Jordan’s Serial: NFL 2013 – Week 1 Takeaways
After an age of waiting, the 2013 NFL season finally got under way last weekend; and it didn’t disappoint.
As expected, there was the first day settling down period as the some of the rust still had to be shaken off, but once teams settled down and nestled into their playbooks, the touchdowns started to flow and the tackling was as ferocious as before.
So what stood out in the first round of games? Who, or what, were the talking points? Here’s a game-by-game quick hit summary, and what we can take away from Week One.
RAVENS 27 BRONCOS 49
DENVER showed exactly why they were many experts pick to win it all. Peyton Manning was on a mission and his record-tying 7 touchdown passes has sent out exactly the right message to the rest of the League. BALTIMORE will lick their wounds and comeback fighting. It’s what they do right? They did play quite well and were just outgunned on the night by an unstoppable Peyton.
PATRIOTS 23 BILLS 21
Another comeback for Tom Brady and NEW ENGLAND, that’s his gazillionth of his career and another reason why you can’t count these guys out. Brady is playing with arguably his weakest set of offensive weapons, but still got the job done against a BUFFALO side that showed that they will be a team that can cause a few problems for many teams. Dark Horse for a playoff spot? Ask me next week.
TITANS 16 STEELERS 9
This was the shock of the week. Not so much the fact that TENNESSEE won the game, but the manner in which they did it. You don’t just go into PITTSBURGH and shut them out, and yes, they didn’t quite get that on the scoreboard, in essence though the Titans did just that. This proves that the Steelers are in transition, something we had a feeling about all summer.
FALCONS 17 SAINTS 23
You just somehow sensed that when Coach Peyton was back on the sidelines all would be OK again in NEW ORLEANS, and so it proved. It was as if he had never been away. A rough riding defence did enough to keep Matt Ryan’s ATLANTA at bay and score a vital division win. The Saints will always score points when Drew Brees is under centre, to beat them you just have to outscore them (obviously).
BUCCANEERS 17 JETS 18
Not many had this one down as a nail-biting, last minute field goal winning type of game, but it transpire to be one of the games of the week. TAMPA BAY seemed to be in control, even when they weren’t (if that makes sense), so they were as shocked as most watching when rookie Geno Smith led NEW YORK JETS to a comeback win of his own. Has this story got legs? The Jets circus travels to another town this week.
CHIEFS 28 JAGUARS 2
New sheriff in town and his new deputy didn’t let him down. Coach Andy Reid was always in a win-win situation going to KANSAS CITY. The change of scenery was always going to do him the world of good, and this was the shot in the arm the Chiefs needed. Alex Smith executed the game plan well and left JACKSONVILLE wondering how exactly they managed to get 2 points. Answers to that one on a postcard. Do they still make postcards?
SEAHAWKS 12 PANTHERS 7
“Phew, how did we do that?!” was the phrase heard around the SEATTLE locker room after this one. No? Well it should have been. After being held by CAROLINA for the first 3 quarters of the game, they finally came to life and pulled this W out the bag, but they had to give that bag a good old rummage through. Any sign of a slow start this week will see them on the end of a beating, but then they have got the 12th man.
BENGALS 21 BEARS 24
Two playoff hopefuls played out a playoff type game. CHICAGO weren’t favoured in this one, up against a fancied CINCINNATI team. AJ Green had a huge day for the Bengals with 162 yards receiving in a losing effort. What will he produce in a winning game? Coach Trestman will take great confidence from this result and look to build this coming weekend. NFC Dark Horse anyone?
DOLPHINS 23 BROWNS 10
Another entertaining game. Two second year QB’s that are maturing nicely in their roles played out a competitive closely fought game. MIAMI will need to improve the run game if they want to put up more wins, 20 net yards gained from 23 plays just doesn’t cut it. CLEVELAND can and will improve, they have a young team that will fight for each other and they are in a division where eight wins could win it, so they will consider themselves in with a chance.
VIKINGS 24 LIONS 34
BOOM! Adrian Peterson went 78 yards on MINNESOTA’s first play from scrimmage, and so the tone of the day was set. It wasn’t the running of AP that would be the talk of the day though, in fact he would only go on to gain 15 more yards on the ground all game. The day belonged to DETROIT new boy Reggie Bush, his 90 yards on the ground and 101 through the air was the main reason why the Lions got this win.
RAIDERS 17 COLTS 21
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Andrew Luck steered his INDIANAPOLIS team to a win, however this wasn’t the scheduled walk in the park that it was meant to be. OAKLAND were down 14-0 early on looked to be on their way to another big defeat. Then rookie QB Terrelle Pryor orchestrated his own comeback that stirred the emotions of Raiders Nation. A false dawn? Time will tell.
PACKERS 28 49ERS 34
We know he can run, and now we have further prove that he can pass. The cannon of an arm that SAN FRANCISCO QB Colin Kaepernick was put to full use and he had a career high 412 yards, this helped shoot down the GREEN BAY team that even Aaron Rodgers, having a more than decent day himself (333 yards) could not keep pace with. Even at this early stage you get the feeling that these two could meet again in late January.
CARDINALS 24 RAMS 27
ST.LOUIS last year had the best division record within the NFC West. They are already 1-0 there this year after a wild game against ARIZONA. New Cards QB Carson Palmer had a great day but his interception towards the end of the game sealed the win for the Rams. Should the big two in the West slip up, the Rams could well be there to pick up the scraps. Coach Fisher has them playing hard on defence, and that could be a difference maker down the stretch.
GIANTS 31 COWBOYS 36
This game should have been out of NEW YORK’s reach early on as the DALLAS D created turnovers on the Giants first three offensive series. Their failure to put big numbers on the scoreboard meant that the Giants were able to keep things close. Dallas got 6 takeaways in total, the final one being the nail in the coffin, just when Eli Manning looked to have his team in a winning position. Hard to read too much into this win but the Cowboys will be pleased with their all-round team effort.
EAGLES 33 REDSKINS 27
In the first half the PHILADELPHIA offence had run more plays, 53, than RG3 had pass yards. It was a breathless first half which came as a shock especially as WASHINGTON grabbed the early momentum with a huge fumble return for a touchdown. Coach Kelly did admit after the game that perhaps he took his foot off the gas too early as the Redskins slowly bought themselves back into the game. Does this mean that this high speed offense will be played out for the duration of a game? B-U-R-N-O-U-T.
TEXANS 31 CHARGERS 28
How do they do it? Not HOUSTON, although their come from behind win was one of wonder and great team ethics. No, the story of yet another SAN DIEGO meltdown when seemingly in cruise control grabbed the headlines. This would have been a huge morale boosting win, and at 28-7 up the win was theirs, but the never say attitude of the Texans meant that the Chargers faithful were walking from their seats before Randy Bullock’s 41-yard field goal split the uprights.
