Let's Give 'em Something to Watch

DeMarcus Ware, Broncos' all pro outside linebacker was mic'd up during the first quarter and heard delivering the titular quote. His first quarter sack set the pace for another strong defensive performance; Darian Stewart recovered an early Jamaal Charles fumble, continuing his good form from last week's interception. The free safety shoud be an important player this season.

The decision to run the football on 4th down instead of taking a 3 point lead with a field goal was naive at best, however. The commentators noted that in a tight game it's best to just take the lead but Coach Kubiak opted to try and get a new set of downs. Perhaps the most frustrating thing was the lack of communication between Manning and his offensive line; the veteran quarterback was trying to call a time out when the ball was initially snapped back to him, causing the play to be repeated and ultimately unsuccessful the second time round. 

Stewart has impressed so far in his first year as a Bronco.

Von Miller, while unquestionably one of the league's best linebackers, was guilty of handing a multiple extra yards to the Chiefs via false starts and unnecessary roughness. That helped create their opening score when Jamaal Charles, one of the league's best running backs rushed for a touchdown. While the play was undoubtedly good, it wasn't helped by the Broncos giving up 30 yards in penalties.

Manning's decline continued in spectacular form. Instead of throwing it away when the blitz was coming at him, he threw it straight to the Chiefs' rookie Peters who ran it in for another touchdown, 0-14. The thing about top class athletes is that when their age finally catches up with them it'll be a dramatic decline. We're seeing it in the Premier League with Chelsea's John Terry starting the season in shocking form and we're seeing it here with Manning. Experts have questioned his arm strength but I think there's a number of problems offensively. The right tackle Ryan Harris is not yet up to the quality of the rest of the line and Kubiak makes questionable play calls at best, no doubt unsettling Manning who is used to choosing his own plays. Of course, Manning will still be able to pull off blockbuster throws. But his statistics will look considerably worse as he misses formerly routine completions and fuels speculation that he is waning as a quarterback.

The beginning of the end for Peyton?

Running the ball without a top tier running back was always going to be problematic; the first half was fairly unsuccessful for both Anderson and Hillman rushing for very few big gains between them. It was going to be down to Manning's passing game to pick up.

And pick up he did. Manning bounced back with a pass to Sanders - touchdown. Talib then followed up with a trademark interception, making up incredible ground to pick the ball up and prove why he is one of the highest rated cornerbacks around. Tight End Virgil Green picked up another Manning touchdown pass to tie the game. 

The Chief's defender Derrick Johnson acknowledged "we're in a fight now" and "we have to stand up" as he was mic'd up in the second half. This was the theme of the final quarter as the scores remained level. But Alex Smith, under pressure, threw his second interception as Chris Harris Jr caught the ball. This again displayed the Broncos' excellent defence; they certainly have two of the best corners in the league. 

Chris Harris Jr turns the game with an interception.

However, despite the fightback and eventual equalising points courtesy of Emmanuel Sanders, the game was to go to overtime if Alex Smth took a knee to kill time. But he risked it by handing the football off to Charles; the star running back was to commit his second fumble of the night forced by Brandon Marshall and Bradley Roby was able to run it home for a touchdown, winning the game with only seconds left. Once again, the defence gave Denver's travelling fans something to watch while the offensive team still needs some work. Despite that, Broncos go 2-0 on the season.

Vikings @ 49ers

After a tough offseason which included the loss of Coach Harbaugh, running back Frank Gore to free agency and almost half of their defensive line retiring, expectations were low for the opening game as Daniel Gardre reports.

The doom and gloom atmosphere that had been cultivated throughout pre-season followed the side into their first match, particularly given that the depleted 49ers defense would be coming up against the 2012 MVP Adrian Peterson, who was returning to the field following his season long ban for causing injury to his 4 year old son. As mentioned in a previous article, the last time the Vikes’ star had something to prove, he ran for 2097 yards, just 9 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all-time record set in 1984. Just like their new alternative uniforms worn for the first time, the 49ers future seemed dark.

Peterson's return was described as 'clunky' by ESPN.

All the talk of their grim spring and summer did not; however, seem to affect the 49ers at all. From the very beginning, they looked like a rejuvenated side chock full of verve and energy. Their first drive of the night was a very positive one which set the tone for the evening, with Carlos Hyde thriving in his new role of responsibility following Gore’s departure. He turned what should have been small gains into large yardage, spinning and squirming out of the hands of the grasping defense. His positive play was supported by that of much maligned Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who seemed to have no limits in his first season as started, yet floundered in the most recent campaign to compound  a poor year overall for the team. During the offseason though, the former 45^th pick in the 2011 Draft did not mull over his mistakes. He sought help from none other than Kurt Warner, one of the best pocket passers in the history of the NFL, as well as QB coaches Dennis Gile and Mike Giovando. This move seems to have paid off. Rather than rushing at every given opportunity or hurrying passes, the new and improved Kaepernick seemed much more patient, moving up into the pocket with calmness or rolling out of it to give himself a different angle on a play. This led to a consistent gain of impressive yards on first downs. This trend continued throughout the drive until a 10 yard penalty put the brakes on, restricting the San Francisco side to a field goal attempt. The kick was blocked though following some less than impressive blcking from Special teams, who let Sendejo get through the seam much too easily. Fortunately for the 49ers, they were not made to pay for their error as the return from the blocked kick was halted before the Vikings could return for a touchdown, while their own opening drive, in which Peterson was never handed the ball, ended in a missed field goal attempt. Not the best start for Special Teams.

Veteran kicker Phil Dawson's field goal attempt was blocked.

Running back Reggie Bush was injured in the following drive, suffering what was initially feared to be a tear to the calf, but was later confirmed to be only a mild strain, which should see him out for only a matter of weeks rather than months. This should give Australian import and much hyped running back Jarryd Hayne much more on field time than expected, although he must have wished his competitive debut would have gone better. Following numerous impressive rushes and returns in preseason games, including an over the head catch against the Cowboys, he fumbled his first punt return in the NFL. We’ll put it down to first day nerves.

With no score until late in the second quarter, it was up to the defenses to shine, and one in particular did. The 49ers line, coordinated by Eric Mangini, released a flurry of inventive and diverse blitzes which threw of opposing QB Teddy Bridgewater, who suffered the ignominy of 5 sacks and an overall bad day at the office.  Aaron Lynch and Antoine Bethea really impressed, either getting to the QB or causing panic among the opposition’s offensive line and forcing Bridgewater to throw rushed and early. The real star of the show in defense was, however, NaVorro Bowman, who was playing in his first full match since he wrecked his left knee in the NFC title game of 2014. Coming up against the aforementioned Peterson, he seemed to relish his newfound leading role in the 49ers defense following the loss of Patrick Willis. Alongside his teammates, he shut down one of the top rushers in the NFL for only 31 yards in 10 attempts, a miserly return for such a well esteemed battering ram. This essentially locked down the game for the San Francisco side, who, given their defensive performance, were never really under any pressure.

Bowman's return is a huge bonus for the 49ers.

Bowman was joined by Carlos Hyde as one of the top performers on a very promising opening night. He started strongly and maintained his high level of performance in his new starting role throughout the game. Following a series of impressive rushes, he finished the first half with a touchdown, running right initially, planting his right foot and spinning left past an onrushing defender grasping for air and diving into the end zone unchallenged. He added to this in the 4^th quarter as he again rushed through a central seam to the right and continued unchallenged into the Promised Land to end a well-paced drive full of cleverly varied plays. This summed up his night as he rushed for a total of 168 yards on 26 carries and showed up the expected star of the show on his grand return.

The game finished with a pick for the 49ers by cornerback Tremaine Brock on a wayward throw from Bridgewater and another field goal to bring the final score to 20-3 in the home sides favour. A tally which did not flatter San Francisco as they dominated in all departments and brushed off the pre-season criticism to put in a sterling performance which should offer hope to a nearly already defeated fan base. That said, it is but week 1, and the 49ers will face much sterner tests than coming up against a rusty Peterson. Special teams must certainly improve, but the potential is there for the roster to have a decent season.

edited by Aaron Elliott

A New Landscape in the NFL?

Is there a new landscape in the NFL? The Seahawks and Colts fall early as Alex Gordon reports.

Rather predictably, most sports run in a series of cycles. You often hear it: the Tottenham Hotspur side that were the first to do the league and cup double in 1960-61, the great Australian cricket team of the 1990s and early 2000s and the dynasty of the Los Angeles Lakers in the early 2000s. These are only a select few examples but sporting impressions and sporting legacies are often built in a particular set of years, by a particular set of people, before they regress and leave their place at the 'top of the mountain' vacant. However, the NFL does not work in these cycles. With the NFL draft and the sheer volume of players on each side, the NFL prides itself on being a league whereby, at the start of each season, any team could capture the SuperBowl. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, the recent Patriots sides are perhaps evidence of this, but by stating that a different organisation has won the last seven SuperBowls, this proves my case. This increased parity was no more evident than in Week 1 of the 2015-2016 NFL season. As expected, the preseason polls heavily indicated that the major players in the NFL would enjoy successful seasons, teams such as the Patriots, the Seahawks, the Colts, the Broncos and the Packers were all popular choices. However, the NFL does not work like that.

Coach Carroll would have anticipated a much kinder opening result.

Seattle Seahawks 31-34 St Louis Rams.

Indianapolis Colts 14-27 Buffalo Bills. 

No this wasn't Madden. The NFL season 2015-2016 has seen a steady increase in the ability of the NFL's supposed 'underachieving' sides. The Bills, for years neglected in the AFC East by the overpowering and dominant Patriots finally have a defense and a coach (Rex Ryan) to boast about. Add playmakers such as LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins to the mix and that is a team to contend with. Equally, the New York Jets have got deeper with the inclusions of Brandon Marshall and Darrelle Revis. The Dolphins acquired defensive superstar Ndamukong Suh. Even unheralded sides such as the Jaguars (Bortles), the Raiders (Carr), the Titans (Mariota) and the Buccaneers (Winston) have new young quarterbacks with plenty of potential. This is perhaps the year of the upset and Week 1 showcased that perfectly.

Second overall draft pick Marcus Mariota threw well on opening weekend.

The St Louis Rams overcame the Seahawks in surprising fashion. With an offense missing running backs Todd Gurley and Tre Mason, the Rams still managed to score 34 points against the much-lauded Seahawks defense and this was, arguably, the achievement of the week. A 37 yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein sealed the victory in overtime when Pete Carroll opted to give Marshawn Lynch the ball (where was that in the SuperBowl?) in a 4 and 1 situation and he was subsequently stopped by the Rams defense. Surprisingly, this game could have been even more one-sided if not for a 18 point rally by the Seahawks in the second half. 

Across the country in Buffalo, things took a different route. The Bills defense smothered MVP candidate Andrew Luck from the outset, not allowing him time to throw or even time to set his feet. Luck finished with two interceptions and close to a 50% pass completion rate. The biggest positive for the Bills was the emergence of Tyrod Taylor as a legitimate quarterback in the NFL. A beautiful 51 yard touchdown pass to Percy Harvin capped a calm and productive performance from Taylor, who was only named starting quarterback after an intense three way quarterback competition in Training Camp in the summer.

Luck was struggling with the Bill's defensive line.

Of course, we all expect the Seahawks and the Colts to come back from these defeats and march up the standings in the weeks to come. But this NFL season will be full of surprises and Week 1 was testament to that.

edited by Aaron Elliott

Big Interceptions Spare Manning's Pick

The second of Sky Sports' NFL triple header saw my Broncos side host the Baltimore Ravens. The week building up to the game saw many experts begin to doubt Manning's dwindling arm strength at quarterback. After turning 39 in March, the former Colts man could be forgiven an interception today after a superb defensive display gave Denver a 19-13 win.

Two field goals gave the Broncos an early lead of 6-0 with Kicker Brandon McManus converting two 50+ efforts. However, these field goals highlighted the problem of Manning failing to lead his side to another set of downs. The Ravens were not offering much of a threat either as the DeMarcus Ware sacked quarterback Joe Flacco (who in truth was not in the best of form).

After being frustrated to a field goal of their own despite promising field position and eventually conceding a further three points, the Ravens once again foundtheir defence on the back foot. Manning, however, threw an uncharacteristic intercepted pass which led to the first touchdown of the game. Baltimore added a field goal and took the lead on the night despite their patchy form.

Broncos' #8 McManus was in fine kicking form.

However, the Broncos were able to hit back through their excellent defence. It will be no surprise to readers to learn this defensive line was the second best in the league last year. Cornerback Aqib Talib was able to pick off Flacco's sloppy pass attempt and run the ball into the end zone for a touchdown for the home side. Still no passing score for either side at this stage but there was still time for Flacco to hit back.

With the clock running down, Flacco was to attempt a penultimate pass on third down into the end zone. Knowing a touchdown would win the day, Broncos fans waited with baited breath as the opposition receivers rose for possession and a gamewinning score. Step up free safety (the position which covers the deepest parts of the defence) Darian Stewart who was able to retrieve the ball off an incomplete pass and win the game. Although this doesn't score any points in the sport, it's essentially the equivalent of saving a last-minute penalty in football. Stewart's interception was priceless to his side's victory and allowed new coach Gary Kubiak to enjoy an opening-day victory on his first Broncos match day.

Stewart's game-winning play.

While fans may be concerned that the passing game never really got going today, the Manning-Thomas combo should be in full swing by the time  Denver hit Kansas in three days. Until then, fans can reflect on anotherstellar  defensive performance that ultimately provided Kubiak with a 1-0 record.

2015 Predictions!

With the dawn of another NFL season fast approaching, the boys at NFLinEngland drop their predictions for the award categories and of course their Super Bowl 50 winners.

Aaron: First off... who is your regular season MVP? I'm going with Luck. I'd have love to have gone with Manning but as his career tails off (going by the back end of last season) I think I'm going to have to go with the younger quarterback on this one. Will definitely be between him and Rodgers.

Alex: Luck is a great shout. He’ll be in the MVP discussion for years to come. Now that his four game ban has been overturned I am very tempted to say Tom Brady who will be on a mission to prove a point this season. However, I can’t look past Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. Possibly the best QB in the game, I predict him to repeat and secure back-to-back MVPs.

Dan: I can’t look past Andrew Luck for this one. Improving every season, likened to a footballing god by Gore, this could be his season to really place a marker down. With Frank Gore and Andre Johnson coming in, he’s got everything in place to have an outstanding season.

Cyrus: Colts learned a tough lesson in last year’s AFC Championship game against Tom Brady’s Patriots (deflategate aside). I’m backing the Colts to go one better this year, but there are few players in the NFL as crucial to their team as the rapidly improving quarterback Andrew Luck. As well as being one of the best passers in the league, his running game has dramatically improved so it’s hard to see past him becoming MVP in the coming season.

Luck of the Draw... Andrew had three of the four MVP picks.

Aaron: Good stuff! Now I need your offensive player of the year. I'm going to choose Antonio Brown, the wide receiver from Pittsburgh. He caught 129 passes last year (second highest in NFL history) and I'm sure he'll build on that in a stronger Steelers side.

Alex: If this award does not go to Rodgers, I predict Andrew Luck to win the Offensive Player of the Year. An ever-improving talent in a team that has every chance to make the Super Bowl this year, I predict a strong year for Luck who will justify his position as the league’s premier young quarterback. Keep an eye out for Odell Beckham Jr. from the Giants and Jamaal Charles from the Chiefs for this award as well.

Dan: If not Luck, you’ve got to be looking at Adrian Peterson, who’s back after missing all of last season following his ban. The last time Peterson had something to prove (2012 after tearing his ACL), he ran for 2097 yards, just 8 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all time record. 

Cyrus: There can’t be too many better debut seasons in history than the season Odell Beckham Jr enjoyed last year. In his first season, he averaged 108.8 yards received (a Giant’s record, and a NFL rookie record) tied the record for the most consecutive games receiving over 90 yards in a game, and of course, there was THAT catch. The experience of a full season in addition to his raw talent and gigantic hands will see Beckham becoming the league’s best wide receiver in 2015.

Will Madden cover star OBJ kick on this season?

Aaron: Now for your defensive player of the year. Revising ESPN's list of top rated players makes it an easy decision for everyone here - JJ Watt, one of the greatest defensive players of all time.

Alex:  Easy for me. JJ Watt. The most dominating defensive player in a decade. Let’s move on.

Dan: I’m with Alex on this one. A really obvious pick which is a bit boring, but when you’ve got such a physical beast who is so important to his side, it’s impossible to look past JJ. Can anybody stop him? Doubt it.

Cyrus: Easiest decision of the lot, the monster of a defensive end that is JJ Watt. Saying that, Watt managed to score five touchdowns last season, both from defence as well as offence. Colossus.

Turn down for Watt... JJ dominated the defensive picks.

Aaron: How about your rookie of the year? Mine is Marcus Mariota, the recently drafted quarterback who will be playing for the Tenessee Titans. Didn't he hit a 70-odd yard TD pass in preseason? Watch this space.

Alex: I’m a huge Mariota fan and can easily see him winning this award. However, Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders is my guy. With another young talent at quarterback in Derek Carr, Cooper’s transition from the leading receiver at Alabama under Nick Saban to the NFL and the Raiders will be seamless. Watch out for Todd Gurley at the Rams when he returns from injury. He was a beast in college.

Dan: Amari Cooper for me. Already the top receiver in the Oakland side, expect him to work well with his young QB counterpart Carr.

Cyrus: After a hugely disappointing year, most 49ers fans weren't feeling too optimistic about the 2015 season. That was before a young Aussie decided to make the bold move of switching from the Rugby League to American football. After some electrifying preseason performances, Jarryd Hayne finds himself in the final 53 man roster for San Francisco, and from what little we have seen of him so far, it's evident that the West Coast may just have found themselves a new star.

Winston and Mariota will look to make a seamless transition from college football.

Aaron: Difficult one this. Comeback player of the year? Bradford of the Eagles has had some awful injuries but I'm backing him for this award if he can finally stay fit. A seriously underrated quarterback.

Alex: I agree, the most difficult decision here. Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford, Eric Berry, Victor Cruz or Jadeveon Clowney? I’ll take Peterson in a close one over Bradford (who no doubt will pick up an injury or two again this season!)

Dan: Peterson for obvious reasons. Whether you like him or not as a person, there’s no doubting his talent, nor his ability to bounce back under tough circumstances.

Cyrus: After what would have been a tough year in his personal life, I'm backing Adrian Peterson to return with a bang in 2015. Although it's unlikely we will see the same performances that won him the MVP award in 2012, Peterson will expect to re-establish himself amongst the league's elite running backs. Indeed, his form will be pivotal in whether the Vikings can mount a serious challenge to make the playoffs, especially as they play in the NFC North, one of the league's toughest divisions.

Could it be Peterson's year?

Aaron: Coach of the year? Pete Carroll is my choice, his Seahawks side finished preseason strongly and still have some real talent in their ranks.

Alex: Again another tight race! If Geno Smith had stayed fit, Todd Bowles of the Jets would have been my pick. However, I’m taking Rex Ryan from the Buffalo Bills who have a chance to not only usurp the Patriots in their division but with the strength of their defense, have a strong playoff run as well.

Dan: Zimmer. Maintaining his cool during the whole Peterson affair is commendable for starters. In his first season with the Vikings, he drastically improved their defense. With the return of his star running back, the Vikes could or should be in contention for the playoffs. 

Cyrus: Aside from leading the Seahawks to two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, Pete Carroll’s motivational techniques are second to none and he leads a side that seems to love playing for him. On top of that, it takes serious balls to play a fake field goal in the championship game.  When down 16-0. And pull it off.

Carroll took 50% of NFLinEngland's Coach of the Year votes.

Aaron: And finally... Your Super Bowl 50 finalists and winner? For me the Seahawks will learn their lesson from last year's bizarre final decision and pip the Colts to the Vince Lombardi trophy with a little help from Beast Mode.

Alex: Before Jordy Nelson’s injury, I had the Packers to win it all. However, his injury certainly damages their chances but my prediction will be the Packers (gaining revenge on the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game) to meet the Patriots (who beat Luck and the Colts by a field goal in the AFC Championship) in Superbowl 50 with.. Tom Brady adding another ring to his collection! 27-24.

Dan: I’d love to see a matchup between Packers’ leading man Aaron Rodgers and the Colts’ Andrew Luck. With Jordy Nelson out of contention for the entirety of the season with a torn ACL, and Luck being backed up by a less than stellar defense, both sides have their problems. It could come down to a pure shootout, with Rodgers looking to stave off his potential usurper for one more season.

Cyrus: I’m backing a hardened Green Bay Packers to learn from their astonishing collapse in last year’s championship game against the Seahawks and win the Super Bowl. Losing Jordy Nelson to injury will certainly hurt their offense, but last season’s top scorers should have enough to beat the Indianapolis Colts come February and claim their fifth Super Bowl title.

Aaron Rodgers will be looking for his second Super Bowl ring in 2016

Well there you have it folks, a bunch of novices (with the exception of Alex Gordon's freakish sporting knowledge ranging from lacrosse to cross-stitching) have put out their predictions. It's a point per correct answer and we'll revisit this in five months time to see who really knows their stuff.

Getting Started

NFLinEngland is a developing brand intent on providing fans worldwide with the latest news and views from the NFL. While traditional American coverage of the sport has a tendency to use terms and abbreviations that a casual fan might not necessarily understand, this blog will take a more simple approach to describing events, explaining any new terms along the way. Although the Super Bowl dominated American television with nearly 50% of households tuning in this year, it is considerably less popular worldwide than 'soccer'. But with the growing importance of the International Series in London's Wembley and fans eager to learn the game, ever-changing rosters and create their own fantasy teams, we can see a bright future for the NFL.

My interest in American football had always been prevalent across my adolescence. Early attempts to learn the rules had been unsuccessful; after years of eleven men on a football pitch I was unable to grasp the concept of three unique teams per side. I had put it aside for a few years until the 2014 Super Bowl where my housemates and I decided to stay up and get involved. Naturally I selected the team in orange, the Denver Broncos to be the one I would support in the following season. I mean, releasing a hawk before the game was interesting, but riding in on a horse? It was a no brainer for me. As a lifelong Tottenham fan I was unsurprised to learn I had chosen to support the spectacular losers of the occasion as Denver were whitewashed by a powerful Seattle side.

Although the side I had chosen did not win, I couldn't help but admire the athleticism and talent I was witnessing in that Seattle team. Despite the season ending with that game, my interests were aroused enough that I would begin following Denver again at the start of their 2014 campaign. After narrow wins against the Colts and the Chiefs, they were to face up against the side that had humiliated them over half a year ago. While it was a much closer game this time round, the Seahawks were to emerge victorious again.

All the while I was learning the sport more and more. I read up on Peyton Manning's illustrious history, learning that the Broncos quarterback was one of the most decorated and highest-rated of all time. However, he is getting on in years and many (including myself) expect this to be his final campaign. I began to understand the most basic attacking concepts such as passing and running plays as well as the positions they involved. My interest in the sport notwithstanding, it was fairly easy to grasp once I set my mind to it.

All the while I began to take this interest outside of watching games. I followed @Broncos and @NFL on Twitter for regular updates, I purchased EA's Madden 15 for PS4 and even got my own Manning 18 replica Nike jersey. While I knew I could never posses the passion for the sport that I did for football, it was becoming something of a hobby for me.

I followed Broncos throughout another playoff-reaching season that ended in a disappointing defeat to Andrew Luck's Indianapolis side. During the 2014 campaign I had begun to watch Sky Sports' coverage of various other games as well as their highlights show to gain a better understanding of the different franchises. My perseverance was paying off as I enjoyed two Super Sunday's per weekend; the Premier League and the NFL.

After observing the draft (where college footballers are chosen by professional teams) and the occasional preseason fixture as well as drafting a fantasy side of my own, I am now ready for the new season to kick off next weekend. Now armed with a better understanding of the sport, I will update this blog weekly with the help of fellow writers Daniel Gardre, Alex Gordon and Cyrus Ghalamzan in an attempt to bring readers the latest news and match reports from the NFL in as explanatory terms as required.