NFL: A Few Thoughts after Two Fantastic Weeks in the NFL

After two weeks this is shaping up to be one of the greatest season's the NFL has ever seen. A record scoring output in week 1, and then the train kept rolling into week 2. Baseball can really take notice; the NFL has blown their doors off. Here are a few thoughts I have organized into various groups. My fourth grade teacher would be thrilled to hear I'm actually organizing things.

There's still something left in the tank

Rodney Peete- Who thought this guy would even show up on a football field this year? Leading the hapless Carolina Panthers to a 2-0 record may just beat his previous greatest accomplishment--marrying the beautiful Holly Robinson.

Lamar Smith- This guy was a nightmare in Miami last year, clearly showing the inability to run between the tackles. He has shown a spark in the two Carolina wins, letting the world know that he will not just "step aside" when rookie sensation DeShon Foster returns from his knee injury in later this month.

Drew Bledsoe- The rest of the NFL should have stood up and taken notice when Bledsoe came back from a potentially life-threatening injury last season to lead the Patriots over the Steelers, and into the Super Bowl. He was off for months and stepped right in throwing a fantastic touchdown pass in the first half, then throwing an absolutely beautiful touch pass in the second half to keep the dream alive. He has shown he is rejuvenated in Buffalo with a talented but young supporting cast around him. The Bills may not make the playoffs, but the fans will enjoy a talented and entertaining team.

Rich Gannon- Gannon will be 37 this season, and had absolutely no problem picking apart a laughable Seattle defense in week 1. And then he lit up league favorite Pittsburgh in week 2. Showing he still has the legs under him, Gannon caught Seahawks corner Shawn Springs (one of the fastest players in the league) from behind after Springs recovered a fumble and went 71 yards.

Just plain bad

The Detroit Lions- Are they the worst team in NFL history? If they aren't, they're really close. You could almost stomach how bad they are if they were young and inexperienced, but they have one of the oldest teams in the league with 18 players over 30. To make matters worse, they were blown out by last year's 1-15 Carolina Panthers. Marty Mornhinweg will not last two more weeks, and let's hope Matt Millon didn't burn any bridges when he left broadcasting.

The Seattle Seahawk Defense- The Mike Holmgren era is now sitting at below .500, and his defense is ranked last in the NFL. For cryin' out loud they are giving up 253 yards on the ground a game, including 173 to first-round flop Thomas Jones-- a fantasy-team killer for the last two years. What will Tiki Barber do this weekend in New York?

What's going on here?

The St. Louis Rams- The bullet-proof vest is off and the "greatest show on turf" is sitting at 0-2. Losing Az-Hakim as their number-three receiver really hurt the team, Ricky Proehl is a serviceable player, but he doesn't strike fear into the heart on third down. The team also has a major problem at right tackle with John St' Clair training "on the job," that can be very painful in the NFL. As for the defense, Lovie Smith's third ranked squad returns 10 starters and do not look good. They go into Tampa this week and there is a real possibility they are looking at 0-3. I would be against it, but it could happen.

Shawn Alexander- With 16 touchdowns and 1,300 yards in 14 games last year, this was supposed to be Alexander's year to move up into the top three running backs in the league. Through two games he has 30 carries for 73 yards--a 2.4 yard average. He does get holdout Walter Jones back (one of the top three tackles in the league) this week, but he needs to hit his holes with more authority, and play like the star the Seahawks need him to be.

Just flat out fun to watch

Michael Vick- I hope the Falcons can surround him with some talent in the next couple years, but even now Michael Vick is worth every penny he is being paid. He has an amazing arm, shows a knack for picking up defensive schemes, and can run better than most backs. I'm going to overlook the little incident this week when he cried about the Bears defense trying to cut him. He'll learn.

Brian Urlacher- Mark my words, Urlacher will go down as one of the best linebackers to ever play the game. He has come back from a Pro Bowl season a year ago faster, bigger, and stronger. He is what a football player should be, and you can tell he loves the game.