So, parity might not be dead in the NFL after all.
A month ago, I rolled my eyes at the lack of upsets in the NFL, while ignoring the wins by the Colts and Jaguars. That’s on me, and the AFC South contenders have my attention now.
But it was refreshing to see the shorthanded 49ers knock off the Rams, the Titans and Saints record their first wins of the season, and the Patriots upset the Bills. And, of course, the Jaguars overcame a double-digit deficit to beat the Chiefs on Monday night.
It’s anyone’s year over in the AFC. The Colts currently lead the standings, but we’ll examine whether they’re truly the best team in the conference.
But first, let’s throw cold water on the potential quarterback dilemma between Brock Purdy and Mac Jones to kick off NFL Fact or Fiction.
Brock Purdy shouldn’t worry about Mac Jones taking his job
Manzano’s view: Fact
It seems a bit silly to address this because Purdy just signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension with the 49ers in May. He has plenty of job security after not having much of it as the last pick of the 2022 draft.
But I get it. Quarterback controversy is good for ratings and clicks. And even though this has intriguing main characters with a failed first-round pick looking to revive his career and the ultimate underdog who still has plenty of doubters, this situation is far from being a true quarterback competition.
Even if Jones continues to play as well as he did in the win over the Rams, coach Kyle Shanahan will have no problem handing the keys back to Purdy once he’s cleared from his toe injury. Also, Jones, who’s 3–0 as the starter, told reporters that this is still Purdy’s team. He wasn’t just being a good teammate—he knows what it’s like to lose a starting job—but he understands how much support Purdy has from players and the coaching staff.
When there was offseason speculation about Sam Darnold and Trey Lance possibly being in the mix for the starting job before the 2023 season, Shanahan made it clear that there was no competition when Purdy was cleared from his elbow injury before training camp. Lance was traded to the Cowboys and Darnold was handed the clipboard.
Shanahan has been sold on Purdy since his surprising rookie year and gained even more trust in the quarterback when he guided the team to the Super Bowl, falling short in overtime against the Chiefs. Purdy was almost as good as Patrick Mahomes that night.
Even after a losing season, the 49ers didn’t play hardball with Purdy despite a few up-and-down performances in 2024. They quickly hammered out a contract extension during the first offseason Purdy was eligible for a second deal.
It’s going to take a lot more heroic performances from Jones, the 2021 first-round pick, before Shanahan even begins to have doubts about a quarterback he’s been sold on for a few years now.
Ignore where Purdy stands on QB rankings from the skeptical pundits. The 49ers (4–1) are pleased with their quarterback. There’s nothing to see here.
Colts are the best team in the AFC
Manzano’s view: Fiction
I’ve actually come around on the surprising 4–1 Colts. The offense is surging, the defense is much improved and Shane Steichen is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year.
While I still need to see more from the Colts, this is more about the AFC being a wide-open conference. For the first time in a long time, it’s not just the usual suspects atop the standings. The Bills can’t defend, the Ravens are reeling with injuries and the Chiefs are starting to lose their mystique.
But we also don’t know where the Colts stand in the AFC South. The 4–1 Jaguars have been just as impressive, and the divisional rivals don’t play their first of two games until December.
It’s a good sign that Indianapolis is crushing the bad teams, cruising against Miami, Tennessee and Las Vegas. But, the Colts have had uneven performances against the good teams, barely beating the Broncos and letting one slip away against the Rams.
Again, I’m still not convinced that the Colts are the best team in the AFC, despite currently holding the No. 1 seed. But I will no longer overlook them just because they have Daniel Jones. He’s been the perfect fit for Steichen’s offensive scheme.
Cardinals will quickly bounce back from ugly Titans loss
Manzano’s view: Fiction
First of all, running back Emari Demercado deserves a medal for keeping his composure after coach Jonathan Gannon screamed in his face and shoved him multiple times. No coach should ever put their hands on a player. Period.
Gannon should suspend himself for a game or two for his immature meltdown during the heinous loss to the Titans last week. That’s not how you lead a team, especially not in the middle of a free fall during a game that’s far from over.
This seems like a good time to analyze Gannon as a head coach. He deserves credit for improving the defense every year since being hired in 2023. Other than that, he hasn’t thrived in late-game management and situational football. You can’t be good in those areas when the Cardinals (2–3) have lost three consecutive one-score games and nearly had another meltdown in the Week 2 win over the Panthers.
And since Gannon likes to overstep, he should have taken the reins on the offense a long time ago. It’s clearly not working between offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and quarterback Kyler Murray. Still, Gannon has done nothing besides ripping on his running back while being consoled by teammates for a mistake he clearly felt bad about.
My colleague Conor Orr recently mentioned that the Cardinals could spiral the same way the Bears did last year after losing on the walk-off Hail Mary against the Commanders. That’s how bad the Titans loss was for Gannnon. I can’t see them turning this around.
Commanders are being slept on in the NFC
Manzano’s view: Fact
Last week, the Commanders (3–2) had the Chargers beat the second that they recovered Quentin Johnston’s fumble in the second quarter.
The Chargers’ failure to extend their early 10-point lead allowed Washington to stay committed to the running game. This is a dangerous team when that aspect is clicking for the Commanders, who have surprisingly been overlooked to start the season.
Jayden Daniels missed two games, and the Commanders lost some luster during the lopsided Week 2 loss against the Packers. But they’re starting to gain a rhythm on both sides of the ball. They’re lacking a star edge rusher, but that defense still made life miserable for Justin Herbert and his depleted offensive line. That’s good coaching by Dan Quinn and his staff.
On the offensive side, there were concerns for a bit about offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury not having a counter to defenses adjusting to this Daniels-led offense. That was an issue during his head-coaching stint with Murray and the Cardinals.
But Kingsbury has found something with rookie running back Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, and has quickly incorporated Deebo Samuel in the flow of the offense, which has been needed during Terry McLaurin’s absence.
The Commanders could be headed for a strong October to regain attention as a viable threat in the NFC.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brock Purdy Shouldn’t Worry About Mac Jones Taking His Job.
