Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his face-mask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's our new feature, Studs and Duds:We'll try to dissect a crazy Week 2, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.
Studs
Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay (24-38, 328 yards, 3 TDs): It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but Rodgers first half performance was good enough to land him on the list. This was Rodgers showing everyone that he isn't some hack behind center, and you couldn't be more proud of a guy in his first two games. You also can't play the "it was against the Lions" card because Detroit looked fairly solid up until Jon Kitna remembered what team he played for.
Brandon Marshall, WR Denver (18 catches, 166 yards, 1 TD): Well, welcome back sir, it sure is nice to see you again. In his first action back from suspension, Marshall tied the record for second most catches in a game (Terrell Owens had 20 with the 49ers) and looked like just about the best receiver in the league. Maybe his prediction to catch 10 balls a game wasn't so crazy after all.
Chris Horton, S Washington (2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery): The rookie safety for the Redskins had Drew Brees' number in Week 2, snagging two balls and grabbing another on the ground to help a team that looked lifeless upset the Saints. This is probably the time to mention that even though Horton gets the nod, Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis looked to be in postseason form. I'm just saying...
Kurt Warner, QB Arizona (19-24, 361 yards, 3 TDs): I wasn't blogging in 2001 so I thought it might be interesting to see what that would be like. Warner, who keeps pushing Matt Leinart closer and closer to a full-time relationship with the clipboard, looked very Rams-y, connecting three times with Anquan Boldin as the Cardinals rolled the Dolphins. Note to anyone in a suicide football league: just bet the team that is playing Miami.
Duds
Ed Hochuli, Referee/Bicep Activist: The muscle man with the zebra stripes made a name for himself this weekend that goes beyond his affair with protein powder. He made one of the worst calls of all time in any sport ever. Ever. EVER. Note to potential officials: when a player (Jay Cutler) admits to all the world after the game that he fumbled the football, you probably made the wrong call. My advice for Hochuli: do not take that Buffalo Wild Wings commercial as a real life situation. Who in the world didn't think that was a fumble? Is there a single person?
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego (10 carries, 26 yards): Hey LDT, Larry Johnson is on the phone, he wants to talk to you about something.
Head Coach Decision Making: You can talk to me for years, but I will never be on board with the two point conversion call at the end of the Bronco game. Sure, Mike Shanahan was playing with house money, but doesn't everyone see what he did there? That is your season. If you fail to convert (which very well could have happened as Cutler squeezed that ball in coverage) your team, and fans, could very well give up on you in Week 2. Also, hiding behind the "sometimes you have a feeling" theory isn't really what you're looking for with a head coach. It isn't. Every member of the Broncos should be buying Powerball tickets this week.
Chad Ocho Johnson Cinco, WR Cincinnati (4 catches, 37 yards): Not even Clark Kent and Superman are as different as the old Chad Johnson and the new Ocho Cinco. One catch last week and a measly four snags this week were as bad as the weather in Cincinnati. His song and dance was all fun and cute when he was producing but isn't nearly as fun on an 0-2 team that doesn't look to be improving any time soon. Note to Mr. Ocho -- more practice field, less courthouse.
Almost Studly -- Calvin Johnson, Campbell, Portis, Jonathan Stewart, Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, Darren McFadden, and J.T. O'Sullivan.
Almost Dudly -- Brett Favre, Kitna, Randy Moss, The Jacksonville Rushing Attack, the Vikings second half performance, quarterbacks in the Chiefs-Raiders game and Ohio State (sorry, but it was so bad it's worth mentioning).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-15-2008 @ 11:22AM
Terry said...
The game is still officiated by humans and that makes for errors. Ed Hoch is one of the best ref's in the league and he owned up to the error. He made the right call after the error, and yes I would be pissed to if I was SD, but move on. This is one error in how many years?
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9-15-2008 @ 11:53AM
Elsquare said...
Ed Hochuli's mistake was not that he said it was not a fumble. His mistake was in saying that it WAS a fumble, instead of trying to get a review. There are two or three very clear shots which I believe show that the ball went forward before, and after, Cutler was hit. Cutler might not have had complete control as he was hit, but I contend he had sufficient control, before, and after, the hit to send it forward toward a receiver. Cutler says he fumbled. I think it was, by definition, an incomplete forward pass. Cutler should knoow, but does he? Then, again, if I am so damned smart, why am I not the King? Way to go AOL!
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9-15-2008 @ 1:05PM
slutnuts said...
um cutler wasnt hit on the play. he simply lost it.
9-15-2008 @ 8:37PM
Jim said...
Cutler was hit? The ball moved forward? What drugs are you on? What game were you watching? Not the Denver/San Diego game that is for sure.
9-15-2008 @ 11:56AM
Dave said...
Bad bad Bad call but I am Bronco fan and a wins a win wasn't Broncos fault that ref made possibly poorest call in NFL history ..
Broncos 2-0
YES
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9-15-2008 @ 12:03PM
Dave said...
You can't be the KING because I am Elsquare. I do believe I'd like to hear your definition of fumble and forward pass. Truth is himans make mistakes and it was big one BUT we DID have to make 2 great plays after that call so WE " BRONCO Fans desever the win, Call that bothered me was Shanohan gfoing for two what was he thinking, I mean I'll smile and take the win but what if what if ????
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9-15-2008 @ 12:04PM
Dan said...
are you kidding me....the ball was going forward? there is no way that ball was going forward...it was a clear fumble.
NFL should have a way to reverse the "whistle" calls...this was definitely a blunder...and they clearly knew it..yet denver was allowed to carry on as if it was not...
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9-15-2008 @ 2:02PM
Daniel said...
How much adversity do you expect the Chargers to overcome?
It seems to me that Denver's adversity was self administered, while the Chargers had a heaping bowl of stink set on them by the refs. 15 points in Denver's favor due to 2 horrible calls.
How much should you make a team overcome? There needs to be some consequences.
Hochuli's officiating team was crap.
They should all be fined for HELPING the Bronco's win.
Two calls in the game MADE THE GAME.
Remember the "TUCK"...uh...who was that?
Hochuli. The NFL should remove replay if it's not going to be used to get to the bottom of what really happened and give the teams on the field the proper rulings.
What is replay for? To ignore in order to help a bookie in Vegas?
Oh well...after all....just like they would tell you.....the NFL...is just a business.
NFL = WWF
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9-15-2008 @ 4:09PM
Dave said...
NFL should have a way to reverse the "whistle" calls I agree with this and was actually sad to win game like that but wins a win this was possibly worse call I've ever seen, I was playing when I called it NO fumble
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9-15-2008 @ 3:22PM
Lillian said...
No one mentioned the great "snow plow" caper.
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9-15-2008 @ 3:36PM
Rick said...
Anybody who thinks that was a forward pass is either a die hard Donkey, I mean Bronco fan or an idiot. You can pick which one applies. but it most definitely was a fumble and every TV camera showed it was. The other calls against the Bolts were almost as criminal. Holding on Sproles long run? You have GOT to be kidding and the fumble by Chambers when the replay camera did not work? How convenient and ridicules! Can't they look at the TV replays when their technical equiptment malfunctions?! That was a total BS game and the worst officiating I have ever seen, they should be fined and suspended.
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9-15-2008 @ 3:49PM
H Parkinson said...
Human nature every offical will miss calls, Ed owned up to it good job Mr. Official. Officials miss calls but not as much as players, coaches make mistakes. One play does not make for a whole game. How about all the holding, pass interference, off sides ect penalities they do not count right !!!!!!!!!
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9-15-2008 @ 4:07PM
melody said...
I am a bronco fan, through and through, 4 of us were in a bar in estes park, and the bar was packed. NOT one person in that bar, seen what the ref seen. NOT one fan in that bar could understand what happened on that play when Cutler dropped it, and the reverse call to help the Broncos. NOT one person in that bar could understand the play shanahan was making to run in even though, we were running out of minutes. The chargers, in our eyes won that game., but NOT one person in that bar, wasnt happy, thrilled and quiet at the end of the fourth quarter!
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9-15-2008 @ 4:34PM
SK said...
None of you are familiar with the rules. There's no doubt in anybody's mind that was a fumble. Ed Hochuli reviewed the play and made the correct call that it WAS a fumble. That's why the Broncos got the ball on the 10 yard line and not the 2 yard line, which would have been the result had it been incorrectly reviewed.
...however, as the play came to an end and BEFORE the Chargers recovered the fumble, Ed blew the whistle and the play was over. THIS IS NOT REVIEWABLE! Even if Ed wanted to, he couldn't go back and award the possession to the Chargers.
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9-15-2008 @ 4:57PM
Hark said...
Yup, the stripes missed one. But for Norv Turner to whine when he gives up 34 first downs and 486 yards from scrimmage...c'mon. The 'Bolts were lucky to be in the game because of a few big plays (not all luck, they do have talent). But they didn't do much to stop the Broncos and they didn't do anything to cause that fumble (anybody believe in karma?).
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9-15-2008 @ 8:16PM
George said...
I am neither a Bronco or Charger fan, and yet when I saw that deboggle by the ref it reminded me of a Olympic basketball game between USA & USSR when the ref gave a couple of tries and more seconds in regulation for the USSR to get it right (to score) He was successful.
I really don't think it really matters weither he is good, veteren or new ref this was a bad call he is making good money more than most of us to make a bad call like that. The object of reffing is not win a game for a team. Now we are going to look at him more closely
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9-15-2008 @ 8:25PM
Saw it Differently said...
You bunch of fart-burgers out there who compliment a Blown-Call . You suck dog turds,or your stinky-ass cigars you are suckin'-on .
That WAS the Most Pathetic referee decision that I have ever witnessed on television , , AND the Frickin-Friggin Commentators don't say anything ? I say Bull-Shi T . A Blown Call ,and it don't matter if any team had more yardage than the other , Cutler ,Fumbled the football ,and San Diego Linebacker picked it up , duhhhh in-bounds , and still hoocheecooocheee lawyer dickweed still fuc ed up the decision . b u l l - s h i t . not right in any bush-league ,especially nfl ...............
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9-16-2008 @ 5:14PM
Zebra said...
take a deep breath .. now what was your complaint? Do you even know the rules govenring inadvertant whistles?
9-29-2008 @ 8:10PM
kurt said...
What U should have "saw differently" was that not only did Ed admitt to his mistake, but Shanahan gave the cry baby Chargers a chance to win by going for 2 pts. after the TD. Chargers blew it! Go Colts!
9-15-2008 @ 11:28PM
Willie Wunderlich said...
Ed Hochuli made a few big calls against Denver in the game, and San Diego got 14 cheap points on a blown kick coverage and a Denver turnover on the goal line in the 4th quarter. Denver outplayed San Diego and deserved the win. Randy Cross and the California whiners have focused all of the attention on one play instead of focusing on the best offense in the NFL--Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal and the Denver Broncos...
First downs: Denver 34 San Diego 19
Total yardage: Denver 486 San Diego 456
Penalties: Denver 7-80 San Diego 6-70
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