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Tuesday 1 OcTOber 2024

Vikings, Ravens, Buccaneers and Commanders were up for the

challenge in a prove-it week

By ROB MAADDI now lost eight of 11 games
AP Pro Football Writer since opening 10-1 last
Sam Darnold and the Min- year.
nesota Vikings were the Coach Nick Sirianni stressed
biggest surprise in Septem- improving the team’s fun-
ber. Trevor Lawrence and damentals over the bye
the Jacksonville Jaguars week. If not, his seat will only
were the top disappoint- get hotter in a city where
ment. fans and media have been
NFL teams spend the first calling for his job since a
month of the season estab- playoff loss to the Bucca-
lishing their identity. Some neers in January.
figure it out faster than oth- “We didn’t coach well
ers. enough and we didn’t play
Week 4 was filled with well enough - and that’s
prove-it opportunities for always going to start with
many across the league. me,” Sirianni said.
The Vikings, Ravens, Buc- “If we go out there, lay an
caneers and Command- egg, and we’re down 24-0,
ers were among the teams that’s going to start on me. I
up for the challenge. The didn’t have the guys ready
Jaguars, Eagles, Jets and to start. But, our fundamen-
Browns were on the oppo- tals weren’t what we need-
site end of that. ed it to be. We’ll make sure
After leading the Vikings to we’re working hard on that
consecutive wins at home - (the) bye week is coming
against San Francisco and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at a good time.”
Houston, Darnold threw during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Baltimore. Aaron Rodgers and the
three touchdown passes Associated Press Jets are heading to Lon-
to help Minnesota build an don on a sour note after
early 28-point lead in a 31- more saved its season with ‘hair on fire’ mentality,” portunities in a 24-20 loss at a lackluster effort in a 10-9
29 road victory over Green a hard-fought win at Dallas Mayfield said. “Everybody Houston. loss at home to Denver.
Bay. last week and followed up was locked into what the Even though they’re a cou- Greg Zuerlein missed a po-
The Vikings, a consensus with a convincing perfor- plan was and that’s why ple plays away from being tential winning 50-yard field
pick to finish last in the NFC mance against Josh Allen we executed that quickly, 2-2, the reality is they face goal in the final minute but
North, are off to a 4-0 start and the Bills. but that needs to be the an uphill climb. Lawrence, it shouldn’t have been that
and Darnold is playing like Lamar Jackson and Der- case every week.” who got a $275 million con- close.
an MVP candidate. Coach rick Henry are unstoppable The Commanders, who tract, has been inconsis- Rodgers struggled on a
Kevin O’Connell’s club is when they both get go- lost their season opener tent and criticism of coach rainy, sloppy field and the
leading a tough a division ing and the Ravens clearly in Tampa Bay, cruised to Doug Pederson is intensify- offense was out of synch.
but they’ve got a long way aren’t finished. That 0-2 a 42-14 victory in Arizona ing. The road doesn’t get easier
to go, especially after near- start is a memory now and to improve to 3-1. Rookie “As coaches, we can’t go for the Jets (2-2).
ly blowing a big lead. they’ll be in the mix in a Jayden Daniels has been out there and make the They face the Vikings next
“Lot of things still to clean competitive AFC North. outstanding and Washing- plays, right?” Pederson Sunday.
up,” O’Connell said. “Starts A week after no-show- ton had no trouble playing said. “It’s a two-way street, Deshaun Watson and the
with me. We’ll make sure ing in a 26-7 home loss to on a short week six days af- so you guys can sit here Browns fell short in a come-
we keep refining this foot- Denver, the Buccaneers ter beating Cincinnati also and point the finger all you back bid at Las Vegas, los-
ball team. ... What hap- showed out in a 33-16 vic- on the road. want, and that’s fine. Point ing 20-16 to fall to 1-3. A
pened today means ab- tory against Philadelphia With Daniels leading a it right at me. I can take it, year after Joe Flacco led
solutely nothing moving that wasn’t as close as the high-powered offense, the OK? I can take it.” Cleveland to the playoffs,
forward, other than we’ve final score. Commanders should com- The coach who replaced the Browns are back in a
gotta go back to work and Baker Mayfield picked pete for an NFC East title in Pederson in Philadelphia familiar spot at the bottom
continue to improve as a apart the Eagles’ second- a season that began with also pointed the finger at of the standings. Watson
football team because I ary and Tampa Bay’s de- low expectations. himself after the Eagles (2- hasn’t resembled the play-
absolutely love this team.” fense dominated Jalen Jacksonville entered this 2) took a major step back- er he was in Houston and
The Ravens made a state- Hurts. year with championship as- ward against the Bucca- he’s willing to accept the
ment in a prime-time The Buccaneers are 3-1 pirations but instead is off neers. blame.
matchup, routing previous- with two wins over 2023 to an 0-4 start. The Jaguars They haven’t solved the “We’re not doing enough.
ly unbeaten Buffalo 35-10 playoff teams. blew a fourth-quarter lead problems that led to a late- It starts with me,” Watson
to even their record. Balti- “We came out (with) a and wasted several op- season collapse and have said.q