Between a tackle too big and the league’s latest international outing, Week 1 in the NFL is already eventful.
Now comes Sunday, when rookie quarterbacks make their debuts, as do head coaches and other new faces in new places. Dak Prescott’s contract continues to loom over the Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is making another return to Detroit.
What else could develop this week? The AthleticsNFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe break down the most interesting storylines.
Which non-Caleb Williams rookie QB debut are you most looking forward to Sunday? Are the Patriots making the right decision to start Jacoby Brissett over Drake Maye?
Shirt: Jayden Daniels because he’s a dynamic dual-threat quarterback and the ceiling is higher than the ceiling is for Bo Nix. If Nix plays well, the Denver offense could run effectively. If Daniels plays well, there could be highlights.
Howe: Daniels is electric, and I would expect him to make some big improvised plays because I’m not sure how much help he’s got around him. I’m not sure about the Maye decision. I would have started him because I think he would have finally shown that he was ready for the opportunity. But if the offensive line proves as worrisome as we all believe, there is value in the longer runway for Maye. At this point, the decision has been made, so now it’s time for the Patriots coaching staff to figure out the best way to prepare Maye — and the players around him — for his debut as soon as it makes sense.
Keefer: Sean Payton’s bet on Nix fascinates me – he clearly saw something in the rookie that gives him confidence to throw in him from the jump, which goes against the thinking around the league, at least before this season, that Payton strongly prefers a veteran quarterback . . But if I’m being completely honest, I can’t wait to see what Williams does in Chicago, especially with a pretty light early season. The Bears will see just two 2023 playoff teams through their first nine games. In New England, I like the approach of sitting Maye to start the season. That roster isn’t good, especially on offense, and throwing in a rookie quarterback would be setting him up to struggle.
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Why isn’t Patriots QB Drake Maye starting Week 1? Patience was always part of the plan
Which head coaching debut are you most interested in on Sunday and why?
Shirt: Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL sideline is most interesting. I’m interested to see what the Chargers offense looks like and what Harbaugh’s messaging is like after the game. This is a man whose Michigan teams have lost three games over the past three seasons. The Chargers could lose three games in September.
Howe: I’m torn between Raheem Morris and Mike Macdonald, but I’ll go with Morris as the Falcons host the Steelers with a chance to make a real statement. There could be a really good NFC South race between the Falcons and Buccaneers, so if the Falcons prove that things are as different this season as they feel by knocking off a quality opponent, get ready for the hype train.
Keefer: Let’s go with Dave Canales in Carolina, not because I expect the Panthers to be contenders this season, but because the vibe around the team is that Bryce Young has looked noticeably different this preseason. If Canales, who built his reputation on reviving quarterback careers, can lift Young from his terrible rookie season — and get him playing like a No. 1 pick — an organization mired in disappointment over the last few seasons will finally have some hope.
Cowboys-Browns is marquee game Sunday. How do you see Dak Prescott’s contract negotiations panning out? What would you like to see from Deshaun Watson in his first game action since Week 10 last season?
Shirt: It really depends on what Prescott wants because he’s in control. The Cowboys can’t put a franchise tag on him. There’s a good chance he’ll play it out and reevaluate once he knows where the Cowboys are headed, including on the coaching front. For Watson, making it through Week 1 healthy seems like a good goal.
Howe: The Cowboys recognize that there is a real danger in letting Prescott hit the open market, so they are trying to avoid that scenario. But financially, it’s such a challenge to carry that $26 million in dead money from the previous restructuring into another contract cycle. It is not an impossible obstacle, but it has made this as complicated a negotiation as it has been in recent memory. As much as logic tells me Prescott hits free agency, I can’t shake the idea that the Cowboys almost always care about their stars. For Watson, the Browns have to hope he quickly looks like Joe Flacco down the stretch. Yes, Flacco probably caught lightning in a bottle, but it shouldn’t be too much to expect the quarterback with the most guaranteed money in history to play at a top-five level at the position. The problem is, Watson hasn’t shown to be anywhere near that level since 2020, which is a lifetime ago in QB years.
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Cleveland Browns season predictions: Garrett’s DPOY repeat, Watson expectations
Keefer: I highly doubt the Cowboys lock up Prescott before the season starts, in part for the reasons Jeff outlined above, but I’m also skeptical he hits the open market in the spring as one of the most coveted free agents the league has had recently memory Dallas will do this, much, much later than it should have, if only because Jerry Jones won’t allow his team to fall into insignificance. As for Watson, it feels like this is the season that will define what the rest of his career will look like. The bar isn’t that high — consistent with Flacco’s play from last year — but so far he hasn’t been able to consistently reach that level in Cleveland. Don’t underestimate him facing a hungry Dallas defense that was completely embarrassed the last time it took the field in that playoff loss to the Packers.
Lions-Rams is the “Sunday Night Football” matchup in what could be a wide open NFC in 2024. Who is your pick to win the conference and why?
Shirt: I went chalk on the AFC side (Kansas City) and rolled the dice a bit with Green Bay’s young talent on the NFC side. The Packers have questions to answer on defense and we haven’t seen Jordan Love play consistently well even for an entire season, so this is an accomplishment. I like where the team seems headed and the vibe I get from Love.
Howe: I’ll take the Lions. They built on this and took a necessary step last season by reaching the conference championship, which is enough evidence for me to believe that they have learned how to win big games. This increase was no accident. That said, I’m excited about the NFC this season. The conference is significantly better than a year ago.
Keefer: I wouldn’t pick the 49ers before Monday, but with Trent Williams back in the fold, this is still a tough team to bet on. Maybe the fatigue of three straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance is getting to them, but don’t forget: This is the best roster in the league, and it’s led by the second-best coach in the league (behind Andy Reid). ). Brock Purdy is only going to get better, and he’s surrounded by the best arsenal of weapons in the game. Until someone breaks them down, San Francisco remains the team to beat in the NFC.
Matthew Stafford (9) leads the Los Angeles Rams against Jared Goff (16) and the Detroit Lions on Sunday night. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
After an Achilles tear robbed him of his 2023 season, we get our first real look at Aaron Rodgers as a Jet on Monday night. Meanwhile, the 49ers had a tumultuous summer with the Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams holdouts and the firing of rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall during a robbery attempt. What do you watch in Jets-49ers?
Shirt: I’m going to watch to see how well Rodgers moves, how well he makes contact, how well his protection holds up, what his body language tells us, what kind of connection he has with his receivers, how he interacts with coaches – everything. those things and more.
Howe: Short of injuries, there’s nothing that could concern me on Monday with the 49ers. They should be fine no matter what. So I wonder how the Jets handle this stage. They have a lot to like on paper, but they didn’t handle adversity well at all last season. Are they ready, from the top of the organization to the bottom of the roster, to win consistently at this stage? If they can overcome in-game adversity — a slow start, a second-half comeback, whatever — and beat one of the best rosters in the league, that should say a lot about the Jets’ ability to contend.
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What I see from the New York Jets: Every pitch from Aaron Rodgers’ return so far
Keefer: For me it’s Rodgers, period. This game feels like it’s been two years in the making. The Rodgers off-field experience has become exhausting – the darkness recedes, the conspiracy theories, the chaos inside Jets headquarters, Rodgers missing minicamp so he can go on vacation. Finally, football. I wouldn’t be surprised if he reminded everyone why he is a future Hall of Famer and one of the purest throwers the football has ever seen. But I’m still not buying that the Jets are ready to climb into the Super Bowl conversation. Maybe Monday night changes that.
(Top photo of Dak Prescott: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
