Monday, January 30, 2023
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Week 1 NFL Preview

ALL 32 TEAMS SHARE SINGULAR GOALĀ AS NFL KICKS OFF ENHANCED SEASON

ā€œLife starts all over again,ā€ wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald, ā€œwhen it gets crisp in the fall.ā€

And this fall in the National Football League, that initial autumn breeze means an enhanced 18-week, 272-game regular-season schedule. Each team is playing 17 regular-season games for the first time, providing fans an extra week of action. It marks the first change to the season structure since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four preseason games.

Life starting all over again also means 32 clubs are tied for first place, and that means every NFL coach, player and fan has insatiable hope. Why so much hopeful optimism entering 2021?

  • Currently, the average team has waited just 1.8 years since its last playoff berth. Three quarters of the league’s teams, 24 of 32, have been to the playoffs at least once in the past four seasons.
  • Over the past 18 seasons (2003-20), the average number of division winners that missed the postseason the year prior is 3.3 – including 26 division champions that finished last the year before. Both theĀ PITTSBURGH STEELERSĀ (AFC North) andĀ WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAMĀ (NFC East) won their divisions in 2020 after missing the postseason in 2019, andĀ at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 17 of the past 18 years.
  • Since 1990, 5.8 teams per year have qualified for the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year. Over that stretch – a streak of 31 consecutive seasons – at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. Seven teams that missed the postseason in 2019 – CHICAGO,Ā CLEVELAND,Ā INDIANAPOLIS,Ā LOS ANGELESĀ RAMS,Ā PITTSBURGH,Ā TAMPAĀ BAYĀ andĀ WASHINGTON – accomplished the feat in 2020.
  • And no team has won consecutive Super Bowls since the 2003-04Ā NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, the longest stretch in NFL history without a repeat Super Bowl champion.

The team currently challenged with breaking that streak, theĀ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, will kick off the NFL’s 102nd season on Thursday when the defending champions host theĀ DALLAS COWBOYSĀ (8:20 PM ET, NBC). In that game, quarterbackĀ TOM BRADYĀ needs 300 passing yards to joinĀ DREW BREESĀ (123 games) as the only players with at least 100 career games of 300-or-more passing yards in NFL history. Brady enters Thursday with 99 such games.

The Buccaneers, Cowboys and 30 other teams enter 2021 with one goal in mind: A trip to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.

ROOKIE RESPECT: In 13 consecutive seasons, at least one rookie quarterback has started a Week 1 game, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.

  • The top two overall selections in the 2021 draft – Clemson’sĀ TREVOR LAWRENCEĀ (No. 1, Jacksonville) and BYU’sĀ ZACH WILSONĀ (No. 2, New York Jets) – are expected to extend the streak early in the afternoon on Sunday. Both signal-callers will be on the road; the Jaguars meet the Texans (1:00 PM ET, CBS) and the Jets travel to Carolina (1:00 PM ET, CBS) to play their former quarterbackĀ SAM DARNOLD, acquired by the Panthers in an offseason trade. Darnold’s new teammates include rookie cornerbackĀ JAYCEE HORNĀ (selected No. 8 overall), expected to make his NFL debut for Carolina.
  • The last two starting quarterbacks at the University of Alabama will square off in New England Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS) when Patriots rookieĀ MAC JONESĀ (No. 15 overall) opens his NFL career against the Dolphins andĀ TUA TAGOVAILOA, the fifth overall selection in the 2020 draft. Both players joined the Alabama program in 2017 and combined to lead the Crimson Tide to a berth in three of the past four national championship games. The AFC East showdown is also expected to feature the debut of former Alabama wide receiverĀ JAYLEN WADDLE, the sixth-overall selection in the 2021 draft.

Elsewhere this weekend:

  • Steelers rookie running backĀ NAJEE HARRISĀ (24th overall) is expected to make his NFL debut when Pittsburgh makes the short trip to open the season Sunday at reigning AFC East champion Buffalo (1:00 PM ET, CBS).
  • Two potential offensive stars – Atlanta tight endĀ KYLE PITTSĀ (No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft – the highest selected tight end in the common-draft era) and Philadelphia wide receiverĀ DEVONTA SMITHĀ (No. 10, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner) – will be on opposite sidelines at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Pitts’ Falcons host the Eagles on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX).
  • In Cincinnati on Sunday, Bengals rookie wide receiverĀ JA’MARR CHASEĀ (No. 5 overall) will line up for the first time with his college quarterback,Ā JOE BURROWĀ (No. 1 overall in 2020), when the Bengals host former LSU teammateĀ JUSTIN JEFFERSONĀ and the Vikings (1:00 PM ET, FOX). The last time the trio was on the same field, the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship, Burrow threw for 463 yards and five touchdowns while Chase had nine catches for 221 yards with two touchdowns, and Jefferson nine receptions for 106 yards.
  • Several rookie offensive linemen, including Lions tackleĀ PENEI SEWELLĀ (No. 7 overall), Chargers tackleĀ RASHAWN SLATERĀ (No. 13), Jets guardĀ ALIJAH VERA-TUCKERĀ (No. 14) and Las Vegas tackleĀ ALEX LEATHERWOODĀ (No. 17), are expected to make their NFL debuts on Sunday.
  • On the defensive side, rookie linebackersĀ MICAH PARSONSĀ (No. 12, Dallas),Ā ZAVEN COLLINSĀ (No. 16, Arizona) andĀ JAMIN DAVISĀ (No. 19, Washington) are expected to anchor the middle of their respective defenses this weekend, while cornerbackĀ PAT SURTAINĀ (No. 9, Denver) and defensive endĀ KWITY PAYEĀ (No. 21, Indianapolis) will also make their first NFL appearances.

YOUTH MOVEMENT IN AFC EAST: All four quarterbacks expected to start for their AFC East teams this weekend, includingĀ TUA TAGOVAILOAĀ (23 years old) andĀ MAC JONESĀ (23) in New England on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), are under the age of 26 to open the season. IfĀ JOSH ALLENĀ (25) starts for Buffalo andĀ ZACH WILSONĀ (22) opens for the Jets, it will mark the first time in 36 years that four starting quarterbacks in the same NFL division were under the age of 26 at the start of a season. In 1985,Ā TONY EASONĀ (25) of New England, Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ DAN MARINOĀ (23) of Miami,Ā KEN O’BRIENĀ (24) of the Jets andĀ ART SCHLICHTERĀ (25) of Indianapolis began the year under center in the AFC East. The Dolphins, Jets and Patriots reached the playoffs that season, and New England earned a berth in Super Bowl XX.

CONSISTENTLY PRODUCTIVE: When Green Bay meets New Orleans for a Sunday showdown between 2020 NFC division winners (4:25 PM ET, FOX, in Jacksonville), two of the NFL’s most consistently productive players will be in action. Only six individuals have rushed for at least 700 yards in each of the past three seasons (2018-20), including the Packers’ AARON JONESĀ and the Saints’ ALVIN KAMARA.

The players with at least 700 rushing yards in each of the past three seasons:

PLAYER TEAM RUSHING YARDS (2018-20) SCRIMMAGE YARDS (2018-20)
Nick Chubb Cleveland 3,557 4,134
Gus Edwards Baltimore 2,152 2,346
Ezekiel Elliott Dallas 3,770 5,095
Derrick Henry Tennessee 4,626 5,045
Aaron Jones Green Bay 2,916 3,951
Alvin Kamara New Orleans 2,612 4,610

Ā 

PLAYOFF TEAMS FACE OFF: That Packers-Saints contest is one of five games on the Week 1 docket featuring two teams that qualified for the 2020 playoffs.

  • Included in that group is a rematch of an AFC Divisional game between theĀ CLEVELAND BROWNSĀ andĀ KANSAS CITY CHIEFSĀ on Sunday (4:25 PM, CBS). Including the postseason, Chiefs head coachĀ ANDY REIDĀ is 8-0 against the Browns, 4-0 with Philadelphia and 4-0 with Kansas City. Kansas City defeated Cleveland, 22-17, last postseason and became the first team since Reid’s 2002-04Ā PHILADELPHIA EAGLESĀ to host three consecutive championship games.
  • Both the Packers and Chiefs will be looking to extend the league’s longest active winning streak on Kickoff Weekend. Each club has won its first game in six consecutive seasons.
  • Another tilt on the Kickoff Weekend card features theĀ SEATTLE SEAHAWKSĀ atĀ INDIANAPOLIS COLTSĀ on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX).Ā Including the playoffs, Seattle in the Eastern Time Zone has won 12 of its past 13 games. QuarterbackĀ RUSSELL WILSONĀ in those 13 games is 12-1 with a 117.9 passer rating, 3,598 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
  • In a marquee early game Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), theĀ PITTSBURGH STEELERS – who ranked third in the NFL last year in total defense (305.8 yards per game) and finished second in scoring defense (19.5 points per game) – face theĀ BUFFALO BILLS, whose offense was second in the league in both yards per game (396.4) and points per game (31.3).
  • TheĀ LOS ANGELES RAMSĀ will welcome fans to SoFi Stadium for the first time when theĀ CHICAGO BEARSĀ pay a visit onĀ Sunday Night FootballĀ (8:20 PM ET, NBC). Chicago has 55 wins on Kickoff Weekend, the second-most in NFL history, while the Rams have won four consecutive Week 1 games.

REIGNING ROOKIES OF THE YEAR: For the second straight season and fourth time in NFL history, the defending Associated Press rookies of the year will clash on Kickoff Weekend. At FedExField on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), 2020 Offensive Rookie of the YearĀ JUSTIN HERBERTĀ will lead the Chargers against 2020 Defensive Rookie of the YearĀ CHASE YOUNGĀ and Washington. Last season, Herbert recorded the most touchdown passes (31) and most completions (396), and second-most passing yards (4,336) by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Young, meanwhile, led all rookies with 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, and tied for the lead among rookies with four forced fumbles.

  • Last season, 2019 Offensive Rookie of the YearĀ KYLER MURRAYĀ guided the Cardinals to a season-opening win at San Francisco against defending Defensive Rookie of the YearĀ NICK BOSA.
  • Prior to 2020, the last time defending rookies of the year met in Week 1 was Sept. 10, 1989, when the Patriots and running backĀ JOHN STEPHENSĀ defeated the Jets and defensive backĀ ERIK MCMILLAN, 27-24, at Giants Stadium. The first time it happened was Sept. 21, 1975, when San Diego Chargers running backĀ DON WOODSĀ and Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame linebackerĀ JACK LAMBERTĀ met at Jack Murphy Stadium, where the Steelers won, 37-0, en route to a Super Bowl X championship.

THE FOUNTAIN OF BRADY: Tampa Bay quarterbackĀ TOM BRADY, who will be 44 years and 37 days old on Thursday when the Buccaneers host Dallas in the league’s annual kickoff contest (8:20 PM ET, NBC), is expected to become the fourth-oldest individual on record (since 1932) to play in a season-opening game.

  • Brady also enters 2021 more than four years older than the next-oldest player on an active NFL roster, Rams tackleĀ ANDREW WHITWORTH, who will be 39 years and 274 days old when his club hosts Chicago onĀ Sunday Night FootballĀ (8:20 PM ET, NBC).

The five oldest individuals to play in a season-opening game, since 1932:

PLAYER AGE DATE TEAM
George BlandaHOF 48 years, 5 days Sept. 22, 1975 Oakland Raiders
Adam Vinatieri 46 years, 254 days Sept. 8, 2019 Indianapolis
John Carney 45 years, 146 days Sept. 13, 2009 New Orleans
Tom Brady 44 years, 37 days* Sept. 9, 2021 Tampa Bay
Morten AndersenHOF 44 years, 24 days Sept. 12, 2004 Minnesota
Lou GrozaHOF 43 years, 235 days Sept. 17, 1967 Cleveland Browns

*On Thursday

RAVING ABOUT THE RAVENS: TheĀ LAS VEGAS RAIDERSĀ also welcome fans to their home, Allegiant Stadium, for the first time, hosting theĀ BALTIMORE RAVENSĀ onĀ Monday Night FootballĀ (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC). Since 2016 in Week 1 games, Baltimore is 5-0 and has outscored its opponents 177-26. The Ravens haven’t allowed more than 10 points in any of those five Kickoff Weekend games.

OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND: New leaders and new outlooks will dot the NFL’s landscape this weekend.

  • Seven new head coaches enter the 2021 season – DAN CAMPBELLĀ in Detroit,Ā DAVID CULLEYĀ in Houston,Ā URBAN MEYERĀ in Jacksonville,Ā ROBERT SALEHĀ with the New York Jets,Ā NICK SIRIANNIĀ with Philadelphia,Ā ARTHUR SMITHĀ with Atlanta andĀ BRANDON STALEYĀ with the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Over the last four seasons, seven head coaches in their first year with a new club have led their teams to the playoffs:Ā RON RIVERAĀ (Washington) andĀ KEVIN STEFANSKIĀ (Cleveland) in 2020,Ā MATT LAFLEURĀ (Green Bay) in 2019,Ā MATT NAGYĀ (Chicago) andĀ FRANK REICHĀ (Indianapolis) in 2018, andĀ SEAN MCVAYĀ (Los Angeles Rams) andĀ SEAN MCDERMOTTĀ (Buffalo) in 2017.
  • Two games this weekend will feature first-year head coaches on opposite sidelines: Meyer and Culley (1:00 PM ET, CBS) will meet in Houston on Sunday while Sirianni and Smith will battle in Atlanta (1:00 PM ET, FOX). Coaches in their first year at the reins of an NFL team have played a Week 1 game only five times over the past 38 seasons, and never twice in the same opening weekend.

The last five meetings of rookie NFL head coaches on Kickoff Weekend:

DATE WINNING COACH TEAM LOSING COACH TEAM FINAL
Sept. 7, 2014 Bill O’Brien Houston Texans Jay Gruden Washington 17-6
Sept. 3, 2000 Al Groh New York Jets Mike Sherman Green Bay 20-16
Sept. 12, 1999 Dick Jauron Chicago Gunther Cunningham Kansas City 20-17
Sept. 6, 1992 Dennis Green Minnesota Mike Holmgren Green Bay 23-20 (OT)
Sept. 4, 1983 John Robinson L.A. Rams Bill ParcellsHOF N.Y. Giants 16-6

SAME FACES, NEW PLACES: Several notable players were on the move since the end of the 2020 season, including quarterbacksĀ TEDDY BRIDGEWATERĀ (Denver),Ā ANDY DALTONĀ (Chicago),Ā RYAN FITZPATRICKĀ (Washington),Ā JARED GOFFĀ (Detroit),Ā MATTHEW STAFFORDĀ (Los Angeles Rams),Ā TYROD TAYLORĀ (Houston) andĀ CARSON WENTZĀ (Indianapolis); running backsĀ JAMES CONNERĀ (Arizona),Ā MIKE DAVISĀ (Atlanta),Ā KENYAN DRAKEĀ (Las Vegas),Ā PHILLIP LINDSAYĀ (Houston) andĀ SONY MICHELĀ (Los Angeles Rams); wide receiversĀ COREY DAVISĀ (New York Jets),Ā A.J. GREENĀ (Arizona),Ā JULIO JONESĀ (Tennessee) andĀ KENNY GOLLADAYĀ (New York Giants); tight endsĀ HUNTER HENRYĀ (New England) andĀ JONNU SMITHĀ (New England); offensive linemenĀ ORLANDO BROWNĀ (Kansas City),Ā TRENT BROWNĀ (New England),Ā COREY LINSLEYĀ (L.A. Chargers),Ā ALEX MACKĀ (San Francisco) andĀ JOE THUNEYĀ (Kansas City); defensive linemenĀ TREY HENDRICKSONĀ (Cincinnati),Ā YANNICK NGAKOUEĀ (Las Vegas) andĀ J.J. WATTĀ (Arizona); linebackersĀ BUD DUPREEĀ (Tennessee),Ā JUSTIN HOUSTONĀ (Baltimore) andĀ HAASON REDDICKĀ (Carolina); and defensive backsĀ KYLE FULLERĀ (Denver),Ā MIKE HILTONĀ (Cincinnati),Ā JOHN JOHNSONĀ (Cleveland) andĀ PATRICK PETERSONĀ (Minnesota).

KICKOFF WEEKEND NFLĀ SCHEDULE

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, September 9 Dallas at Tampa Bay NBC 8:20
       
Sunday, September 12 Philadelphia at Atlanta FOX 1:00
Pittsburgh at Buffalo CBS 1:00
New York Jets at Carolina CBS 1:00
Minnesota at Cincinnati FOX 1:00
San Francisco at Detroit FOX 1:00
Jacksonville at Houston CBS 1:00
Seattle at Indianapolis FOX 1:00
Arizona at Tennessee CBS 1:00
Los Angeles Chargers at Washington CBS 1:00
Cleveland at Kansas City CBS 4:25
Miami at New England CBS 4:25
Green Bay at New Orleans (in Jacksonville) FOX 4:25
Denver at New York Giants FOX 4:25
Chicago at Los Angeles Rams NBC 8:20
       
Monday, September 13 Baltimore at Las Vegas ESPN/ABC 8:15
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