Pass rushes key as Eagles visit Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have surrendered 12 sacks while recording none of their own in their past two games.

Flipping that script could be critical to Sunday’s result as the Philadelphia Eagles visit Tampa, Fla., for a battle of 2-1 teams.

Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times in last weekend’s stunning 26-7 home loss to the previously winless Denver Broncos. For the second straight week, he threw for fewer than 200 yards and tossed an interception.

Tampa Bay enters Week 4 ranked 26th in the NFL in total offense and 27th in rushing, but Mayfield refused to place all the blame for his dirty uniform on the offensive line.

“There were a few pressures this week that were actually on me,” Mayfield said. “There’s a mindset of trying to fix the protections when they’re bringing some of these pressures, and there’s also a mindset to snap the ball and get it out of your hands.

“Not all of that is on the O-line.”

The last time Philadelphia visited Raymond James Stadium, Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-9 wild-card playoff victory on Jan. 15 of this year.

The Eagles sacked Mayfield four times in that loss — the same number their pass rush has generated through three games this year.

Philadelphia sacked Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins only once in a last-minute 22-21 loss at home in Week 2, then took down Derek Carr only once in a last-minute 15-12 win at New Orleans in Week 3.

Second-year Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is still looking for his first sack of the season, but he shined against the Saints with four tackles (two for losses), two batted passes and a quarterback hit.

“Obviously, this past game was his best game by far,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “And hopefully that will set the trend moving forward. I don’t know what actually triggered it, other than he, and we as a D-Line unit, didn’t play good in the previous game. So I’m sure that had something to do with it.”

The headliners for this contest on offense include Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.

Barkley leads the NFL in rushing (351 yards) and is tied for the lead in touchdowns from scrimmage (five) through his first three games with Philadelphia. Godwin already has 21 catches and has scored touchdowns in all three games.

Including the playoffs, Tampa Bay has won five of the past six meetings dating back to 2015.

Both teams are keeping an eye on injuries.

The Eagles won’t have No. 2 wideout DeVonta Smith (concussion), but No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) returned to practice in a limited capacity Friday and is questionable, as is right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion). Right guard Mekhi Becton (finger) and left guard Landon Dickerson (wrist) were cleared to play.

The Buccaneers won’t have defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf) or star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), and wide receiver Jalen McMillian (hamstring) is doubtful. Five players — rookie running back Bucky Irving (hamstring), receiver Kameron Johnson (ankle), tight end Ko Kieft (ankle), right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion) and nose tackle Vita Vea (knee) — were deemed questionable after practicing in limited fashion Friday.

Godwin (neck) and fellow starting wideout Mike Evans (knee) carry no game designation.

–Field Level Media

Jaguars, facing Texans, ramp up for rebound from ‘disaster’

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of three winless teams in the NFL and certainly the one in the most disarray.

The Jaguars (0-3) will attempt to halt their dysfunction and register that elusive first victory when they visit the Houston Texans in an AFC South battle on Sunday.

Jacksonville’s poor start includes being annihilated 47-10 by the host Buffalo Bills on the Monday night stage. The Jaguars trailed 34-3 at halftime after Buffalo scored touchdowns on all five first-half possessions.

“The game the other night was just a disaster on every level,” Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson is telling his team they can still turn things around.

“It’s not the end of anybody’s season, obviously it’s Week 4,” Pederson said. “We just got to figure out a way to play good football, and right now, the tape shows that we’re not and we’ve got to fix that.”

A win over the Texans (2-1) would be a step in the right direction. It would take some heat off Pederson and the underachieving Lawrence.

Jacksonville has lost the last eight times Lawrence has been the starting quarterback. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2021 has completed just 52.8 percent of his passes this year while getting sacked 11 times.

“I’ve got to play really well for us to win,” Lawrence said. “That’s the NFL. The quarterback has to play well every week in order to give us a shot to win. I don’t feel like I’ve done that consistently enough. So I put that on myself.”

Lawrence has passed for 560 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for an offense that ranks 30th in scoring (13.3 points per game) and 27th in total yardage (276.3).

In the offseason, Jacksonville rewarded Lawrence with a five-year, $275 million extension that paid him like an elite quarterback. But in the wake of the Buffalo debacle, Pederson said pulling Lawrence in favor of backup Mac Jones is an option if things don’t improve.

The Texans don’t have a quarterback problem as second-year pro C.J. Stroud has stood out from the outset of his pro career.

Stroud led Houston to a 10-7 record as a rookie and guided the squad to a playoff victory. This season, he has completed 67.7 percent of his throws for 709 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions.

However, Stroud and the Texans were whipped 34-7 by the host Minnesota Vikings last weekend. Stroud passed for 215 yards and a touchdown but also was intercepted twice and sacked four times. Houston also was flagged for 11 penalties.

“They kicked our butts, kudos to those guys,” Stroud said Wednesday. “It is Week 4 now. We are going to move on. We are going to play against the Jaguars, who are a good team and focus on that.”

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans views the Jaguars as a fierce foe. Though Houston has won 10 of the past 12 meetings between the teams, Jacksonville earned a split last season.

“We will have a division opponent coming into our house,” Ryans said. “It’s going to be a tough matchup. We both know each other very well and it’s going to be a fight, so we’re looking forward to the matchup.”

Running back Joe Mixon totaled 184 rushing yards over his first two games with the Texans but sat out the Minnesota game with an ankle injury. He was limited in Friday’s practice and is likely to be a game-time decision.

Texans receiver Tank Dell (chest), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) and safety Jimmie Ward (groin) were all ruled out on Friday.

Jaguars standout linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (foot) and tight end Evan Engram (hamstring), who hasn’t played since Week 1, are out.

–Field Level Media

Jets’ Aaron Rodgers focuses on field ahead of game vs. Broncos

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting caught up in “old news” ahead of New York’s meeting with the Denver Broncos in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday afternoon.

New York offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett coached the Broncos in 2022 but was fired during the season with the team sitting at 4-11.

Jerry Rosburg took over as interim head coach to finish off the campaign before Sean Payton landed the full-time gig in January 2023. That summer, Payton told USA Today Sports that Hackett’s work with the Broncos was “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”

It didn’t take long for Payton to apologize, which is why Rodgers is leaving the past in the past come Sunday.

“That’s old news,” Rodgers said of Payton’s comments. “We’ve all said things that we’d like to take back. Some things have been said and taken out of context I’m sure from time to time, but I honestly haven’t thought about it.”

Hackett got a dose of revenge last season when New York downed the Broncos 31-21 in Week 5 last year. This season, his offense looked crisp on Sept. 19 in a 24-3 drubbing of the Patriots in the Jets’ most recent contest. Rodgers was surgical against New England, completing 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns as New York improved to 2-1.

Allen Lazard and Garrett Wilson were on the receiving end of Rodgers’ scoring strikes. Wilson, the Jets’ No. 1 wide receiver, has yet to exceed 60 yards in any of his three games this season, and now he has a matchup with star corner Pat Surtain II looming.

“We’d like to get the ball to (Wilson) early, but it’s just a process. He’s gotta be patient, and we’ve gotta be patient,” Rodgers said. “We can’t force it. Pat’s a phenomenal player, but Garrett is, too. So it’s gonna be a good matchup with those two guys.”

Surtain has headlined a Denver defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest points per game in the NFL (15.3). The Broncos (1-2) were especially stout last Sunday, slowing down Tampa Bay for a 26-7 road victory. The Buccaneers managed only 223 total yards.

The Broncos will try to maintain that momentum.

“You want to keep a routine as much as possible,” Denver quarterback Bo Nix said. “Kind of do the same things that you’ve been doing.”

Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in this year’s draft, had 216 yards on 25-for-36 passing to go along with 47 rushing yards and a TD against Tampa Bay for his first career win. However, on the season, he has thrown four interceptions and no touchdown passes.

Broncos safety JL Skinner will miss the game due to an ankle injury. Tight end Nate Adkins (shoulder) and receiver Josh Reynolds (Achilles) are cleared to play after being limited in practice to begin the week.

The Jets ruled out starting right tackle Morgan Moses (knee) and listed linebacker C.J. Mosley (toe) as doubtful. Mosley missed last week’s game, his first time sitting out a game since 2021.

–Field Level Media

Chiefs chasing sixth straight win over Chargers as Jim Harbaugh enters picture

Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are nemeses to many in the NFL based on the Chiefs’ track record of success approaching historic levels. Count the Chargers among the division rivals failing to live up to their end of the rivalry in recent years.

When they meet Sunday at Los Angeles, Kansas City (3-0) seeks a sixth consecutive win over the Chargers (2-1) as the home team introduces first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh to what has become a one-sided AFC West fight with Reid and Mahomes. Turning the tables won’t be easy.

“Multiple challenges,” Harbaugh said of facing the Chiefs before Los Angeles enters its bye week. “Really good run game, really good throwing game, explosive offense. I think everybody understands the challenge of playing a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes in every way. His ability to move the ball with his legs, with his arm, within the offense is elite.”

Modest statistical production to date is becoming a hot topic outside of the Chiefs’ locker room. Kansas City is 14th in the NFL in total offense (328 yards per game) and the usual lead receiver, perennial Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce, is off to an admittedly slow start with eight receptions for 69 yards and no touchdowns in three games.

He’s one reception from tying Tony Gonzalez for the franchise record with 916 catches, and Kelce’s next TD catch from Mahomes would break a tie on the NFL’s all-time list with Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham of the Saints for third-most QB-TE touchdown connections. But Reid said the narrative of Kelce being “old” or “distracted” is false.

“Defenses don’t think that,” Reid said. “We have another receiver who plays opposite him that has a lot of yards and catches. That’s how this thing goes. Travis is fine. He’s being Trav. He works his tail off. He hasn’t lost a step and all those things. He’s not distracted. People are making sure they have him taking care of these defenses.”

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is working through an ankle injury while starring as Mahomes’ featured target in September with an NFL-high 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Mahomes has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 659 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions through three games.

The Chargers present a hefty challenge with a defense ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense (11 points per game, third), yards per game (267, sixth), run defense (91.7 per game, sixth) and pass defense (175.3 per game, 10th).

“It’s a physical football team, both sides of the ball,” said Reid, who has a record of 17-5 against the Chargers since taking over the Chiefs in 2013. “You’ve got to be ready for a complete game. Their defenses are going to give you a variety of looks. One of the top defenses in the NFL right now.”

Mahomes will look across the line at a defense with a few missing pieces. Pass rusher Joey Bosa (hip) and linebacker Junior Colson (hamstring) are both out, and safety Derwin James Jr. was suspended for Week 4 after being penalized for unnecessary roughness at Pittsburgh.

“He genuinely cares and does not want to hurt anybody,” Harbaugh said of James’ one-game ban from the NFL. “He wants to do it the way the league wants it done and the evidence is there.”

Elijah Molden, A.J. Finley or Tony Jefferson will get the start — along with Alohi Gilman — at safety against the Chiefs. Jefferson, a 10-year veteran, was signed off the practice squad on Thursday.

“It will be next-man-up mentality,” Harbaugh said.

Los Angeles has even more injury concerns on offense.

Quarterback Justin Herbert is questionable as he continues to battle a high ankle sprain he aggravated during the Chargers’ 20-10 loss vs. the Steelers last Sunday. Herbert was a limited participant in practice Friday for the third consecutive day.

“(Herbert) said he felt better today than he did last Friday,” Harbaugh told The Athletic after Friday’s practice.

Harbaugh added that Herbert did “more” during practice this week than he did last week.

Taylor Heinicke (29 career starts) went 2-for-2 for 24 yards passing in relief of Herbert last Sunday. Easton Stick (four starts) is also an option if Herbert can’t go.

Whoever takes the snaps for Los Angeles on Sunday will direct the offense without starting left tackle Rashawn Slater, who is out with a pectoral injury. Rookie right tackle Joe Alt is questionable with a sprained MCL.

Wide receiver Derius Davis and defensive back Deane Leonard are questionable with hamstring issues, while cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee) and defensive back Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) are also questionable.

Harbaugh knows the Chiefs have owned the recent series with the Chargers, building a stockpile of AFC West division titles that stands at eight in a row. With Sunday’s game on their home turf, the Chargers are hearing a lot about the importance of meeting the challenge the conference bully and two-time defending Super Bowl champion presents.

“In terms of opportunity, it’s how it feels,” Harbaugh said. “And we’re attacking it as such.”

The Chargers outscored the Raiders and host Panthers 48-13 before dropping their first game this season in Pittsburgh.

The Chiefs return to Kansas City for their third primetime game of the season to face the Saints (2-1) on “Monday Night Football” in Week 5 before a bye week.

Kansas City will be without Michael Danna on Sunday after the defensive end appeared on Thursday’s injury report with a calf injury. Danna was limited in practice Friday.

–Field Level Media

Caleb Williams, Bears aim to level record with win over Rams

The Chicago Bears unabashedly went all-in on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in the offseason.

While the top overall draft pick has produced mixed results through three games, the Bears (1-2) hope to stabilize their attack as other members of the offense return to health for a Sunday home game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Chicago received positive news this week with wide receiver Keenan Allen. Allen (heel), acquired from the Chargers in the offseason, is listed as questionable but is expected to be back after missing the past two games — road losses at Houston and Indianapolis.

“His special talent of getting open in a phone booth is gonna be great for us,” Williams said.

A known commodity in the middle of the field, Allen figures to provide security for Williams, who has remained under duress behind a transitioning offensive line.

Chicago yielded four sacks in a 21-16 loss at Indianapolis last week. Williams was sacked seven times the week before in Houston.

Right tackle Darnell Wright began the week as an injury concern. He is day-to-day with a back injury, but head coach Matt Eberflus said he’ll be ready to go Sunday based on Friday’s practice.

“We’re looking at the best five (offensive linemen),” Eberflus said. “We don’t want musical chairs in there. It’s early in the season. We’re looking for that.”

The Bears struggled to run on a porous Indianapolis rush defense. Williams passed for 363 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career but also was responsible for three turnovers — two interceptions and a strip sack.

Los Angeles avoided an 0-3 start by rallying from a 14-point, second-half deficit to edge the visiting San Francisco 49ers 27-24. Joshua Karty kicked the winning 37-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.

While the Rams (1-2) aspire to play from ahead on Sunday and throughout the season, they also find that reeling in opponents is made easier with quarterback Matthew Stafford under center.

Los Angeles defensive tackle Kobie Turner described Stafford’s calmness after the Rams forced a punt, giving the offense the ball back with 42 seconds to play in a tie game.

“Everybody’s hurrahing and everybody’s super excited and Matt is just still,” Turner said. “He’s just calm and he’s going on the field, it looks like it’s a normal day.

“And so when you kind of see that presence — never being too high, never being too low — and you see the fire that he plays with, you know and you have complete confidence in the fact that he’s going to put us in the best situations.”

Rams running back Kyren Williams rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns to go with a receiving score against San Francisco. But he’s averaging just 3.0 yards per carry after gaining five yards per attempt last season.

Stafford passed for 221 yards and a touchdown even though top targets Cooper Kupp (ankle), Puka Nacua (knee) and Tyler Higbee (knee) were sidelined due to injury. All three are still sidelined this week.

Rams coach Sean McVay said this week that while Kupp is “attacking every single day,” the former Super Bowl MVP won’t be able to play against Chicago.

Los Angeles tight end Davis Allen (back) was limited in practice on Wednesday.

Four Chicago players sat out the team’s Wednesday practice with mixed results since. Wright and Darrell Taylor (illness) returned to full practice Friday, while defensive back Terell Smith (hip) and defensive linemen Zacch Pickens (groin) were ruled out for Sunday.

The Bears lead the all-time series with the Rams 54-39-3 and boast a three-game home winning streak in the series.

–Field Level Media

Saints, Falcons hunting early statement win in division showdown

Over the last two seasons, the NFC South has been less than impressive.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the division in 2022 despite going 8-9, then reclaimed their title with a 9-8 finish last season.

But the South has looked stronger so far this year, and the New Orleans Saints and host Atlanta Falcons will both aim to prove they’re a contender when they continue their longtime rivalry on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s matchup begins crucial three-game stretches for both the Saints (2-1) and the Falcons (1-2).

After playing Atlanta, New Orleans faces the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs before hosting Tampa Bay. The Falcons, meanwhile, gear up for three straight weeks of divisional opponents beginning Sunday.

But for now, all attention is fixed on the 111th meeting between the longtime rivals. Each team has 55 wins in the all-time series.

“The division is coming to town, and we better be ready to deal,” Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris said. “This will determine a lot about us at the end of it all, but right now we better focus on the New Orleans Saints.

“It is always a tough battle with those guys. They’ve got a lot of familiar faces that have been there over the years. It’s a built up rivalry when you get to play against these guys. It’s been special for a long time and hopefully it continues to be special.”

First-year Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will make his debut in the rivalry. Cousins has completed 66.7 percent of his passes and thrown for 626 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season.

An area of concern for Cousins and the Atlanta offense has been converting on third down. The Falcons have been successful on just 22.2 percent (6-for-27) of third downs faced this year, the league’s third-lowest rate.

Atlanta went 2-for-9 in Sunday night’s 22-17 home loss to the Chiefs.

“Our offense on third down has not been very good,” Morris said. “That has been an emphasis for us, to keep drives going so we can maintain and get through possessions. We need to have more time of possession, so we can have more plays and keep our defense off the grass more.”

The Falcons’ 16.3 points per game are tied for 26th in the league.

The Saints’ offense, meanwhile, was historically potent to open the season. New Orleans became just the fifth team all-time to score at least 44 points each in their first two games.

The Saints steamrolled the Carolina Panthers 47-10 in Week 1 before routing the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 in Week 2. New Orleans fell back to Earth last time out, dropping a 15-12 slugfest against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles.

As he prepares for Sunday, Saints head coach Dennis Allen may know the rivalry better than anyone.

The son of former Falcons player Grady Allen, Dennis was a defensive assistant in Atlanta from 2002 to 2005 before two stints as a coach in New Orleans.

“It’s a fun game to be a part of,” Allen said. “Whether we play them in the Superdome or their stadium, it’s always been a great environment and it’s always been a lot of fun to compete against those guys.”

New Orleans, which pummeled Atlanta 48-17 in last year’s regular season finale, has seen its offensive success carry into 2024.

Much of that can be attributed to the play of running back Alvin Kamara. His 285 rushing yards rank fourth in the league, while his four rushing touchdowns are tied for the most.

However, Kamara is questionable after missing practice Wednesday and being listed as limited on Thursday and Friday due to hip and rib injuries. Top receiver Chris Olave popped up on the injury report Friday for the first time all week with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday.

Saints offensive guard Cesar Ruiz (knee) and linebacker Demario Davis (hamstring) are out.

Atlanta center Drew Dalman was placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, while tackle Kaleb McGary was ruled out with a sprained MCL. Ryan Neuzil is expected to make his fifth career start in Dalman’s absence on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Winless Bengals face familiar face in matchup vs. Panthers

It could be all about Andy Dalton again this weekend when the Carolina Panthers meet the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dalton made a smooth transition to a starting role at quarterback for the Panthers, guiding the team to its first win of the season last weekend.

Next, he’ll be tasked with beating his former team Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s always fun to get the opportunity to go against them,” said Dalton, who spent his first nine seasons with Cincinnati after being selected in the second round of the 2011 draft.

Given how the first two weeks went on top of last season for the Panthers (1-2), it’s hard to imagine that they’re entering a game with a better record than the opponent.

But they are, as the Bengals (0-3) are coming off Monday night’s 38-33 loss to the visiting Washington Commanders. Cincinnati’s three defeats have come by a total of 12 points.

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said this isn’t the position the team expected to be in, but he isn’t panicking.

“A long season, things can always evolve,” Taylor said. “What we do is make sure we don’t overreact. Let’s really fine-tune how we can actually improve, and not just decide we have to make wholesale changes.”

Dalton replaced 2023 overall No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young as Carolina’s starter last week. He threw three touchdown passes without an interception in a 36-22 victory at Las Vegas.

“This is just one step, and we got to go back to work and just feel the urgency that the whole group has,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said.

Taylor coached Dalton in his first year as Cincinnati’s coach in 2019, and said he appreciated Dalton’s contributions for the Bengals.

“Always been grateful for Andy,” he said. “He led us through a very difficult time. I’m not surprised that he keeps getting opportunities and makes the most of them because of how he prepares and the talent that he has.”

The Bengals have concerns far beyond Dalton.

“A new opportunity for this team to prove themselves,” Taylor said. “This is a very humbling week. There are a lot of ebbs and flows and right now we’re on the downside of that.”

It’s not often Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in recent years, enters a game overshadowed. Burrow has thrown five touchdowns without an interception but has been sacked eight times this season.

The Bengals need to shore up areas on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

“Offensively, you can’t waste any plays,” Taylor said. “… Defensively, I think things that can be improved is making plays in space when the opportunities are there.”

With a new mindset, Carolina might be able to open a larger playbook based on their first victory.

“We saw more opportunities that allowed guys to play aggressively and just be free and have fun,” Canales said. “We want to continue attacking.”

The Panthers will look for more weapons to complement Dalton after receiver Adam Thielen was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. He suffered a hamstring injury on a touchdown reception Sunday against the Raiders.

Carolina ruled out starting guard Damien Lewis (elbow), defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (foot) and cornerback Lonnie Johnson (hip). Wide receiver Diontae Johnson (groin), guard Robert Hunt (hip) and defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee) are questionable.

The Bengals will be without offensive lineman Trent Brown, who left Monday’s game with a season-ending knee injury.

On the defensive line, Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) was ruled out and defensive lineman B.J. Hill (hamstring) is considered doubtful.

“We have got to make sure they’re in the right place before we get them back,” Taylor said of Hill and Rankins.

Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) and safety Daijahn Anthony (illness) are questionable.

If there’s grumbling in Cincinnati, this might be an ideal time for the team’s second road trip of the season.

“The beauty of the pros is we know how to block that out and focus on what’s important,” Taylor said.

The all-time series is tied 3-3-1, with the Bengals winning the last matchup 42-21 at home in 2022.

–Field Level Media