Week 1 of the 2010 NFL season has completed.
This is the one week every fan has hope because their team is in first place until the game ends.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has made his league promote the quarterback position to the level of Demigod.
Even with all of the rules that coddle and cajole the quarterback to success, not all do so.
Here are a few miserable performances in Week One.
Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns
When you are a rebuilding team in the best division in the NFL, there are very few games you are expected to have a great chance at winning.
Cleveland strolled into Tampa Bay and lost 17-14 to the lowly Buccaneers.
The Bucs are not expected to win many games, and their starting quarterback had an injured thumb on his throwing hand as well.
Delhomme helped them out by tossing two interceptions and gaining only 227 yards on 20 completed passes.
This is the kind of play that forced the Carolina Panthers to rid themselves of him. Delhomme should expect the “Dawg Pound” to call for Seneca Wallace very soon.
Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers
Moore had a horrible 2010 debut as the Panthers quarterback.
He spent his Sunday in the New Meadowlands Stadium running for his life virtually every time he wanted to pass.
The New York Giants played a horrible game, yet won easily by a 31-18 score.
Moore tossed three interceptions, and it should have been more in “performance,” as he went 14-33 for 142 yards, one touchdown, and four turnovers.
Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles
Kolb went into 2010 under intense scrutiny as the guy replacing Eagles legend Donovan McNabb. He did nothing to change the concern of the Eagles fans and put himself right into a new quarterback controversy with Michael Vick.
Philadelphia played flat with Kolb under center. They couldn’t block, catch, or run with him at the helm, and even lost two starters for the season.
He suffered a concussion himself, after completing just five of 10 passes for a paltry 24 yards.
When Vick came in, the team was inspired and put up 17 points in their 27-20 loss.
Of course it helped the Green Bay Packers had backed off some after building a 20-3 lead, but it was quite apparent that Philadelphia played with more heart under Vick.
Now Kolb will not be cleared to practice until Friday, perhaps giving Vick another golden opportunity to win the starter’s job.
Stay tuned.
Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
With all the bluster of the New York media and the Jets head coach Rex Ryan, the team’s fans cannot be too shocked at the performance of a guy who tossed away 20 balls in a run-oriented offense last year.
Sanchez, who was drafted fifth overall last year despite having only one full season of college football under his belt, tossed 10 completions for an abysmal 71 yards in their 10-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Jets fans can only hope he never again has any more games where he leads the team to six first downs and a 1-13 third down performance.
Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had high hopes for Smith when they made him the first overall pick of the 2005 draft. He has struggled since that moment, yet the team recently named him captain as well.
He rewarded them by failing to get his team in the end zone in their 31-6 blowout loss to the rebuilding Seattle Seahawks. Though Seattle’s offense was far from impressive, Smith tossed two interceptions while getting just 225 yards on 26 completions.
Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
The media loves to spin this yarn on how Vikings players went to Favre’s house to beg him to play in 2010.
If this is true, it may have been a waste of time and money.
Others think the Hickocrite put himself ahead of the team again, eschewing training camp with his teammates.
The lack of preparation showed in the Vikings’ 14-9 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Not only did Favre throw for an unimpressive 171 yards on 15 completions, but he added to his all-time record for interceptions by one.
Perhaps Father Time has finally caught up on the soon-to-be 41 year old who was seen hobbling around in the loss.
Vikings fans can only hope Week 1 was an aberration, and Favre will play close to his 2009 form soon.
Week 2 Picks :
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans
Dennis Dixon wasn't great in his start last week, but the defense was. This unit realizes they need to carry the team right now.
Steelers 20 Titans 13
Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys
Dallas was horrible last week, a far cry from the team expected to win their division. If they do not beat a team that had no business defeating the Detroit Lions last week, they may as well go home now.
Cowboys 23 Bears 21
Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers
Green Bay handled the Philadelphia Eagles last week, but lost star running back Ryan Grant for the year. We will see how they will look without him this week.
Packers 24 Bills 21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay outlasted Cleveland last week, even though their quarterback has an injured thumb on his throwing hand. Carolina's quarterback, Matt Moore, needs to play better than he did last week, and I expect him to.
Panthers 27 Buccaneers 17
Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns
While Kansas City provided a nice surprise last week in their upset victory over the San Diego Chargers, the Browns frustrated a few by dropping their game to Tampa Bay. Though neither team will get to the playoffs this year, but it will be an interesting battle of rebuilding teams.
Chiefs 31 Browns 24
Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings
Both teams like to pound their opponents into the turf, so this will be a real smash mouth grind. Both have good running games, but less than stellar passing attacks. This could go into overtime.
Vikings 23 Dolphins 20
Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons
Arizona squeaked by the Saint Louis Rams last week, while the Falcons went toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh into overtime before losing. Though the Cardinals have a good defense, it isn't quite as good as the Steelers, so Atlanta should be more productive.
Falcons 34 Cardinals 21
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Game of the Week
Terrell Owens and Chad Ocho Cinco's egos will be the downfall of Cincinnati this year. Both cry for the ball every play, but are obviously on the downsides of their careers. Owens seems to have a foot in his career's grave.
Tight end Jermaine Greshem and the running game are more dangerous weapons, but we won't see enough of it because of the two babbling divas. This was seen last week when the New England Patriots thrashed them.
Baltimore was amped up last week, so critics expect a let down in a short week to prepare. This is a veteran team, so their Super Bowl candidacy will broadcast their intentions this weekend. The great teams win these games.
Ravens 30 Bengals 28
Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions
While the Lions were robbed last week, the Eagles started their season flat footed. Both teams will be playing their backup quarterbacks this week. Philadelphia's Michael Vick is now getting the chance he once thought he'd never get again. He has a good chance of running and throwing for over 100 yards.
Eagles 34 Lions 17
Saint Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders
While the Rams played fairly well in their loss last week, the Raiders played poorly. Oakland needs to bounce back this week.
Raiders 27 Rams 21
Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos
While the Seahawks surprised many in their blow out victory over the 49ers, the Broncos dropped a game some thought they would win. While neither team is looking very strong right now, this should be a game that goes to the wire.
Broncos 24 Seahawks 23
Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins
The Redskins benefited from poor play calling by the Dallas Cowboys last week. Their top two running backs averaged almost five yards a carry, but the team decided to throw too much. Houston will not make this same mistake, especially after Arian Foster had the second most productive ground game of any player in NFL history. Washington is expected to show more offensive punch than last week.
Texans 26 Redskins 21
New England Patriots @ New York Jets
While the Patriots proved themselves to be a serious Super Bowl contender last week, the Jets showed they are further away than they expected. New England will widen the gap further.
Patriots 27 Jets 13
Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers
The Chargers are coming off a crushing loss last Monday, and they need to rebound quickly. Jacksonville looked solid last week, and will try to build off that momentum.
Chargers 34 Jaguars 24
New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts
Neither team was very impressive last week. While the Giants defense destroyed the Carolina Panthers, their offense made way too many mistakes. The Colts tiny defensive line might just what New York needs in this battle of the Manning brothers.
Giants 27 Colts 26
New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers
This is not how the Niners wanted to start this season. They got blown out by Seattle, a team most did not expect a lot of this year. Now they face the defending champions, who are coming off an impressive win and had a few extra days to prepare as well.
Saints 37 49ers 20
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