A look back at the opening weekend in the NFL and ahead to this weekend.
TOP THREE
-- RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Just because the Vikings picked up QB Brett Favre doesn't mean they've forgotten where their bread is buttered. The one-man Purple People Eater ate up 180 yards on the ground and scored three touchdowns, including one on a 64-yard highlight-reel run that sealed a 34-20 victory against the Browns.
-- QB Mark Sanchez, Jets
Let's hear it for the kid. Other quarterbacks put up fatter numbers, but the young man from USC became the fourth rookie to win an opening-day start on the road since 1970. Inspired by a pre-game pep talk from legend Joe Namath, Sanchez threw for 272 yards and a touchdown in the Jets' 24-7 victory against the Texans.
-- QB Drew Brees, Saints
We're already wondering if Brees can break the record for touchdown passes in a season. He is on pace to throw 96; Tom Brady threw 50 in 2007. Okay, Brees is not going to throw six a game like he did Sunday in a 45-27 win over the hapless Lions. Still, six TDs and 358 yards is impressive against anybody.
BOTTOM THREE
-- QB Jay Cutler, Bears
Wait, wasn't Cutler supposed to solve all the Bears' offensive woes? Wasn't he supposed to be Chicago's best quarterback in, like, 50 years? Instead, he looked like Kyle Orton, Bob Avellini, Shane Matthews and the other revolving door QBs through the years. Cutler completed fewer than half of his passes and threw four interceptions (he's lucky he didn't throw seven or eight) as the Packers beat the Bears, 21-15.
-- QB Jake Delhomme, Panthers
In the past two games -- last year's playoff loss to Arizona and Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Eagles -- Delhomme has turned the ball over 11 times. Sunday he was 7-of-17 for 73 yards, with four interceptions and a fumble lost. For now, Panthers coach John Fox says he is sticking with the 34-year-old, but we could be seeing the beginning of the end for Delhomme.
-- Steelers' running game
Over the past 30-some years, the Steelers have been known for their blue-collar, smash-mouth football: a punishing defense and an equally punishing ground game. But last season, the Steelers finished 23rd in rushing, and they started this season with 36 yards on 23 carries. They won because of QB Ben Roethlisberger, but we get the feeling Willie Parker and the Steelers' rushing attack will have to get better if they are going to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
TEAMS ON THE RISE
-- Philadelphia Eagles
You never know how to feel about the Eagles, who seem to go through tremendous mood swings every season. But they're off to a grand start by blowing out the Panthers in Charlotte 38-10. There's a slight concern with QB Donovan McNabb suffering a cracked rib, but Kevin Kolb or even Jeff Garcia should be okay until McNabb is healthy or Michael Vick is ready to step in.
-- Baltimore Ravens
Don't be fooled by the Ravens being tied with the Chiefs in the fourth quarter and scoring two late touchdowns for a 38-24 victory. Look at the statistics. The Ravens outgained the Chiefs offensively 501 yards to 188, had 32 first downs to Kansas City's 11 and nearly doubled Kansas City in time of possession. These Ravens are as good as ever.
-- Minnesota Vikings
It's hard to make too big of a deal of Minnesota, considering it played the lowly Browns. But good teams handily win games on the road against inferior opponents, and that's what the Vikings did Sunday in their 34-20 victory. They looked more impressive than any other team in what figures to be the highly competitive NFC North.
TEAMS ON THE FALL
-- Arizona Cardinals
The big question coming in was whether the defending NFC champs are that good or if they just got hot in January. The answer is still very much in doubt after a 20-16 loss at home to San Francisco. What makes the loss so bad is that QB Kurt Warner and the Cards' high-octane offense were held to one touchdown.
-- Miami Dolphins
Another surprise team from 2008 started inauspiciously. Miami went 11-5 last season and made the playoffs but suffered a rather disheartening 19-7 loss at Atlanta on Sunday. The Falcons are good, so no disgrace in losing. But Miami's offense produced just 259 yards, and the score could've been worse.
-- Detroit Lions
Poor Detroit. It had a smidgen of hope with a new quarterback (Matt Stafford) and a fresh start to erase last season's historic 0-16 disaster. That didn't last long. The Lions were down to the Saints, 14-0, less than 5-1/2 minutes into the game against the Saints and 28-10 by the half. Stafford was picked off three times, and the Lions' losing streak reached 18 games.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
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