The NFL's Week One Breakdown

With the first week of NFL action now officially in the books, what can we say about each team?

What can fans get excited about, and what can trolls start nit-picking about?

Fear not, that’s what I’m here to tell you.

Let’s take a look at this week’s scores, as well as the top positives and negatives shown by each team during the game.

Giants: 16, Redskins: 7

Giants

Positive: The most obvious pick right here would probably be that Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka can hold their own without Michael Strahan or Osi Umenyiora, but that’s not the most important thing to take away from this game, in my opinion.

Instead, the most important strength for the Giants that I saw was Aaron Ross proving that he is a true stud. He shut down Santana Moss (except for the one touchdown which Moss burned Corey Webster on) and showed he can be left on an island and handle his business.

Negative: The game doesn’t end at halftime. If it did, the Giants would be fine, but it doesn’t. The G-Men need to finish out strong in games. They can’t play the Redskins every week.

Redskins

Positive: London Fletcher should make the Pro Bowl this year. If he comes anywhere near his 17 tackles in the rest of the Redskins 15 games, he has a legitimate shot to lead the league in tackles and could book his first trip to Honolulu.

Negative: Clinton Portis lacked the explosiveness that we’ve become accustomed to seeing from him. He looked lackadaisical at times and averaged a measly 3.7 yards-per-carry. He needs to step it up because with the easily-rattled Jason Campbell behind center, Portis needs to be the workhorse in Washington.

Jets: 20, Dolphins: 14

Jets

Positive: Brett Favre gives this team a legitimate playoff shot. Completing 68 percent of his passes with two TDs is a great way to make your debut with a new team. Especially with the uncertainty of Tom Brady, the Jets are a team to keep your eye on.

Negative: Mike Nugent. How often do you see a kicker get hurt? In a freak injury, Nugent injured his thigh during the first quarter. He returned in the second half, but with Nugent’s sub-par 82 percent career FG percentage (75/92), an injury can only hurt the Jets (no pun intended).

Dolphins

Positive: Anthony Fasano proved to be a good pickup from the Cowboys. With eight catches for 84 yards (both career highs) and a TD in Sunday’s game, Fasano is looking like he could be a favorite target of new QB Chad Pennington, who also performed admirably.

Negative: Ricky Williams was WAY overhyped by the coaches. Some of them even said he was better than he was before his retirement. Really? His 10 carries for 24 yards (2.4 average) beg to differ. If Williams is really going to be the feature back in Miami, it’s going to be a long season for Dolphins fans...again.

Falcons: 34, Lions: 21

Falcons

Positive: The running game. Starting with Michael “The Burner” Turner. How good of a pickup was he? There were questions about whether or not he could thrive in a feature-back role. Well, he put those questions to bed.

22 carries for 220 yards and two TDs. That’s 10.0 yards per carry, even better than his outstanding 2006 average of 6.3. And Jerious Norwood was no slouch either. 92 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries is terrific. These guys are going to help with Matt Ryan’s transition to the NFL.

Negative: They can’t play the Lions every week. There weren’t any glaring weaknesses shown in this game by the Falcons on either side of the ball, but you have to believe that some of these stats were inflated due to the fact that the Lions are...well, the Lions.

Lions

Positive: Calvin Johnson has arrived. After a good rookie season, in which he battled back injuries, Johnson had a great first game in 2008 with 107 yards on seven receptions. If he can keep up that kind of production, he and Roy Williams are going to cause opposing defenses nightmares.

Negative: The entire defense. Matt Ryan’s first pass in his NFL career was a TD. The Falcons rushed for a total of 318 yards. That defensive line really misses Shaun Rogers in the middle.

Titans: 17, Jaguars: 10

Titans

Positive: Chris Johnson was a legitimate first-round pick. Even I criticized the Titans for taking Johnson with the 24th pick, but I will be the first to admit I was wrong to criticize them.

After totaling 127 yards from scrimmage and catching Vince Young’s only TD pass in his debut (93 rushing, 34 receiving), Johnson proved he can be a dynamic weapon in all aspects of the game.

Negative: Vince Young. Not just the injury, but also his performance. He started off by showing that he still is very, very far from being a polished passer. 12-of-22 (55%) for 110 yards with one TD and two INTs is not a good stat line by any stretch of the imagination. The Jaguars have a good defense, but Young has to be sharper than that if he expects to lead Tennessee to the playoffs again.

Jaguars

Positive: Matt Jones has stepped up his game. In the offseason he was dangerously close to being cut, but with six-catch, 80-yard performance, Jones has proved that he can at least be a low-end No. 1 target in the league.

Negative: The running game. Granted, they were playing against Albert Haynesworth and the Titans, but the Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew combo was nowhere near as stellar as they were last year. They combined for a very unimpressive 31 yards on 14 carries (2.2 average). If that continues, it spells bad news for Jacksonville.

Saints: 24, Bucs: 20

Saints

Positive: Reggie Bush looks to be a legitimate weapon. He wasn’t great as a rusher, tallying 14 carries for 51 yards (3.6 average) and no TDs, but his eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown were very impressive.

Bush may never be great between the tackles, but when utilized correctly, he is still extremely dangerous, as he proved today.

Negative: Rush defense. The additions of Sedrick Ellis and Jonathan Vilma couldn’t stop the Buccaneers’ running backs from racking up 145 yards on a 7.6 yards-per-carry average. Their corners played better than expected, but that front seven is going to need to stuff the run better if they expect to go anywhere.

Bucs

Positive: Earnest Graham was no fluke. There was no one-year-wonder action going on in Tampa Bay. Graham rushed only 10 times Sunday and still managed to rack up 91 yards. Warrick Dunn was also impressive, averaging 6.0 yards-per-carry on nine attempts.

Negative: Pass defense. Ronde Barber was solid as always, but unless they can clone him, the Bucs are in trouble. Aqib Talib was burned by David Patten for a 39-yard touchdown after he took a poor angle at an interception, and while Philip Buchanon had a nice interception return for a touchdown, he gave the points right back after being torched by Devery Henderson for an 84-yard score.

Tampa Bay is going to regret releasing Eugene Wilson.

Eagles: 38, Rams: 3

Eagles

Positive: The defense. Say what you will about McNabb, DeSean Jackson, or any of the three Eagles receivers who totaled over 100 yards Sunday, but they were going against a very poor St. Louis pass defense, so I think Philadelphia’s D earns this spot.

Holding the Rams to three points is still an incredible feat when Steven Jackson, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, and Orlando Pace are all healthy enough to start.

I am officially ready to eat my crow on Stewart Bradley. I was not sold on this kid, but after a team-leading nine tackles, I’m convinced.

Negative: None. Zero turnovers, only four penalties, and even Kevin Kolb was able to go 5-of-6 for 53 yards with a 103.5 QB rating. I have no bones to pick with them except that next week they’ll be playing a real team in Dallas on Monday night.

Rams

Positive: Randy McMichael looked like his old Miami self. Five catches for 77 yards (including a nice 31-yard gainer) is pretty good for a tight end, and McMichael may see some solid production this year, provided Marc Bulger stays healthy...Which I wouldn’t bank on.

Negative: There are so many to choose from. Steven Jackson’s 40 yards on 14 carries. Torry Holt only notching one reception. But I think the worst has to be Orlando Pace being pulled from the game for Adam Goldberg at left tackles. The Rams cannot afford to lose Pace again if they expect to get to .500 this year.

Steelers: 38, Texans: 17

Steelers

Positive: Who says Willie Parker can’t get short-yardage touchdowns? Parker shut up any and all haters by posting TD runs of 14, seven, and four yards in this game. Parker had two rushing touchdowns all of last season. His 138-yard, three-TD performance should disperse any doubt that he could be an every-down back.

Negative: Marvel Smith. Smith started at left tackle and gave up two sacks to Mario Williams. Ben Roethlisberger needs some better protection than that. Big Ben didn’t seem too phased though, completing a ridiculous 93 percent of his passes (13/14).

Texans

Positive: Mario Williams is now a bona fide superstar. With two sacks, Williams is picking up right where he left off last year, showing why Houston made him the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft over guys like Reggie Bush, Vince Young, and Matt Leinart.

Negative: The rushing attack. Steve Slaton and Ahman Green only combined for 71 yards on the ground, with a 3.9 yards-per-carry average. Slaton may be able to shake this off, since he is only a rookie, but something needs to change in that backfield. Quickly.

Patriots: 17, Chiefs: 10

Patriots

Positive: Randy Moss is still the best receiver in the game (sorry T.O. fans). 113 yards and a touchdown in the first half? Very impressive. Keep in mind his longest catch of the game (51 yards) was thrown by Matt Cassel, not Tom Brady.

Negative: Of course, it’s Tom Brady’s knee. The 2007 MVP and clear-cut superstar will be lost for the year, and the effect on the team will be interesting to see. Can Matt Cassel step up and lead this team? We don’t know. What we do know is that the AFC (especially the East division) is now wide open.

Chiefs

Positive: Brandon Flowers. The rookie from Virginia Tech notched six tackles and was rarely out of position in his first game, and he is a guy to watch in Kansas City. Flowers will be very good in a couple of years, and right now he is still good enough to start for this young defense.

Negative: The offensive line. As expected, this new offensive line struggled. They gave up four sacks, and Larry Johnson only managed 77 yards on 22 carries. They’ll need to shape up quickly if they expect to keep anyone upright who lines up under center.

Ravens: 17, Bengals: 10

Ravens

Positive: Joe Flacco. This rookie played his heart out and got Baltimore the win. His 38-yard TD run was very impressive, and he did what he was supposed to do: not lose the game.

The Ravens don’t expect Flacco to win them games, just not lose them. His 129 yards and 52 percent completion percentage weren’t great, but he managed the game, never threw a pick, and Baltimore came away with a win because of it.

Negative: Todd Heap. A single catch for only five yards, and he loses a fumble on it? That’s not the Heap we’re used to. If he’s going to help aid the development of Joe Flacco, he’ll need to be a lot more reliable than that.

Bengals

Positive: Keith Rivers. Leading your team with 10 tackles in your rookie debut is a good showing. Granted none of those tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, but Rivers was all over the field and showing why he deserved to be the No. 9 pick this past April.

Negative: The offense. The rushing attack looked abysmal, managing a measly 65 yards on a 2.8 yards-per-carry average. The passing game wasn’t much better, with Carson Palmer throwing for only 99 yards and an interception. The Ravens' defense is good, but some of the blame has to be put on this anemic offense.

Bills: 34, Seahawks: 10

Bills

Positive: The special teams were...Well, special. Roscoe Parrish’s return, Jon Corto’s forced fumble, and Brian Moorman’s TD pass were exactly what Bills fans have become accustomed to. If Buffalo can keep up the kind of production on offense and special teams that they showed against Seattle, they have a real shot at the AFC East title.

Negative: None. Buffalo’s defense looked great, their offense was clicking, and the team was firing on all cylinders in this one.

Seahawks

Positive: Matt Hasselbeck is healthy. Granted, he wasn’t able to stay upright most of the time, but his health is a good sign for Seattle fans. Without Hasselbeck behind center, the Seahawks stand no chance at anything this year.

Negative: Injuries. With Deion Branch and Bobby Engram already out, the ‘Hawks added Nate Burleson and Maurice Morris to their injury report, losing Burleson for the entire season. If this keeps up, Seattle will have a tough time repeating once again as division champs.

Cowboys: 28, Browns: 10

Cowboys

Positive: The rushing attack. Marion Barber was his usual hard-nosed self, racking up 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but Felix Jones put on a show as well, with 62 yards and a touchdown on nine carries (6.9 yards-per-carry). If these two can keep it up, they’ll be a very scary tandem.

Negative: Marion Barber’s injury. Barber left in the third quarter with bruised ribs, and while Felix Jones performed admirably, the Cowboys still really need MB3 running behind Tony Romo this year.

Browns

Positive: The offensive line. They only gave up one sack in the game, and it was to some guy by the name of DeMarcus Ware. That’s a pretty impressive feat. Derek Anderson will have to be better than 11-of-24 this season, but with that kind of protection, he should be.

Negative: Derek Anderson. As I stated above, he need to be better than 11-of-24. With weapons like Braylon Edwards, Donte’ Stallworth, and Kellen Winslow, Anderson has no excuse for only 114 yards and completing just 46 percent of his passes.

Cardinals: 23, 49ers: 13

Cardinals

Positive: The running game. Edgerrin James racked up 100 yards, and rookie Tim Hightower proved he can handle goal-line duties, scoring the only rushing touchdown of the game for the Cardinals from two yards out.

Negative: Levi Brown. Brown gave up 2.5 sacks to Parys Haralson, a backup outside linebacker for San Francisco. That kind of play is unacceptable for a first-round pick. He needs to step up his game this season.

49ers

Positive: Frank Gore. He looks healthy and ran great Sunday. His 41-yard TD run was impressive, and his 151 total yards (96 rushing, 55 receiving) was astounding. If he can stay healthy this year, 49ers fans will be very happy with the results.

Negative: The $100-million secondary was once again a disappointment. They gave up 197 yards, and $80-million man Nate Clements had just two stats in the game: an assisted tackle, and allowing a touchdown. They need to step that up and shut some guys down.

Panthers: 26, Chargers: 24

Panthers

Positive: The passing game lives on, even without Steve Smith. Who would’ve expected that the Panthers leading receiver in Week One would be second-year tight end Dante Rosario from Oregon? Well, 96 yards and a game-winning TD grab later, Rosario is living the dream, and so are the Panthers.

Negative: Julius Peppers is still struggling. He had just one tackle (assisted) and no QB pressures. Granted, he was going against one of the best offensive lines in the league, but he’s Julius Peppers. What’s going on with this guy?

Chargers

Positive: The secondary is looking outstanding. Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer have already established themselves as a top-tier corner tandem in the league, but the play from the young guys is what really surprised me.

Antoine Cason’s forced fumble on D.J. Hackett was great, and second-year man Eric Weddle notched 11 tackles at the free-safety spot. If those young guys can keep contributing, look for this group to end up being very, very good.

Negative: Shawne Merriman. He should’ve had that surgery, because he just wasn’t the same on Sunday. Two tackles and no sacks is a terrible game for him, and he just didn’t have the impact that the Chargers need him to have if they’re defense is to be successful this year.

Bears: 29, Colts: 13

Bears

Positive: Matt Forte. What a great draft pick. If you didn’t pay attention to the NFL and you watched that game, you would never guess that Forte was a rookie. 123 yards on 23 carries with a 50-yard touchdown run? Spectacular. He’s going to be something special.

Negative: The receivers. Brandon Lloyd and Rashied Davis combined for 36 yards on four catches, not quite what you would expect from your top two options. Kyle Orton is going to need some better play at wideout, since Matt Forte can’t play every position.

Colts

Positive: Marvin Harrison looks great. After missing 15 games last year due to injury, Harrison bounced back with a terrific performance, grabbing eight passes for 76 yards. He and Reggie Wayne are going to wreak havoc on opposing defenses once again this year.

Negative: The lack of Jeff Saturday. I’m not going to dump on Jamey Richard, since he was a seventh-round pick and wasn’t expected to be a great player, but Saturday’s loss was huge. Joseph Addai managed only 44 yards and the Colts' offensive line looked totally out of sync. Hopefully they can gel together—quickly—otherwise it’s going to be a long year.

Packers: 24, Vikings: 19

Packers

Positive: Aaron Rodgers. How can it not be? Rodgers performed extremely well, completing 82 percent of his passes and scoring two touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. He looked great, and he led his team to victory in Lambeau.

Negative: The penalties. 12 penalties cost the Packers 118 yards. That is unacceptable. Somehow, they still came out with a win, but if you make dumb mistakes like that, your chances of winning shoot way down. They need to shake off the rust and get back to basics.

Vikings

Positive: The rushing game. Adrian Peterson was outstanding once again, and he and Chester Taylor combined for 154 yards (122 rushing, 31 receiving). Peterson is still simply dominant, and Taylor is doing exactly what he should do: give AD breathers and not screw up while he’s in.

Negative: The receivers. Bernard Berrian was brought in to be a No. 1 guy for Tarvaris Jackson and grabbed only three passes for 38 yards. Sidney Rice played well, getting 31 yards and a touchdown on two catches, but everyone else was subpar. Jackson needs some more reliable guys to throw to.

Broncos: 41, Raiders: 14

Broncos

Positive: Eddie Royal is for real. The speed of this kid astounds me. Beating DeAngelo Hall consistently was extremely impressive, especially for a rookie. Hall is one of, if not the fastest corner in the league, and Royal didn’t even have to put any moves on him.

He just flew by and torched Hall all night. Nine catches, 146 yards, and a touchdown against that secondary? This kid is legit.

Negative: Selvin Young. 36 yards on seven carries? Not what I expected from Young. He seemed lost and couldn’t get any sort of rhythm going. Maybe he’ll get more adjusted as the season goes on, but it looks like he’s going to lose a lot of carries to Andre Hall.

Raiders

Positive: Justin Fargas is picking up right where he left off last year. 18 carries for 97 yards (5.4 average) is just what we’ve come to expect from Fargas. If he keeps up that kind of play, he is going to make a nice tandem with Darren McFadden and should make like a lot easier for JaMarcus Russell.

Negative: The entire defense. They got man-handled Monday night. The secondary got destroyed by Jay Cutler, ripping them apart for 299 yards and two TDs, while the rush defense was equally bad, giving up three touchdowns on the ground.

And don’t make the argument that the offense kept them on the field a lot. Oakland actually won the time of possession battle, holding the ball for 30:10. Tommy Kelly, DeAngelo Hall, and Gibril Wilson need to earn the fat new contracts they got this year.

Well, that about wraps it up. Time to start preparing for Week Two.