NFL Week 1, 2018: 5 Overreactions, True or False?

Nothing ever makes sense after NFL Week 1, but these five overreactions are off the charts. Are they true or false? Don’t believe your eyes, except right now. Believe these headlines.

It’s easy to overreact to the first Sunday in the NFL season. There are unexpected blowouts, impressive performances from unlikely sources, and sloppy play. The Steelers can’t put away the Browns. Ryan Fitzpatrick out-duels Drew Brees. These are the types of things that happen in NFL Week 1.

Men who know things continue to claim that the first few weeks of the regular season should really be taken with a grain of salt. Since so few guys play meaningful minutes in the preseason, the first month is really where teams get their bearings. But we know better and some overreactions are valid truths. We put five statements to the test. Are they true or false?

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate the NFL Week 1 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

1. Hue Jackson is a better coach than Mike Tomlin.
2. The Titans are going to compete for the first pick in the 2019 draft.
3. Jimmy Garoppolo is trash.
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the favorite for MVP.
5. Adrian Peterson is back.

Todd Salem:

This list is pretty outlandish. Are there any NFL Week 1 overreactions from Sunday that you think are actually true? Of my list of outlandish comments, the only one I would even entertain in the long term is Tennessee battling for the league’s worst record.

That is certainly premature, but it at least feels plausible already. With the injuries to Delanie Walker (likely out for the year), Taylor Lewan (in concussion protocol) and Marcus Mariota (questionable with elbow injury), that offense is going to have issues doing anything against anyone.

Lightning delays prevented either side from getting momentum, but failing to move the ball against Miami is a bad sign for the Titans the rest of the way. The Dolphins were presumed to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this year after voluntarily getting rid of their best players on both sides of the ball in the offseason. Yet they held Derrick Henry to 2.6 yards per carry and averaged 8.2 yards per pass attempt on the other side of the ball. Those are sterling figures.

Where does that leave Tennessee? They just lost what should have been one of their easiest games of the year. If Mariota misses extended time, they are toast. Even if he returns, he is down one of his main weapons and perhaps one of the anchors on his offensive line. With the exception of Week 5 at Buffalo, there isn’t an easy contest until after the team’s Week 8 bye.

By that point, when the likes of Dallas and Indianapolis (which may be good or bad) come up, Tennessee could be in a huge hole. Many thought the Titans were in place to win the AFC South this year. After just four quarters, it feels far more likely they have the worst record. And I don’t overreact lightly.

Dan Salem:

Overreacting to NFL Week 1 is so much fun! No one stinks yet, unless you’re the Buffalo Bills. No one is particularly great either, unless you’re the New England Patriots. Those truths we may hold self evident. Also, the bad man known as Aaron Rodgers just can’t lose. Since you picked out the single NFL Week 1 overreaction that is likely true, I’ll quickly blow through the entire list and tell you where we truthfully stand on the scale of “Blah” to “Panic.”

Hue Jackson is a better coach than Mike Tomlin. Considering that Cleveland has kept Jackson employed through one of the worst stretches of bad play in NFL history, the Browns obviously believe this to be true. They like Jackson a lot and he did a nice job of not losing in NFL Week 1. Not losing is not the same as winning, but semantics. This is obviously more “Blah” than anything, but these teams are likely more even in 2018 than anyone wants to admit.

The Titans are going to compete for the first pick in the 2019 draft. Hit the “Panic” button Tennessee, because you just fell from ‘playoff contender’ to ‘what are we playing for’ status. This is fully because of injuries, not a twice delayed game that easily favored the home team once play resumed. I didn’t think the Titans were much worse than last season, but that isn’t saying much either. Having lost two players for the season certainly makes them worse following week 1.

Jimmy Garoppolo is trash. This was utterly predictable considering the unsustainable level of play he exhibited last year. Garoppolo likely throws fewer interceptions most games, but the 49ers probably remain just as inconsistent. They also played one of the best teams in the NFC and hung with them. Firmly in the middle of “Blah” and “Panic” right now.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is the favorite for MVP. Another utterly predictable outcome for Fitzpatrick. What was actually surprising was how bad the Saints’ defense looked. Fitz had this exact same magic with the Jets when he was gifted the starting job a few seasons ago. He knows how to win in “prove it” mode, but you’ll notice there was very little defense played in this game. Fitzpatrick will be playing like an MVP…until he’s replaced by Jameis Winston. Time to “Panic” if you’re a fan of Tampa Bay.

Adrian Peterson is back. I think this is entirely legitimate for the month of September. After which, I fully expect a return to more mediocre play, reminiscent of a player of Peterson’s age. I’m also not buying the Redskins, who beat up on a team worse than themselves. This is “Blah” because its short-lived.