Jan. 4, 2023 – You spend countless hours together in the locker room and on the field, bickering and arguing – only to make up the way siblings do. You give back to the community and give everything to a game you all love deeply. Losing your teammate or player to a potentially career-ending – or fatal – injury can weigh heavy.
Some athletes liken the feeling to losing a battle mate. Or an extended family member.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition after Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin tackled a Bengals receiver, stood up, and fell backward to the ground right away due to sudden cardiac arrest.
Many say they thin Hamlin had commotio cordis, where a blow to the chest causes your heart to stop beating.
Players from both sides of the stadium stared in disbelief, buried their hands in their faces, and fell to the ground as medical staff rushed to the field and tried to revive Hamlin’s heartbeat. He received breathing assistance via CPR and an AED machine – or a defibrillator – for around 10 minutes before being taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He is still sedated.
Empathy – toward both your teammate and their family – is perhaps one of the strongest emotions an event like this can evoke in an injured player’s fellow teammates, especially especially since they understand exactly what it takes to get to compete at such a high level. National Hockey League hall of famer and two-time Olympic gold medalist Chris Pronger knows this all too well.
In a 1998 playoff game in Detroit, Pronger, a former captain for the St. Louis Blues, was struck in the heart with a hockey puck and had cardiac arrest due to commotio cordis. The puck hit him in between heartbeats, so his heart registered that it “skipped a beat,” he says.
“It’s crazy to think that that’s how much oxygen is pushed throughout your body in one heartbeat,” Pronger recalls in an exclusive interview with WebMD. “The lack of oxygen caused me to pass out.”
Luckily, Pronger didn’t require CPR and had the chance to continue playing after having tests to ensure that his heart was strong enough to get bank in the rink. But he still vividly remembers how much his injury affected those around him.
“You can kind of see [in the video clip of the accident] I’m a little out of it and kind of stumble a bit and then fall to the ground. The next thing I know, I woke up and I’m staring up, looking at the rafters, looking at the retired players’ jersey numbers and the banners. I glance over, and I can see there’s players crying on the bench.”
Such instances can be very hard for teammates to process, and many don’t know how to react, which is why it was a good idea for the NFL to postpone the game after Hamlin’s first-quarter hit, Pronger says.
“Some people don’t really know how to comprehend what they just saw and what just transpired right in front of them to their eyes,” he says. “You know, you see players break an arm or a leg, or you might see a guy get concussed and knocked out, but there’s never a doubt that they’re going to live.”
Questions about the best way to move forward from an injury like this can be a tricky, especially since commotio cordis is so rare, Pronger says.
“I think that there’ll be a lot of scars all the way across – the people in the game, coaching staff, medical staff, and the fans, especially not knowing how he’s doing and how this is going to play out,” he says.
In hopes that Hamlin recovers successfully, Pronger offers some words to the Bills safety.
“Quality of life is first and foremost,” he says. “Playing your sport and being an active participant is secondary.”
The emotional toll on Hamlin’s teammates and coaches are a cause of concern right now, says Laxmi Mehta, MD, director of preventive cardiology and women’s cardiovascular health at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.
“We want to make sure that the players that were on the field at that time get the right mental health support, as well as any of the other players in the NFL might certainly seek counseling – this is their profession,” she says.
People can respond to such life-altering events differently – so while one person may need to seek professional help, others might simply need a listening ear or a shoulder to lean on. It’s also critical for the NFL medical staff to seek emotional assistance if needed, given that this type of injury is rare in this sport, she says.
“They’re going to struggle with it too, right? We [doctors] are all trained in a hospital to take care of patients, and when something happens, you know that they were already sick. But this was a guy who was just playing football – and healthy, right? It’s very different for the medical staff that were on the field,” Mehta says.
The NFL pushed ahead Tuesday with a difficult balancing act, navigating players’ emotions after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin’s shocking cardiac arrest with a tight playoff schedule and emphasizing Hamlin’s health was its main focus.
The league informed the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals that their game, suspended Monday night, would not be resumed this week while the Week 18 schedule remained unchanged, for now.
No decision regarding the possible resumption of the pivotal Bills-Bengals game has been made. The game was suspended in the first quarter when Hamlin suffered the cardiac arrest after making a tackle.
The 24-year-old Hamlin remained in critical condition a day after the Bills said his heart stopped following the seemingly routine play. Hamlin tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who led with his shoulder, then briefly got up before collapsing.
Medical staff restored his heartbeat during frantic moments on the field before he was loaded into an ambulance. Players from both teams were crying and praying during an emotional scene in front of a national television audience.
“Damar experienced cardiac arrest and was promptly resuscitated by on-site club physicians and independent medical personnel, all of whom are highly trained in implementing the plans for medical emergencies,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a letter sent to all teams, and obtained by The Associated Press. “Damar was stabilized and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a Level One trauma center, where he remains in the ICU.”
Goodell informed the clubs that Dr. Nyaka NiiLampti had sent each team’s clinician and head of player engagement information about mental health and support resources available to players and staff.
“Additional resources including on-site services can be available for any club that wishes this assistance,” Goodell said.
Goodell told teams they would be promptly advised of any changes to this weekend’s schedule.
Several teams canceled media availability, including the New England Patriots. They are scheduled to face the Bills on Sunday.
The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars practiced ahead of their game to determine the AFC South champion on Saturday night.
“Oh, I don’t have no hesitation,” Titans two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said about playing. “But me personally, it’s one of them things when you get shook up.”
Simmons said his 15-year-old cousin, Jason “JJ” Hatcher, died Dec. 18 from a heart issue during a practice. The teen, who was a sophomore at Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas, is the son of former 10-year NFL veteran defensive end Jason Hatcher, who spent the last eight seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Simmons received a call informing him of his cousin’s death before the Titans played a late afternoon game in Los Angeles, a 17-14 loss to the Chargers.
“We just can’t take this game for granted because you never know,” Simmons said. “Sometimes we just get sidetracked. … But the real reason why we play this game and sometimes we forget that, … we’re playing for each other. We’re playing for our family. And most of all, just playing for ourselves because it’s all we’ve been knowing all our whole life.”
“And I’m sure that young man, it’s all he knew his whole life,” Simmons said of Hamlin. “You just never know when your last night may be. So there’s just one thing you just can’t take for granted. And I’m praying for him and his family.”
Titans coach Mike Vrabel and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said they hadn’t had any discussions with the league about postponing this week’s games.
Aaron Rodgers, the reigning two-time NFL MVP, said he was “shook up.”
“Your mortality just comes right face to face. One of your brothers in the fraternity of the NFL is fighting for his life right now,” the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback said on his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and SiriusXM.
“I’ve been part of a few games where they’ve carted guys off and we’ve had players with neck injuries. It shakes you to the core. That’s injuries where they’re awake and alert, and many of them give thumbs up or what not, and it still shakes you. It’s like 10-, sometimes 15-minute delays on the field and, ‘All right, go back out and play,’ even though your buddy might not ever play again and we’re hoping he can walk. It’s a weird feeling.”
“In this situation, this is unprecedented, definitely in my time. … I’ve never seen something where a player had to be given CPR on the field and supposedly didn’t have a pulse.” Rodgers said. “I thought, ‘There’s no way. They’re going to go back in the locker room and then come out and play. What? That can’t happen.’”
The NFL disputed a television report that both teams were told to resume play after a five-minute warmup. “It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play,” league executive Troy Vincent said.
The Kansas City Chiefs practiced Tuesday for their Saturday afternoon game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs (13-3) are battling with the Bills (12-3) and Bengals (11-4) for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Thus, the outcome of the Bills-Bengals game has major playoff implications. The Bills entered the game in the top spot while the Bengals had a chance to clinch the AFC North with a victory and also were in the mix for the No. 1 seed along with Kansas City.
The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter when the game was stopped. The NFL is scheduled to begin playoffs on Jan. 14. The No. 1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
It’s uncertain how the league will handle seedings if the Bills-Bengals game isn’t concluded. The NFL could push the start of the playoffs back one week and eliminate the extra week in between the conference championship games and Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl Games are scheduled for Feb. 5.
NFL teams changed their avatars on Twitter to a blue Bills background with Hamlin’s No. 3 and the words: “Pray for Damar.”
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AP Pro Football Writers Teresa Walker and Mark Long and AP Sports Writers John Wawrow and Steve Megargee contributed to this report.
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CINCINNATI — Bills safety Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field after a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said in a statement. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear unusually violent.
The NFL announced Hamlin’s condition shortly after he was taken to a hospital, but neither the league nor the hospital released any other details about the 24-year-old’s medical condition. The team’s statement was released before its flight arrived back in Buffalo early Tuesday. There was also no immediate update about the future status of the game.
On the play Hamlin was injured, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit the defensive back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.
Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, and he was taken by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Teammate Stefon Diggs later joined Hamlin at the hospital.
About 100 Bills fans and a few Bengals fans gathered on a corner one block from the emergency room entrance, some of them holding candles.
Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin’s health was the main focus.
An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed while many players embraced, including quarterbacks Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.
“Please pray for our brother,” Allen tweeted.
Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field about 19 minutes later in what seemed like an eternity, the Bills gathered in prayer. A few minutes after the ambulance left the field, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms where they awaited word on Hamlin and the game.
“I’ve never seen anything like it since I was playing,” NFL executive Troy Vincent, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his career, said in the conference call early Tuesday morning. “Immediately, my player hat went on, like, how do you resume playing after seeing a traumatic event in front of you?”
Hamlin’s uniform was cut off as he was attended to by medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.
Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN’s broadcasters had announced.
“It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play,” Vincent said. “That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”
Vincent said the Bills were returning early Tuesday morning to the team facility in Orchard Park, New York, with the exception of a few players who stayed behind with Hamlin.
There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport ahead of the team’s arrival. Police tape enclosed the entire parking lot area, cutting off access to where the players park.
The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.
“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin,” the players’ union said in a statement. “We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”
The unfinished game has major playoff implications as the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, with the wild-card playoff round scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.
The aftermath of the injury was reminiscent of when Bills tight end Kevin Everett lay motionless on the field after making a tackle on the second-half opening kickoff in Buffalo’s 2007 season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.
Everett sustained a spinal cord injury that initially left him partially paralyzed.
Hamlin spent five years of college at Pittsburgh — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.
He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.
By late Monday night, a community toy drive organized by Hamlin had surged to more than $1.2 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.
Kathryn Bersani and her mother, Gayle, were among the Bills fans who traveled from Buffalo for the game and went to the hospital from the stadium.
“This is our family Christmas,” Kathryn Bersani said. “We thought it would be a great game. Joe (Burrow) and Josh (Allen) are such great men. Sad, sad time. Such a shock. I just hope he can live a normal life. It stunned us.”
Chuck and Janet Kohl went to the hospital after watching the game at home.
“This is much more important than football,” Chuck Kohl said. “Had to come and pray for Mr. Hamlin.”
Entering the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.
A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”
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AP freelancer Jeff Wallner, AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi, AP Sports Writer John Wawrow and AP Sports Writer Ben Nuckols contributed to this report.
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Had he not been traded to Buffalo two months ago, Bills running back Nyheim Hines knows exactly where he would have been on Monday night.
Hynes would be glued to his TV watching the first of what could be many-more-to-come duels between two of the NFL’s rising star quarterbacks in Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.
“Absolutely,” Hines said. “Allen versus Burrow, two great quarterbacks, top five in my league and I could even say higher for either guy, it’s definitely something the world is watching and something that as a fan like myself is excited to see.”
Hynes will not only enjoy a ringside seat for a late-season showdown that will go far in determining who finishes first in the AFC, he also has some inside perspective on both quarterbacks.
“Probably how he was in high school is probably how he is now, very calm,” Hines said of Burrow, whom he played with in the All-American high school game in California in January 2015.
“He was kind of like my head coach, Frank Reich,” he added , referring to his former coach in Indianapolis, who was fired after Hines was dealt to Buffalo. “Very stoic. Cold-blooded. Never panics. I see Joe the same way.”
Hines’ respect for Allen has grown tremendously since joining the Bills.
“By any means necessary. If it’s third-and-10, he’s gonna jump in the air, put his body on the line to get that first down,” he said. “And then one thing that people don’t realize about him is how smart he is. … I knew of his playmaking ability, but his playmaking ability overshadows his brain.”
Allen has the Bills (12-3) holding the inside track to finishing first in the conference, and having already clinched their third straight AFC East title — their best run since a four-year stretch spanning 1988-91. The fifth-year player ranks fourth in the league with 4,029 yards passing and third with 32 TDs passing entering Week 17.
Burrow has the Bengals (11-4) a win or tie away from clinching their second consecutive AFC North title — something they’ve not done since winning consecutive AFC Central titles in 1981 and ’82. And the third-year player ranks second in the NFL in both yards passing (4,260) and TDs passing (34) entering Week 17.
Together, since the start of the 2021 season, they’re tied for second with 68 touchdown passes, trailing only Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (’74) entering Week 17.
“I can’t wait to watch,” said Ryan Fitzpatrick, the ex-journeyman quarterback who played for both Buffalo and Cincinnati and now works as an analyst for Amazon Prime on “Thursday Night Football.”
“What gets me excited about the Bills is they have found ways to win without solely relying on Josh,” Fitzpatrick said. “But Josh has proven time and again he has broad enough shoulders to carry this team on his back.”
As for Burrow, Fitzpatrick believes the Bengals quarterback could work his way into the NFL MVP conversation should Cincinnati vault both Buffalo and Kansas City (12-3) to win the AFC’s top seed.
No matter the outcome, Fitzpatrick said he foresees “matchups between Burrow, Allen and Mahomes will be deciding the top seed in the AFC for many years to come.”
What’s captivating about Monday night’s game is it being the first between Burrow and Allen. The teams haven’t met since 2019, a year before the Bengals selected Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Burrow, meantime, is 3-0 against Mahomes, including a win in the AFC championship game last season. Allen is 2-3 in meetings against Mahomes, including playoff losses in each of the past two years.
Both quarterbacks played down the hype focused on their individual matchup, while acknowledging they’re friends and have a healthy respect for one another.
“Everybody watches Josh. There’s no secrets about why he’s so good,” Burrow said. “He makes throws nobody else can make.”
Allen returned the compliment.
“The dude’s all ball. He loves . Honestly, he’s a heckuva talent, a heckuva player,” Allen said. “It’s been super impressive to watch and see his whole story, too. Going to Ohio State, transferring out, spending two years at LSU and arguably having one of the greatest seasons in college history.”
Both hail from small towns, Burrow is from The Plains, Ohio, and Allen from Firebaugh, California. And their college trajectory is similar in the challenges they’ve had to overcome.
While Burrow was overlooked at Ohio State, leading to his move to LSU, Allen was ignored by most every Division I school before landing a scholarship at Wyoming.
“I think adversity hit them both,” said ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. “There’s humility there with both of these guys. And at the same time, there’s this uber confidence that is so infectious and contagious that your teammates are like, ‘Let me just be around you.’”
To Hasselbeck, it’s similar to what he saw during his years backing up Brett Favre. Not only did Favre’s competitiveness provide the Packers confidence, his mere presence influenced opposing teams especially in how they approached the final minutes of a close game.
“There’s something about that style of competitiveness that opposing defenses and opposing coaches say, ‘Ah, shoot, we left too much time on the clock,’” Hasselbeck said. “Both these guys have captured that, which is pretty special.”
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LOS ANGELES — Broadcast crews sometimes face the same challenges as the NFL teams they cover. Both adjust to personnel changes, schedule adjustments and study game tapes.
Although NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” featured new faces in the booth and production truck before the season started, the broadcasts continue to deliver at a high level.
“Sunday Night Football” is on pace to be prime time’s top show for the 12th consecutive year. Through last Sunday’s overtime game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals, it is averaging 19.8 million viewers, a 2% increase over last season.
“Everybody made a big deal out of all the changes, but I’ve known these guys forever. I’ve worked with them 1,000 different ways,” analyst Cris Collinsworth said. “We all have ideas, but it has been very collaborative from the beginning.”
Collinsworth, NBC’s top analyst since 2009, remained in his role while everything else shuffled around. Mike Tirico took over play-by-play after Al Michaels went to Amazon’s Prime Video. Melissa Stark became sideline reporter after Michele Tafoya moved on and Rob Hyland took over as coordinating producer. Fred Gaudelli remained with NBC and is executive producer for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football.”
Collinsworth doesn’t do his slide into the frame during the opening segment anymore. That seems to have resonated the most with fans.
“I’ll never get away from that, so I gotta come up with a new gimmick,” Collinsworth said. “I get people that will slide from behind the corner of buildings. It’s just fun.”
Tirico and Collinsworth called 21 games — mostly Thursday nights in 2016 and ’17 — before this season. Tirico and Hyland worked together on Notre Dame , Triple Crown horse racing and Olympics prime-time shows.
“I’ve worked with Rob on probably 75% of the NBC events I have done, and I got to work with (director) Drew (Esocoff) the past couple of years on games. So there were so many answers to any of those questions you would normally have coming into a new situation,” Tirico said. “The familiarity allowed all of us just to start from a far more advanced place than if we would have come in not knowing each other.”
Stark, who returned to the sidelines after a 20-year hiatus, had worked with Esocoff on ABC’s “Monday Night Football” and knew Tirico and Collinsworth.
“It’s been awesome. To join such a talented and well-run group, all I had to do is concentrate on my job because everybody else is doing their jobs at such a high level,” she said.
Esocoff kept intact most of his camera crew and technicians.
WEEKLY PREPARATIONS
With Collinsworth owning Pro Football Focus, the announce and production teams get a PFF scouting report on the upcoming matchup on Monday. Collinsworth then sends a series of four videos, each averaging 30 minutes, on Wednesday and Thursday, looking at each team’s offenses and defenses with keys and tendencies.
After meetings and phone calls with teams, there’s a production meeting on Saturday morning at the hotel where most of the production team meets with Tirico, Collinsworth and Stark to trade final ideas or hone things they might use during the broadcast.
The crew spent part of a production meeting before the Chiefs-Chargers game looking at off-balance throws from former All-Star shortstop Alex Rodriguez because some of Patrick Mahomes’ delivery is similar. During meetings with Mahomes, he mentioned Rodriguez was his favorite baseball player growing up.
The production meeting looked at 10 throws from Rodriguez, with one showing similarities in deliveries even though they are from different sports.
“It’s a broadcast, not a narrowcast. If we can’t make it relatable to fans of other sports or casual fans, we’re not doing our job,” Hyland said.
ROLLING WITH CHANGES
The schedule is the biggest challenge for “Sunday Night Football,” with this season being no exception. Because originally scheduled second-half matchups sometimes fall flat, there have been four times when a game was flexed. Sunday night’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers replaces the Los Angeles Rams against the Chargers.
The four flexes before the regular season’s final week are tied with 2018 for the most in a year.
“It gets to be expected late in the year. We have a group of 200 that is used to it,” Esocoff said of the schedule changes. “It’s a grind sometimes getting mobile units from one place to another, but it usually comes off like expected.”
Flexes can have some benefits. When the game on Nov. 20 between the Kansas City Chiefs and Chargers replaced the Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, it marked a rare time where “Sunday Night Football” had a team for two straight weeks. The Chargers were at the San Francisco 49ers a week earlier. Meanwhile, the Chiefs were making their second SNF appearance in three weeks.
That meant production crews didn’t have to shoot updated introductions for new players or edit graphics of acquisitions in new uniforms.
When the Miami game against the Chargers was flexed to prime time on Dec. 11, the team had to shoot and tape linebacker Bradley Chubb and running back Jeff Wilson in their Dolphins uniforms after they were involved in midseason trades.
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Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos.
It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning Sunday.
Instead, the Rams (5-10) are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers (7-8) need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers (7-8) lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown coming up against Carolina.
While the NFC is upside down, the AFC has lived up to expectations. The Buffalo Bills (12-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (12-3) entered the season as the top two Super Bowl favorites and they are 1-2 in the race for the No. 1 seed. The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) are third with a chance to move up when they host the Bills next Monday night.
Brady rallied Tampa Bay from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to a 19-16 overtime victory at Arizona following another poor offensive performance. The 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl champion threw two picks for the third straight game, the offense had no rhythm until it went into hurry-up mode late and the depleted offensive line lost another key player.
The Buccaneers would clinch the division title with a win over the Panthers (6-9) on New Year’s Day. They’d earn the No. 4 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in a wild-card game with the most likely opponent being the Dallas Cowboys (11-4).
The Bucs opened the season with a 19-3 win in Dallas. These are two different teams now. If Brady and the Bucs play the way they have for most of the season, the Cowboys will beat them by double digits.
Brady doesn’t seem to trust his offensive line, so he’s getting rid of the ball at a faster pace than he ever has, and he appears to lack confidence in his receivers at times.
The offense has been out of sync all season and is averaging fewer than 18 points. But the defense has stepped up and Brady has engineered three comeback wins in the last seven games.
The Buccaneers had a lower seed in 2020 and had to win three road games in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl title in Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay. That offense was dynamic, averaging more than 30 points per game.
They’ll need to play far better than they’ve shown to have a shot at winning a playoff game.
Rodgers and the Packers were headed toward elimination a few weeks ago after a 4-8 start. But they’ve won three straight games and now can make the playoffs with two more wins plus a loss by Washington (7-7-1) or two losses by the Giants (8-6-1).
Green Bay trailed Miami 20-10 in the second quarter on Sunday before outscoring the Dolphins 16-0 the rest of the way. The defense picked Tua Tagovailoa three times in the fourth quarter to help secure the 26-20 upset on the road.
The Packers haven’t resembled the team that won 13 games in each of the three previous seasons. But they’re starting to come together down the stretch.
In 2010 when Rodgers won his only Super Bowl, the Packers made the playoffs as the sixth and final seed in the NFC. They host the Vikings (12-3) and Lions (7-8) in the final two games with a chance to sneak in.
The Rams already have been knocked out of the playoff race, but Baker Mayfield has made them interesting. He was excellent in a 51-14 win against Denver, completing 24 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield has led Los Angeles to two victories in three games since he joined the team two days before leading a comeback win over Las Vegas on Dec. 8.
The Rams, Buccaneers and Packers each won in the same week for only the second time this season and the first since Week 2.
Despite their struggles, Brady and Rodgers still have a shot. Don’t count them out until they’re eliminated.
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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos.
It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning Sunday.
Instead, the Rams (5-10) are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers (7-8) need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers (7-8) lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown coming up against Carolina.
While the NFC is upside down, the AFC has lived up to expectations. The Buffalo Bills (12-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (12-3) entered the season as the top two Super Bowl favorites and they are 1-2 in the race for the No. 1 seed. The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) are third with a chance to move up when they host the Bills next Monday night.
Brady rallied Tampa Bay from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to a 19-16 overtime victory at Arizona following another poor offensive performance. The 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl champion threw two picks for the third straight game, the offense had no rhythm until it went into hurry-up mode late and the depleted offensive line lost another key player.
The Buccaneers would clinch the division title with a win over the Panthers (6-9) on New Year’s Day. They’d earn the No. 4 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in a wild-card game with the most likely opponent being the Dallas Cowboys (11-4).
The Bucs opened the season with a 19-3 win in Dallas. These are two different teams now. If Brady and the Bucs play the way they have for most of the season, the Cowboys will beat them by double digits.
Brady doesn’t seem to trust his offensive line, so he’s getting rid of the ball at a faster pace than he ever has, and he appears to lack confidence in his receivers at times.
The offense has been out of sync all season and is averaging fewer than 18 points. But the defense has stepped up and Brady has engineered three comeback wins in the last seven games.
The Buccaneers had a lower seed in 2020 and had to win three road games in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl title in Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay. That offense was dynamic, averaging more than 30 points per game.
They’ll need to play far better than they’ve shown to have a shot at winning a playoff game.
Rodgers and the Packers were headed toward elimination a few weeks ago after a 4-8 start. But they’ve won three straight games and now can make the playoffs with two more wins plus a loss by Washington (7-7-1) or two losses by the Giants (8-6-1).
Green Bay trailed Miami 20-10 in the second quarter on Sunday before outscoring the Dolphins 16-0 the rest of the way. The defense picked Tua Tagovailoa three times in the fourth quarter to help secure the 26-20 upset on the road.
The Packers haven’t resembled the team that won 13 games in each of the three previous seasons. But they’re starting to come together down the stretch.
In 2010 when Rodgers won his only Super Bowl, the Packers made the playoffs as the sixth and final seed in the NFC. They host the Vikings (12-3) and Lions (7-8) in the final two games with a chance to sneak in.
The Rams already have been knocked out of the playoff race, but Baker Mayfield has made them interesting. He was excellent in a 51-14 win against Denver, completing 24 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield has led Los Angeles to two victories in three games since he joined the team two days before leading a comeback win over Las Vegas on Dec. 8.
The Rams, Buccaneers and Packers each won in the same week for only the second time this season and the first since Week 2.
Despite their struggles, Brady and Rodgers still have a shot. Don’t count them out until they’re eliminated.
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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL
INDIANAPOLIS, November 22, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– An act of friendship toward new teammates has turned into a full-fledged philanthropic endeavor for Cincinnati Bengals player Ted Karras. Fans and local media have quickly taken notice of Karras and other players wearing new “Cincy” hats in the locker room. Starting tonight at 7 p.m. EST, the hats are being made available to the public for the first time.
“The Cincy Hat” will be sold online, with the proceeds going to the Village of Merici in Indianapolis. The organization provides direct support services, learning opportunities, and independent living through partnerships with various developers. The Village of Merici currently supports more than 75 people throughout Indianapolis with a goal of self-reliance.
“The hats were originally a fun gift for my new teammates through a family friend’s golf supply business,” Karras says. “I figured everyone loves to get a piece of gear, and the response from my teammates, Bengal fans, and media members was extraordinary. The demand for the hats grew rapidly thanks to my teammates wearing them in interviews, and we decided to sell them, but it had to benefit Village of Merici.”
Karras’ involvement with Village of Merici is thanks to childhood friend Matt Renie. Karras and Renie were high school classmates at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.
“Ted grew up as a family friend observing his friend’s brother who has intellectual and developmental disabilities,” says Colleen Renie, Executive Director of Village of Merici. “Ted also has a family member with autism. He saw the potential in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their desire to live independently as they grew up.”
There are currently three hats available, with a fourth in the works. The hats retail for $35 each, and customers can choose from black, orange or white. The fourth hat will be white with a black logo.
The funds will go to supporting the Village of Merici programs that teach and support individuals in independent living skills to enable them to be successful.
“I am so grateful that a fun gift and project has found a special purpose,” Karras says. “It’s a great hat with an awesome design that I hope can become the unofficial hat of the Bengals. The Village of Merici is a very special place that does so much good. Any way I can ever help their cause is a special opportunity for me.”
To purchase a hat, visit thecincyhat.com. The website also offers a link for donations for Village of Merici. For more information regarding Village of Merici, visit villageofmerici.org or call Karyl Davis, Director of Development, at 317-601-0513.
Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase could miss several games with a hip injury, a person familiar with his condition told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Chase has been bothered by the hip for several weeks. It’s possible he could wind up on injured reserve, but that hasn’t been decided, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Bengals are not commenting on Chase’s condition.
ESPN reported Chase will miss four to six weeks.
Chase was held out of practice Thursday as the Bengals (4-3) continued preparing for Monday night’s game at Cleveland.
Chase was initially bothered by the hip in Cincinnati’s Oct. 16 game at New Orleans. He played in last week’s win against Atlanta, finishing with eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
On Thursday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said only that Chase was dealing with a hip issue and his status was day to day.
The loss of Chase for any period would be a blow for the defending AFC champions, who have won four of five following an 0-2 start. If Chase has to go on IR, he would be out a minimum of four weeks.
In his second season, the 22-year-old Chase has 47 receptions for 605 yards and six TDs. As a rookie, Chase, who played with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow at LSU, had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 19 scores.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know:Tua Tagovailoa is back, but he has some rust to knock off before this offense can truly say the same. The Dolphins led the NFL in points per drive through three weeks to start the season, and displayed that same efficiency with a touchdown and two field goals in their first three drives Sunday night. Their offense sputtered from there, and Tagovailoa played like someone who hasn’t played in 24 days. At least four of his passes were dropped by Steelers defenders, and his timing with his receivers was hit or miss throughout the final three quarters. It’s nothing to be overly concerned about — although you have to wonder whether Mike McDaniel will remind him to slide after he finished a couple of runs by lowering his shoulder into a defender. The Lions’ NFL-worst defense seems like an opportune opponent in Week 8.
Will the Dolphins’ pass rush please stand up? The Dolphins have generated the fourth-fewest quarterback pressures in the NFL through 7 weeks — despite owning the NFL’s fifth-best pass rush win rate. Even more concerning is the fact that Miami blitzes at the 10th-highest rate in the league yet ranks 24th in sack rate. Defense is complementary, meaning coverage and rush help one another. But with the injuries the Dolphins’ secondary is facing, their pass rush will have to carry more of the load until their counterparts get healthy. Their nine blitzes Sunday night generated just one pressure — that simply won’t cut it moving forward. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Steelers
What to know: After surrendering a big first quarter, the Steelers’ defense dampened Tua Tagovailoa‘s return on Sunday night. The defensive backs just barely missed four would-be picks, and after giving up 13 points in the first quarter, the Steelers held the Dolphins to just three points over the final three — including a shutout in the second half. The defense gave up big plays in spots to Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, but in the second half, the Steelers held the Dolphins on fourth-and-3 and forced four consecutive punts — including two three-and-outs. While the offense struggled, the defense played soundly in the second half, giving up only 127 yards after surrendering 246 in the first half. It’s the second strong performance — including crucial halftime adjustments — by the defense after beating Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a week earlier. With T.J. Watt nearing his return from a Week 1 pectoral tear, the Steelers’ defense is shaping up to be a much stronger unit than it looked in the first month of the season.
Can the Steelers’ offense find consistency? Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett was inserted at halftime of the Jets game to give the Steelers’ offense a spark. In two starts since, the offense flickers like the flame of a lighter running out of butane. Occasionally, everything clicks — like the second-quarter drive in which George Pickens hauled in four targets and scored his first NFL touchdown. But other times, it quickly fizzles out, like the two would-be game-winning fourth-quarter drives that ended instead with red zone picks. Pickett’s offense is undeniably a work-in-progress, but the Steelers have struggled to sustain drives more often than not with conservative playcalls and costly, untimely mistakes, and playmakers like Pickens disappear for long stretches. The pieces are there, but the Steelers haven’t been able to consistently put them together. More time together could help the offensive cohesion, but partly because of the midseason quarterback swap, it has been a slow-developing process. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know: With an offense that’s still rolling and a defense that has finally caught up, the Seahawks look like legitimate contenders, but DK Metcalf‘s knee injury is a cause for concern. The Seahawks are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC West at 4-3 after a complete performance in their win over the Chargers. Their offense got another efficient outing from quarterback Geno Smith and a pair of rushing touchdowns from rookie running back Kenneth Walker III, including a 74-yarder. With three sacks and two takeaways, their defense looks like it has turned itself around after another miserable start.
Can the offense keep this up if Metcalf misses time? Metcalf was carted off the field in the first half and quickly ruled out. The Seahawks have the luxury of essentially having two No. 1 receivers in Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but Metcalf makes so many things happen with his ability to make contested catches, stretch defenses and free up teammates by taking up double-teams. Marquise Goodwin stepped up in this game with a pair of touchdown catches. Seattle will need Dee Eskridge to do the same if Metcalf’s injury is serious. — Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Chargers
What to know: The Chargers managed a couple of ugly wins in a three-game win streak but failed to show up Sunday and suffered one very ugly loss to the Seahawks. Squandering an opportunity to improve to 5-2 and earn their first four-game win streak since 2018, they instead drop to 4-3 and go into a bye week with an urgent need to do some soul searching in regard to who they are and where they want to go.
How do the Chargers manage their injuries? It has been a season marked by injuries, and now they can add two more significant questions after cornerback J.C. Jackson left the field on a cart because of a right knee injury and wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a right ankle injury. — Lindsey Thiry
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m. ET)
Jets
What to know: The Jets are 5-2 for the first time since 2010, their last playoff season, and have adopted the same style of play: fantastic defense, low-mistake offense. It’s not pretty, but it’s working for the Jets. They had no turnovers for the third straight game — they hadn’t done that since 2010 — letting their defense win the field-position game. They frustrated Denver backup QB Brett Rypien with excellent pass coverage, highlighted by a Lamarcus Joyner interception and three pass breakups by Sauce Gardner. Say this for the Jets: They now boast a 4-0 road record. They haven’t done that since … you guessed it, 2010.
Can the Jets’ offense manage without Breece Hall? This was a costly game for the Jets, as they lost rookie standout running back Hall to a knee injury in the second quarter. It would be devastating if it’s a long-term injury. Hall, who scored on a 62-yard touchdown run, is the face of the offense. He helps take the pressure off quarterback Zach Wilson, who struggled for the second week in a row. Michael Carter is a solid RB2, but he doesn’t have Hall’s home run speed. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Broncos
What to know: There was optimism in recent days the Broncos could find their rhythm on offense with backup quarterback Brett Rypien in the lineup. File that away because the Broncos had their sixth game of the season with 16 or fewer points and their third with 11 or fewer. Despite Denver’s defense keeping the Jets to under 300 yards, it didn’t matter.
What can the Broncos’ offense do to find some points? The Broncos were better Sunday when they bulked up on offense — formations with two or three tight ends and two backs. They moved the ball better Sunday when they were in those groupings and lost their way, again, when they got in catch-up mode and leaned on their three-wide receiver sets. They simply have to accept that they can’t play how they want to right now and have to play the way they need to. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Chiefs
What to know: There is life in the Chiefs’ pass rush beyond defensive tackle Chris Jones, after all. The Chiefs started slowly with their pressure against 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo but got their rush going, and it was productive — particularly in key moments of the game. Their defense will be difficult to deal with if they can continue this kind of pressure.
Can the Chiefs afford to continue using rookie Skyy Moore to return punts? No Super Bowl contender could afford to do that. Moore is learning on the job. He didn’t return punts in college and had his second fumbled return of the season against the 49ers. The first one helped the Chiefs lose a game against the Colts in Week 3. This one didn’t, but the Chiefs need to give him some time to learn his new craft on the practice field instead of in game action. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, Nov. 6, 8:20 p.m. ET)
49ers
What to know: Much was made of the 49ers’ addition of running back Christian McCaffrey, but general manager John Lynch warned last week that McCaffrey isn’t a magic cure for what ails the Niners. That was readily apparent Sunday, as the defense got torched by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the offense failed to keep up, settling for field goals when touchdowns were needed. McCaffrey can and will help, but at 3-4, the Niners are going to need plenty of improvement elsewhere.
What’s wrong with the 49ers’ defense? The Niners’ defense has come crashing back to Earth. That was to be expected as the opponents got better and injuries piled up, but Sunday was a rude awakening. The Niners had Kansas City in third-and-20 and third-and-12 in the second half with a chance to get off the field. They gave up a combined 91 yards on those two plays. Injuries aside, there’s enough talent here to prevent those types of things from happening. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Raiders
What to know: The Raiders are ready to go on a post-bye run. While they were 1-4 coming into Sunday, just 3-16 after the bye since 2003 and had lost their past five such games by an average of 17.8 points, their talent suggested they were better. Much better. And after beating Houston, the schedule lightens up considerably, with none of their next five opponents boasting a winning record entering this weekend. In fact, ESPN’s Football Power Index favors Las Vegas to win nine of its last 11 games.
Is Josh Jacobs the Raiders’ MVP? Yes. Jacobs, who had his fifth-year option declined by the new regime, is playing for a contract. Davante Adams might be more explosive, and Derek Carr is at the controls. But Jacobs — who became the first player in franchise history with three straight games of 100 rushing yards and a rushing TD and joined Marcus Allen with his fifth career game gaining 100 rushing yards and scoring multiple TDs — kept the offense afloat again. He finished with 143 yards and three TDs on 20 carries, becoming just the third back in franchise history with multiple games with three rushing touchdowns, along with Allen and Pete Banaszak. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Texans
What to know: Quarterback Davis Mills played his best game of the season. Prior to the bye, Mills looked shaky, completing 62.7% of his passes for five touchdown passes with four interceptions. But against the Raiders, he was much better. He completed 68% of his passes, threw two touchdown passes and logged a season-high 302 yards. Mills was also money on third downs, throwing both of his TD passes on that down. However, he did throw a pick-six late in the fourth quarter, which blew the game open.
What’s going on with the Texans’ run defense? The Texans have allowed the third-most rushing yards in the NFL (989), and their issues stopping the run cost them a potential win in a game they led 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. Jacobs rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns, two coming in the fourth quarter, against the Texans as Houston’s run woes looked eerily similar to the Week 3 loss to the Bears, when it allowed 281 rushing yards. The Texans have to figure things out — fast. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: The rest of the NFL might have declared the Panthers (2-5) in tank mode after they traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, but interim coach Steve Wilks and his players aren’t going there, as they promised all week. They put together their most complete game of the season, finally getting enough offense to back yet another solid defensive performance. They showed they still have the fight to remain in the race for the NFC South, moving within a game of Tampa Bay (3-4) and Atlanta (3-4) with the Falcons next on the schedule. And quarterback PJ Walker showed he should remain the starter even when Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold return from ankle injuries. And, oh, that McCaffrey fellow. The Panthers got almost 200 yards rushing out of their new duo of D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.
Should PJ Walker remain the starter next week against Atlanta even if Baker Mayfield is ready to return from an ankle injury? Absolutely. Walker was allowed to do what he does best on Sunday in terms of getting the ball downfield, and he responded with two touchdowns on an efficient 16-of-22 passing. He’s now 3-1 as an NFL starter, 1-1 this season. Mayfield won’t like it, but this might signal the end for him at Carolina. It felt like it was the end even before today, given the league-low numbers Mayfield was putting up. — David Newton
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: For the second week in a row, Tom Brady and the Bucs were favored by 9.5 points, and once again, they stunk it up, this time against a team that fired its head coach and recently traded away two offensive stars. The Bucs’ offense looked absolutely dreadful with an abundance of dropped passes, miscues, questionable playcalling and, of course, protection issues, mustering three measly points. Perhaps the only positive: The Falcons lost too, meaning that at 3-4, the Bucs are still tied for first place. But what consolation is that when they’ve now lost four of their past five?
What went wrong this time? More like, what didn’t go wrong? Mike Evans dropped what might have been the most wide-open touchdown pass of his career on the opening drive. The Bucs were stonewalled once again in short yardage with Leonard Fournette going nowhere on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1. And Brady failed to connect with Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage in the end zone on three straight incomplete passes from the 8-yard line. Defensively, they couldn’t stop the run — surrendering 173 yards, including a 60-yarder from D’Onta Foreman. Hosting the Baltimore Ravens in four days, they’ll also now likely be without Antoine Winfield Jr., who left Sunday’s game with a concussion. — Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Ravens (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
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0:34
D’Onta Foreman breaks free for a 60-yard run, and Chuba Hubbard runs in a 17-yard touchdown on the next play.
Cowboys
What to know: If there was a doubt — and by now there shouldn’t be — the defense will carry the Cowboys to success. Not even quarterback Dak Prescott’s return after a five-game absence could get the Cowboys’ offense rolling. But the defense came through. Again. After allowing two touchdowns last week versus Philadelphia for the first time this season, the defense did not allow a touchdown against a Lions offense that came in averaging 28 points a game. The defense changed the momentum of the game with five takeaways in the second half that the offense turned into 21 points: a Trevon Diggs‘ interception, an Anthony Barr fumble recovery at the Dallas 1, a Jourdan Lewis interception in the fourth quarter, a Sam Williams‘ sack/fumble and a DeMarcus Lawrence fumble recovery to end the game.
Will the Cowboys ever figure out their third-down woes on offense? If they don’t, they will not be a serious threat. They entered the game converting just 32% of their third-down tries, and things were supposed to be better upon Prescott’s return. They were 3-of-9 on third down. Through three quarters, Prescott was 0-for-1 with two sacks on third down. In the opener against Tampa Bay, he was 3-of-9 with an interception on third down. In the fourth quarter, they were stopped on third-and-1 when the Lions snuffed out a toss play to Tony Pollard. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Lions
What to know: Turnovers absolutely hurt the Lions in critical moments. Quarterback Jared Goff threw two interceptions — and added two fumbles in the fourth. Also, running back Jamaal Williams fumbled twice — including one at the goal line to start the fourth. Detroit was already facing an uphill battle after losing wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a concussion during the first quarter. And the Lions were playing without receiver DJ Chark (ankle) — who was recently placed on injured reserve — and running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle), who has missed the past three games. So those mistakes proved to be costly while Detroit was undermanned.
Will the Lions’ defense improve from this performance moving forward? This season it’s been tough to get the offense and defense on the same page. Entering this game, Detroit’s defense was allowing a league-high 34 points per game, but during the bye, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn made some changes, notably having No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson work with both the linebackers and defensive linemen to position him better for success. It worked in Dallas, as he racked up 1.5 sacks. Plus, Texas product Jeff Okudah played inspired football with a career-high 15 total tackles. So, yeah, the Lions certainly can’t do any worse than the first four games, when the defense was horrendous. On a bright note, they allowed a season-low 24 points to the Cowboys — but a loss is a loss. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
What to know: The Titans completed a sweep of the Colts to strengthen their lead atop the AFC South. The Titans’ defensive front dominated the trenches, harassing Colts quarterback Matt Ryan for most of the day. Denico Autry continued his revenge tour against his former team with a sack. Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons also had sacks. Pressure from Dupree led to two interceptions for the Titans. One of the interceptions was returned 76 yards for a touchdown by safety Andrew Adams. Tennessee has four more games within the division and now has a 4-2 record, thanks to a four-game winning streak.
Can the Titans continue to win games in such an ugly manner? Although it counts as a win, the Titans’ victory wasn’t pretty. Tennessee won primarily on the strength of its defense with two interceptions, including the pick-six by Adams. The Titans don’t deliver many explosive plays, instead relying on long drives to get onto the scoreboard, as evidenced by their 31-minute time of possession on Sunday. Derrick Henry has three 100-yard rushing performances in Tennessee’s four wins. Simply put, this team finds a way to win. However, things will get tough for the Titans over the next five weeks, with matchups against the Chiefs, Packers and Bengals on the docket. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: The Colts thought they had found a viable path on offense with their best showing in Week 6 against Jacksonville. But the heavy passing attack didn’t work as effectively against Tennessee, as the Titans harassed quarterback Matt Ryan throughout and dominated the Colts’ offensive line. Ryan threw two interceptions — including one that was returned for a TD — and now has 12 turnovers for the season. The return of running backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines from injuries didn’t change the outcome for the Colts, who are running out of time to salvage their floundering offense.
Can the Colts fix their offense? Against teams that don’t have dominant defensive fronts, the Colts likely have enough firepower to make things tough on opponents. But when they fail to win up front, as they did on Sunday, it’s easier for a defense to neutralize receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell. Their problems are fundamental: an offensive line that is playing at an unacceptable level and a quarterback who is shrinking in the face of the resulting pass rush. How do you fix that? — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Bengals
What to know: Earlier in the week, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said a three-game stretch against the Falcons, Browns and Panthers was going to define Cincinnati’s season. It represented three opportunities to bank victories in a tight AFC North race heading into the team’s bye in Week 10. Behind a record-breaking day from Burrow, who became the first player in NFL history to have five games of 400 or more passing yards in his first three seasons, the Bengals started out with a win.
Buy or sell WR Tyler Boyd‘s performance? Buy. Boyd had a career-high 155 receiving yards, with the bulk of that coming in the first quarter. Even with an offense that features Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Boyd showed why coach Zac Taylor considers him one of the best slot receivers in the league. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Browns (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know: On an ugly day all around, especially for a defense left short-handed by A.J. Terrell‘s hamstring injury, there might yet be good news for the Falcons: Not many offenses are as explosive as that of the Bengals. And with a stretch that includes games against the Bears, Commanders and Steelers and two against the Panthers coming up, the Falcons have to hope this was a bad matchup instead of a sign of problems to come.
Can Atlanta’s offense sustain when it gets into a hole? Based off what we’ve seen this season, it’s still a bit unclear. But Sunday did not provide much confidence. Trailing by 18 points in the fourth quarter, the Falcons appeared to stay in their same run-based offense. It worked in near comebacks against the Buccaneers and Rams, but against a more explosive offense in Cincinnati, and with the team’s secondary decimated by injury, it didn’t work. This is going to be something to pay attention to going forward but isn’t a huge concern. Yet. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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0:19
Ja’Marr Chase goes 41 yards into the end zone for another Bengals touchdown.
Ravens
What to know: The Ravens still have fourth-quarter issues but finally got some good fortune at the end. It looked like Baltimore was about to give away another double-digit lead after running back Justice Hill fumbled with 3:12 left in the game. But Malik Harrison blocked a potential game-tying 61-yard field goal. Then Ravens safety Geno Stone forced a fumble on the Browns’ final possession as the game ended. The Ravens avoided becoming just the third team in the past decade to lose four times in the first seven weeks in games in which they held double-digit leads.
What’s going on with Lamar Jackson throwing the ball? Defenses have turned up the heat with blitzes, and Jackson has not been sharp or decisive with the ball. On Sunday, he finished with 120 yards passing, the sixth fewest of his five-year career. Two completions — a 31-yard pass to Devin Duvernay and a 19-yard dump-off to fullback Patrick Ricard — accounted for 50 of those yards. Jackson said this week that the Ravens need to stop overthinking and just play. But Baltimore’s issues go deeper than that. Over the past four games, Jackson has thrown three TDs and four INTs. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: at Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: Cleveland played arguably its best game of the season in Baltimore. But too many errors on a potential game-winning drive sank the Browns, giving them their fourth straight loss. An offensive pass interference call on Amari Cooper negated his go-ahead TD reception. Then a false start on a game-tying field goal forced Cade York to attempt a 60-yard try. The kick was blocked, sealing the victory for Baltimore.
Can Cleveland recover from four straight losses? The Browns desperately needed this victory to hang around in the AFC North race. Now, at 2-5 with arguably the league’s toughest remaining schedule, Cleveland’s season is officially on life support. A loss to Cincinnati next week on “Monday Night Football” would effectively be the death knell — before the Browns even reach their midseason bye. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Bengals (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Commanders
What to know: Quarterback Taylor Heinicke‘s game won’t win any beauty pageants, but he excels at ignoring the aesthetics and competes. It’s why he can have a brutal start — with a first-half pick-six and numerous ugly incompletions early — and later lead a win. It helped that Washington ran the ball for 167 yards, and receiver Terry McLaurin came through with a big second half with a touchdown catch and key completions on the final drive. But Heinicke’s grit allows him to ignore plays that could ruin other quarterbacks coming off the bench. It’s why Washington has won two in a row.
Has the defense turned it around? The Commanders have benefited from facing struggling offenses the past two games in Chicago and Green Bay. But they have played better largely because of their ability to stop the run; they’ve allowed only 3.67 yards per carry in the past five games — fourth best in the NFL. Also, with cornerback William Jackson III sidelined, they’ve been more consistent in coverage, especially in zone. With Chase Young possibly back within two weeks, the defense could be the reason for a resurgence. — John Keim
Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: If the Packers can’t beat the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders, imagine what the Buffalo Bills are going to do to them next Sunday in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills have the most explosive offense in the NFL. They lead the league in yards per game and rank second in points. Their defense leads the league in fewest points allowed and ranks second in yards. Oh, yeah, and the Bills were on their bye this weekend and play the Packers at home in a prime-time game. This was supposed to be a get-back-on-track game after two straight losses. Instead, the Packers have their first three-game losing streak since 2018.
Now will the Packers get another receiver? Yes, it’s the same question as last week after the loss to the Jets. The trade deadline is a little more than a week away, and without a significant addition, it’s hard to see how their passing game will improve. The return of Sammy Watkins, who missed four weeks because of a hamstring injury, didn’t immediately help. Aaron Rodgers had not attempted a pass that traveled more than 10 yards in the air until the final two minutes of the first half on Sunday, and when he finally did, Watkins wasn’t fast enough to run under it. It was so far off that flags for pass interference were picked up because the ball was deemed uncatchable. Their fastest receiver, rookie Christian Watson, missed a second straight game because of a hamstring injury. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Giants
What to know: The Giants keep finding ways to win, even if it’s just by 1 yard. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags’ offense were on the doorstep late in the game, but Lawrence’s pass to Christian Kirk was stuffed at the 1-yard line as time expired. The Giants leaned for most of three quarters on the arm — and legs — of quarterback Daniel Jones, with Jacksonville concentrating on limiting Saquon Barkley (72 of his 110 rushing yards came in the fourth quarter). Jones threw for 202 yards and a touchdown and ran for 107 yards and another score. It’s what they needed against a Jaguars defense that has been strong in stopping the run. This was the kind of game that showed Jones (despite five dropped passes) has the ability to not only manage games but win them. He led his fourth fourth-quarter comeback this season.
Just how bad are the injuries? Rookie right tackle Evan Neal (knee), tight end Daniel Bellinger (eye) and left guard Ben Bredeson (knee) all left the game in the first half. Those are three starters. Early indications are Neal and Bredeson avoided serious injury, according to sources. That’s a positive. Bellinger was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. The Giants’ offense was already limited entering Sunday. It can’t afford for any of these injuries to be long term. The injured trio from Sunday has started every game this season — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know:Travis Etienne Jr. has taken over as the Jaguars’ top back. He started for the second consecutive week and had the breakout game that many have been expecting (114 yards rushing). Etienne averaged 8.1 yards per carry and scored his first NFL touchdown on a 7-yard run. James Robinson, who had started the first five games this season and 32 overall, didn’t have a carry or a reception in a game in which he has played for the first time in his career. He was targeted just once, on a pass that Trevor Lawrence overthrew in the end zone.
Where is the pass rush? The Jaguars’ pass rush looked formidable after putting up seven sacks in the first two games, but it has managed just six since — and only two in the past two games (just one against Daniel Jones). Head coach Doug Pederson said teams are devising game plans to stop No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker by chipping him or double-teaming him. But that means Josh Allen should be getting to the QB more. He did enter the week with 25 QB pressures, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but he hasn’t had a sack since Week 4 and has just three this season. Those two have to be more productive. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
play
0:22
Daniel Jones pushes his way through to the end zone to put the Giants ahead late in the fourth quarter.
Thursday
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals’ offense isn’t out of the woods yet. Yes, it played as well as it has played all season during Thursday’s win over the Saints, but Kyler Murray said there’s things that the offense still needs to work on. And he’s not wrong. The Cardinals were saved by the defense, which returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Take those away, and the Cardinals would’ve lost. Next week in Minnesota will be the true gauge for this offense to see if it’s making strides or still stuck in the mud. Having nine days between games will give guys such as DeAndre Hopkins and Robbie Anderson a chance to get acclimated more, and players such as James Conner and Rodney Hudson a chance to get healthy.
Was Thursday night the spark the Cardinals’ needed to turn around the season? It’ll help, no doubt, but the win was somewhat built on false pretenses because the Saints were down to their top two corners and top two receivers. If Arizona plays well and can beat the Vikings convincingly next week, then yes, the Cardinals will be on their way to turning around the season. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: The Saints are a mess on both sides of the ball, but none of these problems are new. Turnovers, missed tackles and penalties have defined the Saints’ identity this season, and even wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith said self-inflicted wounds are killing the team. Smith said that Alvin Kamara told the team after the game: “We’ve got to really police ourselves, hold our own selves accountable, hold our teammates accountable.”
How does the coaching staff fix the team’s problems with multiple injuries? Saints coach Dennis Allen said the problem starts with him, and when asked how the coaches make changes going forward, he said it’s about “getting the right people in the right spots.” Allen admitted that is a tough thing to do, especially considering the health of the team is his biggest concern. With the Saints down three cornerbacks and several players on offense, there might not be many options for the Saints to turn to. — Katherine Terrell
After the Bengals’ victory, coach Zac Taylor did not have an immediate update on Hendrickson’s injury.
Hendrickson went down with 3:06 left in the third quarter. A replay showed Hendrickson, with his head down, running into a Bengals defender on the back-side of a scramble by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Hendrickson was down for a few moments before he got up to a round of applause. He was escorted directly to the locker room by the team’s training staff.
Since Hendrickson joined the Bengals in 2021 free agency, he has been one of the league’s most effective pass rushers. The former Florida Atlantic standout tallied a career-high 14 sacks in his first season in Cincinnati, earning his first Pro Bowl nod.
Hendrickson had one sack against the Falcons before he left the game with the injury.
In the late window, the Buffalo Bills made a statement (and grabbed a potential AFC playoff tiebreaker) by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. On Sunday Night Football, the Philadelphia Eagles earned a statement win over the Dallas Cowboys to remain the only undefeated team in the league.
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know: Quarterback Jalen Hurts answered the bell. Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said: “All you need to write is he hasn’t played the Cowboys yet, so we don’t know how good he is,” when asked about Hurts’ improvement this week. Hurts threw for a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions against one of the NFL’s best defenses, including the game-clincher to DeVonta Smith midway through the fourth quarter while operating behind an offensive line missing two of its starters. That, and the Eagles’ three defensive takeaways — two by C.J. Gardner-Johnson — pushed the Eagles past the Cowboys and to 6-0.
What are the Eagles going to do about these second-half droughts? Philadelphia has a habit of falling asleep offensively down the stretch. The Eagles have scored 35 points in the second half this season compared to 126 first-half points. It hasn’t bitten them yet, but it will be a point of focus during their bye week. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
What to know:Cooper Rush did all he could do, winning four straight starts after Dak Prescott suffered a fractured right thumb. At some point, it had to come apart and it did against the Eagles, especially in the first half. Rush’s first two interceptions of the season turned into 10 points in the second quarter when Philadelphia took a 20-0 lead. The Cowboys made a game of it in the second half, but for all of those wondering whether there would be a quarterback controversy, Sunday answered that question. Rush deserves credit for keeping the Cowboys’ season alive, but it’s up to Prescott to make sure they stay in the NFC East race the rest of the way.
Should there be worry about the Cowboys rush defense? For the fourth time in six games, the Cowboys allowed more than 120 yards on the ground. If there is an Achilles’ heel to the defense, it is their run defense. They do not have a lot of bulk up front and choose to get it done with speed. When the Eagles took control of the game with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, they ran it 10 times and never faced a third down longer than 4 yards. Their next two games come against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, who have the eighth- and second-ranked run offenses in the league. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bills
What to know: Despite offensive miscues and the defense allowing Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to throw for more than 100 yards to both Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Bills came away with another regular-season win at Arrowhead Stadium. The win was far from perfect, and there were miscues on both sides of the ball, including allowing the Chiefs to mount a 16-second drive for a field goal at the end of the first half.
The Bills brought in Von Miller to help win games like this. Has his performance paid off so far? The Bills invested heavily in the front seven over the offseason, most significantly with the addition of Miller. Against the Chiefs, the outside linebacker showed why it was worth it, finishing with his second two-sack game of the season, four tackles, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss. Miller was also the first to pressure Mahomes on the game-ending interception. Overall, the Bills’ defense was not able to pressure Mahomes as much as they would have hoped (32.6% of throws). But Miller’s impact was felt at key moments, which is exactly what the Bills were hoping for. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Chiefs
What to know: The Chiefs’ defense needs to be more productive with its blitz than it was against Bills quarterback Josh Allen. On one play, the Chiefs blitzed Allen with seven defenders and left him with enough time to throw a dime to Gabe Davis for a touchdown. On another, they sent six but left him enough time to throw a TD to Stefon Diggs.
Should the Chiefs be concerned about their secondary? They played without two of their top three cornerbacks and one of their top three safeties because of injuries. Therefore, the Chiefs were left with no choice but to play two rookies at cornerback, and the Bills successfully went after one of them, Joshua Williams, who played little until Sunday’s game. Things should improve when cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Rashad Fenton and safety Bryan Cook return. That could be as soon as Sunday against the 49ers. — Adam Teicher
Next game: at 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Rams
What to know: The Rams snapped their two-game losing streak, but their offense still hasn’t hit its stride. Los Angeles did score multiple touchdowns (three) for the first time since Week 3, but this offensive performance won’t be enough. After the Rams’ Week 5 loss, coach Sean McVay said the team needed to help quarterback Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles took a step forward against Carolina (rushing for two scores and giving up zero defensive touchdowns), but there’s still room for improvement.
Is this performance what the Rams can expect out of WR Allen Robinson II? Through five games, Robinson’s role in the offense was inconsistent, but he had his best game Sunday. Stafford spread the ball around more evenly than in previous games this season, and Robinson finished with five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. This is likely what McVay envisioned when adding Robinson in free agency, so expect him to continue to get these targets as the season progresses. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: The Panthers didn’t look much different under interim head coach Steve Wilks than they did under coach Matt Rhule, who was fired Monday. The offense and defense continued to struggle on third down, the offense still was lifeless with PJ Walker at quarterback instead of Baker Mayfield (sidelined by an ankle injury), and the team still made too many critical mistakes. Wilks did make his presence felt with more dedication to getting running back Christian McCaffrey involved in all facets, but even that wasn’t enough.
Will McCaffrey and wide receiver Robbie Anderson be on the team much longer? Anderson’s time with the team appears near the end after he was sent to the locker room by Wilks following two heated arguments with wide receivers coach Joe Dailey. Will a team give up a draft pick for Anderson, and does Carolina really want to take a $20 million dead-cap hit over the rest of this year and next? Moving McCaffrey before the Nov. 1 trade deadline makes the most sense because the Panthers could get something in return that would help down the road. To move on from McCaffrey would be moving on from the team’s best offensive playmaker, as he showed Sunday. — David Newton
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know: The Seahawks’ embattled defense finally showed up. In a reversal of what became well-established roles over the first five weeks, the defense carried Geno Smith (20-of-31, no touchdown passes) and the offense for a change. Seattle kept Arizona’s offense out of the end zone (its only touchdown was on special teams), stopped it on four of its five fourth-down attempts and sacked Kyler Murray six times. It was an encouraging performance by a defense that entered Sunday ranked last or near last in several categories.
How good can Seattle’s rookie class be? This looks like the best group of rookies the Seahawks have had since the 2012 class that produced Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, among others. Cornerback Tariq Woolen is an early front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year now that he has an interception in four straight games. He also recovered a fumble forced by nickelback Coby Bryant, Bryant’s fourth of the year. Running back Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards and his second TD in as many weeks. Tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are off to strong starts despite some struggles for the offensive line Sunday. — Brady Henderson
Next game: at Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals didn’t convert on three fourth downs in field goal territory against Seattle, costing them nine points and a shot at making it a game. By not taking the points, coach Kliff Kingsbury put pressure on the Cardinals’ defense and forced the offense to play from behind yet again. Had Arizona taken the points in all three situations and had kicker Matt Ammendola made his only extra point attempt, the game could have been tied at 19.
Can the Cardinals’ offensive woes be fixed by the return of DeAndre Hopkins? In theory, yes. The addition of Hopkins will force defenses to spread their coverage across the entire field instead of focusing only on Marquise Brown. But with how Arizona has been producing, adding Hopkins might not matter. Regardless, he’ll be a much-needed boost for Arizona six games into the season. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Saints (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know:Marcus Mariota showed Sunday why, in a controlled offense, he can still be a dynamic performer. Mariota had his best game as an Atlanta Falcon in beating San Francisco, completing 13 of 14 passes for 129 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while running six times for 50 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t throw an incompletion until 10:52 left in the fourth quarter and ran coach Arthur Smith’s offense perfectly against one of the better defenses in the NFL. It’s a clear sign Mariota is starting to gain confidence.
Is Atlanta’s defense something to believe in? Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees gave an impassioned speech about how he wanted his defense to be like the ones he ran in Baltimore and New England. Atlanta is starting to look somewhat like it. The Falcons forced three three-and-outs Sunday, scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery, pressured 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and intercepted him once. Of course, there is some concern, too, as both starting cornerbacks A.J. Terrell (thigh) and Casey Hayward (undisclosed) finished the game on the bench because of injuries, which will be something to monitor. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
49ers
What to know: Relentless injuries have made it impossible for the 49ers’ defense to carry this team, which means it’s time for the offense to pull more of the weight. It was only a few weeks ago that Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke about the offense’s efforts to find a rhythm following a strange offseason. That was OK when a healthy Niners defense was suffocating opponents. But the toll of injuries left the Niners with four healthy starters on the field at the end of Sunday’s loss, leaving the offense to make up the difference. It wasn’t up to the task.
How bad is it going to get on the injury front? Every team in the league deals with injuries, but the Niners continue to have more than their share, with 11 of 22 starters on injured reserve, a pregame inactive or a player departing Sunday’s game because of injury. No team can overcome such attrition. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
play
0:40
A.J. Terrell tries to return a fumble for a touchdown, but he fumbles too, allowing Jaylinn Hawkins to recover the ball for a Falcons touchdown.
Jets
What to know: Who needs a star quarterback? The Jets proved again they can beat a good team without a prolific passing day by quarterback Zach Wilson, who was held without a touchdown pass for the second straight game. The Jets (4-2) upset the Packers with a classic game of complementary football. With Wilson struggling, they relied on the running game (two TDs), a suffocating defense (four sacks) and big plays by the special teams (a blocked punt and field goal). It took a few games, but the Jets have found their identity: a smash-mouth offense featuring rookie Breece Hall (116 rushing yards) and a dramatically improved defense led by tackle Quinnen Williams.
Is it time to take the Jets seriously? Heck, yeah. They’re a legit playoff contender. They’re in second place in the AFC East, riding their first three-game winning streak since 2019. They beat the Packers and Dolphins, two respectable teams, by a combined score of 67-27. They flipped the script from last October, when they got blown out on a weekly basis. They finally beat an elite quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, controlling him for the better part of 60 minutes. This isn’t a mirage: The Jets are for real. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: It was hard to tell who was worse: Rodgers, his offensive linemen or his skill-position players’ hands. Rodgers missed what used to be routine throws, and his blocking didn’t give him much of a chance to stand in the pocket. Oh, yeah, and the Packers had six dropped passes — their most in a game since 2017. And then there was the lost fumble on a botched exchange between Rodgers and running back AJ Dillon. The Packers can’t go more than 3½ quarters without an offensive touchdown like they did on Sunday and expect to be a contender. But that’s what happened because Rodgers was off target and his offensive line allowed him to get hit nine times. It all added up to the first time the Packers have lost consecutive games in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as head coach.
Do the Packers need to bring in a receiver? The trade deadline is a little more than two weeks away, and if the Packers stand pat, it’s hard to imagine how their passing game will get better. Maybe they’re counting on Sammy Watkins, who could return this week off injured reserve after spending four weeks on it because of a hamstring injury. Watkins was off to a nice start before he got hurt in practice leading into Week 3. Or perhaps they believe rookie Christian Watson, who also has battled hamstring problems and was inactive on Sunday, can add some speed to the lineup when or if he returns. But if not, there could be more performances like this. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bengals
What to know: It wasn’t a must-win game, but it was one the Bengals desperately needed after a rough start to the season. New Orleans was without several key offensive starters, and playoff teams don’t lose three games to backup quarterbacks. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase delivered the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter to provide Cincinnati a big midseason boost.
Is Cincinnati’s offense back? It’s too early to say yes. But the Bengals’ offense had its best showing of the season. Burrow had his best game since the end of the 2021 regular season. He was elusive, had great field awareness and feasted on short throws. It resulted in the most fluid offensive showing for the Bengals this season. If Cincinnati can replicate that performance next week against Atlanta, it’s a great sign for a unit that has struggled this season. — Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: Surprisingly, there was some life in the Saints’ offense despite being short at wideout. New Orleans didn’t have Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, Chris Olave or even Deonte Harty and managed to move the chains with unlikely replacements, like explosive rookie Rashid Shaheed. They also continued their luck with the run game, rushing for more than 200 yards as a team. But they kicked too many field goals, and after the defense gave up a late-game touchdown, they couldn’t do enough to come back.
Do the Saints keep going with Andy Dalton? It’s clear Jameis Winston is progressing from his back injury, returning to practice on a limited basis and even being active on game day. But the offense, even though it was compromised, seems to have found a rhythm with Dalton. If Winston is healthy enough to play next week, the Saints could be wading into a quarterback controversy, unless they feel he could boost their chances if he’s playing at 100%. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Cardinals (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
play
0:16
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continue strong connection with a third quarter touchdown.
Giants
What to know: This Giants team is unflappable. They put up 90 yards in the first half, while the Ravens had 256. They were down 10 points with under 10 minutes remaining and their offense couldn’t do much of anything. It doesn’t matter with this group. They hang around and do just enough — seemingly every week — to win. The Giants may not have been the better or more talented team Sunday, yet they still found a way in the final minutes. This group is resilient.
What can the Giants do to make this offense more explosive? The offense is so unimposing Baltimore keyed on Saquon Barkley and the run game with the Giants down 10 and less than 10 minutes remaining. New York didn’t produce a 20-plus-yard play in the contest. But Wan’Dale Robinson returned after missing four games with a knee injury, and the Giants didn’t put Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Kenny Golladay (knee) on injured reserve in hopes they could return soon. It’s their only hope at this point. In the meantime, they’re surviving. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Ravens
What to know: This ugly loss falls squarely on Lamar Jackson, and it will go down as one of his worst performances. With the game on the line, Jackson turned the ball over on the final two drives with an interception and a fumble. Less than sharp all game (17-of-32 for 210 yards), Jackson got intercepted on one of the worst decisions of his career. With three minutes left in the game, Jackson picked up a poor snap and threw a wild, off-balance pass in the middle of the field while deep in his own territory that was picked off by safety Julian Love. The Giants converted that turnover into Barkley’s game-winning touchdown. On the Ravens’ next possession, Jackson got stripped with 1:29 left, sealing another late-game collapse by Baltimore.
Has Kenyan Drake surpassed J.K. Dobbins as the go-to running back? It could be by default right now. The biggest positive of the game was the big-play running by Drake, who became the first Ravens running back to produce 100 yards rushing this year. Dobbins, who acknowledged that it was “super hard” not being the featured back late in last week’s game, didn’t play in the second half. He wasn’t even holding his helmet on the sideline, which could be a sign that he’s dealing with an injury. Drake, who was inactive for two games earlier this season, has earned more playing time going forward. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Vikings
What to know: The Vikings have reached their bye with a 5-1 record, nearly a best-case scenario with a new coaching staff and schemes installed on both sides of the ball. Their loss came at the Eagles, who entered Week 6 as the only undefeated team in the NFL (5-0). Only one of the Vikings’ five wins has been convincing, their Week 1 defeat of the Packers, and the disappearance of their offense for long stretches in Miami will give coach Kevin O’Connell plenty to study. At one point, the Vikings had as many three-and-outs (seven) as they did first downs.
What happened to the Vikings’ running game? It was waiting for the right moment. Tailback Dalvin Cook had been primed for a big game in his hometown but managed 17 yards on his first nine carries as the Dolphins’ defense presented favorable looks for the passing game. When they needed to carve time off the clock midway through the fourth quarter, the Vikings passed three times. But given a reprieve, Cook popped through the line for a 53-yard touchdown that sealed the game. The running game affected the outcome in another way, too: Both of Kirk Cousins‘ touchdown passes came on play-action. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What to know: Regardless of your feelings about Tua Tagovailoa‘s long-term status as the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback, it is abundantly clear this team is quantifiably better with him on the field. Miami’s offense hasn’t moved the ball with any sort of consistency since Tagovailoa went down in Week 4. Rookie Skylar Thompson was inspiring in the first half (7-of-13, 89 yards) before a thumb injury to his throwing hand knocked him out of the game. In his stead, Teddy Bridgewater was skittish in the pocket, late on his throws and constantly harassed behind an offensive line that gave up 23 pressures — 19 of which came when the Vikings weren’t blitzing. It’s not often you can say one player would make all the difference, but it’s reasonable to think Tagovailoa’s return next week against the Steelers should turn things around for what’s been a stagnant Dolphins offense.
Can the Dolphins’ defense stay hot and find a groove over the next month and a half before a grueling December? Sunday was the Dolphins’ best defensive performance of the season, outside of a game-sealing 53-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook late in the fourth quarter and a 47-yard catch-and-run by Justin Jefferson on the previous series. Those two plays accounted for 42% of the Vikings’ offense in what was otherwise an impressive effort from Miami’s defense. Ideally, it’s the start of a trend of improved defensive play during a still-winnable stretch of the season coming up. If the Dolphins can keep this up against the Steelers, Lions, Bears, Browns and Texans, they should be rolling by the time a difficult December slate comes around. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: This didn’t figure to be the game where the Colts discovered a viable offensive game plan, given the way the Jacksonville defense dominated the first meeting, and with running backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines sidelined on Sunday. But the Colts used a new offensive line configuration, timely throws on crossing routes from quarterback Matt Ryan and deep shots to emerging star Alec Pierce to pull off a critical AFC South victory. Pierce (winning TD catch, two drawn pass interference penalties) and Michael Pittman Jr. (13 catches, 134 yards) benefited greatly from the much-improved pass protection.
Has Ryan turned things around? There have been massive struggles for Ryan this season, especially in an earlier shutout loss to Jacksonville. But Ryan showed what he is capable of with improved pass protection. The Colts revamped their line for the second consecutive game, and Ryan took advantage, throwing for 389 yards and three touchdowns on 42-of-58 passing. For the first time this season, Ryan was not sacked and his pocket presence was clearly improved as a result of the protection. This was easily Ryan’s most complete performance of the season. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know: The Jaguars had a chance to take early control of the AFC South with back-to-back games against struggling Houston and Indianapolis. They lost both — including Sunday’s game against the Colts on a last-second field goal — and are now 1-2 in the division with none of the early momentum they gained with their 2-1 start. It’ll be hard to make up the two games in the division considering they’ve struggled against the Tennessee Titans (the Jags haven’t won in Nashville since 2013) and have lost nine consecutive games to Houston. The Jags are likely going to be fighting to stay out of the cellar — again.
Should Travis Etienne Jr. be the Jaguars’ feature back? Etienne has outperformed James Robinson in back-to-back weeks, rushing for 157 yards on 20 carries and catching five passes for 63 yards, while Robinson rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries and caught three passes for 13 yards. Etienne had a 48-yard run against the Colts and is flashing the big-play potential he was drafted to provide. He started on Sunday, and it may be time to make that permanent. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Patriots
What to know: Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe, the fourth-round draft pick from Western Kentucky playing in place of injured Mac Jones, finished 24-of-34 for 309 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. While many of the throws were shorter and allowed his pass-catchers to do the rest, Zappe once again played with poise and stayed within himself to complement a stingy Patriots defense (which limited the Browns’ No. 1 rushing attack). Zappe smiled last week when asked if he’d heard of “Zappe fever” — a playful theme that has been discussed on local sports-talk radio — and he gave Patriots fans a reason to smile Sunday with another solid performance.
Will Mac Jones return for a Monday Night Football matchup against Justin Fields and the Bears? Jones made the trip to Cleveland, which was a reflection he was hoping to play but wasn’t quite there yet. That bought the Patriots more time until 90 minutes before kickoff. But Jones didn’t go through a pregame warm-up and, when he came out to the field, he was walking with a limp. Over the past three weeks, Jones has progressed from out to doubtful to questionable on the injury report. If he takes the next step, he’d be going up against fellow 2021 first-round draft pick Fields with the Bears coming to town on Monday night. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, Oct. 24, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: New England took away NFL leading rusher Nick Chubb and the Browns’ vaunted running game, and Cleveland had no answer. Chubb finished with 56 yards, as coach Bill Belichick forced quarterback Jacoby Brissett to beat the Patriots. Brissett couldn’t consistently make New England pay, throwing two interceptions in a game the Pats controlled from the opening kickoff.
Is Cleveland’s season already on the brink? The season isn’t over. But the Browns are 2-4 after facing QBs Baker Mayfield, Joe Flacco, Mitch Trubisky, Marcus Mariota and rookie Bailey Zappe, who cooked Cleveland for more than 300 yards through the air. The Browns are getting ready to face Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Allen and Tom Brady. The season might not be over, but the way the Browns have played, especially defensively, it could begin to spiral. — Jake Trotter
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
play
0:27
Myles Garrett’s strip sack in the first quarter gives him 62.5 career sacks, setting the Browns franchise record.
Steelers
What to know: Maybe it was senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores’ insight into Tom Brady‘s psyche. Maybe it was the defense figuring out how to get pressure without injured defensive end T.J. Watt. Whatever it was, the Steelers’ defense kept Brady and the Buccaneers in check, applying steady pressure and keeping the offense out of sync. Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi constantly made Brady uncomfortable, and the patchwork secondary that included James Pierre and former practice squad corner Josh Jackson largely kept Tampa Bay’s weapons from exploiting a talent mismatch. The Steelers got to Brady by rarely bringing a blitz, doing so only once.
What’s Kenny Pickett‘s status going forward? The rookie quarterback’s first home start was dampened when he exited with less than eight minutes left in the third quarter after sustaining a concussion on a hard hit by Buccaneers linebacker Devin White. Veteran Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett, and he completed 9 of 12 attempts for 144 yards and led the Steelers on a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Pickett, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, is still more than likely the Steelers’ starter when he returns. Pickett must clear concussion protocol, and there’s no concrete timeline for that. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: The Bucs’ red zone scoring woes continue. Errors and costly penalties have contributed. Even Tom Brady‘s patent quarterback sneak on third-and-1 in the fourth quarter didn’t work. They made it to the Steelers’ 17-, 1- and 4-yard lines but couldn’t find the end zone until there was 4:45 to go (an 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Leonard Fournette), and then botched the 2-point conversion. Bottom line: For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, they have certainly underachieved.
Why does the Bucs’ offense look so out of sync? There are a lot of reasons for this. First, the offensive line is struggling. Rookie left guard Luke Goedeke once again looked lost. The Bucs can’t run the ball effectively with Fournette getting clobbered in the backfield. And then Brady had a difficult day. He’s rarely off-target, and heading into Sunday’s game, his off-target percentage was 16.2%. But against Pittsburgh, it was 28%. His struggles most notably came when targeting wide receiver Chris Godwin. Bucs officials said it wasn’t a big deal that Brady missed Saturday’s walk-through to attend New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s wedding, but with an offense struggling, it probably didn’t help. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Thursday
Commanders
What to know: Washington has a long way to go. The Commanders won the game, but coach Ron Rivera was fired up after about various mistakes that could have cost them — the same ones that have cost them other games. They’ve committed 27 penalties in three games. They give up big plays and their offense struggles. A true turnaround must also include smarter, more disciplined play.
Can the run game spur a turnaround? Washington ran the ball much better in the second half, albeit against a defense that struggles against the run. But any turnaround must start with running the ball consistently. They can mix Brian Robinson‘s power runs with Antonio Gibson‘s ability to get around the corner. A consistent run game would be Step 1 for an offensive turnaround. But until they solve their protection issues, there will still be struggles, especially with an immobile quarterback. He needs help up front; if he gets it, they could be efficient. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bears
What to know: The Bears took 11 snaps inside the Commanders’ 6-yard line and couldn’t punch in a touchdown. Chicago went 0-for-3 inside the red zone for the second time in three games, and the offense’s inefficiencies were showcased in a litany of ways, starting with an interception thrown by Justin Fields at Washington’s 5-yard line, a missed throw to tight end Ryan Griffin that Fields stressed he has to make and wide receiver Darnell Mooney‘s potential game-tying catch ruled down at the 1-yard line.
How can Justin Fields improve in spite of what’s around him? The Bears need to reevaluate their offensive scheme and what’s being asked of Fields. Chicago’s shortcomings are hindering his development. But how can Fields improve when he’s being pressured on 46% of his dropbacks and his receivers can’t consistently make catches or create separation? This is the position Chicago put itself in during the offseason when it did not address the talent deficiencies around Fields, and if the Bears want to get a clearer picture about Fields’ development over the next 11 games, a number of adjustments need to be made. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Patriots (Monday, Oct. 24, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Week 6 of the NFL season is upon us. The Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears got things started with a mundane, er — low-scoring affair on Thursday. Sunday promises to spice things up.
Before Sunday’s competitors take their talents to the gridiron, they’re showing out with their pregame fits.
From Joe Burrow‘s nod to his favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, and their LSU college glory — as they return to the Superdome for the first time since their national championship triumph — to Aaron Rodgers‘ neutral chic ensemble, here’s a look at some of the most fashionable Week 6 arrival choices:
Von Miller this week: “Derrick Thomas was my favorite player to ever play the game. I molded my game after him. He was the reason why I wore 58 in Denver. So every time I’m on that field and I’m warming up, I’ll look for that 58 that’s on the ring of honor …” (1/2) https://t.co/PZ3iRWzQfb
The late afternoon window saw the Philadelphia Eagles remain undefeated, as they got past the Arizona Cardinals to move to 5-0. That sets up a Sunday night showdown next week with the Dallas Cowboys, who used a relentless pass rush to beat the Los Angeles Rams and move to 4-1.
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know: When all else fails, have quarterback Jalen Hurts take it into his own hands. He rushed for a pair of touchdowns Sunday, passing Cam Newton for most rushing TDs for a quarterback in his first 25 starts with 19. On the go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter, Hurts converted a pair of third-down QB sneaks to extend the drive, helping Philly sneak past Arizona to remain undefeated.
Will the offensive line injuries become a major factor? The Eagles entered this game without left tackle Jordan Mailata (shoulder), and lost left guard Landon Dickerson (leg) and center Jason Kelce (ankle) for parts of the game before they eventually returned. Right guard Isaac Seumalo, meanwhile, was limited this week with an ankle injury. The offensive line is a primary strength of this team and the Eagles need it healthy, especially for next week’s game against the Cowboys and their vaunted pass rush. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals took a significant step to figuring out their first-quarter offensive woes. Even though they didn’t score in the first quarter for the sixth straight game — which includes all five this season — Arizona showed glimpses of its up-tempo offense, which helped change the pace of the game and kept Philadelphia on its heels a bit. It was enough for the Cardinals to stay in a game many didn’t think they had any business being in — and showed that any production in the first quarter could’ve been the difference on Sunday.
Can the Cardinals put together a complete game next week in Seattle? All signs are pointing to “it’s likely.” This year’s Seahawks aren’t the Seahawks of old, so a first-quarter score is most likely to happen in Seattle. The Cardinals are a few plays here and there away from that complete showing. It may have taken them a month to figure themselves out, but they’re on the verge of showing who they are for an entire game. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
What to know: How good are the Cowboys? In the last month, they have beaten the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals and beat the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. They also beat the New York Giants, who just knocked off the Green Bay Packers. This wasn’t supposed to happen, especially without Dak Prescott. The Cowboys’ defense continued to lead the way, allowing just one touchdown in the fifth straight game and stifling Matthew Stafford all day. They did just enough on offense, highlighted by Tony Pollard‘s 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter after the Rams took the lead.
How big is next week’s game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles? The Eagles are the NFL’s lone undefeated team and are considered by many the class of the NFC East. The Cowboys have won eight straight division games, including two wins vs. the Eagles a year ago by a combined 45 points — though Philadelphia rested its regulars in the second meeting. The Cowboys have won four straight games without Prescott (thumb) and are likely to be without him again. With a win against the Eagles, maybe folks will take them seriously. — Todd Archer
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Rams
What to know: It’s easier said than done with several injuries, but fixing the pressure Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is facing will be a key to turning this season around. It felt like Stafford faced constant pressure in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys and it started from the Rams’ first drive, when Stafford was sacked and fumbled, which the Cowboys returned for a touchdown to set the tone for the rest of the game. Stafford was sacked five times (now up to 21 times this season) and the Cowboys had 11 quarterback hits.
How long can the Rams’ defense keep this up? Although the Rams lost to the Cowboys, nine of Dallas’ 22 points came off turnovers. Los Angeles held Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush to 10 completions and 102 yards. Of course, this team has been beaten by Jimmy Garoppolo and Rush in its last two games, but the defense has been a bright spot on this 2-3 team. The Rams get quarterback Baker Mayfield and a struggling Carolina Panthers team next week. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
49ers
What to know: The 49ers took care of business against an inferior opponent, but they might have suffered a much bigger loss Sunday. Early in the third quarter, defensive end Nick Bosa was ruled out with a groin injury. The Niners have already lost multiple key players to injury this season, but there might not be a more important player on the roster than Bosa. The league’s leader in sacks and pressures entering the game, Bosa is the driving force behind one of the NFL’s best defenses. That defense’s depth has already been tested, but if Bosa has to miss extended time, the challenge will become far greater as the Niners head to West Virginia for practice before next week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
What’s wrong with the 49ers kicking game? The Niners special teams have been mostly good through the first month-plus of the season with one notable exception: The kicking game. Kicker Robbie Gould had a field goal blocked for the second time this season Sunday (tied for the most in a season in his career), left the game with a left knee injury and the 49ers yielded kickoff returns of 48 and 45 yards to Carolina. Given San Francisco’s myriad of injury issues, those yards and points will matter plenty as the competition increases. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: Third down continued to haunt the Panthers, only this time it was on both sides of the ball. The offense entered Sunday last in the NFL with a 25.5% conversion rate and finished 3 for 15 (20%). The last team to convert less than 25% for a season was the 2005 49ers, who went 4-12. That discrepancy was magnified by the 49ers’ third down success, as the Niners converted seven of their first 11 third downs. Outside of Baker Mayfield‘s pick-six, that was the difference in game.
What will it take for coach Matt Rhule to bench Mayfield? The Panthers traded for Mayfield believing he could help turn around the organization. He hasn’t, and Sunday’s pick-six was yet another example of how he hurts the offense. Replacing Mayfield as the starter with former XFL star PJ Walker — who played the last couple of minutes of the game in relief — would send the message that the 2018 No. 1 pick is done. It likely would destroy Mayfield’s confidence, too. Now if Mayfield and the league’s 32nd-ranked offense continue to struggle, the team could make a change when Sam Darnold (ankle) returns from injured reserve. But according to team sources, that’s probably two to four weeks away. By then, if the losing continues, coach Matt Rhule may be done. — David Newton
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Bills
What to know: The Bills had control of the game from the third play to the end, thanks in large part to quarterback Josh Allen and the big-play passing attack. Allen threw for 348 yards in the first half, the most passing yards in a single half in Bills history, per the Elias Sports Bureau, to help establish a 28-point lead, and finished with a franchise high for a regulation game with 424 passing yards. Despite being without multiple starters on both sides of the ball due to injury, the Bills held the Steelers scoreless after the first drive and came away with a commanding win.
Can the Bills keep up the big-play passing? The Bills came into Week 5 with 13 passing plays of 20-plus yards this season, but against the Steelers, big plays made all the difference. Buffalo had eight passing plays of 20-plus yards Sunday, and Allen finished the game with a career-high 13.7 yards per attempt. In the previous two games, the Bills strung together long drives, only to fall short in the red zone. Targeting wide receiver Gabe Davis deep more often — Davis finished with a career-high 171 receiving yards on three receptions — and learning from what worked against the Steelers will go a long way. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Steelers
What to know: A 38-3 blowout by the Bills exposed the deep cracks that riddle the Steelers’ foundation. Pickett did what was asked of him in his first career start, but an already short-handed and inconsistent defense couldn’t contain quarterback Josh Allen and his weapons. Pickett completed 34 of 52 passes for 327 yards with one interception, but the offense came away with only three points. Meanwhile, Allen picked apart the Steelers’ secondary with a career game. The NFL’s highest-paid defense came into the game missing two defensive starters in addition to T.J. Watt, and three more were ruled out during the game after sustaining injuries. Sunday was supposed to be about Pickett’s first start, but failures in every phase of the game made his play irrelevant. The 35-point margin of defeat is the worst for the Steelers since a 51-0 loss to Cleveland on Sept. 10, 1989.
Where do the Steelers go from here? It’s only Week 5, but at 1-4, the Steelers seem destined to give Mike Tomlin his first losing season. With games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles on the slate before the bye, the Steelers face the very real possibility of starting the season 1-7 — something that hasn’t happened in Pittsburgh since 1969. The Steelers don’t believe in rebuilding years, but that’s exactly how this one is playing out.
So what does it mean? Could the Steelers choose to rest players like Watt, who’s recovering from a torn pectoral and arthroscopic knee surgery, for the rest of the season, while allowing Pickett to learn on the job for a basement team? Could they buck organizational precedent and make coordinator changes in-season? Could they start a fire sale of their limited assets to acquire more picks for the upcoming drafts in an effort to completely rebuild the team? Or will they ignore the noise, as Tomlin urged his team to do after a Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, and keep doing what they’re doing? — Brooke Pryor
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Texans
What to know: The Texans’ defense carried them to the win. The Jaguars were sixth in points scored per game (26.3), but the Texans became the first team to hold them under 21 points. It started by limiting Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and intercepting him twice for a passer rating of 65. Texans rookie cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. got his first career interception, and cornerback Desmond King II finished the game off with an interception. Lawrence was consistently under duress as the Texans’ pass rush was able to pressure him 14 times.
Is Dameon Pierce the leader for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award? Pierce carried the Texans’ offense against the Jaguars as he rushed for 99 yards and the game-winning touchdown. He rushed for 31 yards on 10 carries in the fourth quarter. Pierce came into the game at No. 10 in rushing yards, and he is now averaging 4.8 yards per carry and has three rushing touchdowns. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Raiders (Sunday, Oct. 23, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence played his second bad game in a row, and now the Jaguars have a problem: Which Lawrence are they going to get each week? It’s troubling that most of Lawrence’s mistakes the past two games (as well as Week 1) were unforced — including an inexcusable interception in the end zone early in the second half Sunday before another one to end the game. Not knowing what you’re going to get from your quarterback each week makes it hard to be confident and make adjustments when things start to go wrong.
What happened to the turnovers? The Jaguars forced eight in the first three weeks — one shy of their 2021 total — but have just one in the past two games. Some of those are the bounce of the ball one way instead of another, but it seemed like getting turnovers was the defense’s identity. This might be just a lull, but the Jaguars need to get things going on the takeaway front again because the offense could benefit from a few short fields. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
What to know: The injuries along the offensive line are testing the Titans’ depth. Already down Taylor Lewan for the year, starting right guard Nate Davis was inactive because of a knee injury. The Commanders’ front dominated the line of scrimmage and constantly pressured Ryan Tannehill. Left tackle Dennis Daley had his first bad game, as he struggled with Montez Sweat. Aaron Brewer gave up a sack along with Dillon Radunz, who was filling in for Davis at right guard. Washington sacked Tannehill five times. The pressure the Commanders were getting limited what the Titans could do with their playcalling.
How worried should the Titans be about the secondary? Another week, and another quarterback passes for 300-plus yards, as Carson Wentz‘s 359 passing yards almost beat them Sunday. Dyami Brown‘s 75-yard touchdown reception with Caleb Farley in coverage was the sixth play of 40 yards or more the Titans have allowed this season. Five of those have come via the pass. Brown also caught a 30-yard touchdown pass against Roger McCreary. Although the Titans won, the big plays continue to be a major issue. Tennessee’s secondary has three high draft picks (Farley, McCreary and Kristian Fulton). There’s no reason for that group to struggle this much. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m. ET)
Commanders
What to know: Washington no longer can ask for patience. At 1-4 in Year 3 of Ron Rivera’s regime, the Commanders have not taken the step they — or their fans — had hoped. Carson Wentz threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, but a possible game-winning drive ended in an interception. They lack consistency. They struggle to create better situations for the run game or play-action. And the defense still surrenders big plays and doesn’t force turnovers. The offensive line is banged up but makes too many mistakes — penalties and on assignments — to play consistently.
Is the season already lost? Technically, there’s still time for Washington to turn its season around. But the Commanders already have dug a steep hole in the NFC East. While other teams have survived injuries, Washington has not shown that it can. So, if they can get healthy, the Commanders could very well play better in a few weeks. But by then, they could be too far back to seriously challenge for a playoff spot. They need to provide reasons to believe it’ll get better, and they haven’t. Ron Rivera’s teams typically play better in the second half of the year, but this was a season in which the Commanders needed to play better in the first half. — John Keim
Next game: at Bears (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Chargers
What to know: Coach Brandon Staley rolled the dice, and it almost backfired on him. Up 30-28 with 1:14 left, Staley went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 46-yard line. An incompletion handed Cleveland the chance for a game-winning field goal try, but the Browns missed. This is who Staley is and who the Chargers are. And ESPN’s win-probability model favored the decision (84.1% to 78.9%).
Can the Chargers keep running the ball? The Chargers came into the weekend ranked 25th in rushing. But against the Browns, L.A. finally got its ground game going, exploding for 238 yards. That production took pressure off QB Justin Herbert and allowed the Chargers to keep their defense off the field. If the Chargers can keep running the ball with Austin Ekeler & Co. going forward, they will be that much tougher to defend. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Broncos (Monday, Oct. 17, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett spoiled what otherwise was a terrific performance with a costly late interception. On the heels of a key first-down scramble, Brissett had the opportunity to potentially take the ball in for a touchdown. Instead, he fired a pick trying to find Amari Cooper. Cleveland got another shot to win, but missed a 54-yard field goal. All three of Brissett’s interceptions this season have come in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.
What has happened to kicker Cade York? York drilled a 58-yard, game-winning field goal in Cleveland’s opener and first career appearance. The fourth-round pick has struggled ever since. He missed two costly field goals again Sunday, including the game-winning try at the end. The Browns have little margin for error without Deshaun Watson and with the way their defense is playing. York’s accuracy issues represent another concerning development. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
play
0:30
Cade York misses a potential go-ahead 54-yard field goal kick just to the right for the Browns.
Saints
What to know: It was Taysom Time for the Saints again, as Taysom Hill essentially became their entire offense Sunday, rushing for 112 yards and joining Archie Manning (1977 vs. Bears) as the only players in Saints franchise history with three rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass in the same game. The Saints finally seemed to figure out their offensive roles with a mix of Hill and Andy Dalton.
How do the Saints sustain positive offensive momentum going forward? The Saints have been one step forward, two steps back all season. Now they’ve got to figure out a way to keep the offensive momentum going, whether that’s keeping Dalton at QB, continuing to utilize Hill in all areas or figuring out how to get Michael Thomas back in the lineup as a healthy receiver. That means there will continue to be questions as to whether an injured Jameis Winston should return to the lineup or if they should stick with Dalton. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know: The Seahawks’ defense remains a disaster, and this time, a strong day from Geno Smith and their offense wasn’t enough to overcome it. A week after allowing 45 points in a win over Detroit, they were just as bad against the Saints, with no answers for Taysom Hill or Alvin Kamara. They allowed both to top 100 rushing yards, with Hill rushing for three touchdowns despite the fact that there was little mystery as to what the Saints were going to do when he lined up at quarterback. It’s the second straight week in which Seattle’s defense has gotten gashed by a team missing key pieces on offense, as the Saints were without their starting quarterback (Jameis Winston) and No. 1 receiver (Michael Thomas). The Seahawks have pulled off defensive turnarounds in each of the past two seasons after similarly poor starts, but there’s no end in sight to this one.
Is Kenneth Walker III ready to handle the load at running back? Walker will have to step up if Rashaad Penny‘s injury is as serious as it looks. Penny went down in the second half after hurting an ankle, hanging his head on the sideline before being carted to the locker room. Walker, Seattle’s rookie second-round pick, was off to a quiet start to this NFL career before he broke off a 69-yard touchdown run Sunday. He missed the opener after a hernia procedure and didn’t seem to have a full handle on the playbook, based on the multiple times he went the wrong way on a running play. If Penny has to miss time, Walker will need to speed up his learning curve. — Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
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0:36
Taysom Hill gets his third rushing touchdown of the game and gives the Saints a lead in the fourth quarter.
Buccaneers
What to know: This was a sloppy victory. The Bucs allowed the Falcons to score twice in the fourth quarter and nearly gave the game away. And once again, they gave up big plays on the ground (61 of the Falcons’ 151 rushing yards came from quarterback Marcus Mariota). But Tampa Bay did a better job controlling the line of scrimmage: The defense had five sacks, and running back Leonard Fournette notched 139 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns behind the offensive line’s blocking. His 10 catches for 83 receiving yards were both career highs. The Bucs need to put four quarters together consistently, though, and they haven’t really done that all season.
What should the Bucs do with receiver Julio Jones? Jones was inactive for the third time in five games Sunday with a knee injury after he left two plays into the second half last week after aggravating it. He was able to practice on a limited basis this week, but it was determined that he was unable to go during warm-ups Sunday. It’s unclear whether he’ll play against the Steelers next week, and it appears they will need to monitor his reps if they want to keep him for the season. It isn’t ideal to have a player making $6 million sitting on the bench, but the Buccaneers didn’t sign Jones for the regular season — they signed him for December and January, in hopes of avoiding a repeat of last year when they had no healthy receivers. If they can shelve him over the next few weeks and let him get healthy, while continuing to get Scotty Miller and Jaelon Darden more involved, they’ll be better off when they truly need him for their playoff push. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know: The Falcons entered Sunday without tight end Kyle Pitts or running back Cordarrelle Patterson, so maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Atlanta offense struggled Sunday. Still, it became clear just how big an issue it might be to their offense without those two playmakers. Tampa Bay’s defense is legitimate, but without either Pitts or Patterson, moving the ball and putting up points could be difficult. Atlanta did find decent work with Avery Williams at running back and Olamide Zaccheaus as a complement to Drake London at receiver, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.
How do the Falcons figure out the running game going forward? In its first game without Patterson, Atlanta gave Tyler Allgeier 13 carries, Caleb Huntley eight carries and Williams three carries. That type of workload might be what this looks like over the next few weeks, too. However, none of the backs made much of a statement, and if Atlanta is able to bring back veteran Damien Williams off injured reserve — he’s eligible to return next week — it should consider it. The Falcons are probably looking at a true running-back-by-committee situation for at least the rest of October. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Vikings
What to know: If nothing else this season, the Vikings have seen quarterback Kirk Cousins emerge as a late-game surgeon. He has made key plays and throws in the fourth quarter in each of the Vikings’ past three games, all victories. Sunday, Cousins converted two third-downs on the ground during their final possession, including a 1-yard sneak for the winning touchdown. That came after he had completed his first 17 passes of the game, a team record. Cousins’ play can still be spotty at times, but he is perhaps the key reason the Vikings are 4-1 and alone atop the NFC North.
How did this game become such a slog? The Vikings scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, were leading 21-3 midway through the second quarter and still needed a late drive to win the game. The easiest answer here is that they remain a work in progress as the conversion to new offensive and defensive schemes is underway. They’re finding ways to win despite dips of concentration and intensity, and from this vantage point, it bodes well for their future success once they grow more efficient in running their schemes. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bears
What to know: After allowing Kirk Cousins to complete his first 17 attempts while running only 18 offensive plays of their own in the first half, Chicago got aggressive in the second half and scored 19 unanswered points to take a 22-21 fourth-quarter lead. Justin Fields orchestrated his best drive of the season to start the third quarter. The drive ended with rookie Velus Jones scoring his first career touchdown. Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t take his foot off the gas in the second half. It didn’t always work — Chicago failed on its 2-point attempt after Jones’ 9-yard TD — but this team found an edge with its resilience and ability to adjust. Fields and the offense had a chance to win the game when they got the ball back with 2:26 remaining down 29-22, but Bears receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (a former Viking) had a costly turnover that ended up sealing the loss.
Is Justin Fields turning the corner? The Bears quarterback said he felt like the passing game was starting to click against the Giants in Week 4. After a rough start in Minnesota, Fields went 12-of-13 for 135 yards and a touchdown in the second half and added five rushes for 36 yards. And his 52-yard touchdown run would have been the biggest highlight all day if it wasn’t nullified by an illegal block in the back penalty on Smith-Marsette. Fields finished with 208 yards passing and a 118.8 passer rating. This game could be a sign the quarterback is turning the corner after a rough first month of the season. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: vs. Commanders (Thursday, Oct. 13, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Jets
What to know: For months, coach Robert Saleh has been stressing to his players the importance of closing the gap in the AFC East. One game doesn’t make up for years of ineptitude, but the Jets took a step in the right direction, snapping a 12-game division losing streak. The Jets (3-2) showed they can play with a lead from beginning to end, something they hadn’t done since Week 15 of the 2020 season — a league-high 23 straight games without a wire-to-wire win. It’s an important step for a young team. The Jets proved they can come from behind, as they did in two earlier wins, but it takes a different mentality to play from ahead. And, yes, it helped that the Dolphins had to play rookie third-string QB Skylar Thompson for virtually the entire game after losing Teddy Bridgewater.
How far can the Breece Hall–Michael Carter backfield tandem take the Jets? It’s too early to talk about playoffs, but the Jets have a terrific one-two punch in Hall and Carter. It allows them to run a balanced offense, something they failed to do in the first month. Hall, who might be their best draft pick in a long time, became the first Jets rookie in history with 100 receiving yards and a rushing TD in the same game. He finished with 197 yards from scrimmage (97 rushing), a tremendous display of his many talents. The Jets used Hall and Carter (two TDs) at the same time more than in any previous game — a nice wrinkle. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What to know: The Dolphins were the first team to experience the NFL’s amended concussion protocol. Dolphins fans might argue their team was actually the first “victim” of the new rules, which added “ataxia” to the protocol as a “no-go” symptom. Teddy Bridgewater, in his first start filling in for the concussed Tua Tagovailoa, was placed into concussion protocol after playing just a single offensive snap. He passed his evaluation and was not diagnosed with a concussion, but a booth spotter believed he saw Bridgewater stumble, which triggered the new ataxia clause and forced him out for the remainder of the game. Rookie Skylar Thompson started strong but showed his youth during the fourth quarter, holding on to the ball for too long and eventually unraveling on a strip sack that helped the Jets put the game out of reach. The NFL pledged to use an “abundance of caution” in its amended protocol — sometimes that means players who are not concussed will be placed in the protocol. Dolphins fans won’t like it, and understandably so, but it’s better than allowing potentially concussed players to reenter a game.
Who will start at quarterback next week? Both Bridgewater and Tagovailoa are in concussion protocol entering Week 6, but the former should be cleared in time for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, considering he was not diagnosed with a concussion. But if Tagovailoa clears protocol, is 17 days long enough for the Dolphins to be comfortable playing him, or will they take an even more cautious approach to his return? Either way, Thompson needs to process plays more quickly before he proves to be a capable starter; entering a game with Thompson and Reid Sinnett at quarterback is not ideal. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
play
0:46
Quinnen Williams picks up the fumble and gets a huge stiff-arm on Tyreek Hill. Breece Hall would capitalize with a short touchdown run.
Patriots
What to know: Defense delivers. With 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe making his first career start at quarterback after injuries to Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer, the Patriots supported him with a stifling defensive performance against a Lions offense that entered the day as the NFL’s top-rated unit in terms of points scored. Six (!) stops on fourth down, another interception by rookie cornerback Jack Jones and a strip sack by Matthew Judon that was returned 59 yards for a TD by Kyle Dugger provided Zappe plenty of breathing room. It resulted in the Patriots’ first home shutout since 2016, when then-rookie Jacoby Brissett made his first NFL start. While Zappe wasn’t asked to do too much, he was poised and played smart football (17-of-21 passing for 188 yards with a touchdown and an interception) in an overall job well done.
When will Mac Jones be ready to return? The Patriots have shown they can win with Zappe, but Jones’ eventual return still provides them the most long-term upside. Jones was a limited participant in practices last week and was still limping a bit. Zappe’s capable performance buys the Patriots more time for Jones to return as close to full health as possible, but at 2-3, their margin for error is still thin to keep pace in the AFC. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Lions
What to know: Detroit entered Gillette Stadium as the league’s top-ranked offense but struggled mightily. Quarterback Jared Goff couldn’t get anything going against New England’s defense. The lackluster effort started in the opening half, when the Lions failed to score after having scored a touchdown in 12 straight halves — which was the NFL’s longest streak. The Lions also failed to convert six fourth downs Sunday, many of which came in Patriots territory. Running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle) didn’t suit up for the second straight game but is expected to return after the bye week, which they hope can give them a boost.
How much is head coach Dan Campbell at fault for Detroit’s 1-4 start? There’s no denying that Campbell’s charisma and authenticity has been a hit with players and fans. However, this isn’t the first time that he’s made questionable decisions in key moments, which included going for it on fourth-and-9 instead of attempting a second quarter, 49-yard field goal, which resulted in a scoop-and-score after Goff fumbled while being sacked by Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon. Campbell and his staff have repeatedly accepted the blame for these questionable coaching decisions, but they definitely have affected the Lions’ poor start to the season. He holds just as much accountability as the players, and they have to fix some things after the bye week if they want to at least be respectable in the final 12 regular-season games. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m. ET)
Giants
What to know:Daniel Jones and the Giants really showed something. They rallied from down 14 in the first half against the Packers to post a huge upset victory, perhaps their best win since beating the Cowboys late in 2016. Jones did it while clearly not 100 percent (ankle) and despite a questionable supporting cast. If anything, it put his toughness on full display. Jones went 13-of-14 passing for 136 yards in the second half. He also rushed seven times for 37 yards, before kneeling with the ball late. Jones carried a Giants offense that had Marcus Johnson, Richie James, David Sills V and Darius Slayton at wide receiver. A monster effort.
How did star RB Saquon Barkley come out of the game? The Giants’ offense revolves around Barkley. He accounted for 43% of their total offense coming into the game and said this week he’s “good with whatever [workload] they throw at me.” But after New York went to Barkley early and often, he left Sunday’s contest in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. He went to the locker room before returning to score the game-winning TD out of the Wildcat midway through the fourth. Everyone will be watching how Barkley feels this week given his importance to this offense. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: At some point, the Packers are going to have to find a deep threat — whether he’s on their team right now or not. Either that or they should forget about trying and just run the ball more, because Aaron Rodgers was just chucking and hoping on Sunday. He tried to go deep to Allen Lazard several times and couldn’t connect. He tried Romeo Doubs and missed him. He tried Randall Cobb, who had a nice game (seven catches for 99 yards), but Cobb has never been a consistent deep threat. Rodgers was 0-of-5 on attempts of 20 or more yards in the air, including 0-of-4 in the second half, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
What’s happened to the Packers’ defense? Green Bay almost lost to Bailey Zappe last week. Daniel Jones got the Packers this week. The Giants played without their top-three receivers, and it didn’t matter. All the talk in the offseason was how the Packers have one of their best defenses in recent years. Yet they still managed to leave players open, miss tackles and commit costly penalties. It started in Week 1 when they let Justin Jefferson destroy that, and it hasn’t gotten much better — if at all. The Giants scored on five straight drives after opening the game with consecutive three-and-outs. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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Adam Schefter breaks down Russell Wilson’s injury and when he is expected to return.
Thursday
Colts
What to know: The Colts’ defense is legit. Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ offense have some deep issues, no doubt. And Denver’s failures certainly contributed to the success of the Indianapolis defense. But the Colts dominated the line of scrimmage, and that is an area where having an advantage can go a long way. Indianapolis has not allowed any points in the fourth quarter or overtime in its five games.
Can the Colts stabilize their offensive line even a little? They’re desperately trying. The Colts reconfigured their lineup for Thursday night’s matchup, making moves at three of the five positions. It didn’t work, though, so they might not be done tinkering. During their 10-day layoff before Week 6, they will continue examining their options. But nothing matters unless highly paid linemen such as Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith play, at minimum, at a respectable level. That might be enough to allow embattled quarterback Matt Ryan and an emerging group of pass-catchers to keep the Colts in games. Maybe. — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, Oct. 16, 1 p.m. ET)
Broncos
What to know: All those good intentions from the offseason simply don’t matter now, as the Broncos’ offense has the look of a group that overreaches when it doesn’t have to and overthinks when it shouldn’t. The result is the Broncos simply don’t score touchdowns at a rate that’s anywhere close to a playoff hopeful. Thursday night, they handed the Colts an ugly overtime win with two Wilson interceptions in the fourth quarter — both in Colts territory. And on the game’s last play, when a conversion of a fourth-and-inches would have given them four chances at a game-winning touchdown, they elected to put Wilson in the shotgun, and he threw an incompletion to end the game.
Is Russell Wilson pressing? Not all the time, but there are moments, especially when Wilson is trying to push the ball downfield when he doesn’t have to, when it looks like he is trying to live up to the trade and his contract on every play. He played his most composed, most efficient game in the season opener — the loss in Seattle — and it also happens to be his only 300-yard passing game of the young season. The Broncos haven’t protected him well enough, and running back Javonte Williams‘ season-ending knee injury will take some adjustment, but things aren’t going to improve until Wilson — and coach Nathaniel Hackett — settle down a little. Furthermore, it was reported Saturday that Wilson is dealing with a partially torn lat near his throwing shoulder. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: at Chargers (Monday, Oct. 17, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Over the past couple of years, games between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have featured signature moments for two of the game’s top young quarterbacks.
In 2019, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson picked up the highlight of his MVP season with a 47-yard touchdown run that featured a spin move straight out of a video game. Two years later, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow torched a depleted Baltimore defense and set a franchise record with 525 passing yards in a Bengals rout. Burrow’s 941 yards in sweeping Baltimore last season were the most passing yards vs. a single team in a season in NFL history.
In what is expected to be a tight AFC North this season, Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Bengals (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), who are both 2-2, could play a fairly large role in who wins the division.
And the winner likely will be determined by the quarterback position. Burrow is coming off a Super Bowl run, and Jackson is playing above his 2019 MVP level. With contract decisions for both quarterbacks looming, what happens Sunday and the rest of the season could shape the future of the AFC North.
“The quarterback’s a major component in how our team goes,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said ahead of Sunday’s prime-time game. “For him to play his best in the big moments, as he has, is critical.”
Burrow will be eligible for a contract extension next offseason. Off to a slower start than Jackson thus far, he is 16th in the league in Total QBR (49.4) and 17th in completion percentage (64.1). He’s seventh in the league in passing yards (1,099) and tied for sixth in touchdown passes (eight). He has also been sacked 16 times, which is third most in the NFL.
Jackson halted contract negotiations with the Ravens once the regular season began and is playing on his fifth-year option. In essence, he’s betting on himself, and the early returns have suggested it was a wise move. Jackson is tied for fifth in QBR, tied for first with 11 TD passes and the only QB among the top 25 in rushing, as his 316 yards put him ninth in the league.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers at the beginning of the Kenny Pickett era and the Cleveland Browns yet to see what Deshaun Watson brings to their offense — he’s currently serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy following allegations of inappropriate conduct and sexual assault in massage sessions, Jackson and Burrow are the most established quarterbacks in the division. How the AFC North ultimately shakes out could very well come down to how these two play, and that narrative takes shape Sunday night.
BURROW’S FIRST GAME against Baltimore was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
As a rookie in 2020, the No. 1 overall draft pick and former Heisman Trophy winner had the toughest game of his career. He posted a career-low 4.2 Total QBR, which scores games on a 1 to 100 scale, in a 27-3 shellacking in Week 5.
Six weeks later, Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury. After an aggressive rehabilitation period, he turned the situation into a footnote, as he rebounded in ’21 as one of the NFL’s most effective quarterbacks, leading the league in completion percentage over expectation, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
The Bengals’ hopes when they drafted Burrow were quickly realized in February, when the team made its first Super Bowl appearance since 1989 before losing 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams.
Some of the success could be chalked up to the struggles he had as a rookie.
“It was a chance [for] him to have a season to look back and learn those different styles that you’ll see and those environments you’ll be in and play styles from defenses,” Taylor said. “To come back and have a great year, obviously he’s looking to build off of that this year.”
Bengals running back Joe Mixon said the meetings against Baltimore have displayed Burrow’s ability to extend plays and make big throws. But Burrow’s poise also has been on display in crucial moments.
“He’s gonna be that guy,” Mixon said. “He’s going to have a killer mentality. If you look at him or if you see him in the huddle or see him on the big screen he just looks like he’s about to deliver.”
In both games against Baltimore last year, Burrow starred. He engineered Cincinnati’s comeback in Week 7, throwing for 416 yards and three touchdowns. Two months later, Burrow threw for 525 yards in another victory over the Ravens. His 91.4 Total QBR from that game remains a career high.
At the beginning of the season, Burrow said he doesn’t care about the numbers as long as the team wins. Through four games, the third-year quarterback’s performances have varied between a four-turnover outing in a Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh to a steady showing in last week’s win over the Miami Dolphins.
But there’s a version of himself that he enjoys the most.
“The one that throws for 530 yards,” Burrow said.
AS MUCH AS Burrow has helped transform Cincinnati, no one has changed the trajectory of the Ravens over the past decade more than Jackson.
Baltimore was stuck in mediocrity after winning the Super Bowl in 2012. The Ravens were 44-45 (.494) from 2013 until Jackson took over as starting quarterback midway through the 2018 season.
Once Jackson replaced Joe Flacco as the starter, Baltimore has been one of the best teams in the NFL and had one of its most electrifying offenses. Jackson’s record as a starting quarterback (39-14) ranks behind only Patrick Mahomes (53-14) among active quarterbacks since 2018.
“He’s the one that drives our team,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said.
Jackson has accounted for 84% of the total yards for the league’s third-highest-scoring offense despite injuries on the offensive line and a plodding rushing attack. Baltimore has started three different left tackles in the first four weeks, and the Ravens’ running backs have 251 rushing yards, which ranks 30th in the league.
Jackson’s big plays have carried a team that has the NFL’s 30th-ranked defense. His 13 total touchdowns are more than 28 other offenses this season. Jackson has produced the longest run (79 yards) and the second-longest pass (75) this season.
“He is dynamic,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s very deserving of everything he asks for, if you ask me. But his arm, his legs, his mind, his toughness, his tenacity — you’ve got to worry about it all.”
Even though Jackson is averaging a career-high 8.54 yards per carry, he has made significant strides throwing the ball, which has changed the identity of Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens once had the league’s most run-heavy attack, but Jackson has dropped back to pass 60% of the time.
Jackson is showing more patience, moving around to buy time instead of scrambling downfield. He has also become more confident throwing into tighter windows and more effective at reading defenses.
“The hard thing with him is … he got better,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said.
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Stephen A. Smith calls out the Ravens’ defense after its tough start to the season.
LEAGUE SOURCES TOLD ESPN’s Adam Schefter in September that Jackson declined an offer worth about $250 million. Sources told Schefter that Jackson’s wish was for a fully guaranteed deal, similar to the record-setting $230 million, fully guaranteed contract the Browns gave Watson.
The sides agreed to suspend contract negotiations until after the season. Without an extension, Jackson doesn’t have any guaranteed money beyond his $23.016 million base salary for this season. Still, Baltimore remains tethered to the idea of Jackson as its franchise quarterback.
“I said at the beginning that it will happen when it’s time, and when it’s time, it will happen,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said before the start of the season. “So, Lamar is playing quarterback, he’s going to be playing quarterback here for a long time.”
Cincinnati knows Burrow could be in line for a big payday in 2023, the first year he is eligible to sign a contract extension. Team president Mike Brown is no stranger to paying a premium for quality quarterbacks. In 2005, Cincinnati gave quarterback Carson Palmer, the team’s previous No. 1 overall pick before Burrow, a six-year extension worth up to $119 million, making him one of the game’s highest-paid players at the time.
Before the start of this season, Brown acknowledged his fondness for Burrow and that he knows a future paycheck will have to be written soon.
“Right now, our obvious, most important issue will be with our quarterback,” Brown said in July. “It’s not quite ready or ripe yet, but it’s right down the track. We see the train coming.”
The Week 5 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we have you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN researcher Kyle Soppe hands out helpful fantasy football intel, as well. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
Let’s get into the full Week 5 slate, including another London showdown (Giants-Packers), Kenny Pickett‘s first start, Jalen Hurts vs. Kyler Murray and an AFC North meeting between the Bengals and Ravens. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Raiders and the Chiefs on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: This could be a nightmare matchup for the Packers’ defense. It ranks in the bottom third of the NFL in yards allowed per carry (5.0), and the Giants — with the NFL’s leading rusher, Saquon Barkley — run it at the second-best clip in the league (5.8 yards per carry). It prompted Packers coach Matt LaFleur to say this week that defensive coordinator Joe Barry needs to have his players “play more physical” and “in certain situations you might have to put an extra defender in the box.” — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction:Aaron Rodgers throws for 300-plus yards and at least three touchdowns. Rodgers hasn’t topped 255 yards passing this season, and the Giants have the eighth-ranked pass defense. But New York also hasn’t faced a quarterback like Rodgers and has a pedestrian 9.0 sacks and a 29.0% pressure rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats. This could be Rodgers’ breakout game. As Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said of the Packers QB, ‘It’s like owning a python and saying, ‘Don’t worry about it, he won’t bite.’” — Jordan Raanan
Stat to know: Rodgers is averaging 6.2 air yards per attempt, his fewest through four games since becoming a starter in 2008. His 43.1 QBR this season is also his worst through the first four games in that same time frame.
What to know for fantasy: Barkley has more than 20 carries or a rushing TD in all four games this season and leads the league in percentage of team offense accounted for (40.4%). See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Over the past 15 seasons, teams favored by at least seven points in international games are 7-0 ATS (6-0 ATS in London). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 31, Giants 14 Walder’s pick: Packers 24, Giants 12 FPI prediction: GB, 86.9% (by an average of 13.5 points)
What to watch for: The Bucs are on a rare two-game slide and are 0-2 at home so far this season, while the Falcons have won two straight. The Bucs also gave up an uncharacteristic 189 rushing yards in their 41-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week — the most they’ve surrendered since 2018. Getting back to what they do best — stopping the run — is paramount this week. On the other side of the ball, Tom Brady said his shoulder is fine, but former Falcon Julio Jones‘ status is up in the air after missing the second half last week because of a knee injury. — Jenna Laine
Bold prediction: The Falcons, with no Cordarrelle Patterson and against a good run defense, will manage to once again top 150 rushing yards with Tyler Allgeier leading the way. Allgeier and Caleb Huntley will handle the majority of the work with Patterson (knee) on injured reserve, and the two young backs will alternate to cause problems for the Buccaneers. Atlanta has rushed for at least 179 yards in three of its four games. — Michael Rothstein
Stat to know: Brady’s only three-game losing streak in his career came from Weeks 4 to 8 in 2002, his second season as a starter.
What to know for fantasy: When you see “Brady vs. Atlanta,” you likely think about the Super Bowl comeback, but that’s not going to help you. What will help you is the fact that the GOAT is averaging 28.0 PPG as a Buccaneer against the Falcons. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Atlanta is 4-0 ATS this season, all as an underdog. Atlanta is the only team this season undefeated against the spread. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 34, Falcons 14 Walder’s pick: Buccaneers 30, Falcons 13 FPI prediction: TB, 85.9% (by an average of 12.9 points)
What to watch for: Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is set to make his first career start against a Bills defense that is tied with the San Francisco 49ers for giving up the fewest yards per game (234.5). Pickett was picked off three times while playing in the second half last week vs. the Jets, and his ability to make good decisions on the road will go a long way against a defense tied for the league lead in interceptions (seven). — Alaina Getzenberg
Bold prediction: Bills RB Devin Singletary will have his first 100-yard game of the season. With a banged-up Steelers defense that has struggled since T.J. Watt‘s Week 1 injury, this game has the potential for any number of Buffalo offensive superlatives. But let’s put the bold in bold prediction. The Bills aren’t known for a traditional ground game, but the Steelers’ defense is giving up an average of 131.5 rushing yards per game. Because of the injuries in the Steelers’ secondary, Josh Allen is primed to jump out to a big lead early and then let the ground attack go to work to run out the rest of the game. — Brooke Pryor
Stat to know: Allen has accounted for all 12 of the Bills’ offensive touchdowns this season (either pass or scored).
What to know for fantasy:Najee Harris averaged over 4.0 yards per carry for the first time this season last week, but he failed to record a reception in Pickett’s NFL debut. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Last season, first-round quarterbacks making their first career starts went 0-5 ATS. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 34, Steelers 17 Walder’s pick: Bills 30, Steelers 10 FPI prediction: BUF, 86.2% (by an average of 13.0 points)
What to watch for: The Patriots have given up 325 rushing yards on 51 carries (6.37 on average) over their past six quarters, while the Lions rank first in the NFL in average yards per rush (5.9) and sixth in total rushing yards per game (164). New England’s slide has coincided with losing DT Lawrence Guy (shoulder), who might be ready to return. That would help against a Lions offensive line featuring three solid first-round picks in left tackle Taylor Decker (2016), center Frank Ragnow (2018) and right tackle Penei Sewell (2021). — Mike Reiss
Bold prediction: Lions running back Jamaal Williams will rush for at least two touchdowns. No, Williams isn’t the greatest running back of all time — or possibly even the best overall on his team — but he has proven to be consistent and durable behind a strong offensive line. He will etch his name in the record books, joining Jim Brown in 1958 as the second player in league history to score multiple touchdowns in four of the team’s first five games. Even without D’Andre Swift, the Lions’ ground attack is rolling, and that won’t stop against New England. — Eric Woodyard
Stat to know:Jared Goff is tied for the lead in passing touchdowns with 11. That is tied for most through four games in his career (2018).
What to know for fantasy:T.J. Hockenson had 24.2 fantasy points through three weeks before exploding for a career-best 39.9 points last week against the Seahawks. The Patriots have allowed a league-high five touchdowns to tight ends this season. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Detroit has covered six straight road games, but it is 0-10-1 outright in its past 11 road games (0-9-1 under Dan Campbell). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Lions 27, Patriots 24 Walder’s pick: Lions 31, Patriots 17 FPI prediction: NE, 56% (by an average of 1.7 points)
What to watch for: The Vikings’ defense has given up 1,054 passing yards this season, seventh-most in the NFL, as it meanders through the adjustment process to coordinator Ed Donatell’s 3-4 scheme. The Bears, however, are the league’s least-equipped team to exploit that shortcoming. Through four games, they have collected an NFL-low 390 passing yards — the fourth fewest by any team at this point in a season since 2000. — Kevin Seifert
Bold prediction:Kirk Cousins will have another three-interception day against the Bears’ defense, akin to the last time the Vikings played against Matt Eberflus in Indianapolis, where Cousins recorded a 15.7 passer rating and three picks. This scheme has not changed and is bolstered on the back end by Eddie Jackson, who leads the NFC in interceptions with three in four games. Chicago knows how dangerous Minnesota’s run game can be, so they’ll stack the box to try to take away Dalvin Cook and make Cousins beat them with his arm. — Courtney Cronin
Stat to know: The Vikings have allowed at least 300 yards in 12 straight games dating back to last season. While they are struggling in the passing game, the Bears are third in the NFL in rushing yards (709).
What to watch for: The Dolphins, aiming to put aside the Tua Tagovailoa concussion controversy, hope to improve to 4-1 for the first time since 2003. QB Teddy Bridgewater is 2-0 lifetime against the Jets, who look to go over .500 for the first time since a 1-0 start in 2018. They’re tied for fourth with 25 explosive pass plays (16-plus yards), and Miami’s banged-up secondary is giving up huge chunks in the passing game (31st in yards). — Rich Cimini
Bold prediction: Bridgewater with throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Tyreek Hill. The team has preached all week that their offense won’t change much with the backup quarterback starting, and he’ll prove them right come Sunday. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Stat to know: The Dolphins’ 11-2 record since 2021 Week 9 is tied with the Chiefs for best in the NFL. They also rank No. 1 in both defensive efficiency and QBR allowed in that span.
What to know for fantasy:Breece Hall has a touchdown or six catches in all four games this season and seems to be trending in the direction of a lineup lock. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Over the past five seasons, Miami is 13-7 ATS as a favorite. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Dolphins 24, Jets 17 Walder’s pick: Dolphins 26, Jets 10 FPI prediction: MIA, 55% (by an average of 1.6 points)
What to watch for:Justin Herbert finished with 398 passing yards in the Chargers’ win over the Browns last season, the most Cleveland surrendered in any game in 2021. Herbert also totaled five touchdowns. While the Chargers’ running game has struggled, Herbert will always be a threat in the passing game. But Browns RB Nick Chubb leads the NFL in rushing first downs and rushes of 10-plus yards. And the Chargers have allowed 5.4 yards per rush, the second worst in the NFL. So, these teams could have to rely on their defenses. — Jake Trotter
Bold prediction: The Chargers have yet to put together a 100-rushing yard performance this season, but that will change Sunday against the Browns. The Bolts are averaging an NFL-low 64.5 rushing yards per game, while the Browns’ defense is ranked 17th, allowing an average of 113 yards per game. — Lindsey Thiry
Stat to know:Jacoby Brissett is fifth in both QBR (75) and completion percentage (74%) in home games this season.
What to know for fantasy:Austin Ekeler scored more fantasy points last week in Houston (34.9) than he did in the two weeks prior combined (31.7). The versatile back is now on pace for 115 catches this season. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Brandon Staley is 1-3 outright and ATS as a road favorite (won last week). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Chargers 27, Browns 20 Walder’s pick: Chargers 24, Browns 20 FPI prediction: LAC, 57.5% (by an average of 2.3 points)
What to watch for: It looks like another week without Winston and wide receiver Michael Thomas, which would mean Andy Dalton will likely take over again at quarterback. The Saints’ problems are beyond the quarterback right now, as they are among the worst teams in the league in both penalties and turnover differential. The one thing that might help their offense is the return of running back Alvin Kamara, who said he’s ready to roll this week. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction:Ryan Neal will take over for Josh Jones in the starting lineup and spark Seattle’s struggling defense with a game-changing takeaway. Neal has played well in the past while filling in for Jamal Adams and appears to be in line to get another opportunity, having replaced Jones in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s win over Detroit. The Saints, meanwhile, have committed an NFL-high 11 turnovers — including five interceptions in three games from Jameis Winston — so the opportunity will be there. — Brady Henderson
Stat to know:Geno Smith has a 77.3 completion percentage this season, the highest by any QB through a team’s first four games of a season in NFL history (min. 125 attempts).
What to know for fantasy:DK Metcalf had the big Week 4, but Tyler Lockett has benefited most from the overachieving of Smith … more than 75 receiving yards in three straight games. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Smith is 23-15 ATS in his career, including 10-2 ATS in his past 12 starts and 5-2 ATS with Seattle. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Saints 27, Seahawks 24 Walder’s pick: Seahawks 19, Saints 16 FPI prediction: NO, 72.6% (by an average of 6.9 points)
What to watch for: Washington has done a nice job stopping the run the past two weeks against the Eagles and Cowboys, allowing an NFL-best 2.27 yards per carry and tying for second at 67 yards allowed during that stretch. The Commanders have allowed 1.17 yards after contact, also second best the past two weeks. But the Commanders’ run defense will be severely tested by Tennessee running back Derrick Henry. He started slow, but has run for 199 yards combined the past two weeks and ranks third in the NFL in yards after first contact at 3.21 in that time. — John Keim
Bold prediction: Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill will finish with 300 passing yards in a win over the Commanders. He will find a way to connect with a receiver group that will be missing first-round pick Treylon Burks. Tannehill had only two 300-yard passing games last season and has yet to have one this year. Washington’s pass defense is allowing 259.8 yards per game, but 294 yards per game at home. — Turron Davenport
Stat to know: The Titans have allowed a player to record six or more receptions in each of their four games this season. Commanders WR Curtis Samuel has 26 receptions this season, tied with Travis Kelce and Davante Adams for eighth most in the NFL.
What to know for fantasy: Henry didn’t catch a single pass in the first two weeks but has eight (for 91 yards) over the past two weeks. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Washington has failed to cover in three straight games. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Commanders 30, Titans 27 Walder’s pick: Commanders 20, Titans 16 FPI prediction: WSH, 60.9% (by an average of 3.1 points)
What to watch for: Texans running back Dameon Pierce is coming off the first 100-yard game of his career (which included a 75-yard TD run) and ranks 10th in the NFL in rushing. The Jaguars were leading the NFL in rush defense until giving up 210 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a loss at Philadelphia last weekend. Expect the Texans to feed the Jaguars a heavy dose of Pierce, especially with run-game anchor Foley Fatukasi dealing with a quad injury. — Mike DiRocco
Bold prediction: Texans wideout Brandin Cooks will have his best outing of the season with a 100-yard game. This season, Cooks has zero 100-yard receiving games and has averaged just 53 yards per game. But in Cooks’ five career games against the Jaguars, he has averaged 120 yards with five touchdowns. That’ll help the Texans continue their eight-game winning streak over the Jaguars. — DJ Bien-Aime
Stat to know: Trevor Lawrence struggles under pressure, having the largest drop-off of any QB in QBR (-76) compared to when he’s not pressured. When pressured, he ranks in the bottom of the league in QBR, completion percentage and yards per attempt.
What to know for fantasy: Pierce has more than 100 scrimmage yards and a rushing score in consecutive games. His six catches last week against the Chargers are 60% of his grabs for the season. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: The past four times Jacksonville was a favorite, it lost the game outright, with three of those losses coming against Houston. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Jaguars 34, Texans 14 Walder’s pick: Jaguars 31, Texans 9 FPI prediction: JAX, 71.8% (by an average of 6.6 points)
What to watch for: Things have not being going well for Baker Mayfield. He has had 11 passes batted down at the line of scrimmage, six more than any quarterback in the NFL this season. He has also been sacked 11 times, tied for the eighth most in the NFL. San Francisco’s defense had seven sacks and 17 quarterback pressures on Monday night against the Rams. The 49ers are tied for second in the NFL in sacks with 15 — which is not a good omen for Mayfield. — David Newton
Bold prediction:San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa will have three sacks in his second career game against the Panthers. Bosa dominated Carolina in 2019 with three sacks and an interception. He is leading the NFL in sacks and pressures this year. What’s more, it’s Mayfield at quarterback for the Panthers this time, the same signal-caller Bosa made a point of terrorizing in 2019 with two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Another big day could be in store for Bosa here, and don’t be surprised if he brings back the “flag plant” celebration he used against Mayfield in that previous meeting. — Nick Wagoner
Stat to know: The 49ers are 0-2 and averaging 10.0 points per game on the road this season — and 2-0, 25.5 PPG at home. They haven’t lost three straight road games since 2018.
What to know for fantasy:Christian McCaffrey has set the bar so high that three straight games with more than 100 scrimmage yards isn’t enough to put him in the good graces of fantasy managers. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Carolina is 3-15 ATS in its past 18 games. Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 27, Panthers 10 Walder’s pick: 49ers 23, Panthers 14 FPI prediction: CAR, 56.2% (by an average of 1.8 points)
What to watch for: The Cardinals will have their work cut out for them passing and defending the ball. Philadelphia is allowing a league-low 4.75 yards per pass, and the Cardinals are ranked 30th in passing yards per play (5.37). Additionally, the Eagles are averaging a league-high 8.79 passing yards per play while the Cardinals are giving up 7.36, which ranks 25th in the league. — Josh Weinfuss
Bold prediction: Arizona will double its sack total on the season and take Jalen Hurts down four times. The Cards are dead last in the league with four sacks entering Week 5. They’re catching the Eagles’ normally dominant offense at the right time, with left tackle Jordan Mailata (shoulder) and right guard Isaac Seumalo (ankle) dealing with injuries. Jack Driscoll, who hasn’t started a game at left tackle since college, has been getting the work on Hurts’ blind side this week. While he acquitted himself generally well in a tough spot when Mailata went down against the Jaguars on Sunday, Arizona should have some opportunities to affect the passer. — Tim McManus
Stat to know: The Eagles are the only team to win the turnover battle in every game this season. They have an NFL-best plus-eight turnover margin.
What to know for fantasy:Marquise Brown has scored at least 12.8 fantasy points in every game this season and has at least 11 targets in three straight games. The role is great, but don’t forget DeAndre Hopkins‘ suspension has just two weeks left on it. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona is 19-9 ATS in September/October under Kliff Kingsbury (12-3 ATS in October). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Eagles 30, Cardinals 17 Walder’s pick: Eagles 23, Cardinals 20 FPI prediction: ARI, 56.4% (by an average of 1.8 points)
What to watch for:Matthew Stafford has been sacked 16 times this season, which is tied for the second most in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are tied for second in the league with 15 sacks and own the best pass rush win rate in the NFL (56.3%), according to ESPN Metrics powered by NFL Next Gen Stats. So it is possible things don’t get better for Stafford this week. — Sarah Barshop
Bold prediction:CeeDee Lamb will finish with more catches than Cooper Kupp. Through four games, Kupp has been targeted 54 times with 42 catches for 402 yards. Lamb has been targeted 42 times with 23 catches for 288 yards. The Cowboys will be the third pass defense the Rams have faced so far ranked in the top seven, and their varied pass rush will make life difficult for Stafford. With the return of Michael Gallup, Lamb will have chances to get away from Jalen Ramsey to make more plays. — Todd Archer
Stat to know: The Rams have been outscored 44-3 with an NFL-worst minus-41 point differential in the fourth quarter this season — they have outscored opponents by 17 in the first three quarters.
What to know for fantasy:Tony Pollard averaged 3.0 catches per game through two weeks, but in the past two weeks, he has a total of 2 receiving yards. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Since the start of last season, Dallas is 9-1 ATS on the road and 13-2 ATS in conference games. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Cowboys 23, Rams 20 Walder’s pick: Rams 27, Cowboys 17 FPI prediction: LA, 65.1% (by an average of 4.7 points)
What to watch for: The Ravens have lost a franchise-worst five straight home games (by a total of 12 points), dating back to last season. This is the second-longest current home losing streak in the NFL behind the Cardinals, who have dropped seven in a row at home. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has excelled in his past eight road games, going 6-2 with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. Thus, breaking the streak won’t be easy for the Ravens. — Jamison Hensley
Bold prediction: Ja’Marr Chase will have more than 125 receiving yards. Baltimore’s defense has struggled, and the amount of damage opposing teams have done through the air bodes well for the Bengals and Chase, who has received extra attention from opposing teams this season. — Ben Baby
Stat to know:Joe Burrow has 12 touchdowns on passes of 20-plus yards downfield since the start of last season. He is tied with Russell Wilson for the most in the NFL in that span.
What to know for fantasy: With two games of seven-plus targets already this season, plus a TD reception in Week 4, Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst has potential. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Baltimore is 12-2-2 ATS when the line is between +3 and -3 since 2019 (Lamar Jackson’s first full season as starter). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bengals 27, Ravens 24 Walder’s pick: Ravens 30, Bengals 26 FPI prediction: CIN, 52.7% (by an average of 0.9 points)
What to watch for: The Raiders might need to score a big number in order to win. Patrick Mahomes has been as good against the Raiders as any opponent, with a 7-1 record, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Last year alone, Mahomes threw seven touchdowns with no interceptions in two games as the Chiefs scored a combined 89 points. — Adam Teicher
Bold prediction: Raiders cornerback Amik Robertson will have a takeaway against the Chiefs. Listed at 5-foot-8, 187 pounds, he stood tall against Denver last week with a 68-yard scoop-and-score TD and played tough defense against Jerry Jeudy. Meanwhile, Mahomes has thrown two interceptions, and the team has also lost two fumbles through four games. — Paul Gutierrez
Stat to know: The Chiefs have won six straight home games on Monday Night Football with the last loss coming in 2004 against the Patriots.
What to know for fantasy:Derek Carr has completed over 70% of his passes in four straight games against the Chiefs and cleared 18 fantasy points in three of those contests. See Week 5 rankings.
Betting nugget: Mahomes is 7-1 outright and 6-2 ATS against Las Vegas. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Chiefs 41, Raiders 24 Walder’s pick: Raiders 30, Chiefs 27 FPI prediction: KC, 62% (by an average of 3.7 points)
Sunday’s action kicked off early (9:30 a.m. ET) as the Minnesota Vikings took on the New Orleans Saints in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The game came down to the final seconds, when Wil Lutz‘s 61-yard field goal attempt hit off the upright and the crossbar but fell short.
The Las Vegas Raiders finally got in the win column in the later afternoon window, defeating the Denver Broncos to give coach Josh McDaniels his first victory in silver and black. The Green Bay Packers moved to 3-1 with a last-second, overtime win versus a gutty New England Patriots team playing with a third-string rookie quarterback.
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know: The Chiefs can flourish offensively in the absence of wide receiver Tyreek Hill. They just have a different area of strength. It’s no longer necessarily the wide receivers, but it’s their tight ends and running backs now. All five of their touchdowns were scored by tight ends or backs, including three touchdown passes by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has nine passing TDs this season to backs or tight ends, four more than any other quarterback.
Is there reason to worry about the defense after Week 4 performance? There isn’t. The Chiefs played complementary football, allowing just two plays of more than 20 yards. They made the Bucs go on long, time-consuming drives to get their points. The Chiefs made the game’s biggest play on defense on L’Jarius Sneed‘s sack and strip of Tom Brady in the second quarter, a play that gave Mahomes and the offense good field position to score the touchdown that gave them a 28-10 lead. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Raiders (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: The Bucs’ offensive struggles were magnified against one of the league’s most potent offenses, and the defense’s inability to stop it. They started off in a 21-3 hole in the second quarter, and then 38-17 in the third. Turnovers didn’t help. The Chiefs scored 14 points off two fumbles in the first half — the first from rookie Rachaad White on the opening kickoff and the second on sack of quarterback Tom Brady. They started to find their rhythm with two touchdowns from receiver Mike Evans, who returned from after a one-game suspension. But it wasn’t enough.
Is a 2-2 start a bad omen for the Bucs? No. Let’s put things into perspective. The Bucs are 2-2 through the first four games of the regular season against teams that finished a combined 46-22 last year. This is the seventh time that Brady is 2-2 (2003, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018) with four of those seasons (2003, 2014, 2017, 2018) culminating in a trip to the Super Bowl. This was supposed to be the hardest part of the Bucs’ schedule, though. Their remaining opponents are a combined 18-24 — and they play division rivals Carolina (1-3) and Atlanta (2-2) twice. — Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: Don’t give Aaron Rodgers more than one chance to win it in overtime. As ugly as the end of regulation and the first drive of overtime were, Rodgers wasn’t going to come up empty on a second possession in overtime. And he trusted his wide receivers to do it. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb caught passes for first downs, and rookie Romeo Doubs added a couple of big catches to set up Mason Crosby‘s 31-yard game-winning field goal. It saved Rodgers and the Packers the indignity of losing to third-string rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. Regardless of how difficult it looked, the Packers now have a legitimate chance to turn 3-1 into 6-1 heading to Buffalo in Week 8 given that they have the Giants, Jets and Commanders up next.
Is Rodgers still the Packers’ best player?Rashan Gary is making an argument against that. With two sacks on Sunday against the Patriots, he has five through four games. Gary became the first Packers player to record a sack in each of the first four games of a season since Cullen Jenkins in 2010. Previously, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila did it in 2001, when he had nine sacks in the first four games. Gary’s second sack on Sunday was a strip sack in which he also recovered the fumble, and he later set up Jarran Reed for a sack by forcing Zappe to step up in the pocket. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 9:30am p.m. ET)
Patriots
What to know: Valiant effort. The Patriots had no business being in the game against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers — as they were down to their third-string quarterback after two series in a challenging road environment — but played with great heart and effort. There are no moral victories in the NFL, but it’s hard to knock the Patriots for taking Green Bay deep into overtime before falling.
Did Bailey Zappe just play himself into the top backup QB spot? The fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky proved the moment wasn’t too big for him, coming on for veteran Brian Hoyer on the third offensive series of the game after Hoyer was knocked out of the game with a head injury. Zappe finished 10-of-15 passing for 99 yards and one touchdown, showing poise in a tough spot. He was sacked three times, losing a fumble on one. Clearly, the Patriots had to scale down their offense with Zappe, but he was poised and did enough to keep the team in the contest. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Raiders
What to know: Raiders coach Josh McDaniels can exhale. Finally. Having lost 15 of his past 20 games as a head coach, dating to his terrible tenure with the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010, McDaniels got his first win with the Raiders in Game 4. Yeah, against the team that fired him more than a decade ago. Irony, right? Sure, it’s one win, but at 1-3 and with another key AFC West battle up next in Kansas City, at least McDaniels and the Raiders can relax and stop worrying about getting that first W.
Do the Raiders have the rest of the AFC West right where they want them? Could be. Sure, Las Vegas is 1-3, but the Raiders just handled the Broncos, Kansas City looks vulnerable (the Chiefs play the Buccaneers Sunday night) and the Chargers, while they had a big win at woeful Houston, are a walking “M*A*S*H” unit. The Raiders go to Kansas City for a Monday night matchup next then enjoy a bye before the schedule lightens up considerably. It’s a long season, and the Raiders finally have some positive momentum. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Chiefs (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Broncos
What to know: The Broncos’ offense broke through the atmospheric barrier that was 16 points with three Russell Wilson touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). But even with the comeback attempt on Sunday, they won’t really be back in the playoff conversation until they can do some damage in AFC West away games. The Raiders’ win over the Broncos is just another in a growing pile of losses to the Raiders and Chiefs that have contributed mightily to the Broncos being little more than parsley on the division’s plate.
OK, what’s the plan in the run game now after Javonte Williams‘ injury? So much of what an already-struggling Broncos offense does is dependent on running the ball, especially in the play-action passing game that coach Nathaniel Hackett wants to be a part of some big-play pop. Williams was taken to the locker room on a cart early in the third quarter with a right knee injury. And while Williams will receive additional tests, including an MRI on Monday, he couldn’t put any weight on the leg when he was helped to the sideline and had a towel on his head as he was driven to the locker room. Melvin Gordon III has fumbled four times in four games — the Broncos have lost two of those, including one the Raiders returned 68 yards for a touchdown on Sunday — and Mike Boone has been the Broncos’ change-of-pace option, not the hammer Williams can be. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Colts (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What to know: When the Cardinals’ offense finds its rhythm and tempo, it’s tough to beat. Kyler Murray is as dynamic of a player as there is in the NFL. Zach Ertz can do nearly anything Arizona needs. Marquise Brown is the perfect marriage of great hands and speed. But the problem this season is it takes too long for the Cardinals to find that rhythm and tempo — and even when they do, they’re too inconsistent. This was yet another week of a slow start and a fast finish. Fortunately for Arizona, the Panthers weren’t good enough to take advantage of it.
How much longer can the Cardinals survive their slow starts? Obviously, it all comes down to their opponent, but they know they can’t continue to make a habit of it. Teams like the Eagles, who come to Arizona next week, might not let the Cardinals come back. But teams such as the Seahawks and Saints might not be able to put them away. If this is the identity of this team, the Cardinals — players, coaches and fans — are in for a season of a lot of gray hairs. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: The defense continues to be good enough to win, but Baker Mayfield isn’t. It’s not all on him, but most of what happened on Sunday was on Mayfield. He had five passes batted down at the line, raising his NFL lead to 11. He had two interceptions and a lost fumble, the 10th time since he entered the league in 2018 he has had three or more turnovers in a game. No quarterback has more. Opponents know Mayfield is not good against pressure, and they continue to bring it at the highest blitz rate in the league, about 35%. Mayfield isn’t responding the way good quarterbacks do, which is why the Panthers are 1-3.
Should the Panthers consider turning to Sam Darnold? Darnold (ankle) is set to come off injured reserve this week, and while there’s a reason he lost the starting job to Mayfield in training camp, the Panthers have to at least consider getting Darnold ready to play next week against the 49ers if Mayfield struggles early. This is no longer a small sample for Mayfield. He entered the day ranked 32nd in the NFL in total QBR (18.9), and he did nothing to improve that in Week 4 with a three-turnover performance. Darnold at times last season showed potential with a healthy Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is healthy, and the defense is playing at a top-10 level, so maybe Darnold’s game management would give Carolina a chance. — David Newton
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Eagles
What to know: The Eagles can win ugly, too. With quarterback Jalen Hurts not at his best (16-for-25, 204 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT) and the weather conditions poor at Lincoln Financial Field, the defense and ground game took over. Corner James Bradberry turned the tide, intercepting Trevor Lawrence late in the third quarter with the Jags threatening down six points. The defense generated five takeaways in all, while Philadelphia’s rushing attack racked up over 200 yards and four touchdowns on a Jacksonville defense that was holding teams to a league-low 55 rushing yards per game coming in. The Eagles have proved they can win shootouts and slop-fests alike through four weeks.
Will the mounting injuries hold them back? Cornerback Darius Slay (forearm), tackle Jordan Mailata (shoulder), guard Isaac Seumalo (ankle) and linebackers Patrick Johnson (head injury) and Kyron Johnson (head) all left the game for the Eagles, who were already without corner Avonte Maddox (ankle) and running back Boston Scott (rib). Philadelphia has largely enjoyed good health to this point, but there are multiple injuries to monitor heading into next week’s game at the Cardinals. — Tim McManus
Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know: The Jaguars are an improved team under coach Doug Pederson, but they’re not good enough to overcome being careless with the football. They turned the ball over five times Sunday after committing just one turnover over their first three games. Those five takeaways resulted in 22 points for Philadelphia. That can’t happen, especially on the road against a quality opponent.
How quickly will Trevor Lawrence rebound? The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week had his worst game of the season, losing four fumbles and tossing an interception. While growing pains are still expected for the 22-year-old signal-caller, the Jags need him to play like the top-end talent he is more consistently to reach their ceiling this year. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
What to know: The Titans felt Derrick Henry was close to getting on track entering Week 4 against the Colts, and it turned out they were right. Henry gained 99 yards in the first half and scored his longest touchdown of the season in the first quarter when he scooted 19 yards on the second drive of the game. It was the fifth time in the past seven games that Henry rushed for 100 or more yards against the Colts. The Colts had allowed a league-best 2.6 yards per carry before Henry gashed them for 114 yards on 22 carries (5.2 average).
What is up with the second-half collapses? The Titans have been outscored 64-7 in the second half this season, including 7-0 on Sunday. The momentum shifted back to the Titans’ favor on Indianapolis’ last drive, when Denico Autry got a sack to force a 51-yard field goal attempt that Chase McLaughlin missed. But the fact remains: Tennessee’s offense has to find a way to produce in the second half. The Titans came out flat on their first series of the third quarter and had to punt after three plays. The Colts scored on the very next drive, bringing life to the crowd at Lucas Oil Field. Although they’re now 2-2, the Titans have to start putting teams away when the opportunity arises. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: The Colts fell to 0-2-1 in the AFC South after their third division game in four weeks, and already it looks as though they might be facing a steep climb to win their first division crown since 2014. The Colts have lost games to the Jaguars and Titans and tied the Texans. Now, they face Jacksonville and Tennessee again within the next three weeks. The Colts’ lack of consistency on either offense or defense was apparent in this game, particularly for an offense that committed three costly turnovers.
Is the Colts’ running game broken?Jonathan Taylor, the 2021 NFL rushing leader, was bottled up again in what is becoming a concerning trend for Indianapolis. Taylor finished with 42 yards on 20 carries (2.1 yards per attempt) as he was consistently hit in the backfield because of a porous offensive line. The Colts’ offense was built around its productive running game, but if Taylor can’t get going, a disproportionate amount of the burden will fall on the passing game. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Broncos (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know: The Falcons were 7-2 in one-possession games last year. One-score games are not the easiest way to live in the NFL, but with a team in transition, the Falcons are .500 with a two-game winning streak in such games in 2022. It’s still a young team, but after wins over the Seahawks and Browns with a similar style — balanced rushing and passing with aggressive defense when it matters — perhaps Atlanta’s young team is figuring things out.
Is the Atlanta Falcons‘ run game for real?Cordarrelle Patterson entered Sunday questionable with a knee injury. By the end of the game, the only question was how complete the run game is with or without him. Patterson’s backups were effective on Sunday. Rookie Tyler Allgeier ran for 84 yards. Practice squad call-up Caleb Huntley ran for 56 and converted cornerback Avery Williams had a 21-yard carry. They all offer a different type of rusher and combined for the Falcons’ second 200-yard rushing game in four contests. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: Blown coverages doomed the Browns in a Week 2 loss to the New York Jets. A key fourth-quarter miscue in coverage doomed Cleveland again Sunday. With three minutes to play, the game tied and the Falcons at their own 9, Olamide Zaccheaus dashed wide open across the middle of the field for a 42-yard gain. And a face-mask penalty on Denzel Ward put Atlanta in range for the game-winning field goal.
Can the Browns’ defense get healthy up front? With the Browns missing almost their entire defensive line, including Myles Garrett, Atlanta ran the ball at will in the fourth quarter. Garrett and pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney should be back soon. But at 2-2 and facing one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league, Cleveland’s season already could be teetering. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
What to know: The Cowboys’ defense is legitimate. For the first time since 1973, the defense has not allowed 20 points in any of their first four games. The Cowboys have allowed one touchdown in each of their games. On Sunday, they sacked Carson Wentz twice, intercepted him twice and harassed him all game long. So good was the Dallas defense that even when Washington started a drive on the Cowboys’ 30 in the fourth quarter, it got a stop with a Trevon Diggs’ pass deflection in the end zone on a fourth-down play. Playing without Dak Prescott the past three games, the defense knew it needed to carry the day. It did … again.
Why hurry up Dak Prescott’s return? This has nothing to do with Cooper Rush becoming the first Cowboys quarterback to win his first four starts and everything to do with science. Prescott had surgery on his right thumb on Sept. 12. He has not thrown more than a couple of flips here and there after getting a stitch removed on Sept. 26 (yes, a single stitch.) Will a couple of practices be enough for him to play next week versus the Los Angeles Rams? By winning these three games, the Cowboys have bought themselves time with Prescott’s return. — Todd Archer
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Commanders
What to know: Washington isn’t just off to a bad start — it’s a bad team. That’s not where the Commanders should be in coach Ron Rivera’s third season. Sunday, there were too many penalties (11 for 136 yards; including two that wiped out interceptions) and a failure to win enough one-on-one matchups. Corner William Jackson III committed three penalties; one wiped out a pick, two others combined for 65 yards. Yes, it’s still early and Washington can recover. But the Commanders haven’t yet shown that they can be a consistent team, and that’s a huge concern. The problems run deep.
What has happened to the passing attack? After scoring 28 points in Week 1 — with quarterback Carson Wentz throwing four touchdown passes — the Washington offense, and passing game in particular, has been mostly bad. It averaged 3.6 yards per pass Sunday. The Commanders still have talent at receiver, but Wentz and his protection have not helped. Washington’s line loses too many individual pass-rush matchups; Wentz gets sped up too often by the rush, and too often it leads to inaccuracy. It’s a bad combination. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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CeeDee Lamb runs a nice route into space and walks into the end zone for the Cowboys.
Bills
What to know: The Bills ended their seven-game streak stretching back to 2020 of losing one-score games thanks to a bounce-back second half on the road. After going down 17 points to the Ravens in the second quarter, quarterback Josh Allen led Buffalo on a quick scoring drive at the end of the first half and then scored on three of four possessions in the second half. The defense also played a significant role, holding the Ravens scoreless in the second half. The effort was led by safety Jordan Poyer‘s two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Can the Bills find a way to run the football consistently? Coming into the game, the Bills were worst in the league at run block win rate (62.2%) and struggled to get the running game going outside of Allen. That streak only continued against the Ravens, as Allen had a team-high 70 rushing yards, and it played a significant role in the team’s early offensive struggles. The Bills went into halftime with 34 rushing yards and finished with a combined 55 yards from their running backs on the ground. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Ravens
What to know: For the second time this season, Baltimore lost at home after leading by 17 or more points. The Ravens held a 20-3 lead late in the second quarter before watching Buffalo score 20 straight points. Baltimore became the first team in eight years to lose multiple games at home when leading by 17 or more points. In Week 2, Tua Tagovailoa threw four touchdown passes against the Ravens’ defense in the fourth quarter. This time, Lamar Jackson and the offense disappeared in the second half and couldn’t punch the ball into the end zone in the red zone. The Ravens are 2-2 and host a Bengals team that will have 10 days’ rest.
Why didn’t the Ravens kick the field goal? The Ravens went for the touchdown on fourth down from the Buffalo 2-yard line instead of kicking the go-ahead field goal. Jackson was pressured and threw an interception in the end zone, keeping the game tied at 20 with four minutes remaining. The Bills then marched down the field to kick the winning, 21-yard field goal as time expired. Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters had to be pulled away from yelling at coach John Harbaugh before the winning kick, throwing his helmet down on the sideline. This has been a frustrating start for Baltimore. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Chargers
What to know: A week after an embarrassing loss to the Jaguars, the Chargers corrected course, albeit in less-than-convincing fashion against the Texans. Equally important as the win, the Bolts appeared to escape NRG Stadium without suffering any further significant injuries. The offensive line — behind rookie left tackle Jamaree Salyer making his first career start — provided solid protection for Justin Herbert as the franchise quarterback plays through fractured rib cartilage.
Who are the Chargers? Nearly one-quarter through the season — and after several significant injuries that included losing left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season, placing edge rusher Joey Bosa on injured reserve indefinitely and playing three games without wide receiver Keenan Allen because of a hamstring injury — it remains unclear whether a Super Bowl-caliber roster on paper will materialize on the field. — Lindsey Thiry
Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Texans
What to know: The Texans trailed 27-7 at halftime, but quarterback Davis Mills ignited a comeback to bring Houston within three with eight minutes remaining. Mills and the offense started slowly, as he threw for 76 yards with an interception. But in the second half, the second-year quarterback had 170 yards and two touchdowns (and another interception). His most impressive play was when he uncorked a 58-yard bomb to wideout Nico Collins in the early moments of the fourth quarter. Mills capped that drive with an 18-yard strike to Brandin Cooks. Mills has been up and down but continues to tease promise.
Defense in a funk? After starting the first two weeks holding their opponents to 16 points per game, the Texans have allowed 57 points over the past two. They allowed 34 points and 420 yards Sunday as quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns on 27-of-39 passing (69.2%). They rarely pressured Herbert, as he was sacked only once. Coming in, the Texans’ strong point was their pass defense — as they were second in allowed quarterback completion percentage (55%) and fourth in sacks (10) — but they couldn’t bail them out this time. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jets
What to know: QB Zach Wilson overcame three quarters of rust in his 2022 debut and delivered the biggest comeback win of his career. He showed guts and poise, qualities he often didn’t show as a rookie. He made big throw after big throw, rallying the Jets to 81- and 65-yard touchdown drives to erase a 10-point deficit. He could’ve folded after two interceptions, but he made plays behind a makeshift offensive line and showed nice accuracy on downfield throws. This is what the Jets envisioned when they drafted him second overall in 2021. His surgically repaired knee was no factor; he actually showed terrific mobility. A brilliant day. — Rich Cimini
Can the Jets overcome all of their offensive line injuries? It will be a minor miracle if they can. Rookie RT Max Mitchell (knee) was the latest go down, as he was carted off in the second quarter. With Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown and George Fant already on injured reserve, the Jets are down to their fifth- and sixth-string tackles. The line was so messed up that RG Alijah Vera-Tucker started the game at left tackle — a surprise move. Brown is due to come off IR this week, but he may need a week or two to get ready. It’s a bad situation, one that is bound to impact Wilson’s progress. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Steelers
What to know: The Kenny Pickett era has begun — or has it? The rookie QB from Pitt came off the bench to provide a temporary spark for the Steelers in the third quarter, as he ran for two touchdowns and ignited a moribund offense. He threw only three incompletions — and they were all interceptions, the second-to-last one setting up the Jets’ game-winning TD. So there was some good from Pickett, but a lot of rough edges. Clearly, he ignited the offense and the crowd, but the turnovers were massive. — Rich Cimini
Pickett or Mitch Trubisky? Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a decision to make, one that will chart the course for the season. One factor to consider: The next four games are tough, as the Steelers face the Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins and Eagles. At 1-3, the Steelers can’t afford too many more losses. Tomlin has to weigh Trubisky’s experience and their upcoming opponents versus Pickett’s upside. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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Breece Hall barely gets into the end zone before losing the game for the game-wining TD.
Giants
What to know: The Giants are 3-1. Who could have predicted that? But they were again not overly impressive against the Bears on Sunday and still have questions to answer. Aside from running back Saquon Barkley (146 rushing yards) and scheming to use quarterback Daniel Jones’ legs, the Giants don’t have much offensively. Their wide receivers combined for three receptions and 25 yards. Kenny Golladay was catchless before leaving late with a knee injury. The real tests for the Giants come in the next two weeks: They face Green Bay in London in Week 5 and then host Baltimore.
Who will start at quarterback next week in London against the Packers? Jones hurt his left ankle on a third-quarter sack, but was forced back into the game when backup Tyrod Taylor was evaluated for a concussion after a fourth-quarter run. Jones was clearly compromised and did not attempt to throw a pass for the remainder of the contest. After hurting the ankle, he tried to run sprints on the sideline, but the medical team determined he should be removed from the game. Both Jones and Taylor could be in doubt for next week. Davis Webb, the No. 3 quarterback, is currently on the practice squad and was not active Sunday. It’s going to be a situation to watch this week. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bears
What to know:Michael Badgley was added to the Bears’ roster only 24 hours before he was counted on to deliver all of Chicago’s points on Sunday, going 4-for-4 on field goals in place of kicker Cairo Santos, who was ruled out for personal reasons. The kicking game was the most consistent phase in the Bears’ loss on a day when the offense showed no ability to score touchdowns and blew three opportunities when it reached the red zone. Justin Fields’ connection with receiver Darnell Mooney (four catches, 94 yards) was the best it has looked all season, and there were moments when the second-year quarterback looked more comfortable throwing the ball. But Fields still took five sacks and completed just 11 of 20 passes. Those 11 passes were the most he has completed in a game all season.
How can the Bears get their second-half defense to show up sooner? Jones (two rushing TDs) and Barkley (146 rushing yards) ripped Chicago in half. The Bears followed up their abysmal performance against the run in Green Bay two weeks ago by allowing 262 rushing yards to the Giants. Chicago bit too many times on play-action but figured out some ways to adjust at halftime. The Bears still have not allowed a touchdown in the second half of games, and two of safety Eddie Jackson’s three interceptions have also come after the half. Can they learn how to play this way from the start against Minnesota next Sunday? — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know:Geno Smith is playing like an above-average starting quarterback — and the Seahawks have needed every bit of that, considering how badly their defense is struggling. Both trends continued Sunday. Smith threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another. He entered the day leading the NFL in completion percentage by a wide margin and connected on 23 of 30 attempts for 320 yards in what has become a typically efficient outing. With Rashaad Penny and the run game coming alive in a big way, the Seahawks hung 555 yards of total offense — the fifth most in franchise history — on the Lions. But instead of winning in a runaway, they needed a second long Penny TD run and a recovered onside kick to close it out thanks to a defense that is still allowing way too many big plays.
Can the Seahawks turn their defense around again? They did it the past two years, recovering from brutal starts on that side of the ball. They’re going to have to do it again if they want to make anything of this season. They’ll need to do it without safety Jamal Adams, who’s out with a quad tendon injury. And they need to do it in a hurry because Smith — or any other NFL quarterback — can’t be counted on to carry this much of the load every week. Sunday’s game was supposed to represent a break for the Seahawks’ defense, with the Lions missing three offensive playmakers in D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St. Brown and DJ Chark. Instead, it was arguably their worst outing of the season with more missed tackles, blown coverages, costly penalties and losses in one-on-one matchups. — Brady Henderson
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Lions
What to know: Although the Lions have fallen to 1-3 after another one-score loss, running back Jamaal Williams has proved to be a reliable option. Without his backfield mate D’Andre Swift (ankle/shoulder), Williams scored two rushing touchdowns again — including a 51-yard score — en route to 108 yards on 19 carries. He set a team record, becoming the first Lions player with six rushing touchdowns through the first four weeks of a season, and credits the early production to his daily routine of taking care of his body.
Should T.J. Hockenson continue to be more involved when the starters return? Through Week 3, Hockenson had just 82 receiving yards and a touchdown. Against Seattle, without wide receivers DJ Chark (ankle) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle), Hockenson had a season-high eight catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns along with a 2-point conversion. With so much talent on offense, quarterback Jared Goff has targeted other options more often but should consider getting Hockenson more involved moving forward through creative playcalls from offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Vikings
What to know: The Vikings are 3-1 even though their offense and defense, overhauled in the transition to new coach Kevin O’Connell, are very much works in progress. Sunday’s game in London was won by their special teams — place-kicker Greg Joseph kicked five field goals, including what proved to be the game winner from 47 yards out — and was sealed only when Saints place-kicker Will Lutz hit the upright and crossbar from 61 yards away. Meanwhile, the offense has been disjointed and has struggled to get snaps off before the play clock. And the defense has given up huge chunks of yards at inopportune times.
Is quarterback Kirk Cousins going to be able to sharpen up in this offense? Cousins had a decent line Sunday, completing 25 of 38 passes for 273 yards, and made the key pass in the game to set up the game-winning field goal. But he missed receiver Justin Jefferson open twice in the end zone and has looked uncomfortable in the pocket in this new scheme. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: Even a quarterback change couldn’t save the Saints, as their problems followed them to London. The Saints struggled on special teams coverage and fumbled a punt, and quarterback Andy Dalton had a strip sack at the end of the first half, giving the Vikings a short field in a close game. The Saints have some persistent issues that have followed them throughout the season and prevented them from winning.
What do the Saints do at quarterback going forward? Dalton certainly didn’t come in and fix the Saints’ problems, especially considering the outcome was ultimately the same for the past three games. He did get the offense moving enough to consider what the Saints might do while Jameis Winston heals from his back issue that he’s dealt with for the past month. If Winston is healthy enough to play next week, do the Saints play Winston when he’s not 100 percent or try to move on with Dalton going forward? — Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Thursday
Bengals
What to know: Cincinnati’s biggest strength currently is its defense. The Bengals were outgained by Miami but were bolstered by two interceptions from safety Vonn Bell. Cincinnati is allowing the second-fewest touchdowns per drive. The unit that carried the Bengals through the 2021 postseason is good enough to do it again in this season.
Chase had four catches for 81 yards, but teams are defending Chase to not let him rack up big games against them. Miami constantly rolled a safety to Chase’s side of the field and forced Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow to find other receiving targets. That’s why Tee Higgins had a massive performance — seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What to know: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken to the hospital after a scary hit rendered him concussed. It was the second straight game that Tagovailoa’s head hit the ground hard and sparked an NFL Players Association-initiated investigation into whether proper protocols were followed — as well as an amendment to the protocols themselves. The Dolphins’ defense played well, all things considered, but it was difficult for anyone to focus on anything else after watching Tagovailoa leave the field on a stretcher. There is no timetable for his return, per head coach Mike McDaniel, which from a football perspective, hangs a dark cloud over what had otherwise been an exciting start to the season.
Can this team stay hot with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback?
We saw the good and the bad from Bridgewater in his two quarters of work Thursday. He hit Tyreek Hill on a pass that traveled 64.1 air yards, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but he also threw a back-breaking interception on what could have been the Dolphins’ go-ahead drive. He’s a veteran who has been in situations like these before and won’t panic when the lights come on. Miami has an easy schedule over its next seven games, playing just two playoff teams from a season ago. And with a defense that’s playing better than the stats suggest, Bridgewater can theoretically keep the Dolphins in the playoff hunt while they exercise patience with Tagovailoa. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Thursday night’s game between the Bengals (2-2) and Dolphins wasn’t pretty, but Cincinnati was able to gut out a victory in the end.
Cincinnati won’t be complaining about how it got the win, however. The Bengals opened the season with back-to-back losses. As in Week 4 last season, Cincinnati ended up with a tough game on its hands, at home, on “Thursday Night Football.” And like last year, the Bengals did just enough to pull out a much-needed win.
Describe the game in two words: Prime-time malaise. On a showcase night for the Bengals, Cincinnati was a bit sluggish but was still in the mix to pull out another win on “Thursday Night Football.”
Sell a breakout performance: Bengals running back Joe Mixon looked good early on the team’s opening drive when he picked up steady chunks of yards and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. But over the course of the game, Mixon’s production trailed off. It took 17 carries for Mixon to hit 50 yards, which isn’t the efficiency Cincinnati’s coaching staff wants for its rushing attack. In the fourth quarter, Mixon was stuffed on third-and-goal at Miami’s 1-yard line.
QB breakdown: Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow didn’t have one of his better showings against Miami, and the proof is in the NFL Next Gen Stats. Excluding throws behind the line of scrimmage, Burrow completed his first 10 passes of 10 or fewer air yards. On intermediate throws between 10 and 19 air yards, however, he missed on his first five attempts. Burrow was able to overcome any struggles with some deep passes that moved the offense, including a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Troubling trend: Well, let’s talk about the offense again. For the third time in four games, things didn’t look great for Cincinnati. Fans inside Paycor Stadium booed the offense on a couple of different occasions. There were a couple of bright spots, but the lethargic showing for the first three quarters will be disconcerting for those hoping the Week 3 win against the New York Jets meant the offense was turning the corner. — Ben Baby
Underrated statistic to know: The Bengals scored an opening-drive touchdown for the second straight week. They had two opening-drive TDs all of last season.
Next game: at Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, Oct. 9)
The Dolphins (3-1) lost to the Bengals in their first prime-time game of the season, losing their title as the AFC’s last unbeaten team in the process.
But none of that felt particularly important.
Not on a night when Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was immobilized and taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering head and neck injuries that sent him to the hospital. It marked the second straight week Tagovailoa was forced out of a game after hitting his head on the ground, although he was designated with a back injury last week.
The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious and had movement in his extremities at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. According to a report from the broadcast, he was expected to be released and travel back to Miami with the team.
QB breakdown: While preparing for the possibility of Tagovailoa not being available for Thursday’s game, coach Mike McDaniel said situations like these are why you sign a veteran like Teddy Bridgewater in the first place. At this stage of his career, Bridgewater is more of a game manager than someone who will go out and drive an offense. His highlight was a 64-yard pass to Tyreek Hill that put Miami deep in the red zone. He also threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter.
Breakout performance: Raheem Mostert took a commanding grasp on the Dolphins’ backfield with 69 rushing yards on 15 carries. He has looked like the team’s best back for the past three weeks and was rewarded with the primary share of the workload, out-touching Chase Edmonds, who had five carries for 6 yards and two catches for 14 yards. Edmonds also dropped an early touchdown, strengthening Mostert’s claim to the lead-back role. Expect him to lead the way moving forward until he no longer has the hot hand. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Underrated statistic to know: With a 64-yard reception in the third quarter, Tyreek Hill already has as many 60-yard receptions this season (2) as he did over the past two seasons (one in 2020, one in 2021).
CINCINNATI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals and was stretchered from the field.
The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation. The Dolphins said after their 27-15 loss to the Bengals that Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital and fly home with the team.
Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Josh Tupou with about six minutes left in the first half. He was spun around and thrown to the turf. While on the ground, his hands froze in front of his face. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being loaded on a backboard, stabilized and strapped to a stretcher after his facemask was removed.
Dolphins players gathered around as Tagovailoa was rolled off the field and the crowd chanted “Tua! Tua!”
Reaction came swiftly from around the NFL. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Russell Wilson promptly tweeted with concern for Tagovailoa’s well-being.
“Praying for you Tua,” Wilson wrote.
The 24-year-old Tagovailoa was suffering from a sore back and was listed as questionable for most of the week ahead of the game.
Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday’s 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills after appearing to be disoriented by what the team originally said was a head injury after taking a hard hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano late in the first half. He missed just three snaps and returned after halftime, a decision that prompted a joint review by the NFL and National Football League Players Association of what went into the decision to allow him to return to the game.
The team and Tagovailoa said after the game the quarterback had a back injury that caused his awkward stumble and fall after he was slammed into the turf in the second quarter. The team said Monday that Tagovailoa was not in concussion protocol.
He said he “hyper-extended” his back after getting his legs caught under someone on a quarterback sneak.
After Tagovailoa’s injury Thursday, the NFLPA tweeted: “Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.”
Some criticized the decision to play Tagovailoa so soon after his injuries in Sunday’s game.
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “That’s a serious injury . Tua shouldn’t have been out there with Sunday Thursday turn around. Sometimes players need protecting from themselves. Dolphins failed Tua.”
Before leaving Thursday’s game, Tagovailoa was 8 for 14 for 100 yards and an interception. He was replaced in the game by Teddy Bridgewater, who threw a touchdown pass to Chase Edmonds with 15 seconds left in the half.
The play of Tagovailoa, who won a national championship at Alabama, has been key for the 3-0 Dolphins. He came into the game second in the NFL with 925 passing yards.
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That was the message wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase got from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the morning of the 2021 NFL draft. During the 2019 season at LSU, Burrow and Chase formed one of college football’s most potent combinations. When Chase got the text from Burrow on draft day, it indicated a reunion in Cincinnati might be his future.
“I don’t know if that was a hint or not, but when I saw that text I said, ‘OK, I’m ready,’” Chase said after the Bengals selected him with the fifth overall pick. The move paid off handsomely for Cincinnati. Chase had a record-setting year with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase was named the NFL’s top offensive rookie. The connection between Burrow and Chase helped push the Bengals to the brink of winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl last season.
Burrow and Chase aren’t the only quarterback-receiver combinations who went from being college teammates to linking up in the NFL. They will face two of their former college rivals when Cincinnati hosts the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video).
One pick after the Bengals drafted Chase, Miami reunited Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with his former college quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They’re two of six NFL teams that have reunited quarterbacks with their college receivers, hoping to mimic the spark teammates showed before they turned pro.
So far, the results seem to be paying off for Cincinnati, Miami and teams that made similar moves across the NFL.
Stats together with LSU, 2018-19: 107 receptions, 2,093 yards, 23 TDs Stats together with Bengals, 2021-22: 100 receptions, 1,641 yards, 15 TDs
The moment Chase realized Burrow was a special quarterback didn’t happen on the field.
Ahead of the LSU Tigers’ game against the Florida Gators in October 2019, Burrow approached Chase about watching film together. Burrow pointed out all the weaknesses he saw in the opposing defensive backs as they plotted an attack for the upcoming Saturday. Chase finished with seven catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-28 win.
The two were prolific members of one of the best college teams in recent history. LSU went undefeated and won the national championship that season. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy while Chase earned the Biletnikoff as the nation’s top receiver, finishing with 1,780 yards and 20 touchdown receptions.
When Chase first arrived at LSU in 2018, the instructions from Burrow were simple but powerful.
“He was just telling me, ‘Bro, if I see one-on-one, I’m going to throw it up to you,’” Chase recalled in August ahead of his second NFL season. “That right there let me know that he believes I’m a great receiver and that I can make plays. When he told me that, it’s just my part to make the play and let him keep believing that I can do it.”
That belief didn’t waver when the pairing reunited in the pros. One year after the Bengals drafted Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, they selected Chase at No. 5. And again, it ended up being a special connection. Chase set Cincinnati’s franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season and was named the Associated Press’ Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That on-field connection was exemplified in a Week 17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs that clinched the AFC North and the Bengals’ first playoff berth since 2015.
On a pivotal third-and-27, Burrow found Chase for a 30-yard completion down the right sideline. It worked for the same reason Burrow told him when they started playing together at LSU.
“Everybody knows the meme: ‘Eff it, Ja’Marr’s down there somewhere,’” Burrow said in his postgame news conference. “I’m gonna just throw it up to him and he’s gonna make a play.” — Ben Baby
Stats together with Oklahoma, 2017-18: 77 receptions, 1,425 yards, 11 TDs Stats together with Cardinals, 2022: 23 receptions, 249 yards, 1 TD
Before they became one of college football’s most dynamic duos during the 2018 season, Murray and Brown forged their relationship behind closed doors in 2017 at the expense of one of college football’s best teams.
While both were backups for the Oklahoma Sooners that season, they joined forces on the scout team. Over the course of the season, they built a bond, a friendship and a connection on the field that they’re rekindling five years later.
The show they put on back then set the stage for 2018 and, again in, 2022.
“It was hell,” former Oklahoma cornerback Jordan Thomas said. “It was almost like I’d rather play our starting offense versus our scout team.”
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury can see the comfort that Murray has with Brown.
“The flashes are there,” Kingsbury said. “And as the season goes on, I expect it to be a pretty good combination.”
From Kingsbury’s experience, which includes college football, if a quarterback and receiver work in college, “it usually has a chance — if they’re talented enough — to continue that chemistry on the next level.”
It’s safe to say Murray and Brown are that type of talented. Both were first-round picks in 2019.
Murray and Brown remained close after college, working out together during offseasons. In fact, they were throwing together when Brown got the call he was traded to the Cardinals in April.
“Just knowing him on a personal level, just knowing the person like, who they really are, just helps you on the field because I know how he thinks, I know how he’s wired, he knows how I’m wired, and sometimes it clicks for people and sometimes it doesn’t,” Brown said.
“With me and Kyler, I think it clicked know from Day 1 and then it’s just something that we just got.”
Brown had a career-high 14 catches in just his third game with Murray for 140 yards, the second most of his career. — Josh Weinfuss
Stats together with Alabama, 2018: 7 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD Stats together with Eagles, 2021-22: 79 receptions, 1,165 yards, 6 TDs
Hurts and Smith are both electric on the field, but it’s their unspectacular lifestyles off of it that helped forge their initial bond.
Hurts was Smith’s host when Smith took his visit to the Alabama Crimson Tide’s campus. Asked what they did together outside of the obligatory functions, Smith said: “We didn’t do nothing. I went back to my hotel room. We didn’t hang out or nothing like that. That’s just the type of guys we are. We don’t want to be out. We just want to keep to ourselves.”
It’s all about business for both of them. When one wanted to meet up to get extra reps in, the other was always game. It became clear pretty quickly that they were like-minded when it came to their serious approach to their crafts.
“I always kind of draw towards a guy that’s willing to put the work in because I know I’m going to put the work in,” Hurts said. “I was able to build a relationship with DeVonta just because he was willing to work. We didn’t like to party much or do too much — we’d hang out with our friends and do things like that — but we were about the grind. There’s a few guys I remember being willing to do that: Minkah Fitzpatrick being one of them, DeVonta being one of them. We were able to build a great relationship just through our work ethic, and kind of tracked ourselves back here to Philly.”
Hurts and Smith were teammates at Alabama during Smith’s freshman and sophomore years (2017-18), when Smith was sharing the field with other standouts like Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III. Smith and Hurts connected for 12 receptions, 207 yards and two touchdowns during their time together in Tuscaloosa before Hurts transferred to Oklahoma.
When Smith first arrived to the Eagles practice facility in April 2021 after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the draft, Hurts was there to greet him, just like he did at Tuscaloosa. This time around they went a little wild and headed down the street to take in a Sixers game before calling it a night. — Tim McManus
Stats together with Clemson, 2018-20: 71 receptions, 811 yards, 7 TDs Stats together with Jaguars, 2022: 8 receptions, 81 yards, 0 TDs
Lawrence and Etienne have been teammates for five years, so naturally they’ve become close.
And as friends do, they share things. Memories. Maybe a few secrets. And hand towels.
It’s easier to let Etienne explain:
“So he wears his towel in the front and I wear my towel in the back,” he said. “After the first quarter my towel was drenched so I can’t wipe [my hands] on my towel. He keeps his towel fresh and clean because he’s got to keep his hands dry. So he’s right here. So I just use his.”
That started when Lawrence arrived at Clemson in 2018 (Etienne got there in 2017). At any moment during a game or a practice Etienne could reach over during the huddle and clean his hands on Lawrence’s towel. It has become an inside joke between the two that carried over into the NFL when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted the pair in the first round in 2021. Etienne missed his first NFL season with a a Lisfranc injury.
South Florida coach Jeff Scott, who was Clemson’s co-offensive coordinator from 2015-19, said it’s not surprising that Lawrence and Etienne got along so well there and continue to do so now because they are similar people.
“High character [and] they love football,” Scott said. “Not a lot of distractions off the field. They’re very focused and really are all about the right thing. You saw them together a lot on the field, and off the field and they always had great communication.
“It was a very kind of professional [relationship] among them even at the college level. It was just a little bit of a higher level of maturity from them than maybe most guys at that point in their college career.”
Etienne was a little more flashy, however, wearing his towel out of the back of his pants for a little style. So Lawrence had to unwittingly help keep his hands dry. “It doesn’t bother me,” Lawrence said. “I just have to switch out my towel more often than normal.” — Michael DiRocco
Stats together with Fresno State, 2012-13: 233 receptions, 3,037 yards, 39 TDs Stats together with Raiders, 2021: 17 receptions, 189 yards, 3 TDs
It was after the first four routes Carr saw Adams run at Fresno State when the quarterback made a beeline to then-Fresno State Bulldogs coach Pat Hill.
“Why are we redshirting him?” Carr asked Hill of the new guy in 2011. “What are we doing?”
Adams, Carr said, might have been a better basketball player coming out of high school, yet he was already better than any other receiver on the Bulldogs’ roster. The two became fast friends in California’s Central Valley and as their chemistry grew for Fresno State, so, too, did their success. In 2013, when Carr passed for more than 5,000 yards, Adams caught 24 of his 50 touchdown passes. Carr was drafted 36th overall by the Raiders in 2014 and Adams went 17 picks later to the Green Bay Packers.
“We were working out together for the first six years of our NFL career anyway because we lived right down the street from each other once I moved up to Danville [California],” Adams said in training camp. “So, we were probably throwing three times a week for five, six years. Had about a two-year gap when the [Raiders] moved [to Las Vegas from Oakland], but basically picked up where we left off.”
And then some. After the megatrade that landed Adams in Las Vegas in March, they showed their chemistry was real. In Week 1 of the 2022 season, their first game as NFL teammates, Carr targeted Adams 17 times and Adams had 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD.
“We both are so committed and obsessive over our craft to where … I messed something up at the end of practice, just a subtle thing, and we go back out there after,” Adams added. “I just want to feel that and do it because that’s the way we did it before. Anytime if he didn’t like a ball he threw in a period, he had me go stand in the spot that I would have been catching the ball and then he’ll fire it until he liked how he threw it, which is usually one more pass.
“But when you got two dudes that have worked together and already built up a lot of camaraderie and have a close friendship, I feel like that makes it so much easier kind of getting back and jelling the way you were before.”
Yes, their lockers are next to each other in the Raiders facility. — Paul Gutierrez
Stats together with Alabama, 2018-19: 48 receptions, 798 yards, 7 TDs Stats together with Dolphins, 2021-22: 91 receptions, 1,100 yards, 9 TDs
Tagovailoa and Waddle spent two seasons together at Alabama, winning a national championship game and losing in another.
Their connection might not have been as prolific as the other duos on this list, but that didn’t stop the Dolphins from reuniting the former college teammates .
Neither was known for being particularly vocal, but Tagovailoa said he noticed a growth in Waddle during the time between their final game at Alabama on Nov. 16, 2019, and their first with the Dolphins on Sept. 12, 2021.
“His biggest improvement is his communication,” Tagovailoa said last season. “In college, Jaylen would speak up here and there, but you really see him now. You come to the sideline after a series and he’s out there telling me, ‘Hey, this is why I’m running this route. I’m running it because of this and that, and this is where I’m expecting the ball.’ He’s telling me ‘do this.’
“And it’s not asking — it’s more so telling.”
Miami’s idea to reunite them in the NFL paid off immediately. Waddle was the team’s leading receiver last season, setting an NFL rookie record for receptions with 104 on a team-high 140 targets. And they’ve picked up where they left off, particularly during an explosive win over the Ravens in Week 2 as both players set career highs for yards and touchdowns.
They generally like to downplay their success in the NFL having much to do with their relationship at Alabama, and that’s their prerogative. But Tagovailoa trusts Waddle implicitly, and that trust goes both ways.
During their game-winning drive against the Ravens, Waddle said Tagovailoa addressed the huddle, telling his teammates “it’s either us or them right now.”
“That got me going, man,” Waddle said after the game.
Immediately after Tagovailoa’s message to the team, he and Waddle connected for the game-winning touchdown. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
