This season I will be giving reviews to the games I managed to see at the weekend as well as reporting on the talking points and key plays of the other games. Today I will also throw in my picks for the end of season awards and who I think will make the Super Bowl
I shall start with the opening game of the Season, Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints.
It wasn't the most spectacular way to open a new season of NFL, considering it was a rematch of last January's riveting NFC title game, which the Saints won in overtime to advance to their first Super Bowl. It was the lowest-scoring victory of the Sean Payton era but the Saints will take it, especially after their defence limited Favre to 171 yards passing and one touchdown. Favre was 15 of 27 (56 percent) with one interception for a passer rating of 71.7 compare that to Brees, who completed 75 percent (27 of 36) of his passes without an interception, had a quarterback rating of 101.3.
From those stats you can see where this game was won and lost. Favre didn't throw a completed pass in the 3rd quarter which turned the game in favour of the Saints, after solid 2nd quarter by the Vikings scoring 9 points without reply. New Orleans would probably not taken any notice to the stat that before Thursday the last 7 Super Bowl winning sides all won the opening game, well now it is seven. Game highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Play of the Game - Drew Brees hitting Devery Henderson for a 29-yard touchdown, two minutes into the game. A lovely piece of work by Drew looking to the left stepping to the right and then seeing Henderson puts the right where Devery wanted it.
The Giants didn't look comfortable in their new $1.6 billion stadium until the 3rd quarter. Then they surged past the Panthers, in a 31-18 season-opening victory Sunday. New York outscored Carolina 17-2 in the second half. The Giants out gained the Panthers 196-72 in the last two periods of a generally sloppy game marred by nine turnovers -- five by Carolina -- and 16 penalties. Eli Manning threw three tipped interception passes as the Giants offensive line dropped ten catchable passes in this game. The was however one safe pair of hands for New York, Hakeem Nicks caught three touchdown passes from Manning all in the left corner of the end zone.
Nicks finished with four catches for 75 yards, while Manning went 20 for 30 for 263 yards but it was the Giants Defence that won them this game. Two huge sacks for 17 yards in total by Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka and another one by Osi Umenyiora meant Carolina's QB Matt Moore left the game early, battered and bruised and with three interceptions to his name as well. Game highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Play of the Game - Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw runs the ball 39-yards and gets stopped 1 yard short of a deserved TD. Then from the resulting play on 3rd & Goal he gets the 1 yard gain for his touchdown.
Onto Monday, I watched, due to my excitement fuelled insomnia, Baltimore Ravens @ New York Jets
In a game where the defence from both sides was going to win most of the time, there were two main factors behind the Ravens victory. Firstly wide receiver Anquan Boldin, Baltimore's key offseason acquisition, toyed with New York's vaunted secondary for 110 yards on seven catches. And secondly the lack of discipline from the New York Jets, conceding 10 penalties for 100 yards in the first half, 16 yards more than they gained that half, and another 4 for 25 in the second. They handed the Ravens 6 first downs by penalties, thrice by holding when Baltimore were 3rd & Long.
With net rushing yards of 116 and net passing yards of 60 and a 1out of 11 third down conversion rate the Jets never even looked like scoring a touchdown. If it wasn't for the good kicking from Folk and the good overall performance from LaDainian Tomlinson, who with 62 yds rushing and 16 yds receiving got 44% of the Jets net yards, the New York Jets would have been looking at a rather sorry opening for their new shared stadium which had made a colourful transition from Blue to Green overnight. Game highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Play of the Game - The 350lb Ravens' DL, Haloti Ngata drops Jets QB Mark Sanchez for a 6-yard loss on a crucial third-down play late in the Ravens' victory.
Now for a quick look at the remaining 13 games,
Cleveland Browns 14 - 17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Talking Point - Tampa Bay QB Josh Freeman returned from a broken thumb on his throwing hand and had two touchdown passes to carry.
Play of the Game - Ronde Barber'd second quarter interception ignited hosts Tampa Bay in a comeback victory over Cleveland.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Miami Dolphins 15 - 10 Buffalo Bills
Talking Point - Brandon Marshall caught eight passes for 53 yards in his first regular season appearance for the Dolphins.
Play of the Game - Bills QB Trent Edwards connects with WR Roscoe Parrish on a 31-yard TD strike on 4th & 11 to bring the Bills within one score of the Dolphins.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Cincinnati Bengals 24 - 38 New England Patriots
Talking Point - Tom Brady had 120.3 QB rating game with two touchdown passes to Wes Welker, who return from serious knee damage.
Play of the Game - New England Patriot Brandon Tate makes a 97-yard return from the second-half kickoff.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Indianapolis Colts 24 - 34 Houston Texans
Talking Point - Arian Foster, an undrafted rookie, rushed for a Houston team-record 231 yards from 33 carries and scored three touchdowns.
Play of the Game - Austin Collie catches a pass from Peyton Manning and sprints 73 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Denver Broncos 17 - 24 Jacksonville Jaguars
Talking Point - David Garrard three touchdown passes, two to tight end Marcedes Lewis, in what Jacksonville called one of the most important in franchise history.
Play of the Game - TE Marcedes Lewis follows his blocks then jumps over them into the end zone after the catch for a 21-yard TD.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Atlanta Falcons 9 - 15 Pittsburgh Steelers
Talking Point & Play of the Game - Pittsburgh RB Rashard Mendenhall ran 50 yards for a touchdown 2:35 into overtime.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Oakland Raiders 13 - 38 Tennessee Titans
Talking Point - Chris Johnson rushed for 142 yards, his 12th consecutive 100 yard rushing game and two touchdowns for the Titans.
Play of the Game - Titans RB Chris Johnson breaks off a 76-yard TD run in the 2nd quarter to give him over 100 yards in the 1st half.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Detroit Lions 14 - 19 Chicago Bears
Talking Point & Play of the Game - Chicago QB Jay Cutler had 372 passing yards and threw a late 28-yard touchdown toss to Matt Forte.
Game Recap % highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Arizona Cardinals 17 - 13 St. Louis Rams
Talking Point & Play of the Game - Larry Fitzgerald caught a 21-yard touchdown pass for the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, helping the Cardinals spoil a solid debut by Rams No. 1 Draft pick Sam Bradford.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Green Bay Packers 27 -20 Philadelphia Eagles
Talking Point - Kevin Kolb exited at half time with concussion as Clay Matthews and Packers' D keyed Week One win.
Play of the Game - Jeremy Maclin runs a great route and catches a 17-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
San Francisco 49ers 6 - 31 Seattle Seahawks
Talking Point - Seattle Seahawks gave new coach Pete Carroll a 49ers blowout as a first game present.Play of the Game - Seahawks WR Mike Williams nearly scores on a 35-yard catch and run play. Williams' first catch in nearly 3 years. Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
Dallas Cowboys 7 - 13 Washington Redskins
Talking Point & Play of the Game - Dallas' game tying final play for a touchdown was cancelled due to a penalty against the offense for holding.
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
San Diego Chargers 14 - 21 Kansas City Chiefs
Talking Point - Kansas City's Special Team and Defence hand them the game as Matt Cassell falters
Play of the Game - Dexter McCluster's team-record 94-yard punt return gave Kansas City a two-touchdown lead
Game Recap & highlights available here, courtesy of nfl.com.
And now as a treat for those who have read this far or have just skipped to the end here are my end off season award picks and a guess at the AFC, the NFC and the Super Bowl.
MVP (Most Valuable Player) - Eli Manning
OPY (Offensive Player of the Year) - LaDainian Tomlinson
DPY (Defensive Player of the Year) - Clay Matthews
ORY (Offensive Rookie of the Year) - Ryan Matthews
DRY (Defensive Rookie of the Year) - Nate Allen
AFC - Ravens v Patriots
NFC - Giants v Saints
Super Bowl - Ravens v Giants
Well that's all for this week, I will try and watch two or three games a week and the highlights of the others so I can give you my view of this NFL season as it contiues. The big game of next week is the Manning versus Manning clash as the Giants travel to the Colts for the late game on Sunay.
Interesting picks Russ. MVP, I'm going with Brady. A full season further from his knee surgery and with Welker back. I can't see E Manning throwing for even 25 TDs. I know you love LT but he's past his prime. He'll split carries with Greene all year. I've gotta go with CJ2K to retain his OPY award. I agree with your two Matthews picks. Clay will be carnage in that Pack D and Ryan will get workhorse carries. Allen is a good shout for DRY but I'm hoping Sean Weatherspoon can do it for my Falcons. Glad to see you've got the Pats going further than the J-E-T-S too!
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