News, Notes & Rumors Week 5

nfl

 

 

News:

Ex Bucs QB Josh Freeman was signed by the Vikings on a 1 year deal.  At least in Vikes land he will have a great running game.

 

The new starting QB for the Bills is former Browns QB Thad Lewis.  He has had only one start (Browns) and threw a TD and a pick.  He ended the game with a QB rating of 83.3.

 

After Terrelle Pryor led the Raiders to a win over the Chargers, the team cut QB Matt Flynn.

 

Pats QB Tom Brady’s streak of 52 games with a TD pass was broken Sunday by the Bengal D.

 

Notes:

Bengals 13 Patriots 6 – The NFL would like to thank those of you that slept without snoring.  That would have disturbed the others nodding off.  I would like to say that the game was a result of two great defensive efforts but it was two inept offenses that caused the napping.   The first quarter ended with Bengals QB Andy Dalton throwing a horrible pick to LB Brandon Spikes on the Pats’ 8 yard line.  That says it all.

 

Broncos 51 Cowboys 48 – Things started so well for the Cowgirls. Late in the first they were up 14-0. But in the end QB Tony Romo threw a pick in the last 3 minutes of the game that gave Denver a chance to win the game with a field goal.  Despite over 500 yards passing by Romo, it seems like he always does just enough wrong to help the other team win.  The Bronco D is not the overwhelming force some thought.  Again this year they will go as far as QB Payton Manning takes them.

 

Cardinals 22 Panthers 6 – Carolina QB Cam Newton threw 3 picks and lost a fumble which totally ended any chance they had to win.  The Panther defense is solid but Newton is not getting the offense going.  The Panthers have not beaten a good team yet and the team has to wonder about the development of Newton.  Cards QB Carson Palmer threw three picks as well and two were in the Panther end zone.  Both defenses played well enough to win but Cards did just enough on offense to win.

 

Chiefs 26 Titans 17 – The Chiefs are 5-0 but QB Alex Smith is not a guy that can carry a team to a championship.  He did enough to get the Chiefs this win.  He is too conservative and does not have the arm to make the big throws.  He was 20 for 39 against a very average Titan D.  RB Jamaal Charles is the real thing even at just 200 pounds.  He is a three down back that can catch and run equally well but only when he is healthy.  Titan QB Ryan Fitzpatrick threw one more pick than Smith did.  The Titans don’t have enough fire power to win a big game.  Fitzpatrick was getting the ball in the hands of the receivers but they kept dropping it.

 

Raiders 27 Chargers 17 – Raider QB Terrelle Pryor used his arm and legs to build a lead that the Chargers could not overcome.  He threw 2 TDs without a pick.  In trying to play catch up Charger QB Philip Rivers threw three interceptions.  That was uncharacteristic of him his year but the picks did in the Chargers.

 

49ers 34 Texans 3 – Texans QB Matt Schaub threw three interceptions including a pick 6 and a lost fumble.  While the 49er offense looked mundane at best, it did enough to take advantage of the Schaub gifts.  The 49ers are struggling with the O line and inability of receivers to get open.  The biggest issue of the Texans is QB Schaub.

 

Colts 34 Seahawks 28 – Perhaps the biggest mess in the NFL is the O line of the Hawks.  The only reasons the team has been able to go 4-0 is the great play of RB Marshawn Lynch QB Russell Wilson and a very good defense.  The D failed them against a great effort by Colt QB Andrew Luck.  Luck brought the Colts back from a 10-0 early deficit and led the team to the win.  The Colt D is much better this year.

 

 

 

 

Rumors:

More than a few people are wondering why the Patriots did not improve their receiving crew sooner.  When QB Tom Brady agreed to restructure his deal I am sure he assumed that the freed up cap space would be used to get him some veteran help.  Not only did he not get help, management let his best receiver Wes Welker go in free agency.  This team cannot win with the group they have now.  Even when their receivers get healthy, this team is doomed to fail in the playoffs.

 

Brady is struggling not only with drops but also with accuracy.  A number of his incompletions were not catchable.  It could be he is starting to show his age.  It is more likely that he is suffering with an inconsistent line and receiver group.

 

With Texans QB Schaub setting a league record with interceptions returned for TDs in four straight games, the Texans have to wonder about the future of their 66 million dollar guy.  Schaub has never been able to advance in the playoffs beyond beating the Bengals.  The Texans don’t have a legitimate replacement so they will live (and the GM and HC will die) with Schaub.

 

There are concerns about the 49er offense.  While they are justified, the issues are not about QB Colin Kaepernick.  The offense has changed since last year and even since the game 1 win over the Packers.  The running game was missing in the two losses.  The O line is a mess.  The play calls have changed as well.  I pointed out that the WR triangle that was so effective at getting guys open against the Packers has not been part of the game plan since.  When given any protection, Kaepernick is accurate and he has made key 1st downs with his legs.

 

 

You can listen to the podcasts at https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ and hear NNR Live Mondays and Fridays at 6PM Eastern time on The Bill Smith Radio Show.  The Monday show is a review of the previous week and the Browns game.  The Friday show previews the upcoming games.

 

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro football teams, has officiated both football and basketball, has done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

He also edits http://fryingpanpolitics.org/. 

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1 thought on “News, Notes & Rumors Week 5”

  1. I was in Cincinnati for the game and did not fall asleep for this one. The rain helped the Bengals a lot at the end as a complete down pour is hard to move the ball in. Gronkowski will be welcomed back for sure by the Pats, hopefully this weekend.

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