NFL Week 1 Thoughts

Week 1 is over and Week 2 is just two nights away.  (Not sure if I love the idea of Thursday night NFL games, EVERY week, but I'm sure I'll get used to it).  Anyway, what did we learn from the first weekend?

Peyton Manning looks good.  Real good.  I thought that 4 neck surgeries might slow down the 36 year old.  Guess not.  He lit up the Steelers on Sunday night, and now we must all consider the Broncos to be a contender... still not a favorite by any means, it's just Week 1, but still a contender for sure.

Joe Flacco might almost be as good as he thinks he is.  Ok, that can't happen.  By the sounds of that guy he thinks he's better than Montana.  Either way, Flacco went for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns in Baltimore's easy win over the Bengals last night.  The no-huddle offense may work, let's see them play a better defense first.  (Yes I know Cincinnati made the playoffs last year, how'd they look last night?)

Adrian Peterson is good to go.  84 yards and 2 touchdowns for AP after all the talk that he might have to really ease into the season coming off knee surgery.  He looked good... real good in fact for a "game-time decision."

Brandon Lloyd, despite missing a deep 1st half connection with Brady, already looks way more comfortable in the Patriots offense than Chad Ochocinco ever did.  In fact the new #85 is only 10 catches shy of tying the old #85's reception total from all of last year.

What's up with Wes Welker?  122 catches last year, and just 3 little dink passes in Week 1.  A message by the team or just an off week.  I'm not sure.

Stevan Ridley could be a monster for the Pats.  One of the best passing teams in the NFL may have themselves a 1,200+ yard back.  The 2nd year RB from LSU ripped off 125 yards vs. the Titans on Sunday.

The Jets looked great, the Bills looked like crap.  Great debate all preseason about which team would finish 2nd in the AFC East.  Well the two choices (Miami will be a distant 4th), faced off Week 1 and it was all New York.  Mark Sanchez was a stud, Bills D was weak, and Fred Jackson got hurt, again.  Yikes.

Rookie QBs:  Robert Griffin III was AWESOME.  The Skins beat the Saints in New Orleans, and it was all about the Heisman winner.  RG3 made it look easy, the rest of the rookie starters.... not so much.

Russell Wilson of the Seahawks almost pulled out a victory, although he wasn't very good... but how about these piles of crap.

Andrew Luck - Ryan Tannehill - Brandon Weedon = 1 TD & 10 INTs, (0-3 record).

49ers are a complete team.  The defense is the best in the league.  Frank Gore is solid, Alex Smith is good enough and now they have receivers.

Randy Moss!  Back in the league and back in the end zone.  His 154th career TD reception breaks the tie with Terrell Owens and moves him into 2nd place behind only Jerry Rice.

Packers and Steelers are the best teams that should have the most concerns.

Matt Ryan had an eagle of a day.  With Julio Jones (2 TDs), Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Michael Turner, the Falcons should be a VERY high scoring team.

But with any reactions you hear, it was still just 1 week.  Looking forward to Week 2, although I need to get used to this quick turnaround.  Packers vs. Bears on Thursday.


-Keefe

All Eyes on Brandon Lloyd

It all comes down to Rams WR Brandon Lloyd.

In a match up of 2 former Gentlemen's Club Fantasy Football League Champions, Rich Keefe and Tristan Besse turn their attention to the one and only Brandon Lloyd.

Keefe and Besse are locked up in a nail biter of a Quarterfinal. Smell the Glove (Keefe) has a 6 point lead over Team Besse (Besse) going into the Monday Night game, where only Besse's Lloyd remains.

Both teams experienced setbacks this weekend. Injuries devastated Besse (Greg Jennings and DeMarco Murray) while Keefe simply out-coached himself, benching regulars Cedric Benson, DeSean Jackson, and painfully Lions D. (For Jonathan Stewart, Malcolm Floyd, Broncos D; the difference 27 points.)

Besse was hurt by the injuries, as well as Nate Washington going for 19 on the bench, while Michael Crabtree (sub par) and Jennings (injury) did little.

With all that said, it now comes down to WR Brandon Lloyd. It is not a point per catch league, 1 point for every 10 yards and 6 for a TD.

The winner will face the Regular Season Points Leader, but neither are concerned with that right now.

If the game ends in a tie, Besse will be awarded the victory based on being the higher seed. However, I think he should be penalized for never changing his team name. Maybe that's just me.