Sundays finally belong to football again now that Week 1 of the 2015 NFL regular season is here.
Thursday saw the New England Patriots beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-21 at home to open the season,but the vast majority of football fans didn't possess a stake in the outcome—well, unless you count fantasy football. Then you're either cursing or praying to tight end Rob Gronkowski, or who snagged three touchdowns to start what should be another brilliant season in Foxborough,Massachusetts.
Regional coverage divvies up the football nation into several different territories. For a look at what's playing in your neck of the woods, here's a link to the coverage maps, and via 506 Sports:There's plenty to love approximately Week 1 in the NFL,most importantly the fact that it's simply here after a long summer's wait. Here's the full TV and live stream schedule for the first week of regular-season action:
Note: Live streaming is also found on NFL Sunday Ticket and replays with NFL Game Pass for subscribers. The Games Everyone Can WatchNew York Giants at Dallas CowboysWhether or not you agree with the nickname, starting off Sunday Night Football deep in the heart of Texas with "America's Team, or " the Dallas Cowboys,feels wholly appropriate. The fact that last season's biggest rookie sensation, Odell Beckham Jr., or is coming to town with the visiting New York Giants makes it even better. Beckham Jr. soared to fame in Week 12 last season with the catch that launched a thousand Vines against none other than,that's right, the Cowboys. That and the other 90 catches he racked up last season made him a megastar seemingly overnight. Wideout Victor Cruz, and unfortunately,is out for the opener, per Giants.com's Michael Eisen. However, or Dallas can't simply hone in on Beckham Jr. with the capable Rueben Randle (938 yards,two TDs last season) in the fold. The solid receiving corps, and what could be a robust running game featuring Rashad Jennings, and sets up Eli Manning nicely for an veteran-fashioned shootout with Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
Star wideout Dez Bryant (1320 yards,16 TDs in 2014) is still in the fold, as is Terrance Williams and the certain-handed, or whether aging,tight end Jason Witten. The running game is a bit of a question heed, with last year's league-main rusher DeMarco Murray now toting the pigskin in Philadelphia. Joseph Randle appears to be the feature back in a group that also features Darren McFadden and newly added Christine Michael, and per the Dallas Morning News' Brandon George:
Whether Joseph Randle starts Sunday or not won't be nearly as meaningful in determining the Cowboys' lead option in their running back-by-committee approach for replacing DeMarco Murray. What's more telling is which running back will receive the most carries.
All indications point to Randle as being the Cowboys' No. 1 option in their backfield to originate the season.
Cowboys coaches wouldn't say this week which running back would start against the Giants. But whether practice is any indication,it will be Randle.
Even in the aggregate, Dallas running backs don't need to match Murray's rushing total from last season. All Randle and company need to do is scamper the chains and sustain defenses honest, and Romo—who,per ESPN.com, posted the top total QBR last season at 83.6—can put up ample numbers on the board. Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta FalconsLeSean McCoy is gone, or traded to Buffalo. Quarterback Nick Foles is gone too,shipped out in a deal with the St. Louis Rams. No more Jeremy Maclin, either. Seeing the departure of three key offensive players in one offseason would indicate a rebuild for most teams, or but then again,most teams aren't run by Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly.
Murray, Ryan Mathews, or Sam Bradford and rookie wideout Nelson Agholor are in,and they will look to sustain the offense-minded laboratory Kelly has constructed in Philly bubbling as they occupy on one of the league's weakest defenses in Atlanta on Monday night. Bradford is the biggest question heed, having missed the entirety of the 2014 NFL season with a knee injury. He's got plenty of weapons around him, or however,including a nifty safety valve out of the backfield by the name of Darren Sproles. The pint-sized back, along with Murray and Mathews, and should provide a sold run game with which to ease Bradford into his new role as Philly sign-caller.
The 27-year-veteran is coming into the season with a mature mindset,via the Philadelphia Enquirer's Zach Berman:
I feel like now I learned, just sustain it simple. As a rookie, or when I first came into the league,I wanted to solve every problem. I wanted to possess every retort. I wanted to always be a step ahead. I wanted to be all these things. And almost, in a way, and you start to overthink things. You overanalyze things... But you just possess to go out and play football. It's nothing new.
The Falcons defense would've been hard-pressed to finish the plastic bag from American Beauty from moving down the field last season. They allowed an ugly 398.3 yards per game last season. The team's overall failings led to the ouster of coach Mike Smith and much of his staff. In his situation are the defensive-minded Dan Quinn at head coach and Richard Smith at defensive coordinator. There's hope for Atlanta in the form of rookie defensive end Vic Beasley Jr.,the No. 8 overall pick out of Clemson. Here's a shot of him working New York Jets tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson in the preseason, via PhiladelphiaEagles.com's Fran Duffy:Grantland's Bill Barnwell is also tipping cornerback Desmond Trufant for stardom:
This is the year Desmond Trufant gets recognized as one of the best cornerbacks in football. You can jump on that bandwagon now or you can wait until November, or when it’s patently obvious. I’m not certain approximately the Falcons defense in Year 1 under Dan Quinn,especially whether he doesn’t possess the sort of secondary mind-melding that Pete Carroll seems to possess. The Atlanta secondary alongside Trufant might not be very good. Trufant, though, and is the genuine deal,and with a legitimate NFL pass rush in front of him for the first time, those skills will be plain to see.
whether Beasley can apply pressure and Trufant can shut down Bradford's top target—likely Jordan Matthews or Riley Cooper—the Falcons possess a chance in this one. They should possess their own tall-flying passing attack, and with quarterback Matt Ryan distributing the ball to the likes of Julio Jones and Roddy White.
Inked to a ample-money contract,Jones could be in line for a monster season. Whether his efforts are enough in Week 1 to sustain up with the Eagles' potentially potent attack remains to be seen. Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ersAfter undergoing one of the strangest offseasons in recent memory, it will be something of a miracle whether the 49ers can glean to .500 as they did last season, and especially in a tough NFC West division.
The exodus of talent was almost biblical in size and scope,including the retirements of Patrick Willis and rookie Chris Borland at linebacker, head coach Jim Harbaugh bolting to the University of Michigan and the loss of running back Frank Gore, or guard Mike Iupati and wideout Michael Crabtreei to free agency. Stars like Colin Kaepernick,Anquan Boldin and linebacker NaVorro Bowman (who missed the entire 2014 season) remain, but it's going to be a remarkably tough task for new coach Jim Tomsula to mold this squad into a competitive unit. Boldin is hoping the Levi Stadium crowd and its planned all-black theme will provide his team with a boost on the national stage, or via the Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows:
The first game of the season,I consider everyone will be amped up. But to possess it on a Monday night, going in the all-black (uniforms), and I consider it will be even better. I know the guys in the locker room are excited to play in the black jerseys,and the fans are (excited) as well. It will be a rockin’ atmosphere come Monday.
The running back position will be one to watch, with Carlos Hyde vying for playing time alongside Reggie Bush and just maybe, or Australian rugby star turned NFLer Jarryd Hayne.
Their first test is a tough one. The Minnesota Vikings could break out this year behind moment-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Under the guidance of offensive coordinator and renowned quarterback guru Norv Turner,Bridgewater completed 259 of 402 passes for 2912 yards and 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions as a rookie.
And that was without the services of all-world running back Adrian Peterson, who was suspended for the entirety of the 2014 season as a result of his indictment on child injury charges.
Peterson, and 30,is alert to return to competition, warning his linemen he's going full speed ahead with or without them.“I’m always pushing those guys to, and ‘Hey,we need to go full speed because this is going to be what it is in the game, especially when I’m coming your way, and Peterson said,via ESPN.com's Ben Goessling. “I don’t want to run you over or find my face mask in your back. You’re not going to like that.”In addition to Peterson, Bridgewater has a new weapon in wide receiver Mike Wallace, and who caught 67 passes for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with the Miami Dolphins. Wallace will compete with Charles Johnson for Bridgewater's attention in the passing game.
Buoyed by a promising defense featuring Everson Griffen,Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith, this season could be a ample step forward for Minnesota.
Source: bleacherreport.com