We waited 217 days for the first NFL Sunday of the season.
It’s safe to say that it didn’t disappoint, unless you took one of the LA teams in your Survivor Contests.
NFL teams have averaged 25.0 points per game.
Entering Monday Night Football, Week 1 is on pace to be the highest scoring week since the 1970 NFL merger.
Now it’s up to the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos to decide if Week 1 goes in the record books.
The Chiefs and Broncos must combine for 42 points or more on Monday Night Football to set the NFL record.
The total is sitting at 43.5 at FanDuel this morning.
Meanwhile, it’s overreaction Monday, and we have plenty to work with coming off our first Sunday of the season.
Some of it is garbage, some of it has already showed up in the NFL futures markets at FanDuel.
Let’s recap my top 10 takeaways from NFL Week 1 in this Morning Coffee for Monday September 14th, 2026.
Top 10 Things To Take Away From NFL Sunday Week 1
Josh Allen Is Still The MVP
Josh Allen is still the most valuable player in the NFL.
In case you needed another reminder, Allen put the Buffalo Bills on his back again in a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.
In a game that featured eight lead changes, Allen threw for 334 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and ran for two more scores.
It was his NFL record ninth career game with multiple touchdown passes and multiple rushing touchdowns.
No other quarterback in NFL history has more than four.
Allen to win NFL regular season MVP was cut from +500 to +400 as the obvious favourite at FanDuel.
Next up, the Bills will open the New Highmark Stadium against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football.
If Sunday’s results were any indication, Buffalo has the potential to put up 50 in its home opener, because…
The Lions Defence Was Tamed By Shough, Saints
The Lions were on pace to blow out the New Orleans Saints when they jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the third quarter.
Then the unthinkable unfolded.
The Saints, which could be found as high as +7000 to win outright FanDuel, scored 30 points in the second half to force overtime in Detroit.
The Lions survived thanks in large part to the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year favourite running back Jahmyr Gibbs and veteran wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Gibbs became just the second player in franchise history with 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a season opener, adding five receptions for 30 yards.
St. Brown registered 10 receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns, including one in overtime.
However, the Detroit defence was torched by Tyler Shough, who threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns in a game ultimately decided by a failed two-point conversion.
Somehow, New Orleans fell to 0-4 in season openers in which their QBs have thrown for 400+ yards.
The Lions escaped with a narrow win in their opener.
Now they face a much tougher test in Week 2 in Buffalo.
The pressure is on Detroit, because…
Bears, Vikings Are Legitimate NFC Playoff Contenders
The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings are legitimate playoff contenders.
The Bears just scored 59 points in a Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Chicago’s six rushing touchdowns in Carolina is its most in any game since 1941.
With a dominant ground game, a deep group of pass catching options, and an emerging dual-threat QB capable of taking another step this season, the Bears have all the weapons they need to contend in the North.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota defence pounded the rival Green Bay Packers in a 39-22 win on Sunday.
The Vikings sacked Jordan Love four times, registering an interception and a forced fumble.
The fact that Minnesota beat Green Bay by 17 with Carson Wentz at quarterback is noteworthy.
Kyler Murray is expected to be back in Week 2 and with capable QB play the Vikings can be a playoff contender.
Minnesota to make the playoffs shifted from +138 to +110 following a win over the Packers.
Chicago to make the playoffs flipped from +104 to -134.
The Bears and Vikings are both playoff contenders.
The fact that Chicago registered 552 total yards of offence is particularly interesting, because it showed…
Ben Johnson’s Bears Can Beat You In Different Ways
If you don’t believe me, watch the tape from Sunday.
D’Andre Swift ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns.
Kyle Monangai ran for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Caleb Williams ran for 65 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Williams threw for 269 passing yards and two touchdowns, despite not completing a single pass to his star tight end Colston Loveland.
Offseason free agent signing Kalif Raymond went for 84 yards on eight receptions in his Bears debut.
Luther Burden had five catches for 63 yards.
Cole Kmet had two catches for 35 yards and a score.
Sure, the Panthers defence isn’t exactly a shutdown unit.
However, Johnson’s Bears showed off their versatility, depth, and creativity again in a 59-37 win over Carolina.
Maybe Chicago is worth a look at +230 to win the North.
Minnesota to win the NFC North title is +370.
Then there’s the Packers at +440 to win the division.
Perhaps it’s an overreaction, but I think there’s cause for concern in Green Bay, because…
Packers Now An Underdog To Make The Playoffs
The Packers odds to make the playoffs flipped from -112 to +128 at FanDuel following Sunday’s loss in Minnesota.
Green Bay led that game 22-10 in the third quarter.
Somehow, they lost the game by 17 points.
The NFL can make you look bad on any given Sunday, but in the case of the Packers, an ugly collapse on the road against a division opponent is cause for concern.
The last time we saw Green Bay they blew a lead against the Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Prior to that playoff loss, the Packers had finished the regular season with four straight losses, which means they’ve now lost six in a row dating back to last season.
There were rumblings Green Bay could consider a coaching change in the offseason, but ultimately a decision was made to bring back Matt LaFleur.
Maybe the Packers bounce back with a win over the New York Jets as a 4.5-point favourite in Week 2.
Or maybe the Jets somehow find a way to pull off the upset in their home opener and hand Green Bay a seventh straight loss dating back to last season.
After all, stranger things have happened, because…
Cardinals Stun Chargers In Biggest NFL Week 1 Upset
His brother just led the Arizona Cardinals to an upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers as the biggest underdog on the board in Week 1.
The Cardinals could be found as high as +440 to win outright at FanDuel earlier in the week.
Arizona closed +385 to win outright at FanDuel.
Mike LaFleur became the first Cardinals head coach to win his NFL debut since 1979.
After going 1-11 with Arizona in 2025, Jacoby Brissett threw for 277 yards and a touchdown to match last year’s win total in Week 1.
Speaking of win totals, the Cardinals entered Week 1 with a regular season win total set at 3.5 – tied for the lowest number for any non-expansion team since at least 1990.
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite Jeremiyah Love registered 50 scrimmage yards and scored his first NFL touchdown on Arizona’s first drive of the season.
The Cardinals to go over 3.5 regular season wins is -400.
Arizona over 4.5 regular season wins has moved to -170.
Meanwhile, Justin Herbert was sacked three times and threw two interceptions in the upset loss.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh was 6-0 straight up and against the spread in season openers as an NFL head coach.
With the loss, LA’s odds to make the playoffs flipped from -158 to +106 at FanDuel – the biggest move on the board.
The Chargers are expected to bounce back in Week 2 as a seven-point favourite against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Unfortunately for anybody who bet on the LA teams in their Survivor Pools, it’s curtains in Week 1, because…
Rams, Chargers Open Season With Ugly Losses
The Chargers aren’t the only LA team that lost in Week 1.
The San Francisco 49ers upset the Rams as a 3.5-point underdog at FanDuel.
San Francisco’s odds to make the playoffs shifted all the way from -130 to -194.
Meanwhile, the Rams are still -310 to make the playoffs – a 75.6 per cent implied probability.
However, LA will be without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett for the foreseeable future, and that changes the math when it comes to expectations for a potentially dominant unit.
The Rams defence was gashed by the Niners in Week 1.
With Garrett out of the lineup, they suddenly look that much more vulnerable as they return home to host the New York Giants in Week 2.
Perhaps the Giants are due for a letdown after an emotional win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, but I’m not buying it.
In fact, I’m willing to take the 7.5 with the G-Men, because…
The Giants Defence Looked Legitimate On Sunday Night
The Giants humbled the Dallas Cowboys in a 28-20 win on Sunday Night Football.
Dak Prescott threw a pair of touchdown passes, but he also went 22-of-34 for 175 yards with an interception.
New York didn’t give up a single big play in the win.
The Giants held CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens to a combined eight receptions for 72 yards and a score.
They also limited the Cowboys running game to 3.8 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, Jaxson Dart threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Cam Skattebo rushed for 81 yards and a score.
New York suffocated the Dallas offence and dominated the time-of-possession battle in the second half.
Will that same formula work for the Giants when they visit LA on Monday Night Football in Week 2?
I’m willing to bet on it and lock in New York +7.5 now.
Meanwhile, things could get worse for the Cowboys before they get better, because…
Cowboys Defence Remains A Work In Progress
The Cowboys defence is still a work in progress.
Dallas dominated with offence in 2025.
The expectation was that an improved defence could get them over the hump as a playoff contender this season, and that could still happen.
However, the Cowboys’ offence stalled last night in New York, and the defence was exploited in an ugly loss.
First-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker has some talented players at his disposal, but it will take some time to figure things out on that side of the ball.
The good news is that the Cowboys offence should be able to carry them to a win over the Washington Commanders in Week 2.
The bad news is that Dallas will play the Baltimore Ravens and Texans in back-to-back weeks after that.
All things considered, Week 2 versus Washington should be considered a must-win for Cowboys fans.
Dallas is currently a 3.5-point favourite at FanDuel.
I’m not willing to lay the points with the Cowboys yet.
In the meantime, all eyes are on Monday Night Football, because…
Chiefs, Broncos Can Make History On Monday Night Football
Week 1 is on pace to be the highest scoring week in the NFL since the 1970 merger.
Thanks in part to a combined 68 points in Carolina, NFL teams have averaged 25.0 points per game in Week 1.
The all-time NFL record for Week 1 is 24.7, set in 2012.
42 combined points tonight will be enough to break the record.
The total for Monday Night Football is 43.5 at FanDuel.
I’m not convinced they get there.
Patrick Mahomes is set to return from an ACL injury.
He didn’t play a single preseason snap, and he likely won’t have his starting left tackle available as left tackle Josh Simmons is dealing with a back injury.
The Chiefs will need to run the football and rely on the short to intermediate passing game to have a chance.
I’m not expecting too many big plays against a Denver defence that was dominant last season.
On the flip side, the Broncos have a new offensive coordinator in Davis Webb, who faces a tough test in his debut against veteran Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo.
Each of the last six meetings between these teams has stayed under 43.5 total points.
They’ve averaged 33.7 points per game in those six contests.
Meanwhile, Denver has covered four of its previous five meetings versus Kansas City.
The Broncos are a 2.5-point underdog on the road.
I’ll bump that number up a bit with a Same Game Parlay that is essentially a six-point teaser.
I’ll lock in a Same Game Parlay with Denver +7.5 on the alternate spread and under 49.5 on the alternate total at -124 odds as my FanDuel Best Bet.
Hopefully, we can finish Week 1 off on a high note.
Have a great day, everyone!
