What we realized from Sunday’s Week 1 games
Drew Brees and the Saints bested Tom Brady and his fresh squad, Cam Newton gave the influence of his outmoded self with his fresh group, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens bought off to a dominant commence and a few upsets were had. Here’s what we realized from Sunday’s Week 1 games.
1) On an opening night in smoky Southern California, the Cowboys couldn’t flip out the lights on the Rams’ event. Los Angeles’ debut in SoFi Stadium sullied Mike McCarthy’s Dallas head-coaching debut as the Rams’ defense held sturdy for a 20-17 season-opening find. Probably or not it is a signal of an offseason without a preseason circulate ensuing in offenses sputtering rather, or real extra proof that the Cowboys and Rams each and each find stellar defenses though the star-studded offenses show the notoriety. Either methodology, this sport changed into dictated by D and won by it. Trailing by the closing get and pinned at their 24, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense bought no extra on their closing drive. Jalen Ramsey drew a huge offensive PI call to instruct a unparalleled Michael Gallup accomplish to seal it and within the slay L.A. held the Cowboys out of the tip zone within the second half of. Aaron Donald and Co. held the ‘Boys to 380 whole yards and sacked Prescott thrice. If the Rams are to arrive reduction to contender purpose, or not it is a ways the defense that can lead the methodology.
2) Even supposing the Rams may presumably perhaps also’ve venerable some more offense, one may presumably perhaps also argue they did not need Todd Gurley. In the main discover a look at Sean McVay’s fresh RB committee, Malcolm Brown scored both L.A. TDs and changed into phase of a gaggle effort of 153 yards rushing that ended in 35 minutes 38 seconds of possession.
3) There is scrutiny and head-scratching after each and each Cowboys loss. And there may well be masses. Nevertheless, within the reclamation project that is Aldon Smith, he burst through for Dallas’ finest sack (L.A.’s O-line changed into light years better than last 12 months) on the night and his first since 2015 as phase of a extraordinary day whereby he moreover tied for a sport-excessive 11 tackles and added a pair of QB hits.
–Grant Gordon
1) A sport billed as Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees modified into a defensive bout for the huge majority of the lean. Brady bought off to an actual commence with a TD dive on the opening drive. The Saints defense took over from there, discombobulating Brady to the tune of two interceptions, including a purchase-six by Saints cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The Saints D flew around, sacking Brady three times, generating six QB hits, and breaking apart 5 passes. The Bucs gave the influence of a celeb-studded group that passed over not having a fleshy offseason of labor and preseason to get dangle of in sync. The scoot sport by no methodology bought heading within the correct route, and Brady looked heart-broken for stretches. Whereas Brady finest threw for 239 yards with two TDs and the 2 picks, converting real 63.9 percent of his passes, he dropped several dimes that ended in unparalleled-play defensive pass interferences. Brady took his lumps in his first sport start air a New England uniform in his 21-12 months NFL occupation. Shedding a division sport to commence stings, but or not it is a long road for TB12 & Co.
Tom Brady is now 14-4 in Week 1 games … In his old 3 losses he reached the Orderly Bowl that season
Tom Brady Week 1 Losses
Profession
Margin of Defeat
2003 at BUF 31
2017 vs KC 15
2014 at MIA 13
2020 at NO 11#TBvsNO— NFL Learn (@NFLResearch) September 13, 2020
2) The crisp Saints offense we’re venerable to seeing did not expose up. Nonetheless New Orleans took advantage of each and each replacement equipped by the defense and particular teams. Brees accomplished real 18 of 30 passes for 160 yards with two TDs. Brees polishing off 60 percent of his passes is connected to the sky turning orange. The long term HOF QB accomplished real one pass of larger than 20 air yards, and real two of larger than 10, per Next Gen Stats. Michael Thomas changed into strangely tranquil with finest three catches for 17 yards. Jared Cook (5/80) changed into basically the most prolific pass-catcher, selecting up where he left off last 12 months. Alvin Kamara scored twice, but had real 16 yards rushing as Latavius Murray took more totes against the unparalleled Bucs’ scoot D. Whereas the numbers weren’t search for-popping, the Saints leaned on their defense and acquired key particular teams play (including a recovered pooch kick) to withhold the Bucs at bay.
3) Marshon Lattimore silenced Mike Evans. Probably the star receiver’s hamstring injury played a bigger purpose in conserving him tranquil, but he tranquil played 60 of 64 snaps, per NGS. Lattimore changed into in Evans’ grill from the commence, forcing Brady to dash in varied areas. Excluding two deep DPIs, Evans changed into a non-stammer till a leisurely TD (when lined up from the slot against an LB). The TD changed into his finest obtain of the 2 loyal passes his methodology. A miscommunication between Brady and the wideout moreover ended in the main INT of the sport, which the Saints’ at once modified into a lead they’d by no methodology relinquish. If Lattimore is the following unparalleled-name CB to get dangle of paid mucho bucks, he’s bought a feather in his cap to commence the season by shutting down Evans.
–Kevin Patra
1) Cam Newton mentioned we would want to look forward to Week 1 to discover what the Patriots offense would seem like. It seems to be it changed into many of of organising the scoot, led by the bulldozing QB. The used NFL MVP gave the influence of he turned the clock reduction to his Panthers heyday. Newton toted the rock a ton within the season opener off an array of zone reads, QB keepers and possibility plays. Newton rushed a gaggle-excessive 15 times for 75 yards with two touchdowns, adding 155 yards on 15-of-19 passing. The Pats rushed with reputedly each and each in a neighborhood-bodied reduction. Newton and 5 RBs blended for 217 yards on 42 carries with three TDs. Newton did not strive any deep throws start air the numbers, but his arm looked wonderful throwing darts over the center. Newton reminded the sphere what more or less demolishing force he’ll also be when fully healthy. Because the season progresses, achieve a question to Josh McDaniels to work off that domineering scoot sport to begin the pass attack.
Cam Newton rushed the ball 15 times for 75 yards in his first sport with the @Patriots
Basically the most carries and scoot yards in a sport by a Patriots QB within the Belichick generation (since 2000)#NEvsMIA
— NFL Learn (@NFLResearch) September 13, 2020
2) The quiz this offseason changed into how the Pats defense would return after a plethora of decide-outs this 12 months. It wasn’t image-ultimate against Ryan Fitzpatrick and a rag-mark Dolphins offense. The D intercepted Fitzpatrick three times, including one by Defensive Participant of the 12 months Stefon Gilmore. It moreover allowed masses of time for the QB to salvage targets downfield on scoring drives. Gilmore moreover had two of the Pats’ three second-half of DPIs that helped Miami conclude within the sport. With the voids on defense on account of decide-outs, New England is never always the truth is the identical squad that accomplished No. 1 on D last 12 months. The secondary tranquil has enough skills to beat Miami, alternatively.
3) Fitzpatrick did what he may presumably perhaps also to withhold Miami within the sport, cutting the Pats consequence in single digits within the fourth quarter. The rebuilding Dolphins real did not find enough to conquer Newton’s dominant scoot sport. A hamstring injury to DeVante Parker that sidelined the receiver moreover damage Miami after the wideout had a stellar initiating to his season. Sans his dash-to purpose, FitzMagic unfold the ball around and scrambled to purchase up first downs, conserving the Dolphins in placing differ worthy of the lean. The three INTs (two of which can presumably were negated by penalties), alternatively, were too worthy to conquer from a tranquil-rising Dolphins squad.
— Kevin Patra
1) Kyler is king. Murray accomplished 65 percent of his passes for 230 yards and a 1-1 landing-to-interception ratio, but as all of us achieve a question to with Murray, he made worthy of his Week 1 cash with his legs. Murray led the Cardinals in rushing, toting the rock 13 times for 91 yards and conserving his offense on the sphere even when punts gave the influence drawing conclude. Murray even picked up a third-and-17 by scrambling, aided by a key block by Kenyan Drake. Murray changed into stellar and carried the Cardinals to their first find of 2020.
Oh, and that DeAndre Hopkins alternate labored out wonderfully. Murray nearly forcibly cast a reference to Hopkins of their first sport collectively, focusing on the All-Authentic 16 times for 14 receptions, 151 yards and one long connection that virtually about resulted within the sport-successful landing. As an alternate, it achieve Arizona on the 1 for Drake to punch it in. For the main time since the times of Carson Palmer, I’m wrathful to scrutinize the Cardinals play football.
2) San Francisco’s offense needs to knock off the rust. Ethical now, the 49ers’ finest offensive player not named George Kittle is Raheem Mostert. It is not a huge surprise, pondering his performance down the stretch last season, but or not it is selected the display disguise. Jimmy Garoppolo changed into unremarkable, and two poorly placed throws on the closing drive ruined what changed into shaping up to be an actual chance at a sport-successful closing drive. Phase of this has to attain with their neatly being points at receiver, but or not it is not fully on a thin corps. Garoppolo merely wasn’t though-provoking when he desired to be.
Kittle getting banged up did not reduction San Francisco’s efforts, both, but this did not precisely seem like a gaggle that played its last main sport within the Orderly Bowl.
3) This level changed into going to be about how a lack of journey doomed the Cardinals — seriously after Isaiah Simmons getting caught within the wash of a route combo allowed the Niners to attain a leisurely dash-ahead landing — but I changed into promptly confirmed nasty by Arizona’s blend of childhood and wisdom. Patrick Peterson stumbled on himself scrambling to acquire up to Bourne and acquired there in time, throwing his hands up blindly and knocking the pass away. Then teen Byron Murphy launched his second loyal season with two take dangle of pass ruin-ups, both on makes an strive meant for Trent Taylor, to force a turnover on downs and all but seal the comely find for Arizona.
In overview, that is an All-Authentic extinct combining with a second-12 months nook to shut down the offense of the defending NFC champions one possession after they ripped honest through them to get rid of the lead. And this came after kicker Zane Gonzalez passed over two of his three field purpose makes an strive. Discuss about moxie.
— Reduce Shook
1) For the total ruckus made within the offseason about Inexperienced Bay opting to make a preference a quarterback of the long scoot over a receiver within the main spherical of the 2020 draft, it determined did not damage them worthy Sunday. Davante Adams changed into predictably pretty, but deep shots to Marquez Valdes-Scantling moreover proved the largest share for the Packers’ passing offense remains on the help of center. Aaron Rodgers’ passing line tells us all we prefer to understand about Sunday and the aptitude of Inexperienced Bay’s offense: 32 of 44, 364 yards, four touchdowns and a 127.5 passer ranking. Candy air supremacy.
2) Without Danielle Hunter, the Vikings defense stood mountainous early sooner than at last giving methodology to the scoring-palooza. Twice Minnesota earned red zone wins, keeping Inexperienced Bay to three points when it could perhaps presumably perhaps also’ve been as many as 14, but after they look reduction at this sport in its totality, they’ll need to avert their eyes. Rodgers’ stellar sport and an incapacity to portray a single cease with Inexperienced Bay tranquil in understand within the fourth quarter punctuated what changed into within the slay a deflating loss to a division rival to commence the season. A 7-3 lead that modified into a 22-7 deficit in a single quarter may presumably perhaps also not sit down neatly on the minds of those accountable of this group, seriously pondering its defense is alleged to be its energy.
3) This sport produced a consequence that will presumably perhaps also’ve been outlined by an outmoded Vince Lombardi-ism: We did not lose, we real ran out of time. Minnesota’s offense within the slay wakened within the second half of and made things keen, but when there were more time, we may presumably perhaps find real repeated the identical exercise: Vikings get, convert the 2-level are attempting to lower it to 10, quit a landing, repeat. We know these two teams can get, determined, but they’ll desire to construct masses of defensive corrections shifting ahead. Very love it is a ways at some stage in baseball’s spring coaching with pitchers and hitters, the offenses are sooner than the defenses honest now.
–Reduce Shook
1) Wow. What a methodology for the Chargers to flee with their first find of the season. In a sport seriously impacted by the efficiency of its kickers, it changed into Michael Badgley who saved L.A. on this one. No topic Tyrod Taylor’s real day (16-of-30, 208 yards), the offense managed real one landing on three trips to the red zone, placing more of the onus on Badgley to achieve points on the board which he did. He remodeled three of his four FG makes an strive, including a 22-yarder with 9 minutes left that gave the Bolts their first lead and at last the victory.
2) Randy Bullock’s 31-yard passed over FG — and seemingly injury — will top most headlines but don’t let that distract you from the work achieve in by the bid of start kid to get dangle of them to that level. Starting on his own18, Joe Burrow (23-of-36, 193 yards) led the cost hastily, tossing laser though-provoking passes in tight windows to diverse receivers to quilt 70 yards and achieve Cincy in bid to tie it, on the least. The 2020 No. 1 total purchase’s poise and clock administration over the last 3: 08 of this contest changed into excellent, seriously pondering the Bengals were out of timeouts. It took a questionable A.J. Inexperienced OPI nullifying a presumably sport-successful TD and Bullock’s heartbreaking miss to ruin the evening but, rising disaster and unpleasant circumstances aside, Burrow changed into about as precise as expected in his worthy-anticipated debut.
3. Going through Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa to commence the season is a mountainous assignment for any QB, let alone a rookie. As expected, those two helped lead the methodology in making Burrow’s life not easy. Bosa, who earned a unparalleled extension within the offseason, registered a sack and three QB hits, and changed into in on several of the pressures that afflicted Burrow for an excellent deal of the sport and had him scrambling in search of production. Because the pocket collapsed on a form of scrambles leisurely within the fourth, Burrow forced a shovel pass to Gio Bernard which Ingram picked off for his third occupation INT. L.A. accomplished the day with three sacks and 6 QB hits.
— Jelani Scott
1) With the sport tied at 17 within the fourth quarter, “Riverboat Ron” reared his head. Washington head coach Ron Rivera determined to forgo a chip-shot field purpose from the 4-yard line and dash for it on fourth and one with fairly over six minutes closing. The gamble paid off after a Peyton Barber scoot for a first down, and the running reduction rapidly stumbled on the tip zone for the dash-ahead get two plays later. The Eagles gambled on their subsequent drive – going for it on fourth and four from their very own 42-yard line with over four minutes to dash and with all three timeouts – but the Washington defense achieve a swift conclude to any fourth-quarter comeback. With the victory, Washington maintains a plus-.500 portray for its group historical past. It hasn’t fallen below that impress in 45 years.
2) This Washington Soccer Crew has a defense. It changed into on the ropes early on, down, 17-0, at one level, and on the sphere a ways too most frequently on account of a struggling offense, but Washington feasted on a hobbling offensive line and compelled Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz’s disagreeable day. Wentz changed into sacked eight times by Washington and compelled three sport-altering turnovers. Passe Ryan Kerrigan led the Washington pass scoot with two sacks and rookie Dash Younger made his presence known with 1.5 sacks in his debut. Matt Ioannidis, Montez Sweat, John Bostic, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne joined the Washington sack parade while Fabian Moreau and Jimmy Moreland caught the interceptions. Washington’s day ended perfectly for the defense, which recovered a strip-sack fumble to scoot out the clock with a 10-level lead.
3) What did work for Wentz changed into his rapport with tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, who accounted for almost about half of of the Eagles’ 270 receiving yards. Goedert led the methodology with eight receptions for 101 yards and a TD while Ertz caught three balls for 18 yards and Philadelphia’s varied get. Wentz and the Eagles were buzzing early on on account of their aggressive play-calling, but the whole thing fell aside once the main INT changed into thrown after the main half of’s two-minute warning. Wentz’s next INT came on the Eagles’ opening drive of the second half of and both picks resulted in short-field touchdowns for Washington. The Eagles may presumably perhaps also’ve venerable a running attack to curb their second-half of struggles (held scoreless within the second half of), but their neatly-documented injury woes to the O-line caught up with them against a pass scoot that had their quantity.
–Michael Baca
1) Mitchell Trubisky took Bears followers on a wild curler-coaster lumber Sunday. Fortunately, the incumbent quarterback ended the sport on a huge upswing. Trubisky helped dig the Bears out of a 23-6 fourth-quarter hole by main three landing drives, including a image-ultimate arcing dime to Anthony Miller for the sport-successful get. It changed into a ways from a ultimate day for Trubisky, who came out of the gate wobbly, missing passes excessive and broad, and couldn’t get dangle of into a rhythm. Fortunately, the flooring sport saved the Chicago offense shifting till Trubisky hit a groove. If Trubisky is to withhold Reduce Foles on the bench, he’ll need to be more fixed at some stage within the route of 60 minutes against better opponents.
2) It helped that Trubisky confronted a Lions group that continues a pattern of collapsing below Matt Patricia. After seven fourth-quarter leads surrendered last season, the Lions opened with one other implosion. Shedding two starting corners in Justin Coleman and Desmond Trufant damage, and allowed Trubisky to dash off leisurely. Nonetheless precise teams don’t lose 17-level fourth-quarter leads. A combo of poorly timed calls, forced passes, passed over blocks, disagreeable defense, no pass scoot, and boneheaded penalties allowed the Bears reduction into the sport. From making an strive a 55-yeard field purpose to support living up a Bears get, to a forced pass from Stafford (who looked precise in another case in his return from a reduction injury) that changed into intercepted, the Lions did the whole thing to give Trubisky his opening. Basically the most brutal play came on a DeAndre Swift tumble of a TD pass with six seconds closing that will presumably presumably find given Detroit a find. It changed into the Identical Used Lions in Detroit Sunday. Credit rating Trubisky for taking advantage to begin the 12 months.
3) The Bears venerable David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen and Cordarrelle Patterson in a committee to unparalleled enact, combining for 124 rushing yards. The trio gashed the Lions interior in an actual sport called by Matt Nagy. For Detroit, Adrian Peterson is the determined top reduction as the ageless surprise hit the hole for 93 yards on 14 carries. The incapacity to get dangle of a first down with three minutes left to milk the clock, alternatively, changed into one other fight Detroit introduced with it from 2019.
–Kevin Patra
1) Calais Campbell is Baltimore’s finest defender and is going to living off concerns for every and each opponent all season long. Campbell at once made an influence, batting down a second-down strive on Cleveland’s opening possession and then tipping a pass, ensuing in a Marlon Humphrey interception on the very next play. Even as Reduce Chubb bought occurring the flooring, Campbell changed into there to lower him down and restrict his beneficial properties. The Ravens won 14 games last season and acquired better, starting with the addition of Campbell.
2) Cleveland has masses to repair on both aspect of the ball, but its rushing attack is extraordinarily thrilling. Chubb confirmed flashes of his 1,400-plus-yard 2019 season on the Browns’ lone scoring drive, and there may be no tumble-off when handing to Kareem Hunt, both. The Browns are going so as to shred some weaker defenses on the flooring, seriously within the event that they are seemingly to be not searching to dig themselves out of early holes.
3) Continuity may presumably perhaps also very neatly be more main to group success this season than any varied. It changed into painfully evident in nearly each and each aspect of the sport which group returned the identical coaching workers from 2019. The Browns bought the worst Week 1 appeal to the league in Baltimore, and so that they’ll need some time to determine the kinks, but the teams with established continuity are going to accomplish gigantic advantages early on this season. That changed into no more apparent wherever within the NFL on Sunday than in Baltimore.
–Reduce Shook
1) Josh Allen entered the season notion to be surely one of Buffalo’s few weaknesses. The Bills QB proved Sunday that he’s no weakness, but rather a climate vane. When the dual-possibility signal-caller changed into buzzing on his many read-possibility rumbles and out-of-pocket passes, Buffalo changed into unstoppable. Allen led the Bills in rushing (57 yards), living occupation-highs in passing and modified into the main Buffalo QB to throw for over 300 yards in 45 months. Nonetheless Allen’s titillating errors persist. He fumbled twice inside of New York’s 35-yard line in an runaway first half of and overthrew a giant-start John Brown within the tip zone by the size of 1 other John Brown.
2) Adam Gase’s slack begins are changing into originate of a sizzling pattern in New York. The Jets opened with three straight three-and-outs, unable to soar-commence Le’Veon Bell or withhold the pass scoot off Sam Darnold. What’s fresh? Darnold hit on two unparalleled beneficial properties (a sexy sideline ball to Bell and a obtain-and-scoot TD to Jamison Crowder) for a blended 99 yards, but the Jets racked up 155 yards the rest of the methodology. Threatening to break sooner than they get rid of off for the second straight season, Gang Inexperienced moreover noticed Bell dash off with a hamstring injury, something Gase, to his credit rating, may presumably perhaps find seen coming.
3) Bell wasn’t the declare star, rising or falling, to plunge victim to the injury computer virus Sunday. Each and each of the Bills’ starting inside of linebackers, the unparalleled Matt Milano (hamstring) and Tremaine Edmunds (shoulder), exited with ailments. The anchors of Buffalo’s defense weren’t alone in Week 1 to suffer injuries after a long offseason, but theirs, coming inside of minutes of each and each varied, may presumably perhaps also expose more main than others across the league.
–Jeremy Bergman
1) The Raiders were 7-1 last season when rushing for in any case one landing. 2nd-12 months sensation Josh Jacobs turned in three on Sunday to lead the Raiders to victory in a extremely competitive affair. With the offensive line having a search for spry and doing an actual job of making running lanes, Jacobs gashed the Panthers for 93 yards on 25 carries and the trio of ratings, the last of which gave Las Vegas enough for the ‘W.’ He moreover tacked on four receptions for 46 yards; a nice commence to what’s projected to be a unparalleled 12 months for Jacobs.
2) Down four with 1: 23 closing, Carolina looked one Christian McCaffrey handoff away from extending a potentially sport-successful drive. In the end, that play by no methodology materialized as the Panthers opted to dash to fullback Alex Armah, who changed into stuffed for no accomplish. After shaking off a slack first half of (eight carries for 31 yards and a get with one reception for 11 yards), McCaffrey accomplished with a real 23/96/2 and three catches for 38 yards, but this one will dash down as the one (yard) that bought away.
3) It changed into a brand fresh ruin of day and day for both of these teams and, in a battle of most up to the moment-look receiver corps, it changed into Derek Carr and Co. that edged out Teddy Bridgewater in his Carolina debut. Carr successfully dinked and dunked his methodology to 22-of-30 for 239 yards and a TD; his largest shot came on a 45-yard obtain-and-scoot from hastily rookie Henry Ruggs, who overcame an early injury terror. Meanwhile, Teddy B (270 yards) and Robby Anderson (6/115/1) flashed as a presumably bad tandem on a day where DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel blended for nine catches and 92 yards.
–Jelani Scott
1) The Seahawks let Russell Wilson cook. And he served up a fiery feast. Wilson threw early and most frequently in what changed into basically a ultimate sport by him. He accomplished 31 of 35 passes, which incorporated a tumble or two, for 322 yards and four touchdowns. Probably as considerable, Seattle offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer dialed up a pass-first attack for his Authentic Bowl QB. Seattle ran real 20 times all day despite racing out to an early 14-0 lead, with Wilson polishing off his first 12 passes and 14 of 15 by halftime. Wilson stayed sizzling within the second half of and accomplished the sport having connected on all 27 targets that weren’t for D.Okay. Metcalf. If that is the fresh same old for the Seahawks, the league is in worry.
2) Matt Ryan is tranquil precise. The 35-12 months-outmoded QB did his phase to withhold the Falcons competitive. He accomplished 14 straight passes at one level within the second half of, eclipsing John Elway for ninth bid in all-time completions within the strategy. Ryan connected with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage nine times apiece while going 37 of 54 for 450 yards and two touchdowns. His productiveness real did not translate into enough points, as Atlanta changed into inefficient on leisurely downs and within the slay modified into one dimensional after an unbelievable commence from Todd Gurley.
3) One among the simpler questions for the Seahawks within the offseason surrounded their defensive front, seriously the pass scoot, without a Authentic Bowl linemen on the roster. They answered by committee against Atlanta. The Seattle defensive line applied unheard of stress on Ryan — newcomer Jamal Adams introduced heat from the protection space — and shut down Gurley on just a few the most main downs sooner than the Falcons entirely abandoned their scoot sport. The defense saved its finest work on fourth downs, stopping Atlanta on four tries, including consecutive makes an strive within the third quarter that Wilson capitalized on to blow the sport start.
–Adam Maya
1) Minshew Mania is off to a unparalleled commence after a 27-20 find over the Colts. No topic being young and inexperienced, the Jaguars were in a neighborhood to drag off the upset. Gardner Minshew went toe-to-toe with Philip Rivers. Minshew changed into chuffed and assured within the pocket and took advantage of the Colts’ mistakes, throwing more touchdowns (three) than incompletions (one) in surely one of his finest performances. Minshew bought reduction from James Robinson. He’s the main undrafted rookie running reduction to commence the season opener within the last 30 years. Leonard Fournette’s replacement accomplished with 90 whole yards on 17 touches. His largest play changed into a 28-yard obtain-and-scoot whereby he hurdled over Colts defensive reduction Khari Willis.
2) Talking of Jacksonville rookies, cornerback C.J. Henderson changed into the player of the sport. The ninth total purchase intercepted Rivers, had 5 tackles and added three passes defended, including a fourth-down purpose to extinct wideout T.Y. Hilton within the red zone on the Colts’ closing play.
3) No topic Rivers’ two picks, the extinct gave the influence of he’d been phase of the Colts’ offense for years. They held a 445-241 edge in whole yards. Nonetheless leaving too many points on the board damage them within the tip. Nyheim Hines changed into stuffed on fourth down conclude to the aim line within the main quarter. Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship passed over a 30-yard field purpose. With the group presumably shedding Marlon Mack for the season, the group can’t find enough cash to miss opportunities going ahead.
–Lakisha Wesseling