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:
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!
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