It was an action-packed Week 1! Let’s start by looking at several underreported stories from the week and, then, I’ll rank teams that had Mount Rushmore-like performances.
Is Jalen Hurts the guy? Jalen Hurts looked really good in the season opener against the Falcons. He has Philly fans thinking he might just have been their guy. Getting a good return for Julio was a good start, but the Falcons just don’t have the pieces on either side of the ball to make any noise. Hurts could be the quarterback Philly has been waiting for, but this game doesn’t sell me on him just yet.
Photo courtesy Windy City Gridiron
Matt Nagy and Kyle Shannahan have the same approach despite being in very different situations. And I think one of them is completely wrong. The Bears and 49ers are both holding back on starting their new quarterbacks. Both were highly-anticipated players, picked in the first round. The problem is that the two quarterbacks aren’t in the same situation. The 49ers are a team that has the pieces to compete right now. I understand that Jimmy G is the smart play in SF and their best chance to win now and let Lance develop. That’s not the case with the Bears. I have nothing against Andy Dalton (his days in the Orange and Black will always have a special place in my heart), but he is not “the guy” in Chicago. What do you have to lose here by playing Fields? Put Fields in the game and give the fans something to be excited about when they watch this team lose by 20+ points.
Can He Do It Again? (photo, NESN)
The AFC East is wide open, and the Pats might be back. Mac Jones looked good. And that tells you (again) to never bet against Bill Belichek. On the other hand (and I shouldn’t have to say this), the Jets are the Jets. They aren’t doing Zach Wilson any favors by having him be a human punching bag with next to nobody to throw to. Yes, the Bills are the favorite now, but they didn’t look great against that team from Pittsburgh. The Dolphins won, but they didn’t look convincing in doing so. Tua looked better, but he still doesn’t seem to have a great grasp of ways to move the ball down the field. Bottom line? If I were a betting man, I would put a little bit on the Patriots to come out of that division. They have a reloaded defense, a new quarterback, and whatever little-known slot receiver Bill Belichek finds to complete. You heard it first here, fans: THE PATS!
Fans have a lot to be excited about. There were all kinds of teams making headlines this weekend—a lot of teams that did not have much to look forward to. Now, they have new life. Who am I talking about? The Bengals are back. Carolina might have a QB. Vegas won a game that might already be the 2021 GOY. There is a lot to be excited about so far in the NFL. What’s better for fans than having delusional hope!
Mount Rushmore Power Rankings, Week 1
1. Steelers: They looked the best in Week 1, and they also had the best win, in my opinion, on the road at Buffalo. Pittsburgh handed business from start to finish to beat a team that many consider a serious SB contender.
2. Saints: Jameis is the guy again. Apparently, all he needed was eye surgery. In a great all-around game, the Saints dismantled Aaron and his Packers … from start to finish.
3. Chiefs: After a slow start, the Chiefs came back to life. This team showed (again) that nobody is going to stop that offense when they are clicking, no matter the situation. It was a gritty win over a good Browns team.
4. Raiders: The Vegas Raiders got the job done over a good (albeit depleted) Baltimore Ravens team. Carr was impressive down the stretch, and Gruden was good enough. It was a fitting way to close out a great Week 1.
