What We Learned in Week 4 in the NFL:
- Dolphins rout Raiders in London
- Steve Smith burns his old team
- Jets fans want Vick; Geno Smith cusses them out
- Steelers blow late lead against Buccaneers at home
Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin refused to name a quarterback starter all week. Apparently that kind of unorganized, inconsistent leadership from the coach’s staff is just what the doctor ordered for Ryan Tannehill, who had one of his best games of his career on Sunday afternoon in a 38-14 blowout against the Oakland Raiders. I’m guessing playing the Raiders didn’t exactly hurt either considering they’ve lost ten straight games going back to last season. So NFL in London is still a thing.
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There was a lot of build-up for Steve Smith, now with the Baltimore Ravens to face his old team, the Carolina Panthers. Partly because it’s always some sort of interest when a player who played his majority of his career with one team and then faces against them after a messy breakup and also because that’s how hard it is to find storylines to discuss with these two teams that don’t involve police reports or NFL conspiracies. So Steve Smith torched the Panthers for 139 yards on seven receptions and two touchdowns. He’s quickly learning how greatly a wide receiver can benefit from the old heave and hope that is Joe Flacco’s signature move.
So here’s a shocker; the Jets stink. And what’s even more shocking is that Geno Smith isn’t all that great and Jets fans want the backup in instead. Only problem is the backup is Mike Vick and he’s more interested in just hanging out and holding the clipboard at this juncture in his career and also the Jets head coach, Rex Ryan, isn’t exactly known for making effective or even rational coaching moves so I’m sure this will end just fine. The New York crowd chanted “we want Vick” amidst the Jets’ 24-17 loss to Detroit and CBS cameras caught Smith swearing back at some fans. Classy.
So there’s nothing very positive to speak of in recapping the Steelers 27-24 loss to Tampa Bay. If they hadn’t spotted the Bucs 10 points right out the gate with a redzone turnover, if they hadn’t let Ben Roethlisberger get sacked five times in the first half for a loss of 26 total yards, and if they hadn’t been penalized a gajillion times for 125 yards then perhaps they wouldn’t have been in the position to have the defense stop Tampa on a fourth and goal only to have the offense not be able to convert a win-sealing first down and then have Brad Wing pick the worst opportunity to kick his first junior varsity punt to give the ball back to Tampa with less than a minute to go. Still, at that point, you’d think a half-competent defense would be able to hold a team that’s quarterbacked by Mike friggin Glennon but sure as crap, Glennon hit Vincent Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown with seven seconds on the clock to give the Buccaneers the first big upset of the NFL season. It’s the kind of game that makes you kind of wish you were a move buff instead of a football fan. Sports are the worst. On to the Jaguars.
Here we go Steelers! Here we go!