Impressions & Depressions: $#&@! Crazy Week 3

What a mess.

 

Impressions

• The 49ers lost to the Vikings. They got away from their game and the Vikings made no mistakes. Certainly, both the Niners and Vikings will go back to their winning and losing ways next week, respectively. However, for the 49ers and the way the season is turning out so far, they have 6 tough games against division opponents coming up. The NFC West is a defensive powerhouse. Cardinals have been playing great since the end of last year, Seattle showed its pressure abilities to match their strong defensive backfield last night, the Niners are the Niners with their awesome defense, and the Ram's defense plays dirty (I really don’t like Cortland Finnegan). The Niners are the most complete team in that division right now, and if they win it at the end of the regular season, they will have battled for it.

• The Giants have awesome depth on their roster. There has been much discussion about backups RB Andre Brown and WR Ramses Barden, but I think looking at their greatest weakness and thinnest roster spot—defensive back—they have been playing fairly well. Though there have been touchdowns scored against them, they are just a ball location away from breaking it up. The coverage is tight. They’ve got work to do, but it isn’t unrecoverable. That’s depth.

• With all the OT games and comebacks this weekend, parity is alive and well in the NFL. It’s very entertaining. This is why the NFL is king and MLB is, well, not. It’s really entertaining. Mm. I saw the LA Dodgers against the Cardinals (I think..?) in extra innings this past weekend. Ugh. When the Dodgers were up and once a player got on base they went into a bunting strategy. They got two runs out of it and won the game. It was cool. Why didn’t they do that in the bottom of the 8^th or 9^th when they knew it was coming down to the wire? High stakes, that’s why. In baseball, they have a calculated risk known as a sacrifice. In football, they have Hail Marys. Granted, MLB players play essentially 10 NFL seasons, but that only hurts their cause. The MLB regular season is watered down and in the summer months people at work on Wednesday can listen to the games on the radio. Yay. They can’t compete, and while the future is uncertain for the NFL, it’s not gonna be MLB, NBA, NHL, or MLS that where’s the crown.

Depressions

• The officiating: the Hail Mary, the fighting, the offensive holding, illegal contact by DBs, coach intimidation, inexperience. It’s cumulative. If you don't like a certain rule, whatever. The rule must be upheld. If it's not, what's the point? Can only hope something happens soon.

• I know Cam Newton is young and doesn’t like to lose. But has the blown smoke up his ass gone to his head or what? Towelhead had a sour puss. He didn’t give much respect to Giants players in post-game handshakes and did his Superman touchdown routine while getting their butts kicked. On the sidelines veteran and true competitor WR Steve Smith was chewing him out about pouting on the sidelines and how instead of pouting he could get up, watch his team play, and maybe learn something. He was still pouty at the podium. He’s got a ways to go before he shows some leadership and is anywhere close to the hype.

• I’ve always thought in recent years when some of the best players are out for the season with injury it impacts the season. Here's just a few cases: Brady in 2008, Polomalu  in 2009, and Peyton Manning last year in 2011. Now I think it’s Revis with his torn ACL. Think about it. He gives the Jets the most legitimate leverage against this passing league out of any team. He gives them the best chance against Brady in their division. And he gives them the best chance against the AFC in general. Despite how bad the Jets may be this season already, other teams have now suddenly become better. That's impact. He does his part to remind us that Brees, Brady, Rodgers, and the Manning boys aren't gods.

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