Seven Black and one Samoan American quarterback led their respective teams into the NFL’s opening season games and, apart from two, brought home impressive victories.
While he lost to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs on a last-second field goal, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was spectacular in his return from a devastating ankle injury
Prescott completed 42-of-58 pass attempts for three touchdowns, with one interception. He posted a Quarterback Rating of 101.54.
“I’m not surprised about the way that I went out there and fought. Ran the ball a couple times and did all the things that I’d normally do 11 months ago. No, I feel like I’m a better player than I was when I left the field [injured last year] and I told y’all that was the expectations I had for myself,,” he said following the game.
After being discarded by the Bucs in favor of Brady last year, Jameis Winston patiently waited behind New Orleans Saints future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Bree last season for his chance. He won the starting role, and promptly showed coach Sean Peyton he made the right decision.
Winston was 14-of-20 for 148 yards passing, with five touchdowns, and no interceptions in the Saints’ 38-3 beat down of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
“I’ll probably reflect on it after our season is over, but right now we have to keep getting better. There’s some things that I won’t like when I watch the film tonight, so we still have to get better,” he said.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs trailed the visiting Cleveland Browns by 12 points twice in their season opening game. Most fans expected Mahomes to mount a game-winning rally and he delivered.
Mahomes finished 27-of-36 for 337 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Chiefs’ 33-29 victory. Mahomes has 117 career passing touchdowns, passing Dan Marino (116) for the most passing touchdowns through 50 starts in NFL history. He also passed Kurt Warner for the most passing yards (14,489) through a player’s first 50 starts (Warner had 14,372).
“We found ways to win at the end of the day and so you just have that belief in each other which makes you believe you can find a way to win any single game,” he said.
Kyler Murray and his Arizona Cardinals opened on the road as an underdog against the host Tennessee Titans. You would not have known that after Murray’s spectacular performance at quarterback in his team’s 38-13 win.
Murray threw four touchdown passes, rushed for one and completed 21-of-32 passes with no interceptions.
“This gives us some juice,” Murray said after the game. “Total team effort.”
Overlooked is an understatement for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
His team is supposed to be bad, and the Eagles fan showed little confidence in the second-year player during the preseason.
For at least a week, Hurts silenced his doubters by completing 27-of-35 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns in his team’s 32-6 road win over the Atlanta Falcons.
The Carolina Panthers traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos after signing former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold as a free agent. Once at Denver, Bridgewater won the starting role over former Missouri quarterback Drew Lock.
Bridgewater was stellar in a 27-13 victory over the host New York Giants. He completed 28-of-36 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. By the game’s end, most of fans left were Broncos’ supporters shouting, “Teddy, Teddy, Teddy.”
Bridgewater also shared home humor after the game, saying, “I was joking with the guys the other day. ‘Man, I don’t think I got it anymore.’ My moves don’t work anymore. They’re a little outdated.'”
DeShaun Watson had no interest in playing another game with the Houston Texans after last season, then his civil, and possible, legal problems left him in limbo.
Tyrod Taylor did more than just fill in during the Texans’ 37-21 win over Jacksonville. He completed 21-of-33 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.
“It was big to start the season off with a win against a divisional opponent,” Taylor said. “Proud of the guys for the way they came out and worked.”
Tua Tagovailoa found himself in a showdown with fellow former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones when the Miami Dolphins took on the host New England Patriots. Jones, a rookie, won the starting role over the unvaccinated Cam Newton and then Newton was released.
Tagovailoa won the much-hyped contest 17-16. He completed 16-of-27 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown and one interception and rushed for a TD.
Unfortunately, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson was disappointing. He fumbled three times and lost two – one in overtime – in his team’s 33-27 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
