This is the first NFL Sunday where I didn’t watch a minute of any games. Was busy with other stuff but don’t feel like I missed much ready the posts here and scanning the boxscores. With the Hutch injury, it’s just another check in the disappointment category. Kupp, Theilen, McCaffrey, Hockenson and others succumbing to injury. Then there’s a lot of star TEs being ignored week to week. Very little opportunity and success for the 4 rookie running backs….I’m hoping things get better but there has been much to gripe over so far.
I agree with everything you wrote above. It's been one of those years, including at linebacker. Troy Andersen has perhaps the best individual game by any defensive player all season and immediately misses the next two games with some kind of knee issue. Josey Jewell, Pete Werner and others can't stay healthy, Cole Holcomb may never play again.
Looking at the proverbial bright side, a number of White QBs are playing great and more than a few Black ones have been bad, some really bad. Carson Steele had a genuine opportunity to be a starter as an undrafted rookie but two early fumbles ended that, self-inflicted. Shipley is stuck behind Barkley but still should be able to have a very good pro career. Kupp, McCaffrey and Thielen should be back soon and Pearsall is practicing and should make his debut soon. Bishop and DeJean are healthy and playing and Moss looks great.
The tight end decline is a real head-scratcher but is across the board at the position. Bowers has been terrific if not yet used creatively and Kraft looks great. Andrews is finally being used again and Kelce's last two games have been Kelce like. Kittle has been very solid.
The league as a whole seems duller this year, not as many stars as usual, offense in general seems down and more spread out statistically. The Lions scored 47 points yesterday yet other than Goff no one on offense had eye-catching stats. Montgomery was the leading rusher with 80 yards while Gibbs had 63, the three leading receivers had 76, 73 and 68 yards respectively, while "stars" LaPorta and St. Brown had just 52 and 37 and all of LaPorta's yards came on a single trick play.
Hopefully it gets better from here for the guys we root for.