NFL RECAP – WEEK FIVE
STATE OF THE GAME
Many watchful eyes are on the
new crop of NFL quarterbacks. The five
rookie starters bring a fresh look to a league where some of the premier faces
of the game are in the second half of their careers. These young talents need to carry the game
when the likes of Manning, Brady, and Brees are no longer putting up pinball
stats.
But what is the real status
of quarterback play in the NFL? We hear
the talent pool is high. We hear that
the college game produces more NFL-ready young professionals. That all sounds good, but if we look past the
five new guys for now, which teams still struggle with the guy under center?
Arizona Oakland NY Jets
St Louis Kansas City Buffalo
Tampa Bay Buffalo Jacksonville
A more cynical person might
also add Dallas, Chicago, and Philadelphia to the list. So while this year’s young guys (and Weeden)
should bring a long-term talent lift to the league, the colleges will need to
keep producing to improve the quality of play at the most important position in
sports.
5-10 MUSINGS FROM THE GAMES
This Could be Scary
For the second straight week
the Patriots rushed for over 200 yards.
Granted, the Bills and the Broncos didn’t resist much. Still, the duo of Ridley and Bolden (and
throw in a little Woodhead) gives the Pats a dimension they really haven’t had
through all their years of excellence.
The passing game looks as formidable as ever. The biggest problem New England will have is
finding ways to play with all the offensive toys.
Get Off the Field
The Bronco defense allowed
New England to convert 11 of 17 third down situations. New England converted on a third and fourteen
deep in their own territory. They
converted on third and seventeen with a running play. The Broncos offense has very little margin
for error against good teams because the Bronco defense cannot give them
possessions.
In their three losses the
Broncos have scored two first half touchdowns and faced double-digit halftime
deficits in each game. The Broncos
offense has scored six late touchdowns in these three games after trailing by 20
points or more to make the games look closer than they were.
In reality, the Bronco defense has not given the Bronco offense any
cushion to overcome mistakes. The Bronco
offense has largely registered meaningless points against teams protecting big
leads.
Jags Depths Reach New Heights
So there you are at EverBank
Field in Jacksonville on Sunday. The
Gags play a boring first half but come out for the second half kickoff tied 3-3
with the Bears. Flash forward two
quarters and the Jags have the short stick in a 41-3 loss.
As the year progresses the
Jags seek to cement their spot as the worst and least watchable team in the
NFL, maybe in the three major sports (And I live where the Colorado Rockies
allegedly play professional baseball).
The Bears went on a 38-0 second half run. The Jags mustered 200 yards of total
offense. Blaine Gabbert did throw for
two touchdowns – to Chicago. You get the
idea. When do the Jags move to London?
What Did You think would Happen?
Sonny Crockett uttered that
line in a Miami Vice episode when a manipulative office assistant got her boss
in the crosshairs of a drug cartel.
I like the line for its
general premise that we should not be surprised when people in dangerous
situations suffer harm. I utter that line
today to the Coaches Shanahan in light of the perma danger they court for
RG3. I understand RG3 is exciting. I understand his wheels are a big part of his
game. However, the swashbuckling devil
may care style that the Washington offense has employed thus far makes RG3 an
endangered species. The Redskins have
glimpsed promise for the first time in years. They need to find a way to
package RG3’s skills in a more protective package. I said to myself when RG3 suffered a
concussion on a vicious sideline hit in the game against the Falcons: “What did
the Shanahans think would happen?”
One Man Wrecking Crew
He leads the NFL with 8.5
sacks. He yanks down ball carriers that
venture into his domain. He seems to
deflect or bat down half of the balls quarterbacks try to throw over his side
of the line of scrimmage. J.J. Watts of
the Texans is by far the most impressive defensive player I have seen this
year. He impacts a game in many
different dimensions. The Texans have
drafted well. Watts’s play allowed the
Texans to let Mario Williams go, save a ton of money, and maintain a top-flight
defense.
Call Me Elite…. Pleassssseeeeee.
Color me over with all the
little insecure quarterbacks running around looking for somebody to anoint them
as an “elite” signal caller. Joe Flacco
is the latest “E” seeker to get under my skin.
Who is an elite quarterback? Like
pornography or a pretty woman, I know it when I see it. Joe, you are trying too hard. Is it just me, or would an elite quarterback
have found a way to put up a touchdown against the Kansas Chiefs? The Chiefs gave up 32 points a game in their
first four contests against the likes of Brees, Ryan, Rivers, and the immortal
Ryan Fiztpatrick. Joe, shut up and score
some points.
Psst – nobody asks whether
Tom Brady is an elite QB. You just
know. If you have to ask, the answer is
no.
Forty-Eight with a bullet
Congratulations to Drew Brees
for breaking one of the oldest NFL passing Records: Johnny U’s 47 consecutive games with a TD
pass. Brees set the new standard Sunday
night. For good measure he tossed four
TDs as the Saints came from behind to beat the Chargers. I love irony.
So I love that Drew Brees set the record against the San Diego Chargers
and Philip Rivers. The Chargers
discarded Brees at the end of the 2005 season to make room for Rivers. Rivers is a fine quarterback. Brees is a folk hero in New Orleans and a
Super Bowl winner. Advantage Brees.
WEEKLY AWARDS
MVP
The Indianapolis Colts gave
us one of those win for the Gipper moments yesterday. They rallied from a 21-3 deficit to defeat
the Packers 30-27. What a great “our
thoughts are with you card” to Joe Pagano.
Pagano, in his first season as the coach in Indy left the team this week
to begin treatment for leukemia. Reggie
Wayne and Andrew Luck were spectacular in the second half. Luck passed for 362 yards. Wayne caught 13 passes for 212 yards. Wayne is an old pro and Luck looked like
one. They are my co MVPs for the week.
EL BUSTO
The Arizona Cardinals matched
a little bit of history (or infamy) on Thursday night. The St Louis Rams sacked Cardinal QB Kevin
Kolb nine times. The Cardinals thus
became the first team in a decade to allow eight or more sacks in consecutive
games. Yes, Kevin Kolb holds the ball a
Rob Johnson-like period of time. Still,
that is a lot of sacks. Cardinal O Line
takes home the Busto this week.
SURPRISE-SURPRISE-SURPRISE
The Jim Neighbors award goes
to the NY Giants running attack. The G
men had the worst ground game in the league last year. I know, who cares, they still won the Super
Bowl. Yeah, yeah. Still, a nice surprise to see Ahmad Bradshaw
tote the rock for 200 yards as the Giants scored 41 against the Browns.
TREASURE OF THE WEEK
It was like old times. The classic uniforms. The horseshoe and “G” on the helmets. 45 years ago it was Unitas and Starr. Sunday it was Luck vs Rogers. The Colts come from way back to edge the
Packers 30-27. Andrew Luck already looks
like a pro’s pro. He reminds me of John
Elway with the arm, the mobility and the Stanford pedigree. Elway mostly sucked his first year. Luck looks like a five-year guy.
TRASH OF THE WEEK
The Rams and Cardinals
contest was awful. Jacksonville can
stink up any game. But the Ravens and
the Chiefs managed to play a TDless game in the
Year 2012. How many more of those will we see this
year? I am betting none. So Chiefs and Ravens, seal up the bag and put
it by the curb – it is trash day tomorrow.
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