Analysis of Week 9 in the NFL

Game Recaps

Redskins 17 Falcons 31

The Falcons had it easy this week, but they continued to play mediocre football. Matt Ryan wasn’t impressive. Unfortunately, the running back showdown we anticipated was shut down by an injury to Clinton Portis, but Michael Turner really took the reigns and stole the show. With games against New York and Philadelphia on tap for the next month, the Falcons have to eliminate mistakes in order to play survive. Washington’s problems, on the other hand, just keep getting worse.
Game Ball: Michael Turner carried the ball 18 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Cardinals 41 Bears 21

The Bears look worse every week, and it seems like they may be out of the hunt for good in such a competitive division. Jay Cutler actually played well, but that just wasn’t enough when your defense isn’t working well and you have a complete lack of a rushing game. Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner continue to communicate well, but four Cardinal receivers caught touchdown passes from Warner while Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower combined for 150 yards on the ground. Cutler’s three touchdown passes weren’t enough to win a game full of defensive miscues and missed opportunities. Arizona wins extra points for head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s post game press conference.
Game Ball: Kurt Warner went 22 for 31 with 261 yards and five touchdowns.

Ravens 7 Bengals 17

Cincinnati is full of stars and each week they pull together and simply do their jobs. Cedric Benson claws for every inch, Carson Palmer stays smart, and OchoCinco keeps us entertained. Can you ask for more? The Bengals prove week in and week out why they are a contender, but what is going on with the Ravens? Joe Flacco can’t carry the team every week, but the defense that is so famous isn’t there anymore. Add to that the horrible receivers they have in Baltimore – Derek Mason pulled in three passes, but he was thrown 13 – and you  have the makings for a .500 team with “potential”.
Game Ball: Cedric Benson ran for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Texans 17 Colts 20

We love Houston, and this game is why. They kept at pace with the undefeated Colts, and made a game of a matchup that was lopsided on paper. Matt Schaub continued to connect with Andre Johnson, but this week it wasn’t enough, especially against that tough Indianapolis defense. There was one blaring problem: Giving the Colts 100+ yards on penalties is not the way to go against a team that can beat you in the blink of an eye. The Colts are just plain scary good, and this week they proved that when Peyton Manning isn’t having the best of days, their defense can take control.
Game Ball: Dwight Freeney had only four tackles, but three of them were quarterback hits and he managed 1.5 sacks as well.

Dolphins 17 Patriots 27

These AFC East games are always a battle, but we knew coming into this that Miami had problems with Randy Moss. What do they do? They let him fly all over the field. Tom Brady didn’t have to play well he just needed to be better than Chad Henne. The Patriots lost the battle for ball possession, red zone conversions, and even turnovers. Yesterday, Brady said that Joey Porter’s comments during the week motivated them. Miami really needs to concentrate on how to get over the close games or their season will go down in flames.
Game Ball: Randy Moss caught only six passes, but went for 147 yards with a touchdown.

Packers 28 Buccaneers 38

Who would’ve guessed? The fourth quarter meltdown was a sight to see, but give the Bucs some credit for exhibiting what we think was killer instinct. After six sacks, of course Aaron Rodgers is going to look dazed and be more mobile, so it’s no wonder he made all of the mistakes he did (I.E. three interceptions). The Pack outplayed Tampa in every way, but it was two touchdowns by the defense that sealed the deal and got them the win. If Green Bay doesn’t go out and get some help for that offensive line they aren’t going anywhere.
Game Ball: Josh Freeman may not have been spectacular, but he won his first game by going 14 for 31 with 205 yards and three touchdowns.

Chiefs 21 Jaguars 24

The Chiefs may have battled back, but they played so horrible in the first half that winning was nearly impossible. The difference this week was David Gerrard playing like an NFL quarterback, going 18 for 27 with a touchdown. Kansas City’s complete lack of a running game is becoming more evident as the season goes on, so Jacksonville dominated by controlling the game with Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield. Matt Cassell looked better, but Kansas City has more problems than solutions at this point.
Game Ball: Mike Sims-Walker had six catches for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Lions 20 Seahawks 32

The Lions played organized, effective football… for one quarter. Then, apparently, they realized they were the Lions. Analysts say not to blame Matthew Stafford because he’s a rookie and hes learning, but five interceptions is a heck of a learning curve. The fact is, the game was within reach before he threw the ball away, and he knows that. Seattle won a game they were supposed to win, but we are disappointed that we don’t get to see Jim Mora’s post game press conference. There are reports saying that Seahawks coaches told Matt Hasselbeck that he would have to win this game on his own, and boy did he ever perk up.
Game Ball: Matt Hasselbeck went 39 for 51 with 329 yards and one touchdown.

Panthers 20 Saints 30

Once again, New Orleans had to battle back to stay perfect. Carolina played the caliber football we knew they were capable of, but goo teams eliminate mistakes (fumbles, dropped balls, etc.) and find a way to win. With the game on the line and two minutes to go, the Panthers couldn’t put together a drive and ended up with a fumble. That fumble negated DeAngelo Williams’ 100+ yard game, Steve Smith’s explosiveness, and Jake Delhomme’s interception-less performance. The Saints receivers averaged 13.8 yards per catch which spurred the comeback, but it was their defense that kept them in the game.
Game Ball: Robert Meachem had five catches for 98 yards and one touchdown.

Chargers 21 Giants 20

Even as close as this one was, this wasn’t Giants football. Eli Manning did well and stepped up against his draft-day foe, but the defense let up halfway through the game. Phillip Rivers made the Giants look silly, but when your team can onl muster the energy to play one full quarter what do you expect? The confidence that got the Giants their Super Bowl ring two years ago is gone, and these players are going to be forced to put their nose to the grindstone and work out these kinks before they are left behind in their division.
Game Ball: Vincent Jackson was explosive, with 5 catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns.

Titans 34 49ers 27

Another tough loss for San Francisco, but there were reasons for it. The revolving door of quarterbacks isn’t working well – Shaun Hill was benched for Alex Smith who has had his second bad start in a row, and we are only assuming we’ll she Hill again down the road – and San Francisco isn’t showing that fire that had everyone so impressed in the beginning of the season. The Titans on the other hand have benefitted from a chance at QB. Vince Young may not be the second coming, but he’s bringing a fresh perspective to Tennessee and he sure is performing better than Kerry Collins. Smith’s three interceptions gave Tennessee the game.
Game Ball: Chris Johnson had his third straight 100+ yard game with 25 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Cowboys 20 Eagles 16

We have to say, neither team played exceptionally well. The difference was Andy Reid and his inability to keep that little red flag in his pocket. Listen, any game that ends up in a loss because you didn’t have enough time outs to get yourself a chance is a poorly coached game, but there were plenty of other problems. Donovan McNabb was inconsistent, DeSean Jackson was invisible, and Jason Peters continued to make mistakes. The Cowboys took advantage of Philadelphia, but thats what you have to do to be successful in this league. An observation: Tony Romo threw who he was “supposed” to throw to… but Roy Williams just didn’t look impressive.
Game Ball: can we say no one? Rookie Shady McCoy led Philadelphia in rushing and receiving yards, and didn’t make many mistakes in the process.  

Steelers 28 Broncos 10

The Broncos have lost two straight, and to save themselves from continuing to skid they need to do a lot. Their defense seems to have lost some steam – especially the secondary – and their rushing game has been quieted for the second straight week. It seems like there may have been something on the tape that these teams have seen, because the Broncos are completely ineffective. The Steelers played well, but their defense really stole the show. Between James Harrison and Troy Polamalu, there was no where to go. Ben Roethlisburger simply controlled the game, and thats all he needed to do, because Kyle Orton was no match at QB.
Game Ball: Rashard Mendenhall is really progressing as the season goes on. He had 22 carries for 155 yards, including four explosive rushes that gave the Steelers the definite control.

Week 9 Wrap Up

- Injuries: Cincinnati wide receiver Chris Henry broke his left forearm after a hit by Fabian Washington Sunday. This will likely end his season, depending on the severity of the break which will be reported by Wednesday… Washington running back Clinton Portis took a nasty helmet-to-helmet hit by Thomas DeCloud int he first half. He was diagnosed with a concussion and will likely sit out 2-4 weeks… Quarterback Jason Campbell was sacked five times in the first quarter alone, and all of that action took a toll on his body. The QB left the game twice Sunday, once with a chest issue and the second was because of an ankle sprain. Doctors don’t know if he is going to miss any time… Atlanta wide receiver Brian Finneran suffered a knee injury in the first half. Atlant will evaluate him Tuesday and release his status mid-week… Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman admitted Monday that he played most of Sunday’s game with a concussion. He was evaluated after the game and could be out from 2-4 weeks depending on residual symptoms.
- Detroit media was abuzz Monday after cameras caught Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford apparently arguing during the Lions’ loss to Seattle. Coach Jim Schwartz told reporters there was no problem. Stafford threw five interceptions in the game.
- Kansas City unloaded Larry Johnson after the running back’s Twitter attack on coaches. Johnson won’t be out there for long; analysts already are looking at Seattle, Indianapolis, and Houston as possible landing spots.

And the UDU Game Ball goes to…

Kurt Warner went 22-32 with 262 yards and five touchdowns, by far his best performance so far this season. Through nine weeks, Warner has a 65.7 completion percentage, but this week was all about rebounding from the five interception loss in Week 8.

Analysis of Week 6 in the NFL

Game Recaps

Texans 28 Bengals 17

We’ve said from the beginning that Houston could stun the league when they were on, and this week they put it into high gear. Matt Schaub attacked through the air, while Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson aided him. Slaton was the all-purpose player of the day with 19 carrier for 43 yards as well as six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, while Johnson was up to his old tricks to the tune of eight receptions for 135 yards. When the Texans can keep Cedric Benson to 44 yards, which is something no other team could do so far this season, there’s always a huge chance to win. For Cincinnati, Carson Palmer was inconsistent at best and really needs to work on controlling the tempo of the game before it gets out of hand.
Game Ball: Matt Schaub went 28/40 with 392 yards and four touchdowns.

Lions 0 Packers 26

This was the first game this season that Detroit wasn’t even competitive in, but to be fair injuries played a part. When the leading receiver and starting quarterback aren’t in the game, you will always have an issue. Daunte Culpepper can’t control this team like Matthew Stafford, and the momentum of the team suffers for it. Aaron Rodgers didn’t have an incredible game, but Donald Driver and Ryan Grant made his job a little easier as well. We will look at this as a tune up for Cleveland next week. The Pack will need it, won’t they?
Game Ball: Donald Driver had seven receptions for 107 yards, including a one-handed catch that landed him on highlight reels everywhere.

Ravens 31 Vikings 33

Old vs. New… and Old won. Adrian Peterson ran for his first 100+ yard game since Week 1, and the Vikings withstood a Ravens’ comeback attempt to win by a very narrow margin. What’s more interesting is that Brett Favre did this without his new favorite target, Percy Harvin, who was injured in the first half. Both Favre and Flacco got beat up all day, but they had excellent games (Flacco turned in a career-best passing effort by going 28 for 43 with 385 yards and two touchdowns). It was refreshing to see Jared Allen so upset after a win – when interviewed by ESPN Allen went off saying this was one of the worst defensive fourth quarters he has ever seen – just because sometimes winning wipes away those bad plays. We don’t think it’s necessarily Steve Hauschka’s fault that he missed that field goal – if time had been managed right be may not have had to kick that far.
Game Ball: Brett Favre can’t get it every week, but he was stunningly accurate, going 21 for 29 with 278 yards and three touchdowns.

Giants 27 Saints 48

Maybe it was a little too early to anoint Eli Manning the king of New York, because he certainly didn’t look that way against New Orleans this Sunday. Manning turned in an embarrassing 14 for 31 performance, throwing for only 178 yards and one touchdown. That simply isn’t going to cut it against one of the most explosive teams in football to this point. No one predicted we would be talking solely about New Orleans’ defense, who held the Giants to just 84 rushing yards and eventually took Manning out of the game. At the end of the day, Drew Brees is still the man and every star shined for the Saints.
Game Ball: Marquis Colston caught only eight passes (every one that was directed to him) for 166 yards and one touchdown.

Browns 14 Steelers 27

Four turnovers each? And these teams are professional? That statistic would usually signal a close game, but in this case it was not. Playing a more disciplined game would have allowed Pittsburgh to run away with it. We aren’t blaming Brady Quinn for wanting a trade – it’s ludicrous to watch from the bench when the starter goes nine for 24 with only 133 yards of offense. The Steelers look like they are slowly recovering from the last couple of rough weeks, but they will need to eliminate the turnovers to be successful in the coming weeks, which includes a meeting with the unbeaten Vikings. On a side note, it is good to have Troy Palomalu back on the field.
Game Ball: Ben Roethlisberger went 23 for 45 for 417 yards and two touchdowns.

Panthers 28 Buccaneers 21

Once again, Carolina managed to win despite Jake Delhomme. The Panthers were helped by two 100+ yard rushing games, but they also benefited from the inspired play of Julius Peppers, who had two sacks and three more tackles for losses. But again, like every week with Carolina, we wonder what they would have done with a quarterback that threw the ball to his own team. This time, we’re betting Steve Smith is asking the same thing.
Game Ball: D’Angelo Williams had 30 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns, while Jon Stewart had 17 for 110 yards and one touchdown.

Chiefs 14 Redskins 6

When the Redskins play, it now means we will not see a touchdown. All of the points scored in this game were not touchdown related – Kansas City had four field goals and a safety while Washington managed two field goals – and we get frustrated just watching it. The players in our nation’s capital have turned their weekly games into “me” ball, meaning Clinton Portis running for 100 yards and Albert Haynesworth’s half of a sack are simply to keep their stats up so somehow, some way they can get traded off of the team. Surprisingly, Todd Hailey’s offensive mind still couldn’t find a way to score a points (unless you think the kicker was part of his genius as well).
Game Ball: We’re giving it to the kicker. Ryan Succop went four-for-four with a long of 46 to score 12 of the Chief’s 14 points.

Rams 20 Jaguars 23

We thought maybe, just maybe, St. Louis could rake up their first win. But alas, the universe won’t let it be so. It may have taken four quarters, but the Jags woke up and started playing some football just in time to win the game. Behind the efforts of the hyphenated twins, Mike Sims-Walker and Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville advanced to the .500 level, while the Rams are still winless. Even though the Jags lost the turnover battle, it was the penalties that killed St. Louis again this week.
Game Ball: Mike Sims-Walker had nine catches for 120 yards, while Maurice Jones-Drew had 33 carries for 133 yards and three touchdowns.

Eagles 9 Raiders 13

Every year the Eagles lose to one team that isn’t even qualified to take the field, and this week it was Oakland. The Raiders had a lot of media talking smack on them this week, and to their credit, they stayed quiet and took it out on the field with them. Their defense took advantage of an injury to offensive lineman Jason Peters as well as Andy Reid’s pass-thick play calling to get to Donovan McNabb fast and hard. The Raiders sacked McNabb six times, including two by Richard Seymour, who seems to be settling in nicely. With a game this tight and problems with the plan, Philadelphia’s problems with David Akers were highlighted – the kicker went three-for-five, but only kicked outside of 40 yards the entire day.
Game Ball: Seymour was impressive and showed the fire we were used to seeing in him from the New England days. Along with his two sacks, he had three tackles for a loss, and three more hits on McNabb during play.

Cardinals 27 Seahawks 3

After Seattle’s blowout win last week, we thought this game would be a little more competitive. Instead, Kurt Warner decided he wanted to win. He went 32 for 41 with 276 yards and two touchdowns on the day, but the real surprise was how good he looked passing to Larry Fitzgerald, who seems to have gotten out of his funk from earlier in the season. The Seahawks may have lost this game because of their complete lack of a running game – they had 11 attempts for 14 yards as a team – or it could have been Matt Hasselbeck’s lack of talent this weekend – he completed only ten passes for 112 yards and one interception. You decide who to blame.
Game Ball: Larry Fitzgerald looked explosive, catching 13 of the 15 passes he receiver for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Titans 0 Patriots 59

Jeff Fischer may be one of the best coaches in the league, but he is in a definite need of a change down there in Nashville. The Titans thought they had a star when they got Nate Washington, who is slowly proving that it’s all about the system you are playing in. They thought they were doing the right thing signing Kerry Collins to come back even though everyone said he was too old. Turns out, they were wrong. Collins completed only two passes on the day for negative seven yards and threw one interception, while Washington’s one reception was for -22 yards. Even with Chris Johnson rushing for 128 yards, the Titans still couldn’t manage to put any points on the board. Meanwhile, the Patriots are serving notice to the AFC and the rest of the league that they are back, and they mean business.
Game Ball: Let’s see… who to give it to. Tom Brady, who went 29 for 34 with 380 yards and SIX TOUCHDOWNS? That would be the one. Honorable mention goes to Randy Moss and Wes Welker for catching those well-thrown balls.

Bills 16 Jets 13

New York did everything they could to give this game to Buffalo, but the Bills wouldn’t take it. Mark Sanchez is looking younger each game, and slowly but surely that 3-0 start has crept down to 3-3. The only offensive player that looked like he was actually playing on Sunday was Thomas Jones, who wrangled a measly 200+ yards, but the rest were for the birds. Sanchez had an embarrassing five interceptions (one of which directly cost them the game), but even that didn’t directly lose the game for them. Jay Feely missed a field goal that could have put them up at the half. It was an entire team losing effort for New York, and a nasty win for Buffalo.
Game Ball? Yeah right. We guess Thomas Jones can  have it, if he even wants it.

Bears 14 Atlanta 21

Atlanta proved one thing on Sunday night: They can win if Matt Ryan isn’t on his game, especially if Jay Cutler isn’t either. This wasn’t an incredible offensive effort, especially coming off of that blowout last week, but the Falcons pulled through miraculously. Cutler and the Bears came up short on the two minute drive, which ultimately cost them the game, but when Cutler is also your leading rusher, you have a problem. The bottom line was really that Atlanta could convert in the red zone, while Chicago barely hit one of four attempts.
Game Ball: Roddy White caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Denver 34 San Diego 23

It seems like every game is a statement game for the Broncos these days, and they went out of their way to win this one. Behind journeyman quarterback Kyle Orton, who was never meant to be this good, Denver backed up their undefeated status with big plays and clutch touchdowns. What is nice to see is that even a young team can stay calm under pressure, run a three-minute drill, and come from behind to win (again). Although their running back tandum or Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno weren’t as powerful as usual – they combined for 90 yards – wide reciever Tony Scheffler more than made up for it with six catches for 101 yards and one touchdown. Games against a very mad Baltimore team and Pittsburgh in the coming weeks will be more rocks in Denver’s not-so-smooth path. Things are going from bad to worse for the smack-talking Chargers. They really haven’t showed much promise, and if Phillip Rivers can’t come back from this start, they may be doomed for the season.
Game Ball: We said it once, we’ll say it again… Kyle Orton was never supposed to be this good. Orton went 20 for 29 with 229 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown with three minutes left.

Week 6 Wrap Up

- Injuries: Trent Edwards has suffered a concussion after a sack early in the game. The Bills have not released word as to the severity of the head injury. This is the second concussion of his carrier… Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom tore his Achilles tendon during the game Sunday. He had surgery on the injury Monday, and is expected to be out long-term. He leads the league in sacks as of Week 6… Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins suffered a knee injury. The ACL tear is said to be season-ending… Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu suffered what was believed to be a season-ending chest tear, but upon furthur review may not be as serious as previously thought. Tests revealed that the tear was partial instead of full, and may only need a few weeks of therapy… Atlanta corner back Brian Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury. Coach Mike Smith explained that Williams tore his ACL and “some other stuff” in a press conference on Monday…
- After Washington’s latest loss, the higher-ups in the franchise took play-calling ability away from head coach Jim Zorn. Zorn speculated that this would be a change just to see if he was the problem. Most experts think Zorn will be permanently removed during the bye-week.
-Shortly before Monday night’s game between the Chargers and the Broncos, a long-time stadium worker, Walt Daniels, fell from the press box. Entry to the stadium was delayed 40 minutes while the scene was investigated. Daniels was taken to a local hospital and his condition was not released.
- Steelers kicker Jeff Reed was cited for public intoxication and disorderly conduct after the win against Cleveland Sunday night. This was Reed’s second citation for the same offense, which happened at 9:00 PM at McFadden’s Bar in Pittsburgh.
- Panthers’ corner Dante Williams was suspended for one game Monday after a viscious hit on Tampa Bay’s Clinton Smith. Smith had signaled for a fair catch when Williams left his feet for a hit. Both benches cleared and Williams was ejected. Smith is said to have only a concussion.

And the UDU Game Ball Goes To…

Tom Brady needed a week like this. He set a record by throwing five touchdown passes in one half of football, then helped the Patriots set another record by opening up the biggest half-time lead in history (45-0). The 59-point win was the largest margin of victory in over 33 years. Brady went 29 for 34 with 380 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Analysis of Week 2 in the NFL

Game Breakdowns

Panthers 20 Falcons 28

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Michael Turner, RB… 28 carries for 105 yards and a TD

Vikings 27 Lions 13

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).
UDU Player of the Game: Brett Favre, QB… went 23-27 for 155 yards and 2 TDs

                                         Bengals 31 Packers 24 

Two more seconds and the Pack would have had a win… or at least that’s what they were saying in Green Bay. It came down to the last second for Cincinnati again this week, but this time they were on the right side of it. Ocho Cinco backed up his loud mouth with four receptions for 91 yards, including a touchdown after which he did the Lambeau Leap. Green Bay looked like the team of last year – uncoordinated and shaky – and Ryan Grant could barely muster 46 yards throughout the entire game.
UDU Player of the Game: Cedric Benson, RB… 29 carries for 141 yards

Texans 34 Titans 31

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Matt Schaub, QB… went 25-39 with 357 yards and 4 TDs

Raiders 13 Chiefs 10

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.
There will be no UDU Player of the Game, because all of them were pretty horrible.

Patriots 9 Jets 16

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.
UDU Player of the Game: While the Jets gave their game ball to the fans, we award ours to the entire defense. To hold Tom Brady and the explosive Patriots to only three field goals, even though they had great field position? They all get the nod. 

Saints 48 Eagles 22

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Marquis Colston, WR… 8 receptions for 98 yards and 2 TDs

Cardinals 31 Jaguars 17

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Kurt Warner, QB… went 24-26 with 243 yards and two TDs

Rams  7 Redskins 9

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Chris Cooley, TE… had seven carries for 83 yards

Buccaneers 20 Bills 33

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Fred Jackson, RB… 28 carries for 163 yards

49ers 23  Seahawks 10

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?
UDU Player of the Game: Frank Gore, RB… 16 carries for 207 yards and 2 TDs

Steelers 14 Bears 17

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Jay Cutler, QB… 27-38 with 236 yards and 2 TDs

Ravens 31 Chargers 26

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Ray Lewis, LB… For psyching his team up, and that incredible hit on Darren Sproles

Browns 6 Broncos 27

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Correll Buckhalter, RB… 9 carries for 76 yards and 1 TD

Giants 33 Cowboys 31

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Mario Manningham, WR… 10 catches for 150 yards and 1TD

Colts 27 Miami 23

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.
UDU Player of the Game: Ronnie Brown, RB… 24 carries for 136 yards and 2 TDs

Week 2 Roundup

• Injury Report: Brian Westbrook (RB, Eagles) was seen on the sideline getting his ankle taped in the third quarter. It was later released that he has a sprained right ankle (the same ankle he had surgery on in June). It is not known whether he will be available Sunday… Matt Hasselbeck(QB, Seattle) has fractured a rib when he was hit much like Donovan McNabb was last week. Hasselbeck was hit in the back near the goal line, but the real question is the condition of his back, which kept him out most of last season… Justin Tuck was injured when he was tripped late in the game against Dallas Sunday night. Tests will conclude whether he will be available for the Giants next Sunday… Brett Favre was seen holding his throwing hand late in the game. The Vikings released that his injury is only a bent fingernail, and will not threaten his healthy streak… Marrion Barbertweaked something in his leg during the Sunday night game, and tests revealed it was a quad strain. His status is unsure for Week 3… Second overall draft pick Jason Smith, St. Louis’s offensive tackle, went down before the half. An MRI Monday revealed a knee sprain, and will be listed as doubtful as next week.
• Late Monday morning, the New York Daily News reported that San Francisco has filed tampering charges against the Jets. Coming off of the big win against the Patriots, Rex Ryan blew off the accusations, calling them “ridiculous”. The Daily News alledged that the Jets want a wide receiver that bad.
• With Donovan McNabb still ailing, Andy Reid has said that if McNabb can’t go on Sunday, Kevin Kolb will start his second game. Kolb got an overall grade of B- for his performance Sunday from the Philadelphia fans, but not from Jeff Garcia. The outspoken backup (in town for maybe, two games max) criticized play calling in the game, saying that the Eagles need to get back to football instead of playing with all the gadget plays.

The UDU Game Ball Goes to…

Frank Gore went from a dismal 22 carries for 30 yards 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.

Analysis of Week 1 in the NFL

Game Break Downs

 Tennessee 10 Pittsburgh 13

The thing that bothers us is that Ben Roethlisberger will never be mentioned in the same sentence as Phillip Rivers and Eli Manning. The two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback is everything you want in a leader – he’s perfect under pressure, not scared of a running clock, and takes hits like a champ. This was a perfect way to start the season, but Pittsburgh proved they haven’t changed since February. The Titans were definitely in the game, but they didn’t get it done. That’s a huge confidence bust to start the season.

Dolphins 7 Falcons 19

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.

Broncos 12 Bengals 7

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.

Vikings 34 Browns 20

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.

Jaguars 12 Colts 14

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.

Lions 27 Saints 45

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.

Cowboys 34 Buccaneers 21

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.

Eagles 38 Panthers 10

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.

Chiefs 24 Ravens 38

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?

Jets 24 Houston 7

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.

Redskins 17 Giants 23

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.

 49ers 20 Cardinals 16

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.

Rams 0 Seahawks 28

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

Bears 15 Packers 21

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.

Bills 24 Patriots 25

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.

Chargers 24 Raiders 20

 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 Week 1 Round Up

• The loss wasn’t just against Green Bay this week for Chicago. The Bears lost Brian Urlacher, the anchor of their defense and a major emotional leader, to a dislocated wrist. We have to say, this is a major hit for the Bears, who looked like they were already having problems to start with.
• In the wake of Donovan McNabb’s injury, the Eagles found themselves lacking quarterbacks (even though two weeks ago, they had too many). The conversations began, but with AJ Feeley signing with Carolina, the Eagles turned to a familiar face. No, it’s not Kevin Kolb, their much hailed quarterback. They signed Jeff Garcia, who was cut from the Raiders earlier this week, who will presumably be the guy in command if McNabb can’t go to work on Sunday.
• In the first half of the first game of the season, Troy Palomalu was playing out of his mind  before he went down with a knee injury. The MCL injury should keep him out about three games. Other notable injuries came for the New York Giants, when running back Danny Ware dislocated his elbow, and draftee wide receiver sprained his left foot.

The UDU Game Ball goes too…

It’s hard to deny Adrian Peterson a game ball. He’s just too good – already ahead forty yards in the rushing race. His 180 yards and three touchdowns make him the ultimate running back. We decided to give our Week 1 ball to him, but fair warning… he can’t have it every week.

– Corianne Egan and Matt Shanley