AROUND THE NFL
Daily Briefing
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We don’t know who the NFL is going to put on the halftime stage at Super Bowl 55 in Tampa, but the naming of the producer gives us a hint that it won’t be a country music show. Cassandra Negley of YahooSports.com:
The Super Bowl halftime show will have a Black executive producer for the first time in the the event’s 55-year history.
The NFL, Roc Nation and Pepsi have named Jesse Collins, the founder and chief executive of Jesse Collins Entertainment, to the role for Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida.
Collins is an Emmy nominated producer who has worked on the Grammy Awards, BET Awards and the CBS special “John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero” that aired in August to honor the congressman after his death.
“It is an honor to be part of such an iconic show at such an important time in our history,” Collins said in a statement, via Sports Business. “I am grateful to Jay-Z, [Roc Nation chief operating officer] Desiree Perez, the entire Roc Nation family, and the NFL for granting me this opportunity.”
Jay-Z’s agency Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in August 2019 and made him co-producer of the worldwide event.
“Jesse Collins is innovative, creative, and one of the only executive producers that speak fluent ‘artist vision,’ ” Jay-Z said in a statement, via Sports Business. “He’s a true artist. Jesse’s insight and understanding create extraordinary shows and true cultural moments. After working with Jesse for so many years, I look forward to all there is come.”
The deal put Jay-Z in charge of managing the entertainment for the NFL. It also ties into the league’s social justice endeavors. The first Roc Nation co-produced Super Bowl show featured Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. It was the first time two Latina women headlined the event.
Super Bowl LV is scheduled for Feb. 7, 202,1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium. There are no acts booked for the event yet. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said they “expect to do a full Super Bowl” with fans in attendance. The Bucs, who did not have fans at their home opener, are doing a “soft opening” this weekend while ramping up to 25 percent capacity in the coming weeks.
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NFC EAST
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PHILADELPHIA
TE DALLAS GOEDERT is hobbled. Tim McManus of ESPN.com:
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert has a small fracture in his ankle, a league source confirmed.
He is out indefinitely, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, stripping quarterback Carson Wentz of yet another weapon.
Goedert limped off the field in the first quarter of Sunday’s 23-23 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals following a short completion and did not return. He entered Week 3 as the team leader in targets, catches, receiving yards and yards after the catch. The offense clearly missed him the rest of the way against Cincinnati, as Wentz managed just 225 passing yards on 47 attempts (4.8 average).
“Losing a guy like Dallas that has a huge role in protections [and the] run game, but he’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands and down the field. He’s a big part of our game plan every week, and so losing him, we obviously had to make some adjustments on the fly, [which] makes it tough,” coach Doug Pederson said.
The Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report Goedert’s fracture.
The Eagles also lost DeSean Jackson to a hamstring injury Sunday. He is considered day-to-day, and the team is optimistic he’ll be able to play Sunday night at the San Francisco 49ers, according to Pederson.
Rookie receiver Jalen Reagor, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a UCL tear in his thumb.
Philadelphia could get some relief in the form of Alshon Jeffery (Lisfranc), who is expected to ramp up his participation in practice this week in hopes of returning sometime in the near future.
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NFC WEST
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SAN FRANCISCO
This from NBCSports.com:
The 49ers broke ground in 2019 by hiring Katie Sowers as the first full-time female coach in NFL history.
Sowers has been employed by the team since 2017, when she was part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship which promotes diversity in coaching positions.
While the 49ers have been at the forefront of equality in hiring, Katie’s twin sister, Liz, spoke out on Instagram regarding alleged inequitable treatment of Katie as an employee.
According to Liz’s post, Sowers was seated in economy on the 49ers’ chartered flight back to California following the team’s win over the Giants in New York.
While that would normally not be anything to raise concern, according to Liz, her sister was the only full-time coach who was not given a seat in first class.
There are no other examples of inequality on Liz’s post, but she does accuse the team of disrespect.
At the time of the publishing of this article, neither the 49ers nor Sowers could be reached for comment.
We are assuming that all the first class seats were filled by coaches and the GM maybe. Were some seats blocked off for social distancing purposes?
The DB has assigned seats on a charter plane in another life – and the first thing we would want to know is where Sowers (listed as an “offensive assistant”) ranks on the team’s coaching depth chart and where she ranks at that level for seniority.
We count 26 people on the 49ers coaching staff. Let’s assume 24 seats. Coaches with a full-time position reponsibility such as a linebackers coach, would in a traditional world get a first class seat ahead of the assistant special teams coach.
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AFC WEST
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DENVER
More injury bad news for devastated Denver. Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com:
After a promising finish to the 2019 season, the Broncos had high expectations entering the 2020 season. Those expectations, however, have been greatly hindered by a rash of injuries that continues to grow. On Tuesday, a day after it was reported that defensive tackle Jurrell Casey could miss the rest of the season with a biceps tear, Broncos coach Vic Fangio announced that starting right tackle Elijah Wilkinson is going on injured reserve after sustaining a leg injury. Wilkinson is the fifth Broncos starter to go on injured reserve, and the 11th Broncos player to go on IR overall.
The Broncos, who are 0-3 entering Thursday night’s game against the also winless Jets, have already lost perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher Von Miller and 2019 Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton for the season. Furthermore, cornerback A.J. Bouye, linebacker Mark Barron, defensive end Dre’Mont Jones and rookie linebacker Justin Strnad are all on injured reserve. Denver quarterback Drew Lock, who went 4-1 as a starter in 2019, will miss 2-4 more weeks after suffering an injury to his right shoulder in Denver’s Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh.
A former undrafted rookie, Wilkinson made the Broncos’ roster heading into the 2017 regular season. After playing in nine games that season, Wilkinson earned seven starts at right guard in 2018, helping running back Phillip Lindsay rush for over 1,000 yards as a rookie. He moved over to right tackle in 2019, where he helped Lock win four of his first five career starts.
With Wilkinson out, expect Demar Dotson to move into the starting lineup. Dotson, a 12-year veteran who made 106 starts during his 11 seasons with the Buccaneers, competed with Wilkinson to be the team’s starting right tackle during training camp.
The Broncos will look to get their first win of the season Thursday night at the Jets.
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KANSAS CITY
The best QB in the NFL (top five for sure) is PATRICK MAHOMES. His father is Pat.
Jason Owens of YahooSports.com:
Memo to NFL broadcasters: Don’t call him Pat.
As Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs opened a 27-10 halftime lead over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, Randi Mahomes wasn’t happy with everything she saw on the ESPN broadcast.
Randi is Patrick’s mom. And somebody was calling her son “Pat” on TV as he racked up four first-half touchdowns against one of the NFL’s best defenses. Pat, you see, is Patrick’s dad — and Randi’s husband.
The name of the Chiefs quarterback is Patrick.
So, who called him Pat?
Randi didn’t call out the culprit by name. But a check of the tape reveals that rookie “Monday Night Football” analyst Louis Riddick uttered “Pat” at least once while breaking down Mahomes’ 49-yard touchdown bomb to Mecole Hardman in the second quarter.
Riddick is a former NFL safety and front office executive. He also worked as a studio analyst for ESPN before stepping into the broadcast booth.
But working in the studio doesn’t draw nearly the level of scrutiny that calling games in the “Monday Night Football” booth does. Just ask Booger McFarland.
Riddick knows his stuff and has the credentials to back it up. But for his own best interest, he should probably stick to “Patrick” to avoid callouts from the mother of football’s highest-profile talent.
Riddick owns it
Riddick fessed up in the fourth quarter after word of Randi’s tweet made it to the booth.
“Guilty, guilty, guilty,” Riddick said, while laughing. “I apologize, Patrick.”
That should win Riddick some points with Randi. After all, what mother doesn’t respect accountability accompanied by an apology?
In the end, it was all smiles for the Mahomes family as Patrick threw four touchdowns and ran for another in a dominant 34-20 Chiefs win. And after the game, he confirmed to ESPN that yes — he’s Patrick and his dad is Pat.
Memo to Jason Martin –Pat Mahomes, despite what is believed to be a currently cordial relationship, is no longer Randi’s husband. We were going to say that she now goes by Randi Martin, which we see a lot of places on line, but her twitter account is “Randi Mahomes @tootgail”
More on Mahomes from Adam Teicher of ESPN.com.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the fastest player to collect 10,000 career passing yards in Monday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, and he did it the hard way. Mahomes did much of his best work by beating the blitz.
Mahomes was 17-of-21 for 219 yards and three touchdowns against the blitz in the Chiefs’ 34-20 victory. Overall, Mahomes was 31-of-42 for 385 yards and four touchdowns.
“You’ve got to give Patrick credit for leading the charge there,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Mahomes’ game against the Ravens’ pressure. “He stepped up big and wanted the responsibility.
“You can’t possibly cover all the different things [the Ravens] do. You just have to stay disciplined in your rules and go from there.”
Mahomes’ assortment of unusual throws included an underhanded shovel pass that went for a 5-yard touchdown to fullback Anthony Sherman and a 2-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle Eric Fisher.
“Our defense, when you go in training camp against [defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo], you’re getting a heavy dose of blitzes from everywhere,” Mahomes said. “We may not have seen some of the exact blitzes, but we’ve seen blitzes with fire-zone pressures and Cover 0s. Guys sped up their routes, and the offensive line gave me enough time.”
Mahomes, in his 34th regular-season start, completed a 13-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce in the first quarter that put him over the 10,000-yard mark. Kurt Warner had the old record at 36 games.
Mahomes in his first season as a starter in 2018 became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in one season.
“The sky’s the limit for this kid,” wide receiver Sammy Watkins said. “He’s a special, rare breed of talent.”
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LAS VEGAS
Thumbs down for Raiders rookie CB DAMON ARNETTE:
Raiders first-rounder Damon Arnette came into the season with a broken thumb, and has aggravated that problem.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the rookie cornerback is visiting a thumb specialist today after re-injuring the thumb when he fell awkwardly on it Sunday.
Depending on what he hears from the doctor, he could miss a month or more.
That would likely mean a trip to injured reserve, clearing a roster spot but leaving the Raiders thin in the secondary for at least three weeks.
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AFC NORTH
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BALTIMORE
Interesting turn of phrase from QB LAMAR JACKSON as the Chiefs reign in Baltimore. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com:
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens stumbled against the Kansas City Chiefs once again, losing 34-20 on Monday Night Football in a game that ended their 14-game regular-season winning streak and left them feeling stripped of their cape.
Asked how the Ravens can get over the hurdle of beating the Chiefs, Jackson interjected by saying: “Our kryptonite.”
Jackson fell to 0-3 against the Chiefs after passing for a career-worst 97 yards. He’s 21-1 against the rest of the NFL in the regular season.
The reigning NFL MVP, Jackson has completed 67% of his passes against the other 31 teams with a 72.9 Total QBR. Against Kansas City, he has connected on 53% of his throws with a 58.5 QBR.
The Chiefs kept Jackson off his game by blitzing him on 35% of his dropbacks, compared to 29% by all other teams, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
“It looked like the same thing from the Tennessee game [2019 divisional playoff] to be honest — that’s all,” Jackson said.
The Ravens (2-1) had been the hottest team in the NFL entering Monday. They hadn’t lost a regular-season game in almost a full calendar year (their previous defeat was Sept. 29, 2019, to the Browns). Baltimore had led at halftime in 11 straight games and hadn’t trailed in the second half at any point in 13 consecutive games.
But Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives to jump out to a 27-10 lead in the second quarter. Baltimore closed to within 27-20 in the fourth quarter, but Kansas City responded with a 2-yard touchdown pass to left tackle Eric Fisher to seal the victory.
“I’m really looking forward to earning the right to try to face them again,” Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell said. “I’m very confident if we played the game that we’re supposed to, we can hang with those guys.”
Even though it’s Week 3, this loss could have ramifications for the Ravens in January. Baltimore’s chances for capturing the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs dropped to 35%, while Kansas City’s chances increased to 43%.
Now, the Ravens have to wonder what it’s going to take to beat the Chiefs if they meet them in the postseason.
“They beat us. They out-executed us. They out-game-planned us. They just beat us,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “That’s the story tonight. Big-picture stuff, all of that, I don’t know. They’re better, obviously. They’re a better football team at this point in time.”
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AFC SOUTH
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HOUSTON
The 0-3 Texans are said to be kicking the can on controversial side-lined players.
First, they have been linked to WR ANTONIO BROWN who becomes eligible to play after Week 8.
Now, S EARL THOMAS who was booted out of Baltimore as an undisciplined distraction, has surfaced in Houston. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:
Earl Thomas’ instinctive, hard-hitting style has earned him a Super Bowl ring and seven Pro Bowl selections.
A free agent since being cut by Baltimore in August following a fight with teammate Chuck Clark on the practice field, Thomas’ ball-hawking skills could be a match with the Texans, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Thomas, 31, arrived Monday to work out for the Texans, and there’s a “strong chance” that the franchise signs him if his audition and meetings with team officials go smoothly, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
Texans safety A.J. Moore injured his left hamstring Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was placed on injured reserve Monday, meaning he has to miss at least three weeks.
Thomas was released by the Ravens after throwing a punch at Clark after an argument over a busted coverage. The Ravens moved on from Thomas, even though he made the Pro Bowl in his one season with them after signing a four-year, $55 million contract and was due a $10 million guaranteed salary this year.
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TENNESSEE
The Titans are the epi-center of the NFL’s first Covid-19 “outbreak”. USA TODAY:
In what could be the NFL’s first significant in-season test of its coronavirus protocols, the Tennessee Titans announced Tuesday they would not be holding in-person activities after the team had eight total positive COVID-19 tests — three from players, five from staff —in the aftermath of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
“Out of the abundance of caution, the organization has decided to work remotely today as we follow NFL protocols related to the COVID-19 virus,” the team said in a statement. “Several tests have come back positive and [we] are working through the process of confirming them. We will have more information tomorrow.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement the positive tests came back Tuesday morning. The Vikings also are suspending team activities as both clubs follow the league’s protocols on COVID-19.
“Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the [NFL Players Association], including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments,” Goodell said. “All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.”
The Vikings said in a statement that the team has not returned any positive COVID-19 tests since Sunday’s game.
The Titans and Vikings have both shut down their facilities for cleaning.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday that outside linebackers coach and defensive playcaller Shane Bowen did not travel with the team for Sunday’s game due to the league’s COVID-19 protocol. Offensive tackle and first-round pick Isaiah Wilson also remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
From Sept. 13-19, the NFL reported zero positive confirmed tests for COVID-19 among players. The league has not yet released figures for any more recent dates.
The Titans are scheduled to play at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which was set to mark the first time this season the team would welcome fans to a game. Nissan Stadium was set to allow up to 10% of capacity — roughly 6,900 fans — for the contests, Nashville Mayor John Cooper and team officials announced in September. It is unclear whether the tests will alter the organization’s plans.
The Steelers said in a statement that the NFL informed them to proceed with game preparations until notified otherwise.
The Vikings, meanwhile, are scheduled to play on the road Sunday against the Houston Texans.
The NFL may have some tough decisions. But perhaps not this week with Steelers-Titans. Fortunately, both teams have their bye scheduled for Week 8.
Andrew Brandt points this out:
@AndrewBrandt
NFL is not like Baseball ever missed games can be easily rejiggered. Could get complicated.
We think something got jumbled there. Expect he meant to type:
@AndrewBrandt
NFL is not like Baseball where missed games can be easily rejiggered. Could get complicated.
Somewhere on Twitter (and we can’t find it now to give credit) the idea of doing away with the Super Bowl break week and putting a week between the start of the playoffs and Week 17 to replay any postponed games.
That’s a good idea if any team only has one game postponed, but what if there is just one game to put on that week.
We might opt to put the new bye week at the current Week 17 and move Week 17 back a week. No national TV games to jigger around with. Everyone would play their 16thgame on the same week.
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AFC EAST
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NEW YORK JETS
If Adam Gase if fired after Thursday’s game with the Broncos, it won’t be because he sat down floundering QB SAM DARNOLD. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:
Week Four begins with a couple of teams that hope to avoid an 0-4 start to the season. As to the home team, a question has emerged as to whether another loss will result in the head coach being sent packing.
Radio host Colin Cowherd claimed on Monday, citing an unnamed source, that the Jets will fire coach Adam Gase if they lose to Denver on Thursday night.
While that’s not out of the realm of possibility given the manner in which the team has played this season, the result doesn’t necessarily flow from the factual basis of the report. Cowherd claims that Jets surrogate owner Christopher Johnson already has reached out to a “top coach agent” and started asking questions. (Cowherd later used the plural form, saying that the Jets are reaching out to “big-time agents.”)
This doesn’t automatically mean the Jets will be looking to hire an interim coach as soon as Friday, if they lose. Indeed, teams rarely if ever hire interim head coaches from outside the coaching staff. It’s possible that, independent of the outcome of Thursday night’s game, the Jets have begun the process of identifying the universe of potential head coaches in the event a new hire is made after the season ends.
This could mean Gase is out after the season, that he’s out during the season, or that he’s ultimately not out at all. It’s merely proof (if the report is true) that the Jets are looking to see who could or would be available to take the job, if the job comes open.
Also, there aren’t many “top coach agents”; Jimmy Sexton (who represents Gase) is one of the few. Have the Jets called Sexton about other Sexton clients who could replace Gase, while Gase is still employed? That would be awkward, but remember this: Bob LaMonte talked to the Raiders about hiring Jon Gruden while LaMonte client Jack Del Rio still had the job.
There’s another angle to consider here, an important one as it relates to the looming election. Depending on the outcome, owner Woody Johnson may be coming home. Christopher Johnson therefore may decide to do nothing at all until he and Woody know whether Woody will be back.
If/when Woody comes back, there’s a chance that a full reset button will be pushed, with Woody (not Christopher) hiring a new coach and perhaps a new G.M.
The question about Cowherd’s report isn’t whether it’s right or wrong, but whether the actual information — that Christopher Johnson has begun doing due diligence on new hire — has a direct connection to the question of whether the employment of the current coach hinges on whether the Jets avoid an 0-4 start. There’s a good chance that there are two unrelated dynamics, especially in light of the possibility that the current mess may be cleaned up not by Christopher Johnson, but by his brother.
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THIS AND THAT
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PETE PRISCO’S POWER RANKINGS
From Pete Prisco, veteran scribe at CBSSports.com:
When the season started, I said if Bill Belichick got the New England Patriots to the postseason with his current team there would be no debate about the greatest coach of all time.
I think he is regardless, but if this version of the Patriots makes the playoffs this season, it should cement it in the eyes of many.
If they do make it, this might be Belichick’s best coaching job of them all. The talent is so depleted on the front seven of the defense — some of it by free-agent losses and others by COVID-19 opt-outs. The offense is also pretty much new in terms of what they are doing, and yet the Patriots are 2-1 without Tom Brady.
That’s impressive in itself, but this a team that could easily be 3-0, were it not for a close loss on the road to Seattle. Belichick is doing a great job, but offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels deserves just as much praise. With Cam Newton, the offense has changed in a big way, and McDaniels has done a great job calling plays to play to the strength of the offense, which is the running game.
The Patriots ran for 250 yards against the Raiders Sunday, doing so in a variety of ways out of a lot of different looks with a bunch of backs getting into the action. Newton’s threat to run the ball is a big part of what McDaniels is using to help call plays. Newton has also showed he’s a more than capable passer.
The Chiefs beat the Ravens in a battle of powerhouses, and there’s a lot to go over. Will Brinson and the Pick Six Podcast Superfriends break it all down; listen in the player below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness.
It’s all working. That’s why the Patriots are up to No. 8 in my Power Rankings this week as they ready to head to Kansas City to play the top-ranked Chiefs in a big early-season conference game. Seeding could actually be at stake. It’s hard to believe that’s a possibility with New England, considering all they lost this year.
Belichick is the best ever — and a playoff berth this season should lock it up for sure for any of the doubters who still remain.
1 – CHIEFS
Is there any doubt they are the best team? Going to Baltimore and dominating the Ravens just solidifies it. 3-0-0
2 – PACKERS
The offense looks so much better than a year ago, but the defense has some issues. They have to fix that, especially against the run. 3-0-0
3 – STEELERS
They are 3-0 and I get the idea they haven’t played their best football yet. Ben Roethlisberger is getting there. 3-0-0
4 – BILLS
Josh Allen has the offense looking special, but the defense has had some issues. They have to play better on that side of the ball. 3-0-0
5 – SEAHAWKS
There is no doubt Russell Wilson is the MVP right now. He has 14 touchdown passes in three games and with his defense he might need to throw 60. 3-0-0
6 RAVENS
If they are to get to the Super Bowl, they have to throw it better. Lamar Jackson wasn’t good against the Chiefs. 2-1-0 (down 3 from last week)
7 – TITANS
They are 3-0 and Ryan Tannehill has played well. But they better tighten up the defense after giving up 30 points each of the past two weeks. 3-0-0
8 – PATRIOTS
As their young players improve, they will as well. Get them early if you can. This week’s game at Kanas City will tell a lot about them. 2-1-0
9 – BUCCANEERS
They are starting to look like the team many expected to see before the season. The defense might be better than what some thought. 2-1-0
10 – BEARS
They are 3-0 and have a quarterback controversy. You almost never see that. Nick Foles was great in rallying them against Atlanta, but now he’s the starter. 3-0-0
11 – CARDINALS
Losing at home to the Lions is a bad look for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray looked just OK after two special weeks. 2-1-0
12 – RAMS
They showed some real fight in coming back from 28-3 down on the road against the Bills. That says a lot about this group. Jared Goff is playing well. 2-1-0
13 – RAIDERS
That cross-country trip after a Monday night game seemed to wear on the Raiders. The offense wasn’t the same against the Patriots. 2-1-0
14 – 49ERS
Winning the way they did Sunday against the Giants is a testament to the coaching staff considering all the injuries. But it will be hard navigating those hits for too long. 2-1-0
15 – COLTS
They might look back on their season and wonder how they lost at Jacksonville to open the season. They’ve won two straight since and have come on as a defense. 2-1-0
16 – SAINTS
The defense is having major issues, which is surprising. They have to turn it around quickly. The offense was fine against the Packers, but they need Michael Thomas back. 1-2-0
17 – COWBOYS
They are 1-2 and could easily be 0-3. The offense is fun to watch, but that defense is woeful. 1-2-0
18 – BROWNS
At 2-1 do we really know much about this team considering who they beat in their two victories? We will know more this week against Dallas. 2-1-0
19 – CHARGERS
Justin Herbert did some good things in his first start, but that was a bad home loss to the Panthers. Tyrod Taylor should be back this week. 1-2-0
20 – LIONS
Winning on the road against the Cardinals could have saved their season. The offense is going to be tough to stop when healthy. 1-2-0
21 -TEXANS
They’ve faced a brutal schedule to open the season. At 0-3, they are in a big hole and the defense isn’t very good. Can they rebound? — 0-3-0
22 – PANTHERS
That was a good road victory for this young team against the Chargers. The defense is loaded with young players and it’s improving by the week. 1-2-0
23 – DOLPHINS
They looked good in beating the Jaguars, which is a step in the right direction. Does Ryan Fitzpatrick play the entire season? Should he? 1-2-0
24 – EAGLES
They have been the league’s biggest disappointment so far. Yet at 0-2-1 they aren’t done yet in a bad division. 0-2-1
25 – FALCONS
Blowing big leads the past two weeks to fall to 0-3 isn’t a good look for coach Dan Quinn. It’s natural to wonder when a change is coming. 0-3-0
26 – BENGALS
Getting a tie on the road is a good thing for a young team, even if might not feel that way. They do have to protect Joe Burrow better. 0-2-1
27 – JAGUARS
They will be fun to watch because of the offense, but it will be a necessity to score big with the way the defense plays. They won’t win a lot of games. 1-2-0
28 – BRONCOS
They’ve had way too many injuries to compete with good teams. It’s all about next season now for the Broncos, although they do have a winnable game against the Jets Thursday night. 0-3-0
29 – VIKINGS
At 0-3, their season is basically over. They are terrible on defense, which is strange under Mike Zimmer. 0-3-0
30 – WASHINGTON
They’ve lost two straight road games and haven’t looked good in doing so. It’s going to be a long season. 1-2-0
31 – GIANTS
This is going to be a tough first season for coach Joe Judge. Maybe they needed more training-camp sprints. 0-3-0
32 – JETS
This team is a dumpster fire right now. There is no hope for a turnaround either. Do they make a coaching change? —
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BROADCAST NEWS
This from ESPN.com’s dynamic duo of Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay:
What are your biggest early-season takeaways?
McShay: I’ll start with the No. 1 prospect on everyone’s board. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was in complete control against Wake Forest to start the season, completing 22 of 28 passes for 351 yards and a touchdown (and he added another pair of scores on the ground). After rolling up Citadel 49-0 a week later and then getting an off week, he carries a 91.9 Total QBR into this weekend’s home game against Virginia.
His anticipation and accuracy are really impressive, and the 6-foot-6 QB can really drive the ball outside the numbers. He is playing like you’d expect an elite NFL quarterback prospect to be playing. But on-field talent aside, I was even more impressed talking to him before the Wake Forest game — he has grown so much as a leader. When he first took over as starter, he was a bit more cautious, but now he’s the face of college football, and no stage is too big for him. He is the Tigers’ leader on the field, but he is standing out perhaps even more for his forward-facing roles in the “We want to play” campaign and advancing social justice discussions across the country.
Kiper: My biggest takeaway so far? That the 2021 class of pass-catchers is even better than I thought. After six wide receivers went in Round 1 in April, McShay put eight in his preseason 2021 Mock Draft, plus two more tight ends. I had six total — four wideouts, two tight ends — in my preseason Big Board, but there will be more in my next update.
This is really just an outstanding class of receivers at the top, from Ja’Marr Chase (LSU) and Rashod Bateman (Minnesota) to Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith (Alabama). And it’s one of the best classes of high-end tight ends we’ve seen in recent years, with Pat Freiermuth (Penn State), Kyle Pitts (Florida) and Brevin Jordan (Miami) all getting first-round grades from me. I won’t go through and list all of the potential first-rounders, but it’s exciting to see all of the elite pass-catching talent college football is producing.
McShay: We’ve hit on QB and WR, so I might as well mention the running backs, too. I’ve seen the top three backs on my board live in consecutive weeks to start the season, and Clemson’s Travis Etienne (No. 19), Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (No. 32) and Alabama’s Najee Harris (No. 33) all stood out. Etienne is tough as they come, and I love his acceleration to and through the hole. Hubbard shows fantastic contact balance and elite track speed, but he didn’t seem to fully get going in the Cowboys’ narrow win against Tulsa.
Of the three, though, Harris is the one I see rising in the early going. In the Crimson Tide’s opener against Missouri on Saturday, he averaged 5.8 yards and scored three times on the ground. For a running back with his strength and 6-foot-2, 232-pound frame, I was previously concerned he danced too much, looking for the home run. But Harris ran hard and stayed in his lane on Saturday. And he looks improved in pass protection and remains underrated as a pass-catcher.
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PERSONAL NOTE – THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
It’s not football, but congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning on their 2nd Stanley Cup victory.
Tampa Bay won a Cup in 2004, but then fell into hard times after the team was sold to under-capitalized and under-skilled new ownership.
This current edition of the Lightning started with the acquisition of the team by Jeff Vinik in 2010, his hiring of Steve Yzerman as GM and their subsequent hirings of Julien Brisebois for the front office and Jon Cooper as head coach (2013). Since 2014, this has been the top team in the NHL – and now they have a Cup to confirm their long-term excellence.
In those seven seasons, the Lightning have made the playoffs six times (missing by a point in 2016), made four Eastern Conference finals and two Stanley Cup finals. And, other than the abrupt departure of Martin St. Louis (now healed), they have done so without no public off-ice disruptions or distractions (even when Yzerman quietly returned to his beloved Detroit).
Last year, after a record-setting 62-16-4, they were confoundingly swept out by Columbus in the first round.
This season, with the 2nd seed in the East, they went 16-6 without allowing a 7th game to win the Cup.
Here are the most regular season victories in that span:
TBL 343
WSH 332
STL 329
Here are the most playoff victories in that span:
TBL 54
PIT 47
WSH 41
Here are the most total victories in that span:
TBL 397
WSH 373
PIT 370
They also are 1st in goals scored (regular season) by 60 goals and 1st in goal differential by 51 goals over those seven years.
The Penguins did win two Cups in that span, but by any other measure the Lightning are first.
So, it was a deserved Cup in 2020.
And with many core players (including the ace goalie) in their prime, happy with their roles and under contract for several years to come, it may not be the last.
Back to our regularly-scheduled programming.
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