Analysis of Week 3 in the NFL
Game Breakdowns
Jets 24 Titans 17 
For some reason, even with one of the top defenses in the league, people are still doubting New York. That defense stood up Kerry Collins and the Titans with two minutes left to go, and rookie Mark Sanchez stayed cool under pressure. With the loss, Tennessee falls to 0-3, mostly due to two fumbles on special teams by Ryan Mouton and two more interceptions by Collins. A win is a win, even if it is against a team that is imploding.
Game Ball: Mark Sanchez, who went 17 for 30 with 171 yards and two touchdowns, and especially for that incredible 14 yard rushing touchdown.
Eagles 34 Chiefs 14 
Kevin Kolb’s second start was much better than his first. With all the distractions of Michael Vick show, Kolb stayed calm, throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions. The Eagles walked up and down the field, but come on – it was against Kansas City. The only things better than Todd Haley’s hissy fits and mad faces is Matt Cassel’s face in the fourth quarter. Now, Philadlephia heads into their bye-week, which is just enough time for Donovan McNabb to heal and the Eagles to stop their revolving door of quarterbacks.
Game Ball: LeSean “Shady” McCoy, who had 20 carries for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
Redskins 14 Lions 19 
We’re not going to ruin this by saying that Washington played horrible or that it was a lucky win… This is a win to be reveled in. There is no way to describe the way this city has felt for the last two years, especially seeing as they had no sports to distract them. The Lions played like they wanted to win. Kevin Smith rushed for over a hundred yards, Matthew Stafford was interception-less, and the defense even survived a last-minute lateral-laden effort by Washington. They deserve this win.
Game Ball: The city of Detroit… because even in these hard economic times, 40,000 people showed up to a game that most assumed Detroit would lose. They witnessed history… a true testament to what a football fan really is.
Packers 36 Rams 17 
Try as they may, the Rams just can’t win. St. Louis had a good outing considering they lost their starting quarterback. Aside from one interception, backup Kyle Boller was mediocre enough to put up 17 points. Ryan Grant almost broke 100 yards, which was a good sign seeing as he’s been steadily improving since Week 1, and Aaron Rodgers can definately use this game to build some confidence. In the end, it came down to the same old discipline problems for the Rams. Too many penalties, turnovers, and a lack of patience will definately cost you every game.
Game Ball: Aaron Rodgers, who went 13 for 23 with 269 yards and 2 touchdowns, but also accrued 38 rushing yards on 8 carries.
49ers 24 Vikings 27 
With a little over a minute left, the Vikings ordered a Brett Favre special, and man did they get it. In a game like this, the reality is that someone had to lose. Mike Singletary’s game plan was perfect, and Shaun Hill was impressive again, but losing Frank Gore was definately an issue for the Niners. This definately lived up to the hype as one of the best games of the week.
Game Ball: Greg Lewis… who had one catch in the entire game and made it count, dragging his two feet to keep in bounds for the game-winning touchdown.
Falcons 10 Patriots 26 
The Patriots squeeked out a win, but to be honest, it wasn’t the most impressive of wins. Tom Brady may have “bounced back” but his stats were slightly better. The real story was New Englands defense eating up Atlanta’s running game and keeping Michael Turner to only 56 yards. The lost of tight end Tony Gonzales will definately hurt the Falcons, especially Matt Ryan.
Game Ball: Randy Moss, who recovered from a horrible showing against the Jets to grab 10 catches for 116 yards.
Giants 24 Buccaneers 0 
This was a gimme game for the GMen, but they got the job done without giving up even a field goal, which was impressive. When a team only manages 85 total yards of offense, obviously they aren’t going to win the game, and Tampa seems to be getting worse by the week. We can only assume the Bucs are kicking themselves for making this their rebuilding year.
Game Ball: Brandon Jacobs, who woke up from two mediocre performances to go 92 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.
Ravens 34 Browns 3 
It’s fun to watch the Browns every week. If All My Children had actors in pads and eye black, this would be it. Brady Quinn was benched, their defense is laughable, and we’re really tired of calling Eric Mangini a Mangenius – even if we are being sarcastic. Joe Flacco turned in another quality performance in the air, but we are interested to see how his new-found passing game stands up against bigger, better teams.
Game Ball: Joe Flacco, who went 25-35 for 342 yards and one touchdown
Jaguars 31 Texans 24 
After all of the Houston showed last week, this was a tough loss. Matt Schaub still played well, throwing for 300 yards and three touchdowns, but it was the defense and their inability to stop the run that gave the Texans a problem. Maurice Jones-Drew is on pace for a career year, and at this point, he can make or break a game for the Jags.
Game Ball: Maurice Jones-Drew, whi had 23 carries for 119 yards and THREE touchdowns.
Saints 27 Bills 7 
Tell me you didn’t see this coming… The Bills lose a game they could have been a contender in, and Terrell Owens didn’t get the ball and is obviously upset. Here’s the point – you saw Trent Edwards throw the ball to him, and you saw him half-assing his attempts to catch it, so would you throw it to him? The Bills have the talent, but Trent Edwards needs to get his feet under him. The Saints have continued to put up big numbers, but the true test will come against the Jets next week.
Game Ball: Pierre Thomas, who in his first game of the season had 14 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
Bears 25 Seahawks 19 
The two missed field goals for Seattle would have tied the game and sent it into overtime, and Jim Mora knows that. He channeled his father when he lashed out in the postgame press conference, but he had the right to be angry. Seattle put up a fight behind backup Seneca Wallace, but couldn’t get it done in the end. Jay Cutler continues to redeem himself from Week 1.
Game Ball: Jay Cutler, who went 21 for 27 with 247 yards and three touchdowns
Steelers 20 Bengals 23 
The Steelers usually come back in the fourth quarter rather than collapse… but this was a definate case of being gassed in the second half. Pittsburgh had more offensive yards, more rushing yards, but also more penalties and turnovers. The game came down to who wanted it more, and the Bengals had the fire that Roethlisburger’s Steelers lacked. Sloppy, tired play doesn’t win games.
Game Ball: Carson Palmer, for leading a great comeback, going 20 for 37 with 183 yards and one touchdown.
Broncos 23 Raiders 3 
For the second straight week, Denvers offense has come alive on the ground as Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno combined for 200 yards. This week, JaMarcus Russel actually managed to lose the game for Oakland, but throwing two interceptions and only 61 yards. Conversly, Kyle Orton didn’t make many mistakes. Best highlight of the game goes to Brian Dawkins, who has found his personality in Denver.
Game Ball: Knowshon Moreno, who had 21 carries for 90 yards and his first NFL touchdowns.
Dolphins 13 Chargers 23 
If the Dolphins tried their hardest to win the game in Week 2, they were already a step behind when they lost Chad Pennington. Histeria ensued, as they threw away all wildcat plans and played real football. The Phins’ are 0-3, and a far cry from last year. The Chargers are squeeking by at the moment, biding their time and getting their wins, but we haven’t seen anything special about them and their team. Their schedule will eventually get harder, and they can’t just float on to wins all season.
Game Ball: Phillip Rivers, who went 18 for 33 with 303 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Colts 31 Cardinals 10 
This week, Indianapolis showed us just what they can do when they have the ball for over 30 minutes. The Colts overwhelmed Arizona, on both sides of the ball. Their defense pressured Kurt Warner into two interceptions, while Peyton Manning might as well have lived in the endzone. The Colts got to Warner, sacking him four times while the Cardinals couldn’t get through to Manning at all . It was a massacre, but the Colts look to be back to their winning ways of the Dungy era.
Game Ball: Reggie Wayne, who had seven receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown
Cowboys 21 Panthers 7 
All hail the most boring first half in MNF history. The ‘Boys and Carolina couldn’t get anything started. Jake Delhomme can’t go one game without an interception, it’s official, but this time, it directly cost them a chance at a win. Thanks to John Gruden and Ron Jaworski, everyone in America can say that maybe, just maybe, that last interception was Steve Smith’s fault. We just have to wonder, how long do you stick with this guy? At least the Cowboys got their win, because they don’t get another week to party.
Game Ball: Because NO ONE else was worth it… Tashard Choice, for 17 carries and 76 yards, with one touchdown.
Week 3 Round Up
Injury Report: Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington had a torn shoulder capsule, and pending a second opinion, is potentially out for the season… Rams quarterback Mark Bulger left the game with a bruised rotator cuff, but team doctors haven’t ruled him out for next week… San Francisco runningback Frank Gore left the game after only one carry with a sprained right ankle, but it’s severity won’t be known until MRI results… Dwight Freeney injured his right quad against the Cardinals Sunday night, he is questionable and will participate in some of the team’s practice Tuesday… Cardinals tough guy Darnell Dockett left the game with a sprained right ankle, but came back to play on it for the rest of the game.
- After their blowout loss to New York, Tampa Bay has benched starting quarterback Byron Leftwhich. Backup Josh Johnson will start in Week 4, while rookie Josh Freeman will be his backup, and Leftwhich slips to third on the depth chart.
- Even though the Redskins lost to one of the worst teams in the NFL, officials in Washington say that coach Jim Zorn’s job is safe. Speculation arrised after his playcalling was questioned several times during the game.
- Buffalo will soon have a very vocal Terrell Owens on their hands. The wide reciever went 185 games with at least one reception, and that streak was broken when Owens and quarterback Trent Edwards failed to connect. Owens was quiet (but oh-so-obvious) during his post-game press conference, and it seems as if conflict is brewing.
The UDU Game Ball Goes to…
The city of Detroit really waited a long time for this. With all 
of their problems, and only the Tigers to distract them, the city deserved this. The 40,000 people who went to the game are the world’s best fans, but the city is in the news for something good this week, and we have to say, it’s refreshing.
Age over Beauty
is to football. He is known for his jokes, his smile, and his charity. Even when his father was killed in a plane crash, he used racing to heal and raced to second place in the standings. People say he’s too nice; they say he lacks that killer instinct. There are eight drivers within 100 points of him in the standings, and we’re about to find out if Martin is finally ready to win.
Plenty of stars who didn’t show up in Week 1 came to play in Atlanta. Mike Turner, who only put up 65 yards in his first game, ran for over 100 yards, and Steve Smith of Carolina had 131 yards on only eight receptions. Jake Delhomme only threw one interception this week, which should be an improvement, but he threw it at a pivotal point in the game and most likely cost the Panthers the game. Matt Ryan passed for three touchdowns, including one to Tony Gonzalez who pulled in 71 yards on the day. The Falcons may have not had the perfect game, but every win is welcomed in Atlanta.
After last week, football fans assumed Adrian Peterson would write the headlines and Brett Favre would just manage the game. It’s obviously going to be a toss up ever week. Peterson had an off day as far as he is concerned, with 92 yards and a costly fumble, but Favre was 23 for 27 with two touchdowns. The Lions actually led in this one, but Matthew Stafford is proving he may not be ready for the NFL (he is tied with Jake Delhomme for the most picks through two weeks).
Bengals 31 Packers 24 
This was a monster win for Houston, beating a defense who didn’t show up on Sunday. Both teams put up over 30 points, but the difference here was the quarterbacks. Matt Schaub looked like a veteran, throwing four touchdown passes, completing two to one of the most underrated wide receivers in the league, Andre Johnson. Off season acquisition Nate Washington only caught one pass on the day, Kerry Collins dropped the ball without much pressure, and just like that, the Titans are 0-2.
This is JaMarcus Russell’s team, and so far, he’s all but run them into the ground. Even in the win, Russell completed only seven of his 24 passes. On the other hand, Matt Cassel may have thrown for 241 yards, but he threw two very costly interceptions. This time, it was the Raiders winning on a last second touchdown. We have to give credit to their team, especially their defense, who kept them in a game when their quarterback could not. Todd Haley’s offensive genius isn’t showing through in Kansas City at all.
After a come-from-behind win against Buffalo, the Patriots came out flat. New York’s defense kept them in the game in the first half, where they barely managed to put up 60 yards of offense, and also sealed the game by shutting down a Tom Brady Special (aka a two minute game-winning drive). Mark Sanchez wasn’t amazing, but he was more calm than a rookie in his position had the right to be, and responded beautifully to pressure. The real story was Tom Brady, who lacked that fire we are all used to seeing. The quarterback completed less than 50% of his passes, threw one interception, and was held without a touchdown.
Kevin Kolb proved all his critics wrong… for the first quarter. Look at the stat sheer, and everything looks even… except for turnovers and penalties. The Eagles can blame whoever they want, but they lost this game by themselves. DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek played well, but Drew Brees’s offense just over powered the Birds. The Eagles may need Jeff Garcia… hell even Detroit put up 27 points against the Saints.
After a tough loss to San Francisco last week, Kurt Warner took the game into his own hands, going 24 for 26 (an NFL record) with two TDs. It was a team effort – Tim Hightower rushed for 72 yards, and Steve Breaston had five catches for 83 yards. Jacksonville continues to look lackluster, but maybe David Gerrard learned a thing or two from Kurt Warner as he watched from the sideline.
If there was one NFC East team who wasn’t up to par, Washington is it. In a game where both quarterbacks lost control, the ‘Skins edged out a win. One bright spot for Washington was the re-emergence of tight end Chris Cooley, who had 83 yards today. If the Rams want to win this year, Mark Bulger has to get better (he threw for only 125 yards today). Even if Bulger does manage to find a rhythm, St. Louis wont win without discipline.
It’s hard to win a game with any interceptions, let alone one returned for a touchdown. While Trent Edwards wasn’t perfect, he was helped by Fred Jackson who had just over 160 yards for the day. The win was big for Buffalo after last week’s heart-breaker, and especially because the AFC East is looking a lot more competitive these days.
The 49ers are 2-0, and Mike Singletary has proven that his way is the right way for San Francisco. Frank Gore is back, which is a great option for Shaun Hill. Of course, the story of the game is Matt Hasselbeck and his broken ribs, but we wonder: When is Matt Hasselbeck going to stay healthy?
Even after a rough first half, Jay Cutler responded and the Bears came back to win. It wasn’t a huge margin of victory by all means, but it was a moral victory which leaves the Bears pumped up. There were no incredible standouts, and no big offensive runs… this was classic, hard-nosed football to the end. The worst part of it all was watching Troy Palomalu watching helplessly from the sidelines.
Baltimore’s defense is baaaaaacccckkkk. Even though San Diego put up 26 points, the Ravens limited their running game, holding them to 53 total yards. Phillip Rivers will have to ice his throwing arm after passing for 436 yards, but the story was the defense – especially Terrell Suggs, who just looked like a rocket off of the line. The Chargers aren’t playing like the championship-caliber team everyone said they were in preseason.
Eric Mangini definitely got a competitive advantage by choosing Brady Quinn because they’re finding new, more amazing ways to lose. Kyle Orton could be his mediocre self today, because the Browns make everyone look good. The missing piece for the Broncos was evidentally their running game. Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno (who’s knee is evidentially feeling better) combined for about 150 yards.
If drama was what Jerry Jones wanted, it’s drama he got. The Cowboys lost their first game in that billion-dollar stadium on a last second field goal, and there are plenty of people to blame in Dallas (Tony Romo threw an unprecedented three interceptions, Felix Jones had a costly fumble… the list goes on forever). The Giants, however, were pleasantly surprised by the play of one man: Mario Manningham. Manningham and fellow wide receiver Steve Smith had over 180 yards of receiving, keeping New York in the game when their workhorse Brandon Jacobs couldn’t.
We have to admit, we didn’t think the game would be that exciting. The Dolphins completely controled the game, running the ball and playing the wildcat all night long. A lot of the credit goes to Peyton Manning who won a game when he only had the ball for less than 15 minutes (another NFL record this week). We almost felt bad for the Dolphins, but the reason they lost was exactly what made them dominant – they ran out the clock. Not one player was hustling to the line, and they lost valuable time shuffling their feet. However, one thing is clear: No one can run the wildcat and be as successful as the Dolphins. Apparently, you can win a game with only 13 plays in the second half.
The UDU Game Ball Goes to…
to a break out game on Sunday. Week one, his longest was six yards… Sunday, his longest was 80 yards. There were plenty of people who thought his production would slow down, but Gore proved us wrong this week.
by Matt Shanley
flowed from his eyes, his hands were on his hips, and for if only a moment, the god who brought six NBA Championships to a title-starved city, was human. Then he spoke.
Tennessee 10 Pittsburgh 13 
You really couldn’t as for more from Matt Ryan and his new favorite target Tony Gonzalez. Atlanta didn’t dominate, but they won, and that’s what they came to do. Miami just couldn’t keep up… their runs were shorter, the defense wasn’t on par, and it’s hard to throw efficiently when your getting sacked. The Falcons did a really good job on both sides of the ball, which is a good sign of things to come in the NFC.
Let’s be honest… if it wasn’t for an amazing play for that touchdown at the end of the game, the Broncos wouldn’t have won. It seemed like Kyle Orton was playing catch-up the entire game. He looked slow and confused, and he obviously didn’t fit into the offense the way head coach Josh McDaniels had hoped (and McDaniels let him know that). The only shining star for the Broncos was Brian Dawkins, who apparently didn’t leave his tenacity in Philadelphia. The Bengals didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of their potential. It’s clear to see that both teams have a lot of work to do.
If Adrian Peterson was alone on the team without blocking, a quarterback, or an offensive line and he would still end up with 100+ yards and the W. He had more yards than the entire Cleveland rushing staff combined. This is all good news for Brett Favre who didn’t play that great, but his game management and the fact that he didn’t throw an interception really helped the Vikings. Brady Quinn was interesting to watch, but he was mediocre at best. The interception and dropped pass (can you say gag reel) really cost them a shot in the game.
The Jags played well, but Peyton Manning meant business. Even though Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 97 yards, Manning threw for over 300 yards and Reggie Wayne made Colts fans forget losing Marvin Harrison when he caught ten balls for 167 yards. The Jags have one offensive weapon – kicker Josh Scobee. Yes, he missed one yesterday, but who do you know that can kick a winner from 63 yards out. He’s the main reason that Jacksonville’s offense will be scoring points in threes.
The Lions put up 27 points, can you believe it? While the big “W” eluded them once again, the Lions made an offensive push that was a step in the right direction. The main problem was Matthew Stafford throwing three picks to a sub-par New Orleans defense, proving that he may not have been ready to play in that opener. Drew Brees hasn’t stopped throwing bullets – could this be the year he breaks Dan Marino’s record? Even though their defense was forgettable, the Saints came to play this season, and obviously they made that game a statement game… but they did play the Lions.
Tony Romo doesn’t need Terrell Owens to win. Romo threw for a career high 353 yards (only 5 less than Drew Brees did by the way, and he finished with a better passer rating). Patrick Crayton and Roy Williams anchored the offense, while Marion Barber put up 79 yards. What was more impressive is that, with the exception of Barbers rushing TD, three of Dallas’s touch downs were passes from Romo that were over 40 yards each. The Bucs weren’t impressive, but that’s what the NFC expected. Derrick Ward definitely isn’t the same outside of New York, and Byron Leftwich isn’t an NFL caliber quarterback.
The first quarter of this football game suggested Philadelphia was not looking to win. They were confused, the defense wasn’t ready, and the offense couldn’t get a first down. Then, something clicked. Sheldon Brown’s two interceptions were great, but it was apparent that Jake Delhomme was “back in post-season form”, so those interceptions were aplenty. One interesting facet of the game was that Brent Celek, the Eagles tight end, led the team in receptions – a far cry from last year’s problems at that position. Of course, the biggest story is Donovan McNabb’s injury, which created more problems at the QB position and made them sign Jeff Garcia Monday afternoon, because Kevin Kolb really just isn’t who they thought he was.
First game of the season and Baltimore’s defense didn’t show up. Thank God Joe Flacco did. Flacco had help from underrated receiver Mark Clayton and factor back tandem Ray Rice and Willis McGahee, but he threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns all by himself. What was puzzling, and troubling, was the absence of Ray Lewis during the big plays. Could he have, possibly, lost a step?
Mark Sanchez did better than Matthew Stafford on opening day, so leave that comparison at the door. Yes, it was against the Texans, but Thomas Jones had his first 100-yard game and Sanchez seemed to have rhythm with receivers Dustin Keller and Jerricho Cotchery. Bart Scott may not have been overly dominant, but David Harris and Kerry Rhodes were all over the field. Although Brian Cushing’s NFL debut was a good one, Houston QB Matt Schaub finished with a rating of only 55.
It’s always hard to start the season against a division rival, but New York came out looking good. Any deficiencies in the offense, the defense made up for. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora combined for 2.5 sacks, and Umenyiora even returned a fumble for a touchdown. Even though the game was close, the Giants looked and felt dominant. What the ‘Skins need to win in this tough division is a quality quarterback because, lets face it, Jason Campbell just isn’t cutting it.
The Niners beat Arizona. It’s true. Listen, we love Mike Singletary don’t get us wrong, but no one could have predicted this. Kurt Warner’s two interceptions were obviously a factor here, but San Francisco shut down Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Shaun Hill did alright, but he lacked the two interceptions Warner threw. This was a huge confidence booster for the 49ers, who have Seattle next week but a bigger game against Minnesota in week three.
Matt Hasselbeck didn’t fare well, but Mark Bulger did much worse. Jim Mora’ debut was a success, and he didn’t make many mistakes when it came to play calling and decision making. Steve Spagnuola, on the other hand, lacked the defensive genius that made him look so good with the Giants. When there was still a chance to be in the game, Spags let 12 men line up, and a too many men call brought back a touchdown. The good news? St. Louis can’t get much worse
Sunday night football really lived up to the hype. Chicago and Green Bay put on a show for America, but if you watched the second half, you would be surprised the Pack didn’t blow out the Bears. Lovie Smith didn’t make many good decisions (A fake punt attempt? Who does that anymore?), and Jay Cutler could only complete a pass to GB’s secondary. Green Bay started their season off right, proving everyone who put them in the “big game” this season right. On the Chicago side of the ball, losing your emotional heart (Brian Urlacher) doesn’t do much for your chances when your quarterback looks disconnected and uninterested.
The Pats couldn’t lose this game could they? In the most exciting Monday Night Football game in recent history, Brady showed the world he is back. There was one other thing proven in that game: The Bills will inevitably lose a game all on their own. Trent Edwards played his heart out, and as John Gruden explained, this loss has nothing to do with him. New England turned itself into a the Patriots we all know in the last ten minutes of the game. We have to give T.O props for coming out and making the big plays.
The Raiders haven’t been worth watching in the last five years, but they were ready for the drama of MNF. In one game, you can see all of the changes head coach Tom Cable has made. JaMarcus Russell looked confident, especially, dare we say, on 4th and 15, but his deficiencies eventually cost the Raiders the game. The Chargers were kind of a disappointment, seeing as they were heavily favored in the game and didn’t really show up. We are especially disappointed in Phillip Rivers, who signed a new contract and wasn’t playing with heart. Richard Seymour lit up the field on defense, which is incredible simply because he’s only been in Oakland two days. Darren Sproles had a big game, but the best part was watching him get pulvarized then get up and go at it again. For a team who was picked to be there in the end, there wasn’t a lot of hitch in their giddy-up.
The UDU Game Ball goes too…
Old to New, Then Back to Old
Matt Shanley 
Mike Anello 
John Russo
Corianne Egan 
Richie Wisniewski 
