Justin Herbert Isn't Fully To Blame For Chargers' Woes, But He Can Learn From Josh Allen

I made the grave mistake of defending Justin Herbert on social media this week and sparked another unbearable debate on the Chargers quarterback. I probably should have known that nothing I would say would change the minds of those who think he’s overrated. The back-and-forth between the two sides has become repetitive. Herbert backers will point to his film and expansive skill set, while his detractors will keep asking why all that talent hasn’t produced more wins and better stats, with neither side willing to cede any ground. With the Chargers at 0-2 and staring down an unforgiving gauntlet of contenders that starts with Sunday’s game against the Bills, their season is pretty much chalked. So, Herbert will likely go another season without notching that elusive playoff win, and the football world will keep debating whether he’s worth all the hype. I’m firmly on the pro-Herbert side of the debate, but I’m willing to admit there are holes in his game that have contributed to L.A.’s disappointing start. With Herbert facing off against Bills star Josh Allen this weekend, the contrast between their games will put his biggest weakness on full display. The Bills quarterback is a daring playmaker whose cavalier approach is highly effective and sometimes reckless. But no matter how many mistakes Allen makes, he keeps Buffalo’s offense at the top of the NFL’s efficiency charts and in title contention. Herbert’s style of play may lead to fewer mistakes, but it hasn't led to more consistency for his offense or more success for his team. Herbert can be a bit robotic, following the script his offensive coordinator lays out, even when the situation calls for a little improvisation. It’s not that Herbert is bad when playing out of structure; he just doesn’t do it nearly enough for a guy of his ability. He’s 6-foot-6 and can outrun defensive linemen and most linebackers. He doesn’t lose any arm strength on the run and doesn’t need much time or space to get a throw off. Take this play from last year’s win over the Broncos. Herbert shrugs off 285-pound defensive lineman Zach Allen, escapes the pocket, and quickly flips his hips to get a throw off with edge rusher Nik Bonitto right in his lap. Oh, and it’s a perfectly placed, 30-yard dot that beats tight coverage. That’s a play that only two other quarterbacks in this league can make: Allen and Patrick Mahomes. We just don’t see him make those plays nearly as often as those two. It’s not like Herbert is trying and failing to make them, though. And that’s why it can be frustrating to watch Herbert dutifully go through his progression, hoping one of his receivers will pop open (they usually don’t), and his protection will hold up (it usually doesn’t). So, while he can be a victim of his circumstances — and his mediocre statistical production is a product of his offensive environment — Herbert is choosing to play on hard mode more than he needs to. Herbert taps into the play-making mindset when he’s forced to. That throw against the Broncos is a good example. Here’s another from last Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. The play call is a dud that leaves Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby unblocked, with Herbert’s play-fake putting him directly in the path of the all-World pass rusher. Herbert coolly side-steps to create space and hits tight end Oronde Gadsden II for a touchdown. If I could make one change to Herbert’s game, I'd rewire his brain so he'd play more like Allen and approach every dropback as if there’s an unblocked defender in his face – it wouldn’t require much imagination behind that offensive line – and to play every drive like the Chargers are down 10 in crunch time. It would lead to more mistakes, sure, but like Allen, Herbert is talented enough that the good would easily outweigh the bad. With the Chargers in complete disarray, the need for Herbert to break out of his shell is stronger than ever. More than anything, he should be more aggressive in hunting play-making opportunities earlier in games before it’s too late. In each of the first two weeks, Herbert played well when the game was still hanging in the balance. Per Next Gen Stats, he’s averaging 8.3 yards per attempt and 0.12 (expected points added) EPA per dropback when L.A.’s win probability is greater than 25%. Pro Football Focus has him graded as the fifth-best quarterback in the league outside the fourth quarter this season. Things have fallen apart in garbage time, though. When the Chargers have a win probability under 25%, Herbert's yards-per-attempt average drops to 5.0 and his EPA average plummets to -0.66. Those 17 dropbacks haven’t really affected the results of those games, but they have done significant damage to his stat line and how his performance over two weeks has been perceived. That’s why it’s difficult for Herbert truthers like me to fully blame him for the 0-2 start. He’s played well outside of garbage time. But over the last two weeks, it's become clear he needs to play even better – like the superstar quarterbacks in Kansas City and Buffalo – to overcome a crappy offensive environment and keep the game from reaching garbage time in the first place. I’ll concede that point to the anti-Herbert crowd. But if they’re holding him to Mahomes and Allen standards, they might think more highly of Herbert than I do.

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#AskTom: Tom Brady Embarrassed By Piss Missile Quote; Who Should NFL Should Fear?

Tom Brady went viral for a call he made in the Dallas Cowboys' victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 2, but he wasn't proud of the moment. In the most recent edition of #AskTom, Brady shared some regret over the "piss missile" remark he made about one of Dak Prescott's completions while calling the game for FOX. "I’m actually kind of embarrassed," Brady said. "There’s a lot of grandmas at home that probably aren’t very happy with my mouth on FOX. I’m going to fix that. Sorry, I apologize." Brady called Prescott's 35-yard completion to CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' 37-20 win, as Dallas' quarterback made a well-placed throw along the sideline in tight coverage. But as Brady expressed regret at that remark, he also explained how passes like the one Prescott made are piss missiles. On top of that, Brady said which stadium enjoys broadcasting from the most and which team other teams in the league should be fearful of this season. Here's more of what Brady said in this week's #AskTom. Tom, I have to ask a piss missile question. Did your form change when you knew you had to dial one up or is it as simple as just throw it harder? Brady: That’s a great question. Look, when I was trying to throw piss missiles, I had to get all the things that mattered for throwing that thing hard and doing the right thing. The first thing is ground-force production — transfer from my lower half into a really good hitch into my throw. The second thing was torquing my body, rotating my shoulder to the target while keeping my hips closed. And three, keep a really relaxed arm so it ends up being a whip. When all three of those things align, a piss missile is what’s coming your way. I fully expect you to bleep out those piss missiles, OK? You can’t say that, because that swear job is getting way too full in my house. My kids are getting way too happy with me filling up that jar. I wanna see that next week, the Tom Brady swear jar. It has to be overflowing at this point. Brady: Too many. I’m actually kind of embarrassed. There’s a lot of grandmas at home that probably aren’t very happy with my mouth on FOX. I’m going to fix that. Sorry, I apologize. Tough week for QB injuries. Hopefully they’re not out for long. How do you keep your confidence in that position when you get back on the field? Brady: When you have the rhythm of the season, you go through training camp and you have the first game of the season, and then, all of a sudden, you get nicked up and you get injured, that’s not the place where you want to be. It’s hard to help the team from the training room. You’ve got to continue to stress the urgency, mentally. It’s one thing to not be on the field physically, but you’ve got to stay up to date with everything that’s happening in the meeting rooms. You can’t miss a beat from a mental perspective. You’ve got to take part in all the walkthroughs and be out there for practice because when you get back, all the teams you’re playing are just making improvements every single week and you’re kind of staying the status quo. So, to me, the great ones really still engage mentally. They’re working through their rehab process to get back to game speed so that when they do go back, it feels like they haven’t missed a beat. But there’s always going to be a little bit of rust, even if it’s only three or four plays as you go through the rehabilitation from an injury. What’s your favorite stadium to broadcast in? Brady: Such a great question, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d get picky about a stadium environment in a broadcast booth. But you get really spoiled when you go to some of these really fancy new indoor stadiums and everything is climate-controlled and I pick the suit I want to wear, I can get a little soft. Some of these outdoor stadiums, I used to never mind the cold. I never minded the snow or the rain or the wind. As a broadcaster, give me a dome team and a nice, controlled environment. One of my favorite places to go is actually Dallas to cover the Cowboys. They play well at home, I’ve got Jerry’s World to pull into and I've got Jerry-tron in front of me. It’s actually the most amazing — I think a lot of people just watch the game on the television screen. I sometimes even wonder if Jerry [Jones] looks at that screen like a lot of football fans and goes, "You know what, should we go a little bit bigger next year?" That’s what I would do. Tom, I do worry now that the Jets, Bills and maybe the Packers are going to be turning up the AC in the winter when they have you in the booth after they’ve heard this. Brady: Don’t think that the electricity bill is going to go down when I’m in the booth. I’m telling you to jack that thing up to Florida weather. I’ve got iguana blood now, so anything less than about 65 degrees, I’m freezing. I know, it’s kind of embarrassing to say, but sorry, I’m a Floridian now. Is there a unit that’s doing something new this year that’s really impressed you offensively or defensively? Brady: I think one thing that’s not only impressed me, but should honestly scare the rest of the NFL is the Chiefs’ running game. That’s kind of been an afterthought, even in all of their championship seasons. It wasn’t really a running team. It was a lot of passing the football. A lot of passing to [Travis] Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins. Now, when you add this running game and you’ve got Kenneth Walker running the way he has, [opposing defenses] have got to come down and try to tackle him. As soon as they do that, that exposes a lot of 1-on-1 opportunities for [Patrick] Mahomes and you know he’s going to find those. So, I think this offense being able to run the ball becomes exponentially more explosive, and that should scare a lot of teams in the NFL.

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Cody White Surprised In Raiders' Win vs. Chargers, But It Wasn't A Shock To Him

By the time Cody White caught his second touchdown pass Sunday, they knew who he was. The Las Vegas Raiders receiver, a 27-year-old practice squad call-up with more tackles than catches in his first six years in the NFL, was the surprise star of their 26-14 upset over the Chargers in Week 2. When he made a diving catch in the end zone for his first score Sunday, CBS' TV broadcast put up a graphic showing receiver Corey Rucker, a teammate who is on injured reserve. "I saw the CBS [graphic], saw that fantasy football didn't have me, the Madden [snub]. I don't think anybody was ready for me to go for two touchdowns like I did," White told me over the phone. CBS had a smiling headshot of White ready when he got open and uncovered in the end zone for a second touchdown, and friends who had trouble finding him in fantasy football a week ago can now see him as a potential waiver-wire add like anyone else. And for a player who'd scored just once in the NFL before Sunday, he came prepared with a pair of celebrations as well. "I've been in the league for seven years, so I know how hard it is to get to the end zone, so I want to go in there and have some fun," White said. "I think I found the first one on TikTok, and then the second one is just the Ronaldo and I pulled my lightsaber out like it was Star Wars." The Raiders might be the biggest surprise of the NFL's first two weeks, first beating the lowly Miami Dolphins but then going to Los Angeles and beating a Chargers team most saw as a likely playoff team. White might be as unlikely a success story as his team is, too. He was cut by the Seattle Seahawks on cutdown day in August after earning a Super Bowl ring last season. He landed on the Raiders' practice squad under head coach Klint Kubiak, who had him as Seattle's offensive coordinator last year. "From what I've seen, all the guys are buying into what Klint is selling, and the culture we're trying to build here," White said. White, long and lanky at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, showed enough in two weeks of practice that he was elevated to play in the Raiders' opener against Miami, and he had three tackles on special teams, one a touchdown-saving stop on a 79-yard kickoff return that earned him a game ball from coaches. He reverted to the practice squad after the game, but had been told early enough in the week that he would be elevated again that he was able to make sure his parents could fly in and attend the game, along with his brother Jordan, who lives in Los Angeles. White played only seven offensive snaps — his bread-and-butter is still on special teams, where he has more career tackles (15) than catches (11) —but still managed to catch touchdowns on two of them. The Raiders can elevate him one more time from their practice squad, but after that, they'll have to move to add him to the 53-man roster if they want to play him again. "He’s just the same guy that I knew last year," Kubiak said after the game. "I’m really proud of him. ... When his number’s called, he’s making the plays and obviously makes us have to make decisions." His three years at Michigan State — including leading the Spartans with 66 catches, 966 yards and six touchdowns in 2019 — were also the last three for Mark Dantonio, who has enjoyed following White's career in his retirement. "He's hung in there, and when he's given an opportunity, the guy makes plays," Dantonio told me. "Very smart player, good-natured, good teammate. Tall, big, makes the tough catch and will battle you for the ball. That catch radius, long arms. He was a great player for us, and it's no surprise that he's still in the NFL, and hopefully this verifies that for him." White's father, Sheldon, played six years in the NFL as a cornerback and has worked the last 30 years in NFL and college personnel offices, the last four with the Steelers. So Cody understands the business of the NFL, and his path to the end zone Sunday wasn't an easy one. White went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2020, and when he reported to his first training camp with the Chiefs, he took his physical, picked up his helmet and was promptly told to turn in his playbook as he was being cut. He signed with the Giants and was cut within a week, signed with the Broncos and was cut within two weeks, all in the same preseason. Then he spent a year on the Steelers' practice squad, all of 2021 on Pittsburgh's active roster, and just five games in three years before he found a role with Seattle in 2025, even scoring a 60-yard touchdown. He went on injured reserve in late December last year, but was part of a Super Bowl championship team. "Just that resilience, the never-give-up mentality," White said. "Being on four teams my rookie year, now I'm in Year 7 and still able to contribute and make plays on Sundays, to help my team get wins. I love the game of football, and my mom and my dad taught me growing up to never give up, that if you start something, you have to finish it. Here we are now."

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2026 NFL Week 3 Picks: Best Bets For Every Game — Will's Wagers

Quarterback injuries were unfortunately the theme of NFL Week 2. Hopefully this week's theme is that our NFL Week 3 best bets cash in. Here's where I'm putting my money. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. The Packers have had a bad habit of blowing late, double-digit leads, but last week they flipped the script. Down 17-7 in the fourth quarter, the Packers rallied to beat the Jets 20-17 in overtime and now host the reeling Falcons, who have yet to run a play from inside the red zone this year. I think the Packers win by a touchdown. The Chargers are being left for dead after a brutal 0-2 start and a vicious schedule that lies ahead. But the summer line was Bills by 1.5, now it’s up to 7.5. A downgrade for the Chargers is warranted, but a 6-point adjustment seems aggressive. The Chargers are desperate and getting 7.5. I think they’ll bounce back with their backs against the wall and at least keep this game close. Maybe it will never happen. Maybe the Jets will never intercept another pass again. But if they do, I will be there holding a bet slip on it! All of 2025, the Jets failed to record an interception, and now through two games in 2026, they are without one once again. However, head coach Aaron Glenn knows opposing quarterback Jared Goff very well from Glenn’s time as the Lions' defensive coordinator and I think they can finally end the streak and force Goff into a miscue. Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes has heard for a couple of years now about how his skills may be declining and he doesn’t throw the ball down the field as well or as often as he once did. In Week 2, Mahomes answered some of those questions, throwing for 382 yards in a win over the Colts. I look for him to continue to put up big numbers this week against a helpless Dolphins defense. The 2–1 Cleveland Browns? I’m not sure who wins what is a very difficult game to figure out. But the Browns are home getting 2.5 points and have shown the roster is perhaps better than perception — despite the obvious concerns at quarterback. This feels like a typical Steelers game that they ugly up, keep close and either win or lose by a field goal to cover the 3.5-point spread. But I can’t do it. The Steelers looked alarmingly inept last week, losing 20-3 in New England and now face a Bengals squad that looks to be much improved defensively. It appears that the defending champs are still very good at football. The Cardinals were a trendy upset pick last week and tied with the Seahawks 7-7 before the Seahawks scored the final 24 points to win 31-7. With the Commanders forced to turn to back-up QB Marcus Mariota, I expect the Seahawks defense to dominate. These are two teams with high expectations after winning their respective divisions last year. The loser here will be facing some early anxiety that comes with a 1-2 start. While the Patriots haven’t been overly impressive thus far, I’ll take them getting 3 points in what figures to be a very close game between two squads that are evenly matched. This will be a battle of former first overall picks but 10 years apart, as Jameis Winston and Cam Ward are the quarterbacks for this one. I’ll go Over the 39.5. The Giants defense looked shaky Monday night against the Rams, and Winston is notorious for being ultra aggressive and creating big plays to the good and the bad. These are two 0-2 teams both in desperate need of a victory. The Colts lost to the Ravens and Chiefs, which are two respectable losses. But I’ll go with the much superior defense here and back the Texans. The Cardinals were the surprise team of Week 1, but Week 2 showed why expectations for them were quite modest heading into the season. I expect the 49ers to light up the scoreboard and quarterback Brock Purdy to continue his strong play. Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers with quarterback Kyler Murray making his return, look for Justin Jefferson to have a big day against the Buccaneers’ secondary. That unit struggled against a much less prolific passing game last week in a loss to the Browns. The Raiders look to start 3-0, but even with their surprising play early on, I think the Saints at home are the bet here, laying just a field goal. For all the talk that the Cowboys would be improved defensively, it hasn’t shown up on the field just yet. In a battle between two elite quarterbacks, I expect plenty of points, which we’ve all come to expect from Cowboys’ games. This was very nearly the Super Bowl matchup last year, but neither team made it and now they meet up several months later. I like Rams’ running back Blake Corum Over 48.5 rushing yards. Corum is averaging 67 yards per game through two weeks, and his backfield competition, Kyren Williams, lost a fumble last week. Corum should continue to see plenty of opportunities. It looks like veteran quarterback Case Keenum may be getting the nod for the Bears on Monday night. The third-stringer is the next man up after injuries to Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent. I think both teams will rely heavily on the run game in this one, and I look for a low-scoring start early on.

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2027 NFL Draft No. 1 Pick Odds: Manning Favored; Chambliss Skyrockets

For the fourth consecutive year, eighth time in nine years and 10th time in 12 years, a quarterback went No. 1 in the NFL Draft — Fernando Mendoza to the Las Vegas Raiders. Will a team make it five years in a row in 2027? Let's check out the odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Sept. 23. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Arch Manning: +145 (bet $10 to win $24.50 total)CJ Carr: +420 (bet $10 to win $52 total)Trinidad Chambliss: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Dante Moore: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Jeremiah Smith: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Darian Mensah: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Drew Mestemaker: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)LaNorris Sellers: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)Jayden Maiava: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total) Here's what to know about the oddsboard: Man(ning) of the Hour: Archie Manning went second in the 1971 NFL Draft. His son, Peyton, went first in the 1998 NFL Draft. Then his other son, Eli, went first in the 2004 NFL Draft. Will his grandson, Arch, be the next Manning to hear his name called at the top of the draft? The early odds say yes. Arch served as a collegiate starter for the first time last season, leading the charge at Texas. He completed 61.4% of his passes, for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. However, as the season went on, Arch began to find his rhythm. He threw five interceptions in the Longhorns' first five games, but threw just two in their final eight contests. He also threw 15 TDs in those final eight games, in which Texas went 7-1. In Texas' bowl game win over Michigan, he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Through three games this season, Manning has 661 passing yards, seven touchdowns and is completing 61.5% of his passes. Most importantly, he has a win over Ohio State under his belt, with the Longhorns pulling off a huge comeback victory in Week 2. Manning faces another big test Saturday when he travels to Tennessee to face the Vols. Chambliss Surges After Win Over Kiffin: Sixth-year senior Trinidad Chambliss has skyrocketed from +4000 to +650 in the No. 1 pick odds after leading Ole Miss to a 32-24 win over his former coach, Lane Kiffin, and LSU. Through three games in 2026, Chambliss has completed 70% of his passes for 924 yards and seven touchdowns. He has added two rushing scores and shown off his mobility with several highlight-reel scrambles. Nicknamed "Winnidad," Chambliss is 14-2 as Ole Miss’ starter over the last two years. Could he play his way into the No. 1 pick next spring? A Wideout At No. 1?: Could Jeremiah Smith be the first pick in the draft? He’s tied for fourth on the oddsboard and has made a strong case as the best player in college football. Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s Week 1 win over Ball State, then added eight catches for 164 yards and a score in the Buckeyes’ Week 2 loss to Texas. In Week 3, he became Ohio State’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Can a receiver with that résumé climb all the way to No. 1?

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West Coast Read: Time To End Justin Herbert-Mike McDaniel Marriage? Brock Purdy's MVP Start

SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) — Dejected, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert sat next to offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel on the bench toward the end of their disappointing 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The two appeared to be having an uncomfortable conversation about how to put the pieces together. It was supposed to look different, but through two games, the Herbert-McDaniel marriage has been a failure. That newfangled offense, led by the most coveted offensive coordinator in this past offseason's coaching cycle, has been stuck in neutral. "Fire the OC," a longtime NFL scout told me when asked how to fix Herbert, firmly placing the blame on McDaniel. "Go back to a scheme that fits him. NFL QB starters need coaches to fit their strengths and weaknesses — not fitting the coach’s scheme to the QB." The numbers aren’t pretty. Herbert is 23rd in passing yards (401), 28th in passer rating (71.6) and tied for third in interceptions (3). The Chargers are 29th in the NFL in scoring (14 points per game) and have generated just three passing plays of 20-plus yards. The Chargers had six fumbles against the Raiders. Pro Bowl right tackle Joe Alt leads the league in penalties with five. In a preseason conversation with McDaniels, he told me the focus during the offseason was on creating an offense that got the ball out quicker so Herbert didn’t get hit as much as he did last season. Herbert took the second-most hits among quarterbacks (74) and was the third-most sacked quarterback in 2025. McDaniel also pushed Herbert to take more risks down the field during training camp, asking him to play with more anticipation and try to fit the ball into tighter windows. One thing that could help Herbert is the return of less pre-snap motion to distort the defense, which has led to more confusion. That included a botched snap on an important third down against the Raiders where the snap hit receiver Tre’ Harris, which caused Herbert to lose his temper. The Chargers have used motion on 79.6% of their plays this season, No. 2 in the league, per Next Gen Stats. In 2025, under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Chargers used pre-snap motion on 61% of their plays. Expected to compete for a Super Bowl, the 0-2 Chargers face a stretch of five playoff teams from last year, the 2-0 Kansas City Chiefs and a competitive Baltimore Ravens team over their next seven games, a daunting stretch to prepare for while trying to fix a disjointed offense. However, a longtime NFL front-office executive I spoke with believes head coach Jim Harbaugh will get things right. "Usually, less is more," the exec told me. "Cut the game plan down. I wish they would let Justin go back to his old footwork and less pistol, but they are probably too far down that road. "The offensive guards are struggling and the fullback is poor. Plus, they never replaced all of Keenan Allen’s production. But Harbaugh is a problem solver. He’ll get more involved with the offense is my bet." Reading headlines about the San Francisco 49ers this offseason was like watching an episode of "Cops." WARRANT ISSUED FOR BRANDON AIYUK AFTER VIRAL SPEEDING VIDEO 49ERS HEAD COACH KYLE SHANAHAN INJURED IN CAR CRASH 49ERS OWNER JED YORK ARRESTED IN PROSTITUTION STING MAN POSING AS 49ERS PLAYER CHARGED WITH FRAUD Through it all, San Francisco ignored the noise and rightly showed up in Australia a week early to throttle the late-coming Los Angeles Rams. The following week, San Francisco easily handled the tanking Miami Dolphins. And the center of the team’s success has been quarterback Brock Purdy playing at an MVP level. The reason? After three years of battling through nagging injuries that began with a torn UCL in his right elbow in the NFC Championship Game in his second NFL season, Purdy appears fully healthy. Purdy leads the league in completion percentage (80.4%), is third in passer rating (125.6) and is fifth in passing touchdowns (5). And because he’s healthy, Purdy’s mobility has returned. He’s run for 59 yards and a touchdown through two games. "I just feel like I've grown a lot with who I am as a person, as a quarterback, trying to grow my game," Purdy recently told reporters. "What I knew then compared to now is obviously a night-and-day difference. And understanding still, though, that same love of the game that I had from my first start until now has been the same" San Francisco sitting tied atop the NFC West should not be a surprise because all their key foundational players are healthy. Along with Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner all started the first two games and are healthy heading into the team’s Week 3 contest at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Purdy, McCaffrey and Williams were the only three of those players on the field for the 41-6 NFC divisional playoff loss to the Seahawks last season. Against the Dolphins, Purdy had one of his best games as a pro, finishing 20 of 22 (90.1%) passing for 287 yards, with two touchdowns and barely missing a perfect passer rating at 149.1. The game included 18 straight completions, as San Francisco scored on its first five drives. Still just 26 years old and in his fifth NFL season, Purdy is just starting to come into his own as a pro. "It’s unbelievable to watch," McCaffrey said about Purdy’s last outing. "How decisive he is. How good he is at throwing on time but also creating when he has to. When he’s at the helm, we feel good." Few NFL observers expected the Raiders to sit at 2-0 to start the year while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza still held a clipboard. But the Raiders' success reminds me of a conversation I had late last year with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold about this team’s new head coach Klint Kubiak, when I asked him to describe his then stoic offensive coordinator’s personality. "We’re very similar," Darnold told me at the time. "No BS is the best way to describe it. We just kind of go about our business. If something needs to be done, we’re going to get it done. If something needs to be said, we’ll say it. But we like to work, and we love football." Kubiak’s no-nonsense, lunch-pail approach to building a culture is similar to the approach Mike Macdonald took in leading the Seahawks to a Super Bowl last season. "It’s 17, one-game Super Bowls in a row," Kubiak said. "That’s how our guys have to treat it if we want to be a successful organization." So far, Kubiak’s approach has served him well in Las Vegas, according to the team’s best player, defensive end Maxx Crosby. "He’s hard on us during the week, for sure," Crosby said after the game. "But it’s because he wants us to go play free, have that confidence and we have the confidence in him. We believe in putting us in situations where we’re going to capitalize. And we believe in him and what he’s doing." There’s no arguing with the results. Second-year pro Ashton Jeanty has come to life, with 210 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns through two games. Kirk Cousins has done a nice job of managing the game and creating explosive plays. Defensively, the Raiders have held teams to 13.5 points per game, No. 5 in the NFL, and forced five takeaways in two games. The son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, the younger Kubiak understands there’s more to do. "This is the NFL," Kubiak said after his team’s win over the Bolts. "This is the most competitive business in the world. So, our players, our coaches all want to win. And that’s our job, is to win. "We’ve got 15 more games. I’m really proud of today, but the way that you win more is you forget about quick and you back to work on the next one." 5. Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas is off to a good start, and their best player, tight end Brock Bowers, has yet to play. 4. Los Angeles Rams Kyren Williams (23 carries, 126 yards) and Blake Corum (22 carries, 133 yards) have pretty much split the carries through two games, providing extra playmaking beyond Davante Adams in their win over the New York Giants on Monday night. 3. Kansas City Chiefs Much has been made about Patrick Mahomes' return and Kenneth Walker III's hot start, but don't sleep on the Chiefs' defense. The defense is surprisingly holding teams to 252.5 total yards per game, ranking third in the NFL. 2. San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers have had as good of a start to the season as they could've asked for. There are some questions, though, about their depth at receiver. They addressed that on Tuesday, with former Rams WR Brandin Cooks returning to NFC West by joining San Francisco’s practice squad. 1. Seattle Seahawks Starting quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) is slated to return to practice this week, but the Seahawks can take their time bringing him back with Drew Lock leading the league in passer rating (127.3). "Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn. And sometimes you have a dumb ass coach who makes travel plans that put you in a bad spot." Rams head coach Sean McVay on his team’s failed travel plans to Australia.

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Roll The Tape: How To Fix Justin Herbert; How Kenneth Walker Fixed KC's Offense

This young NFL season has largely been a tale of two different weeks. But some successes and struggles have held firm through two games. Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches' film before offering a few insights to watch. Here are four developments that could be long-term storylines. Two weeks into the season, you better believe that NFL coaches, scouts and executives are taking a long, hard look at the All-22 coaches’ tape to see why a top-five quarterback is severely struggling under play-design guru Mike McDaniel. The snazzy pre-snap motions and exotic formations haven't ignited a Los Angeles Chargers offense expected to light up scoreboards around the league. Their revamped playbook has also produced by far the worst version of Justin Herbert that the NFL has seen. The seventh-year pro has a sub-60% completion rate for the first time in his career, and his 71.6 passer rating is more than 20 points lower than his career low (93.2 in 2023). After studying the All-22 coaches’ tape, I noticed the Chargers’ increased use of Pistol formations hasn’t effectively blended the smash-mouth offense Jim Harbaugh wants with the "spread and shred" system that helped turn Tua Tagovailoa into an efficient playmaking machine under McDaniel. Herbert lacks the ball-handling skills of the diminutive Tagovailoa, and his slow trigger finder has led to more off-target throws from the ultra-talented gunslinger than we are used to seeing. More reps may improve his efficiency, but the Pro Bowler must improve his pocket efficiency to take advantage of the space created by the misdirection and deception. Additionally, Herbert will need his supporting cast to gain better separation on the perimeter and provide better pocket protection. Against the Las Vegas Raiders this past Sunday, Herbert was pressured on 54.8% of his dropbacks, completing 15 of 27 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. With his receivers unable to create separation against tight coverage, Herbert extended his slump to 0-for-7 with two interceptions on tight-window throws this season. While some of the struggles clearly fall on the Chargers’ inconsistent receiving corps, elite quarterbacks routinely throw their guys open with pinpoint passes. Herbert simply hasn't been able to connect with his playmakers through the first two games of the season. Part of Herbert’s struggles might be attributed to a greater emphasis on deep balls. The Chargers have pushed the ball downfield more than normal, with Herbert averaging 10.2 air yards per attempt. Although he has been effective in targeting Ladd McConkey (87.5% completion rate, 113 yards and a score) on downfield throws, the Chargers’ lack of playmakers around the super-slot receiver has bogged down an offense with more big-play potential than it has shown. Looking for solutions, I would expect the Chargers to scale back the exotics and emphasize the quarterback’s favorite plays. Given his inconsistencies and dismal production, McDaniel’s top priority is to get the franchise quarterback into a rhythm early. Whether he features more quicks and "catch-and-throw" passes to help him string together completions or showcases his favorite concepts with various motions and formations masking the play, the eclectic playcaller must revamp his approach to help his best player rediscover his magic. With an 0-3 start likely squashing the Chargers’ playoff hopes, McDaniel must find a way to spark his struggling quarterback before Sunday's showdown at Buffalo. After 10 months of rehab from a season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 11 of his sophomore season, Michael Penix Jr. will finally have a chance to showcase his talents in Kevin Stefanski’s offense on Thursday against the Packers. The left-handed gunslinger will step into a play-action-heavy system that primarily operates from under center. Through the first two games of the 2026 season, the Atlanta Falcons have averaged a 41.9% under-center rate. Although the offense has struggled mightily with Cooper Rush and Jack Strand at quarterback, inserting Penix gives the 0-2 Falcons a more explosive pocket passer who hunts big plays. Last season, Penix averaged 8.9 air yards per attempt, seventh-highest among qualified quarterbacks, per Next Gen Stats. In his abbreviated second season, he led the NFL in targeting receivers between 10 and 19 air yards (30.4% rate). The aggressive approach has served the lefty well when targeting Drake London, with the supersized receiver averaging 2.9 yards per route run — the third-highest mark in the league (min. 200 routes). In studying last year's All-22 coaches’ tape, Penix looked best operating from the Pistol, which played to his strengths as a deceptive ball-handler with A-plus arm talent. The No. 8 pick in the 2025 draft routinely targeted tight ends and running backs on quick releases to the flat following run-action fakes in the backfield. When defenders jumped those routes, he consistently found the open receiver at the intermediate range. With so much hidden yardage available on various "catch-and-run" concepts, the Falcons’ offense should improve with Penix finding open targets behind ultra-aggressive linebackers and safeties. If Penix can also punish opponents with his high-arcing deep ball, Atlanta could quickly be back in business as a competitive squad in a winnable NFC South. The Kansas City Chiefs made a blockbuster move to acquire Kenneth Walker III as a marquee free agent. The Super Bowl LX MVP has been as good as advertised as an RB1, totaling 369 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns on 56 touches through just two games. Although it is no surprise K9 has made an immediate impact as a versatile playmaker out of the backfield, the Chiefs’ offensive makeover has showcased his talents in a way few imagined. Against the Denver Broncos in Week 1, Walker tallied 148 rushing yards on 15 carries from under-center formations, per Next Gen Stats. The return to old-school football allowed the fifth-year pro to become the first Chiefs’ running back to total more than 62 yards on under-center runs since 2020. With Walker grooving on throwback plays, Mahomes took 26 of 67 snaps from under center, while the Chiefs ran the ball on 52.2% of all plays. In addition to sparking the creativity of the Chiefs’ coaches with his versatility as a playmaker, the veteran back has transformed the running game into a big-play machine, with his elusiveness posing problems for defenders in space. Walker leads the NFL with 29 forced missed tackles. That's five more than any other player through Week 2 since at least the 2018 season. Looking at the All-22 coaches’ tape from the Chiefs’ first two games, Walker’s vision, balance, body control and burst stand out. The 5-foot-9, 211-pounder demonstrates explosive stop-and-start quickness to scoot through holes, but also possesses the speed to take it the distance from anywhere on the field. As the Chiefs combine his dynamic downhill running ability with Mahomes’ athleticism and explosive arm talent on the move, opponents are having a much tougher time defending a KC offense that had grown stale in recent years. But with Walker and a more balanced offensive approach sparking the Chiefs to a 2-0 start, the rest of the NFL is taking notice. It just remains to be seen how this all manifests. In a league that doesn't properly value or reward running backs, it's fair to say the Super Bowl hero has been worth every penny as a prized free agent. It hasn’t taken long for two-time All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to deliver a positive return on the Cincinnati Bengals’ hefty investment this past spring. After being traded by the Giants straight up for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Lawrence has spearheaded a defensive turnaround that has "Who Dey?!" fans dreaming of a return to the Super Bowl. The 6-foot-5, 350-pounder has transformed Cincy's defense with his disruptive presence as a massive run-stopper with pass-rush skills. Lawrence blows through double teams with his explosive strength and power, but also flashes enough first-step quickness to split the crease when aligned in a tilt position. He stuffed Houston RB David Montgomery on fourth-and-inches in the second quarter this past weekend, showcasing his dominance at the point of attack. It looks to me like "Sexy Dexy" is back. With Lawrence aligning beside former Pro Bowler Jonathan Allen on the interior, the Bengals have successfully stopped the run, holding opponents to 74.5 rushing yards per game. The suffocation on early downs has enabled the Bengals to hunt opposing quarterbacks on obvious passing downs, leading to more sacks and pressure from an active, aggressive defensive front. As the veteran Lawrence's destructive potential forces opponents to double-team him at the line, the rest of the Bengals’ defensive line has dominated one-on-one matchups, with defensive coordinator Al Golden using stunts and games to create favorable angles. Against the Texans, the Bengals generated 27 pressures and four sacks, while registering a staggeringly low 13.3% blitz rate, per the Associated Press. The four-man pressure approach allowed the Bengals to sit back in low-risk coverage that rarely concedes "explosives" on the perimeter. Although C.J. Stroud passed for 353 yards, he averaged 6.4 yards per attempt and recorded just five completions of 20 yards or more. The combination of run stops, pass rushes, and stingy coverage kept the Texans in check — they managed just two field goals — despite their quarterback’s impressive totals. If Lawrence continues to own the line of scrimmage from the nose tackle position, the Bengals’ defense will make life miserable for quarterbacks and playcallers around the league.

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