NFL gameday information: The Tremendous Bowl favorite is? Plus a Davante Adams storm, Invoice Belichick watch and Derrick Henry heroics | NFL Information

The NFL is one month into the 2024 season, with the Baltimore Ravens operating riot, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs going through questions and the San Francisco 49ers but to get going. We look forward to Week 5…

Editor’s observe…

Technique to go, Davante Adams. Look what you have gone and finished to this completely mundane, uneventful begin to the 2024 NFL season?! I child, I child. The NFL is aware of no such factor as mundane.

Adams and his commerce request with the Las Vegas Raiders has been the story of the week, the storm of the week, if you’ll. Such is the fashionable manner of the world, it arrived after Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce had appeared to love an Instagram submit suggesting his star vast receiver had performed his ultimate snaps for the workforce. Social media will get ya.

A minimum of seven groups have reportedly both inquired about Adams or symbolize an excellent touchdown spot for the three-time first-team All-Professional, in keeping with NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport. That features a potential reunion with Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets. In the meantime, soccer historians quietly rooting for a Kansas Metropolis Chiefs three-peat are ready on Brett Veach to drag off some Simone Biles-calibre wage cap gymnastics and make a league-rocking splash for Adams in gentle of Rashee Rice’s knee harm. Patrick Mahomes to Davante Adams? Erm, sure please.

4 weeks into the season, it seems like an excellent level to evaluate the NFL panorama to date. For one, passing yards are considerably down on common throughout the league, with groups at the moment averaging 201.2 passing yards per recreation – the fewest since 2003.

It’s troublesome to level the finger in the direction of anybody cause. Extra younger quarterbacks are being thrown into the fold instantly, with rookies Caleb Williams and Bo Nix enduring gradual begins – Jayden Daniels maybe the glowing exception. Will Levis and Bryce Younger additionally slumped among the many worst-performing quarterbacks within the league over the opening month – the latter being benched for veteran Andy Dalton – whereas the Miami Dolphins have been with out Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love has missed time with the Inexperienced Bay Packers. On high of that, the league continues to see a wave of two-high security shells and umbrella coverages designed to stamp down on chunk performs. One thing to observe over the approaching weeks.

The Baltimore Ravens couldn’t care much less. Since dropping by a toe to the Chiefs and falling to the any-given-week Raiders, they’ve regarded like the most effective and most full workforce in soccer whereas torching the Dallas Cowboys and Josh Allen-led Buffalo Payments behind their Derrick Henry-Lamar Jackson tandem of destruction. Henry already leads the league with 480 dashing yards and 5 touchdowns from 80 carries, posting 199 yards on the bottom final outing in opposition to the Payments; he appears each bit the needle-mover the Ravens had hoped for of their bid to make their expertise depend come playoff time.

However whereas the Ravens collect tempo, the league awaits a primary significant assertion from Joe Burrow following his return from harm at the beginning of the season. At his unflappable greatest, many would pit him in a bunch with Allen and Jackson as second solely to Mahomes. His Cincinnati Bengals are 1-3 and but to make a dent with one of many NFL’s most gifted offenses.

Mahomes and the Chiefs are an ideal 4-0 with out being wherever near good as they enter a testing interval following the lack of Rice, the Christian McCaffrey-less San Francisco 49ers have been blunted by accidents to star gamers – amplified by a current reliance on No 3 receiver Jauan Jennings – the league is questioning whether or not Sam Darnold can preserve his staggering type with the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings, and Ben Johnson is nearly beginning to spin his magic with the awakening Detroit Lions.

Elsewhere, Mike McDaniel faces a uncommon spot of strain amid Miami’s collapse because the lack of Tua, with Matt LaFleur’s success with Malik Willis within the absence of Love, Kevin O’Connell’s position in Darnold’s resurgence and Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen warding off the Pittsburgh Steelers behind Joe Flacco proving video games and seasons shouldn’t must be written off when beginning quarterbacks fall. In fact, the Dolphins aren’t helped by one of many worst offensive strains in soccer. And with that’s one other vital reflection of Tua’s oft-questioned worth to the Dolphins.

And naturally there may be the Cowboys, who by no means appear too removed from chaos. Between blockbuster new offers for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and the lasting noise of their playoff collapse to the Packers, there may be ever-present expectation on Mike McCarthy, whose shaky begin comes with Invoice Belichick ready within the wings for his subsequent NFL job. Would not assist that Jayden Daniels has determined to shake up the NFC East as among the finest quarterbacks in soccer.

One other early commentary? The rookie receivers are stars. Malik Nabers is Daniel Jones’ dream elevator, Brian Thomas Jr is a solitary shiny spot for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Marvin Harrison Jr is threatening to explode below Drew Petzing and the understaffed Carolina Panthers have discovered one thing in Xavier Legette.

Oh, and the NFL is again in London for the subsequent three weeks. Merry Christmas, UK followers.

To summarise, the Ravens could be the most effective, however undecided. The Chiefs are unbeaten, whereas off to their worst begin on offense within the Mahomes period. The 49ers are nonetheless warming up, the Philadelphia Eagles protection is a large number and the Payments are nonetheless contenders however simply bought set alight by King Henry. Tremendous Bowl favorite? Ask me once more in three weeks.

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Neil Reynolds and Phoebe Schecter look forward to the NFL’s Week 5 fixtures and make their predictions…

Across the league

• NFL Community reported Tuesday that Las Vegas Raiders vast receiver Davante Adams has requested a commerce, and that his most popular vacation spot is the New York Jets, which might imply a reunion with former Inexperienced Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers.
• Miami Dolphins move rusher Jaelan Phillips introduced he’ll miss the rest of the season with a knee harm suffered throughout Monday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans.
• Buffalo Payments edge rusher Von Miller has been suspended 4 video games for violating the NFL’s Private Conduct Coverage.
• Houston Texans defensive lineman Dylan Horton returned to follow this week for the primary time since final November having been recognized with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Horton is in remission after finishing his therapies.
• Cleveland Browns operating again Nick Chubb was designated to return to follow having been sidelined since struggling a year-ending knee harm throughout Week Two of the 2023 season.
• Minnesota Vikings head coach introduced they’ve opened the follow window for tight finish T.J. Hockenson, who has been out since tearing his ACL in opposition to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve.
• The San Francisco 49ers signed vast receiver Terique Owens, son of Corridor of Famer Terrell Owens, to their follow squad.

What to observe in Week 5

Sunday, 6pm – Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals: And right here we had been considering Micah Parsons represented the NFL’s most notable modern-day beacon of a profitable transition from off-ball linebacker to outright edge rusher. We see you, Kyle Van Noy! And we applaud you! Okay, so he could also be no Micah Parsons, however the Ravens veteran has reinvented himself whereas taking part in at an absurd stage by means of the opening 4 weeks of the season, racking up two sacks in every of his final three video games; solely 4 gamers have produced two sacks in 4 consecutive video games because the sack turned an official statistic in 1982. Van Noy now additionally has 15 sacks in 18 video games since becoming a member of the workforce. Baltimore’s protection is but to fairly totally regulate to life with out Mike Macdonald, however their two-time Tremendous Bowl-winning linebacker has been a shock focus.

Placing a two-way steadiness appears to have been a long-time want for the Cincinnati Bengals offense, which took strides in the direction of reaching as a lot in Week 4 as Chase Brown and Zack Moss ignited the bottom recreation with 131 dashing yards and two touchdowns (each courtesy of Brown) from 13 carries between them. Their subsequent take a look at comes in opposition to a Ravens protection ranked first in opposition to the run, having simply restricted the Buffalo Payments to 81 dashing yards.

Sunday, 9.05pm – Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers: Drew Petzing occupies probably the most fun-filled jobs within the NFL as offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals, the off-script heroics and cannon arm of Kyler Murray at his disposal alongside standout rookie vast receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. His job is overseeing the expansion of their rapport; the pair has teased fireworks – most notably in Harrison’s 130-yard, two-touchdown recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams – whereas nonetheless evidently within the means of synching up the timing of route breaks and Murray’s launch and placement. Harrison, the fourth general choose on the Draft, has 15 catches from 28 targets for 243 yards and 4 touchdowns to date this season.

The 49ers in the meantime proceed to observe the well being of linebacker Fred Warner after the minor ankle harm he picked up in opposition to the New England Patriots in Week 4. No defender within the league is taking part in higher soccer than Warner, who has two interceptions – together with a pick-six – a sack and three pressured fumbles in 4 video games this season. He’s the prototypical modern-day do-everything inside linebacker.

Sunday Night time Soccer, 1.20am – Dallas Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Storied franchises meet in Sunday Night time Soccer, with the Cowboys and Steelers having confronted one another in additional Tremendous Bowls than some other groups in league historical past. With that mentioned, Dallas will journey to Pittsburgh for the primary time in eight years this weekend. However the billing of two nice move rushers buying and selling game-wrecking blows might but be placed on maintain, with Micah Parsons having been nursing an ankle harm because the Cowboys put together to face TJ Watt. Dallas, who’ve been getting ready as if Parsons is not going to be obtainable, are additionally with out DeMarcus Lawrence, in flip heightening the strain on second-year defensive sort out Mazi Smith following his career-best recreation in opposition to the New York Giants.

Steelers quarterback Justin Fields enters the sport 77 of 109 (70.6 per cent) for 830 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, having additionally rushed for 145 yards and three scores from 38 carries amid Pittsburgh’s 3-1 begin to the marketing campaign. It comes as no shock that Pittsburgh have been one of many groups to investigate about trade-seeking Davante Adams, with the early levels of the season highlighting the necessity to present assist for George Pickens in Pittsburgh’s aerial assault. Pickens leads the Steelers with 20 catches from 29 targets for, although it may very well be the bottom recreation – injury-permitting – that proves Pittsburgh’s buddy in opposition to a Cowboys protection ranked twenty seventh in opposition to the run.

Monday Night time Soccer, 1.15am – Kansas Metropolis Chiefs @ New Orleans Saints: Simply how devastating is the lack of Rashee Rice? And simply how massive a job will Xavier Worthy be anticipated to play? The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are about to face some urgent questions as they resume their Tremendous Bowl three-peat mission with out star receiver Rice, who suffered a severe knee harm throughout final weekend’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Rice leads the Chiefs with 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns from the second-largest goal share within the NFL, his absence probably which means a heightened position for rookie speedster Worthy, whose vertical-heavy route-tree might now incorporate extra crossing and yards-after-catch tasks. A soon-to-be 35-year-old Kelce is in the meantime as soon as once more as essential as he ever has been having largely performed a secondary position to Rice over the opening month.

It might be an ideal time for the New Orleans Saints to tackle the unbeaten Tremendous Bowl champions as they appear to reply to back-to-back defeats following their lightning begin to the marketing campaign. For all that has been mentioned of Klint Kubiak’s pyro-enthused offense, it’s onerous to not maintain your eyes on a Saints secondary by no means too removed from the motion. Cornerback Alontae Taylor had 3.5 sacks on the yr (three of which got here in a single recreation), Paulson Adebo has 32 tackles (second amongst all corners) in addition to a tied-league-most seven move defenses and two interceptions, whereas security Tyrann Mathieu, whose instincts have not actually misplaced a beat, is as much as three move defenses, two interceptions and a pressured fumble. Adebo particularly has been on the coronary heart of the drama; he endured a combined outing in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons in protection in opposition to Drake London and with a expensive move interference penalty, however has continued his rise as one of many league’s most disruptive gamers on the catch level.

Who mentioned what?

Dolphins vast receiver Tyreek Hill on commerce hypothesis: “I’m just focused on right here and right now. We’ve got a beautiful team here and I want to be a part of it. We’ve got a great situation here. My family loves it, I enjoy it, the weather’s great, the fans are great. So, we’ve got a beautiful situation here, man. Obviously, my parents always taught me to control the controllables. I only can control so much. With that being said, we all know the NFL is a business. Whatever happens, happens. Moving forward, I would love to be here. I love being here. I love the guys.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the opportunity of taking part in in new worldwide markets: “Yes. We’re already looking at several markets. We do have a lot of markets that are interested in the game, but we have to go do the work because one of the things that we do, particularly with Brazil – it was a key factor for us — you want the teams to feel like it was not disruptive to the season.”

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow forward of Cincinnati’s conflict with the Ravens: “You’ve got to be aggressive out the gate. You can’t let the game come to you because your possessions are going to be so limited. I’m gonna have to play damn near perfect. That’s how I’m preparing, so it’s an exciting opportunity.”

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson amid his workforce’s 0-4 begin: “I would know. I talk to those guys every day. I see them every day. And no, I have not lost the locker room. I think these guys have done everything I’ve asked. They continue to play and practice hard and battle. And it’s a good group – the right leaders in there. They know – they know what we need to do. They’re not making excuses for it. I’m not making excuses. We’ve just got to go do it.”

Jets receiver Garrett Wilson: “I don’t think we do a lot of different stuff, to be honest. When I watch football on Sundays and I see a lot of teams who mix it up and stuff like that. I don’t feel like we do that. I think we know our identity. It’s just about going out and executing it or figuring out if it’s going to work. I don’t think we’re trying a lot of different things.”

The stats

• Texans vast receiver Nico Collins leads the NFL with 489 receiving yards, along with his closest rival being Giants rookie Malik Nabers with 389. Collins is on report tempo with an opportunity to interrupt Calvin Johnson’s NFL report of 1,964 yards in 2012
• Ravens operating again Derrick Henry wants simply 18 dashing yards and a scrimmage landing on Sunday to turn into the fifth participant in historical past with a minimum of 10,000 dashing yards and 100 scrimmage touchdowns in his first 125 video games
• Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby has recorded a sack in eight of his final 9 video games in opposition to the Broncos as Las Vegas tackle Denver this weekend
• Jordan Mason’s 447 dashing yards are the second-most by means of the primary 4 video games of the season in 49ers historical past, behind solely Christian McCaffrey
• The Dolphins are the one workforce within the NFL that has not led in a recreation by means of the opening 4 weeks

Important studying

Do Mahomes and the Chiefs have an issue?

Are the Tremendous Bowl champions good? Is the NFL’s greatest quarterback nonetheless the most effective? Is likely one of the league’s solely two remaining undefeated groups a contender? Unusual questions, and unusual occasions for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Extra of that are to return.

Andy Reid’s back-to-back defending champions are an ideal 4-0 to start out the season of their mission to attain the not possible by changing into the primary workforce ever to win three successive Tremendous Bowls. And but, one thing would not sit proper.

Sky Sports activities NFL editor Cam Hogwood explores Kansas Metropolis’s begin to the season as they regulate to the lack of Rashee Rice…

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Watch the Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals from 6pm reside on Sky Sports activities NFL this Sunday, adopted by the Arizona Cardinals in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers from 9.05pm; the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs face the New Orleans Saints in Monday Night time Soccer; Additionally stream with NOW.