Surprises and disappointments
Smith has Chiefs off to unbeaten start; Patriots defense not up to standard
The quarter mark of the NFL season is too early to designate contenders and award winners.
But plenty of teams, players and trends have diverged wildly from preseason expectations — for better or worse. Here are a look at four surprises and four disappointments through the first four weeks of the season.
SURPRISES
Chiefs QB Alex Smith: A 33year-old quarterback knocked for his conservative approach is no one’s idea of a potential breakout player. Yet here Smith stands, leading the NFL’s last undefeated team while touting a league-best 124.2 passer rating. His approach still centers on efficiency rather than big plays, but Smith is now propelling Kansas City’s offense rather than restricting it.
Rams offense: Sean McVay might have been the offseason’s most controversial hire given his age and inexperience, but so far the move looks like a brilliant decision by the Rams front office. McVay has accelerated the development of 2016 No. 1 pick Jared Goff at a surprising rate, and after four games only Alex Smith and Tom Brady have a better passer rating (among quarterbacks who have made more than one start) than the second-year quarterback. The Rams look like a serious contender in the NFC, and likely no one outside of Los Angeles saw that coming this quickly.
Rookie RBs: With young running backs taking on starring roles last season, the arrival of Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey signaled the latest step forward for the position after its longtime devaluation throughout the league. While Fournette and
McCaffrey have impressed in stretches, the less highly touted ballcarriers have made this a rookie class to remember. Kareem Hunt has been the Chiefs’ breakout star with 508 rushing yards and 157 receiving yards. The thirdround pick is on pace to not only break Eric Dickerson’s rookie rushing record (1,808 yards) but also Chris Johnson’s all-time mark for yards from scrimmage (2,509). If not for serious injuries Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings’ Dalvin Cook (third with 354 rushing yards) and the Seattle Seahawks’ Chris Carson could have made this bunch a historic group in its first year.
Bills defense: Who would’ve guessed the Buffalo Bills would own the NFL’s stingiest defense, allowing 54 points through four games? Yes, new head coach Sean McDermott fielded impressive units during his years as a coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers. But his instant success in Upstate New York is noteworthy given his 4-3 scheme shares little philosophical similarity to predecessor Rex Ryan’s operation; the Bills parted with starting corners Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby in the offseason, and DT Marcell Dareus has been virtually invisible. Nevertheless, the Bills have put the clamps on three teams (Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons) that have had outbursts of 30-plus points against other competition this season. New S Micah Hyde has contributed three interceptions to a team with an AFC-best +6 turnover differential while leading a new-look secondary that has permitted just one TD pass.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
Patriots defense: The dream of an undefeated season ended for the New England Patriots on opening night. But the biggest disappointment for the defending Super Bowl champs has been the defensive drop-off, from the league’s top scoring defense last year to a group that’s allowing 32 points per game, more than all but one other team. The pass rush has been particularly disappointing, though not entirely unexpected, given an accumulation of detraction that began in recent years with the trades of Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins.
Chargers: So much for a fresh start. Embarking on their first season in Los Angeles, the Chargers were a trendy pick by many for a big turnaround after suffering through injuries and close losses last year. But just like their fan base, the 0-4 Bolts haven’t shown up when it counts, with three of their defeats coming by a combined seven points. Melvin Gordon (3.1 yards per carry) has been problematic for the suddenly stalled ground game, and the defense has been gashed for the second-most rushing yards (163.5 per game) of any team.
Titans: The Tennessee Titans fell a tiebreaker short of reaching the playoffs a year ago. A team blessed with an exciting young quarterback, dominant offensive line, scary running back tandem and a defense loaded with talent seemed poised to take over the imminently winnable AFC South. But not so fast. Marcus Mariota’s slow start might grind to a halt entirely if a hamstring injury forces him to miss time. Though RBs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry are still amassing yards at a decent clip, Tennessee’s offense still seems too predictable. Of course, all those concerns pale next to a defense that just got bulldozed for 57 points by Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was making just his third NFL start. The team that seemed
a year away might still be years away.
Raiders offensive line: The Oakland Raiders offensive line was supposed to rival that of the Dallas Cowboys for the unofficial title of league’s best front five. There’s probably no better interior trio than center Rodney Hudson and guards Gabe Jackson and Kelechi Osemele, and the front office thought enough of veteran left tackle Donald Penn to reward him with a two-year, $21 million extension despite this summer’s training camp holdout. Yet despite all the talent and the resources invested into it, the Raiders have been manhandled up front the last two weeks, haven’t gotten Marshawn Lynch on track and, worst of all, have again left franchise quarterback Derek Carr splayed on the turf with a serious injury.