When it comes to starting quarterback clarity, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin are masters of the great American sports pastime: YWTKAINTY — You Want To Know And I’m Not Telling You. (OK, that’s not a real pastime.)
Both are exemplary coaches, both are competitive and both love the pettiness of keeping their starters a secret.
Everyone on the active roster practicing except Jordan Morgan. Tucker Kraft is in a red non-contact jersey for his shoulder.
Here’s Jordan Love: pic.twitter.com/np6wesNDBZ
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 25, 2024
Before we delve into the latest updates on specific players and teams, let’s address a hot topic buzzing around the league: The notion that the top of this year’s draft class, No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels, are mirroring last year’s top two.
The many trusted decision-makers I spoke with from around the league made it clear: There are virtually no similarities between this year’s top two and last year’s, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.
To understand why, let’s start in Washington. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and his Commanders staff have put together an offense that fits all of Daniels’ strengths. They are giving him plays he’s comfortable running, many of which we saw him run at LSU. That sounds simple, right? Give your quarterback plays he’s confident executing. Yet, that doesn’t always happen when teams are bringing along a rookie quarterback.
Kingsbury is also doing some of what he did when he and Kyler Murray were both in their first year with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019; you can see similar concepts. We have seen Daniels going on the ball and not huddling — this is done in hopes of shrinking the defense’s playbook, as well as allowing Kingsbury a chance to get the rookie into the best possible play (Kingsbury can communicate via headset until there are 15 seconds left on the play clock).
I asked an offensive coach with the Commanders what they see from Daniels when it comes to game preparations. The answer was similar to what I was told about the QB during the draft process: his impressive ability to process information. It’s been described as “remarkable” and a big reason he shined in the Commanders’ “Monday Night Football” win in Cincinnati.
That brings us to Caleb Williams, who is also exceptional at processing information. He has yet to take off in a Bears offense that is a legitimate NFL system. Williams is being asked to play with structure and lots of patience, something he isn’t used to doing. His ability to throw while on the move — specifically off-script playmaking — is his superpower and what made him a star at USC. Now he’s being sped up by defenses and getting little help from mediocre offensive line play.
All of this is compounded. The Bears started the season doing more dropback and reading defenses, then last week against the Colts it was more run game and deeper play-action off of that. I would expect Chicago to continue to try to lean on the run game so that play-action opens up, then go quick game and get Williams on the move.
So yes, Daniels is playing better right now and Washington is helping support that, but we can’t have short-term thinking with Williams and the Bears. They just need some more time to figure it out as Williams works toward mastering a true NFL offense.
In short: Caleb Williams is not Bryce Young. That’s what I’m hearing.
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This is what else I’m hearing this week:
• Jordan Love? Malik Willis? Both?
• Justin Herbert tries to do it again
• What’s really going on with Travis Kelce
• The difference for Josh Allen and Buffalo’s offense since last November
• Will the Jets have to relent on Haason Reddick’s trade demand?
• What no Maxx Crosby would mean for the Raiders — and the Browns
• The 49ers’ other problem
Love and Herbert lead the QB question marks
Here we go again. Starting quarterbacks Jordan Love of the Packers and Justin Herbert of the Chargers are fighting injuries and hoping to get back on the field on Sunday. Let’s start with the Packers.
Malik Willis has been outstanding the last two weeks, leading the Packers to two wins while Love continued to rest and rehab his knee. I have been told the same thing for weeks: Love is progressing faster than expected. The goal was always to get him back for this divisional game against the (undefeated) Vikings, but ideally, the most likely scenario would be Week 5 against the Rams.
The Packers are a surprising 2-0 with Malik Willis as the starter. (Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images)
If he plays on Sunday, Love won’t be 100 percent, but keep an eye on LaFleur possibly using Willis in a package to keep the Vikings on their toes — even if Willis doesn’t start, he could get on the field. The Vikings are preparing to see both Love and Willis on Sunday (think 2019 Titans, with Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota).
My co-host on the “Scoop City” podcast, longtime NFL QB Chase Daniel, is firmly against the Packers pushing Love to play in this game, especially against an aggressive Brian Flores defense. “You want to know the worst-case situation for the Packers? Love gets destroyed in the pocket and reaggravates the knee. Play this smart for the long term and play the hot hand. Malik Willis can win this game for you.”
Justin Herbert wants to help the Chargers get their first home win against the Chiefs since the 2013 regular-season finale when the San Diego Chargers beat a Chiefs team led by none other than Chase Daniel! (Kansas City already was locked into its playoff seed entering that game and sat starting QB Alex Smith.)
Herbert is dealing with a high ankle sprain, and while he aggravated it last week in Pittsburgh, the quarterback claims he feels pretty good. He started last week despite getting almost no practice time and still had 125 passing yards and a touchdown before he was forced from the game. If Herbert can’t go, Taylor Heinicke, who is with his seventh NFL team, is expected to get the start.
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What’s behind Kelce’s slow start
He isn’t hurt, tired, or out of shape. A Chiefs source assured me over text: “It’s such a long season, he will be there when it matters most. He started the same way last season.”
If you are wondering what type of training camp Kelce had, he didn’t miss a single Chiefs workout this summer, mandatory or voluntary. The world’s most famous tight end is everywhere, and that’s true even if you exclude the obsessive attention surrounding appearances with his superstar girlfriend. Commercials, a new acting gig in a horror TV series, a popular podcast, social media — everywhere we turn, there he is.
Some say there’s nothing wrong with a little side hustle, others question his commitment to football. It doesn’t matter what people on the outside think, it matters what the Chiefs and Kelce believe. Before signing the contract that made him the highest-paid tight end in football last spring, Kelce told Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach: He thinks he has at least two more good years left.
That Mahomes-to-Kelce connection has yet to take off in 2024. (David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Opponents are well aware of the threat he still presents and are deploying some of their best defensive backs to neutralize him, as we’ve seen with Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton and Atlanta’s Justin Simmons. The Chiefs also have other options emerging, most notably Rashee Rice. I heard about Rice’s exceptional training camp all summer, and we are all seeing it play out on game days. Patrick Mahomes has options, and Kelce may not be the best one … for now.
“When Mahomes goes off script, you can guarantee he’ll be finding Kelce when it turns into backyard ball,” a defensive coordinator scheduled to face Kansas City later this season shared with me. “His new weapons are still untapped, still a bit unknown, but make no mistake: Kelce is in the discussion on every situation. He’ll come to life when players/coaches think he’s slowing down.”
Mahomes’ favorite weapon may not be his go-to guy at the moment, but Kelce’s slow start a year ago didn’t spoil the Chiefs’ quest for a repeat. And if last year is any indication, there’s a good chance opponents will eventually be asking themselves the same question they have asked seemingly every postseason: “How is Travis Kelce always open?”
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Josh Allen’s new approach in Buffalo
It’s only three games, and the Bills know you don’t win Super Bowls in September. A great head coach once told me, “Success is like a martini, it relaxes you, and that’s when you can get into trouble.”
There are no martinis to be found when it comes to the Bills. Nor are there any brand-name receivers. It’s Josh Allen and company.
Buffalo loves what they are seeing from their quarterback. He is playing efficiently, making good decisions and taking care of the ball. Allen has effectively used all of Buffalo’s skill players and the proof was on display a few days ago against the Jaguars when 10 Bills had a reception.
Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman are just two of the many young receivers sharing the wealth in Buffalo. (Bryan Bennett / Getty Images)
The Bills are 10-2 since offensive coordinator Joe Brady took over play-calling duties last season. And the passing game is not the only aspect of the offense that is working; Buffalo is also running the ball more — in fact, they’ve run it more than anyone else in football since Week 11 of last season (34.6 times per game).
A defensive coach preparing to face the Bills provided this perspective on Allen: “He’s doing more at the line of scrimmage, breaking the huddle faster, seeing the game better and getting in and out. Handling the protections. Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes are probably the only other two quarterbacks doing that.”
Allen has more control and power. As the Ravens prepare to face the highest-scoring offense in the league on Sunday night, I’m told their focus will be on takeaways as well as production on first down, with the goal of creating long-yardage situations, which the Bills have largely avoided through the first three weeks. If the Bills win in Baltimore, expect to hear plenty more “M-V-P” chants when the team gets back to Orchard Park — and expect to hear Joe Brady’s name in anticipation of the upcoming coaching cycle. (Meanwhile, it was only a few weeks ago we asked Josh Allen on the “Scoop City” podcast how he feels about being called overrated. Wish I never brought it up!)
Where does the Haason Reddick holdout go from here?
The tally of how much money Haason Reddick has lost during his holdout from the Jets keeps growing. Want to hear something spooky? It will reach $10 million by Halloween.
There is still no resolution in sight as both sides continue to communicate. On Tuesday, quarterback Aaron Rodgers joked on “The Pat McAfee Show” that the missing edge rusher might’ve fired his agent, Tory Dandy. That didn’t actually happen; Dandy is still communicating with the Jets on behalf of his client.
The two sides have been in a stalemate for months, with Reddick convinced the Jets had promised to issue him a new contract upon his arrival. The Jets, specifically GM Joe Douglas, countered that a new offer on a long-term extension wasn’t offered because the team was told Reddick would play under his current contract, and that they’d revisit a new deal later. Reddick was traded to the Jets from the Eagles after GM Howie Roseman — a longtime friend and mentor to Douglas — was unwilling to pay the defensive end the money he was seeking, believed to be in the $25 million per year range.
Reddick reported for his introductory news conference but opted to skip spring practices, OTAs and all of training camp, and even requested a trade in August. He’s since skipped the first three weeks and there is no indication he’ll report anytime soon. The Jets stated previously that they have no intention of trading him.
While the team doesn’t want to give in, other GMs around the league believe the Jets need to start making calls. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 5 (they pushed it back this year because of the 17-game season). I don’t sense panic internally in New York, especially considering the play of 2023 first-rounder Will McDonald has been better than expected (five sacks). As for Reddick, unless he gets a new deal, I don’t expect him to show up anytime soon. At this point, it might be more surprising if he ever plays a single snap for the Jets.
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What no Maxx would mean for the Browns
It looks like the Cleveland Browns offense is getting some relief: Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby is doubtful for Sunday — it would be the first game he’s missed since the Raiders drafted him in 2019. Crosby, a team captain, recently said he would play at 50 percent health but has to make a long-term decision as he deals with a serious high ankle sprain.
Could D’Onta Foreman be in line for more work this week? (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Maybe this is the game we see the Cleveland Browns run the ball more efficiently? Before the Giants’ lost to Dallas on Thursday, New York dominated Deshaun Watson and the Browns. The Giants’ defense was actually preparing for a more run-heavy offense in Cleveland considering Watson hasn’t been stellar this season, specifically anticipating a heavy workload for D’Onta Foreman, who just two years ago averaged a career-best 4.5 yards per carry with the Panthers. Instead, the Browns barely ran it against the Giants. Maybe that should be the plan this week.
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The 49ers’ other problem
Slow starts are nothing new for Kyle Shanahan’s group — the 49ers got off to a 3-4 start two seasons ago and a 2-4 the year before that, and played in the NFC title game both years. Opponents are noticing something a little different about this year’s 49ers, though, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams holdouts, or the Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel injuries.
As a Rams coach told me after L.A. came back and stole a game from the 49ers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday: This isn’t Brock Purdy’s fault. San Francisco’s defense is not the same.
While the focus was on the offense’s holdouts and injuries this summer, the 49ers were quietly breaking in another new defensive coordinator, Nick Sorensen, promoted after the team parted ways with Steve Wilks after one season. At least so far, getting off the field has been an issue. Through three weeks, San Francisco has the third-worst third-down defense in football, allowing a 52.9 percent conversion rate. Over Kyle Shanahan’s first seven seasons, that defense allowed opponents to convert 39 percent of their third downs. It doesn’t make it any easier that defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is out for the season.
(Top photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
