much of the evening. He finished with 21-of-39 passing and two game-crushing interceptions in Colts territory in the second half of a game the Broncos finished without a touchdown.

“Shoulder’s feeling better, getting better every day,” Wilson said before practice. ” … I haven’t had this particular thing before, but I’ll be OK. I’ll be ready.”

“He definitely looks good,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “Russ has played in the league for a long time, and all players have different things they have to deal with. … I think you’re always dealing with that stuff across the board. I think he’s doing an amazing job getting himself to 100%.”

KANSAS CITY

The official position of the NFL’s officiating department is that Super Bowl referee Carl Cheffers was correct – and the rest of the viewing world was wrong to protest – when he threw his flag and negated the strip sack from behind of CHRIS JONES.  Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic:

In a video sent by the NFL’s officiating office to all 32 NFL clubs Wednesday, Perry Fewell, the NFL’s senior vice president of officiating administration, defended Monday’s controversial roughing the passer call on Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones. A source who received the video sent it to The Athletic. The video showed a replay of Jones strip-sacking Raiders quarterback Derek Carr while Fewell narrated.

 “The Kansas City defender executes his rush plan in his effort to sack the quarterback,” Fewell said in the video. “He lands with his full body weight on the drive to the ground. A quarterback in the pocket, in a passing posture, gets full protection until he can defend himself. This was a properly called foul for roughing the passer.”

In the video, Fewell did not mention the fact that the ball was loose when Jones swatted it out of Carr’s hand, or that Jones can be seen using his left hand to brace himself as he goes to the ground. Jones told reporters that everything happened so fast in the moment, but he did try to brace himself on the way down.

“I’m not saying the ref is wrong, but I’m just saying those situations can affect the game tremendously,” Jones said. “Especially, in the playoffs, a critical situation like that, a game-changing play, it can affect the whole (expletive) game. Excuse my language but we just have to take initiative as a league and see what we can do better.”

“The quarterback is in the pocket and he’s in a passing posture,” referee Carl Cheffers explained to ESPN’s Adam Teicher in the postgame pool report. “He gets full protection of all the aspects of what we give the quarterback in a passing posture. So, when he was tackled, my ruling was the defender landed on him with full body weight. The quarterback is protected from being tackled with full body weight. My ruling was roughing the passer for that reason.”

The league’s video included eight examples of legal quarterback hits, this time narrated by Stephen Bowen, former NFL defensive end and current director of game initiatives for the NFL. Bowen highlighted Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby for two plays from the same game.

But what about the “pull-and-shoot” foul on a missed FG that enabled Kansas City to keep the football and drive for what proved to be the winning touchdown?

Well, Ben Austro of Football Zebras has a video review that you can watch –

https://twitter.com/i/status/1580568634778611712.

Their conclusion, after studying the now available All-22 angle, is that DE MALCOLM KOONCE may have had his arm out as if he was trying to latch on and “pull” so that his teammate could “shoot” – but that he never came close to actually doing so.

“It’s just not enough.  It has not risen to the level of defensive holding…It does happen quite often, but in recent years it just hasn’t been called…We’re leaning more towards the fact that this is not a foul (based on the new video) the better call would have been to keep the flag in the pocket.”

Without that penalty, the Raiders get the ball, tied, with about 8 minutes left.

CLEVELAND

The Browns are 2-3, despite leading at the end of the 3^rd quarter in all 5 games this year.

– – –

Another massage therapist, with a different lawyer, has emerged to file suit against QB DESHAUN WATSON.  Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com:

Deshaun Watson is now free to access Browns facilities halfway through his 11-game NFL suspension, but he is not yet free from allegations of troubling off-field behavior. On Thursday, a female massage therapist filed a new civil lawsuit in Houston’s Harris County District Court accusing the embattled quarterback of sexual misconduct, as Cleveland’s Fox 8 reported. This marks the 25th lawsuit filed against Watson in the last two years, though the QB previously reached confidential settlements for all but one.

The new accuser, who is unnamed, alleges that Watson pressured her into a sexual act during a private massage session that occurred in December 2020, when the former Pro Bowler still played for the Texans, per CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. Unlike the previous 24 accusers, she is not represented by attorney Tony Buzbee. One of her lawyers, Anissah Nguyen of Universal Law Group in Houston, told Fox 8 that the woman “has been struggling” from the encounter, needed time to come forward and is now doing so “for herself and other women who have been victimized by Deshaun Watson.”

PITTSBURGH

The 1-4 Steelers will have to go 8-4 to keep Coach Mike Tomlin’s career-long streak of non-losing seasons alive.  The next three games are Buccaneers-at Dolphins-at Eagles, plus Pittsburgh still has two left with the Ravens and one with the Bengals.

INDIANAPOLIS

Will RB JONATHAN TAYLOR play, and play effectively, this week?  As the Fantasy world holds its breath, he did return to practice on Thursday.  TheRedZone.org:

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor returned to practice Thursday according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic.

Taylor missed Week 5 with an ankle sprain.  After missing the first practice of the week, Taylor made enough progress to get on the field. It’s likely a limited session. This will put him in line to be officially questionable on Friday, and perhaps get his game status cleared if he gets in a full session on Friday. Hard to make sweeping declarations on the first day back of practice, but this is a big step for him playing in Week 6 against the Jaguars.

Taylor has has a mediocre start to the season by his standards and the hopes of many fantasy players who took him No.1-overall in their drafts.  He has 328 yards in four games played with most of those yards coming in Week 1, a 4.0 yards-per-carry average, and only one touchdown.  It should be noted that he also started slow in 2021 and ended up with over 1800 rushing yards and a whopping 18 rushing touchdowns.  No need to panic.

It should be noted that last week’s miss came for a game played on the road on Thursday.

THIS AND THAT

WHO PAYS ST. LOUIS?

This issue had gone out of sight for awhile, but now it is coming to a head.  Who will pay for the Rams costly escape from St. Louis?  Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic:

NFL owners are scheduled to vote Tuesday in New York on the long-festering question of who will ultimately pay for the $790 million settlement with Missouri government entities over the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles from St. Louis, sources said.

It was at the same October meeting in New York last year that rancor erupted over Rams owner Stan Kroenke declaring that he did not want to pay a then-hypothetical settlement himself, as had been presumed to be the case until that point. The settlement was agreed to the following month.

When Kroenke won the right to move the Rams in January 2016, to get the last votes over the line he agreed he would take the Chargers or then Oakland Raiders on as a stadium tenant and partner, and to indemnify his peers against lawsuits stemming from the relocation. Or so most owners thought.

But last October, Kroenke’s newly voiced position was that he had agreed to cover legal “costs,” not a settlement and that the competing stadium bid for L.A. from the Raiders and Chargers had sent information to the St. Louis authorities in 2015 that had proven damaging in the lawsuit. Former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who was opposed to the Rams’ move, also gave damaging deposition testimony that buttressed the St. Louis argument the league violated its own relocation bylaws, sources said.

That insight formed the backbone of the St. Louis legal case and made it more difficult to get it dismissed, according to the Rams’ position, sources said in describing the team’s argument. Kroenke also argues that he spent billions of dollars reclaiming L.A. for the NFL after a more than two-decade absence, topped off by the well-received SoFi Stadium, so he should get some credit for that. The stadium cost more than $5 billion.

The other side is Kroenke agreed to indemnify the other owners, without which they would have never agreed to the Rams’ relocation. And his franchise’s value has soared by billions of dollars with a tremendous real estate opportunity in Hollywood Park.

The league quietly in December assessed each team $7.5 million toward the settlement, which was paid in full later that month. The remainder came out of reserves. Many teams said privately they were blindsided by the assessment, believing not to be on the hook for any of it. They were not informed whether the money would be refunded, or another assessment might ensue.

Under the December resolution that agreed to the settlement, commissioner Roger Goodell and the finance committee were given the authority to decide who would pay, though that might not prevent Kroenke from suing. Early in 2022, Goodell created a five-owner ad hoc committee to make a recommendation on the issue.

It’s not clear whether that happened, but one source said the group had trouble reaching a conclusion, and several of its members dropped off. The issue got roundly debated by owners at the annual meeting in March, with no resolution.

ProFootballTalk.com reported last month Goodell would conduct a hearing on the settlement liability question.

It’s also not clear whether that happened, but the league apparently has a proposed fix. The commissioner likely has the authority to implement it unilaterally but given the scheduled vote, is looking for the blessing of ownership.

What is in the proposal could not be determined. The subject is highly sensitive within NFL circles, though the fact the league on its meeting agenda sent out Tuesday night to the clubs noted a vote suggests there is a deal in place.

“There’ll be some arrangements where there is going to be some way that they can make it look like he’s paying,” predicted one of the sources. “And no one else is subsidizing by giving him league credits, or VTS (visiting team share) waivers or something like that. I’m sure they’ll come up with something.” A VTS waiver would mean the Rams would be excused for a set period from paying the visiting team share of gate revenue, which is 33 percent.

The matter is scheduled for debate and vote in what is known as a privileged session, in which largely only owners, Goodell and other key personnel are present. It was at such a session last October at midtown Manhattan’s Intercontinental Hotel that the issue blew up. Next week’s meeting is in lower Manhattan at the Conrad Hotel.

The NFL viewed the St. Louis lawsuit early as a nuisance, as the league felt the plaintiffs did not have standing as a party to the relocation bylaws. But the state court judge consistently refused to dismiss the case and ruled the government entities had standing under Missouri law.

Efforts to send the case to arbitration and appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court all proved fruitless for the NFL.

A similar case brought in California state court by Oakland over the Raiders’ relocation to Las Vegas was dismissed twice, once on appeal. There, the courts agreed with the NFL position that was rebuffed in Missouri: that cities are not parties to the NFL’s bylaws and so cannot sue for alleged violations of those rules. An antitrust case brought by Oakland against the NFL was also dismissed by federal courts.

The NFL did not immediately reply for comment. The Rams declined to comment.

RANKING ROOKIES

The Jets have hit on a bunch of draft picks, part of the reason they are 3-2.  ESPN ranks the top 10 rookies through Week 5:

How do the rookies stack up so far? Let’s rank the top 10 coming out of Week 5. We polled our own Matt Bowen, Jeff Legwold, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid for their personal lists and combined them to make a consensus ranking of the top 10 rookies. Our experts then weighed in on each player who made the list, along with a few who just fell short. Finally, they picked out a riser to watch, an underperforming first-rounder and an overperforming late-rounder and took a quick look at the first-year quarterback situations.

Let’s jump in at No. 1 with a standout receiver.

1. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

Stats: 25 catches, 389 yards, 2 TDs

Drafted: No. 11

Why he’s here: Olave suffered a concussion in the Saints’ Week 5 win over the Seahawks, so his availability in the near term will be determined by how he moves through the concussion protocol. But he has been a bright spot in a Saints offense that has been without Michael Thomas for two games and was without Jarvis Landry this past Sunday. Olave’s 13.5-yard average length of reception is good for sixth in the league. — Legwold

Going forward: Olave was the No. 11 overall pick in the draft for a reason and has quickly paid dividends for the Saints. He’s a legitimate deep threat who also has silky smooth footwork on underneath routes. His ceiling might not be as high as that of Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, but he can be a very similar type of player and might end up top 10 at the position by season’s end as the Saints’ top receiver. — Miller

2. Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets

Stats: 20 tackles, 1 INT, 6 passes defended

Drafted: No. 4

Why he’s here: Gardner can challenge in man coverage, and there’s plenty of lockdown potential here. But he’s also playing with backfield vision and technique in the Jets’ zone schemes. Gardner has the look of a No. 1 corner who can impact an offensive game plan. He hauled in his first career interception in Week 5, picking off Miami’s Skylar Thompson, and he has at least one pass breakup in every game so far. — Bowen

Going forward: A strong argument can be made that Gardner is already the Jets’ best defensive player. He has been even better than advertised when he was the fourth pick of the 2022 draft. New York has been searching for a lockdown corner and seems to have found its answer. — Reid

3. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans

Stats: 86 carries, 412 rushing yards, 13 catches, 57 receiving yards, 3 total TDs

Drafted: No. 107

Why he’s here: Pierce was very underused at Florida, but the Texans are making him their go-to running back. He’s producing with a power and urgency to his game that was previously missing from this backfield. Pierce leads all rookies in rushing yards and has been the lone bright spot for the Houston offense. He already has nine carries for at least 10 yards, and his 2.2 yards after first contact per carry is 16th in the NFL. — Miller

Going forward: He went from 11 carries in Week 1 to 26 carries this past Sunday, so the role is expanding. He has also caught nine passes over the past two games. Pierce breaks tackles, finishes runs with bad intentions and is now fifth overall in the league in rushing. The Texans can throw everything at him as a true RB1. — Legwold

4. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

Stats: 56 carries, 275 rushing yards, 17 catches, 213 receiving yards, 3 total TDs

Drafted: No. 36

Why he’s here: New York eased him into a bigger workload over the first three weeks of the season (no more than eight carries in each game), but the Jets have now completely taken the training wheels off Hall in their offense, giving him at least 19 touches in back-to-back weeks. The first running back selected in April’s draft has taken full advantage of his opportunities. He was three rushing yards shy of gaining 100 both on the ground and through the air on Sunday. — Reid

Going forward: Hall has the dual-threat traits and explosive play ability to leap past Michael Carter as the No. 1 back in the Jets’ backfield, and his workload suggests he already has taken over as the top option. His 4.9 yards per carry leads all rookies through five weeks. An easy mover who can be decisive and sudden as a ball carrier, Hall also gives the Jets’ formation versatility as a receiver. — Bowen

5. Devin Lloyd, ILB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Stats: 49 tackles, 2 INTs, 6 passes defended

Drafted: No. 27

Why he’s here: Lloyd has played all but eight of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps this season. He led the team in tackles in the season opener (11) and hasn’t looked back, averaging nearly 10 per game. Lloyd has been active at the point of attack, and when he is asked to work in coverage, he finds the ball quickly. He’s the only player — rookie or otherwise — in the league with at least 40 tackles and two interceptions. — Legwold

Going forward: He is a building block and anchor for the Jacksonville defense and has played up to expectations. As he gets more comfortable with the speed and schemes of the NFL, Lloyd should see his tackle totals continue to trend up and pull down a few more interceptions. In each of the Jaguars’ two wins, he had a pick and broke up three passes. — Miller

6. Tariq Woolen, CB, Seattle Seahawks

Stats: 17 tackles, 3 INTs, 4 passes defended, 1 TD, 1 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick

Drafted: No. 153

Why he’s here: The on-the-ball production jumps out on tape for a rookie. He now has an interception in three straight games (tied for second in the NFL) and he took one to the house in a Week 4 win over Detroit. With his rare physical tools for the position, Woolen has tremendous upside as a playmaking defensive back. — Bowen

Going forward: Considering his 6-foot-4, 210-pound size and explosive traits, many were surprised to see Woolen slip to the fifth round. But he sure seems like a steal so far as a starter for the Seahawks. Woolen has been one of the bright spots on a lackluster defense, and he has a lot of upside as he continues his development. — Reid

7. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Stats: 23 catches, 282 yards, 2 TDs

Drafted: No. 10

Why he’s here: Wilson has seen playing time with both Zach Wilson and Joe Flacco under center this season, but regardless who is at quarterback, he has shown dynamic playmaking ability. Opposing defenses must always account for him, and he caught the game-winning touchdown in Week 2’s wild comeback win over the Browns. Once the two Wilsons get on the same page, the rookie should be the team’s clear WR1. — Reid

Going forward: Wilson is wrestling with a little more attention from opposing secondaries since his 102-yard effort in Week 2, but his route running proficiency and ability to consistently win contested catches point to continued production since those are the two most important transitions for a younger receiver in the NFL. He is already seeing 23.8% of the Jets’ targets, per NFL Next Gen Stats. — Legwold

8. Travon Walker, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Stats: 18 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 2 passes defended

Drafted: No. 1

Why he’s here: There was a lot of chatter after Walker became the No. 1 overall pick — he had a lot of top-tier traits coming out of Georgia, but the production numbers weren’t eye-popping. But Walker has made multiple flash plays through five games and continued to improve each week as both a pass-rusher and run defender. His length and playmaking ability have given the Jaguars defense a significant boost. — Reid

Going forward: Look for a boost in total production and more impact plays with Walker. The physical traits and explosiveness fit here, and the rookie is playing in a fast and disruptive front seven in Jacksonville. He already has eight pressures. — Bowen

9. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Stats: 22 catches, 266 yards, 2 TDs

Drafted: No. 8

Why he’s here: London missed three weeks of practice in the preseason with a knee injury, but since his return, he leads the Falcons in targets, receptions and receiving yards and he is tied for the team lead in touchdowns. His 36.8% target-per-route rate leads the entire NFL, and 15 of his 22 catches have gone for a first down. — Legwold

Going forward: The Falcons are playing better each week (even if they aren’t winning), and London will benefit from a more well-rounded offense. He should continue to lead the team in targets while becoming a bigger red zone threat once he and quarterback Marcus Mariota find better chemistry. He only has four targets on plays from inside the 20 through five games. — Miller

10. Jalen Pitre, S, Houston Texans

Stats: 39 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 sack, 2 passes defended

Drafted: No. 37

Why he’s here: An urgent safety with multidimensional traits, Pitre is constantly around the ball for a reason. He’s a three-level defender who can create disruption in both the run and pass game. He is the only player in the NFL with multiple interceptions, at least one sack and 35-plus tackles. — Bowen

Going forward: Pitre has been an early vocal leader for Lovie Smith’s defense and impacted multiple areas of the game. The Texans are utilizing his versatility all over the field. He has 201 snaps at safety, 99 snaps at outside linebacker, 29 snaps as a slot corner, 23 snaps as an outside corner and five as an inside linebacker. I expect the creativity to continue as he gains more comfort in the Houston scheme. — Reid

Just missed

Jack Jones, CB, New England Patriots: Jones should be on the list for a rare pick-six against Aaron Rodgers alone. But just look at the production. In 171 defensive snaps this season — 112 of those coming in the past two games — the fourth-rounder has two interceptions, a touchdown return and a forced fumble. — Legwold

Tyler Linderbaum, C, Baltimore Ravens: Sometimes it comes down to a combination of body work and degree of difficulty. Linderbaum has started since Day 1 at one of the most challenging positions on the field for a rookie outside of the quarterback room. He has played all but two snaps this season and has a 97.3% pass block win rate. — Legwold

Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions: The list of defensive struggles for the Lions is a long one, and there are times when Hutchinson doesn’t look all that comfortable with what he’s being asked to do, but his three-sack performance in Week 2 against Washington was a quality glimpse of his potential. If he maintains his high-effort work in the weeks to come, it should be rewarded. — Legwold

Also received votes: Quay Walker, Romeo Doubs, Abraham Lucas, Charles Cross, George Pickens, Tyler Smith, Malcolm Rodriguez, Kyle Hamilton, Dylan Parham, Kaiir Elam, Jahan Dotson and Derek Stingley Jr.

Which rookie is rising through five weeks?

Legwold: Kaiir Elam, CB, Buffalo Bills. He has started the past three games for one of the league’s best defenses since fellow rookie Christian Benford fractured his hand. The Steelers went at Elam with purpose this past Sunday with some success, but the first-rounder did have his first career interception in the game. Elam’s prognosis is good because you can see him adjust in real time and keep grinding. He has 25 tackles and two passes defended to go along with his interception.

What is going on with the rookie quarterbacks?

Bowen: In a very small sample size and on a struggling offense, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett has shown flashes of his ability to make second- and third-level throws. And he has the movement skills to manage pressure. Pickett has a 46.1 QBR with 447 passing yards — but he still doesn’t have a TD throw and has tossed four interceptions.

Don’t sleep on Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, though. The rookie made his first start for an injured Mac Jones in Week 5, throwing the ball in rhythm on schemed concepts and using subtle movements in the pocket to reset his passing window. Through two games, he has completed 75% of his passes for two touchdowns and one interception. But his 18.3 QBR would rank only above Carolina’s Baker Mayfield if it qualified.

Which first-rounder is underperforming right now?

Miller: Evan Neal, OT, New York Giants. The No. 7 pick has seen his share of struggles as the Giants’ right tackle, notably surrendering four sacks to the Cowboys in Week 3. As the Giants have exceeded expectations, Neal’s six sacks and 31 pressures allowed are concerning. But it took teammate Andrew Thomas a season to acclimate to the NFL game, so there’s still hope for Neal to turn things around.

Which late-rounder is overperforming right now?

Reid: Malcolm Rodriguez, ILB, Detroit Lions: The sixth-round pick quickly climbed the Lions’ depth chart and opened the season as the team’s starting weakside linebacker. His physicality, instincts and toughness have all been on display through five games. He is second on Detroit in tackles (36) and has proven reliable against the run, as a blitzer and in pass coverage.

VETERAN BUSTS

QB RUSSELL WILSON leads a list from Joel Corry of CBSSports.com of new additions who are not getting it done:

New veteran acquisitions, either by trade or signed as free agents, paying dividends were highlighted last week. The opposite end of the spectrum gets the focus this time around.

Several veteran newcomers who aren’t living up to expectations have been identified. Contribution, availability, salary and draft capital to acquire were taken into account when making the selections.

Russell Wilson, Broncos

The Broncos acquired Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick from the Seahawks for 2022 and 2023 first-round picks, 2022 and 2023 second-round picks, a 2022 fifth-round pick and multiple veteran players (tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock) to solve quarterback woes dating to Peyton Manning retiring after the 2015 season. Wilson got a new deal during the preseason although he had two years remaining on his contract. He was given a five-year, $245 million extension with $165 million in guarantees where $124 million was fully guaranteed at signing. The deal makes Wilson the NFL’s second-highest-paid player at $49 million per year.

It hasn’t been a smooth transition for Wilson. He’s off to the worst start in his 11-year NFL career and the Broncos are 2-3. Wilson’s only completing 59.4% of his passes (101 of 170 attempts), which ranks 28th in the NFL. His 82.8 passer rating is 22nd in the NFL. The Broncos are having trouble scoring points. Their 15 points per game are next to last in the league as Wilson has only thrown four touchdown passes.

Wilson underwent a procedure on his throwing shoulder last Friday during Denver’s mini-bye after a 12-9 OT loss to the Colts on Thursday night. He received platelet rich plasma injections in his right shoulder. The injury isn’t expected to keep him out of Week 6’s contest against the Chargers on Monday night.

Matt Ryan, Colts

There has been a revolving door at quarterback ever since Andrew Luck abruptly retired during the 2019 preseason. A 38-year-old Philip Rivers in 2020 has been the best of the bunch. The Colts went the older-quarterback route again in trading a 2022 third-round pick to the Falcons for 37-year-old Ryan.

Lightening isn’t striking twice for the Colts with an older quarterback. The 2016 NFL MVP is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions. His 79.5 passer rating is 25th in the NFL.

Ryan is fumbling the football at a record rate. He has 11 fumbles. Fortunately for the Colts, only three have been lost. Ryan is on pace for 37 fumbles, which would shatter the current mark of 23 held by quarterbacks Kerry Collins and Daunte Culpepper. Head coach Frank Reich’s comfort level with Ryan remains high despite the turnover problems.

The Colts were anticipating Ryan being the quarterback in 2023 when acquiring him. Ryan’s contract was reworked so $12 million of his 2023 base salary, which was $21,705,882, is guaranteed. In addition, $2.5 million of the base salary was added to the existing $7.5 million third day of the 2023 league roster bonus due next March 17 where the $10 million was guaranteed for injury. The remaining $7,205,882 of 2023 base salary, which is guaranteed for injury, also becomes fully guaranteed next March 17. Twelve million of Ryan’s 2022 base salary was converted to signing bonus to create $6 million of 2022 salary cap space.

Should the Colts decide to go in another direction at quarterback next year, there will be $18 million of dead money — a salary cap charge for a player no longer on the roster — and $17,205,882 of cap room would be saved by releasing Ryan. There’s an offset with the $12 million salary guarantee so the dead money would reduce by him signing elsewhere.

Baker Mayfield, Panthers

Mayfield won a preseason quarterback competition with Sam Darnold, 2018’s third overall pick, for the starting job after being acquired from the Browns for a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick shortly before the start of training camp. It’s a fourth-round pick with Mayfield taking at least 70% of Carolina’s offensive snaps this season.

Cleveland had to eat $10.5 million in a pre-trade salary conversion and Mayfield had to give up some guaranteed money to facilitate the move. Mayfield reduced his remaining salary by $3.5 million from $8.358 million to $4.858 million with the ability to make the money back through not so easily achievable incentives. Between the two teams, Mayfield is assured of making $15.358 million this year.

The trade was an opportunity for Mayfield to demonstrate that a disappointing 2021 was attributed to playing most of the season with a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder and solidify himself as a starting quarterback with someone in 2023. Mayfield has gone from bad to worse this season. His subpar play was a catalyst in the Panthers firing head coach Matt Rhule on Monday after a 1-4 start. The 2018 first overall pick’s 54.9 completion percentage and 71.9 passer rating are last in the NFL.

Mayfield is reportedly going to be out two to six weeks because of a left ankle injury he suffered in Week 5’s loss to the 49ers. The high ankle sprain jeopardizes the ability for the draft pick obtained to elevate. Even without the injury, Mayfield was probably going to get benched at some point without improved play.

Carson Wentz, Commanders

The Commanders essentially gave the Colts 2022 and 2023 third-round picks in March for Wentz. The 2023 selection becomes a second-round pick with Wentz taking at least 70% of Washington’s offensive snaps this season. The expectation was for Wentz to be the best quarterback Washington has had since Kirk Cousins left in 2018 free agency after playing the previous two seasons under franchise tags.

The honeymoon is over for Wentz in Washington. Head coach Ron Rivera threw Wentz, who is on his third team in three seasons, under the bus by pointing the finger at him for Washington’s 1-4 start. The comments were subsequently walked back as Rivera later apologized for creating a stir.

Wentz has been plagued by the inconsistency that prompted Colts owner Jim Irsay to move on from him after one season despite dealing a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick to the Eagles. His 10 touchdown passes are tied for fifth in the NFL but his six interceptions are the third most in the league. Wentz’s 210 pass attempts are the NFL’s second most while his 62.9 completion percentage ranks 20th and his 6.6 yards per attempt is 25th.

Rivera said he doesn’t have any regrets about trading for Wentz. If that changes, Wentz won’t see the final two years of his contract worth just over $53.4 million and will be on his way to a fourth team in as many years during the offseason.

Chandler Jones, Raiders

The Raiders signed Jones to a three-year, $51 million contract containing $32 million fully guaranteed to pair with Maxx Crosby. The idea was to have one of the NFL’s most formidable pass-rusher duos on the edge. Jones isn’t holding up his end of the bargain. He doesn’t have any sacks this season and only has 12 quarterback pressures (combined sacks, quarterback hits and quarterback hurries), according to Pro Football Focus.

Allen Robinson, Rams

A disappointing contract year in which Robinson had his worst season as a pro (other than 2017 when he tore his left ACL in the Jaguars’ season opener) didn’t dissuade the Rams from signing him to a three-year, $46.5 million contract (worth up to $48 million through incentives) with $30.75 million fully guaranteed. The third year in 2024 can be voided by Robinson reaching 2,201 combined receiving yards in 2022 and 2023. Wide receiver Robert Woods, who tore the ACL in his left knee during a practice last November, was traded to the Titans in a salary dump to accommodate Robinson’s signing.

Robinson has practically been invisible this season. He only has 12 catches for 107 yards with a touchdown in five games. Surprisingly, 2021 seventh-round pick Ben Skowronek has been the Rams’ second most effective wide receiver. Skowronek has 18 catches for 181 yards. It’s hard to determine at this point whether Robinson’s skills being in serious decline or head coach Sean McVay not incorporating him into the offense is the bigger issue for the lack of production.

J.C. Jackson, Chargers

Jackson is part of the franchise’s massive talent upgrade, while Justin Herbert is still cheap for a starting quarterback, after barely missing the playoffs last season. Jackson was signed to a five-year, $82.5 million contract with $40 million in guarantees to shore up the secondary. His ankle surgery during the latter part of the preseason that’s caused him to miss two games came as a surprise.

Jackson, who recently put his ankle at 90%, has yet to resemble the player who earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors last season. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 75% of passes (15 of 20 attempts), averaging 16.3 yards per catch when targeting Jackson for a 149.0 passer rating, according to PFF. Jackson has given up two touchdowns in three games after allowing just three over 17 games in 2021.

Mitchell Trubisky, Steelers

Trubisky got first crack at replacing Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after 18 years in Pittsburgh. He signed a two-year, $14.285 million contract worth up to $26.785 million through incentives. It didn’t take long for Trubisky to lose his tenuous grip on the starting quarterback job. He was replaced by Kenny Pickett, who was taken 20th overall in this year’s NFL Draft, during the middle of a Week 4 loss to the Jets.

Pittsburgh’s offense was struggling with Trubisky under center. In the three full games Trubisky played, he was averaging a league-worst 5.5 yards per pass attempt. He also ranked 26th in the NFL with a 60.2 completion percentage and had a 77.7 passer rating, which was 29th. Trubisky is probably looking at a backup deal during the offseason in the same $2.5 million-per-year neighborhood that he got from the Bills as an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

Bengals O-linemen: Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, La’el Collins

The AFC champion Bengals made offensive line the top priority in the free agency because 2020 first overall pick Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times last season, including the playoffs. The interior was addressed with Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. Cappa signed a four-year contract averaging $8.75 million per year. Karras received a three-year, $18 million deal. Right tackle La’el Collins signed a three-year, $21 million contract (worth a maximum of $30 million through salary escalators and incentives) after the Cowboys released him. He anointed himself Burrow’s bodyguard upon signing and proclaimed nobody would be touching the quarterback. That certainly hasn’t been the case this season. Burrow has been sacked 19 times through five games. The Bengals are on pace to surrender 72 sacks over the regular season after giving up 55 in 2021.

Laken Tomlinson, Jets

Tomlinson was the cornerstone of the Jets’ free agent class. He signed a three-year, $40 million contract (worth up to $41.2 million through incentives) with $26.6 million in guarantees, of which $24 million was fully guaranteed at signing. It was supposed to be a smooth transition for Tomlinson because he is in the same offensive scheme he was under in San Francisco for the last five years. Tomlinson has allowed 15 quarterback pressures in five games this season. He only had five at the same point last year and 24 for the 17-game season.

FOURTH DOWN DECISONS

If a coach meekly punts, there might be some mumbling – no matter how disastrous that course of action proves to be.  But when a coach goes for it in a non-obvious situation, he is derided for taking a risky gamble if things don’t go well.  In truth, there is risk in any punt – go for it decision.

Here’s Charles McDonald of YahooSports.com:

Please, no more. It’s the worst debate in sports right now. Not LeBron vs. Jordan. Not who the true home run champion is. (It’s Barry, by the way.) The current worst debate in sports has sinisterly bonded generations of NFL fans every Sunday to argue and yell about something they have no control over.

That’s right, the dreaded fourth-down debate.

NFL teams have more data than ever when it comes to deciding when and when not to go for it on fourth down. In general, teams are going for it on fourth down more often than they did in the past. Of the top 10 teams with the most fourth-down attempts in a season since 1991, seven of those 10 are from the 2020 and 2021 seasons. As far as the pure on-field entertainment goes, this has been a great addition to the flow of NFL games. Fourth-down attempts instantly add stakes and tensions to every game and at the end of the day, it’s more fun to watch great players try to eke out a few yards to keep their drive going.

Of course, this hasn’t happened without debate. As the pro-attempt arguments continue to make their way into mainstream football discourse, it has become an unavoidable part of NFL broadcasts and, man, these guys seem like the most risk-averse people on the planet. It’s a strange dichotomy to see a bunch of people who put the quality of their lives on the line to play this game shrivel up when it’s time to try and convert a fourth down, but it tracks within the sport’s culture. The decision-makers in football tend to be conservative, so they need a little push to get them to see where they might be able to score more points.

On the surface, the reasoning behind going for it on fourth down in a given instance is an innocuous piece of data. Hey, trust your offense to gain a few yards to increase your chances of winning. Of course, on the flip side, missing a fourth-down conversion can put your defense into sticky situations. It’s not really that complicated of a decision, just more about how willing certain people are to take risks during the course of a game.

Here’s where it’s become annoying: The math on this has already been figured out and NFL teams are adapting. Still, the pushback on teams going for it on fourth down is loud — and it doesn’t seem like the people pushing back against being more aggressive point out the instances when it works. No strategy is infallible, including punting the ball as time runs down on the clock and hoping your defense and stashed timeouts can get the ball back for you. The people who don’t want to understand how this works never will at this point.

So, why don’t we stop arguing about it all together? This isn’t a big political point where burying it could lead to the harm of others. It’s just a small sample size of plays in a football game. Let’s all agree to disagree on whatever side you believe in and move on — because the NFL has already made this decision. Teams are going to only increase their fourth-down attempts as they continue to learn how advantageous it can be to hold onto the ball. Let’s all stew in our corners, because no one is changing their mind anytime soon.

And if you feel passionately about your right to argue about a fourth-down decision, meet me at the logo about it. Or don’t, because I won’t be there for this one.