Friday, September 16, 2011

Around The League...Late Notes

Whoops, sorry I've fallen behind. With the start of the season brings a whole bunch of chaos into my life...but believe me, it's chaos of the best variety. So let's talk real quick about some important stories around the league.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
What the heck happened, Falcons? Seriously. What happened? As I was in Chicago, a lonely Falcons fan among the masses in Bears jerseys, I felt oh-so-sad. Do you even want to know how many missed tackles there were on the part of the Falcons' D? I didn't think so. Not worth mentioning because it's so cringe-worthy. C'mon Brian VanGorder, you're my favorite! You call me Sara Smiles and you have the coolest mustache ever. Seriously, though, this is your year to prove all those naysayers wrong. Falcons' defense is worthy of the big time, but the play calling has to change. All I have to say is fix the secondary, fix the defense. Ray Edwards, are you there? You can do this. As far as the offense went (or didn't) there were major problems. Ryan couldn't get the ball to any receiver and he looked like he was having a hell of a time being protected by the offensive line (reminder: Todd McClure is out). The run game was the only thing that had the tiniest bit of life, thanks to Michael Turner (but then again, he did have a fumble so...). So what now, because last time I checked, having Michael Vick and the Eagles back in the Georgia Dome is a terrifying thought. However, they are beatable. So what has to be done? A lot of improving, for one. Vick will run. Expect it, stop it. Vick will throw, so cover deep. There can be no missed tackles this game, period, end of story. The Eagles have some serious weaponry on both sides of the ball that has to be taken seriously. Let's incorporate an important factor here, too...Vick's return to the Dome. You and I both know crowds will be loud for him. Falcons fans need to band together and cheer for the birds...not for Vick. Will they rise up? We'll see...

CBSSports.com
Peyton Manning isn't coming back, Kerry Collins isn't the answer and Andrew Luck is being scouted. Yup. Luck may be going to Indy. It's clear Manning's injury is as serious as it gets. The Colts obviously did him a favor by keeping him on the active roster and paying him, anyway (he deserves that much). This whole thing has to just be killing him, too. Kerry Collins obviously isn't the answer here - if you watched the game you're saying "duh" - and had an abysmal QBR of only 2.3 (!!!) and fumbled three times. Woah. The Colts' 34-7 loss to the Texans was painful to say the least. Something must change with the play calling or who is on the field...or both. All I can think is what a shame this is. It's bad news for Manning, Collins, Jim Irsay, Jim Caldwell, and the Colts as a whole. I like that organization, and it pains me to see it like this, but what goes up must come down, I suppose. This is why it makes sense (to me, anyway) that Irsay was scouting Stanford QB phenom Andrew Luck. Is it a bad idea to think about drafting a new QB when you have one of the premier ones already? Yes and no. We don't know what Manning's future holds. He may be forced into retirement, he may come back with a fiery vengeance. Maybe Irsay is smart to protect his investment, but it may just be too early for that.

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Denver needs to get it together and there's more Tebow drama. Ask anyone within the Broncos organization and they'll tell you there is no QB controversy. Ask any fan in Denver and you'll hear another story. Kyle Orton disappointed beyond words on Monday night against the Raiders. While I was pleasantly surprised with the improvements on the Broncos' defense, the other side of the ball looked a hot mess. Seriously, they made Oakland look like a top tier team (for the second year in a row). So, when fans began chanting for Tebow, what are they saying to John Fox (and John Elway)? Just put the kid in. Never in a million years would I have predicted this, but I actually feel bad for the kid. They need to either release him or give him a shot. Granted, they need to give Brady Quinn a shot first, since he's number two on the depth chart anyway. Orton needs to step up, and in Bronco country, there's little patience for messing around, and they're hungry for a better team...and maybe a win or two.

Rob Carr/Getty Images
What the heck happened with the Steelers? Ok, let's take a few steps back here. There is no excuse for what happened against the Ravens. 35-7...really? Those towels clearly weren't so terrible (sorry, couldn't resist). The Ravens forced seven turnovers and it just wasn't Big Ben's day. Oh, and paging Troy Palamalu...was he lost on his way to the game? He barely showed up! This whole thing pains me just because I really think Mike Tomlin is the coolest of the cool. It had to have been a painful loss for him, too, since Baltimore is such a tough rival. I'm sure this was a one time thing, and these guys will be in top shape come this Sunday for the game against Seattle, and I'm certain the Seahawks will face the wrath of a hungry Steelers team who want redemption from total embarrassment from the week prior. I think this was the first and last time we'll see the guys from Pittsburgh fall apart in the way they did. They're fierce competitors and despite criticism that they're getting "old" I think they're still top contenders to win it all.

So what happens in week two? I'm not sure. No one is, and things are such a toss up this year. Got thoughts/comments/questions/reasons to yell at me? Post 'em in the comments section.

Til next time...
S.

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