GREEN BAY, WI: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass against Minnesota yesterday. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
There’s much one can take from the NFL’s second week, including who’ll get in the playoffs and who won’t. Despite a tie, feel confident in both Green Bay and Minnesota’s chances. Also, the Rams, Chiefs, Jacksonville and Patriots.
Here’s what to take away from the NFL’s second week:
Collision courses: The Rams in the NFC and Kansas City in the AFC could be headed to a Super Bowl matchup. After two weeks it is clear the Rams are the league’s best. The spending they did on defense should give them home field throughout the playoffs.
Not only did the Rams sign Aaron Donald, but also free agent Ndamukong Suh, and traded for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. They are loaded on both sides of the ball.
The Rams, who routed Arizona, 34-0, should feel their primary competition from Green Bay, if Aaron Rodgers is healthy, and the Vikings.
Both the Packers and Vikings missed overtime field goal attempts in their 29-29 tie that could have lifted either team to 2-0. Minnesota released kicker Dan Carlson, who missed three field goal attempts, including two in overtime, and are expected to sign ex-Cowboy Dan Bailey.
I’m sold on the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, who already has thrown ten touchdown passes, including six yesterday in a 42-37 win at Pittsburgh. A Chiefs-Jaguars AFC title game matchup could be in the works. Circle October 7 when the Chiefs host Jacksonville.
Mahomes is for real; so are Steelers’ woes: Mahomes shredded the Steelers in Pittsburgh. He was composed under pressure, and when the Steelers came back from a 21-point deficit to tie, Mahomes calmly regained a two-touchdown lead.
Yes, the Le’Veon Bell situation has been a distraction for the Steelers, but that should have nothing to do with how the Chiefs ran wild through their secondary and their miserable tackling. The Steelers should be the class of the AFC North, but are in disarray. If they regroup, forget about Bell – James Conner has been terrific – they can still win their division because Ben Roethlisberger is the best quarterback in the division.
The pressure is clearly on coach Mike Tomlin.
Bortles outplays Brady: Blake Bortles completely outplayed Tom Brady, and criticized for being too conservative in last year’s AFC title game, he was anything but in yesterday’s 31-20 victory over New England.
Bortles kept the pressure on the Patriots’ defense and had their secondary in a daze. The Jaguars exposed New England’s defense – it isn’t so special anymore – and its lack of skill players on offense. New England should be better when Julian Edelman returns from suspension, but for now, if Brady can’t find Rob Gronkowski he’s in trouble.
Wait a second, the Patriots just traded for Cleveland’s Josh Gordon.
By December, New England should again be on top of the AFC East, because the Dolphins still have a way to go. As long as Brady is upright, the Patriots still own the AFC East.
However, losing to Jacksonville gives the Jaguars an edge in any playoff matchups. Especially if Bortles stays hot. Bortles arguably played the best game of his career, throwing for 377 yards and four touchdowns.
And, whenever the Patriots closed in on him he showed escapability with his legs.
“I think anytime you win it is a good game,” said Bortles. “It’s a good football team obviously, so to beat them is a good win. I try to do whatever I can to make sure we can win if it’s throwing for 300 yards or getting us in the right run-game checks or whatever it might be. It was definitely good for the most part today.”
Making Bortles’ day even more impressive is the Jaguars were without running back Leonard Fournette with a hamstring injury.
As for Brady, he was seen yelling at his teammates on the sideline to do their job, and the Patriots were on the verge of being routed if not for two late turnovers they converted into touchdowns.
To his credit, Brady assumed responsibility.
“I had a bad day against a good team,’’ said Brady, whose mood should be lifted after the trade for Gordon.
Philly makes a quarterback move; Bucs should remain pat: After losing, 27-21, at Tampa, the Eagles announced today Carson Wentz will replace Nick Foles at quarterback next week.
”We drafted Wentz to be our guy,” said Eagles coach Doug Pederson. ”Anytime you get one of your starters back, it’s great. I’m excited to get him back out there. But at the same time, it’s not about one guy and we can’t lose sight of that.”
After next week’s game, the Buccaneers could be forced to make a decision on whether to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick with Jameis Winston, who was suspended for three games for assaulting a woman.
Fitzpatrick didn’t lobby to remain the starter, but it is clear he gives the Buccaneers an offensive spark they’ve never had with Winston.
“I mean, we’re 2-0. I think that’s where we expected to be,’’ Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t know if everybody else expected us to be there, but we’re just going to continue to ride this momentum. The confidence is high and we’ve just got to make sure we keep hitting on those plays. Those guys in the huddle believe in me and I believe in them and good things will happen.’’
Zebras factor in Packers’ loss: For years we never knew what a catch as in the NFL. Now, we don’t know what constitutes roughing the passer. That’s what referee Tony Corrente called on Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews, which negated a Packers’ interception with 1:37 remaining and enabled the Vikings to drive for the tying score to force overtime.
The penalty has been called 21 times in two weeks, and yesterday it could impact the NFC playoffs.
“You see how it changed the game,” Matthews told reporters. “I know there’s an emphasis on protecting quarterbacks, but it’s gotten out of control. I don’t know what else to do.”
The NFL’s mandate is player safety, but things are out of control.