All articles tagged with #week 1
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald returned from retirement for Week 1, playing 33 of 58 defensive snaps and recording three tackles with a tackle for loss. He said the game wasn’t as fast as he expected and needs more playing time and film review to sharpen his timing, especially with Myles Garrett sidelined by a knee issue.
Week 1’s 21-point win over Denver quieted doubts about KC’s defense, offensive line and depth as Andy Reid unleashed an aggressive game plan with cornerback blitzes, a designed run by Kenneth Walker, Mahomes’ scrambling and timely takeaways, signaling a return of the Chiefs’ championship swagger.
The Steelers’ defense dominated Week 1, bottling up the Falcons and forcing turnovers, highlighted by T.J. Watt’s pick-six and a potential AFC Defensive Player of the Week showing. Baldinger praised the speed and depth of Pittsburgh’s young defenders and their possible league-leading takeaway pace, while the offense, hampered by drops, managed only 20 points despite more downfield attempts; Rodgers acknowledged progress but cited missed catches as a major issue.
Deshaun Watson blamed the media for outsized expectations after Cleveland’s Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, claiming reporters expect him to throw 400 yards and five touchdowns every week. He finished Week 1 with 205 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT in a 34–10 defeat, as the Browns look for a stronger showing in upcoming games against Tampa Bay and Carolina.
Week 1 produced a rare data-driven pattern: every 1-0 team posted positive DVOA and every 0-1 team negative, with San Francisco leading DVOA after their win and opponent-adjusted metrics now in play. Key storylines include Derrick Henry’s outside-zone dominance for Baltimore, the Bills exploiting Reed Blankenship with heavy 13-personnel, Malik Muhammad II’s impressive Bears debut, and Jets’ improved pass protection. The Cardinals were noted for showing talent on a rebuild. The piece cautions against overreacting to a single week while highlighting data-backed takeaways.
Week 1 showed the Steelers leaning into longer passes and a more aggressive passing game, despite winning with a defense-driven pick-six; coaches say the offense will continue to use the full passing menu—short, intermediate and deep—while adapting to the flow of the game to turn opportunities into points.
Puka Nacua leads PFF’s Week 1 wide receiver rankings after posting 3.74 yards per route run in the Rams’ opener, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba second thanks to a 45.8% target share; Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown round out the top five. The rankings fuse preseason projections with early-season performance and will evolve as more games are played.
The Philadelphia Eagles edged the Washington Commanders 24-22 in Week 1, leaning on a stingy defense and timely big plays from an efficient offense. Jalen Hurts went 14-25 for 203 yards with 3 TDs and added 46 rushing yards, while Dallas Goedert (4-77-2) and Dontayvion Wicks (2-73) supplied the top receiving moments. The OL had penalties and some blocks, Washington blitzed heavily, but the defense produced key plays down the stretch. Zack Baun and Moro Ojomo were standout defenders, and Nick Sirianni remains 6-0 in season openers, though Philly must clean up consistency, especially in the run game and late-game coverage, before Week 2.
Atlanta’s opener saw a stout Falcons defense but a stalled offense and inconsistent special teams; Sydney Brown, Za’Darius Smith, and Maason Smith led the 3-up list with disruptive plays, while Matthew Bergeron struggled with penalties, Nick Folk missed two kicks, and Cooper Rush’s in-game miscues hampered the attack. If the offense and special teams can rebound, the defense has the pieces to keep them competitive in Week 2 against the Panthers.
Kenneth Walker III piled up 191 scrimmage yards (173 rushing, 18 receiving) with two touchdowns in Week 1, breaking Jerry Rice's 1989 record of 180 scrimmage yards for the most by a reigning Super Bowl MVP in the opening game of a season as the Chiefs defeated the Broncos 31-10.
Week 1 fantasy football delivered fireworks: Josh Allen and Caleb Williams sparked a high-tempo Bills attack, while Kenneth Walker blew up with a monster day and new efficiency. Christian McCaffrey’s expected points slipped, Cooper Rush struggled for Atlanta, and Jaxson Dart showed sharp accuracy and efficiency. The Saints looked like a fantasy factory with a blistering pace, a rookie breakout group started to take shape, Malik Willis had a rough Miami debut, and Buffalo’s fast, deep-throwing approach suggests more QB1 weeks to come.
One week into the 2026 NFL season, Bills QB Josh Allen remains the MVP favorite, while Bears QB Caleb Williams has surged to second after a 59-37 Week 1 win; Allen’s odds moved to +500 and Williams to +600, with Lamar Jackson +650, Joe Burrow +900, and Brock Purdy +1200 rounding out the top tier, and Matthew Stafford at +2000 after the Rams’ Week 1 loss.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye channelled Bill Belichick after the season-opening loss in Seattle, saying the team is on to Pittsburgh as they regroup. Maye finished 23 of 33 for 178 yards with 1 touchdown and a career-high three interceptions in Week 1, including three fourth-quarter picks that sealed the defeat. He acknowledged there were plays to be made and vowed to be better going forward, as Week 2 against the Steelers—featuring a formidable pass rush—looms and the Pats must protect Maye while maximizing both run and pass opportunities.
Pittsburgh moved to 1-0 with a 20-13 win over Atlanta, anchored by a dominant defense (four sacks, two INTs including a 35-yard return by T.J. Watt) but the offense was inconsistent, particularly on third down and in the run game. Across major outlets, the Steelers’ power-rankings position barely budged (average rank around 19.4), with The Athletic nudging them up two spots while others kept them mid-pack. Questions remain about sustaining offensive production under McCarthy-era style criticisms as they head to New England in Week 2.
OutKick’s Two-Word Game assigns every NFL team a two-word descriptor after Week 1, turning results into quick mood reads—from the Cardinals’ well-coached performance to the Jaguars’ championship sleepers and the Lions’ purple reign—highlighting early surprises and lingering flaws across the league.