The Hammer Monday Week 2/3 - Takeaways, Injuries and Early Leans

Suuma's Takeaways from Week 2
By: Suuma, NFL Originator

1. Saints: closer than they look

The Saints are 0-2, but they’re a handful of plays from 2-0 against legit NFC contenders. Against San Francisco, Spencer Rattler missed Chris Olave by half a yard on a walk-in touchdown, then the drive ended with a shanked 40-yarder. Through two weeks, New Orleans has generated seven red-zone trips — the process is better than the record. Maybe Kellen Moore really has turned Rattler into something resembling a startable NFL quarterback.

2. The box score lies — Steelers & Jags edition

The Steelers fell 17–31 in Seattle, but Aaron Rodgers actually looked sharper than he did a week ago against the Jets, even while under pressure on 40% of his dropbacks. He still has throws in him that nobody else makes (see here).

Trevor Lawrence’s day tells a similar story: the interception in the end zone was ugly, but the stat line doesn’t show a dropped touchdown (Dyami Brown), a dropped ball on 4th & 5 that could have turned into a first down (Brian Thomas Jr.) and another tipped ball by a wide-open BTJ that became a pick. Lawrence wasn’t good, but he wasn’t as bad as the box will tell you either.

3. Attrition in Arizona & New York

The Cardinals’ secondary has been gutted. They’re now down their top five cornerbacks: Sean Murphy-Bunting (knee, IR), Starling Thomas (knee, IR), Max Melton (leg, left Week 2), Garrett Williams (knee, left Week 2, expected long-term), and Will Johnson (groin, left Week 2). On top of that, the defensive line is still light, with BJ Ojulari, Walter Nolen, and Bilal Nichols stuck on PUP. It’s an early-season depth crisis.

The Giants are dealing with a similar cluster issue at linebacker. Micah McFadden (foot, IR) is done for the year, while Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf) was out Week 2. Then in-game, Darius Mausau (concussion) and Chris Board (chest) both left. That leaves Bobby Okereke surrounded by practice-squad-level bodies — the proverbial “JAGs from your local 7-Eleven.”

4. The Browning–Burrow paradox

Joe Burrow left with turf toe, and once again Jake Browning stepped in without the Bengals offense collapsing. Since 2023, Browning’s EPA/play and success rate nearly mirror Burrow’s — the Spider-Man meme writes itself. With Browning, Zac Taylor calls a different game: lightning-fast release (2.42 seconds, fastest in the league this week), protecting the OL, and Browning delivers on quick hitches, and trust in Chase and Higgins to win after the catch - and on go routes. A lot of what Burrow does, too, huh? He even dropped a gorgeous deep corner to Chase. Yes, he threw three picks, but it didn’t sink the offense. It leaves you wondering: is Taylor better than we give him credit for? Or is Burrow a touch overrated? Either way, it matters for how we think about pricing Cincinnati going forward.

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Rob and Clive's Early Leans for Week 2

Rob:
Arizona/San Francisco Over 43 (-110)

Clive:
Nothing

Both:
Atlanta/Carolina Under 44.5 (-110)
Dallas PK (-105) vs. Chicago
Kansas City/NY Giants Over 42.5 (-115)
New Orleans/Seattle Under 42.5 (-110)
Pittsburgh/New England Over 43.5 (-110)

To watch their game by game analysis of Week 3 Click Here: 

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Injuries We are Watching for Week 3

Arizona - CB Will Johnson (Left Game), CB Max Melton (Left Game), CB Garrett Williams (Left Game), OL Will Hernandez (Injured Inactive), DT L.J. Collier (Left Game)
Atlanta - CB A.J. Terrell (Left Game)
Baltimore - CB Marlon Humphrey (Left Game), CB Jaire Alexander (Injured Inactive), EDGE Kyle Van Noy (Left Game), TE Isaiah Likely (Injured Inactive), FB Patrick Ricard (Injured Inactive)
Buffalo - DT Ed Oliver (Injured Inactive), CB Taron Johnson (Injured Inactive), LB Shaq Thompson (Injured Inactive), S Cam Lewis (Left Game)
Carolina - OG Robert Hunt (Left Game), OG Austin Corbett (Left Game), DT Tershawn Wharton (Injured Inactive)
Chicago - CB Kyler Gordon (Injured Inactive), CB Jaylon Johnson (Left Game), LB T.J. Edwards (Left Game)
Cincinnati - QB Joe Burrow (Long-Term Injury), EDGE Shemar Stewart (Left Game)
Cleveland - OT Jack Conklin (Injured Inactive)
Dallas - CB DaRon Bland (Injured Inactive), WR/KR KaVontae Turpin (Left Game)
Denver - LB Dre Greenlaw (Injured Inactive), CB Pat Surtain II (Left and came back in but looked hobbled)
Detroit - EDGE Marcus Davenport (Left the Game)
Green Bay - OT Zach Tom (Injured Inactive), OG Aaron Banks (Injured Inactive), WR Jayden Reed (6-8 Weeks Injury), CB Bo Melton (Injured Inactive)
Houston - TBD (Playing Tonight)
Indianapolis - CB Charvarius Ward (Injured Inactive), EDGE Laiatu Latu (Injured Inactive)
Jacksonville - CB Montaric Brown (Injured Inactive)
Kansas City - CB Kristian Fulton (Left Game), WR Xavier Worthy (Injured Inactive), WR Jaylen Royals (Injured Inactive), EDGE Mike Danna (Left Game)
Las Vegas - TBD (Playing Tonight)
L.A Chargers - TBD (Playing Tonight)
L.A Rams - OG Steve Avila (Injured Inactive), TE Colby Parkinson (Injured Inactive), CB Akhello Witherspoon (Broken Clavicle)         
Miami - CB Storm Duck (Injured Inactive), TE Darren Waller (Injured Inactive), RB Jaylen Wright (Injured Inactive)
Minnesota - OT Christian Darrisaw (Injured Inactive), C Ryan Kelly (Left Game), EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel (Injured Inactive), CB Jeff Okudah (Injured Inactive), S Harrison Smith (Inactive), RB Aaron Jones (Left Game), OT Justin Skule (Left Game)
New England - CB Christian Gonzalez (Injured Inactive), EDGE Keion White (Injured Inactive), OT Morgan Moses (Left Game)
New Orleans - OG Trevor Penning (Injured Inactive), EDGE Chase Young (Injured Inactive)
New York Giants - OT Andrew Thomas (Injured Inactive), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Injured Inactive)
New York Jets - QB Justin Fields (Left Game), EDGE Jermaine Johnson II (Left Game), CB Michael Carter II (Left Game), S Tony Adams (Left Game), WR Josh Reynolds (Injured Inactive)
Philadelphia - TE Dallas Goedart (Injured Inactive)
Pittsburgh - EDGE Alex Highsmith (Left Game), S DeShon Elliot (Injured Inactive), CB Joey Porter Jr. (Injured Inactive), IDL Derrick Harmon (Injured Inactive), IDL Isaiahh Loudermilk (Left Game)
San Francisco - QB Brock Purdy (Injured Inactive), OG Ben Bartch (Left Game), FB Kyle Juszczyk (Left Game)
Seattle - CB Devon Witherspoon (Injured Inactive), S Nick Emmanwori (Injured Inactive)
Tampa Bay - TBD (Playing Tonight)
Tennessee - OT JC Latham (Injured Inactive), NT T'Vondre Sweat (Injured Inactive)
Washington - QB Jayden Daniels (Limping got an MRI), WR Noah Brown (Left Game), EDGE Deatrich Wise Jr. (Season Over), RB Austin Ekeler (Season Over)
 

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