Scully's NFL notebook: Josh Jacobs has Raiders on the rise

The Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams were the only underdogs to win outright, but teams catching points went 9-7 against the spread last week in the NFL. That leveled the playing field, as favorites are 16-16 ATS after the opening two weeks. Home teams are now 17-15 ATS.

Here are my three takeaways from Week 2 of the NFL season.

Amazing comeback, epic blunder

Dallas capitalized upon a recovered onside kick to record a comeback win over Atlanta, and I’ve never seen anything like it.

Kicker Greg Zuerlein applied English on a squibbed, slow-rolling ball, which turned upfield just in time to travel the required 10 yards for Dallas to make contact, and C.J. Goodwin jumped on it to preserve comeback hopes.

Zuerlein then made a 46-yard field as time expired, and Dallas scored 10 points over the final 1:48 to celebrate the improbable victory.

Atlanta allowed a 15-point lead to slip away in the final five minutes, and the Falcons misplayed the onside kick by standing around watching the ball slowly tumble. They could have jumped on the ball before it traveled 10 yards and had plenty of opportunity.

No one expects an onside kick to work anymore, with the recent rule change prohibiting the kicking team from getting a running start, and Sunday’s memorable play will always be part of Cowboys’ lore.

Quarterback Dak Prescott and his offensive mates deserve credit for the furious comeback (Prescott became the first quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards and rush for three touchdowns), but Atlanta blew it.

It’s not easy being a Falcons fan. Teams that score at least 39 points with no turnovers had been 440-0 since 1933, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Against all laws of probability, Atlanta found a way to squander one of the greatest statistical advantages in sports.

The franchise will always be known for the biggest collapse in Super Bowl history, when it coughed up a 25-point, third-quarter lead to New England in 2017, and the misery continued Sunday.

Injuries took a heavy toll

Injuries were a major storyline from Week 2.

Leading defensive end Nick Bosa, a difference maker for San Francisco’s formidable defense, went down with a torn ACL. Fellow 49ers defensive lineman Solomon Thomas also sustained a season-ending ACL tear.

The San Francisco sideline was a MASH unit. The 49ers lost Raheem Mostert (knee) and Tevin Coleman (knee) for at least a couple weeks. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also left the game, but he may try to play through a high-ankle sprain this weekend. George Kittle (knee), Dee Ford (back), Richard Sherman (calf), and Deebo Samuel (foot) were already out for the injury-ravaged Niners.

Saquon Barkley, who has the third-most scrimmage yards since 2018, tore his ACL in Chicago, and it was a devastating loss for a New York Giants offense built around the talented running back.

Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton, Seattle pass rusher Bruce Irvin, and Baltimore cornerback Tavon Young were other high-profile players who suffered season-ending knee injuries last weekend.

Minnesota lost All-Pro linebacker Anthony Barr to a torn pectoral muscle. Indianapolis, which lost top running back Marlon Mack in Week 1, will be without safety Malik Hooker, who tore his Achilles in Week 2, and receiver Parris Campbell is sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury.

Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss four to six weeks with a high-ankle sprain. Denver quarterback Drew Lock will miss at least a couple games because of a shoulder sprain. Guard Isaac Seumalo, who injured his knee Sunday, has been placed on injured reserve by Philadelphia, which was already thin on the offensive line.

Raiders on the rise

Darren Waller has developed into a premier tight end. He was dominant in Monday night’s 34-24 win over New Orleans, when he caught 12 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Las Vegas has its offense rolling. A young team on the upswing, the Raiders have outstanding pieces to build upon in Josh Jacobs and Henry Ruggs III.

The Raiders drafted Jacobs with the 24th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and Ruggs with the 12th pick this year. Jacobs is clearly one of the best young running backs in the league. Ruggs, who was banged up against New Orleans, looks like a future star.

After being ridiculed for past draft failures, with JaMarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey immediately coming to mind, the front office appears to have hit home runs with Jacobs and Ruggs.

The offensive line and pass rush must continue to be upgraded, but it’s easy to appreciate the progress Las Vegas is making under Jon Gruden.

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