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Road to Oman, first stop concludes in Otocec
Five countries shared the honours as play concluded at the 2022 ITTF World Veteran Tour tournament in Otocec on the late afternoon of Sunday 11th September.
Nine events on offer, in addition to the host nation there were titles for England, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.
Competing on home soil, Darko Jamsek emerged the most successful player; he won the men’s singles open category, men’s singles 50 years and in partnership with compatriot, Andrej Godec, men’s doubles 40 years.
Additionally, there were two titles for Germany’s Berhhard Burgin. He won men’s singles 65 years and with England’s Ray Hurst, men’s doubles 60 years.
Success for Germany, there was more; Braun Reinhold won men’s singles 60 years.
A profitable experience for Germany, it was the same for Hungary. Marta Toth emerged the women’s singles 40 years winner, Istvan Szalai claimed the men’s singles 70 years title.
Meanwhile, not to be left out, Slovakia’s Michal Skuril won men’s singles 40 years.
Play concluded in Otocec, attention now turns to Greece, Loutraki is the destination for the next World Veteran Tour tournament; the four day event commences on Thursday 16th October.
- Oman 2023 World Veteran Championships: Bernhard Burgin, Darko Jamsek, Braun Reinhold and Michal Skuril, alongside Marta Toth, gain a free entry as a result their title wins in Otocec
- Oman 2023 World Veteran Championships: All participants in Otocec benefit from a 10 per cent entry fee discount
ITTF WVT – Road to Oman – Loutraki
Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th October
Medallists: ITTF World Veteran Tour – Road to Oman, Otocec
Men’s Singles 40 Years
Group: 1. Michal Skuril (SVK) 2. Ferxey Ayala (COL) 3. Uros Cerar (SLO) 4. Richard Tekula (AUT)
Women’s Singles 40 Years
Group: 1. Marta Toth (HUN) 2. Liliia Andrieieva (UKR) 3. Darinka Mali (SLO) 4. Jasna Pupis (SLO)
Men’s Doubles 40 Years
SF: Christophe Le Corvec/Braun Reinhold (FRA/GER) v Ferxey Ayala/Richard Tekula (COL/AUT) 9,6,2
SF: Andrej Godec/Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Jan Dudasik/Mchal Skuril (SVK) 5,11,10
F: Andrej Godec/Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Christophe Le Corvec/Braun Reinhold (FRA/GER) 5,11,10
Men’s Singles 50 Years
SF: Andrej Godec (SLO) v Bojan Maselj (SLO) 8,7,-16,10
SF: Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Christophe Le Corvec (FRA) 4,7,10
F: Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Andrej Godec (SLO) 10,6,6
Men’s Singles 60 Years
Group: 1. Braun Reinhold (GER) 2. Robert Mali (SLO) 3. Remzi Shala (KOS) 4. Hulaj Sadri (KOS)
Men’s Doubles 60 Years
SF: Bernhard Burgin/Ray Hurst (GER/ENG) v Hulaj Sadri/Remzi Shala (KOS) 2,6,5
SF: Istvan Szalai/Roy Norton (HUN/ENG) v Leif Kruula/Mirko Semrov (SWE/SLO) -8,6,8,9
F: Bernhard Burgin/Ray Hurst (GER/ENG) v Istvan Szalai/Roy Norton (HUN/ENG) 9,6,6
Men’s Singles 65 Years
Group: 1. Bernhard Burgin (GER) 2. Jan Dudasik (SVK) 3. Ray Hurst (ENG) 4. Alfred Vodusek (SLO)
Men’s Singles 70 Years
Group: 1. Istvan Szalai (HUN) 2. Mirko Semrov (SLO) 3. Ciril Kozjek (SLO) 4. Roy Norton (ENG)
Men’s Singles Open
SF: Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Christophe Le Corvec (FRA) 4,7,10
SF: Andrej Godec (SLO) v Ray Hurst (ENG) 8,7,-6,5
F: Darko Jamsek (SLO) v Andrej Godec (SLO) 10,6,6
New Zealand 'disappointed and frustrated' after losing opportunities to go down 3-0
New Zealand began their 268 chase with an opening stand of 49 in nine overs in the third ODI on Sunday. They were well placed at 106 for 3 in the 25th over before Kane Williamson was run out and James Neesham and Glenn Phillips holed out against the Australian quicks to slip to 224 for 7 and eventually fall short.
"I can assure you it was a pretty frustrated dressing room last night," Stead said on a Zoom press conference on Monday. "The guys are disappointed and frustrated after having opportunities in all three matches and not getting over the line. I think it's easy when you lose that you can go soul searching a little bit, but we try not to do that. We try to be clear in our processes and what we're trying to do and try to get better each day. Unfortunately Australia put enough pressure on us and we couldn't quite get over the line last night again."
"Trent's made his decision around that and we respect that as well," Stead said. "He's been a fine bowler and still is a fine bowler for New Zealand and that showed through this series as well. If Trent is there then we look like a stronger team, but we have to make some decisions around what that looks like for us going forward as well because we do have to keep developing our depth underneath as well."
Stead praised Allen's innings but said New Zealand's bowling needed some work in the end overs and that these pitches were good preparation for them looking ahead to the ODI World Cup next year in India.
"I thought last night the pitch was slightly better than the first two that we played on," Stead said. "We started very very well with the ball, I thought the opening bowling was very good; we've done that well all series. I guess the areas that we can keep looking at to improve will be more of the latter end of the bowling innings and we also improved the top of the [batting] innings as well. Devon [Conway] and Finn got away to a nice start and they applied pressure back on Australia but we kept losing wickets and when it felt like we were getting on top, those wickets kept hurting us and put us in a position that ultimately made it too tough.
"I thought Finn looked really good. He was disappointed again, he'd gotten a start, the opening partnership was important for us, given right throughout the whole six innings - generally the five before that - the teams really struggled to get away. But I thought he looked composed out there, he didn't overawed at all, I guess that is perhaps one of the advantages of going to the IPL for a couple of years as you get to learn and live alongside some of these players as well. Certainly didn't look out of place.
"First thing to note is the pitches we played on weren't typical Australian pitches either, they were definitely on the slower side. Playing on these pitches was good exposure for us because you go to a World Cup in India, you play on some very different wickets. Having the experience and needing to adapt are things that are important. There's certainly no excuses around the pitch at all, we have to adapt to what's in front of us."
Amid the gloom, the junoon for cricket in a small Indian town
Raghuram and Leelakrishna, 14 and 12 respectively, are brothers. Away from school hours, they go to a cricket academy not far from home, in Dharwad, in northern Karnataka, to train. Sunday was a memorable day for the boys, as they got to see some prominent cricketers, and get a few autographs and selfies. All in their neck of the woods - Dharwad to Hubbali is a half-hour's drive - which is not a regular destination for international cricketers.
"We used to watch these cricketers on TV; this is the first time we have seen them in the flesh," Raghuram said. "Watching them, I could figure out what they do, how they warm up and train, before going out to play. They don't show all that on TV. At the academy, they train us to bat, bowl, field, but seeing the real players is a new experience.
"I saw live, from a distance, where the fast bowlers pitch the ball, how the batters watch the ball…"
Harshith, a 12-year-old legspinner who likes to bat, too, had a similar story to tell. It was a first time at a match of this level for him too, and the Shane Warne fan - there's the legspin connection - got to take back Chahar's autograph. It's a proper - not souvenir - bat he got the autograph on, and that will be packed away now, Harshith said.
Not looking as thrilled as the boys was 16-year-old Prarthana Dikshit, a middle-order batter and part-time offspinner who trains at an academy in Hubbali. The reason for her disappointment was that she got late getting to the ground on the fourth day, having stayed back anticipating rain, but by the time she got to the ground, all the play for the day - 13 overs' worth - was done and the rain was back.
"It was nice to catch a glimpse of Ruturaj and Umran, my favourite cricketers, but I wanted to watch them play," she said.
Her father, Prasanna, has followed domestic cricket for many years, and was happy that first-class cricket was being played in his city. "It's a big difference, watching cricket on TV and watching it live at the ground," he said. "At the ground, not only do you watch cricket, but you feel it. It's wonderful for young cricketers, like my daughters, to get a real understanding of the game. We should have more first-class cricket here."
दया सागर ESPNcricinfo हिंदी में सब एडिटर हैं।dayasagar95
McDonald pleased with Australia's ODI progress: 'We have challenged ourselves with the structure of our team'
The big question of who replaces Aaron Finch as ODI captain remains, but McDonald says the two ODI series in north Queensland offered invaluable insights ahead of the 50-over World Cup starting in 13 months time in India.
"The exposure that we're giving some players in [Josh] Inglis and Abbott and Green, with [Mitch] Marsh and [Marcus] Stoinis and [Pat] Cummins not in that last side, we're just creating some depth," McDonald said. "We have played some players in different roles.
"We have challenged ourselves with the structure of our team as well playing eight batters and trying to get more overs out of our allrounders. We got a lot of information out of the six games up here, in particular three games against New Zealand in difficult conditions.
"The pleasing factor is the adaptability of our players to work through different conditions and to play in many different ways."
A plethora of batters and bowlers delivered crucial performances in the six ODIs. Green took his first ODI five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe and hit an unbeaten 89 to lead Australia to victory in game one against New Zealand.
Abbott was a menace to New Zealand's batters in the second ODI, taking two wickets and sending down four maidens in a five-over spell.
Labuschagne, who waited till the first match against New Zealand for an outing, delivered a crucial partnership alongside Smith, whose 12th ODI century set Australia's insurmountable total in game three.
The performances came with the squad knowing Finch would finish his ODI career for Australia after their northern swing. Now the question remains, who replaces him?
McDonald is in no rush to find an answer, with Finch to still play on as skipper through the coming T20 World Cup in October and November.
"It's probably the end of the [T20] World Cup really isn't it?" he said. "We have got a little bit of time to consider what those options look like. We've got the World Cup in front of us so that's more pressing at this stage than filling the captaincy void."
US Open: Carlos Alcaraz says success in New York has 'come so fast'
New US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz says everything has come "so fast" after he won his first major title in New York and became the youngest men's world number one in history.
Spain's Alcaraz, 19, achieved both feats after a four-set win over Norway's Casper Ruud on Sunday.
"It's crazy for me. I never thought I was going to achieve something like this at 19 years old," he said.
Rafael Nadal said he was sure it would be the "first of many" for Alcaraz.
The 36-year-old Spaniard, who has won a record 22 men's singles major titles, congratulated his compatriot shortly after he sealed victory at Flushing Meadows.
"Well, I have one. He has 22. I'm on the way," Alcaraz said smiling.
"Right now I'm enjoying the moment. I'm enjoying having the trophy in my hands.
"Of course, I'm hungry for more. I want to be at the top for many, many weeks. I hope many years. I'm going to work hard again after this week, these amazing two weeks. I'm going to fight to have more of this."
Alcaraz still at '60% of potential'
Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, himself a former world number one, said he thought his protege was still only playing at 60% of his potential.
But Ferrero added he is not surprised the teenager has won a major at such a young age, believing Alcaraz was "born to play" the biggest matches in the sport.
"He can improve a lot of things," said Ferrero, who won the 2003 French Open.
"He knows and I know that we have to keep working. Once you get to number one, it's not done and you go.
"You have to keep working, keep playing at a huge level at those tournaments to keep winning. He knows that and I know that."
Ruud, who moves up to second in the world, agreed Alcaraz is a special talent.
"It's incredibly impressive what he has achieved already as a teenager. It's sometimes hard to believe he's only teenager," the Norwegian said.
"He's one of these few rare talents that comes up every now and then in sports. That's what it seems like.
"Let's see how his career develops, but it's going all in the right direction."
'I still feel like a champion' - Ruud
Ruud, 23, emphasised the positives of reaching the second Grand Slam final of his career in New York, rather than dwelling on losing another chance to lift his first major trophy.
He was outclassed by Rafael Nadal in the French Open showpiece earlier this year, but few expected him to make such a deep run on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows.
"Of course, it is disappointing in the end that it didn't go my way," Ruud said.
"At the same time I'm proud of the match and the two weeks. I gave it all. I left it all out on the court.
"I played some phenomenal tennis throughout the two weeks, probably my best tennis ever on this surface. So I'm very happy in the end.
"We'll hopefully get another chance at a Slam in the future."
Saqlain unwavering in his 'faith, trust and belief' in Rizwan and Babar
No team had won after losing the toss in Dubai at the tournament before the final. Sri Lanka did it despite slipping to 58 for 5. It was their only win batting first in the competition after four back-to-back chases. "If you're a champion team, you need to be a champion irrespective of whether it's first innings or second innings," Saqlain said at the press interaction. "In the previous game, they asked us to bat first and won. In this game, we batted second and they still won. The way they played in both games, it's well-deserved."
On Sunday, Rizwan made a battling 55 off 49, before being dismissed in the 17th over. By then, the general sense was that he had perhaps left Pakistan with a tad too much to achieve in the final four overs - they needed 61 with six wickets in hand. The dismissals of Rizwan, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah - all to Wanindu Hasaranga - all but meant curtains for Pakistan. The target was beyond them after that.
Saqlain fielded the questions patiently, and gave the answers his own unique twist, like he did with his doosra when he played.
"Every team and player has their own style and methods," Saqlain said in Rizwan's defence. "The way we played, we reached semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year, we got to the final of an Asia Cup here. Evidence suggests you're doing something right to get here.
"It's not compulsory that you do what the rest of the world is doing [in terms of strike rates and showing more intent with the bat]. We'd rather focus on the small things we aren't doing right instead of looking at what others are doing. His andaaz [method] is not bad."
"We played just nine overs of good cricket; after that they dominated for 31 overs in all aspects"
Saqlain Mushtaq
Babar had a poor tournament. The 30 he made in a dead rubber against Sri Lanka prior to the final was his highest score in six outings. It didn't seem to matter that Babar had three consecutive half-centuries leading into the Asia Cup, in the ODIs against Netherlands in Rotterdam.
"You need to show faith, trust and belief," Saqlain said, seemingly running a little low on patience by this point. "If you keep shuffling, it sends a message that you don't trust them. After the second match itself, there was chatter about our batting shuffle. I don't follow social media, but you do hear the murmurs. You need to give time. If you keep shuffling, how will you know? Whatever we did, it's not good to shuffle a lot. It sends a wrong message."
Rajapaksa had breathed fire into a fumbling innings by making an unbeaten 41-ball 75, which helped lift Sri Lanka from a seemingly hopeless 58 for 5 in 8.5 overs. They finished with 170 for 6, which at the time seemed just about par, but also quite challenging considering the stage.
"The way they played today, we played just nine overs of good cricket. After that they dominated for 31 overs in all aspects," Saqlain said. "They have been playing brilliant cricket; credit goes to all the boys. Looks like they are on top of the world. The way they played against India and got momentum against Afghanistan, a lot of praise for all of them.
"I'll credit the Sri Lankans. We'd broken their backbone in the first nine overs, but the way Rajapaksa played, and the others rallied around him, no praise is enough. I'm sure it should be the best innings of his life. The way he lifted them, hats off."
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Shanaka hopes Asia Cup win triggers 'the turnaround' Sri Lanka cricket needs
"We always wanted to show the world - a couple of decades back, we had aggression in our side, and we wanted to create those moments [again] as a unit," Rajapaksa said after the win. "Looking forward, we want to keep up this momentum ahead of the World Cup. With the crisis happening back home, this is a tough time for all the Sri Lankans, but hope we brought some smiles on the faces of our people. This is to the whole nation; they were waiting for this for so long."
"After that first loss, we had a serious discussion," Shanaka revealed. "We knew we had the talent, but it was about applying those in game scenarios and all the players stood up. It's the environment we created as a team and coaching staff that has paid off."
While at it, Shanaka also gave a message back to the fans. It seemed more like a plea. "Believe in our cricketers," he said. "A lot of bad things are going around. As cricketers, they too should enjoy their lives as well, not spreading bad things. They have private lives too. Keep believing, that is the key. As a captain, I give confidence to the players, [whatever] I can. I can't ask more than that."
At one point, even as the wicketkeeper and several fielders ran to Madushanka with suggestions, it needed a polite hand gesture from Shanaka and some words for the players to disperse and allow the nervous bowler some breathing space. He held his composure thereafter to concede just three more in the over.
If it wasn't for injuries to Kasun Rajitha and Dushmantha Chameera, it's possible this unlikely pairing may not have shared the new ball; perhaps they may not even played at all.
"Madushan brings promise, skill and maturity," Shanaka said. "We knew him from the start of his domestic career, but we had to take a risk to get the rewards. Madushan's skills were there [to see] and he's got a good career ahead. Glad he delivered in just his second game; glad he rewarded us for the risk we have taken [in picking him]."
Shanaka was confident the win has the ability to be the stepping stone for greater things. For starters, he wasn't fussed about playing the opening round of the T20 World Cup despite being Asian champions. Secondly, he was hopeful that this could be the turnaround that Sri Lanka cricket, which has seemingly been in a transition phase for a long time now, has been looking for.
"Even two-three years back, the team used to play good cricket, but the winning factor wasn't there," he said. "This could be the turnaround in our cricket, this lot can continue to play for five-six years, which is a very good sign as well."
Shanaka's humility came through when he was asked about his thoughts on Sri Lanka being unlikely winners, and how all talk had been about the Asia Cup being a mini-India-Pakistan series.
"It's not like that," he said with a smile. "When it comes to India-Pakistan, we know it's a different game. Our cricketing history is also good, so we didn't have anything to prove about us being a good team. The only thing is we weren't probably ranked high enough, but with this team, we can do better and become that high-ranking team [we aspire to be]."
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
A Giant conversion: Daboll goes for 2, wins debut
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Brian Daboll didn't think twice about whether his New York Giants should go for the 2-point conversion or kick the tying extra point with 1 minute, 6 seconds remaining in his first game ever as a head coach. He was always going with the aggressive approach.
Daboll indeed went for two, which the Giants converted on a shovel pass to running back Saquon Barkley, to upset the Tennessee Titans 21-20 at Nissan Stadium. It was New York's first Week 1 win since 2016, which also happens to be the last time it made the playoffs.
Why didn't Daboll flinch when faced with the vital decision late in Sunday's season opener?
"Go for the win," he said. "We're going to be aggressive. That is what we want to do. That is the mindset I want the players to have. If it didn't work, I can live with it. I thought that was the right decision."
Daboll even went up to some of the defensive players on the bench during the game-winning drive and asked their opinion.
"I said, 'Hey ... if we score, I'm going for two. You good with that?' They said, 'Heck yeah!'"
The Giants players were completely on board, even though there was still a minute remaining and the Titans had time to drive down the field and win the game. They did, but Tennessee kicker Randy Bullock missed a 47-yard field goal as time expired.
"When we scored, I was on the field and I saw him put up the 'two' sign and we kind of made eye contact," Barkley said. "He gave me that look, and I knew what the play was going to be. He gave me that look and I kind of looked back at him and said, 'F--- yeah.'
"We called it up and we were able to execute the play and get in. He's a man of his word. He told us he's going to be aggressive. He told us he's going to lean on the players to make plays. In that situation, he did exactly that. When you have a coach like that, it's definitely going to make you go out there and fight for him and execute in those situations."
The 2-point conversion turned out to be the difference in a game the Giants never led until the final minutes.
"He was like, 'You all cool with [going for two]?'" safety Xavier McKinney said. "We were like, 'Hell yeah!' We weren't going to say no. We wanted to win the game. We were glad we called it."
As a result, the Giants (1-0) now have a winning record for the first time since 2016.
It wasn't a surprise that Daboll showed that type of aggressiveness late in the game. He also called a naked bootleg for quarterback Daniel Jones to run on a fourth-down play with two minutes remaining.
Daboll has been saying this would be the way he's going to coach since he was hired in January. He reiterated it to his players Saturday night.
"I knew that before the game even started," wide receiver Sterling Shepard said of the decision to go for two. "He told us he wasn't going to coach scared. That is exactly what he did. We all knew it. We all knew we were going for it because he told us [Saturday] night.
"He told us, 'I'm not going to coach scared.' I believe everything the man says."
Shepard later added: "He has trust in us. That just shows it. We appreciate that. We want to be put in those pressure situations. We have guys that really want to be in those positions to make that play. Everyone in that huddle, I asked them who is going to make that play. So we were all ready to make it."
In the locker room after the win, the players presented Daboll and new general manager Joe Schoen with game balls.
It was a special win for Daboll, and not only because it was his first game as coach. The last time he had been to Nashville was last October when he was the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. He learned about his grandfather's death upon landing for that trip.
Daboll, 47, was raised in upstate New York by his grandparents. He had lost his grandmother three weeks earlier. Returning to Nashville brought back memories of that afternoon his grandfather died at 95 years old.
Daboll remembers before he left for that trip his grandfather telling him, "We're gonna win." He always told him: "We're gonna win."
Daboll told his grandfather he better be there when he got back from Nashville. His last encounter ended with his grandfather giving him a fist pump and wink.
Daboll got choked up as he told some reporters this story Sunday afternoon in Nashville after perhaps the biggest win of his coaching life. He explained that as the Titans were attempting the game-winning field goal, he was holding the pendant with his grandparents' ashes, hoping for a miss.
"This is what I was doing during the kick," he said. "I held the ashes of my grandmother and my grandfather. I just held them and looked up. That's what I did."
Buffalo lost 34-31 when it faced the Titans last year following the death of Daboll's grandfather. This time it ended differently.
"It's a special moment because it's my first win," he said. "Last year coming here for the Buffalo game, I lost my grandfather on the airplane as I was landing. It was weighing heavy on my after the game [Sunday].
"When he missed it, I thought about them. I don't come from much. Those two people helped me get to where I am."
The head coach of the 1-0 Giants after a game he's surely never going to forget.
Prescott hurts thumb late in loss, needs surgery
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be out "several weeks" due to an injury to his thumb that requires surgery, owner Jerry Jones said after Sunday's 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Prescott jogged to the locker room late in the fourth quarter to get his right hand examined after he hit the hand of Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and did not return. Jones said Prescott suffered a fracture near the thumb on his throwing hand.
The Cowboys will likely turn to backup quarterback Cooper Rush for next week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Yeah, it's very disappointing," Prescott said. "But injuries happen. Can't necessarily control it, just unfortunate, I'm going to miss some time, not be there for my team. And that's what hurts more than anything, especially after the start that we just went out there, wouldn't be able respond and not necessarily having that opportunity for several weeks."
Prescott, who is now 2-5 in season openers in his career, completed 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards, was intercepted once and sacked twice while the Cowboys were held without a touchdown in a season opener for the first time since 2001.
The last time the Cowboys scored fewer than 6 points in a season opener was Sept. 10, 1989, a 28-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which was the first game of Jones' tenure as owner and general manager and the debut of Troy Aikman and Jimmy Johnson.
The injury caps a strange week for Prescott, who was limited in last Thursday's practice because of a sore ankle that he blamed on a new pair of cleats. Prescott kept insisting he was fine and it would not be an issue against the Buccaneers after going through full workouts Friday and Saturday.
Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the 2020 season against the New York Giants. He returned to start 16 games last season, setting a Cowboys' single-season record with 37 touchdown passes. He missed one start with a calf strain.
On the opening drive Sunday, Prescott completed passes to four different receivers as the Cowboys moved 54 yards on 14 plays to take a 3-0 lead after a 51-yard field goal by Brett Maher. They went three-plus series before they would gain another first down -- on a 12-yard run by Prescott.
CeeDee Lamb caught one pass after the first drive but just one more from Prescott the rest of the way.
Prescott's 134 yards were the second fewest he has had in a game that he has started and finished in his career. He had 102 yards on 11-of-22 passing on Nov. 30, 2017, against Washington.
The Cowboys signed Prescott to a four-year, $160 million contract in 2021.
Week 1 takeaways and big questions: Bucs stifle Cowboys; Bad losses for Bengals, Patriots, Titans and 49ers
Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season -- we saw it all.
Quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took care of business on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, as Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott struggled to get anything going against the Bucs' defense. And that was before Prescott left the game late with a right hand injury.
Earlier in the day, turnovers were the name of the game in Cincinnati, with the Pittsburgh Steelers forcing five against Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow -- including a pick-six. But the teams went back and forth until the Steelers won it in overtime with a field goal. Speaking of field goals, the Tennessee Titans missed a potential game winner in the late-afternoon window Sunday, allowing the New York Giants to come back from a 13-point deficit and win their first season opener in six years.
Multiple quarterbacks made debuts with new teams in the early window. Baker Mayfield played his first game in a Panthers uniform against his old team, the Cleveland Browns. Matt Ryan -- in his 15th season -- led the Indianapolis Colts to a tie against the Houston Texans. Washington Commanders rookie Jahan Dotson caught his first -- and second -- career touchdown pass from Carson Wentz, leading to a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As far as holdovers, Patrick Mahomes looked as good as ever in the late-afternoon window as the Kansas City Chiefs romped to a victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Our NFL Nation reporters react with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming out of this week's matchups and look ahead to what's next. Let's get to it.
Jump to a matchup:
LAR-BUF | NE-MIA | CLE-CAR | BAL-NYJ
CHI-SF | JAX-WSH | PIT-CIN | IND-HOU
NO-ATL | PHI-DET | KC-ARI | GB-MIN
LV-LAC | NYG-TEN | TB-DAL
Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3
Buccaneers
What to know: In Todd Bowles' debut as the Buccaneers' head coach, Tampa Bay held the Cowboys to a field goal and Dak Prescott to a quarterback rating of 47.2. Prescott struggled to complete a pass beyond 5 yards. Dropped interceptions were still an issue, though, but the Bucs managed one interception from Antoine Winfield Jr. Brady, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to start a game at age 45, threw for 212 yards and a 5-yard touchdown to Mike Evans in the third quarter. For as well as the Bucs moved the ball, they struggled on third down (4-of-11) and in the red zone (1-3), although running back Leonard Fournette was a bright spot, rushing for 127 yards on 21 carries. In his much-anticipated Buccaneers debut, Julio Jones produced some wow moments, which included a stunning 48-yard grab when he reached 20.62 mph.
Will the Bucs be doomed by injuries? Left tackle Donovan Smith left the game with a right elbow injury and did not return, and wide receiver Chris Godwin -- who saw action for the first time since tearing an ACL and MCL on Dec. 19 -- left the game because of a hamstring injury. Godwin's injury is less of a concern given the Bucs' depth at receiver, and the Bucs won't have to deal with an outside linebacker like Micah Parsons on a weekly basis, but Josh Wells struggled in Smith's absence, and the Bucs are already missing Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen. Making matters worse is the fact that the Bucs travel to the New Orleans Saints next week -- a defense that's had their number. In fact, the Bucs haven't defeated the Saints in the regular season since 2018. -- Jenna Laine
Next game: at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Cowboys
What to know: The Cowboys kept saying the offense would be fine. No wide receivers Amari Cooper (traded to Cleveland), Michael Gallup (coming back from knee injury) or Cedrick Wilson Jr. (signed with Miami). No offensive tackle Tyron Smith (out until December). No offensive guard Connor Williams (see: Wilson). Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers proved all of that to be untrue. The Cowboys have issues, and it got worse late in the fourth quarter when Dak Prescott went to the locker room with a right hand injury. Before the injury, Prescott had a miserable evening even when not under duress. For the first time since the 2001 season opener, the Cowboys failed to score a touchdown. Their opponent that day? Tampa Bay. But that was former Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter's first career start.
What type of faith do the Cowboys have in Cooper Rush? The Cowboys backup quarterback won his only start of his career last year at Minnesota when Prescott had a calf strain. He threw for 325 yards on 24-of-40 passing, but he doesn't have Cooper or Wilson to throw to this year. "I mean, it sucks obviously [losing Prescott] in Week 1, but we've got a ton of confidence in Coop," Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin said. "He's been in there before with us, won games with us before. So we've got to rally around him and stead the ship until [Prescott] gets back." -- Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Bengals (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
N.Y. Giants 21, Tennessee 20
Giants
What to know: Saquon Barkley is back! He finished with 194 total yards and had a 2-point conversion with 1:06 remaining that gave the Giants a lead they barely held. The Titans missed a potential winning field goal as time expired, and New York won its opener for the first time since 2016, which also happens to be the last time it made the playoffs. It was possible because Barkley did a little bit of everything. He had a 68-yard run in the third quarter (the Giants' longest play from scrimmage since Daniel Jones' 80-yard stumble and run in Week 7 of 2020), caught six passes out of the backfield and made big plays when needed in the fourth quarter. The performance was vintage Barkley. Explosive and dynamic, and he even ran harder for tough yards than during his eye-popping rookie year. All positive developments for this Giants team and new coach Brian Daboll.
What are the Giants doing with Kadarius Toney? Toney didn't start. He also barely played. When he did touch the ball early in the fourth quarter on a jet sweep, it went for a 19-yard rush. Toney, the Giants' first-round pick last year, was on the field for just seven offensive snaps in the contest, even with rookie slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson leaving in the first half because of a knee injury. It didn't matter. Richie James played ahead of him. The Giants didn't want to play Toney, who needs to earn the trust of the new regime. He finished with two rushes for 23 yards, which left you wondering whether he is really a major part of their plans this season and moving forward. -- Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Titans
What to know: The Titans couldn't move the ball consistently enough to win. The Giants held Derrick Henry to 82 rushing yards, so Tennessee relied mostly on a balanced pass attack. Because the Titans don't have a clear-cut No. 1 receiver, they'll have to rely on a committee approach until someone emerges. This week it was rookie Kyle Phillips, who led the way with six receptions for 66 yards. Dontrell Hilliard had three receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns, both of which came in mismatches against Giants linebackers. Treylon Burks caught three passes for 55 yards. Offseason acquisitions Robert Woods (one catch) and Austin Hooper (one catch) came out on the short end of the stick this week.
Can the Titans' front four hold up against the Bills? The Titans sacked Daniel Jones five times. Four sacks came in the first half, with the Titans blitzing only one time in that span. Jones was under constant duress from Tennessee's front four, led by Jeffery Simmons and Rashad Weaver, who finished with two sacks each. Bud Dupree had the other sack for Tennessee. Dropping seven back in coverage consistently helped keep Jones under 200 passing yards. A similar performance by Simmons and the front four will allow the Titans to blitz less and keep seven guys in coverage next week against Josh Allen and the Bills' potent attack. -- Turron Davenport
Next game: at Bills (7:15 p.m. ET, Monday)
L.A. Chargers 24, Las Vegas 19
Chargers
What to know: The Chargers' offseason additions, signifying they were all-in for a long playoff run this season, made their presence felt, including newcomer tight end Gerald Everett and receiver DeAndre Carter, who both scored touchdowns. On defense, edge rusher Khalil Mack, whom the Bolts acquired in a blockbuster trade last March, sacked quarterback Derek Carr three times, and cornerback Bryce Callahan, who signed in free agency, grabbed one of three interceptions.
Will the Chargers have key playmakers available in a quick turnaround for Thursday night? Cornerback J.C. Jackson, the NFL's interceptions leader since 2018, was inactive Sunday as he continues to recover from ankle surgery last month. Jackson's timetable to return was two to four weeks, so there's a possibility he'll be ready to play Thursday night against the Chiefs. And receiver Keenan Allen caught four passes for 66 yards before he left Sunday's game in the first half because of a hamstring injury and did not return. -- Lindsey Thiry
Next game: at Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET, Thursday)
Raiders
What to know: Maybe the Raiders' starters should have played a series, or three, in the preseason? Given how off a few of Derek Carr's throws were, timing was an issue. He missed an early touchdown by throwing behind Darren Waller, and two of his career-high three interceptions were underthrown, to Waller and Davante Adams, while his third was behind Hunter Renfrow. This was something that could have been worked out in actual game situations, especially because the Raiders were learning a new system under coach Josh McDaniels, no?
Is the offensive line a finished product? How about no. Not after Carr was sacked six times and Las Vegas used three different combinations at what is supposed to be one of the more stable units in the game. Starting rookie Dylan Parham at right guard before replacing him with Lester Cotton Sr., and then having Parham return, then having seventh-round rookie Thayer Munford Jr. replace Jermaine Eluemunor, and Eluemunor return late, says this is a fluid situation. -- Paul Gutierrez
Next game: vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Minnesota 23, Green Bay 7
Vikings
What to know: New coach Kevin O'Connell had the Vikings ready to play, even after a preseason in which starters played sparingly or not at all and a training camp that prioritized injury prevention over physical reps. The Vikings' defense was especially violent, led by new outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith, and battered quarterback Aaron Rodgers with four sacks.
Did the Vikings catch the Packers by surprise, or is this success sustainable? It's a reasonable question, given the Vikings were debuting a new scheme that they had studiously avoided giving any glimpses of during the preseason. Their defensive play can be sustained as long as the Vikings maintain Sunday's level of physicality. Offensively, future opponents will study how O'Connell got receiver Justin Jefferson open for nine catches, 184 yards and two touchdowns. They'll have to continue to evolve there. -- Kevin Seifert
Next game: at Eagles (8:30 p.m. ET, Monday)
Packers
What to know: Season openers don't matter: At least that's the way the Packers seem to treat them. This was almost as bad as last year's 38-3 Week 1 loss to the Saints, and the Packers still managed to win 13 games that season. Most teams devise game plans for regular-season games. It didn't seem like the Packers did much of that, at least not when it came to Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson (nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns). It's not like the Packers didn't know they needed to stop No. 18, but it sure looked like they didn't try. He wasn't just open -- he was wide open. And why give cornerback Jaire Alexander a $30 million signing bonus this offseason if you're not going to have him shadow the best receiver in the NFC North?
What's a bigger concern, the Packers' offense or defense? At this point, it's the defense. Coordinator Joe Barry had all 11 of his preferred starters available (12 if you count slot cornerback Rasul Douglas). On paper, this was supposed to be the best defense the Packers had in years. On the field, it looked like a paper tiger. At least Aaron Rodgers & Co. had an excuse: No Allen Lazard (ankle), the presumptive No. 1 receiver, and neither starting tackle, as David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins continue to work their way back from knee injuries. It might have been different early had rookie receiver Christian Watson not dropped a would-be 75-yard touchdown pass on the Packers' first offensive play and had AJ Dillon not gotten stuffed on fourth-and-goal in the second quarter. -- Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Bears (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Kansas City 44, Arizona 21
Chiefs
What to know: If the passing game is going to suffer without wideout Tyreek Hill, upcoming opponents are going to need to defend the Chiefs much better than the Cardinals did. Patrick Mahomes said Kansas City would spread the ball around, and he delivered, completing passes to nine different receivers and throwing his five TD passes to four different players.
Will the pass rush be more productive than last year, when the Chiefs were 29th in sacks? The Chiefs have reason to be encouraged after Sunday's game against the Cardinals, even though their stats weren't outstanding. They sacked Kyler Murray twice (they had three total) and pressured him 10 times in 36 dropbacks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. But the Chiefs didn't put much emphasis on pressuring Murray, either, blitzing him only 10 times. -- Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Chargers (8:15 p.m. ET, Thursday)
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals picked up where they left off last season -- and that's not a good thing. Arizona on Sunday lacked discipline, offensive ingenuity, solid tackling and consistent protection of quarterback Kyler Murray. For all the talk this offseason of getting over last year's late meltdown and winning at home, none of it came to fruition in a blowout loss to the Chiefs.
What do the Cardinals fix first? Figuring out where to start feels like a monumental task, as the issues that plagued the Cardinals against the Chiefs aren't new. The fact they've carried over from last season is a huge concern. The first thing Arizona needs to address is the lack of offensive production. Not enough plays were run for A.J. Green, Marquise Brown and Zach Ertz early on, causing the offense to look stuck, which led to Arizona scoring just seven points in the first three quarters. -- Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Miami 20, New England 7
Dolphins
What to know: This is Tyreek Hill's offense. Just in case it wasn't obvious before, the Dolphins made it clear things will run through Hill, as he made his regular-season debut after being traded to Miami from the Kansas City Chiefs. He was targeted five times in his first eight routes, finishing with 94 yards and eight catches on 12 targets.
How concerning was Miami's performance on the ground Sunday? One of the NFL's worst rushing teams a season ago, the Dolphins had 65 yards on 21 carries against the Patriots -- who were the league's 22nd-best run defense in 2021. Miami also struggled to run the ball during training camp and the preseason. The difference Sunday for Miami compared to last season is there is now a competent passing game to carry the offense when things aren't working on the ground. As teams come to respect that passing game, the run game should open up; it's not quite time to panic yet. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Patriots
What to know: Self-inflicted wounds cost the Patriots in a game that was winnable. They were minus-3 in the turnover differential, and they didn't convert on fourth-and-3, which essentially is another turnover. When one of those turnovers is a strip sack that results in a touchdown, and the other comes in the end zone on a 50-50 ball (in which officials easily could have called defensive pass interference), it hurts that much more. It is often said that before a team can learn how to win, it has to learn how not to lose. That holds true for the Patriots after one game.
Can the offense improve fast enough to give the team a chance? The Patriots' offense moved the ball -- which was a promising development based on how the preseason went -- but couldn't close things out consistently enough. It was notable that Kendrick Bourne, who was the team's second-leading receiver last year with 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns, didn't play until deep into the fourth quarter. He promptly caught a 41-yard pass down the left sideline. For an offense that is in need of explosiveness, why isn't Bourne playing more? -- Mike Reiss
Next game: at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Patriots' late turnover seals win for Miami
Nelson Agholor fumbles after catching a pass from Mac Jones to give the Dolphins back the ball in the fourth quarter.
Baltimore 24, N.Y. Jets 9
Ravens
What to know: Lamar Jackson isn't distracted by the lack of a contract extension. Jackson dominated like he usually does in a season opener, throwing for three touchdowns with one interception. He played loose, looking off his favorite target, Mark Andrews, over the middle and finding Devin Duvernay 25 yards downfield in the end zone. Jackson then stepped up for a 55-yard touchdown strike to Rashod Bateman (his first on a pass that traveled at least 50 yards in the air). It was the type of performance that the Ravens desperately needed for an offense that is without its top two left tackles (Ronnie Stanley and Ja'Wuan James) and top running back (J.K. Dobbins).
Can the Ravens maintain this relentless pressure on quarterbacks all season? After hearing all offseason how their pass rush was the biggest question (Baltimore ranked 22nd in sacks last season), the Ravens recorded three sacks (another was negated by a penalty) and nine quarterback hits in their reunion with Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco. Justin Houston continually crashed the edge, and Justin Madubuike collapsed the pocket from the middle. The Ravens, though, wreaked havoc against a Jets offensive line dealing with injuries. Baltimore still has something to prove in Week 2 against Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was sacked three times against the Patriots in the opener. -- Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Jets
What to know: The seasons change, but the results remain the same: The New York Jets stink in September. They tied an NFL record with their 13th straight defeat in the opening month with a mistake-filled, 24-9 loss to the Ravens at home. The Joe Flacco-led offense fell flat, converting only 2 of 14 third downs. The Jets upgraded their skill positions in the offseason, but you couldn't tell. There were too many dropped passes, a couple of key fumbles and leaky pass protection from the reshuffled offensive line. The defense did some nice things in the first half, but the revamped secondary eventually succumbed to Lamar Jackson, allowing three touchdown passes. The Jets were thoroughly outplayed in the second half, which doesn't reflect well on coach Robert Saleh and his staff. It was a tough assignment, facing the Ravens with a backup quarterback, but the Jets were out of the game by the start of the fourth quarter.
Can Flacco keep the season alive until Zach Wilson returns? That's a big ask, considering the upcoming opponents -- the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, both good defensive teams. Wilson, recovering from knee surgery, is expected to miss at least two more games. The Jets could be 0-3 by then unless they show dramatic improvement. "Joe Cool" was Joe Cold against the team that drafted him, but he got no help from his supporting cast. The fans will scream for Mike White to replace Flacco, but it's too soon for that. The Jets don't have a Flacco problem; they have an everything problem. -- Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Cleveland 26, Carolina 24
Browns
What to know: The Browns drafted Cade York in the fourth round for days like Sunday. With eight seconds left, the rookie out of LSU drilled a 58-yard field goal, lifting the Browns to the dramatic victory. Cleveland will have plenty of issues to address coming out of this game. But after years of struggling on special teams, the Browns finally have a kicker with the confidence to deliver big-time field goals.
Can Cleveland get more from the passing game? Cleveland's powerful running game -- behind RBs Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and an imposing offensive line -- controlled the game. But the Browns could've put Carolina away much earlier had QB Jacoby Brissett capitalized by connecting with open receivers in the first half. Brissett converted on some clutch third-down throws in the fourth quarter. But Cleveland will need more out of its passing attack to stick in the AFC playoff picture. -- Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Panthers
What to know: The Panthers still don't know whether Baker Mayfield can be a long-term solution at quarterback, but they know they have a QB capable of bringing them back in the fourth quarter -- something they haven't had the past few years. While Mayfield was superior to Sam Darnold in training camp, he was horrible against his former team for most of three quarters before bringing the Panthers within striking distance with some fourth-quarter heroics, including a 7-yard scramble for a touchdown and a 75-yard touchdown pass to Robbie Anderson. He then led them to a go-ahead field goal, only to see his efforts thwarted by Cleveland's 58-yard field goal at the end.
Where was running back Christian McCaffrey in the game plan? The talk all offseason was that Mayfield and the Carolina offense can succeed only if McCaffrey stays healthy. The plan was to monitor McCaffrey's snaps to promote his long-term health. But McCaffrey had only nine touches until Carolina's final drive, and 14 for the game. He did come through with a big play on a screen pass (plus a personal foul penalty against the Browns) to set up a go-ahead field goal, but Carolina needs more than 57 yards from their star to win consistently. -- David Newton
Next game: at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Baker Mayfield goes deep to Robbie Anderson for 75-yard TD
Baker Mayfield launches a 75-yard TD to Robbie Anderson to put the Panthers within two.
Washington 28, Jacksonville 22
Commanders
What to know: Carson Wentz is a definite upgrade at quarterback, and at times he showed why on Sunday. But he also showed why he has been maddening throughout his career. He threw two touchdown passes in the first half, executing well-designed play calls with pinpoint throws. Washington was rolling. But on consecutive plays in the second half, he threw interceptions, leading to 10 Jacksonville points. He missed some easy throws, sailing passes. While there were questions in the past about how Wentz handled adversity, this is what he did after two miscues Sunday: He threw two more touchdown passes. Give him credit for responding.
Where is the defensive improvement? Washington held Jacksonville to 22 points, but the Jaguars missed some easy opportunities when quarterback Trevor Lawrence overthrew open targets for potential touchdowns. It allowed 383 total yards, but at least the Commanders intercepted a pass to end Jacksonville's hopes. Washington did better on third downs -- the Jags converted 3 of 12 opportunities -- but if the Commanders want to take a step forward, the defense must play better. The Jaguars averaged 6.8 yards per run, the Washington pass rush was inconsistent, and cornerback William Jackson III needs to be better in coverage. -- John Keim
Next game: at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Jaguars
What to know: The Jaguars were last in the NFL in turnover margin (minus-20) in 2021 but were able to work their way back into this game because they forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble recovery) and didn't give the ball away. The two interceptions in the second half set up 10 points. Forcing turnovers -- the Jaguars did that only nine times last season -- was a major push during the offseason, and two of the turnovers were by newcomers: Foyesade Oluokun and Travon Walker. The Jaguars are still trying to find their way offensively, but nothing helps a struggling offense more than a ball-hawking defense. If the defense can continue to do that, the Jaguars will continue to be competitive.
Can Trevor Lawrence help himself and give up on a play? Lawrence was twice flagged for intentional grounding, and in each instance, he was fighting to make a play with someone either hanging on to him or in his face. Sometimes the smart play is to eat the ball and take the sack -- especially since those kinds of throws are usually off target and pretty risky. -- Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Philadelphia 38, Detroit 35
Eagles
What to know: A.J. Brown is in line for a huge year. He erupted for 10 catches for 155 yards against the Lions, setting a record for most receiving yards in an Eagles debut. Quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted Brown 13 times -- nine more than the next-closest receiving option. Hurts and Brown consider each other best friends, and they got together "countless times" during the offseason to work on their connection. It's fair to say that effort paid off.
What's up with the defense? The Lions look to be an improved team, but the Eagles had no business yielding 35 points. Rush defense in particular was a problem, with the Lions rolling up 181 yards on 28 carries (6.5 average). The Eagles played their starters only briefly during the preseason and didn't go live much at training camp. Perhaps that's why the defense looked out of sync. Philadelphia better hope so. -- Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Vikings (8:30 p.m. ET, Monday)
Lions
What to know: Philadelphia-born D'Andre Swift was one of the bright spots for Detroit, rushing for 97 of his career-best 144 yards in the opening half against the Eagles. He became the first player since Barry Sanders in 1996 with 100 rushing yards in a season opener.
Should Lions fans be concerned with the 0-1 start? Not too much. The Eagles made the playoffs last season and nobody is expecting this Lions team to be a postseason contender in 2022. It would be easy to get down after yet another season-opening loss. However, despite glaring defensive issues, Detroit did fight back and make it a game late. -- Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
What A.J. Brown's early production means from a fantasy standpoint
Eric Moody explains what A.J. Brown's early fantasy success means for managers going forward.
New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26
Saints
What to know: Michael Thomas is back. The Saints looked like they were in big trouble in the first half with their offense unable to do much of anything, but the wide receiver proved he still has a lot left in the tank despite not playing a game last season. Thomas' two touchdowns in the second half were a major reason the Saints were able to come back despite trailing by 16 points at one point in the second half. Thomas will clearly be a key part of the Saints' offense turning things around from last year.
Do the Saints have issues in the trenches? Neither the Saints' offensive line nor their defensive line will enjoy watching this game film. The O-line's issues protecting quarterback Jameis Winston were one reason the offense struggled so much in the first half. While Winston's four sacks weren't entirely on the line, it certainly contributed. On the other side, the Saints' D-line was not able to sack Marcus Mariota once. -- Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Falcons
What to know: Did that really just happen? What looked like a big debut for quarterback Marcus Mariota in Atlanta and an unexpected win turned into, what else, a double-digit, fourth-quarter collapse. A 16-point lead turned into a loss. How? A reader's digest: The defense went from aggressive to porous. The offense offered two of its least productive drives of the afternoon. And now the Falcons, who had a chance to head to Los Angeles with a huge boost in Week 2, have to lament a real opportunity slipping away.
Yes, that pressure is improved from last season, but is it sustainable? That's going to be an unknown for at least a little while, but defensive coordinator Dean Pees was willing to send rushers from every level of the defense, which helped create problems, including four sacks and eight quarterback hits. New Orleans came back when the Falcons stopped creating pressure (not the best decision considering the fourth-quarter meltdown), but considering the Falcons next face the Rams, who allowed seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits on Thursday, there could be more opportunities coming. -- Michael Rothstein
Next game: at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Chicago 19, San Francisco 10
Bears
What to know: The Bears showed they're capable of fighting back despite a sloppy and ineffective start. In the first half, quarterback Justin Fields went 3-for-9 for 19 yards and an interception. Chicago's pass protection was a mess, and the Bears got past their own 35-yard line only once. It was a totally different story in the second half. Fields had a window to get the Bears back in this game by utilizing his incredible playmaking ability to extend a play for Chicago's first score of the game. Fields ended up going 5-for-8 for 102 yards and two touchdown passes in the second half, and the Bears' offense scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to solidify their first win of the season.
How can the Bears get their skill position players involved sooner? The Bears tried to commit to the run in the first half (19 rushing attempts), and it made sense because of the miserable weather and soggy field conditions, but it took too long for Chicago to open things up against a 49ers secondary that got stuck in cement. Fields didn't connect with a wide receiver until he turned a broken play on third-and-long into a 51-yard touchdown pass to Dante Pettis in the third quarter. He then found wideout Equanimeous St. Brown for an 18-yard touchdown that gave the Bears the lead, and Chicago put the Niners away by capitalizing off a turnover to punch in a 3-yard touchdown run by Khalil Herbert. This offense is a work in progress, but it has to get its best players involved and support Fields far sooner in Week 2 at Green Bay. -- Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Packers (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)
49ers
What to know: If the 49ers are going to be the contender they believe they can be, they can't afford the type of silly mistakes that cost them Sunday's game against the Bears. On a wet, sloppy field, points always figured to be at a premium, but the Niners piled up a variety of self-inflicted errors that not only kept Chicago in the game but put it in position to win. The Niners finished with 12 penalties for 99 yards. On Chicago's first two scoring drives, the Niners were flagged for two 15-yard penalties, dropped an interception and picked up a holding penalty on a third down to keep the chains moving. Moments later, quarterback Trey Lance threw an interception. Quite simply, the Niners aren't built to overcome so many costly errors, especially with Lance learning on the go.
How much does this loss hurt the 49ers? The Niners were hoping to start faster after they spent the second half of last year desperately trying to get back in the playoff mix. Sure, weird stuff happens in Week 1 all the time and it's a long season, but this is the kind of loss that could be particularly haunting for San Francisco. The schedule is only going to get more difficult as the season goes along, which means the Niners had better get the ship righted soon or they're going to be playing do-or-die games throughout the final half of the year just like they did in 2021. -- Nick Wagoner
Next game: vs. Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Indianapolis 20, Houston 20 (OT)
Colts
What to know: The Colts now haven't won a season opener in nine years. The Colts have found all manner of ways to lose in Week 1 going back to 2014. While they managed a tie Sunday, this game was similar in that the outcome was the product of a long list of miscues ranging from dropped passes to untimely penalties to, most of all, the missed 42-yard field goal attempt by kicker Rodrigo Blankenship in overtime that would have won it. The Colts rallied from a 20-3 late-third-quarter deficit only to come away with nothing to show for it.
Where do the Colts go at kicker? The Colts were not confident in their place-kicking situation to begin with, which is why the team added Jake Verity for preseason competition. Verity performed poorly in training camp and the preseason, giving Blankenship the win in the position battle by default. But he remains a liability for the team, as he has been unreliable in pressure situations for Indianapolis. Blankenship's leg strength has also been an issue. He's 1-for-4 beyond 50 yards in his two previous seasons. The Colts have to avoid getting into a situation like they did in 2019, when veteran Adam Vinatieri's late-career struggles cost the team multiple potential wins. -- Stephen Holder
Next game: at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Texans
What to know: The Texans missed a golden opportunity to beat the division favorite Indianapolis Colts, blowing a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter. It's the first tie in Texans history. The Colts had 216 yards and 17 points in the fourth quarter after being held to three points and 232 yards in the first three. The Texans' defense allowed Colts quarterback Matt Ryan to go 12-for-19 for 146 yards and a touchdown, and running back Jonathan Taylor gashed the defense for 70 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Then in overtime the same theme continued, as the Texans' defense allowed the Colts to march into field goal range before Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 42-yarder.
Are the first and fourth quarters an indication of what the offense will be? Quarterback Davis Mills completed zero passes in the fourth quarter, as the offense completely disappeared with 12 yards and zero points. That helped the Colts to come back and force overtime. In the first quarter, the Texans produced only 13 yards as Mills completed two passes for 6 yards. The running game was also nonexistent throughout the game, finishing with 77 yards (their average of 83 from 2021 was dead last in the NFL). -- DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Jonathan Taylor powers his way into the end zone for a Colts TD
Jonathan Taylor won't be denied as he crosses the goal line to pull the Colts closer.
Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20 (OT)
Steelers
What to know: When the dust finally settled on the Steelers' wild overtime win, one thing was clear: This defense is better than advertised, but more impactful than the outcome of the game was T.J. Watt leaving the field with less than 15 seconds left with an injury. He went straight to the locker room and appears to have a torn pectoral, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. QB Joe Burrow committed four turnovers in the first half and another in the second. Minkah Fitzpatrick, who blocked a late Bengals extra point attempt to send the game to overtime, scored the first touchdown of the year when he intercepted Burrow's first pass attempt and returned it 31 yards for a pick-six. The Steelers managed two more interceptions and a fumble recovery in the first half, but the offense scored only 10 points off those turnovers. The defense also sacked Burrow six times. For the Steelers to have success this season, they'll need more offensive support -- whether it's putting points on the board or extending drives to give the defense a break.
Is this truly Mitch Trubisky's team? This will be the biggest question throughout the season -- especially if Trubisky's performance contributes to the offensive stagnation. The Steelers managed only 231 yards of total offense. Trubisky completed 21 of 38 attempts for 194 yards and a touchdown, but many of his passes missed the mark, including a handful that sailed too high. On a crucial third down in the fourth quarter, Trubisky's pass bounced between two receivers, and the Steelers came away from another forced turnover without any points. A lowlight of the preseason, the Steelers' offensive line held up pretty well, and Trubisky was sacked only once and hit four times. But the offense couldn't maintain possession and the Bengals held a 43:43-26:17 edge in time of possession. -- Brooke Pryor
Next game: vs. Patriots (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Bengals
What to know: Cincinnati's offense picked up right where it left off last season. And that was the main culprit in an overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener. It featured a slew of sacks and an inconsistent offense. Those things kept the Bengals from winning Super Bowl LVI despite a very strong defensive effort, which the Bengals got again on Sunday. Cincinnati needs to get that issue resolved if it wants to defend its AFC championship.
Should the Bengals be concerned about Joe Burrow? Uh, no. Sure, Burrow objectively played his worst game since entering the league. He committed five turnovers -- four interceptions and a lost fumble on a day when he was sacked six times. But Burrow's history, strengths and the resolve he showed to lead the Bengals down the field at the end of the game show that there should be zero long-term concerns for the third-year player coming off an emergency appendectomy in July. -- Ben Baby
Next game: at Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Thursday
Buffalo 31, L.A. Rams 10
Bills
What to know: The Bills played far from a perfect game and still walked away from the season opener against the defending Super Bowl champions with a 21-point victory. After three first-half turnovers, the offense responded in spectacular fashion with three straight touchdown drives and finished the game converting 9 of 10 third downs, becoming the fourth team in the past 50 seasons to convert 90% of its third downs in a game. In addition to the offensive success, the defensive line lived up to the high expectations, finishing with seven sacks on Matthew Stafford, including two from Von Miller against his former team.
Will the Bills continue to use quarterback Josh Allen as a rusher at this high of a level throughout the season? Once again, Allen finished a Bills game as the team's leading rusher with 10 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown. While his stiff-arm near the sideline was impressive and caught attention, the amount of hits the quarterback is taking through the course of the season is something that the team has talked about trying to minimize, especially early in the year. "Limiting the hits, obviously slide and getting outta bounds -- it's the utmost importance there," Allen said. "The best ability is availability, but again, when I'm called upon to do something for my team, I'm willing to do it." Should Allen be rushing with a two-touchdown lead even if he is effective? Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will have to continue to work on the right balance throughout the season. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: vs. Titans (7:15 p.m. ET, Monday)
Rams
What to know: It's been only one game, but Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford didn't do much to end the questions about his elbow injury and whether it is affecting his game. Stafford was sacked seven times by the Bills and threw three interceptions. He also struggled when targeting any player but wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who accounted for more than half of the Rams' receiving yardage.
Do the Rams expect to see more from two key players, RB Cam Akers and WR Allen Robinson II, going forward? When Rams coach Sean McVay was asked about Akers' involvement in the game, he said, "We really just didn't get in much of a rhythm tonight." Akers played 12 snaps on Thursday to Darrell Henderson Jr. 's 54. In McVay's answer, he also brought up that he wanted to get Robinson more involved in the offense. Robinson was targeted just twice on 45 routes run, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The 4.4% target rate was the lowest of his career. -- Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Falcons (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday)
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