Post by spiderfan on Sept 25, 2018 14:37:06 GMT -8
Howdy everyone, it is me spiderfan here! With Week 3 of the National Football League season in the past, it is time for me deliver my thoughts to you with my Random Thoughts & Stuff column. Let us begin!
Bakermania
The top story of this week has to be the debut of the Heisman Winner and No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield against the New York Jets. Mayfield went 17 of 23 for 201 yards, no TDs, and no INTs. He entered the game after starter Tyrod Taylor was injured with a concussion and the Browns were down 14-0. Baker led the comeback and the Browns won the game 21-17, their first win since the 2016 season (Fun Fact fellow Heisman Winner RG3 led the Browns to that win).
The Browns should have started Baker Mayfield from the beginning and he should been given the starting job from the moment Browns GM John Dorsey called him to let him know he was being drafted. All you do not playing him, is taking reps that a young player like Baker should have.
Tyrod is a good player, but with the Browns only winning 4 games since November 23, 2014 it was time for Mayfield to come in and to lead the Browns. Admittedly, they are the Browns and they have found ways to screw things up in every which way, but I wish Baker the best in his efforts to turn the worst franchise in major pro sports around.
As for the Jets and Sam Darnold well, I can toot my own horn when I said Sam Darnold is overrated. Throwing 2 4th quarter INTs and ultimately cost your team the game? Not what you want to see out of your franchise QB. I know it is only 3 games, but I'm getting Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith vibes, in that the hype was WAY overblown.
(image via NESN)
In the immortal words of the legend DJ Khaled
It appears as though there is nothing real in the world anymore
So the 0-2 Bills coming off of back to back blowout losses, go to Minneapolis and beat the Vikings 27-6? Even I, the ardent Kirk Cousins hater I am wouldn't have expected that. Congrats to Josh Allen and the Bills at large for outplaying the $84 Million Dollar Man and the Zimmer squad.
The SB contender Jaguars lost to the 2 QB squad in the Titans at home (bolden at home)? I guess my conclusion that the Jaguars were the maybe best team in the NFL was accurate. Congrats to Mike Vrabel for having the best record of the new HCs.
The Redskins who are coming off a not good game against the Colts games beat the Packers? It appears to me that last week's game was a fluke. Congrats to Adrian Peterson for making Cris Carter have possibly the coldest take of the NFL season, proving that he still is one of the better RBs in the league.
Finally the cream of the crop of all these type of games, the 0-2 Detroit Lions, who last week I called the NFL's next dumpster fire, actually beat the New England Patriots. Now, do not overreact and say "the Patriots are done" and/or "the Lions and Patricia are going to be good". Why do I say not overreact? Because the Browns led by former Pats DC Eric Mangini did something similar in 2010.
The Browns went 5-11 and Eric Mangini was fired. The Patriots will play the Dolphins next week beat them, and then precede to be one of, if not the top team in the AFC.
Congrats to the Lions for being on the list of weird Patriots losses.
About the Texans-Tinys game
If you would have told me that the Tinys, after coming off a humiliating loss to the Ostriches would actually beat a Texans team with far more talent than the Ostriches, I would said you were crazy. The reason this game does not count as a "there is nothing real in the world anymore" (link to famous clip) game is because both teams were 0-2. With that said, I have to come to a sad realization about the Texans as a franchise. They made a mistake in drafting Deshaun Watson. Now Deshaun is gonna be a good player in this league. That is the problem gonna is a problem. Why?
The Texans looked to be SB contenders with a defense that was the best in league and all they needed was a QB that wasn't terrible. What saddens me is, even though Deshaun isn't terrible (embolden terrible), as of right now he isn't all that great either, and when you have a player of the caliber of JJ Watt (who is one of, if not the best defensive player ever) his prime will end up being wasted because Deshaun is getting the hang of things. Now, Deshaun is a young player who needs to develop obviously, which is why the Texans should have waited to draft a QB and instead done all they could to get Jay Cutler or Tony Romo or made a Khalil Mack esque trade for someone like Matt Stafford.
They put all their chips in the Deshaun basket, which ultimately will end up in neither Deshaun or JJ having the kind of success they deserve as players, because if JJ's prime is over the Texans are going to win less games and if Deshaun is developing the Texans are going to win less games meaning that neither player are where they need to be to ultimately have the kind of success that they should. It saddens me to think that JJ Watt will be the best player to never win a Super Bowl. It also saddens me to think Deshaun Watson won't win a Super Bowl. Both seem likely at this point in time.
Right now the Texans are 0-3 and have a 9 game losing streak dating back to last season. Their season may be over soon, if it isn't already. Should O'Brien be fired?
As for the Tinys they played decent and didn't shrink, but they need a win against a better team before I stop calling them the Tinys.
Oh, Ostriches
I'm actually sort of amazed the lengths that the Ostriches are willing to go to stick their head in the sand. Here are some quotes for ya:
First this one via ESPN
"I have a lot of confidence in Scott Linehan. He's been an outstanding coordinator in this league for a long time. He's been an outstanding coordinator for us. And he's been an outstanding playcaller for us." -Jason Garrett
And another via the Fort Worth Star Telegram
“I like our players. I like our coaching staff, I think we’ve got players that can -- we’ve seen them perform the way if they can play at those levels. And you can go right down through the positions, through the offensive line. Yes, you can go to the receivers. It’s never as bad as it seems, as far as the players doing some of the things you do. You can always find some bright spots. The opposite is true when you win. You can go in and you can be surprised by some of the things you can improve on. That’s just the nature of what we’re doing. I think your question is ‘have I hit the panic button’, and the answer is no.”
I couldn't find anything ridiculous said by Stephen Jones, but I have little doubt that he will say something ridiculous in the future.
Here is a mind blowingly awful stat via USA Today
"The Cowboys rank 31st in scoring (13.7 points per game), 30th in total offense (277.7 yards per game), 31st in third-down conversion rate (23.5 percent), 27th in turnover margin (minus-2), and 31st in passing yards (145 yards per game)."
I could go on and on, but I think those quotes and stats speak for themselves.
Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Jameis Winston
As I discussed last week, Fitzpatrick has played very well. He played less great on MNF throwing 3 INTs, but he also threw 3 TDs and had over 400 yards passing yards for the 3rd week in a row something no NFL QB has ever done before. It is also worth mentioning that were various penalties, drops, and less than great play calling so it was certainly a team loss for the Buccaneers. So do ya give the job back to Winston? I say no. Give Fitzpatrick a shot against the Bears and see how he does. As long as he is keeping the team above .500 and setting records why take him out?
Pittsburgh should trade Le'Veon Bell
The logic is simple: It is highly likely after this season he isn't signing a long term deal with the Steelers. Why not try to get some value for him while you still can? If he leaves in free agency you get a compensatory pick. If you trade him, you are likely to get something better than that. Seems obvious to me, but apparently that is less obvious to the Steelers.
Other thoughts:
-Congrats to Drew Brees for setting the all time completion record. Next stop passing yard record.
-Congrats to Carson Wentz for winning his first game back from injury
-Khalil Mack is a stud. Barring injury he will be DPoY
-Pat Mahomes is still the truth. I talk more about him in last week's column so check that out if ya didn't catch it last week.
-Broncos. Ya gotta play better than that.
-NFL, please change the roughing the passer rule. It isn't good right now.
-With Jimmy G tearing his ACL, the 49ers are done. Enjoy yet another bad season San Fran!
ROAD TO 0-16
3 teams still haven't a won game after 3 weeks. I will keep doing this segment until every team has a win or a tie.
Teams that currently are winless:
-Arizona Cardinals
-Houston Texans
-Oakland Raiders
The Cardinals are surprisingly bad this year. They'll get even worse now that rookie Josh Rosen is going to be the starting QB. The Raiders may or may not be tanking which isn't a bad thing because Gruden is playing the long game. He has a 10 year contract after all. The Texans have been previously discussed, so of the 3 the team most likely to go 0-16 are the Cardinals.
ROAD TO 16-0
3 teams still only have wins. I will keep doing this segment until they don't.
Teams only having wins:
-Miami Dolphins
-Kansas City Chiefs
-Los Angeles Rams
I'm shocked that the Dolphins are still here. Nonetheless, I don't expect them to be here much longer. IMO either the Rams and Chiefs could go undefeated, that game late in the year where they play each other is gonna be fun.
And that was my column for this week. I hope ya enjoyed it. This is spiderfan out.
