Caleb Williams, Surtain, Gink Among NFL High Five While Raiders, Pats, 49ers On Low End

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Does anyone remember the narrative that the Chicago Bears made a mistake in drafting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall selection in the draft? It was a thing in mid-September.

But, you see, it’s now October. And here’s the Williams passer ratings this season by game:

Week 1: 55.7.

Week 2. 51.0.

Week 3: 80.8.

Week 4: 106.6.

Week 5: 126.2

See a pattern?

Caleb Williams ‘Learning And Growing’

“He knows that this is his first year doing this, and he’s going to face a lot of different things, different looks, different defense, different coverage,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “Knowing his guys. Knowing what he can do and can’t do, but still keep everything in there – good quarterbacking. 

“He’s just learning and growing, and you can see that, you know, during the course of these games that we’ve had, and he needs it to continue to grow.”

Williams played like a full-grown man against the Panthers on Sunday. He completed 20 of 29 passes for a 68.9 completion percentage, which is quite good and dispels the criticisms that Williams is not accurate – a concern earlier this season. 

Williams has two 300-yard performances in the last three games. He’s starting to get it.

“He has to keep levelling up,” Eberflus said. “Every time we’ve challenged him, he’s done that, ever since this summer.”

The rest of the High Five:

Early Christmas For Van Ginkel

2. Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel: The timing of him leaving the Dolphins as a free agent came in a year the Dolphins were counting their salary cap pennies. So, rather than keep Van Ginkel for two years and $20 million, the Dolphins drafted Chop Robinson. Except “Gink” has become more than a fine backup. He’s starting in Minnesota under defensive coordinator and former Miami coach Brian Flores. And on Sunday, he collected his second Pick Six of the season, this one against Aaron Rodgers. “Yeah, I mean, I’m lost for words,” Van Ginkel said. “I couldn’t believe it happened. [Rodgers] told me, too, Christmas came early for me. Just a guy of that caliber, that level, I’m just thankful, grateful, and all the hard work and just dedication that Flo puts in and then putting us in the right position to succeed.”   

3. Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons: There once was a player named Kam Chancellor who played for the Seattle Seahawks and his greatest feat, aside from being a great head-hunting safety in a time that was not against the rules in the NFL, was the seemingly patented move where he would play on the field goal block team, take a running start from his safety spot, leap the center and block the kick. The NFL amended the rules to keep this play from happening by not allowing the defender to touch anyone else or be helped in his leap. And yet, there was Simmons on Sunday afternoon, in Seattle, leaping over the center and blocking the potential 47-yard game-tying field goal. An amazing play that delivered a victory for the Giants.

Patrick Surtain Best In The NFL

4. Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain: His father was an outstanding cornerback for multiple teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. He’s arguably the best cornerback in the entire NFL now. Surtain this year has limited Mike Evans, D.K. Metcalf and Garrett Wilson to a total of 60 receiving yards. On Sunday, he collected two interceptions, including a 100-yard interception return. Spectacular.

5. Colts quarterback Joe Flacco: After he improbably won the Comeback Player of the Year with the Cleveland Browns last season, Flacco told the Browns he’d love to return for this season. The Browns declined. The Dolphins declined to sign Flacco. The Raiders declined to sign Flacco, and so did others. And yet, that was Flacco completing 33 passes for 359 yards and three TDs against Jacksonville. That was Flacco taking off on a 21-yard yard scramble in which Next Gen Stats had had him hitting 18.75 mph. Did the Colts win? No. And Flacco might struggle at some point this season. But not this game. 

The Low Five:

1 The San Francisco 49ers: Let’s see, last week you had players calling out a reporter by name on social media and refusing to answer his questions in the locker room. On Sunday, you had Dre Greenlaw, who is not active and was wearing street clothes, pushing an Arizona Cardinals player on the sideline. You had the offense get four possessions in the second half and deliver two interceptions, a fumble and turn the ball over on downs. The 49ers have lost three out of four games. They are an unserious team right now.

2, Patriots: They are a poor team that other struggling teams hope to play to get better. The Dolphins came to Sunday’s game as the NFL’s lowest scoring team and found a way to beat the Patriots in Foxboro. The Patriots have multiple problems, such as injuries on the offensive line, not scaring anyone with their playmakers on the outside, and lacking a consistent pass rush on defense, 

3. Las Vegas Raiders: After Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos, one in which Gardner Minshew threw two interceptions and completed only 12 passes for 137 yards, coach Antonio Pierce said he was not prepared to name a starter for next week’s game game against the Steelers. Don’t want to say I told you so, but, I dang well told you so. The Raiders committed personnel department malpractice, thinking Minshew or Aidan O’Connell could be the guys this year. Wrong. It’s not going to get resolved next week. Or in any longterm period of time this season.

Sean McDermott: ‘My Fault’

4. The medical staff that checked Josh Allen for a concussion: This is not meant to cast doubt on the professionalism of the numerous medical professionals that checked Bills quarterback Josh Allen in the fourth quarter, but that seemed like the world’s fastest evaluation for a chest, ankle and possible concussion ever. Allen left the game with 6:01 remaining to play and came back with 3:36 remaining. He missed only one play on offense. The process needs further explanation. “Yeah, big shot to the chest and rolled my ankle there,” Allen said. “They flagged me for hitting my head but felt good enough to go back in the game.” Allen attempted five passes after his injury evaluation. He did not complete any.  

5. Bills coach Sean McDermott: This one is hard because Allen is Buffalo’s best player and McDermott put the ball in his hands in the final 32 seconds from his own 3-yard line with the game tied. The problem is Allen missed on three consecutive passes and that gave the Texans enough time to get the ball back with 7 seconds left, run a play, and kick the game-winning field goal. “We needed to run the clock and move the chains, and that’s on me,” McDermott said. “We didn’t do that there, and that’s my fault.” Again, hard to ding a coach for being aggressive. But maybe one running play might have been a good idea rather than three consecutive passes.