Tuesday's Ten Things we Learned in the NFL Week 2: Wednesday Edition

Taking a different path this week, as off the field issues seem to be dominating the headlines and I don't want to get bogged down permanently by that sort of topic. I'll be posting a new segment here on GridIronic called Off the Grid, to focus on off the field issues and societal situations relating to, but not necessarily ABOUT, NFL Football. But more on that in just a bit- Here's your Ten Things we Learned in the NFL This Week... 1. The Saints (0-2)are kicking themselves for letting Darren Sproles get away. In case you missed it on Monday night, Sproles exploded all over a completely unequipped Colts defense for 97 yards and two touchdowns on only 15 carries. Yes, you read that right. And he's their secondary running threat behind Shady McCoy. I said that the NFC East was a lock for these Eagles (2-0), and I meant it. 2. New Orleans on the other hand, they are inexplicably 0-2 and are apparently missing the threat that Sproles provides in the backfield. What threat you ask? The guy is ten years into his career and 5'6" tall. Try getting a hand on a Tazmanian devil, much less tackle one. That's the type of player Sproles is and Chip Kelly knows exactly how to use him in Philly. The Saints looked woeful, dropping a game to the Browns (1-1) thanks in part to an ill-advised pick 6 thrown by the normally steady Drew Brees. 3. The Bills (2-0) have legit wins over two legit teams and sit alone atop the AFC East. Will it last? Frankly, they look good, but I'm not sure. E.J. Manuel looks serviceable, and was reasonably efficient against a Miami (1-1) defense that did well stifling Tom Brady and the Pats after the first half, but the Dolphins lost their key offensive threat in Knowshon Moreno in the first quarter, leaving Ryan Tannehill to carry the load and he simply isn't capable of doing it by himself against a much improved Buffalo defense. I think the Bills will show what they really are in a tough game against the Chargers this weekend. 4. Speaking of the Chargers(1-1), while they didn't "go after" Richard Sherman as some boasted, they did show how time of possession, efficiency and being error free can stymie the champion Seahawks(1-1). Phillip Rivers to Antonio Gates is the password here. 3TD's and just under 100 yards from the duo. Seattle's offense played well, but simply didn't have time to keep pace with River's possession offense that never slipped. So here's your takeaway, and its no secret. If you want to beat the Seahawks...be perfect. Best of luck with that. 5. The NFL has shown some wisdom in revamping its drug policy to focus on performance enhancers. Wes Welker will be back in uniform immediately for the Broncos, while Josh Gordon's suspension was reduced to ten games. I know he led the league in receiving yards last year, despite giving everyone, Megatron included, a two game head start, but something tells me that 6 games won't be enough for him to repeat as the games leading pass catcher. Bryan Hoyer is silently dancing a jig somewhere though. 6. The Chiefs (0-2) almost took the AFC West leading Broncos (2-0) down a peg after hanging with Peyton & company from start to finish despite KC QB Alex Smith throwing zero TD's. None. People in KC get rankled when you call him a game manager, but that's what he is... It came down to the final seconds with the ball in Alex Smith's hands and a chance to tie the game, but in the end, Alex Smith is Alex Smith and that's why he's not the QB for the San Francisco 49ers anymore. 7. Speaking of the 49ers (1-1), new QB Colin Kaepernick had easily his worst performance since taking over for Smith against the Bears(1-1), throwing 3 interceptions and garnering a healthy fine for abusive language on the field. I can't really blame him though, the Niners defense is NOT what it has been for the past few years and the fourth quarter double digit lead should have been safe. 21 unanswered points later, people are again asking if Jay Cutler is THE MAN in Chicago... 8. He's not. Jay Cutler is still just a middle of the pack guy at QB, and Brandon Marshall can make anyone look good, though I will award him some tough guy points. Well deserved points at that, given that Cutler continued to play after Quentin Dial tried to kill him with his helmet. 9. RGIII is made of glass. There, I said it. His slight frame was a point of concern for several teams when he was drafted, especially since his mobility and the threat of him running improves his throwing options significantly. This time around, he dislocated an ankle before his first pass attempt, creating the opportunity for Kirk Cousins, who shredded the hapless Jaguars (0-2). Cousins was very solid, putting up 41 pts and winning a game that had to be won by Washington (1-1). Will Cousins be the face of the franchise? I'm not sure, but I have a feeling he might make this a difficult decision. 10. Man, the Bengals (2-0) defense looked great this weekend, tearing apart the Falcons (1-1) and laying claim to the top spot in the AFC North. They made Matt Ryan look worse than he actually was with three athletic and skillful interceptions that made the game a no doubter for Cincinnati. That offense is good, but not gaudy, and I'm not entirely sure I trust Andy Dalton with the game on the line (he's a ginger, they have no souls) but with a defense that strong and savvy, he might well be enough for a deep playoff run.