After taking an offseason break from my general NFL musings, I’m back with my Ten Thoughts on the NFL for the 2018 season!
This series actually predates my time writing at Windy City Gridiron, as I started it when I was the “official” Bears’ blogger at the Sporting News, back when the Sporting News had that kind of a site.
On to my Thoughts!
With one week down, I think I know all I need to know about the NFL so far. At least if I listen to what social media is telling me. So with that mindset, here are my hottest of hot takes (#taeks) for the start of the 2018 season!
1) Fitz Magic is real, and it’s spectacular.
Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 48-40 upset of the New Orleans Saints, which crippled about half of the survivor pool entries in the world.
Including mine.
Jamesis Winston may never get his starting QB job back, and the Bucs are clearly the class of the NFC South with Fitz under center.
2) How ‘bout them Cowboys?
How about they suck.
The Carolina Panthers barely beat them, so they are a step above suck.
3) The Football Gods kept trying to shut down the Tennessee Titans and the Miami Dolphins game. The game took seven and a half hours to play before the ‘Fins finally pulled out the win.
If I remember correctly, the Football Gods sent a hurricane through Miami last year cancelling their season opener, so I guess they have an agenda.
4) Jimmy Garoppolo was exposed for a fraud that lucked his way into a 5-0 run last year. Him and the 49ers had no answer for the Minnesota Vikings and they have no chance in the NFC West, even though it may be the worst division in all of football except for the next team I’ll mention.
5) The Los Angeles Rams are the class of not only the NFC West, but the NFL as well. They smacked the Oakland Raiders around last night, and part of the reason is the Raiders couldn’t get any consistent pressure on Ram QB Jared Goff. If only the Black & Silver had a All Pro pass rusher on their team...
6) Matt Patricia is just another in a long line of assistant coaches that fail as head coaches when they leave the comforting embrace of Bill Belichick. How in the hell does Patricia, a defensive guru, allow a rookie QB to lead the Jets to a blow out win?
Bet Matt Patricia is drawing up a lot of really good adjustments...with his pencil...on his laminated play sheet.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 11, 2018
And how in the hell is 52-year old Matt Cassel still playing in the NFL?
This Lions team may challenge the 2008 Lions team.
This is the worst Lion massacre since ... well, this pic.twitter.com/L6AnPIqe7f
— Brian J. Manzullo (@BrianManzullo) September 11, 2018
7) But the New York Jets are gonna be trouble for the AFC East. The Patriots reign is ending and New York’s Sam Darnold is the best of the best of the young quarterbacks.
8) Unless that title belongs to Patrick Mahomes who chucked 4 TDs in just his second start for the Chiefs.
I thought spending almost a whole season sitting and learning a system, then taking over in year two wasn’t a viable way to groom a youngster.
9) I saw the best stat flash across Twitter yesterday. The Cleveland Browns, at 0-0-1, are off to their best start since 2004.
There’s a new power house in the AFC North.
10) Same old Bears.
Matt Nagy is no different than Marc Trestman. From his ‘everyone is a captain’ crap, to his pass happy offense, the Bears blew it in Green Bay in a game they should have won. Easily.
Then again, maybe he’s more like the new age John Fox with his sphincter clenching second half of play calls. Play to win, man...
I’m not even going to go in on Mitchell Trubisky, he’s toast in this city. Let’s get Chase Daniel’s arm warmed up because he’s the only hope the Bears have moving forward.