Takeaways from week 1 of the NFL
NFC East produces, Mahomes’ stays lethal, Chargers hang on, Steelers win NFC North classic
After an immensely suspenseful offseason, week one of the NFL did not disappoint. The high expectations for complete and utter drama were met yesterday as numerous week one headliners kept NFL fans glued to their seats. Whether it was the bizarre back-and-forth overtime finish in Cincinnati, numerous fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning field goals, or players simply showing out for their new squads, there was barely any time to breathe. Yet again, the constant action and intense violence displayed every football Sunday on these fields creates entertainment across the globe that reminds us how much we truly missed the game while it was gone.
Over the past few years, the NFC East has been one of the worst divisions in the NFL. Constant NFC East division winners in the past that moved on to the playoffs were reaching the postseason with records severely lower than their opponents. This was due to the all-around lack of success within the four organizations of the NFC East. This year looks to be different as the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Philadelphia Eagles all won their week one bout in dramatic fashion.
The Giants went into Nashville and upset the Tennessee Titans beating them 21-20 by a missed field goal propelling them to a 1-0 record. The Commanders and Eagles also came out victorious hanging on against their opponents after going ahead early. These victories show progression within the teams of this division and will send a message to the rest of the NFC that heading East is no longer a breeze.
Players like Giants running back, Saquon Barkley, Eagles wide receiver, A.J. Brown, and Commanders wide receiver, Curtis Samuel, helped these three squads offensively prevail in week one with tremendous season openers. Unlike those three players, Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, did not help his team prevail on Sunday.
The injury plagued Dallas offense was exposed on Sunday night as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’, Super Bowl poised bunch, rumbled through AT&T Stadium putting a damper on the Cowboys home opener. Dallas’ offense will need to regroup and get healthy for them to stay afloat with the surprisingly competitive division around them. Unfortunately that journey will only take longer as Prescott will undergo a surgery on his right thumb which was sustained in Sunday night’s game. The injury will bench Prescott for the next 6-8 weeks as reported by ESPN Cowboys writer, Todd Archer.
Doubts about the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs offense consumed the NFL headlines this past offseason after the loss of speed weapon wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, to Miami, but clearly Patrick Mahomes wasn’t listening. Mahomes arrived in Arizona Sunday and laid waste to the Cardinals secondary as he threw five touchdowns with 360 yards. Five of those touchdowns landed in the hands of four different players. The absence of Hill only removed the predictability of the Chiefs’ dominant offense as the new group of wide receivers at Mahomes’ disposal makes the young quarterback’s decision making more unpredictable than ever.
Kansas City was not the only AFC West team that sent a message Sunday as Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers defeated their divisional rival, Las Vegas Raiders, in a thrilling week one battle. Herbert’s progression going into his third year in the NFL was on full display as he avoided collapsing pockets, moving to his left and right, finding receivers on the run without an issue. Herbert exhibited his elite pocket presence unlike Raiders quarterback, Derek Carr, as he was taken to the ground five times, twice by former Raider teammate, edge rusher, Khalil Mack.
Although Carr had one of the worst games of his career throwing three interceptions on under-thrown balls, the arrival of new wide receiver, Davante Adams, adds an aerial dimension to this Raiders offense that it did not have last season. Adams finished his Raiders debut with an impressive 10 catches for 140 yards along with a touchdown. Carr will need to make better choices when he wants to aggressively spread the ball down the field after his many questionable decisions, if the Raiders want to be competitive in this gruesome AFC West.
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati lived up to their infamously entertaining rivalry as they put on a classic at the Bengals home, Paycor Stadium, Sunday afternoon. Young and talented Bengals quarterback did not start the season as Bengals fans thought he would as he threw four interceptions in the wild, back and forth game. Though he turned it over five times including a fumble, he still kept the Bengals in the game finding stud wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, constantly. Yet the lethal combination was not enough to take down the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers’ defense lead by defensive end, T.J. Watt and safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick, disrupted the Bengals potent offense, giving new quarterback Mitch Trubisky a chance to run their offense and put points on the board. Fitzpatrick had to take the game into his own hands as he blocked what would have been the game winning field goal for the Bengals and advanced the game into Overtime where the Steelers prevailed victorious. A huge takeaway from this AFC North battle was the fight of the Steelers defense and reliability on Joe Burrow to perform highly for the Bengals. The injury of key wide receiver, Tee Higgins, will not help Burrow keep a consistency on offense as they take on the powerful Cowboys’ defense next week.
Once again, the NFL captivated millions of households by putting on another brilliantly high octane eleven hours of football. The headlines will only be more dramatic and interesting as the weeks move on, as so much talent and momentum for certain organizations is beginning to show. Let the NFL season unfold and be ready for more updates here at spotlifeasia.com.
