Tag: Week 1

Commanders vs. Buccaneers Player of the Game: QB Jayden Daniels

There wasn’t a lot to choose from for Washington.

After a phenomenal preseason and training camp, many Washington fans hoped quarterback Jayden Daniels would debut similarly to Robert Griffin III in 2012. While Daniels did reach the end zone twice, the results were far more different, with the Commanders falling 37-20 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.

It was an ugly performance for Washington. From start to finish, the Bucs outplayed and outcoached the Commanders. There were bright spots, such as Daniels’ ability to use his legs to create offense for Washington. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome a terrible defensive effort and almost no passing game.

It was difficult to choose a player of the game for the Commanders. Still, it came down to Daniels and running back Brian Robinson Jr. We chose Daniels because if not for his running ability, we aren’t so sure that Washington reaches double digits.

Daniels completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards while carrying the football 16 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns. While Washington would prefer Daniels not to run the ball 16 times, it was the team’s most effective offense. Daniels used his legs to keep the game close in the first half, picking up several first downs.

While Daniels’s debut was far from perfect, he took care of the football and used his legs to move the chains. Outside of Robinson, that was about all the offense had to offer on Sunday.

So, for that, Daniels is Washington’s Week 1 player of the game.

‘Wizard of Boz’ was the heart of the Steelers’ Week 1 victory over the Falcons

Chris Boswell remains the most consistent scoring threat on the Steelers.

The Wizard of Boz was back in regular-season shape this week in Atlanta. Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell started off his regular season campaign with a bang, or should I say, six of them. Boswell made Steelers history in the 18-10 win over the Falcons in Atlanta, becoming the first kicker in franchise history to hit three or more attempts from 50-plus yards. 

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1832860238061441056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Boswell unfortunately plays in the same division as arguably the greatest kicker of all time, Justin Tucker. This results in Boswell’s efforts going more under the radar. However, after Sunday, perhaps it is time for the NFL to start putting respect on Boz’s name.

In Atlanta, he hit from 25, 40, 44, 51, 56 and 57 yards. Boswell will look to keep the momentum going in Denver for the Week 2 matchup against the Broncos.

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Commanders fall to Buccaneers 37-20 in Week 1 opener

An ugly day for the Commanders, who lose to the Buccaneers 37-20 in the season opener.

It’s early, but the 2024 Washington Commanders look a lot like the 2023 version, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trounced Washington 37-20 in Week 1.

The Buccaneers jumped on Washington early, with quarterback Baker Mayfield having his way with the Commanders’ retooled defense. At one point in the first half, Mayfield completed 12 consecutive passes, helping the Buccaneers jump out to a 13-0 lead.

Washington finally got something going offensively, as quarterback Jayden Daniels used his legs to set up the Commanders’ first touchdown, a Brian Robinson Jr. touchdown run, to cut the lead to 13-7.

However, the theme of the day was Washington’s inability to get off the field, particularly on third down. On at least four occasions, the Commanders committed penalties on third down. And when they weren’t committing penalties, they watched helplessly as the Buccaneers would easily convert third-and-longs to keep drives alive.

The second half was more of the same for the Commanders on both sides of the ball. Mayfield threw to wide-open targets, which led Washington to bench 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes.

In one sequence, linebacker Bobby Wagner stopped the Bucs behind the line of scrimmage on consecutive plays, creating a loss of seven yards. How did Mayfield respond? With a 24-yard completion to wide receiver Chris Godwin.

It was not the best debut for Daniels as a passer. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards. However, he did rush for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

As a team, Tampa Bay outgained Washington 392-299.

It was a tough all-around day for the Commanders, who fell to 0-1. Next week, Washington returns home to Northwest Stadium to host the New York Giants in an NFC East battle.

Twitter reacts to Bo Nix struggling in NFL debut

Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut. Here’s how fans and pundits reacted on social media.

Bo Nix made his first NFL start on Sunday and it did not go well.

The Denver Broncos‘ rookie quarterback went 26-of-42 passing for 138 yards with no touchdown passes and two bad interceptions. He was also sacked twice. One bright spot for Nix was his five carries for 35 yards and a score, but overall, it was a day to forget in Seattle.

Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to Nix’s NFL debut.

https://twitter.com/Saints2death/status/1832893340687446177

Nix will get his first opportunity to bounce back next week when the Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Empower Field at Mile High on Sept. 15.

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Twitter reacts to regular-season debut of Broncos’ new uniforms

The Broncos’ new uniforms made their regular-season debut on Sunday. Here’s how Twitter/X reacted to the new look.

The Denver Broncos‘ new uniforms made their regular-season debut in a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s a sampling of how Twitter/X reacted to the new look.

Denver will also wear white at home next week to force the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers to wear black in the September heat. The Broncos won’t break out their primary orange jersey until Week 6 (view the full uniform schedule here).

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Bo Nix struggles, Broncos lose to Seahawks 26-20 in Week 1

Bo Nix struggled until late in the fourth quarter and his late touchdown wasn’t enough as the Broncos fell 26-20 to the Seahawks.

Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut as the Denver Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks 26-20 at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon.

Nix went 26-of-42 passing for 138 yards with no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. It was a day to forget for the rookie and Denver’s entire offense.

Denver’s defense, on the other hand, came out flying, starting the game with a Jonathon Cooper sack on Seattle’s first snap. One play later, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith threw an interception to Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton.

That takeaways set Denver’s offense up with good field position, but the Broncos had to settle for a 35-yard Wil Lutz field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Seattle matched that field goal to make it 3-3 later in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Denver drove down to the Seahawks’ 21-yard line, but the drive ended with Nix’s first career interception, a poor decision thrown into coverage. That turnover set Seattle up at its own one-yard line and their offensive line was penalized for holding on the next play, a foul that resulted in a two-point safety. That gave the Broncos a 5-3 lead.

Later in the second quarter, Denver safety JL Skinner recovered a muffed Seahawks punt return at Seattle’s nine-yard line. The Broncos’ offense then settled for another Lutz field goal to make it 8-3.

The Seahawks erased that deficit on their next drive when Smith rushed 34 yards for a touchdown to make 9-8 (their 2-point attempt failed).

Denver made another big play on special teams later in the second quarter when cornerback Tremon Smith and Skinner teamed up to pin Seattle at its own one-yard line on a punt. One play later, Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet was tackled by Zach Allen in the end zone for another safety that made it 10-9.

Lutz added a 45-yard field goal just before halftime to extend the lead to 13-9. After the offense went three-and-out to open the second half, the Broncos’ defense allowed a 23-yard touchdown run to Ken Walker as the Seahawks retook the lead 16-13.

On Denver’s ensuing drive, running back Jaleel McLaughlin lost a fumble near midfield. That led to a Seattle field goal that made it 19-13.

In the fourth quarter, Charbonnet scored on a 30-yard touchdown catch to extend the lead to 26-13. Nix later threw a second interception that essentially sealed the Broncos’ fate. Nix’s garbage time four-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter proved to be too little too late as Denver fell 26-20 after the Seahawks ran out the clock.

Up next for Denver is a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. After sitting out Week 1 with a calf injury, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has an uncertain status for next week’s game at Empower Field at Mile High.

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WATCH: Bo Nix rushes for first NFL touchdown vs. Seahawks

Probably too little too late, but Bo Nix has scored a TD in the NFL for the first time in his career.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix scored the first touchdown of his NFL career in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Nix rushed for a four-yard score to mark his first touchdown as a pro. Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the NFL’s official Twitter/X page:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1832919804313034848

Late in the fourth quarter, Denver trails 26-20.

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WATCH: Dennis Allen addresses the victorious Saints locker room

WATCH: Dennis Allen addresses the victorious Saints locker room after their dominant Week 1 win against the Panthers

https://twitter.com/Saints/status/1832896981225628033

Dennis Allen took a well-deserved  victory lap around the New Orleans Saints locker room after their 47-10 dismantling of the Carolina Panthers, congratulating his team on their total win while working to keep perspective. It’s a long season. It would be great if they could bottle up everything that  worked on Sunday and tap into it each week until January, but it isn’t that easy. They’ve got to recreate what worked over and over again and chase success the hard way.

“This is what Saints football is going to be about. Hear me out,” Allen said, referencing the team’s performance on third downs and the offense’s success running the ball. They had nearly as many rushing yards (180) as the Panthers offense gained in total (193). He pointed to a positive turnover differential as a big reason for their victory, but noted there are other things in their control that must be cleaned up.

Specifically penalties. Allen continued, “We’ve got to clean up the penalties. Because that, in a  tighter game, is going to be the difference  in winning and losing.”

The Saints were fouled 10 times for 95 yards — last year they averaged 5.6 penalties for just 49.8 yards. That’s a huge jump and Allen is right to feel concerned by it. But at the same time this was a win, and he made sure to compliment his team for accomplishing that.

“We played tough. We played physical. And guys you competed your ass off for sixty freaking minutes. And when we do that with the talent we have in the room? We have a chance to be pretty damn good,” Allen said.

A 47-10 win, no matter who it happens against, would be proof of that theory. Let’s see if the Saints can run it back against the Cowboys next week.

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WATCH: RB Brian Robinson Jr. scores first Commanders’ touchdown of 2024

Brian Robinson Jr. scores Washington’s first touchdown of 2024 season.

NBA superstar and Washington Commanders fan Kevin Durant had a specific play in mind for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ first-ever play from scrimmage.

Unfortunately for Washington, Durant’s vision didn’t come true during the Commanders’ season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. However, Daniels’ legs were Washington’s best weapon in the first half, putting the Commanders in position for their first score of the 2024 season.

Who delivered Washington’s first score?

That would be third-year running back Brian Robinson Jr., who plowed through Tampa Bay defenders for a seven-yard touchdown to trim the Bucs’ first-half lead to 13-7.

Here’s Robinson’s touchdown run:

https://twitter.com/Commanders/status/1832891866267680913

While Daniels is the subject of much hype, and understandably so, many have predicted a breakout season for Robinson in 2024. That’s certainly an excellent start to the season for Robinson.