The first of at least 17
Sometimes that's as good as the season gets
Other times it's just 6% of the fun
We won't know where today falls on that spectrum until the new year but even if things go the way of San Francisco during Jim Tomsula's one year it was a load of fun!
To put it simply, Sam Darnold and the defense carried the load. For a team with the highest-paid wide receiver in the League that was as encouraging as it could have possibly been. The opponent certainly helped make both aspects look better than they might during the next stretch of games but with the protection that Darnold was afforded by the offensive line (1 sack and 2 hits) that long time weakness may be stronger than usual and help the whole team rise to it's full potential!
We will see them against even better defensive fronts but that they held up against Lawrence and Thibodeaux as well as they did is nothing but encouraging.
They also paved the way excellently for Aaron Jones as he came up just six yards shy of 100 on only 14 carries while bringing in two more through the air for 15. As the result became solidified he showed his best work and looked very much like vintage Dalvin Cook. And he got the whole show rolling with his first quarter touchdown so that signing is already a successful one!
The same goes for the defense. Daniel Jones would have made it tougher for Harrison Smith to bring in his interception if he brought it to him on a silver platter while Van Ginkle's pick six was certainly a highlight of the day across the whole League! Along with those, Metellus had one of the best pass break-ups that we will see. And that deflection by the do-it-all defender is the most repeatable because it was about football intelligence and the ability to execute, which are pretty much his calling cards.
Given a officiating crew that isn't so flag-happy, the whole operation may have even been better!
The air will come out of it faster than helium from a balloon if San Fran turns the tables on us next Sunday but we have indisputable proof that this team can be dominant and that's a lesson worth writing in permanent marker!
Now we wait to see what week two will include.
A+
The plus may be a bit much because of the room for improvement that there will always be but touchdown-free games are hard to come by and this was the biggest lead they've had since December of 21 so yeah, GIVE THEM THAT PLUS!!
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