Small sample sizes can lead to some confounding conclusions.
In the NFL world, it can be difficult to tell which results are really a sneak peek of whats to come. In 2019, there were several meaningful provings– including Lamar Jackson sparking the Baltimore Ravens offense to a thrashing of the Miami Dolphins– as well as some dangerous precursors– like the Cleveland Browns flop versus the Tennessee Titans. The very first week of games has also produced plenty of outliers over the years — for example, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over the New Orleans Saints in 2018.
With that in mind, we asked our NFL writers, reporters and editors: Which NFL team, coach or gamer needs to prove Week 1 wasnt a fluke?
Here are their responses:
I wasnt straight-out stunned the Arizona Cardinals beat the safeguarding NFC and NFC West champ San Francisco 49ers in their own structure to kick off the 2020 season. The backfield began to click when midseason trade acquisition RB Kenyan Drake teamed with eventual offending novice of the year Kyler Murray– that duo was absolutely efficient versus the vaunted Niners defense, along with recently acquired superstar WR DeAndre Hopkins and his career-best 14 catches. It did an excellent job keeping San Frans run game– the NFCs most efficient in 2019– mainly in check … though it helped that the 49ers were without their top wide receivers, and TE George Kittle was a ghost after halftime following a knee injury.
He had rather a vibrant Week 1 outing, passing for 312 backyards and 2 goals and hurrying for 57 backyards and a goal in a 27-17 triumph over the Jets. Until Sunday, he had never ever taped a 300-yard passing day in his two previous seasons. This week he faces a Dolphins defense that yielded only four 300-yard trips last season, and who just held Cam Newton and the Patriots listed below 200 passing backyards.
The Washington Football Team opened its new-name age with an upset win thanks to a talented defense that powered eight sacks and two interceptions. Can they duplicate the disruption against an Arizona offense that outlived San Franciscos vaunted defense in Week 1? A mad Kyler Murray will do his best to stop them. Depend on Murray to avoid Washington much better than Carson Wentz did. Include in electric alternative DeAndre Hopkins (14 catches, 151 backyards in opener) and Murray will be an issue. Prove us wrong, Washington.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
No Week 1 outcome was more confusing than the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts. A reality check may wait for with Sundays journey to face the Tennessee Titans, whom the Jaguars have not beaten in Nashville since 2013.
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The backfield began to click when midseason trade acquisition RB Kenyan Drake teamed with eventual offensive rookie of the year Kyler Murray– that duo was absolutely effective versus the vaunted Niners defense, along with recently acquired super star WR DeAndre Hopkins and his career-best 14 catches. He had quite a dynamic Week 1 trip, passing for 312 lawns and 2 touchdowns and hurrying for 57 yards and a touchdown in a 27-17 victory over the Jets. The Washington Football Team opened its new-name era with an upset win thanks to a skilled defense that powered eight sacks and two interceptions. Can they duplicate the interruption versus an Arizona offense that outlived San Franciscos vaunted defense in Week 1? No Week 1 outcome was more puzzling than the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
