Football is back! And what a first Sunday of the 2022 NFL season it was – just a glorious day spent on our couches or barstools or on back patios pounding hard seltzers or wherever the heck you watched you football.
It was all just a lot of fun. And we saw a lot of wild things happen.
We saw an absolutely silly overtime frame in the Bengals-Steelers game, which Pittsburgh won moments after their kicker doinked one off the bar.
We saw Bill Belichick and the Patriots look really bad in their loss to Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins.
And we saw Justin Fields and the Bears celebrating their big win by diving all over a very soaked Soldier Field.
It’s now time to hand out some Week 1 Awards – where I look back at the good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday.
Let’s go!
The worst job of dressing for the weather: Joe Judge.
The Patriots’ offensive assistant coach wore a hoodie on the sidelines at Sunday’s game in Miami where temps on the field hit over 100 degrees. Was he trying to look like some tough football guy who didn’t care about the weather and that wearing a sweatshirt would make him look like a hardo that his players would respect more?
Who can say?
Whatever it was, it didn’t help his team as they lost 20-7 and looked awful for most of the game.
Official kickoff temperature 92 degrees. Feels like 103. Belichick and the Patriots coaches are in white. Joe Judge (right) is in a sweatshirt pic.twitter.com/TjSyue2MGv
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 11, 2022
Fans were not impressed:
It’s 110 degrees on the field in Miami and Joe Judge has a hoodie on? The reverse of the high school coach wearing shorts on a snowy Thanksgiving.
— Andy Hart (@JumboHart) September 11, 2022
Joe Judge wearing a hoodie on the field all afternoon in 100 degree heat tells you everything you want to know about Joe Judge.
— Mike Mc (@mmceach476) September 11, 2022
Idk who the Patriots can trust calling the plays at this point but it absolutely can’t be the guy wearing a hoodie in Miami. In September. That person is Joe Judge.
— Gary Striewski (@garystriewski) September 11, 2022
Worst job of painting a straight line: The Bears' grounds crew.
It was a super rainy and windy day in Chicago but come on guys, you can do better than this!
Feel like you need to just do it all over again
(via @Gridiron) pic.twitter.com/t4XWFjbAjF
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 11, 2022
Worst first throw of the season: Joe Burrow.
Joe Burrow’s very first throw of the season went for a pick six against the Steelers. Things got worse from there as he finished with 4 INTs and a lost fumble in Cincinnati’s OT loss at home.
MINKAH FOR SIX. #HereWeGo
📺: #PITvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/pHwdeoOMZE pic.twitter.com/wsUmMhqg8B— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022
The second worst first throw of the season: Tua Tagovailoa.
This was really ugly… but the Dolphins did go on to win, so whatever.
First pass of the season for Tua..pic.twitter.com/2G7TVTO00X
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022
Best catch by a defensive player standing like 3 yards from the QB: TJ Watt.
Watt tore his pec later in the game but this play was pretty darn incredible.
TJ Watt vs. the Bengals so far:
◽️ 2 tackles
◽️ 1 TFL
◽️ 2 pass deflections
◽️ 1 INT🎥 @NFLpic.twitter.com/SoiqQtSirx
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) September 11, 2022
The dumbest penalty called on a holder: This one on Chicago's Trenton Hill.
You can’t bring a towel out to dry off the field a little bit during a monsoon? Who knew!?
shown: a 15-yard penalty for illegal towel use. go Bears pic.twitter.com/gIcaHqEIKP
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 11, 2022
Best celebration by a team on a drenched field: The Bears.
Justin Fields and his teammates had some fun late in their win over the 49ers.
One of the hardest celebrations ever pic.twitter.com/Mvk0WbI3WX
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 11, 2022
LOOK AT THIS:
Someone paint me this. I need it framed.#DaBears pic.twitter.com/hlGC4OZ9aa
— Mason West (@WestSportsPT) September 11, 2022
Beautiful.
The worst job of trying to catch a sure TD pass from a future Hall of Fame QB: Christian Watson.
Yeah, this isn’t a good way to try to win over Aaron Rodgers.
Christian Watson is, in fact, the perfect replacement for Marquez Valdes-Scantling pic.twitter.com/7MUgB10VIu
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 11, 2022
Best job of making a corner back look totally lost: Devante Adams.
Adams made his Raiders debut Sunday… and made Chargers CB Ansante Samuel look silly on this play.
Davante Adams just bought Asante Samuel's soul with this move. pic.twitter.com/SZe3QJZxMP
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022
The most unique way of describing your coach’s confidence: Tyreek Hill.
Hill is a big fan of his new coach in Miami.
Here’s the quote (with video) from Tyreek Hill on Mike McDaniel going for it on 4th and 7: “McDaniel’s gonna need a wheel barrow for his nuts to carry them around.” pic.twitter.com/WcepqVugRn
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) September 11, 2022
Best job of sending a future Hall of Fame QB flying: Vikings LB Za'Darius Smith.
Rodgers tried so hard to act casual after this hit.
Aaron Rodgers throws a block at Za'Darius Smith, gets blown up, gives Smith his propers after stumbling around a bit pic.twitter.com/w4bwUBbjlq
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 11, 2022
