Inside the NFL’s Biggest Week 1 Shocks

Compared to most other sports leagues, the US’s NFL has one notable difference: its limited number of games in the regular season. A few years ago, the NFL made a huge step in expanding the regular season from 16 weeks to 17 weeks. This means that fans only have 16 games to watch their favorite team compete.

This leads to in-depth coverage of every single game, as each is treated like a forecast on whether a team will advance to the playoffs. Week 1, the kickstart of the season, sees the most action from analysts and fans, as they have the entire offseason to start building their predictions.

The 2022-23 Week 1 results treated NFL fans to a series of surprises—some of which even carried over into the upcoming weeks. Keep reading for three of the biggest shocks from Week 1 matchups.

Bills Crush the Rams

Last year, all eyes were on the Buffalo Bills to advance to the Super Bowl. The team has one of the league’s star quarterbacks, Josh Allen, on its roster, who is currently listed first in NFL regular season MPV odds from US sportsbooks.

However, the Bills were eliminated from the playoffs last year and the Los Angeles Rams went on to nab their first Super Bowl on the West Coast. Unsurprisingly, the Bills had a bone to pick with last year’s Super Bowl winners—and they took that rage straight to the gridiron.

The Bills crushed the Rams with a decisive 31-10 victory. While this has excited Bills fans, it closely mirrors last season’s momentous start—which ended in disappointment for all.

Dolphins Overcome the Patriots

For those who don’t follow the NFL, the Miami Dolphins are poised for a major rebuild after a decade of tough luck. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots are coming off close to twenty years of peak performance that led to six Super Bowl grabs.

Clearly, both teams have a lot of baggage—but the Dolphins proved they might actually be on the up and up, with a 20-7 victory over the Patriots. The Dolphins had a home-field advantage, as the game was played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. However, many fans and pundits believe that the real difference was new head coach, Mike McDaniel.

Vikings Stomp the Packers

This season might very well be the last for Aaron Rodgers, one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. Though he’s been at the top of his game for years in Green Bay with the Packers, Rodgers only has one Super Bowl trophy to show for his efforts. And while many were hoping the 2022-23 season would see Rodgers depart with a Lombardi Trophy, that might not be the case.

The Vikings stomped the Packers with a 23-7 win. While the Packers have Rodgers at the helm once again, the Vikings have one of the league’s most dangerous wide receivers in Justin Jefferson—and he’s already making his presence known. Is this Week 1 result a hint that Jefferson might catapult the Vikings to the top of the division, or was it a first-game hiccup from the Packers?

Week 2: Dolphins & Jaguars on Top

Week 1 results give fans their first glimpse at how the upcoming NFL season might pan out—but Week 2 is where the rubber meets the road. Not many teams will carry on their flukes and mistakes from the first game into the second week. In other words, Week 2 brings each team into starker focus.

The Dolphins posted another win with a 42-38 victory over the Ravens. The Dolphins showcased their passing game potential, which may very well develop as the season unfolds. However, Miami wasn’t the only shocker in Week 2. The Jacksonville Jaguars posted a 24-0 win over the Colts.

While neither team is at the top of their game, with the Jaguars looking particularly dismal over the past decade, there’s one huge difference: the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence. The star quarterback is entering his first season out of the NCAA, and it looks like he’s starting strong.