Surprises: CIN losing to PIT (what a weird game that was!).
SFO losing to CHI (absolutely unacceptable that the Niners lost that game. Someone online mentioned something about SFO's record under Kyle Shanahan when Jimmy G. doesn't start at QB for him. Kinda reminiscent of his dad's record when he didn't have John Elway starting for him at QB).
NYG over TEN (not quite sure how that happened but it seems to support the contention that TEN is due for a regression this season).
And MIN over G.B. (Second straight season-opening CLUNKER for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. And Kirk Cousins owns the all-time head-to-head edge over A.R.? What is up with that?)
Oh, and now SEA over DEN. I have no idea how the Seahawks won tonight (except to say that DEN was its own worst enemy). SEA @ SFO should be interesting next Sunday 'cause the 49ers sure didn't impress in Week 1 (nor did they put to rest any lingering questions about Trey Lance)!
I mentioned in another thread that it's never wise to try to draw too many conclusions after only one game but on tonight's evidence the idea that DEN is going to the S.B. (just because it acquired R.W.) is laughable.
N.E. looked inept in losing to MIA. Is the Patriots dynasty really and truly over?
Oh - another nod to the N.F.L. for its scheduling. About the only real mismatch scheduled in Week 1 was K.C. @ ARZ (and it played out like the mismatch that it appeared to be on paper).
On to Week 2!
Week 1 impressions
Re: Week 1 impressions
In my no-spread / winners only pick'em group I got 10 correct, so naturally, to me, what I got wrong is what surprised me.
The five I picked wrong (plus tie):
SF-CHI: Field conditions and 'week 1' in general could be excuses but didn't see SF losing. Do know if I had to pick between just the two, I'd start Jimmy G and also think if he did start they would have won fairly easily.
CIN-PIT: Not overly surprising that the Steelers won, divisional game. 'Week 1' excuse can apply to Cinci/Burrow, also. But in agreement with the OP that it was definitely a weird game. LS played a big part of the result but the Bengals were also lucky to have tied it up, anyway. Fair enough result in the end I'd say.
CAR-CLE & JAX-WAS: Not surprised the Browns & Commanders won. Just games I picked wrong.
TEN-NYG: Of course I thought Titans would win easily. It even seemed like they controlled a lot of the game and that the Giants were as ... not good as expected. Then Barkley reeled off some runs and looked close to himself for the first time in a while. Wasn't surprised they went for two, even week 1 it felt like a "nothing to lose" situation for them. Worked out. Bad loss for Tennessee.
IND-HOU: Was a tie, of course I had picked the Colts to win. Has to feel like a loss to them. Feels like an upset 'win' for the Texans.
Picked correct but didn't go like I thought:
SEA-DEN: Was confident Seattle would win, one of the six wins I gave them this season. I haven't been on the Broncos train that others seemingly are. I haven't and don't think they'll be a playoff team, at all, or anywhere near some of the predictions/expectations I've seen others have for them. I did think the game itself would be a close but still clear Seattle win. Instead, it was more a goal-line defense and opponent settling for a 64-yard FG attempt, win.
Least surprising:
That Buffalo and Josh Allen looked as good as they did.
That the Jets lost & were on c'mon man.
Responses to OP:
Shouldn't be a surprise the Dolphins handled the Pats so easily. NE struggles down in Miami anyway, and obviously aren't going down there with their "dynasty" teams anymore.
Disagree with Vikings-Packers, too. Never seemed like the Packers would come out of the gates lighting it up, clicking and running on all cylinders. GB/Rodgers didn't even have Lazard for week 1. Only real surprise to me from the game was that GB made it so easy for the Vikings by refusing to cover Jefferson.
The five I picked wrong (plus tie):
SF-CHI: Field conditions and 'week 1' in general could be excuses but didn't see SF losing. Do know if I had to pick between just the two, I'd start Jimmy G and also think if he did start they would have won fairly easily.
CIN-PIT: Not overly surprising that the Steelers won, divisional game. 'Week 1' excuse can apply to Cinci/Burrow, also. But in agreement with the OP that it was definitely a weird game. LS played a big part of the result but the Bengals were also lucky to have tied it up, anyway. Fair enough result in the end I'd say.
CAR-CLE & JAX-WAS: Not surprised the Browns & Commanders won. Just games I picked wrong.
TEN-NYG: Of course I thought Titans would win easily. It even seemed like they controlled a lot of the game and that the Giants were as ... not good as expected. Then Barkley reeled off some runs and looked close to himself for the first time in a while. Wasn't surprised they went for two, even week 1 it felt like a "nothing to lose" situation for them. Worked out. Bad loss for Tennessee.
IND-HOU: Was a tie, of course I had picked the Colts to win. Has to feel like a loss to them. Feels like an upset 'win' for the Texans.
Picked correct but didn't go like I thought:
SEA-DEN: Was confident Seattle would win, one of the six wins I gave them this season. I haven't been on the Broncos train that others seemingly are. I haven't and don't think they'll be a playoff team, at all, or anywhere near some of the predictions/expectations I've seen others have for them. I did think the game itself would be a close but still clear Seattle win. Instead, it was more a goal-line defense and opponent settling for a 64-yard FG attempt, win.
Least surprising:
That Buffalo and Josh Allen looked as good as they did.
That the Jets lost & were on c'mon man.
Responses to OP:
Shouldn't be a surprise the Dolphins handled the Pats so easily. NE struggles down in Miami anyway, and obviously aren't going down there with their "dynasty" teams anymore.
Disagree with Vikings-Packers, too. Never seemed like the Packers would come out of the gates lighting it up, clicking and running on all cylinders. GB/Rodgers didn't even have Lazard for week 1. Only real surprise to me from the game was that GB made it so easy for the Vikings by refusing to cover Jefferson.
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Brian wolf
- Posts: 3012
- Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am
Re: Week 1 impressions
Defenses for a number of years are just unable to close games. Comebacks happen all the time and teams get gassed or make fundamental mistakes that blow endings. As usual, these opening games of the season are tales of two halves but its funny how a team can score 17 points in the first half like Seattle, then do nothing the rest of the game. Yes, teams adjust but come on. They won because the HC for Denver took the ball out of Wilson's hands at the end, gambling on a 64 yrd FG attempt, which McManus can do.
Had Biscuit played better for the Steelers, it should have been an easy win but the defense had to carry the load despite being unable to stop Chase in the second half. That game proves the value of a good long snapper ...
Prescott for Dallas cant stay healthy but its too soon to look beyond him. Would the Pokes try for Jimmy G despite an iffy shoulder ?
The Texans and Falcons have to stay focused after blowing apparent wins.
Had Biscuit played better for the Steelers, it should have been an easy win but the defense had to carry the load despite being unable to stop Chase in the second half. That game proves the value of a good long snapper ...
Prescott for Dallas cant stay healthy but its too soon to look beyond him. Would the Pokes try for Jimmy G despite an iffy shoulder ?
The Texans and Falcons have to stay focused after blowing apparent wins.
Re: Week 1 impressions
Green Bay under LaFleur has a tendency to come out with these dud games seemingly at random, often against middling teams. I don't know what that says about him, but I don't think it's good.
Re: Week 1 impressions
I was amazed at some of the Week 1 QB starters...what a weird and somewhat terrible group...
Joe Flacco
Jameis Winston
Trey Lance
Jacoby Brissett
Davis Mills
Marcus Mariota
Geno Smith
Mitch Trubisky
In addition to that hilarity, you had Russell Wilson on the Broncos, Carson Wentz on the Redskins, Matt Ryan on the Colts...strange.
Who was the worst Week 1 starting QB in history? My vote would go to the 1979 Lions with Jeff Komlo. They had grown sick of Greg Landry and shipped him to the Colts, the heir apparent Gary Danielson was injured in preseason and lost for the year, so they had to start Komlo who was a 9th round draft pick out of Delaware.
Joe Flacco
Jameis Winston
Trey Lance
Jacoby Brissett
Davis Mills
Marcus Mariota
Geno Smith
Mitch Trubisky
In addition to that hilarity, you had Russell Wilson on the Broncos, Carson Wentz on the Redskins, Matt Ryan on the Colts...strange.
Who was the worst Week 1 starting QB in history? My vote would go to the 1979 Lions with Jeff Komlo. They had grown sick of Greg Landry and shipped him to the Colts, the heir apparent Gary Danielson was injured in preseason and lost for the year, so they had to start Komlo who was a 9th round draft pick out of Delaware.
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74_75_78_79_
- Posts: 2339
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:25 pm
Re: Week 1 impressions
Way too many examples of openers not meaning anything, after all, as the season wears on. Can't even count how many! It's like the amount of stars in the sky.
But that Seattle opener win vs Denver was eyebrow-raising. A testament to Carroll being a great coach! But are the 'Hawks going to play like that every game all season? It was an emotional game for them for obvious reasons. Will that initial 'fire' still keep burning from here?
I'm going to stick with Russell and the Broncos winning the division while flirting with AFC top-seed all season long. But, sure enough, Carroll will pull more rabbits out his hat thus winning more games (upsets too, home or away) than I initially predicted.
But that Seattle opener win vs Denver was eyebrow-raising. A testament to Carroll being a great coach! But are the 'Hawks going to play like that every game all season? It was an emotional game for them for obvious reasons. Will that initial 'fire' still keep burning from here?
I'm going to stick with Russell and the Broncos winning the division while flirting with AFC top-seed all season long. But, sure enough, Carroll will pull more rabbits out his hat thus winning more games (upsets too, home or away) than I initially predicted.
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Gary Najman
- Posts: 1430
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:24 pm
- Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Re: Week 1 impressions
Did Komlo or veteran Joe Reed started in the 1979 Detroit opener at Tampa Bay on a Saturday Night in the opening game of the season? I recall that the Lions also acquired journeymen Jerry Golsteyn and Scott Hunter, but I don't remember if they started any games in 1979.Bryan wrote:I was amazed at some of the Week 1 QB starters...what a weird and somewhat terrible group...
Joe Flacco
Jameis Winston
Trey Lance
Jacoby Brissett
Davis Mills
Marcus Mariota
Geno Smith
Mitch Trubisky
In addition to that hilarity, you had Russell Wilson on the Broncos, Carson Wentz on the Redskins, Matt Ryan on the Colts...strange.
Who was the worst Week 1 starting QB in history? My vote would go to the 1979 Lions with Jeff Komlo. They had grown sick of Greg Landry and shipped him to the Colts, the heir apparent Gary Danielson was injured in preseason and lost for the year, so they had to start Komlo who was a 9th round draft pick out of Delaware.
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Gary Najman
- Posts: 1430
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:24 pm
- Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Re: Week 1 impressions
As usual, my Cowboys were atrocious (even the Jets scored a TD).
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Brian wolf
- Posts: 3012
- Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am
Re: Week 1 impressions
Meet the new week ... Same as the last week ... Lather, Rinse, Comeback ...
Re: Week 1 impressions
What on earth happens to these defenses later in games. How is it so easy to come back from so far down sometimes
Dolphins, Jets (down 13pts with what 90 seconds...0 time outs!) Cardinals. All came roaring back. Redskins put a scare into Detroit. Falcons put a big scare into the Rams
You see so many games while watching the ticker. 34-13 Q3 2:00 left. Next check 34-34 OT. So many times it's almost like a scripted collapse
Dolphins, Jets (down 13pts with what 90 seconds...0 time outs!) Cardinals. All came roaring back. Redskins put a scare into Detroit. Falcons put a big scare into the Rams
You see so many games while watching the ticker. 34-13 Q3 2:00 left. Next check 34-34 OT. So many times it's almost like a scripted collapse