Well, well, well…

NFL Sundays are back and filled with rookie quarterbacks, replacement officials, and Peyton Manning as a Bronco. Normal stuff indeed.

BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE WEEK (tie): San Francisco, Washington.

The 49ers went into Lambeau Field and smacked around NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The 30-22 victory further strengthens the claim that San Francisco is a legitimate Super Bowl threat. Randy Moss scored in his first game as a Niner and David Akers shocked himself with a record-tying 63-yard field goal. This game’s greatest lesson was simple. You have to play defense to be a legit Super Bowl threat. I probably should have remembered that earlier this week.

Elsewhere, the Saints were smelling themselves after the player suspensions in the bounty scandal were overturned. Robert Griffin III and some dude named Alfred Morris waltzed into New Orleans doused the Saints with a cold dose of reality. RG3 assaulted the Saints D for 320 yards and two touchdowns in the 40-32 Washington triumph. That halftime discussion from Sean Payton Joe Vitt Aaron Kromer must have been a real paint-peeler.

NOT-SO BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE WEEK: Replacement refs forgot how to count. 

In the closing stages of Arizona’s 20-16 win over Seattle, officials incorrectly awarded the Seahawks a fourth timeout with seconds remaining.

Realizing the error, they attempted to cover it up.

Lucky for them, it did not influence the finish of a game that saw Kevin Kolb lead Arizona to a comeback win.

Poor Mike Pereira. He’s going to be on TV every 90 seconds until the replacement refs are no more.

WORST PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: Brandon Weeden

If Cleveland received a below-average, Joe Flacco in Jacksonville effort, the Browns would be celebrating a victory. Instead, Philadelphia squeaked by them, 17-16, after Weeden’s spectacularly putrid play.

Weeden was 12 of 35 for 118 yards and 4 INTs. That’s a QB rating of 5.1, which is slightly better than that of your local gas station attendant.

WORST USE OF RESOURCES: Carolina Panthers

Over the last two years, Carolina gave up $43 million in guaranteed contracts to running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

Yesterday, without an injured Stewart, Carolina rushed for 10 yards on 13 carries. No, they didn’t lose by 20. They lost to Tampa Bay, 16-10.

RUN THE BALL!

Cam Newton isn’t Tom Brady. RUN IT!

FAVORITE COACHING MOVE OF THE WEEK: Jim Harbaugh subs in Colin Kaepernick

As mentioned in a previous post, Harbaugh took Alex Smith out of the game late in the second quarter on San Francisco’s final drive before halftime.

Kaepernick, a mobile quarterback, scampered 17 yards on a draw to the Green Bay 45. Moments later, David Akers squeaked a 63-yard field goal over the crossbar to give San Fran a 16-7 lead. They’d go on to win 30-22.

A SIGN THAT SOMETIMES PRESEASON DOESN’T MATTER: Jets destroy Buffalo 48-28.

The Jets made it no secret that they had some tricks up their sleeve that they refused to divulge during the preseason. While Tim Tebow touched the ball just five times, the Jets had a far different look than their vanilla, hum-drum preseason look that netted zero touchdowns through the team’s first three preseason games.

Mark Sanchez threw three touchdowns and New York’s defense intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick three times.

BEST RETURN: Peyton Manning

King Audible returned to action on Sunday night to lead Denver past Pittsburgh, 31-19. Manning finished with 253 yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh’s once-vaunted defense.

Ironically, Tracy Porter, the man pick-sixed Manning in Super Bowl XLIV in Peyton’s penultimate postseason game with the Colts, did it again – but this time to Ben Roethlisberger to help close out a Denver win.

BEST WARDROBE DESPITE GETTING A BUSTED NOSE: Tom Brady

Tennessee’s Kamerion Wimbley delivered a knee to the face of a prone Brady, which bloodied the nose of the Uggs model.

Undeterred, Brady managed to dust himself off as the Pats accosted Tennessee 34-13.

WORST IMPERSONATION OF A BASKETBALL PLAYER: Vernon Davis

It wasn’t all sunshine and butterflies for the 49ers yesterday.

Vernon Davis failed to execute slamming the football over the crossbar at Lambeau Field. Somehow, he got rejected.

While Davis had a hard time in Green Bay, Tony Gonzalez and the Atlanta Falcons experienced little difficulty dispatching the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

A pair of Julio Jones touchdowns paced a 40-24 thrashing of the Chiefs.

This is how its done, Vernon:

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT WEEK: The Terrible (0 and) 2’s. 

The Packers, Steelers, Saints, and Giants are staring at 0-2 starts next week with not so easy games on the horizon.

Green Bay hosts Chicago on Thursday; the Jets visit Pittsburgh; New Orleans heads to Carolina; and the Giants welcome Tampa.