The Guru's Notepad IDP Info, Notes from Week 1

As I watch games from Thursday through Monday Night Football, I take notes on the things that catch my eye. From injuries to unexpected box score production, both good and bad, to scheme quirks and situations that could affect a player's production in weeks to come. By Wednesday evening, I turn these notes and the subsequent news and investigation into the Eyes of the Guru column.

Last year, we decided to post my Sunday notes to give our IDP customers an early look. You seemed to like it, so that process will continue in 2023. On Monday afternoon/evening, I will be sharing those raw notes. There will not be a lot of analysis or in-depth description. Those things take time and will come later in the week. The goal is to give our customers an early heads up on things that could impact your important decisions for the week, so if something in the notes is particularly important to your team, you can look into it on you own and/or wait until the EOTG comes out that week to get my take.

These are the notes from week one.

Arizona Cardinals

• Dennis Gardeck 3-1-2 FF.
• Zaven Collins was quiet in the tackle and sack columns but had an impact 0-2 INT, FR.
• Kyzir White led the team in tackles at 5-4 despite being ejected for a late hit.

Atlanta Falcons

• Jesse Bates III back to old form 5-5 with 2 picks and a forced fumble.
• Kaden Elliss slow start but finished 6-3. Troy Andersen 3-7-0.5 snap counts

Baltimore Ravens

• Ravens secondary is a M.A.S.H. unit. Add Marcus Williams shoulder, replaced by? Geno Stone 1-1, Ar'Darius Washington 3-3-1 PD?
• What happened to Kyle Hamilton 2-1??
• Ronald Darby 6-1 PD Brandon Stephens 8-4 started on the corners
• Patrick Queen 3-8-1 PD, Roquan Smith 8-8-1

Buffalo Bills

• No game yet.

Carolina Panthers

• Vonn Bell disappoints 2-1, Jeremy Chinn so-so 3-4. Don't give up on either
• Derrick Brown 8-1-1, don't over-react
• Jaycee Horn hamstring

Chicago Bears

• Jaquan Brisker banged up early, missed some time but returned
• T.J. Edwards 6-8, outperformed Tremaine Edmunds 6-1

Cincinnati Bengals

• Played in constant heavy rain
• Germaine Pratt 7-4-1 FF, outproduced Logan Wilson (6-2)
• Chidobi Awuzie in the starting lineup.
• Nick Scott 4-7 could be worth an add. Dax Hill 5-1 int.

Cleveland Browns

• Played in constant heavy rain
• Ogbo Okoronkwo starts fast, 2-1-1, Za'Darius Smith 0-2 PD. snaps
• Anthony Walker Jr. (0-1), Bengals offense stunk! No LB better than 2-1. Check snaps
• Grant Delpit 7-1 PD

Dallas Cowboys

• Cowboys took a page out of the Eagles playbook with seven sacks
• Demarcus Lawrence 1-0-1 but Dorance Armstrong 3-0-2
• Damone Clark was quiet 2-3 but Leighton Vander Esch was respectable 6-0 snap counts?

Denver Broncos

• Caden Sterns carted off with knee injury. Didn't look good
• No pass rush
• Josey Jewell 1-5, Alex Singleton 4-4

Detroit Lions

• Played a lot of linebackers. Alex Anzalone (5-1 PD) and Derrick Barnes (4-2) started but Jack Campbell (2-0 PD) had a role and both Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin got on the field and made a tackle. Snaps?
• Brian Branch wasted no time making an impact. He had just two tackles and an assist but a pick six in his first NFL game is a great way to start a career.
• Kerby Joseph was so-so on the stat sheet at 3-0, but he looked good. He's not going to put up great tackle totals on most weeks but this defense is going to make plenty of big plays, and Joseph will have his fair share of them.

Green Bay Packers

• Quay Walker checked for a concussion on a pick-six play. 1-3 int. score

Houston Texans

• Jalen Pitre out with a chest injury (pec?) Eric Murray 3-1 in relief.
• Jonathan Greenard in the sack column 4-1-1 playshare? Will Anderson gets a sack in his debut 4-2-1
• Denzel Perryman 6-5 Christian Harris 4-2-1. Henry To'oTo'o shows up in the boc score 2-1, role?

Indianapolis Colts

• Speed/Leonard snap counts Speed (3-2 FF) started showing up in the second quarter. Leonard 3-5, Zaire Franklin 10-8 FF PD
• Julian Blackmon at SS?
• Nick Cross got on the field
• Kenny Moore II 3-0; did he play the slot?

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Josh Allen explodes 8-2-3. It's not a fluke
• Travon Walker has a great half. 3 -3-1 at half but also 3-3-1 at the end. What happened in the second half?
• Andre Cisco 7-3 FF/Rayshawn Jenkins 5-0
• Where is Devin Lloyd? 1-2 FR

Kansas City Chiefs

• Trent McDuffie was in the slot role most of the time, but L'Jarius Snead also saw a lot of snaps either in the box or in press coverage at the line. He almost got home on a blitz
• Mike Danna may not be a superstar, but he is capable 4-2-1 PD
• Bryan Cook is going to be a lot more productive than Juan Thornhill ever was at the position.
• Linebackers had a slow night. Willie Gay Jr 2-1, Drue Tranquill 1-1 snaps?

Las Vegas Raiders

• TreVon Moehrig thumb
• LB snaps? Devine Deablo 5-4, Robert Spillane 4-3
• Jakorian Bennett 7-0, Nate Hobbs 8-4
• Entire defensive line credited with 3 tackles and 6 assists

Los Angeles Chargers

• The Chargers defense struggled, no sacks, no turnovers
• Alohi Gilman 9-2

Los Angeles Rams

• Russ Yeast started ahead of John Johnson but was not impressive 1-1
• Ernest Jones 4-4, not great numbers, but he was the only Rams defender with more than three solo tackles.

Miami Dolphins

• David Long Jr 1-0, Jerome Baker 4-2. LB snaps
• Brandon Jones active but did not play, DeShon Elliott 8-5 Jevon Holland 10-4
• Kader Kohou 6-3-1

Minnesota Vikings

• Ivan Pace Jr leads the team's LBs in tackles at 6-2, Brian Asamoah 1-1, Jordan Hicks 0-3 snaps and roles?
• Safety snaps, Harrison Smith banged up 3-1? Josh Metellus 6-0 PD Camryn Bynum 5-5
• Marcus Davenport inactive ankle

New England Patriots

• Josh Uche got to the QB for a sack but did nothing else. Role?
• Rookie corner Christian Gonzalez 5-2-1 PD. Fluke or sign of things to come?
• LB snaps. Ja'Whaun Bentley 3-6, Marte Mapu 2-1
• Kyle Dugger disappoints 2-3

New Orleans Saints

• Carl Granderson starts hot 2-2-1.5. Peyton Turner toe injury
• Marcus Maye steps up 5-1 int
• Demario Davis 9-1, Pete Werner 3-5-.5

New York Giants

• Micah McFadden starting at ILB 4-7. Bobby Okereke somewhat disappointing 4-1 FF. Anything to see here??
• Jason Pinnock 3-2 but still led the Giants safeties in tackles.
• Isaiah Simmons 1-0. Maybe the Giants can't figure out what to do with him either? Snaps count
• Giants had no pass rush. Zero sacks. Carlos Basham 1-0, Kayvon Thibodeaux 1-3, Azeez Ojulari 0-1
• Tre Hawkins III 5-2; rookie corner rule?

New York Jets

• No game yet.

Philadelphia Eagles

• Reed Blankenship stands out 9-3 2 PD. Terrell Edmunds 2-1, Justin Evans 4-3, Sydney Brown 1-0 snaps?
• Jordan Davis 3-3-0.5 FF and Jalen Carter 1-0-1, make an impact
• Slow day for the linebackers Nakobe Dean 4-3, Zach Cunningham 3-1 FR, Christian Ellis 3-1, snap counts and rloes
• What happened to the Eagles pass rush? Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Derek Barnett, and Nolan Smith combined for three tackles, four assists, and half a sack.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Cameron Hayward banged up? Left the field for a while in the first half groin
• Kwon Alexander 8-1. Cole Holcomb 2-3 ff, Elandon Roberts 6-1 snaps and roles?
• Safety snaps. Damontae Kazee 3-1, Keanu Neal 2-3

Seattle Seahawks

• Julian Love 7-2 PD
• Bobby Wagner 9-10-0, Jordyn Brooks looked pretty good 4-8

San Francisco 49ers

• Drake Jackson huge 3-0-3
• Dre Greenlaw shut out in the first half, just like the Steelers, recovered for 3-3-0

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Antoine Winfield Jr might be even better from the FS spot 4-4-1 PD, FF, FR
• Ryan Neal solid production at SS 5-1
• Devin White in rookie form 8-4

Tennessee Titans

• Slow start for Azeez Al-Shaair 2-4. Jack Gibbens 6-2 snaps
• Amani Hooker puts marks in all the columns. 3-2 FF, INT, FR, PD
• Denico Autry 4-1-1.5 but Harold Landry struggled 1-0-0
• Kristian Fulton hamstring

Washington Commanders

• Montez Sweat off to a great start 4-1-1.5 2FF
• Kamren Curl 8-2 PD
• Cody Barton 3-1. Jamin Davis 4-2 Meh! Snaps?

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