The first touchdown of the season was scored by Minkah Fitzpatrick when she intercepts a pass and runs it in. The beginning of the story We saw everything in the first week of the football season. The Pittsburgh Steelers forced five turnovers, including a pick-six, against the Cincinnati Reds. The teams played a back and forth game until theSteelers won it with a field goal. Multiple quarterbacks made their debut with a new team. Baker Mayfield played in his first game for the Carolinas against his former team. The Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans played to a tie. Jahan Dotson caught his first and second career touchdown passes, helping the Commanders to a victory over theJaguars. Patrick Mahomes looked as good as ever as the Kansas City Chiefs romped to a victory over the Arizona Cards. Our reporters look ahead to what's next after this week's game, as they react to the biggest revelations. It's time to get to it. Jump to a matchup:
LAR-BUF | NE-MIA | CLE-CAR | BAL-NYJ
CHI-SF | JAX-WSH | PIT-CIN | IND-HOU
NO-ATL | PHI-DET | KC-ARI | GB-MIN
LV-LAC
The additions of Gerald Everett and DeAndre Carter made their presence felt as they both scored a touchdown. Mack, who the Bolts acquired in a blockbuster trade last March, sacked Carr three times and one of the three picks was thrown by him.
Will the Bolts have key players available in time for Thursday night football? J.C. Jackson had ankle surgery last month and was not in the lineup on Sunday. There is a chance that Jackson will be ready to play against the Chiefs on Thursday. In the first half, Allen caught four passes for 66 yards, but he left the game because of a leg injury.
The next game is at the Kansas City Chiefs. The time has not yet been determined.
The Raiders should have played a series in the preseason. Timing was an issue given how off a few of the throws were by Carr. Two of his career-high three picks were underthrown, to Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, and he missed an early touchdown. It could have been worked out in actual game situations since they were all learning a new system.
The offensive line is finished. Las Vegas used three different combinations at what was supposed to be one of the more stable units after Carr was sacked six times. Dylan Parham is the starting right guard, and then he is replaced by Lester Cotton Jr., and then Parham returns.
The next game is against theCardinals. The time has not yet been determined.
Kevin O'Connell had the Vikings ready to play even after a preseason in which the starters played less and a training camp that prioritized injury prevention. The Vikings' defense was violent and led by Za'Darius Smith, who had four sacks.
The Vikings caught the Packers by surprise. Given the fact that the Vikings were debuting a new scheme, it's reasonable to ask. The Vikings can sustain their defensive play if they maintain their level of physical activity. Future opponents will look at how O'Connell was able to get Jefferson open for nine catches. They have to keep evolving there.
The next game is at the Eagles. The time has not yet been determined.
It's the way the Packers treat them that matters. It was worse than last year's 38-3 Week 1 loss to the Saints, but they still won 13 games. The teams plan for regular season games. It didn't seem like the Packers did a lot of that when it came to Jefferson. It didn't look like the Packers tried to stop No. 18. He was open. If you don't want Jaire Alexander to shadow the best receiver in the North, why give him a $30 million signing bonus?
The Packers' offense or defense is more important. The defense is at this point. All of Joe Barry's preferred players were available. This was supposed to be the best defense the Packers had in a long time. There was a paper tiger on the field. There was an excuse for the absence of Allen Lazard, the presumptive No. 1 receiver, and neither of the starting tackles. It might have been different if Christian Watson had not dropped the 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game.
The next game is against the Bears. The time has not yet been determined.
If the passing game is going to suffer without wideout Tyreek Hill, upcoming opponents are going to need to defend the Chiefs better than the Cards did. Patrick Mahomes said that Kansas City would spread the ball around and he did just that, completing passes to nine different people.
Will the pass rush be better this year than it was last year? Even though their statistics weren't great, the Chiefs have reason to be optimistic. They pressured Kyler Murray ten times in 36 dropbacks. The Chiefs didn't put a lot of pressure on Murray.
The next game is against the Bolts. The time has not yet been determined.
It's not a good thing that the Cards picked up where they left off. There was a lack of discipline, offensive ingenuity, solid tackling and consistent protection of Kyler Murray. The talk of getting over last year's late meltdown and winning at home didn't come to fruition in a big loss to the Chiefs.
What is the first thing the Cards should do? The issues that plagued the Cards against the Chiefs aren't new, so figuring out where to begin feels like a monumental task. It's a big concern that they have carried over from last year. There is no offensive production in Arizona. The offense looked stuck in the first three quarters because not enough plays were run for the three players.
The next game is at Raiders. The time has not yet been determined.
This is what Hill does. The Dolphins made it clear that things will run through Hill as he made his regular-season debut. He finished with 94 yards and eight catches on 12 targets after being targeted five times.
How bad was Miami's performance on the ground? The Dolphins were one of the worst rushing teams in the league a year ago, and they had 65 yards on 21 carries against the Pats. The Dolphins struggled to run the ball during the preseason. When things aren't going well on the ground, there is now a competent passing game to carry the offense. The run game should open up as teams get used to the passing game.
The next game is at the Ravens. It's Sunday.
There were self-inflicted wounds that cost the Pats a win. The turnover differential was minus 3 and they didn't convert on fourth-and-3. When one of those turnovers is a strip sack that leads to a touchdown, and the other is in the end zone, it hurts more. Before a team learns how to win, it has to learn how not to lose. After one game, that's true for the Pats.
Can the team get a chance if the offense improves quickly? The offense moved the ball, but couldn't close out the game consistently. The team's second-leading receiver, who had 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdown, didn't play until the fourth quarter. He caught the ball on the left sideline. Why isn't he playing more?
The next game is at Pittsburgh. It's Sunday.
The Dolphins were able to get the ball back in the fourth quarter after Nelson Agholor fumbled.
Lamar Jackson is unaffected by the lack of a contract extension. In the season opener, Jackson threw three touchdown passes and one interception. He looked off his favorite target and found Duvernay in the end zone. Jackson's first pass traveled at least 50 yards in the air, but he stepped up for a 55 yard touchdown reception. Without its top two left tackles and top running back, the Ravens desperately needed a performance like this one.
Can the Ravens keep putting pressure on quarterbacks? The Ravens recorded three sacks and nine quarterback hits in their reunion with Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco after hearing how pass rush was the biggest question mark. The edge was crashed by both Houston and Madubuike. The Ravens wreaked havoc against the Jets. Tua Tagovailoa was sacked three times in the opener and Baltimore has something to prove.
The next game is against the Miami Dolphins. It's Sunday.
The New York Jets stink in September every year. They lost their 13th straight game in the first month of the season with a 24-9 defeat to the Ravens. The offense was unable to convert 2 of 14 third downs. You couldn't tell if the Jets improved their skill positions in the off-season. There were a lot of dropped passes, a couple of key turnovers and poor protection from the offensive line. In the first half, the defense did some nice things, but the secondary allowed three touchdown passes. The Jets weren't competitive in the second half, which doesn't reflect well on the staff. The Jets were out of the game by the start of the fourth quarter as they faced the Ravens with a backup quarterback.
Will the season continue until Wilson returns? The upcoming opponents are both good defensive teams. Wilson is expected to be out for at least two more games. If the Jets don't show dramatic improvement, they will be 0-3 by then. The team that drafted Joe Cold did not give him any help. It's too soon for the fans to clamor for Mike White to be the new quarterback. The Jets have an everything problem.
The next game is against the Cleveland Indians. It's Sunday.
York was drafted in the fourth round by the Cleveland Indians on Sunday. The rookies field goal with eight seconds left was the difference in the game. Coming out of this game, Cleveland will have a lot of issues. After years of struggling on special teams, theClevelandBrowns finally have a kicker with the confidence to deliver big-time field goals
Can Cleveland get more from the pass? The Cleveland running game was led by Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and the offensive line. Had quarterback Jacoby Brissett capitalized on his opportunities in the first half, the Browns would have been in a better position to win the game. In the fourth quarter, Brissett made some clutch throws. Cleveland needs more out of its passing attack in order to stay in the playoffs.
The next game is against the Jets. It's Sunday.
They know they have a quarterback who can bring them back in the fourth quarter, even though they don't know if Baker can be a long-term solution at quarterback. While Sam Darnold was superior to Baker Mayfield in training camp, he was horrible against his former team for most of three quarters before coming up with some fourth-quarter heroics, including a 7-yard scramble for a touchdown and a 75-yard touchdown pass toRobbie Anderson. He led them to a go-ahead field goal, but it was blocked by Cleveland at the end.
There was a running back in the plan. It was thought that the Carolina offense could only succeed if Christian McCaffrey is healthy. The plan was to keep an eye on his snaps. There were only nine touches until Carolina's final drive. He came through with a big play on a screen pass, but Carolina needs more than 57 yards from their star to win.
The next game is at the Giants. It's Sunday.
Baker Mayfield scores a 75-yard touchdown for the panthers.
At times, he showed why he's an upgrade at quarterback. He showed why he has been frustrating. He threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half. Washington was moving at a rapid pace. He threw two picks in the second half that led to 10 Jacksonville points. He sailed passes that he missed. There were questions about how he handled adversity in the past, but he did it after throwing two more touchdown passes. He was given credit for responding.
There is a question about the defensive improvement. Washington held Jacksonville to 22 points, but the Jags missed a lot of opportunities. The Commanders picked off a pass and ended Jacksonville's hopes of a victory. If the Commanders want to move forward, the defense must play better. The Washington pass rush was inconsistent and William Jackson III needs to be better in coverage.
The next game is at the Lions. It's Sunday.
The Jacksonville defense forced three turnovers and didn't give the ball away, which helped the team get back into the game. 10 points were created by the two second half turnovers. During the off-season, theJaguars made a concerted effort to force turnovers, and two of the turnovers were by new players. A ball-hawking defense helps a struggling offense more than anything else. The defense will continue to play well if it can.
Is it possible for Trevor Lawrence to give up on a play? In each instance, Lawrence was fighting to make a play with someone either hanging onto him or in his face. Sometimes it's smart to eat the ball and take the sack since those throws are usually off target.
The next game is against the Indianapolis Colts. It's Sunday.
A.J. Brown is going to have a big year. He set a record for most receiving yards in an Eagles debut with 155. The quarterback targeted Brown 13 times. Hurts and Brown considered each other their best friends and worked on their connection during the off-season. That effort paid off.
What is going on with the defense. The Lions look to be a better team than the Eagles. The Lions ran up 181 yards on 28 carries, which was not good for the Rush Defense. During the preseason, the Eagles only played their starters a short time. The defense looked out of place. Philadelphia hopes so.
The next game is against the vikings. The time is Monday.
In the first half against the Eagles, Swift ran for 97 of his career-best 144 yards, which was the best half of his career. He ran for 100 yards in the season opener, becoming the first player since 1996 to do so.
Lions fans should be concerned with the start. It's not too much. Nobody is expecting the Lions to make the playoffs in 2022. It would be easy to lose another game. Detroit fought back and made it a game.
The next game is against the commanders. It's Sunday.
Eric Moody talks about A.J. Brown's success.
There is a man named Michael Thomas. Despite not playing a game last season, the wide receiver proved he still has a lot left in the tank as the Saints looked like they were in trouble in the first half. Despite trailing by 16 points at one point in the second half, the Saints were able to come back thanks to Thomas. The Saints' offense will be turned around by Thomas.
Does the Saints have problems in the trenches? The offensive and defensive lines of the Saints won't like watching this film. The offense struggled in the first half due to the O-line's issues. Four sacks weren't entirely on the line, but it definitely contributed. On the other side, the Saints' D-line couldn't get a sack.
The next game is against the Bucs. It's Sunday.
Is that really happening? What looked like a big debut for Marcus Mariota in Atlanta turned into a double-digit collapse in the fourth quarter. The lead turned into a loss. What is the way? The defense became porous. Two of the offense's drives were not productive. The Falcons had a chance to go to Los Angeles with a big boost in Week 2, but it didn't happen.
Is it sustainable that the pressure is improved? Dean Pees was willing to send rushers from every level of the defense, which helped create problems, including four sacks. When the Falcons stopped creating pressure, New Orleans came back, but considering the Rams allowed seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits on Thursday, there could be more opportunities to come.
At Rams, the next game will be played. It's Sunday.
The Bears showed they're capable of fighting back even though they were not at their best. The quarterback went 3-for-9 for 19 yards in the first half. The Bears were only able to get past their own 35-yard line once. In the second half, it was completely different. Fields had a chance to get the Bears back in the game by extending a play for the first score of the game. Fields went 5-for-8 for 102 yards and two touchdown passes in the second half, and the Bears' offense scored on three straight possessions to seal their first win of the season.
The Bears need to get their skill position players involved sooner. The Bears tried to run the ball in the first half, but it took too long for them to open things up against a 49ers secondary that got stuck in cement. Dante Pettis caught a 51-yard touchdown pass from Fields in the third quarter. Brown for an 18-yard touchdown that gave the Bears the lead and Chicago put the Niners away with a 3-yard touchdown run by Herbert. In Week 2 at Green Bay, the offense needs to get its best players involved and support Fields more quickly.
At Packers, the next game will be played. It's Sunday.
The 49ers can't afford to make silly mistakes like they did against the Bears if they want to be a contender. On a wet, sloppy field, points always figured to be at a premium, but the Niners piled up a variety of self-inflicted errors that kept the Bears in the game. There were 12 penalties for 99 yards by the Niners. On Chicago's first two scoring drives, the Niners were flagged for two 15-yard penalties, an incomplete pass and a holding penalty. The quarterback threw a pick up. Lance is learning on the go and the Niners aren't built to overcome so many costly mistakes.
This loss hurts the 49ers. After spending the second half of last year trying to get back into the playoffs, the Niners were hoping to start quicker. It's a long season and weird stuff happens all the time, but this is the kind of loss that could haunt San Francisco. If the Niners don't get the ship righted soon, they're going to be playing do-or-die games throughout the last half of the year just like they did in 2021.
The next game is against Seattle. It's Sunday.
Nine years have passed since the Colts won a season opener. The Colts have lost in all sorts of ways in Week 1 in the last few years. The outcome of the game was similar to the one they had on Sunday in that there were a lot of mistakes and the kicker missed a field goal in overtime. The Colts came away with nothing to show for their late third-quarter comeback.
The Colts have a kicker. Jake Verity was added to the team because they were not confident in their place- kicking situation. Blankenship won the position battle by default due to poor performances by Verity. He has not been reliable in pressure situations for Indianapolis. The leg strength of Blankenship has been a problem. In his two previous seasons, he was 0-for-4 beyond 50 yards. Adam Vinatieri's late-career struggles cost the Colts multiple potential wins.
The next game is at the Jacksonville stadium. It's Sunday.
The Texans blew a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter and lost to the Colts. The Texans have never had a tie in their history. After being held to three points and 232 yards in the first three quarters, the Colts scored 217 yards and 17 points in the fourth. Colts quarterback Matt Ryan went 12 for 19 for 146 yards and a touchdown, and running back Jonathan Taylor ran for 70 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, as the Texans' defense was overwhelmed. The Texans' defense allowed the Colts to march into field goal range before Blankenship missed a 42 yarder.
The first and fourth quarters may be an indication of what the offense will be. The offense didn't score a point in the fourth quarter as quarterback Davis Mills completed zero passes. The Colts were able to force overtime thanks to that. They only produced 13 yards in the first quarter. The running game finished with 77 yards, which was dead last in the league, and their average of 83 from the previous year was dead last.
The next game is at the Broncos It's Sunday.
As he crosses the goal line, Jonathan Taylor will be allowed to.
The defense is better than advertised but more important than the outcome of the game was T.J. Watt leaving the field with an injury. He went to the locker room and looked like he had a torn chest. In the first half, Joe Burrow had six turnovers. Fitzpatrick scored the first touchdown of the year when he picked off the first pass attempt of the game and returned it 31 yards. The offense was only able to score 10 points off of the turnovers in the first half. The defense had six sacks. In order to have success this season, the team will need more offensive support, whether it's putting points on the board or extending drives.
This isMitch Trubisky's team. If Trubisky's performance contributes to the offensive stagnation, this will be the most important question of the season. The offense was only 231 yards. Many of Trubisky's passes missed the mark, including a few that sailed too high. On a crucial third down in the fourth quarter, Trubisky's pass bounced in between two receivers, and the Steelers came away with no points. The offensive line held up well despite the lowlights of the preseason and Trubisky was only hit four times. The offense couldn't keep possession and the time of possession was 43:43:23.
The next game is against the New England team. It's Sunday.
The offense picked up where it left off. In the season opener, that was the main reason for the loss. There were a lot of sacks and an inconsistent offense. Despite a very strong defensive effort, theBengals were unable to win the Super Bowl. If Cincinnati wants to defend its title, it needs to resolve that problem.
Should the Cincinnati Reds be worried about Joe Burrow? He played his worst game since joining the league. On a day when he was sacked six times, he had five turnovers. There should be no long-term concerns for the third-year player coming off an emergency appendix surgery because of his history, strengths and resolve at the end of the game.
At Cowboys, the next game will be played. It's Sunday.
The Bills played far from a perfect game, but still walked away from the opener with a 21-point victory. After three first-half turnovers, the offense responded in spectacular fashion with three straight touchdown drives and finished the game converting 9 of 10 third downs. In addition to the offensive success, the defensive line lived up to the high expectations, finishing with seven sacks on Matthew Stafford.
Will the Bills continue to use quarterback Josh Allen as a pass rushing threat? Allen finished the game with 10 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown as the Bills' leading running back. The amount of hits the quarterback is taking through the course of the season is something that the team has talked about trying to minimize. Allen said that limiting the hits, slide and getting outta bounds was the most important thing. When I'm called upon to help my team, I'm willing to do it. Allen should run with a two-touchdown lead even if he isn't effective. Ken is going to have to keep working on the right balance.
The next game is against the Tennessee team. The time is Monday.
Matthew Stafford didn't do much to end the questions about his elbow injury and whether it is affecting his game in the only game he has played. Stafford was sacked seven times. Cooper Kupp accounted for more than half of the Rams' receiving yards.
Do the Rams expect to see more from the two players? When Sean McVay was asked if Akers was involved in the game, he said, "We really just didn't get in a rhythm tonight." Darrell Henderson Jr. played 54 snaps on Thursday. McVay brought up the idea of getting Robinson more involved in the offense. Robinson was targeted on 45 routes. He had the lowest target rate of his career.
The next game is against the Falcons. It's Sunday.
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