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Justin Herbert, Breece Hall, Young QBs & More: Bonus Week 1 Observations

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We already took one crack at breaking down what we learned from the bounty of new information that Week 1 provides, but after closer review of the weekend’s action, the notebook was still overflowing with takeaways and observations. So here’s a bonus column digging in even deeper to the week that was. 

The Chargers are letting Herbert cook

When the Chargers hired HC Jim Harbaugh, it was pretty clear what type of philosophy he’d be bringing to Los Angeles from all his previous stops, including Michigan, the 49ers and Stanford. When he hired OC Greg Roman, it was an exclamation point on the team’s identity as a run-first, ground and pound squad. They seemed to lean even more into that identity with the selection of first-round RB Omarion Hampton this spring. 

But the Chargers surprised the Chiefs and likely the rest of the NFL last Friday with a pass-first gameplan that featured QB Justin Herbert as the tip of the spear. Herbert diced up Kansas City’s defense to the tune of 318 yards, three touchdowns and no picks on a 73.5 completion rate. He dropped back to pass 41 times in a game the Chargers never trailed. 

 The Athletic’s Mike Sando, a Seattle-based reporter, developed a metric he calls the “Cook Index” (sparked by the “Let Russ Cook” narrative around the Seahawks back in 2020). It ranks teams based on how often they drop back to pass on early downs in the first 28 minutes of a game, a split designed to hone in on how much a team wants to pass in neutral situations. Since Week 10 of last year, the Chargers are second in the NFL on the Cook Index at 63 percent, behind only the Chiefs. 

On the one hand, it makes perfect sense that a team with Herbert at quarterback would be looking to unleash him instead of turning him into a glorified game manager. On the other hand, this is a clear departure from how Harbaugh and Roman have designed offenses in the past. Roman in particular has designed some of the most effective rushing attacks of the past couple decades. Friday was one of the most aggressive, pass-heaviest games he’s ever called. And with a trendline that goes back to last season, this version of Herbert and the Chargers doesn’t seem like a one-off just to beat the Chiefs. It seems like it’s here to stay. 

Young QBs ride the rollercoaster

The most exciting thing for teams, fans and media to talk about is a young quarterback, especially one who’s flashed some potential or was drafted high. Everyone is always on the lookout for the next big thing and it’s pretty easy for the narratives on players to get out over their skis. When that happens, there’s a natural rebound the other way to labeling a guy a bust. It feels like public opinion on young quarterbacks yo-yo’s back and forth with big sweeping declarations that miss the reality somewhere in the middle. 

The reality is young quarterbacks need time and there are inevitable bumps in the road that they have to play through to reach their potential. Recent years have proven the peril of giving up on a young passer too early as players like Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and others have shed their “bust” labels and become productive starters. With the exception of a few outliers, the career trajectory of young quarterbacks is almost never a straight line. Instead, it’s a rollercoaster. 

Week 1 was a terrific example of that if you look around the league at some of the young starters who were drawing buzz: 

  • Broncos QB Bo Nix was the recipient of tons of hype this offseason, including plenty from his own head coach Sean Payton and some from the national media. Nix also has his share of public detractors which make him a new challenger in the most polarizing quarterback debate. Denver was picked by a lot of analysts to take a step forward in 2025 and the Broncos won in Week 1, but just barely, scraping past the Titans in a sloppy effort from both sides. Nix turned the ball over three times, including two picks and a lost fumble. The performance looked more like some of his rookie-year struggles than the sophomore jump that was promised. 
  • In the same game, Titans QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick this year, made his debut and showed off the skillset that made Tennessee fall in love with him as a hopeful franchise starter. Ward was dynamic in the pocket and showed off impressive arm talent, including some side-arm flicks on the move to open receivers. Had his pass catchers held on to a few more of those, perhaps the story of the day would have been different. But Ward also made his share of errors, absorbing six sacks including two back-to-back in the second half after Tennessee recovered a muffed punt deep in Denver territory that took the Titans out of field goal range and left them with nothing. 
  • Panthers QB Bryce Young didn’t carry over his momentum from the end of last year when he rebounded from being benched to save his job. Young wasn’t a disaster against the Jaguars like he was at the start of last year but he didn’t play well either, throwing two picks, losing a fumble and completing barely 50 percent of his passes for only 154 yards. 
  • Patriots QB Drake Maye had an uneven debut as well, completing 65 percent of his passes for nearly 300 yards but spraying too many balls, including an overthrow for a key interception coming out of halftime in the loss to the Raiders. 
  • Conversely, Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. had a good debut statistically, nearly hitting 300 yards passing with one touchdown, no interceptions and a game-tying rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Atlanta couldn’t pull off the win. 
  • Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy and Bears QB Caleb Williams played out the rollercoaster in the same game. In the first half, it was Williams who was in a groove, taking the completions underneath rather than holding the ball like he did as a rookie while making plays with his legs and arm on the move. Meanwhile McCarthy looked like someone making his first NFL start on the road against a hostile defense. His struggles continued into the third quarter with a pick six that looked like it would be the defining play of the game. But McCarthy responded in a big way in the fourth quarter, scoring three touchdowns including one on the ground to lead the Vikings to a comeback win. Meanwhile, Williams and the Bears cooled off dramatically, and the former No. 1 pick’s accuracy became increasingly suspect late in the game. 

In the case of all of these quarterbacks, there are aspects of their performance in Week 1 that touch on narrative threads from their short careers so far. But one game can’t be a referendum, good or bad. We’re seeing the same thing with some quarterbacks who haven’t even reached the NFL yet and are still playing college football, with the hype machine building them up to unrealistic levels and then tearing them down. 

There are good days ahead for the quarterback who struggled and there are bad days ahead for the ones who played well. Some will fight through the process and become reliable long-term starters, others will be chewed up and spit out by the NFL machine. Just don’t be too sure we know who’s who after this past week. 

Different result, same Bengals? 

Division games in Week 1 can always be a little bit weird, but the Bengals are two missed kicks by Browns K Andre Szmyt from having to answer a ton of questions yet again about a slow start in September — despite re-engineering their entire offseason program to try and start faster. Szmyt, kicking in his first game ever after Cleveland moved on from veteran K Dustin Hopkins, missed a field goal and an extra point in a 17-16 loss. 

The Bengals took a lead into halftime but mustered just two total yards of offense the entire second half. One key sequence was a drive that ended with three straight sacks in the fourth quarter, two of them by Browns DE Myles Garrett. Star QB Joe Burrow and his dynamic receiving duo were held in check the whole game, and it took a gift of an interception off a dropped pass that set the Bengals up for a go-ahead field goal. Cincinnati had chances to pull away and just couldn’t do it. 

That said, it matters that they got the win in the end, and they have a chance to bury the narrative against the Jaguars this week. Bengals HC Zac Taylor is 8-10-1 in September with Burrow under center. If the offseason changes worked, he can get that number to .500 or better this year. 

Talk Vs Action

The Bengals weren’t the only team to spend the entire offseason on a singular point of emphasis only to not follow through in Week 1. The Ravens were fixated coming into this season on avoiding their woes in close games, especially in the playoffs. ESPN did a story in camp on the ways HC John Harbaugh was trying to be innovative to address a problem that’s not as easy to address as something like bad tackling or an iffy punter. 

Given the way their season ended last year with a loss to the Bills brought on by self-inflicted wounds, including multiple turnovers and a dropped two-point conversion by TE Mark Andrews, the Ravens were champing at the bit to get their revenge in Week 1. For most of the game it looked like they’d exorcised those demons, but the collapse at the end has brought them roaring back. This is now the sixth double-digit fourth-quarter lead the Ravens have blown in the last four years, and the monkey on their back might as well be an elephant. 

The Panthers poured resources into fixing their defense this offseason after surrendering an NFL-record 534 points last year. They were especially bad against the run, yielding up over five yards per carry to opponents. Unfortunately those same struggles continued. Carolina gave up 200 yards rushing in a 26-10 blowout to the Jaguars in Week 1. The Panthers have held on to DC Ejiro Evero the past couple of years because he’s highly regarded (supposedly) in league circles as a defensive mind. But the results on the field are going to need to start backing that up. 

To wrap this section up, 49ers QB Brock Purdy mentioned in a few different interviews how he felt like he started pressing last year with all the injuries and adversity the 49ers faced, and it led to a career-high 12 interceptions. Purdy said even after signing a big contract this offseason, he wanted to go back to playing within himself and executing HC Kyle Shanahan’s offense like a machine. 

That vow didn’t last long. Purdy was picked off twice on Sunday against the Seahawks and both were questionable throws into traffic when the smarter play would have been to check down, scramble or even eat the sack. There were probably at least two other times Purdy should have been picked, including on the game-winning TD to TE Jake Tonges of all people who bailed him out with a big catch. 

Purdy will miss some time with a toe injury, which might give him a chance to reset. It’s one thing to say you’ll change something in the offseason, but old habits have a way of re-emerging under stress, especially in Week 1. 

Kickoffs are back

The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff is finally living up to its name after a tweak this offseason to bring touchbacks to the 35 instead of the 30. That was the kick in the posterior the league’s conservative coaches needed to put the ball in play. Kickoff returns are up — way up. 

Seventy-five percent is closer to the high end of estimations from the coaches in charge of designing the new kickoff the last two offseasons and more in line with what the league wants to ensure it no longer has a dead play. They’ve accomplished that magnificently. There were several long returns on Sunday and a pivotal fumble by the Jets that swung their matchup against the Steelers. Look for teams to start putting more emphasis on scheme and personnel in that phase of the game given the potential impact. The Eagles cited kickoff return skills in their trade for RB Tank Bigsby this week. 

Don’t draft kickers early

The 49ers moved on from former third-round K Jake Moody after another shaky performance, as it was clear Moody’s confidence was shot and the locker room had no confidence in him either. Moody’s issues aren’t unique to a lot of young kickers, as he started last year strong before an injury messed up his mechanics and his confidence fell off a cliff. What is unique is the draft capital San Francisco invested in him, the highest pick used on a kicker since the Buccaneers drafted Roberto Aguayo in the second round in 2016. 

This is the latest in a long line of examples for why it’s lighting draft picks on fire to use picks before late Day 3 on kickers. It’s not because a good kicker isn’t valuable, but the mental aspect of the position is so important and the biggest thing all young kickers struggle with. Adding the high expectations that come with high draft capital on top of the natural pressure most kickers go through is just adding extra headwinds that make it more difficult for the pick to pay off. 

There’s a pretty decent chance Moody will turn things around with a chance to take a step back, hit the reset button and work through his issues. It will be a different team than the 49ers that reaps the benefits. 

Rams “Land” early contender for steal of free agency

One of the longest-running features on our website at NFL Trade Rumors is our Top 100 Free Agents list. There’s a methodology to how it’s put together, using PFF grades weighted by snaps and other factors as a starting point with adjustments from there. PFF grades aren’t a perfect metric but they do provide an apples-to-apples comparison point and can spotlight players who would otherwise slip through the cracks. 

One example is Rams LB Nathan Landman, who signed in Los Angeles on an unheralded veteran minimum contract this offseason after the Falcons declined to tender him as a potential restricted free agent. While Landman battled some injuries that impacted his performance in 2024, his PFF grade in 2023 was strong and those snaps helped him pop in our system as a potentially  undervalued player. 

Landman proceeded to win the starting middle linebacker job, earn green dot responsibilities for the defense and earn the votes to be a team captain. In his debut in Week 1, Landman had 10 total tackles and forced the game-winning fumble on the Texans’ last drive. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. 

It’s safe to say he’ll be ranked much higher on everyone’s top free agent lists this upcoming offseason, as long as he stays healthy, and will sign for much more than the veteran minimum. 

Easy Breece-y

There was plenty of speculation about how Jets RB Breece Hall fit into the team’s plans with a new regime under HC Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey. He wasn’t one of the young players the team prioritized for a contract extension, and Glenn and others in the building spent a ton of time talking up a three-headed backfield with Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis — though Glenn also tried to shoot down any trade rumors surrounding Hall. 

In Week 1, Hall looked outstanding. He was explosive and dynamic, taking 19 carries for 107 yards and adding two catches for 38 yards. And for as much as the team talked up the split in the backfield, Hall dominated the work. Allen had six carries and scored on an eight-yard touchdown, but netted just one yard on his other five totes. Davis touched the ball just twice. 

Things could play out differently as the season progresses, and consistency remains something the Jets want to see from Hall. But this was an outstanding first step toward earning a big contract this offseason, potentially from New York. 

Geno versus Darnold & other Seahawks notes

I’ll take my own advice from further up this column and say it’s far too early for a referendum on the Seahawks quarterback swap from this offseason, trading Geno Smith to the Raiders and signing Darnold in free agency. I chalked that deal up as a win for the Raiders at the time, though, and Week 1 didn’t change my thinking. Smith had a classic performance typifying what he brings to the table, completing 24 of 34 pass attempts for 362 yards in a win against the Patriots. He threw it all over the yard, hitting nine completions of 20 or more yards and setting the franchise record for passing yards in a debut. One of those deep throws was a touchdown, his only one of the day which continues a trend of yards being easier to come by for Smith than touchdowns, and he also had an interception on a tight window throw that was deflected at the catch point up into the air. 

Darnold meanwhile had a much more muted performance. He didn’t do nearly as much but he also wasn’t asked to by Seattle’s new offensive system, which is part of why the team felt like the swap made sense. The vet completed 16 of 23 attempts for just 150 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, though he did lose a fumble on the potential game-winning drive. The Seahawks will need to find more consistent pass catchers outside of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Darnold to have better days through the air. 

Some other interesting depth chart-related notes from Seattle — the team spent a fair amount of training camp talking up RB Zach Charbonnet, who in the past had been relegated to handcuff duties behind RB Kenneth Walker despite being talented enough to lead his own backfield. This year the split is much closer to 50-50 and Charbonnet actually out-snapped and out-touched Walker in Week 1. While Walker is more explosive, he’s also more prone to getting tackled for short gains or losses that put the offense behind the sticks, and has a tendency to get banged up. Charbonnet isn’t as flashy but has a well-rounded skillset, runs hard and is durable. 

On defense, the Seahawks benched CB Riq Woolen last year to get his mind right and they could be on the verge of doing something similar after he was beat multiple times on the 49ers’ game-winning drive. Woolen is a special athlete at cornerback, coming in at 6-4 and 210 pounds with 4.3 speed in the 40-yard dash, but his focus wanes and he can be picked on by opponents. This is a contract year for Woolen, so it’ll be interesting to see if HC Mike Macdonald views him as a fit long-term and if that prompts the team to move on, perhaps ahead of the trade deadline. 

Hot seat update

In the first Week 1 reactions column, we hit on Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel and the spiking pressure from the blowout loss to the Colts. He wasn’t the only coach to make things worse for himself this weekend. The Giants flopped against the Commanders, losing 21-6 with an ineffective offense that couldn’t get much going on the day. That puts the heat square on HC Brian Daboll, who isn’t calling plays for the time being but has a lot of influence on that side of the ball. 

Expectations for the Giants among national and local media were somewhat mixed, with the general consensus that the team had improved but that a tough schedule could make those improvements hard to see in the win/loss column. The defense had some moments Sunday, but overall the Giants don’t look materially better from last year, especially on offense (which tracks because the only major change they made on that side of the ball was at quarterback). It continues to look like first-round QB Jaxson Dart will play sooner rather than later. 

In Tennessee, Ward’s debut was marred by the loss and some deja vu to how things went for the Titans last year with penalties, sacks and turnovers. Titans HC Brian Callahan also had a massive unforced error by not knowing the rule that an elbow inbounds equals two feet and declining to challenge what would have been a big completion. This is Callahan’s second year on the job, so the margin for error is lower than last year. He can’t afford self-inflicted wounds like that as he tries to prove he’s the right coach to develop Ward into a franchise starter.

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