In “Overtime – the weekly review”, Touchdown24 editor Daniel Wolf takes a slightly different look at the games of the past week every Tuesday morning. And the first Sunday of the season was peppered with interesting storylines, including Russell Wilson’s “Liberation” and Cam Newton’s dream start in the Patriots’ Jersey.
„Let Russ cook! ”Chef Wilson conjures four touchdowns on the menu
The tastiest menu of the weekend was for football fans in Atlanta, where all Pete Carroll critics rubbed their eyes in amazement. The Seahawks, otherwise chronically tied to the running game despite a top three quarterback, threw the ball more often than almost any other team on first and second down if we factor out the garbage time at the end of the game. The result: Russell Wilson (31/35, 322 yds., 4 TD, passer rating over 143) took the pitiful Falcons apart.
Almost scary: even bei 4th and 5 the Hawks didn’t take off the accelerator and were promptly rewarded with a long touchdown on DK Metcalf. At the end of the day, Seattle had 35 passes and 19 runs despite being in the lead for the entire game. If Carroll and Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer leave Wilson so much responsibility, we could experience a spectacular season for the 31-year-old – MVP titles not excluded!
Next on Wilson’s menu: The New England Patriots in the Sunday Night Game!
Super-Cam is back! Finally the Patriots are fun
While Tom Brady had to admit defeat in his first game as Buccanneer, his old team showed that they have ambitions for division victory this year as well. The reason for this: Cam Newton. “Super-Cam” not only set the season’s first fashionable exclamation mark, but also brought its sporty flair to the Gillette Stadium.
Patriots’ QB Cam Newton is ready for Week 1: pic.twitter.com/K1QI6FrK1I
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 13, 2020
For a long time it was speculated what the Pats’ offense with the former MVP would look like, but on Sunday we saw the answer: run option plays, designed QB runs and a strong focus on the play-action game. Nothing against Brady and his surgical short-passing game – but these Patriots are a lot more fun to watch.
Now, of course, we have to step on the hype brakes a little: It was “only” the Dolphins and the game was hard work right up to the last snap. But those who saw the Bills already in the driver seat on the division can start to sweat. Because Super-Cam is back. And he wants to cause the first really big shock on Sunday against the Seahawks.
„Same Old Lions “: Patricia already on the ejection seat?
My condolences to all Lions fans who probably had to pull their hair out again this weekend because of frustration. In a game in which the Lions looked like the sure winners for more than three quarters, they gave up the opening success against the Bears. It was the “Same Old Lions” who, under Matt Patricia, gambled away a guided tour in the final quarter for the eleventh (!!) time.
The #Lions unter Matt Patricia in a nutshell. pic.twitter.com/NFJpv000mG
– Adrian Franke (@ adrianbb89) September 14, 2020
The defeat had all the ingredients of a typical Lions choke: a late pick by Matthew Stafford, one or the other “blown” coverage and of course the dropped game winner by rookie back DeAndre Swift. Not to forget the bizarre disqualification of linebacker Jamie Collins, who followed in Zidane’s footsteps during the demonstration of an illegal helmet use and gave the referee an (admittedly gentle) headbutt.
The pressure on head coach Matt Patricia, who already started the season counted, could not be greater before the division duel with the Packers.
Brady’s Bucs still have a lot of work to do
The Tampa Bay Buccanneers looked like a Pro Bowl team on Sunday night – a cast of superstars that haven’t played together long enough to be a real team. The Bucs really could have used one or the other preparation game. But as it was, Brady and Co. were clearly at a disadvantage against a well-rehearsed Saints troop. New Orleans didn’t even have to show too much offensively to get a sovereign victory.
This shows that there is still a lot of work to be done by Bruce Arians and his coaching staff. Brady himself has to improve enormously as he is the first quarterback since Matt Schaub and Blaine Gabbert in 2013 to throw a pick-six in three consecutive games. Unflattering company. And yet: I don’t want to go so far that Brady’s battery is empty – he’s too ambitious to just let this defeat sit on him.
The home game against the Carolina Panthers next Sunday could be painted for the 43-year-old to relieve a little frustration and to silence the first doubters.
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