Three of Four AFC South Teams Open Season with a Loss
The first week of the NFL season is behind us. The season did not start well for most of the teams in the NFC South. Of the four teams in the division, three lost and one was victorious.
Saints vs. Atlanta
The New Orleans Saints started their season in a positive way by knocking of division rivals the Atlanta Falcons by the score of 23-17. As he has so often done in the past, Drew Brees led the team on offense with 357 yards through the air and two touchdowns.
The win was a fitting return for head coach Sean Payton who was suspended by the NFL commissioner for the entire 2012 NFL season for his alleged involvement in the Bounty Scandal.
The Saints were saved at the end of the game by off all things their defense. A pass was deflected in the end zone and the Saints’ Roman Harper intercepted with less than one minute left on the clock in the fourth quarter.
In the game, Brees hit Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham with touchdown passes.
For the Falcons, Matt Ryan has 304 passing and two touchdown passes, one to Julio Jones and one to Tony Gonzalez. He also led the Falcons down the field in the last minute to the Saints 3 yard line but came up short.
Buccaneers vs. Jets
The New York Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thanks to a personal four penalty and a 48-yard Nick Folk field goal. The Jets won 18-17 in the season opener for the two teams. However, it was the personal foul on Lavonte David that made the difference. The Jets trailed by two with little time left on the clock. Rookie quarterback Geno Smith scrambled for a gain of 10 yards and was shoved when he already out of bounds.
The penalty of 15 yards from the spot of the foul put the Jets into field goal range on Tampa Bay’s 30-yard line. The Bucs gave away a game they should have won and it could come back to haunt them.
Seattle vs. Carolina
Year two and things remain the same for Russell Wilson. The Seattle quarterback has done well in winning close games and Sunday’s win against the Carolina Panthers was no exception. Wilson had 320 yards through the air including a touchdown pass of 43 yards during the fourth quarter to Jermaine Kearse.
The score lifted Seattle to victory 12-7 over the Panthers. Prior to the touchdown, the Panthers defense had held Seattle to just two field goals.
Carolina’s defense played well holding Marshawn Lynch to just 43 yards on the ground. Carolina threatened late in the game, but DeAngelo Williams fumbled and Seattle recovered at their eight-yard line.
Williams gained 76 on the day prior to the fumble. Cam Newton only threw for 125 yards and had just 35 yards rushing. Newton’s receivers dropped a number of passes they should have caught.
