Weeks One and Two of the NFL Season: What We Learned

Steven Anderson, Sports Editor

Weeks one and two of the NFL Season are in the books and boy, what a two weeks it was. There were four games decided by only one point in week one, the most in week one of any season.

The game of the year so far has to go to the Giants and the Cowboys; this game had it all. From players that all football fans were interested in seeing play, to a decision that cost the Cowboys the game, this game was a thriller from the beginning. The Cowboys started Dak Prescott at quarterback and Ezekiel Elliott at running back, both rookies trying to learn the Cowboy’s offensive system. The Giant’s Victor Cruz returned after two years of being unavailable due to injury. What more could a viewer want? The game ended when Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams failed to get out of bounds after catching a pass, and time expired before the Cowboys could get to the line and spike the ball to stop the clock. The final score was 20-19, with the Giants squeaking out a win. This game will be remembered down the stretch, because the NFC East is so competitive that any of the four teams could come out on top.

My two surprise teams that could make a playoff run are the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens. The Jaguars have, in my mind, the most improved defense in the NFL with the additions of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Myles Jack. They also get defensive end Dante Fowler back healthy from an ACL tear. This defense could combine with the pass-heavy offense of Blake Bortles at quarterback and Allen Robinson at wide receiver to scare some teams down the stretch. The Ravens are a much underrated team. Yes, people can say that their record was 5-11 last year; however, if you look at the list of key injuries they had last year, you can see why this year should be different. The Ravens’ injury list last year reads like an all-pro roster: Joe Flacco; Steve Smith, Sr.; Justin Forsett; Breshad Perriman; and Terrell Suggs, just to name a few. All of these players are now healthy and played in the Ravens week-one win against the Buffalo Bills and a week-two win against the Cleveland Browns. Also, 14 of the 16 games the Ravens played last season were decided by 8 points or less. It’s not like they were getting blown out by teams; they were just losing close games.

My two most-overrated teams are the Bengals and the Seahawks. Even though both teams won in week one, they were exposed in many areas, and both teams lost in week two, leaving each with a record of 1-1. Many people would say, “The Bengals have all the pieces to win in the playoffs, but they have just been unlucky.” First of all, they do not have all the pieces to win in the playoffs. Second of all, not winning in the playoffs says something about their coaching, not just how their players play. Through the first two weeks, their two-headed running back monster of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard have combined for only 95 yards rushing. If their production continues to be mediocre, then there will be extra pressure on Andy Dalton to throw the ball. Another issue with the Bengals is their offensive line. In week one, the Bengals offense allowed 7 sacks – 7! The number-one rule of any team’s offense is to protect the quarterback, which the Bengals had trouble with against the Jets in week one.

The Seahawks have been to the Super Bowl two of the last three years; however, they will not get there this year. First of all, Marshawn Lynch, one of the most reliable running backs in the NFL the past few years, is gone. He not only put up great stats, but he also wore the defense down. On multiple occasions, it took five or even six defenders to bring him down. In the fourth quarter, many of the defenders were physically beaten up from Lynch’s downhill running style. Also, the members of the Legion of Boom secondary are getting older. Richard Sherman is 28, Earl Thomas is 27, and Kam Chancellor is 28. These players may not seem so old to the naked eye but, keep in mind, they have made the playoffs the past three years and have gone all the way to the Super Bowl two of those years. This means that those players have played more games and dished out more hits than the average NFL player in that span. The Legion of Boom is not as young, quick and, frankly, as good as they used to be.

If I were forced to make a prediction for Super Bowl 51 right now – I would have to say we will see a rematch of week one between the Patriots and the Cardinals. Of course, in this matchup the Pats should have Tom Brady back under center.