Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day’s action and examines their significance moving forward.
Saquon revenge game
John Mara knew this was coming.
The Giants owner provided the most memorable scene from the offseason edition of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” when he told GM Joe Schoen that he’d “have a tough time sleeping” if Saquon Barkley were to sign with the Eagles. Barkley indeed bolted for Philly when New York foolishly allowed him to test the free-agent market, and it’s worked out pretty much exactly how everyone expected.
The former No. 2 overall pick continued his incredible start this week with the ultimate revenge game in his first trip back to the Meadowlands, gashing the Giants for 176 rushing yards en route to a 28-3 blowout.
Barkley’s lone score on the day saw him pull even with the entire Giants team in total touchdowns scored at MetLife Stadium this year. He’s now up to 658 rushing yards on the season, setting a new Eagles record for the first six games of a campaign. For what it’s worth, it would be a Giants record, too.
New York’s botched situation with Barkley goes all the way back to when he was first scheduled to become a free agent in 2023. The Giants talked themselves into Daniel Jones as a franchise quarterback on the heels of a 15-touchdown season and a one-off playoff appearance. As a result, he got the long-term deal while Barkley had to settle for the franchise tag.
It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that the Jones extension was a terrible mistake. While this year has certainly been better than 2023, Jones averaging 4.7 yards per pass attempt in the same game that Barkley rushed for 10.4 pretty much sums it up.
The Giants thought they were being smart by not committing big money to a running back. In reality, it’s just the latest in a long line of poor decisions from this front office. Barkley dominating with a division rival appropriately ensures they won’t soon forget it.
Jets still the Jets
Adding a superstar receiver in the middle of the season doesn’t make all your problems go away. The Jets found that out the hard way when a week of good vibes concluded with a crushing loss in Pittsburgh on Sunday night.
Davante Adams was held to three catches for 30 yards despite stepping into a full workload five days after the blockbuster trade from Las Vegas. It’s likely only a matter of time before he and Rodgers tap into the connection they had all those years in Green Bay, and the Jets’ offense may well take off as a result. But this team’s issues always went well beyond the receiving corps.
The disappointing loss marks the fourth time already this season that the run game has put up less than 70 yards. A costly interception off a brutal deflection from Garrett Wilson, meanwhile, adds to the growing list of miscues. The defense still has dominant flashes, but allowing Russell Wilson to lead the Steelers to their highest point total since 2021 is a rough look.
The Jets have the talent to turn this thing around, and some of the schematic changes we’ve seen since last week’s offensive coordinator change are promising. There’s no longer any room for error, though.
A 2-5 record means New York probably needs to win eight of its last 10 games to make the playoffs. That’s a pretty big ask for the best of teams, let alone one whose only victories have come against the Titans and Patriots.
Goff is dealing
How many quarterback are playing better than Jared Goff right now?
Sunday’s game against the Vikings figured to be the ultimate test for a juggernaut Lions offense. Detroit had hit its stride with back-to-back 40-point games, but this wasn’t the Cowboys. Minnesota’s defense is unlike any other in football this season.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores predictably continued to dial up blitzes to get as much pressure on Jared Goff as possible. That was the best way to defend him in years past. Perhaps that’s not the case anymore.
Goff was blitzed on 55.2% of his dropbacks this week, according to Next Gen Stats. That mark eclipses his previous season high by more than 12%. He completed 13 of 15 pass attempts in those situations this week, throwing for 163 yards and one score.
Part of the Lions’ success against the blitz will always be an outstanding scheme having built-in answers for pressure packages. The other part, and the more significant one on this day, is Goff delivering under duress. Next Gen Stats had the Lions quarterback facing a season-high 51.7% pressure rate against the Vikings, going 10 of 11 for 164 yards and connecting on each of his two scores on the day.
The Lions’ defense certainly has some questions to answer, particularly in the wake of a major injury to Aidan Hutchinson. Even an aggressive trade deadline won’t be enough to replace a surefire Defensive Player of the Year candidate. But the defense only has to do so much when the offense is capable of lighting up the scoreboard against even the best of opponents.
Goff’s continued growth, a rarity for a player on the other side of 30, is a leading factor in that dominance. At a time when a number of big-money quarterback deals aren’t looking so hot, the Lions shouldn’t have a single regret about paying their leader under center.
Quick slants
Fortune favors the bold
Mike Tomlin benching Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson after a 4-2 start seemed ridiculous. Fields hadn’t been spectacular, but there was also no reason to believe Wilson would magically recapture a level of play he hasn’t enjoyed since 2021. Well, Wilson’s 264 passing yards and three total touchdowns were all the Steelers needed to stun the Jets on national TV. He’s still a limited version of his former self, and there’ll be some not-so-fun moments in the weeks to come. But if Wilson’s ability to loft up moon balls for George Pickens is all this offense needs to complement an always-stout defense, as was the case Sunday night, we should probably all agree to never doubt Tomlin again.
Amari’s instant impact
The Bills made a much-needed addition to the offense this week by acquiring Amari Cooper from the Browns. It seemed like the perfect fit, with the veteran wideout potentially providing Josh Allen with an established route-runner who can consistently win in one-on-one situations. Early signs suggest he’ll be exactly that. Cooper made a fantastic first impression in Buffalo’s win over Tennessee, turning a relatively light workload into four catches for 66 yards and one touchdown. It’ll take a few weeks for him to fully get up to speed on the offense and get in sync with Allen. When that time comes, he may well help push the Bills’ offense over the top.
Chiefs trade incoming?
The Chiefs are the NFL’s lone undefeated team after taking care of business Sunday in San Francisco. As if there was any doubt, Patrick Mahomes is proving capable of elevating the offense no matter the supporting cast. After an offseason spent bolstering the receiving corps, though, it’s tough to believe that the two-time defending champs are going to settle for this. Mahomes threw for 154 yards and two interceptions against the 49ers. That puts him up to eight picks to go with just six touchdowns. You have to think a veteran target like DeAndre Hopkins or Diontae Johnson (or both) could help this offense get back to where it needs to be.
A true gunslinger
Jordan Love drew a lot of Aaron Rodgers comparisons in the early stages of his time as the Packers’ starter. The more logical comp may be the legendary quarterback who came before. Love’s combination of arm talent, unique playmaking traits, and inconsistent decision-making is oddly reminiscent of Brett Favre. To be clear, that’s mostly a compliment. Love can connect on throws that many simply couldn’t dream of making. It won’t always work, and the overall decision-making isn’t quite where you’d like – another two interceptions this week gives him eight in five games. But it’s just not as much of an issue when the positive plays raise the offense’s ceiling as his do. Love once again overcame the turnover issues to outduel C.J. Stroud and push the Packers to 5-2.
Rams building it right
The versatility of the Rams’ front office is truly incredible. It wasn’t long ago that this team, dead set on doing everything it could to load up and chase a Super Bowl, became the leader of the “F them picks” movement. Draft selections were merely assets that could help them land established talents. Now that they’ve accomplished the ultimate goal, the Rams have pivoted to a more traditional draft-and-develop approach. And they’re pretty damn good at that, too. First-round edge rusher Jared Verse posted nine pressures in Sunday’s win over the Raiders, and he now leads all rookies with 29 this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Rams second-round pick Braden Fiske is second with 17. Adding a duo like this alongside Kobie Turner and Byron Young, another pair of hits from the 2023 draft, is masterful work in pivoting after the retirement of Aaron Donald.
A quiet superstar
The majority of football fans could take 10 guesses and not even come close to picking out the NFL’s current sack leader. Unless you’re a Giants fan, that is. Dexter Lawrence got to Jalen Hurts twice in Sunday’s game against the Eagles, giving him nine on the season. That’s right, a nose tackle best known for his dominance against the run is on an early pace to challenge the single-season sack record. In reality, Lawrence has been an impactful pass-rusher for several years running. But an improved Giants defensive front, headlined by the offseason addition of Brian Burns, is freeing him up to feast. Lawrence is worthy of a spot on everyone’s first-half Defensive Player of the Year ballots.
Dolphins floundering
The majority of us have probably been shrugging off the Dolphins’ offensive ineptitude as a predictable outcome in the absence of their star quarterback. That’s certainly the main factor here, but it’s time we ramp up the expectations a little bit. Far less talented teams, and seemingly less regarded coaching staffs, have managed far less monumental dropoffs when turning to their backup quarterback. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle each had one catch on a combined four targets in Sunday’s loss to the Colts. That’s just not going to fly, no matter the quarterback situation. Mike McDaniel’s reputation as an offensive guru is taking some serious hits this season. Could he be on the hot seat if this team doesn’t take off after Tua Tagovailoa’s impending return?
They are who we thought they were
Carolina benching Bryce Young early this season was absolutely the right move. The 2023 No. 1 pick was somehow getting worse, and it was only fair to the rest of the organization to see if the team fared better with Andy Dalton. The veteran quarterback provided a spark, but it was ultimately short-lived. Now, after a 40-7 loss to Marcus Mariota and the Commanders, it seems like we’re right back where we started. So why did it take until the end of the fourth quarter to get Young in the game? Great question. If the Panthers are so done with him that he can’t even get significant reps in a game that was over by halftime, it’s probably time for both sides to move on.
Pierce does it again
Antonio Pierce got a special shoutout in this space back in Week 1 for making one of the worst fourth-down decisions you’ll ever see in a loss to the Chargers. Back in the same building for a matchup with the Rams, the Raiders head coach was at it again. Trailing by eight with less than three minutes to play, Las Vegas sent out the field-goal team on fourth and goal from the 9-yard line. Pierce’s trust in his defense was rewarded, as the Raiders got the ball back for a potential game-winning drive. But he got exactly what he bargained for trusting his offense to drive all the way down the field again. It took all of three plays for Gardner Minshew to throw his third interception, sealing the loss and dropping Las Vegas to 2-5. Pierce is quickly trending toward being a one-and-done head coach.
