For National Football Authority, we discuss Cam Newton’s strong debut for the Carolina Panthers in their 16-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Click here to find out what he did right, what he did wrong, and what his teammates are saying.
Panthers QB Cam Newton vs. the Cardinals, via panthers.com
Filed under Football Relativity, National Footbal Authority, NFL games
It’s a new season for Football Relativity, and thanks to our new partnership with National Football Authority, you’re going to see a lot more from us. We will be changing some things, but one of the traditions we’re continuing is our weekly look at three teams – one that is rising, one that is sinking, and one that is at the same level based on Sunday’s play.
Ravens DE Haloti Ngata with one of Baltimore's many turnovers, via baltimoresun.com
Rise – Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens opened the season with a must-win home game against their rivals from Pittsburgh, and they delivered with a big-time 35-7 win. The game got out of hand because the Ravens forced seven turnovers, while Joe Flacco and Ray Rice were efficient throughout. This may be the season the Ravens put it all together; it’s definitely the season opener when they do.
Sink – Atlanta Falcons – There’s not really a ton of shame in the Falcons losing in Chicago, but getting blown out 30-12 was a bad result. Atlanta’s only touchdown came on a late interception return after the game was out of reach, and the Falcons couldn’t stop the Bears passing game. The Falcons got a mulligan because all four NFC South teams lost, but they must perform better if they want to make the playoffs for a second year in a row for the first time in franchise history.
Float – San Diego Chargers – The Chargers have a bad tradition of starting slowly, and when they trailed the Minnesota Vikings 17-7 at home Sunday, it looked like another inexplicable loss to open the season. But the Bolts responded by rallying for a 24-17 victory, thanks in large part to a standout defensive effort that held Minnesota to just 28 net passing yards. The victory came at a high cost – a season-ending injury to PK Nate Kaeding and injury questions about DL Luis Castillo and RB Mike Tolbert, who scored three touchdowns. But the Chargers started with a win, and that’s a step forward.
Filed under Football Relativity, NFL games, Rise/Sink/Float
For National Football Authority, we get an up-close-and-personal look at the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of our sleeper teams of the year, as they beat the Tennessee Titans 16-14. Click here to read about the debuts of Matt Hasselbeck and Luke McCown, the Maurice Jones-Drew controversy, the Jaguars’ strong defensive performance, and how Kenny Britt nearly won the game for Tennessee by himself.
Jaguars RB Deji Karim vs. Titans OLB Akeem Ayers, via tennesseetitans.com
