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In todayâs newsletter, we cover: team trajectories, star WRs debuting with new teams and whatâs next in Cleveland after players scolded fanswho cheered Deshaun Watsonâs injury.
Week 7 Risers
Letâs start withSaquonBarkleyâs resounding return to MetLife Stadium, where the former Giant averaged 10.4 yards per carry and totalled 176 rushing yards (just 13 short of his single-game career high). Heâs on pace to rush for 1,864 yards, which would be the Eaglesâ franchise record.
Yet as the 2-5 Giantsâ 28-3 loss illustrates (and The Athleticâs Week 7 takeawaysexplains), it still made sense for them to let him walk â just anywhere but Philly (4-2).
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Other risers:
đ Chiefs.After a convincing 28-18 win over the injury-plagued 49ers, the NFLâs only undefeated team resides in Kansas City. If their passing game can keep up with their run game and defense (weird, right?),their upcoming schedulescreams winnable. But Patrick Mahomes had just 154 passing yards and two interceptions without Rashee Rice (and JuJu Smith-Schuster, who exited early with a hamstring injury), making it a surprisingly big if.
đDrake Maye.Sadly, the 1-6 Patriots have done nothing to put their potential franchise quarterback in a position to succeed. Their run game, behind a different starting offensive line each week, is non-existent (Maye was again a leading rusher). Yet somehow, the rookie completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 276 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 32-16 loss to the Jaguars. As Steve Buckley writes,New England has their guy ⌠but little else.
đ Packers defense.While the story was newly signed Brandon McManus hitting the game-winning kickto beat the Texans 24-22, defense is why Green Bay is 5-2. Entering Sunday as the leagueâs leader in takeaways, their relentless pressure on C.J. Stroud held him to a career-low 86 passing yards.
đLaying the BOOM.Specifically, hits involving 49ers safety Malik Mustapha. In the first quarter, he came from the secondary towhack RB Kareem Hunt. In the second, hedid the same to Xavier Worthy. But in the fourth quarter, Patruck Mahomes returned the favor.
đJared Goff on MVP watch?One week after losing All-World DE Aidan Hutchinson, Goff and the Lionscemented their status as contenderswith a 31-29 road victory over the Vikings. Facing the leagueâs best defense, Goff was nearly perfect, finishing with 280 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-25 passing. After Sunday, Goff became just the second QB to throw for 1,000 yards in a four-game span while completing 80 percent of their passes. The first? 2008 MVP Peyton Manning.
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đCommanders offense.No Jayden Daniels, no problem. The record-breaking rookie played just one drive (rib injury, should be OK) before Marcus Mariota replaced him. The veteran finished 18 of 23 for 205 yards and two touchdown passes in a 40-7 win, proving either (A) Kliff Kingsburyâs offense is historically good or (B)the Panthers are historically bad. Probably both.
The six best NFL offenses by EPA per drive in Weeks 1-7 since at least 2000:
1. 2000 Rams (Kurt Warner)
2. 2007 Patriots (Tom Brady)
3. 2004 Colts (Peyton Manning)
4. 2004 Vikings (Daunte Culpepper)
5. 2007 Colts (Peyton Manning)
6. 2024 Commanders (Jayden Daniels/MarcusâŚâ Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) October 21, 2024
đThose injury-riddled 49ers.If thereâs anything worse than a loss to the Chiefs, itâs a lossanda devastating injury. With Christian McCaffreyâs timetable still uncertain, Kyle Shanahanâs group (now 3-4) could not afford to have Brandon Aiyuk tear his ACL. Thatâs likely what happened yesterday, and as Matt Barrows writes, the 49ersdesperately need first-round WR Ricky Pearsallto emerge.
đ Anthony Richardson.How much time do you give a 22-year-old quarterback to develop? The sophomoreâs career completion percentage (53.5) ranks 244th of 274 quarterbacks to attempt 100 passes since 2000. His 2024 average (48.5) â barely above Tim Tebowâs career mark (47.9) â would be the 14th worst season-long mark since 2000 (out of 1,076), behindtheJaMarcus Russellâs final season.
Yes, Eli Manningâs rookie year (age 23) offers a glimmer of hope.
Oh, and one more đ: Robert Salehâssleep score.The Jets are 0-2 since Salehâs firing, withlast nightâs total collapseleading to a 37-15 loss to the Steelers. The irony: Aaron Rodgers admitting the pre-game energy was a little flat after they fired Mr. âAll-Gas No Brakes.â At least they taught Haason Reddick a lesson? Nope, as Dianna explains below.
What Diannaâs Hearing: Reddick reports to Jets this morning (if he still wants to)
Yesterday started out with good news for the New York Jets: According to agent Drew Rosenhaus and team sources, Haason Reddick, acquired by the team in March but holding out for a new contract since the spring, agreed to a restructured deal. Heâs set to report to the team facility Monday morning.
One clarification: Under the current CBA, the Jets arenât allowed to waive the more than $12 million in fines Reddick piled up during his holdout. However, the new contract is structured to allow the Pro Bowl edge rusher to offset those fines through performance bonuses.
The question, though: Should Reddick even want to report considering the current state of the Jets? New York is 2-5 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak, suffering a humiliating Sunday night loss in Pittsburgh. One recurring issue for their defense in 2024: stopping the run. They allowed 149 rushing yards each of the past two games â and Reddickâs strength has always been as more of a pass-rusher than a run-stopper.
Back to you, Jacob.
Old Faces, New Places: Cooper and Adams debut
In Buffalo, all smiles.Amari Cooper played just 35.7 percent of snaps but still finished with four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. When Cooper didnât know an audible (you can see himlook to Keon Coleman for help), the brilliant route-runner still got open for a touchdown.
Looks like Amari Cooper didnât know the audible when Josh Allen checked the play. He looks to Keon Coleman who either tells him what to do or he makes it up đ TOUCHDOWN! pic.twitter.com/8jnXw1e4sQ
â Josh Allen Stats (@JoshAllenStats) October 20, 2024
And when he didnât touch the ball,his presence was felt: âWhen Cooper was on the field, and the Bills dropped back to pass, the team averaged 10.4 yards per play,â noted beat reporter Joe Buscaglia. The Bills have (again) given Josh Allen the No. 1 receiver heâd lacked.
For New York, the usual frowns.A flying,touchdown-saving tacklewas the most notable play by Davante Adams, who dropped his first of nine targets and finished with three catches for 30 yards. âWe just didnât execute,â Adams said after his debut. âThatâs been the underlying thing for this team this year.â
IT'S BEANIE, BABYâźď¸ @_sbx2
đ˛ Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/COxKRnr6Mc pic.twitter.com/E3w2mgnQiW
â Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 21, 2024
All thatâs left for Rodgers is to lure Jordy Nelson away from his family farm.
Deshaun Watsonâs final snap
Even if there had never been any sexual assault allegations against Watson (now at 27), the idea of trading three first-round picks for the right to pay a record-setting, fully guaranteed, five-year contract to a quarterback who had torn his ACL twice was always aterribleone.
Well, itâs over now. Watsonâs ruptured Achilles should be confirmed today, ending his time as a Brown. Right? As Jim Trotter writes,itâs not that simple: His cap hit in each of the next two years is nearly $73 million.
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The Athleticâs Mike Sandoâs Pick Six column goes beyond the complicated reactions â from fans cheering the injury to third-string QB Jameis Winston casting Watson as a victim â to evaluate the implications for this football team, includingthe role injury insurance will play.
As for the Week 8 starter, thatâs still TBD for the most expensive roster in NFL history. At 1-6, does it really matter?
MNF Doubleheader
Tonightâs scheduleincludes four decent-to-great quarterbacks, starting with Lamar Jackson & Co. in Tampa Bay as 3.5-point favorites over Baker Mayfieldâs Bucs.
- Ravens at Buccaneersat 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN
Meanwhile, Justin Herbert and the Chargers league-leading defense are 1.5-point favorites against Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr., who will play tonight in Arizona.
- Chargers atCardinalsat 9:00 p.m. on ESPN+
Enjoy the games!
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(Photo:
Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images)