Week 3

Welcome back to the blog for a Week 3 recap! Sorry we’re late again.

Well! The ending of the Seahawks/Packers game was occasion for much merriment in our household, but that disastrous final call was the tipping point that forced the NFL to negotiate an end to the referee lockout. Let's hear your thoughts on the union, Goodell's negotiating strategy, the Golden Tate touchdown, and where the league goes from here.

I’m glad the league finally gave in. They knew how bad things were going to end up. They didn’t want this season to be remembered as the season of bad officiating. The NFL had no alternative. They probably only confirmed it as a catch during the week to avoid discrediting their officials. When M.D. Jennings rolled over with the ball in his hands, it seemed like an interception to me.

Do you think it's wrong for the NFL to fine coaches and players for criticizing the replacement officials?

Yes, I do, although I understand the league’s motive. Everyone knows the replacement officials were bad. Now the NFL seems to have acknowledged that, so they’re trying to limit the exposure the refs get. But by doing so, they’ve only made themselves look bad.

I only saw about half the game, so I couldn't really get a sense, but a lot of people were saying this was a major coming-out party for young (and small) Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Do you agree? Has he come into his own as a starter?

I think he could definitely be quite good, but this isn’t really the coming-out party. To prove himself to me, he’ll have to do well against San Francisco or another elite defense.

In other action relevant to our house, the Raiders pulled out a thrilling last-second victory against Pittsburgh. Has the long, successful reign of the Steelers finally come to an end? And are the Raiders for real?

I think the Steelers will still be decent, but they’re not an elite team. They don’t have much of a running game. Redman, Dwyer and Rainey aren’t going to cut it, but I would like to see some more passes to Rainey out of the backfield. As for the Raiders, they haven’t made the playoffs since 2002, and “for real” isn’t the term I would use to describe a 1-2 team that lost to Miami.

In other torch-passing news, the Vikings pulled out an impressive victory over the 49ers, whose coach I strenuously dislike. What was the key to the Vikes' victory?

I didn’t focus on watching this game, but judging by the low score for the 49ers, I would say that the defense was key. The 49ers’ offense has never been their strong point, and during this game, they were shut down very well.

I want to talk about Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe standing up for gay marriage and for players' ability to express their political opinions. Can you comment on this? 

I think that Kluwe is right to defend his fellow players and gay marriage. The NFL really limits what players can say.

How impressed are you with the rapid progress players have made in embracing LGBT issues?

It’s impressive, especially considering that football seems like one of the least accommodating environments for a gay person.

Gotta talk about the 0-3 Saints. Has this team fallen off a cliff? They still have a lot of the same talent that has made them a perennial playoff contender in recent years—what the heck happened?

Any team that has an interim interim coach is going to have a problem. They’re disorganized and were affected a lot by the bounty scandal. They’ll settle in soon enough, but Drew Brees alone can’t carry this team. (I wish he could; he’s my fantasy quarterback.)

What's with the Broncos? They always seems to have mount a late comeback. Is this team any good or not?

They’re pretty good, but not elite. I think that they could win the AFC West, but I doubt they’ll make a big playoff run.

The Panthers were utterly trampled by the Giants, and Cam Newton had an awful game. Was this a one-time stumble, or did New York expose his weaknesses?

Other teams will definitely look at what New York did to stop Cam. He’ll rebound, but it’s going to be hard for an all-around mediocre team like Carolina to go far in a tough division like the NFC South (Carolina, New Orleans, Atlanta, Tampa Bay.)

Your fantasy teams are doing fairly well at this point, but where you typically excel in is making strategic moves that pay off big down the line. Can you talk about some players you'll be dumping and a few you'll be looking to acquire?

I think I made a good move by picking up Fred Jackson. Even though he’s injured, he’ll be great once he’s back. I did the same with Aaron Hernandez. I also picked up Andre Brown, who has been quite impressive. I may end up starting him over Michael Turner at some point. On the other team, I have Stevan Ridley for solid depth. Both teams are 2-1.

Lots of overtime games this weekend. What's your opinion of the new overtime rules? Are they making for more exciting football games?

I don’t know if it’s more exciting, but it’s more fair. The game isn’t decided by a coin toss anymore.

The Patriots are struggling early. Is this another team that is on the fade, or will Belichick pull it together for a playoff run?

Belichick will pull it together. I really hope he doesn’t, though. The Patriots just always seem to be Super Bowl contenders.

Gabbert had a big game for the Jags, Weeden did well for the Browns, and Fitzpatrick had an impressive outing with the Bills. Which of these streaky QBs has what it takes to hold onto his starting job?

Honestly, I think they all will, but Fitzpatrick is the most established quarterback. None of the three teams have very good backups, either.

This is a weird year for running backs, in my opinion; there doesn't seem to be that one RB who dominates every game he's in. Agree? Who are the three marquee backs at this point?

That’s very tough. I would have to say Ray Rice, Arian Foster and Adrian Peterson, although LeSean McCoy and Maurice Jones-Drew are close. I know this wasn’t part of the question, but Trent Richardson seems quite promising for the future.

How about receivers? Name three of the most underrated pass-catchers in the league.

Underrated? Larry Fitzgerald because the Cardinals are bad, Dwayne Bowe because Matt Cassel isn’t that great, and I also really like T.Y. Hilton, a relatively unknown guy from the Colts. At FIU, they called him “Goodbye” because of his great ability as a deep threat and returner. Some of the information comes from here:

http://news.fiu.edu/2012/08/colts-callin-how-t-y-hilton-found-out-he-was-indy-bound/43832

Which team's uniform and/or logo is in need of a total makeover?

I think the Saints’ uniform needs work. Their logo is good, but I’m not a fan of the dull gold color.

Here's the point where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

Random player who might do well this week: Javon Ringer, Titans backup running back. I feel like he’s going to come in to spell Chris Johnson, who’s struggling, and get a long touchdown. (Jamie Harper could do this also)

This could become a recurring thing on the blog. Tell me if you like it!

Week 2!

Welcome back! Sorry we’re late. Reflect on this week as you watch week 3. A reminder: we eagerly solicit your questions for future blogs. Now it's time to run down the big stories of Week 2.

We're watching a decidedly-less-impressive-looking Peyton Manning struggle against the Falcons. Were the reports of his messianic return premature, or is he just facing a superior defense this week?

Peyton Manning has always had up-and-down games. He’s not as good as he once was, but I think he was just having an off game. He’ll do better against worse defenses.

What's a bigger shocker, the 0-2 Saints or the 2-0 Cardinals?

Cardinals. The fact that they beat New England outweighs both of the Saints’ losses, especially because they had Kevin Kolb at QB.

Do you think the Saints are missing Sean Payton, or are there other factors behind their slide?

They certainly are missing Sean Payton, but I’ve never seen coaching alone have this much of an effect. We’ll see if any more weaknesses show this week.

What other teams are surprising you this season?

The Chargers are 2-0; so are the Eagles, who definitely don’t deserve it. Other teams that look good are the RG3-led Redskins and the controversial Buccaneers.

The Seahawks rebounded from a disappointing Week 1 with a resounding victory over the Cowboys. Talk about these two teams who appear to be headed in opposite directions.

The Cowboys are one of my least favorite teams because everyone likes them and they’re talked about so much despite the fact that they’re inconsistent and not particularly good. As for the Seahawks, they have some definite wild card potential.

Some late-game controversy this week. What are your thoughts on the (how much does that corn cost?) Buccaneers charging Eli Manning on the last play of the game? Was Tom Coughlin's anger justified?

I don’t think it’s such a big deal, unwritten rule or not. Tom Coughlin had a right to be angry, but this was way over-publicized. Unwritten rules aren’t written, so they don’t exist. I don’t think Schiano did anything wrong.

Do you think Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz discussed what they were going to do at the end of the Handshake Revenge Game?

They may have agreed to just do a normal handshake. But I don’t think so. They probably just learned from last year’s bad publicity and shook hands the way they would with any other coach.

Speaking of which: Which Harbaugh brother is more loathsome and why?

I think Jim. John hasn’t done anything irritating.

The other big story this week was the continuing struggles of the replacement officials. Are they substantially worse than the regular officials? Should Roger Goodell step in and put a stop to this?

They are substantially worse, and Goodell hasn’t been much help so far. Some negotiations have occurred, but Goodell has just sent out a memo to prevent coaches from criticizing the refs excessively. 

I'd like to hear your philosophy about judging teams after two games. Is it too early to spot trends and make predictions?

It certainly is. It’s only one eighth of the season. Teams are still getting settled in. Some players haven’t played together for very long. Teams like the Saints will get things together eventually. Some may not make the playoffs, but don’t expect a team that was good last year to go 0-16.

Rex Ryan seems to be tiring of Tim Tebow questions, and it sure does seem like #15 has been little more than a footnote thus far. What do you think the Jets' plans are for Tebow this season? Do you think he'll demand a trade if he doesn't get more playing time?

I heard he would leave after the season if this continues, so yes. If Mark Sanchez struggles, though, I would expect to see a bit more of Tebow.

A couple of teams are really struggling at the quarterback position. Who's more likely to keep his job, Blaine Gabbert, Brandon Weeden or Ryan Tannehill?

Weeden. Colt McCoy is a bad backup, and Weeden just had a great performance against a playoff team. If he continues this, he’ll be safe.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

C.J. Spiller is the NFL’s leading rusher!? Wow. I’m not complaining, though -- someone in my fantasy football league dropped Fred Jackson because of his injury, and I picked him up.

Week 1!

Welcome back to the football blog! We have a different URL now, but we’re ready to begin blogging for the 2012 season. Without further ado, let’s start with some questions.

What was the biggest surprise of Week 1?

Redskins over the Saints. RG3 looked impressive in his debut. The Saints put up a fight, but they couldn’t stop RG3 from recording the second-most passing yards by a rookie QB in his debut. And he created a new craze to succeed Tebowing, Griffining.

What about the biggest disappointment?

The Eagles. They look awful. They almost lost to the Browns, who had no offense.

Which rookie quarterback impressed you the most and why? What other rookie standouts did you notice on both sides of the ball?

RG3 was the best. Luck couldn’t do too much this week. Neither could Wilson, and Weeden was really bad. As for other rookies, Alshon Jeffery, Bears wideout from South Carolina, looked good.

There was quite a coaching carousel at the end of last year. Which neophyte coach had the best Week 1? And which veteran coach has overstayed his welcome?

Greg Schiano was the only neophyte coach to win this week. And he shut down Cam Newton. As for a veteran coach who has overstayed his welcome, I would have to say Andy Reid. Marvin Lewis is close, although the Bengals got a playoff berth last year.

How do you think the replacement officials did in Week 1? Give us your assessment of this union action. Which side do you favor?

The replacements weren’t awful this week, except in San Francisco-Green Bay, but the NFL needs the refs back. Entire seasons could be decided by bad calls from some ref who couldn’t keep his job in a six-man football league, for example.

Of course I have to ask about Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Was he overhyped during the preseason, or did he just have one so-so game? Do you think he'll hang onto his job?

I think his job is secure, unless things take a turn for the worse. Pete Carroll won’t go back on his original decision unless he has to.

How about the Dolphins' Ryan Tannehill? Is this guy good enough to continue as a starter?

Tannehill’s certainly on a short leash. He really needs to improve. This guy hasn’t even been a QB his whole career; he also played wideout at A&M.

Has Robert Griffin III joined the ranks of elite quarterbacks? Is he this year's Cam Newton? What's your opinion of the "III" on the back of his jersey?

With a couple more good performances, he will. And yes, I think he is this year’s Cam Newton. Heisman winner from school that hasn’t been too great in recent years that plays in a major conference, mobility and good throwing, etc. I don't have any opinion about the Roman numeral, although it is the first Roman numeral ever put on an NFL jersey.

The main topic lighting up sports talk radio today was Peyton Manning's return. How was he different than the Manning we saw 18 months ago? In the wake of his injury, do you think he has the endurance to turn in a full season of performances like we saw on Sunday night?

He certainly is back. However, he seems to have lost a lot of his deep throw power. All of his passes on Sunday were on a wide variety of short passing routes.

Final QB question: what do you think of the Browns' Brandon Weeden turning in the lowest quarterback rating (5) since they starting keeping that stat in 1970?

It’s pretty terrible. Weeden is one of the oldest rookie quarterbacks in a while, at almost 29 already, and he needs to play like a 7-year pro.

The Jets overperformed in Week 1 after a disappointing preseason. Is this team for real?

We’ll see. That was a nice offensive performance, but they haven’t played any elite teams yet, like their division rival New England Patriots.

Which NFL coach most resembles a rodent, and why?

Um, okay. Well, that’s a tough one. Maybe Andy Reid?

Many teams debuted new uniforms this weekend. Talk about your likes and dislikes.

As I understand, every team has a new Nike uniform. But the Seahawks’ changes are the most notable. I can’t say I’m a huge fan, but they’re all right. Hopefully Seattle doesn’t turn into the Oregon Ducks.

We are currently watching ESPN's Chris Berman try his hand as a color man in the Oakland game. How do you think he's doing? Is he better off behind a desk?

He is better behind a desk, but he’s not too shabby as a commentator. He’s more knowledgeable than one might expect.

I know it's early, but it's time to get your predictions: Division winners, NFC champ, AFC champ and Super Bowl champ. Lay 'em out.

AFC North: Ravens

AFC South: Texans

AFC West: Broncos (sigh)

AFC East: Patriots

AFC Wild Cards: Steelers and Bengals...I know, it’s the exact same as last year.

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Falcons (changing things up a little bit)

NFC West: 49ers

NFC East: Giants

NFC Wild Cards: Lions and Cowboys (no Saints? I guess not)

AFC Champions: Patriots (Manning vs. Brady in the playoffs?)

NFC Champions: Packers

Super Bowl winners: Patriots...ugh...

I’m really hoping this doesn’t happen, but things might turn out this way.

How about the NFL MVP?

MVP? I guess Brady would be the MVP in this circumstance.

Bonus question: Talk about the ways technology has changed the way you watch the game. 

I can watch NFL Sunday Ticket on my iPad now and on the TV at the same time! I also use my computer to keep track of scores and fantasy football.

Now comes the point where Henry gets to type whatever he wants.

I will not be happy if the Raiders go into Week 2 with Travis Goethel as their long snapper again, after that disaster on Monday. Special teams is supposed to be Oakland’s strong point.