The 2024 NFL season is here, and Week 1 has been wild. In the early window, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams won his NFL debut, Jerod Mayo earned his first win as the New England Patriots’ head coach and Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings shut down the New York Giants.
Our NFL Nation reporters are reacting to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
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JAX-MIA | PIT-ATL | ARI-BUF
HOU-IND | TEN-CHI | NE-CIN
MIN-NYG | GB-PHI | BAL-KC
Is this Saints’ offense the real deal? It was a solid debut for Klint Kubiak and the new Saints offense. New Orleans had 30 points by halftime for the first time since the Drew Brees era ended. Taysom Hill was used heavily, Rashid Shaheed showed off his speed and the protection held up for quarterback Derek Carr. Did the Saints simply pile on the hapless Panthers or will this be the new normal? They’ll have to prove that again in Dallas next week.
Describe the game in two words: No mistakes. Carr had three touchdowns, Blake Grupe made all of his field goals and the defense forced multiple turnovers. The Saints badly needed a fast start in Year 3 of coach Dennis Allen’s tenure, and they were almost perfect in that regard, jumping all over the Panthers and never letting up. The Saints set a franchise record for most points in a season opener.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Per NFL Next Gen Stats, cornerback Alontae Taylor had the team’s top speed in one of the blitzes, topping out at 20.64 miles per hour. It’s a good indicator of how Taylor, who had three sacks, could take a step forward in his third season. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Are the Panthers and second-year quarterback Bryce Young really as bad as they looked? Maybe worse. The Saints aren’t among the elite and dominated all phases. Young showed little improvement from last season under new coach Dave “Quarterback Whisperer” Canales. He was intercepted on his first play and started the second half with another. His new targets didn’t help. The defense stunk it up, too. The Saints had a 59-yard touchdown pass on their opening drive. The pass rush was non-existent. The run defense was porous. What a meltdown.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Failing to set the tone with their rushing attack. Throwing on the first play (an interception) and digging a 23-0 deficit didn’t help. It put more pressure on Young, who was ineffective despite new concepts to get him out in space. Young finished with a 36.2 passer rating, completing 13 passes on 30 attempts for 161 yards, two interceptions and zero passing TDs. Carolina mustered only 58 yards on the ground.
Describe the game in two words: Total embarrassment. The 31-3 halftime deficit for Canales was the second-largest for a coach in his first game since Brian Flores and the Dolphins trailed 42-10 to Baltimore in 2019. It can only go up from here. — David Newton
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Can the Bills extend this second half performance to Week 2? The Bills didn’t have the ball for a long time in the the first half, but it was a touchdown drive right before halftime and one immediately after that started to move the game in Buffalo’s favor. Quarterback Josh Allen led the Bills to score three second half touchdowns with nine players catching a pass and 10 targeted. Allen joined QB Steve Young as the only players to have multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in four games, after a fumble on the first drive of the game. It took a bit for the Bills offense to get in a groove and minimize the penalties. Continuing the second half performance on a short week will be important.
Buying or selling Greg Rousseau’s breakout performance: Buying. Rousseau’s three sacks, including one strip-sack, was a huge start to his fourth season and the step forward that the Bills were looking for from him. Rousseau had a career-high six pressures in the game, as his teammates combined for eight.
Early prediction for next week: Cornerback Taron Johnson left the game with a forearm injury in the first half, and that leaves some uncertainty with a Thursday meeting against the Dolphins in Week 2. The Bills are likely going to need Cam Lewis to again step up in a big way like he did in the second half against the Cardinals (eight tackles) as Johnson is a key part of this unit. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Dolphins (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
How do the Cardinals fix their defense in a week? It’s not an easy fix but changes are needed, both to the personnel and game plan, if the Cardinals want their defense to match the output of their offense. The Cardinals need to find a way to keep the edges contained and prevent mobile quarterbacks from making plays happen in space when the pocket collapses. Arizona gave up 14 plays of 10 yards or longer, so limiting explosive plays would help be the difference between protecting big leads and losing them.
Describe the game in two words: Melt down. The Cardinals had control of the game until 25 seconds remained in the first half. They led 17-3 when the Bills scored a touchdown right before the half. Then Arizona’s defense, which had a 17-10 lead to protect, were outscored 21-3 as the Bills took the advantage before DeeJay Dallas’ kickoff return helped Arizona pull within three.
Early prediction for next week: Arizona will reshape how it rushes the passer with an emphasis on protecting the edge to contain the Rams’ offense from getting outside. However, to get there, the Cardinals could go through some rotational changes on defense, with more playing time from Dennis Gardeck as a possible change. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Who will start at quarterback for the Steelers against Denver? Russell Wilson’s aggravated calf injury gave Justin Fields a big opportunity to start against the Falcons, which he turned into a 17-of-23 performance for 156 yards. Fields also rushed 14 times for 57 yards. Though he aired it out sparingly and waited until the second quarter to take his deepest shots, Fields still appeared more comfortable as the game went on. The offense, which rushed for more than 130 yards, mostly hummed with Fields, but Steelers starters have not traditionally lost jobs because of injury. Fields’ playmaking, mobility and steady improvement throughout the game could challenge that precedent.
Describe the game in two words: Timely defense. While self-inflicted wounds kept the Steelers from capitalizing on big plays with touchdowns, the defense swarmed QB Kirk Cousins and limited the damage. The secondary got massive interceptions from newcomers DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson to spoil Cousins’ Falcons debut, and T.J. Watt looked to be in midseason form with a fumble recovery, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. He had a handful of other would-be game-changing plays wiped away by penalties, too.
Eye-popping advanced stat: With the Steelers’ offense unable to finish drives in the end zone, kicker Chris Boswell took care of business with six field goals — including ones of 51, 56 and 57 yards — to become the first Pittsburgh kicker to make three field goals of 50+ yards in a game in franchise history, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The six field goals also tied a franchise record for most field goals made in a game. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Will this offense need more time to click than originally thought? The Falcons gave Cousins $100 million guaranteed coming off a torn Achilles to lead an offense featuring top-10 draft picks in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. And Atlanta brought back its entire offensive line. But it didn’t look like the Falcons had absorbed new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s system. Cousins threw two interceptions, the latter crushing a fourth-quarter drive. The Falcons managed only 45 yards in the second half and fumbled a bad snap to squash a first-half drive.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Atlanta worked out of the pistol set on 52% of its plays, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Cousins had never taken more than 10 snaps out of the pistol in a game during his 13-year career. He was 2 of 4 for 15 yards and an interception throwing out of the pistol.
Describe the game in two words: In progress: All of the Falcons’ offseason changes — including post-camp acquisitions of edge rusher Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons — made for an uneven performance on both sides of the ball. The Steelers were 8-of-17 on third down and things could have been worse had Pittsburgh not had nine penalties for 60 yards. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: at Eagles (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
How concerned should the Dolphins be about their run game? The backfield of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane was outgained by QB Tua Tagovailoa’s 11-yard scramble for most of Sunday’s game as Miami’s offensive line struggled to open holes for either back. Jacksonville was the NFL’s ninth-best defense against the run last season, but this was a poor performance for a Dolphins offense that averaged the sixth-most rushing yards per game in 2023. Miami’s interior offensive line lost two starters from a season ago, and Sunday didn’t add more confidence in the unit moving forward.
Describe the game in two words: Star dependent. The Dolphins spent the offseason hoping to diversify their offense and not be overly-reliant on wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Yet, Hill and Waddle accounted for 211 of Miami’s 400 yards against the Jaguars — including Hill’s game-changing 80-yard touchdown to cut Miami’s 10-point deficit. When all else failed, the Dolphins looked to their two home-run hitters, who salvaged an otherwise unproductive day offensively.
Eye-popping advanced stat: The Dolphins’ defense recorded 10 quarterback pressures, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. It also recorded three sacks, none bigger than Emmanuel Ogbah’s and Jaelan Phillips’ during the Jaguars’ first drive after Miami tied the game late in the fourth quarter. In his first game since tearing his Achilles last November, Phillips recorded a sack and three pressures. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Bills (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Can the offensive line hold up? That was the biggest question entering the season, and it didn’t change after Sunday. With the game tied and the Jaguars having a chance at a game-winning drive, OTs Anton Harrison and Cam Robinson gave up sacks on consecutive plays. Short yardage was an issue as well. The playmakers are in place for the offense to be successful — especially with the addition of receiver Brian Thomas Jr. — but there’s no chance at consistency if the line, which ranked 29th in pass block win rate in 2023, continues to struggle.
Buying or selling running back Tank Bigsby’s breakout performance: Buying. The Jaguars talked all offseason about the need to get second-year Bigsby more work. They said it last season, too, but it never happened. It did on Sunday: He had career highs in carries (12) and yards (73). He also delivered big plays, ripping off runs of 17 and 26 yards. Travis Etienne Jr. is still the lead back, but Bigsby showed he deserves a bigger role. It may not be a 50-50 split, but Bigsby will be a significant part of the offense.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Per ESPN Analytics, the Jaguars had a 92% chance of winning the game before Etienne fumbled the ball inside the 5-yard line that the Dolphins recovered in the end zone. That would have given the Jaguars a three-score lead. Instead, the Dolphins scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass on the next play, and the Jaguars never advanced past their own 48-yard line on their final three possessions. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Could the explosive plays allowed become a trend? The Texans scored 29 points, but the defense allowed Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to have three 50-plus-yard completions. Richardson had a 60-yard touchdown to wide receiver Alec Pierce and a 54-yard score to Ashton Dulin in the fourth quarter. With the long list of Pro Bowl-level quarterbacks on the schedule, it’s an issue that could prevent the Texans from reaching their ceiling.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Stroud was pressured on 38% of his dropbacks and sacked four times. That’s something that has to be fixed if the Texans want to keep Stroud healthy throughout the season. It will also limit the effectiveness of players around Stroud in Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell.
Buying or selling running back Joe Mixon’s breakout performance: Buying. Mixon was the best player on offense for the Texans as he finished with 159 rushing yards and a touchdown. He helped keep the Texans’ offense on schedule when the passing game was a little shaky as Stroud finished with 234 yards, well short of his 2023 average of 274. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
What happened to the Colts’ run defense? The Colts allowed their most rushing yards since Week 17 of the 2022 season (213), an alarming statistic considering Indy’s run defense has been a strength. Houston’s offensive line consistently moved the Colts’ defenders up front and created running lanes for Joe Mixon. That allowed Mixon to average more than four yards before contact per rush at one point during the game. The Colts allowed 5.3 rushing yards per carry on Sunday after limiting opponents to 4.1 in 2023.
Buying or selling wide receiver Alec Pierce’s breakout performance: Buying. The 2022 second-round pick had been maligned at times in the past two seasons for his underwhelming play. But as a deep threat who lacked a big-armed quarterback, it was hard to see his real value. With Richardson back in the lineup, Pierce tapped into his deep-ball potential and caught passes of 60 and 57 yards.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Richardson is the fifth quarterback to have multiple completions of 50-plus air yards in a game since ESPN began tracking air yards in 2006. Richardson’s completions to Pierce traveled 58 and 56 yards, respectively. The Colts had hoped to bring back the threat of the deep ball with Richardson’s return. And he demonstrated that ability in a remarkable way in his first game of the season. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
What went wrong for the offense in Caleb Williams’ debut? Williams became the first quarterback drafted No. 1 overall to win his NFL debut since 2002 but didn’t look very comfortable throughout. That was reflected in the first half by three off-target incompletions on throws of 15 or more yards and multiple passes that were batted down by defenders. The Bears won the game despite generating just 148 yards of offense and had to rely on special teams (three field goals by Cairo Santos and a blocked punt that safety Jonathan Owens returned for a touchdown) and a pick-six to generate their scoring output.
Describe the game in two words: Late breakthrough. Chicago’s defense put the finishing touches in the fourth quarter when a third-down blitz led to a 43-yard pick-six by Tyrique Stevenson. The defensive breakthrough came after the unit, which ranked No. 1 against the run last season, let Tennessee rush for 115 yards in the first half. There’s plenty to clean up, but the defense delivered at the end.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Not enough run support. The coaches implored Williams to play point guard on early downs. It’s hard to do that when the run game failed to provide the rookie with much support. Chicago totaled 84 rushing yards (3.8 yards per attempt), and it wasn’t until Williams scrambled for a first down in the third quarter that the run game had any effect against the Titans. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Houston (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Where was the passing game after adding two big time WRs? The Titans’ passing attack fell short of expectations after adding the top free agent receiver in Calvin Ridley and veteran slot specialist Tyler Boyd. Bad protection and a banged-up DeAndre Hopkins were part of the problem. Quarterback Will Levis missed a big opportunity on a deep throw to Ridley in the second quarter, and the offense went cold after ending the first half with a 17-3 lead. Levis finished 19-of-32 passing for 127 yards and a touchdown. He also threw two interceptions, and no receiver caught more than five passes.
Describe the game in two words: Oh no! That’s what Titans coach Brian Callahan was thinking after three plays changed the game. The last one was a pick-six after Levis tried to throw the ball away. Chicago got another touchdown on a blocked kick that was returned. The momentum started to shift in the second quarter on a 66-yard punt return.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Special teams execution. The unit was a big problem, which led to two scores for Chicago. The first score came after DeAndre Carter returned a punt 66 yards to set up a 40-yard field goal. Then there was Owens’ touchdown return on the blocked punt. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
What can the Patriots do to generate more explosive plays? Without an elite separator among their skill-position players, the Patriots’ best chance at success is to string together sustained drives and wear down the opposition. That was the plan against the Bengals, and in opening a 10-0 first-half lead and finishing plus-2 in the turnover differential, they played most of the game on their terms. But this is a tough way to live in the NFL over a 17-game season. Their longest completion to a receiver was to Tyquan Thornton for 17 yards.
Describe the game in two words: Mayo mentality. The Patriots want to be a hard-nosed, disciplined and fundamentally sound team under new coach Jerod Mayo, and those were the ingredients that contributed to Mayo earning his first career victory.
Buying or selling defensive end Keion White’s breakout performance: Buying. The second-year versatile defensive lineman/edge rusher, who is elevating into an expanded role following the trade of Matthew Judon, totaled 2.5 sacks. The pass rush, led by White, made life challenging for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Can quarterback Joe Burrow push the ball downfield more often? The preseason carried over into Week 1. Coming off a wrist surgery that ended his season a year ago, Burrow was hesitant to push the ball downfield toward the end of training camp. On Sunday, 16 of his first 20 pass attempts were within five yards of the line of scrimmage, per ESPN Stats & Information. In the third quarter, he finally unleashed a deep pass down the right sideline to Andrei Iosivas, which prompted a pass interference penalty.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Planning for Week 1. The Bengals started out stale again. For the second straight season opener, the Bengals were held scoreless in the first half. In fact, they trailed by 10 or more for the third straight season and haven’t scored a touchdown in the first half of the opener since 2021. The chemistry, especially on offense, wasn’t there — with the absence of WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) noticeable.
Eye-popping advanced stat: At one point, Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson had more than 24 rushing yards over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Cincinnati was unable to stop New England’s rushing attack early in the game, which allowed the Patriots to build and protect a lead. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Is this the real Sam Darnold? In his first Week 1 start in three years, Darnold produced one of his best NFL games, completing 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Before his arm was hit on a fourth-quarter pass, forcing an interception, he had a passer rating of 142 — which would have been a career high. No conclusions should be drawn off one start, but Darnold did everything the Vikings could have hoped for, most notably throwing a pinpoint 44-yard pass to receiver Justin Jefferson and keeping his cool against an active Giants pass rush. It was the kind of game that should remind everyone why Darnold was the No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft.
Buying or selling Andrew Van Ginkel’s breakout performance: Buying. The linebacker didn’t get much attention among a flurry of free agent signings this spring, but Sunday showed how valuable he can be to Brian Flores’ defense. He recorded a sack and a pick-six, sniffing out QB Daniel Jones’ short pass while gearing down his pass rush accordingly. It was no surprise to those who have seen him make similar plays in training camp.
Describe the game in two words: New beginning. The 22-point win was the Vikings’ largest margin of victory since coach Kevin O’Connell was hired to start the 2022 season. They have won 20 games over that stretch, but 17 of them have been by one score. In a year when pundits have universally picked them to finish last in the NFC North, it was a notable development. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Is this a sign of what’s to come for the Giants this season? The Giants were blown off the field by Minnesota in the opener. They heard boos after their second offensive play, again while leaving the field at halftime and consistently throughout the second half. The problem is New York and Jones looked very much like last season with their offensive struggles, which included one pick-six and another interception. There is no getting past this reality: Next week vs. Washington is already a must-win game, or else this season will get ugly.
Describe the game in two words: Profoundly disappointing. How else can you describe getting smoked at home by Darnold and the Vikings? It took the Giants’ defense until 1:15 remaining in the first half to force an incompletion. The fate of this team (specifically the defense) rests on its pass rush. Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux combined for four tackles, one QB hit and no sacks.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Where were the downfield passes the Giants spent all summer practicing? They didn’t attempt a single pass over 20 air yards in the first three quarters. They had six attempts (three completions) on intermediate routes (10-20 yards). The offense didn’t look any different with Brian Daboll as the playcaller than it did last season with Mike Kafka. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Is this what we should expect from RB Saquon Barkley moving forward? It was as good of a debut as the Eagles could have hoped for with Barkley rushing for over 100 yards and scoring three touchdowns. He impacted the game as a runner and a receiver, highlighted by his 18-yard touchdown reception along the left sideline in the second quarter. With top-end playmakers like Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the roster, Barkley knows there will be quieter nights ahead, personally, to allow for others to shine. But Friday sent a message to the league that Barkley intends to make his seventh NFL season one to remember.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Hurts and the Eagles struggled against the blitz last season, but Friday’s performance offered promise that things could be turning around. Hurts was 6-of-8 for 91 yards and a touchdown against the blitz while also scrambling once for 8 yards and a first down. With center Jason Kelce retired, Hurts has assumed more of the protection responsibilities. He passed his first test.
Buying or selling linebacker Zack Baun’s breakout performance: Buying. Baun led the way with 15 tackles, two sacks and a pair of quarterback hits. His takedown of QB Malik Willis with three seconds remaining sealed the win for Philly. The former Saint played mostly on the outside in New Orleans, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believed he had the skill set to excel at off-ball linebacker. Early returns suggest his instincts were on point. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Falcons (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Can the Packers win without QB Jordan Love? General manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t think they could with Sean Clifford as the backup coming out of training camp — or at the very least, he thought Malik Willis was a better option because he traded for him at the end of camp. While Clifford was re-signed to the practice squad, Willis served as the backup in the opener and took the final two snaps after Love left injured. Whoever fills in for Love over the next three to six weeks, while he recovers from an MCL sprain in his left knee, will at least have playmaking skill position players around him in running back Josh Jacobs (18 touches for 104 total yards) and receivers Jayden Reed (four catches for 138 yards plus a 33-yard touchdown run), Romeo Doubs (four catches for 50 yards) and Christian Watson (one touchdown).
Describe the game in two words: International injury. The Packers have played two games as part of the NFL’s international series, and both times left that country with an injured quarterback. Two years ago, Aaron Rodgers sustained a broken thumb on the final play of the Packers’ Week 5 loss to the Giants in London, and it impacted him for much of the rest of the season. After playing two international games over three seasons, the Packers probably hope they stay stateside for the next several years.
Eye-popping advanced stat: New Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has preached an aggressive style, but at times it backfired. He blitzed Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts nine times, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and on those plays, Hurts completed 75% percent of his passes for 91 yards and a touchdown and scrambled for 8 yards and a first down. Last season, Hurts threw eight interceptions against the blitz. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Is the big play really back? The Chiefs are off to a good start in that category. They had five pass plays of 23 yards or more against Baltimore, mostly through yards after the catch. Kansas City should benefit when it gets Marquise Brown back in the lineup. One of its faster receivers, Brown didn’t play against the Ravens because of injury. Xavier Worthy’s 21-yard touchdown run was longer than all but one of the Chiefs’ rushing TDs last season.
Buying or selling Worthy’s breakout performance: Buying. Worthy scored a touchdown on a 21-yard run the first time he got the ball in an NFL game. He later caught a 35-yard touchdown pass. While he won’t always score twice in a game, look for Worthy to have this kind of impact. He won’t necessarily get a high volume of touches, but he will make the most of those he gets.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Wide receiver Rashee Rice, who caught seven passes for 103 yards, had 69 of those yards after the catch. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was often able to find him when he was moving up the field with a defender trailing him. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
How do the Ravens rebound from an emotional last-second loss to the Chiefs? Baltimore has to move on quickly because of its tough early schedule. The Ravens’ next four opponents combined for a 40-28 record (.588) last season. After next week’s home opener against the Raiders, the Ravens play two division winners: at the Cowboys and home against the Bills. Baltimore then plays at the Bengals, who are considered the Ravens’ chief competition in the AFC North. There’s little margin for error for the Ravens, who traditionally start strong under coach John Harbaugh.
Are you buying or selling tight end Isaiah Likely’s breakout performance? Buying. Likely was QB Lamar Jackson’s favorite target in the opener, setting career highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (111). Likely nearly caught his second touchdown with no time remaining to potentially win the game for the Ravens, but his right foot was ruled out of bounds. This performance was a carryover from last season, when Likely scored six touchdowns in his final seven games.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Ravens’ short passing game. In the first half, Jackson got rid of the ball quickly in the flats to average 1.3 air yards per pass attempt, which limited big-play opportunities. But when trailing in the second half, Jackson began to stretch the field more, averaging 10.7 air yards per attempt, leading to 10 points in the fourth quarter. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)