What We've Learned About Jets QB Situation, Sean Payton, Brandon Staley (Yikes), And OTs Jawaan Taylor And Ickey Okwonu
The NFL season's first month is complete and there are some things we've come to know about Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, Kansas City right tackle Jawaan Taylor, Chargers coach Brandon Staley, the New York Jets, and Panthers left tackle Ickey Ekwonu.
Let's begin with the coaches:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Brandon Staley of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a challenge flag during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Brandon Staley Makes Unwise Call
We know Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley won on Sunday for the first time this season. But he's not good.
That was glaringly obvious when the Chargers were nursing a 28-24 lead inside of two minutes to play against the Vikings and faced a fourth-and-1 situation from their own 24 yard line.
Staley, seeing a situation that would lead 99 percent of sane coaches to punt, decided to go for it. And the Vikings stopped the Chargers and gave their offense the ball at the Los Angeles 24 yard line.
Now, playing the results, Staley lives to tell the story because Kirk Cousins threw an interception in the end zone four plays later.
But that does not change the fact Staley did something wrong. And dumb. So much so, the analysts on the FOX set -- Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson and Howie Long -- mocked him.
"I believe in our offense," Staley said. "I believe in our offensive line, our tight ends, our quarterback. And I felt like we had a good play for what they would be in, and it didn't go down. We were protecting four points, not three.
"If it was a three-point play it would have been a different decision. I felt like our defense could play the way it did down the stretch. Again, I've got full confidence in our group. It's your job as a head coach to make sure your team knows you have belief in them. We came here to win. It was a tough road game against a team that made the playoffs, so we were trying to go win the game. I make no apologies for that."
What is all that? Had the Chargers punted, giving the Vikings the ball at, say, their 30, would that have been interpreted as a losing move?
He's not right.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos reacts during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Denver Honeymoon Over For Sean Payton
We know the the honeymoon is over for Sean Payton in Denver.
His team was not just bad but historically so against the Dolphins in giving up 70 points and 726 total yards. So for the first time in a while, Payton got pushed in his press conference with reporters afterward.
It resulted in him showing a terse side. He demanded one reporter get to his question quicker (should have asked defenders to get off their blocks quicker), and told the media "next question" a couple of times.
Payton showed more fight with reporters than his team did against the Dolphins. And in the end, Payton was left questioning everything -- including his coaches and himself.
"You always start inwardly and look at, all right, where can I be better, and then you start with the staff," Payton said. "Then we go through the tape, and then you get on to the meetings with the players.
So these next two days we'll have a lot to look at and discuss.
"Again, it’s disappointing. I mean, I'm at a loss for words because I’ve never been in – I've been on the other side of some games like that, and every once in a while in this league you get your butt whopped. But this was more than that."
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 07: Jawaan Taylor #74 of the Kansas City Chiefs lines up during at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 7, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Jawaan Taylor Benching Not What You Think
We know the Chiefs are committed to Jawaan Taylor. But not this much.
The right tackle who was signed in free agency gained national recognition when he spent the NFL's season opening game on national television either lining up illegally or jumping the snap count.
And he mostly got away with it.
Taylor has been doing similar, even if to a lesser degree, for two weeks. And Sunday, after picking up two more illegal formation penalties, he was pulled to start the second half against the Bears.
Trouble for Taylor?
No, trouble for game officials. Because coach Andy Reid blamed them for the issue.
"I checked out all the looks that our right tackle got called on today, and I'm seeing it on both sides of the ball," Reid said. "He might be being picked on just a little bit here, I felt today. I thought they did a good job the week before but today, I thought it was too much.
"I wasn't seeing it. Still, we've got to keep working on that and get through this."
So it's those darn officials making the Chiefs' big free agent signing look bad. Shame on them.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 19: Quarterback Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets has a long run for a first down during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on August 19, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
What Are Jets Doing At QB?
We know the Jets are either really dumb or playing some genius three-dimensional chess.
It's easy to think they're dumb because Zach Wilson, who they insisted was going to be good after the Aaron Rodgers injury, isn't very good. And we knew he wasn't going to be good.
And yet, they're insisting he's good.
"I can get into a long dissertation about what we're seeing," coach Robert Saleh said after Wilson completed only 50 percent of his passes and had a 61.9 passer rating in a loss to New England. "Obviously, his pocket presence to us has been so much more improved. His accuracy is much improved. His decision-making is much improved."
Saleh makes it sound as if Wilson is coming along nicely. And he is not.
But he remains the starter
Jets Are Committed To QB Wilson
"Right now Zach is the best player ... he's who gives us the best chance to win," Saleh said. "That's basically the cleanest answer I could give you."
Sounds dismal and it is for Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, who put all their hopes in the Aaron Rodgers basket.
But there's another possibility: If these two stick with Wilson and continue to lose, they'll find themselves in the 2024 draft quarterback derby. They'll be vying with the Bears, Vikings, Titans and perhaps another couple of teams for the top two or three quarterbacks in the next draft.
And maybe Rodgers can come back and help that new highly drafted rookie QB. And if Rodgers doesn't return, the Jets have another hope at QB anyway.
Genius!
CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 18: Ikem Ekwonu #79 of the Carolina Panthers helps Bryce Young #9 up during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on September 18, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Four Penalties For Ickey Ekwonu
We know the Carolina Panthers are deeply invested in the left tackle Ikem Ekwonu succeeding because, after all, he needs to protect quarterback Bryce Young's blind side.
But Ickey, as everyone calls him, has had an inconsistent start to the season following an inconsistent preseason.
That has included some sacks allowed and penalties absorbed. But on Sunday in Seattle's thunder dome of a home stadium it led to four false starts.
Four.
"Ickey has to look at it himself," coach Frank Reich said afterward. "We have to look at it like what can we do to help him in those situations? That's the process you go through. Like I said, I just had not experienced it like that before.
"We have to be able to change plays on the road. The quarterback has to be able to change plays. That's going to happen. So we talked about keeping our poise, and we didn't do that."
Ekwonu is only 22-years-old and in his second NFL season. He needs time to grow. But right now, time's wasting.