Week 1:
Hero of the week:
Robert Griffin III.
Robert Griffin III’s debut for the Washington Redskins did several things, one of them being that it made us all forget about Cam Newton. Newton, whose 2011 was the superlative rookie Quarterback season, was relegated to an afterthought after Robert Griffin III’s 19-of-26, 320 yard, two-touchdown performance against the Saints in one of the toughest stadiums to play in. Griffin controlled the game effectively, and was ruthlessly efficient in sending a statement to the rest of the NFL: the Redskins have arrived.
Honourable mentions:
Art Modell.
The NFL lost another of its visionary owners on Thursday, and for all the controversy surrounding the relocation of the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore, Art Modell should be celebrated for his contributions to the game. Modell was a founding father of the NFL, a man who classy enough to leave the name, colours and heritage of the Browns to the city of Cleveland, and one of the creators of the footballing establishment that is ‘Monday Night Football’. Modell deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame, but it is a shame that it is in death that many have come to realise this.
Villain of the week:
The NFLPA.
For overturning the ban on the Saints players at the centre of the bountygate scandal. Ultimately the commissioner has, and has always had, the final say on matters in the NFL. So although his decision to suspend Jonathan Vilma for a year may have rightly been seen by many as overkill, the NFLPA’s move to override it is a farce. It completely undermines the authority of the commissioner and validates one of the more heinous crimes in the NFL’s long history. Whether this happens on a routine basis or not is irrelevant, the league rightly threw the book at the Saints to prevent bounty programmes from happening again, and this move undoes all of that. What’s worse is that the wider NFL community and the media are celebrating it as a triumph.
The NFLPA.
For overturning the ban on the Saints players at the centre of the bountygate scandal. Ultimately the commissioner has, and has always had, the final say on matters in the NFL. So although his decision to suspend Jonathan Vilma for a year may have rightly been seen by many as overkill, the NFLPA’s move to override it is a farce. It completely undermines the authority of the commissioner and validates one of the more heinous crimes in the NFL’s long history. Whether this happens on a routine basis or not is irrelevant, the league rightly threw the book at the Saints to prevent bounty programmes from happening again, and this move undoes all of that. What’s worse is that the wider NFL community and the media are celebrating it as a triumph.
Biggest
disappointment of the week:
Andrew Luck & the Green Bay Packers.
There is no shame in losing to tough opponents, but expectations were undeniably high for both Andrew Luck and the Green Bay Packers and they didn’t come close to living up to them. Few were expecting Luck and the Indianapolis Colts to walk away from Chicago 1-0 but then few expected the Redskins to get a win in New Orleans. Look what happened there.
Luck threw for a very respectable 309 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort, but his four turnovers were damning for the Colts. Luck was understandably disappointed with his performance, but his teammates see the bigger picture and the future remains bright for Luck. Ultimately I expected more – or maybe less, if we’re talking turnovers - from Luck, but the loss says more about the team than it does the man. Working behind a poor offensive line, with a nonexistent run game against one of the toughest defences in the NFL, it’s a miracle that the 22 year-old managed to be productive at all. He'll be alright, folks.
Green Bay receives a slightly less optimistic review. Like the Colts they were going up against one of the premier defences in the league, but unlike the Colts they have one of the best offenses. Surely this was to be more than a test for the 49ers? Ultimately it wasn’t. Aaron Rodgers may have thrown for 300+ yards but couldn’t find his biggest playmakers, Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, all game, and the run game was nonexistent. Defensively the Packers put pressure on Alex Smith, registering four sacks, but the secondary was a mess.
Andrew Luck & the Green Bay Packers.
There is no shame in losing to tough opponents, but expectations were undeniably high for both Andrew Luck and the Green Bay Packers and they didn’t come close to living up to them. Few were expecting Luck and the Indianapolis Colts to walk away from Chicago 1-0 but then few expected the Redskins to get a win in New Orleans. Look what happened there.
Luck threw for a very respectable 309 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort, but his four turnovers were damning for the Colts. Luck was understandably disappointed with his performance, but his teammates see the bigger picture and the future remains bright for Luck. Ultimately I expected more – or maybe less, if we’re talking turnovers - from Luck, but the loss says more about the team than it does the man. Working behind a poor offensive line, with a nonexistent run game against one of the toughest defences in the NFL, it’s a miracle that the 22 year-old managed to be productive at all. He'll be alright, folks.
Green Bay receives a slightly less optimistic review. Like the Colts they were going up against one of the premier defences in the league, but unlike the Colts they have one of the best offenses. Surely this was to be more than a test for the 49ers? Ultimately it wasn’t. Aaron Rodgers may have thrown for 300+ yards but couldn’t find his biggest playmakers, Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, all game, and the run game was nonexistent. Defensively the Packers put pressure on Alex Smith, registering four sacks, but the secondary was a mess.
Moment of the week:
David Akers equals 63-yard field goal record:
Week 1 of the 2012 delivered some amazing moments. The debut of Robert Griffin III, the return of Peyton Manning and a number of games being decided on the last play of the game or in overtime, but it was a kicker that delivered the most impressive moment of the week. Akers’ 63-yard effort stole the show. Although Sebastian Janikowski and Jason Elam have both made kicks of the same distance before, the fact that Akers’ effort didn’t take place at mile-high stadium in Denver makes his all the more impressive.
David Akers equals 63-yard field goal record:
Week 1 of the 2012 delivered some amazing moments. The debut of Robert Griffin III, the return of Peyton Manning and a number of games being decided on the last play of the game or in overtime, but it was a kicker that delivered the most impressive moment of the week. Akers’ 63-yard effort stole the show. Although Sebastian Janikowski and Jason Elam have both made kicks of the same distance before, the fact that Akers’ effort didn’t take place at mile-high stadium in Denver makes his all the more impressive.
Fail of the week:
Celebration Fails:
Tight ends Vernon Davis and Rob Gronkowski share the inaugural ‘fail of the week’. Both scored touchdowns on the way to their respective team’s week 1 wins and both messed up their celebrations in spectacular fashion. Davis, despite being one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, failed to jump high enough to ‘dunk’ the ball between the posts. Gronkowski attempted his patented ‘spike’ and let the ball fly away from him comically early. Rejected.
Celebration Fails:
Tight ends Vernon Davis and Rob Gronkowski share the inaugural ‘fail of the week’. Both scored touchdowns on the way to their respective team’s week 1 wins and both messed up their celebrations in spectacular fashion. Davis, despite being one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, failed to jump high enough to ‘dunk’ the ball between the posts. Gronkowski attempted his patented ‘spike’ and let the ball fly away from him comically early. Rejected.
‘My team’:
While the other categories of this weekly breakdown will be
a neutrally-observed celebration of all things good and bad in the NFL, this
one section will be devoted to my beloved New York Football Giants.
On Thursday night the eyes of the NFL were fixed firmly on Metlife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For many it would be appreciated simply as the first taste of competitive football since that distant February evening upon which the Giants were crowned the NFL’s latest champions, for others, it would be a chance to see if those champions are worthy of their billing.
This game was originally supposed to see the New Orleans Saints as the away team, but they were withdrawn in the wake of the ‘bountygate’ scandal and replaced by the Cowboys. Putting it bluntly, if the Saints had played we could have had a massacre on our hands.
Super Bowl XLVI this was not. When the eyes of the world were on them, the Giants choked and put in a sub-par performance that was downright ugly in places. To his credit, Eli Manning had a decent game – he finished 21 of 32 for 213 yards and a touchdown - behind a suspect o-line, an almost-nonexistent run game and receivers who dropped a more than their share of easy completions, all of which played a far greater role in this defeat than the performance of Manning. Thankfully Martellus Bennett, Domenik Hixon and, in the second half, Ahmad Bradshaw all stepped up and performed admirably
The Giants defence were unsurprisingly strong up front but were hindered by the need to play run defence for most of the game. An already-decimated secondary wasn’t assisted by an injury to Michael Coe, and Corey Webster delivered one of the worst performances by a Giants defensive back in recent memory. Collectively the Giants corners looked as if they had never seen a slant pattern in their lives.
The Giants met a much-improved Cowboys team but still had plenty of opportunities to finish the job. The goal-line 3-and-out following Boley’s pick, countless dropped passes and the inability to capitalise on twelve Cowboys penalties were all pivotal moments in which the Giants could have secured victory.
Dallas outplayed and outcoached New York, keeping the Giants off the field for all but three offensive possessions in the second half. In a reversal of fortunes, it was the Cowboys who displayed an uncharacteristic determination to close out the game. The Giants need to improve their offensive line, cornerback and receiver play immediately or risk starting the season 0-4. The game against Tampa is now must-win (not that it wasn’t before Thursday’s result) but thankfully the Giants have eleven days to put things right.
On Thursday night the eyes of the NFL were fixed firmly on Metlife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. For many it would be appreciated simply as the first taste of competitive football since that distant February evening upon which the Giants were crowned the NFL’s latest champions, for others, it would be a chance to see if those champions are worthy of their billing.
This game was originally supposed to see the New Orleans Saints as the away team, but they were withdrawn in the wake of the ‘bountygate’ scandal and replaced by the Cowboys. Putting it bluntly, if the Saints had played we could have had a massacre on our hands.
Super Bowl XLVI this was not. When the eyes of the world were on them, the Giants choked and put in a sub-par performance that was downright ugly in places. To his credit, Eli Manning had a decent game – he finished 21 of 32 for 213 yards and a touchdown - behind a suspect o-line, an almost-nonexistent run game and receivers who dropped a more than their share of easy completions, all of which played a far greater role in this defeat than the performance of Manning. Thankfully Martellus Bennett, Domenik Hixon and, in the second half, Ahmad Bradshaw all stepped up and performed admirably
The Giants defence were unsurprisingly strong up front but were hindered by the need to play run defence for most of the game. An already-decimated secondary wasn’t assisted by an injury to Michael Coe, and Corey Webster delivered one of the worst performances by a Giants defensive back in recent memory. Collectively the Giants corners looked as if they had never seen a slant pattern in their lives.
The Giants met a much-improved Cowboys team but still had plenty of opportunities to finish the job. The goal-line 3-and-out following Boley’s pick, countless dropped passes and the inability to capitalise on twelve Cowboys penalties were all pivotal moments in which the Giants could have secured victory.
Dallas outplayed and outcoached New York, keeping the Giants off the field for all but three offensive possessions in the second half. In a reversal of fortunes, it was the Cowboys who displayed an uncharacteristic determination to close out the game. The Giants need to improve their offensive line, cornerback and receiver play immediately or risk starting the season 0-4. The game against Tampa is now must-win (not that it wasn’t before Thursday’s result) but thankfully the Giants have eleven days to put things right.
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