Tully Tuesday's Volume 32

Maybe the quickest September in recent memory. The Summer goes quick, but particularly in Massachusetts where September is the peak of the area’s climate, the month goes way to fast. For a handful of teams, the season feels like it has in fact gone too fast, and today we’re going to try and figure out who needs to hibernate for winter and who needs to improve.

I’m going to get into football but want to make a public service announcement. I went to Stop and Shop in my town this weekend to get some water jugs. I had my cart parallel to the aisle with ample room to maneuver for other shoppers. I had at least 3 instances where I turned and there was someone just standing there staring at me waiting for me to move out of the way. Are we so lost as a society where someone would rather stand in the aisle and wait minutes at a time rather than just saying excuse me and walk by? Is it that hard to talk to another human in public that you can’t just get my attention and walk by? And on top of it, you’re making me the asshole but making me so oh sorry I’m in the way. It’s a god damn grocery store. I’m never going to think of this moment again unless you stand there blankly staring into space as if I’m in your way to go get some Propel in the water aisle. You’re the asshole, guy in the North Face tee shirt. You took lady in the Athleta pullover. Not me

First off, the new NFL kickoff is a total failure so far. Nobody returns kicks, teams are giving their opponents the 30-yard line and it has led to an uptick in overall scoring, but the kickoff play is still a formality. Only 4 teams have returned double digit kicks, and there has only been 5 returns of 40+ yards, with one of them being the Cardinals 96-yard touchdown return. I love the kickoff return in football, it’s the most exciting play when executed well. I’m sure the injury stats are better, but the rules do not incentive kickoff teams to put the ball in play, and I’m not sure moving the touchback up to 35 does anything but hurt defenses.

Another issue is Quarterback and Offensive line play, there have been some QB’s that have stuck out, Jared Goff and Geno Smith put on a show last night, Jayden Daniels has been fantastic and Sam Darnold has been on fire.

The teams in the bottom of the Yards/Att category are pretty indicative of their failure because these are mostly teams that are going to need to pass to stay in games. The Giants, Titans, Jaguars, Panthers, Bears, Patriots, Browns, and Broncos are all averaging under 6 yards/attempt this season. Your top pick in next years draft will be among those teams, and the Panthers, Titans and maybe Dolphins (6.5) will all be shopping for new Quarterbacks in the spring. Of those teams, the Browns, Giants, Jets, Panthers, and surprisingly the Chargers all have gone the first month of the season without a 40 yard pass completion.

Last night’s Lions Seahawks, and Thursday’s Dallas Giants game put the NFL refs on the screen more than the players, and that’s a problem that has continued to increase in the last decade. I’m at the point where after every play I’m waiting to see if there’s a flag, the games are still watchable but at some point the penalties are just out of hand.

Yes Allegheny Andy, Penalties are ruining football.

A final football thought is that it seems the delta between the top running backs and the average backs is as large as it has ever been.

The Top tier of running backs in my mind:

Derrick Henry

Saquon Barkley

Bijan Robinson

Kenneth Walker

David Montgomery

Jahmyr Gibbs

There’s another tier with the Rhamondre Stephenson’s of the world but as a fan of a team with a D tier top running back, I wonder why teams don’t just take a top 100 draft pick on a back every 2 or 3 years and go that path, of the guys above, Barkley, Gibbs, and Bijan were top picks, the other half were second round picks. There’s so many good college backs every year, I get you don’t want to pay an Ezekiel Elliott contract, but you have to have a backup plan.

Last thing, plays like this are awesome.

Picks recap

4-0 in college. Up to 11-6 on the year.

Bama Georgia over was in danger early but once Georgia turned it on it was an easy win.

OSU crushed Michigan State despite trailing 7-3 early. The Buckeye defense is legit and oh my lord is Jeremiah Smith a stud.

USC took care of business after trailing in the Second half.

The Fighting Irish held off Louisville, but -6.5 was the right side all night.

In the pros we split, the Vikings got a close win, the Eagles got blown out, Jaguars Texans almost got a miracle over on a last second lateral play disaster, and the Falcons covered the 1.5 against the saints.

Mediocre at 6-6 so far through 4 weeks.