Atlanta Falcons: Well, No Worries From the Defense

While most prognosticators predicted little to worry about from the Atlanta Falcons offense, just as many were making dire predictions regarding the other side of the ball.

If Sunday’s solid 19-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins was any indication, the only area of concern for this squad surrounds the kicking game.

The Falcons defense smothered, contained and stuffed the Dolphins’ formerly heralded offensive attack, giving up only a meaningless touchdown late in the game.

LB Mike Peterson, the only significant defensive free agent signed in the off-season, came up with a crucial interception that stopped a pretty solid Dolphin drive.

Miami head coach Tony Sporano was frequently seen raging up and down his sideline, obviously frustrated at an unexpectedly stiff Falcons D.

At the same time, QB Matt Ryan was solid, throwing two TD passes and rapidly convincing observers that he has a new favorite target in future Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez.

WR Roddy White was somewhat ineffective in the contest, so it’ll be interesting to see how things shape up in terms of receiving options.

Kicker Jason Elam had a horrible day, missing two field goals and an extra point. Expect Head Coach Mike Smith to give Elam a few games to work out his problems, but the 17-year vet must show improvement next week.

And about next week: if they play the kind of defense they did against the Fins, the Falcons may force Jake Delhomme into an early season retirement.

Delhomme was terrible in Carolina’s season opener, and the Falcons can put a serious damper on one of their division rivals come Sept. 20.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Albert Haynesworth Watch 2009: Week One

With all the hubbub surrounding the departure of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to the Washington Redskins, I thought it might be fun to follow his performance this year, just to see what we might be missing here in good ol’ Nashville, Tenn.

From the look on his face above, I’d say we dodged a bullet.

I truly didn’t watch football much at all in the pre-season; I don’t put much stock in it because the level of competition just isn’t there. It serves a purpose, but for the most part it is all one big dress rehearsal for the big show.

Just for fun, I decided to check out Haynesworth’s stats from those four games to see if there was anything there. And as I suspected, there wasn’t much to go on: three games, one tackle, no sacks. 

As luck would have it, I found myself free to watch everyone else play this Sunday, since the Titans had already made their 2009 debut on Thursday. Also as luck would have it, the Redskins-Giants game was on in my market.

Now I would have a chance to see what kind of deal Washington REALLY got; it is widely suspected that free agents typically turn the wick up in the last year of their contracts to garner higher money offers for their next term of service.

Looks like Washington might have gotten taken in by this very bait-and-switch scheme.

While Haynesworth managed to haul in four solo tackles (how could he not? He’s frigging huge, for crying out loud), his influence on the game looked suspect to me.

Quite often, I saw Haynesworth being taken completely out of the play, often ending up on his back(side).

No huge push to collapse the passing pocket.

No real disruptions of the running lanes in the backfield.

Eli Manning (yes, I know, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning) was able to get 256 yards through the air, a respectable, if not stellar, performance.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs were able to combine for 106 yards, with Bradshaw managing a tidy five yards per carry.

Manning only hit the turf once, which means if any of you want to argue that Haynesworth was double-teamed all night, thus negatively affecting his stats, I’m not buying it: if that were the case, at least ONE of his teammates should have been able to get free and into the backfield.

And they didn’t, so the double-team argument doesn’t wash.

Oh, and the Giants won 23-17.

From the looks of things, it sound plausible that the ‘Skins might want to start thinking about the seven-year, $100 million contract they tendered him this past off-season. His performance so far leaves a lot to be desired.

He’s already had to have an injection in his knee, the same one he injured last year near the end of the regular season.

Not to mention that in his career, the most games he has been able to start in a season was 14, two shy of a full season.

What happens if the last two games of the season will determine whether the Redskins make it to the playoffs, and his presence is critical in the middle?

What happens if he can’t go?

How good is that $100 million looking now, Washington?

I could be a bit premature. It is, after all, only week one, and he may be a bit rusty from the lack of action in the preseason. So he may just be getting his considerable legs under him, and next week could be a whole different story.

But I don’t buy it. The performance I saw today was the same type of performance he displayed in his first four years in Tennessee.

Only in the last two did he display the type of performance that made him both a Pro Bowler and an attractive free agent acquisition.

Now that he’s got a guaranteed paycheck, however, expect his performance to drop drastically. I would even expect him to miss at least four games for one reason or another.

So, well done, Washington. Here in Tennessee, we’re glad we got what we could out of him, but now he’s your problem.

And a very expensive problem indeed. 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

First-Half Reaction: Chicago Bears Are Clueless

Last year, the Chicago Bears had a quarterback in Kyle Orton who had questionable arm strength. They had limited ability with their receivers to stretch the field, and refused to commit to Greg Olsen as a receiving threat at tight end.

So what did the Bears do? They traded Orton to Denver for big-armed quarterback Jay Cutler.

The key returning member of the Bears offense in 2009 is running back Matt Forte. Forte averaged nearly 24 touches per game last year, rushing for over 1,200 yards and adding almost 500 as a receiver. He was one of the better, more versatile running backs in the NFC last year.

Sunday night starts the Bears 2009 season. They have fully committed to Olsen as their starting tight end, but did little to upgrade a weak receiving group in the off-season. The offensive line is “improved,” meaning Forte should get more carries with better holes.

In theory.

In the first half of the season opener, Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner called a group of plays that can best be described as “questionable.”

Of the 33 plays the Bears have had on offense, 22 have been passes. Forte has only eight touches, and was replaced by the non-Viking Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe late in the second quarter.

And Rex Grossman… I mean Cutler… has completed almost as many passes to Packers (three) as he has to Bears (seven).

This Bears team was allegedly built to run the ball effectively and allow Cutler to create plays in space with his enormous arm. Cutler did make one nice play in the first half, a 68-yard completion to rookie receiver Johnny Knox.

But after that completion, which saw Knox go out of bounds at the six-yard line, the Bears opted to throw the ball three times inside the ten. The drive ended with Cutler getting an attempted screen pass picked off by a defensive tackle.

Turner needs to have a heart-to-heart with his playbook and remember how the Bears almost made the playoffs without a big-time quarterback in 2008. That, or he needs to have a quick refresher with his resume.

Thankfully, the Bears defense looks every bit the champion they have claimed to be all summer. The Packers haven’t been able to establish anything on offense, and Aaron Rodgers has been harassed as much as Cutler has in the first half.

The difference between Rodgers and Cutler, though, is the three interceptions.

The Bears defense has taken care of the scoring for Chicago as well, sacking Rodgers in the end zone for a safety. The score at halftime is 10-2 in favor of the Packers.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

St. Louis-Seattle: Rams Set New Low in Shutout Loss

If Rams fans came into this season thinking to themselves, “Well, at least it can’t get any worse than last year,” they were wrong.

 

It did.

 

In getting beat down 28-0 on Sunday afternoon in Seattle, the Rams fell to a low not even last year’s 2-14 debacle accomplished—getting shut out.

 

Even when the 2008 Rams got pasted 47-3 by the Jets last year, they still got the three to avoid the goose egg.

 

But not Sunday.

 

28-0.

 

Damn.

 

St. Louis could have avoided their first shutout since Week 11 of the 2006 season and their first Week One shutout loss since 1965 when Quincy “Big Play” Butler returned a blocked field goal that would’ve tied the score 7-7 with under a minute left to play in the first half.

 

It just wasn’t mean to be. The Rams had 12 men on defense for the play, so instead of a game-tying touchdown, the five yards gave the Seahawks a first down.

 

Seattle scored a touchdown three plays later, and the route was on.

 

While that was the most glaring and damaging mistake of the game, it was by no means a one-time miscue.

 

Far from it.

 

The Rams committed 10 penalties (including two straight moron personal foul calls on Richie Incognito that resulted in a brief benching), fumbled the opening kick-off, and generally got gashed left and right to the tune of 446 yards of Seahawks offense (279 passing, 167 rushing).

 

The St. Louis defense did continue its preseason trend of wining the turnover battle, picking off Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck twice and recovering a fumble forced by rookie linebacker James Laurinaitis. When you don’t capitalize on turnovers, all you’re really doing is delaying the inevitable.

 

Unfortunately, the Rams’ defense continued another preseason trend I like to call “let’s always bite on the play fake so the tight end can have a great day.”

 

Anybody watching the Rams the past month has seen the likes of Dustin Keller and Tony Gonzalez shred the Rams’ first unit, so it was no surprise to see Seattle TE John Carlson put up a huge day, with six catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns.

 

(So if you have Chris Cooley in your fantasy league, next week would probably be a good time to start him.)

 

Some other lowlights on a day chalk full of them:

 

* The defensive line was there, but not really. Despite missing all-world left tackle Walter Jones and starting center Chris Spencer, there was no pressure on Hasselbeck, who had plenty of time to sit back and pick apart the Rams secondary.

 

* The Seattle run game also had open holes all day: Of their 34 run plays, only three went for negative yardage. They averaged 4.9 yards per rush, including a 62-yard touchdown run by Julius Jones late in the third quarter.

 

* The Rams’ best drive of the day took place at the end of the first quarter into the second quarter, moving from their own 33 to the Seattle nine with a third and one. Randy McMichael was then called for a false start, then there was a delay of game when center Jason Brown couldn’t hear Bulger scream for the snap, followed by an incompletion. Then a missed field goal.

 

(You have to give the Seattle fans their due—everybody knows about the crowd noise and how it causes false starts, but I love the fact that they boo the opposing kicker who used to be their kicker. That’s just awesome.)

 

* Clock management was a problem in the first half. The Rams used two timeouts within minutes of each other mid-way through the first half. They had to know it was going to be loud, right?

 

* Third down was an issue on both sides of the ball. On offense, St. Louis only converted two of 12 third downs. Meanwhile, the Rams D allowed Seattle to convert on eight of 15 third downs.

 

* Oddly lacking from the receptions column was running back Steven Jackson. The expectation coming into the game was that the Rams offense under new coordinator Pat Shurmur would involve a heavy dose of Jackson in the pass game, but that wasn’t the case.

 

Considering the amount of pressure Bulger was under, it seems an outlet to the back would have come in handy at least once along the way. I’ll be interested to see if they can incorporate Jackson into the passing game a bit better next weekend at Washington.

 

Now this might sound weird after a 28-0 drubbing, but there were some slight signs of positive momentum from the Rams:

 

* The three turnovers were indicative of effort and the potential for game-breaking defensive disruption. The first interception in the end zone was caused by some really good coverage by corner Jonathan Wade on Seattle WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

 

* The receiving duo of Donnie Avery and Laurent Robinson looked good. Avery had six catches for 46 yards, while Robinson had five catches for 87 yards, including a 45-yarder as part of a fourth-quarter drive when Seattle had lost their intensity.

 

Robinson could have had another huge play for a touchdown, but Bulger couldn’t get the ball deep enough.

 

* Punter Josh Brown is the man. His 59-yard beauty in the third quarter that settled at the Seattle one was one of the greatest punts I’ve ever seen. Of course Seattle then put on a 99-yard drive for a touchdown, but that’s not Brown’s fault. If you had to name a team MVP after just this week, it’s Brown.

 

* I also liked the Rams’ decision to not go for a field goal at the end. With 2:48 left in the game, the Rams were faced with fourth and goal from the seven.

 

This was head coach Steve Spagnuolo’s first game as a head coach, and I’m sure getting shut out was the last way he wanted to start his tenure. They could have kicked the field goal to at least avoid the goose egg, but that would have been a show move, and Spagnuolo isn’t a show coach.

 

So he tried to get the touchdown, it didn’t work out and the Rams got the bagel. But I have more respect for 28-0 and going balls out until the end than 28-3 just for show.

 

So the Rams limp home, the only team in the league without a point on the board. (Hell, even Kansas City managed 24 at Baltimore.)

 

And it doesn’t get any easier next week. The Redskins lost a tough division game to the Giants on Sunday and will be playing their home opener desperate not to fall into an 0-2 hole in one of the toughest divisions in football.

 

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

 

Let’s hope.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Washington Redskins: First-Game Woes and Blows

Ugh. To paraphrase 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s somber words from his speech to Congress on Dec. 7, 1941, but Sept. 13, 2009, should be the day that the Washington Redskins shall live in infamy.

The first game of the season at the Meadowlands was ugly from beginning to start for Washington, losing 23-17 to the New York Giants.

The first drive seemed promising on a big run by Redskins running back Clinton Portis, as he ran past defenders into the Giants’ territory early in the first quarter. Then, as those of us in the Washington, D.C., area saw it, that gadget play on a reverse pass to Antwaan Randle El was the game-defining moment.

It caused the Redskins to lose whatever momentum it had at the start, and sapped the excitement and energy of Redskins fans all around, although there were still over 45-50 more minutes to play.

Randle El’s jittery legs continue to have failed him as a Redskin, and I don’t know why he didn’t throw that pass away, instead of losing yardage to an always-hungry New York D.

In fact, after witnessing such a deflating and uninspiring loss, here are five things I noticed (and you may have, too) about the Daniel Snyder-owned team:

• Quarterback Jason Campbell, even if he’s successful after the first game, may be a goner at the end of the season. He holds onto the football too long and winds back his arm for the ball to be stripped—which is what Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora did to Campbell, resulting in a 37-yard fumble return for a touchdown. He showed some strides, and his stats were pretty much comparable to Eli Manning’s. But my gut does not believe that he’s got franchise QB material. There’s no apparent fire in his eyes, no excitement to rally the troops behind him and pull out a convincing, come-from-behind fourth quarter victory.
• Cornerback DeAngelo Hall may not be worth more than defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth’s contract. Haynesworth made some strides, and was a factor every once and then, including making some crucial stops on the G-men’s rushing attack tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. But back to Hall: In the preseason game against New England, he was beat twice by WR Randy Moss for long passes that went for touchdowns. And in the first regular game? Pretty much the same: beaten by decent but not great Giants wideouts and poor tackling. The only thing that saved him was that late, second quarter interception off a deflection that led to the Hunter Smith field goal fake run. But for over $50 mil., Hall seems like a nickel cornerback. A No. 2 CB at best.
• The Redskin defensive ends look old, small, and generally ineffective, compared to the Giant ends. Ends Andre Carter and Philip Daniels hardly pressured the quarterback, and were only able to manage two sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery throughout the game. Yes, the Skins’ putrid offense made the defense stay on the field longer than preferred, but help is sorely needed at both left and right ends.
• WR Santana Moss is as tradeable as Campbell. The chemistry between Campbell and Moss is off and on. Moss is a dynamic player, yes. But when you can only catch fewer than five passes throughout the game, and your most noteworthy moment is a donnybrook with Giants CB Martell Webster, then something is wrong. The team has a big, 6’5″ QB. They need bigger targets for Campbell besides tight end Chris Cooley and wide receiver Malcolm Kelly.
• No one can say that the offensive line did not give Campbell enough time to throw the ball, survey the field, and avoid the constantly aggressive pass rush of the Giants. Yes, the pass rush did make Campbell uncomfortable and unable to get in rhythm. But the O-line, the target of assault last season so far has stood its ground. Grade: B+. The man behind the pocket just has to be better and always aware of his surroundings.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Giants Dominate Ball Control in Home Opener

After an offseason of questioning how the Giants would perform without Plaxico Burress, New York answered emphatically.

The Giants owned the time of possession, controlling the ball for just over 36 minutes on 70 plays while the Washington Redskins only had the ball for just under 24 minutes and ran only 51 plays.

Eli Manning led a solid passing attack that provided far better results than the rushing game which struggled to find success. Manning finished the game 20-for-29 with 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

His favorite target proved to be third-year veteran Steve Smith who made big plays whenever he was called upon. This was never more evident than in the Giants final scoring drive when Smith spun around and caught a pass right over a defender’s shoulder to convert on a third-and-long situation.

Third-down passing was one of the Giants’ strongest areas in the game. Manning started the game five-for-five for 85 yards including a 30-yard score on a short pass to second-year receiver Mario Manningham who fought for most of the yardage. Manningham finished with three receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.

Kevin Boss also contributed with three receptions for 62 yards.

Manning did make several mistakes passing, most notably his lone interception that came because of a throw off his back foot, never giving his receiver a chance to make a play.

While the running game didn’t perform as well as it’s league-leading performance last season, it didn’t play bad.

Ahmad Bradshaw led the team with 12 rushes for 60 yards and had the team’s longest rush with a 22-yard dash on the second possession.

Brandon Jacobs finished with 16 carries for 46 yards and his longest run, for 15 yards, came on the very next play.

Bill Sheridan has a lot of good to take out of his first game as defensive coordinator, but the absence of Steve Spagnuolo was noticeable as Jason Campbell didn’t face much pressure.

Another kind of absence was also noticed—Osi Umenyiora who missed all of 2008. On Washington’s third possession of the second quarter Umenyiora rushed around the left edge, striped the ball from Campbell’s throwing hand, picked it up and ran the ball back for a 37-yard touchdown.

Justin Tuck led the attack against Washington with one and a half sacks.

When New York wasn’t putting pressure on Campbell, he was putting pressure on them by consistently attacking the middle of the field—12 of Campbell’s 19 completions came on throws across the middle; seven of which were for more than 10 yards. This is definitely something the Giants will have to address in practice this week.

The Giants saw their first round pick Hakeem Nicks limp off the field early in the fourth quarter and return soon after with a cast on his left ankle. The initial ruling is a sprained ankle, and x-rays were negative. It is not certain whether he will miss time or not. Nicks finished the game with two catches for 18 yards.

Danny Ware also left the game on the opening kickoff with a shoulder injury.

The Giants will be in Dallas next week to try and ruin the Cowboys’ opening of their new stadium next Sunday night.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Gonzalez and The Dreaded Non-Contact Knee Injury

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez went down in the first quarter today with a non-contact right knee injury in the Colt’s win against the Jaguars.   

It appeared his right foot got stuck in the turf while planting on his right foot and cutting left. He wasn’t touched on the play. 

He didn’t bear weight on his right leg walking off the field, and didn’t return to play.

Peyton Manning should appropriately “feel sick”.

Between 72 percent and 95 percent of ACL injuries are “noncontact”, occurring in athletes who haven’t collided with a person or taken a blow to the knee.

If there was a pop and immediate swelling, then there is an 85 percent chance his ACL ruptured, 10 percent chance he dislocated his patella, and a five percent chance another type of sprain occurred such as an MCL sprain or possibly a hyperextension injury.

The ACL usually ruptures completely, though partial tears (or sprains) can occur.

A sprain of magnitude to require an athlete to be helped off the field usually involves a bone bruise or contusion when the tibia (shin bone) impacts or collides with the femur (thigh bone) producing microfractures. These aren’t visible on x-ray, but light up like a light bulb on MRI.

What’s the bad news?

There’s no rehab for a bone bruise. Time only; lots of it. Six weeks minimum.

A patella dislocation is usually repaired surgically in the NFL. End of season.

And the ACL? We all know the news on that one.

Marc Silberman, M.D.

New Jersey Sports Medicine and Performance Center

njsportsmed.com

twitter.com/njsportsmed

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Anthony Gonzalez Injured: Should the Colts Sign Marvin Harrison?

During Sunday’s 14-12 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez suffered a strained knee ligament that should take him out of action anywhere from two to six weeks.

Which means that someone has to now fill the void that will be left in the wake of Gonzalez’s absence.

The Colts could always allow Pierre Garcon or Austin Collie to take Gonzalez’s position, or they could decide to go a different route.

Unfortunately for the Colts, it is against team policy to sign anyone who wasn’t drafted by the team.

There have been very few exceptions to this rule so they might feel as though they are pushing the envelope enough with Adam Vinatieri as it is.

Then there is Marvin Harrison.

After being released by the Colts earlier this year, he has yet to find himself a new home, and with every day that passes, I find it more and more unlikely that he will find a team to play for.

Besides in the event that a team loses a starting wide receiver to injury then…

Wait a moment, that’s exactly what we’re talking about.

Bringing Marvin Harrison back to Indianapolis might seem like a no-brainer to most people, but a number of things must happen if there is to be any chance of that.

Marvin needs to want to play, let’s make that clear right off the bat.

I have yet to see any indication that would make me think that he has any overwhelming amount of interest to still play football.

Other teams might not have been that interested in signing him, but Marvin has yet to show much interest in playing himself.

While he has always been known to be one of the most reclusive players in the league, it wouldn’t take much to deliver a sound-bite, make a public statement, or heck, even tweet.

But Marvin has been about as silent as one can be, almost to the point in which I would have to question whether or not he still exists.

Okay, that might be pushing it.

In any event, the most important aspect to this equation is whether or not the Colts are interested in Marvin Harrison.

He refused to take a pay-cut and opted to try his luck elsewhere after the end of the 2008 season.

Marvin has had no such luck.

I personally would welcome back Marvin Harrison with open arms.

He has a great deal of experience and if nothing else, could provide knowledge to our hungry young receiving core.

I am also not convinced that he has physically lost every bit of the ability that has made him the league’s second all-time leading receiver.

The thing is, no one should expect to see the Marvin Harrison of old.

Although this might be a matter of public knowledge or common sense, Marvin is not the same player he used to be.

But that’s fine; I don’t expect him to be.

I wouldn’t put it past Marvin to be able to rack up 800, 900, maybe even 1,000 yards receiving.

The single largest determining factor in this regard (provided he has a team to play for) would be Marvin’s hunger and willingness to compete.

He cannot sit on the bench depressed because he can’t catch 10 passes a game anymore.

He cannot sit on the bench looking disgusted while Reggie Wayne is torching opposing defenses.

Marvin Harrison would have to be willing to swallow his pride and contribute what he can to the team. Whatever that might be, I feel that he would be worth his asking price if he decided to get reasonable.

If Marvin Harrison were willing to come back to the Colts for a salary no larger than that of a Pierre Garcon or Austin Collie, I say that it wouldn’t hurt so long as Marvin can prove to us that he is still passionate about playing football.

That however is a pretty big “if” and it is big enough for me to question the likelihood of this event ever occurring.

While on paper it might sound good to the fans or to NFL Network’s “expert analysts”, it just doesn’t seem likely to me.

We have no idea what kind of condition the 37-year old receiver is in, we have no idea whether or not he has even trained to prepare for playing football this season, we have no idea if he would be passionate enough if he did get to play this year, and we have no idea whether or not he would be willing to play for a reasonable salary.

Being that clueless in regards to what might or might not be a good idea does not seem like solid ground to get our hopes up at this point.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Buccaneers-Cowboys: Dallas Teaches Young Bucs Some Tough Lessons, 45-27

When the Bucs look back at this one against the mighty Dallas Cowboys, they’ll focus on four plays. Take away those four plays and the Bucs hold Tony Romo to 121 yds and six points.

Unfortunately for a young team in a battle with possibly one of the NFL’s best teams, defensive lapses are going to happen.

It was up to Romo to take advantage of those mistakes and he most certainly did, leading the Cowboys to a 45-27 win over Tampa Bay.

Romo hit Miles Austin on a 42 yard touchdown late in the first half to put the Cowboys up at the half 13-7.

He then connected on throws of 66, 80, and 44 to lead the Cowboys to a 34-21 win over the plucky Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay’s offense was no slouch, either. The Buccaneers offense churned up 450 yards, bouyed by their sensational running game which pounded 173 yards on the ground.

Cadillac Williams led the way for Buccaneer rushers, slashing for 97 yards and a touchdown, while Derrick Ward added 69 yards and a score.

Byron Leftwich was solid, completing 25 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown. The game also saw the return to form of Michael Clayton, who made some tremendous catches en route to a team-leading five catches and 93 yards.

The Buccaneers defense was solid until it wore down in the second half. Marion Barber led Dallas with 76 yards rushing and a game-sealing touchdown.

But this day belonged to Romo. With Tampa Bay leading 7-6, Romo found Miles Austin down the sideline on a busted coverage for a 42-yard score.

Busted coverages seemed to be a the rule of the day for the Tampa Bay defense. We told you before the ballgame that pressure on Romo would be crucial for the Bucs to have a chance to win.

The Bucs didn’t get the pressure they needed and the Cowboys took advantage of Tampa Bay’s young secondary.

Sabby Piscitelli had a day he would love to forget, going for Romo pump fakes several times during the ballgame and leaving receivers wide open down field, a Cardinal sin for a safety.

Piscitelli bit on a pump fake and allowed Roy Williams to split a seam down the middle of the field. Williams rumbled 66 yards for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a commanding 20-7 lead.

The Bucs battled back, driving 84 yards in 11 plays and capping off the series with a one-yard score by new Buccaneer Derrick Ward. Tampa Bay trailed 20-14 with 13:45 left.

Romo would dash the Bucs hopes again two plays later. A well designed play had Bucs safety Sabby Piscitelli lined up against the Cowboys fastest receiver, Patrick Crayton. While Piscitelli has wheels, he couldn’t stay with Crayton. When the young safety bit on a Romo pump fake, it was all over for Tampa Bay.

Romo hit Crayton in stride and the speedy receiver raced 80 yards for a score to open up the lead to 27-14.

The Buccaneers wouldn’t give up, driving all the way to the Cowboys 26 yard line. Facing fourth and seven, Leftwich put the ball on the money to the Bucs’ top acquisition of the 2009 off-season, Kellen Winslow, Jr. but Winslow dropped the pass.

Romo would victimize the Buccaneers secondary again, hitting Crayton for 44 yard strike, setting up Marion Barber’s six-yard touchdown to seal the game for the Cowboys.

Leftwich led the Bucs back down the field one last time, capping an 11 play, 72-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Winslow to shave the lead to 34-21 with 1:28 left.

The Cowboys would recover the ensuing on-side kick and that would be the ballgame.

So for the young Buccaneers, they went toe-to-toe with allegedly one of the best teams in football and were in the ballgame most of the way.

There was a lot to be excited about for the Buccaneers, especially on offense. Tampa Bay faced a tough Dallas defense and moved up and down the field on the vaunted Cowboys. The Bucs simply couldn’t finish off enough drives to stay with Dallas.

Lapses in defensive concentration and shoddy play on special teams did them in.

You have to imagine Bucs GM Mark Dominik was on the phone with Matt Bryant to see how his hamstring is doing. Bryant’s replacement Mike Nugent had one kick blocked and missed a makeable one, costing the Bucs six points.

In the preseason, the one achilles heel of this new Bucs defense seemed to be the big play downfield.

That continues to be the case as of the first regular season game. Until the Bucs can pressure the quarterback or not go for pump fakes, streaking receivers will continue to be an unwelcome sight.

The good news for Tampa Bay is that the problems experienced aren’t due to talent deficiencies but mental errors.

The errors are correctable.

The Bucs can run the football and their offensive line protected Byron Leftwich, allowing no sacks by the team that led the league in that category last season.

If the Dallas Cowboys are truly one of the better teams in the NFL, Buccaneer fans can feel good that their team may not be that far away from contending themselves.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Minnesota Vikings’ Strong Start: Favre a Non-Factor, Peterson Dominant

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings executed the game plan they will use all season to help them to be successful in 2009.

Brett Favre was 14-21 for 110 total yards, with a touchdown pass to electric rookie receiver Percy Harvin. Even without an effective Bernard Berrian, Favre still got five players involved in the passing game, with Harvin being the lead recipient (three catches, 36 yards).

With Jim Brown in attendance, Adrian Peterson did his best impersonation of the legend by motoring around, over and through the Cleveland Browns for 180 yards on 25 carries. Despite suffering from apparent dehydration that required an IV at halftime, he still scored three touchdowns.

The Vikings defense looks to continue where it left off at the end of last year, as they allowed a good running team to accumulate only 89 yards on 20 carries. Minnesota is not going to need to score a lot of points to win games this year because of that fantastic defense.

However, for the Vikings to make a run at the NFC Championship this season, it is Peterson, not Favre, that needs to be the dominant force.

The next two games for the Vikings are very winable. They will make a trip to Detroit and then host San Francisco. Both teams have had defensive issues, and Peterson should be able to continue putting up enormous yards.

But the true test for Brad Childress and his staff will be in the fourth week, when Favre makes his first start against now-divisional rival Green Bay. The Packers have a talented offense and Favre’s heir, Aaron Rodgers, ready to throw the ball as much as needed.

The impulse will be for Childress to, at some point, get his owner’s $25 million-worth out of Favre and throw the ball more than 21 times in a game. If the Vikings can avoid the temptation to open up the passing game, the mere threat of Favre’s arm to opposing teams could be enough to lead to an incredible season for Peterson.

Harvin made a strong statement in his first NFL game, adding 99 return yards and 22 rushing yards on two carries. With his skills, and the other weapons on Minnesota’s offense, he could make a strong case to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

With a string of games like he had in Cleveland Sunday, he would be well on his way.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010