Josh Allen, QB, Bills
Allen was good against a tough Minnesota defense a week ago, but reality set in on Sunday. He completed just 16-of-33 passes for 151 yards, adding two interceptions to the mix, both of which were his fault. Last week was probably a bit above Allen’s regular capabilities at this point. He doesn’t have a lot of talent around him, but his game is still flawed and his decision-making is still requiring some adjustment at the NFL level.
Jarrad Davis, LB, Lions
The Lions’ first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Davis has tools and promise but is prone to mental mistakes and errors. So when Detroit was trying to protect a one-point lead with less than two minutes left, they probably would have preferred it if Davis hadn’t had to cover Ezekiel Elliott downfield. Elliott’s 34-yard reception took the Cowboys from their own territory to field goal range, which they ultimately converted. Davis, in coverage, was simply outclassed.
Philadelphia Eagles’ defense
The unit that led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl title last year has not looked up to par this year, at least on the road. They particularly struggled in overtime, where they were staked to a three-point lead but simply couldn’t get Marcus Mariota’s Titans off the field. Not only did they give up multiple fourth-down conversions, but they allowed plenty of Titans receivers to get open and got lucky with drops or missed throws. Tennessee ended up posting 397 yards against Philadelphia, and the Eagles’ defense forced only one turnover. This isn’t quite the same unit as it was last year.
Atlanta Falcons’ defense
Atlanta’s defense really owes Matt Ryan several dinners at this point. Despite the Falcon offense, particularly Ryan, doing everything asked of them, Atlanta lost for a second consecutive week by allowing 37 points and 407 total yards to the Cincinnati Bengals. They couldn’t hold a 36-31 lead with four minutes to go and look extremely vulnerable, particularly against the passing game. Atlanta’s offense is good enough to take them far, but the defense is absolutely an enormous hindrance. The early-season injuries to Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen are proving to be too much to overcome.
Caleb Sturgis, K, Chargers
The Chargers are probably lucky that Sturgis didn’t cost them the game against San Francisco. He missed a field goal and two extra points in the 29-27 win, with the PAT misses in particular leaving the door open for a late San Francisco rally that the Los Angeles defense managed to stave off. Worryingly, it’s already his third missed PAT of the season after he failed to convert one last week against the Rams. His job status probably isn’t particularly secure right now, which is nothing new for a Chargers kicker.
New York Giants’ offense
This really should have been a big day for the New York offense, as the Saints’ defense has looked exceptionally vulnerable all season long. Instead, we got a display of Eli Manning’s limitations. He did complete 31 passes, but only for 255 yards, good for a modest 6.2 yards per completion. The team managed just 18 points and two touchdowns — one passing, one rushing — and while their defense kept it close for most of the game, the Saints won it pretty easily. Considering New Orleans’ defense allowed 48 and 37 points in two of their first three games, the Giants’ offensive showing was not good enough.
Darius Jennings, WR, Titans
The Titans did win this game, but Jennings was ultimately bailed out by his teammates. Late in overtime, Jennings was targeted from 36 yards out for what should have been a routine game-ending touchdown catch. The prospect of catching the first touchdown of his career was too much and Jennings dropped the ball, forcing the Titans to figure out another way to score. Tennessee ultimately converted, but it’s a bad moment to drop a fairly straightforward touchdown catch, particularly in a key spot in overtime.
Anthony Barr, LB, Vikings
This is a bonus item from Thursday night that needs to be included. The Rams’ offensive gameplan seemed to be pretty clear on Thursday night: attack Anthony Barr in coverage. Whenever the linebacker lined up to cover a Rams offensive player, the Rams looked to exploit the matchup, and they did so successfully. According to Pro Football Focus, Barr allowed four catches in coverage for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Jared Goff had a perfect passer rating when attacking Barr in coverage. Opposing teams will see what the Rams did against the Vikings and look to replicate the formula. Minnesota will have to make some adjustments to avoid Barr being put into such mismatches going forward.
