These guys don't exactly carry a lunch pail to the stadium, but they did bring a blue-collar, working-man's approach to the weekend's games:
Ted Ginn, San Francisco 49ers
After the Seattle Seahawks pulled to within 19-17 in the fourth quarter, Ginn returned back-to-back kicks within a minute's span for touchdowns to seal the 49ers' win and make new coach Jim Harbaugh a winner in his debut. Ginn first returned a kickoff 102 yards for the second-longest kick return at Candlestick Park and fourth-longest in 49ers history. After the Seahawks went three and out, Ginn returned the ensuing punt 55 yards for a score that sealed a 1-0 start for San Francisco.
Bruce Gradkowski, Cincinnati Bengals
When rookie second-round draft pick Andy Dalton was forced out of the Bengals' game after the first half against the in-state rival Cleveland Browns, Gradkowski was pressed into action. Gradkowski's moment came with less than two minutes remaining in the game and the Bengals facing a 17-13 deficit. Gradkowski caught Cleveland's defense still in the huddle and quickly lobbed a 41-yard touchdown pass to rookie WR A.J. Green. The touchdown led the Bengals to a 27-17 win and the franchise's first opening-day win since 2007.
Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens
In the mother of all statement wins in a busy and action-packed Week 1, it was Ngata -- a 330-pound defensive tackle -- who set the tone for a convincing 35-7 manhandling of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the most lopsided victory in the hotly contested series that dates back to 1996. Ngata led an inspired Ravens defense that forced a team-record seven turnovers. Ngata caused a fumble and deflected a pass that was intercepted in the rout.
Mike Scifres, San Diego Chargers
When the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin returned the opening kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown, the play proved devastating to the Chargers on a couple of fronts. While the team's shaky special teams (a major area of weakness in the 2010 season) did provide a glimmer of improvement this offseason, the team's two-time Pro Bowl kicker Nate Kaeding suffered a season-ending injury on the play. That forced Scifres -- a punter by trade -- into place-kicking duties for the first time since college. With the Chargers facing a 17-14 deficit with 10:05 left in the game, Scifres was called on to kick his first NFL field goal and was true on a 40-yarder, allowing the Chargers to tie the game they would eventually win 24-17.
Ben Tate, Houston Texans
With the NFL's leading rusher from last season, Arian Foster, declared inactive before the Texans' AFC South showdown with the Indianapolis Colts, Tate -- who missed the entire 2010 season because of a broken ankle -- assumed the team's lead-rusher role. Tate rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown -- a 2-yard plunge through the Colts' defensive front -- as the Texans administered a 34-7 demolition of the overwhelmed Colts.
