Five talking points from Week Four

This was one of the longer weekends of football for fans all over the world, thanks to the introduction of the International Series into the schedule. I’m sure few fans are complaining.

London played host to the first of its three games on the slate throughout October and unsurprisingly, there was as much of a show from the fans off the field as there was from the two teams on it. The atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has not failed to disappoint thus far – it’s still not quite Wembley for me, but very close – and the fans turned out in full force again on Sunday.

Those who were fortunate enough to attend were treated to a hard fought, entertaining game that was decided, in the end, by gravity and physics rather than a piece of athletic brilliance. I can still hear the Double Doink now!

Speaking of unsurprising events, on Sunday we finally had a rookie quarterback from the 2022 draft class throw for a touchdown – thank you fourth round pick number 137, Bailey Zappe out of Western Kentucky –  we all knew it would be you.

Here are my selection of talking points from this weeks games:

1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Who would have thought at the start of the season that of the 64 games we have witnessed so far, the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions would have provided one of the most entertaining?

Yes, this was not a classic from the archives type of game. These were not two of the best going toe to toe. It was less Mohammed Ali and George Foreman’s infamous Rumble in the Jungle; more two overweight, drunk guys duking it out in the pub car park until one passes out from exhaustion.

Both teams have struggled to establish much of an identity through their first four games, except that each of their defences are a bottom five outfit that will leak points, forfeiting 116 and 132 points respectively.

Each undoubtedly has talented playmakers offensively and who would’ve thought that Geno Smith and Jared Goff would both be registering over a thousand yards of passing each (1037 & 1126) and passer ratings of 108 and 99.9 respectively?

Who knows what record these two teams will have, come the end of the season. Either could make a playoff push if they can tighten up their defensive play, but similarly they could each finish bottom of their divisions if not. This one was a fun game for the neutral and both teams have been intriguing to watch so far this year.

They are far from the finished article but they have potential and players to build around. Let’s just hope, simply for the sake of viewing, that their competitiveness can stay the course of the season.

2. Gold Rush for Cooper and Dallas

Let me start out by saying that I do not believe Cooper Rush will keep the starting quarterback job over Dak Prescott once he returns from his injury.

The only person who seems to think that there might be some sort of competition within the Cowboys quarterback room, is team owner and eternal pot stirrer, Jerry Jones.

With four wins and zero losses during his five year career, Rush does now hold the outright record for most QB starts without a loss, a nice statistic for a pub quiz question in a few years time.

Rush has been efficient enough and has given Dallas the opportunity to win every game, which is about as much as you can ask for a backup. The turnovers are low (none in his last three games) but so are the trips into the red zone, with just one trip being registered inside the 20 yard line so far this season. The truth of it is – it’s more the defence that gives this team a chance at success. For the first time since 1973 the Cowboys defence has not allowed their opposition to score more than 20 points in any of their first four games.

I suppose the bigger point is that given the recent success with a backup under centre, there is little need for Dallas to force Prescott back into the starting lineup before he is ready. With a 3 – 1 record at this stage of the season, the Cowboys are right on track for a playoff place in an NFC that is lacking any real depth.

3. Talanoa Hufanga is one to watch

The 49ers season was forced to pivot after the early loss of second year quarterback Trey Lance. And whilst figuring things out on offence remains San Francisco’s main question mark, one staple has been their ability to find and develop high calibre defensive players, adding an extra something to what was already the teams area of strength.

Since week one’s monsoon ridden game against Chicago, from which nothing of any merit could be drawn, Talanoa Hufanga has been making an impact on this defensive unit. 

During Monday’s game against division rivals the L.A. Rams, the safety had been steady without being standout and then came his moment. Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass in a similar way he did in the two teams NFC Championship game last year.

This time however, rather than Jaquiski Tartt agonisingly dropping the game winning pass, Hufanga (Tartt’s replacement) stepped up to the line, picked off a screen intended for Cooper Kupp and returned it for a pick six to seal the win.

His playing style is beginning to look like a fusion of the legendary Troy Polamalu – to whom Hufanga has already gained much comparison with – and the man who is arguably, currently the league’s best safety, Derwin James.

Going off script for his pick six on Monday night Hufanga, who has only played seven games in the NFL, admitted that he “smelled a rat” when he discussed his interception with the press after the game. “They [have] just been running screens all night so I just saw a different release than I’m used to and instead of going and following my man, I just turned my head and the ball kind of dropped in my face.”

If that is what instinctive play gets you, it’s likely that we will see Kyle Shanahan letting his safety off the leash a little more as his career progresses.

4. Magical Mahomes leaves Bucs defense spinning

Having scored a season-low 17 points in a loss seven days prior, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were at their offensive best on Sunday night against Tampa Bay.

Patrick Mahomes is a quarterback that has been blessed with many gifts, he has great vision and pocket awareness, can scramble well, throw the ball really far and at weird angles.

But the thing that separates him from so many others  – and what makes him unique in my opinion – is that on any play, nobody knows what he’s going to do. He has mastered the art of improvisation and the Buccaneers defence were his latest victim of his creative brilliance.

The Bucs defence has been stout so far this season, yet Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid delivered an offensive masterclass that will leave defensive coordinators league wide flummoxed as to how to stop a player in such imperious form. 

5. Baltimore bemoans late-game strategies

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. And the Ravens might be 4-0 right now if they had made different key decisions at the end of their two losses.

Two weeks ago, they had a 28-7 lead on the Dolphins, but allowed four fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Tua Tagovailoa and lost 42-38. And Sunday, they had a 20-3 lead on the Bills but once again, Baltimore frittered away their advantage and the game was tied at 20 in the fourth quarter.

There were four minutes left on the clock and facing a fourth and one, conventional wisdom dictates that you bring out your kicker (who just so happens to be the best in the league), take the lead and play hard for a stop on defence. Head coach John Harbaugh however decided to for the yard.

Yes, he has Lamar Jackson at quarterback who can be a defensive nightmare, but nothing is guaranteed in this league. As such, Jackson dropped back to pass and dropped further and further until he eventually threw the ball away cheaply and was intercepted.

This run of costly decision making stretches back to last year as well, when the Ravens lost five games by three or fewer points, two of which Harbaugh asked his team to attempt a two-point conversion, rather than a game tying extra point, failing on them both and losing the games by a single point.

An aggressive mindset is something to be admired in a head coach and his confidence in his players is also commendable. But, now and again, there must be a bigger picture view taken of the entire season. There is no point in attempting to win one battle if you leave yourself in no position to win the war.