Ollie Connolly

🤔

Monster Week 5 recap with QB Island looming

- Darnold and Baker’s Duel
- Daniel Jones’ 40-burger
- Drake Maye’s showcase
- A regime-changing L

With @willgav.bsky.social and @ollieconnolly.bsky.social from London:

🎧: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
📺: youtu.be/_nBSKULr9xo?...

This is bleak, bleak, bleak stuff for the Ravens. No pass-rush, limited in coverage without Hamilton.

NOT SO FAST!!! Seed from Bryce Young

Bryce Young is going to get benched before the half here

You knew North Carolina was fucked when Lombardi was sending desperation emails to boosters talking about a multi-year rebuild with a 73-year-old coach and openly admitting they stink

This is as embarrassing as it gets for Belichick. But it's also a damning (and funny) indictment of Mike Lombardi. It's his roster -- and UNC looks like a bad FCS school compared to any FBS school

The Adjustment Bureau: Is Lou Anarumo back? Checking in on the Lou-issance in Indianapolis

I wrote about the Lou-issance in Indianapolis. Is it real or a mirage?

www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...

Do the Falcons have a Pistol problem? Zac Robinson has given Atlanta an offensive identity. But does it make any sense?

I wrote about the Falcons offense, which has a clear identity but just feels... off.

www.readoptional.com/p/do-the-fal...

A bunch of teams sought out new ideas on offense this offseason. @ollieconnolly.bsky.social joined @robertmays.bsky.social on today's episode of The Athletic Football Show to talk about five of them...the Patriots, Bears, Jaguars, Seahawks and Cowboys. youtube.com/watch?v=DNAg...

Do the Falcons have a Pistol problem? Zac Robinson has given Atlanta an offensive identity. But does it make any sense?

I wrote about the Falcons offense, which has a clear identity but just feels... off.

www.readoptional.com/p/do-the-fal...

Colts had only 10 men on the field for the play. Such a dumb and sloppy way to lose a game to go along with AD Mitchell's mistakes

Woof.

Jared Verse with a running start on Tanor Bortolini hahahhahahaa

INT is a great example. Bolton isn't just flying into the line or working a greendog. He's timing up the rush in sequence with the first line of pressure hitting. Cruises through untouched. Always been Spags' go-to strategy against Lamar because he knows he wants to hold it and scan downfield

The league really needs to give Al-Shaair an unprecedented suspension. I love me a violent linebacker. But every week he is intentionally trying to give QBs life-changing injuries with dirty hits

Spags is using his favored layered-rush style against Lamar. Sending waves of rushers from different depths as Lamar holds the ball -- often with some kind of flush element so that they force Lamar to a spot with a free runner from depth

A GREAT MAN

Tony Romo's bronzer is completely out of control

Drake Maye is stacking career-best performances. This was his most mature game against a lousy Panthers defense: took what was available in the structure, a couple of high-level throws down the field, and created when needed

Lou Anarumo got Matt Stafford with a good one: A creeper paired with a press-and-drop from a mugged up 'backer. Stafford thought he was replacing the blitzer, 'backer right there. Should have been picked. Anarumo has a great way of using your blitz answers against you. He'll be livid

Brian Callahan is just woefully out of his depth as a head coach. He should be gone tomorrow. If I were a wannabe head coach, I'd be moving like crazy now to get in position for that job. The box score will be ugly, but there is so much to like about Cam Ward's game

*cough* Joe Brady *cough*

This is a beauty of a back shoulder throw from Maye to Diggs on fourth-and-three. Another week where Maye has played within the system where he can and has been decisive when it's go time

Washington's defense is in a complete bind. Every time they're in man, they have two sink holes, including Wagner on Bijan (no good!). When they switch to zone, there are busts everywhere (no good!)

McDaniels in his smashmouth-spread era is all the fun. If Maye can curb the two-to-three brain farts a game and the backs can hold onto the ball, this can be a top-12 offense in efficiency despite the fragile o-line

There hasn't been a look, formation or personnel grouping McDaniels hasn't dabbled with this season. Some extra o-line stuff today, more RPOs tagged with a puller to bait Carolina's super active linebackers

Josh McDaniels continues to be dialled in. The Pats came into the week 12th in success rate, and the Panthers have no answer today. You can see the schematic glee in designing a plan for Maye, blending the Glory Years with the Cam 2020 season

Excellent drive from Dart. Look composed. A few design runs to stretch things laterally, then Dart driving the ball vertically. The threat of his legs has already opened up throws down the field. And they wrap it up with a vertical run to counter the early stuff

A bunch of designed runs from Brian Daboll to get Jaxson Dart comfortable early, and show the threat to the Chargers. Finish it up with a nice QB Draw Lead with a box RPO attached

It's beautiful. Knew Keegan Bradley was fucked when his plan to turn things around was to have the fellas watch Trump fly over the course on Air Force One