Looking back at the first full Sunday, it was a great day of football. Donovan McNabb made his D.C. debut with his new team and facing an old rival. Three of the best wide receivers in the game played in the same game (Moss, Ochocinco and TO). And the Lions/Bears matchup had a final play that proved to be a bane for some fantasy owners. Let's breakdown the games and see the effect that they had for us as fantasy owners.
Dallas at Washington
- Donovan McNabb looked okay in his first start as a Redskin. He had a nice 17 yard run in the first half. It seemed as though he had to scramble quite a bit but the Dallas defensive line is very tough and his offensive line seemed to fair decently. His passing numbers left something to be desired (15 of 32, 171 yards). McNabb seems to really trust Santana Moss and Cooley. It remains to be seen the value of others within the Redskin passing game.
- Felix Jones rushed for 38 yards and caught 2 balls for 26 yards. The carries and touches were divided very evenly between the running backs last night.
- Tony Romo was accurate but the Redskin defense really kept him in check. He was 31 of 47 for 282 yards and a TD. Those are not numbers you want from your top 10 QB. The Redskins seemed to gain confidence as the game went on and brought more blitzes as a result.
- Another kicker struggled, as David Buehler missed a 34 yard field goal. Dallas is not shy about cutting a kicker and bringing in someone else. Watch Buehler to see if he can hold onto his job.
- Tashard Choice tried to grind out some extra yards just before the half but fumbled the ball, which was returned for a TD. Not a positive way to go into the locker room and you could see Choice was hanging his head as they left the field. Choice had the least success of the three backs and might need an injury to really make him fantasy viable.
- On that note, the Washington defense showed some real tenacity. They held Dallas to 7 points and forced that fumble and returned it for a TD. On the other hand, they only had one sack. But limiting the powerful Dallas offense to only one score really impressed me.
- Dez Bryant made his NFL regular season debut. He caught 8 for 56 yards and returned a punt for 11 yards. He had some really nice catches on their final drive. I think it's safe to say that even though Bryant is their third WR on the depth chart, that in reality he is the Cowboys second best WR in fantasy terms.
- The Cowboys number one receiver Miles Austin had a great night, catching 10 for 146 and a TD. He just signed that new contract and it looks like they've kept him happy. He should continue to have games like this throughout the season.
- Santana Moss caught 6 for 77 yards. A decent game but will he receive extra attention with McNabb consistently looking his way. There was only one other catch by another WR. Moss cannot carry the load all by himself.
- For those who use IDP, DeMarcus Ware took a hard shot to his head/neck from Larry Johnson. He was down for a while but was able to walk off the field on his own. Last season, he suffered a neck strain after a headfirst collision against the Chargers. Check his status for the upcoming week.
- Clinton Portis ran for 63 yards and a 3.5 average. At this point, I think that is what we can come to expect from Portis.
Players of the Game:
Dallas Cowboys- WR Miles Austin- 10 rec for 146 yards, 1 TD
Washington Redskins- QB Donovan McNabb- 15-32 for 171 yards, 1 carry for 17 yards
Atlanta at Pittsburgh
- Tony Gonzalez caught 2 for 35 yards. Each of his two receptions set up field goals for the Falcons.
- Hines Ward had a productive afternoon, 6 receptions for 108 yards. He no doubt made Dennis Dixon feel comfortable having a veteran receiver to throw to.
- Roddy White made a lot of catches but not for any distance. He made 13 catches for 111 yards and his longest was for 18.
- The Atlanta defense played really strong. They held the Steelers to 15 points (1 TD and 3 FG). They had 1 INT and 3 sacks. Although the Steeler defense was stronger, containing the Falcon running game to 58 yards, sacking Matt Ryan twice and intercepting him once. They only allowed the Falcons to score 3 field goals.
- Jeff Reed missed two field goals in this one (55 and 40). Although, he did hit from 52,36 and 23 yards.
- The Steelers stopped the Falcons opening drive in overtime and then Rashard Mendenhall had a 50-yard bolt down the sideline on the Steelers first offensive play of overtime to clinch the win.
Atlanta Falcons- WR Roddy White- 13 rec for 111 yards
Pittsburgh Steelers- RB Rashard Mendenhall- 22 carries for 120 yards and a TD
Green Bay at Philadelphia
- Kevin Kolb was knocked out of this one, after being driven into the ground by Clay Matthews in the second quarter. Before leaving he had completed 5 of 10 for 24 yards. His status for week 2 is very uncertain as he experienced a concussion. Kolb was terrible before being knocked out, so I'm pretty sure they're not going to rush him back.
- Ryan Grant left the game after spraining his right ankle. As he was leaving, he was not putting any weight on it and as we all know, sprains can at times be worse than a break. The injury occurred on a nice 18 yard gain. Grant finished the game with 8 carries for 45 yards and a nice 5.6 yard avg. Things are looking grim for a return to action for Grant next week against Buffalo.
- Aaron Rodgers struggled in this one at times and ended up throwing 19 of 31 for 188 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. Rodgers will have much better games than this one, starting with next week's game against Buffalo.
- Greg Jennings was very good, 5 catches for 82 yards and a TD. He made an awesome one handed catch in the second quarter for a first down and blew by the Eagle secondary for his touchdown.
- Donald Driver caught five balls for 30 yards and a TD. He continues to go about his business for the Packers and may not be a fantasy starter anymore but is a great fill-in when you're in a pinch.
- Michael Vick came in and on plays where he took off running, looked like the same Vick we used to see. His passes at times still seemed very rudimentary. Vick had a great game- completing 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a TD, 11 carries for 103 yards. Vick looks like he'll be the starter next week in Detroit and could post some great numbers.
- The Green Bay defense probably shouldn't have knocked Kolb out of the game, since they struggled to contain Vick at times. They did have a great game though, really bringing intensity. They held the Eagles to only 3 first half points, sacked the QB 5 times and recovered a fumble. The Packers ended the game with a fourth down stand where they stuffed Vick. They should be a very strong play at home against Buffalo in Week 2.
- Shady McCoy had 7 runs for 35 yards and a TD, and 5 rec. for 47 yards. He was definitely a poor man's Brian Westbrook in this one but there should be some games this season where he really breaks out. Next week in Detroit could be one of them. His 27 yard catch and run in the fourth quarter was a flash of potential.
- Brandon Jackson, who replaced Grant, was solid. He had 18 carries for 63 yards including a nice 16 yard run in the third quarter. He added 2 catches for 12 yards. Grab him off your waiver wire if he is available.
- Jeremy Maclin caught his touchdown from Vick on a 17 yard throw. Maclin had a run for 11 yards and 4 catches for 38 yards and the TD.
- The Eagles defense was also very strong. They helped prevent this game from becoming a slaughter. They held Rodgers to 167 yards passing and had 2 INT, sacking him 3 times. They are also a strong Week 2 play, going against a backup QB in Detroit.
Green Bay Packers- QB Aaron Rodgers- 19 of 31 for 188 yards, 2 TD passes, 2 INT, 5 carries for 9 yards
Philadelphia Eagles- QB Michael Vick- 16 of 24 for 175 yards and a TD pass, 11 carries for 103 yards
Detroit at Chicago
- Jahvid Best put up 2 touchdowns but his yardage was abysmal (14 carries for 20 yards, 5 rec for 16 yards). The touchdowns were nice but his yardage has nowhere to go but up. He'll have a tough test with Philly coming to town.
- Matt Forte looked really fresh and broke off a huge 89 yard catch and run in the second quarter. He caught another touchdown later in the game. His stats for the day were- 17 carries for 50 yards and 7 rec for 151 yards and 2 TD. He did fumble the ball twice which is of some concern.
- Julius Peppers made his presence felt as he obliterated Matthew Stafford just before the half, knocking him out of the game, getting the sack and causing a fumble. With the questionable O-lines in the NFC North, he is a must own in IDP leagues.
- Stafford completed 11 of 15 passes for 83 yards before exiting with a right shoulder injury. He is lost for 4 to 6 weeks. Shaun Hill will replace him as the starter for the Lions. It's a big blow to those of us who are Stafford owners.
- The Bears defense was strong, holding the Lions offense to 168 total yards. They got 2 sacks, 2 fumbles recovered and an interception, while also limiting Detroit to 2 touchdowns.
- The Lions defense was also strong, allowing yardage but not the points. They had a key goal line stand to keep themselves in the game. Their stats- 19 points allowed, 4 sacks, 3 fumbles recovered and an interception.
- Jay Cutler threw for a lot of yards (362) and 2 TD's. He was 23 of 35 and only one INT. He'll have a stiffer test in Week 2 as they travel to Dallas.
- Shaun Hill in relief was only 9 of 19 for 88 yards and an INT. He also fumbled once. Hill almost won the game at the end but the controversial call negated the TD. The Lions offense will really miss Stafford at the controls. It remains to be seen which Hill we'll see next week but against Philly he's only an emergency fantasy starter.
Detroit LIons- RB Jahvid Best- 14 carries for 20 yards and 2 TD, 5 rec for 16 yards
Chicago Bears- RB Matt Forte- 17 carries for 50 yards, 7 rec for 151 yards and 2 TD
Carolina at New York Giants
- The Carolina defense gave up 31 points and 376 yards of offense but they did recover a fumble, picked off Manning 3 times and sacked him once. They should have another strong game in Week 2 against Tampa Bay.
- Mario Manningham caught 4 balls for 85 yards. The Giants seemed to spread the ball around quite evenly among their top three receivers.
- Hakeem Nicks had a super day, also catching 4 for 75 yards but 3 of those were TD's. Nicks seems to be Eli's replacement for Plaxico. Nicks needs to be in your starting lineup moving forward, if he isn't already.
- Carolina's Steve Smith was his team's top performer, which comes as no surprise. He caught 5 passes for 75 yards and a TD.
- Eli Manning had a mixed afternoon. He completed 20 of 30 for 263 yards, 3 TD's and 3 INT. If he can cut back on the INT, then he would move up further in the fantasy QB rankings.
- Ahmad Bradshaw rushed the ball 20 times for 76 yards and a TD, while making 2 rec. for 17 yards. Although he did fumble the ball twice. The way the Colts were undressed in their opener by the running game. Bradshaw is a must start in Week 2.
Carolina Panthers- WR Steve Smith- 5 rec for 75 yards, 1 TD
New York Giants- WR Hakeem Nicks- 4 rec for 75 yards, 3 TD
Miami at Buffalo
- Brandon Marshall had 8 catches but for only 53 yards. Hopefully going forward Henne and Marshall can hook up on some longer routes.
- Anthony Fasano caught 3 rec. for 46 yards. He has always been an okay tight end but not spectacular.
- C.J. Spiller was held in check for the whole game. He finished with 7 carries for 6 yards and 4 rec. for 8 yards. The Bills need to create more opportunities and explore Spiller's ability to make plays in future games.
- Roscoe Parrish made a nice 31 yard TD catch to make the Bills competitive. He finished the day with 2 rec. for 35 yards and a TD and 3 punt returns for 30 yards.
- Trent Edwards still not showing much of anything. He completed 18 of 34 passes for 139 yards and a TD and 2 rushes for 12 yards. Things will not get any easier for Edwards and Co. as they travel to Green Bay in Week 2. Avoid at all costs.
Miami Dolphins- RB Ronnie Brown- 13 rushes for 65 yards and a TD
Buffalo Bills- QB Trent Edwards- 18 of 34 passes for 139 yards, 1 TD pass, 2 rushes for 12 yards
Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans
- Vince Young had a super game, completing 13 of 17 passes for 154 yards and 2 TD. He also ran 7 times for 30 yards but fumbled it once. It seems Chris Johnson has taken some of the pressure off of him and opened things up by drawing the attention of the defense. Things should be a little tougher for him next week against the Steelers.
- The Titans defense looked strong. They held the Raiders to 13 points, had an INT, a fumble recovery and 4 sacks. They should be able to terrorize young Dennis Dixon next week at home.
- Before CJ2K scored, Javon Ringer took one to the house. He had 5 carries for 33 yards and the lone TD.
- Chris Johnson was contained early but broke out after the first quarter. He had 27 carries for 142 yards and 2 TD. He also made 4 catches for 8 yards. This was his 12th consecutive 100-yard rushing game.
Oakland Raiders- RB Darren McFadden- 18 rushes for 95 yards, 6 rec for 55 yards, 1 rec. TD
Tennessee Titans- RB Chris Johnson- 27 rushes for 142 yards, 2 rush TD, 4 rec. for 8 yards
Indianapolis at Houston
- Matt Schaub did not have a great game, finishing 9 of 17 passing for 107 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He should have a better game in Week 2 against Washington.
- Andre Johnson was affected by the lackluster passing day. He caught only 3 balls for 33 yards. Definitely not what we're used to seeing from one of the best in the League. He should also bounce back in Week 2.
- Kevin Walter made 2 catches for 29 yards and a TD. Walter continues to be a reliable part of the Texans passing game. He did take a huge hit while recovering an onside kick.
- The Colts defense was ripped up by the Texans run game, giving up 257 yards rushing and 3 TD. The defense gave up 34 points for the game. It would be wise to start a defense other than the Colts in Week 2, as they face the Giants.
- Peyton Manning tried to will the Colts to victory. He completed 40 of 57 passes for 433 yards and 3 TD. A great game for Manning in the loss. He will not want to lose in Week 2 and should put up another big game against the Giants.
- Pierre Garcon dropped a few passes in this game but had a respectable 4 rec for 75 yards. Garcon continues to develop within the Colts passing attack.
- In the second half, the Texans rode Arian Foster to the win. He ran 33 times for 231 yards and 3 TD. Foster also caught 1 pass for 7 yards. This was definitely his coming out party. Foster is a must start going forward.
- The Texans defense made sure the Colts were one dimensional, holding the running game to 44 yards, sacking Manning twice and hitting him multiple times. They also forced a fumble from Austin Collie.
Indianapolis Colts- QB Peyton Manning- 40 of 57 passes for 433 yards, 3 TD
Houston Texans- RB Arian Foster- 33 rushes for 231 yards, 3 rush TD, 1 rec. for 7 yards
Cincinnati at New England
- Tom Brady also had a great day. He made 25 of his 35 passes for 258 yards and 3 TD. He had great protection all game and was not sacked all game. He looked like the Tom Brady of old. The Pats will face a much tougher test against the Jets in Week 2.
- Wes Welker looked very healthy in his return from his knee injury. He caught 8 passes for 64 yards and 2 TD. Welker is safe to start especially in PPR leagues.
- Randy Moss made 5 rec. for only 59 yards. This was definitely a disappointing game for those who used a high pick on Moss.
- The Patriots defense scored two return TD (one by INT, one by kick return). They had 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 INT, while holding the Bengals run game to 87 yards. The Pats defense is a must start in Week 2 against the Jets and their scrambled offense.
- The Bengals had to turn to their passing game in the second half as the score got out of hand. Carson Palmer completed 34 of 50 passes for 345 yards, 2 TD and an INT. He also ran 4 times for 9 yards.
- Rookie TE Rob Gronkowski finished the scoring for the Patriots with a 1-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
Cincinnati Bengals- QB Carson Palmer- 34 of 50 for 345 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 4 rushes for 9 yards
New England Patriots- QB Tom Brady- 25 of 35 for 258 yards, 3 TD
Arizona at St. Louis
- The Cardinals defense harassed rookie Sam Bradford all day. They also held the Ram running game to 85 yards. They allowed only 13 points, had 3 INT, a fumble recovery and 2 sacks.
- Mark Clayton enjoyed his new team and caught 10 passes for 119 yards. Clayton might be a nice flex play in Week 2 when the Rams face the Raiders.
- Laurent Robinson made 3 catches for 18 yards and a TD. Robinson bears keeping an eye on, he might become a trusted target of Sam Bradford in later weeks.
- Derek Anderson looked good against the Rams. He completed 22 of 41 passes for 297 yards and a TD. He also ran once for 9 yards and fumbled. Anderson might put up decent numbers with the weapons the Cards have.
- The Rams defense also played quite well. They allowed only 17 points, had 2 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries. The Rams might be a good play in Week 2 when facing the Raiders.
- For IDP leagues, Adrian Wilson had a super day. He had 2 tackles, 1 sack and 2 INT. He always seems to be around the ball.
Arizona Cardinals- QB Derek Anderson- 22 of 41 for 297 yards and 1 TD, 1 run for 9 yards
St. Louis Rams- WR Laurent Robinson- 3 rec. for 18 yards, 1 TD
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
- Mike Williams had 4 rec. for 64 yards. He looks like a great fit in Seattle. Keep an eye on him.
- Matt Hasselbeck completed 18 of his 23 passes for 170 yards, 2 TD and an INT. He also ran twice for 4 yards and a TD. His first TD on the ground since 2005.
- The Seahawk defense really controlled this game. Holding the 49ers to 6 points and their running game to 49 yards. They also intercepted them twice and scored on one of those picks. The Seahawks defense might be a good play in Week 2 against the Broncos.
San Francisco 49ers- RB Frank Gore- 17 rushes for 38 yards, 6 rec. for 45 yards
Seattle Seahawks- QB Matt Hasselbeck- 18 of 23 passes for 170 yards and 2 TD, 1 INT, 2 rushes for 4 yards and 1 TD
Cleveland at Tampa Bay
- Mohamed Massaquoi had 2 rec. for 46 yards and a TD. Massaquoi remains a wait and see, as the Browns offense continues to develop.
- Jerome Harrison seemed to continue on from last year. He ran the ball 9 times for 52 yards and caught a pass for 7 yards. Hopefully the Browns will use Harrison more in the coming weeks.
- Peyton Hillis was also used by the Browns on the ground. He had 9 carries for 41 yards and a TD. He also made 4 rec. for 24 yards and a fumble. Hillis and Harrison might be sharing carries in the backfield.
- The Buccaneer defense held the Browns to 14 points, had 2 INT and a fumble recovery. Tampa could prove to be a good start in week 2 against Carolina.
- Rookie Mike Williams caught 5 passes for 30 yards and a touchdown. He showed excellent concentration on his touchdown catch. Look for his continued development in future games.
- Josh Freeman made some nice passes and finished the game- 17 of 28 for 182 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He also gained 34 yards on 2 rushes.
Cleveland Browns- WR Mohamed Massaquoi- 2 rec. for 46 yards, 1 TD
Tampa Bay Buccaneers- QB Josh Freeman- 17 of 28 for 182 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2 rushes for 34 yards
Denver at Jacksonville
- Tim Tebow carried the ball twice for 2 yards. That was more than I was expecting he would get, so I think it's safe to say that right now Tebow is not a fantasy factor.
- MJD looked healthy and he performed like it. He didn't score any TD's but he had 23 carries for 98 yards and 3 rec. for 15 yards. It's safe to say that he should have a good week 2 against the Chargers run D.
- David Garrard had a really great game. He finished the game completing 16 of 21 passes for 170 yards and 3 TD. He also ran 7 times for 10 yards.
- Jabar Gaffney did not lead the receivers like some thought but did score their only receiving TD. He made 3 rec. for 34 yards and 1 TD.
- Marcedes Lewis had 2 rec. for 31 yards and 2 TD. He definitely made his catches count. Right now, Lewis looks like their red zone receiver.
- Knowshon Moreno had a nice day. He carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards and a TD. He also caught 1 rec. for 4 yards.
- The Jaguar defense had a good game. They held the Broncos to 17 points, sacked Orton 3 times, 1 INT and 1 forced fumble. They also slowed the Bronco running game to 89 yards for the game.
Denver Broncos- QB Kyle Orton- 21 of 33 for 295 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 rushes for 12 yards
Jacksonville Jaguars- QB David Garrard- 16 of 21 for 170 yards, 3 TD, 7 rushes for 10 yards