Week 1 across the NFL was pure chaos, seriously. The superteam Rams went down, down under, and some of the league’s supposed “best teams” looked like they were still figuring out how to tie their cleats. Meanwhile, the freakin’ Jets, Raiders, and Cardinals all snagged opening wins, which has turned everyone’s Power Rankings into a total mess.
Money Pit Blues: Defenses Implode and QBs Fizzle
Talk about pouring money down the drain. Carolina dropped $170 million this offseason rebuilding their defense, and what did that get them in Week 1? A whopping 59 points and 552 yards given up. No refunds, folks, that cash is GONE. Over in Tampa Bay, Baker Mayfield is on the hook for $165 million over three years, and the Bucs are definitely expecting more than whatever *that* offense was. He’s got too many weapons to look that bad. Then there’s Dallas, where fixing their defense didn’t work, their “vaunted” offense looked totally mediocre on Sunday night, and their QB room is so broken Cooper Rush had to start with back spasms. Ouch. For some teams, like Miami, expectations were already scraping rock bottom, and they still couldn’t meet them. You know it’s gonna be a long season in South Florida when that’s your starting point.
Shockers, Stinkers, and What-The-Heck Moments
But hey, it wasn’t all bad news for the underdogs! The Cardinals just straight-up shut down Justin Herbert and thoroughly beat a Chargers team many pegged as a sleeper Super Bowl contender. So much for those 0-13 predictions, right? And get this: the Jets looked efficient on offense and stingy on defense, snagging a win. Are they actually… good? Probably not, the Titans are just *that* bad. Speaking of the Titans, Robert Saleh’s debut was a total disaster. The Raiders won their opener, but Kirk Cousins is still turning the ball over too much, and let’s be real, it was only Miami they played. Jayden Daniels over in Washington wasn’t his usual dynamic self, but they still nearly upset the Eagles, which makes you wonder about both teams. And then there’s the Giants, where Brian Daboll’s offense managed only 195 yards against the Jets, with 65 of those coming in garbage time. Though Daniel Jones apparently looked healthier later against a “Baltimore buzz saw,” so maybe there’s a tiny silver lining there. Jim Harbaugh’s opener with the Chargers? A total stinker, with his defense getting run over by those surprising Cardinals. Cleveland’s QB situation with Deshaun Watson and Todd Monken is also raising eyebrows; does it even matter how long Watson sticks around?
Week 1 was just pure madness, setting up a wild ride for Week 2. Power Rankings are completely flipped on their head, and it’s clear some teams have *a lot* to prove and quickly. Let’s see if the chaos continues next week or if some of these big spenders can actually deliver.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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