Five Story Lines to Follow in the NFL Week 1

5. How will veteran QB's [with high-profile rookies behind them] perform?

Mike Glennon signed a huge contract in the off-season to be the presumptive starter in Chicago. Weeks later, the Bears drafted Mitchell Trubisky No. 2 overall. In Houston, Tom Savage was feeling confident in being the starter (and will be for the time being). Then, the Texans traded up 14 spots to draft DeShaun Watson No. 12 overall. Even Kansas City took a shot on Alex Smith’s (oh no, not again i.e Colin Kaepernick in San Fran) eventual replacement by moving up to select Pat Mahomes. Quarterback is already the most scrutinized position in the game. With high-profile rookies waiting in the wings, every loss and every mistake by the veterans will be magnified. First up for Glennon: the defending NFC champions, Atlanta Falcons. First up for Savage: Jacksonville. First up for Smith: The defending Super Bowl champions.

4. How do the Falcons come out of the gate after devastating loss?

It’s one thing to lose in the Super Bowl. It’s another to blow a 25-point lead. Only two teams in NFL history – ’71 Cowboys and ’72 Dolphins – have been on the losing end of the Super Bowl one year, only to win it the following season (45 years since it has last been done!). Enter 2017, where Atlanta will try to become the third. While most of last season’s record-setting team is still intact, the loss of Kyle Shanahan (Assistant Coach of the Year) is huge. Continuity is an underrated characteristic of success in the NFL, and QB Matt Ryan soared due to his connection with Shanahan. Now, Steve Sarkisian, a long-time college coach takes over the duties. No doubt the pieces are in place to make another run as young talent floods this roster (started 4 rookies and 3 second-year players on defense a season ago). Having a MVP QB certainly doesn’t hurt either. But how well this team deals with the changes (not to mention a new stadium) and adversity will be the difference. Up first on the revenge tour – a trip to Chicago.  

3. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

When was the last time there was this much excitement surrounding a Browns opener (let alone season)? Arch rival at home. The debuts of highly touted rookies DeShone Kizer (only rookie QB in NFL to start week 1), David Njoku, and Jabrill Peppers (Note: Myles Garrett is out w/ankle injury). Newly acquired players - Joe Haden (Steelers) and Sammie Coates (Browns) – change locker rooms to face their former mates. This game will give us our first look at the future of the Cleveland Browns. And while one game won’t tell all, for the first time since they’ve returned, it feels like the Browns are finally headed in the right direction. Time will tell.  

Note: Browns don’t have a quarterback on their roster (Kizer, Kessler, Hogan, and Woodrum) who has won a game in the NFL.

Fun Fact: Ben Roethlisberger has as many wins at First Energy Stadium, 10, as any Brown’s starting quarterback (Derek Anderson, 10). With a win, he’ll have the most. Yikes.

Can Kizer be the franchise guy in Cleveland? Week 1 gives us our first look (WKYC.com). 

                                    

2. The impact of the rookie running back.

For the past decade or so, the league has been transitioning to more of a pass first league. Dominant three down running backs (aside from the top 5) are becoming a thing of the past as the importance of having a ‘great’ back is becoming less relevant in today’s game. So much so that the Packers have converted a wide receiver into a permanent running back (Ty Montgomery). Nonetheless, it isn’t going to stop this talented rookie class from making an impact, starting from day one. Five rookie running backs are in line to start week 1 and/or get a heavy workload – Jacksonville’s Leonard Fournette, Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey, Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook, Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon, and Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt. This is one of the deepest/most talented group of backs to come into the league in some time. We find out how each will be featured this week.

Note: Fournette and McCaffrey were drafted 4^th and 8^th overall, respectively. In the previous four drafts combined, only two running backs were selected in the top-10.

1. Marcus Mariota v. Derek Carr

Sunday will showcase two of the best young signal callers in the game when Mariota’s Titans play host to Carr’s Raiders. Both quarterback’s seasons were cut short due to injury a year ago. Now fully healthy, and both teams having high expectations, this has the chance to be one of the best games on the slate. Two great offensive lines, two great receiving corps, two great quarterbacks, two great offenses. Defenses? A work in progress to say the least. Points should be a plenty in this one. And who could forget about the return of Beast Mode?

Note: Mariota’s career numbers inside the red zone: 33 touchdowns, ZERO interceptions.