Week 1 is barely in the rearview, and already a few teams have given their fan bases plenty to sweat over. One game doesn’t define a season, but it can expose problems fast - and these three clubs came out of the opening slate with real questions hanging over them.
The Rams had the roughest kind of opener: a loss that came with an extra layer of bad news. On Thursday night/Friday morning in Australia, Los Angeles was thoroughly handled by division rival San Francisco in what counted as its “home” game.
The travel angle is fair to mention, but it doesn’t explain away how flat the Rams looked. Matthew Stafford never resembled the quarterback who threw for almost 5,000 yards on his way to the MVP award last season, and Brock Purdy and friends had their way with the defense all night.
As if that wasn’t enough, the postgame injury report made things worse. Myles Garrett, the team’s prized offseason acquisition, is injured and will miss at least the next four games.
There’s still a lot of season left, and the Rams have a chance to steady things next Monday night when they’re back home against Jaxson Dart and the Giants. But in a loaded NFC West, this kind of early stumble can matter later, especially when home-field advantage could be decided by a game like this one.
Green Bay walked into Sunday looking like a team in control, and then walked out with a mess on its hands. The Packers had the Vikings on the ropes early, even after knocking out Kyler Murray in the 1st quarter, and it seemed difficult to see Minnesota clawing back with Carson Wentz under center. But the Vikings kept hanging around, and their defense kept the game within reach deep into the 4th quarter.
Then came the moment that changed everything. Up 5 points early in the 4th, Green Bay stalled in Vikings territory and lined up for a field goal on 4th and 6th.
Rookie Trey Smack drilled it to push the lead to 8, but Minnesota was flagged offsides. The 5-yard penalty still didn’t create a first down, and Matt LaFleur chose to erase the points and go for it on 4th and 1.
From there, the game unraveled, and the Packers wound up on the wrong end of a 39-22 loss.
The biggest concern for Green Bay isn’t just the decision-making. It’s the run game, or lack of one.
Josh Jacobs was clearly missed in the backfield, and the Packers couldn’t protect the lead because they couldn’t run the ball. The issues go beyond one absent runner, too.
This offense has to sort out its offensive line soon, or the season could get long in a hurry. Next up is a trip to New Jersey to face the Jets, and another shaky showing would push the worry meter into code red territory.
The Chargers also opened the year with a result that should make plenty of people uneasy. Entering Sunday as nearly a 10-point favorite over Arizona, they were instead pushed around by a Cardinals team that won just 3 games last season. The surprising part wasn’t that Arizona had offensive weapons; it was that the Cardinals’ defense was the unit that stood out.
Justin Herbert never found much rhythm, and the offensive line had its hands full with Arizona’s front. Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell combined for just 52 yards on 16 rush attempts, a modest 3.25 yards per carry. On the other side of the ball, the Chargers had no real answers for Trey McBride or surprise contributor Kendrick Bourne.
Now the attention shifts to next Sunday, when the Chargers host the Raiders in a game that could feel like a road environment with all the Silver and Black in the building. It’s still too early to throw around panic, but the margin for error is shrinking quickly.
If Los Angeles doesn’t respond against Las Vegas, the pressure on Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel will start to build. Beginning the season with two home losses to Arizona and Las Vegas would leave plenty of people concerned.
In Other News...
Matthew Stafford Just Became The Center Of A Bigger Rams Question
Sean McVay has made it clear that Matthew Stafford is still the quarterback around which the Rams are built, but the bigger issue now is how long that arrangement stays intact. McVay even credited Stafford for helping shape his own decision to keep coaching, a reminder of how intertwined the two have become in Los Angeles, while also acknowledging that Staffords playing timeline remains uncertain.
The uncertainty has only sharpened because the Rams already used a first-round pick on a quarterback in 2023, giving the team a clear fallback plan even as Stafford remains the present tense answer. For now, the franchise is balancing respect for what Stafford means to the roster with the practical reality that every season ahead has to be weighed against the future, and McVays latest comments suggest that question is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Fans Have A Bigger Reason To Worry Than That Loss
The Rams left Australia with more than a lopsided loss to the 49ers, because the scoreboard was only part of the concern after a rough performance in a game Sean McVay was quick to frame as not defining his team. The bigger issue was the status of Myles Garrett, whose debut with Los Angeles did not match expectations and whose knee injury now puts a key early-season piece on the shelf as the team tries to steady itself.
Garrett has already been placed on injured reserve for arthroscopic knee surgery, a setback that is expected to keep him out at least four weeks. Beyond the injury itself, there is growing curiosity around his readiness and how the Rams handled the travel and workload around the trip, with some outside chatter pointing to tension even as no firm details have been confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Get One Needed Break Before Their Week 2 Defensive Test
The Rams at least got some encouraging injury news heading into a Week 2 matchup that already carries more weight on the defensive side than usual. Safety Kam Curl, linebacker Nate Landman and tight end Davis Allen, all banged up in the opener, are expected to be available against the Giants, which gives Los Angeles a little more stability as it tries to settle in after the first week of the season.
Omar Speights is still working back from a hip injury and some swelling, but the early signs there have been positive. The larger picture remains the same for the Rams: they are trying to keep enough bodies on hand now while also waiting on longer-term help, with Myles Garrett sidelined for at least four weeks and the team hoping Aaron Donald can return soon. [Read more 🡒]