@ScottKacsmar

The paradigm is shifting and I’m not sure if I like it.

Mahomes – Brady (dynasty QBs)

Allen – Peyton (keep coming up short in January)

Lamar – McNabb (playoff chokers)

Burrow – Rodgers (arrogant front-runners)

Herbert – Brees (Chargers’ curse)

Stroud – Roethlisberger (rookie successes)

Dak – Romo (Dallas disappointment)

Purdy – Hasselbeck (late-round/system)

Cousins – Rivers (volume stats/untrustworthy)

Are there other comparisons we could make?

Goff-Ryan (awkward-looking stat compilers?)

Stafford-Eli (HOF because of one/two postseason runs?)

NEW YORK GIANTS

The Giants have turned to PK GREG JOSEPH with PK GRAHAM GANO on the shelf.  Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post:

Greg Joseph is hoping to bring Giants fans happier times than when he ruined Christmas Eve.

The Giants signed Joseph to their active roster off of the Lions practice squad on Tuesday, according to his agent, Brett Tressler.

He will kick in place of Graham Gano, who was put on injured reserve (hamstring) and will miss at least four weeks.

Joseph, 30, set the Vikings’ franchise record for longest field goal when he drilled a 61-yarder as time expired to beat the Giants on Dec. 24, 2022.

It was part of a season in which he set the NFL record for game-winning field goals (five) as the Vikings went 11-0 in one-score games before losing a playoff rematch against the Giants.

The Giants held a tryout Monday for four kickers — Randy Bullock, Tanner Brown, Zane Gonzalez and Riley Patterson — but did not sign any. Brown subsequently signed with the Rams practice squad.

Bullock was 5-for-6 on field goals and 10-for-10 on PATs for the Giants last season as an injury fill-in for Gano, but the opportunity is going to Joseph this time. Joseph has converted 82.6 percent of his field goals (100-for-121) and 90.1 percent of his PATs (146-for-162) during his career with the Browns, Titans and Vikings.

ATLANTA

The gesture made by WR DRAKE LONDON after he caught the late TD pass against the Eagles didn’t look like a conventional gun-shooting gesture – although the official on the scene flagged him.  Raheem Morris offers an explanation that the DB kind of buys, although Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com does not:

After scoring the game-tying touchdown on Monday night, Falcons wide receiver Drake London made the game-winning extra point more difficult by committing a 15-yard celebration penalty. But Falcons coach Raheem Morris is coming to London’s defense.

London was flagged because his celebration appeared to mimic shooting a gun, which is against NFL rules. Morris said that in real time he didn’t see what London did but is confident London meant no harm and won’t do it again.

“Initially I didn’t see it,” Morris said. “I guess it was the use of a weapon, how people interpreted that as a penalty. Drake is a great kid. His intent was not as a use of a weapon. He probably was shooting t-shirts into the stands, to be honest with you, because he’s just that kind of a guy. He was excited. He got excited. He’s one of those guys that plays with great energy. He immediately apologized on sight before I got a chance to correct him.”

Although Morris’s claim that London was actually shooting a t-shirt cannon may sound like an implausible excuse, Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo made it a moot point by hitting the 48-yard extra point. The penalty didn’t hurt the Falcons, and Morris is confident London knows the rule now.

CAROLINA

Reason for the switch:

#NFL Fewest points scored in any 4-game span since 1978

1. 1992 Seahawks – 13

1. 1998 Eagles – 13

1. 2023-24 Panthers – 13

4. 1999-00 Bengals – 14 (two different 4-game spans)

5. 1978 Bengals – 15

This seems harsh, but Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com makes a case that Panthers owner David Tepper is QB poison and should be avoided by all rookie quarterbacks:

Nearly eight years ago, 49ers CEO Jed York made a depressingly accurate comment about pro football.

“I own this football team,” York said after firing his third coach in three years. “You don’t dismiss owners. I’m sorry but that’s the facts, and that’s the case. That’s the fact.”

It’s a sad fact for fans of the most dysfunctional teams. Currently, the NFL’s most dysfunctional team is run by a drink-throwing, hat-removing, Veruca Salt multi-billionaire who thinks there’s a button he can press that will instantly turn his team from a train wreck into a contender.

So, no, you don’t dismiss David Tepper. There’s nothing Panthers fans can do, short of launching a sustained, multi-year boycott creating sufficient financial pressure to get him to sell the team.

Good luck with that. People don’t like to deprive themselves of things they like, even when that thing drives them to agony. Currently, Tepper’s team might drive its fans to something even worse than that — apathy.

And with Tepper, who (in my opinion, based on the available evidence and the application of common sense) forced Bryce Young onto his last coaching staff before forcing the new coaching staff to bench him, firmly in control of the team and likely looking for another incoming rookie quarterback to fall in love with (before falling out of love with him), it’s high time for college players who are finally making money to prepare to take a stand.

It happens rarely. It should happen often. For quarterbacks, that first team shapes much of the career. And that first team can ruin, or dramatically delay, the quarterback’s chance to realize his potential.

Look at the Jets. From Geno Smith to Christian Hackenberg to Sam Darnold to Zach Wilson, they’ve ruined one rookie quarterback after another. The Panthers are on that same track.

And the incoming quarterbacks have more power than ever before. Their money is the source of it. They have earned plenty. They have (or should have) banked a lot of it. They can make it clear to the Panthers, privately or if need be publicly, that they won’t sign a contract with the Panthers. That whoever is drafted by Tepper’s team will sit out for a year, live off his NIL money (and possibly earn more of it), and re-enter the draft the next time around.

That’s how it works. If a player is drafted and doesn’t sign a contract, he re-enters the next draft. If he does it again, he can pick whichever team he wants after the next draft.

The biggest challenge comes from the potential P.R. consequences. Media and fans have been so brainwashed about the honor and privilege of being drafted that few will acknowledge the very real difference between being drafted by the best organizations and the worst ones.

Look at Patrick Mahomes. He could have been drafted by a team that might have made it harder for him to fully blossom and thrive (like, you know, the Jets). Instead, he fell to the bottom of the top 10, the Chiefs jumped up 18 spots to get him, and the rest is the history that we all continue to witness.

At the other end of the spectrum, it’s the Jets and the Panthers. Quarterback whimperers, not whisperers. Teams that will keep Geno Smith from becoming Geno Smith and Sam Darnold from becoming Sam Darnold and, maybe, Zach Wilson from becoming Zach Wilson and Bryce Young from becoming Bryce Young.

Many believe that the Texans would have taken Young if they’d had the first pick in the 2023 draft, which would have sent C.J. Stroud to the Panthers. Who’s to say that, if this had happened, Young would be doing fine and Stroud would have just gotten benched?

Think back to 1999. If Akili Smith lands with the Eagles and Donovan McNabb goes to Cincinnati, maybe Smith ends up being a fringe Hall of Famer with Andy Reid, and McNabb starts 17 career regular-season games, winning only three.

It’s high time for incoming quarterbacks to take a stand when it comes to being forced to play for an inept organization. And there’s always strength in numbers. The Panthers should be the first target for a collective “no thanks” by the top prospects.

Panthers fans won’t like to hear that. But if Tepper can’t be fired or otherwise held accountable (short of something that would prompt the NFL to deploy Mary Jo White to Charlotte), something like an organized effort by the top quarterbacks to refuse to play for Tepper’s team could be the only thing to get him to shape up — or even better for Panthers fans sell out.

Thoughts from Ryan Leaf.  Jeff Kerr of CBSSports.com:

Ryan Leaf knows all too well the backlash that comes with the failures of being a high draft pick. The San Diego Chargers gave Leaf every opportunity to succeed after selecting him No. 2 overall in 1998, yet the franchise had to move on after three seasons.

Leaf wished the Panthers would have given Bryce Young a longer leash.

Speaking with TMZ Sports on Tuesday, Leaf blamed the Carolina Panthers organization for their handling of Young — wanting them to give Young more of an opportunity to succeed.

“They screwed this thing up from the get-go, though. I mean, this organization is horrible,” Leaf said. “This organization has done nothing to try to help and develop a player that has so much expectation on him. And so, I laid this at the feet of the organization completely.”

Leaf knows all too well how early struggles can ruin a player’s confidence. Poor attitude and an inability to control his temper got the best of Leaf, who completed 45.3% of his passes with two touchdowns to just 15 interceptions in his rookie season. He yelled at a reporter and gave a half-hearted apology, while alienating himself from his teammates throughout the year.

The anger issues evolved into the next season as he missed the year with shoulder surgery. Leaf was released by the Chargers after the 2000 season, and finished with a 4-17 record as a starter, completing just 48.4% of his passes with 14 touchdowns to 36 interceptions in 25 games. He was out of the NFL after 2001.

Young didn’t have the anger issues Leaf had, but the performance may have been worse. Through two games, Young has completed 55.4% of his passes for 245 yards with no touchdowns to three interceptions, while being sacked six times. Young is averaging 4.4 yards per attempt and has a 44.1 passer rating through two starts.

The poor performance can be attributed to a poor start. Young went 8 of 10 for 22 yards with an interception in the first half, having a 39.6 rating in the opening 30 minutes. This is on the heels of a performance where Young went 6 of 12 for 50 yards and an interception and two sacks (26.4 rating).

Will Young get another opportunity? Leaf doesn’t seem too optimistic.

“There’s no one in that locker room that seemingly feels that way,” Leaf said. “And that is a hard place to be as a leader of men when you’re 22, 23 years old.”

NEW ORLEANS

Saints Jack-of-All-Trades TAYSOM HILL did not suffer a serious chest injury Sunday.

@RapSheet

After a visit to the hospital as a precaution following yesterday’s big win over the #Cowboys, #Saints TE/FB/everything Taysom Hill checked out fine, sources say. He had been examined for a chest injury.

KANSAS CITY

We can’t say we’ve verified this and we’ve seen some different numbers, but it does seem clear that QB PATRICK MAHOMES has a knack for throwing INTs when the officials are throwing flags on the defense.

@SneakyJoeSports

Patrick Mahomes just threw his 17th INT that was called back due to defensive penalty. Most in the NFL since 2018.

BALTIMORE

How things have changed:

@Ihartitz

Justin Tucker has hit 14% of his 50+ yard field goals since Week 1, 2023. 29 other kickers have at least five-such attempts and the next worst one made 43% of those kicks. Objectively speaking based only on the data, Tucker is by far the NFL’s least accurate kicker from distance.

PITTSBURGH

It looks like more QB JUSTIN FIELDS for the Steelers this week.  Mike DeFabo of The Athletic:

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for Justin Fields to make his third consecutive start at quarterback Sunday when the team faces the Los Angeles Chargers, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday.

Russell Wilson, who Pittsburgh named the starter in the preseason, continues to deal with a nagging calf injury that has limited him in practice. Tomlin said Wilson is scheduled to be limited Wednesday and the team will monitor his progression through the week.

Tomlin said the Steelers are “readying a plan that features Justin (Fields)” and will stick with it unless something changes.

“I’m not doing (Fields) any justice by talking hypothetical,” Tomlin said. “I want him focused. I’m focused on the next task, and until Russell gets to a state of readiness where he’s a consideration, I won’t be speculating on any of that in any way.”

Fields started in an 18-10 win against the Atlanta Falcons and 13-6 victory over the Denver Broncos to begin the season. He has only thrown one touchdown pass, but his 94.4 passer rating is the best he has had through two weeks of a season and he is completing 69.8 percent of his throws, also a career-best mark.

This was also the first season of his career in which he did not throw an interception in the first two weeks.

After Wilson missed Week 1, Tomlin said Pittsburgh would “be analyzing whether (Wilson is) capable of protecting himself, whether he’s capable of being productive” in practice.

Wilson initially injured his calf on July 24 while pushing a sled during the team’s conditioning test. The injury limited the 35-year-old during the first two weeks of training camp and forced him to miss the first preseason game. Leading up to the regular-season opener, he aggravated the calf during a routes-on-air segment of practice.

He left practice and was listed as a limited participant. Wilson was in uniform Sunday and served as Pittsburgh’s emergency third quarterback. Kyle Allen was the backup.

Wilson’s injury has created an opportunity for Fields to shake up the quarterback dynamic. However, to this point, Wilson’s health has been the biggest factor.

The most revealing quote from Tomlin was when he said, “My position regarding the pecking order and the depth chart has not changed guys, and it won’t until the other guy (Wilson) gets healthy, and then we’ll give it real consideration. Until then, I won’t speculate.”

Ben Roethlisberger weighs in on the QB dilemma per Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says that Justin Fields, not Russell Wilson, should be the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh — even if Wilson is cleared to return from his calf injury.

Roethlisberger said on his podcast that the Steelers have played well enough with Fields starting the first two games that there’s no reason to make a change.

“I like what I’ve seen, I like that he’s getting into it, I like that he’s getting the feel of it,” Roethlisberger said of Fields. “If you told me they were 1-1 or 0-2 and these are going on, I’d think they’d have to do something, but again, he’s not turning the ball over, they’re 2-0. Big test this week with the Chargers coming to town. To me, if Russ is healthy, I’m sticking with Justin. I said it last week I wouldn’t, but what I saw [in Week Two]. I think that he has earned and deserves the right to stay there.”

Roethlisberger said coach Mike Tomlin could still make a change, but he compared it to his own first season in Pittsburgh, when Tommy Maddox started the first two games but was injured, and Roethlisberger kept the starting job because the Steelers kept winning with him.

“You could still change it up now. Mike could go back to Russ. It’s only two games in,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s how I first got in, Tommy hurt his elbow and it wasn’t a season-ender, but we hadn’t lost, and once you get into a rhythm and you get good things going, you don’t want to mess that up. . . . I didn’t always put up big numbers, but I prided myself on getting wins, and that’s what you’re supposed to do as a quarterback: You’re supposed to win football games.”

Roethlisberger said Fields is similar.

“Justin’s stats, nothing crazy, 117 yards, are you impressed? Probably not. You know what I’m impressed with? No turnovers. I’m impressed with efficiency. I thought he ran the ball when he had to, he did some really good things,” Roethlisberger said.

As long as the Steelers keep winning, it’s doubtful that Wilson is getting on the field. And Roethlisberger doesn’t think he should.

INDIANAPOLIS

Another challenge for the Colts.  Nate Atkins of the Indy Star on DT DeFOREST BUCKNER’s ankle injury:

The Colts will be without arguably their best defensive player for at least the next four games.

Indianapolis has placed All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on injured reserve with the ankle injury he suffered in Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Packers.

The Colts filled his spot on the 53-man roster with defensive end Genard Avery. They also signed defensive tackle Adam Gotsis, cornerback Gregory Junior and defensive end Titus Leo to the practice squad and released defensive tackle McTelvin Agim and cornerback Ameer Speed.

It’ll be the first games Buckner has missed for injury in five seasons with the Colts. He missed one due to COVID-19 in 2020. It’s only the second game total he’s missed to injury in his nine seasons in the NFL.

Buckner has been the heart and soul of the Colts defensive line since he arrived from the 49ers via a trade involving a first-round pick before the 2019 season. Despite facing more double teams than just about any interior defender, Buckner has recorded at least seven sacks in each of his four full seasons in Indianapolis, including the 9.5 he had in 2020 to become a First-Team All-Pro.

Buckner reached the Pro Bowl last season for the second time with the Colts before signing a two-year extension worth $46 million this offseason. He was expected to key a pass rush that was adding first-round UCLA rookie Laiatu Latu and to key a run defense next to star nose tackle Grover Stewart.

The Colts have struggled immensely to stop the run through the first two games, with their 475 rushing yards allowed ranked last in the NFL. Buckner only played parts of the second game, however, due to a back issue as well as the ankle injury.

Now, the Colts must find a way to clean up that run defense without Buckner. They potentially have four options to play in his 3-technique spot in veteran Taven Bryan, second-year pass rusher Adetomiwa Adeboware and inside-outside players Dayo Odeyingbo and Tyquan Lewis. On obvious run downs, the Colts could also play two nose tackles in Stewart and Raekwon Davis.

JACKSONVILLE

The wolves are starting to circle Jaguars QB TREVOR LAWRENCE.  Scott Kacsmar floats a stat:

@ScottKacsmar

Maybe the best stat to judge when a QB might not be the guy is anything efficiency based (EPA/DVOA/QBR) when there’s no pressure on the play.

The worst QBs on no pressure snaps in 2023 according to NGS:

1. Mac Jones (benched/traded)

2. Joshua Dobbs (benched/left in FA)

3. Bryce Young (just got benched after 18th start)

4. Zach Wilson (benched/traded)

5. Kenny Pickett (benched/traded)

6. Sam Howell (was going to be benched/traded)

7. Desmond Ridder (benched/traded)

8. Trevor Lawrence ��

MIAMI

The Dolphins admit that QB TUA TAGOVIALOA will be healthy later, not sooner – if at all.  Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com:

The Miami Dolphins placed Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve Tuesday after the quarterback suffered another concussion in Thursday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Per NFL rules, Tagovailoa must remain on injured reserve for at least four games. There is no timetable for how long Miami plans to keep him on IR as he focuses on his health before his return to the field.

It is the third diagnosed concussion of Tagovailoa’s NFL career.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel on Monday said Tagovailoa wouldn’t be placed on IR until more information became available, but the decision was made Tuesday after further evaluation.

Miami signed quarterback Tyler Huntley from the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad. Per NFL rules, the Dolphins must allocate a spot on their 53-man roster to Huntley for at least their next three games.

“We got to learn firsthand a nice reminder of how it only takes one play and what you think your depth is changes abruptly,” McDaniel said. “So that’s a move for moving forward to secure some depth in case of the unforeseen, which is timelines for us as it relates to Tua.”

Third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson will start Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks now that Tagovailoa has officially been ruled out.

Thompson did not play during the 2023 season, but he started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a playoff loss on the road to the Bills. McDaniel said the move to add Huntley “was not any direct reflection on Skylar” and was made to bolster the team’s depth.

Huntley has started 10 games in his four-year career, mostly for the Ravens. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2022 after helping guide them to the playoffs in place of Lamar Jackson. He started Baltimore’s playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I do think that it helps the dynamics of the [quarterbacks] room to add another guy with starting history to this team,” McDaniel said of Huntley. “He’s a guy that’s a signal-caller that a team can get behind. … I think this is more directly to back up Skylar, and then you always let competition play out when it’s out on the field. But this is a depth move, for sure.”

Tagovailoa suffered the injury while scrambling up the middle for a first down and making forcible contact with his helmet to the forearm of Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa immediately went into a fencing response with his arms in an unnatural position.

Medical trainers attended to Tagovailoa for several minutes as players kneeled around him. He was ultimately able to walk off the field and into the locker room under his own power but was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.

The next four games will push Tagovailoa’s career total of games missed due to injury to 14 since 2020. He played all 18 of the Dolphins’ regular-season and playoff games in 2023.

Also Tuesday, the Dolphins announced the signing of offensive lineman Jackson Carman to the practice squad and the release of wide receiver Robbie Chosen.

What would Tua lose if he chose to retire despite being medically cleared to return?  This from Jason Clinkscales and Jacob Feldman of Sportico:

Another concussion for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has renewed public concern for his long-term health. The fifth-year signal-caller was ruled out of Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills after making contact with Bills safety Damar Hamlin while scrambling for a first down in the red zone.

The incident has put a new spotlight on the four-year, $212.1 million contract extension he signed over the summer, which includes $167 million in guaranteed money. Generally speaking, that guaranteed money is paid out if Tagovailoa remains on a roster or is cut due to an injury. The decision to retire, meanwhile, could put those earnings in jeopardy.

The calls for him to step away began immediately, both from online punditry and during Amazon’s broadcast of the game. “If that was my son, I would be like, ‘It might be time.’ This stuff is not what you want to play around with,” Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez said on Amazon’s postgame show Thursday night. “Tua’s future? I’m thinking retirement here.”

Tagovailoa previously said his family suggested that he should retire after the 2022 season, when he was diagnosed with two concussions—one in Week 4, and another in Week 16. “I would say for sure, especially with what happened with the concussions,” he said in an interview on The Dan LeBatard Show last month. “It was more so my mom. … You can understand why mothers are the way they are.”

On top of hip injuries and other ailments, Tagovailoa now has three diagnosed concussions during his NFL career. He also suffered one in 2019 while at Alabama, where he starred in college.

In 2022, the Dolphins were criticized for how they managed an injury that led him to stumble on the field during a Week 3 matchup against the Bills. The organization deemed it a back issue, and he was cleared to play in Week 4, only leave with a concussion against Cincinnati. Shortly thereafter, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to alter concussion protocols.

If he’s medically cleared to play but chooses to retire, Tagovailoa will give up the remaining $124 million of guaranteed money, provided there’s no settlement. Yet if he’s medically forced to retire, he’d still get all the guaranteed money.

According to Spotrac, $43 million of the guaranteed amount—his $42 million signing bonus plus a $1 million base salary—has already been paid out in 2024. However, players have been required to return prorated portions of their salary bonuses upon retirement in the past.

“Guarantees aren’t really guarantees unless you’re Deshaun Watson,” former Green Bay Packers vice president of player finance Andrew Brandt said, referencing the Cleveland Browns QB’s $230 million fully guaranteed deal signed in 2022. “The key phrase is always ‘guaranteed at signing.’”

Brandt says an injury guarantee clause in a player contract isn’t very valuable, since the player must be unable to play in future years based on a previous injury, and most aren’t severe enough to trigger the clause. “An ACL is pretty much going to resolve in a year,” he said. “Head injuries get a little trickier. I don’t think we’ve been down this path before.”

Still, Tagovailoa isn’t the first NFL player to face the difficult decision of weighing his long-term health with his current desire to return to the field.

Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly retired for health reasons at age 29 in 2020, reportedly leaving $22 million on the table. He also had three documented concussions as a pro, missing 10 games combined. “I still want to play, but I don’t think it’s the right decision,” he said when announcing his decision.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck turned away from $58 million left on his deal when he retired in 2019, also at age 29. Of course, he likely would have earned more had he put in a full career. “Look it, he’s leaving $450 million on the table potentially,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said at the time.

Indianapolis let Luck keep roughly $25 million in bonuses, retaining his rights in the process.

When Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson retired at 30 in 2016, he gave up the $68 million he was due to receive over the course of the 2016-2019 seasons as well as a $1.6 million slice of his previously agreed upon signing bonus.

For now, the next step remains in the hands of Tagovailoa and his doctor.

“His career is his,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Friday. “Bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him. I’m going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care that that should be the last thing on your mind.”

The treatment of NFL head injuries also came up this week in relation to Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy’s complaint about not being treated quickly enough following a blow to the face. Van Noy was diagnosed with a fractured orbital bone. He said he feels fortunate not to have sustained a more severe setback.

NEW ENGLAND

WR DEMARIO DOUGLAS is complaining.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

New England Patriots second-year receiver Demario Douglas voiced frustration on Monday over not seeing the ball much early in the season.

Douglas has two catches for 12 yards on three targets through two games, including zero targets in Sunday’s overtime loss to Seattle.

The wideout admitted it’s been difficult not to be part of the offense much after leading the Pats in receiving last season. Asked if he’s been able to showcase his talent, Douglas replied, “Last year. Not yet this year.”

Starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett was asked on WEEI about Douglas’ comments.

“I’m glad he’s frustrated. If he wasn’t, that would be more alarming than him not getting the ball to be honest to you,” Brissett said, via Boston.com. “You just explain it to him, you’re going to have those games where it happens like that.

“It’s the second game of the year. We’re still trying to figure out our identity and how this thing is going to play out as far as the offense. It’s a long season ahead. I told him, man, there’s 15 games left … it’s a lot of football ahead of us. Obviously, we’re still getting better as a whole, individually, as an offense. I’m glad he’s frustrated, but I’ll see how he uses the frustration the right way.”

The Patriots’ offensive struggles aren’t a surprise early in the season. The club entered with major questions on the offensive line, which has hindered the passing attack. Through two games, Brissett has thrown for a combined 270 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Hunter Henry has been by far the most prolific pass catcher with 127 yards on 10 catches — No. 2 in yardage is fellow TE Austin Hooper with three grabs for 36 yards.

No New England wideout has caught more than four passes, with K.J. Osborn leading the receiver room with four catches for 28 yards. The Pats’ top four wideouts have combined for 85 yards and 11 catches through two weeks. There are 46 individual receivers in the NFL with more than 85 yards through two games.

Brissett acknowledged that he has to be better at getting Douglas and others the ball more, starting Thursday night against the New York Jets.

“Obviously, he’s a dynamic player. And me as the quarterback, I have to find ways to get him the ball. But it’s definitely something that we’re looking at,” Brissett said. “I don’t want to get into the overreaction thing about why this or that is not happening. It’s the second game of the season. But, we gotta find ways to get him the ball. He’s that good of a player.

“Honestly, we gotta find ways to get a lot of our skill players the ball, and get them more involved in the game. So yeah, I gotta take responsibility for that.”

But WR JALEN REAGOR is packing – and his next stop could be Bustville.

The Patriots released wide receiver Jalen Reagor from the practice squad on Tuesday, hours after Reagor published a cryptic social media post suggesting that he might not have been happy with his role in New England.

A former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, Reagor signed a one-year, $1.3 million extension with the Patriots in March after spending the 2023 season with New England as a backup WR and kick returner. He received $442,500 in guaranteed money.

Reagor did not make the 53-man roster following the preseason and re-signed with New England’s practice squad in August. He wasn’t active for the first two games of New England’s season.

On Tuesday, Reagor posted a meme on Instagram of a Bugatti parked in a driveway of a trailer park.

The post didn’t include commentary, but one could reasonably conclude in this scenario that Reagor believes himself to be the parked Bugatti and the Patriots the adjacent trailer. And there’s a reasonable chance that that’s exactly how the Patriots interpreted his message.

Hours later, the Patriots released Reagor. They announced the transaction in a brief statement without comment from anyone on the team.

Following his release, Reagor removed the meme from his Instagram account. In fact, he removed everything. As of Tuesday afternoon, Reagor’s Instagram account with more than 100,000 followers featured zero posts and nothing in his Instagram story window. His profile simply read “athlete.”

The chapter is the latest in a disappointing career since the Eagles selected Reagor with the 21st pick in the 2020 Draft — one pick ahead of Minnesota Vikings All-Pro Justin Jefferson. Reagor tallied 31 catches for 396 yards and one touchdown as a rookie and 57 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in his second season.

The Eagles cut their losses in the 2022 offseason and traded Reagor to the Vikings for a a seventh-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round pick that converted to a fifth-rounder when Reagor’s performance conditions weren’t met. Reagor caught eight passes for 107 yards in 17 games in Minnesota.

The Vikings released Reagor after training camp in 2023, and the Patriots signed him to their practice squad. New England activated him for 11 games last season, and he tallied seven catches for 138 yards.

NEW YORK JETS

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Jets offense finished strong against the Titans in Week Two as Aaron Rodgers led a 74-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to break a 17-17 tie and lift the Jets to their first victory of the season.

It was the third touchdown drive of the day for the Jets, which meant it was back-to-back weeks with three offensive touchdowns for a team that scored 18 of them over the entire 2023 season. That would seem to be a signal that the unit is coming together in Rodgers’s return from a torn Achilles, but Rodgers focused on the three punts that opened the Titans game when asked about how close the offense is to fully taking flight.

“It doesn’t really matter how close we are,” Rodgers said, via a transcript from the team. “What matters is what we did on the field, you know, how close we are is great for coaches because they can coach up, the whole thing, but, you know it’d be a boondoggle to keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results, so you know, we’ve got to change a couple things, we’ve got to be a little sharper, we’ve got to start faster. We’ve been starting really slow the first two weeks, so we’ve got to start faster, put something together in the first 15 [plays], give our defense a chance to play with a lead.”

Coming from behind is easier when the opposing offense makes boneheaded plays, but that’s not something the Jets can count on every week so finding a way to get rolling right out of the gate is the logical next step for the offense to take. They’ll get a chance to do so against the Patriots on Thursday night.

THIS AND THAT

GOING TOO FAST WITH YOUNG QBs

Mike Jones of The Athletic says some teams are rushing young QBs to their detriment:

What does the old Nationwide Insurance commercial say? “Life comes at you fast.”

Indeed it does.

Just ask Bryce Young, the quarterback once heralded as the savior of the Carolina Panthers. Sunday afternoon, despite another poor outing from the 2023 No. 1 pick, Panthers coach Dave Canales pledged loyalty to Young. Less than 24 hours later, Canales announced he had decided to bench Young in favor of 14-year NFL veteran Andy Dalton.

“Bryce is our quarterback” quickly changed to “Andy gives us the best chance to win,” as Canales desperately seeks to stop the bleeding after the 0-2 Panthers got outscored 73-13 in the season’s first two games.

Young endured a tumultuous rookie season and is already playing for his third head coach in 17 months. His rookie performance struggles have carried over into Year 2. In his 2024 starts, he has completed only 55.4 percent of his passes for 245 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Young’s benching just two games into yet another Panthers rebuilding season raises a whole slew of questions about the wisdom and foresight of Carolina’s brass. Young’s rapid fall from grace also serves as another example of the impatience and impulsiveness that far too often governs (and muddles) quarterback decisions across the NFL.

Another once-promising prospect is at risk of ruin. Another franchise remains stuck in purgatory. As a familiar storyline plays out, and as other young quarterbacks stumble out of the gate this season, it feels like the NFL has a quarterback development crisis on its hands.

Is Bryce Young’s benching the beginning of the end for last year’s No. 1 pick?

A national champion and Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama, Young seemed destined for NFL stardom. His diminutive stature (5-foot-10, 204 pounds) did cause pause for some talent evaluators. But many also believed the accuracy, poise, athleticism, tireless work ethic, exceptional football IQ, keen instincts and competitive fire that Young displayed in college would more than help him compensate for a lack of size.

Instead, Young hasn’t even sniffed proficiency.

Does he deserve blame for some of his shortcomings? Sure. But Young was destined to fail during a rookie season with a franchise and coaching staff plagued by dysfunction. He wound up going 2-14 while throwing 11 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. C.J. Stroud, taken by the Texans one pick after Young, went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

It’s highly unlikely, however, that Stroud would have had the same kind of success in Carolina as he did with Houston, which went 10-7 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs under new coach DeMeco Ryans. In Carolina, there were:

1. Far too many cooks in the kitchen among hands-on owner David Tepper, coach Frank Reich (who lasted only 11 games), offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, senior offensive assistant Jim Caldwell, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach Duce Staley.

2. So many roster holes. Few (if any) quarterbacks could succeed with such a shaky supporting cast.

Canales was supposed to help Young reset, similar to how as an assistant he helped Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay revive their careers. But he already made one confusing decision by holding Young out of the first two preseason games rather than give him game reps to help his growth, and now this.

Will time as an observer help Young better understand NFL quarterbacking? Time will tell.

We do know that benching Young, who has been sacked 68 times in 18 career games, will not fix the Panthers’ other talent deficiencies on offense. Yes, some oft-sacked quarterbacks deserve blame for holding onto the ball too long. But Carolina’s offensive line is not very good.

A switch from Young to Dalton will not suddenly help improve the tackling of a defense that has surrendered a league-high 36.5 points per game. But the Panthers, like so many teams before them, seem to think that a quality quarterback can mask a host of deficiencies. Yes, a great quarterback can elevate a team, but not even Patrick Mahomes could cure all of Carolina’s ills.

We don’t know how Young’s story will play out, but based on his handling last season and Monday’s surprise decision, the Panthers have committed quarterback malpractice.

And they’re not alone. Just look at the 2021 NFL Draft class. No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence remains with the Jaguars, but fellow first-round quarterbacks Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones have all moved on from the teams that drafted them.

Development-wise, Young didn’t look ready last season, and he looks no closer to ready this year. Carolina in 2023 committed the all-too-familiar transgression of drafting a prized quarterback and throwing him to the wolves before he was ready to execute at a high level and before the roster around him was strong enough to help compensate for his deficiencies. This season’s Panthers roster remains riddled with holes. Young’s struggles, coupled with Canales’ decision to bench him so quickly, suggests the kid should have never opened this season as the starter.

Many teams feel pressure to anoint a star quarterback the starter from Day 1, even though these prospects remain raw and their new teams have the shakiest of foundations. It defies logic. You wouldn’t hand a teenager with his learner’s permit the keys to a sloppy jalopy and expect him to safely navigate an interstate. So why expect miracles from a first-year pro quarterback?

There certainly are instances when a rookie quarterback doesn’t help himself. Maybe he’s not studying as much as he should. Maybe he’s repeating the same mistakes. Many times when a quarterback experiment goes south, the whispers about poor work ethic and discipline surface. But if a young quarterback isn’t carrying himself like the ultimate pro, and if he’s not exhibiting the growth, discipline and dedication necessary to hold onto a starting job, don’t give him that nod to begin with. Make him earn it.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with telling a quarterback he’s not ready. But do that from the start instead of ignoring all of the red flags and justifying a decision to start him because of the premium pick used to acquire him.

Indecisiveness and impatience does no one any favors. A team with a young quarterback has two choices:

• Commit to developing him on the fly and living with the fact that things will get ugly before they improve. Remember: The great Peyton Manning led the NFL in interceptions (28) and won only three games as a rookie. Troy Aikman went 0-11 as a rookie before going on to win three Super Bowls.

• Or, play the long game. Redshirt and develop the quarterback while fortifying the roster he will eventually inherit, and THEN start him once growth is evident.

Far too many NFL coaches struggle to embrace conservative approaches for their young quarterbacks.

It’s well documented that a young passer’s best friend is a strong rushing game and the play-action passing attack that comes as a byproduct of the run. But instead of going with a run-first mentality to both lighten the load and put a defense on its heels to buy a quarterback more time, play-callers have young, underdeveloped quarterbacks dropping back 30 and 40 times a game. That’s when the crippling mistakes come.

Passing on early downs (and the incompletions that follow) leads to third-and-long situations, which forces a quarterback to hold onto the ball longer while plays develop. That puts more pressure on an offensive line (which may or may not be very good), and makes the quarterback an easy target for sacks.

Most young quarterbacks also lack the initial understanding of defenses necessary to thrive. On many of Young’s interceptions, it’s clear he’s either not seeing defenders or doesn’t have a clue that he’s being set up by a disguised coverage. He’s throwing these interceptions with conviction — riffling the ball downfield without hesitation … only for a defensive back to swoop in and pluck it out of the air.

Eventually, young, error-prone quarterbacks get cussed out for a bad decision or get the hook. In truth, they never should have been in those situations in the first place.

Broncos coach Sean Payton has had rookie Bo Nix drop back 77 times, third most in the league. That has set Nix up to make some perplexing decisions en route to a league-high four interceptions (tied with the Colts’ Anthony Richardson) and an atrocious 51.0 passer rating. Bears 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, overwhelmed by a heavy passing load and the speed of the NFL game, has struggled to promptly get rid of the ball. Meanwhile, Titans second-year pro Will Levis has committed some fatal mistakes while looking like a quarterback who would greatly benefit from a year or two as a backup.

Why can’t coaches recognize how their ultra-aggressive tactics are handicapping their quarterbacks? We have plenty of examples of how effective a quarterback even of average skill set can be when his play-caller is committed to supporting him with a balanced game plan.

Take Sunday in Green Bay, where Matt LaFleur positioned the much-maligned Malik Willis for success just three weeks after he was traded to the Packers. LaFleur fed running back Josh Jacobs 32 times, and Jacobs finished with 151 rushing yards. The Packers executed 21 additional run plays (six for Willis) and finished with 261 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Willis was asked to throw the ball just 14 times. He completed 12 passes for 122 yards, a touchdown, no interception and a passer rating of 126.8.

Contrast that with the workload and ineffectiveness of Richardson, his game-day counterpart. The second-year pro, making only his sixth career start, dropped back 34 times and completed only 17 passes for 204 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. It wasn’t the most dazzlingly entertaining performance, but Willis helped the Packers win 16-10. Give me ultra-conservative and a victory over three confidence-bruising interceptions and a loss any day.

Maybe the NFL needs an application process where quarterback-needy teams have to lay out a clear and effective plan for developing a prized prospect to gain approval to draft him. I kid. But now more than ever — when quarterbacks spend less time in college and come into the NFL more raw than ever — NFL decision-makers need to exercise more patience when developing and managing young quarterbacks.

The impulsive and impatient approaches are killing careers and dooming franchises to continued years of floundering. When that happens, heads roll — and rightfully so.

WEEKLY QB RANKING

Jeff Howe of The Athletic updates this each week.

Two games into the 2024 NFL season, there’s been some necessary reshuffling with the QB rankings.

The initial rankings were essentially a composite look at the way key evaluators viewed the 32 starting quarterbacks. Now, there’s more to balance.

The Athletic’s Week 3 QB rankings                                                                                            

1  Patrick Mahomes

2  Josh Allen

3  C.J. Stroud

4  Lamar Jackson

5  Joe Burrow

6  Aaron Rodgers

7  Kyler Murray  (up from 17 last week)

8  Justin Herbert (9 last week)

9  Dak Prescott 

10  Baker Mayfield (17 to start season)

11  Jalen Hurts

12  Brock Purdy (down from 10)

13  Derek Carr (23 to start season)

14  Matthew Stafford (7 to start season)

15  Geno Smith

16  Jared Goff

17  Kirk Cousins

18  Trevor Lawrence (14 to start season)

19  Sam Darnold (28 to start season)

20  Caleb Williams

21  Justin Fields

22  Jayden Daniels

23  Anthony Richardson

24  Gardner Minshew (32 to start season)

25  Jacoby Brissett

26  Daniel Jones

28  Bo Nix

29  Andy Dalton

30  Will Levis

31  Malik Willis

32  Skylar Thompson

INJ.  Russell Wilson

INJ.  Jordan Love

INJ.  Tua Tagovailoa

BN.   Bryce Young

PETE PRISCO’S POWER RANKINGS

The longtime NFL writer, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com, has some huge leaps and declines in his Week 3 power rankings as he adjusts to what seems to be a new NFL World Order:

We are only two weeks into the 2024 NFL regular season, but don’t tell that to the fans of the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. They have reason to be excited and might be thinking playoffs already.

So maybe it’s a bit early for that, but you get the idea. There is reason for hope.

After two games, those five teams are a combined 10-0, all with a piece of first place in their respective divisions. Three of the four — the Saints, the Bucs and the Vikings — are coming off victories against the league’s supposed big dogs, two of them on the road.

The Saints might be the most impressive and surprising of them all. They’ve dominated two games and went to Dallas and beat up on the Cowboys on Sunday in impressive fashion in a 44-19 drubbing. Derek Carr has been outstanding so far and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has transformed the offense.

The Bucs went to Detroit and beat the Lions, 20-16, in a game where a banged-up defense was able to limit Detroit’s offense to a meager showing for them on their home field. Baker Mayfield did enough on offense with some gutsy plays and tough runs.

The Vikings beat the 49ers, who were six days removed from dominating the Jets last Monday night. Minnesota did so with big plays from Justin Jefferson and some impressive pressure on defense.

Seattle won at New England in overtime, which might not be as big a victory in terms of opponent, but it wasn’t easy. Plus, any time a team from the West Coast can go across the country and win an early game on the East Coast, that matters.

As for the Steelers, they have allowed one touchdown in two games and Justin Fields is playing well enough to keep the offense out of trouble. That’s going to be the Steelers formula going forward.

So here we are two weeks in, and all five of those teams are in the top 10 of my Power Rankings.

Who saw this coming? I certainly didn’t.

The Bucs were my pick to win the NFC South, but I didn’t think the other four would be in the playoffs. New Orleans may be the biggest surprise so far.

The other remaining 2-0 teams are the top-ranked Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills (No. 2), the Houston Texans (No. 3), and the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 9). We expected several of those clubs to be undefeated after two weeks, but the others are somewhat of a surprise.

Some words of caution, though: It’s just two weeks and we know how things can change quickly in this league. Just when you think you know, you really don’t.

1 Chiefs           

They found a way against the Bengals, but hardly looked impressive in doing so. The passing game was off. That’s not what we expect from Patrick Mahomes. —          2-0-0

2 Bills 

Winning at Miami the way they did was impressive. The defense came up big in that game, while the offense with James Cook continued to run the football.                    +1          2-0-0

3 Texans         

Even on a night when the offense wasn’t clicking, the defense came up big against the Bears. That pressure up front was the difference in the game.              +2          2-0-0

4 Buccaneers  

Winning at Detroit with a depleted roster speaks volumes about this team. The defense, despite being down a bunch of guys, did a nice job against a good Lions offense. They are for real.           + 5       2-0-0

5 Vikings         

Sam Darnold is making plays, Brian Flores is doing a great job with the defense and Justin Jefferson is a game-wrecker. Combine that with Kevin O’Connell as head coach, and that’s why they are 2-0.      +13      2-0-0

6  Saints          

The first-team offense has scored on 15 of 15 possessions this season. That’s domination. After surprising the Cowboys on the road, they face a tough one this week with the Eagles.      

+ 19      2-0-0

7  Seahawks    

New head coach Mike Macdonald is off to a 2-0 start. That wasn’t easy or pretty in beating the Pats in overtime, but that’s a good road victory.   +13      2-0-0

8  49ers           

Losing a road game after a Monday night game isn’t too hard to understand, but they had too many defensive lapses against the Vikings. Not having Christian McCaffrey for a month and Deebo Samuel missing time won’t help the offense, either.           – 6        1-1-0

9 Chargers      

At 2-0, Jim Harbaugh has this team playing a physical brand of football. They better keep it that way with a trip to face the Steelers this week.      +2       2-0-0

10 Steelers      

At 2-0, it looks like Justin Fields is in as the starter now. You couldn’t possibly sit him down for Russell Wilson. The defense has given up one touchdown in two games. Impressive. + 2  2-0-0

11 Lions          

The offense didn’t do enough against Tampa Bay, which is why they are now 1-1. Jared Goff threw for 300 yards, but never looked in sync.     – 7        1-1-0

12  Packers     

That was a big-time victory with a backup quarterback in Malik Willis playing against the Colts. The defense came up big in that one — and they needed it. The run game impressed, too.

+3        1-1-0

13 Cowboys    

That showing against the Saints was a horrible look for this group. They were dominated in all facets of the game. Now they face a tough one against a Ravens team hungry for a victory.          -7         1-1-0

14 Raiders       

Winning on the road against a good Ravens team is a big deal for this young group. Gardner Minshew owns Baltimore the past two seasons.  +16      1-1-0

15 Ravens       

Who saw them at 0-2 after two weeks? Losing to the Chiefs is one thing, but losing to the Raiders at home is another. The offensive line is an issue.           -8        0-2-0

16  Bears         

At 1-1, they still haven’t done enough on offense. Caleb Williams has just been OK. He shows flashes, but not enough consistency.      -2        1-1-0

17  Falcons     

That late-game drive by Kirk Cousins to win it against the Eagles Monday night might be what saves their season. The run game was good all night long, which will be their calling card.

+  5       1-1-0

18 Eagles        

That was a big-time choke late by the Eagles and head coach Nick Sirianni. Why did he throw it late? Then they let Kirk Cousins go the distance in just under a minute for the game-winner?         -10        1-1-0

19  Browns      

That was a big-time victory at Jacksonville. The defense came up big in that one. Deshaun Watson was also better than the week before.     +2       1-1-0

20  Jets           

They come off their two-game road trip at 1-1 after beating the Titans. The defense made some big plays, but still has flaws. The offense still isn’t clicking yet in the passing game. -7       1-1-0

21  Cardinals   

Kyler Murray is off to an impressive start. He was outstanding against the Rams. Marvin Harrison Jr. also showed off his talent. They will be a fun combination to watch.     6         1-1-0

22  Bengals     

They are 0-2 after losing a tough one at Kansas City, but they showed better than they did in Week 1. They will be fine.          -6         0-2-0

23 Dolphins    

With Tua Tagovailoa having the concussion issues, this team is in big trouble if he is out for any length of time or maybe even the season. It’s Skylar Thompson time now.            -13       1-1-0

24  Jaguars     

They have major issues heading to playing the Bills on the road. They are staring 0-3 in the face, which would put heat on this coaching staff.        -7         0-2-0

25  Rams         

At 0-2, with a ton of injuries, their season is off to a shaky start. It will be a challenge for Sean McVay to get this thing turned around.    -6         0-2-0

26  Patriots      

They are 1-1 with an overtime loss to the Seahawks this past week. They are far ahead of what many expected of them this season, which is a good look for Jerod Mayo.    +2    1-1-0

27  Colts          

Anthony Richardson has to be better than what he showed against the Packers. The run defense has been a major issue in two games as they open 0-2.   -4        0-2-0

28  Titans        

Will Levis has to quit making stupid decisions at key moments. It’s OK to take a sack. He’s cost them the chance to win two games.        – 2        0-2-0

29  Commanders         

It wasn’t pretty against the Giants, but they found a way to get their first victory. Jayden Daniels is going to be a star.         +1       1-1-0

30  Broncos     

They aren’t scoring enough with Bo Nix, but patience is going to be needed. The end-zone pick against the Steelers was terrible.            -1        0-2-0

31  Giants        

Seeing their kicker injured and out cost them a chance to beat the Commanders. They were better. At least they have a star in waiting in Malik Nabers.           —          0-2-0

32  Panthers    

They hope benching Bryce Young for Andy Dalton can liven up things. It won’t be any worse. But what does that mean for Young?