Sunday NFL Liveblog: Packers-Vikings Lead Loaded Schedule

NFL Week 1 - Are you ready for some football? Well, it matters not -- football comes whether you are prepared or not. After whetting our appetites with a Buffalo statement victory over the Rams on Thursday Night, the NFL is back with a loaded card for Week 1 of action. It may be more full of storylines than of clashes of the titans, but we'll take anything we can get after a long, lonely summer vacation. And we'll be here with you every step of the way with our brand-new liveblog format for Audibles at the Line.

And, because we're live, you can participate in the discussion as well! Join in on the conversation -- either in the comment section in this article, on Twitter by tagging @FBOutsiders or @BryKno, or on our brand new Discord server, where some of your favorite writers will be hanging out and reacting live. Questions, comments, and particularly clever quips will find their way into the liveblog proper as we have a running conversation throughout gameday. 

Unusually for recent years, we have a full 14 games slated for thus Sunday -- no Monday doubleheaders to drain our count. The NFL has gone out of their way to load the early schedule with great storyline games -- players returning to face off against old teams, battles of young quarterbacks against one another, and early salvos of division favorites testing one another early. Your schedule for today is as follows:

Early Window

• Patriots (+2.5) @ Dolphins
• Steelers (+5) @ Bengals
• Eagles (-2.5) @ Lions
• 49ers (-3.5) @ Bears
• Ravens (-3.5) @ Jets
• Saints (-4) @ Falcons
• Colts (-5) @ Texans
• Jaguars (+5.5) @ Commanders
• Browns (+2) @ Panthers

Late Window

• Packers (-1) @ Vikings
• Raiders (+4) @ Chargers
• Chiefs (-2) @ Cardinals
• Giants (+5.5) @ Titans

The night is capped off with the Buccaneers at the Cowboys. We won't be liveblogging that -- I'll shift over the the Discord server for the late night window -- but this will serve as the open thread for discussion of that game, too.

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Live updates will begin approximately one hour before game time. You have to refresh to see the latest posts and updates; each will be timestamped so you can quickly find where you left off.

Saturday Night: Early Window Storylines

Believe it or not, the game I'm most interested in watching as a neutral fan is actually Ravens-Jets. Part of this is how much it would amuse me if Joe Flacco leads New York to an upset victory over his own team, both just from the schadenfreude of seeing Baltimore slip up there and the inevitable quarterback controversy it would bring in New York if Flacco gets the Jets off to a good start before Zach Wilson is ready to start the season. It also feels like this game could be the passing of the torch between 2021's leaders in Adjusted Games Lost and the potential 2022 champions, as the Jets are already without Wilson, Duane Brown, Mekhi Becton and more. Add in Lamar Jackson's contract situation still being up in the air, with negotiations between the Jackson and the Ravens breaking off before the season started, and you have a surprisingly juicy game for something that probably won't be all that close in the final analysis - at the very least, it'll be fun to watch for a quarter or two before the Ravens assert themselves.

Philadelphia gets it's chance to live up to the Super Bowl hype going around throughout preseason -- including, notably, in the Football Outsiders Almanac 2022 (which you can still access with an FO+ subscription, including 10% off if you use the promo code LIVEBLOG if you'll forgive the shameless plug). It does feel odd to go "Jalen Hurts, quarterback of the conference favorites", so we'll get our first chance to see if he can live up to the hype as he takes on the Hard Knocking Detroit Lions, who I expect to be feisty if not quite yet competitive, per se.  

We also have a number of new head coaches debuting early, too. Dennis Allen takes over for Sean Payton in New Orleans against Atlanta, Mike McDaniel takes the helm in Miami against New England, Matt Eberflus starts his Chicago career against San Francisco, Lovie Smith leads Houston against Indianapolis, and Doug Pederson pilots Jacksonville against Washington as my thesaurus gets a workout. That's what happens when 10 teams swap coaches in the offseason; lots of new faces in strange places to kick off the year.

Elsewhere, the Bengals start their quest to be the first Super Bowl loser since the 2018 Patriots to return to the championship as they take on the Steelers and Baker Mayfield gets his crack to "f*** up" the Browns as he takes over in Carolina.  Good stuff!  On paper, at any rate.

11:23: 49ers at Bears

Looking forward to Trey Lance's debut? I hope you brought some galoshes.

New turf at Soldier Field getting a good soaking today pic.twitter.com/4DL4eZziPr

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) September 11, 2022

There are all sort of negatives to the Bears leaving Chicago proper for the suburbs, but Soldier Field being a wonderful stadium is not one of them. The weather backs up the team's decision to rest George Kittle week one; he injured his groin on Monday, and you don't want one of your key players starting while nursing an injury on turf like this in weather like this.

11:55: Early Window Inactives

Kittle won't be the only player waiting to make his season debut. Both Baltimore RB JK Dobbins and Cleveland RB D'Ernest Johnson are on the inactive list this morning.

That being said, this being Week 1, the majority of the league is healthy. New Orleans WR Michael Thomas will play - may wonders never cease? - as will other questionable players like Atlanta WR Drake London. Here's hoping this is a healthy year for most of the league.

11:58: Jaguars at Commanders

Today sees the regular season debut of the Washington Commanders! What's the state of things over there, guys?

Elsewhere at the stadium: I’m being told there are mugs with outlines of the state Washington for sale pic.twitter.com/1fzp4RrdNV

— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) September 11, 2022

...to shreds, you say?

12:19: Useless Stat of the Day

The Kansas City Chiefs have won seven consecutive season openers, the longest active streak in the league. A win today against the Cardinals would tie them for fifth place all-time with the 2003-2009 Steelers and 1955-1962 Colts.  The 1965-81 Cowboys' record of 16 straight is probably untouchable.

On the flipside, the Browns are 0-16-1 in their last 17 Week 1 games. Fortunately, there's been nothing but positive vibes coming from the Browns this season, so things are going just fine in Cleveland.

12:36: Eagles at Lions

Aaron Brooks Good Twin: The Lions sneak up on teams who aren’t quite as good as they think they are and don’t take the Lions seriously. Actually mediocre or worse teams or actual juggernauts kill them, because they either do take them seriously or it doesn’t matter. The Eagles are susceptible to the former condition, but probably not in week 1.

A fair point, but I suppose you could counter that if a team was ever going to buy their own hype, it'd be Week 1.

12:53: 49ers at Bears

I'm no expert, but the sidelines are supposed to be straight lines, yes?

The sideline at Soldier Field 😬 pic.twitter.com/7ygbyKYzE1

— Gridiron (@Gridiron) September 11, 2022

In actual football news, we have some disagreement on the line for this game in our Discord!

Mike Tanier: Just took the first quarter UNDER 7 for Bears-49ers.

Aaron Schatz: I'm going to be counterintuitive and suggest Bears-49ers will go over 37.5. The wind appears to have gone below 20 mph and apparently most of the rain is going to slow down... I bet they'll adapt to the field and get some offense going in the second half.

1:05: Kickoff

Football! And not a moment too soon.

1:12 PM: Eagles at Lions

Not an ideal start for the projected best team in the NFC, as DeAndre Swift breaks one on the second play from scrimmage.

D'Andre Swift breaks loose for 51 yards on the second play! @DAndreSwift

📺: #PHIvsDET on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/0xppgWoFk7 pic.twitter.com/bahmxj7kXJ

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

The Lions march it 75 yards in nine plays, albeit mostly from Swift's run.  Jamaal Williams punches it in, and it's a 7-0 lead early for the Lions.

1:16 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

Joe Burrow's first pass attempt of the season - remember, he had his appendix out and missed the preseason - is complete! Uh, to the Pittsburgh Steelers, that is.

MINKAH FOR SIX. #HereWeGo

📺: #PITvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/pHwdeoOMZE pic.twitter.com/wsUmMhqg8B

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

7-0 Steelers, early in the first quarter.

1:22 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders

Dave Bernreuther: The WFT (I prefer that so I’ll just keep calling them that) uniforms show extremely well on the wide angle views; much better than I expected. When it zooms in on those numbers it goes way downhill though. Sleeve stripes too. Keep it simple.

Also good looking? Carson Wentz.  4-for-5 for 65 yards and a touchdown on his first drive, hooking up for big completions with Antonio Gibson and Armani Rodgers as the Commanders march down the field for an early score -- it's 7-3 Commanders, midway through the first quarter.

Dave Bernreuther: Really nice touch from good Wentz on the first down completion to Antonio Gibson to out the Commanders into the red zone. Followed up with a decent one to get Curtis Samuel into the end zone. Better start for them than I expected.

1:31 PM: Saints @ Falcons

Mike Tanier: Taysom just posterized 21 for the Falcons and I remembered why Falcons football is a form of punishment

Running up that Hill! 🎶 That's 57 yds for @T_Hill4. @Saints

📺: #NOvsATL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/qfHpsgO69p pic.twitter.com/xk9fe7lzux

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Hill, in the wildcat, runs for 57 yards on 3rd-and-1, and then runs for an 11-yard touchdown two plays later. Taysom Hill: still a thing, despite all wishes otherwise. It's a 7-3 lead for the Saints, midway through the first quarter.

Vince Verhei: Saints are winning with caveman football. Taysom Hill takes a snap and goes around the right side for a 57-yard gain. A few plays later, he does the same thing and runs for an 11-yard touchdown. "Take the snap and run fast" is as primitive as it gets, but it's working.

Dave Bernreuther: That scoring play worked but still drives me nuts. It was basically a wildcat play, but sending Jameis wide didn’t give them a numbers edge. He could also have easily run that one in himself (although probably not have the defender bounce off him after crossing the goal line, to be fair).

1:38 PM: Colts @ Texans

Rivers McCown: Jonathan Taylor on pace for 52 touches after one quarter but i would love to hear more about how they're planning to limit his workload this year

Matt Ryan is 7-for-10 for 73 yards; Taylor has 11 rushing attempts for 46 yards. Not sure that balance is great going forward. The Texans just held up on fourth and goal, so the Colts only have a 3-0 lead a the beginning of the second quarter.

1:45 PM: Panthers @ Browns

Through one quarter, the Panthers have -1 passing yards. That revenge game not going super great for Baker Mayfield.

1:46 PM: Eagles @ Lions

Oh, hi, A.J. Brown. The new Eagles receiver woke up on Philadelphia's latest drive, catching four passes for 62 yards as Philadelphia marched down the field. Detroit didn't make it easy, but Jalen Hurts did eventually punch the ball in on fourth and goal to tie things at seven all early in the second. A slow start for the Eagles, but they're beginning to get their footing.

1:49 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders.

Vince Verhei: Commanders rushing stats in the first quarter: RBs: 2 carries, 2 yards QB: 1 carry, 3 yards WRs: 3 carries, -4 yards Curtis Samuel already has two carries and five catches and a total of 54 yards to show for it.

1:51 PM: Patriots @ Dolphins

The Matt Patricia era for New England is not starting very well.

Aaron Schatz: Identifying pass-rushers is a problem for the Patriots, who just completely missed Brandon Jones coming to blitz. Strip sack, touchdown Miami.

Let's gooo @BlessedJones33 and @MelvinIngram‼️

📺: Watch #NEvsMIA on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/HMPWFSFpeW

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 11, 2022

Patriots drive so far have ended in an interception, a punt and now a fumble for a score. Coming down to Miami five days early does not seem to be helping them; they're down 10-0 midway through the second quarter.

1:56 PM: Patriots @ Dolphins

Meanwhile, there's a car fire in the parking lot of Hard Rock Stadium.

— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) September 11, 2022

Zatch (via the FO Discord): Looks like Matt Patricia and Joe Judge carpooled.

1:58 PM: 49ers @ Bears

It's been low-scoring in Chicago, but one team is successful at passing, the other is not, and the better team is winning. The 49ers are averaging 10.2 yards per pass play; the Bears -0.4.  That's not all Justin Fields, as his offensive line has been terrible today, but that's a wee bit of a discrepancy, there. The 49ers haven't been scoring -- an unfortunate red zone fumble and a blocking failure on third down killed their early drives. But with the Bears doing nothing, they keep getting good field position, and Deebo Samuel rushes in for a score and the 7-0 lead, early in the second quarter.

2:02 PM: Colts @ Texans

Mike Tanier: Don't look now but Matt Ryan just Wentzed.

Rivers McCown: You can pink Derrik directly.

New #Colts QB Matt Ryan throws a pick.pic.twitter.com/YBshXXukoA

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022

The Texans turn the turnover to points with O.J. Howard scoring - Howard, is, apparently, still a football player. Who knew!  Texans now have a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter.

2:05 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

The Super Bowl loser's curse seems to be kicking into high gear.  Joe Burrow just threw his third interception of the day, and that's not including a lost fumble earlier, and the Steelers have jumped out to a 17-3 lead midway through the second. Four of Cincinnati's five drives have ended in Burrow turnovers, which seems somewhat suboptimal. And now, Tee Higgins looks hurt.  Uh-oh.

2:18 PM: Patriots @ Dolphins

Aaron Schatz: And there's the Miami YAC. Fourth-and-7 in no man's land, they went for it, and Waddle with the TD down the middle.

Bama Boys back at it again 👀 @AlabamaFTBL @Tua to @D1__JW for the TD‼️

📺: Watch #NEvsMIA on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/M0juJWnM7i

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 11, 2022

So that's a 17-0 lead for Miami in the halftime, as the Patriots look terrible. Plenty of time left in the second half, but you can see "over" from here.

2:21 PM: Eagles @ Lions

Vince Verhei: So Goff is now 3-of-10 for 6 yards with a pick-six ... and it's somehow even worse than it sounds because TWO OF HIS THREE COMPLETIONS HAVE LOST YARDS.

BRADBERRY TO THE HOUSE! 😏

That's a @Brad_B21 PICK 6 💪

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/7ns17DDzyI

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 11, 2022

After some early-game spicyness, the Eagles overall quality is beginning to overwhelm the Lions.

2:27 PM: Colts @ Texans

Tom Gower chips in with his thoughts at halftime of this one.

Anyway, the Texans go into the half up 10-3. Their one TD was set up by an awfully ticky-tack 33-yard DPI penalty on Kenny Moore, but Davis Mills made a nice seam throw to OJ Howard for the score. After my earlier comment on Reich's lack of aggressiveness, he did go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2, and Nyheim Hines got stuffed on a direct snap play.

The bigger takeaway is that I don't think either team really likes their offensive line that much. Matt Ryan is getting the ball out extremely quickly, and he needs play action or something else to be willing to attack even the intermediate middle areas rather than short. like last year, Davis Mills is also throwing short a much. he needs functional space to hit some of the outside throws, which have been (almost?) all been high if not short. The pass rushes mostly haven't been that much of a factor, though Jerry Hughes of the Wentz-ian screen pass INT did get Ryan in the two minute drill to help knock the Colts out of field goal range

Fantasy notes: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and Brandin Cooks have all been strong volume plays. while Dameon Pierce started for Houston, Rex Burkhead now has 7 carries to his 5 and this could be more of an actual committee

2:31 PM: Lions @ Eagles

Vince Verhei: OK, Goff has woken up. After the pick-six, he goes 4-of-5 for 47 yards to get Detroit to the red zone. Fourth-and -1 at the 7, D'Andre Swift gets a touchdown run to cut the lead to 21-14.

Eagles-Lions has been arguably the most entertaining game of the early window. Never count out Dan Campbell's men for punching up to just below their opponent's level.

2:35 PM: Saints @ Falcons

Vince Verhei: In Atlanta, the Falcons lead 16-7 at halftime as the New Orleans offense has been mostly unwatchable. The Saints have 68 yards on two Taysom Hill runs and 36 yards on their other 22 snaps. That includes 24 yards gained on completions and 26 yards lost on sacks. Not ideal when you're trying to come back and the other team is running all over you -- Falcons are already over 100 yards rushing, led by Cordarrelle Patterson's 12-83-1.

Always pick against the narrative for the Saints in Week 1. Always. Ironclad rule.

2:36 PM: Eagles @ Lions

I think it's safe to say Eagles fans are enjoying their new receiver. AJ Brown is already up to six receptions and 128 yards through the first half.

Eagles fan's favorite words: JALEN HURTS TO AJ BROWN.

📺: #PHIvsDET on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/0xppgWoFk7 pic.twitter.com/4WcwTrA1fo

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

 

The Eagles with a functioning wide receiver is a scary concept. The latest drive only ends up with a field goal, but that still gives the Eagles a 24-14 lead as we enter the half in Detroit.

2:43: Halftime, Early Window

All games have at least gone to the half, and we all had Texans-Colts as the most competitive game of the early window, right? Nothing's over by any stretch of the imagination -- though the Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Bears, Lions and Bengals are in varying degrees of trouble. Offenses haven't looked great around the league; a lot of rust to knock off in a world where starters generally don't play in preseason.

The Eagles passing offense may be the story of the first half here, as A.J. Brown has been the best new player so far -- and not by a little bit, mind you.

2:48 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders.

Vince Verhei: Commanders are up 14-3 at halftime, but they are very lucky the margin is so wide. Travis Ettiene dropped what should have been a fourth-and-goal touchdown catch and Riley Patterson missed a 37-yard field goal try. The field goal Patterson hit was from 33 yards, so the Jaguars have been moving the ball fine, they just can't put points on the board. Carson Wentz has had a good game but Washington can't run at all -- only 18 yards on 12 carries. Still a lot of football to go, is what I'm saying.

2:53 PM: Ravens @ Jets

Pay Lamar Jackson!

LAMAR IS TOO MUCH ⚡️

(via @Ravens)pic.twitter.com/M9NEtL3Ebz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 11, 2022

Ravens ended up punting, as the Jets' defense looks much better today than it did last year; with only a 10-3 lead, the Jets are hanging around. If they could just produce any offense...

2:54 PM: Saints @ Falcons

Jameis Winston has been sacked four times today. The Falcons did not have four sacks in a single game at any point in 2021.

2:55 PM: Patriots @ Dolphins

Aaron Schatz: Hey! Touchdown Patriots! Their offense finally looked like last year's offense on that drive. By the way, Dolphins clearly think DeVante Parker is the WR1 for the Pats because it looks like Xavien Howard is traveling with him.

That cuts the Dolphins' lead to 17-7, as the Patriots desperately needed to start the second half with a score.

2:56 PM: Colts @ Texans

Tom Gower: Colts have third-and-2 at Texans 40 and fumble the snap. Third drive in Texans territory to come away with no points after the Pierce drop/Hines fail in goal-to-go and two-minute drill undone by sack and subsequent Pittman drop

That Tanier-Klassen bet on Matt Ryan's tenure in Indianapolis is drawing first blood for Mike, I'd say.

2:59 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

We have a ballgame in Cincinnati!  The Bengals finally put together a long drive without turnovers, going to Ja'Mar Chase repeatedly to march down the field, scoring a touchdown to bring things to 17-14 late in the third quarter.

RIGHT BACK IN IT! TD @boutdat_23 👏#PITvsCIN | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/Rz0Age5OuE

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 11, 2022

Madness.

3:03 PM: Saints @ Falcons

Vince Verhei: You can't stop Olamide Zaccheaus, you can only hope to contain him. And the Saints can't even do that -- he gets a 9-yard catch on first-and-10, a 13-yard gain on second-and-9, and then a 39-yard DPI to give Atlanta a first-and-goal. Mariota scores a 2-yard touchdown on a sneak and Falcons go up 23-10.

3:05 PM: Ravens @ Jets

Sanity is beginning to reign here, as Devin Duvernay catches his second touchdown of the day. You would expect the Ravens to handle the Jets more comfortably, but they have a 17-3 lead midway through the third as the Jets can't get anything going offensively.

Another one @Dev_Duv5‼️

Tune in on CBS‼️ pic.twitter.com/vqyguEkgdB

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 11, 2022

It's not over yet, but the Jets would have to look like an entirely new team on offense -- not looking likely with Joe Flacco back there.

3:09 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders

Vince Verhei: Jaguars finally cross the goal line! Christian Kirk with a diving fingertip grab for a 49-yard gain and then Lawrence rolls out and hits James Robinson for the score. But they go for two and don't get it so the score remains 14-9. Jackonville has the edge now in both first downs (16-14) and total yardage (252-195).

3:19 PM: Ravens @ Jets

OK, I think we've finally hit ballgame in New York. Lamar Jackson throws his third touchdown of the day, a bomb to Rashad Bateman, and Baltimore now has a 24-3 lead late in the third quarter. Pay Lamar Jackson, guys.

TOUCHDOWN @R_bateman2!!!!!

TUNE IN ON CBS. pic.twitter.com/B3iDY7FQcJ

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 11, 2022

Credit to the Jets D for hanging in as long as they did, but it was just a matter of time.

3:23 PM: 49ers @ Bears

The San Francisco secondary apparently though the game ended about halfway through the third quarter, as all of a sudden, Bears receivers are getting open left and right, and Justin Fields is finding them.

Equanimeous St. Brown puts the @ChicagoBears ahead!

📺: #SFvsCHI on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/8gCtJMnwZ7 pic.twitter.com/0FuwOMlTkp

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

But they miss the extra point, so Chicago only has a 13-10 lead with 12:45 left. 

3:30 PM: Eagles @ Lions

From the far-too-specific stat department:

A.J. Brown had the most receiving yds in the first half in a team debut by any non-rookie since at least 1991.@Eagles #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/XkVUtXpMPy

— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) September 11, 2022

The Eagles have had four different players score rushing touchdowns, are leading 38-21 late in the third quarter, and this one is over.

3:34 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

Make it four interceptions for Burrow, as he's having a nightmare of a game. Plenty of yards, but the Steelers' defense is just harassing him all day long.  Steelers are clinging to a 20-14 lead midway through the third, and could really use a drive here to feel comfortable.

3:37 PM: Saints @ Falcons

After Jameis Winston went into the blue medical tent for a bit, there was worries he was done for the day. Instead, he's come back out...

Vince Verhei: OK, maybe it's not too late for Winston. He completes all four of his passes on that drive: gain of 26, gain of 15, gain of 31, 3-yard touchdown to Thomas. He throws for a two-pointer to boot and the lead is cut to 26-18. Hot-and-cold Jameis remains a thing.

MICHAEL. THOMAS. IS. BACK. @Saints pic.twitter.com/5H1Okiyu8T

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 11, 2022

First regular season touchdown for Thomas since 2019. Good to have him back, but the Saints still trail 26-18.

3:40 PM: 49ers @ Bears

Panic time in San Francisco? Maybe...

Eddie Jackson with a Interception 🤩🔥pic.twitter.com/qUp159TnVy

— Alabama DieHards (@DiehardsAlabama) September 11, 2022

Bears turn the Lance interception into a touchdown, but miss the extra point again, so it's 19-10 Chicago.

3:41 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders

4th quarter lead change! A Carson Wentz interception leads to a Jaguars field goal, and don't look now, but the Jaguars are up 15-14 with 12:04 left in the game.

Vince Verhei: Last six Commanders drives: punt, fumble, end of half, punt, punt, interception.

3:44 PM: Jaguars @ Commanders

Carson Wentz is imploding. Because of course he is. He just threw another interception, and this time, Jacksonville brings that into the end zone.  It's now 22-14 Jaguars, and that happened very quickly.

CARSON WENTZ IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WASpic.twitter.com/icjjpDSrfb

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 11, 2022

Still don't understand how Wentz is a starting quarterback in 2022.

3:47 PM: Chaos

Too much going on for separate entries at the moment.  Michael Thomas scores again for the Saints, bringing the Saints to 26-24.  The Panthers have come roaring back, and now trail 23-21 in Cleveland.  Meanwhile, Ja'Marr Chase apparently scores a touchdown against the Steelers, but the Bengals don't challenge, and now face a fourth-and-goal (and game?)

Chaos.

3:51 PM: Chaos, continued.

Ja'Marr Chase, that looks a touchdown to me son...#nfl #SteelersBengals #PITvsCIN pic.twitter.com/gjOQHXCEQq

— Jaja (@Jaja_Bred) September 11, 2022

This looks like a touchdown, yeah? Well, they didn't rule it that way on the field, and the Bengals went hurry-up! They failed on fourth down, and now the Steelers are in potential run-out-the clock mode.

And meanwhile, don't count the Commanders out just yet...

Carson Wentz fights back with a 49-yard TD to McLaurin.

This is after he threw 2 INTs back to back.pic.twitter.com/kQ8pvrWZPt

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022

And it looks like Chicago will hold on, as the 49ers turn the ball over on downs. Chaos!

3:55 PM: Chaos, finalized?

The Colts have come back from 20-3 to tie the game at 20, as the Texans are Texaning.  Jonathan Taylor is up to 156 yards, as he's carrying the Colts on his back. Run-based comebacks aren't super-common, but it's working out for Indy!

And the Steelers can't run out the clock, the Bengals have the ball back, and we're in it for a tight finish...

4:02 PM: Saints @ Falcons

Vince Verhei: Oh, Falcons. Up two, you have a fourth-and-1 in Saints territory, New Orleans out of timeouts. Three feet wins the game, and you have run for over 200 yards today. But they take a delay of game and punt, and Saints have 48 seconds to get a winning field goal.

4:05 PM: Comeback Chaos!

It's Burrow to Chase for the lead in Cincinnati!

🚨 GAME WINNER 🚨

JA'MARR CHASE WINS IT FOR THE CINCINNATI BENGALS❗pic.twitter.com/rz2CoXnL2w

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 11, 2022

Well, it'll be the lead assuming Cincinnati can make an extra point, and how hard can THAT be?

BLOCKED. WHAT A GAME.@minkfitz_21 said NOPE!

📺: #PITvsCIN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/pHwdeoOMZE pic.twitter.com/wBzxQPQiH5

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Oh, wow. We're headed for overtime -- both in Pittsburgh/Cincinnati and Houston/Indianapolis. And it's Wil Lutz for the lead for New Orleans, with 19 seconds left!

CHAOS! After an INCREDIBLE drive led by @Jaboowins, the @Saints take a 1-point lead with 19 seconds left!

📺: #NOvsATL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/qfHpsgO69p

📺: #NOvsATL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/qfHpsgO69p pic.twitter.com/rEwGhHGkrY

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

I need a breather!

4:11 PM: More Comebacks

I do not get a breather.

Baker Mayfield and the Panthers kick a go-ahead field goal with 1:09 left, but Cleveland gets the ball back.

Carson Wentz and Jahan Dotson hook-up for the go-ahead touchdown against the Jaguars; they hold a 28-22 lead with 1:46 left.

JAHAN! What a grab 😤 @Commanders take the lead with just under 2 minutes left!

📺: #JAXvsWAS on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/mY4ew2vyFN pic.twitter.com/sQEH6LwfnR

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Witching hour indeed.

4:15 PM: Browns @ Panthers

Cade York.  Eight seconds left.  For the lead (and the game?)

Rookie kicker Cade York gives Cleveland the lead from 58 yards out!

📺: #CLEvsCAR on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/4gWBg2qtZo pic.twitter.com/xOX3uRgBW4

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Looks like no revenge for Baker.

4:23 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

Overtime, and Evan McPherson gets a chance for redemption, to kick the game-winning field goal. But the snap is high -- it's the backup long snapper in Cinci -- and the kick is shanked wide left.  3:33 left for someone to try to win this football game.

4:27 PM: Colts @ Texans

And now Rodrigo Blankenship misses a game-winning field goal!  Kickers are having a nightmare overtime!

4:31 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

And now Chris Boswell doinks the game-winner off the upright!  This is insane.  This is crazy.  We could have multiple ties here, which hasn't happened since the 1970s.

4:37 PM: Colts @ Texans

We have a fourth-down decision which leads to a tie!  With 26 seconds left, and the ball just over midfield, the Texans opted to punt the ball away.  According to EdjSports' fourth-down model, this was the wrong call - the Texans had a 59.2% GWC had they gone for it, and a 51.5% GWC with the punt. That's counting a tie as 50% of a win, I believe.  The actual end result is a tie game in the worst division in football, which seems fitting.

4:40 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

We have a holy roller in Cincinnati! The Bengals fumble the ball with less than two minutes left in overtime, which means that players other than the fumbler can't advance it -- despite a very solid return by Perine, the ball had to go back to the spot of the fumble. That brought up 4th-and-16 with 1:04 left, and the model DOES like that punt, even with Ja'Marr Chase out there -- 49.3% GWC with the punt, 43.7% had they tried it.

4:47 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

The punt we didn't like saved a tie for the Texans. The punt we did like? Well, the Steelers march down the field with no time outs, and Chris Boswell makes the 53-yarder this time. Football!

Chris Boswell for the win. What a game! #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/uxMKHrVE18

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

OK, now to the late games, already in progress.

4:48 PM: Late Game Storylines

The battle of the NFC North is the headline game for most of the country in the late window, and the Packers-Vikings clash is about as big as it's possible for a Week 1 game to be. Our current odds have the Packers winning the division 38.9% of the time and the Vikings winning the division 34.2% of the time; that 4.7% difference is the second-smallest in the league, and the smallest among divisions we think are actually good (sorry, AFC South). Aaron Rodgers, looking to repeat his MVP season without an established receiver room should be an interesting thing to watch all season, as will Kevin O'Connell bringing the Shanahan/McVay (/LaFleur?) style offense to Minnesota. It's just one game, but a head-to-head win between division favorites is a huge feather in either team's cap all the way until the Week 17 rematch.

As a game, though, I'm actually more interested in watching the Chiefs and Cardinals -- both playoff teams from a year ago, missing their star receiver. Tyreek Hill was traded to Miami, as Kansas City swapped immediate Super Bowl odds for a longer window of competition; just how his production gets replaced will be fascinating to watch early on this season. The Cardinals will be missing DeAndre Hopkins due to his offseason PED bust, and they're also missing Rondale Moore, so it's going to be the Marquise Brown, A.J. Green and ... let me check my notes ... "Greg Dortch" show. So, that should be fun.

And if you're looking for someone to dethrone the Chiefs, you have the Chargers and Raiders going head-to-head in what we expect to be the most loaded division in all football -- all four teams rank in the top 15 in our preseason projections, and it's not crazy to imagine all four teams making the playoffs if the cards fall just right. In reality, they'll probably beat each other up too much for that to happen -- and this is one of those games where teams will get beat up, so yeah, good times.

And finally, the Titans of Tennessee host the Giants of New York, making them both seem normal sized.

4:50 PM: Steelers @ Bengals

Hertspang, via the FO Discord: The Bengals gave the Steelers 15 more seconds by punting with time on the play clock. The Steelers kicked with 5 seconds left. The Bengals are idiots.

Man's got a point. Pittsburgh did faff around a bit at the end of the game, but they were allowed to avoid some urgency by Cincinnati giving them more time for no reason!

4:53 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

While all the chaos was happening in the early windows, the Chiefs suffered a big injury -- kicker Harrison Butker rolled his ankle, and is out. That means Justin Reid is kicking the rest of the way, and he's already made an extra point and kicked the kickoff out over the net. Dude has a leg!

Kansas City is already up 14-0 after a couple early Patrick Mahomes touchdown passes, but keep an eye on that kicking situation going forward.

4:56 PM: Steelers Injury Report

The Steelers fear that T.J. Watt tore his pec in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter against the Bengals. That is a humongous loss for a team that was relying on it's defense in order to be competitive this year. There'll be more tests to confirm, but that's generally a season-ending injury.  Watts are built different, but maybe not that different.

5:00 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

The Cardinals strike back in the second quarter, after some scrambling by Kyler Murray sets up a goal line play. And because it's the Cardinals, every goal line play means a James Conner touchdown, apparently.

Still a touchdown machine: @JamesConner_

📺: #KCvsAZ on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/SO6ObDqAc2 pic.twitter.com/hsH88HJm5r

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

In depth analysis: I hate the Cardinals uniforms. The all-red pajama look doesn't work, and it might be their best set.

5:08 PM: Raiders @ Chargers

Always good to check in on your priors in week 1: Justin Herbert? Still really good.

JUSTIN HERBERT TO KEENAN ALLEN FOR 42 YARDS!! pic.twitter.com/mj2BSiqrcy

— Brian Y (@byysports) September 11, 2022

The Chargers end up scoring a few plays later to take a 10-3 lead, but Herbert took a shot to the head after a really late slide. Eight thousand flags came in, but Herbert has to be more decisive in these situations, either sliding out of trouble entirely or taking things to the outside and not running directly at defenders.  No harm, no foul, and the Chargers have the lead midway through the second quarter.

5:13 PM: Giants @ Titans

Cale Clinton: Interesting how Hilliard hasn’t gotten a single carry yet. Henry looks slow. 7 carries for 22 yards, and two of those are for 12 yards. The Titans are clearly getting Hilliard involved, I just wonder if/when he starts cutting into Henry’s carry share.

5:15 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: Fourth-and-2 in the red zone with a gimpy kicker is an easy go-for-it for Andy Reid, and Patrick Mahomes hits CEH for the easy touchdown pass. That's three touchdowns in three drives for Kansas City, and Patrick Mahomes is now 16-of-19 for 163 yards and three scores. I think he's going to be OK without Tyreek Hill, everyone.

Need a first down? Na, we'll take the touchdown 😁

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/W7B2m4rotd

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 11, 2022

Justin Reid misses the XP, so it's only a 20-7 Chiefs lead. Might need to start going for two more often, Andy.

5:27 PM: Raiders @ Chargers

Justin Herbert is dealing (16/19 for 181 yards and a score), but perhaps more important is Keenan Allen, who came up lame untouched, clutching his hamstring. That's very rarely a good sign; Josh Palmer may have to carry more of the load than the Chargers were hoping for this early in the season.

5:30 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: Hey, the Cardinals got a stop! Pressure got to Mahomes on third down and he overthrew his receiver on a swing pass out of the backfield. The punt is a touchback and the Cards have three minutes left in the half. They haven't done much offensively, with two three-and-outs besides their one touchdown drive. Their leading receiver so far is Greg Dortch, a kick returner whose three catches in the first half match his total in his first two NFL seasons.

Big Dortch energy in the liveblog today.

Carl Yedor: That more or less has to be the formula for Arizona this season on defense. With the talent they lost over the offseason (and general aging), they are going to be relying on Vance Joseph to scheme up pressure when Markus Golden and J.J. Watt (when on field) to get some pass pressure. Because the defensive backfield definitely needs the help

5:37 PM: Chargers @ Raiders

Cale Clinton: The Chargers don’t have JC Jackson and are still generating coverage sacks…AND interceptions, as Tranquill picks off Carr while I type this

And, of course, intercepting Derek Carr means you give Justin Herbert back, which is not a situation you want to be in -- he's up to 17/20 for 204 and two touchdowns now, as he hits DeAndre Carter on an absolute lazer to extend the Chargers' lead to 17-3

Get you a Justin Herbert pic.twitter.com/qZvDOzyNof

— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) September 11, 2022

Not over yet, but the Raiders are, as of yet, not living up to their half of the billing in this AFC West showdown.

Cale Clinton: Lampoon the Chargers offense and Joe Lombardi all you want , but I’m surprised with just how much the Chargers are willing to spread it out in the pass game. 10 different players have targets for LAC before halftime, and the Chargers’ two touchdowns have come from Zander Horvath and DeAndre Carter

Vince Verhei: Speaking of kick returners having big days as receivers: DeAndre Carter's career highs on offense are six catches for 65 yards, with Houston against Tennessee in 2019. He's up to three for 64 now in the first half.

5:43: Packers @ Vikings

I'm no defensologist, but I'd consider covering Justin Jefferson to be a good first step for stopping the Minnesota Vikings.

Justin Jefferson is good at football. He scores his 2nd TD of the day! @JJettas2 #Skol

📺: #GBvsMIN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/B10Man82G6 pic.twitter.com/M6UykpoYnr

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

The Packers defense has been filled with miscommunications and confusions, but I don't know how on earth you let Jefferson get that wide open. Can't wait to see the dots on this one -- but before it comes up, Rodgers throws an interception, and now the Vikings have a chance to add a few more points before the half. We're headed towards rout territory.

5:48 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: Arizona's offense still can't get untracked. After yet another punt, they get the ball back on a JuJu Smith-Schuster fumble. Fourth-and-2 in Kansas City territory, down 13 points, is an automatic go. But Kyler Murray doesn't see his receiver wide open in the flat to the right, scrambles, and lobs a volleyball to nobody in particular for an incompletion. That's five drives for Murray, and he's 9-of-15 for only 88 yards (plus four carries for 30 yards).

Akirp001, via the FO Discord: When do we cue the obligatory question about four hours of study?

5:49 PM: Giants @ Titans

Daniel Jones has been pressured on 73.3% of his dropbacks in the first half (11 QBP on 15 dropbacks), the 2nd-highest rate in a single half over the last three seasons among quarterbacks with 10+ dropbacks.

Nine different Titans have registered a pressure.#NYGvsTEN | #Titans

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 11, 2022

Gonna be a long year for the Giants.

Tom Gower: That pressure on Jones and the Giants' overall offensive unimpressiveness is letting the Titans really work through some struggles by their own offense after a strong opening drive found the end zone. Derrick Henry has looked like he's having his normal Week 1/post-layoff struggles, and Tennessee is playing passing game by committee with mixed results.

5:55 PM: Halftime

All four late games are in halftime simultaneously, with all four teams winning up at least 10 points. To be fair, that early window was going to be a nearly impossible act to follow, but the late window isn't trying all that hard.

ESPN has all four leading teams above an 85% win probability. I wouldn't call any of the games over yet, but hopefully some kind of spark will hit in the second half.

5:58 PM: First Half Bookkeeping

Here are the dots on that Justin Jefferson touchdown. I can't even tell which defender blew the coverage on Jefferson; it looked like they had no plan for if he ran a drag across the field.

Justin Jefferson dots pic.twitter.com/oDzUsgt0zq

— Dan Pizzuta (@DanPizzuta) September 11, 2022

Also, about the Raiders:

Vince Verhei: After a nice start, the Vegas offense has gone into a deep freeze. Their last three drives: 3 plays, 9 yards, punt 5 plays, 16 yards, punt 2 plays, -3 yards, INT And then a handoff to end the first half.

Things have gotten better in the second half, with Derek Carr hitting Davante Adams multiple times before finding Brandon Bolden for the touchdown. Just 17-10 Chargers now, and we all have seen what happens to Charger leads.

6:05 PM: Giants @ Titans

Saquon Barkley is up to 114 yards rushing, his most in a game since 2019. Most of it was this 68 yard run:

OHHHHH MY SAQUON!

📺: @NFLonFOX & Giants App pic.twitter.com/pWExffHNTd

— New York Giants (@Giants) September 11, 2022

But he also did punch in an impressive touchdown, cutting the Titans' lead to 13-6 after a botched extra point.

6:10 PM: Raiders @ Chargers

This is just patently unfair. How are you supposed to defend this?

Gerald Everett backpedals his way into the end zone. What a throw by Herbert 💪

📺: #LVvsLAC on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/CBvEeqTkng pic.twitter.com/20Kk8SWHTg

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Cale Clinton: Was that the only way for Teamer to tackle Gerald Everett there? Everett caught that ball outside the 5-yard-line and between his momentum and Teamer’s tackle effort, it kinda looked like Teamer threw him across the goal line?

Chargers extend the lead back to 24-10, and the Raiders now need to dial up another response.

6:14 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: This is not Kyler Murray's best day. Spiking passes into the ground near his receiver's feet, checking down to guys way short of the sticks, stumbling while trying to scramble backwards and taking sacks. First drive of the second half ends in another punt. We're not up to six catches for Dortch, 2 each for Hollywood Brown and James Conner, one for A.J. Green, none for Zach Ertz or Andy Isabella.

6:18 PM: Giants @ Titans

A blown coverage, and the Giants have tied things up at 13. Great throw by Daniel Jones, and just no one there to stop Sherling Shephard.

Daniel Jones GOES LONG to Sterling Shepard for the TD ‼️@Daniel_Jones10 | @sterl_shep3

📺: #NYGvsTEN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/z4k2UMB2UG pic.twitter.com/DE1XavGk2h

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

The Titans just have gone into neutral on offense, and when you do that, one or two big plays can make a huge difference. The AFC South can't be that bad, can it?

6:21 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: Patrick Mahomes just put on a show. Unreal touch on an over-the-shoulder corner route to Kelce for 35. Scrambling and side-arming a throw to Skyy Moore for a 30-yard catch-and-run. DPI on a fade route to MVS sets up first-and-goal, and he follows with a backpedaling feather to Jody Forston for the score. He really may be underrated.

The Chiefs are up 30-7 midway through the third quarter, and this one is over.  The Seahawks will end the day in first place in the NFC West at 0-0.

6:24 PM: Raiders @ Chargers

If your trick play design has Derek Carr asked to block Joey Bosa one-on-one, come up with a better trick play.

Joey Bosa was NOT fooled by the trick play 🙅‍♂️ @jbbigbear

📺: #LVvsLAC on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/CBvEeqTkng pic.twitter.com/7IfgQ1HUja

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Burn this play.

6:29 PM: Simultaneous Scores

The Packers show some signs of life! In what was a must-score drive, Green Bay leaned on their rushing attack -- Dillon ran for 17 yards and a touchdown, Jones for 29, and Doubs for 11 more.  When the passing game isn't working, you do what you have to do.  It's 20-7 Vikings with 5:16 left in the third quarter, so there's a lot of work to do, but there's time left.

Meanwhile, the Titans have overcome a barrage of flags to retake the leader, 20-13, in a fairly ugly game. But hey, all the wins count the same, and they're back on top now.

6:36 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: We're now up to five touchdown passes for Patrick Mahomes and we're still in the third quarter. Some of these throws are legit making me giggle. It feels like he's toying with the Cardinals, letting them get just enough pressure to where they think they might get a stop, then slipping away and making off-platform cross-his-body throws just for the fun of it. Butker kicks the PAT, it's 37-7, and Kansas City shows no sign of relenting.

6:40 PM: Raiders @ Chargers.

Vince Verhei: Adams gets two steps behind the Chargers secondary, but Carr's pass is underthrown and it's effectively triple-coverage by the time the ball comes down. Interception for L.A.

we love a good pick 😏@godschild3_ | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/3UxqZaV8bW

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 11, 2022

Missed opportunity for Las Vegas, who now desparatley need a stop.

6:49 PM: Packers @ Vikings

Aaron Schatz: Packers offensive line is stretched too thin by injuries.

Four sacks today for Minnesota, as the backup tackles for the Packers are just folding in early and often.

6:56 PM: Chiefs @ Cardinals

Vince Verhei: Good news for Arizona: They got a touchdown! Fourth-and-goal, Hollywood Brown gets his first score for the Cards on an out route in the back of the end zone. Bad news for Arizona: That drive took 14 plays, 75 yards, and more than six minutes of clock. Just dink after dunk after all day long. They're still down by more than 20 points, now with less than 13 minutes to go.

7:00 PM: Giants @ Titans

Things are going great in New York; why do you ask?

Soooo, what is Daboll saying to Daniel Jones right now?

“Stop staring, bro.” pic.twitter.com/OBUjlJfvA6

— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) September 11, 2022

But hey, the Giants are still in this -- the Titans just ran a tight end end around on third and one, and the Giants sniffed it out. Seems a little too cute when you have Derrick Henry back there, and the Titans are only up 20-13 with 5:27 left.

7:13 PM: Giants @ Titans

The Giants are more than just in this -- they just scored a touchdown. The extra point would tie it, but forget that -- it's time to go for the win...

TD Giants! Daniel Jones to Chris Myarick 😱

📺: #NYGvsTEN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/z4k2UMB2UG pic.twitter.com/YPrMPFyn0l

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

And they pull it off! Jones hits Barkley, and the Giants have a 21-20 lead with 1:06 remaining!

.@Saquon finds his way into the end zone. Giants take the lead!

📺: #NYGvsTEN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/z4k2UMB2UG pic.twitter.com/DF5gOeH5yt

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Gutsy call, and it may pay off. The Titans have only had one drive in the second half go more than 17 yards...

7:27 PM: Giants @ Titans

After careful review, I'm fairly certain neither team wanted to win this game.

The Titans tried to dink and dunk their way down the field, with no success. But the Giants committed multiple third-down holding penalties to keep Tennessee alive long enough for Tannehill to hit a 21-yard pass to bring Tennessee into long field goal range. Then, with the clock stopped, they wasted their last time out, moved the ball back three yards to get it on a certain hashmark, and watched Ryan Bullock come out for a 47-yarder...which he pushes, wide left. Giants win, 21-20, in one of the least probable victories in history.

---

And that will do it for this week's liveblog! Strange, strange day, with kickers missing left and right in clutch situations. Be careful when your jumping to those conclusions, and enjoy tonight's Sunday Night game!