Football is back! Like always, week one was completely unpredictable and thoroughly entertaining. Now that all teams have made their debut, here are a few of the takeaways we noticed.
The Steelers need to make changes. After the drama surrounding Le’Veon Bell, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t look like they are missing him with James Conner rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns. However, it is evident that the franchise needs to seriously start looking at replacements for Ben Roethlisberger. He had five turnovers in his opener against the Cleveland Browns and struggled with the same problem all throughout previous seasons. Without TJ Watt’s block, the Steelers would have handed the Browns their first win since December of 2016. After barely scraping by with a tie against the worst team in the NFL, Roethlisberger needs to clean up his game or it’s going to be a long season for Steelers fans.
The Buccaneers found their offense, but the Saints still need a defense. The little strength that exists within the New Orleans Saints defense was nonexistent against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, struggled to maintain coverage and so did the rest of the team. However, even a good defense would have met their match in Ryan Fitzpatrick’s shocking performance. With Jameis Winston suspended, Fitzpatrick went above and beyond and showed the Bucs (and the rest of the NFL) just what he is capable of. If Fitzpatrick continues playing like this, the Bucs will have a decision to make regarding quarterback position when Winston returns.
The Chiefs look solid. The Kansas City Chiefs looked excellent against the Los Angeles Chargers. Tyreek Hill did what he does best, scoring three times, once with a 91-yard punt return. For the past few seasons, the Chiefs have been a team that snags a playoff spot but always falls short once they get there. Will this be the year they can make a deep run in the postseason?
The Giants have hope in Saquon Barkley. The Jacksonville Jaguars defense looked stellar during their win against the New York Giants. Even though the Giants lost, there is a bright side for them, and his name is Saquon Barkley. Barkley didn’t play a flawless game, but he had stunning runs, including an amazing 68-yard touchdown. He impressed coaches and players on both sides of the fields.
Mack is good, but Rodgers is better. Khalil Mack made his debut with the Chicago Bears after a surprising and expensive trade. Mack proved his worth, recording a defensive touchdown and a strip sack. Both previously mentioned plays were against Green Bay’s backup quarterback DeShone Kizer, who took the field after an apparent injury to Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers returned to the game and did what only he can do. He led the Packers to victory with a 75-yard TD to Randall Cobb in the final three minutes of the game. This game will hurt for Chicago, but they can have some peace of mind knowing that they invested well in Mack.
The Patriots just keep winning. Despite an offseason filled with rumors of trades and retirements, the New England Patriots are back to doing what they do best. Although Brady threw a pick and Gronkowski fumbled, the rest of the NFL should be worried. Brady, Belichick and Gronk show no signs of slowing down; in fact, they look like they are just getting started.