So, just trying to play a bit of catch-up here. You'll see in the beginning that I reviewed a Patriots and a Giants game and I talked about those games as if the Super Bowl hadn't even happened yet!
Well, that's because it didn't.
Lot's on the slate here, including my first attempt at GIFs, in which you'll see that it's a slow learning process. But... baby steps.
No Seahawks this week, but I will lead with Cardinals and Seahawks in the next edition. It's the only game I have left from Week 3 to watch. It'll be interesting to see how long the rest of the season will take me. You can now read me on SBN Seattle (Thanks Danny!) and as always, keep up to date on KennethAuthor.com. You guys spiked my views to a record number last time and if you want to keep up with my weight loss story, part 4 is up and part 5 is up soon. Thanks again!
Day 21
Patriots at Bills
I accidentally just typed "Patritos" That would be quite different than Patriots.
Through two games, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Brady both had 7 TD/1 INT.
Brady's first drive: TD. Fitzpatrick's first drive: INT.
Brady's second drive: TD. Fitzpatrick's second drive: INT.
Fitzpatrick's second INT came on a 4th and 14th in the first quarter.
It's amazing how important Rob Gronkowski is to this team. If he missed the Super Bowl or was limited, that would be huge. He just caught his 2nd TD and it's 21-0 Patriots.
Captain Obvious over here. (Points to self)
The game really turned on some good luck. The Bills scored on a Stevie Johnson touchdown and the Patriots drove right down the Bills field thanks to two personal foul penalties. But Brady's pass was deflected and intercepted and Fitz drove the Bills down for a FG in less than a minute. Second half, Brady's intercepted by Leonis McKelvin at midfield and Scott Chandler catches a TD a few plays later. It's now 21-17.
Brady throws 3 INTs for the first time since 2006. He threw 4 INTs in 2010.
Ryan Fitzpatrick throws a terrible pass, an absolute duck into the end zone that's intercepted. But the Patriots are called for pass interference on the duck, first and goal for the Bills, Fred Jackson TD.
Drayton Florence returns a Tom Brady INT for a TD. 31-24 Buffalo.
Two of Brady's picks were deflected. Two were to well-covered receivers and Buffalo made a nice play.
The Patriots tie it at 31, but the Bills drive down the field and get to the Pats 1. They take a bunch of knees to run the clock down and kick the game-winning field goal.
I think a key to this game that I have not yet mentioned is that Aaron Hernandez missed the game with an injury. Brady only has four targets: Wes Welker, Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Deion Branch. He rarely went to Branch in this game. It was all Welker and Gronkowski. What happened? Possibly he tried to force the issue too much without his fourth option, Hernandez, and that led to a couple of those four interceptions and the Bills entirely won because of all four interceptions. If Gronk missed the Super Bowl, I can't even imagine how much worse that would be than Hernandez missing a game.
BUF 34, NE 31
Giants at Eagles
When we last left off of Giants/Eagles... DeSean Jackson had the NFL's only ever walk-off punt.
Eli Manning had the best statistical season of his career, but didn't start the season off that well.
Brandon Stokely is playing for the Giants? I learnt something today.
Out of Context Hug:
Victor Cruz had a crazy season, man. This pass from their own 26 was a Cruz TD:
Now he's got Nnamdi in front of him. Still, this is a Victor Cruz TD:
Former Seahawks Owen Schmitt with the hurdle:
Good job Owen! Later in the drive they rewarded him with two goal-line carries at the one. The Eagles kicked a field goal.
Another Victor Cruz TD (after the Eagles went for it on a fourth-and-one and failed) and the Giants take the lead.
Mike Kafka came into the game last week and failed to lead a comeback. He's come into the game this week with Philly down 6 in the fourth quarter. A lot of QBs careers that went from "backup" to "starter" started out with cool comeback stories. Mike Kafka's story won't be told that way. His first pass was intercepted.
Ahmad Bradshaw with the icing on the cake. He had a good game and if he plays like this on Sunday, it will be a huge advantage for the Giants.
NYG 29, PHI 16
Day... 27! I got some ground to make up
Ravens at Rams
While Kevin Harlan was in the middle of saying "Torrey Smith will start for the injured Lee Evans," Smith caught a 74 yard TD pass.
They've gone deep to Smith four times and he has caught two of them for touchdowns with the other two being overthrown but Smith is constantly getting behind the Rams defense. This is all with four minutes left in the first quarter by the way.
Torrey Smith 21, Rams 0 after one quarter.
Foreshadowing, Billy Cundiff is 0 for 2 on field goals.
Ray Rice is easily one of the most fun players to watch. His moves are much better than Jagger. Even if the Rams aren't a great defensive team, it's still silly how silly he makes them look.
To be fair, Cundiff has hit his next 3 FGs.
Sophomore slump? It's amazing that Sam Bradford is still alive playing behind this offensive line. Or that any of these receivers ever caught a pass based on their drops.
It would have been cool to see the 99 Rams against the 2000 Ravens. This game is far less cool.
BAL 37, STL 7
Jets at Raiders
Two teams that are probably cockier than they should be.
I still don't get why you'd ever play on this field.
The Jets were just called for roughing the passer on Jason Campbell and then the ref came back to call intentional grounding on Campbell which offsets the penalties. Somehow this just seems perfect on all sides.
Darren McFadden with a 70 yard TD run. He's one of the only top 10 RB draft picks that I'd consider "worth it."
I think Jets punt returner Jeremy Kerley will be one to keep an eye on.
It was 17-17 late in the third when the Raiders used back-to-back "tricky plays" to score a TD on a Denarius Moore run. Then Antonio Cromartie fumbled the kickoff and the Raiders scored two plays later, to go up two touchdowns in like a minute of game time.
Jets couldn't recover from that.
OAK 34, NYJ 24
Chiefs at Chargers
The AFC West had four messy teams this year and so far this game is no exception. Philip Rivers throws an interception on a lazy pass into double coverage and then the Chiefs get 15 more yards on the return when a Chargers sideline player runs into an official covering the INT return. Then the Chiefs go for it on fourth-and-one and convert but are called for holding and so they have to kick a short Ryan Succop field goal... that he shanks.
Ryan Mathews makes it 7-0. In this era of the "small and shifty" running back, I could see Mathews as a future fantasy star.
It's half time and the Chiefs defense has 2 INTs and 2 forced fumbles (neither recovered) while their offense has 0 first downs.
First second half possession and the Chiefs score to Dwayne Bowe, so now the count is SD 14 first downs, KC 2 first downs but it's 10-7 SD.
With the amount that Kansas City is running it, I wonder if they had absolutely zero backup plans for a Jamaal Charles injury. They've run it on 3rd and 6 and 3rd and 11 when they needed first downs down by 10 in the fourth.
Matt Cassel just passed 100 yards on the day... there's six minutes left.
The Chiefs still had a chance to tie or win the game, but a rushed Cassel throws it right to Eric Weddle and that's the game.
SD 20, KC 17
Packers at Bears
I'm submitting this picture to Webster's to go under the definition of "Smug"
Not to take anything away from Aaron Rodgers, but holy shit the Packers have a lot of sure-handed receivers. The Packers model of success on offense in it's simplest terms: Give a QB prospect with a lot of tools three years to learn the system, invest heavily in the draft in receivers, profit. It's not even like he has more time in the pocket than Sam Bradford does or that he goes downfield a whole lot more often. The throws are quick, deliberate, and designed and constantly completed because these guys just don't drop many passes.
And that's apparently all I had to say about this game...
GB 27, CHI 17
Day 31
One month in. Not feeling well, which means I have time to watch but don't know how much writing I will do.
Falcons at Bucs
Harry Douglas is 27, but I can't help but picture him as an old man.
It's 16-3 Tampa. I don't remember the winner of every game, but once I get past week six I'll know the winner of all the Bucs games.
With the success of all the young tight ends in this current era of football, it's easy to forget just how good Tony Gonzalez was. And then you watch him play now and he still looks just as good. Tony scores and it's 16-10 in the fourth.
The Bucs beat the Falcons! The Bucs beat the Falcons! Go tell your friends.
TB 16, ATL 13
Steelers at Colts
Sunday night football. You know what that means. Faith Hill!
How many of you guys say "Fuck yes" when you see Faith Hill singing about football? When I think football, I think Faith Hill.
Michelle Tafoya interviewing Mike Tomlin before the game and asking him about preparing for the Colts without Peyton Manning: "You know, we talked about the guys that are playing. The perennial Pro Bowlers and great players they have like Freeney and Mathis and Dallas Clark and others."
"and others"
Just once I'd like to hear a coach say, "Yeah, they look pretty shitty this year. We should win."
81 yard TD pass to Mike Wallace. Al Michaels: "It's difficult to overthrow him, unless it's in the Super Bowl" ZING!
Picking up a fumble or successfully falling on one, seems to be the most difficult thing to do in football. So when Dwight Freeney forced his second Ben Roethlisberger fumble of the day, it seemed like a dumb idea for Jamaal Anderson to try and pick it up and run with it.
However, he manages to get around these guys and run 47 yards for a TD.
Pretty lucky considering how unlucky and bad the Colts were this year.
Wow. Ben's next pass is intercepted. The Colts had a real shot here to take advantage of an early season win.
I think Antonio Brown could become one of the top 10 wide receivers in the league.
The Colts got blown out in week one by Houston, but lost their next four games by single digits. They weren't as bad as 2-14 (Whatever that means) and I don't think they're the league's worst team. I may change my mind after I watch the Saints-Colts game again.
Curtis Painter hit and fumbles and Troy Polamalu picks it up and runs the short distance into the end zone for the Steelers to go up 20-13 with less than six minutes left. Joseph Addai ties it with 2:09 left.
The Colts were unable to stop the Steelers in the two minute drill and the Steelers win it on a FG with :04 left.
PIT 23, IND 20
Redskins at Cowboys
Monday Night Football
Old school!
Almost the end of the first and there have been 6 FG attempts and no touchdowns. All the FGs are good except for a botched snap/hold on a Redskins attempt. It is 9-6 Dallas.
9-9 at half.
I like the idea of every team getting a primetime game next year. Not just for the teams fans, but because sometimes we have no opportunity to watch other teams except for methods like I am using or the NFL package or bars or... okay, there are options now. But it's still a great idea.
Romo with a 2-yard pass completion.
His next pass is intercepted.
GIF TEST
Ooh. This shit just got real. That's a terrible gif... but I can't wait til I have the energy to make more and better GIFS!!!!! Next edition.
Holy shit. It happened again, this time with the game on the line. The Dallas center has twice snapped the ball too soon.
Getting slightly better. I know its terrible.
But they let the Cowboys convert 3rd and 21 and a facemask puts the Cowboys in FG range.
Field goal is good. Grossman gets sacked and fumbled with thirty or so seconds left.
DAL 18, WAS 16
Games Remaining: 209