Here are my picks for week six (home teams in CAPS):
Panthers over FALCONS
BENGALS over Colts
LIONS over 49ers
PACKERS over Rams
GIANTS over Bills
STEELERS over Jaguars
REDSKINS over Eagles
RAIDERS over Browns
RAVENS over Texans
PATRIOTS over Cowboys
Saints over BUCCANEERS
BEARS over Vikings
JETS over Dolphins
Last Week: 10-3
Overall: 51-26
Friday, October 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Week Five Stats of the Week
Stat of the week No. 1: Detroit Lions started 5-0 for the fourth time in franchise history. They also started 5-0 in 1931, 1934 & 1956. They played as the Portsmouth Spartans from 1930-33.
Stat of the week No. 2: New England has scored at least 30 points in 13 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in NFL history (St. Louis, 14 consecutive games, ’99-’00)
Stat of the week No. 3: Aaron Rodgers is the fifth player with 100+ passer rating in each of the first five games of a season since 1970 (Tom Brady – ’07, Carson Palmer – ’05, Roger Staubach – ’76, John Hadl – ’73)
Stat of the week No. 4: Saints TE Jimmy Graham has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He is the first tight end to accomplish this feat since Tony Gonzalez in 2000.
Stat of the week No. 5: Kansas City’s come-from-behind victory marks the seventh time this season that a team has won a game despite trailing by 17 points or more, which is the most through five weeks in NFL history. 18 teams have won games after trailing by 10 points or more, which is also the most ever through five weeks
Stat of the week No. 2: New England has scored at least 30 points in 13 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in NFL history (St. Louis, 14 consecutive games, ’99-’00)
Stat of the week No. 3: Aaron Rodgers is the fifth player with 100+ passer rating in each of the first five games of a season since 1970 (Tom Brady – ’07, Carson Palmer – ’05, Roger Staubach – ’76, John Hadl – ’73)
Stat of the week No. 4: Saints TE Jimmy Graham has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He is the first tight end to accomplish this feat since Tony Gonzalez in 2000.
Stat of the week No. 5: Kansas City’s come-from-behind victory marks the seventh time this season that a team has won a game despite trailing by 17 points or more, which is the most through five weeks in NFL history. 18 teams have won games after trailing by 10 points or more, which is also the most ever through five weeks
The Seahawk's big win on the road and other NFL thoughts
(1) The Seattle Seahawks have certainly had bigger, more important victories in their franchise’s history, but the 36-25 road win over the New York Giants is the most impressive regular season victory in the Pete Carroll era. Last year’s triumph over the Bears in Chi-town was a great moment, but this victory surpasses that one on many different levels. First of all, the Hawks were finally able to win a game in the Eastern Time zone for the first time since 2007. Take an opportunity to allow that fact to marinate in your brain for a moment. Seattle has been zero for the last three seasons in their travels to the eastern seaboard. For those of you with short memories, the Hawks’ last victory on the East Coast was a 28-24 decision over the Philadelphia Eagles on December 2, 2007. Since that day, Seattle had lost nine consecutive road games in the Eastern Time zone by an average of 16 points. Hopefully, their big win this past Sunday will once and for all shake the east coast bugaboo for Seattle.
Secondly, the Hawks were able to beat a team that has owned them physically, mentally and emotionally over the last couple of seasons. Last year, the Hawks allowed New York to come into Qwest Field and generate 487 yards of total offense and control the clock for over 40 minutes on their way to a 41-7 shellacking. Back in 2008, the Hawks rolled into the Meadowlands following a bye week and got trounced 44-6 by the Giants. New York produced 523 yards of total offense and their defense thoroughly dominated Seattle. I believe that the Seahawk defenders that played that day still have Brandon Jacobs’ tread marks on the front of their jerseys. The third reason that this victory was so huge was that it was an honest to goodness team effort. It has not been often over the last four seasons that Seattle has been able to match good defense and good offense on the same day. Through the first three-and-a-half games of 2011, the Seattle defense had generally played better football than their counterparts on the other side of the line. The offense finally stood up in the second half of the loss to Atlanta and it nearly was enough to steal the game. There was hope, leading up to the New York game, that the Hawks were finally poised to play a somewhat complete game. Their performance on Sunday is not going to win any beauty contests, but I really enjoyed the way that each unit picked up the other. The offense turned the ball over three times, but the defense forced five turnovers, returned an interception for a touchdown and registered a safety. The offense lost Tarvaris Jackson to an injury, but the defense pitched a shutout in the third quarter to give back-up Charlie Whitehurst an opportunity to get settled in. The defense allowed the Giants to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter, but the Seattle offense responded both times with scoring drives to regain control of the game. For one of the few times in recent memory, I was proud to be a Seattle fan.
Finally, the Hawks were able to get this big win thanks to some great plays from their young guys and back-ups. Whitehurst played admirably in relief of Jackson and may have played himself into a dreaded quarterback controversy. Doug Baldwin has gone from being undrafted to leading the team in receptions after five weeks. Baldwin’s heady play was never more evident that his decision to continue playing when it appeared that the Giants’ defense stopped because they thought a penalty was going to be called on Osi Umenyiora for rushing unabated to the quarterback. The result was a game-winning touchdown pass from Whitehurst. Let’s not forget the game-clinching interception return for a touchdown by Brandon Browner, which capped a day of big plays from the Seattle defense. We also saw Anthony Hargrove make a gigantic play with the safety in the third quarter and Chris Clemons play a maniacal game from his rush end position. All of these guys, plus many others on the Seattle roster, were unwanted by their former employers. I think it says a lot about John Schneider’s eye for talent that they are all showing they have the talent to compete and succeed in the NFL still. With this wonderful result, the bye week and two winnable games in weeks seven and eight, the Hawks might have found the elixir to turn their season around.
(2) With the silence befitting a ninja, the Cincinnati Bengals are starting to build something special despite the utter lack of positive expectations. The stare down between Carson Palmer and Mike Brown clouded their offseason and the horrible start to the Andy Dalton era had Cincinnati fans preparing themselves for another long season. After a 1-2 start to the year, it appeared that the predicted disaster was going to happen. However, the astute observer could look past the back-to-back losses to Denver and San Francisco to see several positive signs that the Bengals had a chance to be better than anyone could have predicted. The first good sign is that Andy Dalton was not the train-wreck that he appeared to be in the preseason. He struggled mightily at home against San Francisco, but he played brilliantly on the road in Denver and has been solid over the last two weeks. Dalton is not a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback right now, but his early play has indicated that the future is bright for the Bengals. It also has lessened the sting of Palmer’s decision to walk away from the team rather than play another down in the Queen City. The second encouraging sign is that Dalton has already established a rapport with his fellow rookie, A.J. Green. Their budding connection has already produced 24 completions and two touchdowns. You can excuse Cincinnati fans from daydreaming about Dalton-to-Green touchdown passes for the next 5-10 years. In his own right, Green looks like the real deal, as he ranks in the top 20 among wide receivers in yards, receptions and yards per reception. The final reason to be optimistic in Cincinnati has been the stellar play from their defense. The Bengals’ defense was completely ignored leading up to the start of the 2011 season, but they are currently ranked as the #1 overall defense after five weeks. This unit may not be filled with household names, but it has proven that it is one of the best groups in the NFL. More importantly, it has given the young offense time to come together and develop its own identity. With Indianapolis, Seattle and Tennessee next up on their schedule, the Bengals have a golden opportunity to be at least 5-3 heading into a November 13th showdown with Pittsburgh.
(3) I guess all of the attempts by the media to bury the Pittsburgh Steelers were a bit premature. The Steelers had looked awful in losses to Baltimore and Houston and underwhelming in victories over Seattle and Indianapolis, so the dominant talk in the blogosphere and on talk radio was that their window of opportunity had closed completely. Making matters worse, they entered the match-up with Tennessee with a banged-up quarterback, a patchwork offensive line and a number of their stalwarts missing in action due to injury. The prevailing thought was that the Titans would seize their opportunity and continue their surprising start with a road victory over the Steelers. Unfortunately, for Tennessee, NFL games are not played on talk radio. Instead, Pittsburgh dominated the Titans from beginning to end with a resilient effort that has always been a trademark of the franchise. Ben Roethlisberger shook off an injured foot to lead the way with five touchdown passes, while his rebuilt offensive line held up for most of the afternoon. The Steelers certainly configured their game plan to limit the opportunities to get Big Ben hit, but the mid-week signing of Max Starks seems to have solidified an offensive line that has been a disaster through the first four weeks. In addition to Roethlisberger’s tremendous performance, the Steelers’ defense rebounded nicely from their horrendous game against Houston. They may have been unable to slow down Arian Foster, but they completely bottled up Chris Johnson, which allowed them to unleash their pass rushers on Matt Hasselbeck. Most impressively, they dominated Tennessee without the services of James Harrison, Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith. Despite having a shut out on their 2011 resume, this performance marks their most dominating defensive effort of the season. The Seahawks basically laid down during the 24-0 loss to Pittsburgh earlier in the year, but the Titans had a hot quarterback and enough playmakers to give the Steelers headaches. Pittsburgh made Hasselbeck look pedestrian and never allowed the Titans to have any breathing room on offense. This Steelers team is the team that has been one of the dominant squads in the AFC over the last 10 years despite the hope from around the NFL that their best days were behind them. Now, the Steelers have a chance to get even healthier with games against Jacksonville and Arizona over the next two weeks.
Secondly, the Hawks were able to beat a team that has owned them physically, mentally and emotionally over the last couple of seasons. Last year, the Hawks allowed New York to come into Qwest Field and generate 487 yards of total offense and control the clock for over 40 minutes on their way to a 41-7 shellacking. Back in 2008, the Hawks rolled into the Meadowlands following a bye week and got trounced 44-6 by the Giants. New York produced 523 yards of total offense and their defense thoroughly dominated Seattle. I believe that the Seahawk defenders that played that day still have Brandon Jacobs’ tread marks on the front of their jerseys. The third reason that this victory was so huge was that it was an honest to goodness team effort. It has not been often over the last four seasons that Seattle has been able to match good defense and good offense on the same day. Through the first three-and-a-half games of 2011, the Seattle defense had generally played better football than their counterparts on the other side of the line. The offense finally stood up in the second half of the loss to Atlanta and it nearly was enough to steal the game. There was hope, leading up to the New York game, that the Hawks were finally poised to play a somewhat complete game. Their performance on Sunday is not going to win any beauty contests, but I really enjoyed the way that each unit picked up the other. The offense turned the ball over three times, but the defense forced five turnovers, returned an interception for a touchdown and registered a safety. The offense lost Tarvaris Jackson to an injury, but the defense pitched a shutout in the third quarter to give back-up Charlie Whitehurst an opportunity to get settled in. The defense allowed the Giants to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter, but the Seattle offense responded both times with scoring drives to regain control of the game. For one of the few times in recent memory, I was proud to be a Seattle fan.
Finally, the Hawks were able to get this big win thanks to some great plays from their young guys and back-ups. Whitehurst played admirably in relief of Jackson and may have played himself into a dreaded quarterback controversy. Doug Baldwin has gone from being undrafted to leading the team in receptions after five weeks. Baldwin’s heady play was never more evident that his decision to continue playing when it appeared that the Giants’ defense stopped because they thought a penalty was going to be called on Osi Umenyiora for rushing unabated to the quarterback. The result was a game-winning touchdown pass from Whitehurst. Let’s not forget the game-clinching interception return for a touchdown by Brandon Browner, which capped a day of big plays from the Seattle defense. We also saw Anthony Hargrove make a gigantic play with the safety in the third quarter and Chris Clemons play a maniacal game from his rush end position. All of these guys, plus many others on the Seattle roster, were unwanted by their former employers. I think it says a lot about John Schneider’s eye for talent that they are all showing they have the talent to compete and succeed in the NFL still. With this wonderful result, the bye week and two winnable games in weeks seven and eight, the Hawks might have found the elixir to turn their season around.
(2) With the silence befitting a ninja, the Cincinnati Bengals are starting to build something special despite the utter lack of positive expectations. The stare down between Carson Palmer and Mike Brown clouded their offseason and the horrible start to the Andy Dalton era had Cincinnati fans preparing themselves for another long season. After a 1-2 start to the year, it appeared that the predicted disaster was going to happen. However, the astute observer could look past the back-to-back losses to Denver and San Francisco to see several positive signs that the Bengals had a chance to be better than anyone could have predicted. The first good sign is that Andy Dalton was not the train-wreck that he appeared to be in the preseason. He struggled mightily at home against San Francisco, but he played brilliantly on the road in Denver and has been solid over the last two weeks. Dalton is not a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback right now, but his early play has indicated that the future is bright for the Bengals. It also has lessened the sting of Palmer’s decision to walk away from the team rather than play another down in the Queen City. The second encouraging sign is that Dalton has already established a rapport with his fellow rookie, A.J. Green. Their budding connection has already produced 24 completions and two touchdowns. You can excuse Cincinnati fans from daydreaming about Dalton-to-Green touchdown passes for the next 5-10 years. In his own right, Green looks like the real deal, as he ranks in the top 20 among wide receivers in yards, receptions and yards per reception. The final reason to be optimistic in Cincinnati has been the stellar play from their defense. The Bengals’ defense was completely ignored leading up to the start of the 2011 season, but they are currently ranked as the #1 overall defense after five weeks. This unit may not be filled with household names, but it has proven that it is one of the best groups in the NFL. More importantly, it has given the young offense time to come together and develop its own identity. With Indianapolis, Seattle and Tennessee next up on their schedule, the Bengals have a golden opportunity to be at least 5-3 heading into a November 13th showdown with Pittsburgh.
(3) I guess all of the attempts by the media to bury the Pittsburgh Steelers were a bit premature. The Steelers had looked awful in losses to Baltimore and Houston and underwhelming in victories over Seattle and Indianapolis, so the dominant talk in the blogosphere and on talk radio was that their window of opportunity had closed completely. Making matters worse, they entered the match-up with Tennessee with a banged-up quarterback, a patchwork offensive line and a number of their stalwarts missing in action due to injury. The prevailing thought was that the Titans would seize their opportunity and continue their surprising start with a road victory over the Steelers. Unfortunately, for Tennessee, NFL games are not played on talk radio. Instead, Pittsburgh dominated the Titans from beginning to end with a resilient effort that has always been a trademark of the franchise. Ben Roethlisberger shook off an injured foot to lead the way with five touchdown passes, while his rebuilt offensive line held up for most of the afternoon. The Steelers certainly configured their game plan to limit the opportunities to get Big Ben hit, but the mid-week signing of Max Starks seems to have solidified an offensive line that has been a disaster through the first four weeks. In addition to Roethlisberger’s tremendous performance, the Steelers’ defense rebounded nicely from their horrendous game against Houston. They may have been unable to slow down Arian Foster, but they completely bottled up Chris Johnson, which allowed them to unleash their pass rushers on Matt Hasselbeck. Most impressively, they dominated Tennessee without the services of James Harrison, Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith. Despite having a shut out on their 2011 resume, this performance marks their most dominating defensive effort of the season. The Seahawks basically laid down during the 24-0 loss to Pittsburgh earlier in the year, but the Titans had a hot quarterback and enough playmakers to give the Steelers headaches. Pittsburgh made Hasselbeck look pedestrian and never allowed the Titans to have any breathing room on offense. This Steelers team is the team that has been one of the dominant squads in the AFC over the last 10 years despite the hope from around the NFL that their best days were behind them. Now, the Steelers have a chance to get even healthier with games against Jacksonville and Arizona over the next two weeks.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Commish's Game of the Week: Tampa Bay at San Francisco
Preview
The game between Tampa Bay and San Francisco is a match-up between two 3-1 teams that are both, surprisingly, division leaders. Despite their early success, both teams have enough question marks about them that this game is virtually a toss-up. The first advantage enjoyed by San Francisco is that they get the pleasure of facing the Bucs after a short week and a cross-country flight. This advantage is amplified by the fact that Tampa has had trouble getting started quickly in all of their four games. They were shut out in the first half during their week two match-up with Minnesota and they have only scored 39% of their points in the first half. Another advantage for San Francisco is the fact that their defensive strength, stopping the run, is in direct conflict with the preferred mode of operation for the Buccaneers. Tampa wants to control the line of scrimmage and dominate in the run game like they did against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. The 49ers are in the top five in rushing yards allowed and the top 10 in rushing yards per attempt. Even with the likely absence of Isaac Sopoaga in the middle of the defensive front, the 49ers should still be able to limit the Bucs’ ability to run the football. With a laser focus on preventing LeGarrette Blount from running wild, San Francisco will force Josh Freeman to win this game with his arm. Freeman had high expectations coming off a wildly successful second-year in the NFL, but his start to the 2011 season has been shaky at best. The Bucs are just the 17th best passing offense in the league and Freeman is averaging a paltry 6.6 yards per attempt. The Bucs are not trying to be the best passing team in the NFL, but the results should be better with the weapons that are at Freeman’s disposal. However, the 49ers have been extremely vulnerable in their pass defense, so this match-up just might be the recipe for Freeman to have his biggest day of the year.
The Bucs’ strength on defense is also their ability to stuff the run. It would seem wise for Tampa to take a similar approach as San Francisco and force the opposing quarterback to beat them. The Bucs want to see if the real Alex Smith is the guy that threw for over 200 yards in the second half against the Eagles or the guy that has led the 29th ranked passing attack through the first quarter of the season. If Tampa can create long third down opportunities for the 49ers, then they will be able to unleash their young pass rushers. Michael Bennett, Adrian Clayborn, Gerald McCoy and the other guys on the defensive line are salivating at the opportunity to get after a San Francisco offensive line that has allowed nearly four sacks per game. The ability to pressure the quarterback is an area where the Bucs have a clear advantage and should be able to use it to create turnovers and short fields for their offense. Another area where Tampa seems to have an edge is on third down. The Bucs are one of the best teams in the NFL in keeping drives alive with third down conversions and one of the stingiest in allowing their opponents to convert similar situations. They are facing another stingy team on third down, but, if the Bucs can control the ball, then their superior offensive line will be able to wear out the depleted 49ers’ front. Finally, the Bucs must protect the football against one of the most opportunistic defenses in the league. Tampa has done a decent job through the first four games, but they are playing a team that has built a large part of their 3-1 record due to their ability to cause turnovers. The 49ers are +8 in the takeaway/give-away department, so they will be looking for opportunities to continue that trend.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Protect the football – Both teams have positive turnover differentials, so they will be looking for chances to take the football away from the other side in order to create short fields for the offense or score points themselves. The strength of both teams is their defense, so points will come at a premium. A short field here or there or a defensive touchdown could very well be the difference in the game. Both teams do a good job of protecting the football, but the 49ers will force a key turnover that will help them win this game.
2. Win the special teams battle – Both teams have strong special teams. San Francisco is second in the league in kickoff return average and the Bucs are tied for 3rd. They are very comparable in punt return average, field goal kicking and net punting yards. The difference between the two teams is Ted Ginn, Jr. Ginn is third in the NFL in kickoff return average and he is in the top 15 in punt return average. Even though it occurred in the same game, Ginn also has two return touchdowns on the season. Preston Parker is a nice returner, especially on punt returns, but Ginn averages nearly 11 more yards per kickoff return.
3. Stay on the field – Time of possession will be an important factor in this game. The Bucs’ best chance to win the game is to control the football for long stretches of time and wear out the San Francisco defense. As long as the extended drives result in points, the Bucs will be able to steal a win on the road. Based on early results, the Bucs look like the team that is more capable of staying on the field, so this will be a very interesting area of the game to keep an eye on.
Prediction
San Francisco 16 – Tampa Bay 10
The game between Tampa Bay and San Francisco is a match-up between two 3-1 teams that are both, surprisingly, division leaders. Despite their early success, both teams have enough question marks about them that this game is virtually a toss-up. The first advantage enjoyed by San Francisco is that they get the pleasure of facing the Bucs after a short week and a cross-country flight. This advantage is amplified by the fact that Tampa has had trouble getting started quickly in all of their four games. They were shut out in the first half during their week two match-up with Minnesota and they have only scored 39% of their points in the first half. Another advantage for San Francisco is the fact that their defensive strength, stopping the run, is in direct conflict with the preferred mode of operation for the Buccaneers. Tampa wants to control the line of scrimmage and dominate in the run game like they did against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. The 49ers are in the top five in rushing yards allowed and the top 10 in rushing yards per attempt. Even with the likely absence of Isaac Sopoaga in the middle of the defensive front, the 49ers should still be able to limit the Bucs’ ability to run the football. With a laser focus on preventing LeGarrette Blount from running wild, San Francisco will force Josh Freeman to win this game with his arm. Freeman had high expectations coming off a wildly successful second-year in the NFL, but his start to the 2011 season has been shaky at best. The Bucs are just the 17th best passing offense in the league and Freeman is averaging a paltry 6.6 yards per attempt. The Bucs are not trying to be the best passing team in the NFL, but the results should be better with the weapons that are at Freeman’s disposal. However, the 49ers have been extremely vulnerable in their pass defense, so this match-up just might be the recipe for Freeman to have his biggest day of the year.
The Bucs’ strength on defense is also their ability to stuff the run. It would seem wise for Tampa to take a similar approach as San Francisco and force the opposing quarterback to beat them. The Bucs want to see if the real Alex Smith is the guy that threw for over 200 yards in the second half against the Eagles or the guy that has led the 29th ranked passing attack through the first quarter of the season. If Tampa can create long third down opportunities for the 49ers, then they will be able to unleash their young pass rushers. Michael Bennett, Adrian Clayborn, Gerald McCoy and the other guys on the defensive line are salivating at the opportunity to get after a San Francisco offensive line that has allowed nearly four sacks per game. The ability to pressure the quarterback is an area where the Bucs have a clear advantage and should be able to use it to create turnovers and short fields for their offense. Another area where Tampa seems to have an edge is on third down. The Bucs are one of the best teams in the NFL in keeping drives alive with third down conversions and one of the stingiest in allowing their opponents to convert similar situations. They are facing another stingy team on third down, but, if the Bucs can control the ball, then their superior offensive line will be able to wear out the depleted 49ers’ front. Finally, the Bucs must protect the football against one of the most opportunistic defenses in the league. Tampa has done a decent job through the first four games, but they are playing a team that has built a large part of their 3-1 record due to their ability to cause turnovers. The 49ers are +8 in the takeaway/give-away department, so they will be looking for opportunities to continue that trend.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Protect the football – Both teams have positive turnover differentials, so they will be looking for chances to take the football away from the other side in order to create short fields for the offense or score points themselves. The strength of both teams is their defense, so points will come at a premium. A short field here or there or a defensive touchdown could very well be the difference in the game. Both teams do a good job of protecting the football, but the 49ers will force a key turnover that will help them win this game.
2. Win the special teams battle – Both teams have strong special teams. San Francisco is second in the league in kickoff return average and the Bucs are tied for 3rd. They are very comparable in punt return average, field goal kicking and net punting yards. The difference between the two teams is Ted Ginn, Jr. Ginn is third in the NFL in kickoff return average and he is in the top 15 in punt return average. Even though it occurred in the same game, Ginn also has two return touchdowns on the season. Preston Parker is a nice returner, especially on punt returns, but Ginn averages nearly 11 more yards per kickoff return.
3. Stay on the field – Time of possession will be an important factor in this game. The Bucs’ best chance to win the game is to control the football for long stretches of time and wear out the San Francisco defense. As long as the extended drives result in points, the Bucs will be able to steal a win on the road. Based on early results, the Bucs look like the team that is more capable of staying on the field, so this will be a very interesting area of the game to keep an eye on.
Prediction
San Francisco 16 – Tampa Bay 10
Week Five Picks
Here are my picks for week five (home teams in CAPS):
BILLS over Eagles
Chiefs over COLTS
VIKINGS over Cardinals
Titans over STEELERS
Saints over PANTHERS
Bengals over JAGUARS
TEXANS over Raiders
49ERS over Buccaneers
Chargers over BRONCOS
PATRIOTS over Jets
Packers over FALCONS
LIONS over Bears
GIANTS over Seahawks
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 41-23
BILLS over Eagles
Chiefs over COLTS
VIKINGS over Cardinals
Titans over STEELERS
Saints over PANTHERS
Bengals over JAGUARS
TEXANS over Raiders
49ERS over Buccaneers
Chargers over BRONCOS
PATRIOTS over Jets
Packers over FALCONS
LIONS over Bears
GIANTS over Seahawks
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 41-23
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Week Four Stats of the Week
Stat of the week
No. 1: Aaron Rodgers became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for
400 yards, throw for four touchdowns and run for two touchdowns in a single
game.
Stat of the week
No. 2: Detroit is the first team in NFL history to win consecutive games in
which it trailed by at least 20 points.
Stat of the week
No. 3: Vernon Davis now has 21 TD catches since the start of 2009, which is the
most among all NFL tight ends.
Stat of the week
No. 4: Matt Forte became the third Chicago Bear ever to post a 200-yard rushing
game (Gale Sayers & Walter Payton).
Stat of the week
No. 5: Drew Brees has at least 20 completions in 24 consecutive games, which is
the longest streak in NFL history.
Bonus stat of
the week: Jared Cook’s (Titans’ TE) 80-yard TD catch was the longest by a
Titan/Oiler in nearly 47 years (Willie Frazier had an 80-yard TD in November of
1964).
The Jets and Ravens struggle to score and other NFL thoughts
(1) I can appreciate a defensive battle just as much as the next guy, but the Sunday night match-up between the Ravens and the Jets was just plain, ugly football. Both defenses can’t help but play well when both offenses can’t get out of their own way. There were a lot of points scored, but it wasn’t anything close to an offensive game. The Ravens and Jets set an NFL record for the most points scored with only one offensive touchdown. The Jets were so bad on offense that its only contribution to the total score was a 40-yard field goal late in the first half. The Jets’ ineptitude could be directly attributed to the poor play of Mark Sanchez, who seemed to get more and more uncomfortable as the night wore on. His poor play has to be setting off alarm bells throughout the organization about whether he is making progress in his third year. Despite the back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances, Sanchez is still more of a dink-and-dunk quarterback (6.62 yds/attempt in his career) and a 50-50 proposition on every pass attempted (54.5% completion percentage in his career). On Sunday night, Sanchez looked terrible, even by Pop Warner standards, with four turnovers, a 31.4% completion percentage and a 3.4 yards/attempt average. Fortunately, for Sanchez, Joe Flacco played his own brand of awful football to ensure that the criticism of the quarterbacks would be shared equally. Flacco had his own pair of turnovers to go along with a 32.2% completion percentage and a mediocre 5.3 yards/attempt. The start to the 2011 season for Flacco has been maddening because he has been unable to establish the consistency that he started to show in 2010. He performed brilliantly against the Steelers on opening day and the Rams last week, but he has played atrocious football against the Titans in week two and now against the Jets. He entered the year completed 62% of his attempts during his career, but he is only completing 49.3% of his passes through four games. The Ravens should consider themselves extremely fortunate to be 3-1 despite a very uneven start to the year for their quarterback. Since the quarterbacks struggled so mightily, this game had about as much flow as a clogged sewer pipe. The turnovers certainly contributed to the lack of rhythm, but the inability of either team to regularly convert their third down opportunities killed more drives than Akili Smith. It also didn’t help that both sides couldn’t generate credible running games and the penalty flags were flying around on a regular basis (16 combined penalties). The commissioner should instruct NFL Films to destroy all video evidence of this game because I don’t think it will be immortalized any time soon.
It was a good thing that the defenses and special teams decided to show up and add some excitement because, otherwise, the 70,000 fans in attendance would have fallen asleep like they had been given a pair of Ambien tablets. The lack of offensive fireworks was replaced by two fumble returns for touchdowns, two interception returns for touchdowns and a kickoff return for a touchdown. The combined four defensive touchdowns tie an NFL record that has been done many times, most recently in a Chargers-Chiefs game from October 19, 1986. In addition to the scoring smorgasbord, the defenses generally punished the offenses from the first whistle to the last. The game featured 16 quarterback hits, four sacks and seven tackles for loss, as well as a ton of quarterback pressure. The intensity generated by the defenses contributed to the inaccuracy from both quarterbacks. Furthermore, the defenses put the clamps on the opposing running games as well. The Ravens were able to generate 112 yards rushing because they committed to the run in the second half to prevent the fans from the horror of seeing another Joe Flacco pass attempt. Despite the shiny bottom line from Baltimore, the two offenses combined to average 2.5 yards/carry, which is the best indication that neither ground game was very effective. In the end, both defenses can take a great deal of pride in the manner that they discombobulated their opponent. For Baltimore, this defensive effort was about par for the course. For the Jets, this performance demonstrates that they are still capable of being an elite unit after the demoralizing way that they lost in Oakland the week prior. Now they will have to figure out how to get the offense, defense and special units playing well at the same time.
(2) Don’t look now, but the San Francisco 49ers have a two game lead in the NFC West after the first quarter of the 2011 season. Even crazier, the 49ers are a 48-yard Dallas field goal away from being undefeated. San Francisco has not played the toughest schedule in the world, but they have won two road games, in the Eastern time zone, over the last two weeks. Their latest victory has to be their most impressive of the young season. They not only beat the Dream Team from Philly, but they overcame a 20-point second half deficit to do it. This win, more than anything, demonstrates that the 49ers have developed the mental fortitude to win tough games no matter where they are playing. They would not have been able to accomplish this under the last coaching staff, so a lot of credit has to be given to Jim Harbaugh and his coaches. The new regime has enjoyed the early success because they have created an identity in all three phases of the game. On defense, the 49ers are a hard-hitting and opportunistic group. Their two biggest strengths are the ability to stop the run and create turnovers. They are the fourth best run defense in the league, allowing just 74 yards per game, and this has allowed them to make their opponents one-dimensional. I believe this is one of the reasons why the 49ers are currently 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. Their opponents have quickly realized that is it fruitless to run the football, so they have resorted to throwing the ball. Through the first four games, the 49ers’ opponents have thrown the ball on 65% of the plays even though every game has been competitive until the end. In addition to their run defense, San Francisco has been extremely successful creating turnovers. They have forced nearly three turnovers per game and they are currently tied with Detroit with a +8 turnover differential. The mistakes by the other teams have provided short fields for the 49ers and have kept their defense fresh.
The San Francisco offense is definitely developing a reputation as one that manages the game and maximizes their scoring opportunities. With Alex Smith at quarterback and zero established playmakers on the outside, the 49ers have to really focus on taking care of the football and taking advantage of their scoring chances. On both accounts, they have been doing a great job under Coach Harbaugh. They have only turned the ball three times on offense, which is one of the lowest numbers in the NFL, and they have averaged 23.5 points per game despite being the 28th ranked unit in the league. The biggest improvement for the 49ers has been the confidence that Coach Harbaugh has instilled in his quarterback. The struggles of Alex Smith have been well-chronicled since he was drafted number one overall, but it looks like he has finally met his dream head coach. The 49ers might have played things a little close to the vest through the first three weeks, but they had their best offensive output against the Eagles in week four. They rolled up 442 yards of total offense, which included 291 yards passing and 164 yards rushing. The most important thing that they showed on Sunday was the ability to create explosive plays as they averaged 7.2 yards per play. It looks like they are starting to hit their stride just as their schedule turns a little tougher over the next several weeks.
The final piece of the puzzle has been the play of the special teams over the first part of the season. The 49ers returned two kicks for touchdowns on opening day and they haven’t looked back since. They are the number two team in the league on kickoff returns and the 14th ranked team on punt returns. The success in the return game has also set-up their offense with very favorable field position. In addition, San Francisco has been very stingy with their coverage teams. They are allowing only 21.3 yards per kickoff return and 8.5 yards per punt return. Finally, their kickers have played excellently as well. David Akers has made 80% of his field goals, which includes two 50+ conversions. Andy Lee has been booming punt after punt, which has resulted in a net average of 46.1 yards. In conclusion, the 49ers have seized control of the weak NFC West and are poised to run away with things. They are building confidence based on their early success, which is great news for their new coaching staff and their long-suffering fan base.
(3) At the quarter pole, the 2011 NFL season has started to take shape. We now have enough of a body of evidence to determine which teams are good, which teams are bad and which are kind of in the middle. For example, the Minnesota Vikings are terrible. They are most likely the worst team in the NFL after they stubbed their toe against one of the other dregs of society, the Kansas City Chiefs. On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers are showing that they will have no hangover from their Super Bowl victory. Since the season has started to take shape, let’s hand out some awards for what we have seen through the first four weeks.
Best Team of the Quarter Season: Green Bay Packers
The Packers are one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. The other team is the Detroit Lions, so shouldn’t there be co-honoree for this award? I’m putting the Pack slightly ahead of the Comeback Cats for two reasons: (1) Green Bay gets the benefit of the doubt because they are the defending Super Bowl champs and (2) the Packers haven’t had to overcome 20-point deficits in consecutive weeks to keep their perfect record alive. The Packers have the most explosive offense in the NFL and a defense that is much better than what their current ranking indicates. I also believe that they have a perfect balance of youth and experience on both sides of the football, which should allow them to stay relatively healthy and succeed in close games when the weather turns ugly.
MVP of the Quarter Season: Aaron Rodgers
A lot of the early headlines have belonged to Tom Brady, but Rodgers has quietly elevated his game to the point that he belongs on the Mount Rushmore of active quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning & Drew Brees). He is on pace to increase his completion percentage by six points, throw 20 touchdowns more and throw 1,400 yards more than his numbers from last season. In addition, Rodgers can make opposing teams pay with his running ability, which is something that Brady, Manning, Brees and many others are unable to do.
Rookie of the Quarter Season: Cam Newton
Is there even an argument? Newton has completely redefined what we should expect from a rookie quarterback. He is on pace to throw for over 5,500 yards, throw for 20 TDs, complete nearly 60% of his attempts and average 8.5 yards/attempt.
Coach of the Quarter Season: Jim Schwartz
Schwartz has led the Lions to a 4-0 start. Do I need to provide any other evidence? Even more incredible, the Lions are essentially working on a 12-game winning streak (4-0 to end last season, 4-0 in the preseason, and 4-0 to start 2011). These are the same Detroit Lions that were 9-47 from the middle of 2007 through the end of the 2010 season.
It was a good thing that the defenses and special teams decided to show up and add some excitement because, otherwise, the 70,000 fans in attendance would have fallen asleep like they had been given a pair of Ambien tablets. The lack of offensive fireworks was replaced by two fumble returns for touchdowns, two interception returns for touchdowns and a kickoff return for a touchdown. The combined four defensive touchdowns tie an NFL record that has been done many times, most recently in a Chargers-Chiefs game from October 19, 1986. In addition to the scoring smorgasbord, the defenses generally punished the offenses from the first whistle to the last. The game featured 16 quarterback hits, four sacks and seven tackles for loss, as well as a ton of quarterback pressure. The intensity generated by the defenses contributed to the inaccuracy from both quarterbacks. Furthermore, the defenses put the clamps on the opposing running games as well. The Ravens were able to generate 112 yards rushing because they committed to the run in the second half to prevent the fans from the horror of seeing another Joe Flacco pass attempt. Despite the shiny bottom line from Baltimore, the two offenses combined to average 2.5 yards/carry, which is the best indication that neither ground game was very effective. In the end, both defenses can take a great deal of pride in the manner that they discombobulated their opponent. For Baltimore, this defensive effort was about par for the course. For the Jets, this performance demonstrates that they are still capable of being an elite unit after the demoralizing way that they lost in Oakland the week prior. Now they will have to figure out how to get the offense, defense and special units playing well at the same time.
(2) Don’t look now, but the San Francisco 49ers have a two game lead in the NFC West after the first quarter of the 2011 season. Even crazier, the 49ers are a 48-yard Dallas field goal away from being undefeated. San Francisco has not played the toughest schedule in the world, but they have won two road games, in the Eastern time zone, over the last two weeks. Their latest victory has to be their most impressive of the young season. They not only beat the Dream Team from Philly, but they overcame a 20-point second half deficit to do it. This win, more than anything, demonstrates that the 49ers have developed the mental fortitude to win tough games no matter where they are playing. They would not have been able to accomplish this under the last coaching staff, so a lot of credit has to be given to Jim Harbaugh and his coaches. The new regime has enjoyed the early success because they have created an identity in all three phases of the game. On defense, the 49ers are a hard-hitting and opportunistic group. Their two biggest strengths are the ability to stop the run and create turnovers. They are the fourth best run defense in the league, allowing just 74 yards per game, and this has allowed them to make their opponents one-dimensional. I believe this is one of the reasons why the 49ers are currently 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. Their opponents have quickly realized that is it fruitless to run the football, so they have resorted to throwing the ball. Through the first four games, the 49ers’ opponents have thrown the ball on 65% of the plays even though every game has been competitive until the end. In addition to their run defense, San Francisco has been extremely successful creating turnovers. They have forced nearly three turnovers per game and they are currently tied with Detroit with a +8 turnover differential. The mistakes by the other teams have provided short fields for the 49ers and have kept their defense fresh.
The San Francisco offense is definitely developing a reputation as one that manages the game and maximizes their scoring opportunities. With Alex Smith at quarterback and zero established playmakers on the outside, the 49ers have to really focus on taking care of the football and taking advantage of their scoring chances. On both accounts, they have been doing a great job under Coach Harbaugh. They have only turned the ball three times on offense, which is one of the lowest numbers in the NFL, and they have averaged 23.5 points per game despite being the 28th ranked unit in the league. The biggest improvement for the 49ers has been the confidence that Coach Harbaugh has instilled in his quarterback. The struggles of Alex Smith have been well-chronicled since he was drafted number one overall, but it looks like he has finally met his dream head coach. The 49ers might have played things a little close to the vest through the first three weeks, but they had their best offensive output against the Eagles in week four. They rolled up 442 yards of total offense, which included 291 yards passing and 164 yards rushing. The most important thing that they showed on Sunday was the ability to create explosive plays as they averaged 7.2 yards per play. It looks like they are starting to hit their stride just as their schedule turns a little tougher over the next several weeks.
The final piece of the puzzle has been the play of the special teams over the first part of the season. The 49ers returned two kicks for touchdowns on opening day and they haven’t looked back since. They are the number two team in the league on kickoff returns and the 14th ranked team on punt returns. The success in the return game has also set-up their offense with very favorable field position. In addition, San Francisco has been very stingy with their coverage teams. They are allowing only 21.3 yards per kickoff return and 8.5 yards per punt return. Finally, their kickers have played excellently as well. David Akers has made 80% of his field goals, which includes two 50+ conversions. Andy Lee has been booming punt after punt, which has resulted in a net average of 46.1 yards. In conclusion, the 49ers have seized control of the weak NFC West and are poised to run away with things. They are building confidence based on their early success, which is great news for their new coaching staff and their long-suffering fan base.
(3) At the quarter pole, the 2011 NFL season has started to take shape. We now have enough of a body of evidence to determine which teams are good, which teams are bad and which are kind of in the middle. For example, the Minnesota Vikings are terrible. They are most likely the worst team in the NFL after they stubbed their toe against one of the other dregs of society, the Kansas City Chiefs. On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers are showing that they will have no hangover from their Super Bowl victory. Since the season has started to take shape, let’s hand out some awards for what we have seen through the first four weeks.
Best Team of the Quarter Season: Green Bay Packers
The Packers are one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. The other team is the Detroit Lions, so shouldn’t there be co-honoree for this award? I’m putting the Pack slightly ahead of the Comeback Cats for two reasons: (1) Green Bay gets the benefit of the doubt because they are the defending Super Bowl champs and (2) the Packers haven’t had to overcome 20-point deficits in consecutive weeks to keep their perfect record alive. The Packers have the most explosive offense in the NFL and a defense that is much better than what their current ranking indicates. I also believe that they have a perfect balance of youth and experience on both sides of the football, which should allow them to stay relatively healthy and succeed in close games when the weather turns ugly.
MVP of the Quarter Season: Aaron Rodgers
A lot of the early headlines have belonged to Tom Brady, but Rodgers has quietly elevated his game to the point that he belongs on the Mount Rushmore of active quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning & Drew Brees). He is on pace to increase his completion percentage by six points, throw 20 touchdowns more and throw 1,400 yards more than his numbers from last season. In addition, Rodgers can make opposing teams pay with his running ability, which is something that Brady, Manning, Brees and many others are unable to do.
Rookie of the Quarter Season: Cam Newton
Is there even an argument? Newton has completely redefined what we should expect from a rookie quarterback. He is on pace to throw for over 5,500 yards, throw for 20 TDs, complete nearly 60% of his attempts and average 8.5 yards/attempt.
Coach of the Quarter Season: Jim Schwartz
Schwartz has led the Lions to a 4-0 start. Do I need to provide any other evidence? Even more incredible, the Lions are essentially working on a 12-game winning streak (4-0 to end last season, 4-0 in the preseason, and 4-0 to start 2011). These are the same Detroit Lions that were 9-47 from the middle of 2007 through the end of the 2010 season.
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