NFL Week 2: Ups & Downs
3 up-
Carson Wentz
How about Carson Wentz? While I'm not quite ready to jump on the bandwagon all the way, he has looked very solid. Wentz looked great in his debut and followed that up with another strong showing at Soldier field on Monday. Doug Pederson seems to be putting Wentz in a position to succeed with short throws, slants, and comeback routes to settle into a rhythm and give the rookie some confidence. His defense gave him a lot of help on Monday night and look poised to give solid effort all season. The Eagles look to be building something special as Wentz continues to silence the naysayers.
Arizona Cardinals defense
As I write these words, tears flood my eyes as I think about the thrashing handed to my Bucs last week. The Cardinals excelled in every facet of the game on Sunday. Coming into the week with question marks about how they would bounce back after losing to a decimated Patriots team in the desert, the Cardinals left little to be questioned. The most important aspect of their performance was how well the defense played. The Cardinals defense was one of the best defenses in the league a year ago, and on Sunday they reminded us why. The Cardinals brought extreme pressure, forcing Jameis Winston into tough throws and causing 4 interceptions. Patrick Peterson reminded everyone he's a top 5 corner, and the pass rush seemed to begin to find themselves. This defense has a chance to take the Cards to the playoffs and maybe further. As long as the defense stays healthy, this is a dangerous team.
The Broncos
The Broncos are 2-0. The defense is at the top of their game, and Trevor Siemian looks to be the man to lead their offense. While Siemian has put up rather pedestrian passing numbers, he's doing the same thing Jimmy Garoppolo has done (for the most part) in New England by not making huge mistakes. Coming into the season with a defense that single-handedly won the superbowl, they didn't need much from the QB spot-just someone to take care of the ball. Outside of quarterback, Anderson and Booker also stepped up combining for 144 all purpose yards. Oh yeah and that Von Miller guy had 3 sacks on Sunday... by himself. I don’t think Siemian is ready to take them too far, but for now he's keeping them afloat. Will we even see Paxton Lynch this season?
3 down-
The Dolphins
This team had Seattle beat at CenturyLink and lost. Fast forward to this week, and they were defeated by a Patriots team that lost Jimmy Garoppolo early in the game. This team has pieces in place and should be better, but it feels as if Tannehill is holding them back. No more excuses. This year is Tannehill's last shot. On top of their issues, they lost Arian Foster. Something has to click for them soon, or it is time for some major rebuilding. How long before they begin to wonder if they can get Marino from the booth? Something has to change or else the downward spiral will continue.
Gus Bradley
His seat is getting warmer. How much more time does he have? The Jags are 0-2. They should be better, it's simple as that. I can understand losing to a tough Packer team, but getting destroyed by the Chargers shouldn't have happened. Bradley has now held the reigns since 2013 and not much has changed. The Jags seem to be one of those teams everyone says is on the verge of breaking out, but never do. At some point being close isn't enough. I expect a win this week, but if not, things might go south for Gus quick. Their schedule is easier than most, so there's a chance Bradley makes it through the year, But if they go 8-8 is ownership satisfied with that? They won't make the playoffs or win the division with that record. Barring injuries, this looks like the Texans division to lose.
Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck has thrown for 582 yards and 5 touchdowns to only 1 interception, and yet, the Colts are 0-2. He can't get help from anywhere. Frank Gore has 103 yards in 2 games, the Colts defense has given up 73 points in 2 weeks, and Luck has been sacked 7 times this season. The poor guy has been through the grinder in the first 2 weeks of the season. It doesn't help that injuries have decimated the Colts' secondary, but they need to learn to adapt. The Colts have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and it’s time for them to make sure he wants to stay in Indy.