On ESPN’s NFL Live, former quarterback Dan Orlovsky used their newest tool to showcase the Vikings offense in a dynamic way.
The Minnesota Vikings had the best game of their season when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons. They doubled their score and won 42-21, and in the process, the world got to see that Sam Darnold was a future franchise quarterback with his arm talent and decision-making.
On ESPN’s NFL Live, former quarterback Dan Orlovsky used their newest tool to showcase the Vikings offense in a dynamic way.
The work that ESPN has started with its VR tool is spectacular. As a football fan, it gives you access to a viewpoint that has never been able to be realized before. Orlovsky breaks down what the Vikings are doing on offense to scheme confusion for defenses and what Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson see before they find themselves open downfield.
Be sure to check out the whole segment for yourself.
Ahead of Monday night’s Simpsons Funday Football broadcast, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes pranked fellow analyst Dan Orlovsky with a Bart Simpson-inspired pun for the ages.
Paying homage to Bart’s prank calls to Moe’s Tavern, Kimes asked Orlovsky about a player on the upcoming game roster named “Hugh Jass.”
Hugh Jass? Get it? Orlovsky didn’t at first, as he fell hook, line and sinker for Kimes’ Simpsons-ready prank.
We like to think Bart was somewhere laughing in the background as Kimes executed this prank to absolute perfection.
As for Orlovsky, cowabunga, dude. You might want to brush up on your Simpsons episodes!
From Tom Brady to Colin Cowherd, the NFL world reacted in a big way to QB Bo Nix’s impressive performance.
After Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a historic performance against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11, NFL pundits have offered their takes on the first-year signal caller. Here’s a recap of the reactions this week.
Tom Brady names Bo Nix one of his 3 stars of the week
The pair mentioned in the game against Atlanta, Nix had his highest yards-per-pass (9.8) of the season.
Chris Simms breaks down Bo Nix’s ‘surgically explosive’ performance
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms has seen the difference for the Broncos offense. “I just love the look of Bo Nix, I really do,” said Simms. “I love the offense they’re running, too.”
Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson chime in on Bo Nix’s big game
The two former pass catchers reacted to Nix’s huge stat line from the Falcons game. “(Nix) was one of three Bronco rookie quarterbacks to ever throw four touchdowns in a game,” noted Sharpe.
Colin Cowherd says Bo Nix is a top-12 quarterback in the NFL
After Nix had his highest stats of the season, ESPN insider Adam Schefter marveled at the young quarterback. “Rookies don’t do that,” Schefter remarked on the Pat McAfee Show. “That’s over 80 percent completion rate, four touchdowns, no interceptions. Bo Nix is getting better and better and better.”
Jamie Erdahl says Bo Nix was the NFL’s big winner in Week 11
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said that Nix is having a great season. “He’s got control and he has the answers,” said Orlovsky. “Control of everything they’re trying to do in Denver offensively.”
PFF reacts to Bo Nix’s play and Broncos’ impressive offensive line
Although the rest of the NFL is giving Nix all the love, PFF realized that the Broncos’ offensive line is a key part of the success Nix has been having throughout the season.
Tim Jenkins breaks down film of Bo Nix’s best game yet
Tim Jenkins called Nix’s historic performance “the best performance I’ve seen out of a rookie quarterback this season, and if I’m really being honest, the best performance I’ve seen from a Broncos quarterback in a long, long, long time.”
Kurt Benkert reviews Bo Nix’s great game vs. Falcons
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert broke down Nix’s incredible performance against Atlanta in an 18-minute video.
Doug Farrar breaks down Bo Nix’s recent rise
New All-22 video for @AthlonSports: Bo Nix’s ascent as the @Broncos‘ franchise QB after a long post-Peyton Manning search is happening. Sean Payton brought up two plays that speak to Nix’s recent development. Nix is taking one of the NFL’s most complex playbooks to the field. pic.twitter.com/w4qhzp9Eai
“Peyton Manning retired after the 2015 season, and from 2016-2023, the Denver Broncos threw 13 different quarterbacks into the fire to try and replace him,” said Farrar. “But now with 2024 first-round draft pick Bo Nix, Denver may finally have a guy to mercifully end that quarterback curse.”
Chris Long reacts to Bo Nix’s impressive improvement this season
Super Bowl champion Chris Long praised Nix, as an older rookie quarterback who is hitting his stride with head coach Sean Payton.
Chase Daniel says Bo Nix should be Rookie of the Year
“In my opinion, (Nix is) right now neck and neck with (Commanders quarterback) Jayden Daniels in the Offensive Rookie of the Year category,” said the former QB.
Nix is certainly making a serious case for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Can he continue this high-quality quarterback play through the rest of the season?
ESPN NFL analyst calls the Baltimore Ravens’ defense ‘predictable’
By far the biggest surprise of the season for the Baltimore Ravens has been the massive regression from the defense. The Ravens’ defense — filled with most of the same players — has gone from a historic unit in 2023 to one of the league’s worst this season, seemingly unable to stop opposing offenses. While Baltimore lost key contributors such as inside linebacker Patrick Queen, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, and safety Geno Stone, the exodus of coaches appears to have hit the unit the hardest.
32-year-old former Ravens linebacker Zach Orr was promoted from inside linebackers coach to the esteemed role of defensive coordinator for Baltimore after the departure of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks head coach), defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson (Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator), and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver (Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator). Through the first eight games of the season, Orr has been unable to sustain the success Macdonald had in his two years as defensive coordinator.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky shared his thoughts on Baltimore’s defense following the team’s loss to the Cleveland Browns.
“I think you gotta pin part of that loss late on their defensive coordinator Zach Orr,” Orlovsky said. “I think their defense got predictable … I just think as an offensive perspective, you run an all-out pressure six times in a row, at some point, you become very predictable and I bank on you doing that, and I think that puts your defense at a disadvantage.”
Hard to trust the Ravens defense calling 6 straight all out blitzes
Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers make Dan Orlovsky’s list of best QB-WR duos in NFL
The days of pundits and critics using Lamar Jackson as a talking point for his alleged inability to be an elite passer are over, and rightfully so. Entering Week 7 of the NFL season, Jackson has been one of the most efficient and accurate quarterbacks in the NFL.
Baltimore has the most explosive offense in the NFL, and there can be some debate about whether you want to deal with Derrick Henry as a rusher or Jackson as a pin-point accurate passer.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky and Harry Douglas revealed their top QB-WR duos in the NFL on Thursday morning, and the Ravens made the list with Jackson and star second-year receiver Zay Flowers making the list.
In six games played, Jackson is 118-176 passing (67%) for 1,529 yards (8.7 avg) and an average of 254.8 yards a game, with ten touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 108.4 rating.
Flowers had a solid rookie season and is breaking out in Year Two with back-to-back explosive games. Flowers has 33 catches on 48 targets for 401 yards (12.2 avg), one touchdown, 66.8 yards per game, and 211 yards after the catch.
Fans clamor for Russell Wilson’s return to starting duties, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky states that WR is the fix for the offense, not QB.
The offense stepped through a proverbial time machine against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Gone were the spectacular performances the unit showcased in Weeks 3 and 4, replaced by the anemic, low-scoring offensive game plan from Weeks 1 and 2.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky seemed to hit the nail right on the head: Pittsburgh has a big problem—an offensive problem. However, Orlovsky believes benching Justin Fields is the wrong decision to make.
The fix that Orlovsky speaks of is a rather simple one, but it’s being made complicated by Mike Tomlin. Rookie WR Roman Wilson has practiced in full the past two weeks but continues to be designated inactive when game time rolls around. Tomlin, in response to Wilson’s inactive designation, stated “It’s difficult to get on a moving train,” but it’s clearly a loyalty issue.
If an NFL analyst noticed it, maybe Tomlin has too. Van Jefferson is not the number two guy in this offense, and Calvin Austin hasn’t proven it either. It’s time to get Roman Wilson a helmet.
ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky unveiled his top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL right now on Thursday, and Sam Darnold comes in at number 3.
The Minnesota Vikings have gotten off to a hot start this season, winning each of their first three games and doing so against some stiff competition. After a Week 1 victory over a poor New York Giants team, the Vikings backed it up with back-to-back wins over some of the NFL’s elite in the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans.
Now, as one of the league’s few unbeaten teams left, the Vikings head into a crucial division matchup against the Green Bay Packers, with many folks asking just how good this Vikings team really is. Most of that uncertainty circles around people waiting for the Sam Darnold Cinderella story to turn back into the pumpkin he’s been for much of his career.
However, some folks are on board with Darnold as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now, including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky. Thursday morning on ESPN’s First Take, Orlovsky unveiled his top 5 quarterbacks right now, and the much-maligned Vikings’ quarterback comes in at number 3 for Orlovsky, just behind Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith round out Orlovsky’s top five. Suspiciously absent from Orlovsky’s list is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Also absent from that list is Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who could be back in the lineup this week after suffering a knee injury in Week 1.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky: Bills’ Josh Allen ‘is the best QB in the NFL right now’
ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky ranked the top five quarterbacks in the NFL through three weeks on Thursday and he declared that Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen is the best there is right now.
It’s not a quarterback ranking based on team or personal accolades like many rankings you see, but rather how quarterbacks are playing the game of football at this very moment. And, after three weeks of the 2024 NFL season, it would be extremely difficult to make a case against Orlovsky.
Allen is sitting as the odds-on favorite to win the NFL MVP right now for a reason. He leads the league in passer rating (133.7) and QBR (92.6) by large margins and he is second in both passing touchdowns (7) and completion percentage (75.0%).
“Josh Allen is the best quarterback in football right now,” Orlovsky says during his rankings on ESPN’s First Take. “He is an absolute wagon. He’s distributing the football and probably has the best offensive line in football.”
Orlovsky ranked Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets second, Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings third, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals fourth, and Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks fifth.
Check out the full video segment from Orlovsky below:
Rome Odunze’s dad was coming at Dan Orlovsky, not Caleb Williams.
Through two games to start his NFL career, Chicago Bears rookie first-round pick Rome Odunze has been underwhelming.
The receiver has just three catches for 44 yards on nine targets so far. While it wouldn’t be a stretch to say Odunze is still adjusting to football at the NFL level, it’d probably be hyperbolic to say he’s not getting open at all. He’s a rookie and is developing like any other young player. This is especially true when most of the Bears’ offensive issues stem from their poor blocking up front so far — not because any receivers aren’t getting open.
Someone didn’t pass along this memo to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, who claimed Odunze “wasn’t getting open at this level” earlier this week:
The Bears and Caleb are gonna have to get comfortable giving Rome more “covered” opportunities
Rome isn’t getting open at this level right now—
Caleb will have to get comfortable throwing him some 50/50 balls
When people began misconstruing James Odunze’s intention with the video — with some assuming this might have been taking a similarly struggling Caleb Williams to task — the senior Odunze put all that talk to rest, clarifying that he wanted to blast Orlovsky’s “nonsense” opinion, not Odunze’s quarterback.
For clarification, this tweet was just about Dan Orlovsky nonsense statement. It’s not about anything or anybody else. FULL STOP
This is a good lesson for Orlovsky and any major national analyst. If you critique a player with an unfounded opinion, you’ll probably have to answer to their parents. And that’s something no one should want to do.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky: ‘(Bills’) defensive line is starting to show itself’
After a slow start in the first half of Week 1, the Buffalo Bills’ pass rush has been dominant to start the season, and it has national media personalities buzzing about their potential this year.
“It’s two weeks into the season, but I do think the [Bills’] defensive line is starting to show itself when it gets to Ed [Oliver], [AJ] Epenesa, Greg [Rousseau], and Von [Miller] in some of those obvious pass situations,” Orlovsky said.
There were concerns about the pass rush going into the season after losing Leonard Floyd to the San Francisco 49ers, but Rousseau has taken his game to another level in year three and Miller looks like his old self. Parlay that with a steady force in Oliver in the middle, and this puts their pass rush among the best in the league to start the season.
“I think the way that Buffalo is handling Von is really smart… I think Greg is really starting to show himself… Ed obviously had another big game,” Orlovsky said.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Bills have the fourth-best pass-rush grade in the NFL, trailing only the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. The run defense has looked middle-of-the-pack thus far, but it has done enough to put the opposing offenses in second-and-long and third-and-long situations. That is when the pass rush is getting there in a blink, some ending in sacks but most affecting the throw from the quarterback.
Through two weeks, the Bills are tied for tenth in sacks (6), and tied for fourth in interceptions (3).
The Bills’ pass rush will try to disrupt the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense on “Monday Night Football,” much like the Browns did in Week 2 when they posted ten hurries and four sacks on 17 total pressures.
“You do not want either of those tackles single blocking Rousseau and or Von right now,” warned Orlovsky regarding the Jaguars’ offensive tackles.
