There have been additionally sacks, an interception, and so many dinks and dunks that even Kirk Cousins began to get just a little embarrassed. And of course there was tons of RBF: Rodgers Bemused Face, the priceless expressions Rodgers makes in tv close-ups which convey messages like a skunk simply sprayed my canine, I left my headlights on all evening or (most appropriately for Rodgers) no human beings are worthy of something besides my contempt, however particularly not these receivers.
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Davante Adams was doing every part doable to spark a Raiders comeback towards the Los Angeles Chargers. At about the identical time as Rodgers’ last-gasp collection ended with an unpleasant blown-up slot display to Watson on third down and a prayer to a well-covered Robert Tonyan on fourth, Adams was capping a Raiders drive by reaching to seize a brief landing go on the proper pylon. Adams’ 10 catches for 141 yards weren’t sufficient to beat the Chargers, however Packers receivers Christian “Whoopsie” Watson, Romeo Doubs, Sammy Watkins, Juwann Winfree, and Randall Cobb mixed for simply 120 yards on 12 catches. And of course, Jefferson’s heroics have been sufficient to gasoline a whole collection of Rodgers offseason manifestos.
Lest Walkthrough be accused of leaping to any conclusions: the Packers have been enjoying with out beginning tackles Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari, who’re anticipated again quickly. So the Packers dink-dunk-screen-reverse-punt recreation plan was not completely the end result of changing Adams with a bunch of guys from a Senior Bowl Sleepers article. Allen Lazard also needs to return quickly to assist the receiving corps. Better days will come for Rodgers and associates. Heck, they host the Chicago Bears, who’re coming off a soppy win, in Week 2.
But the Packers are a Super Bowl frontrunner, so they’re graded on a unique curve. Sunday’s loss had vital Super Bowl implications. It’s each a convention and a divisional loss on the playoff tiebreaker ledgers. More troublingly, the Vikings seemed like the higher crew at each place on the sector besides quarterback. The Rams’ Thursday evening loss to the Bills was an unmitigated catastrophe, however it’s one factor to fall flat towards an out-of-conference Super Bowl favourite and one other to take action towards a well-recognized foe that has spent 4 years defining the precise median NFL efficiency degree. Packers followers who aren’t frightened will need to have spent Sunday with their fingers of their ears. And Rodgers? He was humiliated on Sunday. You higher imagine he’ll be sharing the distress all week lengthy.
Matt Ryan, Baker Mayfield, and Beyond: NFL Week 1 Debut Roundup
Week 1 of the NFL season is all about debuts and first impressions, of course. Rodgers’ Adams-less Junior Achievement Receiving Corps made an terrible first impression. Adams himself made a positive one for the Raiders in a shedding effort. But there are tons and tons of others to speak about. Let’s get rolling!
The New England Patriots’ Ask Madden Patricia Offense
The Patriots’ greatest downside is not that clueless Matt Patricia is asking the offensive performs with Bill Belichick looming over his shoulder and ready for him to make a mistake like a poisonous Little League dad. No, the Patriots’ greatest downside is that they lack any velocity by any means on offense.
The Patriots dedicated few obvious tactical errors in Sunday’s 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Oh, there was a false begin right here, an pointless timeout there, a second-and-17 handoff, a way that Patricia failed to put in an answer to the Brandon Jones security blitz that led to a Mac Jones strip-sack, and so forth. But the bigger subject is that when Jones wanted an enormous play down the sector, he was pressured to throw to DeVante Parker (early-game tip-drill interception), Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, or Hunter Henry. Rarely did any of them have separation. Josh McDaniels might scheme these slow-pokes open AND do a positive job of retaining the Patriots forward of the sticks so Jones would not be pressured to flutter too many third-/fourth-down deep photographs. And even McDaniels wanted Jets-caliber opponents or typhoon-force winds to take care of the phantasm. Patricia would not stand an opportunity whereas working out of Baby’s First Playbook. When your best offensive spotlight is Ty Montgomery rolling into the tip zone after a aptitude go to interrupt a shutout late within the third quarter, it is a positive signal that your crew lacks the sizzle it wants to hold with opponents such because the Bills.
The Patriots protection nonetheless appears to be like stout sufficient to win a bunch of video games if the offense could make it to 21 factors. Based on what we noticed on Sunday, that is not gonna occur fairly often.
Tyreek Hill and the Tua Tagovailoa Experience, Miami Dolphins
Let’s see, there’s:
- Tyreek catching the fast beneath smash route, then attempting to elude seven defenders for a achieve of 5 yards;
- Tyreek motioning throughout the formation, then half of the way in which again, then doing just a little back-‘n’-forth boot-scoot behind the tight finish earlier than the snap, solely to catch a flare go and get instantly flattened by Kyle Dugger;
- Tyreek working a would-be deep route, realizing that Tua could not attain him if he had a golf cart, then stopping and out-leaping one of the Patriots defensive backs named Jones (it is not gonna be value studying which one is which this 12 months) for a 23-yard achieve and a really Tua-worthy spotlight.
- RPO? Heck sure, we’re nonetheless the Dolphins.
- End round! Didn’t see that coming! Oh yeah you probably did. Anyway, achieve of 6.
Hill completed with eight catches for 94 yards, plus that 6-yard run. The Dolphins offensive line remains to be 5 mall cops attempting to cease a looting spree. And Tagovailoa’s Sunday blooper reel options tons of throws instantly into the turf whereas getting sacked.
In abstract: the brand new Mike McDaniel Dolphins offense is chaotically, entertainingly unhealthy, however nonetheless unhealthy.
Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts
Ryan threw a screen-pass interception, received strip-sacked, fumbled a snap, and usually seemed loads like that fellow who received run out of Indianapolis in 2021 by three quarters towards the Houston Texans. Then got here the Lovie-ing, when the Texans reached the 20-point barrier on the edge of their identified universe and started enjoying to not lose. And not lose they did, regardless of Ryan discovering his rhythm and serving to the Colts rating 13 fourth-quarter factors in a 20-20 tie.
To be truthful to Ryan: Alec Pierce and Ashton Dulin dropped passes in the long run zone on drives that ended with a fourth-down stuff (on a Nyheim Hines Wildcat play, no much less) and a area objective. And the Colts could be 1-0 if not for Rodrigo Blankenship’s 42-yard time beyond regulation misfire.
But that is sufficient Ryan benefit-of-the-doubt! The Colts’ game-tying last drive featured 49 Jonathan Taylor dashing yards towards the Lovie-2 protection. Frank Reich kind of shrugged as an alternative of attempting to be aggressive when the Colts received the ball with 1:16 to play and two timeouts in a tied fourth quarter. This will not be the veteran franchise quarterback expertise you have been offered, Colts followers. Instead, it is the veteran franchise quarterback expertise the Falcons have been coping with for the final 4 years.
Baker Mayfield, Carolina Panthers
Mayfield spent the primary 25 minutes of the Panthers’ 25-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns bobbling snaps, taking sacks, tripping over himself whereas scrambling, getting a number of passes tipped, and misfiring over the center of the sector. It’s nearly as if he joined the crew in July and did not get as many first-team coaching camp reps as he ought to have or one thing!
Mayfield, like other veteran quarterbacks who began out flat on Sunday (Matt Ryan, Jameis Winston), settled down towards a Browns crew that plans to by no means throw downfield in any respect this season till the Lifetime Network switches to all Christmas films, and will due to this fact preserve loads of opponents in video games. Mayfield’s handful of splash performs and a fourth-quarter comeback weren’t sufficient, nonetheless, because the Browns mustered a late game-winning area objective drive out of grit and roughing-the-passer penalties. Also, the botched snaps by no means actually went away; one almost price the Panthers the sport whereas they have been attempting to line up their go-ahead area objective after the two-minute warning.
Bottom line: “Baker Mayfield Revenge” is a fairly foolish idea, anyway. And now we will cease pretending to concentrate to the Panthers.
Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ plan coming into this 12 months was to win a bunch of video games with their go rush whereas Trubisky took care of the ball and blended display passes with other YAC-heavy passing ideas to his playmakers. That plan labored about in addition to it presumably might in Sunday’s 23-20 time beyond regulation victory over the Bengals. There are solely three issues:
- T.J. Watt might have torn a pectoral muscle late in Sunday’s recreation. There go many of the sacks;
- Najee Harris received damage within the fourth quarter and was seen leaving the stadium wearing a boot. There may go one of the playmakers, although initial reports are that Harris’ harm will not be that severe;
- The Steelers settled for eight punts and allowed the Bengals to remain within the recreation, then come again to drive time beyond regulation within the fourth quarter, even when every part was working optimally.
So now it seems that the brand new Watt-less plan is for Trubisky to maintain up appearances till Mike Tomlin thinks Kenny Pickett can take the sector with out getting clobbered. Which, actually, is not that a lot completely different from the unique plan.
The Rebuilt Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Line
Yuck! Joe Burrow was sacked seven instances, twice within the first quarter. Steelers defenders have been credited with 11 quarterback hits and Burrow spent a lot of his late-game comeback effort working for his life or calling his personal quantity when he noticed a working lane.
So far, Bengals 2022 soccer appears to be like loads like Bengals 2021 soccer: Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and the other playmakers drawing performs within the sandlot dust with beautiful success and little assist from their blockers or coaches. But the Bengals ought to be higher after spending massive bucks to improve 60% of their offensive line, and they want to be higher to maintain up with the AFC arms race.
Mickey Loomis’ New Orleans Saints Escrow All-Stars
Jameis Winston was beneath fixed stress from the Falcons protection—repeat, the Falcons protection—for 3 quarters. He blended off-target throws with turnover-worthy performs because of this. The lone Saints landing by the primary three quarters got here on some signature Taysom Hill Wildcat nonsense.
Then got here the fourth quarter, the Falcons witching hour, and Winston started finishing deep passes to wide-open Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry as in the event that they have been practising towards air in a come-from-behind, Falcons-gonna-Falcon 27-26 victory.
Overall, the Saints have been inconsistent on offense and surprisingly unusual on protection: good for second place within the NFC South, however not supreme for the Team That Debt Consolidation Loans Built. Still, Landry caught seven passes for 114 yards and Thomas hauled in two touchdowns as an alternative of sitting at residence along with his leg elevated atop a pile of Loomis Bucks, so the Saints have some success to construct upon.
Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons
Arthur Smith unveiled a Big Ol’ Bucket O’ Bootlegs offense for Marcus Mariota. For three quarters, the pistol-formation rollouts and read-option ideas have been sufficient to provide some factors towards the mighty Saints protection.
Ultimately, Smith ran out of misdirection, and the Saints discovered that Atlanta’s tenth participant all the way down to the underside of the roster would barely minimize it within the USFL. The end result was a wacky new variation on the heartbreaking last-second Falcons loss. Falcons soccer remains to be tortuous with Mariota beneath middle, however differently.
Khalil Mack and the Retooled Los Angeles Chargers Defense
Mack recorded three sacks, together with the fourth-down strip-sack that iced the sport, within the Chargers’ 24-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Slot cornerback Bryce Callahan, a quiet offseason addition, pitched in a fourth-quarter interception. And the Raiders rushed 13 instances for simply 64 yards, with nary a third-and-forever draw play for a primary down in sight. The Chargers even produced a third-and-1 stuff! The Chargers have a number of points but—Justin Herbert and the Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread Offense nonetheless settled for tons of three-and-outs and a goal-line cease towards a so-so protection—however a bumbling run protection not seems to be one of them.
Howie Roseman’s Latest Philadelphia Eagles Science Experiment
A.J. Brown caught 10 passes for 155 yards. More importantly, he and Jalen Hurts related a number of instances over the center of the sector, opening up a brand new component for the Eagles offense. James Bradberry added a pick-six. The Detroit Lions got here out of the tunnel like all the crew had simply taken an adrenaline needle to the guts and surged again late to backdoor cowl as solely they’ll. But the Eagles held on for a 38-35 victory.
Both the Eagles and Saints received by shut last scores towards bottom-feeders, however the Eagles appeared dominant for stretches, whereas the Saints wanted a fourth-quarter wakeup name to stave off an upset. Let’s give each Howie and Mickey Loomis a “W” for his or her offseason methods, however the Eagles have been extra spectacular whenever you look previous the same last scores.
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
Welcome to the Carson Coaster, Commanders followers: three quarters of Competent Carson, then an early fourth-quarter of Carson Comedy Classics that includes two interceptions (and a 3rd which was nullified by a penalty), adopted by a late fourth-quarter cameo by the rarely-seen 2017 Great Carson. That’s pretty much as good because it will get, and Commanders followers ought to be thrilled that Wentz exorcized his Jaguars demons in a 28-22 vengeance victory over the crew that humiliated him with the playoffs on the road final season. Lotta demons left, of us. Like: nothing however demons.
Week 1 NFL News ‘n’ Notes
Your weekly roundup of off-field developments.
Lamar Jackson reportedly turned down a six-year contract with $133 million assured, extra assured cash than Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray.
There’s “betting on yourself” and then there’s “Leave that heap of roulette winnings on the table. I’m gonna play Powerball instead!”
Los Angeles Rams thought-about including Jimmy Garoppolo as insurance coverage towards Matthew Stafford’s injured shoulder.
But Matthew Stafford with an injured shoulder IS Jimmy Garoppolo.
Indianapolis Colts signal Quenton Nelson to an extension making him the highest-paid guard within the NFL.
The four-year extension ensures that Nelson will probably be blocking for the Colts’ subsequent three beginning quarterbacks.
Le’Veon Bell TKO’s Adrian Peterson in a Saturday evening boxing match.
Gonna be awkward after they’re each on the Ravens roster by Week 9.
Week 1 NFL Awards
The most necessary weekly awards on the earth are again!
Offensive Line of the Week
The Kansas City Chiefs opened their 44-21 drubbing of the Arizona Cardinals with 11-play, seven-play, and 11-play landing drives. They ended the sport with a trio of run-heavy, clock-munching landing drives. And Patrick Mahomes was not sacked as soon as, although he did endure what feels like a minor wrist harm when he landed arduous after taking a success on an all-out blitz. So this week’s award goes to some acquainted names: Orlando Brown, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, and Andrew Wylie, plus Nick Allegretti, who stuffed in for the injured Smith for a lot of the sport.
Defender of the Week
We talked about Khalil Mack’s three sacks earlier. He shares this trophy with Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith, who recorded three of his crew’s seven sacks and pressured one fumble that led to a Steelers area objective. If T.J. Watt actually did tear a pectoral muscle on Sunday, the Steelers are gonna want extra massive video games out of Highsmith, who will even be getting a wee bit extra consideration from opposing offensive traces.
Special Teamer of the Week
Minkah Fitzpatrick blocked what would have been a game-winning further level for the Bengals. Fitzpatrick additionally returned an interception for a landing on the Bengals’ second play of the sport, however that does not rely towards Special Teamer of the Week!
Honorable point out goes to New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan, who pinned the Tennessee Titans inside their very own 20 5 instances on six punts. That’s proper, the Giants can now win video games because of particular groups and area place after Joe Judge leaves. Enjoy your crackerjack teaching workers, Patriots followers!
Best Supporting Actor in Someone Else’s Highlight
Ladies and gents, the Atlanta Falcons soccer expertise, as exemplified by somebody named Dean Marlowe (21), right here seen having a fainting spell simply as he is about to sort out the invincible Taysom Hill:
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