As the division opponents head into week two trying to rebound from a loss, this weeks edition of TNF should be jam packed with exciting plays. Thursday night is tough for the players, as the short week of rehab gives them very little time to recover. This is heightened in the beginning of the season as players are still adjusting to regular season play.
There is no way to sugarcoat the performance of the Buccaneers in week 1. The Bucs and 49ers combined for some of the worst 3 quarters of NFL football fans have ever seen. They ended up taking the loss 31-17, and new HC Bruce Arians has some adjustments to make. Jameis Winston looked defeated as he tossed two pick 6’s and couldn’t find a rhythm.
It will be interesting to see how the Bucs respond on both offense and defense. Coming into the season, all eyes were on the passing game with Winston and the plethora of weapons on the outside. With two legitimate options at receiver and a young star TE, the Bucs were just missing a running back. 2nd year RB Ronald Jones II looked good in week 1, putting up 75 yards on 13 carries.
On paper, the Bucs offense looks lethal. They also have plenty of solid young defenders both in the linebacking core and defensive line. If Winston and Arians can get on the same page calling plays, the Bucs could make some noise. Winston has just been too inconsistent to be overly optimistic.
Although Carolina also suffered a week 1 defeat courtesy of the LA Rams, Panthers’ fans should still have hope. Cam Newton had a very rough start, but Tampa Bay doesn’t deploy that high caliber of a defensive unit. Another good sign for the Panthers is their stud of a running back. Christian McCaffrey absolutely balled out in week 1, putting up over 200 yards and 2 TDs.
McCaffrey is truly one of the most underappreciated players in the league. His consistency at such a high volume is remarkable. Production like his is something you only see on the top offenses, and that doesn’t get talked about enough. McCaffrey was our pick for OPOY here at SneakerReporter, so don’t be surprised to see another huge performance here in week 2.
The NFC South is one of the most competitive divisions in the whole NFL. Every week matters for these teams, especially the Buccaneers and Panthers who are trying to fight for a wild card spot.
Recent Comments