Here are my 10 quick-hitting observations from Week 2 of the NFL season.
1. The Giants have already established themselves as the team to beat in the NFC East. Their upgraded defense is living up to their higher expectations and the offense is showing signs of coming around. Odell Beckham Jr. is a top-three wide receiver, Victor Cruz looks better than he has the last couple of years and Sterling Shephard appears to be the real deal. A running back needs to be found, though. Rashad Jennings defines mediocrity.
2. Jacksonville would settle for mediocrity when it comes to coaching. The Jaguars are 12-38 under Gus Bradley. The Jaguars have enough talent now to win the AFC South. But that’s unlikely to happen because they can’t be trusted to win close games at home, nor trusted when on the road. Bradley, Rex Ryan and Jeff Fisher are the three worst coaches in the NFL. Fisher at least owns the Seahawks.
3. Speaking of the Seahawks, where’s their offense going to come from when they have a bottom-three offensive line, Russell Wilson being far less effective because of limited mobility and their top wide receiver (Doug Baldwin) and running back (Thomas Rawls) are banged-up? I wouldn’t have any Seahawks in my fantasy football lineup except for their defense. If you have to rely on Christine Michael you’re in trouble.
4. Sam Bradford is a huge upgrade on Teddy Bridgewater. Not only is Bradford far more accurate than Bridgewater, but he gives the Vikings a downfield passing presence – which they didn’t have before – and turns Stefon Diggs into a star wide receiver. Diggs is a top-15 wide receiver with Bradford under center.
5. The Broncos defense is as dirty as ever, but it’s also as dominant as ever. It remains the best in football.
6. The Redskins have a right to feel nervous about Kirk Cousins. He always was a complementary type quarterback needing strong weapons to succeed. Those weapons remain in place – at least in the receiving game – but Cousins isn’t utilizing them as well even when playing at home.
7. Mike McCarthy doesn’t go for it on fourth down when he should and when he should kick a field goal he then goes for it on fourth down. The Packers have more problems on offense than they do on defense right now.
8. Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett is going to start Thursday for the Patriots against the Texans. Because of that oddsmakers opened Houston a road favorite. This is just the third time in 10 years the Patriots are home ‘dogs. The other two times came last year against the Bengals and Broncos. The Patriots won both of those games straight-up. Unfortunately for Bill Belichick and his master staff they don’t have enough time to coach Brissett up to face a strong Texans defense because of the Thursday start.
9. It took just five quarters before Arian Foster got hurt again. Hope you didn’t draft him.
10. Good job by the Falcons to upset the Raiders in Oakland. But Falcons fans have to be alarmed that the team only has 20 sacks in 18 games under Dan Quinn.
