NFL Week 3 Hot & Cold Takes

[bayala]

Wow crazy week in the NFL with upsets galore across the board. Firstly, let's check in on the FOH tipping comp top 10.

Hot Takes

1. Young Guns

Mahomes, Allen & Mayfield. Wow did these guys impress. Mahomes off to the best start to a QB career in NFL history with 13 touchdowns in the opening 3 weeks. Allen ran for 2 TD's and hurdled a 6'6" linebacker with ease whilst turning the bills from laughing stock to winners for the first time this year. Mayfield came into the game and engineered a game-winning drive. Could we be seeing the rise of the nextgen QB's?

2. Big trouble in little New England

The pats looked sluggish, old and uninspired against a previously rudderless Lions team. Has Brady finally hit that age-wall everyone has been talking about? Does Belichick have it in him to reset the franchise or does he leave the franchise with an uncertain future?

3. Miami Dolphins

Are they the worst 3-0 team in recent memory?

4. Mack Attack

Khalil Mack balled out again this week. Seriously, how good is this guy. He continues to equal his own records from his standout All-NFL campaign from a few years ago. As long as he's in this form the Bears are dangerous. 

5. LA Ram-page

The rams continue their offensive dominance and solid defense. Surely the team to beat this year. 

Cold Takes

1. Fitztragic

Well it was fun while it lasted... I'm glad the bucs are on path to the 2-2 start I predicted but I was secretly hoping to be proved wrong. Fitzmagic transformed into Fitztragic in the 2nd quarter then back to Fitzmagic in the 4th. The jets fans warned us!

2. Jimmy Gone

49ers fans can put this season to bed after Jimmy G's ACL injury was confirmed. Atleast you'll be looking at a high draft pick. 

3. Cowboys and Texans

What did the state of Texas do to deserve these two? Hyped in the pre-season (myself included) they have been boring as hell in the first 3 weeks with 1 win out of 6 to show for their efforts. Garrett and O'Brien might want to look at coaching vacancies. 

4. Team Zebra

The refs are having a great year! Roughing the passer should be renamed cuddling the passer. Flags are flying at an unprecedented rate. Overlord Goodell will be pleased. 

5. Sam Bradford

Time to sit buddy. When the rookie Rosen comes on and nearly engineers a game winning drive after you've served up 3 goose eggs to start the year you know you're in trouble. 

[Ken Gargett]

seriously? the glorious skins whipping the pack gets no mention? granted they are a touch schizophrenic but leading the once-toughest division on the NFL. no love? 

and blind freddie could have picked the cowgirls struggling this year. they have a good running back. one or two decent defenders. and an O line that is good but nothing like what it was. toss in a massively over-hyped QB, an ordinary coach, an insane owner (okay, they are hardly on their own in that), big dez and whitten-shaped holes and about 40 fairly average players and they were hardly ever headed for the bowl. 

[El Presidente]

I am top 10 

..I did pick the Steelers 

[wineguy]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I am top 10 

..I did pick the Steelers 

And they managed to get the W but to not score in the second half does not make me a happy fan....  They have much work to do.....

[MooseAMuffin]

Love that my Chiefs have a gunslinger in Mahomes but our defense is atrocious. Hopefully they can pick it up or I fear I will have a drinking problem by seasons end.

The top 10 is close! Quick question: When tied in wins and losses what is the next decider to rank people? 

[MountainMilG]

Complaining about officiating always seems like a cop out, but I've seen/heard some horrible calls.  Recency bias maybe, but I don't seem to remember so many bad ones all so close together.  Not talking about proper talking or "never touch the QB".

Of course the Falcons and Patriots lost, so I may just be grumpy

[joshhooper7]

Brady is playing well and doing the right things, the receivers aren't getting open and they are making the offense nearly impossible to run. Dorsett was never and never will be a #1 receiver. He's a one trick pony, run fast in a straight line and maybe catch a fade if you beat the secondary. He's not a route runner and having him as our #1 guy is making everything hard. He's not getting open so defenses are feasting on Gronk with double and triple coverage. We have no one in the slot to make the safety's play down hill. We have no one coming off the line and picking up a safety across the field so our running backs aren't getting any space in the flats.

IF Josh Gordon can produce the way he did in 2013 that will be immense for us and will do a few things. One, it'll allow Phillip Dorsett to settle down and play to his strengths since he won't be the main guy catching passes. Two, it'll make secondaries have to give cushion and will let Gronk get back open over the middle a lot more frequently. With secondaries stretched and Gronk open over the middle, running backs will have a field day in the flat like they traditionally do in the NE offense. Look for that to happen a lot against the Dolphins, that's the game we're going to start to bounce back and get momentum going on offense.

In week 5 when we add Edelman back to the starting lineup we'll be back to playing New England football and the rest of the league will remember exactly why they shouldn't count New England out inside the first 4 weeks. Edelman being able to catch fast crossing routes with Gronk and quick 1-2 yard slants will open up a world of options for receivers. Right now, no one is open and it all stems from Dorsett's lack of agility and route running.

[MountainMilG]

35 minutes ago, joshhooper7 said:

Brady is playing well and doing the right things, the receivers aren't getting open and they are making the offense nearly impossible to run. Dorsett was never and never will be a #1 receiver. He's a one trick pony, run fast in a straight line and maybe catch a fade if you beat the secondary. He's not a route runner and having him as our #1 guy is making everything hard. He's not getting open so defenses are feasting on Gronk with double and triple coverage. We have no one in the slot to make the safety's play down hill. We have no one coming off the line and picking up a safety across the field so our running backs aren't getting any space in the flats.

IF Josh Gordon can produce the way he did in 2013 that will be immense for us and will do a few things. One, it'll allow Phillip Dorsett to settle down and play to his strengths since he won't be the main guy catching passes. Two, it'll make secondaries have to give cushion and will let Gronk get back open over the middle a lot more frequently. With secondaries stretched and Gronk open over the middle, running backs will have a field day in the flat like they traditionally do in the NE offense. Look for that to happen a lot against the Dolphins, that's the game we're going to start to bounce back and get momentum going on offense.

In week 5 when we add Edelman back to the starting lineup we'll be back to playing New England football and the rest of the league will remember exactly why they shouldn't count New England out inside the first 4 weeks. Edelman being able to catch fast crossing routes with Gronk and quick 1-2 yard slants will open up a world of options for receivers. Right now, no one is open and it all stems from Dorsett's lack of agility and route running.

Edelman coming back will help for sure, but I'm not sure I expect anything at all out of Gordon.

Telling that they've made the whatever, 28 ?, WR moves since March.  I very much believe in the theory that Belichick the GM gets worse picking talent the further away from the ball you go.  His way has always been open to the "just a guy" guys not being able to do what he wants them to.

Probably not surprising that Patricia knew exactly how to cripple the offense, I'm just surprised he had the personnel to do it.

[bayala]

14 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

seriously? the glorious skins whipping the pack gets no mention? granted they are a touch schizophrenic but leading the once-toughest division on the NFL. no love? 

and blind freddie could have picked the cowgirls struggling this year. they have a good running back. one or two decent defenders. and an O line that is good but nothing like what it was. toss in a massively over-hyped QB, an ordinary coach, an insane owner (okay, they are hardly on their own in that), big dez and whitten-shaped holes and about 40 fairly average players and they were hardly ever headed for the bowl. 

Ken I believe you have your own column's to write about the skins

[Ken Gargett]

11 minutes ago, bayala said:

Ken I believe you have your own column's to write about the skins

and how long do you think it would last if i did that. 

[MoeFOH]

Cracker summary, Ben. Well done! 

16 hours ago, bayala said:

Big trouble in little New England

And as for the storm brewing here... Well, "just remember what ol’ Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol’ storm right square in the eye and he says, 'Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it.'"