infrared41's Best and Worst - NFL Week 2

[infrared41]

And just like that, another week is in the books. A couple fantastic uniform match ups this week, some pretty good ones, one classic uniform that only looked about 89% as great as I'd hoped it would, and only two games were bad enough for the worst list. As always, the lists are solely my opinion. Your opinion may differ (and probably will) and that's fine. Just keep the conversation civil and we'll all make it out of here OK. Give the showcase wheel a spin and let's play our game.

 

 

Best

 

1. Chiefs - Raiders: Two of the very best looks in the NFL. Frankly, I'm going to lose respect for anyone who claims there was a better looking game than this one. In fact, I won't even entertain the debate so don't bother.  A contender for game of the year. They all should look this good.

 

 

 

2. Cowboys - Redskins: This one reminded me of the 80's and that's a really good thing. Love the Cowboys in the blue. Feel free to disagree with me on this one. 

 

 

 

3. Vikings - Packers: The Packers have one of the best looks in the league and Minnesota is a fine example of how to "modernize" a uniform. I would have preferred the Vikings in all white, but this was still a pretty good looking game. 

 

 

 

 

4. Patriots - Dolphins: Normally, the Patriots uniform by committee has a tough time getting past #5 the few times a year they fall into a match up that makes the best list, but they usually aren't playing against the Dolphins throwbacks. Two quick things, a better uniform match up than the Patriots and those Dolphin throwbacks almost always grab the top spot. Second, I really liked the all white throwback, but I liked it about 11% less than I thought I would. It's a great look, but the aqua version blows it away.

 

 

 

 

5. Jaguars - Texans: And here's where the trouble starts. Normally, I'm not a stickler for the sock thing we have around here, but in this case, the Jags have got to add some black to those socks. Other than that, I really liked the look. I also liked the fact that the Texans went all white. Good looking game.

 

 

 

6. Bills - Giants: I really like both looks, just not so much together. Still a solid, if mostly blue, match up.

 

 

 

Worst:

 

1. Bucs - Panthers: Sorry, but those black pants with that blue jersey looks awful. Throw in the Bucs and here we are. 

 

 

 

1. Browns - Jets: When these two teams met in the very first Monday Night Football game way back in 1970 (yes, I watched it on TV live - I'm very old) they were both already wearing iconic uniforms that they never should have changed. Instead, we got this. Kudos to my Cleveland Browns for wearing the best of a bunch of bad combos and saving a game from the top spot on the worst list for the 2nd week in a row. Oh, and nice win too. 

 

 

 

That's it for this week. Thanks for taking a look. We'll do it all again next week. 

 

 

[AnPheitseog]

1. How would the Bills Giants have changed, if at all, if the Bills were in white pants for this game?

2. That dirt field makes that already great matchup AMAZING in my book.

 

[infrared41]

8 hours ago, DiePerske said:

1. How would the Bills Giants have changed, if at all, if the Bills were in white pants for this game?

2. That dirt field makes that already great matchup AMAZING in my book.

 

 

1. It would have helped a lot. There are some games where a white jersey over dark color pants throw off the mix. This game was a perfect example of that. There was way too much blue going on there. The Bills in all white would have made color match up...I don't know...breathe, I guess? Does that make sense? 

 

2. Agreed. If the A's don't make the playoffs, I believe that game will be the last time we see a baseball infield in football game. When I was a kid, playing while the infield was still there was pretty common. The Browns, Lions (before the move to the Superdome Silverdome) Raiders, Vikings, Colts, 49ers, and Jets are all teams I can remember watching play on the infield dirt. 

[The_Admiral]

On the topic of the Jaguars' socks, do you agree that white socks with a colored jersey is an especially egregious misstep? Jersey and sock don't have to match perfectly, they don't even have to be the same color, but something about white socks on a home uniform looks really wrong. The pre-midnight-green Eagles come to mind here as another one. It looks terribly mismatched. I think the problem is that since the pants are already white or a light color, you need all the non-white you can get to separate yourselves from the road team, and white socks throw that away.

[msubulldog]

54 minutes ago, infrared41 said:

 

1. It would have helped a lot. There are some games where a white jersey over dark color pants throw off the mix. This game was a perfect example of that. There was way too much blue going on there. The Bills in all white would have made color match up...I don't know...breathe, I guess? Does that make sense? 

 

2. Agreed. If the A's don't make the playoffs, I believe that game will be the last time we see a baseball infield in football game. When I was a kid, playing while the infield was still there was pretty common. The Browns, Lions (before the move to the Superdome) Raiders, Vikings, Colts, 49ers, and Jets are all teams I can remember watching play on the infield dirt. 

I think you meant to say Silverdome for the Lions. I also remember the Oilers playing preseason and the first few regular season games on infiled dirt.

[msubulldog]

Back to the OP, I would give Honorable Mention for the Colts/Titans since Tennessee didn't wear white pants.

[Elmos World 17]

1 hour ago, infrared41 said:

2. Agreed. If the A's don't make the playoffs, I believe that game will be the last time we see a baseball infield in football game. When I was a kid, playing while the infield was still there was pretty common. The Browns, Lions (before the move to the Superdome) Raiders, Vikings, Colts, 49ers, and Jets are all teams I can remember watching play on the infield dirt. 

That will be the last game with infield dirt. The Raiders next “home” game is in London and the next time they actually play in Oakland after that will be in November.

[KittSmith_95]

Surprised these guys weren't on the worst list: 



Both teams wearing their worst possible looks and it looked awful. What will it take for the Saints to burn the black pants? 

[CS85]

Just gotta say, I look forward to these every week during every NFL season, Greg.  One of my favorite CCSLC/football-in-general traditions.

[infrared41]

6 hours ago, msubulldog said:

I think you meant to say Silverdome for the Lions. I also remember the Oilers playing preseason and the first few regular season games on infiled dirt.

 

Sure did. Speaking of which, I think you meant infield dirt for the Oilers. 

[infrared41]

6 hours ago, the admiral said:

On the topic of the Jaguars' socks, do you agree that white socks with a colored jersey is an especially egregious misstep? Jersey and sock don't have to match perfectly, they don't even have to be the same color, but something about white socks on a home uniform looks really wrong. The pre-midnight-green Eagles come to mind here as another one. It looks terribly mismatched. I think the problem is that since the pants are already white or a light color, you need all the non-white you can get to separate yourselves from the road team, and white socks throw that away.

 

Yes. 

[IceCap]

42 minutes ago, KittSmith_95 said:

Surprised these guys weren't on the worst list: 



Both teams wearing their worst possible looks and it looked awful. What will it take for the Saints to burn the black pants? 

Um, the Saints wore gold pants last Sunday. 

[infrared41]

43 minutes ago, KittSmith_95 said:

Surprised these guys weren't on the worst list: 



Both teams wearing their worst possible looks and it looked awful. What will it take for the Saints to burn the black pants? 

 

Well, for one thing, that picture is from last year's NFC title game which pretty much makes it ineligible for this week's list. When the Saints and Rams met this time, the Saints weren't wearing all black. 

 

 

 

[infrared41]

31 minutes ago, CS85 said:

Just gotta say, I look forward to these every week during every NFL season, Greg.  One of my favorite CCSLC/football-in-general traditions.

 

Thanks, Andy. It's most appreciated. I wish I could remember how long I've been doing these silly lists. I'm reasonably sure it's been at least 10 years now. Maybe longer. 

[infrared41]

6 hours ago, Elmos World 17 said:

That will be the last game with infield dirt. The Raiders next “home” game is in London and the next time they actually play in Oakland after that will be in November.

 

Thanks. 

[Red Wolf]

I've run the numbers and come to the conclusion that this is a perfect list. I've normally been against the Cowboys wearing blue, but it didn't bother me as much as it usually does, probably because of what a good looking matchup that was.

 

The only way that Chiefs-Raiders matchup could have looked any better is if it had been raining.

 

Agreed 100% about there being too much blue in the Bills-Giants game. If I had a say in their uniforms, the Giants would have been wearing gray pants (and always wearing gray pants) and the Bills would have been in all white, which I think would have helped. As it was, it kind of looked like the teams were playing bizarro versions of each other.

[MJWalker45]

4 hours ago, KittSmith_95 said:

Surprised these guys weren't on the worst list: 



Both teams wearing their worst possible looks and it looked awful. What will it take for the Saints to burn the black pants? 

Saints wore gold pants on Sunday. Too bad the Rams didn't wear the throwbacks.

[-Akronite-]

I had a feeling the MNF game was gonna be on the worst list, but I'm not sure it's earned. I don't like that the Jets are doing the BFBS thing but it's aesthetically not all that bad. And yes, that's the Browns best look of the new designs (other than maybe orange on white).

 

Saints gold pants saved that Rams game, but still worthy of a tsk tsk for LA's garbage. 

 

Putting the Pats and Dolphins up there is a mistake IMO. The throwback is great for the Dolphins but that's a terrible matchup. You have a modern mess of a uniform against a classic, doesn't look good. Not sure whether this opinion is popular but I also think the Dolphins should keep the throwbacks as throwbacks and continue with their sleek modern look as the primary. Miami just doesn't scream old-school to me, even if their golden years were in the 70s or whatever.

 

Jags-Texans looks boring. Two under-designed uniform sets in my opinion. But nothing offensive from either. 

 

One of the best bits of the Raider-Chiefs game is that neither team :censored:ed up on the socks, which is the only thing holding back Green Bay/Minnesota (I LOVE purple pants).

[Walter Sobchak]

Great list infrared. Chiefs-Raiders and Vikings-Packers are both two of the best matchups in the league no matter where they play. Dallas-Washington harkens back to a time when the only time you’d see both of their colored jerseys is when they played road games against each other.

[AHcreative]

Another nice list. I knew that the Chiefs/Raiders would nab the #1 spot even before the game was played. You can never go wrong with that match-up, well, unless the Chiefs wear the blood clot uniforms. 

 

Man, if the Panthers had a black helmet, I'd really love that look to be honest. That silver lid throws the whole thing off. Helmet/jersey/pants should never be three separate colors. 

 

As I feared, those Jets uniforms look horrible on field. I know it's a futile wish for them to never wear them again, but as long as they exist and the jerseys sell, they'll throw them into the mix. I just hope they go with green pants those times. At least they will look a little better.