Week 2 is fully in the books now.  The NFL is nothing if not unpredictable.  Some of the Week 1 heroes fell on their faces in Week 2 (I’m looking at you NY Jets).  Here is what I see so far:

Week 2 Review & Early Trends

  • Scoring is Up:  Well, the Rules Committee clearly wants more offense with all the penalties.  Yes, targeting is a safety concern, however “burping the QB?”  That is foolishness.  Football is still a physical game, and I don’t know how a player running at full speed cannot put their body weight on the QB during a sack.  At least 2 critical calls like that resulted in TD drives for the opposing team, so the end result is scoring is up.  I would guess as the season goes on, then the adjustment will be made to not be so crazy with all these “point of emphasis” flags.
  • LA Rams are really good:  My Super Bowl pick has looked fantastic in both games so far against inferior competition.  RB Todd Gurley is a machine in the red zone, and Coach Sean McVay is keeping his troops interested.  They get a good test in Week 3 against the now in-city rival Chargers.
  • Jags are for real:  Just in case you thought last year was a fluke in the AFC Championship Game, the Jags hosted the Patriots and sent TB12 packing with a loss.  Blake Bortles looked like the more composed QB on Sunday, and if he can play anywhere near that well in big games, then my Super Bowl runner up looks good for it.  The Jags still need to get Leonard Fournette healthy to beat teams in the cold weather.  However, that defense is back and nastier than ever.
  • Minnesota can do it all:  The Vikings are known for their defense with talent on every level.  They held ARod and the Pack to 1 offensive TD in the game, but still the Pack led in the 4th Quarter.  QB Kirk Cousins led his team to back to back TD drives including a 75 yard bomb to Stefon Diggs, and he bounced back from what looked like a certain game ending INT in the 4th Quarter only to lead a game tying drive.  If only their rookie kicker could have made a FG, then they would have won the game at Lambeau (he gone now).  The Vikes will be a tough team all year.
  • Steelers in trouble:  Finally all the complaining and lax management is coming back to haunt the Steelers.  With Le’Veon Bell still holding out and WR Antonio Brown talking about being traded with the media, Coach Mike Tomlin does not have control of this talented group, and the Steelers are in must win territory.  If they fall to 0-2-1, then a playoff berth may be a stretch.
  • Browns are better:  If only Zane Gonzelez (now cut) could make a FG, the Browns would be at least 1-1 and probably 2-0.  The Browns defense is legit – DE Myles Garrett is terrorizing QBs, and they are producing a ton of TOs.  They held the Saints to just 3 points through 3 quarters on Sunday.  This team will win some games this year for sure.  They also finally got rid of troubled WR Josh Gordon who was traded to the Patriots.  To me, that’s a wise move.  Stop the drama and let the guy try somewhere else.  Talent is only one component of success.
  • Mahomes out of his mind:  Patrick Mahomes got a start in Week 17 last year, but this year is really his first chance as an NFL starter.  He has been incredible throwing for 10 TD passes with 0 interceptions in 2 games, yet he has not exceeded 28 attempts in either game.  The efficiency cannot continue at this clip, but if you watched the game against the Steelers Sunday, you saw how great this kid can be.  The Chiefs also do not have a strong defense this year, so he will have to continue to put up points.

  • FitzMagic is a thing:  Have to mention again, that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Bucs is living a dream.  He is leading the NFL in passing yards and thrown 8 TDs in 2 games of which 4 TDs were 50 yards or more.  That is incredible.  He may come back to Earth, but enjoy the ride while it lasts.
  • Battle for the Basement:  At this point, there are 2 clearly terrible squads this year – Buffalo and Arizona.  Arizona has scored 6 points in 2 games so far.  They need to get QB Sam Bradford out of there and let Josh Rosen take his lumps.  For the Bills, they have been trounced 2 weeks in a row, and that playoff defense looks bad.  The only shining light at this point is Coach McDermott has turned to rookie QB Josh Allen and should start him the rest of the year.

Week 3 – Interesting Match Ups and Storylines

  • Colts @ Eagles –  Only mentioning it here because Carson Wentz is set to make his season debut.  He is cleared for contact, so let’s see how that knee looks.  The Colts defense is slightly improved so far, and the Eagles are still totally banged up – they lost Mike Wallace with a broken leg, Alshon Jeffery is out still, and Ajayi is on and off the field.  So, the Colts may keep it close getting +6.5 on the road.
  • Saints @ Falcons – This is a really important NFC South game so early in the season.  New Orleans, if it wants to defend its division crown, needs this one.  However, their defense has not been the same giving up 3 deep TD passes in the first 2 games.  That is music to Falcon WR, Julio Jones’ ears who hasn’t scored a TD yet this season.  I like Atlanta, but expect an entertaining game with the total at 53.
  • 49ers @ Chiefs – Can Mahomes continue his hot streak with his first home game on the season?  I’m going to say yes, but Jimmy G should be able to work over that poor KC secondary (without Eric Berry).  The total on this one is 56.5, which seems extremely achievable.
  • LA Chargers @ LA Rams – Battle for LA takes place in the LA Coliseum pitting 2 good teams.  The Rams are rolling right now, and it is hard to see the Chargers slowing them down with DE Joey Bosa out again.  However, Phil Rivers and the crew can put up points, too.  I’m curious to see if the mostly bought Rams’ defense is for real against a quality opponent.  The odds makers like the Rams (-7) and a lower total in 48.5.  This should be the best game on the slate this week.
  • Pats @ Lions – Really not a great match up on the field, but for storylines, Lions’ Coach Matt Patricia takes on his Jedi Master in Belichick.  The Lions have been atrocious on defense so far, and you never want to play the Patriots after a loss.  It could be a massacre in Detroit, NE is up to 7 point road favorites.  Good luck, Matty.
  • Steelers @ Bucs – Can FitzMagic continue?  Will the Steelers give up massive plays again?  It is hard to say.  I can’t see the Steelers going 0-2-1, but admittedly, Fitz and the deep ball are really the Steelers’ defensive kryptonite so far this year.  Apparently Vegas sees it the same with the Steelers only a 1 point favorite, but that has been bouncing around.  Total is 53.5, so a shootout is anticipated.

Alright, enjoy Week 3.  Look for the Side Action Podcast to come out tonight/tomorrow morning for all of the betting advice you need.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.