I consider week 2 of the preseason a critical time for evaluating teams and players. By now we either know or are able to confidently speculate some of the trends we expect to see come the regular season. Specifically, we should have enough data on QBs to hypothesize how they'll do over the next 18 weeks. Let's start there...
Tom Brady: Yeah, dude is just fine and is going to be his usual Tom Terrific self come week 1. The knee "injury" was pretty scary for Pats fans, but given his performance against Tampa Bay I think we can confidently say that Brady is ready to go once again.
Danny Amendola: looked just like Wes Welker out there. It's going to be an issue of whether or not he can stay healthy, but if he can it looks like the Pats won't miss Welker all that much.
Geno Smith: Colin Cowherd is fond of saying, "does [he or it] pass the eyeball test". No part of Geno Smith passes the eyeball test for me. This is tremendously subjective, but dude just doesn't look like an NFL QB with pads on. He looks like a normal guy dressed up for halloween as an NFL QB. That may seem inconsequential but think about other starting NFL QBs and try to find one that looks as slight and clumsy in their uniform. On top of that Smith essentially injures himself running in the open field. I said earlier that we'd know just about everything we needed to know about Geno by the end of week 2 in the preseason and though there's a lot of circumstantial evidence I'm confident in saying that this guy will never be a franchise QB. He doesn't look the part, doesn't appear to be in great shape, he's very cautious throwing the football (which is smart for a rookie, but it's also the reason Colin Kaepernick is starting for the 49ers and not Alex Smith), and, through no fault of his own, was drafted by one of the worst organizations in football. That's a recipe for falling short of being a franchise player.
E.J. Manuel: What a great contrast in what a rookie QB who may not have come in with the skills of an Andrew Luck or a Russell Wilson should look like in the preseason. Manuel looks the part, has been smart with the football, is aggressive throwing down field, and from day one of the draft process has impressed scouts with his attitude, professionalism, and poise. Kolb will start just as long as it takes Manuel to heal from his knee procedure. I still think the Bills reached selecting Manuel in the first round, but I'm beginning to think they may have gotten themselves a really good football player and not a bust waiting to happen.
Russell Wilson: This is why Russell Wilson is special. My jaw was on the floor after this play because it highlights so many of Wilson's assets; his poise after a bad snap exchange, his quick decision making ability, his accuracy, and his arm strength (threw the TD off his back foot). Russell did struggle a bit in later drives, missing some open guys and making a few bad reads, but that's to be expected from a second year guy. Seattle struck gold and drafted a franchise QB if I ever saw one.
The Seahawks: If you're playing Seattle in Seattle this season good luck. This team is scary. Their D plays fast, angry, and hard and they want to hurt you. I'm still not sold on Pet Carroll as an elite head coach, but if they get home field throughout the playoffs it'll be the toughest road to a super bowl the NFC has seen in a long long time.
The 49ers: After watching the first half of the Niners v. Chiefs game I'm convinced Harbaugh is up to something. Most coaches play their first team players through the second quarter of games in week 2 of the preseason, but Harbaugh pulled most of his first team guys out after two series (his offensive skill players after one). Harbaugh may be the most savvy coach in the league behind Belichick so if he's doing something unconventional it's for a reason. My guess is that he's satisfied with where his first team guys are in their preparation for the season and he wants to get the 2nd and 3rd team some experience. The Niners' bench is loaded with talent so it makes sense to get them quality reps. What makes Harbaugh's move extra savvy is that by pulling his 1st team out early he got his bench players much needed experience against an opponent's 1st team. It's all well and good to have your 2nd team guys face off, but you really find out about bench players when they're facing the best the opposing team has to offer. Harbaugh may have learned more about his bench in this game than any other team this preseason.
Drew Brees: I don't know that there's a more accurate thrower of the football than this guy. Watching him work is a pleasure. The man can put a ball anywhere he wants and no one in this league is better at doing so. That's all...oh, except this. Great stuff!
Andrew Luck: is a monster. I've written about this in previous posts, but his performance against the Giants is another reason why AFC teams should really prepare themselves for the end of the Manning/Brady era. Luck's the third best QB in this division behind the two HOFers and by the time they retire the gap between Luck and the remaining signal callers will be that much greater. We are watching the beginnings of another Colts dynasty, one that could be more successful than the Manning years.
Cam Newton: Newton is still the best looking (from a physical skills standpoint) QB in the NFL, but he's obviously still struggling with decision making. He's saying all the right things, but actions speak louder than words. There was a moment during this last preseason game where Cam and Joe Adams begin posing for a sideline camera. It was as funny as it was juvenile, which is to say pretty considerably on both accounts. The trouble came when veteran Thomas Davis came over and looked to tell Cam to tone it down or stop and Cam blew him off. That interaction tells me all I need to know about Newton's progression as an NFL QB. What's troubling is not so much that he's not matured past stunts like this at age 24 it's that his team and more importantly his play has not transcended antics like this. Aaron Rodgers is just as much as a sideline goof as Newton, but Aaron's shown that his silliness doesn't hinder his performance on the field. Behavior like this under the circumstances of Newton's career, the combination of the two, is what makes me think Newton will continue to struggle to master the mental aspects of the game. Franchise QBs that throw a pick six after staring down a receiver don't goof off on the sidelines later in the game.
RGIII: I'm tired of these press conferences and though I think Donovan McNabb has been a bit heavy handed with his comments on RGIII and the team from Washington I'm beginning to agree with some of his critiques. McNabb and Shanahan obviously did not get along and I think McNabb's attempts to "reach out" to RGIII is a classic case of unsolicited advise, but I still wonder why the hell RGIII is talking so much about his thoughts and feelings about playing time to the media? This is an ownership and front office issue and those in charge are handling things poorly. Dan Snyder is probably happy that his team is getting all this attention, but he's letting things get out of hand much like a self conscious and unpopular teenager would handle waking up one day looking like Idris Alba or Kandyse McClure. Successful teams have a laser like focus not an atmosphere of whimsical, gossipy, day-to-day speculations we see in Washington. Dan Snyder is still learning how to manage an NFL franchise (a sad fact considering he's been at it so long) and struck gold with a dynamic franchise QB, but instead of putting out a PR fire that threatens his team's focus and ultimately success he's allowing the fire to spread. Dumb.
Tyrann Mathieu: Mathieu's success in this league be will directly proportional to the Football to Life-News Ratio (FLNR). A high ratio means that Mathieu is making lots of plays on the field and virtually no news off of it. So far so good, or should I say so far so WOW! Mathieu looks an awful lot like Troy Polamalu on the field and if his FLNR stays high I'll confidently predict he'll be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. I'm rooting for this young man.
Von Miller: Did I or did I not say this situation worried me. Miller is descending into Ricky Williams territory and that's not where you want to be if you have Hall of Fame aspirations. Miller's got to decide what he really cares about. The system he lives in is not without its flaws and hypocrisies, but if he's got aspiration of being a revolutionary then he's off to a bad start.
That's all for now folks. Enjoy week three and try to get through week 4. I'll be back with my projected division winners, playoff predictions, and 32 team analysis before the season starts.
Tom Brady: Yeah, dude is just fine and is going to be his usual Tom Terrific self come week 1. The knee "injury" was pretty scary for Pats fans, but given his performance against Tampa Bay I think we can confidently say that Brady is ready to go once again.
Danny Amendola: looked just like Wes Welker out there. It's going to be an issue of whether or not he can stay healthy, but if he can it looks like the Pats won't miss Welker all that much.
Geno Smith: Colin Cowherd is fond of saying, "does [he or it] pass the eyeball test". No part of Geno Smith passes the eyeball test for me. This is tremendously subjective, but dude just doesn't look like an NFL QB with pads on. He looks like a normal guy dressed up for halloween as an NFL QB. That may seem inconsequential but think about other starting NFL QBs and try to find one that looks as slight and clumsy in their uniform. On top of that Smith essentially injures himself running in the open field. I said earlier that we'd know just about everything we needed to know about Geno by the end of week 2 in the preseason and though there's a lot of circumstantial evidence I'm confident in saying that this guy will never be a franchise QB. He doesn't look the part, doesn't appear to be in great shape, he's very cautious throwing the football (which is smart for a rookie, but it's also the reason Colin Kaepernick is starting for the 49ers and not Alex Smith), and, through no fault of his own, was drafted by one of the worst organizations in football. That's a recipe for falling short of being a franchise player.
E.J. Manuel: What a great contrast in what a rookie QB who may not have come in with the skills of an Andrew Luck or a Russell Wilson should look like in the preseason. Manuel looks the part, has been smart with the football, is aggressive throwing down field, and from day one of the draft process has impressed scouts with his attitude, professionalism, and poise. Kolb will start just as long as it takes Manuel to heal from his knee procedure. I still think the Bills reached selecting Manuel in the first round, but I'm beginning to think they may have gotten themselves a really good football player and not a bust waiting to happen.
Russell Wilson: This is why Russell Wilson is special. My jaw was on the floor after this play because it highlights so many of Wilson's assets; his poise after a bad snap exchange, his quick decision making ability, his accuracy, and his arm strength (threw the TD off his back foot). Russell did struggle a bit in later drives, missing some open guys and making a few bad reads, but that's to be expected from a second year guy. Seattle struck gold and drafted a franchise QB if I ever saw one.
The Seahawks: If you're playing Seattle in Seattle this season good luck. This team is scary. Their D plays fast, angry, and hard and they want to hurt you. I'm still not sold on Pet Carroll as an elite head coach, but if they get home field throughout the playoffs it'll be the toughest road to a super bowl the NFC has seen in a long long time.
The 49ers: After watching the first half of the Niners v. Chiefs game I'm convinced Harbaugh is up to something. Most coaches play their first team players through the second quarter of games in week 2 of the preseason, but Harbaugh pulled most of his first team guys out after two series (his offensive skill players after one). Harbaugh may be the most savvy coach in the league behind Belichick so if he's doing something unconventional it's for a reason. My guess is that he's satisfied with where his first team guys are in their preparation for the season and he wants to get the 2nd and 3rd team some experience. The Niners' bench is loaded with talent so it makes sense to get them quality reps. What makes Harbaugh's move extra savvy is that by pulling his 1st team out early he got his bench players much needed experience against an opponent's 1st team. It's all well and good to have your 2nd team guys face off, but you really find out about bench players when they're facing the best the opposing team has to offer. Harbaugh may have learned more about his bench in this game than any other team this preseason.
Drew Brees: I don't know that there's a more accurate thrower of the football than this guy. Watching him work is a pleasure. The man can put a ball anywhere he wants and no one in this league is better at doing so. That's all...oh, except this. Great stuff!
Andrew Luck: is a monster. I've written about this in previous posts, but his performance against the Giants is another reason why AFC teams should really prepare themselves for the end of the Manning/Brady era. Luck's the third best QB in this division behind the two HOFers and by the time they retire the gap between Luck and the remaining signal callers will be that much greater. We are watching the beginnings of another Colts dynasty, one that could be more successful than the Manning years.
Cam Newton: Newton is still the best looking (from a physical skills standpoint) QB in the NFL, but he's obviously still struggling with decision making. He's saying all the right things, but actions speak louder than words. There was a moment during this last preseason game where Cam and Joe Adams begin posing for a sideline camera. It was as funny as it was juvenile, which is to say pretty considerably on both accounts. The trouble came when veteran Thomas Davis came over and looked to tell Cam to tone it down or stop and Cam blew him off. That interaction tells me all I need to know about Newton's progression as an NFL QB. What's troubling is not so much that he's not matured past stunts like this at age 24 it's that his team and more importantly his play has not transcended antics like this. Aaron Rodgers is just as much as a sideline goof as Newton, but Aaron's shown that his silliness doesn't hinder his performance on the field. Behavior like this under the circumstances of Newton's career, the combination of the two, is what makes me think Newton will continue to struggle to master the mental aspects of the game. Franchise QBs that throw a pick six after staring down a receiver don't goof off on the sidelines later in the game.
RGIII: I'm tired of these press conferences and though I think Donovan McNabb has been a bit heavy handed with his comments on RGIII and the team from Washington I'm beginning to agree with some of his critiques. McNabb and Shanahan obviously did not get along and I think McNabb's attempts to "reach out" to RGIII is a classic case of unsolicited advise, but I still wonder why the hell RGIII is talking so much about his thoughts and feelings about playing time to the media? This is an ownership and front office issue and those in charge are handling things poorly. Dan Snyder is probably happy that his team is getting all this attention, but he's letting things get out of hand much like a self conscious and unpopular teenager would handle waking up one day looking like Idris Alba or Kandyse McClure. Successful teams have a laser like focus not an atmosphere of whimsical, gossipy, day-to-day speculations we see in Washington. Dan Snyder is still learning how to manage an NFL franchise (a sad fact considering he's been at it so long) and struck gold with a dynamic franchise QB, but instead of putting out a PR fire that threatens his team's focus and ultimately success he's allowing the fire to spread. Dumb.
Tyrann Mathieu: Mathieu's success in this league be will directly proportional to the Football to Life-News Ratio (FLNR). A high ratio means that Mathieu is making lots of plays on the field and virtually no news off of it. So far so good, or should I say so far so WOW! Mathieu looks an awful lot like Troy Polamalu on the field and if his FLNR stays high I'll confidently predict he'll be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. I'm rooting for this young man.
Von Miller: Did I or did I not say this situation worried me. Miller is descending into Ricky Williams territory and that's not where you want to be if you have Hall of Fame aspirations. Miller's got to decide what he really cares about. The system he lives in is not without its flaws and hypocrisies, but if he's got aspiration of being a revolutionary then he's off to a bad start.
That's all for now folks. Enjoy week three and try to get through week 4. I'll be back with my projected division winners, playoff predictions, and 32 team analysis before the season starts.
