Not a bad begin to the 2013 season (USAT)
By the time I publish my “Principally NFL Notes” column late Monday night/early Tuesday every week, the Thursday game is however an honest reminiscence not worth rehashing, so I’m going to write a “Fast React” this year after the Thursday evening games, with some being extra noteworthy than others, clearly. Really, in recent years, the play has been pretty bad thanks prone to the brief week, and while Thursday’s Baltimore/Denver season opener featured some sloppy play, it definitely was entertaining.
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The Ravens entered halftime with the lead but ended with the most important margin of defeat by a defending Tremendous Bowl champion in a season opener in NFL history, allowing a franchise-excessive 49 points in the course of. I assume it wasn’t so loopy they entered Week 1 as the most important underdog ever for a defending SB champ. Vonta Leach was the early star, as he not solely caught a TD but in addition dominated as a blocker, which carried over from final season when Professional Soccer Focus graded him as the very best fullback in the league. His low-cost re-signing during the offseason should show precious for Baltimore regardless that he plays a place that’s being phased out of the league by most teams. The Denver run defense was spectacular, however Ray Rice’s fantasy homeowners can’t be proud of a 12/9 carry break up with Bernard Pierce. At the least Rice was given the objective-line work and likewise noticed eleven targets within the passing game. He’s going to be simply wonderful, but Pierce will remain concerned more so than the average RB2 (and could be a simple prime-10 fantasy RB should Rice go down).
Dallas Clark dropped a certain touchdown and later fumbled (which was negated by a penalty), and it was stunning to see him lead all players with 12 targets. He’s not someone to rush out and pick up, but he sadly appears like the superior option to teammate Ed Dickson, who had four drops. It was a tough night all around for Baltimore, who were not solely blown out but also misplaced RT Michael Oher (ankle) and Jacoby Jones (knee) to injuries, the latter in which got here throughout this attempted truthful catch.
Joe Flacco hadn’t thrown an interception in any of his past five games (together with the postseason), a span of one hundred seventy+ move makes an attempt, till he was picked off in the second quarter Thursday. He threw quite a few dangerous passes across the field that simply may have resulted in a couple more INTs, as it actually wasn’t his greatest effort, which got here towards a Broncos defense missing Von Miller and Champ Bailey. Torrey Smith didn’t mild it up but eight targets and ninety two yards and a powerful effort to get a primary down when it looked like he was surely going to be tackled suggest better things to come back.
Why John Harbaugh didn’t (or more particularly, why his assistant coaches didn’t alert him to) challenge a clear Wes Welker drop early in the second half that may have resulted in a Denver fourth down was particularly perplexing after he challenged a play that resulted in 2nd-and-5 earlier in the recreation. Three performs later and the Broncos scored a touchdown, opening the floodgates. The primary problem was highly questionable at the time, given the reward (2nd-and-5 vs. 2nd-and-10) versus the chance (you solely get two or three challenges per sport), and since it might have affected Harbaugh’s resolution to not throw the flag throughout Welker’s play with primarily a half of football left (Baltimore would have been right down to both one or zero left afterward) makes it look increasingly unhealthy in hindsight. Moreover, it was ridiculous to punt down 22 points with 2:30 to go (I know virtually all coaches do that, and Harbaugh is with out question among the best in the league, but this tradition of “lose by fewest factors” being more essential than giving your group the very best likelihood to win must stop).
Finally freed from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, it appears Wes Welker is in for a monster season. Significantly, fantasy house owners need to really feel ecstatic watching him perform like that during his first game along with his new staff. It’s sufficient to make me already really feel silly for rating the far more injury-susceptible Danny Amendola a lot higher than him entering the 12 months. It’s fairly humorous Welker fumbled a punt when he replaced Trindon Holliday purely as a result of it was a certain honest catch scenario. Speaking of Holliday, courting back to the start of final 12 months, he’s now 17-zero during common season video games.
Eric Decker had a horrible night, securing just two of his seven seems to be and getting 4.6 YPT, together with a nasty drop in the long run zone. Fantasy owners who noticed what the Broncos did offensively and then opened his box score need to be shocked. But it’s only one game, and this is a 26-yr-outdated who’s scored 21 touchdowns (together with 13 final yr) over his first two (full) years within the league. Don’t fret about him, as Denver receivers will likely rotate having huge games this season. In case your league is one to overreact, particularly during a sport in primetime, Decker might conceivably be a purchase-low alternative now.
Many folks appreciated Julius Thomas as a sleeper tight finish, however few saw this coming. Obviously, it’s most secure not to anticipate a prime-five fantasy season is in store, but this is no Kevin Ogletree scenario, as Thomas deserves to be bid on closely throughout the first week of FAAB (probably greater than another player this week). He seems to be like a beast. Demaryius Thomas seemed like he had a quiet night, and he completed with 161 receiving yards and two scores. The Denver backfield situation continues to be clear as mud (and not the great one). The main takeaway is when the game mattered most, Knowshon Moreno noticed by far essentially the most taking part in time. He’s easily the favourite to steer the group in carries, not less than within the quick time period. The NFL’s dumbest play of the 2013 season may very well have occurred during its first recreation, especially since it resulted in Wesley Woodyard getting injured.
Sorry for completely burying the lede, but it’s time to speak about Peyton Manning, who threw for a modest 462 yards with a 7:0 TD:INT ratio, becoming the first player to throw for 6+ touchdowns during three regular season games in NFL historical past. Manning has more zip this season one other year faraway from surgery, has essentially the most loaded receiving crew of his profession (by a wide margin), has a poor speeding attack and has a defense that not solely was due to regress this 12 months but also is with out Von Miller (for six video games) and Champ Bailey, which equals a setup that ought to result in completely monster numbers. As somebody who preaches to wait on the quarterback position in fantasy, I was jealous watching such a terrific performance Thursday evening, but no less than I picked Manning to win the MVP this season.
Ravens vs. Broncos
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