5 Takeaways from Week 1 of the NFL

So, the first week of the regular season is finished, but what can we take from Week 1 in the NFL.

The New England Patriots kicked off the season with victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, while their Super Bowl XLIX opponents, the Seattle Seahawks, got off to a bad start, with an OT defeat in St Louis. The big NFC North match-up saw the Green Bay Packers overcome the Chicago Bears, while the Minnesota Vikings were the only team not to manage a touchdown in their match.

So what major talking points are there from the opening fixtures?

1 – Tom Brady Is Over “Deflategate”

The New England Patriots’ QB is well and truly over the “Deflategate” row which has rumbled on since that infamous match-up with the Indianapolis Colts in January’s AFC Championship Game. Only last week was Brady cleared of any wrongdoing, and his four-match ban was overturned, allowing him to play this week.

And boy, did he play? 19 straight complete passes set a new franchise record, along with 4 TD passes. Three went to the main man, Rob Gronkowski, with the other going to second TE, Scott Chandler, as the Patriots opened up their campaign with a 28-21 victory at the Gillette Stadium.

2 – Once again, the Vikings’ Pre-Season Form Does Not Translate

Last year, the Minnesota Vikings won all four of their preseason matches, and then only went on to record a 7-9 season, the 10th ranked team in the NFC. This year, it looks like it could be a sign of the same thing. After winning the Hall of Fame game against the Steelers, followed by victories over Tampa Bay, Oakland and Dallas, the Vikings ended the preseason with a 4-1 record.

However, they then failed to score a TD in their regular season opener against the 49ers. After losing 20-3 in San Francisco, will the Vikings improve in Week 2?

3 – Have Green Bay Become NFC No.1?

After losing in SB XLIX, the Seattle Seahawks were expected to come out and get past the St Louis Rams with ease on Sunday, but it was not the case. Both sides scored punt return TD’s before Greg Zuerlein’s 34yd FG in OT gave the Rams victory. Green Bay have been knocking on the door in recent years, losing to the Seahawks in last year’s NFC Championship Game, 28-22.

However, with a few new additions, they could be the team to beat this season, especially with a convincing 31-23 victory over NFC North rivals Chicago. If Aaron Rodgers and James Jones (2 TDs on Sunday) can keep their partnership going, the Packers will be tough to beat.

4 – Is Peyton Manning On His Way Out?

For the last couple of season, there has been plenty of talk about Peyton Manning, and whether he will be retiring anytime soon. He nearly did this season, with John Fox leaving the Broncos’, but he is in Denver at least for this year. However, a passer rating of just 59.9, thanks to 24 completions from 40 attempts, for just 175 yards, shows he may be past his best.

There were only two TD’s scored in their 19-13 victory over Baltimore, both coming from Pick6’s, one for either side. Whether Manning is past his best, we will find out over the coming weeks, but if he plays like this consistently this season, it could be his last.

5 – The Cowboys Remain Favourites In The NFC East

Tony Romo and Jason Witten combined once again to give Dallas victory on Sunday. This time, it was one of their most important, as it gave them a one-point lead with just seven seconds left in the game. The Cowboys QB threw three TDs, two to Witten, as well as one to TE Gavin Escobar.

The Giants only scored two TDs, with one of those coming from a Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie fumble reception TD. Eli Manning was poor, like his brother, also not reaching 200 yards through the air. It was the Cowboys’ day though, as they look to win the NFC East for the second year running.