MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Saints’ Winston showing why he won over Payton, teammates



With one game in the books as the Saints’ successor to all-time leading NFL passer Drew Brees at quarterback, Jameis Winston has five touchdowns and no interceptions.

And the Saints (1-0) have bolted out of the gate with a lopsided 38-3 victory over a projected Super Bowl contender in Green Bay.

It could be an auspicious start to a new chapter in the career of the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner and 2015 first overall draft choice by Tampa Bay. But Winston doesn’t want to get ahead of himself.

“I’ll probably reflect when the season’s all over. But right now, man, we’re in a race to get better,” Winston said, echoing one of coach Sean Payton’s mantras. “There’s some things on film that I’m not going to like.”

Winston’s talent has never been in doubt. His decision-making and maturity were a little more suspect during his first five NFL seasons, when he started for Tampa Bay with sometimes wildly vacillating results.

But since coming to New Orleans, he’s been a picture of humility and determination, and some key teammates, such as defensive captain Demario Davis, have noticed.

“I don’t think there’s a player in the building I’m more proud of,” Davis said of Winston. “There’s nobody I’m more excited to watch just because of the belief I have in him ... and just seeing his evolution as a player and as a man, I think the world is really going to be shocked by what they see.”

Green Bay’s offense and star QB Aaron Rodgers certainly looked shocked by what they saw from a New Orleans defense that entered the season with questions after the departure of their 2020 sack leader and starters on the interior of the line and at cornerback.

Rodgers was intercepted twice, was sacked twice and was on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

“We just knew coming into this game, eliminate the explosives, keep everything in front of us and we’ll take care of everything else,” said safety Marcus Williams, who had an interception that set up a TD.

“We came out here and we dominated like we were supposed to — like we know we should.”

AP
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Big win, dont want to take anything away from that and Jameis was great, but 1 game isnt the tell-all, end-all... lots to be seen.

 

Aaron Rodgers: I think loss is just a good learning lesson for us



Sunday’s 38-3 loss to the Saints was the most lopsided loss of Aaron Rodgers‘ NFL career and it was a painful one in more ways than one.

Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show that he took a “double nut shot” on the first of his two interceptions in the game, which was a lot like how the entire game felt for the Packers. Rodgers said that the team watched the film of the loss on Monday and will “flush it” as they turn their attention to a Monday night game against the Lions in Week Two.

Rodgers added that “the response” is what the team’s has to focus on rather than spending too much time with their minds on the loss.

“It might be a freak out outside the facility,” Rodgers said. “I think it’s just a good learning lesson for us. We can’t play like that, we can’t start a game like that. Like I said after the game, our energy level was a little bit low before the game. We have to do a better job responding to adversity. There’s not much to say. We got our asses beat by 35 points, we’re all frustrated about it, but just move on. We have 16 more to go.”

Rodgers said he had someone try to make “chicken salad out of chicken s–t” by telling him that the Buccaneers lost to the Saints 38-3 before winning the Super Bowl last year, which may not be predictive of what will happen this season but is a good mindset to have about one game not determining your entire season.

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lol, I didnt think Aaron had any balls... GO LIONS!!!

 

Taylor Heinicke: Being a starting NFL QB something I’ve dreamed about my whole life



Thursday night’s game against the Giants won’t be the first start of quarterback Taylor Heinicke‘s NFL career, but it offers him a different opportunity than the first two.

Heinicke started a game for the 2018 Panthers as they were playing out the string of a losing season and he played well in Washington’s Wild Card loss against the Buccaneers last season, but never seemed to have a real shot at an extended run in the job once Ryan Fitzpatrick signed with the team. Fitzpatrick’s on injured reserve after hurting his hip in Week One, however, and that means Heinicke is looking at multiple games to make his mark as an NFL starter.

“Something I’ve been dreaming about my whole life, being a starting quarterback in the NFL, and here we are,” Heinicke said, via Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com. “I really try and take it one day at a time, one meeting at a time, one play at a time. I feel like if I just live in the moment, everything else will take care of itself.”

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin expressed faith in Heinicke because the quarterback is “always ready for the moment” and proving McLaurin right could lead to a lot more starts in Heinicke’s future.

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Ben Roethlisberger: My elbow feels great, which is encouraging and positive



Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made it through last season healthy. He started the team’s first 15 games before sitting out in Week 17 because Pittsburgh had already clinched a playoff berth.

But he’s still not too far removed from elbow surgery in 2019, having missed all but two games that year.

After the Steelers’ season-opening victory over the Bills, Roethlisberger said his elbow is feeling great.

“Probably the only part of my body that felt good when I came out of the game,” Roethlisberger said on Wednesday, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “That’s encouraging and positive.”

The rest of his body?

“Sore. Like I anticipated,” the 39-year-old Roethlisberger said. “Getting hit for a while, got a lot more bumps and bruises than usual.”

The Bills registered six QB hits in the box score.

Roethlisberger and the Steelers will host their home opener against the Raiders in Week Two.

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Week 2, Raiders vs Steelers is a great matchup. Im tuning in.

 

The Raiders had hoped to incorporate backup quarterback Marcus Mariota regularly in their offense this season. That lasted all of one play.

Mariota played one snap on Monday night and ran for 31 yards, but he aggravated a quadriceps injury and now will miss multiple weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

 

The Buffalo defense harassed Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa early in Sunday’s game, hitting him multiple times. The latest hit may have put him on the sidelines, for a while.

Tagovailoa has an upper body injury that is causing him obvious distress. Initially, it appeared that he was grabbing at the ribs on his left side. As he walked slowly to the sideline, his left (throwing) arm hung limp, pointing possibly to a shoulder problem.

Tagovailoa ultimately took a cart to the locker room.

We’ll find out what the injury is when the Dolphins provide an update. The way he moved, it will be a surprise if he returns today.

Jacoby Brissett takes over for the Dolphins, who trail the Bills, 14-0.

 

The positive, here, is getting to see Jacoby play in South Florida again. He's got a lot of fans here at home. Good kid.

 

The Bears have gone to their first-round rookie quarterback, but not the way they wanted it to happen.

Andy Dalton suffered a first-half knee injury, and although he attempted to stay in the game and was listed as questionable to return, he is now on the sideline in the second half and Justin Fields is in the game.

The Bears’ offense has struggled with Fields on the field, although they’ve tried to call plays to help him make plays with his legs.

Chicago leads Cincinnati 7-3 in the third quarter.

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Ben Roethlisberger: I’m frustrated I’m not playing well enough



Ben Roethlisberger didn’t play well enough for the Steelers to win Sunday. Those are his words.

The star quarterback appeared to be making a point by pointing the finger at himself.

Roethlisberger repeatedly said he “didn’t play well enough” or he “didn’t play good enough” or he “has to play better.” Mark Kaboly of TheAthletic.com documented at least eight instances in Roethlisberger’s seven-minute news conference.

“It’s frustrating because I put a lot of stinkin’ time in, more than I probably ever have,” Roethlisberger said, via Kaboly. “I’m not really sure. We’ve got to get it figured out, though, because I’m frustrated that I’m not playing well enough.”

The Steelers had bigger problems than Roethlisberger in their 26-17 loss to the Raiders as he went 27-of-40 for 295 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Even with Najee Harris, the Steelers can’t run the ball with only 39 rushing yards as a team Sunday, and the Raiders gained 425 yards against the Steelers defense.

Roethlisberger’s choice of words afterward could have come in response to NFL analyst Cris Carter’s criticism last week. The Hall of Fame receiver said the quarterback “makes excuses” and “complains” and “brings attention on himself.”

Frustration certainly was at the core of Roethlisberger’s comments.

“I’m disappointed we lost the game, and I’m disappointed that I didn’t play well enough to help us win the game,” he said.

Before he departed the interview room, though, Roethlisberger conceded everyone on offense needs to play better.

“We need to run the ball better. We need to throw the ball better,” Roethlisberger said. “We need to do everything better on offense. We don’t need to point to one thing. We need to point at the whole thing.”

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Colts QB Carson Wentz rolls ankle 'pretty bad' in loss to Rams

Carson Wentz did all he could to keep the Colts in Sunday's game against the Rams. He just wasn't able to stay in all of it himself.

The veteran quarterback exited late in the fourth quarter of Indianapolis' Week 2 loss after suffering an ankle injury and did not return. Coach Frank Reich didn't have an update on Wentz afterward other than to say he'll undergo further evaluation.

"He rolled it up pretty bad," Reich said. "I kind of had a sense when we walked off the field because I saw that it didn't look good. The longer we were off the field there it just stiffened up. He tried (to return), but there was no chance."

The Colts starter hobbled off the field after being knocked to the ground by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. He was replaced by Jacob Eason, who was intercepted on his first drive with the Rams leading 27-24. L.A. held on to win by the same score.

Wentz, who was under constant duress from the Rams' defensive front, told reporters that he believes he suffered a sprain.

"I taped it up, I tried," he said. "There was not enough stability to get out there and go. It was definitely not fun to watch the last two-minute drives. I've played with a lot (of ankle sprains) before and this one I just couldn't play through."

The former Pro Bowler finished 20 of 31 for 247 yards with one touchdown and an interception and ran five times for 37 yards. He was also sacked three times and hit nearly a dozen.


NFL.com

 

Brian Flores: Tua Tagovailoa is day-to-day with injured ribs



Though Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had to exit Sunday’s loss to Buffalo with injured ribs, it appears there’s a chance he could play in Week Three against the Raiders.

In his Monday press conference, Miami head coach Brian Flores called Tagovailoa “day-to-day.”

“We’re still running some tests,” Flores said, via Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “He was in a lot of pain yesterday. He’s still in some pain today. We’ll call him day-to-day.”

Tagovailoa was hit hard during the Dolphins’ second offensive series by Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa. Though Tagovailoa was in for only nine plays, he was sacked twice and completed 1-of-4 passes for 13 yards.

Tagovailoa was 16-of-27 in Week One for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Miami’s victory over New England.

Jacoby Brissett replaced Tagovailoa on Sunday, completing 24-of-40 passes for 169 yards with an interception. He was also sacked four times.

The Dolphins play the Raiders in Las Vegas in Week Three. Last season, Flores benched Tagovailoa in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick when the then-rookie quarterback struggled to move the ball against Las Vegas’ defense.

Flores also told reporters on Monday that receiver Will Fuller has returned to the team and is expected to play against the Raiders. Fuller left the club for personal reasons last week. He was slated to return from the last game of his six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

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MRI on Baker Mayfield’s left shoulder showed no structural damage



Baker Mayfield downplayed his left shoulder injury, saying it was “nothing too serious.” But the Browns didn’t just take the quarterback’s word for it.

Mayfield underwent an MRI on Monday, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports, and the results showed no structural damage.

He gave his team a scare while trying to tackle Texans safety Justin Reid following an interception. Mayfield did not miss a play despite a trip into the training room, probably to have the shoulder popped back into place.

Mayfield said the shoulder “kind of popped in and popped out.”

“He’s sore,’’ coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. “He’s doing fine.’’

Mayfield might have some limited practices this week, but it is his non-throwing shoulder, so Mayfield is not expecting to miss game action.

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Great news for the Browns!

 

Report: Tyrod Taylor could miss four weeks with hamstring injury



Texans head coach David Culley said on Monday that quarterback Tyrod Taylor is day-to-day with a hamstring injury, but the timeline for his return is reportedly considerably longer.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that Taylor could miss four weeks as a result of the injury. The Texans are set to face the Panthers at home on Thursday and then have a road game with the Bills, a home game against the Patriots, and a trip to Indianapolis.

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Frank Reich: It’s too early to tell if Carson Wentz will play in Week Three



Jacob Eason may have to start against the Titans in Week Three.

Colts head coach Frank Reich confirmed in his Monday afternoon press conference that starting quarterback Carson Wentz has sprains in both of his ankles from Sunday’s loss to the Rams. But, Reich added it’s too early to tell if Wentz won’t be available for next Sunday’s game against the Titans.

Reich said that Wentz sprained his right ankle when defensive tackle Aaron Donald twisted him down in the fourth quarter. But the quarterback played through a sprain in his left ankle that occurred earlier in the game.

“I know Carson has a tremendous threshold for pain,” Reich said, via Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com. “My history with Carson: He’s an incredibly fast healer and if there’s any chance he can play with these, he’ll play.”

But if Wentz can’t start, Eason is the next man up.

“If Jacob has to play, he’ll be ready,” Reich said.

Eason had to finish Sunday’s game after Wentz exited. He was put in a bad spot for any quarterback, with his team needing a two-minute drive to at least tie the game with little time remaining in the fourth quarter. Eason threw an interception to cornerback Jalen Ramsey on his second passing attempt. He finished 2-of-5 for 25 yards.

Wentz was 20-of-31 passing for 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception on Sunday.

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Ben Roethlisberger has a pectoral injury



The Steelers, already dealing with an injury to the most important player on their defense, have an injury to the most important player on their offense.

Coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a pectoral injury, via Ed Bouchette of TheAthletic.com. Per Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Media, Tomlin added that it’s on the left side, and that it will affect his ability to prepare for Sunday’s game.

The injury reports coming on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will surely reveal more about Ben’s status. The reality remains that he’s 39. Injuries may not heal as quickly.

Mason Rudolph is the backup, with Dwayne Haskins also in the mix.

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Davis Mills gets his first start on Thursday night



Before Justin Fields or Trey Lance make their first NFL start, Davis Mills will get his initial starting assignment.

The rookie third-rounder from Stanford becomes QB1 for the Texans on Thursday night against the Panthers. Coach David Culley announced the development on Tuesday, after explaining that normal starter Tyrod Taylor will miss the game with a hamstring injury.

 

I'm so glad he's back. Or not

 

Justin Fields to start for Bears vs. Browns



Justin Fields will start for the Bears on Sunday in Cleveland.

Bears coach Matt Nagy announced today that Fields will start.

Nagy said Andy Dalton, who has started the first two games of the season, is still “battling through” the knee injury he suffered in last week’s win over the Bengals. Nagy is continuing to insist that Dalton is the starter when healthy, so Fields will only start until Dalton can return.

Nick Foles will serve as the Bears’ backup quarterback on Sunday.

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The Miami Dolphins will be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for their game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and possibly longer.

Head coach Brian Flores began his media session Wednesday by announcing that additional tests revealed that Tagovailoa had sustained fractured ribs during the 35-0 loss against the Buffalo Bills in the Dolphins' home opener Sunday.

"Obviously he’s in a lot of pain, so he’ll be out this week," Flores said. "We’re just going to take it week to week ... really, let’s call it day-to-day and week-to-week, but he’ll be out this week. Look, this is a tough kid. He wants to play. He’s actually trying to play and we’re just going to save him from himself a little bit on this and hold him out this week and then take it week-to-week from there.”

In Tagovailoa's absence, Jacoby Brissett will start against the Raiders and quarterback Reid Sinnett will be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the backup.

Flores declined to put a timetable on how long Tagovailoa would be out when asked whether the second-year quarterback could end up being placed on injured reserve.

"We’ll take it day to day," Flores said. "Like I said, he wants to play and I think he would try to play, but we’ve just got to see how he responds over the next days. That’s not something that we’re really thinking about right now, but we gotta see how this trends over the course of the week.”

Tagovailoa was injured in the first quarter Sunday when he was hit by Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa while attempting a fourth-down pass that fell incomplete.

X-rays taken at the stadium were negative.

"We did some more tests (Monday) and that revealed the fractures," Flores said. "That’s what it is. He’s in a lot of pain. Was I surprised? You know, we got an initial diagnosis and we decided to run some more tests like we talked about on Monday. We ran them and we got this information. It’s unfortunate, but thankfully it’s not something that we think is going to be … actually, I don’t want to put a timetable on it. He’s taking it day to day. He’s better, but still dealing with some pain and we’ll take it one day at a time.”

This will be the second start of his young career that Tua will miss because of an injury.

After replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starting quarterback in Week 8 last season, Tagovailoa had to sit out the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium because of a thumb injury.

"He’s in good spirits," Flores said. "This is a tough kid. He’s doing everything he can to get back as quickly as he can right now. He’s getting better. He wants to be out there, wants to be with his teammates and I think this is the right move for him from a health standpoint. Again, he wants to be out there and we’ve got to protect him."

SI