NFL Week 3: 15 Observations on overtime rules, Josh Allen and more
By Zach Cohen
8. Josh Allen is an early MVP candidate
Is it ridiculous to start this conversation so early in the season? Maybe. If it ended today, my ballot would look like so: 1. Russell Wilson, 2. Josh Allen, 3. Kyler Murray. Buffalo’s offense is Allen. Going into Sunday, the Bills had a top-two passing offense and used Allen as a focal point in their run game.
That continued against Los Angeles, in which Allen threw 33 passes and ran four times for a combined five touchdowns. He’s been a legit difference-maker for Buffalo and deserves all the praise right now.
7. I wouldn’t buy any early-season Browns’ hype
Mainly because the hype always seems to be premature with Cleveland. More importantly, though, the Browns’ two victories came against the Bengals and the Football Team. They could easily be two of the worst teams in the NFL.
While it’s encouraging that Baker Mayfield and Co. have been able to pull off the wins, their next three games will be much more telling: at Dallas, versus Indianapolis, at Pittsburgh. But hey, congrats on the win, Cleveland!
6. Matthew Stafford deserves more national respect
He’s never been the best quarterback, but he’s arguably been a top-10 quarterback for most of his career. The 12-year veteran has only led his team to double-digit wins twice, but most of that can be attributed to the uninspiring roster around him. Stafford showed against Arizona — who admittedly don’t have a great defense — that he is still, at best, a top-ten passer in the NFL.
Beyond his 22-for-31 stat line was the poise and accuracy that Stafford has shown since his early days in a Detroit uniform. He may not have the legs of Russell Wilson or the surrounding cast of Drew Brees, but make no mistake: Stafford is a top veteran quarterback.
5. Adam Gase is a walking dead man
Not because he just isn’t a good coach, though. The Jets’ brutal 36-7 loss to the Colts today wasn’t all on Gase. Most of the Jets’ best players were injured, including Le’Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder. Still, at what point will general manager Joe Douglas look at his team and realize they’re not going to improve?
Gase is a leftover from the previous regime. So is Bell. If Douglas were smart, he’d know that to get the franchise on his desired path, he’ll have to do things his way. That means at a minimum, Gase has got to go.