People were like, “What are you talking about?” back when I said “the vibe isn’t good” in Cincinnati during the preseason, and again after they started 0-2. Yet now, the Bengals are 3-5 after getting smoked at home by an Eagles team that basically took the first quarter off.
The Bengals act like they’ve won five Super Bowls, yet the Eagles put up 37 points in three quarters in Cincinnati. That’s not a minor problem. That’s a massive problem.
And what did Ja’Marr Chase do when caught that touchdown? He did a celebration that was centered around money.
It was a huge mistake to not pay one of their best players. When you do that, it trickles down. For other guys, the thought becomes, “If they’re not going to take care of him, what are they going to do with me?”
The Bengals have a culture problem.
Jets continues to descend
They thought they were getting 2011 Aaron Rodgers. Instead, they’ve gotten a guy who doesn’t look anything like the former MVP.
They had a delay of game on a two-point conversion. You cannot allow your quarterback, who is supposedly the leader of your team, to have a delay of game on a two-point attempt. That’s as basic as it gets, and Rodgers can’t even do that right now.
They swore the problem was Zach Wilson and Robert Saleh. Because of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets got rid of everybody and brought in all of his guys — and they’re worse.
It’s not just about your ability to throw the football. It’s about your ability to elevate players. Is there anybody in the Jets organization who feels that Rodgers has elevated them? The answer is no.
Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback, but he is not a first-ballot Hall of Fame leader. Not by a longshot.
You don’t know what you don’t know
It’s not the fact that Anthony Richardson said he was tired or that he sat out a play. The issue is the fact he said that and didn’t even know how bad that is.
If you don’t know what the problems are, you’re never going to fix them.
This is all separate from the fact that he couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Richardson is also on pace to finish with the lowest completion percentage in the NFL for a starting quarterback since Tim Tebow in 2011.
This is, again, about leadership.
Back in 2009, Matthew Stafford had a drive with the Lions where he threw a ball downfield to Calvin Johnson and got absolutely destroyed by the Browns. Separated his left shoulder — he was mic’d up for the game and you can hear him screaming. But Stafford fought to stay in with there being a chance for a game-winning touchdown. Goes back in, throws the game-winning touchdown and his arm was basically hanging there like angel hair pasta.
That’s how you get the respect of your teammates. “That guy was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to give us a chance to win.”
And Richardson is tapping out because he was tired? Because he was tired!!! That’s ridiculous.
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