Can Steelers, Bengals avoid more ugliness?
A quick read previewing Week 2 in the NFL …
Big story
There will be no shortage of animosity at Heinz Field, where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals renew acquaintances, to put it mildly, in an early-season showdown that will provide the winner with a leg up in the AFC North. And the NFL, beginning with the officiating crew on Sunday, will be watching with perhaps even more scrutiny after what happened the last time these teams played. The Bengals blew a victory in a first-round AFC playoff game after committing two personal fouls in crunch time – which is why Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict is suspended the first three games this season. Yes, something major – like the Le’Veon Bell's knee injury last year –always happens when these teams play. That’s why buzz was created this week about the NFL warning the teams to be on their best behavior. But wait a minute. The NFL warned the teams last year too. In any event, call it a toss-up when trying to weigh which team has the edge for the revenge factor.
Who’s hot
Jameis Winston. The Bucs quarterback, leaner and sleeker after putting the work into his body, began Year 2 on the good foot, firing four TD passes in the opener at Atlanta. Now comes an even stiffer test at Arizona, which is reeling from its Week 1 setback against a quarterback (Jimmy Garappolo) with even less playing experience than Winston. No doubt, the Cardinals will unleash a barrage of blitzes at Winston. He’ll have a chance to prove how much he learned with all of the extensive work during the offseason aimed to help him better decipher opposing defenses.
Pressure’s on
Jeff Fisher. What a time for a leak about a contract extension for the Los Angeles Rams coach. During a Week 1 defined by close finishes – six games were decided by two points or less – Fisher’s team had the worst loss of any, 28-0. Now the Seattle Seahawks are coming to the L.A. Coliseum, which means Pete Carroll will be the most popular coach in the place. If the Rams stink it up again, completing extensions at the moment for Fisher and GM Les Snead – who gave up a bundle in trading up to draft quarterback Jared Goff, who isn’t close to hitting the field – will come with the risk of making the Rams a laughingstock as they seek to establish credibility and buzz in a new market. Fisher has some appeal as a SoCal native and USC alum, but selling patience means realizing that he’s lost more career games than all but three coaches in NFL history.
Rookie watch
Ezekiel Elliott. It wasn’t too long ago when the Dallas Cowboys running back had the audacity to crow about having the easiest job in America – before even playing his first NFL game – because he was playing behind the richly-talented Dallas O-line. Elliott’s job wasn’t so easy in his NFL debut, when he averaged 2.6 yards per carry on 20 rushes against the New York Giants. Even worse was that Elliott seemingly threw that talented O-line under the bus, lamenting how his poor performance was linked to Dallas being beaten at the point of attack. Regardless, the Cowboys are at Washington on Sunday, which means Elliott and his O-line can fatten up against a run defense that was shredded on Monday night by DeAngelo Williams.
Key matchup
Ndamukong Suh vs. Jimmy Garappolo. The Miami Dolphins have lost seven consecutive games in Foxborough, but there’s more hope this time with Tom Brady being suspended. The fill-in, Garappolo, was impressive enough in Week 1. He completed 72% of his passes and was 8-for-10 on third downs. Yet nothing throws off a quarterback’s rhythm like the type of in-your-face pass rush that can be generated by the inside push that Suh brings. It’s no wonder that Suh talked this week about the importance of rattling Garappolo and getting him off his spot. The Patriots’ O-line, like last year, is already a patchwork job because of more injuries. But it held up at Arizona. Miami’s D-line, though, will be much to handle as Cameron Wake and Mario Williams bring the outside pressure that compliments Suh’s presence inside.
Next man up
Josh McCown. History suggests that it was only a matter of time before the Browns would be making a quarterback move. Cleveland hasn’t had a quarterback start all 16 games in a season since Tim Couch in 2001, underscoring an NFL-longest streak of 15 seasons with multiple quarterbacks drawing starts. And so Robert Griffin III is on IR with a shoulder injury and McCown takes over as the crafty vet. But the Browns are also just one snap away from rookie Cody Kessler.
Stomach for an upset?
Colts at Broncos. The game may not have as much interest with Peyton Manning, the former Indianapolis Colt, in retirement. But that won't matter to Andrew Luck. The Colts' quarterback has won three of four games against Denver in his career. The Colts, with their quick, small, shifty receivers, have posed a matchup problem for Denver’s secondary, while Luck has used his legs to add another measure of stress. Still, it will be tougher this time. It will be interesting to see how tight the officials call any rough stuff against Luck – who too often puts his body in danger. Gene Steratore’s crew blew it in Week 1 by allowing blows to Cam Newton’s head to go unpunished. But the game could be most influenced by a depleted Indianapolis defense, which has at least a half-dozen injured players.
If the playoffs were today
The Houston Texans sure look to have a better shot of knocking off Kansas City in a rematch of the first-round AFC playoff blowout in January. For one thing, turnover-prone Brian Hoyer is long gone, replaced by Brock Osweiler, who was impressive in Week 1. The other difference is Lamar Miller, who came over from Miami as a free agent and put up a 100-yard game and had a career-high 28 carries against the Chicago Bears. The Chiefs run defense allowed 155 yards in Week 1. So there. Houston needs balance if it is to take the next step and become a legit contender. It also needs J.J. Watt to return to form. In his first game since back surgery, Watt played 88% of the defensive snaps in Week 1 (49 snaps) but had just one tackle.
Stat’s the fact
When the Packers help christen the Vikings’ new home, U.S. Bank Stadium, on Sunday night, it will mark the first time they have opened the season with back-to-back road games since 1924.