Week 1 Takeaways for the 2026 NFL Season

Week 1 always excites, which is why I need to provide an immediate disclaimer: please don’t overreact. You’ll see shock results and major conclusions drawn with the smallest of sample sizes. Unless they confirm what you already knew, they could be mirages. Carolina scored 37 points, only to cede 59 to Chicago. Cincinnati’s defense forced FOUR Baker Mayfield fumbles in a win over Tampa. Meanwhile, Dallas, the other defense expected to improve, melted down against the Giants. All the while, big-name RBs dominated the field. Find out who the stars and the goats were in my week 1 takeaways for the 2026 NFL season!

WNF Kickoff Game: Seahawks Win SB Rematch but Lose Darnold

First, I never thought I’d say “WNF”, but the stupidity of the Australia game forced the kickoff game forward by a day (more on that in a bit). Back to the game at hand, Seattle started off in a celebratory mood as the rafters revealed their Super Bowl banner. Their glee didn’t even last one drive. New Patriot DL Dre’Mont Jones sacked QB Sam Darnold, who limped off the field. He would not return with a glute injury. Backup Drew Lock helpfully played a good amount during the preseason, but the offense did not look right. Aside from rookie RB Jadarian Price (10/52), who I really like, the Seahawks did nothing. Not a single first-half point.

Unhelpfully, Seattle also committed frequent penalties. An underthrown flea flicker to new NE WR1 AJ Brown (3/26) resulted in a PI call, leading to a TD for rookie TE Eli Raridon. On a 4th-and-1 tush push attempt, Seattle committed an offensive offside penalty, forcing a punt. A bit later, the Seahawks roughed the Pats’ punter, which led to an FG. All 10 of New England’s points were the direct result of penalties (a positive for the Patriots: K Andres Borregales nailed his 50-yard attempt, possibly putting his preseason struggles behind him. Worst of all, on offense, the Lock-led offense was guilty of so many infractions.

For some reason, they had trouble getting plays snapped. False starts (when linemen moved after the play clock hit :00) were plentiful, and two red zone penalties ruined TD chances: an illegal shift as the play clock was near :00 and a delay of game on a different possession. Both of those drives ended in FGs. However, Lock (16/22, 187 yards, TD; 2/13 rushing) really found his groove. Trusting his epic WR tandem of Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8/122/1) and Cooper Kupp (2/35 but very big catches), he brought Seattle back with 10 fourth-quarter points. I consider this an excellent debut for new OC Brian Fleury, who had to adjust on the fly.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the Dark Side defense (and punter Michael Dickson). Unlike in the Super Bowl, the Seahawks had 0 sacks until the 4th quarter. Still, their run defense was stellar, and the pass coverage was even better. Patriots’ free agent WR Romeo Doubs had a debut to forget, failing to bring down a 50-50 ball that resulted in an INT, dropping a pass that led to an INT one play later, and catching nothing at all. Brown’s departure with an ankle injury magnified that point. Still, QB Drake Maye (23/33, 178 yards, TD, 3 INTs; 7/47 rushing) was most to blame for New England’s collapse.

The second-year star had an abysmal performance. His first INT was a great snag by CB Nehemiah Pritchett (who played incredibly well). The second one was a bad throw that S Julian Love read all the way. INT #3 was unforgiveable. Already in FG range in the final minute while down 3, Maye forced a ball to the end zone, where CB Josh Jobe corralled it to seal the game. It’s things like this that make me skeptical of the Pats. Seattle has much brighter prospects, but Darnold’s injury could be devastating. Lock was actually pretty good here, but consistency has never been his strong suit. A win is nice, but at what cost?

TNF in Australia: 49ers Smother Rams in Unacceptable Game Location

Let’s get something out of the way: I hate that this game was in Australia. I rage about these international games often, including week 1 of last year. This may be the worst. While the field was better than Brazil’s the location wasn’t. This game was quite literally on the other side of the world. These poor teams played on a DIFFERENT DAY than the rest of us watched the game. Even more damning, the NFL put a divisional game that could have massive implications later in the season on foreign soil. I think this could be the peak of the NFL’s greed, which I guess is why the commissioner just got a fat new extension.

San Francisco and LA had very different strategies for handling their travel. The 49ers went to Australia more than a week early to get acclimated, while the Rams wanted to spent no more than 24 hours there. I wondered whose approach would be better, and the results are in. SF dominated the game, particularly in the second half. In typical 49ers fashion, they had injuries. Second-round rookie WR De’Zhaun Stribling was carted off with an ankle ailment, while TE Jake Tonges left with a knee injury that HC Kyle Shanahan called “not good”. DT Alfred Collins tore his patellar tendon during practice. Can’t blame the substation for these.

The game was defined in advance by which players returned and the new names that joined the squads. For SF, DE Nick Bosa and LB Fred Warner came back from injuries, with the latter punching the ball out for a pivotal forced fumble. TE George Kittle (2/12) also somehow returned from a torn Achilles in record time. New WR Mike Evans (6/49/1) proved his worth immediately, even mossing a TD on a red zone fade route. After a year in Washington, WR Deebo Samuel (6/48/1; 1/12 rushing) caught a TD in his reunion with the 49ers. That came on a 99-yard drive following a 4th-down stuff of a Matthew Stafford sneak.

For LA, the unretired Aaron Donald didn’t make the trip. Trade acquisition Myles Garrett did though, and he did absolutely nothing while injured. He didn’t even appear on the stat sheet; credit 49ers LT Trent Williams, who won this battle of future Hall of Famers handily. I can’t say much of anything but the running game and WR Puka Nacua (5/74/1) went well for the Rams. Stafford (15/25, 155 yards, INT) was unusually off, and he was thoroughly outplayed by counterpart Brock Purdy (25/34, 205 yards, 3 TDs, INT). Oddly, Stafford also moved to 0/3 on QB sneaks since 2025. I’m guessing they’ll be better once they’re back in the US.

We have to show some love to San Francisco. This is a team that we know can contend when they’re healthy, and despite the concerning injuries that they’re already facing, the 49ers look strong right now. Their reinforcements on defense, plus new DC Raheem Morris, made a huge difference. Their second-half shutout allowed RB Christian McCaffrey (10/68; 5/20 receiving) to shoulder a lighter load. WR Demarcus Robinson (2/50/1) even had fun with a 39-yard TD against his old team. With a 27-7 thrashing of the Super Bowl favorites, SF showed us all that we can’t forget about them in the race for NFC supremacy.

Kyler Murray’s Old and New Teams Unexpectedly Win Without Him

Personal fans of former Cardinal and current Viking Kyler Murray had a rough week. Many were excited to see the Cardinals fail without him. I wasn’t “excited”, but I thought it might happen (not because of the QB position at all). Arizona proved a LOT of people wrong this week. They went to LA to face the Chargers, and despite being massive underdogs, they won handily. QB Jacoby Brissett (27/37, 277 yards, TD), who held in for a contract adjustment, showed his worth. Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love (11/41/1) got his first NFL TD as part of a timeshare with Tyler Allgeier (17/61). TE Trey McBride (9/95/1) remained an unstoppable force.

It was the unexpected contributors that put the Cardinals over the top though. WR Kendrick Bourne (8/75) had himself a vintage game. Fellow WR Simi Fehoko, a former Bolt, had a crucial blocked punt. Then there was the defense. That maligned unit made Chargers QB Justin Herbert (17/27, 209 yards, TD, INT; 5/29 rushing) miserable, sacking him three times and picking him off once. LA never got anything going and mustered just 14 points. Even when the score got close at 16-14, Arizona had the answer, rattling off 10 fourth-quarter points. The Chargers always Charger, but perhaps the Redbirds won’t be such an easy out after all.

Murray himself at least got to move on to Minneapolis, where he “won” the starting job. He wasn’t great in training camp, but in a competition against JJ McCarthy, it’s hard to lose. In his first game, Murray had a horrid start, firing a prayer of a pass that was intercepted. After completing 3 of 5 passes for 18 yards, he tried to run more, and a late hit by Green Bay knocked him out with a concussion. Carson Wentz (12/19, 133 yards, 3 TDs), who also beat out McCarthy, entered the game, and you wonder why this guy didn’t get to compete for the job. He started slowly, but he really turned things on after a few drives.

How do you get in rhythm? By throwing to WR Justin Jefferson (8/92/2) of course! Wentz hit him on a 39-yard bomb after recognizing that the Packers were offside, cutting GB’s lead to 2. Jefferson didn’t get to do a single Gritty dance in Minneapolis last year, but he had two in week 1. The Vikings defense gave up 10 unanswered points after that, but Green Bay gave them a gift. After kicking a field goal, coach Matt LaFleur chose to take the points off the board due to penalty and try to convert 4th and 1. Minnesota DC Brian Flores figured everything out from there. His defense stuffed the subsequent QB sneak, and that was it.

Green Bay never scored another point. Flores pressured QB Jordan Love (21/42, 387 yards, 2 TDs, INT, FUM) incessantly, forcing him into turnovers. Including the turnover on downs, Minnesota converted all of their short fields into TDs, turning a 22-10 deficit into a 39-22 victory. The Packers wasted great efforts from WRs Christian Watson (6/147/2) and Matthew Golden (6/95), collapsing yet again in a key game. No wonder I never trust them. Minnesota is arguably in better hands with Wentz than they are with Murray. Their opportunistic defense and good skill players should keep them competitive, something Murray didn’t do.

Four AFC Contenders Square Off: One Thriller, One Blowout

When the week 1 schedule releases, you can often circle a couple games that you know will have major implications down the line. Two such contests took place in the AFC this week. First, Buffalo and Houston squared off in what should have been a defensive struggle. Instead, we got a shootout. Forget about Houston’s #1-ranked defense. Bills QB Josh Allen (20/29, 334 yards, 2 TDs; 6/23/2 rushing) tore them up despite getting little from his running game. TE Dalton Kincaid (5/130) had a breakout performance, while new WR DJ Moore (5/100/1) showed that he can elevate the passing attack wherever he goes.

Surprisingly, Houston’s offense kept pace. New RB David Montgomery (20/60/2; 3/19/1 receiving) scored three times, giving the Texans the balance they desperately needed. QB CJ Stroud (26/38, 274 yards, 2 TDs) played better as a result, dueling to a 31-30 lead with 3:13 to go. However, the Texans made a couple of awful mistakes. After failing to recover a Buffalo fumble, they allowed the Bills to march 96 yards in under 2 minutes. A big throw to Kincaid helped, as did a drop on a sure Allen INT by CB Kamari Lassiter. Allen rifled a TD the very next play. When Stroud fumbled on the ensuing drive, Buffalo escaped with a 36-31 win.

For Allen, this was his first ever win in Houston. Aside from the one throw he got away with, he played a flawless game. Buffalo’s defense needs a ton of work, but they did step up when it mattered most. Credit DE Greg Rousseau, who had 2 strip sacks including the game-clincher. The narratives for Houston will be that the defense is mortal and that Stroud choked again. I think the defense will be better. They won’t go up against MVP-level QBs every week either. Stroud has to write his own story here. Until he comes through in the clutch, that stigma will remain a thorn in his side. Houston will go as far as he takes them.

On Monday night, an AFC West battle featured the Broncos and Chiefs, both of whom were excited to see their QBs return. While Denver’s Bo Nix played in the preseason, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes did not. It was amazing that he returned this quickly from his ACL tear at all. The plan from returning OC Eric Bieniemy to protect Mahomes was clear: run the football. Free agent RB Kenneth Walker took 7 carries on the opening drive, but it was Mahomes who rushed for the TD on the possession. That showed us he was back physically and that he trusted his repaired knee. However, he definitely had rust.

Mahomes (15/27, 184 yards, 2 TDs, INT) threw several off-target passes and only threw scores on a screen and a pop pass. Walker (23/173/1; 3/18/1 receiving) was the real star, setting career highs and giving KC the runner they long craved. I also have to talk about the defense. DC Steve Spagnuolo outdid himself this time. His unit lost so many players this offseason, but it keeps marching. First-round CB Mansoor Delane picked off a Nix pass on the first Denver drive to set the tone. From there, they earned 4 sacks, allowed just 192 yards of total offense, and recovered a fumble. It was a demolition, but Denver shoulders some blame.

We apparently didn’t talk enough about HC Sean Payton surrendering play calling duties to OC Davis Webb to get him to stay in Denver. Webb is not good at this at all. He took a talented group of players, including a great offensive line, and made a mess. Nix (17/28, 131 yards, TD, INT) was uncomfortable, and he fumbled 3 times (1 lost). New WR Jaylen Waddle had just 1 catch for 2 yards. WR Courtland Sutton had 2 snags for 11 yards. This vaunted offense put up just 10 points, as Spagnuolo dominated Webb. I suspect that Payton has some regrets. If the unit continues to struggle, expect him to take back the call sheet very soon.

Lions Blow 21-0 Lead, Win Anyway Thanks to Saints’ Poor Choice

For about 2.5 quarters, this game looked like a routine win for Detroit. Their offense did not fire on all cylinders in the first half, but they shut the Saints out. Every New Orleans drive during that stretch ended in either a punt or a turnover. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (29/156/2; 5/30 receiving), the new highest-paid player at his position, showed out. No longer in a timeshare, I’m not sure if he can continue taking 34 touches a game, but for one week, he shined. QB Jared Goff (26/39, 206 yards, 2 TDs) and WR Amon-Ra St Brown (10/67/2) had their connection working as well. Detroit led 21-0, and all was right with the world. Until it wasn’t.

Some sort of switch flipped inside Saints QB Tyler Shough, as he looked like a completely different guy after Detroit’s third score. He became decisive, accurate, and simply effective, and that trickled down to the rest of the team. New Orleans allowed just 3 points during the rest of regulation, and the receivers morphed into superstars. You already know about Chris Olave (10/182), but Devaughn Vele (7/69/1) had a brilliant TD grab, and TE Juwan Johnson (3/54/1) stepped up too. Without a running game, Shough put up 24 points over 1.5 quarters, forcing the shell-shocked Lions to have to play some extra football.

In OT, Detroit’s offense settled down and immediately scored a TD. Shough (35/56, 410 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, FUM) wasn’t finished though, firing a TD of his own to Johnson. The man who 3 first-half turnovers early on had a full redemption story in a little over one half. HC Kellen Moore threw that good will away almost immediately. Instead of tying the game, he opted to go for two, which NO of course missed. Detroit survived 31-30, paying no real price for their collapse. I just complained about the two-point thing in a college article. Moore cost his team a chance at a crucial conference win, and we’ll see if that bites them later in the year.