“From the lakes of Minnesota”
“Oh My Heavens! Brett Favre has done it again! Vikings win! Oh my Heavens! Oh my Heavens!”
“To the hills of Tennessee”
“Tennessee has pulled off a miracle! There are no flags!”
“Across the Plains of Texas”
“If you’re gonna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk! How about them Cowboys!”
“From sea to shining sea”
“From Detroit
“The nightmare is over! The streak is over! The losing is over! Lions win!”
down to Houston”
“Andre Johnson is a beast!”
“And New York
“This is why you lift all them waits. This is why you go through the two a days. This is why you do all that (stuff!)”
“I’m not here to kiss Bill Bellichick’s rings.”
to LA”
“On came Marcus Allen, running with the night”
“This is the finest hour in the history of the Raiders. First you get great coaches. Then you get great players. You get a great organization. Then you tell them one thing. Just win baby!”
“There’s pride in every American heart, and it’s time we stand and say”
“I’m Proud to be an American, where it least I know I’m free
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me
“Never forget Pat Tillman.”
And I’ll gladly stand up next to you, defend her still today
“45 guys who believe in each other can’t lose!”
Cause their aint no doubt I love this land, God bless the USA.”
Today is 9/11/11. It is a day to remember those we lost, and honor those Americans keeping us free.
It is also Week 1 of the 2011 NFL Season.
So as flags fly on high and players play hard, let us honor the NYPD, FDNY, and EMTs and their brethren nationwide.
President George W. Bush told us to live our lives. Mayor Rudy Giuliani reminded us that we have the right to live as we please without giving in to the terrorists.
Well this is America, and on this day there will be football. At 8:46am I will be in New York, perhaps even at Ground Zero. At 8pm I am on a nonstop flight from New York to Los Angeles. I left home August 23rd and am finally returning.
Between then is the National Football League. It will not erase the pain, but it will help us heal.
Nothing lasts forever. Even the 4-Ever Man Brett Favre has finally retired for real this time to his ranch in Mississippi. Peyton Manning is out recovering from neck surgery. Yet no one player is above the game.
The first coin has been flipped and the first kickoff has been returned. Let’s play football.
New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers was the Thursday night game to kick off the season. The Packers came out from their own 24 in the no huddle, picked up a first down, and saw Aaron Rodgers get sacked to set up 3rd and 12 at their own 35. Rodgers found Donald Driver for 16 yards and then went deep to Jordy Nielson for 36 yards to the Saints 13. On 3rd and 4 from the 7, Rodgers fired a quick strike to Greg Jennings for the touchdown as the Packers led 7-0 after 5 minutes of game time.
The Saints began at their own 20 and disaster quickly struck. A completed pass to Marques Colston resulted in a perfectly placed defensive helmet right on the football. Colston coughed it up and the Packers took over at the Saints 36. Pass happy Mike McCarthy likes his West Coast dink and dunk passes, but in the Super Bowl that was due to having zero running game. Here he employed a balanced attack. From the 21, Rodgers found Finley to set up 1st and goal at the 5. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Rodgers found Nielson again as the Packers led 14-0 with 6 1/2 minutes still to play in the opening quarter.
The pace continued as the Packers took over and Rodgers kept them moving. A critical 3rd and 2 from midfield saw Rodgers hit Finley for an 18 yard gain. On the next play Rodgers found Cobb over the middle. Cobb evaded tacklers and raced for a 32 yard touchdown. 11 seconds still remained in the first quarter as the Packers built up a 21-7 lead. Aaron Rodgers became the first player since Jack Kemp in 1964 to have 3 touchdown passes of the opening quarter of the opening game.
Pierre Thomas gave the Saints a spark by barreling over and carrying several Green Bay defenders with him for an 18 yard gain as the first period ended. Brees then rolled out and found Graham, who caught it at the Green Bay 41. On 3rd and 14 Brees fired over the middle to Colston for 16 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Packers 21, the Saints went smashmouth with rookie Mark Ingram. He did his dad proud by bulling ahead after the initial hit for 3 yards to keep the drive going. On 3rd and 4 from the 12, Brees fired into triple coverage and somehow almost completed it. It fell to the ground, and John Kasay came on for a 30 yarder. The longtime Panthers kicker who was with them when they began as a franchise was retired, when an injury to Garrett Hartley brought him back to the league. Kasay connected to get the Saints within 21-10.
The Packers took over at their own 20 and Rodgers threw a soft touch pass over the middle. The receiver got blasted, and Rodgers decided to go back to hard throwing. After moving at will, this time the Packers went 3 and out. 6 minutes into the second quarter finally saw the first punt of the game, and Darren Sproles made the Packers pay. He burst through the seam, shot like a cannon to the sideline, and outraced everybody for a 72 yard touchdown return. Replay showed a very smart return man on the Saints deliberately avoid contact to avoid an illegal block. The Saints were within 21-17 with plenty of action left.
The game was on NBC, and a special bulleting cut away from Al Michaels to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In another reminder of how 9/11 was conflating with football, reports of a credible threat to New York on the anniversary was reported. The split screen was a harrowing reality check, but the game continued.
Green Bay took over at their own 20. On 3rd and 7, Rodgers found Jennings for 13 yards. On 3rd and 2, Starks gained 4. Rodgers hit Jennings again for another first down at the Saints 28. On 2nd and 1, Rodgers barely got the play off before a run was blasted in the backfield. Mike McCarthy vowed to honor the West Coast tradition and never run the ball in a running situation ever again. On 3rd and 3 Rodgers found Crabtree for 5. Starks then ran up the middle for a 17 yard touchdown, knocking defenders along the way. The 14 play, 80 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Packers up 28-17 at the 2 minute warning.
Brees worked the 2 minute drill, but was sacked with one minute left in the half. The Saints burned their last timeout and were still on their own side of the field. Facing 3rd and 2 at their own 43, a swing pass to Sproles gained 16 yards as the speedster got out of bounds. Yet a pair of incompletions and a completed screen pas that went nowhere set up 4th and 10 with 38 seconds left. Sean Payton opted against a 63 yard field goal as a pooch punt ended up in a touchback. Rodgers took a knee to end the very exciting first half that saw the Packers rack up 276 yards of offense.
The Saints began the second half at their own 20 and Brees put on a clinic. From the 30, Ingram blasted ahead for 9 yards. Ingram gained a couple more. A combination of runs and short passes had the Saints with a 3rd and 2 at the Green Bay 7. Brees went back to pass and was sacked for a 13 yard loss. Kasay came in and hit a 38 yarder as the 6 1/2 minute drive had the Saints within 28-20.
The kickoff went to the back of the end zone, as the new rules were meant to cause more touchbacks and therefore make the most exciting part of the game as boring as possible. Yet some players are too exciting to know that. Cobb took the kickoff near the back line and brought it out. He got past one tackler, and at the 25 yard line was spun around. Somehow he finished being a flying helicopter and got his hand down without his feet touching. He righted himself, never went fully down, and kept churning. When it was all done, a stunned Saints team saw Cobb take it 108 yards to have the Packers up 35-20.
The Saints nearly answered right back as the ensuing kickoff was taken out very deep in the end zone by Sproles. Only the kicker stood in the way, and the angle was enough to force the Sproles out of bounds at the Green Bay 46 after a 57 yard return. A run lost 2 yards, but Brees found Colston again over the middle for a first down at the Packers 30. On the next play Brees lofted a high fade to Devry Henderson. Henderson caught the touchdown while just staying in bounds. Just like that, only midway through the third quarter, the Saints were back within 35-27.
The next kickoff was high and deep and this time Cobb decided not to press his luck, opting for one knee and a toss to the referee. Rodgers would misfire on 3rd and 3 as the Packers had to punt again. The Cheesehead faithful held their breath as Sproles this time was brought down after a 16 yard gain just past midfield.
Brees needed only 3 plays with the last short field, and now he had a chance to tie the game. Brees found henderson for a 13 yard gain. A run gained a few more, and then a very clean game saw a 15 yard personal foul penalty on cornerback Charles Woodson. From the Packers 16, Sproles took a handoff inside and bounced to the outside for 7 yards. Thomas then got stood up just shy of the marker. On 3rd and inches, Brees burned a timeout. Ingram was stopped short, and Sean Payton decided to go for it on 4th and inches. Less than the length of the football was needed. Rather than ram it up the gut, a play action pass saw Brees scrambling for his life 20 yards backward. He was lucky to get it away incomplete as the Saints turned it over on downs.
On 2nd and 6 from their own 10, Rodgers somehow found Jennings for a 23 yard gain. Rodgers went back to Jennings for 14 more and the to Jordy Nelson for another 9. The third quarter ended with the Packers still up by 8 and facing 2nd and 8 at the Saints 40. Rodgers began the fourth quarter by hitting Nelson for 17 yards. Rodgers then improvised in a crowd and threw back over the middle for 9 more yards. With the Packers facing 2nd and 1 at the Saints 14, the Saints took their 2nd timeout only one minute into the fourth quarter. Kuhn gained 4 to the 10, and Starks picked up 3 more. Rodgers hit Nelson to set up 3rd and goal at the 1. Kuhn took it in standing up as the 12 play, 93 yard drive consumed 6 minutes and had the Packers up 42-27 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
The next kickoff was high and deep and this time Cobb decided not to press his luck, opting for one knee and a toss to the referee. Rodgers would misfire on 3rd and 3 as the Packers had to punt again. The Cheesehead faithful held their breath as Sproles this time was brought down after a 16 yard gain just past midfield.
Brees needed only 3 plays with the last short field, and now he had a chance to tie the game. Brees found henderson for a 13 yard gain. A run gained a few more, and then a very clean game saw a 15 yard personal foul penalty on cornerback Charles Woodson. From the Packers 16, Sproles took a handoff inside and bounced to the outside for 7 yards. Thomas then got stood up just shy of the marker. On 3rd and inches, Brees burned a timeout. Ingram was stopped short, and Sean Payton decided to go for it on 4th and inches. Less than the length of the football was needed. Rather than ram it up the gut, a play action pass saw Brees scrambling for his life 20 yards backward. He was lucky to get it away incomplete as the Saints turned it over on downs.
On 2nd and 6 from their own 10, Rodgers somehow found Jennings for a 23 yard gain. Rodgers went back to Jennings for 14 more and the to Jordy Nelson for another 9. The third quarter ended with the Packers still up by 8 and facing 2nd and 8 at the Saints 40. Rodgers began the fourth quarter by hitting Nelson for 17 yards. Rodgers then improvised in a crowd and threw back over the middle for 9 more yards. With the Packers facing 2nd and 1 at the Saints 14, the Saints took their 2nd timeout only one minute into the fourth quarter. Kuhn gained 4 to the 10, and Starks picked up 3 more. Rodgers hit Nelson to set up 3rd and goal at the 1. Kuhn took it in standing up as the 12 play, 93 yard drive consumed 6 minutes and had the Packers up 42-27 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
Mike McCarthy had seen enough of Darren Sproles to last a lifetime, so he ordered a short high kickoff to an offensive lineman. The Saints took over at their own 26. On 3rd and 4, Brees was sacked for a 12 yard loss. For the first time all game, the Saints punted. It looked like another return touchdown but the return man was just barely tripped up at the Saints 40. This time there was the illegal block call that had been avoided throughout, as the Packers were moved back to their own 20. A run up the middle gained almost 10. At this point McCarthy was content to grind it out. When McCarthy decided to try a play action pass, Rodgers was sacked to set up 3rd and 18. Naturally teams running the West Coast offense then throw a 2 to 4 yard pass and expect the receiver to do the rest. The Packers punted, as the Saints took over with 5 1/2 minutes left at their own 24.
Brees found Henderson for 18 yards and Graham for 21 more. Brees somehow avoided a sack to pick up a short gain. An overthrow set up 3rd and 7 with 4 minutes left. A short pass to Thomas resulted in him somehow breaking a pair of tackles to get the first down. Brees then went to the end zone but the play was broken up. Another incompletion set up 3rd and 10, and Brees then found Colston at the 5 yard line. At the 3 minute mark, Sproles got nailed up the middle as the clock ticked down. A pass was batted down to set up 3rd and goal with 2:20 to play. Brees faked a pass and then fakes a handoff before firing to the corner to Graham. The Saints were within 8 points again but only 2:15 remained and the Saints had only one timeout plus the 2 minute warning.
The lack of timeouts necessitated an onsides kick. It was a good one that gave the Saints a chance, but Donald Driver leapt high in the air and grabbed it. From the Saints 43, the Packers ran it short as the Saints took their last timeout. Another run led to the 2 minute warning, as everything came down to 3rd and 3 at the Saints 36. Rodgers completed a short pass for virtually no gain. A field goal would ice it, but McCarthy was not going to try a 54 yarder in that situation. He took a delay of game penalty as the Packers punted with 1:16 to play. Sproles would have one more chance.
The punt appeared down at the one, but the momentum caused the foot to slide into the end zone for a touchback. Brees hit Sproles for 10 and Graham for 12 more as both players got to the sideline. Brees found Meachem at the Green Bay 40and then a diving Colston at the 18. Another pas over the middle was followed by a spike with 3 seconds left. From the 12, Brees rolled out and fired to the end zone. The pass was incomplete, but an obvious defensive pass interference call gave the Saints one play from the one.
Graham took the handoff and sought to airborne. He never had a chance as a green and yellow brick wall stopped him colder than Green Bay in January. It came down to the final play, and in a game of offense, defense made the difference.
Both quarterbacks had 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Brees lit up the night with 419 yards passing while Rodgers was 26 of 34 for 312. This was a fine football game and another outstanding way to start the season. Yet since the league began having the Super Bowl winners hosting the Thursday night opener, those home teams remain unbeaten. It was a tough one, but the Cheeseheads got the win. One yard was the difference. A rematch in the playoffs would be well worth it. 42-34 Packers
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs–The Bills under Chan Gailey began last year 0-8 but went 4-4 down the stretch. The Chiefs under Todd Haley shocked people winning the AFC West at 10-6, but were expected to slide backward with Charlie Weis leaving. Yet even the leaue was not expecting to see the Chiefs fold this quickly.
Kansas City fumbled the opening kickoff and the Bills took over at the Chiefs 26. Ryan Fitzpatrick found Scott Chandler for a 3 yard touchdown to have the Bills up 7-0. Fitzpatrick then went deep to Stevie Johnson. Johnson outleapt the defender for a 27 yard touchdown to have the Bills up 14-0 on the road despite the fact that he should change his name from Stevie to Steve. Stevie Wonder gets an exemption, but Johnson does not. The Bills tacked on a field goal midway through the second quarter to lead 17-0.After another Chiefs fumble, a couple of minutes later Ryan Lindell added another one to have the Bills rolling 20-0.
The Chiefs finally got going late in the half, and with less than 2 minutes left, Matt Cassel fired a short touchdown pass to Jamal Charles to get the Chiefs within 20-7. They would get nothing more.
The levee broke in the third quarter as Buffalo took over at their own 41and Fred Jackson quickly picked up 24 yards. Fitzpatrick hit Chandler from 11 yards out to make it 27-7. The Chiefs punted again and a good return had the Bills at the Chiefs 24. Fitzpatrick hit Jones from 4 yards out as back to back touchdowns had the Bills up 34-7 in the third quarter. Another turnover on a Matt Cassel interception had the Bills at the Chiefs 28. CJ Spiller ran it in from 9 yards out as the Bills blasted the Chiefs in front of the shocked Arrowhead crowd. Forget the cliche about it only being one game. The Bills are much better and the Chiefs are much worse. 41-7 Bills
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens–This game was appropriately delayed at the start due to the 9/11 Memorial in Shankesville, Pennsylvania. These teams have been beating t he daylights out of each other for several years, playing some classic games. Last year each team won on the road and then in the rubber match in the playoffs, the Steelers mounted a furious second half comeback to win at home. Yet despite Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh having teams that mirror each other with attitude and hard nosed defense, this game was lopsided from the start.
The Ravens began at their own 34 and Ray Rice immediately gained 36 yards. 2 plays later, a 27 yard touchdown from Joe Flacco to Anquon Boldin got the Ravens started. With the Ravens leading 7-0, tempers flared and a small fight broke out that even knocked down the ref. Late in the first quarter, Ben Roethlisberger was then belted, resulting in a fumble The Ravens quickly converted. From the Pittsburgh 37, Joe Flacco went deep to Pitta for 29 yards. On 3rd and goal from the 1, Rice took it in as the Ravens led 14-0.
Yet Big Ben came back from the Pittsburgh 32 and led a 10 play 6 1/2 minute drive. Rashard Mendenhall gained 23 yards and Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for 16 more. On 3rd and 9 from the Baltimore 16, Big Ben found Emanuel Sanders for just enough. On 3rd and goal from the 11 Roethlisberger went back to Sanders for the score to get the Steelers within 14-7 early in the second quarter.
Joe Flacco came back after an exchange of punts as the Ravens took over at their own 16. Rice ripped off a 13 yard gain and Flacco found Dickson for 14 on 3rd and 6. Another 3rd and 6 from the Steelers 40 had Flacco hit Rice for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the 11 Flacco again found Ray Rice for the score to have the Ravens up 21-7 at the half.
These teams play very competitive games most of the time but that was not the case in this game. Last year in the playoffs the Ravens had an identical 21-7 lead but gave it away. This time they salted it away on the first play of the second half. From the Pittsburgh 24, Mendenhall lost 6 yards and fumbled, and the Ravens took over. One play was enough for Flacco to hit Dickson as another score had them up 29-7. The 2 point conversion was icing on the cake. A pair of field goals by Billy Cundiff completed the scoring as the expected slugfest was a blowout.
The key to this game was turnovers, and the normally disciplined AFC Champions under Mike Tomlin were anything but is they turned it over 7 times. The final one had Big Ben getting drilled between two defenders, resulting in a fumble that set the Ravens up at the Pittsburgh 10. That led to the last field goal. Knowing Jon Harbaugh, Ray Lewis and the rest of the Ravens, they will not treat this as anything other than one solid game. These teams meet again in Pittsburgh, and now it is the Steeleres who will want revenge. As for now, the Ravens avenged the playoff loss in a big way. 35-7 Ravens
Detroit Lions @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers–Last year the Buccaneers improved under Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman from 3-13 to 10-6. As for Jim Schwartz and the Lions, he has erased the 0-16 Rod Marinelli era as the Lions ended last year 4-0 to finish 6-10. With Matthew Stafford healthy and looking sharp in the preseason, this game was not to be overlooked.
A battle of field goals had the game tied 3-3. Matthew Stafford threw a perfect touchdown pass to Aqib Talib. Sadly, Talib plays defense for the Bucs as Tampa Bay led 10-3 after the 28 yard interception return. Earlier in the game the Lions settled for a field goal after failing to convert on 3rd and 2 at the 4. They again drove deep but on 3rd and 6 at the 10 could not reach the end zone as another field goal by stalwart Jason Hanson had the Lions within 10-6 after the first quarter.
Freeman looked to expand the lead, going for the bomb from the Detroit 46. Yet he was intercepted, and Stafford had his turn after the touchback. Stafford hit Calvin Johnson for 22 yards and led the Lions to 4th and 2 at the Tampa Bay 36. Schwartz decided to go for it, and Stafford then fired a touchdown pass to Johnson to put the Lions up 13-10.
Late in the half the Lions faced 3rd and 6 at their own 20. Stafford found Nate Burleson for 29 yards and Davis for 14 more. From the Tampa 39, Stafford hit Pettigrew for 25 more and then fired an 11 yard bullet in traffic to Tony Scheffler as Detroit led 20-10 with only 1:16 left in the half. Freeman rapidly marched the Bucs down the field, but the drive bogged down at the Lions 13. A Tampa Bay field goal by Connor Barth had the Bucs within 20-13 at halftime.
In the third quarter the Bucs began at their own 20 and Graham gained 9 yards. Yet two more carries failed to get the needed yard and the Tampa momentum stalled as the Bus punted. The Lions appeared to go 3 and out when a 3rd and 5 pass was incomplete, but illegal contact on Talib kept the drive going. Stafford made the most of the second chance. His one yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson was a thing of beauty and had Detroit up 27-13. Yet the fans had a lump in their throat when Stafford hobbled off of the field. Trainers attended to him, and he would later return. Josh Freeman later got hurt and went to the locker room as Josh Johnson came in. Freeman would also return.
Early in the fourth quarter Freeman led the Bucs from their own 8 to a 4th and 1 at the Detroit 11. Again Schwartz decided to go for it and again Graham got the carry. Again Graham got nothing, fumbling the ball and recovering it still one yard short. 81 yards and 5 1/2 minutes produced nothing.
Detroit went 3 and out and the Buccaneers got the ball back at their own 41. Freeman led them to a 4th and 3 at the Detroit 5. This time Freeman hit Williams for the score to get within 27-20 with 1:35 to play, bringing on an onsides kick. It failed, but the Bucs had all of their timeouts. They held and Freeman was back in the game with 54 seconds left. With 8 seconds left, from the Detroit 42, the hook and multi laterals was tried instead of the Hail Mary. The Bucs got inside the 20 but eventually turned it over.
The Lions did not make it easy, but they have now won 5 straight regular season games dating back to last year. It is too early to call them a juggernaut, but a win is a win. The Lions are much improved, and a healthy Stafford makes a big difference. 27-20 Lions
Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears–Both of these teams got beaten rather easily in their own stadiums in the playoffs by Green Bay, and both of these teams want to prove that last year’s regular season success was not a mirage. Mike Smith looks like an average white guy named Mike Smith, while his cousin Lovie is always on the hot seat in Chicago.
An exchange of field goals had the game tied 3-3 when Jay Cutler got going. His 56 yard touchdown pass to Matt Forte in the second quarter had the Bears up 10-3. Cutler moved the ball well but the Bears fell short on their next 2 drives, reaching the 5 yard line and then failing to convert on 3rd and 1 from the 8. In both cases Lovie took the points and had Robbie Gould kick the field goals to have the Bears up 16-3 at the break. In the third quarter it was the Falcons who stalled when Matt Ryan led them to a 1st and goal at the 7 before getting nothing more. Matt Bryant kicked the Falcons to within 16-6.
The Bears took over at their own 8. From the 19, Forte rumbled for 27 yards. Cutler then hit Devon Hester, who took it 53 yards down to the one. On the next play Cutler found Spaeth for the score to have the Bears over Atlanta 23-6. On the next series Matt Ryan got belted by Brian Urlacher, resulting in a fumble that Urlacher returned for a score to have the Bears cruising at 30-6.
A garbage touchdown did not change the lopsided result. After going 13-3 last year, the Falcons already have a loss. As for the Bears, this was not 1940 or 1985, but it was an impressive, decisive win. 30-12 Bears
Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans–Despite not having Peyton Manning for the first time in 12 years, Kerry Collins was expected to keep the Colts train moving forward. Gary Kubiak is always about to be fired in Houston, but bringing in Wade Phillips was expected to shore up the defense. Every year the Colts dispatch the Texans to win the division easily. Not this year, not yet anyway.
Matt Schaub early on had a pass that was deflected and intercepted at the Colts 40. Kerry Collins completed his first pass to Reggie Wayne. The Colts would punt and the Texans ran it down the Colts throats despite Arriun Foster not being in the game. The drive would bog down inside the 10 but a short field goal by Neil Rackers had the Texans up 3-0.
Collins was then hit and fumbled, and the Texans took over at the Colts 12. Darrius Moore broke the plane from one yard out after appearing stopped to have the Texans up 10-0. Collins and Jeff Saturday then fumbled the quarterback-center exchange and the Texans took over at the Indy 20. Tate ran it in from 7 yards out and the Texans led 17-0 after the first quarter. Jim Caldwell was so disgusted that he almost made a facial expression.
Early in the second quarter Schaub threw passes of 20 and 21 yards to Andre Johnson and then threw a short pass that was deflected and caught in the back of the end zone by Johnson as the Texans poured it on with a 24-0 lead. The Texans tacked on a field goal to lead 27-0 with 1:34 left in the half. The Colts punted again, and Jacoby Jones returned it 79 yards for a touchdown as the shellshocked Colts trailed the Texans 34-0 with 54 seconds left in the half.
An uneventful second half showed that the Texans are for real and the Colts are in a lot of trouble. Gary Kubiak has been playing for his job for a couple years now, and Bob McNair had to be pleased with the results. The game itself was not competitive, but the storyline was a major statement. This will either be a blip on the radar or a major changing of the guard. One Houston fan had a sign saying that Peyton Manning had been a pain in the neck to Houston for a decade, and that his return was not needed any time soon. 34-7 Texans
Philadelphia Eagles @ St. Louis Rams–Early on the Super Bowl or bust Eagles saw Michael Vick get sacked. The Eagles punted and the Rams started with a short field at the Philly 47. Stephen Jackson took a handoff and raced for a touchdown as the stunned Eagles saw the Rams take a 7-0.
Vick got nailed on the next series but not before completing a 41 yard pass to Deshean Jackson and following it up with a 20 yarder to Avant. Roughng the passer tacked on 10 more, setting up the tying score at 7-7 whe Vick found McCoy on 3rd and goal at the 7. Sam Bradford fumbled on the next series, and it was returned 56 yards for a score by Parker to make it 14-7 Eagles.
The Rams kicked a field goal to get within 14-10, but Vick had the Eagles on the move from the Philly 13 to the Rams 12. Vick was then sacked and fumbled, ending the drive. Yet the Rams could not move the ball, and the Eagles got it back with 3:40 left in the half at their own 35. Vick quickly got them to the Rams 11 but no further as Philly added a field goal to have the Eagles up 17-10 haftime.
A mostly quiet third quarter saw some separation when the Rams missed a long field goal and Vick scrambled for 18 yards before hitting Jackson for 26 more. Vick found Jackson for a 6 yardtouchdown pass with 5 minutes left in the period as the Eagles led 24-10.
The Rams drove deep late in the third quarter but could not get past the 6 yard line. Steve Spagnuolo decided to settle for a field goal to get within 24-13, but it was not enough. In the fourth quarter it was McCoy who broke free for gains of 11 and 17 before rambling for a 49 yard touchdown run to salt the game away.
The Rams are an improved team but Walrus Lite Andy Reid (and the only walrus coaching with original Walrus Mike Holmgren in the president’s chair and Walrus 3 Brad Childress fired last year) knows that if his team is to play to expectations, they have to win by convincing margins. This was a very good start on the road. 31-13 Eagles
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns–A battle of AFC North Titans went at it, but that was Pittsburgh at Baltimore. This was the annual race for the bottom. Chad Johnson is now in New England, Carson Palmer retired rather than play for Mike Brown, and Terrell Owens is in some ozone somewhere. The Walrus has Colt McCoy while Marvin Lewis let the Andy Dalton era begin. Holmgren was not a happy Walrus when a 20 yard punt had the Bengals starting at the Cleveland 41. Heavy doses of handoffs to Cedric Benson was followed by Dalton’s first pass, an 8 yard completion to Gresham. The drive bogged down at the 6 but Mike Nugent put the Bengals up 3-0.
Holmgren’s mustache got even more upset when the Browns ended their next drive punting after 4th and 32 at their own 8. Again the Bengals started at the Cleveland 41 and again Benson got 3 straight carries, running over Cleveland defenders like they were Clayton Endicott III. From the Cleveland 28, Dalton hit Gresham for 22 and then for a 2 yard touchdown. Dalton’s first passing score had the Bengals up 10-0. In the second quarter Dalton calmly led the Bengals down the field, and a 47 yard Nugent kick had the Bengals cruising at 13-0, proving that Mike Brown is the greatest owner in the history of sports.
The new kickoff rule was designed to cause more touchbacks, but all it is doing is causing return men to take more risks. Josh Cribbs took the kickoff 8 yards deep in the end zone and returned it 51 yards to the Cleveland 43. Colt McCoy would hit Watson for a 34 yard touchdown in the second quarter to have the Browns within 13-7.
Cincy went 3 and out as the Browns took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 7 McCoy scrambled for 9. Peyton Hillis gained 17 and McCoy then went deep to Massaquoi for 56 yards down to the 5. McCoy hit Moore for the 2 yard touchdown pass to have the Browns up 14-13. Holmgren was now a happy Walrus and Mike Brown was on the phone to Carson Palmer.
The Browns began their first drive of the third quarter at their own 47, and got to the Cincy 3 yard line before McCoy misfired twice. Phil Dawson hit the gimme as the Browns led 17-13 after three quarters in a game as thrilling as it sounded.
With 5 minutes left in the half Dalton was replaced with Bruce Gradkowski. Doc B is a fiery leader who was with the Raiders last year. Despite outplaying his competitors, he was allowed to leave. He again showed why he is an NFL starter as the Benglas still trailed with 6 minutes left. He hit Leonard for 22 yards and then Green for a 41 yard touchdown as the Bengals retook the lead 20-17 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Cleveland did have the ball at their own 44 but turned it over on downs. Benson then ran faster than Governor Gatling for a 39 yard score to ice the game. Holmgren was a very grumpy 0-1 Walrus, while at 1-0 Mike Brown admitted his genius in letting Palmer go. 27-17 Bengals
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars–The Mike Munchak era began in Tennessee as Jeff Fisher left after 16 seasons. Jack Del Rio is entering his 9th season in Jacksonville, and he is the only coach to make it that far without a division crown. A few years ago he cut Byron Leftwich at the 11th hour for David Garrard. Despite being the NFL’s best dressed man, Garrard was cut at the 11th hour for old man Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans had Luke McCown as Vince Young was released and Kerry Collins retired and then unretired elsewhere. In other words, a pair of barely average teams played a barely average game.
An 11 play, 6 minute drive featuring heavy doses of Maurice Jones-Drew resulted in Jones-Drew rushing up the middle for a 21 yard touchdown to have the Jaguars up 7-0. Josh Scobee nailed a 48 yard field goal in the second quarter to have the Jaguars up 10-0. An ugly game provided a brief moment of excitement when Munchak decided to have Rob Bironas try a 67 yard field goal on the last play of the half. In a shocker, it was no good.
The third quarter saw Jacksonville fumble on one drive and then run the ball 9 straight times on the next drive. Owens took the first 3 carries and Jones-Drew the last 6 of them. The final 2 runs were form the Tennessee one yard line, with the last one losing 2 yards. Del RIo settled for another field goal as Jacksonville led 13-0 in this suckfest. As lifeless as the Titans were, they were only one play from being back in the game. They got that one play as Kenny Britt took a short pass from Hasselbeck and raced 8- yards for a score to get the Titans within 13-7.
McCown led an 11 play, 5 minute drive into the fourth quarter as Josh Scobee kicked a 45 yard field goal to have Jacksonville up 16-7 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Hasselbeck then led a 12 play, 80 yard drive that consumed over 6 minutes. He hit Britt for the score from 2 yards out but the Titans still trailed by a deuce with 3 1/2 minutes to play. The Jaguars punted, but Matt Turk backed the Titans up at their own 3 yard line with 1:45 to play and a field goal needed to win. With 23 seconds left the Titans were at their own 46. Hasselbeck went deep but was intercepted as Jacksonville hung on to win ugly. 16-14 Jaguars
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins–Emotions ran high for both teams as both cities were victims of the 9/11 attacks. Those who claim the New York Giants play in Jersey can go to hell. Former Patriots offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi has 3 brothers who are all with FDNY. They were honored a decade ago and again today. When all the incredibly emotional rituals were complete, Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin had to get their men ready to play football.
After an exchange of punts, Eli Manning from the Giants 30 fired the bomb on rd and 10 to Hakeem Nicks for a 68 yard gain. Manning scrambled himself for the final deuce on the next play to have Big Blue up 7-0. With Donovan McNabb shipped to Minnesota, Rex Grossman was the starter. Tim Hightower ran early on and Grossman led the Redskins into the red zone. Yet a 39 yard field goal by Graham Gano was Graham ga hell no wide right.
The Redskins got the ball back at their own 34 in the second quarter and Grossman hit Jabar Gaffney for 11 yards. On 1st and 20 Grossman hit Davis for 23. On 4th and 5 from the Giants 37 Shanahan decided to go for it. Grossman hit Santana Moss for 10 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the 19 Grossman found Armstrong down to the one, where Hightower took it in to tie the game 7-7.
Midway through the second quarter the Giants took over at their own 15. Manning found Mario Manningham for 24 yards. A 17 yarder to Nicks followed by a 14 yard Brandon Jacobs run led to Ahmad bradshaw taking it in from 6 yards out. The Giants led 14-7 with under 3 minutes left in the half.
From the Washington 20, Grossman put on a clinic. He found Moss for 11, Chris Cooley for 15 more, Gaffney for 39, and Hightower for 9. 5 plays went to 5 different receivers as the 80 yard drive culminated with a 6 yard touchdown toss to Armstrong to deadlock the game 14-14 at the break.
3 plays into the third quarter, Manning threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to Kerrigan. Unfortunately for Big Blue, Kerrigan plays defense for Washington as it was the Redskins on top 21-14. Coughlin was ready to waterboard Manning as Shanahan wanted to do to Gano earlier. Midway through the third quarter, the Giants took over at their own 9 yard line. Manning fired deep to Ballard all the way to midfield. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Skins 31, Coughlin went for it and Bradshaw went nowhere. The next Giants drive began at their own 10 when Manning fumbled. The Giants retained possession at their own 2 and were luck to punt.
The Redskins took over early in the fourth quarter at the Giants 42, but Grossman was hit and fumbled. The Giants took over at the Redskins 27, but on 3rd and 1 Bradshaw again got nailed. Coughlin brought in Lawrence Tynes for a 38 yard field goal, which was blocked.
From the Washington 30, Grossman led a 10 play, 6 minute drive. He hit Moss for 14, and on 3rd and 9, hit Davis for 7. Yet rather than 4th and 2, unnecessary roughness on the defense meant an automatic first down. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 31, Grossman found Davis for 22. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Grossman hit Gaffney for the score to ice it.
Both Shanahan and Coughlin are Super Bowl winners and disciplinarians. They have no patience for mistakes, and on this day it was Grossman playing great football despite the one fumble and Manning having the awful game. Coughlin was supposed to have the better team, but Shanahan and his men got the win on this emotion fueled day. 28-14 Redskins.
Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals–The Cardinals went from NFC Champions to one of the worst teams in football. The Panthers were a 12-4 team a couple of years ago before their shocking home playoff loss to Arizona sent them on a downward spiral to being the worst team in football last year. New coach Ron Rivera will try to turn things around, as will Ken Whisenhunt. Rivera has new top pick Cam Newton. Newton lit up the NFL in his very first game, throwing for a staggering 422 yards. He is the first rookie in NFL history to top 400 yards in his opening game. As for Whisenhunt, he has seen Kurt Warner retire and Matt Leinart fail, and has now bet all his chips on Kevin Kolb.
The Panthers began at their own 8. Newton’s first pass went to all world Steve Smith for 14 yards. The Panthers would punt, ad the Cardinals took over at their own 46. Beanie Wells gained 9 and Kolb found Todd Heap for 20. On 3rd and 8 from the 23, Kolb found Doucet for 16. Well carried it the final 7 to have the Cardinals up 7-0. The Panthers took over at their 20. On 3rd and 7 Newton went bombs away to Smith for the 77 yard touchdown. Welcome to the NFL Newton, as his first touchdown pass tied the game 7-7.
The defenses temporarily settled in, but in the second quarter Kolb moved the Cardinals from their 20 to the Carolina 4. Kolb then fumbled to kill the drive. The Cardinals got the ball back and Kolb moved them from their own 39 to the Carolina 5. Penalties pushed them back 15 yards, and Jay Feely missed a 36 yard field goal.
From their own 26, Newton scrambled for 12 yards and found Stewart for 15. From the Arizona 26, Newton realized that success for his team meant throwing the ball high and letting Steve Smith do what he does. Another touchdown pitch and catch had the Panthers up 14-7 at intermission.
In the third quarter Newton went to the well once too often, and a short pass for Smith was intercepted. From the Carolina 48, it was Kolb who only needed one play. He went deep to King for the score to tie the game 14-14.
Newton kept firing. On 3rd and 12 from the 18, He hit Lafell for 13 and Jeremy Shockey for 22. Newton then went deep to Greg Olsen for 43 yards to the Arizona 2 yard line. Newton took it in himself from one yard out as this human highlight reel had the Panthers leading 21-14.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals took over at their own 10. Kolb hit King for 13. From the Arizona 30, Kolb found Doucet, who raced 70 yards as this shootout was tied 21-21 with 11 minutes left in regulation.
Yet despite the offensive explosions, it was special teams that decided the game. Midway through the fourth quarter, Carolina punted. Peterson returned it 89 yards for the score as the Cardinals were up by 7 points in this seesaw contest.
Newton got the ball back at the Carolina 17 with 2:20 to play. In his very first game he had to work the 2 minute drill. He found Olsen for 10 and Lafell for 27. He hit SMith for 23 with roughing the passer adding more. With 1:39 to play the Panthers were at the Arizona 11. Yet the game with offense and special teams finally in the 60th minute saw defense. 4 straight incompletions appeared to end it, but defensive offsides on 4th and 10 gave Newton a 5th chance. On 4th and 5 from the 6, a pass to Goodson came up one yard short.
Yet the Panthers lost, but Newton was phenomenal. Kolb was great. This was a thrilling game, and both of these teams at some point will be much better. As for Newton, he is so exciting that several plays a game featured a cameraman on him working the “Cam cam.” 28-21 Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers–Seattle won the NFC Worst last year at 7-9, the first time in history that a losing record won the division and the first time since the strike shortened year of 1982 that a losing record made the playoffs. The Seahawks even won a playoff game, although Pete Carroll may have less talent than during his USC glory years. The 49ers were even worse, costing Mike Singletary his job. Former quarterback and brother of Baltimore coach Jon, Jim Harbaugh moved a few miles from Stanford to the 49ers to try and turn them around. With Tarvaris Jackson and Alex Smith quarterbacking, expectations were low, and they were not even met.
A scoreless first quarter gave way to a 27 yard David Akers field goal less than one minute into the second quarter. The longtime Philly kicker had the 49ers up 3-0. Jackson then fumbled, giving the 49ers the ball at the Seattle 9. 3 plays netted 3 yards and Akers nailed a 24 yarder to complement his 27 yarder. The 49ers led 6-0 in a game both teams deserved to lose. Frank Gore ran hard as the 49ers then reached a 3rd and 1 at the Seattle 14. The run failed, and on 4th and 1 Harbaugh decided that the only player worth anything was Akers. The 31 yarder had the 49ers up 9-0.
Seattle did nothing, and on the next 49ers drive they faced 3rd and 5 at the Seattle 9. Seattle jumped offsides, setting uo 3rd and 1 at the 5. Smith threw incomplete, but before AKers could attempt a 4th kick, defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. With one yard to go, Alex Smith got it and the 49ers had a 16-0 lead at halftime.
Seattle began the second half at midfield, but Tarvaris Jackson was intercepted on the first play. Seattle got the ball back at their own 44, and on 3rd and 10 Jackson ran for 12. Marshawn Lynch added 12 more and Obomanu added another 13. Jackson hit Golden Tate for an 8 yard score to get the Seahawks within 16-7. Seattle would then have an 11 play, 5 minute drive that resulted in a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to trail 16-10.
With 9 minutes left the game got ugly. The 49ers faced 4th and goal at the 2. Harbaugh decided not to gamble in his first game because another field goal would make it a 2 score game. Roughing the kicker then made it 1st and goal at the 1. Gore lost a couple yards, and on 4th and goal at the 1 Harbaugh again went with the kick. Again it was good and this time counted as 3 minutes came off the clock to move zero yards. Yet the 49ers led 19-10 in this hideous game.
In hurry up mode, Jackson found Baldwin for a 55 yard touchdown. The Seahawks were only down 19-17 and 4 minutes were left in the game. Yet then the 49ers got ginned up, as in Ted Ginn. He took the ensuing kickoff 102 yards for a score as the 49ers now led 26-17. Ginn was not done. Seattle punted on their next series, and Ginn returned it 5 yards for a score. In one minute he had 2 special teams touchdowns, as Harbaugh won in his NFL debut. The quarterback play was dreadful for both teams, but the 49ers got the victory and are now in first place in the worst division in football. 33-17 49ers
Minnesota Vikings @ San Diego Chargers–Say it with me now. Brett Favre is finally retired for good. Leslie Frasier brought in Donovan McNabb while with San Diego the quarterback situation is solid with Philip Rivers. The problem in San Diego remains Norvelous Norv Turner. The Chargers last year were # 1 in offense and defense yet missed the playoffs due to special teams nightmares. Mike Scifres is one of the best, but he had multiple punts blocked last year.
Usually the Chargers do not collapse until the playoffs, but kicker Nate Kaeding saw special teams drag the Chargers to a 2- start. The team finished 9-7, and this time the slow start kept them out of the playoffs.
The beginning of the game was dedicated to those precious Chargers special teams. Percy Harvin returned the opening kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown as the Vikings needed 15 seconds to lead 7-0. To add insult to injury and injury to insult, Nate Kaeding was injured on the kickoff trying to catch Harvin. He tore his ACL and is out for the season.
The Chargers went 3 and out, and the Vikings began at their own 12. The Donovan McNabb era had officially begun in Minnesota. It was about as successful as the 2011 Nate Kaeding season as McNabb was quickly intercepted, giving the Chargers the ball at the Minnesota 6. Mike Tolbert ran it in from one yard out to tie the game 7-7.
The teams exchanged punts and the Vikings got the ball back on their own 8. This time McNabb moved the team with his arms and legs. On 3rd and 3 McNabb hit Jenkins for 12. On 3rd and 5, Harvin gained 8. McNabb then scrambled for 23 more. After 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes, Ryan Longwell kicked a 33 yard field goal to have the Vikings up 10-7 in the second quarter. San Diego again went 3 and out and the Vikings took over just shy of midfield. Adrian Peterson broke free for a 46 yard gain and McNabb hit Jenkins for a 3 yard touchdown as the Vikings had the 17-7 lead.
The Chargers took over at their own 10 and finally got going. Rivers led a 6 minute drive that reached the Minnesota 15. Penalties moved them back 10 yards, and on 4th and 20 from the 25, a 43 yard field goal seemed logical. Yet Kaeding was done for the year, and there was no backup kicker on the roster. Norvelous Norv Turner had no choice but to go for it. Rivers fired incomplete. The Vikings went 3 and out and the Chargers got the ball back at their own 17 with 1:38 left in the half. With 10 seconds left in the half the Chargers were at the Minnesota 17. Yet Rivers was intercepted, as the Chargers still trailed 17-7 at halftime.
The game completely changed after halftime, as the Chargers took over at their own 31. Rivers hit Tolbert for 11 and Mathews for 37 more. On 3rd and 9 from the 16, Rivers hit Tolbert for just enough. Tolbert then carried it the final 7 yards for his second touchdown as the Chargers were within 17-14.
Minnesota again punted and the Chargers took over at their own 23. Rivers again led the Chargers right down the field to a 3rd and 3 at the Minnesota 24. Rivers was then intercepted again as Minnesota could do nothing but San Diego could not take advantage. San Diego began the fourth quarter at their own 32 and Rivers continued the pace. Tolbert ran for 13 and RIvers hit Antonio Gates for 15 and Malcolm Floyd for 16 more. The drive would stall and the Chargers faced 4th and 13 at the Minnesota 22. With Kaeding out, going for it again was an option. Turner decided to have punter Mike Scifres try a field goal. Last year Scifres kept having his punts blocked. Maybe his calling was kicking field goals. He made the 40 yarder to tie the game 17-17 with 10 minutes left in regulation.
The Vikings offense was non-existent in the second half, as the Chargers took over at their own 36 with 8 minutes left. Mathews gained 11, and unnecessary roughness added 15 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 32, Rivers found Gates for 13. Rivers then hit Tolbert for the 19 yard score. Tolbert’s 3rd touchdown of the day had the Chargers up by 7 with 5 minutes left. Minnesota went backward, punted, and San Diego ran out the clock.
Rivers finished 33 of 48 for 335 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. McNabb was a miserable 7 of 15 for 39…yes…39…total yards. He had one touchdown and the killer interception. The Chargers still look to be a mess on special teams, while the VIkings have offensive talent with no offense. It was ugly, but San Diego got the win. With Kansas City losing and Oakland and Denver playing Monday Night, the Chargers at 1-0 had left behind their slow starts to take sole control of the division. Turner is that great. Meanwhile, Brett Favre has missed 3 straight games dating back to last year and will reach 300 missed games in about 20 years. 24-17 Chargers
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets–With the heartbreak and resolve of 9/11 in the background, the other New York team was on the road. Gang Green, with Fireman Ed and thousands of fan cheering them on in their new stadium, attempted to carry the city on its back. A decade ago the Giants won on the road while the Jets lost at home. This year Big Blue lost on the road, and Gang Green had a tough contest. Rex Ryan has declared Super Bowl or Bust. The Cowboys with Jason Garrett left their 1-7 Wade Phillips debacle behind to finish last year 5-3. Jerry Jones kept Garrett, and was glad to have Tony Romo back. Romo missed the last 10 games with a broken clavicle last year. This game was the Ryan Bowl, with Rex coaching the Jets and his brother Rob the new Cowboys defensive coordinator. Father and orginal 46 defense legend Buddy Ryan was in attendance. While emotions ran high, what the fans witnessed was a fine football game that will be talked about by both teams for years.
The Cowboys started out hot from their own 26. Romo hit Felix Jones for 11 and Dez Bryant for 42 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Jets 11, Romo found Ogletree for 6. Romo hit Bryant for the 3 yard touchdown to quickly have Dallas up 7-0. The Jets went 3 and out, and the Ryan Bowl saw both defenses settle in until the Cowboys got the ball at their own 37 with 8 minutes left in the half.
Romo found Jason Witten for 12 yards, and Felix Jones gained a dozen more on back to back carries. Romo hit Miles Austin, who thankfully is no longer dating a Kardashian. Focused on football, he gained 11 yards. The drive stalled, but Bailey nailed a 34 yard field goal to have the Cowboys up 10-0 with 3 minutes left in the half. The Jets had no offense and were starting at their own 13. Mark Sanchez has often been criticized as a weak link on a Super Bowl team, but he is no game manager. After 27 frustrating minutes, he unleashed.
He found Santonio Holmes for 17 yards and Dustin Keller for 11 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 47, Sanchez connected with Keller for 17 more. A short pass to LaDanian Tomlinson went for 32 yards and Sanchez hit Keller for the final 4 to have the Jets within 10-7 at the break.
The Jets punted on their opening second half drive and the Cowboys took over at their own 27. On 3rd and Romo found Ogletree for 7. From just past midfield, Romo hit Murray for 13 and Austin for the 36 yard touchdown. Breaking up with Kardashian has definitely helped him as the Cowboys led 17-7. The Jets took over at their own 20 and Sanchez went deep to Cumberland for 33 yards. He hit Keller for 10 more, although the drive would bog down at the Jets 16. Former Dallas kicker Nick Folk now kicks for the Jets, and his 34 yarder had the Jets trailing 17-10.
Dallas took over at their own 11 and Romo kept moving the offense well. He ran for 7 yards and then found Phillips for 7 and Jones for 19. The drive would stall and Dallas punted. The Jets took over at their own 10 and Sanchez hit newly acquired Plaxico Burress. Burress went from the Big Blue to prison orange, but now he is a beloved member of Gang Green. His being sent to jail was very unfortunate, but he was back and ready to produce. Yet on the last play of the third quarter, Sanchez blundered. He had been connecting with Keller all game, but this time he went to the well once too often. He was intercepted at the Jets 38 by Lee, who returned it all the way to the one yard line. The fourth quarter began with Jones running it in to have the Cowboys up 24-10. Dallas was in total control, and had numerous chances to salt it away.
The Jets took over at their own 16 and Sanchez quickly redeemed himself. Sanchez found Holmes for 28 and another newly acquired receiver in Derrick Mason for another 13. Sanchez hit Tomlinson for 11 and Tomlinson gained 7 more on the ground. Sanchez then went deep to Burress for a 26 yard touchdown as the Jets were again within one score at 24-17 with a full 12 minutes left in regulation.
Dallas took over at their own 20 and Romo found Witten for 11. Romo then went deep to Witten for the knockout blow. The 64 yard completion made it 1st and goal at the 3. Even a field goal would make it a 2 score game. Romo had been playing flawless. That was about to change. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Romo scrambled around and tried to run up the middle for the score. He was hit and fumbled. The Jets recovered at their own 3 yard line. They had dodged a bullet.
Sanchez led the Jets from their own 3 to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 46 with 7 minutes left. Yet this time Sanchez was the one who was hit and fumbled. The Cowboys recovered at the Jets 47 with another chance to turn out the lights. After a run lost a couple yards, Jason Garrett decided to get aggressive and throw the ball rather than grind out the clock. Incomplete passes and penalties led to 4th and 22 from the Dallas 41. They had to punt. In an absolute stunner, McBriar had his punt blocked by McKnight and recovered by Trufant. Trufant took the perfect bounce and raced 18 yards as the game was deadlocked 24-24 with 5 minutes left to play. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a blocked punt lit up the home crowd at the Lousiana Superdome. Now on 9/11/11, the Jets had their own miracle to fire up the crowd, and perhaps the entire city.
Dallas took over on their own 20 and soon faced a 3rd and 1 at their own 41. Tashard Choice ran into a Gang Green wall and got nothing. On 4th and 1, Jason Garrett took no chances and punted. This time the kick went smoothly, giving the Jets the ball at their own 20. Yet Sanchez could not get them going, and they punted as well. With one minute to play, the Cowboys had the ball at their own 41. They had plenty of time, and despite the earlier fumble, Romo had been playing a smart game.
Romo then took a gamble that was not worth taking. He decided to try and invade Revis Island. Most teams do not throw in Darrell Revis’s direction, especially not with the game on the line. Romo thew for Dez Bryant, and was intercepted by Revis. Revis ran it back 20 yards to the Dallas 34 as the crowd exploded. The Jets ran 3 plays and gained only 2 yards, as Sanchez could not make it an easier kick. Nick Folk came out for a 50 yarder to beat the team that cut him. He nailed it. The Cowboys would have one more shot, but never seriously threatened.
A gallant Romo blamed himself for the loss, although he had nothing to do with the blocked punt. Yet his costly fumble and interception doomed the Cowboys and turned a 24-10 lead into a loss. As for the Jets, they showed a ton of heart. Sanchez had stretches of not playing well, but fought back with courage. On the tenth anniversary of a disheartening day in New York, the Jets showed guts and character in getting the win. Rex Ryan reminded the team after the game how intense the emotions were. Ryan always tells them to play like Jets. In the fourth quarter, in all three phases of the game, they did. 27-24 Jets
New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins was the first Monday night game. This game was expected to be a blowout. The Patriots went 14-2 last year, and beat the Dolphins by an average of almost 30 points in their 2010 sweep. The Dolphins after back to back seasons almost fired Tony Sparano. Bill Parcells is retired and the Dolphins are a mess while Bill Bellichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots keep rolling. They added Chad Johnson and ALbert Haynesworth in the offseason. The Dolphins added Reggie Bush, who is known for also dating a Kardashian and giving back his Heisman.
Yet Tom Brady is only 4-5 at Miami in his career. In 2004 the 12-1 Patriots went to the 2-11 Dolphins. Brady had a meltdown with 4 interceptions as Miami came back for a 29-28 shocker. While this game would not appear as lopsided on paper, it was not that far off from a mismatch standpoint.
Miami started at their own 16, and Chad Henne took over. He has been much criticized in his career, and this season may be his final chance to show he is the guy to take over. Henne immediately went deep to Brandon Marshall for 25 yards and then found Reggie Bush for 13 more. A 6 yarder to Hartline and a 3 yarder to Bush set up 4th and 1 at the Patriots 21. Tony Sparano decided to go for it, and Hilliard banged up the middle after being stopped on the initial hit for a gain of 2. On 2nd and 15, Henne went deep to Anthony Fasano for 22 yards down to the 2 yard line. Henne was then sacked for 8 yards, appearing to kill the drive. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 9, a brilliant play call and perfect execution on a quarterback draw led to Henne taking it in for the score. In a stunner, the Dolphins led 7-0.
The Patriots decided not to surrender, and took the field at their own 22. From the 30, Brady went deep to Slater for 46 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 18, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for 14. Green-Ellis made it look easy running the final 4 to tie the game 7-7.
Miami went 3 and out on their next series, and the Patriots took over at their own 35. Brady hit Deon Branch for 14 and Hernandez for 16 more. From the Miami 35, Brady went deep to Wes Welker for 21 yards a the first quarter ended. The second quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and 6 at the Miami 10. Brady found Gronkowski for the score as the Patriots led 14-7. The defenses took over the second quarter as the score stayed the same going into the locker rooms.
Early in the third quarter Brady had the Patriots facing 2nd and 7 at the Miami 40 when his pass was deflected and intercepted by Odrick. The big fella lumbered but got caught at the Patriots 9. Henne hit Hartline for the score as the game was now tied 14-14.
From the New England 27, Brady brought the Patriots right back. Short gains set up 2nd and 2 at the Miami 39, where Brdy hit Branch for gains of 13 and 20. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Brady hit Welker for the score to have the Patriots back up 21-14 midway through the third quarter. Henne brought Miami back again from the Miami 11. Reggie Bush gained 7 and Henne hit Marshall for 22 and Fasano for 25 more. Henne scrambled for 10, and after a 4 yard loss, Henne went deep to Marshall for 28 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 1. Yet Hilliard lost a yard and Henne fired incomplete twice. On 4th and goal from the 2, Tony Sparano decided not to go for it. Carpenter hit the field goal as the Dolphins trailed 21-17.
The Patriots took over at their own 22 and Brady kept firing. Green-Ellis ran for 13, and on 3rd and 4 at the Patriots 46, Brady hit Branch for 24. From the 31, Brady went deep to Hernandez for 30 yards, and back to Hernandez for the final yard as the Patriots led 28-17 after three quarters. New England got the ball back at their own 36 and kept the pressure on. Brady hit Gronkowski for 15 and Hernandez for gains of 30 and 12. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Brady fired incomplete. Bill Bellichick decided not to go for it, as the field goal had New England up 31-17 with 11 minutes left in regulation.
Henne hung tough from the Miami 23 and found Fasano for 21 yards and then Marshall for 31 more. Midway through the fourth quarter on 4th and 10 from the New England 25, Henne found Hartline for 15. On 3rd and goal Henne got it to inches short of the goal line. On 4th and goal with 6 minutes left, Sparano called a low percentage fade route to the end zone that was overthrown, killing any chances of a comeback.
Bill Bellichick likes to go for the jugular, and he did again. From his own end zone, Brady went deep to Welker for the 99 yard touchdown pass, tying the NFL record. Rather than 31-24, the Patriot were up 38-17.
The NFL Any Given Sunday rule does not mean every game is an upset. The Patriots were expected to win big against an inferior team and they did. Brady finished 31 of 48 for a monstrous 517 yards with 4 touchdowns and an interception. New England had over 600 yards of total offense for the Evil Hoodie. Miami added a garbage touchdown as Henne threw for 416 yards passing himself. 38-24 Patriots
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos was the second Monday night game. The game brought a pair of new coaches in Hue Jackson and Jon Fox and a pair of potential phenom quarterbacks in Tim Tebow and Terrell Pyror, although neither one would start or even perhaps play. Last year the Raiders swept Denver by big margins, including blasting them 59-14 in a game where nobody scored in the fourth quarter. Al Davis saw the Silver and Black go 8-8 last year to end the losing streak, including going 6-0 in the division to just miss the playoffs. The Raiders went 0-4 in the preseason, but get back some starters who played sparingly if at all. They lost Nahmdi Asomugha and Bruce Gradkowski in free agency, but come to Denver with optimism. Jason Campbell and Kyle Orton would start at quarterback.
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos was the second Monday night game. The game brought a pair of new coaches in Hue Jackson and Jon Fox and a pair of potential phenom quarterbacks in Tim Tebow and Terrell Pyror, although neither one would start or even perhaps play. Last year the Raiders swept Denver by big margins, including blasting them 59-14 in a game where nobody scored in the fourth quarter. Al Davis saw his team go 8-8 last year to end the losing streak, including going 6-0 in the division to just miss the playoffs. The Raiders went 0-4 in the preseason, but get back some starters who played sparingly if at all. They lost Nahmdi Asomugha and Bruce Gradkowski in free agency, but come to Denver with optimism. Jason Campbell and Kyle Orton would start at quarterback.
Sebastian Janikowski is a beneficiary of the new kickoff rule, and he banged out his first touchback. On 2nd and 9 Orton hit Larsen for 15 and Brandon Lloyd for 11. Yet the Silver and Black looked solid early on defending the run, as Knowshon Moreno gained 1, 0, and then lost 6. On 3rd and 15 from their own 42, Orton called timeout. A completion to McGahee came up short as the Broncos punted on 4th and 3. Despite it going out the back of the end zone, the Raiders got called for holding and began at their own 10.
The offense was a disaster from the first play from scrimmage. Campbell threw a quick screen pass to Jacoby Ford. Ford was hit by rookie Von Miller and fumbled, as the Broncos began at the Oakland 15. On 3rd and 5 from the 10, Orton fired incomplete. In a trend that has continued for about a decade, the defense has bailed out the offense. Prater nailed the short field goal as the Broncos led 3-0 only 5 minutes into the game. The Raiders took over at their own 20.
Darren McFadden did not play in the preseason, but his first carry was a pitchout that went for 9 yards. For some bizarre reason Hue Jackson had Campbell line up in the shotgun on 2nd and 1. Campbell ran an option and pitched it to Ford, who fumbled it again but hung on for a loss. Ford is an explosive player but he was unsettled early. Jackson remained undaunted and had Campbell swing it to him again on 3rd and 4. Ford picked up 7 to keep the drive going. Campbell tried to go deep but could not find anyone, dumping it off to set up 3rd and 8. Campbell fired incomplete and once again the best player on the team remained punter Shane Lechler.
Denver took over at their own 20. Orton quickly hit Daniel Fells for 11 yards. A holding penalty forced Denver into 3rd and 15. A completion came up short as Denver punted on 4th and 3. Darrell Blackstock blocked the punt as the Raiders took over with a short field at the Denver 42.
This time Jackson wen textbook and had McFadden run for gains of 5 and 2. Yet on 3rd and 3 Campbell was back in the shotgun, and the Raiders suffered their second and third false start penalties. Both of them were on Stefan with the first one on rookie Wisniewski. Yet on 3rd and 13 a perfectly executed draw play to McFadden gained 20. Fullback Marcel Reece took a handoff 10 more yards. Michael Bush got the next carry as the first quarter ended with the Raiders at the Denver 10 yard line.
A pitchout to McFadden lost a yard to set up 3rd and 7 at the 11. Campbell took another draw and took a shot at the marker. A slide would have left him short, so his courage got the first down. Denver burned a timeout when they only had 10 men on the field. A play action pass worked and Campbell hit a wide open Reece for the 3 yard touchdown to have the Raiders up 7-3.
Seabass boomed another one and Denver took over after the touchback. Knowshon Moreno took a handoff and fumbled and the Raiders recovered. Initially he was ruled down by contact but Hue Jackson quickly challenged the call. The challenge was successful as the Raiders took over at the Denver 23. A pair of McFadden runs lost yards. On 3rd and 13, Campbell hit Myers short of the marker. On 4th and 6, with the rain starting to come down hard, a 45 yard field goal was no gimme, even with Lechler holding and Seabass kicking. Yet they got the job done as the Raiders led 10-3. Seabass boomed another touchback.
On 3rd and 10, Orton escaped and scrambled for 13 yards. Defensive holding on Stanford Routt, who gets called for way too many penalties, added 5 more. Orton went deep for Lloyd but Routt broke it up. A false start set up 2nd and 15, and then a high pass was deflected and dropped by Routt. A jailbreak on the next play forced Orton to throw it away as Denver punted. A terrible decision by Miller not to field the punt led to a 66 yarder by Colquit that had the Raiders backed up to their own one yard line.
Campbell went for the bomb to Darrius Heyward-Bey, but 60 yards was all for naught as Heyward-Bey caught it out of bounds. Somewhere Cliff Branch and Jim Plunkett were shaking their heads. Oakland went 3 and out and punted. Lechler boomed a 65 yard punt, and a personal foul against Denver had them starting at their own 28 as the rain lessened a bit.
On 2nd and 13, Orton fired to set up 3rd and 1, but a hold nullified it to set up 2nd and 23 instead. Yet an incomplete pass was offset by illegal contact on the defense to set up 1st and 10. Orton then hit Lloyd for consecutive 11 yard gains. Unnecessary roughness on the defense tacked on 15 more as Denver was being gift wrapped field position. The Raiders began blitzing, and three incompletions set up 4th and 10 at the Oakland 38. In a stunning decision given the inclement weather, Prater was brought in for a 56 yard field goal attempt. The Raiders called timeout. Denver tried anyway, and while it was long enough it carried way wide. With 4 minutes left in the half the Raiders took over at their own 46.
Campbell got it McFadden for 6, and McFadden picked up 3 more. On 3rd and 1 Campbell snuck across and got the first down. McFadden took a sweep around left end for a 20 yard run. At he 2 minute warning the Raiders faced 2nd and 6 at the Denver 21. On the next carry McFadden was given a horsecollar tackle, setting up 1st and goal at the 8. The Raiders responded with a false start. Denver responded with another defensive penalty to set up 1st and goal at the 6. Despite a strong running game, Jackson called a pair of passes that both were incomplete. A neutral zone infraction infraction set up 3rd and goal at the 3. Again Campbell was in the shotgun and again Campbell threw incomplete. Seabass hit the 21 yarder as the Raiders led 13-3 with 90 seconds left in the half. Seabass again boomed a touchback.
Orton started out by getting sacked and then throwing a deflected ball into coverage incomplete. On 3rd and 13, Orton found Fells for 16. A slant over the middle to Lloyd went all the way to the Oakland 48 as Orton spiked it with 32 seconds left in the half. Orton went deep again but this time was intercepted by Giordano at the Oakland 25.
The Raiders were content to run out the clock but a personal foul on Denver set the Raiders up at the Oakland 40 with 17 seconds and 2 timeouts. A screen pass to Reece had the Raiders at the Denver 45 and 9 seconds to work with. Jackson tried to run the ball to get closer, but Denver stuffed it. Seabass was brought in for a 63 yard field goal attempt on the last play of the half. The record long was 63 yards by Tom Dempsey, and later tied by Jason Elam. Add Seabass to the history books. He nailed it with 2 or 3 yards to spare. The Polish Cannon had the Raiders fire up and leading 16-3 at halftime.
There were no kickoff returns in the first half and another touchback had the Raiders starting the second half at the 20. Campbell found Ford for 12. A pair of unsuccessful runs set up 3rd and 9, and Campbell fired high and incomplete to end the first drive. Lechler did his job but nobody else on the Raiders did theirs. Eric Decker returned the punt 90 yards for a score as the Broncos, in a game they were totally beaten in, were now only down 16-10.
Eddie Royal dropped a pass but Orton went back to him for a gain of 18. Moreno had been bottled up all game but he picked up 9. McGahee gained 2 but after the play more fighting ensued. The teams had been going at it throughout the game. Rolando McClain was called for the persona foul as the Raiders continued their record setting pace for stupid penalties. On 3rd and 10 from the Oakland 45, Orton fired incomplete. Yet instead of 4th and 10, a roughing the passer call gave Denver 15 yards and new life at the Oakland 30 as the Raiders were in full self-destruction mode. Orton found Moreno for a 24 yard gain for 1st and goal at the 6. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Denver had all the momentum but the defense made a big play when it counted as Richard Seymour acked Orton for the second time. Prater nailed a 30 yard field goal as Denver was now only down 16-13 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. Again the Raiders started at their own 20.
Campbell was sacked and fumbled, but McFadden fell on it for a 6 yard loss. The drive got no better as the Raiders went 3 and out after Campbell threw a pass to nobody. Lechler punted and the Broncos took over at their own 42. Orton found Moreno for 11. On the first play of the fourth quarter, from the Oakland 48, Orton found Decker for 24 yards. With Denver in total control, Jon Fox went to he bag of tricks as Orton faked a run and prepared to go deep. Out of nowhere, the ball just slipped out of his hand and Houston fell on it for the Raiders as they dodged yet another bullet. The defense needed some rest, and begged the offense to provide an ounce of life.
From the Oakland 35, it was Jackson who then called virtually the same play as Campbell faked a couple of handoffs and fired to Heyward-Bey for 17 yards. McFadden had run well in the first half, struggled in the second half, and broke free for an apparent touchdown. He was ruled down inches shy of the goal as Denver called their first timeout. Campbell snuck it over with second effort as the Raiders had slight breathing room up 23-13 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Seabass was 5 for 5 with another touchback.
On the next series Orton was sacked. Orton found Moreno, who fumbled but somehow landed on his own fumble to set up 3rd and 3. Orton then fired to Lloyd. Loyd was hit and fumbled but a pair of Raiders knocked into each other and somehow hit the ball straight back to Lloyd for another first down at midfield. An ugly game got uglier with a holding penalty against the offense on the next play to set up 1st and 20. Yet defensive pass interference on Stanford Routt, who gets flagged way too much, gave Denver 1st and 10 against the Oakland 41. On the next play Shaughnessy came through the middle and belted Orton for the 5th sack of the night, setting up 2nd and 19. On 3rd and 19 a pair of Raiders collided, preventing an interception. Yet the defense held, and Denver punted. The Raiders took over at their own 20 after a touchback with a little over 9 minutes left in the game.
The Raiders went 3 and out as the work of the defense was once again wasted by the offense. Lechler drilled a 77…yes 77…yard punt, although only a whopping 57 net. As spectacular as Lechler is, it would be nice if the offense gave him less work to do. The touchback had Denver at their own 20 still with a full 7 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation.
Defensive offsides began the drive which was followed by offensive holding to set up 1st and 15. Moreno gained 9 but then limped off. A pass broken up by Chris Johnson set up 3rd and 6. Orton found McGahee, who broke tackles for 10 yards. A pair of incompletions set up 3rd and 10. Orton hit Royal for 17 and then Decker for 15 more. Orton kept firing, and on 2nd and 4 he found Decker at the 15 yard line. The Raiders jumped offsides. The rain again began coming down again, and an incompletion and a stop set up 3rd and 4 at the 9. The bend but don’t break defense finally broke. The Broncos were back within 23-20 after the 12 play, 80 yard drive. The Raiders needed to rely on their malfunctioning offense if they were to win. Another touchback had the Raiders at their own 20 with 3 1/2 minutes to play.
Michael Bush struggled the whole night but finally had a big one when it counted, rumbling for 10 yards. Bush got stopped cold on the next run as Denver took their second timeout with 3 minutes left. Hue Jackson then decided to take a major gamble. All the Raiders needed to do was run. Passing would be insane. Campbell passed to Heyward Bey for 9 yards and a gigantic first down. On 2nd and 8, Denver took their final timeout with 2:05 left. Michael Bush then rumbled up the middle for 12 yards and another first down at the 2 minute warning to end it. Campbell kneeled down 3 times. Another heartstopper in this hated rivalry had concluded, and the Silver and Black had the win.
Despite the 0-4 preseason, Hue Jackson has his first professional win as a head coach. The first game can set the tone for the year. Getting to 1-0 is psychologically better than 0-1. Getting the win on the road is against a hated rivalry is much sweeter. Jackson wants to build a bully, but he has got to immediately address the number of penalties his team incurred. Even by Raider standards, they were undisciplined. Yet they earned the win. Jackson got the Gatorade bath, and a very classy Jon Fox exchanged encouraging words with Jackson after the game. Fox has been to a Super Bowl, and he will turn Denver around. Yet on this Monday night, the Silver and Black got it done. 23-20 Raiders
eric