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COLTS SIGN RB AMEER ABDULLAH TO PRACTICE SQUAD, RELEASE RB KHALIL HERBERT FROM PRACTICE SQUAD
Indianapolis – The Indianapolis Colts today signed running back Ameer Abdullah to the practice squad and released running back Khalil Herbert from the practice squad.
Abdullah, 5-9, 203 pounds, has played in 141 career games (26 starts) in his time with the San Francisco 49ers (2025), Las Vegas Raiders (2022-24), Carolina Panthers (2021), Minnesota Vikings (2018-21) and Detroit Lions (2015-18). He has compiled 494 carries for 1,994 yards (4.0 avg.) and eight touchdowns. Abdullah has registered 203 receptions for 1,468 yards (7.2 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. He has totaled 151 kickoff returns for 3,783 yards (25.1 avg.) and 10 punt returns for 91 yards (9.1 avg.). Abdullah has appeared in two postseason contests and has recorded one carry for nine yards, one reception for seven yards and six kickoff returns for 151 yards (25.2 avg.). He was originally selected by the Lions in the second round (54th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. His name is pronounced uh-meer ab-dool-uh.
Herbert, 5-9, 212 pounds, was signed to the team’s practice squad on August 27, 2025. He was originally signed by Indianapolis as an unrestricted free agent on March 14, 2025. Herbert has played in 56 career games (13 starts) in his time with the Colts (2025), Cincinnati Bengals (2024) and Chicago Bears (2021-24). He has registered 400 carries for 1,905 yards (4.8 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Herbert has totaled 53 receptions for 312 yards (5.9 avg.) and two touchdowns. He has also recorded 36 kickoff returns for 920 yards (25.6 avg.) and seven special teams tackles.
A LOOK AROUND THE AFC SOUTH: JAGUARS WIN BIG, TEXANS AND TITANS STRUGGLE IN WEEK 1
The biggest news in the AFC South in Week 1 was, arguably, the Colts winning their first season opener in 11 years and scoring on all seven of their possessions, beating the Miami Dolphins 33-8 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
But of course, the other three teams in the division also played Sunday afternoon: the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Carolina Panthers, the Houston Texans lost to the Los Angeles Rams and the Tennessee Titans fell to the Denver Broncos (the Colts’ upcoming Week 2 opponent).
Jaguars win in Liam Coen’s first game as head coach
The Jaguars entered Week 1 with plenty of questions surrounding them, as most new-look NFL teams do.
Chief among them were speculation about quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s performance in his first NFL game in nine months, how rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter would be used and what the team would look like under new head coach Liam Coen.
All of those questions were effectively answered on Sunday as the Jaguars jumped out to an early lead over the Panthers and held on, through an hour-long lightning delay, for a 26-10 victory. Lawrence completed 19-of-31 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown to tight end Hunter Long, with one interception. Kicker Cam Little kicked four field goals and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. recorded a rushing touchdown.
Hunter played 42 of 66 total offensive snaps, and played six defensive snaps. He had six receptions on eight targets for 33 yards.
“It feels great, the direction we’re heading,” Lawrence said postgame. “Like I said, you got to take it for what it is. We won in week one. We’re 1-0 to start the season, and we’re all pumped about that. A lot of work went into it, and no one takes it for granted how hard it is to win in this league. So we’re all really proud of that, but it’s one game. You know, we’ve got to keep doing it. Consistency is what will be the difference, and we have to continue to prepare and play well.”
Running back Travis Etienne Jr. was the standout player of the game with 16 carries for 143 yards, including a 71-yard run that set up Thomas’ touchdown a few plays later. The Jaguars’ defense had an equally strong game, with nine passes defensed, five quarterback hits, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. In 2024, the Jaguars were 32nd in the NFL with just nine takeaways all season.
While there’s plenty the Jaguars feel they need to clean up going forward, they couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the 2025 season and they’ll look to continue that momentum into Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.
Texans fall victim to “lollygagging” in loss to Rams
Quarterback C.J. Stroud didn’t mince words following the Texans’ 14-9 loss to the Rams Sunday afternoon.
“We didn’t deserve to win that game because we didn’t do the right thing,” he said postgame. “When you come out in the NFL lollygagging and going through the motions, that kind of happens. I think we’ll be all right, but I think it’s a good wakeup call for us.”
Stroud was 19-of-27 for 188 yards, with all of the Texans’ scoring coming from field goals by kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. The Texans entered the game without some key offensive pieces in wide receiver Christian Kirk and guard Ed Ingram, and continued to get hit hard as the already-questionable offensive line dealt with more in-game injuries. In the final two quarters, the Texans only recorded 121 total yards and turned the ball over twice, including a fumble on their final possession.
“Injuries happen,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Do we not show up? Do we put the ball away and go home? We compete. It doesn’t matter who’s out there…we don’t complain. We don’t make excuses for that.”
The Texans’ defense did enough to keep the game close, keeping pressure on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford with three sacks (six total quarterback hits), but ultimately the offense was unable to regroup to mount a comeback. They were 2-of-9 on third down conversions and reached the red zone just once in the game.
Injuries and offensive line play will certainly be something to monitor for the Texans going forward, as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.
Titans offense fails to take advantage of opportunities, unable to find rhythm in loss
Similarly to the Texans, the Titans’ defense had a good enough performance to keep their offense within striking distance throughout their season opener against the Denver Broncos.
With five quarterback hits (one sack), six passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble, the Titans held Broncos quarterback Bo Nix to 25-of-40 for 176 yards and a touchdown.
But the Broncos defense was overpowering and the Titans offense struggled mightily as rookie quarterback Cam Ward was just 12-of-28 for 112 yards in the 20-12 loss. Ward showed poise and confidence despite his final stats, but he was sacked six times and intercepted twice; his offense often failed to support and protect him. The Titans were just 2-of-14 on third down with 133 total yards of offense.
“At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays to put ourselves in a position to win at the end,” head coach Brian Callahan said. “I thought our team played with great effort, and we had opportunities to go win it…we couldn’t get any rhythm offensively at all. Defensively I thought we played pretty good, but some of the third down penalties were critical.”
With 13 penalties for 131 yards, the Titans were battling against themselves as much as they were the Broncos.
“Penalties, man,” Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. “Myself, dumb (expletive) that hurts the team. There’s no excuse for that, and I take full responsibility for (mine). But even with all the freakin’ penalties we still had a chance, we were still in the game…but when you have that many penalties, that’s terrible. You’ll never win a game like that, especially against a good football team on the road. We have to clean that up.”
The Titans next face the Atlanta Falcons, and the Colts will play the Broncos on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
THE COLTS LOOK LIKE THEY’VE FOUND A DIFFERENCE-MAKING TIGHT END IN ROOKIE TYLER WARREN
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts drafted tight end Tyler Warren to be a playmaker.
He needed one game to prove he was worthy of the No. 14 overall pick.
Warren caught seven passes for 76 yards, rushed for a first down and nearly made his first touchdown catch in Indy’s first season-opening victory in a dozen years, a 33-8 rout of Miami on Sunday. His reception total was tied for second since 1970 among NFL tight ends making their first career start, and he was second in franchise history in receiving yards by a rookie tight end in his debut.
It wasn’t just the numbers that turned heads.
“He adds a lot,” new starting quarterback Daniel Jones said. “He’s a dangerous guy with the ball in his hands. He’s going to make extra yards. He’s physical. He’s going to go up and make the tough catch.”
The Colts (1-0) saw those traits on Warren’s college tape from Penn State long before they drafted him, and again when he excelled during training camp.
On Sunday, Warren showed how he can exploit the middle of the field, open up passing lanes for others, convert short-yardage plays into first downs, or maybe even throw a pass as he did in college and as a prep star in Virginia.
While it was only one game, Warren looked like he could become Indy’s most effective tight end since two-time Pro Bowler Jack Doyle retired after the 2021 season. Warren caught Jones’ first pass for 14 yards and finished the first half with 57 yards — a franchise record for a rookie tight end.
“He’s impressive,” coach Shane Steichen said. “I thought the first play, hitting him down the boundary, then that third down there with about six minutes left making a guy miss, and then running a guy over, or two guys over, whatever he did, just the physicality. He’s an old-school, throwback freakin’ baller.”
What’s working
Jones. Indy’s eighth opening-day starter in nine years made quick decisions, accurate throws and scored twice on 1-yard runs, posting a 115.9 quarterback rating. He helped end Indy’s opening-day winless streak and if he continues playing this way, the Colts’ four-year playoff drought could be over, too.
What needs help
Finishing drives. On a day the Colts seemed to do all the right things, they settled for 24, 35 and 28-yard field goals. Though it didn’t hurt the Colts in Sunday’s dominant performance, Indy must be more successful scoring red-zone touchdowns in the coming weeks.
Stock up
S Cam Bynum and CB Xavien Howard. They were signed in the offseason to upgrade the secondary, Indy’s biggest hole in 2024. And both delivered right away. Bynum had his first interception with the Colts and nearly had a second, while Howard — who was out of the league last season — recovered a fumble against his former team.
Stock down
Anthony Richardson. If Jones stays healthy and continues to play so efficiently, Richardson — the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft — may not get a chance to reclaim his starting job this season.
Injuries
RB Jonathan Taylor was used sparingly in the second half, but Steichen said after the game that Taylor was “good.” CB Jaylon Jones did not return after re-injuring his left hamstring late in the first half. Steichen said CB Charvarius Ward entered the concussion protocol after having symptoms Monday.
Key number
7 — The Colts opened the season by scoring on all seven possessions, becoming the first NFL team since at least 1978 to score every time it had the ball.
Next steps
The Colts haven’t been 2-0 since 2009, when they last reached the Super Bowl. Nobody is comparing this team to that one yet, but Indy has a chance at the same record through Week 2. The Colts host Denver on Sunday.
J.J. MCCARTHY RECOVERS FROM PICK-6, RALLIES VIKINGS TO WIN OVER BEARS
Chicago kid J.J. McCarthy made his first NFL start a memorable one, rallying the visiting Minnesota Vikings to a 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night.
McCarthy made the decisive play with his legs on third-and-1 from the Chicago 14 with the clock ticking under three minutes. From the shotgun, he faked a handoff to running back Jordan Mason and sprinted right, racing to the front corner of the end zone behind a bullying block from tight end T.J. Hockenson to give the Vikings a 27-17 lead with 2:53 remaining.
Minnesota scored 21 unanswered points with touchdowns on three consecutive drives in the fourth quarter to erase a two-score deficit.
However, after going up 10, the Vikings allowed the Bears to reach the end zone in just 57 seconds to keep hope alive.
The Vikings’ defense played a key role turning the game with third-down stops on six consecutive drives in response to the Bears jumping ahead 17-6, then propped the door open for Chicago when linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was flagged for roughing Bears quarterback Caleb Williams with 2:12 to go.
On the ensuing play, Williams scrambled up the middle away from pressure and sprinted to his right for 14 yards, but he was ruled out of bounds a foot shy of the goal line. Williams connected with Rome Odunze on an in-cutting slant from the left of the formation for a 1-yard touchdown, making it a 27-24 game.
McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. A first-round pick in 2024, he missed last season recovering from knee surgery.
Williams, selected with the top pick nine slots before Minnesota chose McCarthy last year, was 21 of 35 for 210 yards and a TD. He led the team with 58 rushing yards and a touchdown.
McCarthy’s second touchdown pass of the game came one snap after a pass-interference penalty, Chicago’s 11th infraction in the game, saved the Vikings from a field-goal try. He found running back Aaron Jones down the right sideline for a 27-yard score and added the two-point pass to Adam Thielen with a quick out for a 20-17 advantage with 9:46 to go in the game.
Chicago had momentum and a 17-6 lead early in the third quarter thanks to Nahshon Wright’s pick-6. The cornerback jumped McCarthy’s pass to his left intended for Justin Jefferson and sprinted 74 yards for a touchdown and an 11-point advantage.
Right as the wheels appeared ready to wobble off for the Vikings, McCarthy pulled Minnesota within a score.
He zipped a 13-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Jefferson, who had a team-high four receptions for 44 yards. The Vikings’ two-point try failed to keep the score 17-12 early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota sacked Williams for the first time in the game on Chicago’s first-down snap and forced a punt to get the ball right back.
Williams scored the first touchdown of the game on the Bears’ opening drive, punching it in on a busted third-and-6 play from the Vikings 9, reaching the end zone to stake Chicago to a 7-0 lead. Minnesota answered with a pair of Will Reichard field goals (31, 59 yards) sandwiched around Cairo Santos’ 42-yarder, all in the second quarter.
4 PLAYOFF TEAMS, INCLUDING BOTH NO. 1 SEEDS, HAD DISAPPOINTING OPENERS IN THE NFL’S FIRST WEEK
The NFL’s two No. 1 seeds last season are off to 0-1 starts, and the Baltimore Ravens blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead.
Let the overreactions begin.
The Detroit Lions were no contest for Jordan Love, Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
They joined the Kansas City Chiefs, who opened with a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil on Friday night.
The Ravens became the fourth 2024 division winner to lose in Week 1 when Josh Allen rallied the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory.
The Houston Texans were the other, falling to the Los Angeles Rams 14-9.
Jared Goff and Detroit’s dynamic offense sputtered in the first game since offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left for Chicago. The Lions didn’t score a touchdown until the final minute in a 27-13 loss at Green Bay.
After winning a franchise-record 15 games last season, the Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington. They lost Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who went to the New York Jets.
Expectations were still high for Detroit despite losing both assistants and center Frank Ragnow to retirement. With star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson coming back to boost the defense, the Lions were focused on unfinished business.
A lopsided loss in Green Bay doesn’t signal their two-year reign atop the tough NFC North is over.
It’s one game. Of course, the Packers proved they’re a real contender.
“I thought we’d be much cleaner than we were, and it wasn’t as clean,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “But there again, you’re talking about a few plays that were critical. But like I told the team, these are all so correctable. Everything that showed up is so correctable, and we will, we’ll hit it head on. Our players are accountable man; they’re ready. And nobody takes it worse than they do, so that’s the good news. We got the right dudes.”
The Chiefs, who also went 15-2 last season and were denied a three-peat by the Philadelphia Eagles, lost 27-21 to the Chargers.
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid’s Chiefs are staring at the possibility of their first 0-2 start since 2014 with the Eagles coming to Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch.
But it’s way too early to claim the Chiefs’ run of dominance — they’ve won nine straight AFC West titles — has ended. It may be near but it’s not here after just one game 3,500 miles away.
Until another team proves they can defeat Mahomes in January, the Chiefs are still the team to beat in the AFC.
Also, two of the three teams — Ravens and Texans — considered to be their biggest threats in the conference also lost.
Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens looked unstoppable against Buffalo for 3 1/2 quarters. Then Henry fumbled, opening the door for Allen to pull off a stunning comeback capped by Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal as time expired.
It’s a huge win for the Bills, who’ve lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs four times in five years. They’re the class of the AFC East, but another division title isn’t the goal. Buffalo won’t be satisfied with anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl.
Same goes for Baltimore.
The Ravens have fallen short in the playoffs six times with Jackson.
“We all hate losing,” said Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP. “Probably let it linger for a night then we have to forget about it and get ready for the Browns, a division rival.”
The loss to the Bills could have home-field advantage implications down the road but Baltimore knows it’s just one game.
The Ravens started 0-2 last season and ended up winning the AFC North.
Houston faced a team that nearly knocked off Philadelphia in the playoffs last season. C.J. Stroud had a tough time against a formidable defense. He was sacked three times and threw an interception.
The Texans, who’ve won the AFC South two straight seasons, overcame an 0-2 start in 2023. They’ll have a difficult task trying to avoid that when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit next Monday night.
“I think it’s good, it’s early, there’s a bunch of upside I think we could possibly have,” Stroud said. “I always try to think positively and give ourselves a little grace, but also there’s an urgency and there’s some things we need to fix so I know conversations will be hard. We’ll be hard on each other, but I think it’s a good thing. It’s what friction is. I think that’s love. So I want to see all my teammates do well. I think when there’s friction in that, I think sometimes is a good thing in a positive way.”
The Texans, Bills, Lions, Chiefs and the rest of the teams have 16 more games to figure it out. The Super Bowl wasn’t won or lost in Week 1.
RAVENS’ LATE-GAME COLLAPSE AGAINST BILLS RAISES MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO FINISH
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens went back to the site of their most recent playoff agony — and once again showed why their seasons keep ending that way.
Lamar Jackson flirted with a perfect passer rating and Derrick Henry ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns, but the Ravens are past the point where any of that matters. Yes, they moved the ball at will at times, rushing for 238 yards on the road against a Buffalo team that was in the AFC title game last year — but a late fumble by Henry undid much of his good work, and isn’t that always the story for this Baltimore team? Excellence, sabotaged just enough to result in defeat.
Bills 41, Ravens 40. After Baltimore had been up 40-25 — with possession of the ball and under eight minutes remaining.
The collapse began when Buffalo’s Josh Allen completed a fourth-down pass that deflected off a Bills player before being caught by Keon Coleman in the end zone. That was bad luck for the Ravens.
The rest of it, less so.
Up by eight, Jackson quickly ran for 13 yards and an easy first down. He’d already had an even more spectacular run earlier in the fourth quarter, backtracking some 20 yards to escape a pass rush before turning upfield for a 19-yard gain. Unless the Bills could figure out an answer for him, the game was as good as over.
Except he stopped running the ball.
Instead, Henry got a carry and did the one thing he couldn’t afford to, fumbling to give Buffalo the ball at the Baltimore 30. Even after the Bills scored another touchdown, a missed 2-point conversion left the Ravens ahead by two. But on their next possession, they went three-and-out.
Henry was stopped after 1 yard, Zay Flowers ran for no gain, and a completion by Jackson was short of the line to gain. The Ravens punted, and the Bills drove for the winning field goal on the game’s final play.
“Did we call the right plays? Well, in hindsight, no, (because) they didn’t work,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “And I’m not just saying that to blow it off. Maybe we could have had some sort of a naked boot. I would’ve liked, maybe, if we’d have done that — hindsight being 20/20.”
Harbaugh said there was an option for Jackson to run on the handoff to Flowers.
“That’s a read-option play,” Harbaugh said. “You’ve seen Lamar keep that going forward before. So, in fairness, it was a designed run.”
Baltimore finished with 432 yards of offense, not much different than the 416 it put up in the playoffs against the Bills last season, when the Ravens turned the ball over three times and lost 27-25. The struggles finishing — games and seasons — is a major issue for a team that has often looked well positioned to win a Super Bowl.
If the Ravens are tired of people accusing them of folding in big moments, they’d better get used to it. After a loss like this, that reputation will likely hang over them all season — and nothing short of a Super Bowl run may be enough to change it.
What’s working
When the Ravens avoid turnovers and self-inflicted problems, they have an offense that could be not only the best in the league right now — but one of the best of all time. The Ravens set an NFL single-season record last season with 5.76 yards per rush. Baltimore’s 6.85 yards per play was the third-highest average in league history. On Sunday, the Ravens averaged 8.2 per rush and 8.6 per play. They make offensive football look remarkably easy at times.
What needs work
The little things. At the end of the first half, Baltimore allowed the Bills to go 48 yards in the final 25 seconds despite being out of timeouts, and they kicked a last-second field goal that loomed large later.
Not every baffling decision by the Ravens resulted in disaster. After intercepting a 2-point conversion pass, star safety Kyle Hamilton for some reason lateraled to Kyle Van Noy instead of just taking a knee. Van Noy eventually took a knee to end the play, and Harbaugh was miffed at Hamilton.
“I just questioned whether he actually graduated from Notre Dame or not,” Harbaugh said, drawing a laugh. “That’s what I questioned him on. I thought that was one of the most foolish things I’ve ever seen. He agreed, and it should never happen again.”
Stock up
Flowers caught seven passes for 143 yards and a touchdown after missing the playoff game against Buffalo because of an injury.
Stock down
The Bills have an MVP quarterback in Allen, and Baltimore’s defense had no answers by the end of the game. Allen threw for 394 yards, including 251 in the fourth quarter.
Injuries
The Ravens were missing FB Patrick Ricard (calf) in this game, along with TE Isaiah Likely (foot). Harbaugh said Ricard may practice a bit this week.
Key stat
Buffalo had 15 first downs to Baltimore’s three in the fourth quarter.
Up next
The Ravens host former Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
EVERYONE SEEMS TO AGREE: SPITTING ON SOMEBODY ELSE IS JUST WRONG. BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING
Inter Miami’s Luis Suárez further damaged his reputation. Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles cost himself the chance to play in a season-opening game. Florida’s Brendan Bett gave South Florida a 15-yard gift on its drive that decided its win over the Gators.
Their transgression: spitting.
In the span of seven days from last Sunday through this past Saturday, there were three high-profile spitting incidents in sports. They were immediately condemned, including by those close to the offending parties such as the Florida coach who called such behavior “unacceptable.” The reviled responses show there are limits to allowable aggressions, even in the most heated competitions.
“There are a lot of written and unwritten rules about how you interact with others,” said Dr. Peter Valentin, the chair of the forensic science department at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. “And in the sports world, you can have two opponents vie for supremacy and they go at each other very, very aggressively. But it’s done with a measure of respect. … The idea of spitting on your opponent communicates disrespect. And I would be shocked if that wasn’t the intent of that act, to just demonstrate disdain for your opponent.”
Suárez, who has been previously sanctioned at times in his career for biting opponents, spit on a member of the Seattle Sounders’ staff after Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss there in the Leagues Cup final. Carter spit — or spit back, depending on perspective — at Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott before the first play from scrimmage in the first NFL game of the regular season Thursday night. Bett spit at a South Florida player, and those 15 penalty yards helped the Bulls get a chip-shot field goal to win 18-16 on the final play of the game.
“We’ll take a good look at it, but it’s unacceptable,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “And I think we have a lot of players in that room as well that have the same belief that it’s unacceptable. When a guy does something like that, he’s compromising the team.”
Around the NFL this week, the reactions to spitting were clear.
“That’s just not professional,” Arizona offensive lineman Paris Johnson said.
“You can’t do that,” Green Bay defensive lineman Rashan Gary said.
“You don’t want to see anyone getting spit on,” Tennessee offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry III said.
Suárez got a six-game suspension from future Leagues Cup matches and will miss the next three Major League Soccer matches for his team as well, which will hurt the playoff push for Lionel Messi and his squad. Carter got kicked out of the Eagles-Cowboys game and Bett was ejected for what became the final seven plays of the Florida-South Florida game.
“It was a mistake that happened on my side,” Carter said. “Just won’t happen again.”
Replays later revealed that Prescott spit first, but only in the general direction of the Eagles’ defense and not onto an opposing player. Carter, in response, spit on Prescott.
“I guess I needed to spit,” Prescott said. “I wasn’t going to spit on my linemen. I just spit ahead. … I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game. I’m sure he probably regrets that to some extent. I’m pretty sure he knows I didn’t try to spit on him or wasn’t even aiming to spit on him.”
Players around the league could easily see how that sort of back-and-forth was going to escalate quickly.
“You’ve got to fight me at that point, spitting on another player,” Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo said. “If you spit at his feet, I guess it’s just like talking. But spitting on another player like that is unacceptable.”
Saliva is critical for its role in promoting digestion, assisting with dental health, carrying antibodies and more. But public health officials — in lessons that were hammered home during the pandemic that started in 2020 — also point out that saliva can carry and transmit diseases, everything from cold, flu, the Epstein-Barr virus, strep, some types of hepatitis and even herpes.
It’s also, well, icky.
In the way spitting occurred in and after those three games this past week, it was simply considered degrading. And there are few things that seem to trigger stronger reactions in sports than when someone intentionally spits on another person.
“It’s just a new level of disrespect, not only for your opponent, but for the game itself,” Valentin said. “I understand that the way that people behave around each other is very culturally significant. And you can imagine the culture in a league. The unwritten rules are important. Spitting has never been part of the culture. I am certain of that.”
RUSSELL WILSON WILL REMAIN THE GIANTS’ STARTING QB GOING INTO WEEK 2
Russell Wilson will start at quarterback for the New York Giants in their second game of the season Sunday at Dallas, coach Brian Daboll said, keeping the veteran in the role after a lackluster performance in the opener.
Daboll made the announcement of Wilson remaining the starter on a video call with reporters Monday less than 24 hours after he left open the possibility of turning to rookie Jaxson Dart.
Wilson was 17 of 37 for 168 yards in a 21-6 loss to Washington. The Giants did not score a touchdown in Week 1 for a third consecutive year.
Dart, a first-round pick whom the organization hopes is the future at the position, dressed as Wilson’s backup but is still awaiting making his NFL debut.
EAGLES ACQUIRE RB TANK BIGSBY FROM THE JAGUARS IN EXCHANGE FOR 2 DRAFT PICKS, AP SOURCE SAYS
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigby was traded to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Monday for two 2026 late-round draft picks, a person familiar with negotiations said.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Bigsby became expendable once the Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round from Virginia Tech. Tuten has shown glimpses of being able to handle a lead role at some point, probably next season.
Bigsby had been on the trading block previously, and the Jaguars found a taker in Philadelphia. The Eagles gave up fifth- and sixth-round draft picks next year to land Bigsby.
Philadelphia was looking for a backup to star Saquon Barkley after Will Shipley sustained a rib injury on a kickoff return in the opener.
Bigsby was a third-round pick from Auburn in 2023. He has 910 yards rushing and nine touchdowns in two-plus seasons. But he struggled catching the ball and picking up blitzes.
He carries five times for 12 yards in the opener against Carolina on Sunday. He watched from the sideline as Travis Etienne ran for 143 yards on 16 carries. The Jaguars also gave Tuten three carries and have installed seventh-round pick LeQuint Allen from Syracuse as the team’s third down back.
AFTER DOMINATING THE PATRIOTS, THE RAIDERS’ DEFENSE FACES A TEST AGAINST THE CHARGERS
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — It’s not that all the questions about the Raiders’ defense have gone away, especially given the Patriots’ offensive ineptitude, but for one game, that side of the ball more than did its job.
Las Vegas completely shut down New England in the second half, only allowing a late field goal after Sunday’s 20-13 victory was all but secured. The Patriots moved into scoring position for that kick because the Raiders played the clock game and allowed Drake Maye to complete a series of short passes.
Until that point, the Patriots had six consecutive empty possessions — five ended in punts and the other with an interception. They gained just 82 yards in those drives.
“Everybody is talking about how the defense is going to be a weakness of our team,” safety Isaiah Pola-Mao said. “It’s great to come out and have that kind of game from our defense. We’ve got to build off of that.”
The Las Vegas defense should get a major test Monday night when Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers visit. Herbert passed for 318 yards and three touchdowns and showed his athleticism by putting away a 27-21 victory over Kansas City in Brazil with a 19-yard run on third-and-14.
Under second-year coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers have designs on unseating the Chiefs in the AFC West. Now the Raiders get to enter that conversation, and maybe their defense will give them a chance against the Chargers and other divisional opponents.
First-year coach Pete Carroll oversaw the intimidating “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, and he already has put his stamp on the Raiders’ unit. He also retained coordinator Patrick Graham, who last season still got quality production out of a Las Vegas defense decimated by injuries.
Their collaboration and halftime adjustments were critical to not only defeating the Patriots, but shutting them down.
“I thought Pat really adjusted well to what was going on in the game,” Carroll said. “They threw the ball quite a bit, and he adjusted quickly and put us in good positions for rushing in, for covering and changing up and disguising and things like that. That really worked out for us. You could feel the surge on defense. It kind of changed the complexion of the game.”
Now it’s matter of doing it again Monday and then the rest of the season.
Until that happens, questions about the Raiders’ defense won’t completely go away.
What’s working
Geno Smith completed 24 of 34 passes for 362 yards and a touchdown, the second-most yards for a Raiders quarterback in a season opener — behind only Derek Carr’s 435 against Baltimore in 2021. Smith, who the Raiders acquired from the Seahawks, overcame a first-quarter interception that wiped out momentum the rest of the half as well as a shaky offensive line that allowed four sacks.
What needs help
That line not only had trouble protecting Smith, it failed to open running lanes for rookie Ashton Jeanty. The sixth pick in the NFL draft rushed for 38 yards on 19 carries, and 44 yards came after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. The line needs to get it right for Jeanty to have a chance to live up to his lofty expectations.
Stock up
The Raiders’ pass rush came from all over, sacking Maye four times. That was the most for the franchise since it had four against Indianapolis in 2013. The Raiders also pressured Maye on 22% of passing plays, according to Sportradar, and registered nine QB hits.
Stock down
AJ Cole might be the NFL’s best punter, but he put two in the end zone for touchbacks for a 38.6-yard net average. He hasn’t finished a season with a net average less than 40 yards since his rookie season in 2019.
Injuries
Tight end Brock Bowers (knee) and linebacker Elandon Roberts (elbow) were injured, and Carroll called both day to day. Bowers expressed hope after the game that having an extra day before playing the Chargers would help him get back on the field for Monday night. Carroll also said Smith played through a tight hamstring.
Key number
9 — The number of completions Smith had that were 20 yards or longer, which tied his career high and equaled the Raiders’ best since at least 1991.
Next steps
The Raiders play their first divisional opponent when the Chargers visit next Monday night.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND ERRORS LEAVE BROWNS IN A FAMILIAR SPOT AFTER WEEK 1 LOSS TO BENGALS
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Browns accomplished most of what they wanted against the Cincinnati Bengals.
And yet, it still didn’t add up to a win.
The offense was methodical and controlled the clock while the defense limited Joe Burrow to the third-fewest yards of his career. However, a pair of missed kicks and untimely turnovers resulted in a 17-16 loss.
That puts the Browns in a familiar spot after Week 1. They are 3-24 in openers since their 1999 return with three of the defeats coming by one point.
“It got us really mad. That’s the mindset we need to have coming into this next week,” tight end David Njoku said after the game.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II said Njoku had every right to be angry, as did the rest of the locker room.
“We had them where we wanted them, and then we didn’t finish,” he said. “Taking that motivation is easy. Just learn from the bad things and continue to do the good things. And just find a way to win next week.”
Joe Flacco completed 31 of 45 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He directed an offense that put together four drives of 10 plays or more with points coming on three of the possessions. The only one that didn’t was Andre Szmyt’s 36-yard field-goal attempt that was wide right in the fourth quarter that would have given Cleveland the lead.
Szmyt also missed an extra point, which was the difference in the final score.
Flacco’s first interception ended up leading to the go-ahead field goal by Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson.
With five of Cleveland’s first six games against teams that made the playoffs, the close loss is a painful reminder of there being no room for error for a team that won only three times last season.
“Well, there’s a lot of messages after a game like that,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “You want to come away with those from those games with a win, and the disappointment is real. The other thing that’s real is we got a game this week and you got to turn the page and that’s what we’ll do as a football team. We’ll learn from this one.”
What’s working
Ball control. Cleveland had the third-most time of possession in the Week 1 games through Sunday night at 35 minutes, 49 seconds. The Browns converted nine of their 16 plays on third down and two of three fourth down attempts.
What needs help
The run game. The Browns averaged only 2.0 yards per carry (49 yards on 24 attempts). That included six carries for no gain or negative yards and the longest gain of the game being 5 yards. Second-round pick Quinshon Judkins signed last Saturday, but whether he will be ready for next week’s game at Baltimore remains to be seen.
Stock up
TE Harold Fannin Jr. The third-round pick had seven receptions for 63 yards along with one carry for 3 yards when he lined up as the quarterback in a wildcat formation.
Stock down
Szmyt after his missed kicks. Stefanski though seems willing to give the rookie another chance.
“Andre knows we trust him, knows that he’s got to come through for us in those moments,” Stefanski said on Monday. “I thought he had a really good warm up. Banged a couple early in the game and, you know, missed those two at the end and those are kicks that we expect him to make. But I’m really just focused on that game and we expect him to come through for us.”
Injuries
Stefanski said starting right offensive tackle Jack Conklin is doing better after he was poked in the eye in the second quarter and did not return to the game.
Key numbers
8: Receptions by running back Dylan Sampson, the most catches by a Browns rookie in an opener going back to the 1970 merger. JaJuan Dawson had the previous mark with six in 2000.
11: Times Myles Garrett has sacked Joe Burrow, including two on Sunday. That is tied for the most where the pass rusher and quarterback are both on an active roster. Leonard Floyd has 11 against Aaron Rodgers.
29: Consecutive games where the Browns have not allowed a 300-yard passer, the longest active streak in the league. The Eagles are second with 14.
Next steps
The Browns are at the Baltimore Ravens (0-1) on Sunday. It will be the first time Flacco has played at Baltimore since being traded to Denver in 2019.
49ERS’ GEORGE KITTLE OUT WITH HAMSTRING INJURY, BROCK PURDY’S STATUS UNCERTAIN
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle will miss at least a few weeks with a hamstring injury and quarterback Brock Purdy’s status for this week is in question after he hurt his left shoulder and toe in the season opener.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said the team hasn’t decided yet whether to place Kittle on injured reserve which would sideline him for four weeks or keep him on the active roster in case he can return earlier.
Shanahan said the team is also still waiting to get more tests on receiver Jauan Jennings’ shoulder injury to determine if he needs to miss any time. An MRI came back clean but Jennings still needed to undergo a CT scan.
Purdy’s status remains in question for this week with Shanahan saying that the toe injury is more of a concern than his non-throwing shoulder.
“We’re not sure,” Shanahan said of Purdy’s status for this week. “We have to see how it heals and how the week goes on it.”
Purdy led a game-winning drive on Sunday when he threw a 4-yard TD pass to Jake Tonges with 1:34 to play in a 17-13 win. He went 26 for 35 for 277 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.
Purdy missed two games last season with injuries, sitting out one game with a right shoulder injury and another with a right elbow injury.
If Purdy is unable to play this week at New Orleans, the Niners would turn to Mac Jones. The former first-round pick by New England in 2021 signed with San Francisco as a free agent in March.
Shanahan has been pleased with what he has seen from Jones, who is back healthy after missing time late in training camp with a knee injury.
“I think he’s gotten really used to what we do,” Shanahan said. “He had a little setback there the last couple weeks at camp with the injury that he got. But he had a good week of practice last week, picking up really right where he left off. If he has to go this week, he’ll lead the guys, the guys will believe in him and I know he’ll do his job at a high level.”
Kittle got hurt in the second quarter on Sunday. He had four catches for 25 yards and a TD before the injury. Tonges replaced him and had his first three career catches, including the game-winning TD.
Kittle has dealt with several minor injuries in his career but has played at least 14 games in seven of his eight seasons. He has had four seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving and led San Francisco with 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight TDs last season.
San Francisco did reach an agreement Monday to bring back receiver Kendrick Bourne on a one-year worth up to $5 million and he could have a significant role this week with Kittle out and Jennings’ status in question.
Right guard Ben Bartch also had a minor knee sprain in the game and is day to day.
Possible kicker competition?
Shanahan said the team could look at making a possible change at kicker after Jake Moody missed two field goals Sunday. Moody missed a 27-yarder in the first half and had a 30-yarder blocked in the second half, marking the first time in 19 years that the Niners had two misses inside of 40 yards in the same game.
Moody struggled last season after returning from an ankle injury — missing 9 of 14 attempts from at least 40 yards in his final nine games.
The team brought in Greg Joseph as competition in the offseason but cut him early in camp. Shanahan said the team is considering bringing in another kicker this week.
“We’re looking at all that stuff now,” he said. “There’s options. Whether it’s stay the status quo, bringing guys in for a workout, practice squad. But we’re going through all that right now. Just finished with the team and I know the personnel department is going to look into all of that stuff and give us options.”
CARDINALS SEEK IMPROVEMENT AFTER SEASON-OPENING WIN, BUT A 1-0 START IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray was under the weather during Sunday’s game and — at times — the offense also looked a little unwell.
The Arizona Cardinals’ revamped defensive front produced just one sack and their special teams allowed a blocked field goal at a crucial moment in the fourth quarter at New Orleans.
Even so, the Cardinals are 1-0 for the first time since 2021 after a 20-13 win over the Saints. This isn’t a franchise that’s in position to complain about a road win to open the season.
It might not have been the dominant showing fans wanted, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“The most important thing is a win, so I feel really good about that,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I told the team all three phases made plays to help us win the game. I am sure all three phases, for sure, wants plays back.”
Murray — who was added to the injury report on Sunday morning with an illness — had a solid outing, completing 21 of 29 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
The game highlighted how good — and how bad — the Cardinals’ offense can be.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals looked like a juggernaut, scoring two touchdowns on two drives and gaining 124 total yards. But with a chance to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Arizona’s offense managed just three plays and went backwards 9 yards.
That gave the Saints one more chance to pull off a comeback, but the Cardinals’ defense turned back the threat.
“It’s never easy, never will be easy no matter who you’re playing,” Murray said. “I’m grateful to go out here on the road and get a win. Obviously offensively, yes, we want to do more. Do I want to do more? Of course. But week one, there are a lot of things that we can get better at.”
What’s working
The Cardinals’ secondary — particularly at cornerback — came into Week 1 as one of the team’s biggest question marks.
The group left New Orleans looking like one of Arizona’s unquestioned strengths.
The veteran safety duo of Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson was solid and the young cornerbacks — Garrett Williams, Max Melton and rookie Will Johnson — were outstanding.
What needs help
Murray had a tough time staying upright against the Saints, taking five sacks.
Some of that is just the nature of the way Murray plays, scrambling around in the backfield to buy time and make big plays. But the pass protection still wasn’t great, running lanes were sometimes hard to find and the group committed a handful of penalties.
“Offensively, we could be cleaner,” left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. said. “I was thinking as we walked back to the tunnel, I think today was good, today was cool. Good, but not great.”
Stock up
Trey Benson. The second-string running back behind James Conner might be playing his way into a bigger role. He had 69 yards rushing on eight carries against the Saints, highlighted by a 52-yard gain. It’s clear the coaching staff trusts Benson more than last year, when he was limited to 291 yards rushing as a rookie.
Stock down
Josh Sweat. The edge rusher signed a $76.4 million, four-year deal during the offseason as the crown jewel of the Cardinals’ rebuild on the defensive front, but he didn’t make much of an impact. That was partly because Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler got rid of the ball so quickly, but the Cardinals are expecting more than one tackle per game from Sweat.
Injuries
LB Cody Simon and S Joey Blount are in the concussion protocol.
Key number
9 — Harrison has nine TD catches through his first 18 games. That’s been matched just twice in franchise history, by Larry Fitzgerald and Gern Nagler.
Next steps
The Cardinals host Carolina on Sunday.
RAMS’ IMPROVING DEFENSE CONTINUES LAST SEASON’S LATE SURGE WITH DOMINANT PERFORMANCE IN OPENER
LOS ANGELES (AP) — From Nate Landman to the Land Shark, the Los Angeles Rams’ defense is staking a claim as the strength of the team.
It’s a somewhat surprising development for a unit that struggled pretty badly a year ago, but the Rams have begun the new season with an extension of their best stretch of play since Aaron Donald retired.
The defense carried Los Angeles to a 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans in the season opener on Sunday.
The Rams held C.J. Stroud and his teammates to 265 yards and three field goals, shutting them out in the second half. Coordinator Chris Shula’s group allowed only four snaps in the Los Angeles red zone, all on the same drive in the first half.
Going back to last December, the Rams have held five of their past seven opponents under 10 points — and that stretch includes last year’s meaningless regular-season finale, in which Sean McVay rested his starters.
And on the rare occasions when the Texans got moving, the Rams made big plays.
When Houston got to the Rams 15 late in the second quarter, blitzing defensive back Jaylen McCollough sacked Stroud for a 12-yard loss on third down.
When Stroud tried to hit Jaylen Higgins with a long throw in the third quarter, cornerback Cobie Durant took the ball away from him for a spectacular interception.
“It’s just something I’ve always been about, taking the ball away from the offense and being a ballhawk and just being who I am — and that’s the Land Shark,” Durant said Monday, grinningly evoking his own nickname.
And when the Texans drove into LA territory for a go-ahead score in the final minutes, new linebacker Landman punctuated his strong 10-tackle debut by punching the ball out of Dare Ogunbowale’s arm for what turned out to be a game-deciding fumble.
“Our guys found a way, and that’s what it’s about,” McVay said. “I think you learned a lot about this group (Sunday). There’s a mental toughness, there’s a resilience, and there’s an opportunity for us to learn a lot.”
What’s working
The defense got takeaways and sacks at huge moments, but it also contained Houston’s offense on a down-to-down basis: The Texans managed only two explosive plays and went 2 of 9 on third downs. Stroud repeatedly was forced to settle for short passes or to scramble out of containment just to keep Houston moving. That defensive consistency will pay off down the road.
What needs help
McVay is confident the running game can get better after managing only 72 yards amid injuries to both starting guards. The Rams again relied heavily on Kyren Williams, who got 18 of the 19 carries by a running back. Blake Corum got just one carry, and rookie Jarquez Hunter was inactive.
Stock up
Byron Young stood out on the defense along with Landman, making nine tackles and getting a big sack in the second quarter. Young took a back seat last season to then-rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, but he remains a promising linebacker and pass rusher early in his third season.
Stock down
In another surprising decision by the Rams’ coaching staff, cornerback Darious Williams didn’t get on the field. Williams was a presumptive starter in the second season of his three-year deal to return to Los Angeles, where he won the Super Bowl with the Rams. Emmanuel Forbes took his starting spot against Houston, and McVay said the coaches decided to stick with a three-cornerback rotation all day.
“Darious handled it like a total stud,” McVay said. “He was ready to go if need be.”
Injuries
Guards Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila both have sprained ankles. They’re considered “week to week” by McVay, but he didn’t rule out either for Sunday. … TE Colby Parkinson sprained his shoulder and kept playing, although he also fumbled in the fourth quarter.
Key number
3 — Total receptions by the Rams’ four tight ends. Tyler Higbee didn’t have a target despite playing 35 snaps and running more than 20 routes, while second-round pick Terrance Ferguson didn’t even get on the field. McVay had two tight ends on the field for plenty of plays, but they mostly served to occupy the Texans’ defensive stars while creating opportunities for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Davis Allen did make a TD catch on a beautiful throw by Matthew Stafford, however.
Next steps
The road opener at rebuilding Tennessee appears to be very winnable if the Rams can maintain this defensive standard. A trip to Philadelphia one week later will be a true measuring stick.
LIONS NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS AFTER UGLY 27-13 LOSS TO PACKERS
DETROIT (AP) — Coach Dan Campbell thinks it was easy to see what went wrong for the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s 27-13 season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Fixing it, though, is going to be much tougher.
The Lions didn’t force a turnover or record a sack and scored their only touchdown with 55 seconds left in the game.
“We were off on a lot of things that are just fundamentals,” he said Monday. “It is really that simple. There’s nothing easy about fixing it, but it is that simple to diagnose. The only way to fix it is to just get back to work.”
The problem started with the foundation of Detroit’s offense — a running game led by a tough O-line ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. It finished with 46 yards on 22 carries and didn’t get into the end zone.
Last season, the Lions rushed for at least 100 yards in 16 of their 17 games and also had a rushing touchdown in 16. The last time they had failed to do either was Oct. 15, 2023, when they ran for 40 yards and no touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They won that game 20-6, thanks to 353 passing yards and two touchdowns from Jared Goff and a swarming defensive performance. Against the Packers, Goff threw for 225 yards, and the defense allowed three touchdowns.
“You have to master bread and butter before you can start putting other things on the plate,” Campbell said. “The rest doesn’t matter if we can’t run the ball for more than 2.1 yards per carry. If we can’t, we’re out of our play-action game and defenders can just pin their ears back and come after us.”
What’s working
The rush defense wasn’t bad, holding Green Bay to 78 yards on 25 carries. The longest rush was only 15 yards and the Packers didn’t get a rushing touchdown until the fourth quarter.
What needs help
Sunday was supposed to be a renaissance for the Lions’ pass rush, with Aidan Hutchinson finally back from last season’s broken leg. No one seemed to have told the Packers’ offensive line, though. Not only did Detroit not record a sack, it hit Jordan Love only twice on 22 pass attempts.
Stock up
Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa’s NFL debut was spoiled by an illness that cost him most of last week’s practice time. As a result, he was on the field for only three offensive plays and had only one pass thrown his way.
He made the most of it, though, making a spectacular one-handed catch for Detroit’s only touchdown.
Stock down
The Lions knew they were going to need a big performance from a very young offensive line, but it didn’t happen. The running game struggled and Goff was sacked four times. It could have been worse if Micah Parsons hadn’t been on a limited play count.
Injuries
Cornerback Terrion Arnold left the game with a groin strain. Campbell said he doesn’t believe it is a serious injury, but he doesn’t know if Arnold will be back next week against the Chicago Bears.
Key number
694 — The number of days since the Lions rushed for fewer than 2.1 yards per carry — all they were able to manage against the Packers.
Next steps
Get ready for what has become a crucial NFC North matchup against the Bears and new head coach Ben Johnson, the architect of Detroit’s high-flying offense during Campbell’s reign.
COACH MIKE VRABEL BELIEVES ATTENTION TO DETAIL KEY AS PATRIOTS TURN PAGE ON LACKLUSTER OPENING LOSS
FOXBOROUGH, Mass (AP) — Mike Vrabel didn’t see anything major in the game film to alter his initial assessment of the New England Patriots’ 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bottom line: they need to play better after halftime and play more complementary football overall.
“The defense had three, three-and-outs and we managed three points,” the first-year Patriots coach said Monday.
“Complementary football is not going to exist and we’re not going to win games if our defense can do that and we only manage three points. So there’s going to be times that we’re going to need the offense to help us and possess the football longer to help the defense.”
Fixing that will have to start with second-year quarterback Drake Maye. He had a touchdown pass, but also a poor read that led to an interception which set up Las Vegas’ go-ahead score in the third quarter.
While Maye put most of the blame on himself postgame, receiver Stefon Diggs said there are things they can do to help settle down their quarterback.
“He is a guy that is super hard on himself. We are pulling for him, we just got to continue that positive reinforcement and that positive encouragement. Quarterback is a very hard job so letting him know that you got his back and going to be available for him is going to be key in our success.”
What’s working
It’s small in the grand scheme of things, but Maye did complete passes to 10 different receivers, with three of them pulling in six catches apiece. That’s something to build on for the second-year QB, who relied heavily on tight end Hunter Henry last season. Diggs had six catches for 57 yards and also drew a lot of attention in coverage, freeing up his teammates.
What needs help
Scoring production in the second half. One of the things Vrabel emphasized heading into the opener was the importance of winning the second half of the game. He noted that 13 of the 16 teams what won their Week 1 games last season all outscored their opponents in the second half of the respective games.
The Patriots are 0-1 in living up to that standard after getting outscored by Las Vegas 13-3 over the final 30 minutes of Sunday’s loss.
Stock up
Receiver Kayshon Boutte had six catches for a team-high 103 yards, the second 100-yard receiving game of his three-year career. It’s a strong start and early statement that he can be a dependable option for Maye.
Stock down
Rookie kicker Andy Borregales. After tying the game 7-7, the Patriots defense forced a quick three-and-out. New England promptly drove back into the red zone, but Borregales missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt wide right. He connected from 35 and 44 yards later in the game, but this offense will need him to be consistent on his mid-range opportunities to develop rhythm early in games.
Injuries
Boutte was evaluated late in the first quarter after taking a hard hit from Devin White following a 24-yard catch. But he returned in the second quarter and finished the game.
Key number
33% – The Patriots’ rate on red zone opportunities Sunday, going just 1 for 3 inside the 20-yard line. That’s not a good start for an offense that ranked 30th in red zone scoring last season, scoring touchdowns on only 22 of 47 chances (46.8%).
Next steps
Week 2 brings a jump into division play, as New England visits Miami on Sunday. Awaiting the Patriots is a Dolphins team coming off a 33-8 lass at Indianapolis.
AN UGLY WIN IN THE SEASON OPENER IS STILL AN IMPORTANT WIN FOR THE BUCCANEERS
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Buccaneers will take an ugly win over a division rival on the road to start the season.
Baker Mayfield and the offense weren’t sharp in their first game under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. The defense gave up big plays, couldn’t create any turnovers and didn’t generate much pressure.
Still, with the game on the line, Mayfield made all the clutch throws to lead Tampa Bay to a 23-20 victory at Atlanta on Sunday.
The four-time defending NFC South champions tried to downplay facing the Falcons, who swept the season series and had won four of the previous five meetings.
But beating the biggest challenger to their division championship run in Week 1 should have playoff implications down the road.
Considering most of the starters didn’t see any action in the preseason, it felt more like August than September.
“Those guys didn’t blink whether it was penalties, a bad play or anything else,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “This is the first time they’ve played that many plays in a ballgame with a limited preseason, so I knew there was going to be some fatigue in the second half. But mentally, they didn’t fall off. They believed in each other and that was the biggest take out of the game.”
Mayfield finished 17 of 32 for 167 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka caught two of Mayfield’s three touchdown passes in his NFL debut.
Grizzard is Mayfield’s third offensive coordinator in three seasons in Tampa Bay. Liam Coen (Jacksonville) and Dave Canales (Carolina) got head coach positions after working with Mayfield.
The duo looked as though they’ll need more time to get in sync.
Mayfield led the team in rushing with 39 yards and Bucky Irving was held to only 37 on 14 carries, just a 2.6 average.
The Bucs sorely missed All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who remains sidelined after knee surgery in the summer. The team shook up the offensive line before the game, moving center Graham Barton to left tackle instead of backup Charlie Heck. Left guard Ben Bredeson shifted to center, and Michael Jordan was promoted from the practice squad to start at left guard.
“When we gave (Barton) a couple reps out there, at first it was we were doing it out of emergency,” Bowles said. ”(We were) like, ‘Hey, he looks pretty good out there.’ Then Ben looked pretty good at center and then we just started messing with it a little bit. The more we saw it, the more it started coming into focus. When I first asked (Barton) to do it, I just said in case of emergency, so he took a few reps here and there. Then it got to kind of be kind of an emergency and he started looking better and better and he was firing off the ball in the running game.
“I was like, ’Hey, we might be more physical with Graham at tackle and Ben at center and with Jordan at guard because he had a good preseason. Nobody really wanted to say it, but it was like, ‘Hey, we probably need to do this.’ Then it kind of came into fruition.”
What’s working
The run defense led by Vita Vea in the middle of the defensive line was impressive, holding Bijan Robinson to just 24 yards rushing and limiting Atlanta to only 69 yards on the ground.
What needs help
The pass rush had more roughing-the-passer penalties (2) than sacks. Haason Reddick had the lone sack and it knocked Atlanta out of field-goal range. He also added several pressures and forced two false start penalties. Overall, the Bucs need to get more pressure from the rest of the defense.
Stock up
Egbuka, the 19th overall pick in the draft, had four catches for 67 yards, including TD grabs of 30 and 25 yards. With Mike Evans drawing attention from safeties, Egbuka should thrive against single coverage. Egbuka will play an even bigger role in the offense with the Buccaneers missing wideouts Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan.
Stock down
Chase McLaughlin was wide left on a 44-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half and then hit the left upright on the extra point after Tampa Bay scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:04 left. That allowed the Falcons an opportunity to tie the game with a field goal that was missed.
Injuries
CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and S Christian Izien (oblique) joined (Wirfs (knee), Godwin (ankle) and McMillan (neck) on the sideline.
Key number
75% — The Bucs allowed the Falcons to go 3 of 4 on fourth-down conversions, including a pair of scrambles by Penix on Atlanta’s go-ahead scoring drive.
Next steps
The Buccaneers visit the two-time AFC South champion Houston Texans next Monday night.
TUA TAGOVAILOA AND THE DOLPHINS FACE AN EARLY TEST AFTER ‘MISERABLE’ WEEK 1 LOSS
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Throughout the offseason, Miami Dolphins coaches and players spoke about a renewed culture of discipline, focus and accountability that could set them up for on-field success.
“This is probably the closest team that I’ve been on since I’ve been in Miami,” star receiver Tyreek Hill said just last week. “And as far as offensive chemistry, I feel like this is the best version of what I’ve seen the Miami Dolphins offense (look like).”
None of that was evident in Miami’s season opener against the Colts on Sunday.
The Dolphins unraveled in a 33-8 rout at Indianapolis, undone by a slew of mistakes and operational miscues. It was Miami’s first season-opening loss under Mike McDaniel.
Overreactions are common when a team puts forth a Week 1 dud. And the reminders come quickly: It’s one of 17 games in the regular season. There’s time to turn things around.
But the Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game in more than two decades. The margin for error seems thin, especially after a 2024 season in which Miami started 2-6, went 6-3 down the stretch and missed the playoffs.
“You never want to look at it as, ‘Well, this is just Week 1.’ We’re going to take our loss,” said Tua Tagovailoa, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on Sunday.
“The way we lost?” Tagovailoa added. “None of the fans pay to watch the Miami Dolphins go put up eight points and watch the other team drop 30 on them. That’s just not what they do. There’s a lot of things we need to look at. We need to look in the mirror. We need to continue to hold each other accountable for what it is.
“I would definitely say it starts with me, and I think as a team collectively, this was something we were trying to avoid. But could this be good for us? I don’t know. We’ll see how we respond next week.”
McDaniel called Sunday’s performance embarrassing and acknowledged fans who have expressed frustration with the state of the franchise, which is six years into its latest rebuild but hasn’t lived up to the expectations of success that began when Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall in 2020.
“We have to improve from the last performance,” McDaniel said. “But we have to improve in general like every other team does or you get left in the dust. So I think one of 17 is one of 17. And if that type of game doesn’t show up ever again, that’s the only way you can make it worth it, because otherwise it’s just miserable for miserable’s sake.”
What’s working
Nothing worked particularly well on Sunday, and when asked Monday about positives from the game, McDaniel named only one.
“I think the positive is that that was a miserable experience,” he said.
What needs help
McDaniel said Monday that many of the team’s errors weren’t a product of bad intentions, but that too often players abandoned their responsibilities and the techniques that they’d been taught in practice.
“There was one play that ultimately led to being an explosive (gain) that the utmost dependable player, (defensive tackle) Zach Sieler, in an attempt to get a sack at the final stage of the pass rush kind of voids his pass-rush lane,” McDaniel said. “Well-intentioned, trying to make a play. But the dropping of rush lanes allows for an explosive.”
Stock up
RB De’Von Achane scored the Dolphins’ only touchdown on an 11-yard screen play in which he muscled his way through would-be tacklers on fourth-and-goal with 6:21 left.
Stock down
The defensive front was unable to generate much pressure on quarterback Daniel Jones. That unit was heralded during the offseason as one of the team’s strongest but recorded just one sack.
Injuries
RG James Daniels will not play in Week 2 after suffering a pectoral injury on Miami’s first drive. McDaniel said the injury isn’t season-ending. … CB Storm Duck will miss several weeks because of an ankle injury. The team is still gathering information on RT Austin Jackson, who left with a toe injury. … TE Darren Waller, who missed the game with a hip strain, will try to play in Week 2.
Key number
0 — The amount of stops the Dolphins’ defense recorded on Sunday. The Colts scored on each of their seven possessions, the first time since at least 1978 that an NFL team has scored every time it held the ball. The only time Miami forced a punt, veteran linebacker Matthew Judon ran into punter Rigoberto Sanchez, which extended the Colts’ drive and allowed them to close out the first half with a field goal for a 20-0 lead.
Next steps
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots, who are also coming off a season-opening loss, on Sunday.
THE BRONCOS’ DEFENSE OPENED THE SEASON BY SHOWING HOW GOOD IT CAN BE
DENVER (AP) — After All-Pro punt returner Marvin Mims Jr.’s fourth-quarter muff, the Tennessee Titans were sitting pretty at the Denver 24, already in range for a field goal that would give them a late lead.
Back-to-back sacks by Jonah Elliss and Zach Allen pushed the Titans back to midfield and forced another punt, however, and four plays later, J.K. Dobbins’ touchdown provided the finishing touches on the Broncos’ 20-12 victory on Sunday.
“Yeah, I think pressure makes diamonds,” cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. “We live up to that. That’s our standard, no matter what goes on or if the pressure is on us, we love that. If we are backed up, if there’s a situation that we need, it always seems like we come through and make a play. We talk about that and we work on it every day in certain situations. It’s us getting aligned and everyone doing their 1/11th.”
The defensive stand was reminiscent of one in Cleveland a decade ago that helped propel the Broncos to a Super Bowl parade.
In that game, an interception gave the Browns the ball at the Denver 39 in overtime, but a tackle for loss and back-to-back sacks bailed out Peyton Manning, who capitalized on the mulligan his defense provided and led his team to victory.
This version of Denver’s defense looks like the best since that 2015 unit, which carried a sputtering offense to the franchise’s third Super Bowl triumph.
Even without two starters — inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) and tackle Malcolm Roach (calf) — Denver’s defense piled up a half-dozen sacks and limited the Titans to 133 yards of offense. Tennessee was just 2 for 14 on third down.
“We got playmakers all around on the defense,” linebacker Nik Bonitto said.
Exhibit No. 1: The Broncos’ sacks came from six players, and rookie Jahdae Barron recovered Ward’s fumble on the Titans’ final offensive snap.
“That’s what we expect of ourselves,” defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers said.
Quarterback Bo Nix, who had an uncharacteristic three turnovers, heaped praise on his defense, which kept the Titans out of the end zone all day.
“It’s the best feeling when you have a great defense. Just over and over, they kind of got us out of a jam and continued to do that throughout the game,” Nix said. “The one that really sticks out is they get the ball down one, and we get two sacks and get them out of field-goal range. That’ll change the game in a hurry, and it changes the environment, gets guys back into the game. It was just awesome to see different players making big plays.”
What’s working
Denver’s ground game, albeit a bit late in in the day. Rookie R.J. Harvey reeled off a 50-yard scamper that set up Dobbins’ 19-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter as the Broncos finally found balance after halftime.
What needs help
Nix. Coach Sean Payton was so busy sending in players on every play that the Broncos looked like a hockey team making line changes. There was no cohesion on offense in the first half and the primary culprit may have been too many moving parts.
Stock up
Denver’s defense (see above).
Stock down
Special teams. Not only did Mims, a two-time All-Pro punt returner, muff a punt, but the coverage units allowed a 71-yard kickoff return in the waning seconds of the first half that led to a Tennessee field goal.
Injuries
TE Evan Engram’s calf injury could sideline the key free agent addition for several weeks.
Key numbers
133 — yards of offense the Broncos yielded to the Titans.
131 —- penalty yards by the Titans on 13 accepted infractions.
Next steps
The Broncos play at Indianapolis (1-0) on Sunday.
BILLS CONFRONT THEIR DEFENSIVE SHORTCOMINGS AFTER THEIR THRILLING COMEBACK AGAINST THE RAVENS
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen’s extraordinary fourth-quarter comeback against the Ravens didn’t entirely overshadow a major concern for the Bills on the other side of the ball.
Buffalo’s defense barely served as a speed bump against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry through the first 48-plus minutes of its season opener on Sunday night. Giving up 40 points and allowing Baltimore to score on seven of its first eight possessions is no recipe for success.
But first, the good news, a day after Buffalo overcame a 15-point deficit in the final four minutes for a stunning 41-40 win capped by Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal as time expired.
Allen wouldn’t have been in position to engineer the 22nd game-winning drive of his eight-year career if not for the defense finally making a contribution.
Tackle Ed Oliver opened the door for the comeback by punching the ball out of Henry’s arms with 3:06 remaining. And Allen wouldn’t have gotten the ball back with 1:26 left if not for the defense forcing a three-and-out. Cornerback Christian Benford limited DeAndre Hopkins to a 7-yard catch on third-and-9.
“He played unbelievable,” Allen said of Oliver, who also had a sack and tackled Henry for a loss. “It takes everybody doing their job and it takes a few guys doing more than their own job, and I think Ed did that.”
Those few plays aside, Allen, last season’s MVP, had to be especially MVP-like for Buffalo to win. He threw for 251 yards in the fourth quarter alone — the most in the final 15 minutes since Boomer Esiason had 252 for Arizona in a win over Washington in 1996.
Entering the season, the defense was considered the team’s weakest link. And the unit has come up short in the playoffs over the past five years. Buffalo has allowed averages of 33.2 points and 426 yards of offense — including 150 yards rushing — in each of its last five playoff losses. Four of those were to Kansas City.
If there is a bright side, Sunday’s win came in Week 1 and against a potent Ravens offense that last year became the first to top 4,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing. There are few opponents in the upcoming weeks, starting with the New York Jets, that can boast that type of production.
Another hopeful sign is that reinforcements are on the way.
The Bills opened without two veteran free-agent additions in edge rusher Michael Hoecht and tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who are serving six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers. Buffalo was also down starting cornerback Tre’Davious White, sidelined by a groin injury.
The defense is also young, with coach Sean McDermott putting faith in the unit gradually developing. Buffalo used six of nine draft picks on defensive players, including the first five.
How long that will take remains to be seen, though McDermott noted it’s easier making corrections entering Week 2 following a win.
“It wasn’t even close to what I would expect us to be able to get to,” McDermott said. “We can be better. But I really do appreciate how they stuck together. And that’s true of this whole team.”
What’s working
Allen and the offense continued last season’s share-the-wealth approach. Five players caught at least four passes, including running back James Cook, who had five catches for 58 yards and added 13 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown.
What needs help
Stopping the run. Jackson averaged 11.7 yards per carry and Henry 9.4, including TD runs of 30 and 46 yards. The 238 yards rushing allowed were the most by Buffalo since giving up 271 in a 35-10 loss at Baltimore in Week 4 last season.
Stock up
Keon Coleman. Despite a few drops, including a 2-point conversion bouncing off his hands, the second-year receiver had eight catches for a team-best 112 yards, including a touchdown catch on a pass tipped at the goal line.
Stock down
Safeties Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop were too often out of position or getting stiff-armed out of the way when they tried to stop Henry.
Injuries
Returner Brandon Codrington had his knee examined and re-entered the game.
Key number
12-0 — Buffalo’s regular-season home record since a 24-22 loss to Denver on Nov. 13, 2023.
Next steps
Travel to face the Jets to open a stretch of facing three AFC East rivals over four weeks.
AARON RODGERS SENDS A MESSAGE TO THOSE SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE LEFT: R-E-L-A-X
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Aaron Rodgers plenty of latitude over the last six months.
They didn’t foist an ultimatum on him after he visited the team’s facility in March. They didn’t panic when organized team activities started in May and Rodgers was still in California mulling his options. They let him mostly hang out during mandatory minicamp in June, a few days after he agreed to a one-year deal. They didn’t make him take a live snap during the preseason, a courtesy Tomlin had not afforded any quarterback — not even Ben Roethlisberger — during Tomlin’s first 18 years on the job.
Tomlin said repeatedly he wasn’t worried. That Rodgers would be ready when the games started to count. That all the hand-wringing about Rodgers needing time to get up to speed was just that, hand-wringing.
Over the course of three hours on Sunday, with his former team on the other sideline, Rodgers repaid Pittsburgh’s patience with a four-touchdown performance in a 34-32 season-opening victory over the New York Jets that offered proof there’s still life left in his 41-year-old right arm.
“You guys asked me last week, why was I confident?” Tomlin said afterward. “That’s why I was confident. That’s what I’ve been looking at in preparation, and I’m appreciative of it, not only his efforts but the efforts of the collective.”
Maybe, but it wasn’t the collective that had such personal stakes on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. It was Rodgers, still smarting from being jettisoned by New York’s new head coach, Aaron Glenn, during a meeting in which Rodgers believed he wasn’t shown the respect he deserved.
“There were probably people in the organization that didn’t think I could play anymore, so it was nice to remind those people I still can,” Rodgers said.
And in the process, Rodgers sent a familiar message to Steeler fans skeptical about, well, everything since he joined the team in what in some ways feels like a marriage of convenience.
That message: R-E-L-A-X.
While there is plenty to work on as the season begins in earnest — most notably play along both sides of the line of scrimmage, where the Steelers were manhandled most of the day — there also is optimism that for the first time since the Killer B’s run led by Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown in the mid-2010s, Pittsburgh has an offense that might not be a mere bystander.
It might even be dangerous.
And, it seems, worth the wait.
What’s working
Funny how much different offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme looks when a four-time MVP is running it.
Ben Skowronek, Jaylen Warren and Calvin Austin III didn’t have a Jets player within arm’s reach on their touchdown receptions, a testament to both Smith’s play design and Rodgers’ ability to sell a play fake on a day when the Steelers actually couldn’t run the ball effectively.
What needs help
The Steelers spent the spring and summer promising to shore up a defensive front seven that was mauled down the stretch last year, most notably in a humbling playoff loss to Baltimore.
With injured rookie first-round pick Derrick Harmon sitting out while recovering from a sprained knee, it looked like more of the same. There was little push from Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black and others along the line, while inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson struggled to get off blocks.
The Steelers have allowed 153 yards rushing per game over their last seven, dating to the end of 2024. Expect clubs that might not even be considered “running” teams to test Pittsburgh on the ground until things start ticking in the right direction.
Stock up
Tomlin likened Pro Bowl kicker Chris Boswell to a “serial killer” for the way he regularly walks onto the field in tight situations and delivers.
Boswell’s 11th game-winning kick was no different. His career-best and franchise-record 60-yarder probably would have been good from 70. Boswell responded in his typically stoic fashion, letting his teammates do the celebrating.
While Boswell’s bid to get a new contract might have fizzled — he briefly did a “hold in” during camp that quietly went away — the 34-year-old likely will be in line for a significant raise in the offseason if he’s able to keep the form he’s shown over the last two seasons, when he made 70 of 75 kicks.
Stock down
A pivotal year for former first-round pick Broderick Jones began with a clunker. The left tackle was beaten for three of New York’s four sacks, including two to Jets defensive end Will McDonald. Throw in the four pressures Jones allowed, and all the good buzz he generated during training camp evaporated over the course of three hours in which he was repeatedly exposed.
Injuries
Safety DeShon Elliott limped off in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. Veteran Chuck Clark filled in, but missing Elliott — who signed a contract extension in the offseason — for an extended period would be a significant blow to a talented secondary.
Key number
58 — Pittsburgh victories in one-score games (eight points or fewer) since the start of the 2017 season, the most in the NFL over that span.
Next steps
Try to plug the leaks in an unexpectedly vulnerable defense ahead of a visit from the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
TAYLOR, BENGALS HAPPY TO START SEASON 1-0, EVEN IF IT WAS AN UGLY VICTORY
Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals not only got a much-needed victory in an opener, they got it by winning ugly and a couple of breaks going their way.
Cincinnati’s 17-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday was a far cry from last season when the Bengals lost four games despite scoring at least 30 points and dropped two games by one point.
“Forget about the stats. Forget about the score. Forget about how it all played out. The best the outcome could have been was 1-0 and we’re proud of that. We’ll make some corrections and move forward,” coach Zac Taylor said.
It was also a game where Taylor can say all three phases contributed to the win.
Joe Burrow and the offense struggled in the second half, but it found the end zone on two of the first three possessions to put the Bengals up 14-10 at halftime.
The much-maligned defense was able to pick up the slack with a pair of interceptions by Jordan Battle and DJ Turner. Battle’s pick helped set up Evan McPherson’s go-ahead, 35-yard field goal.
Cincinnati took the lead with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter after Cleveland rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point, keeping the Browns advantage at 16-14.
Szmyt also had a potential go-ahead 36-yard field-goal attempt go wide right with 2:22 remaining in the game.
“I think, for our style of football we want to play as a team, when you can eliminate the run game, knock down the explosives, and allow our offense to put pressure on teams, then that’s going to be a good recipe for winning,” Taylor said on Monday. “I know we as an offense didn’t support that in the second half, and we as defense did that part. And so there’s gonna be times where different parts of the team’s gonna lean on the other unit. That’s gonna happen. That’s over a 17-game season, that’s what’s gonna happen.
“When we put it all together, we feel like we’re gonna be pretty deadly. And I’m excited to look forward to playing together this week and doing our best to get that done.”
It is only the second time in Taylor’s seven seasons that the Bengals have started the season with a win. The previous time was 2021 when Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history before losing to the Los Angeles Rams.
Taylor and the coaching staff stressed getting off to a good start early. After hosing Jacksonville on Sunday, the Bengals will have five straight games against teams that reached the playoffs last season, with three being on the road.
“We didn’t win any of these games last year. Usually when you can win a game like this, that’s a recipe for success and that means you are going to be a good team if you can find a lot of different ways to win,” Burrow said.
What’s working
Pass defense. Besides Battle and Turner’s interceptions, the Bengals allowed only five completions on 13 attempts thrown 11 yards or more downfield. Last season opponents had a 53.4% completion rate on intermediate and long passes, the third highest in the league. Cleveland’s longest completion of the day, a 25-yard reception by Jerry Jeudy, was on the final play of the game.
What needs help
Run blocking. Chase Brown averaged a league worse -2.8 yards before contact. Six of Brown’s 22 carries went for no gain or negative yards.
Stock up
DT Mike Pennel was in for 22 plays after being signed last Monday to the practice squad. Pennel, cut by the Chiefs at the end of preseason, was promoted to the gameday roster and had one solo tackle, three assists and a quarterback pressure.
Stock down
WR Andrei Iosivas, fourth on the Bengals with 36 receptions last season, wasn’t targeted on any of the 17 routes he ran.
Injuries
Taylor said on Monday starting right guard Lucas Patrick will be out at least two weeks because of a calf injury. Dalton Risner came in and played the remainder of the game, but Taylor did not commit to Risner being the starter.
Key numbers
4: Consecutive wins by the Bengals over their in-state rival. Taylor lost seven of his first nine meetings against the Browns.
6: Years since the Bengals had last won a one-point game before Sunday (Week 4 of the 2018 season at Atlanta).
7: Offensive net yards by the Bengals in the second half, the fewest an NFL team has had in a win since 2000 according to SportRadar. The previous mark was 13 by Tennessee in a 24-17 Week 15 win over Jacksonville in 2006.
Next steps
The Bengals look to go 2-0 for the first time since 2018 when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0). Cincinnati has won the past three meetings.
FALCONS’ INABILITY TO RUN IN OPENING LOSS TO BUCS PUT TOO HEAVY A BURDEN ON YOUNG QUARTERBACK PENIX
ATLANTA (AP) — A missed field goal in the final seconds remained the hot topic Monday, at least partially overshadowing a poor running game that threatens the Atlanta Falcons’ hopes for their first playoff season since 2017.
Younghoe Koo badly missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt in the final seconds of Atlanta’s 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay in Sunday’s opener that would have sent the game to overtime. Koo, coming off a career-high nine missed field goals last season, was the popular topic for blame and his starting position could be on the line this week.
Even so, a dismal rushing performance may be the greater reason for worry.
Bijan Robinson, who ranked third in the NFL with 1,456 yards rushing in 2024, was held to only 24 on the ground as most of his production came as a receiver out of the backfield.
The Falcons were forced to lean heavily on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who made only his fourth start. The good news for Atlanta is that Penix played up to his reputation as a strong-armed passer with impressive composure.
Coach Raheem Morris acknowledged Monday he didn’t want the second-year quarterback to have to throw so often.
The Falcons relied on a new starting right tackle Elijah Wilkinson after Kaleb McGary was lost for the season with a lower left leg injury late in the preseason. The Falcons preferred to run behind McGary and right guard Chris Lindstrom, so the poor performance by the running game in the opener is an ominous sign for the offense.
“We did not play good up front,” Morris said.
Atlanta’s longest run by a running back was a 6-yarder by Robinson. Tyler Allgeier also was held to 24 yards on 10 carries.
What’s working
Penix was efficient and productive as a passer, setting career highs with 27 completions and 42 attempts while passing for 298 yards. His 50-yard scoring pass to Robinson was the longest of the quarterback’s career, even if Robinson created most of the yards.
“I thought he played like an absolute stud, just his determination and the way he leads us offensively,” left tackle Jake Matthews said of Penix.
Penix isn’t a traditional dual-threat quarterback, but he proved he can extend plays. His 12-yard run was Atlanta’s longest of the day, and he showed his strength when he lunged for a 4-yard scoring run.
Making his fourth start, Penix also had no turnovers. His 93.2 passer rating and 64.3 completion percentage were the second-highest of his career.
What needs help
Billy Bowman Jr. and Divine Deablo were each credited with a half-sack. The Falcons pressured Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, but the one sack was a disappointing total following the offseason commitment to improving the pass rush.
Rookie James Pearce Jr., one of two edge rushers drafted in the first round, was credited with one quarterback hurry. Jalon Walker, the other first-round pick, had two tackles.
Stock up
Cornerback A.J. Terrell had the difficult task of shadowing Tampa Bay’s standout receiver Mike Evans most of the game. While Mayfield found rookie Emeka Egbuka for two touchdown passes, including the go-ahead 25-yarder in the final minute, Evans had a relatively quiet day with five catches for 51 yards and no touchdowns.
“I thought A.J. was absolutely phenomenal in coverage all day,” Morris said.
Stock down
Koo’s miss with the game on the line endangers his hold on the kicking job.
Koo was good on kicks from 41 and 36 yards after surviving a training camp competition with Lenny Krieg. Krieg remains on the practice squad but is considered a young, developing prospect and may not be the real threat to Koo’s job.
Morris said Monday he’ll bring in veteran kickers for workouts this week. Morris said Koo’s poor game, which also included hitting the right upright on his 36-yarder, “creates more of a sense of urgency” to bring in competition.
Injuries
Morris said he was encouraged after talking with WR Drake London, who left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. London’s exit added to a growing depth problem at the position after Darnell Mooney (shoulder) was inactive but participated in pregame warmups. WR Jamal Agnew was listed as questionable with a groin injury in the second quarter.
Morris said “I feel good” about the possibility Mooney, the team’s top deep threat, can return this week.
Key stat
2.5. — With 28 carries for 68 yards, the Falcons averaged only 2.5 yards per rushing attempt.
Next steps
The Falcons play at Minnesota on Sunday night.
TITANS HURT THEMSELVES AND FAIL TO HELP ROOKIE QB CAM WARD IN SEASON OPENER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A quarterback making his NFL debut means a team has to expect rookie mistakes.
The Tennessee Titans didn’t help Cam Ward nearly enough, and that includes coach Brian Callahan costing the chance at stealing a big win on the road in their season opener.
Four to five dropped passes. A failure to challenge an incompletion where a wide receiver’s elbow came down inbounds. Too many penalties and sacks allowed in a 20-12 loss to Denver. Callahan took blame Monday for saying the receiver needed to get another body part down after the game.
“Ultimately, my interpretation of the rule was wrong. I’ll own it,” Callahan said. “We should have challenged the play.”
The Titans hired Callahan in January 2024 for his offensive experience, knowing he would be calling plays for the first time in his career. Tennessee went 3-14 and selected Ward hoping to land a franchise quarterback.
Ward had his rookie moments taking back-to-back sacks while in field-goal range after the Titans recovered a fumbled punt.
Otherwise, he was poised under pressure from a Denver defense that led the NFL in sacks last season.
The rookie was just 12 of 28 for 112 yards with a 54.5 passer rating not getting help with some balls going off hands. Ward opened by driving the Titans to a field goal, which wound up as their longest drive in a game where they nearly had more penalty yards (131) than total offense (133).
The bigger issues for the second-year coach came when Callahan said postgame that the Titans didn’t challenge the ruling of an long pass to rookie Elic Ayomanor that was ruled incomplete because the receiver didn’t get a second body part down. Under NFL rules, an elbow counts as a completion.
One sequence in the final 47 seconds of the first half summed up Callahan’s play-calling issues. The coach called for three straight passes with the team backed up at the Tennessee 7 with the Titans needing only to run out the clock to take a 6-3 lead into halftime.
Instead, Ward threw two incompletions before being sacked nearly for a safety. Denver never needed to use either of two remaining timeouts. The Broncos needed two plays to take the lead and were up 10-9 at half.
What’s working
Forcing turnovers was a key focus all offseason after Tennessee tied for 30th in the NFL with a minus-16 turnover margin last season with only 18 takeaways. The Titans came up with two interceptions, a forced fumble and recovered a fumbled punt.
What needs help
The Titans also spent the offseason trying to clean up mistakes such as penalties they can control and showed no signs of progress in Denver. They finished with 13 accepted penalties. Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said what really got them beat was their penalties.
“Now we got to take the next step and get less penalties and clean the penalties up,” he said.
Stock up
Simmons. He had a sack and a forced fumble. He also had a pressure that led to Xavier Woods’ interception.
Stock down
A tie between cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who drew three penalties, and veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Brownlee is a second-year starter whose biggest penalty was pass interference on an incompletion that set up Denver’s first TD just before halftime.
Ridley has the biggest salary cap hit on the Titans. He caught four of eight passes for 27 yards with a couple of drops and one ball that was high and off his hands.
Injuries
Right tackle JC Latham didn’t finish the game because of a hip issue. Callahan said they will monitor the lineman who aggravated something he has “been battling for a little bit now.”
Key number
Six. That’s the number of sacks the Titans’ revamped offensive line allowed of the rookie quarterback.
Next steps
The Titans at least play the next two games at home, starting with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Then it’s back on the road for three straight games as part of a schedule that has Tennessee away from home five of the first eight games.
