NFL Week 1 Preview

As I watched this past weekend’s NFL action here are some story lines that
caught my eye.

1 . The AFC East is a Three Horse Race

When the experts debate the likely winner of the AFC East, the discussion
is usually limited to the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. But it
appears as if the time has come to add the Miami Dolphins to the list following
their 2-0 start.

If I were a Jets or Patriots fan, I would not pull too much out of yesterday’s
contest. It’s true that the Jets beat their division rivals by two touchdowns,
but they were playing at home in a game that they really needed after
their terrible offensive performance in a Week one loss to the Ravens.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady turned the ball over three times, which certainly
doesn’t happen often, whereas Mark Sanchez turned in an applause-worthy
performance, passing for 220 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Even without having to worry about Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins up front, the
Patriots still struggled on the ground, rushing for a combined 2.6 yards per carry
as a team.

These two teams, both at 1-1, should begin to keep an eye on the Miami
Dolphins, who won a hard-fought 14-10 contest on the road against the
Minnesota Vikings. Many people, including myself, have overlooked the
Dolphins coming into the season due to concerns about quarterback Chad
Henne’s ability to carry the team in his first full year as a starter while also having
to appease the ego of wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Despite their best attempts to hand the Vikings a home win on a silver platter
with two second half fumbles, including one on their own one yard line, the
Dolphins held on to squeak out a defensive win for the second week in a row.
Miami’s defense forced four Brett Favre turnovers, including a fumble recovery
for a touchdown. On the other side of the ball Henne was only asked to throw
the ball 15 times, as the team rushed the ball 29 times for a 4.1 yard per carry
average.

2 . Michael Vick Impresses…Against the Lions

Yes, I was wrong in my misgivings about Michael Vick in my Week two preview
post, where I expressed concerns with Vick’s ability to make the throws
necessary to win. In my defense, Vick was playing against the hapless Detroit
Lions’ defense on Sunday—a unit that gave up a staggering 6,274 total offensive
yards to opponents last season.

Vick turned in a starting caliber performance, racking up 284 yards, two
touchdowns through the air and 37 yards on the ground, leading the Eagles to a
35-32 road win over the Lions.

No one is arguing that Vick gives the Eagles the best chance to win in the
immediate future, but expect a recovered Kevin Kolb to be back in the starting
lineup next week when the team travels to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. It
would be both unfair and unwise to alienate Kolb after less than a half of action
against Green Bay in Week one.

In the meantime, I would expect Vick to be used fairly frequently in a Wildcat role
throughout the rest of the season. Many NFL teams will line up for his services
as soon as the season ends.

3 . Running Back by Committee Appears to be the Answer in Green Bay

Last Friday I wrote that I expected Brandon Jackson to have a breakout game
in his first game as the Packers’ feature back since 2007, especially with the
Bills outstanding secondary. Jackson struggled however, and appeared hesitant
in bursting through holes, averaging a paltry 2.6 yards per carry on 11 rushing
attempts.

Despite Jackson’s struggles, the Packers did stick with their running game in a
balanced offensive attack in which they rushed the ball 27 times compared to
29 passes. Hybrid fullback/running back John Kuhn pitched in 36 yards on nine
attempts, and newcomer Dimitri Nance, acquired from the Falcons’ practice
squad earlier in the week, gained six yards on two carries.

Taking advantage of the Lambeau Field venue and chat room rumblings of a
trade in the making, the Bills did their best in showcasing previously forgotten
running back Marshawn Lynch, who rushed the ball 17 times for 64 yards. In
the week leading up to the contest, speculation ran wild of an A.J. Hawk for

Marshawn Lynch swap, citing Hawk’s discontent with lack of playing time on
defense, Lynch’s past playing with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the
University of California, and the Packers’ pre-draft interest in Lynch in 2007.

Such a high-profile midseason acquisition would not fit General Manager Ted
Thompson’s style, as he generally prefers to build the team through the draft.

That being said, if Jackson continues to struggle as he did on Sunday,
Thompson may be forced to take the initiative. Yes, the Packers are primarily a
passing offense, but common football knowledge tells us that when the weather
turns in December and January, a running game is integral to a sustained playoff
run.

In the meantime, the jury is still out on Jackson and the rest of the running backs
in Green Bay, for only time will tell if he is capable of being a starting-caliber
back in the NFL. Keep an eye on the AFC East games, including the Patriots
squaring off against the Bills and Miami taking on the Jets in the anticipated
return of Jason Taylor to Sunlife Stadium on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.