Broncos 24 This is the first time two black head coaches have faced each other in their debut game, and ESPN’s Beth Mowins called this historic matchup to become the first woman in 30 year to call play-by-play in an NFL regular season game. I look forward to a day when both are so common place that stats like these are no longer notable. That said…these are the types of games that kept the Chargers in the AFC West basement last year (now 1-5 in games decided by three or fewer points since start of 2016). And having a rookie kicker better for easy puns than game-winning kicks won’t help.
(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)Ok, one more #Chargers fans…these Younghoe(s) ain't loyal. Ok, I swear I'm done #MNF #SuckerForPuns — Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 12, 2017
Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Saints 19
Vikings 29
This game was a passing of the torch in every way: Minnesota honored Vikings legend Randy Moss on the same night Stefon Diggs (with his awesome cleats) became the first Vikings receiver to catch two touchdowns in the first half of a season opener since Moss did it in 2004. And on the same field Adrian Peterson made his lackluster Saints debut (18 yards on six carries), Dalvin Cook rushed for 127 yards to surpass Peterson’s 107 yard debut in 2007. If Sam Bradford can stay healthy and play even half this well consistently, this is a playoff team.
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Redskins 17 So let me get this straight…the Redskins offense is now a mess after carrying the team in 2016, and the defense still can’t get off the field on 3rd down? If the ‘Skins lose to their old offensive coordinator in Los Angeles next week, their 2017 season will join Greg Manusky in the porta-potty. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Bengals 0 Get used to this Baltimore. Your defense is dominant (five sacks, five takeaways in their first shutout since 2009) but your offense is Justin Tucker and whatever Joe Flacco doesn’t ruin. Cincinnati is the first team since 2006 to get shut out at home in its season opener. Consider this the first of many alarming stats that will get Marvin Lewis fired. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Browns 18 Though this game was closer than they’d like, Pittsburgh’s defense earned a lot of love for this win: Joe Haden got a game ball at his former team’s expense and T.J. Watt became the first player in 30 years to register an interception and two sacks in this NFL debut. If the Steeler D can do this against a veteran like Sam Bradford next week, it’ll be hard not to think this unit is back in a big way. (AP Photo/David Richard)
AP Photo/David Richard
Bills 21 Enjoy this Buffalo. Your stay atop the AFC East will be brief. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Bears 17 Here’s a fun stat, Atlanta: Austin Hooper’s 88-yard TD was the longest by a tight end in Week 1 in NFL history. Now here’s one that should worry Falcons fans: if Chicago doesn’t drop two end zone passes in the final minute, we’re talking “Super Bowl hangover” right off the bat. Bring this weak sauce against Green Bay next week and your home opener will get out of hand fast. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Photo by David Banks/Getty Images
Lions 35 Matthew Stafford’s first pass of the season was a Pick-6…but we all know he’s the highest paid QB in the NFL because of how he finishes: Detroit scored 20 points in the 4th quarter, led by Stafford’s 7-of-8 passing for 122 yards and 2 TDs. Considering the way he’s played since his 2015 benching, Arizona may want to try the same thing with Carson Palmer, who looks really old and decrepit without David Johnson to take the pressure off him. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Titans 16 Derek Carr was sharp, Beast Mode started strong, and Giorgio Tavecchio is the first kicker in NFL history with two 50-yard field goals in his debut—proving himself to be a younger, cheaper Sebastian Janikowski. I’m pretty sure that’s not what Dick LeBeau wanted for his 80th birthday. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Texans 7 This is the best Jacksonville has looked in years. Calais Campbell saved his best (he had a career-high four of the team’s 10 sacks) for his first game with the Jaguars defense, and Leonard Fournette led the offense to its highest scoring opener since 2005—both of which have the Jags on the right side of .500 for the first time since Week 1 of the 2011 season. Just imagine how good this team could be with an actual quarterback. Speaking of which…Houston’s quick switch to rookie QB Deshaun Watson should be permanent so the focus should be on J.J. Watt’s gruesome finger injury. If Watt has to miss time, this could be the start of a rough season for the Texans. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Rams 46 Daycare and Medicare seemed to carry the day in L.A. Sean McVay looks like a genius for coaxing Jared Goff into his first 300-yard passing game in his first career win, and Wade Phillips coordinated a Rams defense that goes down as the first in NFL history to record two Pick-6s and a safety in a season opener. Los Angeles is going to have some fun this year. Conversely, this is just the beginning of a miserably long season in Indianapolis, where they already don’t know what (or who) hit them. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Packers 17 My NFC Championship Game preview had a little bit of everything: Eddie Lacy shut down by his former team, Jeremy Lane ejected for throwing a punch, a family reunion, and two strong defenses shutting down Pro Bowl QBs. Can’t wait to see the rematch in January. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Second half kickoff pic.twitter.com/sEQgbtfJIq
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) September 10, 2017
Cowboys 19 I’d like to update the record to reflect I have Dallas winning the NFC East at 10-6. Not because of anything I saw against a lousy Giants offense but because my preseason prediction was predicated on Ezekiel Elliott sitting out six games. Since that’s no longer the case, the Cowboys are still the best team in the division. And the Giants better hope Odell Beckham’s ankle doesn’t keep him out much longer…because Big Blue’s offense comes up really small without him. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Patriots 27 Pop quiz New England: How do you celebrate hoisting a fifth championship banner earned by completing a 25-point comeback for the ages? Apparently by blowing a 10-point lead at home and giving up the most points (42) and yards (537) in the Belichick era. Give props to Kansas City though; they’re the first AFC team in over a decade to beat Tom Brady at home and the early returns on Kareem Hunt (who set a record with 246 yards from scrimmage in his debut game and scored three touchdowns) imply they got the steal of the 2017 NFL Draft. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Dolphins (postponed) I’m going to use this slide to rant over the NFL’s bad decision to postpone this game to Week 11. For a league (allegedly) so hell bent on player safety, asking two teams to play an entire season without a bye is idiotic and borderline cruel. It’s a massive disadvantage to a pair of teams with realistic playoff aspirations, and pushing the game up a day or two would have been a preferable option for all parties involved. Add this to the long list of gaffes by the league’s front office. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
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