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A20 SPORTS
Saturday 22 September 2018

Are Raiders that bad? Are Dolphins that good? They meet next

By BARRY WILNER Still, they have Drew Brees, ers has thrown three or
AP Pro Football Writer looking for his fourth straight more TD passes and has
There have been some road game with a passer a passer rating over 100 in
classic games between rating over 100. WR Michael three straight regular-sea-
the Oakland Raiders and Thomas has 28 catches, an son games, and has plenty
Miami Dolphins. While Sun- NFL record for the first two of weapons.
day’s meeting doesn’t car- games of a season. So does Rams QB Jared
ry the weight of a playoff Atlanta’s up-and-down Goff, particularly 2017 Of-
contest between two pow- nature has been partly fensive Player of the Year
ers, it certainly brings plenty caused by injuries, par- Todd Gurley. The fourth-
of intrigue. ticularly on defense. That’s year RB is off to another bril-
Such as: Are the Dolphins never a good way to ap- liant start.
(2-0) real good, and are the proach a matchup with It’s the first meeting be-
Raiders (0-2) pretty bad? Brees. tween two Los Angeles NFL
The answers will come over New York Giants (0-2) at teams since Nov. 13, 1994,
the next few weeks, but this In this Sept. 13, 2018, file photo, Cincinnati Bengals defensive Houston (0-2) when the Raiders defeated
could be a strong indica- tackle Geno Atkins (97) pursues Baltimore Ravens quarterback The most watchable thing the Rams 20-17.
tor of where each team is Joe Flacco (5) before completing the sack during the first half here — if you like defenses Cincinnati (2-0) at Carolina
headed in 2018. of an NFL football game in Cincinnati. Atkins has looked super, creaming quarterbacks (1-1)
Miami has been winning getting three sacks and plenty of pressures. — is whether Eli Manning Wait, the Bengals are un-
the field position battle, is Associated Press or Deshaun Watson can beaten? Here’s a real
tied for the NFL lead with sparked the Browns (1-1-1) , has gone on the past two escape the rush. Watson, chance to prove they are
five interceptions — the who got two 1-yard touch- weeks with the Lions. They who has terrific agility, al- legit. Cincinnati can get af-
Dolphins had nine all last down runs from Carlos have looked inept at times, ready has gone down ter the passer and will force
year — and has allowed Hyde in their their first win Matthew Stafford has little seven times, and he’s not Cam Newton to be cre-
only seven points in four since Dec. 24, 2016. And so protection and has thrown come close to the sensa- ative. The Bengals are well
red-zone possessions by op- ends Cleveland’s 19-game a league-high five picks. tional showings he made rested — they beat Balti-
ponents. Healthy QB Ryan winless streak, the NFL’s Detroit is 30th in rushing de- as a rookie before tearing more on a Thursday night in
Tannehill is 9-1 in his past 10 second-longest since the fense, which must make up his knee. Week 2 — and DT Geno At-
starts; he missed the 2017 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The defensive guru Patricia Even worse, Manning has kins has looked super, get-
season with a knee injury. Jets are 1-2. cringe. been sacked eight times ting three sacks and plenty
Meanwhile, the Raiders are Indianapolis (1-1) at Phila- Belichick is 14-8 against and there haven’t been of pressures.
allowing 5.7 yards per rush, delphia (1-1) former assistants. New a handful of pass plays on But second-year running
worst in the league. They One of several games with England is 45-6 after losing which he didn’t feel pres- back Joe Mixon is sidelined,
are tied for last with only tasty matchups. a game since 2003 and sure. Now, he gets to see and Carolina has its own
one takeaway and have all The Super Bowl champions didn’t lose two straight in J.J. Watt and Jadeveon dangerous RB from the
of two sacks. Did someone get back Carson Wentz, 2016 or 2017. It fell at Jack- Clowney close up, with a 2017 draft in Christian Mc-
say they miss Khalil Mack? whose major knee injury sonville last Sunday. new center, John Greco, Caffrey. He tied WR Steve
Yet the key could be when last December led to Nick Denver (2-0) at Baltimore to boot. Smith’s franchise record
Oakland has the ball and Foles taking over at quar- (1-1) Dallas (1-1) at Seattle (0-2) with 14 receptions vs. the
whether it can generate terback — and winning One more spicy matchup, More sack time coming. Falcons. Carolina has won
anything against a defense the title. Wentz is healthy, on the defensive side. In years past, Seattle’s de- six straight at home.
that plays most everybody which means he’ll play. Led by Von Miller , the fense would be knocking Tennessee (1-1) at Jackson-
who suits up. “It’s been a long time com- Broncos seem to have re- down quarterbacks. This ville (2-0)
“The addition of (DE Rob- ing,” Wentz says. “It’s been kindled the Orange Crush. version of the Seahawks Jacksonville being 2-0 is
ert) Quinn is huge,” says quite the grind of an off- He leads the NFL with four has three sacks as the unit no shock and the Jaguars
Raiders coach Jon Gruden, season. There’s a lot of ex- sacks, a rate that would is rebuilt. could seize early control of
whose return to the sideline citement, a lot of built-up give him a record 32. Don’t Meanwhile, Russell Wilson the AFC South here. They
had Raiders fans all giddy almost anxiety over when it bet against him. has gone down 12 times, showed plenty of moxie in
before the Mack trade and was going to be.” Denver has allowed only and considering his escap- beating New England last
the two defeats. It will be against the of- five third-down conversions ability, that’s scary in Se- Sunday and hope to have
“He has given them su- fensive coordinator, Frank in 22 tries, the best rate attle. Dallas barely let Man- top RB Leonard Fournette
preme effort opposite Reich, who had a big role (22.7 percent) in the NFL. ning breathe last week, has healthy. They haven’t been
Cameron Wake. And they in Wentz’s quick develop- The Ravens rank second nine sacks from eight play- 3-0 in 14 years.
have a very good unit inside ment. Reich now coaches on D, no surprise there. ers, and faces possibly a Even though the Jags won
that can generate pressure the Colts, who have their But they’ll likely be missing bigger sieve of a blocking the division in 2017, they
as well. It’s a combination own star QB back from in- three-time Pro Bowl LB C.J. unit this week. were swept by Tennessee,
of new players, new energy jury, Andrew Luck. Mosley (knee). Los Angeles Chargers (1-1) helping the Titans earn a
and the scheme. It’s fun to Luck has thrown a TD pass New Orleans (1-1) at Atlan- at Los Angeles Rams (2-0) wild card. Tennessee has
watch them.” in 25 consecutive games, ta (1-1) Remember when L.A. had been very protective of its
Maybe not for Derek Carr, the league’s longest active In perhaps the toughest di- no teams? Now, both fig- passer, whether Marcus
the quarterback who has streak. vision, both of these 2017 ure to be contenders in Mariota or former Jaguar
to face them. The Colts are one win from playoff teams have been their divisions. Indeed, the Blaine Gabbert; opponents
The weekend began Thurs- 300 since moving to India- way too inconsistent so far. Rams have the most talent have one sack. Getting
day night with Cleveland’s napolis in 1984. The Saints opened with of any roster and are off to Mariota back from an el-
first win in 635 days, a 21-17 New England (1-1) at De- two home games, losing a powerful start. bow injury is critical.
home victory over the New troit (0-2) to Tampa Bay and getting This could be a shootout. San Francisco (1-1) at Kan-
York Jets. Matt Patricia spent 14 sea- lucky to beat Cleveland. Since Week 11 of last sea- sas City (2-0)
The No. 1 overall pick Bake sons working for Bill Belich- The defense was awful in son, the Chargers are tops It’s not that the Chiefs have
Mayfield replaced injured ick in New England. Rarely the opener, the offense in offense, averaging 436.9 won two straight, it’s how
starter Tyrod Taylor and did he deal with what struggled last week. yards per game. Philip Riv- they did it.q