Jamal Lewis rushed for 215 yards on Sunday, Randy Moss again sprinted past defenses to collect more than 100 receiving yards, Brett Farve has led his team to a 2-0 record with precision passing, and the Saints found themselves at the bottom of the division standings.
What year is it again?
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to break out like that,” Lewis said of his 8.0-yard average, bolstered by a 66-yard TD burst in the third quarter and 47-yard run in the fourth.
Even though no one broke out the retro neon-orange Broncos’ uniforms this weekend, Week 2 in the NFL had a definite throwback feel.
Lewis’ romp through the Bengals defense, his best performance since his record-breaking 295 rushing yards against the Browns in Week 2 of the 2004 season, was one of several surprises from the Cleveland-Cincinnati contest.
The Browns’ 51-45 victory was the highest scoring game in the NFL since the Bengals beat the Browns 58-48, also in 2004. In that game, Carson Palmer and Rudi Johnson combined for six touchdowns to hold off their in-state rival.
But this week, Palmer’s six passing touchdowns and Johnson’s 118 rushing yards weren’t enough to beat Browns backup QB Derek Anderson and Lewis, who lead their team to 554 yards of offense. The victory came just a week after the Steelers held them to seven points in an opening-day loss.
It was just the third time in NFL history that two QBs threw five TD passes in the same game. Oakland’s Tom Flores (six) and Houston’s George Blanda (five) both did it on Dec. 22, 1963, and Billy Kilmer of New Orleans (six) and Charley Johnson of St. Louis (six) also did it Nov, 5, 1969. Palmer went 33-of-50 for 401 yards, but was hurt by a few drops.
Meanwhile, Moss rolled back the clock to his days as a dominant wideout in the Patriots 38-14 victory over the Chargers Sunday night, posting his second straight 100-plus yard receiving game — the first time he’s done that since the start of the 2005 season.
So far this year he has grabbed three touchdowns and has close to 300 receiving yards, looking more like the classic Vikings version of the receiver than the more recent and disappointing Raiders edition.
“He’s Randy Moss,” said Shawne Merriman, one of San Diego’s few standouts with two sacks. “He still has the same athleticism he’s always had when he came into the league. It makes them very hard to match up with.”
Similarly, Edgerrin James 128 rushing yards in the Cardinals’ victory over the Seahawks Sunday was his best total since he left the Colts two years ago.
Brett Farve’s 286 passing yards and three touchdown tosses in a victory over the Giants left the Packers undefeated two weeks into the season for the first time since 2001. Green Bay is tied atop the NFC North with the Lions, who won their first two for the first time since 2004.
And the Saints have reverted to their early-decade form, losing their first two games in embarrassing fashion. Last year’s high-scoring offense has struggled, and Drew Brees has looked more like the young Chargers QB of 2003 than the Pro Bowler from last season.
Lucky for his team, there’s still three more months of 2007 left to straighten out their season.
** Instant replay
Catch the Browns/Bengals tilt at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday Central Europe Time on AFN Sports; Along with Lewis and Anderson's impressive show, the game featured 1.085 yards of total offense, a 209 receiving yard performance by Chad Johnson, and one nearly six-minute stretch where no one scored.
Also on Wednesday, AFN Sports will show the Titans fall a few yards short of an upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Colts. The game airs at 2 p.m.
On Thursday at 2 p.m., watch the Broncos upend the Raiders in overtime behind Jason Elam's second game-winning field goal in as many weeks. The boot ruined an impressive performance by the Raiders defense, who scored a touchdown and a safety to briefly put the team ahed in the fourth quarter.
On Thursday at 3:30 p.m., catch Sunday's other overtime game, the Lions' 23-20 win over the Vikings. The game featured seven interceptions among three quarterbacks and 10 turnovers total, including an overtime fumble which lead to the game-winning score.
Mideast viewers
Catch the Browns/Bengals tilt at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Baghdad time on AFN Sports (6 p.m. Kabul time); Along with Lewis and Anderson's impressive show, the game featured 1.085 yards of total offense, a 209 receiving yard performance by Chad Johnson, and one nearly six-minute stretch where no one scored.
Also on Wednesday, AFN Sports will show the Titans fall a few yards short of an upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Colts. The game airs at 3 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Kabul time).
On Thursday at 3 p.m., watch the Broncos upend the Raiders in overtime behind Jason Elam's second game-winning field goal in as many weeks. The boot ruined an impressive performance by the Raiders defense, who scored a touchdown and a safety to briefly put the team ahed in the fourth quarter.
On Thursday at 5:30 p.m., catch Sunday's other overtime game, the Lions' 23-20 win over the Vikings. The game featured seven interceptions among three quarterbacks and 10 turnovers total, including an overtime fumble which lead to the game-winning score.
Japan viewers
Catch the Browns/Bengals tilt at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday Tokyo time on AFN Sports; Along with Lewis and Anderson's impressive show, the game featured 1.085 yards of total offense, a 209 receiving yard performance by Chad Johnson, and one nearly six-minute stretch where no one scored.
Also on Wednesday, AFN Sports will show the Titans fall a few yards short of an upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Colts. The game airs at 9 p.m.
On Thursday at 9 p.m., watch the Broncos upend the Raiders in overtime behind Jason Elam's second game-winning field goal in as many weeks. The boot ruined an impressive performance by the Raiders defense, who scored a touchdown and a safety to briefly put the team ahed in the fourth quarter.
On Thursday at 10:30 p.m., catch Sunday's other overtime game, the Lions' 23-20 win over the Vikings. The game featured seven interceptions among three quarterbacks and 10 turnovers total, including an overtime fumble which lead to the game-winning score.
