Rookies booming the league
The NFL never disappoints fans year by year with new things ... the week 3 of 2016 season is over under some interesting facts. We cannot say that there is a bad team in the league (I am going to be kind with the Cleveland Browns this time) because we always have surprises on the score week-by-week despite of our predictions, but we need to deeply analyze the situations, roster, coaching staff and most important... strategy. The week 3 began with the Thursday Night Football (beautiful color rush uniforms!) between New England Patriots and Houston Texans. All of the comments were that the Pats will receive their first lose of the season, taking the circumstances that a fined Tom Brady still not allow to play until week 5 and his second QB Jimmy G, who showed some good skills and performance on week 1 and part of the week 2 game, suffered a shoulder injury and was out for this game. The boss Belichick opted to use his third QB option, the rookie Jacoby Brissett, which had his first start. While the Texans with a feared defense (JJ Watt, Wilfork, and the rest) and a overrated QB Brock Osweiler waited to be on the loop on a main event, Bill Belichick gave us a learning class of how to be the best coach of the NFL history! He blocked any kind of play of the Texans by changing his system and fit into the QB skills. The Pats ran a bunch of snaps, controlled the field positions and disappeared the potential risk of Texans in Fuller and Hopkins by blocking the movements of Osweiler caused some sacks. Patriots blew out Texans 27-0. LeGarrette Blount had an amazing game with 105-yards, 24 carries and 2 TD, and the rookie QB Brissett with 103-yards and 0 INT but with a injury which put on risk (again) the most important position in a team, open the door for Julian Edelman (yeah.. everyone wants to witness that). The Pats now are 3-0 without Brady and I am pretty sure that they have all the way for the conference championship, anyway they have the best coach despite his grumpy attitude.
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Another outstanding game for this week was the actual champs Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals. Again the Broncos showed their strength in the defense and proved why last year they won the Super Bowl. They won the game against a good team and a sure contender in the playoffs, but something remarkable was the performance of Trevor Siemian with an amazing 312-pass yards, 23/35 comp/att, and 4 TD. The team is in good hands with the D-line and a effective QB, that I am sure that they will be tough contenders in the playoffs.
We cannot compare 2015 season Cam Newton to this one. I think that he has more attention in what funny hat he will wear after game than the system that the other team will use. The Vikings won 22-10 against Panthers, with a key 3 turnover lost by Newton´s team. But the surprise here is that they lost against the Vikings (amazing new stadium) with a unbeaten Sam Bradford that I am sure he will no longer last than 5 games healthy. I don´t want to be rude or wish him bad luck but let´s be honest ... his O-line is doing a good job protecting him, but he has a history of injuries and he does not have the state of mind that a Elite QB needs to transcend in this complicated league. We will see in a couple of weeks. I am sorry for Vikings fans.
All the focuses since the beginning of the season were on a educated, shy guy who came from North Dakota State Bisons, who has picked at the Round 1 Pick 2. His name is Carson Wentz and he is the sensation of the Philadelphia Eagles and the entire league. Since week 1, he have demonstrated his skills, leadership, good arm and most important patience in each snap. Some of the experts compare Wentz with legends as Peyton Manning or the same Aaron Rodgers. Philadelphia Eagles defeated the talented and contender Pittsburgh Steelers in the Battle of PA 34-3. The Eagles are 3-0 with amazing performances by Wentz but is not just his job which lead the team to this instance and performance, is the whole transformation that the GM Howie Roseman did to the team after the failed Chip Kelly. Roseman approved this test by confirming the great Fletcher Cox with new contract and strengthened the defense and offensive line by giving power to players as G Brandon Brooks, S Malcom Jenkins, DE Brandon Graham or CB Rodney McLeod who were keys in the success of the Eagles. But there ir someone who does not appear on the plays or has a famous face and it is the most important asset and addition in this team, and it is the Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz. His wonderful job gave the Eagles the tittle of the Number 1 Defense in less points allowed per game, above teams as Seattle Seahawks with their old "Legion of Boom" or the same Baltimore Ravens with a traditional good defense. The true is that the Eagles are in good rhythm and they are competitive and one of the most feared teams in the NFL. If they continue in the same path, I am sure that they will be contenders to win the Super Bowl. Just hope that the early Bye Week 4 does not affect the way that they are playing.
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On the primetime, on Sunday Night Football, another rookie guided the Dallas Cowboys with a victory 31 - 17 against a weak Chicago Bears with a lot of injured players, some of them the non-loved QB Jay Cutler. The true is that Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw 248-yards against the Bears and he still not throw any INT. The big question is if the Cowboys will be in the same positive streak when Tony Romo return to the field after his injury? At this time most of the fans are thinking that it is better to keep Prescott, unless you are Jerry Jones. On the last game of the week, on Monday Night Football we had a game with a lot of points, as always with the New Orleans Saints who lost 45 - 32 against Atlanta Falcons. Notwithstanding, Drew Brees still giving us a fantasy plays making 376-yards leading the league as Air player. The game had not too much audience because the funny presidential debate. Well, this time the people prefer to look for an important but hard decision on America.
In conclusion, The Eagles is a serious-competitive team with strong possibilities on playoffs; the Vikings continue his positive streak until Bradford gets down; and the Patrios are the Patriots and they will go undefeated to leave the open door to Tom Brady who return on week 5. But the good thing of all is that Rookies are booming the league with excellent performances! 100 points for Dak Prescott, Trevor Siemian, Jacoby Brissett and of course the beginning of the legend of Carson Wentz.
