2020 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins grab QB of the future

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NCAAF, NFL 2020 NFL Draft, 2020 NFL Mock Draft, Andrew Thomas, Chase Young, College Football, Football, Jeffrey Okudah, Jerry Jeudy, NFL, NFL Draft, Tua Tagovailoa

It’s the first Monday in October, which means it’s time for another 2020 NFL mock draft. A lot has changed since my first mock draft in September. The quarterback class has gotten a bit deeper given the play of Joe Burrow and Jacob Eason. This is still an incredible class for wide receivers and running backs as well. Mix in an elite edge rusher in Chase Young and you’ve got a fun-looking draft class. Now mock drafts are more about the NFL side of things, figuring out which positions teams need to address in the upcoming offseason. For more of a college football focused look at these prospects, check out my latest big board.

The draft order is being determined is by the Super Bowl odds heading into Week 5 from Caesar’s Sportsbook. Tiebreakers were decided by strength of schedule. Obviously, this draft order is subject to a lot of change, but after four weeks of the NFL season, (I didn’t take Week 5 into account yet because it is not finished yet) this is where all 32 teams stand. Let’s dive into this October mock draft.

1. Miami Dolphins (20000-1) – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Let’s not overthink this any more. Josh Rosen has no supporting cast, but this offense lacks a clear direction forward. A rebuild with Tua Tagovailoa as the center piece is looking more and more likely. Tagovailoa has been the best quarterback at the college level this year. His touch on intermediate throws downfield is elite. He is decisive and intelligent. He will be able to command an offense for years to come. With three first round picks, the Dolphins will be able to add some talent around him too.

2. Washington (5000-1) – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Washington could go a number of directions here, but with Trent Williams still holding out, Andrew Thomas is a logical pick. Washington desperately needs to find a way to keep rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins upright. Thomas is the best pass blocker in this draft by a mile and is improving against the run. He is battle-tested having played in the SEC and would be able to step in on Day 1 to protect Haskins’ blindside.

3. Denver Broncos (2000-1) – Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
This is one of the toughest teams to mock because of the talent that exists already on the roster. With Bradley Chubb and Von Miller, there is no need for Chase Young. With Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, I can’t see the Broncos taking Jerry Jeudy either. Instead, Denver nabs the top corner in the class after watching the secondary struggle in 2019. Chris Harris Jr. is 30 and there are trade rumors swirling. Jeffrey Okudah has the potential to be the best lockdown corner the league has seen since Darrelle Revis in his prime. He closes so well on the ball and is an excellent tackler in space.

4. Arizona Cardinals (2000-1) – Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
Arizona would be ecstatic if Chase Young fell to them at No. 4. After trying to find some veteran solutions in Terrell Suggs this offseason, the Cardinals need to address the long term need for a pass rusher. Chandler Jones would be the perfect mentor for the latest Ohio State star defensive lineman. Young does an excellent job setting the edge against the run and has a full arsenal of pass rush moves to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. He would immediately take some pressure off the struggling secondary.

5. New York Jets (2000-1) – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
New York continues to have the top player on a lot of draftnicks boards fall to them. Jerry Jeudy is about as polished as a pro prospect can be coming out of Alabama. He fills a major need for New York and would be an upgrade over any player in their current receiving core. Sam Darnold needs a proven receiver to throw to if he is going to develop. Jeudy’s route running ability and consistency makes him a no-brainer here.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (1000-1) – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
I initially had Jake Fromm mocked here, who I have ranked higher than Justin Herbert on my big board. However, I think Zac Taylor would love the opportunity to work with the toolsy Herbert instead. He has a big arm, but he seems to have some accuracy and technical issues that need ironing out. Andy Dalton is a free agent after the 2020 season, giving Cincinnati the perfect situation to break in a quarterback with lots of potential, but who might need a bit of time before he is ready to take over the starting gig.

7. Atlanta Falcons (200-1) – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
While the Falcons have a number of needs, Atlanta does not want to miss out on a player in their own backyard. D’Andre Swift is about as pro ready as running backs come, with prototypical size, good hands out of the backfield and plenty of college production. The thing I love so much about him is his elusiveness and the lack of mileage he has picked up in college. With just over 300 carries in his college career, Swift should be primed for a long career in the NFL.

8. Miami Dolphins via Pittsburgh Steelers (150-1) – A.J. Epenesa, DL, Iowa
After taking Tua Tagovailoa first overall, that means the Dolphins no longer need a quarterback. Pretty much every other spot is a position of need. A.J. Epenesa seems like a good place to start. At 6’6″, 280 pounds, he is built more like a defensive lineman than a true edge player, but don’t let that fool you. He is an elite pass rusher with the strength to push around opposing linemen. He uses his hands really well and shows a good motor. He is not going to be a speed rusher, but with his ability to dominant off the line, he won’t need to be. There is a reason people are comparing him to J.J. Watt.

9. Indianapolis Colts (125-1) – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
While Indy does have a true WR1 in T.Y. Hilton, there is not a whole lot of depth behind him at receiver. The collection of Zach Paschal, Deon Cain and Chester Rodgers is far from the most productive group. Enter Tee Higgins, who would offer a big-bodied, downfield threat who can win jump balls all over the field. He is probably the best red zone receiver in this year’s draft and would provide a nice complement to Hilton. Higgins struggles a bit with creating separation, but has the size, skill and catch radius for that to not matter much.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (100-1) – Grant Delpit, S, LSU
This Buccaneers’ secondary needs an infusion of talent. Tampa has come up with it’s fair share of interceptions this year, but the Bucs gave up the second-most passing yards per game through the first four weeks of the season. Grant Delpit should help with that right away. He draws a lot of comparisons to former LSU standout Jamaal Adams. The two have similar playing styles, but Delpit is better in pass coverage. He hasn’t been the strongest tackler this year, but he diagnoses plays well and gets himself into good positions to be successful. If he can sure up his tackling, he has All-Pro potential.

11. New York Giants (100-1) – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
The Daniel Jones era is off to a pretty good start, but the Giants could use some more help at receiver. Sterling Shepard has been great this year, but he is best suited as a second option. No one else in the New York receiving core is above replacement level other than Golden Tate, who is 31. CeeDee Lamb is a complete receiver with the ability to take the top off a defense. He fights for extra yards and has excellent vision after the catch. He would give the Giants another explosive playmaker along with Evan Engram. An offense featuring Shepard, Lamb, Engram and Saquon Barkley sounds pretty legitimate.

12. Oakland Raiders (75-1) – Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
Oakland entered the season expecting Antonio Brown to be its top receiving option. Let’s just say that didn’t work out and now the Raiders could use an upgrade at receiver. Laviska Shenault hasn’t had the best 2019 season at Colorado, but his talent is undeniable. He catches the ball away from his body and he turns into a running back after the catch. He has good speed for a 6’2″ 220-pound wideout and excels making plays down the seams. He would offer Derek Carr (or perhaps another quarterback, keep reading) a great target to boost the offense.

13. Tennessee Titans (75-1) – Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
This feels like such a good fit for Jake Fromm. The Titans have a great offensive line, solid running game and a talented defense. Sound familiar to Fromm’s current situation? It’s time for the Titans to move on from Marcus Mariota. His contract is up after this season and he has not played consistently enough to warrant being brought back. Fromm is poised and intelligent. His accuracy has improved this season. He is the type of pro-ready quarterback a team like the Titans could use. He won’t turn the ball over and he has the arm talent to win games.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (50-1) – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
Going into the year, I really thought the Jaguars needed to go after a receiver in the first round. With the emergence of DJ Chark in his second year, that need does not feel as pressing and Jacksonville can shift its attention to finding its successor to Jalen Ramsey. CJ Henderson has the size and ball skills to be an NFL corner. He needs to improve as a press defender, but he has shown flashes of lockdown play. He won’t fill the hole a Ramsey departure would leave, but he would certainly help ease the loss.

15. Carolina Panthers (50-1) – Walker Little, OT, Stanford
The string of injuries Cam Newton has suffered over the past few years makes me look at that offensive line as a place where help is needed. Carolina has invested a lot of draft picks in recent years along the line, but with none of them proving to be a permanent solution, it’s time to add Walker Little. There is injury concern here with him suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first game of this season. However, Little projects as a future left tackle in the NFL. He is 6’7″ and weighs 315 pounds. You can’t teach size. He moves well and would be in the mix to start the 2020 season for the Panthers.

16. Detroit Lions (40-1) – Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
After letting Ezekiel Ansah walk in free agency following an injury-riddle tenure in Detroit, it is time to find a replacement. Signing Trey Flowers helps, but adding the relentless Yetur Gross-Matos would make the pass rush a strength. He is excellent at keep offensive lineman from locking him with his hand usage. He has decent bend and is a punishing tackler. At 6’5″, 255 pounds, he has the versatility to stand up or get after the passer with his hand in the ground. He would be a fun player for Matt Patricia to work with.

17. Buffalo Bills (40-1) – Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
Buffalo has a championship level defense, but it needs to bring its offense up to speed. The best way to add speed is to draft Henry Ruggs. He might be the most explosive player in this class, with buzz about him potentially running a sub 4.3 40-yard dash. He would immediately provide Josh Allen a game-breaking receiver to complement the possession receivers they have in Cole Beasley and John Brown. Adding him to the offense would provide a big-play element Buffalo is definitely lacking right now.

18. Minnesota Vikings (28-1) – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Minnesota is fed up with inconsistent play from Kirk Cousins. His inability to complete deep passes downfield or show up in big games is maddeningly frustrating. Joe Burrow has shown he can do both of those things so far this year. His arm strength has been impressive and he looks sharp as a part of a rejuvenated LSU offense. He might not be ready to start Day 1 as there is likely going to be some time needed for him to transition to a true pro-style offense, but he wouldn’t be asked to do much right away. With a great running game and a top tier defense, Burrow would just be asked to take care of the ball. If he can keep playing at this level, he will lock himself in as a first round pick.

19. Seattle Seahawks (25-1) – Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
Yes, the Seahawks traded for Jadeveon Clowney, but he could easily walk in free agency. Seattle can double down on the defensive line by adding Derrick Brown from Auburn. He is massive at 6’5″, 318 pounds. While he might have the build of a typical nose tackle, he moves a lot better than that. He had 4.5 sacks in 2018 and already has two heading into a game with Florida. Brown can generate pressure on the interior and is excellent against the run. Seattle has been trying to find talented defense linemen for a few years now and really struggled without Clowney on the field. Brown turns the line into an immediate strength.

20. Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears (20-1) – Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
I told you it was coming! Cutting Derek Carr this offseason would save the Raiders $11 million in cap space and carries just $5 million in dead money. Oakland isn’t strapped for cash, but I don’t see Jon Gruden riding Carr into Las Vegas. Instead, he can get the strong arm quarterback he covets in Jacob Eason. Eason has had an interesting college career, losing his job at Georgia before transferring to Washington. He fits the size profile at 6’6″ and his improving accuracy has him trending into the first round. We have a small sample size of Eason playing at a high level, but if he continues to light up the scoreboard and demonstrate his ability to lead Washington through the Pac-12, he should hear his name called on Day 1.

21. Baltimore Ravens (40-1) – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Baltimore made a decision in April to add more speed to the offense by drafting Marquise Brown. This offense could use a few more explosive players, so Baltimore nabs Jalen Reagor. He plays a similar style to Brown, but he is a little more physical. He has great burst, above average hands and plays much larger than his frame (5’11”, 195 pounds). While he primarily takes the top off the defense, Reagor had 72 catches as a sophomore. He is more than just a burner downfield. He hasn’t been as productive so far this year and, in a deep wide receiver class, that could cost him a spot in the first round.

22. Miami Dolphins via Houston Texans (33-1) – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
In this mock draft, the Dolphins have already addressed the quarterback position and defensive line. Now it’s time to protect that invested they made first overall. Tristan Wirfs is a right tackle, but he is a damn good right tackle. He is a punishing blocker who finishes his assignments. He holds up just well enough in pass protection. There is definitely some room for him to clean up his footwork. A good way to take pressure off a young quarterback is to run the ball. Wirfs will certainly help with that.

23. San Francisco 49ers (20-1) – Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
No team in the league (other than maybe the Eagles) is in need of secondary help in the short term than the 49ers. If San Francisco wins the Jalen Ramsey sweepstakes, then this pick becomes completely irrelevant. Because that hasn’t happened yet, the 49ers would do well to select Bryce Hall. He has the makings of a shutdown corner. At 6’1″, he will be able to take on just about any NFL receiver. He is a proven tackler and opposing teams have already learned its best not to throw at him. He has good positioning and tracks the ball well. He breaks well on the ball as well. Hall would fit well across from Richard Sherman as early as 2020.

24. Green Bay Packers (16-1) – Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
It is time to give Aaron Rodgers some help outside of Davante Adams. Adams is an elite receiver, but after that, the Packers have a bunch of middling and unproven receivers. Tylan Wallace would help fix that. He is an explosive playmaker on the outside who can run past defenders and rise above corners to make plays. He is a decent route runner, with room for improvement. He put up 200-plus yards on both Texas and Oklahoma last year. Even though he is coming from a pass-happy offense, he is actually a good run blocker. He is a bit light right now listed at just 185 pounds, but if he can find a way to add a bit more muscle to his frame without sacrificing his speed, he looks like a future number one receiver.

25. Los Angeles Chargers (30-1) – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
It is no secret Melvin Gordon will not be wearing a Chargers uniform next year. While Austin Ekeler has looked great this season, he is not your typical bellcow back that will run the ball 20-plus times a game. Jonathan Taylor could be that at the next level. He does it now at Wisconsin. In reality though, I think Taylor’s tough style of running and powerful approach would blend really well with Ekeler and give Los Angeles a similar combo to what it has now with Gordon and Ekeler. Just for way cheaper.

26. Cleveland Browns (25-1) – Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
Someone needs to protect Baker Mayfield. The Browns signal caller took 12 sacks in the first four games of the season. Given the rest of the talent on this offense, it is time for Cleveland to address the offensive line. It could opt for a tackle here, but instead I think they grab the best interior lineman in the draft in Tyler Biadasz. He is a rock for the Wisconsin offensive line, rarely ceding ground. He does a nice job setting up his blocks in the run game and is about as consistent as they get in pass protection. Wisconsin regularly produces good NFL linemen, including Travis Fredericks, who has a real claim to the title of best center in the league. I think Biadasz might challenge him one day for that designation, making him a slam dunk pick for the Browns.

27. Philadelphia Eagles (16-1) – Krisitan Fulton, CB, LSU
As mentioned for the 49ers, the Eagles desperately need secondary help. Sidney Jones has been unable to stay on the field and the combo of Avonte Maddox and Ronald Darby isn’t cutting it. Kristian Fulton could be the latest superstar defensive back out of LSU. He needs just a bit of time to transition to the NFL. He has ballhawking corner potential, coming off a season where he had five interceptions. He uses his hands well, but still needs to work on some of his technique when jamming corners. He could rise up draft boards with games against Auburn and Alabama still on the schedule. If he performs there, he will be pushing much higher in the first round.

28. New Orleans Saints (14-1) – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
The Saints have been trying to acquire linebackers for a few years now. They signed DeMario Davis last year and traded for Kiko Alonso this year. To help solve the problem long term, they should draft Isaiah Simmons. Simmons fits what New Orleans likes to defensively and would definitely increase the overall speed at the position. He is a converted safety who excels in coverage and is an above average blitzer. He is not going to rack up double-digit sacks, but he has the instincts and athleticism to make a lot of disruptive plays.

29. Los Angeles Rams (11-1) – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
This Rams defense is not the one we saw a year ago. Aqib Talib will turn 34 in February and the secondary could use a boost. Trevon Diggs is big for a corner at 6’2″ and 205 pounds. He missed a lot of time last year after breaking his foot, but he has looked sharp so far in 2019. Diggs played a bit out of the slot last year and shows some good versatility. He doesn’t have the most fluid hips of all time and he definitely need to improve how he attacks ball carriers in space, but his size and long arms make him a player who can contribute early on and has room improve in the future.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) – Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
This would just be unfair. Travis Etienne has been one of the most explosive and elusive players in college football over the last two years. Him playing in an Andy Reid offense with Patrick Mahomes would be nearly unstoppable. Etienne is an improving pass catcher who doesn’t see a ton of targets. Given the injuries and overall rotation of the Kansas City backfield, Etienne would be a great pick. LeSean McCoy is is 31 and Damien Williams is probably best-suited to be a change of pace back. Etienne would provide stability at the position and give the Chiefs another offensive weapon for opposing defenses to worry about.

31. Dallas Cowboys (9-1) – Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame
Dallas has had a lot of success drafting Notre Dame players (see Zach Martin, Jaylon Smith). Adding another one, this time to the defensive line seems like a quality move. The Cowboys invested a lot of money into DeMarcus Lawrence, but they also took a one-year flier on Robert Quinn for a reason. Dallas needs someone to play across from Lawrence, and Julian Okwara can do just that. He plays down hill and uses his hands well to fight through blocks. He has the ability to bully smaller tackles and enough speed to chase down plays. He is a bit undersized, weighing just 240 pounds, but if he can put on some weight, he would be a great 4-3 end in this system.

32. New England Patriots (5-2) – Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
Predicting what the Patriots are going to do is impossible. It is also pretty difficult to identify any of this team’s needs given how soft their schedule has been to open this season. Best bet is that Bill Belichick will continue to add to this defense. Curtis Weaver is a powerful pass rusher who has good technique and heavy hands. He also has 26.5 career sacks in 30 games so there is plenty of production and a larger sample size. He reminds me a little bit of Trey Flowers, who left the Patriots this past offseason in free agency. Given that he can play against the run as well, I think New England will find enough value to tab him at the end of the round.

For more NFL Draft coverage, check out the Aftermath’s NFL Draft Podcast, with new episodes every Thursday.

NFL Draft Podcast Episode 4

October 3, 2019October 3, 2019 Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NCAAF, NFL, Podcast 2020 NFL Draft, 2020 NFL Mock Draft, College Football, Football, NFL, Tua Tagovailoa

Check out the newest episode of the Aftermath’s NFL Draft Podcast, complete with a full first round mock draft. This is an inside look at the mock draft for podcast listeners. Also see who made the cut for this week’s studs and sleepers. You can find the show on Spotify and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019 Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings Football, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Power Rankings

What happened to consistency in the NFL? It basically doesn’t exist any more. The Patriots have long been the only thing that defies the constant turnover in the league, but even they were tested in Week 4. Vaunted defenses got torn apart. Prolific offenses sputtered. As the dust settles on the first quarter of the season, only three teams are still undefeated as the Lions, Rams, Bills, Cowboys and Packers all lost. Parity has been the league goal for some time, but this is taking it to a new level.

I know I sound like a broken record, but it is so hard to rank these teams. The level of mediocrity in the NFL is at an all-time high (or at least I feel like it is). It is nearly impossible to figure out who the true contenders are outside of New England and Kansas City. Pretty much every club has its clear flaws, even the Patriots. As a result, we have a massive shake up in the top five and movement all over the rankings.

1. New England Patriots: 4-0 (Last Week: 1)
Buffalo pushed New England to the brink. It took an incredible effort from the Patriots defense to stay perfect. There were question marks around the offensive line heading into the year and those have not faded as injuries have mounted. Tom Brady threw for 150 yards, managed no touchdowns and tossed an interception. Brady posted a 19.5 QBR and spent much of the game running for his life. The defense continues to play better than anyone could have imagined, even if they gave up 6.1 yards per carry in this one. Coming up with four interceptions makes the job a whole lot easier.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: 4-0 (Last Week: 2)
The usually stalwart offense saved its best for last as Patrick Mahomes led a game-winning drive to top the Lions. It was a very atypical performance. Mahomes failed to throw a touchdown pass, but picked up 50 yards on the ground. Three different players fumbled for Kansas City in the contest as well. Bashaud Breeland returned a fumble 100 yards for a touchdown and that proved to be the difference. The Chiefs will need to clean up a lot of the mistakes they made in this one, but survived a good test from what looks like an improved Lions team.

3. New Orleans Saints: 3-1 (Last Week: 10)
No Drew Brees? No problem. Well not really, as the Saints won in a slugfest without scoring a touchdown, but they moved to 3-1. This group is still working to iron out some issues its had moving the ball offensively, but the defense is playing lights out. They bottled up Ezekiel Elliott and made Dak Prescott look pedestrian. New Orleans gets an up and down Tampa team coming to town next week. Judging by the amount of scoring the Bucs tend to do, Teddy Bridgewater will need to play better in Week 5.

4. Los Angeles Rams: 3-1 (Last Week: 3)
This can’t be what the Rams expected when they invested $134 million in Jared Goff. Goff committed four turnovers and struggled to identify where the Tampa pressure was coming from. He is not alone when it comes to assigning blame. Los Angeles gave up a ridiculous 55 points in their loss, the most the Buccaneers have scored in franchise history. Constantly taking the field in change-of-possession situations didn’t help, but that is unacceptable for a defense that held the Patriots to just 13 points in the Super Bowl last year.

5. Green Bay Packers: 3-1 (Last Week: 4)
So maybe the defense isn’t as fixed as everyone thought. Philadelphia racked up 176 yards on the ground for 5.3 yards per carry. Carson Wentz also torched the secondary for three touchdowns and never really felt the pressure, as Green Bay never manged to register a sack. The offense definitely deserves some blame too, after failing to find its way into the end zone on its final two red zone possessions. One close loss to the Eagles does not undo everything the Packers had accomplished to this point, but it certainly provided a wake up call to a defense that had looked so strong for the first three weeks.

6. Dallas Cowboys: 3-1 (Last Week: 5)
After a cupcake schedule to open the year, Dallas got punched in the mouth on Sunday night in NOLA. The offense had shown some signs of starting slow already this year, but this took it to a whole new level as the Cowboys managed 2.3 yards per carry and just one touchdown. Dak Prescott played better than the stat line would indicate. Crucial fumbles from Ezekiel Elliott and Jason Witten crushed a lot of early momentum. Thankfully, the defense still looks pretty strong, sacking Teddy Bridgewater five times. Dallas still leads the NFC East, but it is going to need more out of its offense if hopes of a Super Bowl run are going to come true.

7. Chicago Bears: 3-1 (Last Week 9)
For the second straight week I will ask, is this the seventh-best team in the NFL? I feel pretty confident in those top six teams. After that, it’s a total toss up. Chicago lost Mitchell Trubisky, but shut down the Vikings offense. Stopping Kirk Cousins isn’t all that impressive, but slowing down Dalvin Cook and sacking the quarterback six times is. Cook managed 2.5 yards per carry. Chase Daniel should be able to do enough at quarterback to win if the defense plays at this level again when facing Oakland.

8. San Francisco 49ers: 3-0 (Last Week: 14)
Take a week off and move up 6 spots? Yeah, that logic seems kind of flawed, but the NFL doesn’t make a whole lot of sense right now. San Francisco is alone atop the NFC West and while their competition hasn’t been great (Steelers, Bengals, Buccaneers), they are winning without playing their best football. With this team set to get healthier with the return of Tevin Coleman and Jalen Hurd coming soon. We will see if this team is for real with a Monday night visit from the Browns up next.

9. Philadelphia Eagles: 2-2 (Last Week: 12)
This might not have been the best game the Eagles have played this season, but it was a critical win on the road. Jordan Howard flashed some of the talent he displayed so often over the past two years in Chicago. The defense made just enough plays to come away with a win. Carson Wentz took care of the ball and the offensive line took care of him. Philly is looking for the next man up in a couple spots on defense due to injuries and will likely be without Avonte Maddox for a few weeks. Still, the Eagles are just a game behind the Cowboys for the lead in the NFC East.

10. Baltimore Ravens: 2-2 (Last Week: 6)
Giving up 33 points to the Chiefs is one thing. Giving up 40 to the inconsistent Browns offense is another. The Ravens defense is not looking as dominant as we are used to seeing in the past, allowing 25 points per game through four weeks. Lamar Jackson has also struggled following his incredible start, throwing two interceptions in this contest. Ball security is going to be important, but so is a higher level of play from this defense.

11. Detroit Lions: 2-1-1 (Last Week: 16)
Lose a game and move up? When it’s your first loss of the year and it was a final-minute defeat to the Chiefs, you betcha! I will admit that I have long been a Detroit doubter, but after four weeks, and wins over the Eagles and Chargers, its time to give them some respect. The Lions have definitely been the surprise of the season so far. Matt Stafford played his best game of the young season and the defense forced a number of turnovers to slow down that high-powered Kansas City attack. The Lions have rebounded very well from that opening week tie and now seem like a true playoff contender in the NFC.

12. Buffalo Bills: 3-1 (Last Week: 15)
That was maybe the best defensive performance anyone has ever thrown at Tom Brady. The Bills held Brady to just 150 passing yards and just 46 percent passing. Unfortunately, Buffalo’s offense could not do enough to pull out the win. The Bills are making a compelling case to be a wildcard team in the AFC this season. The issue now will be the status of Josh Allen after a scary hit to the head on Sunday. Matt Barkley will likely fare better against other defenses, but Allen gives this team the best chance to win.

13. Los Angeles Chargers: 2-2 (Last Week: 13)
For about 30 seconds, I got really worried about picking the Chargers in my survivor pool this week. Then I remembered they were playing the Dolphins and so did they. Los Angeles cruised to a 30-10 victory, nothing special when playing Miami, but it was the first time the franchise won in Miami since 1982. Yes, you read that right. The biggest concern is the running game. The Chargers averaged just 2.9 yards per attempt against a defense that came into the game giving up 5.4 yards per rush. Melvin Gordon is coming back, but will be eased in. Los Angeles opens it divisional slate with the Broncos visiting this week.

14. Houston Texans: 2-2 (Last Week: 7)
Can someone please block for Deshaun Watson? He does have a tendency to hang onto the ball too long, but he is often running for his life. This was a game the Texans really needed to win to take control in the AFC South. Instead, they are now tied with every other team in the division at 2-2. The defense did it’s job, allowing just 16 points. It did allow Christian McCaffrey to run wild, but the Texans offense needs to be able to win when the defense holds an opponent to just 16.

15. Seattle Seahawks: 3-1 (Last Week: 17)
Seattle picked up a solid win over a division rival. The defense got after Kyler Murray, sacking him four times and never allowed him to get into a rhythm. Jadeveon Clowney endeared himself to Seahawks fans with a pick-six as well. Chris Carson had his best game of the year, topping 100 yards rushing and hanging onto the football this week. Beating the lowly Cardinals does not build a ton of confidence in what is to come next, but it gives Russell Wilson and company something build off as they enter a tough three-game stretch, starting with the Rams.

16. Cleveland Browns: 2-2 (Last Week: 18)
Where was this team for the first three weeks of the year? The Browns offense exploded for 40 points against the Ravens. Cleveland played a much more complete game than any outing up to this point this year and showed much of the potential everyone believed it had entering the season. Nick Chubb looked like an absolute monster, gashing the Baltimore defense over and over to make things easy on Baker Mayfield. While this was a great sight to see, it’s hard to shake the memory of the blowout versus Tennessee or the dud against LA. It’s going to take another good performance for me to start trusting this team.

17. Minnesota Vikings: 2-2 (Last Week: 8)
I can think of $84 million reasons Vikings fans are fed up with Kirk Cousins right now. It was another brutal showing from the offense, who could not find a way to take advantage of the Bears playing their backup quarterback. Cousins did not get much help despite his own struggles. He was sacked six times and that explosive ground game completely disappeared. Minnesota is only one game out of first place in the NFC North, but the offense’s propensity to disappear makes this a tough team to get behind.

18. Indianapolis Colts: 2-2 (Last Week: 11)
Maybe this is a bit extreme following a seven-point loss, but when there are 13 teams at 2-2 right now, something has got to give. Indy lost a tough one missing their best two players. However, the concerns that cropped up didn’t really rely very much on the absence of Darius Leonard or T.Y. Hilton. The lack of a running game is shocking. Marlon Mack and company managed a pedestrian 3.5 yards per carry on 23 attempts. The Colts will not win too many games where Jacoby Brissett has to throw the ball 46 times. That run game needs to come back.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-2 (Last Week: 20)
Don’t look now, but Gardner Minshew has started a winning streak in Jacksonville. Leonard Fournette deserves way more of the credit after ripping off 225 yards on the ground, but Minshew has this offense headed in the right direction. He engineered the drive to set up the game-winning field goal. The Jags got just enough production out of their defense to pull out the victory. This team is about as middle of the road as it gets, but that might be all it takes to win the AFC South.

20. Carolina Panthers: 2-2 (Last Week: 21)
Kyle Allen continues his undefeated run as the starter for the Panthers this year. It was not as impressive a showing as the week before, complete with three fumbles. This win is a credit to the Panthers defense. Carolina has the best pass defense in the league through four weeks. Christian McCaffrey, who might have the best nickname in the NFL, dominated again. The Panthers need to keep leaning on Run CMC as Cam Newton heals up. This isn’t college football, so style points don’t matter. Carolina is .500 and trending in the right direction.

21. Tennessee Titans: 2-2 (Last Week: 22)
I complained about consistency in the open and the Titans are the perfect example of what I was talking about. Marcus Mariota has toggled between being a quality starting quarterback and one of the worst passers in the league. Tennessee is 2-2 because it cannot find consistency right now. If the Titans get the most recent version of Mariota, this team would be hard to beat. The fifth year pro tossed three touchdowns and no interceptions in a convincing win over the Falcons. With Buffalo coming to town next, the offense will need to play well to earn a win.

22. Oakland Raiders: 2-2 (Last Week: 24)
So that’s what happened to the team that smacked around the Broncos in Week 1. The Raiders just seemed to take two weeks off from being competitive. Consistency nowhere to be found. But this was a big win for Oakland, who shutdown the Indy ground game and forced Jacoby Brissett to beat them with his arm. While Brissett did toss three touchdown passes, he struggled with efficiency and threw a back-breaking pick-six to now hero Erik Harris.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1-3 (Last Week: 23)
Mason Rudolph picked up his first win of his career, but the defense was the story in this one. Pittsburgh sacked Andy Dalton eight times, intercepted him in the end zone and picked up an early fumble. The running game still hasn’t really gotten going, but those will be things the Steelers worry about at a later date. Right now, the focus is on building some momentum with Rudolph under center and continuing to climb back into the AFC North race. The Steelers could really shake things up with a win over the archrival Ravens.

24. New York Giants: 2-2 (Last Week: 26)
Going back to back. Well back-to-back wins at least. The key will be winning three in a row. That hasn’t happened since 2016, when New York reached the postseason. Playoff talk is a little premature, especially given Daniel Jones’ struggles against a bad defense, but Wayne Gallman filled in admirably for Saquon Barkley and suddenly Big Blue is one game back in the NFC East. There is no question the Giants have looked better the last two weeks, but with a test against Dalvin Cook and a much tougher Vikings defense coming up, the level of play will need to rise.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2-2 (Last Week: 27)
Once again, consistency remains elusive for an NFL team, this time the Buccaneers. I understand that the Bucs just waxed the Rams in LA, but they also blew an 18-point halftime lead the week before against a rookie quarterback in his debut. So which Tampa team are we going to see next week? Jameis Winston played about as well as we’ve ever seen him and the defense thrived on turnovers. Giving up lots of points and yards is still a major concern, but Bruce Arians seems content to win games in shootouts.

26. Atlanta Falcons: 1-3 (Last Week: 19)
The lowest ranked team that has a win on its resume? That would be the Falcons. Atlanta squeaked by a battered Philadelphia squad that missed a number of chances to win for their only victory of the year, but otherwise, has failed to show up in a meaningful way. The Falcons are wasting another season of Matt Ryan’s prime. There was no run game to be found for the Falcons either, as they managed just 58 yards. The offensive line also allowed four sacks and the defense barely bothered Marcus Mariota. Dan Quinn’s seat has to be getting a bit warm following this performance.

27. Denver Broncos: 0-4 (Last Week: 25)
The good news: the Broncos defense finally showed up! The bad news: Denver lost another heartbreaker on a last-second field goal. This team could very easily be 2-2, but there is no question Denver is struggling this year. The offensive line has not been good enough and the defense, while finally picking up a few sacks, is nowhere near as fearsome as in the past. Leonard Fournette ran all over them for 225 yards. This team needs to hit the reset button and reevaluate everything. A good place to start would be handing the ball to Phillip Lindsay more. He had 60 yards on 10 touches Sunday. He should be getting the ball more than that and the results support that fact.

28. New York Jets: 0-3 (Last Week: 29)
It wasn’t a great week for the rest of the AFC East, but that won’t matter much if Sam Darnold is not able to go in Week 5. The second-year quarterback is still working his way back from mono and his status will go a long way to determining if the Jets even have a chance against the Eagles. New York has a brutal three-game stretch out of the bye with Dallas and New England to follow Philadelphia. Things will almost definitely get worse before they get better.

29. Washington: 0-4 (Last Week: 28)
That’s not how you want to break in a rookie quarterback. With Case Keenum missing receivers all over the place, Dwayne Haskins made his first NFL appearance and it didn’t go well. He threw a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six, and could not find a way to punch in the ball from a 1st and goal from the two yard line. Not having Terry McLaurin definitely hurt, but the offense had the wheels completely fall off. Washington is hurdling towards a top-five pick.

30. Arizona Cardinals: 0-3-1 (Last Week: 30)
All the optimism that surrounded this team following the incredible Week 1 comeback to force a tie is gone. Kyler Murray struggled for the fourth straight week, forcing the ball into tight windows and taking costly sacks. The running game was fine, but that did not matter much with the defense putting up little resistance. Terrell Suggs is a nice story, racking up 1.5 sacks in the game, but the Cardinals have way too many holes along the offensive line and in the secondary for that to make a difference right now.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: 0-4 (Last Week: 31)
The Bengals should be thankful for the existence of the Dolphins with how they have been playing. While a lot of teams have been building week by week, Cincinnati seems like it is only getting worse as the year goes on. Andy Dalton got mauled and continues his trend towards being a backup quarterback somewhere else next year. The run defense finally showed up, but Mason Rudolph got in a groove. There is no question this team is heading towards a major rebuild. It’s time to start talking about who will be the team’s starting signal caller next year.

32. Miami Dolphins: 0-4 (Last Week: 32)
For one glorious moment, the Dolphins were leading in a regular season NFL game. It didn’t last long, but it did happen. Josh Rosen showed some early signs of improvement and the run game almost showed up. Miami is slowly getting better this year, but the gap between them and pretty much every other NFL team is fairly large right now. This team will spend the year seeing what it has in some young players and look to unearth a couple of diamonds in the rough to help them back to being competitive next year.

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2020 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 25

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019 Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NCAAF, NFL 2020 NFL Draft, Big Board, NFL Draft, Scouting

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
You could argue this should be Chase Young, but Jerry Jeudy is about as slam dunk of a pick as it gets. He has the physical tools to play like Odell Beckham Jr. There is some aspect of his game that reminds me of Marvin Harrison. He plays faster than his raw speed will indicate and demonstrates incredible route-running ability. I don’t expect him to go first overall because of the position value, but he is the best pro prospect in this draft.
Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
I can almost guarantee you Jeudy and Chase Young will be the top two prospects all the way through the draft. Unlike Jeudy, there is some possibility Young goes first overall based on his positional value. He is an excellent pass rusher, but he also does a nice job against the run. He excels at setting the edge and checks every box when it comes to physical skill. I’ve seen comparisons to Von Miller, and that is probably not far off.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
He is not going to be for everyone. Much like Kyler Murray a year ago, Tua Tagovailoa lacks the size of the prototypical NFL quarterback. However, his poise, touch and accuracy make him an NFL-ready passer who has athletic upside. He won’t be Patrick Mahomes, launching the ball 50-plus yards down field or firing in bullet passes, but he can run an offense efficiently and effectively. The thing to like most about him? Eight interceptions in 580 career passes so far. His decision making is impeccable and possibly even the best in the class.
A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
Despite not being a traditional college football power, Iowa produces NFL-ready talent every season. A.J. Epenesa is no exception. He has gotten off to a slower start this year, but he fits the mold of a great NFL defensive lineman. He is not an elite athlete, but Epenesa has good power and discipline. He uses his hands well to keep offensive linemen from locking him up. He forces a ton of fumbles as well. He needs to pick up the production though this year.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
He might not be as prolific at the college level as some of the other backs in this class, but he is the polished and versatile. DeAndre Swift is a complete back with good hands, above average vision and tons of college production. He spent the last two seasons splitting time with Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Elijah Holyfield. Now, he gets the chance to be the feature back and he has taken it well. He is more elusive than fast, but he has enough speed to break off big plays. Swift features heavily in the passing game and does not have a ton of mileage on his legs either after splitting time throughout his college career.
Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
The more I watch Jeffrey Okudah, the more impressed I am by his skill. He just looks so natural as a lockdown corner. He is a great tackler in space and excels in bump-and-run coverage. Okudah will sometimes end up running the route for the receiver because his hips are so fluid and he has great eye discipline. He can be a little aggressive at times, which makes him susceptible to double moves, but he seems to have enough relative speed to make up for it in most cases. If he runs well at the combine, we could be talking about a top-five pick.
Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
I know I am definitely higher on him than a lot of other people, but I have been really impressed with Jake Fromm. He goes up against great competition all the time and does an excellent job leading his team. He is a field general who commands the offense, he has NFL-caliber arm strength and he seems to be improving his accuracy. He might not be as flashy as some of the other quarterbacks in this class, but he feels like a rock solid prospect with a long pro career ahead of him.
Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
Jerry Jeudy is head and shoulders above everyone else in this class, and it is a very good receiver class. Tee Higgins is the best of the rest. He has an incredible catch radius, very reliable hands and runs his routes well. In my opinion, he has saved Trevor Lawrence’s rocky start from going completely off the rails. Higgins regularly wins jump balls and adjusts to make catches. The biggest knock is the lack of speed, but he feels a lot like fellow former Clemson receiver Mike Williams, just without the injury history.
Grant Delpit, S, LSU
If you are looking for the next great LSU defensive back, Grant Delpit is it. He is cut from the same cloth as Jamaal Adams, but excels more down field than in the opponents backfield. He is excellent at diagnosing plays and shows great closing speed. Deplit looks very comfortable in coverage as well. The concern that keeps cropping up on film is his tackling. He arrives at the right place at the right time, but doesn’t always complete the play. Tackling isn’t the most important skill needed as a versatile safety, but one he will need to work on to be worth a top-10 pick.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Had CeeDee Lamb come out last year, he probably would have been the top receiver off the board, ahead of teammate Marquis Brown. Instead, he comes out in a great receiver class and drops to WR3, which is impressive, because he is still the 10th player on my board. He runs really well and is not afraid to go across the middle. He shows excellent ability to make big plays after the catch and fights for extra yardage. He is not as dominant as Tee Higgins in the red zone, but he is much better at creating separation and giving a quarterback a nice window to hit.
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Now in his third year of facing future NFL talent playing in the SEC, Andrew Thomas is finally draft eligible and should be the first offensive lineman off the board. He is an excellent pass blocker with solid footwork. He does not get bullied too often and knows how to handle speed rushers. He is not one of those road grading linemen in the running game, but he understands how to seal the block to create a running lane. He has already faced Julian Okwara this year and fared well. He will get plenty more chances to show why he is the top tackle prospect this year.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
There is not a more accomplished running back through his first two years in college football history than Jonathan Taylor. He has been a bellcow at Wisconsin posting over 2,000 yards from scrimmage each of the past two seasons. After signs early in his career that fumbling would be an issue, he has worked to cut down on them. Already this season, Taylor is showing his development as a receiver, with more catches through four games than he had in either of his previous two seasons. One major concern is the number of touches he has had in his college career. Durability has never been an issue, but he already has 690 carries in his college career. That starts to take a toll eventually.
Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
Derrick Brown is an athletic space-eater. He uses his hands well to attack offensive linemen and also disrupt passing lanes for opposing quarterbacks. Brown is surrounded by other future NFL talent on the Auburn defensive line, but he stands out as the best of them. He won’t be the type of pass rusher we’ve seen Aaron Donald turn into, but he can collapse a pocket very quickly with his interior pressure. He isn’t very agile or quick, playing as more of a nose tackle type, but he has enough speed to chase down the quarterback.
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
I know I made this comment about CeeDee Lamb, but in another draft, Travis Etienne would probably be the first player at his position to come off the board. He is an incredibly elusive runner who does a good job of keeping his legs churning for extra yards. He has game-breaking speed and can stop on a dime to make a defender miss. He also contributes consistently in the passing game, as he already has 10 catches this season. He finished seventh in the Heisman voting last year, which just goes to show the value he has for that Clemson team.
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
If there is someone in this class that could work their way into the top 10 with an impressive combine, that is Yetur Gross-Matos in my mind. He has shown great ability as a pass rusher over the past two years at Penn State. Gross-Matos has heavy hands that allow him to fight through blocks and turn linemen to close down openings. He is disruptive in the run game as well, shooting into the backfield to blow up plays. I expect him to work best as a down lineman in a 4-3 defense. If he can find a way to reach double-digit sacks this season, he could hear his name called very early come April.
Laviska Sheault Jr., WR, Colorado
Heading into the season, I had very high expectations for Laviska Shenault Jr. He hasn’t quite lived up to them yet, but his raw talent should see him go in the first round regardless. He excels at beating receivers off the line and making plays downfield, which is impressive for a 6’2″, 220-pound receiver. He is almost like a running back after the catch, showing good vision and power with the ball in his hands. Colorado likes to use him as a wildcat quarterback sometimes, just to get the ball in his hands. He has had some minor injuries that have kept him off the field at times this year, but his tape is very impressive.
Walker Little, OT, Stanford
Heading into the year, Walker Little was an exciting prospect who had to answer a couple questions about technique and agility. He never really got a chance to, suffering a season-ending knee injury in the season opener against Northwestern. Little has some solid tape from a year ago and has a massive frame that projects well to the next level. He is not as polished as Andrew Thomas, but he has a lot of upside. On the bright side for Little, the injury happened so early in the year that he may be able to do some drills by the time the combine rolls around to sure up his draft stock.
Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
Henry Ruggs might be the best playmaker in all of college football. He is electric with the ball in his hands and there is already buzz about him potentially running a sub 4.3 40-yard dash at the combine. He can get lost in the shuffle with so many great receivers playing alongside him at Alabama, but he is who the Tide turns to when they need a big play. His hands are fine and there is definitely some injury concern with him. His status is up in the air for Bama’s next game against Texas A&M after suffering a leg injury. Creating separation won’t be a problem for Ruggs who could be a fine toy for offensive coordinators to deploy.
Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
When it comes to Justin Herbert, the arm talent is there, but the more I watch him, the less sure I am about the rest of his game. He seems to fade a bit when Oregon faces top-tier opponents and has some small technical things he needs to clean up that affect his accuracy. While he probably has better physical tools than Tua Tagovailoa or Jake Fromm, he is not there on the mental side of things. He will need a bit of work before he is ready to be a starter in the NFL. With the right coaching though, he could be a Pro Bowl passer one day.
Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
Wisconsin, much like Iowa, does an excellent job of producing players ready to make the jump to the next level. Tyler Biadasz is definitely the top interior line prospect at the point in the draft process. He gets off the line well and does a really nice job finishing blocks. He has the power to run over smaller lineman and almost never gets pushed back thanks to a strong base and good technique.
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
I did say Iowa does a good job of producing NFL talent right? Tristan Wrifs is looking like one of the top tackle prospects in the upcoming draft, with a big frame and lots of experience playing in the Big 10. What holds him back from being higher up on this list is he plays right tackle instead of left. Now, Wirfs does have the size to slide over, but he is better as a run blocker than as a pass blocke and one of the biggest knocks has been his foot speed. He has the potential to be a plug and play type pick on the right side for a team looking for line help.
Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
As a converted safety, Isaiah Simmons is better in coverage than your average outside linebacker. He is fast and a good tackler in space. He shows a good ability to wreck havoc in the backfield as well either as a blitzing pass rusher or against the run. As the tight end position continues to evolve, the need for teams to find players capable of covering them. Simmons should be able to do that and then some.
CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
And here starts the run on cornerbacks. I will admit I haven’t really made a full determination on the order of these next three players. It feels very close to me between them all. CJ Henderson has had moments of brilliance at Florida, but has battled through injuries this year. He has good size for an NFL corner. I want to see him on the field later this year matching up with the top talent to see if he can prove his worth.
Kristian Fulton, DB, LSU
Much of what I said about Henderson applies to Kristian Fulton as well. He has faced great competition and shown flashes of potential. He thankfully hasn’t had the same injuries has Henderson, but I still want to see him prove himself late in the year.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Teams have already picked up on the fact that throwing at Bryce Hall is a bad idea. He headlines an impressive Virginia defense fresh off a solid showing against Notre Dame. The secondary held Ian Book to just 165 yards passing and played better than that scoreline would indicate. With good size and speed, Hall has the physical tools to make an early impact at the next level.

2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 4

September 24, 2019September 24, 2019 Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings Football, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Power Rankings

Five teams made quarterback changes in Week 3. Four were predicated by injury. The one that wasn’t probably had the biggest impact of all. Daniel Jones, Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater, Mason Rudolph and Luke Falk all made their first start of 2019 on Sunday. That is probably the order I would rank their performances as well. It was a wild week of NFL action and now we have seven* teams left undefeated (the Lions are 2-0-1 thanks to their Week 1 tie to Arizona.)

Not surprisingly, the Patriots remain at the top. Kansas City is right behind them. In fact, the top six teams did not move this week, but it feels like the gap between the top two is widening. There is a ton of uncertainty for teams 7-32. Parity continues to reign in the NFL. It is becoming harder to rank these teams every week, but here we go.

1. New England Patriots: 3-0 (Last Week: 1)
Looking at the Patriots schedule, we should probably just glue them down in the top spot until at least Week 8. New England’s next four games feature Buffalo, New York (Jets and Giants) and Washington. Assuming the Pats can escape Buffalo unscathed, it seems safe to guess they will start 7-0. The Patriots were barely bothered by the Jets, allowing just 105 yards of total offense. They won’t get to play Luke Falk every week, but this team is humming through easy and underperforming competition.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: 3-0 (Last Week: 2)
The Chiefs defense let the Ravens back into the game late, but took a 23-6 lead into the half. They did allow 203 yards on the ground at 6.3 yards per clip. That is to be expected playing a team like Baltimore. However, it is cause for concern as Kansas City is allowing the sixth-most yards per game and a league-worst 6.2 yards per carry. Thankfully, the offense is good enough to make up for pretty much all of that with Patrick Mahomes leading the way. The offense is championship ready if the defense can ever catch up.

3. Los Angeles Rams: 3-0 (Last Week: 3)
This was not the type of performance you would expect from a team playing against a backup secondary. All four defensive backs for the Browns were unavailable on Sunday night, yet Jared Goff threw two interceptions and looked far from sharp. The running game struggled to get on track as well. The Rams emerged with another win, but this was another sluggish start for a supposedly prolific offense. Thankfully, the defense is playing well enough to lead the way. Los Angeles runs deep with defensive playmakers and that matters while the offense spins its wheels.

4. Green Bay Packers: 3-0 (Last Week: 4)
Green Bay has won three straight, and each game the offense has looked a little bit better. Aaron Rodgers is still not lighting the world on fire, but he doesn’t have to be. The defense is playing lights out right now, allowing 11.7 points per game and 12 sacks in three games. The offeseason signings of Preston and Za’Darius Smith is looking pretty good right about now. These are luxuries the Packers offense have not had in a long time, so the lack of offensive consistency is not hurting them. Yet. Things will get really tough with Philly and Dallas up next.

5. Dallas Cowboys: 3-0 (Last Week: 5)
Dallas demolished Miami 31-6 to move to 3-0. That doesn’t really tell the full story. The Cowboys defense lacked precision, allowing Josh Rosen to get into a rhythm a few times in the game. There is nothing to really panic about, but America’s team has not been tested yet. Dallas has faced New York, Washington and Miami, three of probably the five worst teams in the league. On the bright side, the Cowboys had two 100-yard rushers as Tony Pollard joined Ezekiel Elliott over the century mark on Sunday. If that formula works again in New Orleans, Dallas should be 4-0.

6. Baltimore Ravens: 2-1 (Last Week: 6)
Baltimore is close to contending. Lamar Jackson seems to reach another level in the fourth quarter of games, as he did yet again in Kansas City. It doesn’t make up for the lackluster three quarters that preceded it, especially because the Ravens lost, but it was fun to watch. The potential for this team to be great is there. They need to find just a bit more consistency on offense. Mark Andrews getting back to full strength will be a big help. The scary thing for the Ravens defense was this was a banged up Chiefs offense that hung 33 points and 503 yards of total offense on them. This could be a potential playoff matchup and Baltimore has work to do before then.

7. Houston Texans: 2-1 (Last Week: 8)
Are the Texans really the number seven team in the league? Beats me. Pretty much everything outside the top five is really hard to predict. Houston lost to New Orleans in a wild game to open the season. That was with Drew Brees under center as well. Since then, they have beaten a tough Jaguars team and outlasted the Chargers. The defense is solid and Deshaun Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Will Fuller has stepped up so far this season to complement DeAndre Hopkins. Someone has to win the AFC South and the Texans have to be the favorite to do so right now.

8. Minnesota Vikings: 2-1 (Last Week: 9)
Kirk Cousins took care of the ball, but honestly, he didn’t have to make a ton of plays after halftime. Cousins attempted just 21 passes as Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison tore apart the Raiders defense. In turn, Minnesota bottled up Josh Jacobs and held everyone other than Darren Waller in check. With four sacks, including a pair from Eric Wilson, this Vikings defense turned in another great performance, this time without the slow start. The offense still has room to improve, but this team is looking like a likely playoff participant.

9. Chicago Bears: 2-1 (Last Week 10)
For one half, the Bears were back! Unfortunately for Chicago, NFL games have two halves. Chicago played fine after halftime, but nowhere near the same level as it had in the first two quarters. Mitchell Trubisky looked better, but still has a lot to prove. He was still overwhelmingly average on the whole, throwing a terrible red zone interception and missing a couple of open receivers. It also helped to be playing against a terrible Washington defense. Still, this is the type of football the Bears won a lot of games playing last year. Trubisky did enough to power the offense after the defense put him in great position thanks to a ridiculous number of turnovers. It has been ugly, but Da Bears are 2-1.

10. New Orleans Saints: 2-1 (Last Week: 11)
Turns out that Teddy Bridgewater can still sling it. That may be exaggerating things slightly. He only threw for 177 yards, but he took care of the ball and fed New Orleans’ two best playmakers. You can make as much or as little of Seattle’s 20 fourth quarter points. The Saints lead 27-7 entering the final quarter, so I have a feeling they took their foot off the gas a little bit. Russell Wilson even threw a meaningless touchdown on the final play of the game. There is a ton of talent on this team even without Drew Brees.

11. Indianapolis Colts: 2-1 (Last Week: 15)
Andrew Luck who? I’m joking of course, but this was another solid showing from Indy. Jacoby Brissett is not putting up MVP-type numbers like his predecessor, but he is playing efficient, turnover-free football. Even with a couple injuries on defense, the Colts have enough playmakers to pick up a solid win over the Falcons. The concern now turns to T.Y. Hilton, who aggravated a quad injury on Sunday. If he is unable to go, that is a major blow to the offense.

12. Philadelphia Eagles: 1-2 (Last Week: 7)
Injuries certainly played a factor, but so did undisciplined play. The Eagles gave up a kick-return touchdown, lost two fumbles and allowed Carson Wentz to be sacked three times. Philly drops to 1-2, now tied with the Giants in the NFC East. Getting everyone back on the field will help, but this is a bad look for a team that had high hopes for the season. The one positive note, the run defense looks great. Only the Patriots are allowing fewer yards per carry through the first three weeks of the season. If the Eagles can clean up the mistakes, they should be able to bounce back.

13. Los Angeles Chargers: 1-2 (Last Week: 12)
This loss was more excusable, but the Chargers are going to run out of passable defeats very quickly. Already two games behind the Chiefs, this team is already seeing hopes of winning the division fade. The offensive line needs to play better after giving up five sacks. If not for a superhuman effort from Keenan Allen, this could have been a blowout. There were some positives for Los Angeles, but the time for moral victories is long gone. Thankfully, the Chargers have a chance to get back on track with a trip to Miami up next.

14. San Francisco 49ers: 3-0 (Last Week: 17)
I will admit, I was definitely not among the people who predicted a 3-0 start for the 49ers. It was far from a convincing performance as Jimmy Garoppolo struggled again. His two interceptions to go with the team’s three fumbles shows the offense still has a ways to go. It also shows a lot of perseverance and resilience. Unfortunately, not every team is going to be breaking in a new quarterback. San Francisco will need to do a much better job taking care of the football if they want to keep this winning streak rolling.

15. Buffalo Bills: 3-0 (Last Week: 20)
The Buffalo Bills are 3-0! Granted it took a fourth-quarter comeback against the Bengals, but hey it’s still a win. Buffalo continues to ride its incredible defense and an offense that is just good enough to pull out close victories. Things get a lot harder this week though with a trip to New England on the horizon. Josh Allen is continuing to develop as a passer and this team probably isn’t really ready to join the playoff conversation, but they are playing some good football.

16. Detroit Lions: 2-0-1 (Last Week: 25)
Say hello to the undefeated Lions. That is not a sentence I figured I would be typing at this point in the season. Detroit survived tough tests from Los Angeles and Philadelphia. There is still a lot, and I mean a lot, of room for improvement. Overall though, this team is playing well in all three phases. Matt Stafford still hasn’t been great, but the Lions are finding ways to win. That will likely come to an end with the Chiefs next on the schedule, but Detroit is right in the thick of the NFC North conversation.

17. Seattle Seahawks: 2-1 (Last Week: 14)
That was pathetic. Russell Wilson’s late-game heroics made the scoreline respectable, but Seattle laid an egg on Sunday. It was the first home loss in September under Pete Carroll and it showcased a lot of the troubling themes we’ve seen so far from the Seahawks. The offense came out flat for the third straight week. Chris Carson lost the handle on the ball for the third time in as many weeks as well. The road to the playoffs is looking tougher with both San Francisco and Los Angeles sitting at 3-0. Wins against the Steelers and Bengals look less impressive given their combined 0-6 record as well. Time for Seattle to shake up the rust and step up.

18. Cleveland Browns: 1-2 (Last Week: 16)
A high-level look at the Cleveland Browns tells one very clear story: this team is not ready to compete for a title yet. The defense played about as well as you could have asked against the Rams, but the offense was totally lost. Baker Mayfield struggled to hit throws once again. Freddie Kitchens made some questionable decisions as a playcaller. This group will likely be good by the end of the year, but there is still a lot of growth needed to reach the playoffs. If the offense can clean up some of the mistakes, the defense is playing well enough to win a number of games down the stretch.

19. Atlanta Falcons: 1-2 (Last Week: 13)
Atlanta is one Nelson Agholor drop away from likely being 0-3. Keanu Neal had season-ending surgery for the second year in a row. The Falcons just got carved up by Jacoby Brissett. It has been a bumpy ride for this group, struggling through injuries and a total lack of a running game. Now the gameplan likely changed after falling behind early, but Atlanta needs to establish the run early and take some pressure off both Matt Ryan and the defense. Ryan played about as well as you could hope with a league-leading 92.8 QBR in Week 3 too. The good news is the Falcons are just one game back in the NFC South.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1-2 (Last Week: 21)
Minshew Mania is sweeping through the state of Florida, having migrated down from Pullman, Washington. Gardner Minshew led the Jaguars to a pivotal divisional win. Well he guided the team while the defense battered Marcus Mariota. Sacksonville came up with an absurd nine sacks against Tennessee and took a lot of pressure off the offense. This team is still building offensively, but the defense is championship ready. If Minshew can take the next step, Jacksonville might just make some noise.

21. Carolina Panthers: 1-2 (Last Week: 26)
You no doubt heard about Daniel Jones, but lost in that story was the 2019 debut of Kyle Allen. Not too familiar with him? I can’t say I blame you. He signed with the Panthers last year as an undrafted free agent after a bizarre college career. He played relatively well in his lone start last season against the Saints in Week 17. Then he started this week for an injured Cam Newton and threw four touchdowns against the Cardinals. Arizona’s defense is terrible, but Kyle Allen is now 2-0 as a starter. Turns out Carolina has depth at quarterback.

22. Tennessee Titans: 1-2 (Last Week: 18)
Oh boy. Marcus Mariota was just sacked again as you read this. The Titans surrendered nine sacks in Jacksonville. Mariota did throw for 300 yards, but it feels like an empty stat when he managed to lead just one scoring drive. Derrick Henry managed a woeful 2.6 yards per carry. That win over Cleveland feels like a lifetime ago. Mike Vrabel needs to find a way to get this offense on track. The next four games will decide this season for Tennessee.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 0-3 (Last Week: 19)
Last week was maybe time to panic. Now it is time to panic. The Steelers are 0-3. Mason Rudolph was average at best in first start. James Connor continues to sputter. Here is the bright side of this, Minkah Fitzpatrick made an instant impact. He came up with two forced turnovers in San Francisco. The defense actually played fairly well, even if it wasn’t great against the run. Jimmy Garoppolo never looked comfortable. Pittsburgh only had one sack, but came up with five turnovers. That is about as much help as Rudolph could have asked for, and he couldn’t find a way to pull out the win. Pittsburgh needs to win against Cincinnati, otherwise there will be some rumbling about a full-scale rebuild.

24. Oakland Raiders: 1-2 (Last Week: 22)
What happened to the team that smacked around the Broncos Week 1? The Raiders got slammed by Minnesota, going down 21-7 very quickly. Derek Carr was unimpressive, Josh Jacobs was underutilized and Darren Waller is incredible. Waller had 13 catches for 134 yards as the true lone bright spot on this Raiders team. Oakland’s defense is not good enough to win games for an underwhelming offense. Jon Gruden’s team is in trouble with six straight contests against teams 2-1 or better coming up.

25. Denver Broncos: 0-3 (Last Week: 23)
Missing: Broncos defense. Last seen: 2018. What the hell happened to this team? Through three weeks, there is just one team who has yet to record a sack. Shockingly, it’s the one that has Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. This team’s identity for the last five years has been on defense. With three straight game without a sack or forced turnover, the fear of facing them is gone. Joe Flacco has been rough, but he hasn’t had much help. He suffered six more sacks on Sunday in Green Bay. This is looking more and more like a lost season.

26. New York Giants: 1-2 (Last Week: 31)
Holy Daniel Jones. That was a fun way to start his NFL career with the largest Giants comeback in the Super Bowl era. Let’s calm down on the “this validates the Giants’ pick” talk. It is way too early for that. It was an impressive start though against a Tampa team that had 10 days to prep for this. The bad news is that Saquon Barkley will miss four to eight weeks with a high ankle sprain. There are some other major concerns too. Mike Evans shredded the secondary and Wayne Gallman did not do much in the wake of Barkley’s injury. An easy week against Washington is on tap, but Minnesota and New England follow.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-2 (Last Week: 24)
That was brutal. Tampa blew a massive second-half lead, then had a chance to win as time expired, but Matt Gay missed the game-winning field goal. It’s hard to put this totally on the kicker. He did make his first four kicks. The defense is a problem. Cam Newton missed probably a dozen open receivers in Week 2. Daniel Jones did not miss those open receivers. Anyone who thought this pass defense was fixed quickly realized they were wrong. The Bucs took a step forward last week, but this feels like two steps back.

28. Washington: 0-3 (Last Week: 27)
If you watched only the second half of Monday Night Football, you might have thought Washington had a solid game, despite the loss. If you watched only the first half, you might have seen a team challenging the Dolphins for the crown of worst in the league. Case Keenum had to the worst game of his pro career. Adrian Peterson was ineffective. Thankfully, Terry McLaurin looks like a steal for this team, making history as the first rookie receiver to start his career with at least five catches and a touchdown in his first three games. It is only a matter of time before Dwayne Haskins takes over, but given the offensive line woes, maybe it is best for now to leave Keenum under center.

29. New York Jets: 0-3 (Last Week: 29)
Defensively, the Jets are probably in the top 15 in the league. Unfortunately, New York’s offense might be the worst in the NFL. The Luke Falk-led offense managed a shocking 105 yards of total offense. Now this was an overmatched quarterback making his first career start after beginning the season on the practice squad against the defending Super Bowl champions. Things were bound to be bad. This might have been worse than expected. It is clear the return of Sam Darnold is not going to magically fix this offense. Adam Gase has a lot of work to do.

30. Arizona Cardinals: 0-2-1 (Last Week: 28)
There was a little bit of good in there, but a lot of bad. Arizona’s secondary got destroyed by a guy making his second career start and first one of the season. Kyler Murray had a game to forget even if he did rack up 69 yards rushing. I know this offense is predicated around throwing the ball all over with four receivers spread out, but more needs to be done to integrate David Johnson. He had all of 11 carries against Carolina and picked up just 3.4 yards per attempt. He is easily the best offensive player Arizona has right now. This rebuild was never supposed to be quick, but there needs to be some improvement in key areas.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: 0-3 (Last Week: 30)
Somewhat surprising stat of the week. The NFL’s leader in passing yards after three weeks is obviously Patrick Mahomes. Second is Andy Dalton. Yeah, I didn’t see that coming either. The Bengals nearly pulled off a comeback, but the offense made too many mistakes to account for what was actually a solid day from the defense. As he so often has, Dalton left Cincy fans with a bitter taste in their mouths by tossing a game-ending interception on the potential game-winning drive. The Bengals are rocketing toward a top-five pick and likely a new quarterback next season. The bigger issue might be finding an offensive line to ensure that new signal caller doesn’t get pummeled.

32. Miami Dolphins: 0-3 (Last Week: 32)
Another week, another uninspiring loss for the Dolphins. Josh Rosen got the start this week in place of Ryan Fitzpatrick, but it made little difference. Rosen had some flashes of decent play, but the Dolphins have neither the skill position players, nor the offensive line for that to matter. Make no mistake, this was Miami’s best showing yet, but that’s not really saying much. The conversation is quickly turning to what the Fins will do with their three first round draft picks. Which I will be talking about a little bit on the Aftermath’s NFL Draft Podcast this week.

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The Aftermath

When sporting news breaks, we cover the fallout.

Year: 2019

2020 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins grab QB of the future

NFL Draft Podcast Episode 4

2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

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2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 4

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