With many of the Week 3 NFL schedule within the books, it is time to check out a number of the greatest losers from across the league on Sunday.
Mike McCarthy, head coach, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys followers had been already calling for McCarthy’s job earlier than the season even began and after the workforce’s 1-2 begin, that demand has solely intensified. Dallas fell behind 21-3 within the second quarter and needed to stage a livid comeback within the second half to even get inside placing distance of a lead.
Quarterback Dak Prescott practically pulled it off, too. The Cowboys’ clear lack of a run sport has made life more durable on Prescott and so has the workforce’s patchwork offensive line, which allowed 19 pressures, 13 hurries and 6 sacks coming into Sunday’s sport, per Pro Football Focus. If the Cowboys aren’t within the playoff race by midseason, McCarthy could possibly be out of a job.
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott is right here not due to his private efficiency however as a result of he’s the unlucky sufferer of dangerous teaching and dangerous GMing. McCarthy and Jerry Jones failed Prescott this offseason with their free-agent strategy, or lack thereof. After back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher Tony Pollard bolted to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys changed him with a pair of past-their-prime runners in Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook dinner.
The franchise additionally took its candy time signing CeeDee Lamb to a contract extension — prompting him to overlook all of coaching camp — and his rust has proven by means of the primary three video games of 2024. It’s clear Jones is placing the Cowboys success this season solely on Prescott’s shoulders, which is ostensibly unfair given the dearth of expertise round him.
Russell Wilson, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Any hope Wilson had of getting the Steelers’ beginning job again took a intestine punch on Sunday after Justin Fields’ head-turning efficiency. Whereas Wilson has been nursing an damage, Fields has led Pittsburgh to a 3-0 begin and first place within the AFC North.
Fields had his greatest sport of the season in Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing 25-of-32 passes for 245 yards and two whole touchdowns (one speeding, one passing) and the workforce performed arguably its most full sport of the yr. So long as Fields retains main the Steelers to wins, Wilson can anticipate to maintain the bench heat.
Bryce Younger, QB, Carolina Panthers
How can Younger be a loser when he didn’t even play? Nicely, Andy Dalton’s breakout efficiency — 319 yards, three touchdowns, 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders — proved that the issue very nicely could also be Younger in any case.
When the previous No. 1 total choose was benched final week, many stated his receivers and offensive line weren’t ok, which is why Younger persistently produced poor numbers when he performed. However in Sunday’s win, Dalton was sacked simply twice, Diontae Johnson had his first 100-yard sport since becoming a member of the Panthers and three different WRs had a number of catches. So possibly Younger is a puzzle piece that simply doesn’t slot in Carolina.
Everybody, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are a large number proper now. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is on injured reserve and his backup Skylar Thompson left Sunday’s 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks after struggling a chest damage. Miami possible gained’t win many video games if Tim Boyle is its QB1.
The Dolphins have a powerful steady of operating backs, however the issue is they will’t use them like they’d like in the event that they’re all the time enjoying from behind, and in the event that they’re all the way down to their third QB, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle — arguably their two greatest offensive gamers — possible aren’t making an affect on the sector, both. Till the Dolphins get a official beginning QB, they are often penciled in for this checklist each week.
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Whereas Williams really had an honest efficiency in Sunday’s 21-16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the remainder of his workforce didn’t do a lot to assist him out. Receiver Rome Odunze (six receptions, 112 yards, one landing) and tight finish Cole Kmet (10 receptions, 97 yards, one landing) weren’t the issue, it was really Chicago’s lack of a run sport and spotty offensive line play.
Roschon Johnson, D’Andre Swift and Khalil Herbert mixed for simply 59 yards on 25 carries, whereas the offensive line let Indy sack Williams 4 occasions and strain him on seemingly most of his dropbacks. Williams has proven regular development from Week 1 to Week 3, he simply wants the remainder of the workforce to catch as much as what he’s doing.
Invoice Callahan, offensive line coach, Tennessee Titans
Callahan was introduced in by his son Brian (the Titans first-year head coach) to repair the workforce’s offensive line woes and to this point he’s failed to fulfill expectations. Quarterback Will Levis was sacked eight occasions in Sunday’s 30-14 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers and thru three video games the younger signal-caller has taken 12 sacks.
It seems like Levis is operating for his life on each dropback and Nicholas Petit-Frere would possibly simply be one of many worst proper tackles within the NFL. If the Titans need Levis to make it by means of the season, they should think about making a change at RT and Callahan wants to teach up his group higher than what he’s been doing.
Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator, Cleveland Browns
Week 3 was presupposed to be a simple win for the Browns. They had been dealing with the Daniel Jones-led New York Giants offense and it was presupposed to be a matchup Cleveland’s protection might feast on.
As an alternative, Jones threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, rookie WR Malik Nabers had eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns — together with one Odell Beckham Jr.-like circus catch ultimately zone — and New York put up 340 yards of whole offense whereas controlling time of possession (33:56 to 26:04) and making Schwartz appear to be a rookie play-caller.