Get Ready to Fall Back Into NFL Season

Kami Bussman, Staff Writer

The season of fall is right around the corner but has not officially started. Lately though, fall things have already begun to start. Bonfires, flannels along with jackets have been broken out of the closets, and scary movies have hit the theaters and TV channels.

Most importantly though, football has started up again. Not only have the lights been turned on at Bishop Stadium with the Manhattan High boys playing under them on Friday nights, so have the lights above 31 National Football League stadiums with 32 teams playing on Sundays.

Last year’s Super Bowl winner, the New England Patriots, and their quarterback Tom Brady, kicked off week one this past Thursday playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Alex Smith, quarterback for the Chiefs, ended the game with a win and 368 yards and four touchdowns.The first matchup of the season ended with a score of 42-27 with the Chiefs upsetting the Patriots.

According to Bleacherreport.com, a highly known website for NFL fanatics with 5.2 million followers on Instagram, there are lots of rising players to keep an eye out for this season. Here are only a few to know.

  • Jamaal Charles, a new running back for the Denver Broncos, was ranked among the top eight running backs last season with only one rushing touchdown because of an injury, missing 24 games the last two seasons for the Chiefs. He got signed to the Broncos this year with a one-year contract.
  • The Chargers’ defensive end Joey Bosa, an Ohio State product, is a solid package. He overwhelms blockers with his runs and has constant energy. In just 12 games, he produced 10.5 sacks- a team-leading number, and 11 more quarterback hits. He was also named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016. Luckily the Broncos and Chargers are playing each other this week, viewing both player’s first games will be an easy task to do.
  • The safety Keanu Neal for the Atlanta Falcons was a first-round pick and finished with 106 tackles and 5 forced fumbles. He was graded as NFL’s Best Rookie Safety.
  • In additon, Bleacherreport.com has predicted that Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, will be NFL’s most valuable player of the 2017-2018 season.
  • Another name on the Seahawks to know is Tyler Lockett. If you have ever watched and kept up with Kansas State football, you will recognize this name. The former K-State player got a tibia and fibula fracture in week 16 last year which put an end to his season. Lockett will be back on the field playing this season.

New players, returning players and now uninjured players are ready to start their new season of NFL football. Are you?