A Look Back at the NFL's Week 1

Brady Comes Back, Brees Torches Lions, Favre Wins, McNabb Injured

Sep 15, 2009

The 90th season of the NFL started with a bang in Week 1. Here's what happened.

With the New England Patriots down by 11 points, 24-13, and less than three minutes left in the game it seemed a sure bet that not even Tom Brady could rescue his team from the clutches of an Monday Night Football upset defeat to the Buffalo Bills. But Brady, who had not played in a regular season game since he was injured in Week 1 last year, made Patriots and football fans believers again.

Brady Shows Why He is "Captain Comeback" in 25-24 Win

With just over two minutes left, Brady connected with TE Ben Watson on an 18-yard TD pass that pulled the Patriots within five (failed two-point conversion). Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Bills returner Leonis McKelvin ran the ball out of the end zone instead of settling for a touchback and fumbled near the 30-yard line. The Patriots hopped on the loose ball at the 31, giving Brady a little less than two minutes to prove he is still the most dangerous 4th quarter QB in the league. And he provided that proof with another TD connection with Watson, this time from 16 yards out. Another failed two-point conversion left the Patriots up by one, 25-24, with almost a minute to play. New England's defense came up big on the Bills' final drive, recording two of their four total sacks in the game and stopping a desperation hook-and-lateral attempt by Buffalo with no time left on the clock.

Brady finished 39/53 for 378 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. His favourite target, Randy Moss, caught 12 passes for 141 yards. Bills QB Trent Edwards was solid in the game, completing 15 of his 25 pass attempts for 212 yards and 2 TDs. HB Fred Jackson also provided a spark for Buffalo, rushing for 57 yards and amassing 83 receiving yards and 1 TD. Bills WR Terrell Owens, in his debut with Buffalo, managed just two receptions for 46 yards and dropped at least as many as he caught.

Brees Throws Six TDs; Overshadows Stafford

As if it wasn't bad enough for this year's first-overall draft pick, QB Matthew Stafford, that he was playing for the hapless Detroit Lions, his first regular season NFL experience just happened to be on the wrong side of a Drew Brees passing clinic on Sunday. Brees finished 26/34 for 358 yards and a career-high six TDs in the 45-27 New Orleans Saints victory. Stafford completed just 16 of his 37 pass attempts, tossing no TDs and three INTs. To make matters worse, Detroit's running game was able to total only 33 yards. Saints TE Jeremy Shockey caught two of Brees' TD passes, while Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson and Heath Evans each caught one. Saints backup RB Mike Bell rushed 28 times for 143 yards. The loss was Detroit's 18th consecutive dating back to last year's winless season.

Favre's Return

Before the Minnesota Vikings' Sunday game against the Cleveland Browns all the news was about the un-retired QB Brett Favre and his return to football, again. And while Favre performed well with his new team, the story by the end was RB Adrian Peterson, whose incredible 64-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter gave him 180 yards on the ground and three scores for the game in the 34-13 Minnesota victory. Favre finished 14/21 for 120 yards and 1 TD - a six-yard strike to rookie WR Percy Harvin. Brady Quinn, announced last week as Cleveland's starting QB, went 21/35 for 205 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Favre faces his old team, the division rival Green Bay Packers, in Weeks 4 and 8. It will be the first time he's played against his former team. He does not play against the New York Jets -- his team of last year -- this season.

Eagles Defense Clobbers Panthers; McNabb Leaves Early

Carolina QB Jake Delhomme started where he left off in last year's humiliating playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals. After tossing five INTs and fumbling once in last year's divisional playoff game, Delhomme followed it up with four INTs and a fumble against Philadelphia on Sunday, one of each returned for a TD. Eagles rookie defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, replacing the late, great Jim Johnson, had the defense clicking on all cylinders as they added five sacks in the 38-10 victory. Delhomme finished 7/17 for 73 yards and 0 TDs. On the other side, Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb had completed 10 of his 18 pass attempts for 2 TDs before his three-yard TD run in the third quarter ended in a broken rib when a Carolina defensive player landed akwardly on the QB. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook, trying to reestablish himself as one of the NFL's most explosive players following last year's injury-plagued season, rushed 13 times for 64 yards and caught an eight-yard TD pass from McNabb.

Almost as uncertain as it is whether McNabb will play next week against New Orleans is who will start in his place. It was thought to be backup Kevin Kolb, as Michael Vick will not be eligible to return until Week 3, but Monday's announcement of the signing of Jeff Garcia has made the QB situation in Philadelphia that much more unclear. Controversy?

Other Week 1 NFL Scores:

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