What we learned in NFL Week 1: Good day to be Dak, Lions look ...

Tyreek Hill spent part of his morning in handcuffs, then part of his afternoon in the end zone. Josh Allen showed why he’s a perennial MVP contender. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears proved in Week 1 you don’t need to score an offensive touchdown to win a game.

And Dak Prescott, the NFL’s newly minted highest-paid player, celebrated his $240 million deal with a rout of the Cleveland Browns.

Welcome back, football.

For the first time in 45 years, the NFL saw three teams rally from at least 14-point holes to win on opening weekend. The Bears were down 17 to the Tennessee Titans before coming back for a 24-17 victory, and Allen’s Buffalo Bills (home against the Arizona Cardinals) and Hill’s Miami Dolphins (home against the Jacksonville Jaguars) each came back from two-touchdown deficits. The Los Angeles Rams nearly became the fourth team to pull off an improbable opening-day comeback before eventually falling to the Detroit Lions in overtime Sunday night.

Jim Harbaugh, on an NFL sideline for the first time in a decade, opened his Los Angeles Chargers tenure with a 22-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. It was vintage Harbaugh, a reminder of why his San Francisco teams were so successful: L.A. owned this one on the ground, punishing the Raiders for 176 rushing yards, including a 61-yard burst from J.K. Dobbins on the game-sealing drive.

In Atlanta, the Falcons showed that — for one week at least — games aren’t won in the offseason. For a team that earned widespread praise from the pundits for its head-coaching hire and roster additions, including giving out the biggest free-agency contract in NFL history to Kirk Cousins, Atlanta has little to show for it one week into the season. The Falcons managed just one offensive touchdown in a dispiriting 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. Starting for an injured Russell Wilson (calf), Justin Fields threw for 156 yards without tossing an interception.

In Indianapolis, it took Anthony Richardson all of one quarter to uncork one of the best throws we’ll see all season, an absolute rocket off his back foot that traveled 65 yards in the air and fell right into the arms of Alec Pierce for a touchdown.

ANTHONY RICHARDSON 60-YARD DIME TO ALEC PIERCE.

????: #HOUvsIND on CBS/Paramount+ ????: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/p0xddm5Kl1

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

But it was a late third-down connection from C.J. Stroud to Nico Collins, plus sterling debuts from two Texans’ newcomers — Stefon Diggs snared two touchdowns, and Joe Mixon piled up 159 rushing yards and a score — that proved the difference in Houston’s 29-27 win. That means the Colts have now gone 11 seasons without winning their opener, the longest such streak in the league.

In Orchard Park, the Cardinals built a 17-3 lead in the second quarter but faded from there, unable to contain Allen in the Bills’ 34-28 comeback. The star quarterback accounted for four touchdowns, including a fourth-quarter leap into the end zone in which he appeared to injure his left (non-throwing) hand. Buffalo outgained Arizona 211-80 after halftime, yielding just a field goal on defense and keeping highly touted rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. a non-factor (one catch, 4 yards).

No one had a worse outing than the Carolina Panthers, who looked a whole lot like they did a year ago — when they were the worst team in football. It’s only Week 1, and any sort of rebuild is going to take time, but a 47-10 drubbing in New Orleans wasn’t the debut first-year coach Dave Canales had in mind. Saints quarterback Derek Carr had almost as many touchdown passes (three) as incompletions (four) as New Orleans outgained the Panthers 379-193 in total yards. Bryce Young, fresh off a disastrous rookie season, opened his 2024 campaign with an interception on his first pass attempt. He finished 13 of 30 for 161 yards and two picks, an ominous start to what is a critical Year 2 for him. He’s now lost 15 of 17 starts since being drafted No. 1 in 2023.

In New York, Giants fans have to be wondering if it’s too early to consider a move at quarterback. Nothing Daniel Jones did in a 28-6 loss to the Vikings — he finished 22 of 42 for 186 yards and two interceptions — will ease speculation that the team consider other options. “That’s not on my mind,” coach Brian Daboll said after the loss. It might need to be soon. In what feels like a make-or-break year for Jones in New York, this wasn’t the way to start it off. And let’s not overlook the afternoons of Sam Darnold, who played like a seasoned pro — 19 of 24 for two touchdowns — and Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell, who once again showed what he can do without his starting quarterback.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rode Baker Mayfield’s four-touchdown day to an easy 37-20 win over the Commanders. The offseason decision to re-sign Mayfield is looking good so far; same for the two-year extension the Bucs handed to veteran wideout Mike Evans, who hauled in two of Mayfield’s touchdown throws Sunday.

In Seattle, the Mike Macdonald era started with a win after his defense gave Bo Nix fits all afternoon. The Denver Broncos’ rookie starter was intercepted twice, and without some drops by Seahawks defenders, it easily could’ve been a few more. It took Nix 34 attempts just to climb past the 100-yard mark, and each of Denver’s first six possessions of the second half ended in a punt or a turnover. Seahawks QB Geno Smith ran for a 34-yard touchdown and threw for another in a 26-20 win.

Here’s what stood out from Week 1 across the NFL:

A really, really good day. The Cowboys’ quarterback became the league’s highest-paid player — his new four-year deal includes a whopping $231 million guaranteed — a few hours before Dallas dominated the Browns 33-17 in a game that was never close.

Prescott finished 19 of 32 with a touchdown, but the story was the Dallas defense, which frustrated Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson throughout the game. Forty-five pass attempts for Watson netted just 169 yards, and he was intercepted twice. Since arriving in Cleveland a few years ago, he hasn’t looked anything close to the player he was in Houston, and Sunday was another stark reminder. It’s just one week, but this could be a problem that brews all season for the Browns.

And to think: as of late August, the Cowboys hadn’t signed their star quarterback or star wide receiver to contract extensions, and that cloud of uncertainty hung over the franchise as it looked to move past another disappointing playoff exit. Roughly $376 million later — the combined total value of Prescott’s and Cee Dee Lamb’s deals — that uncertainty has been put to rest. The Cowboys are 1-0, Mike Zimmer’s defense looks scary and the stars are happy.

There’s no way around it: Caleb Williams’ Bears debut was awful. He threw for just 93 yards on 29 pass attempts (his rating: a dismal 55.7). He learned extending plays in the NFL isn’t the same as extending plays in the Pac-12 (he lost 29 yards on sacks). He pressed. He struggled. He missed receivers low and wide.

He also became the first rookie No. 1 pick to win in Week 1 since 2002.

He can thank the Bears’ defense and special teams for that. And Titans’ quarterback Will Levis, whose late-game mistakes buried Tennessee after it built a 17-0 lead.

Chicago’s 24-17 victory felt old school — ugly, with the offense all but nonexistent — not exactly emblematic of the new era the franchise hopes to begin with its top pick. Same as the Steelers, the Bears didn’t score an offensive touchdown all day.

“Obviously, great to get this first win,” Williams said. “We’re all excited. We went to the locker room to celebrate, and I sat down and enjoyed the moment, just watching all the guys celebrate, understanding that I need to be better, I will be better.”

The Bears face the Texans next Sunday in prime time. Williams’ dismal debut isn’t uncommon for first-year quarterbacks, but it was troubling that he reverted to some of the traits that got him in trouble at USC. He needs to break free of those tendencies and do so quickly. The Bears have invested a lot in their rookie QB and built a capable offense around him. Williams will have better days. We’ll see how long the Bears have to wait to see them.

Matthew Stafford has returned to Detroit twice in nine months. Both trips have ended in heartache.

The Lions backed up their wild-card victory over the Rams back in January with a 26-20 overtime win Sunday night. This was a terrific opener between two teams that figure to be players in the NFC playoff race later this season and another reminder of what makes Dan Campbell’s team so tough to play: The Lions simply refuse to fold.

After blowing a 17-3 first-half lead, the Lions drove 40 yards in nine plays late to set up a game-tying field goal from Jake Bates late in regulation, then pounded the Rams’ defense with David Montgomery on the game-winning drive in overtime. Stafford never got to touch the ball.

Both he and Cooper Kupp (14 catches, 110 yards, one TD) were brilliant for most of the second half, a reminder on the national stage why this pair remains as lethal as any in the league.

Imagine being a Dolphins fan, tailgating a few hours before the team’s season opener against the Jaguars, and witnessing the team’s best player, wideout Tyreek Hill, being handcuffed outside the stadium.

That’s how an eventful Sunday unfolded in Miami Gardens, where Hill and defensive tackle Calais Campbell were briefly detained by police. Hill later told reporters he had been stopped Sunday morning on his way to the game for allegedly speeding but had “no idea” why officers placed him in handcuffs; Campbell said he stopped to offer support for his teammate. “Right now, I’m still trying to put it all together,” Hill said after the Dolphins’ 20-17 win over the Jaguars.

Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department issued a statement Sunday that confirmed one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative duties and an internal investigation will take place.

Hill helped the Dolphins erase a slow start and finish in a flurry; Miami scored the game’s final 13 points to complete the comeback. Hill led the team with seven catches for 130 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown in the second half that he celebrated by putting his hands behind his back and having fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle mockingly handcuff him.

Hill now has 12 career touchdowns of at least 75 yards, tied for the third-most in NFL history.

By now we’re used to these slow starts from the Bengals — it’s practically an annual tradition in Cincinnati — but this year was supposed to be different. Joe Burrow finally had a healthy training camp, and despite Ja’Marr Chase’s on-again, off-again presence, few figured they’d run into much trouble opening against a Patriots team that won just four games last season and looked lost at times in the preseason.

Instead: Patriots 16, Bengals 10.

On its home field, Cincinnati didn’t manage a first down until midway through the second quarter and finished with just one touchdown drive all day. Burrow attempted 29 passes but just seven went more than seven yards in the air (Chase had six catches for 62 yards). A team that built its reputation on ruthlessly carving up defenses down the field bore little resemblance to the contender of years past.

The defense looked a whole lot like it did last year — plagued by missed tackles and shaky play up front — as the Patriots controlled portions of the game on the ground, piling up 170 rushing yards in the process. Jacoby Brissett, starting ahead of third overall pick Drake Maye for the time being, completed just 15 passes for 121 yards but didn’t turn it over, and Cincy had no answer for Rhamondre Stevenson, who finished with 120 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The Bengals are now 1-5 in openers under Taylor. And the Patriots are 1-0 under Jerrod Mayo, whose players celebrated with a Gatorade bath for their new coach. One of the league’s worst teams from 2023 has some life early in 2024.

But the story was Cincinnati’s offense, which never got on track. Was this merely a fluke, like a few of these season-opening duds have been for the Bengals in recent years, or a sign that the offense isn’t right? A stiffer test arrives next week, when they face the two-time defending champs in Kansas City, home to one of the league’s best defenses.

(Photo of David Montgomery: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

Zak Keefer is a national features writer for The Athletic, focusing on the NFL. He previously covered the Indianapolis Colts for nine seasons, winning the Pro Football Writers of America's 2020 Bob Oates Award for beat writing. He wrote and narrated the six-part podcast series "Luck," and is an adjunct professor of journalism at Indiana University. Follow Zak on Twitter @zkeefer