The NFL’s return to chaos began on a single weekend. One week of football is all we have to react to, but that one week produced more than enough to fill a notebook. The Bears scored and allowed the most points in a Week 1 game in league history. Lamar Jackson looked like an MVP contender again. And the Texans’ defense got lit up by Josh Allen. Which of these reactions are real, and which are early-season noise?
The Bears Are Scoring and Giving Up Points
Chicago’s 59-37 win over Carolina set a new record for Week 1 points. The 96 combined points broke the previous mark, and the game’s final score was tied for the second-highest opening-week total in NFL history. Caleb Williams threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 65 yards and two scores, and the running backs combined for 224 yards and four touchdowns.
That’s the good side. The bad side is that the Bears gave up 37 points, which is a lot. Bryce Young threw for 361 yards against them, and the coverage problems were obvious. The tackling was off, and the pass rush couldn’t get home. The Bears pressured the quarterback just 21% of the time, and fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad played 49 snaps while Cam Lewis, a former Bills defensive back, played all 62. The defense simply doesn’t have enough talent, especially with injuries to Coby Bryant and Kyler Gordon.
Head coach Ben Johnson said he wanted to have the highest-scoring team in NFL history. After Week 1, that goal looks less like a joke and more like a warning. The offense is as good as it gets, but the defense is in trouble.
The Texans Got Beaten by Big Plays
Houston gave up 36 points to Josh Allen and the Bills. That’s a lot, especially against a team they have long dominated. But the defense played aggressively, and Allen made them pay with pinpoint throws downfield. One example came on a touchdown to DJ Moore, whose first score as a Bill was a perfect throw from Allen.
Credit Allen for the throw, but it’s not one many people can make. The defense forced two fumbles, both recovered by Buffalo. There was also a late potential interception that was dropped. Every once in a while, a defense gets beaten by big plays, and Sunday was one of those days. Don’t expect there to be many more.
This is an overreaction. One game tells us the Texans can be vulnerable, but it doesn’t tell us the whole story.
DJ Moore Is Already a Difference Maker
Moore caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Bills debut. He brings the deep threat the Bills needed at wide receiver, and Allen averaged 13.2 air yards per attempt, his highest number in a game since the 2022 season. The addition of Moore, along with a healthy Dalton Kincaid, could finally give Allen the explosive downfield attack he has been missing.
But it’s still Week 1. Mike Evans was excellent in his 49ers debut. David Montgomery had a hat trick of touchdowns for the Texans. A handful of additions to the Bengals’ defense made their mark. Myles Garrett will be back with the Rams eventually, and the paper remains bullish on his impact.
Moore was a very strong add, not just in terms of production but in terms of style. The Bills are already reaping the rewards, but one game does not define a season.
Lamar Jackson Is Already MVP Material
Jackson went 17-for-25 for 324 yards, an astounding 13 yards per attempt. He threw for a touchdown and ran for another. The plays were easy: screens, quick passes, play-action finds. On under-center, play-action plays, he was 5-for-5 for 101 yards. It doesn’t get a lot better than that.
The biggest takeaway is how efficient he looked. The end product was fun — Zay Flowers juked and sprinted and scored — but the start of the play is worth noting. Flowers was lined up in the backfield, a spot he has never been before. Never. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle was the headline-grabbing coaching change in Baltimore, but his hire cannot go under the radar after Sunday.
Jackson has won MVP both times the Ravens have changed offensive coordinators. Sunday was a great start toward going to three for three.
Robert Saleh’s Second Tenure Is Already Troubled
Saleh hired Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator, a guy who has called plays for a long time but hasn’t done it well in a long time. The Titans looked horrific in a 23-10 loss to the Jets. Cam Ward completed 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt, with one touchdown and three sacks.
The offense was a disaster. The results so far have been disastrous. Saleh had to nail his offensive coordinator hire to make his second tenure better than his first, and he didn’t. This is a real problem for Tennessee.
What We Know After One Week
- The Bears scored 59 points and allowed 37 in a 59-37 win over the Panthers
- DJ Moore caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Bills debut
- Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards and ran for a touchdown in the Ravens’ win
- Cam Ward completed 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards in the Titans’ loss to the Jets
One week is a sample size, not a verdict. The Raiders beating the Patriots in Week 1 last year is the cautionary tale. But some of these reactions are real. The Bears’ offense is elite, and their defense is exposed. Jackson is playing at an MVP level. Saleh’s second stint is already a mess.
The NFL is fully back, and the chaos is real. The overreactions will continue.
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