The NFL returned in style on Sunday. After the Buffalo Bills dismantled the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, it was time for the rest of the league to step up to the plate - and boy did they deliver.
The San Francisco 49ers suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears, while the Miami Dolphins went to town on the New England Patriots.
The Los Angeles Chargers laid a marker as they topped the Las Vegas Raiders as the Kansas City Chiefs - who have dominated the AFC West in the Patrick Mahomes era - laid waste to Kyler Murray’s Arizona Cardinals.
Even the Washington Commanders and New York Giants delivered epic wins in thrilling matches against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. Sunday was simply a day filled with sensational gridiron action - and here are five of the biggest talking points:
Kickers - and long snappers - matter
The epic clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals was a masterclass for viewers. The 23-20 Steelers victory was a defensive feast, but was ultimately decided by a long snapper on special teams - or rather, the lack of one.
Bengals long snapper Clark Harris was forced to exit the game after he suffered a biceps injury, and NFL teams do not tend to bring a backup. Chaos usually ensues and it certainly did at the Paul Brown Stadium.
You may wonder why a snap ultimately matters, but if special teams snaps are even just slightly off, a team will struggle to punt or kick the ball effectively. Harris’ absence highlighted how crucial a skilled long snapper is to kicking the ball and winning the game. It cost the Bengals the win as Evan McPherson hacked his effort wide. He insisted he ‘just missed it’ - but he wouldn’t have had Harris been on the field.
Instead, Mitchell Wilcox - Cincinnati’s backup tight end - delivered the snap to Kevin Huber, who traditionally catches the ball and places the hold. The first kick to win the game was expertly blocked by Minkhah Fitzpatrick, and the second flew wide of the post to ensure Pittsburgh left with a breathless and unlikely victory.
No Hill, no problem for Patrick Mahomes
As the wide receiver market began to explode following Christian Kirk’s mammoth deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to trade Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Hill instantly became the highest-paid receiver in the NFL - but the move appears to be working for all parties.
Patrick Mahomes still looked, well, like Patrick Mahomes. He threw for a monstrous 360 yards and five touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals, leading the Chiefs to a 44-21 road win.
He leant on Travis Kelce, who went for 121 yards and a touchdown, while new recruits JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling combined for 10 catches and 123 yards. Without Hill, the Chiefs offence barely skipped a beat.
As for Miami, Hill certainly made a difference. The receiver may not have scored in their 20-7 win over the New England Patriots, but he hauled in eight catches for 94 yards. Perhaps both sides won the break-up after all.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers receiving corps
I wanted to think of some pun or slogan to lead this point, but Aaron Rodgers is undoubtedly one of the biggest - if not the chief - loser during the opening week of the NFL. Even when he had All-Pro Davante Adams, there was a common running joke that the Packers had failed to adequately arm their four-time MVP quarterback.
Adams enjoyed a solid debut with the Raiders, going for 141 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Rodgers and the Packers were on the end of a 23-7 humbling by the Minnesota Vikings, and their biggest flaw was clear to see.
According to the depth chart, the Packers’ number one receiver was Allen Lazard - who has fewer career receiving yards (1,448) through four seasons than Adams’ 1,553 in 2022. Lazard was inactive, which meant Rodgers’ resources were limited as he finished with 195 passing yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
The back-to-back MVP didn’t have to look far to see what he was missing out on. While Rodgers toiled, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson juked, spun and danced his way to 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers will need something stronger than ayahuasca if he is going to find form - or even joy - in the 2022 season.
The battered and bruised Dallas Cowboys fall to timeless Tom Brady
With Tom Brady set to kick off his 23rd NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys appeared already facing a defeat when they welcomed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Arlington on Sunday night. This was largely down to the absences of star left tackle Tyron Smith and receiver Michael Gallup, who are both recovering from respective hamstring and ACL injuries.
On the first drive, things took a turn for the worse. Smith’s replacement Tyler Smith was replaced at left guard by Connor McGovern, and he went down with an ankle injury. Moments later, Jayron Kearse - Dallas’ starting strong safety who led the team in tackles in 2021 - suffered a knee injury.
If that pair of injuries was a turn for the worse, I don’t quite know how to describe how it must have felt for Cowboys fans when starting quarterback Dan Prescott went down with six minutes remaining. The 29-year-old could be out with his hand injury anywhere from several weeks to months, should he land on injured reserve.
Having said that, Prescott struggled and the Cowboys looked quite frankly bad. Dallas scored three points all game, and the coming weeks will be bleak with Cooper Rush set to take over under centre.
With Prescott, the Cowboys were the only team in the NFL who failed to score a touchdown in the opening week. Without him, Jerry Jones may need to look away from the turf and turn towards the skies to whatever deity may listen to his desperate prayers following the harrowing 19-3 loss to Brady’s Buccaneers.
Russell Wilson’s unwelcome, underwhelming return to Seattle
On March 16, the Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson and a fourth round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a bevvy of picks - including two first-rounders - and players. Just under six months later, Wilson inked a five-year contract extension worth $245 million with the Broncos only to be outshone by his former backup Geno Smith in week one.
What do you think was the biggest highlight in week one of the NFL? Let us know in the comments section.
Sure, the stats showed Wilson threw for 340 yards and a touchdown but Smith’s 195 yards and two scores came on an 82% completion rate. It appears the Seattle faithful - affectionally known as the ‘12s’ - have a new hero as they rained boos down on Wilson.
Ultimately, Wilson - who led the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, winning on their first trip - put Denver in a solid position to win but two fumbles on the goalline proved costly. The tactics from new coach Nathaniel Hackett left plenty to be desired, yet Wilson still led Denver downfield. Brandon McManus then fired his 64-yard field goal attempt wide with 15 seconds remaining, securing the slender 17-16 win for the Seahawks.
Denver have not made the play-offs since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016, with 11 different players starting at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired. In a stacked AFC West, the Broncos are going to need more than quarterback Wilson and new owner Lewis Hamilton if they are to return to the postseason.
