NFL overreactions/underreactions: Week 9

This week in the NFL, we saw plenty of excitement, coming in the form of upsets, firings, overachievement, and underachievement.

Here are some recent storylines that have popped up and how some of our members feel about them.

Overreaction: The running back market deserves another reset

When Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs signed new contracts in the offseason, many felt that these contracts overpaid these players.

Now halfway through the NFL season, these contracts seem like a massive underpay.

Henry, Barkley and Jacobs lead the league in rushing yards in that order and have been key pieces to the success of their new teams.

Henry in particular is interesting given the fact that he signed a contract for only $16 million which is significantly less than the contracts given out to Barkley and Jacobs.

The key reason that teams were hesitant to offer these players receiver and quarterback money is the longevity factor. Running backs typically begin to decline after a few years in the league, whether it be injuries or a loss of their physical abilities.

Running backs this season, however, have defied this standard, as they have performed well above what analysts expected them to.

The truth is that team physicians and strength coaches are better than they ever have been before. It is realistic that they can help maintain the status of these athletes.

Therefore I believe it is realistic that the next offseason could see a massive reset in the running back market with younger running backs getting better deals than we have seen in the past. - Luke Stefanisko

Underreaction: The Dallas Cowboys will miss the playoffs

The Cowboys’ season was doomed from the start. No moves were made by the owner Jerry Jones in the offseason that could have made Dallas a Super Bowl contender this year.

All that was accomplished was extending quarterback Dak Prescott to the largest contract any player has ever received with a $240 million dollar contract. They would also sign wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year $136 million dollar deal.

Prescott and Lamb currently take up a majority of their salary cap.

This week during their matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, which would go 27-21 in favor of Atlanta, Prescott would suffer a hamstring injury that will put him on the injured reserve for at least four games.

With a 3-5 record heading into Week 10 against their division rivals—the Philadelphia Eagles—their playoff hopes are rapidly slipping away.

Prescott, even when he was not providing results for the Cowboys, was the best chance that Dallas had.

The Cowboys are a mess right now offensively and defensively. One trade will not put them in a position where they can make the playoffs.

With the Washington Commanders having a commanding lead in the division and the Eagles following right behind them, Dallas would have to fight for a spot in the Wildcard without their starting quarterback. - Hudson Hvizdak

Overreaction: The Bengals have dug too deep a hole

After a 0-3 start to the season, many were quick to write the Cincinnati Bengals off. This was certainly justified, as since 1990, only 2.5% of teams have made the NFL playoffs after a 0-3 start.

However, the Bengals have begun to turn things around. While there is still work to do, Cincinnati have improved their record to 4-5 after dismantling the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend 41-24.

After winning three of their last four games, the Bengals are now just two spots out of the playoffs. Therefore, there is still a real possibility that they clinch a ticket to the postseason come winter time.

Compared to many of the other teams around them in the playoff picture, the Bengals have as much talent as anybody. With the way Joe Burrow has performed this season, it is hard to write them off this early.

Burrow is currently ranked second in QBR and top five in passing touchdowns. If it weren’t for the Bengals record, Burrow would most likely be within the early MVP discussion, based on his numbers.

Additionally, the Bengals have experienced late-season runs before. A slow start is nothing new to Cincinnati. As long as they can stay healthy, they will be hard to slow down, especially on offense. - Alex Harkins

Underreaction: The Eagles have the best run game in the NFL

When you think of teams in the league who can run the ball, you likely think of these three franchises: The Ravens, the 49ers, and the Eagles. Following their Week 9 victory over the Jaguars, I can’t help but think that the Eagles’ ground offense is the best of that trio.

Everybody saw the play of the day on Sunday. Saquon Barkley, in his first season in Philly, hurdled cornerback Jarrian Jones. So what, right? He’s hurdled so many defenders in his career.

Well, this time he hurdled the defender backward.

Barkley has accumulated 925 yards on the ground with six rushing touchdowns this season. The 2x Pro-Bowler from Penn State leads an offense which is currently second in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 174.8.

Last week, he rushed for 159 yards, and two weeks ago against his former team, the Giants, he ran for a whopping 176 yards.

Barkley isn’t the only threat to run on this offense. Jalen Hurts is one of the league’s most mobile quarterbacks, and has continued this trend with 322 rushing yards so far while punching in eight touchdowns.

Although Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson form their own seemingly unstoppable rushing tandem in Baltimore, with Barkley turning it on even more as of late, I crown the Eagles as possessing the best run game in the league, especially having the “tush push” at their disposal. -Dominick Pizzelanti


Hudson Hvizdak is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email hph5358@psu.edu.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year dual majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.

Luke Stefanisko is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ljs6415@psu.edu

Alex Harkins is a second-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email arh6278@psu.edu.