WTF moments from kickoff weekend in the NFL
Welcome back, everyone! It’s football season once again as Week 1 of the 2018 NFL calendar kicked off with a boring Thursday Night Football game that didn’t get interesting until the 4th quarter. Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is technically a backup quarterback but once again saw a start in an Eagles uniform as Carson Wentz still isn’t cleared for action.
The WTF in this game was how poorly everyone played, including Foles and big money QB Matt Ryan (of the Falcons). Since I was on vacation in Hawaii (humble brag) the game was on at 2:30 pm which had us all saying “WTF” because of how boring it was!
Do you know the feeling of euphoria when the NFL season is starting and your team is playing the Browns, who have been traditionally an easy win? You’re just so hopeful for the start of the game… it’s 10 am (I’m on the West Coast) so I got my coffee, turned on the big screen TV and made some bacon. While that’s sizzling, all is right with the world…
Then you remember Le’Veon Bell is still holding out. (WTF?!)
It appears there’s never good weather in Cleveland when the Steelers play there and Sunday was the same case. It may have been the cause for Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown to not be on the same page, but that could also be because of AB not having any preseason snaps.
The Steelers turned the ball over six times and it was a colossal mess that saw James Conner score twice, then fumble and Jesse James, who caught it against New England, not catching a ball that slipped through his fingers and to the opponent on Sunday. The game went to overtime with the final result ending in a tie.
A tie! WTF?!
When your Pro Bowl clutch kicker misses a game-winner, and then the other side has a field goal attempt blocked, you know no one was meant to win this game.
Speaking of WTF moments in this same game, what was up with the peel back block on Bud Dupree going uncalled and that muffed punt that apparently wasn’t a muffed punt at all, but denied the laws of physics? Serious WTF on both of those.
In fact, there were too many WTF moments to count in what was nearly a four-hour long game. However, that wasn’t the longest game of the weekend as the Dolphins and Titans now hold a modern era NFL record after weather delays extended their game to over seven hours on Sunday.
The Buffalo Bills are a sad team now. After making the playoffs last year, they may have to wait another 19 years following a loss where the Ravens took them to the shed with a 47-3 beatdown. Didn’t they learn from starting Nathan Peterman last season? Bills head coach Sean McDermott could be on the hot seat already.
Monday Night Football had some follies with the Oakland Raiders and the over-hyped return of John Gruden as their head coach. After trading Khalil Mack to the Bears, and releasing WR Martavis Bryant before the start of the season (whom they acquired after giving the Steelers a 3rd round pick), the beginning of this new era has many Raiders fans (and NFL fans in general) scratching their heads at “WTF is Gruden doing in Oakland?”
He has a big contract, but is he guaranteed to coach for 10 years?!
Think about that. They fell to the Rams 33-13 in what was one of the more lopsided games in Week 1.
And by the way, the Raiders re-signed Martavis Bryant this week, back on the roster. WTF is Gruden doing?
Finally, the first of the two Monday Night Football games were better, or worse, depending on your viewpoint. Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw interception after interception, then made way for backup Matt Cassel who also threw a pick with only six pass attempts. Detroit lost 48-17 to the New York Jets and their rookie QB Sam Darnold.
Lions coach Matt Patricia better find some of that “Patriot Way” or he will have a heck of a time figuring out how to get this team to a winning record in 2018.
In closing, seeing how the Lions got whooped after all of those turnovers from their highly priced passer, the tie game with the Steelers doesn’t seem all that bad, does it? Until next week!
