Week 1 is in the books, and it was a doozy. We seen the Bengals shut down by the Browns, and the Packers annihilate the Bears again. Honestly, would you believe me if I told you that the Raiders are first in the AFC West, and the only one in the division that got a win? It’s true, but let’s jump in and see who shined and who disappointed in week one.
Week 1 Teams That Crushed It
- Green Bay Packers- Look, all of us at Gridiron Heroics have been talking about this new-look Packers team, and what they can do. They absolutely dominated their rival, Chicago, and silenced all the critics. Jordan Love was 15-27 for 245 and three touchdowns, while Aaron Jones rushed nine times for 41 yards and a touchdown. Jones also had 2 receptions for 86 yards and another touchdown. The story of this game though was Green Bay’s defense, who held Justin Fields to only 59 rushing yards and only gave up two field goals in the entire first half. The Packers won 38-20, and are tied with Detroit for first in the NFC North.
- Dallas Cowboys– Wow, just wow! Now, that is what you call an old-fashioned beatdown. The Cowboys smoked the Giants 40-0, and their defense only gave up 171 total yards of offense. They tallied seven sacks, two interceptions, and recovered a fumble. Dallas’ offense wasn’t impressive, and Dak Prescott completed 13 of 24 passes for 143 yards. Tony Pollard rushed 14 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns. CeeDee Lamb tallied four receptions for 77 yards in a game where their defense took over. The Cowboys, Commanders, and Eagles all won in week one, and are tied for first in the NFC East standings.
- San Francisco 49ers– Some people, including me, thought the Steelers would upset the 49ers, but that was not the case. San Fran crushed Pittsburgh 30-7, and their defense was stellar. Brock Purdy showed no ill effects after elbow surgery and completed 19-29 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Christian McCaffery was an animal rushing for 152 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown. Receiver Brando Aiyuk tallied eight receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Despite losing defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, the 49ers only gave up 239 total yards of offense and recorded five sacks and two interceptions. San Francisco and Los Angeles are tied for first in the NFC West standings.
- Cleveland Browns– The Dawg Pound came out to prove a point, and they did exactly that! The Browns defense held the high-octane Bengals to only 142 total yards of offense, and Joe Burrow only had 67 passing yards on the day. Deshaun Watson completed 16 of 29 passes for one touchdown and threw one interception. He also rushed nine times for 45 yards and a touchdown. Nick Chubb rushed for 106 on 18 carries, and the Browns tallied 206 total rushing yards in the game. Cleveland looked really good in this game, and for them to hold Chase and Higgins to only 39 receiving yards is a true accomplishment. The Browns and Ravens are tied for first in the AFC North standings after week one.
Week 1 Teams That Were Horrible
- Cincinnati Bengals- Joe Burrow and this offense were absolutely dominated and could not get anything going against the Browns. The Bengals only had 142 total yards of offense in their embarrassing week one loss. Cincy’s defense was horrible, and gave up over 206 rushing yards. The Bengals were the favorite to win the AFC North ahead of week one, but after that performance, Cleveland looks poised to give them a run for their money.
- Seattle Seahawks- The Rams absolutely embarrassed Seattle, without Cooper Kupp. LA played well on both sides of the ball, and rookie Puka Nacua stepped up with 10 receptions for 119 yards. The Seahawks offense was held to 180 total yards of offense, while their defense looked pitiful after giving up 426 yards on the day. Coach Pete Carroll has some work to do if they plan on making the playoffs in 2023.
- Kansas City Chiefs- I called it, and now everyone else is jumping on my bandwagon. This Chiefs team is in trouble and will be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Their defensive secondary looked shotty, and the receivers were terrible. Mahomes can only do so much, and even when Kelce returns, opposing defenses will double-cover him and limit his production. I keep telling people that the Mahomes magic has run out, and the league has figured out how to stop this porous Kansas City offense.
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