Week 1 had a little bit of everything, including a few blows, a few thrills, a few shocking up prices and Patrick Mahoms and Lamar Jackson. If we are lucky, Week 2 will give the same.
Health is a huge factor for sustainable success, and with luck the San Francisco 49ers are coming in recently, it could probably put them in a tremendous hole in the NFC West in just one season after a trip to the Super Bowl.
Shortly before Week 1, the 49ers believe the huge receiver Debo Samuel could be back for the start of the season despite having a broken leg in June. Instead, the dynamic second-year player did not reach the benchmark set by the team, and was placed on this season’s unique three-game version of the injured reserve.
San Francisco also started the center without Weston Richburg, and after the team’s shock defeat at home in Arizona in Week 1, cornerback Richard Sherman injured his calf and joined Samuel on the injured reserve. Probably in the shortest shot, tight end George Keatle sprained his knee and will be out for this week, and possibly longer.
The 49ers are a talented team, with enough depth to survive many stars, especially against the Jets. But with wins in the opening weekend games for everyone in Seattle, Los Angeles and Arizona, and everyone having a solid chance to win again this week, all of a sudden 49 people are under pressure to figure things out in a hurry.
The savvy observer will be watching the Arizona Cardinals upstart for potential discomfort in Week 1, but no one has seen the Washington football team or the Jacksonville Jaguars coming. Both of those teams were predicted to be basement residents throughout the season, but they got off to a great start, beating the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, respectively.
So તેઓ can they do it again?
The bad news for footballers is that they are playing the Cardinals, and Arizona’s offensive line is not as beat as it was in Philadelphia. Killer Murray receives Diendre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald from a slinging ball across the field, while he was also a big threat when running the ball, putting Washington in a lot of trouble.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, were thrilled with Gardner Minshe’s execution in which he completed a touch percent pass while throwing three touchdown passes, but he wanted to remember that he wouldn’t have beaten the Colts if it weren’t for Philip. Rivers gifted them 14 points in the form of two contradictions. It’s not wise to expect the Tennessee Titans to be so generous.
The Vikings and Colts will want to forget Week 1.
The absence of the injured Daniel Hunter – and it was a really ugly Week 1 for the Minnesota defense, and the team decided to give Jetson to many stars – so Green Bay had to do what it wanted. But hey, at least they didn’t lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Indianapolis Colts would probably have preferred their destruction to Aaron Rogers.
Today, Minnesota and Indianapolis will try to erase any and all memories of last week’s failures. With the exception of Tyne, one of these playoffs is going to start the season with an optimistic 0-2 record.
Indianapolis is favored in the game, mostly because Minnesota still has the same problems as the defense it had a week ago. There’s also a fairly widespread belief that the Colts couldn’t just be bad on offense or defense, even running out for the season with Marlene McKane later a wrecked Achilles tendon. Jonathan Taylor was expected to take over for Mac at some point this season, so this is just a timetable move forward, and the defense that includes Darius Leonard, Justin Houston and Deforest Buckner is generally not to be embarrassed.
Big heels for big games
Eastern time 4pm games sometimes feel like an opportunity to catch a break between early action and a Sunday night game. That strategy won’t work today, as some of the best action is set to take off at 4:25 p.m.
The Kansas City Chiefs are on the road facing the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that might not have expected Patrick Mahomes to give so much trouble, but he is far from under pressure. The Baltimore Ravens, meanwhile, are in Houston where they will face Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson in a battle for two of the game’s best quarterbacks – Watson, however, probably wants to have Jackson’s teammate.
The good news is that Sunday night’s game shouldn’t fall too far, as Newton and the new look are in Seattle to face the New England Patriots Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Between Newton’s run, Wilson’s overall brilliance and star-studded defense on both teams, Nightcap could live up to his week-long billing game.
