Week 1 of the NFL was worth the long wait. Football is the most watched sport in the USA and probably the most loved sport by most Saugus students as well. Here’s a quick rundown of all 3 key games and important statlines/scores in week 1.
Week 1 started with the back to back Super Bowl champs taking on MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson being a 2-time MVP is a dual threat QB. Not only is he dangerous with the passing game, but also with his speciality, on the ground. Lamar Jackson came into the game being fourth in rushing yards (5,258) all time for quarterbacks. In front of him were Michael Vick (6,107), Cam Newton (5,631), and Russell Wilson (5,307).
Lamar Jackson, arguably one of the best ball carriers in the history of the NFL did have a ton of success on the ground. On 16 attempts he ran for 122 yards, however did fumble the ball once. He had trouble connecting on the air, regardless of recording 273 passing yards. This was all due to an impressive Isaiah Likely who is the second tight end on the depth chart behind Mark Andrews. He was targeted 12 times and hauled in 9 receptions for 111 yards and an impressive touchdown. On the last play of the game to potentially tie the game or take the lead following a successful touchdown with a 2-point conversion, which is what Coach Harbaugh thought they had scored the crucial touchdown. However once upon review, Likely’s toe was barely on the line. After that the call was overturned, ruled incomplete, ending the game 27-20 with the Chiefs ending victorious.
On the Chiefs’ side 2024 Super Bowl MVP QB Patrick Mahomes came back to right where he left off last year. He threw for 291 yards with one touchdown. He did, however, throw an interception. Regardless, Mahomes’s ability to scramble and get the ball out for positive yards, continued to shine. Patrick Mahomes was unable to get the ball out to his favorite target, Travis Kelce. He was only targeted four times and hauled it in 3 times for 34 yards and no touchdowns as he was tightly covered by the Ravens’ secondary. However, Mahomes was able to connect with Chiefs’ top 2 receivers Rashee Rice and 2024 first round pick, Xavier Worthy.
Mahomes’s favorite target on the day, Rashee Rice had seven receptions of nine targets for 103 yards. Xavier Worthy on the other hand showed how every other team in the first round shouldn’t have passed on him. He showed off his freakish speed as he started off the game with a jet sweep for 21 yards that went in for a touchdown. He was then targeted another 3 times, having 2 receptions for 47 yards and another touchdown. Now that the Chiefs have another weapon, what is stopping them from yet another Super Bowl run. The #1 running backs on both teams were decently successful. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco on 15 attempts rushed for 45 yards and 1 touchdown. He was also involved in the passing game, getting targeted 3 times for 2 receptions and 33 yards. Newly acquired during the offseason from the Tennessee Titans, star running back Derrick Henry rushed for 46 yards on 13 attempts and only saw the endzone once. He was targeted twice but couldn’t haul in either reception. Safe to say this game did not disappoint.
Next up we take a look at the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers matchup. The Saints look to bounce back from barely missing the playoffs last season, meanwhile the Panthers look to forget about the league worst 2-15 finish to the season last year regardless of having the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, QB Bryce Young. Bryce Young won the heisman trophy his sophomore year and shined as QB at the University of Alabama. Despite his size, coming in at 5’10” and 205 lbs in Alabama he showed how size doesn’t matter for a QB. He also displayed his accurate arm and ability to scramble or take off for yards. That’s what made him a dangerous QB. The Panthers in the 2023 draft were originally supposed to receive the #2 overall pick. However the Panthers traded up with the Chicago Bears for the #1 overall. As of last season, this trade is shown to have been haunting the Panthers.
The Panthers gave up WR DJ Moore, 2023 10th overall pick which ended up being OT Darnell Wright, 2023 56th overall pick which ended up being CB Tyrique Stevenson, punter Tory Taylor, 2025 future 2nd round pick, and last but not least 2024 1st round pick which ended up going first overall due to the Panthers record, QB Caleb Williams. All this for QB Bryce Young, who they thought would lead them to glory in the future. His rookie year he displayed 2,877 passing yards with a 11-10 passing touchdown to interception ratio. He did display 253 rushing yards, unable to punch it in for a TD on the ground though. He displayed a strong ability to struggle regardless of a terrible offensive line. He had a total of 16 turnovers throughout the season and had 62 sacks, being one of the most sacked QBs. When the defensive line would break through the offensive line, Bryce Young would “run for his life.” So this year the Panthers were determined to add more weapons and help towards investing in Bryce Young.
They added 2 new OTs and WR Diontae Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers. With these hopes coming in, Bryce Young struggled yet again. He threw for 161 yards for no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. His passes were sloppy, yet he did have a lot of accurate passes. Most of which were unable to be hauled in for a reception, so all the blame doesn’t fall on Bryce Young’s hands. Bryce Young did punch it in for a touchdown with his legs, but the Panthers struggled badly. Yet, Young had no time in the pocket and when he tried to scramble, was taken down for loss by the Saints DEs and LBs. His confidence begins to go down and said in a post game interview that the rest is “with the Lord” displaying his strong Christian belief. Many hope to see him continue to develop as he is only 23 years old, however many people believe he should be benched.
The Saints on the other hand, displayed strength on both the defensive and offensive side. QB Derek Carr threw for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns with an amazing 142.5 passer rating. Alvin Kamara rushed for 83 yards on 15 attempts and bunched it in once for a touchdown. The Saints throbbled the Panthers 47-10.
Another key matchup was the prime time Sunday Night Football matchup between the sleeper Los Angeles Rams visiting the dangerous Detroit Lions. The Rams last year started off their campaign with a 3-6 start with multiple injuries including an injury with QB Matthew Stafford and former triple crown winner and 2022 Super Bowl MVP WR Cooper Kupp. After that rough stretch, the Rams bounced back and went 7-1 for the last 8 games of the season, shocking everyone and earning the NFC 6th seed in the playoffs. Keep in mind, the 1 game they lost in the final 8 game stretch was an overtime walk off by the number 1 AFC seeded, Lamar Jackson led Baltimore Ravens.
However earning the 6th seed was not only a blessing, but also a curse. They would be playing the electric Detroit Lions led by former long time Rams QB, first overall pick QB Jared Goff. The Rams after a decent playoff run in 2021, decided to move on from Jared Goff, claiming it wasn’t working out. The Rams traded for Matthew Stafford by giving up Jared Goff, 2022 12th overall pick which ended up being WR Jameson Williams, 2022 46th overall pick DE Josh Paschal, 2022 101st overall pick SS Ifeatu Melifonwu, 2023 12th overall pick RB Jahmyr Gibbs, 2023 34th overall pick TE Sam Laporta, and 2023 96th overall pick DT Brodric Martin. It was a heavy load for one QB, however it ended up being fair to both sides.
The head coach, Dan Campbell, and the Lions got the future they wanted, meanwhile head coach Sean McVay, Stafford, and the Rams got the Superbowl they immediately desired. The wild card matchup between the Lions and the Rams would be a homecoming for QB Matthew Stafford. Stafford, like Goff, was a first overall pick. Coming out of the University of Georgia in 2009, Matthew Stafford had some high expectations, to turn things around in Detroit. Stafford showed off his strong ability to throw the ball and play well in clutch situations. He led many comebacks and led the Lions to a best record of 12-4. He is arguably considered the best QB to ever play for Detroit and is the all time leading passer for the Lions with 45,109 yards. He even played with one of the best WRs of all time, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.
However, he was always unable to win a single playoff game in Detroit. With a chance to get a gutsy playoff win in his long-time home, Stafford came back to Ford Field with high hopes. Expecting a warm welcome by Detroit fans, Matthew Stafford was welcomed with the exact opposite. Stafford was stunned with “BOOS” and “Jared Goff” chants. Rather than being seen as a hero, Stafford here was seen as a villain. The way Detroit fans acted, shocked Stafford and his family. Stafford in a post-game interview, spoiler-alert, once losing the game, said: “I’m happy for the players” when asked if he was happy for the city of Detroit. It was a hard fought game for both teams, however the Lions ended up victorious by 1 point, winning 24-23. Meanwhile, the newly risen Detroit hero, Jared Goff, led the team to a NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers after a divisional round win against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their deep run ended in the Bay with a close loss of 31-34.
This year, they hope to make a Super Bowl run. The Lions started off the game red hot with a 17-3 run. This included a 52 yard touchdown reception by Jameson Williams. Williams, the 2022 12th overall pick was on fire all night long with 5 receptions for a blazing 121 yards. The Goff and Williams connection was impactful all night long, however Goff was unable to get WR Amon-Ra St. Brown going. He recorded only 3 receptions for 13 yards on 6 targets. Goff threw for 217 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Not only the pass game there, but the run game was dangerous. It didn’t take much to get RB David Montgomery rumbling with 91 yards on 17 carries and 1 touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs was also decently productive on the ground with 11 carries for 40 yards. Seeing this, McVay and the Rams didn’t back down. They came back and scored 17 unanswered points to take the lead in the 4th, 17-20.
Stafford in the beginning of the game struggled, with having an interception in the endzone when trying to tie the game when down 3-10. Kyren Williams was unable to get going on the round, as well as a no-show for the Rams 4th round draft pick out of University of Michigan, RB Blake Corrum. There were many injuries racking up on the Rams side especially with star WR Puca Nacua went out early in the game with a PCL injury. Stafford and the Rams saw themselves down 14 with less than nine minutes to go in the third quarter. However, Stafford showed how no lead was safe and marched back. Kyren Williams got going and finished the game with 50 yards on 18 carries, as well as scoring the first touchdown of the game for the Rams cutting the lead down to just seven. After a defensive three and out stop by the Rams, Stafford got the ball back and was able to connect with WR Tyler Johnson for a 63 yard reception to put the Rams in the red zone. Johnson finished the game with 79 yards on five receptions and was highly productive on the night.
Regardless of the big play, the Rams had to settle for a field goal cutting the lead down to just four. It looked like the game was over, but with a costly interception, the Rams got the ball back with around nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp connection we all witnessed in the 2021-2022 Super Bowl season, was back. Kupp recorded 110 yards on 14 receptions and 1 touchdown, being the game leading touchdown. The Rams now had the lead 17-20. Stafford never backed down, regardless of the massive deficiency, finishing the game with 317 passing yards and one touchdown, while only recording one interception.
However, the Rams left the Lions too much time. Goff and the Lions were able to tie the game in the 4th quarter, 20-20, making the first Sunday Night Football matchup of the year have an overtime finish. Overtime rules in the regular season of the NFL, is a little interesting. Basically whoever wins the coin toss, is most likely going to win. Basically, the first to score a touchdown or defensive safety in overtime wins the game regardless of if the other team even had a chance to possess the ball. A field goal by the first team however, would give the other team a chance to win the game with a touchdown or end the game as a tie with a field goal. The Lions won the coin toss, and of course chose to receive the kickoff. The Lions started off the game with the run game in action.
The exhausted and beat up Rams defense was unable to stop the Lions on the ground. Jared Goff didn’t have to do much, besides hand the ball off. David Montgomery was running with a chip on his shoulder as he was just plowing through the Rams defenders. With no response by the Rams defense, eventually David Montgomery found himself in the endzone, walking it off for the Lions, winning 26-20. Safe to say, like the 2023 Wildcard matchup between these two teams, the week 1 matchup didn’t seem to disappoint either. Who knows if we are going to see these two teams square off again in the playoffs.
Here are some important statlines from the remaining 13 games. In the first Monday Night Football matchup of the year, QB Brock Purdy’s 231 passing yards and backup RB Jordan Mason’s whopping 147 yards on 28 carries with one touchdown powered the San Francisco 49ers over QB Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Don’t count out kicker Jake Moody as he scored six field goals and two extra points, all in all scoring 20 points for the 49ers just by himself. All the way down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the 2024 2nd overall pick QB Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders 37-20 as QB Baker Mayfield recorded 310 all purpose yards and 4 passing touchdowns. In Ohio, the Cleveland Browns were shocked at home with a 17-33 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. At Sofi Stadium, the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Las Vegas Raiders 22-10 with newly acquired RB J.K. Dobbins rushed for 135 yards on 10 carries with 1 touchdown. The Green Bay Packers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, where newly acquired RB Saquon Barkely rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. QB Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings powered over the New York Giants 28-6. Jerod Mayo celebrates his first win as head coach of the New England Patriots, with a hard fought battle over the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 16-10. QB Kirk Cousins and his new squad, the Atlanta Falcons were shocked by newly acquired QB Justin Fields his Pittsburgh Steelers, losing 10-18. 2023 2nd overall pick QB CJ Stroud threw for 234 yards and 2 passing touchdowns as they won a close battle against 2023 4th overall pick QB Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts, winning 29-27. QB Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills beat returning QB Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals, 34-28. The Chicago Bears defense carried the team to a 24-17 win against Tennessee Titans. The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Miami Dolphins 20-17. QB Jeno Smith shined as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 26-20.
