Separate from my Weekly Recap, I'll attempt to add a complimentary post that delves into some of the more remarkable topics that the week's games generate. Also, my apologies for not tweeting anything during the games this weekend, but unfortunately I've been battling some cold/throat virus and it kept me from having the energy for such an interactive activity while I watched my football. Next weekend you should expect some tweets!
Bad Week for Offense / Good Week for Defense
It seemed to me that every team that made a much-spoken-about offensive acquisition in the offseason struggled to put a touchdown on the board this week. At the same time, teams that aren't traditionally defensive powerhouses put together eye-catching defensive performances. Meanwhile, teams known for their vaunted offenses also struggled. Let's break it down:
Baltimore (Anquan Boldin, WR; TJ Houshmandzadeh, WR) - 10 points.
Chicago (Mike Martz, offensive coordinator) - 19 points; two goal-line failures.
Detroit (Nate Burleson, WR; Tony Scheffler, TE; Jahvid Best, RB) - 14 points; less than 200 yards total offense.
Miami (Brandon Marshall, WR) - 15 points.
Minnesota (no significant new acquisitions; top-5 offense last year) - 9 points.
New Orleans (no significant new acquisitions; top-5 offense last year) - 14 points.
NY Jets (LaDainian Tomlinson, RB) - 9 points.
San Diego (no significant new acquisitions; top-5 offense last year) - 14 points.
Washington (Donovan McNabb, QB) - 13 points; only TD was scored by the defense.
Meanwhile, teams like the Lions, the Bills, and the Chiefs all play stout defensive games and hold their foes to respectable point totals. It seems that in this era of football, which has become known for being a high-flying, high-scoring, pass-happy golden age, perhaps some momentum is swinging back to the defense? Offenses have become more aggressive and more creative over the last five years. Perhaps in that time, defenses have caught up - defensive schemes have, over the past couple years, become more aggressive and more creative in response. Various gadget-type plays (see: Wildcat) have started to fizzle out and defenses are starting to expose the vulnerabilities in teams that pass more. I'll be interesting to see how this plays out over the season; is it a temporary thing, as new players adapt to new teams in real game environments? Or are defenses reacting and scheming properly in this pass-happy era now?
The Call That No One Is Talking About
Yes, Calvin Johnson caught a game-winning TD and it was taken away. People have talked about that and, in all the talk generated by it, another issue is being ignored. The score, at that moment, was 19-14. A successful 2-point conversion earlier would have made it 21-14. However, no one is talking about the call Lovie Smith made earlier in the game, near the beginning of the fourth quarter, when Shaun Hill fumbled the ball on the Lions' 1-yard line for a Bears recovery. The Bears went 3-and-out at the 1-yard line - much like another Lions goal-line stand earlier in the game. The score, at this moment, was 14-13 and the Lions had done nothing to inspire confidence in their offense to that point. In fact, at the time, they'd only converted one first-down for the entire second half. All evidence points to kicking a field goal in this situation - take the points, because the Lions have stuffed you on the goal-line up to then and they couldn't move the ball. If the field goal is kicked, it becomes 16-14, Bears lead, and when they make their final drive (when Forte scores the go-ahead TD), they can eat the clock and needn't scramble for a play. They can win comfortably, 16-14, and the controversial call never happens. Even if the Bears still score a touchdown, at that point, it's 23-14 and the game is out of reach for the Lions. Cardinal rule of good coaching: don't leave points off the board. It's one thing if the Lions offense had been clicking and moving the ball. It's another if they aren't. The Bears won that game and a controversial call is the news story as a result. If the Lions had won the game, that mind-boggling call by Lovie Smith is the new story - and it should be anyway, at least in Chicago.
The Must-Win Game of the Week
In Pierce's Picks this week, I chose the Houston Texans over the Indianapolis Colts. I did this because I considered it the Must-Win Game of the Week. Think about it - if the Colts win, it's another home loss for the Texans by their nemesis and says that the season goes on as all others before it have: so close, but so far; if the Texans win, it's a statement game that says "we're ready to go to war for this division and we will compete with anyone here." Turns out the Texans went for the latter. Suddenly this flips the entire division around - the Texans take the win, by running the ball, no less, and become a team you have to plan for, that you have to - dare I say it - fear a little. They have a hungry, tenacious defense. They have skill players and talent on offense. This is a team that can throw on you, run on you, and chase your QB around. They were 1-15 against the Colts, in their history, up til this weekend. That second franchise win against the Colts was a statement. I don't think you can buy the Texans as a viable playoff contender unless they can beat the Colts. They can beat the Colts. The rest of the league - take notice. They were a trendy playoff pick early last year. This year they might be a realistic one.
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