Looking Back at Last Week's Picks
RAVENS (-2.5) over Steelers (CORRECT = 1-0)
REDSKINS (-5.5) over Jaguars (CORRECT = 2-0)
GIANTS (+2.5) over Cardinals (WRONG = 2-1)
Saints (-6.5) over BROWNS (WRONG = 2-2)
TITANS (-2.5) over Cowboys (WRONG = 2-3)
BILLS (+1) over Dolphins (CORRECT = 3-3)
Patriots (-3) over VIKINGS (CORRECT = 4-3)
PANTHERS (-2.5) over Lions (CORRECT = 5-3)
BENGALS (-5.5) over Falcons (CORRECT = 6-3)
BUCCANEERS (-6) over Rams (WRONG = 6-4)
RAIDERS (+3) over Texans (WRONG = 6-5)
PACKERS (-8.5) over Jets (WRONG = 6-6)
Chiefs (+13) over BRONCOS (CORRECT = 7-6)
CHARGERS (+5) over Seahawks (CORRECT = 8-6)
Bears (+7) over 49ers (CORRECT = 9-6)
COLTS (-3) over Eagles (WRONG = 9-7)
Year-to-Date: 16-16
Power Rankings (Express Edition - for the bad teams at least)
32.) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2 = 27-75)
They stink. They will continue to stink for at least another year. This is the longest, slowest planned rebuild I have ever seen, and I really hope they don't subject Blake Bortles to that awful o-line in front of him.
31.) Oakland Raiders (0-2 = 28-49)
That double-fumble by James Jones was one of the most Raider-ish plays I have ever seen. That doesn't happen to normal teams, but that is probably not even in the Top-5 ridiculous plays that the Raiders franchise has had since 2003.
30.) New York Giants (0-2 = 28-60)
I'm done with the Giants. They just look short on talent. At what point do we question Jerry Reese's job? It always goes straight to Eli and Coughlin, but the rest of that roster has gotten worse and worse each year since their Super Bowl season.
29.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2 = 27-50)
They fought hard, but they just don't have the talent. Andy Reid can scheme that offense into being passable, but they don't have the weapons to consistently score in the red zone, and the defense will continue to get worse as they keep hemoragging talent.
28.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2 = 31-39)
I laugh at all the people who bought into this team this season. They are anyway building for 2-3 years for now, which is the right way to go. Still, has any franchise been the hot sleeper more times than the Buccaneers? They were the hot sleeper in 2010 (accurate), in 2012 when Schiano came in, and then even last year.
27.) St. Louis Rams (1-1 = 25-51)
Nice win, and Austin Davis looks oddly competent, but still that team has already lost too many players. They'll beat the bad teams they play, but I don't really trust Austin Davis and can see them dropping more of the winnable games than they have the last two seasons. I'll say this, Jeff Fisher has taken similarly constructed and talented teams to .500 or better.
26.) Tennessee Titans (1-1 = 36-36)
26-10 is a pretty odd score for a football game, right? Well, the Titans have played two games, each finishing 26-10. I've never seen a team look so good on the road one week and then so bad at home the next. I have no idea what to think of the Titans, which at least is an interesting step up than when we normally know exactly what the Titans are, perfectly mediocre.
25.) New York Jets (1-1 = 43-45)
From here through about #16, you can really interchange teams. The Jets didn't fluke their way to a 21-3 lead, but the way they blew it wasn't a fluke either. They got a ton of pressure early on Rodgers, and the coverage scheme held up for a bit, but neither was going to last forever and Rodgers took over in teh 2nd half. Timeout-gate cost them a chance to tie the game, but the Packers probably score on the next possession anyway.
24.) Houston Texans (2-0 = 47-20)
I'm still not really buying into this team. They played two bad teams (the Redskins with a gimpy RGIII are not good), and beat them. They also have gotten ridiculous fumble luck and luck in teh red zone on defense. Those things aren't really sustainable. They have an easy schedule, but I still don't think they are a team capable of making a real playoff push - unless the Colts really fall apart.
23.) Dallas Cowboys (1-1 = 43-38)
Good win for them. They escaped a lot of heat for that awful Week 1 performance due to the Rice issue, but the Cowboys still showed up. They're a strange team, capable of running the ball and shortening games to hide the defense, but through two games the defense is playing pretty well overall. I doubt it continues because the talent is just not there, but so far the Cowboys defense has been a pleasant surprise.
22.) Cleveland Browns (1-1 = 53-54)
Great win for the Browns. Another upset that was in no way a fluke. They outplayed the Saints. They forced the Saints to go short, which is far easier outdoors than indoors. They ran effortlessly through the Saints defense. They were the best team on that field by far. That defense is still a tad overrated in terms of its personnel, but Mike Pettine can scheme them very well. I think by the time Gordon comes back they'll be out of any serious contention, but he's a nice bright light at the end of this tunnel.
21.) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1 = 36-53)
Terrible performance by the Steelers. The offense played badly,but some of that was turnovers and Brown getting hurt for a bit. The defense was more worrying. Their passing game got absolutely no pressure on Joe Flacco. I hate to say it given what a mind he's been for so long, but I do think it is time for Dick LeBeau to quietly go sweetly into the night. Ben Roethlisberger deserves better than a defense that can't even handle any of the Ravens receivers.
20.) New Orleans Saints (0-2 = 58-63)
In a weird way, I'm actually more concerned about the offense. Now, Brees will probably have a patented 26-33 for 344 and 4 TD game against the Vikings in teh Superdome, but they have no deep passing game. Meachem won't cut it deep. Colston is too slow to go deep, and they seem committed to using Crooks as a short outlet. Maybe Kenny Stills returning changes this, but I have concerns about the offense to consistently score in even the mid-20's outdoors.
19.) Miami Dolphins (1-1 = 43-49)
Ryan Tannehill still has terrible pocket presence. I'm not sure what his o-line was drinking in Week 1 to dominate the Patriots and give him so much time, but that is the Tannehill I'm used to seeing. The defense also looked a little slow; granted the Bills are arguably a worse matchup for a team without starting LBs than the Patriots at this point. The Dolphins still have some potential, but for them that would hopefully be their worst performance of the year.
18.) Minnesota Vikings (1-1 = 41-36)
They had no chance in that game when Peterson was deactivated, and they actually didn't play all that badly... accept for Matt Cassel. He's not a good player. He's never been a good player. Can they move on? I think Bridgewater is generally overrated, but he's almost assuredly better than Matt Cassel. The Vikings could have come close to winning that game with even average QB play. Instead, that happened.
17.) Washington Redskins (1-1 = 47-27)
That was a dominant performance. The defense pass rush is real now that Kerrigan and Orakpo are healthy at the same time for the first time in years. The defense has some good talent. They have no depth, but as long as the starters stay healthy they should be OK. The bigger issue is the offense, which looked good on Sunday. The problem though is Cousins has shown that he is far better coming into games after they start after Griffin gets hurt than when he actually starts games from the outset.
16.) Atlanta Falcons (1-1 = 47-58)
Yes, that was a pathetic performance, and if not for a kicker they would have lost in incredibly embarrassing fashion, and yes White and Julio should never be shut down like that, and yes, they get absolutely no pass rush... but I still think this team is an outside Wild Card contender. As you will see further down, I think quite highly of the Cincinnati Bengals. Better teams have gone to Cincinnati in recent years and been outplayed tremendously. The Falcons have a good chance to get their mojo back at home Thursday Night.
15.) Buffalo Bills (2-0 = 52-30)
They should probably be higher, but there are just a lot of potentially good teams in the league right now. Their offense can be explosive, but a lot of that comes down to EJ Manuel's development. He is still a bit erratic on throws. Sammy Watkins looks like a star and Doug Marrone can really scheme offense. I feel at some point their lack of depth in the back-7 will get exposed, but Jim Schwartz has that Front-4 playing out of their mind right now.
14.) Indianapolis Colts (0-2 = 51-61)
I still think they'll win the division, though Houston's ridiculous 2008-Pats type schedule is worrying me. That offense needs to stick to one formation. They run all their plays seemingly from either three-wide or total heavy formations. Can you just go 3-1-1 or 2-2-1 and be done with it? The defense losing Arthur Jones hurts, but Pagano's schemes them well and the secondary guys are actually playing decently well. It would be helpful if they could stop screens.
13.) Chicago Bears (1-1 = 48-43)
Gutty win for the Bears, but they won't get 4 turnovers in each game. The run game looks pathetic right now, and Jeffery and Marshall may still boss around but they're very gimpy right now. The defense looks good but there is no depth at all. The Bears seem to have found another great turnover machine at CB with Fuller, which is nice given that the great career of Charles Tillman looks to be over.
12.) San Francisco 49ers (1-1 = 48-45)
Obviously that was bad Kaep. The run-game doesn't look right when it is anyone other than Frank Gore running (namely, Carlos Hyde), and Kaep is really forcing some throws. They'll continue to be stellar against the run, but without Aldon they're getting no pass rush at all, which is worrying. If they can tread water until Smith and potentially Bowman get back they can make a run, but blowing 17-point leads at home isn't a good way to start.
11.) Green Bay Packers (1-1 = 47-60)
Big win for the Packers, who would have faced real pressure for the first time since maybe late 2010 had they lost to the Jets and dropped to 0-2. They're schedule is brutal coming up, and while they have the talent in the form of Messers Rodgers, Nelson and Cobb to beat all those teams. The challenge begins this weekend, when they get a very good offense on the road in a dome. The Packers defense needs to step up.
10.) Baltimore Ravens (1-1 = 42-29)
Really impressed by their win. Now, I think the Steelers might be garbage, but Flacco looked comfortable in that offense. He was hitting his guys in stride, in time, and utilizing all the receivers well (even Owen Daniels, who looks reborn with Kubiak again). The Ravens still have no real run game, but the passing game might be good enough to whittle your way to 20 points. The defense looks very good, especially that front seven. I was wrong a week ago. They can still pound teams at home.
9.) Philadelphia Eagles (2-0 = 64-44)
Another good performance from a 'not getting too worried and straying from the plan' way, but the Eagles do have some issues. First, screens won't work on every team, and the receivers are still not on the same page enough with Foles. Then, the run-game isn't consistent. Finally, that defense still gets no pressure. That all said the scheme works and the secondary is pretty good.
8.) Detroit Lions (1-1 = 42-38)
The Lions could be a lot better, because to be honest they played the Panthers to a draw through three quarters.The defense will shut down any run game, and the pass rush has improved on the outside from last year. The offense still doesn't have a great plan B when Calvin isn't catching everything, but I like their use of the different players they have. The o-line has regressed a bit, but Stafford has leaned out and plays better on the move now. Very good team that gets a chance to prove it for real next week.
7.) San Diego Chargers (2-0 = 47-39)
No point of analyzing, I just want to state this: I've moved from hating Philip Rivers' guts a few years ago to absolutely loving him. That arrogant bastard was on full form last week. What a great player. He absolutely mocked that Legion of Boom. What a throwback game from both him and Antonio Gates. It's a lot more fun when they're doing that to the LOB than when they were doing it to the Colts all those years.
6.) New England Patriots (1-1 = 50-40)
Hard to really judge them from that game as it was over when the Peterson news broke, and really over when the Patriots got a blocked-Field Goal TD. Still, the defense played up to its high billing in that one. Let's see what they do against a real QB... the next of which they'll face in Week 5 (I don't know how much of a test Derek Carr will provide, and Alex Smith will be barely better than him or Cassel).
5.) Arizona Cardinals (2-0 = 43-31)
That defense is no joke. Their pass rush is definitely worse than last year when they don't blitz (Abraham coming back suddenly will help), but their secondary is good enough to hold up when they do blitz. Andre Ellington is still dynamic and Michael Floyd seems to have stepped up finally this season. The Cardinals went off a really short week to play a 1PM EST game and won easily. That was a perfect 'trap' game, and they passed that test.
4.) Carolina Panthers (2-0 = 44-21)
Only two teams have outscored their opponents by more than 2:1 so far. The first played two bad teams (Texans). The Panthers are the other, and they played a team on the road with their backup QB, and then played a team that looked really damn good in Week 1. Their defense is so good. Screens are basically useless against them, as is any pass within 10 yards. Cam looked solid in his first action, and the duo of Cotchery and Avant are doing a lot better than I thought. This team is for real.
3.) Seattle Seahawks (1-1 = 57-46)
You can't win all the games, I guess. I have to talk about Richard Sherman ducking the media after the loss. That's a punk move. You can't spout all that shit when you win and then clam up when you lose. He didn't play terribly, but Keenan Allen did pown him a couple times. The real goat was the guy who is probably the most overrated on that defense in Kam Chancellor. Gates played him like a fiddle.
2.) Denver Broncos (2-0 = 55-41)
Sure, they blew big leads in both games, but they still haven't trailed in the 2nd half, and the Defense has played well when it mattered. Von Miller also looked a lot better in Week 2. They remind me a lot of the 2006 Colts (aside from not having a historically bad run defense), where Manning barely sees the field but is ridiculously good when on the field. He's quietly been by far the best QB in the NFL through two games... again.
1.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0 = 47-26)
Yeah, they're my new top team. The Falcons offense was the best in the league in Week 1, running up and down the field for over 500 yards (still the only team to cross that through two weeks). Matt Ryan had a ridiculously good game. The Bengals defense made them look amateurish. The Bengals offense has issues in the red zone, but the o-line is giving Dalton all the time in the world. The Bengals are playing really well right now. Their real next test will be Week 5 SNF at New England. Already can't wait.
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
16.) Houston Texans (2-0) @ New York Giants (0-2) (1:00 - CBS)
15.) Oakland Raiders (0-2) @ New England Patriots (1-1) (1:00 - CBS)
14.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) @ Miami Dolphins (1-1) (4:25 - CBS)
13.) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) @ St. Louis Rams (1-1) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "The Patented 4-Terrible Games" Sunday, as none of these games seem interesting at all. The Texans and Giants play in a game pitting two boring teams. The Raiders are entering a slaughtering in New England. The Chiefs look to show a pulse in 100 degree weather when they're already down 15 players, and the Cowboys play in a soulless dome that for once isn't their own soulless dome.
12.) Indianapolis Colts (0-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) (1:00 - CBS)
11.) Minnesota Vikings (1-1) @ New Orleans Saints (0-2) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "Are You Alive?, Sunday", as the Colts and Saints look to stay alive for the 2014 season. Honestly, if the Colts are even close to losing this game, just write them off. They should be able to smack the Jaguars around much like the Redskins did. For the Saints, if they don't win by 30, then give up on them as well, especially if Peterson is not playing once again.
10.) Tennessee Titans (1-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) (1:00 - FOX)
9.) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) @ Carolina Panthers (2-0) (SNF - NBC)
I call it "Pretenders are Exposed by Contenders" Sunday, as the Titans and Steelers go on the road after their terrible Week 2 losses that followed their Week 1 wins. The Bengals and Panthers are two of my Top-5 teams in teh NFL, and both are really good at home. The Bengals are undefeated in their last 11 regular season home games, most of the blowout variety. The Panthers lost their first home game last year and have won the next 8, most by the 'hold the opposing offense to 10 or less points' variety. Seeing that Panthers defense at home at night is already worth the price of admission. Seeing the sad-sack Steelers pushes the game down, though.
8.) Baltimore Ravens (1-1) @ Cleveland Browns (1-1) (1:00 - CBS)
7.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (1-1) (TNF - CBS)
6.) Washington Redskins (1-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "Division Battles that Could Tell Us Stuff" Sunday, as all three are division matchups featuring teams, apart from Philadelphia, who are probably going to battle for wild-cards. The Redskins looked amazing in Week 2, so there is at least an interest to see if they can really challenge the Eagles or not. The Ravens and Browns is suddenly a really nice Week 3 game in Cleveland, as the Browns have a chance for two-straight big wins. The Bucs have a chance to play in primetime, which is a nice treat for them. Not as nice of a treat: playing the QB with the best home-record ever.
5.) San Diego Chargers (1-1) @ Buffalo Bills (2-0) (1:00 - CBS)
4.) Chicago Bears (1-1) @ New York Jets (1-1) (MNF - ESPN)
I call it "Sometimes, it is just a fun matchup" Sunday and Monday, as neither of these two games have really built in storylines, but are just interesting tactical matchups. How does the reborn Charger defense handle that offense? Can Rivers play well on the road against that pass rush? Can Rex scheme his way against another top-offense personnel? Can Geno play well against a bad defense at home in primetime?
3.) Green Bay Packers (1-1) @ Detroit Lions (1-1) (1:00 - FOX)
2.) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (2-0) (4:05 - FOX)
I call it "Can You Beat-Up the Bully?" Sunday, as the Lions and Cardinals get a chance to prove themselves early as top-contenders for the playoffs/division. The Lions haven't beaten a Rodgers-led Packers team since 2010, but get the chance here against a Packers team that is really still finding itself. The Cardinals game is more interesing, though. The Cardinals defense is still playing excellent, and if Kaepernick is as loose with the ball again he'll throw another three picks. The 49ers are feeling a little heat after a really disappointing loss and this will be a tough environment.
1.) Denver Broncos (2-0) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-1) (4:25 - CBS)
I call it "Can the Broncos get within 20 this time?" Sunday, as we get our first Super Bowl rematch in the following regular season since the Packers beat up on the Patriots in 1997. The Broncos are definitely better set to beat the Seahawks this time, and the Seahawks don't look as invincible. Still, the Seahawks will be jacked up given their relative undressing last weekend, and Manning and Co. will have to bring it. I do think it will be a LOT closer this time around, despite them entering the Hawks' nest.
RAVENS (-2.5) over Steelers (CORRECT = 1-0)
REDSKINS (-5.5) over Jaguars (CORRECT = 2-0)
GIANTS (+2.5) over Cardinals (WRONG = 2-1)
Saints (-6.5) over BROWNS (WRONG = 2-2)
TITANS (-2.5) over Cowboys (WRONG = 2-3)
BILLS (+1) over Dolphins (CORRECT = 3-3)
Patriots (-3) over VIKINGS (CORRECT = 4-3)
PANTHERS (-2.5) over Lions (CORRECT = 5-3)
BENGALS (-5.5) over Falcons (CORRECT = 6-3)
BUCCANEERS (-6) over Rams (WRONG = 6-4)
RAIDERS (+3) over Texans (WRONG = 6-5)
PACKERS (-8.5) over Jets (WRONG = 6-6)
Chiefs (+13) over BRONCOS (CORRECT = 7-6)
CHARGERS (+5) over Seahawks (CORRECT = 8-6)
Bears (+7) over 49ers (CORRECT = 9-6)
COLTS (-3) over Eagles (WRONG = 9-7)
Year-to-Date: 16-16
Power Rankings (Express Edition - for the bad teams at least)
32.) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2 = 27-75)
They stink. They will continue to stink for at least another year. This is the longest, slowest planned rebuild I have ever seen, and I really hope they don't subject Blake Bortles to that awful o-line in front of him.
31.) Oakland Raiders (0-2 = 28-49)
That double-fumble by James Jones was one of the most Raider-ish plays I have ever seen. That doesn't happen to normal teams, but that is probably not even in the Top-5 ridiculous plays that the Raiders franchise has had since 2003.
30.) New York Giants (0-2 = 28-60)
I'm done with the Giants. They just look short on talent. At what point do we question Jerry Reese's job? It always goes straight to Eli and Coughlin, but the rest of that roster has gotten worse and worse each year since their Super Bowl season.
29.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2 = 27-50)
They fought hard, but they just don't have the talent. Andy Reid can scheme that offense into being passable, but they don't have the weapons to consistently score in the red zone, and the defense will continue to get worse as they keep hemoragging talent.
28.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2 = 31-39)
I laugh at all the people who bought into this team this season. They are anyway building for 2-3 years for now, which is the right way to go. Still, has any franchise been the hot sleeper more times than the Buccaneers? They were the hot sleeper in 2010 (accurate), in 2012 when Schiano came in, and then even last year.
27.) St. Louis Rams (1-1 = 25-51)
Nice win, and Austin Davis looks oddly competent, but still that team has already lost too many players. They'll beat the bad teams they play, but I don't really trust Austin Davis and can see them dropping more of the winnable games than they have the last two seasons. I'll say this, Jeff Fisher has taken similarly constructed and talented teams to .500 or better.
26.) Tennessee Titans (1-1 = 36-36)
26-10 is a pretty odd score for a football game, right? Well, the Titans have played two games, each finishing 26-10. I've never seen a team look so good on the road one week and then so bad at home the next. I have no idea what to think of the Titans, which at least is an interesting step up than when we normally know exactly what the Titans are, perfectly mediocre.
25.) New York Jets (1-1 = 43-45)
From here through about #16, you can really interchange teams. The Jets didn't fluke their way to a 21-3 lead, but the way they blew it wasn't a fluke either. They got a ton of pressure early on Rodgers, and the coverage scheme held up for a bit, but neither was going to last forever and Rodgers took over in teh 2nd half. Timeout-gate cost them a chance to tie the game, but the Packers probably score on the next possession anyway.
24.) Houston Texans (2-0 = 47-20)
I'm still not really buying into this team. They played two bad teams (the Redskins with a gimpy RGIII are not good), and beat them. They also have gotten ridiculous fumble luck and luck in teh red zone on defense. Those things aren't really sustainable. They have an easy schedule, but I still don't think they are a team capable of making a real playoff push - unless the Colts really fall apart.
23.) Dallas Cowboys (1-1 = 43-38)
Good win for them. They escaped a lot of heat for that awful Week 1 performance due to the Rice issue, but the Cowboys still showed up. They're a strange team, capable of running the ball and shortening games to hide the defense, but through two games the defense is playing pretty well overall. I doubt it continues because the talent is just not there, but so far the Cowboys defense has been a pleasant surprise.
22.) Cleveland Browns (1-1 = 53-54)
Great win for the Browns. Another upset that was in no way a fluke. They outplayed the Saints. They forced the Saints to go short, which is far easier outdoors than indoors. They ran effortlessly through the Saints defense. They were the best team on that field by far. That defense is still a tad overrated in terms of its personnel, but Mike Pettine can scheme them very well. I think by the time Gordon comes back they'll be out of any serious contention, but he's a nice bright light at the end of this tunnel.
21.) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1 = 36-53)
Terrible performance by the Steelers. The offense played badly,but some of that was turnovers and Brown getting hurt for a bit. The defense was more worrying. Their passing game got absolutely no pressure on Joe Flacco. I hate to say it given what a mind he's been for so long, but I do think it is time for Dick LeBeau to quietly go sweetly into the night. Ben Roethlisberger deserves better than a defense that can't even handle any of the Ravens receivers.
20.) New Orleans Saints (0-2 = 58-63)
In a weird way, I'm actually more concerned about the offense. Now, Brees will probably have a patented 26-33 for 344 and 4 TD game against the Vikings in teh Superdome, but they have no deep passing game. Meachem won't cut it deep. Colston is too slow to go deep, and they seem committed to using Crooks as a short outlet. Maybe Kenny Stills returning changes this, but I have concerns about the offense to consistently score in even the mid-20's outdoors.
19.) Miami Dolphins (1-1 = 43-49)
Ryan Tannehill still has terrible pocket presence. I'm not sure what his o-line was drinking in Week 1 to dominate the Patriots and give him so much time, but that is the Tannehill I'm used to seeing. The defense also looked a little slow; granted the Bills are arguably a worse matchup for a team without starting LBs than the Patriots at this point. The Dolphins still have some potential, but for them that would hopefully be their worst performance of the year.
18.) Minnesota Vikings (1-1 = 41-36)
They had no chance in that game when Peterson was deactivated, and they actually didn't play all that badly... accept for Matt Cassel. He's not a good player. He's never been a good player. Can they move on? I think Bridgewater is generally overrated, but he's almost assuredly better than Matt Cassel. The Vikings could have come close to winning that game with even average QB play. Instead, that happened.
17.) Washington Redskins (1-1 = 47-27)
That was a dominant performance. The defense pass rush is real now that Kerrigan and Orakpo are healthy at the same time for the first time in years. The defense has some good talent. They have no depth, but as long as the starters stay healthy they should be OK. The bigger issue is the offense, which looked good on Sunday. The problem though is Cousins has shown that he is far better coming into games after they start after Griffin gets hurt than when he actually starts games from the outset.
16.) Atlanta Falcons (1-1 = 47-58)
Yes, that was a pathetic performance, and if not for a kicker they would have lost in incredibly embarrassing fashion, and yes White and Julio should never be shut down like that, and yes, they get absolutely no pass rush... but I still think this team is an outside Wild Card contender. As you will see further down, I think quite highly of the Cincinnati Bengals. Better teams have gone to Cincinnati in recent years and been outplayed tremendously. The Falcons have a good chance to get their mojo back at home Thursday Night.
15.) Buffalo Bills (2-0 = 52-30)
They should probably be higher, but there are just a lot of potentially good teams in the league right now. Their offense can be explosive, but a lot of that comes down to EJ Manuel's development. He is still a bit erratic on throws. Sammy Watkins looks like a star and Doug Marrone can really scheme offense. I feel at some point their lack of depth in the back-7 will get exposed, but Jim Schwartz has that Front-4 playing out of their mind right now.
14.) Indianapolis Colts (0-2 = 51-61)
I still think they'll win the division, though Houston's ridiculous 2008-Pats type schedule is worrying me. That offense needs to stick to one formation. They run all their plays seemingly from either three-wide or total heavy formations. Can you just go 3-1-1 or 2-2-1 and be done with it? The defense losing Arthur Jones hurts, but Pagano's schemes them well and the secondary guys are actually playing decently well. It would be helpful if they could stop screens.
13.) Chicago Bears (1-1 = 48-43)
Gutty win for the Bears, but they won't get 4 turnovers in each game. The run game looks pathetic right now, and Jeffery and Marshall may still boss around but they're very gimpy right now. The defense looks good but there is no depth at all. The Bears seem to have found another great turnover machine at CB with Fuller, which is nice given that the great career of Charles Tillman looks to be over.
12.) San Francisco 49ers (1-1 = 48-45)
Obviously that was bad Kaep. The run-game doesn't look right when it is anyone other than Frank Gore running (namely, Carlos Hyde), and Kaep is really forcing some throws. They'll continue to be stellar against the run, but without Aldon they're getting no pass rush at all, which is worrying. If they can tread water until Smith and potentially Bowman get back they can make a run, but blowing 17-point leads at home isn't a good way to start.
11.) Green Bay Packers (1-1 = 47-60)
Big win for the Packers, who would have faced real pressure for the first time since maybe late 2010 had they lost to the Jets and dropped to 0-2. They're schedule is brutal coming up, and while they have the talent in the form of Messers Rodgers, Nelson and Cobb to beat all those teams. The challenge begins this weekend, when they get a very good offense on the road in a dome. The Packers defense needs to step up.
10.) Baltimore Ravens (1-1 = 42-29)
Really impressed by their win. Now, I think the Steelers might be garbage, but Flacco looked comfortable in that offense. He was hitting his guys in stride, in time, and utilizing all the receivers well (even Owen Daniels, who looks reborn with Kubiak again). The Ravens still have no real run game, but the passing game might be good enough to whittle your way to 20 points. The defense looks very good, especially that front seven. I was wrong a week ago. They can still pound teams at home.
9.) Philadelphia Eagles (2-0 = 64-44)
Another good performance from a 'not getting too worried and straying from the plan' way, but the Eagles do have some issues. First, screens won't work on every team, and the receivers are still not on the same page enough with Foles. Then, the run-game isn't consistent. Finally, that defense still gets no pressure. That all said the scheme works and the secondary is pretty good.
8.) Detroit Lions (1-1 = 42-38)
The Lions could be a lot better, because to be honest they played the Panthers to a draw through three quarters.The defense will shut down any run game, and the pass rush has improved on the outside from last year. The offense still doesn't have a great plan B when Calvin isn't catching everything, but I like their use of the different players they have. The o-line has regressed a bit, but Stafford has leaned out and plays better on the move now. Very good team that gets a chance to prove it for real next week.
7.) San Diego Chargers (2-0 = 47-39)
No point of analyzing, I just want to state this: I've moved from hating Philip Rivers' guts a few years ago to absolutely loving him. That arrogant bastard was on full form last week. What a great player. He absolutely mocked that Legion of Boom. What a throwback game from both him and Antonio Gates. It's a lot more fun when they're doing that to the LOB than when they were doing it to the Colts all those years.
6.) New England Patriots (1-1 = 50-40)
Hard to really judge them from that game as it was over when the Peterson news broke, and really over when the Patriots got a blocked-Field Goal TD. Still, the defense played up to its high billing in that one. Let's see what they do against a real QB... the next of which they'll face in Week 5 (I don't know how much of a test Derek Carr will provide, and Alex Smith will be barely better than him or Cassel).
5.) Arizona Cardinals (2-0 = 43-31)
That defense is no joke. Their pass rush is definitely worse than last year when they don't blitz (Abraham coming back suddenly will help), but their secondary is good enough to hold up when they do blitz. Andre Ellington is still dynamic and Michael Floyd seems to have stepped up finally this season. The Cardinals went off a really short week to play a 1PM EST game and won easily. That was a perfect 'trap' game, and they passed that test.
4.) Carolina Panthers (2-0 = 44-21)
Only two teams have outscored their opponents by more than 2:1 so far. The first played two bad teams (Texans). The Panthers are the other, and they played a team on the road with their backup QB, and then played a team that looked really damn good in Week 1. Their defense is so good. Screens are basically useless against them, as is any pass within 10 yards. Cam looked solid in his first action, and the duo of Cotchery and Avant are doing a lot better than I thought. This team is for real.
3.) Seattle Seahawks (1-1 = 57-46)
You can't win all the games, I guess. I have to talk about Richard Sherman ducking the media after the loss. That's a punk move. You can't spout all that shit when you win and then clam up when you lose. He didn't play terribly, but Keenan Allen did pown him a couple times. The real goat was the guy who is probably the most overrated on that defense in Kam Chancellor. Gates played him like a fiddle.
2.) Denver Broncos (2-0 = 55-41)
Sure, they blew big leads in both games, but they still haven't trailed in the 2nd half, and the Defense has played well when it mattered. Von Miller also looked a lot better in Week 2. They remind me a lot of the 2006 Colts (aside from not having a historically bad run defense), where Manning barely sees the field but is ridiculously good when on the field. He's quietly been by far the best QB in the NFL through two games... again.
1.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0 = 47-26)
Yeah, they're my new top team. The Falcons offense was the best in the league in Week 1, running up and down the field for over 500 yards (still the only team to cross that through two weeks). Matt Ryan had a ridiculously good game. The Bengals defense made them look amateurish. The Bengals offense has issues in the red zone, but the o-line is giving Dalton all the time in the world. The Bengals are playing really well right now. Their real next test will be Week 5 SNF at New England. Already can't wait.
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
16.) Houston Texans (2-0) @ New York Giants (0-2) (1:00 - CBS)
15.) Oakland Raiders (0-2) @ New England Patriots (1-1) (1:00 - CBS)
14.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) @ Miami Dolphins (1-1) (4:25 - CBS)
13.) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) @ St. Louis Rams (1-1) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "The Patented 4-Terrible Games" Sunday, as none of these games seem interesting at all. The Texans and Giants play in a game pitting two boring teams. The Raiders are entering a slaughtering in New England. The Chiefs look to show a pulse in 100 degree weather when they're already down 15 players, and the Cowboys play in a soulless dome that for once isn't their own soulless dome.
12.) Indianapolis Colts (0-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) (1:00 - CBS)
11.) Minnesota Vikings (1-1) @ New Orleans Saints (0-2) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "Are You Alive?, Sunday", as the Colts and Saints look to stay alive for the 2014 season. Honestly, if the Colts are even close to losing this game, just write them off. They should be able to smack the Jaguars around much like the Redskins did. For the Saints, if they don't win by 30, then give up on them as well, especially if Peterson is not playing once again.
10.) Tennessee Titans (1-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) (1:00 - FOX)
9.) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) @ Carolina Panthers (2-0) (SNF - NBC)
I call it "Pretenders are Exposed by Contenders" Sunday, as the Titans and Steelers go on the road after their terrible Week 2 losses that followed their Week 1 wins. The Bengals and Panthers are two of my Top-5 teams in teh NFL, and both are really good at home. The Bengals are undefeated in their last 11 regular season home games, most of the blowout variety. The Panthers lost their first home game last year and have won the next 8, most by the 'hold the opposing offense to 10 or less points' variety. Seeing that Panthers defense at home at night is already worth the price of admission. Seeing the sad-sack Steelers pushes the game down, though.
8.) Baltimore Ravens (1-1) @ Cleveland Browns (1-1) (1:00 - CBS)
7.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (1-1) (TNF - CBS)
6.) Washington Redskins (1-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) (1:00 - FOX)
I call it "Division Battles that Could Tell Us Stuff" Sunday, as all three are division matchups featuring teams, apart from Philadelphia, who are probably going to battle for wild-cards. The Redskins looked amazing in Week 2, so there is at least an interest to see if they can really challenge the Eagles or not. The Ravens and Browns is suddenly a really nice Week 3 game in Cleveland, as the Browns have a chance for two-straight big wins. The Bucs have a chance to play in primetime, which is a nice treat for them. Not as nice of a treat: playing the QB with the best home-record ever.
5.) San Diego Chargers (1-1) @ Buffalo Bills (2-0) (1:00 - CBS)
4.) Chicago Bears (1-1) @ New York Jets (1-1) (MNF - ESPN)
I call it "Sometimes, it is just a fun matchup" Sunday and Monday, as neither of these two games have really built in storylines, but are just interesting tactical matchups. How does the reborn Charger defense handle that offense? Can Rivers play well on the road against that pass rush? Can Rex scheme his way against another top-offense personnel? Can Geno play well against a bad defense at home in primetime?
3.) Green Bay Packers (1-1) @ Detroit Lions (1-1) (1:00 - FOX)
2.) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (2-0) (4:05 - FOX)
I call it "Can You Beat-Up the Bully?" Sunday, as the Lions and Cardinals get a chance to prove themselves early as top-contenders for the playoffs/division. The Lions haven't beaten a Rodgers-led Packers team since 2010, but get the chance here against a Packers team that is really still finding itself. The Cardinals game is more interesing, though. The Cardinals defense is still playing excellent, and if Kaepernick is as loose with the ball again he'll throw another three picks. The 49ers are feeling a little heat after a really disappointing loss and this will be a tough environment.
1.) Denver Broncos (2-0) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-1) (4:25 - CBS)
I call it "Can the Broncos get within 20 this time?" Sunday, as we get our first Super Bowl rematch in the following regular season since the Packers beat up on the Patriots in 1997. The Broncos are definitely better set to beat the Seahawks this time, and the Seahawks don't look as invincible. Still, the Seahawks will be jacked up given their relative undressing last weekend, and Manning and Co. will have to bring it. I do think it will be a LOT closer this time around, despite them entering the Hawks' nest.
