Good Monday morning, Uni Watchers. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Welcome to Week Four of your Monday Morning Uni Watch.
There were a surprising number of pretty to very good looking games for Week Four of the 2024 NFL season, which is always a pleasant bonus. Only three teams wore alternates (Cowboys on Thursday, Browns, and of course the Falcons) although we will see the Lions debut their blue/black uniforms this evening. Since you all know my feelings on same color pants/socks, I won’t make a single mention of it this week — you can all see the photos. No need to continue that anymore.
I continue to be amazed at how good the Falcons look when they wear their 1966 throwbacks.
I know many of you like this look, but is there any team whose throwbacks are this much better than their regular uniforms? We joke every time we see them that “They should make these permanent,” but there’s more than a hint of truth in that statement. All we need is for Art Blank to pull the trigger. Seriously…how good do these look?
![](https://cdn.uni-watch.com/app/uploads/2024/09/pfccogm9ffwkonfabgs6-e1727658219597.webp")
While the bad news is these probably won’t become the Falcons’ primary uniforms any time soon, the good news is that we’ll at least get to see them twice more this season. Once this week, when the Falcons are featured on TNF against the Bucs, and then again in Week 16, against the Giants. I’d rather see these eight or nine times a season, but for now I’ll settle for thrice.
And now, on to the rest of your Monday Morning Uni Watch.
We got the week started Thursday evening, in a game in which the Cowboys wore their Icy White all-white alternates. If it seems like teams have a tendency to wear alternates in national TV games, maybe they shouldn’t. I don’t particularly dislike the Cowboys all-white, but I’d prefer that either their helmet have a gray center stripe, or the pants didn’t; it looks just a bit off that the helmet and pants stripes are different. The gray center stripe is the only gray on the uniform.
With the Panthers wearing white at home (IMO their best look), the visiting Bengals elected to go orange/black/black/orange, which while being close to a Spy vs. Spy game, featured plenty of color for both squads. The game had a chance to be a uni disaster, but actually looked pretty good on the field.
A misty, rainy afternoon in the Meadowlands featured the Jets in their new Sack Exchange home uniforms. I’ve mentioned before that while I love the Jets metallic green helmets, they oftentimes don’t match the green in the uniforms, due to lighting. But in the overcast/rain, they actually matched pretty well. The Broncos countered with their own new blue/white/white/white uniforms. After wearing their white jerseys with white pants in week one, and their blue pants in week two, I was hoping they might break out the orange pants yesterday. Alas, we’ll need to wait for those to make their regular season debut.
This wasn’t much of a looker, but the Texans went with their best look of blue/blue/white/blue (although many Texans wore white hose). I’m sure some of you were hoping the Jags would wear teal pants, but alas, they paired their black helmets and white jersey with black pants and hosiery. Even though the Texans helmet/jersey are navy, the navy almost looks black on the field, so the game had almost a black/white vs. white/black game.
This game looked pretty good, although I wish the Rams had not worn blue pants. The Bears looked great, and I appreciate that they’re one of a very few teams to wear striped socks. I’m glad they have a pretty much uniform look there. Now we just need to work on the untucked undershirts.
Very nice looking game yesterday in Lambeau, with the Pack in their always gorgeous classic home uniforms. The Vikes countered with their purple pants and socks. Minnesota showed they are for real, going to 4-0 on the season.
Oh, what could have been. The Falcons broke out their gorgeous throwbacks, which we all know should be full-time home uniforms. All we needed was for the Saints to wear gold pants. Unfortunately they went mono-white below the helmet, which seems to be their preferred road look nowadays. Despite wearing gold pants in all three pre-season games, they’ve yet to wear them in the regular season. They’ve gone mono-black in their first three games, and mono-white yesterday. Maybe with yesterday’s loss, they’ll wear gold pants next week against Chiefs on MNF. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
There was another good looking game down in Tampa yesterday, where the Buccaneers went with their pewter/white/pewter combo at home. The Eagles countered with their midnight green hats and shirts, and all-white below the waist. I have to think white hosiery is now a permanent look for the Eagles whenever they wear green jerseys or britches. They’ve worn white socks/tights exclusively with green this season, after doing so often last year as well.
One of the day’s best-looking games was in Indianapolis, featuring the old school look of the Indianapolis Colts in their beautiful royal blue jerseys. The Steelers’ road look is one of the more underrated combos, with that black/white/gold away look unique in the NFL.
Every week, I keep hoping the Patriots will surprise us and bust out the silver/gray pants with their road jerseys, but so far they’ve always worn white over blue since they got these unis a few years back. It’s not a bad look, but I’d love to see them try the silver/gray pants at least once.
Almost any home game for the Cardinals is likely to look brutal, and yesterday was no exception. But it’s tough to have a good chromatic matchup when you have burgundy vs. red — the shades are just too close for enough differentiation, but enough different to notice the difference. Bonus points to Washington for having everyone in white hosiery.
The Browns, interestingly, wore their 1946 fauxbacks yesterday, but on the road. It’s not the first time they’ve done this, but usually teams will save their alternate uniforms for home games. Dallas and Cleveland both wore their all-whites as road teams this week. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and it was yet another aesthetically pleasing matchup this weekend.
We close out the afternoon games with another stellar pairing between two old AFC West foes. LA wore their Sunday best, while KC always looks good in white jerseys and red pants. Just outstanding.
We end our Sunday games with the Ravens going mono-black against the Bills. There aren’t too many teams that do all-black well, and few do it as well as the Ravens. The Bills countered by going white/white/blue/blue. I’d really prefer they go with either white pants or white socks (but not both), but their half white/half blue look isn’t too bad.
What did you think of yesterday’s games? Are you excited for (or dreading) the Lions/Seahawks tilt tonight?
Re: Falcons-
“… but is there any team whose throwbacks are this much better than their regular uniforms?”
The Titans’ Oilers TB’s are vastly superior to not just their day in/out sets, they are one of the best uniforms in the entire league. Those should be reinstated as their regulars.
Those should be
Agree, though they aren’t the Oilers anymore, so I think Titans/Oilers hybrid would be great. Titans logo on the white helmet, same jersey design, but navy with the same red/white/columbia/white/red stripe design.
I thought that was called H-Town Blue….
B -D
Yes. That would work. The ownership doesn’t seem inclined to go that route.
The scoreboard is from The Spectrum in Philadelphia and shows when Al Hill set a record for most points by a player in an NHL debut. This was February 14, 1977, and the final was as shown — Flyers won, 6-4 against the visiting Blues. And I was at that game … Section 36, Row 12, Seat 7, as a season ticket holder.
I pretty much always dislike mono-dark from the waist down, and especially so when the mono is a darker color than the helmet. But for some reason that Bengals uniform isn’t awful. I am thinking it has to do with the nature of the stripe pattern throughout the uniform and helmet, along with wearing orange socks. It isn’t a GOOD look, but the tiger stripes and contrasting socks do enough to mitigate the mono disaster.
Also I am coming around to the idea that mono black (assuming it is a team color and not BFBS) is the least offensive of all dark mono looks. Mono white works simply because white is sort of a default blank space color for all teams based on the historical use of white in US sports uniforms. While black is and has been a team color, sort of like white it isn’t an actual color, so I think like white is also less overwhelming to the eyes.
I’d like to see Cincinnati with white jersey with the new orange pants. They should also come out with a white jersey with orange stripes instead of black.
Maybe I’m just so used to always seeing some kind of words in the nose bumper spot, but it reallyyyyy bothers me when teams leave it blank. Just looks like a name tag with no name or something along those lines.
I tend to bash the Texans here in the comments section…deservedly so. But their combo yesterday is actually kinda good. Don’t feel that they belong in the & 1 this week (nor do the teal-less Jags in their B/W aways).
Continue to love the consistency of the Bengals O/B/B/O combo.
Saints/Falcons would have been the chart topper if NO wore gold pants – some coming Sunday my prayers will hopefully be answered and they’ll return.
There were lots of near misses this week: Broncos in orange pants, Pats in silver pants, Rams in yellow pants, Saints in gold pants – you could have had a decent 10&1, throwing Browns/Raiders in the mix. (That was a good-looking game, but I think would have been better in the Browns’ standard fare). I almost forgot about how good the TNF game would have looked if Dallas wore their regular unis.
I think Cardinals/Commies and Ravens/Bills were both worse looking than the Texans/Jags. Commies with gold pants would have elevated that game of course.
I’d also swap the top 2 games. The Chargers white helmets look a little unbalanced with the yellow pants. Much as I like those, I think they look better pairing white pants with the powder blues. (Yellow with the white tops, though.)
Overall a C+ week that could have been a solid A-.
“… is there any team whose throwbacks are this much better than their regular uniforms?”
I would argue several examples: First, and most notably, the Seahawks’ throwbacks are so much better than their current set, and it’s not remotely close IMHO. Second, I like the Saints’ throwbacks much better, even when they wear the current gold pants (which I prefer them to wear always), although this one I don’t feel as strongly about. Finally, many disagree here, but the Dolphins’ throwbacks are far superior to the current set. Not only for the vastly better striping, but the shade of aqua, to my eyes, is much better. The current hue is too washed out for my tastes.
Finally, and I’ll die on this hill, the Jets’ throwback they are wearing this year is what they should wear now and forever. I certainly like the “Sack Exchange” look better than the dog crap they were previously, but the throwbacks are their best look by a long shot.
I think the sack exchange is best. The white helmet/Kelly Green throwbacks work once or twice a year. The Jets have always looked way better in green helmets.
I’ll never understand why the Saints always wear plain, nondescript pants. They have one of the most beautiful uniforms yet wear pants with no striping and awful socks to match. As for my Jets…The helmet color is a bit wacky. It all boils down to the angle. The color matches at times and doesn’t at others.
The Commanders should have worn their yellow or white pants to give more contrast to the terrible looking blood clot Cardinals.
While watching the Chargers/KC game, I pointed out to my wife how beautiful this game looked. I pointed out how great both teams hosiery looked. Also, this is one NFL game that would look great with both teams wearing their colored jerseys.
IMO, the Chargers would look better with white socks instead of light blue when paired with yellow pants and light blue tops. This would balance out great with the white helmet.
I think the chargers should wear a royal blue or a yellow helmet without the number on it.
I hadn’t noticed the weird gradient on the black of the Commanders burgundy pants. This matches the silly gradient on the road uniform numbers. How odd to have a design on the back of the pants in TWO places.
Nike just ruined an excellent look. The gold pants are this set’s only saving grace and I hope the new owners purge this design as soon as they can.
link
I think everyone’s pants have that, it’s just easier to see the perforations on dark colors. I don’t believe it’s supposed to be any king of “look”, but they are some sort of perforations to make them lighter, and so they breathe, etc.
GTGFTU: 3/2/2021 Devils/Islanders. First Devils home game played in front of live fans after the lifting of the Covid restrictions
“…..is there any team whose throwbacks are this much better than their regular uniforms?”
YES!
Seahawks
Eagles
Dolphins
Vikings
Broncos
Lions
Jets
Bills
Saints
Titans (Oilers)
Patriots
Forgot about the Pats. I disagree with the Eagles. The kelly throwbacks are too light in color.
The helmets they botched for sure…but the jerseys seem true to the original Bramans.
Clearly not as good as the Lurie look. YMMV.
I disagree with your disagreement.
Nike has turned midnight green into teal as often as not, and the bespoke font is a relic of its time. Kelly greens all day, every day, with proper silver pants.
Dolphins and Broncos yes
Seahawks and Eagles throwbacks are really good as alternates but shouldn’t be the primaries
the rest I think are worse
I really want to love that Chargers set, but I’d actually rank Chargers/Chiefs at # 3, behind Colts/Steelers and Packers/Vikings. TBH, if the Rams had worn contrasting socks, the Rams/Bears matchup would be # 3.
I don’t hate the Commanders unis as much as some people here, and the burgundy/white/burgundy/white combo is nice. But the Cardinals’ blood clot unis are absolutely hideous, and the clash of the red and burgundy makes a really tough pairing. This would be my &1 (apologies to Washington), if it weren’t for the Browns.
The Browns should never never never NEVER wear white helmets. The Browns have 3 combinations that I consider among the most aesthetically pleasing in the league: orange/brown/white/striped, orange/brown/orange/striped, and orange/white/orange striped are all great looking. There is absolutely NO reason for a white helmet. Ever.
Teams that looked great but were dragged down by their opponents:
NY Football Giants – sorry, but that Cowboys alt is awful.
Atlanta – The combo they wore yesterday is miles ahead of any of their other options, but TBH I think the Falcons have never looked as good as they did before they went BFBS under Jerry Glanville. They should throwback to the red/red/grey/red unis of the late 80s. I think part of my problem with the Falcons is I’ve never liked their logo. Would love to see them refresh/change that ridiculous F/bird thing.
Raiders – Did I mention that the Browns should never wear white helmets?
Buffalo – I give a lot of leeway to the Ravens leaning into black because, well…ravens are black. But mono black is not a good look for anybody. For their part, the Bills should wear contrasting socks.
Anybody notice that in the Vikings game, Justin Jefferson went WITHOUT socks?
I don’t think people are understanding the point about the Falcon’s throwbacks vs. their primaries. Yes, there are many teams with better throwbacks than their primaries. But how many of them have truly awful regular sets? I’ve seen at least ten names thrown around in the comments, but the only one that comes close to the Falcons is Tennessee.
I’d add the Cardinals with the Falcons, but the Cardinals don’t have a throwback. All they have is 3 absolutely dreadful mono uniforms. Which is really stupid, because their look would be improved by an order of magnitude if they just switched up the combinations.
This…dreadful?:
link
No way, Judy A!
Will never happen, but I’d love to see them use the road set for all their games – ala the Browns of ‘73 & ‘86.
Well it’s better than the blood clots that they wore yesterday, but I’m not a fan of monochromatic unis. I can’t think of a single example where a mono uni works better than contrasting jersey/pants. IMO this looks infinitely better than anything they have now:
link
And yeah, I had to go back to 2002 because Arizona has had some frighteningly bad unis over the past couple years. But the point is – they look WAY better in white over red than in white/white.
Yeah some people do seem to be missing the point here, which is that the gulf between the Falcons’ regular unis (awful) and the throwbacks (completely gorgeous) is wider than that of any other team.
I think a “3 and 1” might be better suited for the NFL.
The Browns with white helmets and the 40’s throwbacks are bland boring look. They should dump them.
The cowboys should only wear the white helmets at home on Thanksgiving day and maybe one other game. Although the Falcons 1966 throwback or whatever it was they wore Sunday look ok, The 1980’s set with the red helmet and jersey and silver pants looks way better in my opinion.
The brown really disappears on those, leaving them without much color or character. Looks especially bland when matched up against the Raiders. It ends up being tiny bits of orange on what otherwise looks like grayscale.
Count me in as someone who (apparently Phil doesn’t think exists) prefers the Falcons in black helmets and black jerseys over the red helmets and black jerseys look.
Also, I would have put Cardinals/Commanders as my &1.
What I would’ve like to have seen differently yesterday: Saints in their gold pants and black socks, Jaguars in white jerseys and white pants with black socks, Texans swapping out the white and navy socks for red, Panthers to wear process blue socks. Just my opinion.
I’m surprised that the Browns/Raiders game didn’t make your 5 & 1. I would have put in there in place of the Bengals/Panthers game personally
Good call on the Chiefs-Chargers matchup being number one this week. I turned it on yesterday afternoon and my eyes damn near popped out of my head!
I’m not sure there’s ANY matchup in the NFL that would look better.
I am going to stand up for my Buccaneers’ pewter/white/pewter/black, early season still-baking in Gulf Coast Florida look, especially when it offsets the Iggles’ midnight green tops and shells. Maybe you all have given it appreciated love over the years — at least since they fired the digital clock numbers and added the brighter red to the 1997-2013 franchise-changers in 2020 — and I am still new enough as a UW member that I haven’t seen your well-deserved kudos.
For the Bucs to complement the white jerseys with pewter pants, and then the black hosiery, just looked tough yet cooler than the 94° temp/105° heat index conditions (thanks to Helene’s gulf visit) offered yesterday. They could have gone with the white pants, but for M1k3 Evans to set the franchise scoring record in the P/W/P/B combo was just Tampa Bay better.
That said, the Vikings-Packers, Steelers-Colts and Chiefs-Chargers matches were hard to beat. Objectively subjective, the Bengals’ O/B/B/B road choice in beautiful Carolina shouldn’t have beaten the Eagles-Bucs.
For most of the Ravens game that I saw, almost all of Baltimore’s offensive players had black socks/shoes/spatting, and for me that’s a crucial decider of whether an all-black uniform actually looks good or bad in real life. The big exception was (TE) Andrews, who wore bright white shoes and looked pretty ridiculous. That (and white sani’s) are how you ruin an all-black uniform.
The Ravens do their all-black pretty well, but I’d like to see a subtle purple double side-stripe on their pants to match the helmet. I like their secondary shield logo much much better than the raven’s head, but I LOVE that they use different logos on their helmet and sleeve. I wish more teams did that.
Derrick Henry running over people for 199 ground yards, dressed head-to-toe in black, seems fitting. Probably one of the more intimidating sights in team sports today.
I know it’s popular to drag on the Falcons’ uniforms, but I happen to like them. I might make that ATL a little smaller, but that’s really the only change I would make.