Bootleg Football

Was obliterated by Caleb Downs right before the two-minute warning in the Cowboys-Commanders game; used as an example of Downs' aggressive defensive play.

Wearing a lightweight magnesium brace on an injured knee; the source notes that Mahomes would prefer to play without it, as braces are fussy and difficult to get right, but the structural support is necessary for stability.

Currently having an amazing season as a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs; mentioned in context of Jadarian Price being drafted to replace him in Seattle, indicating Walker's strong performance elsewhere.

Drafted in the first round to replace Kenneth Walker, Price is emerging as a dominant force; he had a strong week two with multiple impactful plays including a highlight-reel stiff-arm/forearm flipper on Andrew Wingard that drew comparison to Walter Payton's signature move; the source notes Seattle drafted him to be a lead back and expects them to give him a lot of touches this season because 'every time they do, good stuff happens.'

Suffered a hamstring injury that prevented him from finishing the game; the source explains that hamstring injuries cannot be effectively treated with Toradol shots—you literally cannot run on a badly pulled hammy, only walk a little, and the injury will get worse if aggravated, which is why the decision to keep him out was correct despite only a few minutes remaining.

Landed on his shoulder and sprained his AC joint; the source notes from personal experience that AC joint sprains are extremely painful despite NFL players' toughness, and while Toradol shots can mask pain effectively, the underlying injury remains serious and limits mobility.

Suffered an elbow dislocation (no fracture) with brutal timing for the Commanders; the source expects a few weeks of recovery and he will likely play with a brace upon return, similar to how Mahomes wears a lightweight magnesium brace and Joe Alt plays with an arm brace; pain tolerance, soft tissue healing, and structural support will be key factors.

David Njoku was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Dallas Goedert was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Demarcus Robinson was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Jaden Reed was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Mike Evans was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Jonathan Brooks was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Jaylen Warren was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Rico Dowdle was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

J.K. Dobbins was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Saquon Barkley was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Jaden Daniels was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Caleb Williams was among the star-power players who suffered injuries during week two, part of a vicious Sunday that saw multiple high-profile injuries across the league.

Sam Darnold is dealing with an injury that has sidelined him; the source states they don't want Darnold back until he's 100% because Drew Locke is performing well enough to keep Seattle competitive in the NFC West race, reducing urgency to rush the starting quarterback back.

Drew Locke looks like a starting quarterback in the NFL; he was 19 for 26, 235 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 139 rating against Arizona. The source emphasizes that Locke's quality backup play is invaluable to Seattle's division race, allowing them to not rush Sam Darnold back from injury and providing flexibility worth whatever money they're paying him.

JSN had a great day in Seattle's win over Arizona; Drew Locke connected with him on an 80-82 yard touchdown pass among five explosive plays, highlighting JSN's role as a primary target in the Seahawks' passing game.

Bo Nix's superpower is operating out in space on rollouts; the source notes that when given space to stretch his legs, he becomes a better quarterback, with 80% of rollouts resulting in a first down, touchdown, or explosive play. The source advocates for Denver to lean more into this strength, recommending five rollouts per week based on this game's success, and warns opposing defenses must have a plan to reduce rollouts or risk getting cut up by this as Denver's primary sword.

Davis Webb, taking over play-calling duties in week two after week one struggles, demonstrated adaptive coaching by analyzing what worked in the previous season (13.1% rollout rate) versus what failed in week one (3% rollout rate), then increasing rollout rate to 16.1 percent to unlock Bo Nix's strengths and generate explosive plays and second-best EPA per play in the league on design rollouts.

After a quiet week one performance despite his high-profile acquisition and large contract, Jalen Waddle showed up significantly in week two, benefiting from the Broncos' offensive adjustments and increased rollout usage that put the offense in position to succeed.

Bo Nix thrives when rolling out or throwing on the move; in week two, the Broncos increased design rollout rate to 16.1 percent (versus 3 percent in week one and 13.1 percent last year), generating second-best EPA per play in the league on those plays with five rollouts yielding four completions, all first downs or touchdowns, two of which were explosive gains. Nix's superpower is operating in space outside the pocket, where he feels less constrained and becomes a more effective quarterback.

Davis Webb deserves credit for the Broncos' Week 2 bounce-back victory, contributing to the team's resiliency and championship-caliber response to Week 1 criticism.

Jalen Waddle didn't really show up in Week 1 despite being a high-profile acquisition with a large contract, but showed up in Week 2 for the Broncos.

Trevor Lawrence had an incredible first half against the Broncos but lost his mind in the second half; when the Broncos switched to more man coverage and cover two, he started throwing prayers and was intercepted by Riley Moss. He almost got picked again later in the game, completely losing it on offense when his receivers were challenged more aggressively in man coverage.

Bo Nix bounced back in Week 2 after a rough first half with a bad interception in the end zone; he responded well to the Broncos' defensive adjustments and played great in the second half, making key plays in the fourth quarter to lead the Broncos to victory. The source credits him with responding to opportunities his defense gave him, showing resiliency and championship-caliber play.

Justin Herbert and the Chargers' Mike McDaniel marriage has underperformed significantly; Herbert's offense posted a 32nd percentile EPA per drive performance in Week 1 and 20th percentile in Week 2. The Chargers are 0-2 at home as favorites with a brutal upcoming schedule (Buffalo, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, LA Rams, Houston, Baltimore), and are not favored to win a game until November 22nd.

Jack Strand is the Falcons' third quarterback option; the source speculates that he could be their version of Brock Purdy (a surprise success), but acknowledges this is unlikely and that the team's hope is teetering on the edge.

Michael Penix Jr. is expected to return from injury for the Falcons and is better than Cooper Rush, but the source is uncertain whether his accuracy issues and the predictable offensive scheme will be enough to make the Falcons offense relevant. The source liked Penix coming out but has concerns about whether he can elevate the offense enough.

Bijan Robinson is one of the best running backs in the league, but even his talent cannot overcome the Falcons' poor quarterback play and predictable offensive scheme.

Kyle Pitts is viewed as fine by the source despite the Falcons' offensive struggles; he is part of the team's offensive firepower but cannot overcome the poor quarterback play and predictable play-calling.

Drake London is part of the Falcons' offensive firepower but is being used predictably; Devin Lloyd got a TFL on Drake London on a fourth-and-one play by recognizing the same play design from the Browns' playbook and immediately triggering on Drake instead of falling for the Bijan handoff fake.

Cooper Rush is playing for the Falcons and is performing poorly; his average air yards per completion is 3.0, the lowest in the NFL this season, tied with Aaron Rodgers. The source uses him as a negative comparison point for quarterback play.

Aaron Rodgers is playing poorly and dragging down the Steelers offense; he was ranked 29th at quarterback last year and remains flat out bad this year with no sign of late-career improvement. His average air yards per attempt is 4.7 (worse than last year), 3.8 yards per attempt under pressure, and 2.7 yards per attempt against blitzes. His average air yards per completion of 3.0 is the second-lowest in the NFL this season (only Cooper Rush is lower), making it nearly impossible to have a functioning NFL offense. The source believes he should be benched in favor of younger quarterbacks like Howard or Aller.

The source highlights Darnell Washington's physical prowess, specifically a recent dominant stiff-arm, and advocates for the team to increase his usage in the offense, noting he is a perennial candidate for their 'play of the year' honors.

The source highlights Felipe Franks as a converted quarterback now playing tight end who is excelling as a special teams contributor, specifically noting a high-impact hit he delivered on Sunday.