NFL Quick Hits; Power Rankings

Week Two Thoughts…

• What’s the tablet computer budget in Tampa? I’m sure there are a few school districts that could use those machines.
• You can admit it: the Eagles scared you a little on Monday night. Nobody with that much of a running game has as much ability to throw it over you too.
• Hey, didn’t you used to be the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals?
• No, they haven’t played a big offense yet, but Tampa’s defense has only allowed 13 points. Give Brady the ring now if the Bucs can win a title scoring 14 per game.
• I betting that undercurrent of rumblings for Kenny Picket will become a full roar in Pittsburgh by about midway through the second quarter in Cleveland this coming Sunday.
• The Raiders are the league’s best 0-2 team.

• The Giants are the league’s worst 2-0 team.
• If current trends hold, the AFC Champion 0-2 Bengals will miss the playoffs.
• It gets a little complex, but with the tiebreakers and some next-level math…carry the one…the New York Jets sit just outside the last playoff spot in the AFC.
• It felt a little like Baltimore let the genie out of the bottle in allowing Miami to get up off the canvas Sunday.
• Not sure what’s wrong with the Colts, but a visit from the Chiefs probably isn’t the remedy.
• Way too early dark horse Super Bowl pick – Chargers vs Eagles.
• Welcome to the NFL, Garrett Wilson.
• If Jacoby Brisset and Amari Cooper are able to connect on you nine times for 101 yards and a TD, you need to change something.

Our Heroes in Green

Well, you don’t see that very often.  Things certainly look brighter in Jetland now than they did with two minutes left in the fourth quarter Sunday.  With Cleveland leaving the field early on Sunday, the Jets are in prime position to start the season 2-1.  The Bengals were one of the teams the Jets beat last year, and they aren’t playing nearly as well now.  Its time for the Jets to find a ground game.  They haven’t broken 100 yards in either contest so far.  Call me crazy, but I think asking young Joey Flacco to air it out for 400 each week might be a flawed approach.  The defensive line should be pumped given the epic struggles Cincy has had protecting Joe Borrow.  The Jets have three sacks through their first two games; it will be a disappointment if they don’t match that this Sunday.  The wise guys have the Bengals giving our heroes 4.5 Sunday.  I think we’ll see a very desperate Cincinnati team this week.  They will play better.  The Jets will too off the huge comeback in Brownsville.  I like our chances to send the entire state of Ohio into an early season depression.

JetNation NFL Power Rankings

Week Three

1. Buffalo Bills 2-0 (Last Week: 1) – The Bills have yet to be challenged despite opening against the defending champs and another AFC playoff team. The trip to Miami this week will be difficult, but there has been nothing so far to suggest the Bills will have any issues going 3-0.
2. Kansas City Chiefs 2-0 (Last Week: 2) – The Chiefs escaped against the Chargers. They will need to be better going forward.  From the look of Thursday’s game, the Chiefs will miss the long-ball threat Tyreek Hill provided most when playing against the league’s top teams.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0 (Last Week: 3) – Tampa’s defense has been stellar thus far. They have allowed only 13 points through two weeks.  It’s hard to imagine any team beating the Bucs if Brady only needs to produce two scores to win.
4. Los Angeles Rams 1-1 (Last Week: 7) – the champs were much better in week two…at least until the end of the game. This team will clearly be challenged to stay focused week to week all season long after holding the trophy last year.
5. Miami Dolphins 2-0 (Last Week: 8)– the Dolphins epic comeback Sunday is the type of win that can carry a team for several weeks. The league’s best team (Buffalo) comes to town Sunday.  The Dolphins will need to spend this week looking at why they needed to come from so far down against Baltimore.
6. Philadelphia Eagles 2-0 (Last Week: unranked) Philadelphia looks to be the class of the NFC East early on. The Birds have a power rushing attack – 379 yards through two games.  Jalen Hurts legs are a problem as is the fact that his passing has developed to give Philly the balance they lacked in recent years.
7. Los Angeles Chargers 1-1 (Last Week: 5)– The Chargers found a way to drop the Thursday night game in KC. They were the better team except for a few plays that made all the difference.  If Herbert stays healthy, the Chargers will be a major factor for the long haul.
8. Baltimore Ravens 1-1 (Last Week: 4)– The collapse in Miami needs to become a distant memory if Baltimore is going to challenge in the AFC. The Patriots, Bills, and Bengals are next up for the Ravens.  Any hangover from the epic fail Sunday, and Baltimore could fall behind the eight ball early in the season.
9. Green Bay Packers 1-1 (Last Week: Unranked) – The Pack get the benefit of the doubt here with the assumption that their no show in week one was just their typical first week rust. We’ll know Sunday as Tampa’s defense will embarrass the Packers if Rodgers and company are still in preseason mode.
10. San Francisco 49ers 1-1 (Last Week: Unranked) – The Niners are thankful to have held on to Jimmy G.  Lance is done after one plus games.  The Niners had a black injury cloud follow them last season. Seemingly nothing has changed.   The Niners can make their soggy start in Chicago an aberration with a win this week in Denver and next week at home against the Rams.