Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams talks with media on the sidelines against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium last month. [Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports]

Storylines To Watch As NFL Opening Weekend Unfolds

Alexander Vafeas September 8, 2024 Football, NFL 54 Views

NFL Opening weekend is here and with it comes all the storylines that keep us glued to our screens on Sundays.

Whether it is highly touted rookies, early playoff implications or teams out for revenge, NFL fans (myself included) can’t wait to see what this season has in store.

Three First-Round QBs Make Debut

This year’s NFL draft featured six first-round quarterbacks, the most since the 2021 draft. Much like three years ago, the first pick was regarded as a generational-can’t-miss prospect who could turn around any franchise.

Caleb Williams

This year’s “can’t-miss guy” Caleb Williams is the first of the three rookie QBs slated to start this weekend. The Bears proved to be serious this offseason, taking Rome Odunze with the ninth pick and signing Running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Only three No.1 overall picks at QB have won their season opener as a rookie: David Carr, 2002; John Elway, 1983; and Jim Plunkett in 1971. If Williams can get the win at Soldier Field today, Bears fans might petition for his number to be retired from a second organization this week

Jayden Daniels

The next QB drafted was 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders. The LSU prospect turned heads in 2023 by passing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns. Daniels also racked up 1,134 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

This year, he will take on the task of turning around a franchise that has only won one playoff game this century. Daniels’ debut will mark the seventh QB to start in a season opener for the Commanders in as many years.

Bo Nix

Bo Nix has been touted as an NFL caliber QB since he beat Justin Herbert in 2019. Now five years and 61 collegiate games later he will get the chance to prove it. The Broncos drafted Nix 12th overall and he was named the starter after beating out Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.

Nix will become the second rookie QB to start a game under coach Sean Peyton. Ian Book started week 15 against the Dolphins while Peyton was coach of the Saints.

Rams vs. Lions NFC Wildcard Rematch

The 2023 NFL Super Wildcard Weekend was the first time fans got to see Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff play their former teams since the blockbuster trade that swapped the two former No. 1 overall picks in 2021.

Stafford and the Rams seemed to be the winners of the trade at first, with Stafford leading the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2022. Goff and the Lions would bite back, winning the wildcard matchup en route to the franchise’s first conference championship since 1991.

Now these teams will meet again, presenting another chance for the Lions to prove they aren’t losers in this trade. On the other hand, a Rams win would cement them as Super Bowl contenders once again.

What Will the “New and Improved” Falcons Offense Look like?

The Falcons have been in a rebuild of sorts since the start of Arther Smith’s tenure. In that same time frame (2021-present) Atlanta has spent all four first-round picks on skill-position players. In that same time frame, they have been in the bottom half of the league offensively twice, according to PFF.

The Falcons will enter 2024 with a new coach, Raheem Morris, and offensive staff from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Veteran signal caller Kirk Cousins joined the Falcons this offseason, looking to start anew surrounded by first-rounders Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson. The front office is confident Cousins will be the piece that brings this talented offense to new heights.

“He’s a very high-quality quarterback, he’s performed at a high level for 12 years in the league and feel pretty fortunate having him as a quarterback and look forward to seeing the results with him,” Falcons owner Arther Blank said back in March.

The NFL slate today starts at 1 p.m. ET with eight games. Opening Sunday will close with the Rams at the Lions on NBC at 8:25 p.m.

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About Alexander Vafeas

Alexander Vafeas is a second-year Sports Journalism student at the University of Florida who currently serves as one of WRUF's NFL beat writers.

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