It was a great weekend of football!

The schedule makers gave us tremendous football in the primetime windows. Thursday night, Friday night and Sunday night were down to the wire slugfests between teams that you know are going to be in the playoffs. And the quality of football was good. Sunday afternoon and Monday were a little different, but it was still great to see football return.

Offenses seem to be behind in their development this year. Which is weird because I can remember when the first two weeks of the season were always dominated by offenses while the defenses tried to catch up. I don’t think defenses this year are any better. Its the lack of practice and preseason minutes for many of the offensive superstars in the league. The timing is off. The passes are falling a little short or a little long. Once that rust comes off, things should get back to normal.

But for all the greatness of having a new NFL season, there is still an ugly sore spot that has reared its head again. News broke on Monday of another sexual assault allegation against Deshaun Watson. And it begs the question:

Is Deshaun Watson finally done in the NFL?

Here’s the thing, these are just allegations, nothing has been proven and Watson denies this completely. I’m not making any presumptions on his guilt or innocence. He was cleared of criminal contact in the previous 24 allegations. But he and the Houston Texans (the team he played for at the time) settled out of court with the women when civil charges were going to be filed. Because of those settlements, the league suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him five million dollars.

Cleveland paid him a fully guaranteed contract after trading for him. They did this after knowing about the accusations. It was the first time a contract was fully guaranteed. This is important because it means that the Browns can’t cut him without blowing up their salary cap.

But here’s the thing. Sometimes it takes a moment of courage to set things right. Watson hasn’t shown that he’s the same player he was in college since joining the Browns. He’s average, at best. Sunday he was wildly inaccurate and seemed completely disinterested in the game. He’s not worth the money they are paying him, and they know that. But their hands are tied because of all the guaranteed money. He’s also injury prone and obviously has a troubled life off the field. This isn’t a good look for the NFL.

There might be some relief trying to void parts of the contract, but ultimately, the Browns need to be done with Watson. If they can’t cut him, then send him home. Pay him to be a couch potato and move on with the team. They proved they can win without him last year, they can do it again this year. They just have to have the courage to do the right thing.

Stories I’m Following

Rookie quarterbacks did not do well. I’ll revisit this in a couple of weeks after we have a bigger sample size. Same with the coaching retreads. Few won, few lost. Let’s see what this looks like mid-season.

CeeDee Lamb, JaMarr Chase, and Brandon Aiyuk had drama filled offseasons over their contracts. Whether it was a hold out or hold in, they basically didn’t practice or get ready for the season. And it showed. None of them had a very big impact on their games. Training camp isn’t just about getting in shape.

These guys are all veterans. They’ve worked with their quarterbacks for years. But that chemistry has to be rebuilt every year. You can’t just jump out of bed and play wide receiver. At least, they better hope that’s true. These contracts are going to dry up fast if owners start thinking they can get production out of mid round draft picks that practice all offseason.

Don’t think it can happen? Just ask the running backs!

Week in Review

• What happened last week? Who were the big winners? The sorriest losers? Who surprised? Who showed us exactly who they are?
• Anthony Richardson looks like Josh Allen 2.0
• Bryce Young needs to carry a clipboard and watch football for a few games. He’s shell shocked and not developing on the field.
• Xavier Worthy Rookie of the Year?
• Why was Russell Wilson in full pads and uniform on the sideline even though he was inactive for the game?
• Marvin Harrison Jr. where are you?
• Teams need to start getting some kind of guarantee on field conditions before agreeing to play overseas. What we saw Friday night shouldn’t happen again.
• Do you grab the Washington Defense this week in Fantasy? I mean they have a better chance of getting a TD pass than any of the Giants receivers.
• Maybe Cincinnati should ask for their bye week to be Week 1 next year?
• Dynamic Kickoff? Field Goals instead of Touchdowns? Remember NFL this is football, not Futbol, let’s keep the kickers on the sidelines.
• Most Raiders fans expected them to be 1-1 after Week 2. They’ve just decided to do it the hard way.
• Can the hype around the rookie quarterbacks die down for a bit? Let’s give them a chance to learn how to throw the ball downfield before we anoint them as saviors.
• Maybe Coach Callahan can just have Levis be their punter, then he’d be a dual threat and no one will know what play they are calling? Could be a run, could be an incomplete pass, could be a thirty yard punt.
• Van Ginkel – the man, the myth, the legend.
• Travis Etienne Jr’s days as the starter may be numbered.
• For all the talk about the weapons the Bears added for Caleb Williams, the Commanders offense with Jayden Daniels performed better. Bo Nix and the Broncos played better. Offensive coaching talent matters.
• Kenneth Walker III has a career in professional wrestling waiting for him when he’s done in the NFL
• CJ Stroud to Nico Collins on the sideline to clinch the game. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.
• TJ Watt, Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby. Maybe it’s the double letters in the name that makes them so good?

Power Rankings

10. Miami
    Boy I struggled to figure out who should be left off this list. But Miami showed some grit and came back against a team that I think will be competing for a playoff spot at the end of the year. There’s so much talent here, but Tua needs to be more accurate going forward.
11. Tampa Bay
    We may find out later that Washington doesn’t have a very good defense, but for right now, Baker Mayfield might have had the best game of Week 1. If this offense continues to play like it did on Sunday, this is going to be a very tough team to beat.
12. Houston
    Houston is young and exciting. They have weapons on both sides of the ball and are well coached. On Sunday they were the most balanced team I saw, being able to control the tempo with their run game and then getting big plays from the passing game.
13. Philadelphia
    Lots of questions all offseason about who this Eagles team was going to turn out to be. Well, we learned the offense is much improved. The defense still has a ways to go.
14. Dallas
    The big questions about Dallas were the offensive line and the running game. Both held up against a strong Cleveland defense.
15. Baltimore
    Don’t like the comments coming from Coach Harbaugh that they didn’t bring Henry in to give him the ball 30 times a game. Uh, yeah you did. That’s his game. He beats down defenses in the first half and breaks off big runs in the second half. Baltimore needs to figure out their identity.
16. Buffalo
    Catch-22 for the Bills. If Josh Allen keeps playing like this he’s going to get hurt. But the Bills can’t win without him making those plays.
17. San Francisco
    Is there another team out there that can win decisively without their best player? This could be the year Purdy starts getting some respect for being a winner.
18. Detroit
    There’s the flashy plays, the speedsters, the big throws. But when it’s overtime and you want to make a point to the rest of the league – you hand it off to David Montgomery and let him power you down the field and show the world how this Lions team is built different.
19. Kansas City
    Please, someone beat this team so I don’t have to keep finding nice things to say about them. C’mon!

MVP Watch

Who are the players making the best case for the MVP award this year?

5. Tyreek Hill – speed, yards, targets = record breaking season?
6. Saquon Barkley – compete for total TD leader?
7. TJ Watt – Is there a more destructive force in the NFL?
8. Josh Allen – Is there a more difficult person to defend in the NFL?
9. Patrick Mahomes – Still the best player on the best team.

Fantasy Focus

Best Plays for Week 2

Quarterback

I love Jared Goff against Tampa Bay this week. The Buccaneers secondary took a huge hit against Washington and they could be playing with several backups this week.

I also think Dak Prescott is primed for a big weekend. The Saints weren’t really challenged in Week 1, and they are due for a regression. CeeDee Lamb is also going to have another week of practice which will help them get their timing down.

Running Back

The Green Bay defense was porous Friday night and gave up huge numbers in the running game. That’s great news for Jonathan Taylor. The game script might not call for a lot of offense this week with Jordan Love out. The Colts should look to play ball control and pound the Packers defense with the run.

Isiah Pacheco has a good matchup against Cincinnati too. The Patriots were able to control the line of scrimmage all game against the Bengals. The Chiefs O-Line will do the same. Pacheco could end up with 2-3 touchdowns in this game.

Wide Receiver

I know Mike Evans already had a monster game in Week 1, but I think he continues his hot streak into Week 2. The Tampa Bay/Detroit game should be a high scoring shootout so there will be lots of opportunity for scoring on both sides of the football.

Jaylen Waddle is an underrated option tonight in Miami. With Mostert out and Achane limited, Miami is going to be looking for creative ways to get yards on the ground. While Tyreek is the deep threat, Waddle tends to get the random end around and bubble screen options. I could see Waddle lining up in the backfield some just to help Tua with outlet passes and screens.

Tight End

Colby Parkinson might not be a household name, but he has a chance to put up very solid numbers over the next few weeks. With Puka Nakua out, Parkinson can step in and absorb those targets. Someone is going to have to step up and take pressure off Cooper Kupp in the passing game, and Parkinson is firmly set as the number one tight end on the Rams.

Warning Signs

All Carolina players. You know why.

Rookie quarterbacks and the wide receivers for rookie quarterbacks.

Teams from Ohio.

Weekly Predictions

Buffalo at Miami
Short week and both teams are a little banged up. There aren’t going to be any surprises here, these teams know each other well. Probably a close game, but I trust Josh Allen in the fourth quarter more than I trust Tua. BUF 23 – MIA 20

New Orleans at Dallas
We’ll see how well the Saints’ passing game works when it faces a real defense. The Dallas offense will benefit from a few short fields as the defense dominates again. DAL 31 – NO 13

Indianapolis at Green Bay
Without Jordan Love running the offense, Green Bay is going to lean heavily on Josh Jacobs. But I think Indianapolis is going to continue to hit big plays through the air. Couple that with the fact that Green Bay’s defense was not good against the run, and this could be a big win for the Colts. IND 22 – GB 17

New York Jets at Tennessee
Bounce back game for the Jets. The Tennessee offense did not look good at all during the second half in Chicago. This is going to be an ugly game that won’t help Jets fans feel better about the offense. But a win is a win, right? NYJ 19 – TEN 10

San Francisco at Minnesota
Does Sam Darnold have any insider information that can help his new team against his old one? Even if they know what’s coming, I don’t think the Vikings have the talent to stop it. This game could be a defensive struggle for both teams, I’m not expecting a lot of scoring here. SF 17 – MIN 13

Seattle at New England
Last week New England surprised Cincinnati by being more physical and dominating the line of scrimmage. This Seattle team is not going to get pushed around the same way. Look for Seattle to impose its will in the second half and escape the East Coast with a win. SEA 27 – NE 20

New York Giants at Washington
I think both teams are coming in to this game with the confidence that they can win. They shouldn’t. Neither team proved very much in their first game. Whichever quarterback manages to make the fewest mistakes will likely come away with the victory. WAS 25 – NYG 18

Los Angeles Chargers at Carolina
The best thing about Carolina’s performance on Sunday is that the coaches probably burned the film and none of the players will have to relive it. The problem is, the Chargers’ pass rush is better than what they faced against New Orleans last week. Expect another stinker Panthers fans. LAC 23 – CAR 6

Cleveland at Jacksonville
Can the Browns block out the off field distractions this week? Can Jacksonville’s offense get out of neutral? This is a rough matchup for two teams who need a win this week. I think the Jaguars defense is going to hold up and make a late play (strip sack, interception, 4th down stop) that ends up winning the game. JAX 23 – CLE 20

Las Vegas at Baltimore
How do the Raiders win this game? Tre Tucker has to have a big game. Speed downfield was a problem for the Baltimore defense. The running game has to favor the Raiders too. Lots of ball control and being stout on defense. But let’s be real on this. Baltimore is playing mad. They feel like they should have beaten Kansas City, they are more rested, and they are more talented. This game is not going to be easy to watch. BAL 31 – LV 17

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona
How is it possible that the Arizona coaching staff couldn’t script a few catches for their number one draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr? Look for that to be corrected against the Rams this week. This will be another close game for the Rams, but this time they finish off the comeback. LAR 34 – ARI 31

Pittsburgh at Denver
Chris Boswell hit six field goals in Week 1, three of which were from 50+ yards. In the thin air of Denver, I expect Pittsburgh to rely on their kicker again. The question will be can Justin Fields get them in the end zone this week? I think so. I also think TJ Watt comes out of this game with 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. PIT 19 – DEN 16

Cincinnati at Kansas City
The Bengals didn’t look good. Burrow wasn’t finding open receivers, and the running game is anemic with Joe Mixon now in Houston. That said, this is the annual visit to Arrowhead and for some reason Burrow and Co. have had a lot of success lately there. Not this year though, Kansas City is going to win this one a little to easily. KC 38 – CIN 22

Chicago at Houston
Caleb Williams’ performance can only go up from last week. But the Bears aren’t playing against the Titans this time. They are playing a real grown up team, with a great quarterback and elite weapons on offense. This will be a good learning experience for Williams as he watches CJ Stroud torch the Bears defense. HOU 31 – CHI 16

Atlanta at Philadelphia
The Eagles defense might be exactly what the Falcons need to get their offense on track. Cousins’ mobility was an issue last week. He’s better as a play action quarterback which means taking the ball from under center and being mobile in the pocket. Until he’s able to do that, this offense isn’t going to reach its potential. The Eagles offense won’t have that problem. PHI 29 – ATL 20

Game of the week:

Tampa Bay at Detroit
This game has the potential to be the highest scoring game of the week. Two very powerful offenses squaring off against each other. Both teams looking to build on impressive Week 1 wins. It’s not on primetime which is why I want to give it a little extra attention. In terms of entertainment value, this could be the best game of the week.

Baker Mayfield had a great game on Sunday. He looks like he’s comfortable and in total command of this offense. Mike Williams showed why he’s being considered a future Hall of Fame player and the running game showed some juice against the Commanders. The question mark on this team is the defense. They are banged up. If the Buccaneers are going to win this game they will need to lean more heavily on the run game and a ball control offense. They need to protect their defense and try to shorten the game. If they get into a shootout with Detroit, they will struggle to win.

The balance in Detroit’s offense lets them decide how they want to attack defenses. Do they want to play power football? Montgomery runs the ball hard and they have LaPorta as a physical tight end/receiver. Or do they want to use their athleticism? Gibbs, St. Brown, and Williams can beat defenses with speed. I’m thinking Goff is looking forward to testing the Tampa Bay secondary early and often.

Playing on the turf in the dome, I think speed is going to be the order of the day. We’ll see both teams move the ball up and down the field. Punters will likely get the day off on Sunday. Detroit’s defense will force one or two turnovers and that will be the difference in the game. DET 38 – TB 33

Week 2 scheduling is a little weird, SF, SEA, LV, and LAC all having to travel east for the early window game. Always a struggle, we’ll see how well they fair. Good luck to all of the fanbases out there, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out the Gridiron Voice Podcast!