10. Brett Favre is done….well, maybe.
9. The Cowboys Stink
8. Mark Sanchez Can Play?
7. Michael Vick will be a Full-time Starter Again
6. Pittsburgh Can Win No Matter Who’s Under Center
5. Jahvid Best and Sam Bradford are Ready for the NFL
4. Brandon Jacobs is Done
3. The NFC West is the Weakest Division in Football
2. The Saints will Avoid the Super Bowl Hangover
1. Be Weary of the Road Favorite
-Nick Locker
10 Things I’ve Learned through 2 Weeks of NFL Play
Favre has thrown for 396 yards, 1 TD and 4 interceptions through 2 games. His QB rating is a pathetic 56.1, and his offense is ranked 31st in points per game and 24th in passing yards per game. His team is 0-2. Favre has plenty of time to turn it around, but I’m not certain he will.
The Cowboys are the most talented team in the league on paper. Too bad the game is played on the field. The problem starts with Head Coach Wade Phillips, who consistently makes unacceptable coaching errors (see end of half vs. Redskins in wk 1). Romo can’t win big games. Roy Williams should be cut. Felix Jones doesn’t get enough touches. Neither does Marion Barber. 2 teams have won the Super Bowl after starting 0-2. There won’t be a third this year.
I have been extremely critical of Sanchez and his inability as a passer since he entered the league. However, this past Sunday he led the Jets past division foe New England convincingly, throwing for 220 yards and 3 TDs on 21-30 passing and outplaying ‘Golden Boy’ Tom Brady. Is this the Sanchez we are going to see the rest of the season? Or, will we see the week 1 Sanchez, who was 10-21 for 74 yards?
Vick has shown the flashes of brilliance that made him the most exciting player on the planet a few years ago. His speed is back, he seems much more mature, and he has thrown the ball extremely well – 459 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs and a 105.5 passer rating. The Eagles are (overly) invested in Kevin Kolb, whom HC Andy Reid says is still the starter, but Vick may get a shot to become the starter at some point for the Eagles. If not in Philadelphia, he will certainly get a shot with another team in the future after what he’s shown through two weeks this year.
Since the announcement that starting QB Ben Roethlisberger would be suspended for 4 games, Pitt fans have quietly hoped to get through the suspension with at least a 2-2 mark. Well, they are 2-0, now hoping to go 4-0 during Big Ben’s absence. The defense has been phenomenal since the return of S Troy Polamalu, arguably the best defensive back in the NFL. The Steelers have given up just 52 yards rushing and 10 points per game thus far. Backup QB Dennis Dixon went down Sunday, but the Steelers will still find ways to win whether it’s Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch or Charlie Brown taking the snaps.
Lions RB Jahvid Best and Rams QB Sam Bradford, both rookies, have played impressively in their first weeks in the NFL. Best has rushed for 98 yards and 4 TDs and also has 170 yards receiving and 1 TD reception. He has looked strong and fast and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Sam Bradford has completed almost 60% of his passes for 420 yards and 3 TDs through two weeks. Although he has thrown some INTs (4), he has shown he has the arm and leadership skills to be a successful NFL QB, and he has kept the Rams in both of their games so far. Look for the Rams to win a few games on Bradford’s shoulders this year.
I have felt this way for a couple of years now. The Giants running back has played uninspired football since the team’s Super Bowl victory in 2008, and his yards per carry average has dropped from 5.0 that season to 3.7 last year to 3.3 this year. He has been supplanted as the starter by Ahmad Bradshaw, and after throwing his helmet into the crowd Sunday, has requested a trade. I wouldn’t trade a 5th round pick for Jacobs. He’s done.
Oh, we knew that already? Sorry.
The Saints offense has not looked overly-impressive during its first two victories this year, but timely big plays and exceptional scheming by HC Sean Payton have allowed the team to start 2-0. The Saints are focused and have a number of weapons on both sides of the ball. Even with the loss of Reggie Bush, the Saints still have as much skill on offense as any team in the league, and I fully expect the offense to score more points and continue winning in the upcoming weeks. 13 Super Bowl Champions have failed to make the playoffs the following year. This number won’t increase to 14 this year, as the Saints looked poised to win the division, as expected.
Through two weeks of NFL play only 3 of 13 Road Favorites have won against the spread – just 23%. Even the Super Bowl Champion Saints couldn’t cover on Monday Night against the struggling 49ers. Teams like Minnesota and Dallas losing and Tampa Bay and Kansas City winning games have certainly played a large role in this trend as well. That said, this week my NFL ATS Annihilator release calls for an away favorite to cover.
Posted by Nick Locker on Sep 22, 2010 08:09:09 pm
