So your team won its opener. You are thinking about booking Super Bowl reservations.
So your team lost its opener. You are thinking about what it's going to feel like at 0-16.
There is nothing quite like an NFL Sunday where the emotional roller coaster swings wildly from one city to the next.
Here are the five biggest overreactions from Week 1:
Buffalo Bills will win the AFC East
How quickly the Buffalo Bills’ impressive win over the Indianapolis Colts made so many of us forget about the New England Patriots’ Thursday night win against Pittsburgh. Yes, the Bills -- and especially new starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor -- exceeded expectations, but Buffalo fans might want to hold off on buying playoff tickets until at least after this week’s game against the AFC East’s big dog, the New England Patriots.
Seattle Seahawks are in trouble
Yes, it is now a legitimate possibility that the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks could start the season 0-2, after their Week 1 overtime loss to St. Louis and an upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. But even if 0-2 happens, it would be foolish to write off the Seahawks this early -- not with a still-stacked defensive roster that will only get better when (if?) safety Kam Chancellor ends his holdout, and an offense that should improve as quarterback Russell improves his chemistry with new weapons like tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
Terrell Suggs’ career is over
Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of his team’s loss to Denver on Sunday, and it would be fair to wonder if this is a career-ending injury for one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, because he’s 32 and this is his second Achilles injury since 2013. But Suggs recovered from his 2013 injury in record time and even returned to his team by mid-season. He won’t be back this season, certainly, but it would naive to assume that Suggs -- whose contract with the Ravens runs through 2018 -- won’t attack this rehab with similar vigour and make every attempt to return to his team in 2016.
Peyton Manning’s arm is dead
Just looking at Peyton Manning’s passing stats from is troubling -- just 175 passing yards, no touchdowns and one interception -- but that doesn’t mean his right arm is dead. It’s more a sign that he’s still uncomfortable in the hybrid offense he and the Broncos new coaching staff have created, and especially uncomfortable playing behind an offensive line that includes four new starters. His passes on Sunday against Baltimore had enough zip -- and he even overthrew a deep pass in the end zone. What he and the Broncos must fix is timing and accuracy.
The Buccaneers made the wrong quarterback pick
That’s certainly an easy reaction to make after the Bucs and the No. 1 pick, Jameis Winston, were blown out by the Tennessee Titans and the No. 2 pick, Marcus Mariota on Sunday, when Mariota was clearly the better player. But with all rookie quarterbacks, it is unfair to define them by their first game. Mariota is not going to be the NFL MVP, even though he finished his debut with a perfect passer rating, and Winston can’t be ruled a bust. Though Winston did struggle and made some bad decisions and poor throws in his debut, this Week 1 failure was an indictment on the Bucs as a whole -- and especially the coaching staff that didn’t have the rest of the team ready to help Winston.
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