We’re midway by way of October, a loopy factor to be true, and are beginning to have a full and agency grasp on what’s going on this NFL season.
The 2 undefeated groups we talked about final week had been each on bye, however of their absence many different stepped up or rotted additional into obscurity. Monday will see the staff in control of the primary head coach firing attempt to decide up the items, however for probably the most half Week 6 is all mentioned and carried out which permits us to attract conclusions about all of it.
That is the place The Skinny Submit is available in. It’s our job to debate probably the most notable issues that occurred in a given NFL week and low and behold that’s precisely what we’re going to do at the moment.
Let’s journey (not within the Russell Wilson voice).
We’re previous the purpose the place the Deshaun Watson factor is unhealthy
RJ:
The Cleveland Browns have one of many worst quarterback conditions happening within the NFL proper now and that has plagued the league (together with the Browns particularly!) in a very long time.
Even when we simply discuss soccer… Deshaun Watson is arguably the worst in the whole league. He’s holding again a bunch that would seemingly be aggressive in his absence and doing so in traditionally unhealthy vogue.
Since 2007, 566 quarterbacks have thrown a minimum of 100 passes within the first six video games of their staff’s respective seasons.
By first downs per cross try, Bo Nix’s 2024 season is tied for 564th (22.2%) and Deshaun Watson’s 2024 season is 566th (22.1%).
— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 14, 2024
A lot has been mentioned and written and pontificated in regards to the contract that Cleveland gave Deshaun and the obstacle that it’s by way of shifting on from him. I’ve no phrases of recommendation to make that individual a part of this downside higher. However I feel that I converse for everybody in saying that this merely can’t proceed to go alongside.
Learn the included tweet once more. Deshaun is, by an attention-grabbing line of measurement, the worst one since 2007. 2007! America’s Greatest Dance Crew was nonetheless a factor in 2007!
The Browns are down as unhealthy as you may be.
Michael:
It’s truthfully unbelievable how unhealthy issues have gone for Deshaun Watson since he signed with the Browns on that insane absolutely assured contract. I’m not even bearing in mind any of his off-field nonsense; the on-field stuff has been so putrid that it’s loopy that nobody who was in on the choice has been fired but.
I really like that you simply used a Invoice Barnwell tweet in your blurb as a result of I’m additionally going to drop some Barnwell, too.
New free column: It is time for the Browns to surrender on Deshaun Watson, who’s off to the worst begin in fashionable league historical past.
Since 2007, out of 566 passers by way of six weeks, Watson ranks:
QBR: 558th
Yds/Dropback: 565th
First Down Charge: 566thhttps://t.co/2sRVcLHv8W pic.twitter.com/qTubGAAztL— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 14, 2024
That is HISTORICALLY unhealthy. However not simply “amongst” the all-time unhealthy begins, Watson is actually in LAST PLACE(!) in first-down charge whereas being second-to-last in yards per dropback.
The Browns have Jameis Winston proper there and the entrance workplace/teaching workers is selecting to stay with Watson as a result of they know that him figuring out stands out as the distinction between them having the identical job or not a 12 months from now.
Watson was once a blast to look at when he was with the Texans. There’s not a shred of that participant left proper now.
The Browns not at all have the worst supporting forged within the NFL. There’ve been some accidents up entrance, however you possibly can’t title one other stud passer who hasn’t handled that earlier than, both. Heck, even when Nick Chubb returns, I can’t think about Watson’s play unexpectedly getting fastened as a result of he has a greater floor recreation to lean on.
On the finish of the day, the Browns will get precisely what they deserve in the event that they proceed down this path.
Caleb Williams was the one rookie QB (out of 5) who gained their matchup on Sunday. Which of the opposite 4 had been probably the most spectacular of their loss?
Michael:
My vote right here goes to Drake Maye of the Patriots. Whereas he didn’t get a ton of assist from his protection (41 factors allowed), Maye nonetheless hung in there and threw a trio of landing passes in comparison with two interceptions. He additionally ended up main his staff in speeding with 38 yards on 5 carries. Total, he accounted for 281 of the staff’s 325 whole yards of offense.
Why is that this encouraging to me? As a result of quarterbacks who’re capable of carry their staff offensive in additional methods than one when the unit is struggling is a straightforward path to being one of many higher gamers at your place.
Exterior of somebody like Lamar Jackson who clearly can do all of it, Patrick Mahomes is aware of the best way to make the most of his legs and maintain drives alive when opposing defenses get a stranglehold on each their passing assault and the normal floor recreation. Greater than as soon as I’ve seen Mahomes lead his staff in speeding as a result of it’s the one factor the protection can’t fully account for after they’ve clamped down on all the things else.
Good quarterbacks with the sort of athletic skill that Maye and others have could make opposing groups pay with a pick-your-poison method the place they will really make them incorrect on virtually each play.
Maye confirmed glimpses in opposition to the Texans that ought to maintain the fan base optimistic. It additionally didn’t damage his improvement as a result of he performed in a giant loss.
RJ:
I’m going to stay with Jayden Daniels right here even when the reply is low-hanging fruit. I actually need to acknowledge that Drake Maye appeared nice, however Daniels continues to impress.
I do know that it’s straightforward to leap to Caleb as a result of he was superb in London (these video games barely rely, although). Whereas Daniels’ Washington Commanders in the end misplaced to the Baltimore Ravens, they didn’t get blown out and had been extremely aggressive all through in opposition to among the best groups within the NFL.
We assumed this is able to be a measuring stick or announcement recreation or no matter for Daniels and the Commanders and I feel many will assume that they failed the take a look at as a result of they misplaced. However it is very important be aware that they hung with Baltimore and take away from that that they’re very clearly for actual. They simply aren’t going to win each single recreation.
Daniels is protecting issues regular and dealing with the hype in a really spectacular means. He’s nonetheless the ROTY for me, granted we’re solely at mid-October.
Ought to Eagles followers really feel any type of reduction after beating Cleveland?
RJ:
We talked in regards to the Deshaun Watson factor a little bit bit up prime, nevertheless it was the Philadelphia Eagles who in the end acquired the higher of him on Sunday.
To be clear the Eagles gained and a win is a win, however they barely squeaked this factor out and did so in opposition to one of many worst groups within the NFL. This, after all, didn’t cease Nick Sirianni from (seemingly) chirping at Eagles followers who (we assume) had been in his ear all recreation lengthy after Philly formally took care of enterprise.
Soccer is a recreation of ardour and I’m at all times cool with folks expressing it. That being mentioned, I do assume it’s greater than truthful to count on your head coach to behave like he’s been there earlier than typically however moreover to have the ability to learn the room.
Philly has been in a funk because the second half of final 12 months and, as famous, barely held on to beat the lowly Browns. Not like when Sirianni chirped at Indianapolis Colts followers when the Eagles beat them two years in the past… this was his personal fan group! In his dwelling stadium! It smells like somebody who is aware of they’re up in opposition to it and expressing that how they see match. Once more, I help flexing when you’ve gotten earned the chance to take action, however wow that is such a foul search for the top coach of all folks. What’s extra is given Sirianni’s antics through the years… he looks like somebody who can dish it out however not take it.
Michael:
So at first, I believed this was Sirianni chirping at opposing followers however this complete factor adjustments now that I do know it was his personal fan base.
It wasn’t a reasonably win by any means. Feelings flare in soccer and it’s comprehensible that some might not be capable of deal with it in addition to others. Nonetheless, it’s the top coach that’s dealing with it the worst? This incident — I assume if we will name it that — makes me assume that we’d have been seeing much more of this habits in his tenure if the Eagles weren’t pretty much as good as they’ve been the previous few seasons. Like, in the event that they weren’t a relentless playoff staff and/or made the Tremendous Bowl two seasons in the past, would we now have gotten extra sound bites from Sirianni simply tearing into his followers, which additionally occur to be among the most devoted in all the NFL?
I do assume so. However fortunately for him he’s acquired himself a good soccer staff proper now.
Both means, once more, that is the top coach of a NFL franchise. I don’t know what these followers had been screaming at him all recreation, however I can’t think about how unhealthy it may have been in a VICTORY that will trigger him to show round and provides them as a lot consideration as he did.
However hey, he apologized so it’s all god, proper?
Nick Sirianni apologizes for going on the crowd close to the top of yesterday’s recreation.
“My vitality needs to be all in on teaching and celebrating with our guys. I’ve acquired to have higher knowledge and discernment on when to make use of it and that wasn’t the time.”
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) October 14, 2024
Rookie TE Brock Bowers is the true deal simply six video games into his first skilled season
Michael:
Okay in order a former tight finish I completely cherished Bowers popping out of this 12 months’s draft. He truthfully was a lot greater than a decent finish although. The dude was an absolute weapon for the Georgia Bulldogs and it didn’t take him lengthy to hit the bottom operating this 12 months with the Raiders.
Getting into Week 7, he’s at the moment first amongst all tight ends within the NFL with 384 receiving yards. He’s additionally tied for THIRD amongst ALL PLAYERS within the league with 37 receptions. If the Raiders had a greater quarterback, he’d additionally in all probability have greater than only a lone landing, too. First-year tight ends should not imagined to be this good! However right here we’re!
The one factor I want wasn’t part of actuality is that it was a former Chargers basic supervisor who drafted him to a divison rival, which means I’ve to look at this man dominate up shut for the subsequent 10-12 years.
Thanks Tom Telesco!
RJ:
Taking a look at what Bowers has carried out is admittedly astonishing thus far up to now in his younger profession. I do know this can be a delicate topic for fantasy gamers (and Falcons followers — particularly those who’re additionally UGA followers), nevertheless it looks like he’s all the things that we needed Kyle Pitts to be.
It truly is attention-grabbing how this hasn’t gotten a ton of nationwide pop given the discourse round tight ends. I suppose the discourse is that massive to the place it could bury a few of this, nevertheless it additionally doesn’t assist that Bowers is prospering for a Las Vegas Raiders staff that’s largely forgettable.
I’m very right here for Brock Bowers resuscitating the tight finish place and taking us to a brand new world. Let it’s carried out.