Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt (90) knocks the ball from the hands of Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week one of the NFL season concluded with the San Francisco 49ers dominating the Aaron Rodgers led New York Jets 32-19. Rodgers looked pretty good, but the 49ers simply seemed to be a much better team, even without star RB, Christian McCaffrey. With week one in the books, here are some thoughts regarding the league.
Kirk Cousins didn’t help the Falcons offense.
Behind Cousins, the Falcons put up only 10 points in their 18-10 loss to the Steelers. Bijan Robinson had 18 carries for 68 yards. He also caught all five of his targets for another 43 yards. Not bad. But Drake London received only three targets, catching two of them for 15 yards. Cousins threw for only 155 yards with one TD, against two interceptions. Going with Cousins and giving him a four-year contract good for $180 million, with $100 million of that guaranteed. That contract probably won’t wear well.
The Chiefs look even more explosive this season.
Rasheed Rice was a beast in the Chiefs’ opening game 27-20 win over the Ravens on Thursday night. Rice caught seven passes for 103 yards. Rice was coming on strong last season and maintained momentum. Rookie WR, Xavier Worthy showed he was worthy of his draft status. Worthy scored two TDs, one on a run, the other on a pass reception. Mahomes began the 2023 season with a poor crop of receivers. The Chiefs have upgraded this season. It should be even more fun for Mahomes.
The Bears’ defense is real.
In 2023 the Bears’ D suffered some notable collapses late in games in 2023. In the Bears’ 24-17 win over the Titans, the Bears defense looked like a boa constrictor crushing their prey. They may have learned how to win.
Jalen Hurts really didn’t look good against the Packers.
The Eagles defeated the Packers, 34-29, but Hurts threw two interceptions and fumbled once. That interception number could or even should have been higher. Hurts made some really poor decisions with the ball in critical situations. That shouldn’t be happening at this point in his career. If Justin Fields had done that, fans would be calling for his head.
The Panthers and Giants both looked terrible.
The Saints mopped the floor with the Panthers 47-10 while the Giants were being thumped by the Vikings 28-6. The Saints and Vikings aren’t that good so there is reason for the Panthers and Giants to be depressed.
Jim Harbaugh‘s debut went about as could have been expected.
Harbaugh’s Chargers 22-10 win over the Raiders was a Harbaugh special. The Chargers had 176 rushing yards vs. only 140 passing yards. Justin Herbert threw for 144 yards and only one TD. Tough defense and a strong running game will be the backbone of this Chargers team.
Enjoy sports trivia? Check this out: Yesterday’s Heroes Sports Quizzes: Sports Trivia for Baby Boomers eBook : Lambert, Larry: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store
