Every-Thing Sports

NFL Week Two: Good, bad and ugly

Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers

Week two concluded in the NFL with more of the status quo. Not as many shockers this week as there were in week one. It's a matter of opinion really. Here's more of mine opinions on week two in the NFL:

The Good

-49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is finally healthy and earning the massive contract. He completed 68% of his passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns against the Bengals. If he keeps this up, the 49ers will be a playoff contender. That NFC West will also be a division race to watch

-Falcons receiver Julio Jones took a 4th&3 reciever screen pass 54 yards to the house for the game winining touchdown. Analytics say he hit 20mph on his run to the end zone. Julio proved why he's considered the best reciever in the league and well deserving of the highest paid reciever in the league distinction as well.

-Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had another great game. 272 yards passing on 65% passing with two touchdowns, another 120 yards rushing, while taking only two sacks and no turnovers. not too bad for a guy some thought would only survive as a reciever.

The Bad

-Cardinals rookie quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 349 yards...and they still lost. Being one of two rookie quarterbacks to throw for more than 300 yards in his first two games. This would be more celebrated had they won. Being 0-1-1 isn't going to save or torpedo his season, but putting up record number on a bad team is kind of like the tree falling in the woods with no one around.

-The ending of the Bears/Broncos game was terrible. Penalties, clock issues, blown chances, and a 4th&15 conversion. The only good thing that came out of it was the Bears apparently found a kicker in Eddie Pineiro as he kicked a 53 yard game winner. All of this in a 16-14 game between two 0-1 teams trying to avoid 0-2.

-The Chargers/Lions game ended in a 13-10 Lions win, and there was only one score in the second half when Matt Stafford hit Kenny Golladay for a touchdown midway through the third quater. One would think teams featuring Stafford and Phillip Rivers at quarterback would be capable of putting up more than 23 combined points.

The Ugly

-Quarterbacks are dropping like flies! Jags Nick Foles (IR designated to return), Steelers Ben Roethlisberger (season ending elbow surgery), and Saints Drew Brees (out six weeks with thumb surgery) are all out significant time due to injuries. Jags ans Steelers may be done, but the Saints have an outside shot to make the playoffs. Somebody wrap Deshaun Watson in bubble wrap please.

-Obligatory "Dolphins suck" post: The Dolphins lost 43-0 to the Patriots. They ran four less plays, got outgained by 97 yards, and gave up seven sacks. The average score of a Dolphin game after two weeks is 51-5. Maybe they will be historically bad.

-Eli Manning is in the last year of his contract with the Giants. The Giants are seemingly going to let him play it out even though 1sr round pick Daniel Jones is waiting in the wings.Eli has looked like a shell of himself and Jones is coming off a fairly impressive preseason. This has people calling for Manning's exit and Jones' entrance. Hard to see a two time Super Bowl winner being run out of town.

This was a quarterback heavy recap. Given that the NFL is a quarterback driven league, it's not surprising. Hopefully week three brings us some better performances, more stunning results, and a hit on a parlay (thanks for nothing Chargers/Lions). Although, I did enjoy some of the closer contested games. Overall it was another week of NFL football, of which, we have every weekend until the first Sunday in February. Let's enjoy it while we have it.

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Hunter Brown takes the mound for Houston Tuesday night. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros will look to even their three-game set against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night at Daikin Park, with ace-in-the-making Hunter Brown taking the mound.

The Astros (55-36) dropped the series opener 7-5 on Monday, snapping a stretch that saw them win six of their last eight games. But they'll have their best arm on the hill in Brown, who enters with a 9-3 record, a sparkling 1.82 ERA, and a microscopic 0.90 WHIP. The right-hander has been the definition of dominant this season, striking out 126 batters and giving Houston a clear edge in any matchup he starts.

Cleveland (41-48) will counter with Joey Cantillo, who has impressed in limited action. The lefty owns a 3.41 ERA and will face a Houston lineup that has been red-hot, batting .298 over the last 10 games and piling up runs behind contributions from Victor Caratini, Cam Smith, and Jose Altuve.

Despite Monday’s setback, the Astros are still 32-15 at home and boast a 43-13 record when outhitting their opponent. Cleveland, meanwhile, has lost nine of its last 10 and is hitting just .187 over that span — though Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan remain threats to change a game with one swing.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Meyers has 15 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 21 RBIs for the Astros. Meyers is dealing with a calf issue and was out of the lineup for Game 1 versus the Guardians.

Caratini is 10 for 38 with two doubles and four home runs over the past 10 games.

Tuesday marks the fifth meeting between the two clubs this season, with the series tied 2-2. With Brown on the mound and the offense continuing to click, Houston will try to reclaim control and keep pace atop the American League.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -211, Guardians +173; over/under is 7 runs.

Lineup breakdown

Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2. Spots 1-6 are the same as Game 1, except Cooper Hummel is playing left field, with Altuve in the DH spot. Mauricio Dubon is hitting seventh and playing second base, with Zack Short (SS) hitting eighth, followed by Taylor Trammell batting ninth and playing center field. Jake Meyers is out of the lineup again with a calf issue.



 

  Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot


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