The NFL Roundup 2019: Week 2

Written by John Edward Betancourt

You know, there really is a sense of comfort and routine that comes with the return of the NFL regular season. Because our favorite sport is back on the air, and we have football to look forward to three times a week, something that motivates a great many of us to plan our schedules around prime time matchups and gamedays. Plus, we have something extra to talk about at work and in our spare time because this is a sport that consumes us in a special way and well, I’m just happy that football is back and that there are storylines and stats to pour over. And with that in mind, it’s best I pull my head out of the clouds and get down to discussing some of the storylines surrounding this week’s games since Thursday Night Football kicks off in a few hours.
 
Will the Miami Dolphins rebound on Sunday?
Make no mistake about it, the Dolphins embarrassed themselves last Sunday when they found themselves outmatched and outcoached on the field by the Baltimore Ravens. Which, quite frankly begs the question as to whether or not they will stand tall against the New England Patriots this week and rebound beautifully after that kind of ugly loss and well, I think the answer to that question is a resounding no. Because this is a team that is light on talent, light on hope and there are players looking to get the hell out of town since the perception surrounding the team is that they are going to tank to get a talent infusion in the draft in the offseason and also, they’re just not that good. That means, I fully expect them to get trounced on Sunday when Tom Brady and his mighty Pats take the field.
 
Where do the Jacksonville Jaguars go from here offensively?
Jacksonville has indeed made some big strides over the years when it comes to adding talent to this team. Because despite their little temper tantrums on field, they do feature a solid tailback and a mighty defense. The only thing they’ve been missing for ages is a decent quarterback and it seemed for a fleeting moment that such a problem was solved with the addition of Nick Foles in the offseason. But now, he’s on injured reserve and a rookie is at the helm and while the team traded for QB Josh Dobbs, let’s be honest, that’s just not enough to quelch concerns about this team’s ability to put up points. Because if the Steelers were happy to let Dobbs go, that says a lot, plus rookies always have a learning curve, and without a clear plan in place at quarterback, it may be a long season ahead. Because I honestly have no idea where they go from here with an untested rookie and an unwanted backup at quarterback.
 
Will Trevor Siemian guide the Jets to a much-needed victory?
It’s obvious that the New York Jets were stunned at how their game against the Bills ended in week one and that makes sense to me. Because they had that game in hand and were playing well until Buffalo smacked them in the mouth and took control. And while it would be easy to say that New York is ready to rebound and exact revenge on Cleveland on Monday Night, there is a big roadblock in the way of making that happen. For QB Sam Darnold is out with mono, meaning that it falls to Trevor Siemian to save the day and that… is scary. Because during his tenure in Denver, when the pressure was on and the game was on his shoulders, Trevor struggled mightily. So, if the D can limit the damage Mayfield’s crew can create, Trevor should be fine. But if this one turns into a shootout, expect the Jets to go 0-2. 

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Thursday Night Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC
8:20 p.m. EST – NFL Network

Normally a game that features two 0-1 teams wouldn’t be worth highlighting in this article but this one, is special. Because this ugly matchup happens to have a pair of quarterbacks who are under a great deal of scrutiny since everyone is starting to wonder if Jameis Winston is a huge first round bust and Cam Newton isn’t quite the same after his surgery, prompting football fans to ponder upon whether or not his skills are in decline. Which means this game is all about these two quarterbacks working to prove the critics wrong, and it should be interesting to see if this duo rise to the occasion or give into the frustration and sadly, that particular decision will dictate whether or not we get to enjoy a quality game or an outright stinker. 

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders
RingCentral Coliseum – Oakland, CA
4:05 p.m. EST – CBS

This one has my attention, simply due to the fact that it could be quite the shootout when all is said and done. Because Derek Carr was electric in week one against the Broncos, and that Raiders defense was stout and they’re hosting a Chiefs team that was equally as dynamic on offense since Patrick Mahomes let it fly early and often against the Jaguars. So, if #15 for the Chiefs can do what he did in week one, and if Mister Carr exploit the porous KC secondary, this one could result in touchdown after stunning touchdown and really, the key to this one, is defense. So, whichever D can generate a healthy pass rush, and disrupt the passing game will be the heroes of the night as they help their team walk away with an important divisional victory. 

Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos
Empower Field at Mile High – Denver, CO
4:25 p.m. EST – FOX

​I truly love games that feature teams with something to prove and this one has plenty of that. For on the Chicago side you’ve got a quarterback in Mitch Trubisky who needs to prove to the football world that his struggles in week one were related to rust and not a lack of skill or understanding of the playbook. And as for the Broncos, well they need to prove to the football world that Vic Fangio was indeed the right man for the job and that his coaching staff is making strides after all since they looked unprepared and lost in their contest against the Raiders. But truly, the big story that will make this one so fascinating in its own right is the fact that Fangio is going up against his old squad, and that always makes for an entertaining game. But in the end, this one will come down to coaching and execution and the first team to find their rhythm, is likely the one to secure the win.