Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) runs in a touchdown against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter of the season opener loss at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts winless drought in season openers reached 11 consecutive games in Sunday’s 29-27 loss to the AFC South rival Houston Texans. It’s becoming so predictable to watch the Colts secondary fold in crucial moments when the defense needs a stop. The secondary struggled to defend Texans’ receiver Nico Collins, who finished with a game-high 133 receiving yards on six catches. C.J. Stroud’s newest target Stefon Diggs, whom Houston acquired this offseason, scored twice and caught six passes on six targets. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson let it rip on his second drive and launched a 60-yard missile to Alec Pierce for a touchdown to give the Colts a 7-3 lead. His throw traveled 65.3 air yards, which is the third-longest completion in the Next Gen Stats era. Indianapolis’ 22-year-old franchise QB continues to thrive when running play action and demonstrated his immaculate deep ball connecting twice with Pierce. A 60-yard drop in a bucket. CBS pic.twitter.com/7hI0hGDQfm — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 8, 2024 Houston dominated the time of possession battle with 40 minutes of offense, doubling Indy’s 20 minutes of possession. The Colts were not prepared to stop the Texans rushing attack and allowed a whopping 213 rushing yards, including 159 rushing yards by Texans running back Joe Mixon, which is the most yards against the Colts since Derrick Henry (178) in ‘20. The Texans broke through the glass coverage on their third drive, ignited by a 55-yard catch from Nico Collins over JuJu Brents and Nick Cross to set up inside the red zone. On third-and-6, Stroud hit receiver Stefon Diggs on a slant across the middle for a nine-yard TD. After seven designed runs between Jonathan Taylor and Richardson set up the offense in the red zone, the Colts completely wasted their last drive of the first half. Richardson missed receiver Adonai Mitchell wide open in the end zone, then overthrew tight end Kylen Granson and into the hands of Texans safety Calen Bullock to spoil an opportunity to take the lead before halftime. Indy’s defensive front wrecked Houston’s offensive line on passing downs with four sacks and 10 hits on Stroud. Midway through the third quarter, Buckner and Dayo Odeyingbo met Stroud in the backfield for the Colts fourth sack of the day to force the Texans to punt. Colts linebacker Segun Olubi burst through Houston’s punt protection to block the punt and set up the Colts offense at the Texans’ five-yard line. Punt denied. ❌ CBS pic.twitter.com/GOgtThrOlk — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 8, 2024 Taylor followed up on the ensuing play with a rushing touchdown to cut the deficit to 15-13. Colts head coach Shane Steichen gambled to go for a two-point conversion following Taylor’s score, which cost the Colts later in the game after the attempt was stopped short of the goal line. The Colts pulled within two points three times in Sunday’s defeat, but ultimately fell short in the quest to end the longest active drought in the league. Houston converted a third-and-14 at midfield as Indy’s secondary allowed Stroud to scramble around and throw across his body to the middle of the field for another Collins grab. Kenny Moore II almost secured an interception at the goal line to thwart Houston’s scoring opportunity, but a holding penalty against cornerback Jaylon Jones negated the takeaway and gifted the Texans first-and-goal at the four-yard line. With under five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Texans elected to go for it on fourth down and Stroud hit Diggs in the flat near the pylon for his second TD of the game. One positive takeaway from Richardson’s return to the gridiron is the Colts never seem to be completely out of it. Early in the fourth quarter, Richardson fired a bullet to receiver Ashton Dulin, who took it to the house for a 54-yard TD. With 2:14 left in regulation, facing fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Richardson kept it himself and bulldozed his way in the end zone. Richardson finished 9-for-19 passing with 212 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, while leading the Colts with 56 rushing yards on six carries. Big man coming through. CBS pic.twitter.com/fm8jl8snXl — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 8, 2024 The Colts travel to Lambeau Field for a Week 2 matchup against the Green Bay Packers (0-1).
Colts winless drought in season openers continues after grudge match loss to Texans
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73560671/2167200585.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Raiders Week 1 opponent: Coverage leading up to game against Los Angeles Chargers in 22-10 loss")
Raiders Week 1 opponent: Coverage leading up to game against Los Angeles Chargers in 22-10 loss
Raiders Week 1 opponent: Coverage leading up to game against Los Angeles Chargers in 22-10 loss All the coverage leading up to the Las Vegas Raiders’ 1st game Contributors: Silver And Black Pride Staff The Las Vegas Raiders began the 2024 regular season Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium with a 22-10 defeat. Here is all of our weekly coverage. Record: The Chargers are 0-0. Big debut: This will be Jim Harbaugh’s first game as the Chargers’ coach and it will have a national-television audience for the 1:05 p.m. PT kickoff. It will be Harbaugh’s first NFL game since he left the San Francisco 49ers after the 2014 season, He spent the past nine seasons at Michigan, where he won the National Championship in January. The Last meeting: It was memorable. The Raiders blasted the Chargers 63-21 at Allegiant Stadium last December on a Thursday night game. It was the final game for Tom Telesco as the team’s general manager as he and Chargers’ head coach Brandon Staley were fired the next day. Of course, the next month. Telesco, who spent 11 seasons with the Chargers, was hired as the Raiders’ general manager. Harbaugh’s record against Raiders: He is 0-1. The Oakland Raiders beat the 49ers in 2014. 2022 memory: The Raiders and Chargers began the 2022 season at SoFi in 2022. The home team won 24-19.
National reactions: Josh Allen ‘overrated’ narrative questioned in win vs. Cardinals
Bad day for that narrative: National reactions: Josh Allen ‘overrated’ narrative questioned in win vs. Cardinals Nick Wojton The Buffalo Bills beat the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Josh Allen did not look overrated. This offseason, a player survey conducted by ESPN called Allen the “most overrated quarterback” in the NFL. The 34-28 win over the Cardinals had plenty of quarterback play that did not look that way. Many national media reactions to the Bills’ victory over the Cardinals reflected that and a collection of those can be found below: Louis Riddick, ESPN Marcus Spears, ESPN Ryan Fitzpatrick, Amazon Prime Barstool Sports Ari Meirov, The 33rd Team Thomas Casale, CBS Sports Al Sacco, Audacy Sports Hayden Winks, Underdog Fantasy Tyler Dunne, Go Long Michael F. Florio, NFL Network ClutchPoints Bussin’ With The Boys podcast Ryan Clark, ESPN Adam Schien, SiriusXM
Giants head coach Brian Daboll disappointed after rough start against Vikings
John Jones-Imagn Images New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll expressed his disappointment following the team’s season-opening 34-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. Speaking in the postgame press conference, Daboll acknowledged that the Giants have a lot of work ahead of them, admitting that the game was not the performance he expected from his squad. “Obviously not the way we wanted to start. Disappointing game. A lot to clean up, and that’s what we will do,” Daboll said, summing up the team’s struggles after the defeat. The Giants faced multiple issues throughout the game, including penalties, poor offensive execution, and a lack of deep throws. Quarterback Daniel Jones struggled, throwing two interceptions, include a costly pick-six. Daboll noted that Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel made a key play on the pick-six, jumping to deflect a pass intended for wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. While Daboll was reluctant to offer detailed evaluations without reviewing the game tape, he did acknowledge that the offensive play was subpar and that it all starts with him. “I’d say that we’ll go back, watch the tape, and see what we can do better. Obviously, there’s a lot. So, that’s what we’ll do. It starts with me,” Daboll emphasized. Jones’ performance raised questions about his confidence and execution, as he seemed unsettled throughout the game. Daboll dismissed the idea of pulling Jones from the game, but admitted the team needs to improve across the board. “We’ve got to do a better job all the way around, and that starts with me,” Daboll reiterated when asked about Jones’ confidence. The Vikings’ defensive scheme, which featured a “soft shell” coverage, limited the Giants’ ability to take shots down the field. Daboll acknowledged that while deep passes were part of the game plan, the team failed to execute. “We certainly called the plays. Sometimes they take them away. We’ve got to do a better job all the way around. It starts with me,” he said. Penalties also proved to be a major setback for the Giants, with nine infractions that stymied offensive drives and prolonged Minnesota’s possessions. “The penalties hurt. They keep drives alive, back you up on offense or put you in unfavorable situations. A lot to clean up,” Daboll said. Despite the team’s preparation leading into the game, Daboll lamented that they were unable to deliver the desired result on the field. He emphasized that the coaching staff, himself included, bears responsibility for the team’s struggles. “I thought we prepared well. I thought they gave good effort. I thought the defense played hard. We gave up a pick-six down there. But, there’s a lot of things to clean up. Again, I’ve got to do a better job all the way around, and that’s what I’ll do,” Daboll concluded. As the Giants look to bounce back from the tough loss, Daboll maintained his focus on improvement and getting the team ready for Week 2. While the season opener didn’t go as planned, Daboll’s message was clear: it’s back to work to correct the mistakes and move forward. “We’re going to come back in tomorrow morning, go to work, learn, have a good week of practice, and do everything we can to get ready for Week 2,” he said. There really wasn’t much more he could say.
Vikings Dismantle Giants 28-6
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Darnold, defense and Jones = blowout win The Minnesota Vikings started their 2024 campaign with a convincing road win against the New York Giants, 28-6. It was the largest margin of victory for the Vikings in the Kevin O’Connell era and since 2019. It was a slow start for the Vikings offensively, with Ed Ingram giving up a sack on the first series and C.J. Ham losing a fumble deep in plus territory for the Giants. But the Vikings’ defense held the Giants to a field goal while the offense drove for a touchdown on the subsequent drive to take the lead 7-3. And the Vikings never looked back. The Vikings defense held the Giants to just 240 yards and 3.5 yards per play. They also generated two takeaways and as many points as the Giants offense. Solid Offense After Initial Sputter Offensively, Sam Darnold completed his first twelve passes en route to a 19/24 for 208 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, and a 113.2 passer rating. His lone interception was not his fault, coming on a play when Dexter Lawrence got his hand on Darnold’s bicep as he was throwing, leading to a pop-fly that was intercepted. Darnold’s adjusted completion percentage (on-target throws not including drops or throwaways) was 83.3% – one of his best games for accuracy. Moneyball. Sam Darnold x @JJettas2 : @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/gNnifylb6X — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024 Aaron Jones also made a positive debut as a Viking, with 14 carries for 94 yards (6.7 yard average) and a touchdown. Jones had a few chunk plays but was also impressive later in the game making something out of nothing on several carries. The offensive line had a mixed, and overall mediocre performance. Sam Darnold was pressured on 42.3% of his drop backs- not good. Ed Ingram gave up 7 of the 14 pressures allowed, while Garrett Bradbury gave up five pressures. Ingram and Bradbury got the brunt of top defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, which explains some of their difficulties. But Ingram in particular did not perform well. By contrast, Blake Brandel had a clean slate (no pressures allowed) in pass protection in his debut as a starter. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill allowed just one pressure each against Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Defensive Dominance Defensively, Andrew Van Ginkel had a tremendous pick six on a Daniel Jones screen pass to highlight a dominant performance. Another key defensively was not allowing a touchdown in three red zone opportunities for the Giants. One of those stops was an interception by Harrison Smith in the end zone. Oh man… Daniel Jones tried the quick pass and it is picked off by Andrew Van Ginkel for a pick-6! : FOX pic.twitter.com/wHU9vBXuuT — FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 8, 2024 The Vikings pass defense overall was also impressive. The Vikings allowed just over 100 yards passing before garbage time. Daniel Jones finished just 22/42 for 166 yards, 2 INTs, 5 sacks, and a 44.3 passer rating. Jones was forced to hold the ball and/or check down many times. Giants receivers had multiple drops, but coverage was generally tighter before more of a prevent defense in garbage time. The Vikings also had 23 quarterback pressures on 42 Giants drop backs, led by Jonathan Greenard, Ivan Pace Jr., and Jihad Ward with four each. Jerry Tillery had three, one of which resulted in a holding penalty on the Giants. Standouts in terms of pass rush win rate were Jihad Ward (14.8%), Ivan Pace Jr. (14.3%), and Jerry Tillery (10%). Bottom Line The Vikings beat a bad Giants team convincingly on the road to start their season. That may raise a few eyebrows nationally among pundits and football fans that have written the Vikings off as also-rans this season. But beating the 49ers at home next weekend would go a long way toward changing the narrative on the Vikings season prospects. Stay tuned. Follow me on X @wludford
Sunday Night Football: Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions Open Live Thread & Game Information
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images This evening’s Sunday Night Football matchup features a rematch from last year’s NFC Wildcard game. The Lions won their wildcard round by the narrowest of margins, 24 to 23. The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Detroit to take on the Detroit Lions. The two teams feature quarterbacks playing against their former teams, Matthew Stafford for the Rams and Jared Goff for the Lions. Please use this thread to follow this evening’s Sunday Night Football game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. Please follow all site rules in the live threads and other posts on The Phinsider. Please remember that SBNation is strictly against the sharing of illegal game streams. Sharing, discussing, or requesting illegal game streams may result in a temporary suspension from the site or a ban from the entire SBN platform. Los Angeles Rams (0-0) NFC West @ Detroit Lions (0-0) NFC North Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. EST, Sunday, September 8th Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan TV Broadcast: NBC Odds: Detroit Lions -4.5; Over/Under 52.5 (via FanDuel sportsbook) —My Pick: The Detroit Lions will cover. While both teams are assumed to be playoff teams this season, the Los Angeles Rams will enter this game already banged up, including being without Arron Donald for the game. This is one of those games that will be decided along the offensive and defensive lines, with the Ram’s injuries and the over-the-top Detroit crowd tipping the scales in favor of the Lions.
Miami Dolphins stock up, stock down: Reactions to Week 1 win over Jaguars
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images The Miami Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. Who saw their stock rise or fall during the game? The Miami Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 to start the 2024 NFL regular season 1-0. The game was a roller coaster of a contest, with the Dolphins starting slowly before finding their rhythm in the second half and making a furious comeback before kicker Jason Sanders connected on a walk-off field goal for the win. Who saw their stock rise during the game? Who had some struggles that hurt their stock rating? We take an early look at the game and react to the performances from throughout the contest. Stock Up Jevon Holland, safety – Holland, according to Pro Football Focus, is one of the top safeties in the league, but the knock against him is the lack of game-changing plays. He took care of that argument on Sunday, coming away with the key forced fumble to end what looked like a sure touchdown drive from the Jaguars. He had a great pass breakup as well during the game and he finished with three tackles. Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Tyreek Hill, wide receiver – What a wild day for Hill. From being detained by police just before the game a block from the stadium to dominating the second half of the game and finishing with a game-high in receptions and receiving yards. He was tied with running back De’Von Achane with seven catches, picking up 130 yards on those catches including an 8-yard touchdown. Hill was ranked as the top player in the league according to the NFL Top 100 Players list, so it is hard to say his stock can go up, but then he has days like he had on Sunday and he continues to impress every single week. Jake Bailey, punter – Last year, Bailey was a concern, never seeming to connect solidly with the ball and struggling to flip the field. On Sunday, that was never a concern. He averaged 49.5 yards per kick on four punts, including a 57 yard kick, with three inside the 20-yard line. One of those punts kicked out of bounds at the four-yard line, one was fair caught at the 12, and one went out of bounds at the three-yard line. The only kick that did not get inside the 20 went to the Jacksonville 34-yard line but was a 51-yard kick. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Calais Campbell, defensive tackle – How do you make an impact for your new team? Have the start to a game Campbell had on Sunday. On his first play as a member of the Dolphins, Campbell sacked Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. On his second play, he stuffed Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne for a one-yard loss. He was absolutely a force in the middle of the line of scrimmage throughout the game and forced the Jaguars to double team him much of the time. He finished with three tackles and the sack. Emmanuel Ogbah, defensive end – Remember when Ogbah was a liability on defense throughout the 2023 season? Me neither. Ogbah looked like the player who tallied nine sacks in each of the 2020 and 2021 seasons for the Dolphins. He was active, he was able to create pressure, and he looked like he will be able to hold down the starting edge rusher position opposite linebacker Jalean Phillips until Bradley Chubb is ready to return. Ogbah is listed as a linebacker on the roster, but he played with his hand in the dirt more like a 4-3 defensive end and he found success doing it. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Alec Ingold, fullback – Who knew that a Pro Bowl fullback would be capable of picking up short yardage for his team? Ingold had two carries – three if not for a false start penalty that ended the play – and he picked up short first down on each of them. He finished the game with eight rushing yards. And all of that is not to mention serving as a lead blocker throughout the game, especially down the stretch when the Dolphins needed to eat the clock before the game-winning field goal. Aaron Brewer, center – This is not because Brewer did anything great, but because he never seemed to be an issue. Snapping was a concern throughout the summer, but Brewer, who has been dealing with a hand injury, played through any problems and never seemed to have an issue with the snap. The offensive line was not a strong point for Miami this week, but Brewer at least was not a liability snapping the ball. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jason Sanders, kicker – Sanders almost did not make the list after his first field goal was badly wide left on a 42-yard attempt. But, he came back and connected nine minutes later on a 37-yard attempt then kicked a 52-yarder for the win with no time left on the clock. He was 2-for-2 on extra points. The game-winning kick was enough to raise his stock back up, even after the early miss. Stock Down Ethan Bonner, cornerback – During training camp, we all heard how Bonner was making plays all over the place and looked like one of the team’s top cornerback options. He was a healthy scratch as an inactive in Week 1, with undrafted rookie Storm Duck active over him. The coaching staff had to make a decision somewhere, but landing on inactive after all the talk during camp and the preseason is a clear sign Bonner’s stock fell this week. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Kader Kohou, cornerback – Kohou seemed to struggle during this game. He had four tackles, but it was not the performance from the 2022 undrafted rookie who seemed to be a surprise star for the Dolphins defense. The play where Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis caught a pass for 22 yards on a comeback route with Kohou just standing there
Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams live score updates, highlights, latest news
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Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams first half open thread
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Detroit Lions Week 1 inactives: DJ Reader, James Houston OUT vs. Rams
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