Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs shakes hands with Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills after … [+] the game at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 16, 2022. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
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The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have met five times met since October of 2020, and the latest iteration was another epic contest.
Before the Bills ultimately bested the Chiefs 24-20 in the battle between the two AFC heavyweights, the game was tied after the first, second and third quarters.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid even noted how fast the action was — a description usually reserved for playoff games.
“It was a great battle. You love these games,” Reid said. “The guys are competitive. They know each other.”
Perhaps the most familiar players of the two rivals are the two quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
Arguably the two best players in the game, they are also the two highest paid in terms of overall contract value and length. The 27-year-old Mahomes earns $450 over 10 years while the 26-year-old Allen earns $258 million over six years.
Just as the game was evenly played, so was the quarterback play. Going into halftime both passers had mirrored each other, completing 13-of-23 attempts with one touchdown.
“He’s a great quarterback,” Mahomes said. “Physically talented, he can throw, can run. He can really do it all.”
Mahomes also displayed the myriad skills of his game, though critics will understandably point out Mahomes’ game-sealing interception. He still threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns against a defense that entered the game ranked first in points allowed and second in yards.
He produced the usual Mahomes magic when he eluded defensive linemen Greg Rousseau and DaQuan Jones before throwing across his body for a 42-yard touchdown to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
What makes the Allen-Mahomes matchup (and thus the Chiefs-Bills rivalry) so compelling is that they have formed the kind of mutual respect Peyton Manning and Tom Brady used to have for each other when their teams battled for AFC supremacy.
In fact, Allen and Mahomes joined forces against Brady and Aaron Rodgers in The Match, a 12-hole, alternate shot match play competitionat the Wynn Golf Club in Paradise, Nev. during the summer.
Mahomes spoke glowingly of Allen during the week leading up to Sunday’s game.
“He’s a great dude,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, when we’re on the football field, we are competing against each other and we want to beat each other’s teams, but I have a ton of respect for him.”
This game may not have featured the theatrics of the last Mahomes-Allen on-field meeting. In that 2021 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, the teams combined for 31 points, 296 yards and 13 first downs after the two-minute warning, but Sunday’s contest was a back-and-forth affair.
And with 1:04 left, Mahomes looked to have every chance for another epic comeback. Then after one incompletion, Mahomes tried a corner route to rookie Skky Moore.
But the Bills, who played shell coverage on the play, got pressure from edge rusher Von Miller, and then Matt Milano forced Mahomes to reset before Taron Johnson jumped the route for the key interception of Mahomes.
“He was trying to make something happen,” Andy Reid said. “Normally it does.”
Mahomes may get a chance for redemption. Just as the teams met in the playoffs last year, one could see two of the NFL’s best facing off in January of 2023.
“If we keep playing well and they play well,” Andy Reid said. “I’m sure (it could) come back around.”
Week 6 of the NFL season is upon us. The Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears got things started with a mundane, er — low-scoring affair on Thursday. Sunday promises to spice things up.
Before Sunday’s competitors take their talents to the gridiron, they’re showing out with their pregame fits.
From Joe Burrow‘s nod to his favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, and their LSU college glory — as they return to the Superdome for the first time since their national championship triumph — to Aaron Rodgers‘ neutral chic ensemble, here’s a look at some of the most fashionable Week 6 arrival choices:
Von Miller this week: “Derrick Thomas was my favorite player to ever play the game. I molded my game after him. He was the reason why I wore 58 in Denver. So every time I’m on that field and I’m warming up, I’ll look for that 58 that’s on the ring of honor …” (1/2) https://t.co/PZ3iRWzQfb
The 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
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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)
Covered Chiefs for 20 seasons for Kansas City Star
Joined ESPN in 2013
Alaina Getzenberg
Stopping either Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen in the final moments of the 2021 AFC divisional game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills didn’t seem possible. Two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks exchanged blow after blow at Arrowhead Stadium.
Led by their quarterbacks, the teams combined for 25 points in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, the second most in any game in the Super Bowl era. The game was the first in NFL history to feature both quarterbacks throwing for at least 300 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions and also running for at least 50 rushing yards. It served as a showcase for two of the NFL’s most unique and productive players at the position.
While the Chiefs would go on to another AFC Championship Game with a 42-36 victory in overtime, the dominance of the two quarterbacks and the success the offenses enjoyed will be remembered from that matchup between quarterbacks who have led the NFL in combined passing and rushing touchdowns since 2019.
“One of the biggest challenges is just ability. They have the ability to go left or right, see down the field and make throws that not many people in the league can make,” longtime New England Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said. “I think the second part of that is that they’re both mobile enough to really hurt you. We saw that when they played against each other. It wasn’t fun as a defensive player [to watch], but it was also cool to see their greatness show in the back and forth because it was those two guys making plays.”
The current MVP favorites, per Caesars Sportsbook — Allen +200 and Mahomes +450 — will meet for the fifth time Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). With the Bills and Chiefs leading the NFL in several offensive categories, the outcome of the game might again come down to which defense can make a stop.
However the game plays out Sunday, it will be a must-watch matchup between two quarterbacks who have been among the toughest for opposing defenses to solve. — Alaina Getzenberg
MAHOMES HAS COMPLETED many unconventional passes in his four-plus seasons as an NFL starting quarterback, whether they be of the no-look, sidearmed or even left-handed variety.
He added to his collection in a recent Sunday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After being chased from the pocket and scrambling behind the line of scrimmage for 39.4 yards, Mahomes did a 360 spin to avoid a defender before flipping a 2-yard touchdown pass to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
More than anything, what sets Mahomes apart is his ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and make a play when seemingly none is there.
“The NFL hasn’t seen anything like Mahomes, I promise you that,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said after the game. “You saw it today. He’s the Houdini of our era. The guy just finds ways to make plays throughout the game — big-time third downs, big-time goal-line plays, just willing our team to the end zone, willing our team to win. That’s our ultimate leader, man.”
Kelce would undoubtedly get agreement from the opposing teams Mahomes has most thrived against. One is the Las Vegas Raiders. After a sparkling come-from-behind performance in a 30-29 Chiefs win on Monday night, Mahomes is 8-1 against the Raiders with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions.
“The thing about Mahomes is obviously he’s very, very good at when things don’t go right scheme-wise, when the play breaks down, he’s obviously someone who can adapt,” Raiders defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell said. “That’s probably the hardest thing for a rusher, because when you know where a quarterback’s going to be … it makes it a lot easier to know how you’re going to rush him. But Pat Mahomes, it may be a play where he’s backing out, he’s 20 feet deep, and he’s throwing it off his back foot.
“It’s just being wary, knowing how to rush him, knowing when you can take chances, knowing when not to. Regardless of all that, we’ve got to be ready for him to run all day. Because he’s really good at that, too, when the play breaks down. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to say [he’s] unconventional. He knows he has a plan when he goes out there. I just feel he’s really good at adapting.”
Mahomes is 3-1 against the Bills, including 2-0 in the playoffs, heading into Sunday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mahomes has a QBR of 84.2 against Buffalo.
“You think you’ve got things covered up, and then he starts moving around, and it becomes backyard football, and guys are scrambling and trying to get into position to make plays,” Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “He’s just a terrific athlete who can make throws from anywhere at any angle. There really is no defense for that. You’ve just got to hold on and hope you can make some plays along the way. But he’s going to make some plays, getting out of the pocket, running for first downs, making weird throws off balance.”
Blitzing and pressuring Mahomes generally hasn’t been a good strategy for opposing defenses either. He is first since becoming a starter in 2018 in QBR when blitzed (91) and first when pressured (64).
Confusing him with coverages has been more effective. In the first half of last year’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Mahomes threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals then changed tactics, going almost exclusively with a three-player rush and dropping eight into coverage.
In the second half and overtime, Mahomes threw for 55 yards with two interceptions.
“It was forcing him to hold on to the ball a little bit, but keeping him in the pocket and not allowing him to buy extra time or the receivers to get away from coverage,” McCourty said. “I thought it was very interesting some of the 3-man rush stuff they did. It sounds good, but you still need to create some kind of pressure with it.”
In Kansas City, Kelce isn’t the only Chief to marvel at Mahomes’ play. Coach Andy Reid does, too. He said he reminds his coaches to appreciate the moment each time Mahomes makes one of his special plays.
Maybe the only one who isn’t impressed is Mahomes himself. To him, he’s just doing what he does.
“I just try to win,” Mahomes said after the Tampa Bay game. “At the end of the day that’s what I try to do. It’s not like I’m planning these things where I’m throwing sidearm or whatever it is, spinning, running around. I always say I’m a competitor, and I’m going to find whatever way I can do to make our team have success.
“Today was a spin and a little, I don’t know, a basketball shot that ended up a touchdown.” — Adam Teicher
ALLEN STARTED THE Bills’ 38-3 dismantling of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday with a bang. On the Bills’ third play, from their 2-yard line, Allen fired 38 yards downfield into a strong wind. Wide receiver Gabe Davis caught the pass mid-stride and raced into the end zone for the 98-yard score.
Allen didn’t let up from there. In a three-minute span in the second quarter, he added three more touchdown passes before finishing the first half with 348 passing yards and four TDs against one interception. He finished the game with 424 yards, completing 20 of 31 passes, while also leading the Bills in rushing with 42 yards on five carries.
“Josh Allen is a creature. He’s a beast,” Bills linebacker Von Miller said. “He can make every throw on the football field. He can run the ball. He’s big, he’s strong. The aspect that I love about him the most is his ability to get guys to play at a level that they wouldn’t normally play at. … It’s Josh Allen’s ability to make these guys feel like superheroes.”
Allen, 26, is 1-3 against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes all time, but it’s not reflective of his play overall in those games, which includes 11 passing touchdowns to two interceptions and one rushing touchdown.
After steadily improving in his first two NFL seasons, Allen has since emerged as a top quarterback in the league over the past three years. His career-best season to date came in 2020, when his completion percentage jumped from 58.8% the year prior to 69.2%. His touchdown percentage improved from 4.3% to 6.5%.
“[Allen] plays smart. He makes you make sense. He’s going to take his chances when he can, but he’s not going to force the ball,” Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs said.
Extending plays has become one of Allen’s specialties, and much of that comes from his improvement throwing outside the pocket. After throwing five touchdowns to seven interceptions and posting a 12.1 QBR on such throws in his first two seasons, Allen has been a different player from 2020 on.
Allen’s QBR on throws outside of the pocket since 2020 is 70.9, and he has thrown 22 touchdowns to just two interceptions.
“Usually when you’re playing a guy that can run, it’s look downfield, look at the rush, then run,” McCourty said of the defensive challenge. “When you play these guys who are able to be pocket passers but are also able to escape the pocket and throw or run, it presents a very tough challenge. I think how you slow them down — you have to create some confusion.”
Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich said he’s gained a lot of respect for how much Allen has grown as a player.
“I just think when you start looking at the particular skills of playing quarterback, you know, I saw it coming out like his first year, I thought he was great,” Reich said. “But I thought his accuracy needed to be improved. And I think he’s done a phenomenal job at that. I mean, he’s really turned into not just a great athlete and a great playmaker, but I think he’s turned into an accurate passer. I think he’s worked at it.”
Allen is also unique because of his size — 6-foot-5, 237 pounds — which makes him hard to bring down when the ball is in his hands, which it often is.
On the winning drive against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, Allen appeared set to take a sack for a loss of about 10 yards with linebacker Odafe Oweh closing in on him. Instead, he spun away, ran to his left and found rookie wide receiver Khalil Shakir downfield near the sideline.
“The biggest thing I think is just tackling when you get to him, because he’s such a tough tackle. He’s a D-end body type,” Ravens defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “He’s pretty much the same size as Odafe, and he’s strong and athletic, and he can make every throw on the move. So, he’s a tough opponent. I think the biggest thing is just when you get to him, you have to get him down.”
Campbell added: “I’ve seen him run over D-linemen, which is rare for a quarterback; I mean, it’s rare for anybody with the ball in their hands, but especially a quarterback. So, I have the utmost respect for him. I know, for us to stop him, we have to bring our ‘A’ game. It’s good quality football.”
One of the major recent critiques of the Bills’ offense has been that it relies too much on Allen and not enough is done to involve the running game. Allen is the Bills’ leading rusher (35 carries, 225 yards and two touchdowns), and he has accounted for 16 of the Bills’ 17 offensive touchdowns this season.
“[Allen’s] an elite passer, he’s an elite runner or creator. It’s challenging. It’s simple mathematics,” Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “They’ve got some receivers like Diggs that require attention that could mean two people, whether zone or man schematically. Anytime you’re facing a quarterback like Josh, oftentimes it means five rushers. So, do the math. When you’ve got that type of talent on the perimeter, when you’ve got that type of talent in the pocket at quarterback, it makes defense challenging.” — Getzenberg
The NFL’s competition committee plans to discuss roughing the passer penalties after the season amid outrage over two disputed calls in Week 5, a member of the committee who wishes to remain anonymous told ESPN’s Ed Werder.
The Associated Press, which reported earlier Tuesday that the topic also will be discussed next week when NFL owners meet in New York but that the league was not planning in-season rule changes, said the NFL has not given officials a directive to emphasize roughing calls following Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion.
The NFL’s competition committee — composed of six team owners/executives and four head coaches — makes most of the recommendations for rule changes. Teams can also propose rule changes, which require 24 votes to pass, to be voted on by owners.
Another committee member, who wished to remain anonymous, acknowledged to Werder that review would be helpful on roughing calls but wasn’t sure if the league would be interested in using the review process on personal fouls.
“Well, the hard part is that because we have no real standard for what roughing the passer looks like, we will always get a wide range of what a referee decides is and isn’t a foul,” the committee member told Werder. “The only way to correct that is to have a ‘review process’ for personal fouls. We may even have to do that for OPI (offensive pass interference) and DPI. These are huge fouls that impact and can change the game when the foul is or isn’t called. I don’t know if the powers that be would want that ‘review process’ for personal fouls or not, though.”
Protecting quarterbacks is a priority for owners, who pay big money to the faces of their franchises. Twenty-five QBs are making at least $25 million this season.
The questionable call against Jones — the second of its kind in two days — nearly cost Kansas City in its 30-29 comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs had just scored to trim their deficit to 17-7 when Jones stripped Raiders quarterback Derek Carr from behind just before halftime. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle landed on Carr while also coming up with the ball — replays showed it was clearly loose and that Jones cleanly recovered — but referee Carl Cheffers threw a flag for roughing the passer.
“The quarterback is in the pocket and he’s in a passing posture. He gets full protection of all the aspects of what we give the quarterback in a passing posture,” Cheffers told a pool reporter after the game. “My ruling was the defender landed on him with full body weight. The quarterback is protected from being tackled with full body weight.”
Boger made a similar critical call late in the fourth quarter of the Ravens-Bills game a week earlier on a play that many also thought didn’t warrant a flag.
Boger called another borderline roughing penalty in the Falcons-Buccaneers game when Vita Vea was pushed into Atlanta quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Roughing the passer is the only rule with which referees are instructed to err on the side of caution.
The NFL rulebook notes: “When in doubt about a roughness call or potentially dangerous tactic against the quarterback, the referee should always call roughing the passer.”
Jones, who has been flagged for roughing the passer nine times in his career, has a possible solution.
“We’ve got to be able to review it in the booth, you know what I mean?” Jones said. “I think that’s the next step for the NFL as a whole. If we’re going to call it a penalty at that high [of rate], then we’ve got to be able to review it and make sure, because sometimes looks can be deceiving.”
The league already went down that road, making pass interference reviewable for one season after an egregious missed foul late in the fourth quarter in the 2019 NFC Championship Game cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl.
The experiment failed, and the rule wasn’t considered the next year.
LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels voiced his support for wide receiver Davante Adams on Tuesday afternoon, hours after a police report was taken on Adams pushing down a man at the conclusion of the Raiders’ 30-29 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs on his way to the locker room Monday night.
And although ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Adams is facing discipline from the NFL, McDaniels said he did not yet know “what may or may not come” from the league.
“I support Davante wholeheartedly as a human being,” McDaniels said. “As a person, he’s a great guy. I know that was an unfortunate situation. We obviously don’t want any of our guys to be doing anything like that. He knows that. He’s very well aware of that. But I know the person; I don’t think there was any intent behind it, on his part.
“But whatever [the NFL] asks of us, whatever they need from us, obviously we’ll comply. But we’re kind of in a wait-and-see [situation] at this point.”
The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department released a statement Tuesday morning that elaborated on the situation. The man was a freelancer working for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
“The victim is a photographer at the Chiefs/Raiders game. At the end of the game, he was pushed to the ground causing injury. He made arrangements for private transport to the hospital for treatment at which time he called police. The injuries are preliminarily thought to be non-life threatening. The incident will be investigated by our Assault Unit detectives, upon completion they will coordinate with the applicable city or state prosecutor to determine any applicable charges.”
The report said the investigation was expected to take “longer than 1-2 days.”
At his locker after the game, Adams apologized for pushing the man down.
“I want to apologize to the guy, there was some guy running off the field, and he ran, like jumped in front of me coming off the field, and I bumped into him, kind of pushed him, and he ended up on the ground,” Adams said at the time. “So I wanted to say sorry to him for that because that was just frustration mixed with him literally just running in front of me. I shouldn’t have responded that way, but that’s how I initially responded. So, I want to apologize to him for that.”
There is no timetable for a decision from the NFL, a source told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. With the Raiders (1-4) on a bye week, the league is aware it doesn’t need to be as expeditious as normal.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Las Vegas Raiders were oh-so-close to finally getting the best of the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
Then the replay showed close wasn’t good enough.
Frantically trying to rally his team in the final minute, Derek Carr threw a pretty pass down the sideline to Davante Adams, who already had hauled in touchdown catches of 58 and 48 yards. The standout wide receiver made the grab with less than a minute to go, not only giving the Raiders a first down but putting them in field-goal range position.
But almost immediately the call went to a video review, and it clearly showed Adams bobbled the ball as he stepped on the white chalk. The ball went back to the Las Vegas side of the field, and an ensuing fourth-and-1 throw was incomplete.
Final score: Chiefs 30, Raiders 29.
It was the fourth consecutive loss to the Raiders’ nemesis, and their ninth in their last 10 meetings. They are 1-4 this season.
“It sucks, what our record is. We’ve earned that,” said Carr, who fell to 1-8 at Arrowhead Stadium. “I just keep reinforcing: We have a good team. I’ve been on some teams that aren’t as good as this one. We’re doing the right things.”
They did most of the way Monday night, too.
Josh Jacobs followed a career-best 144 yards rushing and two touchdowns in last week’s win over Denver by running for 154 and a score against the Chiefs. Adams made a mockery of almost everybody who covered him. Maxx Crosby kept harassing Patrick Mahomes, and the rest of the Raiders defense held the vastly improved Kansas City ground game in check.
Daniel Carlson was once again perfect on three field-goal tries, running his streak to 38 in a row.
It still wasn’t enough to beat Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who improved to 16-3 against the Raiders since arriving in Kansas City, or Mahomes, who is 8-1 in his career against them.
“Congratulate the Chiefs. They made a few more plays than we did,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. “I thought our team really battled, played the way we wanted to play, to get in front, play from ahead. Give Andy and his team a lot of credit. They fought back; we knew they would. We thought they would and figured it would be a four-quarter game. They were able to make one more play than we did. So, give them credit. We’ll learn a lot from this. We competed hard tonight.”
The frustration was still evident as the Raiders left the field, though. Adams roughly pushed what appeared to be a member of the camera crew to the ground as he headed up the Arrowhead Stadium tunnel to the locker room.
“He jumped in front of me coming off the field. I kind of pushed him. He ended up on the ground,” Adams said later. “I want to apologize to him for that. That was just frustration mixed with him really just running in front of me.
“I shouldn’t have responded that way, but that’s the way I responded. I want to apologize to him for that.”
The loss kept the Raiders in last place in the AFC West, a game behind Denver and well behind the Chiefs, who are aiming for their seventh consecutive division title. They have next week off before facing the Texans on Oct. 23, the start of a four-game stretch against non-division opponents that could allow them to climb back in the race.
“I thought our team battled and gave ourselves an opportunity,” McDaniels said Monday night. “We didn’t make one or two plays there at the end to finish it.”
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL
Covered Oakland Raiders for CSNBayArea.com and Sacramento Bee for eight years
Member of Pro Football Writers Association
Previously worked at Los Angeles Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sports Illustrated
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs won a much different type of game than last week, this kind of victory leaving them with the feeling that they’re never out of a game. The Chiefs came back from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders30-29. Patrick Mahomes and the offense scored at one point on five straight possessions, with four being Travis Kelce touchdown catches.
The Chiefs jumped to a big lead early last week in beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but this victory came tougher.
Kansas City Chiefs
Pivotal play: With Andy Reid and the Chiefs still irate from a roughing the passer penalty that negated a Chris Jones sack, strip and fumble recovery, the Chiefs scrambled in the final seconds of the first half to get a 59-yard field goal from Matthew Wright to gain some momentum and cut their deficit to 20-10. The kick was the longest in the histories of the Chiefs and Arrowhead Stadium.
Eye-popping Next Gen stat: Per ESPN Analytics, the Chiefs’ decision to go for 2 and make it a two-score game up 30-23 in the fourth quarter was the correct decision — but not by much. Win probability with the 2-point attempt (which failed) was 87.8%, while win probability with the extra point attempt was 87.4%.
QB breakdown:Mahomes was pressured relentlessly early in the game, the result being two punts and a missed field goal in the first three Chiefs possessions. Maxx Crosby of the Raiders had two early sacks. The Chiefs figured out a protection scheme that worked, and Mahomes led five straight scoring drives, four on TD passes to Kelce and a fourth on the long field goal by Wright. –– Adam Teicher
Underrated statistic to know:Travis Kelce‘s four receiving touchdowns are the most in a prime-time NFL game since Randy Moss of the Patriots had four on Sunday Night Football against the Bills on Nov. 18, 2007.
Next game: vs. Bills (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t ready for prime time. Not after blowing a 17-0 lead to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs 30-29,three weeks after blowing a 20-0 halftime lead to the Arizona Cardinals. There would be a learning curve, no doubt, with a new coach in Josh McDaniels bringing his offensive system to Las Vegas, which was a playoff team last season and added an All-Pro receiver in Davante Adams to a slew of former Pro Bowlers. Still, the Raiders showed grit and, in McDaniels’ case, guts in going for a 2-point conversion to take the lead with 4:27 to play. Running back Josh Jacobs was stuffed, though, and now the Raiders (1-4) limp into their bye week.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. Look, Kelce has been a Raiders killer his entire career, so it’s not like he was going to sneak up on anyone. Still, he finished with four TDs on seven catches for just 24 yards, giving him 11 career scores against the Raiders. Will the Raiders ever cover him, or is he just that good?
Bold prediction for next week: The Raiders have settled on an offensive line. The lineup of LT Kolton Miller, LG Dylan Parham, C Andre James, RG Alex Bars and RT Jermaine Eluemunor was the fifth different starting O-line for the Raiders in five games, its 10th different iteration of the season. The Raiders have been looking for the right guys in the right position and, given the way they were able to run the ball early and often, they have their lineup. Maybe.
QB breakdown: Derek Carr started hot, hitting a wide-open Adams for a 58-yard TD on a play-action call on fourth-and-1. It was Carr’s franchise-record 200th career passing score, 50 more than Hall of Famer Ken Stabler, who is second on the list. Carr completed 19 of 30 passes for 241 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. His biggest contributions, though, came on the roughing the passer penalty he incurred, as well as two deep PIs on underthrown balls to Adams.
Pivotal play: The roughing the passer penalty that was called on Chiefs DT Chris Jones in the second quarter despite Jones having taken the ball from Carr before landing on him. It seemed as though Jones should have had a strip sack/fumble recovery and Carr a tackle. Instead, the Raiders retained possession and kicked a field goal. Six straight penalty flags flew against the Raiders after the call. –– Paul Gutierrez
Underrated statistic to know: Last season, Carr was just 1-for-4 when throwing to an open/wide-open receiver 30-plus yards downfield. His first-quarter TD to Adams was his first such pass of the 2022 season, at 35 air yards with 3.3 yards of separation.
Next game: vs. Texans (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday 10/23)
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)
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — On March 18, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas received a call from Tyreek Hill‘s agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The Kansas City Chiefs had granted Rosenhaus permission to shop the star wide receiver, and now he was reaching out to see if the Jets were interested.
They were. Very.
What unfolded was a five-day pursuit that included a compensation agreement with the Chiefs, an elaborate sales pitch to Hill’s camp and a contract proposal that would’ve made Hill the highest-paid player in franchise history — by far. The Jets knew he’d be a tough get, but their hopes increased to the point where they felt it was a down-to-the-wire decision for Hill.
On March 23, Rosenhaus phoned Douglas with the news that Hill was being traded to the Miami Dolphins, the team he chose over the Jets. Douglas & Co. were disappointed. In fact, they conducted an internal postmortem, retracing their steps to see if they could have done anything differently during the process.
“Sure, we would’ve loved to have had him here, but I think things happen for a reason,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Monday.
“It was a very realistic possibility,” Rosenhaus told ESPN of a deal to the Jets.
Hill, who tops the NFL with 477 receiving yards, leads the Dolphins (3-1) into MetLife Stadium Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) for a key AFC East battle against the Jets (2-2). The Jets’ leader in receiving yardage is rookie Garrett Wilson (255), who essentially became their fallback option after failed attempts to trade for Hill and the San Francisco 49ers‘ Deebo Samuel.
How did the trade proposal come together? Here’s how it unfolded and why the Jets’ bid fell short, according to sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
BEFORE FREE AGENCY, the Jets’ personnel department compiled a list of potential cap casualties leaguewide. Hill was on that list. Heading into the final year of his contract with the Chiefs, due to count $21 million on the cap, his future in Kansas City wasn’t certain. So the Jets pegged him as a player to watch, which allowed them to start their homework … just in case.
When the Jets got the initial call from Rosenhaus, they already had a full scouting report on Hill. They spent the next 48 hours on his personal background, checking into past off-the-field incidents. Comfortable with their findings, they got into intense contract negotiations with Rosenhaus once they worked out a compensation package with the Chiefs.
The Jets agreed to trade two second-round picks (Nos. 35 and 38 overall) and a third-rounder (No. 69) to the Chiefs for Hill and a third-rounder (No. 103). It would’ve been a lot to give up, but this proposal enabled them to retain both first-round selections.
Technically, the Jets and Dolphins weren’t allowed to negotiate with Rosenhaus until their proposed trade package was accepted by the Chiefs. Then it all hinged on a “yes” from Hill. He didn’t have a no-trade clause, but gained leverage once he had permission to negotiate a contract with other teams.
The Jets wanted to fly down to South Florida to meet Hill at his home for a face-to-face recruiting trip — or at least fly him to New Jersey — but those meetings never happened. They suggested a video call with some of the coaches, but Rosenhaus preferred to be the point man, relaying information to Hill. The Chiefs were sensitive to the idea of teams talking directly to Hill. The Jets, who have a good working relationship with Rosenhaus, didn’t make a stink.
For the most part, it was Douglas and Rosenhaus, one on one. David Socie, the Jets’ senior director of football administration, was involved in the actual contract negotiations.
The Jets’ sales pitch focused on their young, homegrown talent, and how Hill could’ve been the player who galvanized it all. They want to become a destination team, and their feeling at the time was that a player of Hill’s magnitude could’ve been the trend-setter. They made an “awesome presentation,” according to Rosenhaus.
Hill would’ve been their biggest wide receiver star since Keyshawn Johnson in 1999. Since then, they’ve had only one Pro Bowl season by a receiver — Brandon Marshall in 2015. Hill would’ve been big box office for a franchise searching for an identity.
“Tyreek was interested and heard a lot of good things about the coaching staff and the direction the team was heading,” Rosenhaus said. “… We really felt like — myself and Tyreek and his family — that New York would be a great fit for him. Obviously, they needed at the time another big playmaker and a signature player. He would’ve been the face of the franchise, which was appealing. So there were a lot of things that were exciting about it. Ultimately, what it boiled down to was a close call.”
Rosenhaus did his own homework, reaching out to Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios — a client — for intel on quarterback Zach Wilson. When a receiver picks a new team, the quality of the quarterback is important. Not as important as money, though, which typically drives the deal.
The Jets offered essentially the same deal that Hill signed with the Dolphins — a four-year, $120 million extension, a record for a receiver. It included $52.5 million in fully guaranteed money. The Jets were willing to go dollar for dollar with the Dolphins; they even offered a bigger Pro Bowl incentive than Miami. Rosenhaus characterized the Jets’ offer as “very competitive.”
In the end, the Dolphins closed the deal — one of the biggest in a wild NFL offseason. It cost them five draft picks — a 2022 first-round pick (No. 29), second-round pick (No. 50) and fourth-round pick, plus fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2023 draft. Coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t stopped gushing about Hill, saying the three-time All-Pro has capitalized on “an opportunity for him to take his game to another level in terms of leadership and tone-setting.”
“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but we wanted to make a really strong offer to try to convince the player and the agent that this was a good place to be,” Douglas said at the time, calling it a “unique opportunity” to acquire a premium player.
Rosenhaus negotiated with three teams — Dolphins, Jets and Chiefs. He revealed that Hill “gave serious consideration to going back to Kansas City.” They were talking to the Chiefs about an extension, but Davante Adams‘ new deal with the Las Vegas Raiders (five years, $140 million) altered the wide receiver landscape. In training camp, Chiefs GM Brett Veach reflected on the trade, calling it “one of those difficult decisions that is the right thing to do, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Meanwhile, Hill is loving life amid the palm trees and sunshine.
“It was very close to happening, but it was just those state taxes, man,” Hill told the South Florida media on Monday, explaining why he picked the Dolphins over the Jets. “I realized I had to make a grown-up decision, and here I am in a great city in Miami.”
Because Florida has no state income tax, Hill saved millions on his contract. The Jets would’ve had to pay him approximately $58.75 million in guarantees to match the Dolphins’ $52.5 million, according to Robert Raiola, the director of the sports and entertainment group at the New York-based accounting firm of PKF O’Connor Davies.
Money aside, Hill liked the idea of playing for the Dolphins because he has a home in South Florida and trains there in the offseason, according to Rosenhaus, who said it was “tough to beat that scenario.”
Still craving a playmaker, the Jets turned to the draft. That, too, made for some anxious moments.
Wilson was the No. 1 receiver on their board, slightly ahead of Drake London, and they were nervous about losing Wilson when the Seattle Seahawks were on the clock at No. 9. London already was gone — he went eighth to the Atlanta Falcons — and their intel told them the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints were looking to trade up. (This was before the Eagles’ traded for A.J. Brown.) The Jets, sitting at No. 10, almost swapped places with the Seahawks. They stood pat, a calculated risk that worked out because they got Wilson without having to surrender draft capital.
While the Jets’ front office considers Hill perhaps the most dangerous offensive playmaker in the league, it’s absolutely thrilled to have Wilson, 22, who is a lot younger and cheaper than the 28-year-old Hill.
Wilson had heard about the Jets’ interest in Samuel, which occurred close to the draft, but he didn’t know about the Hill dalliance until a reporter mentioned it last week.
“Hopefully, over these next few years, I can prove they did make the right decision,” Wilson told ESPN. “That comes with time. Those are proven vets that go in and out every week and do it. I hold myself to a high standard. I’m not going to say I feel like those dudes are better than me or vice versa. At the end of the day, I know what I bring to the table.”
Wilson is fast, but he’s not an extreme burner like Hill. Wilson’s super power, as the coaches like to call it, is an uncanny ability to use his lower-body strength to separate from defenders. Zach Wilson said, “He’s hard to throw the ball to sometimes because he’s faking me out” with his moves. Wilson is second on the team in receptions (20) and tied with Corey Davis in touchdown catches (two).
But he’s not the Cheetah.
“He’s a little bit different; he runs by everybody,” Garrett Wilson said of Hill. “That’s not me. I just can’t run by everybody. He’s a special talent.”
Hill might have been the most dynamic playmaker in Jets’ history, but the cost would’ve been steep. Had the trade gone through, they would’ve surrendered the picks that allowed them to select first-round defensive end Jermaine Johnson and second-round running back Breece Hall. Both rookies have played meaningful snaps — Hall 137, Johnson 80 — helping contribute to the 2-2 record, the team’s best start since 2017.
Hill’s contract also would’ve altered their entire salary structure. His cap charges from 2022 to 2026 are a combined $90.6 million, compared to only $20.6 million for Wilson — a tremendous amount of flexibility for the organization. Still, they were willing to take the plunge for Hill, in part, because they still have Zach Wilson on his rookie contract.
So everybody’s happy, right?
“I think it’s working out well for Miami, but they’re further along than the Jets in terms of their roster,” said a personnel executive not affiliated with either team. “The Jets are still in that rebuilding, ‘who are we?’ mode. They’re still formulating an identity with their personnel. I’m a big Tyreek Hill fan, but he wouldn’t have been the right fit for them.”
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
Sunday night’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will continue to be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa as originally scheduled, the NFL announced Thursday.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the many thousands in the Southwest Florida region who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Ian,” the Bucs said in a statement Thursday. “We are also very thankful that the Tampa Bay area was spared the most damaging consequences of this powerful storm.
“We have informed the NFL, after consulting with local and state agencies, that we are ready to play Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium as originally scheduled.”
The Bucs also expressed gratitude to first responders and emergency personnel “who are already battling the elements, saving lives, and helping our neighbors in those most impacted areas to our south.”
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady hopes the game can help bring people together for “a common good.”
“I always feel like sports has brought people together over a long period of time,” Brady said. And watching different adversities — whether that was 9/11, whether that was [Hurricane] Katrina — sports has an amazing way of kind healing wounds and bringing people together and bringing communities together in something to cheer for and a common interest and a common good. So I think anytime you can participate in things like that, it’s a great feeling.
“… After what so many people have gone through in the state, it’s great to go out there and give them something to cheer about.”
Tampa mayor Jane Castor took to Twitter on Thursday to quip that she has “assured the @NFL that the only disturbance here Sunday is when the Bucs kick ass.”
On another note: we’re doing our best to keep the @Buccaneers game here Sunday. I have assured the @NFL that the only disturbance here Sunday is when the Bucs kick ass. 😉 pic.twitter.com/Mwp4EXPUlK
The Buccaneers relocated their players, coaches and some of their families to the South Florida area and have been practicing at the Miami Dolphins‘ facility.
Wide receiver Mike Evans said he hoped the Bucs could be a “bright spot” after everything the region has gone through this week.
“I definitely wanted to be at the home,” Evans said Thursday. “I’m happy I get to go out there and entertain and it’s a blessing and I don’t take it for granted. I know we’re going through a tough time right now, so hopefully we can be a bright spot during this time.”
Welcome to Week 4 of the NFL regular season. This season we have seen our fair share of games come down to the wire. Eighteen games have been decided by three or fewer points — six just this past week. Gone are the days of the blowout — the fourth quarter is as important as ever.
Our updated Power Rankings are in. And there is quite a shuffle in the top five — including a new No. 1.
Coming into this season, we’re not sure anyone predicted this team to rise so quickly in the rankings — but they are undefeated and have played some good football lately.
And there’s another surprise team at No. 3 that few saw coming. Could this team become the best in the NFC down the stretch? Time will tell.
Below, we checked in with NFL Nation reporters across the league and asked them how every team’s QB is doing this season. We paired their responses with the team’s Total QBR and where that ranks in the league.
How we update our Power Rankings: Our power panel — a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities — evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.
Tua Tagovailoa is off to the start every Dolphins fan dreamed of in his third NFL season. He ranks second in the league in passing yards and is already halfway to matching his career high in touchdown passes with eight. He also leads the NFL in QBR and is second in yards per attempt. The new coaching staff and improved supporting cast around him seems to have unlocked the potential Miami saw when he was drafted No. 5 overall in 2020, and it’s a big reason the Dolphins are the AFC’s lone unbeaten team entering Week 4. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Week 3 ranking: 1
Team QBR: 77.3 QBR rank: 3rd
While the Bills are coming off their first loss, Josh Allen has had an MVP-candidate start to the season. He has the league’s lowest rate of off-target throws (8.0%) and leads in passing first downs (49) as well. Allen’s completion percentage (71.2%) and interception percentage (1.5%) would both be career bests. Still, things haven’t been perfect. The Bills need to work on evening out the offense as Allen is also the team’s leading rusher (113 yards), but the fifth-year quarterback has set the groundwork early for yet another impressive season.— Alaina Getzenberg
Week 3 ranking: 8
Team QBR: 74.7 QBR rank: 5th
Jalen Hurts is one of the early favorites to be league MVP. His production on the ground remains strong — he ranks second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (167) and first in rushing touchdowns (three) — but it’s his improvement as a passer that has put the NFC on notice. Hurts is completing 67.3% of his passes, compared with his career average of 60%. He ranks third in passing yards (916) and is sixth in QBR (74.8). His standout play is the No. 1 reason the Eagles are 3-0. — Tim McManus
Week 3 ranking: 2
Team QBR: 76.0 QBR rank: 4th
Graded against most of his peers, Patrick Mahomes is off to a great start with eight touchdown passes and one interception. But his season, by his expectations, has been uneven. He had a great game in the opener against the Cardinals, throwing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. His production has not been as great since, particularly in the loss Sunday to the Colts, when the Chiefs had numerous chances to put the game away and failed repeatedly. — Adam Teicher
Week 3 ranking: 4
Team QBR: 51.1 QBR rank: 13th
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has played well, but the offense as a whole needs to improve. Coach Sean McVay said after the Week 3 victory in Arizona that he thinks the offense is “just continuing to learn our identity.” Stafford, who threw five interceptions in the first two games, did not throw one against the Cardinals, and the offense did enough to win the game. Stafford has thrown just four touchdowns through three weeks. He is playing without wide receiver Van Jefferson, who is on injured reserve, and is continuing to lean on Cooper Kupp, whose target share has increased (35%) from the 2021 season (32%). — Sarah Barshop
Week 3 ranking: 9
Team QBR: 79.3 QBR rank: 2nd
Lamar Jackson has played at an MVP level. He has accounted for 87% of the Ravens’ offense, beating teams with his arm and with his legs. He leads the NFL with 10 touchdown passes and ranks second with a 78.7 QBR. Jackson, though, remains just as dangerous running the ball, producing the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL (243) and the best rushing average (9.35 yards per carry). The Ravens are still without their All-Pro left tackle (Ronnie Stanley) and their No. 1 running back (J.K. Dobbins) just returned on Sunday. But Baltimore leads the league in scoring (33 points per game) because Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. — Jamison Hensley
Week 3 ranking: 7
Team QBR: 49.1 QBR rank: 14th
Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing better or worse — he’s playing differently. He’s throwing it shorter than ever. He averaged just 3.0 air yards on his completions Sunday against the Buccaneers. That’s around half of the NFL average. Consequently, a large portion of his yardage has come after the catch. He’s on track to set a career low in average air yards (5.1) and career high in YAC percentage (65%). Perhaps that could change if rookie receiver Romeo Doubs continues to produce. — Rob Demovsky
Week 3 ranking: 3
Team QBR: 46.9 QBR rank: 18th
Tom Brady‘s Total QBR through the first three games is 46.9, good for 18th in the league and his second-lowest total since 2006. He has thrown three touchdown passes, which is 19th in the league, and his lowest total since 2014. But statistics alone never tell the full story. Brady has been without Chris Godwin, Julio Jones and starting left tackle Donovan Smith for two games now — and the Bucs didn’t have Mike Evans in Week 3 because of a suspension. Give him some receivers back — Evans and Jones return this week — and give them all some time to mesh, and they should hit their stride if they can avoid more injuries. — Jenna Laine
Week 3 ranking: 11
Team QBR: 45.9 QBR rank: 19th
Kirk Cousins is clearly still adjusting to the Vikings’ scheme under new coach Kevin O’Connell. Most notably, Cousins threw three interceptions in the Week 2 loss to the Eagles. “It’s not where I want it to be,” the quarterback said of the team’s comfort level on offense. But Cousins is not a stranger to slow starts since signing with the Vikings in 2018; his current 45.9 Total QBR is higher than it was in Weeks 1-3 of 2019 (35.5) and 2020 (31.2). — Kevin Seifert
Week 3 ranking: 15
Team QBR: 47.1 QBR rank: 16th
Joe Burrow is finding his way. The Bengals quarterback easily had his best week of the 2022 season in the Week 3 win over the Jets, when he completed 63.9% of his passes for 275 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He had very good pocket feel and steered the offense in a game the Bengals desperately needed to win. After an emergency appendectomy at the start of training camp, Burrow’s 46.3 QBR is lower than it was last season (60.2). But his latest performance suggests things could be trending upward after a slow start to the season. — Ben Baby
Week 3 ranking: 17
Team QBR: 62.6 QBR rank: 8th
Through three games, Jacoby Brissett is probably the biggest surprise on the Browns, and maybe one of the biggest surprise performers in the NFL. He ranks ninth in QBR (62.6), ahead of Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers, among others. He has completed 66.3% of his passes and thrown four touchdowns with only one interception. The running game has been prolific, but Cleveland ranks fifth in offensive efficiency because of its quarterback as well. If Brissett can maintain this level of play, the Browns should be firmly in the playoff mix once Deshaun Watson returns from suspension in Week 13. — Jake Trotter
Week 3 ranking: 13
Team QBR: 45.1 QBR rank: 21st
The Broncos are 2-1, so that’s good news. And Russell Wilson has pushed them through some important late-game drives in the two wins — also good news. But overall Wilson and the Broncos’ offense is a work in need of far more progress. He has looked a little out of sorts at times in the new scheme as he and coach Nathaniel Hackett try to find a balance in getting Wilson to move the ball out quickly and yet not taking away his ability to make plays off schedule. He has a 59.4% completion rate and two touchdown passes. But at key moments he has moved the ball, and there is optimism that more big plays are on the way. — Jeff Legwold
Week 3 ranking: 24
Team QBR: 71.6 QBR rank: 6th
Trevor Lawrence looks like a No. 1 overall pick. After a rough start in the opener against Washington he has posted the second- and third-highest-rated games of his career in routs of the Colts and Chargers. He’s sixth in the NFL in Total QBR (72.9) and seventh in completion percentage (69.4). Most importantly, he’s not turning the ball over (just one interception). He has flourished under head coach Doug Pederson after a lost season with Urban Meyer. — Michael DiRocco
Week 3 ranking: 10
Team QBR: 37.0 QBR rank: 26th
It would be hard to judge Jimmy Garoppolo off one game if that game didn’t look so much like so many others he has started with the 49ers over the years. Which is to say Garoppolo is mostly solid but still prone to game-changing mistakes that contribute to frustrating losses. He had a costly fumble and an interception as the Niners tried to come from behind against the Broncos on Sunday night and fell a point short. There’s a reacclimation process that must take place after he didn’t participate in the offseason or training camp and returned from right shoulder surgery, but the 49ers don’t have much time to wait for that to happen. — Nick Wagoner
Week 3 ranking: 6
Team QBR: 60.8 QBR rank: 9th
The Chargers are 1-2 and in their losses, the performance of quarterback Justin Herbert has been somewhat uneven. He has without question had several “wow” moments — including a 35-yard pass to receiver DeAndre Carter late in the defeat to the Chiefs — but he’s also had a few costly ones. In Kansas City, Herbert threw an interception that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown, putting the Chiefs ahead, and despite a gutsy decision to play against the Jaguars with fractured rib cartilage, Herbert completed only 56% of his passes, threw an interception and lost a sack fumble in a lopsided loss. — Lindsey Thiry
Week 3 ranking: 21
Team QBR: 58.0 QBR rank: 10th
Dak Prescott has played only three-plus quarters after fracturing his right thumb in the season opener against Tampa Bay, and it wasn’t a productive three-plus quarters. But he could be back as soon as this week (though likely it will be at least one more), which will benefit the offense. Cooper Rush has done what you want out of a backup quarterback. He led the Cowboys to two wins — vs. Cincinnati and at the NFC East rival Giants. In three weeks, he has thrown for 514 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. But this is Prescott’s job as soon as he is healthy. — Todd Archer
Week 3 ranking: 19
Team QBR: 33.9 QBR rank: 28th
Daniel Jones has had his good and bad moments in the first few weeks of the season. Most of his top plays have come with his legs, such as the fourth-and-1 run late in the fourth quarter in Tennessee and the game-icing 11-yard scramble against the Panthers. Still, Jones hasn’t blown anyone away (he had fewer than 200 yards passing in each of the three games), which is going to be difficult to change if he continues to get pressured at a high rate. — Jordan Raanan
Week 3 ranking: 22
Team QBR: 45.4 QBR rank: 20th
Ryan Tannehill started the season with a good enough effort that should have led to a win over the Giants. He delivered passes to nine different receivers combining for 266 yards on 20 completions and two touchdowns, but the defense faltered in the second half of the 21-20 loss. Week 2 against the Bills was a disaster for the whole team resulting in a 41-7 drubbing. Tannehill got back on course the following week against the Raiders by completing 19 of 27 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. At this point, Tannehill is playing like a mid-level starter who isn’t being asked to individually elevate the passing game. — Turron Davenport
Week 3 ranking: 14
Team QBR: 47.9 QBR rank: 15th
As goes Kyler Murray, so go the Cardinals. He only has 68 rushing yards in three games this season, which is why, in large part, the Cardinals’ record is 1-2. From a throwing standpoint he’s playing like his typical self. But as a runner, Murray isn’t using his legs like he can, and to win the Cardinals need Murray to run. — Josh Weinfuss
Week 3 ranking: 25
Team QBR: 38.8 QBR rank: 25th
Matt Ryan is finding himself in a familiar situation, one reminiscent of his recent seasons with the Falcons: Shaky offensive line play and unproven passing targets are limiting his effectiveness. As a result of the heavy pass rush, Ryan is struggling with protecting the football. He has already fumbled seven times. But the veteran has showed composure when needed, like on the 43rd game-winning drive of his career Sunday versus the Chiefs, when he completed 8 of 10 pass attempts. — Stephen Holder
Week 3 ranking: 12
Team QBR: 44.5 QBR rank: 22nd
Jameis Winston is struggling. There’s no denying that Winston is gutting things out right now as his list of injuries piles up. Winston hasn’t been healthy since he tore an ACL last Halloween, and he is dealing with right ankle and back issues too. The offensive problems can’t all be pinned on Winston since the Saints are struggling to maintain consistency in every area, but the spotlight will remain on him as long as he’s on the injury report if his play doesn’t improve. — Katherine Terrell
Week 3 ranking: 28
Team QBR: 23.0 QBR rank: 31st
Justin Fields’ early-season struggles were magnified in the Bears’ 23-20 win over the Houston Texans, as the second-year quarterback called his performance “trash” after completing 8 of 17 pass attempts for 106 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Chicago’s offense hasn’t been able to get its passing attack going, and much of that has to do with Fields missing wide-open throws, sailing balls past his receivers and generally appearing uncomfortable in the pocket. The Bears are trying to get a read on whether Fields is the answer at quarterback beyond this season, but it’s tough to evaluate him when he has only attempted 45 passes through three weeks. — Courtney Cronin
Week 3 ranking: 16
Team QBR: 35.9 QBR rank: 27th
Mac Jones is hurting. Everything took a back seat to his physical condition when he hopped off the field on his final offensive play in the loss Sunday to the Ravens, going directly to the locker room for evaluation. Jones is dealing with what doctors have diagnosed as a severe high ankle sprain that would cause many to have surgery and miss multiple weeks, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jones is also hurting on the stat sheet. He threw three interceptions Sunday, upping his total for the season to five. He didn’t throw his fifth interception until the fifth game of the season last year. — Mike Reiss
Week 3 ranking: 18
Team QBR: 44.0 QBR rank: 23rd
The honeymoon period — if there ever was one — for Mitch Trubisky is over. Trubisky is averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, the worst of any quarterback who has played three full games this season. He hasn’t been aggressive enough in his downfield throws and the offense lacks rhythm. But it falls on more than just Trubisky, and many of the offensive issues are also rooted in the playcalling and the work-in-progress offensive line. There was at least one sign of life for an otherwise disappointing offensive start: Trubisky completed 9-of-13 for 109 yards, including a 36-yard toss to rookie George Pickens, in the first half of the Thursday loss to the Browns. — Brooke Pryor
Week 3 ranking: 20
Team QBR: 63.7 QBR rank: 7th
Jared Goff has only one victory to show for it in three games, but he has appeared much more comfortable in his second season with the Lions under new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. With more talent around him, Goff helped the Lions reach an NFL record with a touchdown in 11 straight quarters — the most to begin a season in league history. The team still must find a way to close games, but Goff certainly isn’t the problem as he’s playing much better football than he did last year. — Eric Woodyard
Week 3 ranking: 26
Team QBR: 39.9 QBR rank: 24th
Through two games, Carson Wentz had thrown seven touchdowns to three interceptions and ranked 14th in total QBR. But taking the third game into account, it’s been the full Wentz experience — and he has dropped to 24th in QBR. He has moments when he and the offense look excellent, and he has helped the Commanders use every inch of the field because of his arm. But he also holds the ball too long at times and needs to take care of it in the pocket. Wentz is an upgrade for the team and that hasn’t changed. He has the skill and the talent around him to be effective all year, but the protection will be a concern and his pocket awareness will be challenged. — John Keim
Week 3 ranking: 27
Team QBR: 54.5 QBR rank: 12th
Geno Smith has been good. And better than most observers expected out of a longtime backup who hadn’t entered a season as a starter since 2014. Smith ranks 10th in Total QBR (62.3) and is leading the NFL in completion rate by a wide margin (77.5%). He ranks 22nd in air yards per attempt (6.86), indicating how much of Seattle’s passing game has been short and intermediate throws. But Smith had some success down the field in the loss to the Falcons on Sunday that dropped the Seahawks to 1-2. His next step will be leading a game-winning drive, something he couldn’t do against Atlanta or in the three chances he had while filling in for Russell Wilson last season. — Brady Henderson
Week 3 ranking: 32
Team QBR: 55.8 QBR rank: 11th
Marcus Mariota has been fine. He has completed 63.3% of his passes — that would be the second-best in a season of his career — with a QBR of 55.9. He is throwing for a career-best 8.1 yards per attempt, which has been aided by head coach Arthur Smith’s playcalling. The concern? Some of his decisions and errors at critical times, including a red zone fumble and a bad center/quarterback exchange in the second half against the Saints in Week 1, leading to a loss, and a quarterback/running back exchange Sunday that was absolved somewhat by the win. But those mistakes have clouded an otherwise pretty good return to starting for Mariota and need to be remedied if he’s going to keep the job long term. — Michael Rothstein
Week 3 ranking: 30
Team QBR: 18.8 QBR rank: 32nd
Baker Mayfield has been subpar. That’s putting it kindly because he is putting up career-worst numbers. He ranks 32nd in the league in Total QBR (19.5), 31st in completion percentage (51.8), 28th in passing yards (550), 25th in touchdown passes (3, including a 67-yarder caught behind the line of scrimmage) and 25th in passer rating (80.8). And this doesn’t take into account five fumbles (all recovered) and almost a dozen passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. — David Newton
Week 3 ranking: 23
Team QBR: 47.0 QBR rank: 17th
Derek Carr is the most polarizing player in franchise history and while the Raiders’ unexpected 0-3 start is not entirely his fault, we all know quarterbacks get too much credit when things are going well and too much blame when things are going wrong. That said, he is off to an uneven beginning under new coach Josh McDaniels, as Carr has often had a slow start under a new playcaller. Small sample size, obviously, but his passer rating (85.1) and completion rate (60.8%) are both the lowest for him in a season since his rookie year. — Paul Gutierrez
Week 3 ranking: 29
Team QBR: 29.1 QBR rank: 30th
Zach Wilson (right knee) missed the first three games, but there’s a good chance he returns to the lineup this week. He hasn’t played since the first preseason game, so there’s bound to be rust. After an underwhelming rookie year, much is expected of the 2021 second overall pick. Wilson’s development, more than wins and losses, will determine whether the season is a success or failure. Patience is key. He should be evaluated on how he progresses over the final 14 games. Part of that is being able to stay healthy; durability has become an issue for him. Veteran Joe Flacco has filled in for Wilson throwing for 901 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the three games. — Rich Cimini
Week 3 ranking: 31
Team QBR: 29.1 QBR rank: 29th
Davis Mills has regressed through the first three weeks of the season. He is completing 57.9% of his passes, third-worst in the NFL among starting quarterbacks. Last year he completed 66%. His biggest issue is third downs, on which he is netting 47% of his passes, fourth-worst in the NFL. And when the team has needed Mills the most, he hasn’t produced late in games, as the Texans’ offense has scored zero points in the final quarter. — DJ Bien-Aime
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert stood at the podium Friday answering questions about his rib injury and his recovery. Whether the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback will be able to perform in the pocket on Sunday remains to be seen.
Herbert was listed as questionable on the injury report after not participating in practice. Herbert sustain fractured rib cartilage after taking a hard hit from Kansas City defensive lineman Michael Danna during the fourth quarter of last Thursday night’s game against the Chiefs.
Herbert was limited on Wednesday and went through most of his usual workload on Thursday as the Bolts prepare to host the Jacksonville Jaguars in a matchup of 1-1 squads. Herbert said he felt good going through Thursday’s practice, and that the plan is for plenty of rest before he goes through warmups before Sunday’s game.
“They feel good. Thank you,” Herbert said when asked how his ribs felt. “There have definitely been improvements. … Thankfully, we have a couple days left before we play. We don’t play today, and so that’s up to us, our team, to make the best decision so that we are ready to go on Sunday.”
Herbert will wear a rib protector but could also receive an injection to deal with the pain. He has made 34 consecutive regular-season starts, seventh among active quarterbacks.
Coach Brandon Staley said Chase Daniel would start if Herbert could not go. The 13-year veteran has six career starts, most recently in 2019 for the Chicago Bears.
This is Herbert’s first significant injury since being the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He broke his femur as a junior in high school in 2014 and then had a broken collarbone three years later at Oregon.
Staley said Herbert looked good during Thursday’s practice, where he did all the throws on routes he would normally do during a game.
“He’s tough. He doesn’t feel great, by any means, but he was able to go out there and throw the football,” Staley said. “I think a lot of it was seeing his response to each throw — then, obviously, after practice, and then this morning. We’re just going to keep knowing more as we go.”
The determining factor on if Herbert will play will likely come down to his comfort level.
Herbert was 7 of 11 for 79 yards after the injury, despite one play where he was in physical distress and threw the ball away on third-and-1 when he could have run for a first down. That stretch included a fourth-down bullet to DeAndre Carter for 35 yards to the Kansas City 8-yard line and then connecting with Joshua Palmer on fourth-and-goal for a 7-yard TD.
“Looking back at it, I probably could have ran for the three or four yards to get the first down. I think that’s something that during the game, I felt like that was the best decision to make,” Herbert said about that sequence. “In hindsight, I probably could have changed that, but to have those guys out there, and especially to have Dre (Carter) on the next play go out and make a play like that — I just had to put it out there and he went and ran across the field and caught it. I’m thankful that one worked out.”
Herbert’s performance on that drive drew praise from everyone, including outside linebacker Joey Bosa, who has played with his share of injuries in his seven years.
“He’s just a great competitor and he’s a great leader. He’s trying to be more of that leader. He just leads by example, obviously,” Bosa said. “Being out there and can’t even hold his arm up, but he’s out there, makes a bad throw and then the next throw, makes one of the most ridiculous passes on fourth down. That was unbelievable.”
The Chargers have a number of injured players. Center Corey Linsley (knee) and cornerback JC Jackson (ankle) are doubtful while wide receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring), offensive tackle Trey Pipkins (foot) and tight end Donald Parham (hamstring) are questionable.
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