NFL Week 2: Burrow to Miss Months, Bears' Caleb Concerns, Cowboys Survive & More

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0:31Rich Eisen:All right, welcome to the latest edition of Overreaction Monday. Rich Eisen along with Chris Brockman right here, courtesy of the Rich Eisen Podcast Network. We say hello if you're checking us out on our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show, or whether you're hearing us wherever you get your podcasts, courtesy, as I mentioned, of Rich Eisen Podcasts as well as ESPN Podcasts. Week two, mostly in the books. We're recording this before the week two Monday night doubleheader. An actual doubleheader. It's a pretty big Monday night, to say the least. I love it. But good to see you, sir.

1:04Rich Eisen:Great to see you, man. Lots to react to or overreact to. What a crazy Sunday. I know. Certainly the one in Dallas was off the charts. Unreal. I know. The Patriots-Dolphins game was crazy. Cincinnati-Jacksonville. Wow. For other reasons as well. Yeah. So let's go ahead and hit it. Let's do it. Week two edition of Overreaction Monday. Go ahead. That was terrible. That was crap. That was garbage. This play sucks. Overreaction. Mondays. Monday. All right, Christopher, what do you have for me over there? Honestly, let's start in Cincinnati, Rich. Crazy game there. Crazy finish. Bengals pull it out.

1:42They're 2-0 for the first time in a while. But the news, Monday morning, Joe Burrow's going to be out. Three months at least. Surgery on the turf toe. Torn ligaments there. The Bengals should call the Falcons for Kirk Cousins. I don't think so.

1:55Rich Eisen:I think Jake Browning is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the national football. Yeah, he tried to give it away, though. Three picks. I understand that. The guy, you know, didn't think he was going to be in there. And he took care of business. And, brother, I got to tell you, if you had told me going into this game that Jamar Chase would wind up in this contest with 14 catches for 165 yards and a receiving touchdown, I would have said, well, he and Burrow are on the same page. Certainly if you told me that the Bengals are now 2-0 for the first time since 2018, and those two wins are double the number of wins they had in weeks one and two combined over the first six years of Zach Taylor's tenure.

2:38Rich Eisen:If you had told me all that, I'd be like, this is great. Burrow and Chase. It's great. There they are. Peanut butter and jelly. Bengals, what, AFC North leaders? Peaches and cream. Keep going. Brother, Jake Browning. Hall and Oates. We heard about Jake Browning from our guy, Jordan Palmer. Yes. And I'm going to call him our guy, even though he's on a bunch of other shows. But Jordan Palmer came on when Burrow went down a couple of years ago and said, everything's going to be fine. Now, obviously, Jake Browning isn't a guy that the Bengals want to have starting three months. I understand that Joe Burrow is Joe Burr.

3:16Rich Eisen:And a lot of people were looking at him having an MVP season this year. Yada, yada, yada. that's not going to be the case 100 jake browning can handle the business for three months and there's no reason for them to panic and go and grab kirk cousins for again atlanta isn't going to just go oh yeah let's go for a sixth you know conditional up to a fourth that ain't going to be it, man. I would be surprised if it is that light in terms of what the Falcons would be asking. Overpay. Take on the money. I mean, you have a chance here to win this division, get a home playoff game. You're 2-0, and you have all the weapons.

4:01You paid all these guys. Trey Hendrickson was everywhere on Sunday. I just think you just go for it.

4:07Rich Eisen:I think Jake Browning is better than a third of the starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Interesting. I think Jake Browning knows this offense. I think Jake Browning knows these receivers. They have worked together. They have won together. I would at least give Jake Browning a little bit of a run here. Because, again, the trade deadline's not for another few weeks. You know, you're going to Minnesota. We saw how Minnesota struggled all four quarters this time with J.J. McCarthy. Yeah, Minnesota's really only played one good quarter. On Sunday night. Cincinnati then goes to Denver, home for Detroit at Green Bay, and then you've got Pittsburgh on a Thursday night.

4:47Rich Eisen:Okay. So those are very – it ain't easy. Yeah. But any schedule in the AFC North or the NFC North this year is not easy because they play each other and they play their own divisions, which are arguably the best divisions in football. So your schedule is not going to be simple. if they if Jake Browning just decides to you know just regress and poops the bed then maybe it's something you consider and it's something I think cousins would be get me away from wearing my helmet and looking miserable the entire night entire game and I get to throw to Jamar Chase and T Higgins what they need to do maybe is what you know one of the best memes that I saw or posts that I saw is what, 100 million obese people in America and the Bengals can't find five to protect Joe Bowe.

5:41Rich Eisen:I saw that. That's pretty funny. I mean, so put it all together, and I think the Bengals have to figure out what to do on the offensive line if there's anything for them to figure out in the short term. It's unfortunate. It's a major bummer. I like Jake Browning a lot. Right now, this is an overreaction, and let's move on. Probably the game of the day on Sunday in Dallas. Giants Cowboys. Yes. Unbelievable game. Yes, indeed, sir. The Cowboys are the second best team in the NFC East.

6:18Rich Eisen:That's an overreaction as well. They were almost 0-2, brother. I don't know what the Giants were doing playing soft coverage at the end of the fourth quarter. What were they afraid of being beaten deep? So Brandon Aubrey would get a chip shot, which is for him a 50-yarder. like you gotta 64 look kind of chippy as well that thing was good for out of everything to nitpick in that game and this is a nitpick because russ looked superb and you got to give it up to him i will later on okay good uh on the flagship show or on this podcast on this podcast and i'll leave that aside okay um for the giants knowing that brandon aubrey can boot one from 70 because He is the king of 60-yard field goals that announcers go, that would have been good from 70.

7:06Rich Eisen:It's effortless when he does. So you can't be just saying, hey, take your 10, 15 yards underneath to get to midfield. You can't do that against him. You've got to put the – like stop changing your freaking defense up when the game is on the line. Why do coaches do that? It drives me insane. Go ahead. If you're going to get beat deep, get beat deep. but at least you're putting the pressure on Dak Prescott in a manner that you can do it with just four guys. And then what? Then you're just going to say, here's the middle of the field. Go and give Brandon Aubrey a shot from the star. That one drove me absolutely nuts.

7:44Rich Eisen:The Cowboys are beatable by the commanders. And the Cowboys showed that they're beatable by the Giants as well. They were, again, almost 0-2. And by the way, for the first time in a very long time, I mean, here's a stat that I saw that I will throw out to you right here, that the Dallas Cowboys have not been 0-2 for now 14 straight seasons, which is the second longest such streak. The Packers have gone 19 seasons without being 0-2. Great stats. Dak Prescott is 5-0 in week two following a week one loss in his career. And the only person since 2010 who's better in that regard is Aaron Rodgers, who's 6-0, which is why I guess the Packers have gone 19 years now without being 0-2.

8:25Rich Eisen:so the Cowboys were almost there and should have been there. The giants had them in the same way. The Cowboys had the Eagles the week before. So I look at the Cowboys compared to the, compared to the commanders. Right. And I think that we saw the commander's age last week. Sure. They were playing on a short week on the road, but Dak has looked better than Jane Daniels through two weeks. And maybe one of the biggest surprises in NFL this year is Javante Williams. Yes. He has been awesome in that cowboy backfield. And you got Austin Eckler now out for the season. And you got Bill Krosky and a lot of unknowns.

9:00Bill Krosky. On the commander's backfield. I kind of like the Cowboys better right now.

9:05Rich Eisen:I like Bill Krosky. Bill Krosky. Bill Krosky. Nice to meet you. Here's a good one from a stat for Javante Williams. And yes, you're correct. They are better than we think. It's a long marathon. I still think the Washington Commanders are a better team. And the Giants, you know, coming into the season, we're a higher registered team. I'm like, I don't sleep on this team. And they almost pulled it off. Okay. And Russ looked terrific. Gervonta Williams is the first Dallas running back with three or more rushing touchdowns in the first two games of a season since Marion Barber III in 2009. So he's done something that the Cowboys have not seen from the running back position in well over a decade now and a half.

9:48Rich Eisen:So I'll give it up to them. I'll still call this an overreaction. The commanders, again, give pause because they did not look great in week one and then certainly didn't look good in week two. Looking at the other results of the other teams that they played, okay? One, the Giants threw the ball deep all over the place. The Cowboys have a secondary problem. Trevon Diggs does not look like Trevon Diggs, okay? I don't know if he's all the way back healthy, even though he's healthy enough to play apparently. So that's number one. They didn't give up the deep ball to the Giants, who deep balled their way almost to the win column in Dallas, number one.

10:28Rich Eisen:Number two, the Detroit Lions smoked the Chicago Bears, giving you an idea of just how good the Packers may be. So let's give that benefit of the doubt now to the Washington Commanders and move on and call this an overreaction. Okay, well, you just mentioned how the Lions did the Bears. Let's talk about the Bears. Yes, sir. Bears might have a quarterback issue, Rich. If the Bears start 0-4 or whatever record you want to think about, You're really going to go with what our call screamer, Adam Chudwin, said after the week one loss. Are you going to say Tyson Bajan? They should think about Bryce Young and Caleb Williams.

11:03Sitting him. Let's take a little pause. Let's take a little break because something's off. We need to hit the reset button. You need to pull the cartridge out of the Nintendo and blow on it for a little bit and plug it back in. Look at you. Like something is missing here. We know the talent's there. Obviously, number one pick, Heisman Trophy winner. he has plays where you're like wow no one else in the league can do that but it's just not really clicking so far through 20 games one of the things i love about having kurt warner on

11:30Rich Eisen:wednesdays every single week is not just because he's a great human and a friend and a hall of fame quarterback um who knows what he's talking about but he also breaks it down in such a simple way he came on last week and he said i just don't know if that overthrow of dj moore is completely on caleb williams i think dj moore ran the wrong route and sure enough we found out that dj moore did not run the route that he was supposed to okay and um and caleb saw in the middle that he was breaking long and it's not easy to adjust on the fly and he he airmailed dj moore um so So I'm going to be hesitant to put it all on Caleb Williams.

12:19Rich Eisen:Okay? It all can't be on this kid. And Romadunze looks terrific. He and Adunze have a connection. He looks like they're wide receiver one. With everyone else, though, he has zero connection. That's an issue. And that means Adunze's option one. When option one's working, it's great. when he's off of option one it's not looking so good and that's apparently the processing that he and Ben Johnson are working through together so if they start 0 and 4 or whatever I understand that if they bench Caleb Williams and say here's Tyson Bajan and look how good he is can they eventually come back around and redeem him and the only way that reason why if you recall Bryce Young got a chance at redemption is because somebody hit Andy Dalton and his family in a car.

13:13Thank God, not seriously in the long run.

13:17Rich Eisen:So I don't know when they would reinsert Caleb Williams because I'm assuming Bajent would run the offense better. I don't know. I was just saying, pick a number out of the hat. But if they're 0-4, 1-5 or whatever, they're not going to make the playoffs. So why not hit the reset button on this kid? But that's the question is the reset button means you'd put him back in. when would you do something like that? How would you do something like that? Thanksgiving, let them finish out the year, and then get a full-on offseason and go on to 2026. That's a tough one. The second half has been terrible, twice now.

13:56Rich Eisen:In Chicago's next games, let's see if they're home for Dallas. Okay, thank you, sir. It's on the screen. At Vegas, there's a bye. There you go. At Washington, home for New Orleans. There you go. What do you mean? and a bye at 0-4, you come out of the bye, and you put Tyson Bajant in Washington? Yeah. No. I just don't think you're going to put Bajant. It's funny. Everybody looks at the New Orleans week as the week to maybe make a change. That's what everybody was pegging. I don't know. It's week five for the Giants with Jackson Dart. They've been a tough out the last couple weeks. I'll just call this.

14:27Rich Eisen:I'm just looking at this schedule, and I'm like, where are the wins? I'll just call this not an overreaction. Okay. I'll agree with you here. because Bryce Young has been, you know, at least last year. It hasn't looked good already for the first two weeks for Carolina this year. But I think Caleb is more talented than Bryce Young. I do too. Okay, so I just don't think so. You know what? I'm going to pull this one back. I have my finger on the chest piece. I'm going to call this an overreaction. Ben Johnson's got a long-term contract. This kid is going to have at least three more years. They're going to pick up a fifth-year option.

15:07Rich Eisen:It's not going to be a total disaster in Chicago because he does have that much talent. You just got to give it a year. Give it as much time as possible and deal with the slings and arrows and all the questions and everything else, and it'll turn around. So I'll just say this is an overreaction. You got to give him and Ben Johnson enough time, and four games ain't it. Okay, let's move on. Is two games enough that you've seen enough of Joe Flacco? Because the Browns should start Dylan Gabriel this week.

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16:38Rich Eisen:No way. No way. And then at Detroit, home for Minnesota. No way. But now you're looking at 0 and 5. And then what? And then what? Then you start looking at next year. That's what you do. Wow. Yeah, man. First week of October and you're thinking about next year. Yeah. You're the king of like tank for this guy, tank for that guy. I am. That's going to be a great quarterback class. coming out next season. Assure yourself of having it. How about that? How about that? Dylan Gabriel will have more than enough time in the back end of a year to figure it out. He looked okay in some mop-up duty yesterday, a nice touchdown pass.

17:16Rich Eisen:I know. Quince Sean Judkins had a nice game as well. He is a player. There's a reason why they took him where they did. The problem is the defense gave way in the second half, man. And they got it done. And Derrick Henry had nonexistent. I mean, only two carries for Lamar Jackson. I have a stat on that regard. It's the lowest. It's just two carries. Fewest in a start for Jackson in three years. Derrick Henry, it's the fewest rush yards he's had as a Raven. The Ravens had the fewest rush yards in a game in four years. Only the second win in franchise history with 45 or fewer rush yards. So the Browns rush defense got it done.

17:55Rich Eisen:but Lamar is just freaking Lamar Jackson. His evolution as a passer is so impressive. How about this one? 11th career game with four or more touchdown passes or no interceptions. That's the most by a quarterback before turning 30.

18:13Rich Eisen:And Mahomes is now in second place in that regard. And Mahomes has one more game as less than 30 years old. So listen, Dylan Gabriel is not the answer. And at some point they're going to figure it, figure out some time for him, but it's not yet. We're not ready yet. Okay. Another overreaction. What else you got? I'm going to agree with one soon. I know. I think, I think you are at some point. Okay. Maybe this one. All right. Because what's going on in Indy, I think is, is pretty special. Okay. Jonathan Taylor is the best running back in the NFL. Colts are a playoff team. I don't think that that's an argument right now for me.

18:49Rich Eisen:You're not hearing any argument from me right now, man. He is a workhorse. and you know who's helping unlock it? Danny Dimes. At this point, sir, Danny Dimes is playing so well. We have to upgrade him to Danny Dollars or Danny Diamonds. Danny Diamonds. I'm down for Danny Diamonds. Danny Diamonds. I'm down for Danny Diamonds. That is, let's make that a thing. Danny Diamonds, bro. We need to make Danny Diamonds a thing. I'll keep trying. You know, I keep trying to name nicknames to get picked up. I know, I know. And you frequently don't agree with them. Well, you know, it wasn't great in your previous efforts.

19:26But I think this is... The natural for Matt Ryan? We had a decade run with that one. I think Danny Diamonds could be a winner.

19:32Rich Eisen:Bro, they're a playoff team. And as a matter of fact, by the end of tonight, if the Bucs take care of business in Houston, they have a two-game lead on supposedly the best other team in the division. Jacksonville, though, has acquitted itself pretty well, going one and one in the first couple games in that regard. Jonathan Taylor, 10th career game with 100 or more rushing yards. That's the most in Colts franchise history. And over 200 scrimmage yards now in five games. Behind Edron James for the most in history. He's a Hall of Famer. Edron James. He has five. Edron James has six. And he broke the second place tie with Lenny Moore and Marshall Falk, both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

20:13Rich Eisen:Heard of all of them. So, yeah. And how about this one for Danny Diamonds? Fourth player in Colts history with a 100 or better passer rating in each of the first two games of the season. The other three are named captain comeback, Jim Harbaugh and his captain comeback here. Hey. Okay. And he's in the ring of honor. Yeah. And the others are named Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning. Hey, now Danny, Danny Diamonds under pressure makes Danny Diamond, Danny Diamond and Pierce is catching balls. and Pittman's catching balls. And our guy Tyler Warren is catching football. Absolute monster. Tyler Warren.

20:52Absolute monster.

20:52Rich Eisen:Has the most receiving yards in his first two career games in the Super Bowl era for the Colts organization. He just beat T.Y. Hilton's record. Whoa. So, yeah, man. Now, listen, they just had two games at home. Sure. But they took care of business in both. And they beat, you know, everyone's Super Bowl darling Denver. Now they're going to Tennessee. And they come out here to the Rams before having two more at home against Vegas and Arizona. So being off, they're off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2009. And is there any question they made the right move, telling Anthony Richardson you're sitting and here's Daniel Jones?

21:30Rich Eisen:No, for two weeks, no, absolutely. And Jonathan Taylor, best running back in the NFL and the Colts or playoff team is not an overreaction. I have bought one. All right. What else you have? Well, I think our streak ends at one. Week one was... So sad to hear that. Yeah, I know. Look, it wasn't good last night for your guy. And week one, unfortunately, Rich Fugazi McCarthy, the Vikings made a big mistake blowing up a 14 win team for JJ. Stop it. Stop it. He said one good quarter out of eight. Understood. And he looks lost. Yeah. And I will just, you know, and you could sit here and say I'm making excuses for one of my favorite Michigan Wolverines of all time.