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07.28
sheva
We are back for another season of the Liquor Cabinet. Some of you are new to Sports News on Tap so let me explain... I look at the NFL week like I do when I head to Ray's Liquor Store in Wauwatosa. Top Shelf is all the booze I cannot afford to buy because I still work part-time at age 25 but it is the real good stuff thus the NFL moments are the real good ones from the week. The middle shelf is stuff I can afford but it is really not good booze meaning the above average/average moments of the NFL slate. The bottom shelf is the stuff guaranteeing you with a hangover that involving puking more than Jason Witten hence the bad stuff that happened this weekend.
Top Shelf
Chip Kelly's 'gimmick offense' sure looked great - The Eagles ran 77 plays last night. They had 53 of them in the first half keeping an unreal pace that looked like Chip Kelly's Oregon teams with better athletes. LeSean McCoy looked like a new player and Michael Vick seemed to finally fit in an offense. Philadelphia struggled a bit in the second half, but still, they looked tremendous. Like I said, this team would be a tough read and they are showing it thus far. Tap writer Pat Luce pointed out to me the Eagles only scored 33 or more points last year and it was in a defeat against the Dallas Cowboys.
Reggie Bush and the Lions defense dazzle - I am still not fully bought into the Lions hype, but I will say they looked great in their first game of the season. Reggie Bush played like a monster including people make ridiculous comparisons to Barry Sanders (SANDERS AND BUSH, ONE IN THE SAME? MY COLUMN:). He did play really well and creates a secondary threat for the Lions offense taking some pressure off Matthew Stafford. Their defense deserves some credit as they held Adrian Peterson to 15 yards after his 78 yard run to begin the season. While Ndamukong Suh gets the headlines, they were strong for the greater part.
Statement win by New Orleans - Like what I saw from New Orleans on Sunday. At least for one game, they showed more of a commitment to run the football by running it 29 times although it is still a running back by committee format which needs to change at some point this month. They also held Atlanta to 17 points, one of the best offenses in the league. New Orleans forced two turnovers as well including a great stand to end the game. I like what the Saints have cooking here at least for the first game of the season.
Andy Reid looks like a ketchup bottle and the Chiefs - Man, I love Andy Reid. Maybe it is because he looks like a walrus or Mike Holmgren's brother, but I just enjoy the guy and would welcome an opportunity to eat ribs with him. He looked like a bottle of ketchup Sunday, from now on, he is Mr. Heinz until further notice. The Chiefs played well against the Jaguars, but the jury is still out on them. Kansas City-Dallas at Arrowhead should be fun next week.
Middle Shelf
Smoke and mirrors in Seattle? - If I were a Seahawks fan, I would be concerned about Week 1. If DeAngelo Williams does not fumble around the goal line, Seattle likely loses their first game of the season. Russell Wilson spent more time outside the pocket than inside as the Seahawks offensive line could not protect him to save their soul. All three NFC West foes have great defensive lines. I will be real interested to watch this line against the Niners next week.
T-PEEZY IF YOU'RE NASTY - Probably too early to get excited about Terrelle Pryor, but he rushed for over 100 yards and kept the Oakland Raiders in a game on the road against a playoff team last season. Pryor looked like an NFL quarterback out there, and I have always banged the drum that Pryor played in the wrong college system. If Pryor becomes a competent quarterback, it can make Jadeveon Clowney a no-brainer in the first round.
Still Unknown: Houston and San Diego - I have no idea what happened on late Monday night. The Chargers had a massive first half only to pull their best Norv Turner impression in the third and fourth quarter with the Texas imposing their will on offense. I cannot believe the Texans found a way to win this game and how San Diego lost it.
Defining the Middle Shelf... Patriots win over Buffalo - Remember how we talked about what the middle shelf was earlier? The Patriots are defining it as of now. The Patriots hung in there for the whole game, but they did not really play well at all. They are all sorts of banged up for their Thursday night game against the New York Jets and I would be a little concerned if I were a Patriot fan.
Future is bright in St. Louis and Phoenix - Arizona and St. Louis played a pretty good game on Sunday. Jared Cook finally looked like he might be worth his potential. Larry Fitzgerald finally has a quarterback. Both defenses did alright. I feel like we are watching two teams on the cusp of really having something with their teams.
Bottom Shelf
Lavonte David... Not a wise move, bro - He is one of the best young linebackers in the league, but right now, the Tampa Bay linebacker is known as the guy whom pushed Geno Smith after he went out of bounds leading the Jets to getting a game-winning field goal. David will be fine, but this defines the Buccaneers right now. They still have yet to fix the undisciplined play and that should concern Bucs fans.
Let's talk about Pittsburgh - I picked this team to go to the Super Bowl and they only scored nine points against Tennessee. The Steelers also lost Maurkice Pouncey, Larry Foote and LeRod Stephens-Howling for the season, all three important players to this team. I am starting to believe the 2010 team sold their soul to the devil to get to the Super Bowl because they have not seem to catch a break in quite some time. It does not get any easier heading to Cincinnati on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh does not need to win, but they need to at least look like they have a pulse.
Giants might need a running back - The New York Giants running back combination of David Wilson, DaRell Scott and Michael Cox is not a good look for them right now. They had multiple turnovers and struggled the whole game. Willis McGahee and Michael Turner might be options for them. But the fact the Giants are looking at Brandon Jacobs should scare the complete shit out of New York.
Rey Maualuga loses his cool and the football game for Cincinnati - The Bengals looked like they were going to get another chance against the Chicago Bears and then the former USC standout had an unsportsman-like conduct leading to an automatic Bears first down and a Bears win. Cincinnati had an eleven point lead after having a punishing opening second half drive and they stalled from there. The Bengals had two three-and-outs plus a turnover in the red zone. A team whose supposed to be a Super Bowl contender does not have games like this one.
Brandon Weeden's hype deflates like a popped balloon - Out of all the people who had bad starts, Weeden probably depressed me the most. I did not really buy into the Browns hype like others, but at the same time, I felt like their offensive could be much better than years past. Weeden had three interceptions in the first half and it was curtains from there. The Browns really do not have much moving forward at quarterback and they have to ride it out.
Charlie.
Top Shelf
Chip Kelly's 'gimmick offense' sure looked great - The Eagles ran 77 plays last night. They had 53 of them in the first half keeping an unreal pace that looked like Chip Kelly's Oregon teams with better athletes. LeSean McCoy looked like a new player and Michael Vick seemed to finally fit in an offense. Philadelphia struggled a bit in the second half, but still, they looked tremendous. Like I said, this team would be a tough read and they are showing it thus far. Tap writer Pat Luce pointed out to me the Eagles only scored 33 or more points last year and it was in a defeat against the Dallas Cowboys.Reggie Bush and the Lions defense dazzle - I am still not fully bought into the Lions hype, but I will say they looked great in their first game of the season. Reggie Bush played like a monster including people make ridiculous comparisons to Barry Sanders (SANDERS AND BUSH, ONE IN THE SAME? MY COLUMN:). He did play really well and creates a secondary threat for the Lions offense taking some pressure off Matthew Stafford. Their defense deserves some credit as they held Adrian Peterson to 15 yards after his 78 yard run to begin the season. While Ndamukong Suh gets the headlines, they were strong for the greater part.
Statement win by New Orleans - Like what I saw from New Orleans on Sunday. At least for one game, they showed more of a commitment to run the football by running it 29 times although it is still a running back by committee format which needs to change at some point this month. They also held Atlanta to 17 points, one of the best offenses in the league. New Orleans forced two turnovers as well including a great stand to end the game. I like what the Saints have cooking here at least for the first game of the season.
Andy Reid looks like a ketchup bottle and the Chiefs - Man, I love Andy Reid. Maybe it is because he looks like a walrus or Mike Holmgren's brother, but I just enjoy the guy and would welcome an opportunity to eat ribs with him. He looked like a bottle of ketchup Sunday, from now on, he is Mr. Heinz until further notice. The Chiefs played well against the Jaguars, but the jury is still out on them. Kansas City-Dallas at Arrowhead should be fun next week.
Middle Shelf
Smoke and mirrors in Seattle? - If I were a Seahawks fan, I would be concerned about Week 1. If DeAngelo Williams does not fumble around the goal line, Seattle likely loses their first game of the season. Russell Wilson spent more time outside the pocket than inside as the Seahawks offensive line could not protect him to save their soul. All three NFC West foes have great defensive lines. I will be real interested to watch this line against the Niners next week.
T-PEEZY IF YOU'RE NASTY - Probably too early to get excited about Terrelle Pryor, but he rushed for over 100 yards and kept the Oakland Raiders in a game on the road against a playoff team last season. Pryor looked like an NFL quarterback out there, and I have always banged the drum that Pryor played in the wrong college system. If Pryor becomes a competent quarterback, it can make Jadeveon Clowney a no-brainer in the first round.
Still Unknown: Houston and San Diego - I have no idea what happened on late Monday night. The Chargers had a massive first half only to pull their best Norv Turner impression in the third and fourth quarter with the Texas imposing their will on offense. I cannot believe the Texans found a way to win this game and how San Diego lost it.
Defining the Middle Shelf... Patriots win over Buffalo - Remember how we talked about what the middle shelf was earlier? The Patriots are defining it as of now. The Patriots hung in there for the whole game, but they did not really play well at all. They are all sorts of banged up for their Thursday night game against the New York Jets and I would be a little concerned if I were a Patriot fan.
Future is bright in St. Louis and Phoenix - Arizona and St. Louis played a pretty good game on Sunday. Jared Cook finally looked like he might be worth his potential. Larry Fitzgerald finally has a quarterback. Both defenses did alright. I feel like we are watching two teams on the cusp of really having something with their teams.
Bottom Shelf
Lavonte David... Not a wise move, bro - He is one of the best young linebackers in the league, but right now, the Tampa Bay linebacker is known as the guy whom pushed Geno Smith after he went out of bounds leading the Jets to getting a game-winning field goal. David will be fine, but this defines the Buccaneers right now. They still have yet to fix the undisciplined play and that should concern Bucs fans.
Let's talk about Pittsburgh - I picked this team to go to the Super Bowl and they only scored nine points against Tennessee. The Steelers also lost Maurkice Pouncey, Larry Foote and LeRod Stephens-Howling for the season, all three important players to this team. I am starting to believe the 2010 team sold their soul to the devil to get to the Super Bowl because they have not seem to catch a break in quite some time. It does not get any easier heading to Cincinnati on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh does not need to win, but they need to at least look like they have a pulse.
Giants might need a running back - The New York Giants running back combination of David Wilson, DaRell Scott and Michael Cox is not a good look for them right now. They had multiple turnovers and struggled the whole game. Willis McGahee and Michael Turner might be options for them. But the fact the Giants are looking at Brandon Jacobs should scare the complete shit out of New York.
Rey Maualuga loses his cool and the football game for Cincinnati - The Bengals looked like they were going to get another chance against the Chicago Bears and then the former USC standout had an unsportsman-like conduct leading to an automatic Bears first down and a Bears win. Cincinnati had an eleven point lead after having a punishing opening second half drive and they stalled from there. The Bengals had two three-and-outs plus a turnover in the red zone. A team whose supposed to be a Super Bowl contender does not have games like this one.
Brandon Weeden's hype deflates like a popped balloon - Out of all the people who had bad starts, Weeden probably depressed me the most. I did not really buy into the Browns hype like others, but at the same time, I felt like their offensive could be much better than years past. Weeden had three interceptions in the first half and it was curtains from there. The Browns really do not have much moving forward at quarterback and they have to ride it out.
Charlie.
