Offseason is like a high school tease. Tons of homework, required attendance, it lasts forever, and leads to exhaustion by the end of it...exhaustion and hope!
I'm gonna be faster, smarter, sexier. It's gonna be the best year ever!
Oops...so is everyone else.
Week one
Welcome to the new year, where half of us (or more) just got a reality check. But all of us were surprised by something. Here's a list!
1. New York football Giants!
The Giants couldn't stay in the cellar forever. They also couldn't jump on the usually dominant 'Football Team, discard their remains, and then stop a foot on their throat just to make sure.
Led by early "transaction of the year" candidates DeShaun Foster (143 rushing yards) and Dan Cody (2 TFL, 2 Sacks), the Giants ball control and defense was really the story in this one. Holding the 'Team to 45 rushing yards and intercepting 3 passes, this one was never allowed to get close.
2. Jaguars/Colts..."QBs, who needs them?
17/50 for 176 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs, and 11 sacks
This is the combined line for the Jaguars and Colts QBs. I wanted to highlight the Jaguars allowing 3 completions for 51 yards (17 yards after subtracting sack yardage) but in fact both DLs dominated.
Who are we kidding. The QB's were the main story. Zero TDs in the game. Zero teams with 100 passing yards (after sacks factored in), and one of the most uniquely surprising games the league has ever seen.
3. Ravens 35, Chiefs 7...with 7 FGs
If it weren't for an 82 yard TD reception for Tatum Bell this article might be about a shutout of the Chiefs offense. Instead, it's about a very non-football way of getting a very common football score.
35 points...nearly always will come from 7 TDs.
Baltimore kicker Seth Marler scored 7/7 FGs, and Ravens scored two TDs to get to the same number. Anytime an offense scores nine times, the whole team did well. This is one of those times, where the Ravens clearly won the field position game while NOT dominating on offense, with a low completion percentage and a lot of carries for only moderate yards per carry.
4. Browns Billy McMullen is a force
Even writing that sentence SOUNDS like a Browns sentence. The Billy McMullen is a very "Browns Star" sounding name.
After 6 years and only a single 1000 yard recieving yard season, McMullen had himself a breakout week 1 in a thrilling heavyweight fight between the browns and the Randy Mosses...er Vikings.
6 Receptions
164 yards
1 TD
The McMullens are 1-0...look out AFC
5. 24 Rushes, 343 yards, 4 TDs...Clifton Smith
It's not THAT the Cowboys won.
It's not even that they won big...as some games snowball and a defense like the Cowboys have that kerosene effect from time to time.
Whisky Tango Foxtrot is "a Clifton Smith" and how did this happen?
Shades of a Priest Holmes who once put up a 5 TD, 447 yard game behind a much more dominant line...Smith found daylight enough times to build a dandelion necklace for each of the Buccaneers defenders.
There are some decent athletes on the Cowboys line, and the Buccs did allow 142 rushing yards per game a year ago. But the Cowboys could play the Buccaneers every week this season and never see that many rushing yards again.
|
