—Ten of the 14 teams that made the playoffs last year won their openers. The four teams that lost were beaten by playoff teams. Defending champion Kansas City, going for the first threepeat in the Super Bowl era and the third ever beat the Ravens in a rematch of last year’s AFC title game. The Lions beat the Rams, the team they beat in their first playoff game last year, in overtime. Will this be the year the Chiefs play the Lions in the Super Bowl? Stay tuned.
–For the first time in 45 years, three teams trailed by at least 14 points and came back to win. Chicago was down by 17 and beat Tennessee. Buffalo came back from 14 to beat Arizona and Miami came back from 14 to beat Jacksonville.
–There was one kickoff return for a touchdown by Arizona running back Dee-Jay Dallas but the Cardinals lost. But majority of kickoffs were booted out of end zone for touchbacks so the new kickoff rule didn’t have much an impact.
–Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill was stopped and handcuffed on the ground outside the stadium before the Miami-Jacksonville game. It didn’t seem to affect his game as he caught seven passes for 130 yards and an 80-yard touchdown. He then pretended to be handcuffed by a teammate in the end zone after the touchdown. What exactly happened is still under investigation. Hill now has 22 games with at least 125 receiving yards. That ties Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss for the third most games of 125 yards or more. Only Lance Alworth and Jerry Rice, who each did it 25 times, have more.
–The Saints victory over Carolina was their sixth opening day win in a row, the longest active string in the NFL. Carolina is now 2-16 the past two years.
–Pittsburgh and Chicago both won without scoring an offensive touchdown as the Steelers beat Atlanta and the Bears beat Tennessee. This is the first time since 2011 that more than one team won without scoring an offensive touchdown.
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