Week one of the 2023-2024 NFL season is over, and there were a lot of exciting things to talk about.
The season kicked off with a Thursday night matchup between the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Detroit Lions.
The Chiefs were without their star tight end, Travis Kelce, which definitely put a wrench in their overall offensive production. Patrick Mahomes was forced to spread the ball around to a wide variety of receivers.
In a close game, the Lions barely edged by the Chiefs, winning the game 21-20. Star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and newly acquired running back David Montgomery had great games, which helped the Lions get the win.
The Atlanta Falcons took on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a big opening divisional game. Star rookie Bijan Robinson had 56 rushing yards, as well as six receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown, which helped the Falcons get the win.
Junior business major Michael LaRusso is a huge Falcons fan and was happy with Week One’s result.
“You can never be upset with a Week One victory when it comes to the Falcons,” LaRusso said. “I am very excited to see how Bijan and our offense progress throughout the season.”
The Cleveland Browns shocked the Cincinnati Bengals, holding them to only three points for the entire game. Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow had one of his worst games ever, going 14 for 31 for just 82 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Browns running back Nick Chubb had a good game, rushing for 106 yards on 18 carries. The Browns running game, paired with their strong defense, allowed them to win 24-3.
“I loved how our defense performed against Joe Burrow,” said sophomore Ryan Collins. “My favorite player is definitely Myles Garrett, who had a huge play.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars and star wide receiver Calvin Ridley took on the Indianapolis Colts. Ridley missed all of last season after getting suspended for gambling on games.
Ridley came out to play, catching eight passes on 11 targets for a total of 101 yards and a touchdown. The Colts were without their big-time running back, Jonathan Taylor, which definitely hurt their offensive production.
One upside for the Colts was their rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. Richardson showed promise for the rest of this season, totaling 264 yards between the air and the ground. The Jaguars won the game 31-21.
“My favorite team is the Jaguars, and I was very pleased with our Week One performance,” said Tucker Sutton, a senior accounting major. “I think Calvin Ridley will be at least a top 10 receiver this year, which should really help us.”
On Monday night, the New York Jets took on the Buffalo Bills in a much-anticipated start for star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers signed with the Jets over the summer after spending his entire career in Green Bay.
Disaster struck in the first minutes of the game, as Rodgers got sacked and then struggled to get back up. Rodgers left the game, and later that night, the news broke that he tore his achilles and would be out for the season, leaving Jets fans devastated.
