Unexpected Match: John Harbaugh & Jaxson Dart's Obsession Could Be Enough To Fix Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — In the hours after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh knew he’d have options to coach again. He also knew not all of those options would be good. So, he had a shopping list of things he would need from his next NFL organization. One item was clearly at the top. Harbaugh would not take any job if the team did not have a franchise quarterback in place — one he believed could help him win another Super Bowl championship. And it didn’t take Harbaugh long to be sold on the promise of Jaxson Dart. "I liked the way he played the game, but I feel like we think the same way, generally speaking, about football," Harbaugh told me on a recent visit to his first training camp with the New York Giants. "I like the way he thinks. I like how competitive he is. "And probably more than anything, I love how important football is to him. The word I would use is probably ‘obsession.' I think he’s obsessed with football, and being the best he can be and all the things he wants to accomplish. That’s his obsession." That’s good because the Giants are obsessed, too, with fixing a franchise that has been mostly broken for more than a decade. They traded back into the first round to land Dart in the 2025 draft, then spent $100 million and upended their organizational structure to land Harbaugh back in January. They see the Harbaugh-Dart duo as their salvation, the way Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning were 22 years ago. They’ve invested everything they could in this pairing they believe is the future of their franchise. So yes, this better work. ‘That’s Not His Main Thing. Football Is.' On paper, it’s a mismatch. The 63-year-old coach with a somewhat stoic, all-football demeanor and the flashy 23-year-old who seems to love everything that comes with being a celebrity in New York. Dart is a showman, whether it’s on Instagram, at parties or on celebrity row. Harbaugh, on the other hand, seems more at home in a film room with the lights down low. But what Harbaugh quickly learned was that Dart’s appearance was deceiving. The old coach spent hours talking with the young quarterback before he took the Giants job. That’s where he first learned of Dart’s "obsession" with the details, with becoming a better quarterback, and with the hard work he knew he had to put in to get there. And just in case he wasn’t convinced, he took calls from former Giants coach Brian Daboll, Eli Manning, and several others raving about Dart’s football acumen and work ethic, too. And that’s really what Harbaugh cared about most. All the flash and trappings of celebrity are fine with him, as long as the substance is there. "Right. That’s how I see it with him," Harbaugh told me. "And he’s great about it. That’s not his main thing. Football is." Dart’s teammates saw that clearly when they reported for Harbaugh’s first practices in the spring. There was a learning curve for all of them as they got their first real look at Harbaugh’s plan and the offensive system he’d be running with new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. They had to decipher a new language and adopt a new philosophy. Of course, there were going to be early mistakes. But the learning curve for Dart seemed smaller. He had spent months preparing, learning, and getting ready to become the leader Harbaugh needed him to be. So he was ready for everything when training camp opened in West Virginia. And when his teammates were still making those mistakes in the first few days, Dart’s tolerance was extremely low. "I would say he was pretty pissed off with a couple of things at the beginning," Giants receiver Darnell Mooney said about two weeks into training camp. "A lot of guys were trying to figure out everything. We were trying to learn the playbook. Now that the guys know the playbook, everything's running a little bit smoother.  He's calming down more so that he can just play quarterback. He doesn't have to help out everybody so much." ‘He Has All Those Kinds of Tools.’ Harbaugh didn’t know a lot about Dart’s leadership when he was still coaching in Baltimore, but he was familiar with his game. He liked his skills, his toughness, and his moxie. He was impressed by what Dart did last season, when he started 12 games in his rookie year. "I liked his talent," Harbaugh told me. "I liked the way he played. I thought he had good feel for the game, good pocket presence, could move a little bit. I thought he made throws off-schedule as well. All the things I think most of the great quarterbacks are doing nowadays, he has all those kinds of tools." Harbaugh had a quarterback like that in Baltimore, too. He spent eight years with Lamar Jackson and helped him win two NFL MVP awards and finish second in the voting for a third. Together, they went 76-31 and went to the playoffs five times, though they never got past the AFC Championship Game. They had a good relationship by all accounts, despite reports of a growing rift near the end of last season. Harbaugh built his entire approach around Jackson’s unique, dual-threat skills. One big thing Harbaugh learned during his years with Jackson, though, was this: The franchise quarterback can’t help if he’s hurt. Jackson hurt his hamstring in Week 4 last season, missed three games and clearly wasn’t the same player when he returned. In his first three starts, even though the Ravens were 1-2, Jackson had thrown for 722 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions, and ran for 118 yards and a touchdown too. He never played close to that again. It’s possible that had he stayed healthy and on the field, the Ravens would have won the AFC North, which they ended up losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a missed 44-yard field goal by Tyler Loop with no time remaining in the final game of the season. A healthy Jackson could have changed history for Harbaugh, who might be preparing for Year 19 in Baltimore right now instead of taking on a new job. So yes, Harbaugh and the Giants are well aware that Dart displayed a somewhat reckless style when he scrambled last season, showing in his 86 runs for 487 yards and nine touchdowns that he’s unafraid to put his body in harm’s way. In some ways that’s good. As Giants quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan said, "He proved to all his teammates and everybody in this league that he’s a really tough player." But the flip side is Dart was pulled off the field five times for concussion checks during his 14 starts. He actually suffered a diagnosed concussion in an early November game in Chicago and missed the next two weeks. He was even pulled out for a concussion check once during this preseason, even though he only played two drives all summer long. The result of all that has been an endless, nearly year-long debate in New York about whether the Giants coaches should rein Dart in or ride him like the unbroken thoroughbred he is. It’s been a debate inside the organization and the meeting rooms, too. "Guys that can use their feet in this league are weapons," Callahan said. "His running ability is something that makes him unique, makes him hard to prepare for, makes him hard to defend. That’s always going to be a part of his game. I think there’s an awareness of when to put yourself at risk, when to get out of bounds, when to get down on the ground and not take a hit, and when to be smart with the football too. "But I never want to take away that ability to affect the game with his legs, because it’s something that makes him a really dangerous player in the league." The Giants and Harbaugh are counting on that. ‘He Wants To Be Perfect Every Play.’ If Dart can stay on the field, there will be unavoidable comparisons. Harbaugh had Jackson for eight years, and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy put in five years with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City — two of the best mobile quarterbacks in this generation in the league. Dart’s résumé is obviously far shorter than both, but the similarities of style and multi-dimensional skill set are clearly there. "He's Jaxson Dart. He's not Patrick Mahomes," Nagy said. "But we can use that [comparison] for routines and maybe how we did things. I know how much respect that Jaxson has for Patrick. We've talked a little bit about the process and what he's been through. But we've also made it clear: ‘You have to be Jaxson Dart.’" Which also means he can’t be Eli Manning, who is still the standard by which every quarterback for the Giants is judged. Just ask Daniel Jones, who was Manning’s direct successor and — at least when it came to his stoic, business-like demeanor — something of a Manning clone. It’s not just that Manning won two Super Bowls that made him the franchise’s model quarterback. It’s the way he became the perfect face of the franchise — a true professional who never courted any kind of trouble, an Iron Man who never let injuries stop him, and a polished corporate spokesman who sounded like he was all-football all the time. It’s an unfair bar for anyone to be measured against. It’s also clearly not Dart’s style. He already feels like more of a disciple of the way Joe Namath once took on New York and became one of the city’s biggest stars, with flash and fashion and a desire to be seen. That’s never been the Giants way. But it could be, because there is at least one trait that Harbaugh sees that Dart absolutely shares with Manning. "He wants to be perfect every play," Harbaugh said. Harbaugh needed to see that desire from Dart before he took the Giants job. That’s part of what those get-to-know-you calls were all about. And that’s where Dart learned Harbaugh had the same desire — or obsession — to be perfect, too. "I love Harbs," Dart said at the start of camp. "Just his intensity, his love for the game, his leadership. There are a lot of things that stand out as to why he's been so successful in this league." ‘He’s Got A Chip On His Shoulder.' It’s still very early in the Dart-Harbaugh era, of course, and it’s important to remember that. Coughlin went 6-10 in his first season with the Giants, including 1-6 with Manning, then a rookie, at quarterback. In Year 4, Coughlin was about to be fired and fans were burning Manning jerseys in the parking lot in late November, before they turned everything around and went on a Super Bowl run that New York will never forget. For Harbaugh, that kind of run isn’t just the goal, it’s the expectation. And he’s not the only one who has set his expectations high. "I don’t hope we win this year," Giants co-owner Chris Mara said in a recent radio interview. "I expect it. I think everybody else does too." That’s because the Giants remember what it’s like to have the right coach and the right quarterback in place, staring at a future that looks and feels like it’ll be so much better than their recent past. It’s a feeling they haven’t had in a very long time. "Heck yeah. People want to win," Harbaugh told me. "People want to win everywhere. Every single team, every single city is desperate to win. So I don’t think it’s unusual to feel that way. But I do think these players are determined to do what is required to become good enough, to earn the right to have a chance to win a football game." "Ultimately, he just wants to win," Dart said. "He's got a chip on his shoulder." So does the quarterback. But that isn’t the only weight they’re carrying. Harbaugh and Dart hold the hopes of this once-great franchise sitting square on their shoulders, too.

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Packers RB Josh Jacobs Pleads No Contest To 2 Misdemeanors, Including Battery

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from a May altercation with his girlfriend during which she said he threw her to the ground. Jacobs must pay a $1,000 fine plus court costs for the battery charge. Under an agreement with prosecutors, the criminal damage charge can be dismissed in a year if he fulfills terms that include staying out of trouble, avoiding the victim in this case, submitting to supervision, completing counseling and paying restitution to the victim. "I fully understand the seriousness of the situation, and I take full responsibility," Jacobs said during an appearance in a Brown County court. Jacobs was arrested on May 26, three days after Hobart-Lawrence police officers came to his Wisconsin home to investigate a disturbance. According to police, the woman told them that Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground as she was trying to exit a garage door, causing her to hit her head. Police said Jacobs also took her phone from her while she was on the ground. Police said they noticed redness on her face and neck and could feel a bump on the back of her head. According to a criminal complaint, the woman’s statement was corroborated by surveillance footage from the camera system in the garage where the incident occurred. Jacobs was charged in late August and the NFL subsequently placed him on the commissioner’s exempt list, which prevents the three-time Pro Bowl running back from playing or practicing but allows him to keep receiving a paycheck. Players on the commissioner’s exempt list may be allowed at team facilities for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation and other non-football activities. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Thursday that the league is monitoring the case, which is being reviewed under the league personal conduct policy, and Jacobs remains on the exempt list. The Packers had no immediate comment. Jacobs could face a league suspension. David Chesnoff, one of the lawyers representing Jacobs, said the running back already has begun counseling. "This plea reflects Josh’s acknowledgement of his actions and his acceptance of responsibility for these actions," Chesnoff said. "There are significant consequences for Josh, and he intends to meet all the requirements the court imposes under these negotiations." According to the criminal complaint, Jacobs’ girlfriend told police she had been looking through Jacobs’ phone and saw he was talking to other women, and that she threw his phone in anger without breaking it. She told police that Jacobs had her phone and she told him he could look through it. Police said the woman indicated she tried to retrieve her phone from Jacobs, but he grabbed her arm. They left the home in separate vehicles but eventually returned, and the woman later grabbed a second phone from a duffle bag. That led to the events in which she was trying to exit a garage door. Jacobs entered his plea three days before the Packers open the season at Minnesota. He is coming off a 2025 season during which he rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns. That followed a 2024 season in which he ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning his third Pro Bowl selection. Green Bay has no other running backs who rushed for more than 106 yards last season. The only other running backs currently on Green Bay’s 53-man roster are MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson. The Packers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers the day that Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list. Lloyd is a 2024 third-round pick who has played just one game over the last two seasons due to a variety of injuries, but he is healthy now. Reporting by The Associated Press.

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This Season's Super Bowl Winner Will Be 1 Of These 7 NFL Teams

The NFL is a league built on parity and the idea that, in any given season, any team can rise from the bottom of the standings and compete for a championship. The 2025 season proved this concept, with the Patriots going from AFC East bottom-feeder to Super Bowl participant. As we head into the 2026 season, every team’s fanbase is asking the same question: Why not us? It’s a nice thought. But here, in reality, stories like last year’s Pats come along maybe once or twice a decade. Typically, we can whittle down the true Super Bowl contenders with reasonable accuracy before the season even begins. And that’s what I’ll be doing here. I’ve considered the title cases for all 32 teams and narrowed them down to a group of seven that can realistically win a Lombardi Trophy next February. So let’s look at what makes these teams title contenders before examining the group of fringe contenders who just missed the cut, along with why they were left out. One of these seven teams will win the Super Bowl: The Rams were one unlucky two-point conversion away from earning home-field advantage in the playoffs, which may have been enough to get Sean McVay’s team to the Super Bowl. It would have been easy – and maybe even sensible – for the Rams to just run it back and hope for better luck. Instead, they traded for Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, added a lockdown cornerback in Trent McDuffie, and then lured Aaron Donald out of retirement. They were already one of the favorites to hoist the Lombardi trophy before those additions. Now, they’re the clear favorites. They check all the boxes you look for in a title contender: The acquisition of Garrett commanded a lot of the offseason attention, but adding McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the cornerback room could be the moves that propel L.A. over the championship hump. The Rams secondary could be pushed around and picked on last season. That’s not happening with two physical corners like McDuffie and Watson on the field. Even if opposing quarterbacks can stay upright long enough to get a pass off with Garrett and Donald collapsing the pocket, finding open receivers will be a challenge. More concerns exist on the offensive side of the ball, where an injury to Davante Adams or Puka Nacua could leave the team lacking in big-play ability. The offensive line is thin, as well, and reigning MVP Matthew Stafford needs all the protection he can get now that he’s entering his age-38 season. Still, this is the NFL's most talented roster that's led by one of the NFL’s best coaches in Sean McVay. This is a Super Bowl-or-bust season for Los Angeles. The defending champs took a few hits in the offseason, losing running back Kenneth Walker and a handful of second-tier starters along the defense. They almost took another during Wednesday night's season-opening win, but it sounds like quarterback Sam Darnold avoided a serious hip injury after leaving the win over the Patriots in the first half. Outside of losing Walker, this is largely the same team that won a title in February, and they’d be the title favorites once again if not for L.A.’s busy offseason. One thing we can bank on: Head coach Mike MacDonald will have his defense playing at an elite level once again. The defensive line has been the key to the unit’s success, and all of its key pieces return in 2026. The Seahawks are light at cornerback but will play with three safeties more often than not, so that’s more of a minor concern than it would be for other teams. There’s no reason to expect any falloff from this bunch. If safety/slot defender Nick Emmanwori, an All-Rookie selection a year ago, makes the leap and plays at an All-Pro level, the Seahawks' defense may even improve over last season. There are some offensive concerns with coordinator Klint Kubiak becoming the Raiders' head coach. MacDonald went outside the building to find his replacement but went back to Kyle Shanahan’s coaching tree to poach 49ers assistant Brian Fleury. Big plays powered the Seahawks' offense – and offset some of Darnold’s turnover issues – so his primary task will be keeping Seattle’s explosive play rate up. If the first-time offensive coordinator can do that and help Darnold cut down on the turnovers, Seattle will be just as formidable as the Rams. The Ravens have not been a well-coached team the past two seasons. If new head coach Jesse Minter can clean up penalties and coverage busts on defense, it will go a long way. And if new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who comes over from Ben Johnson’s staff in Chicago, can get Lamar Jackson back to his MVP form, Baltimore can regain its place among the AFC's contenders after last year’s disappointment. The defense will almost certainly be better. Minter, one of the sharpest defensive minds in the sport, got top-10 results out of a Chargers' defense with far less talent than what he’ll be working with in Baltimore. The pass rush gets two major boosts with Nnamdi Madibuike returning from injury and Trey Hendrickson joining from the rival Bengals. Depth is a concern, but if this unit is healthy and Minter lives up to the hype, this will be a championship-level defense. Jackson’s play will determine if the offense can keep up. The two-time MVP battled injuries throughout 2026 and didn’t play his best ball when he was on the field. Jackson took far too many sacks last season, but he says he wasn’t as eager to leave the pocket last season because of the injuries and vowed to run more now that he’s healthy. That should help the two-time MVP get his groove back and elevate this offense back into the top-10. The 2025 Chiefs showed us that rostering an elite quarterback isn’t enough to keep a team in title contention. So, while it feels like Josh Allen is capable of carrying the Bills to a Super Bowl, only one or two things have to go wrong for them to experience their own season from hell. Buffalo has just enough quality around Allen to make this shortlist of contenders.  The offensive line, which powered one of the league’s best run games a season ago, lost left guard David Edwards to free agency, but everybody else is back. Running back James Cook is primed for another monster season, and the receiving corps added the perimeter threat it so desperately needed with the trade for D.J. Moore. No more relying on Keon Coleman for downfield targets. The Bills' offense won’t change much, but with Sean McDermott out as head coach, Buffalo’s defense is getting a makeover. First-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has been a favorite among football nerds for years thanks to his work in the college ranks. McDermott ran a structurally sound defense, but smart quarterbacks had no trouble picking it apart. Leonhard’s scheme will give them more to think about. Denver’s Super Bowl aspirations still hinge on quarterback Bo Nix. A fractured ankle robbed him of a chance to prove he could lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl, but he’ll get another crack at it with another strong roster. Denver did lose a stout run defender in John Franklin-Myers and starting safety P.J. Locke, but the defense is stacked, and the front office used the money saved from those departures to add some firepower to the passing game in the form of receiver Jaylen Waddle. Everything is in place for a Super Bowl run … if the quarterback play is sufficient. There will be a new voice in Nix’s ear this season, with head coach Sean Payton relinquishing play-calling duties to Davis Webb. The first-time offensive coordinator is just three years into his coaching career and has never called plays in a game that counts. It’s impossible to know how he’ll handle the monumental task; but even if he falters, having a Hall of Fame play-caller as a "break glass in case of emergency" option lowers the concern. If you’re wondering how the Eagles managed to win 11 games and another NFC East title while the offense was imploding on and off the field, just look to the other side of the ball. Philadelphia’s defense finished as a top-three unit for a second year in a row and carried the team back to the playoffs. The ceiling could be even higher in 2026. The Eagles patched up the biggest hole in their defense by adding cornerback Riq Woolen to play opposite of star Quinyon Mitchell. Philly’s pass defense was solid last season but struggled to get off the field on third down. Coordinator Vic Fangio prefers man coverage in third-and-medium situations, but with Adoree Jackson or Kelee Ringo getting torched, it wasn’t an effective strategy. While Woolen isn’t an elite cover corner by any means, he is a ball-hawk who can create turnovers if teams repeatedly try him. A secondary is as strong as its weakest link, and Philly’s weakest link will be sturdier this season. On the defensive line, the Eagles are banking on development from young players like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. to make up for their numerous offseason losses. They also added veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who comes over after a down season in Minnesota. If Philadelphia can get just average pass rush production from its defensive ends, this could be the NFL’s best defense, which will keep the defending NFC East champs in contention even if the offensive issues persist. The Texans are included here solely out of respect for Demeco Ryans' defense, which would have been good enough to drag Houston’s frustrating offense through the AFC playoffs if not for C.J. Stroud picking the worst time to play his worst-ever game. The Texans quarterback averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and threw four interceptions in the season-ending loss to the Patriots. Three of those picks were thrown over a nine-play stretch that staked New England to a double-digit lead that felt insurmountable based on how the Houston offense was playing. So, why should we expect a different outcome next January? For starters, Stroud is a much better quarterback than he showed last postseason. He may not be the franchise savior he appeared to be after his rookie season, but he’s capable of producing top-10 play for long stretches. With a truly elite defense, that’s good enough to make a run. Houston also improved its offensive line, which has been the root cause of its problems over the past few seasons. And with Stroud entering his second season in coordinator Nick Caley’s offense, there should be fewer growing pains for the offense early on. If this offense can be just mediocre, the Texans should run up another double-digit season. If Stroud can avoid another postseason stinker, the ceiling is much higher. These teams could sneak into the Super Bowl — but they aren’t winning it. The Patriots have a better roster than they did a year ago, and new WR1 A.J. Brown is a perfect match for Drake Maye’s game. Obviously, Brown's ankle injury against the Seahawks isn't a great way to start the season. The defense entered the season due to regress against a tougher slate of quarterbacks than in 2025, and the offensive line remains a work in progress. This offense has the potential to reach some serious highs, but we’ve been saying that for years now, and Joe Burrow and Co. have yet to produce a truly elite season. While the defense has improved, it still looks like a mediocre group at best. The Lions still haven’t filled the Graham Glasgow-sized hole in the middle of its offensive line and are banking on a Dolphins castoff or a rookie to hold down the fort at right tackle with Penei Sewell swinging over to the left side. Detroit needs its offensive line to return to elite status to get this team back on track for title contention. I’m not sure it can. The Jaguars are an organization on the rise, but they’re still another strong offseason – and another leap from Trevor Lawrence – away from being a true title threat. If the defense avoids regression and Lawrence finds consistency, they’re capable of a deep postseason run. Even then, it’s difficult to imagine them going toe-to-toe with the NFL’s top contenders. The roster is old and already injured. If this were Madden, and we could turn off injuries, the 49ers would have enough talent to challenge Seattle and Los Angeles in the NFC West. But we can’t, and they probably won’t. Even Ben Johnson knows that the regression gods are out to get Chicago this season after riding last year’s devil magic to a divisional title and an impressive playoff run. The Bears are headed in the right direction, but progress isn’t linear, and the division will be tougher, with Detroit and Minnesota likely to improve. Patrick Mahomes is coming off a late-season ACL tear, and the Chiefs made no meaningful improvements to the roster outside of adding running back Kenneth Walker. It will be another uphill climb just to make the playoffs. If not for Mahomes, they’d be nowhere near this list.

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West Coast Read: Mike McDaniel Is Embracing Best QB He's Coached, Justin Herbert

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Welcome to West Coast Read, a weekly spin around what’s happening in the NFL on the Left Coast. And to kick things off, we start with a conversation I had with new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and his plans for Justin Herbert. McDaniel displayed flashes of excellence as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but things ultimately fizzled in four seasons on South Beach. However, McDaniel was highly sought after this offseason by several teams, both as a head coach and offensive coordinator, because of his reputation for innovation as a playcaller. With plenty of options on the table, McDaniel chose the Chargers because of the vast array of skills Justin Herbert has at his disposal, providing a stark contrast to the limited skill set his previous quarterback in Miami had in Tua Tagovailoa, taken one spot above Herbert at No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft. McDaniel told me his 20 years of coaching in the NFL prepared him for this crossroads moment of his career in coaching the most talented quarterback he’s ever worked with in the league. "It’s as simple as I’m not sure there are many players in my entire career that are more talented to play the quarterback position than Justin," McDaniel told me in a conversation after practice during training camp. "And so, with those talents, I learned and built offensive systems around players who are not as talented, so it forces you to try and get really high-level play from guys that don’t have those supreme skill sets. "Your offense and problem-solving are at its best, where maybe you don’t have to solve those problems from a coaching perspective [with Herbert]. There’s a certain coverage or a certain defensive issue that’s presented, and your quarterback can scramble and go get the first down. And you don’t have to solve the problem as a coach. That’s the greatest blessing of bouncing around NFL teams as you evolve as a coach, because you get exposed to so many types of talents. So, you’re not pigeonholed." McDaniel provided this example: if he had landed in New England early in his coaching career working with someone like Tom Brady back in 2007, he would have benefited from one of the best quarterbacks ever at solving pre-snap issues, changing plays and protections that put his offense in the best situations. And maybe that would have stunted his growth as a play designer. "And then, when you don’t have him, what type of coach can you be?" McDaniel told me. "I think as a young coach, I would have really screwed it up. I would have asked for Justin as young as possible, but I’m very much glad I’m finally getting the opportunity to coach him now, after solving problems with guys that can’t throw it as far or overcome a poorly designed play where things are gloved and just scramble for the first down." McDaniel said he maintained discipline installing the offense, making sure to focus on Herbert’s footwork and improving his ability to get the ball out quick on short completions before getting to the good stuff — how to take advantage of the Oregon product’s otherworldly arm strength. That occurred midway through training camp, and the results of that were evident when Herbert connected a long touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. McDaniel will fix L.A.’s offense, so Herbert plays at an MVP level by making sure he doesn’t get bored with short completions that help move the chains and providing a more consistent running attack led by a healthy Omarion Hampton. But McDaniel needs to accomplish two things to be deemed a successful season for himself and Herbert: No. 1, his quarterback can’t continuously get belted like a piñata, leading the league in sacks and quarterback hits. And second, Herbert’s postseason stat line must improve from a career 54.7 completion percentage, with two touchdowns and five interceptions for a 64.7 passer rating. Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs and under his direction in the postseason, L.A.’s offenses have averaged 15 points per game. McDaniel believes good things are in store for Herbert and the Bolts, but that must translate into some postseason wins. "It’s been an interesting, very cool process — bucketing all the stuff we’re getting him to work on and then taking some of the stuff that he’s done at a very high level and making sure that isn’t lost in this offense," McDaniel told me. "That’s why I was front-loaded in watching all the film from his career so that I could build an install that both incorporated the stuff I wanted to work on but allowed for the field to distribute so that later in plays he can make off-schedule stuff happen like he always has. "There’s different parts of the field that he can access that most throwers can’t. So, there’s been some work on just making sure that skill set is utilized. Which, from an offensive perspective, is even a more powerful way to make the defense defend the entire field. Balancing that stuff out — we didn’t work on anything that was big arm down the field until probably the last week — so, really focused on small ball, getting the ball out on plant throws and quick-timing plays. I knew that was the biggest jump he needed to make. I was very proud of myself because I put off all the fun, down-the-field stuff until just recently." Speaking of the Chargers, they have a chance to pair up with their crosstown rival Rams and achieve something unprecedented in the NFL. Former Raiders CEO and Los Angeles native Amy Trask served as an intern when the Los Angeles Raiders won the Super Bowl after the team’s 1983 season after relocating from Oakland. So, Trask understands what an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl would mean for the city. "I’ve heard a number of discussions about this," Trask told me. "Some have suggested that would be disappointing for tourism and for the hotels industry because arguably you’d have far less people traveling to the game if neither of the teams were located outside of Los Angeles. "But I have a different view. While I understand the point that is made, I think it could be a tremendous opportunity for the region to showcase itself. The Los Angeles area and the region itself did a spectacular job during the World Cup. We of course have the Olympics coming in a couple years. But with the Super Bowl coming in February, if it is the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams, think about what the region can do to showcase itself." The Rams are a heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl after executing blockbuster trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, along with the return of All-Pro Aaron Donald from a two-year retirement. After back-to-back 11-6 seasons under Harbaugh and quick exits from the postseason, the Chargers have the sixth-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +1700. This year’s Super Bowl is set to take place at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14. The last time the Super Bowl was played in Los Angeles was in 2022, when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 on their home field. The first Super Bowl in L.A. took place at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967, with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. In all, nine Super Bowls have been played in Los Angeles. Only Miami (11) and New Orleans (11) have hosted more. The Chargers won their only championship in 1963, a 55-10 victory over the Boston Patriots for the American Football League title at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. Along with winning it all four years ago, the Rams also lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Coliseum in 1980 in Super Bowl XIV. Rams CEO Kevin Demoff recently recognized it’s been 10 years since the Rams moved back to Los Angeles. It’s been nine years since the Chargers relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles. During that time, the two teams have combined for 11 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory for the Rams after the 2021 season in the stadium that Rams owner Stan Kroenke built. Yes, the same Kroenke who just bought the Los Angeles Angels. A Rams-Chargers Super Bowl could be kismet. "Having grown up in Los Angeles and living in Los Angeles, you’ve got everything here," Trask said. "It’s a very reasonable drive from the mountains, which will have snow on them, the desert, which will be very beautiful, and the beaches, which are always beautiful. Exploit the region. Show off the region. That’s what I think can be done if it ended up Chargers-Rams." Jeremiyah Love, whom the Arizona Cardinals took with the third overall pick in this year's draft, flashed electric playmaking ability in his first and only action during the preseason, totaling 58 yards on 11 carries in a Week 1 contest against the Raiders. But Love suffered a high-ankle sprain and hasn’t practiced since, making his availability in his team’s season opener on the road against the Chargers a question mark. While most NFL observers consider Love the most talented running back in this year’s draft class, a longtime NFL talent evaluator believes Love’s backup at Norte Dame, Jadarian Price, might be the better player. Scott McCloughan served as San Francisco’s top personnel man for four seasons and Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s right-hand man as senior personnel executive from 2010 to 2013. McCloughan also worked in personnel for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders and currently serves as a draft consultant for teams and agents that hire him to evaluate NFL prospects. "I think he’s Nick Chubb," McCloughan told me about Price. McCloughan was in Cleveland when they drafted Chubb. "He’s a big guy who can run downhill. He’s got some speed. He’s got some elusiveness and ball skills. I told Johnny [Schneider] when they drafted him, ‘You just got a hell of a player dude.’" At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Price ran a 4.49-second, 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine. And while he doesn’t possess the elusiveness or pass-catching ability of Love, he has a clearer path to a workhorse role for the Seahawks, with Kenneth Walker signing with the Chiefs in free agency and Zach Charbonnet working his way back from season-ending knee surgery, Along with Love’s injury concerns, he’s also in a stacked running back room that includes experienced veterans Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Love is actually listed as the No. 2 running back on Arizona's depth chart. But McCloughan believes Price will be a more productive back than Love in their NFL careers. "You know what, it was very close," McCloughan told me. "I mean, it wasn’t a slam dunk. And don’t get me wrong, Love’s really good. And of course, Love was the starter. But Jadarian, I think he’s going to be a really good NFL running back. I know Nick just recently retired, but when he was in his prime, he was kicking ass. "He’s got a lot of power, but he also has speed." Rams head coach Sean McVay predominantly used three-receiver sets during his time with the Rams, usually leading the league in that personnel grouping. However, due to injuries and effectiveness, McVay’s Rams led the league by using three tight end personnel groupings on 331 snaps in 2025, averaging 6.2 yards per play. It’s by far the most a team has used that formation over the past decade in a single season. The second-most was 183 by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. League-wide, teams used three tight ends 5% of the time in 2025, up from 3.5% in 2024. Moreover, 21 tight ends were selected in this year’s draft, the most since 2002 (24). The Rams drafted another tight end this year in Max Klare and are carrying five on the active roster, so McVay could be planning to lean on three TE sets again. However, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who served as the San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach before taking his new job, does not expect the Rams to use three tight end sets as often this season. "Last year, I think they caught a lot of people off guard by doing that, especially in those first few weeks," Fleury said. "When you get into bigger groupings, usually it simplifies the defensive menu. But as they continue to put it on the field, the defensive menu continues to grow as people become more prepared. "Going into this season, while that might seem like an advantageous trend for an offense to do, the entire league has had the entire offseason to come up with their plan for defending their team personnel. So, I don’t think you’re going to see quite the same advantages. We will have some of it available and deploy it when we feel appropriate. But I don’t know that you are going to get quite the level of production that the Rams had out of it league-wide." A weekly look at the top five teams among the NFC and AFC West: 5. Kansas City Chiefs I’m tempted to put the Chargers here, but even though he’s recovering from a knee injury, I trust Patrick Mahomes more than Herbert. 4. San Francisco 49ers They’re a M*A*S*H unit on both sides of the ball, but Shanahan will figure out how to cobble together enough healthy bodies to play winning football. 3. Denver Broncos They have one of the best defenses in the league and one of the most underrated QBs in Bo Nix. 2. Los Angeles Rams In Sean McVay we trust, unless it’s booking travel arrangements. 1. Seattle Seahawks To be the best, you must beat the best. Showing the defending champs some respect here, unlike the rest of the country. "There’s only three players that I would stand up and watch play: LT (Lawrence Taylor), Reggie White and Aaron Donald. Those are three guys where I would watch every play because I’ve never seen nothing like it. And I think Myles [Garrett] could be that same type of player here, for sure." Eric Dickerson to me on the impact Myles Garrett could have on the Los Angeles Rams.

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Who's The Next Sam Darnold? 5 QBs That Fit The Bill For 2026 And Beyond

When the Seattle Seahawks take the field against the New England Patriots on Wednesday, it'll mark the culmination of Sam Darnold's comeback. The team Darnold quarterbacked to a Super Bowl title will be celebrated one last time, with the banner commemorating the victory being unveiled ahead of the season-opening matchup. Can we see another quarterback have such an epic turnaround soon? That's the question being asked by any NFL team that doesn't already have a great quarterback in place. Who, of all the brutal disappointments at football's most important position, is actually a Pro Bowl passer capable of leading your team to a Super Bowl and winning it? The most honest answer is that there isn't another Darnold this year; such a delayed arrival in the NFL is just too rare. Baker Mayfield enjoyed a similar career renaissance a year earlier in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Mayfield wasn't nearly as bad as Darnold was before his emergence. And before you go ruling anyone out as just too crappy to become a great quarterback, let's remember who Darnold was two years ago. He was 27, a former top-five pick of the New York Jets, having flamed out there and bounced to the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. His only start in 2023 was a Week 18 rest-your-starters game, in which he threw one touchdown pass and lost to Carson Wentz. If you ranked all 39 quarterbacks who threw at least 1,000 passes from 2018-23, Darnold ranks dead last in passer rating at 78.3. He's 21-35 as a starter at that point, with 63 career touchdown passes and 56 interceptions. With all that, Darnold still got a $10 million deal from the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, but only really got the opportunity he got for a breakout year because first-round pick J.J. McCarthy sustained a season-ending injury in preseason. Then boom, 14-3 as a starter, 35 touchdown passes against 12 picks, good enough to land a three-year, $100 million deal from the Seattle Seahawks. Another 14-3 season, this time with 25 touchdown passes and 14 picks, but played enough to win a Super Bowl. So that's what you're looking for. Looking around the league, we've identified five quarterbacks who have dealt with similar struggles to Darnold, either already discarded or trending toward being let go by teams that drafted them with high picks. You might not even be aware of where they're playing now, but their résumé today looks better than Darnold's did two years ago. Like Darnold, Mac Jones was a first-round pick in the AFC East, and arguably did more with his first team, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the New England Patriots in 2021. He went 10-7 as a rookie, helped New England to the playoffs and threw 22 touchdowns. Then he and his team got worse, going 2-9 in Bill Belichick's last season. He got traded to the Jaguars, then signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 49ers in 2025. Jones played well last year, going 5-3 filling in for an injured Brock Purdy, throwing 13 touchdowns against six interceptions. Had he not signed a two-year deal, he would have been coveted as a free agent, but the 49ers resisted the temptation to trade him, wanting the same security of a solid backup in case Purdy got injured again. He totally fits the Darnold profile: 27 years old, high draft pick, initial struggles, 25-32 as a starter and bounced to two other teams. He just needs an injury to get on the field this season, but if that happened, he has the talent around him to have a Darnold-level breakout. If that doesn't happen, he should be a top choice among the veteran options in free agency in spring 2027. Same profile: former first-round pick (Chicago Bears), discarded for a late-round pick (Pittsburgh Steelers), did well to get a $40 million contract from the New York Jets and again traded for a sixth-round pick to Kansas City. His overall numbers are better than Darnold's were two years ago: 52 touchdowns against 32 interceptions, and he rushed for 1,143 yards as a quarterback in Chicago in 2022. He is 16-37 as a starter — and that's with a 4-2 record in Pittsburgh — but now finds himself the top backup to Patrick Mahomes, who is coming back from a torn ACL. So it would take another Mahomes injury for Fields to get any real opportunity to show what he can do this year. But even a small window could help him, with better coaching and a stronger supporting cast than what he's had. Fields has 12 touchdowns against two interceptions in the last two seasons, with another nine rushing touchdowns, so him finding success as a dual-threat passer is something you can't exactly rule out. I'm including Malik Willis here because he's a good answer if you're simply looking for an unexpected breakout star at quarterback, but otherwise he doesn't fit the profile. Willis is 27, yes, but he's barely played at all in four NFL seasons — 3-3 as a starter between the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers, with all of 155 career pass attempts. For perspective, Darnold has 131 in his four playoff games alone. But Willis represents unrealized potential — without the bad body of work to overcome — so he got a three-year, $68 million deal from the Miami Dolphins with $45 million guaranteed. He was with Jeff Hafley in Green Bay and now joins him in Miami, albeit with a depleted roster that many think will be the worst in the NFL. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is gone and fellow standout pass-catcher Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos, so the challenge for Willis in 2026 is to cobble together enough success that the Dolphins don't feel compelled to use what will be a very high draft pick in 2027 on a quarterback to replace him in their long-term plans. Speaking of quarterbacks who could pass as the next Darnold, we should mention Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is a high draft pick who has struggled early on, much like Darnold. He's still only 24 and has only 15 career starts with an 8-7 record, but if he were to get a fresh start and play well, you'd hear him compared to Darnold. McCarthy went 6-4 as a starter last year, so you might wonder: Is he bad enough right now to be the next Darnold? Yes, he is. McCarthy has more interceptions (12) than touchdown passes (11) in his NFL career, and if you look at the 49 quarterbacks with 200-plus pass attempts over the last two seasons, he ranks 47th in passer rating, ahead of only Shedeur Sanders and Anthony Richardson. His completion percentage — 58% — is also 47th, and in interception percentage, he leads the way at 4.9%. That Minnesota would so quickly hand the franchise over to Kyler Murray shows what they think of McCarthy. He still has two years on his rookie contract, but you'd think he's either traded for a late-round pick or cut at some point unless Murray struggles so much that McCarthy gets another shot in Minnesota. Did you even know Zach Wilson was in New Orleans? Or that he spent a full season in Denver? Before you immediately think that Wilson is too bad to be the next Darnold, just remember that he lines up very closely with who Darnold was two years ago. Top-three pick of the Jets, went 12-21 as a starter, traded in a pick swap to the Broncos (where he didn't play a snap), signed with the Dolphins and couldn't beat out seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers for the look-see when Tua Tagovailoa was done. If you rank the 36 quarterbacks in passer rating with 1,000 career pass attempts since 2021, he's dead last at 36th. Wilson has just 23 career touchdown passes against 25 interceptions, and yet he lands in New Orleans, where Tyler Shough is set as the starter but still capable of injury or ineffectiveness. He's on a $1.4 million deal, within $200,000 of the league minimum for veterans, but he's young (he turns 27 in August) and would have a chance to reset himself if he could get on the field and play well, two decently big ifs given what he's been in five NFL seasons. If it seems incredible or impossible, No. 35 on that list of 36 quarterbacks is Bryce Young, who could easily get a huge contract to stay with the Carolina Panthers with any kind of success in 2026.

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Vikings Name Carson Wentz QB2, Sliding J.J. McCarthy To Third String vs. Packers

From national champion to top-10 pick, J.J. McCarthy was supposed to usher in a new era of Minnesota football. Instead, he now finds himself sitting third on the Vikings' depth chart with his future with the organization up in the air. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Wednesday morning that J.J. McCarthy will move down the depth chart. Veteran Carson Wentz will serve as the primary backup to starter Kyler Murray for this weekend's matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Even though Wentz gets the backup nod for Week 1, O'Connell made it clear that the depth chart behind Murray will be evaluated on a "week-to-week" basis. Selected No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy’s time in Minnesota has been defined by adversity. A torn meniscus during his rookie preseason sidelined him for the entire year before his career could even take off. Not only did he miss his entire rookie season, but he had to watch Sam Darnold lead the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a playoff berth. When Minnesota decided to let Darnold walk in free agency to join the Seattle Seahawks, the franchise was officially handed over to McCarthy. McCarthy’s first year as the starter didn’t go as planned for him or the Vikings, compounded by the fact that Darnold went on to win the Super Bowl in his very first season with the Seahawks. Injuries and on-field struggles limited McCarthy to just 10 starts last season. Even though he posted a 6-4 winning record, his stats reflected the growing pains after he completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. McCarthy’s career is far from over, but with his inconsistent play and the addition of Murray in the quarterback room this offseason, his future in Minnesota is truly up in the air.

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Roll The Tape: 5 Potential Title-Tilting Developments To Watch In Week 1

The 2026 NFL season is here, and I cannot wait to see how some of the trends that emerged in the spring and summer manifest on the field this fall and winter. Each week, I'll be diving into the All-22 coaches' film before offering five insights to watch. My first set of takeaways covers potential Super Bowl-shifting developments from the offseason. In 2025, the Los Angeles Rams’ success with their 13 personnel package (1 RB, 3 TE, and 1 WR) captivated offensive coordinators looking for a creative way to combat two-high shells and light boxes that limit explosive plays in the passing game. By using heavy personnel typically associated with the running game, offensive playcallers are forcing defensive coordinators to run their base package or short-yardage/goal-line personnel in normal down-and-distance situations from anywhere on the field. The clever package features three "bigs" on the perimeter with the versatility to block effectively at the point, while also flashing the route-running ability to run vertical routes down the seam or crossers at intermediate range. The individual and collective talent of the Rams’ tight ends (Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen) enabled head coach Sean McVay to dictate the terms to the defense, while creating more big-play chances for Matthew Stafford by using max protection and play-action passes to attack down the field. As a result, the league MVP completed almost 70% of his passes and produced 20 touchdowns out of the grouping last year, per ESPN. With the Rams also using an assortment of bunch and clustered formations to create an unbalanced offensive line with extra gaps to defend in the running game, and "snug" alignments to test the discipline and communication skills of linebackers and safeties who are not accustomed to dealing with the switch calls needed to handle pick and rub routes, McVay discovered a cheat code that helped his offense light up scoreboards around the league. Given the Rams’ success as the league’s trendsetter in 13 personnel deployment, teams spent the offseason studying the package and made roster decisions with run-heavy packages in mind. A whopping 22 tight ends were taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, including nine in the top 100 overall. Five teams (the Broncos, Browns, Dolphins, Jaguars, Ravens) picked multiple tight ends to give them the flexibility to dabble with "13" personnel this season. Jacksonville, which took Nate Boerkircher in the second round and Tanner Koziol in the fifth, is coached by McVay disciple Liam Coen. As more teams tap into multiple tight-end sets to create and exploit mismatches on the ground and through the air, the increased use of 13 personnel across the league is the No. 1 trend to watch early this season. The reunion between former Titans A.J. Brown and Mike Vrabel should produce fireworks in New England. The acquisition of an All-Pro with six 1,000-yard seasons, including a pair of seasons with 1,400-plus yards, gives the Patriots a legitimate No. 1 receiver to build the passing game around. Brown’s size, strength, and physicality make him a natural fit at "X," where he can overpower defenders bold enough to press him at the line of scrimmage. As one of only four players in NFL history to average 75-plus receiving yards per game and 15-plus yards per reception, per Next Gen Stats, Brown consistently whips bump-and-run coverage on the perimeter. Last season, he earned a 34.7% target rate against press coverage and a 2.6 yards-per-route average, which was fifth-highest in the league. During his Eagles career (2022-2025), he led the league with a 3.4 yards-per-route average against press, the most of any receiver with 100 such routes during that span. Interestingly, Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels likened the veteran Brown to vaunted tight end Rob Gronkowski over the summer because of his superior physical dimensions and dominant playmaking ability on the perimeter. If that is any indication of how he will use Brown, we will likely see the big-bodied wideout on the backside of various 3x1 and empty formations, in turn forcing opponents to declare their coverage and telegraph possible double teams on his side. With the isolation alignment also allowing the Patriots to create and exploit potential mismatches, the presence of the three-time Pro Bowler should help third-year QB Drake Maye take his game up a notch with easier throws available on the perimeter. Considering he led the league in completion percentage and passer rating without a true WR1 at his disposal in 2025, the addition of Brown should add a dimension to an offense that sputtered in the NFL’s championship rounds (AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LX). McDaniels will enhance big-play potential by moving the veteran around within the formation to prevent teams from using simplistic schemes to minimize his impact. By putting Brown inside at slot receiver, the Pats can take advantage of his speed and quickness against nickel backs and linebackers in the passing game, while also utilizing his blocking skills to create room for runners on the edges. Given that New England's passing game also features various hot routes and sight adjustments that instruct the receiver to alter his route based on coverage, Brown becomes a valuable chess piece who can counter the aggressive pressure tactics some opponents use to disrupt the quarterback's rhythm. His route-running skills and scheme mastery will be tested, though, in Wednesday's season opener against a Seattle Seahawks defense that will challenge the outside receivers with aggressive bump-and-run tactics. A defensive player has not won the NFL’s MVP award since Lawrence Taylor took home the hardware in 1986 after a spectacular campaign in which he totaled 20.5 sacks while leading the New York Giants to a 14-2 record and eventual Super Bowl XXI win. This year, all-world edge defender Myles Garrett is well-positioned to make a run at the illustrious honor as the Rams’ new "face of the franchise" on defense. Despite the return of fellow future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, the football world is paying closer attention to how the two-time Defensive Player of the Year makes his mark on a team with "Super Bowl-or-bust" aspirations. Over the past three years with the Cleveland Browns, former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz moved Garrett around to prevent opponents from honing in on his whereabouts before the snap. The five-time All-Pro can win with basic maneuvers out of a three-point stance or get into his bag with a collection of NBA-like moves that showcase his athleticism and agility. While most teams send a second and sometimes third blocker in his direction, Garrett is playing with a group of blue-chip pass-rushers who will punish opponents for overcommitting to the NFL's all-time single-season sack holder. Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Donald are all capable of registering double-digit sacks with their respective array of one-on-one moves that will expose a blocker who lacks the talent and/or technique to win at the point of attack without help. The trio’s individual and collective dominance will force opponents to make tough decisions about when and how to double Garrett. Moreover, the group’s diverse talent will require defensive coordinator Chris Shula to create a playbook and call sheet that functions like organized chaos, with Garrett allowed to freelance without compromising the defense's overall structure. Given that Los Angeles has played a 3-4 scheme with various iterations of nickel and dime sub-packages as complements, Shula must delicately balance the desire to play to his superstar's strengths while keeping the scheme simple and consistent for the rest of the lineup. It's a nice problem to have if you're the Rams, and a potential nightmare if you're the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. Kevin O’Connell is regarded as one of the NFL's quarterback whisperers due to his track record of coaxing Pro Bowl-caliber performance from the likes of Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold. And remember, the Vikings even got passable production when Nick Mullens and Josh Dobbs were rotating in and out as emergency subs under center. Although the offense sputtered under J.J. McCarthy in 2025, the acquisition of Kyler Murray gives Minnesota an electric QB1 with the potential to light up the scoreboard as a runner and thrower from the pocket. The veteran is the most talented player KOC has worked with in Minnesota and his dynamic skill set will enable the creative play designer to utilize the back pages of the playbook. Before the Vikings get to the sexy stuff with their new starter, they might initially simplify their offensive approach to allow the two-time Pro Bowler to play "pitch-and-catch" to a talented collection of receivers, including All-Pro Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. By encouraging Murray to string together completions on high-percentage passes, the Vikings are hoping to build out a quick-rhythm offense that overwhelms opponents with execution and efficiency. While skeptics question whether Murray can play within a highly structured offense after spending most of his time in Arizona freelancing and big-play hunting, a basic approach better suits his skills as a pinpoint passer with outstanding accuracy and range. With Murray expected to target the entire field with an assortment of rhythm throws that would stretch the defense from sideline-to-sideline and end line to end line, defensive coordinators must decide whether to play soft, umbrella coverage with defenders paying close attention to Jefferson and Addison while leaving cracks and creases available to Murray and the running backs on scrambles and designed runs. If defensive coordinators opt to load the box or ratchet up the pressure to attack Murray, the veteran’s explosiveness as a runner and range as a passer could make it a big-play bonanza for the Vikings. In a league where explosive plays routinely decide games, Murray’s big-play potential in a carefully crafted offense could be the storyline to watch this weekend as Minnesota hosts Green Bay. If you have not been paying attention to "America’s Team" this summer, the Cowboys are quietly emerging as title contenders behind an explosive offense and retooled defense that could surprise opponents this fall. Under the direction of first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker, a Vic Fangio disciple who spent the past two seasons with the Eagles, the Cowboys have assembled a unit that is perfectly suited to throttle opponents forced to chase points against a high-powered offense. The 34-year-old defensive playcaller not only has a talented collection of pass-rushers with Pro Bowl experience (see: Von Miller, Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary), he has ball-hawking, high-IQ defenders in the secondary. That combination of rush and coverage should challenge the patience and discipline of passers lacking the patience to "dink-and-dunk" against a defensive backfield that will be committed to taking away deep throws and explosive plays. Additionally, the Cowboys want to stuff the run from two-high structures and light boxes that make it difficult for opponents to know where the extra defenders are coming from to plug their designated run gaps. By showing an umbrella structure before moving into airtight zones with single-high, weak-side rotations, the Cowboys want to frustrate opponents with a disciplined approach that condenses the field with a group of players who are playing fast and free in the back end. If the ultra-talented pass rush plays to its talent and potential with a mix of newcomers and veterans making key contributions, the Cowboys’ defense could grow into a suffocating unit that wins with simplicity and structure from a young coach who understands how to build a system that allows players to thrive as "see ball, get ball" defenders.

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