Week 1 of the NFL season lived up to expectations and perhaps exceeded it. It started with an opening night upset, as the Lions strode into Arrowhead Stadium unfazed by the hysteria that would come with a banner celebration and left with one of the biggest franchise wins in recent memory. The Browns on Sunday proved they have Joe Burrows’ number by winning at home and extending their streak to 6 out of the last seven games over their in-state rivals. The weekend featured a few blowouts, three games decided by two points or less, and some defenses sent out a message that they will be dominating this season. In this article, we discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly from week 1 of the NFL season.
The Good
1. Dynamic Miami Duo-last season, some fans felt that Tyreek Hill’s productivity would collapse after being traded from the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Hill dominated last season and formed a duo with Tua Tagovailoa racking up ridiculous numbers when the starting quarterback was healthy and under center. On Sunday, the tandem picked up where they left off in winning a shootout on the road against the Chargers. Tua shredded the Chargers’ defense by completing 28 of 45 passes for 466 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. It was a massive result for Tua. He outplayed Justin Herbert because many still question why the Dolphins drafted the former Alabama product at number 4 ahead of the Bolts’ quarterback. On the other hand, Hill torched the secondary with 11 receptions, 215 yards and two touchdowns. Hill proved he is one of the scariest players to face in the NFL because of his quickness and slick feet, and it is a frightening proposition for the rest of the league.
2. Young guns are ready- Jordan Love and Brock Purdy went into week one under the microscope for different reasons. Love had the weight of expectation being the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers in week 1 of the NFL season. Jordan is the quarterback replacing back-to-back Hall of Famers Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Yet, Jordan dazzled in his starting debut by completing 15 of 27 passes, 245 yards, and three touchdowns. Love showed he had a command of the offense, made the right throws, and brought a swagger to breed confidence into his team. Purdy, on the other hand, was coming off a serious injury, and there were doubts about whether he was ready for week one or whether last season was a fluke. Purdy proved that he is the steady and consistent quarterback that the 49ers need to push for the Super Bowl this season. Brock completed 19 of 29 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant 30-7 win over the Steelers.
The Bad
1. Toney hands made of stone-Kadarius Toney is a starting wide receiving talent in this league. However, on opening night Toney began to trend on the internet for all the wrong reasons. The Chiefs were missing All-Pro Tight End Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes looked to Toney to fill the void in the passing game. Toney let down the MVP quarterback by finishing with just one reception and 1 yard. The irony is that Toney had more drops (3) than catches in the game. It’s not just about the drops, but when and where they occurred that cost his team first down conversions and changed the momentum. Mahomes will need Toney to step up and make the grabs because the team failed to retain Juju Smith-Schuster in free agency.
2. The Bears Misery Continue-Aaron Rodgers famously once said to Bears fans, “I still own you.” Having seen Rodgers traded out of the division, Bears fans would have been rejoicing because it could potentially end the cycle of dominance in the oldest rivalry. However, exhilaration quickly turned on opening day into misery because Jordan Love thoroughly outplayed Justin Fields at Soldier Fields. By the end of the game, the Bears were embarrassed in a 38-20 home loss, and Chicago has lost 26 of their 30 games against the Packers. The worst part for the Bears is that the Love will likely continue to dominate their team for the foreseeable future.
The Ugly
The Gotham City Nightmare – Prior to week 1, things were looking bright for footballs in New York City. Things were looking optimistic for Giants fans because the team made the playoffs last season, and they could take the next step this season. On the other hand, the Jets were the talk of the season with the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers. However, after week 1, the stocks plummeted for playoff football in the Big Apple.
1. The Giants- the team was thoroughly outplayed by the Cowboys in a 40-0 blowout home loss on Sunday Night Football. Daniel Jones struggled by completing 15 of 28 passes for 104 yards and 2 interceptions. The Giants’ quarterbacks were pummeled by the Cowboys’ defense allowing seven sacks which highlighted the need to buffer a paltry offensive line. It looks like the Big Blue will take a step back this season and miss the playoffs.
2. It is a similar story for the Jets, where fans went into the season wondering if they had enough talent on the offensive line to protect Aaron Rodgers. In just four snaps, the line failed to protect Rodgers, and he ruptured his ACL to end his season. The Jets rallied around their defense and won in overtime thanks to a walk-off punt return touchdown. It feels as if the Jets won the battle but lost the war because the defense proved that if they had an elite quarterback like Rodgers to contend for a Superbowl. Now, the team is looking to sign a free-agent quarterback or even make a trade for a backup. The team’s ceiling is now just a wild card at best.