Naturally, social media had a field day mocking Dungy’s take from the night before, and he was trending most of Tuesday morning. The NBC studio host clearly got wind of the reaction, so he took to Twitter to defend his stance.
Yes, things got much worse for Gruden when the second leak happened Monday, but I still don’t understand why Dungy would go on national TV Sunday night and basically dismiss the initial batch of emails. It was a terrible look Sunday and an even worse look Monday.
This is far from the first time Dungy has needed to issue a clarification for his comments. After famously saying he wouldn’t draft Michael Sam, who was openly gay, in 2014, Dungy, who is not exactly an ally to the gay community, ridiculously tried to explain that his reason for saying he wouldn’t draft Sam wasn’t because Sam was gay, but because he would be a “distraction.”
Well, clearly that was correct because Carl Nassib, the first openly gay active player, has been a distraction for the Raiders. All people talk about all day on Sundays during Raiders games is that Nassib is gay! Who knows how much better the Raiders’ 3–2 record would be if Nassib’s sexuality wasn’t such a massive distraction every Sunday.
Dungy’s seemingly oh-no-big-deal reaction to Gruden’s comments about Smith reminded me about what Shannon Sharpe once said about Dungy after Dungy stuck up for Drew Brees, who had said he’d never agree with anyone disrespecting the flag regarding NFL protests: “What I’ve seen the NFL do, is that when a player or owner or coach says something, 1-800-TONY-DUNGY and he’s the crisis manager because he’s so good in our community that if Tony says it’s O.K., it’s O.K. Come on, Tony.”
It does seem like Tony’s standard M.O. for any and all controversies is “let’s forgive.” Well, that’s a cop-out. You can forgive, but you can also call for consequences.
Every incident should be judged on its own. Sometimes a person deserves a slap on the wrist. Sometimes they deserve 24 hours of getting crap on social media. Sometimes they deserve to be fired.
The blanket take on every single issue can’t be, ”Let’s forgive and move on.”
Tony Dungy should do better and so should NBC’s studio show.
2. Even NBA head coaches know that the man who has any and all relevant information before anyone else is Adrian Wojnarowski.
3. Here is this week's installment of the single best segment on all of sports television: "Bad Beats."
4. The Red Sox postgame locker room celebration last night after beating the Rays to move on to the ALDS was so electric.
5. Here's the lesson learned by Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley: You can get away with not getting vaccinated. You can't get away with bashing your hometown fans on Twitter.
6. The latest SI Media Podcast features a conversation with Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt.
Brandt takes us behind the scenes of his audition with Peyton and Eli Manning for the host role of their Monday Night Football telecast. Brandt also talks about the void left by Nate Burleson, who left Good Morning Football for CBS This Morning, how he and Peter Schrager put together GMFB’s “Wall Streeters” bit, why he doesn’t think Good Will Hunting holds up, the most prolific sports movie actor and much more.
Following the conversation with Brandt, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins the podcast for the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. The big topic discussed this week is The Many Saints of Newark.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Stitcher.
You can also watch the SI Media Podcast on YouTube.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: I stand by this statement I made on Twitter this morning.
And if you're old like me, you remember the awesome "Unplugged" version back when music channels aired music.
Tom Brady arrived at Tuesday's press conference with his throwing hand wrapped but the Buccaneers quarterback said he doesn't "anticipate having a problem" ahead of Thursday night's game against the Eagles.
Brady confirmed that he sustained the injury to his thumb in the second quarter of the Bucs' 45-17 win against the Dolphins on Sunday. The NFL's all-time passing yards leader went on to throw for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns in the same game for the first time in his career.
Despite the bulky appearance of the wrap, Brady said that the issue is "more discomfort" that should be gone in the next few days rather than a serious injury.
"It should be fine for Thursday," Brady said Tuesday. "... You deal with different bumps and bruises over the course of the year, it's just this bump and bruise happens to be on my hand. I'm just trying to be preventative and precautious and be smart.
"It's less than 48 hours since it happened. It's not like it had five or six days to do its thing. But again I feel confident I will be able to go out there and do what I need to do."
At 44 years old, Brady leads the NFL this season with 1,767 passing yards and trails only Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in passing touchdowns with 15.
Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich are the final candidates for NFL host cities in Germany, the league announced Tuesday.
This is the latest development in the NFL's mission to expand overseas. Next season, the NFL will start to play at least four international regular season games. This season, there are two games played in London. The Falcons defeated the Jets 27–20 this past Sunday. The Jaguars are scheduled to face the Dolphins this upcoming Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET in the NFL's 30th game in England.
Earlier this year, Sky Sports reported on two more German cities and the possibility of their hosting of NFL games. Berlin's Senate Department for Home Affairs and Sport told Sky Sports that Berlin did not pitch to be home city and Hamburg's Ministry of the Interior and Sports went as far as to say the city would have trouble meeting the NFL's requirements.
The NFL will also require teams to play at least one international game every eight years starting in 2022. The new expectations for international play were made more attainable with the NFL's addition of a 17th regular season game this year.
wrote about the fact that the Raiders coach faced accountability only once the emails were made public, and why the rest of the details collected during the NFL’s investigation into a toxic workplace culture overseen by one of its owners should also be released. The fallout will continue to affect the Raiders and, hopefully, will spur others around the league to confront and correct their own use or encouragement of derogatory and demeaning behaviors.
There’s no way to transition from this serious topic, but in case you need a break from the heavy news of the day, here are some of our observations after the Week 5 games.
1. Lamar Jackson keeps finding new ways to win. Jackson continues to disprove the narratives about him, most recently that the NFL would “figure him out” this year. That notion made little sense first of all, because part of Jackson’s magic is his ability to create plays with his quickness and evasiveness, even when opponents know he’s keeping the ball. Then, Monday night against the Colts, Jackson won a game in a way he hadn’t before, leading the team back from a seemingly insurmountable 16-point fourth-quarter deficit. Because of their run-heavy offense, the Ravens have struggled to claw their way out of big deficits in the past. But Jackson was up to the challenge, becoming the first QB in NFL history to complete more than 85% of his passes while throwing for more than 400 yards. Jackson’s 335 passing yards in just the second half and overtime were more than he’d had in any other regular-season game. (The now-infamous streak of 100-yard rushing games did, however, end at 43.) When Jackson fumbled at the goal line midway through the third quarter, the Ravens offense only had managed three points. But with his back up against the wall, Jackson found a way to win, proving yet again that he has more dimensions to his game than some have given him credit for.
2. Urban Meyer hasn’t given the NFL much reason to trust his coaching, either. The Jaguars head coach couldn’t wait to play a football game after he invited scrutiny upon himself by not flying back to Florida with his team after a Thursday night loss to the Bengals and then being filmed dancing with a woman at his eponymous restaurant in Ohio. But the football game, a loss to Tennessee, didn’t help much. There was the bizarre moment, chronicled by MMQB editor Gary Gramling, in which Meyer threw an ill-advised challenge flag in a theatrical show that looked a lot like a coach desperate to make up with his players. Then there was the even more bizarre explanation for why the Jaguars have not run a QB sneak with Trevor Lawrence. John Shipley over at Jaguar Report has detailed everything Meyer and Lawrence said, but after the game, Meyer seemed to put the inability to use the sneak with the No. 1 overall pick, saying, “he’s not quite comfortable with that yet.” To which Lawrence said, “No. I feel comfortable.” Meyer then tried to clarify on Monday, saying that the offensive coaching staff did not want to run the sneak in a critical game situation because Lawrence hasn’t yet been able to try it live. This is a head-scratcher. Sure, there’s an adjustment to playing under center when you played out of the shotgun in college, as Lawrence has. But Meyer has known Lawrence would be his QB since Jan. 14, when Meyer was hired by the Jaguars. Lawrence, viewed by talent evaluators as the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck, is capable of learning how to do basically anything on a football field, including the QB sneak. If Meyer does not feel comfortable calling a QB sneak for Lawrence on Oct. 10, more than five months after Lawrence was drafted, that is a reflection only on Meyer. There were plenty of opportunities to get “practice” live reps of the sneak, namely live periods during training camp and preseason games. Meyer, however, split the reps in a faux competition between Lawrence and Gardner Minshew, a player Meyer would trade. That time would have been better spent getting the starter, Lawrence, ready to run a fundamental skill like the QB sneak live. If Meyer had cited other reasons for not wanting to run a sneak, like not wanting to risk injury to the face of the franchise, that would have been understandable. But a lack of preparation certainly won’t help rebuild the confidence Meyer has already eroded.
3. Justin Herbert’s ball placement is a thing of beauty. The second-year QB has many attributes that have contributed to his rapid ascent. His big arm. His excellent mobility. But what might be his best attribute is his ability to place the ball for his receivers: fitting it into tight windows, putting it where only they can grab it and locating it so they have the opportunity to gain yards after the catch. Over the last three weeks, he’s thrown 11 passing TDs with no interceptions, and the Chargers also have the fourth-most YAC in the NFL. His ball placement skills far exceed his experience level, and are a major reason why he’s been able to have so much success at the position so quickly. And while he has excellent receivers to throw to in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, he’s the rare young QB who is also symbiotically making them better, too.
4. The 4–1 Bills have the NFL’s easiest remaining schedule. At the risk of making too much out of strength-of-schedule rankings just five games into the season, when we are still figuring out who teams are, the Bills have a very navigable path ahead as they try to remain atop the AFC. Their 12 remaining opponents combine for a .390 winning percentage, tied with Tennessee for the weakest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, and just four have a winning record. On the other hand, last year’s AFC top seed, the Chiefs, have the toughest remaining schedule in the conference: Their remaining opponents combine for a .583 winning percentage, and 9 of 12 currently have a winning record.
5. Ja’Marr Chase is playing like the Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Bengals rookie receiver already has 456 receiving yards and five TDs in five games, statistics that have put him in rare company. He’s only the fifth rookie with 50-plus receiving yards in each of his first five games, and he’s just the third rookie receiver to record five TDs in the first five games, along with Calvin Ridley and Randy Moss. Expectations were lowered for Chase after he had four drops in the preseason, and he was teased for his honest admission about the differences in catching a college vs. professional football. But he’s proven wrong those who wrote him off too soon, instead showing that he was using the preseason for what a rookie should use it for: an opportunity to get ready to play. He’s created a deep passing game for Joe Burrow, improving both the Bengals offense and the Bengals overall. Only three receivers have won OROY this century: Anquan Boldin (2003), Percy Harvin (2009) and Odell Beckham, Jr. (2014). Chase has a good opportunity to be the next one.
6. The Browns need to finish games. The Chargers-Browns game was the most enjoyable game of the weekend, with two good and interesting teams going toe to toe for a full 60 minutes. But for the Browns, this even matchup ended with a familiar result, as they experienced Week 1 against the Chiefs and also in last year’s season-ending divisional round at Arrowhead Stadium. In each situation, the Browns were in position to pull out a huge road win against an elite conference opponent, but couldn’t quite close it out. We discussed on The Monday Morning Podcast how you correct this. In this specific situation, the Browns may look back and wish they were more aggressive when they got the ball back with 3:08 to play and a one-point lead after the Chargers missed the extra point. (Though Baker Mayfield expressed frustration after the game about what he thought were two DPI no-calls on their one pass play on that three-and-out.) And when they got the ball back for one final chance with 1:31 to play and no timeouts, Mayfield threw three straight short passes, advancing the ball just 11 yards while 50 seconds ticked off the clock, then threw a fourth pass of just 10 yards. But other teams have taken on the concept of finishing more directly, including the 2011 Giants, for whom Tom Coughlin made “Finish” a mantra after the team had in recent seasons piddled away good early records. On the first day of training camp, he showed the team a video of a high-school cross country runner, Holland Reynolds, crawling across the finish line after collapsing during a state championship race. “Finish” became a constant theme throughout the season, and Coughlin showed that video again the night before the Giants won their second Super Bowl in four years. Whatever works, right?
This man ran the gamut of offending. The words he wrote speak for themselves and there is simply no way any self respecting organization could keep him employed, particularly in a leadership position, with his insulting comments now public. A sentiment I am sure the league itself shared. He did personally attack the commissioner after all.
I am not a fan of the practice of digging up people’s pasts to find something to bring them down, or the idea that a previous mistake should define someone or cost them their career. But that isn’t what happened here.
Of course Gruden intended for this communication to be private, but the fact that he put that all in writing and sent it to a then team official is staggering. To be honest, I was surprised the initial leak containing what he said about DeMaurice Smith wasn’t a bigger deal. Perhaps some bought his explanation, chalked it up as an isolated incident or just didn’t care enough.
However, the follow-up release showed this was a pattern and Gruden said these sorts of things easily and frequently over a period of years.
announced his resignation as head coach of the Raiders on Monday after the release of offensive emails he sent while working as an analyst for ESPN in 2011.
As leaks of Gruden’s emails began to surface last week, oddsmakers were releasing props about his future with the Raiders. You might have seen them coursing across your Twitter feed, with odds as high as +550 for Gruden to not be coaching the Raiders by the end of the season.
Rich Bisaccia will serve as interim head coach, but the list of potential Raiders coaching candidates is coming, and with it, the odds for each to land the full-time gig. While bettors wait for the release of coaching props, let’s take a look at how Gruden’s resignation impacts the Week 6 Raiders-Broncos line at SI Sportsbook.
A little budge, but it appears that sharp money isn’t buying into Gruden’s resignation affecting the spread or total. With identical 3-2 records, and coming off of two-game skids, the Raiders and Broncos are looking to keep pace with the Chargers in the AFC West. With Teddy Bridgewater back at quarterback and the Broncos hosting in Week 6, the line could continue to move in favor of Denver as public money begins pouring in.
Under 7.5 total wins is intriguing, and if you took Raiders at over 6.5 wins before the season kicked off, you have a great chance of hitting both bets with a seven-win finish. Regardless of the impact of a midseason coaching change, that list of remaining opponents is no joke.
The Raiders are going to need to keep padding wins over the next few weeks to reach a total of eight. If not, anybody who bet the over on the Raiders’ win total will be hoping the Chargers are resting starters and the Colts haven’t figured out how to win by the end of the season.
Jackson certainly dazzled on the field on Monday night, though frankly, his on-field brilliance may pale in comparison to his moments behind the microphone. We caught another Jackson gem in his postgame interview on Monday night.
Jackson and the Ravens now sit atop the AFC North at 4–1, in the driver's seat for the division crown as we roll through October. Let's hope to see Jackson jubilant again in postgame interviews in January as the Ravens look to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Anderson’s seven targets were tied for the most on the team. It wasn’t a great day through the air for Carolina as a whole as Sam Darnold tossed three interceptions, but Anderson didn’t help. In the fourth quarter, he had a crucial drop and finished with two catches for 30 yards, his second-fewest this season. Anderson has played nothing like the 1,000-yard receiver he was a season ago. DJ Moore has a stranglehold on the receiving work, leading the team in all categories, but Anderson has completely regressed. A 57-yard touchdown he caught in the opener accounts for nearly a third of his receiving yards. The targets he’s seeing leave something to be desired, but Anderson isn’t making a case for himself to see more work.
Limited Volume Efficiency Players
RB Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers
Fournette, like a lot of running backs this season, enjoyed his best game against the Dolphins. He rumbled for 67 yards on just 12 carries and added 43 yards through the air on four catches. For the second consecutive game, Fournette surpassed 100 total yards, and he scored his first touchdown of the season against Miami. There’s a strong case for Fournette’s volume to increase as the season progresses if the Buccaneers ever stop passing while beating down their opponents — he’s averaging career-highs in yards per rush and yards per catch.
Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports
RB Aaron Jones, Packers
Jones breached 100 rushing yards for the first time this season against the Bengals. He did so on 14 carries, his second-fewest this season. He was unable to do anything with his four catches, managing only six yards, though. The lion’s share of Jones’ yards came on a 57-yard run. His previous season long was a 15-yard rush. Green Bay has somewhat surprisingly been in very close games the past few weeks. Jones may see more work in the next few games against the Bears and Washington, matchups the Packers should handle with relative ease.
WR Chase Claypool, Steelers
In Claypool’s return to action, he led Pittsburgh in receiving yards, aided in large part by a 59-yard bomb. Claypool hauled in five passes for a season-best 130 yards. He led the team in targets with six, which accounted for more than a 25% target share on a day Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball a season-low 25 times. In an offense that’s been largely dink and dunk, Claypool is averaging 17 yards per catch, and more work should be coming his way with the news that JuJu Smith-Schuster will miss the remainder of the season.
Knox has scored in four straight weeks. Touchdowns are generally random, and the tight end position is hugely reliant on scores, but Knox had a great all-around night against the Chiefs. The third-year player surpassed 100 yards for the first time in his career on just three receptions. He was on the field for a season-high 96% of snaps, and on a night where Josh Allen was feeling it, something good was bound to happen, and it did in the form of a 53-yard touchdown. Allen is spreading the ball around this season more than last year, and Knox has been one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Mike Davis: Opportunities stayed consistent (15 touches) as it has for much of the season. Efficiency improved dramatically (1.1 yards per carry up to 4.1). Davis finished with a season-high 53 rushing yards.
Latavius Murray: Opportunities fell off (season-low six carries), but Murray could not do much with those chances (ran for 17 yards, also a season-low).
Brandin Cooks: Opportunities decreased (season-low five targets down from seven a week prior). Production dropped off as well (season-low three receptions for 23 yards). Cooks wasn't a big factor in Davis Mills' career day.
George Kittle: Placed on injured reserve. Did not play in the 49ers' loss to the Cardinals.
Limited Volume Efficiency Players
Cordarrelle Patterson: Opportunities increased substantially (season-high 21 touches up from 11 a week ago). Efficiency lagged with a boost in touches (3.9 yards per carry, 8.6 yards per reception) but not a concern overall.
Chase Edmonds: Saw fewer opportunities (season-low nine touches coming off his best game of the season). Rushing efficiency (2.5 yards per carry) was poor, and receiving efficiency (6.3) was consistent with his season average.
Darnell Mooney: Opportunities were consistent with season average (five targets), but efficiency dropped off from last week's season-best outing (three catches for 35 yards).
Next Matchup: Jacksonville. Need I say more? Brissett looked good Sunday vs. the Bucs, completing 69.2% of his passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns. This week he faces a struggling Jacksonville team that allows an average of 296 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. Brissett is available in 97% of leagues.
FAAB: 3%
More QB: Justin Fields (CHI), Carson Wentz (IND)
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Adds
Darrel Williams (KC)
Williams looked good in Sunday night action vs. a tough Bills defense- averaging 5.4 yards on his five attempts and securing three of his five targets for another 18 yards. With news that Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss a few weeks with a sprained MCL, Williams is the running back to grab in this high-powered Kansas City offense. Williams is available in 83% of leagues.
FAAB: 11%
Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
Devontae Booker (NYG)
The Giants were brutalized with injuries on Sunday, not the least of which was Saquon Barkley leaving with an ankle swollen to the size of his thigh. Early reports are Saquon suffered a low-ankle sprain, which is positive news, as he may only have to miss a week of play. In the meantime, fantasy managers and Giants fans will look to Devontae Booker. Booker's 16 carries on Sunday were the most he has seen this year, and he turned them into an inefficient 42 yards and touchdown vs. the Dallas Cowboys defense; however, he also turned three of his four targets into 16 yards and another score. As long as Saquon remains sidelined, Booker should see plenty of work in an offense searching for healthy play-makers. Booker is available in 93% of leagues.
FAAB: up to 7%
Khalil Herbert (CHI)
With no David Montgomery, Chicago returned to more of a committee at running back. Rookie Khalil Herbert out-snapped Damien Williams 34 to 31 and was favored in the ground role with 18 carries for 75 yards, though he did not see a single target. Williams is still the preferred running back to roster as he will also have a role in the passing game, but Herbert is available in 81% of leagues.
FAAB: up to 6%
Brandon Bolden (NE)
Damien Harris may or may not be in the doghouse, and he may or may not have a rib or chest injury. Many waiver wire articles will tell you to target Rhamondre Stevenson, and I agree he is worth some of your FAAB, but the New England running back I am targeting is Brandon Bolden. With no James White, Bolden is in an especially good spot this week vs. the Dallas Cowboys defense has not been efficient vs. pass-catching running backs (see Devontae Booker above). I'm guessing Bill Belichick has noticed. Bolden played a healthy 24 snaps Sunday, and if you are lean at the RB position, he could be a flex play this weekend.
FAAB: up to 5%
More RB: Alex Collins (SEA), Rhamondre Stevenson (NE), DeeJay Dallas (SEA)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Adds
Kadarius Toney (NYG)
Toney made this list last week, but this week he occupies the top spot after having a true breakout game vs. the Cowboys on Sunday, catching 10 passes for a whopping 189 yards. With no Shepherd, Slayton, Barkley or Golladay, Toney was featured and should continue to be. He's a yards-after-catch monster, effective even with Mike Glennon at the helm. The rookie showed off his playmaking ability no matter the situation. Toney played fewer snaps than Evan Engram and John Ross, but I'll assume he would have had a few more if he hadn't been ejected for throwing a punch at the Cowboys' safety. Rookie mistake. Toney is available in 83% of leagues.
FAAB: up to 21%
Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports
Marquez Callaway (NO)
Here's a neat trick: Pick up a player during their bye week. While everyone else is scrambling for replacements for this week, you are looking ahead with eyes on the prize. Marquez Callaway has now put together three consecutive productive fantasy weeks. He is second in snaps only to Alvin Kamara for the Saints, and he saw a season-high eight targets last week for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and in Week 7, he will see a Seattle Seahawks secondary that has allowed the second-most yards to opposing wide receivers. Callaway is available in 70% of leagues.
FAAB: up to 11%
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)
With Quintez Cephus and Kalif Raymond exiting with injuries, rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown made the most of his opportunities by catching seven of eight targets for 65 yards in Sunday's tough loss to the Vikings. After tying T.J. Hockenson last week for the team-high in targets, he led all receiving categories this week. In deeper leagues, you can consider the fourth-round pick who looks to be Goff's new favorite target.
FAAB: up to 3%
Preston Williams (MIA)
With no Will Fuller and no DeVante Parker, Preston Williams had a good day. Williams turned five targets into three catches and 60 yards and even added a rushing attempt for another seven. I’ve been a fan of Williams for a while, and it’s good to see him healthy. Next up is a Jacksonville secondary that has allowed the seventh-most yards to opposing wide receivers. If Parker continues to sit, I like Williams in deeper leagues. He’s available in 99% of leagues.
FAAB: 1%
Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE)
Peoples-Jones leads the Browns with a 67.8% snap share on the season, yet he hasn’t been consistently targeted. Sunday Baker finally looked his way, and Peoples-Jones turned six targets into five grabs and 70 yards. It seems pretty clear that OBJ is not the preferred target in this offense even though he plays more snaps when he is healthy, and it could be worth adding Donovan Peoples-Jones to your bench, though it’s tough to get excited about receivers in this system.
For the first time this year, Brandin Cooks was out-snapped by Chris Conley. Sure, it was only by four, and it was a product of Bill Bellichick making sure to take Cooks out of the game, but Conley now has an 80% snap share on the season and looks to be the WR2 for the Texans. Now, that may not sound very exciting, but if rookie Davis Mills can put together a three-touchdown, 312-yard game vs. a Bill Bellichick defense, there could be some hope for this Houston team. Conley finished the day with 84 yards and a touchdown on four targets. Teammate Chris Moore had an even better day by securing all five of his targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. Since Cooks will usually be much more involved, if I'm choosing one, Conley is the pickup.
FAAB: 1%
More WR: Tim Patrick (LVR), Adam Humphries (WSH), John Ross III (NYG), Rondale Moore (ARI), Mecole Hardman (KC), Paris Campbell (IND)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Adds
David Njoku (CLE)
There’s no way to ignore the huge day Njoku had on Sunday, who was perfect with seven catches on seven targets with 149 yards and a touchdown. Njoku led the team in targets and played more snaps than Nick Chubb. Both Hooper and Njoku see a healthy snap share in this system, and last week Hooper had more targets, so don’t spend too much of your FAAB on what could be a very boom or bust play each week.
FAAB: 3%
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Engram (NYG)
Plain and simple, there aren’t many pass-catchers left for New York. Yes, I understand if you laugh when I call Evan Engram a pass-catcher, but here we are. It’s the tight end portion of the article. Engram was second only to Devontae Booker on Sunday in snaps, and he caught all four of his targets for 55 yards.
FAAB: 1%
Dan Arnold (JAX)
You may recall that Trevor Lawrence targeted James O'Shaughnessy eight times in Week 1 before he hit the IR. In his second week with the team and in the same role, Dan Arnold saw eight targets on Sunday, which he turned into six grabs and 64 yards. He also played the same amount of snaps as Laviska Shenault. With no DJ Chark, Arnold could be an add in deeper leagues, though goodness knows we can never predict what Urban Meyer will do.
A little over a quarter of the way through the 2021 season, and we have one unbeaten left (surprisingly, the Cardinals), and two winless teams remaining (unsurprisingly, the Jaguars and Lions) with a dozen games to go.
That leaves a lot of teams within a couple games of one another and no real answers.
So that’s the preamble to my crack at the Power Rankings! Without a crystal ball, I don’t have foresight on which team is going to catch fire at the right time, which team will slump at that point, who will have a young star or two breakout, or who will have a guy who can’t take his game to another level when he’s expected to.
Let’s jump in...
1. Arizona Cardinals (5—0)
Last week: Win vs. San Francisco, 17–10
Next week: at Cleveland
I understand there are still skeptics out there. But they’ve got a young QB playing at an MVP level, a layer of vets that have helped the team mature, and wins over the Titans, Rams, 49ers and Vikings.
2. Buffalo Bills (4—1)
Last week: Win vs. Kansas City, 38–20
Next week: at Tennessee (Monday)
The most impressive team through five weeks, no question. And it really goes back to last year. Their four-game winning streak has come with an aggregate score of 156–41, and they’ve won 10 of their last 11 regular-season games, with nine of those wins coming by double-digits and the tenth one by 9 points.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4—1)
Last week: Win vs. Dolphins, 45–17
Next week: at Philadelphia (Thursday)
Interestingly, they probably looked most vulnerable in a tight win over New England. They rebounded nicely Sunday against the Dolphins, but still have injury concerns (Rob Gronkowski, Lavonte David, all the corners) that they’ll have to work around that didn’t exist during last year’s run.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (4—1)
Last week: Win vs. Cleveland, 47–42
Next week: at Baltimore
The Chargers play a smart disciplined game and have an absolute alien at quarterback. On paper, at least, there’s still a lot of untapped potential here.
5. Los Angeles Rams (4—1)
Last week: Win at Seattle, 26–17 (Thursday)
Next week: at New York Giants
After a loss to the Bucs and a less-than-dominant 'TNF' performance in Seattle, it feels like everyone’s taking a deep breath on the Rams and how good they are. Update: They’re still really, really good, and have three of the best players in football—plus one of the game’s best coaches, leading the way.
6. Dallas Cowboys (4—1)
Last week: Win vs. New York Giants, 44–20
Next week: at New England
Maybe having them sixth is being slow to come around—since they’ve looked as impressive as anyone of late, without a real discernible weakness showing up. I just want to see how they handle success, and this week should be an indicator with a trip to New England to face a Patriots team they should handle on tap.
7. Baltimore Ravens (4—1)
Last week: Win vs. Indianapolis 31-25 (OT) (Monday)
Next week: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
What a comeback on Monday night, and what a freaking amazing football player Lamar Jackson is. Here’s hoping he gets the credit he deserves for the work he’s put in to improving as a passer.
8. Green Bay Packers (4—1)
Last week: Win at Cincinnati, 25–22 (OT)
Next week: at Chicago
They are pretty much who we thought they are. They need to get healthier on the offensive line, and with key pieces (Jaire Alexander, Za’Darius Smith) on defense. But Aaron Rodgers is leading the team to win games it shouldn’t, and as the roster gets healthier there’ll be fewer of those.
9. Cleveland Browns (3—2)
Last week: Loss at Los Angeles Chargers, 47–42
Next week: vs. Arizona
Renewed concern with the defense? I don’t think so. They’re still strong upfront, young in the back seven, and well-coached and coordinated. I’d bet on them figuring it out.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (3—2)
Last week: Loss vs. Green Bay, 25–22 (OT)
Next week: at Detroit
Joe Burrow keeps raising the ceiling for this group. Now, they just have to be able to keep him healthy.
11. Carolina Panthers (3—2)
Last week: Loss vs Philadelphia, 21–18
Next week: vs. Minnesota
I bought all the way in and got burned—Carolina cracked the last couple of weeks against the Eagles and Cowboys, and the offense really looks like it misses Christian McCaffrey.
12. New Orleans Saints (3—2)
Last week: Win at Washington, 33–22
Next week: Bye
The Saints will start to get guys like Michael Thomas and David Onyemata back into the fold, and if they can beat Geno Smith after their bye, they’ll go into a showdown with Tampa on Halloween at 4—2.
13. Kansas City Chiefs (2—3)
Last week: Loss vs. Buffalo, 38–20
Next week: at Washington
Five new linemen. Some aging and banged-up pieces on defense. Thirty-eight games the last two years. It’s easy to see, with the benefit of hindsight, where the Chiefs hitting some roadblocks might happen early this year.
14. Tennessee Titans (3—2)
Last week: Win at Jacksonville, 37–19
Next week: vs. Buffalo (Monday)
Given the issues on defense, and the physical state of the receivers, it’s hard to believe that the Titans are 3—2. But they are, and it’s happened behind, who else, their freakish reigning Offensive Player of the Year at tailback.
15. Chicago Bears (3—2)
Last week: Win at Las Vegas, 20–9
Next week: vs. Green Bay
Justin Fields was finally named the starter, and the defense and run game end up carrying the day in Vegas. Which is actually just how you’d think a smart coach would arrange his team around a rookie starter at the position.
Michael Chow/USA TODAY Sports
16. Denver Broncos (3—2)
Last week: Loss at Pittsburgh, 27–19
Next week: vs. Las Vegas
Denver’s lost two straight now, to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and it seems pretty obvious that as good a story as Teddy Bridgewater is, the Broncos are going to looking for a difference-maker at the most important position. There could be a pretty interesting situation, too, waiting for an Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson here.
17. San Francisco 49ers (2—3)
Last week: Loss at Arizona, 17–10
Next week: Bye
Injuries are hitting Kyle Shanahan’s gang again. I still think there’s a winning roster here, and certainly a winning coaching staff. But if that can’t be proven on the field … it’s pretty tough to truly assess where they are.
18. Las Vegas Raiders (3—2)
Last week: Loss vs Chicago, 20–9
Next week: at Denver
Bizarre few days for a team that’s over .500 but no longer has a coach. And so there are a lot of questions to answer here for a team that also lacks a team president, and has a general manager who had been, more or less, working for the head coach. Important times ahead.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (2—3)
Last week: Win vs. Denver, 27–19
Next week: vs. Seattle
I have faith in Mike Tomlin’s ability to squeeze everything there is out of the Steelers. My belief in Ben Roethlisberger is flagging though, and so I think the shift you’re seeing now will result in the offense becoming Najee Harris’s, which should help to highlight a rock-solid defense.
20. Minnesota Vikings (2—3)
Last week: Win vs. Detroit, 19–17
Next week: at Carolina
Did you know Kirk Cousins is having a career year? It’s true! And yet, Minnesota was this close to giving visiting Detroit its first win on Sunday and falling to 1—4.
21. New England Patriots (2—3)
Last week: Win at Houston, 25–22
Next week: vs. Dallas
The Patriots roster simply isn’t all that, and the reworked front-office needs another draft class to get it back up to the old standard. The silver lining is that should allow New England to push Mac Jones as the year goes on.
22. Washington Football Team (2—3)
Last week: Loss vs. New Orleans, 33–22
Next week: vs. Kansas City
The defense should be far better than it has been given the horse the Football Team rolls out there up front. And you have to wonder if a coordinator change will, eventually, come.
23. Seattle Seahawks (2—3)
Last week: Loss at Los Angeles Rams, 26–17 (Thursday)
Next week: at Pittsburgh
Last week: Win vs. New York Jets, 27–20 (London)
Next week: Bye
New coach Arthur Smith’s team appears to be making strides, having played well three weeks in a row, with two wins snuck in there. And don’t look now, but Matt Ryan’s getting better in Smith’s scheme, which has some familiarities to the one Ryan ran for Kyle Shanahan during his MVP campaign.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (2—3)
Last week: Win at Carolina, 21–18
Next week: vs. Tampa Bay (Thursday)
The Eagles are right where most of us figured they would be—young and retooled at a lot of spots, with some strength on the lines, and a young quarterback they have to find out about over the next three months.
Douglas DeFelice/USA TODAY Sports
26. Indianapolis Colts (1—4)
Last week: Loss at Baltimore, 31–25 (OT) (Monday)
Next week: vs. Houston
Lots of bad breaks for Indy this year, with the rash of injuries, and now they need to get past another heartbreaker. Also, Monday night’s loss was Carson Wentz’s eighth in his last nine starts, going back to Philly.
27. New York Giants (1—4)
Last week: Loss at Dallas, 44–20
Next week: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Another team beset by injuries, and with the Rams, Panthers and Chiefs up next, it’ll take an upset somewhere to avoid 1–4 becoming 1–7. Joe Judge has his work cut out for him.
28. Miami Dolphins (1—4)
Last week: Loss at Tampa Bay, 45–17
Next week: at Jacksonville (London)
Tua Tagovailoa will be back soon, and it’s hard to know how big a difference it’s going to make.
29. New York Jets (1—4)
Last week: Loss at Atlanta, 27–20 (London)
Next week: Bye
Clearly, the roster still needs a lot of work.
30. Houston Texans (1—4)
Last week: Loss vs. New England, 25–22
Next week: vs. Indianapolis
Ditto.
31. Detroit Lions (0—5)
Last week: Loss at. Minnesota, 19–17
Next week: vs. Cincinnati
Like everyone else, I love the fight, and I love how Dan Campbell is so invested in his players. It’ll probably be a little while before we can use wins and losses to assess the job he’s doing. For now, at least, the thing to watch is how engaged the team is, and how young players are developing.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0—5)
Last week: Loss vs. Tennessee, 37–19
Next week: vs. Miami (London)
One thing opposing coaches have told me is that the Jaguars continue to play very, very hard, and that continued Sunday against the Titans. So that’s a plus, after a week with a lot of minuses.
Jackson and the Ravens offense struggled out of the gate early as they hosted the Colts at M&T Bank Stadium. Indianapolis held Baltimore to just three first half points, and a fumble by Jackson led to a 22-3 Colts lead midway through the third quarter. But when the chips were down, Jackson delivered.
The 2019 MVP ripped off three straight touchdown drives to end regulation, adding a pair of two-point conversions. With 39 seconds to play, the 22-3 deficit was erased in a 25-25 tie.
Jackson had some help as he forced overtime for the Ravens. Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed two field goals and one extra point on Monday, including a 37-yard attempt as time expired. The Ravens then won the toss and promptly marched down the field, ending the contest on a five-yard toss from Jackson to wide receiver Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown.
Monday night marked a pair of impressive records for Jackson. He is now the only quarterback in NFL history to total 400 yards passing, 4 touchdown passes, zero interceptions and 50 yards rushing in a single game, and his 34 wins before turning 25 is tied with Dan Marino for the most in NFL history. Jackson will turn 25 on Jan. 7.
Jackson was part of another illustrious record on Monday night. Tight end Mark Andrews caught passes to convert two-point conversion attempts on multiple fourth quarter drives, receptions that were preceded by Andrews touchdown catches. The feat gave Andrews two Octopuses on the night, marking just the second such instance in NFL history. Todd Gurley pulled off the double Octopus in 2018 in a win over the Cardinals.
The Ravens advanced to 4–1 in 2021 with Monday's victory, and they've fared well in nail-biters of late. Baltimore pulled off a 36-35 win over Kansas City on Sept. 19, and they beat the Lions one week later on a 66-yard field goal from kicker Justin Tucker. Perhaps more magic will be in store in January as the Ravens vie for the Lombardi Trophy.
The Wall Street Journalpublished last week a 2011 email in which Gruden used racist language when referring to the executive director of the players union, DeMaurice Smith, who is Black. A New York Timesreport on Monday cited “numerous” other emails sent over a seven-year period in which Gruden used misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ language “casually and frequently,” and rebuked major developments in the sport such as a gay player being drafted, women officials and players demonstrating against racial injustice during the national anthem.
The contents of these published messages are crude and derogatory, and at odds with the values the NFL claims to espouse. Gruden resigned shortly after the Times story was published. Gruden apologized after the first email was released but continued to assert that he is not racist and had no racial intentions with his comments, demonstrating apparently willful disregard for the harm inherent to the words he chose. When the Times published the contents of the rest of the emails, Gruden’s own words disqualified him from leading an NFL franchise, moreover one with an openly gay player, Carl Nassib, and in a league that is 70% Black.
Gruden’s emails were collected and reviewed by the NFL in conjunction with the league’s investigation of the Washington football team’s work environment. (Gruden reportedly exchanged the messages with Bruce Allen, his former colleague and the then-team president of the Washington NFL club, while Gruden was still working as a color commentator for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.) Now, it’s impossible not to address the elephant in the room. Earlier this summer, when the league announced the conclusion of the Washington investigation, Lisa Friel, special counsel for investigations, told reporters that the results showed “the culture of the club was very toxic and fell far short of the NFL’s values.” But the league did not request a written report from investigator Beth Wilkinson, instead taking only an oral report because the subject matter was deemed sensitive.
Gruden’s emails evoked a visceral reaction. They were difficult to read. Their public release required Gruden to face consequences. These developments should also compel the league to make public the specifics of the toxic work environment in Washington.
If the NFL had asked for a written report to be produced and released publicly for the investigation into the Washington football team, would the same have been true for owner Daniel Snyder or other past or present members of the organization? Gruden was forced to resign. The NFL fined the Washington club $10 million for creating a workplace culture permeated with bullying, intimidation and harassment while Snyder was the owner. His family was not forced to sell the team, though, and Snyder was simply shelved for a while, as his wife, Tanya, was tasked with taking on day-to-day operations for at least the “next several months.”
Gruden’s conduct can and should be discussed on its own, as well as how this kind of hateful speech and ideology is not only tolerated, but in some cases encouraged, in the NFL. The owner of the Raiders, Mark Davis, had chased Gruden for years, so desperate to bring him back to the Raiders that he made a mockery of the Rooney rule and awarded him total power. That’s hardly the kind of environment in which any conduct like that shown in the emails would be corrected. Gruden’s initial public apologies were lacking, but perhaps his facing consequences will now spur him to acknowledge, confront and truly understand the harm caused by his derogatory behavior. “I don’t want to keep addressing it,” he said after the game on Sunday. Now, he has no choice but to do so. Hopefully he uses this time to educate himself.
But in order for him to face accountability, and for this kind of behavior to be condemned, it took Gruden’s emails becoming public. If the NFL is truly committed to its stated values, it will do the same with the rest of the information collected in the Washington investigation.
The Colts stood tall in the red zone against the Ravens on Monday night, turning a 1st-and-goal opportunity into a 98-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took a snap from the shotgun with the Colts trailing 16-3, needing just two yards to score. He faked a handoff and darted right, but the ball popped out and into the arms of linebacker Darius Leonard as he lunged for the goal line.
Leonard's recovery was far from the best part of the forced turnover. He tossed the ball to Colts defensive back Isaiah Rodgers near the 30-yard line, and Rodgers sprinted to the end zone with little resistance. The play appeared to gave Indianapolis a 22-3 lead as it looked to stage an upset in Baltimore, but it was overturned on replay review as Leonard's pitch was deemed a forward pass.
Perhaps Indianapolis's defense is turning a corner after allowing 25-plus points in each of the first three weeks. The Colts held the Dolphins to 17 points in a Week 4 win, and they held the Ravens to just three first-half points on Monday.
Shortly after announcing his resignation from the team, former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden released a statement in which he apologized to the team's players, coaches, staff and fans for becoming a distraction.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction," Gruden's statement read, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Gruden had used a racist slur to describe NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. Three days later, The New York Times released further emails detailing Gruden's repeated usages of misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ slurs directed toward numerous people throughout the NFL, including commissioner Roger Goodell.
Gruden reportedly referred to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as a "clueless anti football p---y" as well as a "f----t" in the emails released by the Times. He also claimed the NFL pressured the then-St. Louis Rams to draft Michael Sam, a gay player selected in 2014. Gruden also "criticized Goodell and the league for trying to reduce concussions and said that Eric Reid, a player who had demonstrated during the playing of the national anthem, should be fired."
Gruden is 22–31 as Raiders head coach since 2018. Las Vegas enters Sunday's matchup with the Broncos at 3–2 following back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Bears. The Raiders will elevate Rich Bisaccia as the team's interim head coach, according to Schefter.
In reviewing more than 650,000 emails sent over the past decade, the NFL has reportedly found numerous examples of Gruden using misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ comments, according to Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman of The New York Times. The findings come as a result of the league's separate workplace misconduct investigation into the Washington Football Team.
In many of the emails in question, Gruden corresponds with former Washington team president Bruce Allen, among others. Gruden and Allen worked together in Gruden's first stint as Raiders coach and with the Buccaneers. The emails occurred when Gruden was working at ESPN. Gruden used his personal email account, while Allen used his team account.
Among the findings, Gruden reportedly expressed his disapproval of the NFL's hiring of women as referees, drafting gay players and tolerating players who protested during the playing of the national anthem. He also criticized commissioner Roger Goodell for placing an emphasis on player safety, referring to him by an anti-LGBTQ slur and calling him a "clueless anti football p----."
Gruden also derided Goodell for, as he viewed it, pressuring then-Rams head coach Jeff Fisher into drafting "queers," a reference to the Rams selecting Michael Sam as the first publicly gay player in NFL draft history.
In June, Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to declare he is gay.
According to the Times, Gruden also mocked Caitlyn Jenner following her transition, and also responded to a sexist meme of a female referee by saying, "Nice job Roger."
Raiders coach Jon Gruden resigned after the release of numerous offensive emails he sent from 2010 to 2018, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The New York Timespublished a report Monday evening detailing a number of emails featuring misogynistic, racist and anti-LGBTQ language sent by Gruden. A Wall Street Journal report was released last week in which Gruden used a racist trope to describe executive director of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith.
Gruden reportedly referred to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as a "clueless anti football p---y" as well as a "f----t" in the emails released by the New York Times. He also claimed the NFL pressured the then-St. Louis Rams to draft Michael Sam, a gay player selected in 2014. Gruden also "criticized Goodell and the league for trying to reduce concussions and said that Eric Reid, a player who had demonstrated during the playing of the national anthem, should be fired," per the Times.
Raiders owner Mark Davis met with Gruden early Monday evening, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The meeting ended with Gruden's tenure as Las Vegas's head coach coming to an end.
Gruden has not addressed the Times's report as of Monday evening. He told the WSJ he was "really sorry," before adding "I don’t have a racial bone in my body."
“I was upset,” Gruden WSJ. “I used a horrible way of explaining it. I don’t think he’s dumb. I don’t think he’s a liar. I don’t have a racial bone in my body, and I’ve proven that for 58 years.”
Gruden is 22–31 as Raiders head coach since 2018. Las Vegas enters Sunday's matchup with the Broncos at 3–2 following back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Bears. The Raiders will elevate Rich Bisaccia as the team's interim head coach, according to Schefter.
