My office is flooded, so I am managing the communications for my company from an iPad today. As I wait to hear back from our phone company, I thought I'd take a few minutes to write my first "Rambling Stream of Consciousness" column. Today's topic: The NFL Season opener. Enjoy!
- The debate has been over for a while in my mind, but after last night I think there is little doubt that Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league. His combination of pocket awareness, accuracy and a quick release make him extremely tough to defend.
- Drew Brees' performance might be overshadowed by the loss, but he shredded a pretty good Green Bay secondary.
- The kickoff rule is bad for the game of football. It's not only limiting one of the more exciting plays, but it's killing field position as well. Those were two fantastic offenses playing last night, but when lesser teams square off, we're going to see a lot of punting.
- Fantasy takeaway 1 - Go after Saints rookie Mark Ingram now. His owners might be a little down after his 3.0 yards per carry. He also failed to score from the one to end the game. That clearly wasn't his fault. The Green Bay defensive line dominated that play. Jim Brown in his prime wouldn't have scored.
- Fantasy takeaway 2 - Randall Cobb is a kick return point league option only right now, but he's a player I'll be watching. An injury or two to the GB receiver group could open the door for Cobb.
- I'm a fan of both Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels, but they whiffed on the final punt of the game, where Green Bay's Jarrett Bush tried to down the ball at the one but slid into the end zone. Michaels and Collinsworth described the play as if it were a receiver making a catch at the sidelines. However, when downing the ball on a punt, neither the ball nor the player in contact with the ball can touch the end zone at any point or the play results in a touchback. As soon as Bush's foot hit the goal line and he was in contact with the ball it was a touchback. Had he dropped the ball at the one before he slid into the end zone, a teammate could have then downed it at the one. It was frustrating that the best broadcast duo in the business didn't understand that rule.
- Fantasy takeaway 3 - Devery Henderson has scored touchdowns in the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 season openers. In those four seasons he has scored a grand total of seven touchdowns. Stay away.
- James Starks ran much better than Ryan Clark last night. Unfortunately he made a couple of small mistakes on passing plays, and missed a handoff on another play (Rodgers went one way, Starks the other). Those mistakes will keep him from becoming Mike McCarthy's featured runner.
- Donald Driver looks like he has a couple good years left.
- Green Bay's best linebacker last night? Erik Walden.
- Charles Woodson was lucky he wasn't ejected. Woodson has a pretty clean record, or else his uppercut might have earned him a suspension as well.
- Thursday night was a perfect lead in game for Sunday.
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