ChiefsPlanet - Chiefs Gretz: ALL Those At 0-2 Please Stand Up, Or Is It Stand Down?

ALL Those At 0-2 Please Stand Up, Or Is It Stand Down?
September 15, 2008 - Bob Gretz |

The Chiefs are 0-2, tied with nine other teams with the worst record in the league at this point.

We know the reasons and problems surrounding the Chiefs and their bad start. Does that make them the worst team in the league, as some pundits have suggested?

Could be, but there are some other teams that have started just as ugly, and their on-field stories will challenge the Chiefs for the No. 32 spot. Others among the 10 teams at 0-2 were considered pre-season favorites for their division or a spot in the playoffs. They can still get there.

Let’s take a look at the rest of this motley 0-2 crew, and we’ll do it in alphabetical order:

Cincinnati 0-2

LOST TO BALTIMORE 17-10 AND TENNESSEE 24-7

BIGGEST PROBLEM: Offense.

For years the Bengals have rode their offense to victories while trying to build their defense. But it’s the offense that’s causing them problems right now. Their 17 total points is tied for the second lowest total after two games in the league. QB Carson Palmer has really struggled, completing 25 of 51 attempts for 228 yards, 0 TDs and 3 INTs. That’s a passer rating of 37.1 which ranks him 27th among all NFL quarterbacks. WRs. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson have combined for 11 catches for 129 yards and they’ve not found the end zone. Right now, they are averaging 184.5 yards in offense. Now, they’ve faced a pair of tough defenses in the Ravens and Titans, who both rank near the top of the league. They are 31st in offensive yards.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Bengals travel to the Meadowlands to play the New York Giants this Sunday and then host Cleveland, before having back to back games on the road against Dallas and the New York Jets.

OUTLOOK: Not good. With that schedule, their only visible hope for an immediate win would come week after next against the Browns.

Cleveland 0-2

LOST TO DALLAS 28-10 AND PITTSBURGH 10-6

BIGGEST PROBLEM: Offense.

The Browns have had a tough start with opening games against Dallas and Pittsburgh. But considering they were a team picked to make the playoffs this season, and the fact that both of those games were at home, and suddenly the Browns appear to be sinking under the weight of expectations. Offensively, they are struggling right now, ranked 30th in offensive yards, averaging 206.5 yards per game and one touchdown. QB Derek Anderson has thrown for just 280 yards with one TD and 2 INTs; he’s got a 57.1 passer rating, ranking 25th among quarterbacks. WR Braylon Edwards has five catches for 46 yards. TE Kellen Winslow Jr. has 12 catches for 102 yards and one TD. RB Jamaal Lewis has carried 32 times for 100 yards. The Browns are not getting anything out of their playmakers on offense. Remember, Anderson missed a lot of time in the pre-season coming back from a concussion.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Browns finally go on the road, with back-to-back trips to division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati before their bye week. Then they’ve got the New York Giants on a Monday night game.

OUTLOOK: Not good. To turn the season around, the Browns need to be 2-2 going into that bye week. That means beating a pair of AFC North teams on the road, including a Ravens team that got an unexpected week off due to Hurricane Ike. Baltimore also has one of the league’s best defenses

Detroit 0-2

LOST TO ATLANTA 34-21 AND GREEN BAY 48-25

PROBLEM: Defense

So you want to know how important winning in the pre-season maybe? The Lions went 4-0 in the games that do not count. They are now 0-2 because their defense is awful, giving up a league high 82 points. This came against quarterbacks making their first (Matt Ryan) and second (Aaron Rodgers) starts in the league. They are giving up 460.5 yards per game. In the opener, Atlanta’s Michael Turner stomped on them for 220 rushing yards. This past Sunday, Aaron Rodgers hit them for 328 yards passing, with 167 of those yards going to WR Greg Jennings. The Lions have only two sacks and have forced just one turnover.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Lions are at San Francisco this coming Sunday, before a bye week and then games against Chicago, Minnesota, Houston and Washington. The meetings with the Bears and Redskins are at home.

OUTLOOK: So so. The upcoming schedule is not overly tough given how those teams have played so far this season. The Lions can score some points, but they are not powerful enough to be able to win a shootout. The offense needs some help from the defense.

Jacksonville 0-2

LOST TO TENNESSEE 17-10 AND BUFFALO 20-16.

PROBLEM: Offense.

Last year, the Jaguars were very efficient offensively. They averaged nearly three touchdowns and 357 yards per game, and starting quarterback David Garrard threw just three INTs on the season. They had the tough running duo of Fred Taylor (1,202 yards) and Maurice Jones-Drew (768 yards). That production has not been visible this year. Garrard has thrown for 380 yards, but only one TD and 3 INTs, already as many as he threw all of last season. Taylor has run 23 times for 67 yards and Jones-Drew has just 12 carries for 30 yards. They are averaging just 216 yards per game, although they have played two very tough defenses in the Titans and Bills.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Jags head to Indianapolis this Sunday to play the Colts, and then they host Houston and Pittsburgh, before heading to Denver and then a bye week.

OUTLOOK: They are still in position to make something of their season, but that surge must start in the next four games, and three of those opponents are pretty tough, with two on the road. Jacksonville can’t afford to go to their bye week any worse than 3-3. That means they must go 3-1 in the next month.

Miami 0-2

LOST TO THE NEW YORK JETS 20-14 AND ARIZONA 31-10

PROBLEM: Offense.

When a team goes 1-15, there are obviously a lot of problems. The Dolphins have revamped everything under Bill Parcells and new head coach Tony Sparano. The late addition of Chad Pennington in the pre-season forced the offense to start over somewhat and that’s been apparent in their point production, with just 24 points in two games. One thing the Dolphins figured to do under Sparano, was run the ball, given his background as an offensive line coach. But Ricky Williams has 21 carries for only 52 and Ronnie Brown has 17 rushes for 48 yards. The defense stumbled last Sunday against Arizona, but the Cardinals have been very powerful in their opening two victories.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Dolphins head to New England this Sunday before taking their bye week. Then, they return home to play three of the next four games, hosting San Diego, Baltimore and Buffalo, with a trip to Houston thrown in there.

OUTLOOK: Not good. The schedule does not make things any easier for the ‘Fins. This team should get better as the season goes along, albeit if they can stay away from the injury bug. The more Pennington plays, the better the Miami offense should become.

Minnesota 0-2

LOST TO GREEN BAY 24-19 AND INDIANAPOLIS 18-15

PROBLEM: Defense.

It’s easy to point very quickly at young quarterback Tarvaris Jackson as the reason the Vikings have problems. But the offense is powered by RB Adrian Peterson and they’ve been able t he move the ball. Jackson does need to get better, as he’s completed just 50.8 percent of his passes and is averaging only 5.2 yards per attempt. But the Vikings have not gotten things done on defense. They’ve given up just 40 points, but in 66 passing plays, they have just two sacks and have forced only three turnovers.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Vikings host unbeaten Carolina and then have consecutive road trips to Tennessee and then a Monday night game in New Orleans against the Saints. After that are games against Detroit (home) and Chicago before their bye week.

OUTLOOK: Minnesota’s next three opponents are 5-1 right now. The Vikings need improved play on both sides of the ball if they want to turn this thing around.

St. Louis 0-2

LOST TO PHILADELPHIA 38-3 AND THE NEW YORK GIANTS 41-13

PROBLEM: Everything.

It wouldn’t be fair to zero in on offense or defense as the culprit in the Rams bad start. After two weeks, both units rank No. 32 or last in the NFL in yards gained (average of 183.5 yards per game) and yards allowed (481.5 yards per game.) They are tied for the fewest points scored in the league with 16 and they’ve given up 79 points, topped only by Detroit. Now, they have faced two very good teams in the Eagles and Giants, but the Rams have gotten nothing done at any time. RB Steven Jackson is the engine for their offense and he’s still rusty from his pre-season holdout; he has 164 yards of total offense on 37 touches. The best players on the team so far have been kicker Kris Brown (3-for-3, including two 50-plus FGs) and punter Donnie Jones (51.2-yard gross average on 16 punts.)

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Rams visit Seattle this weekend, then host Buffalo before their bye week. After that they travel to Washington, host Dallas and then go to New England.

OUTLOOK: Not very good. If they can get to 2-5 after that run, it would be an accomplishment. If Jackson rounds into form and the offensive line does a better job protecting QB Marc Bulger, they could beat a struggling Seattle team.

San Diego 0-2

LOST TO CAROLINA 26-24 AND DENVER 39-38

PROBLEM: Defense

Of all the teams that are 0-2, the Chargers are the club that does not fit. Remember, they lost to Carolina on the final play of the game and fell to the Broncos on a botched official’s whistle that wiped out a fumble that would have sealed a victory. That doesn’t mean San Diego doesn’t have some problems, particularly on defense. Despite scoring 62 points, they are minus-3 in point differential because the defense has given up 65 points and ranks 30th in yards allowed in the NFL, giving up an average of 437 yards per game. They have only one interception and just two sacks.

WHAT’S AHEAD: San Diego hosts the New York Jets on Monday night football next week; then travels to Oakland and Miami, before hosting New England and then traveling to Buffalo and playing New Orleans in London before their bye week.

OUTLOOK: Good. The Chargers should be 3-2 by the time the Patriots arrive in southern California. That gave could provide the pivot for their record over the rest of the season.

Seattle 0-2

LOST TO BUFFALO 34-0 AND SAN FRANCISCO 33-30 IN OT

PROBLEM: Offense & Defense

In two games, the Seattle defense has given up an average of 33.5 points per game. Only St. Louis and Detroit – both teams at 0-2 – have given up more points after two weeks. The Seahawks haven’t exactly been an offensive show, but they did break out for 30 points last week and are averaging 300-plus yards per game. Part of the problem has been QB Matt Hasselbeck, who spent most of the pre-season recovering from a back injury. Right now, he’s completing just 45.5 percent of his passes and he’s thrown three INTs. Defensively, the unit has given up the points and 351.5 yards per game and they have forced just a single turnover.

WHAT’S AHEAD: The Seahawks host St. Louis this Sunday and then take a week off. When they come back, they travel to play the New York Giants, host Green Bay, and then have back-to-back road games in Tampa and San Francisco.

OUTLOOK: Not good. Seattle should get rid of its goose egg this weekend against the Rams. After that game, however, they will have trouble in their next four-plus games. Hasselbeck needs to step forward and the defense needs to apply the clamps.