THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2023 Week 1 Recap

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs is the season opening Thursday night game. Despite being an improved team, the Lions were expected to be a sacrificial lamb as the defending champion Chiefs began their quest to establish a dynasty. After a rousing National Anthem and the jets flying overhead, Walrus Andy Reid actually decided to defer. Even more surprising was the Chiefs, after facing a 3 and out, going 3 an out themselves. Then came the game’s first big shock. On 4th and 2 from his own 17, Dan Campbell called a fake punt. Yes, you read that correctly. From his own 17. It worked as a run straight up the gut got the first down. Jared Goff then got in a rhythm, hitting Amon St. Brown for 13 and Joshua Reynolds for 21. Gibbs then banged out a tough 17 yard run. On 3rd and 6 from the Kansas City 9, Goff, found St. Brown in the flat for the first first score of the 2023 NFL season. The 13 play, 91 yard, 8 minute drive was sparked by several hard runs. Dan Campbell’s Big Balls of Steel in calling that fake punt was why the Jumbotron read 7-0 Lions.

The Lions carried that lead into the second quarter, but the Chiefs then moved 75 yards in 15 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from his own 27, Patrick Mahomes went to Watson for 19. On 3rd and 6 from midfield, Mahomes scrambled for just enough. Mahomes hit Marques Valdez-Scantling for 14 and ran for 16 more. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mahomes fired over the middle of the end zone to Bell for the touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame. The Lions after a touchback continued to move the ball well, reaching a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 17. Then  bad snap out of the shotgun led to a 10 yard loss. On 3rd and 10, a simple dum-off pass turned disastrous when a short completion to Jones saw jones get belted and cough up the football. The Chiefs recovered the fumble at their own 7 yard line as the game remained deadlocked with 6 minutes left in the half.

The Lions again forced a 3 and out and got the ball back with 3:47 left in the half at their own 41. Yet a takedown of Goff meant a 3 and out for the Lions as well. The Chiefs took over at their own 18 with 2:02 left. The Chiefs got a break when a false start was not called. Mahomes rolled out and found Rice for a 25 yard gain. With one minute left in the half, a very clean game saw an offensive holding call against the Chiefs be the game’s first penalty by either team. On 3rd and 17 from his own 36, Mahomes went deep to Valdez-Scantling for a 34 yard gain. Mahomes then went deep to Watson for 26 more down to the 4. Mahomes fired to Bell for the touchdown. The Lions had battled the entire first half, but the Chiefs with their 92 yard drive took the 14-7 lead with 34 seconds left in the half. 

The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half but did not quickly deliver the knockout blow. The Detroit defense remained stout, but a great punt had the Lions starting their first drive of the third quarter at their own 7 yard line. The Chiefs held and got the ball back at their own 42. Then came the play of the game up to that point. On 3rd and 6, Mahomes threw a simple pass in the flat to Toney near the first down marker. Yet the ball bounced off of Toney’s hands and was corralled out of the air by safety Brian Branch at midfield. Branch immediately raced the other way for a 50 yard touchdown. In front of a stunned home crowd at Arrowhead, this dogfight of a game was now tied 14-14. 

The Lions defense was fired up as they forced the Chiefs to punt again. The Lions took over at their own 17 but ended up punting as well. The Chiefs took over at their own 10 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. From his own 34, Mahomes went bombs away incomplete. Yet with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the Lions first penalty of the game was a killer. A 41 yard defensive pass interference call had the Chiefs sitting pretty. On 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 17, Mahomes had a wide open receiver over the middle for an easy first down. Yet one receiver cut in front of the other one, deflecting view and leading to a drop. Walrus andy Reid was taking on chances. Harrison Butker hit the 35 yard field goal to give the Chiefs the 17-14 lead.

The Lion first offensive penalty on the next series was another killer as a tripping call set the Lions back 15 yards. Yet on 2nd and 22, Goff fired over the middle to Raymond for 20. On 3rd and 2, Goff threw incomplete. On the last play of the third quarter with the Chiefs facing 2nd and 6 at their own 40, a short pass from Mahomes to gray followed by mistackles led to a 24 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 21, Mahomes somehow escaped a sack and threw an off-balance pass just before he was sacked that should have been caught. Instead, another dropped pass meant a 39 yard field goal by Butker and a 20-14 Chiefs lead with 12 minutes left in regulation. 

The Lions soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Goff just before being sacked found Reynolds over the middle for 18. On 3rd and 1 from midfield Montgomery  gained 3 off right tackle. Goff on a perfect play-action went to Reynolds again for 33 more. Montgomery busted up the gut for an 8 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 80 yard, 5 minute drive had the Lions leading 21-20 in a shocker midway through the fourth quarter. 

On 3rd and inches from their own 34, Walrus Andy Reid went to his bag of tricks. Bell lined up at quarterback and Mahoems was in the backfield. Bell tried the hard count. The Lions defense jumped, but Bell did not snap the ball. by the time Bell did snap it and hand it off, the defense blew up the play for a 3 yard loss. The Lions got the ball back at their own 31 with 5:15 to play. They needed to continue playing smash mouth and not let Mahoems back on the field. 

Instead a false start right out of the gate made things tougher. Gibbs ripped off a 15 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Chiefs 45 with 2 1/2 minutes left, punting the ball back to Mahomes was not an option. It wad time for a dan Campbell gamble. Goff’s pass was batted down. Mahomes had a wide open receiver deep but the ball was just dropped on a night where several drops occurred. Offensive holding, another pair of incompletions, and a false start had the Chiefs facing 4th and 25 at their own 30. Mahomes threw incomplete again as the Lions took over in long field goal range at the 2 minute warning. The Chiefs still had all 3 timeouts. This game was not over. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 22, Montgomery got the carry straight up the gut and got the deuce for the first down. Goff took 3 knees and now it was over. This game says less about the Chiefs than it does about the Lions. The team that beat Green Bay to lose out 2022 is for real. The expectations are legitimate. Dan Campbell deserves to receive the game ball. On a deeper level, this was a phenomenal way to kick off the 2023 NFL season. 21-20 Lions

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — The top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft Bryce Young had a rough start in his rookie debut. The Falcons started with Desmond Ridder at the helm. If nobody knows who coaches these teams, don’t worry. Neither do they. After a scoreless first quarter, an interception of Young gave the Falcons a short field at the Carolina 17. On the first play of the second quarter on 3rd and 4 from the Carolina 11, Ridder hit Robinson for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. Yet Young stayed calm. On 3rd and 2 from his own 33, Young hit Hurst for 11 and Marshall for 11 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 41, Young hit Mingo for 9. Young went to Hurst for 14 more and to Hurst again for a 4 yard touchdown. Young’s first ever NFL touchdown pass capped the 12 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and tied the game 7-7. In the third quarter Eddie Pineiro hit a 43 yard field goal to give the Panthers the lead, but an interception of Young led to a 49 yard Younghoe Koo field goal. The game was tied 10-10 after three quarters.

The Panthers got it back after a touchback and moved to a 1st and 15 just past midfield. Miles Sanders gained 10 yards but then fumbled the ball. The Falcons recovered at their own 39. Tyler Allgeier ran for 12. Ridder hit Pitts for 10 and Allgeier for 12. On the last play of the third quarter, Robinson ripped off a 25 yard gain down to the 4 yard line. The fourth quarter began with Algeier running for one and then the 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Falcons. Midway through the fourth quarter, a punt pinned the Panthers at their own one yard line. They punted it back to give the Falcons excellent field position at their own 44. Allgeier ran for 11. Ridder went deep to Pitts for 34. Allgeier did the rest, running for 4 and then the 3 yard touchdown to ice the game with 5 minutes left. The Falcons ran for 130 yards on 26 carries, 5 yards per carry. 24-10 Falcons 

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — Anthony Richardson began his NFL career as the Colts looked to shed predictions of being bottom dwellers. The Jaguars were bottom dwellers 2 years ago, but Doug Pederson quickly turned Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars around. In the first quarter the Jaguars moved 61 yards, aided by a 24 yard pass from Lawrence to Ridley. On 3rd and 7 from the Indianapolis 9, Lawrence went to Ridley for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. After a touchback, Richardson went to Granson for 11, Jackson for 8, and on 3rd and 2 from his own 45, back to Granson for 7. Richardson then ran for 12. Richardson hit Downs for 22. On the first play of the second quarter, Richardson ran 2 yards for his first NFL touchdown and a 7-7 game. 

After an interception of Lawrence, Shane Steichen twice gambled on 4th down and twice came up snake eyes The Jaguars took over at their own 43. On 3rd and 1, BIgsby got the yard. Lawrence went to Ridley for 29 and then to Zee Jones for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Jaguars. Early in the third quarter the Colts took over at their own 37. Richardson went to Pittman for 16. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15 more. Richardson connected with Pittman for 9 more but an illegal blindside block penalty on the offense followed by a loss on a run had the Colts facing 2nd and 28 from the Jacksonville 39. A short pass from Richardson to Pittman turned into Richardson’s first NFL touchdown pass and a 14-14 game. 

The Jaguars moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 at the Indy 25. A run was blown up for a 2 yard loss. Brandon McManus hit a 45 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Jaguars. Late in the third quarter the Jaguars had the ball back at their own 46. A 24 yard completion was wiped out by offensive holding. On the next play disaster struck as a fumble was returned 26 yards for a defensive touchdown by DeForest Buckner. The Colts led 21-17 after three quarters and were smelling upset. early in the fourth quarter a 48 yard punt return gave the jaguars a short field at the indy 46. Lawrence scrambled for 11 and hit Evan Engram for 9. midway through the fourth quarter the Jaguars faced 4th and 2 at the Indy 15. Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Lawrence hit Jones for 4. Bigsby ran for a one yard touchdown with 5 minutes left. The Colts were game, but the Jaguars got the win. 31-21 Jaguars

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns — The Bengals are the elite team with franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. The Browns have Deshaun Watson to start a season. Yet as talented as Watson is, the Bengals were expected to cruise. Instead, the Dawg Pound rocked as their defense rolled over, around and through Burrow. After a scoreless first quarter, Dustin Hopkins hit a 42 yard field goal early in the second quarter for the Browns. After 28 1/2 minutes of a defensive slugfest, The Browns took over at their own 33. Moore gained 19. Watson hit Amari Cooper for 11 and Donovan Peoples-Jones for 12. With 17 seconds left in the half, Watson ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Browns. 

In the third quarter the Bengals got some momentum with a 42 yard field goal from Evan McPherson and an interception of Watson. Yet Watson missed another try from 51 and the momentum evaporated. The Cleveland defense suffocated Burrow and knocked him around. Hopkins hit field goals of 34 late in the third quarter and 43 early in the fourth quarter for a 16-3 Browns lead. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, a desperate Zac Taylor went for it on 4th and 4 from his own 31. Burrow was smothered for a 13 yard loss. Watson threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Harrison Bryant and ran the 2 point conversion in himself to complete the scoring. Last year the Bengals started 0-2 before reaching the AFC Title Game again. Time will tell if this was a harbinger or an aberration for both teams. 24-3 Browns

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints — This was a tale of 2 quarterbacks. Derek Carr arrived to the Saints after being run out of town by the Raiders. Ryan Tannehill is constantly on the verge of being run out of town by the Titans. Pre-game, emotions ran sky high at midfield. Former Saints player Steve Gleason and former Titans player Tim Shaw both have ALS, and they showed up in their wheelchairs to adulation from the crowd. Gleason will forever be remembered for the most meaningful blocked punt in NFL history. Much of the game was a slog. The Saints fumbled the opening kickoff and the Titans took over at the New Orleans 24. The Titans went backward but were bailed out by Nick Folk hitting a 50 yard field goal. Rookie kicker Blake Grupe responded from 26. Folk hit again from 27 for a 6-3 Titans lead. In the second quarter, the Saints faithful went crazy. With Gleason watching, the Saints blocked a punt to set up a short field. Grupe hit from 33 for a 6-6 game. The Titans came back and Folk connected again from 31. In the third quarter Grupe hit from 52 for a 9-9 deadlock.

Late in the third quarter an interception of Tannehill set up the Saints at the Tennessee 33. On 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 19, Carr went to Shaheed in the end zone. The game’s only touchdown had the Saints up 16-9 after three quarters. The Titans moved the ball up and down the field but could not crack the end zone. In the fourth quarter Folk hit from 45. With 2:17 to play in the game, the Titans had 4th and 6 at the New Orleans 11 yard line. Mike Vrabel opted for a field goal and to trust his defense. Folk hit from 29 and the Titans trailed by one point. With 1:55 left the Saints faced 3rd and 6 at their own 33. Dennis Allen is a West Coast Offense guy, so everyone was expecting a dink and dunk with Dennis and Derek 2 yard pass. Not on this day. Carr wanted it all. He went bombs away to Shaheed for a 41 yard gain. With 1:39 left, it all came down to 3rd and 4 at the Tennessee 20. Williams got the carry and gained 11 yards. Carr knelt twice to get his first win in the Big Easy. 16-15 Saints 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings — The Buccaneers were supposed to be a mess as Bruce Arians and Tom Brady are now both retired. Todd Bowles is supposed to be a defensive mind who cannot run an offense. The Vikings were supposed to be one of the better teams in the league, especially at home. The Vikings fumbled on consecutive first quarter drives, with the latter one setting up a short field and a 36 yard Chase McLaughlin field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Vikings finally got going in the second quarter from their own 17. Kirk Cousins went to Justin Jefferson for 25 yards and to Chandler for 18 more. On 3rd and 11 from the Tampa 39, Cousins went deep to Addison for the touchdown and a 7-3 Vikings lead.

The Vikings got it back at their own 31 and moved to a 1st and goal at the 6 with a chance to take a commanding lead. Yet a pair of incompletions were sandwiched around a run that lost a yard. Greg Joseph hit a 25 yard field goal as the Vikings led 10-3 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half. 

At the 2 minute warning, the game changed. Facing 3rd and 7 at their own 42, the Buccaneers caught a break the the Vikings jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, Baker Mayfield hit Chris Godwin for 14. With just over one minute left in the half, Mayfield went deep to Mike Evans for a 28 yard touchdown and a 10-10 ballgame. The Buccaneers began the third quarter with a staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive that consumed 9 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 6 from their own 29, Mayfield hit Evans for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Minnesota 29, Mayfield hit Thompkins for 8. On 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 13, Todd Bowles played it safe and opted for the field goal. The kick was good but the Minnesota defense jumped offside. Bowles took the points off the board. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Mayfield hit Palmer for the touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Buccaneers led 17-10.

The Vikings responded with an almost identical 16 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive of their own. On 3rd and 3 from their own 32, Cousins hit TJ Hockenson for 8. Cousins found Oliver for 18. On 3rd and 13 from the Tampa Bay 33, Cousins found Addison for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 11, Mattison gained 2. The fourth quarter began with the Vikings facing 3rd and goal at the 5. Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a new set of downs. Cousins hit Mattison for a 4 yard touchdown. 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, the game was tied 17-17. The Buccaneers moved from their own 23 to a 4th and 3 at the Minnesota 39 with 5 minutes left in regulation. Todd Bowles took a major gamble with a 57 yard field goal try. mcLaughlin delivered to give the Buccaneers the lead. The Vikings quickly went 3 and out and the Buccaneers took over with 4 minutes left at their own 30. The Vikings took their last timeout on defense with 3 1/2 minutes left and the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 3 at the Minnesota 43. Mayfield scrambled for 4 yards. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 10 from the Minnesota 39, Mayfield hit Godwin for 11 and then took 3 knees for the upset win. 20-17 Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers — Both of these teams were hyped as very good teams before the start of the season, but only one of them came to play this game. Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance were both shipped out of town, and Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy became the best feel-good story since Kurt Warner, taking the 49ers to the NFC Title Game last year. Purdy was back in the saddle and ready to prove last year was no fluke. A short 34 yard punt had the 49ers taking over at their own 46. Purdy went right to work. After getting stopped on 3rd and 1, Kyle Shanahan gambled on 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 45. Purdy hit George Kittle for 11. Christian McCaffrey ran for 9 and 17. Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. An interception of Kenny Pickett gave the 49ers a short field at the Pittsburgh 46. Moody hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 49ers.

The 49ers took over at their own 32. Christian McCaffrey ran for 5 and 11. The second quarter began with the 49ers facing 1st and 15 at the Pittsburgh 39 Purdy hit Deebo Samuel for 22 and Aiyuk for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 49ers. The 49ers got the ball back at midfield and Moody added a 32 yard field goal to make it 20-0 49ers. The Steelers somehow managed in the final 1:35 of the half to quickly go 95 yards for a touchdown, but nothing more. The 49ers defense clamped down in the second half. On the second play of the third quarter, McCaffrey raced for a 65 yard touchdown. Moody tacked on a fourth quarter field goal to complete the blowout. 30-7 49ers

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders — Neither of these teams were supposed to be any good, but they put on a relatively decent game. The Commanders began a drive at their own 9 and got a break when a defensive personal foul for lowering the head to initiate contact added 15 yards. Shockingly, a second Arizona defender committed the same penalty 3 plays later for 15 more yards. Defensive pass interference added 37 more yards. Sam Howell hit Robinson for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Commanders. 67 yards on the 91 yard drive came on penalties. After a touchback, the Cardinals moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Washington 11. Joshua Dobbs, filling in for the injured Kyler Murray, threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit a 28 yard field goal to get the Cardinals on the board. On the second play of the second quarter, Howell was intercepted by Collins to set the Cardinals up at the Washington 37. The Cardinals offense went nowhere but Prater nailed a 54 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 7-6. 

With one minute left in the half the Commanders moved from their own 12 to a 3rd and 10 at their own 26. Howell was sacked and fumbled. Thomas recovered the ball for the defense all the way back at the Washington 2 yard line and rumbled into the end zone. The Defensive touchdown made it 13-7 Cardinals. The Commanders took over at their own 19 with only 49 seconds left. Howell quickly hit Samuel for 18, Logan Thomas for 19, and Samuel again for 32. Joey Slye hit a 30 yard field goal to get the Commanders within 13-10 at the break. After a third quarter touchback, the Cardinals moved 56 yards in 11 plays and nearly 5 minutes. On 3rd and 11 from the Washington 19, Dobbs threw incomplete. Prater hit from 37 to make it 16-10 Cardinals. 

The Washington offense was going nowhere but the Arizona offense kept giving up the ball. On the last play of the third quarter facing 3rd and 15 from their own 35, Dobbs was sacked and fumbled. Payne recovered for the defense at the Arizona 29. On 3rd and goal from the Arizona 6, Howell ran it in. With 12 minutes left in regulation the Commanders reclaimed the lead 17-16. The Cardinals took over at their own 21 and moved to a 1st and 15 at their own 40 with 4 1/2 minutes left to play. Dobbs fumbled again and the Commanders recovered again. Additionally, another defensive penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct added 15 more yards to the Arizona 22. The Arizona defense held. Slye hit from 33 to put the Commanders up by 4, but they did not close the door. After a touchback, the Cardinals still had 2:23 to work with. Yet on 4th and 10 from their own 37, Dobbs threw incomplete as the rally fell short. 20-16 Commanders

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens — CJ Stroud’s first ever NFL game came on the road against one of the better teams in the league. The first half was surprisingly competitive. A field position game saw the Ravens eventually take over at their own 42. On 3rd and 1, Lamar Jackson got the yard and then ran for 11 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 32, Jackson went deep to Flowers for 21. JK Dobbins ran for a 4 yard touchdown as the Ravens led 7-0 after the opening quarter. Houston’s defense was stingy in the second quarter. Kaimi Fairbairn hit field goals of 35 and 38 yards as the Texans only trailed 7-6 at the midpoint. 

In the third quarter the Ravens turned out the lights. From his own 29, Jackson found Flowers for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 46, Jackson went back to Flowers for 19 more and to Bateman for 18. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Justice Hill ran it in. John Harbaugh went for a 2 point conversion to make it a 2 score game. Edwards got in as the Ravens led 15-6. Yet the Ravens suffered a major blow on the drive as Dobbins went down with a torn achilles tendon. He is most likely out for the season. The entire Ravens business model is winning with hard running and defense. Harbaugh will turn to a committee of backs, with Jackson always being a threat. 

Demeco Ryans is a first time head coach in his rookie season with the Texans. To try and spark his team, he gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 42. The Baltimore defense stopped a run cold. With a short field, Edwards ran for 3 and 13. Defensive pass interference added 17. Hill ran for 4 and then for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 22-6 Ravens. The teams exchanged field goals in a quiet fourth quarter. 25-9 Ravens

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks — The Rams fell apart after winning it all 2 years ago, and this was supposed to be another rebuilding year. The Seahawks escaped the rebuilding mode and made the playoffs last year. Sean McVay knows offense and Pete Carroll knows defense. Home field rarely matters in this series, but the Seahawks on paper were supposed to win this one without much difficulty. After a touchback, the seahawks moved to a 1st and 10 at the Rams 12. A sack of Geno Smith killed the drive. Jason Myers hit from 36 to make it 3-0 Seahawks. 

The Rams soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Matthew Stafford hit Tyler Higbee for 7. Cam Akers ran for 12 and 2  On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 44, Williams ran for 9. On 3rd and 10 from the Seattle 35, Stafford hit Van Jefferson for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 19, Stafford hit Higbee for 12. A 16 yard pass from Stafford to Nacua got the bay down to the one. Williams ran it in to cap the staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive that consumed over 9 minutes and put the Rams up 7-3. 

After a touchback the Seahawks mounted a long drive of their own. Smith went to Will Dissly for 10 and DK Metcalf for 9. Walker ran for 13. Smith culminated the 12 play, 75 yard 6 1/2 minute drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Metcalf to make it 10-7 Seahawks. The Seahawks got back just shy of midfield and moved in position for Myers to hit from 42. The Seahawks led 13-7, but the rest of the half was ridiculous. Just past the 2 minute warning, Brett Maher lined up for a 57 yard field goal try for the Rams. The kick was blocked. The Seahawks took over with a short field at the Rams 42. With 36 seconds left Myers came in for a 39 yard field goal. The kick doinked off the upright no good. The Rams took over at their own 29 with 30 seconds left and quickly moved to give Maher another shot from 56 yards out. He was no good again as the half ended.

The Rams began the third quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 30. Stafford hit Nacua for 5 and again for 11. On 3rd and 8 from his own 48, Stafford went deep to Atwell for 44. Williams then ran for a 7 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 76 yard, 6 minute drive and give the Rams the 14-13 lead. The Rams got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Seattle 20. A run went nowhere and Stafford threw incomplete, but Maher hit from 38 to make it 17-13 Rams. The Rams got it back and on the last play of the third quarter faced 3rd and 1 at their own 30. Stafford gained 2. Stafford began the fourth quarter by going to Atwell for big gains of 15, 21 and 14. On 3rd and 11 form the Seattle 13, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive illegal use of hands meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and goal at the one, Stafford threw incomplete. Sean McVay gambled and on 4th and goal, Akers got around the left end for another touchdown and a 24-13 Rams lead. Maher tacked on field goals of 54 and 45, the latter coming with 11 seconds left. The Rams scored on all 5 second half drives to turn a deficit into a blowout win. 30-13 Rams  

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos — The Raiders had beaten the Broncos 6 straight times, but this was expected to be an easy win for the Broncos. Josh McDaniels was in the process of destroying the Raiders as he had previously done with the Broncos. He replaced Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo, angered Josh Jacobs and Devontae Adams, and alienated Chandler Jones to the point where he refused to play and may leave the team. The Broncos on the other hand brought in Sean Payton, who was expected to immediately revive Russell Wilson. The Broncos ownership has more money than virtually anyone to lavish on future free agents. With the home crowd, the Broncos were ready to roll over the hapless Raiders. Instead, the game turned out to be a typically ugly Raiders-Broncos matchup that both teams did everything they could to lose.

Sean Payton decided to start his tenure with the Broncos in the biggest way possible. He began the season with a surprise onside kick. This worked for him in the Super Bowl that made him a champion. This onside kick also was recovered by his team, but it was all for naught as one of the Broncos players was ruled to  have touched the ball before it went the full 10 yards. It was a very close call, but the Raiders began their season with a short field at the Denver 44. On 3rd and 1, Josh McDaniels was supposed to just hand the  ball off to Josh Jacobs. Instead, Garoppolo to t he quarterback sneak and was stopped cold. McDaniels then gambled on 4th and 1. Again he refused to call a handoff. A high risk, low percentage play worked when Garoppolo found Dams for 13 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 19, Garoppolo gained 8, with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 6 more. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Garoppolo hit Jakobi Myers for the touchdown. The Raiders were gifted a 7-0 lead. 

Naturally, this was supposed to be the year that the Raiders finally fixed their defense, which has been awful for over a decade. Instead, the Broncos marched 86 yards in 14 plays, taking nearly 9 minutes off the clock. Wilson hit Adam Trautman for 6 and Johnson for 21 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 43, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and a new set of downs. Same old dumb Raiders mistakes. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 38, Wilson hit Dulcich for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Raiders 18, Wilson hit Trautman for 15. Lil-Jordan Humphrey ran for a 5 yard touchdown. Wil Lutz, who was personally brought over by Sean Payton from New Orleans,missed the extra point. The very popular Brandon McManus was jettisoned by Payton, and the Broncos trailed 7–6.  

The Raiders actually mounted a real offensive drive after a touchback, moving to a 3rd and goal at the 5. Yet Garoppolo threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson hit from 24 to make it 10-6 Raiders. The defense had played well enough, but the Broncos took over at their own 25 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half and quickly shredded that defense. Wilson hit Dulcich for 9 and Perine for 6 and 10. On 3rd nd 6 from the Raiders 37, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 17 yards. More dumb Raiders mistakes. With 12 seconds left, Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for a 5 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 13-10 at the half and had all the momentum. The Broncos took that momentum in the third quarter and moved from their own 26 to a 4th and 3 from the Raiders 37. Lutz came in for a 55 yard field goal try. The kick was no good. 

The Raiders from their own 45 mounted a mind-numbing 18…yes, 18…plays. They took 7 1/2 minutes loonily go less than 50 yards. They had 1st and goal at the one. Naturally, Garoppolo fumbled the snap. He was lucky enough to recover. On 2nd and goal at the one, rather than hand the ball to Jacobs, McDaniels for some imbecilic reason called a pass play. The imbecilic reason is his own ego. He worships West Coast Offense dink and dunk passes, which is Garoppolo’s specialty. Garoppolo doesn’t have Derek Carr’s arm strength. Garoppolo threw incomplete, but an illegal formation moved the raiders back. On 2nd and goal at the 6, McDaniels called another pass play. He is allergic to smash mouth football. Garoppolo threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the 6, even another incompletion could be followed by the tying field goal. That was too much to ask. Carlson never got a chance. Garoppolo’s pass was batted in the end zone high in the air and intercepted. The entire drive was for nothing. 

The Broncos mounted their own ridiculous drive of 16 plays, 75 yards, and over 8 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 5, it was Sean Payton refusing to play ground and pound. Wilson threw incomplete twice. Lutz hit the 24 yard field goal as the Broncos led 16-10 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Garoppolo found Adams for 18 yards. Then he went to Meyers for 16 more. A rouging the passer call added 15 more. This time it was the Broncos being dumber than the Raiders. Garoppolo hit Austin Hooper for 20. Then Garoppolo hit Meyers for a 6 yard touchdown. With 6 1;/2 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders actually had a one point lead. Now it was up to the defense to fold in typical fashion.

Yet they didn’t. With 5 minutes left, Payton on 4th and 3 from his own 32 opted to punt. The Raiders took over at their own 31. The smart money was on them giving the ball back again. This time after one short pass, McDaniels did the right thing and gave the ball to Jacobs, who gained 6 and 5. On 3rd and 8 from their own 44, Garoppolo hit Meyers for only 7. Yet Meyers got belted in the head. The play call was awful because McDaniels did not have Garoppolo throw past the first down marker. Yet the Broncos penalty was much dumber. Instead of 4th and 1, the Raiders were gifted another 15 yards and another first down. At the 2 minute warning the Raiders fa ed 3rd and 7 at the Denver 31. Garoppolo rolled out and appeared to be trying to push the Raiders out of easy field goal range. Yet rather than pass, Garoppolo did the smart thing. He tucked the ball, ran, gained 8 yards and a first down, and slid inbounds. It was over. He took 3 knees. The Raiders got the hideously ugly win, but Al Davis’s maxim is still true. Just win baby. The Raiders are 1-0 and in sole possession of 1st place in the AFC West. Enjoy it while it lasts. 17-16 Raiders

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears — For 30 years the Packers tormented the Bears with superior quarterback play from Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. With Favre on his Mississippi ranch and Rodgers forcing his way out to a trade to the Jets, the entire world wondered if Jordan Love could play. For the first time in 30 years, the Bears had hopes of finally turning the tables. The Bears began at their own 12 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at their own 40. Matt Eberflus had Cole Kmet take the direct snap and get stopped cold. So Eberflus gambled on 4th and 1 in his own territory. This time Fields kept it himself and also got stopped cold. The Packers took the short field and soon faced 3rd and 13. Love then hit Doubs for just enough. Aaron Jones ran for 7, 3, 6, and on 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 12, 7. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Love hit Doubs for his first touchdown as the starting Packers quarterback. It took 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes to go a mere 40 yards, but the Packers led 7-0. The rest of the half belonged to the kickers as Cairo santos hit from 47 and in the second quarter from 29 to get the Bears within 7-6. 

Carlson nailed a 52 yarder at the gun as the Packers took a 10-6 lead to the locker rooms. Then they broke the game open in the third quarter. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Love got the yard. Jones gained 7 and then took a short pass from Love 51 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Jones got in to make it 17-6 Packers. A 35 yard punt return gave the Packers a short field at the Chicago 42. Matt LaFleur gambled on 4th and 3. A short pass from Love to Jones went for a 35 yard touchdown and a 24-6 Packers lead. Justin fields did throw a 20 yard touchdown pass and with a 2 point conversion got the Bears within 24-14. Yet in the fourth quarter the Packers turned out the lights. On 3rd and 8 from their own 41, a short pass from Love to Reed went for 18. Love then went deep to Musgrave for 37. Love hit Doubs for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 31-14 Packers. 3 plays later with the bears facing 3rd and 11 at their own 24, Fields was intercepted by Walker. Walker returned the pick 37 yards for the defensive exclamation point touchdown to make it 38-14 Packers. The Bears got a garbage touchdown, but the results were the same. New quarterback. Same Packers. Same Bears. 38-20 Packers

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers — Last year the Dolphins missed the playoffs and the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead in the Wildcard round to get bounced out on the final play. Tua Tagovailoa was drafted one spot ahead of Justin Herbert. Herbert has been brilliant, but Tagovailoa has been hobbled by injuries. When healthy, he has shown flashes of greatness as well. This game was not as big as Dan Fouts and Don Strock in the 1981 season’s epic playoff match, but it was still a thrilling battle to the finish between 2 teams with lots of promise. The Dolphins after a touchback quickly moved to a 1st and goal at the 2. Tagovailoa fumbled the snap and the Chargers recovered at their own 6. 

On 3rd and 4, Herbert gained 5. Herbert went deep to Keenan Allen for 36 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 35, Herbert again gained 5. Austin keeper ran for 6 and Kelley added 6 and 10. The 9th consecutive running play came on 3rd and goal at the one. Ekeler got in. The 14 play, 94 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Chargers. After a touchback, Tagovailoa went to cracraft for 24. Raheem Mostert gained 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 39, Tagovailoa hit Braxton Berrios for 11. A defensive facemark penalty on Joey Bosa added 14. Mostert gained 12 and then scored the 2 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game.

The Dolphins got it back at their own 23 to start the second quarter and Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for 29 and again for 28. Tagovailoa then hit Alec Ingold for 15. Yet on 1st and goal at the 5, Tagovailoa threw 3 straight incompletions. Jason Sanders hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Dolphins. After a touchback and a couple of short runs, Ekeler ripped off a 55 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Herbert hit Donald Parham for the touchdown to make it 14-10 Chargers. The Dolphins took over at their own 20. Tagovailoa went to Smythe for 18 and again for 16. With 3 minutes left in the half, Mike McDaniel decided to gamble on 4th and 7 from the Chargers 42. Tagovailoa hit Smythe for 10. Tagovailoa then found hill for gains of 19, 4, and 8 down to the one. Tagovailoa hit Cracraft for the touchdown to put the Dolphins up 17-14 with 1:42 left in the half. 

The Chargers moved quickly after a touchback. With 9 seconds left in the half, Cameron Dicker hit a 50 yard field goal to tie the game 17-17. Yet after a touchback, Mike McDaniel was not about to take a knee. Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 22, leaving only 2 seconds. The desperation pass fell incomplete, but in a rarely called penalty, defensive pass interference gifted the Dolphins 30 yards. Sanders hit from 41 to end the half with the Dolphins back on top 20-17. The second half was even wilder. 

After a third quarter touchback, runs and short passes had the Chargers facing 2nd and 5 at the Miami 47. Kelley then ran for 14 and Ekeler added 11. Defensive pass interference added 13 yards down to the 5. Another defensive pass interference penalty put the ball on the one. Herbert got in to finish the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 24-20 Chargers. The Dolphins moved from their own 25 as Tagovailoa went deep to hill for 30 yards. Yet on 3rd and 12 from the Chargers 26, Tagovialoa was intercepted. The Chargers had to punt on 4th and 13 from their own one. A short punt meant a short field for the Dolphins at the Chargers 35. One play was enough for Tagovailoa to hit Hill for the touchdown and reclaim the lead for the Dolphins 27-24. 

After a touchback, Herbert connected with Ekeler for a 35 yard gain. Herbert hit Everett for 11. The fourth quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 1 at the Miami 10. Kelley gained 3. Kelley ran for a 2 yard touchdown to again give the Chargers the 31-27 lead in this topsy turvy game. The Dolphins moved after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 30. A swing pass to Hill was blown up for a 5 yard loss, killing the drive. Sanders hit from 45 to get the Dolphins within 31-30. The Chargers after a touchback moved all the way to a 3rd and 5 at the Miami 7 with 4 minutes left in regulation. They had a chance to ice the game. Herbert threw incomplete. Dicker hit the 25 yard field goal as the Chargers led 34-30. Yet they left the door open. This wild game was headed for a wild finish.

On 3rd and 10 from his own 25, Tagovailoa went deep to Hill for 47 yards. Tagovailoa then hit Cracraft for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Tagovailoa hit Hill for the touchdown. Sanders missed the extra point, so the Dolphins only led by 2 points. The Chargers had 1:45 left needing only a field goal to win. Yet an intentional grounding penalty and a sack had the Chargers facing 4th and 12 at their own 33. Herbert was sacked again as the Dolphins survived this instant classic. The Chargers rushed for 234 yards. Herbert played mistake-free football. Yet Tagovailoa threw for a mind-boggling 466 yards and 3 touchdown passes with one interception. More importantly for him, his last touchdown pass was decisive. A playoff rematch between these teams would be eagerly anticipated. 36-34 Dolphins 

Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots — These teams met in 2 Super Bowls, with each team winning one. The names of the Eagles change, but Bill Belichick is still coaching the Patriots. Tom Brady is long gone, and Mac Jones regressed last year. The Eagles are the defending NFC champions, and early on they looked it.  After an opening touchback, they drove to a 3rd and goal at the 6. Jalen Hurts was sacked. Jake Elliott hit the 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. Jones moved the Patriots from their own 24 to a 3rd and 5 at the Philadelphia 42. Jones then threw a pass meant for Kendrick Bourne that was intercepted by Darrius Slay and returned 70 yards the other way. The defensive touchdown made it 10-0 Eagles. One play after a touchback, a short completion by Jones was fumbled and recovered by the Eagles at the New England 26. Four plays later Hurts found Davonta Smith for a 5 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Eagles were dominating 16-0 after the first quarter.

For those wondering if Bill Belichick would get blown out 64-0 at home, he would not. In the second quarter the Patriots faced 3rd and 6 at their own 33. Jones went to Mike Gesicki for 9. On 3rd and 10 from his own 42, Jones hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 15, Douglas for 23, Ty Montgomery for 11, and Hunter Henry for a 9 yard touchdown to get the Patriots on the board with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Patriots got it back at their own 37 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Jones went to Henry for consecutive 13 yard gains. With 25 seconds left, Jones found Bourne for a 19 yard touchdown. After getting blown out early, the Patriots only trailed 16-14 at the intermission. 

The second half was uglier. It looked like the Eagles would slowly grind down the Patriots with field goals. Elliott leveled a 56 yarder in the third quarter and then connected from 48 and 51 in the fourth quarter to give the Eagles a 25-14 lead with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet the Patriots fought back. After a touchback, Jones went to Stevenson for a 32 yard gain, to Douglas for 16, to Stevenson again for 11, and to Bourne for an 11 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Patriots were very much alive down by 5 with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Eagles took over at their own 27 and disaster immediately struck. Hurts fumbled and the Patriots recovered at the Philadelphia 41. They had plenty of time and a short field to grind out a win themselves. They went backward and on 4th and 17, Jones threw incomplete. Yet the eagles could not put the game away either. Just past the 2 minute warning, Nick Sirianni gambled on 4th and 2 at the New England 44 rather than punt the ball. Hurts threw incomplete and again the Patriots had life and great field position. With 27 seconds left, the Patriots had 4th and 11 at the Philly 20. Jones went to Boutte for 12 and the home crowd celebrated. Yet on further review, Boutte was ruled to not have both feet inbounds. It was a brutally close call and a tough home loss for the Patriots. 25-20 Eagles

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants is the Sunday night game. In the first week of the 1995 NFL season, the Cowboys went into Giants stadium on Monday Night Football. The Cowboys scored on the first play and humiliated the Giants 35-0 en route to their most recent Super Bowl title. This Game in 2023 kicked off the season on Sunday Night Football. With the 9/11 anniversary one day away, the Giants wrapped themselves in the American flag. The drove straight down the field after a touchback to a 3rd and 2 at the Dallas 8 yard line. Then came a false start. Then came a bad snap, a fumble, and a 14 yard loss. Yet a makable field goal of 45 yards would still give the Giants the lead. Instead the kick was blocked and returned 58 yards for a touchdown the other way by Noah Igbinoghene. The extra point was no good, but the Cowboys led 6-0 in front of a shellshocked crowd at Metlife Stadium. 

The Giants misery was just getting started. After going 3 and out, the Giants punted and the Cowboys moved from their own 26 to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Dak Prescott threw incomplete, but Aubrey made the 21 yard field goal. The Cowboys led 9-0, but the defensive stand seemed like  moral victory for the Giants.Yet 3 plays after a touchback, this game was effectively over. On 3rd and 19 from his own 16, Jones was intercepted by Bland, who returned the pick 22 yards for another touchdown. The Cowboys led 16-0 after the first quarter and were just getting started. In the second quarter Aubrey hit again from 38. One play after a touchback, Jones was intercepted again to give the Cowboys a short field at the Giants 34. Tony Pollard ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 26-0 Cowboys. The last chance for any dignity evaporated when Graham Gano missed a 36 yard field goal try for the Giants. The uneventful second half saw Pollard cap off a 75 yard drive with a one yard touchdown in the third quarter and Turpin run for a 7 yard fourth quarter touchdown to conclude the Royal Blue black and blue beatdown over not-so-Big Blue. The Giants were so bad that New Yorkers were debating whether to claim the G-Men were from New Jersey. As for the Cowboys, Jerry Jones hypes them every year. This year Jerrah’s hype might be real. 40-0 Cowboys 

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets is the Monday night game. In the first Monday night football game after the September 11th attacks, the Jets were supposed to inspire the home crowd. They lost. 22 years later, they were playing on Monday Night Football on the anniversary of 9/11. For the first time since 1999, the Jets were talked about as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After the 1998 Jets reached the AFC Title Game, the 1999 Jets deserved to be the favorite. In the first quarter of that game, Vinny Testaverde went down without being touched. He suffered a ruptured achilles tendon and was out for the season. The Jets were done and Bill Parcells left after the season. This 2023 Jets team acquired Aaron Rodgers. He was still playing at a Hall of Fame level. Yes, the Bills had emotion on their side as well. Damar Hamlin’s miracle journey saw him return to football after nearly dying on the field in a game last year. Yet the Jets had the home crowd at Metlife Stadium and all the 9/11 hometown goodwill. Rodgers was the last piece of the puzzle. Then the game started. 

The Jets began their first possession at their own 12 yard line. On the 4th play from scrimmage with the Jets facing 1st and 10 at their own 43, the entire AFC East landscape changed. Rodgers was sacked. He was in terrible pain and managed to walk to the sideline. Yet he did not return to the game. Even worse he had ruptured his achilles tendon. After only 4 snaps with the Jets, Rodgers was out for the season. Now the Jets had to try and win with Zach Wilson, who regressed so badly last year that Rodgers was brought in to replace him. Yet now the team had to try and rally around Wilson. 

On his first drive, the Jets punted and the Bills took over at their own 23. They moved to a 4th and 2 at the Jets 22. Sean McDermott decided not to gamble on the road. Tyler Bass hit the 40 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bills. Yet Allen had a very tough night. Early in the second quarter, Allen was intercepted on  deep ball. The Jets were pinned at their own 4 yard line, but Are Hall gashed the defense to an 83 yard gain. His effort was wasted when Wilson on 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 8 threw incomplete. Greg Zuerlein hit from 26 for a 3-3 game. 

The Bills soon faced 2nd and 15 at their own 20. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 18. On 3rd and 2 from his own 46, Allen gained 6. Cook added 12 more. Allen went deep to Davis for 26. On 3rd and 4 from the Jets 5, Allen hit Diggs for the game’s first touchdown. With less then 5 minutes left in the half, the Bills led 10-3. Three plays later, Wilson was intercepted. The Bills took over at midfield. Bass hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Bills at the half. This game seemed over. 

The Jets were resilient, especially Robert Saleh’s defense. On 3rd and 10 from their own 25, Wilson hit non-relative Wilson for 12. Wilson then went to Cook for 7 and Hall for 20. The drive stalled but Zuerlein hit from 43 to get the Jets within 13-6. The Bills moved after a touchback to a 2nd and 13 at the Jets 41. Allen went deep to the end zone and was intercepted again. Early in the fourth quarter the Bills moved from their own 15 to a 3rd and 2 at their own 43. Allen was intercepted a third time to give the Jets the ball at their own 43. On 3rd and 5, Wilson hit newly acquired Rodgers teammate Allan Lazard for 24. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 23. Wilson hit non-relative Wilson again for 14. Wilson finally went to non-Wilson for a 3 yard touchdown. The game was tied 13-13 with 5 minutes left. It was about to get completely crazy. 

On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Allen followed up his 3 interceptions by fumbling the ball away. The jets recovered with gift field position at the Buffalo 27. They tried to take down as much clock as possible. Yet they settled for a 30 yard Zuerlein field goal. The Jets led 16-13, but 1:48 still remained. The Bills after a touchback still had one timeout left. Allen hit Davis for 6 and Diggs for 15 and 10. A spike and a pair of incompletions left 2 seconds on the clock. Bass came in for a 50 yard field goal try to tie the game. As everyone held their breath, Bass’s kick doinked off the upright but got a favorable carom through. The kick was good. This game was headed to overtime. Yet barely one minute into overtime, the game was over. The Bills punted, and Xavier Gipson retuned it 65 yards through traffic for the winning touchdown. The Bills screamed about the officials missing a clipping penalty, but the score stood. The worst news about Rodgers was confirmed the day after the game. He is out for the year. Wilson is the guy this year. For those again claiming JETS stands for Just End The Season, they won this game. On 9/11 of 2023, the Jets delivered for the FDNY, NYPD, and the whole city. The game will be remembered here forever. 22-16 Jets, OT

NFL 2023 Week 1 Prequel

Thursday, September 7, 2023, 8pm

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs (-5 1/2) — Yes, football is back. yes, for the first time in 30 years, the Lions have real expectations. Yes, Dan Campbell is more than a dumb jock. Yes, their 2022 regular season finale going into Green Bay was a big win. No, they do not have a chance in this game. The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions looking to build a dynasty. With Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the Arrowhead crowd, this game could be over by halftime. The Lions are improving. The Chiefs are great. Chiefs cover

Sunday, September 10, 1pm

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-3 1/2) — Does anyone even know who coaches or plays for these teams anymore? The Panthers feature top overall pick Bryce Young starting in his very first game. The Falcons start Desmond Ridder. Trying to figure out who they throw the ball to or hand it off to would take too much time. Neither of these teams will be any good. Go with the home field in a close game. Falcons win but fail to cover.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-5) at Indianapolis Colts — Doug Pederson gave the Jaguars instant respect, and Trevor Lawrence led a playoff win for the ages. The Jaguars fell behind 27-0 and won 31-30non the final play. The Colts start rookie Anthony Richardson. The Colts were so good for so long that it’s hard to see them as bad, but new coach Shane Steichen has little to work with. Star running back Jonathan Taylor is holding out in a contract dispute. Pederson’s defense will feast on Richardson. The spread is high for a road team, but the talent gain is that wide. Jaguars cover

Cincinnati Bengals (-2 1/2) at Cleveland Browns — For a long time, this was a battle of bad teams. Now the Bengals are an elite team while the Browns remain themselves. With Joe Burrow, the Bengals have swagger. With their defense, they have a clear advantage. Deshaun Watson needs to show that he is the quarterback he was three years ago before getting the benefit of the doubt. Bengals cover

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3) — The Titans are a tough, physical team in Mike Vrabel’s image, but injuries also year saw a 7-3 start go down in flames with 7 straight losses. The Saints are the big story. Dennis Allen is a great defensive coordinator, but is he head coaching material? He is now out of excuses. He has Derek Carr, who gave everything to the Raiders in exchange for the back of their hand. Carr has a chip on his shoulder and is eager to show the NFL world that he is elite. Unlike the Raiders, the Saints have a defense. In the opener, take the home field and the emotion. Saints cover

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings (-6) — For some reason, Baker Mayfield has been a journeyman. The guy is tough. He can play. So can Kirk Cousins, who is under heavy pressure to show that he is still the guy. Mayfield has lifted inferior talent before, but this will most likely be the year that Todd Bowles gets fired. Bowles is a great defensive mind who has shown no ability to get an offense going. The Vikings jettison Dalvin Cook, a head-scratching move. Yet at home against a depleted Buccaneers squad, the men in Purple should roll. Vikings cover

San Francisco 49ers (-2 1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers — The battle between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance saw them both get injured and both get traded away. Now Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy is tall in the saddle. The Steelers need to find out if Kenny Pickett can truly play. Mike Tomlin remains an underrated coach, but this is not the week to test that. Kyle Shanahan has a nasty defense. For a West Coast Offense guy, Shanahan is willing to win ugly. 49ers cover

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders (-7) — The Cardinals are a dumpster fire and Kyler Murray regressed. With Murray injured, Joshua Dobbs gets the start. Riverboat Ron Rivera is still taking big risks. Rivera named rookie Sam Howell as the starter over experienced quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Rivera knows defense, and he will release the hounds after Dobbs. Howell will not be asked to do too much. The spread is high, but the Cardinals are truly wretched. Commanders cover

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (-10) — This game could get ugly very early. The Texans are among the worst teams in the league. The Ravens are still very good. John Harbaugh knows how to win with power football. Lamar Jackson is still a thrilling duel threat. The Ravens are known for running the ball and playing defense. That formula has not changed since they began their existence in 1996. CJ Stroud will be playing his very first NFL game. The Ravens defense will give him a cold welcome. Ravens cover

4pm

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-5 1/2) — Both teams have regressed since their glory days, but they both have stud coaches. Sean McVay knows offense and Pete Carroll knows defense. Aaron Donald chose millions of dollars over retirement. Yet the Rams are simply not who they were two years ago. The Rams seem old. The Seahawks seem young, as Carroll remains the oldest coach in the league while appearing young and happy. Carroll has revitalized Geno Smith. These teams are mirror images of each other, so expect a nasty dogfight that could go down to the wire. Although home field rarely matters in this series, go with the emotional 12th man in the opener. Seahawks win but fail to cover

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos (-3 1/2) — Both teams are bad, but the Broncos are expected to immediately get better. They have the richest owners in sports and Sean Payton brings instant credibility. He will fix Russell Wilson. The Raiders are a disaster. They got rid of Derek Carr, the heart and soul of their team. They refuse to pay give running back Josh Jacobs a new deal, although he did report to headquarters. Josh McDaniels is great at destroying teams. The Raiders have beaten the Broncos 6 straight times, but that streak ends here. These teams are headed in opposite directions. Broncos cover

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-1) — For 30 years, the Packers dominated the Bears. Can Jordan Love play? Nobody knows. Yet with Aaron Rodgers gone, an automatic Green Bay win is no longer a thing. This is the year we find out if the twin Matts LaFleur and Eberflus can actually coach. This is the year Love and his counterpart Justin Fields have to show who they are. If the Bears cannot win this game, they may never beat their oldest rival again in this decade. Bears cover

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers (-3) — Yes, Justin Herbert is better than Tua Tagovailoa. Herbert stays in the pocket. Tagovailoa runs around and gets killed. Mike McDaniel may look like he’s 12, but he can coach. Brandon Staley is a terrible coach who makes mind-numbingly risky decisions due to arrogance. The Chargers talent is often overhyped, but this team has truly underachieved on his watch. One year after being knocked out of the playoff race by the Raiders, Staley saw his team blow a 27-0 playoff led in an epic 31-30 loss to Jacksonville. The Chargers are loaded, and Tagovailoa does not get the benefit of the doubt until he stays healthy and strings some wins together. Chargers cover

Philadelphia Eagles (-4) at New England Patriots — The Eagles lost the Super Bowl but kept their nucleus. For the first time in over 23 years, Bill Belichick is being questioned. Mac Jones has regressed, but Belichick had success in the league before Tom Brady. Belichick at his core is about smash mouth and defense. Raimondre Stevens can pound the rock, and the Patriots defense is good. On paper the Eagles are better, but at home with the wolves circling, look for Belichick to again prove the naysayers wrong. Upset special, Patriots win outright.

8pm

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at New York Giants — Once again, the Dallas Cowboys have big expectations. Once again, those expectations are misplaced. Dak Prescott is good but not elite. Micah Parsons can’t play all by himself on defense, but he does have help now. The Giants went all in with Daniel Jones, which still seems like a mistake. Brian Daboll had a great rookie season as coach, but so did Ben McAdoo. While this game will be played in the shadow ow the 9/11 anniversary, patriotism won’t save the G-Men. Prescott is better than Jones and the Cowboys have the better defense. Cowboys cover

Monday, September 11, 8pm

Buffalo Bills (-2 1/2) at New York Jets — This game will be played on 9/11, but do not expect the Jets to play inspired football. Heck, they lost their first home game after the 9/11 attacks, also on Monday night. Aaron Rodgers is a great player, but his final game in Green Bay was a disaster. Detroit hit Green Bay in the mouth, knocked the Packers out of the playoff race, and knocked Rodgers out of Green Bay. The Jets have high expectations, but it takes time for a team to gel. The Bills have the experience. Sean McDermott and Robert sales both know defense, but McDermott usually wins these battles. Josh Allen is elite. Yes, the home crowd will be emotional, but the Bills will have emotion as well. Damar Hamlin nearly died in a football game last year. This walking miracle of a man is not only alive but back on the field. While a person risks getting punched by calling the Bills the only true New York team, in this game they are the better team. Bills cover

https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2023/pro-football-hall-of-fame-to-enshrine-nine-in-class-of-2023/

Top 23 NFL games of 2023

1) Week 1 Raiders at Broncos

2) Week 1 Bills at Jets

3) Week 2 Ravens at Bengals

4) Week 3 Patriots at Jets

5) Week 4 Lions at Packers

6) Week 5 Cowboys at 49ers

7) Week 6 Patriots at Raiders

8) Week 8 Chiefs at Broncos

9) Week 9 Bills at Bengals

10) Week 11 Eagles at Chiefs

11) Week 12 Chiefs at Raiders

12) Week 13 Bengals at Jaguars

13) Week 14 Bills at Chiefs

14) Week 14 Eagles at Cowboys

15) Week 15 Chiefs at Patriots (maybe Chargers at Raiders)

16) Week 16 Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers

17) Week 16 Bills at Chargers

18) Week 17 Bengals at Chiefs

19) Week 17 Packers at Vikings

20) Week 18 Vikings at Lions

21) Week 18 Chiefs at Chargers

22) Week 18 Bills at Dolphins

23) Week 18 Eagles at Giants

eric

NFL Draft 2023 Recap

eric

Super Bowl LVII (57) Recap

The Kansas City Chiefs hosted the AFC Title Game for an NFL record fifth straight year under Walrus Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. On the verge of a dynasty, they risked becoming a dynasty that never was. The Cincinnati Bengals came out of nowhere and shocked the football world in 2021. The Bengals have never won the Super Bowl. Last year the Bengals exploded out of nowhere and shocked the Chiefs in the AFC Title Game in Arrowhead. The 2021 Bengals overcame a 21-3 deficit to win 27-24 in overtime. The Bengals fell short to the Rams 23-20 in the Super Bowl. This year was a rematch of the previous AFC Title Game. Again the game appeared destined for overtime. Then a critical personal foul with seconds left in the game allowed the Chiefs to kick the winning field goal for a 23-20 regulation victory. The Chiefs are headed to their third Super Bowl in four years. 

The NFC was more cut and dry. The Philadelphia Eagles coasted to a 13-1 regular season record before an injury to Jalen Hurts had them tube down the stretch. They lost a couple games but managed to hang on to the top seed with a first round bye and home field throughout the playoffs. Despite being seen as vulnerable, the Eagles blasted the New York Giants 38-7 in the Divisional Round and the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Title Game. The Eagles knocked out the 49ers third string quarterback Mr. Irrelevant and fourth string quarterback Josh Johnson. Kevin Sirianni started 2-5 last year in his rookie season. Yet he turned the team around to a 9-8 overall finish and then got the Eagles to the big game in his second season. The Eagles won their only Super Bowl five years ago. Now a new coach and new quarterback are seeking to do it again. 

This game is the first Super Bowl where both starting quarterbacks are black. More importantly, both quarterbacks are mobile and young. Many Super Bowls have been won with older quarterbacks who are traditional pocket passers. This game seems to be the passing of the torch to a new generation.  

The Chiefs are easy to define. Mahomes is a 25th century Buck Rodgers freak of nature. Reid became America’s Walrus by becoming one of the best offensive play-callers in the game. 

The Eagles are more complex. There is nobody who immediately stands out as a generational NFL best. Yet they gel together as a team. They are a blue collar bunch with a ton of speed on defense. 

This was the first time both top seeds were in the big game in five years, when the Eagles won it all over New England for their first ever Super bow win. Two years later the Chiefs won their second overall Super Bowl 50 years after winning their first one. 

Chris Stapleton did a fantastic job with the national anthem as tears fell from both eyes of Nick Sirianni. A beautiful tribute to Pat Tillman was followed by a solid coin toss won by the Chiefs, who, deferred. to the second half. 

The Eagles began facing 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Hurts went to Devonta Smith for a 12 yard gain. Hurts then ran for an 11 yard gain. Hurts went to Goedert for 12. Hurts went back to Smith, who shook a tackle and gained 25. Boston Scott went straight up the gut for 9. On rd and 3 from the Kansas City 4, another run out of the shotgun was taken by Kenneth Gainwell up the gut for the first down but inches short of the touchdown. Hurts took the quarterback sneak and got a great surge from his offensive line where all 5 starters made the Pro Bowl. Hurts’s one yard touchdown nearly 5 minutes into the game made it 7-0 Eagles. 

Coaches started deferring when Bill Belichick started doing it. It is still a terrible decision, especially when teams have a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs voluntarily allowed the Eagles to dictate the pace of the start of the game. Mahoms went to Kelce for a 19 yard gain. Mahomes ran for 8 more. Pacheco broke free for a 25 yard gain. Mahomes threw a perfect fade to Kelce for an 18 yard touchdown. Each team scored on their opening possession for a 7-7 game. 

An offensive pass interference penalty derailed the next Eagles possession. The Chiefs began their next possession at their own 33. Form his own 47 after a defensive penalty, Mahomes fired over the middle to Kelce for 22. On 3rd and 3 from the Philadelphia 24, Mahoems as he was going down through a dangerous shovel pass that was nearly intercepted but fell incomplete. Walrus Andy Reid brought in Harrison Butker for the 42 yard field goal try. The kick hooked left and doinked off the upright no good. 

The Eagles on 3rd and 4 from their own 37  got a break when the Chiefs jumped offside. The Eagles began the second quarter with 1st and 10 at the Chiefs 45. A well-executed play action pass saw Hurts got for it all. The bomb was thrown into double coverage, but the defender lost sight of the ball and AJ Brown came down with it for the touchdown and the 14-7 Eagles lead. 

The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Mahomes threw over the middle low and incomplete. The Eagles got it back and faced 3rd and 8 from their own 35. Hurts scrambled all over and found Zach Pascal for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 47, a false start was followed by disaster. On 3rd and 6, Hurts lost control of the ball without being touched. The fumble bounced straight to Chiefs defender Nick Bolton, who returned it 36 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 14-14 game. 

After a touchback, Hurts kept the ball on a designed run and gained 14. On 3rd and inches from their own 48, Hurts took the sneak and got the yard. On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 46, a surprise running play did not fool the defense, gaining only 2 yards. Kevin Sirianni gambled on 4th and 5. Out of the shotgun, Hurts took a designed draw 29 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Chiefs 9, a run out of the shotgun gained only one yard. On 4th and 2, the Eagles again lineup to go for it and the defense bit on the hard count offside. On 1st and goal from the 4 out of the shotgun, Hurts ran it in off tackle for the touchdown. With 2:20 left in the half, the 12 play, 75 yard , 7 1/2 minute drive with 2 4th down conversions had the Eagles up 21-14.   

On 3rd and 15 from his own 30, Mahomes was taken down after a 3 yard gain. Mahomes limped off the field in pain. He was in agony on the bench only weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain. A good punt return had the Eagles with the ball at their own 43 with 1:22 left in the half and 2 timeouts. On 2nd and 1, Hurts went bombs away to Smith for a big gain, but on further review it was ruled an incompletion. On 3rd and 1, Hurts kept the sneak and gained 2. On 3rd and 4 with 23 seconds left, Hurts fired to Brown, who caught it over the middle but raced to the sideline to preserve the final timeout. Yet from the Chiefs 19, a pointless 2 yard completion squandered a chance at a touchdown. A 35 yard field goal to end the half had the Eagles up 24-14. 

The halftime show is pointless and should be abolished and replaced with football highlights on the jumbotron. Back to football. As expected, Mahmoes came out to start the third quarter after a touchback. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Jerick McKinnon ran for 13. Mahomes as he was going to the ground somehow fired a low throw that Kelce caught at his shoestrings for 10. Mahomes then went to Justin Watson for 13. Mahomes pulled a Housini act in avoiding another sack and running for 13 yards down to the Philadelphia 5 yard line. Isaiah Pacheco ran for a one yard touchdown as the 10 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Chiefs right back in it down 24-21. 

After a touchback, disaster immediately again struck the Eagles. A sideways wing pass saw the receiver quickly belted by Willi Snead. The resulting fumble was returned for another defensive touchdown and the Chiefs first lead of the game. Yet officials talked it over and properly ruled the play an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 6, Hurts fired a perfect pass through a tight window to Dallas Goedert for 17. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 47, Gainwell gained 4. Yet a delay of game penalty had the Eagles facing 3rd and 14 from the Chiefs 47. Hurts threw a perfect pass to Goedert between 2 defenders for a 17 yard gain. Walrus Andy Reid  challenged the catch. Replay showed that Goedert bobbled the ball and did not get both feet down. Instead of being in field goal range, it appeared the Eagles had to punt. Yet the crowd was surprised when the catch stood, the Eagles had a new set of downs, and the Chiefs lost a timeout. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 21, a pitchout was stopped cold for no gain. On 4th and 1, Kevin Sirianni went for it again and hurts snuck it again and got the yard again. On 3rd and 11 from the Chiefs 20, the Eagles had to burn  timeout to avoid another delay of game penalty. A completion came up way short. This time on 4th and 6, Sirianni was not in a gambling mood. Jake Elliott’s 33 yard field goal was dead center. The staggering 17 play, 60 yard, 8 minute drive featured the most number of plays on a drive in Super Bowl history. Yet the Eagles only led 27-21 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter.     

After a touchback, Mahomes hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 8. Pacheco barreled for a pair of 9 yard gains as the Chiefs began the fourth quarter with 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 44 with a chance to take the lead. Mahomes went to Smith-Schuster for big gains of 14 and 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Philly 5, Mahomes found a wide open Kadarius Toney in the flat for a easy touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Chiefs had their first lead of the game up 28-27. The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Hurts threw incomplete as the Eagles quickly went 3 and out. Toney fielded the punt, got a wall of blockers, and weaved through traffic. Toney returned the punt 65 yards down to the Philly 5 yard line. It was the longest punt return touchdown in Super Bowl history. On 3rd and goal, Mahomes went to the flat on the left side instead of the right side. Again, a wide open receiver Skye Moore breezed into the end zone. The Chiefs had a 35-27 lead with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Hurts initially appeared stopped but a second surge at the end got him the yard. On 3rd and 5 from their own 41, Hurts fired to Brown for 11. Hurts went bombs away to Smith for a 57 yard gain down to the 2. On the next play even though everyone knew it was coming, Hurts snuck up the middle and got the touchdown. With 5:15 left, the Eagles were a 2 point conversion from tying the game. Hurts rolled out and went for it himself. He banged a defender at the goal line and won the battle, crashing into the end zone. This thriller was tied 35-35. Hurts tied a Super Bowl record with 3 rushing touchdowns. although he was the first quarterback to do it. 

After a touchback, Mahomes hit Smith-Schuster for 12. On 3rd and 1 from their own 48, Pacheco got around he end and gained 8. Mahomes took a designed quarterback draw for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Philly 15 with 1:54 to play, Mahomet threw incomplete. Yet a killer defensive holding call meant 1st and goal at the 10. Now the Chiefs could take the clock almost all the way down. With 10 seconds left in the Super Bowl, Butker came in for the 33 yard chip shot to win it. Butker’s kick was good with 8 seconds left. A short kickoff gave the Eagles one final chance from their own 35 with 5 seconds left. The coaches were a 65 yard Hail Mary or the hook and laterals. Stunningly, the Eagles chose neither. With plenty of time to throw, Hurts threw a 30 yard pass over the middle to nobody. 

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second time in 4 years and the third time in franchise history. Mahomes became the first player since Kurt Warner and the 1999 Rams to win the regular season MVP and the Super Bowl. Walrus Andy Reid did not discuss his future as rumors circulated of his retirement after 24 years as ahead coach and over 40 years in coaching overall. Reid beat the employer who fired him a decade ago. Reid and Mahomes are now locks for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when they hang it up, but Mahomes most likely has a long way to go. As for his bad ankle, he has 7 months until the 2023 regular season kicks off. The 2023 NFL Draft and schedule release are less than 3 months away. The 2022 NFL season is now in the history books. 38-35 Chiefs

eric   

NFL 2022-2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Predictions

LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2023 — On Sunday, Super Bowl LVII (57) in Phoenix will conclude by crowning the champion of the 2022 National Football League season. The winning team has bragging rights to having the best football players on the field this season. On the Thursday before the game, several retired NFL players and contributors will join the greatest team ever for all eternity. They will join the roster of all-time gridiron greats in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) in Canton, Ohio.

Forty-six sportswriters will meet in a secret location either in person or virtually to discuss each nominee. In the football equivalent of an underground bunker, vigorous debates will take place. At the conclusion of their deliberations, America will have seven or eight new Hall of Fame nominees.

The forty-six voting sportswriters began with a list of 100 names. They later chopped it down to 25. Recently, they whittled it down to 15 player finalists plus one senior nominee, one contributor nominee, and one head coaching nominee.

Lists of any kind are always controversial because, in the end, they are subjective. Once again, some individuals who absolutely deserve to be in the HOF immediately continue to be shunned. The separate categories for contributors allows more nominees to get in. Thankfully, the Hall of Fame finally listened to reason in 2021 and put coaches in a separate category from players.

Currently, the Pro Football Hall of Fame designates no category at all for assistant coaches. This must change in future years. Also, it is ludicrous that former San Diego Chargers coach Don “Air” Coryell is still waiting to get into the Hall of Fame. 

Most if not all of the current 18 remaining Hall of Fame nominees genuinely deserve to get in. The real issue becomes who deserves to get in right now.

That said, every year produces one or two no-brainers. When sportswriters nominated Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Ray Lewis, those discussions probably took 60 seconds.

So without further ado, here is the list of the 18 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists and what should happen this year if any justice remains in this world.

Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR — 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-2015 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens, 2016 Seattle Seahawks

As a wide receiver, Hester was at best mediocre. As a return man, Hester was the very best the NFL has ever seen. Football games are won and lost because of turnovers and field position. Hester affected field position. He is the only player in Super Bowl history to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He has the most touchdown returns in NFL history, but his impact goes beyond that. Opposing coaches feared Hester. “Do not kick the ball to Devin Hester” became a popular exclamation. Attempts at avoiding kicking to Hester caused kickers to send the ball out of bounds, setting up offenses at their own 40 yard line. Hester should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer last year because he caused the entire league to alter their special teams in a way not seen since he retired. Hester immediately gets in. 

Ronde Barber, CB/S. 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and John Lynch were the big three, but if a fourth member of the 2002 Buccaneers defense gets in, it should be Barber. If one play defines the greatness of a team, it has to be Barber’s 92 yard interception return that locked up the 2002 NFC Title Game and sent the Pirates of Pewter Power to their first Super Bowl. The history of the NFL cannot be told without that play that turned the laughingstock of the league into World champions. Teams regularly employ the Tampa 2 defense. When an entire defensive strategy is named after the team you played on, you are a Hall of Famer. Barber deserves to get in and will get in. 

Zach Thomas, LB. 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys

Thomas was the lead anchor on a solid Miami defense that lacked offensive firepower after Dan Marino retired in 1999. Thomas never got to a Super Bowl or even an AFC Title Game, but the offense was not his responsibility. His teammate Jason Taylor got in, and Thomas was better than Taylor. Thomas is a classic case of someone deserving to get in but who gets crowded out by those who must get in immediately. That logjam has finally been broken. Thomas finally gets in.

Joe Thomas, OT — 2007-2017 Cleveland Browns. 

Thomas was the ultimate lunch pail guy. He never played in a playoff game. The Browns went 10-6 in his rookie season but lost the tie-breaker. After that came 10 straight losing seasons. Yet Thomas is the only offensive lineman to ever make the Pro Bowl every year in his first 10 years. He played in 10,363 straight snaps without missing a single snap, an NFL record with no close second. In his first year of eligibility, the ultimate winner on America’s most lovable losers deserves his due. Thomas gets in. 

Albert Lewis, CB — 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-1998 Los Angeles Raiders

Lewis terrorized opposing defenses. Although he never got to the Super Bowl, he did record 42 interceptions in his 16 year career. As great as he was as a ballhawk in the secondary, he was even greater on special teams. He blocked 11 kicks in his career. He was one of the best special teams players of all time, and his blocked punts affected several games. In his final season at age 38, he became the oldest player in NFL history to return an interception for a touchdown. It was the only interception return touchdown in his career. He also forced 13 fumbles and recovered 13 fumbles. 25 years after he retired, he has finally been nominated for the first time to the Hall of Fame. Based on his versatility from defense to special teams, he deserves to get in. He will. 

Andre Johnson, WR — 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans

Andre Johnson never made it to an AFC Title Game, much less a Super Bowl. On the other hand, try to remember who was throwing him the football. The best of the bunch was Matt Schaub, who managed to throw a pick six in four straight games. Johnson also caught passes from David Carr and Sage Rosenfels. In Johnson’s final season in Houston, he caught passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Case Keenum. Johnson made seven Pro Bowls and holds every meaningful Texans franchise receiving record. He was the first player ever inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor. Johnson has more receiving yards than James Lofton and Cris Carter, who are both in the Hall of Fame. Lofton and Carter also had better quarterbacks throwing them the ball. Johnson deserved to get in last year on his first ballot. On merit alone, he deserves to get in this year. Yet due to several players who have been unjustly waiting forever, Johnson will have to wait one more year. He must get in next year. 

DeMarcus Ware, LB — 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-2016 Denver Broncos

DeMarcus Ware is a nominee because he deserves to be. All of the nominees deserve to be. The issue is whether Ware deserves to be in now. This is his second year on the ballot. In the 1970s, the Cowboys were known for having the Doomsday Defense. Try remembering something distinguishing about the Dallas defense while Ware was there. People remember the offense in those years, led by Tony Romo. Ware did win a Super Bowl with the 2015 Broncos, but that team was led by Von Miller and coordinated by one of the greatest defensive coordinators in league history in Wade Phillips. Ware does hold the Cowboys franchise record for sacks, but nothing about his career says he must be enshrined right now. He waits. 

Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts

Wayne caught a lot of passes from Peyton Manning, but so did many other receivers. Wayne was a reliable receiver, but he was not the top receiver on those Colts teams. That was Marvin Harrison, who is already in. Those Colts teams dominated the regular season but only won one Super Bowl. Reggie Wayne was not Calvin Johnson, which explains why Wayne has waited. Johnson got in two in years ago. Now another Johnson in Andre stands in his way. Wayne will continue to wait at least until Andre Johnson gets in.

Torry Holt, WR. 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams; 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

Holt was a key receiver on the “Greatest Show on Turf.” His quarterback Kurt Warner is in. Running back Marshall Faulk is in. Left tackle Orlando Pace is in. Receiver Isaac Bruce got in two years ago. From 1999 through 2001, the Rams offense scored at will. It was right to put Bruce in to the HOF before Holt. Like Reggie Wayne, Holt was the number two receiver on his team. Holt also got crowded out two years ago by Calvin Johnson and gets bumped until Andre Johnson gets in. Holt waits.

Jared Allen, DE. 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers

Cruel misfortune denied Allen a Super Bowl ring. In the 2009 NFC Title Game, Brett Favre threw an interception rather than run out of bounds and let his kicker try a game winning field goal. The Vikings lost in overtime on a field goal without ever touching the ball, leading to the overtime rule change giving each team one chance with the ball (barring a touchdown on the opening drive). In his final game, the 15-1 Panthers lost the Super Bowl. Von Miller suffocated Cam Newton, allowing Peyton Manning to retire on top rather than Allen. In 2011, Allen had 22 sacks, only 1/2 a sack shy of the single season record. He will get in at some point, but too many players crowd him out this year.

Patrick Willis, LB — 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers

Willis was part of a nasty 49ers defense that went to three straight NFC Title Games. The 49ers won ugly, with the defense leading the team. Willis made the Pro Bowl seven straight years to start his career. His injury-plagued eighth season was his last. Like Boselli, Willis would have benefitted from a longer body of work. To be fair, Terrell Davis and Gale Sayers only played six seasons apiece. Yet they were indispensable to the success of their teams, particularly Davis. Willis was on a team that was loaded with defensive talent that did not win a Super Bowl. After a couple of lean years, the 49ers soon returned to tough defense with other players. Willis does not stand out enough, so he waits. 

Willie Anderson, OT — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

In his favor is his only allowing 16 total sacks in his 13 seasons. He faced off against nine of the top 11 sack leaders of all time and only allowed one total sack from them. That came in his rookie season against. Bruce Smith. This is another example of a worthy player who has faced stiff competition. He was not the best tackle in Bengals history. That would be Anthony Munoz, who is in the Hall of Fame. Anderson was not an equal to his contemporaries Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden or Orlando Pace. They are all in. Anderson never reached a Super Bowl or even an AFC Title Game, but he played on a team that for years was known as the Bungles. It would be a feel-good story if Anderson got in the HOF in the same year the Bengals reached consecutive AFC Title Games for the first time, but Anderson will have to wait. Joe Thomas merits getting in first. 

Dwight Freeney, DE — 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-2014 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks/Detroit Lions. Freeney got to two Super Bowls with the Colts, winning it all in 2006. Freeney got to the NFC Title Game with the Cardinals and to the Super Bowl with the Falcons. He was part of the Atlanta defense that blew a 28-3 third quarter Super Bowl lead. In his 16 seasons, he only played a full 16 games in seven of those seasons. When people think of the Colts, they think of Peyton Manning and the offense. The defense continually ranked neat the bottom. Freeney waits. 

Darrelle Revis, CB — 2007-2012 New York Jets, 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2014 New England Patriots, 2015-2016 New York Jets, 2017 Kansas City Chiefs. This is a case of celebrity giving a player a higher profile than is deserved. For a few years, he truly was Revis Island. Yet after back to back AFC Title Games in 2009 and 2010, Revis regressed. He won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, but he was just a role player at that point. They did not even pick up his option to return after they won. His number of good years was five at most, followed by six mostly mediocre years. He was overrated. Other cornerbacks merit inclusion before him. 

Darren Woodson, S — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys. Woodson was the longest tenured player from the Dallas dynasty that won three Super Bowls in 1992, 1993 and 1995. He played under five coaches in his career. He excelled under Jimmy Johnson, Barry swather, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo and Bill Parcells. He was a hard-hitting safety who played in all 16 games for each of his first five seasons and in eight of the 12 seasons he played. He deserves to get in soon, but he is crowded out for now. 

Don Coryell, Coach Finalist

It is time to correct one of the biggest injustices in Pro Football Hall of Fame history. The leader of “Air Coryell” should have been enshrined decades ago. The knock on him is that he never reached the Super Bowl. The rebuttal is that it is impossible to tell the story of the NFL without him. Coryell and Al Davis were disciples of the legendary Sid Gilman. Gilman and Davis are both already in the Hall of Fame. 

It is one thing to take over a really good team and get them to the next level. Coryell took over losers and turned them into winners. He took the laughingstock St. Louis Cardinals to the playoffs, unleashing quarterback Jim Hart. He took the lowly San Diego Chargers to consecutive AFC Title Games. His Air Coryell quarterback Dan Fouts was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1993. Wide receiver Charlie Joiner and tight end Kellen Winslow are in. It is long past time that the mastermind behind one of the greatest offenses the football world has ever seen gets in.  

One of Coryell’s disciples was Mike Martz. Martz was the St. Louis Rams Mad Scientist offensive coordinator during the “Greatest Show on Turf” years. Martz’s quarterback, running back, wide receiver and offensive tackle all got in the Hall of Fame, as did their coach Dick Vermeil last year. Everyone connected to Coryell knows that he took what Gilman taught him and revolutionized the passing game. He threw the ball all the time and changed the way offense is played. Again, he must get in. It should be unanimous.

Senior Finalists: 

Chuck Howley, Outside Linebacker (Chicago Bears 1958-1959, Dallas Cowboys 1961-1973). His story is inspiring. A serious knee injury had him quitting football after only two years. Yet after taking an entire year off, he came back and played another 13 seasons. He was part of some of the most important games in NFL history. He probably would have gotten in earlier had the Cowboys not lost so many heartbreakers. They were defeated in the 1966 and 1967 NFL Championship games against Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers. Both losses came on the final play, with the latter game being the famous “Ice Bowl.” Then in Super bowl V in 1970, the Cowboys lost to the Colts, also on the final play. That game was known as the “Blunder Bowl.” Yet Howley was the MVP of that game. He remains the only Super bowl MVP to play for the losing side. He finally got his Super Bowl ring when the 1971 Cowboys won it all in Super Bowl VI. He won many games and was consequential to the story of the NFL. Howley merits enshrinement.

Joe Klecko, Defensive end/tackle and nose guard (New York Jets 1977-1987, Indianapolis Colts 1988). Klecko was part of the feared quartet known as the New York Sack Exchange along with Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam and Marty Lyons. Klecko is the only player in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl at three different positions. Some voters may be tempted to vote against Klecko due to criminal acts he committed after leaving football. Yet he should only be judged based on his on the field performance. Under Klecko, the Jets only made the AFC Title Game once, a losing effort in the Miami mud. That was during a strike-shortened season where Klecko missed most of the season. Klecko was a very good player, but the Hall of Very Good is not the Hall of Fame. It’s a very close call. Klecko is famous for his appearance in several Burt Reynolds movies, but celebrity should not be a factor. Again, making the Pro Bowl at three separate positions is the biggest selling point for those in the pro-Klecko corner. Klecko may get in at some point, but keeping him out for now could be justified. 

Ken Riley, Cornerback (Cincinnati Bengals 1968-1983).  Despite being a standout quarterback in college, Riley was an NFL cornerback and played in seven playoff games in 15 seasons. He made it to one Super Bowl. He even had two interceptions in his final regular season game. Since Riley retired in 1983, only Rod Woodson has had more interceptions. While he does not receive as much fame or notoriety as Deion Sanders or Dick “Night Train Lane,” Riley did have 65 interceptions. at the time of his retirement, that was the fourth most in NFL history. The three players ahead of him, Lane, Emlen Tunnell and Paul Krause are all in the Hall of Fame. Riley also had 18 fumble recoveries. Additionally, he was a special teams ace who was used on kickoff returns. The case against Riley would be that he never made the Pro Bowl. Yet he played on some terrible Bengals teams, causing many Pro Bowl voters to ignore the Bengals altogether. Riley’s body of work is worthy of inclusion. He should get in.