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BwareDWare94
Where were you when the world stopped turning?
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Thursday Night Football: New York Giants @ Washington Redskins
What to Expect:
Fresh off a dismantling of the Ryan Fitzpatrick led Houston Texans, the New York Giants are primed for a second win against the Kirk Cousins led Washington Redskins. Why, do you ask? Well, first of all, because Kirk Cousins is not 400 yards on a week by week basis good, and is due for a regression to the mean, this week, especially against a Giants secondary that makes the Eagles secondary look like it belongs on a Pop Warner team. Offensively, the Giants need to rely on a steady dose of Rashad Jennings in order to take the pressure off of Eli's shoulders. We all know Eli is great under pressure when he knows he's playing for something, but no quarterback can succeed under that kind of pressure on an every week basis. The Giants have a defense that's good enough keep the offense in games, now, and Coughlin and his coaching staff have hopefully realized that. Look for Victor Cruz to go bananas in this game, and I really like the rookie tight end for the Giants, Larry Donnell, who I expect to score a second half touchdown in this week's game. Defensively, I'm really excited about the potential of this Giants defense, especially if Big Blue finds itself playing for something as the season progresses. Look for DRC and Prince to continue to make big plays, and the combination of Stevie Brown and Antrelle Rolle at Safety has a lot of potential.
The Redskins jumped out to an early lead against the Eagles, but that pill's proven poisonous, at this point, as now three teams have suffered a comeback at the hands of Philadelphia. Kirk Cousins was absolutely breathtaking in his first start of 2014, and any notion that he's not every bit as capable of leading this offense as Robert Griffin should be thrown out the window. The guy gets rid of the ball, and is exceptionally accurate. Do I expect him to continue to post video game numbers? Of course not, but there's no reason he can't keep this team in games if he minimizes mistakes. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are an excellent receiving tandem, and should have a positive impact on Alfred Morris, as the season progresses. Defensively, I wonder what the loss of DeAngelo Hall will do to this Redskins secondary. While he's not the player he once was, and hasn't been that player for years, he clearly had a leadership role in this secondary and I wonder how his teammates will fare without him.
Prediction: Giants 24 Redskins 13
Kirk Cousins comes down to earth. Eli continues not to throw picks because of a bad Redskins secondary. Rashad Jennings approaches 100 yards on a high number of carries. The Giants gain control of this one midway through the third quarter.
Sunday: Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers
What to Expect:
Anybody who saw the first half of all three Eagles games, this season, would have dozed off, woken up hours later, and assumed the birds had lost. Eagles fans should be thrilled by the resilience shown by this team, so far, and there's no reason to assume that they'll continue to put themselves in big holes. Offensively, Nick Foles might not be a marvel of a quarterback, but he minimizes mistakes and gets to make a plethora of easy throws on a regular basis, thanks to the dangers presented by LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. Jeremy Maclin seems to be going unnoticed, early on, but Eagles fans should be delighted by his performances, thus far. What more can be said about this Eagles offense? It's a juggernaut, to say the least, and Chip Kelly's system continues to amaze (and entertain, as long as it pisses Cary Williams off). Fans should be wary of yet another Jason Kelce injury, though. There's no telling how disastrous that could be, for the Eagles. I don't really know what to tell you about this Eagles defense. They're fine against the fun, for the most part, but they can't defend the pass to save their lives. They have some nice players, in certain areas, but complete chumps, in others. There will be specific players targeted by opposing offenses, as the season progresses, and I wonder if injuries might eventually force the Eagles into constant shootouts.
San Francisco has been on one of the worst 10 quarter runs of any team in the NFL, but it's not their fault, you know, according to players like Anquan Boldin. Apparently the stripes have forced the 49ers to squander a big lead against Chicago and completely lose composure against Drew Stanton, of all quarterbacks. Offensively, it's just hard to figure out the curious case of Colin Kaepernick. He can look like a stud for a series or two, only to disappear for the rest of the game. It makes no sense, to me, with the array of weapons he has at his disposal. Even without Vernon Davis for a week or two, the 49ers now have the outside weapons to balance that out. I expect to see heavier doses of Gore and Hyde, moving forward, in order to take more pressure off of Kaep. Defensively, the 49ers are still very solid, but the absences of guys like Bowman, Aldon Smith, and the departed Carlos Rogers have been obvious, thus far. I don't trust Chris Culliver, Parrish Cox, and the terrible, terrible Chris Cook, as the season progresses, and wonder if this 49ers club is perhaps on its way to digging a hole it can't get out of. I doubt it--they're too talented to fall out of the race, entirely, but don't be surprised if they're 1-3, following this weekend.
Prediction: 49ers 34 Eagles 31
Philadelphia finally puts itself behind so far that it can't recover, and a late forced fumble seals the deal for the 49ers to claw back to .500 and give their fan base some much needed hope. Jeremy Maclin will have another huge game, but it won't be enough for the Eagles to jump out to 4-0.
Sunday Night Football: New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys
What to Expect:
Boy, was I laughing at the 21-0 deficit that the Cowboys put themselves in due to the missing Rolando McClain and a vintage Romo pick 6 to the viciously cocky Janoris Jenkins. Nevertheless, the defense started playing ball and so did Romo, and it resulted in a comeback win. So far, the Cowboys offense sputters at times, excels at others. There's no question that Tony Romo isn't healthy. He's lost velocity, can't heave it deep like he used to, and doesn't have the physical ability needed for the consistent pin point accuracy he'd been known for in prior years (even if these accuracy issues started popping up, last year). DeMarco Murray has picked up the slack, running roughshod over NFL defenses. Dez Bryant is as dangerous as he's ever been, and I'm excited to see what guys like Terrance Williams and Lance Dunbar can bring to the table, as the season progresses. I also want to see the Cowboys at least try to utilize Gavin Escobar, but I'm afraid they might have another Martellus Bennett situation on their hands where a very skilled TE eventually leaves and shines, elsewhere. And can Dallas fans give an uproarious Hell Yeah! for this dominant offensive line? On the other side of the ball, I'm thrilled to see Bruce "Beast" Carter playing so well, as I've always seen crazy potential in him due to his tackling ability and incredible speed. Brandon Carr has stepped up, thankfully, and Orlando Scandrick's return has allowed Dallas to put Morris Claiborne on the shelf and pretend that they haven't had as much to do with his struggles as Mo, himself. Overall, this team has plenty of things going for them, but I'm not sure they've moved past their Jekyll and Hyde ways.
Who would have picked the Saints to be below .500 after 3 weeks? I know I didn't, and I firmly believe that a stupid Captain Munnerlyn play kept the Saints from being 0-3, coming into Dallas. Drew Brees hasn't been throwing touch down passes at his usual rate, so far, and I'm wondering if this is a trend, moving forward. His aerial weapons are still plenty scary as long as Jimmy Graham is suiting up, and I think the Saints have found themselves a second running back in Khiry Robinson, who had a nice game against the Vikings. I need to see them get more out of Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks, though. Defensively, Rob Ryan had to reel in his crazy ways a bit and simply blitz Bridgewater into submission, this past week, by forcing the rookie into constant check downs and scramble plays that resulted in pretty much nothing. It's hard not to marvel at the potential of Vaccaro and Byrd as a safety tandem, and I happen to think this Saints defense is coming together after a rough two weeks to start the season. Ryan is creative enough to find ways to get put pressure on Romo, and he's smart enough to simply avoid Tyron Smith, altogether (ask Robert Quinn about that). Ryan will find ways to disrupt the 'boys in the backfield--I have no doubt about that.
Prediction: Saints 30 Cowboys 27
This'll be an old school barn burner that comes down to a late field goal given up by a Dallas defense that still hasn't figured out how not to turn to butter late in the game.
What to Expect:
Fresh off a dismantling of the Ryan Fitzpatrick led Houston Texans, the New York Giants are primed for a second win against the Kirk Cousins led Washington Redskins. Why, do you ask? Well, first of all, because Kirk Cousins is not 400 yards on a week by week basis good, and is due for a regression to the mean, this week, especially against a Giants secondary that makes the Eagles secondary look like it belongs on a Pop Warner team. Offensively, the Giants need to rely on a steady dose of Rashad Jennings in order to take the pressure off of Eli's shoulders. We all know Eli is great under pressure when he knows he's playing for something, but no quarterback can succeed under that kind of pressure on an every week basis. The Giants have a defense that's good enough keep the offense in games, now, and Coughlin and his coaching staff have hopefully realized that. Look for Victor Cruz to go bananas in this game, and I really like the rookie tight end for the Giants, Larry Donnell, who I expect to score a second half touchdown in this week's game. Defensively, I'm really excited about the potential of this Giants defense, especially if Big Blue finds itself playing for something as the season progresses. Look for DRC and Prince to continue to make big plays, and the combination of Stevie Brown and Antrelle Rolle at Safety has a lot of potential.
The Redskins jumped out to an early lead against the Eagles, but that pill's proven poisonous, at this point, as now three teams have suffered a comeback at the hands of Philadelphia. Kirk Cousins was absolutely breathtaking in his first start of 2014, and any notion that he's not every bit as capable of leading this offense as Robert Griffin should be thrown out the window. The guy gets rid of the ball, and is exceptionally accurate. Do I expect him to continue to post video game numbers? Of course not, but there's no reason he can't keep this team in games if he minimizes mistakes. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are an excellent receiving tandem, and should have a positive impact on Alfred Morris, as the season progresses. Defensively, I wonder what the loss of DeAngelo Hall will do to this Redskins secondary. While he's not the player he once was, and hasn't been that player for years, he clearly had a leadership role in this secondary and I wonder how his teammates will fare without him.
Prediction: Giants 24 Redskins 13
Kirk Cousins comes down to earth. Eli continues not to throw picks because of a bad Redskins secondary. Rashad Jennings approaches 100 yards on a high number of carries. The Giants gain control of this one midway through the third quarter.
Sunday: Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers
What to Expect:
Anybody who saw the first half of all three Eagles games, this season, would have dozed off, woken up hours later, and assumed the birds had lost. Eagles fans should be thrilled by the resilience shown by this team, so far, and there's no reason to assume that they'll continue to put themselves in big holes. Offensively, Nick Foles might not be a marvel of a quarterback, but he minimizes mistakes and gets to make a plethora of easy throws on a regular basis, thanks to the dangers presented by LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. Jeremy Maclin seems to be going unnoticed, early on, but Eagles fans should be delighted by his performances, thus far. What more can be said about this Eagles offense? It's a juggernaut, to say the least, and Chip Kelly's system continues to amaze (and entertain, as long as it pisses Cary Williams off). Fans should be wary of yet another Jason Kelce injury, though. There's no telling how disastrous that could be, for the Eagles. I don't really know what to tell you about this Eagles defense. They're fine against the fun, for the most part, but they can't defend the pass to save their lives. They have some nice players, in certain areas, but complete chumps, in others. There will be specific players targeted by opposing offenses, as the season progresses, and I wonder if injuries might eventually force the Eagles into constant shootouts.
San Francisco has been on one of the worst 10 quarter runs of any team in the NFL, but it's not their fault, you know, according to players like Anquan Boldin. Apparently the stripes have forced the 49ers to squander a big lead against Chicago and completely lose composure against Drew Stanton, of all quarterbacks. Offensively, it's just hard to figure out the curious case of Colin Kaepernick. He can look like a stud for a series or two, only to disappear for the rest of the game. It makes no sense, to me, with the array of weapons he has at his disposal. Even without Vernon Davis for a week or two, the 49ers now have the outside weapons to balance that out. I expect to see heavier doses of Gore and Hyde, moving forward, in order to take more pressure off of Kaep. Defensively, the 49ers are still very solid, but the absences of guys like Bowman, Aldon Smith, and the departed Carlos Rogers have been obvious, thus far. I don't trust Chris Culliver, Parrish Cox, and the terrible, terrible Chris Cook, as the season progresses, and wonder if this 49ers club is perhaps on its way to digging a hole it can't get out of. I doubt it--they're too talented to fall out of the race, entirely, but don't be surprised if they're 1-3, following this weekend.
Prediction: 49ers 34 Eagles 31
Philadelphia finally puts itself behind so far that it can't recover, and a late forced fumble seals the deal for the 49ers to claw back to .500 and give their fan base some much needed hope. Jeremy Maclin will have another huge game, but it won't be enough for the Eagles to jump out to 4-0.
Sunday Night Football: New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys
What to Expect:
Boy, was I laughing at the 21-0 deficit that the Cowboys put themselves in due to the missing Rolando McClain and a vintage Romo pick 6 to the viciously cocky Janoris Jenkins. Nevertheless, the defense started playing ball and so did Romo, and it resulted in a comeback win. So far, the Cowboys offense sputters at times, excels at others. There's no question that Tony Romo isn't healthy. He's lost velocity, can't heave it deep like he used to, and doesn't have the physical ability needed for the consistent pin point accuracy he'd been known for in prior years (even if these accuracy issues started popping up, last year). DeMarco Murray has picked up the slack, running roughshod over NFL defenses. Dez Bryant is as dangerous as he's ever been, and I'm excited to see what guys like Terrance Williams and Lance Dunbar can bring to the table, as the season progresses. I also want to see the Cowboys at least try to utilize Gavin Escobar, but I'm afraid they might have another Martellus Bennett situation on their hands where a very skilled TE eventually leaves and shines, elsewhere. And can Dallas fans give an uproarious Hell Yeah! for this dominant offensive line? On the other side of the ball, I'm thrilled to see Bruce "Beast" Carter playing so well, as I've always seen crazy potential in him due to his tackling ability and incredible speed. Brandon Carr has stepped up, thankfully, and Orlando Scandrick's return has allowed Dallas to put Morris Claiborne on the shelf and pretend that they haven't had as much to do with his struggles as Mo, himself. Overall, this team has plenty of things going for them, but I'm not sure they've moved past their Jekyll and Hyde ways.
Who would have picked the Saints to be below .500 after 3 weeks? I know I didn't, and I firmly believe that a stupid Captain Munnerlyn play kept the Saints from being 0-3, coming into Dallas. Drew Brees hasn't been throwing touch down passes at his usual rate, so far, and I'm wondering if this is a trend, moving forward. His aerial weapons are still plenty scary as long as Jimmy Graham is suiting up, and I think the Saints have found themselves a second running back in Khiry Robinson, who had a nice game against the Vikings. I need to see them get more out of Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks, though. Defensively, Rob Ryan had to reel in his crazy ways a bit and simply blitz Bridgewater into submission, this past week, by forcing the rookie into constant check downs and scramble plays that resulted in pretty much nothing. It's hard not to marvel at the potential of Vaccaro and Byrd as a safety tandem, and I happen to think this Saints defense is coming together after a rough two weeks to start the season. Ryan is creative enough to find ways to get put pressure on Romo, and he's smart enough to simply avoid Tyron Smith, altogether (ask Robert Quinn about that). Ryan will find ways to disrupt the 'boys in the backfield--I have no doubt about that.
Prediction: Saints 30 Cowboys 27
This'll be an old school barn burner that comes down to a late field goal given up by a Dallas defense that still hasn't figured out how not to turn to butter late in the game.
