CNN
—
There are still 17 weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season left, but there are some things we can learn from Week 1 of the new campaign.
Some of the favorites got off to a strong start, and some of the teams hoping to improve struggled.
Here are the key takeaways from Week 1.
The Dallas Cowboys under head coach Mike McCarthy were dominant in the regular season, but were unable to achieve much success in the playoffs.
“America’s Team” has suffered several humiliating defeats in a row in the postseason under McCarthy, which further increases the pressure on the 60-year-old ahead of the new season.
That spotlight was further heightened by the contract violation of star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and questions about the future of quarterback Dak Prescott.
But those problems were solved: Lamb signed a new contract two weeks before the start of the regular season, while Prescott agreed to his new contract extension, becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history just hours before the start of the first week.
And Dallas played like a team freed from any pressure in its season opener against the Cleveland Browns, storming to a comfortable 33-17 victory in which every facet of the team shone.
Prescott, Lamb and the rest of the offense moved the ball skillfully against a strong Browns defense, Micah Parsons and his defensive colleagues wreaked havoc, while kicker Brandon Aubrey slowly established himself as the designated successor to Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens as the best kicker in the league.
To top it off in Ohio, they even managed a punt return touchdown by KaVontae Turpin at the beginning of the third quarter.
All in all, it was an impressive performance that lays the foundation for the Cowboys’ Super Bowl ambitions after a turbulent offseason.
There are still many hurdles for the team to overcome as owner Jerry Jones’ eyes are always on McCarthy, but it was the perfect start for Dallas on its way to winning its first Lombardi Trophy since 1996.
For years, the AFC South has struggled to maintain its relevance, but that could soon change.
Sunday’s Week 1 clash between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts offered a glimpse of what could be in store for the division, as both teams boast young, exciting second-year quarterbacks who both have promising futures ahead of them.
Houston’s CJ Stroud had a historic rookie season last season, while Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson continued to shine despite his injury problems.
When the two faced off at Lucas Oil Stadium, they showed why they were so coveted in the 2023 draft: Stroud was selected No. 2, while Richardson was selected two picks later.
Stroud missed just eight throws all afternoon and posted a QB rating of 115.9. He threw for 234 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, a nearly flawless performance that started his sophomore season with a bang.
Richardson, on the other hand, showed some of his inexperience – he only started 13 times in his college career and played in just four games last year – but also showed why he is expected to achieve future stardom.
The 22-year-old completed just nine passes and had one puzzling interception, but he also had some of the most impressive throws of Week 1, most notably two long touchdown passes – one of 60 yards that made waves on social media and another of 54 yards. The young Colts signal-caller also ran for another touchdown.
After the loss, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen praised Richardson highly, saying there are “not many guys” who can do what he can.
“I thought he made some great plays for us,” Steichen told reporters, according to the Colts’ website. “And of course that first touchdown pass to Alec (Pierce), I’ve never seen a throw like that.”
“And then at the end of the two-minute drive, he hit a big ball to Alec to come down and score. He had Ashton on the in-cut. Then he had to do it on fourth down. I mean, he just imposed his will to get in. I think he did really good things in his comeback.”
The pairing of Stroud and Richardson could set up the AFC South well for years to come, as some titanic battles lie ahead. And with former No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, it’s anyone’s guess which team has the most promising future prospects.
After a 2-15 season last year, 2024 should mark the beginning of a new era of hope for the Carolina Panthers.
However, things started off badly in Week 1 with a humiliating 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick last year that Carolina acquired by trading wide receiver DJ Moore and several first-round picks, looked lost despite a new head coach calling his plays.
Dave Canales was appointed in the offseason after reviving the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in Seattle and Tampa Bay, respectively, in the hopes that he could have a similar impact on Young.
But the early signs were concerning for Young and Canales in the game against the Saints: The quarterback threw an interception on his first play and another early in the second half. The 23-year-old looked overwhelmed throughout the game and, with New Orleans holding a big lead in the second half, was benched for the experienced Andy Dalton to prevent further damage.
And as if things couldn’t get any worse for the Panthers, news came on Monday that arguably the team’s best player, defensive tackle Derrick Brown, could be out for the rest of the season after suffering a meniscus injury in the loss to the Saints.
“Definitely a big loss,” Canales said, according to the NFL. “He’s one of our best players. Those are big shoes for him to fill.”
The Panthers signed Young in exchange for the first pick of the 2022 draft, earning last season’s top pick – traded to the Bears in exchange for the second-year quarterback – and could enter the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 1 pick if the season doesn’t improve quickly.
Away vs. Home (winner in bold)
Thursday
: Baltimore Ravens 20–27 Kansas City Chiefs
Friday
Green Bay Packers 29–34 Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday
Pittsburgh Steelers 18:10 Atlanta Falcons
Arizona Cardinals 28-34 Buffalo Bills
Tennessee Titans 17-24 Chicago Bears
New England Patriots 16:10 Cincinnati Bengals
Houston Texans 29:27 Indianapolis Colts
: Jacksonville Jaguars 17-20 Miami Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-47 New Orleans Saints
Minnesota Vikings 28-6 New York Giants
: Los Angeles Lakers – 10-22 Los Angeles Chargers
Denver Broncos 20-26 The Seattle Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys 33-17 Cleveland Browns
Washington Commanders 20-37 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Los Angeles Rams 20–26 (overtime) Detroit Lions
Monday
New York Jets 19-32 San Francisco 49ers
