The Good
Following the second week of the NFL season, we begin to search for consistencies that can lead to some revelations about how 2010 will unfold. Are the Bears and Bucs really contenders at 2-0? Do the Vikings and Cowboys have enough resolve to turn around their 0-2 starts? Well, at least there is one thing that year-to-year is an absolute certainty: teams in the AFC North know how to play GOOD defense. They combined to allow only 2 touchdowns and forced 14 turnovers this week. The Steelers were the most impressive forcing 7 turnovers while holding Chris Johnson to 53 total yards. They have rallied in the absence of Roethlisberger and have ensured that the Steelers will be at worst a .500 ball club when Big Ben returns. The biggest difference for them has been getting Troy Polamalu back. He is the heartbeat of that team and makes the defense go from good to great.
Not to be outdone, the Bengals and Ravens faced off in what turned into a defensive struggle. Even with all the offensive firepower, (OchoCinco, TO, Palmer, Benson, Flacco, Boldin, Rice), only one player found the endzone (derrick mason). The Bengals secondary rebounded from an ugly week 1 loss to the Patriots and rallied to intercept Flacco 4 times. The Bengals did not turn the ball over but Ray Lewis and company held them to five field goals and have not allowed a touchdown yet this season. Hell even the Browns didn’t give up a touchdown to the visiting Chiefs.
As we get into the heart of the season, the battle for this division will be very entertaining.
The Bad
Andy Reid has never been one to succumb to peer pressure. He does what he thinks is best for his football team and it has served him pretty well over the years. I was not surprised when he came out earlier this week and named Kevin Kolb the starter for the game in Jacksonville. Kolb had very little time to get into a rhythm before being knocked out of the game against the Packers. Reid truly believes in him and showed that by trading McNabb earlier this year.
I was very surprised yesterday when Reid reneged on his decision and named Michael Vick the starting quarterback. Let me be clear, I think it is the right decision and Vick has clearly earned the opportunity. What is puzzling is the sudden change of heart. What could’ve possibly caused Reid to pull a complete 180 overnight? If he wasn’t sure about who he was going to start, he should’ve kept it quiet until he was certain. The whole scenario screams of indecision and leads me to question how much influence the players, locker room, owner had in his decision change.
I guess we’ll see how it all plays out, but if Vick struggles for a game does he now get pulled? What leash does Kolb have if he takes over and struggles as well? Who is truly the leader of this team?
Lots of questions, we’ll have to wait on answers.
The Ugly
Ugly. There isn’t many other ways to describe the way the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings have started the 2010 season. Both these teams had Super Bowl aspirations, but have yet to win a game.
The Vikings still have time to fix things. Brett Favre has had very little time to work with his starting receivers and Sidney Rice’s absence has caused a lot more problems than anticipated. Don’t blame Favre for his late arrival in camp, because the only receiver who was practicing was Bernard Berrian. If they work a deal for Vincent Jackson, Favre will have his big receiver that he can use to stretch the field and create room for Adrian Peterson. The Vikings defense needs to toughen up against the run and be more consistent throughout the game.
The Vikings get the Lions at home this week. That is a good recipe for getting back on track. Following that they enter their bye week, which gives them extra time to prepare for a big week 5 showdown against the Jets. The bigger question is when will Sidney Rice return and will he be at 100% come playoff time. This team is good enough to get into the postseason and in reality, all that matters is how they look when they get there.
That being said, this game against the Lions is a must-win. Beating the Lions isn’t as much of a certainty as it has been in previous years.
The Cowboys are in a lot more trouble. They play the Texans this week in the battle of Texas, also a must-win for the ‘Boys. A few reasons why the Cowboys are in a lot worse shape than the Vikings:
1. Their division is much stronger from top to bottom
2. Both losses have come at home
3. They have no significant injuries to speak of
Wade Phillips’ team has reached a turning point in their season. If they can go on the road and come away with a win against a very strong Texans team, all is not lost. If they fail to rise to the occasion, the hopes of playing at home in the Super Bowl will be gone.
Prediction: Vikings = Wild Card, Cowboys = Miss the Playoffs
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