Takeaways/Giveaways Week 2



by Jeff Bowers

















A Look at Week 2 in the NFL

If you want to know your past, look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future, look into your present actions.
--Buddhist Saying

Jets 10 Patriots 13

Takeaway: This game threatened to set football back a century. No one in this game could catch except for WR Julian Edelman and CB Aqib Talib. I'm not sure Gronk is going to be enough of a  savior for Brady's Bunch.
Giveaway: Everybody just tap the breaks on Geno. It's only his second game, on the raod in Foxboro and he almost won the game. The three 4th quarter INTs sucked (2 due to mechanics, 1 a tipped pass) but that's what you get with a rookie. Just let the kid grow. It's gonna be ok.

Rams 24 Falcons 31





Takeaway: The Falcons are not a Super Bowl team. Age, injuries and lack of quality depth are going to derail what was one of the favorites in the NFC. They might be lucky to win their division. Watch out for the Falcons in your Survivor Pools.
Giveaway: It's pretty rare for a wide receiver to almost single handedly win a game, but Julio Jones did that this week. This just in: he's good.

Panthers 23 Bills 24



Takeaway: I'm not sure if EJ Manuel and Buffalo actually won this game or if the Panthers just gave it away. With 3 starters out in their secondary, the Carolina Cats couldn't have covered a high school team. But kudos to the rookie for his first win and first comeback.
Giveaway: Cam Newton is not progressing. Rumors abound that Cam does not put in the time in the film room to make himself better and it shows. Cam must learn to read defenses better for him to lead this team out of NFL mediocrity.



Vikings 30 Bears 31

Takeaway: The Vikings had absolutely no business winning this game and a late rally by Cutler insured that. A kickoff return and fumble return for a TD had the Vikes up. But QB Ponder cannot do anything with this offense. Luckily for Minnesota fans, lots of good QBs available in next year's draft!
Giveaway: Not sure if the Bears are totally for real yet, but in a pretty mediocre NFC outside of the West, the Bears have a strong chance to be playing in January right now.

Washington 20 Packers 38

Takeaway: RGIII needs to be sat down. Head coaches get paid a lot of money to make tough decisions and Shannahan has got to make the call here. No one, from the coaching staff, his surgeon and Griffith himself doesn't trust that knee. Just play COusins and let him get healthy. I'm afraid this will end badly.
Giveaway: If the Packers could actually run the ball consistently like they did this week, they'd be really dangerous in the post season. However, I'd be shocked if this trend continues.

Dolphins 24 Colts 20







Takeaway: This was a battle of two teams that cannot protect their signal callers. Ultimately the team that won was the last team to record a sack. Looks like a couple of 8-8 teams to me.
Giveaway: The two biggest spenders in free agency this offseason illustrate perfectly how NOT to build a team in the NFL. Take note, Jerry.

Dallas 16 Kansas City 17

Takeaway: The battle for the Preston Road trophy between Highland Park neighbors Jerry Jones and the Hunt family goes to the team that made the fewest mistakes. This was a game where neither team took any big chances and played to a practical draw. Not fun to watch.
Giveaway: Dallas totally gave up on the running game. Even with a new RG (Waters) and new rookie center, at one point Dallas threw it 19 straight plays. Without balance, this team will lose more than it wins.

Chargers 33 Eagles 30

Takeaway: The Achilles heel of the innovative Chip Kelly offense was on display in this game: the inability to run the clock down and grind out a win. There's a reason the Oregon Ducks never won a National Championship and it's because without superior talent, they can't win a close game. He's must learn to adapt to the NFL game.
Giveaway: Nice win for San Diego but this team isn't very good. Phillip Rivers is well on his way to be our generation's Dan Fouts.

Browns 6 Ravens 14







Takeaway: The Ravens offense continues its anorexia. Joe Flacco's wife had a baby just prior to kickoff, but Joe himself cannot deliver on that ridiculous contract he earned last year. The Ravens might be in trouble to make it back to the playoffs.
Giveaway: The Browns looked really sharp in the preseason, but look terrible now. The defense is serviceable, but with only 1 guy in the secondary that can cover, #2 WRs everywhere look forward to their week vs Cleveland and on offense Norv continues to call pass plays for a team that should be 65-35 run to pass.

Titans 24 Texans 30 in OT

Takeaway: The Texans manage to rally for the second consecutive week to win, this time in overtime. Not sure if their luck will continue, but so far the Texans look like the second best team in the AFC behind Denver.
Giveaway: The emergence of WR DeAndre "Nuke" Hopkins could be exactly what Houston needed to make it to the Super Bowl. Another legitimate speed threat opposite of Andre Johnson combined with that running game make them a very complete and dangerous team.

Lions 21 Cardinals 25

Takeaway: Apparently the key to the Lions making the post season is RB Reggie Bush. When Bush went down with a knee injury, the Lions offense went stagnant. The dual threat that Bush provides and his health are crucial to the Motown Kitties.
Giveaway: The Cards are a very erratic bunch. Sometimes their defense looks suffocating and sometimes it looks porous. Sometime they can run it great and sometimes they get stuffed. Sometimes Palmer looks like when he wore a Bengals uniform and sometime he looks like when he wore a Raiders uniform.

Saints 16 Bucs 14





Takeaway: The Bucs managed to penalize away their second straight game. I love Greg Schiano's aggressive style, but they have got to play smarter. With his Parcells/Belichick type abrasiveness, he had better start winning or he's gonna lose the locker room.
Giveaway: The Josh Freeman era is about to end in Tampa. Expect to see Mike Glennon under center for the Bucs before the season is over, and maybe even in the next 2 weeks.

Jaguars 9 Raiders 19

Takeaway: It is quite possible the Jaguars do not win a game this season. This game against Oakland might have been their best and only hope. They should go 0-16 anyway just for those helmets!
Giveaway: The Terrelle Pryor experiment is going pretty well thus far in Oakland. Big test this week under the MNF lights could determine if the Silver and Black will be drafting Manziel or Clowney in next year's draft.

Broncos 41 Giants 23

Takeaway: Much like the Packers, if the Broncos figure out a running game they're going to be hard to beat. Underachieving Moreno finally showed some of the burst that got him drafted in Denver. Interesting to see if this continues.
Giveaway: The Giants are really not good. They rank dead last in running the football. Their Super Bowl team a few years ago finished 31st in rushing, but this team is not that team.

49ers 3 Seahawks 29







Takeaway: It's nice to see the NFL Safety policies now extend to lightning storms. However, I'm guessing the networks are not. look for this policy to get tweeked soon due to money issues.
Giveaway: Thank you to the NFL for delaying the game just long enough for me to squeeze in Breaking Bad! Very thoughtful

Steelers 10 Bengals 20

Takeaway: While the Bengals are clearly the best team in a very down AFC North, they are still missing . . . something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but they still look like a first round exit in the playoffs kind of team.
Giveaway: The Steelers age has finally caught up with them. While I think they could easily bounce back next season, this one is not going to be much fun in the Steel City.