Opening Sunday
What a day, a crazy day.
No, I wasn't out enjoying the wonderful September weather Sunday.
What, are you crazy?
It was opening Sunday in the NFL. Nine games kicked off at 11 a.m., another three at 2:15 p.m.
Why can't the NFL figure out how to balance that schedule? … You know how hard it is to concentrate on nine games at the same time? I try my darndest. Six TVs (two of them old ones with turning channel knobs), all hooked up to the "NFL Sunday Ticket."
It's pathetic, I know. I've come to terms with this. It's especially hard when it's gorgeous weather outside.
But, ah, the beginning of a new season … You know what was the first thing I learned this season? I've got a buddy in Hawaii who had to get up at 7 a.m. to catch the kickoffs at a sports bar that was absolutely packed with rabid NFL fans. Crazy.
HOW ABOUT THEM BRONCOS, eh? That was easily the most amazing finish of the day.
The heralded Jay Cutler in his first season as the Broncos starting quarterback engineered a 12-play, 42-yard drive in the game's final 2 minutes, 13 seconds, while trailing 14-12. The drive started really badly with Cutler throwing the ball overhand and backward after he fell to his knees trying to avoid pressure. What? Did he think he was down? No. 2 running back Selvin Young, an undrafted rookie out of Texas, alertly hustled across the field to bat the ball out of bounds (which was flagged). But about 10 plays and two timeouts later, averaging 3.5 yards a play, the Broncos crawled their way for a 53-yard field goal with 18 seconds left. Cutler ran another play, though, and hit Javon Walker for an 11-yard gain toward the middle of the field with no timeouts left. Somehow, though, Jason Elam and the field-goal unit got out there, snapped the ball with 1 second left, and Elam drained a game-winning 42 yarder. Crazy.
Wow, great job, coach Mike Shanahan. How good did the running game look with Travis Henry? He had 139 rushing yards on 23 carries. The Bills had the lead all game thanks to a punt return for a touchdown in the game's opening minutes. Sadly, the game was marred by a serious neck injury that sent the Bills' Kevin Everett into surgery to try and repair a cervical spine injury.
GEEZ, BRETT FAVRE, congratulations on another game-winning drive. What a lousy one that was between the Packers and Donovan McNabb's Eagles. And the ol' boy who is going to become the all-time touchdown king this year is going to get statistical credit for a game-winning drive. Ridiculous. After Favre failed in a two-minute drill, the Packers punted, and the Eagles muffed the punt return. The fumble recovery gave the Packers the ball at the Eagles' 31 yard line with 59 seconds left in the game. Two runs, two timeouts and a Favre kneel-down later, new kicker Mason Crosby - an undrafted rookie out of Colorado - broke a 13-13 tie with 2 seconds left.
That game finished at nearly the same time the Broncos game ended.
At that same time, my Dolphins game was getting ready to go into overtime. The Redskins couldn't end it in regulation with a gift interception opportunity. The Dolphins also got lucky on the 'Skins' final-play Hail Mary pass that Antwaan Randle El ended up with at the 5-yard line but couldn't get in. But the 'Skins ended it with their first drive in overtime.
And that was just the halfway mark of the day.
Along with the three NFL afternoon games, which included that big Bears-Chargers matchup, the Dodgers baseball game started at 2:05 p.m. Plus, the U.S. Open men's championship tennis match between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic was happening. (FYI, Federer won his modern-day-record fourth title).
The Bears defense looked mighty. How about defensive tackle Tommie Harris, with the Bears leading 3-0 in the third quarter, causing a fumble on the Bears' own 1-yard line? He got to the center's arm during the snap before it reached the quarterback's hand and Mike Brown, who also had an interception but suffered a potential season-ending injury in the fourth quarter, recovered. But "Bad" Rex (Grossman) showed up for the Bears offense, and the running backs fumbled twice. Only an L.T. touchdown pass could get past that defense.
Time to get ready for the Sunday night Giants-Cowboys game? Hmmm. Ironically, I can't get NBC over the regular airwaves, so I can't watch it. Besides, I had better get my fat butt off the couch. My bride-to-be and dog are begging to go for a run in Herron Park.
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Carl Hennell is a sports reporter for the Daily Inter Lake. He can be reached by e-mail at chennell@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4446.