# NFL Week 1: The Season Is Upon Us!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 5, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751 "2012-09-05T15:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/121 "2012-09-10T03:06:30Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Scoreboard. > > In what might be one of the biggest oversights of the year, I booked a flight to Vegas at 7PM on Thursday. Totally forgot that the Bears-Pack game was a TNF tilt. :smack: Not very omniscient of you, was it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/122 "2012-09-10T03:07:32Z")
Broncos just scored a TD. This game will go down to whoever has the ball last. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/123 "2012-09-10T03:15:24Z")
So much for the talk about Antonio Brown being the new #1 in Pittsburgh. Looking like they paid the wrong guy so far. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/124 "2012-09-10T03:31:24Z")
Pick six against Big Ben. 2-TD lead for Denver with 2:00 left. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/125 "2012-09-10T13:28:17Z")
Buccaneers are leading the league in run defense after playing last year’s third-ranked rushing offense. Maybe this Rutgers guy will be okay. > [@](#): > > So much for the talk about Antonio Brown being the new #1 in Pittsburgh. Looking like they paid the wrong guy so far. In fairness, Brown drew Champ Bailey for most of the night. Wallace had an easier assignment with Tracey Porter. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/126 "2012-09-10T14:14:32Z")
The last Rutgers RB to come into the league turned to be [pretty good](http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RiceRa00.htm). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/127 "2012-09-10T14:33:49Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Ryan Tannehill has 3 interceptions in the first half alone. Not an auspicious start. > > Robert Griffin III meanwhile has had a stellar first half including 2 TD passes. That is an auspicious start. As a Baylor grad I watched both these performances unfold with equal amounts of glee. As a Dallas fan, well, I guess it wasn’t RG’s fault he got picked by the Washington Beans. Here’s to future free agency. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/128 "2012-09-10T14:38:28Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > The last Rutgers RB to come into the league turned to be [pretty good](http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RiceRa00.htm). The [last Rutgers head coaches to come to the NFL](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Shea) didn’t [turn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Graber#National_Football_League) out to be very good, though. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/129 "2012-09-10T14:58:11Z")
What did people think of the replacement refs? I watched 4 games this opening week, and I thought they weren’t horrible. There were a couple of mistakes that they were lucky didn’t become a big deal (like the 4th timeout in Arizona, I think), and there were two major issues: 1. Spot issues – Every game I watched had featured multiple bad spotting of the ball. It never seriously affected any of the games I saw, but jeez, they were really off a lot. 2. No holding – If I was an offensive lineman, I’d be holding like crazy until the replacement refs started calling it. Defenders were being literally tackled out there, in every game I watched. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/130 "2012-09-10T15:07:16Z")
Yeah, **davidw** , I’d agree with that. They seem to be so hesitant to make a mistake that many of the calls are late coming in, almost to the point where it’s then confusing as to just what during the play is being penalized. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/131 "2012-09-10T15:23:33Z")
To me its not the calls, but the non-calls. There’s been some pretty obvious penalties I’ve seen that I feel pretty confident that the “real” refs would have called. Maybe the replacements see it too and are afraid to call them? Either way…it stinks. Let me not overstate it though…it hasn’t been _horrible_, but not up to the standards at least I am accustomed to. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/132 "2012-09-10T15:27:30Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > What did people think of the replacement refs? I watched 4 games this opening week, and I thought they weren’t horrible. There were a couple of mistakes that they were lucky didn’t become a big deal (like the 4th timeout in Arizona, I think), and there were two major issues: > > 1. Spot issues – Every game I watched had featured multiple bad spotting of the ball. It never seriously affected any of the games I saw, but jeez, they were really off a lot. > 2. No holding – If I was an offensive lineman, I’d be holding like crazy until the replacement refs started calling it. Defenders were being literally tackled out there, in every game I watched. These, plus lots of uncalled pass interference (and called pass interference where there wasn’t any). I put that down to lots of these guys being old\* and not able to keep up down the field. \*not that the regular NFL refs are spring chickens. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/133 "2012-09-10T16:14:53Z")
I really enjoyed seeing Peyton Manning shut some people up last night, although who knows what happens over the course of the season- and even if plays very well, Denver has a very tough schedule. The Bills, on the other hand, were a freaking disaster area. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/134 "2012-09-10T16:31:02Z")
I watched in the main two games while flipping over to other games sporadically. The Saints-Redskins game was pretty well called, but the Packers-Niners game was atrocious. The Niners benefited from a a few non-calls on pass interference that were pretty obvious and a ridiculous non-call on a an offensive lineman who moved. The Packers got a huge non-call on a punt return for touchdown that should have been a clip, and it wasn’t even hard to see. There were a few other calls that went the Packers way, so all in all a good job by the refs being horrible equally for both teams. In the end the better team won. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/135 "2012-09-10T16:36:02Z")
I did not think Pittsburgh would get beat by an old man in a Buick, but what do I know? I’m still kicking myself for putting Weeden on my fantasy team. Seriously, Peyton looked great out there. I just can’t help cringing at the notion of playing again after neck injuries. I know he’s been cleared to play, and I’m not arguing that; it just that, viscerally, it sounds so risky. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/136 "2012-09-10T19:30:42Z")
I’m a little late to the game, but did want to comment about the Patriots game. Two things really stood out: The running game was excellent - Steven Ridley can both get tough yards inside and has the burst to break big plays. The O-Line did better than I expected after significant offseason changes. Also, the run defense was spectacular. Chris Johnson couldn’t get an inch of daylight. Both first round draft picks Hightower and Jones looked very good. Pass defense was shaky, though not as bad as last year. Staying healthy will be the key back there. Brady was Brady, though Welker was almost a non-factor. All in all, a quality win over a mediocre team. I hope Jake Locker is OK. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/137 "2012-09-10T19:42:21Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I watched in the main two games while flipping over to other games sporadically. The Saints-Redskins game was pretty well called, but the Packers-Niners game was atrocious. The Niners benefited from a a few non-calls on pass interference that were pretty obvious and a ridiculous non-call on a an offensive lineman who moved. The Packers got a huge non-call on a punt return for touchdown that should have been a clip, and it wasn’t even hard to see. There were a few other calls that went the Packers way, so all in all a good job by the refs being horrible equally for both teams. In the end the better team won. The best part about the non-call on the Niners lineman was me moved again on the next play (or the second-next? I forget) in almost exactly the same way. Still no call, BTW. I figured he was just going to keep doing the whole game (why not?), but didn’t see any more after that. I was going to say the PI calls were all over the place. Was the clipping on the punt really that obvious? I mean, the hit was easy to see, but it was at least partially sideways onto the shoulder, not a textbook two-hands-in-the-small-of-the-back clip. What’s the exact language on clipping here? (Admittedly I cheer for the team that’s owned by the fans, so I’d like independent thoughts). ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/138 "2012-09-10T20:47:35Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’m not sure how well received the Bears are going to be against the Pack after the wound-licking loss they just suffered. Although…maybe they could magically lose two in a row? Well, technically, they already have lost two in a row. And to be honest, they looked equally bad in both. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/139 "2012-09-10T21:14:40Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > The Saints-Redskins game was pretty well called, but the Packers-Niners game was atrocious. The Saints got away with a fumble that was called “forward progress, non-reviewable”. I think it was Graham. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751/140 "2012-09-11T01:47:08Z")
Looks like the Ginger Messiah is atop Golgotha. The Ravens are really putting a hurt on the Bengals. They’ll be some garbage time to pad Dalton’s stats, but not a great game for him, and a worse one for that supposedly good Bengals defense. Ouch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1-the-season-is-upon-us/633751.md?page=8)