The Shenoa Report
September 5, 2024
Regular Season Week 1
Welcome back football, welcome back readers, welcome back The Shenoa Report.
This will be my 15th season writing this blog. I started it a lifetime ago, while living in North Carolina. I had felt so disconnected from my family, especially my dad, whom I had watched football with the most, that I wanted an outlet to talk about football. I also had a number of people ask me for my opinion on football and what teams they should root for. And that’s how The Shenoa Report got its start. Please know that I am very biased, and this report is just my opinion! I really just like talking about football.
The last time I wrote, the 49ers and Chiefs were headed to the Super Bowl. Spoiler, Taylor Swift, I mean the Chiefs won.
Caleb Williams went #1 in the draft to the Bears. He’s already been named their starting quarterback going into this season.
Some notable moves in the off season include, but are not limited to, Kirk Cousins is now a Falcon, Stefon Diggs is now a Texan, Brian Burns is now a New York Football Giant (woot!), Jerry Judy is now a Brown, L'Jarius Sneed is now a Titan, Keenan Allen is now a Bear, Russel Wilson and Justin Fields are both Steelers, and Saquon Barkley is now a traitor, I mean an Eagle.
There is also a new kickoff rule. If you watched any of the preseason it seems to be all they could talk about. To address the lowest kickoff return rate in NFL history during the 2023 season and an unacceptable injury rate on kickoffs prior to that, NFL clubs approved a new kickoff rule for the 2024 season. What does that mean? Let me tell you! PS this is very wordy and I don’t really care if you skip this part, but if you want to nerd out, by all means, continue reading the new kickoff rules.
All kicking team players other than the kicker will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s 40 yard line. The kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until the ball touches the ground or player in the landing zone or end zone. The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone.
The receiving team will line up as follows: The Setup Zone – a 5-yard area from the 35 to the 30 yard line where at least 9 receiving team players must line up. At least 7 players with a foot on the 35 yard line (restraining line) with alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes). Players not on the restraining line must be lined up in the setup zone outside the hash marks. All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone. The Landing Zone is the area between the receiving team’s goal line and its 20-yard line. Any kick that hits short of the landing zone – is treated like a kickoff out of bounds and the ball is spotted at the 40 yard line; the play would be blown dead as soon as a kick lands short of the landing zone.
Any kick that hits in the landing zone must be returned. Any kick that hits in the landing zone and then goes into the end zone must be returned or downed by the receiving team. If it’s downed then there is a touchback at the 20 yard line. If the kick hits the end zone, stays inbounds and is downed then the touchback is moved to the 30 yard line.
Any kick that goes out of the back of the end zone (in the air or bounces) the touchback is moved to the 30 yard line. Got that? Easy peasy.
For the first time ever Hard Knocks did an “off season” set of episodes where they followed the NY Football Giants. We saw how they came to draft Malik Nabers in the first round of the draft and how and why they moved on from Saquon. Joe Schoen seems to know what he’s doing and Brian Daboll seemed to have his shit together. I’d like to say I’m hopeful this season after watching Hard Knocks, but I’m a Giants fan and we don’t have much hope.
Speaking of the Giants, one of the highlights of my summer was meeting and chatting with Tom Coulghlin. It was Epic. True story.
Hard Knocks followed the Chicago Bears this preseason and it was pretty lackluster. Pretty G rated. Not real life. Would not recommend.
I’ll also be playing fantasy football again this season, two separate leagues this time around. I had a draft on Monday and Tuesday of this week so, fingers crossed, all my players are still healthy coming into week one.
Ready, set, let’s do this!
Now...
WEEK 1
Thursday, September 5th
Ravens @ Chiefs (8:20pm NBC/ Peacock/ Universo)
The reigning Super Bowl Champs will host the Ravens in the opening game of the season. The last time these two teams met was last post season for the AFC championship game in Baltimore. We all know how that ended. I hope the outcome is the same. In my keeper league I kept Patrick Mahomes and he can’t possibly have back to back down seasons. Go Chiefs! I’m picking KC to win this game!
Friday, September 6th
Packers @ Eagles (8:15pm Peacock)
Yes, you read that correctly. A Friday night football game at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This game is ONLY streaming on Peacock NOT on regular TV or cable or YouTubeTV or, or. You’ll have to sign up for the streaming service or sail the high seas Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, wink wink. . Fun fact, this sporting arena and its fans very much dislike the color green… You see, the Corinthians’ top rivals, SE Palmerias, wear green. The Eagles, technically the host, will be ditching the color for Friday’s game, instead wearing white jerseys with black helmets and pants for the first time. These are the same colors the Corinthians wear. The “visiting” Packers will wear green but the city has assured that any fans that wear green will be safe. I don’t know, soccer fans are crazy. As for who wins this game, I’m picking the Eagles to win. In my same keeper fantasy league I did keep Saquon. I don’t like the guy anymore, but I do like to win.
Sunday, September 8th
Cardinals @ Bills (1pm CBS)
The Bills will host the Cardinals in their season opener. Both teams will look a little different this season. Buffalo has made sweeping changes at wide receiver, most notably Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis who are no longer Bills. Damar Hamilin will get his first start since he was hospitalized in Cincinnati two seasons ago. The Cardinals will start rookie Marvin Harrison Jr which will give Kyler Murray a target he has needed desperately since DeHop left the team. I did draft MHJ in my other fantasy league so I’ll be paying close attention to him this season. With all that said, I am picking the Bills to win this game.
Patriots @ Bengals (1pm CB)
The Patriots drafted quarterback Drake Maye and let Mac Jones go. They also parted ways with Bill Belicheck. It’s safe to say that New England is looking a lot different this season. The Bengals also made some changes. They no longer have running back Joe Mixon on the team. I am still picking the Bengals to win this game.
Vikings @ NY Giants (1pm FOX)
Oh lord. Well, the Giants should win this game. It may be one of the two games they win this season but with the Vikings starting Sam Darnold, after J.J. McCarthy suffered a season ending injury, I have a tiny bit of hope. The Giants strengthened their offensive and defensive line in the off season and picked up wide receiver Malik Nabers in the draft. I’m picking the Giants to win this game. Please don’t make me wrong week one. GO G-MEN! PS one of my fantasy teams is “Won’t You Be My Nabers”.
Titans @ Bears (1pm FOX)
Caleb Willians will start his first NFL regular season game on Sunday. I saw a wild stat that since 2003 no rookie quarterback won their first game. Kyler Murray was the only quarterback that didn’t lose his first rookie game, they tied. Will Williams make some history? He’s got some pretty incredible targets in Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore. The Titans did some revamping in the offseason but they lost King Henry (Derrick Henry) and DeAndre Hopkins is out for at least the first 4 games with a knee injury. Therefore, I’m going to keep picking the home teams to win their first game of the season. I’m picking the Bears to start 1-0.
Panthers @ Saints (1pm FOX)
After the Panthers sent Brian Burns to the Giants (thank you) they made their team even weaker. Bryce Young will start for Carolina in his second season with the Panthers, but hopefully he’ll stay healthy and play the full season. With that said, I am picking the Saints to win this game.
Steelers @ Falcons (1pm FOX)
Both teams made some pretty big changes in the off season. The Steelers got rid of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph at QB and added Justin Fields and Russel Wilson. As for the Falcons, their starting QB is Kirk Cousins and their new head coach is Raheem Morris. This should also help Bijan Robinson actually get some touches this season. I’m going to pick the Falcons to win this game, but only because they are the home team.
Jaguars @ Dolphins (1pm CBS)
I’m going with the Dolphins to win this game but I’d like Evan Engram to have a good day for the Jags.
Texans @ Colts (1pm CBS)
The Colts have the NFL’s longest active opening-day winless streak of 10 straight losses. No other NFL team owns a season-opening winless streak longer than three years. The Colts have been involved in every kind of contest, from blowouts to close calls and even a 20-20 tie at Houston in 2022. So, is this the year? I have C.J. Stroud and Tank Dell on one of my fantasy teams so I hope the Texans have a big day. I am picking the Texans to win and the Colts losing streak to continue.
Raiders @ Chargers (4:05pm CBS)
Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the Chargers. The last time Jim coached in the NFL he was with the 49ers and he took them to the Super Bowl. The Chargers lost a lot of playmakers in the off season, most notably Keenan Allen and Austin Ekler. As for the Raiders, they still have Davante Adams and even quarterback Minshew Gardner can find him on the field. I’m picking the Raiders to win this game.
Broncos @ Seahawks (4:05pm CBS)
Bo Nix is the rookie quarterback starting for the Broncos. So I am picking the Seahawks to win this game.
Cowboys @ Browns (4:25pm FOX)
I’ll be rooting for the Browns but I don’t think they’ll win their home opener. I hope I’m wrong. I’m picking the Cowboys to win this game.
Commanders @ Buccaneers (4:25pm FOX)
The Commanders are also starting a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels. So, It looks like I’m picking the Buccaneers for the win!
Rams @ Lions (8:20pm NBC/ Peacock/ Universo)
Detroit opens the season on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of their wild-card game in January. The Lions won that game, achieving the franchise’s first playoff victory in 40 years. I think they’ll do it again and beat the Rams. I’m picking the Lions to win!
Monday September 9th
Jets @ 49ers (8:15pm ESPN/ABC/ESPN+)
I had drafted the Jets defense in my league initially. I saw they were playing the 49ers week one and dropped them straight away. I’m picking the 49ers to win this game, not because I drafted Christian McCaffery first overall pick in one of my drafts or because I have Deebo on my other team. I really just don’t want A-A-ron to win. There, I said it.
Happy Week One!!!!!
GO GMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the edit Eric!
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