Well it’s Week 1 in the NFL, with kickoff set for tonight when the Super Bowl champion New York Giants take on Washington.
All I can say is finally.
Between Chad Ocho Cinco and all the chatter about a possible 18-game regular season in 2010, I for one have heard enough talk. It’s time to hit the gridiron.
Let’s jump right in to the questions:
1. Is Tom Brady’s foot injury serious?
n A report out of Boston on Wednesday said that Brady has a crack in his foot. Seahawks fans will remember how much a crack in the bone of a player’s foot can hinder them (see: Shaun Alexander). But that’s a little apples and oranges. A quarterback doesn’t put as much pressure on the foot as a running back, who is planting and cutting constantly. Here’s the thing, though, if you own Brady you either overpaid for him (middle of the first round) or you got him cheap (kept him). Since there’s little you can do — it’s too early to panic and trade him — just cross your fingers and hope for the best.
2. Has Tatum Bell lost his mind?
n Well that’s a legitimate question. If you haven’t heard, according to MLive.com, Bell was caught on camera stealing Rudi Johnson’s bags when the former Cincinnati running back was at Lions headquarters for an official visit. Apparently Bell’s not real thrilled Johnson is possibly coming to town to take his job. If you ask me, this is a sign of a larger problem in Detroit. Last week I talked up Calvin Johnson on my blog, but I’m starting to get a little worried. This is a team with no direction (Matt Millen, anyone?) and remember Jon Kitna is at quarterback. Ugh. Temper your expectations for Johnson and Roy Williams and dismiss all the running backs in this fold, including Johnson.
3. Should we believe Frank Gore?
n The 49ers running back says he can barely contain his excitement over the new offense Mike Martz has installed in San Francisco. He even compared himself to Marshall Faulk in a recent article. Let’s all slow down. First, J.T. O’Sullivan is no Kurt Warner, and secondly, Gore isn’t the same runner as Faulk, who was a better pass catcher and more elusive than the more imposing Gore. I do think Gore will have a good season (at least better than any Detroit running back over the past couple of seasons), but he shouldn’t be bumped up into the top-five of drafts. He was taken in the late-first to early-second rounds and that seems about right.
4. What does Kyle Boller’s placement on IR mean?
n Well, really nothing. The Ravens were going to be one of the five worst teams in the NFL without Boller anyway. All it really means is that rookie Joe Flacco will get more playing time going forward. It also means you should temper even further expectations for Willis McGahee, Todd Heap and Derrick Mason. Although Boller stunk, he was their only quarterback with veteran experience (I know they signed Todd Bouman, but he won’t see any playing time unless Troy Smith gets hurt early in the season) and that means lesser numbers for all of Baltimore’s skill guys.
5. Who should I play tonight?
n Offenses are usually a little behind early in the season, so play both defenses if you own them. Chris Cooley and Plaxico Burress are must plays, and so is Clinton Portis. If you own Brandon Jacobs play him as well — he’ll never be as healthy as Week 1.
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