I know, I know. Week 1 is a liar. Every season, the first week has some fluky games, stats, or outcomes that probably won’t mean a ton by the end of the year. Even knowing this, I’m going to overreact anyway.
So, here are a few things I think after the first week of NFL football is in the books.
Maybe Matt LaFleur Is Just a Bad Coach
Honestly, this might be my only take that is not an overreaction. Because here we are, once again, discussing a Packers collapse under LaFleur. This time to their divisional rival Vikings after having a 22-10 lead. That 22-10 lead quickly disappeared as the Vikings scored 29 points unanswered to beat the Packers 39-22. Oh, and this blown lead was to backup QB Carson Wentz. Letting games slip away is really starting to feel all too normal with this team. And I’m getting really tired of hearing these “experts” tell me how good of a coach LaFleur is.
After blowing so many leads, at what point do we stop saying “LaFleur is a really good coach but the team isn’t finishing games”, and start saying “hey maybe this guy just sucks as a head coach”? Because I don’t care how amazing of an offensive mind you have. You can draw up the best offensive plays anyone has ever seen, but that all means nothing if you just choke and blow the lead in the end anyway. There was even a lack of discipline in this game, as the Packers committed 12 penalties.
Maybe LaFleur is meant to be an offensive coordinator. Not a head coach. It is a new season, so maybe it’s a little unfair to judge so harshly right away. But this just feels like the same old Packers to me.
The Bills Are Going to the Super Bowl
Ok, now we’re overreacting! But seriously, what a road performance by the Bills in Brady’s first game as coach. The Texans may very well have the best defense in the league, and the Bills walked into their house and put up 36 on them. Josh Allen was, unsurprisingly I guess, a beast totaling 357 passing and rushing yards and 4 total TDs (2 passing and 2 rushing). James Cook had an efficient 4.4 YPC against this stellar defense, and new WR D.J. Moore had 5 receptions for 100 yards and a TD.
I loved the addition of Moore this offseason for the Bills. And honestly, I thought it was way too overlooked for the impact he may have. I’m not sure if it was because he didn’t have his best season last year in Chicago, but a WR like Moore is exactly what I think this team needed.
I’ve seen enough. The Bills are going to the Super Bowl this year.
The Giants Are Legit
Is this the exact conclusion you should not draw after one game for a team like this? Yes. But I’m absolutely buying this Giants team. I had the Giants as one of my 5 NFL Teams Ready to Surprise Everyone this season, and you couldn’t have asked for a better start. What better way to gain momentum for the season than having this young roster beat their hated rival Cowboys. In fact, the Cowboys are 10-3 against the Giants in the 2020s including that game Sunday night. You know the Giants are feeling good winning that game since Dallas has been smacking them for a few years now. That’s the type of win that makes you believe the tides are turning perhaps.
And honestly, my optimism didn’t start this week. I liked what I saw from Dart and the offense last season, even with injuries to guys like Nabers and Skattebo. I also loved drafting Abdul Carter last year and Arvell Reese in this year’s draft. Then you add John Harbaugh to the mix, and I’ve been buying this team even more.
So there you have it. Three completely reasonable conclusions after one week of football.
Matt LaFleur will probably cost the Packers another season, the Giants are legit, and the Bills are going to the Super Bowl! Can’t wait to see who they play.
But check back in a few weeks and we’ll see how many of these takes I still believe. I’m guessing it won’t be all three.
Have a take on this? Leave a comment below.