Tuesday, Sep 22, 2020 11:35 AM
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Here are five things to take away from the second week of NFL activity.
1. Injuries, injuries and more injuries
This is the unfortunate theme of the second week of activities in the Goodell Circuit. Too many injuries and especially to key players. Some teams, like the San Francisco 49ers, have been hit hard and will have a hard time recovering. I will not pass the list, you saw it and anyway, it is a little too long.
However, a simple question deserves to be asked: why so many players and why so early in the season? Some wonder if the lack of preseason games would have any effect. I doubt. Injured players would not have had a lot of reps in preseason games and historically they don’t play a lot in this type of game. Does the absence of OTA (Organized team activities) and off-season training would have an impact? Not sure either. These are activities organized to keep fit, progress in playbooks and develop chemistry between players. Nothing leads me to believe that these sessions would have allowed the star players to avoid injury. Are the players less fit than in the past since they had to train alone in a pandemic context? I don’t think so either.
In the end, I think it is simply a matter of chance. An unfortunate coincidence of course, but a coincidence nonetheless. I agree, it’s a very boring explanation, but sometimes the simplest explanation is the most plausible. Hopefully the slaughter will stop quickly since the NFL is better and more enjoyable with its star players on the field.
Can we put the year 2020 behind us right now please? Phew …
2. A quarterback dilemma in Los Angeles
We were all surprised to see Justin Herbert starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. We learned late that day that number one quarterback Tyrod Taylor had been injected into his ribs to relieve pain from an injury and that he had reacted badly to the injection (long live football!). So it was a few minutes before the kickoff that Herbert learned that he was getting his first career start.
Despite this short notice, the 6e overall pick of the draft draft delivered an impressive performance. Far from being perfect, Herbert still demonstrated undeniable qualities. First of all, he has a big build, which allows him to take hits and run sturdily, which he did a few times in the match. His imposing physique (6 ft 6 in and 240 lbs) also explains his cannon arm for attacking deep areas. His mastery of the playbook was evident as he went through his progress in his reading of the game. Finally, he did not seem shaken to play his first professional game and, moreover, against the reigning champions of the Super Bowl.
ContentId (3.1373790): NFL: 1st touchdown in the NFL for Herbert (football)
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He made a few mistakes, like a very costly interception near the end zone when he could easily have gotten the first game running. But overall it looked good. Now the Chargers have a quarterback dilemma: Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert?
Anthony Lynn indicated that if Taylor was 100%, he would get the start since he offered the best chance of success for his team. There are some arguments in its favor. First, it would be easier to let the youngster learn before throwing him into the fray again. It’s also easier to let Taylor play and when the time comes for him to perform a few bad performances, the switch is made. It would be tricky to insert Herbert and have to come back to Taylor if things go too fast for the youngster. You don’t want to play the musical chair.
Some arguments to the contrary are also valid. Herbert represents the future and it is around him that we want to build the team, why not start now? He has a lot more potential than Taylor who in my opinion is a limited quarterback. In addition, he has just demonstrated that he can play at this level. We will have to live with the ups and downs, but it will certainly be beneficial in the medium and long term for the organization.
My choice: I think it can also be beneficial in the short term and that Justin Herbert has to be QB1 for the Chargers.
3. Kyler Murray, the next Lamar Jackson
Okay, I agree, it’s a dangerous game to compare Kyler Murray to 2019 Tour MVP Lamar Jackson. But since the Arizona Cardinals made Murray the first-ever pick in the 2019 draft, the little quarterback hasn’t disappointed and his progress shows us the team won’t regret their decision anytime soon.
In two games this season, the quarterback has led his team to two wins and has established himself as a true elite quarterback. Dangerous with his arm as much as with his legs, he has hurt more than one player since the start of the 2020 calendar and what he demonstrates leads me to believe that he has all the tools to be compared to Lamar Jackson.
Let’s start with his arm. Murray is a great baseball player and it shows. He was also drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 9e overall rank in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. It’s easy to see him in his passing motion and quick draw. When he comes out of the pocket and throws a bomb, one can very well imagine a shortstop who grabs a ground and throws to first base. It’s just natural for him. In fact, I like to compare the speed at which he draws to Aaron Rodgers, which is saying something. For its size, it is frankly impressive to see it launch with such speed, power and precision.
What sets him apart from the other quarters and puts him in the same category as Jackson is certainly his ability to create games with his legs. Like Jackson, he looks like he’s playing at a different speed than defensive players. It’s like he has one cheat code in a video game. You don’t have to be an expert to see it, watch the video, it zigzags at will to accumulate the first games and touchdowns.
ContentId (3.1373792): NFL: Murray takes his legs to his neck (football)
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Eventually, the organization offered him players and a system to maximize his potential. Kyler Murray is short and doesn’t fit the stereotype of being a quarterback, but he has everything else and I’d bet he’ll be seen in the discussion for the title of MVP many times over. ‘here the end of his career, just like Lamar Jackson.
4. The Packers win the section title
I know it’s very early, maybe even way too soon, but I’m already sure the Green Bay Packers will win the section title in the north of the National. First, the Packers have eliminated all doubts about them since the start of the season. In two matches, they have destroyed two section rivals in quick succession. First the Minnesota Vikings with the arm of Aaron Rodgers and then the Detroit Lions with the legs of Aaron Jones. Matt Lafleur is a good trainer and his attack is working at full speed. There is no indication that it will slow down. Defense has a few scabs to eat, but it has everything it needs to pick itself up over the next few months.
We must also look at the other formations of the section. The Chicago Bears have an identical record of two wins and zero losses, but I can hardly believe they pose a real threat. First, the first victory was acquired without conviction thanks to a breakaway pass from De’Andre Swift of the Detroit Lions and the second against the poor New York Giants. In addition, their quarterback is Mitch Trubisky. That’s all, Mitch Trubisky.
In my opinion, the team that posed the greatest threat was the Minnesota Vikings (0-2). But the Vikings have no traction, Kirk Cousins is playing very poorly and Mike Zimmer’s defense is going through a painful transition. Finally, I will not go on forever on the Detroit Lions (0-2) who already seem to have hit rock bottom and may fire their head coach Matt Patricia by the end of the season.
Because of all of this, even though it’s only September 22, I can say with enough confidence that the Packers will win the section title for the second year in a row.
5. Confusion of the Falcons
It’s hard for me not to say a word about the most recent collapse of the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, we have to give credit to the Dallas Cowboys who came back well in the game thanks, in particular, to a solid performance by quarterback Dak Prescott. But we must underline the monster confusion of the Falcons at the end of the game.
It was 39-37 for the Falcons with 1:49 to go and the Cowboys needed a short kick as they had no time left. A simple game, one could even say routine. The kick was executed by Greg Zuerlein, but it lacked strength, so it quietly made its way towards the Falcons players who seemed mesmerized. The ball had to pass 10 yards before the Cowboys players could touch it, but the Falcons players could touch it at any time. Despite everything, the four or five players of the Falcons did not react and as soon as the ball crossed 10 yards, the Cowboys threw themselves on it to regain possession of course! After a few completed passes, Zuerlein gave the victory to his team with a placement of 46 yards.
ContentId (3.1373787): NFL: Short kicked … placement for the win! WOW! (soccer)
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The Falcons’ reaction is incomprehensible. Why didn’t you jump on the ball earlier? Why not be more aggressive? And this is where the problem lies: the lack of aggressiveness of the players. For years, we’ve been saying in Atlanta that we need a more aggressive, more robust, more aggressive club, but we never get there. It’s a question of organizational culture, it’s a mentality that you have to instill in your players and Dan Quinn has failed in this task for too long. To me, this game is emblematic of who the Falcons are under Quinn’s umbrella. As long as he’s at the helm of this squad, the Falcons will never pose an intimidating threat to other teams on the tour and that’s why I think he won’t be back in 2021.
