Category: NFL (American Football)

With Joe Burrow as the quarterback and a strong group of receivers, Cincinnati has a powerful passing game. However, when it comes to running the ball, the Bengals are having difficulties.

In their 37-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Cincinnati managed only 58 rushing yards, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry, which has been a problem all season long.

“We ran it well after the first game, ran it well for a couple weeks in a row there,” Burrow said. “The last couple of weeks haven’t been good enough.”

The Bengals (3-5) aimed to improve their record after winning two straight road games against the New York Giants and Cleveland.

They rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns in their 17-7 win against New York but only managed 59 yards on the ground in last week’s 21-14 victory at the Browns. Things didn’t improve against Philadelphia.

Chase Brown led the Bengals with 32 yards on 12 carries, including a 4-yard touchdown run that tied the game in the third quarter. Burrow added 15 rushing yards, while Zack Moss had 11 yards on five carries.

“It’s not like I called a lot of runs in the first half because we were moving the ball really well the way that we were attacking them,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “We threw the ball well. Sometimes when you’re not making a lot of damage there, you just keep the ball in the air.”

While Cincinnati struggled with their rushing game, Philadelphia had a strong performance with 161 rushing yards. Saquon Barkley contributed 108 yards on 22 carries, and quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 37 yards and three touchdowns on 10 attempts.

Burrow started the passing game strong, completing his first eight passes during a 70-yard opening drive. He connected with Ja’Marr Chase for a 2-yard touchdown, giving the Bengals a 7-0 lead with 4:56 left in the first quarter.

Cincinnati was missing their top receiver, Tee Higgins, due to a quad injury.

“Whenever you don’t have some of your best players it always makes it tough,” Burrow said. “We go out there with the guys we have. That’s the NFL. You’re expected to go out and play well.”

A crucial fourth-down play at the end of the third quarter shifted the momentum to the Eagles.

On fourth-and-1 from their own 39-yard line, the Bengals chose to pass. Burrow threw to Chase in the flat, but rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean tackled him for a 2-yard loss.

“Guy made a good play,” Burrow said. “We didn’t get the fourth down, they kick the field goal and we’re down 10. Then I throw the pick. At that point, it was an uphill battle.”

Regarding the running game, Bengals center Ted Karras mentioned the team needs to improve how they execute their assignments.

“It creates more confidence to call more,” he said. “It’s kind of a volume thing. We need to get a head on a hat and get the ball downhill. I’m going to check the tape. We need to get that rolling.”

In a 41-38 overtime loss to Baltimore on October 6, the Bengals had a 10-point lead three times in the second half but couldn’t run the ball well enough to protect those leads.

“When you play good (pass) rushers like we have the past couple weeks, you have to keep them off balance and be able to run the ball,” Burrow said. “If you don’t, play-action isn’t going to be as good and you’re going to have to drop back and make plays. That’s what those teams want. It’s tough.”

The running game will be important for the Bengals as they aim for an unlikely playoff spot. They are 0-4 at home this season.

“I think 10 wins usually gets you in (the playoffs),” Burrow said. “So we have to win seven out of nine. That’s doable. Any game is winnable. Just got to go do it.”

The New York Jets made significant changes to revive a season that had taken a turn for the worse.

Coach Robert Saleh was let go after starting the season 2-3, and interim coach Jeff Ulbrich switched up the offensive play callers. The Jets also brought in Davante Adams to reunite him with Aaron Rodgers.

Despite these efforts, the situation has worsened. The Jets lost 25-22 to the New England Patriots, who had been on a six-game losing streak and had to rely on Jacoby Brissett as their quarterback after rookie Drake Maye was injured. Brissett led New England to its first home win in over a year.

This defeat marked New York’s fifth loss in a row, and their third under Ulbrich, leaving them tied with the Patriots for last place in the AFC East.

“This is a moment of darkness, and we understand that the outside world is going to get really loud right now,” Ulbrich said.

Rodgers added, “Yeah, I’ve been in the darkness. You’ve got to go in there, make peace with it.”

Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed two kicks—a field goal and an extra point—and the Jets used all three of their first-half timeouts in the first quarter, with two being called just 44 seconds apart during the same drive.

“On one of them, we were lagging out of the huddle; one I was trying to get the protection right,” said Rodgers, who passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns. “Our operation was a little slow at times.”

New York used a timeout after an incomplete pass when Rodgers was looking for Garrett Wilson. That timeout could have been helpful during their final drive, which started from their own 30-yard line with 22 seconds left.

Another timing issue happened when New York got a delay of game penalty while getting ready for a 2-point conversion after Braelon Allen scored a 2-yard touchdown with 2:57 left in the game. From the 7-yard line, Rodgers completed a pass to the 5, but the attempt didn’t succeed.

“We’ve got to be better from an operations standpoint, just overall, and that’s every single player, every single coach. That’s Aaron. That’s all of us,” Ulbrich said.

Zuerlein missed an extra point in the first quarter and then missed a 44-yard field goal that would have given the Jets a bigger lead at 16-14 in the fourth quarter. This season, he has missed six field goals.

Ulbrich stated he didn’t regret keeping Zuerlein on the team despite his recent failures. “We’ve got to take a hard look at everything that we do, everything,” Ulbrich said. “It’s not just on Greg; it’s on all of us. We’ll do that this week.”

Haason Reddick’s first game after a long holdout didn’t give an immediate boost to New York’s defense.

The Jets allowed a Patriots offense that had struggled under Brissett to score twice in the second half. On the winning drive, the Jets let the Patriots convert a third-and-10, with cornerback Sauce Gardner defending on a 34-yard pass that moved the ball to the Jets’ 9-yard line.

“The NFL is hard. It’s hard to win. Harder when you make it difficult on yourself,” Rodgers said.

With a healthy Tua Tagovailoa back in the lineup, the Miami Dolphins had the best offense in the NFL last season. However, with Tagovailoa missing most of this year due to a concussion, the Dolphins fell to the bottom of the league in scoring.

Tagovailoa’s return on Sunday didn’t help the Dolphins (2-5) win, but their offense became more effective in a 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The 26-year-old quarterback completed 28 of 38 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown, marking the Dolphins’ highest-scoring game of the season.

“It feels good to be able to come back and play with my teammates to hopefully help in any way I can to get a spark going for us offensively. Or get the mojo going for the entire team,” Tagovailoa said. “It was good today, but tough loss against a really good team.”

Tagovailoa suffered his third known concussion when he scrambled and collided with Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin on September 12. He missed four games, and during that time, the Dolphins went 1-3 while using three different quarterbacks.

On Sunday, Tagovailoa faced another chance to scramble for positive yardage midway through the third quarter. This time, he chose to slide after a 13-yard run instead of hitting a defender. The play earned Miami a first down at the Arizona 9-yard line.

“I’m trying to avoid the big hits if I can,” Tagovailoa said. “Sometimes they’re unavoidable if there’s a free rusher and you have to get the ball out and take a hit.”

The crowd chanted his name after that play. “I thought that was pretty cool,” Tagovailoa said. “I think anyone would think that’s awesome.”

Tagovailoa finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to De’Von Achane, putting Miami ahead 20-10.

While Tagovailoa was out, the Dolphins struggled to score 20 points in any game. Star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle had a drop in their performance because Miami was using backup quarterbacks Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley, and Tim Boyle.

On Sunday, Hill and Waddle both made an impact again. Hill had six catches for 72 yards, and Waddle caught four passes for 45 yards. Hill’s 30-yard catch in the second quarter was his longest since he made an 80-yard touchdown catch in the season opener against Jacksonville.

“Tagovailoa came back and got the offense going,” Hill said. “That was a beautiful thing to see.”

However, the road to a third straight playoff appearance will be challenging for the Dolphins, who will next face the AFC East-leading Bills.

“We’ve got to keep chopping wood, that’s it,” Tagovailoa said. “We don’t look for any external motivation. It’s from within. We’re going to continue to trust each other, lean on each other, and believe in each other. And we’re going to do it next week.”

Another tough performance by quarterback Anthony Richardson led to the Indianapolis Colts’ 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Richardson completed only 10 of 32 passes for 175 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. This ended the Colts’ two-game winning streak and put them further behind the first-place Texans (6-2) in the AFC South at 4-4.

He also raised some eyebrows when he explained why he left the game for a play before a field goal in the third quarter.

“I was tired, I ain’t gonna lie,” he said. “That was a lot of running right there. I didn’t think I’d be able to do that next play so I told them I needed a break right there.”

Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen mentioned earlier this week that they are looking for growth from their young quarterback with each game.

It was hard to see much growth on Sunday, as Richardson struggled to advance the offense while facing heavy pressure. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft was sacked five times and hit eight more times.

This performance followed a return from a hip injury last week, where he managed just 129 yards passing, but the Colts won against Miami 16-10 with two field goals in the fourth quarter.

Steichen quickly defended his quarterback on Sunday, saying that everyone needs to improve.

“We’ve just got to keep working through it,” he said. “He’s got a good work effort. He grinds through these things; it’s a process, and we’ll do it together. This ain’t about one guy — it’s about the team. It’s always about the team.”

Richardson has completed only 44.4% of his passes this season, but he brushed off criticism about his completion percentage.

“I feel like I’m a great passer,” he said. “I’ve been playing quarterback pretty much my whole life. I’m just a different quarterback from everybody else, so people are going to try to point out that I’m not as efficient as everybody else. It’s cool to me.”

He later seemed to compare himself to Michael Vick when discussing his completion percentage.

“They say Vick didn’t have a great completion percentage his first couple of years, and he was probably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever do it,” Richardson said. “So, I don’t necessarily look at numbers. I look at each play for itself because I can’t control everything that happens on every play. I can only control what I can control. If my numbers are low, that just means I’ve got to pick them up and play better.”

Vick had a completion rate of 44.2% as a rookie, but he played only eight games that year with two starts. He completed at least 50% of his passes in each of the next five seasons.

Richardson completed just two of 15 passes in the first half as the Colts fell behind 17-10 by halftime.

One of those completions was important, though. He found Josh Downs wide open for a 69-yard touchdown that gave the Colts a 10-3 lead in the first quarter.

He struggled after that, but Jonathan Taylor helped move the offense with 20 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown in his return after missing three games due to an ankle injury.

Taylor said it’s important for the Colts to support Richardson as they try to improve their offense.

“We just have to let him know… we have your back,” Taylor said. “This is not just a one play, one-game thing. We’re in it for the long haul, we have a goal that we want to achieve, and it’s going to take all of us — every single one of us, every single day giving it their all.”

Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes, and the Buffalo Bills dominated the Seattle Seahawks with a 31-10 victory on Sunday, making Allen’s first interception of the season feel unimportant.

James Cook rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns for the Bills (6-2), who controlled the game from start to finish and earned their third straight win. Meanwhile, the Seahawks struggled, with two defensive linemen even fighting each other on their own sideline.

Allen completed 24 of 34 passes for 283 yards. He had a streak of 300 passes without an interception before Josh Jobe intercepted him in the second quarter. However, Seattle (4-4) couldn’t capitalize, turning the ball over on downs after Geno Smith stumbled while taking the snap on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

“That was huge,” Allen said. “I hate throwing turnovers, but I made the tackle. Coach talks about all the time if something like that happens, not to put your head down.

Go make a tackle and let your defense come back on the field because you never know what’s going to happen.” Allen then led a 12-play, 93-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid, giving the Bills a 14-3 lead.

Buffalo also went 90 yards on 14 plays after the opening kickoff, with Allen connecting with Keon Coleman for a 2-yard touchdown, capping a drive that took 9:07.

The Bills became the first team since 2022 to have two touchdown drives of 90 yards or more in a half, a feat accomplished by Carolina against Detroit. Buffalo outgained Seattle 445 yards to 233 and controlled the ball for over 38 minutes.

“We feel like every play we come out there and execute at a high level, I don’t think anybody really can stop us but ourselves,” Coleman said.

Smith completed 21 of 29 passes for 212 yards and threw an interception for the Seahawks, who struggled on offense. They rushed for only 32 yards and scored their only touchdown when the game was already out of reach.

“That’s the result of a good football team that outplayed us in three phases, and then it gets out of hand when you’re doing the things we did today,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “The long and short of it is we got outplayed, we got outcoached, and we’ve got to go make it right.”

Seattle had the ball at the Buffalo 2-yard line with a chance to tie the game midway through the second quarter, but center Connor Williams sent a shotgun snap over Smith’s head, and the ball rolled past the 30.

Kenneth Walker III recovered the fumble, but the Seahawks had to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Jason Myers.

Jobe, who was promoted from the practice squad before the game, intercepted Allen’s first pass of the next drive at the Buffalo 40 and returned it to the 7-yard line. Allen’s streak of 300 passes without an interception, including playoffs, was a franchise record.

A second mistake by Williams kept Seattle from scoring when he stepped on Smith’s foot during a fourth-down play, causing the quarterback to fall.

Derick Hall was flagged for a late hit on Allen, which extended Buffalo’s next drive. Hall and his teammates were arguing with each other on the sidelines for the rest of the half. The Seahawks received three personal fouls during the game, including one by Smith.

Hall and fellow defensive lineman Jarran Reed got into a fight on the sideline and had to be pulled apart.

“He loves the game, I love the game, and in that moment, I think things got heated,” Hall said. “But you know, he’s a leader. He’s the leader of our group. And when stuff hits the fan, you have to lean on those guys. And maybe we both could do something a little bit better.”

With Buffalo leading 17-3 in the third quarter, defensive end Casey Toohill pressured Smith as he was trying to throw a screen pass. Smith attempted to lob it over Toohill, but the ball was tipped, bounced off Walker’s hands, and landed in the arms of defensive lineman Austin Johnson.

Cook scored from 2 yards out, putting Buffalo up 24-3 with 2:01 left in the third quarter. He added a 7-yard touchdown run early in the fourth, sending Seattle to its fourth loss in five games.

Lamar Jackson’s last throw was his helmet.

Just seconds after his final pass to the end zone fell incomplete, ending Baltimore’s 29-24 loss to Cleveland, the Ravens’ star quarterback took off his helmet and slammed it down in frustration.

It was that kind of day for the Ravens (5-3), who failed to finish off the Browns (2-6) and had their five-game winning streak come to an end. Baltimore entered the game with the top offense in the NFL, the league’s leading rusher, and Jackson performing like an MVP.

But starting with a failed fourth-down conversion at Cleveland’s 2-yard line on their opening drive, and continuing with safety Kyle Hamilton dropping a game-clinching interception with one minute left, the Ravens didn’t meet their usual standards.

“Every loss is frustrating,” said Jackson, who missed connecting with Zay Flowers on two throws into the end zone in the last 14 seconds. “We didn’t make plays.”

This loss might sting more because the Ravens had several chances to finish off the Browns.

Baltimore led twice in the second half and went ahead 24-23 on Derrick Henry’s 2-yard run with 2:19 remaining.

The Ravens defense, missing cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins due to injuries, needed just one stop in the final two minutes but couldn’t make it.

They were so close. After Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, converted on a third-and-7 with 1:18 left, Ravens coach John Harbaugh called a timeout.

He could not have anticipated what would happen next.

After a false start penalty pushed the Browns back, Winston overthrew a pass to wide receiver Elijah Moore. The ball went right to Hamilton, who couldn’t catch it despite getting his hands on it five times in a failed attempt.

Hamilton lay face down on the ground for a few seconds, realizing he could have ended the game.

On the next play, Winston found Cedric Tillman, who got behind Baltimore’s defense and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass. After the game, Hamilton was not available to speak.

Earlier, safety Eddie Jackson missed a chance to intercept Winston, who was starting for the first time in two years.

“I’ve just got to come down with it,” Jackson said. “This one has got me sick. There is no big theory behind it. We’re just not making game-changing plays. We’ve just got to catch the ball. Now we’ve got to live with this one and take it on the chin. But this one sucks.”

That feeling was shared in Baltimore’s locker room as the Ravens, who had a short week after their win at Tampa Bay on Monday night, reflected on a surprising loss.

“We know we should’ve won that ballgame,” defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike said. “It hurts. It’s frustrating, point-blank frustrating. It hurts a little bit, but what can we do?”

This was a rare loss for Harbaugh against the Browns. He fell to 25-8 against Cleveland and didn’t make any excuses.

“You’re not going to win every game,” he said. “It was a tough situation coming in here. I think our guys handled all of that pretty well. We operated pretty well. We didn’t do enough. We didn’t make the plays and that’s really what it boils down to.”

Patrick Mahomes didn’t make many mistakes on Sunday, but one of his few missteps nearly cost the Chiefs the game. He needed his defense to step up—and it did.

Kansas City managed to keep the Raiders from scoring, even when they had first-and-goal at the 3-yard line.

This changed the flow of the game and allowed the two-time defending champion Chiefs to maintain their strong performance in Las Vegas with a 27-20 win, keeping them undefeated.

This critical moment happened late in the third quarter while the Chiefs were holding onto a 17-13 lead.

“It’s easy in that situation to let them kind of get into the end zone because it’s not really on them,” Mahomes said. “It was on the offense that put them in position, but they stood their ground. The defense made a big-time stop and we were able to carry momentum into a win.”

The Chiefs (7-0) extended their winning streak to 13 games, including the playoffs. Their last loss was at home against Las Vegas, but the Chiefs are now 5-0 against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium and 6-0 there, including the Super Bowl in February.

Las Vegas (2-6) has now lost four straight games, but this was the first time the Raiders scored at least 20 points since their 20-16 victory over Cleveland on September 29.

Mahomes threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, making him the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 30,000 yards. He achieved this in his 103rd game, while Matthew Stafford reached that milestone in 109 games.

Mahomes’ main target was Travis Kelce, who had 10 catches for 90 yards, both of which were season highs. The last time Kelce caught double-digit passes was on October 22, 2023, and this was his highest yardage since November 26.

Kelce also caught a touchdown pass, marking his 75th, which put him ahead of Jason Witten for fifth place on the NFL tight end list. He is now just two touchdowns away from breaking Tony Gonzalez’s team record.

Gardner Minshew completed 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas, but he was sacked five times. Jakobi Meyers, who had missed the last two games due to an ankle injury, caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Minshew had to lead an offense that struggled with the running game, finishing with only 33 yards and averaging 1.6 yards per carry. The Chiefs came into the game with the fourth-best run defense in the NFL, allowing only 90.5 yards per game.

“For us, being able to stop the run is the primary goal every single week,” Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis said. “We make them one-dimensional, there’s where we want to be.”

Las Vegas also had trouble getting the Chiefs off the field, allowing Kansas City to convert on 12 of 16 third downs. This ties them with the Commanders for the second-highest conversion rate in a game this season, behind the Bengals, who converted 76.9% against the Eagles on Sunday.

The Raiders did make the defending champions work for this win, but they missed out on key chances.

At the end of the first half, the Raiders had the ball with 1:57 left on the clock, but they chose to run twice before an incomplete pass on third down.

Kansas City then got the ball back and drove 56 yards on nine plays for Harrison Butker’s 42-yard field goal with four seconds remaining, bringing the score to 17-10. Then there was a key moment in the third quarter.

Las Vegas was behind by four points when safety Tre’von Moehrig intercepted a pass from Mahomes, giving the Raiders the ball at the Chiefs’ 3-yard line.

Running plays by Alexander Mattison resulted in gains of 2 yards, no gain, and a loss of 2 yards before Minshew was sacked on fourth down.

“(We’re) trying to establish some physicality with our guys up front,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “Right there at the 3-yard line, you’ve got to pound it in. Turnover, sudden change. Should be able to punch that ball in.”

The Chiefs then marched down the field for 87 yards on 19 plays, taking 9:43 off the clock. This set up another field goal from Butker, this one from 24 yards early in the fourth quarter, giving them a seven-point lead.

A strip sack of Minshew led to the final touchdown for the Chiefs with 4:59 left, which nearly sealed the victory. However, the Raiders scored a touchdown just before the 2-minute warning, adding some excitement. Kansas City then recovered the onside kick.

Ladd McConkey was a key player for the University of Georgia, helping them win two College Football Playoff championships. On Sunday, he showed the Los Angeles Chargers just how versatile he can be, after primarily running shorter routes in his first seven NFL games.

McConkey caught two touchdown passes, including a 60-yard touchdown in the third quarter, becoming the first Chargers rookie receiver in 11 years to achieve a 100-yard receiving game. The Chargers defeated the struggling New Orleans Saints 26-8.

“That’s pretty cool, so hopefully I get another,” said McConkey, who made six catches for 111 yards. “Any time you get in the end zone, it’s a big deal, so just glad I was able to contribute for the guys today.”

McConkey has become one of Justin Herbert’s favorite targets as the Chargers work to adjust without veteran receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who left during the offseason.

“He’s a complete receiver. To have that short game and those intermediate routes that he’s been so good at, and now you open up some of those go balls that you’ve got to respect,” Herbert said about McConkey. “And for him to be able to line up anywhere — inside, outside. You know, we have a true ballplayer on our hands.”

Herbert finished with 328 total yards (279 passing, 48 rushing) and threw two touchdown passes, helping the Chargers (4-3) recover from a last-second loss to Arizona the previous week.

The Saints (2-6) are on a six-game losing streak for the first time since 2005, putting pressure on coach Dennis Allen, who has an 18-24 record in his third season.

“I think we all understand that it’s a results-oriented business, and we need to play better football,” Allen said.

Alvin Kamara, who recently signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension, gained 122 total yards. Chris Olave had eight catches for 107 yards.

Jake Haener took over for an ineffective Spencer Rattler in the third quarter and completed nine out of 17 passes for 122 yards.

Rattler, making his third consecutive start with Derek Carr out due to an oblique injury, was 12 of 24 for 156 yards. The Saints didn’t enter the red zone and only managed one field goal in the nine drives he led.

Carr returned to practice this week and might be back in the lineup next week.

“Obviously we didn’t get any wins, so that’s very unfortunate,” Rattler said. “We want to win. Our goal is to come in here and win, get some momentum going.”

The Saints scored in the first quarter with their first safety since 2020, when Chargers punter JK Scott failed to catch a bad snap, causing the ball to roll out of the back of the end zone. They also scored with two field goals by Blake Grupe.

McConkey, drafted in the second round, had six catches for 111 yards, making him the first Chargers rookie to achieve over 100 yards since Allen had five such games in 2013. He’s the fourth player since the 1970 merger to have 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

McConkey’s touchdown in the third quarter was the Chargers’ first second-half touchdown since the fourth quarter against Las Vegas in Week 1.

McConkey caught a pass from Herbert near the right sideline at the Saints’ 35-yard line. He changed direction and avoided a diving tackle attempt by Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor at the 14-yard line before reaching the end zone, increasing the Chargers’ lead to 16-5.

“He found it, tracked it, made an unbelievable catch and then a SportsCenter highlight where he went to score the touchdown and put the ball in the end zone,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I mean, it’s what we needed.”

The Chargers scored another touchdown with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter when Herbert scrambled out of the pocket on third-and-7 at the Saints’ 9-yard line and found McConkey in the back left corner of the end zone.

“I think he was back there scrambling a little bit and then rolling. Just gave me a chance,” McConkey said.

The New York Jets continued their downward spiral, falling to a disheartening 2-6 record after suffering their fifth consecutive loss. Following the game, Patriots defensive lineman Davon Godchaux provided a candid evaluation of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets’ star quarterback. He acknowledged Rodgers’ Hall of Fame status but expressed concern over his current performance, noting that he “doesn’t look the same” and appeared less mobile than in his prime. Godchaux’s comments reflect a broader sentiment about Rodgers’ struggles on the field this season.

Rodgers’ performance in the recent game was marked by a lack of production, as he recorded just 233 passing yards. This statistic underscored a troubling trend for the veteran quarterback, who has now gone 31 games without surpassing 300 passing yards. This streak is the longest of its kind since Byron Leftwich experienced a similar drought between 2004 and 2012. The inability to break through this barrier highlights the ongoing challenges Rodgers faces as he attempts to adapt to his current circumstances.

As the Jets’ playoff hopes diminish, the question arises about Rodgers’ future for the remainder of the season. With multiple injuries plaguing him, it remains uncertain whether he will choose to continue playing through the pain or consider stepping down, potentially placing him on injured reserve. The mounting pressure to perform amid these injuries complicates his decision-making process, leaving fans and analysts speculating about his next steps.

The situation has sparked discussions not only about the Jets’ immediate future but also about Rodgers’ long-term career. If he does opt for a break or ultimately retires, it could mark a significant moment in NFL history, as he is regarded as one of the game’s greats. Observers will be keen to see how both the team and Rodgers navigate these challenges in the weeks to come.

In Sunday’s 29-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was taken out in the third quarter after a severe neck injury. The injury required him to be immobilized on the field, and he was later transported to University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center for further evaluation. While he is under observation, initial reports indicate he has movement in all extremities, which is a promising sign.

The injury occurred during a collision between Owusu-Koramoah and Ravens running back Derrick Henry. In attempting a tackle, Owusu-Koramoah’s neck made contact with Henry’s arm, causing him to be driven back and remain on the ground. Medical staff quickly tended to him on the field, immobilizing him as a precaution and eventually carting him off the field, where he raised his right fist in acknowledgment to the crowd.

Owusu-Koramoah, a standout fourth-year player from Notre Dame, has been a key defensive asset for the Browns. Last season, he earned his first Pro Bowl selection and entered this game as the team’s leading tackler, with 54 total tackles by Week 8. His absence could be a significant blow to the Browns’ defense, depending on the severity of the injury and how long he might need to recover.

In addition to Owusu-Koramoah’s injury, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward was also sidelined during the game after suffering a concussion, his sixth since joining the NFL in 2018. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Ward’s concussion diagnosis after the game. Both injuries leave the Browns’ defense in a vulnerable position, especially given the frequency of Ward’s concussions and the need for caution with Owusu-Koramoah’s neck injury.

Just days before his first NFL start in more than two years, Jameis Winston showed clear confidence in his abilities, declaring he was ready to perform as a high-level NFL starter. After Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s Achilles injury sidelined him for the season, Winston stepped in as the starting QB, aiming to end the team’s five-game losing streak. In a prescient statement, Winston said, “When I’m my very best, I’m a great NFL starter.” He backed those words on Sunday, leading the Browns to a 29-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, restoring some hope to Cleveland’s season.

Winston put on a standout performance, setting a new Browns franchise record with 334 passing yards in a debut, complemented by three touchdowns. His 27 completions on 41 attempts included a crucial 38-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman with less than a minute left on the clock, which clinched the win for Cleveland. Head coach Kevin Stefanski praised Winston’s decision-making and his ability to keep the team moving forward. Despite acknowledging that perfection isn’t expected, Stefanski noted that Winston effectively led an offense that had struggled earlier in the season.

A key factor in this game was Stefanski’s decision to delegate playcalling to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who helped bring structure and consistency to the offense. Cleveland scored over 20 points for the first time this season and reached season-highs in passing yards, total yards, and third-down conversions. Winston’s ability to throw deep passes suited Dorsey’s approach; he completed eight passes that traveled more than 15 yards, two of which were touchdowns. In comparison, Watson had achieved just one touchdown pass from that range in seven games, signaling a clear shift in offensive style and effectiveness with Winston under center.

However, Winston’s performance wasn’t without challenges. He fumbled late in the first half, allowing the Ravens to score and take a 10-6 lead into halftime. There were also two close calls for interceptions that Ravens defenders dropped. Despite these moments, Winston remained composed and found Tillman downfield shortly after one near-turnover, effectively rebounding from setbacks. Winston credited Dorsey’s aggressive game strategy for helping him avoid conservative play, which allowed him to take more risks and keep the offense moving downfield.

Beyond his on-field performance, Winston made a significant impact in the locker room, rallying his teammates with a pregame speech on having “unwavering faith.” His leadership and energy helped boost the team’s morale and showcased his readiness to lead. Following the game, Winston expressed certainty in his potential as an NFL quarterback, asserting that his success is rooted in disciplined decision-making. Winston’s debut for the Browns showcased his skill and resilience, offering a fresh sense of optimism to his teammates and fans alike.

In his return from a concussion-related injury, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa demonstrated a new approach focused on protecting himself from further harm, which was well-received by fans and teammates. Tagovailoa completed 28 of 38 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown, and his careful approach was evident as he avoided big hits and opted to slide to prevent injury during a 13-yard scramble. The crowd applauded his return, particularly when he showed restraint by sliding, reflecting the support for his commitment to a safer playing style.

Tagovailoa explained that during his time on injured reserve, he focused on making smarter decisions to avoid unnecessary hits, which he had time to reflect on. His concussion, sustained in a Week 2 game against the Bills, came after he took on defender Damar Hamlin head-on, leading to a fencing posture incident that raised concerns. Over the last month, coaches and players emphasized the importance of safer play, with wide receiver Tyreek Hill even encouraging fans to cheer every time Tagovailoa slides to avoid contact.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel expressed satisfaction with Tagovailoa’s new approach, noting that he executed his decision-making confidently and safely throughout the game. McDaniel added that his quarterback was not hesitant in avoiding hits and maintaining control of his movements. This shift in Tagovailoa’s playing style aligns with Miami’s quick passing offense, allowing Tagovailoa to release the ball quickly, which helps to limit his exposure to potential hits from defenders.

Tagovailoa’s return energized the Dolphins offense, which had been struggling in recent games. Despite losing to the Cardinals 28-27 after a last-second field goal, the team achieved season-highs in scoring and yardage, scoring multiple touchdowns in a game for the first time since Week 1. Tagovailoa’s presence reinvigorated the team, but he acknowledged the disappointment of the narrow loss, highlighting the importance of the team effort over individual performance.

Despite their current 2-5 record, Tagovailoa remains optimistic about the season, drawing on the Dolphins’ 8-1 finish to the 2021 season as an example of what they can achieve with perseverance. He pointed to the team’s depth of talent this year as a reason for hope, expressing confidence that with mutual support, they could still turn the season around. The Dolphins will have a key opportunity to improve their standing in the AFC East when they face the division-leading Buffalo Bills in Week 9.