While Week 4 in the NFL is often a perfect time for a team to take inventory, another important aspect of football this time of year is being able to build upon everything great that a team is currently doing. Now is a wonderful time to tweak the small things and refine the plays so that a well oiled machine on the field continues to perform at a high level and keep the wins rolling in, and that's precisely what we are going to be looking at today, games that include teams looking to build upon their momentum or squads looking to take control of their destiny after enjoying some early season success.

The more I ponder upon the 2017 Atlanta Falcons, the more it becomes clear that they are playing with a chip on their shoulder and that attitude has led to a stellar 3-0 record to start off the year. This team clearly is dissatisfied with how their season ended last year and they are taking out their frustrations on every team they face off against, but...are the Falcons walking into the proverbial trap game? After all, the Buffalo Bills proved to the football world that they are no slouch by beating the Denver Broncos, and you'll know they're hungry to notch another win on their belt and they'd be more than happy to earn it by toppling another giant. Normally, I'd say Atlanta should beat this team handily, but if the Bills make the Falcons offense one dimensional and attack their defense liberally...there's fair chance they leave Atlanta with the win. Either way, this one should be entertaining to watch. 

Year after year, football writers, myself included, have nothing but ugly things to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars. But clearly, Head Coach Doug Marrone has awakened something special in this team since they came out and stunned the Baltimore Ravens in London and while they're not exactly going up against a tough opponent, since tomorrow they square off against the mediocre New York Jets, this game still serves as a fine opportunity for the Jags to build upon what they accomplished last week. That means we can expect to see an incredibly aggressive defense take the field and there's a fair chance the offense will air the ball out to help bolster Blake Bortles' confidence as well. But, while the Jets are anything but elite, they are coming off of a win last week, and they too would like to build upon that and if they play like they did against the Dolphins...they could make this game extremely interesting...

NFC North divisional matchups are always a joy to watch, simply because when two teams from the North take the field, they leave everything out there and over the years we've been treated to some thrilling games because of this and this particular matchup...is shaping up to be quite the game. The Lions are on fire this year, having put together some incredible drives on offense on their way to a 2-1 record and they take on a resurgent Minnesota squad, one that has learned its lesson from last year's collapse since every player on this team is giving it their all when they take the field and for proof, look no further than QB Case Keenum, who has done a phenomenal job in his brief stint so far under center. It's hard to say exactly who walks away with the win in this one, but rest assured, football fans everywhere are going to be treated to one wild game once kickoff arrives. 

Speaking of thrilling divisional matchups, there's an AFC West battle royale waiting for all of us in the Mile High City tomorrow and this one, should be a great game for several reasons. First and foremost, both of these teams are tied for second place in the West, and a win here is critical in this ultra competitive division and this one will also entertain because...these teams really don't like another. These matchups always get a little chippier than one might normally expect and while this should be a fun game of back and forth, in order for either team to walk away with the win, two key things need to happen. For the Broncos, they have to stick with the running game and wear that Oakland defense out to set up the pass game for QB Trevor Siemian and as for the Raiders, well all their defense has to do is attack Denver's offensive line since Siemian is well known for folding under pressure. Whichever team accomplishes their respective goal first, wins the game and in-between all of that, we should be in for some quality and entertaining football. 

Week 4 in the NFL is a wonderful time for teams and fans to take inventory when it comes to how their season is going. Some teams will of course will feel great about where their season is headed as the wins continue to mount and other teams, well they're focusing hard on what changes to make to see some form of success and the comfortability and determination that comes about from those two scenarios can make for an interesting week of football. After all, overconfidence can lead to a trap game and teams with their backs against the wall, uncover strengths they never knew they had. Which means we should be in for some interesting games and some interesting stories this weekend and with that in mind here's the top stories from the field we will be keeping an eye upon in Week 4.

Will the Buffalo Bills surprise the Atlanta Falcons?
There are a lot of people, myself included, who thought that Denver had found their swagger and would walk out of Buffalo last week with a win under the belt. But the Bills showed everyone, they're a different team this year, one that studies their opponents in detail in order to beat them and now I'm left wondering...will Buffalo stun the Falcons with their first loss of the season as well? In all honesty, it's quite possible. If the Bills can do what they did to Denver on defense, and shut down Matt Ryan's passing routes and do just enough to get them to abandon the run game, then the Buffalo offense can work on wearing down the Falcons' D and score some points. However, the Falcons have clearly done their homework this season as well and will likely be prepared for what Buffalo throws their way, so there is a chance, this could be a close one and it will be interesting to see which team emerges as the victor.

Who gets their first win of the season, Cincinnati or Cleveland?
Normally, I tend to not pay attention when a pair of winless teams take the field but when it comes to the NFL Ohio Bowl this year, my interest is piqued. After all, the Bengals on paper are a great team that have struggled all season long and for the first time in a long time, the Browns suddenly have a decent quarterback at the helm which means, this game could get interesting. After all, both of these teams are at the point where they are desperate for a win, which means we should get some extra effort on the field come game time. But in my humble opinion, this is Cincinnati's game to lose. They showed real grit against the Green Bay Packers last week and since they were finally able to put some points on the board, I get the feeling they walk out of this game with their first 'W' of the season. 

Are the Los Angeles Rams good enough to beat the Dallas Cowboys?
The best teams find a way to rise up when they are challenged and the Cowboys did just that last week with a rebound win over Arizona, but this week, Dallas hosts the Rams and honestly, I'm not sure what to expect from this game. I say that, simply because the Rams have been a fickle team. Sometimes they're dominant, sometimes they're bad and last week they were an offensive powerhouse that couldn't do a thing defensively, so really...is it possible for them to beat the Cowboys? Absolutely, provided they can play some solid defense, since that's truly their Achilles' heel this season. If they can take a page from the Broncos playbook and shut down Ezekiel Elliott, they've got a shot at this, but if they get into a shootout like they did last week, there's a fair chance Dallas enjoys their third win of the season. 

Will the Denver Broncos bounce back against the Raiders this week?
The more I think about the loss the Denver Broncos suffered last week, the more I realize, they were outright embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills. The Bills offense turned the No Fly Zone into the Friendly Skies and their defense turned Trevor Siemian into the second coming of Tim Tebow. It was bad football for Denver any way you slice it and well, they need to dominate their next opponent and that will be no easy task because they're facing off against the Oakland Raiders, and really, my concern for the Broncos when it comes to this game isn't the defense, because they're a proud unit that will no doubt step up this week, it's the offensive line that scares me. Think back to a year ago, when these two teams met up and Kahlil Mack blew past former RT Michael Schofield to the tune of five sacks, and I bring up that painful memory because once again, the RT spot is a problem for the Broncos since Menelik Watson (oddly enough, a former Raider) has been quite the liability in pass protection. So really, this game may come down to his performance and if he can finally play at a high level and shut down his former team mate, Denver has a chance at bouncing back and winning this game.

Is this the week where the New York Giants win?
Make no mistake about it, the New York Giants are a bad football team. They've struggled in every phase of the game through three weeks and at this point, their fans and the football world have to be wondering, can the Giants win a game or is their season over already? Well the good news is, the Giants have an opportunity at last to potentially take home a 'W' since they face off against Tampa Bay this week. Because thus far, the Bucs have shown themselves to be a so-so squad early on in the season. So if the offense can move the ball down the field, and the defense can stay fresh and force a few turnovers from Jameis Winston, they'll enjoy that all important first victory of the season. But, they need to be careful, since the Bucs are looking to improve their standings as well, and since they are fully aware that the Giants are a beatable team, don't expect to them to back down in the slightest...

You have to love it when a weekend of NFL football truly surprises you in every way imaginable and that's precisely what happened in Week 3. Because so many games did not go as we expected them to and teams that should have been embarrassed, ended up turning the tables on their opponents and regardless of how your favorite team finished this weekend, their performance taught us something, so let's not waste any more time and discuss what we learned from Week 3 in the NFL. 


​Thursday Night Football has the potential to be something truly special. 
We've all watched TNF at some point or another, and I think we can all agree that for the most part, the games that usually populate this time slot are...less than stellar. But this week's TNF turned out to be something special and a game that should have been a snoozer, ended up being an incredible shootout between the Rams and the Niners and it just goes to show that TNF could be something incredibly special, if the league took a little more care in its scheduling. If they can get two teams hungry to show something to both themselves and their fans, we'll get more games such as this. That of course will be no easy task, but at long last, it seems the formula to a successful Thursday Night has finally been uncovered.

The Denver Broncos are their own worst enemy. 
A week ago, the Broncos were the toast of the NFL. They were dominant, they were powerful and they shut down the Cowboys in impressive fashion and well, what a difference a week can make because on Sunday...they were a team that took a step backwards. It was a team effort when it comes to the loss they suffered in Buffalo, since the defense was confused and lethargic on the field, the coaches called some terrible plays and the offense simply couldn't get going. It should also be noted that Trevor Siemian exposed a disturbing trait on the field this week, in that he crumbles under pressure or when the game is on his shoulders and while he can't win it on his own, that's not behavior you want to see from your franchise quarterback. Either way, it's clear the Broncos this year have a tendency to believe their own hype and only play well when they're viewed as the underdog and that's something that has to change if they want to make it back to the Super Bowl. 

Cincinnati and Houston stepped up in impressive fashion. 
Yes I fully understand that there are no moral victories in the NFL, a loss is a loss. But when your season isn't going the way you want it to, teams start to look for progress of any kind to assess whether or not their season might turn around or end on a high note and the Bengals and the Texans, a pair of teams in crisis mode, injected a little hope into their seasons with some stellar performances on Sunday. Deshaun Watson played an solid game against the Patriots, continuing to show growth in his rookie year by helping the offense put 33 points on the board and the Bengals, well they hung with the Packers long enough to force overtime where they eventually lost. But what matters here is that these teams finally showed some grit when people were challenging their toughness and the end result of such a push means that these squads are close to putting it all together and we may see something special out of both teams in the coming weeks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were downright impressive this Sunday. 
Normally when one sits down to discuss the Jaguars in any capacity, nothing good can be said about them, but this week...well the tables have turned. Jacksonville and their win against the Ravens in the International Series Game this week, was the biggest surprise to come out of Week 3 because the Jags, were completely dominant in their game. The defense shut down the Ravens offense until garbage time late in the game and the offense was simply electric. Blake Bortles finally lived up to his potential, tossing four touchdowns in the game, and while it's too early to start the 'Jaguars have finally arrived' talk, it's nice to see them take a step forward and hopefully the team uses this building block to put together more incredible wins as the season rolls on. 

The Colts finally have a temporary solution to their quarterbacking issues.
The franchise quarterback of a team is truly the lynchpin to their success and for proof, look no further than the Indianapolis Colts, a squad that tends to win more often than not when #12 is at the helm, which is why Sunday's win over the Browns was quite the big deal. Because this team rarely has anyone worthwhile behind Luck, so to see Jacoby Brissett take command of this offense and will some points onto the board is quite the magical thing. Because now they have a QB under center who can inspire his teammates and that's a big deal and hopefully Brissett can build upon this and put together a win streak, because in a league desperate for good quarterbacks, all he can do now is build the case as to why he should be another team's franchise quarterback since this is Andrew Luck's team as soon as he returns from injury.

If there's one thing I've always truly enjoyed, it's the fact that Week 3 in the NFL is a solid separation of the proverbial wheat from the chaff. Great teams continue to prove they're great, while bad teams continue to make their ridiculous mistakes. But there are of course teams that surprise, and teams that fight back to not be part of any NFL Stereotype and that's precisely what we will be looking at today in the NFL Roundup; teams that are hungry to change their fortunes, and other squads that are looking to continue to dominate in every single facet of the game. 

Every week there seems to be that one game on paper that should wow football fans everywhere and this is that game. The Falcons and the Lions have been electric to watch during the first two weeks of the season, and dominant for that matter as well which means this particular game is shaping up to be quite the clash of the titans. I would expect that this particular matchup is going to be quite the shoot out since both Matt Ryan and Matt Stafford have been throwing bombs into the end zone all season long and really, the winner of this potential thriller will likely come down to who plays mistake free football because in order to survive a scoring fiesta, it's all about limiting turnovers. But any way you slice it, this matchup should be a complete and utter joy to watch. 

Now we move on to our first game featuring a team that has something to prove and for a change, it's not the Philadelphia Eagles, since they've shown plenty of fight and grit in this short start to the season, no, instead the team that needs to prove to the football world they will do something special this year...is the New York Giants. They've been anemic on offense through two games and if they hope to salvage any part of their season, they need to make something happen in this game and if they can't win it, they need to show their fans that they are trying to correct their biggest issues on offense. That means we need to see better offensive line play, some points through the air and some yards on the ground and if they can produce that...then all will know that the Giants have some fight left in them.

While the Packers didn't exactly get the storybook ending they wanted in Atlanta last week, they're still a solid football team that is able to score and win games, which is a far cry from what their opponent this week is capable of in the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have yet to score an offensive touchdown this season, and they've already changed offensive coordinators which means this game...is a huge deal to every single player on that team. This game needs to serve as a statement that the Bengals have not in fact, quit on their teammates and their coach and they need to be competitive in this game and score some points to prove just that, and if they cannot accomplish any of that, then expect this season to fall to pieces...

Most of the time, when you get a prime time game featuring a pair of juggernauts from the previous season, you get a quality matchup with a pair of teams that are consistent and confident but that's simply not the case with this Monday night game. The Cardinals are trying to find consistency and their swagger once again since this once dominant squad comes into this game at 1-1 and as for the Cowboys, well they're trying to figure out how to handle adversity since the Denver Broncos came out swinging and Dallas folded once they realized they were dealing with a team that wasn't afraid of them in the slightest. With both of these teams hungry to prove they are still elite, expect this one to be a knock down, drag it out battle for the win, because the loser of this game...is going to face an uphill climb toward the playoffs. 

Week 3 in the NFL is a unique time for fans of the game. After all, some fans are feeling quite comfortable and relaxed when it comes to their favorite team's performance since their boys are sitting pretty with a stellar record while other fans...well they're in outright panic mode as the season seems to be slipping away with every mounting loss. Either way, there's plenty to look at this time of year as we watch teams build upon success or desperately try to find ways to win and their plight, be it positive or negative, always makes for a great story and with that in mind, here are the top storylines from the field we will be keeping an eye upon this weekend. 

How will the Dallas Cowboys respond to their loss against the Broncos? 
Let's not split hairs here, the Cowboys were completely and utterly embarrassed by the Broncos this past Sunday on the national stage and well, that kind of a loss can have quite the effect upon a team. Suddenly, they second guess their abilities, resulting in more poor play on the field and really, we won't know what kind of effect this loss will have on Dallas until they take the field Monday night against the Cardinals. If we see some seriously cautious play from Prescott and Elliott on offense, we'll know there is doubt in their mind, but if they come out swinging and make some big plays...we'll know their heads are in the right place. Hopefully for Cowboys fans they see the latter of those two options and Dallas gets their season back on track.

Will the Cincinnati Bengals finally find an offensive spark under their new coordinator? 
As it stands right now, the Cincinnati Bengals are a bad football team, so bad in fact they haven't scored a single offensive touchdown through two games and that kind of poor production cost Ken Zampese his job as offensive coordinator last week. Which means that all of us are wondering, will the change at OC and the installation of Bill Lazor as the new offensive sheriff be the spark this team needs to get going, or will it be business as usual in Cincy? Well, we should know pretty darn quick come Sunday. If Lazor's play calling has an aggressive feel to it and if they pour on a few points, we'll know that Zampese was indeed the problem. But if by chance the play calling is still lackadaisical at best this weekend, and if the Bengals manage to not score on offense yet again, we'll know point blank there are bigger issues with the coaching staff plaguing this team, and that the fans are going to be in for one long and ugly season.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers finally secure their first win of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs?
The AFC West is by far the most competitive division in football, and for proof, look no further than the fact that the Broncos, Raiders and Chiefs are all tied for first place in this division with 2-0 records. Which means unfortunately for the Chargers, who boast a painful 0-2 record...they're on the outside looking in early on in the season and if they want any chance at making the playoffs or even bragging rights for that matter...they have to have a statement game and beat the Chiefs this week. But...can they? It's possible, but the Chargers will have to play their best football of the season to date in order to make that happen and well, if anything I wish them luck. Because sadly, the odds are not in their favor since Kansas City has proven to be one tough team this year and they fully understand that winning divisional games is a big key to returning to the playoffs...

Can the New York Giants overcome their offensive woes?
If there is one word that can be used to describe the New York Giants offense a year ago, it would be dynamic. But what a difference a year makes because the only proper word that can be used to describe that same offense now is...anemic. Gone are the days of thrilling touchdowns to OBJ it would seem and that is in part thanks to injuries to the prolific wide receiver, but their problems don't end there. QB Eli Manning has spent a lot of time eating turf thanks to an offensive line that is struggling to protect him and quite frankly, teams simply know he's going to throw the ball since the run game isn't going anywhere for that matter as well. Which means, that if the Giants want to right the ship in Week 3, some things are going to have to change, starting with the pass first mentality this team is suffering from. They have to get a run game going to set up the pass and that O line has to protect their QB. If they can get a game going on the ground, then they have a chance to prolong some drives and put some points on the Eagles this week, but if the team decides it's time to air it out all game long again...the Giants could go 0-3.

Will the Texans put up a fight or get blown out by the Patriots? 
While the Houston Texans enjoyed an important yet close win in Week 2 against the Bengals, let's be honest...this team is still a work in progress. Rookie QB Deshaun Watson is still trying to figure out how to play in the NFL and the result of his learning curve is a fairly anemic offensive showing. This week, the Texans face off against the perpetually angry New England Patriots and while I don't expect them to beat New England, the fact that the Patriots are beatable...could lead to a better game than expected. There's a fair chance an inspired Houston team could take the field and put up quite the fight against Tom Brady and the boys and if that happens, we are in for one hell of a game. But...if New England comes out swinging and drops some early points on the Texans...there's a fair chance they will fold quickly. Either way, this one is worth keeping an eye one since it could turn out to be quite the entertaining game. 

Week 2 in the NFL is in the books, and wow, what a week of football it turned out to be. We saw some teams make some bold statements about what to expect from them for the rest of the year, while other teams fixed their glaring mistakes from Week 1 in order to get their season back on track. It was a weekend filled to the brim with excitement and learning, since every team in the league taught us something about their identity. So let's not waste any more time and get right down to discussing what we learned from Week 2.

The Denver Broncos made one hell of a statement against the Dallas Cowboys. 
So many of us, this writer included, had plenty of concerns about the Denver Broncos going into Sunday's game. We all wondered whether or not they could stop the run or play well on offense and as it turns out, they can do both of those things just fine. They shut down Ezekiel Elliott, holding him to a meager eight years on rushing and the offense, well they were simply sublime. The run game was working all day long and QB Trevor Siemian was downright elite in his performance against the vaunted Dallas Defense, dropping four touchdowns on them through the air. If anything, Denver made quite the statement in this game, in that...they're for real and ready to take on any challenger that comes their way. 

The offensive coaching staff changes made by the Cincinnati Bengals, may not matter.
There's a new trend emerging in the NFL, in that, if a team doesn't perform well on offense early in the season, they show the Offensive Coordinator the door and the Bengals are the latest team to take advantage of this early exit trend since they fired OC Ken Zampese on Friday, after the team failed to score a single touchdown in its first two games. Now, while this decision makes sense because hey, no touchdowns...I honestly question if the OC is the core issue on this team. The Bengals look lethargic in every aspect of the game. The players simply don't seem inspired or excited to take the field and that my friends, falls on the Head Coach to fix, and while Marvin Lewis can make any and all changes he needs or wants to when it comes to his support staff, if he as the top coach can't inspire his team to play well on the field...then none of those of changes are going to matter. 

The New England Patriots found their inspiration.  
Speaking of teams that look uninspired, the whole football world was talking about the New England Patriots and their lackadaisical style of play in the season opener. They were a team with their head in the clouds in Week 1, and it didn't take long for them to snap back to reality and play some quality football because holy cow, they were a team on a mission this week. They completely tore into the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, with QB Tom Brady dropping three passing touchdowns in the first quarter alone, setting the stage for a 36-20 victory that reminded us that not only are the New England Patriots a solid football team, but that they love for adversity to serve as their motivation and inspiration and I'm sure that Week 1 loss is going to fuel them for quite a while.

The Chicago Bears may need to start thinking about making a change at Head Coach. 
We often talk about players in football or the sports world as a whole that well...stay in their respective game long after they should have stepped away from it. We know their skill set has declined, but they seem to be ignoring this fact and we are forced to watch them struggle before our very eyes. Yet oddly enough, this is something that applies to coaches as well, and quite frankly, we don't bring it up enough. Because sometimes for a coach, the game simply passes them by and their schemes and designs for a game are old news and sadly, I think that's what's happening to John Fox right now in Chicago. Yes, he's been a good coach, he's been to two Super Bowls in his career, but judging from how well teams seem to know his conservative game plans, and that once again, the Bears are starting off the season in trouble...I think the time has come for the Chicago Bears to look at how ineffective Fox is as the head coach of the team, and consider moving on without him. He's simply not an effective leader anymore and it's just silly for the Bears executive brass to think that he is somehow going to magically change. It's obviously not something you usually see happen this early in the season, but the time has certainly come for this franchise to start thinking about a future without John Fox at the helm.

​Joe Thomas is one of the finest offensive linemen to ever play the game. 
​You know, offensive linemen really don't get the credit they deserve in this game. They're out there week after week, taking a pounding in the trenches and lining up with sore backs and aching knees and the only time anyone really notices them is when they allow a sack so we definitely need to take a moment today and recognize the phenomenon that is Joe Thomas, who played his 10,000th consecutive snap on Sunday, and that's simply stunning and a true testament to an incredible player. I mean come on, this guy is a true warrior. He's never missed a game, he's been to ten Pro Bowls and a team that could trade him away and earn a King's ransom for him...demands a King's ransom from teams that inquire about his availability. He's truly one of the finest offensive linemen to ever play the game, and we here at Nerds That Geek tip our cap to him and his monumental achievement. 

It never ceases to amaze me just how important Week 2 in the NFL always turns out to be. After all, if your team starts the season 0-2, their chances of making the playoffs are astronomical. But if you start off 2-0, well...there's a better chance that your favorite team will have a shot at reaching the all important tournament. Which means that teams that suffered a loss in Week 1, or squeaked out a win, will be giving it their all this week to increase their chances at the postseason and that's precisely what we'll be focusing on today; those teams, and a player for that matter, that will be fighting hard for their future come Sunday. 

The Dallas Cowboys did a wonderful job manhandling their proverbial nemesis in the New York Giants last week, and the poise and strength with which they did that, should be of major concern for the Denver Broncos. Because while the Broncos secured a solid win over the Chargers, they exposed some glaring issues to the rest of the league, issues that the Cowboys will no doubt be looking to take advantage of...their offensive and defensive line play. Denver's O-line once again regressed, allowing for QB Trevor Siemian to take way too much punishment, and the defense, thanks to injuries, were porous against the run. Which means that if the Broncos cannot shore up those two weaknesses, there's a fair chance Dallas will punish Denver with their run game and neutralize the offense by stopping Siemian before he has the chance to do any damage and if that happens...well, the Broncos may fall to 1-1, something that is a bad place to be in the ultra competitive AFC West.

While I have no doubt that the New Orleans Saints want to win on Sunday, something tells me the New England Patriots want this one more. It's rare to see the Pats go 0-1 to start the season, but here we are, with New England sitting at just that, which means this game is incredibly critical for Tom Brady and his boys. Because they can ill afford to go 0-2 with so many teams chasing them in the AFC which means that in order to win this one, they'll have to play mistake free football on defense, shoring up the holes on the D line and playing tight coverage on the Saints' receivers and if they accomplish that, and if Tom Brady can regain his accuracy when he's under center, then the Patriots can forget about their Week 1 mistake. But...if New Orleans comes out swinging and gets under New England's skin...there's a fair chance the season starts off in disastrous fashion for the Patriots. 

Sure the Los Angeles Chargers are looking for a win in their brand new home this week, and sure, they would like to pull off such a feat in spectacular fashion with solid defensive play and by putting up a ton of points on the scoreboard. But let's be honest, this game is really about one particular player; Miami Quarterback Jay Cutler. After all, at the end of last year, it seemed as though it was curtains for Cutler. After years of disdain from the fans for his 'aloof' attitude, and up and down play that never quite realized Cutler's potential coming out of college, #6 seemed done in this league. No team would sign him, so he signed a contract to join the broadcasting team at FOX. But injuries brought Cutler back into the fold and well...this is likely his last chance to show that he is indeed a top tier quarterback. So expect Cutler to show the league something in this game, hopefully something positive for that matter, so that his career, which is coming to a close, ends on a positive note. 

This particular game is less about something to prove, seeing as to how both of these teams won their first game of the season in solid fashion, no, instead, this particular contest is just going to be flat out fun to watch. After all, this is a rematch of the NFC Championship Game from last season, which was thrilling to say the least, and considering the fact that both of these offenses were electric in Week 1, I think it's safe to assume we can expect more of the same. So, don't be surprised to see a lot of touchdowns in this game as Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan take to the skies to thrill the fans, and the winner of this one, will be the team that figures out how to slow the damage the opposing quarterback imposes upon them. 

Some say that the second week of the NFL is no where near as exciting as the first, simply because, the shine of the new season has worn off and the league is already getting down the nitty gritty, but that's something that I just so happen to disagree with. Because one week in, there are already teams fighting for their season, while other teams are looking to capitalize on their early good fortune and put together a wonderful season and those two polarizing possibilities, are what make that second week all the more exciting, and with that in mind, let's take a look at the electrifying storylines waiting for us in Week 2 of the NFL. 

Can the Denver Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys? 
A few years ago, I would not have even asked this question aloud, because the Broncos would have beaten the Cowboys handily. But the times...they are a changing and there are really two key flaws to the Broncos game that brought this question about; their offensive line and their defensive injuries. Because while Trevor Siemian played one hell of a game in the season opener, his line was still a liability, since they allowed the Los Angeles pass rush to get to him and neutralize the offense in the process, and while the defense played solid football in week one, a so-so run defense and mistakes from the No Fly Zone kept the Chargers in the game. Which means that in order for Denver to be 2-0, they're going to have to play lights out football. The Line has to be flawless, and the D has to neutralize Dak Prescott and contain Ezekiel Elliott and with the injuries mounting up in the Mile High City, I'm not 100% sure Denver can pull off a big time win here.

Will the New England Patriots be able to rebound from their stunning loss to the Chiefs?
Losing is something that can truly become a habit for a football team. All it takes is one embarrassing loss and suddenly, more mistakes are made and several games later, the L's keep mounting up and really, is that something that could feasibly happen to the Patriots? After all, they are a team that is unaccustomed to humiliating losses and one has to wonder if what happened to them on Kickoff Weekend will get under their skin and into their psyche. However, they are also a team that uses their losses as pure motivation and considering how much this one stung, combined with the fact that they are facing off against a mediocre Saints team, there's a fair chance New England will win and win big on Sunday. But if Brady's week one inaccuracy returns, the Patriots may be in for a long day...

Will the Houston Texans stick with Deshaun Watson for an entire game?
When it comes to the Texans, you can always expect two simple things when they take the field. J.J. Watt will wow you on defense and they will probably be changing quarterbacks at half time. Because for some strange reason, the instant the play under center isn't exactly what Bill O'Brien envisioned in his game plan meetings, he makes a change. It's weird, but that's life in Houston, and one has to wonder as to whether or not Watson will last the entire game. My hope is that he does. While he wasn't exactly the second coming of Peyton Manning in his first game last week, Watson had some moments of brilliance, and hopefully Coach O'Brien will allow him to learn on the job and deal with his mistakes rather than pull him and continue the confusing quarterback carousel he loves to employ. 

Can the Indianapolis Colts win without Andrew Luck?
In football, the common belief is that no one man dictates the course of a team. Every player helps shape the season, and while that is true for some teams, it's clearly not the case for the Indianapolis Colts. Because without Andrew Luck, this was a different team, one that was completely and utterly anemic on offense. Which means that in order to avoid going 0-2, Coach Pagano is going to have to take this offense back to an old school mentality since Luck is going to be on the sidelines again for Week 2. That means, a heavy dose of the run, so that the Cardinals defense runs out of steam, followed by a few surprise throws to hopefully secure the lead, and if the Colts can stick to that game plan, play some solid D and exercise patience, perhaps they can find a way to win without their star franchise player. 

Can the Jacksonville Jaguars tie together a pair of wins?
Jacksonville started the season off right last week by securing the victory in Houston, but let's be honest...they had an assist from the Texans. Houston was pretty awful on offense and aside from their lone rushing touchdown, the Jags had to settle for Field Goal after Field Goal. But...a win is a win. However, despite that win I think it's safe to assume we are all wondering...can Jacksonville beat the Titans? Honestly? I'm not sure. While Tennessee lost to the Raiders, they hung with Oakland until the fourth quarter. So, if Blake Bortles can protect the ball and play lights out, and if the defense can play some solid football, there's a chance the Jaguars will put together a tiny win streak. But the reality of the matter is, that's quite the tall order and I honestly expect the Titans to rebound and put Jacksonville at .500 for the season. 

Well, if there is a word to properly describe this year's Kickoff Weekend, it would have to be; magnificent. One great game was followed by another and to top it off, Week 1 was filled to the brim with unexpected heroes and incredible surprises. So let's not waste any time today and get right down to breaking down the weekend that was and discuss what we learned from Week 1 in the NFL. 

The New England Patriots need to learn to check their egos at the door. 
I'm all for any franchise celebrating the hell out of any Championship that they win in the NFL because let's be honest, it's a monumental task to make it to the Super Bowl, much less win one. But on Thursday Night Football...the New England Patriots let their Championship run go right to their heads. Because this is a team that walked out on to the field, expecting to win the game with minimal effort. They believed their own hype, they thought the win would just fall into their lap and they were embarrassed for believing in such nonsense. The game has no room for ego in this fashion and it's a wonderful thing that the Chiefs handed New England a loss in their own house on Kickoff Weekend. Perhaps now the Pats will remember that putting in the work is what wins games and they'll be prepared and focused for Week 2.

Houston Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien needs to quit messing around when it comes to Quarterbacks.
It only took one half of the regular season for Coach O'Brien to make a change at the QB position and well...that's just utterly ridiculous. Year in and year out O'Brien treats his signal callers like running backs, rotating them in and out as he pleases and well, enough is enough. You cannot expect any QB to find a rhythm or confidence when they're constantly waiting for their hot head of a coach to replace them on a moment's notice and someone in the front office needs to pull Bill aside and tell him point blank that he needs to quit toying with the position and stick with one player, so that the team can find some continuity and give someone, a chance to succeed under center. 

The Los Angeles Rams were scary good on Sunday. 
A year ago, the Rams were quite frankly, the butt of many a football joke. But clearly, Owner Stan Kronke has had enough of his franchise's losing ways and his offseason revamp of the team has already yielded some impressive results. Wade Phillips' new look defense scored two touchdowns off of interceptions and the offense was no slouch for that matter either. QB Jared Goff finally lived up to his potential, showing poise in the pocket while firing off some impressive throws to boot and RB Todd Gurley was in full on beast mode, grinding out yards and one impressive touchdown as well. In the end, they dropped 46 points on the Colts and if they can continue this kind of aggressive play, expect the Rams to do some incredible things this season. 

There will apparently be no Sophomore Slump for Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
Facing off against the only team to beat them twice last season, and facing the prospect of seeing some level of regression as is sometimes the case with second year players; both Prescott and Elliott answered the call and conquered their foes and doubters in fine fashion. Dak was calm, cool and collect on the field, and ready for everything the Giants threw at him and his preparation paid off with some impressive throws as the night rolled on and he was complimented nicely by Elliott's running as he locked up 104 yards on the ground. It was exactly what the coaches needed to see from these young players; they battled against a team that got under the skin the year before and they showed solid growth and that means their opponents in the NFC East are going to be in for some tough battles when they face this team, since their keystone players are only continuing to get better.

The Denver Broncos won in thrilling fashion, but there are still concerns when it comes to this team.
Every year Broncos fans are hoping to see the team of old return, wherein the Broncos drop a ton of points on their opponents and walk away with an easy win. But it would seem the winds are shifting in the Mile High City and it's not Broncos football unless the game is close and the fans are left clutching their chests. Because once again the Broncos won a close one at home and while a win is a win, there is cause for concern for Denver going forward. The depleted defensive line was porous against the run and poor offensive line play and turnovers once again put this team in a precarious position. The Broncos have to figure out how to protect the ball and Trevor Siemian and get their defensive lineup healthy before their luck runs out and a team better than the Chargers, takes full advantage of Denver's mistakes...

​NFL team logos have gone through many changes over time. In part one of this NFL edition of For the Love of Logos, we saw how teams passed through overly realistic phases, silly and cartoonish phases, and robust and official phases. Each phase perfectly captured the era it was born in. Over the years, we’ve seen some truly classic looks. Here in part two, I’ll showcase some of those in my version of ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’. Here in The Favorites, the Flops, and the Forgotten, I’ll be looking at my favorite classic logos, those that were less great (to be polite), and some that are less well known. All logos you see are courtesy of the great sportslogos.net. Enjoy, and feel free to reach out in the comments or on Twitter @NerdsThatZeke to let me know what your favorite (or least favorite) NFL logos are!

• Denver Broncos, Classic ‘D’: The bucking stallion bursting through the letter D, snorting ferociously. This iconic logo remains a favorite of Broncos fans and can be spotted around Denver regularly. Fun fact: its creator received only a letter from the team, a shirt, hat, and two tickets (that went unused) for designing the logo that the team would use for nearly 30 years.

• New England Patriots, Pat the Patriot: Very rarely will you ever hear me utter anything positive about the Patriots. This is one of those times, though, so listen up and don’t get used to it. New England’s Pat the Patriot logo is an all-time great. A minuteman in full red-white-and-blue attire, ready to snap the football, the logo breathes nostalgia and looks great on a clean white helmet. Much better than the terrible new 'Flying Elvis' logo. (C’mon, I couldn’t stay completely positive.)

 

• Houston Oilers, oil rig: Perhaps it’s the logo’s simplicity or maybe it’s the beautiful light blue with the red outline, but Houston’s oil derrick logo has always caught my attention. It’s widely regarded as one of the league’s best of all time. Unfortunately, the look was scrapped when the franchise moved to Tennessee and adopted the Titans moniker and a new logo.

 

• Buffalo Bills, standing buffalo: The Bills only used the standing Buffalo between 1970 and 1973 before moving to the 'charging buffalo' look, but I’ve always preferred the old one. Buffalo has been bringing back the standing buffalo in throwback games over the past few years. I hope they keep that up! The red standing buffalo is another logo that looks amazing on a plain white helmet. 

• Cleveland Browns, Brownie the Elf: Oh, poor Cleveland…no Super Bowl appearances, more quarterbacks over the past few decades than can be remembered, and just not much to work with in the logo department. The Browns were almost named the Cleveland Panthers, but were instead named after their first coach, Paul Brown. Since 1970, the Browns have gone without a primary logo, only using a picture of their (also bland) orange helmet. But from 1948 to 1969, the Browns used Brownie the Elf, chosen by the team owner out of submissions for a mascot logo. He was (somehow) beloved by Cleveland fans back then.

 

• Miami Dolphins, current dolphin: Alright, so the new Miami Dolphins logo (introduced in 2013) isn’t bad, per se. But it makes my flop list because of the logo that was scrapped to make room for it. The new logo is a more realistic dolphin swimming in front of a sunburst. The old (and much better) version was legendary: a leaping dolphin wearing a team-colored football helmet. Dolphin wearing a helmet > dolphin with no helmet.

 

• St. Louis Cardinals, running cardinal: While they were in St. Louis, the Cardinals created this monstrosity. This Godzilla-esque bird with its anthropomorphic arms and legs is clearly terrorizing the city and came very close to knocking over the Gateway Arch. There are realistic looking bird logos, cartoony looking bird logos, and then…there’s this one.

 

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bucco Bruce: So, this Bucs logo isn’t necessarily a flop. People were and are still a fan and the Creamsicle orange remains a hit. But the pirate himself is something else. Nicknamed Bucco Bruce, this guy looks to be straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean 14 or some sort of pirate fan fiction. Why is he winking? He’s a far cry from the skull and crossbones flag Tampa uses now. 

• San Francisco 49ers, prospector: The Niners have used their iconic SF oval logo since 1968, so not many folks know that they once had a full-on Yosemite Sam lookin’ prospector as a logo. Wearing his checkered pants and firing his six-shooters like a Looney Tune, he was the face of the franchise from 1946 through 1967.

 

• New York Jets, jet: What a novel idea! The New York Jets once used a jet in their logo. It was only used in their first year in 1963. Since then, New York has gone between a few different wordmarks, none of which featured a jet as prominently.

 

• New York Giants, giant: Another New York team not really making use of its namesake. The Giants used to use a logo featuring a giant towering out of a football stadium in various forms from 1945 through 1960. Since then, they have used “NY” or “GIANTS” wordmarks.

 

• Oakland Raiders, gold Raider: The Raiders are inseparable from their “Silver and Black” identity. The Black Hole in Oakland (or… soon to be Vegas) is a pit of those two colors alone. So not many folks realize that, at their inception, the Raiders were clad more like today’s Steelers. The Raiders donned a black and gold logo and uniforms from 1960 to 1962.

 

• Detroit Lions, striped logo: The Lions used this logo from 1961 to 1969. The Microsoft-Paint looking Lion sits on top of blue, white, and silver stripes. It almost looks like a vintage car emblem, which is fitting for the Motor City.