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| Wednesday, September 13 By Joe Theismann Special to ESPN.com | |||||
With Week 2 of the 2000 NFL season in the books, ESPN's Joe Theismann reviews five things we learned Sunday:
Instead of just looking at his performance against Jacksonville, you have to go back to the final seven weeks of the season last year. He started to learn Brian Billick's offense and threw 15 touchdown passes compared to only seven interceptions. Certainly, the addition of tight end Shannon Sharpe makes a world of difference. And now they have a rookie running back in Jamal Lewis and a rookie receiver in Travis Taylor. But having Billick as his head coach and offensive coordinator will allow Banks to have games like the one Sunday. He needs to avoid throwing four or five interceptions in a game, but he seems to have matured past that point. The best thing Banks has going for him is a great defense, even though the Jaguars -- and particularly Jimmy Smith -- lit up the Ravens defense. Nevertheless, Banks showed that he has the ability to be one of the special, elite quarterbacks. That only comes with winning. 2. Should the Raiders be included among the AFC title contenders? I think they should have been included as a contender before Sunday's comeback win over the Colts. The AFC has a number of teams, including the Raiders, that have an opportunity to make a run at the title. The Broncos, the Colts, the Ravens, the Jags, the Titans and the Chiefs are also capable. All of them have a legitimate shot at going to the Super Bowl. The NFC's list is a bit smaller. Overall, 12 teams have a shot, and most of them are in the AFC. 3. How long before Brad Johnson gets replaced by Jeff George? I don't think that Johnson's performance has opened the door for a quarterback controversy in Norv Turner's mind. Maybe in the public's mind and in Daniel Snyder's mind. There is a possibility that there will be some conversations about a change. But looking at that game, two of the four interceptions weren't Johnson's fault. On one, the ball got bounced in the air, and on another, the ball got taken away from the receiver. You can't just evaluate Johnson's game based only on the number of interceptions. The Redskins' offense overall has played far below expectations. Defensively, they have lived up to expectations. Neither the quarterback nor the receivers have made any plays for the Redskins' offense. They have proven they can pound the ball with Stephen Davis, but they have to score more than 10 or 12 points. The one thing the Redskins are really fighting is the label that this is the best team money could buy. This team is made up of All-Pros. Everybody had them penciled in for the Super Bowl because of the talent they acquired. The reality of the NFL is that nobody gives a darn what teams do in the preseason or the offseason. Every week, teams have to prove they are good enough. The talent and the competition is so close in this league. 4. How seriously should the Giants' 2-0 start be taken? They should be taken very seriously. They have won with solid defense, which you would expect from defensive coordinator John Fox, and this is the offense that Jim Fassel envisioned when he took over the Giants. He has a big back, a quick back, speed at the receiver position and an offensive line that has a lot of veterans. So I think people had better consider the Giants. They have beaten the Cardinals and the Eagles. It looks like the Redskins and the Cowboys, two teams with greater expectations, are the ones struggling in the division. If you look at the NFC East, you have to say the Giants are playing the best football of any team in the divison. That's a fair assessment. 5. What will it take for the Cowboys to turn around the season? I think the Cowboys just have to continue to play solid football. They have to find a way to get more out of their running game. Dallas and Arizona both ran for more than 90 yards Sunday night, and Emmitt Smith had 16 carries. He needs to have more than 20 every week. Looking at the offense, Smith, Erik Williams, Randall Cunningham and David LaFleur missed all of preseason. Cunningham put on a great show, but Troy Aikman will be back in a week or two. They need to learn how to adjust without Joey Galloway. Defensively, they had yet to solve their problems. The Cowboys have a very young secondary that has to grow and learn. But they can't afford an 0-3 or 0-4 start because they will dig too big of a hole. They must find a way to win. Since last season, the Cowboys have now lost eight straight on the road, and three of their next four games are on the road. And in Week 1, they allowed the most yards in franchise history at home. Dallas has a very difficult time. Williams almost retired from football in the offseason. When I spoke to him a few weeks ago, he said he was tired of losing. If the Cowboys continue to lose, how much enthusiasm do the veterans have to continue to fight? Dave Campo has his hands full from a physical standpoint, getting his team ready, and from a psychological standpoint. These are not the Cowboys we are accustomed to. They are a team in transition. Maybe not as obvious a team in transition as the 49ers are. But maybe under the surface, they are more of a transitional team than people want to acknowledge. Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann works as a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football. He will review the NFL week for ESPN.com every Monday in his "Cup of Joe" feature. He will also break down the Sunday Night Football matchup each Friday. | ALSO SEE
TJ's Take on Week 2Week 2 wrap-ups Prime Time Players Week 2 infirmary report Week 2 stats leaders | ||||
