The Daily Slop – 3 November 2026
Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
Commanders links
Articles
Riggo’s Rag
Trey Amos gives Commanders a glimpse of something bigger than one win
The 2025 second-round pick out of Ole Miss had himself a ballgame, shutting down everything in his path. Amos also should have had his first career interception, but it was called back for a very dubious unnecessary roughness penalty on edge rusher K’Lavon
Chaisson.
It’s exactly what Washington needed from a player many believe can be a franchise cornerstone.
With Amos, it’s all been about availability. His rookie season was cut short due to a fractured fibula, and an ankle injury sustained in his second practice of training camp delayed the defensive back’s 2026 debut until Week 6 at the San Francisco 49ers.
But whenever Amos has played, he’s produced.
He had six pass deflections as a rookie and two more on Sunday night, while allowing only one reception for seven yards.
When he’s been healthy, Amos has shown the potential to be a star. He has the instincts and measurables of a Pro Bowl-level lockdown corner who can provide stability at the position for years.
And even though he was out for almost a year, Amos has gotten back into his groove much quicker than anticipated.
It’s hard to overstate the difference Amos has made for Washington since his return.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bullock’s Film Room
Note: Unless something changes, this article appears to be unlocked and available to be read from beginning to end
Commanders Film Review: Antonio Williams vs Eagles
[Note: The play described in the excerpt below is embedded in the tweet posted in the body of the article]
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn singled out rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams as someone that he thought could step up and play a bigger role after star receiver Terry McLaurin suffered a season-ending injury a few weeks ago. Against the Eagles, Williams certainly didn’t disappoint. He caught five passes for 54 yards and could have had plenty more too. The Eagles have a strong secondary but every corner that faced him struggled to stick close.
There were a number of key traits that stood out from Williams in this game and I’ll try and cover them all in this post. First, let’s start with the most important thing, his hands. Williams displayed good hands throughout the game, making some tough adjustments to pull in passes that weren’t perfectly accurate. He often did it in a way that made you quickly forget the ball wasn’t perfect too, which I’m sure his quarterback appreciates.
This play is a great example of the combination of all of the traits we’ve seen from Williams in this post so far. He shows good speed, good route running, and great hands. Williams begins this play as the outside receiver to the right of the formation, but he’s aligned tight to the formation. Initially, he has cornerback Quinyon Mitchell lined up opposite him, but that soon changes. The Commanders motion tight end Chig Okonkwo outside of Williams, making Williams the slot receiver. The Eagles react by bumping Mitchell outside over Okonkwo, while the safety rotates down from deep to cover Williams.
That’s a strong matchup for the Commanders and one Williams takes full advantage of. Williams runs a double move against the safety. He initially angles his route outside and gets all the way to the edge of the numbers as he fully sells his fake break outside. This commitment to the fake forces the safety to bite on it, which enables Williams to burst past him. Williams opens up a gap of five yards on the safety very quickly and Daniels pulls the trigger. His throw is a little lofty and Williams has to slow down as he tracks the ball in the air. But he makes a nice adjustment to work back to the ball, jumping up to grab the ball before the safety could get there. He bobbles the pass slightly but manages to secure the ball as the safety lands a big hit, completing the 30-yard gain.
It was an impressive outing from the rookie receiver and one that means he now leads the Commanders receivers with 259 receiving yards from 23 catches so far this season. If he continues to play this well, those numbers should only grow. He’s definitely worthy of a bigger role and more targets within the offense, especially without McLaurin. He’s doing a great job on the outside as the Z receiver but he’s also very capable of playing the same role as Diggs in the slot.
I wonder if we’ll see him shift inside a little more often in key situations as the season progresses, trusting him to make some of those critical plays in big spots that Diggs is making. Diggs has been a great signing so far, but Williams is the future, so I wonder if we’ll see a passing of the torch at some point. For now though, with Burks playing McLaurin’s X receiver role, Williams can claim the Z receiver role as his own and he should only become an increasingly larger part of the offense going forward.
More from Sports Illustrated:
Snap Judgment: Williams (50 snaps – 83%) led the receivers in playing time, ahead of Burks (40 snaps – 67%) and Diggs (39 snaps – 65%). I’d keep him at the front of this rotation.
Williams caught three passes for 20 yards on Washington’s 89-yard touchdown drive. His five-yard catch on third-and-4 kept the possession alive, and a 10-yard reception on second-and-10 moved the chains again. In the fourth quarter, his 30-yard catch was the biggest gain on the drive that pushed Washington’s lead to 19-10.
Sports Illustrated
Five Sacks Without Three DTs
Washington’s defensive front supplied the answer it needed most. Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw and Jer’Zhan Newton were all unavailable, but the Commanders sacked Tanner McKee five times and held Saquon Barkley to 30 yards on 13 carries. Charles Omenihu returned with a sack, three quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. Quinn said Monday the rush looked more coordinated and connected after the staff made it a focus during the bye. With Payne’s foot injury reportedly ending his season, Washington will need that work to hold up beyond one game.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
More from Sports Illustrated:
Snap Judgment: Omenihu played 46 defensive snaps (67%), compared with 49 for K’Lavon Chaisson, 45 for Odafe Oweh and 40 for Dorance Armstrong. I’d keep him involved when the front gets healthier.
Omenihu was also credited with a quarterback hit on the fourth-down pass Rasul Douglas intercepted late in the fourth quarter. Douglas returned it to Philadelphia’s 37, and Washington scored on its next possession.
Commanders.com
Game Balls | 4 standouts from Washington’s win against the Eagles
Treylon Burks
Burks’ shook off his first error on Sunday night — a dropped pass on third-and-3 — and went on to have one of his best games to date in burgundy and gold. The wide receiver led the team in receiving yards in the win and torched Philadelphia’s secondary as a deep threat for Daniels.
In the first quarter, he showed length to stretch out for a seven-yard pass that resulted in an important first-down conversion with Washington down 10. In the second quarter, he ran a comeback route out to the right and brought in the ball for a 21-yard gain before being pushed out of bounds.
His biggest catch of the night came in the third quarter. Burks got the better of Quinyon Mitchell downfield and hauled in a 53-yard pass from Daniels. The catch was the longest reception by a Washington player this season. There’s no replacing McLaurin, but Burks filled in a gap left by the number one wide receiver’s absence and proved he can influence the game in big ways when called upon.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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Commanders.com
5 takeaways from Commanders vs. Eagles
Daniels was solid in his first win in over a year
There were some parallels between Daniels’ last win, which came on Oct. 5, 2025, against the Los Angeles Chargers, and Sunday’s victory. In both games, the Commanders gave their opponents a 10-0 lead before going on a tear to get the win.
And like the rest of the team, it took Daniels some time to find a groove, but he ended the night with another solid performance.
“I see a lot from him in the poise and the location of where to throw deep shots,” Quinn said.
Daniels led the Commanders to a field goal drive after addressing the offense, but he did not really look like himself until the following possession. He led the Commanders on an 89-yard drive, completing five of his six passes and rushing for 14. His touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs was his sixth of the year, and he is now the only starting quarterback with zero interceptions.
The rest of the night featured flashes from Daniels that helped move the Commanders downfield. Both his 53-yard completion to Treylon Burks and 30-yard throw to Antonio Williams set up field goals that extended Washington’s lead. He did not do much with his legs, but it was enough to keep the chains moving.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
Drew Stevens gives Commanders reason to believe their kicker search is over
Drew Stevens, Washington’s undrafted rookie kicker, nailed four of five attempts, including a momentum-swinging 56-yarder late in the first quarter. All in all, the Iowa product has been money this season from anything within 50 yards, and he’s got the leg to hit from distance.
Stevens started shaky and has missed three extra points this season. But he did a lot of growing up on Sunday night, and now it’s all about how he’s able to build on it.
A kicker’s primary job is to be someone who won’t lose you the game. But great kickers can actively be the reason you win a game. Stevens was one reason Washington beat the Eagles, continuing his encouraging form after some early jitters.
No other position in the NFL is as driven by confidence as kicker. For Stevens, who missed a 55-yarder on Washington’s opening drive, he could have spiraled into disaster when head coach Dan Quinn placed him in the same situation from one yard further later in the opening frame.
Instead, Stevens drilled it, which turned into a springboard for his best game of the season.
By the end of the night, Stevens accounted for 13 of Washington’s 27 points, outscoring the Eagles by himself.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Jeremy McNichols will be sidelined for months
Veteran Jeremy McNichols is expected to miss several months while reports broke on Monday that he is seeking additional opinions into Tuesday. McNichols suffered what was reported as a mid-foot injury in Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
It marks the latest blow to the running back room with position coach Anthony Lynn Jr. also adjusting without Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who remains on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in week five.
How the Commanders adjust in the running back room remains to be seen with Rachaad White, who registered his lone rushing touchdown on Sunday night, currently ranked third on the team with 200 rushing yards on 47 attempts. Austin Ekeler has also loomed large as a mid-season signing for Washington where he owns 67 rushing yards on 16 carries through four games. Washington previously waived sixth round pick Kaytron Allen, while Craig Reynolds has not appeared in a game since the week four loss against the Indianapolis Colts.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
7 running backs who could help the Commanders survive their injury crisis
Commanders could sign Jerome Ford
With the Washington Commanders needing someone who can step in and provide immediate help, turning to someone already familiar with the setup may be the best path. That brings Jerome Ford under the microscope.
Ford joined the Commanders in free agency this offseason after falling behind Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson during his final season with the Cleveland Browns. Things didn’t go well, mainly due to injuries, and he was eventually waived with an injury designation.
The Minnesota Vikings signed him to their practice squad, but released him soon after. Ford wasn’t out of work for long, and he’s currently on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad waiting for his opportunity.
He is reportedly healthy now, too. Ford knows David Blough’s scheme and the locker room culture, so the transition would be smooth. And with the Commanders needing help right now, he may be on their shortlist.
Commanders could sign Khalil Herbert
Unlike most players on this list, Khalil Herbert has actually seen some regular-season action during the 2026 campaign. He’s been called up twice from the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad, but another elevation would mean he needs to be signed to their 53-man roster.
That might be something the struggling NFC South club is reluctant to do. Therefore, the Commanders could make that decision for them by making him an offer.
Herbert is a pocket rocket. While he lacks the size and physicality to be a legitimate three-down force, he is a nice change-of-pace option who can also help on passing downs. This is similar to how the Commanders deploy Jeremy McNichols, so it could be a nice like-for-like possibility to consider.
The 2021 sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech looked like a potential star earlier in his career with the Chicago Bears. Things have tailed off for Herbert since, but he could definitely help Washington in the short term.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders vs. Eagles, Week 8
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders during their Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles
Podcasts & videos
Commanders Have an Opening to Add Real Talent Around Jayden Daniels
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
Texas-sized collapse
The Dallas Cowboys had a 17-3 lead over the Arizona Cardinals late in the third quarter and appeared poised to move into second place in the NFC East, behind the idle New York Giants. Then a giant headache ensued: Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur replaced quarterback Jacoby Brissett with backup Gardner Minshew, who directed four consecutive touchdown drives, the last of which tied the game at 30 with six seconds remaining.
Given a reprieve by Chad Ryland’s missed extra point, the Cowboys (3-5) then allowed Minshew to mount another scoring drive in overtime and lost, 33-30. For the Cardinals (3-5), who haven’t won a home game since last September, it continued yet another home-away-from-home anomaly: Just as they run L.A. (thanks to wins at SoFi Stadium over the Rams and Chargers this season), they’re now 5-0 lifetime at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
None of this was good news for Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, especially given owner Jerry Jones’ postgame declaration to reporters that Dallas’ latest blown opportunity was “an indictment of the whole show.”
As for the division’s other embattled coaches? Well, Dan Quinn may have turned his seat from hot to warm after the Washington Commanders’ 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Conversely, Nick Sirianni, who lost his sixth straight, did so much winning in his first five seasons that his job security shouldn’t be an issue — though we’ll have to keep an eye on this as the brotherly love dissipates in Philly.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
From The Ringer:
Put simply, if you need to get possession via an onside kick, you’ve almost surely already lost the game. It’s the ultimate desperation move, and desperation rarely works in the NFL or anywhere.
So this is how I can put into context how bad Sunday’s Cowboys loss was. Their opponent, the Arizona Cardinals, attempted an onside kick with 2:11 remaining, failed to recover, and still won the game.
Some more contextual information:
- The Cowboys did not trail in this game until the Cardinals took the final lead on a 42-yard field goal in overtime.
- The Cardinals offense looked so poor for so much of the game that the team benched starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the third quarter, replacing him with Gardner Minshew II.
- The Cowboys had a 10-point lead with under four minutes to go, at which point their win probability was around 95 percent.
Yet the Dallas defense absolutely imploded down the stretch, allowing four straight touchdowns by the Cardinals in the second half of the game. The Cowboys secondary had looked improved early in the game, but Minshew carved them up and made them look, once again, like the worst unit in the league.
In fact, the Cowboys were lucky that this game even went into overtime. After Arizona’s final touchdown of regulation—which came with just six seconds left on the clock—kicker Chad Ryland missed the go-ahead extra point.
Yet it may not even be the most crushing loss of Dallas’s season. In Week 3 it gave the ball back to the Ravens with just seven seconds left on the clock, only to let Lamar Jackson connect with Zay Flowers for 27 yards to set up a game-winning field goal for Baltimore.
To read more of this article from The Ringer, CLICK HERE
Blogging the Boys
Why the Cowboys lost to Cardinals
There’s no easy way around it. Coaching is the biggest reason the Cowboys lost. The defense giving up points is unfortunately nothing new. Allowing 33 points feels almost routine at this stage. It’s disappointing, but it isn’t surprising. What’s becoming increasingly concerning is how the offense is being managed. The questionable decision-making started early.
Backed up deep in their own territory, Brian Schottenheimer opened a drive with a quarterback sneak. He followed it with an incomplete pass before calling a halfback draw on third down, effectively waving the white flag and choosing to punt from deep in his own territory.
The frustrating part is that we’ve seen this before. The Cowboys are paying significant money to Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens. Yet time and again their head coach removes the game from their hands by calling conservatively in situations where aggression is warranted.
It’s reminiscent of the decision-making that has followed Schottenheimer throughout the season. Rather than trust his playmakers to create an advantage, he routinely defaults to the safest possible option. The most damning example came late in the game.
Holding a 27-24 lead with just over two minutes left, Schottenheimer had an opportunity to put the game away. Instead of remaining aggressive and forcing Arizona to defend the entire field, the Cowboys became conservative. He effectively challenged a backup quarterback to march the length of the field despite watching Arizona move the ball successfully on multiple consecutive possessions.
Again, he trusted his defense over Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens. At best, that’s negligent game management. At worst, it’s coaching scared. Too often this season, Schottenheimer has coached not to lose rather than coached to win. That mindset has shown itself repeatedly and goes a long way toward explaining why Dallas sits at 3-5 despite possessing far more talent than its record suggests.
This situation feels different than the Jason Garrett years. Back then, you could at least argue the front office wasn’t fully committed to maximizing the roster. They rarely pursued major free agents and were hesitant to make splashy moves.
That’s no longer the case. The Cowboys invested in this team. They spent money on defense. They added talent offensively. They made aggressive moves and trades with the expectation of competing now. Yet for all of Schottenheimer’s confidence at the podium, the performance on the field hasn’t backed it up.
Look around the roster. Count the first-round picks. Look at the money invested in star players on both sides of the ball. This team has far too much talent to be sitting at 3-5 and watching a once-winnable division begin to slip away. At this point, the Cowboys appear to be in over their heads, and much of that falls on the head coach.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
I think George Pickens forces his way out of Dallas by the deadline
I understand academically that the 3-5 Cowboys are not planning to trade anyone this deadline. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said on the radio this week that they’re open to acquiring a player at the deadline to help salvage this season.
I think that is about as short-sighted an approach as can be. The Cowboys are already massively leveraged against their future draft capital. Thanks to the Micah Parsons trade, Dallas still has a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft. However, that pick will be the worst of either the Cowboys’ or Packers’ selection — and Green Bay looks like a team that might pick in the high 20s this year. The Cowboys are missing a third, a fifth and a sixth in the upcoming draft after the trades for Broderick Jones, Pickens and Joey Porter Jr. — and are down a 2028 second-round pick as well.
Dallas has 10 total picks over the next two drafts; the next closest are the Rams, Texans and Bears with 12 apiece. The Cowboys are not projected to earn compensatory selections in the 2027 draft, so no extra picks are coming. The Cowboys can’t cut much payroll in the upcoming seasons because they lack the draft capital.
The Cowboys can’t swallow another $33 million on their 2027 cap — certainly not if they’d like to retain the tag to use on Porter, who is also playing without an extension and would like to be paid upwards of $30 million per year. Remember: they get only one tag per year.
Can the Cowboys extend Pickens at a market rate? That’ll be, conservatively, over $33 million APY — worryingly close to Lamb’s $34 million per year. Not only might that number introduce some uneasiness in the Cowboys’ wide receiver depth chart, but they would be paying it to a player who has cleared 100 yards just once this season and is known for declining effort and interest when he isn’t getting the football.
I can’t figure out how it makes sense for the Cowboys to keep Pickens on their roster in 2027. The money doesn’t add up from a cap-management perspective, nor does the on-field opportunity and impact at that contract rate. And if the Cowboys’ ownership doesn’t see this, perhaps Pickens will.
Pickens ran a route on only 51.4% of the Cowboys’ dropbacks Sunday against the Cardinals — easily his lowest of his Dallas tenure. Jones said that Pickens has had some nagging health problems that have contributed to the diminished usage, which is plausible. Also plausible: Pickens doesn’t see a future with the Cowboys this season or next season, and wants out.
It would be out of character for Jones to move Pickens at this stage. But some things are so painfully obvious that I have to ignore the public PR and read between the lines. If Pickens and Dallas have no long-term future, why wait for the compensatory draft pick in 2028? Why go through all the necessary rigamarole to preserve that comp pick when they can get a guaranteed third-round pick in a trade now — and likely more! The Chiefs would do it.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
Saquon Barkley admits his injuries are holding him back
The Eagles are not trading Saquon Barkley, so they really should consider letting him get healthy
After the loss, the RB admitted that while he’s mentally where he needs to be, with the hamstring and back injuries, he’s not physically where he wants to be.
According to reports, and to Barkley himself, the Eagles have stated they are not moving the running back ahead of the trade deadline next week, Nov. 10. With that in mind, and his future still in Philly, the team really needs to consider shutting him down for a little while and give his body a real chance to heal, instead of making things worse for a season that isn’t turning around.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Nick Sirianni not making changes at OC or QB despite Eagles’ losing streak
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday that he is not making a change at offensive coordinator or quarterback despite his team’s six-game losing streak.
Sirianni said Sean Mannion will remain the offensive playcaller and Tanner McKee the starting quarterback.
The Eagles (2-6) have struggled to score in Mannion’s first year as their playcaller, averaging 17.1 points per game this season — ranking 30th in the NFL. Mannion, a former quarterback, played in the league as recently as 2023 and had just two years of coaching experience before stepping into this high-profile role.
He was hired to implement a new system more in the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay mold to help modernize an offense that grew stale in 2025.
The scheme has hardly taken shape at all.
The Eagles host the division-leading New York Giants on Sunday before heading into their bye week.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
The Eagles’ 2026 season is done; are the coaches done, too?
Now, there can be no false hope.
After their 27-10 defeat at the hands of the Commanders in Maryland on Sunday Night Football, their second prime-time humiliation against a divisional opponent in six days, there can be no rationalizing making a push for a sixth straight postseason appearance.
At 2-6 and languishing at the bottom of a laughably bad NFC East, the Eagles’ 2026 season is done.
We should be thankful for the closure.
The big question left after another dreadfully sloppy performance on Sunday night is whether Nick Sirianni, Sean Mannion, Vic Fangio and the rest of the current coaching staff will be around to coach Barkley and his teammates on next year’s Eagles squad.
It’s no surprise the Eagles are losing right now, and Roseman deserves as much of the blame for what’s happened this year as any of his coaches. Roseman and Lurie, after all, are the ones who hired Sirianni’s offensive coaching staff. But mirrors can be difficult to look into, and Roseman and Lurie aren’t firing themselves.
The highly-paid and supposedly talented defense knows the offense has no chance and appears to have given up. Vic Fangio was reportedly thinking about retiring this past off-season, and one has to wonder if this nightmare won’t accelerate those plans. But there’s no excuse for the kinds of mistakes (off-sides penalties, personal fouls), and inability to generate splash plays that we’ve seen from the defense this year.
There is little doubt Sirianni is preaching the right messages to his players. They just may not be listening. And that is usually the death knell of a coaching tenure.
But every coach has a lifecycle, and most don’t last as long as Andy Reid’s did at the beginning of Lurie’s tenure, or Mike Tomlin’s in Pittsburgh. Despite preaching the mantra “tough, detailed, together” ad nauseum to his players, these Eagles are none of those things.
They are getting bullied. They are exceedingly sloppy. They do not communicate or function well as a unit in any phase of the game.
He doesn’t have an offensive scheme that works anymore. He doesn’t call plays. He’s not an offensive mastermind. He’s completely uninvolved with the defense. He doesn’t have the power to hire his own coaching staff, and the player/personnel decisions are all handled by his bosses, albeit with his input I’m sure.
Sirianni’s lone job is to rally the troops, keep the messaging going, and get his players to buy in and believe they can overcome the many obstacles put in front of them.
There comes a time when every head coach’s message loses resonance. Players hear it, but tune it out come game day. Players start to play for themselves and their numbers, and aren’t willing to sacrifice for a team that may only win five games.
That appears to be what we’re witnessing here as the 2026 season develops. And if it persists, it’s hard to see how Roseman and Lurie decide to give this coaching staff another bite at the apple next year.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Upcoming opponent – Rams
Commanders next game is at home on Sunday vs the Los Angeles Rams
Turf Show Times
Rams analytics: Missing by inches, not miles
WHERE I THINK WE’RE ACTUALLY LOSING GAMES
1. Special Teams
This is my biggest concern by far. Through seven games, our offense started at its own 28.3-yard line while opponents started at their own 35.2. That’s almost seven yards of field position surrendered per possession.
We’re routinely asking our offense to travel farther and putting our defense in worse positions.
2. Penalties and Discipline
We’ve committed 183 more penalty yards than at this point last season. That’s a coaching and execution problem that needs to be corrected.
3. Receiving Depth and Availability
We needed a dependable third WR and should have addressed it in the draft. Injuries to our top weapons have exposed that decision.
4. Turnovers
Our differential has swung from +5 to -4. Stafford owns his share of that, but the entire team needs to protect the football and create more takeaways.
5. Run Defense and ILB Play
We still have concerns here, but the defense is allowing roughly the same yardage as last year. Getting Myles Garrett back alongside Aaron Donald could be a major addition to the front.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
We’re producing 116 MORE offensive yards and 109 MORE rushing yards than last year.
We’ve scored just ONE fewer offensive touchdown. The difference is that we’re scoring more on the ground and fewer through the air. Neither season produced a defensive touchdown through eight games.
We’re allowing roughly the same defensive yardage, yet we’ve scored only 15 fewer total points and allowed 41 more.
That tells me the problems go well beyond quarterback performance.
The difference between our 6-2 start last year and our 4-4 start this year is largely coming down to field position, turnovers, penalties, special teams, and execution in critical moments.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Turf Show Times
Do the Rams have an impressive win yet this season?
The Rams are .500, but have they done anything to raise fan confidence?
The Los Angeles Rams have won their last two games to get back to .500, but have they done anything yet to make fans confident that the franchise is headed in the right direction?
The Rams have four losses: 49ers 27-7, Denver Broncos 30-26, Buffalo Bills 37-34, and Arizona Cardinals 18-16.
The Rams have four wins: Giants 28-6, Eagles, 24-20, Raiders 35-21, and Chargers 24-9.
The combined record of the four teams that the Rams have lost to is 21-9, and five of those losses belong to the Cardinals. The other three teams have six wins each and are in first place.
The combined record of the four teams the Rams have beaten is 10-19-1, including the winless Chargers. The Giants are in first place but they have feasted on one of the easiest schedules and worst divisions in the NFL.
If the Rams had defeated a team that is good — and they almost did, twice — the perception of L.A. would be different. However, they didn’t and football is a game where your reputation is decided by inches.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL Wake-up Call: Week 8’s sober reminder that everything can change in an instant
Jack Campbell, the Detroit Lions’ All-Pro linebacker, lay face down on the turf after making a tackle in the fourth quarter of a 19-15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, having suffered a jolting neck injury. He was immobilized, placed on a backboard, carted off the field and transported to a Detroit-area hospital. The team later issued a statement that Campbell was “resting and will remain in a local hospital tonight, for continued evaluation and monitoring.”
It was a graphic reminder that high-speed collisions in this hyper-physical sport can produce sobering scenes and provoke tears and prayers from those who witness them.
Sometimes, those prayers are answered, as was the case with Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels, who was hospitalized after a similar collision two weeks ago but, remarkably, returned to play a pivotal role in a Falcons victory seven days later.
Any positive news regarding Campbell’s condition would be greeted with extreme relief and joy. In the meantime, it’s a daunting development that overshadows the NFL’s usual Sunday intrigue. We’ll get into all of that and hope for the best, while keeping Campbell in our thoughts.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
Tank you very much
After firing general manager Chris Ballard two weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts sent a shrill signal to the world that they’ve given up on the 2026 season: They traded a pair of franchise mainstays, guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, to the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, respectively.
The fire sale also resonated in the Indy locker room, where multiple players are either openly or privately hoping to be sent elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Colts (2-6) must continue to go through the motions for the next two-plus months, which on Sunday translated to a 42-7 defeat to the Jags.
Indy’s still staring down in the standings at one AFC South rival, however: the Tennessee Titans (1-7), who are playing hard for first-year coach Robert Saleh but are obviously undermanned.
Last week, the Titans sent defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons — by far their best player — to the Chicago Bears for a package that included a pair of first-round draft picks. It’s a nice return, but it was perceived in league circles as a sign that Tennessee’s current regime lacks faith in second-year quarterback Cam Ward, who has struggled since being picked first overall in the 2025 draft. The extra pick in 2027 could help position Tennessee to draft another quarterback.
On Sunday, without Simmons, the Titans gave up 43 points in an overtime road defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, though there was one superlative effort: Safety Amani Hooker intercepted Joe Burrow three times.
That’s the good news. The bad news is, teams seeking secondary help will inevitably call the Titans about Hooker, and it’s hard to imagine Tennessee won’t be tempted to part with him, too.
[Note: Washington plays the Titans in Week 13]
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Cardinals name Gardner Minshew as starter, move Jacoby Brissett to QB3
[Note: Washington plays the Titans in Week 12]
Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew will be Arizona’s starting quarterback going forward, coach Mike LaFleur said Monday, kicking off a reshuffle of the team’s rotation.
Rookie Carson Beck will be Minshew’s backup after previously being the emergency third quarterback, and Jacoby Brissett, who had started every game this season, will become the QB3.
Minshew replaced Brissett with 1:35 left in the third quarter on Sunday and led Arizona to a come-from-behind 33-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in overtime. Arizona scored touchdowns on all four of the possessions Minshew led in regulation. He then led Arizona on the winning drive in overtime that ended with a 42-yard field goal by Chad Ryland. Minshew finished with 188 yards and three touchdowns on 17-for-23 passing.
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Monday Night Football
NFL.com
Bears-Seahawks on ‘Monday Night Football’: What We Learned from Chicago’s 34-17 win
Simmons effect. The immediacy with which Jeffery Simmons made an impact on Monday night’s game was impressive. Traded from a one-win team to the reigning NFC North champions on Thursday and three days later playing his first prime-time game in three years, the perennial Pro Bowler put on a menacing performance from the start.
His most showy display of dominance came on his fourth snap as a Bear: Simmons swam past Grey Zabel with ease, burst into the backfield and flung Sam Darnold to the ground for a sack with ferocity. It was a massive play unfortunately minimized by Grady Jarrett committing a face mask penalty after the whistle, but it still provided an early sign of what could be for the Bears, who finally have a difference maker on the interior and stayed charged up to force a punt three plays later anyway.
Simmons logged three tackles, a QB pressure and the sack in his first 10 snaps, and by game’s end had a team-leading six tackles, a sack, a QB hit, a pass deflection and two tackles for loss. Chicago’s defense had been playing well this year, ranking ninth in both points and yards allowed entering Week 8, but the unit rendered Seattle hopeless for large swaths of Monday night. Instead of being overwhelmed by the 12s on the road, the Bears D instead fed off its own contagious atmosphere. It’s all thanks to the man in the orange sleeves — an alteration from the red he rocked with the Titans for all those years prior.
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Trade Deadline
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL trade deadline 2026 big board 2.0: Updated list of 50 players potentially on the move
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Discussion topics
ESPN
Brandon Aiyuk hires Drew Rosenhaus as agent, eyes return to NFL
Estranged San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has hired Drew Rosenhaus to represent him, the agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
Rosenhaus told Schefter that he is “working on getting [Aiyuk] back to work and playing again in the NFL.” Aiyuk has not played in an NFL game since Oct. 20, 2024, against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee.
For most of the time since, Aiyuk and the Niners have been at odds. The team placed Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list in December after Aiyuk stopped showing up at the team facility.
Over the summer, Aiyuk took to social media multiple times to voice his displeasure with the Niners and attempted to goad them into releasing him while also saying he wouldn’t “do business” with the team at all. On multiple occasions, Aiyuk also implied or openly suggested that he wanted to join the Washington Commanders to play with quarterback Jayden Daniels, with whom he had formed a friendship in their shared time together at Arizona State.
It’s unclear whether landing in Washington is even an option still with the Commanders having signed veteran Stefon Diggs and having other wideouts they’re hoping to develop.
As it stands, Aiyuk’s status on the reserve/did not report list means the Niners are not paying him and he does not count against their roster. The Niners originally selected Aiyuk, 28, with the No. 25 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Before his knee injury, Aiyuk had emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive wideouts. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to second-team All-Pro honors in 2023.
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