It's good to have football back!
Week 1 of the NFL season still feels more like preseason 1.5 than it does the actual regular season, but nonetheless, there was plenty of excitement around the league. There were a couple of surprises and standout moments for me. I'm gonna try to get a blog up every week. Not sure I'll get the Monday games in every week, but we'll see.
Big ends with big starts
I'm not biased when I say defensive end Nick Bosa deserved to win the Defensive MVP award last season, but he is way behind the curve at proving he's the best at his position to the start the season. Maxx Crosby proved to be a game wrecker against the Broncos. On one series when Denver threatened to score while trailing 10-6 in the second quarter, Crosby blasted through a double team for a sack, got another tackle for loss, then blew up a third consecutive play as Denver's drive stalled. It was a key moment that forced Denver to adjust their play calling a bit; they started running a lot of their plays in opposite direction when they realized they weren't able to block Crosby.
Then, there was Bosa's in-game counterpart, TJ Watt. In any other game, Watt's stat line would be considered game-changing: 3.0 sacks, five total tackles, two forced fumbles (one that Pittsburgh recovered), and a pass deflection. His performance was somehow a non-factor against the Niners, who rolled through that defense anyway. Miles Garrett had one sack for Cleveland, and he's going to be a contender for the sack lead by season's end.
San Francisco 30, Pittsburgh 7
The biggest surprise of the Niners' win was the fast start, especially for an early Sunday game on the road in a much different time zone than the west coast. During the Kyle Shanahan era, the Niners typically have slow starts before Shanahan makes clever adjustments to get rolling going. But this week, they jumped out to 10-0 lead and never looked back. Brock Purdy is the first quarterback to have a 95.0 QB rating or better and throw for two or more touchdowns to win in each of his first six regular-season starts. He was efficient and accurate, which was key on a couple of 50-50 plays, particularly the back-shoulder throw to Brandon Aiyuk, who, if you couldn't tell, beat Patrick Peterson for a touchdown. The rest of the NFL world will learn what a few people already know: Aiyuk is one of the absolute best route runners in the NFL, and he schooled the Steelers DBs more than once. Maybe Patrick Peterson should start worrying about his own tells instead of telling stories about the Niners to the media.
Christian McCaffrey busted loose for a 65-yard touchdown run and had a strong day on the ground. Deebo clearly was drawing most of the Steelers' attention as he finished with a modest five catches and 55 yards, but the minute defenses decide to roll coverages to Aiyuk, Deebo could be one broken tackle away from a house call every time he touches the ball. George Kittle didn't get going too much as he battled through injuries to stay on the field (toughest tight end in football, no question). It's just one game, but they had as good a start as anyone in the league.
GAME OF THE DAY: Miami 36, Los Angeles Chargers 34
The Miami Dolphins' season openers always seem to be thrilling high-scoring games, don't they? The Dolphins and Chargers traded leads a whopping seven times. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards, including an impressive dart to Tyreek Hill in the third quarter for a 35-yard score. Later, while trailing in the fourth quarter, Tua threw an absolute dime deep down the field to Hill, all while on the run, which led to another lead-taking touchdown a few plays later. I guess Tyreek can make any quarterback look really good, huh? Seriously, though, why is there so much doubt around Tua? If certain other quarterbacks made that throw, the league would make statues in their honor. Tua could go toe-to-toe with any quarterback in this league. He outclassed Justin Herbert, though Herbert didn't need to be as prolific since Austin Ekeler brought a much better balance to the Chargers' offense than what the Dolphins had (which should be a long-term concern; Miami's running backs need more than 15 carries in a game to help protect Tua). But when Herbert needed to be great, he couldn't get the job done. Well, mostly. He got played by Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who can still generate key stops when needed as he did so many times with the 49ers and Broncos. Herbert committed an intentional grounding (though I disagreed with the call; there was clearly a running back who was an eligible receiver in the vicinity), then he got blasted with two blitzes in three plays after Miami didn't blitz pretty much all game prior to that. Herbert will still put up good numbers this year, but the Chargers still seem to be missing some "it" factor when it comes to winning the big games. I'm not saying Herbert is the reason, but he still needs to get over the hump in clutch situations.
Green Bay 38, Chicago 20
I was never sold on Justin Fields last year, and nothing he did Sunday convinced me to believe in him or the Bears at all this year. Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen so much hype around a three-win team, especially because that hype really only belongs in the fantasy football world. Sure, Fields made some nice plays. He made a nice throw to Darnell Mooney down the sideline to get the Bears back into striking distance right before halftime. Fields made a nice scramble to get away from Jaire Alexander, who came free on a clean blitz from his cornerback position; Fields turned what could've been a huge negative play into a positive play that led to points later on the drive. But Fields made way too many boneheaded decisions and mistakes if he wants to be a real threat this season. With the game still in reach, Fields took a snap and stared straight down the middle of the field for four or five seconds without even trying to manipulate the linebackers or safeties. He proceeded to throw a game-clinching pick-six into double coverage as the pass went straight into the linebacker's hands, as if he didn't see him at all. Fields also struggled to take care of the ball in his hands with a couple of fumbles, one of which Green Bay recovered.
Meanwhile, Jordan Love took the Packers' opening possession the length of the field for a touchdown, which already matches the amount of opening-drive touchdowns Green Bay had all of last season. Love was a little uneven for most of the first half after that, but he mostly looked ready to play the part. Christian Watson's absence was felt for sure, so Love only should get better once he has his best weapon in the lineup. Until then - and even after Watson returns - the Packers need to remember they have maybe the best running back duo in the league with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. The Packers need to run the ball more with those two guys, but even when they aren't running, getting the ball to those guys will lead to good things for them. Jones got loose on a nicely designed 51-yard screen play, then capped the drive with a short TD run a few plays later. I'm telling you right now, I will be so annoyed if Love turns into a Pro Bowl - or even All-Pro - caliber quarterback for the next 15 to 20 years for Green Bay, who have had enough good luck in that department with their last two franchise quarterbacks.
Las Vegas 17, Denver 16
Considering the expectations and ridiculous media coverage the Broncos got during the offseason, Sean Payton's offense did not play all that smoothly. They already showed they won't be nearly as anemic as they were last year, but Russell Wilson was too uneven today to really gauge whether Payton will really get this offense functioning as effectively as we might think. Their running game was okay, but Wilson only threw for a 177 yards on 27 completions, and most of the big plays came courtesy of Payton spotting a weakness in Raiders rookie cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who gave up two big passes on third downs and committed a huge pass interference in the first half. Other than that, a lot of Wilson's passes were shorter or in the flat as he was merely trying to get rid of the ball thanks to poor pass protection (mostly because of Crosby). The Broncos did finish some drives in the red zone with points, which they struggled to do last year. They did play without Jerry Jeudy, so surely their offense will pick up, right? In a one-point loss, Denver's missed field goal and missed extra point loomed large, or course, though that can't be said to be the reason they lost, because the Raiders would've tried to score on their last drive instead of just milk the clock.
Jimmy Garoppolo made a decent debut for the Raiders. He handled strong pressure from Denver's front well enough, he made some key throws, he was accurate, and he called plenty of audibles at the line to show he's already gaining command of the offense. DaVante Adams is the best receiver Garoppolo has ever had as a starter, and it became obvious Garoppolo is willing to rely on Adams' playmaking abilities. On one throw in the third quarter, a Broncos blitzer came free and barreled down on him, but Garoppolo was tough in the pocket and flung a pass out to Adams knowing he was going to take a hard hit. But he threw it in a decent spot where Adams had the best chance to get it, and Adams came down with it. The old Garoppolo still reared his head on a bone-headed red-zone INT, but other than that, he played a clean enough game to give his team a chance to win. He even made the game-clinching scramble for a first down in the closing minutes to ice the win. I will say, it was a blast watching Adams and Patrick Surtain Jr. battle it out. Surtain is worth the hype of a top-tier corner in the league. He mostly covered Adams well. Most of Adams' yards and catches came against other corners, against zones, or in the slot.
Dallas 40, NY Giants 0
Can there be a more momentum-swinging start to a season opener? The NY Giants steam rolled down the field, mostly on the ground, and gave themselves a change to score in the red zone. But a bad snap led to a huge loss, then the Cowboys blocked a field goal attempt and returned it for a kick-six (then hilariously missed the ensuing extra point). Dallas proceeded to score on what was credited as a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, and the Cowboys were off to the races. That fluky start doesn't take anything away from the sheer dominance the Cowboys' defense exerted all game, but I think this game says more about the Giants than the Cowboys. Sure, coach Brian Daboll turned around the Giants last year by cutting down on turnovers and mistakes, but the Giants, in no way, were ever really significant contenders. They had a "it was nice to make the playoffs" type of season, aided by a handful of narrow wins against mediocre teams. They didn't look ready to play a tough team at all Sunday night. They are not going to challenge the Cowboys or Eagles for the NFC East. You could make the argument that the rain didn't give the Giants a chance to represent what they are capable of, but they clearly weren't ready for the season regardless. And that's on the reigning coach of the year.
Philadelphia 25, New England 20
Patriots' owner Robert Kraft made an exception to the team's rule of waiting four years after a player's retirement before enshrining him into the team's Hall of Fame. I guess that exception makes sense for Tom Brady, who was honored at halftime and rang the bell at the start of the game to kick off the Patriots' season in the rain. Brady's Patriots typically handled bad weather exceptionally well, especially in the playoffs, but Mac Jones' team more than struggled to get much going on this day. The Patriots dropped a couple of key passes, one of which turned into a gift-wrapped tipped ball that Darius Slay jogged 60 yards the other way for a pick-six. Despite everything, the Patriots found themselves with a chance to win in the end. But Jones showed he is no Brady on the final drive as their comeback attempt fell short. Just like in the Super Bowl, the Eagles' defense was hindered by poor field conditions. They finished with two team sacks, but both came way late in the game when the Pats were in passing mode.
Cleveland 24, Cincinnati 3
The Bengals continue to be the most perplexing Super Bowl contender of recent years. They simply have too many of these dud games to think there isn't a concern there. Sure, it's just the first game, and Joe Burrow was rusty because he got hurt during the preseason, and the Bengals typically start slowly, anyway. But their performance was abysmal nonetheless. Myles Garrett had one sack at the end of the game when it was already decided, but his impact was felt all game long. The Bengals' line didn't give Burrow a lot of time, and Burrow - who currently has the highest completion percentage in NFL history - was off-target all day. He finished with less than 100 yards for the first time in his career (82) and completed just 45.5 percent of his passes. Even Ja'Marr Chase couldn't make a circus catch on simple third-down out route when the game was still competitive because the pass was way too high (though he certainly came close).
The rest of the Browns' opponents this season should be put on notice. Nick Chubb impressed me today, and I already think he's an underrated running back. He ran hard and found holes when there didn't seem to be any. DeShaun Watson only threw for 154 yards, but he didn't need to do more. He was utilized in the run game with a few designed runs that caught the Bengals off-guard, so that element of his game could be fun to watch again. Most importantly, though, new coordinator Jim Schwartz already has his defense taking shape. These Browns play tough, physical football. Heck, Cleveland even seemed to have a decent home-field advantage today. Watch out for the Browns.
Jacksonville 31, Indianapolis 21
Has there ever been a young quarterback like Trevor Lawrence who's consistently had crazier ebbs and flows in games? At times, Lawrence showed bad pocket awareness and held onto the ball too long. At other times, he had complete control of the offense and knew exactly what was coming from Indy's defense. It's so bizarre how often he's involved in so many bad plays, yet finds ways to win games. The big play in the third quarter came courtesy of former Niner DeForest Buckner. Lawrence got hit as he was trying to throw the ball and fumbled, but his team thought it was an incomplete pass. Buckner was the only guy on the field who didn't stop playing until the whistle blew, and he ended up scoring a defensive touchdown. That seemed to wake up the Jaguars, though, who rattled off the game's final 14 points with two late TDs in the fourth quarter to avoid a shocking upset. Indy's rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson (No. 4 overall pick) left the game early, but he apparently will be fine to play next week.
Atlanta 24, Carolina 10
Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, didn't set the world on fire in his debut, but I already respect him a little more for already taking the fall for his turnovers. He threw two INTs and had a fumble, but more importantly, he threw 38 passes, which is more than the Panthers have him throwing already. Sure, the game situation dictated some of that, but they needed to stick with the running game more to protect him a bit. Atlanta's defense was a strength for them last year, especially with their physicality, but a game like this doesn't convince me that the Falcons will fly even higher this year.
Baltimore 25, Houston 9
The Niners sure caught a lot of attention from the media in recent years when so many players kept getting injured, but I'm telling you, the Ravens seem to have more season-ending injuries (particularly to running backs) than any team ever. Losing JK Robbins certainly hurts, but if any team is poised to still lead the league in rushing after losing a starter like that, it would be the Ravens. They actually finished with a modest 110 team rushing yards. Lamar Jackson only had 169 passing yards while getting sacked four times, but they didn't need much more than that. I'm really pulling for Houston rookie coach DeMeco Ryans (former Niners' defensive coordinator), but I worry they won't have enough firepower this year to really turn things around. His defense seemed ready to play in the first half, but the Ravens figured out something in the third quarter with two straight big drives that ended with touchdowns to take control. Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud threw 44 passes and got sacked five times, so hopefully the Texans run the ball with Dameon Pierce more often and bring balance to that offense (no, I'm not just saying that because I have Pierce on one of my fantasy teams).
New Orleans 16, Tennessee 15
Derek Carr didn't light up the scoreboard or the stat sheet in his debut with the Saints, but he did exactly what the Saints need him to do in his position: play smart, poised football. Carr did throw an INT and took four sacks, but he was clutch several times throughout the game, which proved to be the difference in a tight ball game. Carr made two great passes in the fourth quarter to keep drives alive, which allowed the Saints to maintain possession and keep the Titans' comeback chances slim. On one of those passes, Carr turned a busted coverage into a huge pass play that flipped field position and ultimately clinched the game. Carr and Chris Olave eventually started getting into a rhythm with a few connections. They should be fun to watch. Oh, and if Michael Thomas is your No. 2 receiver, the passing game should be a strength. The Titans play tough, physical defense, and their secondary is no joke, but if the Saints were able to pass the way they did today, they'll be scary when Carr gets more comfortable with the offense and when they face weaker defenses.
SURPRISES
Los Angeles Rams 30, Seattle 13
Whoa, weren't the Seahawks supposed to be nearly unbeatable this year? The Rams always seem to play them well, but to blow them out on their field is hilarious. The Seahawks looked like they put things in cruise control after they extended their insurmountable lead to 13-7 at halftime. DK Metcalf made an incredibly tough catch when he was left absolutely wide open in the end zone, so clearly Geno Smith was on his way to having an excellent game. But nah, the Rams had other plans and scored 23 unanswered points on five possessions in the second half. Geno finished with a whopping 112 passing yards. Matthew Stafford blasted Seattle's defense for 334 passing yards, and that's without Cooper Kupp playing. Suddenly the Niners-Rams game next week feels more critical than I would've guessed.
Tampa Bay 20, Minnesota 17
It amazes me how prognosticators are so confident and certain about which teams will stink. Sure, it's just one game, but Tampa Bay is supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league, and Minnesota is supposed to be a contender in the NFC. But Baker Mayfield made just enough plays, especially in the second half, to prove doubters wrong. He got the team in position for a go-ahead field goal, and the defense held noontime Kirk Cousins in check with the game on the line. The Buccaneers lived with Justin Jefferson going off for 150 yards on nine catches, though most of that was in the first half. As good as Jefferson is, the Vikings will not go far this year if Alexander Mattison does not prove he is capable of handling that No. 1 running back spot, nor if they don't give him enough carries. The loss of Dalvin Cook was not talked about enough in the offseason; Cook is still a running back who can handle a large workload. And no, I don't only know that because I had him in fantasy football last year.
Washington 20, Arizona 16
Just when I was sure that the Cardinals would be, in fact, absolutely awful, they go ahead and give everyone who bet the under on their 3.5 wins total for the season a big scare. Arizona held a potent Washington offense in check until the very end of the game, when the Commanders' patented late-games heroics saved the game. I know they have a new offensive coordinator, and he was already scrutinized for how he was treating his players, but I'm willing to bet that this Commanders' offense will finish as one of the most underachieving in the league. They have stud receivers and a great duo of running backs, but Sam Howell has an uphill battle to prove he's "the guy" in Washington. It's just Week 1, but if the Commanders struggled that much against Arizona, they should be concerned.
Other notes:
Best postgame comment:
"It's frustrating because I called they ass elves and we just lost to some elves." - Ja'Marr Chase, on the Bengals' loss to the Browns.
On the road again
The road teams won 10 of 14 games in Week 1 (Monday Night's game notwithstanding).
My Fantasy Football teams:
-I'm happy that Christian McCaffrey kept racking up the points for me, but if Kyle Shanahan keeps running him late in a blowout victory, I will riot.
-It's infuriating how many times Josh Jacobs had absolutely nowhere to run inside the 5 yard line on multiple series. Garoppolo made things worse with a fumbled snap at the 1 yard line, wasting a down, and then the Raiders offensive line committed a false start on the next play, which erased a rushing attempt for Jacobs. Grr.
-I started Aaron Rodgers, so I'm not upset about that decision (I've already won), but you can bet my QB1 spot going forward is Tua's to lose. I got him in like the 9th or 10th round, an absolute steal, if I do say so myself.
-I'm glad Carr figured out how to get Olave going.
-The most points I left on any of my benches (other than QBs) was 11.0 from Houston receiver Nico Collins. I got him super late in the draft thinking the Texans would lean on him since he was their only returning receiver with significant contributions last year. It's just one game, but I may have been right.
Local TV-itis
I loathe how Kansas TV networks handle NFL telecasts. They interrupt the national broadcast far too often. I missed chunks of halftime shows, postgame comments, and plenty of plays coming back from commercials. Infuriating.