By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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For the first time all season, Bears fans have something to smile about Monday, and much of that is thanks to Brian Hoyer.
No, you didn’t read that wrong. Hoyer, who was last notable for his playoff meltdown with the Houston Texans in a shutout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last season, balled out (relatively speaking) Sunday in the Bears’ 17-14 win, completing 28 of 36 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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What a week for road teams. Seven of the week’s first 14 games ended with wins for the visitors, included a surprising shutout win on the part of Buffalo over New England, and two stunning comebacks for Oakland and New Orleans. Those late-game heroics, plus a great pass in a close finish in Arizona gave us our candidates for this week’s Greatest on the Road.
Much has been made over the years when looking in hindsight at the San Diego Chargers right around the year 2005. Drew Brees, 32nd-overall selection of the Chargers out of Purdue, was on the way out. A shoulder injury to Brees in 2005 hastened the process of the Chargers hitting reset by turning to second-year quarterback Philip Rivers and offering Brees a contract he rebuffed, leading him to sign with New Orleans. Sunday was Brees’ first trip back to Qualcomm Stadium since the divorce, and he made it one to remember. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Another close contest for the Browns saw a dramatic turn of events that proved to be decisive. But could it have been avoided?
The NFL has reviewed the play in question — a Duke Johnson fumble — NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the process. Johnson emerged from the pile with the ball, but the officials ruled the Redskins recovered the fumble. In order to give the ball back to Cleveland, there would need to be video evidence of the player actually recovering the ball. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Giants are thin at safety, and after using receivers at the position in practice, are turning to a veteran.
New York is working out hard-hitting, 31-year-old safety Donte Whitner, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source with knowledge of the situation. New York lost another defensive back this week when free safety Nat Berhe was placed in the concussion protocol, to go along with rookie Darian Thompson‘s (foot) uncertain, week-to-week status.
Cut by the Browns well after free agency’s busy period came and went, Whitner bid Cleveland farewell by alluding to their “moneyball” strategy and lamenting the timing of the move. Whitner visited the Carolina Panthers in late August, but lost out to fellow free agent defensive back Stevie Brown.
Maybe Whitner will get a chance to fulfill this lofty guarantee:
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Sammy Watkins is going to get the rest and recovery time his foot needs.
The Buffalo Bills placed Watkins on injured reserve Friday, the team announced. The Bills also announced they filled Watkins’ roster spot by claiming wide receiver Justin Hunter.
Watkins’ move to IR puts him on the shelf for at least eight weeks, and brings a temporary end to the weekly question of “will Sammy Watkins play Sunday?” It’s been an inquiry since Watkins complained of discomfort in his foot — which was surgically repaired in the offseason — after the Bills‘ Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Continue reading
By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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Week 4 of the NFL season is upon us, and that means it’s time for another round of bold predictions. As always, this week’s edition of fearless prognostications includes a macho helping of audaciousness and abandon as we head into Sunday and Monday’s contests. Warning: these predictions are not for the faint of heart.
This was initially going to be four touchdowns, typically the passing baseline for bold predictions. Then I recalled Baltimore’s last two games, checked the stats and had to adjust. The Ravens are 25th in the NFL in total offense (324.3 yards per game), 21st in passing (242 YPG) and have exceeded 20 points just once — in a clunky win over the Browns that wasn’t easy on the eyes. But there’s good news for the Ravens: Oakland is dead last in passing defense, allowing 340 yards per game. It’s somewhat of a skewed statistic after only three games, but it was over 400 yards after two weeks before Tennessee’s offense — a passing game handcuffed by coach Mike Mularkey’s exotic smashmouth emphasis, which has Marcus Mariota noticeably floundering — brought that total closer to earth. There can’t be a better matchup for Flacco, which leads an offense that includes wideout Mike Wallace, who has shown he still has the speed to go deep for six.
Plus, Flacco just welcomed his fourth child — and first daughter — to Earth this week! What’s better than a father with a new addition to his family taking the field with a deep threat against a defense that has shown a tendency to give up big chunks of yards through the air? Flacco caps his memorable week and brings Evelyn Renee Flacco into the football world with a big game and another win for Baltimore.
— Nick Shook
To read the full Week 4 bold predictions from the Around the NFL writers, click here.
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Minnesota is the miraculous darling of the league after three weeks. The Vikings lost their starting quarterback, traded first- and fourth-rounders for Sam Bradford, trotted out Shaun Hill in Week 1 and somehow, are 3-0.
Much of the credit is due to the Vikings‘ defense. The unit faced its toughest task of the young campaign: take down the reigning NFC champion Panthers by ending their 14-game home winning streak. They needed to look only two weeks earlier — to Denver’s 21-20 win over Carolina — to see how it could be done.
The Vikings just upped the ante by five more sacks.
So how did they do it? It wasn’t a tale of blinding speed that allowed the Vikings to get to Newton eight times, but was instead rooted in how much head coach Mike Zimmer and defensive coordinator George Edwards trust their front four. The faith looks to be unshaken, as Minnesota went with a nickel package to defend the pass (four defensive linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs) on an astounding 54 of 72 defensive snaps (75 percent), according to Next Gen Stats. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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A big congratulations is due for six of the week’s 16 road teams (with Atlanta and New Orleans yet to play on Monday night), as they came away winners in Week 3. The Cleveland Browns should have been team No. 7, but then again, we could go on and on about things that should have happened (especially in Cleveland), couldn’t we?
We saw a first-year starter continue his development leading the reigning champions in a hostile den along the Ohio River, and a former quarterback do a little bit of everything in an attempt to will his team to a victory. Minnesota’s defense again powered the Vikings to a major win, and while we’d love to give honors to all 11-plus members of the unit, we decided to zero in on one man who’s had himself a good 13 months.
These are the best performers away from home in Week 3. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Seahawks are going to continue leaning on Christine Michael for at least a few weeks.
Incumbent starting running back Thomas Rawls has a hairline fracture in his fibula, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the tailback’s injury. Rawls has already missed a week and could be out for a month, Rapoport added. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Rams (2-1) staved off multiple comeback attempts on the part of the Buccaneers (1-2), escaping Tampa Bay with a 37-32 victory that included an hour-long weather delay at the two minute warning in the fourth quarter. Here’s what we learned:
1. It was a knock-down, drag-out contest you’d typically see between two league heavyweights, but instead it was two middling squads with uncertain paths. Which Buccaneers team would we get this week: the 31-21 winners in Week 1, or the squad decimated by turnovers and a swarming Cardinals defense in Week 2? Well, it was neither, sort of. Both teams made mistakes that each seemed to follow with another. They held serve on positive plays and errors, making for an entertaining contest.
2. The game’s highlights opened with each team giving the other a gift: the Rams‘ Case Keenum tossed one directly to Bucs linebacker Kwon Alexander, who had nothing but green in front of him for a pick-six; then Charles Sims dropped a pass (thanks to a hit from Trumaine Johnson) that landed in Los Angeles arms, setting the Rams up with great field position that ended in a Todd Gurley touchdown. It was very much call and response of both teams. Anything you can lose, we can lose better. Continue reading
Nick Shook 