NFL storylines that are crushed entering Week 2
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms and Yahoo Sports’ Tank Williams rank the talking points that fans can forget about after the first week of the season.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHRIS SIMMS: OK, week one is done, Tank, all right? No more week one. We're on to week two. And these are some storylines that have been crushed because of week one.
And I got a little list for you. I want to see what you think. You better agree with me, or I'm gonna fly across the country and kick your butt, all right?
TANK WILLIAMS: We gonna see how that goes.
CHRIS SIMMS: Here we go. Number one, myth busted, narrative busted, OK? We're not gonna talk about it this week. Lamar Jackson can't throw. You like that one?
TANK WILLIAMS: I love that one actually.
CHRIS SIMMS: Good.
TANK WILLIAMS: And the reason I love it is because of this. Now he is like the real life Willie Beamen. Like Willie Beamen, they're trying to switch him to cornerback. And obviously Lamar comes out, he throws for like five touchdowns.
People trying to move him to a wide receiver. Said that he's not gonna be a legit quarterback. And instead of talking all that noise in the offseason, he just comes out and he balls.
And then after the game, he's just like, hey, pretty good for a running back, huh? So I like the swag. I liked the little bit of shade to throw at everybody that was hating on him before. So, Lamar, hey, I can't argue with that.
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah. No, I know. It's hard to argue with that, right? I mean, when you're getting disrespected after you've won a Heisman in college football as the best quarterback and old GMs are kind of saying I think he should play receiver in the NFL. I love that he kind of--
TANK WILLIAMS: Yeah, get caught up to the new school.
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah, exactly right. Way to go, Lamar. Keep proving them wrong.
OK, number two on my list as far as narratives that are no more going into week two, all right? The Cowboys, they can only win with their run game, their old school '90s approach. They need Zeke Elliott. Their offense isn't good enough without Ezekiel Elliott. What do you think about that one?
TANK WILLIAMS: I like that one, but one narrative that I like a little bit more is Cleveland Browns. Because I was in Cleveland. I went into the Dog Pound this weekend. Threw on my Titans jersey.
They were all hyped up like they were just about to blow the Titans out of the water. But then, oh, those bubble guts came through, and then Baker turned the ball over three times. Defense couldn't stop anyone. Derrick Henry did the same stuff he was doing at the end of last year, and then they pounded the Browns into submission.
So now I want to see if Baker's gonna be the quarterback that I thought he was, the hero that Cleveland needs and can put the team on his back and lead them to a big victory on Monday night. Now if he could do that, then they'll get back in everyone's good graces. But I think I like that narrative a little bit better than the 'Boys.
CHRIS SIMMS: OK. OK, good. All right. Oh, this is why I was gonna put them on the list, all right?
TANK WILLIAMS: OK.
CHRIS SIMMS: But I still got belief in that Cleveland offense, and I won't forget this. First of all, you're a homer going there rooting for the Titans, all right?
TANK WILLIAMS: Of course.
CHRIS SIMMS: Just gotta point--
TANK WILLIAMS: That's what I do.
CHRIS SIMMS: --that out.
TANK WILLIAMS: Yeah.
CHRIS SIMMS: I feel like Cleveland this week-- the Jets, no good pass rushers, questionable corner play-- that this week is the week they might show their stuff with Baker, OBJ, and Jarvis Landry. But we'll see. That's why I didn't put it on the list--
TANK WILLIAMS: OK.
CHRIS SIMMS: --because I think this could be the coming out party this week. We'll see if I'm right.
Now number three on my list, OK? Bruce Arians, a.k.a. the Quarterback Whisperer, he's gonna fix Jameis Winston and clean his game up. Yeah, negative Ghost Rider. I don't believe that one. Sorry.
TANK WILLIAMS: Actually, I mean, I got to agree with you on that one. Because Jameis Winston, I mean, this is probably the most important year of his career. I mean, the only headlines that we've heard about were stuff that happened in college, and so it's about that time now where he's in a contract year where you have to step up and you have to be a man and show people that you're a franchise quarterback. Because he's running out of chances.
And we all thought with Bruce Arians-- you have all those weapons. Defense scored a touchdown. If the defense scores a touchdown and turn the ball over for you, and you playing at home, you have to win that game, especially against the Niners, who really didn't show a lot in the preseason.
So yeah, Jameis got to step it up. But now he has to go against Cam on Thursday Night Football and both of them need a win? I don't know, bro.
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah, I don't know either. I'm not sure. I mean, obviously I'm not sold. It looked like the same old Jameis to me, and I'm scared for that.
I root for the Bucs because I'm a homer too. They drafted me. I played there one time too.
I had a few others on my list, but I thought those were the three best. I also, just to throw it out there, ones that were like alternatives. Matt Nagy is an elite offensive play-caller. No, sorry, got to see more there, OK?
Todd Gurley is not gonna be the same. Negative, Ghost Rider, he kind of looked freaking good. And oh, the big bad Jags are back. I hope you didn't like any of those more than the three I picked because I think my three were good.
TANK WILLIAMS: See now when you threw out the Matt Nagy, I probably would have taken it up a level and gone to Ryan Pace. Because I think he's gonna get a lot of heat for selecting Trubisky over Mr. Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. But we'll talk about that another time.
CHRIS SIMMS: That's a good point. Let's not blame Trubisky. Let's blame Ryan Pace though. I'm there with you on that one.
