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Sports 'N Stuff : NFL Week 2 — Surprise and DisappointmentBy Brian Flagg - September 16, 2008
iBerkshires Columnist
Wow! Two weeks are in the books in the NFL and there is a ton of excitement, disappointment and surprise already. I made some picks in my last column and many of those were destroyed after Week 1 (big surprise, huh?).
The biggest newsworthy event already was that of Tom Brady and his Week 1 departure from the rest of the season. He was hit low in the first half during the Pats game against the Chiefs and is now out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
This is probably one of the most season-changing events leaguewide that I have ever witnessed. Not only does this knock the Patriots out of the favorite spot to win the Super Bowl, but it also gives the rest of the AFC East a shot, a real shot, at winning that division.
Yes, the Patriots are 2-0 but they are not the same dominant team they are with Brady at the helm. At best, the Pats can hope for a wild-card berth in the playoffs. I truly think this division is going to be won now by the Bills by a game over the Pats. Anyone who has watched the first two weeks can see that New England is going to struggle as the season wears on and will miss that veteran, gutsy guy that knows how to win big games.
The San Diego Chargers were another team favored to win it all. They had a heartbreaking loss in Week 1 to the Panthers on a last-second play and were gypped on a fumble against the Broncos during Week 2 that eventually led to the Broncos scoring and beating them by one point. Thus, the Chargers start 0-2 and fall two games behind the Broncos in the AFC West, which could wind up being huge near season's end.
And then there is the team who is the biggest surprise so far. You guessed it - it's those Denver Broncos. They started the season with serious doubts on the defensive side of the ball. They ended last season ranked 30th on defense and didn't make any significant off season moves to shore it up.
Well, at least so far, that doesn't matter. With a seriously potent offense they lead the NFL in scoring and have a two-game lead in their division. Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokely and Tony Scheffler are showing prowess through the air while the running game still continues be one of the most effective in the NFL. After two weeks, they look like a team that could contend for a division crown.
The defense needs to improve, though, if they want to go further.
 With all this and A LOT more happening where does this leave us? Here are some quick points to look at going forward through the season:
The Packers ARE going to be OK without Brett Favre. Aaron Rodgers is better than I thought and they should win that division.
The Jets are still NOT good with Brett Favre.
The Patriots will not win the AFC East or the Super Bowl without Tom Brady but could still contend for a playoff spot.
The best team in football after Week 2 is the Dallas Cowboys.
Finally, there will a new champ in the AFC.
Brian Flagg is the president and co-chairman of the Fall Foliage Charity Bed Race. He was co-host of "The Sports Page" on local public access stations for nearly five years. The North Adams resident has been coaching girls' basketball and softball for 16 years. |
| Jim, that is the danger with building a team around the success of a single player. That offense was built for Tom Brady. Randy Moss came there to play WITH Tom Brady. I would even go as far as to say to keep an eye on Moss. Typically when things go wrong he is the first guy to lsoe his head. | | from: Brian | on: 09-23-2008 |
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| Boy was I wrong, I take back my previous comment. The Patriots are terrible especially the Defense and Offensive Line. | | from: Jim | on: 09-21-2008 |
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Brian,
I would have to disagree with you regarding the AFC East. I still think the Pats will win that division even without Tom Brady. In the early going Buffalo does look tough but I do not see them overtaking the Pats not this year. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be surpised to see New England in the AFC Championship game again.
| | from: Jim | on: 09-19-2008 |
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