The 2022 NFL5 season has only been going for a month, but already there are a few players and coaches who stand out from the crowd.
While some of these talents are getting recognition for the right reasons, others stand out negatively due to subpar performance or poor choices that are hurting their respective teams.
Although there is still time to make improvements over this lengthy 17-game campaign, changes must be made quickly to avoid a lost season.
The top five disappointments of the 2022 season thus far are listed below.
QB for the Indianapolis Colts, Matt Ryan
The Indianapolis Colts changed things after narrowly missing out on a postseason berth the previous season. The team traded for Matt Ryan in order to replace starting quarterback Carson Wentz, a move that the Colts felt would put them back in contention.
After the first two weeks of the 2022 season, it appears that Indianapolis may have benefited from keeping Wentz.
Ryan threw a staggering 50 passes against the Houston Texans to begin his Colts tenure. Although he only completed 32 of those passes, he still gained 352 yards and scored one touchdown. He also threw an interception and lost a fumble during the game.
Rams of Los Angeles RB Cam Akers
During the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl journey last season, Cam Akers was one of their better storylines. The second-year running back was expecting to capitalise on a strong debut campaign in 2020 when he injured his Achilles during training camp.
Akers managed to return in time for the season finale rather than missing the entire year. He wasn’t as dominant during the club’s postseason run as he was during his rookie season, which included a standout two-game stretch in which he racked up 221 yards and two touchdowns on 46 runs, but he was still able to return to the field and help the team win the championship.
He played only 12 snaps in the disheartening 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the NFL5 Kickoff Game. Only three times did he rush for any yardage, and he did not have a single receiving target.
Bears’ Darnell Mooney is a wide receiver.
One of the few shining lights of the Chicago Bears’ mediocre 2021 season was Darnell Mooney. He quickly outperformed the team’s current No. 1 wide receiver, Allen Robinson II, and became friendly with rookie quarterback Justin Fields.
Mooney looked to be on track for an outstanding 2022 season after accumulating 45 catches and 605 yards over the final eight games of 2021.
As the team’s starter, Fields had his first full offseason to prepare and worked extensively with Mooney during training camp. Robinson had left the organisation in free agency, and no elite replacement pass-catchers were brought in to compete for the young receiver’s targets.
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts
Last year, when the Atlanta Falcons selected Kyle Pitts at No. 4 overall, he broke the record for the highest-drafted tight end in league history. His 1,026 receiving yards in his rookie season were the second-most ever for a rookie at a position where it has historically been tough to find early success. He showed the team that he was worth their trust.
Pitts appears to be in a sophomore slump in 2022 rather than making another advancement. The 21-year-old has only caught four of his ten targets and gained a total of 38 yards through two games of the season.
Head coach of the Denver Broncos, Nathaniel Hackett
In 2022, the Denver Broncos were predicted to be one of the league’s most improved squads.
The organisation finally got the franchise quarterback it has been searching for since Peyton Manning’s departure six years ago by trading for Russell Wilson. In addition, the Broncos replaced Vic Fangio as head coach with Nathaniel Hackett, who was less successful.
Big things were anticipated of the new quarterback and coach, but they haven’t worked well together so far. Through two weeks, the offence has been at best inconsistent and is averaging a concerning 16 points per game, 3.7 fewer than the mediocre 2021 Broncos offense, which was led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, managed to score per game.
