IRVING, Texas -- The No. 1 job of the Monte Kiffin-led defense is to affect the quarterback.
The Dallas Cowboys did not do that in their 30-21 loss to the San Diego Chargers, sacking Philip Rivers just once and unable to put any consistent pressure on him.
The result was a 401-yard, three-touchdown day for Rivers.
Rivers was able to do most of his damage in a no-huddle offense with shorter throws to set up the deep shots. Simply, he did not allow the Cowboys the chance to generate much of a pass rush because he got rid of the ball so quickly.
“You’ve just got to get push in the pocket and you have to win quicker and you have to cover better earlier and not give them a place to throw the ball quite so quickly,” coach Jason Garrett said. “If you make him hold it on some of those routes, quarterbacks tend to get uncomfortable. They just did a great job. He got the ball out of his hands. They got guys open. They did it consistently through the game.”
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will notice and use some of that against the Cowboys this week at AT&T Stadium. Manning has been sacked only five times and only twice since losing left tackle Ryan Clady for the season.
Garrett did not have a kind review of his defensive line from the Chargers game.
“They did not play to their level and a lot of different reasons for that,” Garrett said. “We’re playing a lot of different combinations ... but there are no excuses. One of the things that they did is they possessed the ball a lot. They were in that no-huddle offense and [Rivers] was at the line of scrimmage and they’re playing at a pace that they’re controlling. Sometimes that’s hard on defensive linemen but that’s the nature of this league. That happens a lot and you just have to make sure that you’re ready for the challenge.”
The Dallas Cowboys did not do that in their 30-21 loss to the San Diego Chargers, sacking Philip Rivers just once and unable to put any consistent pressure on him.
The result was a 401-yard, three-touchdown day for Rivers.
Rivers was able to do most of his damage in a no-huddle offense with shorter throws to set up the deep shots. Simply, he did not allow the Cowboys the chance to generate much of a pass rush because he got rid of the ball so quickly.
“You’ve just got to get push in the pocket and you have to win quicker and you have to cover better earlier and not give them a place to throw the ball quite so quickly,” coach Jason Garrett said. “If you make him hold it on some of those routes, quarterbacks tend to get uncomfortable. They just did a great job. He got the ball out of his hands. They got guys open. They did it consistently through the game.”
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will notice and use some of that against the Cowboys this week at AT&T Stadium. Manning has been sacked only five times and only twice since losing left tackle Ryan Clady for the season.
Garrett did not have a kind review of his defensive line from the Chargers game.
“They did not play to their level and a lot of different reasons for that,” Garrett said. “We’re playing a lot of different combinations ... but there are no excuses. One of the things that they did is they possessed the ball a lot. They were in that no-huddle offense and [Rivers] was at the line of scrimmage and they’re playing at a pace that they’re controlling. Sometimes that’s hard on defensive linemen but that’s the nature of this league. That happens a lot and you just have to make sure that you’re ready for the challenge.”
Power Rankings: No. 30 New York Giants
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
12:30
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
A weekly examination of the New York Giants' ESPN.com Power Ranking:
Preseason: 12 | Last week: 29 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002
I honestly do not know who would win a game between the Giants and the Jaguars on a neutral field right now, but that's the question at this point for me. I dropped the Giants to No. 31 on my own ballot, moving them behind Tampa Bay because at least the Bucs were in their game Sunday. The Giants are not competitive right now and fully deserving of their overall power ranking as one of the three worst teams in the NFL.
Kevin Seifert and John Clayton were the most generous to the 0-4 Giants this week, ranking them 29th. Jamison Hensley and I had them at No. 31. Jacksonville is the only team in the league with a worse scoring differential (minus-98) than the Giants' minus-85, and the next-worst team is St. Louis at minus-52. The Giants are bottom-of-the-barrel bad.
If you'd like to join us at 1:30 p.m. ET for our live Spreecast video chat about this week's Power Rankings, here's the link. Hope to see you there.
Preseason: 12 | Last week: 29 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002
I honestly do not know who would win a game between the Giants and the Jaguars on a neutral field right now, but that's the question at this point for me. I dropped the Giants to No. 31 on my own ballot, moving them behind Tampa Bay because at least the Bucs were in their game Sunday. The Giants are not competitive right now and fully deserving of their overall power ranking as one of the three worst teams in the NFL.
Kevin Seifert and John Clayton were the most generous to the 0-4 Giants this week, ranking them 29th. Jamison Hensley and I had them at No. 31. Jacksonville is the only team in the league with a worse scoring differential (minus-98) than the Giants' minus-85, and the next-worst team is St. Louis at minus-52. The Giants are bottom-of-the-barrel bad.
If you'd like to join us at 1:30 p.m. ET for our live Spreecast video chat about this week's Power Rankings, here's the link. Hope to see you there.
Why Vince Wilfork is so hard to replace
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
12:10
PM ET
By
Field Yates | ESPN.com
Once a training camp, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick throws his team a bone, metaphorically speaking.
It usually takes place after a morning practice, often on a Saturday, and the circumstances are these: If a player of his choosing -- typically a lineman -- can catch a punt, the team will have the afternoon and evening off from meetings. Six to eight extra hours of freedom may not seem like much, but during training camp, every spare minute counts.
Forgive us for not recalling the year, but one fair-catch attempt will forever be remembered. Belichick tabbed nose tackle Vince Wilfork -- all 325-plus pounds of him -- to catch a punt (in the air, of course) with a night off on the line. But there was a catch to the catch: Wilfork had to do so with a ball in one hand, allowing him just one free hand to make the catch.
As the punt soared into the air, spiraling down the field, Wilfork gently glided laterally, lining his frame up under the punt. Just seconds later, the arcing football landed in his free arm, almost as if Velcro were affixed to both the ball and his forearm.
For a moment, Wilfork could have been mistaken for his pint-sized teammate and master ball handler Kevin Faulk, a regular punt returner.
The point of this vignette is that it illustrates Wilfork’s rare athleticism for a man of his stature, proof that men who stand 6-foot-2 and well over 300 pounds can be exceptional athletes, not merely human mountains.
But not all defensive tackles have Wilfork’s movement skills. In fact, maybe a handful of others around the league do.
And that is -- at least in part -- what makes Wilfork such an invaluable member of the Patriots' defense. It’s the ability to align in a variety of spots on the defensive line, the quickness and agility to disrupt as a pass-rusher and, yes, the hands to make a play on the ball as a pass defender, as we saw against the Chargers back in 2011, when he nearly returned an interception for a score.
Three-down defensive linemen are hard to find, especially among interior defensive tackles.
Vince Wilfork fits the bill.
When the Patriots opt to put Wilfork on the injured reserve list -- which looks like a certainty at this point, after he had surgery Tuesday to repair a torn Achilles tendon -- a key cog in their defensive wheel will be done for the season.
And we haven’t even talked about Wilfork’s contributions against the run. The Patriots don’t always play three-man fronts. In fact, they often align with four men at the line of scrimmage. But when Wilfork was selected by the Pats in the 2004 draft's first round, he provided the team a refined and ready-made nose tackle to anchor the defense.
In the Patriots' two-gap system, a defensive lineman is called upon to engage an opposing offensive lineman, lock his arms out to gain leverage, and be prepared to move laterally with the flow of a run. If a running back tries to squirt through one of the two gaps the defensive lineman is controlling, it’s up to him to shed the block and make a tackle.
That’s not easy. It’s an arduous task that requires unique skills. And yet, on virtually every play, the Patriots rely on Wilfork to man this task at a dominant level. A look at the numbers affirms his importance: According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Patriots in the past five seasons have allowed 4.1 yards per rush with Wilfork on the field, ninth-best in the NFL. When Wilfork was off the field, the Patriots ranked last in yards per rush allowed (5.0).
It usually takes place after a morning practice, often on a Saturday, and the circumstances are these: If a player of his choosing -- typically a lineman -- can catch a punt, the team will have the afternoon and evening off from meetings. Six to eight extra hours of freedom may not seem like much, but during training camp, every spare minute counts.
[+] Enlarge
Winslow Townson/Getty ImagesVince Wilfork is much more than a guy who takes on double-teams on the defensive line.
As the punt soared into the air, spiraling down the field, Wilfork gently glided laterally, lining his frame up under the punt. Just seconds later, the arcing football landed in his free arm, almost as if Velcro were affixed to both the ball and his forearm.
For a moment, Wilfork could have been mistaken for his pint-sized teammate and master ball handler Kevin Faulk, a regular punt returner.
The point of this vignette is that it illustrates Wilfork’s rare athleticism for a man of his stature, proof that men who stand 6-foot-2 and well over 300 pounds can be exceptional athletes, not merely human mountains.
But not all defensive tackles have Wilfork’s movement skills. In fact, maybe a handful of others around the league do.
And that is -- at least in part -- what makes Wilfork such an invaluable member of the Patriots' defense. It’s the ability to align in a variety of spots on the defensive line, the quickness and agility to disrupt as a pass-rusher and, yes, the hands to make a play on the ball as a pass defender, as we saw against the Chargers back in 2011, when he nearly returned an interception for a score.
Three-down defensive linemen are hard to find, especially among interior defensive tackles.
Vince Wilfork fits the bill.
When the Patriots opt to put Wilfork on the injured reserve list -- which looks like a certainty at this point, after he had surgery Tuesday to repair a torn Achilles tendon -- a key cog in their defensive wheel will be done for the season.
And we haven’t even talked about Wilfork’s contributions against the run. The Patriots don’t always play three-man fronts. In fact, they often align with four men at the line of scrimmage. But when Wilfork was selected by the Pats in the 2004 draft's first round, he provided the team a refined and ready-made nose tackle to anchor the defense.
In the Patriots' two-gap system, a defensive lineman is called upon to engage an opposing offensive lineman, lock his arms out to gain leverage, and be prepared to move laterally with the flow of a run. If a running back tries to squirt through one of the two gaps the defensive lineman is controlling, it’s up to him to shed the block and make a tackle.
That’s not easy. It’s an arduous task that requires unique skills. And yet, on virtually every play, the Patriots rely on Wilfork to man this task at a dominant level. A look at the numbers affirms his importance: According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Patriots in the past five seasons have allowed 4.1 yards per rush with Wilfork on the field, ninth-best in the NFL. When Wilfork was off the field, the Patriots ranked last in yards per rush allowed (5.0).
IRVING, Texas -- Jason Garrett played quarterback for 12 years in the NFL and saw Hall of Famer Troy Aikman up close for seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys coach has studied the game forever and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is doing things never been done before.
Manning“He’s playing quarterback at maybe the highest level it’s ever been played,” Garrett said. “He’s been doing it for 15 years. He’s a fantastic player. His understanding of the game is second to none. His command is second to none. His ability to positively impact the people around him is second to none. Physically, he’s awfully good. He throws it where he wants to over and over and over again. He throws it on time. He’s accurate. He has the ability to make a ton of big plays and very few bad plays. He’s playing at as high of a level as the game has ever been played.”
Manning has 16 touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first four games. He has thrown for 1,470 yards. His quarterback rating is a ridiculous 138.0. His QBR is 91.4.
It’s only Tuesday so it might be a little early for the Cowboys to be tired of all of the Peyton Manning greatness talk, but there might come a point where all of the gushing about how well the Broncos quarterback is playing gets to be too much.
But could all of the glowing talk lead some of the defenders, rattled after last week’s performance against San Diego, make it seem like Manning is infallible?
“The one thing I would say is nobody is building him up; he’s doing it,” Garrett said. “It’s not like this is false bravado. It’s on the tape. You are going to watch the tape and see how good they are, and see how well he is playing, and the weapons that he has and how he’s using them and just how efficient and effective they’ve been. So, we are going to watch the tape and evaluate and put a plan together and we are going to go play.”
The Cowboys coach has studied the game forever and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is doing things never been done before.
Manning has 16 touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first four games. He has thrown for 1,470 yards. His quarterback rating is a ridiculous 138.0. His QBR is 91.4.
It’s only Tuesday so it might be a little early for the Cowboys to be tired of all of the Peyton Manning greatness talk, but there might come a point where all of the gushing about how well the Broncos quarterback is playing gets to be too much.
But could all of the glowing talk lead some of the defenders, rattled after last week’s performance against San Diego, make it seem like Manning is infallible?
“The one thing I would say is nobody is building him up; he’s doing it,” Garrett said. “It’s not like this is false bravado. It’s on the tape. You are going to watch the tape and see how good they are, and see how well he is playing, and the weapons that he has and how he’s using them and just how efficient and effective they’ve been. So, we are going to watch the tape and evaluate and put a plan together and we are going to go play.”
Stock Watch: Jeffery continues ascension
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
11:00
AM ET
By
Jeff Dickerson | ESPN.com
Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/Getty ImagesAlshon Jeffery had five catches for a career-high 107 yards against the Lions.RISING
FALLING
An examination of four hot issues from the Miami Dolphins' 38-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints:
Where the Dolphins stand: Last week, I mentioned several times that the “Monday Night Football” game against the Saints would provide a good measuring stick for the Dolphins. It turns out Miami isn’t close to being an elite team. At 3-1, the Dolphins are merely a second- or third-tier team finding its way. There’s nothing wrong with that for this young group. However, Miami was disappointed it didn’t at least have a better showing in front of a national audience. Losing by three touchdowns only furthers the national perception that the Dolphins aren’t a serious contender.
Ryan Tannehill lays an egg: We hadn’t seen it in a while, but the Dolphins second-year quarterback laid his first egg of the 2013 season against New Orleans. Tannehill threw for 249 yards, one touchdown and had four turnovers. Tannehill had a costly fumble and threw three interceptions. It’s extremely difficult to win on the road when the quarterback is turning over the football that much. Tannehill had been playing at an MVP level in the first three weeks. The Dolphins are only going to go as far as Tannehill takes them. So these kind of awful performances for the young quarterback need to be few and far between.
Protection issues: The Dolphins have struggled with pass protection in every game this season. Miami allowed another four sacks Monday against the Saints. Tannehill is the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL through four weeks with 18. The Dolphins must figure out a way to stop the leaks in pass protection soon before Tannehill gets injured. Once the Saints got the lead, they were able gear up against the pass and manhandle Miami's offensive line.
Champs up next: The Dolphins can’t sulk following their first loss of the season. Miami has another important game coming up against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens at Sun Life Stadium. We are going to find out a lot about Miami and its ability to bounce back from losses. This is another golden opportunity for the Dolphins to make a statement in the AFC and improve to 4-1 before the bye week. The Dolphins have had a very tough schedule to start the season. If they can enter the bye with four victories, that will be a major accomplishment.
Where the Dolphins stand: Last week, I mentioned several times that the “Monday Night Football” game against the Saints would provide a good measuring stick for the Dolphins. It turns out Miami isn’t close to being an elite team. At 3-1, the Dolphins are merely a second- or third-tier team finding its way. There’s nothing wrong with that for this young group. However, Miami was disappointed it didn’t at least have a better showing in front of a national audience. Losing by three touchdowns only furthers the national perception that the Dolphins aren’t a serious contender.
[+] Enlarge
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesRyan Tannehill was under pressure all night from the New Orleans defense.
Protection issues: The Dolphins have struggled with pass protection in every game this season. Miami allowed another four sacks Monday against the Saints. Tannehill is the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL through four weeks with 18. The Dolphins must figure out a way to stop the leaks in pass protection soon before Tannehill gets injured. Once the Saints got the lead, they were able gear up against the pass and manhandle Miami's offensive line.
Champs up next: The Dolphins can’t sulk following their first loss of the season. Miami has another important game coming up against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens at Sun Life Stadium. We are going to find out a lot about Miami and its ability to bounce back from losses. This is another golden opportunity for the Dolphins to make a statement in the AFC and improve to 4-1 before the bye week. The Dolphins have had a very tough schedule to start the season. If they can enter the bye with four victories, that will be a major accomplishment.
Cowboys' deep passing game is lacking
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
10:55
AM ET
By
Calvin Watkins | ESPN.com
IRVING, Texas -- In the first four weeks of the season, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has thrown just nine passes of 20 or more yards and fewer than 10 passes with 21 or more air yards.
To say the Cowboys don't take enough shots down the field would be fair. In Sunday's loss to the San Diego Chargers, 19 of Romo's 27 completions went for fewer than 10 yards.
Romo 
Bryant Defensive coverage, time in the pocket and play call affect whether or not Romo throws passes down the field. It would seem Romo has the weapons necessary to take shots down field in wide receiver Dez Bryant and at times rookie wideout Terrance Williams. When healthy, Miles Austin is a deep threat, but his ability to beat defenses on slants is something the Cowboys like to take advantage of.
The Cowboys struggled on third down, going 3-of-9 and had four drops in the passing game, three coming on third-down plays. The Cowboys ran the ball well, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, but still didn't challenge one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL with deep throws.
"That’s certainly something you want to do," coach Jason Garrett said of deep throws. "You want to be able to make some chunk plays in the passing game. The touchdown that Dez had, the 34-yarder, was one of those kinds of plays. A ball doesn’t always have to travel that far in the air but you want to be able to make those plays, complete the ball in the intermediate range where you give your receiver a chance to break a tackle and go score. We didn’t do that on a consistent enough basis throughout the ballgame."
The touchdown Garrett is speaking of is the throw Romo made to Bryant in tight one-on-one coverage against the Chargers on a throw to the end zone.
"He can make that catch with two people on him," Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday on KRLD-FM.
Jones said he doesn't feel the need to challenge defenses deep all the time. In the Chargers game, Jones felt Romo had time to complete all sorts of throws because the offensive line played well.
It's just interesting that Peyton Manning (17), Geno Smith (17), Philip Rivers (15) and Alex Smith (14) just to name a few have more 20-yard throws than Romo. Michael Vick leads the NFL with 23 passes of 20 or more yards.
"I think if we would have done a better job on third downs, you get a few more of those opportunities and we wanted to be balanced and consistently try to run the ball throughout," Garrett said. "We were able to do that, and hopefully you mix in a high-percentage game with a chunk, big-play passing game and that’s the way you want to play offensive football."
To say the Cowboys don't take enough shots down the field would be fair. In Sunday's loss to the San Diego Chargers, 19 of Romo's 27 completions went for fewer than 10 yards.
The Cowboys struggled on third down, going 3-of-9 and had four drops in the passing game, three coming on third-down plays. The Cowboys ran the ball well, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, but still didn't challenge one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL with deep throws.
"That’s certainly something you want to do," coach Jason Garrett said of deep throws. "You want to be able to make some chunk plays in the passing game. The touchdown that Dez had, the 34-yarder, was one of those kinds of plays. A ball doesn’t always have to travel that far in the air but you want to be able to make those plays, complete the ball in the intermediate range where you give your receiver a chance to break a tackle and go score. We didn’t do that on a consistent enough basis throughout the ballgame."
The touchdown Garrett is speaking of is the throw Romo made to Bryant in tight one-on-one coverage against the Chargers on a throw to the end zone.
"He can make that catch with two people on him," Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday on KRLD-FM.
Jones said he doesn't feel the need to challenge defenses deep all the time. In the Chargers game, Jones felt Romo had time to complete all sorts of throws because the offensive line played well.
It's just interesting that Peyton Manning (17), Geno Smith (17), Philip Rivers (15) and Alex Smith (14) just to name a few have more 20-yard throws than Romo. Michael Vick leads the NFL with 23 passes of 20 or more yards.
"I think if we would have done a better job on third downs, you get a few more of those opportunities and we wanted to be balanced and consistently try to run the ball throughout," Garrett said. "We were able to do that, and hopefully you mix in a high-percentage game with a chunk, big-play passing game and that’s the way you want to play offensive football."
The uproar after Week 1 was how much the Baltimore Ravens missed wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and the Ravens certainly would benefit from his toughness and clutch plays. But the Ravens miss tight end Dennis Pitta much more than Boldin.
Pitta, who is on the injured reserve-designated for return list after injuring his hip in training camp, may have been the Ravens' leading receiver at this point. Now the tight end position is one of the biggest weaknesses for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Pitta
BoldinThe Ravens have gotten little production out of Dallas Clark, Ed Dickson and Billy Bajema. Joe Flacco has connected on a little more than half of his passes to them (20 completions on 39 targets). Compare that to last year with Pitta, who caught 65.5 percent of the passes thrown his way (61 of 93).
The Ravens' tight ends have scored no touchdowns and have produced no catches more than 20 yards. Pitta had seven touchdowns and eight receptions greater than 20 yards.
Entering the season, the Ravens looked like they were in better position to handle the loss of Pitta more than the void left by the trade of Boldin. But undrafted wide receiver Marlon Brown, who has filled Boldin's spot in the starting lineup, leads the team with three touchdowns.
The biggest disappointment for the Ravens is Dickson. He has dropped four of the nine passes thrown in his direction, according to Pro Football Focus. One pass in Buffalo went off Dickson's hands and resulted in an interception.
The Ravens are clearly losing patience with Dickson.
“Ed just needs to go catch the ball,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He needs to run fast, get open and catch the football, put it away and get up field. That’s all he needs to do. And if he’s thinking about anything besides that, he’s doing himself a disservice.”
The pressure is on Dickson, who will be a free agent after the season. Through four games, he has more drops than catches (three).
"Mentally, it seems like a bad dream," Dickson said.
The Ravens' tight ends have produced the fewest receiving yards in the AFC North. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers, who didn't have Heath Miller for two games, have gotten 230 yards out of their tight ends, which is 12 more than the Ravens. Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron has more catches, yards and touchdowns than the entire tight end group in Baltimore.
The statistics would look different if the Ravens had gotten the projected production out of Dickson. A third-round draft pick in 2010, Dickson caught 54 passes and scored five touchdowns in 2011.
“The stats kind of speak for themselves that you’re alluding to,” Harbaugh said. “He’s not the same player right now that he was then, obviously.”
Pitta, who is on the injured reserve-designated for return list after injuring his hip in training camp, may have been the Ravens' leading receiver at this point. Now the tight end position is one of the biggest weaknesses for the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Ravens' tight ends have scored no touchdowns and have produced no catches more than 20 yards. Pitta had seven touchdowns and eight receptions greater than 20 yards.
Entering the season, the Ravens looked like they were in better position to handle the loss of Pitta more than the void left by the trade of Boldin. But undrafted wide receiver Marlon Brown, who has filled Boldin's spot in the starting lineup, leads the team with three touchdowns.
The biggest disappointment for the Ravens is Dickson. He has dropped four of the nine passes thrown in his direction, according to Pro Football Focus. One pass in Buffalo went off Dickson's hands and resulted in an interception.
The Ravens are clearly losing patience with Dickson.
“Ed just needs to go catch the ball,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He needs to run fast, get open and catch the football, put it away and get up field. That’s all he needs to do. And if he’s thinking about anything besides that, he’s doing himself a disservice.”
The pressure is on Dickson, who will be a free agent after the season. Through four games, he has more drops than catches (three).
"Mentally, it seems like a bad dream," Dickson said.
The Ravens' tight ends have produced the fewest receiving yards in the AFC North. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers, who didn't have Heath Miller for two games, have gotten 230 yards out of their tight ends, which is 12 more than the Ravens. Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Cameron has more catches, yards and touchdowns than the entire tight end group in Baltimore.
The statistics would look different if the Ravens had gotten the projected production out of Dickson. A third-round draft pick in 2010, Dickson caught 54 passes and scored five touchdowns in 2011.
“The stats kind of speak for themselves that you’re alluding to,” Harbaugh said. “He’s not the same player right now that he was then, obviously.”
“The replay system is not working. The ruling on the field stands. New England will not be charged a timeout.”
That was the announcement made by referee Walt Coleman midway through the fourth quarter of the New England Patriots’ 30-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, and represented an embarrassing moment of sorts for the NFL.
BelichickThe Patriots (leading 30-13) had challenged a completion to receiver Julio Jones, directly in front of the New England sideline. Bill Belichick was decisive in throwing his red challenge flag after it was ruled Jones had made the catch.
Then, after what seemed like a lengthier-than-normal delay, Coleman informed the nation that the replay system was down.
We all saw Belichick’s reaction, his arms lifted into the air, his palms pointing up, his head shaking as if to say, “Are you serious?” (we're going with the PG, family-friendly version here.)
A day later, he was asked about the unusual occurrence during his weekly radio interview on sports radio WEEI.
“In that situation, you’re just playing without replay, which is the way we played for years and years. That’s what it is, but I mean, the fact we have however many zillions of dollars committed to this system and it doesn’t work, that’s a whole another discussion,” Belichick said on the “Salk and Holley” program.
Nice little zinger there from Belichick, who said he also would have challenged the second play after Jones’ upheld catch, when he felt an incomplete pass should have instead been a Chandler Jones sack.
The system was later fixed.
“That’s a question that really should be asked to the league office and the officials, because I don’t have a good answer for it,” Belichick said.
That was the announcement made by referee Walt Coleman midway through the fourth quarter of the New England Patriots’ 30-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, and represented an embarrassing moment of sorts for the NFL.
Then, after what seemed like a lengthier-than-normal delay, Coleman informed the nation that the replay system was down.
We all saw Belichick’s reaction, his arms lifted into the air, his palms pointing up, his head shaking as if to say, “Are you serious?” (we're going with the PG, family-friendly version here.)
A day later, he was asked about the unusual occurrence during his weekly radio interview on sports radio WEEI.
“In that situation, you’re just playing without replay, which is the way we played for years and years. That’s what it is, but I mean, the fact we have however many zillions of dollars committed to this system and it doesn’t work, that’s a whole another discussion,” Belichick said on the “Salk and Holley” program.
Nice little zinger there from Belichick, who said he also would have challenged the second play after Jones’ upheld catch, when he felt an incomplete pass should have instead been a Chandler Jones sack.
The system was later fixed.
“That’s a question that really should be asked to the league office and the officials, because I don’t have a good answer for it,” Belichick said.
IRVING, Texas – It’s time for Five Wonders while wondering just how many yards Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will throw for Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
1. We’ll keep it with the Manning theme with the first wonder. The Cowboys have allowed two 400-yard passing games in a season for the first time in team history. That they came in the first four games is troubling with Eli Manning throwing for 450 yards and Philip Rivers throwing for 401 yards. I wonder how many 400-yard games they will allow this season. This Sunday they see Peyton Manning. In the future they get New Orleans’ Drew Brees, who threw for 446 yards against them last season, Detroit’s Matthew Stafford, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, Philadelphia’s Michael Vick and Chicago’s Jay Cutler. Vick and Rodgers already have 400-yard games this season. Washington’s Robert Griffin III has the capability of a 400-yard game. And then there’s a rematch with Eli Manning and the Giants. I wonder if the total will be four or five. What do you think?
2. I wonder if the Cowboys need to take shots down the field offensively. It’s not about throwing go routes all of the time, but the field shrinks when the Cowboys don’t take shots. So far this season Tony Romo has completed 72.4 percent of his passes, but he has only three completions of 25 yards or more. In 2012 he had 34. In 2011 he had 35. In 2009 he had 39. The offense has changed, and I don’t believe it’s Bill Callahan’s West Coast philosophy. I believe it’s Romo being more sure with the ball and getting rid of it quicker. Manning is the best quarterback in the world right now and he has 11 passes of at least 25 yards. Vick leads the NFL with 15. Romo is on pace for 12 this season. He is in a tough spot because if he throws it up for Dez Bryant or Miles Austin to make a play and the pass is intercepted he has to hear how he’s forcing the ball too much. That shouldn’t dictate his thought process and I don’t believe it does, but did anybody see Atlanta’s Matt Ryan just throw it up to Julio Jones on Sunday night? At some point you have to take chances.
3. I wonder how Orlando Scandrick will do against Wes Welker. He fared pretty well against him when the Cowboys played at the New England Patriots in 2011. Welker had a touchdown, but caught six passes for 45 yards. Leading into that game Welker had at least 81 yards in every game. He had only three games with fewer than 45 yards the rest of the season on his way to a 122-catch, 1,569-yard season. Scandrick’s quickness helps in his matchup with Welker, but so does his aggressiveness. He can play as well as he possibly can against Welker, but the Broncos have Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Julius Thomas that will cause the Cowboys issues.
4. I wonder when the Cowboys realize their running game is at its best when they run out of three-wide receiver formations. They want to be as 12 personnel team and run two-tight end formations as much as possible, but it’s just not sticking so far. The Cowboys like it because they feel like they can dictate to the defense because 12 personnel does not allow the defense to determine the strength of the formation. By my count, DeMarco Murray has 152 yards on 25 carries out of 11 personnel in the last two games. He has 83 yards on 15 carries out of 12 or 13 personnel. Both are good, but 41 of those 83 yards came on one play against St. Louis. When the field is spread, Murray is a better runner and the Cowboys are able to block it better. This running game is not about overpowering defenses. It’s about angles. With more room, Murray looks like he can get to the angles better.
5. The Cowboys have shown nothing has changed from the last two years with their win-one, lose-one start to the first quarter of the season. I picked them to go 10-6 at the start of the season and to be a wild-card team. Clearly the NFC East will not get a wild-card spot, so the Cowboys will have to win the division. Getting off to a 3-1 start was a must, in my view, and they are 2-2. So now I wonder where they will steal a win later in the season to make up for it. This week against Denver? Hard to be confident in that one. At Detroit later in the year? Stafford is playing well. At Chicago? Winning in December at Soldier Field is tough. At New Orleans? Yikes. Winning their division games is even more important now and they might have to win five of their six games inside the NFC, so they have to sweep the Giants and sweep either the Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Redskins. Garrett does not look at it like this. He’s a one-game-at-a-time kind of guy, but that doesn’t mean the guys in the locker room are thinking that way too.
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Drew Hallowell/Philadelphia Eagles/Getty ImagesStopping Peyton Manning is going to be a tall task for a Dallas defense that has already allowed two 400-yard passers this season.
2. I wonder if the Cowboys need to take shots down the field offensively. It’s not about throwing go routes all of the time, but the field shrinks when the Cowboys don’t take shots. So far this season Tony Romo has completed 72.4 percent of his passes, but he has only three completions of 25 yards or more. In 2012 he had 34. In 2011 he had 35. In 2009 he had 39. The offense has changed, and I don’t believe it’s Bill Callahan’s West Coast philosophy. I believe it’s Romo being more sure with the ball and getting rid of it quicker. Manning is the best quarterback in the world right now and he has 11 passes of at least 25 yards. Vick leads the NFL with 15. Romo is on pace for 12 this season. He is in a tough spot because if he throws it up for Dez Bryant or Miles Austin to make a play and the pass is intercepted he has to hear how he’s forcing the ball too much. That shouldn’t dictate his thought process and I don’t believe it does, but did anybody see Atlanta’s Matt Ryan just throw it up to Julio Jones on Sunday night? At some point you have to take chances.
3. I wonder how Orlando Scandrick will do against Wes Welker. He fared pretty well against him when the Cowboys played at the New England Patriots in 2011. Welker had a touchdown, but caught six passes for 45 yards. Leading into that game Welker had at least 81 yards in every game. He had only three games with fewer than 45 yards the rest of the season on his way to a 122-catch, 1,569-yard season. Scandrick’s quickness helps in his matchup with Welker, but so does his aggressiveness. He can play as well as he possibly can against Welker, but the Broncos have Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Julius Thomas that will cause the Cowboys issues.
4. I wonder when the Cowboys realize their running game is at its best when they run out of three-wide receiver formations. They want to be as 12 personnel team and run two-tight end formations as much as possible, but it’s just not sticking so far. The Cowboys like it because they feel like they can dictate to the defense because 12 personnel does not allow the defense to determine the strength of the formation. By my count, DeMarco Murray has 152 yards on 25 carries out of 11 personnel in the last two games. He has 83 yards on 15 carries out of 12 or 13 personnel. Both are good, but 41 of those 83 yards came on one play against St. Louis. When the field is spread, Murray is a better runner and the Cowboys are able to block it better. This running game is not about overpowering defenses. It’s about angles. With more room, Murray looks like he can get to the angles better.
5. The Cowboys have shown nothing has changed from the last two years with their win-one, lose-one start to the first quarter of the season. I picked them to go 10-6 at the start of the season and to be a wild-card team. Clearly the NFC East will not get a wild-card spot, so the Cowboys will have to win the division. Getting off to a 3-1 start was a must, in my view, and they are 2-2. So now I wonder where they will steal a win later in the season to make up for it. This week against Denver? Hard to be confident in that one. At Detroit later in the year? Stafford is playing well. At Chicago? Winning in December at Soldier Field is tough. At New Orleans? Yikes. Winning their division games is even more important now and they might have to win five of their six games inside the NFC, so they have to sweep the Giants and sweep either the Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Redskins. Garrett does not look at it like this. He’s a one-game-at-a-time kind of guy, but that doesn’t mean the guys in the locker room are thinking that way too.
NEW ORLEANS -- An examination of four hot issues from the New Orleans Saints' 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins:
Feeling it: Saints quarterback Drew Brees insisted that the Saints still haven’t played their best game and still have plenty of work to do. At the same time, he was willing to admit that the Saints (4-0) are feeling some similarities to their Super Bowl season of 2009, when they started 13-0. In both cases, the Saints were eager to bounce back after missing the playoffs. And in both cases, they were starting fresh with a fiery new defensive coordinator (this time Rob Ryan).
"I'd say there's some similarities in regards to the type of offseason we’ve had, as competitive as it was," Brees said. "Just that feeling: 'Man, we can’t wait to get on the field and then show ourselves, show people what we're about' and continue to gain confidence and continue to get a little bit better each and every game, too."
ESPN columnist Ashley Fox chronicled how much it has meant to have coach Sean Payton back from his season-long suspension.
Saints tight end Jimmy Graham also referenced that passion Brees described, saying that a lot of players came into this season with chips on their shoulders. "Or bricks, you could say," Graham said.
Tough road ahead: Just as quickly, though, Brees pointed out that it doesn’t get any easier for the Saints over the next two weeks. They have a quick turnaround game at the Chicago Bears (3-1) on Sunday, followed by another road game at the New England Patriots (4-0).
"We've got a tough road ahead," Brees said. "We’re at Chicago here on a short week, and they’re coming off a tough loss [to the Detroit Lions]. They're gonna be ready to play us, no doubt. And we've struggled there, to be honest with you [three straight losses in the 2006 playoffs and ’07 and ’08 regular seasons]."
Defense stays strong: The Saints offense took center stage Monday night, but the revamped defense continued to come up big. Cornerback Jabari Greer's interception and linebacker Curtis Lofton's forced fumble in the first half were two of the biggest plays of the game. Rookie defensive tackle John Jenkins made a big-time run stuff on third-and-1 to force Miami to settle for an early field goal. And in the second half, the Saints' defense decimated the Dolphins while they were trying to play from way behind (four sacks and two more interceptions).
The Saints gave up more yards than usual in the first half in the run game and allowed an underneath throw to turn into a 50-yard gain. But once again, they didn't let deep balls get over their heads.
Run game still weak: Once again, the Saints ran nowhere in the first half, when their running backs had a total of 5 yards on seven carries. Neither Pierre Thomas nor Khiry Robinson was immune when they tried to run up the middle. Thomas lost 2 yards on second-and-10 and lost 3 yards on second-and-1. And Robinson lost 3 yards on first-and-10.
The Saints adapted with draw plays and screen passes, etc. -- always their most effective change-of-pace plays. But they need to find a way to make the traditional power runs work.
Feeling it: Saints quarterback Drew Brees insisted that the Saints still haven’t played their best game and still have plenty of work to do. At the same time, he was willing to admit that the Saints (4-0) are feeling some similarities to their Super Bowl season of 2009, when they started 13-0. In both cases, the Saints were eager to bounce back after missing the playoffs. And in both cases, they were starting fresh with a fiery new defensive coordinator (this time Rob Ryan).
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Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesDrew Brees and the New Orleans offense found their stride Monday night against Miami.
ESPN columnist Ashley Fox chronicled how much it has meant to have coach Sean Payton back from his season-long suspension.
Saints tight end Jimmy Graham also referenced that passion Brees described, saying that a lot of players came into this season with chips on their shoulders. "Or bricks, you could say," Graham said.
Tough road ahead: Just as quickly, though, Brees pointed out that it doesn’t get any easier for the Saints over the next two weeks. They have a quick turnaround game at the Chicago Bears (3-1) on Sunday, followed by another road game at the New England Patriots (4-0).
"We've got a tough road ahead," Brees said. "We’re at Chicago here on a short week, and they’re coming off a tough loss [to the Detroit Lions]. They're gonna be ready to play us, no doubt. And we've struggled there, to be honest with you [three straight losses in the 2006 playoffs and ’07 and ’08 regular seasons]."
Defense stays strong: The Saints offense took center stage Monday night, but the revamped defense continued to come up big. Cornerback Jabari Greer's interception and linebacker Curtis Lofton's forced fumble in the first half were two of the biggest plays of the game. Rookie defensive tackle John Jenkins made a big-time run stuff on third-and-1 to force Miami to settle for an early field goal. And in the second half, the Saints' defense decimated the Dolphins while they were trying to play from way behind (four sacks and two more interceptions).
The Saints gave up more yards than usual in the first half in the run game and allowed an underneath throw to turn into a 50-yard gain. But once again, they didn't let deep balls get over their heads.
Run game still weak: Once again, the Saints ran nowhere in the first half, when their running backs had a total of 5 yards on seven carries. Neither Pierre Thomas nor Khiry Robinson was immune when they tried to run up the middle. Thomas lost 2 yards on second-and-10 and lost 3 yards on second-and-1. And Robinson lost 3 yards on first-and-10.
The Saints adapted with draw plays and screen passes, etc. -- always their most effective change-of-pace plays. But they need to find a way to make the traditional power runs work.
Thomas thankful for concussion awareness
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
8:00
AM ET
By
David Newton | ESPN.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Josh Thomas practically begged doctors to let him play against the New York Giants nine days ago.
He told them he felt fine, that there were no side effects from the concussion he suffered a week earlier against Buffalo.
When Dr. Jerry Petty said no, Thomas was disappointed.
Thomas "Very, very surprised," he said Monday.
And thankful.
As down as Thomas was that he couldn't be a part of the 38-0 victory that coach Ron Rivera hopes is a catalyst for more wins, he's glad the league is taking such a hard stance on concussions to protect the long-term health of the players.
He's fortunate there are doctors thinking about him instead of what the coaches might want.
That the league reached a $765 million settlement over concussion-related brain injuries after more than 4,500 former NFL players filed suit has heightened awareness.
Thomas definitely paid attention.
"I mean, everything is for a good cause," Thomas said. "I understand the volume of what having a concussion is like. I don't take it lightly, and the NFL isn't taking it lightly. That's what you like the most, that they're taking the best interest for the players and not just themselves nowadays."
Thomas has been cleared to play this week against the Arizona Cardinals. He got it shortly after the Giants game.
Now he's back working with the first team after relative unknowns such as cornerback Melvin White and safety Robert Lester stepped up while Thomas and others were spectators.
Carolina (1-2) has gone from searching for enough players to fill the secondary to figuring out who might have to sit against the Cardinals (2-2) as safety Quintin Mikell (ankle) and defensive back D.J. Moore (knee) also are expected back.
"It's going to be an interesting week for us," Rivera said.
But it's a nice problem to have. And having players as selfless as Thomas has to make it a nicer problem.
"Because it's not about me," Thomas said. "It's about that 'W' we got in the last game."
The game may not have been about Thomas, but the decision to hold him out was all about Thomas. It wasn't that long ago that he would have been put back on the field without regard to his health.
"This game is built on entertainment and also safety," Thomas said. "You want to play the game the most safe way possible."
He told them he felt fine, that there were no side effects from the concussion he suffered a week earlier against Buffalo.
When Dr. Jerry Petty said no, Thomas was disappointed.
And thankful.
As down as Thomas was that he couldn't be a part of the 38-0 victory that coach Ron Rivera hopes is a catalyst for more wins, he's glad the league is taking such a hard stance on concussions to protect the long-term health of the players.
He's fortunate there are doctors thinking about him instead of what the coaches might want.
That the league reached a $765 million settlement over concussion-related brain injuries after more than 4,500 former NFL players filed suit has heightened awareness.
Thomas definitely paid attention.
"I mean, everything is for a good cause," Thomas said. "I understand the volume of what having a concussion is like. I don't take it lightly, and the NFL isn't taking it lightly. That's what you like the most, that they're taking the best interest for the players and not just themselves nowadays."
Thomas has been cleared to play this week against the Arizona Cardinals. He got it shortly after the Giants game.
Now he's back working with the first team after relative unknowns such as cornerback Melvin White and safety Robert Lester stepped up while Thomas and others were spectators.
Carolina (1-2) has gone from searching for enough players to fill the secondary to figuring out who might have to sit against the Cardinals (2-2) as safety Quintin Mikell (ankle) and defensive back D.J. Moore (knee) also are expected back.
"It's going to be an interesting week for us," Rivera said.
But it's a nice problem to have. And having players as selfless as Thomas has to make it a nicer problem.
"Because it's not about me," Thomas said. "It's about that 'W' we got in the last game."
The game may not have been about Thomas, but the decision to hold him out was all about Thomas. It wasn't that long ago that he would have been put back on the field without regard to his health.
"This game is built on entertainment and also safety," Thomas said. "You want to play the game the most safe way possible."
Carroll needs patchwork O-Line to 'survive'
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
8:00
AM ET
By
Terry Blount | ESPN.com
RENTON, Wash. -- When Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked Monday how his patchwork offensive line did against the Houston Texans, he used the same word a couple of times, which seemed appropriate: Survived.
Carroll was asked how rookie right tackle Michael Bowie held up against unstoppable J.J. Watt.
“Yeah, he survived the game,” Carroll said of Bowie.
And what about Paul McQuistan, moving from guard to make his second consecutive start at left tackle Russell Okung?
Bowie
McQuistan“He’s surviving,” Carroll said of McQuistan.
You can read between the lines. In other words, both men did their best and left the field healthy, but didn’t exactly take charge out there.
The truth is, none of the five starters up front did that, including guards James Carpenter and J.R. Sweezy, or back-up center Lemuel Jeanpierre, who started for injured Pro Bowler Max Unger. Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked five times and was under constant pressure.
Yet the Seahawks still found a way to come from behind and beat a good team on the road 23-20 in overtime, remaining unbeaten at 4-0.
However, can the Seahawks continue to do that with an offensive line that’s struggling and trying to find its way?
“Well they’re going to get better,” Carroll said of the offensive line. “They’re going to improve. It’s going to be easier for Mike with the second time out at right tackle. I thought he and Sweezy did better as the game went on. They struggled early and got better in terms of working together. So, hopefully, that will continue to improve.”
It needs to because Bowie will continue to start a few weeks longer. Starting right tackle Breno Giacomini had arthroscopic knee surgery Monday. Carroll said doctors told him the procedure went well and Giacomini could return soon, but the timetable is uncertain.
All Carroll hopes to see from Bowie is his best effort to get better.
“I don’t know that we could ask for any more than that,” Carroll said. “He did improve during the game [at Houston], which what’s most encouraging. Mike is going to be a good football player. We really don’t have any question about that. He’s growing quickly. He was comfortable with it and it wasn’t too big for him. So I’m hoping that we’ll see real steady improvement here in the next couple of weeks until Breno has a chance to come back.”
Unger (who missed the Houston game with a triceps injury) could return this weekend at center, but McQuistan is the likely starter at left tackle for at least six more week until Okung is eligible to come off injured reserve.
“It’s not his natural spot, but with smarts and utilizing the scheme he’s getting through it,” Carroll said of McQuistan. “That’s all we can hope for him to continue to do for us. It’s a big challenge out there. He’s getting great players [lining up against him] week in and week out and he’s going to work hard to survive it.”
Survival is the minimum requirement. Anything more is a bonus.
Bennett OK: There were a lot of concerned faces among the Seahawks when defensive linemen Michael Bennett was face down on the turf before being carted off the field in the first half Sunday. He was taken to a Houston hospital, but Bennett returned to Reliant Stadium late in the second half and was walking on the sideline. He strained a muscle in his lower back.
“Michael is gonna be OK and will practice this week,’’ Carroll said Monday about Bennett. “He was feeling pretty good [Monday]. He was really scared when it happened and didn’t know what was going on. We will see how much he can work, but hope he can play this week.”
Carroll was asked how rookie right tackle Michael Bowie held up against unstoppable J.J. Watt.
“Yeah, he survived the game,” Carroll said of Bowie.
And what about Paul McQuistan, moving from guard to make his second consecutive start at left tackle Russell Okung?
You can read between the lines. In other words, both men did their best and left the field healthy, but didn’t exactly take charge out there.
The truth is, none of the five starters up front did that, including guards James Carpenter and J.R. Sweezy, or back-up center Lemuel Jeanpierre, who started for injured Pro Bowler Max Unger. Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked five times and was under constant pressure.
Yet the Seahawks still found a way to come from behind and beat a good team on the road 23-20 in overtime, remaining unbeaten at 4-0.
However, can the Seahawks continue to do that with an offensive line that’s struggling and trying to find its way?
“Well they’re going to get better,” Carroll said of the offensive line. “They’re going to improve. It’s going to be easier for Mike with the second time out at right tackle. I thought he and Sweezy did better as the game went on. They struggled early and got better in terms of working together. So, hopefully, that will continue to improve.”
It needs to because Bowie will continue to start a few weeks longer. Starting right tackle Breno Giacomini had arthroscopic knee surgery Monday. Carroll said doctors told him the procedure went well and Giacomini could return soon, but the timetable is uncertain.
All Carroll hopes to see from Bowie is his best effort to get better.
“I don’t know that we could ask for any more than that,” Carroll said. “He did improve during the game [at Houston], which what’s most encouraging. Mike is going to be a good football player. We really don’t have any question about that. He’s growing quickly. He was comfortable with it and it wasn’t too big for him. So I’m hoping that we’ll see real steady improvement here in the next couple of weeks until Breno has a chance to come back.”
Unger (who missed the Houston game with a triceps injury) could return this weekend at center, but McQuistan is the likely starter at left tackle for at least six more week until Okung is eligible to come off injured reserve.
“It’s not his natural spot, but with smarts and utilizing the scheme he’s getting through it,” Carroll said of McQuistan. “That’s all we can hope for him to continue to do for us. It’s a big challenge out there. He’s getting great players [lining up against him] week in and week out and he’s going to work hard to survive it.”
Survival is the minimum requirement. Anything more is a bonus.
Bennett OK: There were a lot of concerned faces among the Seahawks when defensive linemen Michael Bennett was face down on the turf before being carted off the field in the first half Sunday. He was taken to a Houston hospital, but Bennett returned to Reliant Stadium late in the second half and was walking on the sideline. He strained a muscle in his lower back.
“Michael is gonna be OK and will practice this week,’’ Carroll said Monday about Bennett. “He was feeling pretty good [Monday]. He was really scared when it happened and didn’t know what was going on. We will see how much he can work, but hope he can play this week.”
Jay Cutler dispels rumors of illness
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
7:00
AM ET
By
Michael C. Wright | ESPN.com
In addition to acknowledging his role in the Chicago Bears' 40-32 loss on Sunday to the Detroit Lions, quarterback Jay Cutler dispelled rumors that illness factored into his performance.
Cutler committed four turnovers -- three interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown -- as Chicago had its first loss of the season on Sunday at Ford Field, with the quarterback completing just 27 of 47 passes for 317 yards and a passer rating of 65.6.
"I felt good. I felt fine. Do I look all right?" Cutler asked Monday on ESPN 1000's "The Jay Cutler Show". "I wasn't sick. If I [were] sick, I wouldn't say anything. It didn't happen. Nothing had any impact on the way I played. I missed some throws; wish I could have three or four of them back like we talked about. But we can't. So it only counts as one game, just like the other ones."
Cutler entered the game with his average pass traveling 3 yards through the first three outings, but he threw 45 percent of his passes more than 10 yards downfield against the Lions, with the average pass traveling 12.3 yards. That, not to mention Detroit's pass rush, played a role in Cutler committing four turnovers and converting only one third down in 13 attempts.
Bears coach Marc Trestman said Cutler made good decisions, but failed to throw the ball accurately on too many occasions. By attempting longer passes, Cutler increased the level of difficulty on his throws. During the first three weeks of the season, Cutler opted for more high-percentage attempts (shorter throws) which increased his completion percentage.
Cutler acknowledged the true test for the team now is how the Bears rebound against the Saints after the difficult loss at Detroit.
"I think that's fair," Cutler said. "That's how this is: You never really are in the present in the NFL. You're either talking about what's coming up or you're talking about what just happened. You're never really living in the moment and talking about the now, and ‘What can we do now to get better?' That's what our job is as players, and that's the perspective we've got to keep. Obviously you've got to look at what's ahead of you. But after that game is over, you've looked at it, it's over with. The only thing right now that we can control is getting ready for the Saints. I think we learned a lot about our team already in the second half of that Detroit game; the way that offensively we kept fighting."
Trestman said Cutler "expressed his sense of accountability" for his performance Monday during meetings at Halas Hall.
"I'm encouraged," Trestman said. "I see him do so many things in practice, moving his feet and doing the right things. But he's got to hang onto the ball on the quick throw he had to the left backed up. He dropped the ball down. He put it in one hand. He's got to have it in two hands, and he's got to throw it away or move on. He was trying to make something happen late and he let his fundamentals go. These are things he's done better this year, and we're going to work at them. We're in Game 4 and know we've got to get better. That's what we'll attempt to do this week."
Cutler committed four turnovers -- three interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown -- as Chicago had its first loss of the season on Sunday at Ford Field, with the quarterback completing just 27 of 47 passes for 317 yards and a passer rating of 65.6.
"I felt good. I felt fine. Do I look all right?" Cutler asked Monday on ESPN 1000's "The Jay Cutler Show". "I wasn't sick. If I [were] sick, I wouldn't say anything. It didn't happen. Nothing had any impact on the way I played. I missed some throws; wish I could have three or four of them back like we talked about. But we can't. So it only counts as one game, just like the other ones."
Cutler entered the game with his average pass traveling 3 yards through the first three outings, but he threw 45 percent of his passes more than 10 yards downfield against the Lions, with the average pass traveling 12.3 yards. That, not to mention Detroit's pass rush, played a role in Cutler committing four turnovers and converting only one third down in 13 attempts.
Bears coach Marc Trestman said Cutler made good decisions, but failed to throw the ball accurately on too many occasions. By attempting longer passes, Cutler increased the level of difficulty on his throws. During the first three weeks of the season, Cutler opted for more high-percentage attempts (shorter throws) which increased his completion percentage.
Cutler acknowledged the true test for the team now is how the Bears rebound against the Saints after the difficult loss at Detroit.
"I think that's fair," Cutler said. "That's how this is: You never really are in the present in the NFL. You're either talking about what's coming up or you're talking about what just happened. You're never really living in the moment and talking about the now, and ‘What can we do now to get better?' That's what our job is as players, and that's the perspective we've got to keep. Obviously you've got to look at what's ahead of you. But after that game is over, you've looked at it, it's over with. The only thing right now that we can control is getting ready for the Saints. I think we learned a lot about our team already in the second half of that Detroit game; the way that offensively we kept fighting."
Trestman said Cutler "expressed his sense of accountability" for his performance Monday during meetings at Halas Hall.
"I'm encouraged," Trestman said. "I see him do so many things in practice, moving his feet and doing the right things. But he's got to hang onto the ball on the quick throw he had to the left backed up. He dropped the ball down. He put it in one hand. He's got to have it in two hands, and he's got to throw it away or move on. He was trying to make something happen late and he let his fundamentals go. These are things he's done better this year, and we're going to work at them. We're in Game 4 and know we've got to get better. That's what we'll attempt to do this week."
Pick your poison: Sproles, Graham deadly
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
3:25
AM ET
By
Mike Triplett | ESPN.com
AP Photo/Bill HaberJimmy Graham had four catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns against Miami.NEW ORLEANS -- For the first 21 minutes of Monday night’s game, the Miami Dolphins did something that no other defense had been able to do against the New Orleans Saints all season. They contained tight end Jimmy Graham, holding him without a single catch.
The only problem? The Dolphins allowed Saints running back Darren Sproles to rack up more than 100 receiving yards during that span.
Then when Miami finally started focusing on Sproles, Graham wound up with 100 receiving yards of his own as the Saints’ offense exploded in a 38-17 victory inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns, while the Saints moved to 4-0 on the season -- a far cry from their 0-4 start in 2012.
“Well, 0-4 to 4-0, this feels a lot better,” Brees deadpanned afterward. “But still we haven’t played our best football, and it feels good to say that. We left some opportunities out there tonight. We scored 38, but it should’ve been more.”
Believe it or not, Brees is probably right. The Saints’ passing offense is starting to show signs of finding the same rhythm it had in 2011, when Brees shattered Dan Marino’s passing mark with 5,476 yards and 46 touchdown passes.
The Saints still need to find a running game; that has been practically nonexistent this year. But clearly they’ve rediscovered the nearly-indefensible combination of Graham and Sproles (not to mention receiver Marques Colston and several other weapons in their versatile attack).
“We tried a variety of different coverages. We tried zone. We tried man. We tried some pressures,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said of the unique matchup problems the Saints present.
Sure, the Saints had those same weapons last year. But Graham and Sproles both battled injuries. And their symphony was missing its conductor.
When asked what’s different now, Sproles didn’t hesitate.
“Coach [Sean] Payton’s back,” he said.
And what specifically has Payton brought?
“He’s a genius,” Sproles said.
Sproles then expanded his answer to say that Payton is great at being able to move his pieces around and figure out where a defense is most vulnerable.
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Chuck Cook/USA TODAY SportsDarren Sproles had seven catches for 117 yards and had two total touchdowns.
Payton has been seeing even more opportunities to exploit defenses over his past two seasons as New Orleans coach.
The Saints' offense has been outstanding ever since Payton and Brees first arrived in 2006. But they became a whole different monster in 2011, when Graham and Sproles emerged as their two most dynamic weapons (Graham as a second-year player at the time, and Sproles as a free-agent acquisition from the San Diego Chargers).
Graham and Sproles create two of the most unique matchup challenges in the NFL. And they’re downright deadly under the direction of Payton’s scheming and Brees’ on-field decision-making.
Graham said it’s also made a big difference that Brees was around during the offseason. He was gone last summer while working out his new contract. Graham pointed out this is actually the first time in his career that he and Brees have been together for an entire offseason.
“And I feel like the first four games, it’s showing,” said Graham, who now has 458 receiving yards and six touchdowns through just four games.
“It feels great,” Graham said after catching four passes for 100 yards and two scores on Monday night. “This offense is so dynamic, and in the first half [the Dolphins] were doing some things differently, especially when I was split out, with safeties and corners. And that leaves Sproles one-on-one. And he’s terrifying from the backfield. He’s just a dynamic player.
“And this team is so dynamic. We have so many weapons. And Drew knows exactly where to go with the ball. There’s no hesitation in his game at all.”
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Case in point (B): Sproles was actually Brees’ third option on a 13-yard touchdown pass before halftime. But as Brees described it, “We had Jimmy and Marques running up on that side as well. So I think there was a lot of attention put on those guys, and Sproles just kind of snuck out to the sideline.”
Obviously, it’s not just a two-man show in New Orleans. As ESPN analyst KC Joyner said Monday night, Colston is an awfully dangerous “third” option in a passing attack. Colston also had zero catches in the first half before the Dolphins picked a different poison. And he wound up with seven catches for 96 yards in the second half.
Even more impressively, the Saints did this without injured receiver Lance Moore, who had a 1,000-yard season last year. Rookie receiver Kenny Stills caught four passes for 38 yards. Second-year pro Nick Toon caught his first NFL pass for 18 yards on a still-critical third-and-12 play in the first half. And veteran tight end Benjamin Watson caught his first touchdown pass as a Saint in the third quarter.
“You know, we move ‘em around so much and we do so many different things with ‘em that I think it’s hard for defenses to get a key on exactly where they’re gonna be,” Brees said. “We’ve had a lot of time to practice it, so we’ll continue to find ways to do that and keep defenses off balance.”
The Saints offense just getting warmed up? A scary thought.
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