After miserable start, Giants QB Daniel Jones faces Commanders

If New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones faced Washington every week, he’d be on his way to the Hall of Fame.

In seven starts against the NFC East rival, Jones has a 5-1-1 record with 10 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 98.0 passer rating.

When the Giants (0-1) face the Commanders (0-1) on Sunday in Landover, Md., they will try to continue their Jones-led mastery of Washington.

A trip to the D.C. area might be the elixir for Jones, who was booed Sunday in the Meadowlands as the Giants lost 28-6 to the Minnesota Vikings.

Playing for the first time since undergoing surgery in November to repair a torn ACL, Jones threw two interceptions, including a pick-six.

He also was sacked five times on his way to completing 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards without a touchdown. Jones’ passer rating of 44.3 was the second worst among NFL starters last week.

This week as he has been peppered with questions about Jones, Giants coach Brian Daboll has largely addressed them from a team standpoint.

“I’d just say for all of us, we can all do a better job,” Daboll said.

Jones’ record against Washington is noteworthy, considering he has no more than two wins against any other NFL team. He has compiled a 17-36 mark against the rest of the league.

“Everybody here is rallying around Daniel,” Giants guard Jon Runyan Jr. said. “We’ve been seeing him this whole offseason. He’s been here the whole time. He’s been working really hard.”

There is considerably less pressure on Washington’s rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was one of the few bright spots in the Commanders’ 37-20 loss Sunday at Tampa Bay.

Daniels, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards. He also rushed 16 times for a team-high 88 yards and two touchdowns.

Though the rushing numbers were impressive, Commanders coach Dan Quinn pointed out that most of Daniels’ carries were not designed runs.

“We’d love to see him remain a passer first, and I think it’s going to come with experience,” Quinn said.

In his first year with Washington, Quinn said that he wants the slightly built Daniels to be less eager to take off when he feels heat.

“Sometimes, getting outside the pocket you also remain a passer,” Quinn said. “He’s going to be an exceptional player. There are choices when to go, when to not. You do have to grow and learn into those.”

Quinn also wants to see Daniels take more downfield shots, especially to standout receiver Terry McLaurin, who had just two receptions for 17 yards on four targets.

Another area Washington needs to improve is its defense, which was riddled by Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw four touchdown passes and had the league’s highest passer rating in Week 1 at 146.4.

The Commanders and Giants got through Week 1 relatively healthy.

Washington cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who injured his right thumb against the Bucs, will have surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament and will not play on Sunday, according to multiple reports. Forbes, who was a full participant on Wednesday and limited on Thursday, will wear a splint during practice, Quinn said on Wednesday.

The Commanders will have more information after the surgery to determine Forbes’ recovery time. Placing him on injured reserve will require him to miss at least four games.

Safety Tyler Owens (ankle) was limited in practice on Wednesday and a full participant on Thursday. Rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, who was selected in the second round of the draft and is recovering from offseason foot surgeries, did not practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday. He could play on Sunday, Quinn said.

For New York, rookie linebacker Darius Muasau (knee), who had six tackles and an interception coming off the bench on Sunday, was added to the injured list and is day-to-day, according to Daboll. Muasau didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday.

Punt returner Gunner Olszewski (groin) will miss several weeks but has not yet been put on the injured reserve list. Also missing practice were wideout Darius Slayton (concussion) and cornerback Nick McCloud (knee). On Thursday, Slayton remained in concussion protocol but was limited in practice while McCloud and Olszewski missed practice, as did linebacker George Musso (knee). Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) was limited in practice.

–Field Level Media

Deshaun Watson will start vs. Jags as Browns keep issues off field

NFL head coaches loathe distractions, but Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is dealing with a major one in Week 2.

Several days after Deshaun Watson was accused of a vicious sexual assault four years ago, he will start at quarterback when the Browns visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.

Stefanski said the organization never considered having Watson sit out against Jacksonville.

“We’ll let due process play out and follow the NFL guidelines,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “We are 100 percent focused on Jacksonville, 100 percent focused on going on the road against a good football team and trying to find a way to get a ‘W.'”

The latest incident involving Watson overshadows a contest between two teams that lost their opening game of the season.

The Jaguars dropped a 20-17 decision to the host Miami Dolphins for their sixth setback in the past seven regular-season games. The Browns were beaten 33-17 by the visiting Dallas Cowboys as Watson was intercepted twice and sacked six times while passing for 169 yards and one touchdown.

One day after Cleveland’s dismal loss, a civil suit was filed Monday in Houston, alleging that Watson exposed himself and sexually assaulted a woman in her home.

During Watson’s time with the Houston Texas, he faced 24 claims of sexual misconduct from women, stemming from massage sessions. All but one of the cases were settled out of court, with the last one still pending. The NFL suspended him for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and fined him $5 million.

Just as he did in the previous cases, Watson denied the latest accusation. He said he is focused on the upcoming game.

“I focus on keeping the main thing the main thing,” Watson said of football. “That’s when I walk into this building, focusing on being the best quarterback that I can be, on the game plan and trying to be better than we were last week so we can get a ‘W.'”

Jacksonville also will be seeking improvement after letting a 17-7 halftime lead get away against the Dolphins.

The Jaguars failed on all five of their third-down conversion attempts in the second half and had just one first down in the fourth quarter.

“We’re better than how we finished,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said. “We feel like we’re a great team and we’re going to work to be a great team. But great teams finish.”

Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 162 yards and a touchdown on 12-of-21 passing.

Lawrence said he has put the Miami loss in the rearview mirror and doesn’t want to see the Jags fall into a 0-2 hole.

“Don’t get too high or too low,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “You can’t be down in the dumps too much and beat yourself up and let it affect your confidence.”

The big challenge for the Jaguars is rebounding quickly. They open the season by playing four consecutive 2023 playoff teams. The following two games are both on the road, against the Buffalo Bills on a Monday night and the Houston Texans.

Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett missed Thursday’s practice with a foot injury. He wasn’t on the injury report Wednesday. Garrett is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year after racking up 14 sacks and four fumble recoveries last season.

Fellow defensive end Za’Darius Smith (back) also was added to the injury report and missed practice Thursday.

The Browns will be without tight end David Njoku, who injured an ankle in a loss to the Cowboys. Stefanski said the club is hopeful Njoku can avoid being placed on injured reserve.

Cleveland did put five defensive players on IR this week — defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (ankle), linebackers Tony Fields II (ankle) and Mohamoud Diabate (hip), safety Juan Thornhill (calf) and cornerback Myles Harden (shin).

Starting offensive tackles Jedrick Wills (knee) and Jack Conklin (knee) are making progress after missing the Dallas games. Conklin is practicing on a limited basis. He hasn’t played since sustaining a major injury to his right knee in the 2023 seasons opener.

Jacksonville cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve on Thursday.

The Jaguars lead the series 12-7, but the Browns have won the past two. Last season, Cleveland never trailed while notching a 31-27 home victory in Week 14.

–Field Level Media

With Christian McCaffrey’s status uncertain, 49ers battle Vikings

Christian McCaffrey is optimistic that he will make his season debut when the San Francisco 49ers play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Then again, McCaffrey suggested the same things a week ago before he sat out the 49ers’ season opener because of a calf injury and Achilles tendinitis.

“My mindset is I’m going to play no matter what I’m going through on Wednesday or Thursday in practice,” McCaffrey said. “And on the game day, you’ve got to make a decision. … My mentality is I’m playing this week.”

San Francisco (1-0) has a backup plan just in case. The 49ers turned to second-string running back Jordan Mason on Monday, and he had 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown to lead the team to a 32-19 win over the visiting New York Jets.

Meanwhile, Minnesota (1-0) is looking to play the role of spoiler in its home opener. The Vikings are coming off a decisive 28-6 win over the New York Giants in Week 1 that marked the team debut for Sam Darnold at quarterback.

Darnold completed 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to register a 113.2 passer rating. He now will go up against the 49ers, with whom he played last season as a backup to starter Brock Purdy.

A season on the sidelines was a blessing in disguise, Darnold said.

“Being able to prepare and be ready like I was the starter, but just sit back and watch everything that was going on in the organization, how things were run there, (really helped),” Darnold said. “I really did learn a ton from Brock and the way he prepared, his quiet confidence that he had every single day.

“He’s not the rah-rah guy, not going to lead the team in breakdowns at the end of the year, but he’s just as steady as they come.”

Purdy proved steady last week as he completed 19 of 29 passes for 231 yards. He also had one rush for 11 yards in the victory.

Both teams’ defenses will look to repeat impressive performances in Week 2.

San Francisco held the Jets to 266 total yards and spoiled the opener for Aaron Rodgers, who passed for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Leonard Floyd recorded a sack for San Francisco.

The Vikings also shined in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ system. Free-agent acquisition Andrew Van Ginkel had an interception return for a touchdown, and veteran safety Harrison Smith baited Daniel Jones into another interception.

Minnesota racked up five sacks, including a pair from linebacker Patrick Jones II. Van Ginkel also notched a sack, as did rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner.

San Francisco wideout Brandon Aiyuk is hoping for better production in his second game back from a long delay over a contract dispute. Aiyuk caught two passes for 28 yards in Week 1 but said he felt like he was in good game shape.

“It felt good,” Aiyuk said. “(I felt) a little sore. (I was) solid though.”

Vikings wideout Jordan Addison did not take part in practice to start the week because of an ankle injury that he sustained in Week 1. Addison had three catches for 35 yards before he left the game in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Bengals, aiming to bounce back, renew acquaintances with Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs will look to build upon their momentum from a dramatic opening-night win while the visiting Cincinnati Bengals will aim to forget a dismal showing in their opener when the teams meet Sunday.

The Chiefs (1-0) held on for a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens when Isaiah Likely’s toe landed just out of bounds in the closing seconds, nullifying his would-be touchdown grab.

The Bengals (0-1) saw their offense sputter in a stunning 16-10 home loss to the rebuilding New England Patriots, with Joe Burrow completing 21 of 29 passes but only for 164 yards and no touchdowns.

The Chiefs and Bengals are certainly no strangers to each other. They are meeting for the sixth time in the last four seasons, with the Bengals winning three times, including the AFC Championship Game after the 2021 season in Kansas City.

The Chiefs returned the favor in the AFC Championship Game the following year, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first win over Burrow in four meetings.

Last season, the Chiefs topped the Bengals 25-17 in Week 17, a game Burrow missed with torn ligaments in his right wrist. Jake Browning started in Burrow’s place and the Bengals lost, eliminating them from postseason contention.

“Yeah, of course, you miss that,” Burrow said of sitting out last season’s matchup. “I just miss playing football. I miss being out there with the guys, so it’s a luxury right now to be criticized by all (the media) about how we played on Sunday, because I was sitting in the wings for seven weeks last year. So I’m just excited to be out there.”

Injuries could again play a key factor in Sunday’s outcome. On Wednesday, Burrow addressed his recovery from wrist surgery, as cameras caught him repeatedly flexing and rubbing his wrist during the Week 1 loss.

“It feels better this week than it did last week, than it did the week before, so it’s continually getting better,” Burrow said of the wrist.

While Burrow was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, receiver Tee Higgins, who missed Week 1 with a strained hamstring, did not practice. The Bengals are hopeful to get rookie right tackle Amarius Mims back and could get rookie defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. back after thumb surgery on Sept. 6.

Veteran receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown could be back for Kansas City to join Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce in the passing attack. Brown missed most of the preseason and the regular-season opener due to a shoulder dislocation he sustained during Kansas City’s preseason opener.

Coach Andy Reid said Brown was feeling better and making significant progress, though Brown sat out practice on Wednesday.

In the Chiefs’ Week 1 win, Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards, with a 35-yard pass to the 21-year-old rookie Worthy, who also ran 21 yards for a score.

The Bengals, meanwhile, could get almost nothing going on offense, going three-and-out on their first three possessions, scoring just one touchdown and never holding a lead before a frustrated home crowd.

Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast, “The Bengals are going to be ready for us. We’re going to be dialed up and have a great game plan. It’s going to be exciting to go up against one of the best teams in the league.

“I think they have a great defense. Their defensive coordinator (Lou Anarumo) always plays extremely tough. They’re very well coached. They got players all over the place, and great players all over the place. And sure enough, it’s one I would call rivals, now that we’ve actually won a few.”

After beating Mahomes and the Chiefs twice in the 2021 season and once in in the ’22 season, coach Zac Taylor and his Bengals have dropped the last two meetings, both in Kansas City, the site again of Sunday’s showdown.

Taylor said of going up against Mahomes, “He’s one of the greatest ever to do it. … He’s just a very aware player. He’s always in the moment. He’s got a lot of strengths, not a lot of weaknesses.”

–Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media

Bears, rookie QB Caleb Williams face gold standard in Texans’ C.J. Stroud

Early during his Wednesday presser, Bears coach Matt Eberflus was asked how the historic production Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud enjoyed as a rookie last season could be used as a template for Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, whose debut last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans could reasonably be described as inauspicious.

Eberflus adroitly sidestepped making a comparison that would only add to the already enormous expectations resting on Williams’ shoulders. While Stroud crafted one of the greatest seasons for a rookie quarterback in NFL history, Williams struggled in his first career start and relied on the Bears’ exceptional defense and special teams to steer the way to a 24-17 home win over the Tennessee Titans.

The Texans (1-0) will host the Bears (1-0) in a showdown on Sunday highlighting the standard Williams is charged with meeting. Stroud thrived in a 29-27 road victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, passing for 234 yards and two touchdowns with a 115.9 rating.

Williams, conversely, averaged 3.2 yards per attempt, threw for only 93 yards, posted a 55.7 rating and helmed an offense that didn’t score a touchdown. His handling of a middling performance struck Eberflus.

“He’s been really good,” Eberflus said. “Him and I watched the plays Monday morning. He comes into my office and was really good there. He’s really good with the players owning up to everything and taking responsibility for performance and accountability. That’s what you need from leaders on the football team, not just him.

“And then moving forward to coming in (Wednesday) morning and figuring out what we’re doing, how we’re doing it and having conversations with him. I think he’s in a good spot.”

The Bears were buoyed by a pair of touchdown returns, including a 43-yard interception return by cornerback Tyrique Stevenson with 7:35 left in regulation that sealed the win. Chicago sacked Titans quarterback Will Levis three times, picked him off twice and limited Levis to 4.0 yards per attempt.

The Bears might need another stifling performance against the Texans, not only to cover Williams as he develops but to help a Chicago offense that had a pair of receivers — Keenan Allen (heel) and Rome Odunze (MCL strain) — sidelined for practice on Wednesday.

Wins can mask warts. But Williams acknowledged that ample work remains for the offense.

“We’re here getting better,” Williams said. “Just getting back out here making sure we’re focused on the small things, the details. Whether it’s myself of footwork, drops … or whether it’s the routes, whether it’s the run game, hand placement, all these other things when blocking to make sure as an offense we’re successful.”

The Texans had no such problems offensively. Houston seamlessly inserted veteran newcomers Stefon Diggs (two touchdown catches) and Joe Mixon (30 carries, 159 yards and a touchdown) into their potent mix, with Mixon earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts.

Stroud was sacked four times but did not commit a turnover and was in complete control even under duress, finding Nico Collins (six catches, 117 yards) when the moment was dire.

In the aftermath of its win, Houston had reason to be optimistic that more can be unlocked.

“I think watching the film from last week, there’s definitely a lot of play left on the field,” Stroud said. “We can clean up a lot of things. So, yeah, I definitely think that we barely showed what we’ve got. But it’s kind of cool because we still did kind of play pretty good once we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot.

“The plays that we ran good looked great. But the ones that we just barely missed on, it was just the little, little, small things. If we clean those up, man, I think we would’ve had a way better day, but definitely great to learn in a win.”

–Field Level Media

Rams eager to extend road dominance vs. Cardinals

The Los Angeles Rams will stay on the road in Week 2 on Sunday, although a visit to the Arizona Cardinals will feel extremely comfortable.

The Rams will carry a nine-game road winning streak against the Cardinals into the game at Glendale, Ariz., where both teams will try to rebound from season-opening defeats.

The Rams (0-1) played a bruising yet competitive season opener on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night and rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to take the game into overtime. The Lions won 26-20 when they scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the extra period.

The Rams not only lost wide receiver Puka Nacua to a knee injury, but the already thin offensive line saw both Joe Noteboom (ankle) and Steve Avila (knee) depart. All three were placed on injured reserve this week.

Behind a makeshift line, quarterback Matthew Stafford rallied the Rams in the second half to a 20-20 tie.

Los Angeles even had the ball with just over four minutes remaining and a chance to pad a 20-17 lead, but Stafford and star receiver Cooper Kupp had a miscommunication on fourth down. Detroit sent the game into OT with a field goal in the closing seconds.

“I had a chance to win it,” Stafford said.

Plenty of questions surrounded the Rams after the retirement of defensive tackle Aaron Donald in the offseason.

“We’re a really young team, and we had a lot of things that went our way and didn’t go our way tonight,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “When you come up short, this is a real learning opportunity, growth op for us. I know that this group is going to respond the right way.”

On Wednesday, Los Angeles practiced without tight end Davis Allen (back), offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (foot) and cornerback Cobie Durant (toe). Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (foot) and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (hip) were limited.

Though the Cardinals have not defeated the Rams at home since 2014, when their opponent called St. Louis home, they have won in Los Angeles twice in the past four seasons. The Rams are still 13-2 against their division rival, counting playoffs, since 2017.

The Cardinals (0-1) also feel optimistic about the road ahead after a competitive 34-28 defeat to open the season in Buffalo. Arizona led 17-3 late in the first half and were within 31-28 with 8:31 remaining but gained just 26 total yards over their final two possessions.

The Cardinals offense was anything but lackluster in the early going as quarterback Kyler Murray made his return from knee surgery. Murray guided the Cardinals to points on each of their first three drives.

Murray was 21-of-31 passing for 162 yards, with a team-high 57 rushing yards, but he also fumbled deep in his own territory in the third quarter with the score tied 17-all. Five plays later, the Bills scored a touchdown and never trailed again.

“You watch it (against the Bills), probably be frustrated, but the season’s not over,” Murray said. “Been doing this a while now. (Sunday) we have a divisional opponent. The next one is the most important.”

Murray (knee) appeared on the injury report Wednesday but was a full practice participant. Cornerback Max Melton (concussion) was out and wide receiver Xavier Weaver (oblique) was limited. Starting right tackle Jonah Williams (knee) was placed on IR.

The Cardinals intend to make rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. a bigger part of the offense moving forward. The No. 4 overall selection in this year’s draft was targeted just three times and had one catch for 4 yards.

“We’ll find a way to get him involved,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said.

Arizona’s DeeJay Dallas made the NFL’s new “dynamic kickoff” look the part with a 96-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter Sunday.

–Field Level Media

After miserable start, Giants QB Daniel Jones faces Commanders

If New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones faced Washington every week, he’d be on his way to the Hall of Fame.

In seven starts against the NFC East rival, Jones has a 5-1-1 record with 10 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 98.0 passer rating.

When the Giants (0-1) face the Commanders (0-1) on Sunday in Landover, Md., they will try to continue their Jones-led mastery of Washington.

A trip to the D.C. area might be the elixir for Jones, who was booed Sunday in the Meadowlands as the Giants lost 28-6 to the Minnesota Vikings.

Playing for the first time since undergoing surgery in November to repair a torn ACL, Jones threw two interceptions, including a pick-six.

He also was sacked five times on his way to completing 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards without a touchdown. Jones’ passer rating of 44.3 was the second worst among NFL starters last week.

This week as he has been peppered with questions about Jones, Giants coach Brian Daboll has largely addressed them from a team standpoint.

“I’d just say for all of us, we can all do a better job,” Daboll said.

Jones’ record against Washington is noteworthy, considering he has no more than two wins against any other NFL team. He has compiled a 17-36 mark against the rest of the league.

“Everybody here is rallying around Daniel,” Giants guard Jon Runyan Jr. said. “We’ve been seeing him this whole offseason. He’s been here the whole time. He’s been working really hard.”

There is considerably less pressure on Washington’s rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was one of the few bright spots in the Commanders’ 37-20 loss Sunday at Tampa Bay.

Daniels, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards. He also rushed 16 times for a team-high 88 yards and two touchdowns.

Though the rushing numbers were impressive, Commanders coach Dan Quinn pointed out that most of Daniels’ carries were not designed runs.

“We’d love to see him remain a passer first, and I think it’s going to come with experience,” Quinn said.

In his first year with Washington, Quinn said that he wants the slightly built Daniels to be less eager to take off when he feels heat.

“Sometimes, getting outside the pocket you also remain a passer,” Quinn said. “He’s going to be an exceptional player. There are choices when to go, when to not. You do have to grow and learn into those.”

Quinn also wants to see Daniels take more downfield shots, especially to standout receiver Terry McLaurin, who had just two receptions for 17 yards on four targets.

Another area Washington needs to improve is its defense, which was riddled by Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw four touchdown passes and had the league’s highest passer rating in Week 1 at 146.4.

The Commanders and Giants got through Week 1 relatively healthy. For Washington, safety Tyler Owens (ankle) was limited in practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who injured his thumb against the Bucs, was a full participant and will wear a splint during practice, Quinn said.

Rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, who was selected in the second round of the draft and is recovering from offseason foot surgeries, did not practice but could play on Sunday, Quinn said.

For New York, rookie linebacker Darius Muasau (knee), who had six tackles and an interception coming off the bench on Sunday, was added to the injured list and is day-to-day, according to Daboll. Muasau didn’t practice on Wednesday.

Punt returner Gunner Olszewski (groin) will miss several weeks but has not yet been put on the injured reserve list. Also missing practice were wideout Darius Slayton (concussion) and cornerback Nick McCloud (knee).

–Field Level Media