NFL 2014: Week 2

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Screw all other inferior sports, NFL football is back!

Week 1 notes:

* Was there anything more embarrassing this week than AT&T Stadium being packed full of 49ers fans?
* Well, OK, there was this
* When an announcer says "he held onto that one" on a receiver's TD catch, that tells you something about the player (Greg Gumbel on Mike Wallace)
* 49ers have to be feeling good so far about the Kaepernick deal. PFF graded him out as 3rd best QB in week 1.
* Bengals feeling pretty good too with Dalton. 9th highest PFF QB grade of the week.
* Chiefs, well, not such a great return on their QB investment so far.
* No one is feeling as good as Russell Wilson's agent, who keeps watching his client's price go up and up.
* I feel like this is going to be Brian Hoyer every week. He’s capable of being bad enough every week that he’s on the precipice of giving the team the excuse to play the other guy. But he’s also capable of being just good enough to remain the starter.
* JJ Watt is the defensive talk of the league after signing his $100 mil contract and then going out on the field and being disruptive as hell (including a PAT block, are you kidding?). But let’s also give some recognition to Cameron Wake, who destroyed Sebastian Vollmer on his way to destroying Tom Brady and the entire Patriots offense.
* Obviously, if there’s one thing we are chastising the NFL for this week, we know what that thing is. But if I can have another thing, I would like to complain about the slowness in which they posted the All-22 footage to NFL Game Rewind this week. As of Wednesday morning, there were almost no games posted. Some football writer types took to Twitter to complain about it. I had intended to watch some games on Tuesday for this writeup, but it was not to be.

Pick ‘Ems

Dallas @ Tennessee: As bad as things went for Dallas in the opener, there were a couple of bright spots. That young, highly drafted offensive line is the powerful run-blocking force they were expected to be (the one weak spot being LG, where a couple of replacement level players are competing to be the guy that ultimately gets replaced in the 2015 draft). And Rolando McClain followed up his expectation-defying preseason with the same caliber of performance in week 1, giving Dallas perhaps the best scrap heap gem of the year so far. Tennessee, let’s highlight the bad first, because they’re the damn Titans and I must. Bishop Sankey was probably my least favorite draft pick in the NFL draft, and my most-avoided player in the fantasy drafts. So far, he has proven that out, following an unproductive preseason with an ineffective game against a depleted Chiefs defense that let Shonn Greene plod forward for 4.7 per carry. Unfortunately, that’s about all the bad the Titans gave me in week 1. Jake Locker picked up right back at that “maybe he’s turning the corner” level he was at before last year’s injury. The receiving corps did a good job, and the defense (especially Jurrell Casey) was dominant. If Tony Romo is going to get back on track this week, he’s going to have to earn it.

St. Louis @ Tampa Bay: This is either the game in which Tampa pounds on an inferior opponent and reestablishes their 2014 expectations, or this is a cripple fight. I can’t wait to find out.

Miami @ Buffalo: So. Buffalo. That’s not exactly what the wheels falling off is supposed to look like. You’re supposed to lose. EJ Manuel is supposed to be the inept passer he was in preseason. You’re supposed to get stomped by an offense as powerful as the Bears. Instead, you played well enough that someone finally bought you! OK, let’s not act like it was a dominant performance. Your most productive offensive weapon is still a 45 year old running back (give or take a few years). But hey, a non-collapse is a win in its own right. But how about Miami, and how Ryan Tannehill threw the ball behind an offensive line that suddenly can protect him. Mike Wallace is still largely a big waste of money, but there is life in the Miami offense.

Atlanta @ Cincinnati: Atlanta follows up Hard Knocks with an extraordinary comeback against a serious Super Bowl contender. Matt Ryan was out of his mind good, but equally impressive is how the offensive line didn’t collapse despite losing yet another offensive tackle (although Gabe Carimi was far from good as the replacement LT, just enough of an impediment). Cincinnati collapsed on defense against the Ravens, with Atkins and Burfict the lone exceptions to the poor level of play. The offense was good enough to overcome that, but that offense took a hit with the loss of Tyler Eifert, who finally was showing signs of life.

Philadelphia @ Indianapolis: Philly was dominated by the Jags for a half, and then flipped the script and did the dominating in the second half. The Jags did their best Seattle D impression, running that cover 3 look well for the first half, only for Kelly to find breakdowns in the defense and the Eagles to manufacture some big plays on some terribly blown coverages. I still need to watch that all-22 feed to see exactly what happened (thanks for the delay, NFL Game Rewind!). Indianapolis, in true Andrew Luck fashion, came alive in the 4th quarter and gave Denver a little scare, after underperforming for the early part of the game. Let’s see which team can figure out how to deliver the goods in the first half this time around.

Make your Week 2 picks now!

Week 1 results:
Stele: 5 - 0
S0LIDARITY: 5 - 0
Zaque: 5 - 0
jonfentyler: 5 - 0
Cobble: 4 - 1
iaintgotnopants: 4 - 1
Jowner: 4 - 1
oldmanscene24: 4 - 1
Jayhawker: 4 - 1
Leroyog: 4 - 1
billt721: 4 - 1
Dysplastic: 4 - 1
Gumbie: 4 - 1
Secret Asian Man: 4 - 1
TempestBlayze: 4 - 1
Minase: 4 - 1
Neozilla: 4 - 1
Kosars: 4 - 1
EvilDead: 4 - 1
Top_Shelf: 4 - 1
Oddsmakers: 4 - 1
onewild: 3 - 2
Jolly Bill: 3 - 2
garion333: 3 - 2
Certis: 3 - 2
Elliottx: 3 - 2
kaostheory: 3 - 2
MilkmanDanimal: 3 - 2
infyrnos: 3 - 2
Atras: 3 - 2
mudbunny: 3 - 2
karmajay: 3 - 2
Nomad: 3 - 2
Kush15: 3 - 2
McFinn: 3 - 2
Cube: 3 - 2
sr_malo: 3 - 2
TheGameGuru: 3 - 2
Xeknos: 2 - 3
tboon: 2 - 3
boogle: 2 - 3
Vector: 2 - 3
Bubs14: 2 - 3
LeapingGnome: 2 - 3
bighoppa: 2 - 3
thejustinbot: 2 - 3
FSeven: 1 - 4

Season to date:
Same totals, you dolt. It’s only Week 1.

This is the week in which I attend my first NFL game as a season ticket holder.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/7REGZKJ.jpg)

My body is ready.

Wow I'm so jealous I can't even afford a nosebleed Broncos ticket to a single game this year.

I did the pick-ems for the first time on GWJ. For the longest time I didn't know a Sports forum was even on GWJ. Do you choose which games to do the pick-ems for Legion?

The picks are really tough this week. Are those the real teams we saw in Week 1 or not? I keep going back and forth on about 3 games.

Hope you have some Levis. Only Cowboys fans wear Wranglers.

And because you mentioned All-22, here's Ben Muth of FOO putting it to use to explain the Ravens' new offense.

*Legion* wrote:

This is the week in which I attend my first NFL game as a season ticket holder.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/7REGZKJ.jpg)

My body is ready.

I like the purse.

garion333 wrote:

I like the purse.

Official NFL stadium bag, son. Just one of the more recent NFL rackets.

Any bag you bring into the stadium must be clear and no larger than a certain size, and oh look, the NFL just happens to sell them in exactly the right size!

Props to the 49ers though, they included one in the Levi's season ticket holder care package.

IMAGE(http://todaysmamacom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-19-at-1.41.34-PM.png)

I actually do quite often carry such a bag. It's far less defensible than the stadium bag.

Okay, I'll admit it. a) I have zero clue wtf I'm talking about while I'm watching games. b) I am a f*cking moron when it comes to picking games. The Colts was a bad pick on the road against Manning (even without some key supporting cast, which I overestimated), changing my Panthers pick at the last minute was a panic move (I overestimated Newton's importance), and the f*cking Chargers lost by one g*ddamn point. Welp, hindsight is 20-20 and sometimes you just catch a bad break.

Anyway, good games for picking this week. My choices:

Tennessee over Dallas (obligatory homer pick, I give the Titans the edge also because they're at home)
Tampa Bay over St. Louis (Fool me once...)
Buffalo over Miami (really tough one, I went with the home team)
Atlanta over Cincinnati (I'm in the minority so far, but they played the Saints hard and scrapped out a win; only away team I picked this week)
Indianapolis over Philadelphia (another tough one, I went with the home team)

Time to get back on the bike! Or slide farther down the bank of the canyon. Only time will tell.

*Legion* wrote:

I actually do quite often carry such a bag. It's far less defensible than the stadium bag.

As long as it holds all your make-up and glitter, who cares. Amirite?

Nomad wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

I actually do quite often carry such a bag. It's far less defensible than the stadium bag.

As long as it holds all your make-up and glitter, who cares. Amirite?

I think Legion would look amazing in eye liner and some red and gold sparkles at his first home game. Probably get on the ol' Jumbotron.

My wife isnt forcing me..but we had a good discussion about my hypocrisy of "complaining" about the NFL's lack of actions on the Ray Rice affair as well as the now obvious cover up... but still continuing to support the league through my passive acceptance by watching every Sunday and spending money on Game Rewind, Sunday Ticket, as well as merchandise.

This article is a good but tough read as well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...

Certis wrote:
Nomad wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

I actually do quite often carry such a bag. It's far less defensible than the stadium bag.

As long as it holds all your make-up and glitter, who cares. Amirite?

I think Legion would look amazing in eye liner and some red and gold sparkles at his first home game. Probably get on the ol' Jumbotron.

Yeah that's the look. Eye liner and sparkles and that Rogaine-assisted it's-still-there-mostly hair. That's sexy.

TheGameguru wrote:

My wife isnt forcing me..but we had a good discussion about my hypocrisy of "complaining" about the NFL's lack of actions on the Ray Rice affair as well as the now obvious cover up... but still continuing to support the league through my passive acceptance by watching every Sunday and spending money on Game Rewind, Sunday Ticket, as well as merchandise.

This article is a good but tough read as well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...

I keep vacillating between annoyance at overreactions (many people only really care because they saw it) and disgust at the way it's all been handled.

When I'm leaning more toward the latter I begin to think that it's time for me to stop watching the NFL and quit fantasy football. The pull is actually quite strong here, surprisingly. I probably should've stopped watching when the concussion stuff came out. It's just one thing after another that makes me want to spend more time doing other activities than watching this sport.

Sankey had 6 attempts Sunday for 25 yards. The hell are you talking about ineffective game against the Chiefs? He barely played.

IMAGE(http://nflshop.frgimages.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_1358000/ff_1358180_xl.jpg&w=180)

I like the bag, but how will it hide my shame when the Browns go 1-15?

Bubs14 wrote:

Okay, I'll admit it. a) I have zero clue wtf I'm talking about while I'm watching games. b) I am a f*cking moron when it comes to picking games.

Could be worse, you could be FSeven.

Who luckily changed his Dallas pick to SF or he would have went 0-5 this week.

Stele wrote:
Bubs14 wrote:

Okay, I'll admit it. a) I have zero clue wtf I'm talking about while I'm watching games. b) I am a f*cking moron when it comes to picking games.

Could be worse, you could be FSeven.

Who luckily changed his Dallas pick to SF or he would have went 0-5 this week. ;)

Even the consensus in AT&T Stadium didn't pick Dallas last week, did you see the sea of red jerseys?

Gumbie wrote:

Sankey had 6 attempts Sunday for 25 yards. The hell are you talking about ineffective game against the Chiefs? He barely played.

Any game in which you do not shove Shonn Greene down the depth chart is ineffective.

You're the 1st back taken in the draft and it's Shonn f*cking Greene.

Shonn Greene!

Don't come into my threads and start demanding rationality for Titans hate!

*Legion* wrote:
Gumbie wrote:

Sankey had 6 attempts Sunday for 25 yards. The hell are you talking about ineffective game against the Chiefs? He barely played.

Any game in which you do not shove Shonn Greene down the depth chart is ineffective.

You're the 1st back taken in the draft and it's Shonn f*cking Greene.

Shonn Greene!

Don't come into my threads and start demanding rationality for Titans hate!

Shonn Greene surprising looked good. He was moving well and running people over. Sankey only came in at the end of the 4th to put the game away and he got a few first downs to finish it up.

If the Bucs don't destroy the Rams...after a few edits I just don't know what to type to accurately reflect my feelings.

Gumbie wrote:

Shonn Greene surprising looked good.

Yep, he's the new Chris Brown, Week 1 Superstar (2004, 2007)

Shonn Greene looking good likely has far more to do with Kansas City looking bad than Shonn Greene looking good.

I am not sure whether I'm pleased or disappointed Josh McCown's flailing idiocy isn't the lead picture here. That was one simply epic big of stupidity that should be buried in a deep dark hole and/or put on billboards everywhere.

Also, screw you and your lousy overpaid hands, Dashon Goldson.

Dallas at Tennessee: I realize at some point I'm probably going to have to pick Dallas to win. This isn't it. If SF hadn't gone to sleep last week they'd have won by about 150 points. Also, Jake Locker will presumably be on IR by the 2nd quarter, it's tradition.

St. Louis at Tampa Bay: SERIOUSLY THE @#$!!! BALL HIT YOU IN THE HANDS TO WIN THE GAME GOLDSON NINE MILLION A YEAR. I'm not worried, it's Shaun Hill, right? I mean, what are the odds Tampa could turn some forgotten, journeyman backup who hasn't played in a couple years into the next incarnation of Peyton Manning? Uh . . . oh, sh*t.

Miami at Buffalo: Are sure they're both 1-0? Really, really sure?

Atlanta at Cinncinati: I figure Atlanta's defense is questionable enough that it's a game where Andy Dalton can look good enough to give Cincy fans all sorts of false hope. There's also a chance Atlanta could be forced to employ Gabe Carimi.

Philadelphia at Indianapolis: I hate Indy, and I hate Green Bay. I'm stuck rooting for the headless corpse of Josh McCown to maybe make it three minutes on the football field without taking a giant dump on the ball and then eating it, and Indy gets Peyton followed by Luck, while Green Bay goes Favre-Rodgers. Screw you. I endured Brian Griese twice over the course of a few years and had to watch Bruce Gradkowski as a rookie. Andrew Luck and his stupid beard can get eaten by a bear.

*Legion* wrote:
Gumbie wrote:

Shonn Greene surprising looked good.

Yep, he's the new Chris Brown, Week 1 Superstar (2004, 2007)

Actually the rb that's impressed me the most is Dexter McCluster. He's so damn small though every time he gets the ball I'm waiting on someone to snap him in half.

Gumbie wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
Gumbie wrote:

Shonn Greene surprising looked good.

Yep, he's the new Chris Brown, Week 1 Superstar (2004, 2007)

Actually the rb that's impressed me the most is Dexter McCluster. He's so damn small though every time he gets the ball I'm waiting on someone to snap him in half.

I get it, as a Chiefs fan I was excited to see McCluster become an offensive weapon. And what you got from him Sunday against the chiefs is pretty much what they got out of him at his very best. One catch and 3.2 yards a carry.

But he is a hell of a return guy.

Ah 3-2, welcome back old friend.

Dallas at Tennessee: I like Jake Locker. I feel bad for the Titans if he plays most of the season. What do you do then? Titans

St. Louis at Tampa Bay: The battle of the backups! Tampa at home, sure.

Miami at Buffalo: I like Miami. I like Tannenhill for some reason. Maybe because I saw him play lights out once and saw the possibilities. It's amazing what a functional OL can do for you. Miami

Atlanta at Cinncinati: I still think Atlanta has too many question marks on defense. Cincy

Philadelphia at Indianapolis: Andrew Luck

Phil Simms is terrible. I want Mayock back so badly it hurts.

Thought Baltimore would be all distracted and play terrible. WTF.

*Legion* wrote:

Phil Simms is terrible. I want Mayock back so badly it hurts.

This is the only thing I was looking at tonight:

https://twitter.com/philsimmsquotes/

Also, 16 more weeks of Simms to go...

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