SANTA CLARA, Calif. — There was a point in Thursday night’s game that it was possible to draw some encouragement from an undermanned Giants team fighting a loaded 49ers roster. The Giants had scrapped and clawed their way to within one score, 17-12, early in the third quarter.
It felt like the same script the overachieving Giants followed last season, when they’d hang around with teams just long enough to steal a victory. But there has been little magic in this year’s version of the Giants.
The 49ers scored the next 13 points to pull away for a comfortable 30-12 win. The box score illustrated San Francisco’s dominance: A 441-150 edge in total yards; a 26-10 advantage in first downs; a 39:10-20:50 difference in time of possession.
Yes, the Giants were without running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) and left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring), as well as left guard Ben Bredeson (concussion) and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring). But for the second time in three weeks, the Giants were dealt a sobering reminder that they haven’t closed the gap on the NFC’s elite teams.
Aside from an inspired second-half comeback win over the Cardinals in Week 2, the Giants have been thoroughly outclassed this season. They’ve been out-scored 70-12 in their two losses to the Cowboys and 49ers. These types of lopsided games weren’t supposed to happen to a Giants team that made major investments to upgrade the roster that got pummeled 38-7 by the Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round last season.
“It’s been a lot of football that we don’t feel like is reflective of our best and what we’re capable of and we feel like the fans deserve, the organization deserves,” tight end Darren Waller said.
The Giants have time to lick their wounds after playing two road games in a five-day stretch. Their next game is a Monday Night Football matchup with the Seahawks on Oct. 2. That’s a pivotal game with trips to Miami and Buffalo after that.
“Two games in five days is tough for anyone,” Waller said. “We can start game-planning for the Seahawks and take care of winning at home. That’s something we didn’t do in Week 1. I feel like that’s a good way to build some momentum.”
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
Completely hopeless
A makeshift offensive line against one of the most formidable pass rushes in the NFL wasn’t a recipe for success. The Giants were completely hopeless with an offensive attack reliant on max protection just to complete short passes.
Quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-32 passes for just 137 yards — a minuscule 4.3 yards per attempt. Jones completed just 2-of-7 passes that traveled more than 10 yards in the air. His completions traveled an average of 3.7 yards in the air.
On the rare instances the Giants had opportunities downfield, Jones and his receivers couldn’t connect. Waller, who made just three catches for 20 yards, dropped a slant late in the first half that would have been a big gain. The Giants eventually settled for a field goal to cut their deficit to 17-6 at halftime.
The Giants’ last gasp came early in the fourth quarter when Jones air-mailed a crossing route to an open Waller from a clean pocket on third-and-11. Trailing 23-12 at the time, the Giants were forced to punt, and San Francisco promptly drove for a touchdown to seal the game.
“I think it was a little bit high,” coach Brian Daboll said “It was over-thrown.”
Jones was only sacked twice, but that was because the Giants’ entire game plan centered around neutralizing San Francisco’s ferocious pass rush. The Giants kept tight end Daniel Bellinger in to block on nearly every pass play. Sometimes, they kept Waller in as well. On some plays, the Giants triple-teamed 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, and the reigning NFL defensive player of the year still broke through to pressure Jones.
“He’s a once-in-a-generation player,” running back Matt Breida said. “He caused problems, so we did the best we can to neutralize him. I think the next time we play him we’ll have a better game plan.”
This matchup didn’t lend itself to deep shots for wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who dazzled with two catches for 89 yards in Week 2. Hyatt, who remains fourth in the wide receiver pecking order, didn’t have a target on Thursday. He got wide-open once on a deep route in the second quarter, but Jones didn’t see him as he fled the pocket and threw the ball away.
“We called a fair amount of (deep shots),” Daboll said. “A couple of times we had them, and the protection leaked. They covered them. It was a delicate balance with that defensive line that they’ve got. You’ve got to decide how many guys you keep in to help out the protection to make sure you can get off more vertical routes versus getting it out a little quicker.”
Jones’ night ended with an interception on a slant intended for Waller. The pass arrived at the same time as 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward, and the ball popped up in the air before it was snatched by safety Talanoa Hufanga. It was the fourth interception of the season for Jones, who threw five last season. Three of Jones’ interceptions have come on tipped balls.
The passing struggles weren’t a surprise considering Jones was playing behind an offensive line that featured three different players from the season opener. But it was surprising Jones’ legs weren’t more of a weapon. He had just two carries for five yards against a 49ers defense that keeps its eyes on the quarterback in zone coverage and closes to the ball in a flash.
“I was surprised that they didn’t use more schemed-up quarterback runs on us,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. “Maybe they were just trying to protect him. Obviously, you’re giving your quarterback up to get hit if he’s carrying the ball.”
The Giants didn’t even attempt a conventional run game with Barkley sidelined. Breida had four carries for 17 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Gary Brightwell had four carries for 5 yards. Rookie Eric Gray didn’t have a carry.
Brightwell had the Giants’ biggest play from scrimmage on their opening drive with an 18-yard catch after Jones bought time in the pocket (the Giants only had 10 players on the field for the play again). But he also had a killer drop later in the drive that forced the Giants to settle for a field goal.
Daboll continued to sound hopeful on Barkley’s potential availability for a quick return, but the running back’s revelation to Amazon that he suffered a high-ankle sprain could extend his timeline.
Wink Martindale clearly decided if he was going down, he was going down swinging. The blitz-happy defensive coordinator sent extra rushers after Purdy on 33-of-39 dropbacks. That 84.6 percent blitz rate is the highest ever recorded by Next Gen Stats.
The aggressive approach was successful in making Purdy uncomfortable, but 49ers play caller Kyle Shanahan dialed up effective counters. The 49ers converted a pair of back-breaking third-and-longs on screens on a second-quarter touchdown drive. The 49ers converted 7-of-10 third downs in the first half. Purdy completed 25-of-37 passes for 310 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
“We didn’t execute,” cornerback Adoree’ Jackson said. “We didn’t tackle well. That was just it. We had them in third-and-long situations. We just didn’t tackle. We didn’t execute our assignments.”
Pairing the Giants’ poor tackling with the 49ers’ dynamic skill players was a recipe for disaster. Tackling wide receiver Deebo Samuel (six catches, 129 yards, one touchdown) and tight end George Kittle (seven catches for 90 yards) is like wrestling alligators, and the Giants weren’t up for the challenge. The 49ers gained 215 of their 310 passing yards after the catch.
The Giants managed their first two sacks of the season. Kayvon Thibodeaux finished a pressure by defensive lineman DJ Davidson on the game’s opening drive, and Davidson and defensive lineman Leonard Williams teamed up for a sack in the third quarter.
The Giants still don’t have a takeaway this season despite Purdy seemingly trying to throw interceptions early. Kittle should get credited with a pass breakup for knocking down a pass that was sailing directly toward Jackson on the opening drive. Rookie cornerback Deonte Banks had an interception go through his hands in the end zone later in the drive, which ended in a field goal.
The play that best summed up the different fortunes of the teams came late in the second quarter when Jackson broke on a pass and the ball got deflected into the air. That type of play almost always ends in an interception, but instead, 49ers wide receiver Ronnie Bell corralled it for a 15-yard gain.
A few drives were extended by costly penalties, including a dubious illegal contact flag on Thibodeaux in the red zone in the third quarter. The Giants still limited the 49ers to a field goal on that drive. A bright spot was their red-zone defense, as the 49ers only scored touchdowns on two of their five drives inside the 20-yard line.
Inside linebacker Micah McFadden played the game of his life, recording a team-high 10 tackles. McFadden had four tackles for a loss and an impressive pass breakup on a wheel route to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey at the goal line.
Injury update
Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson returned to the lineup 10 months after tearing his ACL. Robinson had four catches for 21 yards, including a first-down grab on third-and-4 on the Giants’ first drive. Robinson was on a pitch count in his debut, but his workload should continue to increase.
Banks left before halftime after getting kneed in the upper arm. The rookie said he was scheduled to get an MRI on Friday. Banks has now failed to finish two of his first three games, as he left the opener just before halftime with cramps.
This isn’t what the Giants were supposed to look like this season.
Luke Schoonmaker #86 of the Dallas Cowboys carries the ball into the end zone to score a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 26, 2023 in Arlington, TX.
Ron Jenkins / Getty Images
After months of waiting, the 2023 NFL regular season has finally arrived. Today’s busy football schedule wraps up with a Sunday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants in East Rutherford, NJ. CBS Sports has the Cowboys as a slight favorites to win.
If you’re looking to catch this season opener game for these teams, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled a list of all the ways you can watch tonight’s Dallas Cowboys – New York Giants game, from where to catch live it on cable to where to stream it on your TV, phone or tablet.
How to watch the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants game
The 2023 NFL season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will be played tonight at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT). The game will air live on NBC, Telemundo and Universo, with the following live streaming options available as well.
Peacock offers its subscribers live streaming access to NFL games that air on NBC, including today’s matchup and future Sunday Night Football games. The streaming service has plenty more live sports to offer, including Big Ten football, Premier League soccer and WWE wrestling (including formerly PPV-only events such as Wrestlemania). There’s 80,000 hours worth of recorded content to watch as well, including hit movies and TV series such as “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.”
A Peacock subscription costs $6 per month. An annual plan is available for $60 per year. You can cancel anytime.
Top features of Peacock:
If you only want to watch this game, it’s your least expensive option. If you want to watch stream NFL games on other networks, there are better choices below.
Peacock features plenty of current and classic NBC and Bravo TV shows.
NBC is included in most cable TV packages. If you have don’t have cable TV that includes NBC, ABC, Fox or ESPN, one of the most cost-effective ways to stream live NFL football this year is through a subscription to Sling TV. The streamer offers access to the NFL Network, local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available) and ESPN with its Orange + Blue Tier plan. Also worth noting: Sling TV comes with 50 hours of cloud-based DVR recording space included, perfect for recording all the season’s top NFL matchups.
That plan normally costs $60 per month, but the streamer is currently offering a 50% off promotion for your first month, so you’ll pay just $30. You can learn more by tapping the button below.
Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue tier:
There are 46 channels to watch in total, including local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available).
You get access to most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games at the lowest price.
All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
Sling TV has a new offering for the 2023 NFL Season called Sports Extra. This souped-up package is designed for NFL and college football super-fans, with access to NFL Redzone, ESPN, NFL, SEC, ACC, PAC 12, Big10 and Longhorn Networks.
There’s a great preseason deal on Sling TV Sports Extra going on right now: You can get five months of Sling TV Orange + Blue + Sports Extra for $274. That works out to just $55 per month, an even better price than subscribing to just the $60 per month Orange + Blue plan. It’s the most cost effective way to stream most NFL games this year.
You can learn more about Sling TV and Sports Extra by tapping the button below.
You can also catch the game on FuboTV. FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season. Packages include CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, NFL RedZone and more, so you’ll be able to watch more than just today’s games.
To watch the NFL without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. Fox, so you know, offers Sunday NFC games via “NFL on Fox”; while ESPN is the home of “Monday Night Football.” ABC airs some “MNF” games, too, while NBC is home to Sunday Night Football.
In addition to NFL football, FuboTV offers MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. FuboTV starts at $75 per month for the Pro tier (includes NFL Network); the $100 per month Ultimate tier includes NFL RedZone.
Top features of FuboTV:
The Pro tier includes 169 channels, including NFL Network; the Ultimate tier includes 289 channels, including NFL RedZone.
FuboTV includes all the channels you’ll need to watch live sports, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
You can watch the NFL, including the NFL Network, with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including both Fox and FS1. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every game on every network with Hulu + Live TV, plus catch live NFL preseason games, exclusive live regular season games, popular studio shows (including NFL Total Access and the Emmy-nominated show Good Morning Football) and lots more.
Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $70 per month.
If you’re cutting the cord to your cable company, you’re not alone; in fact, you are in luck. You can still watch the NFL on TV with an affordable indoor antenna, which pulls in local over-the-air HDYC channels such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and PBS. Here’s the kicker: There’s no monthly charge.
Anyone living in partially blocked-off area (those near mountains or first-floor apartments), a digital TV antenna may not pick up a good signal – or any signal at all. But for many homes, a digital TV antenna provides a seriously inexpensive way to watch college football without paying a staggering monthly fee. Indoor TV antennas can also provide some much-needed TV backup if a storm knocks out your cable (or your cable company gets in a squabble with a network).
This amplified HDTV antenna, claims to have a 50-mile range and offers 36 channels. It’s rated 4.0 stars by Amazon reviewers.
Said one Amazon customer, “When the price of this antenna dropped to $50, it was competitively priced with what you would find on the shelves at your local Radio Shack. If you’re considering this product, you’re probably already questioning your cable television bill and are looking around for a cheap way to get the Big 3 plus Fox and PBS. This antenna delivered that for us right out of the box.”
Watch the Cowboys vs. Giants game on your phone with NFL+
If you want to catch tonight’s game on your phone — and all the amazing football ahead this season — check out NFL+. The premium streaming service, starting at $40 per year (or $7 per month), offers access to NFL Network. And yes, that includes games being broadcast out-of-market. To boost your NFL experience even further, you can upgrade to NFL+ Premium with NFL RedZone and watch up to eight NFL games simultaneously. A seven-day, free trial is available.
Top features of NFL+:
You get access to all NFL preseason games, including those that are out of market.
NFL+ lets you watch stream local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet, but not your TV.
Includes the NFL Network (and NFL RedZone with NFL+ Premium), so it’s a good option for those who are looking to stream football on the go.
2023 NFL Season: Week 1
The 2023 NFL Season Week 1 schedule is below. All times listed ET. (*) indicates that game is not available in all markets.
Thursday, Sept. 7
Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Sept. 10
Cincinatti Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. (ABC*, CBS)
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1;00 p.m. (CBS*)
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. (FOX*)
Arizona Cardinals vs. Washington Commanders, 1:00 p.m. (FOX*)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. (FOX*)
San Francisco 49ers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Tennesse Titans vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. (CBS*)
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Denver Broncos, 4: 25 p.m. (CBS*)
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
LA Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m (CBS, ABC*)
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Dallas Cowboys vs. NY Giants, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 11
Buffalo Bills vs. NY Jets, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
Storylines we’re following in the 2023 NFL season
Important dates to remember:
The 2023 NFL regular season runs today through Jan. 7, 2024.
Playoffs are scheduled for January 13 through Jan. 28, 2004.
Super Bowl LVIII is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas
Sean Payton in Denver. After “retiring” from coaching (or maybe he was just retiring from coaching the New Orleans Saints), Sean Payton is back, now as the Denver Broncos head coach. Former Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson’s first season in Denver was nothing short of disaster, and the front office brought in the cavalry in Payton. Known as a quarterback whisperer, Payton is a massive upgrade from former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who never seemed entirely prepared to oversee the team or his superstar quarterback. If anyone can “fix” Russ, it’s Payton. But if no one can fix Russ, his time in Denver is likely going to be shorter than expected.
Lamar Jackson really is a quarterback: Despite leading the league in passing touchdowns during his 2019 MVP campaign, Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has been dogged by critics of his run-heavy game. Sure, Jackson is quick on his feet — and quick to use his feet — but this season the Ravens offense will likely look a lot different than it has since Lamar was drafted in 2018. With new offensive coordinator Todd Monken in town and new receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers, fans can expect a new-look offense. Lamar won’t give up his out-of-the-pocket game, but he’ll have more weapons on the receiving end, which could finally take the Ravens further into the postseason.
Rob Carr / Getty Images
Aaron Rodgers in a new shade of green: Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers takes over from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady as the oldest active player in the league. All eyes will be on the 39-year-old Hard Knocks star, who traded in his Green Bay Packers uniform for a Jets green uniform after 18 seasons in Green Bay.
A-Rod is already making his mark in New York mentoring younger players like Jets CB Sauce Gardner, whom Rodgers calls a “future Hall of Famer.” The Jets haven’t won the Super Bowl since 1969 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. Rodgers made the playoffs a total of nine times with the Packers. The Jets have $112 million invested in Rodgers adding a tenth trip to the postseason to his resume.
Other storylines to follow this NFL season: The LA Rams were victorious in Super Bowl LVI, but followed that up with a season filled with injury. Matthew Stafford’s back and (supposedly) healthy, and Copper Kupp is (almost) ready to play. As long as McVay keeps Aaron Donald healthy, the Rams could run it back.
Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields showed major improvement in 2022, though his real improvements came in his running game. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy traded big to get Fields some more talent on offense, which should bode well for Fields’ continued improvement.
Sportswear retailer Fanatics is making a significant contribution to communities by donating over 300,000 pieces of apparel worth about $20 million to assist 100,000 families in need. In a nationwide effort occurring today called “Merch Madness,” Fanatics teamed up with influential sports personalities to facilitate distribution.
The idea came about last year when the company held Global Impact Day and encouraged all employees to dedicate a day to improving the world, said Michael Rubin, founder of Fanatics.
“This year, we wanted to focus on a single cause and create a substantial impact,” Rubin told “CBS Mornings.”
More than 4,000 employees are participating across 100 locations in 30 cities, including locations such as the Gillette Stadium, Levi’s Stadium, Allegiant Stadium and Wells Fargo Center.
Former NFL Giants quarterback and Super Bowl champion Eli Manning is among the athletes and entertainers participating in the event.
“For me, it’s just seeing the smiles on these kids’ faces as they receive a jersey or a hoodie or a T-shirt or capri jackets. And you know, for me, hey, I’m happy handing out Giants gear. I’m happy to give up a Peyton jersey, maybe even a Patriots, not doing the Eagles,” Manning said.
Fanatics is also expanding its presence in the gaming industry, aiming to become a significant player in collectibles and online sports betting.
Rubin said that the company aims “to provide fans with a comprehensive digital sports experience,” including placing bets, purchasing merchandise, trading collectibles, and streaming games in the upcoming years.
“We really want the fan to be able to go to one place and get everything they want digitally. So I can place my bets online. I can get my merchandise. I can find buy and trade my collectibles. Over time, I can watch sports that I want to watch. So I think this plays a really important pivotal part into the long-term digital sports experience for Fanatics,” Rubin said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings hired Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator on Monday, their first step toward trying to revive a once-dominant unit that ranked among the NFL’s worst last season.
Flores was a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach this season for Pittsburgh, after three years as head coach in Miami.
Prior to being hired by the Dolphins, Flores was an assistant for 11 seasons for New England, the last eight on the defensive side. The Patriots won four Super Bowls during his time there, which included four years as a scout. The last of those was in the 2018 season, which was Flores’ first as the defensive play-caller. The Patriots jumped from 17th to seventh in the league that year in opponent passer rating (85.4) and were tied for fifth with 28 takeaways.
After he was fired by the Dolphins, Flores, who is Black, filed a class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination by the team and the NFL. The case is still tied up in the court system.
With the Steelers, the 41-year-old Flores drew rave reviews from players who saw him as an extra head coach on Mike Tomlin’s staff. The Steelers were tied with the Patriots this season for the fewest rushing touchdowns (seven) allowed in the league.
Flores replaces Ed Donatell, who was fired last month after one year with head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings were second-worst in the league in yards allowed and fourth-worst in points allowed during the regular season. The NFC North champions were then ousted from the playoffs in the wild-card round by the New York Giants as quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 301 yards and rushed for 78 more.
The Vikings also interviewed Seattle associate head coach Sean Desai, Pittsburgh senior defensive New Orleans co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen and their own assistant head coach Mike Pettine, who was Green Bay’s defensive coordinator from 2018-20 and also the head coach for Cleveland from 2014-15.
Nielsen was hired as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator. Desai withdrew from consideration. The Vikings also had interest in former Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, but he made a lateral move to take the job with Carolina and never wound up interviewing with Minnesota.
The Vikings under Donatell favored a four-man rush with two high safeties backing their zone pass coverage, but over their last eight regular-season games they forced only seven turnovers and totaled 12 sacks. Jones picked them apart underneath in the playoff game, going 24 for 35.
Four cornerbacks will be free agents next month: primary starters Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan and backup Kris Boyd. The Vikings also have four core defensive players carrying eight-figure salary-cap hits: safety Harrison Smith, outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter and inside linebacker Eric Kendricks. Only Hunter has not reached his 30s.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is “trending in the right direction” toward starting Sunday against the Giants after he missed the last two games with a sprained right shoulder.
Coach Nick Sirianni declined to commit to Hurts as the starter as the Eagles (13-3) try and clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over New York. Hurts had limited participation in practice this week for the first time since he was injured.
“He’s trending in the right direction and we feel good about it,” Sirianni said Friday. “The major thing is, I don’t have to tell (the media) yet. It’s really going to be if he’s ready to play or not.”
Hurts was injured three weeks ago on a hard tackle in a win against the Chicago Bears. The Eagles lost both games with Gardner Minshew.
Hurts has thrown 22 touchdowns and has 3,472 yards passing, rushing for 747 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 35 total touchdowns this season tied the franchise record set by Randall Cunningham in 1990.
“He’s done a little bit more this week,” Sirianni said. “I thought he threw the ball well last week. But you talk about the healing going on, it’s the things you can’t see. Everything is taken into account. We’re not going to put anybody out there if they’re going to hurt themselves worse than what it already is.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Today is Thursday, Dec. 29, the 363rd day of 2022. There are two days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Dec. 29, 1845, Texas was admitted as the 28th state.
On this date:
In 1170, Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was slain in Canterbury Cathedral by knights loyal to King Henry II.
In 1812, during the War of 1812, the American frigate USS Constitution engaged and severely damaged the British frigate HMS Java off Brazil.
In 1851, the first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in the United States was founded in Boston.
In 1890, the Wounded Knee massacre took place in South Dakota as an estimated 300 Sioux Indians were killed by U.S. troops sent to disarm them.
In 1940, during World War II, Germany dropped incendiary bombs on London, setting off what came to be known as “The Second Great Fire of London.”
In 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed into the Florida Everglades near Miami International Airport, killing 101 of the 176 people aboard.
In 1978, during the Gator Bowl, Ohio State University coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson player Charlie Bauman, who’d intercepted an Ohio State pass. (Hayes was fired by Ohio State the next day.)
In 1989, dissident and playwright Vaclav Havel (VAHTS’-lahv HAH’-vel) assumed the presidency of Czechoslovakia.
In 1992, the United States and Russia announced agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.
In 2006, word reached the United States of the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (because of the time difference, it was the morning of Dec. 30 in Iraq when the hanging took place). In a statement, President George W. Bush called Saddam’s execution an important milestone on Iraq’s road to democracy.
In 2007, the New England Patriots ended their regular season with a remarkable 16-0 record following a 38-35 comeback victory over the New York Giants. (New England became the first NFL team since the 1972 Dolphins to win every game on the schedule.)
In 2016, the United States struck back at Russia for hacking the U.S. presidential campaign with a sweeping set of punishments targeting Russia’s spy agencies and diplomats.
Ten years ago: Maine’s same-sex marriage law went into effect. Shocked Indians mourned the death of a woman who’d been gang-raped and beaten on a bus in New Delhi nearly two weeks earlier; six suspects were charged with murder. (Four were later sentenced to death; one died in prison; the sixth, a juvenile at the time of the attack, was sentenced to a maximum of three years in a reform home.)
Five years ago: Puerto Rico authorities said nearly half of the power customers in the U.S. territory still lacked electricity, more than three months after Hurricane Maria.
One year ago: British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in New York of helping lure teenage girls to be sexually abused by the late Jeffrey Epstein; the verdict capped a monthlong trial featuring accounts of the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 14. (Maxwell would be sentenced to 20 years in prison.) More than a year after a vaccine was rolled out, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. were soaring to their highest levels on record at over 265,000 per day; the surge was driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant. Candace Parker, who helped the Chicago Sky win the franchise’s first WNBA championship, was named The Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year for a second time.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Inga Swenson is 90. Retired ABC newscaster Tom Jarriel is 88. Actor Barbara Steele is 85. Actor Jon Voight is 84. Singer Marianne Faithfull is 76. Retired Hall of Fame Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. is 76. Actor Ted Danson is 75. Singer-actor Yvonne Elliman is 71. The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, is 69. Actor Patricia Clarkson is 63. Comedian Paula Poundstone is 63. Rock singer-musician Jim Reid (The Jesus and Mary Chain) is 61. Actor Michael Cudlitz is 58. Rock singer Dexter Holland (The Offspring) is 57. Actor-comedian Mystro Clark is 56. Actor Jason Gould is 56. News anchor Ashleigh Banfield is 55. Movie director Lilly Wachowski is 55. Actor Jennifer Ehle is 53. Actor Patrick Fischler is 53. Rock singer-musician Glen Phillips is 52. Actor Kevin Weisman is 52. Actor Jude Law is 50. Actor Maria Dizzia is 48. Actor Mekhi Phifer (mih-KY’ FY’-fuhr) is 48. Actor Shawn Hatosy is 47. Actor Katherine Moennig is 45. Actor Diego Luna is 43. Actor Alison Brie is 40. Country singer Jessica Andrews is 39. Actor Iain de Caestecker is 35. Actor Jane Levy is 33. Singer-actor-dancer Ross Lynch is 27. Rock musician Danny Wagner is 24.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Los Angeles Chargers tried to keep their postgame playoff celebration private.
No such luck. After shaking hands and walking off the field in Indianapolis, players jogged through a tunnel to blaring music, high-fives and hugs and headed into a first-time locker room scene for many of these Chargers — a playoff party.
Austin Ekeler scored on two 1-yard runs and Los Angeles clinched its first postseason berth since 2018, intercepting Nick Foles three times to beat the overmatched Colts 20-3 on Monday night.
“We’re in it, now let’s go win it!” one player screamed before reporters were allowed into the locker room.
The bash included second-year coach Brandon Staley handing a game ball to owner Dean Spanos, whose organization earned its second playoff spot since 2014, a little less than a year after a brutal overtime loss at Las Vegas in last season’s finale game kept LA out of the postseason.
Justin Herbert threw for 235 yards and Cameron Dicker made two short field goals for the Chargers (9-6), who won their third straight after getting the help they needed this weekend from Las Vegas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets. When all four lost, the Chargers simply needed a win to clinch a playoff spot, and they did their part.
“It’s been a while,” receiver Keenan Allen said after catching 11 passes for 104 yards, his sixth straight 100-yard game on the road. “The playoffs are never guaranteed, so when you get in, it feels good. Now the season starts.”
Indy (4-10-1) lost its fifth straight under interim coach Jeff Saturday, though this was a more ho-hum defeat than the previous two, when it gave up 33 fourth-quarter points to Dallas and blew a 33-0 halftime lead at Minnesota.
Foles, making his first Colts start, squandered two first-quarter scoring chances by throwing picks, wound up getting sacked seven times and went 0 for 10 on third down.
As usual, though, Indy’s third starting quarterback of the season was only part of the problem.
“We started out, thought we had some shots early but obviously the turnovers hurt you and dissuade you to keep doing it,” Saturday said. “We ran the ball well, but when it’s second-and-14, it’s hard to catch back up. I thought we ran the ball effectively but couldn’t stick with it.”
Herbert also struggled early until Ekeler scored the first points of the game with his short TD run midway through the second quarter.
The Colts took advantage of two personal foul calls that led to the ejection of Pro Bowl safety Derwin James to drive for their only score of the game, a 46-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin.
But that was it for the Colts. Dicker’s two kicks made it 13-3, and Ekeler’s second scoring run sealed the victory.
Ekeler had 18 carries for 67 yards, became the fourth player in 15 years to score at least 15 TDs in back-to-back seasons and needs one more catch to post the sixth 100-catch season by a running back in league history.
While Herbert went 24 of 31 and his three-game streak of 300-yard games ended, the numbers didn’t matter. The win did.
“It was tough to lose to the Raiders at the end (last year),” Herbert said. “The guys in that locker room deserve this. So it’ll be exciting to have that opportunity.”
Foles was 17 of 29 for 143 yards and threw his final interception in the third quarter. The Super Bowl MVP after the 2017 season with Philadelphia was sacked seven times in his first NFL start since Dec. 26, 2021, with Chicago.
FUTURE PLANS
The Colts have already fired offensive coordinator Marcus Brady and coach Frank Reich and have benched quarterback Matt Ryan twice. Ryan was inactive behind Foles and backup Sam Ehlinger on Monday night.
Team owner Jim Irsay addressed the future of his organization during an interview that aired on ESPN’s pregame show. Irsay said Saturday will be a candidate to keep the job next season.
“I will go into it open-minded, and I will be looking for the best direction for us to win,” Irsay said. “Jeff I believe is an outstanding candidate so, obviously, he’s competitive for that. Chris Ballard will be our general manager and the quarterback, it’s very much up in the air right now on what direction we’ll be going.”
SHORT RETURN
James returned after missing two games with a quadriceps injury, but he didn’t even make it through the first half.
Two plays after being called for a facemask when Michael Pittman Jr.’s helmet came off, James was flagged for hitting a defenseless receiver with the crown of the helmet and was ejected with 5:18 to play. The hit sent Colts receiver Ashton Dulin to the locker room, and Dulin was eventually ruled out with a concussion.
Staley said James also entered the concussion protocol, adding that the helmet-to-helmet hit was unintentional.
“He made an aggressive play but he didn’t intentionally go for the helmet,” Staley said.
UP NEXT
Chargers: Return home to face the Rams in Sunday’s Battle of Los Angeles.
Colts: Close out their road schedule with a New Year’s Day trip to the New York Giants.
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Today is Saturday, Dec. 17, the 351st day of 2022. There are 14 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.
On this date:
In 1777, France recognized American independence.
In 1933, in the inaugural NFL championship game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.
In 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.
In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.
In 1969, the U.S. Air Force closed its Project “Blue Book” by concluding there was no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships behind thousands of UFO sightings.
In 1975, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, California, to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford. (She was paroled in Aug. 2009.)
In 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a Black insurance executive, was beaten by police after leading them on a chase with his motorcycle in Miami. McDuffie died in a hospital four days later. (Four white police officers accused of beating McDuffie were later acquitted, sparking riots.)
In 1992, President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (muhl-ROO’-nee) and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (sah-LEE’-nuhs deh gohr-TAHR’-ee) signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies. (After President Donald Trump demanded a new deal, the three countries signed a replacement agreement in 2018.)
In 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.
In 2014, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations, sweeping away one of the last vestiges of the Cold War.
In 2018, a report from the Senate intelligence committee found that Russia’s political disinformation campaign on U.S. social media was more far-reaching than originally thought, with troll farms working to discourage Black voters and “blur the lines between reality and fiction” to help elect Donald Trump.
In 2020, a government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for the shot from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.
Ten years ago: Newtown, Connecticut, began laying its dead to rest, holding funerals for two 6-year-old boys, the first of the 20 children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. A pair of NASA spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, were deliberately crashed into a mountain near the moon’s north pole, ending a mission that peered into the lunar interior. Longtime Democratic U.S. senator and World War II hero Daniel Inouye (ih-NOH’-way) of Hawaii died in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 88.
Five years ago: Facing an investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct and using racist language, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced that he would sell the NFL team after the season. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” took in $220 million in its debut weekend in North America, good for the second-best opening ever and behind only its predecessor, “The Force Awakens.” French sailor Francois Gabart broke the record for sailing around the world alone, circumnavigating the planet in just 42 days and 16 hours.
One year ago: A federal appeals court panel ruled that President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for larger private employers could take effect. (Weeks later, the Supreme Court rejected that mandate.) A Florida man, 54-year-old Robert Palmer, who had attacked police officers trying to hold back the angry mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced to more than five years behind bars. The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo; the coffee retailer, for the first time, would have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store. A fire that spread from a fourth-floor mental clinic in an eight-story building in downtown Osaka in western Japan left 25 dead. (A clinic patient suspected of starting the fire died two weeks later at a hospital where he was being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.)
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 92. Pope Francis is 86. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 86. Actor Bernard Hill is 78. Actor Ernie Hudson is 77. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 76. Actor Marilyn Hassett is 75. Actor Wes Studi is 75. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries) is 74. Actor Joel Brooks is 73. Rock singer Paul Rodgers is 73. R&B singer Wanda Hutchinson Vaughn (The Emotions) is 71. Actor Bill Pullman is 69. Actor Barry Livingston is 69. Country singer Sharon White is 69. Producer-director-writer Peter Farrelly is 66. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.) is 64. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama) is 61. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 56. Country musician Duane Propes is 56. Actor Laurie Holden is 53. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray) is 52. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 52. Actor Claire Forlani is 51. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic) is 49. Actor Sarah Paulson is 48. Actor Marissa Ribisi is 48. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 48. Actor Milla Jovovich (YO’-vuh-vich) is 47. Singer Bree Sharp is 47. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT) is 40. Rock singer Mikky Ekko is 39. Actor Shannon Woodward is 38. Actor Emma Bell is 36. Actor Vanessa Zima is 36. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore) is 33. Actor Graham Rogers is 32. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 28.
Today is Monday, Dec. 12, the 346th day of 2022. There are 19 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Dec. 12, 2015, nearly 200 nations meeting in Paris adopted the first global pact to fight climate change, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposing no sanctions on countries that didn’t do so.
On this date:
In 1787, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
In 1870, Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first Black lawmaker sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 1913, authorities in Florence, Italy, announced that the “Mona Lisa,” stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911, had been recovered.
In 1915, singer-actor Frank Sinatra was born Francis Albert Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey.
In 1917, during World War I, a train carrying some 1,000 French troops from the Italian front derailed while descending a steep hill in Modane (moh-DAN’); at least half of the soldiers were killed in France’s greatest rail disaster. Father Edward Flanagan founded Boys Town outside Omaha, Nebraska.
In 1977, the dance movie “Saturday Night Fever,” starring John Travolta, premiered in New York.
In 1985, 248 American soldiers and eight crew members were killed when an Arrow Air charter crashed after takeoff from Gander, Newfoundland.
In 1995, by three votes, the Senate killed a constitutional amendment giving Congress authority to outlaw flag burning and other forms of desecration against Old Glory.
In 2000, George W. Bush became president-elect as a divided U.S. Supreme Court reversed a state court decision for recounts in Florida’s contested election. The Marine Corps grounded all eight of its high-tech MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft following a fiery crash in North Carolina that killed four Marines. (The Osprey program was revived by the Pentagon in 2005.)
In 2010, the inflatable roof of the Minneapolis Metrodome collapsed following a snowstorm that had dumped 17 inches on the city. (The NFL was forced to shift an already rescheduled game between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants to Detroit’s Ford Field.)
In 2019, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson led his Conservative Party to a landslide victory in a general election that was dominated by Brexit.
In 2020, thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump gathered in Washington for rallies to back his desperate efforts to subvert the election that he lost to Joe Biden; sporadic fights broke out between pro-Trump and anti-Trump demonstrators after sundown, and four people were taken to the hospital with stab wounds. Charley Pride, the son of sharecroppers in Mississippi who became the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died in Dallas at 86 from what a spokesman said were complications from COVID-19. John le Carre, the former spy whose novels defined the Cold War espionage thriller, died in England at the age of 89.
Ten years ago: North Koreans danced in the streets of their capital, Pyongyang, after the regime of Kim Jong Un succeeded in firing a long-range rocket in defiance of international warnings. Pope Benedict XVI sent his first tweet from his new account; it read, “Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.”
Five years ago: Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama’s special Senate election over Republican Roy Moore, who had denied accusations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls that allegedly took place when he was in his 30s; it was the first Democratic Senate victory in Alabama in a quarter-century, and came despite an endorsement of Moore by President Donald Trump. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, the city’s first Asian-American mayor, died at the age of 65 after collapsing while grocery shopping.
One year ago: Despite critical acclaim and two years-worth of anticipation, Steven Spielberg’s lavish “West Side Story” revival made little noise at the box office, with just $10.5 million in ticket sales on its opening weekend. Veteran anchor Chris Wallace announced at the end of his “Fox News Sunday” program that he was leaving Fox News after 18 years; CNN then announced that he was joining its new streaming service.
Today’s Birthdays: Former TV host Bob Barker is 99. Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Pettit is 90. Singer Connie Francis is 85. Singer Dionne Warwick is 82. Rock singer-musician Dickey Betts is 79. Hall of Fame race car driver Emerson Fittipaldi is 76. Actor Wings Hauser is 75. Actor Bill Nighy (ny) is 73. Actor Duane Chase (Film: “The Sound of Music”) is 72. Country singer LaCosta is 72. Gymnast-turned-actor Cathy Rigby is 70. Singer-musician Sheila E. is 65. Actor Sheree J. Wilson is 64. Pop singer Daniel O’Donnell is 61. International Tennis Hall of Famer Tracy Austin is 60. Rock musician Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors) is 59. Author Sophie Kinsella is 53. News anchor Maggie Rodriguez is 53. Actor Jennifer Connelly is 52. Actor Madchen Amick is 52. Actor Regina Hall is 52. Country singer Hank Williams III is 50. Actor Mayim Bialik is 47. Model Bridget Hall is 45. Actor Lucas Hedges is 26. Actor Sky Katz is 18.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Thanksgiving afternoon game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys set the mark for the most-watched NFL regular-season game on record.
The Cowboys 28-20 victory on Fox averaged 42 million viewers, according to Nielsen, surpassing the 41.55 million average for the Dec. 3, 1990, Monday night game between the Giants and San Francisco 49ers on ABC. Average viewer record numbers date to 1988.
The average viewership for the three Thanksgiving Day games on Thursday was 33.5 million, surpassing the previous high of 32.9 million in 1993, when two games were aired.
The average was also up 6% over last year’s average of 31.6 million.
The night game between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings averaged 25.9 million, the second-highest audience for a Thanksgiving night contest. The Vikings’ 33-26 victory was surpassed only by the 2015 game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers (27.8 million).
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know:Tua Tagovailoa is back, but he has some rust to knock off before this offense can truly say the same. The Dolphins led the NFL in points per drive through three weeks to start the season, and displayed that same efficiency with a touchdown and two field goals in their first three drives Sunday night. Their offense sputtered from there, and Tagovailoa played like someone who hasn’t played in 24 days. At least four of his passes were dropped by Steelers defenders, and his timing with his receivers was hit or miss throughout the final three quarters. It’s nothing to be overly concerned about — although you have to wonder whether Mike McDaniel will remind him to slide after he finished a couple of runs by lowering his shoulder into a defender. The Lions’ NFL-worst defense seems like an opportune opponent in Week 8.
Will the Dolphins’ pass rush please stand up? The Dolphins have generated the fourth-fewest quarterback pressures in the NFL through 7 weeks — despite owning the NFL’s fifth-best pass rush win rate. Even more concerning is the fact that Miami blitzes at the 10th-highest rate in the league yet ranks 24th in sack rate. Defense is complementary, meaning coverage and rush help one another. But with the injuries the Dolphins’ secondary is facing, their pass rush will have to carry more of the load until their counterparts get healthy. Their nine blitzes Sunday night generated just one pressure — that simply won’t cut it moving forward. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Steelers
What to know: After surrendering a big first quarter, the Steelers’ defense dampened Tua Tagovailoa‘s return on Sunday night. The defensive backs just barely missed four would-be picks, and after giving up 13 points in the first quarter, the Steelers held the Dolphins to just three points over the final three — including a shutout in the second half. The defense gave up big plays in spots to Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, but in the second half, the Steelers held the Dolphins on fourth-and-3 and forced four consecutive punts — including two three-and-outs. While the offense struggled, the defense played soundly in the second half, giving up only 127 yards after surrendering 246 in the first half. It’s the second strong performance — including crucial halftime adjustments — by the defense after beating Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a week earlier. With T.J. Watt nearing his return from a Week 1 pectoral tear, the Steelers’ defense is shaping up to be a much stronger unit than it looked in the first month of the season.
Can the Steelers’ offense find consistency? Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett was inserted at halftime of the Jets game to give the Steelers’ offense a spark. In two starts since, the offense flickers like the flame of a lighter running out of butane. Occasionally, everything clicks — like the second-quarter drive in which George Pickens hauled in four targets and scored his first NFL touchdown. But other times, it quickly fizzles out, like the two would-be game-winning fourth-quarter drives that ended instead with red zone picks. Pickett’s offense is undeniably a work-in-progress, but the Steelers have struggled to sustain drives more often than not with conservative playcalls and costly, untimely mistakes, and playmakers like Pickens disappear for long stretches. The pieces are there, but the Steelers haven’t been able to consistently put them together. More time together could help the offensive cohesion, but partly because of the midseason quarterback swap, it has been a slow-developing process. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know: With an offense that’s still rolling and a defense that has finally caught up, the Seahawks look like legitimate contenders, but DK Metcalf‘s knee injury is a cause for concern. The Seahawks are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC West at 4-3 after a complete performance in their win over the Chargers. Their offense got another efficient outing from quarterback Geno Smith and a pair of rushing touchdowns from rookie running back Kenneth Walker III, including a 74-yarder. With three sacks and two takeaways, their defense looks like it has turned itself around after another miserable start.
Can the offense keep this up if Metcalf misses time? Metcalf was carted off the field in the first half and quickly ruled out. The Seahawks have the luxury of essentially having two No. 1 receivers in Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but Metcalf makes so many things happen with his ability to make contested catches, stretch defenses and free up teammates by taking up double-teams. Marquise Goodwin stepped up in this game with a pair of touchdown catches. Seattle will need Dee Eskridge to do the same if Metcalf’s injury is serious. — Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Chargers
What to know: The Chargers managed a couple of ugly wins in a three-game win streak but failed to show up Sunday and suffered one very ugly loss to the Seahawks. Squandering an opportunity to improve to 5-2 and earn their first four-game win streak since 2018, they instead drop to 4-3 and go into a bye week with an urgent need to do some soul searching in regard to who they are and where they want to go.
How do the Chargers manage their injuries? It has been a season marked by injuries, and now they can add two more significant questions after cornerback J.C. Jackson left the field on a cart because of a right knee injury and wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a right ankle injury. — Lindsey Thiry
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m. ET)
Jets
What to know: The Jets are 5-2 for the first time since 2010, their last playoff season, and have adopted the same style of play: fantastic defense, low-mistake offense. It’s not pretty, but it’s working for the Jets. They had no turnovers for the third straight game — they hadn’t done that since 2010 — letting their defense win the field-position game. They frustrated Denver backup QB Brett Rypien with excellent pass coverage, highlighted by a Lamarcus Joyner interception and three pass breakups by Sauce Gardner. Say this for the Jets: They now boast a 4-0 road record. They haven’t done that since … you guessed it, 2010.
Can the Jets’ offense manage without Breece Hall? This was a costly game for the Jets, as they lost rookie standout running back Hall to a knee injury in the second quarter. It would be devastating if it’s a long-term injury. Hall, who scored on a 62-yard touchdown run, is the face of the offense. He helps take the pressure off quarterback Zach Wilson, who struggled for the second week in a row. Michael Carter is a solid RB2, but he doesn’t have Hall’s home run speed. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Broncos
What to know: There was optimism in recent days the Broncos could find their rhythm on offense with backup quarterback Brett Rypien in the lineup. File that away because the Broncos had their sixth game of the season with 16 or fewer points and their third with 11 or fewer. Despite Denver’s defense keeping the Jets to under 300 yards, it didn’t matter.
What can the Broncos’ offense do to find some points? The Broncos were better Sunday when they bulked up on offense — formations with two or three tight ends and two backs. They moved the ball better Sunday when they were in those groupings and lost their way, again, when they got in catch-up mode and leaned on their three-wide receiver sets. They simply have to accept that they can’t play how they want to right now and have to play the way they need to. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Chiefs
What to know: There is life in the Chiefs’ pass rush beyond defensive tackle Chris Jones, after all. The Chiefs started slowly with their pressure against 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo but got their rush going, and it was productive — particularly in key moments of the game. Their defense will be difficult to deal with if they can continue this kind of pressure.
Can the Chiefs afford to continue using rookie Skyy Moore to return punts? No Super Bowl contender could afford to do that. Moore is learning on the job. He didn’t return punts in college and had his second fumbled return of the season against the 49ers. The first one helped the Chiefs lose a game against the Colts in Week 3. This one didn’t, but the Chiefs need to give him some time to learn his new craft on the practice field instead of in game action. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, Nov. 6, 8:20 p.m. ET)
49ers
What to know: Much was made of the 49ers’ addition of running back Christian McCaffrey, but general manager John Lynch warned last week that McCaffrey isn’t a magic cure for what ails the Niners. That was readily apparent Sunday, as the defense got torched by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the offense failed to keep up, settling for field goals when touchdowns were needed. McCaffrey can and will help, but at 3-4, the Niners are going to need plenty of improvement elsewhere.
What’s wrong with the 49ers’ defense? The Niners’ defense has come crashing back to Earth. That was to be expected as the opponents got better and injuries piled up, but Sunday was a rude awakening. The Niners had Kansas City in third-and-20 and third-and-12 in the second half with a chance to get off the field. They gave up a combined 91 yards on those two plays. Injuries aside, there’s enough talent here to prevent those types of things from happening. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Raiders
What to know: The Raiders are ready to go on a post-bye run. While they were 1-4 coming into Sunday, just 3-16 after the bye since 2003 and had lost their past five such games by an average of 17.8 points, their talent suggested they were better. Much better. And after beating Houston, the schedule lightens up considerably, with none of their next five opponents boasting a winning record entering this weekend. In fact, ESPN’s Football Power Index favors Las Vegas to win nine of its last 11 games.
Is Josh Jacobs the Raiders’ MVP? Yes. Jacobs, who had his fifth-year option declined by the new regime, is playing for a contract. Davante Adams might be more explosive, and Derek Carr is at the controls. But Jacobs — who became the first player in franchise history with three straight games of 100 rushing yards and a rushing TD and joined Marcus Allen with his fifth career game gaining 100 rushing yards and scoring multiple TDs — kept the offense afloat again. He finished with 143 yards and three TDs on 20 carries, becoming just the third back in franchise history with multiple games with three rushing touchdowns, along with Allen and Pete Banaszak. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Texans
What to know: Quarterback Davis Mills played his best game of the season. Prior to the bye, Mills looked shaky, completing 62.7% of his passes for five touchdown passes with four interceptions. But against the Raiders, he was much better. He completed 68% of his passes, threw two touchdown passes and logged a season-high 302 yards. Mills was also money on third downs, throwing both of his TD passes on that down. However, he did throw a pick-six late in the fourth quarter, which blew the game open.
What’s going on with the Texans’ run defense? The Texans have allowed the third-most rushing yards in the NFL (989), and their issues stopping the run cost them a potential win in a game they led 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. Jacobs rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns, two coming in the fourth quarter, against the Texans as Houston’s run woes looked eerily similar to the Week 3 loss to the Bears, when it allowed 281 rushing yards. The Texans have to figure things out — fast. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: The rest of the NFL might have declared the Panthers (2-5) in tank mode after they traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, but interim coach Steve Wilks and his players aren’t going there, as they promised all week. They put together their most complete game of the season, finally getting enough offense to back yet another solid defensive performance. They showed they still have the fight to remain in the race for the NFC South, moving within a game of Tampa Bay (3-4) and Atlanta (3-4) with the Falcons next on the schedule. And quarterback PJ Walker showed he should remain the starter even when Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold return from ankle injuries. And, oh, that McCaffrey fellow. The Panthers got almost 200 yards rushing out of their new duo of D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.
Should PJ Walker remain the starter next week against Atlanta even if Baker Mayfield is ready to return from an ankle injury? Absolutely. Walker was allowed to do what he does best on Sunday in terms of getting the ball downfield, and he responded with two touchdowns on an efficient 16-of-22 passing. He’s now 3-1 as an NFL starter, 1-1 this season. Mayfield won’t like it, but this might signal the end for him at Carolina. It felt like it was the end even before today, given the league-low numbers Mayfield was putting up. — David Newton
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: For the second week in a row, Tom Brady and the Bucs were favored by 9.5 points, and once again, they stunk it up, this time against a team that fired its head coach and recently traded away two offensive stars. The Bucs’ offense looked absolutely dreadful with an abundance of dropped passes, miscues, questionable playcalling and, of course, protection issues, mustering three measly points. Perhaps the only positive: The Falcons lost too, meaning that at 3-4, the Bucs are still tied for first place. But what consolation is that when they’ve now lost four of their past five?
What went wrong this time? More like, what didn’t go wrong? Mike Evans dropped what might have been the most wide-open touchdown pass of his career on the opening drive. The Bucs were stonewalled once again in short yardage with Leonard Fournette going nowhere on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1. And Brady failed to connect with Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage in the end zone on three straight incomplete passes from the 8-yard line. Defensively, they couldn’t stop the run — surrendering 173 yards, including a 60-yarder from D’Onta Foreman. Hosting the Baltimore Ravens in four days, they’ll also now likely be without Antoine Winfield Jr., who left Sunday’s game with a concussion. — Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Ravens (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
play
0:34
D’Onta Foreman breaks free for a 60-yard run, and Chuba Hubbard runs in a 17-yard touchdown on the next play.
Cowboys
What to know: If there was a doubt — and by now there shouldn’t be — the defense will carry the Cowboys to success. Not even quarterback Dak Prescott’s return after a five-game absence could get the Cowboys’ offense rolling. But the defense came through. Again. After allowing two touchdowns last week versus Philadelphia for the first time this season, the defense did not allow a touchdown against a Lions offense that came in averaging 28 points a game. The defense changed the momentum of the game with five takeaways in the second half that the offense turned into 21 points: a Trevon Diggs‘ interception, an Anthony Barr fumble recovery at the Dallas 1, a Jourdan Lewis interception in the fourth quarter, a Sam Williams‘ sack/fumble and a DeMarcus Lawrence fumble recovery to end the game.
Will the Cowboys ever figure out their third-down woes on offense? If they don’t, they will not be a serious threat. They entered the game converting just 32% of their third-down tries, and things were supposed to be better upon Prescott’s return. They were 3-of-9 on third down. Through three quarters, Prescott was 0-for-1 with two sacks on third down. In the opener against Tampa Bay, he was 3-of-9 with an interception on third down. In the fourth quarter, they were stopped on third-and-1 when the Lions snuffed out a toss play to Tony Pollard. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Lions
What to know: Turnovers absolutely hurt the Lions in critical moments. Quarterback Jared Goff threw two interceptions — and added two fumbles in the fourth. Also, running back Jamaal Williams fumbled twice — including one at the goal line to start the fourth. Detroit was already facing an uphill battle after losing wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a concussion during the first quarter. And the Lions were playing without receiver DJ Chark (ankle) — who was recently placed on injured reserve — and running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle), who has missed the past three games. So those mistakes proved to be costly while Detroit was undermanned.
Will the Lions’ defense improve from this performance moving forward? This season it’s been tough to get the offense and defense on the same page. Entering this game, Detroit’s defense was allowing a league-high 34 points per game, but during the bye, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn made some changes, notably having No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson work with both the linebackers and defensive linemen to position him better for success. It worked in Dallas, as he racked up 1.5 sacks. Plus, Texas product Jeff Okudah played inspired football with a career-high 15 total tackles. So, yeah, the Lions certainly can’t do any worse than the first four games, when the defense was horrendous. On a bright note, they allowed a season-low 24 points to the Cowboys — but a loss is a loss. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
What to know: The Titans completed a sweep of the Colts to strengthen their lead atop the AFC South. The Titans’ defensive front dominated the trenches, harassing Colts quarterback Matt Ryan for most of the day. Denico Autry continued his revenge tour against his former team with a sack. Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons also had sacks. Pressure from Dupree led to two interceptions for the Titans. One of the interceptions was returned 76 yards for a touchdown by safety Andrew Adams. Tennessee has four more games within the division and now has a 4-2 record, thanks to a four-game winning streak.
Can the Titans continue to win games in such an ugly manner? Although it counts as a win, the Titans’ victory wasn’t pretty. Tennessee won primarily on the strength of its defense with two interceptions, including the pick-six by Adams. The Titans don’t deliver many explosive plays, instead relying on long drives to get onto the scoreboard, as evidenced by their 31-minute time of possession on Sunday. Derrick Henry has three 100-yard rushing performances in Tennessee’s four wins. Simply put, this team finds a way to win. However, things will get tough for the Titans over the next five weeks, with matchups against the Chiefs, Packers and Bengals on the docket. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: The Colts thought they had found a viable path on offense with their best showing in Week 6 against Jacksonville. But the heavy passing attack didn’t work as effectively against Tennessee, as the Titans harassed quarterback Matt Ryan throughout and dominated the Colts’ offensive line. Ryan threw two interceptions — including one that was returned for a TD — and now has 12 turnovers for the season. The return of running backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines from injuries didn’t change the outcome for the Colts, who are running out of time to salvage their floundering offense.
Can the Colts fix their offense? Against teams that don’t have dominant defensive fronts, the Colts likely have enough firepower to make things tough on opponents. But when they fail to win up front, as they did on Sunday, it’s easier for a defense to neutralize receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell. Their problems are fundamental: an offensive line that is playing at an unacceptable level and a quarterback who is shrinking in the face of the resulting pass rush. How do you fix that? — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Bengals
What to know: Earlier in the week, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said a three-game stretch against the Falcons, Browns and Panthers was going to define Cincinnati’s season. It represented three opportunities to bank victories in a tight AFC North race heading into the team’s bye in Week 10. Behind a record-breaking day from Burrow, who became the first player in NFL history to have five games of 400 or more passing yards in his first three seasons, the Bengals started out with a win.
Buy or sell WR Tyler Boyd‘s performance? Buy. Boyd had a career-high 155 receiving yards, with the bulk of that coming in the first quarter. Even with an offense that features Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Boyd showed why coach Zac Taylor considers him one of the best slot receivers in the league. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Browns (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know: On an ugly day all around, especially for a defense left short-handed by A.J. Terrell‘s hamstring injury, there might yet be good news for the Falcons: Not many offenses are as explosive as that of the Bengals. And with a stretch that includes games against the Bears, Commanders and Steelers and two against the Panthers coming up, the Falcons have to hope this was a bad matchup instead of a sign of problems to come.
Can Atlanta’s offense sustain when it gets into a hole? Based off what we’ve seen this season, it’s still a bit unclear. But Sunday did not provide much confidence. Trailing by 18 points in the fourth quarter, the Falcons appeared to stay in their same run-based offense. It worked in near comebacks against the Buccaneers and Rams, but against a more explosive offense in Cincinnati, and with the team’s secondary decimated by injury, it didn’t work. This is going to be something to pay attention to going forward but isn’t a huge concern. Yet. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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Ja’Marr Chase goes 41 yards into the end zone for another Bengals touchdown.
Ravens
What to know: The Ravens still have fourth-quarter issues but finally got some good fortune at the end. It looked like Baltimore was about to give away another double-digit lead after running back Justice Hill fumbled with 3:12 left in the game. But Malik Harrison blocked a potential game-tying 61-yard field goal. Then Ravens safety Geno Stone forced a fumble on the Browns’ final possession as the game ended. The Ravens avoided becoming just the third team in the past decade to lose four times in the first seven weeks in games in which they held double-digit leads.
What’s going on with Lamar Jackson throwing the ball? Defenses have turned up the heat with blitzes, and Jackson has not been sharp or decisive with the ball. On Sunday, he finished with 120 yards passing, the sixth fewest of his five-year career. Two completions — a 31-yard pass to Devin Duvernay and a 19-yard dump-off to fullback Patrick Ricard — accounted for 50 of those yards. Jackson said this week that the Ravens need to stop overthinking and just play. But Baltimore’s issues go deeper than that. Over the past four games, Jackson has thrown three TDs and four INTs. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: at Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: Cleveland played arguably its best game of the season in Baltimore. But too many errors on a potential game-winning drive sank the Browns, giving them their fourth straight loss. An offensive pass interference call on Amari Cooper negated his go-ahead TD reception. Then a false start on a game-tying field goal forced Cade York to attempt a 60-yard try. The kick was blocked, sealing the victory for Baltimore.
Can Cleveland recover from four straight losses? The Browns desperately needed this victory to hang around in the AFC North race. Now, at 2-5 with arguably the league’s toughest remaining schedule, Cleveland’s season is officially on life support. A loss to Cincinnati next week on “Monday Night Football” would effectively be the death knell — before the Browns even reach their midseason bye. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Bengals (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Commanders
What to know: Quarterback Taylor Heinicke‘s game won’t win any beauty pageants, but he excels at ignoring the aesthetics and competes. It’s why he can have a brutal start — with a first-half pick-six and numerous ugly incompletions early — and later lead a win. It helped that Washington ran the ball for 167 yards, and receiver Terry McLaurin came through with a big second half with a touchdown catch and key completions on the final drive. But Heinicke’s grit allows him to ignore plays that could ruin other quarterbacks coming off the bench. It’s why Washington has won two in a row.
Has the defense turned it around? The Commanders have benefited from facing struggling offenses the past two games in Chicago and Green Bay. But they have played better largely because of their ability to stop the run; they’ve allowed only 3.67 yards per carry in the past five games — fourth best in the NFL. Also, with cornerback William Jackson III sidelined, they’ve been more consistent in coverage, especially in zone. With Chase Young possibly back within two weeks, the defense could be the reason for a resurgence. — John Keim
Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: If the Packers can’t beat the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders, imagine what the Buffalo Bills are going to do to them next Sunday in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills have the most explosive offense in the NFL. They lead the league in yards per game and rank second in points. Their defense leads the league in fewest points allowed and ranks second in yards. Oh, yeah, and the Bills were on their bye this weekend and play the Packers at home in a prime-time game. This was supposed to be a get-back-on-track game after two straight losses. Instead, the Packers have their first three-game losing streak since 2018.
Now will the Packers get another receiver? Yes, it’s the same question as last week after the loss to the Jets. The trade deadline is a little more than a week away, and without a significant addition, it’s hard to see how their passing game will improve. The return of Sammy Watkins, who missed four weeks because of a hamstring injury, didn’t immediately help. Aaron Rodgers had not attempted a pass that traveled more than 10 yards in the air until the final two minutes of the first half on Sunday, and when he finally did, Watkins wasn’t fast enough to run under it. It was so far off that flags for pass interference were picked up because the ball was deemed uncatchable. Their fastest receiver, rookie Christian Watson, missed a second straight game because of a hamstring injury. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Giants
What to know: The Giants keep finding ways to win, even if it’s just by 1 yard. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags’ offense were on the doorstep late in the game, but Lawrence’s pass to Christian Kirk was stuffed at the 1-yard line as time expired. The Giants leaned for most of three quarters on the arm — and legs — of quarterback Daniel Jones, with Jacksonville concentrating on limiting Saquon Barkley (72 of his 110 rushing yards came in the fourth quarter). Jones threw for 202 yards and a touchdown and ran for 107 yards and another score. It’s what they needed against a Jaguars defense that has been strong in stopping the run. This was the kind of game that showed Jones (despite five dropped passes) has the ability to not only manage games but win them. He led his fourth fourth-quarter comeback this season.
Just how bad are the injuries? Rookie right tackle Evan Neal (knee), tight end Daniel Bellinger (eye) and left guard Ben Bredeson (knee) all left the game in the first half. Those are three starters. Early indications are Neal and Bredeson avoided serious injury, according to sources. That’s a positive. Bellinger was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. The Giants’ offense was already limited entering Sunday. It can’t afford for any of these injuries to be long term. The injured trio from Sunday has started every game this season — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know:Travis Etienne Jr. has taken over as the Jaguars’ top back. He started for the second consecutive week and had the breakout game that many have been expecting (114 yards rushing). Etienne averaged 8.1 yards per carry and scored his first NFL touchdown on a 7-yard run. James Robinson, who had started the first five games this season and 32 overall, didn’t have a carry or a reception in a game in which he has played for the first time in his career. He was targeted just once, on a pass that Trevor Lawrence overthrew in the end zone.
Where is the pass rush? The Jaguars’ pass rush looked formidable after putting up seven sacks in the first two games, but it has managed just six since — and only two in the past two games (just one against Daniel Jones). Head coach Doug Pederson said teams are devising game plans to stop No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker by chipping him or double-teaming him. But that means Josh Allen should be getting to the QB more. He did enter the week with 25 QB pressures, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but he hasn’t had a sack since Week 4 and has just three this season. Those two have to be more productive. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
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Daniel Jones pushes his way through to the end zone to put the Giants ahead late in the fourth quarter.
Thursday
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals’ offense isn’t out of the woods yet. Yes, it played as well as it has played all season during Thursday’s win over the Saints, but Kyler Murray said there’s things that the offense still needs to work on. And he’s not wrong. The Cardinals were saved by the defense, which returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Take those away, and the Cardinals would’ve lost. Next week in Minnesota will be the true gauge for this offense to see if it’s making strides or still stuck in the mud. Having nine days between games will give guys such as DeAndre Hopkins and Robbie Anderson a chance to get acclimated more, and players such as James Conner and Rodney Hudson a chance to get healthy.
Was Thursday night the spark the Cardinals’ needed to turn around the season? It’ll help, no doubt, but the win was somewhat built on false pretenses because the Saints were down to their top two corners and top two receivers. If Arizona plays well and can beat the Vikings convincingly next week, then yes, the Cardinals will be on their way to turning around the season. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: The Saints are a mess on both sides of the ball, but none of these problems are new. Turnovers, missed tackles and penalties have defined the Saints’ identity this season, and even wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith said self-inflicted wounds are killing the team. Smith said that Alvin Kamara told the team after the game: “We’ve got to really police ourselves, hold our own selves accountable, hold our teammates accountable.”
How does the coaching staff fix the team’s problems with multiple injuries? Saints coach Dennis Allen said the problem starts with him, and when asked how the coaches make changes going forward, he said it’s about “getting the right people in the right spots.” Allen admitted that is a tough thing to do, especially considering the health of the team is his biggest concern. With the Saints down three cornerbacks and several players on offense, there might not be many options for the Saints to turn to. — Katherine Terrell
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New York Giants rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger was taken to a hospital with a bloody eye injury during a game Sunday at Jacksonville.
Bellinger took an inadvertent fist in the face, and maybe a finger to the eye, from Jaguars rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd in the second quarter Sunday. Team trainers wore gloves while they tried to stop the bleeding. and Bellinger’s eye appeared to be swollen shut as he was carted off the field.
A fourth-round pick from San Diego State, Bellinger entered the game with 15 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Bellinger’s injury was the latest for the 5-1 Giants, who were trying to match their best start since 2008 with a victory in Jacksonville.
The Giants lost two starting offensive linemen to knee injuries, including rookie first-rounder and right tackle Evan Neal, in the first half.
Left guard Ben Bredeson was ruled out with a right knee injury in the first quarter. Neal injured his left leg in the second when Jaguars defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris landed on the back of his leg.
Neal, the seventh overall pick in April’s draft out of Alabama, was in pain on the field after the play. He eventually limped off before being checked in the medical tent on the sideline. Neal eventually took a cart into the locker room.
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The Jaguars will use a combination of inside corners Darious Williams and Tre Herndon to replace Griffin depending on whether the Jaguars are in base defense or nickel. Griffin is coming off his worst performances since joining the team as a free agent in March 2021: He had two pass interference penalties and also got beat deep one-on-one on Matt Ryan’s game-winning 32-yard touchdown pass to receiver Alec Pierce with 17 seconds to play.
Griffin has 29 tackles and four pass breakups in five games.
Agnew is averaging 22.1 yards per kickoff return and 5.8 yards per punt return and also has seven catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns and five runs for 29 yards. Christian Kirk worked as the punt returner during practice this week. Chris Claybrooks replaced Agnew as the kickoff returner during last week’s game.
In the late window, the Buffalo Bills made a statement (and grabbed a potential AFC playoff tiebreaker) by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. On Sunday Night Football, the Philadelphia Eagles earned a statement win over the Dallas Cowboys to remain the only undefeated team in the league.
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week’s matchups and look ahead to what’s next. Let’s get to it.
What to know: Quarterback Jalen Hurts answered the bell. Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said: “All you need to write is he hasn’t played the Cowboys yet, so we don’t know how good he is,” when asked about Hurts’ improvement this week. Hurts threw for a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions against one of the NFL’s best defenses, including the game-clincher to DeVonta Smith midway through the fourth quarter while operating behind an offensive line missing two of its starters. That, and the Eagles’ three defensive takeaways — two by C.J. Gardner-Johnson — pushed the Eagles past the Cowboys and to 6-0.
What are the Eagles going to do about these second-half droughts? Philadelphia has a habit of falling asleep offensively down the stretch. The Eagles have scored 35 points in the second half this season compared to 126 first-half points. It hasn’t bitten them yet, but it will be a point of focus during their bye week. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
What to know:Cooper Rush did all he could do, winning four straight starts after Dak Prescott suffered a fractured right thumb. At some point, it had to come apart and it did against the Eagles, especially in the first half. Rush’s first two interceptions of the season turned into 10 points in the second quarter when Philadelphia took a 20-0 lead. The Cowboys made a game of it in the second half, but for all of those wondering whether there would be a quarterback controversy, Sunday answered that question. Rush deserves credit for keeping the Cowboys’ season alive, but it’s up to Prescott to make sure they stay in the NFC East race the rest of the way.
Should there be worry about the Cowboys rush defense? For the fourth time in six games, the Cowboys allowed more than 120 yards on the ground. If there is an Achilles’ heel to the defense, it is their run defense. They do not have a lot of bulk up front and choose to get it done with speed. When the Eagles took control of the game with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, they ran it 10 times and never faced a third down longer than 4 yards. Their next two games come against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, who have the eighth- and second-ranked run offenses in the league. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bills
What to know: Despite offensive miscues and the defense allowing Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to throw for more than 100 yards to both Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Bills came away with another regular-season win at Arrowhead Stadium. The win was far from perfect, and there were miscues on both sides of the ball, including allowing the Chiefs to mount a 16-second drive for a field goal at the end of the first half.
The Bills brought in Von Miller to help win games like this. Has his performance paid off so far? The Bills invested heavily in the front seven over the offseason, most significantly with the addition of Miller. Against the Chiefs, the outside linebacker showed why it was worth it, finishing with his second two-sack game of the season, four tackles, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss. Miller was also the first to pressure Mahomes on the game-ending interception. Overall, the Bills’ defense was not able to pressure Mahomes as much as they would have hoped (32.6% of throws). But Miller’s impact was felt at key moments, which is exactly what the Bills were hoping for. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Chiefs
What to know: The Chiefs’ defense needs to be more productive with its blitz than it was against Bills quarterback Josh Allen. On one play, the Chiefs blitzed Allen with seven defenders and left him with enough time to throw a dime to Gabe Davis for a touchdown. On another, they sent six but left him enough time to throw a TD to Stefon Diggs.
Should the Chiefs be concerned about their secondary? They played without two of their top three cornerbacks and one of their top three safeties because of injuries. Therefore, the Chiefs were left with no choice but to play two rookies at cornerback, and the Bills successfully went after one of them, Joshua Williams, who played little until Sunday’s game. Things should improve when cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Rashad Fenton and safety Bryan Cook return. That could be as soon as Sunday against the 49ers. — Adam Teicher
Next game: at 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Rams
What to know: The Rams snapped their two-game losing streak, but their offense still hasn’t hit its stride. Los Angeles did score multiple touchdowns (three) for the first time since Week 3, but this offensive performance won’t be enough. After the Rams’ Week 5 loss, coach Sean McVay said the team needed to help quarterback Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles took a step forward against Carolina (rushing for two scores and giving up zero defensive touchdowns), but there’s still room for improvement.
Is this performance what the Rams can expect out of WR Allen Robinson II? Through five games, Robinson’s role in the offense was inconsistent, but he had his best game Sunday. Stafford spread the ball around more evenly than in previous games this season, and Robinson finished with five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. This is likely what McVay envisioned when adding Robinson in free agency, so expect him to continue to get these targets as the season progresses. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Panthers
What to know: The Panthers didn’t look much different under interim head coach Steve Wilks than they did under coach Matt Rhule, who was fired Monday. The offense and defense continued to struggle on third down, the offense still was lifeless with PJ Walker at quarterback instead of Baker Mayfield (sidelined by an ankle injury), and the team still made too many critical mistakes. Wilks did make his presence felt with more dedication to getting running back Christian McCaffrey involved in all facets, but even that wasn’t enough.
Will McCaffrey and wide receiver Robbie Anderson be on the team much longer? Anderson’s time with the team appears near the end after he was sent to the locker room by Wilks following two heated arguments with wide receivers coach Joe Dailey. Will a team give up a draft pick for Anderson, and does Carolina really want to take a $20 million dead-cap hit over the rest of this year and next? Moving McCaffrey before the Nov. 1 trade deadline makes the most sense because the Panthers could get something in return that would help down the road. To move on from McCaffrey would be moving on from the team’s best offensive playmaker, as he showed Sunday. — David Newton
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
What to know: The Seahawks’ embattled defense finally showed up. In a reversal of what became well-established roles over the first five weeks, the defense carried Geno Smith (20-of-31, no touchdown passes) and the offense for a change. Seattle kept Arizona’s offense out of the end zone (its only touchdown was on special teams), stopped it on four of its five fourth-down attempts and sacked Kyler Murray six times. It was an encouraging performance by a defense that entered Sunday ranked last or near last in several categories.
How good can Seattle’s rookie class be? This looks like the best group of rookies the Seahawks have had since the 2012 class that produced Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, among others. Cornerback Tariq Woolen is an early front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year now that he has an interception in four straight games. He also recovered a fumble forced by nickelback Coby Bryant, Bryant’s fourth of the year. Running back Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards and his second TD in as many weeks. Tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are off to strong starts despite some struggles for the offensive line Sunday. — Brady Henderson
Next game: at Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals didn’t convert on three fourth downs in field goal territory against Seattle, costing them nine points and a shot at making it a game. By not taking the points, coach Kliff Kingsbury put pressure on the Cardinals’ defense and forced the offense to play from behind yet again. Had Arizona taken the points in all three situations and had kicker Matt Ammendola made his only extra point attempt, the game could have been tied at 19.
Can the Cardinals’ offensive woes be fixed by the return of DeAndre Hopkins? In theory, yes. The addition of Hopkins will force defenses to spread their coverage across the entire field instead of focusing only on Marquise Brown. But with how Arizona has been producing, adding Hopkins might not matter. Regardless, he’ll be a much-needed boost for Arizona six games into the season. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Saints (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know:Marcus Mariota showed Sunday why, in a controlled offense, he can still be a dynamic performer. Mariota had his best game as an Atlanta Falcon in beating San Francisco, completing 13 of 14 passes for 129 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while running six times for 50 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t throw an incompletion until 10:52 left in the fourth quarter and ran coach Arthur Smith’s offense perfectly against one of the better defenses in the NFL. It’s a clear sign Mariota is starting to gain confidence.
Is Atlanta’s defense something to believe in? Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees gave an impassioned speech about how he wanted his defense to be like the ones he ran in Baltimore and New England. Atlanta is starting to look somewhat like it. The Falcons forced three three-and-outs Sunday, scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery, pressured 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and intercepted him once. Of course, there is some concern, too, as both starting cornerbacks A.J. Terrell (thigh) and Casey Hayward (undisclosed) finished the game on the bench because of injuries, which will be something to monitor. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
49ers
What to know: Relentless injuries have made it impossible for the 49ers’ defense to carry this team, which means it’s time for the offense to pull more of the weight. It was only a few weeks ago that Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke about the offense’s efforts to find a rhythm following a strange offseason. That was OK when a healthy Niners defense was suffocating opponents. But the toll of injuries left the Niners with four healthy starters on the field at the end of Sunday’s loss, leaving the offense to make up the difference. It wasn’t up to the task.
How bad is it going to get on the injury front? Every team in the league deals with injuries, but the Niners continue to have more than their share, with 11 of 22 starters on injured reserve, a pregame inactive or a player departing Sunday’s game because of injury. No team can overcome such attrition. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
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0:40
A.J. Terrell tries to return a fumble for a touchdown, but he fumbles too, allowing Jaylinn Hawkins to recover the ball for a Falcons touchdown.
Jets
What to know: Who needs a star quarterback? The Jets proved again they can beat a good team without a prolific passing day by quarterback Zach Wilson, who was held without a touchdown pass for the second straight game. The Jets (4-2) upset the Packers with a classic game of complementary football. With Wilson struggling, they relied on the running game (two TDs), a suffocating defense (four sacks) and big plays by the special teams (a blocked punt and field goal). It took a few games, but the Jets have found their identity: a smash-mouth offense featuring rookie Breece Hall (116 rushing yards) and a dramatically improved defense led by tackle Quinnen Williams.
Is it time to take the Jets seriously? Heck, yeah. They’re a legit playoff contender. They’re in second place in the AFC East, riding their first three-game winning streak since 2019. They beat the Packers and Dolphins, two respectable teams, by a combined score of 67-27. They flipped the script from last October, when they got blown out on a weekly basis. They finally beat an elite quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, controlling him for the better part of 60 minutes. This isn’t a mirage: The Jets are for real. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: It was hard to tell who was worse: Rodgers, his offensive linemen or his skill-position players’ hands. Rodgers missed what used to be routine throws, and his blocking didn’t give him much of a chance to stand in the pocket. Oh, yeah, and the Packers had six dropped passes — their most in a game since 2017. And then there was the lost fumble on a botched exchange between Rodgers and running back AJ Dillon. The Packers can’t go more than 3½ quarters without an offensive touchdown like they did on Sunday and expect to be a contender. But that’s what happened because Rodgers was off target and his offensive line allowed him to get hit nine times. It all added up to the first time the Packers have lost consecutive games in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as head coach.
Do the Packers need to bring in a receiver? The trade deadline is a little more than two weeks away, and if the Packers stand pat, it’s hard to imagine how their passing game will get better. Maybe they’re counting on Sammy Watkins, who could return this week off injured reserve after spending four weeks on it because of a hamstring injury. Watkins was off to a nice start before he got hurt in practice leading into Week 3. Or perhaps they believe rookie Christian Watson, who also has battled hamstring problems and was inactive on Sunday, can add some speed to the lineup when or if he returns. But if not, there could be more performances like this. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bengals
What to know: It wasn’t a must-win game, but it was one the Bengals desperately needed after a rough start to the season. New Orleans was without several key offensive starters, and playoff teams don’t lose three games to backup quarterbacks. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase delivered the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter to provide Cincinnati a big midseason boost.
Is Cincinnati’s offense back? It’s too early to say yes. But the Bengals’ offense had its best showing of the season. Burrow had his best game since the end of the 2021 regular season. He was elusive, had great field awareness and feasted on short throws. It resulted in the most fluid offensive showing for the Bengals this season. If Cincinnati can replicate that performance next week against Atlanta, it’s a great sign for a unit that has struggled this season. — Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: Surprisingly, there was some life in the Saints’ offense despite being short at wideout. New Orleans didn’t have Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, Chris Olave or even Deonte Harty and managed to move the chains with unlikely replacements, like explosive rookie Rashid Shaheed. They also continued their luck with the run game, rushing for more than 200 yards as a team. But they kicked too many field goals, and after the defense gave up a late-game touchdown, they couldn’t do enough to come back.
Do the Saints keep going with Andy Dalton? It’s clear Jameis Winston is progressing from his back injury, returning to practice on a limited basis and even being active on game day. But the offense, even though it was compromised, seems to have found a rhythm with Dalton. If Winston is healthy enough to play next week, the Saints could be wading into a quarterback controversy, unless they feel he could boost their chances if he’s playing at 100%. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Cardinals (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
play
0:16
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continue strong connection with a third quarter touchdown.
Giants
What to know: This Giants team is unflappable. They put up 90 yards in the first half, while the Ravens had 256. They were down 10 points with under 10 minutes remaining and their offense couldn’t do much of anything. It doesn’t matter with this group. They hang around and do just enough — seemingly every week — to win. The Giants may not have been the better or more talented team Sunday, yet they still found a way in the final minutes. This group is resilient.
What can the Giants do to make this offense more explosive? The offense is so unimposing Baltimore keyed on Saquon Barkley and the run game with the Giants down 10 and less than 10 minutes remaining. New York didn’t produce a 20-plus-yard play in the contest. But Wan’Dale Robinson returned after missing four games with a knee injury, and the Giants didn’t put Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Kenny Golladay (knee) on injured reserve in hopes they could return soon. It’s their only hope at this point. In the meantime, they’re surviving. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Ravens
What to know: This ugly loss falls squarely on Lamar Jackson, and it will go down as one of his worst performances. With the game on the line, Jackson turned the ball over on the final two drives with an interception and a fumble. Less than sharp all game (17-of-32 for 210 yards), Jackson got intercepted on one of the worst decisions of his career. With three minutes left in the game, Jackson picked up a poor snap and threw a wild, off-balance pass in the middle of the field while deep in his own territory that was picked off by safety Julian Love. The Giants converted that turnover into Barkley’s game-winning touchdown. On the Ravens’ next possession, Jackson got stripped with 1:29 left, sealing another late-game collapse by Baltimore.
Has Kenyan Drake surpassed J.K. Dobbins as the go-to running back? It could be by default right now. The biggest positive of the game was the big-play running by Drake, who became the first Ravens running back to produce 100 yards rushing this year. Dobbins, who acknowledged that it was “super hard” not being the featured back late in last week’s game, didn’t play in the second half. He wasn’t even holding his helmet on the sideline, which could be a sign that he’s dealing with an injury. Drake, who was inactive for two games earlier this season, has earned more playing time going forward. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Vikings
What to know: The Vikings have reached their bye with a 5-1 record, nearly a best-case scenario with a new coaching staff and schemes installed on both sides of the ball. Their loss came at the Eagles, who entered Week 6 as the only undefeated team in the NFL (5-0). Only one of the Vikings’ five wins has been convincing, their Week 1 defeat of the Packers, and the disappearance of their offense for long stretches in Miami will give coach Kevin O’Connell plenty to study. At one point, the Vikings had as many three-and-outs (seven) as they did first downs.
What happened to the Vikings’ running game? It was waiting for the right moment. Tailback Dalvin Cook had been primed for a big game in his hometown but managed 17 yards on his first nine carries as the Dolphins’ defense presented favorable looks for the passing game. When they needed to carve time off the clock midway through the fourth quarter, the Vikings passed three times. But given a reprieve, Cook popped through the line for a 53-yard touchdown that sealed the game. The running game affected the outcome in another way, too: Both of Kirk Cousins‘ touchdown passes came on play-action. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What to know: Regardless of your feelings about Tua Tagovailoa‘s long-term status as the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback, it is abundantly clear this team is quantifiably better with him on the field. Miami’s offense hasn’t moved the ball with any sort of consistency since Tagovailoa went down in Week 4. Rookie Skylar Thompson was inspiring in the first half (7-of-13, 89 yards) before a thumb injury to his throwing hand knocked him out of the game. In his stead, Teddy Bridgewater was skittish in the pocket, late on his throws and constantly harassed behind an offensive line that gave up 23 pressures — 19 of which came when the Vikings weren’t blitzing. It’s not often you can say one player would make all the difference, but it’s reasonable to think Tagovailoa’s return next week against the Steelers should turn things around for what’s been a stagnant Dolphins offense.
Can the Dolphins’ defense stay hot and find a groove over the next month and a half before a grueling December? Sunday was the Dolphins’ best defensive performance of the season, outside of a game-sealing 53-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook late in the fourth quarter and a 47-yard catch-and-run by Justin Jefferson on the previous series. Those two plays accounted for 42% of the Vikings’ offense in what was otherwise an impressive effort from Miami’s defense. Ideally, it’s the start of a trend of improved defensive play during a still-winnable stretch of the season coming up. If the Dolphins can keep this up against the Steelers, Lions, Bears, Browns and Texans, they should be rolling by the time a difficult December slate comes around. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: This didn’t figure to be the game where the Colts discovered a viable offensive game plan, given the way the Jacksonville defense dominated the first meeting, and with running backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines sidelined on Sunday. But the Colts used a new offensive line configuration, timely throws on crossing routes from quarterback Matt Ryan and deep shots to emerging star Alec Pierce to pull off a critical AFC South victory. Pierce (winning TD catch, two drawn pass interference penalties) and Michael Pittman Jr. (13 catches, 134 yards) benefited greatly from the much-improved pass protection.
Has Ryan turned things around? There have been massive struggles for Ryan this season, especially in an earlier shutout loss to Jacksonville. But Ryan showed what he is capable of with improved pass protection. The Colts revamped their line for the second consecutive game, and Ryan took advantage, throwing for 389 yards and three touchdowns on 42-of-58 passing. For the first time this season, Ryan was not sacked and his pocket presence was clearly improved as a result of the protection. This was easily Ryan’s most complete performance of the season. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know: The Jaguars had a chance to take early control of the AFC South with back-to-back games against struggling Houston and Indianapolis. They lost both — including Sunday’s game against the Colts on a last-second field goal — and are now 1-2 in the division with none of the early momentum they gained with their 2-1 start. It’ll be hard to make up the two games in the division considering they’ve struggled against the Tennessee Titans (the Jags haven’t won in Nashville since 2013) and have lost nine consecutive games to Houston. The Jags are likely going to be fighting to stay out of the cellar — again.
Should Travis Etienne Jr. be the Jaguars’ feature back? Etienne has outperformed James Robinson in back-to-back weeks, rushing for 157 yards on 20 carries and catching five passes for 63 yards, while Robinson rushed for 81 yards on 22 carries and caught three passes for 13 yards. Etienne had a 48-yard run against the Colts and is flashing the big-play potential he was drafted to provide. He started on Sunday, and it may be time to make that permanent. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Patriots
What to know: Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe, the fourth-round draft pick from Western Kentucky playing in place of injured Mac Jones, finished 24-of-34 for 309 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. While many of the throws were shorter and allowed his pass-catchers to do the rest, Zappe once again played with poise and stayed within himself to complement a stingy Patriots defense (which limited the Browns’ No. 1 rushing attack). Zappe smiled last week when asked if he’d heard of “Zappe fever” — a playful theme that has been discussed on local sports-talk radio — and he gave Patriots fans a reason to smile Sunday with another solid performance.
Will Mac Jones return for a Monday Night Football matchup against Justin Fields and the Bears? Jones made the trip to Cleveland, which was a reflection he was hoping to play but wasn’t quite there yet. That bought the Patriots more time until 90 minutes before kickoff. But Jones didn’t go through a pregame warm-up and, when he came out to the field, he was walking with a limp. Over the past three weeks, Jones has progressed from out to doubtful to questionable on the injury report. If he takes the next step, he’d be going up against fellow 2021 first-round draft pick Fields with the Bears coming to town on Monday night. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, Oct. 24, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: New England took away NFL leading rusher Nick Chubb and the Browns’ vaunted running game, and Cleveland had no answer. Chubb finished with 56 yards, as coach Bill Belichick forced quarterback Jacoby Brissett to beat the Patriots. Brissett couldn’t consistently make New England pay, throwing two interceptions in a game the Pats controlled from the opening kickoff.
Is Cleveland’s season already on the brink? The season isn’t over. But the Browns are 2-4 after facing QBs Baker Mayfield, Joe Flacco, Mitch Trubisky, Marcus Mariota and rookie Bailey Zappe, who cooked Cleveland for more than 300 yards through the air. The Browns are getting ready to face Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Allen and Tom Brady. The season might not be over, but the way the Browns have played, especially defensively, it could begin to spiral. — Jake Trotter
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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Myles Garrett’s strip sack in the first quarter gives him 62.5 career sacks, setting the Browns franchise record.
Steelers
What to know: Maybe it was senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores’ insight into Tom Brady‘s psyche. Maybe it was the defense figuring out how to get pressure without injured defensive end T.J. Watt. Whatever it was, the Steelers’ defense kept Brady and the Buccaneers in check, applying steady pressure and keeping the offense out of sync. Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi constantly made Brady uncomfortable, and the patchwork secondary that included James Pierre and former practice squad corner Josh Jackson largely kept Tampa Bay’s weapons from exploiting a talent mismatch. The Steelers got to Brady by rarely bringing a blitz, doing so only once.
What’s Kenny Pickett‘s status going forward? The rookie quarterback’s first home start was dampened when he exited with less than eight minutes left in the third quarter after sustaining a concussion on a hard hit by Buccaneers linebacker Devin White. Veteran Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett, and he completed 9 of 12 attempts for 144 yards and led the Steelers on a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Pickett, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, is still more than likely the Steelers’ starter when he returns. Pickett must clear concussion protocol, and there’s no concrete timeline for that. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: The Bucs’ red zone scoring woes continue. Errors and costly penalties have contributed. Even Tom Brady‘s patent quarterback sneak on third-and-1 in the fourth quarter didn’t work. They made it to the Steelers’ 17-, 1- and 4-yard lines but couldn’t find the end zone until there was 4:45 to go (an 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Leonard Fournette), and then botched the 2-point conversion. Bottom line: For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, they have certainly underachieved.
Why does the Bucs’ offense look so out of sync? There are a lot of reasons for this. First, the offensive line is struggling. Rookie left guard Luke Goedeke once again looked lost. The Bucs can’t run the ball effectively with Fournette getting clobbered in the backfield. And then Brady had a difficult day. He’s rarely off-target, and heading into Sunday’s game, his off-target percentage was 16.2%. But against Pittsburgh, it was 28%. His struggles most notably came when targeting wide receiver Chris Godwin. Bucs officials said it wasn’t a big deal that Brady missed Saturday’s walk-through to attend New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s wedding, but with an offense struggling, it probably didn’t help. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Thursday
Commanders
What to know: Washington has a long way to go. The Commanders won the game, but coach Ron Rivera was fired up after about various mistakes that could have cost them — the same ones that have cost them other games. They’ve committed 27 penalties in three games. They give up big plays and their offense struggles. A true turnaround must also include smarter, more disciplined play.
Can the run game spur a turnaround? Washington ran the ball much better in the second half, albeit against a defense that struggles against the run. But any turnaround must start with running the ball consistently. They can mix Brian Robinson‘s power runs with Antonio Gibson‘s ability to get around the corner. A consistent run game would be Step 1 for an offensive turnaround. But until they solve their protection issues, there will still be struggles, especially with an immobile quarterback. He needs help up front; if he gets it, they could be efficient. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bears
What to know: The Bears took 11 snaps inside the Commanders’ 6-yard line and couldn’t punch in a touchdown. Chicago went 0-for-3 inside the red zone for the second time in three games, and the offense’s inefficiencies were showcased in a litany of ways, starting with an interception thrown by Justin Fields at Washington’s 5-yard line, a missed throw to tight end Ryan Griffin that Fields stressed he has to make and wide receiver Darnell Mooney‘s potential game-tying catch ruled down at the 1-yard line.
How can Justin Fields improve in spite of what’s around him? The Bears need to reevaluate their offensive scheme and what’s being asked of Fields. Chicago’s shortcomings are hindering his development. But how can Fields improve when he’s being pressured on 46% of his dropbacks and his receivers can’t consistently make catches or create separation? This is the position Chicago put itself in during the offseason when it did not address the talent deficiencies around Fields, and if the Bears want to get a clearer picture about Fields’ development over the next 11 games, a number of adjustments need to be made. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Patriots (Monday, Oct. 24, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Week 6 of the NFL season is upon us. The Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears got things started with a mundane, er — low-scoring affair on Thursday. Sunday promises to spice things up.
Before Sunday’s competitors take their talents to the gridiron, they’re showing out with their pregame fits.
From Joe Burrow‘s nod to his favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, and their LSU college glory — as they return to the Superdome for the first time since their national championship triumph — to Aaron Rodgers‘ neutral chic ensemble, here’s a look at some of the most fashionable Week 6 arrival choices:
Von Miller this week: “Derrick Thomas was my favorite player to ever play the game. I molded my game after him. He was the reason why I wore 58 in Denver. So every time I’m on that field and I’m warming up, I’ll look for that 58 that’s on the ring of honor …” (1/2) https://t.co/PZ3iRWzQfb
The Week 6 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN researcher Kyle Soppe hands out helpful fantasy football intel, as well. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
Let’s get into the full Week 6 slate, including another edition of Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen, an NFC East showdown between Philadelphia and Dallas and a rushing battle between the Giants and Ravens. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Broncos and the Chargers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: The Ravens get to face former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who went to the Giants after 10 years with the organization this offseason. “It was nothing negative, it was just time,” he said this week of the breakup. Martindale knows Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s game, and Jackson knows Martindale’s defense, having gone against it every day at practice the previous four seasons. Both are having success this season — Jackson is eighth in the NFL with a QBR of 63.6, while Martindale’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 23 points in a game. — Jordan Raanan
Bold prediction:J.K. Dobbins will produce more rushing yards than Saquon Barkley. Dobbins is coming off his most explosive game, averaging a season-best 3.25 yards after contact. The Giants have struggled against the run, giving up an average of 2.36 yards after contact (fourth-worst in the league). It could be a challenging day for Barkley against Baltimore, which has allowed just one running back to rush for more than 80 yards in a game since the start of 2021 (Dalvin Cook in Week 9 last season). — Jamison Hensley
Stat to know: Jackson has a 12-0 record as a starting QB against NFC teams in his career, per Elias Sports Bureau. That’s the second-longest inter-conference win streak to start a career since the 1970 merger.
What to know for fantasy: Barkley has more than 15 receiving yards in every game this season, not a bad trend for a player who also has at least 13 points as a rusher in four of five games this season. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Jackson is 17-7-2 ATS on the road in his career. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Ravens 24, Giants 21 Walder’s pick: Ravens 27, Giants 16 FPI prediction: BAL, 64.8% (by an average of 4.5 points)
What to watch for: The Saints are short on receivers. Seriously short. Kick returner Deonte Harty has a significant toe injury, Michael Thomas hasn’t practiced in weeks, Jarvis Landry‘s status will likely be up in the air and Chris Olave is still going through the concussion protocol. That means things might fall on the shoulders of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill for the second straight week. If Hill comes anywhere close to repeating last week’s four-touchdown performance, the Saints just might be OK. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction: Kamara goes for 125 total scrimmage yards. Baltimore had success attacking Cincinnati horizontally and picking up decent gains. With New Orleans having several offensive question marks, Kamara could be the most reliable asset for the Saints. — Ben Baby
Stat to know: The Saints are seeking their first home win against the Bengals since Jan. 2, 1994.
Doug Kezirian explains why he is taking the over in the Bengals vs. Saints matchup.
What to know for fantasy:Ja’Marr Chase has failed to score even 13 fantasy points in four straight games. He had a run of five straight games with fewer than 14 fantasy points in the middle of last season (Weeks 8-13). You take the bad with the extreme good. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Cincinnati has gone under the total in 10 straight games including playoffs, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bengals 28, Saints 21 Walder’s pick: Bengals 33, Saints 19 FPI prediction: CIN, 63.1% (by an average of 3.9 points)
What to watch for: Just fast forward to the second half of this game, because that’s where it will be decided. The Packers have scored seven or fewer points in the second half in four of their five games. The Jets have scored 61 points combined in the second half this season, third most in the AFC behind only Buffalo and Kansas City. — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: In the battle of the two-headed backfields, the Jets’ young guns (Breece Hall and Michael Carter) will outrush the Packers’ more heralded tandem (Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon). Jones-Dillon is averaging 127 yards per game, compared to 87 for Hall-Carter, but the Jets’ two runners are coming off a big game against the Dolphins. The Jets are also starting to create a run-first identity on offense. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: Should the Packers lose, they’ll be 3-3 after six games for the first time since 2012. A Jets win in that situation would mark their first 4-2 start since 2015.
Betting nugget: Under Matt LaFleur, Green Bay is 10-0 outright and ATS following a loss. Overall, Green Bay has won and covered 12 straight games following a loss, the longest streak by any team since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 27, Jets 23 Walder’s pick: Packers 21, Jets 13 FPI prediction: GB, 82.6% (by an average of 11.1 points)
What to watch for:Skylar Thompson will become the 10th rookie to make his first career start for the Dolphins since 1966. He can also become just the third rookie to win their first start, joining David Woodley and Tua Tagovailoa. They haven’t fared well as a group, however, throwing for six touchdowns against 11 interceptions; only Dan Marino and Ryan Tannehill eclipsed the 200 passing yard-mark. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Bold prediction:Dalvin Cook will have his best game of the season, rushing for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins’ run defense has actually been pretty good this season, ranking No. 7 in the NFL based on expected points added. But it has allowed seven rushing touchdowns, tied for sixth-most in the league, and Cook — a Miami native — has averaged more than 100 yards per game dating back to college when he played Florida-based teams in Florida. — Kevin Seifert
Stat to know:Kirk Cousins has 75 passing first downs this season, the third-most in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen (78). He is facing a Dolphins defense that allows 8.29 passing yards per attempt, the third-worst in the NFL.
Eric Moody gives his thoughts on how fantasy managers should approach the Dolphins’ skill positions with Skylar Thompson at QB.
What to know for fantasy: We are five weeks into the season and 47.7% of Jaylen Waddle‘s 2022 production has come in a single game (Week 2 at BAL: 40.1 fantasy points). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last six road games (0-2 ATS this season). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Vikings 21, Dolphins 20 Walder’s pick: Dolphins 23, Vikings 17 FPI prediction: MIN, 65.3% (by an average of 4.6 points)
What to watch for: The Falcons have rushed for more than 150 yards in every game but one this season no matter who the running back is. Cordarrelle Patterson, before the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve, was third in the NFL in rushing. In his place, the Falcons have used a combination of Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley and Avery Williams — all with two years or less of experience in the league. — Michael Rothstein
Bold prediction: The 49ers will have more rushing yards than the Falcons. Something has to give in a matchup featuring Atlanta’s third-ranked rushing offense against the Niners’ top-ranked rushing defense. San Francisco could be without some key defenders, which means Atlanta will have its chances to gain yards on the ground, but the Niners also boast a strong ground game of their ownand the Falcons have been middle of the road in stopping the run. Give the slight edge to the 49ers in an area that will go a long way in determining a winner. — Nick Wagoner
Stat to know: The 49ers have allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the league while the Falcons have thrown for the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL (834).
What to know for fantasy:Jeff Wilson Jr. has gone over 70 rushing yards in four straight games (season best 20.2 fantasy points last week in Carolina) and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the process. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Atlanta remains the only team undefeated ATS following its backdoor cover last week against Tampa Bay. Only two teams in the last decade have started 6-0 or better ATS (2021 Dallas, 2018 Kansas City). Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 27, Falcons 17 Walder’s pick: Falcons 20, 49ers 19 FPI prediction: SF, 52.0% (by an average of 0.7 points)
What to watch for: After finishing the 38-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills without their top three cornerbacks, the Steelers still figure to be short-handed in the secondary against the Buccaneers. While safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and Terrell Edmunds (concussion) will likely play, the status of the corners — Cam Sutton (hamstring), Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) and Levi Wallace (concussion) — is less certain. That’s bad news against a Bucs offense that averages 281.8 passing yards per game and is getting stronger as its receiving corps gets healthier. — Brooke Pryor
Bold prediction:Tom Brady will throw for more than 350 passing yards for a third consecutive game, tying 2011 and 2013 for the longest streak in his career. The Steelers have surrendered 11 passing touchdowns so far this season — tied for third most in the NFL. They’ve also allowed five wide receivers to eclipse the 100-yard mark, including 171 yards from Gabe Davis last week. Pro Bowl wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should benefit. — Jenna Laine
play
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Kimberley Martin explains why Mike Tomlin should be facing criticism for the Steelers’ poor record.
Stat to know:Leonard Fournette has back-to-back games with 50 receiving yards and a touchdown. He could become the first Bucs RB to do it in three straight games.
What to know for fantasy:Najee Harris was drafted eighth overall this summer after averaging 17.7 fantasy PPG as a rookie last season, but he has yet to hit 14 points in a single game this season. Not once! See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is in its largest home underdog role since 1989 when Pittsburgh upset Minnesota as an 8.5-point home underdog. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 30, Steelers 14 Walder’s pick: Buccaneers 27, Steelers 10 FPI prediction: TB, 82.9% (by an average of 11.3 points)
What to watch for: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett faces off against the team that drafted him. Brissett, who started two games as a rookie for the Patriots in 2016 due to Tom Brady‘s Deflategate suspension and an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, has never started against Bill Belichick or the Patriots before. — Jake Trotter
Bold prediction: The Browns, who lead the NFL in rushing yards per game behind Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and a solid offensive line, will be held below their average of 192.4 rushing yards. This is a tall task for a Patriots run defense that hit a rough patch from the second half of their Week 3 loss to the Ravens through their Week 4 loss to the Packers, but there were decisive signs of a bounce-back in a shutout win over the Lions in Week 5. — Mike Reiss
Stat to know: The Browns have allowed the third-worst yards per rush (5.32). They will be facing Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson, who ranks eighth among qualified running backs in yards per rush (5.5).
What to know for fantasy: Four times in five weeks has a New England receiver scored over 18 fantasy points … those four performances have come by three different players (Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Bill Belichick is 8-2 outright and 7-3 ATS against Cleveland. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Patriots 20, Browns 16 Walder’s pick: Browns 24, Patriots 16 FPI prediction: CLE, 73.7% (by an average of 7.3 points)
What to watch for: The Colts have inexplicably gone 3-8 versus the Jaguars in road games since 2012. But the Colts have dominated the Jaguars at home, going 8-2 in the same span. The Jaguars’ last road win in the series came in 2017, when the Colts finished 4-12 due in large part to quarterback Andrew Luck missing the season with a shoulder injury. — Stephen Holder
Bold prediction: Jaguars WR Christian Kirk will have 10-plus catches. The Jaguars’ offense has been at its best when he’s involved, and he had just three combined catches the last two games after having 18 in the first three. Gus Bradley’s defense keeps things in front of them, and there are times when a linebacker will be matched up with Kirk — a matchup Kirk exploited in the earlier meeting. He’ll do it again. — Mike DiRocco
Stat to know:Trevor Lawrence has a 2-1 record with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in his career vs. the Colts. He is 0-5 with four touchdowns and 10 interceptions vs. all other AFC South opponents.
What to know for fantasy:Travis Etienne Jr. played nine more snaps than James Robinson last week and scored a season-high 14.4 fantasy points against the Texans. He has produce at least six PPR fantasy points as a pass catcher in three of his past four games. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Indianapolis has gone under the total in 10 straight games, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Colts 26, Jaguars 24 Walder’s pick: Jaguars 30, Colts 7 FPI prediction: JAX, 59.7% (by an average of 2.9 points)
What to watch for: The Seahawks are in the midst of their third straight miserable start on defense, struggling equally against the run and the pass. They’ll get a break with Arizona’s backfield being shorthanded, but then again, Seattle got run all over last week by Taysom Hill to the tune of 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns. — Brady Henderson
Bold prediction: With the Cardinals down to just one of their top four running backs this season — Eno Benjamin — Arizona had to restock its running back room this week with guys off the street. Kyler Murray will make sure the running attack isn’t lacking, rushing for 75 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle, including breaking a long one that’ll silence the hyped-up crowd. — Josh Weinfuss
Stat to know: The Cardinals have been outscored 38-0 in the first quarter this season, the only team without points in the first quarter this season. The Seahawks have scored the second-most first-quarter points this season (41).
What to know for fantasy: For his career, Murray is averaging 36.8 rush yards and completing 69.3% of his passes against the Seahawks (more than 16 fantasy points in four of those five games). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona is 10-1 ATS on the road since the start of last season (2-1 ATS as road favorite). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Seahawks 31, Cardinals 27 Walder’s pick: Seahawks 33, Cardinals 27 FPI prediction: ARI, 63.8% (by an average of 4.2 points)
What to watch for: The Panthers and Rams have the second- and third-worst offensive EPAs in the NFL this season, respectively, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Matthew Stafford‘s seven interceptions and 21 sacks are both tied for the most in the NFL this season, and Los Angeles has scored just one touchdown in its last nine quarters. The Panthers’ defense ranks just 22nd in Football Outsiders’ pass DVOA and has three interceptions this season. — Sarah Barshop
Bold prediction: The Panthers, with only eight sacks on the season, will sack Stafford six times to keep this one closer than most expect. Stafford has been sacked 12 times the past two games, the Rams are tied for last in the NFL in sacks allowed with 21 and interim Carolina coach Steve Wilks is known for his aggressive blitz packages as a defensive coordinator. — David Newton
Stat to know:PJ Walker has a 15.1 career Total QBR, the worst of any QB with 100-plus attempts since 2020.
What to know for fantasy:Christian McCaffrey is again pacing the position in terms of percentage of team RB touches (89.9%). Saquon Barkley has been the star of 2022 (85.2%), and Jonathan Taylor (76.9% in games he has played) was the player we all debated with McCaffrey at the top overall spot. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS this season (0-3 ATS at home). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Rams 24, Panthers 10 Walder’s pick: Rams 26, Panthers 9 FPI prediction: LAR, 75.8% (by an average of 8.1 points)
What to watch for: Don’t be surprised if the game’s winner is determined by which QB runs for more yardage. Patrick Mahomes has averaged 43 rushing yards in four career games against the Bills, more than any other opponent, while Josh Allen has run for 64 per game against the Chiefs. Both have also thrown it well in this rivalry, with Mahomes having a QBR of 86.1 against the Bills and Allen, 83.5 against the Chiefs. — Adam Teicher
Bold prediction: Wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have his first 100-yard game against the Chiefs as a Buffalo Bill. In four games against the Chiefs since 2020, Diggs has averaged 49.8 receiving yards per game, but he’s averaging 101.6 yards per contest this season. The Chiefs defense will also have to deal with a now-healthy Gabe Davis coming off three receptions for 171 yards against the Steelers. Along with slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie and tight end Dawson Knox returning to the field, the success of other players will open up opportunities for Diggs against a defense that is 24th in the NFL in allowing 255.6 passing yards per game. — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know:Travis Kelce‘s seven receiving touchdowns this season are tied for the second-most by a tight end in the team’s first five games in NFL history.
What to know for fantasy: Backwards trend for Diggs? Certainly has played out that way recently, as Diggs has failed to score 15 fantasy points in five of his past seven games with an over/under of 50-plus. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Allen is 20-10-2 ATS on the road. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 31, Chiefs 27 Walder’s pick: Bills 34, Chiefs 31 FPI prediction: KC, 60.5% (by an average of 3.0 points)
What to watch for: Four of the Eagles starting offensive linemen are battling injuries, including left tackle Jordan Mailata, who plans to play but will be wearing a sleeve and a cuff around his right shoulder to limit arm mobility. The Cowboys’ pass rush ranks first in pressures (85) and second in sacks (20). When healthy, the Eagles’ O-line versus the Dallas defensive front is strength on strength. Keep an eye on how Philly holds up in the trenches. — Tim McManus
Bold prediction:Micah Parsons will record the first interception of his career but not get a sack. It’s about the only thing Parsons has not done in the first two seasons of his career. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been intercepted four times in two starts against the Cowboys, the most against any opponent. — Todd Archer
Stat to know: The Cowboys currently lead the league in pass rush win rate this season, while the Eagles rank sixth in pass block win rate.
Stephen A. Smith details why the Cowboys’ wide receivers are the key to getting a win vs. the Eagles.
What to know for fantasy:Ezekiel Elliott averaged more than 100 total yards against the Eagles last season, including his best game of the season (26.6 FP in Week 3). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget:Cooper Rush is the sixth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to begin his career 5-0 outright and ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Eagles 24, Cowboys 17 Walder’s pick: Eagles 27, Cowboys 20 FPI prediction: PHI, 75.2% (by an average of 8.0 points)
What to watch for: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has been battling a partially torn lat near his right shoulder, but Broncos coach Nathaniel Hacket said that no limitations will be placed on Wilson against the Chargers. He’s a competitor, he’s doing great. This extra little mini-bye that we’ve had has been fantastic for him and really our whole team,” Hackett said of the 10-day span between their Week 5 Thursday night game and Monday night’s Week 6 matchup. The Chargers are on a two-game win streak despite playing without top pass-catcher Keenan Allen, who has been sidelined four games because of a nagging hamstring injury. — Lindsey Thiry
Bold prediction: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been one of the most difficult starters to sack in the season’s first five weeks — he’s been sacked one or zero times in four of the Chargers’ five games this season — but the Broncos will get him three times. The Broncos defense, which has been one of the bright spots in the clunky 2-3 start, is tied for fourth in the league in sacks, and Herbert will put the ball in the air enough to give the Broncos a chance to test their rush. Herbert has only had nine games in his career when he’s been sacked at least three times, and the Chargers are 3-6 in those games. — Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: Herbert has 972 career completions and could reach completion number 1,000 against the Broncos, his 38th career start. That would make him the fastest, by QB starts, to 1,000 completions since at least 1950. Matthew Stafford currently holds that distinction at 41 starts.
What to know for fantasy: Remember all that complaining within the industry about Austin Ekeler‘s slow start? Well, through five games, he is just 5.6 points behind of where he was at during his 2021 breakout. In fact, he actually has two more touches through five games this year than last. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS this season, while Denver is 1-4 ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Broncos 23, Chargers 16 Walder’s pick: Chargers 24, Broncos 12 FPI prediction: LAC, 74.1% (by an average of 7.5 points)
It hasn’t even been two years since the NFC East was the laughingstock of the NFL. During the final game of the 2020 regular season, a fading 4-10-1 Philadelphia team benched quarterback Jalen Hurts in the middle of a game in which he had a 25.4 passer rating against 6-9 Washington, which was guaranteed a playoff spot with a victory. His replacement, Nate Sudfeld, played poorly enough for neutrals to complain the Eagles were throwing a game on national television. An indignant 6-10 Giants team took to Twitter to complain; Sudfeld threw for 32 yards on 12 attempts and the Eagles bowed out, handing Washington the division title.
This was the bottom of the barrel. A sub-.500 Washington team made it to the playoffs. The Eagles were about to fire coach Doug Pederson and then trade quarterback Carson Wentz, just three seasons after they won a Super Bowl. The Giants were being run by the less-than-enthusing duo of coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman and had sunk millions of dollars into mediocrity. The Cowboys, fielding the league’s fifth-worst scoring defense, were irrelevant after losing quarterback Dak Prescott to a brutal ankle injury in Week 5.
Now, everything has changed. The NFC East is the only division with three four-win teams. Even with Washington’s 1-4 mark dragging down the group, its 14-6 combined record is best in the league. Likewise, the division’s 11-3 mark outside the NFC East is No. 1, including three road victories Sunday.
The Commanders came within 2 yards of a Week 5 NFC East sweep, only for Wentz to attempt to throw interceptions on first and second down before finally succeeding on third-and-goal against the Titans. At 1-4, they can’t be included in the story of the East’s resurgence. With the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants now a combined 13-2, the hopeless teams of the 2020 NFC East can all be considered favorites to play postseason football.
How did these three teams get here? Are they liable to keep this up? And what does that tell us about the teams currently floundering in other divisions? Let’s look at what happened to each of them Sunday, starting with the upset of the day in London:
Confidence matters. For all the numbers I can provide, for all the data points I can offer, for all the items on film that pop up, the biggest difference between the 2021 Giants under Judge and the 2022 Giants under Brian Daboll is confidence. That team was so afraid of making mistakes it stumbled into and through failures, with the decision to have Jake Fromm quarterback sneak on third-and-long as the most famous example. Of course, it still made plenty of mistakes anyway.
This coaching staff empowers and believes in its players, and even if it can’t count on those decisions going right, that confidence bleeds through into their play. Remember Week 1, when Daboll sent Saquon Barkley out for a 2-point conversion to try to win the game against the top-seeded Titans on the road. The playcall was a mess — Barkley faced a free defender in the backfield — but the star running back made magic happen to get into the end zone, and the Giants faded a last-second miss from Tennessee kicker Randy Bullock to get their first win of the season.
On Sunday against the Packers, it was Don Martindale’s turn to place confidence in his defense. He joined the Giants after four seasons as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, a tenure that ended with a patchwork secondary getting carved up behind his many blitz packages. The Giants also were without their top two pass-rushers in Azeez Ojulari and Leonard Williams, and then lost top cornerback Adoree’ Jackson in the second quarter.
At halftime, Martindale’s charges had allowed 20 points on five drives. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was carving them up, starting 18-of-24 for 147 yards and two touchdowns, with almost all of his throws coming on quick game and run-pass options. The Packers were methodically marching their way down the field, and New York seemed to have little say in the matter.
In the second half, Martindale generally took away the shorter stuff and dared Rodgers to beat him deep. That’s a risk most defenses simply aren’t willing to take against a reigning back-to-back MVP. It worked. Rodgers’ average pass distance went from 4.2 air yards in the first half to 12.4 air yards in the second half. After the break, he went 7-of-15 for 75 yards with a minus-14% completion percentage over expectation (CPOE). Martindale’s injury-hit defense held Green Bay’s offense scoreless, with its only points coming from an intentional safety with 11 seconds left.
The most notable example here came on the game’s final play. Martindale pushed eight men up on the line of scrimmage, declaring he would play the most important snap of the game in Cover 0 (no safety help in the middle of the field), then sent the house. The Packers called an RPO and Rodgers indicated before the snap he would throw an out to Allen Lazard, something two Giants signaled immediately afterward. Running free off the edge, safety Xavier McKinney wasn’t able to get home to hit Rodgers, but he was able to jump and tip the ball away, ending Green Bay’s last meaningful possession of the contest.
Football isn’t as simple as having the guts to send a Cover 0 blitz. The 2019 Dolphins and 2020 Jets can tell you about what can go wrong when you rush eight in key situations. There will be moments in which the Giants get aggressive and look foolish, because that happens to every team. Compared to the timidity and self-fulfilling prophecies of the 2021 team, though, they look invigorated. They believe.
One of the other reasons they look better than they did in 2020 or 2021 is the presence of a healthy, explosive Barkley, who has become the focal point of the offense for the first time since 2018. He’s averaging 1.7 rushing yards over expectation (RYOE) on his carries, the third-best mark in the league for backs with at least 50 attempts. It’s actually a better figure than his 2018 season, when he averaged 1.1 RYOE per carry, which was also third among backs with at least 10 carries per game.
Barkley’s ability as a home run hitter is back. He had a 40-yard run and a 41-yard catch Sunday, giving him as many 40-plus yard plays in one game as he had through the entire 2020 and 2021 seasons combined. For an offense that isn’t always efficient and often relies on something spectacular to get them out of trouble, his ability to make something out of nothing is essential.
I will admit I don’t see dramatic differences between the old Daniel Jones and the new one, but Sunday was the quarterback’s best performance of the season. He was an efficient 21-of-27 for 217 yards, though nearly 57% of his passing yardage came after the catch. Twelve of his 27 pass attempts (44.4%) produced first downs, the third-highest rate of any quarterback in Week 5. Before the Packers game, just 25.7% of his pass attempts had produced first downs, which ranked 30th out of the league’s 32 qualifying passers.
For everything I said about how the Giants are getting aggressive, they’re mostly asking Jones to be conservative and protect the football. His average pass is traveling just 5.7 yards in the air, the lowest mark in the league. He is still taking sacks at the league’s fourth-highest rate, but he’s done a good job of holding onto the ball. Through five games, he has two interceptions and — shockingly — just one fumble. He had never gone four games without fumbling before doing so over these last four.
The early returns on the new brain trust of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are promising, although five weeks also doesn’t tell us much of anything. Josh McDaniels started 5-0 with the Broncos in 2009. The Cardinals were 5-0 at this time last season. I’m optimistic about Daboll squeezing the most out of the offensive pieces he has left — and Schoen has approached this year with a rational view toward building for the future — but it’s still too early to draw long-term conclusions about their chances of succeeding.
We see desperate teams seemingly move in cycles as they go from successful organization to organization in the hopes of hiring the right coach and general manager. For so many years, it was going after the Patriots. After Sean McVay’s success with the Rams, the Bengals, Vikings and others raided Los Angeles’ cabinet. Others have gone for Kyle Shanahan’s staff in San Francisco, including the Packers and Jets.
Daboll and Schoen were the first to be nabbed from Buffalo’s staff under Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane, and that could turn out to be a stroke of genius for the Giants. I’m not sure we know very much about which coaches (or GMs) to hire, but I also wonder whether it makes sense to be the first team hiring assistants from a hot organization as opposed to getting the second-, third- or fourth-best people in the building.
With the Giants, I’m now reminded of the 2017 Bills and how they accidentally made it to the playoffs. With McDermott taking over as coach, Buffalo began the process of gutting the prior regime’s roster. The only piece left within a few years would be edge rusher Shaq Lawson. In midseason, despite a 4-2 start, the Bills traded expensive defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to the Jaguars, sacrificing a short-term piece for draft capital and a cleaner cap in the years to come.
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The Giants keep the Packers out of the end zone late in the fourth quarter to come away victorious in London.
The Bills won despite themselves. At 5-4, they benched quarterback Tyrod Taylor for Nathan Peterman, but after Peterman’s disastrous start against the Chargers, McDermott had no choice but to insert Taylor back into the lineup. He won four of his final six games to push the Bills into the postseason. After the year, they let Taylor leave, churned more of the roster and traded up for Josh Allen in the 2018 draft.
With the Giants now favored to make it to the postseason, I wonder how they would handle their own accidental playoff berth in what was supposed to be a year of rebuilding and eating their salary-cap vegetables. Barkley and Jones are both free agents after the season with no obvious replacements on the roster. The team could trade Williams when he returns to health, although it would deprive Martindale of a useful defensive lineman.
The Giants are further away from competing consistently at the highest level than their record would suggest, although they’ve now beaten the top seeds in both conferences from a year ago. Like those 2017 Bills, even if they don’t make a deep run into the postseason (or come up short altogether), they’re establishing positive elements within their culture that should stick throughout their rebuild.
Even Rush admits the Cowboys are winning games with their defense, and Sunday was no exception. On a day in which he threw for just 102 yards and four first downs on 19 dropbacks, the defense produced yet another stifling display. Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence took a Matthew Stafford strip sack to the house for a first-quarter touchdown, one of three takeaways on the day. Dallas sacked the quarterback five times and knocked him down on 11 occasions, with hybrid defender Micah Parsons leading the way.
The biggest difference between the 2020 Cowboys and the 2022 edition is on the defensive side of the ball. Mike McCarthy’s first choice as a defensive coordinator hire was Mike Nolan, and the former 49ers coach simply wasn’t able to coax a competent defense out of his players. Those Cowboys were sloppy, to put it mildly. I’m not sure I can think of an NFL defense that gave up more big plays because of gap integrity issues than Dallas in 2020.
Those Cowboys gave up a league-high five plays of 60 yards or more. These Cowboys had not given up one such play all season before Sunday, when Cooper Kupp took a pass and went 75 yards to the house. Coordinator Dan Quinn has built an excellent defense since taking over for Nolan, and just as the Bills were lucky Daboll returned for one final season with the team in 2021, the Cowboys have to be thrilled that Quinn is back after attracting head-coaching attention in January.
Most of those Cowboys aren’t around anymore. Nine of the 15 defenders who played at least 50% of the defensive snaps in 2020 aren’t on the roster. Dallas undoubtedly regrets losing cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who has morphed into a superstar with Cincinnati, but they’re better in most places. Trevon Diggs, one of the few players who started on both teams, has grown from an inconsistent rookie into one of the league’s most exciting corners.
The Cowboys added Parsons in Round 1 a year ago, and his incredible success might be a reminder that adding transcendent players, even if they’re not at essential positions, can transform a defense. Parsons was drafted as an off-ball linebacker with the possibility of contributing to packages as an edge rusher, but I don’t think anybody expected him to be the sort of difference-maker we’ve seen so far. He has 19 sacks over the past two seasons, including six this season, which is tied for most in the league.
The Cowboys traded down within the division with the Eagles and netted an extra third-rounder in the process, which is a reminder that teams can make that most forbidden of moves and still win comfortably. The Eagles are undoubtedly happy with wide receiver DeVonta Smith at No. 10, and Chauncey Golston hasn’t done much as Dallas’ additional third-round pick, but Parsons might be one of the league’s best two or three defensive players. On Sunday, we saw him swarm Los Angeles for two sacks and create opportunities for others when the Rams slid their protection toward Parsons.
In 2020, the Cowboys were the league’s seventh-worst defense by expected points added (EPA) per play. Through five games in 2022, they’re the league’s fifth-best defense by EPA per snap. That difference dramatically reduces the burden on Rush, who hasn’t needed to win games as the focal point of the offense.
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Malik Hooker hauls in the interception and Sam Williams recovers the strip sack by Micah Parsons to secure the victory for the Cowboys.
Coincidentally, Sunday was Rush’s worst game of the season. Across his first three starts, he hadn’t turned the ball over and had taken just two sacks, eliminating most negative plays from Dallas’ attack. The offense wasn’t exactly exciting, but when it has a great defense and doesn’t make any mistakes on offense, it’s going to be in good position to win games.
Owing to the presence of star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Sunday was messier. Rush was sacked three times and fumbled twice, although the Cowboys were lucky to fall on both. Dallas was 23rd in EPA per play on offense, meaning the only team with a less effective offense to win in Week 5 was the Colts, who were just about as bad on offense as the opposing Broncos were Thursday night.
This was a relatively quiet game for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, but he has become the focal point of the Dallas offense since Prescott went down injured. Since the start of Week 2, Lamb has been targeted on 39.4% of his routes. The only player who has been targeted more often over that stretch has been Falcons wide receiver Drake London, who is playing on a Falcons team utterly devoid of playmakers.
As was the case with Parsons, the Lamb selection reminds us that taking the best player available is important, because what seems like a glut of talent might not look that way in a couple of years. The Cowboys drafted Lamb with No. 17 pick of the 2020 draft after he unexpectedly fell out of the top half of the first round. At the time, he seemed like a luxury pick for a team with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup at wideout, Blake Jarwin at tight end and Ezekiel Elliott at running back.
Two years later, Lamb is the only one of those five improving. Cooper is with the Browns, while Gallup is playing about 30 snaps per game as he recovers from a torn left ACL. Jarwin might never play again after suffering a hip injury, while replacement Dalton Schultz is struggling with a knee issue. Elliott has averaged minus -0.4 RYOE per carry and generated four first downs below expectation this season, but backup Tony Pollard is at 2.3 RYOE per carry while generating three first downs above expectation.
To be fair, even given the relatively mild load Rush has been forced to carry, he has exceeded expectations. His 64.9 QBR ranks eighth in the league, ahead of Hurts, Tom Brady and Joe Burrow. Rush actually has been let down a by a higher-than-expected drop rate (5.1%), and his average throw has traveled 8.1 yards in the air, which ranks 10th since Week 2. He has locked onto Lamb, but that’s not a bad thing, and it’s something Prescott might want to try to emulate when he returns to the lineup, either Sunday or in Week 7.
I’m not going to waste anyone’s time with the arguments that the Cowboys could, should or will stick with Rush as their starter. Prescott’s ceiling is much higher. Rush hasn’t been in a situation in which he has had to throw them back into the game during this stretch, and just by sheer randomness, there’s no way he could go the rest of the season without losing a fumble or throwing an interception. Plenty of middling quarterbacks can have stretches like this. Take 2013, when Josh McCown posted a 13-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio across five starts for the Bears in the middle of a career in which he otherwise posted a 85-to-81 ratio.
It’s clear the Cowboys are in a much better position to sustain a backup quarterback now than they were in 2020. They’re still a top-heavy team, but two years ago, they were both top-heavy and weighted strongly toward the offensive side of the ball. Now, after nailing the Diggs and Parsons draft picks, they’re more evenly balanced. We’ll see what happens in their trip to Philadelphia next weekend, but Cowboys fans facing down an 0-1 start and weeks with Rush at quarterback have to be thrilled about where they are now.
It’s almost impossible to conceive of how far down the Eagles were at the end of the 2020 season. Their roster felt bloated and ill-conceived. The collapse of the relationship between Pederson and Wentz seemingly had dragged the organization to the bottom of the division. Hurts had given them a spark in a win over the Saints, but he finished the year with a 33.8 QBR. It felt like they needed to start over in a rebuild which could include the coach, quarterback and general manager all moving on.
Instead, the Eagles fired Pederson and traded Wentz, but they kept general manager Howie Roseman. The longtime Philly executive was much maligned at the time, but he has restored his reputation with fans by getting most of his moves right over the past couple of seasons. What he has done should be no surprise; he has stuck to the core components of what both he and the organization have done over the past 25 years, and it’s built another winner. In a few short steps, those are:
Hire an offensive-minded coach. Andy Reid. Chip Kelly. Doug Pederson. Many teams typically choose their coach by going for something like the antithesis of the coach they previously had on board. When the Vikings fired defensive stalwart Mike Zimmer, they replaced him with a young, open-minded offensive coach in Kevin O’Connell. The Bears, meanwhile, swapped out Matt Nagy for a defensive coach in Matt Eberflus.
The Eagles have a track record of hiring younger head coaches with offensive backgrounds. Reid was 41 when the Eagles hired him away from the Packers in 1999. Kelly was slightly older at 50, but he was an offensive innovator at Oregon. Pederson was 48 when he arrived in Philadelphia, while his replacement, Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni, turned 40 in his first season with the organization.
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After Kyler Murray spikes the ball on third down, Matt Ammendola pushes the tying field goal wide right, and the Cardinals fall to the Eagles.
Pederson wasn’t regarded as a slam dunk hire. Two years later, he won a Super Bowl. Sirianni’s interview with the Eagles was just his second as a head-coaching candidate, and he wasn’t even the playcaller for the Colts under Frank Reich. After a curious debut news conference and a 2-5 start to his career, there were concerns they didn’t have the right guy.
Sirianni has gone 12-3 since. It’s worth noting how many players have improved during his time with the team, both in terms of young Eagles who were drafted by the organization and veterans who have been imported from other teams. Most notable among them is Hurts, who has become a much more consistent and reliable passer over the past year. Sirianni modified his offense to play to Hurts’ strengths as a runner during the second half of 2021, and the offense has shifted again at times in 2022 as it has dealt with injuries.
Build through the line of scrimmage. Injuries destroyed Philadelphia’s offensive line in 2020 and have slowed them down at times, but the Eagles continue to invest more on their offensive and defensive line than any other team. In 2021, they used a second-round pick on guard Landon Dickerson and a third-rounder on defensive tackle Milton Williams. This year, Roseman traded up ahead of the Ravens to grab mammoth Georgia tackle Jordan Davis, then relied on the scouting skills of legendary center Jason Kelce to grab his long-term replacement in second-rounder Cam Jurgens. The latter player saw his first snaps on offense Sunday, when Kelce missed a series with an injury.
Roseman also has addressed the positions in free agency. Javon Hargrave came in before that 2020 campaign, but he struggled in his debut season and has been much better since. In addition to bringing back Fletcher Cox and Derek Barnett, Roseman made a big bet on edge rusher Haason Reddick, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal in March. The former Cardinals and Panthers defender had a sack in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, taking him to 4.5 over his past three games.
Plenty of teams would see holes elsewhere on their roster and get away from their principles in the draft. Indeed, Roseman made this mistake at times during the fall of the Wentz era, going after disappointing wide receivers in the first two rounds. Teams often underestimate the opportunities that might open up after the draft, and when the Eagles still had money saved, they were able to fill a major need by signing James Bradberry to play cornerback across from Darius Slay. Bradberry has been excellent on a one-year, $7.3 million deal.
Don’t be afraid to make (and win) trades. Given how Wentz’s stock has fallen further since leaving Philadelphia, it’s difficult to say the deal to trade him to Indy has been nothing short of a success. The picks the Eagles acquired in that deal helped them move up for wideout DeVonta Smith in last year’s draft and trade for receiver A.J. Brown. They also still have a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-rounder in 2024 coming from the Saints, who might send Philadelphia a top-10 pick given their slow start to the season.
Roseman is one of the league’s most aggressive traders, and while nobody wins every trade, the Eagles have a sound track record. Moving down from No. 6 to No. 12 in the first round of the 2021 draft didn’t look great when they seemed to miss out on Jaylen Waddle or one of the top quarterbacks, but they ended up landing an impact receiver in Smith and turned their future first-rounder from the Dolphins into Davis.
When Urban Meyer decided he didn’t need a backup quarterback for the Jaguars last year, Roseman pounced and landed a valuable player for peanuts. With two years and $3.3 million left on his deal, Gardner Minshew‘s status as an above-average backup meant he was worth about $8 million in surplus value. The Eagles landed Minshew for a sixth-round pick, and he won them a game in a spot start over the Jets by throwing for 242 yards with two touchdowns. The Eagles likely will net a better compensatory pick for Minshew after 2022 than the one they sent to the Jaguars in the first place. They’ll also get two years with an above-average backup for a fraction of what it would cost in free agency.
Roseman acquired safety/slot cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the Saints for two late-round picks in August, and he took a big swing on Brown in April, sending a first-rounder to the Titans for the right to pay Brown a market-value deal. All of those trades look like good decisions at the moment, although Gardner-Johnson was juked on an incredible cut by Marquise Brown on the Arizona wideout’s touchdown
It’s difficult to not contrast the Eagles with the team they were playing Sunday. The Cardinals don’t invest much in their offensive or defensive lines. They don’t run their cap as efficiently, spend money on running backs, and they have used two recent first-round picks on off-ball linebackers, a position the Eagles generally treat as one of the least important in football. It seems easy to point to Philadelphia as an example of how to build a team the right way, while the struggling Cardinals are a blueprint for what not to do.
And yet, a year ago, the two teams would have been in different roles. The Cardinals were 5-0 and riding high in what looked to be the league’s best division. The Eagles were 2-3 and about to lose two straight. They seemed years away from getting back into playoff contention. By the end of the season, both teams were in the postseason. Now the Eagles are the only undefeated team in football, while the Cardinals look set to struggle for a playoff berth in a middling NFC West.
The story here, instead, might be to take a longer view of team-building and decision-making. Roseman has gone from being regarded as a genius in 2017 to a disaster in 2020 and back again two years later. Chances are he has been the same guy with the same level of ability the entire time, only producing different results.
Things change quickly in the NFL, and someone like Hurts can go from looking like a temporary option to a franchise player quicker than you think. The three teams atop the NFC East likely can’t keep up this level of winning for the rest of the season, but what they’ve done is a reminder of how suddenly the league can flip.
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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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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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)
The New York Giants dug deep into their playbook to get into the end zone for the first time Sunday, late in the first half. Tight end Daniel Bellinger scored on a double-reverse from 2 yards out to make it 17-10 in favor of the Green Bay Packers with 1:15 remaining in the first half.
New York started with Daniel Jones in the shotgun and running back Saquon Barkley lined up out wide right. Jones took the snap and flipped to Barkley coming across the formation.
Barkley then flipped to Bellinger, who started out on the left edge, for the double-reverse coming to the right sideline. Bellinger raced past Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry deep in the backfield and cut back inside behind the block of wide receiver David Sills V and dove into the end zone for the score.
It was the first rush of Bellinger’s career and went for a key touchdown late in the first half. It was the second career touchdown for the rookie out of San Diego State.
LONDON — Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may still be breaking in some young receivers, but he knows where to go to find the end zone. For the third time in the past four games, Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Allen Lazard. This one on a 4-yard screen to give the Packers a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Lazard caught it from the slot right and with rookie receiver Romeo Doubs blocking on the outside.
It was Rodgers’ seventh touchdown pass of the season. Lazard has three of them despite missing the season opener with an ankle injury.
A 33-yard pass interference penalty on Giants safety Xavier McKinney against tight end Robert Tonyan got the Packers to the 4-yard line.
Including an opening field goal, it was the first time the Packers have scored at least 10 points in the first quarter of a game since Week 3 of last season — 18 games in between them.
