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Younghoe Koo
In a golden season for kickers, one boot guidelines all of them. The cleat of energy welded to the instep of Younghoe Koo is delivering an all-timer for the Falcons. After 4 video games Koo is ideal, hitting all 9 of his field-goal makes an attempt and all six of his extra-points. What about Washington’s Austin Siebert? A pretender. Excellent because the kicker could also be, he has performed a recreation fewer and is but to make a discipline purpose from 50 or past, whereas Koo has nailed three, together with the walk-off strike from 58 yards that downed the Saints on Sunday. That this ascension has come after he bombed out of the NFL following his struggles with the Chargers makes it all of the sweeter. Lengthy stay the King.
Washington Commanders
After seeing their crew endure a hard-fought however heavy defeat by the hands of the Buccaneers within the season opener, Washington followers might have felt this 12 months would play out like many who had come earlier than. What a distinction three weeks, three wins and three extra glorious video games from rookie quarterback/Cheshire cat Jayden Daniels makes. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is constructing a devastating assault constructed round his rookie’s operating expertise, one thing that’s slowly opening up the passing recreation. After too many seasons within the wilderness, the Commanders are rising because the dominant power within the NFC East.
Reward should be heaped on Kingsbury’s method to operating the ball. He has eschewed a bell-cow again in favour of sharing the load between 4 spectacular rushers: in doing so he has the league’s highest-scoring unit, with 10 touchdowns. It says so much in regards to the expertise of Daniels and Brian Robinson Jr when your third-string rusher, Austin Ekeler, was the league’s landing chief solely two seasons in the past. It says much more in regards to the high quality of teaching and blocking when his substitute, Jeremy McNichols, drops in in opposition to the Cardinals and steals the present with two scores and a brutal common of 8.5 yards per carry from solely eight makes an attempt. Sharing the punishing load appears like actual progress for a crew that mangled their postseason in 2012 by forcing their quarterback, Robert Griffin III, to play by way of vital accidents.
And conveniently Daniels is a lock, barring harm, to comply with in Griffin’s footsteps as an offensive rookie of the 12 months. The Commanders’ schedule appears good too, with solely a highway recreation in Baltimore in Week 6 stiffening a run of 5 video games that includes the Browns, Panthers, Bears and Giants. If that stretch performs out favourably, then an opportunity at a primary playoff win for the reason that 2005 season ought to be theirs.
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San Francisco 49ers
Fred Warner was on a mission on Sunday. The linebacker led a fiery pregame assembly, urging his 49ers teammates to reset with a win over the stilted New England Patriots. However speak is affordable, whereas 45-yard pick-sixes are a bit extra priceless. Warner’s gravity-escaping seize for a spacewalk and rating was an essential reminder that the 49ers are nonetheless a dominant power.
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That’s till Warner injured an ankle and didn’t return to the sport for the second half. The harm bug has bitten once more within the Bay Space although luckily Warner ought to be again this week. The frontrunner for defensive participant of the 12 months was not the one pillar that fell although, as defensive deal with Jordan Elliott exited with a knee harm.
However what’s most troublesome is how the Niners’ offense stays hamstrung by Christian McCaffrey’s long-term absence, and Brandon Aiyuk apparently useless set on creating pressure. San Francisco handed the receiver a $120m deal but he continues to sulk, the most recent iteration of which noticed him argue with Kyle Shanahan when he wore the fallacious shorts to Friday’s observe. Not like Warner, the receiver adopted up his tirade with little impression: he solely had two catches within the victory over New England. This crew is in win now mode with Brock Purdy prone to get an enormous new contract, in order that they want stars like Aiyuk to play a pivotal position. Warner ought to dominate the Arizona Cardinals’ offense this Sunday, however he wants his counterparts to match his manufacturing. The linebacker isn’t going to have the ability to do it alone: the 49ers have a frightening schedule from Week 6, studying Seattle, Kansas Metropolis, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Seattle, Inexperienced Bay and Buffalo.
Vic Fangio
The veteran defensive coordinator has had nice success all through his profession. This pedigree is the possible cause Philadelphia introduced him in to interchange Matt Patricia, who was partially responsible for the Eagles’ late collapse final season. However the Eagles are nonetheless toothless on protection with Fangio. They missed greater than 12 tackles in Sunday’s defeat to Tampa Bay, as Baker Mayfield torched their delicate protection with 347 yards and two touchdowns.
Previously, Fangio has relied on displaying an identical shell coverages whereas shifting to zone protection to confuse opposing quarterbacks. However this predictable playcalling allowed Mayfield to slice and cube Philadelphia in acquainted swashbuckling fashion. Fangio has a troublesome activity on his fingers to revive the misfiring Eagles.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence has misplaced 9 begins in succession and his nightmare reveals no signal of ending. The previous No 1 total choose is struggling mightily as he continues to overlook straightforward throws – failing to punch in an important landing on the one-yard line within the Jags’ loss to the Texans on Sunday will probably be a bitter disappointment for a QB in a deep rut. However the playcalling has been shoddy too. There must be an enormous shake-up in Jacksonville to keep away from incomes the worst document within the NFL this season. London followers will probably be thrilled they need to endure this dross when the crew makes their journey throughout the Atlantic later this month.
