$.01--It was perhaps the least entertaining game on the Week 2 slate, but the most significant outcome probably came in Philadelphia. The Cowboys won 20-10 to improve to 2-0, and more importantly 2-0 within the division. But that’s secondary.

The big story here is Tony Romo and his broken left clavicle. Romo left the game in the third quarter and he knew as he sullenly strode off the field he had broken his shoulder once again. He will be out 6-8 weeks. With Dez Bryant already out anywhere between six and 10 weeks, the key cogs of the Dallas offense are both sidelined until at least Halloween.

The good news for Dallas is they are 2-0, with wins over division rivals New York and Philadelphia in hand already. Their defense looks solid, and the offensive line continues to impress. Brandon Weeden should be a quality backup behind that line, as his inability to process pass rush pressure is the root of just about everything that keeps him from being a starting quarterback. The bad news is he’ll have to do it without Bryant on the outside.

As long as Weeden doesn’t wet the bed and the defense keeps at it, Dallas can remain atop the truly lousy AFC East until Romo and Bryant return in two months. Philadelphia is 0-2 and looks lost with Sam Bradford at the controls of Chip Kelly’s increasingly inefficient offensive system. The Giants are 0-2 and make as many mistakes as a college freshman discovering the fantastic world of vodka and grape juice. Washington looked solid in beating the Rams (more on that later) but they still seem incomplete and incapable of threatening the playoffs. The banged-up Cowboys might only have to make it to 4-4 without Romo and can still comfortably take the division upon his triumphant return.

As for the Eagles, they appear to have made a huge mistake in giving Chip Kelly the keys to the kingdom. After running every good player on the offense except left tackle Jason Peters out of town because they didn’t fit his system. He claimed the team wouldn’t miss star guard Evan Mathis or quality right guard Todd Herremans. He thought swapping out LeSean McCoy for DeMarco Murray at RB would be an upgrade. He thought Jeremy Maclin’s speed on the outside was superfluous, just as DeSean Jackson was a year earlier. He thought trusting Bradford to be Steve Young was a stroke of brilliance.

If these Eagles, who netted just seven yards rushing, don’t start clicking soon, they’re going to need to change the locks on Kelly. When a coach so demonstrably builds a team in his own image just as he wants it and they fail as miserably as this Philadelphia squad is right now, there is no need for more than one neck on the guillotine. Kelly desperately needs Bradford and the offense to look competent, but the next two games are at the Jets and Washington, two physical and swarming defenses. If they’re 0-4, and that’s a realistic expectation based on how they’ve played so far, Kelly might be gone before Romo and Bryant return.

$.02-- I don’t apologize for being a Lions fan, or run from it when the team isn’t playing well. But this week’s loss at Minnesota was particularly brutal.

After last season’s unexpected playoff berth and defensive revitalization, the prevailing wisdom was that the sluggish offense would catch up and the defense, while missing Ndamukong Suh, would remain upper echelon thanks to Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin’s brilliance. Through two games, neither has proven true.

Austin’s coaching star is falling faster than Vanilla Ice’s career post 1991. The smart blitz calls, the confusing mixed coverages, the tenacity of the run defense all have gone the way of the lines shaved in the eyebrow (yes, I did that. I was 19. Sue me). The A-gap blitzes, the perfectly coordinated syncopation along the defensive front, the confusing (to opposing QBs) coverages are all gone. The defense has become vanilla, caving under pressure with Ice Cold play calls and a decided inability to Stop That Train. (If you’re scared that I know Vanilla Ice’s discography a little too much, my beautiful wife shares your fear)

Through two games, the opposing offense has had its way with Austin’s defense. Missing Suh is definitely a factor, but it goes far beyond that. Having the two defensive tackles attack out and ignore the A-gap, the hole between the center and two guards, is a terrible tactic other than the occasional surprise attack. It seems to be Detroit’s defensive M.O. so far, and Adrian Peterson and the Vikings kept exploiting it. The Lions surely miss star LB DeAndre Levy, but one linebacker can only do so much.

A lot of criticism gets leveled at Lions QB Matthew Stafford. A lot of times it is deserves. Not on this day. Stafford took an absolute pounding, needing X-rays on his ribs and elbow after the game. Right tackle Cornelius Lucas flat-out whiffed on multiple blocks, and Stafford paid the price. There were drops by Calvin Johnson and Eric Ebron. There were asinine play designs, like forcing a tiny window on a third down throw to Johnson on the right sideline that had about a 2% chance of staying inbounds. Stafford stood tall and won respect from his teammates and the vast majority of Lions fans, and deservedly so. Yet this creates an entirely different problem for Lions fans who have been quick to criticize the highly-paid quarterback for not being better. If he’s not the problem, then the whole narrative about this team’s ongoing struggles is proven incorrect. And that’s even worse. Losing a scapegoat, even if it’s a false scapegoat, is a terrible fate for a fan base.

It’s akin to trying to find the next musical douchebag to eternally loathe after Vanilla Ice quickly became a passé joke. We needed Vanilla Ice to make us feel better about liking Snow and Color Me Badd. If the problem is Austin, or Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi or even Head Coach Jim Caldwell--all are valid discussions right now--and not perennial whipping boy Stafford, it’s a massive upheaval. It’s the mid-90s rap rock garbage making us long for the old, fresh innovation of “Word to your motha” and not-quite-synced backup dancers in a poorly produced video. At least we knew it was trash, but we liked it. Nobody likes what Detroit is doing right now, except that week’s opponents.

$.03--In what is fast becoming one of the NFL’s best rivalries, Green Bay knocked off visiting Seattle 27-17. Tempers flared repeatedly, including K.J. Wright of the Seahawks earning an ejection late. Backup LB Jayrone Elliott created two fourth-quarter turnovers for the Packers, including a strip of Fred Jackson to end the game.

Green Bay clearly wanted this game. Badly. And when the time came to win it, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense came up big. Rodgers was perfect in the fourth quarter, 9-of-9 for 91 yards and the go-ahead TD to TE Richard Rodgers (no relation). When the Packers needed it most, Rodgers was at his best. Seattle just couldn’t match it.

The Green Bay injuries are concerning. In a short span of the second quarter, starting running back Eddie Lacy, wideout Davante Adams and useful DT Josh Boyd all left the field with injuries. Randall Cobb, the other starting wideout opposite Adams, is playing with a lingering shoulder injury. If Lacy, who did not return with an ankle issue, is out for any extended period this victory could very well be a Phyrric one.

Of perhaps greater concern is Seattle at 0-2. The Jimmy Graham trade has not worked at all; Graham had just one catch and frequently looked completely lost on the field. To get him they traded away center Max Unger, who apparently was the only competent interior linemen in the state of Washington. Russell Wilson has no protection up front, and the run blocking from Seattle’s line is atrocious. Guard Justin Britt has no ability to sustain his blocks and the opponents know it. They missed Kam Chancellor some too, though not as much as the holdout safety or his agent would have you believe.

Fear not for the Seahawks, however. Even though only 12% of teams that start 0-2 make the playoffs, the Seahawks have a very manageable schedule going forward. It might not be enough to catch the soaring Cardinals--for my money the NFL’s best team thru two weeks--but 9-7 or perhaps even 8-8 is all that’s needed for the Wild Card in the NFC this year. 

$.04--Kansas City Chiefs fans can be forgiven for thinking they are cursed by Peyton Manning. Even on an off night, of which there might be no other kind any longer, Manning’s team still came up victorious over the self-destructive Chiefs.

Kansas City won many battles at home Thursday night. Unfortunately, Denver won the three which really matter: score, turnovers and clutch plays. All three of those rolled into one when Bradley Roby picked up a Jamaal Charles fumble and returned it for the go-ahead TD with just 27 seconds remaining. That death blow came just 9 seconds after Manning did something Chiefs counterpart Alex Smith cannot, throwing a touchdown pass to an actual wide receiver. Manning hit Emmanuel Sanders to cash in a red zone opportunity, another battle lost by the Chiefs.

The Chiefs did a lot of things right. They really did. But when you continue to get nothing from the wide receivers, and the quarterback is as much of a reason why as the talent outside, there is precious little room for error from the rest of the team. Smith hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass to a wideout since finding Dwayne Bowe on Dec. 8, 2013.

Smith’s gun-shy nature shows in the red zone and on third down (0-for-7, the first time a home team hasn’t converted a third down since 2012), where the Chiefs once again struggled. It’s such a stark contrast from Manning, who goes for the throat with every red zone throw and doesn’t settle on third downs even though his arm is about 75% of what it used to be. Smith prefers to try and instill death by paper cut, but that’s an ineffective tactic when the opponent has a machete. 

$.05--Just when you thought it was safe to think the St. Louis Rams were ready to assume “playoff contender” status, Sunday happens. A week after looking ferocious in knocking off the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, Jeff Fisher’s team came out flat and got beat up by lowly Washington, 24-10.

The score probably should have been much worse. Washington completely dominated the first half. The Rams netted just 67 yards in the first half on 24 plays. They didn’t pass their own 40 yard line until the final drive of the half. By that point it was already 17-0 Washington thanks to a balanced offense and a decided lack of mistakes from Kirk Cousins. Rookie RB Matt Jones chugged out a 39-yard touchdown as the entire defensive line ran past him in the backfield. St. Louis looked very much like a team that expected to just show up and win.

This happens a lot with Jeff Fisher teams, especially after an impressive victory. In fact, it happened just last year, twice. After beating Seattle in Week 7, the Rams laid a giant egg and got thumped 34-7 in Kansas City. After a dominating upset of Denver, they followed with a whimpering loss to San Diego. It’s what Fisher’s teams do; he gets them fired up and prepared for the 3 or 4 big games on the schedule and they look like they could beat anyone, but the other games look like this one.

I liked what I saw from the Washington defense in this game. Other than a blown coverage on a long TD throw from Nick Foles to Kenny Britt, the D looked cohesive. Their front seven is among the fastest in the league and it showed in this game. Despite not getting much of a pass rush, the coverage held up. Granted the Rams passing attack isn’t very formidable, but it’s another step for a D that also played Miami tough in the opener. If Cousins can avoid the excruciating gaffes and heart-wrenching turnovers, Washington can be a surprise positive. 

$.06--I don’t know who the best team is right now, but I’m fairly certain the worst team in the league is the Chicago Bears. While they played reasonably well in the opener at home against rival Green Bay, they were completely outclassed from the opening kickoff in getting blown away 48-23. It was the most points ever surrendered at Soldier Field by the Bears, and that stadium predates the Great Depression.

Chicago fans are learning depression quickly with these Bears. Even on a day where Jay Cutler looked great, the team was overwhelmed by the franchise which fled town in 1959. Cutler was 8-of-9 for 120 yards and a TD, looking crisp and in command before he left with a hamstring injury (while trying to make a tackle on a Tony Jefferson INT) and did not return. David Johnson took the opening kickoff 108 yards for Arizona, and there was never really any doubt who was going to win after that.

The talent gulf between these two teams was as massive. This was the United States invading Panama in 1989, a one-sided humiliation. The Bears have a very good running back in Matt Forte. In Cutler, they have a quarterback who makes too many mistakes but at least threatens being good at times. They were without top wideout Alshon Jeffery for this one, highlighting just how anemic the talent level is beyond the offensive backfield. There wasn’t a single Bears offensive player outside of Forte in this game who would have started at the same spot for Arizona, and the Cardinals OL is one of the weaker units in all of football.

Sadly for Chicago, their offense is their better unit. The defensive front is quality with guys like Pernell McPhee and Lamarr Houston, though neither was a big factor in this one (zero sacks, 4 QB hits for the team). Their linebacking corps wouldn’t be in the top 3 in the SEC right now…and they’re more talented than the secondary, relatively speaking. There are communication issues, inexperienced players trying to learn a new scheme while often playing from behind the 8-ball. But other than rookie safety Adrian Amos and second-year LB Christian Jones, there is very little evident NFL-caliber talent in the back end.

Back in the draft lead-up, many people I know who cover the Bears on a daily basis were quietly admitting the team knew they needed a rebuild and had little chance to compete in 2015. With a new Head Coach in John Fox and GM in Ryan Pace, those around the team believed the team would take advantage of a grace period with the fans. Yet I get the sense they didn’t expect to be this bad. At 0-2 and with both losses at home, it’s not too early to start looking at what Chicago can do in the 2016 draft. They head to Seattle next week, the first of three road games in four weeks. If they don’t win at home in Week 4 against Oakland or in Detroit in Week 6, the Bears look like strong contenders for the #1 overall pick.

$.07--Two of the biggest losers from Week 1 both bounced back with resounding victories in Week 2. Cleveland and Tampa Bay lost their openers by a combined 73-24, and it became quickly fashionable to bury both as condemned to pick in the top 3 of the next draft.

Cleveland bounded back by destroying the same Tennessee team that whipped Tampa Bay a week earlier. Johnny Manziel was definitively better than Marcus Mariota, who made several rookie mistakes early, too many for the Titans to overcome. The Browns led 21-0 at halftime, the biggest lead they’ve held at intermission since their return to the league in 1999. Manziel threw a beauty deep strike to Travis Benjamin and squirreled his way to just enough plays to keep Cleveland moving. He wasn’t great and the offense bogged down late, but this is the Manziel the Browns need--a guy who can make big plays here and there.

Jameis Winston also looked a lot more like a legit NFL quarterback in his second try. A week after Mariota lit up Tampa’s defense and Winston struggled with accuracy and pressure, the Buccaneers flipped the script and stunned the Saints 26-19. The numbers aren’t flashy, 14-of-21 for 207 yards and one TD, but Winston didn’t turn the ball over. One play which stood out to me was his 1-yard TD run in the third quarter. It was a designed rollout with two route options on that side for Winston to survey. He stayed with the pass, eyes up and arm cocked to throw, until he was basically walking into the end zone. That’s a great sign in his development, a play Manziel (and Mariota for that matter) would be wise to emulate.

Fans of either team shouldn’t get too excited. Neither of these units is going to threaten the playoffs or win more than they lose the rest of the way. But Sunday was a positive day of real, tangible progress for the two young quarterbacks who are the only real hope fans have for these teams to escape the doldrums and sail up the standings sooner than later.

$.08--NFL Quickies

--I didn’t see one snap of it, but New England sure quieted Rex Ryan and the Bills. Props to Ryan for acknowledging in the postgame presser he talked too much and overhyped his team. Bill Belichick never makes that mistake, and the emphatic victory proves New England remains the kings of the AFC East.

--This is my favorite play from the day…

 

The Bengals are quietly 2-0 and have looked impressive in getting there, too.

--The Ravens, a team I forecasted to make the AFC Championship game, are 0-2 after losing in Oakland on a late David Carr TD that beat broken coverage. There is a lot broken with Baltimore right now, as this is the first season longtime coach John Harbaugh has opened 0-2. Two dumb penalties aided Oakland’s game-winning drive, but allowing almost 450 yards is so un-Raven that it’s hard to point just one finger.

--Mentioned it briefly above, but no team is playing better than the Arizona Cardinals with Carson Palmer at the helm. Palmer has been fantastic, throwing 7 TDs in two weeks. The only caveat here is level of competition. New Orleans last week and Chicago in Week 2 are two of the four worst defenses in the league, and those two teams might not combine for 8 wins. That’s not Arizona’s fault though. 

$.09--College/Draft quickies

--Ohio State squeaked past a game Northern Illinois 20-13. If last week’s flat performance against Hawaii wasn’t already an indicator, the Huskies game is a stark wake up call for Cardale Jones as a draft prospect. More like a cold shower in a poorly lit bathroom. Jones was once again erratic and careless, and this time it nearly cost the top-ranked Buckeyes. It’s time to rethink Jones as a potential first-round talent in 2016. He’s not even close to ready to lead a top college team, let alone be the face of a franchise in the NFL.

--He’s not draft eligible until 2017, but that didn’t stop scouts--both amateur and employed--from fawning over LSU RB Leonard Fournette. He destroyed Auburn, rushing for 228 yards and three TDs on just 19 carries. His first carry went for near 50 and Auburn’s defense never really looked all that enthused about trying to stop the dynamic New Orleans native. He runs with power and balance which suggests comparisons to Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson. Good luck slowing that down, SEC opponents…

--About that perceived SEC dominance: I covered it last week a bit, but it’s a complete fallacy to rate an entire conference. Teams must be viewed as individual entities. How does the SEC look now with Arkansas losing twice in a row, Auburn’s inept offense, Missouri winning 9-6 at UConn, Florida and Kentucky playing a decidedly ugly 14-9 affair and Ole Miss upsetting presumptive SEC kingpin Alabama for the second year in a row?

You will get no argument from me that LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama are three of the top 10 teams in the country. None. And Georgia has potential to be pretty strong too, especially after slaughtering South Carolina. That’s four legit top 20 teams. The last one standing out of that group--presuming it has no more than one loss--deserves to be in the College Football Playoff. But enough with the notion that the SEC is so far and away superior to the rest of the conferences.

--If you’re looking for a middle-round sleeper defensive end, check out Northwestern’s Dean Lowry. He’s a thick 6’6” with powerful, long arms and he knows how to use them. Lowry isn’t a speed rusher by any means, but he has a lot of qualities to his game similar to Colts rookie Henry Anderson. The latter was a better athlete at Stanford, but Lowry shows the same high motor, high football IQ and opportunistic effort. His Wildcats are 3-0 and deserve their #17 ranking, too.

--Congrats to the Furman Paladins, who upset UCF on Saturday to give the FCS level yet another win over an FBS team. Central Florida falls to 0-3 and ranks dead last in offense in FBS. Two years ago the Knights went 12-1 and beat Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl, one bad play against South Carolina away from being undefeated and perhaps playing for a national title. Now they just might be the worst FBS team in the country. Stunning fall.

--I spent Saturday evening at Grand Valley State, watching the Lakers host Ferris State in a battle of Division II heavyweights. Ferris features QB Jason Vander Laan, one of the most touted D-II prospects and a truly exciting performer.

Vander Laan was impressive, leading the Bulldogs to a 61-24 romp. He was responsible for 6 TDs, including three runs. It was a stellar collegiate performance. It does not, however, appear to translate into NFL ability at quarterback. I charted all his passes in the first half. More than half were quick-hit screens and outs that traveled less than 2 yards from the line in the air. Ferris State runs a version of Oregon’s up-tempo read option with the passing routes of Mike Leach thrown in. Vander Laan has a good arm with nice touch down the field, but his ball placement wasn’t great. He threw two INTs, one of which was a terrible lob pass in the red zone.

It’s been suggested Vander Laan move to fullback or perhaps safety at the next level. At 6’4” and a legit 230 pounds, fullback seems like a good option. I wouldn’t quash any NFL dream at QB--there is a lot to like and work with--but the reality is he’s not as skilled as Bryan Bennett was in the last draft from the same offensive style and Bennett couldn’t stick. Vander Laan is a tremendous college football player and I’m lucky to have seen him play in person.

$.10--The second GOP debate was Wednesday night, but I didn’t watch. I’m apparently one of the few that didn’t. Here’s why.

It is September of 2015. The election is in November of 2016. Of the 18 or so current candidates, only two will be left to choose from, one from each side. So much can happen in the remaining 14 months to the election. There are overseas crises in the Middle East, Ukraine and China Sea. Much of the nation is either in the midst of historic drought or deluges of precipitation, natural disasters all over the map. These issues, among many others, can radically change between now and November of next year. I just don’t see the point of getting all involved in a process where, when it comes my time to vote in a primary, 90% of the people on stage at these ridiculously early debates won’t even be on the ballot anymore.

Without getting too political, I am a fiercely independent voter. I think straight-ticket ballots should be illegal and those who utilize them are sheep willingly feeding the wolves. I do like that some issues are being discussed, even if the discussion points wind up being bastardized and wildly askew from any real resolution. In short, these debates (both Democratic and GOP) are largely pointless for the vast majority of Americans. How many viewers have ever been in an actual debate anyways? Do you even know what they’re supposed to be doing or how you want them to answer a specific question?

Judging from my social media feeds, the answer is no. Even some very intelligent people I care very deeply about are mystifyingly obtuse when it comes to contemporary politics in general and the debates in particular. And this saddens me, a former Civics teacher and avid debate researcher in high school.

My goal here is to convince you to think for yourself. See through the bluster and figure out if a particular candidate holds the same views you do on issues important to you. If asked, talk about it. If not asked, don’t. Otherwise, I don’t want anything to do with this election. It’s still well over a year away and I’m already burned out on the coverage. Heck, I’m burned out on the coverage of the coverage already. I promise you, this will be the last you read about the election here until it’s actually time to vote. I would encourage you to ask the same of everyone around you, too.