GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: Bailey Zappe #4 of the New England Patriots scrambles with the ball in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 02, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
What we learned
1) Bailey Zappe looks to be the real deal
Zappe is at least the new backup in New England, right? After an injury forced Zappe in early in the game, Zappe almost led the Patriots to an improbable victory in Green Bay. Zappe finished 10-of-15 passing for 99 yards and one touchdown, showing poise in a tough spot. He was sacked three times, losing a fumble on one. Zappe was a much better Quartk in College than many guys drafted higher than him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he someday replaced Mac Jones as the Patriots starter. Zappe has a great feel in the pocket and has excellent feet and just enough arm strength to get it done as a starter in the NFL. Check out the top football odds.
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2) Baker Mayfield can’t handle pressure, and Matt Rhule will soon be looking for a job
It’s not all Mayfield’s fault, but he had five passes batted down and is terrible when under pressure, not a good sign for any quarterback at any level. Matt Rhule should already be gone and everybody knows that except the Panthers’ front office.
3) The Philadelphia Eagles are for real
Good teams can win ugly, and the Eagles did just that against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Jalen Hurts had a sub-par game and the Eagles struggled for much of the afternoon. Multiple injuries hurt this team on Sunday and they will have to overcome some of those losses this Sunday.
4) The Bengals are back
The Bengals struggled on offense the first two weeks of the season but seemed to be getting right, especially on the offensive line that has played much better the last two weeks. The real story is the Bengals defense led by Logan Wilson. The Defense gets primarily overlooked, but it shouldn’t, as that defense was the main reason the Bengals were in the Super Bowl last season.
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5) The NFL could care less about the players, and Miami has issues
Let’s face it Tua got a concussion against the Bills and was allowed to return. The Dolphins then acted like it was a back injury, and now they can no longer cover up a concussion because it was there for the whole world to see on Thursday night. It just goes to show you that the NFL and the Dolphins don’t care about anything but the bottom line. The Dolphins also have a huge issue with no impactful pass rushers. I know they beat the Bills a couple of weeks ago, but that was a very banged-up Bills team. The Dolphins are improved, but the lack of a running game and no stud pass rushers is a huge issue.
6) The Colts are in trouble
That is an issue when you play three of your first four games against division rivals and have no wins. When Jonathan Taylor can’t get going and Matt Ryan looks old, well, then catastrophe seems to be looming for the Colts. Frank Reich should have already been fired, but the fact that he is still in place as the Colts head coach will tell you the Colts issues lie at the top of the organization.
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7) The Rams are in trouble
The Rams offense is disjointed, and so is the defense. The loss of Von Miller was more significant than people with the rams would acknowledge, and you have to wonder about the Health of Matthew Stafford. The offensive line play is bad, and the run game is non-existent.
8) The Falcons are a surprise
The Falcons can flat-out run the ball, and they can do it even when missing Cordarrelle Patterson. The backups balled out this past Sunday in a 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns. Rookie Tyler Allgeier ran for 84 yards. Practice squad call-up Caleb Huntley ran for 56, and converted cornerback Avery Williams had a 21-yard carry. The Falcons have rushed for more than 200 yards in half of their games this season. Check out our top football betting strategies.
9) The Cowboys defense is legit
For the first time since 1973, the Cowboys have given up less than 20 points in the season’s first four games. The Cowboys defense knew that with no Dak Prescott, they would have to carry the team, and they have done just that. It hasn’t hurt that backup QB Cooper Rush has played well.
10) Ron Rivera is on the hot seat in Washington
In his third year, Rivera has not made anything better in Washington, and it is getting worse. The Commandeers are an undisciplined group that gets penalized a lot; they also turn the ball over and generally seem to be in disarray. I don’t think Rivera sees the end of this season.
11) Has John Harbaugh become a bad Coach
The Ravens went for the touchdown on fourth down from the Buffalo 2-yard line instead of kicking the go-ahead field goal. Last season Harbaugh made four similar decisions last season, and the Ravens lost in all four cases. This is the second home game in a row that the Ravens have lost while being 17 points ahead! The decision on Sunday was mind-blowing. Next up for the Ravens will be the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that has won two straight games and will have ten days’ rest heading into that Sunday night showdown for first place.
12) Zach Wilson makes a statement
Zach Wilson looked like Zach Wilson for three quarters on Sunday; then something happened as he seemed to transform into an NFL starting quarterback before our very eyes. In the fourth quarter Wilson showed toughness and poise and made some huge throws. Maybe this was a fluke, or maybe the Steelers are just that bad, but Jets fans had to love seeing Wilson look good. Now, the big question will be, can he do it again?
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13) The Giants are 3-1, but they are not impressive
The record is impressive, but the completion and their level of play have not been awe-inspiring. Brian Daboll has changed the culture in New York, and this is a tough hard-nosed team, but they still need a quarterback.
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