PodcastFrom NFL: The Insiders
The Insiders Podcast: Giants QB Jaxson Dart may miss regular season + Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. set to start TNF
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
44 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 23, 2026
Published
Wed, September 23, 2026
24
Player insights
24
Players mentioned
Topics
Alec PierceBaker MayfieldBrandin CooksBrock BowersCaleb WilliamsCody WhiteD.J. MooreDallas GoedertJ.K. DobbinsJameis WinstonJayden DanielsJonah ColemanJordan LoveKyler Murray
Player analysis
Player insights
Alec Pierce
NegativeInjury26:32
Alec Pierce re-aggravated a heel injury and is opting for non-surgical rehab. There is no guarantee he returns midseason as hoped.
Insight pageBaker Mayfield
NegativeUsage28:18
The Buccaneers are expected to increase their commitment to the run game in Week 3 to help protect Baker Mayfield and manage the offense against the Vikings' blitz-heavy defense.
Insight pageBrandin Cooks
PositiveDepth Chart41:32
The 49ers signed Brandin Cooks to the practice squad to provide an infusion of speed to their offense, with the source expecting him to be elevated to the 53-man roster shortly.
Insight pageBrock Bowers
PositiveRole24:32
The Raiders expect Brock Bowers to make his season debut this Sunday. Despite being a tight end, the team views him as a 'receiver one' and a dynamic nightmare for defenses.
Insight pageCaleb Williams
NegativeInjury10:16
Caleb Williams is dealing with a hamstring injury that is considered week-to-week. While it is not a long-term injury, he is unlikely to play on Monday night, and the team must be patient to avoid re-aggravation.
Insight pageCody White
PositiveBreakout25:14
Raiders wideout Cody White, elevated from the practice squad, had an impactful Week 2 performance, doubling his career receiving touchdown totals in a single game and securing a contested catch.
Insight pageD.J. Moore
NegativeInjury31:19
DJ Moore is day-to-day with an AC joint sprain after landing hard on his shoulder. It is a pain tolerance issue, but he has a shot to play this week.
Insight pageDallas Goedert
NegativeInjury39:10
Dallas Goedert is expected to miss a few weeks, prompting the Eagles to bring back Zach Ertz to bolster the tight end position.
Insight pageJ.K. Dobbins
NegativeInjury28:38
J.K. Dobbins' recent hamstring concern was minor and turned out to be just cramps; he is expected to be good to go for Sunday.
Insight pageJameis Winston
NegativeRole3:35
Jameis Winston is set to take over as the Giants' starting quarterback. The team plans to tailor the offense to his strengths, which includes moving away from the mobile-heavy scheme used by Jackson Dart and focusing more on the run game.
Insight pageJayden Daniels
NegativeInjury14:00
Jaden Daniels is dealing with a recurring left elbow dislocation. The team is currently evaluating options, including potential season-ending surgery, though they are exploring if he can play through it with a brace.
Insight pageJonah Coleman
NegativeUsage28:51
After an impressive performance with a touchdown, there is speculation about whether Jonah Coleman will see an increased role in the Broncos' offense moving forward.
Insight pageJordan Love
PositiveProjection23:24
Jordan Love has performed well through two games with over 500 passing yards and four touchdowns, earning praise for his leadership and command despite a banged-up offensive line.
Insight pageKyler Murray
PositiveInjury21:42
Kyler Murray has cleared concussion protocol and is set to start for the Vikings in Week 3. He returns to a team with a highly aggressive, blitz-heavy defense.
Insight pageMalik Nabers
PositiveInjury8:32
Malik Nabers suffered a subluxation of his ankle during the game but was able to return, and the expectation is that he should be okay moving forward.
Insight pageMichael Penix Jr.
NegativeProjection21:49
Michael Penix Jr. is set to make his season debut for the Falcons on Thursday night. Opponents are treating him like a rookie due to his lack of recent playing time.
Insight pageMichael Pittman
NegativeInjury36:42
Michael Pittman Jr. is dealing with a flare-up of plantar fasciitis in his feet, which is described as incredibly uncomfortable and persistent; his status remains a concern.
Insight pageMike Evans
PositiveInjury40:21
Mike Evans is expected to be good to go after dealing with a hip injury that the 49ers do not believe is serious.
Insight pageNico Collins
PositiveInjury25:46
Nico Collins, who missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury, has a chance to play this Sunday. The team expects him to practice this week and ramp up to full participation.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeInjury27:46
Puka Nakua is dealing with a hip/groin issue that is day-to-day, but the team is more hopeful than expecting regarding his availability, and a multi-week absence would not be a surprise.
Insight pageSam Darnold
PositiveInjury17:24
Sam Darnold is healing faster than expected from a glute injury and is expected to return to practice this week, with a chance to play against Washington.
Insight pageSaquon Barkley
PositiveInjury38:42
Saquon Barkley is checking out okay after suffering a stinger in his last game; he has extra time to recover as the team's work week is delayed.
Insight pageTyson Bagent
NegativeInjury10:26
Tyson Bagent is currently in the NFL's concussion protocol, which may force the Bears to start Case Keenum on Monday night.
Insight pageZay Flowers
PositiveInjury22:09
Zay Flowers is working his way back from a hamstring injury and has a shot to return to action this week; he is not expected to have a bye week immediately following, so the team is focused on getting him back into the flow.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. From sigh of relief to a giant sized gasp, Jackson Dart's knee injury worse than initially thought, the latest just ahead.
0:09Falcons get their quarterback back, Michael Penix, set to start on Thursday night.
0:13While the Cowboys and Ravens ready for Rio, but is the playing surface?
0:17It's all on the docket as we welcome you to a Tuesday edition of The Insiders presented by Progressive Insurance.
0:23I am Rhett Lewis, full house of insiders here with us.
0:27Mike Garofalo, Jeff Darlington, Judy Batista and friends let us begin with what is new today.
0:32And that is certainly the news out of East Rutherford, New Jersey where Giants quarterback Jackson Dart receiving bad news on the injured knee.
0:39Injured on the initial, the final play of the first drive of the game after getting sandwiched in between Josiah Stewart, Byron Young.
0:46Knee bends awkwardly. I thought serious injury might have been avoided last night, but new details emerging today after additional imaging.
0:53Mike Garofalo, let's start right there. Head coach John Harbaugh did not offer many additional details.
0:58What's the latest on Dart's knee? Rhett, we reported Ian Rappaport and I earlier today that the MRI showed a knee injury
1:05for Jackson Dart that was much more serious than the team had led on last night.
1:10Remember Joe Shane talking to Laura Rutledge during the broadcast and saying that he's going to be okay.
1:16John Harbaugh after the game said it was really good news that it's not what you're talking about, meaning a questioner who was alluding to the ACL.
1:24Now, we do know, we have been told that it's not the ACL.
1:28That's not the more serious injury here. So that's intact.
1:31I guess that's a glimmer of good news here, but the bad news is there was more damage here than initially thought
1:38initially thought to be a NCL sprain that would have had him sidelined for somewhere in the realm of say four to six weeks, something like that.
1:47The timeline is going to be longer and our expectation or belief right now is that season-ending surgery is strongly on the table for Jackson Dart.
1:55Harbaugh didn't want to answer because they're still going through this until they have a final answer.
2:00He doesn't want to say anything, but we understand this is going to be a long absence duty for Jackson Dart, potentially for the rest of the season.
2:09Right. So now the Giants have to proceed without Jackson Dart.
2:12This season was supposed to be all about Dart's development.
2:15Now it is going to be about how Jameis Winston can get them through the season.
2:20It was rough last night when Jameis Winston went in there.
2:24There's no question. The expectation around the Giants is that with a week of preparation and going forward with preparation as the
2:31starter and with an offense more tailored to what Jameis Winston can do, things will look a lot better going forward.
2:37So what are they going to do? Well, he doesn't use his legs the way Jackson Dart uses his legs.
2:44So that part of the game will presumably come out.
2:47He was under a lot of pressure from the Rams last night.
2:50He really struggled against the Blitz. Mostly what the Giants want to do is run the ball, run the ball a lot more than they ran last night.
2:59They weren't having much success early. And then, of course, they went away from the run because they got into a big hole early in the game.
3:08They don't want to be in a game where Jameis Winston is throwing the ball 35 times.
3:13They don't even want to be in a game where Jackson Dart has to throw the ball 35 times.
3:19So they want to run the ball better. And then Harbaugh said this right after the game.
3:24And this holds true for James Winston. They've got to finish drives.
3:28They were in Rams territory six times last night and came away with only six points in the game.
3:34That's not going to work no matter who your quarterback is.
3:37Certainly not with a backup quarterback. So they got to run the ball better and they got to finish drives when they get the chance to score.
3:46Certainly they have to be prepared. The good news for them is the next few games against the Titans, the Cardinals, the
3:53Commanders, probably without Jaden Daniels, should give the Giants an opportunity to win some games and also to settle into what the
4:00offense will look like without Jackson Dart. Yeah, you know, Judy, we talked so much about culture and setting the culture and all of that.
4:08And really what the Giants are going to see now is how well new coach John Harbaugh has done that brought in
4:14a bunch of new guys, brought in a bunch of his guys, obviously the draft class we've seen a lot of positivity there.
4:22But what happens when things go in a way that you are certainly not expecting?
4:26And so week two, they lose Jackson Dart, thought it was going to be a short term injury.
4:32Obviously, now there's a very strong possibility as Mike and I have reported that he is out for the season, that he's
4:39facing season ending surgery, that it's backup quarterback Jameis Winston in there and so much hope and optimism that the Giants had is now gone.
4:47How do they respond to this is really going to go a long way in determining not just what this season is
4:54like for the New York Giants, but what the future short term is like for the John Harbaugh led team.
5:00A lot at stake here for the Giants, Mike.
5:03And a lot more than just the quarterback going down.
5:06Now, all the questions, all of the questions to John Harbaugh during his press conference today were about Jackson Dart.
5:12Yeah, an injury to Malik Nabors, their top wide receiver.
5:15You also had Andrew Thomas, who seemed to be struggling last night through something.
5:20Brian Burns too, excuse me, with his pro bowl ability.
5:23I mean, you would think that that would be something you didn't even ask about him.
5:28But a low ankle sprain from my understanding, he was going through testing we'll see about his status as we get through the week here.
5:36A lot of this stuff became a subhead, became a side note once the Jackson Dart news came out this afternoon.
5:42So neighbors should be okay. That was a subluxation that popped out and popped right back in.
5:48He returned to the game. We'll see about Burns at this point.
5:51The best I'm getting on him is questionable for this upcoming weekend against the Titans with Brian Dable coming back into town
5:58as the offensive coordinator and Robert Sala, the former Jets coach showing up as well.
6:03Just a couple of storylines to track there for the Giants heading into week three.
6:08I've got that game. I'll be fine. Plenty to talk about, Rhett.
6:11Fair enough. All right, let's get to some perhaps brighter news on the quarterback front.
6:16It does appear that Caleb Williams, unlike Dart, did avoid serious injury to his hamstring.
6:21Happened late in the loss to the Vikings. Carded off, but now considered week to week.
6:26Tyson Bajan came in and was sacked on a last chance fourth down by the Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner.
6:32Bajan's now in concussion protocol, which means Case Keenum could be in line to start on Monday Night Football next week.
6:39Oh, by the way, hi Ian. Nice to have you.
6:42Better late than never. Appreciate you. I know you've been busy today with a plethora of shows over at ESPN.
6:48Let's start with how the Bears are approaching their quarterback availability ahead of Monday night.
6:53Yeah, you're actually seeing so many of the shows behind me in a rotating backdrop.
6:57Actually really like the ambiance we've created here. Anyway, let's talk about Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
7:03You're right. Does not seem to be a long-term injury for Caleb Williams, but as of right now, it's fair to say
7:10we just do not know how long Caleb Williams is going to be out.
7:14Unlikely to play on Monday, that much we know week to week is real.
7:19It is a hamstring. He is an athletic mobile quarterback.
7:22He needs to be fully healthy when he plays, so time will tell how quickly he recovers.
7:27And you're right, this will be the time we'd be talking about Tyson Bajan and how equipped he is to come in
7:34for the Chicago Bears and play except he's now in the NFL's concussion protocol as well.
7:39Case Keenum, who started a lot of games in his career, who certainly can do it if needed.
7:45He could potentially be the starter on Monday night football for the Bears.
7:49Well, Ian, you mentioned the idea of this being a week-to-week proposition certainly being the case, especially with the soft tissue injury.
7:56Now, when you do look at the Bears schedule, assuming that he doesn't play Monday night football, you have the Jets up
8:03next and then you have the Packers on October 11th.
8:06Obviously, everybody in Chicago is going to be eyeing this Caleb Williams return for that game.
8:11But then again, everybody in Chicago also knows this is a long season.
8:15Once they get through that game, they actually don't have another divisional opponent until late November.
8:20So the schedule actually allows them some level of patience with Caleb Williams.
8:24I still think though, they're going to be very antsy to get him back on the field with an injury like this.
8:31So it is so easy to re-aggravate it. The Chicago Bears have to find a way to be patient.
8:37And we will stay right there in that quarterback draft class.
8:40Unfortunately, another quarterback injury we are talking about, Jaden Daniels.
8:43The injury situation we're following with the commanders following another dislocation of that same left elbow, similar injury.
8:49It's the same elbow he had a year ago, forced him to miss time, happened at the end of the first half,
8:56and a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Mike Garofalo, where does Daniels go from here with this injury?
9:01Potentially to the operating table. I mean, that's what's being discussed right now as through today and into tomorrow, Daniels and the
9:08commanders were going over options with noted experts here because he'd like to avoid surgery here if at all possible.
9:15And surgery might be a season ending type thing.
9:17Whereas could he brace it up in a couple of weeks, play through it, rehab it?
9:22We have seen that happen before. We've seen it with him before, and then maybe get it taken care of surgically in the offseason.
9:30Is that a way of handling this? All the options are on the table with him.
9:35So much like Jackson Dart going through all that now, the commanders decision, Jeff, whether they put them on IR, whether they
9:42don't, we'll give you an indication of what they believe the timeline is.
9:46If they don't, the chance to get them back within four weeks is definitely on the table.
9:51I mean, Mike, what a painful start to the show.
9:54This is unbelievable. Just the uncertainty with these franchise quarterbacks and a situation with Jaden Daniels, too, where we're looking at two elbow injuries in two years.
10:03And this is part of the concern for the commanders here.
10:06This is not a one-time proposition. They have to now evaluate this, not simply as one freak injury, but instead something that is recurring to a sense.
10:15Now, obviously they still, as you mentioned, they are considering the idea of surgery or what it's going to take to get him back.
10:22It is though similarly to Caleb Williams, a matter of trying to weigh patients with desperation to get him back on the field and keep this season alive.
10:31So all three of these teams, this is an unbelievable thing to be talking about after week two, just something that none of these teams could have imagined.
10:40Hey, Jeff, how about some good news on the quarterback injury front?
10:44You into that? I'm into that. Let's get to it with the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold returning to practice this
10:51week is the expectation after missing most of the opener and all of week two with that glute injury that we all
10:57saw happen on the regular season kickoff game Wednesday of week one in Seattle.
11:02And so, Ian, we come back to you now.
11:05Does it sound like Darnold could be on track to return this week as the Seahawks travel to Washington?
11:11Well, it sounds like Sam Darnold has a chance to return this week.
11:15And let's go back a little bit. It was a glute injury, not a hip injury.
11:20Remember, initially thought to be pretty serious, maybe fractured.
11:22None of that is basically a it's a butt muscle.
11:26Pulled a butt muscle. I mean, essentially what it is.
11:29It is what it is. They want to be cautious with it.
11:33And the fact that he's going to be out there and practicing this week is a very good sign.
11:38This was the word we got on Sunday that he's healing faster than anyone had imagined.
11:43And this is all really good. That said, I would say similar to what Jeff talked about with with Caleb Williams is
11:50you want to make sure that when he is out there with a pulled muscle that he is he is set.
11:57He is good. There's no issues here. They're going to be cautious.
12:01Maybe another week of Duloc, but sooner rather than later for Darnold.
12:04Can we talk about the fact that the Seahawks are just like churning forward without their offensive coordinator and Clint Kubiak from
12:11last year, without their Super Bowl MVP running back, who's doing the same thing with the Chiefs at this point, and also without Darnold.
12:19Mike McDonald's system is ridiculously efficient at this point.
12:22He has this thing running so smoothly already and feels like they are keeping this train squarely on the tracks, despite all
12:29of the changes since their Super Bowl. So it feels like this defense is playing to the point where they believe that
12:36they can pick up right where they left off at the Super Bowl.
12:40You look at these offensive numbers. Yes, they could stand to be better, but for a team that continues to deal with
12:46these absences, they continue to also turn forward, Rhett.
12:49Something very impressive for the Seahawks to look at.
12:52Yeah, some positive news. They're certainly in Seattle as they have maintained their success despite Darnold's injury, and now we will continue
12:59with a couple other teams trying to do the same.
13:02The Vikings being one of them, Tyler Murray back in action, clearing concussion protocol, and could be good to go for the
13:09Vikings against the Bucs, and we will see the debut of Michael Pennix at QB1 for the Falcons on Thursday night to report live from Lambeau next.
13:17Today we're going to the Super Bowl, and you can too.
13:21Enter for a chance to win four tickets to Super Bowl 61 and a three-night vacation to Disneyland Resort to watch the Super Bowl champion cavalcade.
13:29Scan that QR code right there on your screen right now, or visit pspn.com slash sblxi to learn more.
13:35Well, we're learning this week that the Falcons will get some good news on the quarterback front.
13:40Michael Pennix is back. We'll make his season debut on Thursday night as the Falcons travel to Green Bay.
13:46Cooper Rush, of course, started the first two contact splits to its uncle by Loa, also out with an oblique entry.
13:53Stacey Dale sets the stage for the opening scene of Week 3 from Lambeau.
13:57Make their Week 3 debut here at Lambeau on Thursday night, coming off that field goal-winning overtime victory over the Jets.
14:04Jordan Love, through two games, has thrown for over 500 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, despite a significantly banged-up offensive line.
14:10A ground game averaging just about 64.5 rushing without Josh Jacobs, but it's all about Jordan Love.
14:16I asked tight end Jono Smith his impressions of Love, and he told me he is just a true quarterback.
14:22QB number one. He is such a good leader, such good command at the line of scrimmage, and has a natural ability
14:29to alleviate pressure for the entire unit. One of the best throwers of the football that he's ever been around, Smith told
14:36me, and he just loves gotta-have-it moments he doesn't panic.
14:39As for the Falcons, Michael Pennix making his debut since tearing his ACL last November, the third of his career.
14:45I asked Packers quarterback Keyshawn Nixon what it's like preparing for a guy who hasn't played in roughly a year.
14:51He said you gotta treat him like a rookie.
14:54You don't really know what to expect. He hasn't played in a year.
14:58You can look in old tape, but you've gotta get a feel in-game.
15:02Safety Evan Williams telling me they obviously want to get ample pressure, but ultimately want to force Pennix to make quick decisions behind this Lambeau crowd.
15:11Rhett? Safety, thanks very much. More news on this game and some tough news for the Falcons.
15:16Already shorthanded from an edge rusher spot, now losing their corner A.J.
15:20Terrell Jr. to injured reserve. And then Rob Domanski telling us here the Packers lost Zach Baco-Boelle for the season.
15:26Stud right tackle, best offensive lineman when healthy. A complete tear of his patella tendon on Sunday against the Jets is what's setting him out.
15:34Kyler Murray, though, is back. Officially cleared from concussion protocol.
15:37Set to start for the Vikings Week 3 contest against the Bucs.
15:41Murray knocked from the Minnesota debut in Week 1 on the 11th offensive play of the game.
15:46And Judy Batista back here with us. And Judy, as Kyler returns, he's gonna have the luxury of one of the league's most dominant defenses through two weeks.
15:55Yeah, whoever is playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings has that luxury.
15:59We've been talking about Brian Flores' defense now for a couple of years.
16:03But just consider this, going back to last season, the Vikings have won four consecutive games with four different quarterbacks.
16:09Now, that's not to minimize Kyler Murray returning. Certainly he won the starting quarterback job and he is expected to give them
16:16more of an offense than maybe they've had in these first two games.
16:20But the reality is, with a defense playing like this, they are blitzing almost 80% of the time.
16:26That's 25% more than the next closest team in the league right now.
16:30With a defense playing like this so aggressively, so disruptively, it's okay if the offense has a day off as they did last week.
16:37But the reality is, what they are doing is what we saw them do to the Bears.
16:42They took a team that had scored 50 points the week before and completely shut them down.
16:48And the team was still able to prevail. So Kyler Murray is coming back to a very sweet situation with the Minnesota Vikings.
16:55Judy, want a prediction on this game? Not the final result.
16:58I'll just give you an element of it. I expect the Buccaneers to run the football more.
17:04They ran it only 21 times the other day.
17:07And Zach Robinson coming from Atlanta. Todd Bowles bringing him in because of the commitment to the run.
17:12And there was a thought that maybe they should have been more committed down the stretch there.
17:18After the delay, wet field, slick ball. Baker Mayfield, you know, not the biggest guy in that regard.
17:23And they had just run it for a first down and then didn't run it again after that.
17:29It resulted in a holding penalty in a couple of plays that maybe are made.
17:34A catch may be made in drier conditions. I'm looking at a Buccaneers offense going up a Vikings defense that was second
17:40against the pass last season and is really good with their blitz packages.
17:44Try to keep that at bay by running the football.
17:48I am fully expecting a commitment to Tampa this upcoming season.
17:51That's what it sounds like. Or upcoming week, I should say.
17:54All right, Mike. Yeah, getting set. Surprised to see the Buccaneers there 0-2 going into week three while the Vikings get it done without Kyler Murray at 2-0.
18:03So, speaking of which here, as we continue on the Insiders setback for Lamar and the Ravens in week two.
18:10Improvement for Dak and Dallas. What's next as both these teams get set to meet in Rio de Janeiro?
18:15Well, every Sunday is game day. And we got you covered from the sunrise to the final whistle.
18:21Game day morning gets you set. Game day live keeps you in it.
18:25And game day highlights the final there to catch every big play you might have missed.
18:30Tune in Sunday only on NFL Network and now also streaming on the ESPN app.
18:35Well, it's been a tough start for the season for quarterbacks.
18:38Sam Darnold dealing with that glute injury could make his return this week.
18:42Jaden Daniels likely out with the elbow and then Jackson Dart's knee injury expected to be more serious than initially believed.
18:49Could miss the entire season. One of the biggest headlines of the day.
18:53All right. The International Series continuing this week with the Ravens and Cowboys facing off in the first ever regular season game from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
19:02Where they've had record-setting rainfall over the last six weeks leading to questions about the condition of the field at Maracana Stadium.
19:08But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is in concern. I'm comfortable that the field will be ready for us.
19:14And they've had a lot of rain down there.
19:17But the conditions that are there are not concerning to me right now.
19:21It's realistic that we can have a good game on the field.
19:25Were they saying the field was too hard, too soft?
19:28What were they saying about it? I don't know.
19:31I don't know. But I do feel that we have move games that we were concerned about fields.
19:36So rest assured that we wouldn't be going down there and all set up if we didn't think we were ready to
19:43play the game in whatever conditions exist down there right now.
19:47I feel very comfortable with the field. Well, that's certainly good to hear, Judy.
19:51Although I feel like record-setting rainfall in a place that's home to the world's largest urban rainforest does feel significant.
19:57What are you learning about the field conditions? Well, first of all, the NFL is adamant that the field is going to be fine on Sunday.
20:05And they don't have any concerns about it. I talked to Nick Pappas, who is the NFL's field director.
20:11He is in Rio. The good news is there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow.
20:16But then it is supposed to stop, and the sun might even be out by the time we get to Sunday.
20:23So that's good. That would give it a few days.
20:26There has been record-setting rain. Pappas has talked to both teams and said players should have all possible footwear available.
20:32Each player is going to have to go out there and determine what kind of cleat they are comfortable with that gives them the best traction.
20:41But they are there. The NFL has sent their tarps ahead.
20:44The tarps are ready to be put on if it rains anymore.
20:48He said if they're treating it like a baseball game, they're watching the radar, and they are waiting.
20:53If they see a cell, they will roll the tarps out to protect it.
20:58The complaints that spurred all this concern from soccer players was that the field was bumpy.
21:03Well, that is bumpy for soccer players when they're trying to pass the ball along the grass.
21:08It's not bumpy in terms of NFL players are going to be tripping over bumps in the field.
21:14There's really no concern on the NFL's part about how this field is going to play.
21:19It's going to be fine, they say, and they are ready to handle whatever weather comes in the intervening days.
21:25Rhett? Nothing to see here. My favorite part of this whole story is the giant tarp that they shipped to make sure that the field can be covered.
21:34I don't know what that looks like or what truck or plane delivers that, but an impressive feat nonetheless.
21:40The biggest concern here to me is the idea that, yes, right now things are okay.
21:45But when you're talking about, to Rhett's point, record rainfall in a place that rainfall is pretty prominent, what happens from here moving forward?
21:52Can the tarp handle the type of rain that's going to come and keep that ground exactly as it needs to be?
21:59A concern worth our continued attention, but seemingly one that the NFL does have under control.
22:04My first thought was you've got a slick field, a potentially bumpy field, Judy.
22:09And would you put a guy with a hamstring injury on there with Zay Flowers working his way back?
22:15Remember, he joined practice late in the week last week, didn't play, but that was the start of him re-acclimating.
22:21Sounds like he's got a shot, from my understanding.
22:24So Zay Flowers has a chance to return to action here.
22:27It's not like there's a bye week after this one either.
22:31It's just going to be, hey, getting him back in the flow here.
22:35So keep an eye on Flowers as the week goes on.
22:38And then there's Navi Matabike, who has been really close the last couple of weeks.
22:43I do know they thought they had a really good shot at getting him back in week two.
22:48He was limited throughout practice last week. So the defensive tackle that has been a huge disruptive force throughout his career, but then had that neck issue.
22:57They had to work through it and figure out if he can come back and play again.
23:02Could see him back on the field in Rio this coming weekend.
23:06We'll keep an eye on him. Yeah, and without Zay Flowers and without Matabike, the Saints went into Baltimore and got it
23:13done on the road for their first win of the season.
23:16Tyler Shuck completing nearly 80% of his passes in that game.
23:20Chris Olave, another near 100-yard game. And on defense, limited Derrick Henry to just 68 rushing yards.
23:25And now the Saints welcome former offensive coordinator. Now Raiders head coach Clint Kubiak to town, who hopes Ian to have the
23:32services of his star tight end Brock Bowers for what would be his season debut.
23:37What do we know there? Yeah, and that really sounds like the plan for the Las Vegas Raiders.
23:42Obviously, they had to play the early part of the season without Brock Bowers.
23:47Even though they did extend Michael Mayer a tight end, they believe in a lot and expect really, really good things from them.
23:54They really have two standout tight ends. Mayer has been good.
23:57Obviously, you would love to have Bowers back. And, you know, look, this Raiders offense has been impressive.
24:03I think actually the Raiders defense from Rob Leonard has been impressive as well, Rhett.
24:08But just consider Brock Bowers, yes, he is a tight end.
24:11But he's really receiver one. How much more dynamic can this Las Vegas Raiders offense be with one of the best players in the NFL regardless of position?
24:20A nightmare for defenses, a handful for Brandon Staley.
24:23Expect Brock Bowers back on Sunday. Yeah, well, two words for the Raiders on that front in terms of dominance from their targets.
24:30Cody White, Ian Rappaport. Let's get to good coverage presented by Progressive Insurance.
24:34It's the Raiders wideout who joined the practice squad in Vegas just 23 days ago, elevated to the active roster each of
24:41the first two weeks of the season. And in his seventh year since coming into the league, doubled his career receiving touchdown totals in one game.
24:49He had the touchdown to take the lead in the third quarter.
24:53And then how about this contested catch in the fourth quarter?
24:56His second touchdown right there. He secures it. And yet, dang right, you're going to celebrate it.
25:02So are we. But it's not the only big play he's made.
25:05Given a game ball from Clint Kubiak in week one for saving a potential kick return touchdown from Jalen Wright right here.
25:12Last chance makes the tackle. Again, reminding us, though, there is no finish line to a team's roster and no substitute for career perseverance.
25:20White, a product of 54 roster transactions. 12 times he's been waived or released and has played now in just 32 games,
25:27but came up with one of the most impactful games of his career yet.
25:31GM John Spitek telling me he credits his team of evaluators for their work at cut down time.
25:37And, of course, head coach Clint Kubiak's firsthand knowledge of White's skills from their time together in Seattle.
25:42Hat tip to you, Cody White. All right, let's continue talking receivers here.
25:46Nico Collins unable to go for the Houston Texans in their matchup in week two against the Bengals.
25:52Now as the Texans get set to battle the Colts, who will likely also be without their top receiver, Alec Pierce.
25:59Ian Rappaport now back with us on the status of both of those top wideouts, Ian.
26:04We'll start with Nico Collins having a hamstring injury last week, was not able to play in last Sunday's game.
26:10My understanding is he at least has a chance to be out there this Sunday.
26:15Expect him to practice at some point this week, hopefully ramp him up, get him to be a full participant, and then have him out there.
26:23It has been rough for the Texans receivers early on.
26:26You'd love to have their star in the mix on Sunday for a win that they've got to have.
26:32Meanwhile, for the Indianapolis Colts, they are not going to have Alec Pierce.
26:36He re-aggravated a heel injury, had surgery actually this past offseason, about four to six months recovery.
26:41Was able to play in week one, aggravated the injury.
26:44He is opting for a non-surgical right now. He's trying to rehab.
26:48The hope is to get him back midseason. My understanding, Rhett, there is no guarantee.
26:53You hope he is back, but they do not know for sure.
26:57Tough luck for Alec Pierce, certainly, after signing that big contract this offseason.
27:01Yeah, it's been tough luck, down on their luck, just flat out bad, however you want to describe it for the Chargers.
27:08So what's next? Jackson Dart is officially ruled out of this game.
27:11The look on the face of John Harbaugh says it all.
27:15What a catch! Devontae Adams! Sean kept calling my number.
27:18I don't know how you stop that. Well, you don't.
27:21This was kind of a get-right game. They're starting to look like the Rams again.
27:26It certainly did feel a lot more like what we expected from the L.A.
27:30Rams on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. Rhett Lewis, Mike Garofalo back here with you on the Insiders.
27:36And, well, they used the 29th career multi-touchdown game for Devontae Adams to mitigate the absence of Puka Nakua.
27:42Mike Garofalo, certainly would love to have him back ahead of Week 3.
27:46What are you hearing on that front? They would, but they have to see how it goes throughout the week.
27:52I mean, this is something that really popped up later in the week, and it's been called a hip, a groin.
27:59I mean, it seems to be moving and referred to in different ways.
28:03I think day-to-day is fair on this one, but, you know, it sounds more hopeful than expecting when it comes to Sean, if that makes any sense.
28:11Because he's got to see how it goes throughout the week.
28:15So if this winds up being a multi-week absence for Puka Nakua, Ian, I won't be surprised on that one.
28:21But we've got to see how it goes throughout the week.
28:24Yeah, we're seeing for a lot of teams caution as it pertains to injuries.
28:29Long season, especially when you have really good players who you'd like to be there down the stretch.
28:34I think for J.K. Dobbins, the Broncos starting running back.
28:38A little sigh of relief here. He was dealing with what seemed to be a hamstring injury this past week.
28:44Turned out to be pretty minor. Really just cramps.
28:47He was kind of dealing with it. He should be good to go on Sunday.
28:51Now, am I someone who has Jonah Coleman on my fantasy team kind of stashing my events and wondering if he's going to have a bigger role?
29:00I don't know. A lot of things could happen on Sunday.
29:03But the fact that he came in, impressed, had a touchdown, makes me wonder, Red, if they're going to play him more.
29:10And whether or not I should start him on Sunday or if I should wait until later in the season and then start him then.
29:18I'm sure a lot of people are wondering the same thing.
29:21Hopefully we'll get answers later in the week. A lot of people are just really curious to see how that works out
29:28for you, I think, is the moral of the story.
29:31I'm 2-0, buddy. You know what I mean? But how about the Broncos and the Rams?
29:36Two teams with high expectations bouncing back after subpar week ones with big wins in week two.
29:42Getting set for a matchup on Sunday Night Football in week three.
29:46Oh, boy. Time to get to the Chargers. Who have certainly fumbled away the first two weeks of this season.
29:52Season opening loss at home to the Cardinals in week two to the Raiders.
29:56They have fumbled six times. They only lose one of them.
30:00And then lost to the Raiders. It has been a bad look for this new-look offense with Justin Herbert, obviously, as the QB.
30:07Mike McDaniel is the OC. And the road does not get any easier, Judy.
30:11This is an incredible stretch of Super Bowl contending teams that the Chargers now have to deal with as an 0-2 football team.
30:18Yeah, Rhett, let's sum it up. That's as many interceptions as he had on that kind of path all of last season.
30:25Jim Harbaugh said they are going through growing pains and that they will get this fixed.
30:30The problem for the Chargers now is they just played the two games against teams that won three games each last season.
30:37They just played those two games. And those are the games you would have hoped they would have worked out the Kings.
30:44And instead, they lost by double digits in each of the games.
30:48And now we showed you that stretch of games.
30:51Their next seven opponents, six of them were in the playoffs last season.
30:55And the other one is the Kansas City Chiefs, who certainly look like they are well on their way to the playoffs this season.
31:02It is a very difficult predicament for the Chargers right now.
31:06I don't know if it's worrying or just weird.
31:09Like, they should be a good team, should be playing better, should be functioning more efficient.
31:14And they are simply not. Meanwhile, a team that is functioning extremely well, the Buffalo Bills, still rolling.
31:19But now the status of DJ Moore, I would say, is at least a little bit up in the air.
31:25We saw him land hard on his shoulder in the last game.
31:29My understanding is day-to-day with an AC joint sprain, still going to be more of a pain tolerance issue than anything else.
31:36He is going to want to play. He's going to have a chance to play.
31:41His status will get a little bit clearer at the end of the week.
31:45But at least he's got a shot. Somewhat similar situation for Ed Oliver, their standout defensive lineman.
31:51Remember, this was a weird one. It was scratched right before the game.
31:55Came up with a hip injury late, late, late on Thursday.
31:58Also day-to-day, Rhett. But he is going to have a chance at least to practice this week.
32:03And we'll see if he's able to get out there on the field.
32:07Yeah, coming off a season where he missed 14 games a year ago.
32:12Thanks, Ian. Buffalo's building something bigger than a stadium.
32:14NFL Network's new docuseries, Building Buffalo, goes inside the construction of the Bills' new Highmark Stadium.
32:19It's labor, legacy, and a city that's waited decades for this moment.
32:23Watch part two of two of Building Buffalo Thursday night at 7 p.m.
32:27Eastern on NFL Network and streaming on the ESPN app.
32:30All right, still to come, Deshaun Watson will return to Cleveland for the home opener for the Browns as a winner.
32:37Getting it done on the road in Tampa. What's that reception going to feel like when he gets back?
32:43All right, getting you ready for the Panthers and the Browns here in Week 3.
32:48And how about Bryce Young to open this season?
32:50He's second in the league in passing yards, and he's tied for the most passing touchdowns so far this season.
32:57As Carolina took down their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, 34-3.
33:00Deshaun Watson and the Browns riding a big second half to a big win on the road against the Tampa Bay Bucs.
33:07Deshaun 17 of 21 and two touchdowns in the second half.
33:10And now returns for the home opener in Cleveland, which should be an intriguing environment here, considering the way things finished in the preseason.
33:18Ian, what's your expectation of what to expect here in Week 3 for Deshaun Watson and the Browns?
33:24Some cheers. I would expect some cheers. And, you know, this really has been an up-and-down situation for Deshaun Watson.
33:30A roller coaster, and my understanding, heading into last week with the Browns, we're going to evaluate the quarterback position after two
33:37road games and see if it was time to make a change.
33:41And then all Deshaun Watson did was lead them back, lead them to the first win of the Todd Munkanera, and play, you know what, pretty well.
33:49Play as he is capable of. It certainly seems like he's going to get another shot at it.
33:55And for the Browns fans who care about winning more than anything else, I expect some cheers.
34:00And for Watson, it's really on him now, I guess, as it is any player.
34:05Just continue to play well and keep his job.
34:07The heat is on. It has always been on.
34:10When you have that contract and that injury history, that is what happened.
34:14But if he plays as he did last week, then he's probably going to have a bunch more starts.
34:20And we'll see what happens from there. Certainly a storyline to follow here as Cleveland gets set to open the home schedule.
34:27Ian, thanks. We'll stick in the AFC North here.
34:30Bengals, Steelers. And the Bengals are 2-0. Not because Joe Burrow's thrown for 1,000 yards, but because the defense has shown up.
34:37Eight sacks this season. Four takeaways. Two, they haven't allowed a passing touchdown.
34:41Sure, Joe Burrow's been good. Jamar Chase has been good.
34:44But the defense has really risen to the occasion.
34:47What are the Bengals saying about the way that that unit has helped carry them through these first two weeks?
34:53The defense has been transformed. We spent a lot of time talking about the resources they spent in the offseason.
34:59And, of course, getting Dexter Lawrence in the trade with the Giants was the big piece of it.
35:05They have been transformed on defense. They finished Sunday with 27 defensive pressures.
35:09That was tied for the second most of any team since 2009.
35:13This is the Bengals' defense. Their defense is third against the run right now.
35:17They were dead last in the league last year against the run.
35:21They've only allowed six points last week. They are playing an entirely different kind of football now.
35:26And it allows the team to approach games differently.
35:29It takes an awful lot of pressure off Joe Burrow and the offense, Mike.
35:34And it creates a very bad time for the Steelers to be having offensive issues of their own.
35:39Oh, they're having offensive issues a little bit. And a lot of folks reading into what Aaron Rodgers is saying regarding the play calling.
35:47Feeling like he's throwing some guys under the bus there.
35:50But there's also the communication. Well, there was no communication on that one.
35:54I mean, the only communication there could have been, look out!
35:57I played offensive line. I used to throw lookout blocks.
36:01Anyway, they had a lot of guys on that offensive line.
36:04Mike McCarthy talking about they want more continuity there.
36:07They maybe didn't get enough snaps as units there.
36:10And they've had some issues to try and work through on the offensive line.
36:14So that needs to be better. And there were times Rodgers was communicating to the offensive line that that didn't really get home.
36:21So that needs to be cleaned up. And that's what they're going to be working on this week.
36:27They better because Dexter Lawrence is in the middle of a defensive line that could be reckoned for.
36:33Dexter Lawrence is in the middle of a massive, massive season for the Cincinnati Bengals.
36:37That trade is working out. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr.
36:42earlier this offseason. Obviously, that one is up in the air as far as how that is going to work out.
36:48And the fact that Michael Pittman Jr. did not play last week is obviously not great.
36:53My understanding is he's dealing with a flare-up of his plantar fascia in his feet.
36:58So something that can be incredibly uncomfortable. Something that also doesn't go away.
37:02And, Rhett, it's going to have to be something we're going to keep an eye on.
37:07The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of high hopes for Michael Pittman Jr.
37:11It was a trade that I know they were excited about.
37:15But for that to be the case, he's got to be on the field.
37:19And we will be keeping an eye on how he recovers from this annoying end.
37:24Yeah, just to finish up on Judy's point with the pressures from the Bengals, it's been two new faces getting it done.
37:31Boye Mafe, the free agent acquisition from Seattle, and their second-round rookie Cassius Howell, both combining for 14 pressures against the Texans in Week 2.
37:38Guys, thanks very much. Till to come on this Tuesday edition of the Insiders.
37:43Jets with a terrific defensive effort, but coming up short in the loss to the Packers.
37:48What's next for them as they get set for the Lions?
37:51All right, back here on the Insiders. Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles traveling to Soldier Field to face DeAndre Swift and
37:58the Chicago Bears for an NFC showdown on Monday Night Football.
38:02Finish up Week 3. It's all Monday, 8 p.m.
38:04Eastern on ABC, ESPN, and streaming on the ESPN app.
38:08And our friends on Good Morning Football will be taking their show on the road once again.
38:13Heading to the Windy City to get you ready for Monday Night Football, 8 a.m.
38:18Eastern on NFL Network and the ESPN app. Breath of the list back here now with Mike Garofalo.
38:23And in that game, I guess the Eagles could be facing Case Keenum, depending on how the Bears quarterback situation ends up with the injuries there.
38:31But the Eagles also facing some injuries of their own.
38:34Mike, what's the latest on that front? Well, Saquon Barkley, there's a lot better news than the Bears are dealing with right now.
38:42Saquon Barkley had that stinger the other day during the game.
38:45They did come back. But sounds like everything's checking out okay for Saquon Barkley, which is a great sign for the Eagles there.
38:52So I don't know if he's going to have full participation throughout the week.
38:57We'll find out as we get into it. Because really their work week is going to be a day later, really getting to Thursday.
39:04So he's got even more time to recover. Dallas Goddard, as Ian Rappaport and Adam Schefter reported.
39:10Yeah, he's expected to miss a few weeks. That's why Zach Ertz is back.
39:14They've got a number of tight ends down, including rookie Eli Stowers at the tight end position, even though he's not a traditional tight end.
39:22So that's why Ertz is there. The hope is that Goddard could be back here in a couple of weeks.
39:28And then there's Kenny Moore, who isn't injured yet.
39:31He is joining the Eagles, as our Cam Wolf and I reported earlier today.
39:35Going to sign to the practice squad. I mentioned over the weekend he had a number of teams this interested in him, including the Detroit Lions.
39:43Decides to head to Philadelphia. He had only played in Indianapolis in games, that is.
39:48He only been a member of the Colts throughout his career.
39:52One time a Pro Bowl cornerback. Now going to play nickel corner and safety in this Eagles defense starting in the practice.
39:58Okay, Mike, there you go. Getting set up for Monday night with the Eagles and the Bears.
40:04Let's get to the San Francisco 49ers. The injuries just continue to pile up, particularly at the receiver position.
40:10You already knew Ricky Pearsall was out for the year.
40:13Demarcus Robinson went down week once or week two.
40:16Same, DeJuan Stripling down week one. Mike Evans late in this game was dealing with a hip injury.
40:21Ian, what do we know on that front, especially as the Niners are short on bodies at the receiver spot?
40:28Yeah, I always want to be cautious. I always want to make sure that you have as many players healthy as possible.
40:34Mike Evans, though, seems like he is going to be fine.
40:38A hip injury that the 49ers did not believe is serious, and they've dealt with a lot of serious injuries.
40:44So you would think they would know. So Mike Evans should be good to go.
40:49But obviously this is one where they need some reinforcement.
40:52So they signed Brandon Cooks, the former superstar receiver, the well-traveled receiver.
40:56He is signing with the practice squad, as Adam Schefter reports.
40:59I would expect him to be on the 53-man roster shortly, but an infusion of speed for this 49ers offense for a
41:06player who has been there a lot. Okay, Ian, a lot to deal with there for Kyle Shanahan, but he has figured
41:13out a way to do it with injuries before, and we'll see how they move forward as a 2-0 ball club.
41:20The Detroit Lions, not there in terms of that type of record.
41:23And the defense is a big reason why. They have fallen to 31st this year in points per game allowed.
41:30Same ranking as they've allowed over 457 total yards per game.
41:33The picture, not much better if you factor in their defense in 2025, which was their first without Aaron Glenn, who they now face this week.
41:41Where do the Lions go from here? Well, the Lions are struggling, and especially are struggling with their secondary.
41:47But on the other side is the Jets and Aaron Glenn.
41:51And yes, they lost a gut-wrenching game against the Packers last weekend.
41:54But there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful about the future of the New York Jets.
42:00They are a much-improved team in a lot of metrics, and that includes the eye test.
42:05Consider this. They are the number one defense in the league right now.
42:09They're the number six scoring defense. Those are both huge improvements over last season.
42:13The Packers needed a great punt return just to get into position to tie the game.
42:18Certainly, we can talk about the game management at the end of regulation.
42:23But no question, Aaron Glenn's decision to take back defensive play calling was the right one.
42:28He called it his superpower. It certainly has looked that way, at least for now, for the Jets' defense.
42:34Aaron Glenn used to coordinate the Lions' defense, and they've had a number of injuries and changes in that secondary Terryon Arnold.
42:40Remember, they released him after the off-field accusations in the offseason for him.
42:45So, yeah, these numbers need to get better. They need to get better quickly.
42:49They played a really good offense here in the Buffalo Bills.
42:52Tyler Shuck, the previous week, he's leading the league in passing right now.
42:56So, they're working on some things. Jalen Mills, the veteran, was added.
43:00He was part of a workout there. They also were in on Kenny Moore, who I just mentioned, winding up signing with the Eagles.
43:08So, to get the sense, they're still maybe not even done.
43:11There still may be some more changes and additions as they try to find the best combination to shore up that secondary.
43:18Yeah, but as Jody noted, the improvement for the Jets' defense has certainly been a good one and a welcome one.
43:25Just got to turn that into wins, and they'll get to do it against this former team here, or try to do
43:32it against this former team this week in the Detroit Lions.
43:35So, Lions-Jets, among the matchups we are looking forward to this weekend.
43:39Way to work here, friends. Appreciate all of you.
43:42For Ian Rappaport, Mike Garofalo, Judy Batista, Jeff Darlington, I'm Rappaport.
43:45We'll catch you tomorrow, right here on the Inside.
43:48This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.
