The Ringer - Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 62019-10-14T16:17:52-04:00http://www.theringer.com/rss/stream/162319012019-10-14T16:17:52-04:002019-10-14T16:17:52-04:00Week 6 Recap With Chris Long
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<p>Russillo looks at how the Texans pulled out a win at Kansas City, discusses questionable officiating, and checks in on the NFC East</p> <p id="gwBdFe"><a href="https://art19.com/shows/the-ryen-russillo-podcast/episodes/d72ec87e-e79f-4faa-927b-6d7965ebbd97">Russillo is joined by two-time Super Bowl champion</a> Chris Long to discuss NFL Week 6, including Deshaun Watson and the Texans pulling out a win at Kansas City, the Cowboys’ loss to a scrappy Jets team, questionable officiating, best/worst plane rides, an NFC East check-in, “What’s wrong with the Chargers?,” possible trades as the deadline approaches, the undefeated 49ers, and more.</p>
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https://www.theringer.com/2019/10/14/20914407/week-6-recap-with-chris-longRyen Russillo2019-10-14T12:35:32-04:002019-10-14T12:35:32-04:00Russell Wilson Is the Story of This NFL Season—and the MVP Favorite
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<p>Throughout Wilson’s career, Seattle has been defined by the Legion of Boom, a dominant running game, and otherwise uninspiring offensive systems. But this year the Seahawks bet big on their QB, and he’s proving them right.</p> <aside id="SUsuff"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About Week 6 of the 2019 NFL Season","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/10/11/20909781/everything-you-need-to-know-about-week-6-of-the-nfl"}]}'></div></aside><p id="8BcM2y">Russell Wilson has been called many things during his eight seasons with the Seahawks. Early in his career, as the Legion of Boom suffocated offenses and Marshawn Lynch punished defenses, Wilson was considered an effective cog in a Super Bowl–contending machine. In 2015, when Seattle’s defensive dominance had faded slightly and Lynch began to break down, Wilson emerged as an elite passer, someone capable of carrying an offense. Over the next few seasons, though, as Wilson fought through shaky pass protection and an uninspired offensive system, he became known as a gifted quarterback who was hindered by bad circumstances. He still performed disappearing acts in the pocket and dropped picturesque throws all over the field, but as part of an otherwise stale, run-heavy offense, it began to feel like we’d never see what he could <em>really </em>do. Until now. Because no matter what Wilson has been called in the past, there’s been only one way to describe him this season: the MVP favorite and best player in the NFL. </p>
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<p id="4FGdkG">Wilson completed 23 of his 33 attempts for 295 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in Sunday’s 32-28 win over the Browns. That performance was similar to the five other nearly flawless outings that Wilson’s had so far in 2019. He’s been more than comfortable getting the ball out of his hands accurately and on time when plays come together, and even when they don’t, he’s found success improvising both inside and outside of the pocket. To watch Wilson right now is to see a quarterback completely in control—which is a feat for someone who moves around as much as he does. Unlike other scrambling quarterbacks (and unlike Wilson’s play earlier in his career), his movements always have purpose. Even as he evades defenders, this version of Russell Wilson is in total command, and that was evident in both of his touchdown passes on Sunday. </p>
<p id="IPJn72">On his 17-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown in the final minute of the first half, Wilson checked the call pre-snap and then delivered a beautiful throw on a corner route to the right side of the end zone. Every aspect of the play showcased just how locked in Wilson has been this season. Suspecting extra pressure, he tweaked Seattle’s protection at the line of scrimmage. He also flashed a quick hand gesture at Brown, telling the receiver to tighten his split so the slot cornerback would have a tougher time determining whether the route would break inside or outside. To cap it all off, Wilson beat the Cleveland blitz by uncorking a perfect throw almost immediately after the snap. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russell Wilson. 17-yard pass to Jaron Brown. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Seahawks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Seahawks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jaronbrown13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaronbrown13</a> <a href="https://t.co/2XKIncEctr">pic.twitter.com/2XKIncEctr</a></p>— SeahawksUnited (@SeahawksUnited_) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeahawksUnited_/status/1183453420746956800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a>
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<p id="PzKL17">The following quarter, Wilson orchestrated a touchdown drive without a <a href="https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1183558970058760192?s=20">working headset</a> in his helmet, meaning he was forced to call plays all the way down the field. Seattle marched 53 yards on seven plays before Wilson found Brown at the front of the end zone to give Seattle a 25-20 lead. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">JARON BROWN FOR 6️⃣, AGAIN! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoHawks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoHawks</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SEAvsCLE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SEAvsCLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/PdHY9jLWMs">pic.twitter.com/PdHY9jLWMs</a></p>— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1183461771593449472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a>
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<p id="d3A2vC">The blend of high-level quarterbacking and borderline magical powers that Wilson displayed against the Browns is the same elixir he’s been brewing all season. In Seattle’s matchup with the Steelers in Week 2, Wilson—who typically ranks near the top of the league in time to throw—had an average release time of 1.82 seconds, by far the lowest mark in the league that week. He finished that game 29-of-35 with three touchdowns on passes that came in 2.5 seconds or less. Against the Rams in Week 5, Wilson’s average release time was 3.41 seconds—by far the <em>highest </em>mark in the league. On throws that came in 2.5 seconds or <em>more </em>in that game, he finished seven-of-10 with three touchdowns. Wilson’s brilliance this season has come from his adaptability. He can be whatever type of quarterback the situation calls for, and perform each role better than he ever has before. </p>
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<p id="bmyfVi">Throughout the Seahawks’ 5-1 start, Wilson has recorded 14 touchdown passes, zero interceptions, a 72.5 percent completion rate, a career-high 9.0 yards per attempt, and a league-leading 10.5 adjusted yards per attempt. Since QBs don’t often inexplicably improve at age 30, it’d be reasonable to guess that Seattle has altered its scheme to make things easier for Wilson. But neither the tape nor the numbers bear that out. </p>
<p id="yaurYw">According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Wilson’s expected completion percentage—which is calculated by looking at receiver route depths and separation—is only 62.5 percent. The 10-percentage-point gap between Wilson’s actual completion rate and his expected one is comfortably the largest in the NFL, which indicates that he’s outperformed his offensive scheme more than any other passer. And that’s not the only factor holding him back. Wilson has been fantastic using play-action this season. His 12.1 yards per attempt when using a play fake is the second-highest mark in the league, and his 77.5 percent completion rate ranks third. But the Seahawks are using play-action on only 23.7 percent of Wilson’s dropbacks, which ranks 23rd out of 36 qualified quarterbacks and is actually about seven percentage points lower than his play-action rate from last season. </p>
<p id="GTh1k1">Seattle is also foolishly sticking to the run-heavy first-down plan it deployed in 2018. The Seahawks have run the ball on 57 percent of their first-and-10s this season, and their running backs are averaging a combined 3.5 yards per attempt on those carries. The addition of downfield threat D.K. Metcalf and Wilson’s familiarity with second-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s system have probably helped matters, but for the most part, any changes in Seattle’s offense have been marginal. Wilson’s emergence as a defense-destroying efficiency monster has been his own doing. </p>
<p id="KdDvRn">Wilson’s MVP-level start is even more ironic when you consider the discourse that surrounded him during his contract negotiations with the Seahawks last offseason. At the time, some suggested Seattle would be better off dealing its star QB for a war chest of first-round picks rather than paying him upward of $35 million per season. The argument was that with Wilson occupying up to 15 percent of the Seahawks’ salary cap in future seasons, the franchise wouldn’t be able to build a contending roster around him. Over the past month, though, Wilson has shown just how misguided that line of thinking was. </p>
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<p id="B6ZJzG">In anticipation of Wilson’s mega-extension (and a huge new deal for linebacker Bobby Wagner), the Seahawks stripped most of the roster to the studs this offseason. Players like Earl Thomas and Justin Coleman left in free agency. Seattle traded down multiple times in the draft to accrue extra picks. In terms of financial allocation, the plan seemed to be “Wilson, Tyler Lockett, Wagner, and a whole lot of youth.” And so far, Wilson’s abilities have made that plan a rousing success. The Seahawks are poised for a trip to the playoffs, and they’re projected to have nearly $66 million in cap space in 2020. Wilson has demonstrated that paying top dollar for the right quarterback is worth it every time. </p>
<p id="dJWO0F">The initial skepticism over paying Wilson seems difficult to comprehend now that he’s lighting up the league, but the early narrative around him has made some slow to recognize his ascension. During Wilson’s first few seasons, Seattle fielded a dominant, historic roster headlined by some of the biggest, brashest names in the NFL. With Richard Sherman talking shit, Earl Thomas patrolling the secondary, Kam Chancellor dropping the hammer, and Lynch beasting on defenses, Wilson faded into the background. Even as the pecking order on Seattle’s roster shifted, it was still defensive players—Michael Bennett, Bobby Wagner, and K.J. Wright—who defined the Seahawks’ identity. </p>
<p id="mja5dD">Wilson finally got his chance to lead the offense when Lynch went down during the second half of the 2015 season. In place of the team’s ground-and-pound approach from years past, Seattle transitioned to a spread-out, shotgun-based passing attack that allowed Wilson to operate as the point guard of the offense. Over the final seven games of that season, Wilson completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,906 yards, 24 touchdowns, and one interception while averaging an absurd 8.8 yards per attempt. It felt like both the Seahawks and the football-watching world were finally ready to acknowledge Wilson’s place among the league’s best quarterbacks. But that period was short-lived. Before the 2017 season, Mike Sando’s <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/20400339/2017-nfl-qb-tier-rankings-new-england-patriots-tom-brady-green-bay-packers-aaron-rodgers">QB Tier rankings</a>—which polls 50 coaches and NFL executives each year—rated Wilson as the 10th-best quarterback in the NFL. Forty people characterized Wilson as a Tier 2 quarterback, which is defined as a player who can carry his team “sometimes,” and seven placed him in Tier 3 as a “legitimate starter” but one that “needs a heavier run game or defense to win.” </p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="jKYEed">Even as Wilson continued to show that he belonged at the table with the league’s best quarterbacks, his early-career reputation followed him. But now, with the final piece of the Legion of Boom gone and a lackluster running game that can take this team only so far, Seattle’s fortunes don’t hinge on its past identities. The Seahawks are now unmistakably Russell Wilson’s team, and for the first time, people are understanding how great that team can be.</p>
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https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/10/14/20913788/russell-wilson-seattle-seahawks-mvp-best-seasonRobert Mays2017-10-16T09:52:52-04:002017-10-16T09:52:52-04:00NFL Week 6 Recap: Aaron Rodgers’s Injury Amplifies the League’s Star-Power Problem
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<p>Many of the NFL’s most recognizable stars are on the IR. Will that significantly affect the sport’s popularity?</p> <aside id="R9f4hp"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 6","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/13/16467860/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nfl-week-6"}]}'></div></aside><p class="p--has-dropcap" id="YK9iJ6">The sight of Aaron Rodgers riding a cart into the locker room Sunday, immobile right arm pulled close to his body, capped a brutal stretch of injuries to some of the NFL’s most visible personalities. Over the span of eight days, Rodgers (broken collarbone), Odell Beckham Jr. (fractured ankle), and J.J. Watt (tibial plateau fracture) were all presumably lost for the season. With that trio gone, the NFL now faces the strange reality of marketing itself as a league largely devoid of stars. </p>
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<p id="7z3n8d">Tom Brady still exists, and he threw two touchdown passes in the Patriots’ 24-17 victory over the Jets on Sunday. And Antonio Brown finished the Steelers’ 19-13 win over the Chiefs with 155 receiving yards to go with his requisite <a href="https://twitter.com/steelers/status/919699874127405057">show-stopping score</a>. But the NFL’s list of superstars doesn’t go much deeper than that. The players lost during the past week or so aren’t just some of the game’s best. They’re also some of its most transcendent, the ones who managed to break through the relative anonymity that besets most guys wearing helmets. They’re featured in commercials for shampoo, car insurance, and headphones. Losing so many players in that tier presents yet another challenge for a league already facing questions about its appeal. </p>
<p id="bfA6x5">One week after Beckham went down, the Giants filled Sunday’s prime-time slot with their 23-10 win over the Broncos. Beyond Eli Manning, the most famous healthy Giants player is … who, exactly? Meanwhile, on Monday, Marcus Mariota and Tennessee will square off against Jacoby Brissett and Indianapolis in a quarterback matchup that exactly zero people outside the football-nerd community have circled on their calendars. The Colts-Titans clash is a microcosm of the league’s vacuum of star power: Andrew Luck is among the recognizable names who’s had his 2017 season spoiled by injury. And even if Mariota feels destined to develop into one of the game’s better quarterbacks, he’s yet to crack any list of the game’s most marketable faces. </p>
<p id="6PCrA8">The Mariota–Derek Carr–Jameis Winston tier of quarterbacks was supposed to help fill the void of superstars created by Peyton Manning’s retirement and the eventual decline of the older generation of passers that includes Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger. But the former group’s ascension seems to have stalled. Carr’s Raiders have been a mess on offense for the past month regardless of whether he’s been on the field, a trend that continued in Week 6 as he turned in a 171-yard, two-interception outing in a 17-16 loss to the Chargers. Winston went 5-of-10 passing against Arizona before exiting in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, leaving backup Ryan Fitzpatrick to pull the Buccaneers to a 38-33 defeat. The biggest star on the field in that one was running back Adrian Peterson, a 32-year-old future Hall of Famer who’s on his third team in the past year; lest we forget, the only reason that the Cardinals acquired him in a trade with New Orleans last week is because another one of the league’s bright young stars, 2016 all-purpose yards leader David Johnson, is likely out until at least December with a wrist injury.</p>
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<cite>Don Feria/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="Rs9jBU">Rodgers went out after taking a hit from Minnesota’s Anthony Barr just two days before the 2017-18 NBA season tips off, and it’s worth noting that as football tries to power through a campaign lacking marketable stars, basketball is flush with them. The offseason movement of major names, from Chris Paul to Paul George to Carmelo Anthony, and the continued emergence of young talent have helped the NBA solidify its status as a league driven almost entirely by its personalities and their story lines. </p>
<p id="ygaC7y">Conversely, the NFL has been left to rely on the appeal of the game itself. The draw resides less in the appointment viewing of individual players than in the pull of the sport as a whole, in addition to exterior factors like fantasy sports and gambling. At this point, the league is banking on the inertia of football as a television product. The tagline for <em>Thursday Night Football</em> is literally, “When it’s on, it’s on.” </p>
<p id="PLNxRW">The NFL’s injury woes—which have claimed players like Julian Edelman, Brandon Marshall, Greg Olsen, and Tyler Eifert in addition to headliners like Rodgers, Beckham, and Watt—feel only more pronounced when the wave of young players is taken into account. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was electrifying in his first few games before he tore his ACL in a 14-7 loss to the Lions in Week 4; when fellow rookie standout Leonard Fournette came up limping late in the Jaguars’ 27-17 loss to the Rams on Sunday, it felt like the punch line of a particularly cruel joke. (Fournette <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/10/15/leonard-fournette-said-hes-fine-after-injury-scare/">said he was “fine”</a> after the game and should be healthy enough to play in Week 7.)</p>
<p id="VBkpIk">Along with Cook and Fournette, this season’s rookie class has provided its share of compulsively watchable players. Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt has been fantastic through six weeks, while Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has become appointment viewing after just five career starts. Given the league’s current landscape, though, Watson appears to be the exception rather than the rule. The high-scoring affair between Watson’s Texans and the then-undefeated Chiefs in Week 5 was a gift to fans after the nationally televised dreck that preceded it, but that caliber of prime-time display may prove to be an anomaly. On Thanksgiving night, NBC will have to sell viewers on a Giants-Redskins tilt that’s missing Beckham. Three days later, newly christened Green Bay starting quarterback Brett Hundley will face Roethlisberger on <em>Sunday Night Football</em>. </p>
<p id="9rzFo3">During a year in which the national conversation surrounding the sport has so often strayed from what’s happening on the field, the sudden absence of the league’s most recognizable stars is a significant blow. The NFL has long believed that the sport itself is enough to drive the league’s popularity; now is when we’ll find out how true that is. </p>
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<cite>Hannah Foslien/Getty Images</cite>
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<h3 id="bbiGLY"><strong>The Starting 11</strong></h3>
<p id="61fjqN"><em>A look at 11 big story lines, key developments, and interesting tidbits from this week in the NFL.</em></p>
<p id="er0eI1"><strong>1.</strong> <strong>The Rodgers injury throws a wrench into an already</strong><strong>-</strong><strong>crowded NFC North playoff picture. </strong>Sitting at 4-1 heading into this weekend, Green Bay seemed a virtual lock to either take home the division or sneak into the postseason as a wild card. Remove the best quarterback in football, though, and no lead in the standings is safe. The Packers weren’t able to get much of anything going with Hundley under center in Minnesota. The 2015 fifth-round pick tossed three interceptions, completed 18 of 33 attempts, and looked generally out of sorts in a 23-10 loss. Life in Green Bay has been good with Rodgers; that could become fully apparent now that he’s out. </p>
<p id="lEzAgr">The Vikings have their own quarterback injury issues with Sam Bradford’s status up in the air, but the difference is that the talent on the rest of their roster can make up for shoddy play under center. Wide receiver Adam Thielen continues to be a steadying presence on the outside, Kyle Rudolph made a pair of spectacular catches Sunday, and this team still has one of the most complete defenses in football. Even Jerick McKinnon (99 total yards with two touchdowns) did his part while filling in for Cook.</p>
<p id="balj8L">Through five games, Green Bay’s advantage at quarterback—both in its division and across most of the league—was as stark this season as it had ever been. But that might have been the Packers’ <em>only</em> advantage over the Vikings. With Detroit sitting only a game back of both teams following a wild contest in New Orleans, it may not be long before the Packers’ grip on the NFC North is gone.</p>
<p id="TSOfIG"><strong>2.</strong> <strong>The Lions’ 52-38 loss to the Saints felt like it happened in another dimension. </strong>A game in which these two teams combined to score 90 points isn’t strange on its own. It’s how they reached that total that is. Detroit and New Orleans recorded <em>four </em>defensive touchdowns, including two on plays by the Saints defense that happened in the end zone. After cornerback Marshon Lattimore returned an interception 27 yards for a score to give New Orleans a 45-10 lead midway through the third quarter, the Lions rattled off 28 unanswered points, a stretch that featured a punt return score and a 2-yard pick-six by 320-pounder A’Shawn Robinson. Every time I looked up at this game, it felt like someone unexpected was waltzing into the end zone.</p>
<p id="qJoa0w">Twists and turns aside, this was another encouraging outing from a Saints defense that appeared hapless early in the season. It racked up five sacks and six quarterback hits, although that was partially aided by Matthew Stafford’s clear lack of mobility stemming from the minor ankle injury he sustained last week. With Rodgers and Bradford on the shelf, Detroit has a great opportunity to make a run at the division, but it’ll need a healthy version of Stafford to do it. </p>
<p id="7lyQ4Q"><strong>3.</strong> <strong>The most troubling part of Atlanta blowing a 17-0 lead was its offense looking stagnant yet again. </strong>The Falcons had four possessions during the second half of Sunday’s game against the Dolphins; they went three-and-out twice, turned the ball over on downs, and threw a pick that sealed Miami’s 20-17 comeback win. Atlanta had trouble dealing with the Dolphins’ front four, with sacks by Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake sabotaging drives, and Matt Ryan went 24-of-35 passing for 248 yards.</p>
<p id="D5SA0q">The Falcons have quietly missed having Mohamed Sanu (who’s out with a hamstring injury) as a secondary option in the passing game, but their issues on offense are more systemic. The formation variance and easy throws that were a staple of this unit last season haven’t been there this time around, and Atlanta’s production has dipped as a result. The Falcons are still in prime position to contend in the NFC North, but the quick-strike element that made them the best team in the conference in 2016 is missing. </p>
<p id="heU0lR"><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Adrian Peterson’s stunning debut with the Cardinals rectified a decade-old mistake. </strong>In 2007, the Arizona front office used the fifth overall pick in the draft on Penn State left tackle Levi Brown, who spent six-plus seasons with the franchise as a middling bookend. Two spots later, the Vikings took Peterson. Trading for Peterson last week was a small way for Cardinals general manager Steve Keim to right that wrong and, from the looks of it, provide real a jolt of energy to Arizona’s offense. Peterson was resurgent against the Bucs, carrying 26 times for 134 rushing yards with two touchdowns and quelling any doubt about whether he has anything left in the tank. The Cards’ under-center, downhill offensive style is a perfect fit for Peterson, and probably the type he should’ve targeted as a free agent. </p>
<p id="o0VhpZ">Still, for as good Peterson looked Sunday, Tampa Bay looked equally bad. It seemed lost all afternoon, and it didn’t help that Winston went down with a shoulder injury shortly before halftime. The Bucs entered this fall as a popular pick to make the leap in their second year under head coach Dirk Koetter; so far, they’ve shown few signs of progress. Winston resembles the player he was in his first two NFL seasons, and young guys like cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III have added to the team’s problems, not solved them. </p>
<p id="bp8Ly9"><strong>5. Pittsburgh’s ugly win over the Chiefs revealed a team that could cause trouble in the AFC—even if it isn’t the type of team that many people expected. </strong>With receiver Martavis Bryant back in the fold after his 2016 suspension, the Steelers offense was expected to return to its high-flying ways this fall. On Sunday, though, Pittsburgh proved that it can win games even when it doesn’t light up the scoreboard. Le’Veon Bell carried 32 times in a 19-13 victory, as the Steelers used physicality up front on both sides of the ball to hand Kansas City its first loss. Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward combined to handle the interior of the Chiefs offensive line all day, building on the strong campaigns they’ve already put together in 2017. Somehow, Pittsburgh’s defense may have emerged as this team’s biggest strength. That wouldn’t have seemed possible a few weeks ago.</p>
<div><aside id="8jpyb4"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Forget the Chiefs: There Is No Best Team in the NFL","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/15/16480532/kansas-city-chiefs-pittsburgh-steelers-parity"}]}'></div></aside></div>
<p id="wfdFf0"><strong>6. The Rams turned to Todd Gurley against the league’s best pass defense, and he did not disappoint. </strong>Gurley’s 116-yard-rushing outing against the Jaguars was exactly the type of performance that Los Angeles needed to beat an opponent with the league’s 31st-ranked rush defense, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA. None of Gurley’s touches went for more than 14 yards, yet he consistently ripped off chunk plays that allowed the Rams to move the chains and sustain their offense. While Jared Goff and the passing game have generated most of the excitement throughout L.A.’s hot start in 2017, first-year coach Sean McVay must be thrilled to know that he can turn to Gurley as a workhorse back when needed. </p>
<p id="PyfWSq"><strong>7. Tom Brady’s subtle mobility in the pocket has always been one of his defining traits; even at age 40, it hasn’t fallen off. </strong>I’m pretty sure that Brady would have trouble clocking a sub-5.0-second time in the 40-yard dash right now, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still the best in the game at navigating small spaces in the pocket and using tiny movements to unleash big-time throws. Brady’s 33-yard strike to Rob Gronkowski in the third quarter against the Jets was a perfect example of him evading pressure while remaining in a position to keep his eyes downfield, quickly reset, and give himself options that wouldn’t have been available early in the down.</p>
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<p id="YklFJx"><strong>8.</strong> <strong>The 49ers going to rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard already looks like the right choice. </strong>After mounting four consecutive scoreless drives—two of which were three-and-outs—in a 26-24 loss to Washington, San Francisco benched Brian Hoyer and plugged in the 2017 third-rounder out of Iowa. While Beathard was frantic at times, it was immediately clear how much more life the Niners offense had with him under center. He went 19-of-36 passing for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception.</p>
<p id="LLadU3">For a team like the 49ers, who remain winless and aren’t going anywhere fast, figuring out what Beathard can be is a worthwhile pursuit. At worst, he’ll get ample time as the starter, flounder, and show San Francisco that he projects as nothing more than a long-term backup. At best, he’ll play well enough to convince that first-year coach Kyle Shanahan that he has a legitimate future as a starting quarterback. Either way, continuing to let Hoyer lead an anemic offense was never going to be the answer.</p>
<p id="VoS7fE"><strong>9. This week’s line-play moment that made me hit rewind: </strong>Joey Bosa’s heat-seeking hands.<strong> </strong></p>
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<p id="SWAsbt">Bosa sets himself apart as a pass rusher with the way that he uses his hands. He’s relentless with them, rarely stopping after delivering an initial punch to opposing offensive linemen who stand in his path. What’s even more remarkable, though, is how well he’s able to place them. Bosa’s strip sack of Derek Carr in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 17-16 win over the Raiders was a perfect example. After jarring Marshall Newhouse back with a two-handed punch to the chest, Bosa was able to turn his attention to Carr <em>and </em>redirect his hands quickly enough to knock the ball loose. </p>
<p id="lk1tKh"><strong>10.</strong> <strong>This week in </strong><em><strong>tales of the tape</strong></em><strong>: Antonio Brown’s ability to use deception is unfair when paired with sneaky route combinations. </strong></p>
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<p id="1Vpz8z"> The Steelers used a beautiful design to get Brown open on a second-and-6 play midway through the third quarter of their victory over the Chiefs. After motioning Bell to the slot, Pittsburgh ran what initially looked like a typical slant-flat combination with Bell and Brown. After Kansas City cornerback Terrance Mitchell committed to the slant, though, Brown broke his route behind Mitchell and turned up the field to give the Steelers an easy chunk completion. With his understanding of how to pace double moves, Brown is the perfect guy to execute a play like this. This is borderline unstoppable.</p>
<p id="1UgHuF"><strong>11. This week in </strong><em><strong>NFL players, they’re absolutely nothing like us</strong></em><strong>: </strong>Harrison Smith manages to move the ball with his mind.<strong> </strong> </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This <a href="https://twitter.com/HarriSmith22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarriSmith22</a> is INT is... WOW. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SKOL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SKOL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZhcrAJcQdO">pic.twitter.com/ZhcrAJcQdO</a></p>— NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/919650435392192512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p class="c-end-para" id="48C2ff">I still don’t understand how Smith hauled in this game-sealing interception. After deflecting the pass—while horizontal to the ground—he was somehow able to follow the ball in midair, get his hands underneath it, and corral it into his arms. There is no explanation for that other than telekinesis.</p>
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/16/16481782/week-6-recap-aaron-rodgers-injury-league-star-power-problemRobert Mays2017-10-16T03:15:29-04:002017-10-16T03:15:29-04:00The Winners and Losers From NFL Week 6
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<figcaption>Getty Images/USA Today/Ringer illustration</figcaption>
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<p>Harvard finally shines at football, Kiko Alonso literally carries a player, and Joe Flacco ignores the line of scrimmage</p> <aside id="5FJ3Ou"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 6","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/13/16467860/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nfl-week-6"}]}'></div></aside><p id="eH88V9"><em>Every week this NFL season, we will celebrate the electric plays, admonish the colossal blunders, and explain the inexplicable moments of the most recent slate. Welcome to Winners and Losers. Which one are you?</em></p>
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<h3 id="lVzIVZ">Winner: Kiko Alonso</h3>
<p id="ySYDXO">In the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 20–17 come-from-ahead loss to Miami, Falcons receiver Taylor Gabriel tried to catch a pass. Alonso caught the 5-foot-8, 167-pound Gabriel. Suplexing an opponent is a penalty, so Alonso just decided to carry Gabriel for about 10 yards before letting the little guy go.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kiko Alonso is the absolute best <a href="https://t.co/hyZU1nOVCD">pic.twitter.com/hyZU1nOVCD</a></p>— RedZone Fan® (@JuMosq) <a href="https://twitter.com/JuMosq/status/919652152385069056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="NNnThh"><em>Now I’ve … had the time of my liiiife. … No, I never felt like this befooooooore.</em></p>
<p id="l0JUfH">If Gabriel had caught the ball, the play would have been whistled dead for forward progress. Let’s change that. I think that if you catch an opposing player with the ball out of the air, <em>you </em>should become the ball carrier. All the regular catch rules apply—you have to have two feet down inbounds, the opposing player can’t hit the ground, and you have to <em>complete the process of the catch</em>, whatever that means. But if you catch an opponent, you can run wherever you want with him.</p>
<p id="vJ42Iz">It would add an entirely new element to defense. Honestly, this could save football—if you could force a turnover by gently catching the opponent, maybe there wouldn’t be so much emphasis on massive concussive hits. Think about it. I see no way this can go wrong.</p>
<h3 id="0pw6f4">Loser: The NFL</h3>
<p id="yMMwoQ"><a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/16/16480988/aaron-rodgers-injury-analysis">Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone in Sunday’s 23–10 loss to Vikings and might miss the rest of the season</a>. To say the Packers are a loser here is too obvious: Quite frankly, Green Bay hasn’t been that great in any category recently besides Having Aaron Rodgers. <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/8/16445474/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-comeback-win-dallas-cowboys">Rodgers proved last week that he can be a one-man team</a>. He’s capable of winning games in spite of his coaches, defense, offensive line, and any other Packers that feel like underperforming on any given day. It was easy to imagine the Packers making a run to the Super Bowl with Rodgers; it’s hard to imagine them making the playoffs without him.</p>
<p id="n8FP8V">Through six weeks, the NFL has lost some of the league’s true superstars:</p>
<p id="pQMHUP">— Rodgers, probably the game’s best player at its most important position.</p>
<p id="5Slhx5">— J.J. Watt, the league’s best defensive lineman—perhaps the league’s best defensive player overall—done for the season with a knee injury.</p>
<p id="HGY6j6">— Odell Beckham Jr., perhaps the league’s best wide receiver, or at least the most exciting, done for the season with a fractured ankle.</p>
<p id="v5zeE9">Can you think of an NFL ad without one of these three players? Um … there’s one with Clay Matthews and his dad, I think? There’s the one where Rob Corddry talks about how a Niners offensive lineman isn’t particularly well-known! Oh, wait, that doesn’t help here.</p>
<p id="bzuyXZ">There’s a reason for that. In a sport often devoid of individuality, Rodgers, Watt, and Beckham are three players whose dynamic talents and personalities make them stand above the rest. They’re not just better than the other players at their position; they play the game differently than anybody else tries to play it. They’re superstars, and it’s too early in the season for so many to be gone.</p>
<p id="JQcsM2">Nobody wins with these types of players out. Their teams lose, the league loses, we lose. Everybody who loves football is worse off when the bodies of the best players on the planet break.</p>
<h3 id="DrRUGN">Winner: NFL Announcer Ron Burgundy</h3>
<p id="t0ggFo">I’m so proud of him for finally getting his dream job.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Look on graphic for the final two bullet points." <a href="https://t.co/PGFDmPV9bL">https://t.co/PGFDmPV9bL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZQRdThbYt6">pic.twitter.com/ZQRdThbYt6</a></p>— Deadspin (@Deadspin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/919739334173052928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2017</a>
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<h3 id="kTdhDt">Loser: Anybody in Georgia Who Believes in Probability Charts</h3>
<p id="dNygMc">The Falcons took a 17–0 lead into halftime against the Dolphins on Sunday. That makes sense, because the Falcons have a recent MVP at quarterback and the Dolphins have a recent retiree at quarterback.</p>
<p id="KT3lRD">The Dolphins won 20–17:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Falcons had a 1.8 percent chance to lose early the 3rd quarter, according to ESPN win probability. They lost. <a href="https://t.co/fqFgN7URE5">pic.twitter.com/fqFgN7URE5</a></p>— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/919654595634323458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="le7UfG">If that chart looks familiar, it’s because you’re a Falcons fan, and <a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fDqdSbiT1Ho/maxresdefault.jpg">when you close your eyes you see this</a>, because in February a demon snuck into your head while you slept and tattooed it on the inside of your eyelids, and there are no non-lethal forms of inner-eyelid tattoo removal. You can be mad at me for bringing it up, as if without my saying these things you’d be able to avoid thinking about it.</p>
<h3 id="144MmW">Winner: Laquon Treadwell</h3>
<p id="Dr9Cro">If you’re an NFL fan, you are in one of two camps with regard to Laquon Treadwell: You have either never heard of him or you know that he is a bust. Treadwell was the first-round pick of the Vikings last year, and promptly did jack squat for them. First-round wide receivers are supposed to be physical freaks worthy of instant playing time, but Treadwell had just one catch in his rookie year. That is the same number of catches as the team’s quarterback, Sam Bradford. He wasn’t even injured for most of the year; he was just buried on the depth chart behind former fifth-round pick Stefon Diggs, former undrafted free agent Adam Thielen, and others.</p>
<p id="79rCce">Sunday, he showed that there’s hope yet. He had catches on every pass he was targeted for, thanks to hands that are apparently glue sticks:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Laquon Treadwell <a href="https://t.co/KoJHTSRmmp">pic.twitter.com/KoJHTSRmmp</a></p>— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLRT/status/919646348793778178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="R4jm6F">Treadwell blocked Green Bay cornerback Lenzy Pipkins through my television screen.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I DON'T KNOW WHAT AN NFL PENALTY IS, CASE no. 372:<br><br>Shoulder to chest block <a href="https://t.co/dujVxKxoFP">pic.twitter.com/dujVxKxoFP</a></p>— Randy Scott (@RandyScottESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandyScottESPN/status/919635113306218497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="1YJ6R3">He blew off blocks and avoided flying bodies before putting on the jets to catch Clay Matthews on a fumble return, eventually catching Matthews 60 yards from the start of the play and forcing a fumble by sneakily tapping the ball out from his arms.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s actually kind of impressive the effort that Treadwell put in to poking the ball out of Clay Matthews hands <a href="https://t.co/YYQpZkjBjM">pic.twitter.com/YYQpZkjBjM</a></p>— xtina (@cyvonne1229) <a href="https://twitter.com/cyvonne1229/status/919750877707231232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="wHPoU4">The fumble went out of bounds, but Treadwell might have saved a touchdown.</p>
<p id="E1RgoB">Treadwell didn’t have the most productive game in NFL history — three catches for 51 yards. But after a rookie season that bad, Vikings fans had to have serious questions about Treadwell — not just his talent, but everything, down to his work ethic. When he was chasing Matthews, he needed to make up a lot of ground and there were a lot of obstacles in his way. But he kept chasing until he got where he needed to go, and that’s awesome to see.</p>
<h3 id="V64Ldk">Loser: The Vikings, After That Treadwell Hit</h3>
<p id="Ztcfwr">By the way, Treadwell got flagged for that massive hit. The Vikings were already facing a first-and-25 after a previous foul, so the 15-yard penalty brought up … FIRST-AND-40.</p>
<div id="IKmQsu">
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/7rzxTkrbmU">pic.twitter.com/7rzxTkrbmU</a></p>— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) <a href="https://twitter.com/rodger_sherman/status/919634905579048960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="WKdm0n">It was the longest yardage needed on first down <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=tz9Bp">since a Saints-Raiders game in 1997 featured a first-and-44</a>.</p>
<h3 id="BiUrkD">Winner: The Ravens Kickoff Return Team</h3>
<p id="9SMRdw">Ravens return man Bobby Rainey got tackled on this play, but he scored. That’s because the Baltimore Ravens are brilliant football innovators:</p>
<div id="TmpV5h"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H8P-hUORT70?rel=0&" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="8EAf2k">When the Bears saw Rainey go down, they presumed the play was over. But the player who knocked Rainey to the ground was Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser. Therefore, Rainey wasn’t down by contact and could keep running. The brief stop gave him a step on the defense, and he was basically home free the rest of the way.</p>
<p id="r63Qj2">Clearly there’s a massive advantage to be gained by convincing an opponent that a play is over. Tackling your teammate is a real gambit, and there’s no better place to disguise a hit than in the high-speed chaos of a kick return. The Ravens will pretend this was an accident. Bowser certainly gives off the impression that it was, as he mopes around after making the hit on his teammate. But I see right through this — all Bowsers do is concoct devious plans.</p>
<h3 id="HIRi0U">Winner: James Harrison</h3>
<p id="4HEEYI">It sure had seemed like Harrison’s career was over. And I don’t just mean because he literally retired three years ago, I mean because he’d finally fallen out of the Steelers’ game plan in recent weeks. The 39-year-old had taken just seven snaps this year before Sunday, and was inactive for each of the team’s last two games.</p>
<p id="xg9ob7">But Harrison played Sunday against the Chiefs, and speeded past Kansas City left tackle Eric Fisher for a sack to force a fourth-and-18 on Kansas City’s final drive. One play later, the Chiefs’ undefeated season was over.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The James Harrison sack.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HereWeGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HereWeGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jharrison9292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jharrison9292</a> <a href="https://t.co/X3SVy6kfOF">pic.twitter.com/X3SVy6kfOF</a></p>— SteelerNation (@SteeIerNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteeIerNation/status/919707322934550529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="QueFI9">If Harrison needs a place to move after he retires, I’d recommend the massive swaths of real estate he owns in Fisher’s head. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/1/18/14294228/james-harrison-steelers-vs-chiefs-nfl-playoffs-eric-fisher-holding">The ancient one also bullied Fisher in last season’s playoff game between these two teams</a>, forcing Fisher into a critical holding call that essentially ended Kansas City’s season.</p>
<p id="TuzNS7">The easy explanations all point to this being the last incredible thing we’ll ever see Harrison do. It seems possible that he got playing time Sunday only because of his recent history against Fisher. I also wouldn’t be surprised if at this point in his career Harrison needs three weeks of inactivity to summon the energy for one exceptional play.</p>
<p id="qg5Igj">But maybe Harrison is capable of this type of play regularly, even nine seasons removed from his Defensive Player of the Year award. It seems impossible, but this would be the third or fifth or eighth time I’ve incorrectly assumed Harrison had reached the end of his rope.</p>
<h3 id="o3VGrg">Loser: Wee Willie Smith</h3>
<p id="bl7nh6">The Bears are now playing Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, which means they need people besides their quarterback to throw touchdowns. Last week it was punter Pat O’Donnell. In Sunday’s 27–24 overtime win against the Ravens, it was 5-foot-6 sparkplug running back Tarik Cohen:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOL YES! Tarik Cohen touchdown PASS! <a href="https://t.co/E6TER2DKXF">pic.twitter.com/E6TER2DKXF</a></p>— The Ten-Yard Line (@TheTenYardLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTenYardLine/status/919625667284819968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="l0sean">Quarterbacks are typically tall, or at least not extremely short. Cohen became the first 5-foot-6 or shorter player to throw a touchdown since Wee Willie Smith:</p>
<div id="FWIKIE">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tarik Cohen is the first person 5-foot-6 or shorter to throw a TD pass since Wee Willie Smith in 1934 for the Giants (also 5'6") <a href="https://t.co/hYUMQ8Zlk4">https://t.co/hYUMQ8Zlk4</a></p>— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLResearch/status/919635707110371328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="7cU8NE">This is devastating for Smith — not only does his distinction lose some cachet, but also people across the globe remembered that a guy was named “Wee Willie Smith.” Our most prominent modern Will Smith recorded an album called “Big Willie Style.” There was also <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wee_Willie_Smith">a basketball player named Wee Willie Smith</a>, but that was a joke because he was actually very large. Wee Willie, the football player, was called Wee Willie because he was wee. I wonder if he was OK with it, or whether he tried to convince fans, teammates and reporters to call him “Owner of a Very Expensive Sportscar Smith” or “Some People Actually Prefer It That Way Smith.”</p>
<h3 id="ufGVpQ">Winner: The Sport of Football</h3>
<p id="iDXk4v">Last week I wrote about <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/9/16447444/nfl-week-5-winners-and-losers-myles-garrett-deshaun-watson">the urgent threat to the NFL posed by players celebrating touchdowns by mimicking other sports</a>. Football is struggling enough as it is without its players glorifying competitors.</p>
<p id="BLI4WT">Clearly that message was received.</p>
<div id="vbhmnO">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Le’Veon Bell got a flag for this TD celebration.<br><br>Update: NFL still dumb with flags. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HereWeGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HereWeGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/PGJWlOfO1H">pic.twitter.com/PGJWlOfO1H</a></p>— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanLevyThinks/status/919669403733590022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="5wabrX">The official justification for this flag on Le’Veon Bell was not that he was showing up the NFL by promoting boxing, but that he was using the upright as a prop. <em>Suuuuuuuure</em>. Got it. [<em>Winks.</em>]</p>
<p id="HynhJ9">Anyway, I’d like to thank Roger Goodell for reading this column. And hey, listen, Rog — wow, didn’t mean to call you Rog! I don’t really love it when people call me Rog, but I guess I just jumped because I never get a chance to meet other Rogers, LOL! We have so much to catch up on! — give me a call sometime. I have <em>lots </em>of other ideas that I think can help improve this league.</p>
<h3 id="GskQcC">Loser: Mike Gillislee</h3>
<p id="v8iGLi">Gillislee opened the season by scoring all three of the Patriots’ touchdowns against Kansas City, and followed that up with a fourth touchdown in Week 2 against the Saints. And we’re probably never going to see him again: Gillislee lost a fumble in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jets.</p>
<p id="vrVFHK">In the previous three seasons, the Patriots <a href="http://pfref.com/tiny/n0wvB">had only one run play result in a lost fumble</a>. Bill Belichick does not like fumbles, and he sees running backs as expendable. Remember, the guy <a href="https://nesn.com/2014/11/jonas-gray-benched-by-bill-belichick-after-missing-practice-for-tardiness/">benched a player who had 201 yards and four touchdowns the previous week because he overslept for practice</a>.</p>
<p id="L70XKM">Gillislee, who had 49 more carries than any other player on the team through its first five games, didn’t get another touch until late in the third quarter. Dion Lewis would get the team’s lead in carries (11) in the 24–17 win, including the goal-line touches Gillislee was favored for early in the year. Belichick is going to force Gillislee to live the rest of his days on a small, uninhabited island.</p>
<h3 id="oUJJ6W">Winner: Joe Flacco</h3>
<p id="InCj2E">Early in the fourth quarter against the Bears, Flacco tried scrambling, but soon found himself with no options. There was a stronger, faster defender about 2 yards away, and Flacco had no momentum, so escape was impossible. Getting tackled would be a failure, since it was third-and-goal. And he was past the line of scrimmage — about 2 yards past the line of scrimmage, actually — so he couldn’t pass anymore.</p>
<p id="Ng8E1O">He paused. He thought about it. And he decided that in spite of the rules, he was going to throw. He completed a pass Mike Wallace, who scored a very illegal touchdown.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Joe Flacco awareness rating = 0 <br>(Line of scrimmage is the 10-yard line) <a href="https://t.co/QegAZP48Pc">pic.twitter.com/QegAZP48Pc</a></p>— Andrew Ites (@sportswithjim) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportswithjim/status/919645877119209472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="vygaiH">Flacco had a horrible day. He threw 41 passes for just 180 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Ravens lost in overtime to the Bears, 27–24, and made it to OT only because of two return touchdowns.</p>
<p id="l9w7dP">But in that moment? Flacco didn’t care. He knew he was breaking the rules, but decided that he wouldn’t be boxed in and defined by what others said and thought. The play was not actually a touchdown, but it didn’t matter. In that moment, Flacco was free.</p>
<h3 id="jlBlrW">Loser: The Alex Smith MVP Campaign</h3>
<p id="eNmG0J">I had a lot of trouble over the first five weeks of the season figuring out what had happened to Alex Smith. How did the league’s perennial Checkdown King turn into a deep-bombing gunslinger? Where were these throws hiding in the first 12 years of Smith’s career? What happened to the brain and arm of the player we knew?</p>
<p id="llkUdg">I guess he’s still in there somewhere.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That's three wide open touchdowns Alex Smith missed today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/IPux98Ck91">pic.twitter.com/IPux98Ck91</a></p>— Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayWendler/status/919701025594007552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="uJi1B3">This GIF is not hiding any context. There were no Steelers defenders within a few city blocks of the Chiefs wide receiver, Demarcus Robinson. Smith wasn’t under great pressure. This play started on the 15-yard line, so it wasn’t a particularly deep throw. A bad pass scores a touchdown here; Smith threw an awful one. He made the 6-foot-1 Robinson look like Wee Willie Smith.</p>
<p id="fKSlYM">Alex Smith missed a few critical passes badly — <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayWendler/status/919673939969880065">and didn’t connect on other throws when he should have</a>. He finished 19-for-34 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown in the 19–13 loss. Not so bad, but Sunday made it clear that some parts of the old Smith haven’t gone away.</p>
<h3 id="7AaXDE">Winner: Harvard</h3>
<p id="QPNqWS">Ryan Fitzpatrick, who went to Harvard, came in for an injured Jameis Winston in Sunday’s Buccaneers-Cardinals game. He did pretty well, turning a 31–0 deficit into a 38–33 loss. But most importantly, he threw a touchdown to fellow Harvard alum Cameron Brate:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The 1st ever <a href="https://twitter.com/Harvard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Harvard</a> to Harvard touchdown in the NFL!<br><br>Ryan Fitzpatrick to Cameron Brate for the <a href="https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBBuccaneers</a> TD! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bucs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bucs</a> <a href="https://t.co/vI1d1kSQut">pic.twitter.com/vI1d1kSQut</a></p>— NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/919690177118744576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="bEkocD"><em>Finally. </em>For too long, Harvard grads have had to settle for massive wealth and positions of tremendous power. (Also: Big NCAA tournament upsets and four Ivy League championships in the last six football seasons. But mainly the wealth and power.) It must be so fulfilling to see two of their own finally combine for an NFL touchdown.</p>
<h3 id="VgGPjh">Loser: The Browns, of Course, Again, Always</h3>
<p id="Kl3ycW">Cleveland pulled quarterback DeShone Kizer at halftime of last Sunday’s game against the Jets. Kizer had been pretty poor to start the season, with three touchdowns and nine interceptions, and backup Kevin Hogan led the team back with 16-for-19 passing and two touchdowns in the second half. And so this week, the Browns decided to officially bench Kizer. It’s a strange move for an 0–5 team to bench a rookie quarterback, but Hue Jackson went with Hogan.</p>
<p id="Sc4lqx">Folks, meet Kevin Hogan:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">...this happened on second down. <a href="https://t.co/gbY0pz3z6M">pic.twitter.com/gbY0pz3z6M</a></p>— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cianaf/status/919731467244023808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="Cry4Wp">Against a Texans defense that had lost Watt and Whitney Mercilus last week, Hogan threw three picks while averaging only 2.8 yards per dropback after accounting for sacks. Meanwhile, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson — whom the Browns decided not to pick <em>twice</em> in the first round of this year’s NFL draft — had another incredible game, throwing for three touchdowns for the third week in a row. (Actually, he threw for five last week and four the week before, but three isn’t bad.)</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="S2JCNq">It’s one thing to be extremely bad. The Browns can tolerate that. I’m not sure they should be benching their rookie quarterback to be extremely bad.</p>
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/16/16481120/week-6-winners-and-losersRodger Sherman2017-10-16T01:39:24-04:002017-10-16T01:39:24-04:00‘GM Street’: Aaron Rodgers Is Hurt, and the MVP Race Is Wide Open
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<p>The Week 6 recap discusses problems in Green Bay, Atlanta, Oakland, and Cleveland</p> <div id="eYg7d1"><iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/episode/0Qv0MMnyuASeY8CSfAdVz1" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 232px;" allowfullscreen="" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>
<p id="WBvz0r">Michael Lombardi and Tate Frazier discuss Aaron Rodgers's injury (02:15), the lack of firepower in Atlanta (10:00), the wide-open MVP race (15:00), the underperforming Raiders (19:15), and the mess in Cleveland's front office (25:30).</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="MQR4B2"><strong>Subscribe:</strong> <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-ringer-nfl-show%2Fid1109282822%3Fmt%3D2">Apple Podcasts</a> / <a href="https://art19.com/shows/the-ringer-nfl-show">Art19</a> / <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-ringer/ringer-nfl-show">Stitcher</a> / <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/ringernflshow">RSS</a></p>
https://www.theringer.com/2017/10/16/16481082/gm-street-aaron-rodgers-injury-mvp-raceMichael LombardiTate Frazier2017-10-16T00:58:57-04:002017-10-16T00:58:57-04:00The Packers Can’t Contend Without Aaron Rodgers
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<p>This team isn’t built to win with anyone else under center</p> <aside id="1y45kI"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 6","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/13/16467860/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nfl-week-6"}]}'></div></aside><p id="JP918g">Considering the seismic shift it created, it was a pretty run-of-the-mill play. Early in the first quarter of the Packers’ 23-10 loss to the Vikings on Sunday, Aaron Rodgers escaped pressure, rolled to his right, and threw about 15 yards downfield to tight end Martellus Bennett, who dropped the ball. Except after Rodgers let the pass go, <a href="https://twitter.com/firstandskol/status/919617112657809408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theringer.com%2Fnfl%2F2017%2F10%2F15%2F16479022%2Faaron-rodgers-throwing-arm-injury-green-bay-packers">Minnesota linebacker Anthony Barr</a> hit Rodgers and landed hard on top of him, driving the two-time MVP’s throwing shoulder into the turf and leaving him writhing on the ground in pain. Rodgers was carted off to the locker room, and shortly after that, the team <a href="https://twitter.com/packers/status/919640823511134208">announced he had suffered a broken collarbone,</a> adding there was “a chance” the Packers’ most irreplaceable player could miss the rest of the season. </p>
<p id="BxWIh7">It is hard to overstate the impact that play could have—not just on the two teams involved, but for the NFL at large. Coming into this week’s tilt with the Vikings, the Packers had established themselves as one of the best teams in the conference, if not the league, and looked like an obvious Super Bowl contender thanks to the electrifying play of their superstar quarterback. But Rodgers’s injury sends Green Bay skidding off what looked like a clear path to the postseason, and makes the already-murky playoff picture in the NFC even murkier.</p>
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<p id="njvLTd">Worst-case scenario, Rodgers is done for the year. Best-case scenario, Green Bay gets its star quarterback back sometime in mid-December, a seven- to eight-week timeline for recovery based on the time he missed (seven starts) with a broken collarbone back in 2013. Of course, Rodgers managed that<em> </em>turnaround with a cracked<em> left</em> collarbone; this time the break’s on his right side—a factor that could have a bigger impact on his throwing motion and his ability to drive the ball downfield. So if we land somewhere in the middle of the worst- and best-case options, with Rodgers making it back just in time for the playoffs, the Packers’ Super Bowl hopes rely on the team treading water long enough to secure a spot in the postseason. Per ESPN’s Brian Burke, the odds of a Packers playoff berth have gone from a near-certainty with Rodgers at the helm <a href="https://twitter.com/bburkeESPN/status/919687979966304257">to what amounts to a coin flip</a> without him—and that feels generous. </p>
<p id="ibAW7o">But with a 4-2 start, the team has a little built-in leeway. The NFC North is a relative mess through six weeks, too: The Vikings (also 4-2) have a strong defense to lean on, but they’ve got plenty of injuries to deal with on offense too, with starting quarterback Sam Bradford’s <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilMackey/status/919596362311794688">season in doubt</a>, star running back Dalvin Cook out for the year, and top receiver Stefon Diggs dealing with a groin injury. The Lions (3-3) got off to a quick start, but that feels like a distant memory after two straight losses, and the Bears (2-4), are, well, the Bears. With a middling defense and rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at the helm, it’s tough to expect Chicago to make a real run at the playoffs. </p>
<p id="EOUUPE">However, Green Bay’s strong start may not be enough to propel the Packers into the playoffs. The drop-off from an MVP candidate to a backup/replacement option will be massive. The team’s not going to <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/EdwerderRFA/status/919658996633690112">coax Brett Favre</a> out of retirement or <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/919643991422971904">tempt Tony Romo out of the announcers’ booth</a>, so that likely leaves third-year backup Brett Hundley (who threw three picks in relief Sunday) to lead the offense until Rodgers can get back onto the field. And it’s just unrealistic to expect the 24-year-old former fifth-rounder, who <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/919619671611072517">hadn’t played a meaningful snap in his career</a> before Sunday, to run the Packers’ precision passing scheme to anywhere near the same efficiency as we’ve seen it run under Rodgers this year. The parts of the Green Bay passing game that first come to mind are all made possible by Rodgers’s unique skill set: His ability to identify and exploit weaknesses in the defenses, his talent for getting free plays by coaxing defenders to jump offside, his bazooka arm, and his knack for getting outside the pocket, extending plays, and finding his receivers in the back of the end zone. Without all that, the Packers offense is going to be almost unrecognizable. </p>
<p id="edg6GV">It won’t help that Hundley (or whoever takes over for Green Bay) is going to have to operate behind one of the most banged-up units in the NFL this year. Just when you thought the Packers’ offensive line was finally getting healthy (the team came into this week having started five different line combinations in five games), they quickly lost left tackle David Bakhtiari and guard Lane Taylor to ankle injuries and right tackle Bryan Bulaga to a concussion against Minnesota. Rodgers’s quick release and ability to find the open man could hide many of the Packers’ issues up front, but without him, Green Bay’s <a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/premium/pressureRateOffense?year=2017&qual=all">offensive pressure rate</a> (which ranked 23rd coming into the game) could skyrocket. </p>
<p id="z3zzUI">The team will have to rely instead on its middling, injury-riddled defense (which came into the week ranked <a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2017/week-5-dvoa-ratings">20th in Football Outsiders DVOA</a> and 18th in points allowed) and an efficient but not prolific rushing attack (which ranked 21st in total yards after five weeks) to carry them from here on out. Basically, as <em>Ringer </em>writer Rodger Sherman put it:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A big problem for the Packers' chances without Aaron Rodgers is they aren't particularly good at anything besides Having Aaron Rodgers</p>— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) <a href="https://twitter.com/rodger_sherman/status/919641585364725761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="tPlHVT">Some teams can compete without a quality quarterback, but the Packers aren’t built like the 2015 Super Bowl champion Broncos, who won it all with a dominant pass defense and elite pass rush, or last year’s Patriots, who won three out of their first four games without Tom Brady thanks to brilliant scheming, a stout defense, and quality backup quarterback play. Heck, they’re not even built like this year’s Jaguars, who have started the year 3-3 by <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/10/16452830/post-quarterback-jacksonville-jaguars-blake-bortles-denver-broncos-peyton-manning">almost completely taking the quarterback position out of the equation</a>. Jacksonville poured millions of dollars into foundational players like Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye, and Malik Jackson, among others, and used the no. 4 overall pick on Leonard Fournette, intent on winning with defense and a strong run game—and even then, results have been mixed. </p>
<p id="SzbPXh">The Packers, like just about every team in the league, are heavily reliant on the arm of their quarterback, and their success going forward is going to be strongly linked to the quality of play they get from that position. When Rodgers got hurt in 2013, the team was 5-2; they turned to backups Seneca Wallace (who got hurt) and Scott Tolzien (who got benched) before finally settling on Matt Flynn. In all, the team managed to go 2-4-1 without its starter, and Rodgers returned in Week 17, when he led the team to a win in the final week and Green Bay limped into the playoffs at 8-7-1. Rodgers’s injury isn’t a death knell for the Packers’ season—there’s still plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, Hundley’s had two years sitting behind Rodgers to learn the Green Bay system, and, well, the NFL is weird as hell—but it’s about as devastating an injury any team could face. Without their superstar quarterback to carry the offense, mount regular <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/8/16445474/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-comeback-win-dallas-cowboys">last-minute game-winning drives</a>, and toss the requisite Hail Mary every now and then, this Packers team is going to need incredible performances from its defense and run game in order to stay afloat long enough for Rodgers’s potential return, and even that might not be enough. </p>
<p id="zB4bI9"><em>An earlier version of this piece incorrectly referred to David Bakhtiari as Brian.</em></p>
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/16/16480988/aaron-rodgers-injury-analysisDanny Kelly2017-10-15T21:51:47-04:002017-10-15T21:51:47-04:00Forget the Chiefs: There Is No Best Team in the NFL
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<p>With Kansas City’s 19-13 home loss to Pittsburgh, the 1972 Miami Dolphins get to pop the champagne again while the rest of us are left wondering who will stake a claim atop the league</p> <aside id="mjoQK6"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 6","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/13/16467860/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nfl-week-6"}]}'></div></aside><p id="JUEQ1z">The Chiefs—owners of the NFL’s last undefeated record, hosts to the league’s best running back, and revivers of <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/14/16305088/alex-smith-sam-bradford-week-1-deep-ball-tendencies">Alex Smith’s deep ball</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/billbarnwell/status/919572973845086208">allegedly</a>)—were finally defeated this week, as the Steelers suffocated Kansas City in a 19-13 meeting that was exactly as tedious as that score indicates. We’re now at the point in the season that’s come every year since 1973 (except 2007)—the giant “rock, paper, scissors” match that is the NFL has now handed every team at least one loss. This time, though, the legendary parity of the league feels a bit different. </p>
<p id="UHepOu">The Chiefs came into this game against the Steelers as the highest-scoring team in the NFL. Their offense hadn’t turned the ball over since Kareem Hunt coughed up a fumble on his very first play from scrimmage as a pro. And their defense, though nothing to write home about—19th in DVOA—kept doing enough to let the offense make the difference. Kansas City looked like a balanced squad with a guru at head coach and some of the league’s most exciting players to boot. And with impressive wins already over the Patriots and Eagles, who could stop them?</p>
<p id="uvmOmw">Your answer: the Steelers. Hunt rushed for just 21 yards on nine carries (though he added another 89 on five catches), forcing the team to rely on Smith to carry the offense. Though Smith put up a fine line (19-of-34 for 246 yards and a touchdown), almost all of that came in the second half when the Chiefs were just trying to claw their way back into the game, and Pittsburgh didn’t even give them much of a chance to do that. The Steelers controlled the ball for 36 minutes of clock and racked up 439 yards of offense—with nearly 200 of that coming on the ground. At 7 yards per play, Pittsburgh should have put up much more than 19 points, but it spent most of the middle of the game watching its drives end in punts or turnovers, making the offense look Sisyphean: gaining yards but never actually going anywhere. Despite their dominance, the Steelers still needed a play like this to put away the Chiefs:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yeah... <a href="https://twitter.com/AB84?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AB84</a> caught that. <br><br>PIT 19 | KC 10 <a href="https://t.co/ZXcMejFEGh">pic.twitter.com/ZXcMejFEGh</a></p>— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) <a href="https://twitter.com/steelers/status/919699874127405057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="ab76Pd">That was enough, as Kansas City scored its fewest points <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201609180htx.htm">since Week 2 of last season</a>. The Chiefs looked bad enough that it’s fair to question whether they are really even the NFL’s best team. (You know, as if you hadn’t already been saying “The Chiefs, really?” all season long.) The only problem with that thought is the very next question: If the Chiefs aren’t The Best NFL Team, then who is? Here’s the unfortunate conclusion: There is no Best Team in the NFL.</p>
<p id="7v7SWe">The somehow-always-injured-but-somehow-always-excellent Packers suffered an injury the team won’t be able to easily overcome when Aaron Rodgers <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/15/16479022/aaron-rodgers-throwing-arm-injury-green-bay-packers">broke his collarbone</a> in the first quarter of what ended up a 23-10 loss to the Vikings. Green Bay has a 4-2 cushion to work with, but the outlook is bleak: Replacement quarterback Brett Hundley threw three picks and had a 9.5 QBR in three quarters of action. Without Rodgers, the Packers are a fringe playoff team at best.</p>
<p id="x5hOFF">Though the Patriots are 4-2, the team benefited massively from <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/15/16479836/jets-patriots-seferian-jenkins-fumble">a bizarre call</a> late in its win against the Jets this week. In its past four games, New England escaped with narrow victories against the Texans, Buccaneers, and the aforementioned Jets and lost to the Panthers. The Patriots came into the day with the <a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamdef">worst defensive DVOA in football</a>, and at times looked downright awful against New York, giving up long touchdowns to Josh McCown, who is playing for his eighth NFL team.</p>
<p id="5K7UFY">The Falcons lost to the Dolphins on Sunday, marking their second straight defeat. Miami has been pathetic this year and Jay Cutler has looked completely washed, and yet the team was able to rally from 17 points down to win, 20-17, <em>in Atlanta</em>. Matt Ryan looks nothing like his MVP self from a year ago, having thrown six interceptions and six touchdowns on the season. His team didn’t score after halftime and sits at 3-2, tied for second in the NFC South.</p>
<p id="FhEz1h">The team that leads that division—the Panthers—watched Cam Newton throw three interceptions on Thursday night in a 28-23 loss that never felt as close as the final score indicated. All-everything linebacker Luke Kuechly left that game early, but reportedly was not concussed, as previously feared. Christian McCaffrey is one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL already, but the Panthers’ ground game has struggled, averaging <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/yardsPerRushAttempt">just 3.4 yards per carry</a> so far.</p>
<p id="605D0e">The Broncos have looked good in spurts, but they also lost by 10 to the Bills, escaped with a win against the Chargers only after a last-second field goal fiasco, and drew the Raiders during a week where Derek Carr was out with a back injury. (The Broncos are on <em>Sunday Night Football</em> tonight, but even walloping the lowly Giants wouldn’t tell us much of anything.) The 3-2 Seahawks have the worst offensive line in the league. Yes, we’ve been there before with them, but you can’t be The Best Team if one of your units is The Worst. The Cowboys are <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/12/16467106/ezekiel-elliott-6-game-suspension-reinstated-appeals-court">likely to lose Ezekiel Elliott for six games</a>. Meanwhile, the Steelers just beat the Chiefs, but Ben Roethlisberger also said “<a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/8/16444970/ben-roethlisberger-pittsburgh-steelers-jaguars">Maybe I don’t have it anymore</a>” a week ago. If your quarterback is saying things like that, then you can’t be The Best NFL Team—those are the rules. Another rule: Don’t lose to the Bears. </p>
<p id="2DFCHJ">That brings us to the best contender for the title of Best NFL Team: the Eagles. One problem—does anyone trust Philadelphia right now? The Eagles’ only loss is to the aforementioned Chiefs, sure, but they also beat the woeful Giants and Chargers by a combined five points. This team is a handful of plays from 3-3. On the other hand, Carson Wentz (1,584 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, three interceptions, 7.7 yards per attempt) has been marvelous as a sophomore passer, and LeGarrette Blount is averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Zach Ertz might be the NFL’s next great tight end. Hell, Jake Elliott <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/24/16358660/jake-elliott-eagles-game-winning-61-yard-field-goal">might even be the most exciting kicker in football</a>!</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="1IvMME">So sure, the Eagles can be the NFL’s best team—for now. As the squad with that title, they’re liable to implode on <em>Monday Night Football</em> against Washington next week. And we’ll be right back where we are now: with no great teams, just a bunch of flawed ones, tossing the crown back and forth like a hot potato.</p>
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/15/16480532/kansas-city-chiefs-pittsburgh-steelers-parityRiley McAtee2017-10-15T21:33:42-04:002017-10-15T21:33:42-04:00Colin Kaepernick Files Grievance Accusing NFL Owners of Collusion
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<p>After months of being passed over by teams in need of a quarterback, the free agent is accusing the league of a larger conspiracy</p> <aside id="Sv7PZm"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Everything You Need to Know About NFL Week 6","url":"https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/13/16467860/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nfl-week-6"}]}'></div></aside><p id="DsV6HI">Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick has filed a grievance under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement accusing the league’s owners of colluding to exclude him from the NFL.</p>
<p id="5kNwn5">Kaepernick’s legal team shared a statement explaining the filing Sunday.</p>
<p id="uWM4wF">“If the NFL (as well as all professional sports leagues) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest—which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago—should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government,” the statement reads. “Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">From Colin Kaepernick's legal team. Explaining his collusion grievance <a href="https://t.co/j8zEii7iwx">pic.twitter.com/j8zEii7iwx</a></p>— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/919713028832145409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p id="uQyHsu">The NFLPA responded with a statement saying it will support Kaepernick, though will let Kaepernick’s advisers take point on the process. Kaepernick is being advised by high-profile attorney Mark Geragos, whose past clients include Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, and Chris Brown, among other celebrities. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">NFLPA Statement on Colin Kaepernick Collusion Grievance: <a href="https://t.co/TIJXSe2XFg">pic.twitter.com/TIJXSe2XFg</a></p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/919716775134187521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2017</a>
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<p id="FGhXpp">Kaepernick declined a player option in March after the 49ers informed him they were planning to cut him because of his salary, and he’s remained unsigned since. His grievance is filed under Article 17 of the CBA, which states that two or more teams cannot enter into an agreement, either explicitly or implicitly, to refuse to negotiate with a player. However, multiple teams each individually deciding not to sign a player is allowed. Within that distinction is likely where the fate of the grievance lies.</p>
<p id="GOrldT">It is <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/7/27/16049410/colin-kaepernick-free-agent-adam-schefter-blackballed-owners">widely</a> <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2017/09/28/reggie-bush-and-deray-mckesson-talk-kaepernick-being-blackballed-by-the-nfl/106098206/">believed</a> that <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/colin-kaepernick-is-not-supposed-to-be-unemployed/">Kaepernick is unemployed</a> because of his <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2017/08/02/richard-sherman-colin-kaepernick-baltimore-ravens/534922001/">protests for social justice</a>. Although <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/5/9/15590404/colin-kaepernick-reasons-he-isnt-signed-nfl-protest">other reasons</a> have been offered, <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/Barnwellx170918/nfl-quality-play-worse-2017-colin-kaepernick-make-better">they’ve been largely discredited</a>. (In July, commissioner Roger Goodell <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2724747-roger-goodell-colin-kaepernick-isnt-being-blackballed-is-a-football-decision">said</a>, “The clubs are making those individual evaluations.”) Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality. His form of protest spread across the league earlier this season after President Donald Trump said any “<a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/22/16353554/donald-trump-nfl-protests-youre-fired-colin-kaepernick">son of a bitch</a>” who kneels during the anthem should be fired. NFL owners have <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/20865444/inside-story-happened-players-took-control-nfl-national-anthem">scrambled</a> to contain the protest—most notably Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/8/16445964/jerry-jones-disrespecting-the-flag-comments-dallas-cowboys">warned</a> his players that “disrespecting” the flag will result in them being benched.</p>
<p id="Y6HFtN">Kaepernick, now 29, nearly led the San Francisco 49ers to a victory in Super Bowl XLVII, and at the time he was one of the highest-profile players in the league. More than <a href="https://theundefeated.com/features/33-quarterbacks-signed-before-colin-kaepernick-free-agent/">three dozen quarterbacks</a> have been signed since Kaepernick hit free agency. The <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/06/ravens-ray-lewis-colin-kaepernick-girlfirend-tweet">Ravens</a> and Dolphins passed on signing Kaepernick after their starting quarterbacks sustained injuries early in training camp, while the Titans signed Brandon Weeden after starter Marcus Mariota was injured early in the season.</p>
<p id="afpdFU">“As a general matter in sports, collusion occurs when two or more teams, or the league and at least one team, join to deprive a player of a contractually earned right,” wrote <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/03/24/colin-kaepernick-protest-nfl-collusion-free-agency"><em>Sports Illustrated</em>’s Michael McCann</a>. Kaepernick, however, will have to do more than point out that he’s received worse treatment than his peers. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A neutral arbitrator rules on NFL collusion grievances, but collusion must be proven by a "clear preponderance of evidence" (a high burden).</p>— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCannSportsLaw/status/919652053798006784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2017</a>
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<p class="c-end-para" id="n4oXuq">Evidence of collusion will be the key to a successful case. The NFL has faced collusion accusations before, most recently in January 2011 when the NFLPA filed collusion charges against the league alleging that owners conspired to deflate player salaries artificially. The NFLPA lost the case four years later <a href="https://www.law360.com/articles/700455/nflpa-loses-bid-to-cast-aside-settlement-in-salary-cap-fight">when a judge ruled</a> it could not prove the accusations.</p>
<p id="ElDEkE"><em>This piece has been updated after publication. </em></p>
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/10/15/16479928/colin-kaepernick-collusion-grievance-nflDanny Heifetz