NFL Week 2: Key Points

Hello all. Week 2 of the NFL season has past, which means that it is time to review some key events that took place around the league this week. Some teams were impressive, others were appalling. Let's get into it.

Best Game: Ravens at Raiders

Much like the Seahawks-Rams affair last week, this game had it all; excitement, drama and storytelling. The story was of a NFL heavyweight going up against one of its outcasts, and the outcasts prevailed. The game was a back and forth tilt, as the teams were tied at 20 at the half. Oakland started to pull away in the 3rd quarter, scoring 10 unanswered points to build a double-digit lead going into the final 15 minutes. The Ravens would punch back however, as a Justin Tucker field goal and a short TD run from Lorenzo Taliaferro tied things at 30. It looked like Baltimore might steal one when Will Hill picked off Derek Carr with 5:06 to play, giving the Ravens a golden opportunity for a game winning drive. But, despite getting a first down inside the Oakland 15 yard line, all the Ravens could squeeze out was a field goal, forcing John Harbaugh to have the up-most
faith in his defense that had been struggling all day. The D did not deliver, and with 26 seconds of battle remaining, Carr found Seth Roberts in the end zone, giving the Silver and Black their first win of the 2015 campaign.


The stars that shined brightest for Oakland were receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. The 2 new additions to the ''Black Hole'' are giving fans hope that maybe 2015 won't be as crappy as 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 09, 08, 07, 06, 05, 04 or 03, as they combined for 220 yards on 16 catches. Derek Carr is looking like a stud. The former Fresno State standout was on fire on Sunday, going 30-46 with 351 yards passing and a QB Rating of 85.6, numbers that show that it is not likely that Carr's career will be similar to that of his brother, David(that's a good thing). Although nothing is guaranteed, Sunday was a good day to be a Raiders fan, and hopefully more of those days are in the future for the oddest fan-base in the NFL.

Honorable Mentions: Broncos at Chiefs, Falcons at Giants, Bucs at Saints

Biggest Statement: New York Jets

Jets flying high might not be so rare this season

Yes, the Jets will finally be talked about in positive light on this blog. It is about time this team got some positive press, and I am giving them a well deserved piece of it. Not only are the Jets 2-0, but they are a very convincing 2-0. After a solid 31-10 win over Cleveland in Week 1, New York had their first road test of the season on Monday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Jets passed with flying colors, dominating a team that they were not supposed to beat in their house. The Jets defense held Indy scoreless until the 4th quarter, and the QB-Receiver combo of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall worked together smoothly to make sure the offense supported the defense well enough to bring home the win.

The Jets have greatly surprised me so far. I knew that they had an above average defense coming into the season, but I did not expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to be this solid behind center. Fitzpatrick has done a great job filling in for an injured Geno Smith, and Geno might be relegated to holding a clipboard on the sidelines upon his return if Fitzpatrick keeps this up. For the Jets, this is a cause for joy. For the Colts, this is a cause for worry. In 7 months, Indy has gone from being one game away from the Superbowl to scoring a total of 15 points in their first 2 games. The Colts need to figure out what is wrong and fast, or else this could be a very miserable year in the ''Hoosier State''. The Jets could be for real, and I am intrigued to see if they can keep up their splendid form as the season rolls on.

Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers

I'd be crying too if I was an Eagles fan. Probably just on the inside

Biggest Flop: Philadelphia Eagles
''The Eagles have an offense that has several play-makers, and can score a great deal playing in Chip Kelly's system. The Dallas defense is not top notch, and I do not think that they will be able to stop the Eagles from flying high in Week 2.'' -Joe Smeltzer

Well Eagles, thanks for making me look like a fool. I could handle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being embarrassing Week 1. That team is not expected to be a contender. But you guys have no excuse. An offense that was expected to light up scoreboards across the land got completely punked by a rather pedestrian defense in their home opener, scoring just 10 lousy points.And you know what else? Philly's opponent played with out it's starting QB and star receiver for a good part of 2 quarters. And you know what else? The last fact I mentioned didn't even matter because Dallas had a comfortable 13-0 lead at the time of Tony Romo's collarbone injury, and the Eagles offense was so horrendous that all Brandon Weeden had to do to ensure a Cowboy victory was not crap all over the bed(he didn't, going 7-7 passing with 73 yards and a TD). And you know what else? Respected NFL insider Adam Schefter, among others, predicted before the season started that these guys would win the Superbowl. And you know what else? They are 0-2 after losing 2 very winnable games. I rest my case, and Chip Kelly might be resting a lot more next season if his brilliant offensive mind dosent rescue this season. 

That's all for my key points of Week 2. See you next week for more ranting and raving from Smeltz.