Well, thanks for joining me for a long afternoon of football. I'm @cbarratt94 on twitter, from @VAVEL_USA. Hopefully you'll be back here next week to follow more NFL action. Good night.
Tampa Bay will have one last play, but it finished 42-14 to Tennessee.
37 seconds are left, Tennessee will punt.
The only remaining game is Titans - Bucs which is coming out of the 2 minute warning and will be over. Winston is 26-2 in college and NFL. Both of those losses came back to back and both were to Marcus Mariota.
Final score: Bengals 33-13 Raiders
Buccaneers go incomplete. As we move toward the 2 minute warning, it looks like that one is pretty much over.
2nd and goal and Winston is sacked and ball fell out, a scrap takes place.On 3rd and goal the pass is incomplete.
TOUCHDOWN Buccaneers. It's 42-14 now, and they're on 1st and goal again
BRONCOS WIN IT Stewart makes the INT in the end zone, and it's now 19-13 with 28 seconds left and Broncos ball.
TOUCHDOWN Raiders are making a late few plays, Reece in for his second of the game, it's 33-14 in Oakland now.
We're into the last five minutes of all games. Flacco throws incomplete on 3rd and 9 but there's a flag.
Final scores: Saints 19-31 Cardinals, Lions 28-33 Chargers
Justin Forsett makes a big gain to get into the red zone. 55 seconds are let on 2nd and 10 with a timeout called.
Ravens are 4th and long and have no Steve Smith on the play, but they get a huge first down!
The Lions onside kick didn't come off, so it seems that that one is over too.
TOUCHDOWN Cardinals! And that must be it, a Johnson 50+ yard receiving touchdown after the Saints punt instead of going for it on first down.
TOUCHDOWN Raiders! Finally! Marcel Reece makes it 33-7
Broncos are held to a FG and are up 19-13 there with the Ravens ready to get a game there
TOUCHDOWN Lions bring it to just five points difference and they prepare to kick it onside at 33-28.
Marcus Mariota leaves the game with four TDs and a perfect passer rating. Great first game by the young Titans qb. Meanwhile, the Broncos take the first red zone snap of that entire game.
As it stands, Bengals 33-0 Raiders and Titans 42-7 Buccaneers look sewn up, Chargers 33-21 Lions seems to be just a case of hanging on, while Cardinals 24-19 Saints and Broncos 16-13 Ravens are still very much up for grabs.
TOUCHDOWN San Diego increase their lead to 33-21 with 2.33 left on the clock, Danny Woodhead again with the rushing TD.
Saints are held and it's 4th down, they bring out the FG unit and make it 24-19, as the Chargers move to 1st and goal.
Bengals add a FG to make it 33-0
Cardinals will just kick, so they lead 24-16. Chargers WR Keenan Allen converts on 3rd and 19.
TOUCHDOWN Cardinals, Palmer to Fells and he signals to go for two.
TOUCHDOWN Denver, Aqib Talib makes a STUNNING return on the interception to get it into the endzone after a huge play to pick off Flacco. It's now 16-13 Broncos.
TOUCHDOWN Bengals, Eifert has a second TD. The PAT kick was blocked, but no attempt to return by the Raiders. It's now 30-0
Into the final 10 minutes in San Diego, it could still go either way with just five points seperating the sides.
TOUCHDOWN Titans. Bishop Sankey adds a rushing TD to his earlier receiving one, it's now 42-7. The Cardinals also add a FG to make it 17-13 over the Saints.
The Chargers considered going for two, but after a 5 yard penalty they kick instead, and it misses. 26-21 then.
TOUCHDOWN Ladarius Green! The Chargers' TE is playing with Antonio Gates is suspended, and now has a TD. 26-21 to San Diego over Detroit.
Following a Tampa Bay fumble, Titans are back in scoring range. Matt Stafford is the only player to get 5 TDs in one game as a rookie, Mariota looks like he could match or even beat that today.
Drew Brees doesn't last long, throwing a pick to Rashaad Johnson.
Jameis Winston is being pummelled by the Titans defense, he's sacked again. Meanwhile news from Oakland is that Derek Carr has a hand injury and may not return today.
Delvin Breaux for the Saints recovers Andre Ellington's fumble and puts the Saints on offense, while in Denver, the Ravens score a field goal to make it 13-9.
TOUCHDOWN Chargers! Stevie Johnson makes a great run on a cross from the slot and we have a football game! 21-20 to the Lions.
San Diego are the only team in the red zone right now, 3rd and 6 on the 12.
Melvin Gordon fumbles for the Chargers, but just three plays later Stafford throws another INT and San Diego are back on the ball.
Peyton Manning has thrown his first touchdown of the season, unfortunately it's to Ravens' Jimmy Smith for a pick six. 10-9 to the Ravens.
New Orleans have added a field goal to make it 14-13 already this quarter, and now they're driving into Cardinals territory.
We are at half time between the Titans and Buccaneers. It's 35-7 to the Titans.
The only other rookie QB to get four TDs in a Week 1 debut? Fran Tarkenton. He did it over four quarters, Mariota has done it in two.
Interception! Melvin Ingram hits Matt Stafford hard, the ball pops up for Emanuel.
TOUCHDOWN! Marcus Mariota is having a BRILLIANT debut, four TDs thrown now. 35-7 to the Titans and it's not even half time yet.
Ameer Abdullah makes a ridiculous run on a reception, darting through the defense.
Tampa Bay make a great stop to force the Titans back away from the goal line.
TOUCHDOWN Bengals! Tyler Eifert is in with a few seconds let after a great throw from Dalton. That will make it 24-0
Tennessee are 1st and goal again with half time approaching.
Danny Woodhead has been impressive so far today as he makes a nice gain on a reception.
Winston is picked off again, Mount is the defender who makes an easy INT. The only other QB to give up a pick six on their first throw by the way? Brett Favre.
50 seconds or so remain in Denver, Manning is in field goal range but will keep throwing as long as possible.
Half time score between the Cardinals and the Saints, it's currently 14-10 to the Cardinals.
TOUCHDOWN Cincinnati, Jeremy Hill up the middle to make it 16-0 there, the PAT will make it 17-0.
TOUCHDOWN Titans! Marcus Mariota is silencing people who said he wouldn't be able to play at the NFL level, he has his third TD today already. 28-7 now.
A 2nd and goal, Mariota on the play action tries to run it himself but it doesn't work
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has gone to the locker room for medical attention, big loss for them. Matt McGloin is in for now.
Interception in the endzone by Lions defender Darius Slay after a poor throw from Philip Rivers. That'll be half time in San Diego with the score at 21-10.
Justin Tucker has his first points of the season, the Ravens kicker hits a 54 yard FG to make it 6-3. All three FGs in that game have been over 50 yards.
Demarcus Ware is making things difficult for Flacco, he gets to him again but this time Flacco gets rid.
Cincinnati get a field goal to increase their lead to 10-0, while the Titans manage to get to 4th and 25 on their own 5 and punt, avoiding the safety.
Marcus Mariota on 2nd and 17 was pushed back to the 1 yard line and fumbled the ball but was judged to have been down before the fumble.
Dalton targets AJ Green with a great throw, but somehow Green can't hold on in the endzone.
Saints TD is ruled as good, so it'll be 14-10 to the Cardinals there.
Manning is sacked HARD for a big loss and is on 3rd and very long now.
Evan Mathis flagged for a false start for Denver, who willl go from 1st and 15.
TOUCHDOWN Saints too! A good dive from Brandon Coleman is just about in bounds by the looks of it, but will go to review. Drew Brees has his first passing TD of the season.
TOUCHDOWN Buccaneers! Winston's first NFL TD is an impressive one, he rolls out of the pocket beautifully to avoid the blitz and makes a throw to Seferian-Jackson to bring them to two TDs behind.
TOUCHDOWN Chargers! The goal-line back Danny Woodhead explodes up the middle to make it 21-10, if the PAT is good.
Joe Flacco back to pass on 3rd down with 7 to go, Demarcus Ware gets the sack and kills the Ravens' drive
Another big moment for the Buccaneers, as Winston should be picked off but he gets lucky and it bounces off the defender's hands into Austin Sefarian-Jenkins' hands.
Jameis Winston on 4th and 1 fakes a throw, finds a hole and scrambles through to get the first down.
TOUCHDOWN Lions, Eric Ebron is completely free in the endzone and it'll be 21-3 there.
Doug Martin making waves in the 1st quarter for the Buccaneers
Ellington is the scorer for the Cardinals, it goes to review, it'll be 14-3. In Oakland, a referee is down with a collarbone injury.
TOUCHDOWN Cardinals!
Saints have THREE penalties called against them at once, the Cardinals will go 1st and goal on the 1
TOUCHDOWN Titans again! Mariota to Sankey for 21-0
TOUCHDOWN Lions. Glover Quin with a pick six to make it 14-3 over the Chargers
FG Broncos from 57 yards! 3-0.
TOUCHDOWN Bengals, Jeremy Hill runs one in.
TOUCHDOWN TITANS! PICK SIX on Jameis Winston's first pass attempt.
Field goal San Diego, Josh Lambo gets them on the board. Remember that name folks, he's gonna be a great kicker.
TOUCHDOWN MARIOTA! He throws to Britt for a 51 yard TD and the Titans lead the Bucs 7-0
That ends the Rams - Seahawks, which finishes 34-31 to the Rams after overtime. Another upset today, the Colts and Andrew Luck lost in Buffalo to the Bills by a score of 27-14.
RAMS WIN! 1 yard needed. They run it and Lynch can't get through. SUCK IT SUPERBOWL CRITICS, the Seahawks can't get a yard at all!
Seahawks are rolling, a touchdown would win it or they could tie it with a FG. Saints are on the board with a FG, they trail 7-3.
We are underway between Titans and Buccaneers, Bengals and Raiders, & Ravens and Broncos.
Greg Zuerlein on to kick for the Rams, he makes it and the Rams are up 34-31.
Rams are inside the Seahawks 25, Stedman Bailey making the catch for 22 yards.
Rams DO recover, and so have great field position and the Seahawks won't kick again.
Seahawks try to be tricky to start OT, with an onside kick. It doesn't come off and the Rams recover, but the Seahawks have to take the kick again.
Ravens @ Broncos Game Preview
Two playoff hopefuls face off in the final game of the afternoon, with Peyton Manning’s Broncos facing IS HE ELITE? Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens. The big question for Denver this season is whether Peyton Manning can still play to the level we’re used to, his arm strength has regressed and there are some worries about his injuries. Brock Osweiler has been behind Peyton for a while, could he finally get some decent time this season?
Impact players this week:
1.Justin Forsett: The Ravens’ RB really broke out last season and has guaranteed the starting job in Baltimore. Now he needs to maintain that level consistently, which has been an issue for him his entire career. He matches up against a defense with Von Miller and Demarcus Ware in the season opener, which could either stifle him or allow him to make a statement about how good he really is.
2.Deymarius Thomas: After getting a huge contract in the offseason which may or may not have been the result of collusion with the Cowboys and Dez Bryant, Thomas now needs to show he’s worth all the money. The Ravens are no easy task, so this is where he will need to earn his money.
3.Peyton Manning: Manning needs to come up big today and show that he’s not regressed, or defenses will stop being scared of the foreheaded one. With Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw to, he’s certainly got no excuse for a poor performance.
Fantasy start of the week:
Ravens: The Sheriff – He doesn’t make the law, he’ll Justin Forsett. There’s a bit of a risk to Forsett, but I think he’ll come good this week. It’ll be a fight, but he’ll score more points than CJ Anderson.
Broncos: That’s not to say you shouldn’t start CJ. He’ll likely be a strong scorer too, but the receivers should be the main scoring threat from the Broncos. Sanders and Thomas should both be starters.
Fantasy sit of the week:
Ravens: The defense are likely to give up a lot of yardage to Manning, or hold him to about 8 yards. Don’t risk hoping for the latter, the former is more likely.
Broncos: Owen Daniels makes his Broncos debut against the team he played for last season. Expect the Ravens defenders to know all about him and keep him quiet.
Biggest miss:
Ravens: Goalline back and second string to Forsett Lorenzo Taliaferro will be missed.
Broncos: TJ Ward’s suspension will hit the Broncos hard, they’re lucky he’ll be back next week.
Bengals @ Raiders Game Preview
The potential for a blowout here is strong, however the Raiders are starting to slowly put together a decent team, and the Bengals are only as good as the least consistent QB in the NFL: Andy Dalton.
Impact players this week:
1.Amari Cooper: For the Raiders to have even a hope of winning this game, Amari Cooper needs to show why he was the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. He and Derek Carr have picked up the nickname AC/DC from Raiders fans, who hope the pair can be a great partnership.
2.Andy Dalton: Dalton is a solid quarterback, but his inconsistency is infuriating for Bengals fans. This game against poor opposition is his chance to start the season off on a high, and hopefully he’ll stay up there for the rest of the season.
3.Khalil Mack: The former defensive rookie of the year Khalil Mack needs to marshal the rest of the Raiders defense and get in hard on Andy Dalton. Cincinnati have never won in Oakland, and if Mack can help it, that isn’t going to change today.
Fantasy start of the week:
Bengals: Andy Dalton may be inconsistent, but he should be good for points against the Raiders. AJ Green and Jeremy Hill should score big too.
Raiders: It’s tough to say what the Raiders will do, but Carr, Cooper, and running back Latavius Murray are probably the best options.
Fantasy sit of the week:
Bengals: Giovani Bernard is unlikely to do too much behind Jeremy Hill in the backfield this year, so play him at your own risk.
Raiders: The defence would be the obvious one, not just here but all season. The Raiders were poor last season despite Khalil Mack, and they don’t look like they’ll be improving this year.
Biggest miss:
Bengals: Vontaze Burfict, out until week 8, will hurt the Bengals defensively this season, especially in the big divisional games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Raiders: Starting DE Justin Tuck is listed as probable, but if he misses the game then he will be a big loss for an already struggling defence.
Titans @ Buccaneers Game Preview
Jameis Winston - Marcus Mariota, round 3. Mariota’s Oregon beat Winston and Florida State in the National Championship. Winston got drafted first overall, while Mariota had to settle for second. This is the rubber match. Which of the pair will win their first ever NFL game at the expense of the other?
Impact players this week:
1.Jameis Winston: This game really is a tale of two quarterbacks. For the home side, Jameis Winston is a character. He is surrounded in controversy and tales of doing stupid things, from firing a BB gun at squirrels (and being arrested) to an alleged sexual assault (for which he was not even investigated despite overwhelming evidence).Now, Winston needs to avoid falling into the same traps as Johnny Manziel who came into the league last year with a reputation as a character, and let it get the better of him.
2.Marcus Mariota: As a person, Mariota is the polar opposite of Winston. He’s all football, with incredible fundamentals, but almost to the point where he’s bland. He needs to show something exciting today for the Titans fans.
3.Austin Sefarian-Jenkins: The Buccaneers tight end has been recipient of a lot of hype this offseason, particularly from a fantasy perspective. This is his chance to show it’s deserved, as the Titans defense is poor. However Winston has a great receiver in Mike Evans and a good one in Vincent Jackson, so Sefarian-Jenkins may not receive many targets.
Fantasy start of the week:
Titans: Dorial Beckham-Green looks like a great player, and if he can match up well with fellow rookie Mariota, he could be a solid flex choice. Dexter McCluster’s versatility means that he might be a good bench choice, but hold off on him for now.
Buccaneers: Doug Martin should run riot on the Titans. After a great preseason where he looked as good as he did in his rookie year, he starts the season against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. Mike Evans should also be starting if you have him.
Fantasy sit of the week:
Titans: Bishop Sankey may be first choice RB in Tennessee, but don’t expect much from him. Likewise, WR2 Harry Douglas is unlikely to set the league alight.
Buccaneers: Honestly, Jameis Winston is unlikely to pick up too many points in his first NFL game. Don’t take the risk, bench him this week and see how he looks going forward.
Biggest miss:
Titans: Both Jason McCourty and Perrish Cox are doubtful, and missing both starting cornerbacks will really hurt the Titans.
Buccaneers: The majority of the Bucs injuries are players who were unlikely to start anyway. Mike Evans and RE George Johnson are both probable but either would hit the Bucs hard if they didn’t line up this afternoon.
FINAL SCORES: Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 31-23, and a late Houston Texans touchdown isn't enough for them to catch the early lead put up by the Kansas City Chiefs, who win 27-20. Carolina Panthers win in Jacksonville over the Jags 20-9.
TOUCHDOWN Cardinals, John Brown hit by Palmer
TOUCHDOWN LIONS! Ameer Abdullah with an insane touchdown rush up the middle for 26 yards, 7-0 Lions early on.
TOUCHDOWN! Bears! Chicago are setting up to kick onside to try to win it now!
Lions @ Chargers Game Preview
The battle between two of the not-quite-elite quarterbacks in Matt Stafford of the Detroit Lions and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers will take place in San Diego this year, which is perfect for Rivers’ 17 children to come and watch him play.
Impact players this week:
1.Matt Stafford: Stafford has never played an NFL game in San Diego, and this is a big game between two teams who will be definite playoff contenders. The Lions QB will be expected to work well with Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate to counteract the defensive losses of the offseason, particularly Ndamukong Suh.
2.Melvin Gordon: The Chargers lost Ryan Mathews to Philadelphia in free agency this offseason. They responded by drafting Melvin Gordon in the first round to replace him, and the rookie RB gets his first NFL start in a big game against the Lions today.
3.Joique Bell: The Lions RB started last season behind Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick on the depth chart, and had a great season to push himself up to starter. This offseason, there have been questions about whether it’s been a fluke. The Lions are planning to use a committee of running backs with rookie Ameer Abdullah getting a lot of touches and probably plenty of receptions too, and Theo Riddick coming in as the third down back.
Fantasy start of the week:
Lions: The big ones are always Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson, but one worth consideration as a WR2 this week is Golden Tate. A woefully underrated receiver, he can slip under the radar of some defenses. I also like Eric Ebron if all the obvious TE choices are taken, or if your league allows flex TEs, or Ameer Abdullah as a flex RB.
Chargers: Melvin Gordon is a great choice against the Lions defense which will be dealing with not having Ndamukong Suh for the first time. Their three receivers should all get similar numbers of targets, so if you’re struggling for a flex option consider one of either Keenan Allen, Malcolm Floyd or Stevie Johnson. Allen is probably the best bet of the three. Rookie kicker Josh Lambo beat out veteran Nick Novak, and is a former soccer player who spent time in the MLS. He’s worth a shout if you can’t get any of the top tier kickers.
Fantasy sit of the week:
Lions: Joique Bell. He doesn’t look like he’s going to do anything like what he did last season this year, there are better options out there. Dump him for Abdullah or trade him away if you can.
Chargers: Despite Eric Weddle and Melvin Ingram, the Chargers defense doesn’t look good enough to start in fantasy leagues, especially against the Lions. Their special teams has received a boost in Josh Lambo, who has a propensity for successful trick plays, but they’re not good enough to outweigh the negatives of the defense.
Biggest miss:
Lions: Right tackle LaAdrian Waddle has a knee injury which seems likely to rule him out for week 1, meaning there will be a hole for Melvin Ingram to try and exploit to get at Stafford.
Chargers: Antonio Gates, one of the best tight ends in recent memory, is suspended and will be hugely missed, especially since his backup Ladarius Green is questionable to play.
Wilson is sacked! It'll go to overtime! Or will it? An injury on the play means 1 second is left for Hail Mary time.
Wilson to Lynch complete for two yards
Saints and Cardinals have kicked off.
We'll stay with the last 25 seconds of Seattle - St Louis before posting the Detroit - San Diego preview
That loss for Cleveland is their 11th successive opening day loss, an NFL record.
LUCK IS PICKED OFF AGAIN. The Bills must surely have won now.
FINAL SCORES: Washington Redskins lose at home to the Miami Dolphins, 17-10, as the New York Jets beat Cleveland Browns 31-10
Greg Zuerlein ties it up! Rams hurting Seahawks again!
TOUCHDOWN RAMS! THIS JUST GOT INTERESTING! 31-30 PAT pending with 54 seconds left!
TOUCHDOWN Packers! Eddie Lacy!
Saints @ Cardinals Fan Preview VAVEL's own Oliver Lines previews his Saints' season opener
Coming off a horrible 7-9 season in 2014, the Saints made heavy roster changes that included the sensational trade of tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks for All-Star center Max Unger. As they travel to Arizona for the first game, it’s time to see if Sean Payton can get this team going with a road win.
As for the Cardinals, they surprised more than a few last season to finish 11-5 and could have gone further in the playoffs but for a terribly unlucky string of quarterback injuries. This season, who even knows what they’ll do. Starting with a home win is so important, though.
As a Saints fan, I don’t think we have much hope due to a woeful preseason and last seaosn’s bad memories still lingering, but anything is possible with Drew Brees at the helm. It’ll be interesting to see if our defense can improve at all (spoiler: probably not).
Impact players:
Khiry Robinson: To say the Saints’ ground game has been poor in recent years would be an understatement, although it did pick up last season and Khiry Robinson was part of the reason. Averaging 4.8 yards per carry in 2014, he will be Drew Brees’ primary back this campaign.
Andre Ellington: The Cardinals’ running back put up 660 yards in 12 games last season and as their main option, he will likely put up more this time around. Given how horrible the Saints rushing defense is, he could easily go for over 100 yards today.
Max Unger: Brought in as part of the trade that sent Graham to the west coast, Max Unger has a big job on his hands as the Saints look to improve on the 30 sacks that Brees took last season. Whilst 1.9 sacks per game ranked them 10th best in the league in 2014, Unger could help shave that down to around the 1.7 area.
Fantasy starter:
Saints: Um. Erm. Brees? Cooks? Ingram? Colston? Let’s go with Marques Colston. Brees’ favourite receiver, Colston stands to get a few catches and maybe a touchdown or two, especially without Graham to target.
Cards: Their defense is not a bad shout. Brees is prone to throwing picks and although he may chuck three touchdowns, there will be at least one interception there.
Fantasy sitter:
Saints: Everyone. It won’t be a high-scoring game for the Who Dat nation, so dropping everyone is likely the way to go.
Cards: Sit Michael Floyd right down. Coming off three dislocated fingers, Floyd is not 100% but will likely play. Could be targeted but also likely won’t play the whole game, so it’s not worth playing him.
Two games are about to start, Saints @ Cardinals and Lions @ Chargers. Game Previews coming up.
Current Scores: Colts 14-27 Bills, Packers 24-16 Bears, Chiefs 27-17 Texans, Browns 10-31 Jets,