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The first Sunday of the NFL season is in the books, and we now have a better idea of how each team stacks up with the rest of the league. Some fans are more enthusiastic after seeing their team perform well in Week 1, while others are already doing their homework on the top prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Let’s take a moment to break down some of the top winners and losers from Sunday’s slate of games:
LOSER: Bengals Offense
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This was supposed to be a gimme game for the Bengals. Cincinnati plays in arguably the toughest division in all of football (AFC North). A home game against a team with a first-year head coach that went 4-13 last season is expected to be a win. Instead, the Bengals fell flat and the star-studded offense looked terrible. Joe Burrow struggled to get the ball downfield even with disgruntled WR Ja’Marr Chase available. Of course, Tee Higgins did not play, but that’s not much of an excuse. The Bengals should have run through this Patriots team en route to a dominant victory. It’s another slow start for Cincy, and you have to wonder if HC Zac Taylor is already on the hot seat.
WINNER: Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
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With rookie QB JJ McCarthy on the shelf for the year, the Vikings will be leaning on Sam Darnold for the entire 2024 season. The former No. 3 overall pick got off to as good of a start as the team could have asked for. Going up against a Giants defense that features a strong defensive line, Darnold was precise and accurate as he led Minnesota to a convincing Week 1 victory. He opened the game with 12 straight completions and two scores. His lone turnover came when the game was already well out of reach.
While Darnold has failed to live up to expectations, he’s already played a ton of football and is still just 27 years old. Getting the ball out quickly and accurately to Minnesota’s stable of quality pass catchers is all the team needs out of their starting QB. We’ll see if he can keep it up for the entire season.
LOSER: Will Levis, QB, Tennessee Titans
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The Titans opened up a 17-0 lead on the Bears midway through the second quarter. They lost the game without surrendering a single touchdown to Chicago’s offense. Tennessee’s defense looked elite, but the offense continuously made mistakes throughout the second half. The deciding score came on an interception return by Chicago defensive back Tyrique Stevenson on a desperation heave from Titans QB Will Levis. Levis turned the ball over three times in Tennessee’s final four possessions. The Titans revamped the receiving corps around their young QB to bolster the offense. It’s already looking grim. And, it won’t get much easier with the New York Jets and their vaunted defense coming to town next week.
WINNER: Houston Texans
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The Texans have been winning big dating back to last year. Of course, having CJ Stroud fall into their laps after the Panthers selected Bryce Young — who struggled mightily as a rookie — was extremely fortunate. And, trading up for Will Anderson Jr. — the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year — helped revamp the defense. GM Nick Caserio has built one of the best, young rosters in the league. DeMeco Ryans is rapidly rising in the head coaching ranks.
Week 1 saw the Texans engaged in a back-and-forth affair with their division rival Indianapolis Colts. Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but the Texans iced the game with a couple of first downs on the final drive. Offseason signing Stefon Diggs hauled in two touchdowns in his debut. Everything is coming up Houston as they attempt to make a deep playoff run this year.
LOSER: Antonio Pierce, HC, Las Vegas Raiders
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When Antonio Pierce was named the full-time head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, it seemed like a culture shift was occurring. Pierce would lead a tough and rugged team that wouldn’t back down from any opponent. In Week 1, Vegas wilted against their division rival LA Chargers in a disappointing performance. The key moment was late in the fourth quarter when Pierce decided to punt on 4th and 1 from LA’s side of the field while down six points. The Chargers iced the game on the next drive and finished the day with 176 rushing yards against Vegas’ expensive defensive front. Pierce tried to defend the punt in the post-game, but the decision left many Raider fans scratching their heads.
WINNER: Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints
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The top two teams in the NFC South from a year ago spent all offseason hearing about the teams that finished below them in ’23. There weren’t many expectations for the Buccaneers and Saints heading into this year. Perhaps that has changed after both teams dominated their Week 1 opponents. The Bucs were just a few plays away from an NFC title game berth a year ago, and it seems like QB Baker Mayfield is on a mission to prove that it wasn’t a fluke. The former No. 1 pick tossed four touchdowns against Washington in Week 1, while WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans combined for 13 receptions, 144 yards, and three scores.
For the Saints, fans spent all offseason complaining about HC Dennis Allen and QB Derek Carr. However, Allen’s defense and an offense led by Carr destroyed a revamped Panthers squad. Carr tossed three touchdowns while the Saints offense looked excellent under new OC Klint Kubiak. Defensively, the Saints made life difficult for second-year QB Bryce Young while forcing three turnovers in a lopsided 47-10 victory. Could the Bucs and Saints finish first and second in the NFC South for the second straight year?
LOSER: Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons
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The third and fourth-place finishers in the NFC South from a year ago could not have gotten off to a worse start. The Panthers thought they’d be better in ’24 after spending resources on rebuilding its offense. Instead, the offense looked as bad as ever and the defense regressed after losing key pieces in the offseason. It’s Year 2 for Bryce Young and he’s still making the same mistakes. It’s still too early to judge the 23-year-old QB, but the early results have not been promising.
For the Falcons, many believed they would waltz toward a playoff berth due to the lack of competition in the NFC South. Now, we’re not even sure if Kirk Cousins will be the team’s starter in a few weeks. The 36-year-old looked immobile in his first start coming off Achilles surgery. The Falcons were held scoreless in the second half and lost to a Steelers team that was held out of the end zone entirely (scored 18 points via six field goals). Making matters worse is Atlanta’s upcoming schedule. Their next two games are against Philadelphia and Kansas City before hosting New Orleans. The Falcons may very well be in a 0-3 hole before opening up division play.
WINNER: Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions
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The Lions boast one of the best rosters in the entire NFL. On the offensive end, it’s a pick-your-poison deal for their opponents. And, it seems like speedy wideout Jameson Williams is another weapon defenses must account for moving forward. He looked the part in Week 1, gashing the Rams for 121 yards and a score on five receptions. His biggest play came on a 52-yard touchdown that saw him zooming right past Rams corner Tre’Davious White. Williams’ speed adds a whole new dimension to Detroit’s attack. If he’s playing at a high level, good luck getting stops against this offense.
LOSER: Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
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It was all bad for the Giants from the opening kickoff. Vikings QB Sam Darnold eviscerated the Giants’ defense en route to a 28-6 blowout victory in East Rutherford. The biggest story, though, is the continued poor play from Giants QB Daniel Jones. The Giants famously inked Jones to a massive contract extension following the ’22 campaign. Jones missed most of last season due to injury but was awful when he played. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to get any better, either. The former top pick completed just over 50 percent of his passes (22-for-42) for 186 yards and two interceptions. The Giants will once again be one of the worst teams in football with Jones at the helm.
WINNER: JK Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
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We need to give some love to the running backs. There were some impressive performances from the position throughout the league in Week 1. Former Bengal Joe Mixon balled out for his new team, rushing for 159 yards in his Texans debut. On Saturday, Saquon Barkley looked dominant in Brazil as he scored three times and totaled 132 yards for the Eagles.
Another player making his first start for a new team was former Raven JK Dobbins. Dobbins has always had talent, but staying healthy has been the issue. He missed almost all of last season after suffering an Achilles tear in Week 1. He came back looking as strong as ever in his Chargers debut. Dobbins rushed for 135 yards on just 10 carries against a stout Raiders front. With HC Jim Harbaugh wanting to establish the run game, Dobbins could be in for a huge season.
LOSER: Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns
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The biggest loser in Week 1 was the Cleveland Browns. More specifically, their QB Deshaun Watson continues to prove why he’s no longer fit to be a starting NFL quarterback. Watson looked horrible in a loss to the Cowboys, throwing for just 169 yards on 45 attempts with two interceptions. The stats don’t even do the performance justice. Most of Watson’s numbers came when the game was already decided. The Browns are expected to challenge for a postseason spot due to their elite defense. But, that won’t matter if Watson continues to play like a bottom-5 QB. The team would be better off starting Jameis Winston, but Watson’s massive contract makes that almost impossible. They’re stuck with their mediocre QB until they can find a way out of Watson’s deal.
