September 9, 2007 ~ Opening Day
Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers
Both teams go three and out in their opening series. CB-Al Harris is injured while on punt coverage during the Eagle’s second series. On this punt, WR-Greg Lewis muffs the catch on the 20, it squirts around and the Packers recover it in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Eagles next possession ends with a LB-Nick Barnett interception on a 3rd and 13.
Packers are driving down the field and G-Daryn Colledge is called for a false start. Third and 11, an illegal contact call is not made against the Eagles and the ball is incomplete to WR-Donald Driver. K-Mason Crosby makes a 53-yard field goal.
More mediocrity from the offense when CB-Sheldon Brown intercepts a pass intended for TE-Bubba Franks.
* First Quarter: 10-0 ~ Packers *
The defense shuts out the Eagles in the redzone, and holds them to a 33-yard K-David Akers field goal. The next series, QB-Donovan McNabb wings a nine-yard pass to WR-Jason Avant to even the score at 10.
QB-Brett Favre scrambles, is nearly intercepted then shovels the ball to RB-Brandon Jackson for a gain of six yards.
Later in the drive, Favre is sacked the first of four times, by DE-Jevon Kearse, who limps off the field.
Poor clock management, and the Packers end the quarter without a field goal attempt.
* Second Quarter: 10-10 ~ Tie *
Harris breaks up a touchdown pass and the Eagles settle for another Akers 47-yard field goal.
Crosby matches Aker’s foot by booting through a 37-yard field goal.
* Third Quarter: 13-13 ~ Tie *
DT-Cullen Jenkins sacks McNabb on a third down, but an illegal contact call on the defense gives the Eagles a first down. But DT-Corey Williams gets a sack on the 3rd down to end the drive.
Favre overthrows a deep pass to WR-James Jones on a third and one, Eagles get the ball back with six minutes left in the game.
Personal foul-unsportsmanlike conduct on the Eagles punt coverage puts Packers drive at their own 34. Drive ends when Kearse recovers a Favre fumble.
One possession later, Eagles fumble on the punt and the Packers recover on the 30. Mason kicks a 42-field goal to win the game.
* Fourth Quarter: 16-13 ~ Packers *
NFL News
In the Chargers-Bears game, the Chargers were at the inches mark in the redzone. The Bears Thomas Harris went into the neutral zone, causing the center to snap and fumble the ball, which the Bears recovered. And there was no call. It was more than clear that the Bears should have been called for encroachment, but since it was a “no call” it couldn’t be challenged. So the Chargers lost a guaranteed touchdown.
Buffalo Bills TE-Kevin Everett is injured on special teams coverage. In the replays, you can see he goes instantly limp after helmet-to-helmet contact. They bring the ambulance on the field and remove him and he undergoes emergency surgery soon after. Later in the week we learn his third vertebrae was crushed into the fourth, but the quick work from the ambulance staff and the hospital, they’re able to limit swolling so it doesn’t sever the spinal cord. Everett is able to “voluntarily move” and doctors say he’ll be able to walk again.
Injuries
Giants QB-Eli Manning separates his throwing shoulder, and leaves the game with a little more than two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
New York Jet Fans get ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike’s Just Shut Up Award for booing QB-Chad Pennington as he hobbles off the field after finishing the series injured.
Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers
Both teams go three and out in their opening series. CB-Al Harris is injured while on punt coverage during the Eagle’s second series. On this punt, WR-Greg Lewis muffs the catch on the 20, it squirts around and the Packers recover it in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Eagles next possession ends with a LB-Nick Barnett interception on a 3rd and 13.
Packers are driving down the field and G-Daryn Colledge is called for a false start. Third and 11, an illegal contact call is not made against the Eagles and the ball is incomplete to WR-Donald Driver. K-Mason Crosby makes a 53-yard field goal.
More mediocrity from the offense when CB-Sheldon Brown intercepts a pass intended for TE-Bubba Franks.
* First Quarter: 10-0 ~ Packers *
The defense shuts out the Eagles in the redzone, and holds them to a 33-yard K-David Akers field goal. The next series, QB-Donovan McNabb wings a nine-yard pass to WR-Jason Avant to even the score at 10.
QB-Brett Favre scrambles, is nearly intercepted then shovels the ball to RB-Brandon Jackson for a gain of six yards.
Later in the drive, Favre is sacked the first of four times, by DE-Jevon Kearse, who limps off the field.
Poor clock management, and the Packers end the quarter without a field goal attempt.
* Second Quarter: 10-10 ~ Tie *
Harris breaks up a touchdown pass and the Eagles settle for another Akers 47-yard field goal.
Crosby matches Aker’s foot by booting through a 37-yard field goal.
* Third Quarter: 13-13 ~ Tie *
DT-Cullen Jenkins sacks McNabb on a third down, but an illegal contact call on the defense gives the Eagles a first down. But DT-Corey Williams gets a sack on the 3rd down to end the drive.
Favre overthrows a deep pass to WR-James Jones on a third and one, Eagles get the ball back with six minutes left in the game.
Personal foul-unsportsmanlike conduct on the Eagles punt coverage puts Packers drive at their own 34. Drive ends when Kearse recovers a Favre fumble.
One possession later, Eagles fumble on the punt and the Packers recover on the 30. Mason kicks a 42-field goal to win the game.
* Fourth Quarter: 16-13 ~ Packers *
NFL News
In the Chargers-Bears game, the Chargers were at the inches mark in the redzone. The Bears Thomas Harris went into the neutral zone, causing the center to snap and fumble the ball, which the Bears recovered. And there was no call. It was more than clear that the Bears should have been called for encroachment, but since it was a “no call” it couldn’t be challenged. So the Chargers lost a guaranteed touchdown.
Buffalo Bills TE-Kevin Everett is injured on special teams coverage. In the replays, you can see he goes instantly limp after helmet-to-helmet contact. They bring the ambulance on the field and remove him and he undergoes emergency surgery soon after. Later in the week we learn his third vertebrae was crushed into the fourth, but the quick work from the ambulance staff and the hospital, they’re able to limit swolling so it doesn’t sever the spinal cord. Everett is able to “voluntarily move” and doctors say he’ll be able to walk again.
Injuries
Giants QB-Eli Manning separates his throwing shoulder, and leaves the game with a little more than two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
New York Jet Fans get ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike’s Just Shut Up Award for booing QB-Chad Pennington as he hobbles off the field after finishing the series injured.
NFL confirms that the Patriots were breaking the rules (cheating) when they video taped the Jets Defensive coaches as they were sending calls to the team. Patriots were fined $250,000 and a first round draft pick. Coach Bill Belichek was fined the maximum $500,000.
Teams have also accused the Patriots for scrambling frequencies so the opposing teams' radio equipment didn't work on key plays--which stopped players from receiving the plays.
Turns out the holy Patriots and all the "dynasty" entails isn't as shiny and as untouchable as they would like us to believe.
Commentary
I’m surprised at the penalties and poor coverage from the offensive line. Favre didn’t have enough time to let the receivers complete their routes before he had to scramble and unload the ball. He was sacked four times and hurried many more. The Eagles have always had a respectable defense, but I didn’t think that they would be capable of owning the O-Line the way they did. Pull that together a little more, and with more experience for the receivers and running backs, the offense will be less dismal than they looked last Sunday.
Okay. Why… The hell... Was… Al Harris... Covering... Punts? I heard on the radio that after he banged up his elbow in that opening punt he decided he’s not going to volunteer for punt coverage anymore. Ya think?
And what did they do to special teams to make them all shiny and good? Or were the Eagles special teams just that bad?
With the whole Tiki Barber incident, it made me start thinking about what hills Eli Manning has to climb. It must be hard to be Eli Manning in the NFL World. He’ll forever be (until he wins a Super Bowl and at least one MVP) Archie’s son and Peyton’s brother. When he plays, you always hear the commentators or pre-game guys say “Peyton would have done …”
Eli really just can’t come out on top, because to be anything in that legacy he needs reach the very top. And that apex has been set pretty darn high because of his older brother (and no, I don’t mean Craig Manning). Just think, if Drew Brees would retire today, he would be thought of as a pretty good to excellent quarterback. But match his cards up to Peyton’s? Well, then his deck is barely half full.
Like I said in a previous blog, I don’t have a soft spot for Eli Manning by any means. I’m just saying, it must be pretty tough to be Eli.
Week 1 Questions:
Are they really that bad? Saints, Falcons, Giants Defense, Cleveland?
Are they for real? Oakland, Detroit, Vikings, Cowboys?
My Week 1 NFL Picks: 13-3
Fantasyism: The first half the Charger-Bear game when the Chargers didn’t score a point (more so my No. 1 Draft Pick: LaDanian Tomlinson didn’t score a point) was karma slapping me for hating on Phillip Rivers while Brees had his tenure at the Chargers.
No comments:
Post a Comment