Tag: Patrick Mahomes

Kenyan Drake vs Patriots

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Miami miracle, Mahomes’ magic maps out AFC

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

At one point in two different games, the age-old December storyline was set to emerge yet again. A top AFC contender was ready to fall, while the Patriots take advantage to claim the top seed in the conference.

When New England led 33-28 with six seconds remaining, it sure looked that way. That was because Patrick Mahomes and AFC-leading Chiefs were down 24-17 and facing 4th-and-9 to keep their hopes alive at home versus the Ravens.

But the impossible happened in two different locations — Miami and Kansas City.

Ryan Tannehill found Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who lateraled to Kenyan Drake who outran the rest of the Patriots for 69-yard game-winning, hook-and-ladder score. Dolphins 34, Patriots 33.

Then Patrick Mahomes sprinted right and delivered a downfield dime on the run to Tyreek Hill. He later found Damien Williams on a score on 4th-and-3. The Chiefs rallied in overtime. Chiefs, 27, Ravens 24.

Week 14 of the 2018 season should be remembered as the slate of games that nearly-solidified the top of the order in the AFC.

The Chiefs (11-2) still need to beat the Chargers next Thursday to be ABSOLUTELY safe, but they basically have the conference’s top seed on lock. The late-game heroics by Mahomes, coupled with the somewhat-sour play from Drew Brees as of late gives the Chiefs quarterback the inside track for the NFL MVP award.

The Patriots (9-4) will look to put this whacky (but mostly self-induced) loss behind them when they travel to face the Steelers next week, who are reeling after a late loss to Oakland. The way they respond from this disaster will likely shape their season.

ā€œFor it to end that way, it just doesnā€™t seem like thatā€™s the end result for us, the end of the story,ā€ Josh Gordon told The Athletic’s Jeff Howe after the game. ā€œWe know weā€™ve got more to prove and more to offer. Going into next week, we hope we can get it done, and I think we will.ā€

If the Steelers (7-5-1) don’t respond with a win, they may find themselves right out of postseason contention. They are in the midst of an epic meltdown. There is no way around it.

Not to be forgotten, the Texans’ (9-4) nine-game winning streak was snapped at home by the Colts (7-6). Indianapolis is fighting with the Ravens (7-6), Titans (7-6) and Broncos (6-7) for the No. 6 seed in the AFC.

The Titans have an inside track with their ridiculously-easy schedule. Their Week 17 game versus the Colts may serve as a de-facto playoff game for the conference’s No. 6 seed.

How will it all end up? Probably with the Chiefs and Patriots snagging the top two seeds, then meeting in Arrowhead Stadium on January 20th for a shot at playing in Super Bowl LIII. But if Sunday was any indication, that’s far from a lock.

Cooper, Cowboys are soon-to-be NFC East champs

When the Cowboys traded a first-round pick at midseason for Amari Cooper, who laughed? Who made a meme, or snarky tweet regarding the deal? It’s okay if you did, because no one would have expected the importance of that move then.

But now….it’s not ridiculous to say Cooper-to-the-Cowboys is the biggest midseason acquisiton in the history of the NFL.

Skeptical of that take? Look no further than his performance in the de-facto 2018 NFC East championship game.

Cooper scored three different times in the fourth quarter and overtime, with each touchdown giving Dallas a late lead, the last one being a walk-off score off a deflection, in overtime. Cooper has been as clutch as he’s been good, and he’s been damn effective.

With a true No. 1 wide receiver to compliment Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys seem to have enough offense to compete with the big boys of the NFC come January. That’s all possible because of their defense, of course, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jaylon Smith, rookie Leighton Vander Esch and others help to form one of the NFL’s best front sevens.

If the Cowboys can keep games to a lower score (by 2018’s standards) then they can do damage when the pressure is on in the fourth quarter by running with Elliott, and by throwing to Cooper, who has proven that he performs best when the lights are brightest. Here come the Cowboys.

Quick-hits

– I hate to put the Bears’ (9-4) 15-6 thumping of the Rams (11-2) in the quick-hits section, but this was such an eventful week. The win on NBC’s Sunday Night Football one-upped the Cowboys’ 13-10 win over the Saints a week and a half ago. This was December football. A stout defense in a proud, cold-weather city shutting down an offensive juggernaut of a team from Southern California. Sure, Mitchell Trubisky threw three more interceptions, but Tarik Cohen scooted around the field enough to give the Bears just enough offense to topple the Rams. Plus, a litany of sacks and four interceptions of Jared Goff surely helped — this was surely most important. If you’re the Saints or Rams, I’m not sure you want to see either the Bears or Cowboys come to town in the NFC Divisional Round.

– Speaking of the Saints, It was Taysom Hill’s blocked punt with New Orleans down 14-3 in Tampa Bay, that turned their Sunday around. After six quarters of flat football, Drew Brees found somewhat of a rhythm after Hill’s third-quarter play, rallying New Orleans to a 28-14 win over the Buccaneers. The win not only exacted revenge for a crazy Week 1 loss, but effectively ended Tampa Bay’s outside shot at an NFC wild card berth. More importantly, the Saints (11-2) regained the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but they will have to dispatch the likes of the Steelers, and the Panthers (twice) to keep their footing. It wasn’t pretty, but New Orleans is back on top of the NFC. If they truly are a Super Bowl team, they should stay there.

– What in the world happened to the Panthers (6-7)? Sadly, even with a five-game losing streak, Carolina has a shot at the NFC’s No. 6 seed, a slot that no one wants to win. The Panthers will likely address Ron Rivera and the head coaching position this offseason, but new owner David Tepper should opt to stay with Rivera next year, which would be wise. The Panthers defense is not what it used to be. They’ll need to retool. And despite a fantastic season from Christian McCaffrey, and shades of greatness from D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, the Panthers still lack a playmaker or two on offense. Perhaps with McCaffrey handling duties close to the line of scrimmage, Carolina should opt for a true No. 1 wide receiver. Maybe Moore becomes that, but the Panthers could still use someone on the perimeter, even if it’s a stop-plug free agent. DeSean Jackson, who is likely to bid farewell to division rival Tampa Bay, comes to mind. Whatever it is, the Panthers are in for a long offseason, where they’ll assess what went wrong, all under a brand-new owner. Welcome to the NFL, Mr. Tepper.

 

Gerald Everett vs Chiefs

NFL Monday Morning Madness (Tuesday Edition): Rams outlast Chiefs + NFL MVP race

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

They share explosive, transcendent offenses. They share prolific young quarterbacks. They’ve literally shared players (Marcus Peters, Sammy Watkins). And yes, they even used to share states (Missouri).

On Monday night the Chiefs and Rams put on a show to the fullest extent at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With an expected litany of points scored, millions of viewers still should be wowed by the insanity that transpired in the Rams’ 54-51 victory.

Is this the beginning of a diehard Rams fanbase building up in LA?

If so, it begins with Jared Goff’s cool-as-ever game-winning drive in the final minutes — with no timeouts — to send Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (9-2) home, with their second loss of the season.

“It felt like Texas Tech and Cal,” Goff said he told Mahomes after the game.

Mahomes was brilliant on his own, notching nearly 500 passing yards and throwing for six scores. But he had five turnovers, including two interceptions on his final two possessions, in the game’s final two minutes.

In the first game in NFL history that featured both teams scoring at least 50 points, there did happen to be seven turnovers, and three defensive touchdowns.

Aaron Donald strips Patrick Mahomes
Aaron Donald recorded two strip-sacks of Patrick Mahomes in Monday’s win over the Chiefs. (Screenshot: NFL on ESPN)

But it was the Rams (10-1) who received the biggest boost from their defense, no matter how little. Aaron Donald — the NFL’s best non-quarterback — and Samson Ebukam – two defensive touchdowns — helped separate the two squads by making their mark in three different Mahomes turnovers, with two resulting in scores.

The league has obviously been shifting to become more offensive-centric for the past few decades, but something happened in the Eagles’ 41-33 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

Where is the defense? Is it even needed anymore to win a championship. The answer is yes, but only sort of. Brandon Graham’s strip sack of Tom Brady last February was virtually the only big defensive play made in the contest, and it won the Eagles the game.

The NFL sure seems like it’s ushering in a new era. For however long that lasts, Super Bowl-caliber teams have offenses such as the Rams, Chiefs and Saints — and to a lesser extent, the Steelers and Patriots.

And the team with the most consistent offense, experienced head coach and quarterback, and/or closest to average defense wins. Last season, the Eagles played their part. This season, the Saints look like a much better version of last year’s Eagles. Especially after their 48-7 drubbing of Philadelphia on Sunday. They’re the Super Bowl LIII favorite. But in Pittsburgh and New England, two teams with the potential to run rampant on offense, and mightily improve on defense, are lying in the weeds.

But for tonight, the Rams and Chiefs put on a spectacular show for the ages. Or perhaps one of the inaugural shows of a new age. Time will tell, and our first example begins in the post-Thanksgiving push to Super Bowl LIII.

NFL MVP Race

1. Drew Brees —Ā Brees is on pace toĀ have perhaps the mostĀ efficient season a quarterback has ever had, at age 39. WhereĀ have we heard that before? (See: Tom Brady’s 2016 season at age 39).

2. Patrick Mahomes —Ā Consider this, the Chiefs have averaged 45.5 points per game in their two LOSSES. Nonetheless, Mahomes’ five turnovers in the loss to the Rams puts him here for now. He may be battling Todd Gurley for the Offensive Player of the Year award at this point, if Brees keeps up his pace.

3.Ā Jared Goff —Ā Goff passes Gurley with his extraordinary performance to lift the Rams over the Chiefs. The quarterback position is clearly more important, as Gurley had a forgettable performance in a game where the Rams scored 54 points.

4. Todd Gurley —Ā Yes, QBs are more important. But that doesn’t mean you can’t marvel at Gurley’s incredible season. He’s the best non-QB OFFENSIVE player in football. Aaron Donald, his teammate on defense, would be the best non-QB overall.

5. Andrew Luck —Ā The Colts have risen from the dead, winning four straight games after starting 1-5, to pull even at .500. Luck is back, and the Colts are a force to be reckoned with in 2019 and beyond. And perhaps, the rest of this season.

Honorable mention: Aaron Donald, Antonio Brown, Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, Ben Roethlisberger

Tom Brady vs Packers

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Brady tops Rodgers, Saints hand Rams first loss

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

On Sunday night a game that many fans, sports media members, and network executives circled on their calendar roughly six months ago took place.

We’re talking about the Packers-Patriots showdown, of course. Aaron Rodgers versus Tom Brady. The most talented quarterback of all time versus the greatest quarterback of all time.

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks these aren’t the two greatest passers in the game. But ironically, the most ridiculous hot takes involving the two usually surround comparisons among the two best players in football.Ā And that’s not just on Twitter, were talking network-created debate shows that make some of the most outrageous claims.

But as the great Bill Simmons put in a 2007 column that led up to a great Tom Brady-Peyton Manning showdown — the greatest QB rivalry of all-time — “If you don’t like the accompanying BS for an admittedly overdiscussed game, simply skip the shows, columns, features and SportsCenter segments and join’ NBC’s broadcast on Sunday night.

Well that date has passed. It’s now Monday, and the Patriots won that contest, 31-17, all while using their WR5 (Cordarrelle Patterson, 73 total yards and a rushing TD) as an RB2, and while doing so without Rob Gronkowski and Sony Michel, who are two of the team’s top five weapons on offense, and that’s being modest.

Yes, Brady has the better coach and the better overall team. With the exception of maybe Mike Daniels and a young (but talented) CB core, the Packers defense is not quite as good as the Patriots’ unit, and New England’s defense is iffy. So it goes without saying, Brady didn’t necessarily beat Rodgers in a boxing match, it’s the team sport of football.

But Brady is the better quarterback. He has the better resume, legacy, and has been better since the 2014 regular season, when Rodgers beat Brady and the Patriots at home, 26-21, leading to Rodgers second NFL MVP award. So it was obvious Brady wanted this one, to even the score at 1-1 in what will most likely be the lasting moments of their often-discussed but never-matched-up-against rivalry. Green Bay is not returning to the Super Bowl this season, and with the talent in the NFC, they may not get back. Unless the two are still playing 2022, this was the last regular season meeting between the two.

Working with what he had, Brady spread the ball around to his trusted weapons, offensive engine James White and the ever-valuable Julian Edelman, as the two combined for 191 yards form scrimmage, 37 passing yards (!) and two scores.

But the X-factor is and will remain WR1 Josh Gordon, who continues to make spectacular plays as the type of guy Brady feels comfortable just lofting the ball up to, like he used to with the great Randy Moss. But there was no jump ball in the game’s best play, that put the game away. Brady lured two good rookie Packers cornerbacks to the flats as he faked a WR screen to Chris Hogan, then threw a dart to Gordon, who broke free for a 55-yard score. Game, set, match.

Rodgers was good, throwing for 259 yards, two scores and zero picks on 24-for-43 passing. He’s always good, at the very least. He’s usually great, but with only WR1 Davante Adams as a bonafide top target, Rodgers is working with two players who have seen better days, Randall Cobb and Jimmy Graham, as his next best weapons. After that it’s a barrel of rookie pass catchers.

Rodgers did what he could, and was humble in defeat. And if he springs together a run of late-career Super Bowls, he may very well finish as the greatest ever. For now, that conversation is not close, it’s Brady. And as for the best over the last few seasons, and right now? That conversation yields a much closer argument. But it’s Brady who is the better in that category, too. He proved that Sunday night, and has been in a recent, late-career run that Rodgers needs to mirror to pass him.

Saints rip Rams, lay claim as NFL’s best team

A Brady-Rodgers duel is awesome, but the best matchup of the week resided in New Orleans, as the Rams and Saints squared off in a battle that may decide the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Saints were on their way to destroying the Rams, holding a 35-14 lead right before the half. It wasn’t close. It was a spanking.

But the Rams clawed their way back to tie the game at 35-35 midway through the fourth quarter. In the biggest game of his young career, Jared Goff showed incredible poise and composure in leading the Rams back into the game. But the Saints responded.

The answer to my tweet above was obviously a resounding no, as Alvin Kamara ripped through Los Angeles for 116 total yards and three touchdowns in New Orleans’ eventual 45-35 victory. To make matters worse, Rams CB1 Marcus Peters was lost trying to defend Saints WR1 Michael Thomas, who is on an extraordinary receiving pace that rivals Todd Gurley’s season for the Rams. Kamara had three scores and Thomas put the game away with a clutch touchdown, and celebrated with a legendary ode to Joe Horn’s old-school cell phone celebration.

Despite the abundance of talent in the NFC (Panthers, Vikings, Eagles, Bears, Packers etc..) these two should meet again in the NFC Championship Game. If the Saints take care of business, they should have that game at home, because of this win. Give me the Saints in a rematch — that would be even closer than this matchup — due to their league-best trio of Brees, Kamara and Thomas. The Rams and Chiefs may have more complete offenses, but those three in New Orleans are not to be messed with.

Thomas was too much for Peters. Kamara was too much for the Rams’ underwhelming LB crew. And despite Goff’s ability to guide the Rams back in it, Brees was better. The Rams are all in, but the Saints are slightly better at the moment. They proved that and more on Sunday. They’re the best team in pro football. And now, they hold all the cards in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Three sleeper teams to monitor

With most eyes on the Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs, there are three teams flying under the radar at this point in the season.

Give it up for the Panthers (6-2, three-game winning streak), Chargers (6-2, five-game winning streak) and Texans (6-3, six-game winning streak). All three clubs are coasting thanks to MVP-level play from their QBs – Cam Newton, Phillip Rivers and Deshaun Watson. The latter has overcome a slow start, in which he clearly was still affected by last season’s ACL tear, to return to his old self. Mahomes may have jumped ahead for now but Watson, who was snagged two picks after Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft, has a chance to become the best QB of that draft class, really. As for the Bears (5-3), it’s their health, and the inconsistency of the highest-drafted QB of that class, Mitchell Trubisky, that brings them down. They aren’t up to par with Houston, or the Panthers or Chargers.

Both Newton and Rivers are a few seasons removed from their previous best seasons. Newton hogged the limelight during a great 2015 run, and isn’t quite doing that statistically this season, but he’s working with a re-defined offense that plays at a different pace, and he’s playing as efficient as he’s ever been. This is actually Rivers’ best season by any mark, so far. With Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams and Mike Williams, Los Angeles’ offense is tough to stop.

All three of these teams are tough to stop. Down the stretch, give me the Chargers as the most sure-fire to make the postseason, then the Panthers, then the Texans, who may need to hold off the Jaguars (3-5) who are bound to make a run at some point, they have too much talent. But all three should make it in, and all three will deserve too. Keep an eye on these three squads.

Quick-hits

– Although it’s not yet time to stick a fork in the Ravens (4-5), licking your chops at the idea wouldn’t be considered reckless. Five weeks ago, Baltimore impressively dismantled the Steelers (5-2-1) in Pittsburgh on a national stage. On Sunday, they played uninspired at home in a 23-16 loss to their division rival during a game sandwiched with others in the early afternoon slate. The loss is the third straight for the Ravens, who have been knocked farther down the AFC North ladder, looking up at the Steelers and Bengals (5-3).

Pittsburgh has seemingly eviscerated their sluggish play to begin the year, as their fourth straight win puts them behind only the Chiefs (8-1) and Patriots (7-2) in the AFC playoff picture.

– In the Falcons (4-4) 38-14 bludgeoning of the Redskins (5-3) in Washington, two points were made. First, Washington clearly shouldn’t be mentioned among the NFC’s true contenders. And second, with three straight wins, the Falcons have risen from the dead to insert themselves in the NFC’s wild card race. With season-ending injuries to Keanu Neal and Deion Jones (among other casulaties), no team has been devastated with more injuries this season than Atlanta. But Steve Sarkisian’s offense has come alive for the Falcons, who seemed to have fixed their red-zone woes and are scoring at will. Halfway through what looked like was becoming a disaster campaign, Atlanta deserves some attention.

NFL MVP Race

1) Patrick Mahomes –Ā As he continues on his record pace, it’s clear the QB for the league’s most explosive offense in at least a decade is the frontrunner for the NFL MVP.

2) Drew Brees –Ā Brees leads the NFL’s best team at the moment, with seven straight wins. In the Saints only loss (Week 1 vs. the Bucs), Brees and company put up 40 points in a 47-40 loss. He’s having perhaps his best season at age 39.

3) Todd Gurley –Ā Gurley leads the league in rushing yards (868 yards), total yards from scrimmage (1,230 yards), and total touchdowns (16). He’s your Offensive Player of the Year at this point.

4) Phillip Rivers –Ā Like Brees, Rivers is having his best season in the twilight of his career, as well. Utilizing his humongous receiving core — and Melvin Gordon — the Chargers are a scary 6-2 bunch, with their only losses coming to the Chiefs and Rams. You can thank Rivers for the Chargers’ success this season, and any success they’ve had since about 2009.

5) Tom Brady –Ā Overcoming yet another bumpy start, Brady continues to win when key pieces are missing, when players are added midseason to fill major roles, or when the Patriots’ offensive strategy changes from week to week.

Next Up:Ā Alvin Kamara, James Connor, Kareem Hunt, Cam Newton, Matt Ryan

Rob Gronkowski vs Chiefs

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Brady-Mahomes duel (Part I of II?) one for the ages + NFL MVP race

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

The game of the year (so far) lived up the billing. It could have been named regular season game of the decade and lived up to the hype, and then some. There’s a lot to unpack, a lot to examine in one of the wildest games in NFL history. A 43-40, video-game like thriller resulting in a 43-40 win for the Patriots over the Chiefs. The game may decide a lot more than just last night’s result in the standings. But we’ll get to that.

We’ll begin with the greatest quarterback of all-time, and his 2018 offense, which has the chance to develop into one of Tom Brady’s best, just in time for the November-December-January trek.

“I think we have a lot of clutch players,” Brady said at his postgame press conference. “I don’t think we have a problem grinding it out.”

Among the players grinding it out in the 4th quarter were Rob Gronkowski and Chris Hogan. Each of them made two huge catches in the fourth quarter (four of their seven catches combined for the night) to help set up 13 key points late, that ultimately won the game.

Joining Gronkowski and Hogan (and his 39-yard virtual game-winning catch above) were Sony Michel (106 rushing yards, 2 TDs), James White (92 total yards), Julian Edelman (four catches, 54 yards, TD) and Josh Gordon (five catches, 42 yards) as a holster of weapons — some tenured, some developing — in an offense that should become scarier leading up to Halloween and beyond.

In the win, Brady became the winningest-player (227 wins) at any position in NFL history, along with garnering his 200th career regular season win, which is another league record.

The same cannot be said about the Patriots’ defense, whose gimmicky (and smart) defense that confused Patrick Mahomes early on faded away as the game went along. But the Patriots’ defense is as advertised. The story here is Mahomes, a never-before-seen player who is a healthy mix between Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre (Packer fans’ input?), but too original to heavily compare him to anyone.

After a few mistakes early on, Mahomes delivered four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, leading the Chiefs to 31 second-half points to take the lead after being down 24-9 at the half.

“Just to be able to go against the best, that fight is something you can carry on for the rest of the season,” Mahomes said during his postgame presser.

Rarely does game in October mean so much, but there was a lot at stake on Sunday night. Stephen Gostkowski’s 28-yard game-winning field goal) brought the Patriots (4-2) within one game of the Chiefs (5-1) and gives New England the tiebreaker if the AFC’s No. 1 seed comes down to that. The Chiefs have a tough Week 11 matchup with the league-best Rams in Mexico City, but ultimately have the much-easier schedule down the stretch, as the Patriots host the Packers and Vikings, and travel to face the Bears (next Sunday) and Steelers as part of a tough journey ahead. A win here would have been a knockout punch fo the Chiefs, who may still host the AFC Championship Game.

It’s possible Eric Berry and Justin Houston would be available to boost Kansas City’s defense at Arrowhead Stadium (or Gillette Stadium) when the rematch materializes. And it will.

The Chiefs will still have Travis Kelce, and Patriots-dominating offensive weapons Kareem Hunt (185 total yards, TD) and Tyreek Hill (seven catches, 142 yards, three receiving TDs) who have played two games in New England in the last 13 months, and have been unstoppable in each.

The brief postgame handshake between Brady and Mahomes felt like a possible passing of the torch, even if delayed for another season or too. Brady is still the game’s best player now, and ever. But Mahomes has arrived. It wasn’t as sweet as Tim Duncan’s interaction with LeBron James after the 2007 NBA Finals, but if Kansas City ousts New England in the playoffs, this could be the game we look back at as maybe Brady’s last moment as lead dog. But Brady is a machine, and that can’t yet be predicted for sure.

The defensive-minded Ravens and Jaguars, or talented Chargers and Steelers may have a say here, but expect to see a rematch this January in the AFC Championship game.. Chiefs-Patriots, or Patriots-Chiefs. Whichever it is, treat it as well….a treat. A wonderful second meal (way better than a measly dessert) all football fans deserve, after tasting it’s imperfect perfection on Sunday Night.

The game of the year (so far) lived up to the hype.

Cream of the crop always…..you know

Are the Steelers slowly easing their way back into contenders status? What we do know after their thrilling, last-second win in Cincinnati, is that the Bengals aren’t quite ready for that label. With a chance to take a commanding early lead in the AFC North, they lost at home, as the Steelers are now just a half game back in the division.

It was Ben Roethlisbeger to Antonio Brown for the game-winning score with 10 seconds remaining, as he drove down the field with help (including a two-point conversion) from JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was equally as clutch. Like the Patriots, the Steelers seem to start off slow in recent seasons. But with the drams surrounding the team this season, and the absence of Le’Veon Bell, the skepticism was well-warranted. But with the ascension of James Connor, the grittiness of Big Ben, and AB84 back to being, well, the game’s best receiver, the Steelers are back in the thick of things.

Pittsburgh is the favorite to win the AFC North, again. That’s six straight losses to Pittsburgh for the Bengals, who may need to think about Wild Card spots after this loss.

AFC South logjam

What in the world is happening with the AFC South?

The most shocking development has been the uneven play of the Jaguars (3-3), who have looked awful as of late, mostly because of the pumpkin-reverting play by Jags QB Blake Bortles, who was again shaky in the team’s 40-7 loss in Dallas to the Cowboys.

But at least the Jaguars have a signature win (Week 2 vs. Patriots) to bank on. The Titans (3-3) have played six ugly games, and after a road loss in Buffalo, and now a 21-0 home loss to the Ravens, the team is clearly trending downward, even after wins over the Jaguars and Eagles.

Then there’s the Texans (3-3). After an 0-3 start, the team has fallen ass-backward into three straight wins to move into a tie for first place in the division. Houston needed a pick-six (and another interception following that) by the immortal Nathan Peterman to beat the Buffalo Bills (2-4) at home. Houston hasn’t looked particularly solid in any game this season, as Deshaun Watson eases back in from an ACL tear last season, and the common Year 2 blues that a young QB generally experiences.

The Jaguars are probably the team to beat in this division, as their talented defense should lead them to the AFC South title, and the conferees’s No. 4 seed, at minimum. But with the way Bortles has been playing, that’s far from a sure thing. The overall take of this group (which includes the 1-5 Indianapolis Colts) through six games? ‘Woof.’

Quick-hits

– For Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake, the keyword is ‘mental toughness.’ Especially after he seemingly fumbled away a victory at the one-inch line in overtime, only to lead the Dolphins back into field goal range after given a second chance (Bears missed field goal.) The win really exhibited the grit that Gase so desires from his team after an offseason overhaul. Miami kept pace in the AFC East with the win.

The Bears get the Bengals’ treatment in that they may be a year away from being a ‘true’ contender in their conference. But traveling to Miami from Chicago for an early start time is as tough as it gets for a non-East coast team. But still, the game was up grabs and the Bears capitalized on virtually nothing, minus a big interception late of Brock Osweiler returned the other way to set up a score. But after blowing leads of 21-13 and 28-21 to Osweiler, it seems the Bears are super talented, but aren’t a true contender yet. 2019 may be their year. Up next for the Bears? The surging Patriots, who will be looking for their first road victory of 2018.

– The perfect picture to sum up the Redskins’ 23-17 victory over the Panthers at home. Both teams are now 3-2.

– Here come the Los Angeles Chargers. Their third straight win, a 38-14 dismantling of the upstart Browns in Cleveland, bring them to 4-2 and squarely in the mix in the AFC. They’re one of the league’s five or six most talented teams, that will only get better with the return of Joey Bosa at some point. Also, they’re only losses are to the Rams and Chiefs, two of the league’s best clubs. However, their track record of errant miscues at the most inopportune times should serve as a tale of caution for anyone predicting them to make a deep playoff run. But it’s fun to get reeled in. The talent is there. Will coaching and well-executed play in the clutch catch up this season?

NFL MVP Race

1) Patrick Mahomes – What more can you say? Even in a loss he showed why he belongs here for now.

2) Todd GurleyĀ –Ā Gurley has overtaken the throne — previously held by Le’Veon Bell — as the league’s best running back. The Rams RB1 has also passed Antonio Brown as the NFL’s best non-QB, offensive weapon. Jared Goff has begun taking the mantle as the leader of this team, but Gurley is still engine.

3) Jared Goff –Ā The Rams were Gurley’s team last season. This year it’s a mix between Gurley and Goff. If the Rams ultimately are to win Super Bowl LIII, the third-year QB will have to fully take the mantle. If it doesn’t happen then, it soon will. It’s a QB-driven league and offensive mastermind Sean McVay has his guy.

4) Drew Brees –Ā With 11 TDs, ZERO interceptions and a league-high 77.9 completion percentage, Brees is playing perhaps his best football at age 39. Don’t sleep on the 2018 New Orleans Saints.

5) Alvin Kamara –Ā Similar to the Rams’ situation explained above, Kamara is becoming the engine of the Saints’ offense. Brees is still the offense, and the franchise, but with help from Kamara (and Michael Thomas), the Saints are gaining momentum as a NFC powerhouse. They have more than just their QB to thank.

Next up: Khalil Mack, Tom Brady, Adam ThielenĀ 

Josh Allen hurdle

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Bills shock Vikings, Mahomes continues record pace

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

So, how about the quarterbacks of the 2018 NFL Draft class? After a Sam Darnold’s strong Week 1 outing, Baker Mayfield stole the show versus Donald in his debut last Thursday night. Josh Rosen was seen as the best pro-ready QB in the draft, and stepped in late with a chance at a his own Brett Favre-like moment on Sunday, but despite looking fairly poised, the Cardinals fell to the Bears. Lamar Jackson is more of a project, but has the potential to be electrifying either next year or the year after.

Then, there’s Josh Allen.

Seen as someone with a cannon arm and an abundance of raw talent, most were ready to suggest an unbelievably rough season with a chance at 0-16 for Allen and the lowly Bills’ roster.

But in just his second start, Allen and the Bills pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in the history of the NFL regular season, via a 27-6 thumping of the Vikings in Minnesota.

So what now? Well, the Bills still might yield the worst roster in football, so expectations for the remainder of Allen’s rookie year will have to be tempered a bit. But with a show of toughness, leadership and the ability to scramble and to find players downfield, the Bills should be ecstatic with the performance that their QB of the future displayed on Sunday.

It’s way too early to judge, but could the this draft class of QBs someday challenge the legendary 1983 and 2004 classes? We’ll revisit in about five years.

The next face of the NFL?

Another week, another step toward a record-setting season for phenom QB Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. In first home game, Mahomes and his talented supporting cast gave fans a glimpse of how they might be for the next decade-plus. Viewed as another superstar-QB-to-be, Jimmy Garoppolo and his underwhelming group of offensive talent were no match for the sweltering-hot Chiefs, despite a formidable second-half push.

Garoppolo is still in the hunt for the league’s next best QB, but he missed a couple throws to open receivers, and ultimately left the game with what looks to be a torn ACL. That’s a bummer for the league and it’s fans.

Meanwhile Mahomes made jaw-dropping touchdown throws, including one on a scramble that mirrored somebody playing with Michael Vick in EA Sports’ ‘Madden 2004.’

For now, Mahomes is next-in-line to take over as the league’s best QB, passing Garoppolo, Carson Wentz and others. And that’s with just three games played in his first season as the team’s franchise QB. The Chiefs have the NFL’s best set of offensive weapons, and they got off to a 5-0 start with Alex Smith last year before swooning their way down the playoff picture, eventually losing at home to the Titans in an AFC Wild Card Game.

But this is different. Mahomes is clearly better than Smith, and is surely the engine that makes this offense go. Even with the overload of talent, it’s the young QB and his remarkable playmaking ability that has the Chiefs thinking Super Bowl. Through three games, Mahomes has thrown for a record 13 touchdown passes, with zero interceptions. Eventually, more game tape (for defensive coordinators to study) and cold weather will surely slow him down, but will keep pace enough to lead the Chiefs to the AFC’s No. 1 seed and win NFL MVP?

In two weeks, the Chiefs begin a two-game stretch that may decide the top of the AFC’s playoff picture:

vs Jacksonville

at New England

The game against the Patriots will be on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, giving the entire country a chance to see Mahomes face off with Tom Brady and the defending AFC champs.

The AFC’s early frontrunner will be decided than, and all eyes will be on Mahomes for that two-week stretch, if everyone isn’t following along with his monster season already.

Is Carson Wentz the new Andrew Luck?

The Colts and Eagles played their way into a close battle, that resulted in a lukewarm win by the defending Super Bowl champs, 20-16, in Carson Wentz’s return. Wentz was average against a much-improved Colts defense, while Luck had an on-and-off game against the Eagles much-aligned pass rush.

The most obvious similarity between the teams is former Eagles’ QB coach Frank Reich now occupying Indy’s head coaching job. But what about the quarterbacks? Both are near-perfect prototypes that were selected No. 1 (Luck) and No. 2 (Wentz) overall in their respective drafts. They both began to set the league on fire before a major injury hurt their progress. Luck led the league with 42 touchdown passes in 2014 while leading a below-average Colts roster to the AFC Championship Game. Wentz was setting the league ablaze last season, and would certainly have won the NFL MVP award over Tom Brady had he remained healthy.

Luck hasn’t quite looked the same since that 2014 season, and he’s missed just about the last two seasons with a shoulder injury. He’s easing back into his old self, but clearly has yet to produce as he did during his Year 3, where he was being anointed as the NFL’s next king-to-be at QB.

Wentz similarly looked the same last season, but tore his ACL, which has in turn limited his mobility, which is a major hallmark of his play. Luck’s shoulder injury is a bit more severe, as it involves his passing skills. So much, apparently, that he had to be replaced by backup QB Jacoby Brissett when the Colts needed a Hail Mary attempt to the end zone around midfield.

Time will tell if Luck can return to where he should be by now, and if Wentz can return to his Year 2 form by the end of his Year 3. But looking at their career arcs thus far, there is a similarity.

Quick-hits

  • In the Battle for Los Angeles (or “Hollywood Bowl”), the Rams outpaced the Chargers, as the team looks like the best in football through three weeks. With Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense getting most of the headlines, last year’s No. 1 offense should not be forgotten. Jared Goff has seemingly taken a huge step forward in Year 3, and Brandin Cooks has proven to be a massive acquisition as an upgrade at WR1, the spot held by Sammy Watkins last year. Watkins is now with the Chiefs.
  • In Chip Kelly-like fashion, both Jon Gruden and Adam Gase have somewhat gutted their teams in hopes of changing the culture and attitude. Gruden’s Raiders have been competitive, but have blown three fourth-quarter leads to drop to 0-3, while the Dolphins have survived a few close games to head to 3-0, with a 10-point fourth quarter comeback to beat Gruden’s Raiders on Sunday. Gruden’s decision to rid the Raiders of Khalil Mack (who is the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year at the moment) and others has not helped the team. Gase’s decision to get rid of Jarvis Landry, Ndamukong Suh and others has paid off, as the team has displayed an obvious increase in mental toughness compared to recent seasons. The Dolphins (3-0) now travel to New England to take on the Patriots in a huge contest in Foxboro.
  • Speaking of the Patriots, I felt it best to not lead the column with their apparent demise (again), but instead to gather my thoughts and produce a special column on their situation to you all. I’ll have that done by Tuesday morning. Stay tuned.
Keelan Cole catch vs Patriots

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Bortles, Jags throttle Pats

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

Revenge is usually best served cold, but in the Jaguars’ 31-20 win over the Patriots in the hottest NFL game since 2003, it was the scorching performance by the polarizing Blake Bortles (29-45, 377 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT) that did the trick for the AFC’s early front-runner.

The Patriots’ defense that looked formidable against the Texans last week was nowhere to be found as Bortles found Keelan Cole (7 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD) when needed, including an Odell Beckham Jr.-like catch on the sideline in the first quarter, as the Jaguars raced out to a 21-3 lead that would never be surrendered or challenged.

In the win, Jalen Ramsey and the team’s brash defense forced Brady to avoid the outside and deep areas of the field. Brady instead looked toward the all-familiar middle zone of the defense, in which trusty slot receiver Julian Edelman was sorely missed. Without Edelman, the Jaguars keyed on Rob Gronkowski, allowing him just two catches for 15 yards as Brady’s dink-and-dunk philosophy garnered just 20 points, which wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with the gun-slinging Bortles.

The Patriots currently are without a receiver talented enough to get consistent serperation on the outside, which makes you wonder, do they make a play for Josh Gordon? With the Cowboys’ apparent signing of Brice Butler, the 49ers, Packers and Seahawks seem like the only other likely destinations outside of New England.

But discussing Gordon would takeaway from the Patriots’ all-too-familiar problem: what’s up with the defense? Certainly an early exit from Trey Flowers contributed, but the Patriots’ last two losses involve the dismantling of their unit but Nick Foles and Bortles. Is it panic time in New England? No. Is it a cause for concern? You bet.

The Patriots will likely be 4-1 when they visit Patrick Mahomes and the red-hot Chiefs (to be discussed next) on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in Week 5. Will the defense show up then? They better hope.

Chiefs exorcise demons, outscore Steelers

After a sizzling performance in Week 1, Patrick Mahomes and the red-hot Chiefs picked up where they left off in a 42-37 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The win doubled as an exorcising-of-the-demons affair mixed with a statement win that vaults Kansas City at or near the the top of the AFC’s group of early contenders.

Even in a flawed AFC, one can’t simply look past the Chiefs’ horrendous defense. But the perfect amalgam of star-studded weapons on offense have helped ease Mahomes into the NFL, as the young QB has been anything but easy to defend thus far.

With 10 touchdowns (and zero interceptions) in these first two weeks, Mahomes is on pace to shatter Peyton Manning’s single-season record of 55 touchdown passes with the rival Broncos in 2013. And although that probably won’t happen, Mahomes has set himself up as the way-too-early NFL MVP after two weeks.

The Steelers certainly missed Le’Veon Bell to a degree on Sunday, as replacement James Conner notched just 17 rushing yards on 8 carries, but it’s the defense that remains the Achilles Heel of the franchise. Can the Steelers overcome another slow start? They’ll need to if they are to keep up with the Chiefs, Jaguars, Patriots and Bengals in the AFC.

NFC North stalemate complicates standings

The Vikings and Packers squared off in an early candidate for game of the year before a bevy of field goal misses by both teams solidified a 29-29 tie in Lambeau Field.

Despite being the last team to miss an easy 35-yard chip-shot field goal for the win, it’s the Vikings who come away with more to be happy about with this result.

For starters, it took Kirk Cousins’ three-touchdown fourth quarter performance, which included an eight-point scoring drive in the final minute, to force overtime to avoid the loss. And secondly, the Vikings will host the Packers in their second meeting later in the year, meaning they escaped Green Bay without a loss.

Now Aaron Rodgers is still far from healthy, meaning he’ll kick things into high gear at somepoint, but the Vikings are the much more talented team, and only the Rams look better in the NFC right now.

But still, two ties in two weeks? They sure do make the standings look ugly, especially early in the season.

Decoding the NFC South

The NFC South, the league’s best division last year, is shaping up to be one of the league’s most disappointing this year. For starters, the Falcons and Panthers are decimated by injuries, while the Saints continue to underachieve on both sides of the ball, alternating by the week.

Then there is the Buccaneers.

Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bucs thoroughly outplayed the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in a 27-21 victory at home, as four more touchdown passes by Ryan Fitzpatrick place the journeyman QB right with Mahomes as the league’s most valuable player after two weeks.

And although it’s laughable to discuss such a topic this early, it’s Jameis Winston and the remaining NFC South teams who aren’t laughing.

Not only should Fitzpatrick keep his job when Winston returns after next week, the Bucs also have a prime opportunity to ride this ship toward a possible NFC South title.

Again, it’s way too early to envision Tampa Bay (2-0) hosting a playoff game, but with the state of the NFC South, it’s certainly possible.

The Saints (1-1) travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons (1-1) next week. The Falcons remain the division’s most talented team even with their recent slew of injuries. A convincing victory there, coupled with a Bucs’ home loss to the struggling Steelers on ESPN’s Monday Night Football would shuffle things around.

As with most league discussions at this point, let’s chalk this up as ‘to be determined.’

Rodgers vs Bears

NFL Monday Morning Madness: All hail Aaron Rodgers

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

The NFL once again delivered an exhilaratingly whacky Week 1, highlighted by the Chiefs’ explosive offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s fireworks through the air in New Orleans, a tie, and a game twice delayed by inclement weather.

But we begin in Green Bay, where fans at Lambeau Field were once again witnesses to the greatness of Aaron Rodgers.

*Ā *Ā *Ā *Ā *

The most shocking upset of the week was almost complete. The Bears, with new head coach Matt Nagy, young QB Mitch Trubisky and recent mega-addition Khalil Mack, had seemingly sucked the energy out of the Packers. After all, superstar QB Aaron Rodgers left with an apparent knee injury, the Bears looked faster and hungrier, and Mack had completely taken over the game with a strip-sack and a pick-six. The score at the half? 17-0 in favor of the new, modern-day Monsters of the Midway.

Shockingly, Rodgers returned for the second half, and so did the Packers.

Insert one more legendary comeback and game into Rodgers’ script. A 20-point second half comeback to beat the upstart Bears, a team that had THAT look. The look of a team ready to break out. Not tonight, not in Rodgers’ house.

One of the game’s great rivalries has been in favor of the Packers during the Rodgers era. He had beaten the Bears in the 2010 NFC Championship in Chicago. He had beaten the Bears in Week 17 of 2013 to clinch the NFC North on a long-ball to Randall Cobb. And last night, he crushed the Bears’ souls again, with Cobb, his closest friend on the team. An 75-yard touchdown pass in which Cobb did most of the damage after the catch, put the Packers ahead 24-23. That would be the final score.

“It’s the Bear-Packer rivalry, Rodgers said to NBC’s Michele Tafoya. “It would have had to be something really catastrophic injury-wise to keep me off the field.”

Once Green Bay took the lead, Chicago had a chance to drive down for the win, but the moment looked too big for Mitchell Trubisky. It engulfed him. Even with a second chance after Clay Matthews roughing-the-passer penalty on fourth down extended the drive, Trubisky could not deliver. The same Bears that looked unstoppable on both sides of the ball in the first half couldn’t hang on in the second. Not with Rodgers at the helm, limping around and throwing touchdowns, firing up a crowd thad had almost certainly begun mulling over the career of their quarterback after what looked to be another serious injury possibly derailing another one of his seasons.

Instead, Rodgers came back and delivered one of his most masterful performances yet, as Trubisky, Mack and the rest of the Bears saw their statement victory slip away. This was must-see TV. Football is indeed back, and this was it’s finest part of the overall product this weekend.

“I’ll play next week,” Rodgers said.

We’ll be watching.

Chiefs still own AFC West

After an offseason filled with questions about whether or not the talented Chargers could finally win the AFC West, the division’s incumbent champs brought the noise in the league’s quietest stadium. The most explosive offense in pro football features the the most explosive player in the sport in Tyreek Hill, and a confident young QB in Patrick Mahomes, who seems ready to lead the charge for one of the AFC’s main contenders.

First thing of note is Hill, who is not only the game’s most explosive (and fastest) player but also the league’s most exciting, edging out guys like Rodgers, Alvin Kamara and Antonio Brown for the nod. A 91-yard punt return touchdown to begin the season, followed by 169 yards and two more scores on the receiving end. He scores on punts, reverses, hand-offs, drags, slants and deep flies. He can literally do it all. He’s what personnel guys always hoped Dante Hall or Devin Hester would be on offense. With lackluster performances by Kareem Hunt (16 carries, 49 yards) and Travis Kelce (1 catch, 6 yards), it was Hill who Mahomes looked to.

But Mahomes deserves credit in his own right. His second career start was basically his first career start. This was his moments. All offseason the Chargers were coronated as one of the league’s most talented teams, if not, the most talented in AFC, at least. But what about the Mahomet-Hill-Hunt-Kelce-Sammy Watkins grouping in Kansas City. The Chiefs have playmakers at all levels, and Mahomes is the perfect distributor in Andy Reid’s high-flying offense.

Mahomes’ final stat line: 15-for-27, 256 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions.

As a QB praised for his big arm and potential, it was refreshing to see Mahomes display accuracy and touch in his passing game, specifically in a floating pass along the left sideline to fullback Anthony Sherman, that turned into a 36-yard catch-and-score.

Yes, the Chargers were without Joey Bosa, and Week 1 is Week 1. But Kansas City made a statement with the win.

The Chiefs have now beaten the Chargers nine straight times, and with Mahomes, things look to be no different in the AFC West.

Same ole Saints?

For fans who haven’t noticed by now. here’s a mantra to keep in mind. Things change in the NFL. Production from the previous season rarely carries over to the next. Unless you’re the Patriots, or Aaron Rodgers, of course.

Sadly, the Saints defense does not fall in the exemption category. After a promising 2017 defensive campaign, the Saints entered Sunday as a Super Bowl contender. Instead they were embarrassed by the Buccaneers at home, 48-40, in a game in which Tampa Bay backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had the game of his life (21 of 28, 417 yards, four touchdowns).

Fitzpatrick is a great story, and certainly one that should be talked about. He fed Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson magnificently. But the story here is the collapse of what was supposed to be an improving unit. During the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era in the Bayou, the Saints have continually relied on their offense.

But now with Brees at age-39, and Mark Ingram out for four weeks, September was set for the Saints defense to shine. Nope.Ā Instead New Orleans did not capitalize on the Falcons loss in Philadelphia on Thursday. The Falcons should beat the Panthers (1-0) at home next week after blowing their chance to upend the defending Super Bowl Champions.

Atlanta is clearly the most complete team in the NFC South, and even they have a lot of work to do (RED ZONE).

The Saints can reflect this week as they look ahead to their home bout with the Browns next Sunday. Maybe that’s the cure they need.