Tank for Trevor Week 4: Are the Falcons in play?
With three weeks now in the bag, the NFL hierarchy is starting to take shape. The bottom-feeders are well and truly taking form. Eight teams are still yet to record a win to their name. We also had our first tie of the 2020 season, which helps no one and, similar to teams playing in the New Jersey area, should be obliterated from the league. Talking of New Jersey, lets start there in our look at this weeks teams in the Tank for Trevor discussion.
New York Jet / Giants
The Giants are now 12-39 since the start of the 2017 season. The worst record in the NFL over that period. And yet, they still aren’t the worst team in New York at the moment.
Yes, congratulations Jets, that’s you. Another blowout loss in Week 3 against the Colts, a game in which Sam Darnold threw three picks and looked a man bereft of confidence. It’s easy to sympathise with Darnold, looking at who he’s throwing to; Braxton Berrios (who?), Kalen Ballage (Who?!) and Lawrence Cager (WHO?!!). These are all names that should remain on practice squads, yet they are primary targets for the Jets third-year QB.
This highlights the point that this Jets roster is seriously lacking in any sort of talent. There’s obviously still plenty of question marks surrounding Darnold, but how can he be evaluated with the talent, or lack there-of, around him. I can’t believe I’m writing another one of these and Adam Gase is still employed.
Okay, let’s talk about the other dysfunctional team residing in MetLife stadium. If someone asked you why Kyle Shanahan is a great coach, you’d hand them a tape of the 49ers 36-9 win over the Giants. With seemingly every single player of the 49ers roster injured, they steamrolled over a lifeless Giants team.
Daniel Jones continues to be a turnover machine. A fumbled handoff and a brain-numbing interception, in a week where he mustered only 179 yards throwing. The offensive line continues to struggle, with the running game being non-existent again. The defense is able to generate a pass-rush, but the secondary lacks the serious talent to compete. Nick Mullens sliced through it all day long. Think hot knife, warm butter.
A final note on these two horrible teams. Would Trevor Lawrence even help? Both these organisations have turned over GM /Head coaches in recent years, and both continue to be dismal NFL outfits. Issues for both are far more rooted than just who is playing behind centre. The common denominator has been ownership. Both these franchises are being run horribly and things will only change once change comes from the top, down.
Washington Football Team
The Football Team has one win to their name. Should they go the rest of the season winless, it will still be good enough to not be picking #1, probably. However, stranger things have happened, and Washington should well and truly consider themselves in the Trevor Lawrence race. Some might even say they are more QB-needy than the New York teams. Ron Rivera’s comments after their Week 3 loss were a testament to that. He stated other players on the roster “deserved better” and that there might be a “cut-off point” with Haskins.
Washington’s defense, loaded with talent, is playing at a high level and they should only improve going forward. They are, however, being held back the lacklustre play of Haskins. The expectation is Haskins will be dropped at some point and Kyle Allen (or even Alex Smith?) will come in and do well enough to push Washington out of any Trevor Lawrence running.
Atlanta Falcons
This feels a little out of left field, coming from a team putting up 30 points per game in 2020. A team whose QB has put up nearly 1,000 yards through three games. The Falcons, have however, given up 36 points per game and sit 0-3. I don’t believe there are any major issues on whether former MVP Matt Ryan is declining. But this team is going nowhere. The defense is a wreck and head coach Dan Quinn must be feeling the heat on the seat he currently sits.
Atlanta has a lot of cap invested in 35-year-old Matt Ryan. However, if they see a market for him to be traded for picks, and they continue to tank in 2020, it doesn’t seem crazy for them to do it. Continue to look out for this saga developing in the coming weeks.
