NFL Today: Week Four Notebook
Joshua Dobbs (9) has opened eyes with his play this season. (AP photo/Susan Walsh)
In Week Four, Jets QB Zach Wilson finally looked pretty good… until he didn’t; Buffalo CB Tre’Davious White has suffered another major injury; and Patriots QB Mac Jones was bad enough to get yanked from Sunday’s game, but he will remain the starter going forward. Let’s see what else happened and get you ready for Monday Night Football…
Seattle Is Slim MNF Favourite vs. NYG
The Seattle Seahawks are 1.5-point faves for MNF against the New York Giants, which is not a surprise considering it remains a mystery how the G-Men’s attack will fare without Saquon Barkley who remains doubtful with his ankle injury.
As we predicted, Matt Breida took over as lead back in Week Three, and while he did manage a score, he barely got the rock against a superb 49er run D. Seattle’s run defense is even better (2.9 YPC), so we’re not expecting much from the Giants’ backs in this game as the team will likely try to attack the Seahawks through the air.
Can Daniel Jones Turn It Around?
But among G-Men who could find paydirt, QB Daniel Jones is the best bet (+105 as an anytime TD scorer as per the FanDuel NFL parlay builder betting odds). His best rushing performance (and only rushing touchdown) of the season came in Week Two when he scurried for 59 yards on just nine caries. In fact, overall, that’s the only good game for Jones through three tries as he’s off to a poor start (just a 70 rating) in 2023.
He’s gotten better each season, but will need to stop making so many mistakes if that trend will continue. Jones has already been picked four times through three games this season after tossing just five interceptions in 16 games in 2022.
For what it’s worth, Seattle coach Pete Carroll is not taking Jones lightly — especially what the QB can do with his legs.
Joshua Dobbs Has Been a Major Surprise
The Arizona Cardinals are only getting slightly better results so far this season (1-3), but definitely look like an improved squad, at least to the eye test.
And where would this team be without a surprisingly good performance from QB Joshua Dobbs, who is only playing because Kyler Murray (knee) is still out, and may not return for quite some time?
Dobbs shook off a poor first game with three straight solid efforts, buoying hopes that he can remain a long term starter, if not in Arizona, then perhaps elsewhere. He has looked better each season, but before this season had only appeared in eight career games since making his NFL debut in 2018. Dobbs looks like one of the most improved players in the league through the first quarter of the season, and a big part of that has been limiting the mistakes (zero picks through four games).
How big a surprise has Dobbs been? Well, consider that the team store didn’t even carry his jersey at the outset of the season (see video below)! How’s that for respect for your starting QB?
For Fantasy purposes, at the very least Dobbs ranks as a QB2 with upside.
RotoRob Tune of the Day
Laurie Anderson turned 76 this summer, which makes us feel old AF. In 1984, she released her second album, Mister Heartbreak, including the track “Langue d’Amour,” a track that was reworked from her live album, United States.
