Jean Fugett’s Week 2 NFL Recap
By Jean Fugett; thanks to Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
WalterFootball.com is proud to partner with former Redskins and Cowboys tight end Jean Fugett, Jr. Esq. Fugett grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Amherst College. He was the last pick of the 13th round in the 1972 NFL Draft. Fugett made the Cowboys as a backup to future Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. Fugett eventually became a starter for Tom Landry’s Cowboys and started in Super Bowl X. He made the Pro Bowl in 1977.
As a free agent, Fugett went from being the lowest-paid starting tight end to the highest-paid with the Washington Redskins. While playing for legendary Redskins coach George Allen, Fugett attended law school at George Washington University at night.
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During and after his playing days, Fugett worked with CBS, the Washington Post and other media. He went on to serve as Director and Vice-Chair of the McCall Pattern Company Management Committee, founded a Baltimore law firm and partnered with Fanfone in Europe. After the death of his brother Reginald F. Lewis in 1993, Fugett took over TLC Beatrice International Foods, the largest black-owned and black-managed business in the world at the time. Fugett has served on committees with the NFL Players Association and on the Leadership Council for the American Diabetes Association Maryland Chapter. |
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WalterFootball.com would like to thank Redskins general manager Bruce Allen and senior vice president/executive producer of media Larry Michael for connecting us to Fugett. Now, let’s let Jean take over.
Week 3 NFL Picks
Chiefs at Eagles (Phi -3.5) Chiefs win
Chargers at Titans (Titans -3) Titans cover
Browns at Vikings (Vikings -6) Vikings cover
Bucs at Patriots (Patriots -7) Bucs cover and win
Texans at Ravens (Texans -2.5) Ravens win
Rams at Cowboys (Cowboys -4) Cowboys win and cover
Cardinals at Saints (Saints -7.5) Cardinals cover and may win
Lions at Redskins (Redskins -2.5) Redskins cover and win
Packers at Bengals (Packers -2.5) Bengals win
Giants at Panthers (Panthers -1) Giants win big
Falcons at Dolphins (Dolphins -2.5) Dolphins cover and win
Colts at 49ers (49ers -10) Colts cover and may win
Jaguars at Seahawks (-19) Jags to cover
Bills at Jets (Jets -2.5) Bills cover and win
Bears at Steelers (Bears -2.5) Steelers win
Raiders at Broncos (Broncos -15) Broncos win and cover
Week 2 NFL Recap
I played for three Hall of Fame NFL Coaches, and all three coaches knew how to win in the NFL. Sid Gilman, famous for the original San Diego Chargers vertical offense, was an offensive assistant one year with the Dallas Cowboys during the early 1970s. Tom Landry, the legendary Cowboys Coach was an expert at offense and defense, and designed each uniquely. Dallas played a “flex” defense not used today and a “multiple” offense every team today claims to use today. George Allen and his over-the-hill gang featured a special defense on third down called the nickel defense because a fifth defensive back was deployed in place of a linebacker.
This year, teams are showing they can win in the NFL with young, inexperienced quarterbacks. Maybe those teams have adopted George Allen’s philosophy.
When I left the Dallas Cowboys after Super Bowl X and went to Washington as one of the first free agents, there were three offensive players at the press conference where the announcement of my signing was made. George Allen made the announcement declaring that he signed three All Pro players; myself and two running backs.
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One running back was from Yale and the other was from the University of Kansas. The guy from Yale, Calvin Hill, had been an NFL MVP and Rookie of the Year, and the guy from Kansas, a guy named John Riggins, wasn’t bad either. During that press conference, George Allen turned to us and said “as long as you guys don’t put the ball on the ground, the defense and the special teams will find a way to win.” We just looked at each other and shook our heads in amazement at the philosophy of George Allen, and he was right! In the NFL, teams that don’t turn the ball over, stay in most games without great play from the quarterback. I know the NFL is a quarterback league… really? |
Former Redskin and Cowboy tight end Jean Fugett was a Pro Bowler in 1977 and a starter in Super Bowl X. |
Around the League One thing that stood this week was an inordinate amount of busted plays on offense and on defense. Many players were standing around during plays. I won’t name names yet because it is still early in the season. It stood out how many players across the league whiffed on plays. So many players had a player right in front of them who they never touched. Time after time, we saw linebackers and defensive linemen coming free at quarterbacks. That is something teams have to get corrected in a hurry.
When a running back has to avoid someone in the backfield immediately after the handoff, the play is already doomed. That happened a lot last weekend. It looks like the offensive linemen are still behind the defensive linemen in terms of being at the top of their game. It seemed that not many holding penalties were called last week despite an awful lot of holding. Players frequently were grabbed and clotheslined without penalties.
The NFL must continue to work to improve game officiating. There are a number of referees who do not know the rules and are not qualified.
AFC
What we learned about the AFC East was that New England was overrated and Miami was underrated. Both Buffalo and the New York Jets made great draft picks at quarterback and either team will be able to compete with any NFL team they play this year because both are capable NFL quarterbacks. When the season started, there were some teams that looked more like college teams and many questioned if Buffalo and the Jets would compete. Both have already shown that they will compete this year.
Quarterbacks E.J. Manuel and Geno Smith have impressed me with the command of their teams, the command of the huddle, and the command of the offense with the ball going to the right person; something a lot of veteran quarterbacks have trouble with. Most important: Both are able to guard the ball, which is the quarterback�s most important function.
In the AFC South, we learned that Houston plays close games and eventually is going to be burned because of that fact. We learned the Colts were overrated, the Titans were underrated and Jacksonville may not be NFL ready.
In the AFC West, the two teams I liked going into the season were Kansas City and Denver, and both are undefeated. Oakland and San Diego are both 1-1, so we don’t have any 0-2 teams in this division.
Last week, we talked about the miniscule odds of 0-2 teams making the playoffs. With Jacksonville and Cleveland both being 0-2, I’ll go out on a limb and say they will not be making the playoffs this year.
The majority of AFC teams that lost in Week 1 dodged a bullet by winning in Week 2. I like Kansas City and Denver to be there the whole season. With the winning of the Manning Bowl, everybody likes Denver to go to the Super Bowl, but I think there is still a ways to go before you can start talking about that. It isn’t too early to talk playoffs, but it is too early to talk Super Bowl.
In the AFC North, there are two winless teams and WOW, one is Pittsburgh. With Baltimore beating Cleveland AGAIN, we really didn’t learn anything new about the Ravens or the Browns that we didn’t already know.
The Ravens’ offense is starting slow and now has to be concerned any time your star running back leaves the game with a hip injury. The team had plans of using Ray Rice in a number of ways, and is very fortunate to have Bernard Pierce, who would be starting for many NFL teams. The Ravens’ offense is one that will round into form. The offensive line is the key and looks OK, but could play better.
NFC
In the NFC East, there are two teams that are 1-1 and two teams that are 0-2. The 0-2 teams are looking at the end of their playoff hopes this season if they fall to 0-3. Detroit is coming to Washington, and DC is already in crises mode this week with the Redskins. The Giants are at Carolina, which will be a tough game, but New York should do all right as the Panthers are already having a tough year. Dallas is a disappointment. Philadelphia showed it could not do it two weeks in a row. San Diego showed that there is a way to play NFL defense against that Ducks offense, while the Eagles’ defense is just not that good.
The Giants are a disappointment while the Redskins are a huge disappointment to their respective fans. Everybody in DC is very concerned with some people calling for Kirk Cousins to start. Robert Griffin III is not the same as last year, so the bad news is the offense is not the same as it was last year. The team has, so far, reverted to a traditional drop-back offense that is not creating the excitement or the fear that defenses that had last year. Washington has a real big issue going forward with a quarterback who is less than 100 percent.
New Orleans is continuing to celebrate the return of Sean Payton. Atlanta is going to have difficulties all year; you have to wonder about the Falcons’ conditioning program when so many players get hurt in one game. Many injuries result from being out of shape or out of position, and when you’re out of position, it is often because you are out of shape. Playing on turf indoors can also lead to injuries, so when I saw their injury report I had to shake my head. Tampa Bay and Carolina are 0-2. They are going nowhere fast. New Orleans and Atlanta will continue to fight for the championship in the division.
In the NFC North, the Bears had an amazing comeback victory. They are starting to get confidence and that will help them in that division. Green Bay turned it around with a strong effort against the Redskins at home. Minnesota almost beat Chicago, and despite playing well, the Vikings have nothing show for it at 0-2. Detroit laid an egg in Arizona, and it seems like the Lions will always be up-and-down and a .500 team. I don’t know what it will take to get them past that 50-50 mark.
Finally in the NFC West, Seattle continues its domination of San Francisco. The 49ers traveled north and looked really bad. Was that the team from a week ago? Arizona picked up a big win and St. Louis almost came back. Both can compete this year with good quarterback play, but both are still a ways away from San Francisco and Seattle.
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