Sam Darnold’s MVP run continues, Ravens save season with win in Dallas
Sports Seriously’s Mackenzie Salmon “overreacts” to the key news from Sunday’s games.
Sport in Seriousness
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills were dominant. Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs continue to pull off close wins. And the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0 to start 2024.
The Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams scored big wins, while the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts each picked up a win in Week 3.
The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers are looking for answers after their 1-2 starts, as are the Las Vegas Raiders, whose loss to the Panthers last week prompted coach Antonio Pierce to question his players’ work ethic after the game.
But it could be worse: Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Tennessee Titans are the only teams in the league with a 0-3 record.
Here are some of the most notable overreactions of week three:
Aaron Rodgers is back!
Aaron Rodgers’ performance on Thursday Night Football was top-notch, to say the least. Rodgers looked crisp, his passes found their targets seamlessly, as they have for most of his career. His arm is still intact, and he even showed that he still has enough strength in his legs after his Achilles injury to escape the pressure and gain a few yards.
His nearly 300-yard performance against the Patriots on a short week may not be as convincing, but don’t rule out that he still has the opportunity to develop into MVP form.
Rodgers and the Jets have all the tools needed to be successful this season, from a vaunted defense led by coach Robert Saleh with key playmakers at every level to an offense that can finally orchestrate behind a respectable offensive line.
Star running back Breece Hall, top receiver Garrett Wilson, experienced receiver Allen Lazard, rookie running back Braelon Allen and tight end Tyler Conklin form a strong core that Rodgers will lead into the playoffs.
Saleh just needs to stop with those awkward hugs on the sidelines after touchdown drives.
The Washington Commanders are back too!
After all the gloom that former owner Dan Snyder brought to the franchise, Washington is finally on the other side. And boy, is the future tantalizing after rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ coming-out party on Monday Night Football.
The Commanders’ new owner, Josh Harris, made all the right decisions: he signed Daniels as quarterback, hired an experienced coach like Dan Quinn to lead the team, and hired Kliff Kingsbury as an offensive coordinator who wisely recognized that a college-style run-pass-option scheme would immediately showcase Daniels’ skills as a runner and passer.
Washington is the first team in the Super Bowl era to go two weeks without a turnover or punt and still has some room to improve to keep up with the Eagles for the NFC East, but there’s still plenty to be excited about after their decisive win over the Bengals in Week 3.
Commanders fans, enjoy this. You deserve it. It’s been a long time coming.
The Minnesota Vikings are Super Bowl contenders
It seems like the stars have aligned perfectly for quarterback Sam Darnold, coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores. They’ve been a match made in heaven for Minnesota this season. The Vikings are off to a 3-0 start and are on a roll: Darnold has revived his career, while O’Connell and Flores are a one-two punch coaching effort finding their rhythm in their second season together.
Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, leads the NFL with eight touchdown passes and is top 5 in QBR, passer rating, yards per attempt and just outside the top 10 with 11th in yards. In O’Connell, he has finally found a coach and a support system to help him develop. It also helps that he has the best receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson, at his disposal.
Flores’ defense is arguably the best in the NFL (if not better than Steve Spagnuolo’s defense with the Chiefs). It’s a dynamic and chaotic defensive scheme where offenses crowd the line of scrimmage to either blitz or retreat into coverage with nickel and dime packages on the back end. It’s a nightmare for quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.
If the Vikings continue like this, they could go far into the playoffs.
Mike McCarthy’s hottest chair is getting hotter
How many big games will the Cowboys lose at home? The 48-32 playoff loss to the Packers last season was a debacle. The 44-19 loss to the Saints in Week 2 was just as embarrassing. And the Cowboys’ late comeback, which ended in a 28-25 loss to the Ravens, only adds fuel to the fire under McCarthy’s hot seat.
I mean, it’s not like Jerry Jones would fire himself.
To make matters worse for the Cowboys, Jones had to swallow his pride and say, “We couldn’t afford Derrick Henry” after the star running back rushed for 151 yards and scored two touchdowns last week.
A short week could help Dallas, but even the Giants are showing signs of improvement, with rookie receiver Malik Nabers looking like a saving grace for Daniel Jones.
Back to the Cowboys, McCarthy needs to get them in shape quickly – anything less than a win against the Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Lions in the next three weeks could lead to his firing before the Week 7 bye.
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