The National Football League is back, so it is time for Narcotics For Leatherheads (NFL).
After seven long months, the agonizing wait gives way to 16 pro football games.
Every week, from a different sportsbar in America, every NFL game will be recapped. September 9th of 2012 comes from Asheville, North Carolina.
The political conventions are over, the Labor Day barbecues are done, and the anniversary of 9/11 will be dealt with one day after the final games of the week.
Yet from Wednesday, September 5th, 2012, through Monday night the 10th, everything is about the National Football League.
Whatever team you root for, just thank almighty God that professional football has returned. There is nothing in this world like it. On the eighth day, God flipped a coin in the air, and then uttered those words.
“Gentlemen…let’s play football.”
This concludes “the other” Sunday bible study.
Welcome to Week 1 of the 2012 National Football League Season, courtesy of Narcotics For Leatherheads. Now let’s get down to football.
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants was a special edition of Wednesday Night Football to kick off the season. The game was moved from the traditional Thursday night spot to accommodate some politicians. After 7 months, they played football. Last year in Week 17 the Giants knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in a do or die game and made their improbable Super Bowl run. The crowd at the New Meadowlands saw heroes from the past bring out the four Super Bowl trophies the G-Men have earned. Then the game got started and the defenses ruled early on.
After an exchange of punts, the Giants faced 3rd and 5 at their own 18. Eli Manning went deep to Victor Cruz for a 26 yard gain. Facing 2nd and 8 from the Dallas 29, Wilson got the carry and coughed it up. Dallas moved from their own 34 to a 4th and 1 at the Giants 37. Vickers got the carry and ran into a Big Blue brick wall as the game remained scoreless.
The second quarter began with the Giants on the move at the Dallas 41. Yet Manning was sacked for a 15 yard loss to kill the drive. The first big break in the game came with Dallas facing 3rd and 8 at their own 40. Under heavy pressure, Tony Romo fired toward the sideline and was intercepted by Michael Boley. Boley got to the sideline and had a convoy before being dragged down by a horsecollar tackle. With 10 1/2 minutes left in the half the Giants had 1st and the goal at the 1. At this point the Rob Ryan defense took over as a pair of runs went backward and an incompletion ended the drive. Lawrence Tynes kicked the 22 yard field goal as the Giants led 3-0.
After another exchange of punts in a game that was all defense, the Cowboys soon faced 1st and 15 from their own 22 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Romo hit Jason Witten for 13 yards and the Cowboys were on the move. At the 2 minute warning Dallas faced a critical 3rd and 1 from their own 47. Rather than ram it up the gut, Jason Garrett went for it all and was rewarded when Romo found Dez Bryant for 38 yards. Bryant has been a troubled start, but on this night in the national spotlight, he got the job done. A player who was not considered a star was fellow wide receiver Kevin Ogletree. Yet a defensive bonelock became the Ogletree show. Romo found him for a 5 yard gain and then a 10 yard touchdown with one minute left in the half. The Cowboys took a 7-3 lead into the locker rooms in front of a stunned home crowd.
Dallas began the third quarter after a touchback and now Murray had his star turn. He caught a 9 yard pass, got the first down on the ground, ran for 9 yards, and gained 4 on 3rd and 1. On 2nd and 10 from their own 44, Romo hit Bryant for 16 yards and then went deep to Ogletree. Ogletree easily outraced the Giants defense for a 40 yard touchdown. At this point the New Meadowlands was in a state of shock as the Cowboys led 14-3.
From their own 11, the Giants got back in the game. Manning hit Dominic Hixon for 12 yards, Ahmad Bradshaw for 6, and Hakeem Nicks for 12 more. On 3rd and 4 from just past midfield, Manning went deep to Hixon for a 39 yard gain. Bradshaw ran it in on the next play from 10 yards out as the Giants got to within 14-10. Only 5 minutes remained in the third quarter of a rapidly moving game.
After a touchback, Romo hit Witten for 7 yards. On the next play Murray ran around the end for a 48 yard gain. Dallas reached the Giants 6 yard line, but a sack of Romo meant a 33 yard Dan Bailey field goal. The Cowboys led 17-10 after three quarters.
After a Giants punt, the Cowboys took over at their own 18 with 13 minutes left in regulation. Romo hit Ogletree for 14 and Miles Austin for 20. Rather than grind out the clock, Romo kept throwing, as another completion to Austin picked up 10 more. The more time goes by since he dated a Kardashian, the better Austin becomes. From the Giants 14, consecutive holding penalties had the Cowboys facing 1st and 30 at the Giants 34. Yet the Big Blue defense that was rock solid for much of the first half had no answers in the second half. Romo went deep to Austin again, and the 34 yard touchdown capped the 82 yard, 7 minute drive. The Cowboys had a commanding 24-10 lead with only 6 minutes left.
The Giants faced desperate situations on the next drive, and kept clawing. On 3rd and 1 from their 30, Bradshaw gained 33 yards. On 4th and 2 from the Dallas 29, Manning found Victor Cruz for 7 yards. On 4th and 1 from the 13, Bradshaw gained 4 yards. Manning hit Bennett for the 9 yard touchdown. Down by 7 with just over 2 1/2 minutes to play and 2 timeouts, Tom Coughlin rightly decided to kick it deep rather than go onsides.
With 2:17 to play, the Cowboys faced 3rd and 2 at their own 34. The Giants were out of timeouts. Murray gained 3 yards, but offensive holding on Witten gave the Giants life. Now it was 3rd and 10. Jason Garrett had to decide whether to play it safe and punt, or risk an incompletion and a stopped clock. Romo had a hot hand all night, and Garrett decided to gamble and trust his quarterback. With the Giants needing one stop to try and tie the game, Romo fired a perfect pass to Ogletree for a 13 yard gain. Dallas ran out the clock to preserve the upset win.
Captain Grumpy Tom Coughlin actually did smile after the Giants won their second Super Bowl in 5 years under his tenure. Yet those warm fuzzy feelings are long gone. He will remind his players that 2011 is long gone. The 2012 Giants are in last place with a divisional loss at home to a hated rival. It was sweet redemption for Tonoy Romo. Manning was 21 of 32 for 213 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. Yet Romo was 22 of 29 for 307 yards, 3 touchdowns, and the early interception. Ogletree caught 8 passes for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns. When Jerry Jones is the owner, demand springs eternal. Yet like his cameo appearance on “Dallas” a few weeks ago, on this night Jones had much to be pleased about. 24-17 Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts @ Chicago Bears–The Andrew Luck era began for the Colts as his predecessor was now out in the Rocky Mountain West. The Colts have an entirely new structure with Jim Irsay trying to rebuild “the horshoe.” As for the Bears, they seem to have talent but overachieve one year and underachieve the next. Consecutive winning seasons seems to elude this bunch. Yet at home against a rookie playing his first game, Brian Urlacher and the gang could tee off like the 1985 Bears.
It was the Colts defense that teed off first as Jay Cutler was sacked for a 12 yard loss. Yet despite the Colts starting at midfield and Luck completing his first pass, Indy would punt. The Bears too kover at their own 3 and Cutler was quickly intercepted. Freeman had an easy 4 yard touchdown as the Colts led 7-0. Cutler had better field position from the 20 on the next series and on 3rd and 10 Cutler found Brandon Marshall for 13 yards. Matt Forte then took a handoff 32 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Indy 35, Cutler threw incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference gave the Bears 1st and 10 at the Indy 16. Forte rumbled 15 yards, and Michael Bush, newly acquired in the offseason from the Raiders, got the final yard to tie the game 7-7.
The second quarter began with the Bears facing 3rd and 4 at their own 21. Cutler calmly hit Bennett for 10 and Marshall for 16 more. After holding made it 2nd and 20 from their 37, Cutler went deep to Devon Hester for 29 yards. Forte took a short pass 31 yards down to the 3, as Cutler hit Marshall for the touchdown to have the Bears on top 14-7.
On the next series Luck was intercepted again, as the Bears took over at their own 37. Cutler found Marshall for a 24 yard gain and Jeffery for 15 more. Robbie Gould would hit a 35 yard field goal to have the Lions leading 17-7.
From the Colts 23, Luck got the Indy offense going. He hit Reggie Wayne for 23 yards and Donald Brown gained 18. Luck found Wayne again for 12 more and Brown did the rest, running for the 18 yard touchdown to get the Colts within 17-14.
With 3 minutes left in the half and the Bears at their own 28, Cutler kept firing. He hit Adams for 17 and on 3rd and 10 found Bennett for another 15 at the 2 minute warning. A 13 yard toss to Marshall was followed by a 26 yard touchdown to Bennett. Cutler was putting on a clinic as the Bears led 24-14 at halftime.
Indy went 3 and out to start the second half, and the Bears took over at their own 45. Bush gained 20 and Cutler hit Jeffery for 23. Forte ran it in from 6 yards out and the route was on as the Bears led 31-14. The Colts fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Bears took over at the Indy 12. A short field goal made it 34-14. Luck led Indy from their 20 to a 3rd and 3 at the Chicago 10, but an interception killed any hopes of this becoming a game. On the next series Indy took over at the Chicago 46 but fumbled the ball away.
In the fourth quarter Luck led a 12 play drive that culminated in a 4 yard touchdown to Avery. The Colts were within 34-21 with 10 1/2 minutes to play, but they would get no closer. Cutler kept firing, and a 42 yard bobm to Jeffery for another touchdown ended the scoring. Luck went 23 of 45 in his debut for 309 yards and 1 touchdown, but 3 interceptions hurt matters. Cutler was 21 of 35 for 333 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the early interception. Peyton Manning went 3-13 in his first season, so 0-1 should not have Luck fans in despair. Meanwhile, Cutler and the Bears won big in a game where they were supposed to do so. 41-21 Bears
Philadelphia Eagles @ Cleveland Browns–Despite contributing many positive things to the game of football, Art Modell will always be hated in Cleveland for moving the team to Baltimore after the 1995 season. At the request of the Modell family, there was no tribute before the game for the late owner, who passed away a few days ago at the age of 87. Instead the crowd was treated to a wretched first half that made everyone think it was still preseason. An Eagles fumble in the first quarter set up the Browns near midfield. 28 year old rookie Brandon Weeden hit Massaquoi for a 24 yard completion to set up a field goal and a 3-0 Browns lead. On the next drive Michael Vick was intercepted. Late in the quarter Vick found Desean Jackson for a 35 yard gain. The second quarter began with the tying field goal and a 3-3 game.
Weeden drove the Browns to the Philly 13, but an interception snuffed out the drive. Weeden would throw another interception later on as this hideous 3-3 game stood after 29 minutes. With 43 seconds left in the half the Eagles faced 2nd and 10 at their own 26. Vick found Lesean McCoy for 10 yards and then went deep to Jeremy Maclin for a 46 yard gain. Vick went back to Maclin for the 18 yard touchdown as the Eagles took a 10-3 lead into the locker rooms.
In the third quarter Weeden went deep and completed a pass to Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie plays defense for the Eagles. Vick completed a pass to Fort. He plays defense for the Browns. Clevleand took over at the Philly 43 and Phil Dawson would hit a 42 yard field goal to get the Browns within 10-6 in a game that was going to get much uglier, even by Cleveland and Philly standards.
After an exchange of punts, Philly took over at their own 36. Vick found Captain Morgan Brent Celek for 28 yards. Then Vick found Haden, who once again, plays defense for the Browns. Haden returned it 50 yards to the Philly 22. The fourth quarter began with Dawson nailing a 22 yard field goal to have the Browns within 10-9. Philly quickly faced 1st and 15 from their 13. Vick found Jackson for an easy touchdown. Yet again, Jackson plays defense for the Browns. The 27 yard interception return for a score had the Browns up 16-10. In a very curious decision, Browns coach Pat Shurmur decided not to go for the 2 point conversion.
With Vick showering the Browns defense with passes, pass happy Andy Reid decided to switch to the ground game. McCoy gained 15, 5, and 7. The Eagles moved into position for a 45 yard field goal. It was no good, and the Eagles still trailed 16-10 with 9 minutes left.
With 6 1/2 minutes left the Eagles got the ball back at their own 9. On 3rd and 2, Vick found Avant for 6. A roughing the passer penalty moved the Eagles to their own 41. Vick hit Jackson for 9 and McCoy gained 7 more. With 2:50 to play, the Eagles faced 4th and 1 from the Browns 23. McCoy gained 3. Vick hit Celek for 17 as the Eagles had 1st and goal at the 3 at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Vick hit Harbor. Harbor plays offense for the Eagles, and the extra point gave them a one point lead.
With 1:12 to play the Browns took over at their own 30. Weeden went deep and found Coleman. Coleman plays defense for the Eagles. Both quarterbacks threw 4 interceptions. Weeden was an awful 12 of 35 for 118 yards. Vick was 29 of 56 for 317 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was hideous, but when it was over Browns President Mike Holmgren remained an unhappy Walrus. Protege Andy Reid was a happy Walrus Lite. 17-16 Eagles
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets–The Bills were supposed to be an improved team under Chan Gailey after injuries derailed a promising start last year. Meanwhile, the Jets were supposed to be a dysfunctional mess. Rex Ryan had to watch the 2 teams he hated the most reach the Super Bowl last year. The New York Post even called the Jets a circus. If the Bills could go in and beat the Jets, there would be panic in the Jets organization after only one week.
The circus appeared on the first play as Mark Sanchez lined up at quaterback and Tim Tebow lined up at receiver. Going forward this season, Tebow will only be mentioned in connection with actual football plays he takes part in. He was a decoy on this play as Sanchez threw incomplete. Later Sanchez would finish the first drive by throwing an interception. Rex Ryan did not change quarterbacks just yet.
Buffalo punted and the Jets got it back and faced 3rd and 7 at their own 42. Sanchez hit Kerley for 21 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 33, an incompletion was negated by defensive pass interference. Shon Greene ran 12 yards, and Tebow took a wildcat snap for a 4 yard gain. Sanchez hit Kerley for a 12 yard touchdown as the Jets led 7-0.
Ryan Fitzpatrick was then intercepted, giving the Jets the ball at their own 48. On 3rd and 3 Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes for 9 yards. Sanchez went deep to Hill for a 33 yard touchdown as the Jets led 14-0. Buffalo would punt, and Kerley returned it 68 yards for another Gang Green touchdown. The dysfunctional Jets led 21-0.
CJ Spiller broke free for a 56 yard touchdown run to finally get the Bills on the board. Yet the Jets did not sit on their 21-7 lead. Sanchez led a 15 play, 7 minute, 73 yard drive that featured the Ground and Pound offense Rex Ryan likes so much. At the 2 minute warning, the Jets faced 4th and 1 at the Buffalo 7. With all the momentum, Rex Ryan decided not to gamble. Nick Folk hit the 25 yarder as the Jets led 24-7. Buffalo fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Jets the ball at their own 47. Sanchez hit Powell for 16 and Chaz Schilens for 8 more. A 39 yarder from Folk had the Jets up 27-7 at halftime.
Things got worse for the Bills in the third quarter when Fitzpatrick was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie returned it 40 yards for a score as the Jets led 34-7. They had now scored on offense, defense, and special teams, the epitome of a complete team win. Buffalo punted, and the Jets took over at the Buffalo 48. Sanchez hit Hill for 27 yards and again for a 17 yard touchdown on 3rd and 6 to have the Jets winning a blowout 41-7.
Buffalo tried to rally back from 34 points, which no team in NFL history has ever done. Frank Reich only came back from 32 points down. Fitzpatrick hit Chandler for a 5 yard touchdown. A 13 play, 6 minute, 96 yard drive saw Fitzpatrick hit Jones for another touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Jets went 3 and out, and a 27 yard punt return had Buffalo at the Jets 41. Fitzpatrick hit Chandler for 12, and on 4th and 10, Fitzpatrick hit Stevie St Johnson for the 29 yard touchdown. 21 unanswered points had the Bills within 41-28 with 6 minutes left.
The onsides kick failed, and rather than run it out, Sanchez hit Holmes for a 25 yard gain. Greene did the rest, with a 14 yard gain setting up his one yard touchdown run to end the threat and put the game out of reach. The Jets did get complacent in the fourth quarter, but they did not need to offer any apologies for their blowout division win. This time, they let their play do the talking. 48-28 Jets
Washington Redskins @ New Orleans Saints–Mike Shanahan has not been a genius since John Elway, but Robert Griffin III could make him brilliant again. Meanwhile, the Saints had their “us against the world” mentality not seen since the Raiders of the 1970s. A stay of execution at the 11th hour allowed banned Saints players to be eligible to play in this game. Even Jonathan Vilma, banned for an entire year, was on the sideline. Coach Sean Payton and interim coach Joe Vitt were not. Luckily for the Saints offense, Drew Brees was. Yet while everybody expected the Saints offense to be ready, the Redskins offense would be talked about either way.
Brees came out firing, but three straight incompletions meant a punt. The RG3 era began with a completed pass for 0 yards. Yet on the next play RG3 was off and running literally for 12 yards. A 12 play, 7 1/2 minute drive ended in a 37 yard Billy Cundiff field goal. Cundiff missed the tying field goal in the AFC Title Game last year, and now resides in the NFC. The 3-0 lead was just beginning in a game where both teams would light up the scoreboard.
Brees connected on the next series as he hit Graham for 23, Pierre Thomas for 12, and after a defensive personal foul, Graham again for a 20 yard touchdown to put the Saints up 7-3. From the Washington 12, Griffin got his first NFL touchdown pass in dramatic fashion. His deep bomb to Pierre Garcon went for an 88 yard touchdown and a 10-7 Redskins lead.
Washington got it back at their own 43, and soon faced 4th and 1 at the Saints 48. Shanahan decided to go for it,and Young gained 2. The second quarter began with Griffin going deep to Fred Davis for a 26 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the 10, Morris gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Griffin hit Robinson for the score as the Redskins led 17-7.
Washington again got it back with great field position at their own 48. Griffin went deep to Santana Moss for a 27 yard gain, although an illegal block took away 10 of it. Cundiff hit a 41 yard field goal as the Redskins had a 20-7 lead in front of a frustrated home crowd.
Brees moved the Saints from their 20 to a 3rd and 7 at the Washington 22. Brees hit Marques Colston down at the 3 yard line, but Colston fumbled out of the end zone for a touchback.
The Redskins failed to move the ball and had to punt. It was blocked by Wilson and recovered by Roby for a 4 yard touchdown. It seems every time New Orleans has a devastating hurricane, a blocked punt pumps up the crowd. This was certainly not as meaningful as the Steve Gleason block recovered by Deloach in 2006, but it was a needed spark that got the Saints to within 20-14 with less than one minute in the half.
Yet the third quarter continued to see the Redskins move at will as the Saints played catchup. From their 23, RG3 hit Moss for 14 and Morgan for 21. On 4th and 1 from the Saints 33, Shanahan again decided to go for it. His quarterback was playing in his very first game, but this was no ordinary leader. Rather than run it up the gut or sneak it, RG3 went deep to the end zone. It was incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 1. Morris carried it in as the Redksins led 27-14.
The Saints went 3 and out and the Redskins took over at their own 36. Morris gained 18, and on 2nd and 19 from the Washington 45, Griffin hit Robinson for 29 yards. Cundiff would hit a 37 yarder as the Redskins built a 30-14 lead.
From the Saints 10, Brees needed 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes to move the Saints 87 yards to the Washington 3. They got no further, and Garrett Hartley hit from 21 to get the Saints to within 30-17. The Redskins would punt on 4th an 5 from their 25, but 12 men on the defense meant just enough for the first down. 12 plays and 6 minutes meant a 45 yard Cundiff field goal as the Redskins wer back up 33-17 with 11 minutes left in the game. An exchange of punts had the Saints at their own 42 midway through the fourth quarter. Brees hit Moore for 1 and Colston for 13, but the Saints soon faced 4th and 10 at the Washington 33. One stop away from ending it, instead the Redskins saw Brees go deep to Moore for the touchdown. Darren Sproles ran the 2 point conversion in as the Saints were within 33-25 with 6 1/2 minutes left.
The Saints got it back at their own 27 with 3 1/2 minutes left. Brees fired over the middle, but was intercepted by Gomes. Gomes took it 49 yards down to the Saints 3 yard line. Morris took it in to put the Redskins up 40-25. Yet this game was not over.
Brees is a champion, and champions fight to the final play. Brees hit Graham for 12 and Moore for a pair of 17 yard gains with a defensive penalty tacked on in between. On 4th and goal at the 2, Brees hit Sproles for the score. 10 plays took only 53 seconds, and the Saints were within 8.
The Redskins took off most of the clock, but not all of it. They had to punt, and a touchback left the Saints 80 yards away with 0 timouts and only 22 seconds. Brees hit Moore for 15 and again for 26, and spiked the clock with 1 second left. From the Washington 39, Brees threw the hail Mary to the end zone, where it was intercepted. Brees finished 24 of 52 for 339 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. RG3 was 19 of 26 for 320 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He was the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 300 with 2 touchdowns without an interception in a NFL debut. A classy Brees told Griffin after the game that he was proud of him. Griffin was equally classy saying it was nice to receive that compliment from a Hall of Famer. The Saints were 8-0 at home last year, while the Redskins did not top 28 points the entire year. Welcome to the NFL RG3. It may only be one game, but the Redskins are for real. 40-32 Redskins
New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans–The last time these teams met in a snowstorm the Patriots squeaked past the Titans 59-0. This was with the Patriots not scoring in the fourth quarter. This game was closer, but not close enough to make it worth watching unless one was a New England fan. Still bitter from their Super Bowl loss, the Patriots made it look easy from the get go.
Tennessee did get the ball first, and a 60 minute drive would have prevented Tom Brady and the New England offense from ever taking the field. On 3rd and 7 from their 23, Jake Locker hit Wright for 17 yards. On 4th and 1 from the Patirots 37, Mike Munchak decided to go for it. Out of the shotgun Locker hit Nate Washington for 24 yards. The drive stalled after that. Rob Bironas did make the 28 yard field goal, but the Patriots still had 51 minutes to overcome the 3-0 deficit. Unsurprisingly, they did.
After an exchange of punts from the Patriots 33, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for 28 yards. Ridley took an end around 17 more. Brady then fired to Anthony Hernandez for the 23 yard touchdown as the Patriots led 7-3.
From just past midfield, Locker went for it all and was intercepted in the end zone. Yet the next Tennessee series was worse. On 3rd and 13 from their own 7, Locker was sacked and fumbled. Hightower picked it up and had the easy 6 yard touchdown as the Patriots now led 14-3.
Midway through the second quarter the Patriots took over at their own 33 and marched down the field with ease. Ridley took another end around and gained 15 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Titans 35, a wildcat snap to Hernandez gained 5 as bill Bellichick kept the trick plays coming. On 3rd and 4 from the 10 with the Titans smelling pass, Ridley picked up 8 yards on the ground. Brady hit Gronkowski for the 2 yard touchdown as the Patriots cruised to a 21-3 halftime lead.
After a New England punt in the third quarter, Locker finally got the Tennessee offense going. He hit Cook for 35 yards, Chris Johnson for 16 more, and Nate Washington for a 29 yard touchdown to get the Titans quickly to within 21-10. An exchange of punts had the Patirots starting at the Tennessee 48. Brady hit Gronkowski for 7 and Ridley ran for 15. Ridley would run for 5 and 14 more, and finally the one yard touchdown. The Patriots led 28-10 late in the third quarter, and their would not be a comeback.
A bizarre sequence occurred early in the fourth quarter. Locker hit Nate Washington for a 23 yard gain, but both players were injured on the play. Matt Hasselback came in at quarterback. A 16 play, 7 minute drive meant 1st and goal at the one. Yet Chris Johnson then lost 5 yards as the drive only led to an field goal as the Titans trailed 28-13. Brady bled 5 minutes off the clock in moving the Patriots from their own 17 to the Titans 7. Stephen Gostkowski hit the 25 yard field goal to put the Patriots up 31-13. Tennessee turned it over on downs late, giving the Patriots the ball at the Titans 24. Gostkowski hit another field goal to close out the scoring. If the Evil Hoodie Bill Bellichick and his team suffered a Super Bowl hangover, it did not show in their relatively easy win on the road. 34-13 Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Minnesota Vikings–One theme about the NFL is that sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together to produce an exciting game. This was not that game. Of all the recent quarterback successes, Christian Ponder and Blaine Gabbert have not reached that level. Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf is the son of a Holocaust survivor while Jaguars owner Shad Kahn is from Pakistan. Football transcends everything. Yet when a 3rd and goal at the 1 carry by Jennings went nowhere, the Jaguars had their first big decision of the day. On the road, they had Josh Scobee kick the 19 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jaguars. In the second quarter Gabbert would find Robinson for a 26 yard gain. Strong running had Jennings gaining 9 and Maurice JOnes-Drew picking up 12 down to the one. This time the final yard had Gabbert finding Mercedes Lewis for the score. The extra point was blocked, as the Jaguars led 9-0.
After 27 1/2 minutes of lifeless offense, Minnesota had good field position at their own 41. Ponder hit Percy Harvin for 12, 5, and 11 yards. A 14 yarder to Jenkins set up Adrian Peterson from 3 yards out as the Vikings only trailed 9-7 at the break.
In the third quarter Gabbert fumbled, giving the Vikings the ball at the Jacksonville 44. The return of Adrian Peterson from a devastating knee injury suffered last year in a meaningless game was a good sight to see. AP ran for 19 yards and Ponder hit Percy Harvin for 19 more. Peterson ran for 4 and then 2 yard touchdown to put the Vikings up 14-9. Later on Ponder returned the favor by fumbling, giving the Jaguars the ball at the Minnesota 16. On 3rd and 2 from the 8, Gabbert threw incomplete. Scobee hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 14-12.
From the Minnesota 23, Ponder hit Jenkins for 15 and Minnesota was on the move. On 3rd and 8 from the Jacksonville 32, Ponder went deep to Rudolph to set up 1st and goal at the 3 as the third quarter ended. Yet the Jacksonville defense held, and another short field goal had the Vikings up 17-12. The mirror image game had Gabbert hit Robinson for 19 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Minnesota 44, Gabbert hit Mercedes Lewis for 12 yards. Scobee connected from 47 to get the Jaguars back within 17-15.
The game continued the exact same pattrn as Ponder hit Jenkins for 16, Harvin for 20, and Aromashodu for 18. Yet again a drive remained unfinished, and Walsh hit the 42 yarder as the Vikings were again up 20-15.
An exchange of punts gave the Jaguars the ball back at their own 24 with 1:18 to play and 0 timeouts. A field goal would no longer cut it. Gabbert hit Shorts for 20, and with 32 seconds left the Jags had 4th and 3 just past midfield. Gabbert hit Blackmon for 10. From the 39, all the Vikings had to do was guard against the deep ball. Gabbert went deep to Shorts for a 39 yard touchdown in front of a shellshocked home crowd. Gabbert hit Blackmon for the 2 point conversion, and with 20 seconds left, the Jaguars had the miracle comeback on the road.
From the Minnesota 31 with 14 seconds left, now it was the Vikings needing a miracle. All the defense had to do was guard against the deep ball. So Ponder hit Aromashodu on a deep ball for a 26 yard gain. A 6 yarder to Rudolph was just enough for Walsh to try a 55 yard field goal with 4 seconds left. He drilled it dead center, and this ridiculous game went into overtime tied 23-23.
Minnesota won the toss in overtime and began at their own 25. Peterson was ridiculous in the extra session, gaining 10 and then 20. Ponder hit Aromashodu for 17. On 4th and 5 from the 20, Walsh came in for the 38 yard kick. He nailed it, but those ready to celebrate a Vikings win had to stop the celebration. Sudden death no longer exists. Those who want to ruin football decided to give both teams at least one try with the ball in the extra session. Jacksonville quickly faced 4th and 2 from their own 31. Gabbert threw incomplete, and the first overtime game of the year ended in anti-climactic fashion. Despite the finish, a dull first half gave way to a fine football game to start the year. These much maligned quarterbacks played well. Gabbert was 23 of 39 for 260 and a pair of touchdowns while Ponder was 20 of 27 for 270 yards. Neither quarterback was intercepted although both of them fumbled in key situations. The last 2 minutes were a thrill, although a teaching tool on how not to play defense. 26-23 Vikings, OT
Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans–The Miami Dolphins are a very bad team while the Texans are a good one. The Texans are at home. Would this be where the “Any Given Sunday” theory would allow for a stunning upset? No. In real life Goliath beats up David, steals his lunch money and his girlfriend, and lives happily ever after. With a new coach in Joe Philbin and a new quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, the Dolphins were cocky enough to go on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” Miami punted, the Texans missed a 52 yard field goal, and Miami got it back at their own 42. Reggie Bush gained 11, 5, and 8. Tannehill hit Anthony Fasano for 12 yards and Dan Carpenter hit a 39 yard field goal to have the Dolphins up 3-0. Miami had never beaten the Texans, going 0-6 against the team that entered the league in 2002. The Dolphins led after the opening quarter, but in the second quarter the roof caved in.
Tannehill was intercepted by Joseph, who returned it 36 yards. A defensive penalty tacked on had the Texans at the Miami 7. Houston went backwards and Shane Graham hit a 35 yarder to tie the game 3-3.
With Miami facing 3rd and 10 at the Houston 44, Tannehill was intercepted again as the Texans took over at their own 46. On 3rd and 10 Matt Schaub went to Andre Johnson for a 24 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from the 25, Schaub hit Owen Daniels for 11 at the 2 minute warning. Yet 28 minutes of 3-3 football was about to change. Arriun Foster ran it in for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Texans.
One play later Tannehill was intercepted for the third time by Jackson at the Miami 27. Schaub went to the end zone and defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. After losing a yard, Foster ran it in from 2 yards out and the Texans had a 17-3 advantage with only 43 seconds left in the half. On the next play from scrimmage a handoff resulted in a fumble and another short field for the Texans at the Miami 31. Schaub made it look easy as he hit Tate for 7, and Johnson for 10 and then again for the 14 yard score to have the Texans cruising 24-3. Miami managed not to turn the ball over as they took a knee. 21 points in the final 2 minutes of the half turned a tie game into a Texans blowout.
A 72 yard punt return by Thigpen had the Dolphins within 24-10 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. That was the extent of their offense as their would be no comeback. An 11 play, 7 minute drive followed by a 12 play, 7 minute drive ground Miami into dust. Both drives resulted in field goals for the Texans to complete the scoring. Schaub was 20 of 31 for 266 yards and a touchdown, while Tannehill was welcomed to the NFL with a 20 of 36 for 219 yard day with 3 interceptions. Texans owner Bob McNair held on to coach Gary Kubiak, and last year was rewarded with the first division title and playoff victory. This year the season has started out well for them. 30-10 Texans
St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions–A pair of quarterbacks that have shown flashes of brilliance but suffered some tough injuries are Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford. Stafford stayed healthy last year as the Lions 3 years removed from 0-16 went 10-6 and got back to the playoffs. The Rams hit bottom, but instant respectability came with the hiring of Jeff Fisher. Fisher will shore up the defense, and this game saw Stafford complete several passes to the wrong jerseys.
Stafford started out red hot going 7 for 7, but a 7 minute drive and 1st and goal at the 3 were wasted when Stafford was intercepted in the end zone by Jenkins, who returned it to the Rams 34. On 3rd and 8 Bradford hit Danny Amendola for 15, but 3rd and 24 at the Lions 47 seemed to be the end of the line. Bradford found Amendola again for 17 more yards, enough for Zuerlein to hit a 48 yard field goal and give the Rams the 3-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter with a critical 3rd and 4 at the Detroit 47, Stafford went to Megatron Calvin Johnson for 8 yards. Kevin SMith gained 19, and Stafford hit Brandon Pettigrew for 9 more. A 10 yard toss to Johnson led to Smith running it in from one yard out as the Lions had the 7-3 lead. A strong punt return with a horsecollar tackle tacked on had the Lions back in business at the Rams 32. Yet from the 16, Stafford was picked off again by Dunbar, who returned it 42 yards to the Detroit 44. Runs and short passes had the Rams facing 3rd and 5 at the Detroit 6. Stafford was then sacked, as the Rams settled for another field goal to trail 7-6. Yet with 2 1/2 minutes remaining, there was plenty of action left in the half.
From the Detroit 23, Stafford threw a touchdown pass to Cortland Finnegan. Unfortunately for the Lions, Finnegan plays defense for the Rams. The cornerback’s 31 yard interception return had the Rams up 13-7 with 68 seconds left in the half. Unnecessary roughness on the play had the Rams kicking off from midfield. Yet a short kickoff attempt gave the Lions the ball at their own 24. One play was enough for Stafford to go deep to Johnson for a 51 yard gain. Old reliable Jason Hanson has been kicking for the Lions since the Magna Carta, and his 41 yarder had the Lions within 13-10 at halftime.
A Rams punt early in the third quarter gave the Lions the ball at the Rams 41. A 10 yard completion to Burleson was enough for Hanson to drill a 45 yarder and tie the game 13-13. The defenses dug in and a field position game gave the Rams the ball at the Detroit 47 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. On 3rd and 3 Bradford hit Steve Smith for 16 and then Gibson for the 23 yard touchdown.The Rams led 20-13 with 10 minutes left.
The third quarter was mostly defense but the fourth quarter saw the offenses move the ball. Stafford hit Brandon Pettigrew for 20 and 18. Smith gained 13 and Stafford went back to Pettigrew for 24. Smith carried it in from 5 yards out as the game was tied 20-20 midway thorugh the fourth quarter.
Bradford had his turn, hitting McNeil and Gibson for a pair of 10 yard gains. On 3rd and 5 from their 46, Bradford found Amendola for 14 and Gibson for 11. After 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes, the 2 minute warning saw Zuerlein line up for the 46 yard field goal try. It was good, and the Rams led 23-20.
Bradford went to Johnson and Burleson for a pair of 20 yard gains to the Rams 40 with one minute left. The Lions took their last timeout with 35 seconds left and 1st and 10 at the Rams 26. Stafford found Johnson for 18 yards down to the 5 and then raced to the line to spike the ball and stop the clock. Stafford then faded back, and under heavy pressure, found Smith for the 5 yard touchdown. There would be no tying field goal attempt and no overtime. Jeff Fisher lost his first game back while Jim Schwartz saw his team show a ton of heart. Bradford was 17 of 25 for 198 yards and one touchdown. Stafford was 32 of 48 for 355 yards. Despite throwing 3 interceptions, his one touchdown pass came with just 10 seconds left in the game. 27-23 Lions
Atlanta Falcons @ Kansas City Chiefs–A pair of Matts dueled it out as Matty Ice Ryan and Matt Cassel took the reins. Romeo Crennel began his first full season as head coach of the Chiefs while the posterchild for non-descript Caucasian men everywhere, Mike Smith, sought to have the Falcons go to the playoffs for the ffth straight season. The first half was a pinball machine.
On 3rd and 2 from their 28, Ryan hit Julio Jones for 3 and again for 13. On 3rd and 8 from the Chiefs 42, Ryan found Jones for 11 and Roddy White for 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 8, Ryan hit Jones again for the touchdown as the 12 play, 6 minute drive had the Falcons up 7-0. Kansas City quickly faced 3rd and 1 at their own 32, and Jamal Charles gained 2. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 47, Cassel went deep to Dwayne Bowe for a 23 yard gain. The drive stalled, and Ryan Succop hit the 39 yard field goal to have the Chiefs within 7-3. Rodgers returned the ensuing kickoff 77 yards to the Chiefs 24. Yet the Falcons failed to gain a first down and settled for a 34 yard Matt Bryant field goal to make it 10-3 Atlanta.
Kansas City took over at their own 24 and reached their own 41 at the start of the second quarter. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 47, Cassel found Bowe for 26 yards and then to newly acquired Kevin Boss for the 22 yard score and a 10-10 tie.
From the Atlanta 27, Ryan answered right back. He hit White for 16, 15, and 8. A 14 yard touchdown pass to Jones had the Falcons up 17-10 midway through the second quarter. Kansas City roared right back when Charles took a handoff 46 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 28, Cassel hit Dexter McCluster for 9. Charles gained 9 more, and Cassel ran it in himself from 5 yards out to tie the game 17-17 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half.
Ryan kept firing, hitting Douglas for 19 and Tony Gonzalez for 13. Ryan even ran for 11 and then 9. A 25 yard pass to Gonzalez made it 1st and goal at the 3. The defense held, but the short field goal had the Falcons leading 20-17 at the half. While both teams moved with ease in the first 30 minutes, the game was broken open in the second half.
The Chiefs moved eaisly in the third quarter from their 20 to the Atlanta 22. A 40 yard tying field goal by Succop was no good, and it took the wind out of the Chiefs sails. On 3rd and 11 from their 29, Ryan went deep to Jones for a 31 yard gain and again for 19 more. Michael Turner ran for 11, and on 3rd and goal at the 5, Ryan ran it in himself. Instead of 20-20, the Falcons led 27-17. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 15 at their own 15. Cassel was sacked and fumbled, giving the Falcons the ball at the Chiefs 7. One play later Ryan hit Gonzalez for the touchdown as a close game was now a 34-17 Falcons lead.
On the next series Cassel was intercepted, setting up the Falcons at the Chiefs 43. Ryan went deep to White for a 26 yard gain, setting up a 30 yard field goal and a 37-17 Falcons romp early in the fourth quarter. On the next series it was deja vu all over again as Cassel was intercepted. From the Chiefs 31, Atlanta gained a few yards and settled for a 41 yard field goal to lead 40-17.
The Chiefs did score a garbage touchdown with 5 seconds left but this day was about the Falcons offense. They looked every bit as good as advertised in turning a close game into a big win. Cassel was 21 of 33 for 258 yards and one touchdown with 2 interceptions, but Matty Ice was red hot going 23 of 31 for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns. 40-24 Falcons
San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers–Normally Week 1 is a bit early for talking about home field advantage in the NFC Title Game, but last year the 49ers went 13-3 and the Packers went 15-1. Both of them got shocked at home by a 9-7 team that barely qualified. The 49ers appeared to be the class of the NFC this year with the additions of bruising running back Brandon Jacobs and wide receiver Randy Moss. Unlike a pair of other old wide receivers, Moss still has gas left in the tank. He also has a humility the other two men lack, which is why he has one more chance. He may be the last piece of the puzzle. Despite insisting otherwise, Jim Harbaugh wanted to get rid of Alex Smith faster than one could say Trent Dilfer. These are not the glamorous 49ers of the 1980s. This team wins with enough offense and a suffocating defense. As for the Packers, a win at home would give them the home field edge advantage, which would matter if this rmeatch occurred in January. The Packers have an easier overall schedule, and this was the first step.
San Francisco went 3 and out when Alex Smith was sacked on 3rd and 1. Yet with Green Bay facing 3rd and 6 at the San Francisco 38, a false start and a sack of Aaron Rodgers ended that drive as well. After a touchback, Smith moved the 49ers in position for a 40 yard David Akers field goal. Akers was good, as the 49ers led 3-0.
The 49ers began the second quarter with 3rd and 3 at their own 15. Smith threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference kept the drive going. A roughing the passer penalty added mroe yardage. Frank Gore ran for 10 and Smith hit Vernon Davis for 10 more to the Packers 40. Smith hit Michael Crabtree for 9 and 16, and then gave Randy Moss his first touchdown catch in a couple years as the 14 yarder had the 49ers up 10-0. The 92 yard drive stunned the home crowd.
After a touchback, Rodgers quickly hit Jordy Nelson for a 28 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Frisco 43, Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for 5 yards and Nelson for 13 more. On 3rd and 12 from the Frisco 40, Rodgers hit Jermaine Finley for 16 and Cobb for 12. Defensive pass interference put the ball at the one. Rodgers hit Finley for the score as the Packers were within 10-7 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
After another touchback, Smith hit Mario Manningham and Randy Moss for 11 apiece. A 3rd and 5 pass was incomplete, but another defensive penalty kept the 49ers offense on the field. With one minute left in the half, a 3rd and 1 run by Frank Gore from the 25 went nowhere. On 4th and 1 Jim Harbaugh opted for the field goal, and Akers hit from 43 to make it 13-7 San Francisco.
Green Bay failed to move the ball or run out the clock, and the 49ers got it back at their own 38 with 18 seconds left and one timeout. It was Colin Kaepernick and not Alex Smith making the play, as Kaepernick took the snap and gained 17 yards. Smith came back and fired incomplete twice. Akers came in on the last play of the half for a 63 yard field goal try. Tom Dempsey set the record in 1970, Jason Elam tied it a few years ago, and Polish Cannon Sebastian Janikowski tied it last year. Akers swung his foot, and the ball hit the crossbar, bounced upward, and made it over the crossbar. The 49ers led 16-7 at halftime as Akers was mobbed by teammates as he entered the history books.
In the third quarter Aaron Rodgers threw incomplete on 3rd and 1. The 49ers took over at their own 16. On 3rd and 8 Smith hit Crabtree for 20. From the Packers 38, Smith hit Vernon Davis for 29 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 4 Smith hit Davis again for the touchdown and a 23-7 lead for the 49ers. In front of a shellshocked home crowd, the Packers saw themselves being beaten soundly at home for the second straight game going back to the playoffs last year.
The 49ers clamped down on defense, when controversy occurred early in the fourth quarter. Randall Cobb returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to get the Packers back in it. A penalty flag was thrown for an illegal block, but the replacement refs picked it up and let the score stand. There was clearly an illegal block, and Jim Harbaugh went ballistic. The 2 point conversion had the Packers within 23-15 with a full 11 minutes left.
The 49ers went 3 and out when Gore failed to gain the 3rd and 2 needed. From their own 25, Rodgers was quickly intercepted. From the Green Bay 23, Gore redeemed himself by going all the way for the score as the Packers led 30-15 with 9 minutes left.
Green Bay took over at their own 24. On 3rd and 6 from their 32, Rodgers went deep to Jones for a 49 yard gain. Rodgers went back to Jones for 9 more and then yet again for a 10 yard touchdown. The Packers were within 8, and 6 minutes still remained.
Green Bay got it back with 3 1/2 minutes left, and with 3 minutes left faced 3rd and 9 at their own 17. Rodgers hit Cobb for 10. With 54 seconds left, it came down to 4th and 10 from the San Francisco 45. Rodgers fired incomplete, and the 49ers had the hard fought win.
Yes it is just one win, but it was a very big win. San Francisco has a phenomenal defense, and Alex Smith did his job. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers may have more questions than answers, although Mike McCarthy will not panic. Rodgers was 30 of 44 for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns and one interception. Smith was a precise 20 of 26 for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns without being picked off. More importantly, Smith got the tough win on the road. 30-22 49ers
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers–Ron Rivera saw his rookie season as a head coach helped immensely with rookie quarterback Cam Newton. Now it is the Buccaneers with a new coach in Greg Schiano. Josh Freeman was injured last year ina season where the Bucs lost their last ten games. It has been a long time since Tampa Bay played “Buc Ball,” but the newer Big Sombrero was ready.
After a Carolina punt, Freeman led a 13 play, 7 1/2 minute drive that went 80 yards. On 3rd and 1 from their 39, Freeman gained 2. Freeman hit Lorig for 15 and Martin for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 24, a toss to newly acquired Vincent Jackson went for 7 yards. Martin gained 11 and Freeman hit Williams for the 6 yard score to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. That concluded Tampa Bay touchdown highlights.
Another Carolina punt had the Buccaneers at midfield. Freeman went deep to Clark for 33 yards, setting up a 36 yard Conor Barth field goal to make it 10-0 Buccaneers.Carolina would reach the Tampa 33, but a sack of Newton killed the drive.
Tampa Bay took the game back to the stone age with a 13 play, 9 minute drive. Beginnign at their own 8, they soon faced 3rd and 6 from the 12, Freeman hit Williams for 8. Defensive pass interference tacked on 22 more yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 48, Freeman hit Jackson for 21 yards. Freeman ran for 12 and went back to Jackson for 15 more. Yet 2nd and goal at the 1 saw Martin go nowhere, and 3rd and goal saw Freeman complete a pass and lose a yard. On 4th and goal from the 2, Schiano opted for the field goal as the Buccaneers led 13-0 at the break. The last Carolina threat of the half again saw field goal range derailed by a sack and a false start.
The second half was fairly ugly as well. After a Tampa punt, the Panthers took over at their 30. On 3rd and 5 Newton hit Greg Olsen for 11 and Steve Smith for 32 yards. A 22 yard touchdown to Brad LaFell had the Panthers within 13-7. It also completed the Panthers touchdown highlights.
With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Panthers took over at the Tampa Bay 41. Newton was quickly intercepted. On the last play of the third quarter, facing 3rd and 12 at their 31, Newton was intercepted again.
With 11 minutes left in regulation from just past midfield, the Panthers had a punt blocked. The Bucs took over at the Carolina 42. On 3rd and 3 Ware gained 8. Barth hit a 40 yard field goal to give the Buccaneers some breathing room up 16-7 with 8 minutes left.
An exchange of punts had the Panthers at their 11 with 5 minutes left. Newton hit Mike Tolbert for 20 and then went deep to speedster Louis Murphy for a 51 yard gain. Yet the drive bogged down at the 3 yard line. Needing 2 scores, Ron Rivera opted for the field goal. Medlock hit it as the Panthers were within 6 with 2:41 to play. On 3rd and 2 from their 26, rather than go on the ground, Freeman hit Jackson for 4 yards as the Panthers took their final timeout. On the next play Martin gained 15 yards as Tampa ran out the clock. Newton was 23 of 33 for 303, one touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Freeman was only 16 of 24 for 138 yards and one touchdown, but it was enough to get Greg Schiano his first win in the NFL. This was ugly, yet for Tampa fans it brought back beautiful memories of hideous wins. This was Buc Ball. 16-10 Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals–These teams started out 1-6 and 2-6, yet both of them somehow got to 8-8 last year. Both of these teams paid big money to career backups who had one or two good games in Matt Flynn and Kevin Kolb. Yet the season started with Russell Wilson and John “Red” Skelton as Pete Carroll and Ken Whisenhunt prepared for the first of two Mediocrity Bowls in the NFC Worst.
Seattle began with a 50 yard field goal try that was blocked. Arizona responded by fumbling. Then both teams reached inside the red zone before bogging down. A 27 yard field goal for Seattle and a 21 yarder for Arizona meant a 3-3 tie in a game that deserved short shrift based on past years.
In the second quarter from their own 43, Skelton hit Early Doucet for 18 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 32, Skelton went back to Doucet for 14. A 13 yarder to Todd Heap set up 3rd and goal at the one. Larod Stephens-Howling got it in to put the Cardinals up 10-3 after the 11 play, 5 1/2 minute drive. The last play of the half saw Wilson’s hail Mary for Seattle get intercepted. The second half was what it was.
Arizona went 3 and out after 2 tries to gain one yard failed. Seattle fumbled it right back and the Cardinals took over at the Seattle 17. That led to a 31 yard Jay Feely field goal and a 13-3 Cardinals lead. Leon Washington returned the kickoff 83 yards to the Arizona 24. On 3rd and 9 from the 10, Wilson hit Sidney Rice for the score to get the Seahawks within 13-10. Skelton was quickly intercepted, giving the Seahawks the ball at the Arizona 34. Seattle as expected went nowhere but did kick a 47 yard field goal to tie the game 13-13. As is the case between these teams, it would come down to who wanted it least.
With 11 minutes left in regulation, it was Leon Washington who again burned Arizona. This time it was a 52 yard punt return thatgave Seattle the ball at the Arizona 16. Again the Seahawks went backwards. On 3rd and 26, Marshawn Lynch gained 11 to make the field goal easier. It was good, as Seattle led 16-13 with 9 1/2 minutes left.
After a touchback, Skelton was sacked and fumbled although Arizona retained possession. On the next play Skelton hit Larry Fitzgerald for 17 yards. However, Skelton was injured on the play and Kolb came in. Kolb also went to Fitzgerald for 14 yards. Kolb went to…who else…Fitzgerald…for a 23 yard gain. With 5 minutes left Kolb hit Roberts for a 6 yard touchdown to put the Cardinals up by 4 points with 5 minutes left.
Russell Wilson moved the Seahawks from their 20 to a 2nd and goal at the 4 with 30 seconds left. Seattle was out of timeouts. Wilson threw three straight incompletions, and the Cardinals won the war of attrition. The Medicrity Bowl saw Wilson go 18 of 34 for 153 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Skelton was 14 of 28 for 149 yards and one interception. Kolb was 6 of 8 for 66 yards and the touchdown that won it. While this game did have an exciting ending, these teams do not win enough games to justify a rematch. This year could be different but it will not be. Sadly, the rematch will be played. 20-16 Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos was the Sunday night game. This game was why we watch football. These teams played some classic AFC Title Games in the last 15 years, with each team winning on the road. Yet the real story was the debut of Peyton Manning in a Denver Broncos uniform after 14 seasons with the Colts. Manning sat out all of last year with a neck injury, and he claims he is not 100%. Even short of 100%, he is really good. Scary good.
After a scoreless opening quarter, a field position game saw the second quarter begin with the Steelers at the Denver 38. On 2nd and 5, Big Ben Roethlisberger hit Johnson for 12 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the 13, Roethlisberger hit Brown for 5. The drive stalled at the 3 yard line, but Shawn Suisham hit a 21 yarder to have the Steelers up 3-0.
Soon facing 3rd and 1 from their 29, Manning got in a rhythm. He hit Thomas for 6 yards and then 20 more. He even scrambled for 7 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 25, Willis McGahee gained 5. Manning hit Jacob Tamme for 9 yards and Knowshon Moreno ran it in from 7 yards out to conclude the 12 play, 80 yard, 5 minute drive and put Denver up 7-3.
Pittsburgh took over at their 21 with 5 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 3 Redman gained 6. On 3rd and 11 from the Pittsburgh 33, Roethlisberger hit Brown for 23 yards. At the 2 minute warning from the Denver 45, Roethlisberger again went deep to Brown for a 27 yard gain. On 3rd and 13 from the 21, Big Ben found Emanuel Sanders for 17. Finally, on 3rd and goal at the 4, Roethlisberger found Heath Miller for the touchdown as the Steelers led 10-7 at the break.
Pittsburgh took the opening kickoff or the second half and Roethlisberger continued to kill the Denver defense on 3rd down. A staggering, 16 play, 9 minute drive kept Manning off the field. On 3rd and 12 from their 18, Rethlisberger hit Sanders for 15 and Heath Miller for 15 more. On 4th and 1 from the Denver 38, Mike Tomlin decided to go for it. Roethlisbeger kept it for 2 yards. On 2nd and 17 from the Denver 43, Big Ben hit Mike Wallace for 13 and then 7. Yet the drive woul finally stall at the Denver 16 yard line. Suisham hit the 35 yarder to make it 13-7 Steelers.
Pittsburgh ran more than 20 plays in the third quarter and had the ball for almost 14 1/2 minutes. Denver ran 2 plays and had 36 seconds of possession time. Yet that was all Denver needed. From the 20, Manning hit Eric Decker for 9 yards and then found Thomas on a short pass that Thomas took 71 yards to the house. The defense never had time to rest, but it was the Broncos who led 14-13.
Roethlisberger continued destroying the Broncos on 3rd and long. On 3rd and 10 from their 20, it was defenive unnecessary roughness that meant 15 yards and first down. On 3rd and 18 from their 27, Roethlisberger hit Miller for 23 yards. One play later a defensive facemask tacked on 15 more. Roethlisberger hit Dwyer for 11 and and on 3rd and 7 from the 19 found Miller for 8. A 9 yard toss to Dwyerhad the fourth quarter beginning with the Steelers on the 2 yard line. After a short loss Roethlisberger hit Wallace for the 3 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but the Steelers led 19-14.
After a touchback, McGahee ran for 9 and 12 yards. Manning hit Thomas for 8, Decker for 6, Willis for 14, Tamme for 11, and Decker for 17 down to the one yard line. Controversy ensued when Decker fumbled and the ball went through the end zone for a touchback. Decker was marked down by contact, and replay showed Decker’s knee was clearly down. Manning tried to hurry the play, which turned out to be a failed run. Yet it was ruled that Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag before the play was run. Rather than 2nd and goal from the 2, Pittsburgh lost the challenge and a timeout, and it remained 1st and goal at the one. Manning then hit Tamme for the touchdown and McGahee for the 2 point conversion as the Steelers led 22-19 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Pittsburgh went 3 and out and Denver took over with a little over 8 minutes left at their own 37. On 3rd and 2, Moreno gained 3. With 4 minutes left, Denver faced a critical 3rd and 7 at the Pittsburgh 17. Manning threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 8. Yet after one failed run, rather than grind down more clock, Manning threw incomplete twice. Matt Prater hit the 26 yard field goal, but Denver only led 25-19. Roethlisberger would have a chance to win it down by 6 with 3 minutes left.
Both Manning and Roethlisberger won Super Bowls, but they both lost their most recent trip to the big game. In 2010 Big Ben saw his team down by 6 but could not lead the rally. In 2009 Manning threw the ill fated interception and watched in horror as Tracy Porter jump the route with a defensive touchdown to lock up the game. Now Porter plays with Manning for the Denver Broncos. Big Ben threw a 19 yard completion to Brown. Yet 2 plays later Roethlisberger fired to he sidelines and it was Tracy Porter who did it again. Porter took the interception 43 yards for the clinching touchdown.
Roethlisberger, who is still not Jewish, finished 22 of 40 for 245 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the one killer interception. Manning in his return was 19 of 26 for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. Manning also had zero interceptions in addition to making some history. His 2 touchdowns got him to 401, the third player in history behind Brett Favre and Dan Marino to reach 400. Manning did it the fastest. Marino is in reach this season at 420. As Manning will tell everybody, the most important thing is winning the game, and with his new team, he did. 31-19 Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens is the opening Monday night game. While the Bengals improived last year, Marvin Lewis has a good season every few years and then the Benglas regress again. Lewis is a good coach playing for a skinflint owner. More importantly,the Bengals lose all 4 games to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, who are simply better teams. This game is in Baltimore, and the Ravens are still burning from their shocking AFC Title Game loss last season. They were one play from the Super Bowl, and even an aging Ray Lewis will have everybody focused. Andy Dalton is the real deal, and so is AJ Green. Yet the Ravens, even without Terrell Suggs, have been a great defense for over a decade. John Harbaugh will have his team ready to win at home.
While the Bengals improved last year, Marvin Lewis has a good season every few years and then the Benglas regress again. Lewis is a good coach playing for a skinflint owner. More importantly,the Bengals lose all 4 games to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, who are simply better teams. This game is in Baltimore, and the Ravens are still burning from their shocking AFC Title Game loss last season. They were one play from the Super Bowl, and even an aging Ray Lewis will have everybody focused. Andy Dalton is the real deal, and so is AJ Green. Yet the Ravens, even without Terrell Suggs, have been a great defense for over a decade. John Harbaugh will have his team ready to win at home.
Baltimore took over at their own 21 and Joe Flacco went for it all on one big bite. A deep ball to Tory Smith went for a 52 yard gain. A sack of Flacco ended the drive, but the field goal had the Ravens up 3-0.The Bengals went 3 and out and the Ravens took over at their own 13. Smith took a reverse 13 yards. On 3rd and 15 Flacco hit Jones for 16. On 4th and 1 from the 20, John Harbaugh decided to go for it. Joe Flacco hit Ray Rice and got the yard. Flacco hit Pitta for 12 and then Rice ran it in from 7 yards out to put the Ravens up 10-0.
Cincy took over at their own 8. Andy Dalton went to work, hitting Hawkins for 8 and AJ Green for 19. On 3rd and 2 from midfield, Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis ran for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the 28 Dalton gained 5. The drive stalled but Mike Nugent hit a 34 yard field goal. Seconds into the second quarter, and the Bengals were within 10-3.
The Ravens took over at their own 18. Rice gained 16 and Flacco hit Jones for 25 more. Flacco then went deep to Anquon Boldin for a 34 yard touchdown to have the Ravens up 17-3 with relative ease.
From the Cincinnati 19, Dalton hit Hawkins for 27 yards and with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half the Bengals faced a critical 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 34. Green-Ellis gained 4 to keep the drive alive. Dalton hit Green for 15. On 4th and 1 from the 6 with 27 seconds left in the half, Marvin Lewis decided to gamble again. Green-Ellis ran it all the way in as the Bengals only trailed 17-10 at halftime.
Cincinnati began the third quarter throwing as Dalton hit Green for 14. Green Ellis gained 9 and 2, and Dalton went back to Green for another 17 yards. Dalton hit Hawkins for 11 and 14. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Dalton scrambled up the middle but cme up short. In a key 4th and goal at the 1 on the road, Marvin Lewis decided to play it safe and kick the field goal. Despite missing a chance to tie it, the expected Ravens blowout was a close game as Baltimore only led 17-13.
Then reality set in. Facing 1st and 15 at their own 6, Flacco hit Pitta for 23 yards. Defensive pass interference moved the Ravens to their 38. Rice caught a pass for 18 and ran for 13. Flacco hit Dickson for 19. On 3rd and 8 from the 10, Flacco hit Pitta for the touchdown and the 24-13 Ravens lead.
Cincinnati went 3 and out and the Ravens took over at their own 26. Flacco went deep to Pitta for a 25 yard gain and then to Boldin for 10 more. Rice gained 10 and Tucker hit a 40 yard field goal to put the Ravens up 27-13. Cincy quickly faced 3rd and 9 at their 21. Dalton fired and the greatest ball hawk of all time did it again. Ed Reed intercepted the pass and took it 34 yards for a touchdown. Ed Reed is now the all time NFL leader in interception return yardage. More importantly, the Ravens led 34-13 after three quarters.
Deja vu all over again saw the Bengals begin the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 2 from their 28. Dalton was sacked and fumbled, and Lardarius Webb recovered for the Ravens. Rice gained 7, and defensive pass interference put the ball on the one yard line. Rice took it in and the expected blowout had finally materialized as the Ravens led 41-13.
Flacco was done for the night, as his backup led a drive that added a field goal to finish the scoring. Dalton finished 22 of 37 for 221 yards, 0 touchdowns and an interception. Flacco was 21 of 29 for 299 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Simply put, the Bengals are not a bad team, but they will never get to the next level until they ebat their division rivals. The Ravens came in with Super Bowl aspirations, and they played like it. 44-13 Ravens
San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders is the Final Monday night game. Last season the Oakland Raiders were one home win away from their first 9 win season, playoff birth, and division championship. Standing in the way was an eliminated San Diego squad that appeared to have finally quit on Norvelous Norv Turner. After losing 13 straight to the Chargers, the Raiders had won 3 straight entering that game. San Diego won 38-26, knocked Oakland out of the playoffs, and cost Hue Jackson his job. Thankfully for Raider fans Norv Turner is still coaching San Diego. That game was Norv’s revenge, and now he faces a 2012 Raiders team unlike any other in their history. For the first time since 1963, the Raiders do not begin the season with Al Davis. The late owner died last October, and his son Mark owns the team. The Silver and Black now have a real general manager in Reggie McKenzie. They have a defensive minded coach in Dennis Allen, who employs the dink and dunk West Coast Offense. Just like last year, key players Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford are battling injuries. Yet Darren McFadden is healthy, and Carson Palmer will utilize him as much as possible. McFadden missed the last 10 games last year but was the leading rusher before he went down.
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The Raiders fumbled the opening kickoff but retained possession at their own 14. Carson Palmer immediately hit Darren McFadden for a 9 yard gain and McFadden ran for 3. On 3rd and 10 Palmer found newly reacquired Derrick Hagan for a 13 yard gain and Darrius Heyward-Bey for 9 more. McFadden gained 8 more and the Raiders had a critical 3rd and 4 from the San Diego 38. Palmer found rookie Rod Streater, who gained 8 yards. Yet while fighting for more, Streater got belted and fumbled. Barnes recovered for the Chargers as 57 yards of offense and a promising drive went to waste.
San Diego went 3 and out as Philip Rivers was sacked. The Raiders took over at their own 34. McFadden gained 7 and caught a 9 yard pass to midfield. Palmer hit Heyward-Bey for 13. The drive wuld stall, and Polish Cannon Sebastian Janikowski came in for a 51 yard field goal. Seabass drilled it, and the Raiders led 3-0.
From the San Diego 21, Eddie Royal took an end around 11 yards. On 3rd and 8 from their 34, Rivers went for the bomb and Robert Meachem made a fingertip catch for a 46 yard gain. Rivers then hit Brinkley for 12 more to set up 1st and goal at the 8. The defense held, but Nate Kaeding hit the 23 yarder to tie the game 3-3.
Only one minute remained in the first quarter, but it was noted that the Raiders did not have a single penalty. Dennis Allen gave the smae speech that every Raiders coach gives about instilling discipline. Outside of Jon Gruden, none of them have reduced the problem. Despite the promising ealry start, the “same old Raiders” soon returned in abundance, and it was ugly. An unnecessary roughness penalty on the kickoff had Oakland starting at their own 10. McFadden gained 4, 5, and the final yard to start the second quarter. Palmer then hit Streater for 13. Coach Allen went to his bag of tricks, calling for a reverse. Yet the play blew up when Taiwan Jones could not handle the pitch from Marcel Reese. Even when Jones recovered it, he continued to try and make something happen. He lost 25 yards. 2nd and 35 from their own 8 meant the Raiders were lucky to escape with a punt.
One special teams penalty and one offensive fumble were bad, but then the defense, Tommy Kelly in particular, kept messing up. San Diego took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 1, Kelly jumped offsides. Tyvon Branch was then called for defensive holding. On 3rd and 3 from their 36, Kelly jumped offsides again. On 2nd and 13 from their 38, Rivers went deep to Malcolm Floyd for 23 yards, Antonio Gates for 10 more, and Larod McClain for another 7. On 3rd and 5 from the 24, Rivers hit Gates for 17. On 3rd and goal at the 6, with Rivers about to be dragged down, he fired to the end zone to Floyd for the touchdown. The Chargers led 10-3 with 3 minutes left in the half.
Oakland soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 27. Palmer hit Reece for 15 yards at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 6 from their 46, Palmer hit McFadden for 12 and Hagan for 10. On 2nd and 6 from the 28, a short pass turned into a big gain when McFadden faked going out of bounds. He gained 17 yards to set up 1st and at the 11. The Raiders took their second timeout. A near interception and a delay of game penalty set up 3rd and 15 from the 16 with 16 seconds left. In this situation, you simply get the ball to your very best player in space. Palmer found McFadden, who raced past defenders, got the first down, and came up just short of the goal line. The Raiders had 1st and goal at the one and 7 seconds left as they took their last timeout. Yet on official review, McFadden was ruled short of the first down. It was now 4th and inches from about the 1 1/2 yard line. The crowd booed relentlessly as Coach Allen went for the field goal. What does one expect from a guy who brings in a dink and dunk West Coast Offense? Short of letting Captain Checkdown Matt Leinart play, the first half could not have ended on a more demoralizing note as the Raiders trailed 10-6 at halftime.
san Diego began the third quarter at their own 29. On 3rd and 6 Rivers found Gates, who was met and dragged back by several tacklers just shy of the marker. The Raiders return man Adams fair caught the ball at his own 7. McFadden gained 5 and 3, and on 3rd and 2 a defensive pass interference penalty was worth 17 yards. Palmer hit Ausberry for 12, and offsides gave the Raiders 1st and 5 just shy of midfield. On 3rd and 3, Dennis Allen showed why the West Coast Offense should be abolished. In that situation, you always throw past the marker. Yet West Coast teams throw two yard passes and end up short of the marker. Palmer did his best Leinart impression by completing a pass for no gain. With the long snapper out injured from a hit earlier in the game, the backup long snapper put the ball in the dirt. Pro Bowl punter Shane Lechler never had a chance. He smartly kept the ball and took the hit rather than have it blocked or try to throw it. San Diego took over at the Oakland 39. Rivers hit Brinkley for 4, Brown for 7, and Brinkley for 12.Brinkley gained 6, but the Raiders held on defense. Kaeding hit the 28 yarder as the Chargers led 13-6.
The next Oakland series was just more reason to despise the West Coast Offense. McFadden caught a 7 yard pass, but on 3rd and 3 with a man in his face, Palmer threw another completed pass short of the marker. Somehow McFadden was able to lunge forward, but he came up inches short of the marker. The special teams nightmares continued as the backup long snapper was overwhelmed by the rush. This time Lechler’s punt was blocked. It was practically taken off of his foot. San Diego had 1st and goal at the 8. Despite early mistakes, the defense had been keeping the Raiders in the game all night. On 3rd and goal at the 6 it Was Rivers who did not throw into the end zone. Brown caught the ball, but solid tackling brought him down short of the goal. On 4th and goal between the 1 and 2, Norv Turner opted for the field goal as the Chargers led 16-6 very late in the third quarter.
The Raiders went backwards and 3 and out on their next possession. Lechler barely got the punt off to avoid another block. On 3rd and 7 from their 48, Rivers hit Gates for 11 as the third quarter ended. Rivers hit Floyd for 12, but on 3rd and 7 from the Oakland 23, Rivers got blasted by Matt Giordano after releasing the ball. Kaeding would hit the 41 yard field goal as the Chargers led 19-6 with 13 minutes left in regulation. The question would be if Coach Allen would allow Palmer to throw something longer than a 4 yard dink and dunk pass.
Palmer did go deep to Streater with a perfectly thrown pass, but Streater lost it when he hit the ground. Palmer found Heyward-Bey for a 22 yard gain. Yet on the next play Palmer was sacked for the first time all night. On the next play Palmer avoided the rush, stepped up, and fired to Brandon Myers for a long gain to the San Diego 40. A draw play to McFadden on 2nd and 10 was blown up in the backfield for an 11 yard loss. On 3rd and 21, Palmer found a wide open Streater, but it was just out of his reach incomplete. Another disastrous long snap in the dirt never made it to Lechler’s foot. San Diego took over with another short field.
The only bright spot for the Raiders was their very stout run defense. A pair of runs went nowhere, setting up 3rd and 9 for San Diego at the Oakland 41. Yet Rivers went deep to Floyd for a 25 yard gain. A failed run for a loss and an illegal block penalty made it 2nd and 23. Norv Turner took no chances and called a couple runs up the middle to set up for the field goal. From 45 yards out, Kaeding went 5 for 5 as the Chargers led 22-6 with 5 minutes left.
After a touchback, Palmer was sacked a second time. On 3rd and 9, Palmer completed a 4 yard pass. On 4th and 5, an incomplete pass would have ended the misery but defensive pass interference with 2:47 left gave the Raiders life at midfield. Palmer found Hagan for 17 but was then sacked for the third time as the 2 minute warning came.
On 4th and 3 from the San Diego 26, Palmer threw deep incomplete, but again the Raiders were bailed out by roughing the passer. From the 13, a completed pass to Myers at the 3 was followed by a quick strike touchdown to Streeter with 54 seconds left. Palmer fired again to Streater for the 2 point conversion. The Raiders were down by 8, as all eyes were on the onsides kick. It was a bad kick that was easily recovered by San Diego. The Raiders had 2 timeouts left. On 4th and long, the clock stopped with 3 seconds left. The Chargers lined up to punt, and rather than run around, Mike Scifres actually punted it. The Raiders sent all 11 men to block it, did not get there, and the game was over once the ball was downed. Rivers was 24 of 33 for 231 yards. Palmer was 32 of 46 for 297. Both quarterbacks threw one touchdown pass and neither one turned the ball over. While the long snapping difficulties and the injured star receivers hurt matters, those are excuses. Too many dink and dunk passes had Al Davis rolling over in his grave. The official Raiders as we have known them are dead. 22-14 Chargers
Tuesday is 9/11. Keep your loved ones close and remember how the NFL healed many of us during those darkest of days.
Yet today is only 9/10, and it is a day to enjoy Monday Night Football.
Are you ready for some football!!!!!!!
Let’s get it on!!!!!!!!
eric