Although we’re simply three weeks into the NFL season, now we have already discovered rather a lot in regards to the league and its groups, who’ve in turned discovered rather a lot about themselves primarily based on their outcomes thus far.
Some groups are 3-0. All goes properly. The offense is buzzing. The protection is shutting down opponents. Possibly each. Possibly there’s just a little little bit of luck concerned. However the vibes across the constructing are seemingly immaculate and the desires are seemingly large.
Some groups are 2-1. Extra has gone proper than unsuitable. Some errors have been made, but it surely’s nothing that may’t be corrected. You are in all probability excited about how one can make it to the playoffs. Some groups are 1-2. It is disappointing and also you’d slightly be in a special place, however not all is misplaced since you’re solely a sport beneath .500, in spite of everything. Win subsequent week and also you’re again within the hunt.
After which some groups are 0-3. You do not get to 0-3 and not using a entire lot of stuff going unsuitable. The offense cannot get shifting or the protection cannot get stops. Possibly each. Possibly you simply haven’t got the expertise to compete along with your opponents and that is turning into clear. Regardless of the case, issues are dangerous.
We’re right here to speak about these dangerous groups. In the present day, we will assign blame, on a share foundation, to totally different areas of the staff and the group for the six 0-3 groups within the NFL: the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.
Offense: 40% | Protection: 20% | Teaching: 20% | Offseason Choices: 20%
New York’s offense has appeared purposeful for only one of its three video games, and that sport was in opposition to the decrepit Cowboys protection so it would not really matter. Issues have been so dangerous that the Giants turned the primary staff within the league to make a non-injury-related quarterback change, sending Russell Wilson to the bench. However that additionally comes again to offseason decision-making. Why was Wilson signed within the first place? The Giants had already signed a bridge starter in Jameis Winston. There was no actual level to doing this. In any occasion, the protection has additionally been considerably of a disappointment, having been lit up for over 400 yards by two of its three opponents and compelled just one turnover via three video games. Neither the offense nor protection seems prefer it has an actual plan to place folks in place to succeed, which comes again to teaching.
Lack of expertise: 75% | Organizational stasis: 25%
The Saints have not actually appeared but like they’re in the identical class as any of their opponents, and that is not essentially an excellent signal as a result of the three opponents they’ve confronted are an okay Cardinals staff, a 49ers staff beginning its backup quarterback after which the Seahawks, who have been lacking a number of starters from their ferocious protection. This can be a franchise that has allowed its roster to get previous and off, and is lastly staring down the barrel of a full-scale rebuild. That is what it seems like when your roster will get to that time: you are probably not all that aggressive in any of your video games since you merely cannot compete with groups whose expertise stage is a major step above the place yours is. That is seemingly what we will see out of the Saints all yr. And actually, that is tremendous. They want a prime decide to restock the roster.
Incapacity to get well timed stops: 40% | Lack of offensive choices: 35% | Turnovers: 25%
Outdoors of Garrett Wilson and Breece Corridor, there simply is not rather a lot within the cabinet to assist the Jets transfer the ball down the sphere. Wilson has been balling out however no one else on the staff has greater than 78 yards receiving via three video games. And even Corridor has solely a 39.5% dashing success charge. Justin Fields appeared good in Week 1 and Tyrod Taylor did an admirable job in Week 3, but it surely’s powerful sledding with out the kind of weaponry you should transfer the ball. It is particularly powerful whenever you give the ball away 4 occasions in three video games. Whenever you’re undermanned on that facet of the ball, you simply cannot afford these errors. That stated, the Jets might simply be 2-1 if their protection might have gotten one cease in opposition to the Steelers or Buccaneers in a giant spot. They did not come via and they also misplaced each of these video games once they might’ve gained.
Protection: 75% | Offense: 10% | Terrible vibes throughout: 10% | Accidents: 5%
Miami merely can’t cease anyone from shifting the ball or placing it in the long run zone, and can’t take it away from the opposite staff, both. A few of that is because of numerous accidents within the secondary, however it’s dangerous stuff. The Dolphins rank twenty sixth in yards allowed and thirty second in factors allowed. They’ve given up 31 or extra factors to all three of their opponents. They’ve compelled zero turnovers. Opponents are averaging essentially the most yards and factors per drive within the league and have scored on an completely preposterous 68% of their possessions. The protection has been so dangerous that it is overshadowed the offense trying largely like a shell of the unit that took the league by storm just a few years in the past. The final two video games have been higher than the disastrous opener however the high-flying, explosive model of this staff is gone. The vibes have been rancid since not less than coaching camp, and that is proven up for this staff on the sphere.
Offensive line: 40% | Turnovers: 40% | Lack of talent expertise: 20% | Schedule: 10%
Are we actually doing this once more with Houston’s offensive line? It seems like we’re watching the identical film as final yr. And it seems, whenever you swap out virtually all the line however do not really make investments actual assets in changing the fellows you are shifting on from, issues do not really get significantly better. Consequently, C.J. Stroud is beneath fixed stress, and he seems jittery within the pocket. The run sport can’t come near getting untracked besides when the Bucs are letting Nick Chubb rating late within the sport. The receivers outdoors of Nico Collins do not come near getting open, so there’s nowhere to go along with the ball even on the uncommon events the place Stroud does have time to throw. That is all resulted in some fairly dangerous turnovers. The Texans had the misfortune of enjoying the Rams and Bucs within the first three weeks, however that is simply the shortage of the draw.
Offensive line: 25% | Teaching: 25% | Schedule: 25% | Lack of expertise: 25%
Talking of remade offensive strains that haven’t labored out, it is the Tennessee Titans! They’ll get Cam Ward killed on the market. Dan Moore has been a turnstile, whereas JC Latham and Kevin Zeitler have each missed time. It is not been fairly. Brian Callahan apparently doesn’t know that an elbow equals two toes with regards to the catch rule. He has straight value his staff 10 factors on the finish of halves (seven in opposition to Denver and three in opposition to Indianapolis) with poor clock administration. He’s wildly conservative in his decision-making. A few of that’s in all probability because of the powerful schedule (Broncos, Rams, Colts) and perhaps a few of it is because of his under-talented staff, however he has constantly put them behind the eight-ball. He is giving up play-calling now, so perhaps issues will change going ahead.
