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BwareDWare94
Where were you when the world stopped turning?
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Sunday: Houston Texans @ New York Giants
What to Expect:
At this point, the New York Giants will not improve until the Coughlin/Eli era is over. I'm pretty sure one can win without the other, and truth be told, it's not that they clash or are a bad combination--there are just too many things that went to hell in New York, and in this win-now business, I don't see things getting better until one or the other, or both, is gone. The secondary and offensive line each had their transmissions go out on the highway a couple of years ago, leaving shrapnel scattered all over the road. Unfortunately for the Giants, there is no quick fix to either of these units, as it has as much to do with how the pieces work together as what makes up the pieces. Though the secondary appears to be headed in the right direction, the offensive line is still a mess. Losses to the Lions and Cardinals to start the year do not bode well for the remaining 14 games of the season. Offensively, Eli has continued his turnover-machine ways, and we've yet to hear from Victor Cruz, one of the most exciting players in the league. Defensively, I really like their secondary, but the defense can only do so much when the offense just can't get rolling.
The Texans are off to a fast start that was foreseen by very very few. At the same time, when the Redskins and Raiders were Houston's first two opponents, we should have given credit where credit is due. This Houston defense is still very very good, and now it's up to the offense to be just good enough (because it doesn't have potential to get significantly better with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback). So far, Fitzpatrick has been good enough. DeAndre Hopkins has been good enough. Arian Foster has been good enough. Defensively, the Texans have been more than good enough, holding the Redskins to 6 points (let's not forget two red zone Washington fumbles, though) and the Raiders to a mere 10 points. Either way, we'll find out on Sunday if this Texans defense can continue its dominant ways or if they'll be exposed.
Prediction: Giants 20 Texans 16
While I firmly believe that the Texans are the better team, the Giants are due for a decent performance and a win, and Houston is primed for a loss and a bad day from from Ryan Fitzpatrick. I'm thinking 2 interceptions, while Eli only has one, and a nice showing by that Giants secondary.
Sunday: Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles
What to Expect:
Somehow, some way, the Eagles pulled off the comeback win against a Colts squad that controlled the game for most of 3 quarters. While I was considering the "feast or famine" element of Chip Kelly's offense in the first half, the second half of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter had me marveling at the way simple screen or swing passes can turn into fifty or sixty yard jaunts thanks the the bowling ball that is Darren Sproles. There are many things to love about Chip Kelly's system, from the sheer amount of fun it is to watch to the coaching advantages it provides--there's no need to worry about the play clock, and therefore no wasting timeouts pointlessly. There's rarely a differing count and cadence, as the Eagles snap the ball as quickly as possible, making it nearly impossible to have a bunch of false starts. Offensive players have to focus so intently on lining up correctly that illegal formations and illegal shifts are a thing of the past. What seems so small proves to be huge, late in games. The offense, even with a less than impressive Nick Foles running the show, is downright scary. Defensively, the Eagles still have their troubles, and the only reason they may have escaped Indianapolis with a win is because Pep Hamilton's first instinct on a late game series was to hand the ball to Trent Richardson, TWICE. Nevertheless, the defense has been good enough, so far, but there are certain players taking snaps (Casey Matthews) who might not even belong on active NFL rosters.
The Redskins come into week 3 with a hot button topic looking to resolve itself--does Kirk Cousins have any chance, whatsoever, of stealing Robert Griffin's job? Cousins led the 'skins to a 41-7 victory over the Jaguars. While two games aren't going to answer the question, leading his team to its first victory, followed up by a division victory, would go a long way toward forcing Jay Gruden and Washington's brass to swallow its pride and play the individual who's earned the job. Offensively, the Redskins still have Alfred Morris. They still have Pierre Garcon. They've added two more excellent receiving options in DeSean Jackson and the perpetually underrated Andre Roberts. If Jordan Reed can get healthy and meet his potential as the season goes along, the Redskins have potential to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the league. What remains to be seen is if they can turn their potential into something that actually matters. Defensively, the Redskins are a good story so far, having one of the league's top defenses through two weeks. I think that has a lot to do with playing Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chad Henne, but their first true litmus test will happen this weekend against the high flying Eagles offense.
Prediction: Eagles 31 Redskins 13
Here's the funny thing about Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin--neither is very good. Not even slightly good. Griffin isn't good due to injuries, and getting healthy is really up in the air, as of now. Cousins isn't good because we've seen him before and we know how it goes. He has good moments, but there are flashes in every pan, even the pan of mediocrity. Has he earned this opportunity, comparatively? Yes. Will he do anything with it? No. The Eagles cruise behind LeSean McCoy and big plays by Jeremy Maclin.
Sunday: Dallas Cowboys @ St. Louis Rams
What to Expect:
In recent years, and particularly under the guidance of Jason Garrett, the Cowboys have only proven one thing--we don't know what expect, week to week. We don't know what kind of gameplan is going to be in place. We don't know how badly one week will differ from the other. DeMarco Murray could have 25 carries one week, 12 the next, while Romo throws 35-40 times, which just doesn't work. Needless to say, the Cowboys are the NFL's version of Jekyll and Hyde. Offensively, they should be good from week to week, but their tendency to rely completely on Romo when it's remarkably unnecessary has proven time and time again to be their downfall. DeMarco Murray has to be given the rock. Tony Romo can't be repeatedly put in high pressure, 3rd and long situations. Nobody can. Why it's taken Dallas so long to figure out that no quarterback can succeed in such a consistently ballistic situation, we'll never know. Hopefully for Dallas fans, Garrett has finally figured that out. Defensively, the Cowboys have been surprisingly stout through the first two weeks of the season. The secondary is playing, dare I say it, very well, and their front 4 is proving to be solid, at the very least, thanks to the defensive line whisperer they call Rod Marinelli.
The Rams head home after an impressive win. Not to say that beating the Bucs is anything to brag about, but doing so with their third string quarterback is very impressive. Offensively, the Rams boast solid running backs in Stacy and Cunningham, though neither strikes fear into opposing defenses. Aerial weapons have been lacking in recent years for the Rams, and that appears to be no different, even with the addition of Kenny Britt. Players like Jared Cook and Austin Pettis would be better with real quarterbacks. Tavon Austin has left us all wondering why he was drafted so high in the first place. Offensively, the Rams are a mess. They're even less frightening than Oakland and Jacksonville. On the other side of the ball, the Rams boast a ferocious front 4, even without Chris Long. Their linebackers are solid, and their secondary appears much improved. What remains to be seen is if this defense is good enough to keep them in games against the NFL's better teams, and I'm not sure when they face a truly scary opponent.
Prediction: Cowboys 38 Rams 13
In recent years, the Cowboys have had no trouble with the St. Louis Rams, and I don't expect that to change. Austin Davis is going to struggle against the Dallas defense, and DeMarco Murray is going to run roughshod over the Rams, which he's done before. While the Cowboys aren't one of the NFL's better teams, they're a matchup nightmare for the Rams, similar to the Vikings. The Cowboys will roll over the Rams in pretty much the same way.
What to Expect:
At this point, the New York Giants will not improve until the Coughlin/Eli era is over. I'm pretty sure one can win without the other, and truth be told, it's not that they clash or are a bad combination--there are just too many things that went to hell in New York, and in this win-now business, I don't see things getting better until one or the other, or both, is gone. The secondary and offensive line each had their transmissions go out on the highway a couple of years ago, leaving shrapnel scattered all over the road. Unfortunately for the Giants, there is no quick fix to either of these units, as it has as much to do with how the pieces work together as what makes up the pieces. Though the secondary appears to be headed in the right direction, the offensive line is still a mess. Losses to the Lions and Cardinals to start the year do not bode well for the remaining 14 games of the season. Offensively, Eli has continued his turnover-machine ways, and we've yet to hear from Victor Cruz, one of the most exciting players in the league. Defensively, I really like their secondary, but the defense can only do so much when the offense just can't get rolling.
The Texans are off to a fast start that was foreseen by very very few. At the same time, when the Redskins and Raiders were Houston's first two opponents, we should have given credit where credit is due. This Houston defense is still very very good, and now it's up to the offense to be just good enough (because it doesn't have potential to get significantly better with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback). So far, Fitzpatrick has been good enough. DeAndre Hopkins has been good enough. Arian Foster has been good enough. Defensively, the Texans have been more than good enough, holding the Redskins to 6 points (let's not forget two red zone Washington fumbles, though) and the Raiders to a mere 10 points. Either way, we'll find out on Sunday if this Texans defense can continue its dominant ways or if they'll be exposed.
Prediction: Giants 20 Texans 16
While I firmly believe that the Texans are the better team, the Giants are due for a decent performance and a win, and Houston is primed for a loss and a bad day from from Ryan Fitzpatrick. I'm thinking 2 interceptions, while Eli only has one, and a nice showing by that Giants secondary.
Sunday: Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles
What to Expect:
Somehow, some way, the Eagles pulled off the comeback win against a Colts squad that controlled the game for most of 3 quarters. While I was considering the "feast or famine" element of Chip Kelly's offense in the first half, the second half of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter had me marveling at the way simple screen or swing passes can turn into fifty or sixty yard jaunts thanks the the bowling ball that is Darren Sproles. There are many things to love about Chip Kelly's system, from the sheer amount of fun it is to watch to the coaching advantages it provides--there's no need to worry about the play clock, and therefore no wasting timeouts pointlessly. There's rarely a differing count and cadence, as the Eagles snap the ball as quickly as possible, making it nearly impossible to have a bunch of false starts. Offensive players have to focus so intently on lining up correctly that illegal formations and illegal shifts are a thing of the past. What seems so small proves to be huge, late in games. The offense, even with a less than impressive Nick Foles running the show, is downright scary. Defensively, the Eagles still have their troubles, and the only reason they may have escaped Indianapolis with a win is because Pep Hamilton's first instinct on a late game series was to hand the ball to Trent Richardson, TWICE. Nevertheless, the defense has been good enough, so far, but there are certain players taking snaps (Casey Matthews) who might not even belong on active NFL rosters.
The Redskins come into week 3 with a hot button topic looking to resolve itself--does Kirk Cousins have any chance, whatsoever, of stealing Robert Griffin's job? Cousins led the 'skins to a 41-7 victory over the Jaguars. While two games aren't going to answer the question, leading his team to its first victory, followed up by a division victory, would go a long way toward forcing Jay Gruden and Washington's brass to swallow its pride and play the individual who's earned the job. Offensively, the Redskins still have Alfred Morris. They still have Pierre Garcon. They've added two more excellent receiving options in DeSean Jackson and the perpetually underrated Andre Roberts. If Jordan Reed can get healthy and meet his potential as the season goes along, the Redskins have potential to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the league. What remains to be seen is if they can turn their potential into something that actually matters. Defensively, the Redskins are a good story so far, having one of the league's top defenses through two weeks. I think that has a lot to do with playing Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chad Henne, but their first true litmus test will happen this weekend against the high flying Eagles offense.
Prediction: Eagles 31 Redskins 13
Here's the funny thing about Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin--neither is very good. Not even slightly good. Griffin isn't good due to injuries, and getting healthy is really up in the air, as of now. Cousins isn't good because we've seen him before and we know how it goes. He has good moments, but there are flashes in every pan, even the pan of mediocrity. Has he earned this opportunity, comparatively? Yes. Will he do anything with it? No. The Eagles cruise behind LeSean McCoy and big plays by Jeremy Maclin.
Sunday: Dallas Cowboys @ St. Louis Rams
What to Expect:
In recent years, and particularly under the guidance of Jason Garrett, the Cowboys have only proven one thing--we don't know what expect, week to week. We don't know what kind of gameplan is going to be in place. We don't know how badly one week will differ from the other. DeMarco Murray could have 25 carries one week, 12 the next, while Romo throws 35-40 times, which just doesn't work. Needless to say, the Cowboys are the NFL's version of Jekyll and Hyde. Offensively, they should be good from week to week, but their tendency to rely completely on Romo when it's remarkably unnecessary has proven time and time again to be their downfall. DeMarco Murray has to be given the rock. Tony Romo can't be repeatedly put in high pressure, 3rd and long situations. Nobody can. Why it's taken Dallas so long to figure out that no quarterback can succeed in such a consistently ballistic situation, we'll never know. Hopefully for Dallas fans, Garrett has finally figured that out. Defensively, the Cowboys have been surprisingly stout through the first two weeks of the season. The secondary is playing, dare I say it, very well, and their front 4 is proving to be solid, at the very least, thanks to the defensive line whisperer they call Rod Marinelli.
The Rams head home after an impressive win. Not to say that beating the Bucs is anything to brag about, but doing so with their third string quarterback is very impressive. Offensively, the Rams boast solid running backs in Stacy and Cunningham, though neither strikes fear into opposing defenses. Aerial weapons have been lacking in recent years for the Rams, and that appears to be no different, even with the addition of Kenny Britt. Players like Jared Cook and Austin Pettis would be better with real quarterbacks. Tavon Austin has left us all wondering why he was drafted so high in the first place. Offensively, the Rams are a mess. They're even less frightening than Oakland and Jacksonville. On the other side of the ball, the Rams boast a ferocious front 4, even without Chris Long. Their linebackers are solid, and their secondary appears much improved. What remains to be seen is if this defense is good enough to keep them in games against the NFL's better teams, and I'm not sure when they face a truly scary opponent.
Prediction: Cowboys 38 Rams 13
In recent years, the Cowboys have had no trouble with the St. Louis Rams, and I don't expect that to change. Austin Davis is going to struggle against the Dallas defense, and DeMarco Murray is going to run roughshod over the Rams, which he's done before. While the Cowboys aren't one of the NFL's better teams, they're a matchup nightmare for the Rams, similar to the Vikings. The Cowboys will roll over the Rams in pretty much the same way.
