Sunday’s for me are spent making sure that I have everything I need to get done completed as early as possible. This means that there is plenty of time before the 6pm kick-offs (1pm to those of you on standard NFL timing) to get the roast dinner completed and ready so that I can sit down without any stress in plenty of time.
Once that happens, I pretty much don’t move for the next 7 hours or so. I am lucky, I won’t deny it. My wife has become, to a point, as indoctrinated. Football Sunday has been a thing in our house for a good 7 years now and I will never stop being thankful for that. To be able to share the enjoyment with her, whether at home, or at the London games, is great.
Once that is all in hand, I then need to set my fantasy lineups. I play fantasy football too much, but I am trying to reduce the number of leagues down. Not successfully, but it’s the thought that counts right?
So, what has this week told us about what to expect for the rest of the season?
Back to Earth
The first week of games certainly threw us a couple of curve balls, really kicking off with the Rams getting absolutely shut down by the 49ers. The big takeaway will surprise nobody, a Defense with a healthy Fred Warner and Nick Bosa is infinitely better than without. They were menaces throughout the game, ably supported by Upton Stout and the rest of a rejuvenated 49ers Defense. Matthew Stafford (and later Stetson Bennett) were under pressure on 50% of their dropbacks per PFF, and it really felt like it.
The Rams will be fine this year, I still have them as my pick for the NFC West. There is no shame in dropping one early against a 49ers team with a point to prove, who put together 12 wins last year on a shoestring roster. Plenty to sort out for Sean McVey and co, but they’ll do it.
Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert…can’t fail, right? Well, someone needs to tell the Chargers. Watching that performance against a Cardinals team that punched well above it’s weight was sad, and not just for the bet slip that it set on fire. I mean, not for Arizona, but for the promise that sustained a summer narrative that this year would be different for the other LA team. If you believe Jim Harbaugh, the promise that was to start Justin Herbert’s procession towards becoming the GOAT. All in all a week to forget for the city. Receivers unable to get open, non-existent protection, and Herbert throwing up prayers, Gross.
On the other side of the ball, Arizona’s front office chucking Jacoby Brissett a bone looks to have been a good call. With a receiver room that looks more than halfway decent (Trey McBride included) and a running back room that resembled two hammers, this won’t be the last week of the season that the Cardinals cause another team unexpected issues.
Jalen Hurts appears to have read the off-season narratives surrounding him and seemed determined to cement those early this year. With an O-line that resembled swiss cheese he couldn’t really get anything going. 10 first downs in the entire game, against a Defense which last year was 28th in EPA, despite getting the win, is nothing to be proud of for the Eagles. One big Saquon run and a couple of big completions aren’t fooling many people this week. This is a team that needs to find inspiration fast. It’s only week 1 but the Eagles offensive grade card reads “needs to do better”.
That’s Why I Enjoy Sundays!
I promise this won’t become a weekly Ravens centric article, but this week indulge me. Zay goddamn Flowers! In fact, that whole Ravens offense was everything that was promised. Declan Doyle was in his bag early and often in this one. Yes, it slowed in the second half following injuries to Flowers and rookie Ja’Kobi Lane, but when you have the King to lean on to drain the game, there was no need to panic. Indianapolis never really got out of second gear. It was clear that Daniel Jones is still feeling the effects of last season’s achilles tear, but Colts’ fans will be hoping that week 2 and onward will bring better performances and results.
Thanks Patrick
Well, it took precisely 1 game to make my Sunday article stand about the Chiefs look ridiculous. That was a beatdown against the Broncos from start to finish and ‘Spags’ has his Defense firing already. Mansoor Delane shone bright and then left the game, Mahomes looks as if his knee is as good as when he was a teenager, and the Broncos could get precisely nothing going. Someone needs to tell Jaylen Waddle that the season has started. Having written them off before a snap, it seems the Chiefs might be the only team in this Division who may be any threat. Improvements needed in the AFC West! Kenneth Walker III might well be the cureall that was needed for the chiefs to rise back to the top of the AFC.
A brief look to the NFC North, The Vikings decided to wake up after halftime in their matchup against the Packers and well, what an outstanding second half they played. What they did to Jordan Love and his boys was stunning. I have no doubt that they are still reeling. Early signs show that, even without Kyler Murray, that Vikings offense is going to be night and day better than last years showing. Justin Jefferson matching his touchdown total from last season early means he can now just look forward to the next 17 weeks and getting back to his rightful place atop the NFL receiver hierarchy.
Finally, the Saints! what an end to that game as well. Whilst they ultimately fell just short (well, wide) they should feel great about their second half performance. Chris Olave looks like the WR1 they knew he was, which is great news for my fantasy teams, and Tyler Shough looks more and more like a steal in the middle of the second round of last years Draft. Do the Saints’ fans finally have a team that they can be excited about, rather than just rocking one of the best uniforms in the league? If early returns are anything to go by then it certainly seems so.
Shout outs to the Bears, Jags, Bills (and Texans to be honest), and the Giants also. I won’t use this article to comment on all games every week, but those fanbases will have very much enjoyed week 1. Yes, even the Texans. Stroud and co looked much more buttoned up when compared to the end of last season and a display like we saw from Josh Allen doesn’t take away from that.
A Familiar Feeling
Sundays during the NFL season have a very familiar routine. I settle down with Tiff, my wife, she fires up whatever game she is playing, currently OS RuneScape, the dog joins us, and we let the NFL flow over us. This was a little different as we were travelling home as the 6 o’clock games kicked off so I enjoyed the first quarter of the Ravens v Colts sat in traffic. Once we were home though, it was normal service resumed. The Ravens winning meant I didn’t have a cloud hanging over me for the rest of the evening although there were storms brewing after the first half of the Vikings display.
I do my best not to wish away the summer whilst I wait for the season. There is so much NFL content out there now that it has been made slightly easier but this weekend marked the arrival of Autumn, and as cold nights undoubtedly set in, I won’t care. Yes I will get grumpy when the Ravens lose, although I have promised Tiff, and myself I will be better at that, apparently it’s just a game (?) but not this week. This week was the start, all hopes are possible still. That we were treated to the most points on opening weekend since the merger was the cherry on top. Perhaps Defense arrives next week?
Roll on week 2.