NFL Recap: 09/05/23 - 09/11/23
Week 1
Layout:
— Individual Team News + Stone’s Cold Takes
— Miscellaneous/Other NFL News
— Picks of the Week
— Featured Team of the Week - Denver Broncos
Arizona Cardinals: (0-1)
Lost 20-16 against the Commanders
The team played well despite everyone believing that they are tanking. Regardless of what ownership wants folks to do is does not really do the players any good to tank. It is clear though after the game that the team has a lot of pieces missing currently. QB Josh Dobbs needs to work on holding onto the ball because he lost two fumbles in this game and fumbled a 3rd time as well.
Atlanta Falcons: (1-0)
Won 24-10 against the Panthers
The offseason additions on the defense made a difference in this game, especially S Jessie Bates III. QB Desmond Ridder made some nice throws but was not asked to do much and still looks like a very young QB at times. What is clear too is that Atlanta has one of the top backfields with RBs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Algeier. Just wait until RB Cordarelle Patterson returns and it will be even more difficult to stop their ground game. What will be key going forward is giving TE Pitts and WR Jackson more opportunities to make plays because when they got the ball they made highlight reel plays but did not need to do much in this game. At the end of the day this was a good win to start off the season at home and get a winning record for the first time since 2017.
Baltimore Ravens: (1-0)
Won 25-9 against the Texans
RB JK Dobbins tore his Achilles and is out for the season
S Marcus Williams will be “out a while” and will decide on surgery for pec injury
C Tyler Linderbaum with ankle sprain will be week to week
OT Ronnie Staley knee sprain will be week to week
CB Marlon Humphrey has a chance to return this week
Despite winning by quite a bit I was not thrilled with what I saw from the Ravens outside of WR Zay Flowers. The game was a lot closer than the score shows and they lost quite a few folks to minor to major injuries. The worst of which being JK Dobbins who will for sure be out for the season after a torn achilles. S Marcus Williams also could be out for the season depending on further testing and a final decision of how to go about treating his pec injury. I worry here with the loss of Dobbins it will force Lamar to run more and maybe put him at a greater risk of getting injured. The piece they were missing should return hopefully here soon in TE Mark Andrews and that should make a difference in what is open in the passing game. WR OBJ showed some flashes but needs to settle in a bit more but I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts getting more targets as the season goes on.
Buffalo Bills: (0-1)
Lost 22-16 against the Jets
QB Josh Allen looked horrible. Yeah he had some nice throws where he threw the ball about 100mph to make a few completions but he turned the ball over 4 times (3 INTs 1 FUM). That is not what you are looking to get out of a franchise QB. The other thing about his INTs was that they were necessarily in my opinion because of the Jets doing anything special on defense and rather him just trying to force the ball places he shouldn’t have been. In fact in at least two of INTs he had guys open underneath that could have gotten the first down/moved the ball. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge Josh Allen fan but this was not a good game. On the bright side TE Dalton Kincaid looks like the real deal and it should help him going forward so he isn’t forcing the ball to WR Stefon Diggs. My other analysis here is that while RB James Cook had some good plays and pickups he needs to run a bit harder in my mind because it seemed like on a lot of plays last night when he got hit he was catching defenders and falling backwards rather than falling forwards and driving through tackles.
Carolina Panthers: (0-1)
Lost 24-10 against the Falcons
Story here is that the team has a rookie QB basically. While QB Bryce Young made some good throws overall this will be a day he will want to forget. The good news for this team though is that the running attack did not look bad and RB Miles Sanders was effective in both the running and passing attack. This will be good in helping QB Bryce Young settle in and good for Sanders who’s main complaint with the Eagles appeared to be around his usage.
Chicago Bears: (0-1)
Lost 38-20 against the Packers
Despite the hype and the forcing of the agenda that QB Justin Fields is amazing he showed exactly what he is. A QB who after his first read looks lost and misses a lot of throws in general. I know the offensive line did not help him out and the play calling was not the best but at this point it is clear that he needs to work on keep his eyes up and scanning the field because he was bailing himself out early on plays. The other issue here was the WR DJ Moore only had 2 catches for 25 yards. They need to find a way to get the ball to their best playmaker on offense not only to help Fields but also to keep Moore happy and wanting to stay in Chicago. This was a tough loss for Chicago in the first game post-Aaron era.
Cincinnati Bengals: (0-1)
Lost 24-3 against the Browns
Signed QB Joe Burrow to a 5-year $275m extension
Despite becoming the highest paid QB in the NFL this past week, QB Joe Burrow might have looked the worst in the entire league week 1. I am not worried about him long term but when WR Tee Higgins has 0 catches you know the game probably didn’t go too well. My biggest concern here is not Burrow though, it is the O-line. He was only sacked twice but might have been under pressure more than anyone else. The good news for Bengals fans is that this is definitely not a reflection of what the Bengals will be like this year because they are known to struggle in Cleveland and early in the season. With Burrow coming off his calf injury that may have limited his mobility and comfort as well in this first game.
Cleveland Browns: (1-0)
Won 24-3 against the Bengals
RT Jack Conklin tore his ACL and MCL (out for season)
The Browns on defense played great and RB Nick Chubb did what he has always done. If I am a Browns fan though I am still concerned for QB Deshaun Watson because while he didn’t have to do much I still am not seeing the old Deshaun Watson that played for the Texans and was talked about as a top 5 QB in the league. Also, they are lucky that RT Dawand Jones is waiting in the wings because after losing starting RT Jack Conklin for the season he will be the one who needs to step up.
Dallas Cowboys: (1-0)
Won 40-0 against the Giants
Great win and great way to start the season. The offense didn’t need to do much with how well the defense played. The other interesting thing I thought about here is that folks were worried about QB Dak Prescott and how he was looking during the offseason in practice but it makes more sense after watching how good the defense was. This team just needs to hope they can all stay healthy and continue improving week to week because coming out of week 1 they are up there as an option for the most complete looking team in the NFL.
Denver Broncos: (0-1)
Lost 17-16 against the Raiders
S Caden Sterns is expected to be out for the season with a torn patellar tendon
The Broncos showed this year that with a different coach the results may be the same. QB Russell Wilson looked okay but still couldn’t really find ways to put up points allowing Jimmy G and Raiders to take the top spot in the division. The defense still looks pretty dang good like it did last year and once again proved that they will keep the team in games. Another positive is that RB Javonte Williams appears to not have lost a step and can still run strong.
Detroit Lions: (1-0)
Won 21-20 against the Chiefs
They are not the “same old Lions”. There were plenty of times during this game where I expected the Chiefs to win it or the Lions to find a way to blow it but time and again in the crucial moments it was the Lions who stepped and made the plays needed during the game. There is a lot to work on too for this Lions team which should be encouraging because they got the win without the offense really settling in during the game and then they barely used rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs who looked electric in the limited action he saw.
Green Bay Packers: (1-0)
Won 38-20 against the Bears
This was a huge win for Green Bay. A lot of fans were nervous after the offseason and losing QB Aaron Rodgers. The good thing is that while QB Jordan Love could have completed some more passes he did look good overall in making some tight window throws and working through his progressions. Also, as I predicted RB Aaron Jones had a great game and looks electric on offense. I expect him to have a huge year this year and being QB Jordan Love’s best friend.
Houston Texans: (0-1)
Lost 25-9 against the Ravens
S Jalen Pitre released from hospital after bruised lung during game
Good news following the game S Jalen Pitre was released from the hospital and should be fine. Even though the score was a bit lopsided here this team competed the whole time and there is some good progress being made with the defense. QB CJ Stroud was under pressure a lot and a little slow for some of his reads. Don’t expect this team to take over the league this year but it seems they are laying the right foundation here.
Indianapolis Colts: (0-1)
Lost 31-21 against the Jaguars
Expect trade talks to resume for RB Jonathan Taylor
Even though the team lost it seems that excitement and belief has returned to Indy and of all the rookie QBs I would say that QB Anthony Richardson looked the best. Now they need to be careful with him and make sure that he does not get hurt but it appears there are exciting things to come for the team. The one thing that would help this team a lot would be…a running back. Sounds like trade talks for RB Jonathan Taylor will resume so they won’t find it with him and will likely have to up their offers to guys like Kareem Hunt and others that are still unsigned.
Jacksonville Jaguars: (1-0)
Won 31-21 against the Colts
Even though the game was closer than it should have been, QB Trevor Lawrence and WR Calvin Ridley looked incredible and are going to take the offense to the next level. The INT that Lawrence threw was not his fault and similar to what happened to Mahomes on Thursday Night Football. It seems the team is all in with HC Doug Pederson and poised for a big season.
Kansas City Chiefs: (0-1)
Lost 21-20 against the Lions
Agreed to terms on a 1-year deal with DL Chris Jones
The team lost but it is not all bad news even though the WR group looked terrible. They were able to agree to terms on a 1-year deal with DL Chris Jones to have him back for week 2 and also it appears that TE Travis Kelce is trending in the right direction to be able to play week 2 as well. Hopefully that will help Mahomes settle in because while there were a fair share of drops in the game, Mahomes definitely did not look like he was in mid-season form. Expect this team though to continue to progress and return to form over the course of the season.
Las Vegas Raiders: (1-0)
Won 17-16 against the Broncos
Big win for the Raiders and QB Jimmy G. He looked like he normally does where there isn’t anything special but he finds a way to win and avoid making too many mistakes. The defense looked really good for the Raiders and the hope is that they will now finally have a top 10 defense in the league that they have failed to provide for the longest time. Hoping that WR Jakobi Meyers can clear concussion protocol quickly because it is clear that Jimmy G’s favorite targets are him and Davante. They will do their best to make his life as easy as possible throughout this season along with RB Josh Jacobs.
Los Angeles Chargers: (0-1)
Lost 36-34 against the Dolphins
RB Austin Ekeler is questionable for practice this week with an ankle injury
Wow what a disappointing loss. The Chargers proved that they are still the same old team. A lot of money spent on a defense that doesn’t play anywhere near to what they are being paid and a lackluster offense in the games biggest moments. I am a huge QB Justin Herbert fan but he did not look as comfortable as he has in the past and did not seem willing to drive the ball downfield still. The RBs looked pretty dang good but something is missing with Herbert isn’t leading the team with his play. Bad news too is that RB Austin Ekeler is questionable with an ankle injury. This is a common occurrence for him and makes things harder if he does not recover by week 2 because he is a difference maker on the team.
Los Angeles Rams: (1-0)
Won 30-13 against the Seahawks
WR Cooper Kupp will be out til at least week 5
Everyone underestimated the Rams it seems. What helped me here have an idea of how the game was going to go was looking back last year and the trouble the defense gave Seattle. A major bright spot on the offense was WR Puka Nacua’s emergence as a potential #1 receiver while WR Cooper Kupp is out and a dynamic running mate when he is back. The defense looked good as well and did their job making this some easy work for them. It will be a fun watch next week when they play the 49ers to see how they stack up against the team that is expected to be the best in their division.
Miami Dolphins: (1-0)
Won 36-34 against the Chargers
QB Tua Tagavailoa despite his doubters looked pretty dang good. The areas of improvement I saw in him were the off schedule plays. Last year, he was very much a rhythm passer and when he would have to make plays off schedule or move in the pocket his accuracy would go way down. Sunday he showed that he can make those plays. Also, WR Tyreek Hill does help and had an incredible day stacking up over 200 yards receiving. Main question here though will be if the defense can show up more in upcoming games before the 4th quarter so that they are not having to air it out so much and rely on scoring 36 points to win games.
Minnesota Vikings: (0-1)
Lost 20-17 against the Buccaneers
Signed S Josh Metellus to a 2-year $13m deal
This was one of those games that the Vikings won last year. Overall the team still looked like it has potential for a good season. The main thing that stood out to me was that there is a need for another RB to complement Mattison. I think they will be alright and actually thought the defense looked better than I expected it to in only allowing 20 points.
New England Patriots: (0-1)
Lost 25-20 against the Eagles
Owner Robert Kraft announced he will waive the 4-year waiting period and place Tom Brady in the team’s Hall of Fame on 06/12 (6 super bowls and he wore #12)
Exciting night in New England with Tom Brady in attendance and it did not look good early but the team showed signs of life and a much improved offense under new OC Bill O’Brien. QB Mac Jones showed why he is the #1 QB there and they could end up being a problem for the teams in their division especially with the Bills not looking good week 1 and the Jets losing their most valuable piece. Expect Belichick to find ways to surprise you.
New Orleans Saints: (1-0)
Won 16-15 against the Titans
Good to get the opening win but there is a lot of work that can be done in New Orleans. QB Derek Carr is a bright spot for this team and played well overall but they need to work on getting the in the endzone more. It was encouraging to see WR Michael Thomas and Chris Olave establishing chemistry with him throughout the game. I also think that the Titans always have a good defense so this may have been a tougher test than a lot of folks gave it credit for.
New York Giants: (0-1)
Lost 40-0 against the Cowboys
LT Andrew Thomas played thru injury but will need further evaluation
There was nothing good for the Giants in the loss. The entire offensive line ranked in the bottom half and most of them were in the 2-3 worst in the league week 1, QB Daniel Jones did not look good at all, and neither did anyone else. This was not the start they were looking for and right now they just need help with just about everything. I do think to give the Cowboys some credit they are going to be one of the top defenses in the league but Coach Daboll has a lot of work ahead for him and his team.
New York Jets: (1-0)
Won 22-16 against the Bills
I don’t know where to start here. Fantastic team win and ability to rally with the defense and on the shoulders of RB Breece Hall who looked like the best RB in the league in his limited use. Obviously the big issue here surround them losing their QB Aaron Rodgers. From what it looks like QB Aaron Rodgers should have it confirmed later today that it is an Achilles tear after the X-ray came back negative last night. The conversation here immediately for NY turns to will they stick with Wilson or will they go get another QB who can compete with him for the starting job.
Philadelphia Eagles: (1-0)
Won 25-20 against the Patriots
Signed LB Rashaan Evans with Nakobe Dean set to miss multiple weeks
Good win here because it is never easy to go to New England and beat the Patriots. HC Bill Belichick always makes things difficult but they were able to be tested early and still squeeze out a win. The nice thing too here for the Eagles is that DL Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis look like the real deal and are going to help out a lot in continuing the Eagles dominance on the defensive side of the ball this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers: (0-1)
Lost 30-7 against the 49ers
DL Cam Heyward expected to miss multiple weeks with a groin injury
The Steelers did not look good at all in Week 1 except for EDGE TJ Watt. The other bad news here is that DL Cam Heyward will be out multiple weeks. OC Matt Canada needs to figure it out as well on the offensive side of the ball with play calling. This was a game that a lot of folks expected to be close and it just wasn’t.
San Francisco 49ers: (1-0)
Won 30-7 against the Steelers
Signed DE Nick Bosa to a 5-year $170m deal
Great job by the Niners getting the deal done with Bosa before week 1 and while he will need a week or two to get back in football shape the defense looked incredible against the Steelers and the offense executed things beautifully as well. There were a lot of doubters sneaking out and questioning QB Brock Purdy as well as HC Kyle Shanahan after the debacle with QB Trey Lance. At the end of the day the team just has so many weapons and can win games in so many different ways that they will be tough to stop. This week on offense it was WR Brandon Aiyuk and RB Christian McCaffrey. Next week it could very well be TE George Kittle and WR Deebo Samuel. It is going to be a fun team to watch and a fun matchup with the Rams this week.
Seattle Seahawks: (0-1)
Lost 30-13 against the Rams
LT Charles Cross is week to week with turf toe
Don’t worry folks if you had high hopes for this team because historically QB Geno Smith has not been good against the Rams. This does not mean they won’t be a good team this year or even make the playoffs. It definitely was a wake up call though and something they should be motivated to come back from. They just need to work on controlling the game and getting RB Kenneth Walker involved more because when he did touch the ball he played well and averaged over 5 yards per carry.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (1-0)
Won 20-17 against the Vikings
People love to hate on Baker Mayfield but it was a great all around team win and that does include Mayfield playing well. They had a tough defense last year and not much has changed on that side of the ball. This year with a more mobile option at QB the offense could be a little better than…it was with Brady. Still early but the early win against the Vikings was a great thing for them and should instill confidence in the team going forward in a weaker division this year.
Tennessee Titans: (0-1)
Lost 16-15 against the Saints
They lost to the Saints but proved they are going to be a lot tougher than people expected. QB Ryan Tannehill threw 3 interceptions and completed less than 50% of his passes. He is definitely not the best QB in the league but he is better than that and will show it in the weeks to come. Also, the Saints are known for having a really good defense so don’t be surprised if they bounce back and end up being a winning team this year.
Washington Commanders: (1-0)
Won 20-16 against the Cardinals
Some good and some bad but most importantly they pulled out the win. The offense definitely showed their struggles but QB Sam Howell got the win and made some really nice throws. This team doesn’t have EDGE Chase Young back yet either and there is reason to believe they will only be better when he does return. QB Sam Howell will get better to as the weeks go on but the biggest thing for them is that they have to play in maybe the toughest division in the league so we shall see how that goes.
Miscellaneous/Other NFL News:
Michael Irvin settles lawsuit with Marriott and is returning to NFL Network
Overall went 10 of 16 with my picks last week.
Picks of the Week:
Packers -1.5 v. Falcons
Bills - 8.5 v. Raiders
49ers -8.5 v. Rams
Eagles -7 v. Vikings
Bengals -3.5 v. Ravens
Lions -6 v. Seahawks
Chargers -3 v. Titans
Buccaneers -3 v. Bears
Chiefs -3 v. Jaguars
Colts -1.5 v. Texans
Giants -4.5 v. Cardinals
Cowboys -7.5 v. Jets
Broncos -3.5 v. Commanders
Dolphins -2.5 v. Patriots
Saints -3.5 v. Panthers
Browns -2.5 v. Steelers
Featured Team of the Week (Denver Broncos):
#ad:Fanatics
Let’s Ride Denver with this Dad Hat! Get it here!
Restaurant of the Week: (Hell’s Tacos)
This can be a little harder to locate because it moves meaning it is a food truck. However, it is pretty consistently at the intersection of 10th and Federal just South of the Stadium by about a mile. The best way to follow them is on their instagram to see where they are each day and the times they will be open serving tacos. I recommend getting 3-4 tacos and my favorites are the Al Pastor but you can’t go wrong with the Birria tacos as well. Also, their quesadillas are pretty good too and you can’t go wrong there. If you’re feeling tired too you’ll be happy to know that they have Red Bull as well for those looking to get a little extra energy before the game.