With the 2023 NFL trade deadline eerily looming on October 31st, our Week 8 edition of Gridiron Gossip will suggest a last-minute blockbuster deal that could benefit both teams. While the proposed trade may be ambitious, perhaps ludicrous, it is significant nonetheless.
The fun doesn’t stop there, though! Guest writer Ryan Brayne will also delve into the New England Patriot‘s ‘David vs Goliath’ victory over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. Additionally, we will explore the reasons behind Brock Purdy’s decline during the Monday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings.
In case you missed it: The weekend’s results witnessed the San Francisco 49ers suffering their second consecutive defeat, causing five teams to surge ahead of them in our estimations. Make sure to check out where all 32 teams line-up in our Pintsized NFL Week 8 Power Rankings.
Would Davante Adams guarantee the Chiefs a Super Bowl?
On the back of a defensive coup with Kevin Byard strengthening an already robust Philadelphia Eagles defence, the Kansas City Chiefs should consider bolstering their offence to counteract this (assuming a repeat of last year’s Super Bowl).
This naturally raises the question: Why Davante Adams?
Despite the Raiders shutting down talk of any trade deals for their star receiver, if assets can be acquired, they should seriously consider cashing in. The Chiefs are absolutely balling with the Mahomes-Kelce connection once again, but imagine adding another star weapon to their arsenal.
The 31-year-old Adams currently finds himself stifled in a risk-averse offence, with just 528 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While the former second round pick was targeted 12 times against the Chicago Bears last weekend, Brian Hoyer’s noodle arm could not make the most of Adams’ exceptional athleticism.
Enter Aaron Rodgers’ favourite receiver. Good luck to any defences trying to contain both Kelce and Adams. The schemes Andy Reid could conjure up would be an absolute feast. The price would be fairly similar to what the Raiders coughed up with high round picks but why not go all in when you have the league’s best QB? A heavy dose of draft capital for Las Vegas would also benefit the successor of coach Josh McDaniels, whose inevitable firing creeps ever closer.
Did concussion cause 49ers loss to Vikings?
It is difficult to put a ‘football figure’ on the price of a concussion. If we disregard the overarching health concerns associated with a traumatic brain injury, the Monday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings provides an instructive case study.
With just over seven minutes left in the game, Niners’ quarterback Brock Purdy attempted a quarterback sneak on third-and-1. As Mr Irrelevant attempted to surge above guard Aaron Banks, Vikings’ linebacker Jordan Hicks blindsided Purdy with direct head contact, resulting in a shocking collision.
A day after the game, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Purdy had entered concussion protocol after experiencing symptoms during their return trip from Minnesota. While no single play can be definitively attributed as the sole cause of the concussion, the quarterback sneak stands out as a glaring factor.
Prior to having his bell rung by Hicks, Purdy had posted impressive stats of 19/24 passes completed for 252 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Following the head contact, Purdy managed only 2/6 passes for 20 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The first of those two interceptions occurred on the very next play after the head contact.
A greater focus on medical awareness and player protection is imperative. If Purdy was playing with a concussion, it placed him at risk of ‘second impact syndrome‘. Simply put, if an athlete sustains another head injury before fully recovering from their first, the risk of a fatality is heightened. Although extremely rare, the term is tied to football, having first emerged in 1984 when doctors covered the case of a football player who died four days after a presumed second head injury.
The Patriots 5-point plan to beating the Bills
If you were left scratching your head at the result between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, please refer to the handy 5-point guide for success in the face of overwhelming odds:
1. Simplified offence – Sometimes, going back to basics yields the best results, as seen in Mac Jones’s career-best performance.
2. Fewer errors – The absence of missed field goals or point attempts, along with just one sack and one forced fumble, marked a significant improvement in the Patriots’ performance compared to earlier in the season. The Patriots currently rank 31st in the league for turnovers, having committed seven interceptions and five fumbles this season.
3. Capitalising on Bills errors – Josh Allen’s early interception on the Bills’ first offensive play led to the first Patriots touchdown, shifting the game’s momentum immediately in favor of the hosts. The Bills’ run defence also struggled against an underperforming unit.
4. Nightmare defensive injury woes – While it shouldn’t serve as an excuse against an offense that was shut out against the Saints, the absence of Matt Milano, Von Miller, and Ed Oliver in the Bills’ ranks significantly weakens their chances of a deep playoff run.
5. Sheer dumb luck – Sometimes, it’s just a matter of having ‘one of those days,’ and the events from the first kick to the final play of the game suggest that this particular game was precisely that.
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