Five for Five: George Kittle is having a sneaky great year. In the five games he’s played, he has 28 catches for 283 yards. Those numbers are somewhat pedestrian, averaging a little over five catches per game. But of those 28 catches, five have been TDs. He had a career-high of 11 TDs in 2022, and he’s on pace to obliviate that figure. With McCaffrey out, someone has to pick up the slack, and it seems Kittle is the man.
Toughest Test Yet: The Commanders and Jayden Daniels keep surpassing expectations. They are now 4-1, in first place in the NFC East, and in just about everyone’s top 10 list. Daniels is the early runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and he’s even now beginning to get into MVP chatter.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 25: Jayden Daniels poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected second overall by the Washington Commanders during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
This week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens on the road will be their toughest test yet. There’d be no shame in losing, but style points do count here. It will create one narrative if they get blown out and lose 35-13. If they lose a tough back-and-forth affair, losing 28-27, that will paint a different picture. And if they actually leave the field with a W, that will officially make the Commanders the story and the team of the year. A 5-1 record will catapult them into the top five in the league.
Thank God for London: The Jaguars seem to be London’s team. They seem to go every year and have even gotten two games across the pond in a season. And they tend always to play well and jumpstart their season upon their return. Maybe it’s the fish and chips or bangers and mash, but whatever it is, it has worked.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 25: (L-R) Caleb Williams poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected first overall by the Chicago Bears during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
They just won the season’s first game and are playing against the Bears this week. Although the Bears are sitting at 3-2, they are beatable. The key to the game will be whether Jacksonville’s defense can get to Caleb Williams and disrupt his timing. If they can, they can leave London 2-4.
Ready for Primetime?: There are two primetime games this week. The Bengals go to the Meadowlands to play the Giants on Sunday Night. If this game could have been flexed, I wonder if the league would have done it. And on Monday night, the Bills face off against the Jets as well as at the Meadowlands. The Bengals are 1-4 but still have one of the best QBs in the league, Joe Burrow. But it remains to be seen that despite whatever video game numbers he puts up, the Bengals are ready for primetime. And we know the Giants aren’t.
CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 30: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paul Brown Stadium on September 30, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
In the other game, the Bills are a primetime draw, and the Jets are the Jets, led by Aaron Rodgers. But each team is coming off two games losing streaks, with one heading to three consecutive losses. Logic says the Jets will lose, but they just fired their HC. They do have Rodgers, and frankly, the Bills have looked awful in the last two weeks. Josh Allen was only 9-30, and the Jets defense is solid. Can the Bills really lose three in a row? If they do, another New York HC will be in jeopardy…Bills HC Sean McDermott.