Chris Simms' Team-by-Team Ratings for NFL Week 1
Professional players don't get caught up in the rush-to-judgment hot takes after Week 1.
In an NFL locker room, five words hold true whether you're 1-0, 0-1 or 0-0-1: "One week at a time."
Let's unpack the bags set for Super Bowl LI or the NFL draft. Let's dial down the overreaction meter. Let's make that logic—the idea that every week is a clean slate—the golden rule of these NFL weekly grades.
These aren't power rankings. Last week doesn't matter, last season doesn't matter and even the worst teams in the league can earn an "A." I'm factoring much more than the final score into these; stats, game tape, toughness and team style all are weighed before I grade.
Glad we got this out of the way. Now let's get to it.
Buffalo Bills
1 of 32
Week 1: Ravens 13, Bills 7
Offense: Remember how bad the Ravens defense looked at times last year? It just stuck it to Buffalo. Tyrod Taylor must develop the three-step part of his game. Right now, it's all spin moves and deep balls.
Defense: Given the injury and suspension situation? Not a bad start for Rex Ryan's group. One quick question: Who let Duke Williams cover Mike Wallace on that big touchdown play? It ended up being the difference.
Grade: B
Miami Dolphins
2 of 32
Week 1: Seahawks 12, Dolphins 10
Offense: Catch the ball, Kenny Stills. Your team would've earned an A-plus (and probably a huge road win).
Defense: The Dolphins defense is a force to be reckoned with up front. Behind Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and Mario Williams, it's the same old questions. You kind of just knew Russell Wilson was going to pull off something late, and the Miami back seven couldn't stop it.
Grade: B+
New England Patriots
3 of 32
Week 1: Patriots 23, Cardinals 21
Offense: The Hoodie Strikes Again. Head coach Bill Belichick is going to draw up a game plan with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and expose your biggest flaw. Then, they’ll leave it to Jimmy Garoppolo. Looks like the kid can handle a big stage.
Defense: Arizona isn’t a dink-and-dunk kind of team, but that’s exactly the game it was forced to play on Sunday night. Nothing got behind this Patriots secondary. Hate to say I told you so, but this defense is just amazing.
Grade: A+
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New York Jets
4 of 32
Week 1: Bengals 23, Jets 22
Offense: This team is 1-0 if Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't miss an open guy in the end zone. But errors like that are the rule, not the exception, with the Jets. They had a chance to control the lead and blew it.
Defense: Where one career ends, another begins. Darrelle Revis is no longer the best cornerback in football (he's still very good). Meanwhile, meet Leonard Williams. He'll be wearing green for the next 10 years or so.
Grade: B
New York Giants
5 of 32
Week 1: Giants 20, Cowboys 19
Offense: You know what I haven't seen in a while? The Giants offensive line with some hole-opening blocks. I like the looks Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen had on the ground. A little balance could go a long, long way.
Defense: I didn't think any unit could match the physical play of the Dallas line. The Giants did their best, especially Snacks Harrison in the middle of it all. The tape reveals very few running lanes. They're just a different animal this season.
Grade: A
Washington Redskins
6 of 32
Week 1: Steelers 38, Redskins 16
Offense: Kirk Cousins was a little off on a lot of throws. When that happens, the Redskins won't win. They have no running game, and Pittsburgh keyed on that.
Defense: Can someone catch DeAngelo Williams? He's still running circles around FedEx Field. There's no one in the Washington front seven who played a lick of run defense. Side rant: Why would you not use Josh Norman on Antonio Brown?
Grade: C
Dallas Cowboys
7 of 32
Week 1: Giants 20, Cowboys 19
Offense: Tony Dorsett wasn't running through the holes opened up by the Dallas line. So when teams can plan Ezekiel Elliott out of the game, what does Dallas do? Looks like it'll stick with a vanilla offense.
Defense: Again, the scheme sticks out to me like a veteran lineman's pointer finger. It can't only be about playing harder. Odell Beckham Jr. can't just slide down a sideline without safety help.
Grade: B
Philadelphia Eagles
8 of 32
Week 1: Eagles 29, Browns 10
Offense: Well, that went about as well as anyone could've hoped. Philadelphia had the guts to trade its starting quarterback and start the kid. You can see why—Carson Wentz threw about a dollar's worth of dimes in his debut.
Defense: Know him, love him, fear him. It's the Fletcher Cox show.
Grade: A+
Pittsburgh Steelers
9 of 32
Week 1: Steelers 38, Redskins 16
Offense: The Pittsburgh Steelers started off a little shaky. Then, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown realized they've been doing this for a while. No quarterback-receiver duo can do it like they can. And a tip of the hat to a beat-you-up offensive line.
Defense: Ryan Shazier might be the next great Steelers linebacker (I hope he can stay healthy). That entire defense looked creative in attacking Kirk Cousins. Just wait until rookies Artie Burns and Sean Davis get some experience in this scheme.
Grade: A
Cleveland Browns
10 of 32
Week 1: Eagles 29, Browns 10
Offense: No breaks caught, no balls caught. Robert Griffin III played injured (again), and the Cleveland receiving corps just couldn't create space. Yuck.
Defense: Joe Haden's play didn't cause the Carson Wentz light-show extravaganza Sunday. But isn't he supposed to be a top-10 cornerback? I guess that job is tough when Carl Nassib (a rookie) is the only guy generating any pressure.
Grade: D
Baltimore Ravens
11 of 32
Week 1: Ravens 13, Bills 7
Offense: Every Twitter troll wanted to call me out for throwing some love Mike Wallace's way. I hear crickets this week. He's not playing in a dink-and-dunk offense anymore, and Joe Flacco is sending him deep.
Defense: I pointed out Timmy Jernigan earlier this week. He was the reason why the Ravens thought they could afford to trade Haloti Ngata. And he'll be the reason why that defense takes a playoff-sized leap.
Grade: A-
Cincinnati Bengals
12 of 32
Week 1: Bengals 23, Jets 22
Offense: Andy Dalton wouldn't throw a ball 15 yards downfield back in 2014. What a difference a few years make. The guy continues to develop as a downfield passer, making A.J. Green even scarier somehow.
Defense: Tough offensive team, tougher situation on the road. I like how this defensive secondary stacked up.
Grade: A-
Detroit Lions
13 of 32
Week 1: Lions 39, Colts 35
Offense: Matthew Stafford tore into his guys before mounting a game-winning drive. I absolutely love it; he’s not taking a season off to mourn Calvin Johnson’s empty locker and newfound dancing career. This group is dangerous, particularly when 'Staff finds either Ameer Abdullah or Theo Riddick in the air.
Defense: Andrew Luck is going to make a lot of defensive backs look mediocre this offseason. Let’s see a good defensive performance for all 60 minutes and not just the first 30, though. Prevent mode should be shut off for good.
Grade: A-
Minnesota Vikings
14 of 32
Week 1: Vikings 25, Titans 16
Offense: Shaun Hill was pretty Shaun Hill-y. Not going to win you games, not going to lose you games. The entire group has to be a little better than just Adrian Peterson handoffs.
Defense: Oh, so the most talked-about offense since Chip Kelly thought it could run right at Minnesota? Think again. The Vikings have a shot to be 2015 Broncos-like in scoring D.
Grade: B
Green Bay Packers
15 of 32
Week 1: Packers 27, Jaguars 23
Offense: It's tough to be critical of an offense when the guy who operates it is a golden football god. Still, that surrounding cast is just…bleh. Green Bay will run the same concepts as the '80s 49ers and expect Aaron Rodgers to be its Joe Montana.
Defense: Dom Capers! I saw some creativity out of Green Bay's defensive play-caller this week. He's not known for that, but he's armed with a young, talented secondary. Why not take a few risks?
Grade: A-
Chicago Bears
16 of 32
Week 1: Texans 23, Bears 14
Offense: I keep hearing about the offensive pieces up there in Chicago. Then...Sunday happens. Where's Kevin White, the supposed 1A to Alshon Jeffery? Probably hanging out with Jeremy Langford, who also vanished.
Defense: Eh. The Bears defense hung in there! Missed tackles won't be an issue with Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan. The secondary, on the other hand, will be. Will Fuller put like eight of these guys on roller skates.
Grade: C+
Houston Texans
17 of 32
Week 1: Texans 23, Bears 14
Offense: Lamar Miller was trapped in an opportunity wasteland for the last few seasons. The Texans thought he'd make a great feature back, and—what do you know—he finished with 28 carries. His emergence takes a little more off Brock Osweiler's plate.
Defense: Five Jay Cutler sacks. Only four third-down conversions allowed in 13 chances. Ho-hum, another day for Romeo Crennel's crew. This with a less than healthy J.J. Watt, mind you.
Grade: B+
Tennessee Titans
18 of 32
Week 1: Vikings 25, Titans 16
Offense: Marcus Mariota still shows a ton of promise. But I promise you that's all he'll show if this unit keeps giving the ball away to the other team. Minnesota is tough, but c'mon.
Defense: Take away Adrian Peterson, and make Shaun Hill throw. That's a winning game plan put together by defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. Too bad the Titans didn't, you know, win.
Grade: B+
Indianapolis Colts
19 of 32
Week 1: Lions 39, Colts 35
Offense: Sorry, Andrew Luck. And sorry to a stable of wideouts in Indianapolis, including Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett. Flag football teams don’t win many NFL games, and that's exactly what this offense is.
Defense: Start calling them the Inianapolis Colts. There is no D.
Grade: C
Jacksonville Jaguars
20 of 32
Week 1: Packers 27, Jaguars 23
Offense: Red-zone offense is still a huge question mark. With all those weapons on the field, the Jaguars should be thinking six and not three. It's the same story as last year.
Defense: Red-zone defense is still a huge question mark. With Aaron Rodgers on the field, Green Bay was thinking six and not three. It's the same story as last year.
Grade: B
Carolina Panthers
21 of 32
Week 1: Broncos 21, Panthers 20
Offense: I love watching the trickery in this run game. The Carolina Panthers will run jet sweeps, fake jet sweeps, reverses, fake fullback dives…it's like the NFL version of the option. Early on, Cam and Co. were fooling the best defense in football. Late, it felt like Super Bowl 50.
Defense: The Panthers generated turnovers and didn't surrender easy completions with young corners. But their standard is so much higher than what we saw Thursday night. They want to play bigger.
Grade: B+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
22 of 32
Week 1: Buccaneers 31, Falcons 24
Offense: Jameis Winston isn't going to be special. He's special right now. He put two throws—one to Mike Evans down the left sideline, the other to Austin Seferian-Jenkins down the seam—right on the money.
Defense: I've called the Falcons running game "dangerous" before. What does that make Gerald McCoy? Big fella is right back in the conversation among the league's top interior destroyers.
Grade: A
New Orleans Saints
23 of 32
Week 1: Raiders 35, Saints 34
Offense: Willie Snead is special. Brandin Cooks is special. Together, they had over 300 receiving yards. And we haven't even seen what Michael Thomas can do yet.
Defense: Hey there, old Saints defense. Took you until the fourth quarter to show up, but boy, did you ever. Twenty-two fourth-quarter points, including a 75-yard run by an undrafted rookie running back. No bueno.
Grade: B-
Atlanta Falcons
24 of 32
Week 1: Buccaneers 31, Falcons 24
Offense: I think I saw Devonta Freeman on a milk carton in Atlanta. Eleven carries for 20 yards? This offense's bread and butter is the run game, and when you turn away from it, you get Matt Ryan incompletions and losses.
Defense: People on Twitter are calling me out for my thoughts on Seattle-style defenses. I will kindly point them to the Atlanta defense as Exhibit 1 in my testimony. No coverage, no pressure, no sacks. Nothing.
Grade: C
Denver Broncos
25 of 32
Week 1: Broncos 21, Panthers 20
Offense: Trevor Siemian was ready for the big show. He looked heady, pro-ready and steady this preseason. The Broncos offensive line is better than the one that helped take home a Super Bowl ring, and it handled the Panthers.
Defense: Defending Cam Newton is a lot harder than it looks. But show me where the weak spot is in this group, and I'll show you a Chiefs, Chargers or Raiders fan.
Grade: A-
San Diego Chargers
26 of 32
Week 1: Chiefs 33, Chargers 27 (OT)
Offense: Let's give some credit to Melvin Gordon. He endured a rough rookie season (no touchdowns, remember?) but finally broke through for two scores Sunday. Let's see how much more he can handle.
Defense: The Chargers blew a 21-point lead. And where was Joey Bosa? Oh yeah, that's right. On the sideline. In a game that Kansas City needed to throw its way back into. But yeah, don't sign the one pass-rusher you need.
Grade: B-
Oakland Raiders
27 of 32
Week 1: Raiders 35, Saints 34
Offense: My man Adam Lefkoe said it best this week: Derek Carr just balls out. The Raiders have surrounded him with quality cast members left and right (and in front of him on the O-line), but it's his show. The Saints were powerless to interrupt it.
Defense: The Raiders are way too talented to be gashed that hard. My theory: Running a Seattle Seahawks coverage only works when you've got Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. Oakland does not.
Grade: B
Kansas City Chiefs
28 of 32
Week 1: Chiefs 33, Chargers 27 (OT)
Offense: Who are you and what did you do with the real Alex Smith? He netted career highs in completions (34) and attempts (48), driving the Chiefs all the way back from the brink of a blowout. Do the Chiefs finally let him air it out?
Defense: A Dee Ford sighting! The former first-rounder saves his best games for the Chargers. The bad news? His third-quarter sack was the Chiefs' first one. Justin Houston can't get back soon enough.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Rams
29 of 32
Week 1: 49ers 28, Rams 0
Offense: My ass would've been benched for a passing performance like Case Keenum just put on. It really is Todd Gurley twice up the middle and incomplete passes. And Jeff Fisher didn't want to go 8-8?
Defense: It's all about the front four. When they hit home—and they certainly did at times last night—the entire defense benefits. When they don't, Blaine Gabbert wins a football game.
Grade: D
Arizona Cardinals
30 of 32
Week 1: Patriots 23, Cardinals 21
Offense: From guard to guard, this Cardinals line makes you re-evaluate whether Arizona can be a Super Bowl contender. Evan Mathis? Average. A.Q. Shipley? Probably the least impressive starter out of any real contender. The Cardinals were bullied a bit.
Defense: Without Tom Brady. Without Rob Gronkowski. Without the hassle of leaving your own building. Tell me again why the Patriots left Arizona with a win? And don’t blame it all on the corner opposite Patrick Peterson. This was a team loss and a missed opportunity.
Grade: B-
Seattle Seahawks
31 of 32
In Week 1: Seahawks 12, Dolphins 10
Offense: I've said it before, and I really mean this: The Seahawks are running plays I learned on my first day of varsity football. It pains me to watch them almost as much as it pains Russell Wilson to be behind that O-line.
Defense: So much pressure on this group to carry the weight. Thing is, it gave up 10 points and looked good doing it. Michael Bennett is a freak, and Frank Clark might be his clone.
Grade: C+
San Francisco 49ers
32 of 32
Week 1: 49ers 28, Rams 0
Offense: Dis Chip Kelly all you want. The man knows how to put a Week 1 game plan together and look good doing it. I'm a believer in that tempo and what Carlos Hyde can do with it.
Defense: Todd Gurley right. Todd Gurley left. Todd Gurley middle. Todd Gurley for fewer than five yards on the play.
Grade: A-
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