HONOLULU — A flight from Phoenix to Honolulu carrying many people traveling for the holidays encountered severe turbulence shortly before landing, sending some unrestrained people and objects flying about the cabin and seriously injuring 11 people, officials and passengers said.
In all, 36 people received medical treatment following Sunday’s turbulent Hawaiian Airlines flight for bumps, bruises, cuts and nausea, said Jim Ireland, director of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services. Twenty people were taken to hospitals, including 11 in serious condition.
“We are also very happy, and we feel fortunate that there were not any deaths or other critical injuries. And we’re also very hopeful that all will recover and make a full recovery,” Ireland said.
The full flight had nearly 300 people aboard and carried many passengers traveling to Hawaii for the holidays, like Jacie Hayata Ano, who was heading home.
“It was just rocky,” she told KHON-TV. “And then, it quickly just escalated to the point where we’re shaking so much that we were pretty much like floating off of our chairs.”
Hawaiian Airlines Chief Operating Officer Jon Snook said such turbulence is isolated and unusual, noting that the airline hadn’t experienced anything like it in recent history. Three flight attendants were among the injured, he said.
Passenger Kaylee Reyes told Hawaii News Now that her mother had just sat down when the turbulence hit and had not had a chance to buckle her safety belt.
“She flew up and hit the ceiling,” Reyes said.
Jazmin Bitanga, who was also traveling home for the holidays, said there were two drops in altitude, including one that was so strong it sent her boyfriend’s water bottle into the plane’s ceiling.
“I turned around and there was a couple of people bleeding and just bracing themselves,” she told Hawaii News Now. “Just all around me, there were people crying.”
There was some internal damage to the aircraft during the turbulence, Snook said. The fasten-seat belts sign was on at the time, though some of those injured weren’t wearing them, he said.
Thomas Vaughan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said there had been a weather advisory for thunderstorms that included Oahu and areas that would have included the flight path at the time of the turbulence.
The airline was aware of the weather forecast and the unstable air and weather conditions, but had no warning that the particular patch of air where the turbulence occurred “was in any way dangerous,” Snook said.
He didn’t know how much altitude the plane lost during the turbulence, saying that would be part of an investigation involving the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane’s flight data recorder would provide those details, he said.
The investigation would also address precisely what the passengers and crew were doing at the time, he said.
The Airbus A330-200 began its descent immediately after the turbulence, and the crew declared an emergency because of the number of injuries on board, he said. Air traffic controllers gave the flight priority to land.
The aircraft will undergo an thorough inspection and maintenance, mostly to fix components in the cabin, Snook said.
Snook said he could only speculate whether some passengers hit their heads, but that was likely based on the injuries and the damage to cabin paneling.
“If you don’t have your seat belt on, you stay where you are as the aircraft goes down, and that’s how those injuries occur,” Snook said.
The investigation will examine what other measures were taken, aside from turning on the fasten0seat belt sign, to ensure passengers were buckled in, he said.
In 2019, 37 passengers and flight crew members were injured when an Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Sydney hit intense turbulence about two hours past Hawaii. The Boeing 777-200 was diverted to Honolulu, where the injured received treatment. Thirty people were taken to hospitals and nine had serious injuries.
Over the Atlantic, a 2017 American Airlines flight from Athens hit severe turbulence along the New York coastline. Seven crew members and three passengers were injured.
Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms. But the most dangerous type is so-called clear-air turbulence. The wind-shear phenomenon can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.
Planes can sail into clear-air turbulence without warning.
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Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.
MILWAUKEE — A bald eagle shot in Wisconsin has died during surgery to treat its injuries, the Wisconsin Humane Society said Tuesday.
Authorities were seeking tips on who may have shot the adult male bird that was found injured Dec. 7 on private property about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Milwaukee. The eagle survived its initial surgery on Thursday, but went into cardiac arrest on Monday night during what the Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee called “a complex and specialized surgery to stabilize his fracture and further treat his injuries.”
The eagle was found with a broken beak, fractured humerus bone and a substantial wound to muscle and other soft tissues in its wing.
“Despite lifesaving efforts, including CPR, he was unable to be resuscitated,” the Humane Society said in announcing its death. “We are mourning the loss of this eagle alongside our community.”
Eagles and their nests are federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Monday called on the public to help provide tips of who may have shot the eagle.
DETROIT — Most small SUVs flunked the latest frontal crash tests done by the insurance industry, but oddly enough, they’re just as safe as they were before.
That’s because the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updated the test so it places more emphasis on keeping back-seat passengers safe.
Only the Ford Escape and Volvo XC40 got the top “good” rating in this year’s testing released Tuesday. The Toyota RAV4 was rated “acceptable,” while Audi’s Q3, the Nissan Rogue and the Subaru Forester were “marginal.”
The remainder, the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V and HR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass, Jeep Renegade, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross got the bottom rating of “poor.”
IIHS President David Harkey said the test is being changed because vehicle structures, air bags and seat belts have made the SUVs safer for front-seat passengers than those in the back. Now, the risk of fatal injury is 46% higher for rear-seat passengers than drivers in the front, Harkey said.
“Before we were just focused on how well the driver was protected,” Harkey said. “It’s not that the vehicle has become any less safe.”
The institute has a history of changing its widely watched tests in an effort to get automakers to make safety improvements, and Harkey says they normally respond to the changes.
While safety belts restrain back-seat passengers, they’re susceptible to head and neck injuries, and in many of the SUVs, the belts are relatively low tech and simply tighten up in a crash.
Newer belts have sensors that determine a crash is imminent and they pull a passenger into the proper seating position before a crash, slowing the passenger’s speed with the vehicle, Harkey said. After impact, they loosen a bit to prevent belts from rising off the pelvis and into the abdomen where they can cause severe internal injuries, he said.
Some automakers already have put more sophisticated belts in their back seats, something that can be done without a big model update, Harkey said. “The industry has always been good about responding to tests that we have introduced,” he said. “We expect they will do so in this case, and we expect they will be able to do so quickly.”
The institute used a crash dummy that represents a small woman or a 12-year-old child to test for injuries to rear-seat passengers, and Harkey says the dummy does a good job of showing risk to passengers of all sizes.
When the IIHS introduced the moderate overlap front crash test in 1995, most vehicles were rated poor or marginal. Automakers responded with stronger structures and air bags to make front-seat riders safer, and all 15 small SUV models used to get good ratings.
In the original moderate overlap test, a vehicle travels at 40 mph toward an aluminum barrier. About 40% of the vehicle’s width hits the barrier on the driver’s side.
Some of the SUVs tested have more sophisticated rear safety belts, but the timing has to be worked out to function better in the milliseconds before and after a crash, Harkey said. “Now they’ve got to go back and figure out are they firing at the right time?” he said.
Small SUVs are the most popular new vehicles sold in the U.S. So far this year, compact and subcompact SUVs combined account for 23.4% of all new vehicle sales, according to Edmunds.com.
DETROIT — Most small SUVs flunked the latest frontal crash tests done by the insurance industry, but oddly enough, they’re just as safe as they were before.
That’s because the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updated the test so it places more emphasis on keeping back-seat passengers safe.
Only the Ford Escape and Volvo XC40 got the top “good” rating in this year’s testing released Tuesday. The Toyota RAV4 was rated “acceptable,” while Audi’s Q3, the Nissan Rogue and the Subaru Forester were “marginal.”
The remainder, the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V and HR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass, Jeep Renegade, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross got the bottom rating of “poor.”
IIHS President David Harkey said the test is being changed because vehicle structures, air bags and seat belts have made the SUVs safer for front-seat passengers than those in the back. Now, the risk of fatal injury is 46% higher for rear-seat passengers than drivers in the front, Harkey said.
“Before we were just focused on how well the driver was protected,” Harkey said. “It’s not that the vehicle has become any less safe.”
The institute has a history of changing its widely watched tests in an effort to get automakers to make safety improvements, and Harkey says they normally respond to the changes.
While safety belts restrain back-seat passengers, they’re susceptible to head and neck injuries, and in many of the SUVs, the belts are relatively low tech and simply tighten up in a crash.
Newer belts have sensors that determine a crash is imminent and they pull a passenger into the proper seating position before a crash, slowing the passenger’s speed with the vehicle, Harkey said. After impact, they loosen a bit to prevent belts from rising off the pelvis and into the abdomen where they can cause severe internal injuries, he said.
Some automakers already have put more sophisticated belts in their back seats, something that can be done without a big model update, Harkey said. “The industry has always been good about responding to tests that we have introduced,” he said. “We expect they will do so in this case, and we expect they will be able to do so quickly.”
The institute used a crash dummy that represents a small woman or a 12-year-old child to test for injuries to rear-seat passengers, and Harkey says the dummy does a good job of showing risk to passengers of all sizes.
When the IIHS introduced the moderate overlap front crash test in 1995, most vehicles were rated poor or marginal. Automakers responded with stronger structures and air bags to make front-seat riders safer, and all 15 small SUV models used to get good ratings.
In the original moderate overlap test, a vehicle travels at 40 mph toward an aluminum barrier. About 40% of the vehicle’s width hits the barrier on the driver’s side.
Some of the SUVs tested have more sophisticated rear safety belts, but the timing has to be worked out to function better in the milliseconds before and after a crash, Harkey said. “Now they’ve got to go back and figure out are they firing at the right time?” he said.
Small SUVs are the most popular new vehicles sold in the U.S. So far this year, compact and subcompact SUVs combined account for 23.4% of all new vehicle sales, according to Edmunds.com.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Justin Herbert threw for 367 yards and a touchdown and a short-handed Chargers defense got the best of the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa as Los Angeles beat Miami 23-17 on Sunday night.
The Chargers (7-6) moved into position for the final AFC playoff berth, ahead of the New York Jets. Their hold though would be short lived if New England beats Arizona on Monday night.
“It was an incredible team win,” coach Brandon Staley said. “Defensively we answered all the challenges in the game that we had to face.
“Justin was fantastic and definitely led the way for our team. He made a lot of winning plays and really made good decisions throughout the game.”
Herbert — the sixth overall pick in 2020, one behind Tagovailoa — completed a career-high 39 passes on 51 attempts for his 21st 300-yard game. He became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 13,000 yards in his first three seasons.
“There were a lot of good things from all three phases. The defense did an incredible job,” Herbert said.
Tyreek Hill scored two touchdowns for the Dolphins, one of them on an improbable recovery of Jeff Wilson Jr.’s fumble that Hill took 57 yards to the end zone. But Tagovailoa had his worst game as an NFL starter, completing 10 of 28 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins (8-5) lost their second straight.
“They played to what they’re good at, and we just didn’t execute,” Tagovailoa said. “It was very disappointing for us to go out there as an offense and show what we showed. That’s not to our standard.”
The Chargers held Miami to 219 yards despite not having safety Derwin James, cornerback Bryce Callahan and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day because of injuries. The Dolphins came in with the league’s top-ranked pass offense.
LA’s offense was buoyed by the return of Mike Williams, who had missed four of the last five games with a high ankle sprain. Williams had six catches for 116 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown while getting both feet in bounds near the back of the end zone to extend the Chargers’ lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Austin Ekeler, who finished with 104 scrimmage yards, had a 1-yard run off left tackle with 18 seconds left in the quarter to extend the lead to 17-7.
Keenan Allen added 12 receptions for 92 yards.
Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals, including one from 29-yards that gave the Chargers a 23-14 advantage with 2:40 remaining. Dicker’s kick capped a 17-play, 79-yard drive that took 8:39 off the clock.
Hill finished with four catches for 81 yards, including a 60-yard TD in the third quarter on Tagovailoa’s best throw of the night, and became the Dolphins’ single-season leader in receiving yards. Chargers cornerback Michael Davis slipped in coverage at the LA 40, allowing Hill to make an easy catch and saunter untouched to the end zone to get Miami within 17-14.
Miami’s Jason Sanders booted a 55-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining, but Los Angeles recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
“That’s hard to take. There’s a lot of investment, and it’s not good enough,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “I thought the defense played well enough for us to win. There’s stuff we can clean up, for sure. There’s a multitude of things.”
SCOOP AND SCORE
The Dolphins had 5 net yards and one first down on their first three possessions before finally getting on the scoreboard, thanks to Hill.
On second-and-4 from the Miami 41, Wilson fumbled while tackled by Chargers safety Alohi Gilman during a 6-yard gain. There was a scramble for the loose ball until Hill picked it up, changed direction and quickly sprinted to his right and up the sideline.
Hill became the only player in the Super Bowl era to score TDs via receiving, rushing, kick return, punt return and fumble return.
RECORD BOOK
Ekeler finished with eight receptions for 59 yards. His third catch moved him past Kansas City’s Kimble Anders (369) for the most by an undrafted running back in the common draft era. Ekeler now has 375 receptions in his six-year career.
INJURIES
Dolphins: Wilson suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter. Safety Eric Rowe had a hamstring injury in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: At Buffalo next Saturday night.
Chargers: Host Tennessee next Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL
SAN ANTONIO — A former Border Patrol agent who confessed to killing four sex workers in 2018 was convicted Wednesday of capital murder, after jurors heard recordings of him telling investigators he was trying to “clean up the streets” of his South Texas hometown.
Juan David Ortiz, 39, receives an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole because prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty.
Ortiz, a Border Patrol intel supervisor at the time of his arrest, was accused of killing Melissa Ramirez, 29, Claudine Anne Luera, 42, Guiselda Alicia Cantu, 35, and Janelle Ortiz, 28. Their bodies were found along roads on the outskirts of Laredo in September 2018.
During the trial that began last week, jurors heard Ortiz’s confession during a lengthy taped interview with investigators.
Ortiz told investigators he had been a customer of most of the women, but he also expressed disdain for sex workers, referring to them as “trash” and “so dirty” and insisting he wanted to “clean up the streets.”
He said “the monster would come out” as he drove along a stretch of street in Laredo frequented by the women.
Defense attorneys said Ortiz was improperly induced to make the confession and that it should not be considered. Defense attorney Joel Perez argued that Ortiz, a Navy veteran who had been deployed to Iraq, was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, had been suffering from insomnia, nightmares and headaches, and was medicated and had been drinking that night.
Prosecutors told jurors it was a legal confession provided by an educated senior law enforcement official who was not having a mental breakdown.
Erika Pena testified that Ortiz picked her up on the evening of Sept. 14, 2018, and that she got a bad feeling when he told her he was the “next to last person” to have sex with Ramirez, whose body had been found a week earlier. She testified that he told her he was worried investigators would find his DNA on the body.
“It made me think that he was the one who might have been murdering,” Pena, 31, told the jury.
Pena escaped from his truck at a gas station after he pointed a gun at her, and she ran straight to a state trooper who was refueling his vehicle. Ortiz fled.
Authorities tracked Ortiz to a hotel parking garage in the early hours of Sept. 15, 2018, and he was arrested.
Capt. Federico Calderon of the Webb County Sheriff’s Department testified that officers who arrested Ortiz knew about the slayings of Ramirez and Luera, and while chasing him after Pena’s escape learned that a third body — later identified as Cantu’s — had been found. But Calderon said it wasn’t until Ortiz’s confession that they learned Janelle Ortiz had been slain.
Webb County Medical Examiner Corinne Stern testified that Ramirez, Luera and Janelle Ortiz were fatally shot while Cantu, who was shot in the neck, died of blunt force trauma to the head.
The bullets collected from the crime scenes came from the same gun, and matched the weapon found in Juan David Ortiz’s pickup, a ballistics expert testified.
Ortiz served in the U.S. Navy for nearly eight years, until 2009, holding a variety of medical posts and served a three-year detachment with the Marines.
BARCELONA, Spain — Two trains collided near Barcelona early Wednesday, injuring 155 people but none seriously, Spanish officials said.
Emergency services for Catalonia said that although three people were taken to medical centers none of the passengers was considered seriously hurt. No further details on the nature of the injuries were given by officials.
Officials say that the collision occurred on a train line in Montcada i Reixac, a town just north of Barcelona.
Firefighters said that no passengers were trapped.
Ester Capella, the Catalan government’s representative in Madrid, told Spanish National Radio that officials were studying the incident.
SPRINGDALE, Utah — A woman died and a man was rescued and treated for hypothermia after they were caught in extreme cold weather while hiking in Utah’s Zion National Park, officials said.
The married couple were on a permitted, 16-mile (25-kilometer) hike through the park area known as the Narrows, the National Park Service said in a statement Thursday.
The woman, 31, and the man, 33, were not identified by the park service.
The Zion National Park Search and Rescue Team responded on Wednesday morning after shuttle drivers said visitors reported an injured man and a non-responsive woman in the Narrows, the park service said.
The rescue team found the man on a trail being helped by other hikers and transported him to the Zion Emergency Operations Center for treatment. Rescuers moved further up the Narrows and found the woman near the Virgin River. They administered emergency aid but determined the woman had died, the park service said.
The couple started their trip through the Narrows on Tuesday. They stopped about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the north end of Riverside Walk, a paved trail. The man told rescuers they became “dangerously cold” overnight and experienced symptoms consistent with hypothermia, the park service said.
Early on Wednesday morning, the man sought help and the woman remained in place. Other visitors administered CPR to the woman before the rescue team arrived, the park service said.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Office of the Medical Examiner and the park service are investigating the cause of the woman’s death.
LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday rejected a claim by the widow of a former USC player who said the NCAA failed to protect him from repeated head trauma that led to his death.
Matthew Gee, a linebacker on the 1990 Rose Bowl-winning squad, endured an estimated 6,000 hits that caused permanent brain damage and led to cocaine and alcohol abuse that eventually killed him at age 49, lawyers for his widow alleged.
The NCAA said it had nothing to do with Gee’s death, which it said was a sudden cardiac arrest brought on by untreated hypertension and acute cocaine toxicity. A lawyer for the governing body of U.S. college sports said Gee suffered from many other health problems not related to , such as liver cirrhosis, that would have eventually killed him.
The verdict could have broad ramifications for college athletes who blame the NCAA for head injuries.
Hundreds of wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits have been brought by college players against the NCAA in the past decade, but Gee’s is the first one to reach a jury alleging that hits to the head led to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease known by its acronym, CTE.
Alana Gee said the college sweethearts had 20 good years of marriage before her husband’s mental health began to deteriorate and he became angry, depressed and impulsive, and began overeating and abusing drugs and alcohol.
Attorneys for Gee said CTE, which is found in athletes and military veterans who suffered repetitive brain injuries, was an indirect cause of death because head trauma has been shown to promote substance abuse.
The NCAA said the case hinged on what it knew at the time Gee played, from 1988-92, and not about CTE, which was first discovered in the brain of a deceased NFL player in 2005.
Gee never reported having a concussion and said in an application to play with the Raiders after graduating that he had never been knocked unconscious, NCAA attorney Will Stute said.
“You can’t hold the NCAA responsible for something 40 years later that nobody ever reported,” Stute said in his closing argument. “The plaintiffs want you in a time travel machine. We don’t have one … at the NCAA. It’s not fair.”
Attorneys for Gee’s family said there was no doubt that Matt Gee suffered concussions and countless sub-concussive blows.
Mike Salmon, a teammate who went on to play in the NFL, testified that Gee, who was team captain his senior year, once was so dazed from a hit that he couldn’t call the next play.
Gee was one of five linebackers on the 1989 Trojans squad who died before turning 50. All displayed signs of mental deterioration associated with head trauma.
As with teammate and NFL star Junior Seau, who killed himself in 2012, Gee’s brain was examined posthumously at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center and found to have CTE.
Jurors were not allowed to hear testimony about Gee’s deceased teammates.
Gee’s lawyers said the NCAA, which was founded in 1906 for athlete safety, had known about impacts from head injuries since the 1930s but failed to educate players, ban headfirst contact, or implement baseline testing for concussion symptoms.
Attorneys had asked jurors to award Alana Gee $55 million to compensate for her loss.
LOS ANGELES — Jay Leno underwent surgery for serious burns suffered when flames erupted as he worked on a vintage car and remains hospitalized for further treatment, the physician overseeing his care said Wednesday.
The former “Tonight Show” host was in good condition and his wife, Mavis, is with him at the Grossman Burn Center north of Los Angeles, said Peter H. Grossman, medical director of the center at West Hills Hospital.
“He is in good spirits today,” Grossman told a televised news conference. Last weekend, Leno suffered burns to his face, hands and chest that the plastic surgeon categorized as second-degree or verging on more severe.
Some of the facial wounds “are a little bit deeper and a little more concerning” because they’re showing signs of progressing to third-degree, as can happen with burns, Grossman said.
Treatment intended to keep the burns from worsening includes high-pressure oxygen therapy to stimulate healing, along with surgery in which the burn wounds are cleaned and shaved away, he said. A temporary “biological skin substitute” is placed over the area, he said.
Leno came through one surgery well and a second is planned this week, Grossman said. The comedian is up and walking, telling jokes and is a hit with the staff, even giving out cookies to young patients.
The fire occurred at the Burbank garage where Leno stores his famed collection of cars and other motor vehicles. In a statement earlier this week, Leno referred to the burns as “serious” but said he would need only “a week or two to get back on my feet.”
Grossman said he appreciated Leno’s eagerness but has cautioned him to be realistic.
“I had to tell him that he needs to step back a little bit and just realize that some of this takes time,” he said. “He’s very compliant, he understands that. I think he’s realizing that he does need to perhaps take it a little slower than he initially anticipated.”
The doctor said he expects Leno to make a full recovery but that it was too early to know if there would be “remnants” of the injury. He didn’t elaborate.
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)
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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
LOS ANGELES — A lawsuit alleging the NCAA failed to protect a former University of South California player from repeated concussions is nearing trial in a Los Angeles court, with a jury seated Thursday in what could become a landmark case.
The suit filed by Matthew Gee’s widow says the former USC linebacker died in 2018 from permanent brain damage caused by countless blows to the head he took while playing for the 1990 Rose Bowl winning team, whose roster also included future NFL star Junior Seau.
Of the hundreds of wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits brought by college players against the NCAA in the past decade, Gee’s is only the second to head toward trial and could be the first to reach a jury.
The issue of concussions in sports, and in particular, has been front and center in recent years as research has discovered more about long-term effects of repeated head trauma in problems ranging from headaches to depression and, sometimes, early onset Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.
“For years (the NCAA) has kept players like Matthew Gee and the public in the dark about an epidemic that was slowly killing college athletes,” Alana Gee’s lawsuit said. “Long after they played their last game, they are left with a series of neurological conditions that could slowly strangle their brains.”
The NCAA, the governing body of college athletics, said it wasn’t responsible for Gee’s tragic death, which it blamed on heavy drinking, drugs and other ailments.
“Mr. Gee used alcohol and drugs to cope with a traumatic childhood, to fill in the loss of identity he felt after his playing days ended, and to numb the chronic and increasing pain caused by numerous health issues,” NCAA lawyers wrote in a court filing.
A 2018 trial in Texas led to a swift settlement after several days of testimony by witnesses for the plaintiff, the widow of Greg Ploetz, who played defense for Texas in the late 1960s.
In 2016, the NCAA agreed to settle a class-action concussion lawsuit, paying $70 million to monitor the medical conditions of former college athletes, another $5 million toward medical research and payments up to $5,000 toward individual players claiming injuries.
The NFL has been hit with similar suits and eventually agreed to a settlement covering 20,000 retired players providing up to $4 million for a death involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE, a degenerative brain disease found in athletes and military veterans who suffered repetitive brain injuries.
Lawyers said they expected NFL payouts to top $1.4 billion over 65 years for six qualifying conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Gee, 49, was one of five linebackers on the 1989 Trojans squad who died before turning 50. As with Seau, who killed himself in 2012, Gee’s brain was examined posthumously and found to have CTE.
The defense has sought to exclude any testimony about Gee’s teammates, and the NCAA said there was no medical evidence Gee suffered from concussions at USC.
Two ex-teammates, however, testified at depositions about blows they routinely took in an era when they were told to hit with their heads.
Mike Salmon, who played defense at USC and went on to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, said he distinctly recalled Gee and other linebackers being “out of it” during hard-hitting practices.
“Matt hit like a truck,” Salmon said. “I saw him quite a bit coming back to the huddle. You could tell … he wasn’t all there.”
“It was our job to make helmet-to-helmet contact in the ’80s,” Gene Fruge, a former nose-tackle testified. “There was no question about it. That was your job, to explode the man in front of you.”
The NCAA, which required schools in 2010 to have a concussion protocol, said it gave them “state-of-the-art” information about head injury risks known at the time Gee played. It said long-term effects of head injuries weren’t well understood then.
Gee’s lawsuit said the debilitating effects of concussions and other traumatic brain impacts have been known for about a century, first from studies of “punch drunk” boxers and later from findings in football and other contact sports.
“The NCAA knew of the harmful effects … on athletes for decades, they ignored these facts and failed to institute any meaningful methods of warning and/or protecting the athletes,” the lawsuit said. “For the NCAA, the continued expansion and operation of college football was simply too profitable to put at risk.”
After graduating in 1992, Gee was cut by the Los Angeles Raiders in training camp. He married Alana, his college sweetheart, and they had three children as he ran his own insurance company in Southern California. For 20 years, he lived a “relatively normal” life, the suit said.
But that began to change around 2013 when he began to lose control of his emotions, the lawsuit said. He became angry, confused and depressed. He drank heavily. He told a doctor days would go by without him being able to recall what happened.
When he died on New Year’s Eve 2018, the preliminary cause of death was listed as the combined toxic effects of alcohol and cocaine with other significant conditions of cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis and obesity.
Joseph Low, a Los Angeles lawyer for clients with traumatic brain injury who is not involved in the case, said drug and alcohol abuse can become a symptom of brain injuries as those suffering try to self-medicate, particularly as they deteriorate.
Blaming Gee’s death on substance abuse will not shield the NCAA from evidence showing he had CTE, which is not caused by drugs and alcohol, Low said.
“The whole discussion about drugs and alcohol isn’t going to get it done for them. That’s a distraction,” Low said. “It’s really a disgusting way to do character assassination. It’s what you call defense strategy 101.”
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court upheld the death sentence Wednesday for an inmate who argued her attorneys didn’t properly raise in her defense trauma she experienced, including gender dysphoria.
The court ruled 6-1 to uphold Victoria Drain’s conviction and death sentence in the 2019 beating death of Christopher Richardson, a fellow inmate in the residential treatment unit at Warren Correctional Institution in southwestern Ohio.
Drain attempted to enlist Richardson in a plot to kill an inmate Drain believed was a convicted child molester, court records show. When Richardson backed out, Drain killed him to keep him from exposing her plan, records show.
Drain killed Richardson by beating, stabbing and strangling him, according to court records.
Drain had been placed on the unit, which provides inmate psychiatric services, “due to her attempt to self-castrate because she is transgender,” Drain’s attorneys said in a court filing in March 2021.
At the time of the slaying, Drain was serving a 38-year sentence for stabbing and strangling a man to death in Hancock County in 2016.
An attorney for Drain, whose execution has not been scheduled, promised a comment later Wednesday.
In their Supreme Court filing, Drain’s attorneys presented evidence of self-harm dating to childhood because of gender dysphoria, or the distress felt when someone’s gender expression does not match their gender identity. Attorneys describe Drain as a transwoman in court documents.
Warren County prosecutors argued that Drain had “persistently rebuffed” any efforts by her attorneys to present evidence to the three-judge panel weighing her sentence that would have benefited her case. In January 2020, Drain wrote a letter explaining she didn’t want the evidence on her behalf used, prosecutors said.
Drain’s attorneys on her appeal countered that her original lawyers didn’t investigate the connection between her gender dysphoria and her mental health and acts of self-harm.
Ultimately, the Supreme Court placed more weight on Drain’s refusal to allow evidence presented on her behalf.
Justice Sharon Kennedy, writing for the majority, noted that Drain insisted, against her attorneys’ advice, on pleading no contest and made clear she didn’t want 1,900 pages gathered by her attorneys about her life presented to the court.
“Rather, the record shows Drain’s longstanding determination to plead no contest and to have the proceedings over as quickly as possible,” Kennedy wrote.
Justice Jennifer Brunner, the lone dissenting vote, said Drain’s refusal to allow evidence presented on her behalf related mainly to reluctance to present details of a dysfunctional childhood or testimony from Drain’s daughter.
There was significant other evidence available to Drain’s attorneys, Brunner said, “including evidence concerning her gender dysphoria, her mental-health issues and diagnosed disorders, her history of substance abuse, her medical history and the effect that it has had on her mental health and decision-making, and her time spent in juvenile facilities and other facilities.”
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)
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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)
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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)
The Week 6 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we got 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 6 slate, including another edition of Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen, an NFC East showdown between Philadelphia and Dallas and a rushing battle between the Giants and Ravens. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Broncos and the Chargers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: The Ravens get to face former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who went to the Giants after 10 years with the organization this offseason. “It was nothing negative, it was just time,” he said this week of the breakup. Martindale knows Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s game, and Jackson knows Martindale’s defense, having gone against it every day at practice the previous four seasons. Both are having success this season — Jackson is eighth in the NFL with a QBR of 63.6, while Martindale’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 23 points in a game. — Jordan Raanan
Bold prediction:J.K. Dobbins will produce more rushing yards than Saquon Barkley. Dobbins is coming off his most explosive game, averaging a season-best 3.25 yards after contact. The Giants have struggled against the run, giving up an average of 2.36 yards after contact (fourth-worst in the league). It could be a challenging day for Barkley against Baltimore, which has allowed just one running back to rush for more than 80 yards in a game since the start of 2021 (Dalvin Cook in Week 9 last season). — Jamison Hensley
Stat to know: Jackson has a 12-0 record as a starting QB against NFC teams in his career, per Elias Sports Bureau. That’s the second-longest inter-conference win streak to start a career since the 1970 merger.
What to know for fantasy: Barkley has more than 15 receiving yards in every game this season, not a bad trend for a player who also has at least 13 points as a rusher in four of five games this season. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Jackson is 17-7-2 ATS on the road in his career. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Ravens 24, Giants 21 Walder’s pick: Ravens 27, Giants 16 FPI prediction: BAL, 64.8% (by an average of 4.5 points)
What to watch for: The Saints are short on receivers. Seriously short. Kick returner Deonte Harty has a significant toe injury, Michael Thomas hasn’t practiced in weeks, Jarvis Landry‘s status will likely be up in the air and Chris Olave is still going through the concussion protocol. That means things might fall on the shoulders of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill for the second straight week. If Hill comes anywhere close to repeating last week’s four-touchdown performance, the Saints just might be OK. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction: Kamara goes for 125 total scrimmage yards. Baltimore had success attacking Cincinnati horizontally and picking up decent gains. With New Orleans having several offensive question marks, Kamara could be the most reliable asset for the Saints. — Ben Baby
Stat to know: The Saints are seeking their first home win against the Bengals since Jan. 2, 1994.
Doug Kezirian explains why he is taking the over in the Bengals vs. Saints matchup.
What to know for fantasy:Ja’Marr Chase has failed to score even 13 fantasy points in four straight games. He had a run of five straight games with fewer than 14 fantasy points in the middle of last season (Weeks 8-13). You take the bad with the extreme good. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Cincinnati has gone under the total in 10 straight games including playoffs, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bengals 28, Saints 21 Walder’s pick: Bengals 33, Saints 19 FPI prediction: CIN, 63.1% (by an average of 3.9 points)
What to watch for: Just fast forward to the second half of this game, because that’s where it will be decided. The Packers have scored seven or fewer points in the second half in four of their five games. The Jets have scored 61 points combined in the second half this season, third most in the AFC behind only Buffalo and Kansas City. — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: In the battle of the two-headed backfields, the Jets’ young guns (Breece Hall and Michael Carter) will outrush the Packers’ more heralded tandem (Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon). Jones-Dillon is averaging 127 yards per game, compared to 87 for Hall-Carter, but the Jets’ two runners are coming off a big game against the Dolphins. The Jets are also starting to create a run-first identity on offense. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: Should the Packers lose, they’ll be 3-3 after six games for the first time since 2012. A Jets win in that situation would mark their first 4-2 start since 2015.
Betting nugget: Under Matt LaFleur, Green Bay is 10-0 outright and ATS following a loss. Overall, Green Bay has won and covered 12 straight games following a loss, the longest streak by any team since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 27, Jets 23 Walder’s pick: Packers 21, Jets 13 FPI prediction: GB, 82.6% (by an average of 11.1 points)
What to watch for:Skylar Thompson will become the 10th rookie to make his first career start for the Dolphins since 1966. He can also become just the third rookie to win their first start, joining David Woodley and Tua Tagovailoa. They haven’t fared well as a group, however, throwing for six touchdowns against 11 interceptions; only Dan Marino and Ryan Tannehill eclipsed the 200 passing yard-mark. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Bold prediction:Dalvin Cook will have his best game of the season, rushing for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins’ run defense has actually been pretty good this season, ranking No. 7 in the NFL based on expected points added. But it has allowed seven rushing touchdowns, tied for sixth-most in the league, and Cook — a Miami native — has averaged more than 100 yards per game dating back to college when he played Florida-based teams in Florida. — Kevin Seifert
Stat to know:Kirk Cousins has 75 passing first downs this season, the third-most in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen (78). He is facing a Dolphins defense that allows 8.29 passing yards per attempt, the third-worst in the NFL.
Eric Moody gives his thoughts on how fantasy managers should approach the Dolphins’ skill positions with Skylar Thompson at QB.
What to know for fantasy: We are five weeks into the season and 47.7% of Jaylen Waddle‘s 2022 production has come in a single game (Week 2 at BAL: 40.1 fantasy points). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last six road games (0-2 ATS this season). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Vikings 21, Dolphins 20 Walder’s pick: Dolphins 23, Vikings 17 FPI prediction: MIN, 65.3% (by an average of 4.6 points)
What to watch for: The Falcons have rushed for more than 150 yards in every game but one this season no matter who the running back is. Cordarrelle Patterson, before the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve, was third in the NFL in rushing. In his place, the Falcons have used a combination of Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley and Avery Williams — all with two years or less of experience in the league. — Michael Rothstein
Bold prediction: The 49ers will have more rushing yards than the Falcons. Something has to give in a matchup featuring Atlanta’s third-ranked rushing offense against the Niners’ top-ranked rushing defense. San Francisco could be without some key defenders, which means Atlanta will have its chances to gain yards on the ground, but the Niners also boast a strong ground game of their ownand the Falcons have been middle of the road in stopping the run. Give the slight edge to the 49ers in an area that will go a long way in determining a winner. — Nick Wagoner
Stat to know: The 49ers have allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the league while the Falcons have thrown for the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL (834).
What to know for fantasy:Jeff Wilson Jr. has gone over 70 rushing yards in four straight games (season best 20.2 fantasy points last week in Carolina) and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the process. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Atlanta remains the only team undefeated ATS following its backdoor cover last week against Tampa Bay. Only two teams in the last decade have started 6-0 or better ATS (2021 Dallas, 2018 Kansas City). Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 27, Falcons 17 Walder’s pick: Falcons 20, 49ers 19 FPI prediction: SF, 52.0% (by an average of 0.7 points)
What to watch for: After finishing the 38-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills without their top three cornerbacks, the Steelers still figure to be short-handed in the secondary against the Buccaneers. While safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and Terrell Edmunds (concussion) will likely play, the status of the corners — Cam Sutton (hamstring), Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) and Levi Wallace (concussion) — is less certain. That’s bad news against a Bucs offense that averages 281.8 passing yards per game and is getting stronger as its receiving corps gets healthier. — Brooke Pryor
Bold prediction:Tom Brady will throw for more than 350 passing yards for a third consecutive game, tying 2011 and 2013 for the longest streak in his career. The Steelers have surrendered 11 passing touchdowns so far this season — tied for third most in the NFL. They’ve also allowed five wide receivers to eclipse the 100-yard mark, including 171 yards from Gabe Davis last week. Pro Bowl wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should benefit. — Jenna Laine
play
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Kimberley Martin explains why Mike Tomlin should be facing criticism for the Steelers’ poor record.
Stat to know:Leonard Fournette has back-to-back games with 50 receiving yards and a touchdown. He could become the first Bucs RB to do it in three straight games.
What to know for fantasy:Najee Harris was drafted eighth overall this summer after averaging 17.7 fantasy PPG as a rookie last season, but he has yet to hit 14 points in a single game this season. Not once! See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is in its largest home underdog role since 1989 when Pittsburgh upset Minnesota as an 8.5-point home underdog. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 30, Steelers 14 Walder’s pick: Buccaneers 27, Steelers 10 FPI prediction: TB, 82.9% (by an average of 11.3 points)
What to watch for: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett faces off against the team that drafted him. Brissett, who started two games as a rookie for the Patriots in 2016 due to Tom Brady‘s Deflategate suspension and an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, has never started against Bill Belichick or the Patriots before. — Jake Trotter
Bold prediction: The Browns, who lead the NFL in rushing yards per game behind Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and a solid offensive line, will be held below their average of 192.4 rushing yards. This is a tall task for a Patriots run defense that hit a rough patch from the second half of their Week 3 loss to the Ravens through their Week 4 loss to the Packers, but there were decisive signs of a bounce-back in a shutout win over the Lions in Week 5. — Mike Reiss
Stat to know: The Browns have allowed the third-worst yards per rush (5.32). They will be facing Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson, who ranks eighth among qualified running backs in yards per rush (5.5).
What to know for fantasy: Four times in five weeks has a New England receiver scored over 18 fantasy points … those four performances have come by three different players (Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Bill Belichick is 8-2 outright and 7-3 ATS against Cleveland. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Patriots 20, Browns 16 Walder’s pick: Browns 24, Patriots 16 FPI prediction: CLE, 73.7% (by an average of 7.3 points)
What to watch for: The Colts have inexplicably gone 3-8 versus the Jaguars in road games since 2012. But the Colts have dominated the Jaguars at home, going 8-2 in the same span. The Jaguars’ last road win in the series came in 2017, when the Colts finished 4-12 due in large part to quarterback Andrew Luck missing the season with a shoulder injury. — Stephen Holder
Bold prediction: Jaguars WR Christian Kirk will have 10-plus catches. The Jaguars’ offense has been at its best when he’s involved, and he had just three combined catches the last two games after having 18 in the first three. Gus Bradley’s defense keeps things in front of them, and there are times when a linebacker will be matched up with Kirk — a matchup Kirk exploited in the earlier meeting. He’ll do it again. — Mike DiRocco
Stat to know:Trevor Lawrence has a 2-1 record with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in his career vs. the Colts. He is 0-5 with four touchdowns and 10 interceptions vs. all other AFC South opponents.
What to know for fantasy:Travis Etienne Jr. played nine more snaps than James Robinson last week and scored a season-high 14.4 fantasy points against the Texans. He has produce at least six PPR fantasy points as a pass catcher in three of his past four games. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Indianapolis has gone under the total in 10 straight games, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Colts 26, Jaguars 24 Walder’s pick: Jaguars 30, Colts 7 FPI prediction: JAX, 59.7% (by an average of 2.9 points)
What to watch for: The Seahawks are in the midst of their third straight miserable start on defense, struggling equally against the run and the pass. They’ll get a break with Arizona’s backfield being shorthanded, but then again, Seattle got run all over last week by Taysom Hill to the tune of 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns. — Brady Henderson
Bold prediction: With the Cardinals down to just one of their top four running backs this season — Eno Benjamin — Arizona had to restock its running back room this week with guys off the street. Kyler Murray will make sure the running attack isn’t lacking, rushing for 75 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle, including breaking a long one that’ll silence the hyped-up crowd. — Josh Weinfuss
Stat to know: The Cardinals have been outscored 38-0 in the first quarter this season, the only team without points in the first quarter this season. The Seahawks have scored the second-most first-quarter points this season (41).
What to know for fantasy: For his career, Murray is averaging 36.8 rush yards and completing 69.3% of his passes against the Seahawks (more than 16 fantasy points in four of those five games). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona is 10-1 ATS on the road since the start of last season (2-1 ATS as road favorite). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Seahawks 31, Cardinals 27 Walder’s pick: Seahawks 33, Cardinals 27 FPI prediction: ARI, 63.8% (by an average of 4.2 points)
What to watch for: The Panthers and Rams have the second- and third-worst offensive EPAs in the NFL this season, respectively, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Matthew Stafford‘s seven interceptions and 21 sacks are both tied for the most in the NFL this season, and Los Angeles has scored just one touchdown in its last nine quarters. The Panthers’ defense ranks just 22nd in Football Outsiders’ pass DVOA and has three interceptions this season. — Sarah Barshop
Bold prediction: The Panthers, with only eight sacks on the season, will sack Stafford six times to keep this one closer than most expect. Stafford has been sacked 12 times the past two games, the Rams are tied for last in the NFL in sacks allowed with 21 and interim Carolina coach Steve Wilks is known for his aggressive blitz packages as a defensive coordinator. — David Newton
Stat to know:PJ Walker has a 15.1 career Total QBR, the worst of any QB with 100-plus attempts since 2020.
What to know for fantasy:Christian McCaffrey is again pacing the position in terms of percentage of team RB touches (89.9%). Saquon Barkley has been the star of 2022 (85.2%), and Jonathan Taylor (76.9% in games he has played) was the player we all debated with McCaffrey at the top overall spot. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS this season (0-3 ATS at home). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Rams 24, Panthers 10 Walder’s pick: Rams 26, Panthers 9 FPI prediction: LAR, 75.8% (by an average of 8.1 points)
What to watch for: Don’t be surprised if the game’s winner is determined by which QB runs for more yardage. Patrick Mahomes has averaged 43 rushing yards in four career games against the Bills, more than any other opponent, while Josh Allen has run for 64 per game against the Chiefs. Both have also thrown it well in this rivalry, with Mahomes having a QBR of 86.1 against the Bills and Allen, 83.5 against the Chiefs. — Adam Teicher
Bold prediction: Wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have his first 100-yard game against the Chiefs as a Buffalo Bill. In four games against the Chiefs since 2020, Diggs has averaged 49.8 receiving yards per game, but he’s averaging 101.6 yards per contest this season. The Chiefs defense will also have to deal with a now-healthy Gabe Davis coming off three receptions for 171 yards against the Steelers. Along with slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie and tight end Dawson Knox returning to the field, the success of other players will open up opportunities for Diggs against a defense that is 24th in the NFL in allowing 255.6 passing yards per game. — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know:Travis Kelce‘s seven receiving touchdowns this season are tied for the second-most by a tight end in the team’s first five games in NFL history.
What to know for fantasy: Backwards trend for Diggs? Certainly has played out that way recently, as Diggs has failed to score 15 fantasy points in five of his past seven games with an over/under of 50-plus. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Allen is 20-10-2 ATS on the road. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 31, Chiefs 27 Walder’s pick: Bills 34, Chiefs 31 FPI prediction: KC, 60.5% (by an average of 3.0 points)
What to watch for: Four of the Eagles starting offensive linemen are battling injuries, including left tackle Jordan Mailata, who plans to play but will be wearing a sleeve and a cuff around his right shoulder to limit arm mobility. The Cowboys’ pass rush ranks first in pressures (85) and second in sacks (20). When healthy, the Eagles’ O-line versus the Dallas defensive front is strength on strength. Keep an eye on how Philly holds up in the trenches. — Tim McManus
Bold prediction:Micah Parsons will record the first interception of his career but not get a sack. It’s about the only thing Parsons has not done in the first two seasons of his career. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been intercepted four times in two starts against the Cowboys, the most against any opponent. — Todd Archer
Stat to know: The Cowboys currently lead the league in pass rush win rate this season, while the Eagles rank sixth in pass block win rate.
Stephen A. Smith details why the Cowboys’ wide receivers are the key to getting a win vs. the Eagles.
What to know for fantasy:Ezekiel Elliott averaged more than 100 total yards against the Eagles last season, including his best game of the season (26.6 FP in Week 3). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget:Cooper Rush is the sixth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to begin his career 5-0 outright and ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Eagles 24, Cowboys 17 Walder’s pick: Eagles 27, Cowboys 20 FPI prediction: PHI, 75.2% (by an average of 8.0 points)
What to watch for: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has been battling a partially torn lat near his right shoulder, but Broncos coach Nathaniel Hacket said that no limitations will be placed on Wilson against the Chargers. He’s a competitor, he’s doing great. This extra little mini-bye that we’ve had has been fantastic for him and really our whole team,” Hackett said of the 10-day span between their Week 5 Thursday night game and Monday night’s Week 6 matchup. The Chargers are on a two-game win streak despite playing without top pass-catcher Keenan Allen, who has been sidelined four games because of a nagging hamstring injury. — Lindsey Thiry
Bold prediction: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been one of the most difficult starters to sack in the season’s first five weeks — he’s been sacked one or zero times in four of the Chargers’ five games this season — but the Broncos will get him three times. The Broncos defense, which has been one of the bright spots in the clunky 2-3 start, is tied for fourth in the league in sacks, and Herbert will put the ball in the air enough to give the Broncos a chance to test their rush. Herbert has only had nine games in his career when he’s been sacked at least three times, and the Chargers are 3-6 in those games. — Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: Herbert has 972 career completions and could reach completion number 1,000 against the Broncos, his 38th career start. That would make him the fastest, by QB starts, to 1,000 completions since at least 1950. Matthew Stafford currently holds that distinction at 41 starts.
What to know for fantasy: Remember all that complaining within the industry about Austin Ekeler‘s slow start? Well, through five games, he is just 5.6 points behind of where he was at during his 2021 breakout. In fact, he actually has two more touches through five games this year than last. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS this season, while Denver is 1-4 ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Broncos 23, Chargers 16 Walder’s pick: Chargers 24, Broncos 12 FPI prediction: LAC, 74.1% (by an average of 7.5 points)
NEW ORLEANS — Two people from a sunken fishing boat were fending off sharks in the Gulf of Mexico when a crew rescued them and one other person from waters off the Louisiana coastline, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard launched a search after a relative reported the three people failed to return from a fishing trip Saturday evening.
The 24-foot (7.3-meter), center-console fishing boat sank about 10 a.m. Saturday and stranded the three people without communication devices, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
The three were wearing lifejackets and one was showing signs of hypothermia when they were rescued Sunday about 25 miles (40.2 kilometers) offshore from Empire, Louisiana, a small community southeast of New Orleans. They had been in the water more than 24 hours.
The news release said a Coast Guard boat crew saw two of the people fending off sharks, and both of them had injured hands. The crew pulled them from the water, and the two were lifted onto a helicopter. The helicopter crew lifted the third boater from the water.
The two injured people were taken to University Medical Center New Orleans, where they were listed as stable. The Coast Guard did not release their names and did not specify whether the injuries were from bites, from being scraped against sharks’ sandpaper-like skin or from another cause.
“If the family member had not notified the Coast Guard, and if these three boaters were not wearing life jackets, this could’ve been a completely different outcome,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Keefe, a Coast Guard search and rescue mission coordinator in New Orleans.
The news release said Coast Guard crews in two boats, two planes and a helicopter searched about 1,250 square miles (3,237.5 square kilometers) of water, slightly larger than the size of Rhode Island.
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)
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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)
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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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0:50
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)
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
The Week 4 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we’ve got 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 4 slate, including our first London game of the season, Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson facing his old team in Philadelphia, Derrick Henry vs. Jonathan Taylor and a big Chiefs-Bucs meeting on Sunday night. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Rams and the 49ers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: The Saints could be relying heavily on wide receiver Chris Olave, who was just named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month. He has seen a large amount of targets recently and that should continue with wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry dealing with injuries. Quarterback Jameis Winston‘s back injury also continues to linger, which has contributed to offensive struggles this season. Perhaps a meeting with Minnesota is just what New Orleans needs. The Vikings have allowed 1,240 yards this season, the third most in the NFL, and at least 300 scrimmage yards in 11 consecutive games. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction: Saints CB Marshon Lattimore will hold Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson to less than 50 yards receiving. Lattimore uses the same kind of close-in, physical approach that Eagles CB Darius Slay and Lions CB Jeff Okudah have utilized to slow down Jefferson in the past two weeks. Until Jefferson proves he can beat that type of approach, opponents will continue using it. — Kevin Seifert
Stat to know: The Vikings have 13 total penalties through Week 3, second fewest in the NFL this season. But the Saints have 28 — tied for the second most.
What to know for fantasy: “Air yards” are not a fantasy stat, but they do have a way of hinting at upside. Olave leads the league in that category … by 164! See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Favorites are 18-12 against the spread (ATS) in London games. Overs and unders are split 15-15. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Vikings 23, Saints 20 Walder’s pick: Vikings 27, Saints 13 FPI prediction: NO, 51.3% (by an average of 0.4 points)
What to watch for:Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are two of the NFL’s most impactful running quarterbacks. The Bills are 12-3 (.800) when Allen runs for over 50 yards, and the Ravens are 16-1 (.941) when Jackson goes for 90 or more yards rushing. Allen and Jackson are among the favorites for NFL MVP this season because they are two of the three quarterbacks to account for over 83% of their team’s total yards (passing and rushing) through the first three games. — Jamison Hensley
Bold prediction: Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have over 125 receiving yards for the second time this season, while the team’s receiving group deals with multiple injuries. Jake Kumerow (high ankle), is not expected to play, nor is Gabe Davis (ankle) trending in a positive direction for the game against the Ravens. Allen connecting with Diggs at a high level would go a long way in the Bills coming away with a win. Baltimore has allowed a league-high 95 total completions and 353.3 passing yards per game, which should provide opportunities for the Bills’ passing offense despite the injuries. — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know: Buffalo has allowed just 173 total rushing yards, the second fewest in the NFL (Jaguars, 165) — including seven rushes for 20 yards by opposing quarterbacks.
What to know for fantasy: No team has allowed more deep completions this season than the Ravens, and Gabe Davis’ average depth of target for his career is over 14 yards. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Baltimore is 12-2-1 ATS when the line is between +3 and -3 since 2019. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 37, Ravens 30 Walder’s pick: Ravens 33, Bills 30 FPI prediction: BAL, 55.5% (by an average of 1.6 points)
What to watch for: Doug Pederson, the only Super Bowl-winning coach in Eagles history, makes his return to Philadelphia as head man of the Jags. QB Trevor Lawrence has grown leaps and bounds under him. The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week has completed 69.4% of his passes with six touchdowns to just one interception. The coach-QB tandem will face an Eagles defense that ranks sixth in pass defense (186.7 YPG) and second in sacks (12). “I have a very high opinion of Doug,” said Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. “He’s a very good playcaller. He doesn’t have a lot of tendencies. You can’t bank on certain things coming. He’s doing a good job with the quarterback playing extremely fast.” — Tim McManus
Bold prediction: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will rush for 100 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars’ defense has been very good through three games, but it hasn’t faced a mobile QB like Hurts yet (Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan and Justin Herbert with broken rib cartilage). While the pass rush has been good (21 QB hits, 7 sacks), Hurts’ ability to escape pressure will allow him to make some plays with his legs, especially if the Jaguars are in man coverage. — Mike DiRocco
Stat to know: Hurts ranks first in yards per attempt (9.35) this season, and his 13 offensive plays (12 pass, 1 rush) of 20-plus yards are tied for most in the NFL.
What to know for fantasy: The Jaguars have been a great surprise thus far, and running back James Robinson is a big reason. Coming off the Achilles injury, Robinson ranks third at the position in fantasy points this season, trailing only Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Philadelphia and Miami are the only teams to start 3-0 both outright and ATS. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Jaguars 31, Eagles 28 Walder’s pick: Eagles 27, Jaguars 21 FPI prediction: PHI, 67.3% (by an average of 5.1 points)
What to watch for: These are two of the best rushing teams in the NFL through four weeks. The Bears with the duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are second in the NFL, averaging 186.7 yards per contest. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale considers Chicago’s running game “elite.” The Giants, meanwhile, are riding Saquon Barkley. They’re fourth in the NFL, averaging 169.3 yards per game on the ground. This is expected to be the week’s lowest-scoring game with the over/under at 39.5 according to Caesars Sportsbook. — Jordan Raanan
Bold prediction: The Bears leave MetLife Stadium with three sacks — matching half of their current total through three weeks — including two from Robert Quinn. Daniel Jones was pressured 24 times by Dallas, the most pressure a Giants QB has faced since 2009. Chicago’s pass rush hasn’t been all that effective (33 pass block wins, ranked 31st in the NFL), but this is the week it finally gets home with a heavy dose of new-look pressures and blitzes typically not seen from this scheme. — Courtney Cronin
Stat to know: The Bears have attempted 45 passes this season, fewest of any team through three games since the 1982 Patriots (44). Justin Fields has been intercepted on 8.9% of his attempts this season, highest in the NFL. And his 23.0 QBR ranks 31st among the 32 qualified QBs this season (only Baker Mayfield is worse).
What to know for fantasy: Don’t call it a comeback. Barkley is touching the ball 22 times a game and is on pace for over 2,000 total yards. For most, that would be the product of a small sample size, but for Barkley, it’s just pacing himself for a repeat of his rookie season in 2018. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: New York is 6-0 ATS on short rest since 2020. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Giants 17, Bears 14 Walder’s pick: Giants 20, Bears 9 FPI prediction: NYG, 65.0% (by an average of 4.4 points)
What to watch for: The Cowboys have won seven straight NFC East games as they host the Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Cooper Rush will look to become the first Cowboys quarterback to win the first four starts of his career. While the pass game has been efficient, the run game has helped, too, with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard picking up 274 yards on 52 carries in Rush’s starts. Carson Wentz has a 4-4 record against Dallas in his career, but he is coming off a game in which he was sacked nine times. The Cowboys enter Week 3 with an NFL-best 11 sacks and have three players — Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong — with six sacks. — Todd Archer
Bold prediction: Speedy Dallas receiver Michael Gallup will make a big splash in his debut. He is returning from a torn ACL and will take advantage of a Washington defense that has yielded big plays by catching a 40-yard touchdown pass. The Commanders have allowed an NFL-high five passes of 40-plus yards and 12 plays overall of that length. They played better defensively in Week 3 vs. the Eagles, but big plays remain the issue. — John Keim
Stat to know: Washington receiver Terry McLaurin is coming off his 11th career game with 100-plus receiving yards, but he has never had one against the Cowboys.
What to know for fantasy: The Commanders have coughed up a 100-yard receiver in each of the first three weeks this season, and CeeDee Lamb was a dropped pass away from a career night against the Giants on Monday Night Football last week. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Ten of the past 13 meetings have gone over the total. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Commanders 24, Cowboys 20 Walder’s pick: Cowboys 19, Commanders 16 FPI prediction: WSH, 53.3% (by an average of 1.1 points)
What to watch for: This game, in theory, will have two of the NFL’s top three rushers — Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (No. 1, 341 yards) and Atlanta’s Cordarrelle Patterson (No. 3, 302 yards). Patterson, though, didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday, so that could take some luster out of the matchup if he can’t go. These two teams have some interesting ties, too, including both Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone and defensive coordinator Dean Pees growing up in Ohio as Browns fans. — Michael Rothstein
Bold prediction: Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts will double his career TD reception total, with two against the Browns. The Falcons, and their underrated offense, will hang around with Cleveland into the fourth quarter. — Jake Trotter
Stat to know: The Browns have scored on 14 consecutive red zone drives dating back to last season, the third-longest active streak in the NFL behind the Cowboys (24) and Titans (16).
What to know for fantasy:Amari Cooper dropped 23.1 fantasy points on the Steelers last week, giving him consecutive 20-point games for the first time since Weeks 5-6 of the 2016 season. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Both teams have gone over the total in each of their first three games. The only other team 3-0 to the over is Detroit. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Browns 31, Falcons 23 Walder’s pick: Falcons 22, Browns 17 FPI prediction: ATL, 50.1% (by an average of 0.1 points)
What to watch for: Jets QB Zach Wilson is making his season debut. The Steelers’ lack of experience against him, along with his mobility, create challenges for a defense that’s still struggling to find an identity without T.J. Watt. The Steelers have just two total sacks since Watt went out with the pectoral injury, and the run defense is again ranked near the bottom of the league after giving up 171 rushing yards to the Browns. — Brooke Pryor
Bold prediction: Rookie running back Breece Hall will record the first 100-yard rushing day of his career. After throwing a league-high 155 times in the first three games, the Jets want to be balanced with Wilson back. Michael Carter, and especially Hall, will be the beneficiary of strategic shift, as they run through the Steelers’ suspect run defense. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: The Steelers have a 33% third-down conversion rate this season, the second worst in the AFC after the Texans. They went 1-9 on third-down conversions against the Browns in the Week 3 loss — tied for the third-worst conversion rate since Mike Tomlin took over in 2007.
What to know for fantasy: New year, same problem. Last season, Najee Harris was king of volume, but his carries were only so valuable because he was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 30.6% of his totes. This season … 35%. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is 16-1 outright with extra rest since 2017 (8-7-2 ATS). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Steelers 28, Jets 17 Walder’s pick: Steelers 27, Jets 20 FPI prediction: PIT, 67.9% (by an average of 5.4 points)
What to watch for: A hobbled Lions team could limp into the Week 4 matchup after missing several key players throughout practice during the week, including running back D’Andre Swift (ankle/shoulder), tight end T.J. Hockenson (foot) and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and Josh Reynolds (ankle). Both teams are entering the contest with matching 1-2 records, trying to bounce back after close, one-score losses the previous week. An interesting matchup to watch is Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah against DK Metcalf. The Seahawks receiver recently said Okudah isn’t really “locking people down” and has a safety under helping him. — Eric Woodyard
Bold prediction: The Seahawks will hold Detroit to under 115 rushing yards. That qualifies as bold given that Seattle has allowed the second-most rushing yards per game this season, including 189 and 179 the past two weeks. They might get a break Sunday with the Lions’ Swift injured, and they could get a boost with outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Darryl Johnson playing more on early downs in place of Darrell Taylor, who has struggled against the run. — Brady Henderson
Stat to know: The Lions are scoring 31.7 PPG — the second most in the NFL — and are allowing 31.0 PPG, the most in the NFL.
What to know for fantasy: Through three weeks, both Detroit running backs rank as top-10 players at the position, but only one of them will be active this week. Jamaal Williams and his four rushing touchdowns are set to take center stage with Swift’s shoulder injury set to sideline him for at least the short term. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Detroit is 3-0 ATS this season and 14-6 ATS under Dan Campbell. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Lions 31, Seahawks 21 Walder’s pick: Lions 30, Seahawks 15 FPI prediction: DET, 65.3% (by an average of 4.5 points)
What to watch for: The Colts currently have a minus-3 turnover margin, an alarming number for a team that ranked first in this category in 2021 and second in 2020. There are two reasons: Matt Ryan has had an exceedingly rare stretch, turning the ball over six times in three games. And the defense — after finishing last season second in takeaways — has produced just three turnovers to date. Alternatively, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown just three interceptions through three games. If the Colts’ defense can somehow force turnovers — and not commit turnovers — they will have a better chance at their second win of the season. — Stephen Holder
Bold prediction: Titans running back Derrick Henry will get his first 100-yard rushing performance this season. That’s bold considering the Colts are allowing a league-low 2.6 yards per carry. Henry had a season-high 65 yards after contact last week. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing feels Henry is on the verge of breaking off a long run if “they can finish blocks, that last shove, last bit of effort to will spring him into the secondary.” — Turron Davenport
Stat to know: Ryan has been sacked 12 times, the fourth most in the NFL so far this season. That’s the second-most sacks he has taken in his team’s first three games of a season in his career (13 in 2011). That is also the second-most sacks taken by a Colts QB since the franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984 (Jim Harbaugh took 16 sacks in 1997).
What to know for fantasy: It might not be what you signed up for, but don’t panic … Jonathan Taylor has 14.8 more fantasy points through three games this season than he did during his historic 2021 campaign. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Eight straight Indianapolis games have gone under the total, including all three this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Colts 27, Titans 24 Walder’s pick: Colts 20, Titans 17 FPI prediction: IND, 60.4% (by an average of 3.0 points)
What to watch for: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL (910), but the Texans’ pass defense has been exceptional. They’ve held opposing quarterbacks’ completion percentage to 55.1%, which is the second best in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. The Texans have 10 sacks on the year, coming in at fourth best. The coverage in the secondary has been stout, as quarterbacks are completing only 44% of their passes when targeting cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. This should be interesting as the Chargers are coming off a down week, losing to the Jaguars in Week 3. –– DJ Bien-Aime
Bold prediction: The Chargers will clamp down on defense and keep the Texans out of the end zone. This is bold considering the Chargers’ defense is averaging the most points allowed in the AFC at 28 per game. But the Texans are among teams who are struggling to score, averaging 16.3 points per game. Watch for the Bolts’ defense behind Khalil Mack and Derwin James to play inspired, wanting to prove that it should not be counted out despite losing star edge rusher Joey Bosa indefinitely. — Lindsey Thiry
Stat to know: Los Angeles’ Austin Ekeler is the only running back in the NFL who is currently leading his team in both targets (22) and receptions (21).
What to know for fantasy:Dameon Pierce got 87% of the Texans’ RB carries last week in Chicago. Not a bad role to take into a matchup with the Chargers, the third-worst defense in terms of running back yards per carry since the beginning of last season. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 0-3 outright as a road favorite under coach Brandon Staley. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Chargers 31, Texans 20 Walder’s pick: Chargers 26, Texans 10 FPI prediction: LAC, 70.4% (by an average of 6.3 points)
What to watch for: Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks 31st in the NFL in completion percentage (51.9), and a big issue has been poor footwork due to a lack of full trust in his offensive line that has allowed nine sacks. He should have more confidence going up against an Arizona defense that ranks 31st in sacks with only two through three games. — David Newton
Bold prediction: With the weather playing a factor, the Cardinals will commit to the run, and James Conner will have 100 yards for the first time this season and Kyler Murray will eclipse 50 for the first time. — Josh Weinfuss
Stat to know:Christian McCaffrey has two straight games of 100-plus rush yards after going 18 games without reaching 100. He has not had three straight 100-yard rushing games since Weeks 8-10 in 2019.
What to know for fantasy: It’s hard to know what will happen in four weeks when DeAndre Hopkins returns after Week 6, but Marquise Brown is coming off a career day and is the ninth-highest-scoring fantasy receiver this season (just ahead of first-round picks Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams). See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona has won seven straight games outright as a road underdog, tied for the longest streak since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Cardinals 28, Panthers 17 Walder’s pick: Cardinals 31, Panthers 14 FPI prediction: CAR, 52.8% (by an average of 0.8 points)
What to watch for: There are some telling streaks at play: Aaron Rodgers has won five straight games against AFC opponents,; the Packers have won 14 straight regular-season home games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL; and Patriots likely starting quarterback Brian Hoyer has lost 11 consecutive starts, which is the longest streak among quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters. — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: Patriots running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson will come close to totaling 200 rushing yards between them. This will have to be the formula for New England to have a chance to pull the upset. The Packers have shown some vulnerability against the run, with the Bears totaling 180 yards on 27 carries in Week 2, and the Vikings with 126 yards on 28 carries in Week 1. But here’s a potential problem for New England: With Rodgers completing 75% of his passes in back-to-back games, the possibility of falling behind early could make the Patriots more one-dimensional than they desire. — Mike Reiss
Stat to know: The Patriots’ defense owns a 9.3% sack rate this season, which is the third best in the NFL. And Rodgers has taken eight sacks in three games this season.
What to know for fantasy:Romeo Doubs saw 23.5% of the targets last weekend in Tampa Bay, the highest rate for a Packer this season and potentially a sign of things to come for the promising rookie. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Green Bay is 17-7 ATS as a home favorite under coach Matt LaFleur, including 7-1 ATS since the start of last season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 28, Patriots 13 Walder’s pick: Packers 24, Patriots 0 FPI prediction: GB, 88.8% (by an average of 14.7 points)
What to watch for: Raiders edge rusher Chandler Jones has zero sacks through three games, and is fast becoming a target for impatient fans. Keep an eye, then, on the four-time Pro Bowler possibly getting untracked against his favorite target in Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. Jones has sacked Wilson 16.5 times in his career, the most sacks Jones has against any one QB. It’s a rivalry that dates to Jones’ days in Arizona and Wilson’s in Seattle. “He thought he could get away from me, leaving [the NFC West],” Jones said with a laugh back in March, “but I’m right here with him again. So, that’s going to be fun, getting after him a little bit.” — Paul Gutierrez
Bold prediction: Fire the confetti cannons in Denver, Broncos quarterback Wilson will have his first multiple-touchdown game with the team after having just two passing touchdowns over the first three games. And while that might not move the needle on the “bold” meter in some NFL outposts, the Broncos keep saying they’re close to something that resembles the offense they hoped to have when they exited the preseason. Plus, the Raiders have surrendered four pass plays of at least 30 yards in the first three games to go with five passing touchdowns by opposing quarterbacks. — Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: The Broncos are averaging 14.3 PPG, second worst in the NFL. Forty-three total points in the first three games are their fewest since 2006.
What to know for fantasy: The Denver passing game has yet to really hit its stride, and yet, only four receivers in the entire league have more receiving yards than Courtland Sutton. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: All three Denver games have gone under the total by over 10 points this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Broncos 26, Raiders 17 Walder’s pick: Raiders 30, Broncos 19 FPI prediction: LV, 58.3% (by an average of 2.4 points)
What to watch for: The Bucs will have wide receivers Mike Evans (suspension) and Julio Jones (knee) back this week, with wide receiver Chris Godwin (hamstring) and left tackle Donovan Smith (elbow) also possibilities. Having scored only three offensive touchdowns in three games so far this year, they need all hands on deck to keep pace with a Chiefs team averaging 29.3 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line is eager to show this wasn’t the same group from Super Bowl LV — their two sacks given up are tied for fewest in the league right now. — Jenna Laine
Bold prediction: The sixth meeting between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes will be the lowest scoring yet. The Chiefs and Bucs are struggling to score, with the Chiefs’ offense producing just 37 points in the past two games and the Bucs averaging just 17 points per game through the first three. These teams don’t look like they will combine for 39 points, the lowest output so far for a Brady-Mahomes game. It certainly won’t approach the 83 points the two generated in a 2018 game between the Chiefs and Patriots. — Adam Teicher
Stat to know: The Buccaneers are looking to avoid a fourth straight game held under 20 points. Only one Brady-led team has been held under 20 points in four straight games — the 2002 Patriots.
What to know for fantasy:Leonard Fournette got loose in Week 1 for 127 yards on 21 carries. In the two games since (Mike Evans was ejected in one and suspended for the other), he has picked up just 100 yards on 36 carries. The Bucs welcome their WR1 back this week with the hopes of reopening the lanes that were there in the Week 1 win at Dallas. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: All three Tampa Bay games have gone under the total this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 24, Chiefs 21 Walder’s pick: Chiefs 30, Buccaneers 17 FPI prediction: TB, 63.3% (by an average of 3.9 points)
What to watch for: The 49ers have had the Rams’ number in recent years, winning six straight regular-season games, but the Rams won the one that mattered most in January, advancing to the Super Bowl with a fourth-quarter surge in the NFC Championship Game. After a road loss last week in Denver, the Niners are in danger of falling two games back of the Rams in the NFC West with a loss here. To avoid that, they’ll need quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to find a groove in a hurry behind an offensive line missing star tackle Trent Williams. Garoppolo is 6-1 as a starter against Los Angeles, but his eight interceptions are the most he has thrown against any opponent. — Nick Wagoner
Bold prediction:Cooper Kupp sets a career high for receptions with 14 catches. He leads the NFL with 28 receptions, including tying his career high of 13 in Week 1 against the Bills. Kupp’s target share through three games (35%) is higher than it was during the 2021 season (32%), and that continues against the 49ers on Monday night. — Sarah Barshop
Stat to know: The Niners’ Deebo Samuel has 111 rushing yards this season, the most among players who are primarily wide receivers. He is also one of two wideouts with a rushing touchdown in 2022. The other? Kupp.
What to know for fantasy:Allen Robinson II is one of just seven players who has seen an end zone target in each of the first three weeks. His managers might be getting impatient, but converting targets like that could make up for a slow start in short order. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: San Francisco has covered all five meetings since 2020 including playoffs. Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 24, Rams 21 Walder’s pick: 49ers 23, Rams 17 FPI prediction: LAR, 60.0% (by an average of 3.0 points)
