What we learned from the 2020 NFL season opener.
As the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans opened the National Football League season in Kansas City, MO on the eve of 9/11, there was a different kind of energy in the air. With every other major sport in the US in full swing, there were a lot of eyes on the NFL and how they would present America’s Game to a country that’s reeling physically, financially, and emotionally.
When the pre-recorded National Anthem played through our TVs and the speakers in a mostly empty Arrowhead Stadium, the Texans remained in the visitors’ locker room. As they took the field for the “Moment of Unity”, a cascade of audible boos rained down on players from both teams as they locked arms down the middle of the field. There are no exit polls to tell us exactly what or why the crowd was booing, but it certainly wasn’t a great moment to get things started.
Fans of any sport are inclined to support their favorite teams, but you won’t see any of them wearing a jersey with the franchise owner’s name on it. The team-branded gear always does well but it’s ultimately the players we develop these one-way relationships with. They are the ones who get idolized and the ones we tune in to watch perform. It’s their names and numbers on those jerseys seen scattered among the empty seats on Thursday night. To buy tickets and attend that game, amid everything going on in the country, only to boo the very athletes you came to see is absolutely baffling. And if you weren’t expecting the league’s players to use the national stage to exhibit some kind of message, well then you haven’t been paying attention. I have and will continue to support the players in their efforts and I hope more “fans” will come around, but it’s difficult to reconcile the behavior. It was a regretful reminder of how divided we still are.
As for the game itself…
The reigning Super Bowl Champion Chiefs showed they are still the team to beat, easily handling the visiting Texans 34-20. While the final score may look like the game was somewhat close, it wasn’t particularly competitive after the first quarter.
The newly reinvigorated David Johnson scored the game’s opening points with a 19-yd touchdown scamper to cap off a 9-play, 80-yard drive for Houston. It’s nice to see DJ healthy again and his 109 total yards and TD made me feel a whole lot better about stealing him as a mid-round fantasy pick. Despite the hot start, that’s about as close as the game ever was.
It took a while for things to get going but KC tied the game early in the 2nd quarter on a six-yard TD pass from Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes to his favorite target, Travis Kelce. From there the Chiefs would find their stride en route to 31 unanswered points. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire emphatically introduced himself to the league with 138-yards and a TD on 25-carries. Houston couldn’t stop the run all night so Mahomes only posted a humble 211-yards and 3-TDs as a result, including TD passes to Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill. If those are the kind of low-end numbers we can expect from the soon-to-be 25-year-old QB, I’m stoked to have him at the front of my fantasy squad.
It was a 31-7 game early in the 4th quarter so garbage time came a little earlier than expected. Texans’ Quarterback Deshaun Watson helped out fantasy owners with a passing and rushing score once the pressure of actually winning had passed. They got as close as 11-points before Harrison Butker tacked on his second field goal of the night to close it out.
It was an odd game but a few things are readily apparent. The Chiefs are still the top dogs for right now and they may have very well gotten better. They didn’t lose any key pieces from their championship team last season and the addition of Kelechi Osemele along the offensive line showed itself to the tune of 4.9 yards-per-carry. With that kind of ground game, it’ll be hard to get the KC offense off the field. More time-of-possession for Mahomes is never good for opponents and I fully expect them to steamroll the new-look Chargers in Los Angeles next week.
The Texans, on the other hand, have a lot of adjustments to make on both sides of the ball. The absence of DeAndre Hopkins is painfully apparent on offense. Will Fuller V had a solid performance in his wake with eight grabs for 112-yards on 10 targets and Johnson, who was part of the deal that sent D-Hop to Arizona, looked great but there is still a noticeable void. There’s no escape hatch anymore. Hopkins’ unique combination of hands, catch radius, and athleticism made him an invaluable target on the kind of broken plays that come with Watson’s play style. Fresh off his newly minted 4-year/$160-million deal, he struggled to find his flow in the passing game when it may have mattered. One game doesn’t make a season and I have faith that Watson will keep them competitive, but the Texans need an identity.
A renewed commitment to the run game could help take the pressure off Watson but, now that Bill O’Brien is both the Head Coach and the General Manager, there is a lot more to answer for after a performance like that to start the season. The O’Brien era has been an odd one. Houston has won four division titles in the last six seasons with a 52-44 record over that time but has only managed a 2-4 playoff record. Locking down a franchise quarterback is an important piece of the puzzle but some sizable contracts may limit the ability for the team to improve in the areas where they need to most. Things don’t get easier as they welcome Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens to town next weekend.