MVPs and LVPs: Week 2

MVPs:

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Tony Romo (QB, Dallas Cowboys):

With a complete turnaround from last week (where Romo found himself on my LVP list), Romo played a very impressive game Sunday, leading the Cowboys to an overtime comeback win against the 49ers. Not only did Romo rack up good stats (20 of 33 for 354 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs), but he answered everyone who questioned his toughness and leadership ability after last week (myself included) by coming back at the end of the third quarter when the Cowboys were down 24-14 and playing with two fractured ribs and a punctured lung from an injury he suffered just before halftime. Miles Austin was dominant with three TD catches, and everyone is raving about the wonderful story of Jesse Holley, but Romo gets the nod for me from this game. We'll see if he can keep this up whenever he comes back from his injury (be it next week or in a few weeks), but for now, he showed everyone who doubted him just what the Cowboys see in him in what could turn out to be a career-defining performance.


Buffalo Bills (The Entire Team - special distinctions go to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson):

Maybe it's time to finally think that the Bills are for real. Even after last weeks' impressive beatdown of the Chiefs, I was still doubtful that the Bills could really be that successful on the field - I was thoroughly convinced that game was a result of the Chiefs' poor defense (which it was, and more on that later). But their 38-35 comeback win over the Raiders was probably the best game I saw all weekend (only rivaled by the Atlanta-Philly game Sunday night), and I can honestly say that I was on the edge of my seat the entire 4th quarter. After being down 21-3 at the half, Buffalo came back with a vengance, and trailing 35-31, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bills on an intense drive that ended with a 6-yard TD pass to receiver David Nelson on 4th down with 14 seconds left in the game. Fitzpatrick went 28 of 46 for 264 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT, one week after going 17 of 25 for 208 yards, 4 TDs, and 0 INTs, and Fred Jackson ran for 117 yards. I'm still unsure if this new face of the Bills will stick around (especially next week against New England), but it's hard not to be impressed after the first two weeks.


Detroit Lions (The Entire Team):

The fact that the Lions have won their first two games doesn't surprise me: it's the manner in which they've done it. One week after beating the Buccaneers, the Chiefs were absolutely wrecked by the Lions in a 48-3 blowout. It was the biggest margin of victory in Lions' franchise history. Matthew Stafford went 23 of 39 for 294 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT, and the Lions defense forced three interceptions of Matt Cassel and six turnovers in the game. It was all-out utter domination, and it puts the Lions as one of three teams in the NFC that has a 2-0 record (along with the Green Bay Packers and...Washington Redskins??). Although that doesn't hold much water now in terms of what could happen later in the season, if the Lions keep playing the way they are now, it's hard not to see them in the playoffs in some capacity.


Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots):

How do you follow up a game in which you threw for a franchise-record 517 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT? Brady showed everyone the answer by continuing to play out-of-this-world on Sunday against the Chargers, going 31 for 40 (a 77.5% completion percentage against last week's 66.7%) for 423 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs, on the way to a 135.7 QB rating (the best possible rating is 158.3, and last week Brady put up a 121.6 rating). Currently, for the season, he is 63 of 88 for 940 yards, 7 TDs, and 1 INT. He was phenomenal against a Chargers defense that actually played very well against him, and there wasn't much the Chargers could do against him that they didn't already do. He just looked unstoppable.


LVPs:

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Luke McCown (QB, Jacksonville Jaguars):

This week showed the return of the Luke McCown I know and love. I was fairly surprised when the Jaguars were able to beat the Titans last week (especially after seeing the Titans impressive win over the Ravens this week). But this week, it looked like McCown was a two-year old playing against pros. He had only 6 completions and 4 INTs against the Jets for a QB rating of 1.8. Compare that to Brady's. McCown was just disturbingly bad. I'm sure Jack Del Rio had his reasons for releasing David Garrard, but if I were him, I'd be rethinking that decision right now. Also, it means that Jaguars fans will (and should) once again start clamoring for Blaine Gabbert, their QB of the future according to Del Rio, to become the starting quarterback. Maybe the future is right now for Gabbert and Jags, because I don't really see any other options for them.


Kansas City Chiefs (The Entire Team - special distinctions go to Matt Cassel and Todd Haley):

The past two weeks have been just one horrible thing after another for the defending AFC West champions. Not only did they lose to Buffalo last week by a margin of 41-7, they were decimated by the Lions Sunday, losing 48-3. That means, in the first two weeks of the season, the Chiefs have been outscored 89-10. That is just awful. And after losing safety Eric Berry last week for the season due to an ACL tear and TE Tony Moeaki before the season even began, premier running back Jamaal Charles is now out for the season, also with an ACL tear. Charles had a breakout season last year, leading the league in yards-per-carry with 6.4 yards, and coming in second to Arian Foster in overall rushing yards with 1,467. QB Matt Cassel, who only threw seven interceptions during the entirety of last season, threw three against the Lions and one against the Bills against only 1 TD pass in both games combined. Essentially, things can't get a whole lot worse for the Chiefs. A lot of people in KC are calling for the firing of head coach Todd Haley. After only two games, with key injuries that weren't his fault, I think that's a little premature (even if he is doing a terrible job this season). But one thing is for sure: for the Chiefs, something needs to change, and fast.


Reggie Bush (RB, Miami Dolphins):

Just last week, Dolphins head coach Tony Sporano said that their plan was to give Bush the ball at least 20 times per game for the rest of the season. This week, Bush only got six touches for 18 yards (as well as one catch for 3 yards) against the Texans before rookie Daniel Thomas stepped in and ran away with 18 carries for 107 yards. If Bush wants to become a bigger part of this Miami offense, he's going to have to step up and be able to put up some good yards, or Thomas will become the feature back sooner rather than later.


Indianapolis Colts (The entire team, especially the offense):

Wow. I thought about putting Peyton Manning in the MVPs section both this week and last week, simply because this new Colts team is showing just how lost it is without Manning. After being broken last week by the Texans, the Colts showed nothing new against the Browns in a 27-19 loss. It's sad that the Colts have gotten to the point where everyone EXPECTED them to lose to the Browns. It looks as though, without the return of Manning, the Colts are destined to be at the bottom of the AFC South totem pole. I read an article yesterday that proposed that the Colts go out and try to get Brett Farve, as a last minute attempt at some wins and/or dignity. While I don't think that begging Brett Farve to play for you is any way to restore dignity, and I don't agree with the idea, I do think that one sentiment of the proposal rings true: what do the Colts have left to lose?

-Lucas