Each week, Hall of Fame wide receiver and Westwood One Sunday Night Football analyst James Lofton tells you about the teams, players and trends that are on the way out and those that are on the way up.
OUT: With fast starts and no finishes, you have to be concerned about the 49ers defense. San Francisco has been outscored 35-3 in the second half of its first two ball games against Dallas and Chicago. Maybe it’s time for Jim Harbaugh to try a little post-practice conditioning. It could help.
UP! Poor Peyton Manning is way off the pace if he wants to break last year’s TD mark of 55. With just three passing TDs in each of Denver’s first two games, poor old #18 is on pace for only 48 touchdown tosses this season. (Hard to keep a straight face with that one.)
DOUBLE MOVE: I bit on the fake when the Redskins drafted a second quarterback three seasons ago. Why, I asked? But with RGIII out and Kirk Cousins up it shows you’ve got to keep your eyes out of the backfield or you’ll get burned. Credit to Washington’s staff. They valued the QB position higher than most thought they should’ve and now it’s proving to have been a good decision.
OUT: With the NFL’s inactive list. Why pay healthy players not to suit up for games. If player safety is really a top priority, having extra bodies available on Sunday for back-ups, injury replacements and special teams roles would make the game safer and better.
UP! Lambeau Leaps! Gotta give credit to Jordy Nelson. The wide receiver still had enough juice in his legs after an 80-yard touchdown catch and run to make it into the arms of some grateful Packer backers. On the day, Nelson had nine catches for 209 yards, which is a performance worthy of a celebration.
– James Lofton
Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton is the analyst for Westwood One’s coverage of Sunday Night Football. This week he’ll be in Charlotte as the Carolina Panthers host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coverage begins Sunday at 7:30 PM Eastern.
