Two weeks in the books, which means we only have 15 left in the NFL season! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news on that one, but there is already quite a bit to glean from the season’s second week of action…
1) My Dallas Cowboys run/pass ratio is completely out of whack.
91 passes, 39 runs. When you see statistics like that after two games you’d assume the Cowboys were way behind in both contests and had to attempt to pass their way back into them. But that’s simply not the case. They won a tight game over New York in week one and were locked in a tight matchup for all four quarters against the Chiefs on Sunday, losing by one. Without a viable running game, this team can’t extend drives and leaves a defense on the field that’s surrendering over 300 yards a game through the air. Is this a product of new offensive coordinator Bill Callahan, Tony Romo’s new playcalling responsibilities, or a lack of faith in DeMarco Murray and his backups? It’s possibly all three, but if the team has a repeat of their measly rushing totals of a season ago, they’ll once again settle into mediocre 8-8 land.
2) The entire NFC East looks ripe for the picking on a weekly basis right now.
All four teams lost last week, and all four have defenses that make opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators smile. The Redskins secondary and overall team tackling is horrendous; the Eagles’ fast-paced attack means plenty of plays for the other team, too, exposing a porous secondary that can’t stop the pass; Dallas’ cornerbacks are still not living up to expectations, with their deficiencies against the pass documented above; and the Giants have yet to recreate their fearsome pass rush of a few seasons ago, making Eli Manning’s interceptions and the issues with the running game even more problematic. 9-7 may once again win this division, but who ends up with that total is anyone’s guess.
3) The Dolphins did exactly what they had to do in the first two weeks.
The games for Miami from weeks three through five read like this: Atlanta, at New Orleans, Baltimore. One could make the argument preseason that this young team would lose all three to those serious postseason contenders, making the first two games on the road that much more important for overall confidence. The Dolphins went into Cleveland and survived a plucky Browns team, then out-executed Andrew Luck for a great win at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. If the Dolphins can win even one of the upcoming three games they will have had a very solid start to their season.
4) If the Broncos are as great as they appear, they’ll continue to win even with some adversity.
Peyton Manning and co. have looked unstoppable in the season’s first two weeks, and should have no problem with Oakland on Monday night. But make no mistake: the loss of Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady is huge. Now with a backup left tackle protecting the blind side of a 38-year old quarterback two years removed from neck surgery, the team may have to reassess protection packages and play-calling. Von Miller is still missing from the defense while serving his suspension and the running game has proven unreliable thus far. This is not a team without flaws, but right now it’s scoring so much some may go unnoticed. That could change as the season goes on.
5) Jacksonville is horrible.
When your local television station issues an apology for airing YOUR GAME instead of more enticing matchups across the league, you have officially become a laughingstock. The quarterback situation is in complete disarray, as both Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne have the unfortunate combinations of being terrible and getting hurt often. There is a serious dearth of skill players with Justin Blackmon still suspended, and the defense is just on the field too long without any aid from their offensive compatriots. It’s not impossible to envision this team losing 16 games. That being said, they should not sign Tim Tebow. You know what really incites a loyal fan base? Consistent losing. Signing fan favorite Tebow may add a few wins to this year’s total but would hamstring the team from figuring out the position for the long-term. If John Elway and Bill Belichick couldn’t fix this guy’s mechanics and make him a viable long-term starter, Gus Bradley and the Jacksonville brass won’t be able to either. Suck it up for this year, hope to strike it rich with next year’s quarterback crop in the draft or through free agency.
The Prohibitive Favorite 