Week 2 of the NFL season was quite interesting as there will be several items that are sure to be talking points this week and as the season progresses.
1. Still not sure what the Cleveland Browns are
Sure, the Cleveland Browns looked better against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, but we should not forget the disastrous showing against the Baltimore Ravens just a few days prior. Baker Mayfield looked good when players were schemed open against Cincinnati. Mayfield looked terrible when facing Baltimore and they made him look more like the 2019 version and not the second half of 2018. The next game against the Washington Football Team should provide a bit more clarity in regards to the skill level of Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. Are they a good, bad, or average NFL team? The answer to that question may come into focus after Week 3.
2. Cam Newton is really good and it should result in firings in other organizations
Cam Newton looks like Cam Newton again and that is scary, Josh McDaniels has put together an offense catered to his particular skill set and is getting the most out of him. Even in a shortened offseason and no preseason games, McDaniels was able to adapt and install an offense for Newton that will make the New England Patriots a legitimate contender this season. The fact that there were multiple NFL teams in need of a quarterback and Cam Newton signed a one-year bargain basement prove-it deal with New England should result in multiple firings across the league.
3. The Falcons special teams debacle is emblematic of the issues in Atlanta
This was an all-time collapse. The Atlanta Falcons let the ball on Dallas’ onside kick attempt roll 10 yards untouched and allowed the Cowboys to recover. If the goal for Atlanta was to practice social distancing in regards to the ball, mission accomplished. The fact that Atlanta did not understand the rules when it comes to an onside kick just shows the lack of attention to detail by Dan Quinn and his coaching staff. Would firing Quinn result in better on-field success this season? Not likely. However, if he is fired at some point this debacle should represent his failure as their head coach.
4. Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn are in a bad place in Detroit
There are so many NFL teams that hire a Bill Belichick disciple and watch them crash and burn. This is why some teams are hesitant to hire others (Josh McDaniels being the most recent example). While there have been issues with what has gone on with Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn, there is a certain set of circumstances in order for someone copying Belichick to be successful. Patricia did not come into a situation where those circumstances existed and that’s why things sit the way they do currently.
The Lions had expectations of playoffs and building upon what Jim Caldwell left after his departure. The problem is what was being implemented is not for teams looking to take the next step, it is for building a foundation and a culture, essentially building from the ground up. Bringing in the duo of Patricia and Quinn is like trying to change a building that has already been constructed. No matter how many changes are made, it will still resemble what was there before any remodeling was done.
A perfect example of what they were trying do succeeding with another NFL team is the Miami Dolphins. Miami was actively tanking and still won games. Brian Flores is building the foundation for a successful organization and was put in the right situation to do so. The Dolphins may have lacked talent last season, but that did not stop them from winning five football games. This is two more than Patricia’s Lions who had a more talented roster and were trying to win. It is a safe bet that if the two teams faced each other that Miami would have come out on top and that just amplifies the issues with the Lions.
Are Quinn and Patricia faultless in their failures? No, absolutely not. Although it is worth mentioning that they have not done a whole lot to prove they should stick around in Detroit beyond this season. When the year is up there could be some major changes coming for an organization that has often been too loyal when it comes to keeping their front office executives and head coaches employed.
