NFL Report Cards: Team-by-Team Grades for Week 1
Week 1 grades are the best grades: not the most accurate or enlightening, but easily the most fun. There's no baggage except what carried over from last year (which is often a lot, but never mind). Half the NFL is undefeated, the other half is in crisis mode, and even the weakest team can hang its hat on a 42-14 victory and dream of a better tomorrow.
These are the weekly report cards, not the power rankings. Every week is a clean slate: Play well, and you get a good grade, though teams with the same grade are sorted by reputation/perception. The grades are based on breakdowns of the game tape and the stats, not just the final score.
As the year goes on, we will also be tracking each team's GPA to put the "A" grade of some team with a 1-5 record and a 31-0 win under its belt into context. But Week 1 is not about context. It's about hope, anxiety, jumping on bandwagons, jumping to conclusions and feeling giddy about any team coming off a huge win. Even the Bengals.
All stats are courtesy of the NFLGSIS service unless otherwise mentioned.
Cincinnati Bengals: A
1 of 32
This Week's Result: Bengals 33, Raiders 13
Offense: The Bengals were in their natural element Sunday: Bad opponent, non-sexy afternoon matchup relegated to the most out-of-the-way television in the sports bar, game played on a baseball infield or in a rock quarry. Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis have made a career out of feasting on situations like this. A.
Defense: See "Offense." A.
Special Teams/Coaching: There is some "oh, it was just the Raiders" curvature in the ratings, but this is the NFL, and it's not easy to go on the road against an opponent eager to win one for the new coaching staff and dominate from whistle to gun. See the Colts as a prime example of how not to do it. A.
Looking Ahead: The Chargers arrive in Cincy in jet-lag mode. Another strange afternoon B-game matchup? The Bengals' cup runneth over.
New England Patriots: A-
2 of 32
This Week's Result: Patriots 28, Steelers 21
Offense: Operating in January form despite some mix-and-match on the interior offensive line and in the backfield. Things may not be quite so easy once opponents start game-planning against them. A-minus.
Defense: Both Bradley Fletcher and Malcolm Butler are vulnerable. The run defense looks average at best. Playing with a lead against an opponent intent on banging its head into every patio door helped. C.
Special Teams/Coaching: No team plays better situational football than the Patriots. No team has a base offense that causes more problems for an opponent's base defense than the Patriots. Thursday night's game plan was a clinic on how to dissect an undermanned and unprepared opponent. A.
Looking Ahead: The Patriots travel to Buffalo to humor the Bills in Rex Ryan's personal Super Bowl.
Tennessee Titans: A-
3 of 32
This Week's Result: Titans 42, Buccaneers 14
Offense: Marcus Mariota threw four touchdown passes. 'Nuff said. Or maybe not: Bishop Sankey ran hard (6.2 yards per rush, one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown), and Kendall Wright (4-101-1) finally looked like a big-play weapon. It's as if all of the last four Titans drafts suddenly bore fruit in the same afternoon. A.
Defense: Derrick Morgan and Jurrell Casey did what they usually do—three combined sacks, two other tackles for losses, general disruption—but what they do is much more effective when the offense is scoring points and forcing the opposing offense to do more than just squat on the ball in the second half. B-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Ken Whisenhunt customized a game plan that put Mariota in position to succeed. A.
Looking Ahead: Mariota's quest for a 64-touchdown rookie season (anything less would now be a disappointment) continues against the Browns.
.jpg?w=256 "Eagles Rookies Football")
.jpg?w=256 "Giants Bears Football")
Buffalo Bills: B+
4 of 32
This Week's Result: Bills 27, Colts 14
Offense: Efficient and dynamic in the second and third quarters, sloppy early and a little too content to play run-and-punt football late. Sammy Watkins was uninvolved, and there were few Tyrod Taylor option wrinkles, so the Bills probably have plenty of tricks up their sleeve. B.
Defense: The secondary played a big game against an opponent with more weapons than it knew what to do with. The run defense looked fine but didn't have much to do against an opponent that left its rushing playbook at the hotel. A-minus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Game plans on both sides of the ball were sound. The Bills could stand to cut down on their penalties (11 on Sunday). A-minus.
Looking Ahead: The Patriots are coming. Rex Ryan has probably been briefed.
San Diego Chargers: B+
5 of 32
This Week's Result: Chargers 33, Lions 28
Offense: Philip Rivers got some ugly throws out of his system early then did what he does best, fitting changeups, flop shots, backspin volleys and sky hooks (it's best to get all the mixed-sports metaphors out of the way now) to Keenan Allen, Ladarius Green and others. The Chargers were just getting warmed up in the fourth quarter when the Lions looked like a melting ice pop. B-plus.
Defense: Sloppy early, like the offense, then in firm control. Rookie Kyle Emanuel had a star turn as a pass-rusher. Jason Verrett bottled up Golden Tate. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The game plan was simple and effective. The Lions had no cornerback who could cover Allen. The Chargers double-teamed or shaded safeties to cover Calvin Johnson. The rest was commentary. A-minus.
Looking Ahead: The Chargers-Bengals showdown in Cincinnati looks a lot cooler now than it did two weeks ago.
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
6 of 32
This Week's Result: Chiefs 27, Texans 20
Offense: Chiefs game plans are like AC/DC albums. They never really change, and you know exactly what to expect. But Andy Reid combines the Jamaal Charles screen passes, Travis Kelce crossing routes and Alex Smith old-guy options in a slightly different way each time, and the results are strangely satisfying, if a little predictable. B-plus.
Defense: The Chiefs recorded five sacks and forced six Texans drives of four or fewer plays. Things got a little too slack too soon in the fourth quarter, however. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The coverage units were great. Dustin Colquitt dropped four punts inside the 20-yard line. The average Chiefs drive started on their own 40-yard line, while the Texans started on their own 19-yard line. Reid knows the screen and tight end offense doesn't work without a positive field-position tilt. B-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Broncos bring their suddenly vulnerable offense to Kansas City on Thursday night. Kelce and Charles had better get their rest.
New York Jets: B+
7 of 32
This Week's Result: Jets 31, Browns 10
Offense: This is not the Jets offense you learned to laugh at and barely tolerate over the years. It's pretty solid. That said, don't get carried away with the 31 points or the FitzMagic. It took some touchdown-turned-touchback and interception-turned-fumble oddities to tilt the game in the Jets' favor and let them pound the ball in the fourth quarter. B.
Defense: Sloppy early, dominant late. The Jets' newfound offensive adequacy will be good news for the defense, which no longer has to play perfectly to give the team a chance to win. See the Browns for evidence of what happens when a defense has to play perfectly to win. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The Jets didn't look very good early in the game, but they made adjustments and took advantage of what the Browns and fate offered them. It seems like it has been years since the Jets spent the fourth quarter in complete control of a game on both sides of the ball, even against a weak opponent. B-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Colts look more like the Jets than the Jets right now.
Green Bay Packers: B
8 of 32
This Week's Result: Packers 31, Bears 23
Offense: Efficient if not explosive. Aaron Rodgers engineered two 10-play scoring drives and a 16-play road trip across America with the help of Eddie Lacy, some fourth-down heroics by James Starks, lots of short passes and of course James Jones' star performance in "Return of the Corner-of-the-End-Zone King." A-minus.
Defense: A big fourth-quarter interception and a fourth-down stop at the goal line offset the fact the Bears rushed for 189 yards and were 11-of-17 on third downs. C-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Giving Starks a 4th-and-1 carry with Lacy on the sideline was a bold move that paid off. With the exception of their inability to get off the field on third downs, the Packers played good situational football and improved as the game wore on. Plus, they recovered an onside kick without incident! B-plus.
Looking Ahead: Here come the Seahawks, angry and hungry for the days when they were the ones who won games with insane endings.
Arizona Cardinals: B
9 of 32
This Week's Result: Cardinals 31, Saints 19
Offense: Typically rickety and weird Cardinals football: a handful of big plays strung together with just enough spread-the-ball tactics (nine different players were targeted against the Saints) to keep the defense honest. B.
Defense: Also rickety and weird. The Cardinals generated just enough big plays on defense to compensate for their own lapses and penalties. When one Cardinals defender made a mistake, another arrived to swarm the ball or chase a play down from behind. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: A 12-men-on-the-field penalty on a Saints punt led to a touchdown, but that's nitpicking. The Cardinals came ready to play. Bruce Arians and James Bettcher can do more with second tight ends and nickel safeties than many coaches can do with go-to receivers and shutdown cornerbacks. A.
Looking Ahead: The Bears will pose a challenge. They don't quit on themselves at halftime anymore, instead holding off until midway through the fourth quarter.
St. Louis Rams: B
10 of 32
This Week's Result: Rams 34, Seahawks 31
Offense: Nick Foles completed eight passes of 20 or more yards but also fumbled twice in ugly and entertaining ways. Eagles fans are nodding. Overall, the Rams offense looked pretty good when you adjust for their third- and fourth-string running backs and an opposing defense that recently inspired 1985 Bears comparisons. C-plus.
Defense: Russell Wilson endured six sacks, and the Seahawks only had one long touchdown drive. The Rams forced Wilson and Marshawn Lynch to use their power-ups just to move the ball. A-minus.
Special Teams/Coaching: The Rams' punt-coverage lapse on the Tyler Lockett touchdown was more of a coaching lapse: The Rams drove backward to their own 2-yard line due to some baffling play calls, and Johnny Hekker had no choice but to rush a line drive into Lockett's hands.
There were a few head-scratching decisions at critical moments, like inserting Isaiah Pead at running back in the fourth quarter and expecting anything but a fumble. On the flip side, the "Tavon Austin is a halfback now" tactic actually worked, and it takes some bold game-planning to challenge the Seahawks so often down the field. B.
Looking Ahead: The Redskins? Oh, that ought to be fun.
Atlanta Falcons: B
11 of 32
This Week's Result: Falcons 26, Eagles 24
Offense: Julio Jones was unstoppable. The offensive line played well for a bunch of repurposed materials. Tevin Coleman looks like a natural in Kyle Shanahan's offense, and Patrick DiMarco is a weaponized blocker at fullback. Matt Ryan made some uncharacteristic mistakes but delivered plenty of strikes to Jones and others. B.
Defense: The Falcons played faster and more aggressively than the Eagles for the entire first half but could not sustain the intensity once the Eagles started driving and stomping on the accelerator. This defense looks more instinctive, talented and intense than anything Falcons fans have seen in the last two years. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: You cannot argue with the Falcons game plan. Shanahan mixed runs and passes while sliding Jones all over the formation, Richard Smith had the defense ready for the first-quarter script, and Dan Quinn had the Falcons breathing fire. Matt Bryant was perfect whenever an offensive drive stalled. A.
Looking Ahead: The Giants don't have a lot of great answers for the Julio Jones question, either.
Dallas Cowboys: B
12 of 32
This Week's Result: Cowboys 27, Giants 26
Offense: The Cowboys moved the ball well between sloppy turnovers and on the final drive. The offensive line did not look very dominant against an opponent it should have been able to plow straight into a Bergen County landfill. B-minus.
Defense: It's hard to defend against fumble-return touchdowns and one-yard touchdowns after interceptions. Odell Beckham Jr. was neutralized for most of the night. A little more pass rush would be swell. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: Instead of riding their offensive line down the field like a combine thresher, the Cowboys played frenetically for three quarters, like they were hoping to knock the Giants out with one 21-point touchdown and go home early. They need to slow everything down (except the final drive) and return to methodical Jason Garrett football. C-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Dez Bryant and Randy Gregory injuries will cause trouble for the Cowboys, starting next week against the Eagles.
San Francisco 49ers: B
13 of 32
This Week's Result: 49ers 20, Vikings 3
Offense: The short, wee-hours-of-the-morning version: running game rugged and effective (Carlos Hyde: 168 yards and two TDs rushing), passing game barely a thing. C.
Defense: The Vikings couldn't get the ball downfield to their receivers, and Adrian Peterson battled for every yard. A mix of familiar names (NaVorro Bowman, Antoine Bethea) and new names (Jaquiski Tartt) made contributions. B-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Special teams were a catastrophe: a blocked field goal, a muffed punt by Jarryd Hayne, a long return negated by a penalty. The overall game plans were solid: For the 49ers, the conservative strategy is probably the only viable strategy. C-minus.
Looking Ahead: The Niners travel to Pittsburgh—hopefully not on the ground.
Miami Dolphins: B-
14 of 32
This Week's Result: Dolphins 17, Redskins 10
Offense: It will take more than 256 yards of total offense, 22 minutes of ball control and 10 offensive points to defeat quality opponents. Lamar Miller and the running game looked like an afterthought Sunday, and Ryan Tannehill got lucky when two would-be interceptions Madden-glitched through Redskins defenders' hands. C-plus.
Defense: The Redskins rushed for 106 first-half yards. The Dolphins defense played much better in the second half, but it's not clear if the unit woke up or the Redskins fell asleep. C-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Jarvis Landry's punt return touchdown won the game. The defense appeared to adjust to a Redskins game plan it should have seen coming in the first place. B-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Jaguars are another opponent that can be beaten with six-yard passes, punt returns and a defense willing to wait for mistakes.
Carolina Panthers: B-
15 of 32
This Week's Result: Panthers 20, Jaguars 9
Offense: The Panthers cobbled together an adequate offense-like substance out of short passes, grinding option plays and some timely third-down conversions. Cam Newton threw four first-down passes on third down and more than eight yards, scrambling for a first down a fifth time. The Panthers were 8-of-17 on third downs overall. Newton would get credit for gritty game management if he weren't Newton. C.
Defense: The Panthers shut the Jaguars down all afternoon even though they lost Luke Kuechly to a concussion early in the game. The Jaguars obliged with terrible blocking, pass routes the length of a screen porch and general Jaguars-osity. B-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: It's always a big step for Ron Rivera and Mike Shula to allow Newton to run some options instead of pretending he's a weaponless Drew Brees. Newton ran for just 35 yards (with some scrambles and sneaks in the data), but the backfield fakes opened up a little running room for Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. A blocked field goal lowers the grade. C-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Panthers may be without Kuechly when they face the Texans, who are usually without an offensive backfield, anyway.
Denver Broncos: C+
16 of 32
This Week's Result: Broncos 19, Ravens 13
Offense: And you know when you're over the hill
When your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill.
Peyton's doin' the Old Folks Boogie, and boogie he will
'Cuz to him a thought's as good as a thrill.
(Grade: D.)
Defense: DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller combined to hit Joe Flacco eight times. The Ravens gained just 3.0 yards per offensive play. Even Trevor Siemian could win when the defense plays like that. The defense may have to keep playing like that. A.
Special Teams/Coaching: Brandon McManus (two 50-plus-yard field goals) was McMagic. Wade Phillips brought serious heat on defense. Gary Kubiak's offense may be the cure that kills Peyton Manning. B.
Looking Ahead: Winning with defense and a veteran quarterback with zero arm strength? Welcome to the Chiefs' briar patch.
Detroit Lions: C
17 of 32
This Week's Result: Chargers 33, Lions 28
Offense: The first drive was crisp and efficient. The last drive was desperate, sad and meaningless. None of the other drives lasted more than six plays. Matthew Stafford threw a pair of vintage interceptions, but Stafford has evolved; instead of forcing everything to Calvin Johnson, he now ignores Johnson and forces everything to Golden Tate. C-minus.
Defense: The Lions defense forced some turnovers early but wore out sometime during the 38 minutes and 12 seconds it was on the field in the California heat. The Chargers did whatever they wanted on the last two drives. C.
Special Teams/Coaching: The Lions ran the ball just 16 times even though they led until the fourth quarter and Ameer Abdullah (94 scrimmage yards, a 24-yard touchdown run) was effective from the start of the game. Johnson was targeted just four times; last I checked, Richard Sherman does not play cornerback for the Chargers. D-plus.
Looking Ahead: The Lions visit the Vikings. Winner gets NFC North second-place bragging rights for about a week.
New York Giants: C
18 of 32
This Week's Result: Cowboys 27, Giants 26
Offense: The Giants were uncomfortable with relying on their running game but made up for it with distrust in their passing game. There is no second option in the passing game with Victor Cruz out. Eli Manning got more mileage out of scrambling improvisations than you would expect, or prefer, or ever want to see without fingers over your eyes. C.
Defense: It was hard to tell where Cowboys bumbling ended and the Giants defense began on all of those Cowboys fumbles and interceptions. But the Giants cornerbacks played well, Uani' Unga had 12 total tackles and a pick, and all of the no-names and emergency replacements did their jobs until the final minute. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: Why was Eli throwing the ball when the Cowboys were out of timeouts after the two-minute warning? How come Rashad Jennings didn't know if he was supposed to score a touchdown? What kind of prevent defense allows 40 yards on two dump-offs to the scat back that only eat up about 30 seconds? D.
Looking Ahead: The Giants try to put their late-game letdown behind them and prepare for the Falcons. The Giants have left a trail of late-game letdowns in their wake in the last two years.
Seattle Seahawks: C
19 of 32
This Week's Result: Rams 34, Seahawks 31
Offense: Marshawn Lynch broke every tackle it was possible to break. Russell Wilson improvised, adapted and tried to overcome. Jimmy Graham prowled the low post for entry passes. Everyone else might as well have been honorary Jacksonville Jaguars. C-minus.
Defense: A "not quite as excellent as usual" performance to complement the "not quite as adequate as usual" work from the offense. B-plus.
Special Teams/Coaching: Tyler Lockett was great. The coverage units gave up a touchdown. The overtime game plan, starting with the onside kick, was an object lesson in how smart people talk themselves into stupid decisions. C-minus.
Looking Ahead: Maybe a trip to Lambeau Field will help the Seahawks get their late-game juju back.
New Orleans Saints: C
20 of 32
This Week's Result: Cardinals 31, Saints 19
Offense: Great between the 20s, kind of a mess near the red zone. It's almost as if they traded away their best tight-traffic, middle-of-the-field offensive weapon. B.
Defense: It's fun to watch tape of Rob Ryan's defense and try to identify the last defender to locate the ball. Whenever someone like Darren Fells or David Johnson lumbers downfield to turn a simple misdirection play into a huge gain, there is always at least one Saints defender running in the exact opposite direction of the play, as if he is trying to get out of the ball-carrier's way. There is also usually a safety standing flat-footed and wondering if he is supposed to do something. D.
Special Teams/Coaching: Sean Payton and Rob Ryan were seen jawing a bit on the sideline. Payton has every right to wonder why Ryan's defense sometimes reacts with confusion to I-formation off-tackle runs. Ryan, meanwhile, should wonder when the Saints started settling for come-from-behind field goals. D.
Looking Ahead: The Saints host the Buccaneers. Expect Jameis Winston to throw directly at a Saints safety, who will leap out of the way of the ball.
Chicago Bears: C
21 of 32
This Week's Result: Packers 31, Bears 23
Offense: Matt Forte (141 rushing yards) looked like he was 25 years old again. The readjusted offensive line held up well. Alshon Jeffery and the other injured receivers returned and played to their capabilities. Jay Cutler was great until the Bears needed him to make plays in the fourth quarter, which is like saying baby pandas are adorable but don't make good house pets. B.
Defense: Not bad for a rebuilding team. Rookies Eddie Goldman and Adrian Amos made some fine plays. The Packers had to fight for every yard, which was a positive sign after two years of express service through the middle of the Bears defense. C.
Special Teams/Coaching: The kickoff coverage unit allowed some long returns, and Marc Mariani offers little more than ball security as a return man. The game plans were sound, and John Fox's staff did a fine job of getting rookies and just-back-from-injury veterans ready to play. But a few better choices in the red zone (on both sides of the ball) could really have changed the storyline. C.
Looking Ahead: The Cardinals arrive to match their knack for hard-fought, peculiar victories with the Bears' penchant for soft 'n' fluffy defeats.
Baltimore Ravens: C
22 of 32
This Week's Result: Broncos 19, Ravens 13
Offense: We all know Joe Flacco typically looks awful in regular-season road games. But 6.5 yards per completion is a new low; at least early Flacco would complete one bomb or get Torrey Smith to draw a pass interference penalty in the end zone or something. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk caught four passes for 17 yards. Keep this up, Marc Trestman, and we'll send you back to Cutler. D-minus.
Defense: Dominating against a tough opponent. It's just hard to get too stoked with Terrell Suggs lost for the year. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: Justin Tucker and the kicking game were strong, as usual. The offensive game plan appeared to be nonexistent, but the Ravens have played that way on the road so often that criticizing the coaches for it feels like a waste of time. C.
Looking Ahead: On the road on the dirt track in Oakland. Cowboys-Eagles will be on at around the same time. I'm not telling you what you should watch...
Houston Texans: C
23 of 32
This Week's Result: Chiefs 27, Texans 20
Offense: Ten guys standing around waiting for DeAndre Hopkins to do something. Eleven guys, if you count the two-headed quarterback fiasco. C-minus.
Defense: Ten guys standing around waiting for J.J. Watt to do something. Eleven guys, if you count the number of seats Vince Wilfork needs on a commercial flight. C.
Special Teams/Coaching: Ugh. Randy Bullock missed an extra point. The return game was useless. The final onside kick attempt was mind-boggling: If only Alex Smith could hit Jeremy Maclin in the belly so accurately! C-minus.
Looking Ahead: Ryan Notbrady should replace Brian Reallynotbrady at quarterback when the Texans visit the Panthers.
Minnesota Vikings: C-
24 of 32
This Week's Result: 49ers 20, Vikings 3
Offense: We waited for months to see what the Teddy Bridgewater/Adrian Peterson offense looks like. It looks like a lot of cloud-of-dust runs and dump-off passes into the flats. D.
Defense: The Vikings defense was forced to be too perfect for too long and cracked in the fourth quarter. The run defense should have been stiffer once it became clear the 49ers had little intention of passing. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: Blair Walsh missed a makeable field goal early that could have changed the complexion of the game. The offensive game plan was hard to figure out; the Vikings weren't hammering Peterson into the line, establishing any particular receiver or doing much of anything except spreading non-nourishing short passes around. C-minus.
Looking Ahead: The Vikings and Lions will try to bore each other into submission.
Philadelphia Eagles: C-
25 of 32
This Week's Result: Falcons 26, Eagles 24
Offense: Catastrophic in the first half, much better in the second. The Falcons looked more locked in to the Eagles game plan than the Eagles did early. Even when things were clicking, penalties forced the Eagles to execute everything twice; they actually gained 120 yards on one touchdown drive (with many more yards wiped out) because of all the penalty-related backtracking. C.
Defense: The Eagles will have to play "hide the crouton" in the secondary all year against opponents that can challenge them with two or more top receivers. Monday's solution was to lock Byron Maxwell on either Roddy White or Julio Jones and roll the safeties and help the other way. It was a long, long night for Maxwell. Still, the Eagles caused enough disruption to intercept two passes and force the Falcons to settle for field goals in the red zone. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The first half looked like an indictment of all things Chip Kelly, from the no-huddle offense that held the ball for eight seconds per drive to Maxwell's struggles to DeMarco Murray's minus-four rushing yards.
Kelly answered with second-half adjustments, but he botched a potential game-winning field goal by rushing Cody Parkey and the special teams onto the field after several seconds of indecision instead of calling timeout like a mortal. D-plus.
Looking Ahead: DeMarco Murray's Cowboys revenge! And Maxwell doesn't have Dez Bryant to worry about.
Washington Redskins: C-
26 of 32
This Week's Result: Dolphins 17, Redskins 10
Offense: Alfred Morris (121 yards) was great. The run blocking was very good. Jordan Reed (7-63-1) trucked defenders like a Mike Ditka impersonator. Kirk Cousins delivered his seventh multi-interception game in 15 appearances at quarterback, but he also moved the ball well in the first half. Then, everything stopped. C.
Defense: A solid overall game. The Redskins front seven looks stout and deep. It's exciting to see Chris Baker (half a sack, two quarterback hits) get involved after so many years ping-ponging from the IR to the practice squad to the inactive list. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The Redskins allowed a punt return touchdown. Kai Forbath missed a field goal. There was a weird sense the Redskins were trailing even when they had the lead or the score was tied in the second half.
It's as if Jay Gruden forgot they were running the ball down the Dolphins' throat and decided to feature Cousins in the second half. But that would suggest Gruden is more interested in justifying his quarterback choices than pursing the surest route to victory, and that sort of politicking just doesn't fly in Washington. D.
Looking Ahead: The Rams come to visit. DeSean Jackson takes some time off with a hamstring injury. Points will be at a premium.
Pittsburgh Steelers: D+
27 of 32
This Week's Result: Patriots 28, Steelers 21
Offense: The Steelers moved the ball well against the Patriots though they were plagued by dumb penalties and sloppy errors. Thursday's game would have turned out differently if the offense got some support. B.
Defense: The Steelers looked like they were playing 10 vs. 11. Sometimes, they were. D.
Special Teams/Coaching: Josh Scobee (two missed field goals) had the Foxborough yips, but he's a small part of the problem. From substitution errors to ill-conceived trick plays to leaving guys named Terence Garvin in charge of covering Rob Gronkowski, the Steelers game plan on both sides of the ball was an embarrassment.
Yes, there were headset malfunctions, but parking-lot pickup players know better than to leave whole portions of the field uncovered. The Steelers were unprepared for hurry-to-the-line plays or the "Gronk wide, receiver in the slot" formation, leaving us to wonder what team they were watching on film for the last seven months/four years. F.
Looking Ahead: Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley are tying tin cans together with string to avoid communication problems when the Steelers host the 49ers.
Cleveland Browns: D+
28 of 32
This Week's Result: Jets 31, Browns 10
Offense: When you factor in the talent level of the Browns offense, Sunday may have been as good as it will get: Some Travis Benjamin heroics, a mixture of hope and anxiety at quarterback and lots of wondering what guys like Brian Hartline and Gary Barnidge can really be expected to accomplish. D.
Defense: The Browns played well early but failed to take advantage of some potential big plays: Tashaun Gipson fumbled away an interception, and the Browns defense could not pounce on an errant snap that bounced around the Jets goal line. The game only got out of hand when Johnny Manziel began turning the ball over in Browns territory. The final score was an indication of what a bad offense can do to a pretty good defense. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: The Browns ran out of offensive smoke and mirrors after their first few drives. C.
Looking Ahead: With Josh McCown in concussion protocol, Manziel has a week to prepare for the Titans. Maybe this year, he will use it.
Indianapolis Colts: D
29 of 32
This Week's Result: Bills 27, Colts 14
Offense: What the heck was that? D-plus.
Defense: The Colts defense produced eight tackles for a loss, which is an encouraging sign after an otherwise dreary Sunday. Then again, the Bills spent the fourth quarter sacrificing their running backs at the altar of the clock-killing gods. When the game mattered, the Colts defense was soft up the middle and vulnerable on the edges. D.
Special Teams/Coaching: The offensive game plan was built around early-down holding penalties, forced throws on 3rd-and-long and treating Frank Gore like he was Trent Richardson's uncle. The defense didn't look game-ready. Chuck Pagano is the designated "coach of would-be contender on the hot seat," and he looks ready to play down to the role. D.
Looking Ahead: The Jets are coming, and they look like the better team right now.
Jacksonville Jaguars: D
30 of 32
This Week's Result: Panthers 20, Jaguars 9
Offense: Awful pass protection and enough micro-short passes to make Alex Smith look like Daryle Lamonica resulted in a dreary afternoon. When a receiver (Rashad Greene) gets targeted 13 times but finishes with seven catches for 28 yards, you have to wonder if someone turned the playbook sideways. D-minus.
Defense: Telvin Smith is the best player you have never heard of. Everyone else was pretty good against an opponent with some of the worst skill-position talent in the NFL. B.
Special Teams/Coaching: Chris Clemons blocked a field goal. Rookie kicker Jason Myers missed a makeable field goal. The offensive game plan was cold oatmeal. C.
Looking Ahead: Blake Bortles and Greene try to break the seven-foot-per-pass barrier against the Dolphins.
Oakland Raiders: D
31 of 32
This Week's Result: Bengals 33, Raiders 13
Offense: Even before the Derek Carr injury, there were penalties that wiped out big plays, desperate efforts to force-feed Amari Cooper instead of spreading the ball around and too many teeny-tiny passes into the flat. Then Matt McGloin came in, and things got ugly until fourth-quarter silly time. D.
Defense: There is too much talent on this defense to allow 127 rushing yards and let an unharassed Andy Dalton look like Joe Montana. D.
Special Teams/Coaching: Averaging 6.1 yards per reception is not going to cut it, no matter who starts at quarterback. The Raiders now have downfield weapons. Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has to teach Carr (and McGloin) how to use them. C-minus.
Looking Ahead: The Ravens come to town looking for one of their patented ugly road victories. The Vegas over/under should be 12.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: F
32 of 32
This Week's Result: Titans 42, Buccaneers 14
Offense: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (5-110-2) made some big plays. Doug Martin (11-52-0) ran effectively before the Buccaneers had to throw the running game out the window. We're focusing on the positive here, folks. D-minus.
Defense: There are soft spots in the Buccaneers coverage zones that always appear to be wide-open, and they are in the same places each week and have been in the same places with Lovie Smith teams since the Bears lost the Super Bowl almost a decade ago, and it's getting to the point where even rookie quarterbacks making their first starts can find them. Also, the run defense only stiffened when the Titans started munching clock. D.
Coaching/Special Teams: When a quarterback is as unready as Jameis Winston was, the coaches have to do something. Maybe they need to add some option fins and spoilers, or call some early trick plays, or even just set up a few screens so the rookie can get some completions under his belt.
The Bucs opted for conventional pocket football without the training wheels, and it was doomed from the first snap. Then again, Winston did manage to throw an interception on a screen, so maybe the situation was hopeless. F.
Looking Ahead: Jameis Winston vs. Drew Brees. If this was a golf tournament, Brees' handicap to even things up would be a cart full of venomous snakes.
.jpg?w=480 "Eagles Rookies Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Giants Bears Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Execs Call Out Jags GM")
.jpg?w=600 "Restacking Worst 2026 Draft Classes To Improve Grades 👨🏫")
.jpg?w=600 "Claypool Gets NFL Tryout")