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Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order After Sunday's Week 2 Results
Sep 20, 2021
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer watches a play on the video monitor during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
The Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville has gotten off to the worst possible start.
The Jaguars are 0-2 with double-digit losses to the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. On Sunday, the AFC South side fell at home to Denver and managed to score just 13 points.
Jacksonville looks much more like a side that will be drafting first overall in the NFL draft than one that could be competitive in the middle of the pack in the AFC.
The Jaguars are one of six teams that have 0-2 records after Week 2. The loser of the Monday night game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will add a seventh team to that dubious list.
The opening two games of Meyer's regime in Jacksonville suggest it could be another long year for the franchise.
Jacksonville opened the scoring in its Week 2 clash with the Denver Broncos, but then it conceded the next 23 points.
The only other score from the Jaguars came in the fourth quarter on a Jamal Agnew kickoff return for a touchdown.
Trevor Lawrence was picked off on two occasions, and the rushing attack was still ineffective. The Jaguars ran for 75 yards on 16 carries.
Sunday's lackluster performance led to Meyer releasing a statement through the team's official Twitter account that promised his team would continue to get better.
The timing of that statement seems a bit odd since the season is only two games old, but Meyer may have a good reason to put that out. Meyer could be a top candidate for the open USC job if he wants it. The public statement confirming his commitment to getting better may be his attempt at assuring Jaguars fans that he is there for the long haul and that he genuinely wants to fix the team's problems.
Jacksonville is not the only team with a rookie quarterback going through some growing pains. The New York Jets were delivered a harsh dose of reality by the New England Patriots on Sunday.
No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson threw four interceptions in his showdown with fellow rookie Mac Jones. The Jets have scored 20 points in two games under first-year head coach Robert Saleh.
New York's best chance to earn its first victory could come in Week 5 at home against the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta was able to score 25 points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a pair of interception returns for touchdowns did in Matt Ryan and Co.
The Falcons play the New York Giants in Week 3 in a battle of 0-2 teams. The other four winless sides could be sitting at 0-3 and at the top of the projected draft order.
The Jaguars welcome the 2-0 Arizona Cardinals to TIAA Bank Field, the Jets head to Denver, the Minnesota Vikings host the Seattle Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts face a tough divisional test versus the Tennessee Titans.
Tom Brady Throws 5 TDs as Buccaneers Pull Away from Matt Ryan, Falcons in Week 2
Sep 19, 2021
TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski #87 (not in photo) in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The reigning Super Bowl champions earned their second straight win to open 2021 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Atlanta Falcons 48-25 at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
Dating back to last year, Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to 10 games. The Bucs don't appear to be experiencing any championship hangover.
Atlanta jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the third quarter thanks to three touchdown passes from Tom Brady. A 36-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo as the first half ended helped the Falcons chip away at the deficit.
Their first drive of the third quarter ended in an interception by Shaquil Barrett, though, and the Buccaneers capitalized as Brady hit Mike Evans for their second scoring connection.
A pair of touchdown passes by Matt Ryan in the third quarter had some Falcons fans thinking a comeback was in store. But Brady found Chris Godwin for a one-yard touchdown pass before Mike Edwards' pick-six served as a knockout blow for the Falcons.
Edwards got a second pick-six for good measure later in the fourth quarter.
Notable Performers
Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers: 24-of-36, 276 yards, five touchdowns
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers: five receptions, 75 yards, two touchdowns
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers: four receptions, 39 yards, two touchdowns
Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: 35-of-46, 300 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Falcons: seven carries, 11 yards, one touchdown; five receptions, 58 yards, one touchdown
Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons: seven receptions, 63 yards, one touchdown
Brady, Bucs Offense Keep Their Foot on the Gas
Any notion that Father Time was finally going to catch Brady was quickly put to bed in Week 1 as the 44-year-old threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys.
Considering Brady has a full year with the team under his belt and had a normal preseason to prepare, the Bucs offense might be even more dangerous than it was in the second half of 2020.
Tom Brady's nine touchdown passes are the most in franchise history through the first two games of a season. That's also a personal high for him (which may be even more impressive) and tied for the second-most in NFL history through the first two games.
Inside the red zone, opponents really have to pick their poison. Even if they have Evans and Godwin covered on the outside or load up the box to stop the run, Brady can call upon one of the greatest tight ends ever.
Gronkowski also joins Ben Coates (1994) and Dee Mackey (1962) as the only TEs in @NFL history with 2+ TD receptions in each of his team's first two games of a season.
As much as Tampa Bay's offense is picking up from where it left off in 2020, the same can't be said of the defense.
The Bucs allowed 327.1 yards per game last year, sixth-lowest in the NFL. The Cowboys soared well past that number (451 yards), and the champs surrendered 348 yards to a Falcons squad that mustered six points and 260 yards in Week 1.
The #Bucs defense looks just like they did last season [29th ranked in pass defense], bad.
They had a good playoff run in the final couple of games but they can't stop anything. Not a good look for a team looking to repeat.
It's far too early to start reaching for the panic button, but Todd Bowles' unit merits some close examination over the next few games.
Ryan Shows out in Losing Effort
Multiple quarterbacks changed teams this offseason, and the Falcons were seemingly embarking on a rebuild—or at the very least a transition—with a new head coach and general manager.
The upheaval saw Julio Jones traded to the Tennessee Titans, but Ryan stuck around in Atlanta. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported in May the 36-year-old "feels he has several good years left, that he can still play at a high level."
Ryan backed up that assertion Sunday.
Matt Ryan has 8 seasons with a PFF grade above 80, and he's showing now that he still has some teeth left.
Great job hanging in against a defense really coming after him#ATLvsTB
Matt Ryan's toughness on full display in Tampa..he's orchestrated two TD drives in the 3rd quarter thanks to some quick decision making & crafty throws to overcome consistent pressure #ATLvsTB
It's tough to blame Ryan too much for his three interceptions considering the state of the Falcons running game. Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson combined for 49 yards on 16 carries.
In order to have a chance, Atlanta's requires a lot of its starting quarterback, and he'll inevitably throw himself into a mistake or two when the team is down by multiple scores late in a game.
That the Falcons lost despite Ryan's 300-yard day will inevitably lead some to wonder whether both parties would nonetheless benefit from a separation. Whatever he delivers on the field isn't enough to overcome the franchise's glaring flaws.
Still trying to understand the logic in Atlanta clutching to a 36-year-old Matt Ryan.
A midseason trade doesn't make much sense because Atlanta is without a clear successor. Josh Rosen or Feleipe Franks isn't the solution.
If Ryan can keep this up, then the team is at least in a strong position at the negotiating table in the offseason.
What's Next?
The Falcons will look for their first win Sept. 26 against the New York Giants, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The Bucs hit the road for a difficult matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Matt Ryan: Blown 28-3 Super Bowl Lead Has 'No Bearing' on Tom Brady, Bucs Matchup
Sep 15, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Since Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI, the 28-3 scoreline has become a meme associated with the team.
But with the Falcons facing Brady's defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, Ryan said he wasn't too concerned with the meme.
"I never heard it. ... Listen, of course we want to win this week, but it's not going to make up for that," he told reporters Wednesday. "It's part of your past. It's part of what happened, but it's got no bearing on this week."
Brady, on the other hand, was leaning into the meme this week in a bit of pregame trolling:
Yes, the clock on Brady's laptop reads 3:28 in the video he released. To the winner goes the spoils, as they say.
The torment continued for the Falcons last season, as Brady and the Bucs swept the season series. Granted, it was a pretty tough season in general for a Falcons team that finished 4-12. And things didn't get off to a great start this year, either, after Atlanta lost its home opener to the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-6.
How dominant was the Eagles’ D against the Falcons?
Atlanta ran one play in Eagles’ territory over the final 44:52 of the game: Matt Ryan’s intentional grounding in the 2nd qtr.
But Ryan appears confident the Falcons can, and will, improve.
"The good teams I have been on are the ones that have gotten better as the year went on," he told reporters.
Facing the defending champions, themselves coming off an exciting shootout win over the Dallas Cowboys, will be quite the litmus test for the Falcons. Nobody would blame them for losing—the Bucs might have the most talented roster in football—but if they don't look more competitive than they did Sunday, the alarm bells will be ringing.
"Nobody is a victim here," head coach Arthur Smith told reporters. "We have to improve."
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Matt Ryan Says He Never Considered Leaving Falcons in Offseason: 'I Love Being Here'
Sep 1, 2021
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) warms up before the first half of a preseason NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Amid a series of major roster moves during the offseason, Matt Ryan never considered leaving the Atlanta Falcons at any point.
Speaking to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Ryan said moving on from the Falcons "never crossed my mind."
"I love being here," he added. "I love being a part of this organization. Arthur Blank has been incredible to me from the minute I was drafted. He's incredible to my family. So I'm thankful for that opportunity. I love being in this city, living here."
There was no indication during the offseason that the Falcons wanted to move on from their franchise quarterback.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported in February (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra) that Ryan "is not going anywhere," and the Falcons were not having trade conversations with other teams at that point.
Even if the Falcons wanted to move on from Ryan, his contract would have made it incredibly difficult to do so. They would have had to take on his $65.437 million dead cap hit if he got traded or released.
Atlanta did get rid of Ryan's favorite target in June when Julio Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans.
Despite not having Jones to throw to anymore, the Falcons cupboard is far from bare for Ryan. They still have Calvin Ridley as a No. 1 wide receiver and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts has been drawing rave reviews since before the 2021 NFL draft.
Ryan has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL over the course of his 13-year career. The 36-year-old has thrown for at least 4,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in each of the past 10 seasons,
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Atlanta Falcons Are NFL's Most Underrated Playoff Contender in 2021
Aug 4, 2021
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) runs drills during NFL football practice on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
It's incredibly easy to overlook the Atlanta Falcons heading into the 2021 NFL season. The team's coming off a bad year, starting over with a new coaching staff, lost a franchise great and feels like a dramatic rebuilder.
Which makes the Falcons a pretty great playoff underdog.
No, really. The Falcons botched the end of the Dan Quinn era, letting it painfully drag out with consecutive 7-9 seasons before being fired in the middle of a 4-12 season largely thanks to the goodwill earned by 11 wins and a Super Bowl appearance in 2017. That it ever got to this point is part of the reason the Falcons have such a stench of a rebuilder. At DraftKings, they have the joint-ninth-worst Super Bowl odds at +8000 (bet $100 to win $8,000).
But the Falcons still have the most important thing in football going for them: a quarterback with top-10 potential.
Matt Ryan might be 36 years old, but even last year while slogging through a four-win campaign, he completed 65 percent of his passes with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions despite taking 41 sacks. His stellar 83.1 Pro Football Focus grade was higher than the year prior (76.0). Not only was the line bad, he did this while his lead back, Todd Gurley, averaged 3.5 yards per carry, Julio Jones only appeared in nine games, Russell Gage was the team's second-leading receiver and his defense coughed up 25.9 points per game.
Part of the hesitation with the Falcons also stems from the trading away of Jones, the seven-time Pro Bowler and franchise great. But the loss isn't as dramatic as it might seem at face value. Jones, now 32 years old, had injury woes last year, which could be a sign of things to come.
"He's genuine." WATCH: #Falcons QB Matt Ryan with fantastic words about HC Arthur Smith, including "I like that and I respect that." pic.twitter.com/T2pxIKvykP
More importantly, Atlanta compensated for this loss. Fourth overall pick Kyle Pitts was the highest-drafted tight end ever. For good reason, too, given his ability to play all over the field and create mismatch nightmares. He'll pair perfectly with Calvin Ridley, last year's leading wideout (1,374 yards and nine touchdowns).
The addition of Mike Davis seemed to fly under the radar after he scored six rushing touchdowns last year and caught 59 of his 70 targets. That receiving ability is an upgrade and will keep him on the field all three downs after Gurley only caught 25 passes last year.
Better spacing because of playmakers means an easier time for Ryan and wider running lanes. Most important of all, though, is the arrival of Arthur Smith as head coach. The architect behind Ryan Tannehill's stunning turnaround in Tennessee now gets to turn loose with a modern great quarterback and top-flight weapons.
Smith is ready to tailor the offense to Ryan's strengths, just like he did for Tannehill. Plus, Ryan was a big part of the job's attractiveness, as he told Pete Schrager ontheFlying Coachpodcast (h/t Evan Birchfield of The Falcoholic):
"I've always been a fan of Matt Ryan from afar. I know a lot of people who have worked with him and know him well, and I'm just so impressed with how he handles himself. He wants to be coached and Ryan [Tannehill] was the same way. They are different players, and they both have their strengths and both of those guys, when you have players like that they come in there and they work hard."
Also tucked into that interview? Sean McVay, often cited as the foremost offensive mind in the NFL, admitting he steals stuff from Smith.
The defense is still a work in progress. The Falcons need someone at the corner spot opposite 2020 first-rounder A.J. Terrell. Grady Jarrett is still as disruptive as it gets from the interior, but the team's edge-rushers will need to produce consistently.
Still, new coordinator Dean Pees spent the 2018 and '19 seasons in Tennessee producing solid units and has a reputation for playing to his talent's strengths. And in today's NFL, an offense can carry a struggling defense (Kansas City spent the last few years entirely retooling its defense while contending).
Keep in mind outside factors. Seven teams from the conference can make the playoffs, and the Falcons happen to have the third-easiest schedule in the NFL. It's a tricky thing to quantify, and last year's winning percentage isn't the greatest measurement, but it's worth pointing out.
The schedule passes the eye test, too, with what could be easier games against teams such as the New York Giants and Jets in the first five games. Closing the season with three of five on the road hurts, but maybe a game against Buffalo in Week 17 features backups given the Bills' strength.
Tom Brady's march to the Super Bowl in the NFC South skews the perception of the division. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers return all 22 starters, but it's a free-for-all after them. New Orleans will start the post-Drew Brees era with some combination of Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill under center, while Carolina will start over yet again with Jets bust Sam Darnold.
Even while winning just four games last year, Atlanta had only a minus-18 point differential, while Carolina finished in third place with five wins and a minus-52 differential. The Falcons outplayed their record and lost seven games by five or fewer points.
Freed of a struggling era with the best offensive mind in place for Matt Ryan since Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons have the upside of a team that can catch many by surprise at a time when the general narrative seems to expect a rebuild.
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