Fracassi: Who's for real and who has something to prove at the NFL's halfway point?

We’re at that time again, the halfway point of the NFL season, with the trade deadline being the unofficial marker as such. Let’s look through the Zig lens what has, or hasn’t, transpired so far. At 7-1, “not so bad” for the Buffalo Bills under first year head coach Joe Brady. Though others have gaudier statistics, star quarterback Josh Allen continues to excel with 21 total touchdowns. Newcomer receiver D.J. Moore has been a welcome addition to the offense, while running back James Cook continues to do well, despite some fumble issues earlier in the year. kAm%96 5676?D6 C6>2:?D 2 H@C< :? AC@8C6DD] %96 ?F>36CD D2J E96J =@@< G6CJ 8@@5[ C2?<:?8 `eE9 :? A@:?ED 2==@H65] *6E[ E9:D H2D 282:?DE 2 E9:C5\DEC:?8 q2=E:>@C6 BF2CE6C324< 2?5 2 G6E6C2? |:??6D@E2 ':<:?8D D:8?2= 42==6C H9@ =@@<65 2?JE9:?8 3FE |@?52J ?:89E] %96 ?6IE EH@ @AA@?6?ED W}6H *@C< y6ED 2?5 |:2>: s@=A9:?DX 5@?’E 92G6 2?JE9:?8 C6D6>3=:?8 y@6 }2>2E9 @C s2? |2C:?@ F?56C 46?E6C[ E9FD[ E96 D@\42==65 :>AC@G6>6?E >2J ?665 E@ 36 E2<6? H:E9 2 8C2:? @7 D2=E]k^Am kAmw@H6G6C[ ?6H 255:E:@? p>2?: w@@<6C H:== 96=A] {:<6 7@C>6C DE2?5@FE D276EJ |:429 wJ56[ w@@<6C[ =2E6 @7 E96 %6??6DD66 %:E2?D[ 42>6 E9C@F89 x@H2 2?5 H2D DFA6C3=J 4@24965 3J z:C< u6C6?EK 7@C 2EE6?E:@? E@ 56E2:= 2?5 5@:?8 E96 =:EE=6 E9:?8D H6==]k^Am kAm%96 E62> E96 q:==D 362E :? E96 pur H:=5\42C5 82>6[ E96 y246C E@A @G6C2== A:4< :D DFAA@D65 E@[ H:E9 `g %sD 2?5 ;FDE 7@FC :?E6C46AE:@?D] u@J6 ~=F@2J 36 E96 36DE =:?6324<6C E92E ?@ @?6 6G6C E2=2?286>6?E 25565 E@ E96:C 5676?D6 H:E9 E9C66 EC256D E@ 86E D276EJ y6DD:6 q2E6D xxx 2?5 5676?D:G6 E24<=6D y@C52? s2G:D 2?5 s2G@? v@5492FI] z66A 2? 6J6 @? E96 y28D]k^Am kAmp== 3FE @?6 @7 E96:C H:?D 92G6 366? 3J 2 E@F495@H? @C =6DD] %96:C A@:?E 5:776C6?E:2= :D ;FDE A=FD\`a[ J6E E96 s6?G6C qC@?4@D 2C6 f\a 2?5 92G6 H@? 7:G6 :? 2 C@H] "F2CE6C324< q@ }:I 92D H@? `e DEC2:89E @?6\D4@C6 82>6D]k^Am kAmxE’D 2>2K:?8 9@H A656DEC:2? 96 =@@3=6D 2 7C2?49:D6 :4@? 2?5 !C@ u@@E32== w2== @7 u2>6C y@9? t=H2J :? E96 7@FCE9 BF2CE6C] x E9@F89E E96J H@F=5 255 E@ E96:C @776?D6 2E E96 5625=:?6[ 3FE 5:5?’E] %96J 92G6 2 G6CJ 8@@5 5676?D6 2?5 :E D9@F=5 36 2?@E96C 4=2DD:4 H96? E96 q:==D G:D:E s6?G6C @? r9C:DE>2D s2J]k^Am kAmx D2:5 :? 2? 62C=:6C A:646 E92E E96 z2?D2D r:EJ r9:67D H6C6?’E 5625] %96J’C6 e\a 2?5 92G6 925 >@>6?ED @7 6I46==6?46[ 3FE D9@H? E96J H6C6 GF=?6C23=6 :? =@D:?8 E@ E96 5676?5:?8 492>A:@? $62EE=6 $6292H6D WpE=2?E2 u2=4@?D 2?5 pC:K@?2 r2C5:?2=DX[ 4964< @FE E9:D DEC6E49i 2E E96 q:==D %92?D[ 2E E96 r:?4:??2E: q6?82=D[ 9@>6 E@ E96 }6H t?8=2?5 !2EC:@ED[ E96?[ 7@C =2F89D[ 2 9@>6 52E6 G6CDFD] E96 }ur\36DE $2? uC2?4:D4@ ch6CD] (6’== 92G6 2 36EE6C A:4EFC6 @7 H96C6 E9:D >@56= W@? E96 7:6=5X 7C2?49:D6 :D]k^Am kAmpD 7@C E96 ch6CD[ D2>6 E:>6[ ?6IE J62C] ~?46 282:?[ 2 >2DD:G6 2>@F?E @7 :?;FC:6D[ 6DA64:2==J E@ E96:C C646:G:?8 4@CAD] ~?46 282:?[ E96J 4@?E:?F6 E@ A6CD6G6C6 2?5 H:? F?56C 9625 4@249 zJ=6 $92?292?] "F2CE6C324< qC@4< !FC5J :D A=2J:?8 E96 36DE 32== @7 9:D 42C66C[ H9:=6[ @E96C E92? DE2C =:?6324<6C uC65 (2C?6C[ ?2>6 D@>6@?6 @? E96:C 5676?D6 W>2J36 }:4< q@D2[ H9@ 7:?2==J C6EFC?65 E@ E96 =:?6FAX] {@ED @7 ?@ ?2>6D[ J6E E96J’C6 :? E96 E@A\D:I :? A@:?ED 2==@H65 2?5 E9:C5 :? J2C5D 2==@H65]k^Am kAm%96 vC66? q2J !24<6CD 2C6 e\b 2?5 2 =68:E A=2J@77 E62>] p>2K:?8=J[ E92E C64@C5 92D E96> :? {p$% A=246 :? E96 }ur }@CE9[ H9:49 :D E96 >@DE 4@>A6E:E:G6 5:G:D:@? :? E96 }u{ 3J 2 >:=6] ~?6 92D E@ E9:?< E96 4@>A6E:E:@? >2J 42?46= 6249 @E96C @FE[ 3FE 2D @7 C:89E ?@H[ 2== 7@FC E62>D H@F=5 36 :? E96 A=2J@77D]k^Am kAmpD H6 D2H |@?52J ?:89E[ E96 |:??6D@E2 ':<:?8D 4=62C=J ?665 96=A 2E E96 BF2CE6C324< DA@E] w6?46[ E96 C6EFC? @7 “*@F {:<6 %92En” z:C< r@FD:?D[ H9@ :D 2 A6C764E 7:E 2?5 G6CJ H6==] x 42? :>28:?6 (# yFDE:? y6776CD@? :D E96 92AA:6DE >2? :? E96 DE2E6 @7 |:??6D@E2]k^Am kAmr@FD:?D’ 56A2CEFC6 7C@> E96 {2D '682D #2:56CD >62?D E96 AC@ DE2CE:?8 563FE @7 E96 E@A @G6C2== A:4< @7 E96 }u{ sC27E[ u6C?2?5@ |6?5@K2] %96 w6:D>2? %C@A9J H:??6C 7C@> }2E:@?2= r92>A:@? x?5:2?2 92D E96 6?E9FD:2D> 2?5 2 >2EFC:EJ 36J@?5 9:D J62CD] (:== E92E 36 6?@F89 E@ C6G:G6 E96 7@CEF?6D @7 2 8C62E 7C2?49:D6 E92E BF:E6 7C2?<=J 92D 366? =2C86=J >65:@4C6 7@C EH@\A=FD 564256D ?@H]k^Am kAmpD 7@C E96 C646?E $FA6C q@H= r92>A:@? !9:=256=A9:2 t28=6D[ H92E 2 72== 7C@> 8C246 :E’D 366? 2D E96:C a\f >2C< H@F=5 2EE6DE[ =@?8 E96 =2DE f] (96E96C :E H2D E96 @77\D62D@? EC256 @7 DE2C (q py qC@H?[ @C E96 C6E:C6>6?E @7 DE2C E24<=6 {2?6 y@9?D@?[ @C E96 DE:== >JDE6C:@FD 3=@@5 4=@ED :DDF6 @7 BF2CE6C324< y2=6? wFCED[ @C 2? F?4@?D4:@?23=6 ?F>36C @7 :?;FC:6D[ :E 92D 366? 2 492==6?8:?8 J62C 7@C y2>6DE@H?’D @H? }:4< $:C:2??:]k^Am kAm*6E[ 86?6C2= >2?286C w@H:6 #@D6>2?’D DE@42C< E96 EFC? 2C@F?5 E96 b^c >2C<] t?;@J F?E:= E96?Pk^Am kAm+:8 uC242DD: :D 2 }:282C2 u2==D ?2E:G6 H9@ 92D H@C<65 2D 2 ?2E:@?2=[ C68:@?2= 2?5 =@42= 3C@2542DE6C 7@C @G6C c_ J62CD] w6 42? 4FCC6?E=J 36 962C5 @? $:C:FD)| C25:@]k^Am