Earlier than we dive into Week 2, I need to share why many within the league had been speaking about coaching camp over the previous couple days.
We noticed some groups come out of the gate trying conditioned and fierce — just like the Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, who’re all recognized for his or her brutally powerful practices (to not point out, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce didn’t miss one follow all summer season). Evaluate that to groups that misplaced their Week 1 video games as a result of they seemed out of form, didn’t appear in sync, or — in instances just like the Browns — seemed like they didn’t need to be there based mostly on physique language.
Cleveland was one of many final groups to placed on pads this summer season. Many crew executives and coaches are nonetheless attempting to determine if there’s a correlation between early-season success and the way groups are practising all summer season. For groups that didn’t play their starters within the preseason, like Inexperienced Bay and Atlanta, September is the brand new preseason, which might catch as much as them in December.
Sam Darnold tosses his 2nd TD of the day to Jalen Nailor!
📺: #MINvsNYG on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/DD9V7zGuL6— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
Sam Darnold for MVP! The Bears offense stinks! Mike McCarthy is Coach of the Yr!
None of that is true after one sport, however I’m thrilled to get via every week of overreaction. I belief most of us know that opening weekend is a lie, however we could have seen some snippets of fact. Let’s contact on two as we head into Week 2 …
Love’s timeline, what Willis brings
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has saved the door open for Jordan Like to presumably return for Sunday’s sport towards the Colts, itemizing him as questionable. Although I’m advised: “That’s not occurring.” Love has an MCL sprain and has not been medically cleared to play.
The Packers try to maintain all aggressive benefits intact, which incorporates forcing opponents to arrange for all their QBs. Whereas they hope Love’s is a week-to-week damage, the truth is that subsequent week’s sport towards the Titans is taken into account by these within the know to be “a protracted shot.” Essentially the most optimistic timeline would have him again for Week 4 towards the Vikings if there are not any snags. (The Packers face the Rams Week 5.)
Love is predicted to put on a knee brace when he does return, for the safety and performance of the knee. The quarterback has been seen across the constructing and at follow, taking psychological reps. In the meantime, lower than three weeks in the past Inexperienced Bay acquired QB Malik Willis from the Titans. The Packers have used draft capital in three straight drafts on quarterbacks, choosing Sean Clifford (2023 fifth spherical) and Michael Pratt (2024 seventh spherical, now with the Bucs follow squad after Inexperienced Bay launched him), and buying Willis (for a 2025 seventh-round choose). They made this transfer believing Willis is a greater possibility than Clifford, regardless of the second-year Packer having extra time with LaFleur’s playbook.
I first met Willis at rookie camp in Nashville when he was with the Titans in 2022. I stepped in entrance of our digital camera crew and caught my hand out to introduce myself to the then-rookie. After a fast introduction, he approached the crew of 4 and requested every their names. When he walked away, all of us checked out one another and commented on the type gesture — this wasn’t a standard prevalence for our veteran crew. Willis answered all of the questions and got here off appreciative of this chance to play soccer on the highest degree.
He got here throughout as barely harmless that day, however on the sector and in assembly rooms I’m advised he’s clever, hard-working, curious, and self-aware. There’s a perception that Willis shall be extra snug operating LaFleur’s offense than what he was doing this summer season below first-year Titans coach Brian Callahan.
Willis’ instincts (and success) are based mostly round his mobility. Although at occasions, as one Titans coach mentioned, “the sport seemed actually quick for him.” That could be the most important subject for the Packers, getting Willis via his progressions with pressures coming from all over the place. The Colts are making ready to defend a run-heavy sport plan led by new Packers RB Josh Jacobs, after they had been gashed by Houston’s floor sport in Week 1.
This shall be an enormous check for the Packers, who opted to not signal a veteran quarterback in hopes that Love returns quickly and Willis can get them via the following couple weeks.
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What’s subsequent for Watson
Deshaun Watson is going through a brand new civil lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted a lady in 2020; Watson denies the allegations. On the sector, it was a tough season opener for this Cleveland Browns offense, and whereas there’s an understanding Week 1 rust is actual, there’s additionally a robust perception within the constructing that Watson can rediscover his on-field magic. There have been no discussions about benching Watson in favor of one of many backups, Jameis Winston or Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Watson’s contract — particularly, potential outs for the Browns — has been the topic of media hypothesis the previous few days, however there are too many unknowns to say something definitively. After reviewing a replica of Watson’s restructured contract, it seems that if the quarterback didn’t alert the crew concerning the account detailed within the civil swimsuit filed this week, and if an NFL investigation reveals the account detailed within the lawsuit to be credible, the Browns might void the ensures in Watson’s contract.
One other highway win might prolong Fields’ run
Sadly, we aren’t going to see Russell Wilson play towards his former crew when the Steelers go to the Denver Broncos. Justin Fields will get the beginning, and if he wins on the highway once more, Tomlin could keep on with the new hand for the house opener subsequent week. (Although it’s notable that the Steelers didn’t rating a landing in Week 1.)
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith confirmed final week he’s superb calling the sport conservatively and leaning on the bottom sport. I’m anticipating one other run-heavy, conservative sport plan with reliance on T.J. Watt and the protection smothering rookie QB Bo Nix.
Regardless of the way it seemed, Cousins is wholesome
Kirk Cousins and the Falcons have been constant about this all offseason and all through coaching camp: There are not any restrictions on the 36-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles damage. Although watching him battle towards the Steelers final week, it was just a little exhausting to imagine it.
Based mostly on some conversations, the consensus is obvious: Cousins’ leg feels good, with no lingering points from his surgical procedure. Nonetheless, there’s some rust. There may be additionally a first-time play caller in Atlanta, in Zac Robinson. (A chunk of knowledge from a league supply: “Simply as we afford rookie QBs some leeway, let’s prolong the identical understanding to first-time play callers.”)
Cousins didn’t play in any of the preseason video games. The considering is his shaky Falcons debut may very well be a mixture of every thing above, plus some hesitation in relation to getting hit once more at sport pace.
The Tua impact
Many crew executives and gamers throughout the league are discussing how they’d deal with the state of affairs with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. This received’t be straightforward for anybody — not for Tagovailoa and never for the crew.
Everyone seems to be conscious that this isn’t nearly soccer; it’s concerning the quarterback’s well being. Given Tagovailoa’s historical past of head trauma, the group and the quarterback will take the following few days and presumably weeks to find out what’s finest. The analysis was a concussion, marking Tua’s fourth head damage within the final two years, together with three recognized concussions. Two years in the past, the league modified the concussion coverage after Tagovailoa was injured in back-to-back video games, towards the Payments and the Bengals.
The league now requires gamers exhibiting gross motor instability to be taken out of the sport and examined for a concussion. The time period “ataxia,” which is outlined as a disruption of speech, motor expertise, or stability, has been added to the protocol. It’s essential to notice that if this new protocol had been utilized two years in the past, Tagovailoa wouldn’t have been allowed to re-enter the sport towards the Payments.
This previous week (earlier than the Thursday evening sport), the league once more clarified one other player-safety rule relating to quarterbacks: the distinction between roughing the passer by slinging and by slamming. A slam happens when a defender lifts up the QB and slams him down, which is strongly discouraged (suppose skilled wrestling). A sling is when the quarterback doesn’t go away his toes. Within the Texans-Colts sport final week, Colts QB Anthony Richardson was sacked by Mario Edwards within the first quarter, a deal with decided to be a sling and subsequently not penalized. The Colts referred to as the league to inquire about what they felt was a borderline hit.
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Saquon was virtually a Texan
Everyone knows the story by now — and in case you don’t, go atone for HBO’s “Laborious Knocks” wherein cameras adopted Giants common supervisor Joe Schoen this previous offseason. Giants proprietor John Mara in all probability received’t ever overlook it both, telling Schoen, “I’ll lose sleep if we lose Barkley to the Eagles.” Nicely, Mara should not be getting a lot sleep as of late (although for a number of causes).
Saquon Barkley left the New York Giants as a free agent and signed with their division rival. Then we noticed his electrical debut with Philadelphia (three touchdowns, named NFC Offensive Participant of the Week). GM Howie Roseman gave the operating again a three-year deal, price virtually $13 million yearly. It was massive cash for the Penn State alum, who examined the free-agent marketplace for the primary time and received.
However Philly wasn’t the one crew pushing to get Barkley within the constructing. The Houston Texans had been aggressive in attempting to land Barkley, however finally had been priced out. No worries for Houston; they traded for Joe Mixon from the Bengals as an alternative.
Houston knew the Bengals had plans to launch Mixon. To keep away from shedding him to the waiver wire, Houston traded a seventh-round draft choose. The RB additionally acquired a brand new three-year, $27 million contract that included $13 million assured with a $6 million signing bonus. In his Texans debut, Mixon ran for 159 yards and a landing, taking AFC Offensive Participant of the Week honors whereas the Bengals scored 10 factors in an upset loss to the New England Patriots. Robust begin for the exes.
Nonetheless no deal, however Ja’Marr Chase in ‘good spirits’
The Bengals didn’t spend any time wallowing across the constructing or follow subject this week, fixating on the 77 yards of first-half offense that they had of their house loss to New England.
Self-awareness shouldn’t be a difficulty in that locker room.
The Bengals know the offense seemed out of sync, that they couldn’t run the ball, and that the tackling was terrible (they gave up 170 speeding yards). They know that received’t minimize it towards Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ revamped large receiver room.
Cincinnati’s personal star receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, performed Week 1 regardless of not getting the massive payday he’d been holding in for all of coaching camp. Chase was mentioned to be in “good spirits” and practising all week in Cincinnati. Nonetheless, nonetheless no deal. We’ll see if they will get this completed quickly.
As for this sport, the Bengals’ capability to decelerate a Chiefs offense that mirrors the 2021 version would be the sport plan of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. He’s achieved fairly effectively flustering Mahomes through the years, a lot so followers have been donning “The Loufather” tees.
The Bengals are 3-2 towards the Chiefs since 2022, and Anarumo’s defenses are an enormous motive why. Prior to now, he has efficiently discovered simulate pressures, differ the appears to be like and make Kansas Metropolis’s offense earn each yard. The identical method shall be utilized on Sunday, with crimson zone protection crucial in forcing the Chiefs to kick subject objectives. The Chiefs see the Bengals as older and, at this second, not constructed to lock up and defend, however they do imagine Cincinnati has sufficient in its arsenal to combine coverages and pressures to pressure the Chiefs to earn their factors through lengthy scoring drives.
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The NFL’s different massive rule change
We’ve devoted a major period of time explaining and gathering opinions on the brand new kickoff rule, which featured prominently in Week 1. One coach summed up the the regular-season debut of the hybrid kickoff this fashion: “Some groups kicked all touchbacks. Others kicked one (in need of the top zone) to check it and if it was a return previous the 30-yard line, they simply kicked touchbacks. The fascinating factor to look at is a spot like Buffalo with loopy wind so you possibly can’t all the time simply kick touchbacks; (Arizona) had massive returns in that sport. Cleveland will do the identical. Because it will get colder some kickers received’t have the ability to kick touchbacks.”
Nonetheless, there was one other vital NFL rule change that got here into play on Sunday, although you may need missed it: The NFL’s expanded “replay help” rule.
It got here up within the Broncos-Seahawks sport in Seattle. Right here was the state of affairs: Within the fourth quarter, with Seattle up 26-13, Dre’Mont Jones and Leonard Williams hit Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on an incomplete cross. The officers threw a flag for roughing the passer on Jones, turning what would’ve been second-and-10 at Denver’s 36 right into a first-and-10 in Seahawks territory. Nonetheless, after a 29-second delay, referee Brad Allen made this announcement: “After replay help, there isn’t a foul for (a success to) the top and neck space.”
Among the many NFL’s new guidelines:
Replay help was expanded to overview roughing the passer, intentional grounding, and late hits out of bounds penalties for doable overturn.
The Seahawks had been the primary crew to profit from the roughing the passer rule on this Dre’Mont Jones hit: pic.twitter.com/0upJI4wNOv
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) September 9, 2024
The “replay help” rule has been in place for a number of years. Nonetheless, this season, the NFL has expanded its capabilities to incorporate evaluations of roughing the passer, late hits out of bounds, and intentional grounding penalties. These penalties may be suggested for overturn on “particular, goal features of a play when clear and apparent video proof is current,” the rule states.
Because of this new rule, a Seahawks penalty was overturned, and followers — particularly these within the Pacific Northwest — had one much less grievance concerning the league’s officiating.
However, in fact, you possibly can’t make everybody pleased within the NFL. I heard from a number of coaches and common managers about pointless roughness calls involving quarterback scrambles, for which replay help is not obtainable. As we’ve seen, many of the quarterbacks on this league have the flexibility to maneuver outdoors the pocket, scramble and slide. (I found that it’s now simpler to record QBs that sit within the pocket than it’s to put out all of the cellular ones.) In Tampa, we noticed Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels concerned in two performs on which it appeared he was hit within the head and/or neck when sliding. The UNR flag was thrown, however replays confirmed that the defenders truly missed Daniels, leapt over him, or bought out of the way in which. We noticed it occur three different occasions in Week 1, together with in Buffalo when the Payments had been flagged for UNR towards Kyler Murray, and there was no contact in any respect. We are going to in all probability see it extra this weekend. This may very well be a simple replay help addition sooner or later contemplating the league’s explosion of cellular QBs.
(Prime photograph: Brooke Sutton / Getty Photographs)