From Dallas Cowboys distress to Drew Petzing and the Arizona Cardinals, we select our award winners from NFL Sunday in Week Two of the 2024 season…
Story of the day…
“Your scheme is crazy,” mentioned Brock Purdy to Brian Flores on Sunday.
Purdy, Kyle Shanahan and their San Francisco 49ers offense had simply been on the incorrect finish of a Flores defensive clinic as they have been crushed 23-17 by the Minnesota Vikings, who transfer to 2-0 for the primary time since 2016.
The Vikings had been a defensive catastrophe within the last few seasons underneath Mike Zimmer, an enduring reminiscence being their parting-of-the-red-sea efficiency in opposition to the New York Giants within the playoffs as Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley torched them on the bottom. They have been passive, ill-schemed, an offensive dream to dissect.
It is a completely different Vikings outfit, rejuvenated by the blitz aggression and creativity of defensive coordinator Flores, who’s on his approach again to go teaching competition having been dismissed from Miami’s high job on the finish of the 2021 season. He has since needed to rebuild his profession with a cease off in Pittsburgh underneath Mike Tomlin in addition to dealing with heavy criticism from Tua Tagovailoa for his remedy of the Dolphins quarterback throughout their brief time collectively, feedback Flores admitted had been troublesome to listen to.
On Sunday the league noticed the most effective of Flores the footballing thoughts. From the blitz packages that resulted in 4 sacks and 7 pressures on Purdy, to the simulated stress designs whereby three or 4 defenders would retreat from the defensive entrance post-snap to fog the center of the sphere. Flores is having a celebration unleashing Josh Metellus as his postion-less do-it-all utility man – the form of which trendy defenses have wanted within the Draft over current years – and has ramped up the ferocity with which the Vikings clog working lanes, collapse the pocket and fly to the soccer.
The Vikings are in excellent arms underneath Flores and Kevin O’Connell, the latter of whom is threatening to do foolish issues with revival-chasing Sam Darnold.
In the meantime at Arrowhead, Joseph Ossai had his ‘now you know the way I felt’ second after watching seventh-round rookie security Daijahn Anthony surrender the go interference penalty that will arrange the Chiefs’ game-winning discipline objective as time expired in opposition to the Bengals. Ossai had in fact dedicated the pointless roughness penalty on Patrick Mahomes that hoisted the Chiefs right into a extra beneficial discipline objective place in the course of the 2022 AFC Championship Recreation.
The ‘title you need to know’ of the day
Final week it was Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who has picked up the place Dave Canales left off in inspiring the most effective of a resurgent Baker Mayfield. This week, it’s Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, whose ascent to architectural funk started down the stretch of final season.
Petzing’s offense was purring because the Cardinals dismantled the Los Angeles Rams 41-10, the persistence and precision to tee up chunk performs with defense-baiting sells within the run sport and pre-snap movement persevering with to place stress on Sean McVay’s aspect.
There have been indicators late final season of Petzing utilising a pull run sport so as to maximise the athleticism of Kyler Murray out and in of the pocket following the quarterback’s return from harm, as a lot carrying by to 2024 as James Conners continues to function one of many league’s hardest runners. As a lot grew to become evident once more early on Sunday throughout Marvin Harrison’s 60-yard landing, Petzing slaloming the blocking left to ensure that Murray to roll out and join along with his rookie receiver on a crosser-come-corner route.
Petzing was cooking once more later within the sport, this time unleashing tight finish Trey McBride for a leaping seize between two defenders on the sideline. The design had seen Elijah Higgins movement left-to-right underneath the middle and in flip dragging three Rams defenders with him as Trey Benson grew to become the disguised chip blocker from a faux handoff to the working again, Murray protecting the ball and floating a strike to McBride on the deep over route.
The Rams grew to become fixed victims of Petzing misdirection and aggressive personnel groupings; in laymens phrases, a clinic in ‘you suppose we’re going that approach, actually we’re going this manner’. Petzing is in his second yr as offensive coordinator having beforehand served as tight ends and quarterbacks coach of the Cleveland Browns in addition to working working with the vast receivers in Minnesota. He’ll discover his approach into head teaching competition sooner reasonably than later.
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Highlights from the New Orleans Saints in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys from Week Two of the NFL season
The ‘solely does spectacular issues’ of the day
Rashid Shaheed feels slightly like an NFL equal of contemporary ‘Barclaysmen’. In an period of two-high security shells and when defenses are set as much as restrict explosive downfield dunks, the New Orleans Saints vast receiver continues to search out methods to behead secondaries along with his velocity.
No participant within the league has extra receptions of fifty+ air yards than Shaheed for the reason that starting of 2023, the 2022 undrafted free agent setting the tone for the Saints’ demolition of the Dallas Cowboys with a 70-yard landing, following up his 59-yard home name in opposition to the Carolina Panthers in Week One.
Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons was filled with reward for Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak after the sport, having been largely neutralised within the race of a rampant Alvin Kamara-inspired show. Kubiak obtained artistic along with his safety packages, whereas turning to condensed formations to muddy the Cowboys protection’s play prognosis and incorporating extra play motion as a method of opening up the sphere for his or her receiver expertise.
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The New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara’s finest performs from his four-touchdown sport in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys
The ‘gonna be a star’ of the day
No secret had been made from Brock Bowers and his potential to catapult himself in the direction of the highest of the NFL’s tight finish ranks, however with uncertainty at quarterback in Las Vegas he may need been forgiven for taking a while. Bowers had 9 catches for 98 yards within the Raiders’ win over the Baltimore Ravens, lifting his tally on the season to fifteen catches from 17 targets for 156 yards – all NFL data for a decent finish by his first two profession video games. Tight finish fanatics are crying out for 12 personnel bombardment by Bowers and Michael Mayer.
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The Cincinnati Bengals’ Cam Taylor-Britt made an Odell Beckham-esque catch for a tremendous interception in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
The vomit ball of the day
Inexperienced Bay Packers middle Josh Myers appeared to misread his head coach’s needs for chunk performs on offense, vomiting on the ball previous to the snap on a vital third down in his aspect’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Fairly the debut for quarterback Malik Willis, who was stepping in for the injured Jordan Love having arrived in a commerce from the Tennessee Titans on the finish of August.
“I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on that third down, he told me Josh threw up on the ball. That’s the first time I ever heard that,” mentioned Packers head coach Matt LaFleur after the sport.
“The official came over and said ‘we saw your center threw up on the ball, do you want us to take him out?’ I said absolutely, please do that!”
“I’ve never had a throw with vomit on a football, Malik probably didn’t appreciate that!”
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Highlights from the New York Jets in opposition to the Tennessee Titans from Week Two of the NFL season
The ‘what are you doing Will Levis?’ of the day
You might keep in mind Will Levis throwing a contender for worst interception of the season in Week One as his determined underarm heave was became a pick-six by Tyrique Stevenson in opposition to the Chicago Bears.
Thought that could not be matched? “Watch this,” he mentioned.
The Tennessee Titans quarterback was responsible of one other erratic determination as he tried to shovel the ball to Tyjae Spears whereas being hauled down on third-and-goal, the New York Jets managing to recuperate earlier than occurring to win 24-17.
“What the f*** are you doing?” Titans head coach Brian Callahan could possibly be seen mouthing on the sideline.
The ‘referee has obtained wheels’ of the day
Sure, sure, Justin Jefferson working the size of the sphere to attain a 97-yard landing and underlining why he’s the highest-paid vast receiver in NFL historical past is spectacular. However how about some love for the referee that manages to not solely sustain with the play, however seemingly out-run the 49ers secondary?
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Justin Jefferson raced clear to attain a outstanding 97-yard landing to extend the Minnesota Vikings’ lead in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers
Some numbers of the day
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson recorded 4.5 sacks as Dan Campbell’s aspect fell to a 20-16 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Austin Seibert kicked a franchise-record seven discipline targets, together with a game-winner as time expired, because the Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants 21-18.
J.Ok. Dobbins rushed for 131 yards and a landing to assist the Los Angeles Chargers to a 26-3 win over the Carolina Panthers, turning into the primary Chargers participant to put up back-to-back 100+ yard speeding video games since Melvin Gordon in 2016.
Late night time considered the day…
Simply watched the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs dial up a one-yard landing go to catch-eligible offensive sort out Wanya Morris, having utilised linebacker Leo Chenal as a blocking full again. Probably the most Andy Reid factor ever.
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The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Wanya Morris celebrated his landing in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals with type
Monday espresso considered the day…
On the age of 20 years and 239 days outdated, Jets rookie working again Braelon Allen grew to become the youngest participant to attain an offensive landing within the Tremendous Bowl period, and the youngest NFL participant to take action since Arnie Herber in 1930. How insufficient life feels as a mere mortal at the moment.
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