Sunday Scaries: The Best & Worst of NFL Week 1

Source: Justin Casterline / Getty

Hello, old friend!

With the NFL back it means it’s time to dust off this thing and find the best and worst the NFL had to offer in the opening weekend. Without further ado, let’s get into this thing!

Source: Nick Cammett / Getty

Bad Scary: Shockingly, the Deshaun Watson Contract Looks Disastrous

For anyone that isn’t a Browns fan, this is likely going to fall more in the good category (hand raised) but if you are a fan of the Browns, god help you.  No one thought the Deshaun Watson fully-guaranteed contract was a good idea to begin with outside of those in the front office.  Unsurprisingly, this looks to be even more true right out of the gate in 2024.  Watson was abysmal against the Cowboys and put up historically ugly numbers.  The Browns offense had half of their 70 plays go for zero or negative yardage.  What’s worse is the Browns have little to no wiggle room out of the deal, all of their own doing.  The dead cap hits are over $70 million the next two seasons each so they are stuck with Watson no matter how ugly it gets.  More performances like this and Watson will have a difficult time showing his face around Cleveland, ironically, the one part of his body he’s actually allowed to show there.

Source: Justin Casterline / Getty

Good Scary: Stroud, Richardson Show AFC South Rivalry Brewing

The Houston Texans were the darling NFL story of the off-season and it sure looks like they will live up to the hype and be a contender in the AFC all season long.  The Colts put a lot of hope into Anthony Richardson and he put on a show in his first return to action after shoulder surgery.  Both QBs looked very good.  Stroud racked up 234 yards and a pair of scores while Richardson put up 212 yards through the air, 56 yards on the ground and racking up three total touchdowns and an interception.  The Titans and Jaguars each let late leads slip away so if this is the two horse race in the AFC South like we think it will be, it should be a thrill ride.

Source: Chris Graythen / Getty

Bad Scary: The Carolina Panthers Should Be Relegated

The Carolina Panthers have been in a two-year circle of suck.  Being so bad and desperate for a quarterback they mortgaged their future in the trade with the Chicago Bears that will go down as one of the most lopsided trades of all time in order to draft Bryce Young.  That mortgaging of picks also cost them the No. 1 overall pick this past draft and entering Year 2 with Young this season and spending some money in the off-season meant they should look at least a little better, right?  Wrong.  They looked bad and maybe even worse as they got their doors blown off by the New Orleans Saints by 37 points.  Young was awful, the running game was pretty much nonexistent, and the defense couldn’t stop a fart.  It looks bad, it looks embarrassing….it looks like modern Carolina Panthers football.  It was one game but it might not be too early to start scouting the top of the 2025 draft board because it looks like they will be a lock for a top-2 pick.

Sunday Scaries: The Best & Worst of NFL Week 1  was originally published on rone1075thefan.staging.go.ione.nyc