NFL suprises

[CrazyTitansfan]

after 3 weeks, ive noticed alot of surprising teams and players.

first i'll start with The Dallas Cowboys-

Dallas was a team who many picked to be in the Super Bowl, but after 3 weeks, they look poor to say the least.

after mistake and penalty plaqued losses to the Redskins and Bears, the Cowboys finally get a win at Houston.

The running game, which was 6th last year, is one of the worst. It may be early, but teams starting 0-2 have missed the playoffs about 80% of the time.

San Fransisco 49ers-

a team many picked to win the already poor NFC West, the niners have fallen to 0-3.

Pittsburgh Steelers-

as much as i hate the Steelers, im shocked to see them at 3-0, even without the thug roethlisberger.

The D was good, i now, but Batch has been surprising, and a great QB.

which teams have surprised you after nearly a month of football?

[Lights Out]

I'm surprised to see you back, Tanner.

(On the off chance you're not him - we had a troll this summer that threw a temper tantrum and created at least three alt accounts before being banned, and he was a Titans fan that posted without punctuation and made random NFL threads just like this one, so you can understand my confusion.)

[IceCap]

The Chiefs. Didn't see that one coming (though I'm not willing to buy into them completely just yet, see Denver, 2009-2010 season to see why).

I had heard all the hype about the 49ers, but I never really saw why there was all that hype. So being 0-3 isn't that surprising to me.

[oddball]

Dallas a surprise? They are by far, the most over-rated and over-hyped franchise in the NFL. They don't have a head coach and they don't have a starting QB. Are the 49ers a surprise at 0-3? Sure, but I never thought they'd be dominant. Heck, do we have to take someone out of the NFC West for the playoffs? Those are four HORRIBLE franchises. The Chiefs are a surprise at 3-0, but it's only 3 games, so they have a chance to go 3-13. The Bucs are surprising me, as a Bucs fan, I figured they'd do better and I'm not expecting them to be world beaters, but 2-1 is a nice start.

[tBBP]

"Thug" Roethlisberger? Really? I mean, dude's a certified douche, I got that, but "thug"? Ehh...that's taking it a bit far.

Honestly, NO ONE should be surprised about the Cowboys (unless you leech off the ESPN hype machine). The only thing that team is consistent about is being a consistent comedy of errors. It's really a damn shame too--I actually used to be a fan of that team growing up (chiefly because of Emmitt Smith), but that died long ago, and now all I do is laugh at them and their Texas-sized egos.

I'm not too surprised about the Chefs--I actually saw it coming this year. I mean heck, you almost kinda HAVE to improve once Romeo Crennel starts coaching your defense. (I said defense, 'Red...not the whole team. ) I think they have the league's attention by now, though, so they won't sneak up on many more teams going forward. As for my Buccaneers, well hell, they did play the Browns, and the Panthers is a division rival, so it doesn't surprise me that they started 2-0. Nor did it surprise me that the Steelers beat them like they stole something yesterday. Which leads me too...

...those vaunted Steelboyz. Their 3-0 start shouldn't surprise anyone. I mean hell, this team went up against the league's toughest schedule in 2008--with a virtual turnstile for an offensive line--and ended up winning a sixth Lombardi. As long as they continue playing lights-out defense the way they're known for, they should never be counted out. (Unless Puhlamalu is out, in which case it seems like the D loses its soul for some reason.)

[infrared41]

It's week three. Ask this question again in week six. By then we'll have a much better idea of who's legit, who got off to a bad start, who's fast start was just a result of scheduling etc. It's really too early to call anything truly "surprising" just yet.

[infrared41]

I'm surprised to see you back, Tanner.

(On the off chance you're not him - we had a troll this summer that threw a temper tantrum and created at least three alt accounts before being banned, and he was a Titans fan that posted without punctuation and made random NFL threads just like this one, so you can understand my confusion.)

No, it's definitely him. Good call.

[Lights Out]

Yeah, the mess he made of his signature with his patented running Titans record and incorrect BBCode was a dead giveaway.

The fact that he kept his favorite team the same was dumb too. One would think that at least he would have been smart enough to change his favorite team, but then again, this is the kid who posted a fake story about his "suicide" to make us all feel bad for ridiculing him.

[TFoA]

It's week three. Ask this question again in week six. By then we'll have a much better idea of who's legit, who got off to a bad start, who's fast start was just a result of scheduling etc. It's really too early to call anything truly "surprising" just yet.

Agreed, Week 3 is way too early...but then again, we're in a kneejerk society when it comes to sports talk, so for many people Week 3 is a sign of things to come...then again, who else outside of FootballOutsiders had the Chiefs going 3-0 out the gate? I'd say that's the main surprise. Other than that, let time run its course.

What is NOT a surprise is the return of Tanner1997. Maybe he's going after Whitford's seemingly untouchable record of Dupe Accounts?

[IceCap]

Upon further review, I have to say that everyone may have jumped the gun on the Chiefs. They've beaten a Chargers team that can't seem to tie their shoes in the first four weeks of any given season, the Browns, and the 49ers. The Patriots, Colts, and Saints it is not. I doubt they can keep this up the rest of the season.

[sc49erfan15]

I don't know whose Kool-Aid I was drinking - mine or somebody else's. Without the slightest bit of homerism (is it still called homerism if your team is 3,000 miles away?) I thought the 49ers could easily go 5-1 or 4-2 in the division and make the playoffs at 10-6 or so. Man, I was wrong.

[CS85]

Will the real tanner please stand up? Please stand up? Please stand up?

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

[tBBP]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

People always seem to forget that the Redskins won a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien as their starter.

Mark Rypien. Just saying.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

People always seem to forget that the Redskins won a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien as their starter.

Mark Rypien. Just saying.

i remember that. one of my first memories of watching football was watching Rypien win a super bowl with the redskins. I had no idea after all these years he was just an average quarterback.

there again the Giants won a super bowl with Jeff Hostetler.

[connriv]

i remember that. one of my first memories of watching football was watching Rypien win a super bowl with the redskins. I had no idea after all these years he was just an average quarterback.

there again the Giants won a super bowl with Jeff Hostetler.

Not at all the same. Hostetler was only promoted to starter after Simms was injured in game 14. Rypien was the starter all year long.

[B-Rich]

Yeah, the mess he made of his signature with his patented running Titans record and incorrect BBCode was a dead giveaway.

The fact that he kept his favorite team the same was dumb too. One would think that at least he would have been smart enough to change his favorite team, but then again, this is the kid who posted a fake story about his "suicide" to make us all feel bad for ridiculing him.

Don't forget, the thread title was 'NFL suprises".

Kids these days......

[BBTV]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

People always seem to forget that the Redskins won a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien as their starter.

Mark Rypien. Just saying.

i remember that. one of my first memories of watching football was watching Rypien win a super bowl with the redskins. I had no idea after all these years he was just an average quarterback.

Right. The third SB I ever saw was the team that Doug Williams lead after Rypien was injured. I remember all the talk about how he could replace Rypien, and a 10-year-old BBTV just assumed that Rypien was some awesome QB. Even in 91, when Rypien actually QBd the team in the SB, I didn't really know any better and just assumed that the QB of a playoff team was an awesome QB, because for the most part, back then they were. It wasn't until later that I came to realize how average he actually was. Maybe not even average. I LOLd when he ended up finishing up as the Eagles 3rd string QB.

As for Hostetler, he certainly wasn't a very good QB, but I don't think he was horrible. Didn't he have a few productive years in LA? What was horrible was Ray Handley naming him the starter over Simms when he took over for Parcells 1.0.

[rams80]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

People always seem to forget that the Redskins won a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien as their starter.

Mark Rypien. Just saying.

i remember that. one of my first memories of watching football was watching Rypien win a super bowl with the redskins. I had no idea after all these years he was just an average quarterback.

Right. The third SB I ever saw was the team that Doug Williams lead after Rypien was injured. I remember all the talk about how he could replace Rypien, and a 10-year-old BBTV just assumed that Rypien was some awesome QB. Even in 91, when Rypien actually QBd the team in the SB, I didn't really know any better and just assumed that the QB of a playoff team was an awesome QB, because for the most part, back then they were. It wasn't until later that I came to realize how average he actually was. Maybe not even average. I LOLd when he ended up finishing up as the Eagles 3rd string QB.

As for Hostetler, he certainly wasn't a very good QB, but I don't think he was horrible. Didn't he have a few productive years in LA? What was horrible was Ray Handley naming him the starter over Simms when he took over for Parcells 1.0.

Conversely, when a 10-year-old Rams80 was first following the Rams, Rypien was a horrible backup for the Rams, and I got it into my mind for many years that the 1991 Redskins were this mediocre team that lucked into a Super Bowl championship against an equally bad Buffalo team.

[dfwabel]

the cowboys being at 1-2 should surprise no one except the sports hype machine that had them penciled in winning the super bowl before a down was played.

They got the talent to be good and be damn good. They just need the coaching to get them there. If teams can win a super bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, then Romo is a capable qb as anyone of them to win them a SB. They just need a coach that will put a foot in their ass when they mess up.

People always seem to forget that the Redskins won a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien as their starter.

Mark Rypien. Just saying.

i remember that. one of my first memories of watching football was watching Rypien win a super bowl with the redskins. I had no idea after all these years he was just an average quarterback.

Right. The third SB I ever saw was the team that Doug Williams lead after Rypien was injured. I remember all the talk about how he could replace Rypien, and a 10-year-old BBTV just assumed that Rypien was some awesome QB. Even in 91, when Rypien actually QBd the team in the SB, I didn't really know any better and just assumed that the QB of a playoff team was an awesome QB, because for the most part, back then they were. It wasn't until later that I came to realize how average he actually was. Maybe not even average. I LOLd when he ended up finishing up as the Eagles 3rd string QB.

As for Hostetler, he certainly wasn't a very good QB, but I don't think he was horrible. Didn't he have a few productive years in LA? What was horrible was Ray Handley naming him the starter over Simms when he took over for Parcells 1.0.

Mark Rypien was not in the NFL when the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII with Doug Williams. Jay Schroeder was the starter who Williams replaced that season. Schroeder also led them to the NFL title game the previous year, only to lose to Giants.