NFL Week One is in the books, and there was plenty of excitement to start the year. The week included an overtime thriller in Detroit, a 59-point performance in Chicago, and a couple of top-tier quarterbacks showing why they are the best the league has to offer. Not everyone showed up as expected, though, with a handful of performances that left fanbases worried and disappointed. With all of that in mind, here are four takeaways from NFL Week One action.
Patrick Mahomes, understandably so, got off to a slow start in his first game back since tearing his ACL in December. Luckily for him and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs, Kenneth Walker is now in town. Walker was more than ready for NFL Week One, and feasted on the normally stout Denver Broncos defense on Monday night. The former Michigan State Spartan rushed for 173 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown run. Kansas City finally has the running game that has been missing in the Mahomes era, as Walker now appears to be the engine.
Walker also added 18 receiving yards (including another TD) to his amazing performance, giving him 191 total yards, which was more than the Broncos had altogether. Mahomes ended up having a solid game, but still needs time to return to form. With Walker and this defense, though, the Chiefs should be just fine until then.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is really good, but he has not become the guy many experts projected him to be. The NFL Week One performance against the Arizona Cardinals only made matters worse, as Herbert looked average against an inferior opponent on paper. Herbert went 17-of-27 for 209 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
This performance comes off the heels of head coach Jim Harbaugh’s bold claim that Herbert could potentially be the greatest QB of all time. Right now, he is probably not the best in Chargers history (or second best, for that matter). Herbert is a good quarterback who can look excellent at times. After the first game of year seven, though, it may be time to accept that the former Oregon Duck is not a part of that elite class.
Josh Allen can make great defenses look bad, and that is exactly what he did in NFL Week One. Allen went 20-for-29 for 334 yards and four total TDs in the Buffalo Bills’ shootout victory over the Houston Texans. The Texans had Allen’s number in the first two regular-season matchups under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Matchup three, however, was the charm for Allen and the Bills.
Fortunately for Houston, there are not many QBs at Allen’s level, so things should get better from here. This is still one of the top-five defenses in the league, and what happened this past Sunday was likely just an anomaly. The Texans have too many elite pieces, including multiple All-Pros on defense, to give up 30-plus every week. NFL Week One did not go as planned, but as the season progresses, they should return to form.
Saying Lamar Jackson is still a tier-one quarterback may sound like stating the obvious, but some questioned him before the season began. According to an anonymous panel of NFL executives and coaches Jackson had slipped into the second tier of QBs. This put him in the same tier as Brock Purdy, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Herbert, and others, instead of Mahomes, Allen, Matthew Stafford, and Joe Burrow (all tier-one selections).
On Sunday afternoon, Jackson was NFL Week One ready, and he reminded those panel members and the world why he is among the elite. The man known as Action Jackson threw for 324 yards and a TD on just 17 completions against the Indianapolis Colts, ending with an 82.8 QBR. Jackson also showed that the legs still work when needed, adding another 40 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown.
Whenever discussions about the best QB league come up, Jackson’s name should still be mentioned. Yes, he has had shortcomings in the playoffs (like some of his peers), but the entire body of work is still tier-one worthy.
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Many statements were made in NFL Week One, both good and bad. Some of the usual suspects, like the Bills and Ravens, showed out, while coach Harbaugh had to eat his words. It is still only one week, though, so it is obviously too early to crown anyone or write off all the teams that started badly.
More fireworks could occur in Week Two, and we probably will not have to wait until the weekend. The Bills are hosting the Detroit Lions at the brand-new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY. The over/under is currently 53.5, so if you like scores similar to the Big 12 or WAC in the mid-2000s, this is the game for you! NFL Week One delivered, and Week Two should equal more of the same.
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