NFL Week 2 Results
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Regarding the
NFL Week 2 Results
first I have to say that I didn’t realize I broke one of my cardinal rules last week. No matter how awful of a season the Vikings are having and no matter who they are playing I always always ALWAYS pick the Vikings. Must have been on an unusually high dose of honesty meds last week or something.
As the game came out I turned out to be right.
But if you watched the game I was more than pleasantly surprised and tho’t my Vikes would squeeze out the victory after all.
And what a crappy day to play a game at Soldier Field, too! Did you see how the rain picked up in the 2d half? Yuck!
After Patterson’s return on the first play I jokingly said “that’s how we can win! Score while Ponder’s off the field!”
And then the next time we scored after Robison’s 61-yd. TD following the fumble I had to chuckle to myself.
Reluctantly I will admit tho that overall Ponder did have a decent game. He completed some amazing passes, to our receivers even!
Here’s my critique of the Vikings play, and this has been an issue for at least the last 2 years, failure to get the ball in the end zone when in the red zone. That one thing, even excepting the 44 yd. INT return for a TD (the Bear’s only defensive score of the day) was clearly the difference in a game decided by only one point.
How many times in the past have we seen the Vikings self-destruct like this? Three FGs in the red zone turned into TDs instead is a minimum of 18 points – more likely 21.
Blair Walsh, the place kicker for the Vikings, is in his 2nd year which means he is young and has a very strong leg still. In his career so far he is 11/11 from 50+ yard range – a number that is unsurpassed in the history of the NFL. For FGs of 30 – 39 yards in his career he is nearly 89% (88.9), 40-49 yards 77.8% – with a career 92.9% FGs made – that’s pretty high.
My point with the stats on Walsh is that chances are for a FG outside the red zone he has a way better than average chance of making it.
FGs made outside the red zone are kind of a bonus, or extra 3 points to pad your score with. But FGs within the red zone are a failure on the part of your offense to NOT get the 6, w/ a nearly guaranteed 7.
Result of my prediction was that I ended up being right by mistake. I would have rather been wrong.
Adrian Peterson quest for the record books watch
And now for my weekly report on the progress of Adrian Peterson.
Despite what can only be called a dismal showing at best, he managed to squeak out his first 100 yd. game of the season.
Just an aside that I was thinking during the game, these last two games, where Adrian has stumbled were against NFC North opponents – meaning they KNOW they have to confront #28 a minimum of twice a season. The other teams in the league may or may not ever encounter him during the regular season. Therefore it would NOT be out of the realm of possibility for other North teams to focus on defending Adrian Peterson for some of their defensive prep time all season long, and especially the week leading up to a game against him. That’s why I think next week against the Browns he will have a much easier day carrying the ball. No doubt the Browns defense will focus a lot of attention on stopping Adrian this week, but I doubt they have given much thought to defending him yet.
But who cares and who really knows, right? That’s just my opinion – take it or don’t!
Record watch:
Results of my other predictions
Green Bay beat Washington – 38 – 20 wrong
Incidentally, I did not think the packers would lose this game. It just goes against my grain to vote for them. So I don’t mind that I was wrong with my prediction because I figured I would be.
Detroit vs. Arizona 21 – 25 wrong
Turns out I was wrong here too. Being as I lived in the phoenix area once upon a time, I’ve adopted AZ as one of my favorite teams, besides, I used to work with Larry Fitzgerald’s dad, so I’m happy they won. Also happy Detroit lost.
Total — 1 right, 2 wrong
Predictions for next week:
Bc I cannot vote for Green Bay, of course I predict they will lose (tho I secretly suspect they will win unfortunately)
Tough call for the Bears – Steelers game but I gave the edge to the Steelers bc they are at home
Gave the edge to Washington for the Detroit game bc they are at home, and tho Detroit had a great showing in the season opener, in the desert this week I think they proved that despite having an increasingly talented overall team, in the clutches they can’t seem to get the job done, hopefully worse than the Vikings!
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