The Eagles are working duo right here, the place they’re hoping to get double-teams on the line of scrimmage, climb to the second degree and isolate Barkley one-on-one towards a defender. The road does an immaculate job of blocking this up towards an overmatched Giants entrance; Barkley has to determine whether or not he needs to hit this into the open hole immediately in entrance of his face or sneak out the again facet to tackle security Tyler Nubin.
With Jordan Mailata sealing off Kayvon Thibodeaux and Landon Dickerson climbing to remove Darius Muasau, Barkley does not even want to deal with a Giants defender till he will get to Nubin, who has had halfbacks run away from him for large positive aspects a number of occasions this season. It is not a good battle. DeVonta Smith has his fingers as much as rejoice earlier than Barkley even makes it previous Nubin and hits midfield. This was the working sport the Eagles anticipated to have in 2025 after every part they confirmed in 2024, not less than for one play.
Barkley then added a 28-yard run on a counter play later within the day, although that was his remaining carry of the sport, as he felt a groin challenge begin to present up on the finish of the run. The three-time Professional Bowler mentioned after the win that he would have been in a position to come again in and play if the rating had been nearer. The Eagles have been doubtless clever to sit down their star again, particularly with Tank Bigsby additionally becoming a member of the 100-yard membership on 9 carries as Barkley’s major backup.
As a lot as this was about Barkley reestablishing his confidence, this may additionally have been about convincing the offensive line that it may be the identical dominant unit we noticed a yr in the past. Earlier than Sunday, carries by Eagles backs have been anticipated to realize a median of solely 3.5 yards per run by NFL Subsequent Gen Stats’ mannequin, the third-worst mark within the league. Solely the Texans and Browns have been worse. Final season, carries by Eagles working backs have been anticipated to supply 4.2 yards per carry, which was ninth greatest across the NFL.
The Eagles have been up at 4.0 anticipated yards per carry Sunday, their second-best single-game mark of the season. Amid widespread frustrations and issues in Philadelphia that the Eagles could not reestablish their identification on offense after the loss to the Giants two weeks in the past, Nick Sirianni’s group confirmed that it’s able to being nice in back-to-back video games. Final week towards the Vikings, Jalen Hurts and the passing sport led the way in which with huge performs, averaging greater than 14 yards per go try and throwing three landing passes.
This Sunday, Hurts handed for 4 extra scores however the working sport carried the majority of the load. This was the second-best efficiency by EPA per snap on offense the Eagles have had since Sirianni took over, trailing solely the win over the Commanders within the NFC Championship Sport final season. Out of the blue, because the Eagles attain their bye week, they seem like hitting their stride on offense.
We’ll see whether or not the Jets truly do commerce Corridor, who’s a free agent after the season and a draftee from the now-departed Joe Douglas regime. Sunday gave either side of a possible Corridor commerce debate ammunition. Jets working again Isaiah Davis has seemed explosive at occasions over his first 40 professional carries and on Sunday turned 12 touches into 109 yards, together with a 50-yard rush the place he ran by a Barrett Carter sort out try within the third quarter. Buying and selling Corridor would open up extra alternatives for gamers like Davis over the remainder of a season that is not going anyplace, and New York would have an opportunity to seek out one other again or two subsequent offseason.
And but, on a day during which the Jets did not have Garrett Wilson or Josh Reynolds and have been beginning an embattled quarterback in Justin Fields (who had been publicly dismissed by his group’s proprietor), it is inconceivable to think about this group scoring 39 factors to win its first sport of the season with out Corridor being the focus of the offense. Corridor ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns earlier than throwing the 4-yard landing go that gained the sport on a trick play.
I am unsure there is a single Bengals defender who did not whiff on an try and sort out Corridor at one level or one other throughout this sport. Cincinnati got here in with 81 missed tackles, 25 greater than another group within the league, and added to these totals Sunday. Corridor ran away from Carter after which flew previous Jordan Battle for a 35-yard run within the third quarter. Geno Stone could not get him down on a 5-yard rating to finish that drive. With the Jets working a dart learn idea, pulling a sort out and asking Fields to find out whether or not he would hand the ball to Corridor or preserve it himself, Corridor outran edge rusher Shemar Stewart earlier than hitting DJ Turner with the traditional Lamar Jackson sideline hesitation and scoring from 27 yards out. That bought New York again into the sport with 8:01 to go.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn additionally deserves credit score for being a bit of extra sensible along with his sport administration after some ill-advised choices in all probability value his group a win over the Broncos in London two weeks in the past. New York tried a fourth-and-1 early and did not get it, however Glenn did not shrink back from an aggressive name later within the sport. With the Jets happening by eight after that rating on the eight-minute mark, Glenn went for 2 — a call supported by the information, as ESPN’s Seth Walder broke down right here. They (narrowly) made the 2-pointer on a go to Davis, and when Corridor threw a landing go to Mason Taylor, the additional level gained the sport.
The Jets have been by no means going to be an excellent group this season. They don’t seem to be going to be within the playoff hunt. Beating a Bengals group that’s beginning Joe Flacco, cannot sort out and misplaced Trey Hendrickson throughout the sport to a hip damage is not proof that they are about to go on a successful streak. If it weren’t for Tyrod Taylor struggling a knee damage, Fields would have doubtless been on the bench, a spot he is nonetheless more likely to find yourself later this season.
For the Jets, although, this has to really feel like some kind of proof of idea. They have been in a position to run the ball constantly and successfully, they usually even hit a couple of huge performs within the passing sport with out their star receiver. Their coach made what will need to have felt like an aggressive determination on the sideline, and it labored. The protection allowed 38 factors with out Sauce Gardner on the sector, however it got here up with a three-and-out and bought the Bengals off the sector on downs on the ultimate two drives.
After every week when it felt as if the Jets have been basically giving up on 2025, they instantly began not off course. And perhaps that encourages New York to carry onto Corridor in spite of everything.
One week after the Broncos waited three quarters earlier than sparking to life on offense towards the Giants, they did not take as lengthy to get going towards the hapless Cowboys protection. After a tough interception on the opening drive, Bo Nix did nearly no matter he wished for the remainder of the day. The Broncos scored touchdowns on six of their subsequent eight significant drives, hardly ever being threatened alongside the way in which. Rookie RJ Harvey had his greatest sport as a professional, scoring three touchdowns.
Harvey bought some assist from his All-Professional guard on his 40-yard rating to open the landing floodgates. Meinerz is a wonderful run blocker, however I often take into consideration his work at or across the line of scrimmage because the place the place he excels. I would distinction that to somebody like Quenton Nelson, who has been unbelievable pulling and getting out in area to bury linebackers and defensive backs.
Properly, issues are totally different now.
Meinerz will get issues began early by merely obliterating linebacker Shemar James, who had a goal on his again for a lot of the sport. However Meinerz then climbs to the third degree and sees security Alijah Clark, who tries to take the approaching hit on and will get pushed into the bottom. Clark in all probability wasn’t catching Harvey if he stayed upright, however the security wasn’t going anyplace as soon as he bumped into Meinerz. In a sport the place it felt as if each Broncos offensive participant had a giant day, Meinerz might need had the play of the afternoon.
I am going to throw in a single destructive right here: We missed out on a possible NFL document. Brandon Aubrey has arguably the strongest leg we have ever seen from an NFL kicker, having made 5 kicks from 60-plus yards over the previous two-plus seasons. It is clear the Cowboys belief him to hit kicks from nearly anyplace in that vary, and former coach Mike McCarthy despatched him out for a 70-yarder final season, although the kick wasn’t shut.
That try got here in Carolina, although. The Cowboys have been taking part in in Denver on Sunday, the place the skinny air helps kicks journey farther and expands kickers’ ranges. The climate was heat, and the sector was in nice form. This was doubtless Aubrey’s solely likelihood to kick in the very best circumstances a mile excessive for a record-setting discipline aim for as many as eight years, given how the league’s scheduling course of works. He would possibly find yourself on a distinct group or play a house sport in Mexico Metropolis, however this was our likelihood to see one thing really spectacular. Might he have hit from 75 yards out?
We by no means bought a chance to seek out out. The Cowboys had the ball on their very own 48-yard line with 22 seconds left within the second quarter, which might have been a 70-yard try with none extra yardage, however Dak Prescott threw a choose into protection to finish the half. After the break, the Cowboys had a fourth-and-6 on their very own 44-yard line, organising a possible attempt from 74 yards out. Coach Brian Schottenheimer opted to punt as an alternative, and there was by no means one other likelihood to get Aubrey in vary for a document try.
Aubrey maxed out with a 57-yard kick in pregame warmups, however he usually does not attempt to hit something from 60 or extra until it is a sport scenario. Perhaps the previous soccer participant advised Schottenheimer he could not hit from 70 or extra. However I positive would have favored to see Aubrey attempt.
Myles Garrett has a five-sack day
This was a efficiency that makes you wonder if Garrett might need wished that he had caught along with his offseason request to be traded. The protection gave Drake Maye some early hassle, however the Browns’ offense misplaced Quinshon Judkins to a shoulder damage and could not do something to remain within the contest. And regardless of getting 5 sacks from Garrett for the primary time in his profession, the protection could not repeatedly decelerate Maye, who finally threw for 282 yards, had three landing passes and ran for 50 extra yards.
To be sincere, I’ve truly seen extra unstoppable video games from Garrett this season. His sacks right here weren’t instantaneous wins off the road towards overmatched linemen, partly as a result of the Patriots had a transparent sport plan and tried to provide their tackles assist. It simply did not work. There have been two sacks the place Garrett was chipped by a good finish, bought up towards Will Campbell and easily teleported previous the Patriots’ rookie left sort out. Outdoors of a intentionally unblocked sack on a boot idea the place Maye appeared to assume he may outrun Garrett and came upon in any other case in painful trend, Garrett needed to work for these sacks.
This was a terrific instance of simply how a lot Garrett or one other nice go rusher can do to make life simpler for a secondary. Whereas he wasn’t successful instantaneously and utterly blowing up performs, the Browns star principally restricted Maye to 1 learn or one look upfield. When Maye held the soccer or did not make a direct determination, his time was up and Garrett was in place to take him down.
As the sport wore on, the Patriots did an excellent job of pulling out all of the methods good offenses use to decelerate nice go rushers. They ran at Garrett. They moved Maye round to vary the launch level and keep away from making their QB a sitting duck, with Maye going 5-of-6 for 92 yards outdoors the sort out field. (With out stress, Maye went 15-of-18 for 235 yards and three scores.) They learn Garrett to attempt to take him out of the play with out having to commit a blocker who in all probability wasn’t going to win. Additionally they took benefit of the moments when Garrett was on the sideline, hitting a 39-yard landing go to Kayshon Boutte with out Garrett on the sector.
Garrett was noticed slamming his helmet on the sideline in frustration throughout the sport. Afterward, he mentioned what what you would possibly count on: “I’d throw the entire efficiency away for the win.” I do not blame Garrett for taking what he was provided this offseason. And even when he hadn’t signed a brand new deal, I am unsure the Browns have been going to maneuver a future Corridor of Famer with two years left on his present contract this spring. It may possibly’t be enjoyable to know, although, that somebody can have what most gamers would take into account the sport of a lifetime and nonetheless not be capable of spur the group to not less than a detailed loss, not to mention a victory.
Each younger Houston playmaker has not less than one huge play
This was an impressively dominant efficiency by the Texans. Going through a 5-2 Niners group, the Texans managed this sport from begin to end. Kyle Shanahan’s offense did not handle a primary down till the ultimate drive of the primary half and failed to maneuver the chains even as soon as on six of its 9 possessions. One week after his greatest sport of the season, Christian McCaffrey was held to 25 speeding yards on eight carries, whereas a lot of the star again’s 43 receiving yards got here late within the fourth quarter with the 49ers trailing by double digits. The Texans did not let McCaffrey beat them, and no different 49ers participant was as much as the duty of taking up the sport.
With out prime again in Joe Mixon and their prime two veteran receivers in Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, the Texans wanted their younger offensive playmakers to step up. Mission achieved. C.J. Stroud delivered his greatest efficiency of the season, going 30-of-39 for 318 yards, two landing passes and an interception whereas including 30 speeding yards within the course of. Tight finish Dalton Schultz had solely 24 receiving yards, so the important thing runners and go catchers for the Texans have been all gamers on rookie offers. And so they all had huge performs.
That begins with Woody Marks, who has performed every part doable to persuade coaches that he needs to be the lead again in a rotation with Nick Chubb. Marks had a 50-yard scamper on a checkdown when the inexperienced 49ers linebackers thought they may come after Stroud as rushers, just for Marks to slide out uncovered for an enormous achieve. He additionally carried the ball 11 occasions for 62 yards, with the spotlight approaching a duo run within the fourth quarter, when Marks acknowledged that the 49ers had misplaced comprise outdoors and sprinted across the edge for 23 yards.
Receiver Xavier Hutchinson led the group with 5 catches for 69 yards, together with a 30-yard rating within the fourth quarter. With the 49ers in single-high protection, he was just too quick for security Ji’Ayir Brown on his crossing route, working away from Brown and deep security Malik Mustapha with out leaving any viable tackling alternatives earlier than hitting the tip zone. The third-year professional additionally made a tricky catch on a Stroud floater with nook Upton Stout in his face for an 18-yard completion. This was Hutchinson’s greatest sport as a professional.
Second-round choose Jayden Higgins chipped in with 34 yards, together with a 12-yard landing towards a static 49ers protection in zone protection. The extra thrilling rookie might need been former Iowa State teammate Jaylin Noel, who turned 16 routes into 5 catches and 63 yards, together with a 44-yard catch within the second quarter. The Texans ran a traditional quarters-beater to spring Noel, with Higgins working a curl to occupy one security whereas Noel ran a deep put up behind him. Stroud’s throw did not give Mustapha any likelihood to catch up, and Noel got here away with one other huge catch after racking up three 20-plus-yard completions final week.
This was one sport towards a 49ers protection completely torn aside by accidents, however it was additionally an necessary one for the Texans. Staying on observe to compete for a wild-card spot is essential, after all, however their team-building mannequin has to evolve, too. Many of the strikes GM Nick Caserio made to remake the offensive line did not work this offseason. The Texans should pour extra assets into fixing issues up entrance in 2026. Plus, Stroud is due for an infinite increase after the season, and whereas the Texans may wait on that deal, groups usually signal their younger quarterbacks to long-term contracts the primary likelihood they get. On prime of that, Will Anderson Jr. can also be eligible to receives a commission after the yr.
Whereas Collins is on the most effective veteran offers in soccer, the Texans are going to want to make cutbacks and get monetary savings at some spots on their roster. The second and third wideout slots are apparent locations to focus on. It is unclear whether or not Tank Dell will be capable of return to the shape he confirmed in 2023 and 2024, and gamers like Mixon and Schultz in all probability aren’t going to be again subsequent fall. The Texans will want a few of these younger cost-controlled gamers to hit to allow them to commit assets elsewhere within the years to come back. Sunday was an indication that the kids is likely to be as much as the duty.
The Saints cease the Bucs seven occasions from the 1-yard line
There aren’t going to be many highlights this season for the Saints, who at the moment are 1-7 and going through a visit to Los Angeles to face the Rams. Coach Kellen Moore determined to bench Spencer Rattler in the course of this sport for second-round choose Tyler Shough, who went 17-of-30 for simply 128 yards and an interception in his first prolonged NFL motion. Rattler hasn’t been excellent by any means, however he has made some completely excellent throws this season, even when they have not all the time ended up as completions. He’s in all probability not the long run in New Orleans, however Rattler has been probably the most entertaining a part of Saints video games this yr.
The protection has been extra irritating than productive, however Sunday delivered what is going to doubtless be the unit’s most spectacular stand of the season. Going through a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line within the second quarter, the Saints stuffed Sean Tucker for no achieve, just for Carl Granderson to be flagged for offside. Truthful sufficient. However New Orleans then got here up with 4 extra consecutive stops of Tucker and Rachaad White from the 1-yard line, delivering an enormous momentum-shifting cease in entrance of the house followers. Rattler threw a pick-six into the arms of Anthony Nelson two performs later, which introduced an finish to these vibes, however it was a enjoyable second for the diehards in New Orleans.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, the Bucs once more took the ball to the 1-yard line. This time, they discovered their lesson — however it did not appear to assist. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete on first and third down, and in between, Tucker was stuffed once more for no achieve. Going through a fourth-and-goal (sure, nonetheless from the 1-yard line), Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles stored the religion along with his offense and was lastly rewarded, as Tucker fought by a sort out to attain a short-yardage landing for the Bucs.
The Saints have been near doing one thing no group has performed in fairly some time. ESPN’s play-by-play knowledge goes again to 2007, and over that point, nobody has ever give you eight stops from the 1-yard line in a single sport, not to mention in a row. No group had managed seven stops from the 1-yard line in the identical sport since 2013, when the Titans in some way stopped the Broncos, the most effective offenses in NFL historical past. The Bucs aren’t fairly on that degree, particularly with all of their accidents up entrance, however the Saints needs to be happy with how lengthy they held out earlier than lastly capitulating on fourth-and-goal. And provided that no different group has greater than three stops from 1 yard out in a single sport this season, I’d count on this to be one of the best goal-line efficiency of the yr.
The Buffalo protection roars again to life
James Cook dinner III ran all around the Panthers for 216 yards and two touchdowns, however I believe coach Sean McDermott might need been happiest about what he noticed from his protection. With the Payments inserting Taylor Rapp on injured reserve throughout the week and changing him with 34-year-old Jordan Poyer, a Payments protection that has been lacking starters all season was going through one other potential gap within the lineup. Issues solely appeared to worsen when Ed Oliver went down with a biceps damage after 18 snaps, which may value the star defensive sort out important time if it is a tear.
As a substitute, the Payments comfortably delivered their greatest defensive efficiency of the season. Whereas they performed from forward for a lot of the sport, the Payments’ go rush sacked Andy Dalton seven occasions, with debuting lineman Michael Hoecht racking up 1.5 sacks and a team-high three fast quarterback pressures. Dalton was pressured on practically 44% of his dropbacks. And whereas Rico Dowdle nearly broke off one other lengthy rating on a 24-yard run within the first quarter, the Payments have been bailed out by a touchdown-saving sort out from rookie security Jordan Hancock, who was taking part in his first defensive snaps of the season. Two performs after the Dowdle run, the Payments bought the ball again when Greg Rousseau swatted the ball out of a scrambling Dalton’s fingers.
The takeaways in all probability made McDermott significantly delighted. The Payments pressured three turnovers towards the Panthers, with two strip-sacks of Dalton and an interception on a fast display screen by AJ Epenesa, who got here inside a yard of scoring on the return.
Final week, I wrote about how the Payments protection had relied closely on turnovers in 2023 and 2024 however hadn’t been in a position to piece collectively common takeaways in 2025. After 21 multi-takeaway video games over these two seasons, this was the primary time the Payments pressured a number of turnovers in a sport in 2025. Buffalo is 18-3 when it generates not less than two takaways over that span, and you’ll perceive how devastating it should be at hand an offense with Cook dinner and Josh Allen brief fields.
We have seen bye weeks impress defenses previously, with the 2024 Eagles because the quintessential and most up-to-date instance. I am unsure that kind of leap is coming for the Payments, however this season-best displaying got here with totally different personnel. Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi returned from suspensions and made their presence felt up entrance. First-round choose Maxwell Hairston made his NFL debut and performed 25 snaps, permitting zero catches as the closest defender in protection. Hancock made a essential play to save lots of a landing. And whereas Poyer in all probability is not the long-term resolution at security provided that he wasn’t nice for the Dolphins final season and wasn’t on an lively roster till October, he is aware of the McDermott protection and the place to line up.
I am not satisfied that the Payments have issues utterly discovered on this facet of the ball, however this was a promising return to kind.
Keaton Mitchell will get again within the combine at working again
The Ravens additionally had a defensive return to kind of their win over the Bears. Whereas the 17-3 loss to the Rams in Week 6 might need felt like the start of their enhancements, a more in-depth take a look at that sport advised that the Rams left a number of yards and potential scores on the sector with misses from Matthew Stafford. Just like the Payments, the Ravens seemed a lot better after getting back from the bye, though they have been aided by bumbling operations and clock administration from Chicago on the finish of every half, costing the Bears 10 factors within the course of.
As a substitute, I need to take a look at the offensive facet of the ball, the place I used to be heartened to see a younger participant appear like he was lastly displaying indicators of his pre-injury kind. Mitchell was a lightning bolt for the Ravens in 2023, turning 9 carries into 138 yards and a landing in his first sport with a rush try. The Ravens used Mitchell in a part-time position, with the previous East Carolina again averaging greater than 8 yards per carry throughout 47 rush makes an attempt.
Simply because the Ravens appeared keen to develop Mitchell’s position, although, he tore his ACL in a December 2023 win over the Jaguars. The undrafted free agent missed the remainder of the season, and when the Ravens added Derrick Henry the next offseason, Mitchell’s path to common work disappeared. After lacking most of 2024, Mitchell managed 15 carries for 30 yards down the stretch, serving principally because the group’s kick returner. He was a wholesome scratch early this season earlier than carrying the ball thrice within the loss to the Texans.
On Sunday, although, Mitchell bought 4 carries and turned them into 43 yards. He took a pitch within the third quarter and made it across the edge for a 25-yard achieve, maxing out at 20.3 mph within the course of (per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats). Within the fourth quarter, the Ravens ran a bash learn idea and had quarterback Tyler Huntley hand the ball to Mitchell, who outran Daniel Hardy to the sideline and picked up 13 yards. Once more, Mitchell topped out over 20 mph, which is not simple to do on such a brief run.
Mitchell just isn’t about to take over for Henry, however the Ravens want one thing to spark their run sport. Even earlier than Lamar Jackson went down along with his hamstring damage, the Ravens have been struggling for consistency on the bottom, regardless of some explosive runs. They’re twenty eighth within the league in success price on carries by their working backs, which means that they have been struggling to remain on schedule and preserve the offense out of third-and-long conditions. Jackson’s sack price had spiked earlier than his damage, and whereas Cooper Rush was working a sub-2% sack price earlier than he was benched for Huntley, that model of the offense wasn’t shifting the soccer.
Mitchell is extra of a house run hitter than a between-the-tackles runner, however he might need a viable position to play on this offense, particularly with Huntley working the QB run sport. The Ravens must preserve Henry contemporary for a possible postseason run, and whereas he scored twice on Sunday, the legendary again mustered solely 71 yards on 21 carries. The Ravens play the Dolphins in 4 days, and the brief week limits each the period of time Henry has to get better and the possibilities of Jackson returning to the lineup to face one of many league’s worst groups. A handful of Mitchell carries would make sense, and in the event that they appear like what we noticed on Sunday, this might be a pleasant change of tempo for Todd Monken’s offense.
Tua Tagovailoa quiets the critics, not less than for one week
Put your self in Tagovailoa’s sneakers. Your Dolphins are 1-6, and there have been widespread experiences that coach Mike McDaniel — who helped take you to the subsequent degree as a quarterback — is on skinny ice. Your prime receiver, Tyreek Hill, is out for the yr. You’ve got thrown six interceptions over the previous two video games, and whereas a few these picks towards the Chargers weren’t on you, it will be more durable to make that very same case for the three INTs towards the Browns. There’s not less than public conjecture that you would be benched or taking part in to your job in 2026. Oh, and once you wakened Sunday morning, your eye was unexpectedly swollen shut.
Does that sound like a recipe to your greatest sport of the season?
By some means, it was simply that. Going through the identical Falcons protection that slowed down Josh Allen and the Payments earlier this season, Tagovailoa delivered a classic efficiency. After a three-and-out on the opening drive, the Dolphins had just one extra of these the remainder of the way in which, a serious enchancment for a group that had the fifth-highest three-and-out price (28.2%) of any offense earlier than Week 8.
What was hanging about Miami’s win is simply how the Dolphins attacked the Falcons with the go. This sport plan would not have seemed misplaced for the 2023 Dolphins, even when there was much less expertise round Tagovailoa, Hill and Jaylen Waddle. That group thrived by working off play-action, shifting linebackers and attacking the center of the sector with in-breaking routes.
Guess what occurred right here? Tagovailoa went 7-of-8 for 66 yards and a rating on play-action. On in-breaking routes, Tagovailoa was excellent, going 8-of-8 for 134 yards and two landing passes. He posted an ideal passer score on these throws. His greatest go of the day was a 43-yard landing to Waddle, on-time off a pretend pitch and completely weighted to provide Waddle the power to carry it in with out slowing down and create yards after the catch. The go left Jessie Bates III, who left the sport late with an ankle damage, no likelihood of getting close to Waddle.
The Falcons might need missed linebacker Divine Deablo, who had been a useful a part of their blitz packages earlier than struggling a fractured forearm final week. Atlanta had gone from being the worst-blitzing group of the previous decade in 2024 to rating tenth in QBR allowed towards the blitz this season. However on Sunday, Tagovailoa went 8-of-12 for 114 yards and three landing passes versus rushes of 5 defenders or extra.
The opposite issue that made this a classic Tagovailoa efficiency? The timing. Owing each to the pace of the operation and an try and preserve Tagovailoa from being hit, the Dolphins have been lightning-fast at getting the ball out of their quarterback’s hand when their offense was at its greatest. Between 2022 and 2023, Tagovailoa’s common go got here out after simply 2.46 seconds, the quickest price of any QB within the NFL. By way of seven weeks in 2025, with the offense a bit of slower and groups taking away Tagovailoa’s first reads extra typically, that determine had jumped to 2.67 seconds (to be truthful, nonetheless fifth quickest).
In Week 8, although, Tagovailoa held the ball for a median of simply 2.37 seconds, comfortably his quickest of the season. The Falcons sacked Tagovailoa solely as soon as, and their 28.6% stress price was under their season common. Had been the Falcons curiously conservative in protection, or was this a reliable bounce-back from Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense? We’ll discover out extra towards the Ravens, who need to show that their return to kind on protection is actual, on Thursday evening.
Tucker Kraft ascends to the highest of the tight finish charts on nationwide tv
For years, we have puzzled which of the younger Packers broad receivers would get away and change into the offense’s prime goal. So lots of the group’s draft picks have flashed, however owing to accidents, inconsistency and what was a league-low go price in impartial sport scripts earlier than 2025, no one actually grabbed the job for themselves. Josh Jacobs even argued that the Packers wanted to accumulate a No. 1 wideout final offseason.
Properly, one of many Packers’ younger go catchers has emerged as a star — however it’s not one of many wideouts. It is Kraft, who wasn’t even seen as the long run lead receiver at his place when GM Brian Gutekunst chosen him out of South Dakota State within the third spherical of the 2023 draft. The Packers had chosen Luke Musgrave one spherical earlier, and whereas these two completed neck-and-neck throughout their rookie seasons, Musgrave’s 66 receiving yards within the postseason helped draw consideration his approach. Heading into 2024, Musgrave seemed like he is likely to be the extra featured receiver of the 2 within the Packers’ offense.
Since then, Kraft has taken over. Jordan Love accomplished 20 straight passes towards a hapless Steelers protection Sunday evening, and Kraft was his favourite goal. The third-year professional caught seven of the 9 targets thrown his route for 143 yards and two touchdowns. One of many two incompletions was a throw into the bottom by a pressured Love. Kraft dropped the opposite one, however when he is averaging greater than 20 yards per completion, the Packers will cope with one drop.
There simply aren’t many tight ends who’ve Kraft’s means to outmuscle defenders and run away from protection into the open discipline for lengthy completions or yards after catch. Kraft’s 59-yard achieve was a lob from a determined Love below stress, however he was in a position to outmaneuver DeShon Elliott for the soccer, then flip upfield and fend off a flailing Juan Thornhill for additional yardage. (Elliott appeared to endure a critical knee damage on the finish of the play.) When the Packers picked struggling linebacker Patrick Queen on a throw to Kraft within the flat, the standout tight finish had the power to chop away from Joey Porter Jr. on the sideline and get again inside for 13 extra yards.
Additionally, Kraft’s scores confirmed off totally different expertise. The primary got here on a display screen the place Kraft had good blocking however nonetheless wanted to get previous Elliott and Cole Holcomb, neither of whom was in a position to carry Kraft down earlier than he crossed the aim line. On the opposite, Kraft seemed to be working a selection route, the place he has the power to interrupt inside or outdoors or calm down towards zone protection. Right here, he broke inside and ran away from Chuck Clark and Thornhill; neither bought shut sufficient to try a sort out till it was too late, and Kraft scored from 24 yards out.
Kraft is in rarified firm amongst receivers. It is one factor to guide all tight ends in yards per route run, as Kraft does by eight weeks. It is one other to be up close to the league leaders at broad receiver, too. There’s admittedly a giant drop-off from Jaxon Smith-Njigba (4.5 yards per route run) to Puka Nacua (3.5) after which to the remainder of the NFL pack, however Kraft is fourth amongst all go catchers in YPRR at 2.8. That is forward of superstars akin to CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson.
Kraft is being thrown shorter passes than them, after all, however Kraft has additionally change into a yards-after-catch star. Kraft is third amongst all receivers in yards after catch over expectation (YACOE) this season, trailing solely DK Metcalf and Bijan Robinson (NFL Subsequent Gen Stats). The one different tight finish in the identical ballpark is Oronde Gadsden II, who ranks fifteenth in YACOE. And whereas YACOE will be influenced by one lengthy catch, Kraft ranked fourth by this identical metric final season, trailing solely Ja’Marr Chase, Lamb and George Kittle. He had 131 yards after the catch in Sunday’s win, which NFL Subsequent Gen Stats famous have been the third most by a good finish in any sport because the begin of the 2016 season.
With Travis Kelce falling again to earth after years of elite manufacturing, there was a gap for prime tight finish in soccer. Brock Bowers inherited that position nearly by default final yr given his manufacturing as a rookie, however the knee damage hampering the Raiders’ star has restricted his output in 2025. Tyler Warren has been glorious, and Kittle is one of the best all-around tight finish within the sport, however I am unsure I may argue for anyone apart from Kraft as probably the most impactful receiving tight finish within the NFL proper now.
