No Time to Panic

But just in case, fill out your organ donor card.

 Week 2 in the NFL has put many coaches and players on the hot seat in a hurry. We seem to go through this every year and suddenly in Week 3 there are ‘must win games’. While I generally don’t subscribe to some of these screams from the cheap seats, I do think there are some eerie signs that things could be shaken up in the next few weeks.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers look like a mess. As an outside admirer of the Steeler organization for decades, I am shocked out how poorly they are playing. How do you allow what amounts to a rookie QB (Pat Mahomes) six TD’s on a Steeler defense? Forget LeVeon Bell, the Steelers scored 37 but gave up 42 to a guy who just started his 3^rd game and drank his first beer last month. Tomlin once again proved why he is an overrated coach in the eyes of many, including former Steeler legend Terry Bradshaw. At some point you have to make an adjustment in your scheme and either bring more heat on the QB or more coverage downfield. If the Steelers lose next week to Tampa, the heat will begin to grow. Big Ben isn’t getting younger and the team looks distracted and not well coached for the last two years. The Steel Curtain looks more like Grandma’s cotton curtains.

Cleveland had high hopes for this season and I even predicted they would win some games and be a surprise. However, I did question why they would keep their losing Head Coach and a headache like Josh “Up in smoke” Gordon on the team. Another loss later and they just announced his release from the team prior to game time so he can attend the Cannabis convention in Montecito and hang out with Jeff Spicoli. The Browns are now actively pursuing Dez Bryant because after a distraction like Smokey Gordon, why not bring in a guy who is consummate team player and wanted by every NFL team. (That was sarcasm for those of you hitting the water bong with Gordon and don’t understand). In addition to this situation, they are now dealing with finding a new kicker on short notice since they play the Jets on Thursday night. All in all, it looks like Hue Jackson is once again working wonders to figure out how to lose and after awhile you lose any hope of success when you have known nothing but losing. Maybe they can ask former QB Tim Couch to come in and give them a motivational speech, after all, he did win 22 games in 5 years so he is a living legend and knows what it takes to win compared to this group.

The NY Giants are in a bind now and they know it. They brought in a new Head Coach, a new General Manger, a new running back, and a new offensive lineman but kept an aging QB who couldn’t beat Oprah Winfrey in a 40 yard dash to an all you can eat buffet line. Eli’s current capabilities do not translate well in this age of passing and pass defense. Almost all of his receivers are stretch receivers who go deep into their routes. Manning needs a slot receiver like Wes Welker or Eric Decker for quick hits when pressure is coming. It is rapidly beginning to look like Ben McAdoo was not the problem last year and maybe he was correct to bench him and look at alternatives. The NY Football Giants are 0-2 and have a game against the Texans this week who are also 0-2 and desperate to get back on track. I’m sure bookends JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney (we should make Clowney an honorable member of the Sports Bozos!) are already pinning their ears back.   The Texans are also a team that need to get a win as well. They have a good defense and have the pieces on offense but are just not clicking right now. A 0-3 start might put Bill O’Brien on the hot seat.

The Oakland Raiders are in a real precarious position since they backed up a Brinks truck and gave it to a guy who hasn’t coached in a decade. His 10 year $100 million guaranteed contract may start getting heat if they start the year 0-3 next week after they play the Fins. He literally cannot be fired by the team and if 0-3 turns into 0-5 or more, good luck selling those season tickets in Vegas. The Raiders have a great young QB in Derek Carr but it looks like he is regressing, not progressing under Gruden’s offense. To be honest, Gruden ran a wonderful West Coast offense in Oakland about 17 years ago with Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and others. Since then Gruden’s offense has stunk to high heaven. He has mastered the three yard pass on 3^rd and 7 time and again and the Raiders may have buyer’s remorse for the next decade.

Next on my radar are the Buffalo Bills. A playoff team a year ago, they draft a raw rookie to be their QB and are now 0-2 and have a game this Sunday against the Vikings. Tyrod Taylor has at least kept the Browns in both of their games but these Bills have been manhandled in both and now travel with a rookie QB to face one of the league’s best defenses. If the Bills lose again, they might have to just scrap the whole season and devote every loss toward developing Josh Allen.   I have more to say about the Bills, but I decided to retire from writing mid way through this story like their cornerback Vontae Davis did at halftime on Sunday.

Last but not least, the Arizona Cardinals and their anemic offense will be facing Khalil Mack and the Bears Sunday to avoid going 0-3. Sam Bradford has thrown for 243 yards in 2 games this year. Heck, Pat Mahomes and Ryan FitzMagic have thrown for more than that in one quarter this year. Throw in no TD’s and 2 Int’s and Bradford is playing for his job Sunday or the Josh Rosen era will begin.

To quote the great Detective Frank Drebin in “Naked Gun”:

“Now, now Wilma, Nordberg is going to be fine, but I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to fill out those organ donor cards”

-BSB