NFL Week 1 review: Overreaction time

They call the first post-mortem of the NFL season Overreaction Monday. One day late, there is still plenty of overreacting to be done.

After a seven-month wait, football fans and pundits pounce on the opening weekend of NFL action like a pack of hungry dogs. Then, after filling up on as much action as possible, they then go completely crazy based on one game of football, condemning players, coaches, rookies, referees and anything else that gets in their way.

It is tremendous fun.

So, not to be left behind, here’s our half-baked and completely irrational opinions on the week 1 action.

The 49ers are Super Bowl bound

If you read my season preview you would have read that I picked the San Francisco 49ers as good bets at 14/1 to win the Super Bowl.

Now, after beating the always excellent Green Bay Packers, away, 30-22 on opening day, Jim Harbaugh’s team are in to 15/2. We hope you nabbed them at the bigger price. We think Harbaugh is the NFL’s Jim McGuinness. Last year his team nearly went all the way based on a rock solid defence and very limited offence.

In 2012, Harbaugh (above) has opened it up a bit, brought in a few playmakers and they now appear to have an offence that can rack up scores too. Donegal are 70 minutes away from landing Sam and from what we have seen so far, we are more convinced than ever that Vince Lombardi could be California bound very soon.

Peyton Manning is grand, for now

As debuts go, Peyton Manning’s for Denver wasn’t bad. The former Colt completed 19/26, threw for 253 yards and two TDs. There was little evidence of rust or any problem with his much-talked of neck injury during the comprehensive 31-19 win over Pittsburgh this weekend. We still fear that one hit, in the wrong place, could be disastrous on a personal and franchise level but for now, it looks like Manning is back.

Rookies go 1-4

Five debutant QBs started week 1, the most ever in the NFL. While Brandon Weedon (Cleveland) was easily the worst, completing only 12/35 passes while also flinging four interceptions in his side’s narrow defeat to Philadelphia, it wasn’t all bad.

Number 1 pick Andrew Luck did okay for the Colts, throwing for over 300 yards in a heavy defeat to Chicago, but Robert Griffin III, RG3, was the star of week 1.

The number 2 pick was sensational for the Washington Redskins as they battered the rudderless New Orleans Saints 40-32. The video below proves a star is born

Sexy Rexy

Last year the New York Jets averaged 23.6 points a game. On opening day they went scoring crazy, putting 48 up against the supposedly solid Buffalo Bills. Mark Sanchez threw for 3 TDs, Antonio Cromartie ran one back in, as did punt returner Jeremy Kerley, while Shonne Greene also rushed one in. It was an offensive display of might and it came with back-up QB/massive distraction/NFL Jesus Tim Tebow just running for 11 yards on five carries.

It may not stay sweetness and light in Rex Ryan’s camp all season, but it has started out that way.

Stupid video of the week

The Patriots superb tight-end Rob Gronkowski manages the difficult catch but messes up the easy part of spiking the ball into the turf. It’s the way he looks at his glove like it has betrayed him that makes this great.