Monday, September 16th 2002

THE WEEK THAT WAS Hot off the presses, here's the early edition TMW play-by-play ratings for your perusal from week two of this festive NFL season. For those new to the numbers read the following: PSR: Play Success Rate - every play is graded as either a success or failure Big: percentage of plays that went for big gains...10+ yards for a run, 20+ for a pass Yds: adjusted yards per play, including penalties and excluding non-plays EFR: Effectiveness rating. One number overall summary. Chicago at Atlanta Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Chicago 46% 7% 3.4 70 36% 4% 5.4 72 Atlanta 36% 10% 4.1 60 44% 6% 3.9 91 A truly close game, decided by a missed field goal. Falcons had the better stats and deserved to win. Cincinnati at Cleveland Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Cincinnati 76% 10% 5.2 116 37% 2% 3.8 60 Cleveland 38% 4% 2.9 46 46% 9% 6.0 112 Doesn't look like Frerotte is the answer at Quarterback. Can you imagine Cincinnati coming at you with a strategy of passing on 25 straight plays? Now that would be novel! Did run the ball well, but passing wins in the NFL. Detroit at Carolina Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Detroit 29% 13% 2.0 58 23% 5% 1.7 15 Carolina 30% 7% 2.5 53 54% 17% 9.2 145 Rodney Peete! Rodney Peete! So the old guy can play, at least against the Lions. Detroit and Cincinnati would be a great matchup to see who is the worst team in the league. Lions need to fire Head Coach and Millen...NOW! Utter futility against a good defense. Green Bay at New Orleans Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Green Bay 47% 10% 4.0 71 45% 4% 4.7 93 New Orleans 42% 15% 5.3 80 41% 14% 6.9 86 Pack quickly knocked off the Super Bowl contender mantle for the time being. Did have comparable stats to the Saints, but big gains largely in New Orleans favor. Jacksonville at Kansas City Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Jacksonville 33% 7% 4.8 59 51% 5% 8.2 118 Kansas City 58% 21% 4.4 100 42% 3% 5.9 84 Barring the one breakaway 63 yard touchdown run and the 79 yard passing TD, the Chiefs did okay versus the Jags offense. Still too easy for the short, efficent passes though. Own failures to move the ball in the air were the problem and while Tony G is fine, they need some receivers in KC. Miami at Indianapolis Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Miami 59% 25% 5.1 115 50% 15% 8.4 130 Indianapolis 70% 13% 4.6 119 51% 6% 6.2 91 Dolphins looking good after second straight game of taking control early. Let's wait until Fiedler faces a good defense before getting too excited about their impact in the playoffs. New England at N.Y. Jets Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR New England 50% 8% 4.3 86 42% 9% 7.6 108 N.Y. Jets 40% 10% 2.2 50 32% 8% 3.7 50 Patriots smack daddy best team in the league. Of course a great defensive effort with two defensive touchdowns meant the offense took it easy in the later stages. Brady mania continues... Tampa Bay at Baltimore Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Tampa Bay 24% 3% 2.5 24 58% 9% 6.3 129 Baltimore 42% 0% 2.8 63 28% 4% 2.8 42 Yup, Ravens are toast in 2002. No offense and only half the defense of their Super Bowl season. Take the Under? Buccaneers do need to worry about shabby rushing game through first two weeks. Tennessee at Dallas Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Tennessee 41% 8% 4.1 75 38% 4% 4.7 63 Dallas 25% 4% 2.9 37 53% 15% 9.4 150 Cowboys passing game was a shocking success. Quincy Carter back in favor again. Ground game still struggling in Dallas and can't shake feeling that Emmitt will be a liability until record is broken. Air McNair a real disappointment in this one. Arizona at Seattle Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Arizona 62% 17% 7.1 122 40% 4% 4.1 76 Seattle 48% 4% 3.0 62 50% 8% 6.9 123 Dilfer played okay in his return, but Seattle appears to be missing Pro Bowl LT Walter Jones in a big, big way for the rushing attack. Breakout game perhaps for Thomas Jones and the Arizona Offensive Line. N.Y. Giants at St. Louis Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR N.Y. Giants 29% 6% 3.1 52 62% 24% 10.2 141 St. Louis 43% 6% 5.7 100 53% 7% 6.3 102 Kerry Collins outplays Kurt Warner? Yup! Huge number of big passing plays for the Giants in their upset victory. Back to the drawing board for St. Louis defense. Buffalo at Minnesota Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Buffalo 30% 15% 2.5 46 53% 13% 8.1 146 Minnesota 56% 13% 5.4 112 44% 7% 4.5 94 This one illustrates why passing is so important: Bills were outgunned on the ground, but fought back through the air. Bledsoe has got Buffalo loose and enjoying football again. With Price, Reed and Moulds almost had three 100+ yard receivers. Biggest Minnesota play was called back for holding. Still would have won with a half decent kicker. Denver at San Francisco Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Denver 50% 26% 5.9 117 56% 4% 5.9 130 San Francisco 50% 5% 3.1 80 51% 0% 4.6 76 Next! 49ers look very ordinary in getting taken apart by Broncos. Lost convincingly in both rushing and passing departments, with ZERO big gains through the air! Practically the only time Garcia looked deep the ball was intercepted...how long before another Terrell Owens flare up? Houston at San Diego Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Houston 28% 8% 2.2 44 14% 6% 0.8 -3 San Diego 32% 6% 3.6 67 35% 10% 4.7 70 Thanks for playing! Houston show comes to an end after one week. Harsh reality of a rookie NFL quarterback on an expansion team is the new storyline. San Diego mediocre on offense, but a sign that they didn't want to try anything risky with the game so much in hand on the other side of the ball. Oakland at Pittsburgh Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Oakland 44% 17% 4.7 100 54% 4% 5.0 90 Pittsburgh 52% 6% 3.0 70 46% 8% 5.2 99 Raiders do the "New England thing" to Pittsburgh with non-stop passing. Steelers get a bye week, and they need it before facing Cleveland in week four. Oakland rushing defense has been strong in overall effectiveness first two weeks: a testament to their revamped defensive line. Philadelphia at Washington Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Philadelphia 0% 0% 0.0 0 0% 0% 0.0 0 Washington 0% 0% 0.0 0 0% 0% 0.0 0 We'll know more about this game tomorrow. tim@twominutewarning.com Return to TwoMinuteWarning.com Copyright © 2002 by TwoMinuteWarning.com, All Right Reserved