| As anyone in a Survivor Pool knows, this has not been a season for big favorites. Scott Kacsmar: Big favorites continue to go down at alarming rates. On Sunday, the four teams who were favored by 6.5 points were 0-4 SU (Buccaneers, Browns, 49ers, and Raiders). There were 18 such losses all of last season and 14 in 2022. We’re already up to seven this season. |
| NFC NORTH |
| CHICAGOQB CALEB WILLIAMS is 0-3. Is it too soon to say the Bears did with him (select ahead of QB JAYDEN DANIELS) what the Panthers did in 2023 with QB BRYCE YOUNG over QB C.J. STROUD? Dan Graziano of ESPN.com asks a similar question: The Bears should have kept Justin Fields instead of drafting Caleb WilliamsRemember three weeks ago, when the Steelers named Russell Wilson their starting quarterback ahead of Fields? Well, Wilson still has not taken a single snap as a Steeler. He injured a calf in practice ahead of Week 1, and Fields has started all three games. The Steelers have won all three of those games, and Fields has played a bit better each week. On Sunday, Pittsburgh held off the Chargers 20-10 in its home opener. Fields was 25-for-32 for 245 yards and one touchdown with one interception, and he also rushed for a score. Meanwhile, the Bears — who traded Fields to the Steelers once they decided to use the No. 1 pick on Williams — fell to 1-2 with a 21-16 loss to the Colts in Indianapolis. Williams finally threw his first career NFL touchdown pass (and his second). But he also threw two interceptions, took four sacks and needed to throw the ball 52 times to compile 363 yards. He was 4-of-14 on passes thrown 15 or more yards downfield, per ESPN Research, after going 0-for-11 on such throws in his first two games. The Bears’ offense has looked stuck in the mud since the season started, and the fans who wanted Fields to stay are surely getting restless. Verdict: OVERREACTIONIt’s three games! Fields played 40 games for the Bears before they decided to move on from him and draft Williams. Sure, the rookie and his offense in Chicago have not looked good. But in fairness, how good has the Steelers’ offense really looked? Pittsburgh is averaging 17 points per game. Full credit to coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and the rest of the Steelers’ coaching staff for putting Fields in a position to succeed, executing some do-no-harm game plans and leaning on an excellent T.J. Watt-led defense to propel them to a 3-0 start. And kudos to Fields for making the improvements he needed to make in his game while the Steelers spent the whole spring and summer telling everyone Wilson was the starter. But three weeks is nowhere near enough time on which to base a judgment like this. Williams is taking his lumps, as Fields did early in his career. If Williams is still taking lumps like this next season and the season after, then we’ll be able to say they might have made a mistake. At this point, if you thought Williams was going to be a good NFL quarterback, you haven’t seen enough to make you give up on that opinion. |
| DETROITKudos from Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com for the play of the week from OC Ben Johnson: Ben Johnson: You don’t see the hook-and-ladder play often, probably because it’s hard to execute. The Detroit Lions looked like they had been practicing it since the summer. Johnson, the Lions’ offensive coordinator, got tricky for a huge play in the final minute of the first half. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a short in-breaking route and flipped it to Jahmyr Gibbs running the other way. Gibbs scored a touchdown to give the Lions a 20-7 lead. That touchdown ended up being huge during a low-scoring second half, as the Lions held on for a 20-13 win. The biggest news of the Lions’ offseason wasn’t a player acquisition but when Johnson decided to stop interviewing for head-coaching jobs and stay with the Lions. Sunday wasn’t the biggest day the offense has had — the Lions holding down an explosive Cardinals offense was the bigger key to the win — but Detroit had the perfect call for the one big play it needed most to win. |
| GREEN BAYThe early returns on new DC Jeff Hartley are positive. Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com: The Packers have won two games with Malik Willis at quarterback — and he has played well. But that defense really impressed Sunday with a pick six by Jaire Alexander and eight sacks with seven players getting at least a half. The hiring of Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator was a great move.– – -Two QBs have a passer rating of 120+ and 2+ wins (and one of them could fall below 120 tonight): Josh Allen 2 124.2 Malik Willis 2 122.7 Willis is the 5th Packers QB with back-to-back game with 120+ QB ratings. This from Pat McAfee: @PatMcAfeeShow“I will never say another negative thing about Matt LaFleur EVER.. Malik Willis is DAMN GOOD at football” |
| MINNESOTAKevin O’Connell has continued the rehabilitation of QB SAM DARNOLD that Kyle Shanahn and Brina Griese started last year with the 49ers. The Vikings are a stunning 3-0 after throttling the Texans. But an MRI looms. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: Just as things are finally clicking for Sam Darnold, he and his new team need to sweat out the results of an MRI. The Vikings quarterback, who has finally found a home in his seventh NFL season, will have his knee scanned today. “It’s good, and that’s as much as I’m gonna say about that,” Darnold told PFT by phone after Sunday’s 34-7 win over the Texans, regarding his knee. At first, it didn’t look good. It looked the opposite of good. Darnold had the demeanor of a guy who feared the worst and was trying to will his way through it. He willed his way back to the field, after missing only one play. He threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions for the day. Darnold kept going until Nick Mullens re-entered and took a knee on the final snap of the game. There’s no reason to think the Vikings fear the worst. Darnold did his post-game press conference. They made him available to me (and possibly others) by phone after the game. Regardless, the MRI will show what it shows. And the Vikings already lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the entire season due to a meniscus tear. It makes plenty of sense to take a deep breath and hold it until the results of Darnold’s MRI are known. And as we go to press, the results are in and Darnold is indeed “good” and without structural damage.- – -Mike Sando of The Athletic: Week 4 delivers Vikings-Packers at Lambeau Field. Bud Grant and Vince Lombardi will be looking down approvingly. Before we run through the North team by team, here’s how a former head coach and general manager size up the division, which has seen the Vikings start 3-0 with Darnold and a dominant defense, while the Packers have won two straight with backup quarterback Malik Willis filling in for Jordan Love. Head coach: “Right now, it is Minnesota first, then Detroit/Green Bay, then Chicago. You know why I put Minnesota at the top? The defense.” GM: “I would rank them by the head-coaching jobs. I think Kevin O’Connell has done the best job. Matt LaFleur is second. He has done great with Malik Willis, who I don’t think can play. Dan Campbell, pretty good win at Arizona, where I thought they might lose. I think Chicago is in trouble. That coach (Matt Eberflus) is embattled. I don’t blame the quarterback (Caleb Williams) at all. He is running for his life, just like he was at USC last year.” • Vikings: This time last season, the Vikings were coming off a loss in which the opposing quarterback, Justin Herbert, completed 40 of 47 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns. That doesn’t seem possible, the way this Brian Flores-coordinated defense is playing now. This is the Vikings’ best three-game start on defense since at least 2000 for points allowed (10.0 per game), expected points added (44.7) and success rate (66 percent), per TruMedia. Defensive statistics can be a function of the opponent, but the Vikings have held heavyweights San Francisco and Houston (which Minnesota beat 34-7 on Sunday) to their lowest regular-season point totals since the start of last season. “They overload, but it ends up being a four-man rush, and they roll up on the receivers on the outside,” an offensive coach said. “They don’t let the quarterback have quick throws. They will bring (pressure) enough to get your attention. Your tendency is to want to get rid of the ball fast. You have to have your protections structured so you can hold the ball a little longer and get the ball down the field, but it’s tough.” The defensive dominance has allowed Darnold to play stress free, attempting only two passes all season when trailing. But that is not all. Darnold leads the league with eight touchdown passes after tossing four Sunday. He ranks first in percentage of passes gaining more than 15 yards among QBs with three starts. And he wasn’t even assured of the starting job entering the season. “They get the ball upfield as well as anyone, they do it by design and they make good use of their personnel to make explosive plays,” the coach said. “The combination of what Minnesota is doing defensively and what they are doing in the passing game … s—, they’re for real.” Darnold also started 3-0 with Carolina in 2021, when he had 21 explosive pass completions, seven more than he’s had this season. That season unraveled, with Darnold tossing six touchdown passes with 12 interceptions the rest of the way. So, there’s still much to prove. And if Darnold’s knee injury is serious, the Vikings presumably would be in the market to acquire a replacement. “If something happens there, I think they are f—-d,” an exec said. “You can’t win with Nick Mullens. Kevin O’Connell proved last year he can do better than expected with some of those guys, but when you are down to quarterback three, you are in trouble.” |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASAs he looks ahead to next week after the loss to the Ravens, Todd Archer of ESPN.comburies the lead: Is it a good thing the Cowboys are playing the Giants next? At least the Cowboys put up a fourth-quarter fight against the Ravens, but seeing the Giants on a short week might be the exact thing this team needs. Yes, both teams are 1-2 with their wins against Cleveland, but QB Dak Prescott has won 12 straight against the Giants. The only thing the Cowboys can count on at the moment is their kicker,Brandon Aubrey, who set a team record with a 65-yard field goal. The defense has allowed 190 and 274 rushing yards in the past two weeks, and more than 220 of those yards have come before contact. On offense, the Cowboys can’t score touchdowns, run the ball effectively or make big plays. This AP story gets closer to it: Aubrey’s kick Sunday was 1 yard shy of the record held by the kicker on the other sideline, Justin Tucker of the Ravens. Tucker’s 66-yarder came on the final play of a 19-17 victory at Detroit in 2021. Both kicks were indoors. Dallas plays at AT&T Stadium, which has a retractable roof that was closed. The kick cleared the crossbar by a couple of yards, with room also to spare inside the right upright. Aubrey is now 14-of-14 on kicks of 50 yards or longer in his two seasons. The 29-year-old extended his record for makes from at least 50 yards without a miss to start an NFL career. Aubrey made a 66-yarder at the end of the first half in the opener at Cleveland, but the kick came after the whistle when the Cowboys were penalized for delay of game. Dallas coaches considered having Aubrey try from 71 but changed their minds when the Browns put a returner in the end zone. Let’s try to do a better job on what Aubrey is achieving – His 65-yard FG stands alone as the second-longest FG in NFL history. To the DB’s memory, and we aren’t going to chase down all 188 FG attempts of 60+ yards in NFL history, it was the first one made (and attempted) in the regular course of the game – not at the end of a game or the half. Down 7-0 in the middle of the first quarter, Mike McCarthy sent Aubrey out for the 65-yard try with the ball at the Ravens 46. If he had missed Baltimore would have taken over at the Dallas 45. But McCarthy, in this case correctly, judged the chances of good (3 points, Ravens start at their own 30) outweighed the bad of a miss (0 points, Ravens with 25-yard better field position in Dallas territory). Also, we are pretty sure the 14 consecutive field goals from 50+ yards is no longer just the longest streak “to start a career.” Rather it is the longest streak of successful 50+ field goals in NFL history in its entirety – we believe the old record was 12 straight by Matt Prater back in 2016-17.- – -This from Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com on what ails the Cowboys: The Cowboys have major problems. The defense is bad and that’s putting way too much pressure on the offense. Mike Zimmer was brought in to fix the defense, but the run defense remains a major problem. The Ravens ran for 274 yards Sunday in their 28-25 victory. That kind of run defense demoralizes a team. They aren’t big and they get pushed around. Something has to change. |
| NEW YORK GIANTSJeff Kerr of CBSSports.com on the greatness of WR MALIK NABERS: Malik Nabers is the best WR in 2024 draft classOverreaction or reality: Overreaction Nabers is pretty good, that’s all there is to it. The Giants rookie wideout had another huge day, catching eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over the Browns, showcasing he already is a No. 1 wide receiver and injecting life into one of the most anemic offenses in football. Through three games, Nabers has 23 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns. His 37.8% target share is the fourth-highest for any player through three games over the last decade, and his 271 yards receiving are the second-most for a rookie through three games in franchise history. Nabers has his case for being the best wideout in this class, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has 10 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns through three games. This NFL Rookie of the Year race may come down to Nabers and Harrison. They are both very good. The DB actually has seen them both – and we give the edge to Nabers. The edge. |
| PHILADELPHIARB SAQUON BARKLEY leads the NFL in rushing. This from Jeff Kerr ofCBSSports.com: Saquon Barkley is the best signing of the NFL offseasonOverreaction or reality: Reality Want to take a swing at who the NFL’s leading rusher is after three weeks? That would be Barkley, who scored the Eagles’ only two touchdowns in a victory in New Orleans. Barkley finished with 17 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns for Philadelphia, upping his totals to 351 yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. He leads the league in rushing yards and is tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns. Responsible for two of the Eagles’ three wins, Barkley has totaled 100-plus yards from scrimmage in every game. He’s been as good as advertised, and is the reason why the Eagles offense is staying afloat despite all the injuries. Who knows where the Eagles would be without Barkley? |
| NFC SOUTH |
| CAROLINAThere have been 92 QB starts in the NFL so far in 2024, a year where QBs have not hit the heights of some past years. Only one has produced 300+ yards and 3 TDs. Shanna McCairston of CBSSports.com: Before Week 3, the Carolina Panthers had just one touchdown this season, but their first drive without quarterback Bryce Young ended in a touchdown. They also came away with their first victory since Dec. 31, 2023 and their first away win since the end of the 2022 season, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 at Allegiant Stadium. The former No. 1 overall pick was benched after the struggles from his rookie year continued into his sophomore season. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton got the start and made an impact right away, becoming the first quarterback this season to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. It didn’t take Dalton long to get things started in the right direction. On the game’s first series, he guided the offense 70 yards in nine plays in a drive that ended with a 6-yard pass to running back Chuba Hubbard. The Raiders tied things up in the first quarter with an Alexander Mattison 2-yard rushing touchdown, but it didn’t take Dalton much time to respond. Dalton marched 75 yards down field and found wide receiver Diontae Johnson for a 5-yard TD to take back the lead. Carolina extended their lead to 14 points and Dalton is getting everyone in the offense involved, throwing his third touchdown of the day to the third different player before the half was over. This time it was Adam Thielen scoring on a 31-yard pass. The Panthers 21 points this half are more than the scores of their first two games … combined. Dalton finished the game going 26 of 37 with 319 yards, 74 more yards than Young’s first two games combined. He had more yards in the first half quarter than Young had in either game this year. Young went 31 of 56 with 245 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in the first two weeks, including a pick on his first drive of the season. At this rate, the job is now Dalton’s to lose. Before Sunday, the only trip to the end zone for the Panthers this year was a 3-yard rush by Young. Their only other scores through two weeks were two field goals. Before he was benched, Young went 2-16 in 18 starts with 3,122 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In 14 years in the NFL, Dalton has a 83-78-2 record as a starter, with 38,511 yards, 246 touchdowns and 144. So one 300 yd/3 TD game in nearly 3 weeks in 2024. There were 33 such games, nearly 2 per week, in 2023. And 43 in 2022. Mike Sando of The Athletic thinks the wise decision to start Dalton did not come from meddlesome owner David Tepper: Andy Dalton passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-22 road victory over the Las Vegas Raiders showed emphatically why the Panthers benched Bryce Young after their 0-2 start. People really thought Carolina acted prematurely when they sent Young to the sideline? Team owner David Tepper has earned his reputation by driving ill-fated decision after ill-fated decision. But I’m not buying the widely circulated assumption that he — and not head coach Dave Canales — drove the decision to bench Young. It doesn’t make sense for the two most important reasons: • Young’s tape through two games was so bad that it should have taken intervention from ownership to keep him in the lineup. An opposing coach who has studied the Panthers called Young’s play “depressing for the franchise” while echoing anonymous player comments suggesting Young has not improved. • Tepper drove the decision to select Young, amid rumblings that then-coach Frank Reich preferred C.J. Stroud. Why would Young’s top advocate, Tepper, lead the charge to bench his hand-picked QB? Tepper’s history suggests he would be more inclined to ask tough questions of the coaches and team builders. “I think this was the football guys saying, ‘What else can we do? At least we can run an offense with Andy Dalton,’” an exec from another team said. Assuming the decision was indeed Canales’, he clearly made the right one.– – -As they watch QB MALIK WILLIS thrive in Green Bay after the Titans gave up on him, teams are falling all over themselves trying to fleece QB BRYCE YOUNG from the clutches of the Panthers. Liame McKeone has four contenders: The Carolina Panthers found themselves in the spotlight last week after benching former No. 1 pick Bryce Young in favor of Andy Dalton. Among the many questions asked (like, “What are they doing over there?”) was whether the franchise would consider trading Young. Head coach Dave Canales tried to shut that conversation down quickly by firmly informing media who asked that the Panthers are not interested in shopping Young. However, this past weekend could ultimately change that. Dalton played a tremendous game of football, made Carolina’s barebones roster look competent, and led perhaps the organization’s most dominant effort in several years. The 36-year-old veteran isn’t the long-term answer at QB but his now-proven competence may give the organization confidence in pulling the plug on Young while still remaining somewhat competitive this year. Still, Dalton looking like a real quarterback isn’t enough to give up on Young alone. But a good enough offer may convince the Panthers—and Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that there is plenty of interest in the former Heisman Trophy winner. The ESPN NFL insider said “several” teams have contacted the Panthers inquiring after Young’s availability, while others have “mulled” a trade. Perhaps most relevant was Schefter’s note that league sources believe it’s “only a matter of time” before Carolina ships Young elsewhere. All that indicates a Young trade is not likely but certainly seems possible. If so, the Panthers can’t hope to recoup a first-round pick in exchange for his talents but a low Day 2 or high Day 3 pick seems reasonable—if no team is willing to offer a starting-caliber player, which seems likely as Young is a backup right now. The quarterback is in the second season of his four-year, $37 million rookie contract, which also includes a fifth-year team option. In other words, whoever wants to trade for Young won’t be on the hook for too much financially and will have contract control up to 2027 if they choose to exercise the option. Should the franchise decides to move on, here are the five teams that make the most sense as a new home for Young. Miami DolphinsThis is the easiest match of player-to-team and the most common landing spot thrown around in Young trade discussions. Mike McDaniel crafted an offense perfectly suited for one former Alabama quarterback with flaws in his game; why not do it again? With Tua Tagovailoa’s football future seemingly up in the air following his latest concussion and Skylar Thompson disappointing once more, the Dolphins have need of a new quarterback in the short-term and possibly beyond. A good match of need on both sides. If the Panthers make Young available, the Dolphins should be at the front of the line. Las Vegas RaidersWhile the Raiders seemed very confident in their plan to start Gardnew Minshew and let Aidan O’Connell learn on the bench for the 2024 season, from the outside there doesn’t seem much hope at quarterback. Minshew is a league-average player on his good days and O’Connell, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Purdue, didn’t really flash starter potential in the 10 games he started last season. Look at it this way. If a trade for Young doesn’t work out, the Raiders will be in the same spot they are right now: a rebuilding roster looking for its QB of the future. If it does work out, then the franchise can use its high draft picks this season and beyond to build out the roster around Young, returning to playoff contention ahead of schedule. Tennessee TitansThe Titans want to give 2023 second-round pick Will Levis an earnest shot at the starting quarterback job. The 2024 season has not brought much optimism that he’s worthy. The Titans are winless in Levis’s three starts this year and look hapless more often than not; the Kentucky product has produced a shockingly high number of lowlights in the young season. There’s plenty of time for the 25-year-old to turn it around. But the Titans should prepare for the possibility he’s more suited to backup duties. Giving Young a look makes plenty of sense on that front—and, similar to the Raiders, there isn’t much downside. New York JetsThe Jets are set to contend this season with Aaron Rodgers rounding into form. However, with only Tyrod Taylor on the depth chart, there doesn’t seem to be a succession plan at QB—which is a problem when the starter is a 40-year-old coming off a torn Achilles. Retirement and/or another severe injury are real possibilities for Rodgers, and New York has nobody ready to step in. Adding Young gives the Jets that contingency and a plan for the future. The front office has used the assets at its disposal to make the team better right now; they’d be well-off to dedicate at least some resources to the future. |
| TAMPA BAYAndy Behrens of YahooSports.com is among the Fantasy touts telling you that the immediate future of Tampa Bay’s running game is rookie RB BUCKY IRVING: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35%)Very little went well for the Bucs on Sunday, but they did get another big day from Irving. The Oregon rookie carried nine times for 70 yards and caught three passes for 14, out-gaining Rachaad White by 49 scrimmage yards. He’s an absolute party with the ball in his hands: Irving has carried 25 times for 154 yards through three weeks, while White has turned 31 attempts into just 66 yards. Without question, we have a committee on our hands in Tampa Bay. White’s receiving talent will clearly keep him in the mix, but he isn’t producing highlights. |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSPete Prisco gives credit for the Rams win to Coach Sean McVay: Sean McVay can flat out coach. If we didn’t know that already, we saw it Sunday as his gritty team battled back from 14 down to beat the 49ers. The play-calling was great, but so was his fake punt for a first down that got the team jump-started in the third quarter. McVay gets it. |
| SAN FRANCISCOScott Kacsmar on how the 49ers lost on Sunday: I thought the Eagles had the worst blown lead in the fourth quarter by a team this season after what they did in each phase against the Falcons on Monday night. But the 49ers may have found a way to outdo it here. First, Brock Purdy was fantastic in this game. He finished 22-of-30 for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns (all to Jauan Jennings), but that doesn’t account for 6 drops. Ronnie Bell should take a permanent seat on the bench with his Limas Sweed ass hands. Purdy even ran 10 times and looked as mobile as ever as he tried to get the job done for his offense in a game without Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel. His only real mistake was a strip-sack before halftime, but that was right after Trent Williams momentarily left the game with an injury, and it didn’t lead to any points for the Rams. The short-yardage running game hurt them in the fourth quarter when Jordan Mason couldn’t convert a 3rd-and-short, causing the 49ers to settle for a field goal and 24-14 lead. Later, a holding penalty ruined a drive, but Jake Moody could have made a 55-yard field goal with 2:43 to effectively ice it as a 10-point game, but he missed it. I thought he gained some confidence last year with some big kicks in the playoffs, but this was a big miss in a season where everyone seems to be crushing it from deep. Then the defense had its letdowns with Matthew Stafford, who didn’t have Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua, using Tutu Atwell for deep balls to quickly get in scoring range. A 50-yard pass to Atwell set up a Kyren Williams touchdown and it was 24-24 with 1:51 left. Purdy again did his job on the next drive, but Bell had a horrible drop down the field that set up 3rd-and-10. The Rams forced a punt, and the special teams further contributed to the downfall with a 38-yard punt return by the Rams with 42 seconds left. The 49ers somehow had three defensive penalties on one snap with the pass interference moving the ball halfway to the 25. You can basically run the clock down there, which the Rams did, and they kicked a 37-yard field goal with 0:02 seconds left to take a 27-24 lead. A shocking comeback and total failure by the 49ers in so many ways, and yet somehow still appropriate for what we’ve come to expect from a Kyle Shanahan team. I must say the 49ers looked like they had something cooking on their lateral play to end things. Definitely one of the better attempts you’ll see at trying to go 70 yards in one play. A loss would have buried the season for the Rams (1-2). This loss doesn’t bury the 49ers (1-2), but it could haunt them for seeding. Seattle getting off to a 3-0 start isn’t ideal either, but the teams will meet in Seattle on a Thursday night in Week 6 after the 49ers have some winnable home games with the Patriots and Cardinals. But the 49ers absolutely wasted one of the best games Purdy will give them this year. The loss will cause others to ignore how well he did with all the injuries they had too. Just a rough day all around if you’re a 49ers fan. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYLast week, the crew of Alex Kemp provided fodder for the substantial group of non-Chiefs fans who think that NFL officials have been a not-so-secret fuel for Kansas City’s recent round of dominance/declared victories with a marginal 4th down interference penalty that allowed the winning field goal. Sunday, the crew of Tra Blake said hold my beer as perhaps the most obvious pass interference penalty of the season went uncalled. Matt Ehalt of the New York Post: This one didn’t help calm the “Chiefs get all the calls” narrative. Kansas City used a controversial non-call Sunday night to escape with a 22-17 road win over the Falcons, just one week after a late pass interference set up a game-winning field goal against the Bengals. The Chiefs (3-0) appeared to get away with a pass interference on tight end Kyle Pitts in the end zone on a third-and-5 with less than five minutes to go while nursing a five-point lead. Falcons coach Raheem Morris seemed quite tiffed with the referees’ inaction. “I like my money,” Morris said. “I like my money that Arthur Blank gives me. I’m very smart enough to be aware enough to talk about officials. They made the call or they didn’t make the call, it is what it is. We had a chance to win the football game on the last play of the game.”.Chiefs bailed out by defense to stay unbeaten as two late Falcons drives stall in red zoneThe back-to-back champion Chiefs are in that territory where they’re believed to be benefactors of each call, with plenty of notable flags or non-flags going their way in recent years. The fourth-down defensive pass interference in Week 2 allowed them to avoid an upset and this non-call saved them from another upset Sunday, although the Falcons had other chances to win. With the Falcons at the Chiefs’ six-yard line with a little more than four minutes remaining, quarterback Kirk Cousins lofted a pass to Pitts in the end zone. As Pitts came back to the ball, Chiefs safety Bryan Cook clearly got a hand around Pitts’ waist and made contact before the ball arrived. Pitts could not corral the pass, and the Falcons ultimately turned the ball over on downs. “That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on,” referee Tra Blake said in a pool report, according to NFL Network. “From the angle that they had at the time, they did not feel there was a foul committed.” He added: “We do the best we can to make that decision.” Cousins wished he could have a do-over while referencing how there potentially could have been a flag. “I didn’t have a good viewpoint on it,” Cousins said. “It was tough. … In hindsight, if I could have the play over again, I either would have gotten to Kyle earlier or if were to get to him as late as I did, put the ball up higher and to not even really put it in the refs’ hands at that point.” The Falcons (1-2) still had a chance to win the game on their ensuing drive when they drove the ball to the Chiefs’ 13-yard line, but back-to-back runs for zero and minus-three yards ended that drive. Fans took to X to share their displeasure with the call, especially since it benefitted the Chiefs. One fan wrote: “Kyle Pitts gets bear hugged during this catch attempt and the refs still don’t call a penalty for Pass Interference. I can’t make this clear enough, the Chiefs PAY the refs to WIN.” Another commented: “Every primetime chiefs game has a play like that pass interference on pitts that they benefit from. the first game of the year, their defensive coordinator was allowed to call a timeout for some reason.” Ehalt gives the Chiefs a break by limiting his description of Cook’s action to “a hand about Pitts’ waist.” You can watch it here. In fairness to the Chiefs, the Falcons benefited from some suspect officiating as they mounted their second possible game-winning drive a few minutes later. Perhaps, the downfield officials on Blake’s crew just aren’t very good. This from Scott Kacsmar on the Chiefs ability to forge close wins: The Chiefs got there (3-0) too on Sunday night, but after winning their eighth one-score game during this 9-game winning streak, it doesn’t look like this will be anywhere close to the strongest Kansas City team yet. Might even be the complete opposite.– – -Andy Reid admits that the Chiefs offense just doesn’t look right. Myles Simmons ofProFootballTalk.com: After Sunday’s win over the Falcons, quarterback Patrick Mahomes told reporters that he feels like he hasn’t played well. The quarterback noted that he’s been missing opportunities and needs to get back to his fundamentals. Head coach Andy Reid was asked about those comments in his Monday news conference and said that there are things he can do as the offensive play-caller to put Mahomes in a better position for success. “He’s a phenomenal player,” Reid said. “And I thought he kind of got in a rhythm in the second half. A lot of that is my responsibility to get him into that rhythm earlier. And so, we’ll go back and discuss all that and get that taken care of. “But I thought he really hit it well the second half there — had some beautiful throws. That throw to [Travis] Kelce on the deep cross and the throw to Rashee [Rice] — the same route, two different throws, and was spot on there. Anyway, he ended up finishing well.” The quarterback pointed to footwork as one of the tangible areas he can improve, but Reid noted that Mahomes will be fine in that area. “Just getting him in rhythm, I think, is the important thing,” Reid said. “That encompasses all of that stuff — the footwork, the knee bend, his drop, and so on. And then the more we secure things up front also helps. So he came off a game where he had to get the ball out quickly last week with the pressure that was on him. But I thought the offensive line did a nice job here. And I think Pat will see that and that also helps the situation.” Mahomes has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 659 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions through three games. His 219.7-yard average is well off his average of 261.4 yards in 2023. |
| LAS VEGASAntonio Pierce didn’t mince words after the humiliating loss to Carolina. Albert Breer: The line of the week came from Raiders coach Antonio Pierce after their 36–22 loss. “As the game went on, I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions,” he told reporters after the game. “And we’ll make business decisions going forward, as well.” So if someone loses their job in Vegas Monday morning, we’ll know why. Examples may be made. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREFrank Schwab of YahooSports.com on the Ravens: Baltimore Ravens: Not all 0-2 teams are the same.The Ravens weren’t happy to be winless after two weeks, but it would have been foolish to give up on them after a tough start. The Ravens will have to figure out why they’re having trouble holding onto leads in the fourth quarter after nearly blowing another game on Sunday, but they held on for a 28-25 win over the Dallas Cowboys. And for three quarters, the Ravens looked great in building a 28-6 lead. Presumably that’s a better representation of what we can expect from Baltimore this season. Lamar Jackson was efficient and Derrick Henry was his vintage self, breaking tackles on his way to 151 rushing yards. The Ravens’ defense looked good for three quarters before allowing Dallas to get back in the game in the fourth quarter. Unlike last week against the Raiders, it didn’t cost Baltimore a win. Baltimore didn’t have the start to the season it wanted, but there’s plenty of time for the Ravens to establish themselves as contenders again. The first three quarters offered signs of what might be to come. |
| CLEVELANDBen Solak tweets about the problems of QB DESHAUN WATSON running the offense of Ken Dorsey/Kevin Stefanski: @BenjaminSolakDeshaun Watson leads the league in total dropbacks. Excluding Bryce Young, who has been benched, he is last in the league in: Total QBRYards per attempt + yards per dropbackSuccess rateExplosive play rate The Browns are throwing the ball a ton and getting nothing for it. |
| PITTSBURGHThe Steelers are 3-0 and deserve a high ranking in the NFL’s 2024 heirarchy. But are they really the best? Pete Prisco says so: The Steelers are 3-0 and Mike Tomlin is showing why he’s in the conversation every year for being the best coach in the league. I thought the Steelers would be the worst team in the division. They are the best. They are doing it with good defense and solid quarterback play from Justin Fields, who threw for 245 yards with a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 20-10 victory over the Chargers. The Steelers had five sacks on the day as they knocked Justin Herbert from the game. He came in with a bad ankle and left after reinjuring it. By the way, Fields needs to stay in as the starter. There should be no debate about it. Albert Breer of SI.com elaborates on the Fields question: It’s time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to roll with Justin Fields. Maybe that’s not fair to Russell Wilson, who’s been sidelined by a calf injury. But that doesn’t really matter—Pittsburgh is 3–0, and the former Chicago Bears first-rounder is a pretty important piece of the puzzle. And there’s a little piece of evidence of his progress from Sunday’s impressive 20–10 win over the Chargers within the 55-yard touchdown pass he threw to Calvin Austin III. Look closely at it, and as Tony Romo pointed out on the CBS broadcast, Fields threw that ball with anticipation, as his receiver was breaking into a small window. It’s what, if we’re being honest, he struggled with in Chicago, and it shows the relationship between Fields and new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith beginning to really sing. The other underlying reality to that throw is that it’s proof positive of his improvement, week over week, and his fit in Smith’s offense, the one that once resurrected Ryan Tannehill’s career. Fields’s efficiency numbers are good—his completion percentage is up, his sack ratio is down and he’s getting the ball out on time—and he’s playing smart football with a real understanding of what the Steelers need from him. Plus, his game fits with what the Steelers are trying to accomplish across all three phases of the game. The other thing he’s shown the staff is he’s really smart, and he wants to be coached, which is part of why he’s getting the results he has through three weeks. Even the pick he threw Sunday wasn’t really his fault (it was tipped at the line). Now, I don’t know what’ll happen when Wilson is cleared. But based on the above, I sure wouldn’t be surprised if the baton is officially passed to Fields soon. The Steelers are 3–0. The run game, which Fields is a part of, is rolling, closing out the Los Angeles Chargers in an emphatic way Sunday. Pittsburgh’s defense might be the best in football, too. And Fields is captaining all of that, again, just the way the Steelers need him to. So in my humble opinion, it’s time to hand Fields the keys. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| TENNESSEEPete Prisco alerts the city fathers of Bustville that QB WILL LEVIS might soon reside there. I might be wrong about Titans quarterback Will Levis. I thought he would take a big step forward this year, but so far he’s been a disaster. Three straight games with bad turnovers with a Sunday pick-six by Jaire Alexander in the Titans’ loss to the Packers. He’s another guy being victimized by horrible offensive line play, but he has to be better. I know he hasn’t even been a starter for a full season, but I expected much more. How much patience will new coach Brian Callahan have with Levis? It can’t be much. Deservedly so. Tough times in Nashville. A tweet on X from Paul Kuharsky: First 0-3 start for the franchise since 2009. Brian Callahan is first Oilers/ Titans head coach to start a career 0-3 since Hugh Cambell in 1984. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDPete Prisco calls for QB DRAKE MAYE to make his first start when Tom Brady returns to Foxboro with FOX in Week 5: The Patriots need to get on with it and play rookie Drake Maye. Sure, the offensive line isn’t good, but let’s forget all the talk about ruining the psyche of a quarterback if he gets hit too much. Great myth. If that were to happen, you drafted the wrong guy. Don’t tell me about David Carr with the Texans either. He was just the wrong guy. Play Drake Maye. If not this week against the 49ers on the road, which isn’t happening, then do it the next week against the Dolphins at home. |
| NEW YORK JETSThe NFL gave the Jets three games in 11 days to start the season, plus a West Coast trip. Albert Breer of SI.com on how they got through it: Now the New York Jets can move on with their season. The three-games-in-11-days thing has been hanging over them since the schedule was released in May. It definitely wasn’t fair. But it also wasn’t going to some football appeals court. So Robert Saleh’s group was going to have to attack the schedule, and they have. Could it have gone better? Sure. They could be 3–0. But considering the circumstances and the trajectory of the team, the Jets think going 2–1 should serve as a foundation, with a ton of challenges still ahead. “It’s gonna be every week, to be honest,” Saleh told me from his office Friday morning. “But the messaging has been the same—at the end of the day, we can complain about the schedule or we can attack the schedule. Because the reality is nobody really cares about how you got to game day, they don’t care about what you got going on in your personal life, they don’t care about your body, they don’t care about what’s hurting. They don’t care. Nobody cares. “All that people care about is how you show up on Sunday, how you perform. So the focus has been, attack every single day to help yourself be your best on Sunday. And I think going through this and understanding the extra that needs to take place to get yourself ready to play, especially on short weeks and traveling back-to-back, and all things that we went through over the first few weeks, I think it’ll help later.” We’ll get to what’s later—because that’s a doozy, too—but first, we can dive into a little more about how the Jets prepared themselves for this unprecedented start. For the coaches, attacking it really started in earnest during training camp. The staff would always work ahead on early-season opponents. But this circumstance, plus the fact that two of the three teams they would face through it have entirely new coaching staffs, including defensive coordinators, led the Jets’ staff to go the extra mile. So on every players day off during camp, they’d chip away on planning for the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots. They supplemented it by doing Titans work on the Niners trip, and Patriots work on the Titans trip. From there, there were subtle adjustments. After arriving back from the West Coast at 7 a.m. ET Tuesday Sept. 10—after the 32–19 loss to the Niners—the players had the rest of the day off, then returned Wednesday for Titans week, with what normally would be a padded practice Thursday switched to a no-pads workout. The coaches also paced the players through the week, knowing a trip to the humidity of the South was ahead. Then, after grinding out a 24–17 win over the Titans, the Jets sequenced Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday meeting-walkthrough work in four-hour blocks: 8 a.m. to noon, noon to 4 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. They had Monday walkthrough at dusk, giving players a little extra recovery time, and had another quick walkthrough at 10 a.m. Thursday to simulate what they’d get Saturday. All week, it was blocked off in a way that players could get extra regeneration time with massage therapists and acupuncturists provided by the team. “The thought was how to do the best and still reach all the meeting time that they would traditionally get in a week, without the wear and tear on their bodies,” says Saleh, who credited chief of staff Kevin Anderson, coaching operations coordinator Maddie Johnson, strength coach Mike Nicolini and head trainer Dave Zuffelato for their work in planning all of it. “When we tried to check all those boxes, we tried to come up with a schedule that was best for us. “And it’s been different than what we’ve done in the past.” Which is also good, since Saleh came into this week 0–3 on Thursdays as Jets coach, having lost those games by a combined score of 101–53. Of course, having a better team helps, too. And it’s hard to argue the Jets don’t, seeing how they looked against the Patriots. The scheduling challenges aren’t done, by the way. They have a road Sunday night game in Pittsburgh after a Monday night showdown with the Buffalo Bills. They’ve also got Sunday night games after another Thursday nighter, and a trip to London. And all of that’s before Thanksgiving. But, as Saleh says, the Jets aren’t going to get anyone’s sympathy. So it’s up to them to keep handling these things as they did the past two weeks. “I felt like we did what was best for the players,” Saleh says. “It just happened to work out.” |
