NFL: Thoughts About the First Sunday

Note: As the school year began, I failed to render my NFL predictions.  Thus, they have been listed below as I had predicted before the season started, with the teams' current records after yesterday in parenthesis.

Last week, waking up on Monday was the best feeling in the world, knowing that in just four short days, the NFL season would be upon us.  And after the Giants beat the 'Skins on Thursday night, I could feel tremors of psychitude rock my body (a la Barney Stinson) because the first Sunday of NFL season was almost here.

Now, that Sunday has come and gone, and it made for one of the most exciting opening weekends in recent memory.  Here's a look at what occurred on the most glorious day of the year.

Five Best

1. Chicago Bears

Yes, maybe the Bears don't belong as the best team from Sunday.  But take into account the fact that no one had them winning on Sunday.  And I mean no one outside of Chicago.  Hell, even people in Chicago didn't have them winning.

Every major analyst put the Bears' chances of winning this game at slim to none, and the reasons they gave were valid ones: Kyle Orton is starting, Matt Forte is a rookie, and their receivers could be outplayed by a local high school team.  But what did the Bears do? They relied on that old Bears formula: run and run.

Matt Forte brought back thoughts of Walter Payton, as he was the first rookie to start at running back since the great No. 34, and ran all over the Colts for 123 yards and a TD.

Orton managed the game well, which is all Lovie Smith asked for, and improved to 13-6 as a starter.  If the Bears keep using this formula, which propelled them to the Super Bowl in 2006, the league better watch out.  

2. Atlanta Falcons

Do I need to write an explanation?  Matt Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, starting his first game.  A new head coach.  New running back.  New team attitude.  And what do they do?  They put up 34 on the Lions.

Sure, it's the Lions.  But 34 points?!  Matt Ryan's first pass of his NFL career was a 62-yarder to Michael Jenkins.  Oh, and let's not forget about Michael Turner, who destroyed the Lions' defense, going for 220 yards on 22 carries.

The Falcons won't have many games like this, but the future has to look good for Atlanta fans.

3. Buffalo Bills

A trendy pick for that last wildcard spot in the AFC, it wasn't the fact that the Bills beat the Seahawks; it was how they beat them.  This game wasn't even close.

Roscoe Parrish returned a punt for 63 yards, Trent Edwards controlled the game well and didn't commit any turnovers, Marshawn Lynch ran well, Lee Evans was excellent, and the defense was solid.

If the Bills play like this all year, there's no question they could lock up that last wildcard slot.

4. Donovan McNabb

Finally healthy for the first time in what seems like ages, McNabb, playing without his top three receivers, went all crazy on the St. Louis defense, throwing for a ridiculous 361 yards and three touchdowns, including a 90-yarder to Hank Baskett.

Being a Cowboys fan and watching that game, I could feel my stomach quivering and my heart beating fast, kind of like when you see the girl you're crazy about talking to the star quarterback of the football team.  You've got to be scared.

5. Jake Delhomme

Another quarterback coming off an injury, Delhomme played extremely well against what is supposed to be a stacked San Diego defense.  Delhomme went for a respectable 247 yards against the Chargers, and threw the game winning touchdown as time expired.

The Panthers can't win like that every week, but they sure played well against a possible Super Bowl team.

Five Worst

1. New England Patriots

The Patriots played extremely well.  Randy Moss showed last year wasn't a fluke.  Then again, the Patriots might not want to think about last year.  Not because they lost the Super Bowl, but because the man who led them there, the all-mighty Tom Brady, went down awkwardly with a knee injury, taking the Patriots' playoff chances with him.

Every single person in Gillette Stadium stopped breathing at that moment.  I mean every single person.  Without Brady, the Patriots are a middle-of-the-pack team in the AFC, if that.

Brady's injury hasn't been fully examined yet, but from the look of it, it is not good.  Eric Mangini is walking around with the biggest smile on his face right now, as his team is now the favorite to win the AFC East.  But watch out for the Buffalo Bills.  This should be an interesting battle.

2. Houston Texans

Maybe the Texans couldn't handle all the hype.  Maybe they're not as good as people have been giving them credit for.  Maybe they just had one bad week and could go 15-1 the rest of the year.  Whatever the case, the Texans did not look good.

Matt Schaub looked awful, especially during his two interceptions.  There are two kinds of interceptions, in my mind.  First, there are the ones that are brought on by pressure on the quarterback or the receiver running the wrong route/failing to catch the pass.

Then there are the stupid interceptions caused by the quarterback over/under throwing the receiver or making a stupid, stupid throw.  Schaub's interceptions were the latter.

In what was supposed to be his breakout year, Schaub is off to a bad start.  The running game was what we thought it would be: terrible.  What was surprising was the Texans' defensive front, which was supposed to be their strong suit.  Mario Williams and the Texans allowed 138 yards and three TD's to Willie Parker, and couldn't get through a weak Steelers offensive line.

Houston has got to play better if they even want to have a shot at improving on the 8-8 record they held last year.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last season, David Garrard threw three interceptions.  The entire season.  On Sunday against the Titans, he threw two! 

Yes, the injury to Jerry Porter had something to do with it, as Garrard was forced to work with Matt Jones and Dennis Northcutt.  But the running tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew was supposed to take the pressure off Garrard and open up the play action pass.  There goes that idea.

The Jags' running backs were held to 33 yards total (Taylor had 18 and Jones-Drew had 13).  The Titans' defense definitely came to play.  They shut down the running game and forced Garrard to beat them.  The Jags will be better, there's no doubt about that, but only if the running game gets back on track in the next few weeks.

4. Cincinnati Bengals

The Ravens came into the game without their top running back and with a rookie quarterback.  The Bengals came into the game with one of the best quarterbacks and two of the best receivers in the game.  On paper, the Bengals should've won this game.  Until we realize that these are the Bengals.

Carson Palmer had one of the worst games of his career, throwing for a measly 99 yards.  Yes, the Ravens defense has been great for years.  But 99 yards?  And what about that defense?  They couldn't tackle Mark Clayton on a WR reverse that went for a 42-yard score, not to mention Joe Flacco (yes, the quarterback) going for a 38-yard score...on the ground.

No one expects the Bengals to contend, much less be any good this year, but this game has to be a cause for concern for Marvin Lewis.

5. Colts' Defense

Year after year, the Colts' defense gets much better.  Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders are healthy.  The Colts were opening up their season in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium.

However, the defense faltered, allowing 123 yards rushing to rookie Matt Forte.  Freeney was held to only two tackles on the night.  The Colts are lucky that Peyton Manning's knee held up, but they have to get this defense on track if they want to hold off the Jags.  

Five Games to Watch Next Week

1. Dallas at Philadelphia

First real test for possible NFC champ.

2. San Diego at Denver

Growing rivalry between Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler.

3. Buffalo at Jacksonville

Bills could upset the Jags and prove they're real.  Or they'll get crushed.

4. Atlanta at Tampa Bay

Matt Ryan and Michael Turner against one of the best defenses.  Can they prove last week wasn't a fluke?

5. Pittsburgh at Cleveland

The battle for AFC North begins now.

Projections

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (1-0)

2. New York Jets (1-0)

3. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

4. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

These predictions were before Brady's injury.  If he's done for the year, pencil in the Jets to be first, the Bills second, and the Pats third.

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

2. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

2. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

3. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

4. Houston Texans (0-1)

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers (0-1)

2. Denver Broncos (0-0)

3. Oakland Raiders (0-0)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

3. New York Giants (1-0)

4. Washington Redskins (0-1)

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings (0-0)

2. Green Bay Packers (0-0)

3. Chicago Bears (1-0)

4. Detroit Lions (0-1)

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints (1-0)

2. Carolina Panthers (1-0)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

4. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)

2. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

3. St. Louis Rams (0-1)

4. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

Super Bowl: Cowboys over Jaguars.