Overreactions in the NFL Week 1
Sports Seriously Mackenzie Salmon overreacts to some of the best games of NFL Week 1.
Seriously sports
- The Super Bowl 59 Champion Eagles remained first place since their first week win.
- However, all other teams in the top five before week one are currently moving.
- The LA Chargers didn’t crack the top five – but they made the biggest move in the rankings.
NFL Power Rankings (previous ranks in parentheses) that enter the second week of the 2024 season:
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): Their opening night victory was defined by Jalen (QB Hurts efficiently carves the Cowboys) and Jalen (DT Carter is efficiently kicked out with a single shot from Spittle, aiming for Dak Prescott). Both are on the field for KC-‘s Super Bowl 59 rematch along with new teammate Za’darius Smith – painful – may need to involve more of his receivers.
2. Buffalo Bills (5): QB Joshu Allen won the Sunday night MVP fight against Lamar Jackson. Buffalo won’t face another team that made the postseason in 2024, or another team that made the former MVP until the chief came to West New York in week 9.
3. Green Bay Packers (4): And they’ve already matched the totals of their 2024 victory at NFC North Games. However, with the remaining five division matchups of the pack over the last seven weeks of the schedule, this team would be wise to make lots of hay in the next nine contests.
4. Baltimore Ravens (2): They spit out yet another double-digit fourth quarter lead, scoring at least 40 points and became the first team despite rushing for at least 235 yards. This loss could come back to bite Baltimore when it’s time to seed the AFC playoff field, but don’t lose sight of the fact that Raven is likely to score 40 and run 235 with relatively regularity.
5. LosAngeles Rams (6): A week one win is great, but it’s even more important that QB Matthew Stafford survived it…and even more important, especially considering he’s at a fast pace to withstand the 51 bags this season.
6. Commander Washington (7): Clearly early, rookie RB Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt is the NFC’s main rusher after scoring 82 yards in his NFL debut. It’s no wonder Brian Robinson Jr. is in San Francisco. RB Chris Rodriguez was inactive on Sunday.
7. LosAngeles Chargers (18): “September 5th will be down with charger lore,” said coach Jim Harbaugh, who defeated the chief in Brazil last week. “It was a big win.” And perhaps it was just as remarkable, seeing his team pass 60% of the time in week one, if he was Harbaugh, three yards and alone (if not the Ohio State guy).
8. Kansas City Chiefs (3): The only AFC West team to lose in week one is to look down at the barrels on a 0-2 start if they haven’t yet made it to the toes toe to Philadelphia and toes. There’s no doubt going back to the lineup and get a WR Xavier Worthy (shoulder) who had 157 receiving yards and two TDs in Super Bowl losses.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (10): When you think you’ve seen and heard it all in the NFL, the kicker is called a “serial killer” with “low pulse speeds”. Leave it to Mike Tomlin to keep it fresh at all times. Now you understand more why seemingly activated QB Aaron Rodgers wanted to play for him.
10. TampaBay Buccaneers (12): Currently abused, yet still dominating – the NFC South Champions already have one game lead in the rest of the division that has been running since 2021.
11. Arizona Cardinals (11): A huge victory against what appears to be an overmatched opponent in New Orleans. Still, the card was 1-0 for the first time in four years.
12. Denver Broncos (8): No defense collected fewer yards (133) than in week 1 or more (6) than in week 1. This is an already dominant unit that is even better against rookie QBs. Now the Broncos need their second year quarterback to shake off what felt like a rookie return on Sunday.
13. San Francisco 49ers (13): Block plady. George Kittle. Jauan Jennings. The talented but vulnerable Christian McCaffrey. No teams look like M*a*s*h units coming out of week 1.
14. Detroit Lions (9): After losing eight assistants in the offseason, the two-time defense NFC North Champions have already lost more divisional games than they all fell in 2024. Worse, Ben Johnsonless’s offense has returned to Johnson’s inefficiency.
15. Minnesota Viking (15): Or is it Michigan? It wasn’t always pretty, but QB JJ McCarthy played when he needed it. Otherwise, he relied on a highly talented supporting cast as his team acquired Big Ten, Er NFC North and Opener.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (17): What is the big surprise they’re 1-0, or is it that the defense was primarily responsible for the victory?
17. Houston Texans (16): Their defense, anchored by Des Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., is one of the league’s best and should have seen part of Sunday. But this is a lot of common questions, how much can you compensate for a violation that failed to find an endzone in week 1?
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (20): WR/CB Travis Hunter is a great player. But we now have to express our opinion that surrendering the future first round and second rounder to get him is a bad deal.
19. Seattle Seahawks (14): QB Sam Darnold had earned two previous starts at Lumen Field as a visitor. His 12th debut didn’t do as well, but that would likely be expected in a radically different attack from last year’s edition.
20. Atlanta Falcons (22): The team, which resourced that long incompetent pass rush during the offseason, bagged one bag at the Bucs loss on Sunday.
twenty one. New York Jets (23): After they groped for a potential victory over Pittsburgh and its former leader Aaron Rodgers, can, come, but Justin Fields looks like the 21st century quarterback the Jets have long needed, and Source Gardner looks once again part of a corner worthy of being paid to be paid like the league’s best.
twenty two. ChicagoBears (21): At least QB Caleb Williams is rushing TD, even if he leads his team in rushing yards on Monday, even if it wasn’t a major sign of this offense.
twenty three. Dallas Cowboys (25): After an amazing near miss in Philadelphia, we’ll see how long they can maintain a good vibe. This team is probably as far as QB Dak Prescott and WR Ceedee Lamb can carry it…suppose the lamb is hanging.
twenty four. LasVegas Raiders (27): They need to find a wideout (or two) who wants to be here, as Davante Adams is forced to leave, Jacobi Myers tries to do the same and bolts for retirement shortly after Amari Cooper rejoins the organization. Maybe the rookies are Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech who are those guys.
twenty five. New England Patriots (19): A disappointing opener for teams who have made many offseason adjustments. However, WR Kayshon Boutte has received a back-to-back 100-yard game after his first acquisition in the 2024 regular season finale.
26. IndianapolisColts (31): QB Daniel Jones’ indie debut naturally stole the spotlight. However, Rookie Te Tyler Warren made his dominant hand heavy in his first week performance, four times in the air and the first on the ground.
27. Cleveland Browns (30): Sunday was the franchise’s QB Joe Flaco’s sixth career start, but the second time he failed to throw for 300 yards, shy of Cincinnati with a loss of one point.
28. New York Giants (26): While fans may want to see rookie QB Jaxson Dart in the lineup, WR Malik Nabers may ultimately demand more stringent development.
29. Carolina Panthers (24): As for seeing him on the bench, as opposed to when he actually looked like the number one draft pick, like when QB Bryce Young was on the bench a year ago.
30. Tennessee Titans (29): They’re starting to be a quarterback who has never won an NFL game. They committed 13 penalties on Sunday. But somehow they were hanging along with a clearly superior team before succumbing. A better day should be ahead.
31. NewOrleans Saints (32): They’re starting to be a quarterback who has never won an NFL game. They committed 13 penalties on Sunday. But somehow they were hanging along with a clearly superior team before succumbing. A better day should be ahead.
32. Miami Dolphins (28): What did you learn about this team? Honestly… aside from the fact that Finn has a second-year corner named Stormduck on the roster. It feels like a storm, and maybe a lot of duck bombs – come in the Miami way.
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