8. Is Kareem Hunt an MVP candidate?
No one seems to be able to turn his running backs into households names quite like Andy Reid, and rookie Kareem hunt took less than a month to become the next one. The former Toledo star leads the NFL by a mile with 401 rushing yards and 538 yards from scrimmage. He has scored four rushing touchdowns and added another two receiving. Not bad for a guy who was thrust into a starting role when Spencer Ware went down with a season-ending injury in late August.
Quarterbacks almost always win the NFL MVP award, but it will be impossible to ignore Hunt as a legitimate candidate if he continues to carve up opposing defenses.
9. Will Adam Gase’s criticism spark Miami’s offense?
Dolphins head coach Adam Gase “called his team’s offense garbage” in the wake of its Week 3 loss to the New York Jets. He’s not wrong, as Miami managed just six points against arguably the worst team in the NFL. Running back Jay Ajayi, who broke out in 2016, was held to just 16 yards on 11 carries. Jay Cutler hasn’t been horrible in his first two games with his new team, but Gase apparently isn’t going to be patient while the team goes through some growing pains.
With skill players like Ajayi, Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker, and a coach who used to be an offensive coordinator, the Dolphins shouldn’t have problems putting up points. Gase will probably have a lot worse to say if they can’t find a way hang a big number on the Saints’ leaky defense in London on Sunday.
10. What will Odell Beckham Jr. do if he finds the end zone?
Beckham helped get the Giants’ offense going last week by scoring his first two touchdowns of the season. However, he was flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct after he pretended to pee like a dog in the end zone following his first score. The penalty wasn’t costly, as the Eagles fumbled on their ensuing possession. That doesn’t mean Beckham’s bosses were happy with him.
Giants co-owner John Mara said he was “very unhappy” with Beckham’s celebration, and the star wide receiver reportedly met with Mara during the week. When reporters asked him about the flag, Beckham expressed no remorse and said he’d do anything he felt necessary to spark the team. It will be interesting to see if his conversation with Mara changed his outlook and what Beckham does if he scores.
11. Do the Vikings have the best wide receiver duo in football?
The short answer is “no,” but the numbers tell a different story. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs rank second and third in the NFL with 299 yards and 293 yards receiving, respectively. They showed outstanding chemistry with Sam Bradford in Week 1, and they have managed to keep the good times rolling with backup quarterback Case Keenum while Bradford rests his injured knee.
No one is going to compared Thielen and Diggs to Randy Moss and Cris Carter from a talent standpoint, but Minnesota’s revamped offense appears to be the real deal. The Vikings host the Lions, who have given up 249.3 yards per game, in Week 4. Their two wideouts have a great opportunity to keep padding their stats.
12. Is Adrian Peterson’s knee injury a cause for concern?
Peterson has been a major disappointment in his first three games with the Saints, rushing for just 77 yards on 23 carries. As if his lack of production and age (32) weren’t big enough concerns, Peterson missed Thursday’s practice with what is reportedly a minor knee injury. There’s a good chance the day off was more about rest and maintenance, but any knee injury for a 32-year-old with a history of knee issues is a concern.
Mark Ingram ran effectively for New Orleans in 2016. If Peterson continues to struggle and/or is dealing with an injury, he could slowly keep losing reps to Ingram and rookie running back Alvin Kamara.
13. How will the Raiders respond to the beatdown?
Many considered the Raiders to be a Super Bowl contender entering the season. But in Week 3, they looked like a team that would contend for the No. 1 overall draft pick. They were destroyed by Washington in a Sunday night game on the road. They looked like the Raiders from the mid-2000s with their ineptitude on offense as they barely cracked 200 total yards.
This weekend they have a tough divisional matchup at Denver. Will they return to the form they displayed in Weeks 1 and 2? They need to, otherwise they would fall behind in a very tough AFC West, which could result in them fighting for a wild card spot. The good news is Derek Carr seemed unshaken by the blowout loss, which bodes well for their chances at a bounceback game.
14. Will the Seahawks finally look like the Seahawks of old?
Has the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl window closed? Some believe it has, but the Seahawks have a chance to say otherwise in Week 4 and get back on track.
Seattle enters Week 4 against Indianapolis with a losing record following tough road losses to the Packers and Titans. Their early schedule did them no favors. Thankfully they get to return home and face a Colts team that is not very good, despite Jacoby Brissett having them looking competitive. The old Seahawks that went to consecutive Super Bowls in the 2013 and 2014 seasons would have gotten up early on a team like the Colts and forced them into mistakes that they’d cash in. Will we see the turnover-forcing defense in Week 4 from Seattle that creates opportunities for the offense, leading to a blowout victory? We shall see.
15. Can the Chargers finally get a victory?
The Eagles have tons of momentum entering Sunday’s game against the Chargers following their last-second victory over the rival Giants last weekend. If they’re not careful, they could get blindsided by an LA team hungry for its first win.
The Chargers are 0-3 after missing last-second kicks in Weeks 1 and 2 and seeing Philip Rivers turn the ball over a ton against Kansas City in Week 3 (three interceptions). They very easily could be 2-1. They have playmakers on defense and an offense that can move the ball. The question is can they eliminate mistakes, such as interceptions and missed kicks? If so, this could be the week they get in the win column.
