Changing History

 

Five starting QB’s were NFL rookies in week one. Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck, Miami’s Ryan Tannehill, Cleveland’s Brandon Weeden and Seattle’s Russell Wilson, all four lost their debut game and Washington’s Robert Griffin III won.

 Here’s the Summary:

Tebow who? Jesus was wearing an RG3 jersey on Sunday!

Going into this game the Redskins had a 15-8 all time record against the Saints and winning three of the last five matchups. Shanahan is 3-1 against the Saints and he has a 14-4 record in week one games; the winningest of active head coaches.

We all have heard about bountygate in New Orleans, where head Coach Sean Payton has been banned from team activity for one year. Payton’s presence is still visible with the huge banner of his face giving off that scary eyed look that has the caption “Do Your Job”. On Friday the appeals panel reinstated defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Jon Vilma who were suspended for their roles in the bounty scandal. Smith started on Sunday. Vilma was on the sidelines due to off season knee surgery. But that wasn’t enough for the Who Dat nation and I’m sure they will all have nightmares of the Sean Payton stare.

Even with the Redskins history against the Saints and the Saints in franchise mayhem, Vegas still had RG3 and the Skins as the underdog. But in typical Dan Snyder fashion, he managed to give Vegas another reason to hate the Redskins and left most football fans shocked as the Redskins beat the Saints 40-32 in the Superdome. Since Shanahan took over as the Redskins head coach in 2010, this is the first time the team scored 40 points.

RG3 found WR Pierre Garcon in the middle for an 88-yard TD, tying the second-longest scoring pass by a quarterback making his NFL debut and the longest offensive TD for the Skins since 1987. RG3 finished the first half with a perfect 158.3 passer rating; the first time a rookie has done that with 10 or more attempts.

I just hope RG3 isn’t so good that Shanahan decides he needs to shut him down. No pun intended Davey Johnson, no pun intended…

History continued when my neighbor only knocked on my wall twice (their way of telling me to stop hooting and hollering) and the concierge didn’t call me to ask me to tone it down. Clearly, they must not have been home the entire game- I was going nuts! What a turn around for Washington.

Peter King gave the Redskins a 6-10 prediction and most of the “experts” had even less faith. It’s still early, but just knowing that this team can throw, catch AND score is a fundamental breath of fresh air in the Nation’s Capital. Now, that’s the real change we’ve been waiting for. 

And how about those Foot Locker employees, I mean the replacement refs. I like these guys! For once the Redskins are getting the calls and getting them on the road too!

More history was made on Sunday as Shannon Eastin became the first women to be a line judge in an official regular-season game for the St. Louis-Detroit matchup. This is the first time in eleven years that replacement officials have been called up while the regular officials are locked out. I just wish she wouldn’t have tucked her ponytail under her cap after the national anthem. Girl, you earned your spot, don’t be scared to show off your ponytail! Wear it with pride and know you’re the best looking official in the game.

Yes, week one made the history books, but it’s only one chapter for the 2012 season. The key for Shanahan’s Redskins will be to finish each game. Seeing is believing, and we saw on Sunday that the talent is there- we just have to finish writing the history book one chapter at a time.