Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day’s action and examines their significance moving forward.
Game of the year
If the defensive resurgence isn’t quite your thing, the Ravens-Bengals contest had to be refreshing.
This AFC North shootout was an important reminder that, although defenses often hold the upper hand in today’s NFL, there’s still only so much you can do to stop overwhelming offensive talent.
Baltimore and Cincinnati traded one punch after another, combining for 79 points and 962 yards, including 716 passing yards. Starting with the last possession of the first half, the two sides rattled off seven straight touchdown drives.
We’ll get into the Bengals later, as there’s a lot to like despite the result. But for the Ravens, it was particularly promising to come away with another big win in a completely different type of game. After back-to-back weeks in which Baltimore leaned on a dominant rushing attack to take down top opponents, this matchup lended itself more to the passing game.
Lamar Jackson was more than up to the task, going shot for shot with Joe Burrow to throw for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Derrick Henry got his opportunity to take over in overtime, ripping off a 51-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal.
The Ravens team we’ve seen over the last three weeks is very much a front-runner in the AFC. The Bengals have some work to do in the standings, but they can hang with anyone. It’s only right that the second matchup between these offensive juggernauts gets a primetime slot in early November. If we’re lucky, we’ll get a third matchup in January, too.
Desperate times
Joe Douglas has some calls to make.
The Jets are sitting at a disappointing 2-3 after a trip to London, and, while there’s no shame in losing to this version of the Vikings, it’s probably time to sound the alarm about the state of the offense.
Aaron Rodgers has been unable to build upon the flashes of vintage play we saw in the opening weeks. His 4.5 yards per attempt against Minnesota marks his lowest output since November 2019, and some questionable decisions led to three costly interceptions. It’s clear to even the most casual observers that the 40-year-old veteran is simply not on the same page as his receivers.
Rodgers is presumably pounding the table for a Davante Adams trade to bring in an infusion of playmaking talent and familiarity. The Jets are thought to be the preferred destination for the disgruntled Raiders receiver, and it may simply be a matter of the two sides reaching an agreement in the coming days.
Adams alone won’t solve all of the Jets’ problems, as poor game plans are a staple of Nathaniel Hackett offenses. But if you’ve come this far in building a small window for contention, why hold back over a future Day 2 pick?
Douglas has to get this done, no matter the price. It may be his only hope at salvaging the Rodgers era in New York.
Enough is enough
It’s easy to understand why the Browns aren’t willing to bench Deshaun Watson. While Cleveland’s quarterback play has been astonishingly miserable, he’s still due a fully guaranteed $92 million across 2025 and 2026, meaning ownership has a vested interest in finding a way to make it work.
But what about when it becomes undeniably clear that there is no hope for any such outcome?
After an unfathomably bad first two years in Cleveland, Watson is somehow getting worse. The former Pro Bowler looked completely lost against a Washington defense that entered this week ranked 31st in EPA/play, completing 15 of 28 passes for only 125 yards while taking seven sacks.
The latest in a long line of horrific outings caps an opening five-week stretch that is among the worst we’ve seen since the turn of the century.
Remember, this is a Browns team that went to the playoffs with Joe Flacco under center down the stretch last year. There’s more than enough talent and coaching chops to get this team in the postseason mix with average quarterback play. Cleveland is being weighed down by a $230-million passer who no longer belongs.
No matter how you slice it, the investment made in Watson is going absolutely nowhere. It’s time for ownership to admit as much, do right by the rest of the organization, and turn to a quarterback who gives them a chance on game day.
Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, whoever. Anyone but Watson.
Quick slants
Commanders are for real
I was going to wait until after this week before buying in on the Commanders, even if that was arguably a little conservative. All signs pointed to Cleveland’s defense being an interesting test for Washington’s offense. The Browns did present some challenges for Jayden Daniels, holding him to a season-low 56% completion rate, but the overall results remain impressive. Daniels threw for 238 yards at 9.5 yards per attempt while adding another 82 yards in the run game. The No. 2 pick looks more comfortable with every passing week, and he’s already showing major improvements over the player he was at the end of his LSU career. The Commanders have a young superstar under center, and they’re emerging as an immediate playoff threat as a result.
Caleb heating up
None of us were actually panicking about Caleb Williams, were we? A slow start from the No. 1 pick is, of course, bound to lead to some irrational takes, and you can multiply those takes by a thousand when the player selected one spot later dominates out of the gate. But a four-game sample is basically nothing for a rookie quarterback, and Williams’ struggles were always overstated. The early flashes of brilliance turned into consistent high-level play in Sunday’s win over the Panthers. Williams was in complete control throughout the game, completing 20 of 29 passes for 304 yards and two scores. His comfort at this stage, despite the offensive system doing him no favors, is an incredibly promising sign for the future.
Bills need a trade, too
Josh Allen finished Sunday’s loss to the Texans connecting on just 9 of 30 passes. A 30% completion rate is the lowest mark for a quarterback with at least 30 attempts in the last 30 years, according to ESPN Stats and Info. It wasn’t Allen’s best game, but this is also a symptom of some major personnel issues. The Bills, whose target leader at receiver was Mack Hollins, simply don’t have a player capable of winning in one-on-one situations on the outside. Buffalo could really use the route-running prowess of Browns wideout Amari Cooper. Considering its salary-cap issues, a league-minimum base salary might make him the perfect trade-deadline target.
Flacco again?
No, your eyes do not deceive you. For the second time in as many years, Joe Flacco stepped in as a starter and provided a clear upgrade in quarterback play, as the 39-year-old veteran nearly led the Colts to a win over the Jaguars with 359 passing yards and three touchdowns. To be clear, Anthony Richardson should – and will – remain the starter when healthy. The Colts’ future depends on his development, and he needs reps to make good on his potential. But there sure are a few other teams who could use Flacco as QB1. We’re looking at you, Browns.
Don’t give up on Bengals
A heartbreaking loss to the Ravens drops the Bengals to 1-4 on the season. For most teams, climbing out a hole this deep is impossible. It may well prove too difficult for Cincinnati, too. But don’t rule this team out yet. The offense finally appears to be hitting its stride. Joe Burrow lit up the Baltimore defense for 392 yards and five touchdowns, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each accounted for two scores. Though the end result wasn’t what they wanted, narrow losses to the Chiefs and Ravens showed how close this team still is to the AFC’s elite. There’s no reason the Bengals can’t be 5-4 after an upcoming stretch of games against the Giants, Browns, Eagles, and Raiders.
Surtain for DPOY?
It’s not easy to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors as a cornerback – Stephon Gilmore (2019) and Charles Woodson (2009) are the only two to win the prestigious award since Deion Sanders in 1994. But it’s time we consider factors beyond raw statistical production. Patrick Surtain Jr. is the best cornerback in the game right now, and his lockdown presence is leading the way for a resurgent Broncos defense. He single-handedly flipped momentum with a 100-yard pick-6 in Sunday’s win over the Raiders, one of his two interceptions on the day. If Denver ends up as a competitive team with a largely anemic offense, Surtain should absolutely be in the mix for any award that recognizes his immense value.
Gannon building something
The Cardinals are officially frisky, folks. Results probably won’t be consistent for a while – this roster simply doesn’t have the talent to maintain a high level of play on a weekly basis. But it’s clear that second-year head coach Jonathan Gannon has the team heading in the right direction. Gannon’s defense came up big in Sunday’s win over the 49ers, tallying three takeaways and a turnover on downs to shut out the San Francisco offense in the second half. That provided the offense all the support it needed to stage a comeback and secure a 24-23 win. Give this organization another offseason to build and we could be talking about a legitimate playoff contender. In the meantime, the Cardinals are a team nobody can overlook.
Bigsby’s breakout party
Travis Etienne’s spot atop the Jaguars’ running back depth chart may not be safe. Tank Bigsby was in line for an expanded workload after turning seven carries into 90 yards last week, and he did not disappoint with the increase in volume. The second-year back took 13 attempts for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Colts, outproducing Etienne’s 17 yards on six carries. Etienne remains the preferred option as a receiver out of the backfield – he had a season-high six catches this week – but Bigsby is quickly proving to be the more effective option in the run game.
Kraft a budding star
Just when you thought a young Packers offense couldn’t get any more exciting, it seems like there’s a future star at the tight end position. Kraft’s uptick in pass-game usage started last week, when he turned nine targets into six catches for 53 yards and a score, and he followed that up with four catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s win over the Rams. Both touchdowns, including a spectacular 66-yarder, showed off his unique ability after the catch. Kraft is well on his way to being a consistent playmaker for one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Don’t waste any more time if he’s somehow still on the waiver wire in your fantasy leagues.
Tracy’s arrival
Tyrone Tracy Jr. received a major opportunity this week when Devin Singletary was ruled out with a groin injury. The fifth-round rookie was a key contributor in a stunning win over the Seahawks, taking 18 carries for 129 yards. Tracy was thought of as a work in progress coming out of Purdue, as it was assumed a former receiver who was still so new to the position would need time to find his footing at the NFL level. So much for that. Tracy is going to be tough to keep off the field.
