A wild opening weekend of NFL football has finally concluded, and it did not disappoint. There were fast-paced shootouts, defensive battles, and nail-biting finishes. Plenty of players got to make their debuts in new uniforms and every division is up for grabs. The best thing about Week 1 is that every team starts 0-0 and has the same chance to make the playoffs. Here is the best of the NFL – Week 1.
Best Performance
Fitzpatrick and Buccaneers’ Offense Shine without Winston
FitzMagic…
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the field against the Saints in New Orleans, I honestly had no idea who their backup was. All I knew was they were probably going to be a terrible team with Jameis Winston under center. And they were probably going to be an even worse team with him serving a three-game suspension. Then Ryan Fitzpatrick took the field and lit up a stunned New Orleans defense for 417 yards and 5 total touchdowns. Fitzpatrick finished the game with a 75% completion percentage and a 156 QB rating.
Close But No Cigar…
To his credit, Drew Brees also had an outstanding game, going 37-45 for 439 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, that performance was not enough to keep up with Fitzpatrick and the Buccaneers offense. After the Saints cut a 24-point 4th quarter deficit to 8 with over 3 minutes to go, Fitzpatrick was the one who put the game on ice. On 3rd and 11, the Harvard-grad scrambled for 12 and prevented Drew Brees from getting a chance to tie it. Desean Jackson, another league veteran, had a game reminiscent of his past with 146 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. WR Mike Evans added a touchdown of his own on 147 yards receiving. The Buccaneers may come crashing back down to Earth next week against the Eagles, but the 35-year-old Fitzpatrick showed he still has some magic left in the tank.
Biggest Surprise
The Browns Get Their Best Start Since 2004
Sloppy From Beginning To End
Only the Browns could tie their opening game but still have it be their best start in 14 years. Although if you saw how their fans were celebrating, you would think they won the Super Bowl. The Steelers had plenty of chances to put the game away but were unable to as the Browns snapped a 17-game losing streak. RB James Conner’s second touchdown of the day put the Steelers up 21-7 and the Browns inept offense looked incapable of coming back. Then, Myles Garrett forced a Conner fumble and Jabrill Peppers returned it to the 1. Carlos Hyde punched it in one play later. With just under two minutes left in regulation, Tyrod Taylor connected with WR Josh Gordon who toe-tapped in the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown. The Browns then got the ball back again and got into Pittsburgh territory, but a Taylor interception ensured regulation would end in a deadlock.
How It Ended Up
The 10-minute overtime period was a wonderfully sloppy display of football in a downpour of rain. The teams traded punts for awhile until the Steelers managed to drive down to the Browns 24. However, Chris Boswell was unable to hit the game winning 42-yard field goal. The Browns had a chance for their first win since 2016 when Ben Roethlisberger fumbled and Joe Schobert returned it deep into Steeler territory. A block in the back penalty on the return set up Zane Gonzalez for a 43-yard game winning kick. Through the mud and rain, Gonzalez attempted the kick. It was blocked. The ugly game ended in a 21-21 tie which left Browns fans fairly satisfied. The Steelers were left wondering how they got to this point. Conner had a great game filling in for Leveon Bell with 135 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Roethlisberger did not look great in the rain. He missed open receivers all night and had 5 total turnovers. Tyrod Taylor also struggled through the air, going 15-40 for 197 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Taylor added 77 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Biggest Letdown
Jimmy Garoppolo Duds in Season Opener
Jimmy G Comes Down To Earth
If last year was a dream season for Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings were the alarm clock. When Garoppolo took over the starting job in Week 10 last season, the 49ers rolled off 7 straight wins behind Garoppolo’s 96 QB rating. He was rewarded with a monster contract this offseason, so expectations were naturally high coming into Week 1. Minnesota’s smothering defense proved to be too much for Garoppolo who went 15-33 for 261 yards in a 24-16 loss. His lone touchdown was marred by 3 interceptions. Despite the rough game, Garoppolo still had a chance to lead a 2-minute drill and tie the game up. Instead, his second pass of the drive was picked off by Harrison Smith. At that point the game was over.
A Silver Lining
There is not doubt that the Vikings have one of the top defenses in the league and there is no need to panic over the play of Garoppolo or the 49ers. However, it does show that there is still a lot of improvement needed by the team as a whole and that Garoppolo is still inexperienced. Kirk Cousins had an efficient game, throwing for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 55% completion percentage. Between the two passers, Cousins looked like the veteran and got the win to show for it.
Best Comeback
Aaron Rodgers Amazes on One Leg
How It Began
Aaron Rodgers coming back to lead his team after missing a big chunk of last season with a collarbone injury would already be a great comeback. The Packers erasing a 20-0 deficit to beat the Bears on Sunday night would easily be the best comeback of the week. Add in Rodgers doing it all while hobbling around after being carted off with a knee injury? It is perhaps the greatest comeback of all time.
The crowd at Lambeau Field was not in a festive mood as the teams jogged into the locker rooms for halftime. Not only were the Packers down 17-0, but their hero, Aaron Rodgers, was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second quarter. Khalil Mack had been terrorizing the Packers offense and had a forced fumble and a pick-6 in the first half. Packer fans were not only worried about the game being over, but also their season being over.
Then This Happened…
Rodgers did not let them worry for long. He miraculously returned from the locker room after halftime ready to start the second half. Down 20-3 in the 4th, Rodgers and the Packers offense finally found their stride. It started with Rodgers throwing a beautiful ball to Geronimo Allison in the back of the end zone for a 39-yard score. A few minutes later, after a Bears 3-and-out, Rodgers hooked up with Davante Adams to cut the deficit to 3. The Bears added a field goal on their next drive but left Rodgers with 2:39 to work with.
The Biggest Throw of The Game
Turns out, he would only need 26 seconds. On 3rd and 10, Rodgers bought time in the pocket and hit Randall Cobb about 10 yards down the field. Cobb did the rest, going 75 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Bears got another chance to get in field goal range but QB Mitchell Trubisky fumbled on a 4th down and the comeback was complete. Rodgers finished the game 20-30 for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns. He proved once again that he is still one of the greatest players of all-time.