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- I am invincible, people. INVINCIBLE. Let me give you a list of rookie quarterbacks to win their first three games in the NFL. Ahem: El Guapo Mark Sanchez. LIST OVER!
- Okay, taking a deeper breath, I recognize that Sanchez had a pretty bad day on Sunday (the rain was KILLING him), but even that is encouraging. The fact that he had the kind of nightmare game you expect from a rookie quarterback and the Jets still managed to win speaks both to the strength of this team’s defense (is there a better one in the league right now?) and to Sanchez’s strengths as a quarterback. Bad quarterbacks panic easily and never seem to dig their way out of holes in which either they or the circumstances around them have put themselves. Great quarterbacks respond to problematic starts by capitalizing on inevitable mistakes made by the other team. Brady has always done it, Romo has done it when he’s been great, and on Sunday, El Guapo turned punished the Titans for their special teams miscues at every turn.
- That said, I’m not thrilled that Kerry Collins was able to move the ball down the field against a sub par coverage unit, the one flaw in this Jets defense. Outside of Revis and Rhodes, there’s really nobody I trust in coverage schemes, and if the blitz doesn’t pressure the quarterback, Dwight Lowery isn’t staying with ANYBODY. He seems like a nice guy, and he’s certainly smart enough to figure out routes, but that just makes it more embarrassing when he’s getting burned by speedy wideouts or shrugged off by larger receivers . He’ll make a great coach, hopefully sooner rather than later.
- Last note on that game; what do we make of Tennessee? In each of their three losses, they’ve shown flashes of the team that dominated the AFC last year, but isn’t there a point where you’re no longer a good team playing bad games, but a bad team that plays respectably? Collins seems just good enough to make you lose close (this is the difference between VY and Collins, for those scoring at home), and the excuse of “no pass catchers” seems all the more fraudulent with what the Titans possessing the most underrated three man receiving unit (Gage, Washington, and Britt) in the league (them or the Giants, at this point). Chris Johnson is amazing, and Lendale White is as good a short yardage back as you’ll find, but it feels more and more like teams will just dare Collins to throw, and this year he doesn’t seem good enough to take advantage of the situation. Long story short: VY is going to make his comeback this year. Yes, I am excited. Thanks for asking.
- I am completely confused by what Todd Haley is doing in Kansas City. If the plan is to wave the white flag on what wasn’t going to be a winning season anyway and pick up a sweet draft pick, well, kudos for brilliant execution. Still, he might want to be a little less obvious than he was this past week. Against an Eagles offense that was killing him, Haley called only 18 passes, even with Cassel playing a clean game (he finished 14/18 with 2 TDs and no INTs) and his run game generating absolutely nothing (3.4 yards per carry, and that includes a 22 yard anomaly by Bradley). If that doesn’t signal the kind of stubbornness that kills coaching careers, I’m not sure what does.
- Mark my words: This Kevin Kolb thing is going to end poorly this season.
- Here’s the thing: The Packers are 2-1, with one of those wins coming against an abysmal Rams team suffering from injuries and the other coming from bit of a lucky break against a Bears team that all but gave away the game. 2-1 is good no matter how you split it, but for a team that was supposed to be firing on all cylinders, this defense looks surprisingly porous (19th in the league) and the offense looks even more disappointing considering how good it was supposed to be (particularly the pass attack, which is a disappointing 18th in the league). With all the hype surrounding this upcoming matchup against the Vikings (with whathisface at QB), I’m not sure this team is ready for a spotlight matchup against a legitimate NFC title contender.
- It’s not even a question whether Kyle Boller is the better option at QB for the Rams. At least fail while trying, guys.
- There wasn’t a game better than the 49ers-Vikings matchup on Sunday. Both teams look poised to make a run at the NFC title, particularly the 49ers, whose division doesn’t quite seem ready to compete with them (though I’m still rooting for a Seahawks resurgence). I would have loved to see that game play out with Frank Gore, still involved, but that game winning drive proved that this Vikings team, unlike the last two years’ versions, has all the pieces to succeed. Favre has the arm to take advantage of mismatches created by defenses focusing on Peterson, but he also has the quick strike capability to win games in a single throw (that last pass was more incredible vision and skill than luck). Equally exciting was the emergence of Vernon Davis as the potentially breathtaking receiver that we always knew he could be but stopped believing he would be. If he’s for real (and if he is, then Mike Singletary is a genius and all my doubts about him are gone for good), this team is one of the few squads without a glaring hole (even Shaun Hill at QB doesn’t count, considering he’s finding Davis better than anyone before him). I feel like we’ll see this matchup again come the postseason.
- I’m not sure I’ve seen a pass rush as ineffective as the Falcons was on Sunday. While I’m not ready to crown the Patriots as being “OK” just because it’s early, I’m equally unprepared to pronounce them dead to rights, and it is due in large part to the talent of the skill positions they demonstrated against Atlanta. Since the season began I was wondering if the Falcons had a “hole” in their game; the defensive front proved to be a glaring weakness against New England. For the Pats, the ground game found its rhythm thanks to Fred Taylor being utilized as a primary back, and Brady was able to work with the pocket his O-Line provided him. How much of that was due to the effective rushing attack and how much was due to a genuine improvement of the O-Line will be the difference between “crafty lurker” and “dominating title contender”, but either one works perfectly for a team that has had its doubters for the past three weeks. Besides, Belichick has always worked better as a crafty Iago than a dominating Greek god.
- Meanwhile, the Falcons need to figure out a way to work Jerious Norwood into their regular offense. He’s too fast to ignore, and he’ll be an important part of making up for days when Matt Ryan is being challenged by good coverage schemes.
- It’s hard to explain, largely because the results have been similarly disappointing for both teams, but the Bills and Bucs are excellent examples of simplicity used rightly and wrongly, respectively. For the Bills (whose 1-2 record stems from a heartbreaking loss that falls squarely on one man and an early matchup against what may be the Super Bowl favorite), simplicity was the perfect decision, largely because their personnel fit neatly into narrow, yet effective roles. Terrell Owens is the dominating presence both figuratively and literally who controls his realm of possession, Lee Evans is the combustible threat at the edges, Marshawn Lynch (when he returns) is the angry battering ram, and Trent Edwards is the machine that determines when each piece is most effective. Reducing the offense to a small set allows each piece to maximize that which their character makes them do very well and minimizes ineffective, unnecessary experimentation. On the other hand, the Bucs have a collection of individuals whose skill set is varied (Antonio Bryant, Kellen Winslow, and Michael Clayton all have downfield speed and imposing size, and Derrick Ward was brought in to be an equally versatile weapon in the backfield. As such, Byron Leftwich, a plodding, slow release catapult of a QB was never the right call here. Either Josh Johnson (who will get the start this week) or Josh Freeman are the better choice for this team due to their ability to create plays with their feet and pose equally amorphous threats to defenders. Complexity and simplicity in the league both play the same role a system does in general: They ought to be tailored to the personnel involved.
- My personal Super Bowl favorites proved they are every bit the imposing monster that a favorite needs to be against bad teams, as the Ravens killed the Browns and Brady Quinn’s career. More impressive is the resurrection of Willis McGahee as the second head of the backfield monster and the stunning strength of the passing game, a strength that has to rest almost entirely on the emergence of Joe Flacco as a great passer (the Baltimore offense is 5th in passing yardage and Flacco is averaging over 8 YPA on 104 attempts). That said, keep an eye on the upcoming matchup with the Pats, which should answer a lot of our questions regarding Baltimore’s secondary, which Brady will attack relentlessly.
- The Texans are not a legitimate threat this year. Legitimate threats don’t get picked apart like that by sub par teams, nor do they let a teams obvious best (and for the Jaguars, only) weapon totally destroy them (MJD had 119 yards on 23 carries and 3 TDs…meanwhile Garrard completed just 18 passes of 30 attempts for 214 yard). Everything about this squad from the top (coaching) down (defense, run game) looks very confused, and why they didn’t throw any confusion into the Jags backfield (Garrard had ALL day and MJD was untouched at the line on most runs) is bizarre considering the investment they’ve made in their defensive front.
- I’m sorry, Redskins fans, but your team is EASILY the most disappointing squad in the league. Also, can anyone explain why Clinton Portis gets just 12 carries against a run defense that STILL has done nothing to prove itself this season? It’s the curse of the platoon system when a back can’t get a rhythm and find holes that emerge as defenders tire.
- Also, I love that it’s pretty much always a bad sign for Redskins fans when Santana Moss is having a great game.
- Stafford looked good in the Lions first win in years, and more importantly he looked good without relying too heavily on Calvin Johnson. Yes, the offense should still be centered around Megatron, but the only way that will work is if the team works to develop credible receiving threats around him. For the first time since Roy Williams was in town, the Lions may have those threats (Bryant Johnson is scrappy, and Pettigrew is becoming more comfortable in the pass game each week). Throw in Kevin Smith (who suffered an unfortunate injury) as a versatile back, and this team may finally be on the long road back.
- I don’t care if I catch crap for it: Seneca Wallace is the right choice for the Seahawks. Behind a decimated line (seriously, look at the tape and tell me when Wallace had time to work in a pocket) and with his kicker failing to capitalize on offensive yardage earned, the Seahawks offense still looked somewhat respectable, especially considering Wallace was making his first start of the season against a stout Bears defense (9th in the league in yardage allowed). Furthermore, his feet (which Mora strangely opted not to use more often) give the Seahawks an option that Hasselbeck does not, and I’m honestly not sure that the passing suffers as much as people tend to argue (that INT wasn’t an errant throw, it was a last ditch attempt to avoid a safety due to his O-Line getting crushed). Yes, I know I’m making a lot about this, but I genuinely believe the Seahawks could have a frightening pass attack, and Wallace’s mobility behind a bad offensive line is a big part of that.
- Carson Palmer may no longer be an elite quarterback, but he’s become something more important. Before, mistakes like interceptions and stalled drives would throw Palmer into such a panic that he’d inevitably try to win the game on the strength of his arm, which doesn’t work against good defenses. Now, Palmer looks like he just doesn’t care about miscues. Yes, this means he’s throwing more picks, but it also means he looks genuinely relaxed against good defenses, even when losing. That game winning drive against Pittsburgh doesn’t happen last year; now, Palmer sits back, trusts the firepower he has around him (those receivers are the real strength of the offense) and is infinitely better for it. In essence, he’s figured out that being a member of the family is more fun than being the captain of the ship, and in this case it’s more effective too.
- Fine, give up on Limas Sweed if you want, Steelers, but with that offensive line, Mike Wallace, an aging Hines Ward, and an undersized Santonio Holmes aren’t scaring anybody.
- The sad thing is that I would take Tyler Thigpen right now over both Pat White (who hasn’t had a chance to really learn the offense either thanks to his Wildcat duties) or Chad Henne (who is the “Fat Chad” yang to Handsome Chad’s yin). Furthermore, Thigpen’s mobility makes this offense slightly (VERY slightly) less impotent thanks to mediocre deep threats. Yes, this team could still easily lose at least 12 games, but you should at least put someone under center who makes it interesting.
- The Chargers offense is shaping up to be the one unit that nobody in the league should want to see come January, but unless they can get a semi-decent ground game going during Tomlinson’s absence, they’ll wind up losing more shootouts than they win. That said, Vincent Jackson is killing teams this year (5 receptions for 120 yards against Miami is ridiculous), and if the ground game can keep anybody honest, Rivers is going to pick apart defenses all year long.
- Dear Eddie Royal: Die. Signed, my fantasy football team.
- Seriously though, can someone explain why the phrase “over his head” is still being used when talking about Josh McDaniels? I heard someone compare him to Eric Mangini the other day and almost smashed my head through my laptop. Mangini held a clipboard while Belichick ran his defense, like he always has during his tenure in New England. Meanwhile, McDaniels, in his tenure as offensive coordinator, made Matt Cassel a very rich man last season and RAN THE BEST OFFENSE OF ALL TIME. His offense, run by Kyle Orton and basically missing the disappointing Eddie Royal is getting better each week, and his intelligent hiring of Mike Nolan has his defense as the best in the league. But yeah, he got rid of Jay Cutler, who is 2-1 with a league leading 5 interceptions after playing the overrated Packers and Steelers and a Seahawks team that would have won with either a healthy offensive line or a better kicker (no, it’s not OK to miss a 30 yarder just because you made 4 kicks). We should probably fire Josh McDaniels now.
- Seriously, Correll Buckhalter is a top ten running back on 31 attempts. HOW ARE SPORTSWRITERS STILL QUESTIONING THIS HIRE?!?!?
- I have no explanation for that JaTrocious performance from the other offense. Thanks, I’ll be here all night.
- I’m not sure why we’re not hearing more about the Colts as a Super Bowl contender, but it’s time to start talking about them. Their defense has never been particularly good, but Manning has never looked this good either. It’s like he picked up where last season left off (remember, they lost a playoff game without their offense seeing the field thanks to the NFL’s utterly retarded overtime rules). 24/35 for 379 yards and 4 TDs is just stupid, and he’s been looking similarly unstoppable all season. In an AFC South that looks particularly weak this year, these guys could coast to a first round bye and suddenly look very, very scary for opponents.
- I’m going to defend the indefensible and say that John Fox is making the right call by sticking with Jake Delhomme. Yes, he’s looked terrible the past three games, and he leads the league in INTs hovering just above JaMarcus Russell in QB rating, but you don’t pull him after Monday’s game. If you do, you take away the chance that he might die on the field and never ruin your football team again. That’s the plan here, right?
- Screw cautious optimism; I root for the best team in the AFC East. After week one, the question was how bad the Texans were. After week two, we should all be wondering just how good the Jets could be this year. Here is what the game looked like for the Pats offense: Punt, punt, FG, INT, FG, FG, punt, punt, punt, punt, downs. The best part is that the Jets defense did this while having to stay on the field for extended drives on little rest (the Jets offense had just three drives lasting over two minutes). Say what you will about their flaws, but the Pats still have one of the best offenses in the league, and the Jets shut them down for an entire game. I want to hug Rex Ryan.
- And just in case you’re thinking I’m not going to heap excessive praise on my boy El Guapo, Mark Sanchez looked equally brilliant in the second half. Once Schotty figured out that we have a quarterback who won’t throw the game away, Sanchez had a second half where he went 11/17 with a TD and a 148 yards (should have been 2 TDs…Chansi Stuckey…). The TD drive was a blistering 56 yard aerial assault taking just over a minute and utilizing both of our top receivers (Cotchery and Keller). Still, the smartest play of the game may have come with 2:35 left in the game on 3rd and 3. With the Patriots having no timeouts left, Sanchez saw a play break down and simply fell to take the sack rather than trying to force a pass or create an unnecessary dangerous play with his feet. Clock runs down to 2 minutes, and all of a sudden the Pats offense is not only heavily pressured, but also rushed due to time constraints. Probably 75% of the QBs in the league force a pass there (certainly Favre would have last year). It’s early, but Mark Sanchez is making a strong case for Rookie of the Year.
- On the one hand, Pats fans need to step back from the ledge. This thing could have (and should have) started with an 0-2 hole in two division games, and Welker was sorely missed in the Jets game. On the other hand, you have to be concerned that maybe another passing target isn’t what the Pats need right now. The Pats ran just 19 planned rushes (compared to 29 by the Jets), and had the ball for a significantly longer period of time in the first half, when they had the lead. At a certain point the Pats will need to figure out ways for their high power offense to show more of a ground game, both to keep defenses from wailing on Brady and to keep what is proving to be a sub par defensive secondary off of the field (Richard Seymour masked more of those flaws than anyone in Boston wants to admit). Still a team to be reckoned with, but Belichick’s squad has always relied on its versatility on both sides of the ball, and although the talent level is still high, everything feels much more predictable.
- I don’t want to alarm anybody (I always want to alarm everybody), but what the hell is going on with the Giants defense? With over 600 yards of offense given up in the first two weeks (272 of them to a shaky, confused Redskins team), losing Justin Tuck for any amount of time has to have fans of this team concerned. They’ve looked like the best team in the league so far, but the fact that it’s been due to a surprisingly versatile offense is cause for concern, as there are too many high power offenses in the league for the Giants to rely on winning shootouts.
- Meanwhile, the Cowboys defense just looks lost. Mario Manningham brutalized Terrance Newman, and he’s the best part of the entire secondary. Considering that the Giants are on the lesser end of the passing offenses this team will face (remember that the Bucs had them reeling for most of the game in week one), I’m prepared to say this team won’t be a factor come the postseason, particularly if the Eagles can get their offensive mojo back.
- I’m segue city today. The Eagles proved on Sunday that they live and die by Donovan McNabb, and it has everything to do with pacing. With Donovan in there, that game turns into an interesting shootout, one in which the Eagles are better equipped to maintain drives and distribute the ball to their myriad receivers. With Kolb (who has to have proven he isn’t the guy by now), the Eagles give offenses too many chances to figure out their defense, which is going to be a problem against solid pass games. Yes, Drew Brees can do that to anybody, but Tony Romo and Eli Manning aren’t exactly slouches, and they’ll each get two shots at this team as the season progresses. It’s going to be up to the Eagles offense to find ways to sustain drives and keep them off of the field.
- Also, if you missed it, Jason Whitlock made an excellent point regarding race and the response to McNabb’s injury as opposed to Brady’s last year.
- Meanwhile, the Saints could not be nastier right now. Brees managed to hit 9 receivers, four of them for more than 40 yards. Don’t sleep on the defense either. Under Gregg Williams, a unit that had no presence last year is at least forcing teams to get rid of the ball faster (thanks to a significantly improved pass rush), which, as we saw in the 2007 Giants, can make all the difference.
- Marques Colston is going to deserve consideration as a top flight receiver (think Megatron, Moss, and The Woefully Nickname-less Andre Johnson) when this season is done. Without Brees, he’s not quite as special, but without Colston, Brees has a much harder time finding mismatches in the end zone. He’s all alone in the second tier right now (above Bowe and co., below the top three), and that’s changing soon.
- Speaking of top flight receivers, The Woefully Nickname-less Andre Johnson proved he’s a killer against Tennessee, but nothing has changed in my stance on Matt Schaub. I said after last week’s blowout that Schaub has all the tools to be a top tier NFL quarterback, and he showed those tools in this game, but he still hasn’t shown an ability to shake off tough pressure and still take command of his skill set. Tennessee didn’t get to him at all (0 sacks, almost no hits), and if he thinks that’s going to happen consistently, especially with future opponents having seen what he does when given room and time to operate ideally, particularly behind an average Texans O-Line, he’s crazy. Sunday was a great showing of potential, but if a team ever needed to get a little dirt under their fingernails, it’s the Texans.
- I said Albert Haynesworth was worth at least two wins per season, and it’s looking like I may have underestimated that total. Without him, the Redskins lose on Sunday. With him, the Titans are probably 2-0.
- Carson Palmer has been saying all season that someone is going to die at QB in the NFL (we get it, Carson; you’re still upset about 2005). Spoiler alert: It’s Jason Campbell. Defenses have time to make their first move, miss, regroup, make a second move, and then figure out a whole new way to hit him before he’s found the read he wants. I feel like I’m watching Final Destination every time he drops back.
- Donnie Avery is going to be the biggest disappointment of the year for me. I can feel it. He’s not getting the same separation he did last year, and he’s honestly as responsible as anyone for the lack of offensive stretch that is limiting Steven Jackson.
- Also, I’m one more good game away from starting a FREE STEVEN JACKSON campaign.
- If I’m working on a big case, one that I’ve been working on all year, and all of a sudden I get incredibly sick to the point where I need to be replaced, it would be utterly retarded to imagine that my replacement would be ready to go within 1 hour of my exit, right? Seneca Wallace will be just fine. Hell, if Burleson can hold onto a pass that a downfield WR is supposed to make, Wallace finishes with a clean game, and probably keeps them within shooting distance. Look at last year’s performance with a decimated receiving corps after Hassy left. An 87 passer rating with 11 TDs and 3 INTs, and that’s with Koren Robinson as the top target. If anything, Seneca Wallace was the originator of John Carlson’s emergence last season. As long as the defense can do a better job in the middle (256 rushing yards proves that the LB corps, which lost both Hill and Tatupu, isn’t just the best part of the defense but the ENTIRE defensive core), this team isn’t going to suffer greatly by losing their aging, injury prone QB. He was my least favorite part of the potentially fascinating Seattle offense anyway. FREE SENECA WALLACE.
- How nasty is Frank Gore right now? We all knew that the new coaching staff would work in his favor, but I don’t think anybody knew how good he’d be with a run-first coach. Gore’s unique ability to make incredibly minor adjustments that capitalize on defensive holes in major ways fits Singletary’s proposed “punch in the mouth” offense perfectly. If Bruce and Vernon Davis keep defenses honest, Gore could be the engine of a very frightening 49ers offense.
- Keeping defenses honest is exactly what David Garrard can’t seem to do in Jacksonville. Against a high powered offense, nobody needed or wanted Garrard to get into a showdown with a Cardinals pass attack that had been managed by the 49ers the week before thanks to efficient drives (49ers won the clock battle by about 3 minutes, and had 7 of their 13 drives last over 2 minutes, including a 7:28 beauty resulting in a go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter). The sad fact is that Jack Del Rio’s “right way” mentality has finally left his quarterback without a soul to catch a pass, as Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, even on their worst days, had the size to bail Garrard out on intermediate passing plays (not to mention their tragically underutilized speed that will forever leave Jacksonville as the most disappointing offensive team of the past five years). Now Garrard has nobody, and MJD needs defenders to have at least some focus elsewhere for his size not to become a liability. Garrard’s 23/43 stat line is all the evidence you need to see that Jacksonville has lost any semblance of the singularity of focus (run, run, and then strike deep to take advantage of the running) that made them great in 2007.
- Meanwhile, someone needs to tell the little Fitzgerald that the Cardinals are adding a desperately needed short game that utilizes their running backs. We all know they can hit Fitzgerald deep with 2-3 guys covering him, but getting a (quasi)ground game going means they won’t always HAVE to do that.
- True story, if Eric Mangini coached the Cardinals, they would have at least 10 targets for Fitzgerald of over 40 yards next game. I hate that guy. His bizarre decision to send Kellen Winslow packing has left the Browns with exactly one receiving target, which is the kiss of death for a young quarterback trying to find a comfort zone. Don’t believe me? Watch Quinn try to force the ball into coverage to find Edwards and tell me he’s got another option. The only other receiver with as many targets was Josh Cribbs, who is a great return man but a fourth string receiver at best. For a QB who is always going to be better with intermediates, dropping an elite pass catching TE for peanuts set the franchise back three years from where they already were. Oh, and Winslow could block better the bulk of that O-Line. But at least you got a defensive coach…who has now given up over 25 points in two straight games. Why is this guy still coaching anywhere?
- Repeat after me: The Broncos are not a bad team. For one thing, they’re on top of the division after two weeks. For another, their offense showed marked improvement from the first week debacle in Cincy. McDaniels has figured out how to blend Denver’s stockpile of good to very good backs with his pass-heavy mentality, and Kyle Orton threw a clean game with over 7 yards per attempt and a wide distribution of the football. It’s the 2008 Matt Cassel experience all over again, except with a less flashy but more consistent player under center, and the man who was behind that offense is still running the show.
- The 2009 Matt Cassel experience is less interesting, but I’m loathe to blame Cassel for that. The fact is that the Chiefs still only have one proven receiver in a pass-first offense, and Cassel is still very, very green as a starter, particularly outside of the friendly confines of Foxborough. That said, those interceptions were ugly mistakes created by a lack of good targets (that last INT should get Dantrell Savage cut…I hate when receivers are the driving force behind INTS instead of the best protection against them). Haley would be wise to find ways to get a short to intermediate game established, because that will be the key to maximizing Cassel’s potential in KC.
- There could not be a worse game on television than that Chiefs-Raiders game. I could not invent it. But it proves that the Oakland defense is as tough as they looked in week 1. For Russell to go 7 of 24 and the running game to average just over 3 yards per carry, leaving the Chiefs with nearly 40 minutes of possession, and the Raiders to still win that game 13-10 is not just good; it’s incredible. If JaMarcus Russell ever reaches his potential, he’ll have his defensive unit to thank in large part for it.
- And now for my credibility killing moment of the week: I believe in JaMarcus Russell more after these past two weeks, not less. His accuracy needs improvement (also, water is quite wet), but he’s managed to march his offense down the field when it counts (the Raiders got SCREWED by the TD reversal in week one), and is at least a little less flustered than he’s looked in the past. You just saw the nadir of his season, and he still led a game winning drive in the fourth quarter. Can anyone say they see the same upside in Brady Quinn?
- That said, NFL.com’s “JaMarcus Russell Highlights” clip from week 2 seems a bit unnecessary.
- I also believe in the Bengals defense, particularly after their stellar 6 sack effort against Green Bay in which they allowed only 46 yards to Ryan Grant on 14 carries. The real test for a Cincy squad that finally seems to be taking advantage of their talented youth on defense will be whether or not a veteran offense can avoid costly turnovers (the Packers turned two Bengals turnovers into 14 points). Running a flanker focused attack with a second receiver as talented as Laveranues Coles and a slot man as capable as Chris Henry is the epitome of self-defeating, particularly with Cedric Benson turning into the anti-Cedric Benson (29 carries for 141 yards…he was right, he DOES run better when absolutely nobody threatens his job). Palmer may no longer be the calm, poised deep threat he once was (the 2 INTs were examples of the panicky Palmer that tries to force bad decisions), but the 3 TDs were proof that Palmer still has one of the best arms in the league.
- There really is very little left to believe in for Detroit fans. That defense looks abysmal, and losing Ernie Sims should guarantee that teams will still have all day to make plays against a very, very questionable secondary (Delmas has promise, but he’s not going to be enough to turn an awful backfield around). Worse still, Stafford’s interceptions were of the variety that display a lack of field vision, with defenders easily between him and his receivers. That said, it was good to see Matt Stafford find both the end zone and TE Brandon Pettigrew (4 rec, 40 yards). The real frustration is that the 24 carries against a Minny defense famous for killing run games are reflective of a team still playing not to lose, which is a shame considering that this year was supposed to show there was nothing left to lose (see: 2008 Falcons). Let Stafford throw, and let him know that whatever happens he’s the guy, and then see if he can’t develop chemistry with a receiving corps that absolutely must become great.
- If you want to say the Falcons are a boring, successful team, you can, but since when did an offense that, in addition to the Michael Turner brutality we saw last year, tears through the sky (Gonzalez and Roddy White each had at least 6 receptions, 50 yards, and 1 TD) become boring? Matt Ryan also managed a ridiculous 21/27 with an 8.1 average YPA and 3 TDs. I’ve been saying they’re the team to beat in the NFC, and I am as convinced as ever. There isn’t a weak spot on offense, and the coverage schemes have proven effective and athletic enough so far to make up for a sub par pass rush.
- Also, don’t sleep, but of the top 10 QB ratings, Matt Ryan is third, he is tied for the second most TDs at 5 (and has one fewer interception than Flacco), and has looked absolutely unflappable against two solid pass rushes. He looks like some sort of unperfected hybrid of Peyton’s physical presence and Brady’s demeanor. If that sounds like Hyperbole, it’s only because we haven’t seen a full season of Ryan with the array of offensive weapons he has at his disposal now. Get ready for Ryan to enter a stratosphere it took Brady, Brees, and Manning a longer time to reach.
- Honestly, the saddest part of the Jake Delhomme saga is that we’ve gotten to the point where going 25/41, throwing 1 TD and 1 INT is acceptable for an 11 year veteran to maintain his starting position on a former division champ. Fire. Everybody. Everybody.
- Told you so about the Ravens offense.
- I really can’t figure out this San Diego team. Granted, they are clearly a more dangerous team with Sproles on the field, but that run on 4th and 2 was stupid, particularly against a surprisingly soft Ravens secondary, particularly with the size the Chargers have in their receiving corps, particularly with Philip Rivers at QB. Even more disheartening is a pass rush that isn’t bothering opposing quarterbacks, even against the porous Raiders O-Line in week 1. There’s a ton of firepower here, but I’m not sure these guys will ever figure out how to use it, particularly now that Tomlinson has lost his fastball.
- I feel better about Jay Cutler on the Bears now that he’s distributing the ball a little more evenly (5 receivers with 6 targets or more). Without a true number one like he had in Denver, that kind of distribution is the only way he’ll be able to make the most of his incredible talents.
- 3 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TD. Also, Lee Evans had a 32 yard TD. But yeah, TO is probably the worst thing to ever happen to Trent Edwards, who had a 97.5 QB rating and is a top 5 QB through two weeks.
- As for the Monday night game, I don’t understand all the whining about the 2 minute offense employed by the Dolphins. The fact that they were still losing that game despite the Colts having had the ball for about 15 minutes is evidence of what the priority of the drive needed to be: Score, but score leaving as little time as possible. The Fins dropped 3 sure touchdowns thanks to their lackluster receiving corps, which we already knew about and makes the unemployment of Matt Jones and Reggie Williams that much crazier. I have never and will never understand the fascination in Miami with Anthony Fasano, who has been a total negative for his team so far, and JaMarcus Russell could go 0/24 and still be a better pick than Ted Ginn Jr. was for the Fins. Seriously, how much does Parcells hate paying that last remnant of the Cam Cameron era? The fact that there haven’t been subtle digs at his manhood all year from press conferences confirms that TO was treated unfairly in Dallas. Ted Ginn Jr. is the best defensive back the Dolphins have. Sorry, but you know how I feel about receivers who kill QBs I like.
Ravens at Chargers (4:15 PM)
Call me crazy, but I think we saw last week that we’re dealing with a completely new vision for the Ravens, one that has them embracing the thrills that Joe Flacco was built to bring. Act like you’re not excited for an offense with Joe Flacco and Ray Rice lighting fire to the grass. Meanwhile, I have no clue what the hell we’re dealing with regarding the Chargers. Certainly, this squad still performs like an incomplete team, getting picked on in the secondary and exposing Philip Rivers to too much pressure for their offense to click. Still, there’s no denying that, when the game was on the line on Monday, this offense functioned on a level matched only by a much more experienced Patriots squad. If that continues to develop, it may not matter what sort of secondary weaknesses this team has; they’ll score too many points for it to matter.
Raiders at Chiefs (1:00 PM)
Yes, I realize I’m probably the only person who has this game on a must-watch list. Still, I can’t be the only one who watched the Raiders play last week and wondered whether or not this defense, thanks to the addition of Richard Seymour, became sneaky great all of a sudden. Combine that with the tantalizing possibility of JaMarcus Russell’s maturation, and I’ll be watching at least one more week to see if this might be the real dark horse for playoff contention in the AFC.
Saints at Eagles (1:00 PM)
But only if McNabb is healthy. A shootout in which Kevin Kolb is holding a pistol sounds more like a firing range to me.
Seahawks at 49ers (4:05 PM)
Forget everything you heard: The NFC West could be the most fun-to-watch division in football. The Cardinals proved last season that grace and flair can still win big. Meanwhile, the Seahawks still have the offense that is most interesting to me thanks to its reliance on both flights of fancy and discarded veterans (Nate Burleson is going to haunt the dreams of those who drafted Housh in fantasy leagues, myself included). The wild card for all of this to work, then, is the 49ers, who last week proved that Mike Singletary’s stubborn, angry clinging to the tenets upon which the league was built is a heartbeat that can sustain, not a distraction. With the Cardinals and Seahawks both using flashy names and aerial trickery to make names for themselves, the division needs the 49ers to succeed, if only to act as a foil to the divisional matchups and give the NFC west credibility as more than a sideshow. This game will go a long way toward showing whether this division is an island unto itself or an exotic locale on the global landscape of the NFL.
Patriots at Jets (1:00 PM)
Readers of TiT (and if you’re still here, kudos to you for sticking with this erratic behavior for three long years) know that I love the Jets and despise the Patriots. My hate for the Pats has been detailed on this blog too many times to properly express here, but suffice to say that I hate them for their soulless identity, and the perfection with which their dispassionate scheme is executed on the field. It’s underhanded tactics (the support of Randy Moss’s poor work ethic, the condoning of Rodney Harrison’s existence) masquerading as the “right way” for the league. It’s a perfect hatred, really, founded in equal parts of respect and (I’m not alone in this; the thrill surrounding the Brady injury revealed what everyone who didn’t live in New England really thought).
So I’m thrilled to see the bloodless coaching of Eric Mangini replaced by Rex Ryan. In the end, the only way the Jets were ever going to beat the Pats wasn’t by imitating the “right way,” but instead by embracing the wrong way. I’m happy that Tom Brady is back under center, because Rex Ryan is going to see to it that he gets hit, whether or not he’s completing passes. I’m glad that Kerry Rhodes is talking, and while we’re at it: No, Anthony Smith is not a relevant example. Anthony Smith was a kid running his mouth; Kerry Rhodes has beaten Brady before, and can do it again. To beat this team, you either execute their plan better than they do (practically impossible over the last decade) or you create a plan that is so mean, so angry, and so fueled by passion that the wheels of their finely tuned machine come right off. When the Patriots were the evil empire, stomping around and winning by any means necessary, I was enthralled by this rivalry. Now that I’m rooting for the swaggering bully in this matchup, I have to say that it’s fun to be the bad guy.
I’m already late, so welcome back to the Hangover that lasted so bad that it came out on Tuesday. Enjoy…
- Did you see my boy El Guapo under center for the Jets yesterday? If you had told me that Mark Sanchez would commit only one costly error on the day for his entire first career start, I’d have been thrilled. If you’d told me that he’d have a throwing touchdown, I’d have been even happier. If you’d told me that he would look relaxed, make throws on the move (showing a remarkable ability to hit receivers while under pressure and off balance), and effectively compliment the stellar defense and the grinding, wear-you-down run game en route to a stomping of a talented Texans squad, I wouldn’t have believed you. Consider my disbelief suspended. We’re officially on pace for 16-0, and El Guapo could wind up being be the steal of the draft at the fifth pick.
- On the same note, kudos to Brian Schottenheimer for figuring out how to turn four solid pass catchers into a varied, unpredictable receiving corps. Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, and Neon Leon put up 18 receptions, with each catching at least four passes, and the three receivers (not RB Washington) gaining at least 60 yards a piece. Mark my words: It’s tougher to cover three solid receivers on an offense that distributes the ball evenly than it is to cover one, or even two stellar receivers.
- After watching Matt Schaub’s performance for the Texans, I went back to watch an episode of “House” where Foreman got “the yips”. It applies here. Matt Schaub has all of the physical and mental tools to be a great quarterback. The problem is that he’s been hurt twice over his tenure as the Texans quarterback, and both injuries resulted from the kind of questionable hits that happen when teams are devoted to intimidating a pocket passer. Yesterday, as soon as Schaub took one solid hit, his entire game fell apart, and unless he has a game that proves he hasn’t got the yips, he’ll lose his job to Rex Grossman by week eight. The booing fans know it, and worse still, Schaub knows it.
- The Titans will be just fine, despite a heartbreaking loss to the Steelers. First, there is no way Rob Bironas is blowing two kicks like that in another game, and either one wins it for the Titans in regulation. Second, the team appears to finally have found its much needed deep threat in Kenny Britt, giving them a mismatch nightmare for smaller defensive backfields (Britt stands 6’3”, and equally dangerous Justin Gage stands 6’4”). If everything works out, the Titans may have a fascinating “power receiving” game to compliment their brutal ground attack. After watching the rest of the division, this is still the team to beat in the AFC South.
- John Fox, described Jake Delhomme’s job security as “probably like the security of all of us.” I am officially building a panic room in my studio apartment. I’m pretty sure Fox just inadvertently raised the threat level.
- The McNabb injury is the worst thing that could happen to both the Eagles and Donovan McNabb. For the Eagles, it takes a Super Bowl contender and turns them into an also ran in what is shaping up to be a very, very difficult division. For McNabb, this means that the potential for discord surrounding his position begins starting next week, when former usurper Kevin Kolb likely gets the nod. Then, in week three, former Pro Bowl QB and comeback story of the year Michael Vick returns. Oh, and they just signed Jeff Garcia to fill the gap, coming off of two playoff seasons in his last two stints as a starting QB (Tampa Bay and the same Eagles to which he now returns). All of this means that unless McNabb returns in top form, and it seems unlikely that he will with this injury, he’s going to be holding off three rivals for his position in a year when most people believe that the passing game should dominate opponents. No way that ends poorly, right?
- I’m not prepared to say that the Dolphins were a fluke last year. What I will say is that considering how every other AFC East team has made at least one big change to make their teams significantly better than last year (yes, TO and the no-huddle offense count for the Bills), I wouldn’t be surprised if this team went from AFC East champs to worst in the division this year.
- Also, I’m prepared to pick the Falcons as my team to beat in the NFC. Strong running game, QB that takes advantage of defensive mismatches, an elite downfield threat, an emerging possession receiver (Michael Jenkins had 4 catches for 41 yards), and now a TE who is as good a pass catcher as any in the league make this offense as imposing as anyone they’ll see. If the defense continues to look as solid as it did, I’m not sure who is going to stun this team come December.
- Say what you will about that Broncos-Bengals finish, but the real culprit may not be luck, but instead the same kind of personnel stupidity that has crushed Cincy in the past. If safety Roy Williams is playing with the ball in front of him, like he should, instead of going for a largely unnecessary big hit on a receiver who was no longer a threat to catch the tipped pass, then he’s in position to stop Stokely in the middle of the field, and Kyle Orton has to quickly engineer a pass play after almost being picked off twice. That’s the same kind of idiotic, showy-but-stupid style that got Williams booted from the Cowboys, and somehow the Bengals thought he’d be the solution for their defensive woes. Forgive me if I’m less than sympathetic to that finish.
- You have to wonder if Eric Mangini doesn’t see even a shred of irony in losing to a team that has a solid running game, unspectacular receivers, and only asked Brett Favre to throw 21 passes while allowing their top flight ground game to carry the ball 32 times en route to controlling the ball for over 33 minutes. Excuse me while I replace the computer monitor I just punched repeatedly.
- Stop dumping on Brady Quinn, everybody. It was his first game as the official starter, and he has literally one receiver who can stretch defenses (and he hit him for what could have been a TD if Edwards’s feet and hands could both be coordinated at the same time). Throw in the fact that you’re playing from behind against an offense that is dominating the clock, and it’s not exactly the fairest sample to run with. He’ll get better as the season progresses, assuming Mangini doesn’t waffle on him like he did on Handsome Chad.
- I don’t care that you didn’t throw an INT, David Garrard; a 4.4 YPA average is as bad as anything not produced by Jake Delhomme. Maybe adding two washed up former first round picks wasn’t the answer to this team’s aerial woes last year, but it’s starting to look like getting rid of both Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, particularly after Jones had his best year as a pro, is what slams the door shut on this team finishing last in the AFC South.
- Without Anthony Gonzalez, the Colts are a possession receiver away from being able to hang with the elite teams in the AFC. They may have that target in Pierre Garcon, but for now I’m holding off on this being another surefire playoff season.
- Somewhere, Joey Harrington watched that Lions game and cried for Matt Stafford, whose defense forced him into a vertical shootout, and whose most reliable receiver (thanks to Megatron being blanketed all day) was running back Kevin Smith. Furthermore, first round pick TE Brandon Pettigrew didn’t get involved all day. Throw in a predictable offense (targeting Calvin Johnson 13 times is going to wind up getting a QB intercepted 3 times) and you’ve got all the ingredients for a confidence crusher heading into Minnesota. The shame is that, much like Harrington, I really like Stafford’s physical skill set, but if he’s forced into making bad decisions for the sake of saving a team that’s falling apart around him, he’s headed for a similar career trajectory.
- While I’ve never been a fan of the “addition by subtraction” mentality, the play of the Cowboys receivers on Sunday makes me wonder whether or not that team may be better off without former star WR Terrell Owens. Patrick Crayton got free for 4 catches and 135 yards (for a stupid 33.8 average per catch), Roy Williams looks capable of filling in a the number one wideout, and Miles Austin looked like a man possessed now that he’s finally got some playing time. If Romo really is able to distribute passes more freely, it’s hard not to like this offense better than any offense Dallas has shown up tot his point.
- That said, you can’t possibly be happy with a Dallas defense that let a mediocre Bucs offense (despite a snappy ground game and a finally emerging Michael Clayton) light them up for 21 points in addition to 174 yards on the ground. At some point, these guys are going to run into much stiffer NFC East defenses, and that won’t cut it against rushing offenses that are arguably better than anything they saw against the Bucs.
- One more note, Cadillac Williams is officially my favorite story of the season. He could blow his knee out next week, and he still deserves the comeback player of the year award after what he’s been through to come back like he did on Sunday.
- I don’t care if you won; Brody Croyle did that to you, Baltimore. You’ve brought the terms “quarterback controversy” and “Brody Croyle” together. Shame. On. You.
- I still loved what the Ravens did through the air, allowing Flacco to take advantage of holes in the KC secondary. This team finally seems ready to embrace its potential as a varied aerial offense. Now if they can find a way to do that without forgetting what made them great in the past (brutal defense, solid special teams, and a blistering run attack), this team could be one of the scariest in the AFC. Granted, that’s going to be like watching a man balance dishes on sticks, but since when was greatness supposed to be easy. Considering how bad the Steelers O-Line looked, don’t sleep on this being Baltimore’s year to take the division.
- Wow Jason Campbell loves to hold on to the ball for a long time. I could have raised a family in the time that he gave Osi Umenyiora to strip that fumble return for a TD. I thought Zorn was supposed to be installing a West Coast offense, with quick passes and multiple targets and such. Unless there are 4-5 plays with approximately 700 reads to go through, Campbell is doing something very wrong.
- Speaking of which, how can a team have that many receiving threats, including one of the better pass catching backs in the league, and still target Antwaan Randle El, Chris Cooley, and Alligator Arms Moss 22 times out of 26 attempts? Weak sauce, formerly exciting Redskins pass attack.
- Yes, after 2 INTs and a fumble, I do regret thinking the Kurt Warner led Cardinals weren’t in for a letdown. Still, that 49ers defense was much tougher than they got credit for last season, and if Vernon Davis has finally emerged as a legitimate receiving threat (5 catches for 40 yards is a good sign), then maybe what we need to take away from that game is that the NFC West is better than it has been in the last five years. The Cards still have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but the 49ers seem to have finally gotten their offense to catch up to their rapidly toughening defense. After all do you want to play a team with an aging but still good WR (Bruce), a top tier RB (Gore), a defensive middle (courtesy of Patrick Willis) that will kill you, and now a TE with the physical skills to stretch the field or kill you in the middle (Davis)? Hooray for bicoastal football!
- I say that with the belief that the Seahawks are for real this year. Despite two early miscues on offense (during a stretch in which Hassy seemed to be DELIBERATELY looking for double and triple coverage), the Seahawks seemed to settle into their attack, spreading the ball around to 8 different receiving targets (three of whom had six catches or more and at least 48 yards), and trusting Julius Jones to clean up when the Rams defense inevitably cheated on pass coverage (Jones lookes as impressive as he’s looked in his career picking up those 117 yards). If John Carlson is the real deal (and there’s no reason to doubt he is) and Deion Branch can either come back soon or be replaced by Deon Butler (and there’s only some reason to doubt he can), this offense looks scary. Meanwhile, the defense pummeled Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson into submission (5.3 YPA through the air, and just 67 yards surrendered on the ground), with the backup LB corps proving just as reliable as the injured starters. I like this team to win the NFC West, and I like them even more in an NFC that is lacking in interesting passing attacks. Most fun division in football. Calling it.
- Oh, and the Rams are not invited to the NFC West cool kids party in the parking lot. Julius Jones will even be smoking cigarettes, because even he’s cool again.
- MONDAY NIGHT BONUS ROUND (or “Zac’s Laziness Tax”):
- Is it just me, or could the Oakland Raiders be the second best team in the AFC West? I knew things were bad, but man. We’re already in a recession; America doesn’t need these guys reminding us how upside down our world has become.
- In all fairness, that defense wasn’t THAT bad last year, and the addition of Richard Seymour makes that front seven significantly more imposing, especially against a shaky division. If Russell can cool it on the picks (and one of those was in garbage time…the real problem is his inability to nail a deep out route), this team could be one of those squads that knocks out some significantly higher rated competition. All I know is that for the first time in a long time, the Raiders looked pissed off to be the raiders last night,
- Meanwhile, there is no competition: The Bills have the most heartbroken fan base. I don’t even know how they still feel. We’re lucky Buffalo isn’t crawling with Anton Chigurh types.
Cincinnati Bengals
This could be the most disappointing year the Bengals ever have. No, last year officially doesn’t count. Ryan Fitzpatrick was never built to throw to an offense of high power receivers, and the Bengals didn’t have a ground game until Cedric Benson flew in to save the day (I’m really surprised word didn’t spellcheck that whole clause). The point is that this team is better than what you saw last year. Just how much better depends on how deep this aerial attack really is. Believe it or not, the Bengals finished in the top half of defensive rankings (12), and a young defensive core building around corner Leon Hall and stud MLB Keith Rivers should continue to improve. The offense, however, needs to show some variety now that Carson Palmer is back to prove that, for the second time, he’s not quite dead yet.
In that sense, losing TJ Houshmandzadeh, the team’s most reliable receiver, might be for the best. Housh was always a number one receiver thrust into the number two slot, which created problems for ball distribution and narrowed the offensive vision (Todd Haley deserves credit for avoiding this problem in Arizona). Meanwhile, his replacement, Laveranues Coles (who is a personal favorite), was born to be the best number two receiver in football (number one speed, number two size and durability, and the grit to make any catch on the field). Chris Henry’s redemption story could very well end with him being the most underrated red zone target in the AFC, and don’t forget the Bengals have Andre Caldwell (underrated speed), Jerome Simpson (like Ochocinco but taller and not crazy) and Chase Coffman (their first true pass catching TE) in development. With all of these targets, it’s up to the coaching staff to effectively use a diversity of targets and Palmer’s cannon of an arm to speed down the field, covering for a lackluster pass blocking line and opening up the middle of the field for Cedric Benson to take advantage. Will it happen? Probably not, but as the rare team with both the receiving targets and elite quarterback to execute a truly stunning pass attack, it would be a shame for us to let the Bengals off of the hook simply because they’re “cursed”.
Cleveland Browns
I’ve said pretty much all I wanted to say on the matter, but this “hidden quarterback” fiasco is just another example of the problem with head coach (and former bane of my existence) Eric Mangini: The identity of the coach should never overwhelm the identity of the team he coaches, but rather should be one of several influences. Mangini doesn’t want us to know the star under center because, to him, only one star really matters, and that’s Eric Mangini.
But still, boo to these guys for getting rid of Kellen Winslow.
Baltimore Ravens
Walk with me for a minute as I tell you why this is not the Ravens team you’ve come to know and be bored by. In his rookie year, on an offense that was unquestionably run-first, and with question marks at receiver and on his offensive line, Joe Flacco finished only seven QB rating points lower than the highly touted Matt Ryan (who throws to top tier receiver Roddy White), with a completion rating just one percent lower (despite attempting only six fewer passes) and a higher YPA average than Donovan McNabb. Fast forward, and Flacco is entering his second year with an undeniably creative offensive coordinator (Cam Cameron’s stint in Miami was unfairly brutal, despite his deserving some blame), a running back that seems poised to have a monster year, and an offensive lineman who may be the best in the draft in Michael Oher. Oh, and don’t forget that just because the Ravens didn’t let Flacco show off his monster skills last season, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have them.
PS: Derrick Mason (yawn) would like to remind you (snooze) that he’s possible the most underrated receiver in the league (snore).
All of this is to say that despite being stuck in a division with the league’s best or second best team of the past decade, the Ravens have never backed down as challengers and have as good a chance this year as any to finally beat the Steelers, not by beating them at their own game but by reinventing what we think of when we think of Baltimore. All these years I’ve been calling for the Ravens to FREE TROY SMITH, and that’s essentially been a plea for them to stop imitating the team they want to be and start embracing the equally tough, and perhaps more interesting, team that they could be by combining violence with a little bit of flash. Screw it; trade Troy to a team that will give him a fair shake. FREE JOE FLACCO.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin is the new Bill Belichick. Inscrutable emotional palate (outside of being displeased)? Check. Brilliant, creative defensive schemes? Check. Willingness to trust his stars on offense to do their jobs without his interference? Check. Super Bowl ring by year two? You get the picture. Hell, in year two of his coaching career he managed to do what took Belichick five years as a head coach to accomplish, not to mention his predecessor, Bill Cowher, taking 13 years to do the same. Basically, Tomlin has constructed a defensive monster in which he can exchange players without great disturbance (remember Joey Porter? Neither does Tomlin), and yet he still has top tier talents playing for him (DE Aaron Smith is the best DE that never gets any press thanks to his 3-4 responsibilities). If all goes according to plan, Tomlin could not only mimick Belichick, but perhaps exceed the heights Darth Foxborough has reached.
But that forecast depends on Tomlin’s offense, as well as its famous, yet perhaps statistically underachieving, signal caller becoming the kind of well oiled machine that can compliment the defense by winning games on its own. The Steelers finished in the bottom half of the league in both passing and rushing yards per game, which simply won’t work in an AFC that welcomes back its offensive jewel (Brady) and may have found its prodigious aerial phenom of the future (Rivers). As such, Roethlisberger, Tomlin, and most importantly offensive coordinator Bruce Arians need to find a way to get their own offensive weapons (specifically Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, and the underutilized Limas Sweed) involved on a consistent basis. Unlike other teams in their division, the Steelers seem to have found exactly who they need to be to win; now it’s just a matter of making sure their team as a whole allows them to achieve an identity so strongly based on one part of the game.
APOLOGIES FOR THE LACK OF PICTURES, BLOGGER IS BEING STRANGE.
Sometimes, we at TiT make friends. Sometimes, they contribute. Almost never, it's good. Enjoy this from friend of the site and soon to be frequent contributor Julian, a lifelong Giants fan who still thinks that Eli contract is retarded.
To prevent your humble blogger’s obvious Giants bias, I’ve listed the teams in alphabetical order. You can see my predictions at the bottom.
· Cowboys
o The Good
1. Tony Romo healthy. Nobody in the draft cause they got Roy Williams. Trying to make sure Barber stays healthy, the cowboys have the new three-headed beast in the NFC East (rhyming is hard but fun) with Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice. Earth, Wind, and Fire are out. Step in Moe, Larry, and Curly (admittedly awful nickname, but the BeeGees weren’t doing it for me either).
o The Bad
1. They lost T.O. Is Patrick Crayton or Miles Austin a top 60 WR in the NFL (where you need to be to start for a franchise)? Is Roy Williams as good as T.O.? Is Terrence Newman really your go to shutdown option in the secondary? Can DeMarcus Ware carry an entire defense? The answer to all of these questions is no.
o The Ugly
1. Jason Witten is going to lead this team in receptions and receiving touchdowns as the tight-end. How many years did that work for the Chiefs? The answer is none. Tony Romo is great but he has to throw the ball to someone and the Cowboys have to bulk up on an aging defense that got no real help from the draft. Like so many unions in a recession, the Cowboys sold their future for the good not great Roy Williams. Just because you’re the NFL’s most valuable franchise does not make you a division winner or even a playoff team. Just ask the second most valuable NFL franchise, the Redskins.
· Eagles
o The Good
1. DeSean Jackson is on his way to being the next Steve Smith (the real Steve Smith) and with a much better QB than Smith ever had. Fast as lightning and only in his second year in the league, if he stops making dumb mental errors we could be looking at a perennial pro-bowler in the making. Both are boneheads, but Smith keeps it off the field. Despite all the noise from the some of the worst fans in sports, Donovan McNabb is one of the best QB’s in the league. And the addition of rookie RB and Brian Westbrook clone LeSean McCoy, and monster OT Jason Peters, should really improve the Eagles running game keep Westbrook healthy.
o The Bad
1. The addition of QB Michael Vick. That’s right; I said it. An offense that needs to add a gadget player (which is what Vick will be on team clearly led by Donovan McNabb), is a team that has consistently stunk in short yardage situations. Vick will be good and will contribute, but he can’t dominate the league suspended for 6 games and 10 plays, not touches, a game. Did I mention that Westbrook is injury prone and starting off this season with a pre-banged up ankle?
o The Ugly
1. The death of a football icon would hurt any team. There may have been no more valuable coordinator in the NFL than defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. All those blitzes you see currently taking over the NFL have been in the Eagles playbooks for years. Even the Giants won their 2007 system using Johnson’s system implemented by Steve Spagnolo, a Johnson acolyte and former Eagles coach. Will the Eagles be good? Sure. How will the defense hold up? For better or worse, it will be ugly.
· Giants
o The Good
1. Your Giants fan/humble blogger WAS really pumped about the Giants Defense this season. With the additions of pass rushing specialist and rookie LB Clint Sintim, LB/domestic abuser Michael Boley and DLinemen Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty, I thought the defense was going to be better than 2007. The secondary is actually somewhat experienced and middle-of-the-road with soon to be pro-bowler safety Kenny Philips. That’s all they need to be with a defensive front seven which could break the single season sack record. DE Osi Umenyiora, out the entirety of last season, may be the healthiest one of the bunch. Hampered all preseason by injuries, the depth which was supposed to be the team’s strength is the only thing keeping them alive as a possible division winner. As goes the defense’s health, will go the Giant’s record.
o The Bad
1. Remember what I said about the Cowboys WRs? Do the Giants wish they have someone as good as Roy Williams? The Giants may not have the worst receiving corps in the NFL but are definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel in the NFC East. While Mario Manningham or newly minted Hakeem Nicks may contribute this year, neither is going to become the #1 receiving target almost every team needs to get far in the playoffs.
o The Ugly
1. WR Ramses Barden, the 6’6” colossus rookie from Cal Poly, is on his way to becoming the #1 redzone target for Eli Manning. Until then, it’s the sure-handed but rather slow tight end Kevin Boss. These are the “weapons” defenses will have trouble shutting down in the endzone? While Ahmad Bradshaw should fill in nicely for Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs should see more carries this year and probably more injuries. This team will run all over you, and probably keep your QB on the ground. But the Giants were down in the Superbowl until one of the luckiest awesomest catches of all-time by the soon-to-be cut David Tyree and a redzone catch by Plaxico Burress. Who is making those catches this year? Sinorice Moss? Hixon? Steve Smith? Barden? Boss? Manningham? Bueller? Bueller?
· Redskins
o The Good
1. I live with a Redskins fan who will tell you this year is the Skins’ year (don’t they say that every year?). QB Jason Campbell is finally in a stable offense. RB Clinton Portis will be healthier and get some rest with the greater use of Ladell Betts in the backfield. And years of drafting WRs are on the cusp of paying off. This is all slightly true but mostly overblown. What makes this defense significantly better than last year is the addition of DT Albert Haynesworth (the fattest best DT in the league) and rookie DE Brian Orakpo. This in-and-out tandem are going to stuff the run in the backfield and breakdown pockets all year long.
o The Bad and The Ugly
1. These two are the same thing every year for the Redskins. In most other divisions they’d contend for a playoff spot and probably win double digit games (put these guys in the AFC or NFC West and they’re going 12-4 – I’ll bet lunch in the alternate dimension where this takes place and I’m wrong to anyone who builds the time machine to take me there). While always solid enough to hover around .500, this team never has that next level player to take the team on their back and get a playoff spot. Clinton Portis has tried to be that guy and done a fine job. When the Curse of the 30-year-old RB hits him, he’ll unfortunately only be able to look back at a bunch of .500ish seasons. Santana Moss is good and lightning fast, but he’s not special. Neither is Jason “this year is really his year” Campbell. Teams have won with worse QBs, but those teams either could run over teams regularly, which the Skins’ O-Line is not up to, or had a Defense for the ages like the 2007 NYGiants 2000 Ravens. The Redskins are good, but not great. Not bad but sort of ugly. I guess that’s what happens when you have one of the worst owners in sports. But at least it’s the second most valuable franchise in the NFL (See Cowboys for an explanation).
· Predictions
o Giants: 11-5 – (For you ATHF fans - GO G-Men!)
o Eagles: 10-6
o Cowboys: 9-7 (I hope punters hit that screen all season long cause that’s what Jerry Jones gets for being Jerry Jones. Ask a Cowboys fan; they’ll admit he’s kind of a dick)
o Redskins: 7-8-1 (The Skins are both good and bad enough to tie in a game this year).
In an effort to get ready before season three of Throwing Into Traffic (the charm!), we'll be going division by division with Premature Evals. Here, we tackle the NFC West. Enjoy. 
St. Louis Rams
I mentioned this before, but if there’s any team that will test the importance of the quarterback position it’s the Rams. Loaded to the gills with quality, borderline elite playmakers on offense, and boasting a defensive front that should be disruptive at worst and nightmarish at best, the team still has a glaring hold at signal caller, with Marc Bulger still grasping at the smoke and mirrors that used to be 2006. Still, at least he robbed the franchise for $62.5 million at the end of that year. In case you didn’t realize, I’m not enthralled by the Bulger Reclamation Project.
What does intrigue me, if only cautiously, is the presence of Kyle Boller on the sidelines. Despite being tossed aside by the Ravens, Boller has a physical skill set that makes Bulger’s look laughable, and with the offensive firepower the Rams already have around him (Avery will be back sooner than expected, Keenan Burton is a legitimate possession receiver, Randy McMichael is a gritty TE who can catch, and Steven Jackson is one healthy season away from reminding us that he was a versatile back before being a versatile back was cool). What the team needs is a game manager (cue yawns), and yet they’ve managed to leave themselves with a choice between a rookie (Keith Null), an incompetent victim of the yips who had two good years, and an incompetent backup with mutant strength. All things being equal, is it that crazy to give the ball to the guy with the physical gifts to reach all points, let Steven Jackson run the show, and see if Donnie Avery can’t get the jump on defenses one or two times a game? If the potential for failure is always there, shouldn’t spectacular failure be more palatable than the slow suffocation of Marc Bulger doing just enough to lose with good form?
And I just endorsed Kyle Boller. So much for plans of a happy return.
San Francisco 49ers
As much as I dislike the “hard nosed” football stereotype that Mike Singletary has preached from day one, his presence on the sidelines gives the 49ers something they haven’t had since Mike Nolan took over: A clear identity. Where most franchises attempt to make coaching hires that fill the perceived gaps on their team, Singletary seems to take everything the 49ers already do well and push them into either perfection or absurdity, depending on how it all plays out. Singletary wants to be run-first, and Frank Gore gives him the ability to do that with a surprising degree of burst and unpredictability (not to mention the promise that Glen Coffee has shown in a small sample size. Singletary’s defensive mindset should also emphasize the progress of a defense that was surprisingly stout against the run (13th in the league). Don’t even get me started on what this means for the continued development of LB Patrick Willis, who plays with an angry, hyperactive motor that is reminiscent of Singletary himself. Certainly, if the goal of any coaching staff is to make that which is good about a team great, Singletary would appear to be an inspired choice.
But what worries me is that the 49ers may be leaving behind some real talent simply because it doesn’t fit “the plan,” making Singletary’s plan not so much a fully realized identity than it is a narrow worldview. Alex Smith, now two years removed from a promising showing at QB, is all but buried behind the completely uninspired Shaun Hill. More importantly, the team, largely due to former offensive coordinator Mike Martz, has wasted the promise of Vernon Davis, who still has one of the most breathtaking athletic skill sets of any TE in the league. Emphasizing that which is good is, well, good, but not if it fails to see that there is good to be found where it has not yet been explicitly realized. Whether or not Singletary is willing to take that risk will determine whether or not this is another lost season for a franchise that once looked primed to make the leap back into relevance.
All that said, I’m proud of Singletary for taking a chance on rookie QB Nate Davis, who could calm my fears about Singletary and wind up being the anti-Alex Smith for all the right reasons (as well as some ironic wrong ones).
Seattle Seahawks
My “grizzled vets in need of redemption” radar was going crazy before the acquisition of RB Edgerrin James. At this point, I might be the only person outside of the Pacific Northwest making a point of watching Seahawks games. Housh finally free of the role of Ochocinco’s straight man? Julius Jones with Edge breathing down his neck? Deion Branch, a former Super Bowl MVP and once deemed worth trading a first round draft pick, fighting for his very career after surviving offseason rumors of being cut? Hell, I’m even pulling for Matt Hasselbeck, the perfect distributor for this varied aerial attack and a man who has legitimately seen both his health and legitimate achievements (ok, Super Bowl XL was a screwjob) stolen from him , to return to form (though we should never forget, FREE SENECA WALLACE). We’ve seen how a team of talented individuals, pushed to the brink of being scrapped, can respond with firepower once unseen (see: 2007 Giants). If you think the same thing can’t happen in a significantly weaker division, I’m not sure what to tell you. Enjoy your east coast bias at your own peril.
Perhaps most intriguing here is the mix of rough edged, gritty youth and veteran desperation. John Carlson, the best offensive rookie you never heard of last year, gives the aging bookends of the pass offense the freedom to find matchups by remaining a constant threat in the middle of the field. Angry DE Patrick Kerney and his 11 years experience are flanked by ends with no more than three years of experience and plenty of youthful physicality. Better still, the LB tandem of Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu now faces the pleasant dilemma of working rookie Aaron Curry, easily the draft’s most thrilling physical specimen and most solid all around defender, into an already frightening defensive scheme.
Certainly, there are huge question marks on this team (the pass rush, a leaky secondary, and the comedy routine of Julius Jones and Edge leap to mind), but none of that negates the genuine excitement I feel for a team whose need to succeed HERE and NOW is palpable. Besides, I seem to remember another team with a weak run game and pass defense but a dynamic pass attack and plenty of defensive athleticism doing pretty well last year…and they happened to have Edge on their roster, too.
Arizona Cardinals
Which brings us to the one team everyone thinks was a fluke. News flash: Kurt Warner was always really, really good, as was Larry Fitzgerald, as was Anquan Boldin, as was Darnell Dockett…and the list goes on. This team, and the undeniably talented individuals that compose it, were knocking on the door before last year’s stunning NFC Championship, and considering that many of the key pieces are still in place, I’m not sure why everyone is so certain they can’t once again air raid everyone to death. Hell, considering how spry Beanie Wells has looked, they may have even added a new dimension to one of the most formidable offenses in the league (second best in passing). Add to that a year of maturity to a young, athletic defense (Rodgers-Cromartie and Calais Campbell both showed potential to be great players on a defense that should be better under new management), and the only question appears to be the pink elephant that has been in the room even since last year: How long can a 38 year old who relies on quick reflexes possibly stay healthy, and what happens when he inevitably needs to take a few games off, or even retire?
So much depends, then, on whether or not Kurt Warner can hold up…or perhaps more realistically, on whether or not Matt Leinart believes this can still be his team. When he first arrived in 2006, Leinart was a cement footed rookie inheriting a team with no clear plan to succeed (the contribution of Whisenhunt to the team’s decision to focus on their strengths as a means of overcoming their weaknesses can’t be overemphasized). Collapsing under the weight of his own hype and unfair expectations, Leinart inevitably lost the QB competition to a well worn Kurt Warner, who was much better suited to thriving amid low expectations and has a quick release that more than compensated for similarly slow feet. But age is age, and sooner or later Warner is going to break down. If he were to suffer even a minor injury this year, Leinart could easily find himself carrying the Cardinals for a short, but important stretch. In a league where initial failure is usually the only failure you ever get a chance to show, Leinart is (either this year or in the near future) going to be asked to buck the system for the evaluation of offensive starters. Whether he embraces the freedom that such failure offers and sees that there is nothing left to fear, or lets it become his albatross will make all the difference as to whether last year was the arrival of prophetic vision or a fever dream.
