Monday morning 2017 NFL recap week #2

Didn't get the call for the gathering from my buddy who most likely needed some peace and quiet after Irma. Watched via the laptop after all sorts of hot wiring with initials I didn't understand and tunneling with bears. Don't ask. My husband is an electronic guru.

Steelers:

• The Steelers honored their late chairman Dan Rooney before the game with a tribute video and an erected flag with his initials inside a black and gold shamrock in recognition of his work as the US ambassador to Ireland. No way you lose a game after that.
• Before kickoff, the Vikings pulled quarterback Sam Bradford due to a swollen knee or some such other medical term. He was on Heinz Field in a Viking sweatshirt in the 83 degree weather so I'm thinking something was also wrong upstairs. A sweatshirt? Mike Tomlin's long sleeved black shirt was bad enough, but a sweatshirt? Minnesota boys not use to hot weather.
• Welcome back Martavis Bryant. No better way to shake off the dust than a touchdown to start things off. He scored on a cut to the middle, with a shimmy and a shake fake, and then nothing but clear field to the end zone.
• Ben's offensive line had issues this week holding the Vikings. And then one by one the heat began to affect them. Psst. Boys, you live in that heat! Those Minnesota boys were wearing sweatshirts! Suck it up and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
• P-e-n-a-l-i-t-i-e-s. Seriously? Again? What are we five?
• My friend texted me that the Steelers defense sucked, but I disagreed. The defense helped win that game more than the offense and that's also how we won last week. Cam Heyward and Bud Dupree and Ryan Shazier were stellar. 
• Our offense has yet to explode and I told my Steelers buddy to mark that down because they will. Once they gel, the offense is going to blow. I feel it coming. Da Bears should be worried.
• Oh, and Jerome Bettis liked my tweet. 

Other:

• The weird news to start off week #2 was the news that former Steelers linebacker, now with the Miami Dolphins, went AWOL from the team Saturday night and missed the game against the Chargers, ending his 101 consecutive streak of starts. Timmons was one of those I hated to lose this year, having been drafted by the Steelers. He played ten seasons for Pittsburgh, but money and age had him going to the Dolphins despite his 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, five pass deflections and one forced fumble in 2016.
• Andrew Luck  is still not healthy and it is like he won't be for another four to five weeks? Yikes. Most teams have been there at one time or another, but I enjoyed the innuendos of the Fox NFL Sunday crew with a reminder of how the Colts owners treat their injured quarterbacks.  
• At that leads into a nice segue to Peyton Manning. How hilarious are his Direct TV commercials? Also loved the Fox NFL Sunday crew's comments about how one day they wouldn't be surprised to see Manning high up in the NFL or even as commissioner. Oh, I'd vote him in right now!
• Ravens Joe Flacco threw his eighth straight game with an interception that tied a NFL record held by Phillip Rivers. Baltimore won the game and Flacco has a ring so I don't think that record is much of a bloop to him.
• Someone needs to tell receivers to just run after they get a ball. Too many of them keep looking behind them like my swimmers use to do in the pool. Then they want to do that stiff arm thing like that is going to do much. Just look toward your end zone and run, dammit.
• Season ending injuries as always. The Ravens lost a lineman and the Panthers lost their tight end. Neither were on my fantasy team. Is that terrible to think? And can we not do something about these groin injuries?
• Marshawn Lynch was in full beast mode back from retirement. A local Oakland boy who made good, he hit his hometown passing out free Skittles to fans, rushing past defenders, and making fun of his old team by being called upon to carry the ball with Carr yelling, "Seattle". A year of rest did more for him than it did for Jay Cutler.
• The Chargers wanted to go for it on 4th and 1 in the first quarter against Miami, surprising the Dolphins who had to scurry, scurry back out on to the field. We all waited and watched, wondering what was happening when Chargers QB Philip Rivers didn't move the ball. Turns out his center Spencer Pulley screwed up. Audio picked up Rivers telling him, "I goosed you, we had a gimme sneak." Don't hear that often on national television.
• Denver had lightning in the area and so their game against the Cowboys was delayed. Nice to know the NFL cares about weather.
• NFL Network's RedZone dude, Scott Hanson, had a snicker-snicker moment with the Dolphins' Jay Cutler who over threw a pass wide right that practically went into the stands. "Jay Cutler, out of the broadcast booth, how big is that arm still? Weeellll, not really that accurate. Look out! Look out! Charger cheerleaders on the sideline had a shot at that one. None of the players did." I snickered.