Recap of Every Week 1 NFL Game
September 12, 2018
By Connor Hoehn
Once again Professional football has given refreshing hope to our boring, dry, wastelands known as our lives like an oasis to Lawrence crawling through the desert (I’ve never seen Lawrence of Arabia but I assume there is a scene where he finds an oasis in the desert). Tailgate Sports is here to recap all of the NFL action in a few bite sized pieces, just like every other sports website on the planet. So what makes our article different? Absolutely nothing other then its written by some loser from Denver with an NFL Red Zone subscription and a heavy bias towards a certain orange and blue equestrian namesake team that I won’t reveal the name of (pssst, it rhymes with “Future Super Bowl 2018 Champions”) so without further ado let’s jump right into Week One…or just skip to your team’s game, which for most of this audience is the Pats. Spoiler alert, you won.
Falcons 12 @Eagles 18
Unless you are like me and like watching games with big D (please no jokes) or you are some weirdo that just lives for bad offense then chances are you enjoyed this game as much as a DMV waiting room. High scoring opener for the hungry masses? “NO” says Philadelphia and Atlanta, we are gonna give you one touchdown, a few field goals and a SAFETY! Take that Roger! The Eagles defense and special teams do just enough to keep ‘em from that big doughnut in the win column.
Steelers 21 @ Browns 21
It’s just Cleveland’s luck to have, what for this team honestly amounts to as a victory, be overshadowed by a player’s absence on the field. I’m giving credit to Cleveland’s D that never stopped fighting. They had a bit of a rough start in the second quarter but they kept Pittsburgh off the board in the fourth and allowed their offense to tie the game! Even without their star running back, for a team with zero wins last year to take the Steelers all the distance is stellar. Can anyone say 8-7-1 2018 Cleveland Browns? From what I saw, I definitely can.
Bengals 34 @Colts 23
Even with an over 300-yard performance for Andrew Luck, the Bengals still found a way to spoil the Colts home opener. A disastrous second half just shows how unbalanced of a team the Colts are. Unless major issues are fixed, especially on the defensive side of the ball, Indianapolis fans will find themselves with a similar looking record as last season.
Titans 20 @ Dolphins 27
Even with a few regretful interceptions, Ryan Tanehill’s return to Miami showed promise for Dolphin fans with his 20 for 28, 230-yard performance. Mixed in with a more balanced run game, Miami’s offense does not look as painful as it did last season. Their defense even held a Titans comeback that alm…(Due to lighting, this rest of this game recap has been postponed until further notice)
49ers 16 @ Vikings 24
The captain Kirk era begins in Minnesota with the veteran QB showing control and an ability to use all of his weapons in an effective manner. Jimmy Garoppolo, on the other hand, had a rough outing. With a combination of a still less than stellar offensive line and a hungry Vikings defense, the 49ers saw their young QB running for his life and getting slammed into the ground all day.
Texans 20 @ Patriots 27
The Patriots edge out the Texans in a game that was one of the better this Sunday. Led by the geriatric, the Patriots once again showed why they are…well…the Patriots. That 2-minute drill before the second half, ridiculous. With one of the better pass rushes in the league, JJ Watt and the Texans still had a real struggle getting to Brady, a testament to the team’s strengthened offensive line and Brady’s ability to still get the ball out of his crusty, five ringed, 87-year-old hands in a timely manner.
Buccaneers 48 @ Saints 40
Ryan Fitzpatrick was tossing balls so beautiful in his 417-yard, four touchdown game against the Saints they belonged in the Louvre. At times it felt as this should have been one of the primetime games of the week, with both Brees and Fitzpatrick carrying their teams on a non-stop shootout to the finish. Question remains- is the Buccaneers offense really that good? Or are the Saints in the familiar trap of defensive trouble?
Seahawks 24 @ Broncos 27
If someone has not already, it’s time to pick up Phillip Lindsay off your fantasy leagues’ waiver wires. His 15 carries, 71 yard, one touch down performance was the biggest surprise during Denver’s victory over Seattle. Even with a few boneheaded interceptions from Case Keenum, Denver’s offense seems more balanced then it has been in years while its defense kept Russell in the pocket and let Von Miller be Von Miller with three sacks and 2 force fumbles.
Jaguars 20 @ Giants 15
Just like last season, the Jaguars are Defense first, everything else second. Sacksonville put so much pressure on Eli that at times, he didn’t even have enough seconds to read the field and find an open Odell Beckham. Blake Bortles was only 18/33 with 176-yards and one touchdown. However, that’s all that defense needed to pull them past the Giants to victory.
Bills 3 @ Ravens 47
After making the Playoffs, we knew that the Bills would be entering a rebuilding year and potentially a rough season this year. I don’t think any of us expected how disastrous there first game would be though. Even a late entry of Josh Allen could not spark anything in this team as the Ravens took them to the woodshed with defense that broke every portion of their game plan, and they also got an MVP-like performance from Joe Flacco. I guess if the Browns are not gonna act like the Browns this week, someone has to take that place. Time to double stock that Natty Ice Bills fans, you may be in for a rough one this year.
Chiefs 38 @ Chargers 28
As a fan of an AFC West team, I keep a pretty good eye on the competition in my division and I feel like I have seen this game to many times already. With a dizzying amount of game scheme changes and combinations, Andy Reed is once again able to rely on his playmakers, some familiar like Tyreek Hill, and others new to Kansas City such as Sammy Watkins, to create a balanced and effective offense. Meanwhile though, the Chargers continue to beat themselves. With a muffed punt, late game interception and Joey Bosa drama, the Chargers continue a trend of losing games despite their talent around the ball.
Washington 24 @ Arizona 6
The Cardinals have a lot to think about after Alex Smith decimated their defense in a 225-yard performance. While the Cardinals defense has been weak for a while now, it is still impressive to see such a performance, especially considering how lots of people saw Smith as a downgrade from Kirk.
Cowboys 8 @ Panthers 16
It’s good to have football back, and nothing solidifies that feeling more than watching Cam Newton keep the football and run it in for a touchdown. While the big man did not have a entirely impressive day, the Panthers still did enough to keep an almost uninspired Cowboys team from claiming a win in Week One. The speed and flash of that 2016 season for America’s Team seems long gone and buried at this point.
Bears 23 @ Packers 24
From a Khalil Mack debut that put a frown on every Raiders fans’ face to the impossible comeback, this was by far was the best game of the week. Not only did we get the drama of Aaron Rodgers comeback but we also have something to be excited for down the line this season. When these 2 teams meet again.
Jets 48 @ Lions 17
Never mind the Lions poor defense and complete inability to score points, the Sam Darnold era in New York has begun with a bang. 16 for 21 with 198 yards and 2 touchdowns is not bad for the rookie, and with the help of Crowell’s 102-yard 2 touchdown rushing performance, Darnold seems to actually have an offense he can work with. The real story however is that Jets defense, coming up with 4 interception in the game and limiting Detroit to just 39 rushing yards.
Rams 33 @ Raiders 13
Jared Goff dazzled with a 233 yard game with no interceptions and 2 touchdowns. The Rams played so efficiently on every side of the ball, from the three interception performance of the defense. Todd Gurley also ran for over 100-yards, and the Rams seem poised to be one of the best teams in the NFL.
