With the NFL season already approaching week four, there have been many standout teams, teams with sparks of hope and bright futures, and many that have been huge letdowns and disappointments to their fans.
Amazing starts, but can they continue?
The Miami Dolphins are off to a scorching hot start in the 2023-24 NFL season, being one of only three teams starting 3-0. In week one versus the Chargers, QB Tua Tagovailoa and star wide receiver Tyreek Hill put on a show, putting up 500+ yards on offense, while Hill recorded 215 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphin’s hot streak continued during week three against the Broncos, recording 700 yards of offense while also being the first team in NFL history to record five passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in a single game during their 70-20 win. Unlike week one, the Dolphins got the ground game going with rookie running back De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert recording 300 rushing yards combined, a tribute to the Dolphins not only having a top passing offense, but also a top rushing offense in the NFL. The Dolphins were able to do all of this without their young star wide receiver, Jaylen Waddle, who has played a massive part in the fast-paced Miami offense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Dolphins kept the Broncos out of the endzone for the most part, but they did allow 368 passing yards to opposing quarterback Russel Wilson. Most of the top NFL analysts from ESPN and PFF have the Dolphins at the top of their power rankings following week three, making them one of the favorites for the Super Bowl on February 11th. Currently, Tua has the highest odds at Most Valuable Player at +350 odds. Will the Dolphin’s hot streak continue, or will it be too difficult to maintain throughout the season?
The ongoing joke across the NFL world is Cowboys fans claiming that every year “is their year” (just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that…) to win the Super Bowl, and they always fall short, but is it finally their year? The Dallas Cowboys had one of the best week one performances in NFL history, blowing out the Giants 40-0 in the Meadowlands. They had one blocked punt and forced the Giants to turn the ball over three times, one being an interception returned for a touchdown. In week two, The New York Jets came to Dallas without future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and lost 30-10, with another outstanding defense performance from the Cowboys. By week two, the Cowboys had outscored opponents 70-10. The defense, led by defensive player of the year candidate Micah Parsons, led the NFL in turnovers, forced fumbles, and sacks. But, as week three rolled around, the Dallas Cowboys could not continue their hot streak. It all started on September 21st when Cowboys all-pro cornerback Trevon Diggs tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season. The Cowboys were matched against arguably the worst team in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals lost star wide receiver Deandre Hopkins this offseason, and their quarterback Kyler Murray is out with an ACL tear and won’t return until (much) later in the season. The Cowboys have a significantly better roster but ultimately fell short of a win, losing 28-16, considered one of the biggest upsets in the young season. The Cowboys have some work to do this week in practice, and Coach Mike McCarthy mentioned that they will be focusing a lot of time on Red Zone plays before their week four matchup against the 1-2 New England Patriots.
Bright Future Ahead
The Houston Texans have been a huge disappointment since they lost QB Deshawn Watson, wide receiver Deandre Hopkins, and future hall of famer J.J. Watt. That has all changed after the Texans drafted QB C.J. Stroud second overall and defensive lineman Will Anderson third overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. So far, the Texan’s record is 1-2, tied for 2nd in their division, which is considered to be one of the easiest divisions in football. In week one against the Ravens, Stroud did not have a stellar game, throwing no touchdowns, but on the bright side, no interceptions. Stroud stepped up in week two against the Colts, throwing 384 yards and completing two touchdowns to Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Dell is a rookie wide receiver drafted out of Houston and has been Stround’s most reliable option so far this season. In week three against the Jaguars, Stroud and Dell put up outstanding numbers: Dell went for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while CJ Stroud threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Things are starting to look good for the future of the Texans, and next week versus the Steelers will prove to the NFL world if the Texans offense can compete against a tough Steelers defense.
Biggest Disappointment
With another disastrous week of football, the Chicago Bears’ struggles continue. With the unexpected loss of defensive coach Alan Williams due to personal reasons, the defense has struggled to stop high-power offenses such as the Chiefs in week three when the Bears lost 41-10. On the offensive side of the ball, the struggle continues with young offensive lineman Braxton Jones injured for what could be the rest of the season. Jones was crucial to protecting Justin Fields, giving him enough time in the pocket to make a good pass or use his legs to scramble. In other Bears news, Soldier Field was robbed by intruders of just about $100,000 worth of equipment, which was highly unexpected and may have thrown the Bears off-schedule. Justin Field’s struggling season continues; he’s already had one game where he didn’t throw over 100 yards. Some of the top NFL analysts projected Justin Fields to have a massive 3rd-year leap due to the sparks of greatness he showed last year when he would scramble outside the pocket. Last year, he rushed for the 3rd most rushing yards ever by a quarterback, only behind Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick. With general manager Ryan Poles using over $80 million to improve their overall roster, the team has been looking more or less the same as last year, which is a problem. Even with the addition of wide receiver DJ Moore, the Bears can’t seem to get the passing game going at all. Can the Bears turn it around, or is it time for Chicago fans to give up hope on this season?
