The gradual transition into cooler weather is a signal for two things: autumn is approaching, and football season is upon us.
The 2023 NFL football season officially began last Thursday, with the reigning Superbowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, taking on the Detroit Lions.
The first Thursday-Night football game started at 7:20 in Arrowhead Stadium, with the rhythmic pounding of their drum leading up to the season’s first snap.
After a fairly slow-paced and low-scoring game, the Lions defeated the Chiefs 21-20.
The Lions scored first with a touchdown later in the first quarter. Patrick Mahomes quickly responded with some good throws and a touchdown for the Chiefs.
After not capitalizing on a Detroit turnover, the Chiefs scored with just seconds left in the half, giving them an advantage going into halftime.
Five minutes into the second half, the Lions evened up the game with Brian Branch getting a pick-six after Mahomes’ pass bounced off the hands of his receiver, Kadarius Toney.
The Chiefs went on to get two field goals after falling just short of getting necessary first-downs. The Lions regained the lead with a touchdown with seven minutes to go.
After both teams tried and failed to make crucial fourth-down plays, the Lions beat the world champions by one point.
“Things were far from perfect for the Lions, and that might be the most impressive aspect of their 21-20 victory,” said Morgan Cannon, lead Detroit Lions analysis writer for Pride of Detroit.
The unexpected start to the season seemed to be a pattern for the first NFL Sunday. With 26 of the 32 teams in action, fans saw everything from big upsets to lackluster performances.
“Week 1 has been wild. In the early window, the San Francisco 49ers picked up right where they left off with a healthy Brock Purdy, the Cleveland Browns shut down Joe Burrow, and a handful of rookies really stood out in their debuts,” ESPN reported.
The Bengals lost 24-3 in an underwhelming game against their rivals, the Cleveland Browns, after being led by Burrow, the now highest-paid quarterback in the league.
“Burrow finalized his contract extension on Thursday before the Bengals’ buses left for Cleveland. While the Bengals didn’t disclose the terms, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that Burrow agreed to a five-year contract worth $275 million, including more than $219 million guaranteed
After a career-worst, Burrow was benched in the final minutes of the game. Throughout the game, he completed just 14 of his 31 passes, totaling 82 yards. According to ESPN, his worst game prior was 148 yards, and he had never had less than 50% pass completion.
The Dallas Cowboys gave fans a powerhouse game to cap off Sunday night after they blew out the New York Giants 40-0.