‘Hollywood’ Brown has 1st game to remember
After months of anticipation, the NFL’s 100th season kicked off in full force Sunday.
With it, six of the league’s eight new head coaches made their debuts. So, too, did a number of players who either changed addresses over the offseason or broke into the league as highly touted draft picks.
Here’s a look at some of the best and worst debuts, and one lukewarm showing in between.
Best debuts
❚ Marquise “Hollywood” Brown – Baltimore’s first-round pick out of Oklahoma wasted no time making his presence felt. He took each of the first two passes he caught to the house, scoring on a 47-yard pass from Lamar Jackson and then an 83-yard reception. Brown finished the day with four catches for 147 yards.
❚ Arthur Smith – Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota hasn’t thrown three touchdowns in a game since 2016, but he opened a make-or-break season with three scores, 248 yards, no interceptions and a 133.3 passer rating in Sunday’s 43-13 upset of Cleveland. Promoted this offseason from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, Smith has worked to ensure a smooth transition for Mariota. He has aimed to build on last season’s offense, introduced by Matt LaFleur, to give the passer some much-needed continuity. The Titans also racked up 123 rushing yards and a touchdown as Smith worked to ensure balance.
Worst debuts
❚ Nick Foles in Jacksonville – The Super Bowl LII MVP was supposed to be the missing piece for the Jaguars, and he did throw a 35-yard TD pass to D.J. Chark with 5:23 left in the first quarter. But on that same play, Foles took a hit that broke his collarbone. He is now out indefinitely.
❚ Adam Gase and the Jets – All six first-year head coaches whose teams played Sunday lost, but Gase’s defeat proved particularly painful because his team held a 16-0 second-half lead before collapsing and losing to the visiting Bills. Although he is regarded as a sharp offensive mind, and despite the addition of Le’Veon Bell, Gase’s unit put up only one TD.
Mixed results
❚ Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury – The start was awful. Kingsbury, his highly anticipated Air Raid offense and the prized rookie quarterback Murray opened the game against Detroit with an embarrassing thud. The Cardinals struggled with protection. Kingsbury looked bewildered. Murray displayed questionable decision-making and had a passer rating of 28 through three quarters. But then, trailing 24-6 entering the fourth quarter, Murray and Company found their rhythm. The No. 1 pick completed 14 of 17 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns and forced overtime with a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. The game ended in a tie, but Murray showed impressive poise and Kingsbury’s offense had some notable flashes. There certainly will be continued growing pains. But maybe this virgin voyage for quarterback and coach will entertain along the way.