Kam Chancellor now has all the leverage in the world
The reigning NFC Champs sunk in a devastating loss Sunday, losing to the division rival St. Louis Rams with a final score of 34-31. A so-called top defense was nowhere to be found this week, allowing the most points since Week 6 of last season when the Dallas Cowboys scored 30 points at the exuberant CenturyLink Field.
Sunday’s high-scoring defeat can be largely attributed to the absence of Seattle Seahawks’ defensive captain, Kam Chancellor, who has been holding out in a contract dispute. The 27-year-old strong safety is set to earn just $4.5 million this season, far below market value for his level of production.
While Seattle’s brass refuses to endow Chancellor with a gigantic restructure of his contract, Sunday’s loss only added to the safety’s leverage in negotiations. Chancellor’s replacement, Dion Bailey, not only blew the coverage on a game-tying touchdown pass, but also made Seattle’s juggernaut defense look pedestrian at best.
As the old adage goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” Fortunately for Seattle, this narrative can end well by simply paying Chancellor the money he deserves. The longer Seattle waits, however, the more leverage the ball-hawking safety gains. The ball is totally in Seattle’s court.
The NFL’s new extra point rule is brilliant
For years, perhaps the most foolish aspect of professional football was the one-point Point After Touchdown (PAT). Of 1,230 one-point extra point attempts in 2014, kickers botched just eight. That’s a 99.3 percent conversion percentage, easily the most efficient play in football. Clearly, a change was long overdue.
Under past policy, the line of scrimmage for a PAT was set at the two-yard-line for both one and two-point conversions, which equates to a 19-yard field goal attempt. Under the new policy, the line of scrimmage is set at the 15-yard-line for one-point attempts and the usual two-yard-line for two-point attempts.
A 13-yard difference may not seem like much for a professional kicker, but the new rule has already wreaked havoc on several teams, including the Houston Texans.
Though a missed PAT did not directly impact the final outcomes of these games, teams will certainly begin to frequent the two-point conversion more often, especially as weather conditions worsen. This minor rule change will turn out to have major effects on the NFL.
A rejuvenated AFC East?
For the past decade or so, the AFC East has cumulatively been one of the worst divisions in football, with the exception of the New England Patriots. In fact, since 2005, the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets have combined for a total of four playoff appearances compared to New England’s nine.
The dichotomy of the AFC East appeared to have shifted in Week 1, as all four franchises came out victorious and began the season undefeated for the first time since 2002.
New England defeated the offensive powerhouse, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the season opener Thursday night with a classic performance from quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who connected for three touchdowns.
Led by former Jets head coach, Rex Ryan, Buffalo’s defensive-minded approach proved to be too much for Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts, who opened the season with Super Bowl aspirations.
New York and Miami followed suit, allowing just 10 points each to the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, respectively. Newly hired Jets head coach, Todd Bowles, executed his game plan almost flawlessly, sticking to the "ground and pound" which subsequently opened up the passing lanes. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick seems to have developed chemistry with Brandon Marshall, who caught six passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.
The inflated level of competition in the AFC East means six more competitive games for the Patriots this season. New England is still the favorite to win the division but not without a few extra physical games along the way.