Season Record: 63-29
Not many games worth talking about this week. In fact, had it not been for my secret crush Tom Brady, this week would’ve sucked. Big time.
Still, as always, I have a lot to blather on about. So head on down below and take this Week 6 journey with me.
It’s actually not that serious…
Life is a Running Game
Speaking of ugly football. When you see a Packers’ scoreboard, you don’t really expect to see 19-17 as the final score. But credit goes to the Ravens defense for injuring two of Green Bay’s playmakers. And just so you guys know what I’m dealing with now, I drafted both Julio Jones and Randall Cobb in my fantasy $50 buy-in league. Yeah. What stood out about this game and why I want to spotlight it is the running game on each side of the ball. The Packers haven’t had a legitimate rushing attack since Ryan Grant (Jesus…), but Eddie Lacy looks like the real deal. Last week he rushed for 99 yards, and this week was able to eclipse that 100-yard mark on his way to 120. And against a pretty solid run defense, too.
On the other side, we have Ray Rice. I really don’t know what to make of him. But I can’t say it’s really his fault. Obviously giving him the ball 30+ times fixes nothing. His terrible season is a by-product of the Ravens’ inability to produce any sort of offense. Anquan Boldin is gone, Dennis Pitta is hurt, Torrey Smith isn’t a real No. 1 receiver, and Tandon Doss and Marlon Brown are nothing more than No. 3 or No. 4 options on any other team. Although I like the latter a lot. Without a good passing attack, you get Joe Flacco’s season so far. I don’t think he’s an elite QB. I don’t even think he’s a great QB. But he’s really good, and the weapons around him don’t help him show it. And, since Flacco can’t get shit going, Ray Rice averages 2.8 yards per carry.
The solution? Offensive line must improve. Create some running lanes for Rice and Bernard Pierce. That’ll open up play action and allow Flacco to show off his arm strength. Make defenses honest. If the o-line doesn’t improve, the Ravens are stuck being a mediocre team who can win big one game, and fall flat on their face the next.
Chip Kelly’s Offense is Here to Stay
So, the Bucs’ defense is pretty good. They’re a top-15 unit. Or somewhere around there. They have Darrelle Revis, shutdown corner. Gerald McCoy, lane clogger. An overall solid front seven and a pretty decent secondary. They held the Saints to just 16 points. I’m spewing all these numbers out just to show that Chip Kelly doesn’t give a flying fuck who he’s playing. His offense is going to put up numbers, even if Mike Vick isn’t around to run the ball. They have the No. 1 rushing offense, the No. 9 passing offense and are the fifth-highest scoring team in the league. They have a very favorable schedule, with the only tough defenses being Green Bay (I guess), Arizona and Chicago (to a certain extent). If they can get just a little bit of something from this defense, the Eagles will win the NFC East. Their offense is that good. Unfortunately, wishing for that defense to exist is a little much, but I think they could fight for a Wild Card spot if everything goes right.
Tom Brady is a God
Let me start this off by saying I’m sorry if you didn’t watch this game. What a spectacular game. The Pats fail on 4th down. Brady throws a pick on the next drive, which should’ve ended the game had Sean Payton maybe not been as conservative as he was (can’t blame him, though). The Pats get an unexpected third drive, and you what they say… Tom Brady will fuck you up on the third time. Tom (I’m calling him Tom from now on) was pretty much surgical on this drive. And with just five(?) seconds remaining, Brady throws a beautiful corner-of-the-endzone fade pass to Kenbrell Thompkins for the W.
But I don’t do game recaps.
The clear story here is Tom’s greatness and how he’s one of the best that ever did it. But something that may be just as big as that comeback win is Aqib Talib’s performance. This guy is playing like a true shutdown corner. He pretty much held Jimmy Graham from being anywhere on the box score (I say pretty much because Talib went out with injury, and so did Graham). But it’s not just Graham, Talib shut down Julio Jones (kind of) and A.J. Green, two of the league’s most dynamic and dominant receivers. Tip of the hat to Aqib who, if he keeps this up, will definitely find a home somewhere in the NFL.
Quick Bits
- The Texans are officially a bad team. Oh, and can we stop the Matt Schaub hate now? T.J. Yates is fucking terrible.
- The Bills’ QB position is cursed.
- R.I.P. Thad Lewis.
- Matt Flynn is not a solution.
- I feel so sad for the Bills.
Primetime Games
- Giants @ Bears
As much as I wanna talk about this game. I really don’t feel like it. It’s a little depressing. But why, iDre? Your Chicago Bears won you may be saying. And yes, My Chicago Bears won, but it was kind of an eye-opening experience. Probably one I should’ve had a few weeks ago. In fact, it is one I’ve had for about a week or two, but I was in pure denial. Our defense is really bad. Not just the guys in the trenches who can’t seem to get to the fucking quarterback. Not just anybody not named Lance Briggs in that linebacking corps. But that nice little secondary I’ve grown to love so much. They are so. Fucking. Mediocre. Unless they’re picking the ball off and returning it for TDs, they’re going to allow about 300 yards through the air. Guaranteed. I still like the Bears to make some playoff buzz going into the final weeks of the season, but unless something happens in that d-line, we aren’t going anywhere. #CutlerForPresident
- Redskins @ Cowboys
Can’t say I watched this game. So I’ll keep my mouth shut about it.
- Colts @ Chargers
I’m watching this game as I write this, and let me say this: Keenan Allen is pretty good. In fact, the Chargers’ offense is pretty solid as a whole. I almost switched my pick before the game started from the Colts to the Chargers, but figured the Colts would be able to make some big plays. The opportunities have definitely been there, but Darrius Heyward-Bey is so goddamn average that he dropped a would-be TD, and Coby Fleener dropped a pass in which he had nobody in front of him.
Holy shit I just saw Charlie Whitehurst. I think that’s when you call it a night.
I’m going to finish writing this before the game is done, but I’m going to say this either way.
Win or lose, the Colts’ offense was really bad, and it’s something to think about going forward as they face some tougher teams. San Diego’s defense is pretty bad, and as much as the Colts want to be a “power running team”, that style doesn’t fit their strengths. They don’t have the best offensive line, meaning there won’t be many lanes for Trent “I Don’t Know What a 20-Yard Run Is” Richardson. Andrew Luck is their best player. And they have some weapons in Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton. Obviously, they can’t throw it every down, but their focus should definitely be their passing.
The Chargers? Great job balancing out the offense and running the ball, gaining over 100 yards on the ground. Also, how do they manage to always have big receivers? Vincent Jackson, Vincent Brown, Malcom Floyd, Danario Alexander :(, Keenan Allen… My god… And I’m pretty sure I missed some.
Damn, I should’ve switched my pick.
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