One week of 2024 NFL football is in the books, and already we've enjoyed plenty of fireworks on the gridiron, from a shocking upset of the Cincinnati Bengals and an explosive debut for the freshly paid Dallas Cowboys to the return of a gritty Detroit Lions club and the continued crunch-time excellence of the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Here's one thing we learned about each team during Week 1 of the 2024 campaign:
Arizona Cardinals
The offense is on the upswing. The mere fact they could go toe to toe with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills is a major win. Kyler Murray at least looks healthy and comfortable dishing the ball around.
Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins is not a cure-all. In fact, he may have held Atlanta back more than helped against the Pittsburgh Steelers' tough pass rush. Chalk some of it up to rust. But it's a situation worth monitoring.
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson needs more balance. This guy's clearly still overflowing with MVP electricity. He also needs a stabler line, or a busier Derrick Henry, or more settled No. 2 receiver spot to be sustainable.
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen can, in fact, do it all. How long he can do it all remains to be seen. But even with a remade receiving corps and iffy defense, the veteran gunslinger was a one-man wrecking crew against Arizona.
Carolina Panthers
The sorrows of 2023 are not over yet. New coach, same ugly results. Dave Canales may still restore Bryce Young, but man, does the former No. 1 pick still have few answers against NFL defenses.
Chicago Bears
There will be growing pains on offense. Caleb Williams' magic was so pronounced in the preseason it was easy to get ahead of ourselves. At least Matt Eberflus' defense came to life in crunch time.
Cincinnati Bengals
It's time to worry about Zac Taylor. Yes, his teams have rebounded from slow starts before. But a Week 1 dud even with a healthy Joe Burrow was especially uninspiring after an offseason full of contract drama.
Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson may not last (again). In part because he's working behind an awfully embattled O-line, in part because, now into Year 3 with the Browns, he's yet to look comfortable for consecutive drives.
Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl aspirations are justified. We said aspirations. Yes, Dak Prescott has big-game hurdles to clear. But the Mike Zimmer defense looks nasty as ever. Their Browns beatdown confirmed their upside.
Denver Broncos
Bo Nix has a long way to go. So, apparently, does the entire Sean Payton rebuild project. The rookie quarterback was agile but erratic when throwing the ball remotely downfield in his first NFL start.
Detroit Lions
They've got even more upside than during their 2023 NFC title bid. Why? Jameson Williams is moving like a No. 1 wideout. David Montgomery is running like Marshawn Lynch. The young defense is feisty.
Green Bay Packers
They need the rest of the NFC North to take it easy. Jordan Love's big-money arm was apparent again against the Philadelphia Eagles, but now that he's sidelined for a few weeks, they just need to stay afloat.
Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud's run support is much improved. It wasn't just the numbers, but the eye test. Joe Mixon showcased smooth vision and movement as a surprise 150-yard workhorse in his Texans debut.
Indianapolis Colts
They may have the NFL's biggest fireworks show under center. Anthony Richardson may be scattershot as a passer, but when he's on, there might not be a more gifted thrower in the entire NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence's setup is still a work in progress. He wasn't perfect, either, but once again, poor protection, blatant drops and vanilla play-calling didn't exactly launch this club back into star status.
Kansas City Chiefs
They're very much the team to beat. Obvious? Maybe. But they look even more formidable, perhaps, than they did on the Super Bowl stage! Patrick Mahomes once again has legit speed at his disposal.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Antonio Pierce era could be crushingly conservative. This is a defensive coach with an uneasy quarterback situation, but still, the embrace of curious crunch-time punts was foreboding.
Los Angeles Chargers
The preseason emphasis on the run game was justified. Jim Harbaugh pounded the rock to aid Justin Herbert, and it worked, with J.K. Dobbins and/or Gus Edwards poised to be season-long workhorses.
Los Angeles Rams
Injuries are the biggest threat to Matthew Stafford. Not so much to the quarterback as the guys around him, with Puka Nacua and parts of the O-line both falling by the wayside in an otherwise spicy Week 1.
Miami Dolphins
The offense still hums. Tua Tagovailoa looked spry with more pretty deep flicks. Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill did their thing. Mike McDaniel's squad is a lock to put up numbers once again.
Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold is capable. Playing a tougher defense will be a better test, but still, the journeyman looked calm, confident and comfortable to help shepherd a stepping-stone win for an otherwise overlooked team.
New England Patriots
The Bill Belichick defense remains. Or should we say Jerod Mayo defense? Either way, the new coach deserves props for his unit bottling up Joe Burrow and Co. No one anticipated a Week 1 win for this group.
New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr is not done, after all. Maybe it's the Klint Kubiak influence. Maybe it's a well-rested arm. Whatever it was, Carr looked like an entirely rejuvenated quarterback against the lowly Panthers.
New York Giants
Brian Daboll may be out of answers. And it's only Week 1. Daniel Jones appears as listless as ever, and not even Malik Nabers' presence could get efficient, explosive play design from the embattled head man.
New York Jets
The whole operation is rusty. Or, worse, plain-old stale. Aaron Rodgers showed some trademark zip in his return, but the offensive design, execution and even defensive run-stuffing was very mercurial.
Philadelphia Eagles
Some of their mojo is back. Their debut against Green Bay was sloppy at times, but they still scored 34, had improved answers for the blitz and stood tall as a red-zone defense against a fellow NFC contender.
Pittsburgh Steelers
T.J. Watt controls their destiny once more. Justin Fields protected the ball in his emergency debut, to be fair, but as usual, this team runs off the motor of Mike Tomlin's most dangerous pass rusher.
San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan's infrastructure remains elite. No surprise, but even without Christian McCaffrey, they ran wild with Jordan Mason against the Jets, and Brock Purdy was more poised than his numbers indicate.
Seattle Seahawks
The defense is in good hands. They were up against a rookie quarterback in Denver, but Mike Macdonald's in-game management also deserves applause. Don't sleep on this NFC West contender.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield refuses to be written off. Somehow, fresh off a big deal for his 2023 rejuvenation, the gutsy journeyman looked even better against the Washington Commanders, slinging it with authority.
Tennessee Titans
Their quarterback and offensive line issues are cyclical. Will Levis still isn't getting decent protection, and yet he's also reckless on his own. Tennessee needs to resolve both if they want to win this year.
Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels will probably lead them in rushing. As long as the young signal-caller can avoid taking too many open-field hits. Passing has still been low-risk for Daniels, but the mobility is undeniable.
