NFL Contenders and Pretenders After Week One
By Erik Lambert
Sep 7, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Karl Klug (97) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Tennessee won the game 26-10. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Week one produced an amazing series of surprise winners. Which NFL teams are for real, and which are probably faking it?
Atlanta Falcons
It was a divisional game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. Those are always close as history has shown. So to see them play to overtime wasn’t a surprise. Atlanta was also at home. Looking at it from a realistic point of view, the Falcons didn’t look much better off from where they were last season: great offense and loads of questions on defense. Matt Ryan will win them some games, but not enough to reach January.
Status: Pretender
Buffalo Bills
Winning at Soldier Field for the first time is a tremendous accomplishment for the Buffalo Bills, especially after what they endured during the off-season and then the preseason. Unfortunately talks of a playoff run need to be revised. They were greatly aided in the game by several Chicago Bears miscues and a continuing problem with their run defense that dates back to last season. Buffalo did the right thing by taking advantage, but they also almost let the game get away.
Status: Pretender
Miami Dolphins
Is it smart to sleep on the Miami Dolphins anymore? This team went 8-8 and narrowly missed the NFL playoffs in 2013. They also beat the New England Patriots once and should’ve a second time. So to see them run over the mighty Pats in the opener can’t be called a fluke anymore. This team has defense, a capable quarterback and now a running game. The AFC East looks more wide open than it has in years and the Dolphins are right at the top.
Status: Contender
Minnesota Vikings
There are no mercy rules in pro football so heavy hearts or not, the St. Louis Rams had to put the prospects of losing Sam Bradford again behind them. Sadly it isn’t that easy. What also isn’t easy is playing against a Adrian Peterson, Cordarrelle Patterson and a Mike Zimmer defense. All were on display as the Minnesota Vikings took advantage of a listless Rams team struggling to find the motivation to play. It will take more than that before they can be validated.
Status: Pretender.
Tennessee Titans
Of all the week one games, watching the Tennessee Titans blow out the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium got the least amount of press, and that is a shame. If it happened at home, that’s one thing, but the Titans took it to a 2013 playoff participant in their notoriously hard-to-win-at building. The defense, under proven coordinator Ray Horton was outstanding and quarterback Jake Locker looked much more efficient under the guidance of veteran coach Ken Whisenhunt. Throw in the fact that Indianapolis looked quite mortal in Denver and there is good reason to believe in Tennessee.
Status: Contender