In Buy or Sell, theScore football writers go head-to-head to debate some of the NFL’s hottest topics. Let us know in the polls and comments if you buy or sell these three statements.
Daniel Jones is real
“Indiana Jones” rushed for 816 yards and had six touchdowns with no turnovers, leading the Colts to a 3-0 start in his first season in Indy.
Caio Miari – BUY: The first few weeks of the season have shown that the Colts system is great for Jones. He benefits from strong offensive line protection, the presence of Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor and reliable pass catchers like Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren. Shane Steichen has maximized the potential of other quarterbacks in the past and he found a great match for his offense in Jones. The 28-year-old signal-caller has already led the Giants to the playoffs and should be able to do it again in Indianapolis.
Brenden Deeg – SELL: Make no mistake, Jones was great for three weeks. However, the Colts’ wins came against teams with a combined 1-8 record, including two wins against defenses ranked in the bottom four in passing rate before Week 4. From 2021-24, Jones ranked 25th out of 27 qualified quarterbacks in EPA/play. We can’t ignore what he’s shown in previous years and adhere to that three-game sample size.
Eagles have nothing to fear
Philadelphia beat the Cowboys and Chiefs in the first two weeks before coming back from 19 points down to defeat the Rams in Week 3.
Brenden Deeg – BUY: Why worry about a team that has won 17 straight games in which Jalen Hurts started and finished? This club only wins. This won’t stop anytime soon. Recall that the Eagles also struggled offensively early last season and ultimately torched the defenses of the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. The win against the Los Angeles Rams should prompt offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to open up the passing attack, and the defensive unit has won three games, particularly in the second half of games.
Caio Miari – SELL: Philly’s wins this season have all come in close games decided by one possession, including a miraculous triumph over the Rams in the craziest game of the year. It is difficult to maintain this success throughout an entire campaign. Nick Sirianni’s outfit has issues on both sides of the ball. Saquon Barkley hasn’t had a 100-yard game this season, and the Hurts-led passing game ranks outside the top 16 in EPA/dropback (down from eighth in ’24). Defensively, the secondary is a liability and Philadelphia ranks bottom 10 in sacks and pressures.
The Giants made the right choice to start Jaxson Dart in Week 4
New York benched Russell Wilson in favor of first-round rookie passer after starting the season 0-3
Brenden Deeg – BUY: The time to start Dart was Week 1, and Brian Daboll made a mistake by letting him sit behind Wilson until the end of September. The veteran is clearly no longer a rookie-caliber quarterback, as evidenced by his terrible Week 3 performance. Continuing to eliminate Wilson would have been detrimental to the team. The Giants traded up in the first round to select Dart, and allowing him to pair with their young playmakers early in year one is the right move. Ownership and the coaching staff need to see if he is their quarterback of the future.
Caio Miari – SELL: Dart’s debut will be against the Chargers’ top five defenses, eh? The Giants should have been more patient. They play the 0-3 Saints in Week 5. Waiting another month wouldn’t have been bad either, since New York plays Denver and Philadelphia (twice) in October. These are horrible matchups for a rookie with an unreliable offensive line. Fans wanted change, but this was always going to be a rebuilding season. Starting Dart now is a desperate move by a coaching staff that can plausibly feel under pressure. I’m curious to see the New York media’s reaction if he naturally struggles early on.
