5 Surprises From Week 1 Of The NFL Season
By Daniel Friedman
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Feels good to have football back, doesn't it?
Week 1 certainly didn't disappoint and, the good news is, there are 15 more in the regular season. Predictions can be insightful, but at the end of the day, the players decide the outcomes, which are often of the surprising variety.
Here were five from Week 1:
5. Jaguars Give Eagles Early Scare
Going behind 17-0 is generally not ideal. Especially to the stinkin' Jags. Fortunately, Philly responded with 34 unanswered points and defeated Jacksonville, 34-17.
4. Geno Bounces Back From Early Mistakes
Geno Smith has his doubters, but for at least one week, he quieted them down. Smith posted a 96.6 QB rating, completing 23 of 28 passes and throwing for 221 yards on Sunday. The Jets beat Oakland, 19-14.
3. Patriots Lose To Dolphins
It's just one game, but that's not going to stop anyone from poking fun at New England, who are (again, it's one game) all alone at the bottom of the AFC East. That of course means absolutely nothing as far as the rest of the season is concerned. In terms of comedic value, however, it's fantastic.
2. Steelers Blow Big Lead To Browns
No lead is safe. Don't believe me? Ask the Pittsburgh Steelers, who jumped out to a 24-point advantage and then watched it disappear. They ultimately did hold on for a 30-27 victory.
1. Bills Shock Bears
The Bears had never lost to Buffalo at Soldier Field ... until this past Sunday. The Bills pulled off a 23-20 upset in overtime after running back Fred Jackson stiff-armed his way inside the five-yard line to facilitate the game-winning field goal, bringing chaos to knockout pools across the country.
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