The Jets earned their first victory of the season in a 24-17 win over Tennessee Titans in Week 2, but it came at a cost.

It was confirmed on Monday morning that linebacker Jermaine Johnson suffered a torn Achilles during the third quarter against the Titans on Sunday afternoon.

Johnson was looking to bank off a successful 2023 campaign where he played in all 17 games and notched career-highs in sacks (7.5), tackles (55) and returned an interception for a touchdown last year.

With Johnson now officially out for the remainder of the season, Gang Green will need to find answers and quick with fellow starters on defense in C.J. Mosley and DJ Reed, who both might not suit up on a short week versus the New England Patriots on Thursday night.

The former first round pick will now have a long recovery road ahead of him as he prepares for his return at some point during the 2025 season.

All things Jets: Latest New York Jets news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Jermaine Johnson injury update

Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson left the game with an Achilles injury against the Tennessee Titans in the third quarter on Sunday. He was carted off the field and subsequently ruled out.

Bryce Young will be taking a break.

The Carolina Panthers have benched the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft, who was acquired at great cost 18 months ago, in favor of veteran backup Andy Dalton.

‘Andy gives us our best chance to win right now,’ rookie head coach Dave Canales said in a Monday afternoon news conference. ‘I’m excited for Andy.’

Canales informed Young and Dalton of the depth chart switch Monday morning but would not publicly commit to Dalton as the starter beyond Week 3.

It’s been a rocky season-plus for the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, who has not lived up to his draft billing for a variety of reasons. In Young’s 18 professional starts, Carolina has lost 16 times. On a personal level, Young has completed fewer than 60% of his passes with a 70.9 passer rating. He’s accounted for 12 touchdowns and 19 turnovers and frequently looks uncomfortable on the field. His ability to process and cycle through reads, perhaps considered his greatest trait leading up to the draft – and a perceived offset to his slight frame (5-10, 204) – has not yet borne fruit in the pros.

All things Panthers: Latest Carolina Panthers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

However Young is already dealing with this third head coach, Canales in this case, a series of play callers and amid one of the NFL’s least-talented rosters. He passed for a career-low 84 yards in Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers − a disastrous home opener where fans in Charlotte headed for the exits early.

‘I think I just got to do a better job with decision making,’ Young said in the aftermath. ‘You always want to make a play. You want to do something. Obviously, part of the position is being the game manager. Some bad instances of that on film today. I definitely take accountability for that.’

Asked Sunday after the loss to the Chargers if Young’s job was in jeopardy, Canales indicated it wasn’t.

‘Bryce is our quarterback,’ he said a day ago. ‘We’re going to just continue to shore up and fix the things we need to fundamentally, from a scheme standpoint, all those things. These are all valuable reps, all valuable games. We’ll learn a lot from this game and hopefully will take another step (next) week.’

Dalton, 36, is a three-time Pro Bowler who has passed for 38,511 yards and 246 touchdowns during his 14-year career. He passed for 361 yards and two TDs in his only start of 2023, a 37-27 loss at Seattle which Young sat out due to injury.

The winless Panthers will face the Raiders in Las Vegas this Sunday.

What did Panthers give up in trade to pick Bryce Young?

Young’s benching is all the more galling for Carolina fans considering the assets the organization surrendered in order to secure his rights.

About six weeks prior to the 2023 draft, then-general manager Scott Fitterer obtained the No. 1 pick from the Chicago Bears in exchange for wide receiver DJ Moore – the Panthers’ best offensive player at the time – a first- and second-rounder that year, a Round 1 selection in 2024, which ultimately translated to the No. 1 pick Chicago used on USC quarterback Caleb Williams, and a Round 2 slot in 2025.

It’s still early-ish, but the deal has the potential to go down as one of the more lopsided in league annals given Williams was widely considered a better prospect than Young a year after he was taken. Moore had a career-best 1,364 receiving yards for Chicago in 2023, the fourth-highest single-season total in the Bears’ lengthy history.

Bryce Young stats

2023: Games (16); record (2-14); 315 completions in 527 attempts (59.8%) for 2,877 yards, 11 TDs, 10 INTs; 73.7 QB rating; 253 rushing yards, 6 fumbles lost

2024: Games (2); record (0-2); 31 completions in 56 attempts (55.4%) for 245 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs; 44.1 QB rating; 18 rushing yards, 1 TD

***

New Orleans Saints folk hero Steve Gleason, the former special teams player who blocked an iconic punt in the team’s first game in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, has been stabilized following a medical event suffered last week.

Gleason, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2011 when he was 33 years old, has become an advocate for ALS awareness and treatment. He suffered a medical event as the greater New Orleans area was being affected by Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm that caused widespread flooding and power outages.

Here’s everything you need to know about Steve Gleason’s medical condition.

What medical issue did Steve Gleason recently deal with?

Gleason suffered a medical event Wednesday as Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm, made landfall in the greater New Orleans area, causing flooding and widespread power outages.

All things Saints: Latest New Orleans Saints news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

‘For those who have asked, Steve was taken to Ochsner last night during the storm,’ Gleason’s team posted Thursday on social media. ‘He is now stable. We want to thank @NOLAFireDept first responders and @NewOrleansEMS for getting to us during unsafe circumstances and to the @OchsnerHealth staff for their immediate care. We will update everyone as soon as we know more. Thanks, the Gleason Crew.’

There was no indication about how long Gleason would have to be kept at the hospital. But on Friday, Gleason posted a message, expressing gratitude over his ongoing recovery.

‘ALS is a hurricane of a disease. And on 9/11 in the midst of Hurricane Francine, power outages & sketchy phone service, hurricane ALS made landfall,’ Gleason wrote. ‘Thank you for the powerful love and support from all of you. Celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. I love yall – SG.’

He continued to update his progress to his followers with a series of messages on social media, including some that had photos of the medical and support staff around him at the hospital.

On Sunday, as the New Orleans Saints improved to 2-0 with a surprising blowout against the Dallas Cowboys, Gleason posted another message – this one with an image of him watching the Saints game from a hospital bed.

‘Who are those particular individuals that proclaim they may overcome the @Saints ?! Who Dat!!’ the caption read.

What is Steve Gleason known for with the Saints?

Gleason played seven seasons in the NFL, all of them with the Saints. He played safety, though his primary duties were as a special teams player. During a Week 3 game on Sept. 25, 2006, the team’s first game back at the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, Gleason blocked a punt early in the first quarter. It was returned for a touchdown and electrified the crowd. Given the emotional stakes of the game after the destruction Hurricane Katrina caused, the play took on a celebratory nature and became an iconic moment in Saints franchise history.

The Saints would go on to win that game, 23-3.

Who is Steve Gleason?

In 2011, Gleason, now 47, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Over time, ALS causes muscles to weaken and atrophy, eventually leading to paralysis. There is no cure for ALS, though there are treatment therapies that can reduce the impact of symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life.

Gleason uses a ventilator to breathe and communicates using a specialized tablet that tracks eye movement. Following his diagnosis, Gleason became an advocate for ALS awareness and treatments. In 2016, he and his family participated in a documentary, Gleason, that chronicled his life with ALS.

In April, he published a memoir with the help of writer Jeff Duncan, A Life Impossible, Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom within a Fragile Existence. Gleason used his eye-tracking tablet to write the memoir.

In July, he was awarded the 2024 Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYS. Through his Team Gleason foundation, Gleason has helped raise more than $40 million in care, technology and support for those affected by ALS.

Georgia holds onto the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-134 after a close call against Kentucky while one of the Bulldogs’ biggest rivals continues to freefall down the rankings.

Florida dropped to 1-2 after another discouraging loss, this time to Texas A&M, and lands at No. 81 in the updated 1-134. The Gators are headed toward a fourth losing finish in a row for the first time since 1935-38.

At least they’re not alone. Rival Florida State is also tumbling down the rankings after falling to 0-3 with a loss at home to Memphis. Ranked No. 11 in the preseason re-rank, the Seminoles have plummeted all the way to No. 80.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Winners and losers from Week 3 in college football

MISERY INDEX: Florida State latest meltdown headlines Week 3 action

These are just two of several big-name teams to drop in the latest re-rank. LSU drops six spots to No. 19 after escaping with a win against South Carolina. Michigan drops out of the top 25 to No. 29 after beating Arkansas State 28-18. It’s clear the Wolverines have issues on offense that won’t be resolved this season.

Also dropping are No. 35 North Carolina State (down eight), No. 45 Wisconsin (down 14), No. 52 Kansas (down 22) and No. 53 Washington (down 16). The Huskies’ Apple Cup rival, Washington State, climbs to No. 25 after using a late goal-line stand to take down UW.

If there’s one theme that has characterized Week 2 in the NFL, it’s the rash of upsets of so-called legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

The San Francisco 49ers (vs. the Minnesota Vikings), Dallas Cowboys (New Orleans Saints), Baltimore Ravens (Las Vegas Raiders) and Detroit Lions (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) each came into their respective games favored by at least 5.5 points. Each lost.

These are all very good teams that can respond, but it’s undeniable some concerning patterns may be developing. For instance, over the last four seasons, Baltimore now has 10 losses in which it held a lead of at least seven points, most in the NFL.

Here are the winners and losers from Sunday of Week 2.

WINNERS

Behind running game, Malik Willis, Packers get reassurance

Green Bay, going back to the initial diagnosis of quarterback Jordan Love’s knee injury, has been the beneficiary of some positive news. First, that Love’s injury wasn’t as serious as it appeared. Second, that the offense will apparently be just fine during his time away.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Behind a persistent rushing attack — the Packers ran the ball 53 times, nine times more than the next closest team (Chargers) did in Week 2 — and a moderate but efficient passing workload from backup quarterback Malik Willis, Green Bay sustained drives and doubled up the Indianapolis Colts on time of possession in a 16-10 win. Although their two upcoming opponents, the Titans and Vikings, each have oppressive defenses, the Packers should feel reassured that they don’t need to rush Love back at the risk of falling behind in the NFC North, particularly because only the Vikings are 2-0.

Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals keep winning big games

This goes down as only the fifth victory of Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon’s 18 games with the team. Despite the lower number, however, these are the teams Arizona has toppled during his tenure: the Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles (all in 2023), and, now, the Los Angeles Rams after Sunday’s 41-10 rout.

This, though, was unquestionably the team’s most complete game under Gannon. Kyler Murray and the passing attack flourished early, and Murray built his rapport with star rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals gained 231 yards on the ground on 40 carries . The defense limited the Rams to just two third-down conversions. Arizona (489) nearly doubled up L.A. (245) in total offense. The Rams were without receiver Puka Nacua, but this was total domination.

Sam Darnold revival season

Sam Darnold, unchallenged as the Vikings’ starting quarterback due to rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury, is making the most of his opportunity. One week after dominating the lowly New York Giants, Darnold carved up what may end up being the best defense in the NFL.

What makes Darnold’s performance in the 23-17 triumph all the more remarkable is that receiver Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson were both out, and star receiver Justin Jefferson (bruised quadriceps) left in the fourth quarter. Darnold has completed 72% of his throws this season for 476 yards with four touchdowns against two interceptions. As always with Darnold, as long as he protects the ball and plays within the offense, he can be serviceable. Even if it’s not in Minnesota — Darnold signed on a one-year deal — he’s making his case to latch on somewhere else in the offseason.

Antonio Pierce

The Raiders had lost seven of their previous eight road games going into Sunday. All Vegas did was go into Baltimore to steal a game against a Ravens team thought to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

It hasn’t been without obstacles, but Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has slowly turned the culture around in Las Vegas. In Sunday’s 26-23 win, the Silver and Black faced a 10-point deficit in the middle of the fourth quarter against the reigning MVP in Lamar Jackson. But, after the Raiders closed it to seven points with a field goal, their defense clamped down and forced consecutive three-and-outs against Baltimore. The defense has become the team’s identity and limited the Ravens to just three of 11 third-down conversions (27%). Baltimore has a better roster. On Sunday, the Raiders had far more heart.

LOSERS

Chicago’s O-line lets Caleb Williams down

One adjustment the Bears made from Week 1 to Week 2 was to have rookie passer Caleb Williams get the ball out quicker. Early in the 19-13 loss to the Houston Texans, it led to Williams finding a rhythm and distributing passes all over the field.

As the game wore on, however, Chicago’s front couldn’t even hold its blocks long enough for quick-release throws, which was only exacerbated by the team being in obvious passing downs. To be fair, Williams had his share of mistakes, notably a pair of underthrows that resulted in interceptions. Still, asking a rookie to brush off seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits and quicken his process is a recipe for failure. Chicago’s line needs to do better.

The Lions inside the red zone

In its 20-16 loss to the Buccaneers, Detroit had seven trips inside the 20. Typically, that’s an indicator of a ball control and dominance. For the Lions, the results were a marker of ineptitude. From those seven trips, they converted only one touchdown (14.3%). Since 2000, that marked the second-worst performance in offensive red zone efficiency when a team had at least seven trips inside the 20-yard line.

Detroit was out of sorts on offense the entire game. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles and his defense obviously deserve a ton of credit, but the Lions’ plays often were designed horizontally, allowing Tampa Bay’s speed on defense to swarm. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson bears a lot of responsibility for this one.

Mike Zimmer has Alvin Kamara in his nightmares

Four years ago, as the head coach of the Vikings, Mike Zimmer saw his defense allow Saints running back Alvin Kamara to score six touchdowns in a single game. Now, as the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys, Zimmer watched Kamara rip off four more against his defense in a 44-19 rout.

Kamara gained 180 yards from scrimmage on 22 touches. More importantly for the Cowboys, the blowout loss in their home opener raises massive concerns. Dallas, whose offensive identity has been tied to the rushing game, simply isn’t getting enough production from Ezekiel Elliott. Dak Prescott has been uneven, and the first-team offense failed to convert any of its three trips inside the red zone. And the defense had no answer for the Saints’ speed.

Will Levis can’t stop getting out of his own way

Sometimes, it’s prudent to give young quarterbacks some leeway, allowing them to figure out when to be calculated and take chances. Titans quarterback Will Levis, now in his second season, should know better. One week after a colossally poor decision led to a pick-six that became the difference in a loss against the Bears, Levis again took points off the board against the Jets in what ended up as a 24-17 loss.

In the second quarter, with Tennessee in a third-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Levis took a shotgun snap and felt pressure before he was tripped up. As he was falling to the turf, he underhand tossed the ball to running back Tyjae Spears. It was a backwards pass and an eventual fumble recovered by the Jets. After the game, Titans coach Brian Callahan ripped Levis. It’s clear these kind of mistakes won’t be tolerated much longer, especially from a coach who wasn’t around when Levis was drafted.

The Baltimore Ravens, the reigning No. 1 seed in the AFC, are among the expected playoff contenders to start the year with an 0-2 record. The Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams are also in that camp, and each will enter Week 3 desperate to avoid falling to the dreaded 0-3 mark.

The Carolina Panthers are sitting at 0-2 as well. They have one of the NFL’s most anemic offenses, as they have scored just 13 points across two games. Does that mean it’s time to bench Bryce Young and declare him a sunk cost?

The Panthers aren’t the only team with quarterback questions. The Miami Dolphins are staring down Tua Tagovailoa’s impending indefinite absence with just Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle on their quarterback depth chart. Are the Dolphins doomed, or can Mike McDaniel find a way to keep them competitive until Tua can return?

And what should we make of the New Orleans Saints after they crushed the Dallas Cowboys on the road to improve to 2-0? They could certainly be an NFC contender, but they might not even be the best team in their division.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Here’s more on the most notable overreactions from Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season:

The Dolphins are doomed without Tua Tagovailoa

Few would blame the Miami Dolphins for exiting their 31-10 ‘Thursday Night Football’ loss to the Buffalo Bills feeling a bit hopeless. Not only did the team lose by 21 points; it also lost starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to yet another concussion.

Tagovailoa has suffered three known concussions since the start of the 2022 NFL season, so his status moving forward is murky. He reportedly wants to continue playing, but some have opined that he should hang up his cleats to preserve his long-term health.

Regardless of Tagovailoa’s choice, it seems like he will be sidelined indefiniitely short-term. That won’t be good news for the Dolphins, who sport a record of 1-4 in games Tua has missed during Mike McDaniel’s two-plus years as Miami’s head coach.

Even so, it’s still too early to write the Dolphins off. McDaniel still has weapons like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane at his disposal, so he can scheme up enough plays to keep the offense moving even if Thompson is his top quarterback. And if Tagovailoa returns to the field sooner than most expect, Miami might not fall too far behind in the AFC wild-card race.

The Ravens are in trouble after an 0-2 start

Ravens fans probably felt frustrated after a hard-luck loss on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. Their vexation will only grow after Baltimore blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead to the Las Vegas Raiders to drop to 0-2.

Still, the Ravens shouldn’t panic yet. Yes, they have come up short twice, but they outgained their opponents by 99 and 123 yards, respectively, in their losses. Their defense has held up reasonably well while their offense has been decent even as the team has broken in three new starters along the offensive line.

As the Ravens’ offensive line gels, they should be better positioned to finish off some of these tightly contested games. They need that to happen soon — their next three games are against the Cowboys, Bills and Bengals, respectively — but they still have time to work their way into what should be a competitive AFC North race.

The Saints are the best team in the NFC South

The Saints impressed many when they crushed the Panthers in Week 1. Even so, few expected them to give the same treatment to the Cowboys in Week 2.

New Orleans beat Dallas 44-19 in a game that saw Alvin Kamara total four touchdowns while Derek Carr completed 11 of 16 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Saints’ new-look offense under Klint Kubiak seems to suit Carr and Kamara well, so there is plenty of reason for optimism in New Orleans. The NFC is wide-open, so the Saints could emerge as a real contender if their offense continues to play at a high level.

But to call the Saints the clear-cut best team in their division might be premature. The three-time reigning division champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers just beat the Detroit Lions, 20-16, to improve to 2-0 for the fifth straight season, so Todd Bowles’ squad won’t willingly cede that title to the Saints. And the new-look Atlanta Falcons may still believe they can work their way to the top of the NFC South as Kirk Cousins grows more comfortable on his surgically repaired Achilles and in Zac Robinson’s offense.

The Panthers need to bench Bryce Young

Look, if this was exclusively about performance, then yes: the Panthers should probably bench Bryce Young. He hasn’t performed well at all this season, failing to record a touchdown through two games while throwing three interceptions and generally looking uncomfortable in the pocket.

At the same time, the Panthers aren’t going anywhere and their backup quarterback is 36-year-old veteran Andy Dalton. They don’t have a lot to gain by benching Young, especially since they brought in head coach Dave Canales in an effort to spark the second-year quarterback.

The Young era may not be pretty for the Panthers thus far, but it doesn’t seem like it’s over yet. If his struggles persist,, Carolina will probably have to think about admitting defeat and replacing the player who was selected with the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But that won’t happen until further down the line — if it happens this season at all.

The Rams’ injuries are making them a non-contender

Aaron Donald’s retirement was a big blow to the Rams’ defense, but he is far from the only player that the team is missing. The Rams offense is equally decimated by injuries, and that only got worse in Week 2.

Cooper Kupp missed more than half of Los Angeles’ 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals with an ankle injury and was seen in a walking boot after the game. He joined a laundry list of banged-up Rams that also includes receiver Puka Nacua (knee), guard Steve Avila (knee), backup left tackle Joe Noteboom (ankle) and tight end Tyler Higbee (ACL).

As long as that unit remains shorthanded, the protection and weaponry around Matthew Stafford will be severely diminished. That will make it difficult for Los Angeles to overcome its defensive deficiencies with offensive production as the Rams did during their playoff run last season.

That could cause Los Angeles to remain in the NFC West cellar, especially if the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks continue to exceed early season expectations.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

There have been plenty of surprises — both good and bad — already this NFL season. And while we might struggle to make sense of what’s real and what’s a mirage, there appear to be some roster moves fantasy football managers can make right now that have a good chance of paying big dividends down the road.

So let’s look at some players who’ve gotten off to good starts over the first two weeks who might be worth acquiring for the long haul. In addition, we’ve identified several others who have found their roles a little smaller than expected in the early going.

Fantasy football: 5 players to buy in Week 3

TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders: The rookie out of Georgia entered the season a little nicked up, and he isn’t the most fleet of foot. That hasn’t mattered. He has jelled instantly with QB Gardner Minshew, and (pun totally intended) Las Vegas looked to have hit the jackpot with Bowers. He has 15 grabs for 156 yards on 17 targets, and could be Sam LaPorta 2.0.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: The Patriots workhorse is looking like a legitimate fantasy option again, racking up 201 rushing yards in two games while averaging 23 carries. He has scored in each game, too. While fumbling in each game, he has been fortunate he hasn’t lost one. He is also fortunate first-year coach Jerod Mayo seems a little more understanding about the fumbling than Bill Belichick was.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

WR Andrei Iosivas, Cincinnati Bengals: The 24-year-old from Princeton scored two touchdowns in Kansas City, stepping up in the absence of the injured Tee Higgins. The player nicknamed “Yoshi” has developed quite the rapport with Joe Burrow, and he should have fantasy value even when Higgins returns, as he looks like a more-than-capable replacement for Tyler Boyd.

WR Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams: Robinson appears to be next in line as the No. 1 receiver in Los Angeles, but does anybody want the job? Puka Nacua (knee) is expected to miss several weeks and Cooper Kupp may not play this week due to an ankle injury he suffered on Sunday. Robinson has been targeted 11 times in two games, and that will continue to rise out of necessity.

QB Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings: Darnold is doing the Baker Mayfield thing, maybe. After leaving his first home and bouncing around, the former first-round pick has found a home in the Twin Cities. It also helps when you land where there’s a stud receiver to catch your passes. Darnold isn’t a QB1 in most fantasy leagues, but his star is finally on the rise after years of mediocrity.

Fantasy football: 5 players to sell in Week 3

RB Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns: It’s not really Ford’s fault, but for some reason coach Kevin Stefanski elected to give D’Onta Foreman twice as many carries in Week 2, including several near the goal line. Ford filled in admirably for Nick Chubb last season, while Foreman is new to the system. But Ford was limited to just seven carries, which is not what fantasy managers want to see.

RB Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: It’s only two games, but White is a top candidate for fantasy bust of the year. He had 15 attempts for 31 yards in Week 1, and just 18 yards on 10 carries in Week 2. Rookie Bucky Irving is waiting in the wings just “bucking” for a promotion with the, yes, Bucs.

TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: OK, this is not to advocate dropping Kelce or anything rash. (And Swifties, we love him, we really do. So relax! You need to calm down.) But, he was drafted in the first few rounds to be a bona fide TE1, and with four grabs on seven targets for 39 yards and no touchdowns, he isn’t cutting the mustard right now. Hopefully he can shake off this slump and get untracked soon.

RB D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears: You other Swifties relax, too. After signing a lucrative contract to pair with Khalil Herbert and taking pressure off of rookie Caleb Williams, this Swift is averaging 2.0 yards per carry with 48 total rushing yards in two games. It’s not all his fault, as the offensive line play in Chitown has been atrocious so far.

WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks: For years, Lockett was a tremendous fantasy option. After four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2019-22, he took a step back last season. While OK in Week 1, he was limited to just two grabs and 12 yards in Week 2, while both DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 100-yard performances. Lockett appears to be a third wheel, and that’s never good.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The week that was in college football produced little in the way of actual shockers. But as is usually the case, the events on the field in Week 3 led to plenty of instant takes from professional and amateur observers alike. Naturally, some of these will prove to be overreactions.

We are back once again this Monday to try to offer some big-picture perspective in response to a bit of the buzz, much of which was generated by members of one conference in particular. Does this edition of overreactions of the week just mean more? You will have to be the judge.

Georgia is in trouble

This view for the most part isn’t being expressed by Bulldogs fans, who have after all seen this movie before. Even during Georgia’s recent run of success, the team has unexpectedly struggled against one of its early SEC opponents. But while the Bulldogs usually manage to right the ship and start looking like a top-five team again by season’s end, Saturday night’s slog at Kentucky may have displayed more red flags – or yellow ones for that matter – than usual.

The biggest concern was Georgia’s uncharacteristic inability to control the line of scrimmage on either side. The offense generated just 262 total yards, with just 102 of those on the ground, while picking up just 12 first downs. The defense was gashed for 170 rushing yards, an alarming number of which came after contact, by a Wildcats’ attack that had done next to nothing a week earlier in a much more lopsided loss to South Carolina. And oh yeah, those nine penalties costing the Bulldogs 85 yards undoubtedly irked coach Kirby Smart and his staff even more.

As we said, Georgia usually figures things out after a scare like this. But as Ringo famously said in ‘Help,’ there’s a certain amount of hurry up involved here. In two weeks, the Bulldogs head to Alabama, and their murderers’ row of a schedule also includes trips to Texas and Ole Miss and a home date with Tennessee. Suffice it to say the coming open date is going to feature some spirited practices in Athens.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Winners and losers from Week 3 in college football

MISERY INDEX: Florida State latest meltdown headlines Week 3 action

Texas has a quarterback contr…

Nope, nope, nope, don’t even go there.

Longhorns faithful got a glimpse of a very bright future thanks to Arch Manning’s electrifying performance in relief of injured starter Quinn Ewers. Fans can also be comfortable with the knowledge that the offense of the present will be in good hands should Arch be needed again.

But Ewers is the starter, and when he’s ready he will remain the starter. With Louisiana-Monroe visiting Austin this week, there’s little reason to rush Ewers back from an abdominal issue. So it’s expected to be the Manning show Saturday. But rest assured the job belongs to Ewers when he’s ready.

The SEC will fill half the playoff field

Since we’ve gone full SEC to this point, we might as well keep going. The league currently holds six of the top eight positions in the US LBM Coaches Poll, with a couple of others in the top 16 seemingly waiting in the weeds. Assuming the eventual league champion emerged from that upper tier, the rest could conceivably grab five of the seven available at-large spots.

This scenario comes with more than a few caveats, however. First and foremost, we’re less than a quarter of the way through the campaign. Secondly, the playoff committee does not use the polls as criteria. But even if that were the case, the teams currently occupying the lofty rankings are soon going to start playing each other.

Texas A&M has a quarterback controversy

Now, there might be a little more smoke with this one. Conner Weigman was scratched from the starting lineup with a shoulder injury prior to the Aggies’ must-win game at Florida, and the offense was considerably more dynamic with redshirt freshman Marcel Reed at the controls.

The offense piled up 33 points compared to 13 in the opener against Notre Dame. Reed was effective through the air and on the ground, passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 87 yards and another score.

The Gators’ issues are well-documented, of course, and other SEC squads on the Aggies’ upcoming slate could give the less-experienced Reed more to think about. But Weigman might have a harder time getting his gig back.

Memphis is a lock for the playoff

Once again, we reiterate that the polls are not the playoff rankings. But the Tigers, the lone squad from a Group of Five league currently ranked, would seem to have the inside track with a good result at Florida State in hand.

But ‘lock’ is way too strong a pronouncement to make in mid-September, especially as Memphis has not even embarked on what could be a treacherous American Athletic Conference journey. There are also a few other clubs from outside the Power Four leagues with notable results. Northern Illinois’ win at Notre Dame last week might actually be the best one once everyone is in the clubhouse. Sure, we make our projections every week, but everyone should refrain from terms like ‘lock’ in this still fledgling campaign.