WEEK #1 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

NFL football is back.  Best time of the year.  I used to say that about spring and the beginning of the MLB season, and don't get me wrong, still love that time of year.  But times have changed.  Is there really a more enjoyable week in sports than the opening week of the NFL season?  The league does it right with the Thursday kickoff game.  Wets our appetite for Sunday.  I also liked how they threw out ten 1pm games this year.  We're ready, bring on the action.  And the games were good.  Marquee 4pm game with the Niners and Pack.  Rivalry game at 830pm with the Giants and Cowboys.  And I love, repeat LOVE, the double-header MNF games.  I'd like to see that more often.  Awesome opening weekend NFL.  Let me share some observations.

Thursday night's game was very strange to me.  The Ravens were up at halftime 17-14.  Should have been 21-14 if Dallas Clark doesn't flat out drop a sure touchdown just before the half.  Then the second half happened.  And I'm sure the Ravens and their fans are still saying "WTF happened".  Peyton Manning is the answer.  Seriously, seven Tds.  I'm a Colts fan and it's really hard for me to root for him in another uniform, but you just have to love this guy.  Total class.  True professional.  It doesn't get any better than Peyton Manning.  Period (at least in the regular season).

Here's where the game turned.  On Denver's first possession of the 2nd half, the refs blow a call on a dropped Wes Welker 3rd down reception.  Manning being Manning hurry's the Broncs up to the line and runs a play before the Ravens can challenge.  Super smart.  Play would have certainly been overturned, forcing Denver to punt.  Instead, they score a couple plays later, go up 21-17.  Kickoff, Ravens three and out.  Blocked punt.  Couple plays later another Manning Td pass.  Game now 28-17 in the blink of an eye, all predicated on the blown call and subsequent failure to challenge by the Baltimore coaching staff.  It happens that fast.  Two minutes, two scores.  Of course Manning just kept putting up scores and the rest is history (literally).

And this from the game.  Denver's Danny Trevathan.  Bonehead.


Not sure what happened to the Steelers?  Lose 16-9 at home against the Titans?  At least Pittsburgh has the Pirates to root for this fall.  When was the last time we were able to say that?

Everybody wants to talk about Geno Smith and how he won his opening game.  Really?  If not for a complete bonehead play by Tampa LB Lavonte David to hit Smith out of bounds, drawing a 15 yard penalty and setting up a Nick Folk 47-yard game winner with two seconds left, the Jets lose that game.  Smith was sacked five times, fumbled once, threw a pick, and generally didn't impress.  I'm not buying this guy.  Not yet.

Jacksonville is bad.  KC may be improved, but lose to them at home 28-2?  Ouch!

I'm selling everything Carolina this year.  I know, they were competitive in their game against a really good Seahawks team on Sunday, but I don't care.  Mike Shula is their OC.  If his last name was Davis or Smith or anything but Shula, he would have a hard time finding a job coaching high school ball.  Cam Newton is in for a long year.  You heard it here.  No running game, one playmaker at best.  But most of all, Mike Shula calling the plays.  The Panthers defense may keep them in some games like it did against Seattle, but I'm not touching any of their offensive players.  No chance.

Cleveland really disappointed me.  I like their new head coach, former Panthers OC Rob Chudzinski.  I like their new OC, Norv "I suck as a head coach but always kick butt as an offensive coordinator" Turner.  RB Trent Richardson looks to be one of the few workhorse backs in the league.  They were playing at home against a less than exciting Miami Dolphins squad.  And they throw up a 23-10 dud.  QB Brandon Weeden was terrible - three picks, six sacks.  Team may only go as far as he progresses, which may not be far unfortunately.

In that game, the Dolphins rushed for 20 yards on 23 carries.  I like the commitment to the run, but that's not good.

Oh, and Mike Wallace, SHUT THE FUCK UP!  Your team won by 13.  If your team can do that without you being involved in the offense, just shut your trap and enjoy the win.  Idiot.

Reggie Bush has the ability to put up some big numbers in the Lions offense, especially if he's gonna get 20+ carries a game.  If Joique Bell didn't vulture two rushing Tds from him, he would have had a HUGE week.  As is, he was the top producing RB in my league's scoring format with 55 points.

In that game, which Detroit ended up winning 34-24, Adrian Peterson took his first handoff of the new season and scampered 78 yards to paydirt.  Guy is UNREAL.  Of course, his next 17 attempts only totaled 15 yards.  He's also human.



The Colts escaped, repeat ESCAPED, with a win over a hapless Oakland squad.  Not sure what happened really.  Take first drive right down the field.  Run, run, run, then Luck to Reggie Wayne for the score.  Couldn't draw it up much better.  Next drive same, this time Luck to Dwayne Allen.  Up 14-0.  And then the wheels fell off.  Not sure if Luck and Co. figured game was wrapped up or what, but Oakland actually outplayed the Colts the rest of the game.  Hell, they lead the game 17-14 deep into the 4th quarter.  As I mentioned in the recap of my week #1 fantasy game, Terrelle Pryor actually looked good.  Not conventionally good a la Luck or Manning, but good nonetheless. It seemed as if the Colts were actually surprised this guy could run.  Really?  Anyhow, a win is a win.  But Colts must play better.  Period.

Bengals were up 21-10 on the road in Chicago and found a way to lose.  It is the Bengals.

AJ Green is the real deal.  9/162/2 slash line.  Nice.  He may be #2 behind Megatron.  Or Brandon Marshall who was 8/104/1.  Couple of good receivers on the field in that game.

Colin Kapernick is the real deal.  Any QB who can outperform Aaron Rodgers in a game is doing something.  Kapernick is more than just a gimmicky mobile QB.  He has some serious skills.  And do you think he approves of the acquisition of Anquan Boldin?  Hmmm.  17 targets.  A 13/208/1 slash.  Boldin is the first and only WR in NFL history to gain over 100 yards in his first game for three different teams.  Not sure what the Ravens were thinking letting this guy go.  They will regret it.  All the guy does is get it done.  And was it just me or did Boldin remind anyone else of T.O.?  Same number, same size.  I dunno.



Do you think David Wilson is currently carrying a football around with him everywhere he goes.  He should. If he could hold onto the ball, the guy might amount to something.  But you don't find the field much in this league if you put the ball on the ground, especially not if you're playing for Tom Coughlin.  Kid was handed a golden opportunity.  Hope he didn't fumble it away.

And Eli may have two Super Bowl rings, but anybody who tries to make the argument that he is better than his brother using that fact is a complete idiot.  Their opinions have become moot in perpetuity.

I talked about Chip Kelly and LeSean McCoy in my fantasy game recap.  Very exciting stuff.  Check out this formation.  When was the last time you saw a team line up like that in an NFL game?  It's about time some coach comes in with fresh ideas.  I love it.



Last game of the week was personally the most depressing.  I'm in a pickem pool and was the only person to pick the Chargers.  Was tied going into the game with my arch-nemesis Kyle.  Simple math, if Chargers win, I win.  If they lose, f-ing Kyle wins.  And in typical Charger fashion, they take a total dump on a 28-7 2nd half lead and lose the damn game 31-28.  Norv Turner must have loved it!