Hard to believe the NFL season is already a third of the way gone. It’s also hard to believe my beloved Tampa Bay Bucs are still searching for their second win of the year. Ugh.
In a bit of more local NFL news, the Indianapolis Colts fired their GM, which has led to talk that they’re reaching out to Peyton Manning, either to take the job or at least recommend someone for it. That’s an interesting route, but if I’m Manning, there’s no way I’m taking it.
He’s making a lot more money and dealing with a lot less hassle doing the Manningcast, and as a Colts legend, he’d be taking on a job where the owners could eventually fire him. That doesn’t seem worth the risk.
Week 6 brought a mixed bag for the Boilers in the NFL, with a few solid stat lines, some quiet outings, and one player finally getting his first action of the season.
George Karlaftis turned in the biggest performance of the bunch. He was credited with 6 tackles, including 3 solo stops, along with 1 sack and 2 TFLs. He also added 2 passes defended and 3 QB hits as the Chiefs beat the Chargers 22-6.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. was busy for the Giants in their 34-27 loss to the Saints. He logged 6 carries for 18 yards and a touchdown, caught 2 passes for 27 yards and another score, and also returned 2 kickoffs for 45 yards. All told, he finished with 86 total yards.
Marcus Mbow also started for New York, lining up at right tackle for his fourth career start. He did have a costly false start penalty, though, as the Giants fell to New Orleans.
Charlie Jones chipped in on special teams as well. He returned 4 punts for 33 yards and 3 kickoffs for 67 yards, giving him 100 return yards in the Giants’ loss.
Payne Durham had another frustrating day for Tampa Bay. He finished with no receptions again, which is exactly the kind of thing that keeps guys like me incredibly frustrated that he’s not being utilized. The Bucs dropped a 26-19 overtime decision to the Steelers.
Jalen Graham finally got on the field for the first time this season and made the most of the opportunity with 3 tackles, 2 of them solo. The 49ers stayed unbeaten with a 23-17 win over the Commanders.
Aidan O’Connell did not play for the Raiders, who lost to the Bills 33-30. Reese Taylor was inactive for the Dolphins. Derrick Barnes’ Lions were on a bye.
In Other News...
Barry Odom Has Purdue Fans Debating What Counts As Progress
The bye week arrived with Purdue sitting at 3-4 after the loss to Washington, and theres a real sense that this start has been better than many expected in Barry Odoms first season. The Boilermakers have already shown signs of progress in one area that matters most to a rebuilding team, with Ryan Browne taking a meaningful step forward at quarterback and giving the offense more stability than it had coming into the year.
Still, the conversation around Purdue is not just about records or expectations, because the defense has been a different story and that has left some fans questioning how much of the early improvement is sustainable. Odoms job security looks steady for now, but the scrutiny around defensive coordinator Kevin Kane has grown sharper, and the bye week gives the staff a chance to sort through a unit that has not matched the offenses upward trend. [Read more 🡒]