Pretty clean game from both teams. The Chiefs played well, considering they didn’t have Chris Jones and Kelce. I’m not sure what to make of the Lions. The Chiefs defense looked pretty good–without their best player. To a lesser extent I could say the same about the Chiefs offense. So I’m not sure how good they are.
Kadarius Toney was the anti-MVP of the game.
I like the idea of not strictly calling false starts and giving more leeway for OL holding, but Jawaan Taylor was taking it too far.
Both teams looked a little rusty at times. Mahomes looked great though overall. He didn’t make too many mistakes all night, but his receivers let him down way too often. The Lions offense didn’t look all that great except for their two touchdown drives. But during those drives were the few times the Lions could manage any chunk plays. Against a Spags defense that likes to crowd the line of scrimmage, it’s hard to be effective unless you can create chunk plays. The Lions struggled to consistently run the ball, but I thought they should have stuck to it a little more. I don’t believe Detroit will be a true contender in the East, because they lack big play makers on defense, but they will be interesting.
Nick Bolton the Chiefs MLB is quietly becoming one of the best LBs in the league. He was everywhere at times.
Seeing Chris Jones in the stands was super weird. Do you remember any holdouts attending home games before? I’m guessing maybe it has to do with the Super Bowl recognition that happened pregame?
Totally (especially Toney). That’s definitely an example of rust (or at least I would hope so if I were a Chiefs fan).
The Lions offense didn’t look all hat great except for their two touchdown drives.
Yeah, and that would concern me if I were a Lions fan. Maybe the Chies defense has improved greatly; they certainly looked solid against the run–especially since the Lions is supposed to have a really good OL. It didn’t look that way for much of the game–except the second TD, when the Chiefs run D looked broken.
Do you remember any holdouts attending home games before? I’m guessing maybe it has to do with the Super Bowl recognition that happened pregame?
I don’t recall this, but it’s something I easily could have forgot. I believe the announcers mentioned that he was there for the ceremony (although they might have been speculating).
The Lions had the number one offense last year through the first 6-7 games. I wouldn’t be all that concerned after struggling against the Chiefs who love to take away the run. However, the Lions will have to run the ball more consistently than they did against the Chiefs for them to contend, because although Goff is okay, he cannot carry that team.
Of course, the Panthers 3 turnovers are the most important factor, but I thought they won at the LOS, especially in terms of run-blocking. I thought they should have run the ball more.
Besides the two INTs, Bryce Young’s accuracy looked shaky.
Desmond Ridder doesn’t look good to me.
Rams@Seahawks
McVay has their (Carroll’s) number. To me, it’s all about McVay’s scheme and play calling, more than personnel. The Seahawks OC (Waldron) and DC (Hurtt) give me a negative impression. Indeed, I really dislike Waldron’s offense. Hawks looked awful.
Raiders@Broncos
I’m not a fan of Josh McDaniel, but the Raiders looked like a solid team, on both sides of the ball. Their offense looked like the New England offense of old, and that’s a good thing (even though I’d prefer more emphasis on the run). The defense didn’t look bad, either.
The Broncos looked OK, not great. They’re playing more run-based sets, which is good–not just because I prefer that, but because I think it’s better for Russ and the team. The offense just seemed more balanced–for a Russell Wilson offense, and that’s good.
Chargers@Dolphins
Lots of offense in this. Tua looked pretty good. The Dolphin defense still seems shaky.
49ers@Steelers
Niners defense is not only really good, they’re probably the most physical defense I’ve seen. (Probably the most physical team overall.) They dominated the Steelers.
Kenny Pickett didn’t look so good to me.
Cowboys@Giants
If the Niners dominatd the Steelers, but the Cowboys’ dominance over the Giants was even greater–particularly in terms of defense. The Cowboy DL overwhelmed the Giants OL with both speed and power.
Dak and the run game is the concern I have. Dak wasn’t always consistently accurate, but he seems even more off at times. Ultimately, I think that’s less important than his ball security. If he’s great in that area, he should be able to lead them to a Super Bowl.
This is especially true if their run game is great. With their RBs, I’m skeptical–based on what I saw. Pollard is good, but can he run that ball that many times and last through the season? I have my doubts. I feel like they really should have secured a bellcow RB. I could see this hurting them down the road.
Daniel Jones, even with Waller, didn’t look so good. To be fair, he was under heavy pressure.
If you can’t, and don’t run the ball, against the Cowboys, the offense will have no chance. That’s what it seems like, anyway.
Ravens@Texans
Texans defense looks promising. CJ Stroud does not. Man, he is stiff; I don’t like the way his feet and arm work together. He looks so awkward, the opposite of smooth. He kinda reminds me of the way Jameis Winston moves, but worse.
Bengals@Browns
The weather made passing really difficult–for Burrow almost impossible. Or, something else was wrong. DeShaun Watson showed some of his old self. If he gets in a groove, the Browns are going to be legit contenders. (Their defense seems solid as well.)
Side note: I feel like Zac Taylor and Shane Waldron have similar concepts, but Taylor seems more balanced and creative.
Packers@Bears
Justin Fields still doesn’t look good. He’s a really good runner, though.
Love looked OK. I really don’t like his footwork. He also throws too often off balance, jumping back, or without his feet set. For a guy who sat so long, I would think that’s something he would nail down (although I blame the coaches for this).
Niners, Steelers – The Steelers offense isn’t great. They still seem to have problems creating holes for their RBs. I could give credit to the Niners, but somehow, I think this problem may plague this team all year long. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Purdy is Montana or at least a poor man’s version of him. Yes, Purdy has tons of weapons on offense, but man does he stay cool in and out of the pocket. I can see why the Niners stuck with him.
Bengals, Browns – Burrow was horrible. The weather was a factor and Burrow had to put on gloves, but hard to give a man that much leeway with the weapons he has. I thought Watson was mostly average, so I don’t really feel he showed much outside of a few plays.
Cowboys, Giants – Even I turned this off at some point. Daniel Jones and Dak looked bad throwing the ball overall, but it was raining harder than at the Bengals, Brown game. The Giants DBs are both rookies I think they said. Those guys will have to clean stuff up if they want to be a playoff team.
Didn’t watch a lot of the Dolphins, Charger game, but Tua was on fire on the parts I did watch and the highlights I saw. You would think the Chargers should be better on defense. Guys were running open all over the place.
I could give credit to the Niners, but somehow, I think this problem may plague this team all year long.
Or, perhaps the Steelers offense isn’t that good, overall.
Purdy is Montana or at least a poor man’s version of him.
I haven’t seen him in enough pressure situations to say this. Also, two other things about Montana: his accuracy and his creativity when a play breaks down.
The weather was a factor and Burrow had to put on gloves, but hard to give a man that much leeway with the weapons he has.
The weapons aren’t relevant if he can’t throw the ball. That’s the sense I got. There were two passes where it seemed like the ball slipped out of his hands, as if I defender hit his throwing arm. The Bengals called a lot of runs (at least early on). I think the same was true for the Texans, but it seemed like Watson got more confident throwing the ball.
Now, if Burrow throws like this in these type of weather conditions, that’s not a good sign.
You would think the Chargers should be better on defense. Guys were running open all over the place.
Yeah, although it’s hard to tell how much of that was due to the Dolphins weapons. (I think they’ve made other defenses look the same.)
The Patriots had two early turnovers–a pick 6 (not really Mac Brown’s fault) and a fumble, leading to Eagle points. That put the Pats in a 16-0 hole. If it wasn’t for that, I think the Pats might have won.
The Eagles looked good early on, especially running the ball. But after they got up 16-0, the Pats settled down, and made a comeback
Eagles had one killer turnover towards the end, but the Pats couldn’t capitalize.
Lions@Chiefs
Some random thoughts:
Pretty clean game from both teams. The Chiefs played well, considering they didn’t have Chris Jones and Kelce. I’m not sure what to make of the Lions. The Chiefs defense looked pretty good–without their best player. To a lesser extent I could say the same about the Chiefs offense. So I’m not sure how good they are.
Kadarius Toney was the anti-MVP of the game.
I like the idea of not strictly calling false starts and giving more leeway for OL holding, but Jawaan Taylor was taking it too far.
I feel like Goff had a lot of tipped balls.
Both teams looked a little rusty at times. Mahomes looked great though overall. He didn’t make too many mistakes all night, but his receivers let him down way too often. The Lions offense didn’t look all that great except for their two touchdown drives. But during those drives were the few times the Lions could manage any chunk plays. Against a Spags defense that likes to crowd the line of scrimmage, it’s hard to be effective unless you can create chunk plays. The Lions struggled to consistently run the ball, but I thought they should have stuck to it a little more. I don’t believe Detroit will be a true contender in the East, because they lack big play makers on defense, but they will be interesting.
Nick Bolton the Chiefs MLB is quietly becoming one of the best LBs in the league. He was everywhere at times.
Seeing Chris Jones in the stands was super weird. Do you remember any holdouts attending home games before? I’m guessing maybe it has to do with the Super Bowl recognition that happened pregame?
Totally (especially Toney). That’s definitely an example of rust (or at least I would hope so if I were a Chiefs fan).
Yeah, and that would concern me if I were a Lions fan. Maybe the Chies defense has improved greatly; they certainly looked solid against the run–especially since the Lions is supposed to have a really good OL. It didn’t look that way for much of the game–except the second TD, when the Chiefs run D looked broken.
I don’t recall this, but it’s something I easily could have forgot. I believe the announcers mentioned that he was there for the ceremony (although they might have been speculating).
The Lions had the number one offense last year through the first 6-7 games. I wouldn’t be all that concerned after struggling against the Chiefs who love to take away the run. However, the Lions will have to run the ball more consistently than they did against the Chiefs for them to contend, because although Goff is okay, he cannot carry that team.
But did the Chiefs had a good defense last year? And they were playing without Chris Jones. The Lions looked far from a number one offense.
Panthers@Falcons
Of course, the Panthers 3 turnovers are the most important factor, but I thought they won at the LOS, especially in terms of run-blocking. I thought they should have run the ball more.
Besides the two INTs, Bryce Young’s accuracy looked shaky.
Desmond Ridder doesn’t look good to me.
Rams@Seahawks
McVay has their (Carroll’s) number. To me, it’s all about McVay’s scheme and play calling, more than personnel. The Seahawks OC (Waldron) and DC (Hurtt) give me a negative impression. Indeed, I really dislike Waldron’s offense. Hawks looked awful.
Raiders@Broncos
I’m not a fan of Josh McDaniel, but the Raiders looked like a solid team, on both sides of the ball. Their offense looked like the New England offense of old, and that’s a good thing (even though I’d prefer more emphasis on the run). The defense didn’t look bad, either.
The Broncos looked OK, not great. They’re playing more run-based sets, which is good–not just because I prefer that, but because I think it’s better for Russ and the team. The offense just seemed more balanced–for a Russell Wilson offense, and that’s good.
Chargers@Dolphins
Lots of offense in this. Tua looked pretty good. The Dolphin defense still seems shaky.
49ers@Steelers
Niners defense is not only really good, they’re probably the most physical defense I’ve seen. (Probably the most physical team overall.) They dominated the Steelers.
Kenny Pickett didn’t look so good to me.
Cowboys@Giants
If the Niners dominatd the Steelers, but the Cowboys’ dominance over the Giants was even greater–particularly in terms of defense. The Cowboy DL overwhelmed the Giants OL with both speed and power.
Dak and the run game is the concern I have. Dak wasn’t always consistently accurate, but he seems even more off at times. Ultimately, I think that’s less important than his ball security. If he’s great in that area, he should be able to lead them to a Super Bowl.
This is especially true if their run game is great. With their RBs, I’m skeptical–based on what I saw. Pollard is good, but can he run that ball that many times and last through the season? I have my doubts. I feel like they really should have secured a bellcow RB. I could see this hurting them down the road.
Daniel Jones, even with Waller, didn’t look so good. To be fair, he was under heavy pressure.
If you can’t, and don’t run the ball, against the Cowboys, the offense will have no chance. That’s what it seems like, anyway.
Ravens@Texans
Texans defense looks promising. CJ Stroud does not. Man, he is stiff; I don’t like the way his feet and arm work together. He looks so awkward, the opposite of smooth. He kinda reminds me of the way Jameis Winston moves, but worse.
Bengals@Browns
The weather made passing really difficult–for Burrow almost impossible. Or, something else was wrong. DeShaun Watson showed some of his old self. If he gets in a groove, the Browns are going to be legit contenders. (Their defense seems solid as well.)
Side note: I feel like Zac Taylor and Shane Waldron have similar concepts, but Taylor seems more balanced and creative.
Packers@Bears
Justin Fields still doesn’t look good. He’s a really good runner, though.
Love looked OK. I really don’t like his footwork. He also throws too often off balance, jumping back, or without his feet set. For a guy who sat so long, I would think that’s something he would nail down (although I blame the coaches for this).
Niners, Steelers – The Steelers offense isn’t great. They still seem to have problems creating holes for their RBs. I could give credit to the Niners, but somehow, I think this problem may plague this team all year long. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Purdy is Montana or at least a poor man’s version of him. Yes, Purdy has tons of weapons on offense, but man does he stay cool in and out of the pocket. I can see why the Niners stuck with him.
Bengals, Browns – Burrow was horrible. The weather was a factor and Burrow had to put on gloves, but hard to give a man that much leeway with the weapons he has. I thought Watson was mostly average, so I don’t really feel he showed much outside of a few plays.
Cowboys, Giants – Even I turned this off at some point. Daniel Jones and Dak looked bad throwing the ball overall, but it was raining harder than at the Bengals, Brown game. The Giants DBs are both rookies I think they said. Those guys will have to clean stuff up if they want to be a playoff team.
Didn’t watch a lot of the Dolphins, Charger game, but Tua was on fire on the parts I did watch and the highlights I saw. You would think the Chargers should be better on defense. Guys were running open all over the place.
Or, perhaps the Steelers offense isn’t that good, overall.
I haven’t seen him in enough pressure situations to say this. Also, two other things about Montana: his accuracy and his creativity when a play breaks down.
The weapons aren’t relevant if he can’t throw the ball. That’s the sense I got. There were two passes where it seemed like the ball slipped out of his hands, as if I defender hit his throwing arm. The Bengals called a lot of runs (at least early on). I think the same was true for the Texans, but it seemed like Watson got more confident throwing the ball.
Now, if Burrow throws like this in these type of weather conditions, that’s not a good sign.
Yeah, although it’s hard to tell how much of that was due to the Dolphins weapons. (I think they’ve made other defenses look the same.)
Eagles@Patriots
The Patriots had two early turnovers–a pick 6 (not really Mac Brown’s fault) and a fumble, leading to Eagle points. That put the Pats in a 16-0 hole. If it wasn’t for that, I think the Pats might have won.
The Eagles looked good early on, especially running the ball. But after they got up 16-0, the Pats settled down, and made a comeback
Eagles had one killer turnover towards the end, but the Pats couldn’t capitalize.
It was a pretty good game to watch.