Cover photo taken from ESPN.
1 – 
Bills (1-0)
My Super Bowl pick took the stage in the opening game of the season and seized it with full force, living up to the hype and proving to everyone how elite they truly are. Despite some errant turnovers, the Bills absolutely thrashed the defending champions in their own backyard on the backs of Josh Allen and their incredible defense. The MVP favorite wowed from start to finish with both his arm and his legs, making play after play and creating endless highlights. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis were giving the opposing secondary fits all game long. Newcomer Von Miller led the charge defensively with two sacks against his former team. The secondary took the ball away when they weren’t keeping things on lock. The Rams had no answers on either side of the ball for this freight train of a football team. It’s hard to imagine any team will this season.
2 – 
Chiefs (1-0)
Any and all questions about how the Chiefs would look, especially offensively, after an offseason which saw them lose Tyreek Hill were quickly put to bed on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes was absolutely surgical, as I said he would be, to the tune of five touchdown passes. The offense didn’t miss a beat without the NFL’s most explosive player. They looked just as meticulous as they did in the preseason, going on long drives and putting touchdowns on the board. They might not have the same lightning strike threat on that side of the ball, but I promise you they do not need it. It was just a luxury. The defense also came to play against a solid Cardinals team. The defensive line gave Kyler Murray fits all game long as Chris Jones remains one of the premier defensive tackles in the sport. But Sunday evening was all about the offense. A lot changed in the last few months in Kansas City, but one thing remains the same. Defenses will still lose sleep over Mahomes and company.
3 – 
Buccaneers (1-0)
Some of you may think this is a bit high, but I was thoroughly impressed with the Bucs on Sunday night. Their defense looked like the incredible, dominant unit from 2020. They were the only team to not allow a touchdown in Week 1. Yes, Dallas’ offense was as incompetent as it could have been, but we have to recognize how elite Tampa is when they’re healthy. The offense looked pretty solid too, despite settling for four field goals. Tom Brady looked like a man who never retired, Mike Evans made huge catches, Leonard Fournette ran hard, and even Julio Jones got in on the action. Chris Godwin getting hurt again isn’t a shock, but is still unfortunate. But, if Sunday night was any indication, the Buccaneers will be just fine without him.
4 – 
Vikings (1-0)
There might not have been a team with more hype in the NFC than the Vikings coming into Week 1, and they delivered in a huge way. They had their way with the defending 1 seed Packers all game long, starting with an offensive blitz and closing it out with suffocating defense. Justin Jefferson, my OPOY pick, was predictably the star of the show with a whopping 184 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 catches. Kirk Cousins played a clean game, and Dalvin Cook contributed in huge ways out of the backfield. The defense feasted on a stagnant Green Bay offense from start to finish, dominating up front and locking things down in the secondary. Sunday’s performance was exactly what we knew Minnesota was capable of coming into this season. If they can keep up this level of play, then they are a true contender.
5 – 
Chargers (1-0)
Like the Vikings, the Chargers have been hyped up to no end. While they weren’t as dominant as the team above them, they still put together a remarkably impressive, complete performance to warrant a top 5 spot. They controlled their game on Sunday evening from start to finish and clutched up defensively when the game was on the line. Their shiny new defense came to play, highlighted by the frightening edge duo of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack as well as their lockdown secondary. But, I have to most of the love to Justin Herbert for this week. My MVP pick looked absolutely incredible, making otherworldly throws with insane velocity and accuracy and looking like the truly generational QB that he is. The injury to Keenan Allen is a bit of a concern, but the Chargers were able to get by despite that and a lackluster performance from Austin Ekeler. They can finally say that even if their offense falters, their defense can win them football games. That’s what makes them one of football’s scariest teams.
6 – 
Ravens (1-0)
It may have been against the Jets, but the Ravens put together one of the more impressive performances of Week 1. The most important thing is that their offense looked great through the air despite the lack of weapons on paper. Lamar Jackson aired it out all game long and had a huge game thanks to Rashod Bateman finally bursting onto the scene and Devin Duvernay having a shockingly great performance. The run game wasn’t anything flashy, but it doesn’t need to be anything special if Baltimore can continue getting that type of production out of their wide receivers. Their defense also put together a promising performance, but again, it was the Jets. I’d love to see how they play against real football teams before making any bold proclamations.
7 – 
Saints (1-0)
Go ahead and call me crazy. The Saints may have needed some fourth quarter heroics to pull victory from the jaws of defeat in Atlanta, but that means a lot to me. After being stifled for 50 minutes, the entire team flipped a switch and turned into the Saints team that we all expected them to be. Jameis Winston was slinging the ball with confidence and accuracy, Chris Olave made an impact in his debut, and Michael Thomas silenced all of the doubters with a monster return to action. Their stellar defense went ahead and did the rest. I don’t love how badly they were being beaten, but I absolutely love their response and how they were able to pull away with a victory. Everyone needs that grace period in Week 1 to get their bearings set. New Orleans now has that, and I’m thrilled to see what the future holds for them.
8 – 
Dolphins (1-0)
The Dolphins were arguably the most dominant team of Week 1, even if their opponent was as bad as the Patriots are. Like so many other teams, we were eager to see how they’d look after such a huge offseason. The offense was pretty predictable, using short passes to chop up the defense. Tyreek Hill put up great numbers in his Miami debut, and Jaylen Waddle finally showcased how explosive he can be. All Tua needs to do is get the ball to his playmakers and let them do the rest. The defense was as stout as advertised, especially in the secondary, which had a massive day. Like Baltimore, I’d like to see what the Dolphins do against a better team, but I can’t say I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with them.
9 – 
Eagles (1-0)
If this feels low, it’s because it is. The Eagles should be much higher. But, I very much disliked how they closed things out on Sunday in Detroit. The first three quarters were absolutely dominant on both sides of the ball as Philly looked like the team we billed them to be. The run game was unstoppable, Jalen Hurts made some impressive throws, and AJ Brown made a gargantuan impact in his Eagles debut. The defense was off and on, but when they were on, they were awesome, even snagging a pick six thanks to the efforts of newcomer James Bradberry. But, they gave up two touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it a nail-biter. They were able to close it out, but I always hate when a game has to come to that after a team has been dominating for three quarters. I loved what I saw from Sunday on Philly, but it needs to be sharpened a bit before they move up.
10 – 
Packers (0-1)
The Packers are a very easy team to assess. They needed Davante Adams infinitely more than Davante Adams needed them. Their first offensive play was all you needed to see for that to reign true, as rookie Christian Watson dropped an easy touchdown, and the offense was never able to recover. Aaron Rodgers did what he could with a weak supporting cast, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an aggressive Vikings defense that had their way all game long. The offensive line struggled mightily, the run game couldn’t do enough, and the pass-catchers simply weren’t reliable. The defense got absolutely gashed early, and while they cleaned things up in the second half, it wasn’t enough to make up for their earlier shortcomings. I have no doubt that the Packers will iron out these issues as the season progresses, but they might not have the room to take their time in doing so with the division no longer being a cakewalk.
11 – 
Rams (0-1)
Told you so. I tried to warn you that the Rams got worse and weren’t as good as their Super Bowl-winning team from yesteryear. However, even I couldn’t have predicted them looking as dreadful as they did on opening night. Outside of a few nice plays by Cooper Kupp, which is a guarantee at this point, LA did nothing right against Buffalo. The defensive front could not contain Josh Allen, the secondary got carved up, and the offense was one-dimensional and stagnant. Their noticeably worse offensive line was porous, allowing seven sacks and making the run game a non-factor. Matthew Stafford had a very subpar game thanks to no WRs other than Kupp even showing up to the game. It was just a sham from start to finish in what should have been a night where the Rams showed us that they have what it takes to run it back. It’s going to take a while to get anyone to believe that now.
12 – 
Bengals (0-1)
Another year, another ridiculous OT game lost by the Bengals amidst hilarity and kicking disasters. I’m excited to see who it happens against next year! In all seriousness, Cincinnati lost to themselves on Sunday. The fact that they should have won despite Joe Burrow committing a whopping five turnovers shows you that this team is just fine. Burrow was able to bounce back from his horrible start with his patented poised play which eventually culminated in what should have been to the game-winning touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase, who had a monster game himself. But, a blocked extra point thanks to a long snapper injury sent us to overtime, where nobody wanted to make a kick until the Steelers did on the game’s final play. So, yes, the Bengals lost, but there was still plenty to like. I thought their defense was very solid, especially after going down 17-3 early. The offense figured themselves out eventually, and they deserved to win the game. If anything, this loss for the Bengals is proof that starters need to get action in the preseason. Just do it guys.
13 – 
49ers (0-1)
Yes, the 49ers looked pretty abhorrent on Sunday in Chicago. But you know what else looked awful? Everything else on Sunday in Chicago. An utter monsoon is not an easy environment to win in for a west coast team, especially at the dumpster known as Soldier Field. I’m not here to make a bunch of excuses for this team, though. Weather aside, I was thoroughly disappointed with their performance. More specifically, I’m disappointed with Trey Lance. He just didn’t do anything of note in his first start as the guy for this team. Yes, it was very tough to do so in that situation, but you have to show me something. Justin Fields did! There’s simply no excuse; you cannot be the inferior QB in that game. Their defense held up for the first three quarters, but they forgot how to play football once the rain started coming down hard. Overall, the Niners showed me nothing to work with going into Week 2. I’m hoping next Sunday goes better, otherwise I’m going to look really, really stupid sooner than I’d like to.
14 – 
Steelers (1-0)
It has been two days and the Steelers are still wondering how they’re sitting at 1-0. They should have lost on the last play of regulation and instead found themselves victorious on the last play of overtime. Football is wonky like that sometimes. Despite the wackiness, Pittsburgh found a way to win, and I have to give them credit for that. They blitzed the Bengals early with a defense that refused to let them keep the ball and an offense that moved the ball surprisingly well. Mitch Trubisky was solid in his Steelers debut, and Diontae Johnson had himself a very nice game on the outside. Minkah Fitzpatrick was undeniably the player of the game with a pick six and the blocked extra point to send the game to OT. Without him, this team would be sitting at 0-1 and much lower in the rankings. Perhaps the Steelers can run with this and shock me this year. I doubt it, but their win on Sunday is proof that truly anything can happen in this league.
15 – 
Commanders (1-0)
Trust me, I’m just as shocked as you are. Not just at the fact that this team emerged victorious on Sunday, but at the manner in which they did so. The difference in this game was the first two and last two offensive possessions for Washington: the four touchdown drives. The team got off to a blistering start thanks to some pretty fantastic QB play by Carson Wentz and the incredible playmaking ability of Curtis Samuel and Antonio Gibson that we’ve been longing to see. The middle of the game was filled with nothing but weirdness, as the Jaguars seemingly had their way offensively but couldn’t put points on the board. The Commanders also struggled to do so, but stayed in the lead until they eventually gave the ball to Jacksonville on back to back interceptions by Wentz to seemingly bury the team. But, he was able to bounce back in a huge way, throwing two consecutive sensational TD passes to win the game, with the first coming on a beautiful deep ball to Terry McLaurin (who has been waiting for passes like that for the last three years) and the second coming on a perfect pitch and catch to the first rounder Jahan Dotson to win the game. Dotson was a massive contributor with two touchdowns including the game-winner, showcasing his great hands and impeccable route-running all game long. And Wentz’s final statline was more eye-popping than I ever could have foreseen with over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. The defense also stepped up when necessary, and despite letting the Jags move the ball, I was pleased with their performance. The defensive line ate all game long, getting consistent pressure thanks to huge games from Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne. Who knew that sending blitzes was so fruitful? The secondary made plays when necessary, highlighted by a breakout game from second year man Darrick Forrest, who nabbed the game-sealing INT. I don’t know how much of this performance can be replicated against teams better than Jacksonville, but I didn’t think we were capable of everything I saw this team do on Sunday. That gives me hope that maybe we won’t be as horrible as I may have presumed.
16 – 
Browns (1-0)
The Browns proved me wrong by winning on Sunday, but that’s about the only area that they did so. I wasn’t too moved by them squeaking out a win with a 58-yard field goal against one of the worst teams in the league. Jacoby Brissett held things down on offense, but it was nothing eye-opening. I did like what I saw out of their elite RB tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but it’s pretty much a guarantee that they’re going to do their thing in every game they play. The defense looked okay, but only Myles Garrett put up a noteworthy performance. The secondary nearly lost them the game, which is pretty embarrassing considering they were playing Baker Mayfield. So yes, the Browns found a way to win, and it was cool. But I’m still not moved. And I don’t think I will be anytime soon.
17 – 
Titans (0-1)
For all intents and purposes, the Titans should have won on Sunday. They did everything they had to do, including setting up a very manageable game-winning field goal that was simply shanked. However, that doesn’t mean they get a pass. They were just an uninspired team who wasn’t doing anything great on either side of the ball. It’s kind of embarrassing to get pieced up by the Giants of all teams. Offensively, Derrick Henry was stifled so bad that the offense flowed through Dontrell Hilliard of all people. I thought Ryan Tannehill did his thing, but this team was about as boring as you’d imagine. That was a game they should have won and have to win. Let’s hope they clean it up as the season progresses.
18 – 
Raiders (0-1)
Outside of the stellar debut of Davante Adams, the Raiders were extremely underwhelming in LA on Sunday. They were completely shut down on offense outside of #17’s 141 yards, and while I thought they played better than expected on defense, they had no answer for the heroics of Justin Herbert. Their glaring holes showed in huge ways, especially with the woes of their offensive line. Derek Carr was in hell from start to finish, being pressured, sacked, or hit on nearly half of all dropbacks. That OL will be the death of them this season, just as I said it would be. Their secondary was gashed by the Chargers even with their offense struggling at times. It just wasn’t a promising day at all for the Raiders. At least Davante Adams fantasy owners are smiling.
19 – 
Broncos (0-1)
The Denver Broncos laid the biggest dud of Week 1, plain and simple. Their utter incompetence was on display all game long on national television and they deserve all the scrutiny that they’ll be receiving this week. Still, it’s one thing to lose a game on the boneheadedness of Nathaniel Hackett’s late game clock management gaffe. It’s another to be in that position against the Seahawks in the first place. Russell Wilson had a boring, mediocre debut highlighted by a long touchdown pass on a wildly underthrown ball. The rest of the offense showed nothing to like other than Jerry Jeudy making a lot of play out of nothing. And the defense, the supposed strong suit of the team, was rather shocking, letting Geno Smith carve them up all game long. Between the impotence of the offense, the defense’s effort, and the mind-numbing coaching, the hype has completely died with the Broncos. They have plenty of time to make amends, but they have a lot to prove to us.
20 – 
Cardinals (0-1)
The Cardinals unfortunately had to start their season by running into the buzzsaw that is Patrick Mahomes in the month of September. I don’t want to fault them too much for that. I do, however, want to fault them for not even showing up on Sunday. The dysfunction in this franchise is palpable, and there is a clear disconnect between Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray, despite the huge contract extension for the young QB. The offense did nothing of note outside of garbage time, and the defense… well they stayed home. I didn’t like this team much to begin with, and I like them even less now. The schedule isn’t getting any easier either. We might be burying the Cardinals very, very soon.
21 – 
Bears (1-0)
You can’t imagine how happy I am for Justin Fields and the Bears after Sunday’s awesome win in the monsoon. Not only did they have a tremendous fourth quarter on both sides of the ball, but they looked like a competent team and had so much fun winning that game. Everyone was eating offensively despite the conditions thanks to Fields’ tremendous playmaking ability. And the defense finally made some plays, none more important than Eddie Jackson’s INT of Trey Lance which essentially sealed the game. Chicago has to feel good about themselves after pulling off the biggest upset of Week 1. I know I do. It’s just a matter of whether or not they can keep the momentum going. Heading to Lambeau for a primetime clash with the Packers doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, but we’ll see what the Bears can muster up as huge underdogs once again.
22 – 
Seahawks (1-0)
It took one game for the Seahawks to hit half of the wins I projected them to get this season. Good for them! Seriously though, good for them. Seattle was absolutely rocking on Monday night for the Russell Wilson return, and the 12th man was the real MVP of the game. I haven’t seen the crowd impact a game like that in nearly a decade. The team played a very good game, especially offensively, as Geno Smith had a shockingly efficient and effective performance. Even the defense, which I ripped to shreds less than a week ago, came to play. It’s hard to believe the team will put together that complete of a performance again this year considering the stage and the emotion of the game, but maybe the Seahawks won’t be as bad as I thought.
23 – 
Colts (0-0-1)
This feels a little harsh for the Colts, but I think it’s warranted. There really isn’t any excuse to tie with the Texans. There is even less of an excuse to find yourself down 20-3 like they did. I respect the ability to come back and force OT, and I recognize the monster games from Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., but this team is too good to be in that position in the first place. I wasn’t inspired by their defense performance, and I need to see a lot more from the offense in the first three quarters to feel better about this team. At least they didn’t lose!
24 – 
Giants (1-0)
I don’t even think the Giants knew how they won on Sunday. But you have to feel good about it. They showed their stuff and had a pretty inspiring comeback to win, even if they should have lost. The story of the game was undoubtedly Saquon Barkley looking like his former self, showing incredible explosiveness and running harder than he has in years. I was shocked to see his level of play on Sunday, and if he can keep it up, it makes this team actually hard to stop. Even Daniel Jones looked solid, especially on a deep ball touchdown to Sterling Shepard. The defense had a solid showing, containing Derrick Henry and not allowing Tennessee’s offense to do much. I still don’t think this season will amount to much for the Giants, but they showed more promise in one game than they have in several seasons. That has to mean something.
25 – 
Cowboys (0-1)
I used to pray for times like this. The Cowboys are dead and buried after just one game. And it’s not because of the injury to Dak Prescott, although that certainly makes them much worse. It’s because, even with Dak at QB, this team looked absolutely atrocious on Sunday night. While the defense may have done their thing in spurts, highlighted by the brilliance of Micah Parsons, the offense was absolutely dreadful, unable to do a damn thing with the ball in their hands. CeeDee Lamb was invisible, Ezekiel Elliott is what you’d expect him to be in his seventh season, and the offensive line was predictably poor. The Cowboys were the only team in football to not score a touchdown this week, and who no one knows when they might even come close to reaching the endzone. Now, Cooper Rush takes the reins for the next month or so. Have fun at the bottom of the standings, Dallas!
26 – 
Lions (0-1)
The 2022 Lions opened the season the exact same way the 2021 Lions did: getting blown out for three quarters before putting together a furious comeback attempt in the fourth that falls just short. The only difference is that Detroit didn’t look completely incompetent for the most part in this game. They got consistent production offensively, especially from D’Andre Swift, who had a huge performance. Their defense was predictably Swiss cheese, but they still almost made enough stops to win the game. So, while the Lions once again got gashed en route to a loss, there’s plenty to like about what this team has. to offer. As I’ve said so many times, it won’t translate to a lot of wins, but this team has some grit to them and will be a tough out all year long.
27 – 
Jaguars (0-1)
The Jaguars are still just not there yet. They showed plenty to like on Sunday, but they also showed plenty to laugh at. The new acquisitions poured in big contributions, with Christian Kirk and Zay Jones getting involved in the passing game and the #1 overall pick Travon Walker having a monster debut. Travis Etienne’s NFL debut in his second season also proved to be a solid one, despite not getting nearly as much playing time as he should. Trevor Lawrence was on and off, but for the most part, he too had a decent showing. At the end of the day, this team really beat themselves. Ineffectiveness in the red zone, drops, and porous late-game defense proved to be their downfall. But for the most part, I liked what this team showed me, much like the Lions above them. They won’t be nearly as bad this year.
28 – 
Falcons (0-1)
New year, same Falcons. After dominating the Saints for 50 minutes thanks to a great game from new QB Marcus Mariota to the tune of a 16 point lead, Atlanta put on their choking caps, laid down, and died. Who could have seen it coming? Despite yet another disastrous collapse, the Falcons weren’t awful by any means on Sunday. As I said, Mariota had a productive debut and their defense was able to stifle New Orleans for most of the game. But, when it fell apart, it absolutely crumbled down. I have a feeling more games than not will feel that way for this team.
29 – 
Patriots (0-1)
After Sunday’s drubbing in Miami, I have a very interesting and important question to pose: can you name a single thing the Patriots do well? Because I cannot. The offense is stuck in both mud and the 1970s. The defense is lacking in playmaking with JC Jackson gone and also moves at the speed of an old minivan. Mac Jones can’t produce if there’s any adversity, and considering how bad New England’s offensive line was on Sunday, there will be plenty of adversity to be faced this season. The weapons are either invisible or lackluster, so it doesn’t help that the scheme is as poor as it is. I know this placement seems harsh for a team that has been so good for so long, but I think New England was arguably the worst team I watched this week. This could be a very long season for them.
30 – 
Panthers (0-1)
The Panthers got screwed pretty hard on Sunday, and there is definitely an argument to be made that they should have won. Their comeback in the fourth quarter was admirable, and I’ll give them credit for that. But, they lost, and I still don’t like anything about this team. Baker Mayfield wasn’t completely awful in his Panthers debut, but he still made those Baker-type plays to keep them out of the game. The rest of the offense was average despite some nice contributions from Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson. Their defense was got ran through by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt which eventually proved to be their downfall. I’m being a bit mean to the this team but I just don’t have a lot of faith in them in general, so this is more of a reflection of that than their performance on Sunday.
31 – 
Texans (0-0-1)
The Texans did not lose on Sunday. That is progress! In fact, they should have won comfortably, but a blown 20-3 fourth quarter lead let them settle for a tie after a stalemate in OT. I have no idea how they even found themselves up by 17 to begin with, considering they didn’t do anything special in the course of the game. Their defense just showed up and kept things under wraps for three quarters. The offense played a solid game, highlighted by two touchdown catches by OJ Howard in his Houston debut. So, maybe the Texans won’t be as bad as I may have thought. Still, they’re one of the worst teams in the league as it currently stands, and they’ll likely be in the cellar for 17 more weeks. However, they’re saved from the #32 spot for now.
32 – 
Jets (0-1)
Did you expect anything else? Led by Joe Flacco, the Jets were absolutely putrid in Week 1, doing absolutely nothing of note en route to a huge loss. That will likely be the theme of most of their games as this season progresses. They put up some numbers in garbage time, but nobody cares. Their defense was ripped apart by a subpar Ravens passing attack, and their offense was nonexistent while the game was still in question. I don’t think it would have been any different with Zach Wilson at QB, but with Flacco under center, this is by far the worst team in the league. I don’t see that changing any time soon.
All stats taken from ESPN.
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