Week 4 NFL mismatches: Why Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes could light it up

Detroit isn't getting much from its pass rush, ranking 15^th in sack rate (6.7 percent) and only 21^st in quarterback hits (15). Lions edge defenders Devon Kennard and Trey Flowers are off to solid but unspectacular starts, so they will have their work cut out for them. Kennard is tied for 23^rd in the league with 12 pressures, and Flowers is tied for 31^st with 11. They’re OK, but Matt Patricia’s pass rush needs to be more than “OK” to get consistent pressure on Mahomes.

Redskins WR Terry McLaurin vs. Giants CB Janoris Jenkins

McLaurin, who fell to the third round in the 2019 draft, leads all rookies in receiving touchdowns (3) and receptions (16) and is second in receiving yards (257).  Consistency is the name of the game for Ohio State product, a quality rarely seen from rookies at any position. McLaurin has at least five receptions, 60 receiving yards and a touchdown in each of his first three career games, the first player in NFL history to accomplish that.

In Week 4, McLaurin draws a matchup against one of the coldest cornerbacks in football, Janoris Jenkins. The eighth-year vet has allowed 282 receiving yards, third most in the league. Against the Buccaneers in Week 3, Jenkins was torched by Mike Evans, who caught eight passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns against him. It was the second consecutive week an opponent had success throwing against Jenkins. In Week 2, Josh Allen completed seven of seven attempts for 75 yards against him.

In the clip below, the speedy McLaurin (top) toasts Eagles cornerback Rasul Douglas for a 69-yard touchdown. Douglas sags off as the snap occurs, and McLaurin easily takes advantage. He does a nice job stacking up Douglas before cutting upfield to the inside. This forces Douglas to respect the possibility of an outside or stop route, preventing him from overplaying the deep pass. After using an outside head fake to freeze Douglas for just a split second, McLaurin shows off his tremendous burst and gains a huge amount of separation. With no safety deep, it’s easy money.

Even if rookie Dwayne Haskins, McLaurin's Ohio State teammate, starts in place of injured Case Keenum, this is a mismatch.

Falcons CB Desmond Trufant vs. Titans WR Corey Davis

Atlanta’s defense is off to a disappointing start, ranking just 21^st in scoring defense (25 points per game). Corner Desmond Trufant, however, is playing superbly, consistently shutting down opponents. Across 97 snaps in coverage, Trufant has yielded only 18 receiving yards; his average of 0.19 yards allowed per cover snap is the best in the NFL among the 86 cornerbacks with at least 70 cover snaps.

Trufant’s average of one reception allowed per 48.5 coverage snaps is the best mark among all qualified cornerbacks. The same goes for his average passer rating allowed when targeted (0.0).

The clip below shows one of Trufant’s two interceptions against the Eagles in Week 2. Trufant is matched against Philadelphia receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (bottom of picture). Reacting to Arcega-Whiteside’s immediate vertical release on the go route, Trufant does a good job squeezing him to the sideline. By executing this well, Trufant puts himself in the perfect position to intercept Carson Wentz’s poorly thrown deep pass (which is inaccurate due to the hit Wentz takes as he releases the ball). Trufant secures the football, cashing in after a good rep in coverage.

In Week 4 against a weak Titans passing attack, Trufant has an opportunity to build on his impressive numbers. Tennessee ranks 23^rd in DVOA and 28^th in net yards per pass attempt. Trufant will most likely get significant reps against the Titans’ top wide receiver option, Corey Davis, who has started slowly. The former first-round pick out of Western Michigan has six catches for 82 yards and no touchdowns. His yards receiving are on 90 snaps, an average of just 0.91 yards per route run -- 74^{th among} 81 receivers with at least 10 targets.

Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Texans run defense

McCaffrey’s continued evolution in the ground game is the primary reason he has become perhaps the most dangerous offensive weapon in the league. After averaging 27.2 rushing yards per game and 3.7 yards per carry as a rookie, McCaffrey saw huge boosts in his rushing numbers in 2018, rushing for 68.6 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry.

This season, the Stanford product has taken another giant leap. McCaffrey averages 106.0 rushing yards and 5.4 yards per carry. He is ranked seventh in the league with an average of 3.7 avoided tackles as a rusher per game –- almost double his average of 2.0 last season.

McCaffrey’s elusiveness flashed brightly on this 76-yard touchdown run against the Cardinals in Week 3. He puts an incredible juke on the safety, and then it’s off to the races.

In Week 4, McCaffrey and the Panthers draw an enticing matchup, a Texans defense that has struggled to stop the run. Houston’s defense is ranked 30^th in yards per rush attempt allowed (5.4). Poor tackling efficiency in the secondary is a big reason. Each of Houston’s top three leaders in missed tackles are defensive backs -– cornerback Johnathan Joseph (seven missed tackles), safety Justin Reid (six) and cornerback Bradley Roby (four).