Week 2 Thoughts & Observations

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:37 am

Here are some random thoughts and observations with every game but one in the books for Week 2:

Injuries. Injuries. Injuries. Yes, I'm blaming the holdout for the rash of injuries we've seen so far. It was to be expected but it still sucks. There are a lot of groin pulls and hamstring injuries. Those typically can be associated with holdouts (i.e. missed practice time).

First Tony Moeaki. Then Eric Berry. Now Jamaal Charles. It's been that kind of season in Kansas City. And it's only Week 2.

Antonio Gates caught as many passes Sunday as Brandon Lloyd. That's not good when you consider Lloyd didn't play.

Gates, Mike Williams (Tampa Bay) and Lance Moore combined for two receptions on Sunday. Pretty sure everyone saw that coming.

Is there a single NFL team playing good defense right now? This may be the worst two-game stretch of defense I've seen league-wide in years. Sorry Jets fans, whipping up on Jacksonville's rec team doesn't count.

If the Packers are going to repeat as Super Bowl champs, they better clean up the issues they have defending the pass. This looks more like the 2009 defense that got shredded by passing attacks on a seemingly weekly basis. I'm impressed with Cam Newton like everyone else but he often wasn't forced to make tough throws on Sunday. His receivers were wide-a** open a lot of the time. That's poor defense.

Speaking of the Jags, all they have right now is Maurice Jones-Drew but boy does he look good. Rushing for nearly 90 yards (he was over 90 before a 3-yard loss on his final carry) against a Jets' defense that had 355 players (give or take) in the box to stop him was very impressive. He also got involved in the short-passing game. MJD looks all the way back from his knee injury and appears poised to be one of this year's best value picks. Too bad the rest of the team stinks.

Cam Newton is on pace for 6,832 passing yards this season. Call me crazy but I wouldn't be surprised if he got it.

Dear Indianapolis - it's time to bag the Kerry Collins Experiment, go with Curtis Painter and decide if you want to draft Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in 2012. Your season is over. You have Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie in the passing game and rank 25th in the league in passing. That's all about Collins.

I know it's tough to be patient right now Mark Ingram owners but his time will come. Honest, it will. Trust me.

Dear Arizona - see what happens when you throw the ball to Larry Fitzgerald?

I'm thinking if Gary Kubiak could do it all over again he would've kept Arian Foster out for at least another week.

Don't look now but Matt Hasselbeck's playing like he's 25 again. If the Titans ever get Jared Cook involved their passing game could be dynamic. Kenny Britt is a stud and Nate Washington is a solid No. 2. Cook could very well be the missing piece to the passing game puzzle there.

Say what you want about Tony Romo's Week 1 blunders (and they were terrible) but he showed tremendous toughness playing through a rib injury on Sunday. That's what leaders do.

On the flip side, Romo, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Felix Jones are all hurt. Other than that, the Dallas offense is in great shape.

I like Julio Jones a lot but maybe the Falcons should've traded up 21 spots in the first round to get some defensive help. Just a thought.

It made no sense to me when people were writing off Tony Gonzalez in the preseason. It makes even less sense to me now.

Everyone who drafted Michael Vick needed to spend an earlier pick on their QB2 given his durability issues. Hopefully you did that because you're likely going to need your backup in Week 3.

Andy Dalton to A.J. Green. Touchdown. We may want to get used to hearing that.

I remember when Ryan Fitzpatrick couldn't complete a pass in 7-on-7 drills with the Bengals. Now look at him.

I'm not a Kyle Orton fan by any stretch but the guy does find a way to be a decent QB2 most of the time. Fantasy owners could do worse than have him in that role. Given how stubborn John Fox is, I wouldn't expect Orton to lose the starting job anytime soon.

Jordy Nelson averaged 84 yards per catch on Sunday. If he would've caught 10 passes, he would've finished with 840 yards receiving. I think that would've been a record.

Hopefully people didn't give up on Daniel Thomas despite his poor preseason. There was no way Reggie Bush was going to hold up as the feature RB in Miami which meant Thomas was going to get a chance at some point. The time came in Week 2 and he may have won the starting job as a result. At the very least, he deserves 15+ carries a game going forward.

I wonder if the Chargers might be thinking they should've used Darren Sproles more when they had him.

Roy Helu. Just sayin.

Wasn't Deion Branch supposed to be washed up?

I'm not sure anyone in the league has a better TD-to-Snaps ratio than Evan Moore. The guy barely plays but when he is on the field he always catches touchdown passes.

On behalf of Malcom Floyd owners who saw a potentially monstrous game against the Patriots wiped out by a first-quarter groin injury, all I can say is ... Ugh.

Adrian Peterson has 218 yards rushing and two TDs in the first two games despite the fact the Vikings rank 25th in total offense. Why were people concerned about him again? Dude's a stud. Draft him with a Top 2 pick every year, then sit back and relax. Crack open a cold one if you want. You just won the first round.

The Patriots have not one, but two 99-yard drives in the first two games. No team has done that in 16 years. That Brady guy ain't half bad.

Speaking of the Patriots, the Bill Belichick documentary on The NFL Network is required viewing for NFL fans. Even if you're not a Patriots or Belichick fan, it's still worth watching. It's extremely well done. I can't wait for Part 2 later this week.

I think it's safe to say that by targeting Chad Ochocinco early in Sunday's game, Brady was sending a not-so-subtle message to Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison to mind their own business.

The NFC North is the best division in the NFL. Yeah, I said it.

John Kuhn has twice as many rushing touchdowns as Chris Johnson. I'm a Packers fan but that just ain't right.

Eight quarterbacks are averaging 300 passing yards or more so far this season and 17 are averaging at least 250. Meanwhile, only 14 RBs are on pace for a 1,000-yard season. Yeah, this is a passing league all right.

And lastly, I'm interested to see how Sam Bradford does tonight. Down his top two weapons offensively but at home, this is the kind of game great QBs find a way to win. Bradford has the talent to be great. Now let's see if he can step up on a big stage and show it.

[ September 19, 2011, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Tom Kessenich ]

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:54 am

As great as Brady is, I think we're seeing clear signs this season of how amazing Peyton Manning has been. The Patriots won 11 games without Brady in 2008. The Colts will be lucky to win a game without Manning this season.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:03 am

Glenn, I'm a huge Brady fan but it's incorrect to say he hasn't had quality talent to work with. He's had a HOF talent in Moss, one of the game's premier WRs in Welker and now has two of the most gifted TEs in the league in Gronkowski and Hernandez (who is now hurt). Deion Branch has been a solid WR as well. The Patriots are loaded offensively.

Brady and Manning are two of the all-time greats. I just think it's interesting that the Patriots were able to still win big without Brady while the Colts have fallen completely apart without Manning. Of the two, I think you can make a strong case that Manning is more valuable to his team than Brady is to the Patriots despite the fact both are Hall of Fame talents.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:08 am

Nothing wrong with disagreeing Glenn. All I'll say is this season has reinforced just how valuable Manning is. The Colts were a Super Bowl contender with him. They're a train wreck without him.

particra · Post by **particra** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:09 am

What Brady has had is the most innovative and brilliant head coach of his era. Moving to a two TE approach where it is the TEs that stretch the field, removes the linebackers and safeties from the middle of the playing field, and allows Welker and Woodhead to work underneath with less traffic is brilliant.

mattjb · Post by **mattjb** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:11 am

And lastly, I'm interested to see how Sam Bradford does tonight. Down his top two weapons offensively but at home, this is the kind of game great QBs find a way to win. Bradford has the talent to be great. Now let's see if he can step up on a big stage and show it.

Game is in new York Tom