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Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott Battle for Divisional Supremacy

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4 months ago

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The NFC East was dominant a season ago. Not a single team in the division ended the season with a losing record in 2023. It now has three quarterbacks within the division making over $40 million annually, with the last being either a stopgap veteran or a passer on a rookie contract.

But in our NFC East QB rankings, who is at the top of this heralded NFL division?

Ranking the QBs in the NFC East

The question is how much stock we put into the entire résumé vs. what the QBs have done recently and their potential upside. Do we think that Jalen Hurts can continue ascending with a new offensive play-caller? Can Daniel Jones be a bigger playmaker with his arm in 2023?

1) Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts

Dak Prescott has a more substantial résumé than Hurts. But while he’s hit and likely already surpassed his athletic peak and is just sharpening his passing ability at this point, Hurts continues to progress in that area at a somewhat rapid rate.

MORE: Best Offenses in the NFL — Where Do the Eagles Land? 

The thing is, Hurts has gotten better as a passer in every season he’s played from his time at Alabama up until now. He simply keeps improving. But he’s also one of the most dangerous players in the league with the ball in his hands, and his rushing threat helps the Eagles’ ground game be more efficient as a whole, which gives him an edge over Prescott.

PFN’s own Arif Hasan ranked Hurts inside the top five of the NFL QB Rankings; Prescott checked in at seventh.

2) Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys finished fourth in points per game a season ago despite Prescott’s down year and a five-game stretch without him when they averaged 21.6 ppg. They averaged 30 points per game with Prescott.

Over the past two seasons, they have the highest scoring average in the NFL, and in 97 games played, the Cowboys have averaged 26.6 points per game with Prescott. That career number would have tied for fifth in the 2022 NFL season.

There is no denying that Prescott must take better care of the ball in 2023. Even though many of his turnovers were of little fault of his own, there were still some awful and uncharacteristic decisions made by the veteran pocket passer a season ago.

3) New York Giants: Daniel Jones

It’s difficult to truly gauge how good Jones may be, given the way the Giants’ offense chose to attack defenses in 2022. They did not have any downfield threats on offense, and the receiving corps was underwhelming, to say the least.

MORE: 2023 NFL Team Schedules

But Jones was finally able to unlock his athleticism, and his rushing ability made him a surprisingly efficient quarterback in 2022. His immediate growth under Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka is at least somewhat reminiscent of Josh Allen’s early improvement with Daboll.

Jones doesn’t have Allen’s arm or brute physicality as a runner. But he is a good athlete, and if he can continue to use his legs as a weapon, it will open up opportunities in the passing game. The addition of Jalin Hyatt should also help the Giants’ nonexistent vertical passing attack.

4) Washington Commanders: Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett

Ron Rivera said that Sam Howell would get the opportunity to win the starting job, but that he wanted to get an established veteran in the ring as well to fight things out. The team accomplished that when they signed Jacoby Brissett, who could end up the team’s Week 1 starter in 2023.

Honestly, if he’s not, the NFC East might have something to worry about in 2023. Brissett ranked 11th in the EPA+CPOE composite, and he posted the third-best CPOE in the entire NFL a season ago. The Browns’ offense with Brissett under center was good enough to make them a playoff team, but their defense let them down.

Howell suspiciously fell to the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, despite posting some nice tape while at North Carolina. If he has found a way to improve his messy lower-body mechanics, Howell could be a quality starter on a solid Washington roster.



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Should I Trade Chris Godwin in Fantasy Football?

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54 mins ago

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September 26, 2023

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin has failed to register a top-35 finish at the wide receiver position through the first three weeks of the NFL season. Should you consider getting him off your fantasy football roster via trade heading into Week 4? Let’s take a closer look.

Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!

Should Fantasy Football Managers Trade Chris Godwin?

After back-to-back top-20 finishes at the WR position in PPR formats over the last two seasons, Godwin hasn’t topped 60 yards or scored a touchdown in the first three games of the 2023 campaign.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has peppered fellow receiver Mike Evans with 28 targets in comparison to Godwin’s 19 looks in the passing game.

There hasn’t been a noticeable decline in Godwin’s performance. This feels more like Mayfield simply preferring Evans as his go-to option to start the season.

His three receptions against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football marks his lowest reception total in a game since Week 1 back in 2022.

What Should Fantasy Managers Look To Acquire When Trading Godwin?

If you are looking to trade Godwin because you are concerned about his volume in the Bucs’ passing game, obviously, you will want to target a receiver in return in the trade.

MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings

Even if Godwin is off to a slow start, I would aim to get leading receivers in offenses that managers probably don’t believe in quite yet — like Nico Collins and Adam Thielen — to potentially secure some weekly volume in your lineup.

Godwin is a great player, but it doesn’t look like Mayfield can make two wide receivers quality fantasy starters in 2023.

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Derek Carr Injury Update: Saints QB’s Diagnosis Revealed

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2 hours ago

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September 26, 2023

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After being slammed to the ground on a sack by Rashan Gary on a 3rd-and-9 Sunday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was in obvious pain. We now know his official diagnosis.

Derek Carr Injury Update

Gary wrapped up and slammed Carr onto the ground on a third-down sack in the third quarter. Carr was able to walk off the field, but the Saints’ training staff was looking at the quarterback’s right arm as he got up and headed to the locker room.

It was recently revealed that Carr has a sprained AC joint and is week to week.

After Carr went down Sunday, former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston took over for Carr.

Through two games with New Orleans, Carr is 2-0, completing 44 of 69 passing attempts for 533 yards, a TD, and two INTs. Prior to the injury Sunday, Carr completed 13 of 18 passing attempts for 103 yards.

After taking over, Winston was 10 for 16 for 101 yards.

Late Monday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Saints HC Dennis Allen characterized Carr’s sprained AC joint as week to week. He also reported that the team is going to be cautious with their QB and it would be a surprise if Carr played Sunday against the Buccaneers.

As Schefter pointed out, looks like Winston might be getting a shot at his former team. Winston vs. Mayfield. Should be a fun one.

Fantasy Update Following Carr’s Diagnosis

With Winston under center and Alvin Kamara back, this Saints offense would look quite a bit different than what we saw through 2.5 games with Carr under center.

Winston has never been one to embrace checkdown passes, putting Michael Thomas’ target share in danger of falling in a significant way, especially with Kamara soaking up more targets in the short passing game than the RB position has up to this point in New Orleans.

Chris Olave is an elite receiver, and that’s not going to change. His range of outcomes is greater with Winston under center, but he’s a locked-in starter in all formats either way.

MORE: NFL Standings

Rashid Shaheed’s big-play profile (40+ yard play in six of his past eight games) would seem to fit like Winston likes to do. And with a week to get comfortable, that would land Shaheed right in the middle of the Flex conversation, even after a zero-catch performance in Week 3.





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Updates, Score, Results, and More From Week 3 Matchup

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3 hours ago

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September 26, 2023

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The Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday Night Football game is somewhat a tale of David vs. Goliath. The Eagles, undefeated and coming off of a Super Bowl appearance, will battle the Buccaneers, who were the odds-on favorite to be the worst team in the league with Baker Mayfield under center.

Now, both teams are looking to extend their win streaks to three, and both can take the lead in their respective divisions. Will the Mayfield magic continue? Will Jalen Hurts and this Eagles offense be too much for the Bucs to handle?

Find out here as we update you on all the big plays, highlights, and results from the game.

Eagles vs. Buccaneers Box Score and Results

We will update this section as the Eagles vs. Buccaneers game is played.

Highlights and Analysis

Third Quarter: Eagles 10, Buccaneers 3

9:05 p.m. ET: Swift is slowly taking over this game. And, he did so with an unreal highlight play which you can see below. The Eagles are once again in the red zone looking to extend their lead to two scores. Also, shootout to the PFN social media team. Excellent tweet (X?).

Second Quarter: Eagles 10, Buccaneers 3

8:35 p.m. ET: Nevermind. Rookie Jalen Carter forced a FUMBLE and the Eagles are back on the field with 24 seconds left.

8:30 p.m. ET: The Eagles were driving and about to score. They also get the ball in the second half. So this was a massive drive if the Buccaneers wanted to remain in this game. Well, the defense did their job with a massive INTERCEPTION on Hurts. Now, with less than 45 seconds to go, Tampa Bay could go into the half tied at 10.

8:17 p.m. ET: The Bucs played with fire and got burned. This Eagles offense is simply too good. Hurts took a deep shot to Olamide Zaccheaus for a 34-yard TOUCHDOWN. The Eagles are now up 10-3. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, when it rains, it pours. On the very next drive, Mayfield makes a bad throw in the center of the field and the Eagles get the INTERCEPTION. Eagles are now at the 37-yard line and are driving again.

8:05 p.m. ET: Think the Bucs were listening to me? As soon as I criticized the offense, they finally got something going. Although they had an excellent shot at a TD with Mike Evans, the Eagles’ defense managed to stop Mayfield and limit the Bucs to a FIELD GOAL. We have a tied game! And under 44.5 betters are enjoying the snail’s pace this one is currently moving at. 8:33 remaining in the second.

7:55 p.m. ET: At the start of the second quarter, the Buccaneers brought a ton of pressure on Hurts and forced a three-and-out. Tampa Bay now needs to find a way to get this offense going. Mayfield has completed just four passes for 44 yards.

First Quarter: Eagles 3, Buccaneers 0

7:44 p.m. ET: Eagles get the first points of the night thanks to a chip shot FIELD GOAL from Jake Elliott. The Bucs are lucky to only be down three at this point. The Eagles have not had a tough time moving the ball.

7:37 p.m. ET: Swift makes another impressive run, causing Troy Aikman to proclaim that he could play tailback with this Eagles offensive line in front of him. We have our doubts Mr. Aikman. We have our doubts.

7:33 p.m. ET: And just like that, the Buccaneers go three-and-out, punt the ball, and the Eagles are already past midfield thanks to an impressive 52-yard punt return. Tampa Bay will not beat this talented Eagles team making mistakes like that.

7:25 p.m. ET: As good as that drive was for the Eagles, it came to a surprising end as the team went for it on 4th and less than five. Kenneth Gainwell failed to convert and it is once again Buccaneers ball. Guess the Eagles can’t always rely on pushing their QB forward for a few yards.

7:20 p.m. ET: The Buccaneers start the game with the ball but fail to move it downfield. They got one first down and then needed to punt. The Eagles, meanwhile, have not had a hard time moving the ball. The first play from Jalen Hurts was a 26-yard pass to A.J. Brown. Then, followed that up by another deep ball for 16 yards. D’Andre Swift then rushed for 7.

How To Watch Eagles vs. Buccaneers

ESPN airs the second of three 2023 Monday Night Football doubleheaders tonight. Like Week 2’s Monday night matchups, the game between the Eagles and Buccaneers will kick off at 7:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.

The longtime commentating duo and ESPN’s primary crew, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, will call tonight’s tilt between Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.

  • Start time
    7:15 p.m. ET
  • Channel
    ABC, ESPN+
  • Live stream options
    Youtube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Eagles vs. Buccaneers Picks and Predictions

All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook unless stated otherwise.

  • Spread
    Eagles -5
  • Moneyline
    Eagles -225, Buccaneers +185
  • Total
    45

Bearman: Not all 2-0s are created equal, as we saw with Washington on Sunday. Give credit to the Bucs for starting 2-0, but now the NFC champs are coming to town.

I expect Hurts and company to move the ball at ease to give the Bucs their first loss of the season.

The Eagles’ weakness this season has been their pass defense, but I don’t think Mayfield and the Bucs will be able to exploit it.

I’d also play Hurts to score a touchdown like we did last week.

Picks: Eagles -5 (-110 at DraftKings), Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown (-105 at DraftKings)

Katz: There’s a lot more optimism surrounding Rachaad White after his admittedly much-improved Week 2 performance. But let’s not forget he faced the Bears — you could probably run for 60 yards against them.

In Week 1, White carried the ball 17 times for 40 yards against a Vikings run defense that just allowed D’Andre Swift to run for 175 yards. Now, he gets an Eagles run defense that completely stuffed Alexander Mattison and Rhamondre Stevenson in each of the first two weeks.

MORE: NFL Standings

Philadelphia has yet to allow a single run of 10+ yards. Stevenson and Mattison combined to total just 53 yards over the first two weeks.

White also has just one carry for 10+ yards on the season, and it came last week against the Bears (13 yards). Essentially, this is a two-unit play on White split into two bets that I love.

Picks: Rachaad White under 47.5 rushing yards (-115 at DraftKings) and Rachaad White longest rush under 11.5 yards (+100 at DraftKings)

For all of PFN’s best bets in the Eagles vs. Buccaneers game, make sure to check out our picks and predictions.

Ryan Gosling is the Director of Search Intent and Strategy for Pro Football Network. You can read all of Ryan’s work here and follow him on Twitter: @ryangoslingPFN.





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