The most glaring flaw for every NFL team so far

The loss of Chandler Jones and an early-season injury for J.J. Watt has plagued the Cardinals’ pass rush, with only 11 sacks through six games. Not surprisingly, the team’s defense has been poor, as a result.

Atlanta’s offense has been surprisingly effective early this season, but it hasn’t been because of the pass. The team averaged only 159 yards passing per game through their first six contests and has leaned heavily on the run. Marcus Mariota has done a fair job running the offense, but his days as the starter are limited if he can’t add a spark through the air.

It was clear the Ravens’ defense would have some growing pains after an offseason switch at defensive coordinator, but fans are ready for the defense to wake up. Baltimore has been ineffective in stopping the running, rushing the passer, and halting the pass. Coordinator Mike Macdonald is already on the hot seat.

The Bills remain the Super Bowl favorite after a strong start on both sides of the ball, but the injuries to their defensive backs remain a concern. Safety Micah Hyde is out for the season, while Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer have also missed time to injuries. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bills addressed their need in the trade market over the next month.

The story of now-fired head coach Matt Rhule’s tenure was been his inability to find a viable quarterback. Former No. 1 overall draft choice Baker Mayfield was horrible before suffering an ankle injury, forcing the team to employ P.J. Walker under center.

Justin Fields receives much of the criticism, but his supporting cast has been a nightmare this season. The former first-rounder has taken gruesome hits all year with their lack of pass protection.

Cincinnati made several significant offensive line additions in the offseason, but they haven’t worked yet. Through six games, the Bengals are near the bottom of the league in rushing and have allowed 22 sacks. Joe Burrow could have a tough time staying healthy for the entire year if the trend continues.

Cleveland knew the passing game would be a challenge without Deshaun Watson early in the year. For the most part, the team has been happy with backup Jacoby Brissett’s productivity, but the team is averaging only 213 pass yards per game.

Dallas has done well since Dak Prescott suffered a fractured hand in Week 1, but most of their success has been as a result of their dominant defense. The offense is doing just enough with Cooper Rush under center in a banged-up offensive line. The hope is that the Cowboys’ offense will pick up where they left off last season when Prescott returns later this month.

One of the favorites to win league MVP before this season, Russell Wilson, has been a massive disappointment. Through five games, he has only four touchdown passes and has failed to complete 60% of his passes. The brutal offensive football hasn’t been all on Wilson, but he’s the biggest reason for the early struggles.

Through four weeks, the Lions sported the most prolific offense in the NFL and the worst defense. First-round picks Aidan Hutchinson, and Jeff Okudah have shined, but the rest of the defense hasn’t shown an ability to stop anyone with 34 points allowed per game.

With the losses of Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown, the Packers’ passing game was expected to struggle early this season. That has certainly been the case, with Aaron Rodgers having trouble finding a reliable receiver. The lack of receiver production will likely end Rodgers’ MVP streak, but the team does see promise in rookie Romeo Doubs.

Houston hoped for progress from Davis Mills in his second season, but that hasn’t happened yet. Mills’ stats have regressed in almost every area as the Texans are off to another very poor start to the season.

The offensive line has been a strength in Indianapolis for several years, but things have taken a turn in 2022. Injuries and issues at tackle have resulted in poor offensive production, with Matt Ryan taking 21 sacks and the team struggling to run the ball.

The Jaguars certainly have the pass rush talent between Josh Allen and No. 1 overall draft choice Travon Walker but haven’t put it all together with the pass rush yet. Jacksonville has only 10 sacks in six games.

Not surprisingly, it’s taking KC’s new defensive back group some time to get comfortable. They’ve allowed the second-worst completion in the league, and the loss of first-round cornerback Trent McDuffie hasn’t helped. Still, the team has been impressed with newcomers Justin Reid and rookie Jaylen Watson, while McDuffie’s return is close behind.

The Raiders traded Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason, replacing him with superstar Chandler Jones. Unfortunately, Jones has struggled early in the year. Maxx Crosby has been the team’s only productive pass rusher, and the defense has been exploited.

The run hasn’t been a big part of the Chargers’ offense, but the complete ineptitude in the early season has limited the team’s potential. Austin Ekeler and company are having a tough time getting out of the backfield, with the exception of a big game vs. Cleveland.

Significant offensive line changes since last year’s Super Bowl run, particularly at left tackle and right guard, have taken their toll on the Rams. They’ve allowed 22 sacks in six games, with Matthew Stafford taking big hits regularly. Sean McVay’s great offensive scheme has been unable to overcome the issues to this point.

Opposing offenses have racked up over 250 yards per game through the air against Miami’s defense. Granted, few teams have had a higher level of difficulty with Miami facing the Ravens, Bills, and Bengals games, but the team has had an unreliable pass rush and been leaky in the secondary.

Once again, Minnesota’s secondary has been a big issue for the team, allowing a completion rate of nearly 70% and 8.4 yards per pass attempt. Cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Cameron Dantzler continue to struggle.

The Pats hoped Mac Jones would continue to improve in his second season, but a sprained ankle has put the team in a bind. Jones’ five interceptions in three games before the injury were a major liability, but rookie Bailey Zappe has played very well in two starts.

Jameis Winston had a reputation for throwing too many interceptions before joining the Saints, and he was unable to protect the back before sitting with a back injury in Week 4. The team’s struggles have been in large part to leading the league in giveaways through six weeks.

Daniel Jones hasn’t put up big numbers, though it’s not all his fault. New York’s offensive line has been mediocre, and the team’s receivers have been plagued by injuries. Still, the team has the second-fewest passing yards per game (154).

New York drafted running back Breece Hall in the offseason, but they got off to a slow start while working with the rookie. The Jets have only come on recently but still are in the bottom half of the league with 4.4 yards per carry.

The start of Philly’s season couldn’t have gone any better, but the run defense has been an early issue. The team is allowing 5.0 yards per carry, a concern for later in the year with divisional matchups against the Cowboys and Giants ahead. The development of first-round defensive tackle Jordan Davis could go a long way in shoring up that weakness later in the season.

The Steelers were hoping Mitchell Trubisky would provide time for Kenny Pickett to develop, but Pickett was forced onto the field in Week 4. The pair have collectively averaged 6.2 yards per pass attempt, the second worst in the NFL.

Trey Lance struggled on a messy Soldier Field in Week 1 and has since given way to the inconsistent Jimmy Garoppolo. The passing game efficiency has vastly improved since Lance got hurt, but Garoppolo struggled at Denver and has produced pedestrian numbers thus far.

With two rookie corners seeing significant playing time, it comes as little surprise that Seattle has struggled to stop the pass. Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen have done well given the circumstances, though Seattle allowed a horrific 8.7 yards per pass through four games. The expectation is that the secondary will get better under Pete Carroll as the season progresses.

With a banged-up offensive line, Tampa Bay’s running game has been almost non-existent early in the year. The team has completely gone away from the run at times, but even when the team has run, they are averaging only 3.1 yards per carry. Leonard Fournette and company need to produce more as the Bucs get in most situations to close out games.

While it was an issue in recent seasons, Tennessee’s poor cornerback play has really hurt the team in spite of a strong pass rush. The team allowed 8.4 yards per pass, the worst in the league. The desperation at corner was clear when the Titans signed Terrance Mitchell off New England’s practice squad following Week 2 and immediately inserted him into their lineup.

Washington was heavily criticized when they acquired Carson Wentz from Indianapolis in the offseason, and the early returns have been poor. After struggling in six games, Wentz suffered a fractured hand.