by PATRICK ROBERTSON Section Editor
The first week of the 2014 NFL season was full of surprises and upsets.
The Kansas City Chiefs lost in a stunning home opener against the Tennessee Titans 26-10. This game was also the debut of Titans’ new head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Whisenhunt has been all over the NFL, as a tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburg Steelers. He was also an offensive coordinator for the Pittsburg Steelers and the San Diego Chargers, and offensive coordinator for the Steelers in their 2006 Super Bowl victory.
Another surprising victory was the Buffalo Bills over the Chicago Bears 23-20 in overtime. The Bills have not made the playoffs in 14 years. This was also the first time the Bills have won at Soldier Field. So far, Bills fans have something to look forward to this season.
Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel completed 16 of 22 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. Surprisingly, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler outdid Manuel, completing 34 of 49, throwing for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior Joe Miller said, “I have been a fan of the Bears my whole life and I was shocked by this loss.”
For the first time since 2003, the New England Patriots lost their season opener 33-20 to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins came out in the second half and scored an unanswered 22 points. Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 178 yards, completing 18 of 32 passes.
The real breakout performer for the Dolphins was running back Knowshon Moreno, running for 134 yards and a touchdown.
The Dolphins have now beaten the Patriots twice in a row after losing their last seven meetings. As of now the Patriots are in last place in their division, the AFC East, with the New York Jets, Dolphins, and the Bills all winning their week one games.
The most exciting game of the week was the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons, one of the NFL’s worst teams last year won against one of the NFL’s best teams, the Saints, 37-34. No team has ever won the NFC South two years in a row, so this could be the Falcons’ year, as they are currently tied for first with last year’s division champions the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers won on the road against division rivals Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-14. The Panthers were without their starting QB Cam Newton, so back-up Derek Anderson played. Anderson threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns, completing 24 out of 34 passes. Anderson has not started an NFL game since 2010.
The remaining scores were:
Green Bay won over Seattle 36-16
Houston Texans beat the Washington Redskins 17-6
Jets beat the Raiders 19-14
Eagles beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-17
Pittsburg Steelers against the Cleveland Browns 30-27
San Francisco 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-17
Minnesota Vikings beat the Rams 34-6
Indianapolis Colts lost to the Denver Broncos 31-24
Detroit Lions beat the Giants 35-14
Cardinals over the Chargers 18-17
What will this NFL season be like?