The 2024 season is off to a thrilling start, and I’m excited to share some of the standout moments from the first week. Each week, I’ll share a roundup of the most jaw-dropping stats and highlights, starting with the electrifying Kickoff Weekend.
Let’s take a look at the top seven stats that made this week one for the books:
- Historic Comebacks: For the first time in 45 years, three teams made a comeback from at least 14 points down to win their games. The Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and Miami Dolphins all turned the tables, tying the 1960 and 1979 seasons for the most such victories on Kickoff Weekend. What a way to start the season!
- Close Games Galore: With two games still to be played, Week 1 already saw nine games decided by one score or less, and 10 games were within a single score in the fourth quarter. It’s clear that this season is going to be full of nail-biters!
- Postseason Surprise: Six teams that missed the playoffs in 2023 came out swinging in Week 1, including the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and Seattle Seahawks. Expect some major shake-ups this season!
- Kickoff Return Mania: The introduction of the dynamic kickoff led to an average of 26.9 yards per kickoff return, marking only the fourth time since 1970 that the league-wide average surpassed 27 yards. Arizona’s DeeJay Dallas also made headlines with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first since 2018.
- Josh Allen’s All-Star Performance: Buffalo’s quarterback Josh Allen was on fire with four total touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and a 137.7 rating in their victory over Arizona. He now shares the record for the most games with at least two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in NFL history.
- Tyreek Hill’s Speed Demon: Miami’s Tyreek Hill wowed us with seven receptions for 130 yards and a career-long 80-yard touchdown. He now ties with Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell for the third-most touchdowns of 75 or more yards in NFL history.
- Rookie Quarterback Records: Week 1 saw rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Bo Nix making their debuts. Daniels set a record for the most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback in a season opener and joined Kenny Pickett as the only quarterbacks with multiple rushing touchdowns in their first career game.
Bonus Highlights:
- The New Orleans Saints continue their Week 1 winning streak with a 47-10 victory over Carolina.
- Chicago and Pittsburgh both won without scoring an offensive touchdown, a rare feat since 2011.
- The Denver Broncos recorded multiple safeties in a game, a feat shared by only two other teams in history.
I hope you enjoyed this roundup of Kickoff Weekend’s biggest moments. Stay tuned each week as I dive into the latest stats, stories, and standout performances. Feel free to share your thoughts and favourite moments in the comments below!