The 2023 NFL season kicked off in style with an exciting Week 1 that featured several upsets and unexpected outcomes. The Cowboys dominated the Giants in the season opener, while the Dolphins pulled off a thrilling comeback victory over the Chargers. The Packers won without Aaron Rodgers, while the Raiders edged out the Broncos in a close contest. The Eagles edged out the Patriots in a battle of new QBs, and the 49ers cruised past the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Buccaneers won in Tom Brady’s return to New England, while the Jaguars stunned the Colts with Calvin Ridley’s debut.
Here are some of the highlights from NFL Week 1:
- Cowboys dominate Giants in season opener: The Cowboys began their season with a resounding 49-26 victory over the Giants. Dak Prescott threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns, while CeeDee Lamb caught three touchdown passes. The Cowboys’ defense also played well, forcing two turnovers and sacking Daniel Jones twice.
- Dolphins pull off thrilling comeback victory over Chargers: The Dolphins trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter before storming back to defeat the Chargers 27-24. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyreek Hill caught six passes for 99 yards. The Dolphins’ defense also made a big play in the fourth quarter, when Nik Needham intercepted Justin Herbert to set up the game-winning touchdown.
- Packers win without Rodgers, Love shines: Jordan Love made his first NFL start in place of Aaron Rodgers and led the Packers to a 23-17 victory over the Bears. Love threw for 190 yards and one touchdown, while Aaron Jones rushed for 132 yards. The Packers’ defense also played well, holding the Bears to just 17 points.
- Raiders edge out Broncos in close contest: The Raiders defeated the Broncos 19-16 in a close contest. Davante Adams caught his first touchdown pass in a Raiders uniform, and Josh Jacobs rushed for 102 yards. The Raiders’ defense also made a big play in the fourth quarter, when Patrick Graham sacked Russell Wilson to force a fumble.
- Eagles edge out Patriots in battle of new QBs: The Eagles defeated the Patriots 21-14 in a battle of new quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts threw for 316 yards and one touchdown, while Miles Sanders rushed for 95 yards. The Eagles’ defense also played well, holding the Patriots to just 14 points.
- 49ers cruise past Steelers in Pittsburgh: The 49ers defeated the Steelers 38-17 in Pittsburgh. Trey Lance threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while Deebo Samuel caught five passes for 102 yards. The 49ers’ defense also played well, sacking Mitch Trubisky four times.
- Buccaneers win in Brady’s return to New England: The Buccaneers defeated the Patriots 19-14 in Tom Brady’s return to New England. Brady threw for 229 yards and one touchdown, while Mike Evans caught four passes for 102 yards. The Buccaneers’ defense also played well, holding the Patriots to just 14 points.
- Jaguars stun Colts with Calvin Ridley’s debut: The Jaguars defeated the Colts 21-20 in Calvin Ridley’s debut. Trevor Lawrence threw for 234 yards and one touchdown, while Ridley caught two passes for 37 yards. The Jaguars’ defense also played well, sacking Matt Ryan three times.
In addition to the highlights listed above, there were a number of other notable storylines from NFL Week 1. Here are a few:
- Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow showed why they are considered to be among the best young quarterbacks in the league.
- The NFC South is shaping up to be a very competitive division.
- The AFC North is also a wide-open division.
- The Bengals and Lions showed signs of improvement.
- The Cardinals and Seahawks got off to disappointing starts.
Overall, NFL Week 1 was a memorable one. It was a weekend of upsets, unexpected outcomes, and exciting finishes. The season is still young, but it is clear that there will be plenty of drama to come.tuneshareGoogle itmore_vertadd_circle