Category: Las Vegas Raiders

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Pull yer finger out! Five teams snoozing through free agency

If you’ve spent the NFL Free Agency period refreshing Twitter every five minutes, waiting to see if your favourite team has signed that coveted WR1 or retained their in-demand cornerback, you’ll have come across the same names time and time again.

The Dolphins have signed or retained 15 players, including David Long, Mike White and Jalen Ramsey. The Texans are suddenly everyone’s destination of choice, with a staggering 18 players (Devin Singletary, Robert Woods, Dalton Schultz and Jimmy Ward among them) putting pen to paper. And the Raiders have seen 21 guys sign or re-sign, from Jermaine Eluemenor, Jakobi Meyers and OJ Howard to Jimmy G.

But what about the other end of the spectrum? Which teams are keeping their eyes shut, their fingers in their ears and their chequebooks in their pockets? Here are my top five teams that need to wake up, smell the coffee and get in the game before the cupboard is bare.

Los Angeles Rams

Current cap space (courtesy of Over the Cap): $11.5 million

Last season, the Rams suffered a major hangover, crashing from Super Bowl glory to a lacklustre 5-12 record and third place in the NFC West. After years of giving away draft picks like candy and taking dead money hits, the chickens have finally come home to roost. The likes of Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp and Matt Stafford don’t come cheap so it’s time to tighten the belt. Even cavalier GM Les Snead has admitted that “Our DNA is to attack, to hit the gas, but we’re going to hit the brakes a little bit.”

Now, I’m no driving instructor but I think they’ve not so much dabbed the brakes as done a full-on emergency stop. The team have many holes to fill, not least across their defence and yet, at the time of writing, the free agency frenzy seems to have completely bypassed Inglewood, California. In trading enigmatic CB Jalen Ramsey to Miami, they got tight end Hunter Long (one career reception) and a 2023 3rd round draft pick back in exchange, and they re-signed guard Coleman Shelton. And that’s it.

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In contrast, they’ve needed a revolving door for everyone shipping out. As well as Ramsey, who was always going to move on for financial reasons, they’ve lost QB Baker Mayfield, WR Brandon Powell, CB David Long, safety Nick Scott, punter Riley Dixon and kicker Matt Gay. Linebackers Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd were also released. We all know that the front office staff are frantically trying to balance the books, but those last two moves in particular seem a little premature. Surely they could’ve waited and seen the lay of the land before letting players of such calibre just walk?

Maybe their limited cap space is hindering their approach but the absence of a first round pick in the draft (yet again) must be a catalyst to do something in free agency, surely?

Green Bay Packers

Current cap space: $22.4 million

As another team that fell from grace last year (8-9, third place in the NFC North), you’d have thought the Packers might have been a bit more active in recent days too. Franchise QB Aaron Rodgers emerged from his darkness retreat with a strange compulsion to pack his things after 15 years and move to the New York Jets, so at least that question has been answered. But it leaves Green Bay with Jordan Love under center. The young QB has spent the last three years waiting in the wings, with just one start to his name, so to say he’s an unknown quantity is an understatement of epic proportions.

The Packers have managed to retain the services of veteran linebacker Justin Hollins, safety Rudy Ford and the Swiss Army knife that is All-Pro cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon. But the only players moving to Wisconsin so far are 49ers safety Tarvarius Moore (who was injured all last season) and Rams long snapper Matt Orzech. Let’s face it, however desperate you are for new blood, that’s unlikely to set Twitter on fire.

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Worryingly, there has been more traffic heading in the other direction. The biggest red flag is the departure of Allen Lazard, who has shown Rodgers the way out with a $44 million move to the Jets. Robert Tonyan returns to his native Illinois as the Bears’ new tight end, while defensive linemen Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry have left for Seattle and Minnesota respectively.

So what should they be doing? Well, filling the Lazard- and Tonyan-shaped holes seems like a good place to start, as Love will need more weapons than Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson to aim for. Should fellow free agents Randall Cobb and Marcedes Lewis also move on, the team will have lost those responsible for over 40% of their receptions, receiving yards and TD catches from last year. Yikes.

Safety Adrian Amos and kicker Mason Crosby may yet find new homes as unrestricted free agents too, so more gaps across the roster are expected. You have the most available cap space of our five teams here so get to it, Cheeseheads!

Los Angeles Chargers

Current cap space: $16.1 million

Every August, we’re told that this is going to be the Chargers’ year… and every January, we confirm that it wasn’t. So you’d have thought that to change the tide, Rams GM Tom Telesco and HC Brandon Staley would have spent March wheelin’ and dealin’ like their lives depended on it.

Well, not really. Much of their work to date has been spent restructuring the contracts of Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, which did at least save them a cool $40 million in cap space. They also re-signed some of their own, including backup QB Easton Stick, OT Trey Pipkins, DL Morgan Fox, punter JK Scott and TE Donald Parham Jr.

The only guy to come through the “in” door so far is veteran Minnesota linebacker Eric Kendricks. Sure, the former All-Pro can replace Drue Tranquill – off to pastures new with the Chiefs – and help with Kenneth Murray’s development but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

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Somehow, CBS gave the Chargers’ efforts to date an A- grade but I’m unconvinced. As well as the lack of newcomers, star running back Austin Ekeler has been given permission to seek a trade after extension talks hit the buffers. And safety Nasir Adderley’s retirement also needs addressing. I’d like to think the Bolts might use some of their $16 million to pursue someone like John Johnson, recently released by Cleveland, but they’ll have to be quick – they may face competition from the likes of Cincinnati.

Talking of which…

Cincinnati Bengals

Current cap space: $17 million

Weirdly, I’ve seen the Bengals featured in an article about teams that are smashing free agency and even PFF gave them an A- grade but as a Cincy fan, I couldn’t disagree more.

One of the widely expected departures, LB Germaine Pratt, did not come to pass as feared, thanks to the lure of $20 million over three years. But the reigning AFC North champions couldn’t hang on to either of their starting safeties: Jessie Bates heading to Atlanta wasn’t news, but Vonn Bell joining Carolina came as more of a shock. Furthermore, running back Samaje Perine opted to move to Denver and TE Hayden Hurst followed Bell to the Panthers.

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In response, they did fill Bell’s shoes with the versatile Nick Scott from the Rams, and a few depth pieces were retained or added here and there (guards, punt returner, long snapper, etc). And then there was the big one: LT Orlando Brown Jr coming over from conference rivals Kansas City for “just” $64 million. While not elite, he’s still a notable upgrade from Jonah Williams, who would’ve been shuffled over to the right side. However, this acquisition immediately triggered a trade request from Williams’ camp. 

So, in summary, the Bengals have gained a solid blindside tackle to protect Joe Burrow but will now need to upgrade at RT. They don’t have any tight ends of note under contract, now that recent target Foster Moreau has left the game after a cancer diagnosis. And their sparse RB room is still dominated by Joe Mixon, who many believe isn’t worthy of his $12 million cap hit. (And I won’t entertain the Zeke Elliott rumours unless he signs on the dotted line.)

So it’s high time Cincinnati made some moves before there are no options left. Right tackle, tight end and running back remain the glaring holes, while another safety and corner wouldn’t hurt. Some will come in the draft, of course, but securing another free agency vet or two before then would enable them to go ‘best player available’ to a degree. So watch out for movement on Vikings TE Irv Smith, Packers safety Adrian Amos and even Kansas RB Clyde-Edwards Hilaire in the coming days and weeks.  

Baltimore Ravens

Current cap space: $6.7 million

Our last “get a move on” candidate is another AFC North team: the Ravens. Of course, one of the league’s most compelling narratives in recent weeks has been about the future of franchise QB Lamar Jackson. Having been unable to reach a long-term deal, he’s been given the non-exclusive franchise tag, which will cost Baltimore $32.4 million (nearly 15% of their total salary cap). It also means they can match or exceed any offers from other teams or let him go for two 1st round picks. And the superstar QB has indicated that he’s ready to fly the nest.

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But it seems the quarterback situation has hamstrung the team so much that they’ve been unable to do any other business. Indeed, Baltimore remain the only one of the league’s 32 teams not to have brought in anyone new at all. Sure, they’ve retained running back Justice Hill, cornerback Trayvon Mullen and safety Geno Stone, all on one-year deals, but that’s not going to cut the mustard. In the other column, guard Ben Powers (who allowed just one sack last year), safety Chuck Clark (traded for a 7th round pick in 2024) and TE Josh Oliver have left the building.

Maybe they can find a way to beef up their receiver room, especially with Rashod Bateman coming off foot surgery? (Even Marlon Humphrey has been tweeting that OBJ should become a Raven.) Replacing free agent corner Marcus Peters might also be prudent.

Either way, having played on the franchise tag last year, the Jackson saga has dragged on for over two years now and it’s impacting Baltimore’s ability to make other moves. The Ravens have shown that they are open for business but alas, no-one’s buying at the moment. But with only five draft picks this year, they can’t do much to boost that roster until someone comes calling for a former league MVP gunslinger. And time is ticking away…

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Five Takeaways From A Perfect New Orleans Saints Win Against The Raiders

This was the team the Saints fanbase expected to see this season an efficient offense led by Alvin Kamara. A stifling defense led by an aggressive pass rush and a physical, playmaking secondary. 

The Saints beat the Raiders 24-0 on Sunday, therefore there are plenty of things to take from this game that could show the Saints are starting to turn a corner and could make a significant run at the NFC South division title.

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Is the Secondary Fixed? 

Once the strength of this defense, the secondary has not been that so far this season, after Sunday’s game against the Raiders has that changed? not just yet but Sunday was a very encouraging start.

After giving up the most big plays in the league through seven weeks one good performance doesn’t change the narrative but this performance certainly helps and if it continues the Saints secondary will be the dominant force we all expected.

Dennis Allen-led defenses have taken a while previously to get going, generally playing a lot better in the second half of the season than in the first. That could be the case here as well. Allen famously struggled with Malcolm Jenkins’ role after the Saints brought him back, but once they figured it out later in the season the defense took a big step. 

That could easily be the case with Tyrann Mathieu, he looks to be playing a lot more around the line scrimmage rather than back-deep, with Maye taking more of the deep safety responsibilities and that fits Mathieu’s skill set a lot more at this stage of his career. This role allows Mathieu to roam and make plays which is exactly what he did in this game, with an interception and a dropped pick-six after he broke on a route and just couldn’t make the catch.

The second massive improvement has been the rookie second-round pick, Alontae Taylor starting at outside corner. Taylor has been nothing short of excellent on the outside, in his two games so far he’s played significant snaps against DeAndre Hopkins and Davante Adams and barely given up catches to either (zero catches on three targets against Adams this week). Taylor competes like hell on every rep and is always making plays on the ball. 

When Lattimore comes back he and Taylor will be a scary tandem on the outside if Taylor continues to play this way.

DA also has more of his starting players in the secondary back which appears to be helping massively, in previous weeks he’s not been able to be as aggressive as he planned with depth players playing meaningful snaps, even more, reinforcements should be in the way. P.J. Williams is expected to return from IR this week and Marson Lattimore is expected back this week or maybe the week after.

The D-Line Played Its Best Game Of The Season

The Saints defensive line was flat-out dominant yesterday against the Raiders, per PFF they had 22 total pressures on Sunday ( 5 sacks, 5 QB hits and 12 pressures) which is 6 more pressures than their season best and pressured Derek Carr on 41.4% of his dropbacks, that was largely due to stellar play up front.

This dominance was in large part due to some new faces stepping up. Payton Turner had 5 total pressures which included 2 sacks. one of those sacks is explained here, it was a really smart play from the second-year player, which is really encouraging to see. (https://twitter.com/dlinevids1/status/1586801847653703680?s=46&t=DaCVhJvxXdNAfvdEekywFA) 

David Onyemata had 3 pressures including 1 sack. Shy Tuttle chipped in with 2 pressures, Malcolm Roach had 1 although it seemed like he had more. These are all players that weren’t stepping up earlier in the season, especially Turner, fingers crossed this is a career-changing game that gives him the confidence to push on and show why the Saints drafted him in the first round a year ago.

Marcus Davenport looked to have one of his more dominant games with an emphatic TFL on 3rd and 1 to deny a jet sweep attempt to Adams.

(https://www.neworleanssaints.com/video/marcus-davenport-davante-adams-saints-raiders-2022-week-8-nfl-highlights) 

He also had a sack wiped away because of a defensive holding penalty and he looked like he was around Carr all day, somehow PFF only charted him with 1 pressure. We will agree to disagree on that one, Davenport looked dominant all game.

The D-line didn’t just dominate in rushing the passer, they also returned to their old ways against the run, Josh Jacobs rushed for 441 yards in the three games before Sunday. The Saints held him to 43 yards, apart from one rogue 16-yard run, that stat line would have looked even better, there were still some missed tackles which you saw on Jacobs 16-yard run, but for the most part, it looked much better this week. There seemed to be an emphasis on swarming to the ball, something the dominant Saints defenses in the previous year have prided themselves on.

If this version of the d-line turns up every week this defense will be one that strikes fear into every opponent and the Saints will win a lot more games than they lose down the stretch.

Andy Dalton Looks To Be The Right Choice At QB

Dalton isn’t perfect, he was lucky not to be picked off yesterday on a very strange pass down the right sideline, other than that throw Dalton does all the right things that this offense needs.

He gets the ball out quickly, he recognises the blitz and doesn’t let it beat him and most importantly he feeds the team’s playmakers with every opportunity. 

Alvin Kamara is back to old ways with Dalton at QB (More on Ak shortly) I firmly believe Dalton’s ability to distribute the ball to his playmakers on time in rhythm is the reason he stayed the starter. This is something Winston has still not proven to be able to do.

Dalton finished with a 73.3% completion percentage that would have been even better if not for 2 drops, on very catchable passes by Chris Olave and Taysom Hill.

Since Dalton has taken over as the starter in week 4 the Saints are sixth in the league in EPA per play, with the weapons the Saints have all they need from their QB is efficiency and limited mistakes, Dalton provided that in spades yesterday.

The Saints O-Line Is Really Really Good

In my matchups to watch article, I highlighted the need to keep Maxx Crosby in check, the Saints more than achieved that, the Saints held Crosby to zero pressures,. Crosby was still effective in the run game, and had 5 total stops per PFF (Defensive Stops – tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense) . But those stats lines are a win for any o-line against a player like Crosby.

The Saints line only gave up 2 pressures all game and these were only pressures, Dalton was not touched at all.

The Saints running game was a focal point of the offense again and that was because of the offensive line. They bullied the Raiders up front, and the Saints ended the day with 32 rushes for 136 yards, averaging 4.3 YPC.  Those stats would have looked a lot better if not for some obvious runs at the end of the game going for very little as the Saints were running out the clock.

This line is a serious reason for optimism for years to come- more on that here https://whodathype.com/2022/10/26/saints-offensive-line-in-dark-season/ 

They were excellent again today, especially RG Cesar Ruiz and RT Ryan Ramczyk who like one of the best right sides of an o-line in the league.

Alvin Kamara Is The Best Player On The Team

Alvin Kamara Stepped up this week in more ways than one, not just with a vintage AK performance (158 total yards and three TDs) but he stepped up as the team’s leader in the locker room.

AK gave a spirited speech in the locker room after the loss to Arizona last Thursday and again spoke up throughout the week in the media. DA committed after the game that he stepped up as every great leader does with actions not just words.

He was the best player on the field on Sunday two his third touchdown (a 36-yard catch) was prime Kamara as he split the Raiders defense and he didn’t even look like he got out of third gear. 

All three of AK’s TDs here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGG3OyqzWq8

Kamara is the heartbeat of this team and he should stay that way for years to come.

Conclusion 

This was the best-case scenario for the Saints coming out of their ‘mini bye’ they didn’t get the players back they hoped but produced their best performance of the season which gives the team and their fans hope.

The Saints now have another long week, with the next game on Monday night Vs the Ravens, with the hope they will get more key players back and make a real push for the NFC South title.

For more Saints articles- https://www.full10yards.co.uk/saints/ 

Please let me know your feedback on this article and the others throughout the season, I’m always looking to improve and add things that people want to read about!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion.

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Analysing Three Key Saints Matchups To Watch in Week Eight

The Saints are thoroughly in win-now mode, yes, they are only one game back from the division lead, but they must start taking advantage of that and winning games.

I think there are three key matchups for the Saints must win on Sunday.

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Hunter Renfrow and Davante Adams Vs Saints Slot Defender/S

With Bradley Roby on IR the Saints options for slot defenders are not great.  Generally, Justin Evans and Chris Harris Jr have been the options.

Per PFF whilst covering the slot, these are their stats:

Justin Evans– 77 coverage snaps, 20 targets, 15 receptions for 165 yards, 85 of those yards have been after the catch. One touchdown allowed, passer rating when targeted of 115.6

Chris Harris Jr– 38 coverage snaps, 8 targets, 8 receptions for 72 yards, 41 of those yards have been after the catch. Zero touchdowns given up, passer rating when targeted 104.2.

That does not make for pleasant reading when the Saints have Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow next up on the schedule. 

When playing in the slot:

Hunter Renfrow– 77.3% of his targets this year have been when he’s is lined up in the slot. 17 targets, 12 receptions for 111 yards, 51 of those yards are after the catch, he’s forced 4 missed tackles so far this year and 5 of his catches have resulted in first downs. 

Renfrow has fumbled twice however and Raiders QB Derek Carr has thrown an interception when targeting him in the slot.   

The key thing with Renfrow is limiting the yards after the catch., which is something this Saints secondary has really struggled with. Renfrow’s average depth of target in the slot is 5.2, if the Saints limit the YAC that number 5 yards a catch is far more manageable.

Davante Adams -is a different situation altogether.

Only 27.6% of his snaps have been played from the slot, but has been targeted 16 times, and made 15 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown, the one incompletion was an interception.  Adams has been a monster after the catch, 97 of his yards have been YAC. He’s also forced 6 missed tackles from the slot and 9 of these 15 catches have resulted in a first down.

Adams is a different situation because the hope is that Marshon Lattimore will be back and should shadow Adams, even when he goes into the slot. Lattimore doesn’t always follow his man into the slot, but I think that’s a must in this game if Lattimore plays.

I’d also like the see the Saints give rookie Alontae Taylor a run in the slot, ideally you would keep him on the outside, Roby’s injury could force their hand. At this stage you need your best players in the secondary on the field, however, they achieve that it doesn’t matter. 

I can’t face another week of Justin Evans getting picked on in coverage.

Right Side Of The Saints Line Vs Maxx Crosby

Maxx Crosby is a game wrecker, truly one of the elite players in the league at his position. He is everything the Saints want Marcus Davenport to be, big, physical, long, athletic and flat-out dominant.

Per PFF Crosby has totalled 30 QB pressures this season (including sacks) which he has 6 of. His 30 total pressures is the fifth most in the NFL. He’s also a demon in run defense, Crosby has totalled 19 defensive stops in the run game ( Defensive Stops mean – tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense) that is second most in the league across all defensive positions, not just defensive lineman.

He primarily lines up on the left side of the defensive line, which for the Saints would be Ryan Ramczyk and Cesar Ruiz’s side of the line. This should be the stronger side of the line for the Saints and Ryan Ramczyk needs to show why he’s the highest-paid RT in the league this game.

Rookie contract Ramczyk would stonewall his opponent in these matchups which is why the Saints quickly locked up the former first-round pick to a massive contract. However, Ram has struggled more than usual since suffering a significant knee injury that cause him to miss time last season. The repercussion of that was described this offseason. It was explained early in training camp that Ramczyk would likely be on a ‘load management plan for the rest of his career to make sure his knee holds up.

So far that has worked with him taking every Wednesday off in practice, meaning Ramczyk has played every snap for the Saints, however, he has not been as dominant in pass protection as you would usually expect.

Next to him is the new and improved Cesar Ruiz I discussed his massive improvement in more detail here – Three Up/Down After the Saints Dismal Loss on Thursday Night (whodathype.com)

The Saints Offensive Line Is A Sign Of Hope In Dark Season (whodathype.com)

Whether it’s Andy Dalton or Jameis Winston starting at QB it’s shown that pressure can derail this offense and throw off all timing and rhythm. It’s also caused plenty of turnovers.

Either way, you slice it the Saints have the talent to limit Crosby however they must have a plan for him going into Sunday’s game, otherwise, he could be an absolute game-wrecker.

Saints Run Defense Vs Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs has looked like one of the best backs in the league in recent weeks, if not the best. In his last three games, he has rushed for 441 yards and scored six rushing touchdowns.

Usually, this wouldn’t be a problem for the Saints since 2017 their defense has been a top 2 unit in the league against the run. However, this year that is not the case, so far, they have allowed 4.6 YPC, which ranks 19th in the league.

They have also given up several massive run plays, Kenneth Walker ran for a 69-yard touchdown, Eno Benjamin had a 45-yard run for the Cardinals last week etc… these were plays you simply haven’t seen from the Saints run defense for several years. 

There’s one very easy statistic that shows the issues the Saints are having. Below is the starting defensive line’s average depth of tackle in the run game:

  • Marcus Davenport (3.2 yards)
  • Shy Tuttle (3.8 yards)
  • David Onyemata (4 yards)
  • Cameron Jordan (1.2 yards)

What this shows is three of the starting defensive line are getting pushed back significantly against the run last season all three were around 2 yards. Cam is still doing what he’s always done and playing stout strong run defense the problem is with the rest of the line.

Honestly, I don’t know what the coaches can do to fix this, this stat shows it could be a player problem so without adding more talent this could just be the reality of this season’s unit.

If you want to look at this in a cheerier light, then you could argue they’ve shown before to be a dominant line against the run with the same players, so they could turn it around, I hope that’s the case.

For more Saints articles- https://www.full10yards.co.uk/saints/ 

Please let me know your feedback on this article and the others throughout the season, I’m always looking to improve and add things that people want to read about!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion.

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5 things to look out for in Week 4

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Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes, and the start of the 2022 NFL International Series are highlights in a packed NFL Sunday

Vikings, Saints meet in first London game of 2022

Plenty of offensive talent is on show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints touch down in London.

New Orleans, who act as the home team, look set to start Andy Dalton at quarterback, as Jameis Winston is sidelined with a back injury, as is star WR Michael Thomas with a leg issue.

Minnesota possess one of the best offenses we’ve seen brace the UK recently, both Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook are among the best at their position, this should be an exciting London game.

Two MVP Candidates face off in Baltimore

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Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills grace the same field in Sunday’s early window, this matchup being the game of Week 4.

The Ravens are struggling on defense right now, will Josh Allen, who many perceive to be the best quarterback in football, feast?

Buffalo have lost star safety Micah Hyde for the season, and the team may again be without his partner back there, Jordan Poyer, which Lamar Jackson will try and take advantage of.

Huge game in race for the AFC South

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Tennessee travels to Indianapolis on Sunday for a crucial matchup in the race for the AFC South, which Jacksonville have taken an early lead of.

Both teams are fresh off their first wins of the season, having come out of the first two games without a win.

Neither Derrick Henry, nor Jonathan Taylor have set the world alight through three weeks, whoever has the best day on the ground will likely determine this matchup.

Raiders looking to turn season around with visit of rival Broncos

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A doubt many people expected Las Vegas to go 0-3 to start the year, they’ve looked bad, really bad, which is a huge surprise with what we saw last year.

If they’re unable to beat Denver on Sunday this could be it for a team with the likes of Davantae Adams, and Darren Waller.

As for Denver, they’ve not been what we’ve expected either but have managed to grind out two wins, going 3-1 whilst they’re growing as a team will be massive. 

Brady and Mahomes duel in Tampa despite Hurricane Ian

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Two teams with elite quarterbacks, who look set to be playing playoff football deep into January face off on SNF in Tampa Bay, despite the recent hurricane in the area.

Initially the venue of the game was due to be moved to Minneapolis, but luckily for local Buccaneers fans, the stadium is safe to host the game, giving those who have gone through so much this week a place to take their minds somewhere else for a few hours.

Tom Brady will be pleased to have Mike Evans back from suspension this week, the Bucs offense struggled without him, Julio Jones, and Chris Godwin in Green Bay last time out, the latter two are questionable. 

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Winless teams: should anyone hit the panic button yet?

We’re just two weeks into the fledgling NFL season and seven teams have yet to record a win. I don’t think it’s a hot take to suggest that three of them – the Texans (0-1-1), Panthers (0-2) and Falcons (0-2) – weren’t destined to set the world on fire this year. But the other four are arguably all playoff contenders in the AFC and clearly off to a poorer-than-expected start.

Last year, the Titans were the AFC’s top seed, the Bengals made a miraculous run to the Super Bowl, the Raiders reached the postseason despite the most tumultuous of seasons and the Colts only missed out on January football with an inexplicable loss to the Jaguars – hold that thought – in Week 18.  

With 16 weeks of regular season action still to come, none of these franchises should be freaking out quite yet… or should they? We’ve only seen one team this century – the 2018 Texans – fight back from 0-3 to reach the playoffs so it looks like now is the time to get that elusive W on the board.

Indianapolis Colts (0-1-1)

How are they faring?

Indy have a reputation for starting slow (they began 0-3 last year) and this has been another sluggish opening, with a loss and a tie. Even though they were both on the road, their games at the Texans and Jaguars should have eased the Colts into their campaign with a couple of straightforward divisional scalps. But somehow, they tied 20-apiece in OT with Houston, having overcome a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, only for Rodrigo Blankenship to miss a 42-yard FG that would’ve sealed the comeback. They then found themselves on the wrong end of an embarrassing 24-0 shutout in Jacksonville – their eighth straight loss there – when they should have been wreaking their revenge for last year. And next up, it’s only the Kansas City Chiefs. Gulp! It’s important to note that three of the four AFC South teams have a sub-.500 record so all is not lost yet. But realistically, from Week 4, they need to start winning.

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What’s going wrong?

In the 24-0 “ass-whupping” (DeForest Buckner’s words, not mine) by the Jaguars, the defence let Trevor Lawrence do what he wanted, but the offence shoulders most of the responsibility. Matt Ryan, supposedly an upgrade from Carson Wentz, went 16-of-30 for 195 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs (passer rating: 34.0), while star running back Jonathan Taylor had just nine carries. The offensive linemen and wide receivers are offering nothing either. Yes, injuries to Michael Pittman Jr and Shaquille Leonard have played their part but I bet HC Frank Reich is starting to feel the flames on his derriere when he sits at his desk. The Colts need to show some fight, some urgency, if they’re to stop their season derailing completely before it’s even begun.

Panic-o-meter: Ominous (8 out of 10)

Las Vegas Raiders (0-2)

How are they faring?

On the opening weekend, the Raiders succumbed to the Los Angeles Chargers, losing 24-19. No shame in that, you’d argue. But they then chucked away a 20-point lead at home to the Cardinals, mustering just 48 yards of offence after the break before losing 29-23 in OT. Not so great. With the Chiefs setting an ominous pace, the Raiders are already two games off the top of the AFC West. But at least they stand a chance of turning the ship around this week, when they play the equally winless Tennessee Titans. Something has to give.

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What’s going wrong?

The blame for the slow start in the desert has been spread far and wide. For one thing, they need to get their new star wideout Davante Adams into the game more. He meshed well with his old colleague QB Derek Carr in Week 1 (10 receptions, 141 yards, 1 TD) but Adams went AWOL this weekend. Just two receptions for 12 yards (and a TD) this week is inexcusable. Then there’s the pass rush – or lack of it. A measly one sack in two weeks wasn’t what we expected from Maxx Crosby and the so-far invisible Chandler Jones, signed for $50 million in free agency. Heat is also being thrown the way of head coach Josh McDaniels who, like an anti-King Midas, turned a lead of 20-0 into an L on Sunday. By his own admission, “In the first half, we played the game the way we wanted to. But we lost control in the second half for sure.” They can’t afford for that to happen again or the Black and Silver will start to slip into the brown stuff.

Panic-o-meter: Concerning (7 out of 10)

Tennessee Titans (0-2)

How are they faring?

Despite being just one game back from the table-topping Jaguars, the 0-2 Titans look a shadow of the team that romped to the top of the AFC rankings last season. No one would have expected victory at the rampant Buffalo Bills, even though the 41-7 scoreline will have raised a few eyebrows, but it only piled on the misery after the opening week’s 21-20 loss at home to the New York Giants, which ended with kicker Randy Bullock missing a 47-yarder as time expired.     

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What’s going wrong?

Offensively, their big weapon – RB Derrick Henry – has yet to hit his stride, and the big man slumped to just 25 yards and a TD from 13 rushes (1.9 yards per carry) against Buffalo on MNF. QB Ryan Tannehill hasn’t faired much better and was actually benched in favour of rookie Malik Willis late in the third quarter at Orchard Park, having completed 11 of 20 for 117 yards and 2 INTs, one of which went back for six. Of their 11 possessions on Monday night, six ended with punts, three with turnovers and one, at the end of the first half, saw them let the clock run out with a minute and two timeouts up their sleeve. I’m not entirely sure what HC Mike Vrabel was thinking there. And rookie Kyle Phillips muffed a punt return for a second week in a row, which is never great.

While this is the Titans’ first 0-2 start for a decade, the season is still young and the whole AFC Conference is still wide open. With just three teams starting 2-0, there’s still everything to play for, especially with the similarly winless Raiders up next, but falling to 0-3 is not an option.

Panic-o-meter: Troubling (7 out of 10)

Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)

How are they faring?

The losing finalists of the previous season’s Super Bowl rarely set the world on fire but the Bengals are looking especially wobbly so far. They have lost two close games to walk-off field goals – a 23-20 OT loss to the Steelers (largely due to missed kicks hindered by a tight end standing in when the long snapper got injured) and a 20-17 defeat to the Cowboys. So on paper, they’re not that far away. Luckily, their AFC North rivals all lost this weekend too so they’re only a game behind the field. That means this week’s tilt against the Jets isn’t quite a “must-win” game. But it’s closer to being one than they’d like it to be, especially with the likes of the free-scoring Dolphins, Bills and Chiefs on the schedule. If they lose three straight to the likes to Mitchell Trubisky, Cooper Rush and Joe Flacco, then heaven help them when Allen, Mahomes and co. pitch up.

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What’s going wrong?

Cincy fans are at a loss to exactly what’s going on, probably because there are several factors at play in their sub-par start. Having failed to play a snap during the pre-season, the revamped O-line has yet to gel, which means the running game is stagnant and Joe Burrow is running for his life once again. After sustaining 70 sacks last year, he’s already been taken down 13 times in two games, which will put him on a similar path to Andrew Luck if he’s not careful, and he threw four interceptions in Week 1 against Pittsburgh. But it’s not all down to his lack of protection; Joey B’s also hanging on to the ball too long. Teams are also stopping the long, explosive plays that defined the Bengals’ high-octane offence in 2021, leaving Burrow to dink and dunk more than he’d like. Zac Taylor is also under fire for his highly predictable, ultra-vanilla play-calling and his seat is starting to warm up. It’s time to get creative, ZT!

Panic-o-meter: Unsettling (6 out of 10)

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5 things to look out for in Week 1

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Last night saw the 2022 NFL Season get underway as the Buffalo Bills walked away from SoFi Stadium as winners over the Los Angeles Rams in NBC’s Kickoff Game. The reigning Super Bowl Champions were defeated 31-10 in an epic start to the season. Luckily there are still 15 more games on this weekend’s slate for you to enjoy, here are five things to look out for in Week 1.

1. Will Baker Mayfield stick it to the Cleveland Browns?

Many feel that the 2018 number one overall pick, the first Browns quarterback to win a playoff game in 26 years, was harshly treated by the organisation in their acquisition of Deshaun Watson. He has a chance to get one over them on Sunday, as his former team rock up to Charlotte, NC, to play the Carolina Panthers. The Browns will be without Watson, who faces the first of his eleven-game suspension for sexual misconduct.

2. A first look at Tua and the Dolphins’ exciting new offense.

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Miami did a lot of work this offseason to give third-year QB, Tua Tagovailoa, everything he needs to succeed. He’s got a new offensive head coach who seems to believe in him, a run-game, explosive new weapons in Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson, and vastly improved protection in front of him. He’s not had the easiest of starts to his NFL career, but this season things seem to have calmed down. We’ll know a lot more about his future after Sunday evening’s game at home to New England.

3. 2015’s top two picks go head to head

Week One seven years ago saw quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota face off to start their NFL careers. Sunday sees them meet for the first time since. It’s fair to say that both of their careers haven’t panned out as expected, with the two of them now on their second starting job, this time in the same division! Mariota’s Titans were 42-14 victors back then, will his Falcons win the first of two meetings with Jameis’ Saints this season? 

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4. Who will take the early bragging rights in the AFC West?

We don’t have to wait long for an inter-division matchup in the highly talented AFC West. Sunday sees the Los Angeles Chargers welcome the Las Vegas Raiders to SoFi Stadium. Both sides are vastly improved this season and are looking to end the Chiefs’ recent dominance of the division. Victory here will certainly help towards that, with every win counting in an absolutely stacked conference.

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5. It was a ride, 12’s 

Russell Wilson will brace Lumen Field for potentially the last time as his Broncos travel to Seattle to face his former Seahawks teammates. Denver kicked off an insane free-agency period this offseason by acquiring the Super Bowl XLVIII winning QB via a blockbuster trade. This game will certainly be filled with emotion, what a story it would be if the home team could pull off an upset. The perfect way to finish off the week, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Mr Unlimited on Monday Night Football. 

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