Game Day Thoughts

Welcome to NFL 2013! Thursday games don't count. Football starts on Sunday. Here we go!

Vikings-Lions! Boy howdy! Kicking off the last season of the Metrodome. Oh, the memories. The Vikings don't have their home opener until Cleveland comes to Minnesota in week 3. So, the countdown to the February implosion of that dump really doesn't start until then.

A thought,

If defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd starts in place of injured Kevin Williams, the Vikings could be starting as many as 12 players that the team has taken in the last three drafts. Nine from the last two.

2011:
QB Christian Ponder
TE  Kyle Rudolph
 G   Brandon Fusco

2012:
 T  Matt Kalil
 S  Harrison Smith
CB Josh Robinson
WR Jarius Wright
TE  Rhett Ellison
 K  Blair Walsh

2013:
DT Sharrif Floyd
CB Xavier Rhodes
 P  Jeff Locke

Based upon the spread-out passing ways of the Lions, it would be no surprise to see the Vikings defense step on the field with three corners in Robinson, Rhodes, and 2010 draft pick Chris Cook. Ellison and Wright may/may not get the start based on the first play and formation. The current Minnesota Vikings are led and known by Adrian Peterson. On defense, the Vikings are led by linemen Kevin Williams, Jared Allen, Brian Robison, and linebacker Chad Greenway. The Vikings future core is quickly becoming the present core and blending nicely with the "older" leaders. The above list of draft picks doesn't even include their third 2013 first round pick, receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. This kid could be a superstar. If the Vikings receive the opening kickoff today, Patterson is likely the first Vikings player to touch the ball in 2013. Basically, all indications are that the Minnesota Vikings have had outstanding drafts the last three years. 2010 draft picks Cook, defensive end Everson Griffen, and (now)receiver Joe Webb could push that assessment to four years.

In reality, the Vikings have a great bunch of young football players. About 2/3 of the roster is in the first third of their career. They also have a terrific handful of veterans. Any success seems to depend on Christian Ponder playing something close to the "backbone of the franchise" quarterback that he was drafted to be. Lacking that, Adrian Peterson will have to run much further than 2,500 yards. Peterson is a beast. He was just getting warmed up in 2012.

The Vikings-Lions game is obviously the biggest game of week 1 but the NFL has some real nice opening day games with Falcons-Saints and Packers-49ers. Giants-Cowboys tonight is always a terrific matchup.

What's a Bruno Mars?

College stuff:
I kinda missed the opening day of college football last week due to a fantasy football draft. I got Peterson! I watched all but the last 3:49 of the Cal-Northwestern game. Damn DVR!

Cal-Portland St.
Today, it's old school for me. Directv is still pissing on my college football fun. I'm left with radio. It's a good thing that Joe Starkey and Mike Pawlawski are terrific on the mic.

Cal's defense isn't terrific. They gave up over 425 yards in the first half to Portland St. My goodness, Ohio St. and Oregon are the next two opponents.

Cal survived, 37-30. This was supposed to be a walk. Portland St. was an absolute pain in the ass. They may have gained less than 200 yards in the second half but they would not go away.

As for the good. It's hard to tell for sure how the game truly flowed while listening to the radio. It sounds like, true freshman quarterback Jared Goff continues to prove that he's the real deal. Over 900 yards passing in his first two games. 11 different players caught passes. 4 different players gained over 60 yards receiving. Cal head coach Sonny Dykes certainly runs a quarterback friendly offense. If I recall correctly, Goff has a deep to short read progression. It really is up to him as to where the ball goes. Brendan Bigelow and Khalfani Muhammad each gained over 80 yards rushing. Offenisively, the Bears are cruising. Goff took care of the ball through the air. No interceptions. Some players put the ball on the ground. With the way that the defense is playing, Cal's offense can not give their opponents extra possessions.

I really like Cal receiver Bryce Treggs. He catches well, runs well, and blocks really well. His pop, Brian Treggs, was a terrific receiver for Cal in the early '90s, catching passes from current radio guy Pawlawski. While senior Treggs was a great college receiver, junior Treggs should carry the name to the NFL.

Cal was missing some defensive players. Brennan Scarlett, Nick Forbes, and Chris McCain in particular. Still, Cal's defense should have done better against Portland St.

One defensive player that seems to be emerging is defensive tackle Viliami Moala. He was a huge recruit for several reasons a couple of years ago. One of which was, I believe, his 350 lb size. He was supposed to be a run-clogging man in the middle from the moment that he stepped on campus. He finally seems to be showing up this season. He's now listed at 315 lbs and he's now a junior. It seems like he just got to Berkeley. He has the kind of talent that can tilt the field in Cal's favor. The defense most certainly needs something like that.

Ohio St, Oregon. Oh my.

As soon as you get jacked up over offenses passing every down, we find BYU rushing for 549 yards against Texas. BYU propped up the passing fireworks of Jim McMahon, Steve Young, and Ty Detmer. Now, we see the Utah boys tearing up a traditional dynamo on the ground. BYU was all over Texas 40-21.

Uh, Brian Kelly, when you think of college football history, Notre Dame and Michigan are in nearly every thought. The rivalry is historic. It's fun too. Kelly would have been better off saying that the rivalry was ending because of schedule restraints. Instead, he became a fool by saying that the rivalry meant little historically.

I saw Kelly at the recent AT&T Pro-Am. You could dress the coach in green and you are frighteningly close to the Notre Dame leprechaun.

Cool move by Michigan to honor Tom Harmon before the game. Former UCLA quarterback, actor and Tom's son, Mark Harmon was there to accept the honor for his father. Quarterback Devin Gardner is wearing Tom Harmon's #98. Nice.

It was kinda weird to see a quarterback wearing #98. Made the game feel historic. A 41-30 Michigan win didn't feel so historic.

I watched the South Carolina-Georgia game for the defense. In particular, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Instead, I found an offensive football game. Georgia wins, 41-30. Familiar score.

Georgia's Todd Gurley II is a tough runner. I loving watching backs that make the defense think about the contact that's about to happen.

Oregon back/receiver/returner De'Anthony Thomas is a scary player to watch if you're a fan of the other team. I haven't seen a player run away from other players like he can since Randy Moss. He's an itty-bitty guy but he can play in the NFL.

I opened my college football day with Florida-Miami. 21-16 Miami. This was actually a pretty good game. When a superbly executed punt block is the best play of the game, you'd expect a bore. But, I was entertained. Some sloppy play, very good defense, some nice offensive plays, and that great punt block. Not bad for an early season grudge game.

The ESPN talking head that stated that the NCAA should drop it's case against Miami is a fool. It's no surprise that the NCAA hacked up the investigation. That organization is packed with idiots. What took place at Miami over the past decade is as bad as it gets. SMU was a bake sale compared to the Miami circus. You can not ignore that.

Football's back.