Sensational Seconds: The NFL, Week Two
September 22, 2006
The second week of the NFL was touted as a Sunday of Division Showdowns;11 different games featured division rivals across the league. A weekend such as this provides football fans with the chance to get an early season league-wide assessment of the direction of their favorite team. Every coach, player, and fan understands the importance of divisional games, whether it is in September or December.
This weekend certainly provided us with a sort of “state of the NFL,” with these early season match-ups acting as barometers for many teams around the league. Some of the developments were expected, and left us nodding our heads like one of the ESPN “expert” analysts who made a sweeping, general predication that miraculously came to fruition. Other games roused a certain amount of surprise, leaving us intrigued. There was one game in particular, however, that left fans league-wide with their football world turned upside down.
Not surprisingly, the Colts embarrassed the Texans. By fumbling on the second play of the game, David Carr and his team essentially fumbled the game away to the Colts. Peyton Manning easily improved to 9-0 against Houston in his career, while posting a 26/38, 400 yard- passing, 3 TD, 0 INT stat line. Manning passed Johnny Unitas on the Colts’ all-time completions list, while Marvin Harrison also surpassed Art Monk for fifth on the NFL all-time receptions list.
Thus, the state of affairs in the AFC South remained the same as it has been for several seasons. With Houston and Tennesse struggling at 0-2, and 1-0 Jacksonville facing the daunting task of facing Pittsburgh on Sunday night, the Colts again are the clear front-runner in the AFC South and should have a one game lead in the division race after Monday night.
Moving along to the AFC West, the Chargers defense is a force to be reckoned with. They garnered instant respect after using their sterling 3-4 scheme to stymie the Colts perfect season bid last season. They nearly recorded their second straight shutout while limiting the Titans to a measly 218 yards of total offense. With defensive playmakers Shawne Merriman and Quentin Jammer intercepting starter Kerry Collins, LaDanian Tomlinson (19 rushes, 71 yds, 2 TDs) and super-sub Michael Turner (13 rushes, 138 yds) running wild, the Chargers have been able to boost first year starter Phillip Rivers confidence while increasing his passing attempts from 11 last week to 35 this week. The Chargers, as expected, have dangerous playmakers on both sides of the ball. They appear to be the early favorites in the AFC West, and with a strong running game and superb defense they have the ingredients necessary to win big games on the road in hostile environments such as Denver and Kansas City.
The Oakland game was over before it started. With the Joey Porter-Art Shell controversy consuming the vast majority of Raider news, it is easy to see why they keep spiraling downward. Injured starter Aaron Brooks (2 fumbles) gave way to Andrew Walter who finished with one third as many interceptions (3) as completions (10). With their quarterback situation, the Raiders are letting the super-talented Randy Moss rot away with only 2 catches for 32 yards. The running game managed only 39 yards, while the offensive line proved equally as inept in the pass blocking game, allowing 6 sacks. They clearly miss the presence of injured tackle Robert Gallery, but their problems run even deeper. The Raiders have yet to score a touchdown, and have now been outscored 55-6 to start the 2006 campaign. Look for the rest of the AFC West to continue to feast on the Raiders for easy division victories.
Over in the NFC, the Bears, with their superb defense, are hardly regarded as an offensive juggernaut. With the oft-injured Rex Grossman at the helm, however, the defensive-minded Bears produced some offensive flash en route to overwhelming the under achieving Detroit Lions 34-7. Grossman turned in a career-best performance by compiling a 148.0 QG rating. The Bears defense set the tone as expected, forcing and recovering a fumble on the Lions’ first possession. With the continued emergence of Rex Grossman and an effective passing game, the Bears appear ready to make the leap from simply relying on an elite defense and grind-it-out running game to a multi-dimensional Super Bowl threat. The Bears certainly have bigger goals than a weak NFC North title on their minds. It would appear the rest of the division will be playing for a Wild Card birth come December.
Another suprising turn of events is the series of winless starts this season by the Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, and Carolina Panthers. Each of these teams came into the new season hungry, and ready to build upon last year’s results. For the Panthers, their loss to the Seahawks in the NFC title game did nothing to hurt their status as a widely regarded choice to represent the NFC this year in the title game. Through the first two games of 2006, the Panthers most notable developments have been their injuries. The offense has been stalled, managing only 19 points so far this season after key injuries to receiver Steve Smith, and o-line leaders Travelle Wharton and Justin Hartwig, leaving QB Jack Delhomme and the rest of the offense in neutral. The Julius Peppers–led Carolina defense will the need the offense to find its rhythm if they wish to make it back to the NFC title game and realize their Super Bowl potential. The Panthers can still rebound in a less-than-impressive NFC South, but they must get on track quickly.
For the Packers and the Dolphins, the two storied franchises have had well documented struggles in recent years. But with busy off-seasons, the renewed vigor of Brett Farve for the Packers and the acquisition of Dante Culpepper by the Dolphins, both teams looked ready to make an early season statement.
Culpepper and the Miami offense has run into two highly regarded defenses in the Pittsburgh Steelers in week one followed by the Buffalo Bills in week two. Dante and his offense has not looked comfortable for any sustained stretch yet this season.
While Farve and the Green Bay offense endured similar offensive struggles in the first week versus the Bears, they broke out in the second week with Farve airing it out for 340 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. While Farve recovered from his first career shutout, he was outshined by new Saint Drew Brees (353 yards passing, 2TDs, 1INT) and the Saints offense that came back from a score of 13-0 to spoil the initially promising day for the Packers. Many of Brett Farve’s detractors are glowing with “I told you so” smirks as they continue to trash his decision to return to the game. As for the Dolphins, they must find a way to protect Dante Culpepper and his surgically-repaired knee if they hope to avoid falling further behind the division-leading Patriots as week three approaches.
Coming as a shock is the New York Giant’s 30-24 OT victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. This match up of NFC East division heavyweights certainly did not disappoint. The Eagles looked like the pre-TO meltdown team of the 2004 Super Bowl season for three quarters, as they yielded only one score while putting up 24 points in impressive fashion. During this stretch Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Donte Stallworth and the rest of the Philly offense had its way with the Giants defense, while the Eagle’s defense was dynamic as they pressured Eli Manning and recorded sack after sack as they held the Giants’ offense in check.
In a game that seemed to be doing nothing but going the home team’s way, Tim Carter’s recovery of a Plaxico Burress fumble in the end zone for the Giants second score early in the fourth quarter looked to be a turning point in the momentum of that game. Another fumble by Brian Westbrook, on an ill-advised jump while running towards the pile, would further swing the momentum the Giants way.
After watching the replay several times I was unable to discern why he would put the football at risk like that at that stage of the game. Will Demps would recover the fumble on the Eagle’s 33-yard line, leading to an eventual Manning to Amani Toomer TD pass. The stunned home crowd saw the Giants final drive of the fourth quarter end in a game-tying Jay Feely field goal. They appeared so deflated they were unable to rain down an appropriate chorus of boos. In the extra-period, with 3:11 left, Manning was able to hook up with Plaxico Burress who made an impressive leaping grab for the game-winning 31-yard TD pass. With that game-winner, Manning finished 31 of 43 for 371 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. He was countered by another strong game from Donovan McNabb, who finished 27 of 45 for 350 yards and two scores.
McNabb and the Eagles, however, seemed to forgo their original game plan in favor of a more conservative one as they sat on their large lead, setting the scene for the Giant’s impressive comeback win. While the Giants comeback was impressive, this type of implosion could have long lasting destructive effects on the Eagle’s season. If they are unable to close out key, winnable games like this one against the Giants, they will be looking up at the Giants and Dallas in the NFC East come the end of the season.
The results from the second Sunday of the 2006 NFL season ranged from the mundane to the spectacular. Depending on which team you hold your alliances with, your reactions to these results may have varied from a sigh of relief, to screams of frustration. Week three should bring some more of the same.