[Evening Edition]
So What I Saw in Week 3
After watching all of the action on Sunday, I saw plenty, but a few things I could not avoid noticing were the Bronco’s new rebuilt defense, the Raiders awful offense, and the Saints can actually run the ball and play defense. There was plenty more to see and note in week 3 like the end of Terrell Owens streak of a least a single catch in a game. It looks like the black hole is not the only place were things go to die, some things can die or come to an end at the hands of quarterback Trent Edwards arm.
Denver defense looks dominant….
It's only week three, but you can only play who they put on your schedule and through their first three games the Broncos have looked strong. In particular Denver's new rebuilt defense has been impressive. What is most eye catching is not just that this team was supposed to be awful, but it's the fashion in which they have won.
Sure folks will argue they should have lost their opener, but it was the defense that kept the Bronco’s in the game and gave the team that opportunity that fell into Brandon Stokley’s hands back in week one. Two weeks later the Bronco’s defense has now thoroughly throttled two inferior foes and the team stands alone atop the AFC West.
Raider’s offense looks awful…..
Sure we can credit the Bronco’s defense for many of the reasons on Sunday, but the fact is the Raider’s offense is just plain bad. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell has only completed 41 percent of his passes and has thrown four interceptions. His 39.8 passer rating ranks amongst the worst for starters in the league. On Sunday the team totaled just 137 yards and ranks near the bottom in many offensive categories; scoring-12.0 (30th), total yards-223.0 (31st), passing yards-119.7 (32nd), firstdowns/gm-13.0 (32nd), and yards/play-4.1 (31st).
Terrell Owens needs to get out of Buffalo….
How this guy has not lost it yet, I can’t imagine. He’s one of the leagues best run-after-the-catch (RAC) in the game today and the Bill’s can’t get the ball in his hands. Granted that Edwards has taken a few shots downfield, what I can’t imagine is why the Bills are not getting the ball to T.O. in the flat or using quick bubble screens and turning him into a runner. Owens has usually been on the wrong end of many situations he has put himself in and he may well have put himself here, but if the offense doesn’t change their gameplan soon he needs to consider a change of venue.
Trent Edwards has no confidence downfield….
You can count the passes and say that Edwards is not afraid to go downfield, but in this case it would seem the numbers lie. Looking at game film, there have been ample opportunities for the bills to strike downfield, but time and time again Edwards will not pull the trigger. And when he does choose to let it fly, he often not only over throws coverage, but his receivers as well. In order to make big plays downfield, you have to give your playmakers a chance to make a play.
Saints can run the ball….
And for those not paying attention, not only can the Saints put up points on the board with their high-flying passing game, but this team can run the ball. In three weeks of action the Saints offense is ranked second in rushing with 170.7 yards per game and an impressive 5.0 yards per carry (ranks 5th). They have also punched it in on the ground five times this young season.
Worst of the worst
This season there are some pretty bad teams playing in the NFL. Without discussion this list would obviously include the winless teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Titans, but who are the worst teams this year? After watching the Lions finally show some spark with the team’s first win since 2007, could they actually not be the worst in the league.
Against the Broncos on Sunday the Raiders looked pretty bad only able to muster three points and 137 yards of offense. Over in Tampa the Buccaneers could not even conjure up a single point and on Sunday their offense managed just 86 total net yards. While both the Raiders and Bucs could be considered worthy candidates, it looks like the Rams take the honors this week. An 0-3 start, the leagues worst scoring offense (ranked 32nd) and one of the worst defenses (ranked 29th) has the Rams and their fans feeling pretty bad in 2009. If not for the play of running back Steven Jackson, this team would have no offense or any chance to score. Move over Detroit, the Rams are bad and 0-16 is not out of the realm of possibility.
The Jury is still out
While a few teams this season have been early surprises out of the gate, the jury is still out on these teams the Broncos, Niners, and Bengals. While both the Niners and Bengals have managed a couple of impressive wins this season, we’re still reluctant to crown them as having achieved anything. Mind you both are much closer to being the real deal than the Denver Broncos, recipients of the luckiest play in 2009 and beneficiaries of an early soft schedule, it’s still too early to tell. All three teams have played well so far in this young early season, but let’s not jump the gun.
With the Niners playing in the weak NFC West their early wins have yet to prove anything. There is no question that head coach Mike Singletary has this team headed in the right direction and they certainly appear ready to compete for the division.
The Bengals will face a much stiffer test this season with the Ravens off to a hot start, but their recent win over the defending Super Bowl Champion goes a long way. The 2008 Bengal’s team without question was decimated by injury, but this year’s healthier version is loaded with more talent and greater focus. From what we saw on “Hard Knocks” this may not be a mirage we’re looking at.
In Denver what we are seeing could be classified as nothing less than a full-blown metamorphosis or one fantastic illusion. The last time we checked head coach Josh McDaniels was not wearing a cape or holding a wand, but he certainly has some kind of magic act going on a mile high. The undefeated Broncos, aside from the one lucky fluke play have looked steady on both fronts. With a top-10 offense and a number one ranked defense the jury may be out, but it not for long if they keep this up.
10 Things I remember from Sunday Week 3...
- Joe Flacco and the Ravens look like one of the best teams in the NFL; with a dominant defense, power running game, and now a strong passing game.
- The Jets are a team to be reckoned with and quarterback mark Sanchez is not playing like any rookie I know.
- Peyton Manning is king and without a doubt the best quarterback in the NFL today. His dominant performance Sunday night was just a friendly reminder to all.
- The Redskins may not be the worst team in the NFL, but on Sunday they sure looked like one of them.
- That quarterback Brett Favre and his heroics are one of the biggest reasons I keep watching the NFL every Sunday.
- Tom Brady may not be quite back to his 2007 form, but the Patriots are still the Patriots and always tough at home.
- The Saints are more of a complete team than most thought; add a running game and a defense, Super Bowl talk doesn’t sound so silly now does it.
- The Texans have a lot of talent on offense, but they still need to play defense to win in this league.
- The Bills are not going to compete in the East if they don’t learn how to get better; they need to get T.O. more involved.
- With Earth (Jacobs) and Fire (Bradshaw) in New York, who needs wind. The Giants running game appears to be in fine form.
Remember to check back for more "Monday Morning Huddle!"
No comments:
Post a Comment