One down, 17 to go! The NFL season is finally here and Week 1 most certainly had some winners and losers. Who’s trending up and who’s trending down? Let’s take a look at some Week 1 risers and fallers.
Stock Up: Dak Prescott
I refuse to fall into the “early season Cowboys” trap, but at the same time it’s impossible to not say that Dak Prescott’s stock hasn’t risen after Sunday’s 33-17 win over Cleveland. First off, Dallas started off with a win. Dak was fine, though he didn’t light the world on fire. But he also signed a MASSIVE four-year, $240 million contract extension prior to kickoff that also dished out a whopping $231 million guaranteed.
To sign that deal, then go into Cleveland and take on a defense that’s very good and a quarterback that has a ridiculous contract and come out with the win has to feel good.
Offenses around the NFL didn’t have the best opening week, but Dak looked sharp against a very good defense, the Cowboys won on the road, and he got PAID. It’s hard to not have the his stock on the rise right now.
Stock Down: Bryce Young and the Panthers
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to lump the Panthers together or talk just Bryce Young. I think we have to go with both. Bryce Young looked awful in the first start of his second season in the NFL. Granted, the Superdome is a tough place to play and the Saints are strong defensively. But still, he was quite bad going 13-30 and throwing two INTs.
The rest of the Panthers team wasn’t much better. They couldn’t run the football and they allowed 47 points to an offense led by Derek Carr and Taysom Hill. It was never going to be the best year for Carolina. But with a second-year QB, a few solid pieces on offense, and a brand new head coach, you had to expect a better effort than this on opening day. A loss in the Superdome happens, but a 47-10 shellacking against a team that could very well miss the playoffs this season is a brutal look for all involved.
Stock Up: The Bears Secondary
We’re a Chicago website, so of course I was going to include the Bears! While the offense had their struggles, the Bears defense was everything we’d hoped for once they got settled in. They absolutely dominated the second half, and if Jaylon Johnson looked like the best cornerback in the NFL on Sunday, it’s because he was according to PFF, and that was with a missed opportunity on a near s🥃econd interception!
The Bears’ defense and special teams won the football game on Sunday. The secondary played lights out in the second half, and Jaylon Johnson along with his brand new contract led the way. Not every week will be perfect, but if Jaylon and the secondary play like that for the majority of this season the Bears will be in every single game they play, and it will make Caleb Williams’ life and development that much easier.
Stock Down: Cincinnati Bengals
Talk about a disastrous start. I know Week 1s haven’t exactly been the Bengals’ best friend over the years but this one feels particularly rough. Losing at home to a Patriots team expected to compete for the first overall pick in the draft is already a bad way to start the season, but next week they have to go to Arrowhead and take on the Chiefs!
It could have been worse I suppose, the Bengals had more than enough chances to win the game/put up more points but they just kept shooting themselves in the foot. I guess that’s better than not sniffing the endzone at all. But still, they’re in a VERY tough division. They can’t afford to lose games against lesser teams, especially at home.
The one positive is that the Bengals have bounced back from slow starts before, but Sunday’s loss felt particularly unacceptable. Maybe take those all orange uniforms and put them in the dumpster for good where they belong?
Stock Up: Pittsburgh Steelers
Outside of the Bears, the Falcons came into the season with as much hype as anyone in the NFC. The Pittsburgh Steelers did their best to taper that hype down. They held Atla🀅nta to under 90 yards rushing, picked off Kirk Cousins twice while holding him to under 160 yards passing, and did enough offensively .
The Steelers still feel like they’re in quarterback limbo with Justin Fields (he’s primed to start again in Week 2) and Russell Wilson (they should absolutely roll with Fields and see what they can get out of him) but they’re so well coached and play so well defensively that no matter what they offense does, they’ll never really be an easy out.
Stock Down: New York Giants
I mean, you guys saw that game. Sam Darnold torched them. Daniel Jones was brutal. To rub it in even more, Saquon Barkely had a fantastic﷽ debut with the Eagles. It feels like they just kind of have to ride the Daniel Jones storm out this season until they can get out of his contract, but this year really feels like it could be a giant waste.
The good news for the G-Men is that next year’s draft seems to have quite a few quarterback options. And if Sunday was any indicator, they will be in the running for those top names. But until then, woof. It might be a long remaining 16 games.
