spanishomelette Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 NFL Offensive stars often get a kick-start on opening day http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050910/1073285.asp By TOM BORRELLI News Sports Reporter 9/10/2005 Forget about the "defense is way ahead of the offense early in the season" theory. It simply doesn't wash. During the past five seasons, there have been 37 rushing efforts of 100 or more yards on opening day, 19 passers have thrown for 300 or more yards and 45 receivers have cracked the century mark in yardage. Last season, a dozen rushers bettered the 100-yard mark, led by defending league rushing champion Curtis Martin of the New York Jets, who carried 29 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Tennessee's Travis Henry was the last Buffalo Bills player to rush for more than 100 in an opener, carrying 39 times for 149 yards and three scores in a 37-31 loss to the Jets on Sept. 8, 2002. That's one of four outstanding statistical performances, based on fantasy football scoring, achieved in an opener that rank among the top 19 in the history of the Bills. Buffalo's O.J. Simpson carried 29 times for 250 yards and two TDs against the New England Patriots on Sept. 16, 1973, which ranks as the NFL's top opening day effort. In the last five seasons, the only back to crack the 200-yard barrier in an opener is Duce Staley, who carried 26 times for 201 yards and a TD for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 3, 2000. Eric Moulds caught eight passes for 112 yards and a TD against the Jets in the 2002 opener. The last Bills quarterback to throw for 300 yards on opening day was Doug Flutie, who went 22 of 42 for exactly that amount with one TD and two interceptions at Indianapolis on Sept. 12, 1999. That day, Moulds caught 10 passes for 147 yards in an opening-day effort topped only by Andre Reed, who had 11 catches for 154 yards against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 1, 1991. That's the day Jim Kelly threw for 381 yards - most by a Buffalo QB in an opener. Kelly made 11 opening day starts for the Bills between 1986 and '96, averaging 241 yards, and threw for 300 or more yards three times. Joe Ferguson, who started 12 openers between 1973 and '84, averaged 159 yards in those games with a high of 282 in '76, and Jack Kemp, who started six openers from 1963-69, averaged 172.5 yards with a best of 280 in '65. Aside from the 250-yard game against the Pats in '73, Simpson also rushed for 173 yards against the Jets in the '75 opener. But in the seven other openers he played as a Bill, he averaged just 47.1 yards per game. Not counting 1999, when he left the game with a liver injury on the first play at Indy, Thurman Thomas played in 11 Buffalo openers and averaged 81 yards per tilt with three straight 100-plus rushing efforts from 1991 through '93. Many current-day backs have been far more consistent on opening day than was The Juice. San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson has rushed for 113, 114 and 121 in three of his four openers; Kansas City's Priest Holmes rushed for 119 yards on opening day in 2000, 122 in 2002 and 151 last year; Green Bay's Ahman Green had 157 yards in '01, 155 in '02 and 119 last season; and Tiki Barber of the New York Giants has three 100-yard rushing efforts in the last five openers. The Washington Redskins have had three different backs post 100-yard days during the last five years, including Clinton Portis (148) last season, and the Denver Broncos have had three different backs crack the century mark since 2001 on opening day. That may bode well for Mike Anderson or Tatum Bell on Sunday against the Dolphins. The Kurt Warner-to-Anquan Boldin tandem may be worth watching Sunday when their Arizona Cardinals play the New York Giants. Warner has averaged 320 yards per opening day start since 1999, including a 441-yard effort for the St. Louis Rams against the Broncos in 2000 that ranks as the third-best in NFL history in the initial game. Boldin caught 10 passes for 217 yards and two TDs against the Detroit Lions in the 2003 opener, and that yardage total is the second-best effort on opening day ever, behind only the 241 yards by Frank Clarke of the Dallas Cowboys in 1962. At the surprising opposite end of the spectrum, Indianapolis' Peyton Manning hasn't thrown for 300 yards on opening day since 1998; Green Bay's Brett Favre hasn't since '99. The Bills have yielded a couple of big days in openers during the last decade. Minnesota's Robert Smith rushed for 169 yards in 1997 and Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe had 10 catches for 180 yards in '95. Coming up big on opening day Top individual performances on opening day: RUSHING Ever: O.J. Simpson, Buffalo vs. New England, 1973; 29 carries for 250 yards and two TDs. Last 10 years: Eddie George, Tennessee vs. Oakland, 1997; 35-216-1. PASSING Ever: Norm Van Brocklin, L.A. Rams vs. N.Y. Yankees, 1951; 27 of 41 for 554 yards with five TDs and two interceptions. Last 10 years: Kurt Warner, St. Louis vs. Denver, 2000; 25 of 35, 441, 3-3. RECEIVING Ever: Frank Clarke, Dallas vs. Washington, 1962; 10 catches for 241 yards and three TDs. Last 10 years: Anquan Boldin, Arizona vs. Detroit, 2003: 20-217-2. e-mail: tborrelli@buffnews.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.