1. Imagine being Jake Moody—left for dead after an inconsistent start to his career as a former 49ers third-round pick, getting a practice squad elevation for this week in place of Cairo Santos, having
a critical kick blocked at the start of the 4th quarter, then nailing the game-winner as time expires to steal a road win for the Bears. Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Hopefully, this earns him another shot somewhere else.
2. I was already well on the “Justin Fields is destined to be a career backup” train before Sunday’s stinker in London. But after watching that, I legit think he might need to give up quarterbacking for good. Because that brother sadly cannot play the position. At least Tyrod Taylor is a level of mediocrity you can accept. -10 net passing yards is so bad no other team but the Giants have ever managed it. Also, you just know when certain guys who might be very good coaches simply aren’t meant to be head coaches in the NFL. I watched Jerod Mayo struggle up close last season and lose his job when it became clear the Patriots could do better. Aaron Glenn is feeling like that guy this year. That Jets stretch to close out the first half, where the offense played so scared they spit on a chance to maybe earn three points that could’ve won them the game, was embarrassing. But at least he gave us a Dan Campbell-esque fake punt!
3. Brian Callahan is Exhibit No. 291312 of “If you know you’re drafting a QB No.1 overall and don’t think your coach is good, FIRE HIM BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS.” I am sick of teams clinging onto ineffective head coaches longer than they need to and screwing with their young quarterbacks’ development. It’s not always a death knell (see, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye), but these guys are too important to screw around with. Always prioritize the potential franchise QB over the coach.
4. The Patriots fortunately won this game against the Saints and scored a touchdown on this drive, so it didn’t end up mattering. But what in the actual [bleep] were these refs thinking calling offensive pass interference on Stefon Diggs to wipe out this insane Drake Maye TD pass to Demario Douglas? “Rule of Cool” must be instituted immediately. Add the Rome Odunze TD catch that was nullified due to…whatever they called to this ledger. Oh, by the way…the Patriots are back to leading the AFC East after Buffalo’s second straight loss (including one to New England), and Maye’s ascendancy has me feeling like we’re back in the mid-2010s again.
5. I really like Brian Branch as a player, and I personally don’t think him not wanting to shake Patrick Mahomes’ hand at the end of the Chiefs-Lions game is the worst thing in the world (even if it is technically crappy sportsmanship). But hitting Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster in the face and touching off a brawl was monstrously lame. If you’re going to be tough when you win, be tough when you lose. Don’t be a clown.
6. Pick up Rico Dowdle for your fantasy teams if you haven’t already. He’s racked up 234 scrimmage yards in the last two weeks while taking over for Chubba Hubbard. The fact that he helped the lowly Panthers beat the Cowboys squad that cast him off after last season is even better. Because screw the Cowboys.
7. Baker Mayfield is the most fun QB in the NFL to watch right now, and I’m not sure it’s much of a debate. This dude plays every play like he’s tweaking, and I mean that in the best possible way.
8. Is Joe Flacco the first 40-year-old QB in NFL history to be traded mid-season within a division just so he can mid for both teams? Achievement unlocked, though still maybe not quite as cool as Josh McCown playing for more than half the NFL’s teams.
9. Let receivers like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, and Emeka Egbuka be heralds of a new NFL truth: you don’t have to be height-weight-speed aliens to thrive in the pros. These guys simply get open and catch the football every single week with superior technique and football speed. After all, if you can’t catch them or get them on the ground with their pads on, who cares what they ran in shorts?
10. We keep trying to stick a fork in the Chiefs. But as long as Patrick Mahomes is playing for them, they simply will not die. They’ve put their ugly start behind them to sit at 3-3 after grinding one out over Detroit and are just about to be healthy on offense. It’s like clockwork. You can throw off the timing a little, but the machine keeps ticking.
