NFL Week 4 Observations

 

 

Overall it was a pretty entertaining week of football.  A few surprises this week, and some great matchups to see where everyone is at.  My Cowboys disappointed me again, but sole possession on first place in the NFC East puts that back into perspective.  Here we go:

·       Pittsburgh scored the first rushing touchdown since week 15 of last year.  I wonder what Jerome Bettis is doing?  Maybe he should come back and save this team.

·       The Giants lost again.  They only had 3 sacks coming into this game (lowest in the NFL) sad and awesome at the same time. 

·       Hoyer, the new Browns QB, did a good job of managing the game and throwing for 269 yds.  Weeden better get used to holding a clip board.  The real star of this game was Joe Haden.  If you can shut down AJ Green, then you deserve the game ball.

·       Matt Cassel looked good starting for the Vikings.  The Pittsburgh defense is not what it used to be, but he did enough to win the game.  It doesn’t hurt to have Adrian Peterson as your running back either. 

 

·       The Chiefs had not turned over the ball all season.  Smith had two picks in this game but the Chiefs are for real!  Solid ground game, and very few mistakes.  They had the ball almost a full quarter more than the Giants as well.  They are rolling!

·       The Lions started off the game undisciplined on defense.  Matt Forte was virtually untouched on his 53 yd run.  If Cutler had not killed the Bears chances by throwing 3 interceptions, and also fumbling once, then the game could have been very different.

·       Houston moved the ball at will against the Seahawks.  That game film is going to be watched a lot by every team playing Seattle this year. 

·       The Ravens lose to Buffalo.  The offense for Baltimore is out of whack.  They did 30 pass plays to 1 run in the second half.  I know your trying to get your money out of Flacco, but seriously? He threw 5 interceptions. They ran the ball only 9 times the whole game compared to 50 passes.  You have Ray Rice.  Hello?  The offensive coordinator should start looking.

·       The Redskins looked horrible in the first half, and I thought Shanahan was going into half time to work on his resume.  Apparently, he realized that he was playing Oakland and you don’t have to do much to beat them.  Just stop beating yourself.  Lucky win!  Sorry I hate the Skins.

·       Dez Bryant continues to impress and dominate.  One of the few bright spots on the Cowboys.  Sean Lee is another one.  Great linebacker!  The ball should have been run more in my opinion.  It would have also helped to have Philip Rivers from last year throwing.  He has improved a lot in the last year.

·       The Steelers are 0-4 for the first time since 1968.  If you’re looking for a long shot bet for Vegas, then this is it.  Teams that start 0-4 have a 1% chance of winning the Superbowl.

·       Adrian Peterson = STUD!

·       Josh Freeman was replaced this week by Mike Glennon.  I thought Glennon did a good job in this game until the interception at the end.  Freeman is demanding a trade.  Hilarious!  He should stay and be the backup in Tampa.  My guess is that he is going to be the backup anywhere he goes right now.

·       Peyton Manning put on a clinic with regard to running the hurry up offense.  Great to watch.

·       Romo’s pocket awareness is like watching Stevie Wonder navigate the field.

·       Tony Gonzalez has been in the league 17 years.  He looks like he could play another 10.  Great hands.

·       No quarterback does the sneak better than Tom Brady.

·       Julio Jones was taken out of this game by Talib.  What a great job, and MVP of the game in my mind. 

Monday night football is coming on.  Are you READY?!!!

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

Game Day at UT

Week two observations and thoughts.

There were a few surprises , and several close games, as well as alot of big injuries. Here are some of my thoughts this week. Enjoy!

·         If you want to sack Romo then just do a delayed blitz. It worked every time for the Chiefs. This offensive line had better catch up quick because that is going to show up on the game film this week!

·         Dez Bryant is one of the best receivers in the league right now, but it's only a matter of time before he is going to get hurt again. Fighting to not go down on every play is how you got hurt last time. Just take your yards, and go down already.

·         LaShawn McCoy will be in the MVP running if he stays healthy.

·         The San Diego running game has never recovered from LaDainian Tomlinson leaving. They beat the Eagles this week, but Philip Rivers will not carry you to the Superbowl.

·         Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers take more chances on 4th down than any other team. I would too if my QB could tear apart a defense like Rodgers did to the Redskins. That was fun to watch, and my favorite game of the week.

·         Last week I said that Brandon Marshall saved his career by coming to Chicago.  I think he saved Cutler’s career as well.  Cutler was going nowhere quick until he arrived.

·         It was only a matter of time before Brandon Merriweather got a concussion.  After hurting Eddie Lacy by leading with the crown of his head, he goes and does the same thing to Sparks.  Now he is an inch shorter, and out for several weeks.  Idiot.

·         The Vikings to me are the best 0-2 team in the league.  They are very close to pulling it together.

·         Martellus Bennett gets hurt by the camera man!  Why does the camera man have to be so close to the field?  His lens is a foot long, and he could get that picture from the third deck.

·         Jared Allen for the Vikings is ageless.

·         I thought the Giants would do better against the Broncos.  Glad Peyton took care of that for me. 

·         Congrats to Jason Witten for moving into second place all time for TE catches.  Passing Shannon Sharpe is quite an accomplishment.  You have a long way to go to catch Tony Gonzalez. I am glad he is a Cowboy!

·         The Redskins receivers dropped a ton of balls today.  I know the Redskins are struggling on offense, and are not able to use RGIII out of the pistol like they did last year.  That is hurting them, but when you hit your target in the hands, chest, or face you expect them to catch the ball. 

·         Eddie Royal has emerged from his hiatus.  Where did he go after his breakout season in Denver years ago?  Apparently to pass catching school.  He is hot right now.

·         Does Atlanta’s coach Mike Smith wear man liner?  Sure looks like it. 

·         Dustin Colquitt the punter for the Chiefs is unbelievable at getting the ball to stop inside the 5 yard line.  He beat the Cowboys this week.

·         I am very surprised by the Titans defense.  They are solid.

·         The referee for the Giants/ Broncos game has to be related to the referee of the Saints/Bucs game right?  I checked and they are not, but they sure look alike.   

·         Darren McFadden got hurt again for a period of time.  He will be out again soon.  He has not played a full season since coming into the league.

·         Did the Bills know something no one else did in the Draft?  EJ Manuel is doing alright so far.  I, for one am surprised and thought he would flounder. 

·         Tampa Bay keeps killing themselves with penalties.  Surprising, considering their coach seems like a stickler for the little things.

·         Pittsburgh is still bad.  No change there. 

If the Cowboys are going to lose, then it sure makes it better when everyone else in the division loses as well. 

See you next week!

 
<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

Alabama signs off on Manziel's Heisman run!

Johnny football came out white hot today.  When the first two possessions for A&M ended, everyone thought we were in for a great ride with Johnny at the wheel.  Out to a quick 14 to 0 start, the Aggies where feeling pretty good.  Tell me if you have seen this before though?  Saban has a way of keeping his team calm even in the biggest games of the year.  Alabama then go on to score 35 unanswered points behind the consistent play of AJ McCarron.  Spreading the ball to 10 different receivers and throwing for 334 yards, McCarron led the punishing tide offense to a commanding lead. The fever pitch in College Station at the start of the game had slowly subsided.  The Alabama offense kept the Aggies in check by using quick outs to the sideline, and wide receiver screens each time they put eight men in the box.  When they put the safeties back,  Bama ran the ball with TJ Yeldon who gained 149 yards on 25 carries and scored a TD.  I do have to admit that Johnny is fun to watch.  He played a good game and carried the Aggies back in the late third, and throughout the 4th quarter.  Most QBs would be thrilled with 464 yards and 5 touchdowns, but a couple of ill timed interceptions will kill you against Alabama.  Mike Evans had a rediculous game with 279 receiving yards, and a TD.  At the end of the day Alabama is able to be beaten, but you have to play error free football to do it.  The end score was close, but the game seemed to be in complete control by the Tide most of the day.  At the start of the season, I thought that Manziel's hopes for a second consecutive Heisman was going to be largely judged on A&M beating Bama today, and his performance would have to be pretty amazing.   I still think that is the case, since A&M has kind of put the season around this game. Everyone else in the media did as well.  Manziel has been a gambler both on the field, and off the field this summer, but at the end of the game today he ran out of chips. 

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

Patriots Win in a Mess.

The rain last night was not the only part of this game that was sloppy.  As a matter fact, everything from both teams were a mess. Geno Smith should start aiming for the opposing team and maybe he will accidentally connect with one of his own players.  Three interceptions and several errant throws made his performance, and the Jets future look bleak. They as least realized that Geno cannot support them on his arm alone.  Rushing the ball 32 times was smart considering Geno's accuracy, and the weather.   The Patriots didn't look much better.  Tom Brady threw the ball 39 times but apparently Edelman is the only person on the team that can actually catch a pass. Tom needs to spend all week on timing with his new receivers.  In his defense, they need to catch the ball when it hits them in the hands or chest.  I don't blame him for being a little frustrated. The Patriots have clearly lost confidence in their running game.  Stevan Ridley, who's breakout season last year is long forgotten, only managed 40 yards on 16 carries.  The lack of offensive balance and young receivers dropping balls left and right has turned the once feared Patriots passing attack into a predictable, meek, one dimensional team.  I love football but it was painful to watch this game.  Both teams had no offense and played uninspired most of the night.  The most action in this game came at the end when a brawl broke out due to a cheap hit. Where was all of that passion the previous 3 hours? Unfortunately for me and the millions that watched the game last night those are 3 hours you can never get back.

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

CHIP KELLY IS FOR REAL

The Monday night football game was highly anticipated due to the return of RGIII and Chip Kelly's new offense.  To say that everyone was shocked by the Eagles offense in the first half would be an understatement.  They looked fantastic!  The Redskins defense did not know what hit them!  They ran 53 plays in the first half and had everyone in awe. 
 The combination of Vick, McCoy and Jackson are going to be a tough trio if game one is any indication.  I thought the Redskins made some good adjustments at halftime but you could see the Eagles taking their foot off the pedal as well.  The Eagles then started to fade in the 4th quarter and looked pretty tired.  Vick was limping and the defense was getting all they could handle as the Redskins started the comeback.  In the end the Skins came up short but if this game had 5 more minutes there may have been a different outcome. The real question for me is if the Eagles don't start breaking down physically by mid season. 

Let hope they do before they meet the Cowboys. 

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

Go Cowboys!

Last night the Giants came to Jerry's house to face the Cowboys. The game was thrilling and frustrating all at once. For the cowboys to get six turnovers, which is a third of the amount that they got during all of last season and not come away with more points was very aggravating. They did not capitalize on the opportunities that they were given. So much credibility has been given to Monte Kiffen for the 4-3 defense he has installed. But when Eli Manning can come into your house and pass for 450 yards, it seems to me like something is still broken. The one bright spot to me last night was that the Cowboys were not penalized as often as they have been in the past. Overall, the lack of a running game has shown the need to focus on the offensive line; better adjustments are going to be needed at half time if they're going to mount a serious run toward the playoffs.

Go Cowboys!
<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

Week one NFL observations 9/8/13

   There have been some good games so far but some very bad ones as well.  Here are a few of my thoughts while watching the games this week.

• Peyton Manning should not have to wait 5 years to go into the Hall of fame.
• The Ravens defense looked tired in the second half and pretty much gave up.
• Brandon Marshall saved his career by going to Chicago.  This really surprised me.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars may not be able to beat a few of the SEC teams.  The offense they put on the field today was atrocious. 
• The Lions may have won a sloppy game today but the play calling will doom them.  This is the same issue they had last year.
• A.J Green picked up right where he left off last year.  He is a STAR!!
• Andrew Luck is as good as all the hype he had coming out of college.  Very rare.  Another 4th quarter drive to win the game. 
• Adrian Peterson ( Man Child ) is rarely solo tackled and his first run from scrimmage today was just a pleasure to watch.
• Several of Geno Smith's passes today made me think Tim Tebow was throwing them.  He is not accurate.
• Steve Smith from Carolina is one of the most exciting people to watch with the ball.  
• Why do the Browns continue to try and win with Weeden throwing the ball.  Richardson is a great back so RUN THE BALL. He is the best player on your team and needs to touch the ball at least 20 times a game for you to have a chance to win. 
• Cincinnati should throw the ball to A.J. Green closer to 20 times a game.  He is that good.
• New England seemed completely out of sync on offense and defense today.    
• I personally like Danny Amendola and he catches everything thrown his way.  It is only a matter of time before he is hurt again.  He is made of glass.
• Troy Polamalu -  WOW!  Did you see him jump the line.  He's still got it.
• Terrell Prior did great in his debut.  The Colts defenders will sleep well tonight from chasing him the whole game.
• Pittsburgh's offense is sad and it does not look like they have an easy fix.
• Reggie Bush still has a great burst.
• As a Cowboys fan, I am so glad that Terence Newman plays for Cincinnati now.
• Robert Quinn for St. Louis is coming into his own. Why are they not getting some help to block him.
• Palmer is looking pretty sharp for Arizona.  I am probably not the only one surprised by this.
• The AFC North teams all lost this week.  The Ravens should have no trouble winning this division again.
• I am more and more impressed with Jeff Fischer's coaching skills each time I watch St. Louis play.
• Nnamdi Asomugha is on a new team but still playing bad.  He is not a glimmer of the player he was in Oakland.  I hope he invested his money.
• The 49rs and Packers both look very good and will see each other again in the playoffs.

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>

South Carolina Game Day

Gameday in Columbia, South Carolina is something very special. Walking through the fairgrounds all you’ll see is garnet and black. It’s almost disorienting looking out into the sea of color while you take in all the sights and sounds.  The burning of food on grills fills the air around the stadium, and everyone is in good spirits. Whatever worries or troubles these people had have now dissipated, as most of them are too inebriated to worry about them anyways.

When you walk into Williams Brice Stadium, it is almost like walking into another world. Everyone is there for the same thing, to experience college football at one of the highest levels. The unified chants leading up to the game build anticipation and make the stadium feel like a modern day coliseum.

When the team runs out of the tunnel and through the smoke, you can feel the stadium rumble under the roar of 80,000 people. A few short minutes later, it’s time for opening kickoff while Sandstorm plays over the loudspeakers. The feeling can only be described as Christmas morning, and it’s at this moment you realize you wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

 

<a href=https://plus.google.com/u/0/113767520997320629701#113767520997320629701/about rel=author”>Todd Scartozzi</a>