2023-09-18 05:18:12
Rafael Zamorano Sep 18, 2023, 02:10 a.m. Reading: 7 min.
Ciro: ‘Kansas City still doesn’t have the rhythm of other times’
Ciro Procuna’s analysis of the Chiefs’ victory once morest the Jaguars.
With two games left to complete the first two days, several NFL stars are still not providing the brilliant level expected
After two weeks – in the absence of a double shift of “Monday Night Football“– it is still very complicated to try to extract clear trends that indicate with absolute certainty the trajectory of the regular season of the NFL.
At the same time, the stars of the league generate enormous expectations, and not seeing them fulfilled is notable. Now is not the time to panic, clearly, but there are situations that we must put the microscope on, because if not corrected, the campaigns of the respective teams of these stars risk being derailed very early in the fall.
Multiple NFL figures have had a notoriously discreet start to the season in 2023.ESPN
The most obvious example is the quarterback Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengalswho just 10 days ago, became the highest-paid player in the history of the NFLagreeing to a five-year, $275 million extension.
“When your quarterback misses camp, it’s hard to get off to a quick start. It’s not ideal,” he admitted. Burrowwho missed most of training camp and the preseason with a calf injury following the Week 2 loss. “I’m still confident.”
After two meetings, Burrow He has completed 41 of 72 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns once morest one interception. His Total QBR of 44.4 at the moment places him No. 24 in the NFLbehind names like Desmond Ridder of the Atlanta Falcons, Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders, Joshua Dobbs of the Arizona Cardinals, Daniel Jones of the New York Giants and the rookie Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts, among many others. In Week 1, the Bengals They were the only team in the NFL that he mightn’t even enter the red zone.
It means that Burrow Is it worse than all those pins? Of course not. But it is undeniable that he is diminished, and things might not improve soon, thanks to the fact that the quarterback hurt his calf this Sunday in the loss once morest the Baltimore Ravenswho momentarily lead the AFC North with a perfect 2-0.
“She’s pretty sore.” [la pantorrilla]”he confessed Burrowfollowing falling before Baltimore. “There’s no telling how it’s going to feel. We’ll see over the next couple of days.”
comes for Cincy a duel at homeMonday Night Football” for Week 3, which gives Burrow an additional day of recovery.
Among the runners, there are also names to highlight in the same condition.
Josh Jacobs of Las Vegas Raiders He led the league in rushing last season with 1,653 yards. This year, he is ranked No. 39 in the NFL following two games, with 28 carries for 46 yards with no rushing scores, and a minuscule average of 1.6 yards per carry that leaves him in 41st place in the league.
As Burrow, Jacobs He also missed most of the preseason and training camp, but for different reasons. In his case, a contractual dispute as a franchise player for Las Vegas, which was not resolved until August 26. Unlike Burrowhowever, Jacobs might be in bigger trouble, playing in an offense with serious blocking problems. After two weeks, the Raiders They rank No. 22 in run-play block win rate. Above all, the quarterback of Las Vegas, Jimmy Garoppolois already tied with four other quarterbacks for the second lead in interceptions thrown this year, with three.
In the template of the Minnesota Vikingsthe board said goodbye to Dalvin Cook to give the opportunity to Alexander Mattison as a primary runner. The returns are not good. Mattison He is No. 33 in yards per carry with 3.3, has not scored on the ground, and has barely added a first down on the ground, following 19 carries for 62 yards.
The reaction once morest Mattison has been so negative that the runner shared racist insults and threats he received via social media, leading to a response from the Vikings and of the NFL condemning those comments once morest the player.
“The NFL strongly condemns racist comments directed at Alexander Mattison on social media following this Thursday’s game. Such hateful behavior is completely unacceptable in the NFL or anywhere else,” wrote the NFL in his statement.
And what regarding Cook?
Things have not been ideal so far in the United States campaign either. New York Jets. Cook He has run the ball 17 times for 40 yards, no touchdowns, two first downs on the ground, and an average of just 2.4 yards per carry.
It is known to all that the campaign of the Jets was caught in an apparent downward spiral following the injury of Aaron Rodgers on the fourth offensive play of the season — even with the surprise victory over the Buffalo Bills in Week 1–, and the backfield has also suffered the consequences. It is not only Cook who is paying the price for an offensive that is not flying. Breece Hall received just four carries in Week 2, following a spectacular game in the “Monday Night Football” from the first date. Hall He managed just 9 yards in those four opportunities.
The four interceptions in less than two complete games with which Zach Wilson leads the league clearly have not helped the New York cause.
Another of the great enigmas at the beginning of the campaign, and one that has left us confused since last season, is the lack of opportunities that the tight end receives. Kyle Pitts with the Falcons. After a rookie campaign where he caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards — just one of two tight ends in NFL history NFL with a season of at least 1,000 yards as a rookie–, Falcons They have forgotten regarding him. Pitts He had just 28 receptions for 356 yards with two touchdowns in 10 games last year, and so far this season he has four catches for 59 yards.
The player chosen No. 4 overall in the 2021 Draft is tied with six other players among tight ends in the No. 30 place with four catches in the season, very far from the 15 with which T.J. Hockenson of the Vikings leads the league at the position.
In the trenches, there are also important names among the players who have passed with dark glasses, a hat, and the collar of their trench coat raised following two games.
Clearly, Aaron Donald hasn’t gotten the help he needs from a young Rams roster.Getty Images
No name surpasses in greatness that of Aaron Donaldof Los Angeles Rams.
Sure, we knew it would be a challenging campaign for the league’s youngest roster, and veterans like Donald they might not receive the support of the supporting cast that they had in the past.
But, the three times Defensive Player of the Year and candidate to end his career as the best defensive player of all time, has had a discreet start to the campaign, with just one sack in two games. Beyond that number, Donald ranks 66th in the league in win rate once morest blocks on passing plays, a metric in which he has easily dominated in previous years.
We are not going to dare even suggest that Donald He is finished, but his big plays are required to appear inside.
Again, this is not the time to press the emergency button and sound the sirens. A 17-game campaign provides additional time to recover from a poor start. However, if these teams are to get back on track, they will do so through the production of their stars, those proven players who have responded in the great moments of the past.
Those big plays from other years have raised the bar for what is expected of them and is still expected of them in 2023, despite a not as solid start as expected.
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