The hardest thing to handle is reality when it comes to the NFL. Admitting reality with players and teams is tough, especially since judgment is appearing in front of those very eyes. Teams can reveal aplenty in one game, trends that occur over the course of a season.
First impressions are usually the right ones, and Week 1 provided a few cases of this. Some of these observations may be proven wrong, even if history suggests it won't. Let's dive into some of these harsh realities for Week 1 and see if they stick or not.
Deshaun Watson isn't the answer at quarterback for the Browns
Watson hasn't been the same quarterback since he was traded to the Browns and signed that $230 million guaranteed contract. He's been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, and Sunday's performance didn't disprove that statement. On passes of 15+ air yards in Cleveland's loss to the Cowboys, Watson was 0 for 10 -- culminating in a performance which he finished with 169 yards and two interceptions (3.8 yards per attempt).
The Browns haven't gotten anything out of Watson's 13 starts. He's completed 59.1% of his passes with 3.9% touchdown rate, 6.2 yards per attempt and a 78.1 rating. This isn't what the Browns paid for, nor what they thought they were getting when they acquired and signed Watson to a record-breaking deal.
J.K. Dobbins is an elite running back in Jim Harbaugh's offense
First impressions are typically the right ones, and Dobbins made a strong conviction he's the player he was prior to ACL and Achilles injuries taking him off the field over the past three years. Dobbins finished with 135 rushing yards in the Chargers' win over the Raiders, 131 of which came in the second half.
Harbaugh used Dobbins similar to the way he used running backs throughout his career as a head coach, keep leaning on them while wearing the defense down. Dobbins had a 61-yard run and a 12-yard touchdown run in the second half that was a backbreaker for a stout Raiders defense. Dobbins averaged 13.5 yards per carry (10 carries), leading a Chargers rushing attack that averaged 6.5 yards per carry and had 176 yards on the ground.
Dobbins is the No. 1 running back in Los Angeles and will continue to be a force in the second half of games if he can stay on the field.
Commanders do not have enough talent around Jayden Daniels
Daniels ended up becoming the second quarterback to have 100+ passing yards, 50+ rushing yards and 2+ rushing touchdowns in his first career start (Daunte Culpepper was the other), yet it felt if the Commanders wouldn't score any points if Daniels wasn't on the field.
The Commanders running backs combined for 50 yards and 3.6 yards per carry, while rookie Luke McCaffrey was the leading receiver with three catches for 18 yards. The Commanders wide receivers combined for seven catches for 45 yards, a putrid 6.4 yards per catch.
The telling sign was the first five possessions (not counting the end of first half), where the Commanders averaged 3.7 yards per play and scored a total of seven points (two missed field goals). In comparisons, the Buccaneers scored on their first five possessions.
There just isn't enough talent around Daniels to consistently win games this year.
Giants offensive line hasn't improved from last year
Daniel Jones did not have a good performance in the season opener (22 of 42, 186 yards, two interceptions, 44.3 rating), but his offensive line didn't do him any favors. The Giants typically have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL and this improved version wasn't any better.
Jones was sacked five times, hit 12 times and pressured 20 times in a performance which the Giants did not score an offensive touchdown. Jones was 22 of 42 for 186 yards -- but the offensive line didn't help matters.
The Giants are a discombobulated mess on offense. Jones is part of the problem, but so is the offensive line. Even with the additions this offseason, the performance remains the same.
Bryce Young didn't improve from a horrific rookie season
The most disappointing player in Week 1 had to be Young, who had a whole offseason working with quarterback whisperer and new head coach Dave Canales. Young looked like the quarterback who was a disaster in his rookie season, finishing with 161 passing yards and two interceptions (32.8 rating) in a blowout loss to the Saints.
Young is the first quarterback since Sam Darnold (2018) with an interception on the team's first play of the season and the second quarterback in NFL history with under 6.5 yards per attempt in nine consecutive road games. The Panthers average 12.9 points per game in Young's 17 starts while he's averaged 5.5 yards per attempt.
The Panthers averaged 2.0 yards per play after their first five possessions, and were down 30-0 at that point. Young was 2 of 6 for 18 yards and an interception in that stretch.
Young was supposed to be better in 2024. His first game under Canales doesn't appear to be the case.
