Well the second week of the NFL season just kicked off and I’m already confused by who teams are. I mean the Baltimore Ravens came out of the gate in Week 1 and just destroyed the Buffalo Bills while the Cincinnati Bengals had to find a way to make a comeback to get their win over the Indianapolis Colts. With both teams rolling into Thursday nights game it looked as though the Ravens where the better team after one week. That all went out the window as the Bengals cruised to an easy 34-23 victory. I guess it’s just going to be one of those seasons.
I know the NFL was hoping for a close game being that it was Thursday night, but this one wasn’t. Cincinnati jumped out to a 21-0 lead and I’m sure there where quite a few people who turned the game off and found something else to watch like I did. You have to think that the only people who stayed with the game where Bengals fans and people who had money in the game.
To be fair the Ravens did try to make a game out of it and actually cut the Bengals lead to 5 points at 28-23 on a Joe Flacco to John Brown touchdown pass at the start of the 4th quarter. Cincinnati added a field goal giving Baltimore a chance to tie the game with another touchdown and a 2-point conversion, but Flacco fumbled while being sacked with the Bengals getting the recovery. One more field goal by Cincinnati got the game to it’s final score of 34-23.
Now fantasy wise it was a good night to be playing either Flacco or Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
While Flacco did throw 2 interceptions and he also had that fumble he racked up 376 yards through the air with 2 touchdowns; he even ran for 8 yards. Dalton didn’t throw for as many yards as Flacco did since his team was in the lead, but his total of 265 yards is very respectable. Of course when you add in his 4 touchdown passes it makes his night look much, much better.
Joe Mixon was in and out of the game with some injury concerns, but he still ran for 84 yards on 21 carries while catching 1 pass for 3 yards. There where no rushing touchdowns in the game making Mixon the only running back who was worth playing in fantasy.
If you paired A.J. Green up with Dalton in your fantasy league you week got off to a fantastic start. Green only went for 69 yards on 5 receptions, but 3 of those receptions where for touchdowns. Tyler Boyd also had a good fantasy day for his owner as he was the Bengals leading receiver with 6 catches and 91 yards with 1 touchdown. For Baltimore John Brown had 4 catches for 92 yards ad a touchdown while Michael Crabtree caught 5 passes for 56 yards. I’m not sure how many fantasy owners have Ravens tight end Mark Andrews or how many fantasy owners played Andrews, but he had the Ravens other receiving touchdown. Andrews totaled 3 receptions and 17 yards to go along with that touchdown.
If you have kicker on your fantasy team Baltimore’s Justin Tucker was one of the better kickers to have. Sadly Tucker only had one field goal attempt on Thursday, but he made it and it was from 55 yards out. Tucker also made both of is extra points. While Tucker is one of the top kickers in fantasy it might of been the night to go with Randy Bullock of the Bengals. Bullock made all 4 of his extra point attempts while connecting on both of his field goal tries as well. Bullock’s long field goal in the game was 40 yards.
I am lucky enough to have Green on one of my fantasy teams; so that team got off to a good start. I hope you had the right players in to start Week 2.
As far a our game picks got go for Week 2 Mr. Fantasy was the only one of the four of us who picked the Bengals to win. Schaumburg Stu, Dan the Man and I all thought Baltimore was going to win the game. To hear who else we’re picking to win tune I to Sports Time Radio Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. on BlogTalkRadio.com.
With just a shade over two weeks left to play in the baseball season you have to think that the Washington Nationals will be happy when it’s done. With just a .500 record of 74-74 the Nationals have easily been the most disappointing team in baseball this season. Max Scherzer who along with rookie outfielder Juan Soto have been the only bright spots for the Nationals had his issues last night.
Scherzer came into last nights start against the Atlanta Braves he appeared to have the inside track on another Cy Young award which would the 4th of his career and his 3rd in a row. You have to wonder how much last nights start hurt Scherzer’s chances.
In what may have been his worse start of the season Scherzer lasted just 4 inning against the Braves. He gave up 6 runs. all earned while giving up 7 hits, He did strikeout 6 batters, but he also walked 3 while hitting a batter. Scherzer took the loss making his record 17-7 on the season as the Braves easily beat his Nationals 10-5 last night. Scherzer also managed to throw 102 pitches in his 4 innings of work.
Soto who I mentioned earlier is in a battle for the Rookie of the Year award with Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna and this is looking like it it’s going to be a close race.
Soto hit his 20th home run of the season last night off of Braves starter Kevin Gausman. That home run makes Soto only the third teenager o major league history to reach the 20 home run plateau. Soto Joins teammate Bryce Harper who hit 22 home runs as a 19 year old in 2012 and Tony Conigliaro who hit 24 home runs in 1964 before turning 20 years old that season. It looks like Soto will have a chance to set a new home run record for teenagers.
Acuna also helped his case for Rookie of the Year in last nights game. Acuna went 3 for 4 with a double and a triple, both off of Scherzer. Acuna also drove in 2 runs while scoring 2 runs. With the night he had Acuna improved his batting average to .297.
It’s going to be neck and neck for the NL Rookie of the Year award and these final couple of weeks may determine who wins the award.
If you had a vote, who would you cast it for?
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