Editor's note: The game recaps below are transcripts from the Harris Football Week 2 film review podcasts. We would encourage you to listen to the full episodes right here. Chris has bravely accepted the burden of watching every game each week, capturing details and context not available via box scores. Here's a taste of this week's review…
Tennessee 22, Arizona 21
Cardinal fans didn’t actually have to wish that Marv was his dad in this game. In fact, Marv Junior almost got a touchdown — the first Arizona series, a bomb shot to Harrison, honestly not a very good decision by Kyler Murray. It’s double-coverage, but Harrison goes up and snags it. Initially ruled a touchdown, it was overturned on replay, down at the 1.
On the second drive, Harrison had a back-shoulder go-route for 20 yards and then a stop route that gets them into the red zone, so he pretty much made his week right there. He only had one more catch the rest of the day, a fourth-quarter play where he absolutely shoved the DB to get free for another stop, should’ve been called for OPI. But it’s 4-for-98 and almost a touchdown. He couldn’t get his feet in bounds on a short ball in the two-minute drill at the end of the half, but no drops, so calling him Duck Hands this week is unfair. But it’s such a good mixtape, I had to play it.
Trey McBride, 5-for-41, for a tight end we’ll take it, very frustrating to watch it on film, though. He got a seam route in the second quarter that he might have scored on, but Murray overcooked it. McBride also had another long target caught, but it was called back by holding. Murray himself started the game really well but then as he’s done so many other times, he turned into Calimari.
If you’ve heard anyone talking about this game, it’s certainly to say: how in the world did Arizona lose? Just disgusting. Late in the third quarter, the Cardinals are up 21-6 and are back in the Titans red zone and a shotgun snap goes off Murray’s face for a fumble. He’d wind up hurting his foot and missing a few plays, with Jacoby Brissett in there momentarily. But Murray would return, and multiple drives where Kyler can end it, he overthrew a couple, he took sacks. I wouldn’t say he was the main culprit for the loss — we’re getting to that — but he’s obviously gotta find a way to make a couple more plays and never let the Titans get back into it.
For running back, you know no James Conner for the rest of the year, and Trey Benson out for a good chunk with a knee scope. We were all guessing about usage, can’t legislate it. Turned out not really to be even much of a contest; it didn’t look at all like a “hot hand” scenario. The starter was Michael Carter…and he played okay. When Harrison was ruled down at the 1, Carter powered it in for the touchdown. He’s a little guy and it looked in the fourth quarter like he’d gotten shaken up, but he did return — and now moving forward, we know Carter comes first in the pecking order.
Emari Demercado’s first touch came on a third-down give-up run with 20 seconds left in the first half, and his second run — well, I’m guessing you’ve already seen the highlight. Third-and-1 on the Cardinals’ own 28, the seas parted for Demercado, he sprinted and it was gonna be a long touchdown. I started him in one league, not having better options, the putz, and once again, we get a doofus who can’t just run into the end zone before he starts celebrating. Demercado slows down, a hustling Titans defender knocks the ball away before he crosses the goal line. This game should’ve been over, and it was not, Demercado did play some more snaps the rest of the way, but you do not want to use him.
The Titans, I mean good for them. They’re the worst team in the league right now. You can use Tony Pollard, but I would hesitate to use anyone else. Pollard had the pure lead over Tyjae Spears in Spears’s return, 49 snaps for him, 17 for Spears. Pollard had physical runs to begin the game, they actually gave Spears a Wildcat run on the first drive. They kick a field goal, and the only way they were gonna score again until the fourth quarter was a long kickoff return that got them into field goal range.
Down 21-6 with a minute left in the half, Cam Ward was lucky not to throw an interception. They go on 4th and 10 around midfield and Ward gets sacked. They simply do not look at all like a well-coached team. In the third quarter, Arizona’s offensive lights had pretty much gone out but the Titans still had three straight three-and-outs. Then in the fourth quarter, it’s Calvin Ridley on a deep post down to the Arizona 20. You can see Ward making good throws mixed in with many more bad ones, so it may simply be a matter of experience. Gunnar Helm a fade toe-tap down to the 1, Pollard scores. They miss the extra point that would’ve cut it to 8 — so how is this game not over?
I’ll tell you how. Tennessee gets it back, he throws a deflected interception, the Cardinals guy has it at his own 5 yard line but he fumbles it untouched, it goes into the end zone — and Tyler Lockett falls on it, and it’s 21-19.
And still Arizona can’t get a first down. With 30 seconds left, Ward unleashes a bomb shot to Ridley down the right sideline and somehow, improbably, they’re in field goal range. It looked like the Cardinals tried to let Pollard score, except one defender knocked Pollard down. The Titans took the hint from there, took a knee, and Joey Slye almost blew the chip shot field goal. But it was good and they win 22-21.
Last week we were asking the question, “Is Elic Ayomanor the Titans receiver to start in a bye-week emergency?” The Titans answered that question with a resounding: no!
Looks like Ayomanor had a quasi-drop in the second quarter, although that ball wasn’t very well thrown. He winds up 2-for-18 while Ridley has two enormous catches and does 5-for-131 — but certainly don’t let him off the hook either. He had a drop on the sideline. The real answer is: this team really stinks and we’re not feeling amazing about any of the pass catchers. It’s Pollard and pretty much nobody else.
Miami 24, Carolina 27
Let’s talk Dolphins/Panthers. First it was shaping up to be the Darren Waller game, but later it came clear: it was the Rico Dowdle game.
Dowdle had over 200 yards rushing, and if the dude was fast he’d have had two huge long housed touchdowns. Big credit to the Carolina offensive line, especially the right side (and maybe some detriment to the Dolphins run defense), but in the absence of Chuba Hubbard, phew, what a game for Dowdle. In the fourth quarter, after another chunk gain, Dowdle had to come out with cramps and watched Trevor Etienne be the running back on the winning drive. But Dowdle was able to return and help run out the clock.
I can’t legislate usage, plus we don’t know how bad Choober’s calf is, but hard to think after this one that Dowdle doesn’t earn himself more time. The crazy thing about this game, Miami was killing them, 17-0. Two Panther turnovers had ruined their first drives. The offensive play count in this game was 29-7 pretty deep into the second quarter. How do you not win that game if you’re Miami?
You have to say: Bryce Young, he was headed for a benching in this first half. Driving pretty well, third and long, Tet McMillan converts on a good throw. But a couple plays later, Young keeps play-action, gets pressure, just drops the ball — not hit, he just drops it. And then early second quarter, an awful overthrow for a pick.
But down 17-0, Dowdle running behind pulling offensive linemen got them settled down. It was desperate even in the second quarter, on a 4th and 4 Young has a long scramble, keeps the play alive and finds Tet to keep them alive. Dowdle catches a screen down to the 7, and an awesome throw by Bryce Young to Xavier Legette for the first Carolina touchdown. Somehow it’s only 17-10 down at the half.
First play of the third quarter, Dowdle on a pitch right, great blocking, he nearly houses it. He’s run down from behind by Minkah Fitzpatrick, not Minka Kelly. It’s a field goal, it’s 17-13. Nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, Dowdle gets a lane up the middle again, he really should be gone … but he’s slow, it’s another long gain. That sets up an end-zone target to Tetairoa McMillan on which he’s held. Bryce Young scrambles down to the 1, Dowdle scores, and somehow they’re winning.
Dowdle had another big run with five minutes left — that’s when he limped off cramping. It was reserve tight end Mitchell Evans who scored the winner with 2 minutes left. I wish McMillan had scored a touchdown because he’s really good — I’m impressed. I don’t want to pay too much for him because…y’know, Bryce Young. But the stats have not yet indicated how well this rookie is playing or how much like a veteran he seems to be.
The Dolphins, it was all Waller in the first half, the first pass was thrown to him. Then he gets a big seam-stretcher for 34. He converted a fourth down at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter he has a double-move catch for 34 yards and paid it off with a red-zone touchdown … and somehow he never caught another ball.
That was like at the 10 minute mark of the second quarter. They never even threw it to him again. He still played 16 more snaps after that point — for sure he’s on a pitch count and not playing every down, but I’m guessing Carolina tried to clamp down on him. Disappointing to not have him get even more, but we’ll take a second touchdown in two weeks.
With no Tyreek Hill, he’s obviously done for the year, Jaylen Waddle converted a third down on the sideline on Miami’s second drive, but limped off looking injured. He came back a couple plays later but didn’t partake too much, had another catch down to the 5 yard line. In the second quarter he almost scored as well. He actually went up the ladder for a great catch in the third quarter, but the play was called back for holding. We were paused at 4 for 45 for an uncomfortably long time, but the Dolphins figured some stuff out in the fourth quarter when they relinquished the lead. They put together two drives and Waddle was important for both, including catching a bomb touchdown for 46 yards and offering a big exhale if you started him.
Meanwhile, Malik Washington, they did try him a couple times in the red zone — a screen, a jet-pitch carry which I guess technically was a pass but didn’t gain anything. Four catches for zero yards for Washington. We’re holding off on starting him even in the absence of Hill until we see something different.
De’Von Achane, it was just tough sledding. We’re lucky for the touchdown, which was a wonderful catch by Achane from the red zone, a fade route where he goes dead-legged to get his toes in-bounds. Carolina was really stout up the middle and Achane was pretty much dashing himself against the rocks. He’s tiny-boned, he had 46 scrimmage yards, but he scored that touchdown so we’ll take it.
Tua Tagovailoa was okay — he took advantage when Bryce Young gifted him possessions in the first half. He rallied for the Waddle touchdown when Carolina took the lead and he didn’t blow the lead himself, but he also went three-and-out pretty meekly on the last drive. It’s obviously not going to be quite the same offense without Tyreek Hill. Waller seemed to be Plan A in the first half, so we’ll see if that becomes a full-game thing moving forward.