Overreaction Monday: Maverick’s First L, Dolphins Disaster, CMC’s Heavy Load, and Browns Being Browns

The NFL is back, college football is heating up, and the takes are hotter than ever. From a fan-favorite QB finally showing cracks, to an AFC contender imploding, to the usual heartbreak in Cleveland—it’s time to overreact.

Maverick McIvor: All Hail, Even in Defeat

We’ve made it a tradition to check in on our guy Maverick McIvor. Unfortunately, Week 3 brought his first stumble. Western Kentucky lost to Toledo. McIvor struggled with just 235 passing yards. He had 2 TDs and his first interception of the season.

But let’s keep it real: through three games, Maverick has piled up 941 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just 1 interception. That’s still video-game stuff. One loss doesn’t change the fact that this name—and this arm—are legendary.

Overreaction: All hail Maverick McIvor, the most entertaining QB in college football, win or lose.

Dolphins Disaster: From “Bad Vibes” to Blowout

The whispers of a “bad vibes offseason” in Miami were loud all summer, and Week 1 made them deafening. The Dolphins were mollywhopped by the Colts, 33–8.

Tua Tagovailoa looked completely lost. He coughed up 3 turnovers (2 interceptions, 1 fumble). Things got so ugly that Zach Wilson even made an appearance. One game doesn’t define a season, but the explosive 2023 Dolphins offense feels like a distant memory. If this keeps up, a full-scale overhaul might be on the horizon—coaching staff included.

Overreaction: The Dolphins are broken. The magic is gone, and the rebuild button is looming.

Chrisitan McCaffery San Francisco 49ers Running Back giving thumbs up on the football field.

Christian McCaffrey: “My Calf is Tight”… But the Volume is ELITE

The injury concerns aren’t going anywhere, but neither is Christian McCaffrey’s workload. Against the Seahawks, he piled up 31 touches and 142 all-purpose yards. He did everything but score a touchdown.

This is why fantasy managers still make him a top pick every year. When he’s healthy, no one touches his combination of volume and efficiency. The only question—always—is whether his body can handle it for 17 weeks.

Overreaction: If the football gods keep him upright, CMC is a lock to finish as the RB1.

Bengals Beat the Browns: Cleveland “Brownsed” It Again

How the hell did the Bengals beat the Browns? By every stat that matters, Cleveland should’ve walked away with a win:

More total yards (passing and rushing)
11 more first downs
Better 3rd-down conversion rate
Ran 22 more plays
Dominated time of possession: 35:49 to 24:11

And yet… they lost. Two tipped passes by wide receivers turned into interceptions. There was also a missed field goal and a missed extra point. Suddenly, all that statistical domination didn’t matter.

Overreaction: The Browns are cursed. Doesn’t matter who’s on the roster—when it matters most, they’ll always find a way to “Browns” it up.

That’s a Wrap

From Maverick McIvor’s first loss to Miami’s meltdown, from CMC’s RB1 usage to Cleveland’s eternal heartbreak, Week 1 gave us everything. It’s only the beginning, but the overreactions are already in midseason form.

See y’all next week.