NFL Highs and Lows: Darren Rizzi Pushes For Saints Job, Micah Parson Doesn't Get It, Jerod Mayo Does

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw five interceptions on Sunday night. And the Lions won.

As I posted on social media, I don't know anything anymore.

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 03: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 03, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Lions Victory Leads Great NFL Sunday

The Lions' comeback victory over the Houston Texans was the culmination of an NFL Sunday in which multiple teams – the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Lions and New Orleans Saints – won in the final seconds.

The 49ers drove for their winning field goal in the final 41 seconds. Brock Purdy, who had a great game, completed all four of his pass attempts in the final drive to get San Francisco in range for the game-winning field goal. 

The Chiefs blocked Denver's potential game-winning field goal as time ran out.

And the Saints beat the NFC South-leading Falcons when they stopped Kirk Cousins and his offense on the final play of the game.

So the winners? Yeah, those teams.

And the NFL.

It was a great – not good, great – Sunday of NFL football.

 So here are the highs and lows of the day, starting with the highs:

NEW  ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 10: Interim head coach Darren Rizzi of the New Orleans Saints celebrates by raising his hat to the fans following a 20-17 win against the Atlanta Falcons at the Caesars Superdome on November 10, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)

Saints Have A Dude In Rizzi

1. Darren Rizzi: He is 1-0 as an NFL head coach. He's an inspirational guy who has wanted a chance to lead a team and has one now with the Saints. Make no mistake, the special teams coordinator and assistant head coach has the respect of the entire building in New Orleans. And if he can rally that team to a few wins, he'll have a great chance to earn the full-time head coach job because he interviews well, knows the game, and knows how to lead people.

2. Arizona Cardinals: They've emerged as the leaders in the NFC West by winning four consecutive games and five out of six. They don't do anything great, although they run the ball well. But they play great complementary football and they're getting better. They've already beaten the Rams and 49ers this year and come out of their current bye with a game at Seattle. This is an arrow-up team. 

Pundits Missed It On Wilson

3. Russell Wilson: I'm still waiting for the pundits who blared that switching out Justin Fields for Russell Wilson was a bad idea to say they were wrong. The Steelers are 3-0 with Wilson as their starter and the offense is more complete, in that it can not only run and pass, but also can bring a dimension of dynamic plays to games. We saw that in Sunday's 34-yard pass to George Pickens and 32-yard touchdown to Mike Williams.

4. Jerod Mayo: He has the Patriots moving in the right direction in that they've won two of three games and are competing with a roster that still needs a lot of improvement. Mayo gets it. He has admitted he's learning on the job as a rookie head coach. But he has great awareness.

This is how he opened his press conference Monday morning:

"First and foremost, this is definitely a huge day, obviously in our nation and personally in our household," Mayo said, referring to Veterans Day. "I just want to personally thank all the veterans for their service, for their sacrifice. Coming from a military background, my grandfather was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force. My mom works at Langley Air Force Base. My stepdad, also a veteran.

"I have nothing but appreciation for everything you do, and I think it's important to say, especially when we have the platform to say something."

Well done, coach. 

Lows:

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 22: Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Play Better, Podcast Less Cowboys

1. Dallas Cowboys: They're a mess and possibly the reason is that roster, star-studded as it has been, is also full of guys who need to think more and talk less, play better and podcast less. Take Micah Parsons, who was asked following another loss on Sunday what he thinks the effects of the mounting losses are for coach Mike McCarthy:

"That's above my pay grade, if Mike is coaching again next year," Parsons replied. "All coaching aside, Mike can leave and go wherever he wants. But guys I kind of feel bad for [are] guys like Zack Martin and guys who might be on their last year or on their way out. Because that's who I wanted to hold the trophy for. You want to win games and do great things with those types of legends who put in more time and work than Mike McCarthy ever did.

"Those are the kind of guys that I have so much sympathy and hurt for."

That's a loser moment when a player who mostly hasn't been available because of injuries kicks his coach when he's down. No wonder the Cowboys are losing.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: This is a good team that apparently just isn't good enough. After a 3-1 start in September, the Bucs have lost four consecutive games. And while they're competitive, they find a way to fall short, losing three consecutive one-score games.

On Sunday, Purdy lit them up. He passed for 353 yards with two touchdowns and a 119.3 rating. Rough times for the Bucs now.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 3: Head coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears stands on the field prior to an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, at State Farm Stadium on November 3, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Bears Offense Stuff Of Zingers

3. Matt Eberflus: It's not that his team is in the middle of a three-game losing skid, it's what's happening in the games. First, they lost the Hail Mary game. Then they lost in a blowout in which Eberflus kept QB Caleb Williams in the game late, needlessly exposing him to injury. The offense is a mess, having not scored a TD in 23 straight drives. Then this:

Eberflus called into his Monday morning radio spot, but his phone kept cutting out, prompting the show host on Chicago's ESPN 1000 to say, "Coach, your cellphone is as bad as the offense right now."

4. Shane Steichen: The Indianapolis Colts coach benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco, saying the 39-year-old backup quarterback gave the team a better chance to win now.

The Colts are 0-2 with Flacco at quarterback. He's thrown four interceptions and fumbled twice.

It was a mistake to pull the rug out from under Richardson – not so much because of his production, but because developing QBs need to play and messing with their heads usually isn't profitable. 

Steichen would only compound that mistake by stubbornly sticking with Flacco.