Conner was SO angry with Hufanga. There has to be another explanation.
Lost in the shuffle of the San Francisco 49ers’ 35-16 beatdown of the Arizona Cardinals Sunday was the tension between Talanoa Hufanga and James Conner.
When both teams started walking off the field in Santa Clara, a disgruntled Conner approached Hufanga and confronted him. It quickly evolved into a heated scuffle where Conner tried taking some swings at Hufanga before other 49ers and Cardinals players had to separate the two. Arizona and San Francisco are divisional rivals — which means animosity is usually built in –but this individual exchange seemed to have a little more spice to it.
There had to be something more than meets the eye here, right?
James Conner and Talanoa Hufanga got into a scuffle after the Cardinals-49ers game. pic.twitter.com/smb7g31nTy
A person doesn’t usually get that furious without a good reason. Putting your hands on another human being outside of the sanctioned violence in a football context takes a lot. Well, according to Jake Hutchinson of KNBR, Hufanga claimed he didn’t know why Conner was so displeased with him.
I’m hesitant to do anything but take Hufanga’s word here. The only objective video evidence we have is Conner taking swipes at Hufanga, not the other way around, and nothing from within the game. But the way Hufanga takes a stray shot at Conner’s rushing performance of 52 yards makes me think that the two might have, at least, been disrespectfully arguing with each other all afternoon.
The 49ers and Cardinals don’t meet again until mid-December in Arizona. Stay tuned for the next episode of this budding rivalry between Hufanga and Conner. I have a feeling there’s more to come.
Nothing will sum up the Bears’ nightmare season better than this.
The Chicago Bears had everything rolling Sunday afternoon. Justin Fields was playing like a franchise quarterback. The Denver Broncos had no legitimate answers that didn’t amount to “we hope the other team makes a mistake and steps on a rake.” With just under 20 minutes to go, with a 28-7 lead, it looked like Chicago would finally capture its first win of the 2023 season. Huzzah! Onward!
One of those people is general manager Ryan Poles. The CBS cameras captured the executive’s jubilation after Fields’ fourth touchdown pass, and the Bears had constructed their seemingly insurmountable lead. Below, please note the surrounding fans applauding Poles and celebrating with him. They also captured his despondency, his “hello, darkness, my old friend” reaction after the Bears got stopped on fourth-and-short in the closing moments. Also below, please note how stoic the fans are after it’s clear the Bears are on the verge of collapse.
Twitter user @_MarcusD3_ brilliantly captured the contrast between Poles and these fans’ emotions with a classic “a few moments later” SpongeBob before-and-after video. It tells you everything you need to know:
If there is one sequence that sums up the mess of the 2023 Bears to perfection, it’s this spliced clip. It is a general manager finally seeing glimpses of the team he thought he built. It is a man building up hope again after a month of drama at the team facility. It is then a man who quickly realizes that his team is still mired in the abyss and that the microscope of criticism will only zoom in further. And it is fans getting excited about potential before crashing back to reality.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2023 Chicago Bears in less than 10 seconds.
Raise a hand if you had “Zach Wilson would outplay Patrick Mahomes and still lose” on your bingo card
Lost in the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce hoopla Sunday night was Zach Wilson’s performance. Most have (understandably) written Wilson’s future off as a franchise quarterback in just his third season. Yet, there he was, dropping dimes against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, even earning the respect of Chris Jones.
What was most wild was that Wilson literally outplayed Patrick Mahomes. I do not mean he made one or two better throws. No, no. Wilson had more completions, more yards, more touchdown passes, and fewer interceptions. By every relevant statistical account, he was the better quarterback, having outplayed the best player in the sport under a national television spotlight.
And this is the first time that’s ever happened to Mahomes in 127 college and professional starts:
Zach Wilson of the @nyjets is the only opposing QB to have more completions, more passing yards, more TD passes and fewer interceptions than Patrick Mahomes in a Mahomes start, college or pro (out of 127 total starts, including postseason).
Wilson was so good that he almost led the New York Jets to a monumental upset. Ah, but that’s the rub. He almost led them to an upset.
Perhaps that’s the delicious (and unfortunate) irony here. Even when you outplay Mahomes, he and his team still find a way to win the game. You might have the better numbers he usually produces, but he’ll still attain the most important statistic when the clock reads zeroes: an addition to the win column.
After their 48-20 dismantling of McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins, that is precisely what the Buffalo Bills and their defense are — a dominant unit on another Super Bowl-caliber squad.
Entering Sunday’s AFC East battle, the Dolphins were the talk of the NFL. They just finished dropping a remarkable 70 points on the Denver Broncos, with Tua Tagovailoa playing like an MVP candidate. Miami possessed pro football’s top offense by every traditional and advanced metric. No one seemed to have an answer for McDaniel’s uniquely electric scheme. No one knew how to attack an offense that was seemingly always playing at least three steps ahead, if not more.
That is except for the Bills, of course.
Setting aside an early back-and-forth of touchdown swaps, the Bills were very ready for the Dolphins offense. They showed that, contrary to popular belief, Tagovailoa, McDaniel, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle are all quite fallible. They are not impossible to stop. Who would’ve thunk?
The Bills, that’s who.
After Miami scored a touchdown on its first two possessions, here’s how it fared the rest of the game against McDermott’s rowdy Buffalo defense. A 393-yard performance in total (empty) yards oversells what the Dolphins “accomplished”:
Punt (three-and-out)
Punt (three-and-out)
Fumble (three plays, seven yards)
Punt (three-and-out)
Touchdown (11 plays, 75 yards)
Interception
Turnover on downs
Turnover on downs
Turnover on downs
How did this happen? The answer is elementary, dearest reader. Front four pressure.
Up until Sunday, Tagovailoa had been one of the league’s cleanest passers, rarely seeing his white Dolphins jersey receive so much as a scratch, let alone any grass stains. He was sacked just once and hit a total of five times through three games.
The Bills would not give him this luxury, notching nine quarterback hits (!) and four sacks with an impeccably deep defensive front led by Matt Milano and Greg Rousseau. Then when Tagovailoa and Co. were forced to press, that’s when an opportunistic defense began to pounce and finish the job.
Hmm, all of that seems pretty good and well, but I’m not quite sure yet. What about this handy expected points added (EPA) chart where Buffalo is in the top five in both rushing and passing EPA allowed? (Hint: The Bills’ cumulative defensive EPA per play of -0.192 is fourth in the NFL after playing the league’s most productive offense.)
Credit: rbsdm.com
Let’s be honest. Most early October NFL games are largely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Not everyone is playing a game that matters this time of year. What happened on Sunday in Western New York did not feel inconsequential. This Bills-Dolphins was billed (no pun intended) as an early-season litmus test of AFC contenders, a Round 1 of a season-long heavyweight fight between two of the league’s marquee teams.
It was anything but. The Bills’ defense turned it into a riotous fest of haymakers and vicious southpaws, never letting the Dolphins catch their breath while laying on the ropes. It was as emphatic of a statement as we might see from any singular team all year.
There were questions about whether Buffalo’s defense had been beating up on inferior competition in the Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders. Those feel so silly to ask after they humbled the Dolphins without breaking a sweat. Lest I forget, they’ve been accomplishing this dominance without Von Miller — perhaps the most effective pass rusher of the 21st century and a bona fide future First-Ballot Hall of Famer.
The Dolphins’ offense under McDaniel might be revolutionary and cutting-edge, but there’s nothing groundbreaking about the way Buffalo shut it down. As such, the Bills look destined for a fourth consecutive AFC East title and perhaps much more this winter.
They can and should thank Allen and their shutdown defense.
Mike Tomlin’s team is treading water and he doesn’t know what to do.
We’re used to watching the Pittsburgh Steelers with gold and yellow glasses.
They are, traditionally, a marquee NFL franchise, marketed like a heavyweight team every year. And for the most part, under Mike Tomlin, they’ve almost always been respectable. They’ve literally never had a losing season under him. Call it a hunch, but that remarkable streak seems like it’s in jeopardy this season.
On Sunday, the Houston Texans — with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, mind you — humiliated the Steelers in a 30-6 win. Pittsburgh had no answers for an inexperienced quarterback, and its offense could never get off the ground against a young Houston team that is supposed to be rebuilding. When Tomlin was asked about making “changes” to prevent another outcome like this from happening, he professed something would shift.
But I’m not quite sure what strings he can pull to make these Steelers look respectable. (Warning: NSFW language in the tweet and video below.)
Mike Tomlin asked if there’s going to be changes, he says emphatically, “Hell yeah there’s going to be changes.”
Kenny Pickett might be out for a while with a knee injury. Is Mitchell Trubisky really going to be that much of an upgrade for Matt Canada’s uninspirational offense? Is a defense that lets everyone cut it up over the top really going to be that much better with rookie Joey Porter Jr. in the fold?
The fact of the matter is that Tomlin’s Steelers don’t seem like they’re good enough to contend with the AFC’s big boys anymore. Deep down, I feel like he probably knows it. Deep down, another season straddling around .500 should probably be considered a massive accomplishment for Pittsburgh this year. This is a flawed roster with a flawed process that really needs to take a good look in the mirror and realign its expectations.
And who’s to say Tomlin even has a good answer for the Steelers’ issues outside of anything obvious? He hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has missed the postseason as many times (3) as it’s qualified over the last six years.
The 2-2 Steelers are without a paddle, and I’m not sure Tomlin can rescue them this time.
Mike McDaniel’s respect for Sean McDermott is so cool to see.
If Sunday’s matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins was an AFC East litmus test, then the Dolphins have a lot of work to do in the coming months. After hanging in with Buffalo for a half, the Bills pulled away with dominance en route to a 48-20 win that somehow didn’t even seem that close.
The Dolphins have lofty ambitions because of Mike McDaniel. But he even knows they’ll likely get through Sean McDermott’s Bills to achieve them. As such, McDaniel approached McDermott with nothing but respect in their post-game greeting.
And based on a cromulent reading of McDaniel’s lips, he seems to be a VERY big fan of McDermott’s work in Buffalo:
(Warning: NSFW language/reference in the video below.)
Honestly, what a classy gesture from McDaniel. His team is a divisional rival with the Bills, and he doesn’t have to show McDermott any respect. But Buffalo is the team Miami is chasing in the AFC East. Buffalo is the team that’s three of four matchups (including playoffs) with McDaniel’s Dolphins dating back to last season.
This was one heck of a way to express how much he appreciates McDermott, even amidst the tough loss.
Ja’Marr Chase added to the Bengals’ drama with this classic WR line.
The Cincinnati Bengals began this season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Instead, after a month of play, they are languishing with a 1-3 record, and there’s no real sign of hope on the horizon. A 27-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans Sunday — where running back Derrick Henry threw a TD pass of all people — doesn’t do the Bengals’ disaster proper justice.
Ja’Marr Chase decided to pile onto Cincinnati’s ongoing chaos.
In a video via WCPO 9 in Cincinnati, Chase discussed the Bengals’ ongoing offensive issues as Joe Burrow struggles with a calf injury. Chase himself had seven catches for 73 yards on Sunday but has just 29 receptions for 284 yards and no touchdowns on the season.
So, of course, Chase had to clarify that he is … “always open.”
Ahhh. It’s been a long time since we heard a classic quote from a disgruntled receiver. It’s a little jarring coming from someone like Chase but is nonetheless greatly appreciated. The full quote is less dramatic but doesn’t take away from Chase’s receiver line:
"I'm open. I'm always (effing) open." A frustrated Ja'Marr Chase on Bengals offensive woes. pic.twitter.com/wySBQhvrHW
The Bears might not have to concern themselves with Claypool for much longer. On Friday, the receiver told reporters that he believes the Bears aren’t using him right. Note: This is a player with four catches for 51 yards and one touchdown on the season who also poorly blocks in space. It’s hard to perform worse as a receiver than Claypol through three games.
Perhaps in response to Claypool’s commentary and effort, the Bears made the veteran inactive for their home matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday. And unlike other players who are injured or inactive, Claypool wasn’t even on Chicago’s sideline:
I've scanned the Bears' sideline a couple times. No sign of Chase Claypool. All the other Bears' injured/inactive players are present.
The Bears surrendered a high second-round pick for Claypool last fall. He’s given them 18 catches for 191 yards and a single score. It appears they’ve seen enough and are willing to recoup whatever they can for the disappointing player.
Update: After Sunday’s game, a Bears spokesperson stated that Claypool was told to stay home from the game today.
UPDATE: A Bears team spokesman is now clarifying that the team asked WR Chase Claypool to stay home from the game today.
Mike Tomlin is tired of his Steelers sleepwalking every Sunday.
Mike Tomlin has never experienced a losing season as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. Judging by his tenor following the Steelers’ 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans, Tomlin seems prepared to do anything to keep that remarkable streak alive.
In his post-game press conference, Tomlin was asked about whether the Steelers would consider making “changes” after such an embarrassing defeat. Note: Pittsburgh likely lost Kenny Pickett to a knee injury for a little while in Houston. Once Tomlin realized what the reporter was actually asking, he snapped into action, professing that Pittsburgh’s unacceptable performance Sunday simply necessitates something change.
(Warning: NSFW language in the tweet and video below)
Mike Tomlin asked if there’s going to be changes, he says emphatically, “Hell yeah there’s going to be changes.”
The Steelers aren’t in an abyss like their divisional rival in Cincinnati. A 2-2 record is something that should be very easy to build upon. But Pittsburgh didn’t resemble a team prepared to do just that while getting clocked by the Texans. And Tomlin knows it. He’s probably also the only person who knows how to fix these Steelers.
What could those “changes” resemble? For one, offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s scheme has proven consistently inept. Demoting him would be warranted. On defense, it might be time to start giving rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. more snaps.
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. Tomlin better adapt and work whatever magic he has and fast.
Eberflus basically threw away the Bears’ first win of the season.
For most of Sunday afternoon, the Chicago Bears looked like they’d finally build some positive momentum this season. Even against the Denver Broncos’ woeful defense, Justin Fields played like a superstar, completing 28-of-35 passes for 334 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick. And with just under 20 minutes to go in the game, Chicago held a seemingly insurmountable 28-7 lead. (Hmm, was Chase Claypool that much of an anchor???)
Then all hell broke loose. Denver would score a touchdown on three straight possessions to even up this barnburner at 28-28 late in the fourth quarter. But even with the Broncos’ valiant comeback attempt, Chicago still had a chance to salt away its first win of the season. That is until Matt Eberflus self-combusted at the prospect of game management. With a field goal attempt lined up, the Bears faced a key fourth-and-short at the Broncos’ 18-yard line just before the two-minute warning.
Rather than run a play, Chicago tried to draw Denver’s defense offsides but failed. The Bears understandably took a timeout to save field position on a kick … except they kept the offense out there. Their possession petered out with a questionable straight handoff to Khalil Herbert, and they now had one less timeout.
Mere minutes later, thanks to this Marvin Mims Jr. reception, the Broncos drove right down the field for the eventual game-winning field goal.
With the Bears pressing for a game-tying kick in the closing moments, Fields would throw a desperation pass that Denver intercepted. Hmm, seems like they could’ve used that timeout!
Nothing has gone right for the 0-4 Bears this year, so it’s not as if Sunday was surprising. But blowing a 28-7 lead with just under 20 minutes to go at home against the NFL’s second-worst team is undoubtedly rock bottom. And the Bears might have avoided this unfortunate reality if their coach had simply managed the game well in the deciding sequence.
![Ja’Marr Chase gassed himself up after Bengals’ deflating loss: ‘I’m open. I’m always [expletive] open.’](https://feeds.usatodaysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/USATSI_21391397-e1696196454524-1200x768.jpg)
