Monday Morning Pleighbook: Josh Allen and the Bills proved just how unpredictable the NFL is

Calvin Ridley has arrived, Patrick Mahomes is still throwing TDs, and Earl Thomas is investing in himself in Week 3’s Monday Morning Pleighbook.

by Harry Lyles Jr.

Sep 24, 2018, 1:00 PM UTC

There are things that we know about the NFL, whether that’s about specific team strengths, the schedule in a given week, the fact that Brock Osweiler is 6’8, or that Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard.

But on Sundays when that first kickoff is booted, we really just don’t know what’s going to happen. The Bills’ 27-6 upset of the Vikings was a prime example of this.

The Bills were the slam dunk Dumpster Fire Meme Team to start the season. Nathan Peterman opened as their starting quarterback — you know, the same guy who threw five interceptions in 14 attempts last season after he replaced Tyrod Taylor. He didn’t get to the end of the Bills’ 47-3 loss to the Ravens before getting replaced by rookie Josh Allen.

Allen started their Week 2 game against the Chargers, which featured a first half so bad it contributed to Vontae Davis walking out of the stadium and retiring at halftime. This has nothing to do with what goes on out on the field, but even the Bills’ social media account placed the Vikings in Wisconsin instead of Minnesota on a graphic. Everything was bad!

Conditions were right for a beatdown. The Vikings have been considered a favorite in the NFC after reaching the conference championship game last season and acquiring Kirk Cousins in the offseason. Everybody on this website’s panel of picks selected the Vikings to win (LOL, sorry guys), because why wouldn’t they? The Vikings seem to be one of the more complete teams the NFL has to offer on paper.

Yet the Bills came out and scored on their very first drive — a Josh Allen scramble and dive into the end zone.

Later, he hurdled a guy:

None of this made sense. The Bills weren’t supposed to be up 17-0 (they were 17-point underdogs!). Allen’s not supposed to be making plays. The Vikings aren’t supposed to look like the Bills from Week 1 and 2.

Overall, Allen had a solid game. He went 15-of-22 passing for 196 yards and one touchdown to go along with his 39 yards and two rushing touchdowns on the ground. However, I’m not going to sit here and say that the Bills and Allen might not actually be bad. There’s a great chance they still have a horrid season, and wind up with the No. 1 overall pick.

That’s why Sunday’s game was the perfect reminder that we just don’t know what could happen in those 60 or more minutes after a kickoff. It’s what keeps us coming back to the NFL week in and week out, and why we’re already ready to get Week 4 going.

For now, let’s check out what else happened in Week 3. Well, at least until you get to the bottom of this page. Thanks.

Calvin Ridley’s coming out party

Last time people were this excited for a Calvin, he had just gotten a job at WacArnold’s. On Sunday, Ridley popped off with seven catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns, his longest being this 75-yarder:

That bomb was part of Matt Ryan having one of the best games ever in a losing effort:

Ridley was somewhat of a surprise selection by the Falcons, but still one that made sense. The Falcons have drafted a good wide receiver from Alabama before (the Julio Jones guy), and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was familiar with him from his time at Alabama. Sunday validated that selection, especially since he cooked the Falcons’ biggest rival.

The Falcons lost a competitive, close game. But if there’s something positive to take away from it, it’s that the Falcons are still scoring in the red zone (previously an impossible task), and Ridley looks like WR1b next to WR1a Julio Jones. Let’s keep it that way.

Patrick Mahomes is still slangin’ touchdowns

Fatrick — as he’s apparently called, among other things — now has 13 touchdown passes on the season. It’s the most touchdowns by a player in the first three weeks to open a season in NFL history. Future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning previously held the record, with 12.

Manning wasn’t making plays like this, though:

Almost as impressive as the 13 touchdowns, is the fact that Mahomes hasn’t thrown an interception yet. Whether it’s been a quick three-play drive, or getting yardage in bits, Mahomes has shown there’s nothing he can’t handle.

There’s a strong likelihood he has a game or two that brings him back down to Earth, but for now it’s fun to watch him just picking apart NFL defenses.

People have done amazing things at just 23 years of age. John Singleton directed Boyz ‘N the Hood. English poet Jane Taylor wrote “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Orson Welles produced and performed his War of the Worlds radio broadcast. My friends and I got third place in trivia at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

But none of us threw for 13 touchdown passes in the first three games of an NFL season.

Earl Thomas doesn’t need to practice

Thomas missed all of training camp and the preseason trying to get a new contract, which he did not get. There’s still been rumors, and he apparently even had Cowboys coaches coming up to him and asking if he was ready for “the trade” on Monday according to The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar.

No matter where Earl Thomas is playing next week, or for the rest of the 2018 season, he showed on Sunday he’s still got the sauce by intercepting a pair of tipped passes.

The first one he barely got from his ankles, barely keeping the ball off the ground:

The second one is the reason why he’s referred to as a ball hawk:

Even though he’s on the field, he’s still going to be looking out for himself first. This is a power move:

“I’m investing in myself.”

We should all strive to be like Earl Thomas. Take some time to invest in yourself today. I’ll be doing so by splurging on a nicer than usual lunch.

Khalil Mack is one of the most efficient players since Khalil Mack

Mack, the pass rusher Jon Gruden can’t find, has been tearing it up through the first three games of the season. On Sunday, he got another forced fumble, his third in as many games. The guy is just a bully on the field:

Watching someone try to block Khalil Mack is like watching Kevin from The Office spill his chili. You can’t do anything other than feel bad for the poor guy when he gets worked like that.

As you might imagine, forcing three fumbles in three straight games is pretty hard to do! According to ESPN Stats and Info, the last person to do that was Khalil Mack, who did it during Weeks 12-14 in 2016.

You know you’re a good player when you are the standard.

Taysom Hill is still playing football

If I told you that Taysom Hill was the Saints’ third-string quarterback, you might imagine that he doesn’t see the field. And yet, he sees it all the time.

I mean, clearly he’s only going to be taking quarterback snaps if the Saints get creative with a formation or play, or something happens to both Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater. But it’s still funny that this guy who could probably still somehow find eligibility at BYU is out here doing everything else on the field.

Here he is picking up a big third-and-2 in the fourth quarter:

Hill was also playing special teams snaps as he was last season, getting his blocks in, and putting pressure on the Falcons. He’s not doing a ton, but it’s enough to make an impact, and every football team has at least one guy like that.