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5 Things To Watch This NFL Season

Russell Simon |
September 6, 2013 | 1:29 p.m. PDT

Staff Writer

Robert Griffin III and his 2012 draft mates are looking to build upon impressive rookie seasons. (Keith Allison/Creative Commons)
Robert Griffin III and his 2012 draft mates are looking to build upon impressive rookie seasons. (Keith Allison/Creative Commons)
The NFL season has finally arrived. The Broncos and Ravens kicked off the 2013 NFL season last night, and now every weekend is a football weekend. Here are five things to watch as the season gets underway. 

1. The Continued Emergence Of The Sophomore Quarterbacks

The 2012 draft was a historic one at quarterback, with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson all being selected. All three of these QBs had brilliant rookie seasons and the sky is the limit as they enter their sophomore year. 

No. 1 pick Andrew Luck led the Colts back to the playoffs last season. He threw for 4,374 yards last year with 23 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. The Colts were 7th in the league last year in passing yards last season, and that number should improve as Luck gets to air it out against a very favorable schedule. The Colts play the Raiders, Dolphins, Jaguars twice, Chargers, Rams, Titans and Cardinals this year, which means one should expect some big games for Luck. 

Ditto for Russell Wilson. Wilson, who somehow was picked 75th overall last season, had a monster year for the Seahawks. He threw for 3,118 yards with 26 TDs and only 10 interceptions. The Seahawks have Super Bowl expectations this year and Wilson will be a huge part of that. 

The same holds true for Robert Griffin III, if he’s healthy. Griffin led the Redskins to an NFC East title last year, the first division championship for the team since 1999. However, he’s coming off surgery to repair both his MCL and ACL, and this Sunday night against the Eagles will be the first time Griffin can test out his knee in a game situation. Will he be as mobile as he once was? Will Mike Shanahan put him in the option? Will the knee hold up? We’ll begin to find out on Monday. 

2. How Will the NFL’s New Rules Affect The Game?

Much of the NFL’s new concussion policy has been put in place to protect offensive players. However, after passing rules preventing helmet-to-helmet hits and hits on a defenseless receiver, Roger Goodell has now begun to bring the hammer down on offensive players. This year there is a new rule that a ball carrier cannot lower his head and make contact with a defensive player. When this happens, a 15-yard penalty will be called on the offense. This could wipe out huge gains for runners who lower their head to drill a defenseless receiver, and could be hard to get used to for runners in the initial stages of the season. 

3. The Ongoing Patriots Saga

It’s been an offseason unlike any other in Foxborough. With Aaron Hernandez facing first-degree murder charges and Rob Gronkowski out for the foreseeable future while dealing with the aftermath of his surgery to repair a herniated disk, the Patriots offense has had to undergo a total overhaul. All three of Tom Brady’s favorite targets from last season are gone, and it will be on Brady and new acquisition Danny Amendola running the show for the Patriots. The on-field changes will be showcased on Sunday, when the Patriots take on the Bills. 

4. How The NFL Will Deal With Players Hitting Low

The penalties for defenders aiming high on offensive players have gotten much more severe throughout the last couple of seasons. Now, defensive players have adapted to aiming low, which has led to some catastrophic injuries to offensive players. This was highlighted in the preseason, when Texans safety D.J. Swearinger hit Dustin Keller’s knee straight on with his helmet. Keller tore his ACL, MCL, PCL and dislocated his knee on the hit. Watch for more of these hits as the year goes on, and watch for them to be outlawed following the end of the season. 

5. The Retooled Saints

After being suspended for an entire season, Saints head coach Sean Payton is back as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. The Saints went 7-9 last year without Payton, and with Bountygate in the rearview mirror, the Saints are looking to get back on the right track. They’ll have to set their sights on the Falcons, who finally won the NFC South last season en route to a heartbreaking NFC Championship game loss. Expect offensive fireworks when these two teams meet for the first time this Sunday. 

Email Staff Writer Russell Simon here. Follow him here



 

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