Before the Buffalo Bills hosted the Chicago Bears in a preseason game at Ralph Wilson Stadium back in August, Guy Fieri of the Food Network took to the parking lot for a tailgate throwdown. Two teams of veteran tailgaters from Buffalo and Chicago squared off in a serious competition. The results can be seen on “Tailgate Warriors,” a one-hour special that will air on the Food Network on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. ET.

As part of the competition, each team had to create a themed menu capturing the spirit of the Buffalo/Chicago game. Teams were required to make one appetizer, two entrees, two sides and a dessert. They were judged on taste, execution and creativity. The food (and their flair) was graded by three judges with years of experience in tailgating, entertaining and eating.

(Shameless plug: One of the judges was Ray Lampe, a.k.a. Dr. BBQ – author of the The NFL Gameday Cookbook.)

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Giants president/CEO John Mara at Giants' Hometown Huddle event on Tuesday. (courtesy: New York Giants)

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New York Giants president/CEO John Mara joined Giants players Tuesday as the team partnered with the United Way and the Lyndhurst, N.J., school district to install an indoor and outdoor fitness challenge course at Lyndhurst High School. The donation of the course was a reward for the Lyndhurst school district successfully completing the Giants 2009 PLAY 60 Challenge, encouraging their kids to get 30 minutes of active play in school and 30 minutes of active play after school each day.

This appearance was one of many around the country, as NFL players, coaches, and executives spread the word on the importance of health and fitness Tuesday during a league-wide day of service. During the 11th annual NFL-United Way Hometown Huddle, NFL teams rebuilt playgrounds, hosted youth football clinics and helped kids stay active for 60 minutes a day as part of NFL PLAY 60, the league’s youth health and fitness campaign.

“Getting kids active for at least 60 minutes a day is the goal of our PLAY 60 campaign, and we are pleased to be working with United Way on this initiative,” said Goodell.

Just like Brett Favre, a good rivalry never gets old! My NFL dreams came true on Monday night when I flew to Minnesota to watch my Vikings beat up on their divisional rivals, the Green Bay Packers, live in the Metrodome. What an incredible experience, highlighted by Favre’s three TD passes and the stadium-jarring Vikings fans. The ‘dome was definitely OUR HOUSE on Monday Night Football.

I still can’t believe all the cool things I get to do as the Monster.com’s Director of Fandemonium. I’ll be sad to give up this plush gig after the season but… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR…? Go apply now at www.nfl.monster.com!

Some of the funnier moments on Monday night were seeing grown men torn between their loyalties to the Packers and to Favre. Many had half-Packers, half-Vikings jerseys! They must have been confused. It’s that kind of Fandemonium that makes a good rivalry so special. Those guys made me think of some other great NFL rivalries, so here is my Top 5 list of all-time NFL rivals. Drop me a line at www.facebook.com/fandemonium or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/monsterdof and let me hear your thoughts:

5) N.Y. Jets vs. Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino’s “fake spike” for the Fins and Gang Green’s Monday night “Midnight Miracle.”

4) Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns: With NFL legend Paul Brown having a hand in starting both franchises, it’s the closest thing to sibling rivalry.

3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns: Ah yes, the Rust Belt rivalry. Each dominant in alternating decades. Does that mean that Cleveland can expect a Super Bowl or two in the next 10 years? I’m not sure about that…

2) N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles: From Chuck Bednarik and Frank Gifford to Ron Jaworski and L.T. to Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning. This NFC East rivalry has no lack of star power to keep it going.

1) Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins: The most celebrated rivalry though it defies geographical parameters (Dallas in the NFC East? No wonder kids in the U.S. can’t even identify their own state on a map!). The games between these two teams are almost national holidays in their own right! With eight Super Bowls between them and freewheeling owners who will stop at nothing to ensure their team’s supremacy, there’s definitely no slowing down this rivalry.

Well, there you have it, NFL fans, the Director’s take on the All-Time Greatest NFL Rivalries. Let the debate begin! What do you think is the greatest NFL rivalry?

In the meantime remember to follow the entire Department of Fandemonium at www.nfl.monster.com and apply for my job now! Thanks, Minnesota, you’ve been great, but it’s time to fly back to Hawaii now. Man, this is a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Aloha,
Onyx Herrera
Your NFL Director of Fandemonium

Fresh of a 35-0 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, San Francisco 49ers QB Shaun Hill will check in with NFL.com today at 1:30 p.m. ET to chat live with fans. Submit your questions for Shaun now, and then check back later to follow along.

For video on the 49ers’ win and Hill’s game highlights, check out the 49ers’ video section.

Tom Brady will be one of many players wearing pink gear this weekend to recognize breast cancer awareness.

• As part of the NFL’s support in the fight against breast cancer, players around the league will be donning pink cleats, gloves and sweatbands this weekend.

(credit: Ketchum for Monster.com)

Hey NFL Fans,

We’re only heading into Week 4 and already this season is shaping up to be exciting. What I love about the NFL is that it’s rare for one team to dominate the league from year-to-year. Just look at the tough starts by Tennessee, Carolina and Miami –- division champs last year, and all winless thus far. On the other side, we have the surprising starts by the Jets, Baltimore, and, of course, my Vikings.

It will be interesting to see how teams make the adjustments needed to make a postseason push, and who will fall off. It’s tough to predict, but that makes for some exciting football!

Speaking of excitement, starting TODAY, OCTOBER 1, you can apply for my job as the Director of Fandemonium at www.nfl.monster.com. Let me tell you: This is without a doubt the BEST gig you’ll ever get in your life and an absolute DREAM job. Don’t believe me? Check out what I’ve done so far:

In April, I got to go to New York City to announce a draft pick at the 2009 NFL Draft from the stage of Radio City Music Hall.

I’ve had a chance to hang out with some NFL legends.

(credit: Ketchum for Monster.com)

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. Throughout the rest of the season, I will continue to get ultimate fan perks such as participating in on-field player introductions at the International Series game in London, serving as an on-field broadcast liaison for the NFL Network’s Thanksgiving game, monitoring player uniforms on-field before a 2010 wild card game, selecting a play on the sidelines during the Pro Bowl, and getting to join the coin toss ceremony at Super Bowl XLIV!!!!

Did I mention I also scored a $100,000 signing bonus for this gig courtesy of Monster.com?! No joke, I’m living the NFL fan’s dream job. Who said only the players get star treatment? Monster isn’t kidding when they say they’re dedicated to helping people find jobs! This has just been an incredible journey – and one that I really encourage you to apply for!

So like I said, apply to be the next Director of Fandemonium at NFL.Monster.com and make sure to post on the Department of Fandemonium Facebook wall and tell us why you deserve to be the Director. Got questions about my experience on the job? Tweet up with me on www.twitter.com/monsterdof.

This year it’s up to the fans to choose who is the most deserving. The top 32 will be selected by November 16, so hurry up and tell all of your friends to enter too. You can refer a friend once a day and be entered into a sweepstakes for cool prizes and even tickets to the Super Bowl!

Good luck! And good luck to my Vikings on Monday Night Football this week against the Packers. Things could be icy inside Metrodome if you know what I mean.

Aloha,

Onyx Herrera

Director of Fandemonium

We toss around stats and records freely in our daily coverage of the NFL, but sometimes we don’t stop to reflect. Case in point: One of the most repeated notes we heard coming out of Week 2 was that Saints QB Drew Brees tied a record for the most touchdown passes after two weeks of an NFL season, with nine. Brees tied the mark set in 1965 by former St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson.

Okay, so Brees is on pace to throw 70 TD passes. Awesome. But here’s my question: What about Johnson?

It’s not as if Brees tied a record held by Joe Namath or Dan Marino or some other Hall of Fame gunslinger. So let’s take a moment and investigate: Who was Johnson … and how did he make out the rest of the 1965 season after throwing nine touchdown passes in his first two games?

For starters, Johnson was a 10th-round pick of the Cardinals in 1960 out of New Mexico State. He played 15 seasons — nine with the Cardinals, followed by two years with the Houston Oilers and four with the Denver Broncos. He threw 170 career TD passes, and he owned the Cardinals’ single-season record of 28 TD passes until Kurt Warner broke that mark last year with 30.

But guess what? Johnson’s career-best 28 TD passes came in 1963, not 1965.

Johnson began the 1965 season with three TD tosses in a road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. A week later he set a team record with six TD passes in a 49-13 rout of the Cleveland Browns. So, with a 14-game schedule, Johnson was on pace for 63 touchdowns!

So what happened? The pace slowed somewhat over the next three weeks, but the Cardinals were atop the NFL’s Eastern Conference with a 4-1 record, and Johnson had 13 TD passes. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, under the headline, “The Cardinals Take Wing.”

Uh-oh … SI cover jinx!

The Cardinals lost eight of their last nine games. Johnson missed three starts due to injury, throwing a mere five TD passes in the six games he started the rest of the way. His final line for the season: 11 starts, 18 TD passes, 15 INTs, 2,439 yards.

Since Brees now is linked to Johnson, the question isn’t whether or not he can break Tom Brady’s record of 50 TD strikes in a season. The question is whether or not he can avoid the letdown Johnson suffered 44 years ago.

– Craig Ellenport

“The Dr. Oz Show,” the all-new daily syndicated show hosted by cardiac surgeon and health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz, is joining forces with the National Football League (NFL) as 20 moms of NFL players face off to get fit in “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge” (Photos). On Friday, Sept. 25, two teams comprised of 10 AFC and 10 NFC moms, including the mothers of NFL players Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, Nick Mangold, will take on each other to tackle their health issues as part of a national viewer challenge. The teams will be coached by former Tennessee Titans running back and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George and his wife Taj, of “Survivor” fame, recently announced as regular contributors to “The Dr. Oz Show.”

Tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” Friday and check www.doctoroz.com for local channels and show times.

In six episodes airing this season, the moms will battle head-to-head to reduce major risk factors contributing to heart disease including their blood pressure, cholesterol, waist size and weight. “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge” kicks off in the first month of the NFL season and will culminate on February 5, 2010, the Friday before Super Bowl XLIV. Viewers can join the challenge starting with the first episode, airing Friday, September 25, and by following along on doctoroz.com.

“I’m excited to team up with the NFL, Eddie and Taj, as we are all committed to improving the health and wellness of America,” said Dr. Oz. “Collectively, we will coach and motivate moms and families everywhere while they get fit and celebrate their victories side-by-side with mothers from the NFL on the show and online.”

“Taj and I are thrilled to be participating on ‘The Dr. Oz Show.’ We believe in Dr. Oz’s mission to help people live healthier, better lives,” said Eddie George. “We hope through our involvement with the NFL Mother’s program, we can inspire others to challenge themselves and attain life-altering goals.”

While their sons face each other on the field throughout the football season, their mothers will battle off the field in a one-of-a-kind competition. The NFL moms participating in “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge” include:

AFC MOMS:
Deborah Johnson — Son: Jay Richardson – Oakland Raiders
Tammy Davis — Son: Brandon Williams — Pittsburgh Steelers
Sherri Clements — Son: Shaun Phillips — San Diego Chargers
Terri Terrell –  Son: Laurence Maroney — New England Patriots
Therese Mangold — Son: Nick Mangold — New York Jets
Mary Gallery — Son: Robert Gallery — Oakland Raiders
Karen Barber — Son: Dominique Barber — Houston Texans
Laverne Suggs — Son: Terrell Suggs — Baltimore Ravens
Donna George — Son: Eddie George –- Tennessee Titans (Retired)
Jackie Posluszny — Son: Paul Posluszny — Buffalo Bills

NFC MOMS:
Char McNabb — Son: Donovan McNabb — Philadelphia Eagles
Pauline Sharper — Son: Darren Sharper — New Orleans Saints
Jackie Randle El – Son: Antwaan Randle El — Washington Redskins
Michelle Green — Son: Bryant McKinnie — Minnesota Vikings
Diane Wells — Son: Reggie Wells — Arizona Cardinals
Constance Davis – Son: Anthony Adams — Chicago Bears
Gayle Jackson — Son: DeSean Jackson — Philadelphia Eagles
Venita Gyimah – Son: Ken Hamlin — Dallas Cowboys
Sheila Davis — Son: Danny Clark — New York Giants
Sue Warner — Son: Kurt Warner — Arizona Cardinals

In the end, only one individual and one team can win “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge.” The most successful NFL mom will receive the coveted title of MVP, and the winning division will take home the dream title of “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge” Champions.
Reebok, the Authentic Outfitter of the NFL, will be integrated within multiple segments of “Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Challenge.” NFL moms will wear their sons’ jerseys during the first show and will receive Reebok workout apparel to help them dress for success in the Challenge.

The Dr. Oz Show” is an entertaining, high octane, multi-topic hour that is equal parts life saving information combined with an “embarrassment-free zone” sensibility where nothing is off limits or out of bounds. It’s all about you — the viewer — and what matters to you, your family, your health and your well-being. “The Dr. Oz Show” is co-produced by ZoCo Productions, LLC and Sony Pictures Television.

“The Dr. Oz Show” is executive produced by Mindy Borman; Amy Chiaro is co-executive producer. The show is filmed in front of a studio audience in Studio 6A in New York’s legendary Rockefeller Center.

Our panel of seven experts have spoken and the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens are the best two teams in the league according to our most recent NFL.com expert rankings.

Impressive wins on the road were enough to sway the experts. The Giants went into Dallas and beat the Cowboys while the Ravens traveled to San Diego and defeated the Chargers. New York was No. 1 on all seven experts’ rankings, while Baltimore was second on five of seven.

The team taking the biggest tumble was New England. A road loss to the Jets sent the Patriots sliding all the way down to the No. 9 spot. They were ranked No. 1 in the first two expert rankings list.

There was also a shakeup at the bottom of the expert rankings as the Browns dropped to last place after a 27-6 loss to the Broncos last Sunday.

One team none of the experts can seem to agree on is the Tennessee Titans. They are ranked as high as No. 7 on Joe Theismann’s list, but as low as No. 25 on Bucky Brooks‘ list. The rest of the experts all have them ranked somewhere in between those extremes.

Now is your chance to let us know what you think. Are the Giants the best team in the NFC? Are the Ravens the best team in the AFC? Where do the Titans belong?

Vote now in the fan’s team rankings to let your opinion be heard and comment on what you think of our experts’ picks.

Hey NFL fans! How much tougher are Tuesday-Saturdays without some NFL in your lives?

With no games to distract me until Sunday, I started thinking about my heroes on the football field and how many of those guys are also heroes off the field – doing amazing work to help out in the communities where they live and work. It also led to the realization that if those guys on the gridiron have time to help their communities between their grueling schedules, then we fans should definitely find time to volunteer, too! You not only get to enjoy the altruistic benefits, but volunteering can be a career booster as well.

So, in their honor, I’ve created my Director of Fandemonium “Gridiron Good Guy Awards.” Would love to hear who you think should be on this list. Drop me a line by becoming a fan of the Department of Fandemonium on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fandemonium and by following me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MonsterDOF and let me know who your favorite NFL good guy is. Extra points (no, not what Chad OchoCinco kicks) for pictures of your favorite NFL stars doing what they do best—acting as role models.

Without further ado – and in no particular order – the DOF “GGG Awards” go to:

1. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
Three Pro Bowls, comeback player of the year, offensive player of the year, and Walter Payton Man of the Year. Is there anything that Drew Brees CAN’T do!? You might as well add “Superman” to this list. Brees supports Operation Kids and started his own charity, The BreesDream Foundation. The guy was pivotal in helping to rebuild New Orleans. Oh, and how about six touchdown passes in Week 1!

2. Amobi Okoye, DT, Houston Texans
Okoye has only been in the league two years but is already making a huge impact in the country where he was born, Nigeria. This past May, he organized a group of players to travel across the Atlantic to distribute scholarships and organize clinics on everything from female empowerment to AIDS education. Pretty cool and a lot of awesome initiatives … not bad for only being 21 years old!

3. Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals
His professional resume says two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP and Super Bowl champion, but what it doesn’t say is that he and his wife Brenda created the First Things First Foundation, which supports children’s hospitals and assists single parents. The foundation pays for dozens of children to travel to Disney World every year. That’s just so cool to give those kids the opportunity to have the time of their lives without having to worry about their illnesses even if for a brief time.

4. Tony Dungy, former NFL player and coach
Last, but not least, I’d say Dungy is the definition of a “mentor.” In fact, so much so that the last two U.S. presidents recognized his dedication to charity and asked him to serve on the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. And you thought he was “retired!”

While there are many, many “Good Guys” involved with the NFL, I think these four stand out as exceptional players/coaches and people. It’s important to remember the impact that these incredible athletes have on our lives every day, not just on Sundays. Now go check me out on Facebook and Twitter and let me hear your thoughts.

Oh, and look for my next blog entry about NFL free agency and how it works (I’m learning a lot as the DOF!). Remember: to get the most access this season, sign up at nfl.monster.com and let me know how you show your Fandemonium. Most importantly, don’t forget that soon you, too, can apply to become the next Director of Fandemonium — stay tuned for applications to go live on Oct. 1!

Aloha,
Onyx Herrera
Director of Fandemonium

NFL teams will host community events and gameday celebrations throughout Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15). This week, the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs will celebrate the month.

The Falcons will host CrossRoads Academy, a school with a large Hispanic participation, at their home game Sunday. The students will spend the day with the Falcons Fitness Flag Crew and the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders. During pregame player introductions, the group will help unfurl a 40-by-40 yard long Falcons flag on the field. Additionally, the Latin American Association, Judia Jackson Harris Elementary School and Russell Elementary School will receive tickets to the game. Finally, Latin teen pop singer Tyna Q. of Alpharetta will sing the National Anthem, and the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders will perform special routines to a mix of Latin hits. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the team will continue its celebration with a visit to Kanohdea Elementary School, where players will hold a youth clinic and cheerleaders will teach a short routine.

Before Green Bay’s game against Cincinnati, former Packers kicker Eddie Garcia will participate in the Ambassador Line on the field during pregame player introductions. At the Packers Tundra Tailgate Zone located in the parking lot, a fiesta will be thrown complete with Hispanic food. Banners located inside the stadium and the GameDay program will also recognize Hispanic Heritage Month.

Members of the Chiefs will host a special Fútbol Americano clinic this week for 50 children from the Guadalupe Center, a facility designed to improve the quality of life for individuals in the Latino community. During the preseason, the team invited the kids to attend a Chiefs game and tour the field during pregame warm-ups. After experiencing the game of football as spectators, these youngsters will have an opportunity to hone their football skills under the direction of Chiefs players, including QB Matt Gutierrez and RB Jackie Battle, at the Chiefs Training Facility.

The NFL’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will culminate in a series of special events surrounding the New York Jets at Miami Dolphins Monday Night Football game on Oct. 12 (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN Deportes).

Brett Favre looks pretty good in purple, if I do say so myself, and that first “W” in Minnesota’s win column looks even better. It was certainly interesting to see Favre the game-manager versus vintage gunslinger Favre, but I’ll take it if it leads to more victories like this. As the Director of Fandemonium and the Vikings’ biggest fan, I also want to say congrats to Favre for setting another NFL record by becoming the all-time consecutive starts leader at any position.

How about Adrian Peterson rushing for 180 yards — 155 in the second half? If he keeps this up all year, my Vikings might be set to cruise through the NFC North. I don’t see anyone slowing down that rushing attack, especially since I heard Brian Urlacher, Chicago’s uber-linebacker, is out for the season with a dislocated wrist. I wish him well in his recovery, but can’t deny him being out helps our chances!

I can’t decide if that 64-yard run by Peterson or the TD pass from Favre to rookie Percy Harvin was more exciting. Did you see Favre’s reaction!? He practically tackled Harvin he was so excited. I didn’t expect to see that kind of excitement out of the almost-40-year-old in Week 1. It was awesome to see. Long story short, I’m feeling pretty good about my Vikings after their domination at the Dawg Pound. There were lots of sad puppies in Cleveland, I’m sure!

It was good to see Favre and his former coach Eric Mangini play nice, though. How crazy is it that Mangini had to face his old quarterback in his first game as Cleveland’s new coach? I bet that guy is so tired of seeing number 4.

Overall, this was an amazing opening Kickoff weekend, starting last Thursday in Pittsburgh and topped off by a great win for the Purple People Eaters. Minnesota and Cleveland fans have some of the most Fandemonium in the entire country, not to mention some of the best fried turkey ever! For more NFL updates and insider info all season long, make sure to check out my photos and live videos by becoming a fan of the Department of Fandemonium on Facebook, and by following me on Twitter at Twitter.com/MonsterDOF. Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you between AP’s touchdown runs!

Look for my next blog entry about the NFL’s good guys next week. Remember, for the most access this season, sign up at nfl.monster.com and let me know how you show your Fandemonium. And if you think my job is sweet, applications for the next Director of Fandemonium open on October 1.

Aloha,
Onyx Herrera
Director of Fandemonium

Wow! If I had to plan the perfect start to the NFL season, it would look exactly like what Pittsburgh did Thursday night. Talk about some incredible football and star-studded streets in the rockin’ Steel City.

Before the game even started, I held “office hours” on-site at Heinz Field in my ultimate “corner office,” where I met with fans to test their Super Bowl trivia and give away some sweet NFL merchandise and tickets. I won’t lie, it didn’t exactly feel like work as I was surrounded by flatscreen TVs, surround-sound audio systems, and a full array of NFL accessories – but then again, this is my dream job! I was even able to choose one “ultimate fan” who won everything in my office before kickoff. A big congrats to our lucky fan who can now wheel and deal like the best of them. I’m sure they won’t mind “working” in those digs.

Even cooler than putting in all my “hard hours” at the office was getting to hang with Steelers legend Franco Harris — yep, the guy who made the “Immaculate Reception” in the 1972 AFC playoffs — for a few hours on Wednesday. He signed tons of autographs for fans at the Monster.com booth. I have to admit – it was intimidating standing next to a real-life Hall of Famer, but he was incredibly nice and we had a great chat about what it was like to play and what he thought of the current Steelers team. He won four Super Bowls and was selected to nine Pro Bowls, so I had to know what he thought!

After a long day at the “office,” I had the chance to meet FERGIE and the BLACK EYED PEAS before their free performance at Point State Park. Their energy was incredible and Pittsburgh was jamming. If the city wasn’t ready to start the season before, they were after the show that also featured country music star, Tim McGraw. Make sure to check out my backstage photos and live videos by becoming a fan of the Department of Fandemonium on Facebook and by following me on Twitter at Twitter.com/MonsterDOF. There are all kinds of pics and video up there, including me in Pittsburgh with Will.I.Am and some upcoming photos of me in Cleveland!

Finally, after all the fanfare and awesome experiences – and meals! – in Pittsburgh (shout-out to the Primanti Brothers’ incredible sandwiches), the game got under way Thursday night! Talk about an entire city showing some FANDEMONIUM! The Terrible Towels were out in full force and I couldn’t have asked for a better game. Pittsburgh, you truly spoiled me. Thank you!!!

Look for my next blog entry when my Vikings open up in Cleveland on Sunday. Remember, for the most access this season sign up at nfl.monster.com and let me know how you show your Fandemonium. And if you think my job is sweet, don’t forget that applications for the next Director of Fandemonium open on October 1. Football season is officially here!

Aloha,

Onyx Herrera

Director of Fandemonium

PITTSBURGH — I’m not sure you could fit more into one day. It was a success for some and a disappointment for others, but no matter how you cut it, NFL’s Kickoff 2009 certainly was entertaining.

We, being the collective fandom in Pittsburgh today, had the chance to watch back-to-back concerts by Tim McGraw and the Black Eyed Peas. It was two-plus hours of music with around 50,000 close friends. And that was before heading across the river for an overtime game between what looks like two of the AFC’s best teams in front of the largest regular-season crowd in team history.

Before exiting, I’m going to leave you with a few notes from the locker rooms:

• The Titans didn’t have much of an answer for the no-huddle offense used by the Steelers in the fourth quarter and overtime. Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said the team goes over the no-huddle during walk-through work Thursday, Friday and Saturday and has more than 100 plays in the package for QB Ben Roethlisberger. Titans LB Keith Bulluck said the no-huddle didn’t present problems and that the defense was able to substitute freely, but he believed the difference was in execution. The Steelers executed, and the Titans didn’t.

• Steelers RB Willie Parker had been slowed by a hamstring injury throughout the preseason, and he finished tonight’s game with 19 yards on 13 carries. At this point, Parker isn’t completely healthy but good enough to play.

• The name you might hear a lot in Troy Polamalu’s absence is Tyrone Carter. The 10th-year veteran backup safety, now in his sixth season in Pittsburgh, knows the system as well as anyone and is the presumed replacement for Polamalu, who could be out 3-6 weeks with a knee injury. Carter, who said the coaching staff doesn’t make any changes when he’s in the game, admitted the one thing the Steelers would miss are Polamalu’s big plays.

• There was a definite feeling in the Titans’ locker room that they were the better team tonight. Titans RB Chris Johnson didn’t hide his thoughts when asked if the better team won, saying, “No, I know that the better team didn’t win. Not at all.” A teammate echoed those thoughts, saying the Titans were the better team but left too many plays on the field.

– Frank Tadych

PITTSBURGH — Just when you think a game is just destined to play out a certain way …  this game is headed to overtime, folks.

The entire Heinz Field crowd gasped at the same time when Steelers WR Hines Ward was stripped of the ball at the 4-yard line. A solid play by Titans FS Michael Griffin. A heads-up play. Plays that Pro Bowlers make.

The radio broadcasters in the booth simultaneously slammed their fists on the table. Broadcasters do not like overtime.

The Steelers predominantly went to the no-huddle in the last two drives, and it was effective. Many of the completions were the same — quick passes to receivers, hot reads to TE Heath Miller, dumps to RB Mewelde Moore — but QB Ben Roethlisberger and the offense established a rhythm. Roethlisberger on several occasions found the holes in the Titans’ zone.

That ill-timed 28-yard punt by the Titans’ Craig Hentrich with just under two minutes felt like the nail in the coffin. The Steelers took over on their own 42-yard line. Almost felt like the game was over right there — you could see the end playing out. A very rough night for the Titans’ kicking game all around, and I’m sure coach Jeff Fisher will have a lot to say about that post-game.

Overtime in the Kickoff 2009 game? How about that? This game is playing out much like many of us thought it would. At least it is for me. You can’t ask for much more than this.

– Frank Tadych