We're two weeks into the NFL season, and perhaps the most intriguing thing to say so far is that we really don't know what we don't know. As of now, only 6 of 32 teams are 2 - 0 and they include the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that has already had 9 turnovers in 2 games. Compare that to the 20 teams that are 1 - 1 right now. I guess there has to be some way to rationalize my improving-but-less-than-impressive game pick record (10 - 6) but I have a feeling there could be some fascinating twists and turns when we look back on these early goings in December or so.
Here are my lingering thoughts on Week 2 in Quick Snap form. I'll also feature a big idea, team and/or player each week to keep things interesting. This week: Why "attitude" in the NFL is overrated. But first, the good stuff:
Week 2: The Good Stuff
- Fred Who? - Under the radar or overrated no more, depending on your perspective, C. J. Spiller is absolutely tearing it up in Buffalo after two weeks of spectacular play. For non-game stats wonks, it is very difficult to average 10 yards/carry in a game at all, much less over two weeks and even much less when you've got almost 300 yards on the books already. Of course, we may start seeing a Calvin Johnson-like effect if Spiller keeps it up and teams are forced to send 2 - 3 bodies his way on every play, but that can only mean good things for the rest of the Bills' overall offense if C.J. stays healthy and consistent.
- Extra Special Teams - It started with the Packers' fake field goal on Thursday night that proved to be the spark plug for total domination over the Bears. Then we saw the Seahawks and Cardinals take down some seeming early Goliaths--the Cowboys and the Patriots, respectively--with great return runs and blocked punts that set them up for 60 minutes of game-managing success. The Cardinals in particular might be this year's Broncos-- there's no reason that they should be winning the way they are right now, but going 9 - 2 over the past 11 games speaks for itself. Conversely, special teams was a particularly harsh mistress for New England's kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Now they should have a little more empathy going up against the Ravens next Sunday night...
- Nailed It! My Best Prediction of the Week - I was going to cite my unfortunate correctness in picking the Panthers against the spread, but watching this Monday night game, I'm going to call it at the line with Peyton Manning's big first half flop that far fewer saw coming than I did in my Week 1 Recap:
- "I'm still not 100% on Peyton Manning. I know this is blasphemous because dude looked spectacular in most people's eyes on Sunday night [against the Steelers]... but he narrowly avoided a couple of disastrous interceptions and got hit far more often than he would have liked, especially on the blind side."
- This Gonzo Monday Night Officiating - Another late adjustment, I can't get over the fact that we're already 2 1/2 hours into this thing and it's just the third quarter. Terrible calls, non-calls, John Fox's gin-blossoming face of wrath and John Gruden's, well, everything... On the other hand, this crap may lose just enough ratings to push Gooddell to loosen the purse strings for his A-Team zebras.
- The Freakin' Eagles - To more politely paraphrase a wise Lebowski, I hate the freakin' Eagles, man. He of course was talking about Eagles of the Don Henley variety, but how is it that this Philadelphia team with 9 turnovers in 2 weeks (6 of them INTs courtesy of Michael Vick) is 2 - 0???? It's enough to drive you stark-raving mad, but credit Philly's defense for keeping both games within reach when they could have become rout-tastic disasters. On the one hand, this team could be extra scary if they can clean up the mistakes, but on the other hand, it's like hitting every orange cone in the parking lot while slugging Jim Beam and still somehow getting your driver's license.
- Drew Brees' Lack of Confidence - In full transparency about the Eagles gripes above, I'm coming from a place of watching my QB deliver 4 profoundly ill-thought interceptions of his own in these first 2 weeks. To be somewhat fair, 2 of them happened in the closing Hail Mary drive of each game, but the fat new contract and dearth of Sean Payton have not been kind to Brees's performance so far in 2012. Still, what I'm seeing isn't a mere slide in the play-calling. I'm seeing a skittish QB who really doesn't believe in his offensive line right now. Make no mistake, the defensive side of the ball is still a much bigger concern for the Saints right now, but when your greatest asset is faltering under pressure, there is simply no room for error to stay in this season.
- Shanked It! My Worst Prediction of the Week - While my most obvious miss--like most opinionators--had to be the Cardinals upsetting the Patriots on Sunday, the Bills continue to bewilder the ever-loving Nostradamus out of me:
- "Given that the Chiefs were able to go toe-to-toe with the Falcons for a decent amount of time last week, I think they have the edge over a Bills team that's very much still trying to find its identity, especially with Buffalo's big injury issues on offense."
We saw a lot of teams and players skirting the line between take-no-prisoners attitude and just plain stupid this week. Maybe there was something in the non-PED-laced Gatorade that I missed. Anyway, ranked in order from mildly pathetic to shooting-your-own-thigh bad:
- Mildly Pathetic: Detroit Lions Being the Detroit Lions - I wasn't expecting the Lions to win by any means on Sunday night, but talk about same stuff on a different day. Pleasantries were stiffly maintained between Jims Schwarz and Harbaugh, but you just can't triumph over a hungry and mean place like San Francisco with 8 penalties including the ever-avoidable personal foul that those chippy Lions love so well. They haven't learned a thing from last year.
- Deep Sigh Worthy: Jay Cutler Being Jay Cutler - Some may argue that Jay Cutler has earned the right to pout for all eternity given his sandcastle-quality protection at the line. But even if that's technically true, I'm guessing Cutler's pity party felt a lot less whimsical than a Debbie Downer skit in the Chicago locker room after they were torched by the Green Bay defense on Thursday. Leadership 101 says that composure is half the battle, and if Jay Cutler can't put his self-righteous demons in the locker for 3 hours a week, he will never be considered a leader.
- Deserving of Having Their Cars Keyed: The Bucs' Sour Grapes Formation - Oy vey. Nothing like a cheap gimmick to show everyone you're the new sheriff in town. I was going to do my best to reserve judgment on divisional foe Tampa Bay for a few more weeks, but Coach Greg Schiano is kidding himself trying to rationalize charging the Giants' line of scrimmage when they had clearly already won the game. I'm not even talking about player safety risks or the rules of football civility, I'm talking about good old-fashioned hypocrisy. In case you forgot, the Bucs knelt out not once, not twice, but three times in Week 1 to seal their victory over the Panthers. Doesn't exactly sound like "playing all 60 minutes" to me. You better believe it's gonna get awkward the next time Tampa is given that kind of choice in the waning moments.
- Shooting-His-Own-Thigh Bad: Josh. Morgan. - Speaking of hypocrisy and very poor choices, how about the Redskins' Josh Morgan this weekend? He single-handedly let his ego take Washington out of contention against the Rams by chucking a ball at STL corner Courtland Finnegan after Morgan caught a pass that put the 'Skins in position to tie the game. This was very stupid in and of itself, but turns out Morgan unknowingly predicted his own fate in the Washington Post this past week on this exact issue. If a time machine of yourself isn't get enough to put team before "I," then how can we expect Amy Poehler and Will Arnett to make it in this crazy world?!
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