Before we dive into Week 2, I want to share why many in the league were talking about training camp over the past couple days.

We saw some teams come out of the gate looking conditioned and fierce — like the Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, who are all known for their brutally tough practices (not to mention, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce didn’t miss one practice all summer). Compare that to teams that lost their Week 1 games because they looked out of shape, didn’t seem in sync, or — in cases like the Browns — looked like they didn’t want to be there based on body language.

Cleveland was one of the last teams to put on pads this summer. Many team executives and coaches are still trying to figure out if there is a correlation between early-season success and how teams are practicing all summer. For teams that didn’t play their starters in the preseason, like Green Bay and Atlanta, September is the new preseason, which could catch up to them in December.

Sam Darnold tosses his 2nd TD of the day to Jalen Nailor!

📺: #MINvsNYG on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/DD9V7zGuL6

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

Sam Darnold for MVP! The Bears offense stinks! Mike McCarthy is Coach of the Year!

None of this is true after one game, but I’m thrilled to get through a week of overreaction. I trust most of us know that opening weekend is a lie, but we may have seen some snippets of truth. Let’s touch on two as we head into Week 2 …

Love’s timeline, what Willis brings

Packers coach Matt LaFleur has kept the door open for Jordan Love to possibly return for Sunday’s game against the Colts, listing him as questionable. Though I’m told: “That’s not happening.” Love has an MCL sprain and has not been medically cleared to play.

The Packers are trying to keep all competitive advantages intact, which includes forcing opponents to prepare for all their QBs. While they hope Love’s is a week-to-week injury, the reality is that next week’s game against the Titans is considered by those in the know to be “a long shot.” The most optimistic timeline would have him back for Week 4 against the Vikings if there are no snags. (The Packers face the Rams Week 5.)

Love is expected to wear a knee brace when he does return, for the protection and function of the knee. The quarterback has been seen around the building and at practice, taking mental reps. Meanwhile, less than three weeks ago Green Bay acquired QB Malik Willis from the Titans. The Packers have used draft capital in three straight drafts on quarterbacks, selecting Sean Clifford (2023 fifth round) and Michael Pratt (2024 seventh round, now with the Bucs practice squad after Green Bay released him), and acquiring Willis (for a 2025 seventh-round pick). They made this move believing Willis is a better option than Clifford, despite the second-year Packer having more time with LaFleur’s playbook.

The Packers will turn to Malik Willis as the next man up for at least one week, probably more. (Wagner Meier / Getty Images)

I first met Willis at rookie camp in Nashville when he was with the Titans in 2022. I stepped in front of our camera crew and stuck my hand out to introduce myself to the then-rookie. After a quick introduction, he approached the crew of four and asked each their names. When he walked away, we all looked at each other and commented on the kind gesture — this wasn’t a normal occurrence for our veteran crew. Willis answered all the questions and came off appreciative of this opportunity to play football at the highest level.

He came across as slightly innocent that day, but on the field and in meeting rooms I’m told he’s intelligent, hard-working, curious, and self-aware. There is a belief that Willis will be more comfortable running LaFleur’s offense than what he was doing this summer under first-year Titans coach Brian Callahan.

Willis’ instincts (and success) are based around his mobility. Though at times, as one Titans coach said, “the game looked really fast for him.” That may be the biggest issue for the Packers, getting Willis through his progressions with pressures coming from everywhere. The Colts are preparing to defend a run-heavy game plan led by new Packers RB Josh Jacobs, after they were gashed by Houston’s ground game in Week 1.

This will be a big test for the Packers, who opted not to sign a veteran quarterback in hopes that Love returns soon and Willis can get them through the next couple weeks.

GO DEEPER

NFL Quarterback Tiers: Tua, Trevor Lawrence and the biggest contracts ever for Tier 3 QBs

What’s next for Watson

Deshaun Watson is facing a new civil lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted a woman in 2020; Watson denies the allegations. On the field, it was a rough season opener for this Cleveland Browns offense, and while there is an understanding Week 1 rust is real, there is also a strong belief in the building that Watson can rediscover his on-field magic. There have been no discussions about benching Watson in favor of one of the backups, Jameis Winston or Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Watson’s contract — specifically, potential outs for the Browns — has been the subject of media speculation the past few days, but there are too many unknowns to say anything definitively. After reviewing a copy of Watson’s restructured contract, it appears that if the quarterback did not alert the team about the account detailed in the civil suit filed this week, and if an NFL investigation reveals the account detailed in the lawsuit to be credible, the Browns could void the guarantees in Watson’s contract.

Another road win could extend Fields’ run

Unfortunately, we aren’t going to see Russell Wilson play against his former team when the Steelers visit the Denver Broncos. Justin Fields will get the start, and if he wins on the road again, Tomlin may stick with the hot hand for the home opener next week. (Though it’s notable that the Steelers didn’t score a touchdown in Week 1.)

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith showed last week he is fine calling the game conservatively and leaning on the ground game. I’m expecting another run-heavy, conservative game plan with reliance on T.J. Watt and the defense smothering rookie QB Bo Nix.

Kirk Cousins’ Atlanta debut did not go as planned, but why? (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

Despite how it looked, Cousins is healthy

Kirk Cousins and the Falcons have been consistent about this all offseason and throughout training camp: There are no restrictions on the 36-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles injury. Though watching him struggle against the Steelers last week, it was a little hard to believe it.

Based on some conversations, the consensus is clear: Cousins’ leg feels good, with no lingering issues from his surgery. However, there is some rust. There is also a first-time play caller in Atlanta, in Zac Robinson. (A piece of wisdom from a league source: “Just as we afford rookie QBs some leeway, let’s extend the same understanding to first-time play callers.”)

Cousins didn’t play in any of the preseason games. The thinking is his shaky Falcons debut could be a combination of everything above, plus some hesitation when it comes to getting hit again at game speed.

The Tua effect

Many team executives and players across the league are discussing how they would handle the situation with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. This won’t be easy for anyone — not for Tagovailoa and not for the team.

Everyone is aware that this isn’t just about football; it’s about the quarterback’s health. Given Tagovailoa’s history of head trauma, the organization and the quarterback will take the next few days and possibly weeks to determine what is best. The diagnosis was a concussion, marking Tua’s fourth head injury in the last two years, including three diagnosed concussions. Two years ago, the league changed the concussion policy after Tagovailoa was injured in back-to-back games, against the Bills and the Bengals.

The league now requires players showing gross motor instability to be taken out of the game and tested for a concussion. The term “ataxia,” which is defined as a disruption of speech, motor skills, or balance, has been added to the protocol. It is crucial to note that if this new protocol had been applied two years ago, Tagovailoa would not have been allowed to re-enter the game against the Bills.

This past week (before the Thursday night game), the league again clarified another player-safety rule regarding quarterbacks: the difference between roughing the passer by slinging and by slamming. A slam occurs when a defender lifts up the QB and slams him down, which is strongly discouraged (think professional wrestling). A sling is when the quarterback doesn’t leave his feet. In the Texans-Colts game last week, Colts QB Anthony Richardson was sacked by Mario Edwards in the first quarter, a tackle determined to be a sling and therefore not penalized. The Colts called the league to inquire about what they felt was a borderline hit.

GO DEEPER

Jones: Dolphins must exercise ultimate caution for Tua Tagovailoa’s sake

Saquon was almost a Texan

We all know the story by now — and if you don’t, go catch up on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” in which cameras followed Giants general manager Joe Schoen this past offseason. Giants owner John Mara probably won’t ever forget it either, telling Schoen, “I will lose sleep if we lose Barkley to the Eagles.” Well, Mara must not be getting much sleep these days (though for a few reasons).

Saquon Barkley left the New York Giants as a free agent and signed with their division rival. Then we saw his electric debut with Philadelphia (three touchdowns, named NFC Offensive Player of the Week). GM Howie Roseman gave the running back a three-year deal, worth almost $13 million annually. It was big money for the Penn State alum, who tested the free-agent market for the first time and won.

But Philly wasn’t the only team pushing to get Barkley in the building. The Houston Texans were aggressive in trying to land Barkley, but eventually were priced out. No worries for Houston; they traded for Joe Mixon from the Bengals instead.

Houston knew the Bengals had plans to release Mixon. To avoid losing him to the waiver wire, Houston traded a seventh-round draft pick. The RB also received a new three-year, $27 million contract that included $13 million guaranteed with a $6 million signing bonus. In his Texans debut, Mixon ran for 159 yards and a touchdown, taking AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors while the Bengals scored 10 points in an upset loss to the New England Patriots. Tough start for the exes.

Chase held in during training camp, but started Week 1 even without a new contract. (Jason Mowry / Getty Images)

Still no deal, but Ja’Marr Chase in ‘good spirits’

The Bengals didn’t spend any time wallowing around the building or practice field this week, fixating on the 77 yards of first-half offense they had in their home loss to New England.

Self-awareness is not an issue in that locker room.

The Bengals know the offense looked out of sync, that they couldn’t run the ball, and that the tackling was awful (they gave up 170 rushing yards). They know that won’t cut it against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ revamped wide receiver room.

Cincinnati’s own star receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, played Week 1 despite not getting the big payday he’d been holding in for all of training camp. Chase was said to be in “good spirits” and practicing all week in Cincinnati. However, still no deal. We’ll see if they can get this finished soon.

As for this game, the Bengals’ ability to slow down a Chiefs offense that mirrors the 2021 edition will be the game plan of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. He’s done pretty well flustering Mahomes over the years, so much so fans have been donning “The Loufather” tees.

The Bengals are 3-2 against the Chiefs since 2022, and Anarumo’s defenses are a big reason why. In the past, he has successfully figured out how to simulate pressures, vary the looks and make Kansas City’s offense earn every yard. The same approach will be applied on Sunday, with red zone defense critical in forcing the Chiefs to kick field goals. The Chiefs see the Bengals as older and, at this moment, not built to lock up and defend, but they do believe Cincinnati has enough in its arsenal to mix coverages and pressures to force the Chiefs to earn their points via long scoring drives.

Scoop City Newsletter

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Sign Up

The NFL’s other big rule change

We’ve dedicated a significant amount of time explaining and gathering opinions on the new kickoff rule, which featured prominently in Week 1. One coach summed up the the regular-season debut of the hybrid kickoff this way: “Some teams kicked all touchbacks. Others kicked one (short of the end zone) to test it and if it was a return past the 30-yard line, they just kicked touchbacks. The interesting thing to watch is a place like Buffalo with crazy wind so you can’t always just kick touchbacks; (Arizona) had big returns in that game. Cleveland will do the same. As it gets colder some kickers won’t be able to kick touchbacks.”

However, there was another significant NFL rule change that came into play on Sunday, though you might have missed it: The NFL’s expanded “replay assist” rule.

It came up in the Broncos-Seahawks game in Seattle. Here was the situation: In the fourth quarter, with Seattle up 26-13, Dre’Mont Jones and Leonard Williams hit Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on an incomplete pass. The officials threw a flag for roughing the passer on Jones, turning what would’ve been second-and-10 at Denver’s 36 into a first-and-10 in Seahawks territory. However, after a 29-second delay, referee Brad Allen made this announcement: “After replay assist, there is no foul for (a hit to) the head and neck area.”

Among the NFL’s new rules:

Replay assist was expanded to review roughing the passer, intentional grounding, and late hits out of bounds penalties for possible overturn.

The Seahawks were the first team to benefit from the roughing the passer rule on this Dre’Mont Jones hit: pic.twitter.com/0upJI4wNOv

— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) September 9, 2024

The “replay assist” rule has been in place for several years. However, this season, the NFL has expanded its capabilities to include reviews of roughing the passer, late hits out of bounds, and intentional grounding penalties. These penalties can be advised for overturn on “specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present,” the rule states.

Thanks to this new rule, a Seahawks penalty was overturned, and fans — specifically those in the Pacific Northwest — had one less complaint about the league’s officiating.

But, of course, you can’t make everyone happy in the NFL. I heard from a few coaches and general managers about unnecessary roughness calls involving quarterback scrambles, for which replay assist is not available. As we have seen, most of the quarterbacks in this league have the ability to move outside the pocket, scramble and slide. (I discovered that it’s now easier to list QBs that sit in the pocket than it is to lay out all the mobile ones.) In Tampa, we saw Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels involved in two plays on which it appeared he was hit in the head and/or neck when sliding. The UNR flag was thrown, but replays showed that the defenders actually missed Daniels, leapt over him, or got out of the way. We saw it happen three other times in Week 1, including in Buffalo when the Bills were flagged for UNR against Kyler Murray, and there was no contact at all. We will probably see it more this weekend. This could be an easy replay assist addition in the future considering the league’s explosion of mobile QBs.

(Top photo: Brooke Sutton / Getty Images)

College football introduced a new rule this season, but the biggest debate over the rule has nothing to do with the change itself. Instead, we can’t seem to agree on what to call it.

Is it the “two-minute timeout” or the “two-minute warning”?

The name of college football’s stoppage at the two-minute mark of the second and fourth quarters has become such a pointed issue that even the TV announcers have poked fun at the “timeout” term, compared to the “warning” the NFL has used for decades.

“There is a new two-minute timeout. We’ve been asked not to call it a warning,” ESPN’s Rece Davis said during the broadcast of the USC-LSU game in Week 1.

“There is a new two-minute timeout. We’ve been asked not to call it a warning.” – Rece Davis 🏈🎙️ pic.twitter.com/URmtnhJM0I

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 2, 2024

Then last Thursday, during the NFL season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, NBC’s Mike Tirico called out the distinction again.

“As we get to the two-minute warning — we can call it the two-minute warning in the NFL, not the two-minute timeout like they do in college,” Tirico said with a laugh. “I’ve been waiting all weekend to do that. … You’ve been warned.”

“We can call it the two-minute warning in the NFL. Not the two-minute timeout like they do in college. I’ve been waiting all weekend to do that.”

Mike Tirico had fun with this one. pic.twitter.com/NMUYnsbYZj

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 6, 2024

It doesn’t really matter, but it’s a little strange, right? So what’s the deal? And could it change?

The original two-minute warning dates back to 1942, when NFL stadiums only had analog clocks and the game time was kept by officials on the field. The stoppage was literally a warning, the official notifying the teams when two minutes remained in each half. College football never took it up.

Then in February, when The Athletic broke the news of the NCAA rules committee discussing the addition of a two-minute stoppage, NCAA coordinator of officials Steve Shaw told me they wouldn’t call it a “two-minute warning.” I replied in good humor that people would call it that anyway. When the rule and its official name were formally introduced in March, I got the first crack at asking questions to the rules committee. My second question was why they didn’t call it a two-minute warning. I know, this is hard-hitting stuff.

Shaw’s response, on behalf of the whole committee, was that it’s not a warning because people can see the clock: “We’re not warning anybody of anything, so we’re going to adopt those words,” he said of the “timeout” phrase.

For Shaw and the committee, it may have been as simple as that, but in practice, the name has added some low-stakes confusion to the season’s opening weeks.

Many fans first experienced the rule change in July when EA Sports College Football 25 was released. But in the video game, the timeout is called a two-minute warning, including in pre-recorded commentary by Chris Fowler and Davis.

Two-plus weeks into the season, I checked back in with Shaw. Yes, he has seen the jokes.

“Our TV partners have been pretty good about recognizing the name is a little different than the NFL,” he said. “There’s been jokes here and there, but I think it describes what it really is. It’s that timeout. … We’re not warning anybody. Everybody knows the time. We just named it that.

“We didn’t think that would be a big thing and that anybody would talk about it. But it’s been funny. If it’s brought more attention to it, I don’t know. But I think we’re settled in on the language and everybody gets it.”

It may just be semantics, but not everyone has fully accepted the term. Coaches and administrators still say “warning” in casual conversation, so much so that there is support for changing the name to align with the NFL.

“The Big Ten would be in favor of using ‘two-minute warning,’” a Big Ten source told The Athletic. “It is consistent with terminology currently in use and familiar to our fan base.”

I also checked with EA Sports. The company has no plans to change its use of “warning” in the game, and no one has asked it to.

I asked Shaw and multiple people around the sport about fan speculation that the phrase “two-minute warning” is trademarked or protected in some way by the NFL. No one had heard of that speculation, and they didn’t think it would be an issue even if that were the case. Shaw said the word “timeout” was just where the rules committee started.

One fair criticism of the two-minute timeout brought up by some fans: It’s not necessarily a timeout that lasts two minutes, creating additional confusion. During Week 0, they lasted two minutes and 30 seconds each in the Florida State–Georgia Tech game and exactly two minutes each in the SMU-Nevada game. The break length depends on how many TV timeouts a television broadcast has built into a game.

Regardless of the name, Shaw says the rule is working as intended so far. He said the early weeks of the season have seen only one instance of TV timeouts on back-to-back plays. With the certainty of a fixed TV timeout position late in the half, broadcasters feel less pressure to create back-to-back breaks to fit the right number of commercials in, a practice which everyone hates. The new timeout doesn’t add an extra commercial break on top of previous years’ totals. It has also helped with college football’s clock stoppage and 10-second runoff rule changes that take effect in the last two minutes. The one part that remains a work in progress is coaches’ understanding of how to use the extra stoppage to their advantage.

Shaw said the two-minute timeout hasn’t lengthened game times thus far, though it’s too early to know whether that will hold up. He also noted that anecdotally he has seen more huddling since coach-to-player helmet communication was permitted, so it’s hard to differentiate each new rule’s impact. The Football Bowl Subdivision’s plays per game average so far this year (66.2) is virtually unchanged from its average last season (66.9).

College fans are adjusting to the two-minute timeout itself, having seen it in the NFL for all of their lives. As college football tweaks its own rules, bringing some more in line with the NFL, a different name for the same rule feels like an unnecessary quirk. The red zone isn’t literally red. It’s OK if the two-minute warning isn’t a warning, right?

Apparently not. So if you’re in the TV booth calling a football game on a certain day, make sure you get it right.

(Photo: Michael Hickey / Getty Images)

While Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion has been the talk of the league in Week 2, the Green Bay Packers could attempt to tread water without quarterback Jordan Love, the early Dallas Cowboys hype train looks to run through the New Orleans Saints, Joe Burrow meets Patrick Mahomes once again and the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans cap Sunday’s action.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Jeff Howe and Zak Keefer break down the weekend ahead.

Which storyline from Week 1 didn’t get talked about enough?

Sando: How bad the Carolina Panthers looked. It was realistic to expect some progress this season, but after losing 47-10 at New Orleans and losing top defensive lineman Derrick Brown for the season, what is the path forward?

Howe: I was impressed by the way Jalen Hurts rebounded from the Philadelphia Eagles’ horrific start, which was partly on him, of course. They opened with two turnovers, including an ugly interception and a botched snap by the center, but Hurts led the Eagles to three touchdowns and a field goal on the next four drives to seize control against the Packers. Hurts deservedly got criticized for his two picks, but they wouldn’t have won that game without his mental toughness.

GO DEEPER

‘There are going to be tendencies,’ Kellen Moore says; How will the Eagles adjust?

Keefer: Maybe this is because they’ve been in the spotlight for the better part of five seasons, but I thought the Kansas City Chiefs’ opening-night win over the Baltimore Ravens was extremely impressive. Not only do the Chiefs have one of the stiffest defenses in the league, but with Xavier Worthy, they also have another offensive weapon who should alleviate some of the midseason struggles they had on that side of the ball last season. The Ravens are as consistent as any team in football, and the Chiefs have now beaten them in six of the past seven games. That’s impressive. It’s not a stretch to say Kansas City can win 14 or 15 games this season and cruise to a No. 1 seed. A three-peat, assuming all the key pieces stay healthy, is very much in play.

It’s only Week 2, but did you see anything from the Cowboys to make you believe this year can end any differently? Were the Saints just playing a bad Panthers team, or is there something to believe in, in New Orleans?

Sando: It’s hard to say this Cowboys season will end any differently after watching the San Francisco 49ers dominate the New York Jets on both lines. Dallas needs regression elsewhere in the NFC to avoid falling short. On the Saints, the great start suggested they might not be a disaster. I think people forget they finished 9-8 last season.

Howe: I was fully on board with the Cowboys taking that long-awaited jump last season, but another playoff dud ruined all the goodwill they had built. They’re again one of the most talented teams in the league, so it’s looking like a similar regular season is in store. There probably isn’t anything they can do before mid-January to extinguish the doubts from the last playoff performance. The Saints are 25-26 over the past three seasons. They’ve proven capable of looking good at times and mediocre at others. This will be more about the Panthers unless the Saints prove otherwise over the next five games against high-quality opponents.

Keefer: The problem with the Cowboys is their postseason collapses of the past few years have overshadowed how consistent and productive they’ve been throughout the regular season. As long as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are on the field, this is one of the best offenses in football, and the way the defense played Sunday at the Cleveland Browns speaks to how much that unit can disrupt the game. As for the Saints, I’m not taking anything away from them, but this was more about Carolina — the Panthers are the least talented team in football, and it’s not even close. I’m looking forward to how New Orleans does with a much more legitimate test Sunday versus Dallas.

GO DEEPER

NFL Week 2 Power Rankings: Let’s overreact! Bills look super, Browns are toast

Colts-Packers is an intriguing game as well. How can Green Bay tread water without Love (listed as questionable Friday) if he has to miss significant time? Though Anthony Richardson flashed the special ability in Week 1 that makes him so unique, what else do you need to see from him to believe he can take a step forward this year?

Sando: I don’t see how the Packers can tread water with Malik Willis as their interim starting quarterback. There isn’t any evidence to suggest he can play well enough consistently enough to win. For Richardson, let’s see him string together games without an injury. Then we can focus on the finer points of his play.

Howe: The Packers needed a strong September to counterbalance a challenging schedule over the final three months, so they’re in trouble if Love misses this stretch against the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. They’ll need mistake-free play from Willis, a great running game, some chunk catch-and-runs from their talented receivers and takeaways on defense. That’s a lot that has to go right while Love gets healthy. Richardson looks ready to take the next step. He just needs to stay healthy to get there.

Keefer: Mike is right — nothing we’ve seen so far from Willis suggests he can step into the starting role in Green Bay and beat a pretty solid Indianapolis team. He has also only been with the Packers for about three weeks, so it’s not like he has mastered the playbook yet. As for Richardson, this season is about becoming more than a highlight reel: His highs are unreal, but he missed too many open throws Sunday — including a walk-in touchdown for A.D. Mitchell — and that was the difference in the game. But remember: That was his fifth NFL start. This will take time. He’s shown enough promise to make you think he’ll get there.

Which Texans offseason addition was more impressive Sunday: Joe Mixon or Stefon Diggs? Caleb Williams’ performance left a lot to be desired, but what positives did you take away from his debut?

Sando: Mixon became the sixth player since the start of the 2020 season to carry at least 30 times and average at least 5.0 yards per rush in a game. That’s tough work and more impressive than Diggs, whose six receptions were not remarkable.

Howe: Wow, this would be a great barroom debate. Mixon gives the Texans an element they didn’t have last season when they finished 22nd in rushing, and C.J. Stroud was going to be great regardless of Diggs’ arrival because they’re already so good at receiver. But if Diggs comes as self-advertised and recaptures the difference-making ability, it might be enough to get the Texans over the top in the playoffs. For now, I’d say Mixon is the better answer, though. As for Williams, I’m not worried about him long-term, but I don’t know how many positives there were Sunday. More than anything, the Bears look ready to play at a high level on defense and special teams, and that could mean more to their success this season than anything.

Keefer: I covered Sunday’s Houston Texans-Colts game, and I thought Mixon was running like he was five years younger. He absolutely torched the Colts in the second half. The week before in practice, he told his offensive linemen, “Let’s go get 150 to start it off.” He finished with 159 and salted the game away late in the fourth. If he can become a consistent threat in Bobby Slowik’s scheme, this will be one of the top offenses in football. As we saw, the receiving room is stacked. As for Williams, the most encouraging takeaway was how he handled it; this was a dud of a debut, but he handled it like a veteran, praising his defense and special teams and vowing to get back to work. Having the humility to bury a bad game and start over the following week is vital for a young quarterback. He’ll get a good look at how one of the best in the league, Stroud, does it Sunday.

C.J. Stroud’s softspoken, laid-back persona belies an edge he’s always played with — and now leads with.

He doesn’t unleash it often. But when he does, teammates feel the fire.

Quarterbacks don’t get far in this league being polite, writes @zkeefer.https://t.co/VRHPvZUFq4 pic.twitter.com/niFjqLyJeI

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 12, 2024

We had a pair of post-Achilles injury returns in Week 1 from the Falcons’ Kirk Cousins and the Jets’ Aaron Rodgers. Thoughts on both QBs? Are they rusty and in need of time, in good shape or is there some cause for concern?

Sando: They both looked good throwing the ball. The questions I have deal more with the offensive design and their play callers. Rodgers showed he can throw the ball well. But will this be a dynamic attack? Cousins threw the ball fine, but he was under pressure and got hit hard, which affected his play. Cousins also was in the shotgun or pistol way more frequently than in the past, with zero under-center play-action looks, which he has thrived on. Is that best for Cousins?

GO DEEPER

Which 0-1 NFL teams should be worried? From Bengals to Giants and 14 others

Howe: I thought Rodgers looked good at times. The 49ers overwhelmed the Jets, who weren’t ready to compete with one of the league’s best teams. It was a nice starting point for the QB, though. Cousins was a little more concerning just because the Atlanta Falcons had so many chances to take control of the game and simply couldn’t. Maybe it’s because T.J. Watt looked like the best defender on the planet last week, so I’m interested to see more from Cousins and the Falcons as a whole.

Keefer: It’s too early to panic in either case — especially with experienced QBs like these two — but that was some bad offensive football from both teams. Rodgers still throws one of the prettiest balls in the league, but he didn’t look to be moving around the pocket all that great — certainly not like he did for most of his time in Green Bay. Some of this was probably the 49ers defense, which was excellent, but other than one good drive in the first half and the free-play touchdown, they didn’t do a thing. On the Falcons’ front, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense made Cousins’ life pretty miserable for most of the day — Watt was flat-out unstoppable at times. Can they protect him better? Cousins will likely settle in more as the season progresses, but Mike’s concerns about the scheme are valid. We’ll learn more Monday night.

Scoop City Newsletter

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Sign Up

(Photo of Jordan Love: Wagner Meier / Getty Images)

The records keep on coming for Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark.

Having already broken the record for most assists in a single game and assists by a rookie in their debut season, Clark set the WNBA single-season assists record Friday against the Las Vegas Aces.

Clark needed four assists to tie the prior record (316), which Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas set last season. Clark broke the record in the second quarter when she found Kelsey Mitchell, who drained a 3 pointer. Clark finished with nine assists as the Fever lost 78-74 to the Aces, bringing her total to 321 on the season.

That another single-season record fell on Friday night was fitting. On Wednesday night, when the Fever and Aces matched up for the first time this week, Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson set a new single-season points mark. Countless other WNBA records have been reset over the last two seasons since the regular season expanded to 40 games.

“You’re just going to continue to see records be taken down, but also I think really good basketball, and that’s why it’s been so fun to watch,” Clark said postgame when asked about the records broken in the WNBA this season.

When the WNBA began in 1997, the season was 28 games long. The next year it was 30 games, then the year after that, 32, which lasted through 2002. The regular season had 34 games from 2003 to 2019. Courtney Vandersloot tallied 300 assists in 2019 and had a record of 258 in 2018, but before those two standout seasons, a player hadn’t recorded more than 250 assists since 2000. Ticha Penicheiro, who had the prior single-season rookie assist record, recorded 236 assists in 2000.

The moment Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA single-season assists record 👏#IONWNBA | @IndianaFever pic.twitter.com/CvddhlLBpG

— WNBA on ION (@IONWNBA) September 14, 2024

Clark has set countless other records this season. She recorded the first triple-double for a rookie in WNBA history in early July against the New York Liberty. In late August, she set the rookie 3-point single-season record against the Atlanta Dream. Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record 400 points, 100 rebounds and 150 assists in a season, and she has recorded the most 15-point 5-assist games in a season.

She could make more history, too, including the rookie scoring record for points in a season, a mark set by Seimone Augustus in 2006 when she scored 744 points — albeit in 34 games.

GO DEEPER

Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking WNBA season: The history she’s made and the marks she’s chasing

As notable as any individual statistics, Indiana entered Friday night’s contest having won eight of its last 11 games, with the best offensive rating of any team in the league since the All-Star break. After a 2-9 start, the Fever have also climbed to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. They have already clinched a playoff berth — their first since 2016 — and could finish with their first winning season since 2015, when they made the WNBA Finals.

“It’s definitely a big moment for this place, but at the same time, I came in with the expectation this was going to happen,” Clark said of guiding Indiana back to the postseason. “For me, this isn’t a party. It’s great, I feel like it’s a great accomplishment, but there’s much more left to be done.”

Required reading

(Photo: Justin Casterline / NBAE via Getty Images)

The 1962 New York Mets lost 120 games, setting the record for the most defeats in a single season in modern baseball history. The 2024 Chicago White Sox are on pace to supplant the Mets as the worst team ever. As the season winds down, we’ll track their efforts to avoid infamy.

Sept. 13: Pitchers perform, offense does not

The roles were supposed to be reversed. If you asked any casual baseball fan at the beginning of the year which team would enter this mid-September series — Oakland A’s versus Chicago White Sox — looking to avoid the all-time loss record, the answer would have been Oakland.

Preseason expectations weren’t high for the White Sox, to be sure. Just ask their GM. But it was Oakland coming off a 110-loss season, amid a chaotic off-field storm.

Instead, it’s Oakland building an exciting young core. And the White Sox are counting down the days until the season ends. Their relevance is tied directly to their futility. A 33-115 record leaves their club six losses shy of solo ownership of the all-time record.

This 2-0 defeat wasn’t a blowout. Zack Gelof doubled home a run in the fourth. Brent Rooker gave the A’s some insurance an inning later with a two-out single. Chicago’s pitching held up, but its offense couldn’t scratch out a run.

2024 White Sox: heading for worst in history

2025 White Sox: not adding decent Free Agents

This is not a serious MLB franchise.

pic.twitter.com/dqnNd7xa7e

— Brett (@brett_haffner) September 14, 2024

Out of context, it was just a regular game — unlike many mammoth blowouts that populate their schedule.

In context, however, it added to their unwelcome history.

The White Sox lost their 16th consecutive home game, spanning more than a month. They dropped to 5-26 in the Grady Sizemore era. They tied the 2018 Baltimore Orioles and the 1935 Boston Braves for the fourth-most losses since the creation of the American League in 1901.

In an alternate universe, it’s the A’s desperately trying to avoid infamy. In this world, however, it’s the White Sox who are seemingly resigned to it. — Sam Blum

Current pace: 126 losses

Games remaining: 14

Wins needed to avoid equaling the ’62 Mets: 10

Next game: Saturday vs. Oakland. Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.58 ERA) vs. White Sox RHP Chris Flexen (2-14, 5.26 ERA)

Sept. 11: Rally falls short in 15th consecutive home loss

The White Sox have gone an entire month without a home win.

Way back when, somewhere around the Mesozoic Era (OK, it was Aug. 12), Chicago bludgeoned the New York Yankees, 12-2. Since then, it’s been one loss after another, one step closer to history every time the White Sox take the field. The latest edition included a pair of two-run infield singles by Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas in a 6-4 defeat on Wednesday afternoon that sealed Cleveland’s three-game sweep.

An error and a balk helped fuel a four-run White Sox outburst, but like the previous two games of the series, they never grabbed hold of a lead. They have lost 15 consecutive games at Guaranteed Rate Field, and 27 of 28.

The White Sox now sit at 33-114. Since their inception as a charter member of the American League in 1901, only five teams have recorded more losses in a season: the 2018 Baltimore Orioles (115), the 1935 Boston Braves (115), the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (117), the 2003 Detroit Tigers (119) and the 1962 New York Mets (120).

With the first-place Guardians reluctantly leaving town, the White Sox will welcome the Oakland Athletics to the South Side for a three-game series this weekend. Chicago dropped two of three in Oakland in early August. — Zack Meisel

I fear it’s time we have this conversation.

Relegate the Chicago White Sox pic.twitter.com/mAYNihULHx

— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) September 11, 2024

Sept. 10: Loss No. 113 comes in 17th shutout of season

CHICAGO — Before Tuesday’s game, a White Sox executive jokingly asked two reporters to try using “record-setting” before the team name instead of a less-flattering description. Well, the record-setting White Sox did it again Tuesday, setting a new record for consecutive home losses with 14. Of course, they broke the record they set Monday night.

Their 5-0 loss to Cleveland was also their 26th defeat in their last 27 home games.

It’s starting to become a trend.

LANE LANE LANE LANE!#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/DpcYUR28Gr

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 11, 2024

Led by Lane Thomas’ three-run homer off Sox reliever Gus Varland in the sixth, Cleveland sent the White Sox to their 113th loss, home or away, of the season. This was the 17th time this season they’ve been shut out. They are eight losses away from surpassing the modern-day loss record of the 1962 Mets, and the only drama now is whether they can win three games between now and Sept. 24 so they can set the record in their final home series.

The Sox are 18-56 at home and their last victory at Guaranteed Rate Field was an improbable 12-2 clobbering of the New York Yankees on Aug. 12. Their previous home victory was against the Twins in the first game of a doubleheader on July 10. The Sox responded with 21 straight losses, tying the American League record.

Before the game, the Sox called up right-hander Sean Burke, who made his major-league debut. He struck out three in two scoreless innings before the Guardians got an unearned run off him in the ninth. The error was his own, coming off an off-target pickoff throw.

Burke, a third-round draft pick in 2021, was supposed to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, but instead is the 62nd player the White Sox have used this season, extending a club record. — Jon Greenberg

Sept. 9: Loss No. 112 comes as Guardians pitcher flirts with perfection

CHICAGO — The White Sox, who have scored 104 fewer runs than any other team, have proven to be an elixir for any struggling pitcher. That now includes Cleveland Guardians rookie Joey Cantillo, who retired the first 20 Chicago hitters he faced Monday and dealt the White Sox their 112th defeat.

Cantillo registered an 8.47 ERA in his first four spot starts, but in Cleveland’s 5-3 victory, he struck out 10 and kept the White Sox off the bases until Andrew Benintendi’s two-out single to right in the seventh.

What a night for Joey Cantillo!

He has struck out 10 batters in his outing tonight. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/LJ8jZstH78

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 10, 2024

Strangely, the White Sox have notched more wins against the first-place Guardians (five) than against any other opponent this season. Their loss Monday, however, marked their 13th in a row at home and 25th in their last 26 games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They sit only eight losses from tying the 1962 Mets’ dubious mark. They sit 40 1/2 games out of fourth place in the five-team American League Central. — Zack Meisel

(Top photo of Andrew Vaughn: Matt Marton / Imagn Images)

Plenty of attention has been paid to the new ‘Dynamic Kick-off’ regulations in American football’s NFL in the early days of its 2024 season but even in the fluid realm of the Premier League, how a team begins play is an increasingly-rehearsed process.

And despite the ongoing evolution in intricate tactics, even the greatest of Johan Cruyff’s disciples seem keen to return the game to its roots by hoofing the ball up the pitch from kick-off. Each of last season’s final top six in the Premier League have done so at some point in their first three matches of 2024-25. However, they have also provided variety in the ways they line their players up, and how quickly they get the ball forward.

Below, The Athletic analyses the kick-off routines used by Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea (to start either a game or the second half of one) across the first three weeks of the season ahead of the Premier League’s return this weekend.

Manchester City

As you would expect from a Pep Guardiola team, City’s kick-off routines have been attempts to retain control through short passes and plenty of off-ball movement.

Ahead of their first kick-off of the season away at Chelsea, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva both lined up close to the ball, with Savinho out wide on the left and Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku close to each other on the right. Rico Lewis was the sole defensive member of the team to the left with their other defenders forming the final line behind Mateo Kovacic on the edge of the centre circle.

De Bruyne passed the ball back to goalkeeper Ederson, who went long towards Haaland on the right. He flicked it on, but Chelsea ’keeper Robert Sanchez came off his line to collect the ball close to the edge of the box before Doku could reach it. By the time Sanchez caught the ball, City had seven players close to his penalty box to kickstart the press.

At home against Ipswich Town the following weekend, Guardiola opted for a different approach when City kicked off the second half (they were leading 3-1 by then). De Bruyne and Bernardo still stayed close to the ball, but Haaland joined Savinho out wide on the right while Doku was positioned further inside on the other flank. Lewis, on the right, lined up alongside Kovacic, who stood near the edge of the circle again, while the back three were positioned deeper than they had been at Stamford Bridge.

City began the second half with a 14-pass move in which they found both Savinho and Doku at different points, with seven players in total getting a touch. When Ipswich finally cleared the ball for a throw-in, City had De Bruyne and Bernardo in pockets where they could cause damage and both wingers high and wide with limited immediate pressure.

At West Ham, City chose a similar approach to the Ipswich one before the opening kick-off but with Jack Grealish alone on the left while Haaland and Doku went wide on the right. Their back three were much closer together that time and leaned more towards the left, indicating they would channel their first attack of the match to the right.

De Bruyne again passed all the way back to Ederson, who shaped up for a long pass but then went short to left-back Josko Gvardiol, who returned it to him. City then drew West Ham towards the left with De Bruyne dropping deep, as he did against Ipswich, before playing it out to their right and finding Lewis in acres of space. When Lewis received the ball, he was ahead of six West Ham and five City outfield players, giving the champions a chance to cause some early damage.

Arsenal

Arsenal have had a set pattern in place across their three league games so far, passing the ball back to goalkeeper David Raya from kick-off and surging towards the flanks in numbers while leaving central areas open. Raya is then tasked with hitting one of the wings; he went towards the left against Wolves and Brighton, and to the right against Aston Villa.

In the Wolves game, Arsenal had a front five streaming forward even before Thomas Partey knocked the ball back towards Raya. Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard made inward runs on the right anticipating a long ball to the left, where Declan Rice is most central with Gabriel Martinelli holding the width and Kai Havertz between them, while Oleksandr Zinchenko stayed back. Arsenal’s defenders stayed in a high final line to ensure they could move further up once Raya, who came well outside his box, launched the ball forward.

By the time Raya readied himself to kick, William Saliba was the lone defender in the final line with Gabriel and Ben White, who also made their way forward.

Wolves stepped forward to try to win the ball just beyond the halfway line, but it came back to Zinchenko. He played it forward to Martinelli, but the Brazilian’s subsequent pass towards the middle was cleared.

Wolves recovered possession quickly but as Arsenal already had men forward, they pressed them to force a long pass and won the ball back by the 34-second mark.

Away to Villa, Arsenal used a different tactic by opting to go to the right flank instead. Havertz moved over to the right to charge forward with Saka, while Odegaard stayed more central. Rice and Martinelli made more conservative runs on the left while the back four stayed high in line with the edge of the centre circle.

When Partey’s pass got to Raya, Saliba was the furthest behind once again while all the runners moved towards the right. Raya’s long ball was nodded on by Havertz, who occupied the same area as Saka, allowing Villa left-back Lucas Digne to get a head start and marshal the ball out for a goal kick. The move mirrors City’s approach against Chelsea the previous weekend.

Finally, against Brighton, Arsenal went to the left again, with Havertz once more drifting over to the other side. This time, they kept two centre-backs in front of Raya, anticipating a higher Brighton press, with Saliba even blocking opposition striker Danny Welbeck. Raya’s pass was met by Jan Paul van Hecke, who headed it out for a throw-in.

By then, nine Arsenal players were in the Brighton half, allowing the home side to establish early territorial dominance.

Winning the initial header doesn’t seem to be Arsenal’s focus from these routines, particularly considering the 5ft 8in (178cm) Leandro Trossard was their left-winger against Brighton, though Havertz’s 6ft 4in height does help, as it did against Villa. The aim is for them to get as many of their players forward as possible, pinning the opposition back rather than prioritising control.

Liverpool 

Liverpool huddle before kick-off at Manchester United on September 1 (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Arne Slot’s early months as Liverpool head coach have seen him receive praise for establishing an identity that blends the best qualities of Jurgen Klopp’s 2023-24 squad with his own touches.

Liverpool have continued to use a high line and that has been evident from their kick-off setups, which is similar to Arsenal’s.

On the opening weekend against Ipswich, Dominik Szoboszlai was tasked with kicking off the contest, with four team-mates also close to the halfway line.

Unlike City and Arsenal, who have players starting from wide positions, Liverpool were much narrower. Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Alexis Mac Allister lined up on the left while Mohamed Salah took up the sole spot on the right. Behind them, Trent Alexander-Arnold inverted to form a midfield line with Ryan Gravenberch, with Liverpool’s remaining defenders forming the final line just beyond the centre circle. Both the first and final lines compressed space by lining up next to each other.

Below, Szoboszlai passed to goalkeeper Alisson, who went long towards the left. Like Haaland and Havertz from the examples above, the ball was directed towards Jota, who was in the half-space rather than wide, which helped him find Diaz further out. The Colombian received support from Andy Robertson and the latter’s first-time cross was cleared.

Slot went one step further in his official Anfield bow against Brentford the following week. To kick off the game’s second half, the front four remained the same but the midfield two became a trio with Robertson inverting to position himself directly behind Jota on the left. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk formed the final line right next to the centre circle.

This time around, Alisson’s long pass was met by Brentford defender Nathan Collins, who was then fouled when he went up for a return header after the ball was sent forward again by Robertson. When the foul occurred, every Liverpool outfield player was in Brentford’s half. With the play drawn towards the left, Szoboszlai, Alexander-Arnold and Salah were in space on the right.

Then, against Manchester United, deemed the first big test of Slot’s tenure, the Dutchman unleashed what looked like an even more daring approach to start the second half, despite holding a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford. The front line of four was backed up by a second line of four with Gravenberch, Van Dijk and Robertson on the left and Alexander-Arnold in the half-space on the right. Konate was furthest back but still higher than he had been against Ipswich or Brentford.

However, as Alisson readied himself to launch one upfield, Van Dijk and Robertson dropped back even as their other team-mates made their way forward. Alisson’s pass was met by Jota, who (after a couple of ricochets) got past United right-back Noussair Mazraoui to the byline. Liverpool were unable to get enough men into the box, though, and Jota’s final pass sailed out for a throw-in on the other side of the pitch. They did, however, have enough players in United’s defensive third to disrupt their restart from the ensuing throw-in.

Liverpool’s approach from kick-offs, while mirroring Arsenal’s on the surface, has the positional interchanges we see from City.

Jota and Diaz are both capable of switching between the left-winger and centre-forward positions and this approach also allows Salah to begin halves with lower intensity and conserve his energy.

Aston Villa 

Villa are the first team on this list to start matches off with a forward and use a midfield recipient from kick-off, with an emphasis on control and baiting the opposition’s press.

Away against West Ham on the opening weekend, Morgan Rogers started the second half for Villa with Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey lining up close to each other on the left and John McGinn tucking inside on the right. Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana stood right next to each other within the centre circle, while Villa’s back four formed their final line a few yards further back, fanning out to cover the middle of the pitch and both flanks.

Below, Rogers passed the ball to Tielemans, who went back to Pau Torres. As West Ham committed men forward, Villa played it out wide to right-back Matty Cash, who beat his man but then gave the ball away, before Villa won a throw-in in their own half.

Unai Emery’s side were much more conservative when they took on Arsenal at home the following weekend.

This time, Watkins moved to the right, leaving Bailey as the sole runner on the left. Tielemans pushed closer to Rogers while Onana retained his position near the edge of the centre circle. The gap between Onana and the back four was much larger, while the full-backs pushed slightly further ahead of their centre-backs.

Villa passed back to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who, with the team’s overall shape, would have been expected to go towards the left wing. However, Havertz cleverly presses him on that side to force Martinez to pass to the right wing, where Jurrien Timber wins the initial duel but then gives the ball away. From there, Villa worked it back to their defenders before eventually surrendering possession as Arsenal pressure resulted in Torres passing to an offside Bailey.

Against Leicester City in their third match of the season, Emery unleashed another pre-kick-off formation.

This time, Watkins returned to the left alongside McGinn, while Onana moved further up the pitch to join Bailey on the right, so forming a front four. Tielemans stood just a couple of feet away from Rogers to receive the initial ball, while Digne inverted to line up a few yards behind McGinn and Watkins, leaving plenty of space in midfield.

Rogers passed to Tielemans as expected, and he played the ball further back to the defence. Torres tried to dribble out of danger but couldn’t and Leicester cleared it back to their defence before constructing a move that pegged Villa back, indicating the risk this approach holds when Emery’s side fail to wriggle out of pressure.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham’s kick-off setup contrasts with all the teams above in terms of width.

In the example below from their opening fixture against Leicester, Spurs, like Villa, kicked off using a forward in Dominic Solanke, but stationed Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson extremely wide on the left and right respectively, with James Maddison starting close to Solanke.

Their second line leaned towards the left; Rodrigo Bentancur was on the edge of the centre circle in midfield with Pedro Porro in the right half-space and Pape Sarr in between them. Destiny Udogie was slightly behind in the left half-space, leaving just centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to form the final line closer to their penalty area than to their team-mates. Romero and Van de Ven then fanned out, hinting that Spurs would start with short passes, which was what they did.

Solanke passed the ball to Bentancur, who played a one-two with Sarr before finding Van de Ven. Spurs worked the ball to Maddison, dropping deep on the left flank (similar to De Bruyne for City), and he tried to find Udogie, whose poke forward was too far ahead for Solanke to reach.

With Solanke out injured against Everton, Spurs brought Wilson Odobert into their line-up, while Dejan Kulusevski also started.

As Son, as the centre-forward, prepared for kick-off, he had two options close to him in Maddison and Kulusevski, while Johnson and Odobert held the width once again. The second line was formed by Porro drifting into central midfield, the returning Yves Bissouma at the edge of the centre circle and Udogie much wider on the left. Romero and Van de Ven formed the final line but were higher up the pitch than against Leicester, a signal they anticipated less pressure from the outset than in Leicester.

Son found Bissouma with the first pass and the midfielder went long, towards Odobert on the left. Odobert won the second ball and fed Maddison, but Spurs ended up going back to their defence, still staying within Everton’s half as the visitors sat deep.

In the most recent match, against Newcastle, Spurs used yet another kick-off shape as they began the second half 1-0 down.

As Son prepared to make the opening pass, Johnson again positioned himself wide on the right, but Udogie was now the widest player on the other flank with Odobert dropping inside, while Kulusevski was deeper than where he was positioned in the Everton match. Porro also pushed up to man the right side of the second line, with Maddison in a deeper position down the middle and Bissouma on the left. The gap between midfield and their two-man defensive line was smaller as Spurs aimed to push forward from the start of the half in search of an equaliser.

On this occasion, Son played it to Kulusevski, who lofted a ball towards Udogie on the left — as Bissouma did for Odobert against Everton. The pass was too heavy and Newcastle won it back, but as Spurs pushed men forward, they regained possession quickly. The resulting sequence saw Kulusevski’s shot from inside the box deflected.

Spurs’ system under coach Ange Postecoglou has often depended on high-risk, high-energy football and their kick-offs are a good illustration of that. Their setup allows them to stream men forward and, more importantly, compress the wide areas to force teams down the middle, where they can win the ball back by applying pressure.

Chelsea

Chelsea’s kick-off approach under new head coach Enzo Maresca is quite different from their approach with Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout last season.

Instead of Conor Gallagher, sold to Atletico Madrid in the summer, or another midfielder, Nicolas Jackson has been handed kick-off duties by Maresca. Chelsea have used a mix of Spurs’ and City’s approaches, stationing their left-winger out wide while allowing Cole Palmer on the right to stay closer to Jackson.

Against City on the opening weekend, Enzo Fernandez gave Jackson a short initial option on the left, with Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia on the edge of the centre circle. Chelsea’s back four stayed closer to their box with Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella inverting from the right and left, respectively.

To start the second half, trailing 1-0, Jackson passed to Cucurella, who tried to go long towards Christopher Nkunku wide on the left, but the pass was too heavy, and City saw it through to Ederson with minimal pressure. Given the quality of the opposition, Chelsea didn’t press too high, granting City’s back three the space and time to get into a passing rhythm.

Chelsea’s approach seemed to be a reaction to playing a superior side in the four-in-a-row champions, however, as they changed their setup away against Wolves the following weekend.

The inclusion of Noni Madueke and Lavia’s absence through injury meant, in addition to having Palmer close to Jackson, Maresca could station both wingers — Mykhailo Mudryk on the left and Madueke on the right — out wide. Gusto joined the midfield to form a trio with Fernandez and Caicedo, which meant the right-back area was completely empty, with Cucurella inverting and pushing ahead and the centre-backs staying close to each other in the middle.

This time, Jackson passed to right centre-back Wesley Fofana, who immediately went long towards Madueke. The winger was open and flicked the ball on towards Palmer, but Wolves skipper Mario Lemina got there first. As Wolves then tried to move forward, Chelsea pressed high to force the opposition to the left, trying to tempt them into a risky switch which never came.

The setup Maresca used against Crystal Palace in the third match might be the one he sticks with as the Chelsea squad get accustomed to his tactics.

Chelsea, winning 1-0, kicked off the second half with Fernandez, who had Jackson (left) and Palmer (right) closest to him while Pedro Neto hugged the touchline on the left and Madueke was stationed wide right. Gusto and Caicedo formed a much deeper second line, with Cucurella wider than in previous matches. The centre-backs were also deeper than before, staying closer to their penalty area.

Fernandez passed the ball back to Sanchez, who, under no pressure, lofted the ball towards the left. Chelsea failed to win the first header and Fernandez’s second header towards Neto was cleared out. When the ball went out of play, Chelsea had Palmer, their primary creative outlet, in the kind of position they would want him, but their rest defence was slightly vulnerable with Caicedo moving up the pitch.

Space and time may have limited us to a deep dive on only last season’s top six in this article but fans of Bournemouth, Brighton, Newcastle and Manchester United can analyse their team’s kick-off approach in the graphics below:

The question came 20 minutes into Mauricio Pochettino’s introductory press conference as U.S. men’s national team coach; the first query of the event in his native Spanish.

“It’ll give me a break,” Pochettino joked at the chance to rest his English.

“What was the challenge that made you want to take the U.S. job?” the journalist asked. 

The question got to the root of an issue that hovered over the entire event at a glitzy high rise in New York City’s Hudson Yards development. Why would a manager with such a massive reputation see this as his next step?

The 52-year-old former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager spoke first about the feeling he had meeting with U.S. Soccer executives, and then about the great potential of the sport in the U.S. Then he got to the task at hand: taking the USMNT to a different level. 

“It’s a challenge that takes us out of our comfort zone,” Pochettino said in Spanish, smiling. “For us, the easy thing to do is take on things we already know, and we already have a quick vision and an idea (of how to accomplish it). But here it is about taking on something one does not know as well; getting out of your comfort zone so that you can challenge yourself.

“It is not only about a challenge to achieve things together but also about challenging yourself.”

CEO of U.S. Soccer JT Batson, technical director Matt Crocker, Pochettino and president Cindy Parlow (Luke Hales/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Whether knowingly or not, Pochettino put himself on a parallel path with his new team. For several cycles, the idea of “getting out of your comfort zone to grow” has been a part of the USMNT’s journey toward improvement. The idea dates back to Jurgen Klinsmann’s era, but it was also discussed often by former coach Gregg Berhalter.

But the idea is about more than just going to Europe to play for the biggest clubs. It is about understanding how to find the right challenges that force you to grow. To get better.

That Pochettino sees this job as a challenge for his own growth was, perhaps, the most important takeaway from Friday’s press conference. The U.S. needed a new voice to push them to take that next step, beyond potential and into results. They will now begin that journey with a coach who has a bigger reputation than anyone else in the room but who is seeking that same type of growth.

Pochettino came across as charming, excited and motivated in the press conference. He spoke about how happy he was to be with the U.S., about the honor of being the first Spanish-speaking Latin American coach in the history of the program, and of his connection with U.S. women’s coach Emma Hayes and the potential influence the winning history of the USWNT can have on the men’s program.

He told a story about learning the English-language term of being “over the moon” in his early days as manager of Southampton in the Premier League and said he and his family are over the moon that he has taken this new job. 

That he switched back and forth between English and Spanish was, in itself, a historic moment and representative of how this hire creates an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. Soccer to reach this country’s massive — and growing — Latino population.

Pochettino clearly understood, though, that reaching fans, both new and old, will come down to one thing: winning.

Pochettino is presented to the media at Hudson Yards (Luke Hales/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Several times over the course of the morning, Pochettino returned to a simple idea that he thinks can push this team forward: belief. He said the word “believe” a dozen times over the course of the hour-long event. For a coach famous for his ability to inspire a dressing room, it hinted at the way he’ll target mentality and psychology as much as he will tactics.

“’Believe’ for me is a word that is a powerful word,” Pochettino said. “You can have enormous talent and you can be clever, but in football, you need to believe. Believe that all is possible. If we find a way to believe all together, then for sure we will achieve.”

Later, he reinforced that idea with his sights set on the World Cup tournament the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada in two years’ time.

“We need to really believe in big things,” Pochettino said. “Believe that we can win not only a game, we can win the World Cup. … We want players that show up, day one at the training camp, and think big. That is the only way to create this philosophy or this idea all together to perform and to put your talent in the service of the team. That is going to be our massive challenge.”

Bringing that belief back will be first on his to-do list as the USMNT coach.

The U.S. was clearly lacking confidence in the September window, something Pochettino said was understandable considering the results in the Copa América. The performances in a loss to Canada and a draw with New Zealand only magnified the issues within the group. Pochettino, though, didn’t seem overly concerned with the overall culture of the group, alluding then to the idea of tapping into the “winning mentality” that permeates American sports and taking inspiration from the winning culture the U.S. women have long demonstrated.

“We are here because we want to win,” Pochettino said.

The video board announces Pochettino’s appointment at the friendly against New Zealand in Cincinnati (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

There were, of course, ideas about how to play discussed as well. 

“We are in the USA,” Pochettino said. “I think to convince our fans, this is about to attract (them), and the aesthetic is really important. We want to play nice football, good football, exciting football, attacking football. And then, of course, we want to have the possession, because we are coaching staff also with a philosophy to have the ball. We need to run, we need to move, we need to give options, good angles to your team-mate. … And then when we don’t have the ball we need to run, we need to be aggressive, we need to be competitive.

“The potential is there. The talent is there. It’s only to create the best platform for them to express themselves.”

While Pochettino acknowledged that those are the trademarks of his team, he also said he wants first to get a feel for his players before he declares how this U.S. team will play. 

That process will start in the coming days, as Pochettino inevitably goes to sit and meet with members of the player pool, chief among them star winger Christian Pulisic. Pochettino said he wants to hear from members of the team individually, to get feedback on how they see things. Then he will gather the group together for the first time next month for friendlies in Austin, Texas and Guadalajara, Mexico.

The process to get a deal over the line has been a long one, stretching more than two months from the beginning of recruitment to his formal introduction. Pochettino admitted it was difficult to wait it out. He was ready to get to work. 

Now, the clock has started. The U.S. has less than two years until the World Cup and a mountain to climb to be ready. They have a coach, though, that few would have imagined would take this group into that tournament.

A coach who now will try to inject belief into and around this team.

GO DEEPER

How USMNT landed Pochettino: Hayes’ role, Chelsea delays and Argentine steak

(Top photo: Luke Hales/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

It was the scene none of us wanted to see: Tua Tagovailoa incapacitated on the football field after another collision and blow to the head.

But there we found ourselves late Thursday night, watching in fear of the Miami Dolphins quarterback’s well-being as medical personnel tended to him after his third-quarter scramble and collision with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Immediately, memories and mental images of Tagovailoa’s 2022 concussions rushed back.

The heart-stopping fear that his family members must have experienced at that moment is hard to fathom. But everyone from current to former NFL players, fans and anyone in between sympathized.

Tagovailoa eventually was helped to his feet, and he limped off the field under his own power. Just before the quarterback reached the sideline, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel had a brief word with his player, “I told him he’s the starting quarterback of his family, and to ‘Go in the locker room, take a deep breath and I’ll see you soon.’” With that, McDaniel kissed Tagovailoa on the head and turned him over to the trainers, who ushered him to the locker room for evaluation.

.@KayleeHartung provides an update on Tua Tagovailoa. pic.twitter.com/hiEnuq9ISC

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) September 13, 2024

McDaniel’s emotions were impossible to hide for the remainder of the game and during his postgame news conference. McDaniel immediately fielded questions about how the Dolphins would approach Tagovailoa’s recovery, but he said only that he expected Tagovailoa to go through extensive evaluations on Friday, and that the Dolphins would then approach the situation and the quarterback’s care “one day at a time.”

Now faced with how to handle their quarterback after a third known concussion in three seasons, Dolphins leadership finds itself in an extremely difficult position. It must wait to learn how this latest concussion will impact the 26-year-old quarterback and then grapple with the decision of when/if he should return to the field.

The Dolphins and their doctors no doubt will work hard to avoid a repeat of 2022, when Tagovailoa seemingly was allowed to return to action prematurely and then sustained at least one other concussion. (Those decisions sparked a joint investigation by the NFL and NFL Players Association’s medical examiners.)

If you recall, it was Week 3 of that 2022 season when Tagovailoa sustained a blow that left him stumbling and struggling to maintain his balance after an injury that the Dolphins classified as a back injury, although something about that diagnosis always felt off. Tagovailoa started the following game before eventually sustaining a sack that caused his back and back of his helmet to hit the ground. Tagovailoa’s body involuntarily went into the fencing response before he was taken off the field on a stretcher. Then in Week 16, Tagovailoa sustained another concussion and missed the final two regular-season games and Miami’s playoff game.

Scoop City Newsletter

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Sign Up

If the Dolphins learned anything from that Week 3 and 4 sequence, it’s that medical exams and league-mandated protocols aren’t always as all-encompassing or as foolproof as one would hope. So this time measures that may even seem extreme are required as they navigate this latest brain injury recovery with their quarterback.

Almost immediately after Tagovailoa’s injury Thursday night, social media erupted with opinions from former players, including Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who covered the game for Amazon Prime, and fans who suggested that Tagovailoa should retire — never playing football again. The risk of the quarterback returning to action and suffering another (and possibly more devastating) concussion seems to far outweigh the rewards of a continued playing career, they believe.

GO DEEPER

Former players call for Tagovailoa to retire

It’s not so simple, however. How do you tell a young man that he’s unfit for work? How do you tell him that he can no longer live his dream?

Tagovailoa certainly has proved he’s capable of playing at an elite level. He led the NFL in passing yards last season and had gotten off to another prolific start in Week 1. But his injury history suggests that his body isn’t designed to hold up under the rigors of this violent game.

There’s a fine line between supporting a player while allowing him to live his life and make his decisions and protecting a player from himself. Determining where that differentiating line falls is painfully complicated and perhaps impossible to determine.

Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards last season and was the league’s leader through Week 1 of this season. (Jasen Vinlove / USA Today)

It’s an unenviable position for the Dolphins, who earlier this summer agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the quarterback. The deal is the last thing on anyone in the organization’s minds at this time. Protecting and supporting a member of their family in hopes he returns to full health and maintains the ability to lead a quality life tops their priority list.

The Dolphins can’t abide by the usual return-to-play concussion protocol, which entails daily monitoring and benchmarks and a gradual ramp-up of physical activity and potential clearance for game action by the end of the same week.

It seems like the Dolphins’ doctors should mandate extensive and the most sophisticated testing possible to learn as much about Tagovailoa’s brain and recovery process before they let him set foot anywhere so much as a treadmill. The problem is that concussion-related brain damage is often difficult to detect even with the most modern forms of technology. But extreme care is needed, even if the quarterback is no longer exhibiting concussion symptoms.

For now, it’s far too early to know what the recovery timeline looks like. McDaniel said Friday that he didn’t even know if the Dolphins would place the quarterback on injured reserve (a minimum of four games) to ensure he doesn’t attempt to rush back.

“I literally will not know any sort of anything either way, because, again, that’s how we’re operating, as though we know nothing — because we don’t,” the coach said. “The driving force behind any sort of move — let’s say playing anytime, let’s say IR, whatever those things are — the absolute most important opinion is that of the most important person in this whole equation: Tua. His opinion of what he wants to do with his life and his career, coupled with the experts in neuroscience — those are the driving forces behind those actions. … I’m not hiding anything. I’m being as transparent as I absolutely could. I have zero idea what any sort of timeline is, and I’m actually extremely motivated to be in the gray, because I’m extremely motivated to do right by, you know, the person that we’re talking about. I know that’s not an ideal way to do business, necessarily. But this is more than business.”

McDaniel added, “Literally all I’m telling Tua is, ‘Everyone is counting on you to be a dad this weekend,’ and then we’ll move from there.”

GO DEEPER

‘It’s trauma. It will always be there’: Damar Hamlin’s routine hit on Tua Tagovailoa a scary reminder

If Tagovailoa does ultimately decide he wants to continue playing and doctors allow it, then the Dolphins must do everything possible to protect him, which means bringing him along at a painstakingly slow pace to help guard against setbacks, and perhaps making him wear a Guardian Cap in games over his already specialized helmet. But that’s just the start.

They have invested in him heavily at this point. His contract features $167 million that is guaranteed for injury, including $43 million that has been paid this year. Even if the team forced him to retire for medical reasons, it would owe Tagovailoa the remaining $124 million of guaranteed money on his contract. If he chooses to retire on his own, he would forfeit that money, unless he and the team reached an injury settlement. So, the only move is to exercise patience and support.

McDaniel explained, “I look at Tua as a family member of mine,” and his sentiments are shared by those within the Dolphins’ organization. So for now, the necessary moves are to ensure the well-being of the man takes precedence over any football matters. Then, eventually those decisions will come.

If only there was a way to guarantee that the Dolphins quarterback never has to endure a similar episode in the future.

(Top photo of Mike McDaniel kissing Tua Tagovailoa as he exits the field: Megan Briggs / Getty Images) 

The thing about baseball, and it’s always been this way, is that the game itself is so enchanting, riveting and charmingly ridiculous that the people who run it know you’ll keep coming back, no matter what they do to it.

This latest indignity isn’t a scandal. It’s not the Black Sox or the color barrier or canceling a World Series or steroids. It’s just another sign that the commissioner’s office doesn’t think Major League Baseball is as special and distinct as it ought to be.

In the postseason next month, the logo of a German company that manufactures high-performance work clothes will “adorn” the batting helmet of every player.

GO DEEPER

MLB to place ads on playoff batting helmets

Funny word choice there, from the MLB press release: adorn. The dictionary definition is to beautify; that is, to enhance the appearance of something by adding to it — like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Then again, everyone has their own idea of beauty. To business owners, beauty is money, and that’s naturally a big part of the job for Commissioner Rob Manfred. He presides over 30 owners who want to make money.

But baseball doesn’t chase every last dollar it could. There are, in fact, some established limits.

Teams are still named for cities and regions — not companies, as they are in Japan. A few teams still don’t sell naming rights for their ballparks — Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium and so on. The winner of the World Series gets the “commissioner’s trophy” — not, say, a big Del Monte can on a wooden base.

Maybe all that is coming. Through 2022, the uniform was an ad-free zone except for the logos of the companies that manufactured the garments, which at least made contextual sense. Starting last season, though, teams were allowed to sell space on their sleeve patches — the left or the right, whichever faces the TV camera more often — and 23 of the 30 teams have done so. Only the Mets bothered to change theirs when the colors clashed.

Steve Cohen says the Mets’ ad patch is “Phillies colors,” and they’ll be changing the design to be more Mets colors.

— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) April 7, 2023

Now come the helmet ads, which do nothing to enhance MLB’s product but might inspire you to buy some cargo work pants for $99.99. The sponsoring company’s chief executive, naturally, thinks this is great, as he tells us in this vapid quote from the press release:

“Whether on the field or in the field, your gear is a source of pride. We know that fans of America’s pastime are loyal, dedicated, and value a job well done — just like (insert company name here) fans around the world who love our family’s iconic ostrich logo.”

(Another linguistic digression: can we please reserve “iconic” for things that actually are widely admired, influential or significant?)

The company logo will stretch horizontally across the side of the batting helmet, with the not-really-iconic ostrich beside the company’s name. It will appear in all postseason games starting next month, plus all minor-league games starting next season (and MLB regular-season games in Europe, keeping with an odd precedent for overseas games).

Yes, the NBA and NHL and soccer have advertising patches. Whatever. If the NBA and NHL and soccer jumped off a bridge … you know the saying. Anyway, wouldn’t it be wonderful if baseball held itself to a higher standard?

It’s easy, from the perspective of someone who has never run a business, to say that MLB should have resisted yet another cash grab. But come on. It’s so tacky, and so sad that the league overlords have such little respect for the visual presentation of their product. They should be better than this.

To be fair, the league does a lot of things right. Manfred’s push for a pitch clock, and the thoughtful, methodically researched way that MLB went about it, has improved the game more than the glut of ads detracts from it. The pitch clock has been an overwhelming success, removing nothing of substance and restoring the sport’s natural pacing. A thousand hosannas.

That innovation showed how something positive can come from financial motivation. The pitch clock made MLB a more appealing product, so everybody won. Here, there’s no benefit for the fans. A helmet ad won’t grow the business.

As tasteless as it is, though, it probably doesn’t shrink the business, either. Baseball has this way of latching onto diehard fans and never letting go, and MLB knows this. It’s just a shame that the league exploits such loyalty with little insults like this.

Sorry, not insults. Adornments.

(Photo: Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

After a victorious debut as the Los Angeles Chargers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who knows a thing or two about team building, told his squad: “You won’t make as much progress in the entire season as you will from Week 1 to Week 2, I’m telling you this.”

Of course, this applies more to the teams with a good coaching staff and the tools to make the necessary fixes after learning exactly where they need to improve. For teams that don’t have the resources to fix multiple issues, learning about themselves won’t matter. Sixteen teams lost in Week 1, but they don’t all have to panic. Here are five units that underperformed but have the means to greatly improve.

The Ravens went into one of the league’s loudest stadiums against the champion Kansas City Chiefs — who were led by their defense last season — and were a toenail away from scoring 26 points and possibly winning on a 2-point attempt. Issues Baltimore will have to figure out were certainly exposed, but no one should panic about this offense.

This is Lamar Jackson’s second year in coordinator Todd Monken’s system, Zay Flowers is in his second NFL season, and Isaiah Likely has developed into a consistent weapon. Not to mention, they have Derrick Henry. Henry’s Ravens debut wasn’t great — 13 carries for 46 yards (3.5 yards per carry) — but he didn’t have much of an opportunity to get to the open field. Henry has always been a back who needs space to build up speed. He can be stopped for short gain after short gain and suddenly hit a 50-yard run. He didn’t have the chance in Week 1 because the Ravens fell behind.

GO DEEPER

Ravens insist they’re not worried about their O-line or illegal formation crackdown

The concern is the right side of the offensive line. Guard Daniel Faalele switched from tackle, and coach John Harbaugh has raved about his athleticism, but it will be a process. I trust the Ravens’ ability to evaluate and fix issues. They’ll have to improve quickly, however, because the Las Vegas Raiders have an elite defensive line. When Jackson had time, Flowers was getting open against an elite secondary, but the Ravens threw a ton of screens because they didn’t trust the line to hold up.

Tight end Mark Andrews has been a stalwart, but his two-catch performance against the Chiefs has some concerned he might not be fully recovered from a season-ending ankle injury and car accident in August. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made taking away Andrews a focal point. According to Pro Football Focus, Andrews was double covered at a higher rate than in any of his games from 2021 to 2023. He saw a combination of true bracket coverage and multiple defenders crowding him in the zone.

Jackson led the team in carries and took several hits against the Chiefs; he had to rest Tuesday because of soreness. That can’t continue, but it was the first week, against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs; they were emptying their chamber. Barring a major injury, the Ravens will be a top-10 offense this season.

Jets fans are panicking. A team seen as a playoff contender was pummeled by the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers on the road. I get it. The final numbers aren’t great. The starting offense scored just 13 points, Breece Hall had 16 rushes for 54 yards, and Aaron Rodgers passed for only 167 yards.

The Jets are an outside zone team and tried to attack the 49ers outside. San Francisco was vulnerable on the outside last season but has worked on shoring up that weakness in the offseason and looked great chasing down perimeter runs. Also, the Jets’ offensive line hasn’t played together, so testing their communication and chemistry against an attacking front like the 49ers’ is difficult. The Jets have the talent to improve and open running lanes for Hall if they can stay healthy.

GO DEEPER

Jets’ Allen Lazard has a simple explanation for his Week 1 return to form

Rodgers doesn’t look fully recovered from the Achilles injury that took him out for the season. His mobility is compromised. He didn’t scramble and tried to break the pocket only once, but his arm looked great. He was throwing with zip and made a few signature throws, including a one-step fade to Allen Lazard down the sideline that was perfect. On that same drive, he got the defense to jump, got a free play and threw a dime for a touchdown to Lazard.

First quarter, 7:34 remaining, third-and-7

On third-and-7, the Jets lined up in empty. Rodgers saw two deep safeties and signaled to the weak side with Garrett Wilson lined up in the slot to presumably change the route combo into a “drive” concept, which is good against Cover 2.

The underneath defender bit on the shallow route, leaving Wilson open behind him. Rodgers started his throwing motion before Wilson got inside.

The throw was perfect and allowed Wilson to run after the catch.

Rodgers was stellar on money downs. He was 4-of-7 on third and fourth downs with two drops that had enough yardage to convert. His fourth-down throw to Wilson was behind him but catchable.

Rodgers should gain some mobility as the season progresses, but even confined to the pocket, he’s better than any Jets quarterback in a long time. The offense needs to run the ball better to support Rodgers, but he’s still a high-level quarterback in the pocket. This might not be one of the league’s top offenses, but the Jets have won games on the backs of their defense. They just need the offense to be middle of the pack, and Rodgers has shown enough to make me believe he could make them a little better than that.

One of the major questions for the Rams heading into the season was how their defense would look without future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. They were gashed on the ground in Week 1 by the Detroit Lions, who rushed for 163 yards with the league’s highest rushing success rate (73.3 percent) on designed runs. But it took Detroit overtime to score 26 points on the young Rams defense.

Fourth quarter, 9:15 remaining, second-and-8

Here, the Rams played Cover 8 against the Lions’ two-by-two formation with the back offset to the right. Cover 8 means they are playing Cover 2 zone to the strong side (three-receiver side) and Cover 4 to the weak side (two-receiver side).

The underneath defenders converged on the underneath routes Jared Goff looked to first and forced him to get to his next read, which was Amon-Ra St. Brown on a dig. Playing Cover 4 to the weak side creates the possibility that the weakside safety could help on crossers coming from the strong side, which is exactly what happened here.

Goff didn’t see safety John Johnson III come from the weak side to help on St. Brown, and Goff threw the ball right to him.

The defensive line pressured Goff on 55.6 percent of third-down dropbacks. First-round pick Jared Verse had six pressures and a quality sack against left tackle Taylor Decker. A coverage bust led to a big play, but overall, the secondary looked good passing off routes and communicating. Corner Tre’Davious White, coming back from an Achilles tear, looked slow, but the hope is he improves as the season progresses.

The defense doesn’t have to be a top-10 unit when the Rams offense is healthy, but the offense might be one of the most injured units in the league right now. The defense had an encouraging debut, and it’ll need to make a Week 2 leap to keep the team afloat while it gets healthy.

GO DEEPER

As injuries mount in loss, Rams can’t let past catastrophes repeat

The run game will be the Steelers’ catalyst no matter who plays quarterback. Pittsburgh is switching to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s outside zone scheme. It takes time for an offensive line to jell in that scheme. It’s a relatively simple one in terms of play volume but requires a lot of communication to execute properly, and the running backs have to get adept at consistently making the right reads and cuts.

Against the Atlanta Falcons, who finished second in defensive rushing success rate last season, the Steelers had 106 yards but averaged only 2.9 yards and had a 38.9 percent rushing success rate on designed rushes (QB scrambles not included). Watching the tape, they were close to breaking some runs but couldn’t because of a missed assignment, a bad read by the running back or a block wasn’t held long enough.

GO DEEPER

Why Zach Frazier’s steady presence is critical for a Steelers’ OL in transition

Running back Najee Harris also looked a bit indecisive in this new scheme. Jaylen Warren is coming back from injury and his snaps were limited, but he might be a better fit in this offense than Harris. I’d expect the running game to look better with more carries for Warren. Also, it appears the total option package for Justin Fields hasn’t been installed yet. Smith’s QB run game was much more expansive when he was the Falcons’ head coach.

Second quarter, 8:36 remaining, second-and-2

Here, the Steelers are running a variant of outside zone called Zorro. Tight end Pat Freiermuth was responsible for blocking the safety in the alley.

However, Freiermuth blocked the inside linebacker, whom the play-side guard and tackle were responsible for, leaving safety Jessie Bates III unblocked.

Harris looked to have the opportunity to cut vertically and bang inside for 4 or more yards or cut all the way back and try to run through the backside pursuit player. He instead kept pressing outside, right into Bates, for a gain of only 2.

Cleaning up these issues will take some time, but they are correctable. The run game should also be bolstered when All-Pro guard Isaac Seumalo returns from a pectoral injury he suffered in camp. This run game has a chance to be one of the better ones in the league with the threat of Fields keeping the ball.

GO DEEPER

NFL Week 1 best and worst coaching decisions: Andy Reid’s motion plays spark Chiefs

Whichever side you were on in the great Anthony Richardson debate, last Sunday didn’t sway you either way. Richardson had a few spectacular throws, including maybe one of the best passes of all time, but also was off-target on 15.8 percent of his passes. However, there were several instances when receivers slipped on the freshly installed turf in Lucas Oil Stadium. Tight end Kylen Granson slipped while running a crosser on Richardson’s lone interception. And Adonai Mitchell appeared to improvise a deep route on one play, which caught Richardson by surprise.

Effortless.

📺 #INDvsGB | 9/15 on FOX pic.twitter.com/elzjLF1KNt

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 9, 2024

What is important is Richardson is making the correct read, and his process is relatively clean, considering he’s still extremely green. His Week 2 matchup with the Green Bay Packers will be his 18th start since high school. He’ll have his misses, but it’s mostly due to footwork, which is correctable.

Scoop City Newsletter

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Sign Up

Mitchell looks like the legitimate deep threat this offense needs, and slot receiver Josh Downs, who was having a great camp before injuring his ankle, will return soon. Even with the misses, the young Colts played well against the Houston Texans, who will have one of the better defenses in the league. They’ll have a juicy matchup with a weak Packers run defense. Green Bay will likely load the box with the corners playing soft and force Richardson to beat them underneath.

(Top photo of Najee Harris: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)