| Robert Kraft is among the nine “contributors” who are finalists for a spot in the Hall of Fame. Brayan DeArdo of CBSSports.com: Nine individuals are one step closer toward football immortality. On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed the nine contributors who survived the latest round of cuts for possible induction next summer. The voters, who started with 47 contributors before trimming that number to 25 earlier this month, will meet again on Nov. 12 to select one contributor finalist for possible induction in 2025. A contributor, as defined by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is an individual who has made “outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching.” Here’s a look at each contributor semifinalist. K.S. “Bud” Adams: Adams’ 50-plus years in the NFL included being the founder, owner, chairman of the board, president and CEO of the Titans/Oilers franchise. Ralph Hay: A co-founder of the NFL as well as the owner of the two-time NFL champion Canton Bulldogs. Hay is credited with hosting the NFL’s formational meeting in his car dealership in downtown Canton. Frank “Bucko” Kilroy: A former player, Kilroy spent five decades as an NFL executive. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots while working as a consultant. Robert Kraft: Patriots owner since 1994, Kraft’s teams have won six Super Bowls and 10 AFC titles. Kraft played a role in ending the 2011 lockout. Kraft is also credited with helping broker several lucrative TV deals for the league. Art Modell: Modell serves as the owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and the Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2011. Modell won a title in both cities (Cleveland in 1964, Baltimore in 2000). Art Rooney Jr.: A pivotal part of the Steelers’ 1970s dynasty, Rooney worked with Hall of Fame scout Bill Nunn and others to assemble a roster that fielded 10 future Hall of Fame players who won four Super Bowls from 1974-79. Seymour Siwoff: The former owner and president of Elias Sports Bureau, the NFL’s official statisticians. Doug Williams: A trailblazer, Williams helped defeat the stigma surrounding Black quarterbacks. He helped the Buccaneers shock everyone by reaching the 1979 NFC title game in his second season in the NFL. Eight years later, Williams won Super Bowl MVP while becoming the first Black starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Williams threw for then-Super Bowl records 340 yards and four touchdowns in Washington’s 42-10 win over Denver. Washington’s 35 points in the second quarter is still a Super Bowl record for points in a quarter. John Wooten: Wooten won a Super Bowl and three NFC titles as the director of pro scouting for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975-1991. In 1991, Wooten created player development programs for the NFL. He also served as the vice president of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and the assistant director of pro/college scouting for the Ravens until his retirement in 2002. Unmentioned in Williams bio is that he has been an NFL personnel executive with Washington the past 11 years – and we believe played a key role in the drafting of QB JAYDEN DANIELS. |
| NFC NORTH |
| DETROITGambling, performance-enhancing drugs – and now a possible weapons charge. The latest on WR JAMESON WILLIAMS. ESPN.com: The Wayne County Prosecutor’s office is reviewing a warrant request for the arrest of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams on a concealed weapon charge, WXYZ-TV in Detroit reported Tuesday. The warrant request on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle was issued late last week by the Detroit Police Department, stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 8. In a statement released later Tuesday, the Detroit Police Department said the investigation “continues to evolve, and new information has come to light that we are actively addressing.” “We take every investigation seriously, especially when new allegations and facts emerge, and we are committed to acting in a swift and transparent manner,” the department said in its statement. “Once new facts are confirmed, we make the necessary changes in our decision-making process. “Let it be clear: no one in the City of Detroit is above the law. Anyone who commits a crime will be held accountable, regardless of their position or status.” The warrant request was made after an internal affairs investigation was opened after WXYZ-TV asked the police department about why Williams wasn’t taken into custody. “On October 8, my clients were pulled over for an alleged traffic violation. During the course of the stop, my clients were both cooperative and respectful with the police officers. With the two pistols that were found in the vehicle, they were both properly registered and the driver in the vehicle had the proper credentials to carry them. We have cooperated with law enforcement and will continue to do so,” Williams’ attorney, Todd Flood, said in a statement released to WXYZ-TV. Ahead of practice on Wednesday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell addressed the incident, saying he knew about it before the reports surfaced this week and that Williams been truthful with him throughout the process. “It certainly doesn’t look good, I get that,” said Campbell. “But at the same token, it kind of all came on here at the same time and it’s really decision-making for him. And that’s where he knows he can be better. Don’t put yourself in those situations.” According to the report, Williams was riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by his brother when they were stopped after midnight. Police asked Williams’ brother if there were any weapons in the vehicle, and he said there were two guns — one in the back seat and one under Jameson Williams’ passenger seat. The gun in the back seat was registered to Williams’ brother, who had a concealed pistol license. The gun under the passenger seat was registered to Jameson Williams, who did not have a concealed pistol license, according to the report. Jameson Williams, who repeatedly identified himself as a player for the Lions during the stop according to body camera audio, was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car. “I feel that there was probable cause to arrest, and he was under arrest by the patrol officer,” Detroit Police Commander Michael McGinnis told WXYZ-TV. “And because of that, he should have been conveyed to the Detroit Detention Center and processed.” However, a supervisor and later a sergeant arrived at the scene and Williams was released after the sergeant made several phone calls to higher-ranking officers to find out if Williams should be arrested or if the concealed pistol license belonging to his brother covered both guns. Finally, he made a call to a lieutenant, whose comments cannot be heard in the body camera audio, and Williams was taken out of handcuffs and let go. No report was written by police on the traffic stop, according to the report. When first questioned by WXYZ-TV, a deputy chief in the department said there was only one gun in the car; however, when Chief James White learned about the second gun in the vehicle, he shared parts of the body camera footage with the station and ordered the investigation. “Jameson made us aware immediately that he was a passenger in a routine traffic stop on October 8th. We discussed the incident with him and have kept the league informed of what we know,” the Lions said in a statement to WXYZ-TV. “We understand he was released without incident or citation. It is now our understanding that the Detroit Police Department is revisiting the matter. Jameson has hired an attorney, and we will not be commenting further out of respect for the legal process.” The traffic stop came two weeks before Williams was suspended two games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances. Williams said in a statement last week the suspension was a “complete surprise.” He also was suspended four games last season for violating the league’s gambling policy. “For me, I judge people over what’s in their heart and I know what this kid’s made of,” Campbell said of Williams. “And he’s worth hanging with. So, he’s gonna learn from this, he’s gonna grow, he’ll be better for all this.” Williams, selected 12th overall by the Lions in the 2022 draft, is second on the team this season with 361 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. So both guns had some kind of valid license, although for Jameson Williams it may not have been perfected for the circumstances of being in a car. |
| GREEN BAYDespite not practicing, QB JORDAN LOVE is not ruling himself out of Sunday’s big game with the Lions. Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com: Nothing from what the Green Bay Packers did at practice Wednesday would indicate Jordan Love has a chance to play in Sunday’s NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions. That’s because other than riding an exercise bike during the stretching period, Love did not participate in practice because of the groin injury he sustained in Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was what Love said after practice, however, that left open the possibility that the Packers quarterback might play against the first-place Lions (6-1). “I think it’s realistic,” Love said. Love even said he thought he could play without practicing at all this week. “Yeah, obviously not practicing during the week is not the ideal format for trying to play a game,” he said. “Like I said, things happen, if that’s the scenario, I know I’ll be fine. But definitely it’s not the ideal scenario for going into a big week.” Packers coach Matt LaFleur would say only that they would “take it one day at a time and see where he’s at by the end of the week” and that Love could “potentially” play without practicing. “He’s moving around better,” LaFleur said. “We’ll see, again, we’ll take it one day a time. Certainly, yeah, we’ll push the envelope with that. I know he wants to play, but we’ll see where he’s at by the end of the week.” LaFleur would have to feel confident that Love could protect himself. “I think just being able to play, move around in the pocket and not trying to hurt myself further by playing … I think that’s what he means by that,” Love said. “But for me, just being able to move around a little bit and just be myself out there playing and not just trying to be stuck in the pocket not being able to move if I need to move.” Love injured his groin on the opening series of the win at Jacksonville but played the rest of the first half. But early in the third quarter, he hobbled to the sideline and gave way to Malik Willis the rest of the game. While he couldn’t say for sure, Love would not rule out the possibility that the injury was related to his left knee sprain from the season opener, an injury that kept him out for two games. The Packers have their bye week following the Lions game, but that may not factor in the decision to play Love. “I would definitely try and get back as fast as possible even with the bye being next week,” Love said. Willis, who led the Packers to a pair of wins in Weeks 2 and 3 in place of Love, directed a game-winning field goal drive to beat the Jaguars and would start again this week if Love does not play. Three of the Packers’ five offensive line starters — left tackle Rasheed Walker (knee), left guard Elgton Jenkins (glute) and center Josh Myers (wrist) — did not practice Wednesday. Neither did running back Josh Jacobs, who sustained an ankle injury late in the game at Jacksonville. “I’ll be good come game time,” Jacobs said. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASRyan Young of YahooSports.com on the end of a brief player-media feud in Dallas: Trevon Diggs and Mike Leslie are all good. The Dallas Cowboys cornerback and the WFAA reporter cleared the air on Wednesday after a heated confrontation outside the locker room at Levi’s Stadium following the team’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. And, naturally, Diggs showed up with a special gift for Leslie to help put the incident behind them. Diggs, shortly after the 49ers beat the Cowboys 30-24 on Sunday night, came out of the locker room to confront Leslie over a post he published on social media during the game. Diggs must’ve seen the post almost immediately upon entering the locker room, as he was still in his pads when he stormed out. The issue stemmed from a big reception by 49ers tight end George Kittle during the game. Diggs, who was defending elsewhere on the play, didn’t seem to notice Kittle and inadvertently cleared a path for him to the 1-yard line. Leslie asked what Diggs was doing on the play in his post, which set Diggs off. “Out of that whole play, that’s what you got from that?” Diggs angrily asked Leslie in front of a crowd of other reporters near their locker room door. “That’s what you got from that? Out of that whole play, that’s what you got from that?” “We can talk about it more,” Leslie replied. “We can talk about deez nuts,” Diggs yelled back before walking back to the locker room. |
| WASHINGTONQB JAYDEN DANIELS was limited in Wednesday’s practice. Jayden Daniels had a limited practice Wednesday as he continues to deal with a painful rib injury. It is a step forward, though, as the Commanders quarterback missed two practice days last week before a return to a limited practice Friday. He played all 74 snaps Sunday, completing a 52-yard Hail Mary on the final play for a miracle win over the Bears. “I’m still intact,” Daniels said Wednesday, via Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. “I feel good.” Daniels, who is expected to play against the Giants on Sunday, said his ribs are sore, and he has no timeline for when he might fully heal. “I wish I knew,” Daniels said. “It’s just how I feel daily, how I wake up and how I’m able to move around. And the organization here has a great plan, so I’m trusting that and following it.” Daniels was injured in an Oct. 20 game against the Panthers. “Pain tolerance is always a big thing,” Daniels said. “That’s pretty much what it came down to.” Tight end Zach Ertz (rest), offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas (ankle) and linebacker Frankie Luvu (shin) did not practice Wednesday. Center Tyler Biadasz (thumb), offensive tackle Brandon Coleman (concussion), defensive end Clelin Ferrell (knee), running back Brian Robinson (hamstring) and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (hamstring) were limited. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin (ankle) was a full participant.– – -Daniel Snyder is gone, but team lawyers are still fighting the claims of injured fans as if they were protecting his money. Mike Florio: The NFL doesn’t just deploy the secret, rigged, kangaroo court of arbitration against its employees. The NFL uses it on its customers, too. Recently, a federal appeals court found that four fans who were injured when a railing collapsed at FedEx Field after an Eagles-Commanders game might be required to pursue their claims in arbitration. The four fans didn’t buy the tickets. They never saw the tickets. Someone else bought the tickets and invited them to attend. The lower court ruled that the four fans who were injured weren’t bound by the arbitration requirement in the tickets. The appeals court disagreed. The case has been sent back to the lower court to determine whether the person who bought the tickets accepted the condition that any claims would be required to go to arbitration. If the person who bought the tickets did indeed accept that term, those who used the tickets are subject to the arbitration requirement, even if they didn’t know about it. Here’s the provision that appeared in the terms and conditions of the Washington tickets: “ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM, OR CAUSE OF ACTION IN ANY WAY RELATED TO THE TICKET OR THE EVENT SHALL BE RESOLVED BY MANDATORY, CONFIDENTIAL, FINAL, AND BINDING ARBITRATION . . . . HOLDER UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY ARE WAIVING THEIR RIGHT TO A COURT OR JURY TRIAL . . . . IF HOLDER DOES NOT CONSENT TO THIS CLAUSE, HOLDER MUST LEAVE OR NOT ENTER THE STADIUM. THIS CLAUSE IS GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT.” Again, the four people who were injured when the railing collapsed never saw that term. They never agreed to that term. But the federal appeals court found that, if the person who bought the tickets is bound by that provision, they are, too. There’s a deeper issue at play here, one that will be largely overlooked in the upcoming election. The president appoints all federal judges, at every level. And the clear trend, proven time and again, goes like this: Judges appointed by Republican presidents tend to favor the interests of businesses, and judges appointed by Democratic presidents tend to favor the interests of the individual. I’ve witnessed this, during 18 years of practicing law before I escaped and never looked back. The law is malleable. The presiding judge has a massive impact in how, and if, justice is dispensed. The proliferation of arbitration clauses has given judges who are inclined to support business interests an easy way to short circuit the process by forcing the case into a forum that makes it much harder for the individual to prevail. That’s why these companies tuck arbitration clauses into any and all transactions, from the negotiation of an employment contract to the purchase of a ticket to a game. In this case, the judge who found that the four injured people aren’t bound by an arbitration clause they never saw was appointed by a Democratic president. The judge who wrote the opinion finding that they’re potentially stuck with the arbitration clause they never saw was appointed by a Republican president. It’s unclear why this basic issue doesn’t get addressed during campaigns. We often hear about it as it relates to the Supreme Court, as to some of the issues (mostly social) that the highest court in the land resolves. We never hear about it as to every other federal court that isn’t the Supreme Court, or as to the impact of the outcome of the election on the ability of the average person to obtain justice against the rich and powerful. None of it will matter to the outcome of the upcoming election. But if/when someone seeking justice against a large business has the courthouse door slammed in his or her face, how they voted in this or any presidential election won’t change the fact that the door has slammed in his or her face. One last point. At a time when many are celebrating the fact that the Commanders have turned the page from the dark years of Daniel Snyder to the new beginning under Josh Harris, the effort to force four fans who were injured at the team’s stadium is a lingering blemish on the franchise. Harris, with a snap of his fingers, could withdraw the effort to force these four people to arbitration. If he’s truly different from Snyder, Harris will do it. Today. Every day that he doesn’t underscores the reality that, in many respects, the new boss is the same as the old boss. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| CAROLINADavid Tepper did something nice? Why, yes he did. Joe Pompliano: @JoePomplianoHere’s a cool sports story… Luke Combs grew up in North Carolina as a Panthers fan, so after Hurricane Helene, he organized a charity concert at Bank of America Stadium to raise money. But rather than charging Combs the standard rate, Panthers owner David Tepper donated everything. Tepper let Combs use the venue for free. He didn’t keep any of the parking, merchandise, food, or beer money. He also paid the salaries of all the employees who worked the event and even covered 100% of the tax bill. The result? It was the largest concert in stadium history, with over 82,000 people showing up to donate $25 million. And since Tepper paid for everything, every single dollar that was raised went to hurricane victims. That’s incredible 👏– – -QB BRYCE YOUNG is deemed to have done well enough against Denver to earn another start – and the Panthers running game (which actually has been okay with CHUBA HUBBARD) is getting reinforced with rookie RB JONATHON BROOKS. David Newton of ESPN.com: Quarterback Bryce Young will make a second straight start for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, and rookie running back Jonathon Brooks could make his NFL debut. Brooks spent the first eight games rehabbing from ACL surgery in November 2023, when he was at the University of Texas. The second-round pick would share the backfield with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders if activated to the 53-man roster. Young will start as veteran Andy Dalton continues to rehab from a sprained thumb on his throwing hand, which he suffered last week in a car accident. Dalton was a full participant in practice Wednesday and is expected to be Young’s backup. “To me, it was taking the decision out of Andy’s hands,” coach Dave Canales said. “If you were to ask Andy, ‘Could you go?’ He’d say yes. And, for me, he’s like a week removed from a thumb injury and I just want to make sure that we’re putting him back out there in the right state and the right framework. “And I’m excited for Bryce to have another opportunity to build on things that we’ve talked about. To continue to just grow and get that experience that we talked about is invaluable.” This will be Young’s second start against the Saints. He completed 13 of 30 pass attempts for 161 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 47-10 loss in New Orleans in Week 1. He was replaced by Dalton after an 0-2 start, and he didn’t get another start until Sunday at Denver. He completed 24 of 37 pass attempts for 224 yards with two touchdowns and had two interceptions in the 28-14 loss. Brooks won’t start, but he’ll get some reps behind Hubbard if he’s ready. While there was speculation before the season that Brooks ultimately would make Hubbard expendable when he becomes a free agent after the season, the team appears committed to re-signing Hubbard to a long-term deal and keeping both backs moving forward. Canales said he wants to look at Brooks for a full week before committing to playing him Sunday, but the activation window is set to end next Wednesday. “Thinking about him and making sure that he’s confident and ready to go,” Canales said. “So we’re going to stack up a few more days here before we make that decision.” Canales said he won’t make a decision on who will start at quarterback after Sunday until next week. Young said that he’s looking at his situation week to week but that he’s grateful for a second chance to face New Orleans. Wednesday was the first day this season that the Panthers practiced without wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday. “Just the drive he has, the wiliness to compete,” Young said of Johnson. “He is someone who always wanted to be his best throughout training camp or games. He was always giving his all. I have nothing but love for him.” A league source said the Panthers began exploring the idea of trading Johnson weeks ago. There were two suitors at first, and the Ravens entered the picture a few days ago. Canales declined to comment on whether the issues Johnson had in the locker room with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who traded the Pro Bowl receiver to Carolina in March, had anything to do with moving on from him. “Those are all things I’m going to keep in-house,” Canales said. “I hope you guys can respect that part.” |
| NEW ORLEANSQB DEREK CARR returns Sunday against the Panthers. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com: – New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is expected to play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after missing the past three games with an oblique injury. Saints coach Dennis Allen said that Jake Haener will be Carr’s backup even though the team started rookie Spencer Rattler in Carr’s absence. “We felt like Rattler gave us the best chance at the time, and so I think we’ll see where we’re at come this weekend, what the expectation is. My expectation is that Derek’s going to be ready to go,” Allen said on Wednesday. “In that case, Jake will be the backup. … I don’t want to get into the specifics of the reasons why, but I feel like that’s the best thing for our team.” Carr has not played since leaving the end of a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a left oblique strain. It’s the longest amount of time he has missed with an injury since breaking his ankle at the end of the 2017 season when he was with the Raiders. Carr said it was a “slow process” to return but gave credit to the Saints athletic training staff, who he said got him back on the field on the earlier side of the expected timetable to return. “It sucks having to sit there and watch when it wasn’t the most painful thing I’ve ever dealt with. It really wasn’t … it was just a lack of being able to do my job,” Carr said. “And so that was the most frustrating part, because I couldn’t just play through it, you know? I just literally couldn’t do it. … It’s been the most frustrating injury I’ve ever had, besides breaking my ankle and not being able to play in the playoffs that year. … because there’s literally nothing that I could do, but wait and just let it heal.” Carr also texted former Saints quarterback Drew Brees for advice after being injured. Brees had a similar injury in the 2014 preseason and did not miss a game because of that injury, but admitted later that his mechanics suffered after returning in just a few weeks. Carr said that Brees offered him advice about not letting his mechanics get away from him. Carr said he feels confident that he’s not coming back too early or risking a setback. “This was something like … if I go to rip a ball 60 yards and it pulls, like, what’s the point? … It’s football and I don’t ever want to just put that stuff out there. But anything can happen. But we feel confident,” Carr said. “I feel confident, I’ve shown it, that I can do those things. And now it’s about just how I stack days and how it feels after that.” The Saints’ offense has scored only three touchdowns in the past three games and the team has lost six straight games, its longest losing streak since 2005. Carr said “he’s no savior” when asked if there was any added pressure to return to a team that has been struggling to put up points. “I am no savior. There’s only been one of those and, that is not me,” Carr said, laughing. “I am here to be a great leader and to be a great teammate and to do my job the best of my ability. And do I feel confident in what I can do? Absolutely. I feel confident in what I can do. I feel confident in what I can bring to our team. And that’s exciting, right? But to save us or anything like that, that’s not me, I’m going to come in and do what my guys expect me to do. Bring energy, bring effort, be a great teammate. Encourage our guys, get everybody on the same page, lock in the details, hold each other accountable.” Carr said there’s going to be a “full commitment” from himself to his teammates in the 10 weeks left in the regular season. “When I get back, I’m going to be a psychopath. I’m going to be crazy about the details and everything because we only get one shot at this, you know?” Carr said. “I don’t have any promises. I don’t have anything except I’ll promise great effort. I’ll promise long nights and early mornings, to make sure that we’re at our best. I’m looking forward to getting back and excited to finally be back on the practice field.” The Saints were without cornerback Marshon Lattimore on Wednesday because of a hamstring issue that he reinjured against the Chargers. Safety Tyrann Mathieu did not practice with an illness while running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) and wide receiver Bub Means (ankle sprain) also missed practice. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONADerrik Klassen on QB KYLER MURRAY’s big game last week in Miami: QB charting: Kyler MurrayBetween his multiple injuries and a whimpering end to the Kliff Kingsbury era a couple years ago, it’s been easy to forget how good Murray could be at his best. The pint-sized passer had fallen out of the spotlight in a “what have you done for me lately” league, and there was no guarantee he would ever reach MVP candidate heights again. If Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins was any indication, though, Murray still has that kind of play in him. Murray’s 26-for-36 (72.2 percent) accuracy profile is respectable on its own, but it gets better when you look at where some of his “misses” happened. Murray’s first two passes were batted at the line of scrimmage on the Cardinals’ first drive — one on a screen, the other on a quick throw over the middle. He’s short. That’s going to happen. Murray also had three throwaways in this game, two of which came on a drive that started with 18 seconds left before the half, so those plays probably weren’t going to amount to anything anyway. I’m not going to really hold those against him as misses, though, technically, they are. Outside of those plays, Murray was on fire. In particular, his work in the intermediate and deep areas was outstanding. The offense really got rolling on the second drive of the game with a deep over route to Marvin Harrison Jr., over the head of Miami’s second-level defenders. Murray capped off that same drive by escaping a free rusher in the red zone and finding Michael Wilson from outside the pocket. He was hitting intermediate throws with timing, too. Murray found Wilson again on a stop route in tight coverage in the second quarter, and he hit Harrison on a deep dig route in traffic to convert second-and-15 on the final drive of the game. But Murray’s rocket to Harrison late in the third quarter was the real standout moment. To get that ball to the sideline with velocity while giving it just enough lift to stay over the head of the trailing cornerback was an outrageous feat of arm talent. Murray can give you three or four of those superstar throws a game, and the Cardinals absolutely needed them Sunday. None of that even touches on Murray’s ability as a runner. Not only did Murray outrun free rushers time and again, he also iced the game on a third-and-4 designed run after a Dolphins defender crashed the backfield straight away. Murray’s ability to accelerate to full speed in the blink of an eye so often serves as a “get out of jail free” card for this offense. Murray’s resurgence is good for the sport. There will always be some frustrations with his game, namely the batted passes and roller-coaster accuracy in quick-game operation. He isn’t as consistent as the league’s best on a game-to-game basis. Still, even with that in mind, Murray’s best ball is exhilarating and makes this Cardinals squad a tough out every single week. And Murray’s great play has his teammates inspired. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Cardinals have won three of their last four games and all three victories saw quarterback Kyler Murray drive the team for game-winning field goals at the end of the fourth quarter. It’s been a run that’s continued one of the strongest stretches of play of Murray’s career and it has the Cardinals in the thick of both the NFC playoff picture and the NFC West race heading into the second half of the season. Murray’s play has been helped out by an offensive line that has helped him avoid sacks in the last three games and left tackle Paris Johnson said that Murray’s play has helped lift the performance of the entire unit. “It’s trust in the franchise that we are all going to play hard regardless of who is back there,” Johnson said, via the team’s website. “But when you know you are playing with a franchise guy, one of the best guys in the NFL, the confidence level and excitement level is up. When you know the guy can make the superhuman plays, you know you don’t have to do anything special. I just have to do my job.” There have been some rough outings mixed in with the winning ones for the Cardinals and consistency will be the key to the team finding enough wins to remain in the mix into the final weeks of the season. Murray’s first eight games provide reason to think that can fall into place. |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERA status report on rookie QB BO NIX from Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com: What is the biggest sign of improvement from Bo Nix through eight weeks?Nix has steadily handled two of the big-ticket items on coach Sean Payton’s to-do list — don’t take sacks and don’t turn the ball over. Payton considers a sack much like a loss-of-down penalty and always has the data available on how turnovers hurt the team’s ability to win. The mobile rookie avoided sacks in three of the Broncos’ five wins, and their sack rate per dropback is the lowest in the NFL (3.7%). Nix threw a combined four interceptions in back-to-back losses to start the season, but he has had only one since then. His safe play has come at the expense of impact at times, as he has still not had much success in the passing game. He’s 29th in yards per attempt (5.9) and 25th in completion percentage (63.2%). |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIQB JOE BURROW says the Bengals have reached the point of no return. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Early in Wednesday’s press conference, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was asked if Sunday’s game against the Raiders was as close to a must-win game as the Bengals are going to see. Burrow went even further in his reponse. Burrow called the matchup with the Raiders a must-win game and explained why that is the case. “We’re 3-5,” Burrow said. “You go to 3-6, then you gotta basically win out to get in. Urgency’s very high every week from here on out.” Calling games must-win affairs can be hyperbolic and the math says the Bengals will be alive regardless of their result this week, but it’s hard to frame this week’s game any other way. Among the reasons the Bengals are 3-5 is that they’ve lost all four of their home games and losing to the Raiders in their building will make it all but impossible to believe they are capable of the kind of play that would allow them to advance to the postseason this year. |
| CLEVELANDFrank Schwab of YahooSports.com is among those who wonder why the Browns waited so long, only until injury forced their hand, to put in a new QB. This week, the Indianapolis Colts benched their struggling second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, a player they have major investment in as the fourth pick of last year’s draft. At 4-4 they owed it to everyone in the organization and also the fans to play Joe Flacco, the best option right now. So it can be done, Cleveland Browns. After watching the Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens last week in Jameis Winston’s first start, there had to be some celebration for a reborn team with Winston at quarterback and some anger over why the team absolutely bungled the decision to stick with Deshaun Watson when the season was spinning away. Since late last season, the Browns are 5-1 in games started by Flacco or Winston. In that span, they’re 1-6 with Watson starting. Flacco threw for 300 yards in four straight games to finish last season for the Browns, while Winston threw for 334 yards Sunday. Watson hasn’t thrown for 300 yards since the 2020 season and didn’t even break 200 yards in a game this season. And yet, it took a season-ending Achilles injury to Watson to finally make the change. Everyone could see the Browns needed to make a move. They didn’t. And now they can see what life might have been like all season with competent quarterback play. “I’m not really thinking that way,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday when asked about sticking with Watson, via the AP. “I thought Jameis did a nice job yesterday. I know he feels like he can play better, but I’m not thinking about it that way.” He might not be thinking about it, but the fans shelling out a lot of money on tickets or the players in the locker room who don’t have endless chances to be a part of a playoff team should be. Winston isn’t great. But he’s way better than Watson, as was Flacco. He provides hope. And he could have provided hope weeks ago. Why didn’t the Browns do this earlier?There has not been a definitive answer as to who made the final call to stick with Watson, though Stefanski was stubbornly dismissive of the idea all season. Stefanski is the one speaking to the media every week so he’s the one who had to answer the question. But the lack of action with Watson was so egregious, everyone wonders if owner Jimmy Haslam had a say it in. He’s the one paying a $230 million guaranteed deal to Watson, which the team signed him to after one of the truly disastrous trades in NFL history. On top of it, the Browns lost their sixth game this season with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and not Winston coming off the bench for an injured Watson in Week 7. Thompson-Robinson, who had a 51.1 passer rating last season, went a putrid 11 of 24 for 82 yards and two interceptions in the loss. Another terrible coaching decision, another week wasted. What we’ve seen out of the 2024 Browns is organizational malpractice. The Browns punted the season and for what? To hopelessly chase a return on investment of a sunk cost at quarterback? To appease the feelings of Watson, whose off-field past probably shouldn’t offer him that kind of care? The Browns’ newfound hope is just masking the failure of the franchise to put it in this hole. “A win like this is required to change the season around,” Winston said, via AP. “We have a long way to go.” It didn’t have to be that way. Browns face a huge challenge to make playoffsAre you a Browns season ticket holder? Are you a Browns veteran player who doesn’t have too many shots left at a deep playoff run? Are you a Browns coach or executive whose job security depends on winning seasons? You may be entitled to complain forever about what happened for nearly half of this season. The NFL moves fast, for players and coaches too. You don’t get that many shots at being a playoff team, which Cleveland knows well. The Browns could have been a playoff team with someone else starting this season. We saw that last season with Flacco and again Sunday when the Browns beat one of the NFL’s best teams. Again, it’s a team that is 5-1 in games started by a professional-level quarterback going back to last season when Flacco took over. Would the Browns be 4-4 (or better) if they had pulled the plug on Watson when it was obvious in early September that he was beyond fixing? Probably. There’s a world in which the Browns still make the playoffs. You have to really squint to see it. They’re 2-6 after Winston started and the Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens last week. If we assume 10 wins will be required for a wild card in the tough AFC, that means Cleveland has to go 8-1 the rest of he way. It’s 7-2 at an absolute minimum. That’s a big ask. Winston will have games in which he makes horrendous mistakes and throws the Browns out of games. (He nearly did so against the Ravens only for Kyle Hamilton to drop a game-clinching interception.) That’s who he has always been as an NFL quarterback. But the Browns will be a good team the rest of the way. They’ll play at a playoff level. They did with Flacco, who was on his couch until November last year. They will with Winston, like they did Sunday. And that will make it all the more frustrating. There needs to be some accountability for a franchise that decided to throw away its season before being forced into making the right move at quarterback. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONWith WR SHELTON DIGGS done for the year, the Texans have entered the WR trade market. Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com looks at the market: The Houston Texans offense took a massive hit in Week 8, as wide receiver Stefon Diggs suffered a season-ending torn ACL. Diggs’ time as a Texan may be done after just eight games, and Houston has already placed top wideout Nico Collins on injured reserve earlier this season with a hamstring injury. The Texans do have a few talented pass-catchers who can step up and fill the void left by Diggs and Collins, such as Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III. However, Houston is reportedly exploring the trade market prior to the Nov. 5 deadline. According to ESPN, a few names to watch as Texans trade targets include Darius Slayton of the New York Giants and New England Patriots wideouts Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn. Then there’s Jakobi Meyers of the Las Vegas Raiders, who would attract trade interest if made available. However, he’s stepped up as one of the Raiders’ top wideouts with Davante Adams now a member of the New York Jets. It wouldn’t cost Houston too much to acquire one of the players mentioned above. Slayton is coming off an impressive 108-yard performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night — his second 100-yard outing this season. He’s averaging 52.5 receiving yards per game this year, which is his best mark since 2019. Bourne is coming off a torn ACL suffered last year. He missed the first four games of this season, and has caught four passes for 29 yards thus far. Osborn signed with the Patriots this offseason, but has caught just seven passes for 57 yards and one touchdown in six games played. The Texans (6-2) have hopes of contending in 2024, and while Collins is expected back this season, it’s clear Houston wants to supply C.J. Stroud with all the weapons he needs to keep this campaign on track. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOEDGE VON MILLER has served the four-game suspension imposed by NFL Justice for an allegation of domestic violence that never saw a criminal charge filed. He says he is good to go. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com: Buffalo Bills defensive end Von Miller returned to practice Wednesday after his four-game suspension for violating for the NFL’s personal conduct policy was lifted by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday. ‘I’m in a great spot. I’m just happy all of that stuff is behind me,” said Miller, who missed Weeks 5 to 8 without pay. “Since I’ve been here with the Buffalo Bills, it’s either been injury or the PUP list or the suspension, and I’m just happy to have all the stuff behind me for the first time in 2½ years and just able to just focus on football. “… Got nine games left, and once you have something taken away from you — whether it’s football stuff, NFL stuff, league stuff, like what happened over the last month or whether it’s [an] injury — you just have a new appreciation for the sport.” Miller turned himself in to the Glenn Heights (Texas) Police Department on Nov. 30 on an arrest warrant for a charge of third-degree felony assault of a pregnant woman. The allegations of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in suburban Dallas came during the Bills’ bye week in 2023. He was booked into the DeSoto Tri-City Jail that afternoon before being released on $5,000 bond. He has denied the allegations and said that they are “100% false.” The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to ESPN last month that the case is closed. No charges were ever filed in the case. The NFL conducted a separate investigation. Miller on Wednesday would not say whether he contemplated appealing the suspension. “I’m just trying to bury that and put it behind me,” Miller, 35, said. “… Got a 6-2 team. Josh Allen’s playing like an MVP. That’s our counterpart. They put up points. I’m able to pass rush and do all the things that I do. So that’s where my focus is.” A temporary roster exemption was granted to the Bills for this week as Miller returns from his suspension, and the team has an open spot on the 53-man roster waiting for him. He has been around the team’s facility for the past two weeks because the collective bargaining agreement allows players to be in the building during the second half of the suspension period. “From what I’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, [being in the facility] gives the player a chance to, number one, from a mental health standpoint, be back around his teammates,” coach Sean McDermott said. “And then number two, from a physical health standpoint, do what he can to get himself ramped up a little bit as he comes off the suspension.” Goodell said in March that he did consider placing Miller on the commissioner’s exempt list, but he did not feel it was appropriate at the time based on all the facts. The commissioner’s list makes players exempt from counting against the active roster for reasons determined by the commissioner. Miller has played in 27 regular-season games with the Bills and two playoff games since signing a six-year deal originally worth $120 million in March 2022. He suffered a major right ACL injury on Thanksgiving 2022, and he stated during training camp this year that he “probably should not have played” in 2023 because of the injury. He restructured his contract this offseason, taking a pay cut and saving the Bills $8.645 million in cap space. “It’ll be good to have Von back,” McDermott said. “He’s been out four weeks and never sure what that brings, right, in terms of staying refined, staying polished. But I’m sure he’s been chomping at the bit to get back. It’ll be nice to have him back. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| MATH LESSONBill Barnwell looks at 12 teams in the middle of the pack at the moment and tells us whether each should add an asset or assets, subtract or stay put. Teams with big questions before the deadline Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)How much stock are you willing to put in a two-year trend? The Bengals took major steps forward during the second half of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, as they started 9-7 through their first eight games and went 13-4 afterward before going on deep postseason runs. After last week’s loss to the Eagles, Joe Burrow seemed to make it simple: All the Bengals have to do after their 3-5 start is go 7-2 down the stretch. Easy enough. Burrow is holding up his end of the bargain, as he leads the league in Total QBR. The issue is the offense has only been great when Tee Higgins has been on the field. Burrow’s QBR is 19 points better with his second star receiver on the field. Cincinnati is averaging 0.24 expected points added (EPA) per play with Higgins on the field, which would be the league’s best mark. The offense is at minus-0.09 EPA per play without him, which would rank 27th and is in line with the Patriots’ overall numbers. If the Bengals were going to give up on the season, it would be a logical move to consider trading Higgins, who seems likely to leave in free agency after the season. That trade wouldn’t have to be a contender, either; remember that the Bears gave up a second-round pick right about now for wideout Chase Claypool two years ago. That pick turned into star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Higgins’ lower-body injuries and his status on the franchise tag would make that sort of trade more difficult, but he’s also a much better player than Claypool was at the time. More realistically, if the Bengals keep Higgins, they need to consider adding help on defense. Trey Hendrickson still has more sacks (seven) than the rest of the team combined (five). Sam Hubbard has struggled, while Sheldon Rankins and 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy have battled injuries. While we all know how creative defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo can get, Cincinnati can’t make a deep postseason run if its pass rush is Hendrickson or bust.The verdict: The Bengals should add at the deadline but likely will stay put. Denver Broncos (5-3)The Denver rebuild is ahead of schedule. A blowout victory over the Panthers in Week 8 took Sean Payton’s team to 5-3, and its plus-53 point differential suggests the success isn’t a fluke. The Broncos’ playoff chances have jumped from 12.6% before the season to 42.8%, and they’re in a position where they could realistically consider adding talent for the second half of the campaign. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph deserves a ton of credit for turning a unit that was the laughingstock of the league after allowing 70 points to the Dolphins last September. The Broncos have been the NFL’s best defense by EPA per play this season and are allowing quarterbacks to gain a league-low 5.9 yards per pass attempt. Defensive end Zach Allen has been playing at a Pro Bowl level, and Joseph has brought along young regulars including defensive backs Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian over the past 12 months. While the offense is coming off its best performance of the season, the Broncos unfortunately don’t get to play the Panthers and their disastrous defense every week. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has shown flashes, but he’s averaging 5.9 yards per attempt, ahead of only Will Levis, Deshaun Watson and Jacoby Brissett this season. QBR has him 20th in the league by factoring in his scrambling, which has been a huge plus, but he ranks 27th on throws 20-plus yards downfield. There’s no reason to make significant judgments about his future after eight games, but he’s far from a finished product. We’ve seen the Broncos get off to solid starts before fading in previous seasons, including a 5-4 mark in 2021 and a 6-5 run to begin 2023. They missed the playoffs both times. Are there reasons to think that’ll happen again? Maybe. Denver’s five victories have come over the Buccaneers, Jets, Raiders, Saints and Panthers, teams that are a combined 11-24 in games not involving the Broncos. It has played the league’s third-easiest schedule and will face its eighth-toughest slate from here on out. If the Broncos beat Baltimore or Kansas City over the next two weeks, they’ll get more attention.The verdict: The Broncos should stay put at the deadline. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)Less than a month ago, the Buccaneers were 3-1 and had just intercepted Kirk Cousins to regain the football with a three-point lead and 1:44 to go in the fourth quarter against Atlanta. Beating the Falcons would have taken them to 4-1. The Bucs were about to get a game against the Saints with rookie Spencer Rattler at quarterback, one Tampa Bay eventually would win by 24 points. Winning both of those games would have taken the Bucs to 5-1 and given them a stranglehold on both the division and its tiebreakers over their rivals for the NFC South title. Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong since then has. The Bucs gave the ball back to the Falcons, who drove downfield for a game-tying score then won in overtime. Two weeks later, the Bucs lost Mike Evans to a midgame hamstring injury then saw fellow star wideout Chris Godwin go down after dislocating his ankle in garbage time. In the rematch with the Falcons, Tampa Bay gave Atlanta two short fields with turnovers and eventually lost 31-26. Now, Tampa Bay is the team in rough tiebreaker shape. The FPI still gives the Bucs a 48% chance of making it to the postseason, although it might be underestimating the impact of losing Baker Mayfield’s top two targets at the same time. They could go after a wideout to replace Godwin, especially given he is a free agent after the season, but they’re probably set in the slot with Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard. The bigger problem in recent weeks has been the defense, which has been getting picked apart and making too many mental mistakes. The Bucs have had too many moments in which receivers have found wide-open spots in zone coverage, and when they’ve played man coverage, opposing quarterbacks have gone 23-of-35 for 300 yards, six touchdowns and a 96.3 QBR. That QBR allowed in man coverage ranks 32nd in the league. They could have relied on Mayfield and the passing game to win shootouts — they face the league’s easiest schedule moving forward — but this might become a lost season without Evans and Godwin.The verdict: The Bucs should subtract at the deadline. Arizona Cardinals (4-4)The first-place Cardinals! After blowing out the Rams in Week 2, the Cards have won three games with late field goals, including last-second kicks in each of their past two contests. Kyler Murray is posting career-best marks in completion percentage, success rate as a passer, interception rate and sack rate. Rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been in and out of games from week to week, but Arizona’s two- and three-tight-end sets have helped it protect Murray and run the football. Given that the offense ranked 10th in EPA per play after Murray returned from injury last season, the bigger question was always about the defensive side of the ball. Jonathan Gannon’s Eagles took a big step forward in his second season as D-coordinator in 2022, before Gannon became Arizona’s coach last year, and while the Cardinals aren’t about to rack up 70 sacks in a season, their pass defense is improving. Safety Budda Baker & Co. ranked 32nd in QBR allowed a season ago and stayed in last place through the first four weeks of 2024, but they’re up to 12th by the same metric over the past four games, which includes games against Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa. The defense still ranks last in third-down conversion rate over that stretch, but it has limited opposing offenses to six touchdowns on 15 trips inside the 20-yard line. The Cardinals also have an obvious short-term need at edge rusher, where BJ Ojulari tore an ACL before the season. Dennis Gardeck, who had been part of the rotation on the edge, followed with his own ACL injury in the win over the Chargers. In a three-way tie for first place, Arizona shouldn’t be shopping for a 2024 rental in the hopes of trying to squeak its way into a playoff spot. Can it land an edge rusher such as Azeez Ojulari or Harold Landry who can be part of the roster for years to come? That seems more reasonable. The Cardinals also should be scouting their schedule. According to the FPI, they have played the league’s toughest schedule so far. They face the third-easiest schedule from here on out.The verdict: The Cardinals should add at the deadline. Indianapolis Colts (4-4)In the middle of another season near .500, the Colts responded to second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson’s decision to ask out of the game for a third-down snap during Sunday’s loss to the Texans with an even more dramatic decision, as they benched him after 10 pro starts. Richardson’s accuracy has been scattershot, and he just posted the worst completion percentage in the first half of a game since 2000, but he’s also averaging 12.3 air yards per throw and 16.2 yards per completion, both comfortably the highest marks in football. The Colts knew Richardson was a project coming out of college, and it would be incredibly shortsighted to bench him for his performance on the field after 217 career pass attempts, even given some of the frustrating things we’ve seen from him on the field. Benching him suggests they were worried about the locker room turning on him because of his play and/or his decision to take a snap off. Now, they turn to a 39-year-old Joe Flacco, who was the model of stability earlier this season when filling in for Richardson. Can Flacco keep that up? I’m skeptical. He threw only one interception in 108 pass attempts, a rate that history tells us he won’t sustain for long. Flacco won games with a great Browns defense last season — he’s better than Deshaun Watson was a year ago or Richardson is right now — but he isn’t about to lead the Colts to a title. If Flacco can stay steady, the Colts should be a competitive team. They’ve just gotten two stars back from injuries in running back Jonathan Taylor and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Samuel Womack and Jaylon Jones have solidified what appeared to be the team’s weakest position at cornerback. Is there enough here to trade for a player who can make an impact? Probably not, but the Colts shouldn’t give up on what they have.The verdict: The Colts should stay put (and not trade Richardson) at the deadline. Dallas Cowboys (3-4)It has been an ugly start to the season for the Cowboys. They can’t run the ball. Dak Prescott’s interception variance has veered the wrong way, as the $60 million quarterback has thrown eight picks in seven games. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is coming off his best game of the season, but wideout Brandin Cooks is on injured reserve and rookie first-round pick Tyler Guyton has struggled at left tackle. Oh, and that’s comfortably the positive side of the ledger in Big D. This defense is a disaster. Dallas ranks 30th in EPA per play allowed, 29th in QBR allowed and 29th in success rate against the run. It has been without cornerback DaRon Bland all season and hasn’t had star pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence for the past three games. The unit wasn’t any good before they got injured, either. Could the defense turn things around in the second half? Potentially. Getting Parsons back will obviously help. A unit that thrived in creating takeaways under Dan Quinn the past few seasons has forced only five turnovers in seven games, which should improve in the second half. Coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense has recovered one of the six fumbles that have hit the ground on defense, which is more bad luck than anything else. The schedule gets a little easier from here on out, and after a trip to Atlanta this week, four of their next five games are at home. If the defense doesn’t improve, though, they might not want to face the fans in Arlington so often. This feels like a season that already has gotten away from the Cowboys, although it wouldn’t be shocking if they made a superficial move to add a running back at the deadline to try to spark some interest and allow team owner Jerry Jones to brag about opening his checkbook.The verdict: The Cowboys should subtract at the deadline but likely will add. Miami Dolphins (2-5)The case for the Dolphins for most of the season has been to survive until Tua Tagovailoa returns. After going 1-4 without their starting quarterback as he recovered from a concussion, they got him back for a winnable home game against the Cardinals. His presence certainly sparked the offense back to life, as the Fins produced 377 yards and scored a season-high 27 points. Up two scores in the fourth quarter, it felt like they had done enough to earn a victory in Tagovailoa’s first game back. They hadn’t and didn’t. The Cardinals scored on an eight-play touchdown drive to get back within two points, and after the ensuing Miami drive stalled at midfield, Kyler Murray converted two third downs and a second-and-15 to burn five minutes off the clock and get the Cards in place for the game-winning field goal. The demoralizing loss raises questions about whether the Dolphins can really hope to compete this season. Frankly, the offense wasn’t very good even before Tagovailoa’s injury, although it was better Sunday. Nobody on the defense has more than two sacks, and the Dolphins’ best pass rusher over the past two weeks might be cornerback Jalen Ramsey. They have only been able to stay afloat by allowing the league’s second-stingiest conversion rate on third down. And given that they rank 24th in EPA per play on first and second down and third on third down, I’m not counting on them to get off the field quite as often from here on out. Originally, this was supposed to be a season in which Miami needed to stay afloat until edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb returned from the serious injuries they suffered late last season. Phillips made it back for the opener before suffering another season-ending injury, while Chubb reportedly isn’t close to returning. A loss at Buffalo this week would put the Dolphins four games back of their divisional rivals and without any hope of salvaging the tiebreaker. If they lose that one, I would argue it’s time to start preparing for 2025.The verdict: The Dolphins should subtract at the deadline. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)Having won their first three games in the final moments before beating the Panthers by 18 points, the Falcons’ first impressive victory against a competitive football team came on Sunday. They won the turnover battle 3-0 against the Bucs, and Kirk Cousins threw four touchdown passes. Cousins still doesn’t seem 100 percent given how rarely the Falcons use him in play-action — he is now a year out from his Achilles tendon tear — but he’s certainly good enough to win games. I’m torn. In first place and with a 70.1% chance of winning the NFC South, Atlanta has the profile of a team that should be adding talent at the deadline. But is it really going to make a difference? It already has the tiebreaker with Tampa Bay after sweeping the Bucs, while the Saints and the Panthers are a combined 0-10 over the past five weeks. The Falcons probably don’t need to add any players to win the division. At the same time, is there anyone out there they can really add to have a hope of winning the Super Bowl? Cousins’ inconsistency and performances in high-profile games don’t lend themselves to the idea of a title push. The Falcons added much-needed help on defense by trading for edge rusher Matthew Judon and signing safety Justin Simmons before the season, but they have a gruesome six sacks in eight games. A defense that can’t rush the passer simply doesn’t have any hope of making a deep playoff run. Adding somebody to play alongside Judon, who has still been in a rotational role, could help. This team has been trying to find a steady pass rush since the John Abraham days (2006 to 2012). Again, the Falcons shouldn’t be looking for player who is a free agent after the season. But another defender to get after the quarterback would solidify their chances of both winning their division and the home playoff game that follows.The verdict: The Falcons should add at the deadline. New York Jets (2-6)In a vacuum, 2-6 teams on a five-game losing streak with a 9.7% chance of making it to the playoffs shouldn’t be focusing on adding players at the trade deadline. The Jets already have made two additions over the past few weeks by dealing for wide receiver Davante Adams and finally convincing offseason trade acquisition Haason Reddick to make his debut for the organization. Both were in uniform on Sunday, but neither could help Aaron Rodgers & Co. beat the struggling Patriots on the road. And yet, these are the 2024 Jets, who believe they’re only one trick or addition away from suddenly being a Super Bowl team. All they have to do is fire their coach. Or replace struggling kicker Greg Zuerlein. Or start chugging cayenne pepper and water. If any franchise can contort itself into believing a 2-6 team can be one player away from living up to what were always impossible expectations, it’s these Jets. To be fair, the evidence suggests they have been a little unlucky this season. They’re 1-4 in one-score games. They’ve dropped passes at the league’s second-highest rate, although their opponents have responded by posting the sixth-highest drop rate on the other side of the ball. They are a 50-yard field goal and a fourth-down stop away from starting 4-4, and that’s going to be a powerful story for the organization to tell itself when its prior one was being a Super Bowl contender. With a soon-to-be-41-year-old quarterback whose future is uncertain after the season, they might as well go for it now. Former coach Robert Saleh already has paid for the disappointment of the Rodgers era with his job, and if things don’t turn around, general manager Joe Douglas is likely to follow Saleh out the door. After Thursday’s home game against the Texans, the Jets have 10 days off, followed by matchups with the Cardinals and Colts then the bye in Week 12. Could the extra practice time convince the Jets they’ll be able to integrate a new player into the fold before their final six weeks of the season? Sure.The verdict: The Jets should subtract at the deadline but likely will add. Los Angeles Rams (3-4)One week ago, it felt like the future of the Rams was up for grabs. Reports suggested they were open to trading star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was about to return from his most recent ankle injury. Much seemed to hang on whether they could beat a 5-1 Vikings team at home. Mission accomplished! Both Kupp and Puka Nacua returned to the lineup, and after allowing two touchdowns in the first quarter, L.A.’s defense settled down and yielded two field goals the rest of the way. A 30-20 victory seemed to take Kupp off the trade market. While the Rams are still in last place in the NFC West, the three teams ahead of them are all 4-4, meaning they could jump from worst to first in one week. If the Rams were open to moving Kupp, that likely was telling us more about next season than 2024. He could plausibly be a cap casualty, and if that’s where general manager Les Snead believes things are going, it could be better to get a Day 2 pick to move on. I’m not sure one victory should really change that calculus very much, although again, I’m at least a little skeptical they were really all that desperate to trade him. Instead, I could see L.A. moving on from a few of its marginal players. It likely will try to find a home for cornerback Tre’Davious White, who was benched after a rough start to the season. Maybe Snead tries to add offensive line depth. Trading Kupp or making that classic Rams splash for a young superstar, though, seems unlikely.The verdict: The Rams should add and subtract at the deadline, but only at the bottom of their roster. New Orleans Saints (2-6)There are the rules for every other team and the rules for the Saints, who exist in their own universe. While they’ve gotten younger this season, any other team would face facts after looking at one of the league’s oldest rosters and what is likely to be a fourth consecutive season without a playoff trip. If this team has any ambitions of doing anything besides winning nine games and serving as a monument to salary cap restructures, it needs to give up the ghost and start what is probably going to be a multiyear rebuild. General manager Mickey Loomis isn’t doing that. The Saints signed running back Alvin Kamara to an extension to create short-term cap space next season, suggesting they’re not looking at 2025 as a teardown year. They’re simply not financially capable of cutting everyone who is underperforming in one fell swoop. And while the offense looked great before quarterback Derek Carr and a handful of other starters went down injured, the defense has taken a step backward, dropping from seventh in EPA per play last season to 16th this season. It looked like cornerback was a position of strength from which the Saints could deal, but Paulson Adebo broke his leg and will miss the remainder of the season, while Marshon Lattimore is now battling a hamstring injury. With a roster already torn up by injuries, it’s difficult to imagine New Orleans doing anything drastic. After all, it’s expecting to compete in 2025!The verdict: The Saints should subtract at the deadline but likely will stay put. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)Who are the Seahawks, exactly? After beating the Broncos, Patriots and Dolphins to begin the season, they’ve gone 1-4 since while being outscored by 35 points. It’s one thing to get blown out by the Bills and 49ers, but Seattle allowed the visiting Giants to rack up 420 yards and 24 first downs in a 29-20 loss. The Seahawks couldn’t get out of their own way last week in an ugly home loss to the Bills. They’ve been the league’s third-most pass-happy team on early downs, which has boosted quarterback Geno Smith’s cumulative numbers, but the offense is subsequently facing the longest average third down (8.7 yards) of any team and converting at a below-average rate as a result. Getting stuck in third-and-long has been a mess for a team already down to its fourth-string right tackle, although the hope is Abraham Lucas and George Fant will join the team in the next couple of weeks. There’s a feeling new coach Mike Macdonald is still figuring out who he does and doesn’t like on the defensive side of the ball, where the Seahawks don’t seem in a rush to give back Tre Brown his starting job after he missed a game with an ankle injury. There should be a bigger role in the second half for rookie first-round pick Byron Murphy, so they could choose to move on one of their defensive linemen if they feel secure about what they have with Murphy taking more snaps. More realistically, given that the Seahawks have been so inconsistent, the logical step would be to spend the rest of the season evaluating their current roster. General manager John Schneider made an aggressive trade to add help at linebacker when he sent a fourth-round pick to swap offseason addition Jerome Baker for Ernest Jones, a move that would seem to indicate they intend to sign the pending free agent to an extension. They paid Baker $5 million for five games in a Seattle uniform. I’d be surprised if the Seahawks did much more before the deadline, given that their playoff odds have dropped to 17.2%.The verdict: The Seahawks should stay put at the deadline. |
