Here’s this week’s instalment of our new around-the-horn column, Thirty Thirties on Thursday.
That is, 30 words — fast, fun, feisty, informative — to update you on each of the league’s 30 teams not playing Thursday night.
Week 3’s then:
AFC
BENGALS: Meet Joe Burrow, AKA Captain Obvious. On killer offensive mistakes responsible for Cincinnati’s 0-2 start: “We’ve just got to quit beating ourselves, start faster. Then we’ll get more chances.”
BILLS: WR Gabe Davis (ankle), DT Ed Oliver (ankle), DT Tim Settle (calf) — idle Monday — practised (limited) Wednesday. Ditto C Mitch Morse (elbow) and S Jordan Poyer (foot).
BRONCOS: “Good news” on WR Jerry Jeudy (rib, shoulder) and CB Pat Surtain II (shoulder), head coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “They’ll be day-to-day,” rather than out long-term, as first feared.
BROWNS: vs. the Steelers Thursday night.
CHARGERS: Breathe easy, Bolts fans. Justin Herbert (ribs) practised Wednesday, albeit limited. WR Keenan Allen (hamstring) and RT Trey Pipkins (foot) too … LT Rashawn Slater hasn’t allowed a sack.
CHIEFS: Tough not to bet on K.C., but as a 6.5-point favourite? In home opener for a desperate 0-1-1 Colts team? Ya’d have to believe Indy is all that bad.
COLTS: Yeah, they’ve played like you-know-what. And what do we do with you-know-what? “You gotta flush it,” QB Matt Ryan said … Only OT Bernhard Raimann (ankle) missed Wednesday’s practice.
DOLPHINS: Season is young but Miami is allowing an NFL-worst 9.0 yards per pass, third-worst passer rating (114.4), fifth worst completion percentage (71.2) and tied for fourth fewest sacks (two).
JAGUARS: Defeat of Indy (24-0) was the club’s most lopsided win since 2017 … Time of possession vs. Indy: 38 minutes … Yes, 1-1 Jacksonville sits alone atop the AFC South.
JETS: Guess who practised (limited) Wednesday? Zach Wilson … His fill-in Joe Flacco could become only Jets QB besides Ken O’Brien to pass for 300+ yards in three straight games.
PATRIOTS: Mac Jones has been in shotgun formation on 90% of pass plays, this to accommodate newly introduced run-pass options (RPOs) … Expendable backup OT Justin Herron traded to Vegas.
RAIDERS: Defence faces Derrick Henry, after limiting Austin Ekeler to 36 yards and James Conner to 25. Fine. So where’s the elite pass rush and passing attack we’re expecting?!
RAVENS: John Harbaugh “hopes” to add free agents Jason Pierre-Paul (DL) and Blake Martinez (LB) … Lamar Jackson on Bill Belichick: “I don’t know how he’ll try to play me.”
STEELERS: at the Browns Thursday night.
TEXANS: Houston’s run defence is NFL’s third worst; Chicago’s, worst … Lovie Smith still has a Chicago home … C Justin Britt remains away, tending to a personal matter.
TITANS: Averaging 14.3 points during three-game losing streak. Fans have had it with offensive coordinator Todd Downing, but head coach Mike Vrabel said now’s not the time for panic moves.
NFC
BEARS: Justin Fields wants to show reporters “more personality. I don’t want to be a robot up here.” He’s also awakening an hour earlier, 5:45 a.m.-ish, to watch more film.
BUCCANEERS: Bucs defence sizzling so far, with an NFL-leading 10 sacks and one pass TD allowed, and second lowest pass completions (56.1%) … Smurfy vet WR Cole Beasley signed Wednesday.
CARDINALS: Kliff Kingsbury sees Kyler Murray’s running abilities “as a gift from God.” So employ them more, Kliffy! … A Vegas fan punched Murray in the face after Arizona’s win.
COMMANDERS: Carson Wentz on facing Philadelphia, which both drafted and dumped him: “You try not to make the game bigger than it needs to be … I’m excited for it.”
COWBOYS: WR Michael Gallup, OT Jason Peters might play Monday night … Micah Parsons leads the league in sacks (four) and tied for most TFLs, QB pressures, QB hits. WOW.
EAGLES: What Nick Siranni told players: “If we are as competitive as we say we are … (you) want to take the guy you’re playing’s heart away this next game.”
FALCONS: TE Kyle Pitts has just four catches, 38 yards. Arthur Smith: “He’s been targeted as the primary plenty, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the ball’s going to go there.”
49ers: QB Trey Lance (fractured ankle) is indeed done for 2022 … RB Marlon Mack has been activated … TE George Kittle (groin) caught passes from Jimmy Garoppolo at practice.
GIANTS: Seriously? Two-point favourite at home to beat Dallas, which just knocked off AFC champion Cincinnati, mostly thanks to a monster pass rush? When the Giants can’t protect their QB?
LIONS: Rookie pass-rusher extraordinaire Aidan Hutchinson didn’t practise Wednesday (as he recovers from a charley-horse suffered Sunday) nor did RB D’Andre Swift (ankle sprain). Each’s status for Vikings game? TBD.
PACKERS: Matt LaFleur described Tampa’s defence as fast, aggressive, complete, sound, complex, disguising. Aaron Rodgers countered: “We have the right concepts (and) schemes to move the ball against anybody.”
PANTHERS: Edmonton’s Chuba Hubbard is struggling. The RB fumbled the opening kickoff vs. the Giants, then got only two offensive snaps without a touch. And RB Raheem Blackshear just signed.
RAMS: With RG Tremayne Anchrum (broken ankle) done for ’22, second-year Alaric Jackson of Windsor, Ont., will start in his place … WR Van Jefferson (knee) still isn’t practising.
SAINTS: Jameis Winston was limited Wednesday as he still deals with four broken back vertebrae … RB Alvin Kamara (ribs) practised for the first time (albeit limited) since Week 1.
SEAHAWKS: Defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt called his first-half run defence at San Fran “a horror show of errors.” More horror has ensued: Five injured defenders didn’t practise on Wednesday.
VIKINGS: Same story for Kirk Cousins. He and his offence really struggled when pressured. At Philly the Vikes converted just four third downs, and Cousins was picked off three times.
John Kryk writes a weekly newsletter on NFL matters. That’s where you can first see his straight-up picks each week. You can have the newsletter automatically dropped into your email inbox on Wednesdays simply by signing up — for free — at https://torontosun.com/newsletters/
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