You may have noticed Jonathan Jones playing safety during Sunday's win over the Bears. It wasn't a cameo, either. For 22 of his 32 defensive snaps, the veteran defensive back was part of the last line of defense, as opposed to his usual role as either slot cornerback extraordinaire or, in the previous couple of seasons, as an outside corner, despite his relative lack of size for the role (he's 5-foot-9). That Jones was willing to make that move and then play it as well as he did came as no surprise.
"When I signed back two years ago, I said I signed back to be a football player,' said Jones. "Not a corner, not a safety, just a football player. So anytime I get an opportunity to be on the football field, I enjoy it."
Despite making the position switch look easy, the transition, especially in game, is challenging and nearly broke former Patriot defensive back Devin McCourty.
"I hated it," McCourty told me this week.
The now-retired defensive back said figuring out the NFL game at one spot early in his career was hard enough, but two?
"I didn't understand football well enough, so I never felt confident playing both in a game," he admitted.
Jones noted how it's not just shifting your body's focus but also your brain's.
"I think sometimes when you're at corner, and you go back to safety, and you have a different perspective of it, and then you try to line back up against a guy and lock in on man-to-man coverage," he said. "That can get difficult. That's kind of the hardest aspect."
But Jones made the move seamlessly in Chicago. He still found himself matched up with Keenan Allen, D.J. Moore, and Rome Odunze at various points, but he handled each and every assignment. Having significantly more experience in the league than McCourty did when he was going back and forth — this is Jones' ninth year — proved beneficial.
"I don't think there's anyone I could speak more highly of than Jon," said safety coach Brian Belichick. "He's been here for a long time and really seen it all in this defense. Talk about tough, smart, and dependable; he would be the number one example of that across the board. So we're very lucky to have him on our team and our defense.
And Jon can move around, been around it a lot. He's basically been in every adjustment you could think of throughout the year. So nothing phases him, and he doesn't blink, and, you know, that's what's best for the defense. And, yeah, wish we had 11 of them."
I bet I could go back and find Brian, his brother, former defensive coordinator Steve, or his father, Bill, and find a similar quote about McCourty during his decade-plus run in Foxborough.
Jones has, in many ways, been a perfect Patriot, like Devin. Despite him being an undrafted free agent — McCourty was a first-round pick — their approach, love of the game, and ability to lead are similar, albeit in different ways. That's why it is no surprise that the savvy vet still leans on his former teammate.
"Yeah, I talked to the old man," laughed Jones. "Talk to him always, you know, try to reach out every now and then, just to get a different perspective and guidance. And he's always been, been a good leader for me."
DOLPHINS: NOT DEAD YET?
No 3-6 team should be thinking they have a realistic shot at the playoffs unless that team is in the wretched AFC. In that case, game on for the Miami Dolphins.
The Fins beat a red-hot Rams team in Los Angeles Monday night, although it was more like a home game for Miami in SoFi, considering the number of turquoise jerseys in the building (just based on crowd noise alone, this had to feel like an away game for LA). Still, the Dolphins used an exceptional defense effort and a couple of well-timed drives to win 23-15, their second victory in the three games since Tua Tagovailoa's return from his latest concussion.
"I think it's a testament to the character of this team," said Tagovailoa. "We've come a long way through however many losses in a row. The resilience of this team, with the external noise, everyone counting us out. Hopefully this is an opportunity for us to not waste. Hopefully, we can go on a run with this win and find our rhythm towards the back end of the season."
In many ways, the Dolphins are set up to do just that. Their remaining strength of schedule is 30th in the league, and their opposing foes' winning percentage is .395. That includes a pair of games against the dysfunctional Jets, the Raiders and Patriots at home, and a trip to Cleveland in week 17. Who knows what happens health-wise between now and then, but this reminds me of a quote from the great Lloyd Christmas in 'Dumb and Dumber':
"So you're telling me there's a chance?"
Tagovailoa and that offense still aren't what they've been in the past - Tyreek Hill had just three catches for 16 yards in the win - but the defense, under Anthony Weaver, is picking up the slack. They're 10th in total yards, 8th in pass defense, 11th in the red zone, and third on third downs. Considering they've generally had a hard time getting home on the quarterback, that's damn impressive.
"I think you get to see people's true character in times of adversity," said Mike McDaniel earlier this week. "That's why I was proud of the effort, and I've been proud of the week-by-week commitment to getting better as a football team, even when the results weren't necessarily showing up in the win column.
"I think the formula to get to that point to be able to have a collective team game the way we had, that's been built up through a bunch of adversity. I think the locker room understands that we've found the formula, which is a fixation of our own game and constant strain and commitment, and we have to continue to do that to get results like we did (Monday)."
Miami still has a big hill to climb, but there's enough talent in that building to make it.
THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG
The "Joe Flacco is our quarterback" era lasted all of two starts. After back-to-back losses, Colts head coach Shane Steichen is turning back to Anthony Richardson for the rest of the season (or so he says).
Richardson was obviously struggling as a passer for an Indy team that thinks it should be in the playoff mix, but we're learning a little more about why the second-year pro was benched. There had been whispers over the weekend that the former University of Florida signal caller wasn't doing all the little things necessary to improve and lead the football team and that his tapping out of his last start, because he was tired, was the final straw. Steichen didn't exactly throw cold water on that when announcing Richardson's return to the lineup.
“I’ve said the process for a long time, and what I mean by that is the attention to detail in everything that he does. From the classrooms, to the walkthroughs, to practice, to the weight room. All of those little things, right? It’s just got to be at a higher standard. That’s what was talked about, and that’s where we went with it. That was discussed with him two weeks ago, and those are the conversations that took place.
“Over the last two weeks, he’s made strides over those areas, big-time strides, Becoming a pro’s pro. And is he a finished product? No, he’s not. And it’s my job to help him get there, along with the rest of the coaching staff, but he’s a hell of a talent. Like I’ve said, we’ve never lost faith or belief in him or his abilities. And he has shown strides; he really has..."
Perhaps, but the proof will be in the pudding. For instance, does this answer from Richardson seem like a good one?
“I feel like there’s still room for improvement all around, but lately, I’ve been working on consistency," he told the media Wednesday. "That’s always been a thing of mine; I'm just trying to perfect that and get better at it. Just being consistent in all aspects. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to focus on sacrificing more. If the guys ask me to do certain things, even if I don’t feel like doing it, man, you gotta do it because it’s a sacrifice. If they’re doing it, why not do it?”
I'd be petrified if I were Steichen or GM Chris Ballard. Richardson is the kind of player whose physical gifts blind you to the truth of who he is. I get it that he's 22 years old and inexperienced (just 10 NFL starts), but just because you want the kid to mature doesn't mean he will - or will soon enough. And if Richardson doesn't, jobs will be lost by the people who picked him and put him in place, first and foremost.
NEW TEAM, SAME RESULTS
Mac Jones made his first start for the Jaguars Sunday, and it went about as well as the tail end of his time with the Patriots did.
The former first-rounder completed 14 of 22 passes for a meager 111 yards, no touchdowns, and a pair of interceptions. In fact, Jones turned the ball over on the last three possessions of the Jags' slim 12-7 loss to the Vikings.
"It boils down to finishing better by me," said Jones. "I thought I left three plays out there, and if you change those three plays, maybe the outcome’s a little different. That’s how I’m looking at it. That’s the truth. I’m gonna learn from it and move on. Been here before, which is tough, but you also have one chance, and that’s to get up and keep going."
Jones will get another crack this weekend. Trevor Lawrence is out with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, and with the bye week forthcoming, the Jags are trying to buy more time for 2021's top overall pick. That means throwing Jones into the fray against the NFC's best team, the 8-1 Lions, in Detroit. Good luck with that.
"He's excited to have another opportunity," said beleaguered head coach Doug Pederson. "It's obviously a chance for him to rebound from last week. As a team, it's the same way: Rally around him, support him, and get ready to play a really good football team.
"He has been in big games before. He knows how to handle them. I would expect he's going to rebound this week, learn from it – as we all are – and move forward."
Jones is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season.
DIDN'T SEE THIS COMING
When Mike Tomlin made the switch from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson, I wasn't totally behind the logic. The Steelers were 4-2 with the former Bears quarterback running the show, and he had shown some growth as a passer, which was always his biggest issue as a pro. However, the move to the former Seahawk and Bronco has unlocked an element of the Pittsburgh offense that has been lacking since Ben Roethlisberger's right arm worked — the downfield pass.
The Steelers are averaging over 30 PPG since Wilson's insertion into the lineup, and that aging right arm of his has produced six touchdowns against just one interception. Not only that, but Wilson has a perfect passer rating in the fourth quarter. I don't love passer rating, but I'm not about to dismiss it either.
Leave it to Tomlin to describe his turn to Wilson and the ensuing success.
“I think he’s still writing that story. To be quite honest with you, there were myriad reasons why I had the posture that I had; his resume being a component of it, his experience. And I thought his experience could be an asset to our unit and our team. And that’s played out. His talents. His appetite for big moments, and I think that’s played out some.
“There’s a myriad of reasons, and I think it will be continually revealed because of the circumstances that he and we will be in. I’m excited about facing those things with him. I’m excited about him, quite frankly, getting better.”
The Steelers have the NFL's second-best defense in points against (16.2 PPG). If Wilson can produce a league-average offense, Pittsburgh has the talent to be a tough out in the postseason. Considering they haven't won a playoff game January of 2016, that would be a good place to start, and perhaps solidify Wilson as the QB of the franchise's immediate future in 2025.
NERD NUMBERS
- Drake Maye has 5 of his 7 passing TDs vs the blitz in 2024 (per Next Gen Stats). He leads all rookies in pass TDs vs. the blitz. The Rams blitz on 27.7% of dropbacks in 2024 (18th-highest in the NFL).
- Aaron Rodgers has gone 33 consecutive starts with fewer than 300+ pass yards (including playoffs). That's the longest streak in the NFL since the immortal Trent Edwards (33 straight starts from 2007-2010).
- The Packers have won 10 straight against the Bears. Only two Bears rookie quarterbacks have started and won a game vs. GB since 1950: Kyle Orton (Week 13, 2005) and Cade McNown (Week 9, 1999; injured after 5 pass attempts). Caleb Williams will get his first crack this weekend.
- The Lions are the only team in the NFL with 3 players with 7+ scrimmage TDs in 2024: Jahmyr Gibbs (8 TD), David Montgomery (8), and Amon-Ra St. Brown (7).
- Brock Bowers (6.3) and Malik Nabers (7.6) each rank among the top-5 rookie seasons in NFL history in terms of receptions per game (min. 5 games played).
-- The Ravens have had 20+ points and 375+ total yards in each game this season. They are the 3rd team in NFL history to do it in each of their first 10 games of a season. The others? The 2013 Broncos and the 2000 Rams. Those teams featured the league's eventual MVP (Peyton Manning and Marshall Faulk).
