| Enjoy the rest of Week 1! |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASWe confess to not being familiar with TE BREVYN SPANN-FORD. But he’s done enough in the Cowboys eyes to get a three-year extension. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com: The Cowboys have agreed to terms with backup tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford on a three-year extension, his agent, Mike McCartney, announced on social media. Spann-Ford was scheduled to become a restricted free agent in 2027. He was scheduled to make $966,666 this season. The Cowboys signed the former Minnesota Golden Gopher as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He has played all 34 games since and supplanted Luke Schoonmaker, a second-round pick in 2023, as the team’s No. 2 tight end. He has made only 18 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown, but has played 25.5 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over the past two seasons. He has also played 357 special teams snaps, becoming a core special teams player in 2025. |
| PHILADELPHIATim McManus of ESPN.com on how RB SAQUAN BARKLEY is trying to make 2026 more like 2024 than 2025: There were moments this summer when running back Saquon Barkley stirred the echoes, flashing a quick burst or a sudden jump cut or a moment of competitive overdrive that brought to the surface what he’s done and what he’s capable of. Day 8 of training camp might have been the highlight. It started when he barreled into the end zone on a deep red zone run and finished the play with a well-spirited shove of cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, helping awake a sagging offense. Moments later, with the unit backed up, Barkley hit Jordan Davis with a hop step move that left the defensive tackle chasing wind as Barkley sped through the crease and raced to daylight. The days the attack looked best this offseason were the ones when Barkley was featured. This should come as no surprise to anyone who watched their Super Bowl run in 2024, when Barkley set the NFL record for most single-season rushing yards, including playoffs, or saw how the operation fell off last year as the ground game labored to find its footing behind an ailing offensive line. But it was a reminder that for all the discussion about quarterback Jalen Hurts and his fit in the new system, so much of the Eagles’ fate is actually tied to whether Barkley, in Year 9 and five months away from his 30th birthday, can recapture his NFL Offensive Player of the Year form while acclimating to a new scheme. “The more productive we are in the run game and stuff feeds off that, we’ll see the Saquon of two years ago,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said. “We’ll see the big plays, we’ll see him flexed out wide at receiver, see him in the screen game.” Barkley acknowledged he’s “going back to like I’m a little kid again” in some respects, working on his steps and techniques to match the new Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay-like system implemented by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. This heavy under-center, wide zone scheme is largely new to him. “Guys who do really well in outside zone scheme stuff are more like one-cut backs,” he said. “I naturally, especially after my ACL [tear in 2020], like to cut off of two, so just prepping myself.” Barkley is known to study his contemporaries — players such as Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — as well as the “OGs” to see how he can improve his game. This offseason, he reached out specifically to Todd Gurley, the former Ram great, for advice on how to thrive in this type of system. The main difference between inside zone — which he has majored in since coming to Philly — and outside zone is that inside zone requires a healthy amount of patience and a strong jump cut, Barkley said, whereas outside zone necessitates a mindset of “attacking it more, stretching them, getting the defense to expand, and when you get the opportunity to put your foot in the ground, do it fast, violent and physical.” With the offensive line creating wide angles by getting out in space, Johnson likened it to “riding that wave,” where if the back can’t get to the perimeter, he’ll read the backside blocks and choose the gap to shoot through. “I feel like it creates a lot more running lanes instead of, we were in more of a narrow style angle last year so it’s more sideline to sideline and his ability to cut back,” Johnson said. As training camp showed, the big-play potential is there. That was the bread and butter for the 2024 Eagles offense, as Barkley led all backs with 46 rushes of 10-plus yards. A lot of the credit goes to the offensive front, with Barkley also leading running backs in average yards before contact (4.17). Last season, the yards before contact plummeted to 2.31 yards on average (25th) and he dropped to eighth in runs of 10-plus yards (28). Overall, he ran for 1,140 yards (4.1 YPC) last season compared to 2,005 (5.8 YPC) the season prior. The offensive line enters the season largely healthy, offering promise that Barkley will have some big holes to fly through once again. “I think he’s been very excited about being able to run in a new scheme and maybe have some more consistent action to some degree,” Hurts said. “I know he’s worked his tail off and I have a lot of confidence and excitement for him and his ability and what he’s going to do.” Not only is the offensive line in a better place but Barkley is as well. He shot past his career high in carries (345) during the regular season in 2024 and added 91 more rushes in the postseason. That number fell to 280 last season. And while the wild-card playoff exit against the San Francisco 49ers was disappointing for the Eagles, it gave everyone more of a physical and mental break this offseason, including the 29-year-old Barkley. “Huge,” said running backs coach Jemal Singleton, on the benefits of the longer layoff. “He could take the time from the offseason and get his rest but then come back and start working. So I feel like he’s in a really, really good place now. … It’s going to be exciting to kind of see him go.” Singleton can see it most in the conditioning part of it where Barkley, who shares a backfield this season with a pair of capable backs in Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley, has stayed on the field for more plays during long drives while looking “explosive.” Put the fresh legs with a revitalized offensive front in this run scheme, and there is optimism Barkley can ascend to the top of the running back class once again. “Being a better playmaker,” Barkley said on what he wants to improve from last season. “That’s why I was brought here, that’s what I feel I’m one of the best in the league [at] and just bringing that back.” |
| WASHINGTONP TRESS WAY says he thinks the 2026 season will be his last. Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic: Tress Way, the Commanders’ three-time Pro Bowl punter and longest-tenured player, said Thursday that he is “pretty sure” this will be his last season in the NFL. “I thought about it a long time. It has been so special for me playing here because I was an undrafted free agent, cut by the Bears, bounced around, sleeping on the couch and doing workouts,” Way said Thursday afternoon, before choking up. “I got picked up by the Bears again, (cut) by the Bears again. And then when I got picked up here on the waiver wire — for all the fantasy folks out there, I was a waiver wire claim — when I got claimed on the waver wire, dude, I just felt wanted here. I’ve felt wanted here my whole career, so I didn’t want to play anywhere else.” Washington claimed Way in 2014 and he quickly won the starting job, grossing an NFL-best 47.5 yards per punt in his first season. In 2019, he was voted a second-team All-Pro and selected to his first of three career Pro Bowls with an NFL-high 49.6 yards per punt. He also kicked the longest punt in the league that season, 79 yards, in a win over the Carolina Panthers. But perhaps the signature play of his career was not a punt, but a pass completion: In the 2024 NFC Championship game against the Eagles, the Commanders audibled to fake a punt and Way found tight end Ben Sinnott for a 23-year completion. “I can still go back to being in the moment whenever Reavo (safety/punt protector Jeremy Reaves) made the audible on the field,” Way, 36, recalled. “Things weren’t going our way out the gate, my family and friends are in the stands in the NFC Championship. We’re one game away from the Super Bowl and it’s like, ‘I’m gonna throw a freaking pass right now.’” Way long ago set the franchise record for most punting yards, which now stands at 39,031. With at least 65 punts this season he would top Mike Bragg (896) for the most in team history. He also has a chance to pass Art Monk (205) for the third-most career games played by a Washington player. Way has the rare distinction of being an NFL punter who is also one of the team’s most popular players, beloved by players, coaches and fans. Throughout his 12 seasons, he’s played for two team owners and four head coaches (including interim Bill Callahan in 2019), held for 12 kickers and seen 16 starting quarterbacks come through Washington. “I had heard a few times before that this could possibly be the last one,” Reaves said when asked about his initial reaction to Way’s likely impending retirement. “Fifty precent of me didn’t want to believe (it) and 50 percent of me felt like it was real this time. It was a gut punch. Sucked. … That’s my brother.” Way and Reaves became especially close in their years together, with the latter often crediting Way for helping him make the Commanders’ active roster after years of bouncing on and off the practice squad. Way helped former coach Ron Rivera surprise Reaves with the news of his Pro Bowl selection in 2022, then four years later officiated his wedding. “Every big moment of my life he’s been a part of,” Reaves said Thursday, as the tears started to roll. Reaves (defense) and Way (special teams) were both voted as a season-long captains this season. “Send him off on a high note,” Reaves said. “Send him off the right way.” |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAA month ago, the question was whether TUA TAGOVIALOA or MICHAEL PENIX, Jr. would start the opener in Pittsburgh. Now, QB COOPER RUSH has emerged as the favorite. Shanna McCairston of CBSSports.com: Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa seemed to experience back discomfort during Thursday’s practice and was officially listed as limited with an oblique injury on the team’s report. The issue could impact his Week 1 availability against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tagovailoa is considered day-to-day, according to ESPN, and his status for the season opener is to be determined. Friday’s injury report will be one to monitor, as anything less than full participation could be an indicator that the first-year Falcon is set have his Atlanta debut delayed. During individual drills, Tagovailoa touched his back, sat down briefly, and was not seen throwing again during the portion of practice open to the media. Rush said afterwards that he took all the first team snaps. |
| TAMPA BAYEDGE REUBEN BAIN, Jr. is trending the right way to play in Cincinnati on Sunday. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Rookie linebacker Rueben Bain is on the right track to make his NFL debut for the Buccaneers on Sunday. The first-round pick was listed as a limited practice participant on Wednesday due to a shoulder injury, but he moved up to full participation on Thursday. Bain was joined in that group by wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) and guard Billy Schrauth (knee). Running back Sean Tucker (hamstring) was a limited participant after sitting out on Wednesday. Wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee), linebacker Christian Rozeboom (foot), and offensive tackle Justin Skule (oblique) were limited for the second straight day. The Bucs will issue any injury designations for Sunday’s game against the Bengals after Friday’s practice. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCOWe can never know how much of it, if any, was because of the widely different travel plan. But, whatever the 49ers did, they were the team that executed a sound game plan with intelligence and enthusiasm in Australia on Netflix. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com: – In the moments after his team’s 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan already knew one of the questions coming his way. Sure enough, seven questions into his postgame news conference at Melbourne Cricket Ground, a reporter asked Shanahan whether the Niners’ plans to travel to Melbourne a week in advance gave his team an advantage against the Rams, who arrived Thursday, played Friday and headed out after the game. “Win or lose, I know everybody was going to make a big deal about that for either team,” Shanahan said. “You never know how much that factors into it. You just try to do the best to prepare for 3½ hours. I liked how we prepared, but more importantly, I liked how we played.” Rams coach Sean McVay echoed that sentiment. “I don’t believe that that’s why we didn’t play well enough,” McVay said. “I really don’t. … I’ll always make decisions that I think are best for the football team. It’s easy in hindsight to be able to say it was a miss, but those are responsibilities that I’ll take.” Though neither coach wanted to make the league’s first regular-season game in Australia a referendum on travel plans, the 49ers’ victory provided a useful data point for future teams having to make 15-plus hour flights to play a game. After a sloppy first half for both sides, the Niners rattled off 17 straight points to hand the Rams their worst loss since Week 2 in 2024. The Rams are the first preseason Super Bowl favorite in the past 50 years to lose their season opener by 20 points or more. In Raheem Morris’ first game as 49ers defensive coordinator, the Niners’ defense held the Rams to their lowest scoring output in a game they’ve had Matthew Stafford at quarterback. The Niners’ offense, meanwhile, looked fresh and balanced as quarterback Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, and San Francisco averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 30 attempts. The Niners had a clear appreciation for how Shanahan and his staff handled the travel plans. “It was definitely worth it coming a little bit early,” receiver Mike Evans said. “I felt like we got acclimated. … We didn’t complain. We actually enjoyed being out here in Melbourne.” The 49ers landed in Melbourne on Sept. 4. They stayed at the Park Hyatt Hotel, where the team arranged for everything from meeting and film rooms, and the 49ers’ chefs prepared meals at the restaurant. The players had access to a nearby spa for various recovery tools such as a cold plunge and red light therapy. When they weren’t planning for the game, the Niners explored the city, trying the various coffee shops and going to group dinners at local restaurants. Running back Christian McCaffrey even got a haircut and was told that his hair “looks cracker,” which he was then informed means it looks good. “Melbourne was sick,” tight end George Kittle said. “I had a great time here. I’m real excited, the fact that we came out early and were here for the whole week, immerse ourselves in Melbourne. We were taken great care of, great hotel, the staff was awesome. We had so much fun drinking coffee and just kind of hanging out for the whole week.” During the game, Shanahan and his team noted the sellout crowd — the announced attendance of 100,021 was the seventh highest in the regular season NFL history — was a bit far from the field, but they still found ways to enjoy the game. Purdy and Shanahan enjoyed the Australian tradition of fan singalongs during the game. “It was awesome,” Purdy said. “I thought the energy that the Australians have out here were really cool. They’re passionate about sports. We have heard that from a lot of people, but being out there, looking around, I was like, this is pretty cool, man. It’s pretty special. … They had fun with it. So, for us to be able to come here to an amazing country and amazing spot, win, and be able to enjoy Melbourne and the week that we were here with all the people, it was a great experience overall.” Despite the successful trip, the Niners might not be in a hurry to return to Australia, at least not right away. San Francisco was technically the visitor for Thursday’s game and does not have international marketing rights in the country, which means potential future visits would have to be under similar circumstances to this one. The NFL has already struck a multiyear agreement to return to Australia with other teams holding marketing rights here, such as the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders next in line. The 49ers enjoyed their time in Australia, and any hesitancy about playing here again would be about the logistics and fatigue from such a long trip. “It was cool. I would like to come back when I’m not working, though,” Shanahan said. “It seemed awesome. Seemed like a cool place. But it’s tough when you’re working the whole time. … I like 17 home games in San Francisco. Nothing against Australia, just don’t like to travel.” As the above makes clear, the 49ers embraced the trip to Australia as a fun opportunity for personal growth. The Rams treated it as an obstacle to be endured. This from LB FRED WARNER per Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Rams took a 7-3 lead over the 49ers on the first play of the second quarter on Thursday night, but it was not a sign that things were going to go their way for the rest of their time in Melbourne, Australia. A Demarcus Robinson touchdown catch put the 49ers up 10-7 at halftime and the 49ers would score 17 more points in the second half while shutting out the Rams. The biggest defensive play of that effort came when the Niners stoned the Rams on four goal-to-go plays in the third quarter, including a Matthew Stafford sneak on fourth down that went nowhere. Linebacker Fred Warner was at the point of attack on that play and many others over the course of the 27-7 win. He finished his first game back from a serious ankle injury with 11 tackles and a forced fumble in the fourth quarter. After it was over, he pointed to the different approaches the two teams took in going to Australia — the 49ers were there for a week, the Rams got there the day before — in helping to fuel the way things played out. “I think it was definitely a matter of us feeling like we got stronger as the game went on,” Warner said in a postgame press conference. “The opposing team, it felt like they kinda withered away. . . . Our plan was great. Coming out here early, all the resources they gave us to be successful for today is what gave us a chance to win this game.” The second half of the travel question is the impact it will have on the two teams once they are back home. Time will tell how that plays out, but having Warner back in the middle of the defense should only help their chances of keeping things rolling. The Rams are the team with “marketing rights” in Australia, but it was the 49ers who won over a nation. This is one of a number of tweets: @SiaNejadAn interesting storyline in this 49ers/Rams game from my sister who lives in Melbourne and who is going to the game: It was pretty well established that the 49ers would have more fans than the Rams for this game, but lost in the “travel plans/jet lag debate” is how many fans the 49ers fans won over simply by showing up early. The Rams showing up right before the game feels like a snub to many Australians. They anticipated that the Rams would arrive at a similar time as the 49ers and immerse themselves in the culture just like the 49ers did: “The 49ers came for a whole week and loved it and did so many interviews and press and posts and went to an AFL game. They were very impressed with Melbourne and they were impressive as a team.” From a pure football standpoint this may not matter a ton, but the 49ers already had a majority of the Australian fans and now they may have gobbled up the neutral fans as well. Melbourne Cricket Ground holds 100,000 and it’s going to be very loud with 49er fans. The ‘home team’ that just showed up is going to feel like the road team in more ways than one. And this: @LombardiHimselfGreat insight from Australian 49ers fans Anthony and Tom. They say that the 49ers’ early arrival has won over the 50-50 fans of this sports-crazed city. Then, this — also notable: “Overseas teams have come over [in other sports]. But no one has really done what the 49ers have done and embraced the community and gotten involved. It’s been unheard of. The way they’ve done it is unbelievable. “I really think going forward you’re going to have so many new generations of [Australian] 49ers fans.” Hearing this from people familiar with Australian sporting culture certainly gives it more weight… But, as is usual for the 49ers, there were injuries. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: 49ers tight end Jake Tonges left Thursday night’s win over the Rams with a knee injury, and coach Kyle Shanahan offered an ominous update after the game. “It wasn’t good. It’s not an ACL, it’s the MCL, I believe, but there’s some issues with it that we’ve got to see how it is. There’s a little more information to it, but we don’t know yet,” Shanahan said. The 49ers likely won’t know the full extent of Tonges’ injury until they’re back from Australia and can give him a full battery of tests, but Shanahan’s tone suggested that the medical staff thinks Tonges will miss significant time. The 27-year-old Tonges has been with the 49ers since 2023. He spent his first year in San Francisco on the practice squad and played mostly special teams in 2024, but he saw a much bigger role on offense in 2025 because of injuries to George Kittle. Last year Tonges caught 34 passes for 293 yards and five touchdowns, and this offseason he signed a two-year, $8 million contract. And rookie WR D’ZHAUN STRIBLING was carted off with an ankle injury. Luckily, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, Stribling’s Achilles was intact, which means it wasn’t what got injured, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Shanahan said that the standout rookie has an ankle injury, but that the team isn’t sure how serious it is, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. |
| SEATTLEThis from Brady Henderson of ESPN.com on QB SAM DARNOLD’s hip injury – very painful at the moment, but probably only a week or two. Sam Darnold has received “really, really good news” regarding his hip injury, coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, but the Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback is expected to miss the team’s Week 2 game, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Darnold, 29, had an MRI on his right hip Thursday morning after he was injured on the opening possession of the Seahawks’ season-opening game against the New England Patriots on Wednesday night. He gave way to backup Drew Lock, who helped lead Seattle to a 13-10 win in a rematch of Super Bowl LX opponents. Macdonald, during his weekly radio show on Seattle Sports 710 AM, said that Darnold’s hip is intact and that it appears the injury is muscular. “Now, how long that [he’s out], we don’t know yet,” Macdonald said Thursday. “But really, really good news. So we’re really happy for Sam. That’s good. But it is painful, though. I know it hasn’t been an easy night for him.” Macdonald offered no further updates in his news conference later Thursday, reiterating that the news continues to be positive. “So right now I think we’re just working through the extent of the injury and putting a plan in place to get back rocking and rolling,” he said. “The silver lining is we have some extra time here. We’ll get things back up and running on Monday … So hopefully by then we’ll have a really accurate picture of our plan of attack and what we’ll do that week.” Darnold was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Wednesday night for testing, sources told Schefter. A source told ESPN that he spent the night at the hospital, in part because of how much discomfort he was in. Sources told ESPN and NFL Network that Darnold is expected to miss the Seahawks’ next game at Arizona on Sept. 20 but said that he should be back sooner rather than later and that Seattle has “dodged a bullet.” |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDThe Patriots took a hit early when coveted WR A.J. BROWN went down early. And they’ll be without him for awhile. Kari Anderson of YahooSports.com: The New England Patriots might be without star wide receiver A.J. Brown for longer than they hoped. An MRI on Thursday reportedly confirmed that Brown suffered a high ankle sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Brown is expected to miss at least four weeks with the injury, per Rapoport. High ankle sprains typically require four to six weeks of recovery. Brown suffered the injury during the third quarter of Wednesday night’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with the 29-year-old receiver grabbing at his lower right leg after an incompletion. Brown stayed down while athletic training staff tended to him before he was helped off the field. Postgame, Brown reportedly left the locker room in a walking boot on his right foot. Prior to leaving the game, Brown had three receptions for 26 yards. Sounds like a trip to IR. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| 2027 DRAFTGilberto Manzano of SI.com looks at how the top receivers are shaking out and cites two candidates for QB3 behind ARCH MANNING and DANTE MOORE: WR Tier 1 Jeremiah Smith, junior, Ohio StateSmith is still a level above the rest when it comes to draft-eligible prospects. Perhaps the only player who can push Smith for the title of “best receiver in college football” is Miami’s Malachi Toney. However, he’s only a sophomore and probably a lock to go in the top 10 in 2028. (It’s going to be difficult to ignore Toney for this weekly draft notebook this season.) Back to Smith. He flexed his muscles in Ohio State’s 56–3 tune-up against Ball State, recording eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns—all in the first half. It might get to the point where Smith is in the conversation for being the No. 1 pick in April. Keyshawn Johnson was the last wide receiver selected first in a draft, going to the Jets in 1996. WR Tier 2 Charlie Becker, junior, Indiana; Nick Marsh, junior, Indiana; Cam Coleman, junior, Texas The Becker hype train will not be slowing down any time soon. His name came up often during my summer conversations with those in the know. He validated the praise in Week 1, with four catches, 64 yards and two touchdowns against North Texas. He’s a smooth route runner with reliable hands and a sizable catch radius at 6’4″, 207 pounds. Becker’s new teammate also put on a show in his Indiana debut. Marsh had one of the better touchdown catches of Week 1. He turned around just in time to make a sensational one-handed grab. That play is a perfect example of why I had Marsh ranked No. 14 on my initial big board, one spot ahead of Becker. Those two might crack the top 12 in the near future. Still, I have Coleman as the No. 2 wideout among draft-eligible prospects. He, too, had a stellar debut with his new team, delivering three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns in Texas’s dominant 59–7 victory over Texas State. The competition will drastically increase this week when the Longhorns host the Buckeyes in a clash of top-five teams. WR Tier 3Deuce Alexander, junior, Ole Miss; KJ Duff, junior, Rutgers; Evan Stewart, senior, Oregon; Bryant Wesco Jr., junior, Clemson Alexander’s draft stock soared after his dynamic 159-yard performance in Ole Miss’s thrilling win over Louisville. He displayed game-changing speed on his two 62-yard touchdowns near the right sideline, one on a downfield bomb and the other on a catch-and-run score. His lack of size at 6’0″, 180 pounds is a bit of a concern, but that won’t be an issue if he continues to torch defensive backs. Alexander could have a shot at being a first-rounder, which seemed like a long shot just a week ago. That kind of big-play ability is highly coveted among NFL teams. As for Duff, he already had plenty of attention from scouts because of what he does on the field with his massive frame. The 6’6″, 225-pound playmaker provided reassurances of his NFL potential, recording nine catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns in Rutgers’s surprising loss to UMass. Maybe I’m higher on Stewart than most. He also had a few muffed punt returns against Boise State. Still, his special teams versatility is a bonus, and Stewart knows how to get open, using his speed and savvy route running. Moore placed a lot of trust in Stewart (eight receptions, 72 yards) while orchestrating Oregon’s 34–27 comeback victory in Week 1. As for Wesco, it was a long night for him and his Clemson teammates in an ugly 51–10 loss to LSU. Woof. However, one bad performance isn’t enough to knock Wesco out of the third tier. He has enticing speed and the size to withstand hits at 6’2″, 195 pounds. Mystery third quarterback updateLast week, I mentioned that eventually we’ll have an obvious third quarterback join Manning and Moore in the first tier for prospects at the position. My preseason prediction for that third mystery quarterback was Darian Mensah (I called my shot in this mock draft 1.0). The former Duke signal-caller made me look good with his sensational Miami debut (27-of-30, 401 yards, five TDs) during a blowout victory over Stanford. Sure, it wasn’t a difficult matchup, but it’s obvious he has high-level accuracy. Dare I say, his accuracy resembles what Joe Burrow does on the field? I’ll pump the brakes a bit, but you get the point. However, other quarterbacks made a strong push to be in that third spot. If Chambliss does more of what he did against Louisville, he might be hearing his name called in the first round next year. He plays with confidence, takes timely downfield shots and has a knack for extending plays. There are concerns about his lack of size at 6’0″, 205 pounds. From squinting at my TV, he doesn’t appear that small on the field. His stature and skill set remind me of Baker Mayfield. But Chambliss still has work to do to surpass Mensah, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and USC’s Jayden Maiava in the QB rankings. Still, that was a near-perfect performance against a ranked opponent in Week 1. |
| THE NETFLIX BROADCAST AND MIKE TOMLINAndrew Marchand of The Athletic on how Netflix did: Netflix started a little slow on it sports coverage. There was the uncalled-for NFL Christmas Day in-game Zoom with Emmitt Smith last year. There was MLB Opening Night when comedian Bert Kreischer screamed at viewers about baseball before the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants came to bat in March. There was a lot of Netflix-ization of the sports. It wasn’t great. But Netflix has learned a thing or two as it has gone forward, which included, Thursday night, the Los Angeles Rams versus the San Francisco 49ers from Melbourne, the first of five NFL games on the service’s expanded schedule this season. If you were to create in a lab a human being to demonstrate that the early lessons were received by Netflix, it would result in Pro Football Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly. Kuechly’s DNA is built on X&O chromosomes. In Kuechly’s debut as Netflix’s No. 1 game analyst, he was about football, first, second and third. Paired with an already established big-game voice, the 29-year-old Noah Eagle, Kuechly made the game the focus Thursday. Sports — especially the king of all media, the NFL — sell themselves. It doesn’t need any Netflix special sauce. Just make sure the stream works and deliver a football game. Down in front! Kuechly had great detail in his analysis. His experience as a Carolina Panthers radio game analyst prepared him to get in and out in the proper amount of time. He was informative, though a bit dry. (We will take that every day of the week — and with the Thursday night game being held Friday morning in Australia, no one knew what day it was anyway.) No one wants analysts who are too distracting. While the 49ers beat the Rams 27-7, Eagle worked like a strong nose tackle in Kuechly’s playing days, taking care of the blockers to let a linebacker have clean lanes to make tackles. Eagle gave Kuechly plenty of room to teach football. Analysts have talked about runners squaring their shoulders for decades, but Kuechly added at one point that it allows a ball carrier to easily go left or right. It was a quick, subtle point that allowed a viewer to understand the game better. In another instance, Kuechly explained how coaches teach to tackle high inside a team’s own 5 so an opponent can’t fall forward into the end zone. Simple, good stuff. Kuechly needs to explain some football vernacular a little more. If you say, “PBU,” just add “pass breakup” as not everyone watching grew up playing Pop Warner. It is an easy fix. Fans want to go inside, so just telling viewers the terms along with a one-line explanation goes a long way. NBC handled the behind-the-scenes production for Netflix, but the streamer’s top sports executive, Gabe Spitzer, and his team decided the direction. It was a cleaner approach to the telecast, demonstrated by an easy-to-read on-screen scorebug and a pregame show, led by Elle Duncan with analysts Michael Irvin, Clay Matthews and Nick Foles, that was about the game. Joining Eagle and Kuechly were two sideline reporters, Tom Pelissero and MJ Acosta-Ruiz. The duo gave solid information, not overdoing it. Besides some kangaroo jackets with a hoodie that Netflix had NFL commissioner Roger Goodell try on in the pregame and had Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa (who looked less than enthused) put on in the postgame, Netflix stuck to a straightforward script. Viewers don’t have a choice of who produces the game, which is why, at a minimum, fans just want to see the game without distractions. On Thursday, Kuechly and Netflix squared their shoulders, showcasing the right tackling form. It was the streamer’s best job yet. And this is Marchand on Mike Tomlin’s debut with NBC: The biggest NFL TV signing of the offseason, NBC’s rookie Mike Tomlin, dropped one of his Tomlinisms almost immediately as he assessed the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks before their game against the New England Patriots. Tomlin described how defending champions can be either “hungry or driven.” He then mentioned a “tapeworm.” His overall point was that as the hunted, not the hunter, you have to want it more. While it was a bit confusing, he could have been detailing his move from Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers coach to studio analyst. Though Tomlin brought much-needed gravitas to the remodeled “Football Night in America” in his regular-season debut, his performance left more of a question than a verdict: To borrow his terminology, does he have a “tapeworm”-like drive for TV or not? For sure, Tomlin has a lot of potential. His on-air presence is exceptional, as you want to know what he is going to say. He looked pretty comfortable on set and had the signals down on where to look as Maria Taylor quarterbacked a revamped NBC pre-game show that will be on the road every week. Tomlin was a bit tepid, as it definitely wasn’t fully clear whether this is just a timeout in his coaching career or if he’s going full John Madden, leaving his whistle behind for good for TV. He provided some insight, but it was a little see-no-evil, without a “Wow” moment. The Seahawks’ injuries on defense? Well, that could be a “blessing in disguise,” Tomlin decided, as Seattle’s head coach Mike McDonald might be inclined to keep the game plans simple and players can be looser. Half-full stuff, for sure. Seahawks beat Patriots to kick off 2026 NFL seasonTomlin is just 54, even though it feels like he has been around the NFL forever. When Taylor introduced Tomlin at the top of the pregame, she teased that the crew will have to tame Tomlin’s urge to put a coach’s headset on. It was a warm and appropriate way to bring Tomlin on board. Just like the man he succeeded in Pittsburgh, CBS’ Bill Cowher, Tomlin’s name is probably going to float around every big coaching job that opens. Cowher consistently said no. Will Tomlin? Tomlin has been high on TV executives’ wish lists for a long time. He received a big contract from NBC that, according to sources with knowledge of his deal but who were not authorized to speak publicly, is a bit back-loaded to entice him to stay longer. NBC clearly wants to build around Taylor and Tomlin. NBC made a good decision to change its format. Its studio show has consistently been the most-watched on Sundays because it is wedged between the end of the afternoon games and the national spotlight matchup in primetime. It had too many people on the show and cut loose Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Jac Collinsworth and Matthew Berry. A new, improved dynamic was immediately evident: Less is more for each analyst. Tomlin joined holdovers Taylor, Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett and insider Mike Florio. It felt a little bigger, though the format was irregular for “Football Night in America.” The crew focused on previewing the opening night game, rather than reacting to an afternoon slate of games, like it will the rest of the season. The show’s best moment belonged to McCourty. After Taylor and Tomlin mimicked shadow boxing following a Seattle segment about building team chemistry, McCourty said how his old Patriots teams used to unwind with some “trasketball,” setting up garbage pail hoops to shoot. But after a late-season loss, Tom Brady cut the basket, saying, “Hey guys, it’s playoff time, let’s focus.” Tomlin, who was younger than 39-year-old McDonald when he won his Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2009, can take us inside locker rooms and mindsets. How a coach translates that to TV is what breeds success. So while the tapeworm bit had its moments, it needs to be a little better designed to showcase Tomlin’s unique insights. “I think you learn about yourself,” Tomlin said. “Not only as individuals, but as a collective after you win a world championship. You learn whether or not you are hungry or you’re driven. Certainly, hunger can be satisfied. “Driven is like a tapeworm. You want to do business when you are in their position with driven people. You need to minimize and eliminate the hungry and really elevate the driven because that’s what it is going to take to answer is some drive, and it’s different being the hunted as opposed to the hunters.” Throughout the night, Tomlin had a few more quality Tomlinisms, including describing Jaxon Smith-Njigba as “running water,” seemingly to allude to the smoothness of his route running. To reach the next level, Tomlin will need to reveal hard truths without regard for future jobs. At halftime, he showed a flash as the NBC crew previewed Thursday night’s San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams game in Melbourne. The 49ers arrived a week or so ago, while the Rams flew in just a day before, taking a completely opposite approach to the time difference. Tomlin was definitely behind San Francisco’s plan. That is what we need more of from him. It’s probably in him to be a star. How driven is he to succeed on TV? Does he have a tapeworm or not? |
