The NFL has returned. After an off-season full of drama and speculation, it was time to see which teams would be contenders and which would be strugglers. So, could the Kansas City Chiefs open their hunt for a third consecutive Super Bowl with a win? Could the number one draft pick, Caleb Williams, have a solid start on his NFL career? And why was there a game in Brazil this weekend?
Let’s look back at Week One of the 2024 NFL Season.
Kansas City won by an inch
The season’s opening game was held, as per tradition, at the home of the defending Super Bowl champions, meaning that for the second year in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs would host the opener. They are again one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this season and become the first team in history to win three in a row. They opened their season against the Baltimore Ravens in a repeat of the AFC Championship game from last season.
The Ravens had the opening possession of the game. They were able to take the lead immediately, thanks to a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Derrick Henry, who came over to the Ravens from the Tennessee Titans in the off-season. But, as we have seen so many times before, they very quickly score when the Chiefs go behind.
On the game’s next drive, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Xavier Worthy for a 21-yard touchdown pass. This was Worthy’s first-ever catch in the NFL and shows that the former Texas Longhorn is likely to be a real offensive weapon for the Chiefs.
A couple of drives later, Baltimore made a costly mistake. From their 20-yard line, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was sacked and fumbled the ball, which the Chiefs then recovered. The silver lining is that Kansas City could not convert this mistake into seven points. They made three points, though, with a 32-yard field goal from Harrison Butker giving the Chiefs the lead. This lead was extended on the next Chief’s drive with another Butker field goal from a similar distance.
Kansas City made the next mistake, with Mahomes intercepted on the Ravens’ 49-yard line. With possession, Jackson could bring his offense down to the Chiefs’ 7-yard line but would advance no further. This set up a 25-yard field goal from Justin Tucker, who shook off his previous miss to give Baltimore three points. This means that the Chiefs had a 13-10 lead at the half.
Embed from Getty ImagesKansas City had the opening possession of the first half and would score the opening score of the half. Mahomes brought the ball down to the Ravens’ one-yard line, and then Isaiah Pacheco ran it in for the touchdown, giving the Chiefs a 10-point lead.
The Ravens would cut into this lead after a few drives that ended in punts. Lamarr Jackson would find Ishiah Likely for a 49-yard touchdown pass. But, this did not last long, as Mahomes found Worthy for his second TD on the game on the next drive to restore the 10-point advantage.
A Tucker field goal from 32 yards out cut into this lead, and following a punt from the Chiefs on their next drive, Baltimore had the opportunity to take this game to overtime on the final drive of the score.
With under two minutes left, the Ravens began this drive from their 13-yard line. From here, Jackson and company moved the offense down into the red zone and then to the Chiefs’ 10-yard line. Then, with five seconds left on the clock, Jackson found Likely deep inside the endzone for the game-tying touchdown.
However, as all scoring plays do in the fourth quarter, this play went to review. The officials ruled that Likely landed with his toes on the end line, which meant he was out of bounds. This turned the touchdown pass into an incomplete pass and took away the Ravens’ chance of winning the game, giving the Kansas City Chiefs a 27-20 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesFor a game to begin the season, this was full of drama. The Ravens had a strong chance to win this game and lost by a couple of inches. This shows that both teams will be contenders in the AFC and could meet again in the AFC Championship game. Next week, the Chiefs face the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Ravens play the Las Vegas Raiders.
As águias vencem no Brasil (The Eagles win in Brazil)
The NFL has gained a reputation for playing games away from the United States. The London and Mexico games have become a mainstay in the schedule, with the games in Germany continuing to bring fans in (I do not know who would want to travel to Germany to see the Panthers and the Giants). The opening week of the season and the second game of the season introduced another country to this NFL’s reach: Brazil. The Green Bay Packers faced the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo.
In the build-up to this game, there were growing rumors that, because the stadium is home to Corinthians, the color green would be banned because it is the principal color of their rivals, Palmerias. The NFL brought both its green teams down to Brazil. So, how did they fare in the first-ever game played in South America?
The Packers had the opening possession of the game and were able to open the scoring. Packers QB Jordan Love found Jayden Reed for a 38-yard TD pass. However, this was removed due to a penalty against Green Bay. They were unable to recover from this and punted away possession. But, they were able to quickly retain possession when Eagles QB Jalen Hurts threw an interception, which Green Bay could return into a field goal.
Hurts made another mistake on the Eagles’ next drive, fumbling the ball. The Packers recovered it, resulting in another field goal.
But the bad luck for the Eagles did not last. On the next drive of the game, Hurts brought his offense down to the Packers’18-yard line before he found the former Giant (and a traitor in my eyes) Saquon Barkley for the 1 TD pass. Green Bay replied to this with a score for themselves, as Reed found the endzone for a 33-yard rushing TD. The Packers then attempted a two-point conversion, which failed.
The scoring did not stop there, as Barkley and Reed scored TDs on the following two drives. The Eagles tried to score another on the final drive before halftime but were unable to. This led to Eagles kicker Jake Elliot kicking a 38-yard field goal to take the teams to halftime, where the Packers had a 19-17 lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesPhiladelphia opened the second half by doing something they couldn’t do at the end of the first half. From their 33-yard line, Hurts found Antonio Brown for a 67-yard TD pass to give the Eagles the lead. Green Bay quickly replied to his, with Love finding Christan Watson for a two-yard TD pass to give the lead back to the Wisconsin-based team.
A few drives later, the Packers made a mistake that changed the game. Love was intercepted deep in the Packers’ territory. From the resulting drive, Barkley found the endzone for a two-yard rushing TD to give the Eagles a five-point lead. Green Bay tried to come on the next drive, but a missed field goal attempt was the best they could do,
However, as Hurts was intercepted in the endzone on the following drive, this gave the Packers hope for a comeback. The following drive could only result in a field goal, reducing the lead to two points, with the Eagles now in possession.
Seven minutes were left on the clock, and Philidelphia’s drive took seven minutes and only resulted in a field goal. This was enough, as it forced the Packers to go the length of the field in under 30 seconds. Could they do it?
They couldn’t. Jordan Love was injured on this drive and has been ruled out for 3-5 weeks with an MCL Sprain. In terms of the game, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-29.
This showed us that the Eagles are again one of the stronger teams in the NFL, to my annoyance. Additionally, Saquon Barkley ran for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns. The last time he did that for the Giants was in 2018 against Tampa Bay. The Packers’ season may already be on the ropes with Love’s injury.
Embed from Getty ImagesNext week, Philadelphia faces the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night, while the Packers play the Indianapolis Colts.
The Lions do it in Overtime
The Detroit Lions were one of the strongest teams last season. They finally won a playoff game and made it to the NFC Championship game, losing to the San Francisco 49ers. They faced the Los Angeles Rams to open their season, the team they got their elusive playoff victory over.
Both teams took their time to get into this game fully. Their opening drives both ended in punts, with the following two drives ending in field goals, keeping the teams equal.
Late in the second quarter, the Lions would break free of the general parity that had been affecting the game up to this point. Lions QB Jared Goff brought the offense down to the Rams’ one-yard line. From here, Jahmyr Gibbs found the endzone for the one-yard rushing TD to give Detroit the lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Rams did try to match this on the following drive, with QB Matthew Stafford leading a drive down to the Lions’ 8-yard line. However, Staffords’ pass into the endzone was intercepted by the Lions’ defense, giving Detroit a 10-3 lead at the half.
The second half began just like the first half did with two drives ending in punts. But then, the offenses would really start to shine. Three plays into the following drive, and Goff found Jameson Williams for a 52-yard touchdown pass to widen the lead. But this did not last long, as from the Lions’ 2-yard line, Kyren Williams found the endzone for the Rams to bring the lead back to seven points.
It would become smaller from the next Los Angeles drive. The Rams reached the Lions’ one-yard line, and Jordan Whittington found the endzone for the TD. However, there was a penalty against the Rams on this play, which removed the score from the board and forced them back 10 yards. Los Angeles would reach the eight-yard line, but their drive stalled here, and kicker Joshua Karty was successful with a 26-yard field goal.
Things would get even better for the Rams when Goff’s pass was intercepted on the edge of the red zone. This play would prove costly for the Lions, as Stafford and company would drive down the field to the Lions’ nine-yard line. He found Cooper Kupp for the late TD from here to give them a three-point lead.
Time was running out for Detroit if they were to stay in this game. On their last drive of the game, Goff moved the ball down to the Rams 14-yard line, setting up a game-tying field goal. Lions kicker Jake Bates was successful with the 32-yard field goal, and this meant that this game was going to overtime
Detroit had the first possession of overtime, needing to score a touchdown to win the game. This is what they were able to do. The Lions made it down to the Rams’ one-yard line, and from here, David Montgomery ran it into the endzone to give the Detroit Lions a 26-20 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis game was another close one, showing us that the NFC could have many contenders. It could have gone either way, but the Lions took advantage of having the first possession in Overtime, which greatly helped them win.
Next week, Detroit faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Rams play the Arizona Cardinals.
The Debut of Caleb Williams
The Chicago Bears have struggled at the quarterback position in the last couple of years. But have they now found their answer? The Bears had the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, and with it, they chose Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from the USC Trojans. Williams made his NFL debut this weekend against the Tennessee Titans.
The game did not begin well for either team, with the first four drives ending in punts. But the Titans would be able to break the deadlock at the end of the first quarter with a 26-yard rushing touchdown from Tony Pollard.
Tennessee would then capitalize on a fumbled punt return from the Bears, which gave them possession in the Bears’ red zone. The drive could not go anywhere, but Titans kicker Nick Folk was successful with the field goal, giving Tennessee a 10-point advantage.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis only grew on the Titans’ next drive. QB Will Levis moved the ball down to the Bears’ 17-yard and. From here, he found Chig Okonkwo for the TD. The Bears got something to end the half, as Cairo Santos kicked a 24-yard field goal.
This meant that at halftime, Tennessee had a 17-3 lead. Williams’ debut was not going to plan.
However, the Bears would have a better start to the second half. The first two drives of the half ended in punts, but something happened on the Titans’ punt. It was blocked by the Bears, who would scoop up the ball and return to the endzone, putting Chicago within seven points.
A couple of drives later, the Bears would eat into this lead. But this was not because of Caleb Williams, who would fumble the ball on this drive before recovering it. A 50-yard Santos field goal gave the Bears three more points and reduced the lead to four points.
The good luck would keep coming for Chicago, as Levis was sacked and then fumbled the ball on the next drive. This resulted in another field goal from Santos, making it a one-point game in the fourth quarter.
Tennessee made another mistake on their next drive, which was incredibly costly. Levis was intercepted in his territory, and the Bears defense found the endzone to give them the lead. A successful two-point conversion later, and the Bears had a seven-point lead.
The Titans did have a 17-point lead in this game. They are now down by seven and needed a touchdown to win the game. Unfortunately, on the Titans’ final drive, Levis was again intercepted, handing the Chicago Bears a 24-17 comeback victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Bears did not win this game; Tennessee lost it. They had a strong lead, but a series of mistakes took it away from them. If anyone on the Bears team wants credit for this game, it should go to their defense and Cairo Santos. As for Caleb Williams, he did not help. He went 24-29, throwing for 93 yards and being sacked twice. To be honest, neither quarterback was great. Much improvement is needed from all.
Next week, the Bears face the Houston Texans on Sunday night, while the Titans play the New York Jets.
What Happened in the Other Games?
The Pittsburgh Steelers played the Atlanta Falcons, a team with new quarterbacks. New Falcons QB Kirk Cousins struggled in this game, throwing two interceptions, but he did score a touchdown, something the Steelers were unable to do. Six field goals from Chris Boswell gave Pittsburgh an 18-10 win.
The game between the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills had two distinctive halves. The first half was dominated by the Cardinals, with Bills QB Josh Allen shining in the second half, throwing two TDs and running for another as the Bills defeated the Cardinals 34-28.
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals wanted to get the season off to a good start against the New England Patriots. However, this would not happen. Cincinnati made many mistakes, and the Patriots offense had its moments in New England’s 16-10 victory.
The Houston Texans opened what could be an excellent season for them against divisional rivals the Indianapolis Colts. This was a repeat of last year’s decider for the AFC South, and by the looks of it, both teams could also be in contention for it this season. The incredibly strong Houston offense, which gained the talents of Stefon Diggs in the offseason, held on for a 29-27 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins left it very late to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars. In a game that was being played after a morning when Dolphins player Tyreek Hill was detained and handcuffed by Police on his way to the stadium, it was looking like the Jaguars would win this. However, a last-second field goal from Jason Sanders gave the Dolphins a 20-17 win.
The Carolina Panthers were the worst team in football last season. It looks like they will also be this year (even though there may be close competition with another team for this). They faced the New Orleans Saints, who dominated them. The Saints’ quarterback scored three touchdowns in the 47-10 victory.
Former Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh debuted for the Los Angeles Chargers against the Las Vegas Raiders. Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins scored a touchdown, and former Alabama player Ladd McConkey scored another, as Los Angeles recorded a 22-10 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesLong-time Oregon Ducks QB Bo Nix made his NFL debut for the Denver Broncos against the Seattle Seahawks. It did not go to plan for him, as he threw two interceptions in the Seahawks 26-20 victory.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott now owns the biggest contract in NFL history. To celebrate this, his team played the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys were the far stronger team in this game and easily cruised to a 33-17 win to start their season well.
We had another new quarterback playing for the Washington Commanders this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second pick of the 2024 NFL draft, Jayden Daniels was announced as the Commanders’ starter. As with Caleb Williams, his debut was OK. He scored two rushing touchdowns from one yard out, but there was nothing much to write home about. Tampa Bay would win this game 37-20.
Monday Night saw the return of Aaron Rodgers. Last year, the Jets quarterback played a total of 4 plays before being injured and ruled out for the season. He managed to play more in their game against the San Francisco 49ers, who will be hoping to return to the Super Bowl. The 49ers won this game 32-19, mostly thanks to kicker Jake Moody, who kicked six field goals.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnd finally, the question everyone wants answered. How did the New York Giants ruin my weekend? Where do we begin? The Giants opened their season against the Minnesota Vikings, who were playing backup QB Sam Darnold due to a season-ending injury to J.J. McCarthy. It did not look like Darnold was a backup, throwing for 2 TDs. As for the Giants, Daniel Jones had a terrible game, throwing two interceptions, and not one member of the team seems to play well, even Maalik Nabers, who Giants fans were hoping that he would be as strong as he was with LSU. The Vikings won this game 28-6. If this is how the season will play out, it will be a long season.
So, that was week one of the 2024 NFL season. Next week, we’ll see if Caleb Williams can improve, if the Bengals keep making mistakes, and if the Giants can show competence.
