The NFL usually overshadows most different sports activities tales on Sunday afternoons in the course of the fall, however Penn State’s resolution to fireside coach James Franklin was an exception to that rule. Fifteen days in the past, Franklin’s Nittany Lions have been the No. 3-ranked staff in faculty soccer. However after three straight losses, the college determined that it was higher off paying Franklin a buyout of about $50 million and hiring another person to run the soccer program.
With UAB coach Trent Dilfer additionally getting fired on Sunday, the faculty soccer scorching seat has formally been turned on. The identical is true for the NFL, the place the overwhelming majority of the league’s groups are actually six video games into the season. It is more durable for a coach, participant or government to deal with a sluggish begin or a tough patch of kind prefer it’s a short lived concern this far into the season.
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Let’s discuss at this time concerning the NFL scorching seat. Ought to time be up for embattled coaches or overwhelmed quarterbacks? What wants to vary for them to show issues round? I will run by way of a few of the most tenuous positions across the league, beginning in Miami, the place the gamers are even arguing in public that they want extra management.
(Replace: Brian Callahan was fired by the Titans following their Week 6 loss. The part on him was written earlier than Tennessee’s transfer.)
Bounce to:
McDaniel | Fields | Karty | Ringo
Harbaugh | Hubbard
Week 6: Misplaced 29-27 to the Chargers, dropping the Dolphins to 1-5.
For a second there, it seemed just like the Dolphins may get out alive. Reeling after a 17-point third quarter opened the sport up for the Chargers, the Dolphins fought again. De’Von Achane’s second landing of the sport made it 26-20 with eight minutes to go, and after the Chargers went four-and-out, the Dolphins drove downfield and scored one other landing with 52 seconds left, taking a 27-26 lead. All McDaniel wanted was one cease from his protection to seal up a house victory over a staff main the AFC West.
That cease did not come. On the second play of the following drive, Jaelan Phillips and Chop Robinson instantly beat the precise aspect of the Chargers’ line, however Justin Herbert merely refused to go down and located Ladd McConkey on a shallow route. The one Dolphins participant within the space was rookie security Dante Dealer Jr., who could not even get shut sufficient to overlook a sort out try on McConkey. Whereas the Chargers wideout inexplicably completed the play out of bounds, the 44 yards McConkey picked up put the Chargers in area objective vary, from which they sealed a 29-27 victory.
If the loss felt crushing, what occurred after the sport may need been much more painful. Tua Tagovailoa criticized the staff’s management for not clearly articulating expectations and added that members of the staff have been late or haven’t proven up in any respect for players-only conferences.
McDaniel famous that these conferences are exterior his purview and felt like gamers have been accountable to him, however that appears to be up for debate. ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques reported, per one former Dolphins participant, that gamers have been recurrently late to conferences and practices all through McDaniel’s tenure with the staff, just for these issues to be ignored because the Dolphins gained soccer video games.
In fact, in terms of management and accountability, it is tough to disregard what occurred in Week 18 rather less than a 12 months in the past, when Tyreek Hill refused to enter a recreation towards the Jets and hinted he was open to leaving the staff afterward. The Dolphins basically memory-holed that afternoon, not punishing Hill for what could be thought to be a possible career-ending act for a lesser participant. (Notice that no one signed linebacker De’Vondre Campbell this offseason after he refused to enter a recreation for the 49ers final season.) It is not unusual for groups to have totally different guidelines for star gamers, but when that scenario wasn’t going to have any repercussions, why would any of this staff’s notable gamers really feel any concern about being late to a gathering?
Hill’s tenure with the staff is probably going completed after the extensive receiver sustained a extreme knee harm whereas additionally dealing with allegations of home abuse, however the issues stay. And whereas the Dolphins have been in a position to overcome no matter self-discipline or defensive issues that they had up to now by thriving on offense, they have not been in a position to put collectively an entire efficiency all season. Paradoxically, this was comfortably the very best efficiency of the season for the much-maligned run recreation, with Achane operating for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, together with a 49-yard scamper within the first quarter.
Tagovailoa and the passing recreation weren’t constant. He threw three picks, although one was bobbled by Jaylen Waddle and one other was picked initially of what would seemingly be an tried gadget or trick play with 5 seconds to go. Waddle made a spectacular juggling catch alongside the sideline for 45 yards, however he appeared to count on a move over one shoulder and received it over the opposite. When pressured, Tagovailoa was 1-of-6 for 10 yards and an interception. Herbert was 7-of-13 for 105 yards in these spots, together with the game-sealing throw to McConkey. That was the distinction within the recreation.
It is tough to separate McDaniel’s imprint on the offense from his gamers. The Miami offense has really been slightly higher than you may suppose this season, with the Dolphins at present twelfth in EPA per play on that aspect of the ball, simply behind the Rams. That is with Hill sidelined for the 12 months and the Dolphins getting one recreation from proper sort out Austin Jackson, who serves because the staff’s blindside protector for its lefty quarterback.
However an offense that used to seem like it was forward of the curve and perennially inventing new ideas for the remainder of the league may need grown a bit stale. McDaniel is revered across the league for his run recreation and play design, however the Dolphins ran for simply 19 yards towards the Panthers in Week 5. The fury of run-pass choices and in-breakers that created so many fast, protected completions for Tagovailoa have not been as simple to search out, and he’s averaging 2.7 seconds earlier than his move makes an attempt, which is the Eleventh-fastest charge within the league. Tagovailoa removed the ball on the quickest charge within the NFL in 2023 (2.36 seconds) and 2024 (2.42 seconds), however these home windows aren’t open as quickly anymore. Tagovailoa is having to work tougher for worse outcomes.
Whereas I put this aspect of the issue extra on normal supervisor Chris Grier than McDaniel, there was a normal mismanagement of the draft picks the Dolphins needed to work with after the Laremy Tunsil and Trey Lance offers. The Dolphins traded picks to accumulate guys similar to Hill, Bradley Chubb and Jalen Ramsey, with solely the Hill deal standing out as successful. Miami assured two years of Ramsey’s contract as a part of his commerce, gave him a brand new deal the next season, after which traded him earlier than that extension even kicked in.
In the meantime, the Dolphins let younger cornerstone gamers similar to Robert Hunt, Christian Wilkins and Jevon Holland depart in free company. They introduced in Vic Fangio after which fired the lauded defensive coordinator after one season. Whereas Anthony Weaver has completed a stable job since becoming a member of Miami, Fangio went to the Eagles and gained a Tremendous Bowl, utterly turning round Philly’s protection alongside the best way. This model of the Dolphins does not look nice on paper and hasn’t performed nice in actuality.
The McDaniel case does remind me slightly little bit of what Baker Mayfield stated final week. Requested about how perceptions have modified as he has grown within the league, Mayfield famous that he has at all times been the identical individual, however that the narratives surrounding him modified as his play improved and declined. When Mayfield was struggling, he was referred to as cocky and immature, however when he’s taking part in properly, these character traits are reframed as positives. He is not improper.
It appears the identical factor is going on with McDaniel. He was at all times an offensive-first coach who was employed due to his capacity to get Tagovailoa going after the quarterback’s sluggish begin beneath former coach Brian Flores. That labored. McDaniel is identical man, but it surely looks as if Dolphins followers have both realized or determined, relying on who you ask, that he is not able to doing something greater than getting their beloved staff to the wild-card spherical.
1:13
Why Justin Fields and the Jets ought to keep on fantasy sidelines
Tristan Cockcroft explains why Justin Fields stays a matchup-driven possibility after his lowest fantasy output of the season.
Per ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index, Miami’s playoff odds fell to 2.0% after the loss, and historical past would inform us that Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross would not look kindly on something wanting a surprising turnaround. Since Ross purchased the staff in 2008, no Dolphins head coach has made it by way of 4 full seasons within the job. Tony Sparano was fired after beginning 4-9 in 12 months 4, whereas Joe Philbin went down after a 1-3 opening to his fourth season. Adam Gase and Flores have been every fired after three seasons in cost.
With the stories of an absence of participant self-discipline and visual sections of empty seats at residence in Miami, the clock needs to be ticking on McDaniel’s tenure. The excellent news? The Dolphins are about to depart city for a two-game highway journey with winnable video games towards the Browns and Falcons. Then once more, winnable video games towards the Jets and Panthers have been alleged to get the Dolphins again on monitor. However after beating the Jets, the Dolphins misplaced to the Panthers and fell at residence to a banged-up Chargers staff. It does not really feel like issues are protected for the 42-year-old coach.
Week 6: Went 9-of-17 for 45 yards with 9 sacks in a 13-11 loss to the Broncos.
Minus-10 internet passing yards. Whereas Fields threw for 45 yards in London on Sunday, the 9 sacks he took by the hands of a brutally environment friendly Broncos protection set the Jets backward. Leaving his scrambles apart, Fields generated minus-0.4 yards per dropback as a passer. It is the primary time any quarterback has generated adverse internet yards on a day with 20 dropbacks or extra since Jay Cutler did it towards the Giants in 2010. The Jets would have been higher off spiking the ball 26 instances, a transfer that might have provided extra leisure worth than what they really did on offense.
The Jets will not be handed many higher alternatives to win a recreation than what they noticed Sunday. Dealing with a Broncos staff that may have been lulled to sleep by Sean Payton telling them tales about his time at quarterback for the Leicester Panthers, the Jets have been handed two quick fields to begin the sport due to a Denver fumble and a 72-yard kick return. These drives produced a complete of 4 internet yards and two area targets. The Jets’ protection, which had been the league’s worst in a 17-game pattern since firing Robert Saleh by each EPA per play and factors per drive, held the Broncos to 13 factors on 11 significant drives. The unit even contributed two factors by drawing a security on a holding name ultimately zone.
1:33
What’s the greatest challenge with the Eagles’ offense?
Harry Douglas explains the most important points with the Eagles’ offense after Philadelphia misplaced its second straight recreation.
But Fields and the offense may do completely nothing to make the most of these alternatives. Seven of their 12 possessions failed to provide first downs, and the Jets had simply two drives produce 20 or extra internet yards. Most of that got here on the bottom, the place Breece Corridor gritted by way of 22 carries for 59 yards. Fields added seven carries for 31 yards. I usually would not deal with a backfield averaging 3.0 yards per carry as a mark of success, however the operating recreation seemed like prime Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson in comparison with what the dropback passing recreation did for the Jets.
It is honest to notice that this posed a very powerful matchup for the Jets. The Broncos are one of many league’s greatest defenses, full cease. They’ve a celebrity CB1 in Pat Surtain II. However groups do discover loads of success throwing towards Riley Moss and Denver’s different defensive backs. Vance Joseph’s linebackers can even wrestle in protection, and the Eagles have been in a position to exploit them final week, most notably on a 47-yard landing catch by Saquon Barkley.
Effectively, the Jets did not have these options. Garrett Wilson went up towards Surtain on 62% of his routes, catching one move for 4 yards. The one operating again to catch a move was Isaiah Davis, who turned his one goal into minus-1 yard. Corridor was so promising as a receiver that this offseason Aaron Glenn referred to as him the type of man who “you may cut up out extensive and let him run the route tree, as a result of he can run it like a receiver.” He had zero targets on 14 routes. (Corridor has run a complete of three routes cut up out extensive in six video games. When a coach tells you over the summer time that his operating again goes to separate out extensive and run a full route tree, simply know that that coach is probably going both mendacity to you or himself, and you will find out which quickly sufficient.)
Along with his one star receiver blanketed by the opposing staff’s star cornerback, Fields wasn’t capable of finding solutions. Doing the printed, Kurt Warner repeatedly famous that Fields was late throwing out-breaking routes, even when Surtain was in protection. Whether or not that is on Fields (for being nervous about throwing to the sideline or throwing with anticipation) or on Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand (for dialing up velocity outs that Fields would not be keen to throw) is tough to say, however the Jets weren’t in place to show down something within the passing recreation Sunday.
Whereas 9 sacks sound just like the work of a dominant move rush, I’d say that just one or two of these sacks actually erased the play earlier than Fields had an opportunity to do something. Each one in every of Fields’ sacks got here 5 seconds or extra after the snap. And the 2 sacks on the ultimate drive have been each problematic.
Fields really had two receivers coming open on a first-and-10 sack in Denver territory with 1:56 to go, however he turned down an out to the sideline after which did not have time to get to the bottom of the play. Then, dealing with fourth-and-8 with the sport on the road, Tyler Johnson had a step on Ja’Quan McMillian and an angle to the sideline, however Fields did not throw the ball with anticipation. And when he held the ball, Jonathon Cooper’s rush by way of Mason Taylor blew up the play.
Fourth and the sport for the Jets. Tyler Johnson has a step and good leverage on this out-breaking route, and Fields is wanting over there – this throw has to return out with anticipation, however when Fields does not throw it, there’s nowhere to go together with the ball. pic.twitter.com/H0ifQibrUn
— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 13, 2025
Fields was wonderful in Week 1 towards the Steelers, however his solely efficient passing work since then has come whereas trailing towards the Cowboys. Since Week 2, if we simply have a look at performs that occurred with a win expectancy of 20% or extra, Fields’ 10.7 QBR is the worst mark within the league. The common Fields dropback in these conditions has generated 2.1 yards, a determine that features each sacks and scrambles.
It is clear that Glenn does not belief his quarterback. The Jets coach bungled a pair of fourth-down conditions out of concern that he may need to depend on his offense, together with a brutal course of on a fourth-and-1 whereas the Jets have been clinging on to a one-point lead within the fourth quarter.
I used to be optimistic about Fields after the Steelers recreation within the opener, however he seemed utterly misplaced on this recreation towards the Broncos. The issue for the winless Jets in probably benching their starter, sadly, is there’s not a lot to achieve. Fields is already owed $10 million in ensures subsequent 12 months as a part of the $30 million he locked down in his take care of the Jets, so there are financial causes to hope that he can flip issues round.
The backup right here is Tyrod Taylor, who’s 36 years outdated. I am as huge of a Taylor fan as anybody, however in 16 begins over the previous seven years since leaving the Payments, Taylor has posted a 43.3 QBR, which ranks 63rd out of the 72 quarterbacks with 500 dropbacks or extra over that span. (Fields’ 47.4 mark is forty seventh.) Taylor would seemingly do a greater job operating the offense and making a few of the throws which are obtainable, however that might come on the expense of the explosiveness and big-play capacity that Fields presents together with his legs.
The Jets could be buying and selling a low-floor, high-ceiling quarterback for one a decade older with a reasonable flooring and just about no ceiling. I would not like that swap, however the Jets additionally in all probability win this recreation if Taylor is at quarterback. And after beginning 0-6, the thought of being in place to win something may attraction to Glenn and the Jets.
Week 6: Went 1-for-2 on area targets (lacking a 26-yarder) in a 17-3 win over the Ravens.
It is uncommon to have a kicker make it into back-to-back Monday columns, however that is shortly turning into a subject of concern for the Rams. In what is likely to be Matthew Stafford’s ultimate NFL season, it is clear that Sean McVay’s staff has championship aspirations. Whereas Sunday wasn’t Stafford’s greatest recreation, the 37-year-old has been as much as that stage for many of the 2025 season. The Rams have a pair of nice receivers and a younger, imposing line of defense. It is turning into clear, although, that their kicking operation is less than the identical commonplace.
This has been a topsy-turvy 12 months for Karty, who has performed a key position in every of Los Angeles’ losses this season. The second-year kicker had two area targets blocked in what ended up being a fateful loss to the Eagles. Whereas I would not essentially pin that on Karty, he then missed a 53-yarder towards the 49ers final week earlier than having an additional level blocked and putting his additional time kickoff wanting the tip zone, handing San Francisco a brief area on its drive for the game-winning area objective.
In what have been admittedly wet, windy situations in Baltimore on Sunday, Karty appeared to wear down his welcome. After Stafford missed Davante Adams twice in a row for potential touchdowns on the opening drive of the sport, Karty lined up for a chip shot from 26 yards out, just for the wind to push his kick into the precise upright. Kickers simply do not miss in that vary anymore, and in contrast to the Eagles recreation, there was no strain or penetration from the Ravens’ protection to rush the kick.
The Rams appeared to lean away from the kicking recreation after that time. Karty did kick a 36-yard area objective on the following drive, but it surely was on a fourth-and-11 within the crimson zone. McVay was extra aggressive than standard as the sport went alongside. The Rams tried a fourth-and-2 on the Baltimore 33-yard line on their opening drive of the third quarter and a fourth-and-3 from the Baltimore 6-yard line early within the fourth.
As is commonly the case when coaches are compelled to be extra aggressive than they want, the outcomes have been really barely constructive! The fourth-and-2 within the third quarter produced a 30-yard completion to Kyren Williams, who then punched within the first landing of the sport on the following snap. The fourth-and-3 failed when Stafford was sacked, however the landing greater than offset what the Rams would’ve gotten had they kicked area targets in each spots.
Might McVay have been involved concerning the climate in making his kicking recreation choices? Doubtlessly. After the sport, although, it was telling that he provided a remark with out even being requested a query by the assembled media. “Clearly, you guys are going to ask me about concerning the area objective,” McVay stated. “I assumed the safety was good, [but] we’ve got to make the kick.” McVay then went on to criticize the operation on the next made area objective, which means that he locations the blame for the preliminary miss solely on his kicker.
The Rams have been twentieth within the league in efficiency on area objective and additional level tries final season, per the FTN Soccer Almanac. They’re unsurprisingly final in EPA per try and win chance on these kicks in 2025. A few of that does not fall on Karty’s shoulders given the blocks, however nothing about his efficiency as far as a professional means that the Rams are coping with a championship-caliber kicker.
I additionally ponder whether McVay is wanting over at his buddies and rivals in San Francisco. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have been holding the religion in a kicker they drafted within the third spherical in 2023, sticking with Jake Moody into the beginning of the 2025 season even after a disappointing 2024 marketing campaign. As soon as Moody went 1-of-3 on area objective makes an attempt within the opener, although, the 49ers minimize him and changed him with Eddy Pineiro. The journeyman has proceeded to go 15-of-15 on area objective tries since, together with 4 kicks from 50-plus yards — most notably the 59-yarder that gave the 49ers a lead late within the fourth quarter over the Rams final week.
Week 6: Allowed three catches for 69 yards as the closest defender in protection in a 34-17 loss to the Giants, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.
Howie Roseman’s draft philosophy over the previous few years has been brutally efficient: Discover a Georgia Bulldogs defender, draft him and revenue. The Eagles’ normal supervisor has cleaned up on Georgia gamers, including Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean and Nolan Smith Jr. to one of many league’s greatest younger defensive entrance sevens. He even signed Azeez Ojulari away from the Giants in free company, including a fifth former Bulldog to the protection.
The one who hasn’t fairly labored out is Ringo. Roseman traded a 2024 third-round decide to accumulate Ringo within the fourth spherical of the 2023 draft, the kind of impatient transfer the veteran GM often prefers to be on the opposite aspect of creating. Ringo wasn’t concerned on protection in 2023 till the late-season collapse, and with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean rising as stars in 2024, he averaged about 4 defensive snaps per recreation exterior of a relaxation day for the starters in Week 18.
After buying and selling Darius Slay away in the course of the offseason, the Eagles have flirted with totally different choices on the surface at cornerback. Ringo was torched by Ja’Marr Chase within the preseason, which could have steered Vic Fangio to begin Adoree’ Jackson within the opener. After three video games, Jackson was pulled for Ringo, who began every of the following two weeks. (Jackson was introduced again into the fold when Mitchell went down injured Thursday towards the Giants.)
Ringo did not have the very best efficiency towards the Giants. Early within the recreation, with New York dealing with a third-and-12, Ringo was outjumped on a 50-50 ball by Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who picked up 34 yards on the play. Wan’Dale Robinson ran away from Ringo on a crosser for 26 yards. An unlawful contact penalty handed the Giants a free first down on a drive that finally resulted in a landing. And a 20-yard move interference name towards Ringo set the Giants up with a first-and-goal on the 1-yard line, which Cam Skattebo pounded in for one more landing.
After the move interference name, the Eagles saved Ringo off the sphere for many of the fourth quarter, with the third-year professional coming again onto the sphere for under the ultimate 4 snaps of the sport, three of which have been kneel-downs. Ringo himself admitted after the sport that he did not carry out properly sufficient, saying that he “did not play to my commonplace completely.”
The Eagles can maintain the religion with Ringo. They will flip again to Jackson, who was run by way of on a landing by Skattebo and has already basically been benched as soon as this season. They might finally look towards Jakorian Bennett, although the summer time commerce acquisition performed simply 24 defensive snaps in three video games earlier than being positioned on injured reserve with a pectoral harm and does not have a transparent timeframe for returning.
To convey it full circle, although, that is Roseman’s staff. If there’s one factor he is recognized for apart from drafting Georgia defenders, it is making loads of trades. With the deadline simply weeks away and that exterior cornerback position throughout from Mitchell and DeJean persevering with to be a legal responsibility, would anybody be stunned if the Eagles made a transfer for a veteran cornerback who may step into the lineup at midseason? I would count on Roseman to be hitting the telephones in the hunt for CB assist between now and Nov. 4, which might squeeze Ringo out of a beginning position.
1:35
Is Rico Dowdle’s fantasy manufacturing sustainable?
Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down whether or not Rico Dowdle can keep his present fantasy output.
Week 6: Misplaced 17-3 to the Rams, dropping the Ravens to 1-5.
Even the league’s greatest coaches have seen lots of their legendary tenures come to ignominious ends. Andy Reid was run out of city in Philadelphia by Eagles followers who have been satisfied their veteran coach would by no means get them over the Tremendous Bowl hump. Invoice Belichick was fired after successful six Tremendous Bowls in New England.
Any coach who does not win a Tremendous Bowl over a 12-year span in the identical job goes to encourage some grumbling right here and there, and each fan base fires its coach on social media after each loss. However Sunday was actually the purpose the place frustrations about Harbaugh got here to the floor in Baltimore. After a Zay Flowers fumble and a fast landing drive by the Rams put the guests up 17-3 within the third quarter, a notable portion of the gang launched right into a chant that hasn’t been heard fairly often over the previous 20 years: “Fireplace Harbaugh.”
In fact, I acknowledge that Ravens followers did not instantly resolve that they are annoyed with Harbaugh after 5 losses earlier than the tip of October. That is partly concerning the frustrations of the Lamar Jackson period, the place the Ravens have been the very best staff in soccer in the course of the common season and made it previous the divisional spherical solely as soon as in seven tries. It’s about looking for one thing to vary a couple of staff that felt as if it was inevitably going to return up quick when issues mattered most, even earlier than their beforehand lofty flooring collapsed amid a brutal run of accidents.
It’s also considerably about the truth that Harbaugh is among the league’s CEO coaches, which implies it is harder to tie his efficiency to 1 explicit aspect of the ball. If Harbaugh had a background as an offensive or defensive assistant and referred to as performs, it might be simple to marry his job efficiency to the efficiency of that unit. With Todd Monken in control of the offense and Zach Orr operating the protection, Harbaugh’s most seen in terms of making fourth-down choices. And whereas I agreed together with his choices Sunday, the Ravens failed on 4 of their six fourth-down makes an attempt towards the Rams, together with a goal-to-go sequence that ended with Derrick Henry getting stuffed for a loss. That is not going to thrill followers.
Having stated all that: I imagine Harbaugh is a extremely good coach. The Ravens are 1-5 out of some mixture of powerful close-game luck towards excellent competitors and a horrific run of accidents. If a move does not deflect into Keon Coleman’s arms or Henry does not fumble down the stretch in Week 1, is Harbaugh a greater coach? Baltimore’s rookie class is not off to an amazing begin, however the Ravens have introduced by way of younger expertise for a few years beneath Harbaugh with quite a lot of success. That has to imply one thing.
Is there one thing innately missing in Harbaugh that stops the Ravens from successful a Tremendous Bowl? I am undecided I beloved that argument with Reid in Philadelphia or with every other constant playoff-visiting coach who got here up wanting the Tremendous Bowl with out Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Regardless, it definitely should not apply to Harbaugh, who really did win a Tremendous Bowl. And in contrast to Reid, who began successful them after he landed a future Corridor of Famer at quarterback, Harbaugh gained his title with one thing lower than the very best model of these Ravens groups. His 10-6 squad ran by way of the AFC because the fourth seed, successful highway video games in Denver and New England alongside the best way.
I’d argue the Ravens and Harbaugh could be a little sluggish to acknowledge the necessity for some adjustments. Keep in mind the final time Harbaugh’s job safety was in query? It was 2018, when the Ravens had missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons and have been seemingly about to take action for a fourth consecutive 12 months. Harbaugh had caught by struggling starter Joe Flacco all season and refused to even publicly contemplate inserting Jackson, however when Flacco suffered a hip harm, Harbaugh was left with no selection. The 4-5 Ravens went 6-1 the remainder of the best way with Jackson beneath heart and have not seemed again.
The Ravens ought to get Jackson again from his hamstring harm after the bye, which ought to assist the offense dramatically. The staff has turned the ball over six instances in two video games after turning it over simply 11 instances all season in 2024. Monken’s offense was working at a excessive stage earlier than the harm. Whereas the run recreation must get extra constant and Jackson must cease taking sacks at triple the speed he did a 12 months in the past, I am not involved concerning the offense.
Can the protection get again on monitor? Harbaugh has already stated that he does not plan on firing Orr, which implies the change should come from inside. With Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey returning to the lineup, this Baltimore protection was a lot improved on what we noticed final week towards Houston, albeit with the assistance of some missed passes, tough climate and a midgame harm to Puka Nacua.
If something, we may see minor adjustments. The Ravens swapped Odafe Oweh for Alohi Gilman final week, a mirrored image on the fact that they simply wanted accountable adults within the secondary. Gilman performed 82% of the snaps in his Ravens debut, which meant a lot much less T.J. Tampa and Keyon Martin. Roquan Smith might be again after the bye and take over for Trenton Simpson. I would not be shocked if the Ravens seemed so as to add a veteran or two off the waiver wire or on the underside of one other staff’s roster to improve their skinny line of defense.
The most important purpose issues ought to get higher, although, is that the schedule is about to get a lot simpler. After the bye, the Ravens play their subsequent six video games towards groups which are a mixed 9-24. They’re going to face a minimum of one backup quarterback in Flacco of the Bengals, and it might hardly be a shock in the event that they confronted a pair extra alongside the best way owing to seemingly benchings. There might be quite a lot of winnable contests forward.
But when the Ravens lose a bunch of those video games to the likes of the Browns, Jets and Dolphins over the following two months? That is a unique story. Till then, although, I do not suppose that Harbaugh’s job needs to be in query. And admittedly, as the gang chanted “Fireplace Harbaugh” on Sunday, I believe that there have been just a few house owners and executives across the league who have been quietly becoming a member of in, hoping that the most effective coaches in soccer may come obtainable for them to rent.
Week 6: Didn’t play in a 30-27 win over the Cowboys.
I am ending up by together with a participant who’s on this record by no fault of his personal. Everybody else on the new seat had a tough Week 6. Hubbard did not even play, as he sat out his second consecutive recreation with a calf harm. Hubbard was averaging 4.1 yards per carry earlier than the harm and had a pair of touchdowns within the passing recreation earlier this season. Hubbard’s four-year, $33 million extension in November 2024 — together with the ACL harm suffered by Jonathon Brooks — urged he could be the starter in Carolina for the 2025 marketing campaign.
As an alternative, that is now up within the air, and it has nothing to do with Hubbard. Rico Dowdle has merely taken over this backfield. One week after operating for 206 yards in a win over the Dolphins, Dowdle went again to work in a self-described revenge recreation towards his former employer, the Cowboys. Dowdle ran 30 instances for 183 yards and added a team-high 56 receiving yards.
Dowdle turned the primary participant since Dalvin Cook dinner in 2020 to rack up 200 yards from scrimmage in consecutive video games, a feat that has occurred solely 31 instances in NFL historical past. And whereas the huge recreation towards the Dolphins was fueled by a handful of big positive factors, Dowdle’s longest run on Sunday went for 15 yards. He merely gashed the Cowboys for significant yardage drive after drive, with 20 of Dowdle’s 30 rush makes an attempt being deemed profitable by the NFL Subsequent Gen Stats mannequin. Over the previous 5 years, simply three different backs have posted a better success charge in a recreation the place they carried the ball a minimum of 25 instances.
What’s much more spectacular is that Dowdle is doing this with out the kind of assist different nice runners have across the league. The Panthers are down to reveal bones up entrance. All the proper aspect of their line was lacking Sunday. Heart Austin Corbett and proper guard Robert Hunt are on injured reserve, whereas proper sort out Taylor Moton was inactive with an elbow harm. The Cowboys aren’t an amazing protection by any stretch of the creativeness, however they have been 18th within the league in EPA per play towards designed runs earlier than Sunday.
The Panthers did an amazing job of making operating lanes for Dowdle, however he additionally did an amazing job of creating decisive cuts and getting probably the most out of what was blocked. He additionally added three first downs as a receiver, together with a 36-yard landing on a blown protection from Dallas’ oft-frustrating linebackers. Dowdle ran by struggling Cowboys linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. for a 13-yard catch and a primary down earlier within the recreation. He isn’t Christian McCaffrey or Alvin Kamara, however Dowdle has made a significant influence within the receiving recreation over the previous two weeks.
Whereas Hubbard is predicted to return from his harm shortly, I am undecided how the Panthers can return to the prior establishment, when Hubbard was the lead again and Dowdle the backup. Dowdle was already getting about 10 carries per recreation earlier than his sudden star flip, however he has earned the lion’s share of the work at operating again now, even when that is by way of no fault of Hubbard’s personal.
Week 6: Misplaced 20-10 to the Raiders, dropping the Titans to 1-5.
UPDATE: Callahan was fired Monday.
Final Sunday’s win was alleged to be the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel. Sure, the Cardinals basically regurgitated their fourth-quarter lead and handed a victory to the beforehand winless Titans in Week 5. No, it might be silly to imagine that each staff was going to be as detached to the soccer as Arizona was close to the tip zone. On a day the place the Titans’ protection slowed down the Cardinals for 3 quarters and Cam Ward hit plenty of big-time throws to Calvin Ridley in key moments, although, Callahan may credibly go to his locker room and say that Titans a minimum of had one thing to construct upon, even when it was constructed on one thing resembling a home of playing cards.
It is nonetheless very darkish in Nashville. After their dramatic victory, how did the Titans reply? Jeffery Simmons admitted to ESPN’s Turron Davenport after the sport that the staff had one in every of its worst weeks of follow. They got here to Las Vegas to face a reeling Raiders staff and went down 17-0 earlier than responding. With Ridley sidelined early on by a hamstring harm, the Titans racked up simply 22 internet yards on their first 5 drives earlier than a sixth drive on the finish of the second quarter ended with a brutal interception from Ward, who held the ball too lengthy and had his move tipped.
The offensive line was alleged to be the power of this staff, each by advantage of teaching (legendary coach Invoice Callahan, Brian’s father, arrived alongside together with his son in 2024) and funding. The Titans used consecutive first-round picks on Peter Skoronski and JC Latham and spent huge to signal Lloyd Cushenberry III, Kevin Zeitler and Dan Moore Jr. in free company. Latham has been out for the reason that opener, and substitute John Ojukwu was arguably taking part in just like the worst participant within the league earlier than being benched himself. Nonetheless, Latham’s return to the lineup was alleged to solidify issues Sunday.
As an alternative, Latham allowed two sacks and 6 pressures. He seemed to be at fault on a brutal strip sack of Ward within the second quarter, when no one blocked Devin White because the linebacker rushed by way of the B-gap, handing the Raiders a brief area that led to a landing. Enjoying towards Maxx Crosby is hard, however the Titans took Latham with the seventh decide within the draft. They depend on him. He struggled badly in move safety at left sort out a 12 months in the past and has now allowed three sacks in two video games on the precise aspect this season. And Moore leads the NFL with six sacks allowed, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. A few of that’s on Ward, however the Titans cannot be too shocked, provided that Moore additionally led the league in sacks allowed final season.
The powerful half for Brian Callahan is that he has already ceded duties. His father presumably performs a giant position in designing the run recreation, which ranks twenty eighth within the league in EPA per play on designed runs. He additionally handed over playcalling duties to Bo Hardegree at 0-3. The offense did not transfer a lot; it was thirty second in EPA per play with Callahan calling the performs and jumped all the best way to thirtieth after the shift, although that is principally been a product of the Browns and Ravens altering quarterbacks under them.
When it comes to recreation administration, it is exhausting to argue that Callahan has been as much as the duty. He was concerned in a weird controversy in Week 1, the place he uncared for to problem an incomplete move name on Titans receiver Elic Ayomanor as a result of he had solely an elbow inbounds. (One elbow, as you in all probability know, equals two toes.) In Week 2, the Titans have been lined up for a 57-yard area objective, just for Callahan’s indecisiveness to result in a delay of recreation penalty, with the following 62-yarder getting blocked. In Week 4, whereas trailing 26-0 to the Texans and inside his personal 5-yard line with 1:50 to go, Callahan handed the ball to Tony Pollard three consecutive instances, placing pointless hits on the 28-year-old’s physique.
Callahan’s position is probably going depending on how he does creating Ward. Six video games is not a whole image, however up to now, Ward’s 25.0 QBR ranks final within the league by a cushty margin. The fellows straight forward of him have both been benched (Jake Browning, Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco) or appear to be in actual hazard of dropping their job (Geno Smith, Justin Fields).
Ward has a gifted arm, and he has made some wonderful throws this season, however the Titans have not completed sufficient to insist that their younger QB get the ball out shortly. That has led to pick-sixes, strip sacks and pointless hits. A few of Ward’s most profitable performs have been wildly harmful passes throughout his physique. These are enjoyable, however there isn’t any consistency to the Titans’ offense. Ward is taking sacks on practically 11% of his dropbacks, which was alleged to be an space the place the Titans would enhance after Will Levis was taken down on 12% of his dropbacks in 2024.
All the simple buttons the Titans ought to have the ability to hit for his or her younger quarterback aren’t working. They’re final within the league in EPA per play on screens at an almost-unbelieveable minus-0.42 mark. On Sunday, their 5 screens picked up a complete of 8 yards. On 4 of these 5 screens, there was a minimum of one blown block or main blocking mistake that led to the play not succeeding. These performs all look good on paper, and the Titans had blocking benefits on plenty of them. If the gamers repeatedly cannot or do not execute, is that on them or the teaching employees?
I can see the argument for not forcing a change. Dangerous organizations get caught in a cycle of swapping out coaches on the first signal of struggles from their younger quarterbacks, leading to a gentle stream of recent voices, new ideas and unfamiliar guidelines. Callahan got here from Cincinnati, the place Zac Taylor was 10-29-1 on the bye of his third season with the staff. The Bengals went 5-3 down the stretch, received scorching within the postseason and made it to the Tremendous Bowl. They made it to the AFC Championship Recreation the next season. What has occurred since means that Taylor in all probability is not pretty much as good as he seemed in 2021 and 2022, however he additionally wasn’t as overmatched as he appeared in 2019 and 2020, both.
With out arguing that the Titans ought to fireplace Callahan, although, there must be some constant indicators of enchancment. The offensive line must look as if they’ll reliably pass-block. There must be some semblance of a run recreation. Ward must look as if he’s bettering. The sport administration cannot be a significant drag on operations.
Since hiring Callahan, the Titans have modified the quarterback, the operating again, their high two extensive receivers and 4 of the 5 starters alongside the offensive line. They’re the worst offense within the NFL. If Callahan is a part of the answer transferring ahead, that has to vary.