Tag: NFL Week 1

Jets’ OC Nathaniel Hackett should be criticized for play calling vs. 49ers

New York Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett has unreasonably  avoided a large amounts of criticism after his dismal play calling in week 1.

The New York Jets had collective struggles versus the San Francisco 49ers in week 1. Still, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett deserves criticism for his scheme and personnel packages in the Jets’ loss.

Instead of criticizing Hackett, many have chosen to slander the Jets’ defense which spent 38 total minutes on the field in week 1 and literally gave up only two touchdowns. For context, no NFL team averaged more than 33 minutes of possession the entire 2023-24 season.

Through ten total offensive drives, Hackett produced two offensive turnovers, a turnover on downs, and three punts. More importantly, the Jets’ offense produced a total of three rushing first downs which is inexcusable. Since running back Breece Hall carried 16 of the teams 19 total rushing attempts, it is reasonable to suggests that Hackett should deploy other running backs on the depth chart to assist Hall inside the trenches.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was able to sneak in a passing touchdown to wide receiver Allen Lazard but Rodgers’ witty play should not be an accreditation to Hackett’s brilliance.

The offensive issues are very fixable and Hackett will be in the film room this week to figure it out. However, Hackett cannot approach week 2 with the same rigid attack believing he will get different results.

Dan Campbell explains why James Houston was a healthy scratch in Week 1

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell explains why EDGE James Houston was a healthy scratch in Week 1 vs. the Rams

James Houston was a healthy scratch for the Detroit Lions in Week 1. The third-year pass rusher was held out of the Lions’ win over the Rams, a Los Angeles team that was quite vulnerable at offensive tackle.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about what Houston needs to do to be active on game days.

“Well, so much of it is–it could be him or it’s the defensive back. So, what’s going to bring more to you and what plays into that is, and special teams is a big one,” Campbell said.

Houston was injured on special teams in 2023 and did not participate much in training camp on punt and kick units. Campbell then brought up the impact of injuries around the roster.

“What about injury in other areas? So, maybe you need the insurance. Some of it is, what kind of production is that going to bring or how many snaps is he going to get? So, I can’t answer that clearly, but he’s another guy – I mean he’s here, he’s working, we’d love to get him up if the possibility presents itself or the opportunity presents itself, and so we’ll just take it as it comes.”

With starters Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport both healthy–and dominant vs. the Rams–and reserves Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike also at full speed, the Lions didn’t feel the need to have a fifth EDGE active. Linebacker Derrick Barnes, playing the SAM role that Houston couldn’t handle, also frequently positioned as a stand-up pass rusher.

This week, Davenport is dealing with a groin injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice. That could be the opening for Houston to make his 2024 debut.

Watch: Mic’d-up Kobie Turner shows why he was voted a Rams captain

Kobie Turner was mic’d up against the Lions and he’s a clear leader on defense despite only being a second-year player

It’s rare for a player to be voted a team captain in only his second season, especially for a defensive lineman. Kobie Turner earned that honor this year when his teammates chose him as one of the Rams’ captains and in Week 1, it was easy to see why he was so deserving of that recognition.

In his first game as a captain, Turner was mic’d up. He’s a vocal leader on the field and off it, bringing passion and a relentless motor to every single play. Turner got the defense fired up with a pregame speech and was always talking to his teammates throughout the game, whether it was after a teammate’s sack or John Johnson III’s interception.

The highlight of the whole mic’d-up video, though was Bobby Brown III once again pointing out how Turner sits like an old man on the bench. Turner even got rookie Tyler Davis to sit like him and cross his legs, which was quite funny.

Bengals snap count takeaways: Ja’Marr Chase proves his point

Quick snap count takeaways for the Bengals from Week 1.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase made it clear that he would play a big number of snaps in Week 1 despite the training camp “hold-in” and lack of practice reps.

That headlines some of the snap count takeaways from the Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots:

  • Chase played 84 percent of the offense’s snaps. He’s usually above 90 percent, but running 43 snaps and looking as good as he did just proves he was working hard all summer despite the hold-in. Even slightly limited, he led all targets in catches and yardage.
  • Four different tight ends had 18 percent or more snaps, including rookie Erick All. His usage could bump after fumbling issues for others, though.
  • Andrei Iosivas got 100 percent of the snaps with Tee Higgins out.
  • Zack Moss dominated the backfield over Chase brown, taking 33 snaps to Brown’s 17.
  • Despite it being super-obvious the pass-rush needs help, Joseph Ossai played just 13 snaps. We can blame the matchup and his run defense, but it’s a big problem either way.
  • BJ Hill isn’t going to be able to stay fresh over 17 games at 80 percent of the snaps like this. They need the injured rookies to get back in the rotation quickly.
  • DJ Turner lost that battle for the No. 2 corner spot and as a result, played just three snaps.

The full counts:

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Breece Hall might not be the best HB on the Jets’ depth chart

Breece Hall had just 54 yards rushing vs. the 49ers and OC Nathaniel Hackett should consider playing other HB’s on the Jets’ depth chart.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall finished week 1 with a dismal 3.4 yards per carry average versus the San Francisco 49ers. Perhaps offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett should consider delegating reps to other backs on the team depth chart.



With the inability to establish the run, the Jets’ offense became one dimensional and were bullied by the 49ers’ pass rush. Hackett will have to relinquish his ideals and understand that his rigid approach led to the exhaustion of the Jets’ defense that spent 38:40 minutes on the field.

Moreover, Jets’ running backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis are well able to take reps with the starters and should be deployed in and out of personnel packages throughout the game. Hall, who fumbled early in the first quarter and dropped a pass in the 2nd half has not gained enough merit to work as the sole proprietor of the teams’ rushing attack.

Through 16 total carries, Hall produced just 54 yards and that stat is mildly deceiving considering his sole 16-yard run.

Ultimately, Hall should remain the starter, but Allen just might be the more serviceable running back in short yardage and red-zone situations. Davis and Hall can thus function interchangeably as pass catcher out of the backfield in third down situations.

ALERT: Christian McCaffrey is INACTIVE

Make sure to get CMC out of your lineups tonight.

In a surprise move, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles) will not play tonight, contrary to reports from just a couple of days ago that said he would see a full workload.

Backup running back Jordan Mason is expected to start and see a large share of the touches. Look for more rushing from WR Deebo Samuel, and rookie running back Isaac Guerendo could see a handful of carries, too.

Mason is worthy of an RB2/flex start, whereas Guerendo is a dice roll for a desperate gamer looking for a TD flier. If you can’t play either of those backs, there’s a chance Braelon Allen from the New York Jets is still on your wire, and he could see a couple of touches behind Breece Hall.

Lions vs. Rams Monday postgame medical report

Lions vs. Rams Monday postgame medical report with updates on Carlton Davis, Penei Sewell, DJ Reader and more

Despite having to play extra time to get a tough win, the Lions exited the Rams game in very good shape and there are no medical concerns for me at this time. Here are my initial thoughts on players that may have suffered injuries during the game, along with the time stamp for the injury.

Carlton Davis 4q 00:11

Davis was a concern when he left the game after going down at the end of regulation. There was only one defensive play after that, which made it hard to assess the severity.

On video, after Davis let the ball slip through his hands, he landed hard on his elbow which could have caused the wind to be knocked out of him. The worse case would be a rib cartilage or ab injury. No concerns for an elbow injury as it was protectively flexed at time of impact.

After the game, Davis confirmed to Colton Pouncy that it was just wind and he is fine.

Jameson Williams 2q 4:53

On video, Williams’ left high ankle was mildly tweaked due to a slight external rotation. He continued to play with no ill effects, although he did make the Rams feel sick in the 3rd quarter with a 52-yard TD catch.

Jamo might need some extra rest this week but should be full-go vs the Bucs. With the Bucs secondary suffering multiple significant injuries this past weekend, Williams may be headed for another big day.

Penei Sewell 1q 3:09

Obscured video showed Sewell possibly getting his right leg rolled up on which can cause a high ankle sprain. He limped a bit but missed no plays. After the game, he was walking up the tunnel with no obvious limp and there was no report of seeing him in a walking boot.

Recall last year that Taylor Decker and Jonah Jackson both suffered high ankle injuries and finished the game, but were seen in a walking boot afterwards and missed multiple games. Early signs are good that Sewell avoided significant injury and very likely will be available vs the Bucs.

Brian Branch 4q 13:24

No good replays here but the game video showed Branch taking a hard hit possibly to the left side of his head. He missed no plays, but a mild concussion is possible.

As is often the case with mild “bell rung” concussions, it requires the patient to report symptoms for a diagnosis to be made by a doctor. I’m not expecting Branch to miss any time unless he self-reports symptoms.

Terrion Arnold 3q 5:13

Video showed Arnold lying on his back possibly with pain to the left hip or leg but hard to say. I reviewed that play along with all the previous plays of that drive and there were no signs of injury, although TV angles are notorious for not showing the secondary.

He missed two plays and finished the game with no problems.

Alex Anzalone 3q 6:30

Anzalone was briefly down after getting awkwardly sandwiched while making a tackle. His right knee did land hard but he missed no plays and nothing is too concerning on video. Of note, he has had a chronic right shoulder issue since his college days and always wears a shoulder brace.

 

Dan Campbell Monday press conference tidbits

DJ Reader is on track to play this Sunday vs the Bucs. There were no other medical updates or surprises.

Taliese Fuaga was Week 1’s best rookie offensive tackle in pass protection

Taliese Fuaga delivered on the hype. He was ESPN’s best rookie offensive tackle in pass protection from Week 1’s games:

Taliese Fuaga delivered on the hype in his New Orleans Saints debut. He was ESPN’s best rookie offensive tackle in pass protection from Week 1’s games — ESPN sports analytics writer Seth Walder shared the pass block win rates for each of this year’s rookie starters, and Fuaga was head-and-shoulders above the rest.

Here’s where they ranked after Week 1 among the 60 starting offensive tackles:

  1. Taliese Fuaga, 94% (15th)
  2. Tyler Guyton, 84% (36th)
  3. Joe Alt, 79% (48th)
  4. Kingsley Suamataia, 69% (57th)
  5. J.C. Latham, 65% (59th)

Now there’s an important caveat here we should note; Week 1 isn’t over at the time of writing, with the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers kicking off on Monday night. But the only rookie offensive tackle competing in that game is Olu Fashanu, who isn’t starting for the Jets. Still, it’s likely that guys like Trent Williams and Morgan Moses could push Fuaga down the standings a little bit.

Either way, he’s immediately set high standards for himself. And we should remember that Fuaga is doing all of this at left tackle after exclusively lining up on the right side at Oregon State. He was fouled for a weak holding call against the Panthers but he’s known for not making the same mistake twice, and that was really the only big blemish on his first game as a pro. The sky’s the limit for what he can achieve moving forward.

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Top photos from the Lions overtime win vs. the Rams in Week 1

Top photos from the Lions overtime win vs. the Rams in Week 1

The Detroit Lions didn’t have their “A” game in the Week 1 overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams, but the team did enough to still vanquish the visitors and open the season 1-0.

The 26-20 overtime win wasn’t always pretty football, but the reigning NFC North champs effectively defended the den in beating back a spunky, well-prepared Rams team and quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Rocking the all-blue uniforms, Detroit salvaged the victory for the Ford Field faithful. The “blueberries” also made for some outstanding visuals, as captured by the professional photographers in the stadium. Here are some of the best shots from the game.

Lions survive a shaky effort to beat the Rams in overtime

The Detroit Lions survive a shaky effort to beat the visiting Los Angeles Rams in overtime

The Detroit Lions are 1-0. It can be difficult to remember that, because it doesn’t really feel like a triumphant debut for the 2024 Lions.

Detroit survived a vastly undermanned Los Angeles Rams team, eking out a 26-20 overtime win in Ford Field. In front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football, the Lions looked rusty and meek, especially on offense. There were sporadic reminders that the Detroit offense has been one of the NFL’s best over the last two years, but they were not close to being in top form after not playing a down together in the preseason.

The Lions did not get great performances from the expected stars on the team. All-Pro wideout was a nonfactor all night, getting just six targets and netting three catches for 13 yards. One target to St. Brown was a throw where Jared Goff was a half-count late over the middle and Rams safety John Johnson picked it off.

Tight end Sam LaPorta was very quiet as well, catching just four passes for 45 yards. On one key third-down catch, LaPorta ran his route well short of the sticks. Whether by schematic design or a lapse by LaPorta, it’s the kind of mistake the Lions don’t typically make. His last catch, on the game-tying drive at the end of the fourth quarter, netted nearly half of LaPorta’s yards.

Goff wasn’t at his best, either. The drive after his INT intended for St. Brown should have ended in another Rams INT, but cornerback Cobie Durant dropped it. Goff wasn’t aggressive in attacking down the field, and it allowed the Rams to cram the field effectively.

Safety Brian Branch had a poor overall game. Branch missed two INT opportunities and a couple of tackles as well. He got burned on a huge play by the Rams, where backup LB Malcolm Rodriguez ran past Branch well down the field to save a potential touchdown.

About the only thing that worked for the Lions offense was Jameson Williams. Well, David Mongtomery was effective running between the tackles early, and Jahmyr Gibbs had one nice drive. Beyond that, the Rams rookie defensive coordinator, Chris Shula, won the battle against Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

The defense did just enough, barely. Aaron Glenn’s unit probably should have done more against a dilapidated Rams offense that played fourth-string tackles most of the night. Matthew Stafford was sharp in his old building, and some costly penalties by rookie CB Terrion Arnold helped the Rams get two scores as well.

Kicker Jake Bates forced overtime with a clutch 32-yard field goal. Aidan Hutchinson sacked Matthew Stafford to end any Rams threat at the very end of regulation.

And then Ben Johnson remembered that he had David Montgomery. In his first carries in several drives, Montgomery put the Lions on his back and dragged Detroit, as well as the Rams defense, into the end zone for the game-winning score. Montgomery ran for 45 yards on five carries on the final drive, none bigger than the final one.

Montgomery and Williams, who authored the game’s biggest highlight and turned in his first career 100-yard game, were the overriding positives to take away. That, and also not blowing a prime-time game against a team playing backups and undrafted rookies all over the place, which would have been a devastating blow.

It’s still not good enough football from the Lions, but never apologize for a win or take it for granted. Week 1 is a good lesson in that for Dan Campbell and the Lions.