Week two, strikes my wallet again... It's never good, one year I'll make the smart move and take a break between week's one and three. But it wasn't 2023, and 2024's forecast isn't looking much brighter.
Eagles 34- Vikings 28
-Brutal back door cover here by Minnesota...set a tone early on for my gambling week
-Seriously, who saw Kirk Cousins throwing for 364 yards and four touchdowns in a primetime game
-The Vikings did have four lost fumbles though, including one by Justin Jefferson out of the end zone for a touchback
-Jalen Hurts was efficient in the passing game, outside of an iffy pick. AJ Brown didn't appreciate his usage but why fix something that's not broken?
-D'Andre Swift went from one carry week one to 28 for 175 yards Thursday. I'd be shocked to see him not take the RB1 spot from Gainwell
-Very surprising how toothless Philly's defense was. They only managed two sacks against a weak, injured offensive line and gave up nearly 400 yards
Falcons 25- Packers 24
-Gutsy win by the Falcons, not panicking and riding the strengths of their team to a big time comeback at home
-Bijan Robinson was the driving force behind that, toting the ball 19 times for 124 yards. Chalk this up to the first game in his career that he was the clear difference maker
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| Photo: Atlanta Falcons |
-Desmond Ridder actually looked like an NFL quarterback, completing just under 60% of his passes for 237 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also added 39 and a score on the ground
-Drake London played way better than anticipated against Jaire Alexander, nabbing six balls for 67 yards and a touchdown
-Abysmal collapse by Green Bay here, blowing a 24-12 lead in the fourth. As good as the offense was through the first three quarters, they only managed seven yards on ten plays in the final fifteen minutes
-Growing moment for Jordan Love. Not every defense is going to be shitty like Chicago's, sometimes you've got to do a little bit more to salt away games. Especially when you're up twelve...
-AJ Dillon missed a big chance to stand out as the RB1 for Green Bay, only averaging 3.7 YPC on the ground plus one catch in Aaron Jones' absence
-Rookie Jayden Reed found paydirt on half of his four catches, looking really evasive with the ball in his hands
Bills 38- Raiders 10
-The Raiders came out with a 75 yard touchdown drive to start things off. They got completely smoked from that point on, getting outgained 450-165 the rest of the way, with three turnovers
-Jimmy G looked so good for some stretches, but every mistake seemed so crippling. This Bills defense is good and he couldn't make the necessary adjustments to beat them
-Josh Jacobs took nine carries for -2 yards. Literally went backwards. Vegas' offensive line is terrible at run blocking. The back did take five catches for 51 yards at least to add some production, but this group can't afford to be one dimensional
-Redemption game for Josh Allen. I mean, wow. Three passing touchdowns, six incompletions and no turnovers. Welcome to the 2023 season
-James Cook was excellent against a soft front seven, taking 17 carries for 123 yards. He also contributed four receptions for 36 in a real coming out party
-Gabriel Davis feasted against a weak secondary, snagging six balls for 92 and a score. Stefon Diggs had one more catch but for "only" 66 yards. The two receivers had a lot of room to work all afternoon
-Dalton Kincaid appears to be very trusted by his quarterback early into his career here, catching five passes for 43 yards. His emergence as a consistent threat would really boost this offense's dynamics
Ravens 27- Bengals 24
-Close on the scoreboard, but a game that was never really in doubt
-Lamar Jackson looked great passing the ball. He missed two throws down field early, but rarely again, looking for Nelson Agholor most frequently. His over the shoulder touchdown catch was sensational. The QB worked his checkdown game better than I've ever seen, really only running out of necessity-- which helped to reestablish the unpredictability this offense can bring
-Speaking of great catches, that throw/catch combo between Lamar and Zay on that 52 yard bomb...top tier
-Justice Hill out carried Gus Edwards by one, but the latter looked visibly more explosive all game. Don't expect that timeshare to continue much longer
-Awesome interception by Geno Stone to prevent Bengals points, couldn't have come at a more critical moment. Patrick Queen was a playmaker too, really thriving since the arrival of Roquan Smith
-Joe Burrow looks hurt, even prior to the alleged reaggravation to his calf late in this one. Seems like pretty gross mismanagement by Cincinnati to allow their recently extended quarterback to be trotting out there in this condition. The risk has massively backfired too, with the team at 0-2 and Burrow likely to sit week three
-The other Joe, Mixon, ran the ball pretty well. This offense is going to need him to keep that up for the next few games
-Ja'Marr Chase through two games: ten scoreless catches for 70 yards. Tee Higgins topped him in all three of those categories Sunday alone. Tough start for many fantasy owners who picked at the #2 spot
Seahawks 37- Lions 31 (OT)
-This matchup really delivered on the hype, with five lead changes and three ties throughout. Detroit's furious ten point rally in the final three minutes was impressive
-Jared Goff's pick six was really ugly and couldn't have come at a worse time. He was sharp outside of that, but a real backbreaker. Two lost fumbles didn't do the team any favors either
-Jahmyr Gibbs' lack of involvement on the ground has been really curious. The first rounder's looked sharp when he's gotten the ball, but David Montgomery's racked up over double the carries thus far
-Fellow rookie Sam LaPorta though, has clicked with Goff early in his career. The tight end had five catches for 63 yards Sunday, appearing to be a mainstay in this offense
-Aidan Hutchinson was held on that touchdown play in OT...but not every one of those gets called
-Geno didn't write back! What a huge redemption performance, going 32/41 for 328 and 2 touchdowns
-DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were his favorite targets, combining for nearly half of his completions, 134 yards and both scores. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was busy underneath, catching five of his own for a modest 34 yards
-Running back Kenneth Walker didn't put up crazy yardage, but his two scores helped power Seattle, as well as fantasy owners everywhere
-Big day for corner Tre Brown, with the aforementioned pick six and a sack
Titans 27- Chargers 24 (OT)
-Brandon Staley needs to be fired. This team is too talented to sputter the way they constantly are doing so. From the lack of discipline on defense to the inconsistency in execution on offense, it's a complete joke for LA's little brother. But it's the Chargers, so who'd expect any different
-Justin Herbert started slow but looked comfortable as the game went along, topping the 300 yard mark
-Keenan Allen was unguardable for an outmatched Titans' secondary, snagging eight balls for 111 yards and two scores
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| Photo: NBC Sports |
-This Los Angeles defense is all names and no production. Sure, there's some sacks to hang your hat on, but they commit too many stupid penalties and allow too many chunk plays to approach their actual potential. Again, that's on their coaching staff
-Ryan Tannehill looked the polar opposite of his week one outing, totaling just four incompletions as he helped move the ball through the air almost at will
-Derrick Henry was the workhorse we'd expect him to be, with Ty'Jae Spears getting an uptick in work as well. The run game was working, so it made sense to feed those two
-The pass catchers in Tennessee didn't put up any numbers that're jumping off your screen, but five did record at least three receptions. Good ball distribution to keep the defense guessing
-Mike Vrabel >> Brandon Staley. The difference in this one, can't stress it enough
Buccaneers 27- Bears 17
-Well, that was fun believing in Justin Fields for the preseason and first two weeks. Two picks today combined with the general inability to move the ball (he ate six sacks), just not what people were looking for in his third year. As it stands right now, it just doesn't seem like he's the long term solution at quarterback in Chicago. Stop me if you've heard that one before
-Bears running backs only carried the ball eleven times in what was a close game throughout most of it. They averaged 6.1 yards per carry doing so. The play calling didn't really make sense or do the young quarterback any favors
-Big day for DJ Moore, posting a 6/104/1 line. Maybe the lone bright spot
-Chicago's defense sucks, failing to produce a single sack while surrendering 437 total yards
-Baker Mayfield's jersey was clean after sixty minutes in Raymond James Stadium, tossing for 317 yards and a tuddy along the way
-Mike Evans was his favorite receiver, racking up 171 yards on six catches. Chris Godwin and Cade Otton had five receptions of their own, but it was Evans who's clearly the most trusted downfield target for Mayfield
-Rachaad White rumbled! 73 rushing yards, a touchdown, plus five for thirty in the pass game-- way to capitalize on a weak front seven
Chiefs 17- Jaguars 9
-Unexpected defensive struggle in Duval. Neither offense could really get into a rhythm
-Patrick Mahomes definitely welcomed Travis Kelce back into the mix, with the two connecting for what turned into the game-deciding score early in the third quarter
-Ka'Darius Toney didn't have any drops! He did fumble on a screen pass though, resulting in a twelve yard loss
-Isiah Pacheco flexed his grip on KC's RB1 role, handling 12/14 carries by running backs
-Welcome back Chris Jones. Dude was a force in the run game and recorded a sack and a half
-Trevor Lawrence looked like the timid version of himself-- barely completing 50% of his passes and fumbling twice (one lost). Showed the world today he's still got a ways to go before ascending to truly elite status
-A week after his one catch performance, Christian Kirk went crazy with an 11/110 day receiving. On the contrary, Calvin Ridley only took in two of his eight targets for 32 yards. Imagine if they each get firing on the same day
-Chiefs' just seem to have Jacksonville's number as of right now. Remember that if they see each other in the postseason, and to hit the under
Colts 31- Texans 20
-Man, if Anthony Richardson can just stay healthy. What a talent he's looking to be in this Shane Steichen offense, going 6/10 for 56 yards with 35 and two scores on the ground before exiting with a concussion. Hoping he's cleared so I can see him in person this upcoming Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium
-If not, Gardner Minshew's a fun backup! He played very well in his relief role, going 19/23 for 171 and a touchdown to Kyler Granson
-Zack Moss was way more efficient in the run game than I thought he was going to be, taking 18 totes for 88 and a TD
-Michael Pittman Jr. is showing he can overcome tough matchups if his QB play is up to the challenge. Another strong showing with eight catches and 56 yards
-Six sacks by the Indianapolis front seven made it difficult for Houston to get much going with the ball
-Out of necessity, CJ Stroud was slinging the ball all afternoon. He didn't look bad doing so however, posting 384 yards and two passing scores. He lost a fumble, and held onto the ball a little long at times, but a super encouraging display by the #2 pick
-The QB surely would've benefitted from any semblance of a run game, with Dameon Pierce only averaging two yards per carry on fifteen attempts. He's looked very sluggish early
-Nico Collins seems to be Stroud's favorite target, having posted a 13/226/1 line through two games, but Tank Dell and Robert Woods are pretty frequently used in the pass game too. For fantasy purposes, the latter two have some flex appeal in a pinch
49ers 30- Rams 23
-What a back and forth this was, with the superior talent on the 49ers roster eventually coming through late
-Brock Purdy wasn't spectacular, but facilitated enough long drives to put up thirty points
-Christian McCaffery though, is a cheat code at running back. He destroyed the Rams on the ground, to the tune of 116 on 20 attempts + a trip to the end zone. This is exactly what we thought he could become in San Francisco
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| Photo: 49ers.com |
-Deebo Samuel was the top wideout, notching six receptions for 63 yards. No other Niner had more than three catches
-Credit to Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford for a well executed game plan to keep the quarterback upright. Only one sack allowed against this mean front seven is impressive.
-The Rams' QB threw for 304 yards, keying in heavily on breakout rookie Puka Nacua. The rookie from BYU has an absurd 25 catches through his first two games
-Kyren Williams was strong once again as the lead dog for the LA backfield, racking up 100 total yards and two scores as Cam Akers makes his way to the trading block
Giants 31- Cardinals 28
-The New York Giants got outscored 60-0 to start their 2023 season
-They somehow have managed to go 1-1 in that stretch
-Daniel Jones can be so decent when he's on, glad we could see it for at least a half this week
-Saquon Barkley's the best player on this Giants team, and unfortunately is set to miss about a month or so after suffering a sprained ankle late. Such tough luck for the star running back
-That's what they drafted him for! Jaylin Hyatt's two catches were huge vertical plays that shifted the tides for New York's comeback: 58 and 31 yarders
-The Cardinals might be the best first half team in the league. Shame they play two every week
-Outside of not finishing games, Josh Dobbs hasn't really done much to show he can't be a competent starting quarterback. I've been impressed by his performances thus far
-James Conner hasn't been a slouch either, topping the century mark and finding pay dirt Sunday afternoon
-Zach Ertz and Hollywood Brown are just vacuums in the passing game for Arizona, combining for eighteen targets and twelve catches. Between this situation and the Titans' late in 2022, Dobbs really hasn't had much in terms of weapons
Cowboys 30- Jets 10
-That wasn't all on Zach Wilson, but boy is he bad. 12/27 throwing + three picks. Take away a 68 yard catch and run score by Garrett Wilson and he might not have topped 150 passing. Woof
-He wasn't aided by a run game that managed just 24 yards on ten carries by running backs
-Tyler Conklin actually salvaged a nice day, managing five receptions for fifty yards. This offense is dead without Aaron Rodgers
-This Jets' defense looked very human too, getting torched by CeeDee Lamb for 143 yards on 11 catches
-Dak was dialed in, throwing two touchdowns vs. seven incompletions against an allegedly vaunted secondary
-Tony Pollard was busy in the running game but didn't have much room to work with. He was second on the team with seven receptions
Commanders 35- Broncos 33
-Genuinely unsure if this game is more impressive for Washington, or embarrassing for the Broncos-- who lead 21-3 late into the second quarter before deciding to just stop playing football until the final two minutes
-Sam Howell was outstanding against a defense many predicted would expose him. 27/39 for 299 and two scores, you'll take that any day of the week
-Workhorse performance for Brian Robinson, taking 18 carries for 87 yards with two trips to the promise land. He added two 21-yard catches too, really setting an aggressive tone for the game
-Terry McLaurin said, "Patrick Surtain II who?" As he went for a team high 54 yards an a touchdown
-The Commanders lived in Denver's backfield, collecting seven sacks
-Like last week, Russell Wilson played well early before fading dramatically late. Take away the Hailmary score and his stat line is far more pedestrian. He also lost a fumble and threw a pick
-Javonte Williams didn't look as powerful in the run game, only managing 44 yards on 12 tries. Samaje Perine was essentially invisible
-Jerry Jeudy just ain't it. He's probably a pretty good receiver, but we're not going to see it in this setting
-Marvin Mims had the breakout game we've been hearing was coming, taking two huge plays for 113 yards and a score
Dolphins 24- Patriots 17
-Pretty impressive job by Bill Belichick containing this explosive Dolphins offense, only allowing one pass play over 30 yards
-Mac Jones' completion percentage was where you'd want it, but he was a bit more conservative than against the Eagles, managing just 5.5 YPA
-The quarterback distributed the ball well to all of his pass catchers, with five notching at least four receptions. Hunter Henry caught his lone touchdown
-Ezekiel Elliott tallied 13 yards on five carries. This is Rhamondre Stevenson's backfield
-Nice game management by Tua Tagovailoa, taking what the Patriots gave him instead of forcing the issue for the sake of being aggressive
-Raheem Mostert was driving force for the Dolphins Sunday night, posting an 18/121/2 line in the ground game. He seems to be securing his RB1 spot in Jeff Wilson's absence
-It was Jaylen Waddle's day to shine at wideout, taking his four catches for 86 yards
Saints 20- Panthers 17
-These Monday night games sucked
-Derek Carr loves having dull, inefficient games like this. If the Panthers weren't so anemic on offense, they probably don't take this one home
-Taysom Hill and Tony Jones Jr. are now seemingly the RB1 for the Saints until Alvin Kamara's return week four. Surprised to say Hill looked the best of the two, and Jamaal Williams
-Michael Thomas! The man was peppered by Carr early on, making seven catches for 55 yards. He seems to be fully healthy for the first time in a long time
-Bryce Young doesn't look very good at the moment. Tentative and outmatched would be more fitting adjectives
-Miles Sanders has been underwhelming in the run game, which hasn't helped the rookie QB any. Nor has the tenuous state of the receiving position. Adam Thielen looked good at least, posting a 7/54/1 evening
-Frankie Luvu's a solid player for the Panthers who doesn't get much media coverage. The linebacker had two sacks and three tackles for a loss
Steelers 26- Browns 22
-That Nick Chubb injury...not sure I've seen a worse one in all my days of watching football. One of the more durable players since entering the league is set to miss the rest of the season, and possibly beyond
-Deshaun Watson is an absolute liability, spotting the Steelers 14 points off of turnovers, including what was eventually became the game winning strip-six. I don't think anyone expected Houston-level of play, but he's been terrible. With their star running back out the final fifteen games, it could get ugly in Cleveland
-Jerome Ford played well in Chubb's absence, definitely a waiver priority add
-Amari Cooper had a nice day too, catching seven for 90 in a game he allegedly was close to missing
-Kenny Pickett looks bad. Outside of George Pickens' electric catch and run for a touchdown, he was 14/29 for 151 yards and a pick. Not the progression Steelers fans were looking for
-Najee Harris was ineffective yet again, while backup Jaylen Warren at least provided some spark in the passing game
-The aforementioned Pickens is really, really fast. He's got special potential at the wideout position
-Alex Highsmith had a pick six and a strip sack, that TJ Watt picked up for the game winning score. What a day for the Steelers defense overall, literally winning them this game
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@Choppinglines
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