Every September we fall for the same trick: one flashy win, some highlight clips on ESPN, and suddenly people are penciling in playoff runs for teams that still have duct tape holding their rosters together. Week 2 is where the mask usually slips. Here are three teams sitting firmly on fraud watch heading into Sunday.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys had the tough task of facing the Eagles in their season opener, and to the surprise of most, they actually played pretty well. In fact, they had a chance to come back and win the game only for it to literally slip through the hands of CeeDee Lamb and lose 24-20. Now, while that performance gave some a sense of optimism heading into the rest of the season, I’m not too convinced this team is anything more than your typical mediocre Dallas squad.
What Makes Them Frauds?
- The Cowboys surrendered 158 rushing yards in Week 1 vs. the Eagles. That’s a lot. I know it was against Saquon and that Philly offensive line, but 158 isn’t just a few big gains. That’s a consistent beating. Their schedule sets up nicely the next two weeks for limited threats on the ground – both NYG and CHI leading rushers are their QBs – but this season they face the likes of Josh Jacobs, Breece Hall, Ashton Jeanty, Aaron Jones Jr., and Saquon (again).
- The loss of Micah Parsons is going to be felt. Of course it’s obvious, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Dallas is going to miss Micah more than Green Bay is going to love having him. You can add this to the point above about getting gashed for almost 160 yards rushing, but you can also call out the fact that Dallas had just one sack in that first game. They were able to generate some pressure with Sam Williams and Dexter Fowler, but they couldn’t consistently get the job done.
- Once Philly woke up on defense, Dallas went ice cold, getting shut out in the 2nd half. This is worrying on two fronts: First, Dak looked sharp but not great. He looked accurate and healthy, two very important things that were missing the last few years, but he wasn’t explosive. CeeDee came out of the gates hot with 4 receptions for 86 yards, but ended up dropping 3 crucial passes that ultimately ended Dallas’ hopes.
Sunday Prediction: Cowboys will probably win because the Giants are legitimately the worst team in the league, but if Jaxon Dart gets in, all bets are off. 28-10 Dallas.
Next Three Games:
- September 14th vs. New York Giants (1:00PM EST – FOX)
- September 21st @ Chicago Bears (4:25PM EST – FOX)
- September 28th vs. Green Bay Packers (7:20PM EST – NBC)
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams opened their season with a narrow 14-9 win over the Texans, and while a win is a win, it wasn’t exactly convincing. Matthew Stafford looked steady enough, tossing for 245 yards and a score, but the offense sputtered more than it shined, settling for punts and stalled drives far too often. Sure, some fans see it as “gritty” and proof the Rams can gut out tough games, but to me it feels more like a warning sign that this team is still stuck in neutral.
What Makes Them Frauds?
- Stalled drives plagued Los Angeles in their opener. Against Houston, the Rams managed just 14 points and only 22% of their drives ended in scores, a bottom-tier efficiency rate for Week 1. That’s the kind of number you expect from a rebuilding team, not one with Stafford and McVay calling plays.
- The reason for the poor scoring conversions was a very one-dimensional offense. Kyren Williams ran hard, but the Rams mustered just 3.7 yards per carry as a team. When the ground game doesn’t bite, Stafford is forced to shoulder everything, and that’s not a sustainable recipe with a QB who’s already taken his share of hits over the years AND missed out on the entire preseason.
- I don’t think their defense was as good as their 9-point performance made it look. Houston was awful. If they won, they’d have been #1 on this list EASY. Stroud looks like he’s still in his sophomore slump, their ground game without Mixon is weak at best, and the offensive line is going to be a major issue moving forward. The Rams for sure did a great job in keeping the game close in spite of their garbage offense, I just think it was more Houston being a bad team than LA being good.
Sunday Prediction: Tennessee is frisky and LA is coming cross-country. Sign me up for a low-scoring Titans win, 16-7.
Next Three Games:
- September 14th @ Tennessee Titans (1:00PM EST – CBS)
- September 21st @ Philadelphia Eagles (1:00PM EST – FOX)
- September 28th vs. Indianapolis Colts (4:05PM EST – FOX)
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers edged out the Jets 34-32 in a chaotic opener, and on the surface, hanging 34 points looks like a solid way to start the year. Dig a little deeper, though, and the cracks show. This is a defense that gave up 32 points to a Jets offense that ranked 24th in total offense last season — hardly a unit known for fireworks. Add in an offensive line that gave up four sacks and struggled to keep Aaron Rodgers upright, and it’s tough to see this performance as anything more than smoke and mirrors.
What Makes Them Frauds?
- The Steelers were billed as a defense-first team, yet they coughed up 32 points to a Jets offense that finished 24th in total offense last year. Even worse, it wasn’t just one big play. New York moved the ball consistently, posting 406 total yards and keeping the Pittsburgh defense off balance. If a bottom-tier offense can carve you up like that, what happens when the schedule brings top-10 units like the Vikings, Packers, Chargers, Bills, and Ravens to town?
- The Jets bulldozed their way to 182 rushing yards at 5.2 yards per carry, dictating tempo and forcing Pittsburgh into a track meet. Add to that the career day Justin Fields had against his former team and you have the recipe for a disastrous performance. Pittsburgh Steelers might as well be in the dictionary under the word defense, so how the hell does this happen?
- Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times and pressured on nearly 40% of his dropbacks. When your 40-year-old quarterback has to pull Houdini acts to survive (which he did and he looked phenomenal doing it), that’s a flashing red light. Pittsburgh spent resources trying to shore up the line in the offseason, but after one week there are some major things to work on.
Sunday Prediction: Seattle has the potential to run rampant over Pittsburgh. Give me the Seahawks in a close one, 27-23.
Next Three Games:
- September 14th vs. Seattle Seahawks (1:00PM EST – FOX)
- September 21st @ New England Patriots (1:00PM EST – CBS)
- September 28th vs. Minnesota Vikings (9:30AM EST – NFL NET) (NFL Dublin Game)