League Leaders (Through Week 2)

Larry Fitzgerald, Carson Palmer & the 2015 Arizona Cardinals are 2-0 with a +27 scoring differential.

PASSING LEADERS

RUSHING LEADERS

This rushing list is loaded with Hall of Fame Running Backs: Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, Marion Motley, Thurman Thomas & Jim Taylor.

RECEIVING LEADERS

The 1995 Detroit Lions were an historic offense, and so far in this league, their offense is showing just that with the top 3 receivers in the entire league: Barry Sanders is a surprise at the top, followed by Herman Moore & Brett Perriman; Moore's 355 receiving yards (ranks 1st), while he ranks 2nd in TD receptions (3). Their Quarterback Scott Mitchell ranks 1st in passing yards with 700, while it's great that he has 4 TD passes, he also has 4 Interceptions.

By the way, here is a interesting article on how the 1995 Detroit Lions compare to the 1999 St. Louis Rams, by Bleacher Report. Moore & Perriman, by the way, became the NFL's first receiving duo with 100+ receptions in the same season.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS

KICKING / SCORING

TEAM DEFENSE & TEAM OFFENSE

Keep in mind, that the 1999 St. Louis Rams' stats are after one game. The team that is showing the best of both worlds (offense & defense) are the 1965 Green Bay Packers, outscoring their opponents (by average), 24-6.5; Another strong team -- The 1957 Detroit Lions, who are averaging 462.5 yards of total offense (19.0 ppg) compared to only allowing 244 yards per game on defense (15.0 ppg).

Week 2 Remaining - Scoreboard

Rice was the difference maker against 2000 Ravens.

• 2015 Arizona 21, 1990 Buffalo 17 : Carson Palmer (23-32, 272 yds & 118.2 rtg) was brilliant again, as the Cards hold off a late Frank Reich Bills comeback. Larry Fitzgerald had 10 catches, while the Cardinals' rushing game compiled for 134 rushing yards on 25 carries (Chris Johnson led Cards with 68 yds on 11 carries).

• 1957 Detroit 28, 2003 Carolina 27 : Muhsin Muhammad's 5 catches for 131 yards & 2 TD's was not enough to keep Bobby Layne (13-23, 197 yds, 2 TD / 2 INT & 77.6 rtg) & the Lions tamed. Hopalong Cassidy led the Lions with 92 yards (64-long) on 11 carries & 2 TD's. 

• 1988 San Francisco 21, Baltimore 10 : Baltimore surrendered 10-0 1st Qtr lead to 3 unanswered Jerry Rice TD's (8-yd TD run, 2 rec TD's). Joe Montana started the game (10-15, 104 yds & 108.8 rating), but got injured for remainder of game; Steve Young finished 13-24, 144 yds, TD & 86.1 rating. Baltimore lost Trent Dilfer for 5 weeks, while Tony Banks has already been out -- so that left the Ravens with Chris Redman. Shannon Sharpe was held to 1 catch for 8 yards. Ravens' only TD came off of a 88-yd punt-return TD by Jermaine Lewis.

CURRENT STANDINGS

WEEK 3 MATCH-UPS:

• 1995 Detroit Lions (0-2) @ 2003 New England Patriots (1-1)
• 1950 Cleveland Browns (1-1) @ 2003 Philadelphia Eagles (0-2)
• 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) @ 2015 Arizona Cardinals (2-0)
• 1965 Baltimore Colts (1-1) @ 1999 St. Louis Rams (1-0)
• 1957 Detroit Lions (2-0) @ 1971 Miami Dolphins (0-1)
• 1971 San Francisco 49'ers (0-2) @ 2000 Baltimore Ravens (0-2)
• 1988 Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) @ 1986 New York Giants (1-1)
• 2015 Carolina Panthers (2-0) @ 1965 Green Bay Packers (2-0)
• 1988 San Francisco 49'ers (1-1) @ 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)
• 1990 Los Angeles Raiders (2-0) @ 1993 Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
• 2015 Denver Broncos (1-1) @ 1990 Buffalo Bills (1-1)
• 2003 Carolina Panthers (0-2) @ 1985 Chicago Bears (1-1)

The GAME of the WEEK will be between Cam Newton & the 2015 Carolina Panthers vs. Bart Starr & the 1965 Green Bay Packers -- which will guarantee one of these 2 teams to be 3-0 after 3 weeks; A few other teams have a chance to go 3-0 as well in the schedule.

1999 Rams Win in Shoot-out!

Faulk & the 'Greatest Show on Turf' roll past the Detroit Lions.

The 1999 St. Louis Rams, who had a 'bye' in the opening week of the schedule, showed no rust whatsoever, as their high-powered offense put up almost 60 points against the 1995 Detroit Lions. 

Marshall Faulk led the charge with 205 combined yards (127 yds rush / 78 yds rec) with 3 total touchdowns for the day -- you were golden, if you had him on your fantasy football team, folks!

Faulk, Torry Holt & Isaac Bruce all had 5 catches each, while Kurt Warner lit up the scoreboard with 17/24, 306 yards passing, 4 TD's & 152.8 QB rating; Scott Mitchell (373 yards) of the Lions did his best to keep up, although he also threw for 4 TD's, he also threw 4 picks to the Rams' defense.

Barry Sanders had 15 carries for 116 yards, while he also had 8 catches for 51 yards. Detroit's leading receiver ended up being Herman Moore 12 rec for 236 yards & 2 TD's; Moore now has 15 catches for 355 yards (23.7 avg) with 3 TD's this young season (2 games).

Week 3 Match-ups:

• 1995 Detroit Lions (0-2) @ 2003 New England Patriots (1-1).
• 1965 Baltimore Colts (1-1) @ 1999 St. Louis Rams (1-0).

Gault vs Gault (Raiders 28, Bears 27)

Gault wins regardless of outcome.

Willie Gault was in great shape regardless of the outcome in this one, his Raiders version slightly out-performed his Bears version. Raiders' Gault: 7 catches for 149 yards & 2 TD's, while the Bears' Gault had the longest TD of the day (70 yds), while making 6 catches for 126 yards. 

Bears suffered bad news in 2nd Quarter as Jim McMahon got injured, Dennis McKinnon (WR) got injured the next quarter; Both will miss the next 3 weeks.

Jay Schroeder played mistake-free football, while connecting 17/24, 289 yards & 3 TD passes (150.9 rating) -- while Steve Fuller had no answers 9/19 for 173 yards; Fuller did run for a 2nd Quarter TD, giving the Bears a brief 17-14 lead.

Marcus Allen was the game's leading rusher with 91 yards on 19 carries, including a late First Half TD, that gave Los Angeles, a 28-17 lead. Raiders' offense went quiet in 2nd half, as their defense did their best to keep the Raiders the lead, sealing a close-game victory.

Week 3 Match-ups:

• 1990 Los Angeles Raiders (2-0) @ 1993 Dallas Cowboys (1-1).
• 2003 Carolina Panthers (0-2) @ 1985 Chicago Bears (1-1).

Packs Defeat Cowpolks, 28-3

Vince Lombardi: All smiles (Hornung crouched in front).

The 1993 Dallas Cowboys couldn't get their passing game to go-along with their effective running game, while Bart Starr of the 1965 Green Bay Packers executed their offense, keeping Dallas' defense on their heels.

Starr made the big play when he needed to (12/21, 234 yds, TD) & kept the chains moving (23 first downs), finishing the day with a 112 QB rating... while Troy Aikman (11/23, 57.7 QB rating) of the Cowboys was held under a 100 yards passing (87). Aikman's safety valve, Jay Novacek was a no-show in this contest, catching only one ball for a negative 3 yards -- after a Week 1 performance that watched Novacek net nine catches.

Emmitt Smith was Dallas' only real weapon in this one, carrying the ball 14 times for 109 yards, while leading the boys with 4 receptions. The Pack had their usual two-man punch working in the running game with Jim Taylor (17-70) and Paul Hornung (14-55, 2 TD runs), which worked really well with Starr's passing game.

Emmitt is 2nd in rushing (192 yds) after 2003 Carolina's Stephen Davis (196 yds).

Boyd Dowler led Packers' receiving game with 6 catches for 90 yards.

What's Next?

• 1990 Los Angeles Raiders (2-0) @ 1993 Dallas Cowboys (1-1).
• 2015 Carolina Panthers (2-0) @ 1965 Green Bay Packers (2-0).

Steelers Quiet Colts, 13-0

Jack Ham recorded 2 sacks against the Colts.

The 1965 Baltimore Colts' offense sputtered at the wrong times against the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers' "Steel Curtain" of a defense.

Johnny Unitas put up a pedestrian 74.1 QB rating of a performance, completing  18 of 34 passes for 228 yards passing, while the O-Line could not protect Unitas (5 sacks). Terry Bradshaw (115 yards passing) had a similar game (72.9 QB rating), but improved mightily compared to last week's 3 interception performance.

Rocky Bleier (17-78) led the Steelers' rushing attack, as the team combined for 39 carries for 153 yards on the ground. The Colts' rushing was less effective (16-57) & could not compliment the passing game, to give the Colts a better offensive flow.

What's Next?

• 1965 Baltimore Colts (1-1) @ 1999 St. Louis Rams (1-0)
• 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) @ 2015 Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

Denver Stuns Pats, 23-6!

Osweiler steps in for injured Manning, leads Broncos to victory.

To be fair the Patriots had numerous players out due to injury in Kevin Faulk, Willie McGinnest, Richard Seymour & two other players, while two more players got hurt.

Denver lost the biggest star in Peyton Manning during the 1st Quarter, after going 3-3 with 26 yards (102.8). Backup Brock Osweiler made sure the ship stayed on course, passing for 155 yards, TD, with a 96.3 rating; Manning will miss 6 weeks.

Broncos' running back Ronnie Hillman rushed for 90 yards on 20 carries, converting 5 first downs, while collecting a touchdown in the process.

On the other side of the ball, Tom Brady could not figure out the Broncos' tough pass defense, as he went 21-for-36, 146 yards & a Interception

Week 3 Match-ups:

• 1995 Detroit Lions (0-2) @ 2003 New England Patriots (1-1).
• 2015 Denver Broncos (1-1) @ 1990 Buffalo Bills (1-1).

Panthers Clobber Miami, 33-7!

Newton celebrates with the Carolina faithful.

The 1971 Miami Dolphins found themselves in a whole world of hurt, as the 2015 Carolina Panthers just flat-out dominated Miami. The Week 1 Bye for the 71' Finns did not seem to help them one bit on getting ready for Carolina.

• Game Clock: Carolina (36:44), Miami (23:16)
• Net Offense: Carolina (366 yards), Miami (164)
• Team Rushing: Carolina (35-164), Miami (17-54)

Bob Griese had a lousy game & was the first quarterback in this league to throw 4 interceptions in one game, while only completing 12 passes (28 attempts) -- and his 13.8 QB rating is as bad as gets; Meanwhile, Cam Newton was excellent 19-25, 212 passing yards, 2 TD's (127.4 QB rating).

Mercury Morris' 104-yard kick-return touchdown in the mid-2nd quarter was about as good as it got for the 71' Dolphins.

Carolina's Jerricho Cotchery had 10 catches for 128 yards.

What's Next?

• 2015 Carolina Panthers (2-0) @ 1965 Green Bay Packers (2-0)
• 1957 Detroit Lion (2-0) @ 1971 Miami Dolphins (0-1)