With over 100 million people tuning in to watch week one of the NFL, there were tons of surprises, debuts, and exciting teams to watch. That being said, it’s hard to watch 16 games in one weekend, which is why we have got it covered.
Here’s everything you need to know from week one of the NFL so that you are raring to go in week two.
Thursday Night Football
Detroit Lions 21 – Kansas City Chiefs 20
After a long awaited 207 days, 27.5 million people tuned in to watch the Detroit Lions battle the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs were at a disadvantage without star players Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, but they looked good at halftime, leading 14-7 behind a pair of Patrick Mahomes touchdown passes. Momentum changed with a Brian Branch 50 yard pick 6 for the Lions early in the second half, which saw them tie the game. The Chiefs offense could never surmount to more than a field goal opportunity for the remainder of the game, leaving the door open for Lions running back David Montgomery to score the team’s third touchdown of the night, handing the Chiefs their first week one loss since 2014.
Sunday
Carolina Panthers 10 – Atlanta Falcons 24
The defensive effort of the Atlanta Falcons in their week one victory over the Carolina Panthers proved to the 2023 first overall draft pick Bryce Young that the NFL is a major step up from the SEC. Free safety Jessie Bates was a contributing factor for the Falcons defense, earning two interceptions and passes defended.
The game was 7-7 at halftime, but four unsuccessful fourth quarter drives for the Panthers allowed the Falcons to take control and earn their first week one victory since 2017, with two touchdowns late in the game. Young earned a passer rating of just 14.6 in his first NFL game, the lowest amongst rookie quarterbacks CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson.
Houston Texans 9 – Baltimore Ravens 25
Although Bryce Young had the worst rookie quarterback performance of the week, CJ Stroud did not perform much better in his debut with the Texans, receiving a passer rating of just 21.2. Neither quarterback played great, as the newly resigned Lamar Jackson failed to throw a touchdown, and instead tossed an interception.
Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers impressed, earning 78 yards on nine receptions, while the team earned three rushing touchdowns. The Texans did not reach the end zone once, only scoring three field goals, and proving there is work to be done on offense heading into their week two matchup against Indianapolis.
Cincinnati Bengals 3 – Cleveland Browns 24
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow recently became the highest paid player in the NFL with a five year $275 million contract, but it did not look that way against the Cleveland Browns. The defense of the Browns tore apart the Bengals offense, limiting them to just 142 yards and a field goal, while the Browns earned 350 yards.
Browns running back Nick Chubb earned 106 yards, and although tossing an interception, quarterback Deshaun Watson achieved a passing and rushing touchdown. Burrow’s start this season was disappointing to say the least, but maybe a home crowd next weekend against the Baltimore Ravens will allow momentum to shift for the 26 year old and his offense.
Jacksonville Jaguars 31 – Indianapolis Colts 21
Although he started his NFL career back in 2021 with a 3-14 season, quarterback Trevor Lawrence looked determined to erase those days from his career. He received a passer rating of 103.8 against the Colts on Sunday, tossing two touchdowns in the first half and becoming an offensive leader amongst the Jaguars.
The Colts offense earned three touchdowns and offensive linebacker Zaire Franklin acquired an impressive eight tackles, but they were simply outscored by the speed of the Jaguars. If Lawrence remains consistent throughout the season, this team could become an offensive threat when you add its receivers like Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 – Minnesota Vikings 17
Tom Brady gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three great seasons to remember, but the Baker Mayfield era has arrived. Surrounded by strong offensive options like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Mayfield delivered two passing touchdowns against the Vikings defense, while Minnesota’s quarterback Kirk Cousins allowed two fumbles, reducing the chances of scoring and confidence of the home crowd.
The game remained close throughout with the largest lead being just seven for the Vikings, midway through the second quarter, however, the Buccaneers defense stayed strong in the second half and allowed their team to not only win the game, but look like the favorites heading into their week two matchup against Chicago.
Tennessee Titans 15 – New Orleans Saints 16
It was a day of debuts as 70,028 fans packed the Caesar’s Superdome to watch former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, and former Lions running back Jamaal Williams make their Saints debuts, while 5-time pro bowl star Deandre Hopkins also made his first appearance for the Titans. Carr tossed 23 completions for 305 yards and a touchdown, while Williams averaged just 2.5 yards across 18 carries.
Second year Saints receiver Chris Olave looked to be an offensive threat for his team this season, as he earned 112 receiving yards, the second most throughout his career. Meanwhile, Titans kicker Nick Folk completed the work for his team, scoring all five field goal attempts taken. An interception by Carr was the only thing leaving fans to question his performance, but combined with the three interceptions completed by the Saint’s defense it was enough to get the win.
San Francisco 49ers 30 – Pittsburgh Steelers 7
The acquisition of running back Christian McCaffrey last season for the San Francisco 49ers is already paying off this year, as he carried the ball for 152 yards and a touchdown on Sunday against the Steelers. Meanwhile, the story of Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy into the transformation of Mr. Relevant carries on, as he extended his career regular season record to 6-0, tossing 220 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Steelers and Kenny Pickett did not stand a chance entering the second half down 20-7, and only had one yard of offense to the 49ers 199 yards. Two interceptions from Pickett did not help the Steelers’ confidence, but it’s clear the 49ers are looking to make themselves out as a season-long threat.
Arizona Cardinals 16 – Washington Commanders 20
Washington D.C. proved they are more than happy to be living in the post Dan Snyder era after selling out FedEx field for the first time in the teams history on Sunday against the Cardinals. The first half began with the Commanders on top and ended with a 13-10 Cardinals lead. Arizona kicker Matt Prater scored his third field goal of the day in the third quarter, giving the Cardinals a 16-10 lead, silencing a crowd once previously excited for its team’s new era.
Life was restored into the stadium when Commanders nose tackle Daron Payne recovered a fumble at the Arizona 29 yard line, leading to an eventual touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Commanders kicker Joey Slye added three more points late in the quarter, and the Cardinals offense were unable to answer. Quarterback Sam Howell finished the day with a passer rating of 45.5, ranking 17th of all 32 league quarterbacks, however, the team continues to ride behind him and has not seemed to lose faith after its week one victory. Commanders fans, welcome to the era of Sam Howell.
Green Bay Packers 38 – Chicago Bears 20
For the past 15 years the Green Bay Packers have been symbolized by the figure of Aaron Rodgers, but when the team failed to make the playoffs last season, it was finally time for a change. A confident replacement appeared to be offered in the form of Jordan Love, who tossed for 245 yards and three touchdowns in only his second NFL start.
Meanwhile the struggle of Justin Fields continued for the Bears, who tossed just one touchdown and an interception along with it. The Packers continued to dominate the age-old rivalry between the two sides as the Bears have failed to defeat them since 2018.
Las Vegas Raiders 17 – Denver Broncos 16
Broncos fans entered the 2023 season far more confident in quarterback Russell Wilson’s abilities than the year prior, but they are going to have to wait at least another week for that prophecy to be fulfilled, as the Broncos were defeated at home by the Raiders and a debuting Jimmy Garoppolo. Both quarterbacks played great, each tossing two touchdowns and earning passer ratings of over 100, easily making this the closest game of the weekend.
While Garoppolo’s 77% passing completion was undoubtedly impressive, the only component of the game separating the two sides was a missed extra point by Broncos kicker Will Lutz, which saw the first quarter conclude 7-6 Raiders, and allowed them to take the one point lead early on. The Bronco’s did have a 13-10 lead entering the second half but a 60 yard Raiders touchdown drive midway through the final quarter proved to be fatal, resulting in a Broncos home loss. Wilson and his side will be looking to spoil the high hopes of Commanders fans next week during their second home game in a row, while Garoppolo will face an even bigger challenge in the Buffalo Bills.
Miami Dolphins 36 – Los Angeles Chargers 34
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa currently leads the NFL in passing yards after week one, heaving the ball for 466 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers. The offense of Los Angeles did not make it an easy affair however, as rushing touchdowns were awarded to running backs Austin Ekler and Joshua Kelley, and quarterback Justin Herbert.
The largest offensive flurry of the weekend ended in disappointment for the Chargers, making it just 10 yards in their final drive and handing the Dolphins a win on the road. Even without newly acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Dolphins did just enough on defense to get the job done, and head into Sunday night football next weekend against the Patriots with a winning record.
Philadelphia Eagles 25 – New England Patriots 20
On an afternoon dedicated to Tom Brady, the New England Patriots were just 20 yards short of impressing the future hall of famer and their crowd, but couldn’t complete the comeback they had in mind. The Eagles offense stormed in the first quarter, taking a 16-0 lead early on led by a 70 yard Darius Slay pick-6 and Jalen Hurts touchdown pass. That didn’t stop Mac Jones from going on to throw 316 yards and three touchdowns, but the efforts of the Patriots were too little too late.
The introduction of Ezekiel Elliot to the Patriots was a disappointment, as he only contributed 29 yards and lost the ball to a fumble. Meanwhile the Eagles picked up right where they left off, with key targets throughout the game being A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. As they look to make another Super Bowl run, they face the Vikings this Thursday in the first game of week two.
Los Angeles Rams 30 – Seattle Seahawks 13
Looking to avenge their 5-12 record from last season, the Los Angeles Rams did not leave many options open on offense for Geno Smith and the Seahawks. Wide receiver DK Metcalf shimmied past Rams defensive blocker Derion Kendrick for the Seahawks only touchdown of the game, while although throwing 334 yards, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford relied on the running game for his team’s scoring opportunities.
Running Back Kyren Williams made his first start for the Rams and impressed with 52 yards and two touchdowns while wide receivers Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell both led the team in receiving yards with 119. Both teams face tough opponents next weekend with the Rams taking on the 49ers, and the Seahawks with a lot to discuss before facing the newly rejuvenated Lions.
Dallas Cowboys 40 – New York Giants 0
Every time it looked like the Giants were going to get on the board, they failed to do so. It seemed as if the team’s confidence was diminished within the first drive after Giants kicker Graham Gano had a punt blocked and returned by Cowboys cornerback Noah Igbinoghene for a touchdown. Along with another missed field goal from Gano, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw two interceptions, and barely passed for 100 yards. Safe to say there will be a lot of talking to do amongst the team before they face the Arizona Cardinals next week.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys did not fail to impress, with running back Tony Pollard earning 70 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense obviously gave Daniel Jones, Noah Gano, and the Giants offensive line a night they would like to forget. The Cowboys play the Jets in week two, a team who is facing an early season problem of their own.
Monday Night Football
Buffalo Bills 16 – New York Jets 22 (OT)
After Aaron Rodgers suffered a season ending torn Achilles just 75 seconds into the Jets first drive, it was unsure for home fans how the rest of the night would play out. But the sense of early discouragement amongst MetLife stadium did not stop replacement quarterback Zach Wilson, and the Jets offense from putting on a gutsy display resulting in a 65 yard punt return to win in overtime.
Three Josh Allen interceptions may have also helped the Jets case, but fighting back to win after losing by 10 at halftime on a night dedicated to the heroes of New York City has got to give this team confidence heading into the rest of the season.
