Monday, September 22, 2014

NFL Monday morning recap - week 3

Steelers - Whew! For most of the game a minute there I was worried.

Penalties - Just once I would like to not have to address this every recap. This is always a current theme in the post conferences too. When will it not be? When we this get taken care of by the coaching staff? When will the players listen?

Running - The play calling still drives me nuts. Am I the only one that sees a need for Ben to throw? Am I the only one who notices that when Ben does throw that we move down the field toward the end zone? Yes, we had two big running plays, but that wasn't until the second half. Please, let's let more passing into our game.

Running - Le'Veon Bell ran for 147 yards and LeGarrette Bloung ran for 118. Been a long time since that has happened in a game. Now lets hope that those two didn't go out last night and celebrate their huge runs and maybe we can continue with the big runs (mixed with some Big Ben passing).

Catches - Huge catches were made yesterday in a lot of the games with the receivers doing a hell of a job dragging their feet. Antonio Brown was one of them.

Jumping - LeGarrette Blount tried to jump over tackles not once, but twice. Who thinks this is a good idea? Was he not watching after /Brown's week one fiasco? Does he not follow social media? The media? Stop already with that nonsense.

Big Ben - Another huge play by the big guy. He fooled everyone, including NBC's camera guy, when he did a pump fake to the left side of the end zone. By the time the defense had recovered he was scrambling, getting away from one defender, before heaving to the right side of the end zone for the touchdown.

Toughness - When the going gets tough the Steelers can't seem to rally. Ike Taylor went down with what appears to be a broken arm, snapped in two by our man, and the team just deflated. We have got to pull from those kind of situations; dig deep and win one for the injured man. Without the huge penalty down at our ten yard line and the fumble in the end zone by the Panthers, I'm not sure we would have pulled that game out.

Final Thought - So glad we don't have Jonathan Dwyer as our running back any more.

Other

Safety - Explain to me the play calling of a run when your team is deep in the end zone? I knew when the Packers were lined up that the Lions were going to sack Aaron Rogers for a safety. I was right on the safety, but wrong on the method. Probably because I never think a team can be that nuts. Yet they are. The Steelers call that play often too. WHAT?

Matthew Stafford - I mentioned last year how I liked watching this guy and he didn't disappoint me yesterday. He has no fear, I swear. It is like watching a kid play backyard football. He has confidence. He has the eye. He yells at his line when protection breaks down. He runs. And he can throw rockets when needed. Fun to watch. 

Rams - They must have watched the Falcons play on Thursday night. Unfortunately, they weren't playing the Bucs. 

Injuries - Is it just me or does it seem like the bodies are piling up sooner and faster than normal? And the major injuries are hitting major players. Yesterday Matt Cassell and De'Angelo Hall were carted off the field. A hit to Philly's quarterback Nick Foles started a fight. The Ravens Dennis Pitta went down on his own. The Steelers lost veteran Ike Taylor. The list goes on and on...

Julius Peppers - He came out after halftime to play some ball. He gave Stafford a hard time sacking him and forcing a fumble. Too bad the rest of his team didn't get the same message. 

Nick Foles -Like Stafford, he is young, reckless, confident and tough as nails. And the Eagles are undefeated for like the first time in a hundred years. 

Fantasy football - Suddenly this is as serious in the media as the real thing. I mean the football analysts are giving fantasy advice in between real analyzing. I caught the NFL Network guy saying he would sit out Peyton Manning, and I thought he had had a stroke on camera until I realized he was talking fantasy football. I hope whoever invented that nonsense is making some money. I prefer to stick with the real thing. 

Peyton Manning - I tweeted that even making interceptions there is no one better. How great was his run down the field to tie up the game and force an OT? Have I mentioned how much I love him?

Russell Wilson - He was the only one on the sidelines that knew Manning was going to tie it. He was already in the OT and thinking through what he needed to do. Then he went out and did it almost singlehandedly. 

Talib - I couldn't believe that Denver took this guy. Of course, that was prior to all the NFL drama. Wait and he'll be the next guy sitting out and collecting a paycheck. His penalty at the end of the game in front of the official wasn't anything new to us Tampa Bucs followers.

Terry Bradshaw - His son-in-law, former Tennessee Titan kicker Rob Bironas, died Saturday in a car crash less than a mile from home. Bradshaw was not on Fox's pregame show, flying instead to be with his daughter. I'm sorry for his family. They have had their share of deaths.

Roger Goodell - He takes a licking and insists on continuing in his role as NFL commissioner. I didn't see his press conference this week until afterwards, but he just doesn't get it, does he? He needs a public relations guy to work with him on meekness. 


No comments:

Post a Comment