Now that the first week of the NFL season is in the books, we can start to get an early look at which teams are real for this year and which teams may undergo some significant struggles. Let’s take a deeper peek at some of those teams and what their performances may truly mean in terms of the remainder of the season.
Winners
The Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs aren’t resting on their laurels after recent Super Bowl appearances, and it showed with a strong start to the NFL season. Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy proved to be a bright addition and showed flashes of former Chiefs and current Dolphins star Tyreek Hill with his electrifying speed. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes looked like his old self, constantly making plays with his arm and legs, helping lead his team past the Baltimore Ravens 27-20.
During the game, Kansas City’s offense was operational as Mahomes threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Once seemingly thin at wide receiver and with questions at running backs, the Chiefs seemed to have all the answers in Week 1. With Marquise “Hollywood” Brown set to return from injury soon, many believe the Chiefs will only get stronger as the year goes on. This performance underlines their readiness to face forthcoming challenges, keeping them as formidable contenders in view of their favorable FanDuel Super Bowl odds.
The Los Angeles Chargers
Reborn into the new philosophy and teachings of Coach Jim Harbaugh, specifically on the ground, the Los Angeles Chargers have rebranded their approach. After enduring a pair of injury-prone seasons, J.K. Dobbins shone in the NFL season opener, rushing for 135 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in leading his team past the Raiders 22-10. The improvement in the running game makes the attack a bit more balanced, putting less pressure on quarterback Justin Herbert. But the Chargers defense equaled that effort, holding the Raiders to just one red-zone appearance and forcing several turnovers. The balance of such an outing between the two units suggests the Chargers could end up being an AFC factor and might become a trendy play as the season wears on regarding NFL betting.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings entered the season under the wire, with many analysts having big questions about them after rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the season with a torn meniscus. The Vikings, however, doused such doubts with an emphatic performance against the New York Giants. Sam Darnold sailed the game without any tangles, considering that the game plan was very well executed. The defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, kept the Giants’ offense in check throughout the game en route to a lopsided 28-6 victory. This game was more than a statement; it also suggested that the Vikings–and with their current roster and strategic gameplay–may actually be turning some heads this NFL season if they continue performing at this rate, even challenging such teams as the Philadelphia Eagles.
Other Winners from Week 1: New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, and New England Patriots.
Losers
New York Giants
The New York Giants opened up their season quite starkly, getting handled by the Minnesota Vikings 28-6. Quarterback Daniel Jones was especially taken to the woodshed, completing only 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The inability of the Giants’ offensive line to protect him led Jones to be sacked four times, putting them into tough situations offensively.
This game underlined wider issues that the team has faced, including questions about leadership and overall direction under the current coaching regime. The lack of touchdowns and minimal third-down conversions–only 4 of 15 attempts–underlines how steep the challenges they face in becoming competitive.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals came into this year laden with expectations of deep playoff runs over the last couple of seasons, then fell flat out of the blocks in their 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots. Joe Burrow, who sat his entire preseason because of injury management, looked rusty and off. He completed just 21 of 29 passes for 164 yards with no touchdowns.
The Bengals offense never found its rhythm, and the bad offensive line play contributed to five sacks allowed. Some of the blame can be put on a weak wide receiving corps that was missing Tee Higgins and saw Ja’Marr Chase play at less than 100%. The questions that plagued the team last year are back again, raising the red flag of concern about whether or not the team can function at a high level, especially if the disconnect of Burrow continues and the offensive line does not get any better.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers had a disastrous start to the season, getting pounded 47-10 by the New Orleans Saints. Top 2023 draft pick Bryce Young had a game to remember for all the wrong reasons, completing just 13 out of 30 passes for 161 yards and two interceptions. Young provided a combination of errant throws and poor judgment, calling into further question his readiness to be a starting NFL quarterback. The Panthers, who went 2-15 in 2023, could be looking at a similar season in 2024 if Young doesn’t improve. It could also lead to another No. 1 draft pick on a quarterback. The lone bright spot was first-round rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette, who caught four passes for 35 yards after missing much of the preseason.
Other Losers from Week 1: Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee Titans.
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Final Takeaways
After ending 2023 with the 49ers and Chiefs, it’s clear that one week into the season those two teams are still the cream of the crop. Both teams were efficient on offense; the 49ers proved to once again be a machine on defense, shutting down Aaron Rodgers and the Jets on Monday night.
Expected contenders like the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens (despite losing), Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles all gave their fans reasons to be excited after Week 1 with solid performances. Meanwhile, teams that had challenging 2023 seasons and missed the playoffs, like the Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings, have reason for optimism to start 2024.
With all that said, it’s only Week 1, and we should not overreact. While teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns had rough opening games, there is still plenty of season left. Week 2 will only give us a clearer picture of how these teams will perform as the season carries on.
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