Week 1 was full of surprises as usual. It was also full of confirmation of things we thought were true. Let’s analyze.
The Browns still have work to do. A lot of blame is being assigned to the typhoon over Northeast Ohio on Sunday, and rightfully so. But the Browns are still not a good team. They didn’t take advantage of some sweet opportunities presented to them. Several penalties killed drives. The kicking game isn’t too good. Some receivers have the yips. But this is definitely a better team than their last two. They have to learn to close if they want to get to 5-6 wins.
Jon Gruden is still crazy, and the Raiders still suck. I don’t know what was going on with the whole Khalil Mack saga, but if the Raiders don’t get 4 Hall of Fame players with those draft picks, they are big losers in the trade. The defense was bad last year, and it’s really bad without Mack. Chucky can try all the tricks he has, and he’s still going to have a hard time getting this team more than the 6 wins it got last year.
What also sucks is being a Cowboys fan. In a way, I feel for them. Every year, no matter what the construction of the coaching staff or roster is, all the talking heads are convinced this is the year that they are going back to the Super Bowl. Then actual games begin, and it becomes so obvious that Jerry Jones has everyone in the media drinking poison Kool-Aid. When Cole Beasley is the only reliable receiver you have, you’re not going very far.
Matt Patricia isn’t a magician.Wow, what a terrible third quarter in Detroit! It was the Jets that looked like they were built by a defensive mastermind (wait a minute, they were). Every time a team hires a former Patriots coach for themselves, they expect to be transformed into the Patriots. This one will take some time.
Fool me once… One would think Sean McDermott would always have that first half against the Chargers last year burned into his brain, and would never entrust his offense to Nathan Peterman. Yet there was the Buffalo, NC head coach giving Peterman the keys to the car again, and he wrecked it even worse than he did the first time. If he has any sense about him, Peterman will never see the field again.
Power Rankings:
1. Philadelphia
2. LA Rams
3. Tampa Bay
4. New England
5. Minnesota
6. Kansas City
7. NY Jets
8. Carolina
9. Jacksonville
10.Baltimore
11.Washington
12.Atlanta
13.Green Bay
14.Chicago
15.Cincinnati
16.Miami
17.Denver
18.San Francisco
19.Indianapolis
20.Seattle
21.LA Chargers
22.Houston
23.Tennessee
24.Dallas
25.New Orleans
26.Pittsburgh
27.Cleveland
28.Arizona
29.NY Giants
30.Oakland
31.Detroit
32.Buffalo
These rankings are based on 2018 performance only. Past performance and 2018 expectations play absolutely no role. So expect wild fluctuations next week (and probably the 3 weeks after that).
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