Week 1 of NFL action is in the books, which means that overreactions are everywhere and each losing fanbase is dealing with some type of panic. The NFL is a notoriously unpredictable league, and that’s especially true early in the season. However, while most takeaways from Week 1 are overreactions, some of them are justified. Last year at this point, we all thought that CeeDee Lamb might not be able to handle being the Cowboys WR1 (wrong) and that Russell Wilson might not do too well in Denver (correct). So, let’s take a look at the biggest narratives swirling around the league and see if there is any cause for alarm.
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3 NFL Overreactions After Week 1, And 3 Justified Fears
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals Offense
The Cincinnati Bengals had arguably the worst offense in Week 1, and the problems began with quarterback Joe Burrow. Fresh off his big extension, the former first-overall pick finished the night completing just 14 of his 31 passing attempts for an abysmal 82 yards. Needless to say, this isn’t good, but there is no reason to expect this to continue. Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins have a long track record of success, and one bump on the road isn’t going to derail this train. Burrow looks like he’s still making his way back from his training camp injury, and once he’s healthy, this offense should go back to being one of the most dangerous in football. Anyone who thinks this is the beginning of the end for the Bengals is falsely buying into one of the biggest Week 1 overreactions out there.
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos Offense
As mentioned earlier, Russell Wilson was arguably the biggest disappointment of the 2022 NFL season. Well, after Week 1, it looks like more of the same. The one-time Super Bowl champion got off to a hot start against the Las Vegas Raiders but cooled off considerably in the second half. While this was far from his worst performance in a Broncos uniform, at the end of the day, Wilson had multiple opportunities to win this game and simply couldn’t get the job done. Vegas has a truly atrocious defense, and the fact that he came up short against such a bad team does not bode well for his future.
2022 under Hackett in Denver vs Raiders
Russ: 24 of 31 for 247 2 TDs 0 INTs Broncos score 16 and lose in OT
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2023 Russ 27 of 34 for 177 2 TDs 0 INTs Broncos score 16 and lose.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) September 10, 2023
The Entire Pittsburgh Steelers Roster
Well, so much for that strong preseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered perhaps the second-most one-sided defeat of Week 1, losing 30-7 in a game that was not as close as the score suggested. Kenny Pickett and the offense couldn’t move the ball through the air, and the defense simply had no answer for Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers offense.
There is no denying that this was an ugly loss, but this sort of thing happens when you play the San Francisco 49ers. While the offense might not be the 2007 New England Patriots, they have enough talent to compete against most teams in the NFL. The defense, meanwhile, is one of the most talented in football, and that should show up when they’re not playing against a football genius in Kyle Shanahan. While they’re not Super Bowl competitors, they’re also not going to be fighting for a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Chargers Secondary
Death, taxes, and the Los Angeles Chargers finding ways to let down Justin Herbert. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill had their way with J.C. Jackson and the Los Angeles Chargers secondary, putting up 36 points and 466 yards through the air. Unfortunately for Chargers fans everywhere, this is probably a sign of things to come, and not just some random Week 1 overreaction.
The Chargers secondary has been a disaster for years, and defensive-minded head coach Brandon Staley has never done anything to successfully address the problem. Big-money free agent J.C. Jackson looks as terrible as ever, and the rest of the secondary lacks the talent to compensate for Staley’s subpar schemes. Hopefully, you have Justin Herbert in fantasy football because every game is going to be a shootout with this defense.
Baltimore Ravens Running Backs
J.K. Dobbins suffered an Achilles injury in Week 1, ending his season and potentially his time with the Baltimore Ravens. While this is obviously terrible for him, the Ravens themselves should be fine. Gus Edwards is a capable starter, and there are still a few good free agent running backs that can step in and help carry the load. In an absolute worst-case scenario, the Ravens should be able to trade a late-round pick for someone like Michael Carter. Ultimately, there are more than enough serviceable running backs to go around, which is a part of why the market is so depreciated.
The Entire New York Giants Roster
After one game, the New York Giants cannot feel good about their long-term investment in Daniel Jones. Facing a strong Dallas Cowboys team, the Giants lost in embarrassing fashion in front of a national audience. While they won’t lose every game by 40 points, this should serve as a wake-up call for a team that dramatically overachieved in 2022. Daniel Jones is a borderline top-20 quarterback, and you can’t hand out big money to guys like him who can’t elevate the roster. Week 1 was an absolute disaster, and it’s not an overreaction to say that this game was the beginning of a bad season.
Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receivers
If Travis Kelce can come back in Week 2, then any panic regarding the Chiefs wide receivers is probably just an overreaction. However, if Kelce misses some time, then the Chiefs could be in serious trouble. Patrick Mahomes is amazing, but to paraphrase Gisele Bundchen, he cannot throw and catch the ball. Kansas City’s wide receivers were atrocious in Week 1, with Kadarius Toney standing out with an exceptionally bad night. While the unit won’t be THAT bad on a weekly basis, the fact of the matter is that not a single one of this collection of castoffs does not have the talent required to thrive as the focal point of a pass-first offense.
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Main Photo: Denny Medley – USA Today Sports
