Monday, September 8, 2008

NFL Week 1 Thoughts

A quick rundown of the weekend that was in the NFL.

Congrats to Antoine Cason, making some noise in his first NFL game. The Arizona Thorpe Award winner filled up his stat cart with 5 Solo Tackles, 6 Total, a Pass Defended, and a Forced Fumble. The 4 DBs drafted before him totaled 2 Tackles and 2 solo. Whoops. Another Kitty Kat alum, Syndric Steptoe hauled in a 12 yard first down pass as well as 84 yards on 5 returns for the Browns in his first regular season PT. Other former Cats in action this past weekend, Antonio Pierce made a few tackles in Thursday Night's opener, Dennis Northcutt, in his 8th year, hauled in a couple passes for the Jags, Chris McAlister had 4 Tackles (3 solo) and an INT for the Black Birds in Baltimore. San Diego Bolt TE Brandon Manumaleuna had a couple catches, and might be looking at a breakout year with the recent injury bug that Antonio Gates has had. 2nd year G-Men DB Michael Johnson added a couple more solo tackles, and 4 Total Tackles and DE Copeland Bryan put up 2 more Solo Tackles to the Kitty Kat Alum totals, Place Kicker and former UA Heart Breaker Nick Folk did what was needed and connected on all 4 Extra Points, the Cowboys offense didn't feel the need for any FGs in Sundays contest. And of course the All-Pro Wildcat Linebackers Bruschi tacked on 12 Tackles, 2 Solo and the MVP of former UA Studs, LB Lance Briggs accounted for 8 Tackles, 5 Solo, and a Fumble Return for a TD that put the Bears up big.

Speaking of The Bears, they aren't going to the Super Bowl this year but they did EXACTLY what they did in '05 with Orton running things. Controlled the game, controlled the clock, controlled the ball, ran a lot, stopped the Colts on D, scored on D (8 points, TD and Safety) and Orton kept the ball in the hands of the Bears and managed 150 yards in the air using quick outs to get first downs. He finished with a QB Rating of 83.4. Matt Forte was the first Bears Rookie Running Back to start the game since Walter Payton. Payton finished with 8 carries and 0 yards. Forte finished with 18 yards receiving and 123 yards on 23 carries, including a break through, up the middle 50 yard TD with Defensive MVP, Bob Sanders, in his wake. Like I said, Bears aren't going to the Super Bowl, but 8-8 isn't out of the question. The Defense looked really good last night. Then again they have the '06 Defense back, plus have Dusty Dvoracek

Matt Cassel is running the Patriots, my quick thoughts about this subject.

Karma. If the Cassel led Patriots wind up out of the playoffs people will question just how much of a genius Belichick really is. With Tom Brady as the starter, Belichick is 101-27. When Belichick has started anyone but Brady he is 42-68 as a Head Coach. This is Karmic, and I laugh at the fact that the hits just keep on coming for Belichick ever since this time last year when he was busted for video-taping.

That hit was clean, I'm sick of Randy Moss and others saying it was dirty. Watch the play Bernard Pollard was blocked into Brady. Brady sat out the preseason. I've gotta think if he had been in the preseason he would have seen the mass of bodies at his knees and been able to move. He wasn't light enough on his feet and he paid dearly.

Irony. Matt Cassel sat behind Matt Leinart for 3 years at USC as Leinart went on to be famous and win the Heisman. Next week Matt Cassel will start his first Professional Football game at Quarterback. His first regular season start since he was in High School. Matt Leinart, in his 3rd season in the NFL, will be on the bench...yet again.

Irony - Part II. I will say that I hate the Patriots and want nothing less than to watch them falter and fail this season. With that said I was not excited to see Brady get injured. The point is, a sick part of me wants the Pats to go 19-0 and win the Super Bowl this year and have Matt Cassel replace Tom Brady. Just so Tom Brady can get Tom Brady'd by his back up. I have nothing against Tom Brady but I know somewhere Drew Bledsoe will laugh heartily, wherever he is.

Irony - Part III. For the first time since the 2005 Super Bowl, Tom Brady was not listed on the Injury Report for the Patriots. Tom Brady will be on the Injury Report for the rest of this season.

Am I the only one wondering, were the Cowboys really that good yesterday or is the Browns offense one and done under Franchise QB Derek Anderson. The Boys shut down the Browns big time yesterday. The only TD coming as the result of a Pacman penalty.

In all the Brady madness, did anyone else notice that Vince Young will be outlined with a knee injury for 2-4 weeks. What does this mean for the Titans who looked to have a good shot at it this year.

Where was Chad Ocho Cinco on Sunday, the only 85 I saw for the Bengals was C. Johnson who had 1 22 yd reception. He can't throw the 85 on the jersey because he missed the deadline and Reebok already produced hundreds and thousands of C. Johnson jerseys. Whoops.

Speaking of patches, I'm all for memorial patches, but did they really need the GU patches to be that big. Why not a helmet sticker or a minor sleeve patch. Gene Upshaw made the NFL what it is for players today, like it or not when you buy your tickets. Memorializing is great and nice but that patch is just an eyesore. Even the most minor of helmet stickers or smaller patches or black arm bands would have been showed and discussed many times in each game. There was no need for a 6 inch diameter circle on the players chests.

McNabb looked great, I'm still upset the Bears weren't able to make any kind of run at him.

Michael Turner, wow, way to step out of LdT's Shadow. 220 yards on 22 carries and 2 TDs. Also, Matt Ryan, 1st pass for a TD, that'll shut up some of the doubters...for the time being.

Is Buffalo really that good? Maybe the Brady injury didn't matter, Buffalo looks like they're the class of the AFC East.

Good Weekend for Football.

0 comments: