Now with his fourth NFL team, quarterback Kirk Cousins has made a significant initial impact in Las Vegas. His 11 touchdown passes in four games ties Cousins with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for the NFL lead. If Cousins gets three more on Sunday for the Raiders against the Patriots, he would join a club that currently consists of only two quarterbacks. Via NBC Sports research, Patrick Mahomes, with the Chiefs, and Kurt Warner, with the Rams, are the only quarterbacks to throw 14 or more touchdown passes in their first five games with a given franchise. Both won the MVP award in the year they accomplished that feat. If Cousins can keep it going, he’ll eventually force his way into the MVP conversation. Which could result in a 38-year-old quarterback winning his first MVP award, one year after a 37-year-old quarterback (Matthew Stafford) won his first MVP award. There’s still a long way to go. Winning in New England on Sunday, a week after the Raiders’ first loss of the season, would definitely help Cousins’s cause
I know it's only Week 3 of the NFL regular season, but does anyone else already feel like it's flying by? We've already seen so many highs and lows this year, and there are sure to be more of each this week. There have been numerous significant injuries so far, with backup quarterbacks in all corners of the league needing to step in and step up. One of those quarterbacks will be highlighted in this week's edition of underrated games. Every week I look at some of the under-the-radar games I think are worth tuning into and why. Let's not waste any time and dive into this week's selections: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ Are the Las Vegas Raiders this year's New England Patriots , going from one of the worst to one of the best? It's too early to tell, but just three weeks in, the Raiders have the chance to make history. Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins can join Kurt Warner as the only quarterback since 1950 with three-plus passing touchdowns in each of his first three starts. If the Raiders defeat the New Orleans Saints , they would become just the third team in the past 20 years to start 3-0 after a season with three or fewer wins. The other two teams to do so were the 2006 Saints and 2013 Kansas City Chiefs , both with a new head coach and quarterback. The Saints won't make it easy, however. They are coming off a 24-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens , consistently one of the top AFC teams in recent history. They narrowly lost to the Detroit Lions in Week 1 after coming back from three touchdowns down. It was an overtime battle that came down to a failed two-point conversion. The Raiders haven't made the playoffs since 2021 and haven't advanced past one round since 2002. The Saints last made the playoffs in 2020. This could be the year one of these teams snaps that streak. I think this game will be a big one in seeing whether these teams can keep improving their stock. Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ The New York Giants suffered a significant loss to their offense last week, when quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury. The Giants started the season on a high, defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, but came back down after the injury. The optimism around the Giants has diminished, but playing a team that is still ironing out issues could work in New York's favor. The Titans come in 0-2, losing to the New York Jets in Week 1 and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. A win this week would be a big morale booster in the Giants locker room and a confidence boost for Jameis Winston , who is now at the helm. Winston is famously a very up-and-down QB who struggles with turnovers. He has 156 touchdowns and 114 interceptions in his 12-year career, including one pick in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams . I am interested to see whether the Giants can take an easier opponent than their last two and use it for momentum, or if the Titans can get their first check in the win column. Another thing that makes this matchup interesting is that former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is now with the Titans as the offensive coordinator. Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. ET on Fox Sports (Stream: Fubo , try for free) The Cleveland Browns won last week, and for a team that historically doesn't do a lot of winning, you'd think that would be a good thing. However... the Browns winning last week could actually be the worst thing to happen to them, and if you want to read more on that, click here . The team was set to evaluate the quarterback position after two weeks, and much of Cleveland's fanbase is ready for the Deshaun Watson experiment to be over. The win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield pushed back the end of that experiment. The Carolina Panthers are also coming off a win, a 34-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons . Quarterback Bryce Young is tied for the league lead in touchdowns with six and is second in pass
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Larry Fitzgerald had a 17-season career in becoming one of the NFL’s all-time best wide receivers, but his time in the NFL began long before that. Vikings coach Dennis Green, who was friends with Fitzgerald’s father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., hired Fitzgerald as a boy ball at 14 years old. “I grew up watching legends being built right in front of me,” Fitzgerald said in a 14-minute speech. “Hall of Fame players like John Randle, Chris Doleman, Randall McDaniel and Warren Moon, who taught me what it means to demand more of yourself than anyone else ever would. Plus, they saw me. At 8 in the morning, before training camp practice, it was: ‘What’s up, Fitzy! Hey Little Fitz, can you grab me two wrist bands real quick.’ “I was being acknowledged by the greats, and if I wanted to ask a question — at the right time — about a play, they would always answer. Without that experience, I’m not here.” Here is the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where Fitzgerald became a first-ballot gold jacket player on Saturday. He got a bust in Canton after 17,492 career receiving yards, the second-most in NFL history behind Jerry Rice. His 1,432 career catches are also second all time while his 121 receiving touchdowns rank sixth. He was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and made All-Pro in 2008. He did it with a team that didn’t always have star quarterbacks, as 22 of them threw at least one pass to Fitzgerald. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill’s favorite stat to sum up Fitzgerald’s career is that Fitzgerald had more career tackles (41) than dropped passes (29). Fitzgerald, like the more than 300 Hall of Famers before him, had a long list of those to thank. Cris Carter, Kurt Warner, Emmitt Smith and Randy Moss were among the former players he called by name. “If you were paying attention, you heard some fundamental themes in this speech,” Fitzgerald said. “One, it’s not hard to find people who will tell you what you want to hear. Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with people who will tell you what you need to hear. The hard things. The uncomfortable things. Believe me, the people in that second group care about you far more than those in the first. “Two, life is short. Time is precious. And not one of us knows how much we have. So many of the people I mentioned today are no longer with us. Some gone much too soon. Make your time count. Fill every 24 hours with the passions and pursuits that mean the most to you. “And lastly, there’s not much traffic on the extra mile in life, so be sure to bring others along with you. I’ve talked about the people who supported, taught and inspired me. Copy their examples and remember: Don’t just pursue excellence for yourself. Help other people pursue it, too. That’s the part of this story that matters the most. Not the likes. Not the fame. But the people you travel with. The values you uphold. In the end, it’s not just about the excellence. It’s about the people who help get you there.” Fitzgerald’s father was instrumental in his success, and Fitzgerald honored him late in his speech. Fitzgerald Sr., who was widely known in the Twin Cities after 50 years as a sports reporter, died June 1 at the age of 71. “My dad, who I lost recently, is also here in spirit,” Fitzgerald said. He was the solid foundation of our family, and the standard I measure myself against. Dad, looking back, I know there were times you must have felt like you were carrying the weight of the world. But you always showed up, and your love, your willingness to sacrifice, and your consistency have been the blueprint I use to raise your grandsons.”
The Los Angeles Rams are the only NFL franchise to have won championships in three different cities: Cleveland, St. Louis, and Los Angeles. The article recounts their championship victories in 1945, 1999, and 2021, highlighting key moments and players like Sammy Baugh, Kurt Warner, and Marshall Faulk
Every NFL fan loves a good roster-building exercise, but this one comes with a twist. Imagine you’re tasked with constructing the ultimate Los Angeles Rams offense using only $15 . Sounds easy until you realize that some of the greatest players in franchise history come with premium price tags. The rules are simple. You must build a complete offensive skill group consisting of: 1 Quarterback 1 Running Back 1 Wide Receiver 1 Tight End 1 FLEX (RB, WR, or TE) The challenge? You only have $15 to spend. The difficult decisions begin almost immediately. Do you spend a third of your budget on Matthew Stafford , whose Super Bowl-winning arm helped deliver the Rams their second Lombardi Trophy? Or do you save a dollar by selecting Kurt Warner, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and the leader of “The Greatest Show on Turf”? Share your team in comments below!
The Los Angeles Rams have been blessed with some of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history. From big-armed gunslingers to surgical passers and clutch postseason heroes, every era has featured a quarterback who excelled in a particular area. But what if you could combine the best traits from multiple Rams signal-callers and build the perfect quarterback? That’s the challenge. You get to make the picks. Let’s start with the easiest category to debate: arm strength. Are you taking Matthew Stafford and his rocket arm? Stafford has made throws that few quarterbacks in NFL history would even attempt, fitting passes into impossible windows and launching deep balls from awkward platforms. His ability to generate velocity remains one of the defining traits of his career. Or do you lean toward another Rams passer with elite arm talent? The choice is yours, but Stafford’s cannon certainly sets the standard. Throwing hard is one thing. Throwing accurately is another. Would you value the touch and placement of Jim Everett’s deep ball? Everett routinely dropped passes over defenders and into the hands of receivers in stride during some of the most productive passing seasons of the late 1980s. Or are you taking Kurt Warner during the Greatest Show on Turf years? Warner’s anticipation and ball placement helped transform the Rams into one of the most explosive offenses football has ever seen. His ability to hit receivers exactly where they needed the football often turned short gains into game-breaking plays. Who gets your vote? Quarterbacking is as much mental as it is physical. Warner’s pre-snap recognition and ability to diagnose defenses made him one of the smartest quarterbacks of his generation. Stafford also deserves consideration for his mastery of Sean McVay’s offense and his ability to manipulate coverages before the snap. Maybe you prefer the experience and command displayed by Roman Gabriel during his era. When the defense disguises everything and the clock is ticking, which Rams quarterback are you trusting to make the correct read? This category isn’t necessarily about running for 1,000 yards. It’s about movement within the pocket, escaping pressure, and keeping plays alive. Stafford’s pocket movement has been underrated throughout his career, while Warner mastered subtle movements that allowed him to buy precious extra seconds. Everett also showed impressive footwork in maneuvering through collapsing pockets. Heck, does Ty Simpson generate consideration considering he may have a unique skill that no other Rams quarterback can claim to this point? Who provides the mobility and footwork component of your perfect Rams quarterback? Now comes the toughest decision. The game is tied in the fourth quarter. Two minutes remain. The season is on the line. Which Rams quarterback are you trusting? Is it Warner, whose postseason heroics helped deliver a Super Bowl championship? Is it Stafford, who led multiple game-winning drives during the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021? Vince Ferragamo showed his clutch ability in 1979 Divisional Game against the Dallas Cowboys ? Maybe you prefer another Rams legend who always seemed at his best when the pressure was highest. Fourth quarter. Overtime. One drive to win. Who gets the ball? Now it’s time to build your perfect Rams quarterback. Arm Strength: __________ Touch/Placement: __________ IQ/Processing Ability: __________ Mobility/Footwork: __________ Clutch Ability: __________ Would your creation look a lot like Matthew Stafford? Would Kurt Warner dominate several categories? Does Jim Everett deserve more recognition for his accuracy and deep-ball touch? There are no wrong answers, which is what makes this debate so much fun. Every Rams era has produced quarterbacks with unique strengths, and every fan will value different traits. The only question left is this: if you could combine the best qualities from every Rams quarterback in franchise history, who would ma
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The post-June 1 designation in the NFL allows teams to release players before June 1 but have their cap hits treated as if they were released after the date. This impacts player salaries and free agency timing. Historically, players released before this date faced a weaker market, but the designation introduced flexibility. Notable players like Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner were previously affected by these cap-related moves
Broncos coach Sean Payton indicated that the team is considering adding another quarterback to the roster, especially with starter Bo Nix recovering from ankle surgery. Payton mentioned E.J. Warner, comparing him to Chase Daniel and praising his quick progress and ability to grasp new terminology
Kurt Warner went from going undrafted to playing quarterback in the NFL and his son is trying to follow the same path. Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that E.J. Warner has accepted an invitation to participate in the Broncos’ rookie minicamp as a tryout player this weekend. Warner was at the Chiefs’ minicamp last weekend for the same purpose. Warner started 10 games at Fresno State last season and went 192-of-277 for 2,030 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was Rice’s starter for the 2024 season and spent two seasons as the starter at Temple to kick off his college time. Warner’s father famously worked in a grocery store and played in the Arena League and NFL Europe before getting his chance to start for the Rams in 1999. He won the MVP and the Super Bowl that season, which makes for a tough act to repeat so his son will likely just be focused on earning a spot on a roster or practice squad to start his own career
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