Here’s this week’s instalment of our weekly 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 4’s then:
AFC
BENGALS: vs. the Dolphins Thursday night.
BILLS: Josh Allen, only NFL QB with 1,000-plus pass yards … Baltimore, only NFL team to allow 1,000-plus pass yards … CB Dane Jackson (neck) “feels good” after practice return.
BRONCOS: Russell Wilson said he has led (offensive) players-only Tuesday meetings to go over film since his rookie year … Wilson bragged he was 3-0 vs. ESPN critic Eli Manning.
BROWNS: Myles Garrett suffered only a shoulder sprain, biceps strain and bruises when he rolled his Porsche Monday. He did not practise Wednesday … OT Jack Conklin (knee) was limited.
CHARGERS: Brutal. DE Joey Bosa (groin surgery), WR Jalen Guyton (ACL) and LT Rashawn Slater (biceps) are on IR. Bosa might return … Justin Herbert (ribs) limited in Wednesday’s practice.
CHIEFS: PK Harrison Butker (ankle) practised Wednesday. If he can’t go vs. Bucs, Matthew Wright would kick; Matt Ammendola was cut … Clyde Edwards-Helaire at Indy? Seven rushes, zero yards.
COLTS: Offensive linemen say they’re making necessary corrections, re unblocked pressures on Matt Ryan (12 sacks) … LB Shaquille Leonard (back) practised Wednesday, fully. Six sat out including Jonathan Taylor.
DOLPHINS: at the Bengals Thursday night.
JAGUARS: They’re almost a touchdown underdog at the 3-0 Eagles. Don’t know how you take Philly and all those points when Jacksonville just smashed the Colts and Chargers 62-10 combined.
JETS: QB Zach Wilson (knee) practised Wednesday without limitation. Will he start at Pittsburgh, over temp Joe Flacco? “If all goes well this week, absolutely,” head coach Robert Saleh said.
PATRIOTS: Does Mac Jones indeed have a high ankle sprain (weeks-long injury)? “What do I look like? A doctor? An orthopedic surgeon? I don’t know,” Bill Belichick said. “Day-to-day.” Okeydoke.
RAIDERS: Just wow. Las Vegas is the NFL’s only team to lose its first three games … WR Hunter Renfrow and CB Nate Hobbs (both concussed) sat out Wednesday’s practice.
RAVENS: Left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) practised fully Wednesday for the first time in a year-plus. Head coach John Harbaugh said “it could be this week” he returns to play.
STEELERS: Rush defence (28th) is a problem. LB Devin Bush said after Cleveland amassed 171 yards that others will attack there … NT Montravius Adams now starts over Tyson Alualu.
TEXANS: WR Brandin Cooks explained 0-2-1: “Not being able to finish, mainly with touchdowns in the red zone vs. field goals. That’s the name of the game (for) three weeks.”
TITANS: Rush linebacker Bud Dupree (hip) practised fully Wednesday after missing last week’s game … D-lineman Mario Edwards Jr. was signed off Jacksonville’s practice squad, O-lineman Le’Raven Clark off Philadelphia’s.
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NFC
BEARS: Justin Fields’ remedy last week to his continuing wretched play? Awaken earlier, watch more film. This week’s remedy? Work more on his footwork and timing of his release. In-season!
BUCCANEERS: Club announced Thursday its Sunday night home game vs. the Chiefs will still be played at home, and not relocated to Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium because of Hurricane Ian.
CARDINALS: Baltimore reportedly had interest in signing rookie outside linebacker Jesse Luketa of Ottawa off Arizona’s practice squad. So the Cards made room and signed him to their main roster.
COMMANDERS: Lions and Eagles sacked Carson Wentz 14 times over Weeks 2-3. “I don’t think it’s anything like, ‘Oh boy, the sky is falling,’” Wentz said. Right. Only he is.
COWBOYS: This is one point spread involving NFC teams that looks way off. Dallas at home by only 3.5 over wobbling Wentz and Washington? Hard to see it that close.
EAGLES: They’ve been so far ahead vs. Detroit, Minnesota and Washington that Jalen Hurts has attempted only 10 passes in the fourth quarter. For perspective, Joe Flacco has attempted 61.
FALCONS: Marcus Mariota played well at Seattle. But on third downs he has completed just 58% for 131 yards. This, despite Atlanta fielding one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks.
49ers: Kyle Shanahan said he’d let the week play out before deciding whether to place LT Trent Williams (high ankle sprain) on IR … Ditto LB Azeez Al-Shaair (MCL sprain).
GIANTS: Daniel Jones got clobbered by the Cowboys. He’s up to 13 sacks, 29 hits, 25 runs after three games. Jones said he must try better to avoid big hits.
LIONS: A small army of offensive players didn’t practise Wednesday, including star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle). Dan Campbell says he’s day-to-day. RB D’Andre Swift (ankle, shoulder) is likely out.
PACKERS: Last nine possessions at Tampa Bay? Seven punts, a pick and a fumble … Aaron Rodgers has a 2-to-1 TDs-to-INTs ratio (four and two) — uncharacteristically low for him.
PANTHERS: Head coach Matt Rhule on Kyler Murray, Carolina’s Week 4 QB foe: “I saw him do things in college that made me just want to walk off the field.”
RAMS: Alaric Jackson — born and mostly raised in Windsor, Ont. — has played the last two games at right guard, when he’s a tackle. Jackson hasn’t allowed a sack.
SAINTS: QB Jameis Winston (back, ankle) and WR Michael Thomas (foot) missed Wednesday/Thursday practices in the U.K. … Winston still expected to start … His first backup is Andy Dalton.
SEAHAWKS: They’ve scored on only 25% of red-zone trips … Rookie RB Kenneth Walker will get more snaps, Pete Carroll said, when coaches believe he’ll hit the right holes, etc.
VIKINGS: RB Dalvin Cook (shoulder) didn’t practise in the U.K. on Wednesday, saying he’s day-to-day … Safety Harrison Smith (concussed in Week 2) cleared protocol and fully participated in practice.
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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