What a wild start to the NFL season -- and a crazy weekend in general.
*Calvin Johnson's non-TD: If that doesn't turn out to be the greatest catch of the 2010 season, it sure as hell has "greatest incomplete pass of the 2010 season" locked up.
(Sure seemed like a catch to me.)
*Dallas Cowboys' non-TD: On the other hand, zero sympathy for Dallas for losing out on a game-ending TD when offensive lineman Alex Barron -- currently a Top 10 Google Trend (and, notably, the only non-VMA trend among the Top 10) -- was flagged for an obvious holding penalty against Brian Orakpo, sealing the largely unexpected win for the Redskins in McNabb's debut.
*Mike Vick steps up: Given how ineffective Kevin Kolb was before he left with that seeming concussion, I have to believe Eagles fans would be happy to leave Vick in there, even if Kolb is healthy enough to start next week. In fact, I'm sure many Eagles fans are wondering if they win the game, outright, if Vick plays the entire game and not just when Kolb's injury forced him in.
Naturally, Andy Reid insists that Kolb will return to the starting job if he is healthy enough for it. Let's hear it, Eagles fans (because the rest of us are with you): Boo!
(Worth noting, Vick's post-game tweet: "Thanks for all the support, but let's keep in mind we lost the game. No reason to celebrate and our leader k kolb went down." Rehabilitation.)
(Sure seemed like a catch to me.)
*Dallas Cowboys' non-TD: On the other hand, zero sympathy for Dallas for losing out on a game-ending TD when offensive lineman Alex Barron -- currently a Top 10 Google Trend (and, notably, the only non-VMA trend among the Top 10) -- was flagged for an obvious holding penalty against Brian Orakpo, sealing the largely unexpected win for the Redskins in McNabb's debut.
*Mike Vick steps up: Given how ineffective Kevin Kolb was before he left with that seeming concussion, I have to believe Eagles fans would be happy to leave Vick in there, even if Kolb is healthy enough to start next week. In fact, I'm sure many Eagles fans are wondering if they win the game, outright, if Vick plays the entire game and not just when Kolb's injury forced him in.
Naturally, Andy Reid insists that Kolb will return to the starting job if he is healthy enough for it. Let's hear it, Eagles fans (because the rest of us are with you): Boo!
*Arian Foster breaks through: The player this week who had thousands of fantasy football GMs saying "He was available for plenty of rounds -- why didn't I take him?!"
It wouldn't have meant as much if the effort didn't complement a Texans win over the Colts -- rare enough as it is, regardless of who is starring. Is this the "Finally?!" year for Houston?
(If not for Foster, everyone would be focusing on Peyton Manning's monster fantasy game -- or Chris Johnson's awesome start, putting him well on the pace -- at least after one game -- for his goal of 2,500 yards.)
One other RB Name to Know: Rashard Mendenhall. Now THAT was a way to finish a game -- and a hell of a gift for fantasy owners: A TD and an extra 50 yards rushing.
It wouldn't have meant as much if the effort didn't complement a Texans win over the Colts -- rare enough as it is, regardless of who is starring. Is this the "Finally?!" year for Houston?
(If not for Foster, everyone would be focusing on Peyton Manning's monster fantasy game -- or Chris Johnson's awesome start, putting him well on the pace -- at least after one game -- for his goal of 2,500 yards.)
One other RB Name to Know: Rashard Mendenhall. Now THAT was a way to finish a game -- and a hell of a gift for fantasy owners: A TD and an extra 50 yards rushing.
*Stewart Bradley concussion: Speaking of Eagles concussions, Andy Reid should expect to get scrutinized for his ill-advised decision to put Bradley back into the game after his seeming concussion. (So much for the NFL's concussion-awareness program. That lasted... zero weeks.)
*Flying back from Jacksonville to NYC yesterday afternoon, I had the Pats-Bengals game on my in-flight TV, and damn if the Pats didn't look awesome on offense (Welkah!) and way better on D than anyone expected them to.
*Tebow Watch: 2 touches (including the 3rd play of the game), 2 carries, 2 yards and a Broncos loss after David Garrard has one of his best games ever as a pro -- almost like he was trying to make a statement that any thought the Jags might have had about drafting Tebow to be QB of this Jaguars team was entirely unnecessary.
*Debuts: Hell of a winning one for Pete Carroll (and a hell of a loss for the 49ers). And the mere fact that Sam Bradford didn't snap in two makes his debut a success (despite the 3 picks and losing the game. 55 passing attempts?)
And say this for Mike Martz: The Bears may not win many games, but they will be wildly entertaining. (And as long as you're not making the playoffs anyway, isn't it better to be entertaining? Just ask the Browns fans.)
*And NFL Week 1 hasn't even had its best game yet -- that would be Ravens at Jets in tonight's MNF season-opener (not sure how many folks will stick around for Chargers-Chiefs).
More:
*USA Hoops wins gold at the World Championships: The problem with expectations is that the team was in a "gold-or-bust" situation, so winning gold brings "As you should have!" rather than "Way to go!" That said: This was a breakthrough month for Kevin Durant. It is going to be fascinating to see how things work in London in 2012, if the superstars return to the team for the Olympic tournament.
*Alabama-Ohio State are 1-2 in the polls, same as last week. The biggest difference is that while Boise is still No. 3, their support with No. 1-votes eroded; my Saturday feelings about it -- as a Boise-is-No.-1 voter in the preseason and last week -- were foreshadowing.
*MLB Pennant Races: As expected, the Giants finished the weekend tied for 1st with the Padres in the NL West. And they could nudge ahead as early as tonight, when the Padres head to Denver to play the Rockies (who are themselves only 1.5 GB the division leaders after having won 10 straight games).
Oh and the Phillies pulled ahead of the Braves for sole possession of 1st in the NL East. (Over in the AL, the only question is whether the Rays will catch the Yankees for the AL division title. Cliff Lee!)
*Tiger Woods being bounced from the FedEx Cup feels like an entirely appropriate finish to this worst-year-of-his-career. The bigger question: How far does it extend into next year?
*WNBA Finals: Sue Bird, greatest Jewish basketball player?
*Flying back from Jacksonville to NYC yesterday afternoon, I had the Pats-Bengals game on my in-flight TV, and damn if the Pats didn't look awesome on offense (Welkah!) and way better on D than anyone expected them to.
*Tebow Watch: 2 touches (including the 3rd play of the game), 2 carries, 2 yards and a Broncos loss after David Garrard has one of his best games ever as a pro -- almost like he was trying to make a statement that any thought the Jags might have had about drafting Tebow to be QB of this Jaguars team was entirely unnecessary.
*Debuts: Hell of a winning one for Pete Carroll (and a hell of a loss for the 49ers). And the mere fact that Sam Bradford didn't snap in two makes his debut a success (despite the 3 picks and losing the game. 55 passing attempts?)
And say this for Mike Martz: The Bears may not win many games, but they will be wildly entertaining. (And as long as you're not making the playoffs anyway, isn't it better to be entertaining? Just ask the Browns fans.)
*And NFL Week 1 hasn't even had its best game yet -- that would be Ravens at Jets in tonight's MNF season-opener (not sure how many folks will stick around for Chargers-Chiefs).
More:
*USA Hoops wins gold at the World Championships: The problem with expectations is that the team was in a "gold-or-bust" situation, so winning gold brings "As you should have!" rather than "Way to go!" That said: This was a breakthrough month for Kevin Durant. It is going to be fascinating to see how things work in London in 2012, if the superstars return to the team for the Olympic tournament.
*Alabama-Ohio State are 1-2 in the polls, same as last week. The biggest difference is that while Boise is still No. 3, their support with No. 1-votes eroded; my Saturday feelings about it -- as a Boise-is-No.-1 voter in the preseason and last week -- were foreshadowing.
*MLB Pennant Races: As expected, the Giants finished the weekend tied for 1st with the Padres in the NL West. And they could nudge ahead as early as tonight, when the Padres head to Denver to play the Rockies (who are themselves only 1.5 GB the division leaders after having won 10 straight games).
Oh and the Phillies pulled ahead of the Braves for sole possession of 1st in the NL East. (Over in the AL, the only question is whether the Rays will catch the Yankees for the AL division title. Cliff Lee!)
*Tiger Woods being bounced from the FedEx Cup feels like an entirely appropriate finish to this worst-year-of-his-career. The bigger question: How far does it extend into next year?
*WNBA Finals: Sue Bird, greatest Jewish basketball player?
Posts
1 comment:
DS,
im sorry but you owe more to michigan fans -- all offseason you rant and rave about how rich rod is a complete failure and then you pick uconn and ND to beat them -- you are an educated enough college football fan to know that rich rod is a brilliant offensive mind and he just needs to get his players in there -- michigan is still playing with tons of underclassmen and they look halfway-decent -- this program will be back to perennial top-5 status sooner than you think -- hop on board -- LET'S GET DENARDED!!!
Post a Comment