2011 NFL Schedule: The Biggest Disappointments Through Week 4

The first quarter of the 2011 NFL regular season is complete.  Let's go over what we've learned so far. 1) Darren McFadden is the next great running back in the NFL,  2) You should never leave Calvin Johnson in single coverage, especially in the red zone, because he will make you look silly, 3)  The Indianapolis Colts really, really miss Peyton Manning and 4) Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are still the Super Bowl favorites.

But enough positivity.  This article is about the disappointments so far in this young season.  The Kansas City Chiefs could be the poster boys for disappointment this year.  They have vastly underperformed their preseason predictions and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  It doesn't help that their most dangerous offensive weapon, Jamaal Charles, was lost for the year.  It also doesn't help that Matt Cassel and Todd Haley have a relationship akin to "The Odd Couple".

That being said, the Chiefs don't even make my list.  Once Charles was lost for the year, I think all expectations went out the window.  So, you can't really call their performance disappointing. Besides, there are many other disappointing individual and team efforts to choose from.

Phillip Rivers

He's considered a top-five quarterback in the NFL, but through the first four games he's been merely adequate. 

True, his team only has one loss and currently sits atop the AFC West.  But look at his numbers.  He threw two interceptions in each of his first three games and has one more interception (six) than touchdowns.  He is the 13th rated passer in the NFL this year.  Quarterbacks outperforming Rivers so far: Matt Hasselbeck, Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jason Campbell.

The performance is even more disappointing when you look at the teams Rivers has faced.  The Chargers have beaten Minnesota, Kansas City and Miami.  This powerhouse trio has a combined record of 1-11.  Rivers, at his best, should have far better numbers given this inferior competition.

That being said, the Chargers are notorious for slow starts and we should all count on Rivers rounding into form eventually.

Mike Martz

Mike Martz's name has long been followed by, "offensive guru".  But when are people going to wake up and realize that this is not the same mind that guided the St. Louis Rams' high flying offense?

Martz failed as a head coach in St. Louis after Dick Vermeil left.  He failed as an offensive coordinator in Detroit.  And he is failing again as an offensive coordinator in Chicago.

One could argue that in Detroit he didn't have any offensive weapons.  Fine, I'll give you that.  But the Bears have given him quite a few weapons.  Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and Devin Hester are just a few of the play makers he has at his disposal.  What do the Bears have to show for it?  They have a  2-2  record and the offense is ranked 18th in the NFL.  You'd think a "genius" would be able to do better than that.

Perhaps more disappointing is that he stubbornly clings to tactics that don't work.  Chicago's offensive line can't protect Jay Cutler, yet Martz continues to run plays that leave Cutler vulnerable.  As a result Cutler has been sacked 15 times, second most in the NFL, and is only the 25th ranked quarterback. 

I'm sure he'll be sending Martz a nice fruit basket for Christmas.

Ben Roethlisberger

What's going on in Steeler nation?  The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-2, luckily.  The teams they've beaten are a combined 1-6, and they've lost to both teams they've faced with winning records.  That includes an absolute demolition by Baltimore in Week 1. 

There are visible cracks all over the steel curtain, and it all starts with Ben Roethlisberger.  You can argue that his offensive line is not protecting him, as he has been sacked 14 times this year.  But let's be honest, Roethlisberger has always succeeded in the face of intense defensive pressure.  That's what makes him "Big Ben".  He completes passes with guys hanging all over him.  So far this year he only has three touchdowns compared with five interceptions.

Roethlisberger's total yards passing is not that bad.  He's amassed over 1,100 yards.  But they've only hit paydirt three times.  This signifies horrible efficiency in the red zone, and that falls on the shoulders of the quarterback.

The Steelers' running game is equally disappointing.  Rashard Mendenhall is the 30th rated rusher in the NFL.  He's accumulated a measly 173 yards on 58 attempts.  That's three yards per carry, folks.   

I wish I could say that the defense shares some of the blame for Pittsburgh's poor start.  However, they have been the lone bright spot.

If Pittsburgh is going have a successful 2011 season, it is Ben Roethlisberger and the Steeler offense that need to step up their game.

Josh Freeman and Mike Williams

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had high hopes this year and their record suggests they are on the right track.  They upset the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, and squeaked out a win against the Peyton-less Colts on Monday.

Despite their record, their two best players have had a subpar start to their season.  Which surely has fans in Tampa Bay a little concerned.

Josh Freeman is their quarterback, and had a breakout season last year.  In preseason he was being compared to Matthew Stafford.  That comparison seems downright silly now.  Prior to last nights game Freeman had only two touchdowns compared to four interceptions.  To add fuel to the fire, he'd only passed for 682 yards.  That's paltry compared to some of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. 

The other breakout Buccaneer from last year, Mike Williams, has failed to live up to expectations as well.  He has only 10 receptions for 89 yards and one TD. 

If Tampa Bay hopes to replicate the success they had last year, these two players must improve.

Chris Johnson

Go ahead, blame it on the holdout. Blame it on the lockout. Blame it on whatever you want.  The fact is that Chris Johnson has been a disappointment this year.  98 yards on 46 carries through three games?  Sure, he rushed for over 100 yards for the first time against Cleveland.  But he's yet to score a touchdown.

Despite this, the Tennessee Titans are 3-1.  Really!?  Maybe they  didn't need to spend all the money on him after all.

Chad Ochocinco

Chad Ochocinco may need to change his name to "Doble Cero" if he keeps this up.  Either that or, "The Invisible Man".  Sorry, I don't know how to say that in Spanish.

Is Chad past his prime? Probably.  But he had an above average year in 2010 with Carson Palmer as his quarterback.  Palmer is no slouch, but he's not Tom Brady either.  So you'd think Ochocinco, with above average talent, would be a monster in the New England system right?  Wrong.

But, according to Chad, this is the opportunity he's waited for his whole life.  He famously said, "I'm in heaven" when talking about his move to New England. So, you'd expect him to come out of the gate on fire.

The man has seven catches for 173 yards and no touchdowns.  Plus, he dropped a sure touchdown against Buffalo that probably cost the Patriots the game.  Not exactly a great way to ingratiate yourself to a Hall of Fame coach and quarterback.  Not a great way to ingratiate yourself to a fan base that is so accustomed to perfection, either.

It's not hard to come up with reasonable explanations for his performance; he hasn't gelled with Brady, he hasn't learned the playbook, he's not playing hard.  Whatever the reason, if he doesn't correct it soon, Ochocinco could be permanently shut out of the Patriot offense.

Donovan McNabb

I don't think anyone was predicting the Minnesota Vikings to set the world on fire when they brought in Donovan McNabb.  Well, I suppose Leslie Frazier was, but he's the only one.  Donovan McNabb was brought in to be a stop gap.  To keep the Vikings competitive until Christian Ponder was ready to take over.  Well Donovan has done that.  Sort of. 

The Vikings have been very competitive during the first half of football games.  Unfortunately, the second half is a different story.  The Vikings lost their first three games because the offense disappeared late.  The blame for that falls squarely on Donovan's shoulders. 

He was supposed to keep them competitive, but the Vikings are 0-4 for the first time since 2002.

If this keeps up McNabb's days as the starting quarterback are numbered.

New York Jets' Offense

The New York Jets are 2-2.  Not bad.  But after their loss to Baltimore on Sunday night, you'd think they were 0-4.  Given the performance of their offense, fans and media have a right to be outraged.

The Jets' offensive problems didn't just appear against the Ravens out of thin air.  They've been there all year.  The Ravens were just able to magnify the problems for everyone to get a nice look at.  It all starts with the offensive line.  Simply said, they aren't blocking anyone.  The Jets are 25th in the NFL in rushing and 22nd in yards per attempt.  Shonn Greene often has a defender hanging on his back before he reaches the line of scrimmage.

The ineffectiveness of the Jets' passing game on the other hand cannot be solely attributed to the failings of the offensive line.  Yes, Mark Sanchez has already been sacked 11 times this year.    However, his performance against Baltimore was bad. It wasn't all the offensive line's fault.  It's not like he's looked like Joe Montana the first three games of the season, either.  He makes bad decisions and holds on to the ball too long.  Like Tony Romo, his turnovers often happen at the worst possible times.   At this point, the Jets have to be seriously wondering whether he is the marquee quarterback they want to bank their future on.

Luckily the Jets have one of the best defenses in the NFL and they will probably continue to bail out the offense. 

Philadelphia Eagles

With a load of talent and a slew of high priced free agent signees, the Philadelphia Eagles were going to be a force to reckon with in 2011.  But oh how the mighty have fallen.  The best team money can buy has looked like a tremendous waste of moolah with a 1-3 record.

Sure they beat up on a inferior St. Louis Rams team in Week 1, but since then have lost three in a row to teams with winning records.  The Eagles got manhandled by the New York Giants.  Then they lost two close games to Atlanta and San Francisco.  Teams are scoring almost 30 points a game against the Eagles.  You'd expect more from a supposed Superbowl contending team.

They've had flashes of greatness.  Michael Vick is a dynamic talent, but he cannot do it all.  The team has been inconsistent and have made huge mental mistakes.  I'm talking to you, Ronnie Brown.  Maybe all that talent hasn't had a chance to gel.  Maybe the talent they accumulated is overrated.  Whatever the reasons, expectations were high and they've failed miserably so far. 

Andy Reid has his work cut out for him.

Tony Romo

There is no other player in the NFL right now that is so unpredictable.  And no other player that is so tied to his team's success and failure.

The Dallas Cowboys are 2-2.  Tony Romo is responsible for the two losses.  Because of fumbles, interceptions and generally poor decision making, he has put his team in positions that they could not overcome.

He has the ability to be an elite quarterback in the NFL.  He has shown that.  But in big games or in big spots, when the quarterback needs to be take care of the ball, he has repeatedly failed.

There is a tendency among fans and media alike to glorify the "gun-slinger" and the "improviser".  Brett Favre had this quality.  But Brett Favre made a lot of dumb plays and cost his teams games too.  The difference between these two players?  Favre had a ring.  A lot is forgiven when you win a Superbowl. 

Unfortunately, Tony Romo hasn't won anything yet.  If he doesn't improve his play, maybe he never will.