Week 1 Suprise Teams (1 Viewer)

[mr roboto]

As with most years, there are some surprise upsets or pleasant surprises from teams who were not expected to perform that well.

Who is for real, and who will revert back to the cellar-dwellar status they may have been projected?

Seattle: impressive win against playoff team or SF just overhyped? Carroll making the difference? Hass back?

KC: man, young and quick! Just caught SD without their starting LB, LT, and WR#1? Or legit, impressive team on the rise?

JAC: Garrard for real? Just Denver=not good defense? In MJD we trust?

Other teams who had chances...

Det: let's not get into the Megatron catch/noncatch. There are other threads for that. They nearly beat the Bears at home. With a journeyman QB for a majority of the game.

Stl: coulda won that game. Maybe a few years out?

 

[JbizzleMan]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

 

[Grimace59]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

Also the Chiefs could not pass the ball, it was all running and special teams. That's a big red flag in my book.

 

[cheese]

Mostly, I think these teams are frauds. Still, I could be convinced that Pete Carroll really knows how to coach and Hasslebeck is still a legit NFL qb. If both of those things are true, Seattle will finish with a winning record in today's NFL.

The Rams and Lions still looked pretty bad to me, but granted I did not watch the whole games (yet).

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

Also the Chiefs could not pass the ball, it was all running and special teams. That's a big red flag in my book.

Odd that a Bears fan would be down on a team winning with the running game and special teams.

 

[mr roboto]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

Also the Chiefs could not pass the ball, it was all running and special teams. That's a big red flag in my book.

Odd that a Bears fan would be down on a team winning with the running game and special teams.

Nice!

 

[Jayrod]

As with most years, there are some surprise upsets or pleasant surprises from teams who were not expected to perform that well.Who is for real, and who will revert back to the cellar-dwellar status they may have been projected?Seattle: impressive win against playoff team or SF just overhyped? Carroll making the difference? Hass back?KC: man, young and quick! Just caught SD without their starting LB, LT, and WR#1? Or legit, impressive team on the rise?JAC: Garrard for real? Just Denver=not good defense? In MJD we trust?Other teams who had chances...Det: let's not get into the Megatron catch/noncatch. There are other threads for that. They nearly beat the Bears at home. With a journeyman QB for a majority of the game.Stl: coulda won that game. Maybe a few years out?

I didn't get to see the Seattle game, but it seems like that was more of a case of SF not playing up to their abilities. Also they have a pretty big home field advantage (that game was in Seattle, right?)I like the Chiefs to improve greatly this year, but I don't see them breaking 500. Likely 7-9 this year as not being able to pass at all will make them very vulnarable. Jax will be tough at home as usual, but I'll wait and see with them on the road.The Lions and Rams both have a long way to go and played below average teams who made mistakes to keep them in the game.

 

[B. Nugget]

As with most years, there are some surprise upsets or pleasant surprises from teams who were not expected to perform that well.Who is for real, and who will revert back to the cellar-dwellar status they may have been projected?Seattle: impressive win against playoff team or SF just overhyped? Carroll making the difference? Hass back?KC: man, young and quick! Just caught SD without their starting LB, LT, and WR#1? Or legit, impressive team on the rise?JAC: Garrard for real? Just Denver=not good defense? In MJD we trust?Other teams who had chances...Det: let's not get into the Megatron catch/noncatch. There are other threads for that. They nearly beat the Bears at home. With a journeyman QB for a majority of the game.Stl: coulda won that game. Maybe a few years out?

I didn't get to see the Seattle game, but it seems like that was more of a case of SF not playing up to their abilities. Also they have a pretty big home field advantage (that game was in Seattle, right?)I like the Chiefs to improve greatly this year, but I don't see them breaking 500. Likely 7-9 this year as not being able to pass at all will make them very vulnarable. Jax will be tough at home as usual, but I'll wait and see with them on the road.The Lions and Rams both have a long way to go and played below average teams who made mistakes to keep them in the game.

I don't know how good the Chiefs wiill be this year, but it is certainly encouraging that they actually played defense last night and honestly, the special teams saved the day by setting up the nice field position a few times, instead of getting pinned deep like the last few years.I don't know if you can judge Cassel on that game and say they "can't" pass because D. Bowe left about 80 yards out there on his 2 unexcusable drops...oh and factor in the heavy rain (at times), conservative play calling in the 2nd half and the wind before making a blanket statement like that.

 

[Smarge]

I'm not a Cassel fan, but that game wasn't really an indicator of their passing game IMO. As a Chiefs fan, I was actually encouraged to see that they have a tight end in Moeaki that can be a threat in the middle of the field. That should open things up a bit for Bowe/Chambers on the outside and Charles/Dexter in the flats. Haley said repeatedly in the post game that taking care of the ball was the most important factor in winning the game. Thus, the super conservative play calling. Bottom line, jury is still out on the passing game no doubt, but other facets appear to be improved. Couple that with what looks to be a weak schedule, and I think they could surprise.

 

[Insein]

KC defense looks legit. Offense needs work but showed promise. Their Special Teams are crazy good.

 

[The Jacket]

Chiefs are at least a year or 2 away from being a threat IMO, but they won't be an easy out for every team. They should have a top 5 running game and special teams, and the defense has a talented core of young players that the Chiefs are banking on improvement/development from: Glenn Dorsey (beast yesterday), Tyson Jackson, Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali, Brandon Flowers, Eric Berry, etc.

If they get ANYTHING from Cassel, look out. It's unfortunate considering the direction they took to get him (2nd rounder, $28M gtd.) but he's the weak link right now.

 

[Grimace59]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

Also the Chiefs could not pass the ball, it was all running and special teams. That's a big red flag in my book.

Odd that a Bears fan would be down on a team winning with the running game and special teams.

Hey I love my bears, but I see us having a top 5 draft pick next year, and whole new coaching staff and front office. We barely beat the Lions who barely had 150 total yards on offense, a journeyman QB at the helm, and stupid rule that will be changed next year. I want to actually route for the Chiefs this year on because I do like their players and coaches, but the lack of passing game does scare me.

 

[Go deep]

I would have liked the Chiefs better had they stuck with Thigpen.

 

[thatguy]

I don't think the Jags are that good of a team. Denver is not very good, and they are usually awful early in the season in high heat/humidity. I'd say they're mediocre at best.

 

[Resident A]

Regarding KC: For some reason the Chargers play like complete crap week 1 every year...hard to be convinced that KC is legit considering this. I should have gone to Vegas...

Also the Chiefs could not pass the ball, it was all running and special teams. That's a big red flag in my book.

You know the game was played in a downpour, right? Hardly indicative of what to expect from KC's passing game.

 

[thriftyrocker]

Mostly, I think these teams are frauds. Still, I could be convinced that Pete Carroll really knows how to coach and Hasslebeck is still a legit NFL qb. If both of those things are true, Seattle will finish with a winning record in today's NFL.

Also, the other teams in its division are St Louis (bad), Arizona (barely beat bad), and 9ers (the team they just trounced). They could make the playoffs.

 

[chinawildman]

KC I think had alot of things working in their favor... home field, special teams TD, turnovers by the chargers. Still the running game looks pretty strong, but a one dimensional offense doesn't last long in the NFL.

SF was trouncing SEA in the early going for most of the 1st half. They just couldn't get touchdowns or scores. A blatant offensive PI, got called as a def PI and from that point on the niners just completely imploded, Couple that with a pick 6 and another INT in their own red zone and the score looks alot worse than it really was.

STL was actually the most impressive to me, given present expectations. Bradford already looks like the 2nd best QB in the NFC West IMO, certainly light years ahead of where Alex Smith was in his first start, and a quality QB makes all the difference in the world... see SF above.

 

[JaxBill]

I don't think the Jags are that good of a team. Denver is not very good, and they are usually awful early in the season in high heat/humidity. I'd say they're mediocre at best.

It'll be interesting to see how Kampmann and company do this week against SD when they're not playing an o-line with 3 new starters. I think they were able to mask some deficiencies in the secondary. Gates should have a huge day against those safeties. I do think that Marcedes Lewis will conitnue to be Garrard's second read.

 

[az_prof]

None of them.

 

[LittlePhatty]

I think JAX will be much the same as last year for FF purposes.

From an NFL perspective, even if they have improved from last year there is little chance they could get past the Texans, Colts and Titans in that division.

 

[mad sweeney]

KC I think had alot of things working in their favor... home field, special teams TD, turnovers by the chargers. Still the running game looks pretty strong, but a one dimensional offense doesn't last long in the NFL.SF was trouncing SEA in the early going for most of the 1st half. They just couldn't get touchdowns or scores. A blatant offensive PI, got called as a def PI and from that point on the niners just completely imploded, Couple that with a pick 6 and another INT in their own red zone and the score looks alot worse than it really was.STL was actually the most impressive to me, given present expectations. Bradford already looks like the 2nd best QB in the NFC West IMO, certainly light years ahead of where Alex Smith was in his first start, and a quality QB makes all the difference in the world... see SF above.

Wasn't blatant opi, it was a blatant dpi(shirt grab) followed by both players holding each others' hand. Couldve been a no call but it was anything but blatant opi. SF didn't just implode for no reason. The Seattle D looked very stout and stuffed their running game. Not convinced they're for real for real. But they are definitely for real in the division that lacks experienced accurate QBs

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I think his time in Cleveland made people forget just what a great defensive coach Crennel is. They did have the one complete breakdown in coverage, but a lot of teams have breakdowns in week 1.