Key takeaways and analysis from Week 1 in the NFL

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

The Browns are here

Joe Burrow missing significant time during the preseason was undoubtedly a major factor in the Bengals starting the year with a blowout loss in Cleveland. The powerhouse offense was bizarrely out of sync en route to the 24-3 loss, with protection issues and some uncharacteristic misses from Burrow resulting in one punt after another.

But this was also about much more than the Bengals putting up a Week 1 stinker - the Browns are legitimate contenders.

We've been here with this organization before, getting excited about the names on the roster only to be let down in the end, so you'd be forgiven for having a hard time buying in. Browns fans would probably be the first to tell you to relax. But the talent in place has become overwhelming, and Cleveland just may have the coaching staff to make the most of it.

New defensive coordinator and longtime pass-rush guru Jim Schwartz having an edge duo of Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith feels wildly unfair for opposing offenses. Cleveland's dynamic duo lived in the backfield in the opener, combining for eight quarterback hits and a sack. Their consistent efforts up front, in tandem with those of a quietly stacked defensive backfield, held Burrow to a career-worst 83 passing yards.

The offense is still a work in progress, to be sure, but having Nick Chubb behind one of the league's premier offensive lines is a cheat code in the run game. Such consistent, seemingly unstoppable production on the ground takes some major pressure off Deshaun Watson. And while a Super Bowl ceiling may depend on Watson recapturing the level of play he enjoyed in Houston, his performance against the Bengals was a notable improvement over the borderline bench-worthy play we saw last year.

The physical skills have never been in doubt. If the Browns can continue to build the offense around what he does best, with a dominant front helping him settle in the pocket, this becomes a team that can compete with anyone in the AFC.

No Rodgers, no problem

Can't you just feel the rest of the NFC North collectively rolling their eyes at the idea of the Packers somehow doing this again?

Seamlessly transitioning from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers will forever stand as the greatest example of good fortune at the quarterback position. It only seemed fair that Rodgers' messy exit would result in Green Bay, after an incredible 32 years of Hall of Fame production, now facing at least one season of uncertainty under center. Alas, maybe next time.

While Jordan Love will almost certainly never reach the level of his legendary predecessors, the Packers couldn't have asked for much more from his first look as the full-time starter. Love was in complete control as Green Bay cruised to a win over the division-rival Bears, throwing for 245 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

There were some misses he'd like back, and that'll likely continue to be a theme in the still-early stages of his development. But the natural gifts that made him a first-round prospect were abundantly clear, and he also demonstrated more poise than you might expect from a quarterback with such limited experience.

It's an extremely promising sign that Love looks this comfortable with an equally young receiver corps missing top target Christian Watson. The Packers might be a better team than they were last year with Rodgers.

Steelers' hype train stalls

Preseason hype can sure create some unrealistic expectations.

You couldn't find a single negative headline about the Steelers in the lead-up to the regular season. A star-studded draft class brought some much-needed energy to the organization, and Kenny Pickett was impressive in both training camp and preseason action. Slowly but surely, the Steelers became a popular playoff pick and a not-so-dark-horse AFC North contender. They even somehow entered Week 1 as mere one-point underdogs to the 49ers.

One game won't define this team, nor any other, but starting the season with a blowout loss at home is the ultimate buzzkill for Pittsburgh. It's more than fair to wonder if the majority of the football world got a little carried away with the optimism.

The rookies that were the source of so much excitement currently aren't even factoring into game days. First-round left tackle Broderick Jones is Dan Moore Jr.'s backup. Second-round corner Joey Porter Jr. couldn't get on the field even with the starting secondary getting picked apart. Second-rounder Keeanu Benton is starting out as a rotational defensive lineman, and third-round tight end Darnell Washington is stuck behind Pat Freiermuth.

Make no mistake: These picks will have every opportunity to make an impact in the long term. If improved depth is the only payoff in the short term, though, it's hard to see a 9-8 Steelers team suddenly competing in a gauntlet AFC playoff picture - especially if Pickett doesn't have that sophomore jump in his future.

The former first-rounder's struggles against the 49ers were more concerning than anything the Steelers' defense did. Pickett was always going to need to improve his pocket presence to become an above-average starter. While he may have shown flashes of that development in a stellar preseason, it turns out things get a little more difficult against real defenses in the regular season.

The opponent is a factor here - the 49ers are a well-balanced team with superstar talent all over the field. But the Steelers play in a division with three more of the NFL's best rosters. Next week's Monday night matchup with the Browns just got a whole lot more interesting.

Giants embarrassed on SNF

Daniel Jones ranked 23rd in our preseason quarterback rankings, which probably wasn't all that well received. Fresh off a contract extension, and with some much-needed additions to his receiving corps, the former first-rounder was the subject of some considerable hype heading into Year 5.

We won't take a victory lap after one game against an extremely good Cowboys team, because there's plenty of season left. It's entirely possible Jones ends up working out long term. But he's not there yet, and the pathetic performance we saw from the Giants' offense highlighted many of the obvious concerns about his game and new deal.

Jones received his four-year, $160-million extension on the heels of a 2022 campaign in which he threw for 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns. He minimized turnovers, to his credit, but how much of that was because he'd so often either hit a first read or take off running?

Some upgrades to his supporting cast, highlighted by star tight end Darren Waller, were supposed to help Jones level up and truly break out. Instead, the Giants kicked off the season with a 40-0 loss in which Jones had nearly as many rushing attempts (13) as completions (15) while also throwing two interceptions and taking seven sacks.

The pass protection didn't help matters in this one, and we won't be counting Jones out. But how can you not look back to the contract decision after getting so thoroughly embarrassed at home on national TV? Jones has a $47.1-million cap hit next year. The Giants have to find a way to make this work, and the excuse of having bad receivers isn't going to fly any longer.

Quick slants

Lawrence-Ridley connection

Adding Calvin Ridley at last year's trade deadline was a genius move from the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence checked in at the No. 7 spot on our preseason quarterback rankings after an enormous leap forward last year, and the arrival of a true lead receiver should only help him reach greater heights. Ridley was the clear focal point of the Jacksonville passing game in a Week 1 win over the Colts, recording eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, more than all other Jaguars wide receivers combined.

Zay Flowers WR1

It's probably going to take some time for the revamped Ravens offense to start firing on all cylinders, but the early returns at wide receiver are promising. First-round rookie Zay Flowers, most notably, already looks like a potential top target. He displayed his unique movement skills in a nine-catch, 78-yard debut. Watch out for this unit when Mark Andrews returns and Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman have some time to shake off the rust.

McVay back?

The Rams making relatively easy work of the Seahawks without Cooper Kupp probably isn't something many of us had on our Week 1 bingo cards. But it's a welcome development that the offense produced with this kind of rhythm given its disastrous 2022 season. Matt Stafford looked fresh, and young wideouts Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell were regularly schemed into space en route to matching 119-yard days. Head coach Sean McVay finding some answers for the offense after reimagining his approach in the offseason could make the Rams far more feisty than expected.

Aiyuk taking off

Last season, it turns out, was just a small taste of what's ahead for Brandon Aiyuk. The former first-rounder carved up the Steelers' secondary throughout Sunday's rout, racking up eight catches for 129 yards and two scores. Aiyuk taking another step toward superstar status gives the 49ers four elite playmakers on offense. There may not be a defense in the league that can match up with that kind of talent.

Tyreek 2K

Tyreek Hill made headlines over the summer when he vowed to become the first receiver to break the 2,000-yard mark in a season. One game in, is anyone even considering doubting him? The same Chargers defense that became the first to solve the Dolphins' passing game last year had no such luck in the rematch, with Hill on the receiving end for 215 of Tua Tagovailoa's 466 passing yards. Unguardable playmakers in a masterfully designed passing game - good luck containing the Dolphins' offense.

Bryce getting no help

Trading up to get your franchise quarterback should be considered a no-brainer. It's worth pointing out, however, that parting with so many premium assets can make things difficult for your young passer in the early stages of his career. Bryce Young looked decently comfortable in his debut against the Falcons - it's already easy to see his vision and natural feel for the position translating to the NFL - but the supporting cast remains a major concern. Asking a rookie quarterback to be everything for your offense, no matter the draft pedigree, isn't a recipe for success.

A silver lining

The Chargers can and should look at their shootout loss against the Dolphins as a missed opportunity. Though it's frustrating that the new offensive scheme didn't yield immediate results in the passing game, don't overlook the value of that run-game production. Kellen Moore starting his OC tenure with 234 yards on the ground against a defense that ranked fourth against the run last year is a promising sign. It's only a matter of time before the passing attack comes together with a talent like Justin Herbert under center. Complementing that phase with a strong ground game could put the Chargers' offense over the top.

Bad business

The Vikings apparently made an effort to extend Justin Jefferson before the season began. He's not going anywhere either way, but perhaps they could've tried just a little bit harder. Jefferson recorded another 150-yard game in Minnesota's opener, surpassing Jerry Rice (!) and Randy Moss (!) for the second-most in a player's first four seasons. The price was already going to be astronomical. It's only going to go up the longer the Vikings wait.

Fields struggles

Justin Fields was one of several young quarterbacks expected to make a jump this year, with the hope being that some development as a passer would complement his abilities as a runner. That may still happen, but we've got a long way to go. Processing speed, pocket presence, and turnovers remained glaring issues in a rather uncompetitive loss to the Packers. Offseason trade acquisition D.J. Moore was supposed to help this offense take the next step, and he finished the day with two catches for 25 yards. This could be another long year for the Bears.

A moral victory

You wouldn't know it looking at the scoreboard - not this week, and perhaps not all that often this season - but the Texans showed us something in their loss to the Ravens. The arrival of DeMeco Ryans as head coach and some savvy roster moves have given this team a new identity. Getting to Lamar Jackson for four sacks and 10 quarterback hits, while limiting him to 169 passing yards and 38 yards on the ground, showed incredible growth on the defensive side. C.J. Stroud struggled at times in his debut, often trying to do too much, but he battled hard and made his share of impressive throws. This season could end up laying the foundation for future Texans teams, no matter what the final record says.

Stat of the week

MNF lookahead

What a way to cap off the first week of the season. Rodgers gets thrown right into the fire in his first game with the Jets, taking on a Bills team that's owned the AFC East for the last three years. Even at the age of 39, Rodgers is an obvious upgrade over the quarterbacks the Jets have trotted out for the better part of, well, their entire existence. It goes without saying that the QB matchup is the headliner. But keep an eye on how the Bills attack the Jets' defense. New York gave Josh Allen as much trouble as any other team last season, holding him to two of his three lowest yardage totals. Don't be surprised if rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid makes a difference for Buffalo with plenty of work as a big slot receiver.