Overview of 3 & Out - INSTANT REACTION: Josh Allen & Bills DOMINATE Carson Wentz & Vikings on MNF, Jaguars go ALL IN at NFL Trade Deadline, Puka Nacua heads to IR, NFL Post-Week 9 Mailbag
John Middlecoff reacts to a wild Monday Night Football game, the NFL trade deadline, and a batch of post-Week 9 listener questions. The main themes: the Bills’ defense looks legit, the Vikings’ quarterback situation has become a crisis, the Jaguars are pushing their chips in, and the Rams’ playoff outlook just took a major hit with Puka Nacua heading to IR.
Monday Night Football Reaction: Bills Impress, Vikings Quarterback Situation Implodes
Bills vs. Vikings
- Middlecoff calls it one of the worst primetime offensive performances he can remember from a good team.
- Buffalo won comfortably, but Minnesota’s defense made Josh Allen work for it early.
- The Bills’ offense wasn’t crisp, but the defense and overall team toughness carried them to a big win.
Vikings’ QB Problem
- Carson Wentz’s performance is described as disastrous:
- 8-of-25 passing
- Poor timing, poor accuracy, ugly interceptions
- Middlecoff argues the Vikings should release Wentz immediately and make a statement to the locker room.
- He believes Minnesota’s roster, especially the defense, is too good to keep tolerating that level of quarterback play.
- His broader point: the Vikings are in a desperate QB situation and may need to act fast before the season slips away.
Josh Allen and Buffalo’s Outlook
- Middlecoff sees Buffalo as one of the NFL’s elite teams.
- He thinks the Bills have a realistic path to the No. 1 seed if they take care of business against weaker opponents.
- He suggests Buffalo should be aggressive at the trade deadline if there’s a chance to upgrade the secondary or add another playmaker.
Trade Deadline Fallout: Eagles and Jaguars Make the Biggest Move
Jordan Davis to Jacksonville
- The headline move: the Eagles trade Jordan Davis to the Jaguars for a first-round pick in 2027 and a second-round pick in 2029.
- Middlecoff says Jacksonville was clearly desperate and overpaid.
- He views the deal as a classic Howie Roseman move:
- Identify desperate teams
- Demand a premium
- Sell high when the price is right
Why He Thinks the Jaguars Did It
- Jacksonville is viewed as a team that believes it can win big now.
- Middlecoff credits the Jags for being aggressive, but he still calls the trade a massive overpay.
- His takeaway: teams should be willing to swing big for great players, but Jordan Davis is not in the same tier as the truly elite defenders teams usually give up this kind of capital for.
Howie Roseman’s Reputation
- Roseman is praised as a value-driven GM who understands leverage and timing.
- Middlecoff says Howie:
- Doesn’t give players away cheaply
- Always seems willing to wait for desperation
- Has built enormous draft capital for Philadelphia over the next few years
- The Eagles, despite their struggles, are not doing a “fire sale.” They’re simply selling at premium prices.
Rams on Thin Ice: Puka Nacua Heads to IR
Big Injury Blow
- Puka Nacua is expected to go on short-term IR with a knee sprain.
- Middlecoff says this could seriously damage the Rams’ playoff hopes.
Why It Matters
- He emphasizes how dependent the Rams are on Puka and Davante Adams for explosive passing offense.
- Without Puka, and with Matthew Stafford looking older and less mobile, Middlecoff is skeptical the Rams can survive a brutal upcoming schedule.
- He believes the Rams would be out of the playoff picture if the season ended today, and he now expects them to be on the outside looking in.
Playoff Structure Debate: Division Winners Shouldn’t Automatically Host
His Core Argument
- Middlecoff strongly pushes for a playoff re-seed format based on record, not division titles alone.
- He argues it’s unfair for a sub-.500 division winner to host a playoff game over a much better team.
Example He Uses
- He points to the NFC South and says a team like the Rams, Packers, Lions, or Seahawks could end up as a road team despite having a much better record than a weaker division winner.
- His solution:
- If a division winner finishes below .500, it should be ranked lower than non-division winners with better records
- The best teams should host, not simply the division champions
Mailbag Highlights
Seahawks and Sam Darnold
- Middlecoff thinks Seattle is likely to keep building around Sam Darnold and not panic.
- He doesn’t see the Seahawks rushing into a rookie QB reset, especially if the team stays competitive.
Falcons and Michael Penix Jr.
- He’s skeptical of Penix’s long-term ceiling.
- Middlecoff says Penix looks more like a below-average starter than a future franchise QB, especially when conditions aren’t perfect.
Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman
- After criticism of Notre Dame’s big-game performance, he softens his stance.
- He says Freeman has actually done well against top competition and that some of the prior criticism was too reactionary.
- He still likes Notre Dame’s chances to earn a high playoff seed.
Michigan State and Pat Fitzgerald
- He’s cautiously optimistic about Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State.
- But he stresses that fit and resources matter more than reputation in the current era of college football.
49ers Super Bowl Talk
- Middlecoff thinks San Francisco is very much in the Super Bowl mix.
- He praises:
- Brock Purdy’s play
- Christian McCaffrey’s winning impact
- George Kittle and Fred Warner’s consistency
- The defense’s discipline and execution
- His point: the 49ers are built on players who understand team football.
Chargers and Justin Herbert
- He says the Chargers are a mess and that Herbert would struggle regardless of QB play because the roster and offensive line are so bad.
- He describes the team’s effort and blocking as pitiful.
Jalen Hurts Trade Idea
- He shuts down the idea that the Jets would trade multiple first-round picks for Jalen Hurts.
- While he thinks Shane Steichen could eventually land another head coaching job, Middlecoff says the draft capital cost for Hurts would be too high given his recent performance and health concerns.
Dad Diaries
- Middlecoff shares a quick parenting story about his toddler trying to climb and then taking a hard spill into a coffee table.
- It’s a humorous but slightly alarming anecdote about how unpredictable and constantly supervised toddlers are.
Main Takeaways
- Bills: Legit contender, defense looks ready for January football.
- Vikings: QB situation is a major problem; Wentz’s performance was indefensible.
- Eagles/Jaguars trade: Jacksonville paid a huge premium, while Philly exploited the market.
- Rams: Puka’s injury makes their playoff path much tougher.
- NFL structure: Middlecoff wants playoff seeding based on record, not division weakness.
- Mailbag: Lots of QB talk, with Middlecoff skeptical of several teams’ long-term answers at the position.