Week 1 of the NFL season is like a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’re getting inside.
Mike McDaniel Looks Done
The Miami Dolphins looked like they never got off the plane in their 33-8 loss to Indianapolis.
McDaniel sounded like a defeated coach in the postgame. You never want to say a coach has given up on his job, but McDaniel certainly sounded like he had.
Tua Tagovailoa was awful. Tagovailoa finished 14-23 for 114 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. That looks like a high school quarterback’s stat line.
The defense wasn’t any better. The Dolphins made Daniel Jones look like Johnny Unitas. Jones finished 22-29 with a touchdown pass.
Fireworks Over New York
The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets game featured two quarterbacks who had more questions than a five-year-old kid.
Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields answered those questions with eye-popping numbers.
Rodgers played like a quarterback who was seeking revenge. Rodgers threw four touchdown passes and got the revenge he was seeking.
“I was happy to beat everyone associated with the Jets,” said Rodgers.
Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand called the game to Fields’ strengths. That sounds simple, but other offensive coordinators haven’t been able to find the balance between the strengths of Fields and the other offensive components.
Fields threw for 218 yards, ran for 48, and scored a combined three touchdowns in the 34-32 loss.
Ravens-Bills Won the Day
Baltimore and Buffalo put on a performance for the ages.
The Ravens went to Buffalo, blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead, and left with a 41-40 loss.
On offense, Derrick Henry carried the day for the Ravens. Henry finished with 18 carries for 167 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdown runs were 30 and 46 yards.
Zay Flowers provided big plays, and DeAndre Hopkins had a beautiful one-handed touchdown catch.
As for Lamar Jackson… well, he was Lamar Jackson. Jackson finished with 209 yards passing, three touchdown passes, and 70 yards rushing, which was highlighted by an incredible 19-yard scramble for a first down.
Give Buffalo credit. The Ravens put up video game numbers on offense, but Josh Allen and the Bills didn’t go away.
As dominant as the Ravens were, Allen’s touchdown pass to Keon Coleman pulled them to within 40-32 with 3:56 left.
Henry lost a fumble on the next possession, and the Bills were in position to tie the game with 3:06 left.
After a dart to Dalton Kincaid got the Bills to the one-yard line, Allen would complete the drive with a quarterback sneak. The Bills failed to convert the two-point attempt.
On Baltimore’s next possession, they went three and out, and that set up the drives of all drives that ended with a Bills’ field goal.
