Kirk Cousins Failed Atlanta
When you’re the backup quarterback, your job is to support the starter and be ready if and when your number is called.
Cousins spent the offseason whining about not wanting to be in Atlanta, acting as if the Falcons owed him. This is the same guy who sat by and smirked when the Washington D.C. media demanded that Robert Griffin III outwardly support Cousins when Cousins won the job. When Griffin III didn’t, it was presented as a character flaw.
Cousins wasn’t ready to start against the lowly Miami Dolphins.
He ended the day passing for a measly 173 yards in an embarrassing 34-10 loss.
If Cousins wanted out of Atlanta, he should have been a professional and been prepared to start instead of looking and sounding like a whiny old man.
J-E-T-S
The New York Jets were winless. The owner was dogging the starting quarterback in public. Every talking head on ESPN was questioning the coach.
When Cincinnati’s Chase Brown scored with 10:21 left, it looked like it would be much of the same, but the Jets had other plans.
Down 38-24, the Jets went on a 5-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a Breece Hall 27-yard touchdown run. Instead of kicking the extra point and cutting it to seven, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn decided to go for two.
Mathematically, it makes no sense. Why risk missing the two-point conversion and going down by eight? But Glenn’s gamble paid off, and now the Jets were down 6 with 7:52.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Jets marched 58 yards, chewing up 4:56 off the clock for another touchdown. The defense forced a turnover on downs, preserving a 39-38 win.
What is next for New York? It’s a cute story for a week, but if Glenn wants to get this team in the right direction, the Jets need to follow it up with a home win against Cleveland.
Patriots Commandering their Way
Last season, the Washington Commanders shocked the NFL World and got themselves within 60 minutes of making the Super Bowl.
Part of the reason the Commanders were able to reach the playoffs was their schedule. The Commanders beat the bad teams and sprinkled in a couple of upsets.
This season, it is the New England Patriots that are the beneficiaries of that formula. The Patriots destroyed a poorly run Tennessee Titans team, 32-13.
New England is sitting at 6-2 with games against Atlanta, Cincinnati, the New York Giants, two games against the Jets, and one against Miami.
If New England can beat Buffalo again, they will likely win the division.
Like Washington, the Patriots would be in position to make a deep run in the playoffs.
