Five Takeaways From NFL Week 2

5. The Los Angeles Chargers are snake bitten

Some teams have luck on their side. Then there is the Los Angeles Chargers. A season ago, the Bolts lost ten games by single digits/one possession. Enter 2017, and it seems like the Chargers can’t escape that dreadful fate. Through two weeks, Los Angeles has lost both of its games by a combined five points, as field goals continue to plague this team time and time again. In week 1 against the Broncos, trailing 24-21, Younghoe Koo’s game-tying field goal was blocked as time expired (he made the initial attempt after a timeout was called). In week 2, down 19-17, the rookie failed to come through again as he missed a game winning kick (his second miss of the day) in the final seconds to give Miami the win. Nothing seems to brake this team’s way, especially late game field goal attempts. And even worse, it leaves the Bolts two games behind the rest of their division, as Oakland, Kansas City, and Denver all sit at 2-0.

"But coach I couldn't see the ball." Koo after his miss on Sun. (PFT)

4. Dallas Exposed

Oh how one week can change everything. After a week 1 beat down of division rival New York, it seemed like the Cowboys were picking up right where they left off a season ago. Then Sunday arrived, and Dallas was annihilated at mile high. And while it’s definitely way too early to hit the panic button, there could be reason for concern for ‘America’s team’. The defense was exposed to the tune of 380 yards and 42 points by the Trevor Siemian lead Broncos. Worse yet, it seems Ezekiel Elliott has yet to mature and is becoming a distraction on and off the field, as he supposedly quit on his team on Sunday. He had a performance for the ages – 9 carries for 8 yards. Let’s put that into perspective: A number of quarterbacks rushed for more yards than Elliott on Sunday, including Josh McCown (31), Blake Bortles (29), Matthew Stafford (23), Alex Smith (21), the aforementioned Siemian (14), and yes, even Tom Brady (9). It was the first time Elliott had failed to record at least 85 yards in a start in his career. No doubt he has the potential to be an all-time great, but his mental state of mind very well may drive him out of this league. As if that wasn’t enough there was head coach Jason Garrett blaming the loss on Dak Prescott’s performance. It’s still extremely early, but sometimes these things have a way of snowballing if not controlled, and that could spell trouble in big D.  

3. New York Pain of Mind

Ah, football in New York. What a time to be a fan of either the Jets or Giants. Through two weeks, the city has yet to see a win (0-4) and the games have yet to be close. The Jets have lost by a combined margin of 66-32, while the G-Men have been trampled by a score of 43-13. In the off-season, it was certain that the Jets would be in the sweepstakes for the number one overall pick and in full rebuild mode after cleaning house. But the Giants? They were picked by many to be Super Bowl contenders. Instead, they have looked anything but, as it’s beginning to look like the days may be numbered for the aging Eli.

Fun Fact: Jets QB Josh McCown has played (appeared in games) for a quarter of the NFL (Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Panthers, Bears, Buccaneers, Browns, and Jets).

This about sums up the 2017 season so far for Eli and Co. (sportingnews.com)

2. Mr. 10,000!

Joe Thomas hit a milestone very few, if any, will ever replicate in the history of the NFL on Sunday by surpassing 10,000 consecutive snaps played (kudos to whoever kept track of this stat). For the Cleveland Browns. Which makes it all the more impressive. Now in his 11^th season, Thomas has started and played every single offensive snap in 162 straight games. Think about how ridiculous that is for an offensive lineman! In his career, he has blocked for 18 different starting quarterbacks, as the Browns have compiled a record of 48-114 in his starts. Poor guy. Through all of it however, Iron Joe has been selected to ten straight pro bowls to go along with six first team All-Pro selections. A spot in Canton awaits. 

1. Are defenses catching up to offenses… Or are the offenses just that bad?

Sure it’s only two weeks, but so far the league has seen some awful performances on the offensive side of the ball. The 49ers and Bengals have yet to score a touchdown, the Seahawks and Giants have recorded a single score, and Houston & Indianapolis have each found the end zone just twice. The Niners, ranked 28^th in total offense, are averaging a staggering six points a game. Meanwhile, Cincy is off to one of the worst starts ever, becoming the first team since the 1939 Eagles to start a season by playing two straight home games without scoring a TD (Elias). They’re averaging just 4.5 points per game, with a trip to Lambeau next on the slate. The Giants are averaging a mere 6.5 per with a league worst 48.5 yards rushing a game. Where has the offense gone?

It’s something to begin to ponder: are the offenses that anemic, or are the defenses finally catching up to the offenses? Through its first two games, Carolina could make a case for the latter. The Panthers have been absolutely dominant on defense, giving up an average of just three points and 196.5 yards a game, while adding seven sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Baltimore isn’t far behind, allowing a mere five points and 303.5 yards a game, while tallying eight sacks and a league leading eight interceptions (next closest is Denver with three). The Ravens are also the only team to record a shutout thus far. Seattle is Seattle, surrendering just 13 points a game, while Jacksonville, of all teams, has 11 sacks (albeit 10 in one game).

It may very well be a sign that bad teams are flooding the landscape of the NFL. But if defenses begin to close the gap on offenses… that could be transcendent.