Well, after months of waiting, the return of the NFL was definitely worth it. The season opener between the Bills and the Rams was an incredibly entertaining game, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if these two teams ended up playing each other in February. It set us up perfectly for a great slate of games on Sunday, and then a Monday Night Football game that had a bit of everything. So what did we learn this week? And what have we got coming up in week two?
Hug Your Kickers
Kickers may be one of the least important players on an NFL roster, until they aren’t. Just ask all the teams that lost (or tied – more on that later) games this week due to bad kicking. In the early window alone, The Jaguars, Colts, Texans, Steelers and Bengals all had players miss kicks. In the Steelers/Bengals game, both kickers missed potential game-winners in overtime, while Indianapolis Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 42-yard game-winner and sent two of his kickoffs out of bounds. He was cut the next day. It seems if you wanted stability at kicker this weekend, you should have got your safety to do it, as the Chiefs’ Justin Reid stepped up to nail an XP through the upright, and send a kickoff perfectly through the endzone.
“Need me to do kickoff too? Bet.”
If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready. 💪 @JustinqReid (via @Chiefs)pic.twitter.com/iMuh03Cgj9
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2022
Overtime Madness
While we’re on the subject of the Colts, Texans, Steelers and Bengals missing kicks, the NFL wasted no time in giving us crazy overtime endings. The Steelers and Bengals seemed to be doing their absolute best to both lose, with Pittsburgh just creeping over the line, despite having 7 sacks and 5 turnovers on the day. Many expected the Colts to be improved this year, but week one did not show that. They did show some guts to overturn a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but if they want to be a serious playoff team, they will have to improve.
Nathaniel Hackett – What are you thinking?
Everything that could possibly be said about this has already been said. But if you can find me a single person on planet Earth that thinks running the clock down with a minute to go, then taking the timeout, then going for a field goal which, if converted, would be the second longest in league history, instead of putting it in the hands of Russell Wilson on 4th and 5 is a good idea, then you’ve found me an idiot, or Nathaniel Hackett. Not a good first game for the ex-Packers OC, hopefully, he’ll learn from this mistake.
Peyton, Eli and Shannon Sharpe react to the ending of Broncos-Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/upubzUzLQq
— ESPN (@espn) September 13, 2022
Mahomes didn’t need Tyreek Hill after all
Some pundits were suggesting that the Chiefs may struggle without their star receiver this year, but Mahomes quickly put that to bed with a scintillating performance in their win against the Cardinals. He completed 30 of his 39 passes for 360 yards and five touchdowns, with nine different players catching passes. Of course, Travis Kelce will be Mahomes’ main guy this year, but Chiefs fans will have enjoyed seeing the love being shared around.
This throw from Patrick Mahomes is absurd
📹: @NFL pic.twitter.com/gvHftPm3wx
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 12, 2022
The ‘Big Five’ Receivers
This may be seen as controversial to some fans, but in my mind, the top five wide receivers in the NFL are Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, Ja’marr Chase, Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs. All five proved their worth in week one with huge games. Kupp had 128 receiving yards and one touchdown on 15 targets, Adams went for 141 receiving yards and a score on 17 targets, Chase had 129 receiving yards and a touchdown on 16 targets, and Diggs had 122 receiving yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. These five guys are going to win games for their team this year, and a lot of fantasy teams as well.
Baker and Russ’ Revenge Games
People who love narrative would have definitely circled two games on the week one slate. Baker Mayfield’s Panthers playing against the Cleveland Browns franchise that dumped him this off-season for DeShaun Watson, and Russell Wilson and his Broncos returning to Seattle. Sadly for both, neither could pull off a win despite Mayfield’s fourth-quarter heroics and Wilson’s 340 passing yards, and will be hoping to break their duck for their new teams in week two.
Looking Forward to Week Two
We’re set for another bumper weekend of football, starting with a huge AFC West matchup between the Chiefs and the Chargers. Mahomes and Justin Herbert are two of the best quarterbacks in the league and both offences have got plenty of playmakers. Expect a lot of points. There are three other divisional matchups that promise to be fascinating too, with the Jags hosting the Colts, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers travelling to New Orleans to face the Saints, and the Bears going to Lambeau Field to square off against the Packers.
There are few things better than the first week of a new NFL season, as it sets in motion the rest of the autumn and winter months for fans. We’ve made it through the summer, pretending to watch baseball and trying to care about preseason, but now it’s here. So buckle up and prepare for five months of football, and if the rest of the season continues to provide as much entertainment as we got in week one, we could be set for one the greatest of all time.
