The NFL Roundup 2018: Week 2 - What We Learned

Written by John edward Betancourt

There is a certain comfort that comes about from the end of Week of 2 in the NFL. In that, it feels as though a proper routine for the rest of the year has arrived, since we all have our rituals on Sunday and there’s something magical about settling in to watch Sunday’s games in the manner that only you are used to as your favorite teams either elicit joy or fury. Football simply feels like home this time of year and for me, it’s all about discussing what goes on around the league with my friends and all of you because there’s just so much to absorb when it comes to this magnificent sport and with that in mind, let’s look back at this weekend’s slate of games one more time and recap the top stories from the field.
 
The Cincinnati Bengals are quite the early season surprise.
Truthfully speaking, the Bengals are a team that I rarely pay attention to in general simply because they tend to commit to mediocrity. They never make a splash in free agency; their drafts are usually unremarkable and their play during the season is nothing special either. They’re simply there, but this would be the year they seem to want to change that perception. Because through two weeks they’ve actually taken the time to play some hard-nosed football, and for their efforts on offense and defense, they’ve managed to scrape together an impressive 2-0 start to the season and really, what caught my eye, is how they manhandled the Ravens on Thursday Night since they played stout on both sides of the ball and while it is still early in the season, it may be worth keeping my eyes on this team because if they’re for real, they are going to bring more big time upsets to the table as the season rolls on.
 
Patrick Mahomes looks like a seasoned pro right now.
There were a lot of question marks surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs new play caller this offseason and with good reason. Alex Smith had established himself as a solid QB under center for KC and handing the reins to a raw kid seemed like a risky gamble, and when you combine that with some issues in training camp, you wonder if the guy is going to be worth his weight when he takes the field. But Mahomes has done plenty to silence the critics, by breaking NFL records through his first two games as a starter and I’ll give credit where its due because he looks like a seasoned veteran right now. He’s making all the right reads, and making all the throws you can ask for from a quarterback and well, it’s clear he’s going to have a bright future with the Chiefs and unless defenses can figure out how to disrupt him soon, he’s going to win a heck of a lot more games and help Kansas City solidify its record for a playoff run.
 
Vontae Davis made a classless move on Sunday.
There is something to be said about men who retire from the game, knowing full well that the game has passed them by and that they’re no longer playing at a high level. Because it takes guts to say you don’t have what it takes anymore to play the game, and there’s also a certain etiquette and class that comes with that epiphany. There’s a talk with the coaches, and a press conference to announce the end and well, I’m quite amazed that Vontae Davis couldn’t wait one more day to let everyone know he was done, rather than just…quit at halftime and walk out on his team. But, that’s exactly what he did and quite frankly, what he did was downright embarrassing. All he had to do was finish one game, and then step away, but instead, he couldn’t even handle that and rattled his team with this selfish and stupid act and well, that’s how he will always be remembered in the NFL, as a quitter, and that I suppose is the only solace to be found in seeing a grown man act like a child.
 
Jacksonville’s beatdown of New England, is quite the big deal.
Say what you will about Blake Bortles, but he put on a performance for the ages on Sunday, slapping around the Patriots defense to the tune of four touchdowns. And while this seems like nothing more than a little AFC Championship payback, this is actually bad news for the New England Patriots going forward. For starters, this exposed all kinds of weaknesses in their defense, the kind that other teams will want to exploit in the weeks to come and it also signaled the end of an era for New England. Because there was a time when teams feared Tom Brady and the Pats, where a touchdown from #12 would strike fear in the hearts of men. But a Super Bowl loss and this, shows that the league is no longer afraid of the Patriots. They know they can beat them and that may mean that New England is going to be in for quite the frustrating season.
 
Another week, another tie.
I have to admit, I’m quite amazed that we’ve watched two games in end in ties in two consecutive weeks simply because, this is a passing league now, with all kinds of protections for the offense, so…how the heck are top tier teams not able to close out a game? Obviously, kickers are playing a big part in this since we watched several field goals go wide in both of these respective games, but special teams aside, it’s shocking to not see a QB on either side finish the job with a touchdown or the kind of throw that allows for a kicker to enjoy a chip shot and well, here’s to hoping we see less ties in the weeks to come and teams push a little harder to execute critical plays in overtime because really, there’s just no need for ties in a league where passing is everything.  

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