Let's overreact to NFL Week 1: Graziano on Justin Fields, Deshaun Watson and Dallas' next contract dilemma

Dan Graziano, a seasoned reporter covering the NFL nationally, posted a blog on Sep 9, 2024, at 1:30 AM.

Atlanta -- We were pumped for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. It's like the Super Bowl of overreactions!

If you just finished watching the first set of games on Sunday and forgot that the NFL season is long, you might have some extreme thoughts. You might believe that the Bengals are done for, the Falcons should swap out Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr., Sam Darnold is in the running for MVP, and the Saints will make it to the Super Bowl. These ideas are obviously ridiculous, but that's what this weekly blog is all about - reacting strongly to the games and separating the realistic from the exaggerated.

We'll begin with a team that managed to win on Sunday without scoring a single touchdown...just because!

Go to: Can Fields be a full-time starter? Are the Falcons in danger of losing the NFC South title? Is this the best season for Mahomes' offense? Should Parsons get a big contract soon? Will Watson be replaced as starting quarterback?

Justin Fields Will Remain Steelers' Starting QB All Season

Fields recently faced off against Russell Wilson in a training camp competition and ended up losing to the fellow Steelers newcomer. However, Wilson aggravated his calf injury during the camp, leading Fields to start the opener in Atlanta. Surprisingly, the Steelers managed to secure a victory with an 18-10 score, thanks to six successful field goals by Chris Boswell. Fields had an impressive performance, completing 17 out of 23 pass attempts for 156 yards and rushing 14 times for 57 yards. Most importantly, he did not commit any turnovers during the game.

Arthur Smith, the Steelers offensive coordinator, had a careful strategy in place during the game. Just eight months ago, he was the coach for the Falcons and he still had a lot of respect for their defense. He also had confidence in his new team's defense. Despite this, his plan worked well on that day. It is uncertain if Wilson will be able to play in the next game due to his calf injury. However, the Steelers are now 1-0 with Fields as their starting quarterback.

Wilson won the starting job because the Steelers have more confidence in his ability to read defenses and make accurate throws than they do in Fields. They see Fields as someone with potential who they can develop, but they prefer Wilson for now.

The recent game on Sunday, as pointed out by Smith, highlighted some important factors. In the first half, Fields' passes only traveled an average of 3.9 yards downfield, which is much less than what he usually did last season in Chicago. With edge rusher T.J. Watt performing exceptionally in the second half of the game, the Steelers may still have a chance regardless of whether Wilson or Fields is playing as quarterback. However, Wilson is currently the preferred choice for Pittsburgh if both players are fit. Once his calf is fully recovered, I expect to see him back on the field.

Falcons Won't Win NFC South

Pittsburgh had a big win without scoring any touchdowns, but it was a tough blow for the Falcons, a team many thought would win their division. Atlanta has a lot of talent on offense and a strong offensive line. They signed Cousins in free agency hoping he would help their offense succeed. They also added veterans Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon to improve their defense. The NFC South hasn't had a team win 10 regular-season games since 2021, so many believe the division is up for grabs.

However, in front of a crowd that was mostly made up of fans supporting the opposing team, Cousins and the Falcons' offense had a disappointing performance in Week 1. Although Atlanta was leading 10-9 at halftime, Cousins only completed 3 out of 8 passes for 19 yards, threw an interception, and lost a fumble in the second half. The team as a whole only gained 51 yards in the second half.

Conclusion: NOT AN EXAGGERATION

I don't believe the Falcons will perform poorly throughout the entire season. However, I also don't think we should assume they will easily win the division just because Cousins is now on the team. They need to work hard and improve their performance. None of the starting players participated in the preseason games, and Cousins had not played since Week 8 of the previous season due to an Achilles injury. It seemed like the team was still getting back in the groove and may continue to struggle in the next game against Philadelphia and beyond until everyone gets back into form.

Kirk Cousins notches 2 interceptions in Falcons' first game.

DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson intercept Kirk Cousins to ruin his first game with the Falcons as the Steelers manage to keep their lead and win.

In Tampa Bay, the team has been dominating the NFC South for the last three years and started this season with a 37-20 win against Washington. New Orleans also had an impressive opener, scoring 47 points against Carolina. The Falcons know they have to work hard to succeed. They understand that bringing about change takes time, as Sunday's game showed.

Chiefs Offense Set To Be Mahomes' Best Yet

The 2024 season kicked off with a thrilling game on Thursday night, where the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Ravens in a tight contest. The Chiefs showed off an offense that appeared much quicker, more polished, and more sure of themselves compared to last year's struggles during the regular season.

First-year receiver Xavier Worthy was impressive and scored two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Rashee Rice surpassed 100 yards. Running back Isiah Pacheco appeared lively and scored a touchdown. Travis Kelce continues to make a big impact. Despite missing the game because of injury, Hollywood Brown will return and contribute to the team.

Mahomes now has more options and exciting opportunities to throw the ball compared to last year. It's worth noting that 188 out of his 291 passing yards in the last game were gained after the receiver caught the ball. If the Kansas City defense performs as well as they did last season, there is a possibility of achieving the first three-peat in Super Bowl history.

I think the Chiefs will improve their offense in the upcoming season. I liked watching Worthy play in his first game, but he only had three opportunities. The Ravens gained 99 more yards than the Chiefs. Despite the exciting performance by the Chiefs, they were very close to losing their first game if it weren't for a small margin and a successful conversion.

I am not betting against the Chiefs; I selected them as the winners of the Super Bowl. They are exceptional and should be given the benefit of the doubt. However, if you claim that this current offense is superior to the one in Mahomes' earlier years - which featured Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, and a prime Kelce - then I need to see more than just one game to be convinced.

Sign Micah Parsons Now To Avoid Cowboys' Traps

The Cowboys started off Sunday by securing quarterback Dak Prescott with a big new deal right before their season started. Prescott is now the highest-paid player in NFL history with $231 million guaranteed in his contract. This resolved the ongoing drama of "Will they or won't they sign Dak?" just two weeks after they resolved the uncertainty around CeeDee Lamb's contract. Now the Cowboys can focus on the season without any distractions from unresolved contract issues.

After celebrating Prescott's new contract, Parsons, who is a standout player on their defense, dominated Deshaun Watson and the Browns' offense. He recorded a sack, eight pressures, and four tackles in their 33-17 victory. This is Parsons' fourth year in the league, making him eligible for a new contract this offseason. The Cowboys chose to exercise his fifth-year option for 2025, prioritizing extensions for Lamb and Prescott before addressing Parsons' contract.

The Dallas team can keep Parsons until at least 2025, and they can use franchise tags to keep him for 2026 and 2027 if needed. This gives them flexibility with Parsons, but they must also consider the contracts of Prescott and Lamb when they eventually sign Parsons in order to stay within the salary cap.

Conclusion: This is not an exaggerated response.

It's clear that this team knows that waiting to secure top players can end up being more expensive in the long run. Parsons is performing at a high level defensively and is considered one of the best in the league. He, like Lamb, is a first-round pick with the potential to be a key player for years to come. It's essential to lock in players of this caliber without delay, as most teams would agree.

It seems like Parsons will likely request to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league once he receives his contract extension. Currently, the record is held by Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, who earns $35 million per year. If Parsons continues to perform exceptionally well, the cost to retain him will only increase, especially if he achieves a high number of sacks in a season. Additionally, as the salary cap rises, other players will be securing lucrative deals in the near future. Therefore, if the Cowboys see Parsons as a long-term asset who will excel for them, they should make an effort to sign him now. However, based on their past behavior, it is unlikely that they will take this approach.

Jameis Winston To Start For Browns By Halloween

The Browns made significant changes to their offense to support Watson during the offseason. They hired Ken Dorsey as their new offensive coordinator and traded for receiver Jerry Jeudy. Their goal was to improve Watson's chances of success by overhauling their offensive strategy. They had high hopes that Watson's health and the new additions to the team would help him fulfill his potential and justify his lucrative contract. There is optimism that he will rise to the occasion.

However, things didn't go as planned on Sunday. Watson had a terrible game, only completing 24 out of 45 passes for 169 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was unable to complete any passes thrown 15 yards or more downfield and had an average of 2.6 air yards per completion, which is his lowest ever. The Cowboys' defense, led by Parsons, played a big role in this. The Browns are also dealing with serious injuries on their offensive line that may persist throughout the season. While circumstances played a part in Watson's performance, ultimately he didn't do much to improve the situation.

The beginning of the season didn't look good for Cleveland, despite having high hopes. Losing in Week 1 in a familiar way to last season can lead to exaggerated negativity.

Deshaun Watson passes the ball to Jerry Jeudy, resulting in a touchdown for the Browns.

Deshaun Watson throws the ball quickly to Jerry Jeudy in the end zone, resulting in a Browns touchdown from six yards out.

The situation may have seemed negative, no doubt about that. However, the Browns have put a lot of money into Watson and they really need him to perform well for them to feel good about their future. They are giving him plenty of chances as the starting quarterback. Additionally, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. will be back from injury and playing soon. It's also worth noting that they won't be facing tough opponents like Parsons every week. This team won 11 games last year and made it to the playoffs with five different quarterbacks. They have depth, talent, and strong coaching, so it's possible that their recent poor performance was just a fluke.

The Browns are committed to giving Watson ample opportunities to prove himself as the player they are investing in. If by the end of the season he has not lived up to expectations, the team will be faced with some difficult decisions.