NFL Week 1 winners, losers, MVP, LVP, Studs, duds and more.

Now that the NFL has kicked off check out all the highlights, lowlights, and everything in between in Week 1 in the NFL.

  

Top Headlines:

(1) Brady - Gronk combo destroys Steelers
Brady shook off the deflategate accusations, lack of preseason work and all of his haters to perform and throw 4 TD's (3 to Gronk) tefeat the Steelers. Brady for MVP this season?
Hmmm....

(2) Cowboys, Romo, escape with big W over Giants
With no DeMarco Murray this season, another year of disappointment of not reaching Super Bowl & a division rival in week 1, it looked as if Cowboys would let the G-Men  grab a big road W. But a brain fart by Coach Coughlin and a Eli Manning

incompletion  set the stage for a clutch Romo comeback, hitting his main man Witten for a TD in the final seconds,  alleviating a big injury to Dez and avoiding the dreaded 0-1 start.
Romo was magical & looks as ready as ever to maybe get them Boys to the next level.

(3) Mariotta outshines Jameis in rookie QB duel, Titans roll 
In a matchup which featured the top 2 QBs in college last year, Mariotta threw 3 TDs in the first quarter alone, as the Titans defeated Tampa Bay.
While most people think Winston is the better rookie QB, Mariotta proved he will be someone to be reckoned with. And I'm sure he's not too thrilled he lost that Heisman Trophy to Jameis last year.
One up for Marcus in the pros...Stay tuned.


WK 1 OVERHYPE MACHINE AWARD GOES TO: 

EAGLES -  Granted the Eagles have a lot of new pieces, but after the first half? 20-3?
Where's the high powered offense?

DeMarco Murray stats: 8 rushes, 9 yards, 2 TDs

While the Eagles did get it rolling in the second half, it still remains to be seen if Bradford can stay healthy and if the other pieces will fit. If so? Eagles should be flying high by mid-season.
If not?
Chip Kelly could be on the waiver wire.

COLTS -   The Colts were the "Trendy" pick for the Super Bowl adding Gore, Andre Johnson, and others, solidifying their chances to get to the Super Bowl.  

However the Colts got blitzed by the Bills and their stingy D and rejuvenated O. Indy was shut out in the first half and dominated overall. Will be interesting to see how they bounce back.


SURPRISE SQUADS OF THE WEEK

BENGALS -  The Bengals despite having Super Bowl talent on the roster, have been known to not play up to their capabilities.  Well, with a healthy

Tyler Eifert and a seasoned D? A near shutout of the Raiders, a near flawless first half and a legion of "WhoDey" fans who feel this could- & should be the breakout year of the Bengals.

CHIEFS -  KC picked off new Texans QB Brian Hoyer on the first play and never looked back, scoring 26 at the half.. With a healthy Jamaal Charles and a more comfy and relaxed Alex Smith?
Could be a banner year for the Chiefs.

49ers -   After a tumultuous off with  the departure of their coach,  players being suspended, a legend going to other teams, and everything in between, it looks like the 49ers we're going to be headed for a rough season. but with a revamped defense, a quarterback who looks comfortable in the pocket for once, and a new running back in the fold with Carlos Hyde, it could become a good season for San Fran.


MVPs of Week 1 -

BRADY and GRONK -   The dynamic duo once again proved that when healthy, there is no better combo in the NFL.  both are on the early watch for MVP.

Tony Romo -   With his star  receiver injured, Romo led the Cowboys to an amazing drive late in the game to capture the first victory of the season over the Giants. not to mention that he leads the league and come back drives over the last 5 years. this could be Romo's banner year, as he looked as cool and calm as ever in directing the Cowboys to a huge win.

J.J. Watt -  Although Watts Texans team lost, the top Defensive player in the League did what he does best.
Dominate.

LVP (Least Valuable Players) of the week: 

LUCK - Colts   Luck was harassed all day by the Bills, and racked up a couple INTs en route to being shut out in the first half.. This from the front runner for preseason MVP?

BRIAN HOYER - Texans   Hoyer, after winning the job with a nice preseason, unloaded a INT on the games first play, setting the tone for a KC smacking of the Texans. Hoyer was replaced by Mallet, and won't start in game 2.
Talk about a rough start to a season.

BYRON MAXWELL - EAGLES     Maxwell, who left the Legion of boom and signed a youth contract with Philly, was torched by top wide receiver Julio Jones over and over and over again. Maxwell was brought to Philly to be a shutdown corner. If he can't get it done? The Eagles will be hurting.



Best team in Week 1 - BENGALS
Worst team in Week 1 - VIKINGS

TOP 10 JUICIEST NFL Storylines; 5 - 10 & NFL Season Predictions

 Wassup peoples!!! With the NFL jumping off today with the Cowboys taking on the Champion New York Giants, its clear that the big boys are ready for some football...AND WE ARE TOO!!..With that being said, there are some UNBELIEVEABLE storylines this season for the NFL... So we decided at SportsEffectLive.com  to bring you the: SELIVE TOP 10 JUICIEST STORYLINES in the NFL this season.....
ENJOY!!!

(1)  Will the GIANTS REPEAT?

Will he become the ELI-TE one?

      Before last season started Eli Manning was asked if he was an "ELITE" Quarterback.Without hesitation, in his normal calm voice, he said "YES" and explained why he felt that way. It was a classic moment as you could hear the snickering and laughing from the pundits, experts, and other teams about the comment; Most people thought the Giants beating the undefeated Pats in 2008 was a fluke; Not anymore as Manning led the Giants to another Super Bowl victory over Tom-terrific and the Pats again last season. With all the snickering gone, can ELI move his way to becoming the ELITE QB in the NFL this year? Another Super Bowl, and you have to put em up there...But questions remain for the Champs; Will Victor Cruz have a another great season after doing everything but become mayor of New York?..What running back will step up? And what will become of the injured, depleted secondary?




(2)  Who will be the QB of the JETS come crunch time?
    When the Cult that is Tim Tebow landed in New York after being urshered out the door from Denver, you could feel Sanchize cringe with excitement....After having a down season, now he has to deal with the "BLESSED ONE" smiling in his face and secretly wantin to have his job? And on top of that, the 1st team offense directed a total of - 0 touchdowns - in the preseason? The odds are stacked against Sanchez, but don't bet against him. Hey Eva Longoria is bettin with him as they have started datin. So why not us? Although the pressure is high, look for Sanchez to have his best season of his career. You heard it here first.


(3) Which Packers team will show up this season?
    The Packers absolutely steamrolled the competition in the regular season last season, lookin like a shoo-in for another Super Bowl appearance. However, after a 15-1 regular season, the Packs highly touted offense sputtered against the aggressive Giants, and the D had waaay too many lapses, leaving the cheeseheads with a bad taste in their mouth. This season will be interesting in the fact that when the Pack won the Super Bowl, they were 9-7 and under the radar; Theres no doubt that the Packers could win it all; question is, can they play with the pressure of being a "Favorite" and not the "underdog" in the playoffs? Remains to be seen...



(4) Can Bengals change their CULTURE this season? 
    The Bengals did a bang up job in the draft last season, getting the steal in the draft in pro bowl rookie QB Andy Dalton and drafting the next superstar at WR in A.J. Green; That duo led them to a suprising playoff appearance, and a lot of hope for the future. However one thing that hasn't changed in Cincy is the culture of winning; usually when the Bengals win one season, they lose the next. Check the records. You have to go back to the Ickey Woods, Boomer days in the late 80's - early 90's to find two winning seasons in a row; in order for the Bengals to become a team with a WINNING CULTURE they must find a way to get back to the playoffs. They have the talent, and Coach Marvin Lewis did a great job last season, but this is THE SEASON that could define the careers of Dalton, Green, and Marvin Lewis.

(5) The PEYTON MANNING EFFECT
   Last year Peyton Manning got to watch his team, the Indinapolis Colts, lose so much that he heard the Andrew Luck rumors...Would he be the first pick? Would Peyton and Luck be on the same team? Who would start?..And the later the season played, the more and more obvious it became, that the Colts would be in rebuild mode; Would Peyton want to be a part of that? Well, as it turns out, Peyton, and his shaky neck, was let go in Indy, and after a little courting from teams all over, Manning decided that he would take his talents to the Mile High Club in Denver. Now with Manning running the show with a team who beat the Steelers last playoffs and a guy in the front office who will let him do his thing (John Elway), this season has a all-or-nothing feel to it. Will Peyton make it through the season? Will he be rusty from a full season layoff? Can the Broncos get to the Super Bowl? Will they regret getting rid of Tim Tebow?


(6) Which Rookie QB will fare the best?
    Leapfrogging off of Andrew Luck, this season there will be 5 Rookie QB's  that will be starting in week 1; This hasn't happened since the 60's; When the draft was made, there was a good chance that there would be 2 starters (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III) coming into Wk 1; But with the Dolphins and Browns liking their two rookies (Tanneyhill in Miami and 28 yr-old Weeden in Cleveland) they moved up the ladder pretty quickly. Add in a suprise player in Russell Wilson in Seattle, who outplayed Matt Flynn, and now you have a youth movement at the position. Which QB will be hurt first? Who will lead their team to a playoff run? Which QB will be benched first?


(7)  What will become of the Saints?
   The Saints were the darlings of the league just three seasons ago, when they upset the Colts in the Super Bowl; Since then, the Who Dat nation have been under the microscope of Roger Goodell and the League for having bounties on players (such as Brett Favre and other players, supposedly). Goodell put the pimp hand down on the Saints, removing their coaches, players, and anybody else involved in the alleged scandal. While there have looong been rumors that coaches and players give money for hard hits or injuries, Goodell felt like the Saints would be "put on blast" for what they did. So now, with a interim coach taking over, still fighting the NFL about the suspensions put on the coaches and players. Can Brees become the ULTIMATE QB and lead his team - on and off the court - to the playoffs?


(8) Is Cowboys, Chargers, running out of time?
    The Cowboys and Chargers have been two of the most talked about teams in the last five years in referring to Super Bowl talent and aspirations. While the Chargers have been closer than the Cowboys in those times, neither team have been able to grasp that moment in order to get to that elusive Super Bowl. The Chargers, led by Phillip Rivers, had a tough season last year. Now with guys getting older, and Rivers entering a crucial time in his career, is it do or die time for the Chargers and coach Norv Turner, who has more lives than Sylvester the Cat. And the Cowboys, who have top level talent, just haven't been able to get over the hump. However, with two new CB's, a budding RB, and Jerry being Jerry, could this be the season that Romo gets the 'Boys to the promiseland?


(9)  Miami Valley Local Lookout

   Just like in Baskeball, there are a load of guys playing in the NFL from the Miami Valley such as A.J. Hawk, Nick Mangold,  Mike Nugent, Jake Ballard, Will Allen, Brandon McKinney, Brandon Saine, and Kurt Coleman just to name a few. With newcomers such as Jerel Worthy (Packers) Michael Shaw (Redskins) trying to get into the league with the current crop of players already established, the Miami Valley continues to show why some of the best Football is played in Ohio, specifially Dayton. Worthy looks to be a star in the making in Green Bay, while Shaw will have to find a way to get on the field. One things is for certain; these guys keep the door swinging wide open for the next group of players to succeed.

(10) Here is SportsEffectLive.com NFL Picks for the 2012-2013 Season

MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Packers  - Rodgers won't have as great as a season as he had last year (45 TD's, 6 INT), but he will be very close. And the Pack will want to get rid of that stinging loss in the Playoffs last season.

Defensive Player of Year:  Patrick Willis, 49ers  - Willis will lead the best Defense in the NFL to another Super Bowl worthy year, as look for the Niners LB to put up incredible numbers this season.

ROOKIE of the YEAR: Russell Wilson, Seahawks - I know this is a stretch with Luck and RG3 out there, but Wilson has played in a pro setting before, and I think with the players he has around him, that he will have a magical season.

Most Underrated AFC Team: Bengals - Although the Bengals did make the playoffs, they have all the tools to reach the AFC Championship game.

Most Underrated NFC Team: Panthers - The Panthers made some good offseason moves, and with Cam Newton running the show, the skys the limit.

AFC Championship -  Ravens    - Texans 
NFC Championship - Cowboys  - Packers

Super Bowl   - Ravens   vs  Cowboys
Champion:    - Cowboys





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Barry Larkin best SS ever? Daequan Cook BBall Camp, Olympic questions, NBA Schedule, NFL Training Camps open

Whats good peoples!! These are the hot topics of the week/ weekend as we head into August... Which issue do you think was most important?
Heres the SELive HOT 5 TOPICS of the Week:




(1) Barry Larkin inducted into MLB Hall of Fame -

Larkin giving his Hall of Fame Speech

      Larkin, who was the Best SS in the National League in the late 80's through the early 2000's, was the quintessential player for the Reds. He led by example, and when necessary, with his voice. He won a MVP despite hitting 20 HR in that year; He won a World Series and led Reds to multiple Playoff runs. He was a  5-Time All-Star, and possibly his most valuable contribution was his efforts off the field, making him the most popular Red since Johnny and Pete and those guys. Known around Ohio as "Barry the Red", Larkin could be considered one of the 3 greatest Shortstops of all time.



(2)  Daequan Cook Basketball Camp - 

  
     Cook, who had a Shootout just two weeks prior, now hosted his Annual Basketball Camp, compiling the best of the best as he held his Camp at Dunbar High School. Although it wasn't heavily talked about, Cook continues to make strides in helping the young continue their dreams. Cook had hundreds at the Camp, and the last day of camp he had the best high schoolers in the Miami Valley go at it. Cook looks forward to getting back on the court next season and is rooting his teammates on to bring back the gold during the Olympics.


(3)  NFL Camps open this week- 

Manning running the show from Day 1

     Are you ready for some football? With only a week away from August, you can almost smell the fall sneaking up on us, which obviously means its time to talk Football. NFL camps opened this week, with prized free agent Peyton Manning leading the Broncos, and newcomers RG3 and Andrew Luck leading their new teams respectively, in their practices. Funniest moment so far: A reporter calling Jets QB Mark Sanchez "Tim"...
NOTE: Cleveland and Cincinnati open this weekend



(4) Olympics JumpOff this weekend-

London gets ready for Olympics

     Every four years the best of the best in the world duke it out for their respective countries, and now is London's time to hold the 2 week Gala; Biggest Headlines: How many MEDALS will Phelps win / will Lochte knock him off his throne? Which Usain Bolt will we see? Will MoMo Jones win that elusive Gold Medal? Will the USA Hoop teams win the Gold despite the tough road?  Will London be as good as anybody at hosting the Olympics?


(5) NBA opens Schedule for 2012-13 season
     NBA fans now know when Steve Nash and the Lakers will take on the defending Champion Heat; Or see when the Brooklyn Nets open up their new arena vs Knicks, no less; Or when Dwight Howard and the Magic....or wait a minute, I meant future Laker, or Net, or Maverick....oh well. You get the point. NBA schedules was released and there are some great matchups on tap early for next season.
Go to NBA.com for a full schedule