NFL Week 2 running thread ...

Yeah, the same Detroit team that lost to last year's NFC champion by a field goal in Week 1 and a Green Bay team that lost by a touchdown to another 2-0 team, the Saints.

And the Bears thoroughly and utterly decimated both of them.

 

Not arguing the Bears victories haven't been impressive. Bears look great again this year.

But nobody can argue that the Falcons have defeated two better teams in Carolina and TB. It's not really even up for debate.

 

Tampa's better? Than who?

Three points in two games, they're not better than anybody.

Steve Smith's injury surely hurts the Panthers as well.

It's not the Falcons' fault, of course. You play who you play. But you'll have to forgive the rest of America for being slow to board the Birds Bandwagon.

 

Almost Famous, how did we survive without these NFL debates for eight months?

Trust me, I'm well aware as to whom the Falcons and Bears beat. Point is, it doesn't matter who they beat. The wins are all that matters from week to week, and both teams are getting it done -- just so happens against 0-2 opponents in both cases. Teams can go from pretenders to contenders (2005 Bears) and contenders to pretenders (2005 Eagles) in a single season. I wouldn't look so much at the opponents as I would team performance in these early games.

And let me be the first to chime in on tonight's Steelers-Jaguars game, scoreless at halftime. Doesn't happen much these days, but it's great to see a physical game live up to the hype entering it.

 

BYH, were you the one who was the Chris Simms fan last year? Somebody in these waters was. Yes, Tampa is awful, but Gruden and the defense won't let them finish with 3-4 wins (like Green Bay and Detroit will have). And yes, Carolina is dramatically different without Smith.

Not really asking anyone to jump on any bandwagons ... but if I'm doing NFL 'power ratings' or whatever, here's my NFC list:

Atlanta
Chicago
Seattle
Minnesota
Dallas
New Orleans

No, I don't expect these to hold up.

 

No, I wasn't really a Chris Simms fan last year. Thought he was OK, but not a long-term star. Bucs are fucked if he's as bad as he looks this year, what with only Bruce Gradowski behind him.

There is NO WAY the Falcons are the no. 1 team in the NFC, even after two weeks. I'll take that Bears D and a suddenly competent Rex Grossman over anyone else in that lousy conference.

 

And I would take Seattle before Chicago and Atlanta, in that order, based on defense. With Branch, presuming that he can assimilate into that offense quickly, the Seahawks got much better.

 

Depends where this game is played.

Chicago would beat Atlanta at home.
Chicago would beat Seattle at home.
Seattle would beat Atlanta at home.
Seattle would beat Chicago at home.
Atlanta would beat Seattle at home.
Atlanta would beat Chicago at home.

Atlanta really needs a kicker, though.

 

I never liked the Jags before, I really don't like them now. Unless Roethlisberger can shake off the rust real quick and take the Steelers down the field for a touchdown, things are looking grim.

 

The Jags' defense has ratcheted up its play level immensely for this game. If I were Peyton Manning, I'd be worried.

 

Dammit.

EDIT -- After the pick, the Jags kick a field goal to make it 9-0 with about 4:30 to play. And Theesman, for some reason, loves the play calls by Jacksonville, which ran out of bounds twice then threw an incomplete pass. Had they run three times, it would have been the same score but with much less time. I know it's noble to stay aggressive, but given how well that defense has played tonight, to run the ball three times would have been the smart play. But that's just me.