Paget's Pick-Six: Everything can change in a New York minute
A look around the NFL with Brian Paget
Welcome to Week 5. Here are six observations from the first four weeks of the 2023 NFL season.
1 — A Star is Born?
From last week: “Patrick Mahomes versus Zach Wilson. Need I say more?”
Well, I need to say more. Because Wilson nearly took down Mahomes on Sunday night with what was far and away the best performance of his NFL career.
Going toe to toe with the reigning MVP, Wilson looked comfortable as ever. He displayed the poise, touch and ball placement that we haven’t seen since BYU. It almost felt like some sort of dream.
I’m not buying the No. 2 pick’s resurgence just yet. It would be no surprise if we look back on last week as a flash in the pan. But Wilson certainly pumped some much-needed life into the Jets’ spiraling season.
Now, Wilson must do it again against a vulnerable Broncos defense. If he looks like he did last week, the Jets’ 2023 season might not be lost, especially with their soft second-half schedule.
If Wilson struggles, though, the Jets might as well invite Taylor Swift back for Week 6. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
2 — A Giant Hill to Climb
The Giants, on the other hand, are a mess. And their 2022 season is certainly looking like a flash in the pan.
The offensive line remains a problem. Daniel Jones may have regressed. There is still no perimeter receiving threat. And Brian Daboll looks like the next Belichick wannabe.
The long-term optimism surrounding the Giants has quickly faded, and with matchups against the Dolphins and Bills the next two weeks, the Giants now look like the New York team at risk of unravelling.
This could get ugly. Even uglier than Evan Neal’s comments. But I’ll just go back to flipping my hamburgers and hot dogs.
3 — Buffalo is Back
The preseason concerns around the Bills looked to be warranted following their Week 1 loss to the Wilson-led Jets.
Never mind. They’re still the team to beat in New York. And in the AFC East.
Since the Week 1 collapse, Buffalo has looked dominant as ever, winning its last three games by a combined score of 123-33. The Bills’ 48 points in last week’s statement victory over the Dolphins is more than the Giants have scored all season.
The Bills are still the Bills. And if Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs continue at this pace, Buffalo might just wind up as the favorite to come out of the AFC.
4 — Patriot Panic
Sticking with the AFC East, I’d say the longtime champions have been dethroned once and for all.
The defense will always be formidable, but the Patriots just have no juice on offense anymore. DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne aren’t gonna cut it in today’s NFL.
Long gone are the days of Brady. It feels like we’re slowly saying goodbye to the days of Mac Jones. And the clock appears to be quickly ticking on the days of Belichick.
I’ll be very curious to see how Robert Kraft handles things in the offseason.
5 — Buried Bengals
Another perennial contender that is in trouble is the Bengals. Between the pass-protection woes and Joe Burrow’s nagging injury, I don’t see how Cincinnati digs itself out of this hole. I’m not even sure how they get past the Cardinals on Sunday.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Bengals play this going forward, though. Would they consider shutting things down in an effort to cut their losses and reload for 2024?
If the current regime feels secure, it’s an enticing option. Can you imagine a Cincinnati offense with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Marvin Harrison Jr.?
6 — Paget’s Pick-Six
Baltimore takes command of the AFC North.
The Dolphins rebound and the Giants don’t.
A get-right game for the Chiefs’ offense.
A Same Old Jets letdown at Mile High.
The Cardinals dominate in the trenches and effectively end the Bengals’ season.
San Francisco reinforces its standing atop the NFC.
