Sizing up NFL Week 7: What’s next for Vikings, Giants, more

Seven weeks is not a very long time, but it surely may as effectively be an eternity in soccer. Seven weeks in the past, we had been questioning whether or not the Chargers might need probably the most explosive offense of the 2026 NFL season, if anyone would be capable to cease the Rams from marching to the Super Bowl and whether or not the Browns had been actively tanking to land Arch Manning with the primary general choose in next 12 months’s draft. Lots has modified.

Of course, in a league the place every week can really feel monumental and important, truly separating the passing developments from what’s actually significant is each troublesome and vital. This time a 12 months in the past, the Chiefs’ offensive struggles might need felt like a mirage, however they turned out to be actual. And whereas Sam Darnold‘s sizzling begin did not stick round into the second half, the Seahawks quarterback established that he had the next ceiling than most of us would have anticipated earlier than later exhibiting that off with a superb efficiency within the essential NFC title game victory over the Rams.

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Today, I wish to take a better have a look at a number of the key gamers and storylines from Sunday’s motion and attempt to get a way of whether or not what we noticed was a notably good (or dangerous) day or a more substantial pattern. And with two of the three unbeaten groups heading into Week 7 shedding for the primary time, it solely appears cheap to start out with the final remaining undefeated.

Jump as to if it is time to:
… call the Vikings defense historically great
… give up on the Texans’ defense as elite
… treat the Giants as NFC East favorites
… move on from Glenn as Jets HC
… start Mendoza in Las Vegas
… start worrying about Henry in Baltimore

Is it time to … begin treating the Vikings as a traditionally nice protection?

I do not assume anyone could be very shocked that the Vikings are fielding among the finest defenses in soccer. Brian Flores’ unit was fourth within the NFL in factors allowed per drive in 2024 after which once more in 2025. There had been modifications through the offseason, notably the departure of edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, however the Vikings introduced again Flores and most of the items that fueled the staff’s success over the previous couple of seasons. Projecting the Vikings to be a top-five protection heading into 2026 would not have been controversial.

The Vikings are usually not only a top-five protection, although. They’re No. 1, and it is not significantly shut. Through six video games, Minnesota is permitting 1.1 factors per possession. To put that in context, there’s just one different staff within the NFL permitting fewer than 1.7 factors per drive, and that is the defending champion Seahawks at 1.4. After permitting the Packers to attain two touchdowns within the first half of Week 1, Flores’ protection has allowed a complete of 4 offensive touchdowns over the following 5 and a half video games.

Is that traditionally nice? It is determined by the place you set your cutoffs. Elite defenses from the flip of the century, such because the 2000 Ravens and 2002 Buccaneers, had been taking part in in a distinct period of soccer with more liberal defensive guidelines in opposition to offenses that performed more conservative kinds and at slower paces. There had been a handful of defenses from that period that allowed fewer factors per drive than these Vikings, but it surely’s more applicable to start out that look again in 2007, when the Patriots kicked off a more fashionable offensive period.

Across that timeframe — and taking a look at groups solely by means of six video games every season — the Vikings are the Tenth-best protection of the previous 20 seasons. The No. 1 protection by a substantial margin by means of the primary six video games of these respective seasons was the 2019 Patriots, who had been permitting a miniscule 0.4 factors per possession.

That Patriots staff performed a remarkably straightforward slate of opponents early within the season, and it is truthful to wonder if the Vikings might need additionally loved a beneficiant slate of opposing quarterbacks, on condition that they’ve confronted Baker Mayfield, Malik Willis and Tyler Shough in latest weeks. Of course, additionally they held a Bears offense that has been explosive and dynamic with Caleb Williams on the helm to a few factors by means of three-and-a-half quarters earlier than Williams left the sport with a hamstring injury.

On Sunday against Indianapolis, Jonathan Taylor opened the scoring with a 38-yard landing run. But the Colts did treasured little on offense afterward. Former Vikings backup Daniel Jones was restricted to 64 internet passing yards on 26 performs whereas being blitzed on more than 85% of his dropbacks. It was the best blitz fee for any protection in a single sport since 2013, and the Vikings unsurprisingly have the 5 highest on the record.

The Colts made it into the pink zone solely as soon as more, at which level they had been compelled again out by a holding penalty and a Jones sack. While Spencer Shrader missed two subject targets on a irritating day for Shane Steichen’s staff, the Colts barely mustered something on offense after the early rating.

And what makes the Vikings such a very devastating unit is how the blitz and the specter of the blitz pressure offenses to react. While the Vikings are a dominant protection once they ship additional stress, they’re a fair more spectacular move protection once they do not ship additional gamers after the quarterback. They permit simply 3.6 yards per try and a couple of.8 yards per dropback once they rush 4 or fewer, each of that are one of the best marks for any protection by means of six video games within the QBR period, which dates again to 2007. That’s a direct product of shell-shocked offenses overloading their move safety to account for Flores’ blitzes, solely to then see a restricted variety of eligible receivers flooded by seven or eight defenders dropping into protection.

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Daniel Jones picked off by Harrison Smith to seal Vikings victory

The blitzes additionally hold groups out of play-action passing, which is the league’s favourite technique to create explosive performs on offense. The Vikings have confronted play-action makes an attempt on solely 18% of opposing dropbacks this season, the second-lowest fee within the league. Teams attempt to run them out of the blitz and keep away from third-and-long, however whereas they allowed an extended landing to Taylor on Sunday, the Vikings have additionally been the league’s greatest run protection by way of success fee, stopping opponents from staying on schedule 66.7% of the time. Flores’ protection turns everybody into dropback passers after which runs their move safety by means of a shredder.

And after all, whereas so many nice defenses function Hall of Fame skills, it is even more outstanding to see Flores’ unit elevating gamers who weren’t stars elsewhere. Harrison Smith was a Pro Bowl-caliber security for a very long time, and Dallas Turner is a first-round choose in the course of a breakout season, however Minnesota has gotten a lot out of gamers who weren’t beforehand perceived to be standouts. That consists of gamers equivalent to Andrew Van Ginkel, Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers and Eric Wilson.

On Sunday, that highlight shined on linebacker Blake Cashman. A backup with the Jets earlier than rising as a starter with the Texans, Cashman has taken his sport to a brand new stage throughout his three years in Minnesota. He wrecked store in opposition to the Colts, with two sacks, 4 fast pressures and 5 complete pressures on 12 rush makes an attempt. The veteran looped across the line for one sack to knock the Colts out of subject objective vary, then ran by means of Taylor to overpower the star again and take down Jones. Having linebackers equivalent to Cashman and Wilson who can maintain up in protection and completely terrify operating backs in move safety makes Flores’ defensive imaginative and prescient come to life.

Many of the defenses forward of the Vikings within the prime 10 for factors per possession since 2007 weren’t capable of maintain their dominance over a full season. The 2009 Jets, 2019 Patriots and 2008 Ravens are the one groups to complete the season permitting fewer factors per drive than the Vikings have thus far this 12 months. And there are components of Minnesota’s sport that may not stick. The Vikings are second in turnover fee (15.9% of drives) and have allowed touchdowns on a league-low 23% of drives that attain the pink zone. Opposing kickers have missed three of 12 subject objective makes an attempt and two of seven additional level tries. It’s powerful to rely on that sustaining.

Of course, even when the Vikings take a step backward, they might nonetheless be one of the best protection in soccer. With the Lions, Bills, 49ers and Packers all coming up, Minnesota will likely be examined by a lot stiffer competitors. If the Vikings can maintain this stage of play in opposition to high-end offensive assaults, we will begin speaking about them as one of many best defenses of the previous 20 years with some confidence.

Is it time to … give up on the Texans as an elite protection?

The Vikings had been fourth in factors allowed per drive (1.7) final season … two spots forward of them had been the Texans (1.5), who additionally projected to remain among the many league’s greatest defenses in 2026. While there was turmoil surrounding the offense after quarterback C.J. Stroud‘s woeful postseason, a protection with Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter and among the finest younger secondaries within the sport was anticipated to dominate once more this season.

Instead, the Texans received off to a tough begin against the Bills and have not actually recovered. Sunday might need been a low level, as a Giants staff beginning its third quarterback of the season in J.J. McCarthy lit up DeMeco Ryans’ protection. In his first begin with the staff, McCarthy went 20-of-28 for 252 yards. Cam Skattebo, who was benched and did not contact the ball final week, returned to the lead role and had 17 carries for 124 yards, together with the important thing run that set the Giants up in additional time. Devin Singletary, one of many many backs the Texans have cycled by means of within the hopes of fixing their run sport, then completed issues off with a 30-yard landing to win the game for the Giants.

The Texans are a multitude in opposition to the run. They rank twenty third in EPA per play and thirtieth in success fee in opposition to opposing speeding assaults this season. Sunday’s loss noticed the Giants rip off 5 beneficial properties of 10-plus yards whereas succeeding on 50% of their rush makes an attempt. Just because the Vikings stopping the run forces groups into undesirable third-and-long conditions in opposition to Minnesota’s blitz, the Texans being unable to cease the run permits offenses to remain out of third-and-long in opposition to Anderson and Hunter, muting Houston’s largest energy.

There’s nonetheless loads of expertise right here, however there is a sloppiness to how the Texans are taking part in in opposition to the run. On Skattebo’s 19-yard landing run in regulation, each Derek Stingley Jr. and Henry To’oTo’o missed probabilities to carry down the second-year again. Skattebo’s 42-yarder in additional time was sprung when the Texans slanted two defensive linemen over by a spot after the snap however did not change them with second-level defenders who had been speculated to fill. To’oTo’o was primarily blocked out of the play by his teammates, and the Giants had a numbers benefit to the sturdy facet of the play. Skattebo beat Calen Bullock within the open subject and might need scored if it weren’t for what gave the impression to be a pulled hamstring 42 yards downfield. Bullock then missed one other sort out on the Singletary landing that adopted.

The thrilling younger secondary has gone from being a energy to a serious disappointment this season, with third-year nook Kamari Lassiter as a stunning major suspect. He dropped an interception that might have gained the sport in opposition to the Bills, allowed a game-losing landing on the next snap and hasn’t actually recovered, with offenses choosing on him all 12 months.

With Jalen Pitre nonetheless sidelined by a shoulder injury, the Texans moved Lassiter into the slot and performed Tremon Smith on the skin, which did not remedy their issues. Lassiter was rapidly overwhelmed by Malik Nabers on a fade out of the slot for 42 yards. Smith missed a sort out on an out to Malachi Fields, who turned upfield for a 47-yard achieve. McCarthy layered in a few good throws, however the Texans made their very own issues with missed tackles. They’ve allowed 15 explosive performs from missed tackles this season, the fifth most within the NFL. A 12 months in the past, they allowed solely 24 such performs all season.

After beginning 0-3 earlier than making it to the playoffs final season, there was an comprehensible notion that the Texans would determine issues out and make their means again into the postseason image, primarily by means of their protection getting again on monitor. Everything appeared nice for per week against the Titans, however Houston struggled to get stops against the Jaguars in London in Week 6 and would have allowed even more factors in opposition to the Giants if it weren’t for a pair of missed subject targets by Dominic Zvada. It has been nearly two months of fairly dangerous soccer.

A brief-term enchancment is probably going on the best way. The Texans are actually on their bye, which can give Ryans an opportunity to reimagine the protection after taking up playcalling duties earlier this month. After the bye, the Texans get to face the Chargers, Browns and Colts, who aren’t precisely blowing away opposing defenses. Still, it is powerful to consider that this model of the Texans goes to have the ability to maintain up in opposition to the league’s greatest offenses. And frankly, in the event that they could not cease McCarthy, are we positive the Texans will not have hassle in opposition to Deshaun Watson and Daniel Jones?

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Devin Singletary’s 30-yard TD run lifts Giants previous Texans in OT

Is it time to … respect the Giants as favorites within the NFC East?

Somebody has to win the division, and after two weeks of losses and ties, the Giants turned the primary staff within the NFC East to win a sport since Week 4 with their victory over the Texans. Trading for after which turning to J.J. McCarthy appeared like a determined transfer for a company that misplaced Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. But even if you wish to low cost what he did against the Saints as work in rubbish time, McCarthy appeared poised and correct all through the sport in opposition to the Texans on Sunday. His 63% exact move fee, measuring how typically a quarterback hits his receiver in stride within the torso space, was one of the best determine McCarthy has posted in a single sport as a professional.

As a quarterback who’s reticent to throw over the center of the sphere, McCarthy has to dwell throwing to the sidelines, the place something wanting glorious ball placement dangers a pick-six and any hesitation to throw the ball blows up the timing of a play. He was glorious on these throws in his first begin with the Giants, going 8-of-13 for 169 yards on throws exterior the numbers. Having Malik Nabers helps, however McCarthy appeared more comfy and efficient throwing to Nabers and Malachi Fields than he did Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison a 12 months in the past. It’s not proof that the Giants landed a steal with their in-season commerce for McCarthy, however one spectacular begin is one more than a good variety of folks would have anticipated from him in New York after his 2025 season in Minnesota.

Beating the Texans with a third-string QB was spectacular, but it surely’s even more notable when you think about how skinny the Giants had been elsewhere. In addition to Dart, the Giants had been with out 5 defensive starters in Tremaine Edmunds, Brian Burns, Roy Robertson-Harris, Jevon Holland and Greg Newsome II. The former three are out for the season. Veterans equivalent to Jason Pinnock, Ar’Darius Washington, DJ Reader and Shelby Harris — all signed to modest contracts in free company — began and performed significant snaps for the Giants on Sunday.

New defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has leaned closely into the blitz, with the Giants sending additional rushers on the seventh-highest fee within the NFL. Those blitzes are working: The Giants are permitting simply 4.8 yards per dropback once they blitz, the fifth-best fee within the league. C.J. Stroud was 6-of-11 for 62 yards in opposition to the blitz on Sunday, though he did throw a landing move late within the sport in opposition to a rush the place Kayvon Thibodeaux would have had a transparent run on the pressured quarterback, solely to fall down and permit Stroud besides out earlier than throwing a game-tying rating.

While the protection allowed that landing late within the fourth quarter, the Giants got here up with a cease (and a close to interception that Thibodeaux dropped) on the opening drive of additional time, placing the offense in an any-score-wins scenario. And they’ve typically been glorious when issues matter most. Holland picked off Cam Ward ultimately zone with 24 seconds left to seal a 12-7 win over the Titans in Week 3. Deonte Banks picked off a fourth-and-goal move from Jacoby Brissett and returned it for a pick-six as time expired against the Cardinals in Week 4, sealing up a 36-24 victory. And the Giants stopped the Commanders on the finish of regulation and the primary drive of additional time in a Week 5 tie earlier than the Commanders stopped themselves on their second and remaining drive of the additional interval.

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Cam Skattebo celebrates go-ahead TD with a backflip

Does that really feel sustainable? Not actually. Narrowly profitable (or tying) video games over middling groups with late takeaways is not one thing you’ll be able to rely on each week, because the Giants exhibited when Stroud scored in opposition to them late Sunday. And after this week’s bye, the Giants’ schedule will get a lot more durable. The Jaguars, 49ers, Seahawks and Lions are all on the docket over the second half of the season (though the Eagles will not have a wholesome roster for their home-and-home in opposition to their rivals).

At the identical time, someone has to win this division. At 4-2-1, the Giants are two-plus video games forward of the Cowboys and Eagles, with the latter now beginning Tanner McKee for the remainder of the season and prone to be dealing gamers on the commerce deadline. The Commanders, at 1-4-1, have spent the previous few weeks embroiled in their very own inner turmoil. ESPN’s Football Power Index provides the Giants a 39.0% probability of profitable the NFC East, up from 10.5% earlier than the season.

Sometimes, groups declare divisions in triumphant style by dominating their competitors. Others win by being the final staff left standing. The Giants may be more prone to fall within the latter camp, however having not gained a division title since 2011, I believe their followers will not care how they do it.

Is it time to … transfer on from Aaron Glenn in New York?

Nobody was going to wish to be the primary staff to lose to the Dolphins, who hit their bye at 0-5 whereas being outscored by more than 12 factors per sport. If a profitable staff slipped on a banana peel, the loss can be embarrassing. For a much less profitable staff, shedding to an outwardly tanking staff equivalent to Miami might be one thing more devastating — the type of defeat that raises critical questions inside and outdoors the constructing about whether or not your program is on monitor.

For Glenn, it might be the start of the top. It may additionally simply be the top. The second-year coach was already coming into the season with actual issues about his viability, having gone 3-14 in 2025 earlier than firing the overwhelming majority of his workers after one 12 months. An offseason push so as to add veteran expertise and a few turnover regression to the imply helped the Jets get off to a 2-4 begin, and a homestand in opposition to the Dolphins and Raiders had Jets followers questioning if the staff may hit the .500 mark by midseason.

Instead, a 28-25 defeat to the Dolphins felt embarrassing, even by Jets requirements. The Dolphins transformed three fourth downs, went 3-for-3 within the pink zone and produced the most important play of the sport on a 63-yard landing move to Caleb Douglas. The Malik Willis-led offense, which scored seven touchdowns by means of the primary 5 video games of the season, scored 4 in a single afternoon in opposition to Glenn’s protection.

And once more, Glenn’s mastery of sport administration got here up missing. With the Dolphins driving on the finish of the primary half, Glenn uncared for to make use of any of his timeouts to cease the clock on protection, which might have given his move rush a breather and allowed the offense to probably get the ball again after the possession. Glenn’s argument was that he was confident the Jets were going to stop the Dolphins, which was misguided at greatest.

Glenn’s Jets have now been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half since he took over as head coach. That’s a fully staggering statistic. No different staff has been outscored by more than 45 factors throughout these two-minute drills. The Panthers, whose minus-45 margin in these spots is Thirty first within the league, are nearer to 14th place than they’re to the Jets.

Better clock administration will not singlehandedly repair that, however Glenn cannot be naive to assume he is dealing with these conditions effectively or count on the Jets to come back up with stops once they’ve been hopeless late within the first half. Glenn additionally took a timeout within the third quarter earlier than a third-and-16 in subject objective vary as a result of the Jets weren’t ready for a snap when a delay of sport would not have materially impacted the operation. The play the Jets then known as was a easy checkdown to set up a subject objective. Former Dolphins participant Jason Sanders additionally missed the kick, which tells you what sort of day it was for the Jets.

A 12 months in the past, you might make a case that Glenn’s protection was irreparably compromised by the decision to trade Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for draft capital, strikes that had been proper for the franchise in the long run however got here on the expense of short-term success. Having introduced in veterans equivalent to Minkah Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis and Joseph Ossai this offseason whereas including David Bailey with the second-overall choose, Glenn could not make that very same case in 2026. If he was going to stay round previous this season, the naked minimal needed to include defensive development.

And to be truthful, the protection is healthier. It’s nineteenth in factors allowed per drive and twentieth in EPA per play after rating Thirty first in each classes in 2025. But veterans are nonetheless making errors in key moments. Brandon Stephens wasn’t capable of comprise an Ollie Gordon II run from getting exterior earlier than a 25-yard achieve within the first quarter. On one other play, Stephens blitzed out of the slot off a condensed Dolphins formation, a standard pattern within the league over the previous 12 months, however no one rotated right down to take his receiver in Douglas. The Dolphins rookie caught a fast flat within the move, shook a would-be sort out try from Fitzpatrick on the sideline and ran upfield for a 63-yard landing. Glenn cannot make his guys into superstars, however when his veterans are making easy errors, the Jets do not have the expertise base to beat them.

Glenn turned the offense over to Frank Reich, however there is a purpose why Garrett Wilson was noticed screaming on the sideline throughout Sunday’s loss. Even realizing that opposing defenses wish to take Wilson out of the competition, it is unconscionable that the staff’s greatest playmaker would get solely three targets in opposition to a Dolphins secondary that has been hopeless to start out the season. Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. held his personal, catching 5 passes for 115 yards and a landing, however first-round tight finish Kenyon Sadiq has rapidly fallen out of favor after a 105-yard sport against the Lions in Week 3. He has caught 4 passes for a complete of 21 yards over the 4 ensuing tilts. Mason Taylor scored twice in opposition to Miami, however once more, good offenses are designing performs to create alternatives for their greatest playmakers.

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Aaron Glenn is “disappointed in himself” after loss to Dolphins

Team house owners make emotional selections after embarrassing dwelling losses; have a look at the Colts firing Chris Ballard after Indy blew a 12-0 halftime lead to the previously winless Titans final week. It’s completely doable that the Jets will make a change Monday morning. Glenn is 5-19 and two of his 5 wins are over the Browns. The Jets have been outscored by 9 factors per sport for the reason that begin of 2025.

I’d argue that they’re higher off sticking with Glenn for now. The defensive enchancment is there and speaks to Glenn’s aptitude on that facet of the ball, though it will have been onerous to be worse than the place the Jets had been a 12 months in the past. The sport administration points have to enhance and shortly. Perhaps which means handing over these obligations to Reich or another person on workers. But even when Glenn’s not a superb coach and the Jets proceed to battle, one of the best factor for the 2027 staff may be some (aggressive) losses from the 2026 Jets.

Is it time to … begin Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas?

A month in the past, coach Klint Kubiak and the Raiders had been driving excessive. After a 3-0 begin, the Raiders had been up 13-10 on the Chiefs at halftime. As typically occurs in Vegas, the man with the recent hand received cocky. “We’re winning,” Kubiak stated to the printed at halftime. “We’re going to win the game.” Given that Kubiak had simply gained the Super Bowl because the offensive coordinator for the Seahawks, gained his first three video games as head coach and was beating the archrival Chiefs, you’ll be able to most likely perceive why he was so assured about his staff’s probabilities.

Things have not gone as effectively since then, although. The Raiders lost that game to the Chiefs, partly as a result of they failed to attain after Kubiak took a subject objective off the board within the third quarter of a sport they might lose by three. The Raiders then misplaced to the Patriots, Bills and Rams by a mixed rating of 113-68 over the next three weeks.

It’s truthful to take a look at that 3-0 begin and level out that the Raiders did not precisely play the stiffest competitors, on condition that their victories had been in opposition to the Dolphins, Chargers and Saints, three groups which might be a mixed 3-16. Las Vegas’ protection compelled 9 turnovers throughout these three video games, a feat that wasn’t going to be sustainable for very lengthy. The Raiders have compelled a complete of three over the following 4 contests, together with two in opposition to the Rams on Sunday.

Those turnovers produced two brief fields and a landing for the Raiders, who wanted the assistance on offense. The 35-21 rating was not indicative of this sport, which was at 28-6 heading into the fourth quarter earlier than a late surge from Kirk Cousins & Co. made issues look nearer. Over this four-game shedding streak, Cousins has a 43.4 Total QBR over the primary three quarters of video games and a 75.9 mark within the fourth quarter, which has often been a product of groups taking part in stop defenses versus the veteran elevating his sport in a clutch second.

I may nonetheless argue that Cousins is taking part in effectively sufficient to carry on to his job. He leads the league with 16 landing passes this season. His 79.3 Total QBR on play-action move makes an attempt ranks second. With restricted large receivers (and no Brock Bowers to start the season), Cousins has typically held up his finish of the cut price for Vegas. He has restricted adverse performs, taking sacks on simply 3.7% of his dropbacks whereas throwing 5 picks on 257 makes an attempt.

The drawback with the offense is that the Raiders completely can’t run the ball in anyway, a problem that has yearly plagued the franchise. Last 12 months, the Raiders had been profitable on simply 34.8% of their rush makes an attempt, which was final within the league and almost 5 proportion factors worse than the Thirty first-ranked Texans. Kubiak was employed partly due to his capacity to construct run video games across the zone-heavy strategy his household has used with the assorted Mike Shanahan-tree coaches across the league for a long time.

Through seven weeks, the Raiders are even worse on the bottom than they had been in 2025. They’ve posted a 31.6% success fee on their rush makes an attempt. Mike Washington Jr. has flashed with some huge performs, however Ashton Jeanty is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. The 2025 first-round choose has run for simply eight first downs on 83 rush makes an attempt since his stable begin to the season in opposition to Miami. Even with acknowledging that Kubiak’s offensive strains can take a while to coalesce earlier than bettering within the second half of the season, the Raiders are nearly unfathomably dangerous operating the soccer, which persistently leaves their offense in third-and-long.

The lack of a run sport makes it tougher for the Raiders to credibly set up play-action. While announcers typically speak about how the specter of the run creates alternatives for play-action, the menace goes each methods. Linebackers who’re anticipating play-fakes aren’t as prone to fly to the road of scrimmage to fill their run obligations, which creates respiration room for the bottom sport.

The Raiders are operating play-action on solely 21.1% of their dropbacks this season, which is twenty third within the league. A 12 months in the past, Kubiak’s offense in Seattle ran play-action 27.2% of the time, which was the ninth-highest fee within the league. QB Sam Darnold was devastating when utilizing play-action, averaging 11.7 yards per move try, trailing solely Lamar Jackson.

Darnold (and nearly each different quarterback operating this offense) was significantly profitable on the bare bootleg sport that Shanahan disciples set up as the apparent play-fake off their exterior zone offense. Those are throws the 38-year-old Cousins actually is not requested to make fairly often due to his lack of mobility. But when he throws from exterior the pocket with play-action this season, he has gone 10-of-10 for 115 yards with a landing and a league-best 98.2 Total QBR. That pocket motion additionally takes stress off the offensive line by creating uncertainty for opposing move rushers.

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Could a QB change be on the horizon for the Raiders?

Cousins is not very cell, however that is not true of his backup. Mendoza is not going to be requested to create together with his legs as a part of the quarterback run sport, however he is more functionally cell than Cousins and glorious at layering passes to all three ranges, which Kubiak will ask him to do as a part of the flood and sail ideas that come on these bootlegs. Kubiak may name more of those ideas with Mendoza within the lineup, which might create more explosive performs for the offense.

Now additionally seems like the precise time to make the transfer. Four of Vegas’ next 5 video games are on the street, however its matchup with the Jets on Sunday is the simplest doable start line for Mendoza within the rapid future. After that sport, the Raiders will go up in opposition to the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos and Browns earlier than their Week 13 bye. If the Raiders wish to insert Mendoza into the lineup with a comparatively weak matchup, that transfer is both going to come back now or in opposition to the Chargers in Week 14.

Is it time to … fear about Derrick Henry?

The Ravens will likely be spending Halloween weekend at what has been a haunted website for them in years previous: Buffalo. The Bills have overwhelmed the Ravens three straight instances at dwelling, together with a pair of playoff knockouts and a memorable comeback in a 41-40 victory to open the season a year ago.

New coach Jesse Minter clearly hoped that they might be hitting that Bills sport with among the finest information within the league. Instead, the Ravens are 4-3, having misplaced to the Saints and Browns earlier than the Bengals hit the accelerator and sped away from them in the second half on Sunday. The Ravens could not maintain up in protection in opposition to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, missed too many tackles and made a number of psychological errors in protection. And with the offense producing only one drive of more than 4 performs within the second half, the protection merely gassed out by the point Baltimore received to the fourth quarter.

It’s no shock that the Ravens have struggled on offense with out Lamar Jackson, who has missed the previous three video games with what was revealed to be a high-ankle sprain. And for the second week in a row, the Ravens scored a landing on the opening drive after which failed to attain one other one the remainder of the best way, which means that they weren’t capable of finding sustainable options after working by means of their scripted performs.

Even earlier than Jackson went down, although, there was an actual drawback brewing for the Ravens. Henry was glorious within the opener, operating for 144 yards and three touchdowns in a snug victory over the Colts. Since then, although, the longer term Hall of Famer has been extraordinarily underwhelming. Since the beginning of Week 2, Henry has carried the ball 123 instances for simply 435 yards, averaging a mere 3.5 yards per carry. He has only one run over 20 yards throughout that span, a 29-yard carry against the Cowboys in Week 3. Those explosives are usually what Henry brings to the desk.

Even past the uncooked numbers, although, Henry has been more damaging to the Ravens than it might sound. The star again helped gasoline that Bills comeback within the opener a 12 months in the past by shedding a fumble with 3:10 to go, getting the Bills the additional possession they wanted to launch the comeback. In Week 6 this 12 months, Henry misplaced a fumble in opposition to the Browns in a 10-3 sport with 12:45 to go, giving a struggling Browns offense a brief subject, which it subsequently transformed for its solely landing of the sport in what can be a 13-10 Ravens defeat.

And what has been even more noticeable and worrisome is simply how a lot Henry has struggled in brief yardage. With Jackson out of the lineup, the Ravens have leaned closely on Henry to transform comparatively brief distances for first downs. Henry has 27 carries with 1-2 yards to go for a primary down or landing this season, probably the most of any participant within the NFL. Running backs convert these into first downs about 65% of the time. Henry is 11-for-27 (40.8%).

He has scored only one landing on seven carries from contained in the 2-yard line, for a mixed minus-4 yards. By the NFL Next Gen Stats mannequin, Henry has generated six fewer first downs than a median again would have in the identical conditions in brief yardage this season, the worst mark within the league.

On Sunday, with the Ravens up 7-0 and their protection dominating, Henry failed to maneuver the chains on second-and-1 and third-and-1 contained in the pink zone. The Ravens lined up to go once more on fourth-and-1, however a false begin by Matt Hibner ended the play and led the Ravens to kick a subject objective. I’m undecided the ultimate outcome modifications if Henry converts that short-yardage alternative and will get the Ravens right into a goal-to-go alternative, but it surely would not have harm.

Against the Cowboys, Henry’s struggles helped hold Dallas within the sport. In the primary quarter, Henry was stuffed on a fourth-and-1 to present the Cowboys a brief subject, which they transformed for a landing. In the fourth quarter, he was initially given a landing on a run from the 2-yard line, solely to be dominated brief on assessment. He was then stuffed for a loss on the following fourth-and-goal carry from the 1. On the next drive, Henry took a 4-yard loss on a third-and-1 try. He later did not convert a second-and-2 and was stuffed for no achieve on first-and-goal from the two.

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Where do the Ravens go from right here after loss?

That’s six failed short-yardage conversions in a single sport; the one different again to do this in a single sport over the previous decade is Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was so famously dangerous in brief yardage throughout his debut sport within the execs that Andy Reid primarily took him off goal-line duties for most of his remaining tenure in Kansas City. Henry additionally did that in opposition to one of many league’s worst run defenses; the Cowboys rank twenty ninth in short-yardage success fee in opposition to the run of their video games in opposition to everybody else this season.

Despite his dimension, Henry’s sport has all the time been more about creating explosives together with his velocity than overpowering folks in cellphone cubicles. Right now, he isn’t doing both, although.

The Ravens have solely Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali behind Henry, and I’m undecided they wish to flip the backfield over to both participant until it is completely crucial. We’re not at that time but. Henry’s a legend, and his résumé is just too substantial to present up on him after a mediocre six-game stretch. Henry ought to be higher with Jackson on the sphere, and the Ravens are hoping to get them each again collectively for that Sunday rematch with the Bills.

But the Ravens must be watching and nervous about what is going on on right here. They’ll want to start out giving critical consideration to operating Jackson in short-yardage more typically, even when it creates more damage danger. And if a veteran again does shake unfastened between now and the commerce deadline, basic supervisor Eric DeCosta may want to significantly take into account the thought of including RB depth to help Henry.