Manning, Favre take center stage in Week One
2005-09-11

Nations U.S. City Indianapolis San Francisco States Indiana California Connecticut County Marion County San Francisco County Metropolitan Indianapolis Metro San Francisco Metro People J.P. Losman Eli Manning Drew Bledsoe Randy Moss Ben Roethlisberger Bill Parcells Kurt Warner Brett Favre Tom Brady Nick Saban Peyton Manning John Elway Event Super Bowl 2005 NFL Clubs Indianapolis Colts St. Louis Rams Oakland Raiders Baltimore Ravens Minnesota Vikings Houston Texans Washington Redskins Cleveland Browns Tennessee Titans New Orleans Saints Philadelphia Eagles Carolina Panthers Kansas City Chiefs Detroit Lions Buffalo Bills Pittsburgh Steelers Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers New England Patriots Atlanta Falcons New York Jets Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks Denver Broncos Miami Dolphins Arizona Cardinals San Diego Chargers Chicago Bears New York Giants San Francisco 49ers Dallas Cowboys

BRISTOL, Connecticut - Peyton Manning takes aim at the Baltimore Ravens. Brett Favre is taking aim at another milestone.

The record-setting Manning should receive a stern test in the opening weekend of the NFL season as the Indianapolis Colts visit Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.

Favre, the future Hall of Fame quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, has a chance to join some elite company at the expense of the Detroit Lions.

Entering his 15th season, Favre has thrown for 49,734 yards, 266 shy of joining Hall of Famers Dan Marino (61,361) and John Elway (51,475) as quarterbacks to reach 50,000.

The 35-year-old Favre, the most durable quarterback in NFL history who has made 225 consecutive starts including playoffs, is second all-time with 376 touchdowns passes, 44 behind Marino.

After throwing a single-season record 49 touchdowns passes before again coming up short in the playoffs against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Manning will be tested right off the bat.

Last December 19 at Indianapolis, Manning was held in check by the talented Ravens' secondary, which added cornerback Samari Rolle in the offseason to a unit that features cornerback Chris McAlister, safety Ed Reed and nickel back Deion Sanders. But the Colts still emerged with a 20-10 victory.

"They just gave us multiple looks and didn't give us much room in the end zone," said Manning, who completed 20-of-33 passes for 249 yards and one TD. "But they have outstanding personnel and Rolle gives them another excellent cover corner."

While they still are uncertain where they will play their home games this season following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints open the season on the road against the Carolina Panthers.

There also are a trio of coaching debuts as Nick Saban's Miami Dolphins host the Denver Broncos, Mike Nolan's San Francisco 49ers entertain the St. Louis Rams in an NFC West encounter, and Romeo Crennel's Cleveland Browns receive a visit from the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC North matchup.

A reunion takes place when the Arizona Cardinals visit the New York Giants.

Kurt Warner kept the seat warm for Eli Manning in his one-year stint with the Giants. Now Warner plans on doing more than just grooming a quarterback with the Cardinals.

After a six-year run with the St. Louis Rams, the 33-year-old Warner - a former two-time MVP - spent last season with the Giants, holding down the starting job before Manning took over to finish the year.

In 10 games and nine starts with the Giants, Warner threw for 2,054 yards - his best total since 2001 - and six touchdowns.

Ben Roethlisberger again gets to put his perfect regular-season record on the line as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Tennessee Titans, who are expected to be in rebuilding mode. As a rookie in 2004, Roethlisberger went 13-0 as a starting quarterback in the regular season, leading the Steelers to the AFC championship game. He also helped the Steelers become the first AFC team to go 15-1.

In what should be an entertaining AFC matchup, the Kansas City Chiefs host the New York Jets.

The Minnesota Vikings begin life without enigmatic wide receiver Randy Moss as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Vikings traded Moss to the Oakland Raiders on March 2 for linebacker Napoleon Harris and two draft picks, including a first-round selection.

Drew Bledsoe is reunited with coach Bill Parcells, who gets a chance to see what is expected to be an improved defense when the Dallas Cowboys visit the San Diego Chargers in what could be the best interconference matchup of the weekend.

Bledsoe went to the Super Bowl with Parcells as his coach while they were with the Patriots in 1997.

A pair of teams who went 9-7 last season meet in Jacksonville as the Jaguars host the Seattle Seahawks.

Kyle Orton will be the only rookie quarterback to get a starting assignment when the Chicago Bears visit the Washington Redskins.

The J.P. Losman era also officially starts as the Buffalo Bills host the Houston Texans.

Tom Brady passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots opened the NFL season Thursday night with a 30-20 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

On Monday night, the Atlanta Falcons host the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last season NFC's championship game. Philadelphia reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years last season with a 27-10 victory over Atlanta.