Week One Thoughts
Kyler Murray is going to be a legit MVP candidate
Kyler Murray played the best game I've ever seen him play on Sunday and he's got me really excited. Last season, I wanted him to use his legs more. You could tell he self scouted his rookie season and saw the same thing. Murray has a top tier arm and it looks like the game has completely slowed down for him. Murray was calm and kept his composure. Despite Nick Bosa having a field day on his offensive line (5 pressures, 1 hit, 4 hurries, and 1 FF), Murray showed growth immediately. He didn't take hits and was protecting himself when he did run. Deandre Hopkins being added to this offense is taking Murray to the next level. When I was scouting Murray coming out of Oklahoma, you could tell he was confident. That same confidence showed while he beat the 49ers on Sunday.
Joe Burrow is going to be really, really good
While the Bengals didn't come up with the W on Sunday, Joe Burrow showed why he was picked number one overall. Burrow was poise and brought a spark to this team. Cincinnati has been so bland the past few years, Burrow has brought some flavor. His stats might not be amazing, but his feel for the game looked natural. He used his legs the right amount and was able to build drives for Cincinnati. Burrow would be all over the national spotlight if Randy Bullock doesn't shank the game-tying field goal, or if AJ Green doesn't fully extend his arm on the would-be game winning touchdown. Joey Burrow showed signs of what he did at LSU on Sunday. I'm leaning towards picking the Bengals against the Browns on Thursday Night Football.
Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, and Patrick Mahomes stay in stride
The three best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2019 look like the three best quarterbacks of 2020. Jackson looked the most improved. His accuracy was on point and he was throwing with a ton of touch. Jackson looks like he improved his throwing package and was much more accurate week one. Russell Wilson's chemistry with DK Metcalf looks even better. The Seahawks are finally throwing the ball more on early downs which was what they've needed to do the past five years. Russell Wilson is going to add to his hall of fame resume in 2020. Patrick Mahomes is on top right now. He's the best quarterback in the NFL and he brings a swagger to his team. Mahomes might not have the stats he had in 2018 (he very well could), but he's going to lead the Chiefs on another super bowl run.
The Washington FT's defense is legit
Chase Young received so much hate for not getting a sack in the College Football Playoffs, he took his anger out on the Eagles. He shouldn't have been receiving hate in the first place because he was still getting pressure and hurries despite being tripled teamed. Young was a monster in both the pass and run game, he's the early favorite for DROY. The defensive line as a whole was amazing. Ryan Kerrigan, one of the most underrated players in the NFL, was making plays one after another. Da'Ron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, and Jonathan Allen were also balling out. On the backend of this defense, Jimmy Moreland had the interception of the weekend. Fabian Moreau was also look like how he played at UCLA. The Football Team's defense is going to be really good this year.
The 49ers are going to be good, RELAX!
There is no better coach at self-scouting, then Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan does a good job at diagnosing his team's problems and hammering the solution in practice. The Cardinals didn't beat the 49ers, the 49ers lost to the Cardinals. There is a difference! The 49ers had so many missed opportunities, and Jimmy Garoppolo understands where he could be better. He missed a lot of throws including the game winner to Kendrick Bourne. From having a blocked punt to giving up third down penalties, the 49ers know they need to be more discipline. Once they get Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel back, this offense should pose a bigger threat at the receiver position. Everybody loves to overexaggerate and jump to conclusions after week one, but I would wait a little while before ruling the 49ers out as super bowl contenders.
