Thursday was the kickoff to the 2017 NFL season — and all rejoiced. The New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs were the first participants of the season as the 2016 champion Patriots began their season at home in Foxborough. While the Patriots opened the game as eight-point favorites, the Chiefs, led by Alex Smith and this week’s performer of the week, Kareem Hunt, had other ideas in mind.
While Smith threw for four touchdowns and Hunt had 256 yards (98 receiving and 148 rushing) as the Chiefs put up 28 points in the second half and stunned New England. Hunt, who started the game for the Chiefs since starting running back Spencer Ware went down in the preseason, dazzled in his debut. His longest rush of the game was 58 yards and he scored on a 78-yard reception, proving to have a knack at putting up big plays.
The Chiefs look to repeat as AFC West champions and with the team’s offense continued strutting their stuff to the tune of 42 points per game, they’d be heavy favorites.
In Houston, Jacksonville laid the smack down on the Texans as Leonard Fournette led the Jaguars to a season-opener win for just the first time since 2011.
Fournette, who was the team’s first-round pick, had 100 yards on the ground and a touchdown. He also caught three passes for 24 yards as the Jags won 29-7.
For Chicago, Tarik Cowen was their breakout player of the week. He led the team in receiving and rushing yards and put up a total of 113 yards from scrimmage and had a touchdown.
At 5’6″ Cowen is one of the shortest players in the game. If he keeps up the production, it will be a tremendous benefit to Mike Glennon, the team’s quarterback. The Bears, however, fell to the Falcons 23-17.
We’ll stay in Chicago for the next trading card as well. But, this time the focus is on Austin Hooper.
You know you had a big game when your yards from one game almost equal 50 percent of your yards from the year before.
Well, that’s what Hooper did as he had two catches for 128 yards. Last season, which was his rookie campaign, he put up a total of 271 yards.
In Detroit, Matthew Stafford was helping the Lions earn their first fourth-quarter comeback of the season (the team had right last year) with the help of rookie third-rounder Kenny Golladay.
Golladay had four receptions for 69 yards (nice) and also hauled in two touchdowns in his debut as the Lions beat the Cardinals 35-23.