Are the Redskins and Bucs for real?
Despite their wins on Sunday and their overall records, I’m struggling with the notion that the Redskins and Bucs are “for real” (whatever that means). Personally, I think they’re both a product of their circumstances.
Let me explain before Washington and Tampa Bay Fan rip my nuggets off.
The Bucs have beaten three teams with weak passing games (Cleveland, Carolina and Cincinnati). Their only loss was at the hands of the Steelers, who absolutely destroyed them on their home field in Week 3.
Wins are tied to yards per pass and turnovers. Teams that can throw for more yards per pass and turn the ball over less usually win. (Look at the box scores from this week in the NFL if you think I’m making this up.) With that in mind, is it that big of a shock that the Bucs are 3-1 after facing teams that can’t throw the ball? Some would say yes just based on how bad Tampa was last year, but you have to consider how brutal the Browns, Panthers and Bengals’ passing games are when it comes to Tampa’s surprising start.
Now, the Redskins are kind of a different story. They’ve beaten the Cowboys, Eagles and Packers – three teams that have better passing games than the teams Tampa has faced. However, Dallas’ offense carried its funk from preseason into the regular season, Philadelphia lost Michael Vick in the first quarter last week and Green Bay has racked up more injuries than the front lines of the Revolutionary War.
Again I ask, are these two teams for real or have they cashed in on some nice opportunities early in the year?
That said, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks, the Skins (3-2) and Bucs (3-1) are what their records say they are. You can’t take that away from them and after both of them produced some big-time wins today, so I hate to damper the mood.
But we’ll see.
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Posted in: NFL
Tags: 2010 NFL Week 5, Bucs playoffs, NFL Week 5 scores, Redskins playoffs, Tampa Bay Bucs, Washington Redskins
As a lifelong (and today very disappointed) Packer fan, I think I can say something about Washington today.
They got a major deal when they brought McNabb in – not many people could have stood up to the beating the Packers put on him early today. He not only stood up, he transcended it and found a way to win.
They may not have the top-flight talent all around yet, and if Green Bay hadn’t lost both starting TEs, NT and our best pash rusher, I think the game goes a different path, but they never game up. Down ten points, a couple really bad calls, pinned back on their goal line, they kept fighting.
That means something.
Sorry Jeff, an L is an L . . .
I think you could have worked the Chiefs into this article. I don’t think anyone believes they are as strong as their record. Just like I think no one thinks Green Bay is as bad as their record. The good news is that there is a lot of parity this season, and I think no one can tell who will emerge to dominate this fall. Only the Steelers (dammit!) seem to not have any real problems, but it will be interesting to see the paradigm shift effect of Ben on the offense.
I don’t know about Washington or the Bucs but I do know that the Bengals are the worst Team in the NFL. They have no Teams, a bunch of of talent and no heart.
Jester. I was complimenting the Skins – not bemoaning the loss. We stuck it to ‘em pretty good in the first half. They kept battling and found a way to win.
To that end – a W is a W. I think Washington is a couple good draft picks away from being a solid playoff team.
The Packers are another concussion away from missing the playoffs altogether. No Rodgers=no Packers.