Week 2 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some random thoughts and observations about Week 2 as I wonder when Mike McCarthy will figure out putting his defense on the field first in Atlanta is a really bad idea.

There was nothing surprising about the outcome of Sunday night’s Packers-Falcons game. An unbiased observer gave the Packers little chance to win for the same reason they were slaughtered in last season’s NFC Championship Game – their defense is pitiful. It’ll be fun to jump on Dom Capers (and admittedly he isn’t a good coordinator any longer) but this failing falls directly at the feet of one person and one person only:

Ted Thompson.

Thompson has done a pathetic job of building up Green Bay’s defense to match its high-powered offense. That has been the Packers’ greatest failing for years and it remains their most prominent issue now. There is little reason to believe this team can slow down a big-time offense, especially one that features high quality in the passing game like the Falcons do. The Packers lack big-time pass rushers and their cornerback play ranges from atrocious to Holy F did that just happen?
Blame Capers all you want if it makes you feel better but he isn’t the reason why this defense fails so often against big-time offenses. That’s all on Ted Thompson. Always has been and always will be until he figures out how to fix it.

Assuming that day ever comes.

So this actually happened on an NFL field on Sunday – Miami’s DeVante Parker caught a pass, took 4-5 actual steps forward with the ball in his hands clearly running with the ball in his hands for several steps, fumbled and recovered the ball. The call on the field? Incomplete pass.

The play goes to replay as it should because Parker clearly caught the ball and he clearly ran several steps with it in his hands. You know, a reception. So what did replay tell us?

The call on the field was confirmed.

What in the flying F was that? How can a player catch the ball, run several steps with it, clearly and obviously and without any shred of a doubt be a runner and have it called an incomplete pass? What is the point of replay if it isn’t going to correct an obvious – and I mean OBVIOUS – mistake?

Thank God Jerry Jones is putting the breaks on a Roger Goodell extension. SOMEONE in authority needs to figure out what a damn reception is in this league.

Speaking of the Dolphins, it’s ridiculous how much of an upgrade Jay Cutler is at quarterback over Ryan Tannehill. Sure he’s still Jay Cutler and he’s going to do Jay Cutler things before it’s all said and done but he presents an actual threat under center. If Jay Ajayi continues to look as good as he did on Sunday – and boy did he look GOOD – Cutler has the weapons to use in the passing game to make this offense balanced and lethal.

Parker had one of the worst matchups on paper for any wide receiver in Week 2 and he should’ve put up five receptions and over 100 yards. The long-awaited Parker breakout may be happening people. Get ready.

Congrats Antonio Gates on your new record. Deserving and you’re still fun to watch in the Red Zone.

I’m not concerned about Brandin Cooks yet but two catches on a day when Brady dropped nearly 450 on the Saints? That’s ugly.

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGLY.

Hey remember when Tom Brady was old and couldn’t play anymore? Week 1 hot takes are fun.

There were maybe 12-15 tight ends worth a damn in fantasy this season and already one (C.J. Fiedorowicz) has been lost for the season, another (Greg Olsen) might be and Gronk’s hurt again. Good luck finding production at that position this season folks.

But if you’re a Delanie Walker owner you totally expected a one-yard TD run on Sunday, right?

RIGHT?

If you’re the Bengals coaching staff and don’t target A.J. Green at least 15 times (in the first quarter) against the Packers next week just quit the season. Seriously, just walk away. You clearly have no idea what you’re doing. Arby’s is hiring down the street.

The Panthers have faced two of the worst offenses in the league to open the season but I still really like their defense. Unfortunately for them, they may have to really ride that D because the offense is not functioning well at all right now.

Sometimes you nail the right calls in a week like Ty Montgomery, Martavis Bryant and Michael Crabtree and sometimes you don’t ::coughJonathanStewartcough::

Starting to think all that crazy FAAB money spent on Tarik Cohen and Buck Allen last week was a pretty good idea.

Kerwynn Williams, not so much.

Hold on, Jarvis Landry just caught another 5-yard pass.

I’ll never stop loving you Ed Lacy but Chris Carson is the new running back in Seattle. And he looks good. Real good.

I can’t believe there were people who thought the 49ers’ offense would be anything other than awful. They have Carlos Hyde, Pierre Garcon and a whole lotta garbage. I still think Kyle Shanahan made a big mistake going there. There’s rebuilding and then there’s what he has to do with that team.

Good luck with that.

The Cardinals needed overtime to beat an Indy team minus Andrew Luck that might not finish in the upper half of the Big Ten Conference. It’s gonna be a long year in AZ without Dave Johnson.

I LOVED me some Carson Wentz as a top QB2 target before the season and I love him even more now. Everything about the Philly offense has gone right on script the first two weeks. They can’t run at all and they have a wealth of weapons in the passing game so Wentz is throwing it a ton. He went into arguably the most difficult place to play in the NFL on Sunday against a good defense and dropped 333 and 2 on them. I don’t think the Eagles are a playoff team just yet but they absolutely have their quarterback. Wentz is special.

Doug Pederson may be my new favorite play caller in the league. Guy doesn’t mess around. He goes for the jugular no matter what the matchup may be. That makes for a lot of fun to watch as a fan.

Starting to think taking Kareem Hunt first overall in the NFFC after the first Thursday night game wasn’t a bad move. He’s really good at this football thing.

Get well soon Sam Bradford. The Vikings are going nowhere without you.

Oh, if you’re a Dalvin Cook owner feel free to bitch a lot today. Another highly questionable replay decision cost you a beautiful TD run.

After Week 2, my A.J. Green over Mike Evans call ain’t lookin so hot. Still early, though.

Remember when I said all offseason that Amari Cooper was being overdrafted due to his lack of TD potential? Did you see what’s happened with the Raiders’ passing game since they stopped trying to make Cooper into a Red Zone thing? Michael Crabtree owners have.

There were a few players I pushed HARD all offseason as draft day values and I ended up with no shares of them in a single league. Randy Cobb was one and C.J. Anderson was another. Anderson looks so good out of the gate. Let’s see if he can stay healthy but if you loaded up at WR early and snared Anderson after that you’re likely enjoying life a lot right now.

Jason Witten isn’t going to win any 40 races any time soon but the guy still gets open and Dak Prescott trusts him. He was another ridiculous value pick who’s delivering in a big way to open the season.

Let’s just chalk up that whole Dallas went to Denver in Week 2 as “One of those days” OK?

So last week a prominent NFL media analyst who I shall not name called Todd Gurley a JAG. You know, Just Another Guy. I laughed. I laughed a lot. Then I laughed some more. I wonder if this analyst saw Gurley run with power and explosion against Washington. Gurley is a major talent who just needed good coaching to use him intelligently. I also wonder if Jeff Fisher was watching Gurley’s fantastic TD reception on Sunday and realized what a gigantic idiot he was for not getting the ball more to Gurley in the passing game which an untrained chimp would’ve done because it was so freaking obvious.

Probably not. Self awareness does not appear to be one of Fisher’s strongest attributes.

Oh, if you were one of the people who landed Gurley in the middle of the third round in the NFFC well done. That’s a gift that’s gonna keep on givin. He is primed for a Top 10 RB season with Top 5 upside.

This whole kicking thing isn’t getting off on the right foot for the Chargers, is it?

See what I did there?

If there’s anything that sums up the ineptitude of the Seattle offense more than this on Sunday I don’t know what it is – Jim Graham had one more catch against the Niners than I did.

Graham one.

Me zero.

The Seahawks are notoriously slow out of the gate but c’mon guys, you gotta figure this out and quick.

And finally, if you started Andy Dalton, LeSean McCoy, Jordan Howard, Brandin Cooks, Amari Cooper and Jim Graham this week you can always sign up for an NFBKC contest with us? Fantasy hoops is just around the corner baby.

Did that help?

[King of Queens]

Nothing better than the TK "snark" regarding NFL games. Enjoyed this first-hand in Vegas at the Westgate!

I have my own thoughts regarding Week 2, but perhaps these are best left to the Kill Shot thread...

[RC Techies]

Really enjoy your weekly thoughts & observations. Usually the first thing I look for. I agree that plays that should be reversed are being allowed to stand. Last week thought the refs would change the Kirk Cousins fumble and instead the touchdown stood. Obviously, I was wrong. That is happening a lot on replays. What seems obvious to me clearly is not to the officials.

[BigBlueNation]

Thanks Tom for your perspective. I've always enjoyed this thread. One of the things I remembered about this weekend was the announcer commenting on the return of DBooker and how he would take over the Denver RB situation. Of course, CJ promptly went off and had an MVP-like performance.

[nails]

great thoughts..

I don't understand the COOKS thing.. he should be targeted 10 times a game.. I think he will eventually.. they are down to 2 Wide outs!

I will say this about GURLEY. he definitely is better. But look at the upcoming schedule in future weeks. He's fools gold here all! he has talent ..crazy talent.. but people are going to load the box and he has a brutal schedule coming in next 10 weeks..

HUNT. I listened to the stats advantage before vegas.. I don't recall who you had on the week before, but the guy had HUNT in tons of leagues.. he said to gobble him up anywhere you can.. I should have taken him in every dam league.. I have him in one of the primetimes thank god.. he is a top 3 player overall.. just a stud.

[KenGill]

Good write up Tom.

Let me add a comment.

The NY Football Jets. That's J-E-T-S as in Just End The Season. Todd Bowles is in the running for the Jeff Fisher Clueless Coach Of The Year Award and is likely to be fired by mid season. If there's a more un-inspiring coach in the league, I haven't seen one. The Jets are going to be lucky to win 3 games this year.

[Coltsfan]

Good write up Tom.

Let me add a comment.

The NY Football Jets. That's J-E-T-S as in Just End The Season. Todd Bowles is in the running for the Jeff Fisher Clueless Coach Of The Year Award and is likely to be fired by mid season. If there's a more un-inspiring coach in the league, I haven't seen one. The Jets are going to be lucky to win 3 games this year.

I hope the Jets win 3 games and that the Colts win 2. We sure need something around Luck. Right now I don't think the Colts could beat the Jets heads up.


Wayne

[Greg Ambrosius]

Good write up Tom.

Let me add a comment.

The NY Football Jets. That's J-E-T-S as in Just End The Season. Todd Bowles is in the running for the Jeff Fisher Clueless Coach Of The Year Award and is likely to be fired by mid season. If there's a more un-inspiring coach in the league, I haven't seen one. The Jets are going to be lucky to win 3 games this year.

I hope the Jets win 3 games and that the Colts win 2. We sure need something around Luck. Right now I don't think the Colts could beat the Jets heads up.


Wayne

Wayne, how can the Colts be 2 1/2 point UNDERDOGS to Cleveland at home? Does Vegas really think the Browns are 5 1/2 point favorites on a neutral field? Amazing how low the Colts have gone.

Sorry, none of those were really questions, just statements on the Colts.

[Route C]

Good write up Tom.

Let me add a comment.

The NY Football Jets. That's J-E-T-S as in Just End The Season. Todd Bowles is in the running for the Jeff Fisher Clueless Coach Of The Year Award and is likely to be fired by mid season. If there's a more un-inspiring coach in the league, I haven't seen one. The Jets are going to be lucky to win 3 games this year.

Not that I would defend a coach from NY (still holding a grudge for the Knicks vs Hicks headline) but I feel kind of sorry for Bowles. What's the guys motivation to get up for work every day other than a pay check? They basically handed him a JV team as they punted 2017 before it began. I 'd trade him for Pagano any day. At least he knows who his team just finished playing. I'm not sure Pagano even knows the games are televised!