NFL Sunday awards: Anthony Richardson vs CJ Stroud, Dak Prescott’s pay day and Liam Coen | NFL Information

The 2024 NFL season is formally underway! From Anthony Richardson to Liam Coen, we pick our award winners from the opening Sunday of the marketing campaign…

Story of the day…

The NFL was by no means going to come back again quietly, was it?

On Thursday it was Isaiah Probably’s outsized toe because the Baltimore Ravens had been denied in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. On Friday it was Jordan Love’s damage setback and Saquon Barkley’s debut treble because the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Inexperienced Bay Packers on the NFL’s maiden journey to Brazil. And the footballing cleaning soap opera resumed effectively earlier than kickoff on Sunday…

Tyreek Hill was detained by police following a visitors violation a block away from the Miami Dolphins stadium simply hours earlier than his facet’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, throughout which the vast receiver produced a handcuffs celebration following his 80-yard landing. Dak Prescott in the meantime agreed a brand new four-year $240m contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys to turn out to be the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past forward of main his staff previous the Cleveland Browns.

And inside that, Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar introduced he would headline Tremendous Bowl LIX in New Orleans, a lot to the eye-rolling dismay of Drake (I am guessing).

‘Not Like Us’ feels a becoming tag for Prescott as he raises the bar on quarterback contracts but once more, turning into the primary $60m-a-year participant in historical past and paving the way in which for extra eye-watering cash over the approaching years. Prescott has turn out to be one of many league’s most gifted and complicated conductors on the line of scrimmage, whereas piloting an offense that continues to rank among the many NFL’s most prolific every season.

He celebrated his payday by shredding a Browns protection that ranked No 1 within the league final season, enjoyable some offseason considerations over a Dallas staff nursing the injuries of its shock playoff defeat to the Inexperienced Bay Packers and reminding all that the Cowboys stay contenders. However, Dak is aware of, Mike McCarthy is aware of and Jerry Jones is aware of that ‘contenders’ hardly ever cuts it in Dallas. His new contract is deserved, but it surely comes with mounting Tremendous Bowl expectations for a staff looking for its first Championship berth since its 1995 triumph.

The ‘signal me up for extra’ of the day…

Anthony Richardson vs CJ Stroud for the following decade? Sure please.

The excellence of Stroud isn’t any secret by now; he has catapulted the Houston Texans forward of schedule and is dicing his solution to a spot among the many league’s elite quarterbacks. Sunday was a window into what the NFL can anticipate for years to come back as Stroud went toe-to-toe with Anthony Richardson on the Indianapolis Colts quarterback’s return from a season-ending damage in 2023.

Richardson stays one of many league’s most enthralling case research, as probably the most athletically gifted man to ever check on the quarterback place and enjoying inside a Shane Steichen offense seemingly completely designed to intensify his distinctive skills. He answered early questions over his arm power with a surprising 60-yard landing cross to Alec Pierce having slipped within the pocket, earlier than scurrying for a speeding rating of which few others in his place could be able to. There have been some overthrows on open targets, however nothing to not be anticipated in his first sport again. He’s a blockbuster double-threat addition to NFL Sundays, with deep ball hutzpah and scary athleticism on the bottom.

The ‘worst deal in NFL historical past’ of the day

How lengthy till the Cleveland Browns pull the plug on Deshaun Watson? It’s troublesome to recollect a time when he was among the many chief challengers to Patrick Mahomes. At his finest Watson was once among the many league’s only quarterbacks in opposition to stress, however by no means seemed settled in opposition to a Dallas Cowboys cross rush that swarmed him all day on the way in which to a 33-17 win. His accuracy was erratic, his subject prognosis blurred and the decision-making skewed in one other main blemish on the absolutely assured five-year $230m the Browns handed him, which is verging on turning into the worst deal the league has seen.

Watson’s woes would in the meantime underline speedy encouragement for Mike Zimmer’s Cowboys protection as they recorded six sacks and 25 pressures. It helps to have Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence alongside your line. In case you had been questioning, Jameis Winston is Cleveland’s backup quarterback… is likely to be value realizing that in just a few weeks.

The ‘title you need to know’ of the day

Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up the place they left off as one of many enjoyable ‘not fairly positive what they’re able to’ tales of the NFL, the previous No 1 general decide persevering with his profession revival with 4 landing passes in a 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders.

There had been some query marks within the offseason when Dave Canales departed as offensive coordinator to take over as Carolina Panthers head coach, having performed an instrumental function in orchestrating the scheme through which Mayfield had loved his resurgence. Sunday was proof that he stays ready to succeed underneath Liam Coen, who arrives after spending the final two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams and Kentucky. He put his religion in fourth-round rookie Bucky Irving to play a starring function out of the backfield, whereas discovering methods to function fellow again Rachaad White within the passing sport alongside Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.

Among the many most notable wrinkles was the play-call to tee up Jalen McMillan’s 32-yard landing catch. McMillan had dropped a wide-open catch for a would-be-touchdown within the first quarter of the sport after motioning in-and-out as a part of a bunches formation, earlier than Coen dialled up the same play design within the fourth, this time motioning him out-to-in and organising a routine throw for Mayfield. Coen’s system was numerous and explosive, whereas displaying belief in its younger gamers.

The ‘we would have an issue right here’ of the day

There are extra mumbles amongst an already-disgruntled jury after one other uninspiring Daniel Jones efficiency. The New York Giants quarterback tossed an early contender for worst interception of the season to Andrew Van Ginkel as one in all two picks in his facet’s 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The choice to let Saquon Barkley go away within the offseason was the appropriate one for the organisation (most likely), however his three touchdowns on debut for the Philadelphia Eagles delivered a bitter distinction to Jones’ struggles on the weekend. The Giants are paying their quarterback $40m a 12 months, and look lightyears from enjoying their approach again into competition.

Bryce Younger’s distress with the Carolina Panthers in the meantime resumed as the previous No 1 general decide threw two interceptions in a 47-10 demolition in opposition to the New Orleans Saints. The primary was a dreadful overthrow on his opening cross of the sport, and the second a guessed and overcooked tried to pick Adam Thielen after scurrying out of the pocket. Younger was struggling to learn the sphere, lacking targets and taking probabilities in a determined bid to make one thing occur, all inside an offense that continued to lack range in its first sport underneath Dave Canales.

The ‘one thing new’ of the day…

The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff rule noticed early and glowing outcomes on Sunday, delivering some early indicators of its intentions to carve returns into ‘actual’ soccer performs.

Brandon Codrington introduced himself as an undrafted rookie in Buffalo as he reeled off a 53-yard return in the course of the Payments’ comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals, for whom Deejay Dallas broke away 96 yards to attain the first-ever dynamic kickoff return landing within the NFL. The strategy from groups will evolve throughout the season, however already blocking designs appeared extra purposeful and extra paying homage to working performs.

Among the many causes the league launched the rule was to generate extra returns versus touchbacks. It appears they’re on the way in which to reaching that.

Midnight considered the day

We’d see Michael Penix Jr sooner than anticipated. Granted, it’s Week One, however Kirk Cousins confronted some early query marks on his Atlanta Falcons debut after a expensive second interception in his facet’s defeat to a Pittsburgh Steelers staff that continues to depend on its TJ Watt-led protection. The primary-round choice of Penix Jr served a clumsy offseason storyline in Atlanta, even when Cousins did not wish to admit it. The rookie is ready within the wings to pounce on a possibility to drag the strings to a star-studded offense.

Monday espresso considered the day…

Tom Brady will get higher within the broadcast sales space. There have been some clear nerves throughout his commentary debut throughout Sunday’s Browns-Cowboys sport, however to listen to soccer’s greatest-ever participant break down the game he dominated is a singular expertise. On the similar time, even at 47 years previous, he might most likely nonetheless do a much better job at quarterback than a few of those that began on Sunday…

Watch the New York Jets tackle the San Francisco 49ers within the first Monday Evening Soccer of the 2024 NFL season, dwell on Sky Sports activities from 1.15am within the early hours of Tuesday. Additionally stream with NOW.

Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and might be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app – giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra dwell sport this 12 months at no further price. Stream The brand new EFL season, Check cricket and extra prime sport with NOW.