Diagnosing What's Wrong with Notable Players, Teams Early in 2015 Season

Every NFL season is full of surprises, and 2015 has lived up to that so far. Things never turn out as we expect, unless you’re the New England Patriots.

But there are always a lot of twists and turns. Sometime, rule changes throw a monkey wrench into the works. This year, you could do an entire piece on what has possibly affected the kickers around the NFL.

Here we will focus on a few things that have confounded us to date, choosing seven players and/or teams (one for each day of the week). And if you’re looking for solutions, you may have come to the wrong place.

So to make things as simple as possibly, preface each slide with the words “What’s Wrong With the…”

Baltimore Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

"Shocking" would be an apt description of the play of the Baltimore Ravens in the early weeks of 2015.

They have one win in five games—a sloppy overtime conquest of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. That followed an unprecedented 0-3 start by this franchise.

But Sunday’s 33-30 home loss to the Cleveland Browns may have taken the crab cake. Baltimore’s defense surrendered 505 total yards and allowed quarterback Josh McCown to throw for 457 yards and his team’s offense to convert 63 percent (12-of-19) of its third-down attempts. And amazingly, it was the second time this season that the Ravens scored 30 points in a game and still managed to lose.

Yes, the absence of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs has hurt, but this is still with a team with 15 sacks. After a slow start, the Baltimore running game looks healthy again. But somehow indicative of the team’s strange start, the Ravens ran for 181 yards on Sunday and still lost.

Head coach John Harbaugh has never finished with a losing season in his days with Baltimore and has taken the team to the playoffs six times in seven years. But he’s now faced with quite a challenge after this disappointing start.

Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

You are now hearing whispers that the 5-0 Denver Broncos are winning despite the presence of their veteran quarterback.

Has Peyton Manning really fallen that far? Or are we so used to such extraordinary play that a sluggish start has people questioning whether the 39-year-old legend has got anything left at all?

It may be a little of both, along with a lack of support from an offensive line that is still trying to find itself. The multiple changes up front are but one reason Manning has been sacked 12 times in five games. In 2014, Denver allowed a league-low 17 sacks (all of those on Manning). The NFL’s all-time leader in touchdown passes has never been sacked more than 29 times in any season.

Still, the veteran signal-caller failed to throw a touchdown pass in Sunday’s 16-10 win at Oakland while being picked off twice. It was the second time this year that the Denver offense failed to score a touchdown. This season, Manning is completing “just” 63.5 percent of this passes for 1,234 yards, six scores and seven interceptions.

Slow start or beginning of the end? We’re still willing to give Manning the benefit of the doubt.

Detroit Lions

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A year ago, the Detroit Lions finished with their most wins (11) since 1991 and went to the playoffs.

This season, Jim Caldwell’s team has already lost as many games as it did during the regular season last season.

A defensive unit that ranked second in the NFL in fewest yards allowed while allowing the fewest rushing yards one year ago now ranks 22nd in total defense. And only five teams in the NFL have given up more yards per game on the ground. Yes, the Lions have totaled 12 sacks, led by defensive end Ziggy Ansah (five). But the team is also giving up 126.6 yards per game on the ground.

Apparently, that’s what happens when tackling machine De’Andre Levy is out and the team no longer has defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, C.J. Mosley and George Johnson.

On the other side of the ball, Caldwell gave quarterback Matthew Stafford an early seat Sunday during the 42-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The seventh-year pro has thrown six touchdown passes while committing nine turnovers this season. The Lions offense has scored just nine touchdowns in five games. And the team has scored 17 points or less in each of its last four outings.

Remember when this club led the San Diego Chargers 21-3 in the second quarter in Week 1? The Lions have been outscored 135-62 since then.

Houston Texans Defense

George Bridges/Associated Press

When your franchise is in possession of a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the perception is that you have one of the premier defenses in the league.

But it hasn’t looked that way so far for the 2015 Houston Texans. Yes, head coach Bill O’Brien has had his hands full with his quarterbacks, as Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer have both played in the same game three times in five weeks this season. But a team that led the NFL in takeaways one year ago has lost that opportunistic touch, at least so far in 2015.

Five games into the season Houston has forced only two turnovers. Houston added free-agent pickup Vince Wilfork to improve the team’s play against the run, but the Texans are ranked 22nd in the NFL in rushing defense—way down from 10th a year ago.

For those who thought this was a defense and team ready to take a few steps forward following a 9-7 finish in 2014, it’s been nothing short of moon walking for the Texans as we enter Week 6.

Philadelphia Eagles RB DeMarco Murray

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Let’s try to put into perspective what then-Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray did a year ago while capturing NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors.

The numbers read 392 carries for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns. Murray totaled at least 100 yards rushing in his first eight games last season (an NFL record) and reached the century mark in 12 regular-season games.

In four games with the Philadelphia Eagles this season, the 2014 All-Pro has rushed for 130 yards and a pair of scores on 49 attempts. Murray ran for 130-plus yards five times with the Cowboys a year ago.

It's hard to figure regardless of the circumstances. On Sunday, he had a season-high 83 yards rushing and a touchdown on a season-high 20 carries in the Eagles' 39-17 win over the New Orleans Saints. Could it be the start of something good? It may need to be if you’re head coach Chip Kelly.

San Francisco 49ers TE Vernon Davis

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Travel back to Week 1 of 2014 and the San Francisco 49ers were busy handling the Dallas Cowboys 28-17, as Niners tight end Vernon Davis totaled four receptions for 44 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory.

Other than running out of a tunnel or warming up before a game, the former Pro Bowler hasn’t been in the end zone since.

In 16 games since, Davis has totaled 30 catches for 310 yards and zero scores. Yes, he comes off an injury-marred 2014, but what has gone wrong? This season, he has eight receptions for 109 yards, and 43 of those yards came on one play.

The 10-year pro has been inactive the last two weeks with a knee problem, but Niners head coach Jim Tomsula said on Monday he expects his tight end to return for Sunday's tilt with the Baltimore Ravens, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com.

Is it mere injuries that have slowed down Davis the last year or so? Has the erratic play of quarterback Colin Kaepernick played a bigger factor than some would think? Each of these factors has obviously played a part in a slump for a player who as recently as 2013 caught 52 passes for 850 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks Defense

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Talk about stunning. What happened to the Seattle Seahawks in Cincinnati on Sunday was as surprising as anything we have seen this season to date.

So now what are our impressions of the team that has reached the Super Bowl each of the previous two years?

In terms of the numbers, it’s not like Pete Carroll’s defense has fallen off the face of the earth. Only four teams in the NFL are allowing fewer total yards per game. Led by new coordinator Kris Richard, the Seahawks are ranked in the league’s top 10 against both the run and the pass.

Consider this somewhat odd fact: In two home games this season, Seattle has allowed a total of 10 points and zero offensive touchdowns in wins over the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. But in three losses, all on the road, the Seahawks have given up 34, 27 and 27 points, respectively. And last Sunday against the Bengals, Seattle squandered a 24-7 fourth-quarter lead on the way to a crushing 27-24 overtime loss. And yes, strong safety Kam Chancellor (a holdout the first two weeks) played this last weekend.

“It’s extremely frustrating knowing how talented we are and how poised we can be in those moments, and then to not finish, to not pull it out,” said wide receiver Doug Baldwin, according to Joe Kay of the Associated Press via the Washington Times on Sunday.

Yes, quarterback Russell Wilson has been sacked 22 times, and the team hasn’t had running back Marshawn Lynch the last two weeks. But a defensive unit that usually picks up the slack has been slacking so far in 2015.

Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.