NFL Observations A Quarter Way Through The Season

[Hawk-Lock]

Please post any NFL observations or comments you have through week 4.

Aaron Rodgers is really good. Like really good.

I think we are seeing the end of Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. I've enjoyed watching them over the years, as they used to be like surgeons in their prime. They just don't look the same anymore, especially Peyton.

We get too excited for young QB's too easily. Over the last few years everyone was quick to jump on the Bridgewater, Tannehill, Kapernick hype train.....to me they looks like a serviceable NFL QB, but nothing special (yes even Kaep can be serviceable).

However I will say this: Derek Carr is really good. He looks like the real deal. Raiders fans finally have something to cheer for, and they should, because they have a great young core of Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack. The arrow is pointing up in Oakland. Across the bay the arrow is pointing down in SF.

The Jets are really good. Put a top 12 QB on that team and they are a superbowl contender. Nasty front 7. Arguably the best secondary. Two stud WR's. And they have beastmode jr running the ball for them.

I'm happy for Dan Quinn and the Falcons, but who have they really beaten? I'm not sure I've ever seen an easier schedule. Their next five games: Redskins, @ Saints, @ Titans, Buccaneers, @ 49ers.

The NFC East is really bad. 8-9 wins probably wins the division

The AFC South is really bad. 8-9 wins probably wins the division.

The NFC West and AFC East are home to some really good defenses.

Appreciate it when your team has a good kicker. I've seen some really bad kicking the past few weeks. I've seen guys miss extra-points, point-blank field goals, etc. I.e. Scobee in Pitt. Saints kicker missing the potential 30-yard game winner yesterday. Jacksonville's kicker could have won the game twice, missing both field goals. Once these kickers miss one field-goal, it gets in their head and it seems like all is lost.

Chip Kelly is faling miserably. It seems like each game they are losing the time of possession 40/20. They rank dead last this year at 37%,

 

[Ramfan128]

Very surprised by the Jets - they do seem to be the real deal.

They are what the Rams should be...although their defense is more talented. Of course, on the flip side, they've played the Browns, Colts, Eagles and Dolphins...Colts was a good win. I'd hope the Rams could be 3-1 with that schedule.


The Falcons and Panthers are going to keep winning. Perfect storm of the NFC Least and the AFC Suck....then the Bucs and Saints. I like the Falcons, and respect Matt Ryan, who always gets left out of the top QB conversations, but I think this will be the worst 12-4 team in NFL history. Sucks for the West that one wildcard spot will likely be taken by the Panthers or Falcons. Also sucks that when the Panthers play the Seahawks, I'll probably have to root for the Seahawks for wildcard purposes.

The Patriots are out for blood. Having beaten the Bills on the road already, if they get by the Jets and Broncos on the road, they have a real shot to go 16-0....the AFC East also gets the perfect storm of the NFC Least and the AFC Suck this year. Easily the best team in the NFL in my opinion and it's not even close.


Roethlisberger's injury sucks. I was at that game in ST. Louis and when he went down, I found myself almost praying that he be okay. I'm no Steeler fan, but it sucks to see an elite player go down like that.


It seems like the two best teams in the NFL are clearly the Packers and Patriots. The Falcons and Panthers remind me of Boise St. and TCU (before they joined the Big 12) - they might be undefeated but their schedule prevents you from saying they are some of the 4 best teams. Just realized that I didn't even mention the Bengals, and I live in Ohio...lol. Need to see it in January Dalton.


The overwhelming thing for me after 4 weeks, is I don't know. I don't know who the best team in the NFC West is...my gut says it's still Seattle. I don't know what to think of the Minnesota Vikings....who have played 3 great games after playing arguably the worst game of anyone this season. I don't know what to make of the Broncos, who are 4-0 playing some mediocre teams, and haven't looked good doing it. And I don't know what to make of the Baltimore Ravens, who some had in the superbowl, most had in the playoffs. Who are they?? We'll find out.

 

[Cyrus12]

good assessments....will add my own...

LOTS of penalties being called this year...

I wish NE sucked but they don't...16-0?

Surprised to see the Colts sucking...I picked them to go to the AFC Championship game

The Bengals look for real...until playoffs?

A lot more focus on Fantasy football with all the commercials and even spoke of during the games...

 

[Exittium]

If the Cheatriots go 16-0 My money is no longer being spent towards anything with an NFL logo. Period. There is no way a team can be good consistently almost every damn year without something fishy and funny enough so far since almost 2000 the Cheatriots have been doing some form of cheating ... Especially with the production level of players vary greatly, yet you don't see it until the players leave NE.. Once they leave NE and go to other teams you don't hear about the player or they truly suck.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

My fantasy is the Cheaters to go 16-0, win their 2 playoff games and then the Seahawks are this season's Giants and beat 'em in SB50.



Aaron Rodger is already top 5 all-time. Likely to be the GOAT before he's done.

NFC West wil go down to week 17.

 

[ClutchDJ]

Glad I didn't buy into the Chiefs hype. I just don't trust Alex Smith to lead them anywhere, especially with their bad OL. In their defense, all of their losses have been from undefeated teams.

Saints are going to be baaaaaad for a while if they don't have a franchise QB in the wings soon. Their draft classes have been atrocious outside of this years(Anthony and Kikaha both look like studs). Brees looked bad for the most of the night.

Falcons might have the easiest schedule of all time. There is not a single game where I can say "Damn, there's no way they're winning this one". I can see potential Ls(not counting divisional games) @ Tennessee, Indy, and Minnesota. I also hate how ATL and CAR don't play each other for the FIRST time until December, and that's within 2 weeks of each other.

Bengals look real good, but y'know, playoffs?

Suggs really was a bigger loss than I imagined for the Ravens.

Cowboys are going to have too much ground to make up when one of Romo/Dez gets back.

Chip Kelly back to Oregon 2016?

Giants look solid

 

[Ambrose83]

Rodgers is as good as it gets.

The colts suck.. period.
The pats have another easy Div title and 1 seed.
I am not sold on the Broncos
I am not sold on AZ
The rams can play with anyone, or get beat by bad teams.... total week to week thing
I have no faith that the bengals can keep it together... dalton will be dalton at some point.
I still think the hawks are as good as anyone and if they can get rolling we have a good shot.

 

[rideaducati]

The Chiefs need a QB. Alex Smith sucks and the pairing of him and Andy Reid makes absolutely no sense at all.

It only took three seasons for people to see what Keeporpick actually is...a bad QB. Classic case of beginners luck and mediots lumping too much praise too early on a guy that actually sucks.

It is fun watching the implosion in Santa Clara. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving fan base...except maybe the Cheatriots.

There are several young QBs that look like they could be REALLY GOOD and all we still hear is "Luck this, Luck that". Carr and Mariota should be getting a lot more love from mediots. Maybe they're being a little more level-headed after RGKnee and Keeporpick made them all look like idiots and it's obvious they don't know WTF they are talking about when it comes to QB evaluation. Now they'll be taking the "wait and see" approach and they'll tell us that Carr and Mariota are good after it has been obvious for several seasons. Stupid mediots.

Spread offenses in college are ruining NFL offensive lines. Fewer and fewer viable O-linemen are coming into the league. The young linemen are taking years before being ready, but they are having to play anyway. Watching line play is ugly across the league.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

I will defend the Chiefs as they have had a really tough opening schedule: @HOU, DEN, @GB, @CIN. I think most teams would be 1-3 that would play that schedule. I still like them to finish strong and push for a wildcard. As much as I dislike Smith, he is a serviceable quarterback. A lot better than a lot of startering QB's out there right now.

On NFL Insiders they mentioned how there have been more missed kicks in the first 4 weeks than in the last 10 years. Some really bad kicking. I think some of it has to do with the extra point being moved back.

Penalties are starting to become a problem. Seems like every other play there is a flag. Seems like they are calling a lot of penalties in the secondary. A lot of defensive PI and defensive holding. I'd hate to be a DB in the NFL right now.

 

[rideaducati]

I will defend the Chiefs as they have had a really tough opening schedule: @HOU, DEN, @GB, @CIN. I think most teams would be 1-3 that would play that schedule. I still like them to finish strong and push for a wildcard. As much as I dislike Smith, he is a serviceable quarterback. A lot better than a lot of startering QB's out there right now.

On NFL Insiders they mentioned how there have been more missed kicks in the first 4 weeks than in the last 10 years. Some really bad kicking. I think some of it has to do with the extra point being moved back.

Penalties are starting to become a problem. Seems like every other play there is a flag. Seems like they are calling a lot of penalties in the secondary. A lot of defensive PI and defensive holding. I'd hate to be a DB in the NFL right now.

I think it will take more than 6 wins to make the playoffs...even in the AFC, so the Chiefs will not make the playoffs because they aren't winning more than 6 games.

 

[ptisme]

Very unlikely but would be the most hyped SB ever:
Undefeated Patriots led my Tom Brady takes on undefeated Packers led by Aaron Rodgers...