Week 1 Thoughts & Observations
Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:07 am
Here are some random thoughts and observations about Week 1 as I try and recover from two weeks in New York and Vegas:
I'm not an NFL general manager and I've never won a Super Bowl but maybe, just maybe, if I insist on only building my team through the draft I might want to ... oh I don't know ... ADDRESS THE NO. 1 PROBLEM YOUR TEAM HAD THE PRIOR SEASON. This just in for Ted Thompson, your pass defense stunk last season and it still stunk in Week 1. Perhaps it's because you DID NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS GLARING NEED IN THE OFFSEASON. Sorry for shouting but Thompson walks on water in this state and in NFL circles and I'm baffled by that when you consider all the things he's failed to do. Yes he's won a Super Bowl and that's damn impressive but he's also in danger of wasting the prime years of one of the game's Top 3-5 quarterbacks.
On the plus side, drafting Eddie Lacy looks like a genius move. Eddie runs HARD. I love that kid.
Welcome back, Jordy Nelson. You've been missed. Now just stay healthy.
I said for weeks leading up to the draft that as much as I liked Dez Bryant I felt he was being overvalued and equally talented WRs such as A.J. Green, Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas were being overlooked and often becoming huge value picks. How did that trio do in Week 1?
Green: 9-162-2
Jones: 7-76-1
Thomas: 5-161-2
Props to all of you who grabbed one (or maybe two) of these guys.
While I'm on the subject of me gloating I'll happily point out that several of my value picks this summer did me proud in Week 1. Sam Bradford, Darren Sproles and Miles Austin, in particular. I heart you all.
How did the Patriots and Colts fail to cover against the Bills and Raiders? On any given Sunday ...
Hold on, Anquan Boldin just caught another pass against the Packers.
I love me some Russell Wilson but I was shocked to see he threw for 320 yards against the Panthers. Watching the game I never had the feeling Wilson was putting up big numbers. It looked like a constant struggle for the Seattle offense against a revved-up Carolina defense.
Speaking of the Panthers, DeAngelo Williams' fumble inside the 10 with the game on the line was a huge blow but otherwise I thought he looked damn good. He even chipped in with three catches. There's another of my value plays coming through in the opener.
For all the Trent Richardson, CJ Spiller, Calvin Johnson and Marshawn Lynch owners - things will get better. Trust me. They will.
Is it too soon to wonder if Colby Fleener is ever going to live up to his draft spot? Guy has shown practically nothing of note so far in his career.
Hold on, Peyton Manning just threw another touchdown pass.
That Larry Fitzgerald sure looks good when he has an actual NFL quarterback to work with, doesn't he?
Anyone else stunned by how quickly Reggie Bush flew through the hole on his screen pass touchdown? That looked USC Reggie.
Sorry Steelers fans, looks like it's gonna be a LONG year in Pittsburgh.
I'm guessing that heel injury isn't a problem for Victor Cruz anymore.
Hang onto the ball, Jared Cook.
Tavon Austin's on pace for 0 touchdowns. He's also on pace for 96 receptions. I still think it's just a matter of time before the Rams figure out how to really use this kid properly.
I'm not sure there's a quarterback in the league who experiences so many highs and lows during a single game quite like Josh Freeman. He looked absolutely wretched at times against the Jets but then he led the Bucs on what should've been a game-winning drive. We're getting very near the point where it's just time to say that's who Freeman is and he isn't going to progress beyond that.
At what point do the Vikings and Jaguars just admit they don't have a quarterback?
Stevan Ridley ouch. David Wilson and Lamar Miller OUCH.
I went shopping today and saw James Jones' picture on the back of a milk carton.
To those of you who laid off the Top 12 quarterbacks and grabbed Eli Manning as your QB1 much later, congratulations, you look like a genius. For now.
And lastly, Michael Vick did what Michael Vick does when healthy Monday night - he played like a QB1. Now whether he can stay healthy the entire season is the question and I think we all know the answer.
I'm not an NFL general manager and I've never won a Super Bowl but maybe, just maybe, if I insist on only building my team through the draft I might want to ... oh I don't know ... ADDRESS THE NO. 1 PROBLEM YOUR TEAM HAD THE PRIOR SEASON. This just in for Ted Thompson, your pass defense stunk last season and it still stunk in Week 1. Perhaps it's because you DID NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS GLARING NEED IN THE OFFSEASON. Sorry for shouting but Thompson walks on water in this state and in NFL circles and I'm baffled by that when you consider all the things he's failed to do. Yes he's won a Super Bowl and that's damn impressive but he's also in danger of wasting the prime years of one of the game's Top 3-5 quarterbacks.
On the plus side, drafting Eddie Lacy looks like a genius move. Eddie runs HARD. I love that kid.
Welcome back, Jordy Nelson. You've been missed. Now just stay healthy.
I said for weeks leading up to the draft that as much as I liked Dez Bryant I felt he was being overvalued and equally talented WRs such as A.J. Green, Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas were being overlooked and often becoming huge value picks. How did that trio do in Week 1?
Green: 9-162-2
Jones: 7-76-1
Thomas: 5-161-2
Props to all of you who grabbed one (or maybe two) of these guys.
While I'm on the subject of me gloating I'll happily point out that several of my value picks this summer did me proud in Week 1. Sam Bradford, Darren Sproles and Miles Austin, in particular. I heart you all.
How did the Patriots and Colts fail to cover against the Bills and Raiders? On any given Sunday ...
Hold on, Anquan Boldin just caught another pass against the Packers.
I love me some Russell Wilson but I was shocked to see he threw for 320 yards against the Panthers. Watching the game I never had the feeling Wilson was putting up big numbers. It looked like a constant struggle for the Seattle offense against a revved-up Carolina defense.
Speaking of the Panthers, DeAngelo Williams' fumble inside the 10 with the game on the line was a huge blow but otherwise I thought he looked damn good. He even chipped in with three catches. There's another of my value plays coming through in the opener.
For all the Trent Richardson, CJ Spiller, Calvin Johnson and Marshawn Lynch owners - things will get better. Trust me. They will.
Is it too soon to wonder if Colby Fleener is ever going to live up to his draft spot? Guy has shown practically nothing of note so far in his career.
Hold on, Peyton Manning just threw another touchdown pass.
That Larry Fitzgerald sure looks good when he has an actual NFL quarterback to work with, doesn't he?
Anyone else stunned by how quickly Reggie Bush flew through the hole on his screen pass touchdown? That looked USC Reggie.
Sorry Steelers fans, looks like it's gonna be a LONG year in Pittsburgh.
I'm guessing that heel injury isn't a problem for Victor Cruz anymore.
Hang onto the ball, Jared Cook.
Tavon Austin's on pace for 0 touchdowns. He's also on pace for 96 receptions. I still think it's just a matter of time before the Rams figure out how to really use this kid properly.
I'm not sure there's a quarterback in the league who experiences so many highs and lows during a single game quite like Josh Freeman. He looked absolutely wretched at times against the Jets but then he led the Bucs on what should've been a game-winning drive. We're getting very near the point where it's just time to say that's who Freeman is and he isn't going to progress beyond that.
At what point do the Vikings and Jaguars just admit they don't have a quarterback?
Stevan Ridley ouch. David Wilson and Lamar Miller OUCH.
I went shopping today and saw James Jones' picture on the back of a milk carton.
To those of you who laid off the Top 12 quarterbacks and grabbed Eli Manning as your QB1 much later, congratulations, you look like a genius. For now.
And lastly, Michael Vick did what Michael Vick does when healthy Monday night - he played like a QB1. Now whether he can stay healthy the entire season is the question and I think we all know the answer.