FOOTBALL TODAY!!!

Peyton Manning is still the "Sheriff"

           Ladies and gentlemen it is almost time for NFL Sunday Kickoff! We have had the first game of the season as the Peyton Manning and the Broncos dismantled Baltimore Thursday night. Manning tied an NFL record by passing for 7 touchdowns in one game, and I think everyone who watched the game knows he could have tossed 9 by the time the 2nd half rolled around. For the defending Super Bowl champions, Thursday night was miserable to say the least. I picked them to win by 4 point on the road because of the Broncos missing Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. Man was I ever wrong...but, whatever. It was a fun game to watch either way!

     On a random note, my roommate asked me if he should start Denver's D/ST in fantasy football before the game started and I told him absolutely not. Not having their best CB or two best pass rushers would certainly reduce the amount of fantasy football points for Denver's D, right? WRONG! He even said that Wesley Woodyard was a very good player and that the Broncos D wasn't bad without Von Miller. DRC and Tony Carter held it down out on the outside, while Woodyard and Nate Irving (oh, Nate - he's the LB who "fumbled" a pick 6 at the 2 yard line out of excitement) handled the middle. And although the game was close the entire 1st half, I don't think anyone foresaw the dominance of Denver on both sides of the ball during the 2nd half.

Tim Tebow, just change positions already

     Before the dominance of Peyton Manning last Thursday I predicted the Broncos would go 10-6. I have to change that prediction to 12-4 after seeing them dominate Baltimore. I have a tremendous amount of respect for John Elway and the Broncos organization for having a complete team around Peyton Manning. As a Florida Gator fan, I probably shouldn't say this but...thank God Denver let go of Tim Tebow!

     So before I go on even more about how good the Broncos look, I'll go ahead and give you my top 5 games going on today and Monday:

1. Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints
2. Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers
3. Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins
4. Cincinnati Bengals @ Chicago Bears
5. New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys

Here are the most intriguing storylines of Week 1 heading into Sunday:

• How will RGIII look in his debut after ACL surgery?
• Will Cam Newton make the game competitive against the Seahawks at home or will Seattle and Russell Wilson blow them out?
• There's a reason Terrelle Pryor got the nod as the starter in Oakland. It's because they were on Left Tackle #3, and Matt Flynn simply doesn't have enough running ability to get away from the rush. Unfortunately for Pryor, the Raiders are now on Left Tackle #4. UH OH!
• How many fantasy football points will be put up in the Minnesota vs. Detroit game?! It should be the MOST between this game and the Falcons/Saints match-up
• Can Darrelle Revis get even with his old team on opening day? Revis, like RGII, is coming back from ACL surgery and has a lot to prove after being traded to the Bucs
• The Browns don't have their top receiver, Josh Gordon, for two weeks. That means that the world will see a HEALTHY dose of Trent Richardson. The problem for Cleveland: Miami's defense is solid. This will be a good game because a 100% Richardson will give any NFL defense hell
• How will Alex Smith look against the Jaguars, a team the Chiefs are supposed to beat. And how will MJD look coming off a season-ending foot injury
• Will Philadelphia's up-tempo offense be anything like we have already seen in the NFL?
• Can Jake Locker break out and beat the Steelers in Week 1?! Probably not, but it should be a closer game than people think