Sorting the NFL Week 2 Pile: Tua, Wentz and QB accidents, what’s actual for Jekyll and Hyde groups


If Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season was a blast of football-laced endorphins courtesy of a loaded schedule and three days price of unimaginable video games, Week 2 was an emotional regression to the imply because the stark reminder of how simply and infrequently accidents to key gamers occur. Sunday was a tough day for quarterbacks across the NFL, with plenty of beginning QBs taking place to harm.

So who’s going to play and who will not? How will the timeline for these numerous accidents have an effect on every crew over the short- and long-haul? Let’s examine if we will measurement up the schedule and medical updates to determine it out earlier than diving into some Jekyll and Hyde NFL groups

It is by no means excellent news when the participant in query suffers an harm that forces him to take a seat on the sidelines in a ball cap, staring emptily at second-year participant Jacob Eason attempting to finish his first NFL cross and mount a comeback towards Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. The Colts fell to 0-2 on the 12 months after the loss — Wentz wasn’t capable of return to the sport as a result of the ankle harm he suffered “stiffened” up, in response to Indy head coach Frank Reich. The Colts QB suffered the harm after Donald tackled him and rolled up on his ankle. His frustration with the harm was seen, as Wentz slammed his helmet after being harm and was noticed along with his head in his fingers whereas speaking to trainers. 

“I might really feel it beneath the pile instantly,” Wentz stated by way of the Indy Star. “I feel the blokes round me might hear me yelling, as a result of it was rolled up on fairly good. It is undoubtedly irritating. Clearly, should not have thrown my helmet like that, however I knew at that time that I most likely wasn’t going to return again out this sport.”

And now we have now information Wentz is definitely coping with accidents to BOTH ankles. Wentz notably returned early from foot surgical procedure this offseason, so we have got a man with a litany of decrease leg accidents he is presently coping with. The Colts needs to be involved, particularly with three straight street video games towards AFC playoff contenders (Tennessee, Miami, Baltimore) developing, together with a Houston matchup and one other Tennessee battle over the subsequent six weeks. If Wentz is lacking for any prolonged period of time, the Colts might discover themselves in too massive a gap to dig out of.

Tua was carted off from the Dolphins’ blowout loss to the Payments with a rib harm however given the rating, it by no means made sense to even think about bringing Tua again onto the sphere. There’s excellent news on this entrance for the Dolphins as X-rays have been damaging however the Dolphins wished Tua to bear extra assessments to see if there was any cartilage harm. Even higher information: Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported Monday Tua seems to be clear on that entrance as effectively, which implies it is all about whether or not he can functionally play with the bruised ribs from a ache and efficiency perspective. 

Miami performs in Las Vegas on Sunday, which implies we’re most likely not discovering out about Tua’s remaining standing till the Friday harm report comes out. Apparently, the road seems to be up virtually in every single place — the Raiders are a four-point fave at Caesars Sportsbook — which possible implies an expectation of Tua enjoying. Or the thought of Jacoby Brissett not being a large drop-off for this explicit roster. 

If I needed to guess on Monday, I’d say Tua performs subsequent week however may have a brief leash if he struggles due to the harm.  

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Can this man catch a break on the harm entrance? Taylor retains touchdown beginning jobs and retains dropping them when a younger participant is available in and performs effectively. Possibly Davis Mills would be the man this week. It will not be Deshaun Watson — David Culley confirmed on Monday Watson can be inactive towards the Panthers this week.

That sport is on Thursday, by the best way, and Taylor, who suffered a hamstring harm, goes to be hard-pressed to prepare on such a brief week. Which implies the Texans need to signal somebody proper? Taylor is harm and unlikely to play, Watson can be on the energetic roster however stay inactive and Mills is the one quarterback left. 

By doing this, the Texans are placing themselves at a really critical aggressive drawback. They’ll possible be utilizing two of their 53 roster spots on inactive quarterbacks and one other two roster spots on energetic quarterbacks. And if they do not signal somebody, it’ll be bizarre if Mills will get harm. Wildcat anybody?

That is a clumsy state of affairs for Bears followers, as a result of all of them need Justin Fields to play, however nobody needs to root for Fields to play on the expense of Andy Dalton’s well being. Dalton tweaked his knee towards the Bengals whereas operating out of bounds on Sunday, struggling a non-contact harm. He got here again within the sport on the subsequent collection, however wasn’t capable of return within the second half. Fields did not look excellent in his reduction responsibility, ending 6-of-13 for 60 yards and a decide. 

Luckily it does not seem Dalton’s harm is an ACL and may simply be some sort of a bruise as a substitute. So who begins in Week 3 towards the Browns? Guess it depends upon Dalton’s well being. Possibly? Or the scheme? The entire thing sparked a bizarre debate between Matt Nagy and reporters on Monday.

Clearly Dalton’s well being is not associated to scheme. Nagy is aware of as a lot. Which is why he despatched somebody again out to make clear.

What a bizarre change. That feels very very like somebody whose crew is 1-1 and struggling to place a reliable offense on the sphere. Fields’ outing after changing Dalton was tough. The Bears are greater than a landing ‘canine to the Browns this week — I’d guess it is Fields who performs and Nagy may have his fingers full cooking up a gameplan for Chicago’s offense to maintain tempo with what appears to be like like an explosive Cleveland operating sport.

Jekyll or Hyde?

The primary week of the NFL season is at all times necessary, however oftentimes we learn an excessive amount of into it. That seems to be the case once more in 2021, with plenty of groups laying monster eggs in Week 1 solely to bounce again in Week 2. Or vice versa. Let’s examine if we will determine which is the true crew we must always anticipate to see shifting ahead. 

Tennessee Titans: An embarrassing loss to the Cardinals in Week 1 had the Titans put in as 6-point canine to the Seahawks. Seattle, with Russell Wilson throwing bombs up high to Tyler Lockett and Freddie Swain, appeared effectively on their technique to protecting and successful simply of their house opener. After which Derrick Henry occurred. The Titans managed to uncork the monstrous operating again for a 182-yard day that helped lead a double-digit comeback. That is laborious to do! However whenever you take a look at the Titans id, Week 2 matches the mildew much more than Week 1. This is not a crew incapable of run blocking or fully unable to play protection. It would not be surprising in the event that they did handle to surrender loads of factors by the air, although. And we noticed the passing sport open up right here too — if A.J. Brown catches extra balls or Julio Jones is not hosed out of a landing, perhaps the comeback is not needed. I would lean extra in the direction of Week 2 because the Titans’ actual id than Week 1. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: After going into Buffalo and taking good care of enterprise with an unimaginable defensive efficiency and a powerful second-half comeback, the Steelers obtained humiliated by the Raiders at house on Sunday. It is a surprising consequence given the matchup — the Steelers could not stress Derek Carr in any respect and with accidents piling up on the line of defense, Pittsburgh was unable to decelerate the Vegas passing sport in any respect. Offensively there’s already chatter about Ben Roethlisberger being upset at offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The offensive line appears to be like like an issue and Huge Ben is not difficult downfield very effectively and even contemplating utilizing the center of the sphere.


by way of Subsequent Gen Stats

I do not wish to bury the Steelers fully right here. Getting T.J. Watt again shortly from his groin harm can be huge. But when the line of defense does not keep intact from a well being perspective, it is laborious to see how this can be a reputable contender popping out of Pittsburgh. An incapacity to get after the passer might trigger this protection to crater. This warrants monitoring for positive.

New Orleans Saints: Possibly Sean Payton did not flatten out the Jameis-coaster in spite of everything. The Saints went from beating the Packers 38-3 to getting fully smoked by the Panthers 26-7. Winston was again to his outdated methods with some questionable decision-making, though it largely appeared to return after the Saints have been out of the sport. And the Saints have been lacking eight coaches due to COVID protocols, which completely seems like an enormous deal. And it is solely attainable the Panthers protection is simply taking a step ahead this 12 months, a full season forward of expectations. Add on the Saints being away from house for a number of weeks due to hurricane considerations and it should not be too surprising they struggled. I put much more in these excuse components than I do within the Saints simply being a horrible soccer crew. We could discover out fairly shortly based mostly on this coming week’s matchup towards the Pats.





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