There were some pleasant surprises in Week Two, and some not-so pleasant surprises. Here we are just two weeks into the season, and we've already had our share of upsets, controversial timeouts, big plays, and fantasy busts. Through all the madness, here are some notable numerological dwellings:
2-0 - Ten teams in the NFL hold that glorious record after two weeks. New England, Indianapolis, and Dallas are no surprises. Neither really were Pittsburgh and Denver. But Houston? Washington? Detroit? Green Bay? San Francisco? Yep, those teams also hold perfect records after two weeks. And while you might not think they are as good as team like New Orleans, who is currently 0-2, they are two games up on last season's Cinderella story and this season's popular pick to go to the Super Bowl in the NFC.
1,085 - Totally offensive yards for Cleveland and Cincinnati in Sunday afternoon's not-so-defensive showdown. Cleveland pulled off the upset at home rattling off 554 yards of total offense behind Jamal Lewis' 215 rushing yards and Derek Anderson's five touchdown passes. Now if you told me that Carson Palmer, or any QB for that matter, would throw six TD passes in an NFL game and lose, I'd say you're crazy.
229 - Rushing yards through two games for LaMont Jordan. Last season he frustrated fantasy owners who drafted him in the first round. He didn't perform, and then he got hurt. Right now he looks back in good form, and the Raiders don't look as poorly as they did last season. He's now rewarding folks that drafted him this season in the third and fourth rounds.
10 - Points scored against Pittsburgh in the first two weeks. Granted their opponents were Cleveland and Buffalo, it's clear the Pittsburgh defense is going to be a force again this season. And when you've got a solid, proven QB in Ben Roethlisberger, a tough, speedy RB in Willie Parker, and a dependable field goal kicker like Jeff Reed mixed in with that defense, you've got a recipe for another playoff run in Pittsburgh.
7 - What round-rookie-running-back DeShawn Wynn was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2007 draft. Last season it was Marques Colston who was the impact player no one heard of. This season so far it is Wynn, or at least in Week Two. Brandon Jackson is getting the majority of the carries in Green Bay, but it's Wynn hitting paydirt. The electric RB scored two TDs in Sunday's game against New York and is this week's hot mover on the waiver wires.
7, 165 - Catches and receiving yards for Jerricho Cotchery in the New York Jets 20-13 loss to Baltimore Sunday. Kellen Clemens apparently liked Cotchery in his debut as the Jets starting quarterback. If Clemens continues to get time with Pennington out injured or struggling, Cotchery's stats could benefit from the young kid's strong arm.
6, 3 - Number of incomplete passes Tom Brady threw Sunday night in 31 attempts and the number of touchdown passes he launched. There doesn't appear to be any confiscated videotapes this week, nor any reason to think the Pats were stealing Chargers defensive signals. Perhaps Brady and the Pats are that good even without cheating. Maybe Barry Bonds is a Hall of Famer even without these alleged steroids. Either way there will be an aura of controversy surrounding both Bonds and the Pats wherever they go now.
73 - The number of yards Devin Hester took back a Kansas City punt for a touchdown Sunday. Sooner or later teams will learn to just kick the ball away from Hester. Or will they? The interesting thing is that he's the lone Bears skill position player to score a touchdown this season. Everyone else has been skunked. The Bears did put up another TD on Sunday, but it was a pass on the goal line from Rex Grossman to backup tackle-eligible John St. Clair. Don't worry, though. Cedric Benson, Muhsin Muhammad, and Bernard Berrian will get their fill.
13 - Number of times Joey Harrington has been sacked in just two games. Ouch! Maybe his offensive line doesn't realize they're not phantom blocking for Michael Vick this season.
24 - Number of tackles for the NFL's leader through two weeks, Tampa Bay linebacker Barrett Ruud. He has 19 solos and five assists. To boot, for you IDP league guys, he also has two forced fumbles to his name and is a player who is just starting to get noticed.
Got questions or comments, email them to pete@petekhazen.com.