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Eric Williams
NFL Reporter
With much of the contract angst this summer — starring, among others, Brandon Aiyuk, CeeDee Lamb, Trent Williams and Dak Prescott — in the rearview mirror, we can finally focus our attention on the football field.
Week 1 featured some strong performances by players who changed teams during the offseason, including Joe Mixon for the Houston Texans and Sam Darnold for the Minnesota Vikings.
Here’s a closer look at some of the top performances from the first NFL weekend of the season, plus a few players who would like to hit the reset button for Week 2.
HOT
Joe Mixon, RB, Texans
Much of the talk this offseason about the Texans focused on the addition of a dynamic playmaker in WR Stefon Diggs. But it was Mixon, the former Cincinnati Bengals running back, who was the brightest spot for his new team in its 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Mixon topped the league in rushing with 159 yards and a score on a career-high 30 carries. He totaled 118 yards on outside runs against the Colts, according to Next Gen Stats.
Mixon’s ability to create big plays in the running game should serve as a nice complement to C.J. Stroud and the passing game.
Sam Darnold, Vikings
In his first start for the Vikings — and his first Week 1 start in three seasons — Darnold proved he could efficiently run Kevin O’Connell’s offense. He went 19-of-24 for 207 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, finishing with a 113.2 passer rating in Minnesota’s 28-6 victory over the New York Giants.
Darnold completed his first 12 passes and had a 158.3 passer rating against man coverage. With first-round pick J.J. McCarthy out for the season, Darnold took a positive step in solidifying his role in the offense and providing stability at the quarterback position.
Greg Rousseau, DE, Bills
Down 14 points to the Arizona Cardinals in the first half, Buffalo needed a spark from the defense to get back into the game….
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Publish date : 2024-09-09 14:06:28
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