Week 1 of the NFL season is officially over and it came with a lot of ups and downs. There were many reasons to be excited for the rest of the season and there were many reasons to not look forward to it.
Many of the week 1 games were close and made for great games. There were a few blowouts that occurred over the week, but that is always to be expected during the season. Almost every team in the league showed at least one thing to look forward to the rest of the season.
On the flip side every team showed room for improvement in at least one area in the game.
Let’s look at every team and see what we learned after week one.
Arizona Cardinals
Up: The Cardinals rookie quarterback Kyler Murray got off to a rough start against the Lions. The Cardinals trailed by 14 at halftime and by 18 points entering the fourth quarter. Up to this point in the game Murray was 14 for 35 with 154 yards through the air. The 4th quarter changed all of that, Murray went 15 for 19 for 154 yards and two touchdowns to tie the game up at 24. Yes, it’s the Lions defense who is not great, but Murray showed that he belongs in this league coming back from 18 points down to lead the team to an overtime game. Murray has certain intangibles that are necessary for quarterbacks to be successful in this league.
Down: The defense is susceptible to big plays in the air. Even though it seems like the secondary would be the obvious choice to blame for this, this falls on the whole defense. The secondary allowed two passes of more than 30 yards to set up good field position for the Lions. The biggest weakness right now comes from covering the tight end. First round draft pick T.J. Hockenson had six receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. While we don’t know whether Hockenson will become one of the top tight ends in the league, it is evident that the Cardinals cannot cover a big tight end right now. This will need to be fixed quickly as almost every team in the league has at least one strong option at tight end.
Atlanta Falcons
Up: Falcons fans didn’t have too much to cheer about during the game against the Vikings. Every time it seemed like they were getting in rhythm a turnover would plague them. However, there were some things to enjoy as they can build around. This would be the play of the receiver core. Five different players had at least four receptions, with tight end Austin Hooper leading the way with nine receptions for 77 yards. The play of the receiving core gives hope for the Falcons that their offense can be one of the best in the league. Between these six players they combined for 28 receptions for 270 yards. Giving a quarterback multiple options to throw to is necessary for a well-run offense and the Falcons definitely have options to get the ball too.
Down: Turnovers are a part of the game, a bad part of the game, but part of the game none the less. The offense had three turnovers, two interceptions from Matt Ryan and a fumble from running back Devonta Freeman. These turnovers came in critical situations too. One interception from Ryan came at their 41-yard line, setting the Vikings up in great field position to score, which they did by getting a touchdown on the ensuing drive. The other two turnovers came while they were in scoring position. They had a chance to put points on the board both of these times and wasted the opportunity by giving the ball up. Turning the ball over is never good, but when you have an opportunity to score you cannot turn the ball over.
Baltimore Ravens
Up: With a dominant win against the Miami Dolphins there are many options to choose from where they excelled. The most impressive part of the whole team though was quarterback Lamar Jackson. Last year Jackson was not a threat to throw the ball, but a major threat to run the ball. Many people assumed it would be the same way this season. Instead, Jackson did almost all his damage through the air. Jackson was 17 for 20 with five touchdowns through the air, the craziest part of the whole game though is that he only ran the ball three times. Jackson put in a ton of work this offseason to get better at passing and so far, it has paid its dividends.
Down: There really wasn’t much that the Ravens did not do this game. Yes, the Dolphins are one of the worst teams in the league, but the Ravens were great all around. If there was one area they need to work on it would be the pass rush. The Ravens had three sacks against the Dolphins which is not bad, again there really wasn’t much to work on. With Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith gone the pass rush was the biggest focus on the defense this season. Matthew Judon will need to continue to work to fill the void and he got off to a good start with one sack and two tackle for losses.
Buffalo Bills
Up: The Bills were shutout through the first 40 minutes of the game against the Jets. Then the offense started to gain some momentum. After a lackluster year in Baltimore last season, Brown started off this season with a bang. Brown had seven receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown. John Brown was brought in to bring some speed to the Bills offense and that is exactly what he did in week 1. If Brown can keep up this production, and Josh Allen can become more consistent than Brown could have the best year of his career.
Down: Josh Allen had a very rough game to start out his sophomore season. Allen was 24 for 37 with 254 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and two fumbles. At the end of the day the Bills got the win, but the play from the quarterback position needs to improve. If Allen continues to play like this than the Bills will not be winning too many more games this season. It was the first game of the year which means there is time to improve. He did improve throughout the game, all of his turnovers were in the first half, eventually leading the game winning drive and capping off the comeback with a 38-yard touchdown pass to John Brown. Bottom line is that Allen needs to play better and be consistent throughout the whole game, not just the 4th quarter.
Carolina Panthers
Up: Christian McCaffrey is the best player on the Panther offense, he accumulated 209 all-purpose yards for two touchdowns. Especially dealing with a foot injury Cam Newton will have to rely on McCaffrey for the Panther offense to be the best it can be. McCaffrey is the best running back and possibly the best receiver that the Panthers have. The Panthers have to utilize McCaffrey the best they can to make the offense great. Once Newton returns to full health, they can split up the load a little bit, but until then they need to get the most out of McCaffrey who is looking great.
Down: The Panthers defense did a good job at limiting yards that the Rams got on offense. However, it turned out the Rams didn’t need a lot of yards because they were getting turnovers and starting with great field position. The Panthers had two turnovers which set up the Rams in great position, one of which they capitalized on and scored a touchdown. Turnovers are always tough, but when you go up against a great offense it makes them even tougher. The Panthers need to have better ball security in the upcoming weeks because their defense was good enough that they should have won the game.
Chicago Bears
Up: There was not much good to go around in this game against the Packers on both ends. One good thing to say for the Bears is the kicking game. After ending last season in a depressing note with the “double doink” the Bears needed to find a consistent kicker. There was only one opportunity for the kicker as he put the only points on the board for the Bears, so it is not yet known if Eddie Pineiro can manage as their kicker, but he is off to a good start in Chicago after making his only attempt.
Down: The Bears offense looked stagnant all game long against the Packers. Everything went back to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The run game was not impressive either, only getting 46 yards in total, but Trubisky did not look crisp. Trubisky was 26 for 45 with 228 yards and one interception. His throws were not on point and he was not quick with his decisions. Hopefully, Trubisky can turn this around quick or the Bears offense can be in for a rough season.
Cincinnati Bengals
Up: With A.J. Green not dressing up for the game, Dalton needed to find another receiver to throw to. He found that receiver in John Ross. Ross had seven receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns. This season could be a coming out party for John Ross, that would be much needed for the Bengals offense to not be one-dimensional this season. If Ross can be this efficient once A.J. Green comes back, then the Bengals offense can be a dangerous weapon this season.
Down: The Bengals did a great job of racking up yards on offense, however, they were never able to do anything with these yards. They had 429 yards in total offense, but only had four scoring drives. They had every opportunity to win this game, but they could not find a way to get points on the board. Two turnovers and a missed field goal on strong possessions doesn’t help the chances of winning games. The Bengals need to be able to make the most of their opportunities if they are going to win games in the future.
Cleveland Browns
Up: In his first game in a Browns uniform, Odell Beckham Jr. started off his tenure in Cleveland with a strong outing. Racking up seven catches for 71 yards Beckham showed that he is the number one receiver. Beckham may need to do more on this offense as he is the best player, but it was a good way to start in a new spot.
Down: A revamped offense, the Browns were supposed to have one of the best offenses in the league. They are not off to a good start after week 1. Baker Mayfield had a lackluster game for the Browns, he was 25 for 38 with 285 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. One of these interceptions was a pick six which added to the blowout the Browns suffered. Mayfield will bounce back from this as he has the weapons, but the Browns could not live up to the hype they were given through week 1.
Dallas Cowboys
Up: The Cowboys were great on offense against the Giants and it all started with quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott was 25 for 32 with 405 yards and four touchdowns. The Giants had no answer for him on the defensive side. Right now, Prescott is playing for a new contract and if he keeps playing that way, he will definitely get one. No matter the reason Prescott is playing great the bottom line is he is playing great and if he can continue to play like this than you will see the Cowboys in the playoffs.
Down: The run defense really underwhelmed against the Giants. Yes, Saquon Barkley is one of the best running backs in the NFL, but the giants very much under-utilized him, but he still ran through the defense. In only 11 carries Barkley managed 120 yards. It’s not every week you are facing one of the best running backs in the league, but the run defense needs to be addressed in the upcoming weeks unless you expect the offense to produce like this every week.
Denver Broncos
Up: The Broncos have a new quarterback in Joe Flacco and general manager John Elway expects great things from the offense. Flacco didn’t have a bad game, but he did have one favorite receiver. Courtland Sutton led the team in receptions with seven for 120 yards. Sutton could be a next great receiver for the Broncos. At only 23 years old this game could be a coming ut party for Sutton and Broncos fans should be excited.
Down: The Broncos defense is supposed to be really good, according to the names they have. However, Derek Carr ran right through them, leading the Raiders past the Broncos. The pass rush of the Broncos is supposed to be the bread and butter for this team. Against the Raiders they could not do anything, they never sacked Carr and didn’t put enough pressure on him throughout the game. Bradley Chubb and Von Miller need to be able to get pressure on the quarterback for the defense to live up to their potential. Against the Raiders they couldn’t do anything and this needs to change real quick.
Detroit Lions
Up: Iowa football had two great tight ends for them last season in T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, the Lions ended up taking T.J. Hockenson with their first draft pick. Hockenson played like a number one pick against the Cardinals, with six receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown. Hopefully this debut is not forgotten due to the Lions blowing an 18-point lead and ending the game in a tie. Hockenson’s performance was too good not to be remembered. Ever since Calvin Johnson retired, the Lions were looking for a number one guy to throw too, it looks like Hockenson can be that guy they were looking for.
Down: The Lions defense completely collapsed in the 4th quarter against the Cardinals. They allowed 282 yards and blew an 18-point lead. Kyler Murray looked good in the 4th quarter, it is as much on his talent as it is with the Lions defense. The Lions need to get better on the defensive side to do anything this season. The defense looked like it ran out of gas as soon as the fourth quarter hit, this will not cut it for the rest of the year. The defense needs to play hard four quarters a game, three will not cut it and it was a lesson that they learned the hard way.
Green Bay Packers
Up: Since Aaron Rodgers has been in the league the Packers have never built a great defense around him. So far this season things look like they may be different. The Packers held the Bears to only three points and added one interception. The Packers added two big names in the offseason, safety Adrain Amos and defensive end Za’Darius Smith. The Packers defense will not be this great all season long, but they are off to a great start on the defensive side.
Down: Just like the Packers, the Bears played a great defensive game against the run. The Packers combined for just 47 yards on the ground. This meant that Aaron Rodgers had to provide the offense. This isn’t something that is new to Rodgers, but for the offense to be more productive they have to be able to have a strong run game, something they could not do against the Bears.
Houston Texans
Up: The Texans looked good on offense throughout the game against the Saints and it started with star receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins had eight receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Deshaun Watson was able to find his favorite receiver and lead them to a close game. In the end it wasn’t enough to land a victory, but the Saints are one of the best teams in the leagues. If they can get this play out of Watson on the regular, with help from Hopkins then the Texans offense has the potential to be very good.
Down: The Texans traded this year to get Laremy Tunsil to add some beef on the offensive line after allowing 62 sacks last year and ranking 31st out of all offensive lines. No one expected it to magically change overnight after getting Tunsil, he only had five days to learn the playbook. But the offensive line didn’t help Watson too much, allowing six sacks. The offensive line should continue to get better, but they cannot allow their quarterback to hit the ground six times and win the game.
Indianapolis Colts
Up: Without Andrew Luck at quarterback the Colts went from first in the division projections to last in the projections. Jacoby Brissett is looking to prove all the doubters wrong this season. Brissitt looked like a seasoned veteran in week 1. Yes, they lost the game, but it wasn’t because of Brissett. Brissett went 21 for 27 with 190 yards and two touchdowns, both going to T.Y. Hilton. The defense and special teams let Brissett down in week 1, but Brissett is fighting for a job and fighting for the future of the Indianapolis Colts, so far, he is off to a good start.
Down: One thing you never had to worry about with the Colts was the kicking game. Since 2006 Adam Vinatieri has been their kicker and he has always been one of the best. The now 47-year old’s season did not get off to a good start. Vinatieri missed two field goals, both that could have given the Colts a victory. He also missed an extra point very much hurting the Colts. Vinatieri was thought to have a knee issue before the season started, but they gave him the nod to go. Now it may look a little different, the special teams have to come through in close games like these to give your team a chance to win.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Up: With quarterback Nick Foles going out of the game early, it looked like the game was already over for them. However, backup Gardner Minshew kept the Jaguars in the game against one of the most high-powered offenses in the Chiefs. Foles will be out until at least week 11, this means Minshew will take control of the offense until then. If the game against the Chiefs is any indication, then the Jaguars might not be in as much trouble as thought.
Down: The Jaguars didn’t play bad, but they went against one of the best teams in the league. Patrick Mahomes tore up the Jags secondary who allowed 378 yards. The secondary needs to get things together in the upcoming weeks to help out their rookie quarterback in order to win games. It’s not every week you face a former MVP, so things look like they may be a little easier from here on out, but the secondary still needs to play better.
Kansas City Chiefs
Up: Tyreek Hill got injured during the game against the Jaguars which meant they needed to find a new number one receiver. It looks like they found that guy in Sammy Watkins who racked up nine receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns. Sammy Watkins was always supposed to be the guy, but he never lived up to his potential. Now, as the number one for a great quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, we finally get to see what Watkins is made of.
Down: The Chiefs defense was one of the worst in the league last season, their offseason acquisitions were supposed to have helped that. If week 1 is any indication, then they really haven’t gotten too much better. Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles got injured early and rookie Gardner Minshew came in to take over. Minshew looked great and only made one mistake where he threw an interception. Minshew missed only three times and threw for 275 yards, with the Jaguars combining for 347 passing yards. The defense was the reason they did not make the Super Bowl last season and after week 1 it looks like they could suffer a similar fate if things do not change.
Los Angeles Chargers
Up: Without Melvin Gordon at running back many thought the offense would take a little bit of a hit. It looks like Austin Ekeler didn’t get this message, running for 58 yards, making 6 receptions for 96 yards and getting a total of three touchdowns. Ekeler kept the Chargers in this game and made it look like they don’t even need Gordon to be productive on the offensive end. He didn’t have flashy rushing numbers, but if he will score that many times it will not be seen as a concern.
Down: The Chargers rush defense didn’t do a single thing to stop Colts running back Marlon Mack. Mack ran the ball 25 times for 174 yards and one touchdown, that is an average of 7.0 yards per carry. They were helped out by the fact Mack had to leave the game midway through the 3rd quarter. If Mack didn’t have to leave, he would have racked up even more yards on this weak rushing defense. The Chargers need to get a more consistent run d and this week was not it.
Los Angeles Rams
Up: The Rams defense and special teams showed up exactly when they needed them to. Forcing two turnovers and causing a missed field goal is what it’s all about. You have to anything possible to stop the other team from scoring. The Rams did this just enough to come out with a victory against the Panthers. The offense should get to a great level like they were last season, but if the defense can continue to cause turnovers than more wins should come with that.
Down: Jared Goff did not have a great game, completing 23 of 39 passes for 186 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Goff did not look good in this one, the good news is there is time in the season to correct that. Goff has to be more consistent on the offensive end to make the Rams the threat they were last season. If he cannot do this than the Rams will not be as serious of a threat in the NFC as they were last season.
Miami Dolphins
Up: The Dolphins had an abysmal game against the Ravens, they couldn’t do anything right on either end of the football. This was a tough way to start a season that has no hope in it. The only good thing to say about the week one performance was the job by the kicker. Jason Sanders was 1/1 in field goal opportunities, making a 54 yarder, and 1/1 in extra point opportunities. This doesn’t seem that impressive considering this is what they are paid to do, but when you look at how many teams are struggling to find a good kicker, it is good to have someone you can trust.
Down: Everything went wrong for the Dolphins against the Ravens, perhaps the most disappointing was the secondary. The secondary of the Dolphins is supposed to be the most experienced part of the team. They definitely didn’t look that way as Lamar Jackson carved through the defense. This secondary group is one of the only things that could possibly save this season, if they are going to continue playing like this then there is no hope.
Minnesota Vikings
Up: Questions arose before the Vikings first game about the health of running back Dalvin Cook. Those questions were answered easily during the game, Cook had 111 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Cook added two receptions for nine yards to his total for the day. Cook had an injury shortened season last year and needed to be able to bounce back. His outing against the Falcons showed that he is back and healthy. If Cook can stay healthy throughout the season the Viking offense could be one of the best in their franchise history.
Down: The Vikings played a great game and there wasn’t much bad going for them. The only bad part was the secondary near the end of the game. Up until the 4th quarter the Vikings were shutting the Falcons out, then Matt Ryan got two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to make the game not look like a blowout. However, it was a blowout so the touchdowns are not a huge concern, but if they get into tighter games and their secondary gives up late touchdowns it could mean trouble. We will not know that until they encounter a close game so all in all it was a good game for the Vikings defense.
New England Patriots
Up: The Patriots, just coming off a Super Bowl, looked like they are ready to repeat this season. Everything was clicking for them against the Steelers. The biggest joy for the Patriots would be the play of wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon has had troubles staying on the field in the past with substance abuse issues. On the field Gordon is a great talent, and he showed it against the Steelers. Gordon only had three receptions in the game, but one of them went for a touchdown. Without Gronkowski this season the Patriots are in need of a big deep threat, it looks like Gordon has taken over. As long as Gordon can stay on the field this season the Patriots pass offense should always be firing.
Down: The Patriots did not do much wrong against the Steelers. The one thing they need to work on is converting in the red zone. Stephen Gostkowski made four field goals in the opening week victory. All four of the field goals came within the 25-yard line. If the defense is going to be this efficient all season, then not scoring touchdowns is not such a big problem, but when the games become closer field goals are not going to cut it. The Patriots are not going to blow out teams every week, meaning that touchdowns will become necessary, this week it wasn’t a concern, but eventually it will be.
New Orleans Saints
Up: Just like the Texans with DeAndre Hopkins, the Saints have their own star receiver to help lead the offense. Michael Thomas led the team in catches with 10 for 123 yards. Thomas is sure handed and Drew Brees’ favorite target. However, Thomas wasn’t the only bright spot in the receivers, Ted Ginn Jr. had seven receptions for 101 yards and a catch to set up the game winning field goal. Brees is a possession passer and it always helps when you have multiple receivers you can rely on. Ginn Jr. has come a long way as a receiver and if he can continue this and take some pressure off of Thomas the Saints receivers should be in for a great year.
Down: Both teams secondaries in this game are not good. The Saints have name players in the secondary, but they did not play well against the Texans. Watson was finding open windows to get the ball to the receivers and there was nothing that the Saints secondary could do. In today’s passing league a good secondary is necessary in the league to have success. They ended up with a win, but the secondary needs to get better for the Saints to look like serious contenders.
New York Giants
Up: Even though they under-utilized him Saquon Barkley was the bright spot for the Giants. Of course, Barkley is one of the best running backs in the league so he should be the bright spot of the team, but Barkley played great. In 11 carries he ran for 120 yards and added four receptions for 19 yards. The Giants need to utilize their best player more in their offense to look good. IT doesn’t help when you are down so early because that makes you abandon the run. That is exactly what happened here, they abandoned the run too early, they can’t do that with one of the best backs in the league.
Down: The Giants secondary looked terrible against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys passing attack. Prescott played out of his mind, but this is also thanks to the bad defense that the Giants brought. The secondary will need to play better in the upcoming weeks if the Giants don’t want to be one of the worst teams in the NFL.
New York Jets
Up: It’s tough to come up with a positive for the Jets after week 1, on one hand newly acquired Le’Veon Bell had 92 total yards and a touchdown in his debut, then the defense caused four turnovers. The defense was the best thing in this game, until the second half came around. Causing four turnovers was a great start to the season for a re-built defense. It’s not their fault that the offense could not capitalize on the turnovers they caused. However, once C.J. Mosley went down with a groin injury the whole complexion of the game changed. It’s not a surprise because the defense lost their leader. Good news is the Jets expect Mosley to be back next week, with their leader back the defense should once again be great.
Down: So many teams in this league struggle to find a kicker that they can rely on. It seems like it is a rare commodity to find in today’s game. This was the Jets weak point against the Bills. Newly acquired Kaare Vedvik went 0 for 2 in his opportunities. He missed a 45 yarder in the 2nd quarter, and he missed an extra point after the first touchdown of the day. This was all the Jets needed to see, waiving the kicker earlier today and signing Sam Ficken to kick from now on. A good kicker is hard to find, but they are so necessary in the game. We will see on Monday night if the new kicker can cut it for the Jets because Vedvik could not.
Oakland Raiders
Up: Derek Carr has had a rough past two seasons with the Raiders. After being in the MVP hunt in 2016 Carr has not been able to live up to that since then. Carr started off the 2019 season on a great foot and looks like he may be back. He was very efficient and accurate against the Broncos which he has not been recently. If Carr is back to his good form the Raiders could have a better season than thought.
Down: The Raiders didn’t have much to complain about after the win against the Broncos. They scored on their first drive and only punted the ball three times. The only weak part of their game was the total yards allowed by the defense. Total yards in the end means nothing if they do not score, but it leads to chances of scoring. The only area that the Raiders need to improve after that game was the defense allowing yards.
Philadelphia Eagles
Up: Desean Jackson was great in his return to his former team, tallying eight receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He was Wentz’s favorite target all game long. Jackson electrified the whole crowd, with both of his touchdown receptions being 50 or more yards. The Eagles now have a playmaker and deep threat in Jackson, which the eagles have not had in recent years. Jackson could be just what the Eagles need to make it back to the Super Bowl and after a strong start in week 1 they are looking good.
Down: Case Keenum carved up this secondary unit and made them look like a junior varsity football team. Keenum though for 380 yards, and three touchdowns on the day. Due to this the Eagles ranked 27th in pass defense after week 1. The secondary is young, but they also have some veteran presence who will not be all that happy with the showing they put on against the Redskins. The Eagles were able to come back and win the game because their roster is more talented than the Redskins, but if the Eagles want to be serious contenders then the pass defense will need to strengthen up in the following weeks.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Up: A sloppy game played by the Steelers, there really isn’t much good that they did throughout the game. Probably the best aspect of the game for them was their kicking game, scoring the only points that the Steelers had that game. Rookie linebacker Devin Bush was also a bright spot for the team. He had a few mistakes, but that is to be expected with being a rookie. Leading the team in tackles, Bush looks like he could be a star in the making for a defense that struggled throughout the game.
Down: Everything that could have gone wrong for the Steelers did go wrong. Their offense was not good, their defense was not good, and they were never able to capture any kind of momentum. Probably the most disappointing part came from veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger did not look like he was ready to play at all. Many of his incompletions were under thrown and he looked like he did not want to be there. This is not what you want to see out of a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Roethlisberger is key for the Steelers this season if they want to make it far, and the first showing was not great.
San Francisco 49ers
Up: The 49ers defense was great all game long, accounting for 14 of their 31 points. The name of the game for defenses is to stop the offense in any way, turnovers are a great way to do this. The 49ers defense was supposed to be good and if they can slow down an offense like this every game then they will continue to do well in a tough division.
Down: The 49ers struggled offensively with turnovers leading to scores. Jimmy Garoppolo threw a pick six and Deebo Samuel lost a fumble. Their defense was great and only allowed 10 of the Buccaneers 17 points. Against a better team scoring turnovers cannot happen, Garoppolo is still coming into his own at quarterback and will eventually get there. The offense needs to do everything in its power after a turnover to not allow the defense to score.
Seattle Seahawks
Up: The Seahawks did not play a good game for a team that has a possibility of playing in the Super Bowl when it is all said and done. The best thing the Seahawks did against the Bengals was on defense. In fact, it was their defense as a whole. They were using the tactic of “bend don’t break” where they can allow points, but not a touchdown. The Bengals did score two touchdowns, but they didn’t get any when it mattered, helping the Seahawks win the game. The Seahawks have used this tactic before, and they will need to continue to use it if they have a stagnant offense.
Down: Offensive struggles were well and alive for the Seahawks in this one, they only managed to have 233 total yards in the game. In the end it was enough to give them the win, but the offense looked out of sync in this one. The Seahawks have relied on the defense in the past and after this game it looks like that may be their game plan moving on the rest of the season. That should not be the focus of their team though, the offense has to get better and it all starts behind quarterback Russell Wilson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Up: Ronald Jones started the season well in the backfield. On 13 rush attempts he ran for 75 yards for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Jones can’t do everything for the offense though. He is going to need help and that help needs to come from Jameis Winston. Winston needs to establish a passing game so Jones can work the running game. When one part of the offense doesn’t work than it becomes one-dimensional. Jones saved the offense from having nothing, but in the upcoming weeks Winston needs to add balance to the run game.
Down: Jameis Winston had a rough first game going against the 49er defense. He completed less than 60% of his passes (20 for 36) and threw three interceptions with one touchdown. This is what we have seen so far in Winston’s career, he can be great, but he can also be wildly inconsistent. Winston needs to become more consistent at quarterback, but at this stage of his career he may never become the consistent player.
Tennessee Titans
Up: The Titans defense came to play against the new look Cleveland Browns. The Browns offense was hyped up so much that the Titans defense had a little chip on their shoulder to start the game. Their defense caused three turnovers, all interceptions from Baker Mayfield. One of those interceptions was a pick six, they also added a safety early on in the game. The Titans defense was not expected to look as good as they did, but they started off the year by making a statement. The Titans will carry the momentum of their defense into their next game and expect to do the same thing.
Down: The Titans didn’t do much wrong against the Browns. Their worst aspect was the offensive line, which allowed four sacks. Sacks will happen in the game but being able to protect the quarterback is of upmost importance. Marcus Mariota still played well, but allowing sacks brings potential for injury which no one wants to see. In a virtual error free game, the offensive line needs to strengthen its protection to become dominant.
Washington Redskins
Up: Quarterback Case Keenum led the Redskins offense to a great start in the first half. They fell flat a little bit in the second half, but in the first half they were on fire. The passing game was excellent, Keenum went 30 for 44 with 380 yards and three touchdowns. Keenum spread out the ball well, with 5 receivers catching at least four passes. Last year’s draft pick Terry McLaurin was his most efficient receiver, catching 5 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown. Keenum was not able to cut it with any team he has played with so far in his career, but he is off to a great start for the Redskins this season.
Down: There were a couple things that could be said that the Redskins did not do well in their game against the Eagles. One of the biggest has to be their rushing attack. The pass offense was firing on all cylinders, but they just could not establish the rush. Two running backs in Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson combined for 13 carries and 28 yards. In order to become a better offense, the run game needs to be established. The Eagles stopped the run game and made it all about the pass. This hurt them in the first half but helped them in the second half. If the Redskins could have had a more balanced attack than they would have had a better chance to win that game.