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Thoughts And Observations |
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Week One Review
First of all, put me down as one of the obvious few that does NOT like a Thursday game to kick off the season. Watching the game on Thursday simply gave me the feeling that it was another preseason contest - and it was kind of played that way, as well. It just didn't have the feel that the opening Sunday has. That excitement that everyone is getting it on, and you can soak up all the performances at once. In fact, after the 49ers-Giants contest, I didn't really even ponder the game until after Sunday's slate was finished.
Speaking of that game, did anyone see Michael Strahan playing? All that griping and finally a contract, and little splash. I find it hard to respect the man after all he caused, and forced his team into personnel problems, then signing a contract that was less than the one he was offered in the first place. What a dope.
Game Notes
What a week of strange games. I thought the Jets-Bills match-up was wild, but then you look at what I'll call Helmet-Gate in Cleveland and suddenly I'm thinking that the Kansas City win was one of the strangest I've seen. Finally, I watch the startup Texans take it to the Cowboys, and I'm like, huh?
Throw in upsets for the Rams and Eagles, and some of the other surprises - Chargers, Saints, etc. - and it looks to be one heck of a year. I would say I'm all thrown out of whack, but this is what the early season does. This is what the NFL is, and it's why we love it. Anything can, and does, happen.
Here's my list for the weekly performances:
Top Five
Chargers - Who really knew the Chargers would be that dominant, even against the Bengals?
Titans - We knew they could be a good team, but that was a solid comeback against one of the better teams.
Redskins - Spurrier will have some kinks, but this offense will not be average. Questions answered...for now.
Raiders - Sure, the Seahawks are not a powerhouse, but the Raiders controlled this entire game.
Texans - It's pretty hard to do this in a first-ever game. And they will only get better.
Bottom Five
Bengals - Once thought to be on the verge, this could set them back the entire year.
Cowboys - Ouch! So much for Quincy Carter being improved. Wow! I don't know what else to say.
Ravens - Billick is an overrated offensive guru. The talent on this unit is not that bad.
Bucs - Who's coaching the Bucs now? They didn't look a lot different offensively.
Rams - Were not sharp on opening day last year either, but this was a pretty bad performance.
A look around...
The Awards
Bonehead of the Week Award: Mike Martz - Coach, you're on the road, and your team is back in the game, and controlling it. Kick the field goal. There are no 100% plays in this league. We could let that go, but then we would have to look at the clock management during that final possession. Your players still stand behind you, but keep it up and the disention will come. And another thing, why don't you stop designing new and clever plays and go back to some of the ones that worked during prior seasons?
Big Time Loser of the Week Award: Cowboys - How can you talk about being a good team again and lose to the expansion team? That was just plain ugly. How raw is Chad Hutchinson? You mean, he's more raw than Quincy Carter? This team looked about as ready to play as the Rams did. The difference being that the Broncos are pretty good.
Bottom of the Barrell Award: Bengals - As I mentioned, that loss could be enough to set this team back the entire season. Here's a team that has some talent, and at least it's defense was on track. Nothing happened good for this group. This game may have just made Drew Brees a Pro Bowl player. How quickly these guys can toss aside playoff asperations.
Cuda, Wuda, Shuda Award: Browns - It's gut-wrenching just writing about this ending, and I'm not a major Browns fan. Memo to all NFL players: When you're on the field, leave the helmet on! Just leave it on! Equipment managers everywhere are looking for two-sided tape today.
Oddities
Hakim vs. Morton
I thought it was odd, so I had to mention it, but wasn't it a bit strange that Az-Zahir Hakim looked a lot like Johnnie Morton with the Lions, while Johnnie Morton looked a lot like Az Hakim with the Rams? Hakim flirted with 100-yards, while Morton had one catch. Hmmm.
John St. Clair
All the talk of the Rams offense in the preseason was right tackle St. Clair. He was the weak link, everyone would say. Well, St. Clair played pretty well. It was the rest of the line that was the problem. Even Orlando Pace looked like a turnstile at times.
Back-Up Watch
Chad Hutchinson
It has to be a matter of time for Hutchinson. The team wants time to groom him, but it looks to me that Quincy Carter needs as much grooming, so why not go with the thoroughbred? Carter should have a chance to redeem himself this week, but another bad performance, and thinks will start shaking up quickly.
Joey Harrington
Harrington got some time in when the game was out of grasp, and it will likely continue to happen in this scenario. He didn't look too good, and Mike McMahon was not a total disaster. This just bears watching for now. What's too bad is that Harrington can't play running back.
Troy Hambrick
Emmitt Smith looked like he can hold Hambrick off, especially in light of the record countdown. Even without the record looming, Smith was not too bad. Take away a 22-yard run, and it was nothing special, but it was no worse than what Hambrick did in spot duty.
Akili Smith
The Bengals took Smith with the number three overall pick in '99, and they might as well go with it. Gus Frerotte was nothing special, and the money is tied up in Smith, who looked just as good in the preseason as Frerotte or Kitna. The team will probably go with Jon Kitna first, but they should just ride Smith out to find out if he can pull it off. And they cannot be worse. Then again, the Bengals rarely do anything that makes sense.
The Bandwagon
How many fantasy football guys are taking a hard look at the Texans now? Tight end Billy Miller has probably been picked up in a few leagues, but I've already seen claims abounding for Corey Bradford. Just don't forget that one game does not a season make.
Show Me Again Next Week
I've made little or no mention of several teams that had nice wins, but for many I want to see more before I'm sold. That includes the Dolphins, whose win over a Lions team that had only two victories last year does not convince me. The Redskins will need to beat a team better than the Cardinals to convince me, even though I think they will hang in there until more teams have game tape of the NFL version of that offense. We need to see if Oakland can do it again, or if the Seahawks are just not that good.
Conversely, I am anxious to see how well the Bills do next week, especially the running of Travis Henry, who looked pretty special against the Jets. The Bears passing game started to come on, so I want to see more.
Okay, okay, I just can't wait for next week...period.
MIKE LIKES
Week Two (Bye: None):
Chicago at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m.
The Bears are the easy pick, but I think they will have trouble here. I have a feeling, but am denying it.
Pick: Goldie Locke's Group
Cincinnati at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
As bad as Cincy played last week, I just cannot see them getting it back together quickly.
Pick: The more tightly helmeted ones
Detroit at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Gee, what a barnburner! We get this treat this early? The Panthers probably have better defense, but that's not saying much.
Pick: Blue and silver, uh, and black
Green Bay at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
This is a good game. The Packers gave up a lot of offense to the Falcons, and the Saints have it on both sides.
Pick: Brooks' new contract
Jacksonville at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m.
Both teams showed some offense. Chiefs are at home, and hope their defense will come there.
Pick: The Ministry (led by the Priest)
Miami at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m.
We're finding out early who has it and who doesn't. Should be some scoring.
Pick: Horseshoe Heads.
New England at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m.
Jets are hoping for a Monday night hangover, but Patriots will come to play. Time to see where the Jets stand.
Pick: Green guys
Tampa Bay at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m.
The final score may be 2-0 on a safety. The Bucs better start going quickly. We should see new expressions from Chucky.
Pick: Lynch Mob
Tennessee at Dallas, 1:00 p.m.
Tennessee is much better than an expansion team. And they're from Houston, too.
Pick: Flaming Thumbtacks
Arizona at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
This is the first fight for last place in the NFC West. Not much defense in this game, but offensive mistakes may play in.
Pick: Liquid Plummers
N.Y. Giants at St. Louis, 4:05 p.m.
I just don't see the Rams staying down, but the Giants will be up for this one. Let the bad blood flow.
Pick: Flood Warnering
Buffalo at Minnesota, 4:15 p.m.
Both lost winable games last week. One will lose a winable game this week.
Pick: Hot Wings
Denver at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.
Another good one. It's hard to pick, but I know who I believe is better right now.
Pick: Yacking Horses
Houston at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
Texans pulled a first week upset, but the Chargers were stellar. Chargers are better than Cowboys.
Pick: C-Brees
Oakland at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m.
I'm excited about this time. This should be an "old time" type game. Bloody blue.
Pick: One-sided stickers
Philadelphia at Washington, 9:00 p.m.
Here's a test for the Spurrier offense. Here's also a test for the scrambling McNabb.
Pick: Brother Love over the Capitol.
Moving on...
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THINGS I KNOW OR WONDER:
When you're starting Rodney Peete over Chris Weinke, or even if this is a battle, you have serious problems at quarterback.
The Rams may have made some major gaffes, but the Broncos are a pretty good team.
The Bears will continue to be open minded on offense.
The Falcons are an up-and-comer.
I cannot remember seeing so much offense on opening day.
THINGS I CAN PREDICT:
Terrell Owens will not get 2000 yards receiving this year. He won't even lead the league.
Marty Morningwheg will be a quarterback coach again next season.
The Rams will rebound this week, and beyond.
The Bengals will sign Tony Banks to run the offense next season.
For the first pick in the 2003 draft, the league will first flip a coin to determine the pick between the Lions, Ravens and Bengals.
Mike owns and publishes SkillPositions.Com, along with a big, expensive, and talented staff. Don't use this work without permission in writing. Mike has been known as the world's only living heart donor. He also thinks morals are paintings on walls, and scruples are money in Russia.
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