NFL Week 1 winners and losers: Steelers twist, Patriots stunner, Giants disasterclass

We are almost through the first week of NFL football this season, and folks, what a time it is to be alive. We are so back, as the kids say, and there's plenty to write home about after an eventful weekend. There was no shortage of shock and awe from Sunday's festivities, from upsets to pure displays of domination.

As always, there were winners and losers from the weekend's slate. It's never wise to write in ink after the first game of the season, but we can start to piece together what the future may hold for a lot of teams. More often than not, our initial gut reactions prove true over time. We should tune out the noise and remain rational in our analysis, but when hunches manifest and new trends emerge, it's wise to listen.

So, let's dive into the first week of NFL action and pinpoint those who excelled and those who did not.

NFL Week 1 winner: Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings cruised to victory, 28-6, over the New York Giants. It was their first game post-Kirk Cousins and it couldn't have gone much better. Those concerned by the J.J. McCarthy injury and its potential implications on the Vikings QB room were set at ease by the performance of Sam Darnold, who completed 19-of-24 passes for 208 yards, a couple touchdowns, and only one tipped-pass interception.

Darnold was supremely efficient out of the gate, meeting little resistance from the Giants defense. Sure, it was a favorable matchup, but the former top-3 pick put up several impressive throws. Minnesota has a ton of playmaking talent around Darnold and a rock-solid offensive line, which should mean this success is sustainable.

Even if he's not the long-term answer at quarterback, there's a good chance Darnold can revive his career and keep the Vikings in the playoffs conversation.

NFL Week 1 loser: Daniel Jones, New York Giants

On the flip side of that coin is Daniel Jones, who looked all-too-predictably poor in his first game of the season. New York is somewhat locked into Jones because of his contract, but with his lofty salary set to expire at season's end, there is finally a window to pivot. The Giants did not sign Drew Lock for laughs. He's one of the best backup QBs in the NFL and he's presumably ready to step in if needed.

The Giants managed six points on a couple field goals. Jones threw two interceptions and completed a paltry 22-of-42 passes for 186 yards. He has all your prototypical physical tools at the QB position, but Jones averaged a dinky 4.4 yards per pass attempt and consistently missed his open targets. Now he has rookie wideout Malik Nabers taking thinly veiled shots in postgame pressers, and it's only Week 1.

Yikes.

NFL Week 1 winner: J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers

After a knee injury kept J.K. Dobbins sidelined for half of the 2022 campaign, he ruputed his Achillies in the Baltimore Ravens' season opener a year ago. It has been a long couple seasons for Dobbins, but he finally got the chance to reaffirm his prowess on the football field Sunday afternoon. He picked the right offense to do it with.

The Los Angeles Chargers sprinted their way to a 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman's offense was predictably run-oriented, with Dobbins netting the second-most carries on the team (10) behind Gus Edwards (11). What Dobbins did with his touches, however, was by far the most impressive aspect of LA's victory.

He went for 135 yards and a touchdown, averaging a whopping 13.5 yards per carry. After the game, Dobbins received the game ball in a moment that is sure to warm even the most frigid of hearts.

It sure seems like the Chargers have a new RB1 in town.

NFL Week 1 loser: Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons dropped $180 million on Kirk Cousins' doorstep to bring him to his summer home full time. Naturally, after toiling in offensive destitution with Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, Falcons fans set a high bar for their new premium signal-caller. The early returns were... less than ideal.

Cousins looked completely out of whack in his first action since last season's Achilles tear, completing 16-of-26 passes for 155 yards and a single touchdown. He tossed two interceptions by comparison, and took a couple bad sacks for good measure. The Steelers' defense was in Cousins' face all afternoon, with T.J. Watt in particularly dominant form.

It will probably take time for the 36-year-old to shake off the rust and establish his rhythm in a new offense after so much time off. This is Cousins' first time returning from an extended injury absence. It's too early to panic, but Atlanta fans certainly don't feel great about the Cousins investment right now. On the other hand, perhaps the Michael Penix pick wasn't so premature after all.

NFL Week 1 winner: Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs

Remember when Xavier Worthy got knocked down that one time in Kansas City Chiefs practice? Well, the rookie proved that physicality matters very little if the defense can't touch you. The rookie speedster looked right at home in his NFL debut, taking a torch to the Ravens' vaunted defense on Thursday Night Football.

Worthy caught two of three targets for 47 yards and a touchdown, proving supremely dynamic after the catch. He also scrambled once for a 21-yard score in the first quarter, on his first NFL touch. It was quite the impressive debut. Worthy made the most of limited touches and looked the part of a potential WR1 candidate in the Chiefs' deadly offense.

It's worth monitoring how Worthy's workload evolves in the weeks to come. Is he a boom-or-bust, Mecole Hardman type, or does Kansas City opt to truly unleash the 21-year-old at full capacity? Something tells me the latter is very much in the cards.

NFL Week 1 loser: Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals' Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots cannot be blamed on Zac Taylor. This is more an indictment on his circumstances — the general bad vibes circulating the Cincy organization these days.

Joe Burrow missed a large chunk of last season due to injury and he appeared to be operating at half-speed in Week 1. The absence of Tee Higgins, not to mention the prolonged hold-in of Ja'Marr Chase, certainly impacted the Bengals' offense rhythm as well. What was once the most dynamic passing attack east of Kansas City looked positively tepid against an unproven New England defense.

The Bengals let Joe Mixon walk in free agency; he promptly accumulated 30 carries for 159 yards and a score in his Houston Texans debut. Taylor was left with Zack Moss to lead the RB room; he carried the ball nine times in a slow-moving, grind-it-out rock fight.

It's hard not to feel bad for Taylor. Cincinnati has a lot to figure out before Week 2.

NFL Week 1 winner: Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots

On the other hand, Jerod Mayo won his first NFL game in completely unexpected fashion. The Patriots weren't able to get much going through the air offensively, but the defense was stout and New England's run game rollicked from start to finish. Rhamondre Stevenson appeared to find his stride as the Patriots' true bell cow back. Meanwhile, Jacoby Brissett used his postgame press conference to speak about the uniquely personal coaching style that Mayo has brought to the Patriots' locker room.

After suffering these last few years under the curmudgeonly leadership of a past-prime Bill Belichick, New England has plainly benefited from the fresh voice and perspective offered by Mayo. He has taken all the right lessons from Belichick without undermining his players or exercising unchecked control over the organization. The management ecosystem in New England actually feels balanced and supportive, which is a huge development.

Mayo is the first to admit that New England hasn't reached the mountaintop, but there is positive momentum to build on here. The Patriots may be closer to respectability than initially thought, and a lot of credit goes to Mayo for so quickly rebuilding the organizational culture as a first-time head coach.

NFL Week 1 loser: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers were on the wrong end of a 47-10 New Orleans Saints blowout. All the negative energy from last season resurfaced. Even with a new coach and a supposedly revamped supporting cast, the Panthers felt and looked exactly the same. Bryce Young was under constant pressure, and even when he did have a clean pocket, the 23-year-old was prone to boneheaded errors.

He completed less than half of his pass attempts (13-of-30) for 161 yards with two costly interceptions. Young's first pass of the season was an embarrassing turnover, so from the jump, Carolina fans were right back in the purgatory of 2023. Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette were both heavily involved in the offense, but it was not enough to boost the passing attack. Better receivers can't do much for your offense if the quarterback can't accurately deliver the football.

It's difficult to blame Young for such a dire state of affairs on the personnel front, but this is clearly an issue that extends beyond a bad offensive line, mediocre pass-catchers, or lackluster play-calling. Young just doesn't have the size, arm talent, or decision-making prowess to keep this Carolina offense afloat.

NFL Week 1 winner: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Pour one out for the Giants fan in your life.

While New York was getting eviscerated Sunday afternoon, fans had plenty of time to reflect on Saquon Barkley's season debut with the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday in Sao Paulo. Boosted by the NFL's best offensive line and the dynamic play-calling of Kellen Moore, Barkley put together the best Week 1 performance of any NFL running back. He finished the Eagles' 34-29 victory with 24 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He also netted two receptions for 26 yards and another touchdown.

That is a crisp three-TD ballgame for Barkley in his Eagles debut. It's hard to top that. Philadelphia's offense looked miles better than it did in Week 18 of last season, and Barkley's complete dominance out of the backfield was a major reason why. We know the Eagles can execute short-yard runs with Jalen Hurts, and we know the WR room ranks among the best in the NFL. We haven't seen what the Eagles' offense can accomplish with the best RB of a generation. Friday's win was a tantalizing first taste.

Barkley has to feel awfully good about his new situation right now.

NFL Week 1 loser: Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Russell Wilson was named the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 1 starter after training camp, but a nagging calf injury relegated him to the sideline for Pittsburgh's 18-10 victory over the Falcons. Justin Fields got the start instead and he performed well enough, leading six scoring drives and doing plenty of damage with his legs.

The Steelers couldn't manage a touchdown, but Fields moved the chains on a regular basis and put palpable stress on the Falcons' revamped defense with his athleticism. After the game, Mike Tomlin was extremely complimentary of Fields and refused to confirm Wilson's status as the starting quarterback moving forward. There's a chance Russ lost his job before he even got a real chance to defend it.

Pittsburgh has been steadfastly setting the stage for Fields to take over QB duties all summer. Russ' days have been numbered from the beginning, and now the moment of reckoning appears closer than ever. It's hard to have a worse week when your team pulled off the upset.