Team of the Week, Week 1

So, how good was that?

Week 1 in the bag and there are so many things to talk about, it’s kind of hard to know where to start. So how about we bring back an old favorite?

Our team has been busy (read: not sleeping) analyzing every single play from Week 1 of the NFL season. Who lined up where, who did what when, and which players stole the show.

Well this article is dedicated to the show-stealers out there. At every position we’re naming the guy who we thought had the best day of anyone, in our weekly Team of the Week feature.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Matt Schaub, HST (+6.1)

Just how far into the postseason could the Texans have gone with Schaub starting? He returned to meaningful NFL action with a display that wasn’t the flashiest, but saw him overcome four drops to pick up our top QB grade of the week.

Running Back: Ray Rice, BLT (+3.2)

That is why the Ravens paid their feature back. At least part of the reason anyway. His 93 yards from scrimmage don’t tell the whole story as he averaged 6.8 yards per carry. He wasn’t the runner that C.J. Spiller was (+3.2 rushing) but he didn’t put the ball on the ground either.

Full Back: Vonta Leach, BLT (+3.5)

His blocking was its usual good self, but what separated him (ever so slightly) from strong displays from Jerome Felton, Greg Jones and rookie Evan Rodriguez was his receiving. Those three catches for 31 yards swung it in his favor.

Tight End: Rob Gronkowski, NE (+4.3)

While others had more yards we gravitated to ‘The Gronk’ because in addition to some excellent receiving, he also delivered the goods in the run game. The league’s most complete tight end does it again.

Wide Receivers: Reggie Wayne, IND (+5.1) and Andre Johnson, HST (+3.5)

A double blast from the AFC South’s past here. Many had written off Wayne (too old) and Johnson (body breaking down) but if you think either man is done, then their performance in Week 1 should set you straight. Making a number of big time grabs, Wayne dealt with some questionable QB accuracy to pick up 135 yards. Meanwhile, Johnson didn’t let a drop bother him as he snared 8-of-10 balls aimed his way while the Dolphins' secondary struggled to contain him.

Tackles: LT, Eugene Monroe, JAX (+5.4) and RT, Andre Smith, CIN (+2.5)

What gave Monroe the nod over an almost equally impressive J’Marcus Webb (yes, that J’Marcus Webb), was just what the Jaguar did. He dominated Jared Allen from first to last, and gave up not so much as a hurry to the perennial Pro Bowler. On the right side the list of candidates wasn’t quite as impressive, but a well earned kudos to Andre Smith, who,outside of giving up a sack, continues to quietly go about justifying his drafting.

Guards: LG, Clint Boling, CIN (+5.1) and RG, Brandon Fusco, MIN (+4.6)

This time last year Boling was working his way onto the bad day team after looking horribly unprepared for life in the NFL. Now? Well he’s only gone and put his name at the top of the guard charts with a superb performance in the opener. Fellow sophomore Fusco was limited to 26 snaps as a rookie, but really delivered the goods in his first NFL start thanks to some hugely encouraging run blocking.

Center: Will Montgomery, WAS (+3.7)

He started off last year well before a temporary move to guard seemed to derail him, and he’s made another strong start in Week 1. Perfectly suited for the zone blocking scheme, Montgomery held his ground in pass protection and did a good job moving laterally in the run game.

DEFENSE

Defensive Front 4-3

Defensive Ends: Brian Robison, MIN (+9.8) and Jason Pierre-Paul, NYG (+5.5)

The Giant made his claim for a spot on this team early and nobody could do enough on the right side to best his six-hurry day that also saw him score a positive in the run game. Over in Minnesota Robison continues to excel on opening days of the season, posting the highest score of any defensive player this week. That was, by and large, the result of constantly beating whoever the Jaguars had at right tackle to the tune of three hits and six hurries.

Defensive Tackle: Brandon Mebane, SEA (+7.2) and Randy Starks, MIA (+6.3)

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Mebane look quite this good, but he was at his best in dominating the Cardinals' offensive line. Four defensive stops, a hit and a hurry don’t begin to tell how destructive he was. For Starks, it may be a new year and a new defensive scheme, but the play hasn’t dropped off. He ended the day with a couple of sacks, three hurries and another two defensive stops in the run game.

Linebackers: Von Miller, DEN (+6.2), Rolando McClain, Oak (+5.4) and Dont’a Hightower, NE (+5.0)

It was as if last year never ended. Sunday Night Football was all about Peyton Manning, but with a two sack, two hit and five hurry day there was more than a few column inches devoted to Miller. The rookie, Hightower, didn’t always impress during the preseason but made a splash in his first NFL game, with a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, three quarterback hurries and four defensive stops. In the middle, McClain may never be a stud in coverage but he can really bring some thump downhill, even if it doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet.

Defensive Front 3-4

Defensive Line: J.J. Watt, HST (+9.0), Dan Williams (+1.2) and Darnell Docket, ARZ (+9.0)

Am I cheating a little bit by putting two left defensive ends here? Maybe. Does it matter? Not in my mind, especially not when you get two of the highest scores we’ve ever given to a 3-4 DE. Watt changed the game with his three batted passes, and added to that with a sack and three hurries. As for Dockett, he devoured rookie J.R. Sweezy with an old-school beat down. Sure he didn’t have any sacks, but he did manage a quite remarkable three hits, seven hurries and six more defensive stops in the run game. Dockett is joined by Cardinals teammate Williams, who capitalizes on a lack of standout nose tackle performances.

Outside Linebackers: Ryan Kerrigan, WAS (+5.3) and DeMarcus Ware, DAL (+3.5)

With a 10 QB disruption-day, it was impossible to ignore Kerrigan. The sophomore has always had a relentless motor but really took it to both Zach Strief and Jermon Bushrod in particular. It was a classic Ware performance, complete with two sacks as the Cowboys got him working on David Diehl early and often.

Inside Linebackers: Daryl Washington, ARZ (+4.0) and NaVorro Bowman, SF (+3.7)

With Bowman surprisingly on the field more than Patrick Willis, he made his opportunities count with a pick and pass deflection to go with his business-as-usual stellar work in the run game. Washington, a real livewire on the field, was on fine form in picking up seven defensive stops as he continues his development into one of the league’s top linebackers.

Cornerbacks: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, PHI (+5.1) and Tim Jennings, CHI (+4.9)

While Tracy Porter has every right to be aggrieved at not making this team, his fourth quarter wasn’t quite enough to overcome DRC and Jennings. The Eagle cornerback made the most of a contest with Branden Weeden to walk away with two interceptions and two pass defenses, a figure matched by his Bear counterpart. Between them, they allowed just four completions on 16 targets.

Safeties: Bernard Pollard, BLT (+4.4) and Reshad Jones, MIA (+3.4)

It’s incredible to think that Pollard looked on the scrapheap when the Texans decided he wasn’t in their plans. A perfect complement to Ed Reed, he broke up a pass and added three defensive stops in an action-packed display. Jones picked up a hurry on his solitary pass rush while doing a good job coming up to help in the run game, as he showed marked improvement from a year ago.

Special Teams

How can you look past Blair Walsh, the rookie kicker who sent a 55 yarder in as time expired to help the Vikings to overtime, before then kicking the game winner in the extra period … It was almost Pat McAfee but the booming kicks of Thomas Morstead edged it … Hard to look beyond Marcus Thigpen who made a name for himself in Week 1 … Nobody made more special teams tackles than Akeem Jordan

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