Week 2 Headlines
The Rams Have a HUGE Issue:
Last year the Los Angeles Rams had moments where their pass protection unit couldn’t protect Stafford whatsoever and it showed in games where they got nuked off the field. This year after trying to add some help with Jonah Jackson at guard they simply have been ravaged with injuries all along their offensive line. To go along with line injuries Superstar Puka Nacua is facing a 6+ week absence with a non contact knee injury sustained in week 1 and Cooper Kupp went down with an ankle injury in week 2 that could be a bad omen for a guy that has had a spell of bad health. That takes away their best two big play generators on offense. What can Stafford do for this offense to keep the Rams in the hunt? Leaning on Kyren won’t work like it did last season and now they have to essentially pray that Jordan Whittington can somehow be able to generate any positive plays to move the chains. The NFC West is already seemingly out of reach if Kupp misses any significant time throughout the course of this 2024 NFL season. It is killer to have their offense face so many challenges early on in the season considering their defense is trying to find its footing after losing the league’s best pound for pound defensive player. The schedule the Rams face is brutal and unless the Rams offensive line can get back to full strength in the first half of 2024 I am seeing this season as a wash for their squad. It is too early to make the distinction yet, but when glancing at their schedule it will be an uphill battle for this offense in the next three weeks facing several shutdown defenses with the weakest bunch the Rams have had in LA since Stafford’s arrival. To make things even worse after Jared Verse had a dominant week 1 their defense completely folded against a Kyler Murray that played inspired football. Their division looks incredibly stout and I fear that the Rams don’t have the firepower to sit atop the throne. The last hope is that Stafford's heart can will the Rams into a wildcard berth as his playmakers return to the gridiron down the home stretch.
Geno Smith Needs his Flowers:
With an offensive line to protect him once again Geno is ready to shock the NFL world as the season progresses. Coming into this week the Patriots were red hot on the defensive side of the ball with several takeaways in the Bengals upset to show for it and an All-Pro cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, reentering the fold. Geno came into Foxborough against this strong defense and just dominated all day completing 75% of his passes for 327 yards in an overtime thriller. This performance also featured Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the same page with Geno throughout the contest as he put up a career high 117 receiving yards to show for it, eclipsing his previous career high of 63 yards. If JSN can truly assume the WR2 role in this offense and K9 can remain healthy at the RB position after missing week two with an abdominal injury then Geno might do something truly improbable in 2024. JSN was being praised as an elite prospect after what he did as a Sophomore in college in one the most stacked wide receiver rooms ever seen. He destroyed all NFL receivers next to him on OSU with 1,600 yards that season. Those guys he eclipsed were: MHJ, Chris Olave, and Garrett Wilson. Now think about how he was solid as a rookie, but nothing special. If he grows and Geno maintains the elite accuracy he has magically maintained over the last three years of his career in Seattle then watch out. After Geno’s career was thought to be over he has done something that I don’t think will ever be replicated. He replaced a franchise QB and has been this organization’s competitive fire they needed coming from outer space. I thought he would regress more than he did from 2022 to 2023 this season, but I am most likely wrong.
Cowboys C’MON MANNNN:
Derek Carr looked like a contender for the MVP award today and nothing on the defensive side of the ball was working whatsoever for the Cowboys. It’s honestly embarrassing to drop this game at home to the Saints. No one in their right mind would expect Dallas on paper to even let these guys keep the game close, but Alvin Kamara decided to expose what has been the Cowboys glaring weakness last year and now this year, their run defense. When looking at last year the team got manhandled by the Packers and the Buffalo Bills down the stretch making the Cowboys defensive line look like a JV unit at points. If this problem persists and rears its ugly head again this could be a serious problem moving forward. It could affect their willingness to pay Micah Parsons who’s an elite pass rusher, but isn’t insane against the run. Playing the Eagles twice could be two huge blowouts if they can’t find a solution. Kamara putting up 180 yards on your team is not a good sign whatsoever for what’s to come because the Cowboys face quite a few run heavy teams throughout the 2024 season. The NFC East is the Eagles division to lose and I see no scenario currently in which the Cowboys escape with the divisional crown after abandoning the run game this offseason and putting all weight on Dak’s shoulders. The Cowboys week one performance didn’t impress me all too much considering how atrocious Deshaun Watson played. There are three certainties in life. Death, taxes, and the Cowboys never being a SERIOUS contender.
Lions Get Too Cute Once Again:
Ben Johnson might be a creative genius in some scenarios, but on Sunday the play calling in the last forty seconds of the game made no sense. Why on the Buccaneers forty three yard line with forty seconds on the clock are we checking the ball down every play to Gibbs? That’s the prime time to launch a down the field bomb to Jameson Williams or find Laporta over the middle yet we lay up every play and chew the clock down to nothing. This wasn’t even the worst of it during the game though. With Goff facing pressure all game and performing quite poorly it made no sense why the Lions offense strayed away from the run game in the third quarter especially. Get into heavy formation in the third quarter and pound the damn rock with Montgomery at a defensive line that was missing their best player and run stuffer, Vita Vea. In the passing game as well I want to see Ben Johnson call more routes for Jahmyr Gibbs because if he’s one on one with a linebacker there is no one outside of Fred Warner who could shadow the man. Laporta not getting the football in the red zone is perplexing as well to say the least considering he lived for red zone targets just a season ago and we struggled mightily within the red zone. I almost forgot to mention the fact that the Lions could’ve won the game with a field goal had there not been 17 men on the field to end the first half when we were in chipshot range. That is utterly disgraceful when the offense had plenty of time to spike the football. This loss was par for the course considering the Lions have had a problem when it comes to dropping early home games, but I need to see Goff step up into a blitz and rip the football down the field. Under pressure he panics every time and it’s slowly becoming a recipe to neutralize this lethal Detroit Lions passing attack. I’ll save my conundrum with Aaron Glenn calling our defense for another day. Send pressure opposite Hutch on the edge; it's really that simple. Overload the offensive tackle opposite Hutch on obvious passing downs and don’t show a secondary player coming on a blitz every single time you are going to send them. Stafford killed us in the flats because of Glenn’s need to always show a nickel blitz. It’s incredibly frustrating, but the Lions have plenty of time to show up as the Super Bowl contender they are.
Kyler Murray Returns to His Roots:
If this is the Kyler Murray we see for the rest of the season it might be a Cardinals playoff run this year in all seriousness. I know their defense isn’t all that great, but on the offensive side of the ball they could have an incredibly dangerous unit. Kyler is avoiding pressure, escaping the pocket, and making throws with improvisation that could be unstoppable with the core of receivers he currently has. Mcbride is a sure handed target you can throw high point balls to at tight end, Michael Wilson is a solid intermediate option, and MHJ could have a nuclear season like I thought preseason before his week one stinker. I have the same feeling I did with Kyler and Deandre Hopkins connecting on monstrous deep balls as I do with MHJ and Kyler. I think we could see a very special connection moving forward. The way the Bills played the Cardinals was to put someone over the top of Harrison and load the box with their nickel corners and safeties. This really limited what the Cardinals could do with him and their game plan was not effective in the slightest. As time progresses I have zero fear that MHJ and Kyler can dominate if he keeps escaping the pocket and taking shots deep down the middle of the field and on the outside rather than leaning on the short passing game. When Kyler throws over the short middle of the field is where his height becomes a serious factor that hurts him. I’ve never believed in Kyler, but now I’m rooting for him to make me look like a fool. The pass he has to Elijah Higgins was a masterclass in escapability and keeping his eyes down the field, which is what he needs to continuously lean on week in and week out. The talent is there and I really am hopeful that Petzing can continue dialing it up on offense and evolve unlike the Cardinals former play caller Cliff Kingsbury who never adjusted his offense.
I Love Justin Fields:
Words can’t describe what this man has been through. It hasn’t been pretty in the slightest to start the season for this Steeler’s offensive unit with penalties and mistakes discarding several scoring chances. Fields will take the hits, protect the football, and just do everything necessary to give this team a shot to win. Being the eleventh pick and the scapegoat for all of the Bears shortcomings on offense isn’t easy to face. With a non-existent run game and downright terrible offensive line in Chicago never once did the man complain about his situation. He lowered his head and took all the criticism he faced in stride. Currently in Pittsburgh he finally has a run game, but nobody to throw the football to outside of George Pickens. In all the pressers he is taking full accountability once again for offensive blunders and is even talking up his QB competition on a side note. He’s a class act and I can’t help but root for the guy. I really hope Broderick Jones finds the bench with his lackluster play at offensive tackle for Fields’ sake. With Mike Tomlin any record is possible and I think Fields might be able to sneak this team into the playoffs with the Ravens slight identity crisis currently. I think as Fields becomes more comfortable in this offense we can see him become an unforeseen X-factor for the Steel Curtain and maybe see him run the read option alongside a formidable RB room that can handle a heavy workload. Is Caleb setting records and on pace to eclipse 4,000 passing yards with his unstoppable wide receiver core? I guess not. Maybe he won’t be Mahomey in year one like everyone insisted he would be. Ryan Poles is the greatest GM ever too if you ask any Bears fans. Disrespecting Fields in the matter in which they did is something I will never forgive the Chicago Bears for. HERE’S AN IDEA CHICAGO. SIGN AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OR MULTIPLE WHO CAN GET ANY SORT OF A PUSH. If Justin Fields does anything with the Steelers and their sorry receiving core I’m buying the man’s jersey.
Mad Maxx for MVP (Week 2):
Maxx Crosby did everything for this Raiders team on Sunday. In a huge two sack performance where he sacked Lamar and derailed the Ravens chance to take the lead in a 23-23 ball game, his biggest impact came on the sideline. After Gardner Minshew threw an interception when the Raiders were down 6-3 and driving down the field Crosby walked over to Minshew and told him he was the man as he hit his shoulder pads. For a career journeyman who has never got an opportunity to lead a competitive football team what Maxx Crosby did was colossal. Minshew essentially got knocked down in the second round of the Raiders and Ravens fight and Maxx Crosby helping him out helped him go seven rounds and take down former MVP Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Minshew’s play drastically improved as the game progressed and you can just see how the group of guys catching passes will rally around him or Aidan O’connell, if his name is ever called, because of what Antonio Pierce has built in Las Vegas. They got unlimited weapons in the passing game and I’m hopeful that Minshew can be a gunslinger that gets his chance in the playoffs. Maxx Crosby has the best motor and leadership qualities in the NFL next to T.J Watt. Imagine if those Crosby to Detroit rumors ever came true.
AR is Raw, Needs Downs:
Anthony Richardson is such an interesting case at quarterback. He has the talent to be an eventual hall of famer, but his consistency is not there as his play goes from wildly high highs to unforeseen deep sea lows. He had two atrocious interceptions on Sunday and a miss on a gimme 4th down conversion to JT in the flats. That being said he also had a few drops from Adonai Mitchell and is yearning for a WR with Josh Downs’ skillset. I think as the year progresses AR can grow into his potential and start to develop a rhythm at the NFL level. It’s tough to go into Lambeau and expect great things after the beatdown the Packers defense took week 1 in Brazil against the Eagles. They were hungry for victory in week 2 and it showed. They bracketed most receiving threats for AR all day causing him to force throws or miss defenders coming right into his throwing lanes. Give this guy time. With the current landscape of social media and its impact on creating a level of impatience with sports takes, this is a guy who needs a full season under his belt. I saw comments on posts highlighting Marvin Harrison Jr.’s week one disappointment saying he needs 2-3 years to develop and then he went out there this Sunday and had people saying Maserati Marv has arrived! Just look at automatic hall of famer Caleb Williams. He needs serious time and a lot of help along his offensive line. That’s the nature of the sport. It’s incredibly rare for a rookie QB to come out and be dominant off rip like Stroud and Justin Herbert were. Treat AR like a rookie because he hasn’t even played for a combined half a season between last year and this year.
Bengals Lose in Heartbreaking Fashion:
The Bengals were simply too worked up this Sunday in a game they definitely wish they could have back. With a Burrow fumble six, a Jamarr Chase meltdown for absolutely no reason whatsoever that derailed a potential touchdown drive, and a pass interference play that was just completely unnecessary, the Bengals have hope moving forward. Burrow looked stellar aside from the fumble and I liked how Joe Burrow used his tight ends peppering them with targets all night. This offense is desperately awaiting tee Higgins return to the lineup and when he’s back they can fire on all cylinders once again. The Bengals had this huge road win wrapped up and their defensive backfield just got too caught up in the pressure of the game and let this game slip by hitting Rashee Rice in the back when they could’ve just jumped in front of him and batted the ball down. There was zero chance Rice was coming down with that football anyways. It also was a good sign to see the Bengals defense make some huge plays after getting embarrassed on the ground by New England in week 1. Nice interceptions and solid coverage aside from one blown coverage on Rice is an encouraging sign for Bengals fans when you add the dominance that Trey Hendrickson possesses rushing the passer. He is simply phenomenal, one of the league’s best. Burrow needs to have the ability to throw the football up for grabs to either side of the field, which he will have the minute Tee Higgins takes his first snap. For those nervous about this offense or Jamarr Chase’s fantasy prowess just wait till Burrow ignites his competitive fire mid season. He wants it this year and I’m a fan when watching his love for this game.
