The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Opinion
NFL Week 1
San Antonio-(RYM)-What a crazy week one! Who would have thought that Winston and The Saint would beat up one the Rodgers and the Packers? or that the Browns would give a fight to the Chiefs, or Tampa almost losing to the Cowboys. Let us get started with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of week 1 in the NFL.
Dallas 29, Tampa 31
First off, WHAT A GAME!!!!!!! Come on, it was amazing!!! Dak and the Cowboys Offense stood toe to toe vs The Goat and his Super Bowl-winning team.
Good:
Dallas might have set a template on how to beat Tampa Bay and Tom Brady, one thing we do know is that this time last year Tom could not connect with Mike Evans or Chris Goodwind to save his life and Gronk was nothing more than blocking TE, which shows the HUGE importance of an offseason when it comes to new teams and new staff, but now they look like they did midseason last year so the question that comes up is can they be better than last year?
As for Dallas I mean could we have won the NFC East had Dak and the OL not gotten hurt? Who knows honestly but we can say now that Dak is back that WR Corp looks Banging, Amari Cooper alone had 13 Catches for 139 yards and 2 TDs so yeah the passing game is going to be a huge benefit. The other good part of Dallas is the Defense who forced Tom Brady to have 2 Int (one of which we won't count because it was on a Hail Mary so why even count it) plus a fumble and made Tom feel like the AFC Championship in 2015 and Von Miller was coming for him.
Bad:
Tampa lost CB Sean Murphy-Bunting to a with a dislocated elbow and with starting Safety Jordan Whitehead out as well, tackling the perimeter is going to be a difficult task for them to take on. Both offense and defense need to work on the turnover battle four turnovers cannot keep happening if they want to repeat last year.
Dallas they need to figure out what is going on with Zeke 33 yards on 11 carries, if he wants to be paid like a Hall of Fame RB then he better play otherwise Jerry I am thinking a Hershell Walker Trade in the making and there is plenty of teams that would give up a few first-round picks for him (talking to Texans and Jags). Dallas also needs to work on the Red Zone offense. They had plenty of chances to score 7 and instead went for 3 and the ugly will explain that.
Ugly:
Dallas special teams, Greg Zuerlein missed a 31, 60, and Extra point totaling in 7 points that could have won the game for Dallas, if Zuerlein does not get things fixed then I think we need to go find Gostkowski or get Vinatieri out of retirement. If Dallas wants to not repeat last year and win the NFC East with a shot at the playoffs they will need to fix the mistakes in special teams or history may repeat itself.
Overall:
Tampa is in mid-season form and Dallas is much improved and this is going to be a fun season for both teams.
Chargers 20, WTF 16
Justine Herbert is making the sophomore rise as the future of the Chargers, and Washington will have many questions to answer during the week.
Justine Herbert and Chase Young Face off/NBC Sports
Good:
Herbert kept his cool even after throwing a Red Zone INT and Fumbling in the same place, which shows his growth as not only a player but a leader which allowed him to find Mike Williams for the game-winning TD, this shows that he truly has become the QB of the future for the Chargers. His connection with Keenan Allen is getting so much stronger than if they keep that up they will be able to complete each other………..waiting for Eunice to finish……...okay no luck……. Sentences.
Washington is a young team with a lot of upside especially on the defensive side of the ball which played great even with the rise of Justine Herbert. If they can increase the good, Washington will be a huge challenge to anyone in the NFC.
Bad:
2 Red Zone turnovers had this been the Chargers of old they would have lost the game, this cannot happen if they want any chance of making the playoffs especially knowing they have to play the Chiefs twice a year and young Defense in Denver.
Washington had a lot of questions coming into the Games on offense especially in the QB room, play the Red Zone Defense was well let's just say they did not look like they have first-round talent across the defensive line they could just not get to Herbert and if they want any chance doing something that has not been on in their division since 2004 that cannot happen.
Ugly:
Fitzpatrick is out with a hip injury, and Taylor Heinicke could not repeat his huge performance from last year vs Tampa Bay. Can he be the savior for Washington that is yet to be seen which then leaves Kyle Allen who has not been the healthiest QB in the past as No. 2, can this be history repeating itself in Washington we will have to wait and see.
Overall:
The Charges are looking at the future with bright eyes and full hearts, while Washington is questioning what is going to happen in the QB room and with their season.
Cardinals 38, Titans 13
Cardinals a Super Bowl Contender? Will the Titans make it back to the AFC Championship game? So many questions so little time.
Titans QB is Sacked by Cardinals DE Chandler Jones/ USA Today-Titans
Good:
Chandler Jones 5 sacks tied the franchise record and now with JJ Watt in the mix, the debt on defense is showing. Offensively Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins balled out with 2 TDs each, which simply tells us that the Cardinals have one powerful offense and people should be worried as well. Do not forget he may have had a silent night but they still have AJ Green back there and Murry is mobile.
Titans tend to start slow and like we have seen in the past this may just be due to the lack of practice as a team so going into next week's matchup vs the Seahawks things should be different and they should be back to normal form.
Bad:
The Cardinals only have one bad thing, how are they going to keep feeding all this WR? And can the Defense stay as potent as they were vs the Titans?
King Henry's 8 yards in the first half is the lowest since 2019 which led to him not being able to eat like he normally does, if they can fix this and get back to the rushing title Henry from last year they can get back to the playoffs.
Ugly:
Offensive Line struggles, questions on the left and right side. It got so bad that last year's 2k yard rusher who dominated DL was stopped consistently on or behind the line of scrimmage which stopped the drives and allowed no rhythm to be created. Of course, the biggest question is Taylor Lewan is their highest-paid Lineman and yet got tossed around like I toss back Beers after I lose my Fantasy match up by 0.2 points, he is the leader and anchor for the line, and if he fails they all do.
Overall:
One game does not define your season, at least in the beginning, and that is what we see here. The Cardinals are good but are they as good as we saw or did they just take advantage of a lackluster OL that didn't practice together till the week of game 1 and can the Titans fix that OL and get back to helping King Henry Eat.
Seahawks 28, Colts 16
Seahawks are looking good, and the Colts well I guess Carson Wentz injury problems have spread all over the organization.
Colts QB Carson Wentz is sacked/ Indy Star
Good:
Shane Waldro had a very good first game as the new signal-caller for the Seahawks, he put some great play up for Tyler Lockett and Chris Carson. Wilson had no mistakes which allowed them to put up 28 points on the Colts, defensively the pass rush was great putting up 3 sacks and a lot of pressure on the QB, if they keep this up we can see an improved Seahawks defense.
The Colt's defense showed up with 4 punts, a turnover, and 3 sacks if they keep that up they can be real contenders in the AFC and can give the Titans a run for their money for the AFC South title.
Bad:
The Seahawks CB held up vs the Colts WR Corps, who was missing T.Y. Hilton and have future Hall of Famer Julio Jones and A.J. Brown up next. Can they stop them both like they did to Tre Flowers and D.J. Reed is still to be questioned but let's hope that they are as good as we think and the DL is not covering up a huge opening in the secondary.
The Colts defense explained the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In the first half they were Dr. Jekyll gave up 257 yards and could not get off the field on third down to save their lives and put zero pressure on Russell Wilson. Then came the evil Mr. Hyde, who had 3 sacks, got off the field on third down and forced a turnover; they cannot have that moving forward, especially with how the offense is playing so far.
Ugly:
Carson Wentz was so happy to leave Philly and come to the Indy because now he had an OL to protect him and he was reconnecting with his Super Bowl-winning OC Frank Rike, yet his first game with the Colts had Philly flashback all over it. Wents had no time in the pocket and was running around to avoid a sack or just getting hit, overall it was a bad day for the Colts OL, and if they do not fix it soon say goodbye to the playoffs and Carzon Wents. Oh and do not forget who is up next for the Colts, yes you're right, 3-time DPOY Aaron Donald.
Overall:
The Seahawks are going to be a Boom or Bust team this year, if they keep playing like they just did then I see BOOM!!! But if one thing falters then Bust all the way. The Colts need to fix the horrible OL issues otherwise good luck Carzon Wentz that 50 sack record is going to be broken again.
Texas 37, Jaguars 21
This game showed me a few things, 1. Always bet on the Underdog and 2. Urban Meyer was a horrible hire.
RB Rex Burkhead and WR Chris Hogan Celebrate/ Texans Wire
Good:
Tyrod Taylor had 291 yards and 2 TDs, that is not bad for a team that was supposed to go 0-17 at the begging of the season, but the question everyone is asking is are they for real? We cannot answer that question from just 1 game but what we can say is that we underestimated the Texans, at least I know I did (played Jacksonville Defense in one fantasy league and played James Robison in another).
Trevor Lawrence did look good in his NFL debut both the TD catches were phenomenal and went through his progression pretty good so I am happy with what I have seen so far but it is just 1 game and it is a 17 game season so high five Trevor but time to see if you were worth the 1 overall pick.
Bad:
Are they the real deal? Is that Defense that only allowed 14 points the real deal. This question is a catch 22 because if they are good then we were all wrong but if they do bad then we will say they played a bad team or teams only time will answer this question.
Rookies will make mistakes which is something to be expected but when receivers drop passes and your defense allows 2 TDs the game can get out of hand very easily which then forces a team to start throwing overrunning the ball and well that is a lot to ask from a Rookie QB. He was also throwing behind the receivers which caused turnovers and just looked bad. As for the Defense as bad as they played, they get a free pass for this game. If I was on the field as much as they were I would be doing horrible as well.
Ugly:
Mistakes as a rookie as to be expected and a rookie that makes no mistakes is someone you have to worry about, but the mistakes we saw from Jacksonville were just UGLY!!!!! Too many men in the huddle, not lining up right, burning timeouts to not get a delay of game penalty, all mistakes that should have not happened, and shows a lack of preparation by both the coaching staff and the players more importantly the QB. If they cannot fix these very avoidable mistakes Jacksonville is going to start questioning all they did to get Meyer and Lawrence.
Overall:
The Texans are a catch 22 team and with only 1 game behind them, we will have to wait for a bigger sample size to find the right answer to the question we are all asking. Jacksonville has too many issues to even talk about but one good thing is that they are all fixable and as long as they fix them they can salvage the season.
Eagles 32, Falcons 6
The Falcons are the Falcons. What more can you say?
Good:
Young playmakers are what they needed to give them hope that 2017 was not just a fluke but still have a long way to go.
They started well and have a lot of talent so I mean anyone can be happy about that. The no-huddle offense is a great move for Atlanta.
Bad:
Coming into the season with a new head coach, new staff, and a young QB with only 4 career starts to his name the expectations for the Eagles were at best a 3-14 season but with a dominant win like the one they had, it begs the question are they for real? If they don’t play as well against the Niners, Cowboys, Chiefs, Panthers, and Bucs we will be saying they played a bad Falcons team and not that they played amazingly.
Defensively they got outplayed simply put and offensively they could not make anything happen, if they cannot find and fix the whole on both sides of the ball we are looking at another long season for Atlanta.
Ugly:
Atlanta, all of it was just ugly!!!
Overall:
1 game does not define a season but for these teams, the expectations either went way up or way down and that brings more problems than solutions.
Panthers 19, Jets 14
Revenge games for Sam Darnold? I think YES!!!!!
Rookie Zack Wison faces Vet Sam Darnold/Toms Guide
Good:
Sam Darnold looked good and Caroline is looking like a team that can win, still need to work out some kinks but overall his debut was better than expected.
Zack Wilson looked pretty good once he was settled he played like the # 2 pick should and showed true views of what life can be when the right QB shows up.
Bad:
Another team with OL issues. The OL did not play horrible but still, Darnold was looking a little uncomfortable out there and for them to win games they need to protect him
Once again OL is an issue, Wilson was hit too many times to not be worried and even lost Left Tackle Mekhi Benton to a knee injury if this keeps up then a great opportunity is going to be lost.
Ugly:
Nothing ugly to be seen here but a lot to be concerned about.
Overall:
Both debuts were what we expected and there are going to be growing pains but nothing that cannot be fixed.
Steelers 23, Bills 16
Was not expecting that.
Good:
The Steel curtain is back baby between Cameron Hayward and TJ Watt they cannot be stopped Josh Allen was just not happy the whole game because of those two.
The Bills picked up right back where they left off last year, and the defense was dominant.
Bad:
The Steelers OL was questionable at best, they did not help Big Ben or rookie Najee Harris. They somehow got it figured out in the second half but that kind of luck will be around forever, it will run out if they are not careful.
Even with Josh Allen's career-high in attempts, he could not connect with his top two receivers and the OL was questionable at best as well if they do not fix this they will not be able to repeat last year.
Ugly:
Both OL played questionably and if not fixed both teams are in danger of not making the postseason.
Overall:
Both teams have issues with the OL but nothing to be worried about, just concerned if they can fix it they should be okay.
49ers 41, Lions 33
Tre Lance had his first TD, CONGRATS!!!!!.
Good:
The 49ers looked dominant, I mean yes it was vs The Lions but still the way they played both QBs was amazing if they keep this up they will be a huge threat.
The Lions of old are gone. This team last year would have lost 55-3 but found a way to come back and make it a game. If they can figure out how to play like that in all 4 quarters we can see them winning a lot more games.
Bad:
With injuries to both Raheem Mostert and Jason Verrett, has me questioning how they will replace them if they do not find the right people we can say that dominant performance goodbye.
Goff started very slow and he cannot do that. He is not a rookie in the league and should have had a better presence in the pocket for him to revitalize his career. He needs to figure out teams a lot faster or he's looking at playing from behind a lot.
Ugly:
They had a 28 point lead that almost got away from them in the 4th quarter. They cannot have that, if this was not any other team they would have lost the game. For them to be contenders they have to fix this ASAP.
Overall:
The 49ers are contenders with a 2 QB set. Lion fans be happy you are heading in the right direction just have to tweak it a little bit to get it right.
Bengals 27, Vikings 24
Was this Joe Burrow's coming-of-age game? I think so.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow / Bengals Wire
Good:
The future of the Bengals Franchise lies in Joe Burrow and his development especially after getting hurt last season, he played positive football and was smooth especially when he set up the game-winning field goal. If he keeps this up The Bengals have a bright future ahead.
We now know what the issues are and what they need to fix.
Bad:
The defense played great but like Ben Baby from ESPN said “Are they [Bengals] going to lock up safety Jessie Bates” That is my question as well, if they don’t they may be heading in the wrong direction.
Just because we know the issues doesn’t mean they are going to get fixed, poor OL play led to Kirk Cousins not being comfortable in the pocket which led to not being able to establish the run, if they do not get it fixed Chandler Jones may have another 5 sack game.
Ugly:
116 total penalty yards, that is one football field, with 70 of does yards coming from the OL alone, they need to fix that or say goodbye to the postseason.
Overall:
I am happy with what I saw. The Bengals have room to grow and that is to be expected, I am excited to see what they do next. The Vikings need to fix the OL or it is going to be a long season.
Broncos 27, Giants 13
Broncos looking smooth with Teddy.
Good:
Optimism has finally shown up in Denver, they are looking smooth and flowing under Bridgewater. Can this be the turning point for Denver?
What can you say that is positive for the Giants? That Barkley and Golladay both dressed? I guess yeah that is good but nothing else.
Bad:
Jerry Jeudy is out with a high ankle sprain. How is this going to affect the offense? Do they have a solid number 2 and 3 that is the question?
The offense only scored 13 points and Daniel Jones had another fumble when it cost them the most and the defense allowed Denver to convert 7 of 15 third downs, the defense cannot allow that if they get an offense to 3rd down they need to stop it and get off the field to give the offense a chance to put points on the board.
Ugly:
Lackluster offense, bad defense, yeah the Giants are imploding and that is not just due to injuries but from a lackluster staff, a clumsy QB, and a defense that is just sad.
Overall:
There is room to Hope in Denver, I have zero hope for the Giants.
Dolphins 17, Patriots 16
Alabama QB reunited and a pretty good game came out of it.
Good:
The Miami defense kept the team afloat to get only their 2nd win in Foxboro, as long as the Defense stays healthy we can see a whole different Miami during the year.
Mac Jones looked pretty good for his NFL debut, he looked like he was back in Alabama with Nick Saban. He even stood in and took a few hits just so he could deliver downfield and that is amazing to see. Very happy with Mac Jones.
Bad:
Poor OL performance which leads good drives to stall, they need to fix this ASAP, because even with a great defense you won't be able to win games.
We do not know how long Trent Brown will be out lucky for them they have a replacement but can they replace Brown is the question we have to ask.
Ugly:
Nothing ugly here.
Overall:
The Dolphins for now are for real. Mac Jones is the real deal.
Saints 38, Packers 3
The Saints have found a solid replacement so far for future Hall of Farmer Drew Brees.
Saints Celebrate TD/ SI
Good:
5 TDs for the guy who has the record for most INTs, we all wondered if they had made the right decision with Winston and the answer is a resounding YES!!!! Winston learned all he can for Brees and now he is using it to lead the offense.
There was nothing good about the Packers on Sunday, just nothing good.
Bad:
Let us not buy into MVP Winston just yet, yes he did amazing in week 1 but again that is just 1 game if he keeps being that great then yes I'll buy everyone’s ticket to his MVP induction.
New DC Joe Barry could not figure out how to stop the Saints now fine, that is his first game so he gets a pass but what about the offense? All his weapons are there and yes they had two rookies in the OL but even then you have the 2020 MVP, Aaron Rodgers, at the helm yet even he was bad. Packers on both sides were just bad
Ugly:
We will all be asking the same question: did the Rodgers off-season drama hurt the team, and I think we can all say yes, simply because he looked like he did not care even in his post-game conference he couldn’t admit that they got messed up. If this keeps up, good luck winning 13 games and wave goodbye to the playoffs.
Overall:
The Saints are headed in the right direction yes they are still in Cap Room hell but still, I see bright lights ahead as for the Packers way too much drama for anyone's good.
Chiefs 33, Browns 29
What a game the Chiefs did not lead till the 4th quarter that is unheard of and the Brown, well, they are not the Browns we are used to seeing they are good.
Good:
Mahomes is undefeated in September and never bet against them.
The Browns lost yes but what we saw is a team that is ready to make a statement after many years of being the joke of the NFL.
Bad:
Like Dallas did with Tampa, did the Browns give us a template to beat the chiefs? The defense had too many issues had they not figured out and made changes in the 4th quarter then the outcome could have been different. Had this been The Bills or even Tampa could they have come back that is a very good question?
The Browns were rocking and rolling then in the 4th quarter everything fell apart, if they want to make stamens and not be the Browns of old then they need to keep all the leads they worked so hard to get.
Ugly:
Are people figuring out that if you remove Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill from the offense the Chiefs do not have anyone to step up and take their place now we know that they can ball out but what if they didn’t that is the question?
Overall:
Chiefs might need to look at debt before making a run to the SB and Browns are legit.
Rams 34, Bears 14
What a debut for Matthew Stafford and Justine Fields looks like the future of the franchise.
Sunday Night Football
Good:
The Rams played physical and efficient which is what we wanted to see and they were explosive, I mean did you that 67 yards TD pass to Van Jefferson in the opening drive, I mean if that is not the definition of explosive then I just don't know. Defensively they looked like a top 5 defense and yes they lost their workhorse Cam Akers but that did not stop the running game Darrell Henderson Jr. rushed for 70 yards on 16 carries so we can say they are good on that end and once they can fit Sony Michele in the mix that backfield can and will be dangerous.
Justine Fields had his first TD of his NFL career and it came with his legs so I am happy for that.
Bad:
The run games for the first 3 quarters was non-existent even from what I said above they only rushed 18 yards they cannot have that, especially with the strong offensive weapons they have in the WR room, establishing the run early is very important so that the throwing game can open up.
The Bear's defense was questionable at best bust coverage that allowed a 67 yards TD. The Bears defense was the anchor for the Bears offense as long as they gave them a short field to work with then they would have a chance but if their defense does not get in line then sorry but Justine Fields is looking at a long, Long LONG!!!!!!!! Season.
Ugly:
Injuries are the Bear's worst nightmare right now, to name a few, Teven Jenkins, Jason Peters, Larry Borom all either got hurt on Sunday night or before the season started, and yes they are all in the OL. If they cannot stay healthy then
Overall:
I am happy with what I saw and The Rams can be dark horse contenders but it's 1 game we still need to see how they progress throughout the season.
Raiders 33, Ravens 27
What a game!!!! OT, Ties, and turnovers I mean what a way to start Monday night football.
Good:
The Raiders defense did so much better than last year especially when they needed it the most with a fourth-down stop and a strip-sack in OT. Derek Carr finally looked like the true leader of the Franchise, with a slow start he was able to slow things down and find his rhythm with his receivers to make plays and come back to not only tie but win the game.
Lamar did what Lamar does to overcome all the injuries that they had on both sides of the ball, they upgraded the OL and found some weapons for Lamar to throw it to.
Bad:
Derek Carr was pressured way too much and the OL had too many false start penalties in game-winning situations. Yes, they came back to win but how many times can they do that? How long can they start slow and come back? It’s better to fix the issues now so they can start hot and keep the heat coming.
Lamar was asked if the NFL will ever figure him out and he said no they won’t, and in part, he's right but they don’t need to figure him out just need to figure out the rest of the team to beat them. Lamar had 2 costly fumbles and the defense could not stop the pass and might have not been able to stop the run had Josh Jacobs not been hurt.
Ugly:
The Ravens collapse was nothing less than a major concern for them, yes they have injuries and an upgraded OL but still, Lamar could not heat simple targets and had costly fumbles and to me, we cannot blame just the injuries alone, Lamar needs to take a huge step up in his passing game otherwise games like this are going to keep happening.
Overall:
As great as Lamar is if he does not develop his passing technique and improve it, nothing good will come to Baltimore. As for The Raiders, I hope they use this momentum and keep getting better or Chucky and Carr will be out of a job.