OFFENSE:
The highlights of the offensive rookie class this season has been without a doubt Eddie Royal, Chris Johnson and Matt Forte. While Royal and Johnson had solid yet unspectacular outings this week, Forte once again proved his worth to the Chicago Bears, even though they lost their home opener to Tampa Bay in overtime. Forte finished with 89 yards rushing on 27 carries and added 7 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. He continues to show his versatility and that he will be the all purpose back of the future for the Bears. Steve Slaton had his first breakout performance for the Houston Texans this weekend. It didn't factor in the decision since we are still talking about the Texans here, but Slaton's 116 yards on 18 carries were clearly impressive. He also added a touchdown. Felix Jones continues to seize the opportunities given to him in Dallas' high octane offense as he finished with 76 yards on only 6 carries, including a big time 60 yard touchdown run against a tough Green Bay defense. He will only see more chances as the year goes on since not only Marion Barber will wear down many defenses but also the Cowboys gigantic and experienced offensive line.We also have some emerging players at the fullback position among this year's rookie class. For example new Seattle Seahawk Owen Schmitt, a throwback bulldozer who's main response is opening holes for his halfback and hammering his head into opposing defenders. Schmitt helped Julius Jones to break the century mark of 100 yards in the last two games and is a big part of the resurgance of Seattle's running game. The undrafted Mike Tolbert out of Coastal Carolina hopes to have the same impact in San Diego where he blocks in front of superstar LaDainian Tomlinson. While he has trouble in the blocking department, Tolbert proved to be a capable receiver on Monday Night against the New York Jets. He finished with 4 receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. In the same game Dustin Keller had his first stellar performance for Gang Green. The athletic tight end regularly got open down the seam and caught the first touchdown of his young NFL career. With his 4 catches for 41 yards he clearly was a bright spot in New York's rather unimpressive offense. While running back Michael Turner has been the star in Atlanta's impressive start, signal caller Matt Ryan continues to amaze people with poise, a strong arm and solid game management. The third overall pick completed 12 of 18 passes, including a 70 yard TD bomb to Roddy White. While it's still early, Falcons fans can't be more happy with the early development of their franchise quarterback.
Franchise players are also often playing on the left side of the offensive line. This week, two rookies had outstanding games at the important left tackle position. Sam Baker from the Atlanta Falcons is showing nice technique and experience, coming from his career at USC. He didn't allow a sack and Atlanta's running game is performing brilliantly so far. While Baker was good, the offensive line star of this weekend was top pick Jake Long. The Michigan standout was a key in Miami's upset win at Foxboro as he not only kept his quarterback Chad Pennington on his feet but also opened big holes in the running game. The Dolphins' rushing attack came out with numerous option plays and direct snaps, keeping New England's defense on their heels. Long went up against one of the best defensive fronts in the league and clearly passed that test with great marks. Same can be said for Tampa Bay's Jeremy Zuttah, who had to deal with Tommie Harris in the trenches of Soldier Field. He did a good job in pass protection. Branden Albert continues to start at left tackle for Kansas City. DEFENSE:
Some rookies around the league really have solidified their spots on the defensive side of the ball. Antoine Cason in San Diego is giving good performances as the nickelback while Tracy Porter (New Orleans), Brandon Flowers (Kansas City) and Dwight Lowery (New York Jets) start on the outside for their respective teams. Lowery had two great pass breakups against the Chargers but also got beat two times. His coverage though was solid on both occasions. Another cornerback who is slowly expanding his number of snaps is the Cowboys' Mike Jenkins. The former South Florida star clearly showed some jitters but looked very solid and physical in coverage as he finished with 3 solo tackles. With an overall struggling secondary, Jenkins figures to get more and more playing time as the year goes on. Kenny Phillips for the Giants and Charles Godfrey for the Panthers are two safeties who right now make the most of their opportunities. Phillips knocked down a pass and had 5 tackles. Godfrey finished with 4 solo tackles and one assist and also got the first sack of his career. With Godfrey, Carolina's safety problem appear to be over.The most surprising game of the weekend clearly was played in New England, where the previously winless Miami Dolphins ended the Patriots 21 game regular season win streak. While the result was a suprise, the performance of Miami's rookies up front shouldn't be that surprising anymore. Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling have had a great start to their NFL careers and even though they have to learn a lot, they make their impact felt. Langford starts at defensive end in Miami's 3-4 front and while he didn't have a sack this week, he looked much better against the run. He held his own inside, finishing with 2 tackles and a blocked pass. Merling's stats are a bit more impressive with a fumble recovery and a sack. Both look to be long time parts of Tony Sparano's front seven and will only get better with more experience and confidence. One of the more "experienced" rookies is Jerod Mayo as he continues to start at inside linebacker for the New England Patriots and getting almost no breathers in the first three weeks. Against Miami he finished with 8 tackles and 4 assists, though I'm sure he would have liked to pass the experience of losing his first NFL game. But hey, it's all about the learning process!
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