Upon Further Review: The Chiefs' Jumbo Commitment To Run Game Pays Dividends

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City) — The Kansas City Chiefs had already gone 3-for-3 in short-yardage situations Monday night. But when they needed a yard on a fourth-and-1 early in the second half at their 40-yard line, they went to the sideline for not just two extra offensive linemen, but new nose tackle Khyiris Tonga as well. Chiefs coach Andy Reid didn't hesitate, calling for his jumbo package and adding 950-plus pounds of blocking from the sideline as they held a 14-7 lead over the Denver Broncos. They needed a yard from running back Kenneth Walker III, and on a night where he exceeded all expectations in his Kansas City debut, he gave them 60, running to the end zone for the signature moment in a resounding, welcome-back 31-10 victory. "The moment he got the edge, I've seen it. I've seen it in practice. I saw it all last year in the playoffs. Once he gets the edge, he's gone," quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of his new teammate, signed from the Seattle Seahawks after earning Super Bowl MVP honors. "That's what I'm talking about, be able to run physical like that but still be able to bounce it whenever it's necessary and get going." Walker finished with 173 rushing yards, not only a career high but the most yards a Chiefs player has rushed for in the Mahomes era, since Jamaal Charles went for 226 in a 2012 game. Kansas City made it clear from the start they wanted to assert their offense on the ground, giving Walker seven carries on the opening drive to introduce him to the home fans and the rest of the NFL. "I knew they were going to crash in, so when they crashed in, I just bounced it out," Walker said. "I was one-on-one with the corner, I outran him and it was off to the races from there. "[The big role] means a lot. It means they trust me. It’s good to feel that way. When we first came out, we got the fourth down and we still ran the ball – they trust the run game and trust what we can do, we just want to keep stacking on that." One of those bonus linemen on the 60-yard touchdown was Josh Ezeudu, acquired from the Giants at the end of preseason for a 2028 seventh-round pick, and he's quickly learned how much his new team values owning the line of scrimmage. "I've only been here about three weeks now, but something that's emphasized here is being physical," Ezeudu told me. "We're going to run that motherf---ing ball. I'm sorry, but it's something we take pride in." The headline Monday night was Mahomes' triumphant return after missing the end of last season with a knee injury, but the news was the Chiefs' run game and what it could do to cement their return to the NFL's top tier of playoff contenders. Tonga was signed away from the New England Patriots, where he enjoyed cameos on offense last season, playing 18 offensive plays as an imposing fullback. One of them was a fourth-and-1 in the AFC Championship Game against those same Broncos, helping Drake Maye move the chains. "I'm just there whenever they call my number. I'm ready whenever," Tonga told me. "I enjoy it. I'm just glad I'm on the field any time they have success." Backup tackle Jaylon Moore, also part of the jumbo package, said those plays are where the Chiefs can establish their identity with toughness and physicality, and even if it only yields a single yard, it's always in high-leverage situations. "We can assert ourselves and get a yard when we need it," Moore told me. "It's cool. We're adding a thousand, a million, I don't even know how many pounds that is." Even with just a regular line blocking for him, Walker was a real spark for the Chiefs against Denver. Locked in a 7-7 stalemate just before halftime and facing a third-and-10, Mahomes connected with Walker for an 11-yard conversion, and Walker followed with a 28-yard run to set up the go-ahead touchdown. Could he be a difference maker for the Chiefs? They haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Mahomes' rookie year in 2017, and they haven't had a back go over 100 yards in any of their last 16 playoff games, dating back to their Super Bowl victory in the 2019 season. Mahomes has seen the newfound offensive balance as a potential missing piece since Walker arrived. "I told you all, literally, like first press conference. Y'all were asking, what's the difference with our offense? And I said, K9 (Walker)," he said. "Like, it's just that simple. It's the way he's able to run the ball, catch the ball ... it's just a special ability to run the ball tough between the tackles and then when he does bounce it, he has the speed to go all the way and so we'll utilize him." Walker, in just one game with the Chiefs, can also appreciate being able to run the ball against a defense that wants to stop him but must also account for the threat of a former MVP like Mahomes. He finished the game with 191 yards of total offense; the Broncos finished with 176 as a team. "Definitely. They have to key in on Pat," Walker said. "He's the best quarterback in the league, so you can't just get on the run game or he'll throw the ball over your head. And he can run. He's just a threat either way, so he makes the run game a lot easier." As NFL dads go, Jeremiah Trotter Sr. might be as proud as they come. Trotter was in the car on the way to Philadelphia to see his son Jeremiah Jr. make his season debut with the Eagles on Sunday when he was watching his younger son Josiah's NFL debut on his iPad, which was punctuated by an interception returned for a touchdown for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Cincinnati Bengals. "If I tried to explain it, I could put into words how proud I am of them boys," Trotter, himself an NFL linebacker who made four Pro Bowls in 11 seasons from 1998-2009, told me. "I've been there throughout the whole process, all the work and sacrifices they've made, and to see them doing what they love to do, to get to this level, a lot of things have to fall into place. They're carrying on a legacy and it makes me super-proud when they make a play and drop the axe, showing homage to me. That's the utmost respect and it means the world to me." Josiah Trotter became the first player in NFL history to get both a pick-six and a sack in his NFL debut, adding a game-high 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. Jeremiah, a third-year linebacker who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles as a rookie, had two tackles on special teams in the Eagles' win Sunday. Their dad can now pick a game every weekend to cheer for his sons in person. When the Eagles are home, it's a half-hour drive from their home in New Jersey. But this coming week, the eldest Trotter will fly to Tampa to see Josiah's home debut with the Bucs, where Jeremiah Sr. played a single season in 2007. "I see how serious he takes the game, how professional he is, doing things the right way," his father told me. "You don't skip any steps, and you're not going to find anybody that works harder than him. I'm proud to know that all those conversations stuck with him." Much like Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and his father Antoine Sr., the Trotters talk constantly. "Every day, all day," Trotter Sr. told me, saying his conversations with his sons take place before practice, between meetings, and constantly talking about football and playing linebacker at the highest level. Josiah's position coach, Mike Caldwell, played linebacker with Jeremiah Sr. for their first four years together in Philadelphia, and Dad is also glad his son has a veteran next to him in Alex Anzalone, remembering both his days with a mentor and as one as well. "I've been the young guy and I've been the old guy," Trotter Sr. told me. "It means a lot to Josiah, too." Early in his days in Philadelphia, he remembers William Thomas telling him if he got a certain look and faked like he was dropping to the left, Drew Bledsoe would throw the ball directly to him, and sure enough, "by George, he threw the thing right to me." For now, the only question for father is which son he's able to go see each week -- in theory, Josiah and Jeremiah Jr. could meet up in the playoffs, and the Bucs and Eagles are scheduled to play in Philadelphia in 2027. You've heard by now about Week 1 outliers, like the Las Vegas Raiders beating the New England Patriots and J.J. McCarthy outdueling Caleb Williams in Chicago last year. In each of the last four years, at least one team making the conference championship game lost in Week 1, including the 2022 San Francisco 49ers (13-4) losing to the Bears (3-14). It's certainly true, but Week 2 games are early enough to also produce strange outcomes. Last year, four teams that would go on to win division titles — including the Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars — lost to non-playoff teams in Week 2, more than any other week in the 2025 season.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/uzdBTas

Chiefs Back, Bears Climb, Rams Out? The NFL's Best Teams Heading Into Week 2

Week 1 gave us explosive offenses and a huge movement in the league rankings. Colin Cowherd dropped a whole new "Herd Hierarchy" on Tuesday's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," featuring a seismic shift in his top 10 teams entering Week 2. The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos weren't the only ones left out of Cowherd's top 10. The Los Angeles Rams also plummeted outside the rankings after a loss to the 49ers, followed by the news of Myles Garrett heading to injured reserve. Cowherd still believes in the Rams, but without Garrett on the field, he simply can't keep them in his top 10 as there are too many question marks. Given how unpredictable Week 1 turned out, plenty of teams still have time to work their way onto the list. But for now, here are Cowherd’s top 10 teams heading into Week 2. Cowherd’s Thoughts:  "The Eagles are maddening. Five three and outs… seriously? But it is the best roster in the NFL and Jalen Hurts leads the NFL in completions, touchdowns and pass attempts over 25-plus yards. I think they’re better without A.J. Brown. They’ll spread the ball around. I can’t keep [out] the best roster in football that I picked to win a division with one ugly outing." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "I have the Bengals as the second-most-improved team. I have them as a playoff team. I think Chase Brown is the best running back in the NFL. Nobody talks about his last six games. A touchdown and a half. They went and bought a defense and you could tell, much bigger, much faster and much more physical. Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell. The defense is different and every time Joe Burrow gets you know a little help, he's a playoff quarterback." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "I don't care what any of you say. The Giants are talented. They have a culture issue, not a talent issue. Abdul Carter and Brian Burns on the edge. Tell me a better edge rushing tandem than those guys. [Malik] Nabers, Jaxson Dart, [Cam] Skattebo, Arvell Reese. How about Francis Mauigoa, the offensive lineman? 36 pass blocking snaps, didn't allow a hit. Talent is not the issue. They could use another corner. It was a coaching, culture, and health issue. Jaxson Dart, Skattebo, Reese, Burns, Abdul Carter, Andrew Thomas. Dudes are not the problem. I had them as the most improved team." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "Kansas City. Listen, maybe they're low, but what I watched last night was something called a run game. You got to go back to Priest Holmes and Jamaal Charles. Like, wow. I mean, I like Kenneth Walker when he's healthy. I thought it was really smart. They didn't have [Patrick] Mahomes throw the ball down the field much. I thought it was a really smart, intentional game plan. Now, how much of it is like Bo Nix may not be the guy, and how much is the defense? We don't know that. But it was Andy Reid off a bye, or Andy Reid in September is just no fun to play, but you got to admit, and many of you don't want to… that was impressive." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "Listen, [Kyle] Shanahan's 12-7 against [Sean] McVay, but again, it's not that they won. We know they're talented. We just don't know if they're going to last. I compared them to "Game of Thrones". Great early, good in the middle and a lot of your favorite characters won't be around at the end. I don't know how healthy they'll be, but their starters: Deebo [Samuel] and Mike Evans had 12 catches. They knocked the Rams on their keister for three and a half hours. There was nothing not to like. In Week 6, they could be out five starters, but today, Herd Hierarchy week one, I've got them at six." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "I mean, I'm sorry, folks. What do you want me to say? The last 10 regular season games, they're beating the you know what on everybody. I mean, I know Cleveland's bad, but it's not just Liam Cohen and Trevor Lawrence. Go look at their defense. They have six games allowing 10 or fewer points since the start of last season. They're doing it on both sides. We don't talk about them. We don't want to talk about them. But it was that last year when they went to Denver and blew out the Broncos. It was like, yeah, I think they're good. If they were in New York, if they were in Dallas, would we struggle looking at this team and saying they're five? No, of course. They're good. We got to own it." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "The first team with six rushing touchdowns in a season opener since the 1922 Canton Bulldogs. Here's the thing: first it was Bill Walsh, then it was Andy Reid for 20 years, then it was Shanahan and McVay. We have found our next great offensive coach. Ben Johnson is different. I said I went to one practice and it was like whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. What am I watching? Rome Odunze now is healthy, folks. To drop 59 points is one thing. No defensive touchdowns. Colston Loveland didn't have a catch. Now I don't know if they can generate the kind of pass rush that can put great quarterbacks in discomfort. I don't know if they can do that, but I said it last year. Caleb [Williams] is different. Ben Johnson's different. This is different. This could be a Reid-Mahomes thing we're talking about. It's not just good. I've seen good. DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud. Oh, I like those two working together. Now, this is not good. It's special." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "Outgained the Colts by 255 yards. Daniel Jones looked like they didn't want to get hit. I think everybody – Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen – everybody's under pressure. It was impressive. I've fallen in love with Baltimore a lot in week one, two and three when Lamar's healthy. But Jesse Minter, go look at the Chargers' defense. He left. Go look at the Ravens' performance. He arrived. I put them at three." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "I [would] put them at one, but Sam Darnold's not healthy. Seattle's the only team in the league that can have 10 penalties, multiple turnovers, not play well and beat good teams. They did it last year against the Rams and the Texans. They didn't play particularly well: 10 penalties, new offensive coordinator, out of sorts and they beat the Patriots and really shut them down totally in the fourth quarter. So I think between coach and general manager and depth of roster and speed, they're not a top team with Drew Lock. "But Drew Lock's now been around. Now he gets first team snaps for the last eight to nine games because they played on Wednesday. So I think they drop to a number two or three team. If Sam plays, I put them at one." Cowherd’s Thoughts: "I have Buffalo in the Super Bowl. So again, like the Bengals and the Giants, I have Buffalo in the Super Bowl. Offensive coach, a greater sensibility, feel, touch and nuance with their star quarterback, told you D.J. Moore would fit. They drafted a lot of defensive guys in the last couple of years. Let's see if they can play. But two touchdown drives of 96-plus yards. I thought they were the best team I saw, considering the opposition. Nobody does that to the Texans' defense. Nobody does that to DeMeco Ryans. I mean, be honest… nobody does that. Josh Allen and the Bills did."

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/k7oJdQa

QB Stock Market Week 2: Why Caleb Williams' Ceiling Is Best QB On The Planet

Let’s kick things off with a few things I didn’t see coming. New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is the NFL’s passing leader. Jordan Love threw for 387 yards (second-most) behind a bottom-10 offensive line — and still lost. Jacoby Brissett looked like Jared Goff. Drake Maye threw three interceptions, including one that sealed the Pats' loss to the Seahawks. But Jaxson Dart took no unnecessary hits — and took care of himself and the ball — en route to the Giants' decisive win over the Cowboys. Caleb Williams looked like he could soon be the best QB on the planet. Trevor Lawrence also looked like he could soon be the best QB on the planet! And last but not least, Patrick Mahomes got the ball out in 2.27 seconds on Monday night — fastest in the NFL among QBs taking five-plus dropbacks. He’s still the fastest gun in the (AFC) West. He wasn’t brilliant, but he remains great, overcoming the ACL injury, overcoming left tackle issues and overcoming the Broncos' elite defense. Welcome back to the QB Stock Market. This isn’t your typical QB rankings. I’m focused on monitoring the fluctuations of starters' performances throughout the season. No one — not even Josh Allen — is safe at the top. No one — not even Deshaun Watson — is stuck at the bottom. There is room for quick ascent — and rapid decline. We only have one week to evaluate, and so these rankings might surprise folks. One question holds most important: What have you done for your team lately? Previous: Offseason | Preseason | Week 1 In Week 1, Drake Maye’s performance against the Seattle Seahawks was reminiscent of how Josh Allen used to play against the New England Patriots. Going back to 2018, Bill Belichick drew up nasty and exotic blitzes to spin Allen’s head. And because Allen couldn’t make sense of those blitzes, game after game, Belichick kept sending them. You could see how much joy Belichick took in the game plan, with disguises and wrinkles and eccentricity, specifically designed to beat up on Allen. Belichick must’ve looked forward to it. And then their fifth matchup rolled around. It was 2020. Belichick thought he could fool Allen, as usual. But Allen passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns. It flipped the paradigm in the AFC East. Allen never looked back. And it was one of the many things that cost Belichick his job. The Seahawks-Patriots rivalry feels like the same dynamic, with coach Mike Macdonald burying Maye with brain-twisting blitzes and disguises. To make matters worse, Maye’s three interceptions in Seattle were not overly complicated reads. They were simply egregious mistakes. The final interception was, easily, the worst decision of Maye’s career — nosediving the team’s chances in the worst way. It’s not just the Seahawks, though. Complicated defenses have a tendency to overwhelm Maye. So this feels like the same dynamic — except that we don’t know if it’ll end like it did for Allen. I expect Maye to jump back into the top 10. But it’ll depend completely upon an "aha" moment. It’ll depend completely upon Maye completing the Allen comparison, with that final developmental leap, not just by winning with talent — but by outsmarting defenses. C.J. Stroud lost it for the Texans. That hurts to say, because he got the Texans in position for a win against the Bills. He kept it close the whole way, with 274 passing yards and two touchdowns. It was a good game until that last drive. Trailing with minutes left, he drove Houston into scoring position — only to take a pair of sacks that ruined everything. For those two plays, he looked like the same deer in headlights that we saw in the playoffs against the Patriots. For those two sacks, he looked like the guy who was not deserving of a contract extension. How do we reconcile those two plays with the rest of his performance? Let’s start with the sack that was most egregious. And it wasn’t the one that ended the game. On first-and-9 with 30 seconds left and goal-to-go, Stroud took a sack from Bills defensive lineman Deone Walker. The Texans’ win probability took the most pronounced hit of the entire game, sinking a full 38.7%, per Next Gen Stats. Stroud held the ball for 3.8 seconds — way, way too long. Because this wasn’t blindside pressure. It came right up the middle. Stroud watched Walker close in, and ducked into the sack, rather than throw the ball away. Stroud didn’t look mentally ready for the play, which flipped the game in a matter of seconds. A few plays later, it was over. Bills edge Gregory Rousseau strip-sacked Stroud to end the game. It was a third-and-18, and the Texans, essentially, sent their receivers for the end zone. Nobody was open. Stroud held the ball for almost four seconds (which is way too long). But you can’t blame him, given that he had just one more down and 25 more seconds to score. Should he have thrown it away? Of course. Hindsight shows that, clearly. But I also understand why he wanted to make something happen — and risk the incoming pressure — by holding the ball a little longer. He wanted to eke out every opportunity to score on this play. I get that. In a weird way, I view this play differently than I did at the end of the game. So did the advanced stats, showing the Texans’ chances slipping 10.7% on the fumble. The rest of the game, Stroud was efficient. He battled with one of the league’s best teams and quarterbacks. The body of work — on the whole — was good. It’s just that Stroud’s errors on the final drive were irreconcilable. And the brutal truth is that those errors are the only plays we’ll remember from this game. Leave it to the Dallas Cowboys to put together the worst defensive series in all of football in Week 1. The Cowboys were worse — on the whole and on the Giants’ final scoring drive — than the Panthers, who allowed 59 points in Week 1. Dallas’ defensive expected points added per play was .363 (32nd). That’s because the Cowboys refused to cover the Giants’ checkdown option. So that’s exactly who Jaxson Dart threw to — three times in a row, including for a touchdown. Yes, seriously. Giants running back Devin Singletary had three catches in the flat on three consecutive plays. And the third was a 9-yard touchdown. It was pretty similar with every target to tight end Isaiah Likely, who had more room than he should have to operate in the middle of the field. Dart was 8 of 8 for 78 yards and two touchdowns when throwing to his new tight end. But after a season where I faulted Dart constantly for doing the wrong thing (constantly), I have to give him his flowers here. He took what the defense gave him. That’s basically the first rule of quarterbacking. His completion percentage over expected was +10.9%, and he attempted a fairly modest 17.2% tight-window throws. His time to throw was just 2.64 seconds, showing he was quick to get the ball out of his hands. It all speaks to a low-difficulty game plan against a low-talent defense. Dart did what he had to do to get the W. And in this case, he didn’t have to do much. It wasn’t totally Jared Goff’s fault that the Saints got back into their opener in Detroit, eating away at a 14-point lead and sending the game to overtime. The Lions defense shoulders plenty of that blame. But when looking at Goff’s fourth quarter, you can see a series of failed third-down conversions where he made mistakes. That let New Orleans back into it. On two third downs in the fourth quarter, Goff threw a pair of targets to Jameson Williams. In both instances, Goff made the catch more difficult than it needed to be. And there was a target for Amon-Ra St. Brown (another fourth-quarter third down) when Goff should’ve looked him off and found the second man in the progression. Williams, in particular, could’ve had a much bigger game if he and Goff had a cleaner connection. He had just four catches on his nine targets, and finished at a catch rate of 44.4% — 13.9% lower than expected, per Next Gen Stats. If Goff and Williams can figure out why, exactly, their connection grew frayed in this game, then this offense will benefit enormously. But Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown are incredible in pressure moments, including in overtime when Goff fired what seemed like a dangerous ball for St. Brown — only for the All-Pro wideout to snatch the ball away from a DB on the way into the end zone. Goff can be as precise as any quarterback in the NFL. But when he slips, even for three different third-downs, it can cost the Lions. Pocket passers — even good ones — have such a small margin for error. I think we’re past the point of thinking that Brock Purdy is simply a product of his supporting cast. I think we’re also seeing that his supporting cast can thrust him into the top 10. This 2026 roster might be better than the one that helped Purdy break out in 2023. While Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle are absolutely superstars, I’m not sure we all view Brandon Aiyuk — or even Deebo Samuel — in that same light as we once did in 2023. Perhaps Purdy didn’t get the respect he deserved for helping those two receivers play at their peak. The crazy thing about this year’s team is that they’re sustaining the insane rate of injuries that’s typical only for San Francisco. For now, the 49ers are deep enough to withstand the rolling absences. Even with rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling exiting the opener in the first half, the 49ers stayed afloat with ample targets for Mike Evans and Samuel. And with rookie running back Kaelon Black looking more than capable in a (surprising) timeshare with McCaffrey, the All-Pro veteran will undoubtedly have fresher legs into December and January. This is all great news for Purdy. He’s never going to land in the tier of QBs who defy circumstance: Lamar Jackson, Allen and Mahomes. (The tier that’s in reach for supertalents such as Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and perhaps even Trevor Lawrence.) But Week 1 against the Rams reminded that, even when things are imperfect (a good defense, a bad set of injuries, a brutal travel schedule in Australia), Purdy can be dangerous. He’s often going to exceed expectations. There are a lot of throws that Caleb Williams makes that leave me in disbelief. But there was one throw on Sunday that left me wondering if he’s the only person on the planet who could’ve completed it. Allen and Mahomes could maybe pull this one off. But that uncertainty — that maybe — speaks to just how special it was. "He couldn’t have put it in a better spot," Bears coach Ben Johnson said of the pass. OK, so let’s take a look. It’s a 22-yard touchdown to Cole Kmet. Williams rolled to the right — increasing the necessary air yards for the throw to 42.3 yards, per Next Gen Stats. And he had a 32% chance of completing the pass. There was even a pass-rusher closing in on the throw. Despite all that, Williams made this look effortless. It’s why so many Bears players and coaches told me there’s "no limit" to the offense when the 2024 No. 1 overall pick is at the helm. It’s why I’m bullish on the Bears having a real shot at making a run at making history and topping the 2013 Broncos’ scoring record. Williams was sensational (and so was the Bears' run game). He didn’t even have to get Colston Loveland involved. Loveland, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden didn’t have to score a touchdown for Williams and Co. to put up almost 60 points. Williams and Ben Johnson already had the NFL’s attention. Soon, they’ll have the NFL’s respect. And by the season’s end, 31 teams will be studying the Bears to figure out what they can copy.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/r6XCWPh

The Week 1 Plays That Stood Out, From Josh Allen's Heroics To Kyle Monangai's TD

NFL teams ran over 1,800 plays in Week 1. Unless you’re Sean McVay, you’ll probably forget 99% of them by the time Week 2 kicks off. And by October, that percentage will be even higher. But every Sunday gives us a handful of plays that will stick with us for the rest of the season. Those kinds of moments inspired this new weekly feature, where I’ll take a deeper look at three plays that shaped the past week in NFL football. We’ll dive into the strategies, the matchups, and everything else that created Sunday’s most memorable moments – along with what those moments mean for the future. This week, we’ll look at Josh Allen’s game-winner in Houston, Washington’s failed two-point conversion in Philadelphia, and the biggest play of the Bears' 59-point outburst. Josh Allen went down to Houston and exorcised some demons. The demons, in this case, were a Texans defense that has given him hell over the past two seasons, including last year’s two-interception, eight-sack stinker. Some of the lowest moments of Allen’s career have come in Houston, but Sunday’s win was one of the better games you’ll see out of the Bills star, and it was capped off by a 34-yard touchdown strike to Josh Palmer that put Buffalo ahead for good. Here’s the all-22 angle. As Allen said after the game, the play wasn't designed to go to Palmer. He was running a "clear out" route to open space for Dalton Kincaid’s intermediate route. "That is not where the ball is supposed to go," Allen said. "We have never once repped the ball going there. I just felt that those safeties started cheating to D.J. [Moore] a little bit." The Texans played man coverage with just a single safety deep. With Moore isolated to the bottom of the screen, you can see that centerfield safety, Calen Bullock, hovers closer to Moore’s side. Based on the way Kamari Lassiter is cheating to the inside on Palmer, it appears he knows he won’t have safety help in the middle. Credit to Allen for noticing the subtleties of Houston’s positioning. Most quarterbacks see that look and don’t even consider throwing to Palmer. Based on everything they’re taught, it's an absurd decision. But Allen isn’t a by-the-book quarterback. He’s an artist who specializes in absurdism. He sees a safety who’s out of position and a cornerback who will have to quickly flip his hips to keep up with Palmer’s post route. Still, it requires a high level of trust in both Palmer and his own ability to make the throw. Allen makes it look routine. The takeaway: That play didn’t just decide Sunday’s game; it also provided a promising sign for a passing game that could be bogged down by man coverage a season ago. In 2025, Allen didn’t have receivers who could dictate coverage or deter defenses from playing aggressively in the secondary. Enter Moore. Allen’s shiny, new toy in the receiving corps caught five passes for 100 yards and a score in his debut. Moore gives Allen an answer for man coverage. And if teams want to throw extra safety attention at him, it just makes things easier for his teammates. Even on a play where Moore was helping out in protection, as he did on Palmer’s game-winner, the Texans felt the need to get eyes on him. Houston hardly played any man coverage on Sunday after spamming it in last year’s matchup. If Moore’s presence can just influence how much man coverage the Bills see, he’ll be a valuable addition to the team—and maybe the one who finally gets Buffalo over the hump. (As a Maryland grad, I’m compelled to point out that the last time the Bills traded for a former Terps receiver, Allen and the offense leveled up.) Philadelphia’s 24-22 win was peak NFC East football. It may have lacked well-executed play for the most part, but it made up for it with a tense ending. After a sleepy performance, Washington’s offense rallied for a late touchdown and could have forced overtime with a two-point conversion. That put the Commanders' first-year offensive coordinator, David Blough, in the spotlight. He made the bold decision to dial up a shovel pass to the backup tight end. It went as well as you’d expect. Blough and quarterback Jayden Daniels have caught some heat for the outcome of the play, but I’m going to defend both. Let’s start with Daniels, who could have thrown the ball to running back Rachaad White in the flat for what looked like a walk-in touchdown. Sure, that may have been the best option based on how things eventually played out, but Daniels can’t pause the play or peer into the future. And based on the look the Eagles defense gave him – and the design of Washington’s play—he made the correct choice. Philly had three defenders against two Commanders blockers to the perimeter plus linebacker Jalyx Hunt ready to help out. Daniels has only a fraction of a second to make the decision. Daniels saw a 4-on-3 in the Eagles’ favor and moved on before it became clear that White had an angle to the end zone. In the screenshot above, you can see that he’s already looking at Bates for the shovel. And, really, the shovel should have worked. The Commanders have the right numbers and blockers to open up a clear path for Bates to waltz into the end zone. Unfortunately for Washington and Blough, football is not played on a whiteboard with scribbled Xs and Os. Talent and execution matter, and on this play, Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo out-talented and out-executed the Commanders offensive line. Ojomo saw the down blocks and the pulling guard and knew immediately that he’d need to cross the face of the center, Nick Allegretti, to make a play on the ball carrier. Just reading that all out in a second or two is impressive on its own, but then Ojomo pulled off a sweet spin move that left Allegretti blocking air before he enveloped Bates well short of the end zone. The takeaway: Washington’s failed two-point attempt came on a sound play design, with the quarterback making the right decision; the Commanders just didn’t have enough talent to execute. Based on Sunday’s game, this won’t be the last time that’s the case. The offensive line might be worse than advertised without Laremy Tunsil at left tackle, and the wide receiver group didn’t make Daniels’ job easier. A change at play-caller isn’t going to make up for the talent deficiency. Without any clear avenues for improvement, it could be a long season for Daniels and this offense. I could have picked any of the 10 explosive plays Chicago hit Carolina with on Sunday, but Monangai’s big run that stretched the Bears' lead to double digits and put the Panthers away for good is a perfect encapsulation of what makes Ben Johnson’s run game so damn hard to defend. Johnson had been setting up that run all afternoon. The Bears aligned in that same formation twice earlier in the game and had Luther Burden motion across the formation both times. Chicago ran "outside zone" to the weak side on both snaps. On Monangai’s big run, the Bears come out in the same formation but snap the ball just as Burden starts his motion. And instead of running outside zone to the weak side, they run their "duo" play to the strong side. You can see the hesitation by the backside safety, who is expecting Burden to motion across the formation and for a run in the same direction. He takes one false step, but in a game of inches, that makes the difference between a 10-yard run and a 61-yard touchdown. We also have to give credit to the Bears receivers, who put on a blocking clinic and bullied Carolina’s secondary all afternoon. Burden makes an impressive mid-play adjustment to block safety Tre’von Moehrig and create crease for Monangai, while Kalif Raymond clears out the second level with a pancake block on Chau Smith-Wade, who was not a stationary target. Those blocks even offensive linemen would be proud to make. The Bears' skill players made those plays all afternoon. The takeaway: Johnson says Chicago’s goal is to break the scoring record, and I’m not doubting him after what I saw Sunday. The Bears have a dynamic talent at quarterback, a strong offensive line, cutting-edge play calling, and skill players who have fully bought in. "No block, no rock" isn’t just a gimmick in Chicago. These receivers live it, and Johnson rewards them with play-making opportunities. Raymond graded out as the team’s best run blocker on Sunday, according to Pro Football Focus, so it’s no surprise that he also led the team in targets. The bigger names like Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland had quiet games in the box score but were still blocking their tails off in the second half. If they keep blocking like that, this won’t be the last 50-burger the Bears serve up this season. 1. I’m pretty sure Justin Jefferson went off script on his 39-yard touchdown catch. Based on the other routes on the play, Minnesota looked as if it was running a "dagger" concept, with Jauan Jennings running a deep crosser to clear out the coverage and T.J. Hockenson sitting down underneath. That’s a staple of Kevin O’Connell’s passing game. But the superstar receiver saw the penalty flag, realized the Vikings had a free play, and took off for the end zone. Credit to Carson Wentz for also noticing the flag and giving Jefferson a shot to make a play. 2. New Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is a star, and he won’t be in Baltimore for much longer if he keeps up the pace he set in Sunday’s win over the Colts. I could highlight so many plays from that game, but wide receiver Zay Flowers’ long touchdown stood out. Doyle had Flowers lined up in the backfield, which complicated Indy’s coverage assignments. All of the corners are playing outside, and you don’t want a linebacker on a receiver in space, so the Colts dropped a safety down to pick up Flowers, who was running an option route. Staying in front of Flowers is difficult enough. Doing so when he’s got a two-way go is even harder. And doing it from depth is downright impossible. 3. Honestly, I think Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer showed restraint when reviewing his defense’s performance after Sunday night’s loss to the Giants. The young defense was botching even the most routine concepts. As Schottenheimer points out, the Cowboys didn’t "push three times to the f***ing flat route," and two of them came on consecutive plays. With the running back running out to the flat fast, the linebacker, Jashawn Barham, has to follow him out there. You can even see the safety pointing that out to him on the first play, only for it to happen again on the next one. That’s the type of thing you’d expect to see from a high school defense. The Cowboys have a lot to clean up.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/jerXIE4

NFL Best And Worst: From The Vikings' Pressure Cooker To The Rams’ Head-Scratcher

The vaunted Rams … What happened?! Drake Maye … What are you doing?! Brian Flores … brings the heat! That Cowboys defense … yikes! After Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, I know you have strong reactions from the football you watched — both positive and negative. And it’ll be that way all year long. That's why I’ll be giving you my best and worst superlatives every Monday. I’ll drill down into the best and the worst in a number of categories. For Week 1, let’s talk plays, coaching and defense: In the Commanders’ Week 1 loss to the Eagles, special-teamer Tyler Owens produced one of the best gunner reps you’ll ever see. He fought his way through a double team at the snap from Philly’s Jonathan Jones and Darius Cooper. He stiff-armed Jones about five yards downfield. Then he stiff-armed Jones and Cooper simultaneously. He threw Cooper to the ground. He threw Jones down about 10 yards later. And if all that wasn’t enough, he took down Eagles punt returner Britain Covey with a textbook tackle, driving him to the ground. On an individual basis, regardless of the phase of the game, it’s one of the most impressive plays in recent NFL history. The clip will be on a loop for football teams at all levels all week and referenced for years to come as an example of the kind of effort and finish coaches want to see on the field. Each of Maye’s three picks were bad in the Patriots’ 13-10 season-opening loss to the Seahawks, but his final one, which sealed New England’s loss, was particularly puzzling. The Patriots faced a third-and-5 from the Seahawks 16 with 26 seconds left, trailing by three points. That’s where Maye forced a throw to a tightly-covered Mack Hollins in the end zone. Seeing that Hollins wasn’t open, Maye should’ve thrown the ball away, giving New England a chance to tie the game with a field goal. That’s quarterbacking 101. You cannot have a turnover (or take a huge yardage loss on a sack) in that situation. For a quarterback of Maye’s caliber to make a rookie-level mistake like that is baffling. His track record against great defenses isn’t good, so that will be something to watch as his third NFL season unfolds. Flores concocted a brilliant defensive game plan to help the Vikings to a 39-22 season-opening victory over the Packers. The veteran playcaller was relentless in harassing Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who was blitzed on 78.3% of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats. That’s the fourth-highest rate by a defense in any game in at least eight years. Minnesota generated four sacks and an interception on second-half blitzes. Vikings linebacker Black Cashman had seven quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds), which was the most by a player at his position in a single game since at least 2018, per NGS. Third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner registered a career-high 10 pressures. Flores, the former Dolphins head coach, has been in the mix for head coaching openings for years only to be passed over — to the benefit of the Vikings. His complex defense has consistently ranked among the league’s top units since he became Minnesota’s defensive playcaller in 2023. I’m banking on that continuing in 2026. Next week, Flores takes on Ben Johnson and the Bears, the NFL's highest-scoring offense in Week 1. The Rams’ decision to take a 16-hour flight and arrive in Melbourne, Australia, the day before their opener against the 49ers didn't seem to make much sense. Sure enough, the Rams looked flat in their 27-7 season-opening loss in what's being called "The Jet Lag Game." Even if you chalk that up as an organizational decision based on advice from experts in sleep study, McVay fell short in other ways. His decision to call a goal-line quarterback sneak with 38-year-old Matthew Stafford, who has a history of back issues, was puzzling (Stafford was stuffed). But what stood out the most to me was McVay's poor handling of star edge rusher Myles Garrett’s knee issue. After the Rams’ loss, a game in which Garrett went without a tackle for the first time since Week 11 of the 2024 season, McVay said the reigning Defensive Player of the Year’s knee was 100 percent to his knowledge. A couple of days later, it was announced that Garrett, who was held out for much of training camp due to his knee, would have arthroscopic surgery and be placed on injured reserve. That means he'll miss at least four games. The Bengals’ new-look defense lived up to the hype. Cincinnati generated a league-high four turnovers, including on three straight possessions in the first half, to help the team to a 33-27 victory over Tampa Bay. Those four takeaways led to 24 points, including a defensive touchdown by linebacker Demetrius Knight, who registered the team’s first fumble recovery for a TD since 2022. All four of the turnovers forced by the Bengals were fumbles, which came from four different Cincinnati defenders — linebacker Barrett Carter, safety Bryan Cook, defensive ends Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe. That speaks to the depth of the defense, which gave up just 89 rushing yards. After finishing 31st in total defense last season, don’t be surprised to see Cincinnati be top-10 good defensively this year. Yes, the Panthers gave up 59 points. But I think that says more about Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the dynamic Bears offense. So my focus here is on the Cowboys, who spent all offseason telling us that this year’s defense wasn’t the same as last year’s only to … look like last year’s. They appeared to be completely overwhelmed and unprepared against the Giants in Week 1. Dallas gave up 165 rushing yards and three drives of at least 12 plays to end the game. New York went 9-of-10 on third down, excluding the game-ending kneel down. Quarterback Jaxson Dart completed 79.3% of his passes. There were coverage lapses everywhere. The Cowboys had a four-man pressure rate of just 10.0%, their lowest in a game in five years, according to Next Gen Stats. I think Christian Parker, the Cowboys’ 34-year-old defensive coordinator, is a good young coach. Defensively, Dallas is better on paper. But Monday’s performance was putrid.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/5SpFQTm

2026 NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year Odds: Love Favored, Price Surges

No rookie climbed the Offensive Rookie of the Year oddsboard more after Week 1 than Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price. Price rushed for 52 yards on 10 carries in his NFL debut, showcasing his explosiveness while emerging as Seattle’s lead back. As a result, his odds to win the award jumped from +4000 to +350. However, a familiar name remains atop the oddsboard. Let's check out the latest odds to win OROY at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 14. 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. Jeremiyah Love: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Jadarian Price: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)Carnell Tate: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)Fernando Mendoza: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)Antonio Williams: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)KC Concepción: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Denzel Boston: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Caleb Douglas: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Makai Lemon: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)De'Zhaun Stribling: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Carson Beck: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Here's what to know about the oddsboard: Love Affair: Arizona has found its new soulmate in the backfield, as Love is favored to win the OROY. He had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores for the Fighting Irish last season, after having 1,125 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns the year prior. In his NFL debut against the Chargers, Love recorded 41 rushing yards on 11 carries and added two catches for nine yards. He also scored his first career touchdown on a 5-yard run in the first quarter. After entering the season as the +475 favorite to win OROY, Love remains atop the oddsboard at +300. What About Nando?: The first pick in this past NFL draft came as no surprise, with Mendoza landing in Las Vegas. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 scores last season, winning both the Heisman and College Football Playoff title for Indiana. However, the Raiders opened the season with veteran Kirk Cousins under center and Mendoza on the sideline. After Cousins led the Raiders to a Week 1 win over the Dolphins, the No. 1 overall pick’s OROY odds dropped from +550 to +950 amid uncertainty over when, or if, he will play this season.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/YVtkTWd

NFL Catchup: Ravens WRs, Kyler Murray Injured; Bills, Jets Epic Postgame Speeches

It was an exciting Week 1 of the NFL with big wins and breakout performances from new and veteran stars. The Jaguars pulled out a dominant 34-10 win over the Browns and the Jets started the year in the win column, defeating the Titans 24-10. Additionally, first-year head coaches including Baltimore's Jesse Minter and Buffalo's Joe Brady secured their first wins as head coaches. Whether it was shocking injury news to key starters or electric postgame speeches, Week 1 delivered. Here's everything that happened from Week 1 of the NFL season: In wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane's debut in a Ravens jersey and Zay Flowers' coming off a massive contract extension, both exited Baltimore's game early with injuries. Lane was sidelined with a right wrist injury and Flowers' departed with a hamstring injury that started as questionable to return, which quickly progressed into being ruled out. Flowers' injury has been ongoing from weeks prior, when he was sidelined for two weeks of practice due to the irritating hamstring injury. After fully suiting for this past Friday's practice, Flowers' production translated to five catches for 150 yards and one touchdown. For Lane – Baltimore's third-round NFL Draft pick from USC – his first game in the NFL was cut short, finishing the day with one reception on three targets and 11 receiving yards. Lane's debut also saw a touchdown reception, but was negated by a penalty. Lane left the field early with a wrist injury and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. After the Ravens 41-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore will host the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. In his first start for the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Kyler Murray's time under center was cut short due to a head injury. When Murray took off in an attempt at a first down, Murray went head first to kill the play, and was hit by a pair of Packer defenders to the head. Murray was quickly attended to and exited the field. After evaluation, the quarterback was ruled out for the day with a concussion. Murray's injury now gave way for backup quarterback Carson Wentz to take the field. Wentz started five games last season while quarterback J.J. McCarthy was dealing with an ongoing ankle injury. Through an ongoing quarterback competition between McCarthy and Murray, Murray ultimately landed the starting job on Aug. 11. Now, the Vikings will turn to Wentz for future competition under center as Murray is sidelined. In the Cleveland Browns opener on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns took a 34-10 loss, with their first touchdown of the day coming in the final two minutes of the game. Following the loss, head coach Todd Monken reacted to the performance of quarterback Deshaun Watson, as well as the quality of coaching throughout the game. "I'm sure as hell not firing me," Monken said in the Browns' postgame presser. "I'm not firing our staff. I'm not getting rid of all our players. He happens to be one of 53. So, we'll evaluate everything. We just didn't play good enough ... didn't coach well enough." Watson finished the day completing 16-of-22 passes, 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Notably, Watson was sacked a total of five times. The Browns now turn to a road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The Bills' thrilling 36-31 win over the Texans marked head coach Joe Brady's first in the NFL, and he celebrated in memorable style: shirtless. "You wanna talk about conviction? Everything we believe in man, showed up in that game. We said, ‘Don’t look at the scoreboard, man.’ We just said put the ball down. They moved the ball," Brady said after the game. Quarterback Josh Allen completed 20-of-29 passes, 334 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On top of Allen's numbers, the Bills' offense had a solid day through the air. Wide receiver DJ Moore closed out his first game for Buffalo with five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Dalton Kincaid recorded five receptions for 130 yards. Buffalo now hosts the Detroit Lions for Thursday Night Football for their first home game in the newly renovated Highmark Stadium. The Jets added quarterback Geno Smith through free agency, and drafted edge rusher David Bailey Jr., tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the first round earlier this year. There was some potential hype that this team could become competitive as head coach Aaron Glenn enters his second season. The Jets offense delivered, as Smith completed 19-of-24 and 215 yards. Running back Breece Hall recorded 22 carries for 102 yards and one touchdown, and wide receiver Garrett Wilson finished with six receptions for 73 yards. D efensively, New York recorded three sacks, four tackles-for-loss and held the Titans to just 10 points on the day. To close out their win, Glenn delivered a thrilling postgame speech:

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/8M7VdUW