NFL referee Ed Hochuli found himself at the center of another controversy on Sunday after calling back an interception that was returned for a touchdown by the Panthers on Sunday. Two weeks ago Hochuli mistakenly ruled a fumble an incomplete pass that helped Denver rally to beat San Diego. This time Hochuli flagged Julius Peppers for roughing the passer, wiping out Matt Ryan's interception that was returned by Carolina's Richard Marshall for a touchdown. Hochuli ruled that Peppers made a helmet-to-helmet hit, but replays showed that Peppers hit Ryan with his shoulder first as Atlanta's quarterback released the ball. "I threw my shoulder into him, but I guess my helmet [hit his]," Pepper said.

The Falcons took notice of Ronnie Brown's success taking direct snaps and have deployed a similar formation with Jerious Norwood lined up behind center. ?I got a chance to see a few clips,? Norwood said. ?Ronnie Brown did a great job. He scored four touchdowns and he threw one. He had a good game that day.?

Michael Turner exploded for the Falcons in an empathic win over the Chiefs on Sunday. Turner rushed twenty-three times for 104 yards and three touchdowns, as Atlanta topped Kansas City 38-14 at Georgia Dome. Turner opened up the 2008 season with 220 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions but followed that up with just 42 yards in a loss to the Buccaneers in Week Two. The Falcons (2-1) are in a three-way tie with the Panthers and Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South.

Using my custom position-by-position Field Impact Counter (FIC) we can safely and accurately rank quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends by an objective statistical measurement. The importance placed on specific positions is far different in football than it is in basketball, baseball, and hockey. Because of this, we have separated salaries by position instead of having a single common pool. Quarterbacks are compared to quarterbacks. Running backs are compared to running backs. Wide receivers are compared to wide receivers. There are only four positions on the football field where we can truly use statistics to rank a player?s performance in the same ways we can for the other three major sports. Intangibles such as how a running back picks up the blitz or how well a wide receiver blocks for his downfield runners do not appear on stat sheets and in order to get a truly objective statistical ranking, these elements are unfortunately overlooked. Players are ranked from highest to lowest by the total FIC for the season, not per game because players only give contribute to a team when they are playing. * More information about the FIC at the bottom of this article. Beside each player?s actual salary, we slide in raw cap value figures of the position, ranked top to bottom, which determines their ?deserved? salary. The player who has the highest FIC receives the highest ?deserved? salary. The player with the second highest FIC receives the second highest salary. The player with the hundredth highest FIC receives the hundredth highest salary. We then calculate the percentage increase or decrease from the actual and deserved and that figure becomes their Reina Value. The Reina Value is a valuation system that quickly determines how players perform in relation to their contracts or in the case of the NFL, their cap value. Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler may have had higher QB ratings, but Week One at the quarterback position really belonged to Donovan McNabb who looked towards DeSean Jackson time after time with Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis injured. Jackson, Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis all had 100-yard days against the Rams. McNabb's receivers game him 132 yards after the catch on Sunday. Jay Cutler is the early yards per throw leader with 12.46. Cutler, Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler made the Raiders defense look like a sub .500 JV team. Elite WR Brandon Marshall was suspended for the game and his return will give Mike Shanahan easily the best passing game he has enjoyed since John Elway's retirement. Roethlisberger completed 13 of his 14 attempts against the porous Houston secondary. Aaron Rodgers had the better FIC opening day than Brett Favre though both were victorious. Favre's QB rating was 125.9 to Rodgers' 115.5, but Rodgers stayed on his feet virtually the whole game against a very good Minnesota defense while Favre was sacked three times. Michael Turner came to Atlanta with a big contract and big expectations and he overshot both of those with his 220 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Turner rushed for 11 first downs and had eight carries for 10 yards or more while teammate Jerious Norwood had five of his own. Reggie Bush did 83% of his FIC damage catching the ball as the Saints are wisely getting him into space again this season. Frank Gore was used much like Marshall Faulk on Sunday as he caught four balls for 55 yards (three first downs and 66 yards after catch) while rushing just 14 times for 96 yards (6.9 per carry) and a TD. Rookies Chris Johnson and Matt Forte made the most impressive debuts at running back though Felix Jones had nine carries for 62 yards (6.9 YPC) and Darren McFadden had nine for 46 (5.1 YPC). Eddie Royal led all receivers with 146 yards receiving, while seven of his nine catches were for first downs. His route running was impeccable and played the entire game on an entirely different level than the Raiders' secondary. Plaxico Burress celebrated a new contract by catching 10 balls for 133 yards. Like Burress, Andre Johnson didn't score a TD but eight of his 10 receptions for 112 yards resulted in first downs. Bringing up the rear of the top-10 are the trio of Eagles' receivers Jackson, Lewis and Baskett. They may not be this year's Moss, Welker and Stallworth, but the Rams allowed the triplets to spot themselves a nice 100 yard start. Dante Rosario should receive a bonus for catching a game-winning TD, but he's at the top of the Week One list nonetheless. Bo Scaife had 82 yards after the catch in Tennessee's win. Jason Witten remains the most consistent tight end in the game, catching six balls for 96 yards (all first downs). Antonio Gates only caught four balls for 61 yards and Kellen Winslow had five for 57, but both found the end zone. Field Impact Counter Formulas Quarterbacks .25 Completions - .5 Incomplete Passes + .1 Yards + 4 Touchdowns - Interceptions + First Downs - Sacks .5 Rushing Yards - Rushing Attempts + 5 Rushing Touchdowns + Rushing First downs - Lost Fumbles Running Backs + 5 Rushing Touchdowns + .5 Rushing Yards - Rushing Attempts + Rushing First downs - 5 Rushing Fumbles + Receptions + .5 Receiving Yards + 5 Receiving Touchdowns + Receiving First Downs - 5 Receiving Fumbles Wide Receivers/Tight Ends 5 Touchdowns +.5 Receiving Yards + Receptions + First Downs - 5 Fumbles Christopher Reina is the executive editor of RealGM.com

The NFL has returned, in the form of a sixteen-game weekend that has been spread from Thursday to Monday night. It isn't easy to keep tabs on every one of the games being played in the league on Kickoff Weekend, but we are here to help summarize all that has gone down while highlighting each game's top fantasy performer. In addition to keeping you updated on all that has gone on in the NFL's Week One so far, we will showcase each game's top FIC (field impact counter) performers using RealGM editor Chris Reina's innovative statistical system. Thursday Night N.Y. Giants 16, Washington 7 The defending-champion New York Giants cooled down after looking terrific in the first quarter, but still had more than enough to defeat the Washington Redskins on Thursday night. Eli Manning, who ran in New York?s first score of the game on a one-yard scramble, finished the game 19-for-35 with 216 yards and an interception. Jason Campbell wasn?t much better for the Redskins, going 15-for-27 with 133 yards and one touchdown, a twelve-yard connection with Santana Moss late in the second quarter. Brandon Jacobs helped the Giants control the game with 116 rushing yards, while Plaxico Burress finished the season-opener with ten receptions for 133 yards. Fantasy Stud: Plaxico Burress, NYG: 10 receptions for 133 receiving yards Sunday: Tennessee 17, Jacksonville 10 The Tennessee Titans held off the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday thanks in large part to a tremendous effort by their defense. The Titans sacked David Garrard seven times, grabbed two interceptions and forced one fumble in their 17-10 win at home. Rookie Chris Johnson ran for 93 yards for Tennessee, while LenDale White notched 40 yards and reached the end zone in the fourth quarter to help put Jacksonville away. Garrard, who threw just three interceptions in all of 2007, struggled mightily. He went 23-for-35 with 215 yards, one touchdown and the two aforementioned picks. The Jaguars managed just 33 rushing yards, after finishing last season as one of the league?s strongest running attacks. Vince Young struggled even more than Garrard did, going 12-for-22 with 110 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, but was lucky enough to get a strong showing from his supporting cast. Young left the game in the fourth with an injury. Fantasy Stud: Chris Johnson, TEN: 93 rushing yards and three receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown Pittsburgh 38, Houston 17 The Pittsburgh Steelers scored early and often on Sunday against the Houston Texans, kicking off the 2008 season with a very strong offensive showing. Willie Parker rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns, and Ben Roethlisberger hooked up with Hines Wards for 76 yards and a pair of trips to the end zone. Roethlisberger went 13-for-14 with 137 yards and two scores. The Texans scored fourteen points in the fourth quarter to make the score look respectable, with Matt Schaub accounting for both scores. Schaub, who went 25-for-33 with 202 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, hit Kevin Walter for a fourteen-yard strike early in the fourth and then added a four-yard touchdown run with a little more than a minute remaining. Fantasy Stud: Willie Parker, PIT: 138 rushing yards and three touchdowns Philadelphia 38, St. Louis 3 Donovan McNabb looked young and rejuvenated against the St. Louis Rams, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to an impressive victory in Week One. Without Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, McNabb made two career backups and a rookie receiver look like Pro Bowlers. McNabb finished the day 21-for-33 with 361 yards and three touchdowns. Brian Westbrook, who finished 2007 as the NFL?s leading yard-gainer from scrimmage, had 91 rushing yards and two scores (one on a one-yard pass from McNabb). The Eagles enjoyed three one-hundred yard performances from their stable of receivers, with DeSean Jackson (106), Greg Lewis (104) and Hank Baskett (102) all topping the mark. The St. Louis offense looked even more confused than the defense, managing just eight first downs and 166 total yards. Steven Jackson tallied just 40 rushing yards, and Marc Bulger was 14-for-26 with 158 yards in the loss. McNabb went untouched, as the Eagles didn?t surrender a single sack. Meanwhile, Philadelphia got to Bulger four times. Fantasy Stud: Donovan McNabb, PHI: 361 passing yards and three touchdowns New Orleans 24, Tampa Bay 20 It was a close battle all afternoon, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn?t keep Drew Brees under wraps as he led the New Orleans Saints to a key interdivisional victory. Brees tallied 343 yards and three touchdowns (along with an interception), while going 23-for-32 on the day. Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush combined for 103 rushing yards, while Bush added 102 receiving yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay. Jeff Garcia wasn?t the reason the Buccaneers lost, but he wasn?t able to lead them to victory either. He went 24-for-41 with 221 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Earnest Graham enjoyed a nice afternoon, running for 91 yards on just ten attempts, but Jon Gruden opted to attack through the air despite Graham?s effectiveness. Fantasy Stud: Reggie Bush, NO: 163 total yards and one touchdown New England 17, Kansas City 10 The New England Patriots watched the entire crowd hold its collective breath in the first quarter on Sunday, as the reigning NFL MVP, Tom Brady, hobbled off the field with a knee injury. Luckily for the Patriots, Matt Cassel was able to step in and play respectably and the lowly Kansas City Chiefs were in town. Cassel went 13-for-18 with 152 yards and a touchdown, helping lead New England to a victory in a much closer game than was expected. Randy Moss caught six passes for 116 yards and one touchdown, helping the offense transition smoothly from Brady to Cassel. Brodie Croyle left with a shoulder injury, leaving the Chiefs to put Damon Huard behind center. Huard went 8-for-12 with 118 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Larry Johnson tallied 74 yards on the ground for Kansas City, while Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney combined for 104 rushing yards and a score. Fantasy Stud: Randy Moss, NE: 116 receiving yards and one touchdown N.Y. Jets 20, Miami 17 It wasn?t an overwhelming victory, but fans of the New York Jets got exactly what they wanted out of Brett Favre on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Favre threw for just 194 yards, but was 15-for-22 and connected for two touchdowns. Chad Pennington looked good against his former team, going 26-for-43 with 251 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The difference, however, was on the ground. Thomas Jones tallied 101 yards and a score for the Jets, while the combination of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown managed just 47 rushing yards. Favre put the Jets on the board with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery in the first quarter, but Pennington answered with a 5-yard strike to Anthony Fasano to tie the game and keep it close throughout. Fantasy Stud: Thomas Jones, NYJ: 101 rushing yards and one touchdown Buffalo 34, Seattle 10 Trent Edwards managed a great game for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in their blowout victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Edwards, who went 18-for-30 with 215 yards and a touchdown, handed off to Marshawn Lynch eighteen times for 76 yards and a score of his own. Punter Brian Moorman added to Buffalo?s attack, throwing a 19-yard pass for a touchdown to defensive end Ryan Denney near the end of the third quarter on a fake field goal attempt. Roscoe Parrish joined the Bills? scoring binge as well, taking a punt back 63 yards for a touchdown. Matt Hasselbeck looked confused early and often against Buffalo?s defense, going 17-for-41 with just 190 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Nate Burleson caught five passes from Hasselbeck for 60 yards and a score, but the Seahawks would love to have a do-over on this one. In addition to an embarrassing loss, both Burleson and running back Maurice Morris left the game with injuries. Fantasy Stud: Lee Evans, BUF: 102 receiving yards Baltimore 17, Cincinnati 10 Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco didn?t light up the scoreboard, but he did help lead the Baltimore Ravens to a big win over the Cincinnati Bengals to start the season. Flacco, who went 15-for-29 with 129 passing yards, didn?t throw a touchdown, but did break a 38-yard run at the end of the third quarter to give the Ravens a 17-3 lead heading into the fourth. Le?Ron McClain and rookie Ray Rice combined to run for 150 yards on more than forty attempts as Baltimore stuck to the ground. Receiver Mark Clayton, who caught three passes for 21 yards from Flacco, rushed once for 42 yards in the first quarter, reaching the end zone to put the Ravens on the board. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph scored Cincinnati?s lone touchdown, returning a fumble 65 yards early in the fourth. Carson Palmer went 10-for-25 with a mere 99 yards and an interception. Chris Perry, starting in place of the recently-released Rudi Johnson, ran eighteen times but tallied just 37 yards. Fantasy Stud: Le?Ron McClain, BAL: 110 total yards Atlanta 34, Detroit 17 Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan began his day with a bang, and ended it with a victory in the Atlanta Falcons? dominant win over the Detroit Lions. Ryan, on the first pass of his NFL career, hooked up with Michael Jenkins for a 62-yard touchdown. Ryan finished the day 9-for-13 with 161 passing yards, while running back Michael Turner stole the show. After playing second fiddle to LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego for the last four years, Turner broke out for a franchise-record 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Jerious Norwood added to the fun as well, notching 93 yards and a score of his own. Atlanta tallied 318 rushing yards, while holding Detroit to just 62. Jon Kitna was decent, going 24-for-33 with 262 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Second-year receiver Calvin Johnson caught seven passes for 107 yards, while Roy Williams reached the end zone on a 21-yard strike in the second quarter. Fantasy Stud: Michael Turner, ATL: 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns

Atlanta's Matt Ryan kicked off his NFL career nicely against Detroit on Sunday, throwing a 62-yard touchdown pass on his first NFL passing attempt. Ryan hooked up with Michael Jenkins for the score on the Falcons' first possession.