NFL: Week 2 Reaction

 Woot! Talking about non-Steelers games in a Steelers loss week. I saw someone on Reddit today try to calm the fanbase down, the overall sentiment in return was that yes the team is pretty good, but are they any different than the last few years? I think it's crazy, people can't be happy unless their team wins the Superbowl. I for one am happy I'm not watching the Raiders every week like some fans are subjected to, but whatever. Anyway, on what looked like it was going to be a boring week of football, there were a few really good games and a bunch of things that have implications on future weeks! The season rolls on and so does Lohensports: 

Giants Cowboys

Can't start anywhere else but the definite game of the week. If this was a prime time Sunday Night Game it'd be labeled the game of the year, but buried at 1pm not enough eyeballs got on it to do it justice. The 4th quarter of this game started with a 17-16 Dallas lead which they grew to 20-16 after a 44 yard Brandon Aubrey FG. The Giants got their running game going and executed a TD drive to give themselves a 23-20 lead. The Cowboys were connecting on whatever they wanted through the air and managed to score a TD quickly after to get back to a 27-23 lead. The Giants now with a little over 2 minutes to go had their backs against the wall. It's 4th and 4 with the ball around the 40 yard line needing a TD so they go for it. Instead of taking the safe first down, Russell Wilson launches a moonball to the end zone that's caught for a TD to take a 30-27 lead, such a risky play that the Cowboys weren't even anticipating. Now it's the Cowboys turn to run a 2 minute drill, they get stuck with a 4th and 4 on the first series and manage to convert on a circus catch to keep their hopes alive. With less than a minute left, the Cowboys punch in a TD leaving the Giants down 34-30 with just 40 seconds on the clock. With 30 seconds to go after getting the ball to mid field, Wilson launches another moonball to Malik Nabors in double coverage, Nabors somehow comes up with it in the end zone to give the Giants a 37-34 lead with 25 seconds to go. At this point I'm telling anyone willing to listen that the Cowboys suck, but the game wasn't over yet. The Cowboys run one play, get the ball to mid field, and apparently that's enough for Brandon Aubrey who nails a 64 yard FG in the dying seconds to send the game to OT. 

At this point my jaw is on the floor. Very few kickers would be called upon to attempt a 64 yard FG let alone make them consistently, but Aubrey is one of the best in the game. Russell Wilson at this point as well has had a career high in yards, with 3 TDs to go with it. None of this mentions how the 4th quarter alone featured a 21-20 game, the Steelers scored 17 points last week lol. All of the sudden after the highest flying fourth quarter you'll ever see, OT becomes a rock fight. The Giants get the first stop, the Cowboys stop them, the Giants get another stop but then Russell Wilson who's had the game of his life launches a moonball directly to the Cowboys safety, the Cowboys get it across mid field in one play, then across the 30 with a Dak Prescott run, Aubrey nails a FG and the Cowboys somehow win this one. Absolute gut punch if you're a Giants fan, but as a neutral amazing game!

Running Up the Score

A much discussed game despite the lopsided nature of it was the Lions vs Bears this week. To set the scene, last season was the best Lions season in my lifetime, by a mile. The Lions for my entire life have been bad to terrible until the last couple of years. After their success last year, head coach Dan Campbell lost both his defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the Jets, and his offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears, each getting a head coaching gig. I think the drama surrounding this is overblown, yeah Johnson went to a division rival but what are these guys supposed to do? Turn down head coaching gigs? That makes no sense. Anyway, with Johnson coaching the Bears in this matchup, Dan Campbell and the Lions were more revved up than usual, especially after being stomped by the Packers in week 1. The Lions jumped all over the Bears right away and within 6 seconds of the 4th quarter it was a 45-14 game. Usually at this point coaches will rest their starters a bit and take the win, Campbell had too much to prove though so he kept them in. The Bears score an inconsequential TD which gives the Lions the ball back. They drive all the way down the field to the 4 yard line where they reach 4th down. Instead of kicking the field goal, you know cause you're up 45-21 with 8 minutes left, Campbell decides to go for it on 4th down which results in a TD for the Lions and further embarrasses the Bears. 

There was a lot of talk about how this was unsportsmanlike and potentially dangerous for the Lions players. To that I say poopoo! Like I said at the beginning, the Lions have spent my entire life being a joke. They finally have a team capable of winning by 30+ points and I'm glad that they aren't afraid to show it. Added drama of their former coordinator aside, I hope the Lions take everything they can get this season. As we've seen with so many teams, you have such a short window to be dominant so make hay while the sun is shining!

Let Baker Bake

Today I pose the question, is Baker Mayfield the coolest QB in the league? Even in his Browns days you could see that while he's talented, he's not the most talented in the league. He doesn't have a massive arm or big stature, he's not slow but he's not fast either and he's pretty accurate but again not the most accurate. Most of the time this grades out to an average QB, nothing too special. Baker though has something a lot of QBs with his skillset don't, DAWG. Baker just has that intangible quality of wanting it more than anyone else on the field and it always seems to show up in big comebacks. 

Last night after struggling all game, Baker lead a beautiful 2 minute drill to get a game winning TD for his Buccaneers against the Texans. 3rd and 10 with a minute and a half to go and the Buccaneers still deep in their own territory, Baker took a shot way down field which just barely bounces off the rookie Egbuka's outstretched hands to set up a do or die 4th and 10. 4th and 10 the pocket collapses, looks like Baker is going to be sacked but he ducks out of it and scrambles running for a 15 yard gain to keep the Buccs alive, a crazy play that easily could've ended in disaster. 3 quick passes later the Buccaneers found themselves inside the 10 yard line where a handoff for a TD ended the game in dramatic fashion. Baker Mayfield will always be one of my favorite players and games like this are why. 

QB Injury Bug

Just to close it out, tough week for injuries in this one. Joe Burrow went down early in the Bengals Jags game with turf toe that will require surgery and keep him out for at least 3 months. A massive blow to the Bengals who were off to a good start for the first time in like ever. JJ McCarthy on the Vikings suffered an ankle sprain that's expected to keep him out 4 weeks, sorry to my brother who decided this was the year he'd follow the Vikings closely. Justin Fields got hit with a concussion late in the Jets loss to the Bills this week, a pretty tough blow after looking good week 1, though the Bills did bring him back down to earth week 2. Jayden Daniels suffered a knee sprain and while he's still questionable for week 3, any limitations to his mobility really hamper what he likes to do on the field. Finally back in week 1 Brock Purdy suffered a turf toe injury as well which figures to sideline him for a few games at least making it 5 starting QBs on the injury report after week 2. Injuries happen every week in football, it's sadly part of the game. Will be interesting to see if any of these teams can hold it together with their QB's absence. Except the Jets, nothing they do is interesting. 

That's that! Fun week 2 and we're right on schedule at Lohensports!