GEORGE: 21 Takeaways From the NFL as the Patriots Kept Rolling in Week 8
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Some random takeaways from Week 8:
1) At the end of New England’s 32-13 win over Cleveland, Myles Garrett could be seen on the sidelines at the end of the game, throwing his helmet around and screaming at anyone nearby. Now that’s a true winner, who takes losing that poorly.
To that I say: Weep not for Mr. Garrett.
First of all, he set a Browns record with five sacks in a single game. Also, he established a new record for most career sacks by a defender who has not yet turned thirty years of age.
As for throwing his helmet, thank goodness he didn’t throw it at a Patriot player.
In 2019, during a game against Pittsburgh, Garrett was involved in a melee with Steelers QB Mason Rudolph. Garrett wound up taking Rudolph’s helmet off and hitting him with it in the head. TV broadcaster Joe Buck almost went out of his mind when he saw the helmet hit on replay. Garrett was indefinitely suspended by the NFL and returned for the 2020 season..
So this is why when you see Garrett do what he does, you can’t watch him and not think of the Rudolph incident. Seeing him throw his helmet late in the game on the Browns bench reinforced that belief.
2) The Colts are 7-1, and I wonder how much NFL experts think of Jonathan Taylor now. After all, this is a quarterback league, and running backs are a dime a dozen.
Well, there’s also this issue with trying to sign Daniel “Indiana” Jones to a long term deal.
3) And the Broncos are 6-2, having walloped Dallas at home. In Denver, it’s “Drake who?”
4) Geek of the Week: Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden had better have a come to Jesus moment soon. He’s in his first year, but his long term plans for the Bengals might not be so long term.
5) Think of it: Cincinnati drops 38 points on an 0-7 team at home with a number three quarterback. And they lose by one point. Bengals fans should all be wearing paper bags over their heads indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the Jets can thank Woody “It would be nice if we could complete a pass!” Johnson for this win.
6) RIP Nick Mangold. The former All-Pro center for the Jets passed away on Saturday from a kidney ailment. He is remembered as one of the best centers of his day, but this writer remembers him in another way.
In 2012, just as Mangold was reporting to training camp in July, the Summer Olympics were beginning over in London. Nick’s sister Holley was due to compete in the super heavyweight class of women’s weightlifting. Nick asked for and received permission from then head coach Rex Ryan to fly to London, attend his sister’s competition, then fly back to New York to resume training camp. Holley sustained a wrist injury which contributed to her finishing tenth out of twelve in the competition. But the fact that Nick was there to see his sister compete in the Olympics was first class, both to Nick Mangold and Ryan.
7) Jaylinn Hawkins’ interception might be one of the finest you may ever see by a defensive back. There is an old saying that says, “If they could catch the ball, they would be wide receivers.” This catch by Hawkins resembled Odell Beckham Jr. A diving, one-handed grab which really did look like OBJ.
8) Let’s hope Aaron Rodgers really wants to retire. He looks miserable out there. Losing to his former team at his new home can’t possibly make him feel any better.
9) Atlanta will be a trap game next weekend for the Patriots. In two weeks, the Patriots will head to Tampa Bay.
10) Honk if you expect to hear the words “Super Bowl preview” again and again in two weeks.
11) Back to school: All of Bill Belichick’s college detractors need to stand down and give His Hoodiness time to implement his program. How many years did it take for Jim Harbaugh to finally take hold at Michigan?
12) Back to school II: I know he’s injured, but we need to start wondering if Texas’ Arch Manning isn’t the tremendous quarterback we all thought he was.
13) Shame on the Bears. Yes, it was a road game, but it was still a wounded Ravens team that you could have and should have beaten.
14) Philadelphia jumped on the throwback jersey bandwagon with their uniforms from the late 1960s/early 1970s. I would love to see them keep these uniforms as permanent. Nicer shade of green and easier on the eyes.
On the other hand, may Pittsburgh never wear those hideous orange duds again.
15) The Patriots have the latest incarnation of a famous running back duo from the United States Military Academy (Army) from the 1940s: Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside.
Army had Glenn Davis and “Doc” Blanchard. The Patriots have Rhamondre Stevenson and Tre’Veyon Henderson. Feed Henderson the ball on outside runs and passes. Let Stevenson run over people between the tackles.
16) The Cleveland kicker is named Andre Smyzt. In Cleveland it is pronounced “Schmidt”. In Massachusetts it is pronounced “Smite”. I knew someone with that exact last name. In any case, the Browns kicker might possibly hold the NFL record for the longest last name without a vowel.
17) Remember him: In the 1978 draft, the Falcons took Michigan offensive tackle Mike Kenn with the 13th overall pick in the first round. Kenn went on to play all 17 of his NFL seasons in Atlanta, which is remarkable in these days of changing teams and rising salary costs. Kenn was a three-time NFL first team All-Pro, a two-time second team All-Pro, and a five-time Pro Bowler. He was seldom penalized and played consistently at high levels his whole career. As an outsider looking at his record, this question comes to mind: “Why is Mike Kenn not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?” I’d love a veteran Falcon fan to drop me a line and set me straight on that one. And this has nothing to do with my attachment to Michigan.
18) In 2024, Jayden Daniels was drafted second overall and Drake Maye third overall.
In 2024, Daniels was already the next coming of Patrick Mahomes. He could do it all, and he led the Commanders to the playoffs.
In 2024, Maye looked mostly very good despite a head coach who would last only one season, an offensive coordinator who was in over his head, and a supporting cast who might also have lost to the New York Jets yesterday.
In 2025, Daniels is out injured, his Commanders are below .500, and you don’t hear anything at all. He has suddenly fallen off the NFL map for now.
In 2025, Maye has his team at 6-2, has the pro football world putting the Patriots back in as playoff contenders, and has all NFL experts using the letters “MVP” in the same sentence as Maye.
19) There is such a thing as a “sophomore slump”. It’s happening in Washington. It may also be happening in Chicago. It’s not happening in Foxborough.
20) Finally, just a little baseball. The Dodgers have the market cornered on 18-inning World Series Game 3s. In 2018, Max Muncy broke Nathan Eovaldi’s heart, but Eovaldi became a folk hero and a champion in the end. In 2025, Muncy watched Freddie Freeman do much the same thing. So when you play the Dodgers at the Stadium in Game 3 of the World Series, put Johnny Wholestaff in the bullpen and bunker down for a long night.
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