If a sure thing really exists, you won’t find it in the National Football League.
From egregious drops by rookie receivers to missed clutch fields goals by some of the best kickers in the NFL, no team was spared from poor execution in the first week of the regular season.
Granted, getting into “football shape” is a task that takes game experience to truly achieve. With crucial players opting to rest during the preseason, Week One has become a full-speed pre-season game of sorts. Players get tired quickly, three-down running backs may only see two snaps per possession for example. Whatever the case, the execution this week from the league’s best left a lot to be desired. For some however, it was just another week of dominance.
That chaos, which gave us seven games with 3-point or fewer margins, left plenty to talk about.
The “Non-Issue” AFC Teams Start Strong
If anything, the chaos only made the few teams who remained practically flawless look just that: Flawless.
Namely the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, who both bested tough NFC West opponents in statement wins.
To start the week, the Bills spoiled the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl victory lap on Thursday night and showed why they are the Super Bowl favorites in 2022.
Their homegrown defensive line is beginning to blossom already, as they got three sacks from their trio of Basham, Epenesa, and Rousseau. But the story of their defensive dominance over the defending champs came from their big-name acquisition: Von Miller. The former Super Bowl MVP went for two sacks over his former team and exposed the LA’s current deficiency at tackle.
Going against an offensive juggernaut in the Rams however, many wondered how the Bills would fare without their top cornerback in Tre’Davious White. Although it wasn’t pretty at times, they ultimately relied on the dominance of the defensive line to the tune of seven sacks, three interceptions, and a 63.7 passer rating for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Their performance despite injuries as a secondary was a true testament to Buffalo’s draft acumen. They started sixth-round pick Christian Benford as a nickel cornerback over their 23rd overall pick in Florida’s Kaiir Elam, and both held their own. It’s clear that the competition for playing time in this elite secondary is sharpening the unit and Buffalo may be sounder at corner than most projected because of it.
MVP candidate quarterback Josh Allen played an efficient game for the Bills offense. Leaning on star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Allen had a nice blend of short and intermediate throws all night long and took his deep shots with great care and accuracy. Methodically moving the ball down the field all night, Allen led the team in rush yards as well and took what the Rams defense offered him.
While the gameplan was clearly to play through Allen and be patient, he did have his moments of excitement where he just needed to hit something. As a result, Allen got thrown around a bit more than you’d like to see from a franchise cornerstone in an opening game. He’s had a history of getting a bit too competitive for his own good, and in a 17-game season those hits pile up.
While Allen is usually one of the larger players on the field, his health as a running quarterback will be a storyline for these contending Bills.
The Chiefs downed the Arizona Cardinals on the road in a 44–21 win that saw Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes achieve his sixth 5-touchdown performance in his young career (tied for third-most in NFL history, already). The former MVP started out of the gates with a performance that has him on track to take home more individual hardware soon, but we already knew he’d come out firing. What we didn’t know was how Mahomes’ new-look receiving corps would hold up.
They did just fine.
Mahomes stuck to his usual guns, targeting his star tight end Travis Kelce a game-high nine times. When it came to the wide receivers, he targeted his new go-to wide out Juju Smith-Schuster eight times and incumbent wide receiver two Mecole Hardman six times. From there, the target share among other receivers was quite even, making those three receivers an early point of emphasis for this restructured Chiefs offense.
Surprisingly, the most dominant group for Kansas City was their offensive line. They were far and away the most dominant unit in the NFL this week, consistently opening the field up for running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and rookie seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco who impressed as well. They finished as the highest-rated run blocking offensive line in the league this week and thanks in part to Mahomes’ swift decision-making, they didn’t allow a sack either.
Defensively, the Chiefs were aggressive as ever. Although they didn’t force a turnover in this game, their aggressive tackling and consistent penetration in the pass rush made it nearly impossible for the Cardinals to get into an offensive rhythm when the game mattered. Look for their aggression in blitzing under long-time defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to heighten as the year continues; it always does.
Kicking Woes
Of the 16 games played this week, only five went off without a missed field goal or extra point. The other 11 featured kicking woes that had fans wondering if they were even watching the right league, with many of the missed field goals or extra points deciding games.
Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo reestablished himself as one of the best kickers in the NFL, going 2/2 on extra points and 4/4 on field goals before the final drive of the game. On that final drive, the Falcons trotted Koo out to New Orleans’ 45-yard line for a desperate 63-yard game-winner. Now 60-yard field goals are never easy, but their low trajectories can increase the chance of a block by the opposing line. Sure enough, Koo’s low kick was blocked by the Saints, ending the game on the final play and ensuring victory for New Orleans.
A 63-yard field goal is not a guarantee by any means. But a 29-yarder is about almost as close as you can get without putting six on the scoreboard. That was the distance for Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in an overtime classic. Following a blocked game-winning extra point at the end of regulation, it would be a nice piece of redemption for the reliable second-year kicker. After all, he made two consecutive game-winning field goals to send the Bengals to the Super Bowl last season, what’s another in Week One?
Well, kicking is never as simple as just sweeping the leg. Starting Bengals long-snapper Clark Harris missed the game on injured reserve, leaving tight end Michael Wilcox to handle the snapping duties on kicks. His slow snap (along with a missed blocking assignment) had led to the blocked kick at the end of regulation. But like McPherson, the current short field goal attempt gifted to them by quarterback Joe Burrow was a glowing chance for redemption.
Harris snapped the ball high.
After an impressive recovery on the hold, McPherson pulled the kick so far left the CBS cameras had to pan to track the ball. Harris and McPherson never got another shot as the Steelers won on a last-second field goal of their own after they too struggled with long field goals.
The New York Giants were another beneficiary of the week’s kicking slump, as Randy Bullock missed a 47-yard game-winner for the Tennessee Titans. They say all it takes is one win to start something special, and for new Giants head coach Brian Daboll, that missed kick and upset win may be the start of a new era in the Big Apple.
But only one miss got someone fired on Sunday, and that was Indianapolis Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. A fan-favorite and star kicker for the University of Georgia, Blankenship starred in his rookie season for the Colts in 2020. He converted over 85% of his kicks, looking to become a mainstay in the NFL’s kicking scene.
But 2021 saw injuries and misses force the fan-favorite into a tough spot. So, when he pulled a game-winning field goal wide right on Sunday, the Colts made the shocking decision to waive Blankenship.
It’s a brutal business.
Non-Quarterback MVP Candidates Emerge Early
Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes were both MVP candidates coming into this year. Both made sure we remember why in Week One.
Allen physically imposed himself on one of the most talented defenses in the league and Mahomes turned Arizona’s starting 11 into a practice squad in a five-TD performance. We get it, these guys are perennial MVP candidates.
But two other players threw their names in the way-too-early MVP race hat on Sunday.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley took home NFC Offensive Player of the Week in an upset of the Titans. The former All-Pro running back pieced together 194 yards from scrimmage to lead the NFL in Week One and averaged an absurd 6.6 yards per carry on a stout Titans defense. He was the only beam of consistency on the Giants offense and there is no fathomable way they pull out a Week One upset without Barkley.
After leading the league in scrimmage yards in his rookie campaign four years ago, Barkley has been fighting just to see the field in recent years. He tore his ACL early in the 2020 season, and ever since the former Penn State star has only seen more setbacks. When he has played in the last three years, he’s looked far less shifty thanks to knee and ankle damage in his right leg.
Week One showed what a good offseason can do in this modern age of sports medicine. Barkley clocked the fastest speed of any running back in Week One, hitting over 21 miles per hour on a 68-yard sprint in the third quarter. If Barkley can stay healthy, his talent makes him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the game.
Given his injury history, many were skeptical about Barkley returning to form so quickly. But one player we expected to come into this season as a force was Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson, with over 3,000 receiving yards in his first two NFL seasons, was touted as a top receiver in the NFL coming into year three. A 184-yard and 2-touchdown performance out of the gate doesn’t hurt.
Against soft zones but a talented Green Bay defense, Jefferson’s slick route-running was just what the doctor ordered for Minnesota’s offense. Jefferson’s massive 34.4% target share also bodes well for his chances in the early MVP race as he’s separated himself from a talented Vikings offense altogether. Look for the budding superstar to continue his run as one of the best offensive threats Minnesota has ever had in 2022.
The NFL is just about as talented as it has ever been. Recent seasons by players like Derrick Henry and Cooper Kupp have shown that limiting the MVP conversation to quarterbacks would be selling some of these superhuman performers short. Jefferson and Barkley simply figure to be the newest guys to break into the quarterback-dominated MVP talk.
Revenge Games Gone Sideways
The NFL’s schedule-makers wasted no time starting the drama this season. With two quarterback revenge matches in Week One in the Browns vs. Panthers and Broncos vs. Seahawks, this opening week was sure to be one to remember.
Baker Mayfield’s matchup with the Browns in Sunday’s early window was the culmination of years of distrust between him and the Cleveland Browns. After the former first-overall pick took the Browns to the playoffs for the first time in years in 2020, things quickly fell apart. Mayfield insisted on playing through injuries in 2021 and was simply ineffective for Cleveland because of it.
With a talented roster worthy of contention, many felt Mayfield was the weak link. The Browns agreed, trading for disgruntled Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson this past offseason and promptly handing him the megadeal they never afforded Mayfield.
In a corresponding move a few months later, the Browns shipped Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for minimal compensation. Funnily enough, the Browns were already set to face off against the Panthers in Week One.
The script wrote itself.
In the long-awaited grudge match between Mayfield and the Browns, Cleveland got off to a dominant start. The Browns defense got consistent pressure on Mayfield and tested the quarterback’s pocket movement, which has proven to be shaky at times. They also ran rampant on Carolina’s defense, totaling over 200 rushing yards by the game’s end thanks to star backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. With Mayfield’s replacement in Deshaun Watson suspended for 11 games, that was crucial.
Down ten at halftime, Baker’s bid at revenge seemed as though it would go unanswered. But the second half showed a complete reemergence by the explosive Panthers offense.
Mayfield scored his first touchdown as a Panther on a 7-yard scamper and fired the football at the back of the endzone whilst screaming at the top of his lungs. Mayfield was clearly trying to will his team back into the game through his typical means: Emotions. But down nine points with just over six minutes to play in the fourth, the Panthers’ chances at a comeback win looked bleak.
That is until Mayfield fired a perfect deep ball to wide receiver Robbie Anderson to bring the Panthers within two. Mayfield was razor-sharp with the game on the line, now he just needed a stop to get his shot at ending this brutal game.
Sure enough, Mayfield methodically marched his team down the field for a go-ahead field goal, finishing a storybook ending to a budding rivalry.
But this is no storybook.
With over a minute to play, Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett, aided by a huge penalty, got the Browns into long field goal range. And just like that, rookie kicker Cade York hit a 58-yard field goal at the end of regulation to give Cleveland a gritty 26–24 win.
The Browns showed that even with a career backup like Jacoby Brissett, they have the system and talent to win close games. Mayfield’s style includes heavy emotions and although it almost worked, the Browns significantly outgained the Panthers and completely dominated in time of possession. Thanks again to a dominant 200-yard rushing day from Cleveland they controlled the pace throughout in what could’ve been a blowout. Carolina mustered just 54 yards on the ground.
Although some fans and media outlets believe Carolina can at least compete for a playoff spot and may use the close score as confirmation for that belief, Sunday showed how thin this team is against a squad as versatile as Cleveland.
Another recently traded player looking for revenge in Week One was none other than Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. After a 10-year run with Seattle that saw Wilson reach nine Pro Bowls and win a Super Bowl, Wilson and the Seahawks called it quits in March.
Years of quiet feuding between the Seahawks and Wilson came to a head and instances of the feud started to go public a few years ago. Last year saw explosive reporting that suggested a complete lack of patience between the two parties. It was to the point where Wilson reportedly stormed out of a team meeting. In response, Wilson confirmed years of reporting last week that suggested Seattle had already shopped the beloved quarterback on the NFL trade market multiple times.
The mutual respect necessary for this union was thinning to the point of no return.
The Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll always emphasized running the ball and playing defense, but with Wilson on a $35 million per year contract at the end of his tenure with the team, the popular “Let Russ Cook” slogan emerged. It signaled a major crossroads for general manager John Schneider: Commit to Wilson or commit to Carroll’s team philosophy.
By trading Wilson to Denver this offseason, Seattle’s decision couldn’t have been clearer.
When the schedule released a month after the trade, the Monday Night Football matchup jumped off the page: Broncos at Seahawks, Week One. The anticipation mounted as Wilson familiarized himself with his new team and the Seahawks got used to life without their franchise quarterback. Wilson’s backup for the past few seasons, Geno Smith, ultimately won the starting role over former Bronco’s quarterback Drew Lock.
He instantly showed why, starting the game off with 13-straight completions. Smith’s ability to escape Denver pursuers was a spectacle, as he resembled Wilson heavily in the grudge match against Russell Wilson himself.
But Wilson kept the pressure on, completing a 67-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy near the end of the half. Wilson didn’t seem very mobile in the game, running just once. That allowed the Seahawks pass rush to collapse the pocket more than a few times in the first half, flustering Wilson enough to give Seattle a 17–13 advantage at the half.
The defensive line for Seattle would come up big in other ways in the second half though. With Smith and the offense completely stalling out now, it was up to the defense to hold up against a rejuvenated Broncos attack. Somehow, the Broncos would gain 213 yards on offense in the second half and finish with just three points in that stretch.
In the third quarter, a seven-minute drive by Denver would come up short at the one-yard line thanks to a forced fumble by Seattle. After Seattle promptly fumbled the ball back to Denver, the Broncos would march right back to Seattle’s one-yard line just to have another fumble forced and lost.
If that was chunky to read, imagine how the game felt to watch.
Ultimately, in a game that was decided by a single point, getting stopped at the one-yard line twice doesn’t typically bode well.
But again, thanks to Seattle’s offense falling apart in the second half and not scoring at all, the Broncos would have a few more cracks at the lead. With four minutes to play, Wilson would start what he hoped was a game-winning drive. Wilson looked sharp, going completing four of his six passes. Nevertheless, the Broncos faced their first and only fourth down of the drive on the heels of field goal range at Seattle’s 46.
As the Broncos waited for the play call, the clock continued to bleed. Now under 30 seconds and with the Broncos at Seattle’s 46-yard line, they finally called a timeout. Wilson would have time to run a few plays if he could convert this fourth down, and he was ready to.
Out came kicker Brandon McManus for a mind-bogglingly long 64-yard game-winning field goal.
After recently giving Wilson a max contract and trading valuable assets to acquire him, the Broncos and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett opted to leave the game on the foot of their clutch kicker.
Wilson could only watch from the away team’s sideline as the 64-yarder and nearly record-setting kick pulled left in Seattle’s late summer breeze.
Now 0–1, the Broncos can take solace in the fact they substantially outgained Seattle and won time of possession. But for the Seahawks, this game meant far more than a 1–0 start. It showcased Carroll’s young and hungry defense as well as the organization’s belief in Geno Smith to keep the squad competitive.
In a 17-game season, revenge games in Week One will feel insignificant by the end. As the months pass and storylines inevitably emerge, these moments tend to get lost in the mix. But for the city of Seattle and Russell Wilson, this thriller will live on forever.
