After a long seven months without football, the NFL is finally back in full swing. And with the season back, that means we’re back with our weekly recap of all the action from every game in Week 1.
The season kicked off with Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys headed to Tampa to face the defending Super Bowl champ Buccaneers. Tom Brady and Prescott lit the field up as both QBs threw the ball over 50 times. Despite the Cowboys winning the game in basically every facet, they failed to win the battle of special teams. As time winded down, Brady marched the Bucs down the field for the game-winning field goal. Tampa Bay starts their season off with a 31-29 win.
The Steelers headed up north to begin their season after an underwhelming end to the 2020-21 season. The Bulls jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first half, but the Steelers buckled down to make a big run in the second half. Big Ben led the charge as the Steelers scored 17 points in the fourth quarter. The final score was 23-16.
The Arizona Cardinals with newly acquired JJ Watt took on the Tennessee Titans with newly acquired Julio Jones. Arizona did a fine job of containing the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, Derrick Henry to just 58 yards, while the Cardinals faced no hiccups. Kyler Murray threw for four touchdowns while running for one more. Chandler Jones also had a historic game with five sacks on the day. The Cards won 38-13.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were firing on all cylinders vs. The Atlanta Falcons. Hurts threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 62. 2021 Heisman winner Devonta Smith had six catches, 71 yards, and one touchdown in his debut. The Eagles won 32-6.
Top pick of the 2021 Draft Trevor Lawrence made his NFL debut vs. the Houston Texans. Lawrence played fairly well in his debut, throwing for 332 yards, three touchdowns but three nasty interceptions. Tyrod Taylor led the show for the Texans with 331 yards total and two touchdowns. The Deshaun Watson-less Texans win 37-21 in their season opener.
Joe Burrow made his return to the field after a gruesome knee injury derailed his rookie season last year. Burrow threw for 261 yards with two touchdowns. Joe Mixon ran for 127 yards and a touchdown as well for the Bengals. Top WR prospect Jamarr Chase also had a big debut, with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown from his former college QB. The Bengals won 27-24 in an overtime win.
Deebo Samuel was unstoppable for the 49ers in their first regular-season game vs. the Lions. Samuel caught nine passes for 189 yards and one touchdown. San Francisco dominated the Lions, until the second half when Detroit made a run at it. Jimmy Garroppolo ruined Jared Goff’s Lions debut with a 41-33 win.
The Seahawks took on the Indianapolis Colts with their new QB Carson Wentz at the helm. Even though Wentz played well, Wilson played even better. Wilson was 18/23 with 254 yards and four touchdowns, two going to Tyler Lockett. Seattle starts their season off with a 28-16 win over the Colts.
Justin Herbert picks up off his stellar rookie season in Los Angeles in week one vs. the Washington Football Team. Herbert threw for 337 yards and one touchdown. Ryan Fitzpatrick was injured for the Football early on the game, and former ODU Monarch Taylor Heinicke. Even though Heinicke played as well, it just wasn’t enough, as the Chargers win 20-16 in Week one.
Sam Darnold made his debut for the Carolina Panthers against his former team, the New York Jets. Darnold threw for 279 yards and a touchdown in the game. Christian McCaffrey was dominant as well, rushing for nearly 100 yards and catching for 89 yards. Rookie QB Zach Wilson played well in his debut, throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers took the 19-14 victory.
Two former college teammates Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa faced off in an AFC East battle in week one. Mac Jones showed out in his NFL debut, throwing for 281 yards and one touchdown while completing 29/39 passes. Even though Jones’s play was excellent, it wasn’t enough for the win. Miami took the W Sunday by a score of 17-16, to become the only AFC North team to win Sunday.
The displayed New Orleans Saints look to make a transition in the franchise, moving past the Drew Brees Era vs. the Green Bay Packers. Jameis Winston outshined Aaron Rodgers in the game, throwing for 148 yards and five touchdowns. The Packer’s offense or defense never gained any momentum throughout the game. The Saints went on to win 38-3 in dominating fashion.
Saquon Barkley made his return to the field after his season was cut short due to injury. Unfortunately for Barkley and the Giants, the Denver Broncos were hitting on all cylinders in week one. Teddy Bridgewater led the way for Denver, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns as the Broncos won 27-13.
The Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Cleveland Browns in an AFC Divisional round rematch. Baker Mayfield and the Browns got out early on Kansas City, taking a 22-10 lead by halftime. But Kansas City turned up on all phases of the game, scoring on all four possessions in the second half. Tyreke Hill accounted for 11 catches and 197 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown. Patrick Mahomes threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs won 33-29.
The Bears traveled to LA to face Aaron Donald the Rams. In his Rams debut, Matt Stafford played by far his best game from a statistical standpoint, throwing for 321 yards on 20/26 completions with three touchdowns. The Bears’ offense struggled against Aaron Donald’s constant pressure and the rest of the crew, scoring just 14 points. The Rams won 34-14 in their week one match.
In the final match of the week, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens traveled to Vegas to face Derek Carr and the Raiders. The two teams went back to back throughout the game, as both offenses found their way against each other. Lamar Jackson led the way for Baltimore with 235 yards passing and 86 yards rushing, but Jackson struggled to keep the ball, as he fumbled the ball three times. Derek Carr threw the ball 56 times and racked up 435 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning toss to Zay Jones in Overtime. The thrilling game ended with a score 33-27 as both teams made huge plays down the stretch.