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Week 1 NFL losers: Bears offense looks shaky in Caleb Williams' debut, former No. 1 pick shows regression
Not every player, coach or team can shine. With that in mind, let's look at some of the more unremarkable moments and performances from Week 1:
Chicago Bears offense
Rookie QB Caleb Williams struggled in his debut, finishing 14-of-29 for 93 yards and 55.7 passer rating. Likewise, star WR D.J. Moore was a non-factor (5 receptions, 36 yards), as were several flashy offseason additions, WR Keenan Allen (4 receptions, 29 yards) and RB D'Andre Swift (10 carries, 30 yards).
If not for DB Tyrique Stevenson's 43-yard interception return for a touchdown, sealing a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans, Sunday's effort would have resulted in a loss. It's early, but Williams and company have plenty to work on following a less-than-stellar start.
Carolina Panthers, QB, Bryce Young
In his second season debut, Young didn't provide many reasons to believe 2024 won't strongly resemble his forgettable rookie year. In a one-sided 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the former No. 1 overall pick finished 13-of-30 for 161 yards, two interceptions and a 32.8 passer rating.
Even at the start of year two, Young didn't look much different from the inaccurate, unsure, rhythm-less quarterback he was as a rookie.
Jacksonville Jaguars, RB, Travis Etienne
The third-year back isn't solely to blame for Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. But his monumental mistake in the second half turned the tide.
Etienne fumbled in the end zone with the Jaguars up 17-7 and 2:19 remaining in the third quarter. The Dolphins scored a touchdown on the next play en route to 13 unanswered and the victory.
New York Giants defense
The G-Men couldn't stop QB Sam Darnold or the Minnesota Vikings offense in a 28-6 defeat. The former No. 3 overall pick completed his first 12 pass attempts, throwing for 208 yards (19-of-24) with two touchdowns.
The Giants offense shouldn't be let off the hook, either, as it managed only 240 total yards, guided by another underwhelming performance from QB Daniel Jones (22-of-42, 186 yards, two INT). Regardless, despite having a respectable defensive line led by Brian Burns, the team's inability to pressure Darnold (sacked once) or slow him down stands out.
Atlanta Falcons offensive line
In Sunday's 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, shaky offensive line play failed QB Kirk Cousins and the Falcons.
Cousins threw for only 155 yards (16-of-26) with a touchdown and two interceptions while being hit seven times and sacked twice in his debut. Likewise, RB Bijan Robinson struggled to get going, averaging 3.8 yards per attempt (18 carries, 68 yards).
Cleveland Browns, QB, Deshaun Watson
The Browns' $230-million man continued to look vastly overpaid following a horrendous outing in a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 28-year-old averaged just 3.8 YPA, throwing for 169 yards (24-of-45) with a touchdown and two interceptions.
The Cowboys' defense is talented, but the Browns are surely expecting more from their highly-compensated QB.
Las Vegas Raiders offense
There were concerns about the unit ahead of the season, all of which seemingly came to fruition in a 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders tallied 296 yards, averaging 6.1 YPA through the air and only 3.2 YPA on the ground.
Led by QB Gardner Minshew, the attack looked unspectacular and lacked an identity, which will have to change soon if the Raiders hope to compete.
Cincinnati Bengals, QB Joe Burrow
Fully healthy after an injury derailed his 2023 season, the former Pro Bowler looked anything but in a 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots. Burrow was efficient (21-of-29) but averaged only 5.7 YPA (164 yards) and looked unwilling to let plays develop or push the ball down the field.
There's a lot of season to go, but Burrow looked less-than-ordinary on Sunday, especially without injured WR Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, who was lost in free agency this offseason.
More must-reads:
- Commanders look just as bad as expected in season-opening blowout loss
- Watch: Giants fans walk out early after abysmal start to season
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
Boston Bruins Bleak 2025-26 Outlook Raises Concerns
As the Boston Bruins prepare for the upcoming NHL season, there are a lot of questions around the roster. Boston missed the playoffs last year, taking a massive step back from where the team normally has been. But even entering this coming year, there isn't a lot of optimism around the Bruins. Boston has a few solid pieces on the roster, but the team hasn't improved much. This has led some to believe that Boston will again miss the playoffs next season. One of those people is NHL writer Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report, who predicted them to be on the outside looking in. "They lack a top-line center, don't have scoring depth after David Pastrnak, the defense wasn't always great even before the injuries to Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm and they desperately need Jeremy Swayman to bounce back and play like the $8 million per year goalie they are paying him to be," wrote Gretz. Boston is going to have a tough time competing in the Eastern Conference this season, and it could see them miss the postseason again. The Bruins haven't done all that much this summer to improve the team, and it could end up costing them. The direction of the Bruins remains one of the bigger mysteries around the NHL, and the front office has been kind of stagnant. If this team wants to contend this season, the best bet is to bank on the team staying healthier than they did last year. But betting on health throughout a season is typically a risky play. Boston's front office still has work to do, and the clock is ticking on them to add to this team.
Michael Hage’s Dominance Clear at World Juniors Showcase
The World Junior Showcase showed the dominance of multiple Montreal Canadiens prospects this past week. After discussing Koivu’s play in the mini tournament earlier today, it is now time for a discussion on the 21st overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Michael Hage. Much like his Finnish counterpart, the Canadian forward Hage stood out from his teammates throughout the showcase. Hage, who is arguably a top 3 prospect within the Montreal Canadiens pipeline, put on a show that should help him secure a role within Canada’s 2026 World Juniors team. The fact that he proved to be one of the best players for Canada this past week shows that not even getting an invite to the team’s final selection camp, despite a very strong freshman season at the University of Michigan, seemed silly, as even last year, he likely should have had a shot at making the team. Now that he managed to score a goal in all 4 games that he played for Canada at the World Juniors Showcase, there is almost no way that Canada can leave him off the roster. One of the most memorable moments throughout the whole tournament for Hage was definitely when he was in a scrum, mixing it up with his former Canadiens Development camp roommate, Aatos Koivu, as previously mentioned in my article from earlier today. Another amazing moment in that game was Hage’s goal, where he completely deked around the Finland goalie to put the puck in the net. It will be interesting to see where in the Canada lineup Hage will land, as a lot of notable names such as Michael Misa, Beckett Sennecke, and Tij Iginla did not play at the showcase. The good news is that the first two names may end up playing in the NHL, allowing a spot higher in the lineup for Hage. Another thing that will work well in Hage’s favour is that he is very versatile and can play on the wing or at centre for Canada. His coach even praised his “hard skills” for Canada during those four games he played. After watching Hage’s play over the last year, one thing is clear: he could be a play driver on whatever line he plays on for Canada. His game also seems like it will translate well at the pro level. Many may say that Hage must play a top 6 role for Canada, but the fact that he can play an aggressive style and has a strong defensive game could mean that he is also able to play in a bottom-six role if need be. The truth is it would be unlikely he would have to be on the bottom 6, but if the guys mentioned above aren’t in the NHL and are instead on the team, there is a chance that it could happen. This upcoming season with the Michigan Wolverines should be a big one where Hage could find his way in the Hobey Baker conversation if he improves on his 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games. The first half of the season will be telling for his place with Hockey Canada, whereas the 2nd half could also help him earn some time at the pro level. The way Hage has played since being drafted, it feels more like it’s more about when he’ll play for the Canadiens in a regular-season game, rather than if he will. Will Hage prove that he’s ready to play at the pro level this year at Michigan?
Atlanta Falcons UDFA Cobee Bryant Announcing His Presence at Training Camp
The Atlanta Falcons signed former Kansas Jayhawks cornerback Cobee Bryant as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL draft. Bryant had 128 tackles, 22 passes defended, and 13 interceptions during his four-year collegiate career. It was a bit of a surprise that Bryant went undrafted, and head coach Raheem Morris said last spring that the team made him a priority. "We were fortunate enough to be able to bring him here on a 30 visit and to get a chance to meet with him and get around him and really find some real interest and be able to grow,” Morris said of the Falcons’ pre-draft interest in Bryant. “Then, when it came down to that – let's call it what it is, the recruiting process – I had a real clear vision and was able to really speak to him in a real clear fashion because I had watched the tape. I'd been around him. I knew what he can do. "I knew what he was capable of. Whoever we were competing with basically didn't have a chance.” The rookie has been dealing with injury and had yet to play during 11-on-11s in camp; that is, until Monday. Bryant quickly showed why the Falcons felt good about the addition at cornerback despite not taking one in the draft. Bryant worked with the second-team defense, and he made the most of his snaps. Bryant intercepted a Kirk Cousins pass, a ball that was intended deep down the left sideline for newly signed wide receiver DJ Chark. Fellow members of Atlanta’s 2025 rookie class already see Bryant’s intensity and talent. “He’s a ball of energy,” Jalon Walker said. “I appreciate Cobee so much, the way, the energy that he brings to the locker room, the energy he brings outside, you know, that’s what we need in the defense. And of course, him getting that pick today it brings a smile to everybody.” While the play probably did not get a smile out of Kirk Cousins, Bryant certainly brought the energy to practice. Not only did he register his interception, but he also broke up a pass earlier in the day from Michael Penix Jr to Casey Washington. Bryant also matched up against Drake London and Kyle Pitts, getting the change to show his mettle against the Falcons’ twin towers. “I can just see his love for the game,” Penix replied when asked what he’s seen out of Bryant in camp so far. “He love to play football. He love to be out here. You know, he got, he got a good connection with a lot of guys in the locker room, but he's been a good man. He’s working, trying to get back on the field. And now that he’s back there, back on the field, he made a couple plays, so we see what we want to see out of him.” Energy has been the theme of Atlanta’s training camp in 2025. Penix spoke about how the intensity and energy were there six days ago. Brandon Dorlus said something similar four days ago. Well, the undrafted free agent from Kansas has certainly been bringing the energy to the locker room, and as he gets healthy, he’s showing it on the field.
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