Sport-Blog.com
|
Sports News: ESPN | SI Leagues & Associations: NFL | NHL | MLB NBA | PGA | USTA Archives: Other: Resources |
<< Home
NFL Week 1 Review
Monday, September 11, 2006
Finally, the game of football has taken center stage in this country! Just for a moment guys and a few of you sports loving women found yourselves locked onto the tube yelling and rooting in support for your favorite team. We have a lot to get into, such as Keyshawn Johnson in Carolina, Brady and the Patriots looking to get back to Super Bowl shape, and good ole Terrell Owens makes his Cowboy debut. A lot of teams and players made good things happen for their teams on Sunday, let's take a look at a few match-ups.
How bout dem...Saints? Reggie Bush and the new look New Orleans Saints took the field at the dog pound in Cleveland. While at USC Bush was the all-purpose back who could make things happen once he touched the ball. Nothing was different for Bush who racked up 141 total yards. Bush had 14 carries for 61 yards and also helped out QB Drew Brees by hauling in 8 catches. Can anyone say Marshall Faulk? Bush will really help this Saints team on the ground and in the air by being that versatile player that every team wishes to have. He does it all. I even thought I saw him selling popcorn at one point. New Orleans had the lead the entire ball game before the Browns narrowed the gap to 16-14. The Saints outlasted the Browns in the 4th quarter by providing timely defensive takeaways including a later interception that sealed the deal for the Saints and gave new head Coach Sean Payton his first win. Saints beat the Browns 19-14.
I hope you didn't miss the hard-hitting action pairing the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs. Who would have thought that going into the most hostile place to play in the NFL that the Bengals would have totally dominated this game? The stats in this game were very ugly due to rainy conditions in Missouri. Despite the rain, fans were still able to heat up the grills in the parking lot and hold the title of "the best tailgate party in the NFL". However, inside Arrowhead Stadium the Bengals cooked up a recipe for disaster for the Chiefs. That Cincinnati defense, which lead the league in 2005 with 24 takeaways, forced 3 turnovers on Sunday. Offensively, the Chiefs managed to move the ball on the ground by collecting 116 yards, but only passed for 120. After suffering a nasty knee injury in the playoffs last season, Bengals QB Carson Palmer showed no ill effects connecting on 13 of 19 of his pass attempts. Chiefs QB Trent Green left the game in the third quarter after being knocked unconscious after a vicious hit by Bengals defensiveman Robert Geathers. Green's helmet hit the grass hard and he had to be carted off the field for precautionary measures. The hit will also be reviewed by league officials. After the collision, the Chiefs were finished. Green's replacement, Damon Huard threw for 140 yards and a late touchdown strike to tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Bengals cruised to a road win by the score of 23-10.
Manning v. Manning was as good as the pregame hype. I know you've seen all the commercials that feature older brother Peyton. There's the Gatorade one, the Sprint one, the MasterCard one, and many more. The guy is a tremendous character off the field just as he is on it. Little brother Eli was just as good last night. Both threw for over 240 yards and connecting on more than 20 completions. Eli Manning did manage to throw 2 TD passes however. Can you imagine being in the Manning family? I wonder what conversations are held in that household. I'm willing to bet that Thanksgiving Dinner can get a little competitive. Just don't ask any one of them to pass you the peas. Archie Manning, father of the two, has put together a heck of a quarterback pedigree. I have a strong feeling that we'll see many more "Manning Bowls" to come. As far as the first one goes, big brother draws first blood with the Colts edging the Giants 26-21 in New York.
And you thought that I was going to leave out America's receiver making his debut with America's Team the Dallas Cowboys? Terrell Owens, Drew Bledsoe and company visited the un-friendly confines of Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville. To start the game the Cowboys' offense moved the ball effectively on the opening drive. Bledsoe hooked up with Owens on the first Dallas Cowboys play of 2006 for a gain of 13 yards. Cowboy RB Julius Jones capped off the 8 play, 70 yard drive with a 23-yard scamper. The Dallas offense sputtered to a halt pretty much after that first drive. Drew Bledsoe struggled to find any Cowboy receivers throughout the course of the game by throwing 3 interceptions. Colorblind Drew? Byron Leftwich played a better role of how quarterbacking should be done. He threw perfect strikes to Jaguar receivers with regularity. Mr. Leftwich went for 23/37 with 237 including a TD pass to Reggie Williams late in the first half. The Jags cornerbacks however, had no answer for one Terrell Owens who snagged 6 catches for 80 yards and a 4th quarter touchdown. He was missed on a couple of attempts by Bledsoe as well... a bomb down the sideline and if completed, a walk-in touchdown for Owens if Bledsoe doesn't overthrow Owens by 10-12 yards. And if you're wondering where the "T.O." reference went, Mr. Owens asked the media to call him simply Terrell. Too much Jacksonville defense as they force 3 Bledsoe INTs and collected 2 sacks. The Jags finished the 2005 season going 12-4 and didn't miss a step by rallying past Dallas by the score of 24-17.
Week two is 6 days away and if the first week gives any indication, the season will be one to remember.
8:48 PM
Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home
