So much happens during one singular week in the NFL. How could one possibly cover everything thing that goes on from the NFC East to the AFC West, from Thursday to Monday, from injury wire to biggest fantasy implications?
Verge tries to wrap up each game and blanket the important storylines in only sentences, or four quarters. Let’s get to it.
Thursday Night Football
Green Bay Packers 10 – Chicago Bears 3
Mitchell Trubisky has been the prime talk of the NFL’s season debut with a subpar performance. The story here is the Packers defence, who for the first time in many seasons looked about as masterful as their QB Aaron Rodgers.
The Bears will need to monitor how much they can trust Trubisky longterm. Green Bay and rookie head coach Matt LeFleur still have a ton of work to do to catch their offence up to their defensive play, but Rodgers surviving Chicago’s ferocious week one performance is a start.
NFL Sunday
Washington Redskins 27 – Philadelphia Eagles 32
Vernon Davis and Desean Jackson, well into their careers, are still performing at fairly high level. Jackson was especially phenomenal, who is now second all-time in 50-yard receiving touchdowns.
Philadelphia’s secondary was always going to be a question mark this year, but Malik Jackson’s season-ending injury is concerning for their defensive line. Most importantly, Carson Wentz appears to be back and better than ever and he and the Eagles looked magnificent in the second half.
Tennessee Titans 43 – Cleveland Browns 13
It’s very easy to see this week one loss from Cleveland and point fingers at Baker Mayfield. No, he wasn’t great, but nobody played well for the Browns in an embarrassing season-opening loss at home.
It’s also easy to see how the Titans played and crown them early victors of the AFC South. If Mariota is healthy then anything is possible for Tennessee.
Baltimore Ravens 59 – Miami Dolphins 10
It might be a long season for rookie head coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins. A near 50 point loss and seemingly no direction for your organization is not an ideal way to start the year.
For the second straight year, the Ravens have devastated an AFC East team in a season opener. Lamar Jackson had very little to say about his exceptional week one, “Not bad for a running back.”
Atlanta Falcons 12 – Minnesota Vikings 28
Kirk Cousins was the winning QB while only throwing 10 passes in the Vikings opener against Atlanta. Sure he had an 80% completion percentage but the real standouts were Dalvin Cook and Minnesota’s defence.
The Falcons for a second straight year is off to a slow start. For Dan Quinn and his job’s sake, they have a lot to figure out and fast.
Buffalo Bills 17 – New York Jets 16
Buffalo went from starting Nate Peterman and losing badly in 2018 to securing a key victory early against a division rival a year later. An ugly game from both teams but the Sean McDermott led Bills have come a long way.
Chris Herndon’s four-game suspension may have been a larger loss than previously thought. The Jets offence, now with Leveon Bell and the second year of Sam Darnold, looked underwhelming all day with seemingly not many winnable games until after their bye week.
Los Angeles Rams 30 – Carolina Panthers 27
For those who drafted Cam Newton in fantasy and hoped for MVP Cam, your season might not be going in the direction you wanted. Newton, coming off shoulder surgery, was unsurprisingly inaccurate and ineffective.
Todd Gurley’s knee didn’t seem to be a huge issue in week one. Even with limited reps, when called upon to ice the game in the final quarter of play, Gurley delivered.
Kansas City Chiefs 40 – Jacksonville Jaguars 26
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs put up 40 points in a football game. No, this isn’t news but Sammy Watkins gaining nearly 200 yards receiving is and his success is far more important after a Tyreek Hill injury that’ll sideline Hill indefinitely.
Nick Foles is out until week 11 at the earliest after a broken clavicle and the Jags season now rests in the hands of Washington State University standout Gardner Minshew. What is it about the AFC South and the frequency of injuries to QB’s?
Indianapolis Colts 24 – Los Angeles Chargers 30
What an impressive comeback for Jacoby Brissett and the Colts. Ultimately it ended in a brutal OT loss, no one more brutal than kicker Adam Vinetari who missed two field goals and an extra point.
While the Colts future Hall of Fame kicker cost them the game, Austin Ekeler made his message very clear, “Melvin Gordon who?” Gordon and Darwin James will still be needed dearly if the Chargers want to make it to February.
Cincinnati Bengals 20 – Seattle Seahawks 21
The Bengals gave the Seahawks all they could handle on the road and it shed some light on a few items for discussion. For starters, John Ross finally seems to be coming into his own as heir apparent to injury-prone pro-bowler AJ Green.
As for Seattle, newly acquired Clowney looks to be sealing up any loose ends the Seahawks were having defensively. However, Russell Wilson and the offence were anything but sharp or impressive.
New York Giants 17 – Dallas Cowboys 35
It was all Dak Prescott in Dallas’ week one win over the Giants. It’s hard to imagine the Cowboys waiting much longer to pay their QB whatever he desires.
While Prescott continues to prove to everyone that he should not have had to wait till the fourth round to hear his name called on draft night, there is really only one question that is being investigated surrounding the New York Giants. How long does it take before Daniel Jones gets his first career NFL start?
Detroit Lions 27 – Arizona Cardinals 27
Another opening weekend for the NFL, another tie. Unlike last years Steelers and Browns ordeal, the Lions visit to Arizona was filled with not a lot in the way of intrigue.
Sure Kyler Murray’s NFL debut had sparks occasionally fly, but ties in the NFL unanimously being hated takes away from Murray’s exciting fourth quarter. Everyone is left mostly with Detroit’s collapse and the continuing discussion of how to do away with not having a winner at the end of regulation in a regular-season game.
San Francisco 49ers 31 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
Bruce Arians return to coaching was met with a fairly unwatchable game. the Niners came out on top but Jimmy Garopollo and his team must play better if they have any plans of seeing the postseason.
Arians’ QB Jamies Winston had another forgettable performance and even more pick-6’s. Miami might not be the only team in Florida taking a quarterback early in the 2020 NFL draft
Pittsburgh Steelers 3 – New England Patriots 33
Antonio Brown will be a member of the Patriots next week. Before his arrival, New England won by 30 in a game some people believe is a preview for the AFC Championship game.
After the Ravens dominating week one performance, it’s evident the Steelers have a lot of work to do if they want to hoist the Lombardi Trophy later this year. Brown’s old team might be missing his talents a bit more than previously anticipated.
Monday Night Football
Houston Texans 28 – New Orleans Saints 30
Deshaun Watson looked incredible all night for the Texans in a loss that must be difficult to stomach. Houston played great all night on both sides of the ball, even their offensive line wasn’t terrible.
While Watson still needs a bit more protection, the Saints were sluggish in their victory. Thanks to a game-winning field goal from Will Lutz, New Orleans avoids starting 0-1, at home, for two straight seasons.
Denver Broncos 16 – Oakland Raiders 24
No team has limped into the regular season in such tumultuous fashion like the Oakland Raiders. A Monday Night Football win over a division rival is one way to start forgetting about their disastrous off-season.
Derek Carr, Tyrell Williams and rookie Josh Jacobs all played execptionally and pulled out a victory late over Denver. Jon Gruden now starts 1-0 for the first time in his comeback to coaching with the Raiders.
