NFL Rewind - Week One
by Chad Klassen
Love of Sports Correspondent
The NFL season is officially upon us, and following the conclusion of Sunday’s action, we learned a ton about the potential, or lack thereof, of certain teams around the league. There are still 15 games remaining on the schedule, but big news came out of basically every NFL city. Here are the top stories:
No Super Bowl for Patriots
New England can forget all hopes of returning to the Super Bowl. Tom Brady took a low hit from Kansas City’s Bernard Pollard and we got the news he won’t be playing for the remainder of the season. With Matt Cassel coming into the game, they were only able to beat the lowly Chiefs 17-10 – and the competition will only get stiffer from here on out. This was obviously the biggest news to hit the NFL, and the league might see some lower ratings without a guy like Brady. Notwithstanding, the Pats offense will take a major step back with Cassel in the huddle, but they are still a playoff team. The pieces are still in place on both sides of the ball, minus Brady, and Bill Belichick always seems to find ways to win, no matter the situation.
Colts Horse Around, Chargers Electrocuted
When the news came out of New England that Brady was gone, we all thought Indy and San Diego were the odds-on favorites to grab the top two spots in the AFC. Well, both of those teams looked mediocre at home, especially the Colts on Sunday night. Losing his trusted center to retirement, Peyton Manning didn’t look comfortable in the new Lucas Oil Stadium, and Indy’s offense all-around wasn’t too sharp in a 29-13 loss to Bears. San Diego actually played fairly well, with the offense putting up some big plays, including the Chambers 44-yard TD. Phillip Rivers was an efficient 17-for-27 and threw for 217 yards and three TDs, while L.T. was three yards short of 100 yards. But to give up a game-winning touchdown on the last play is never acceptable and not what we’ve come to expect from the Chargers defense. There’s still A LOT of football yet to play, and I expect the Colts and Chargers to work out the kinks and return to top form, but watching both losing on their home field was a huge eye-opener.
Run Forte, Run
Over the last couple years, the situation at running back in Chicago looked bleaker and bleaker, starting with the Thomas Jones trade and hitting rock-bottom with the Cedric Benson saga. But it all changed last night with the emergence of Matt Forte, who had a breakthrough performance and helped the Bears win the opener. He was absolutely tremendous to watch with the rock, especially on his 50-yard TD run in the first quarter. Forte broke throupgh the first line of Colt defenders, and then put on the afterburners to blow by safety Bob Sanders. In the Super Bowl XLI rematch, Chicago’s defense was as dominant as they’ve looked lately; the unit made a big play in the third when Charles Tillman stripped Marvin Harrison and Lance Briggs took it back to the house. But it was Forte who stole the show offensively with his 123 yards on the ground.
Falcons Offense Flying High
If there were any criticisms throw out in Atlanta about overpaying for Michael Turner, those were silenced quickly in the Falcon’s 34-21 win over Detroit at home. Turner rushed for a franchise-record 220 yards and eased the pressure on Matt Ryan. He made him impact known early in the ballgame, scampering for a 66-yard touchdown from scrimmage and later adding another score on a 5-yard run. Ryan himself didn’t look too shabby passing the ball either. On Atlanta’s first offensive possession, and his first ever pass as a pro, Ryan hit a streaking Michael Jenkins on the left sideline – with two Lions defenders in vicinity – for a 62-yard TD to open the scoring only a minute into the game. Albeit against a decimated Detroit defense, the Falcons were ahead 21-0 before the end of the first quarter, thanks to Turner’s two runs into the end zone and the throw by Ryan. The win only gives the group that much-needed confidence, which they will carry into Tampa Bay this week.
Last-Second Heroics from Delhomme
Anyone who tuned in to the Panther-Chargers matchup was treated to an absolutely great game, especially if you reside in Carolina. Even minus Steve Smith, the Panthers found a way to win on the road in San Diego, and a big part of their success on Sunday was Jake Delhomme. It didn’t seem like there were any ill effects from the off-season elbow surgery, as he looked like his 2003 self, going 23-of-41 with 247 yards through the air. The defense came up big throughout the contest, including the strip of Antonio Gates that resulted in a touchdown on the play, but the re-emergence of Delhomme at quarterback was clear, and this is a great sign for Carolina this season. His patience in the pocket on the last play was phenomenal; a quick pump-fake to throw off the Chargers defense before hitting Dante Rosario in the back of the end zone for the last-second victory.
OTHER TOP STORIES
--Marion Barber .. Bigger, Faster, Stronger, Barber
--The 20 Most Appropriate Athlete Names
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