JD's Sportscorner

Week nine stunned with upsets in every timeframe Sunday. From toss-ups to blowouts, the first Sunday of November provided the best and worst. Some teams are closer to the playoffs and others to next year’s draft. Time to break down who or what stood out.

Winners: Matt Ryan

In a game Atlanta lead by 18 points, Ryan did everything possible to secure a win. Anyone running the ball averaged one yard a carry, putting more pressure on the franchise quarterback to play perfect.

Ryan threw for 344 yards, two touchdowns and a 135.8 quarterback rating. He didn’t turn the ball over and led the game winning drive with one minute and one second left. Despite a defensive collapse, Atlanta found a way to win against a division rival in a pivotal point of the season. The Falcons are at .500 and still in the playoff race because their quarterback helped win another close game.

Cleveland Browns

Drama over the release of star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. dominated headlines before Sunday. Critics and analysts went off on quarterback Baker Mayfield’s poor play. The Cincinnati Bengals were favored to win the first Battle of Ohio. None of it mattered as the Browns steamrolled their division and state rivals 41-16.

Cleveland scored on the Bengals’ first possession when Denzel Ward intercepted sophomore quarterback Joe Burrow for a 99 yard touchdown return. Despite Tony Romo and Jim Nantz saying on the broadcast the Browns defense possibly playing tired after the score and then runningback Joe Mixon tying the game at seven, Cleveland’s offense did everything right. Runningback Nick Chubb returned for a 100 yard, two touchdown performance and Mayfield threw a 60 yard touchdown pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones to give the Browns a double digit lead.

Cleveland’s defense was porous a good part of the season but they didn’t play tired. They forced two fumbles on rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase and intercepted Joe Burrow twice. Every time the Bengals drove down the field, the Browns got a stop or a turnover.

It’s tempting to say this game could be an anomaly and the Browns will return to their previous ways the next two of three weeks (New England and Baltimore are two of their next three opponents), but with Chubb and Peoples-Jones back healthy, coach Kevin Stefanski’s unit has a chance to rise in the standings.

James Connor

If anyone watching or covering the NFL was told running back James Connor would have the most touchdowns after the first week of November, they’d be ignored.

Connor’s the main reason Arizona didn’t have to fear a San Francisco 49ers defense after an easy first quarter in Santa Clara. In a game with no De’Andre Hopkins nor Kyler Murray, Connor took pressure off veteran backup Colt McCoy. He ran for almost 100 yards, averaging four yards a carry and was the second leading receiver with 77. His three scores give him eleven total touchdowns for a runningback or receiver before week ten.

Both Murray and Hopkins could be back in a home game versus Carolina next Sunday, but they can play looser knowing Connor is the main guy if both aren’t at full health.

The Josh Allen versus Josh Allen matchup

Over 100 years of NFL history there had never been a player sacking, intercepting and tackling another player with the same name. Sunday’s Jacksonville v. Buffalo matchup was a first.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen had an awful day (more on him later), and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen was a big reason why. Allen sacked the Buffalo star once, had his first interception of the season and notched a career high eight tackles. He even deflected a pass in an upset over the highly favored Buffalo Bills.

If that’s not impressive enough, both Allen’s were seventh overall picks in their drafts one year apart. That’s something we may never witness again.

Losers: the Josh Allen MVP conversation

While the Josh Allen on defense had a historically great day, the other Josh Allen played terribly. It’s safe to say the quarterback Josh Allen is the lesser of the two, and it brings worry to the playoff picture for the Bills.

After a Monday night loss in Nashville, Buffalo’s offense hasn’t played well. They’ve lost two out of their last three and in the one win the Bills struggled against a porous Miami Dolphin defense until the fourth quarter.

Since the bye week, Buffalo has ran for less than 150 yards in two games. The offense relies on Allen to create plays downfield and to score every possession. Devin Singletary and Zach Moss are good runningbacks but defenses aren’t threatened by them especially with a shaky offensive line.

After next week’s game against the New York Jets, the Bills face another rough part in their schedule. If Allen and the offense struggle against a hapless Jets defense, the second half of the season could spiral fast.

Las Vegas Raiders Second Half Adjustments

If there’s an argument on why interim coach Rich Bisaccia should’ve coached one game, Sunday was proof. Runningbacks Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake averaged over five yards a carry and the Raiders led by three at halftime. Las Vegas had the ball to start the third quarter and should’ve finished the New York Giants on their first possession.

Instead Giants safety Xavier McKinney intercepted quarterback Derek Carr and ran for a touchdown, swinging the game in New York’s favor. New York didn’t trail the rest of the game. Carr finished the day throwing almost 50 passes for under 300 yards and the Raiders scored three points the second half.

The loss was worse when the Los Angeles Chargers’ won in Philadelphia hours later. The Chargers have the tiebreaker and Las Vegas plays a desperate Kansas City Chiefs team next Sunday night. That game will say more about the Raiders’ playoff chances. It also keeps the Giants alive in the playoff race, something most teams in the NFC aren’t thrilled on.

Green Bay Packers

Some sports analysts wrote this past week could’ve been the most toxic week in sports for 2021. While there’s a good case, it wasn’t a fun week up in Green Bay. Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn’t just placed on the COVID-19 list, he made awful statements on quarantine and not being vaccinated before and during the season. At one point he compared the issue to Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights.

Backup Jordan Love, who’s expected to succeed Rodgers when he leaves the Packers after the season didn’t play well against one of the worst defenses in the league. Love has a lot to learn about playing regular seasons games as a starter just as Rodgers did his first few seasons in Green Bay. Despite the reasoning it’s not a good look especially when Love had the targets to throw to and couldn’t score more than seven points.

Seattle comes off their bye week headed to Green Bay with Russell Wilson and rookie receiver Dee Eskridge returning. If Rodgers doesn’t play because he chose Ivermectin over a vaccine, the Packers have a shot at the conference’s third playoff seed at best.

Washington Football Team

While Seattle received needed help to stay alive in the playoffs, the Football team had the opposite. They’re in last place after the Giants won at home.

Rivera’s team plays the remaining divisional games the last five weeks of the season, but it’s hard to argue they’ll be playoff-bound before that. Three of the remaining four games against teams not in their division are teams which could be a wild-card team at worst. They’ll play Tampa Bay, who also had a bye week and extra time to break down why they lost to New Orleans first. Something says that won’t turn out well.

Week seven in the NFL featured new records, injuries to star players and blowout upsets. A new team is number one in the AFC and the Arizona Cardinals are undefeated this late for the first time since 1974. There were many winners and losers for week seven, so it’s time to break down who or what stood out.

Winners: Tennessee Titans

For the second time this month, a team winning a close Monday night game blew out an AFC West opponent the Sunday after. Tennessee did any and everything they wanted in a route against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs challenged Seattle’s 2012-15 record of having a lead in over 60 regular season games before Sunday. Tennessee shut down any chance of Kansas City gaining an upper-hand in either half. MVP candidate Derrick Henry threw a touchdown to MyCole Pruitt on Tennessee’s first drive. A couple of Randy Bullock field goals and Ryan Tannehill touchdowns (one thrown to A.J. Brown) cemented a 27 point deficit the Chiefs couldn’t challenge.

The Titans defense deserves as much credit if not more. Free agent acquisition Bud Dupree got his first sack of the season. The unit recovered two fumbles and intercepted quarterback Patrick Mahomes III. They followed up on how Buffalo’s secondary played Kansas City weeks prior: physical with zone coverage, something Mahomes cannot read.

When the Chiefs tried to close the gap near the end, Mahomes was dragged down throwing a pass and the knee of defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons hit his front helmet. Mahomes was pulled after in a fast finish.

Despite losses Kansas City’s had over the years, they weren’t dominated where they didn’t lead in a game since 2017. Tennessee’s won two impressive games against quality opponents in seven days. The AFC is on notice.

Damien Harris & J.J. Taylor

The New England Patriots steamrolled the New York Jets for their first home win of the season. The running game anchored by Damien Harris got the offense active early and often. Harris got the second touchdown of the game, giving the Patriots a 14-0 lead.

Harris and J.J. Taylor ran for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, adding 18 points to an impressive day. While Taylor ran for short distance situations, the duo ran for 127 yards on 23 carries.

Coach Bill Belichick caught flack in previous weeks for shouldering rookie quarterback Mac Jones with more responsibilities and throwing 40 passes (average) a game. Hopefully we see the tandem of Harris and Taylor for a few weeks so New England gets back to .500.

Rookie Pass Catchers

Last year Justin Jefferson was the talk of the rookie class making an impact week-by-week. This year’s draft of wide receivers and tight ends seem better in every aspect.

Ja’Marr Chase is and should win the Rookie of the Year with how he’s not just passed Anquan Boldin’s rookie record for most receiving yards the first seven games played, but how he’s scored in almost every game and is one of the best number one threats a team could have. If you haven’t watched highlights of Chase (outside of Sunday’s dominant road win in Baltimore), find time to this week.

Coach Arthur Smith finally found how to use rookie tight end Kyle Pitts in the passing game and how Matt Ryan can get the ball to him. While Pitts didn’t score Sunday, he caught seven passes for 163 yards on eight targets. That averages over 23 yards per catch. The Falcon offense looks fantastic with Pitts being the main star outside of Calvin Ridley.

On the opposite end, Jaylen Waddle also caught seven passes on eight targets. The second leading receiver for Miami had 83 yards and was critical in Miami’s offensive comeback. He’s growing into the leading receiving role quietly and should find ways to have break-out games before the regular season ends. Since the Dolphins have one win, his development will be under the radar.

We hear too much about quarterback play that’s simply been watered down. Receivers deserve a lot more credit for the numbers put up and it’s time they get it.

Mike Evans, Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Organization

Speaking of receivers, we’ll remember Buccaneer receiver Mike Evans for catching Tom Brady’s 600th touchdown pass. Evans however had a game most receivers could only dream. He caught three touchdowns in the first half of a blowout game against the Chicago Bears. Despite the debacle of getting the iconic gameball back to Tom Brady, Tampa’s offensive co-captain has seven touchdowns this year with under 500 yards receiving. He’s the number one wideout on a deep offense. Tampa can repeat a Super Bowl run as long as they stay healthy.

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles showed why he landed a coveted job. Facing a rookie quarterback with no chance of winning, Bowles called aggressive plays and the Buccaneer defense obliterated Chicago’s pass game. The COVID-19 issue aside, the Bears benched a replacement right tackle by the fourth quarter. Rookie quarterback Justin Fields threw three interceptions, lost two fumbles and was sacked four times, two from an injured Jason Pierre-Paul. The defense had fun and dominated playing prevent defense the second half. It’s been discussed Bowles could return as a head coach and that topic will trend by November.

Last but not least, coach Bruce Arians shows why he’s a great head coach and why the Bears made a franchise changing mistake in hiring Marc Trestman instead of him. Arians may be coaching one of the best rosters a collective audience has watched in a long time. The best part is everyone’s held accountable. Tampa Bay’s gone from laughingstock sports franchise to franchise best 6-1 and one of the best and funnest teams to watch. At the very least they’re not…

Losers: Chicago Bears coaching staff

…the worst coaching staff assembled in 2021. With Adam Gase shunned from the league, Matt Nagy and his offensive (both versions of the word can apply here) staff again made an embarrassment of the Bears organization.

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields is Chicago’s most important asset (until their new stadium in Arlington Heights) and there’s nothing Nagy or the coaching staff can do to either develop or help him. Whenever an offensive series ends, Fields is alone on the bench. No coaches nor veterans come over to talk or help him understand what can be better by next possession. He’s expected to play under center instead of a shotgun formation, easily exposing him to more hits and cheap shots.

CBS analyst and former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason offered worrying analysis stating that, “Fields doesn’t seem to know how to read an NFL defensive scheme nor coverages.” That’s damning on a coaching staff that also can’t figure out how to fix the league-worst offensive line nor how to capitalize on an efficient running game.

Coach Matt Nagy said Sunday night he left Fields in, “for pride” down 35 points. No sane coach does or says either. Then Nagy announced early Monday he tested positive for COVID-19 in a press conference from the back of a van where wifi was faulty and the interview dropped after a scathing Mark Potash question. If McCaskey ownership can’t move on from this coaching staff at the end of the year, real problems will arise.

Miami Dolphins defense

Last year, coach Brian Flores had a top three defensive unit in the league. The Dolphins forced turnovers in almost every game and bullied opposing quarterbacks. This year it’s the second worst defense ahead of only the Washington Football Team. They’re allowing over 29 points and 410 yards a game.

Defense is where Flores shines. Miami’s marred by rumors of a DeShaun Watson trade but with how the defense plays, the focus is on the wrong side of the ball. They allowed a rookie tight end to have close to a 200 yard game. The Atlanta Falcons almost blew a double digit lead at the end but got the last offensive possession of the game. Younghoe Koo easily made the game winning field goal, and the Falcons aren’t a hard team to beat. Miami needs to fix their schemes fast before it gets worse.

Matt Rhule

The hiring of Rhule as head coach looks more of a bad hire for Carolina. The Panthers have lost four straight and while most will blame the inconsistent play of quarterback Sam Darnold, Rhule is the offensive minded coach working with him.

Everything went wrong for Carolina’s offense after their first possession ended in a three point lead. Sam Darnold threw just over 100 yards and was pulled for P.J. Walker late in the third quarter. The leading rusher averaged two yards a carry and the offensive line gave up six sacks. The New York Giants are one of the worst teams in the league and the Panthers on paper should’ve beat them. Given their schedule, it may be a while before Carolina wins another game. That’s disappointing after an undefeated start heading into October.

Philadelphia’s hiring of Nick Sirianni

It’s understandable former head coach Doug Pederson needed to go after what many viewed as throwing away a game and under-developing talent. The hiring of Nick Sirianni to replace Pederson made one failure worse.

Sirianni has no idea how to work the Eagles’ running game. Yes, Miles Sanders’ injury impacted the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive gameplan, but the leading rusher is consistently quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts had over 200 yards passing because of a Raiders 30-7 lead in the fourth quarter.

The coaching staff is on the same road the Chicago Bears offense is on. The offensive line is poor, the receivers are average at best, and the play-calling hasn’t changed despite opponents catching on to the schemes. Tied for last with the New York Giants, one has to wonder if Nick Sirianni will be a one year coach. There doesn’t seem to be any improvement nor development for Jalen Hurts from last season.

Week six was full of eye-opening play and revealed who is closer to being playoff-bound. On the opposite end, some teams are close to preparing for the offseason. Time to break down who or what won or lost the week.

Winners: Bengals coach Zac Taylor

Cincinnati’s won as many games before November they did last season. After a crushing loss to the Green Bay Packers last week where five field goals were missed in a row, coach Taylor had to help his kicker’s confidence and make sure the team moved on from a game they could be stuck on mentally. He succeeded in that Sunday.

The Bengals blew out the Detroit Lions and didn’t let up. While they led 10-0 at halftime, Taylor made the adjustments league analysts had criticized him for not doing the past two years. They added ten points to the lead in the third and 14 in the fourth. Detroit finally scored in the middle of the fourth quarter and added a touchdown with a two point conversion when the Bengals all but won.

This is a pivotal season for the third year head coach and he’s doing everything right, from helping with confidence to a winning record.

Henry Ruggs III

One of the top four Alabama receivers drafted in the past three years, Ruggs’ growth to be a number one wideout shines brighter. His touchdown gave the Raiders an early lead against the Denver Broncos. His three catch, 97 yard performance opened Las Vegas’ passing game and took pressure off tight end Darren Waller.

Ruggs has equaled his touchdown total from last year but his yards per game is almost double from 34.8 to 74.2. His yards after catch and targets increase almost every week. At the end of the season, he could be close to some of the top receivers in the league. Las Vegas is developing the receivers with franchise quarterback Derek Carr’s career year.

J.J. Watt

The Arizona Cardinals dominated a hobbled Cleveland Browns team. While the Cardinal offense had a highlight-filled day, the defense did a good job holding Cleveland’s offense under 400 yards. One of the undervalued free agent signings this past offseason is J.J. Watt. He’s playing like his old self before injuries slowed his career in Houston the past four years.

Watt recorded five tackles including a sack against one of the best offensive lines in the league (which is somehow struggling. More on them later). His pass defensed came at a critical time in the second half when the Browns rallied, and his leadership helps the unit be one of the better and more complete defenses in the league.

Comeback player of the year will go to a bigger name on offense but J.J. Watt deserves credit for having a bounce-back season on a team that’s undefeated after week six.

Matthew Wright and that awesome Curved Field Goal

The Jacksonville Jaguars won a game after 399 days. Their kicker Matthew Wright is a big reason why they’re heading into the bye with a win against the Miami Dolphins. Wright tied the game at 20 with a field goal that curved inside after a wide-right kick. He made the winning attempt at 53 yards with one second left…and one of the best U.S. sports broadcasters in Kevin Harlan called both. That’s a season highlight.

Losers: New York Giants

A win against New Orleans may be the top highlight of their season. Since the victory, New York has been outscored 82-31 despite a top ten ranking in passing yards.

Injuries are a factor on offense and one has to wonder if the concussion quarterback Daniel Jones suffered in a loss last week was one reason the three point lead and redzone trip to start was the best part of their game before a meaningless Eli Penny touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The defense is terrible and that’s an understatement. The only game the Giants held an opponent to under 21 points was a 17-14 home loss against Atlanta, where Adoree Jackson dropped a potential game winning interception. The Falcons scored ten points to win in the final four minutes.

The worst part is how undisciplined New York is. Receivers are in fights whether it’s practice or games. The duo of coach Joe Judge and general manager David Gettleman appear to be a failure of epic proportions for the original franchise.

Cleveland Browns’ AFC North lead chances

Injuries play a factor in a team’s success, which is why quarterback Baker Mayfield’s shoulder injury and runningbacks Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have valid excuses for scoring failures. However their top rated offensive line, the defense and coaching is responsible for collapses the last two weeks against quality opponents.

Baker Mayfield’s shoulder injuries are related to offensive line play. Mayfield was sacked five times against a defense missing it’s best pass rusher. The starting runningbacks are injured partly because the team can’t rely on the offensive line to protect the passer.

The defense is non-existent. While there were controversial calls in the loss to Los Angeles, they couldn’t defend the pass or get off the field. Arizona’s offense shredded Cleveland’s defense early, scoring on drives adding up to 69 and 78 yards, totaling just under ten minutes of playing time in the first quarter. The Browns’ offense had life in the beginning of the third quarter before Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins put the game away.

Worse yet is every team in the AFC North won Sunday. The Bengals and Ravens are the top two teams who don’t appear to slow down soon. Pittsburgh’s ugly win in overtime Sunday night gives them a share for third place with Cleveland. Coach Kevin Stefanski has to figure out how to get past a reeling Denver team by Thursday night.

Denver Broncos

Speaking of Denver, the undefeated start to their season is a distant memory. The Broncos are .500 after a non-competitive home loss to a Las Vegas Raider team mired in controversy and a head coach who’s an interim at best.

Coach Vic Fangio is renowned for defensive schemes. Earlier in the week there was talk of Denver cutting two of their cornerbacks to save salary cap space. The defense needs both cornerbacks after the Raiders torched them for over 400 yards combined offense. The running game produced two touchdowns and Derek Carr threw for two additional scores with a 134.4 quarterback rating.

The offense is worse. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater still looks off after a concussion two weeks ago. Pittsburgh took advantage of it and so did Las Vegas. Two of his three touchdowns thrown were in the fourth quarter down 21 points.

Denver and Cleveland play a pivotal Thursday night game that could determine which team has a better chance to make the playoffs. If the Broncos lose against an ailing Browns team after starting off undefeated, watch for coach Fangio to be back on the job market by postseason.

Brandon Staley and Renaldo Hill

Despite a shootout win against the Cleveland Browns in week five, coach Brandon Staley’s defense looks off. They started the season sharp but haven’t looked right this month. When the wins add up, it’s a concern. When there are losses, it’s a problem.

Don’t put most of the blame on the Chargers offense despite the performance. Quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked less and had fewer turnovers than Lamar Jackson. Yet the defense dug a hole early and Los Angeles trailed 17-0. Baltimore’s a quality team that won a close Monday night game previously, so defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill knew the scheme would be focused on run defense. You wouldn’t know with how the Ravens ran over 150 yards and three touchdowns.

Los Angeles can use their bye week to fix these issues. While the next five games after the bye are against shaky opponents, if the defense performs poorly Halloween afternoon, it’s reasonable to ask how far this team can go in the playoffs by early January.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver handled a troubled and bumpy 2020-21 season well. The result was an exciting playoffs that had one of the most watched conference and championship finals in years. This season we should see more sold out arenas and fans cheering for their favorite teams. When it comes to play, eight teams will stand out and make a push for deep playoff runs. Time to break down which teams in the western conference have the best shot to make the playoffs and advance past play-in rounds.

#1 Los Angeles Lakers

The easiest choice bolstered by the return of center Anthony Davis makes the Lakers an instant favorite. Los Angeles added more players that pushes them to the number one prediction. Kent Bazemore, Trevor Ariza, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony give Frank Vogel’s team better starting guards and complimentary talent who can score against playoff bound opponents. They might reach the finals if most of the roster is healthy by May.

#2 Utah Jazz

They had the best record last year for good reasons. The Jazz just couldn’t win a critical playoff series. Newly signed center Hassan Whiteside will turn heads in Quin Snyder’s defense. The return of guards Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell puts many teams in difficult positions to guard especially when they drive to the paint or shoot three’s consistently. Forwards Rudy Gay, Eric Paschall, Joe Ingles and Bojan Bogdanovic should be consistent on scoring and defense. Just don’t expect them to cruise to a number one seed like last year.

#3 Denver Nuggets

Another team that performs well in the regular season but struggles at times in the playoffs, Denver has better talent and depth to compliment league MVP Nikola Jokic compared to the last two years.

A full season of Aaron Gordon helps not only the forward depth but it gives time to both offense and defense to work with each other in better ways. PJ Dozier and Jeff Green should have an easier time playing in games whenever Gordon leaves. Jamal Murray will return some time this season and it’ll be a plus to the guard position that is starting Monte Morris at point beginning of the year. Bones Hyland comes to a team desperate at shooting guard. He could see a lot of minutes in the first half of the season.

#4 Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd has much to work with regarding a talented roster that failed to win a first round series up two games to none against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kidd’s biggest test is helping team and league star Luka Doncic take the next step to greatness and closer to winning a championship. Whether that involves trading or helping Kristaps Porzingis play his role to avoid team conflict.

Dallas made sure to re-sign free agents such as Tim Hardaway Jr. but didn’t add pivotal players to take pressure off the franchise stars. That shows Dallas’ front office wants coaching to be the difference and why the team can make it to the second round of the playoffs. Thankfully they’re the best team in a weak Southwest division.

#5 Golden State Warriors

Last year was going to be better than the 2019-20 season no matter what happened. James Wiseman was one of the top three rookies in the league and was coveted in trade talks. This year the Warriors get shooting guard Klay Thompson back at some point. The trio of Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will be a threat heading into the playoffs. In fact, Vegas gives the Warriors fourth best odds to win the championship.

While Thompson will return middle of the season, Golden State will be working on their depth, role players and development of new stars. First round picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody should contribute when needed. It helps older players such as Andre Iguodala develop and tutor the rookie and sophomore players to take the next steps, playing with franchise stars and learning how to play under pressure in critical games. Finally, Otto Porter Jr. is an upgrade at forward in case Green or Andrew Wiggins can’t play or need rest.

The Warriors will be a threat in the second half of the season, so expect the team to struggle the first few months. Should they finish in the middle of the western conference, they have a good chance of reaching the conference finals.

#6 Los Angeles Clippers

Franchise star Kawhi Leonard won’t play the regular season and that means the Clippers will be in the bottom parts of playoff predictions. All four of their draft picks in the first two rounds were guards, three of them shooting.

The picks will be pivotal when Reggie Jackson and Eric Bledsoe need rest. Terance Mann is good depth to replace Bledsoe, but Justise Winslow is a question mark at pointguard. Los Angeles did secure forward and center depth with last season’s trades. Coach Ty Lue can find adjustments even early in the season. Still, without their main star the Clippers could have a turbulent time if they’re inconsistent monthly.

#7 Portland Trailblazers

They don’t have last year’s depth but with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum leading, they’ll clinch playoff berths late in the season. New coach Chauncey Billups could play rookie Greg Brown III early since Robert Covington is the best forward on the team. A full season from Jusuf Nurkic helps a team that was terrible on defense most of last season. There aren’t many solid choices left for the playoffs, so Portland’s a best bet to clinch a spot near the bottom and win a play-in game.

#8 Memphis Grizzlies

Year three of coach/star player duo Taylor Jenkins and Ja Morant should not disappoint. Both have grown since arriving to the Grizzlies. Jenkins’ team reached the play-in round and advanced to the playoffs, winning one game against the Utah Jazz and earning respect from fans and analysts in the league. This year will build off that more, but Memphis could struggle at times with a conference full of talented teams and veteran roster depth even in their own division. It’s possible they’re a much higher seeded team next year, since they’re still learning.

The acquisitions of Kris Dunn and Steven Adams solidifies better defense and depth when needed. Memphis knew additional height and talent was a must and drafted a forward and a center with their two first round picks.

Memphis has more talent than San Antonio and has younger players and additional height to contend and move past Phoenix. Don’t be surprised if they win play-in games against both teams to clinch the eighth seed.

Play-in teams that will miss the playoffs: Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs

Last year’s conference predictions: 6-2

Week five in the NFL had a lot of thrills, surprises and hair-pulling moments. Audiences are finding out which teams could be contenders and which ones could be one and done if they reach the playoffs. Despite a lot of storylines off the field with some coaches and players, Sunday’s games revealed what to expect from next week to even next year.

Winners: Tom Brady

All the years, games and highlights we’d seen of Brady there was never a stat-line where he threw five touchdowns and over 400 yards. Not until yesterday. The Miami Dolphin defense was competitive for one half but broke down and Tampa Bay’s receivers ran whatever routes they wanted.

What’s more special is what happened to Brady mid-game. Reports on CBS and after the victory said the 44 year old quarterback injured the thumb on his throwing hand. When he wasn’t passing touchdowns to Mike Evans or Antonio Brown, he was icing his thumb on the bench.

We’ve often heard how once-in-a-lifetime Tom Brady’s career is. Three of his first five starts he’s thrown four touchdowns and over 300 yards in. Only a handful of quarterbacks have done that. George Blanda looked haggard and somewhat reliable when he was in his mid-40s. Brady could win an MVP award and shatter more of his own records this year at 44.

Buffalo Bills

It was fair to wonder if Sean McDermott’s team were pretenders heading into Sunday night’s game in Kansas City. They pummeled three awful teams and lost their first game of the season to a one and done Pittsburgh squad. After Sunday night, this team is the best in the AFC.

Buffalo’s opening drive was eight plays and 75 yards, ending with a touchdown run by quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills’ offensive line allowed no defender to tackle Allen that play. Kansas City’s defense was alert for three quarters, not blitzing a quarterback many see as a legitimate dual threat. They couldn’t stop the running game but didn’t need to when receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Dawson Knox were open all night. The best highlight was Allen hurdling over L’Jarius Sneed on a wet and slippery grass field. He finished the night with three touchdowns, over 300 yards passing and a 139.1 quarterback rating.

The Bills’ defense aced their first true test of the season. The secondary limited Patrick Mahomes’ favorite targets Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. They played physical with receivers instead of the track and field style used in last year’s games. Mahomes was intercepted twice, one of which from Micah Hyde was returned for a touchdown. Greg Rousseau recorded the other turnover and one of the two sacks on Mahomes in the game.

What sets the Bills apart from a lot of teams is their depth from defensive line to quarterback. NBC’s Cris Collinsworth pointed out how backup Mitchell Trubisky can run the same type of offense if Josh Allen’s injured. Buffalo’s defensive front was eye-opening and the network’s graphic calculated at least nine players recording over 30 snaps (or plays) the whole game.

Last but not least, their schedule eases up. After a clash next Monday night in Nashville, the Bills have a bye week, followed up by an easy divisional home game and two road games against the Jaguars and Jets. They could clinch a playoff spot before Thanksgiving.

Marquez Calloway

While he isn’t having the same year Bengal’s star receiver Ja’Marr Chase is, Calloway’s production is growing and he’ll be a fun receiver to watch. The undrafted sophomore is averaging just over 17 yards a catch with Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith not playing. That’s not an easy mark to accomplish. Two of his three touchdowns this season were scored yesterday.

Calloway lived a receiver’s dream catching a Hail Mary touchdown pass to end the first half in a road game versus the Washington Football Team. That score gave the New Orleans Saints a 20-13 lead, and they didn’t trail the rest of the game. His second touchdown came minutes into the fourth quarter to cement an eleven point lead, effectively ending the game and helping the Saints receive their third win of the season.

Last year Tre’Quan Smith turned into a reliable option for Drew Brees when Michael Thomas was injured. It’s possible Sean Payton can help Calloway grow into a dangerous, reliable third option for quarterback Jameis Winston.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have yet to play their Monday night home game but they’ve already won week five. Cincinnati and Cleveland lost gut-wrenching games yesterday, dropping to 3-2. The Steelers aren’t a threat to the divisional race yet despite their win against Denver. The worst the Ravens could do Monday night is lose against a one win Colts team.

Think of it this way; Baltimore’s chances of winning the AFC North come from beating their division rivals, and those are six games yet to be played. Even if there’s a three-way tie, Baltimore’s chances of splitting with any of those three teams are none. They’ve shown who’s better in every rivalry.

Losers: Special Teams

There hadn’t been ten missed field goals AND extra points since the extra point distance was made longer in 2015. If there’s anything that stood out in week five, it’s the missed chances teams had to win or contain leads.

All three extra points in the first half of the New England-Houston game were missed. Chargers kicker Tristan Vizcaino missed two extra points, one in each half. Mason Crosby and Evan McPherson missed five straight field goals before Crosby kicked a game-winner in Cincinnati.

It wasn’t just field goals or extra points. Matt Gay committed two illegal procedure kicks out of bounds on kickoffs, keeping Seattle alive late in the game Thursday. Cameron Johnston had a blocked punt…from the back of his lineman’s helmet. Byron Pringle fumbled early Sunday night to give the Bills a second straight possession.

Thankfully the league doesn’t see these mistakes as a trend week-to-week. Week six should be a smooth time for this side of the ball.

Davis Mills

Usually a rookie quarterback who throws the first three touchdowns of his career and a 141.7 rating against a Bill Belichick defense doesn’t wind up in this section. However, when you lead 22-9 in the second half and allow an opponent to come back by playing mediocre football, the offense will face a lot of questions and criticism.

It’s not fair to say a rookie quarterback in his third start should get the majority of the blame for the offense stalling and blowing a 13 point lead. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn had his chances and missed. The Texans run defense broke down. However Mills is the leader of Houston’s offense and knew he had to close the game out running the ball or using play-action passes, not gambling downfield and going three and out against one of the league’s best coaches. The special teams may have given the Patriots hope, but it was Mills’ job to slam the door on a comeback and he failed to.

Urban Meyer

For any long-time NFL fans, ask yourself when was the last time a rookie head coach lost a locker room four or five games into a season. Chances are it’s really hard to pick one. Adam Gase, Greg Schiano, Cam Cameron and Matt Patricia at least kept interest for 12 games or even a full season before they epically flamed out.

Halloween is three Sundays away and the Jaguars players are not only quitting on plays (Steve Smith Sr. even acknowledged they changed nothing in their Thursday night loss to Cincinnati), but they’re laughing at the head coach after he leaves and finishes talking with them.

It worsened when Urban and number one pick Trevor Lawrence disagreed on play-calling in a blowout home loss to Tennessee in post-game interviews. Meyer’s not only far apart when it comes to plays with the franchise star, he’s lost with veteran players in the locker room and has been lectured to re-build trust with an owner who may or may not know what he’s doing.

At least Nick Saban avoided linebacker Zach Thomas’s fists in his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Meyer might not have that luck.

Las Vegas Raiders

No team in the league could’ve had a worse week on and off the field. Regardless of what you think about the Urban Meyer situation, it pales in comparison to Jon Gruden’s.

Let’s start with on-field issues. Derek Carr’s career almost ended on a quarterback sneak. Thankfully he’s ok. Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields however didn’t feel the love. The Raider defense targeted Fields early, resulting in three unnecessary roughness penalties. Fans not wearing the silver and black should be relieved the rookie quarterback didn’t suffer a serious injury. Backup Bears runningbacks Khalil Herbert and Damien Williams averaged over four yards a carry against the defense, including a touchdown. A Darnell Mooney reception on third and 13 doomed a comeback.

Former franchise star Khalil Mack had a sack and seven pivotal tackles against the Vegas offense. Josh Jacobs ran over three yards a carry in his return from injury. The team didn’t look ready to play a home game against a .500 Bears team transferring play calling duties from head coach to offensive coordinator.

The off-field issues are more concerning. Coach Gruden has over five years left on his current contract. He won’t be fired anytime soon. It’s possible some players will want out or try to throw games by not playing well, elongating an already slow re-build. Then Raiders owner Mark Davis proved his father Al right again claiming he knew of no such racial issue involving Gruden despite his disappointment.

The bigger problem ahead is what else is in the 2,000 emails the Wall Street Journal leaked out involving the Washington Football Team and what is still buried. Until more is revealed, Gruden, Davis and the NFL need to be held accountable.

After one of the most memorable weeks in football concluding September, the first week of October followed up with a highlighted sequel. Some teams are still undefeated or winless, distancing themselves from those trying to figure out how to have favorable matchups. Time to break down what and who stood out most.

Winners: Dallas Cowboys

Dallas was favored to beat an undefeated Carolina Panthers team that didn’t have their best offensive player and standout defensive rookie. The offense and defense made the necessary adjustments, slamming Matt Rhule’s team in the second half.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw under 200 yards and four touchdowns, three in the third quarter. The runningbacks Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard both averaged almost seven yards a carry. Elliott ran over 140 yards and a touchdown. Dallas’ offense may be one of the most balanced and dangerous in the league.

The defense deserves a lot of credit for how the team is alone in first place. Cornerback Trevon Diggs had two interceptions and the front seven sacked Panther quarterback Sam Darnold five times. Dan Quinn’s made the impact and worked well with younger players trying to find their way in the league, and it’ll pay off come playoff time.

Dallas’ biggest test could be in Kansas City November 21st. It’s possible this team could lock up a division title by that time if both the offense and defense keep playing like yesterday.

Taylor Heinicke

Credit the Atlanta Falcons for choking away a great Matt Ryan performance. Their defense can’t stop anybody in second halves. However Washington quarterback Taylor Heinecke played better than Ryan when it mattered most.

The Football Team’s defense isn’t close to last year’s credibility and that means the offense has to score more than 16 points to win. Despite a back and forth game, Washington trailed by eight at one point and many expected the Falcons to win. Heinicke wasn’t having it.

He threw the first touchdown with four minutes remaining to Terry McLaurin, one of the best receivers anyone can watch. The two point conversion failed, preserving Atlanta’s lead. After a bumbled drive for coach Arthur Smith’s offense, Heinicke wasted no time. He threw a 30 yard catch-and-run pass to J.D. McKissic, who dove into the endzone for another lead change, this time ensuring a win.

The comeback doesn’t happen without the backup quarterback playing his best football when it matters, getting both runningbacks and receivers involved in the passing game. Ron Rivera’s team has ways to go but they’re comfortably in second place.

Arizona Cardinals

Last week on Pro Talk, Wesley Woods and I discussed who the best team in both the NFC, specifically the west was. Most people had the Los Angeles Rams as the best. That’s not true after Sunday.

Last year Arizona had an eye-opening three straight wins to start the season, but collapsed because of inconsistent play and injuries to important players. They’re not in that situation after week four.

Rams coach Sean McVay was 8-0 against the Cardinals since his hiring. The first loss in five years comes at a time when everyone thought Los Angeles was the best. Arizona did any and everything they wanted in a pivotal road win. Quarterback Kyler Murray threw for two touchdowns and posted a 120.3 rating against what’s considered the best defense in the league.

The Cardinal offense gets a lot of credit because of their playmakers but defensive coordinator Vance Joseph deserves a lot of credit for what he’s done in less than two years. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was intercepted in the first half and forced passes a veteran shouldn’t throw, frustrated by receivers not getting open. Joseph’s defense controlled the pace and made sure Darrell Henderson Jr. wouldn’t have a career game with a double digit lead on the line.

When Arizona went undefeated after week four a decade ago the team finished up 1-11 because of poor offensive performances. This team won’t fall apart with the talent and leadership. Until the Cardinals host the Green Bay Packers late this month, it’s possible they stay undefeated or in first place. Just don’t tell those who think the Rams took a step forward after beating Tom Brady that.

Mac Jones

The Tom Brady-Bill Belichick storyline even through postgame was what everyone wanted to watch, hear and talk about. It’s all football fans focused on, and we got great reactions. Yet the quarterback who stood out was the New England rookie who would have the storylines if kicker Nick Folk didn’t hit the left upright, ensuring Tom Brady’s victory in Foxborough.

Mac Jones tied a Brady record with the Patriots: 19 straight completions. He out-dueled his predecessor throwing for more yards, a better passer rating and two touchdowns. There were questions on how Jones could handle throwing passes more than 40 times every week. Coach Belichick had to let his quarterback play aggressively and they nearly won their first home game with that gamble.

Regarding the other rookie quarterbacks, we don’t know how they’ll perform in pivotal games against playoff opponents a few months from now. We do know that New England has one that can and put them in a position to win.

Losers: Anyone/thing associated with the Houston Texans offense

Last week any professional football fan with a pulse criticized the Chicago Bears for a league worst offensive performance unheard of since 2009. This week the Houston Texans wanted to challenge how bad it could get and they succeeded for two quarters.

The Buffalo Bills defense looks as good if not better than their 2018 and 2019 seasons. They put a beating on the Miami Dolphins in the second week of the season, of which Miami has yet to recover. Houston had a week and a half to prepare for the defense and came up with these stats in the first half: two interceptions, -23 net passing yards, eight total yards and one first down. The second half was better but not much as Buffalo won by 40.

Tyrod Taylor couldn’t come back at a better (or worse) time. The AFC South is terrible this year and most of that is because…

Randy Bullock

…the teams we thought would make the playoffs aren’t showing up and finishing games. It’s understandable the Tennessee Titans didn’t have their best two receivers Sunday against the Jets. The offense did play well despite that and a porous offensive line.

This is where coaching during the week comes into focus. Special teams knows if the team’s best playmakers are out, pressure falls on them to deliver in every phase of the game. Punting the ball deep in opponent territory helps the defense. Kicking field goals and receiving punts help the offense. Randy Bullock was perfect until overtime when the Titans needed a tie to remain over .500.

The kick went left. The Titans are 2-2 with two one win teams behind. At least they play the Texans twice.

Philadelphia Eagles

Fans and analysts wasted no time bombarding the internet about how the great Kansas City offense came back and the Chiefs snapped their two game losing streak. The takeaway from their game against the Eagles is how bad Philadelphia’s played two games in one week. They didn’t just lose. They were routed.

Too much credit was put on Philadelphia’s defense the first two weeks of the season. Atlanta can’t run the ball and San Francisco lost three runningbacks. Competent offenses show the Eagles can’t defend the pass nor stop the run. That said, the offensive gameplan from coordinator Shane Steichen was awful.

Kansas City’s defense may be worst in the league at stopping the run. Philly’s leading rusher was Jalen Hurts averaging five yards a carry. The next leading rusher carried the ball three times. Steichen’s gameplan involved Hurts throwing the ball nearly 50 times. The Eagles and Chiefs had multiple lead changes in the first half, and the game was close until the third quarter.

Philadelphia should have kept Patrick Mahomes and company on the bench for longer drives rather than using a pass-first mindset. The result was a highlight day for Kansas City, who had their first blowout win since last November.

San Francisco 49ers strength and conditioning coach Dustin Perry

There’s nowhere like San Francisco where talented players are piling up on injured reserve. Every game the 49ers have played at least three players finish the day going to the locker room before seeing the final score.

This week the unfortunate players were starting quarterback Jimmy Garappolo, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and starting left tackle and offensive captain Trent Williams. All injuries were revealed in different ways. No one knew Garappolo was injured until San Francisco’s offense came back onto the field. Kinlaw suffered his injury tackling the grass instead of a speeding Russell Wilson, and Trent Williams carted to the locker room after injuring his shoulder on a Seahawks blitz.

Injuries have been a common theme in coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure and Perry’s been on staff since his arrival. If the 49ers want to curb major injuries, they need to cast out their strength and conditioning staff. One full season of healthy players out of five is a red flag for any football team.

The offseason flew fast. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions are back and that means predicting which four teams in each can make the playoffs. The eastern conference has won the Stanley Cup the last two years. The effects included teams like the New York Islanders and Rangers to add better roster depth. The Florida Panthers added defense and drafted better. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes are close to taking the next step. The Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals, two teams known for consistency, may be fading or are close to a re-build if neither return to the conference finals. It’s time to break down which of the four in each division can make the push back to the playoffs for 2021-22.

Atlantic

Florida Panthers

As was written early summer, the Florida Panthers are a solid candidate to reach the Stanley Cup finals in 2021-22. They re-signed key restricted free agents such as Sam Bennett and have a goalie in Spencer Knight to lead them in a deep postseason run. The benefit for the Panthers is they’re back in a division where four teams are still in a re-build process and they can play the rest of the league. Rivalry with the Lightning aside, Florida will be an exciting team to watch because they’re peaking at the right time. Don’t be surprised if they win the Atlantic title.

Boston Bruins

At first look, the Bruins aren’t a team that could be this high in predictions. Yet their offseason moves were the right ones in every category. They started by re-signing Taylor Hall, a former MVP who anchored a better second line the latter half of the regular season, then signed former captain Nick Foligno for depth.

Boston had a weakness at center depth. They added some starting with former Golden Knight Tomas Nosek, retaining Curtis Lazar and Charlie Coyle, and brought in Erik Haula. Boston made major goaltending changes not re-signing Tuukka Rask, Dan Vladar or Jaroslav Halak. The only goaltender on the roster they wanted to keep was Jeremy Swayman, who could anchor the net in five years. The Bruins signed Buffalo goaltender Linus Ullmark to be their undisputed starter. Ullmark was solid but couldn’t stay healthy on a terrible Sabres team. A 180 degree change in culture, trust and team chemistry is what he needs in order to lead the Bruins back to the playoffs.

Boston could win the Atlantic with these roster changes. General manager Don Sweeney saw the last two seasons as regression after winning the conference in 2019. The bold strategy of replacing veteran presence on defense, goaltenders and adding scoring depth should pay off in a full season and (hopefully) no COVID-19 shutdowns.

Tampa Bay Lightning

This pick is self-explanatory. The Lightning will find a way to be top three of their division but step up and show why they’re back-to-back champions in the playoffs. Unless the roster suffers serious injuries, Tampa should be the favorite to go back to the finals until a team in their conference is fed up and dethrones them. That’s more likely than missing a playoff berth.

Toronto Maple Leafs

They’d be higher but two factors place them in this spot; the three teams above have more seasoned veterans, better coaching and deeper rosters. If/when they play the Leafs, don’t be surprised if the trio wind up with a winning record versus Toronto.

The second reason is more important. We don’t know what to expect from this team after a mouth-dropping 3-1 series collapse against the Montreal Canadiens. Sheldon Keefe could be on the hot-seat. Team confidence was challenged when third line star Ilya Mikheyev admitted a few weeks ago he tried to find a trade out of Toronto. Not a good look weeks before the regular season starts.

John Tavares’ return helps team chemistry the later 2021-22 goes. The additions of Ondrej Case and Petr Mrazek are good for depth and veteran leadership. Jack Campbell becomes the undisputed starter in net after Frederik Anderson was traded. Auston Matthews will score at least 30 goals this season, but all questions start with advancing past the first round of the playoffs…especially if they play the Boston Bruins.

Metropolitan

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina re-vamped their roster, something that should alarm a lot of teams. They moved on from all three of their starting goaltenders for Frederik Anderson and Antti Raanta, two established veterans. They traded for Ethan Bear, signed Tony DeAngelo and Derek Stepan, and won the restricted free agency bid for Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Despite some departures, the Hurricanes are in win now mode.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour has led Carolina to multiple playoff berths and a division title. A lot of the Metropolitan lacks the charisma and depth to win not just the division but a seven game series. They’re tougher from last year’s central division matchups against Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay to play better and close out games against weaker opponents.

New York Rangers

If there was any team to challenge for the conference championship, it’s the one in Madison Square Garden. The firing of David Quinn for Gerard Gallant turned heads. Then the Rangers traded for Ryan Reaves, Sammy Blais, Barclay Goodrow and signed Jarred Tinordi.

The Rangers have three stars in Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko, all on the first line. New York needed better coaching and depth to create scoring opportunities and physical play. They traded and signed the right players the same way Tampa Bay did after their abrupt first round exit in 2019.

Don’t be surprised if the Rangers are one of the best teams in the NHL this year. Coach Gallant’s rapid success with the Golden Knights in 2017 could be replicated with a roster that needed finishing touches.

New York Islanders

While the Rangers have been the talk of New York and the hockey world, Long Island fans are excited to see their team in a brand new building. Barry Trotz’s unit (minus Jordan Eberle) is re-signed and ready to work together more this season. Lou Amoriello signed Zach Parise, a player who impressed during their tenure in New Jersey.

The Islanders are consistent on defense but added chemistry with Kyle Palmieri should produce better scoring chances. Richard Panik and Parise were right moves for added veteran leadership. Ilya Sorokin could get more playing time against division rivals.

Philadelphia Flyers

The absences of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for the first six weeks and a fading Capitals team is enough to question who else in the division sneaks into the playoffs and steals a series. New Jersey is in re-build mode and Columbus is in decline. Philadelphia could be that fourth team.

The Flyers defense last year was putrid. Former players Brian Boucher and Keith Jones went off multiple times during their five plus goal losses to the New York Rangers and Islanders. General manager Chuck Fletcher saw enough to sign and trade for multiple players on defense. There’s nowhere to go but up.

Martin Jones is an interesting backup choice in goal behind Carter Hart, who needs to improve and show development his third year. For Hart to improve, the defense should tighten up. Signing Keith Yandle and Rasmus Ristolainen are good starts. Yandle plays hard despite his age and Ristolainen needed a new scene outside of Buffalo. The acquisition of Ryan Ellis gives the Flyers a prime, number one defenseman alongside Ivan Provorov. The offense also benefits and should show on the power-play. Philadelphia added Cam Atkinson and Derick Brassard for forward and center depth.

They’re underdogs to sneak into the playoffs but Alain Vigneault and his staff believe this season shouldn’t repeat last year. It helps they play more than seven teams and not worry about New York every other night.

Last year’s Canadian and eastern division predictions records: 5-3

Week three action in the NFL was memorable in every way. Records were broken, there were comebacks, and eye popping stats not seen since the late 2000s. There were many winners and losers from Sunday, but some stood out more than others.

Winners: Carolina Panthers

It’s fitting to start with Carolina. The Panthers lost some key players in their victory Thursday night against the Texans but they should feel relief going into October. They’re the only undefeated team in the NFC South after three weeks.

Tampa Bay couldn’t keep up with the Matthew Stafford led offense in Los Angeles and it showed middle third quarter. The Rams won by ten and didn’t feel challenged most of the second half. New Orleans did get an easy win in New England, but even if both the Saints and Panthers tie at 3-1, Carolina has the tie-breaker and proved they can outlast Sean Payton’s team.

Undefeated in any division feels great after September. October will be a harder test for a team nobody expected to be above .500. A week and a half off came at the right time.

Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor

The Bengals played a worse game in week two than the scoreboard indicated. At one point, quarterback Joe Burrow threw three straight interceptions. Zac Taylor’s offense collapsed after a Roquan Smith interception was returned for a touchdown. The performance may be a reason why many analysts picked Pittsburgh to win handily against Cincinnati in week three.

Coach Zac Taylor could be on the hot seat most of this season, and he needed an early division win. He called more run plays than pass plays. The result was nearly perfect. Runningback Joe Mixon averaged five yards per run on 18 carries. Burrow threw three touchdowns and four incompletions. The offensive line was in complete control against an anemic Pittsburgh passrush. It was a rare game they didn’t give up a sack.

Thanks to a dominant performance, Cincinnati’s first division win of the year gives them the tiebreaker over an impressive Baltimore Ravens team. They also play the winless Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday night. Definitely a September to remember for the coach-quarterback duo.

Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert is 1-1 against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in not even a season and a half of play. That’s impressive for someone who hasn’t gone to the playoffs. This wasn’t an end of the season game where Kansas City had nothing to play for. The Chargers got an early lead and found a way to win at the end, something we’re not used to seeing from the losing franchise.

Yes Los Angeles came close multiple times to losing in the fourth quarter, but Herbert and the offense wouldn’t concede. The Chargers closed out the game with a 16-7 scoring edge after the Chiefs came back to grab a lead in the third. It helps rookie coach Brandon Staley didn’t replicate the same mistakes as his predecessor. Staley’s time management and helping his quarterback by using timeouts correctly contributed to a six point win.

Some credit goes to receiver Mike Williams for a 100 yard game and two touchdowns (both scored in the final quarter). Without Williams, Herbert might have finished with a mediocre game and Los Angeles in last place. Williams could surpass his 2019 season highs if the offense continues high production.

Jacoby Brissett

Moral victories are slim in the NFL, but they stand out when multiple teams are involved. The Indianapolis Colts didn’t think quarterback Jacoby Brissett was worth developing or keeping. Hilariously, the Colts are 0-3 and don’t know who their quarterback is if Carson Wentz’s ankles give out. The Miami Dolphins wanted a quality backup behind starter Tua Tagovailoa in case he falters. It’s a wise investment.

Tagovailoa’s out for multiple games with fractured ribs, and last week Miami was just bad against a Buffalo Bills squad that’s playing like the best team in the AFC. Las Vegas was 2-0 and barely won late in overtime. Brissett’s a major reason why the game went longer.

Throwing over 200 yards but no touchdowns, Brissett managed the four quarters Miami stayed in through a solid running game and a defensive touchdown. Yet he completed the throws, ran for a touchdown at the end of regulation, and completed a two point conversion when it mattered most.

A lot of analysts and fans put too much stock into stats and not game-winning situations. Jacoby Brissett won’t lead the league or get the Dolphins to top five in passing, but he has a chance the next few weeks to get Miami back to .500. The next opponent is Indianapolis. Brissett could take a few positive steps with this offense October third.

Losers: Anyone/thing affiliated with the Detroit Lions

Half-time Sunday featured the honoring of former Lions wide-receiver Calvin Johnson’s Hall of Fame induction with a ceremonial ring. The fans in Detroit’s Ford Field rang boos down at Sheila Ford Hamp and the Ford family. They’ve been fed up with their running of the franchise for decades. Detroit has been worse since Johnson’s retirement and they weren’t winning playoff games in his prime.

Coach Dan Campbell’s doing his best and is a coach the Lions haven’t had in a long time (if ever). The team plays hard and every game was close at some point. The Baltimore Ravens were expected to win easily on the road and almost lost.

Detroit got calls that went their way on what many thought was a game winning drive. Then Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense faced a fourth and 19 at the Baltimore 16 with 26 seconds left. The Detroit secondary imploded on coverage and gave up a 36 yard catch to Sammy Watkins.

We all know what happened next.

For those who aren’t hardcore football fans or you’re just starting to learn about the sport, this isn’t the first time a kicker has set an NFL record for longest field goal made against the Lions. The record that was tied for decades at 63 yards originated from Tom Dempsey’s game winning kick against Detroit in 1970. The final score of that game was also 19-17. It has to stop somewhere…right?

Chicago Bears offensive line

The Bears offense Sunday had one of the worst games in the 21st century NFL. You have to go back to 2009 when the Kerry Collins led Tennessee Titans put up minus seven yards passing overall to find an offense that couldn’t do anything right. While quarterback play is a big reason the offense was non-existent, it started with an offensive line giving up more sacks than quarterback Justin Fields completed passes.

39 year old left tackle Jason Peters is at the end of his career and was tasked to face former number one pick Myles Garrett. Peters had little help at best and it showed. Right tackle Germain Ifedi, one of the worst busts on an offensive line this century, was bull-rushed constantly and gave up a sack to former Seattle Seahawk teammate Jadaveon Clowney. They couldn’t pass protect nor cover more than three seconds, yet they played the whole game. Guards Cody Whitehair and James Daniels were useless and second year center Sam Mustipher was overwhelmed.

Chicago somehow scored six points and didn’t lose a fumble. One has to think they can put up more than one overall passing yard against Detroit next week.

Seattle Seahawks

Two straight weeks Seattle had a double-digit lead against an opponent and both times they lost because of no second half adjustments. Russell Wilson was undefeated against Kirk Cousins and the Seahawks defense caught a break not having to face a top five runningback in Dalvin Cook. You wouldn’t know by the score.

The offense again looked great in the first half. The Shane Waldron playbook put 17 points on the board (missed field goal would be 20). DK Metcalf had a 100 yard game, Chris Carson ran for a long score and the offensive line gave quarterback Russell Wilson plenty of time.

The defense let Kirk Cousins do any and everything he wanted to in the Vikings’ first win of the season. The secondary played horrendous. Anyone who’s read Winners and Losers since last year knows Tre Flowers guards receivers such as sophomore phenom Justin Jefferson further apart like they’re the Indianapolis Greyhound bus station urinals. He then had the nerve to say, “we gotta watch more film. Sadly, y’all want me to be Richard Sherman.” His sorry ass of an NFL player shouldn’t be on the roster, but it’s been enabled and now it’s taking a toll.

D.J. Reed is an outdated Marcus Trufant at CB1. He’s small and gets beat regularly by bigger receivers and teeters on the edge of pass interference. He’s yet to cover DeAndre Hopkins and Brandon Aiyuk, two of the biggest pass catchers in the NFC West. The “replacement for K.J. Wright” gave up a touchdown to backup tight-end Tyler Conklin for Minnesota’s first score.

The Seahawk defense has successfully defended five passes this season. The only one Sunday was Carlos Dunlap’s tip at the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. has been gifted with All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, yet they play surprised when opposing quarterbacks throw screen passes to backup runningbacks. This team deserves to be at the bottom of the NFC West and should stay there if they can’t stop a mediocre quarterback tandem in Santa Clara next Sunday.

New York Jets

Adam Gase damaged Gang Green in a lot of ways. It’s too early to judge anything second overall pick Zach Wilson and head coach Robert Saleh do. The team’s that bad.

Vic Fangio’s Denver Broncos could’ve won 3-0 with a practice squad quarterback. The Jets’ offensive line is almost as bad as Chicago’s without Pro Bowler Mekhi Becton. The receiving core is damaged by lack of coaching from the previous staff. Nobody knows who the first string runningback is.

Saleh and Wilson will notch a couple of wins but this season could be uglier than last season, and that’s saying something.

The offseason flew fast. The Central and Pacific divisions are back and that means analysts choose which eight teams have the best shot at making the playoffs. Despite growth and better play by teams in both divisions, none went to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Some have great rosters such as the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche. They just didn’t perform well in later playoff rounds than expected. Minnesota, Vancouver and Winnipeg are in the right direction. The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are locks to at least make the playoffs. Other teams in this conference need to step up and play better under pressure. It’s time to break down which four in each division can make the push to the playoffs for 2021-22.

Pacific Division

#1 Vegas Golden Knights

Unlike the central, this division is easier to pick which four teams can make the playoffs. Vegas traded their original star Marc-Andre Fleury to Chicago clearing salary cap space. 1B goaltender Robin Lehner will be the regular starter.

The Golden Knights retained most of last year’s core players. While they’ll face more quality opponents, almost none will be in their division, ensuring another title and top three seed.

#2 Vancouver Canucks

Looking back, it made sense why Vancouver landed last in the Scotia North. Like Dallas, the team played tired and out of rhythm after a deep playoff run not even six months before the 2021 season began. The final blow was almost everyone contracting COVID-19 during a crucial stretch to sneak into the playoffs.

General manager Jim Benning addressed the roster issues this offseason. Backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak is an upgrade over a mediocre year of Braden Holtby. The signings of Phillip de Giuseppe, Luke Schenn and Travis Hamonic help the defense and fourth line scoring, something not addressed since 2019. Benning hit it big when he traded for rookie of the year Jason Dickinson and traded older players with bad contracts to Arizona for stars Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland.

Coach Travis Green proved he’s the best hire the Canucks made since Alain Vigneault over a decade ago. Vancouver’s re-vamped roster management shows they’re a favorite to land second place in the Pacific.

#3 Edmonton Oilers

In a division where four teams are in a build/re-build process, the Oilers should fare well with two league MVPs on their roster. General manager Ken Holland re-signed goalie Mike Smith and added veteran defensemen Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci to help.

Holland wanted more center and forward depth trading for Warren Foegele and signed Zach Hyman from Toronto. The team may have learned from previous playoff failures where both league MVPs were shut down and no one stepped up.

Unless Edmonton’s star players are injured most of the season, there’s no reason why coach Dave Tippett’s team can’t make the playoffs. The power-play is top three and the penalty kill should improve. Their playoff series will reveal if they’ve made real improvements.

#4 Seattle Kraken

Despite the hard-headed and terrible expansion drafting by inaugural general manager Ron Francis, Seattle has a good chance of reaching the playoffs. None of the California teams can contend and the Calgary Flames are in disarray after a forgetful season. The Kraken even drafted Calgary’s long-time captain Mark Giordano, creating a void in leadership.

The Kraken assembled one of the best defensive fronts a team could want. They landed Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer from the Colorado Avalanche and wanted 1B goalie Chris Driedger. Outside of Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, Adam Larsson, Vince Dunn, Jeremy Lauzon, Carson Soucy and Haydn Fleury are the defensemen. Star-studded offenses led by Alexandar Barkov and Connor McDavid will have fits trying to gain scoring chances or goals tallied against this unit.

The defense should be enough for Seattle to sneak into the playoffs. The offense might hold them to lower seeding. The first line includes Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde and Jaden Schwartz. Not bad but it’s not a true first line especially facing deep roster teams such as Tampa Bay or Colorado. It’s up to coach Dave Hakstol to bring the best out of Joonas Donskoi, Calle Jarnkrok, Mason Appleton, Alex Wennberg and Morgan Geekie.

Central

#1 Colorado Avalanche

In one of the deepest divisions in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche are heavy favorites. Despite offseason losses of Grubauer and Donskoi, the Avs were able to retain most of their depth and add some players. Darcy Kuemper arrives in a trade from Arizona to be the 1A starter. If Kuemper can’t stay healthy, the return of Pavel Francouz is a boost. Francouz didn’t play much of last season but he can take strides to become better than his predecessor Grubauer.

Colorado should excel in the regular season. After the first round of the playoffs is where interest will rise regarding their further development past the second round.

#2 Dallas Stars

Unlike last winter where they only had a few months off and Tyler Seguin didn’t play most of the season, this year is filled with promise and hope for a deep playoff run. While rookie of the year Jason Dickinson and Jamie Oleksiak are on other teams, the Stars have most of the cup contending team back and added some players to stay ahead of timing and injuries.

The signings of Braden Holtby, Ryan Suter and Luke Glendening weren’t splashy but they help in a full season. Holtby’s a cup winning goalie who can fill in for Anton Khudobin should he tire. Ben Bishop is likely to play some point this season but Dallas can’t rely on the duo yet. Suter’s the veteran presence needed to ensure the younger defensemen (Miro Heiskanen for example) take the next steps to become elite. Glendening is a solid fourth line center who can lead the Stars to goals or scoring chances in front of the net, giving the team a spark if the top two lines can’t produce.

The Stars should be ecstatic to the start of this season. The Coyotes and Blues are in decline and Minnesota, Chicago and Nashville are question marks. Dallas has to use this opportunity with everyone back fully healthy to make another deep playoff run. Lucky for them there’s no Florida teams nor Carolina in this division.

#3 Winnipeg Jets

The Mark Scheifele suspension in the playoffs deflated what could’ve been a fun series against the Montreal Canadiens. The Jets proved last season despite the talent in the Scotia North they’re a quality team even at their lowest. Merged back into the central, Winnipeg can assert their claim for another playoff series if they show consistency on defense and depth scoring on offense.

While Laurent Brassoit left in free agency, the Jets signed Brendon Dillon and retained their top defensemen. They made fewer moves than the Dallas Stars but as long as Paul Maurice is coaching, Winnipeg should find a way to make the playoffs and cause headaches in the first round.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks

I’m personally unsure if Minnesota will replicate last season’s success. No one thought they’d be fun/good to watch. Cam Talbot and team star Kirill Kaprizov should have highlight years, but questions remain on the third and fourth lines continuing production. Chicago meanwhile was a competitive team most of last year despite playing in the hardest re-aligned division. Kevin Lankinen is as good if not better than Alex Nedeljkovic among last year’s rookie goaltenders. The additions of Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury are too big to ignore this team as a playoff contender.

General manager Stan Bowman didn’t stop there. They traded for Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson and snuck in space for Jujhar Khaira and Seth’s brother Caleb in the Duncan Keith trade to Edmonton. They re-signed Adam Gaudette in free agency, a forward needed on the third line.

Their defense gets a boost with the Jones brothers, Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy back healthy. A goalie tandem of Fleury and Lankinen will give even quality teams like the Colorado Avalanche fits. Finally, the return of captain Jonathan Toews gives Chicago the leadership and discipline missed the second half of last season.

2021 West and Central division picks record: 6-2

The second week of NFL play was as fun, energetic and stunning as the first. While it’s still September, there’s been consistency from coaching to special teams mistakes. Time to see who/what stood out better after Sunday’s games.

Winners: Rams trading for Matthew Stafford

When general manager Les Snead traded quarterback Jared Goff and first round picks to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, the plan was to not just win a super bowl, but to find a quarterback who could carry an offense to win pivotal games leading up to. A 27-24 win in Indianapolis showed that gamble’s paying off two weeks into the season.

Stafford threw two touchdowns to receiver Cooper Kupp and more importantly guided Los Angeles’ offense in a tight second half. The Rams offense drained time off the clock so Colts quarterback Jacob Eason would not to see the field. Indianapolis had less than a minute to go 80 yards after Matt Gay’s 38 yard field goal.

The Rams play more quality opponents this season but starting 2-0 against two teams considered playoff caliber makes them a favorite to go deep in the playoffs.

Vic Fangio

Coach Fangio’s a legend whenever defense is brought up. It’s shameful sports pundits think he could be fired this season. Sunday puts those rumors to rest for at least a month.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be horrendous this season and may not win more than two games. Down 7-0 early, Denver scored 23 unanswered. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw two touchdowns and the defense intercepted first round pick Trevor Lawrence twice.

It’s tempting to dismiss the win against an easy opponent. They bullied the New York Giants to begin the season, winning their first two games. Denver closes out September against a flailing New York Jets team. Unlike the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos could be undefeated by October.

Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback and the roster close to full health makes a difference. The harder teams show up next month and will be Denver’s first big test before December fifth versus Kansas City.

Fans of rookie quarterback Justin Fields

Nobody outside the Bears’ coaching staff or front office wants Andy Dalton to be the starting quarterback in Chicago. Those people were ecstatic Fields got the nod after Dalton left mid-game over an ACL injury.

Justin Fields’ entrance energized the team and the Bears scored 13 points in his performance. While he threw an interception and was a reason Cincinnati came three points of sending the game to overtime, the rookie executed and played his best when he had to. His best drive was the last one where he found ways to run out the clock and force the Bengals to use their time outs, cementing the Bears’ first win of the season.

For anyone who wants to see good quarterback play in Chicago, those people might see the former Buckeye play at least half the season. A mobile quarterback gives coach Matt Nagy’s offense the best chance to win against playoff caliber teams.

Tom Brady and Mike Edwards

There’s something about the Atlanta Falcons that makes Tom Brady play some of his best football. The NFC South’s version of the Buffalo Bills had no answer for the five touchdowns Brady threw in the first game Tampa Bay played in a week and a half. His 129.2 rating is more eye opening when you see he threw under 300 yards.

He’s adding to the record book throwing for 154 touchdowns in his forties, a record that will take decades to surpass. Despite the great performance, it took a team effort to secure the win.

The defense didn’t have a good game after holding multiple double digit leads the first half. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan got better but the defense stepped up to get a comfortable lead back. Defensive back Mike Edwards shut the door with not one but two interceptions returned for touchdowns, burying any hopes Atlanta had of a comeback.

The big names on Tampa Bay will get the headlines but players like Edwards help solidify the team, stepping up when needed. It’ll be a long time before we hear of a player having multiple touchdowns via interception in the same quarter.

Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback and former league MVP was 0-3 against Kansas City, the only team he’s faced multiple times and couldn’t beat. Sunday night looked like 0-4 until he stepped up the second half.

Jackson’s abilities include running the ball and making defenders miss. The porous Kansas City defense can’t stop the run and for sure can’t cover wide receivers ten or more yards without holding. He used that to his advantage running for two touchdowns in the second half and throwing the touchdown of the year to Marquise Brown.

Jackson’s best moment was a fourth down conversion to seal the win with under 40 seconds remaining. That tie breaker could loom large by Thanksgiving.

Losers: Anyone betting on the New Orleans Saints to be contenders

The thrashing of Aaron Rodgers on a neutral field is a reason most fans and analysts were high on New Orleans. This again proves that whatever we think after one week of play, it doesn’t hold up by the second.

Carolina played a perfect game against a Saints team that couldn’t muster 100 yards passing until the fourth quarter. Yes, there are coaches out due to COVID-19. Most of this roster is still familiar with Sean Payton, his coaching, and have played before.

All the bets on who makes the Super Bowl means nothing early in the season. Let’s have this discussion when the playoffs arrive since there will be a season of play to judge who can do what, not one or two games in September.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota started red-hot. Kirk Cousins threw three touchdowns to three different receivers. They led 20-7 early. That didn’t last long.

The Vikings scored 13 points the rest of the game and missed a game winning field goal. Minneapolis’ radio play-by-play announcer was devastated the kick went right after he called it good on-air. They’re 0-2 to start the season.

Coach Mike Zimmer isn’t the problem but one has to wonder how long he’ll stay after two crushing losses to start the season. Seattle, Cleveland and Carolina are their next three of four opponents before the bye week. That’s not promising.

Pittsburgh Steelers defense

The main topic is Derek Carr’s improvement and franchise record in passing yards two straight games. This conversation is different if Steelers star T.J. Watt doesn’t injure his groin in the first half. Pittsburgh gave up three field goals that half. There were no adjustments for the second.

Melvin Ingram III was the only other defender to sack Carr. The defense is among the league’s best and couldn’t beat a new look offensive line. It’s not like Las Vegas was hard to game-plan for either. Raider runningback Josh Jacobs is out for a few weeks and Peyton Barber doesn’t have the same skill level. It was one dimensional and the Steelers had no answers. The 61 yard touchdown Carr threw to receiver Henry Ruggs III was shocking and Daniel Carlson’s field goal with 20 seconds left deflated any good energies.

Every loss Pittsburgh’s taken to the Raiders since 2006 has cost them a spot in the playoffs. Denver and Seattle have better offenses and could play a Steelers team at their most vulnerable. Mike Tomlin needs some solutions by October.

Tre Flowers

I am once again wondering why one of the worst cornerbacks to play in the NFL has a starting job or is on an active roster. Flowers, who plays like he can’t see out of both eyes, was tasked with trying to tackle Tennessee Titans runningback Derrick Henry.

Not only was there no tackle, he had no idea Henry would run inside and not out. Tre Flowers cannot read a field if his life depended on it. His best attribute is tackling and even that’s suspect. One would expect with a 30-16 lead, the secondary could stop a runningback. We learned Flowers can do neither.

Atlanta Falcons

The Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets look awful to start the season and are taking a lot of jokes. We can cut them some slack because of new quarterbacks and coaches. Atlanta is not a laughing matter.

Arthur Smith was brought in to bring better out of a team led by veteran quarterback Matt Ryan. His contributions include the worst loss to start the season in the entire NFL and a Tom Brady and Mike Edwards highlight reel. This team is so bad they cut their punter Cameron Nizialek after Sunday’s loss.

If the Falcons can’t beat the Washington Football Team or either the New York Giants or Jets, this could be one of the ugliest seasons in franchise history, and that’s saying something.