Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow were on the clock in Week 1.
The future Hall of Famer quarterbacks, all coming off disappointing injury-riddled seasons and really disappointing last couple of seasons, all showed the kids they are back.
Compared to last year’s hot shots in the AFC – Drake Maye and Bo Nix – it was a steamrolling.
We are in for an interesting NFL season. And lest we forget the reigning MVP, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, who continued doing Superman stuff in helping score 36 points over one of the top three NFL defenses in Houston.
While it’s early to make definitive statements for 2026, the Patriots, Cowboys, Chargers and Packers have some explaining to do with bad losses on Day 1. On the other side, the Vikings and Giants, expected to be sub .500 teams, had surprisingly impressive and dominating wins over rivals Packers and Cowboys, respectively.
There was another trend change in Week 1: teams averaging a combined 50 points per game, the most in a Week 1 since 1970. That’s something to watch after a few years of offensive slogging all around the league.
As for Week 1 of the I Beat Burt contest, now its 30th year, there were about 4-5swing games, within 2-point spreads, and I hit on three of them. Not including the Wednesday and Thursday games, I hit on 11 of the 14 weekend games, which ended up being a very good week.
Only 21 of the 327 entries picked more winners, with all of the 10 T-shirt winners within three points of the Dallas Cowboys’ point total (the Patriots game in Seattle last Wednesday wasn’t included) of 20.
Local Week 1 winners
Richard Nobile of Salem
John Tuohy of Peabody
Peggy Pucillo of Peabody
Jack Palazola of Gloucester
Marilyn Bourque of Newburyport
Marcus Cottone of Gloucester
Wally Mielcarz of Salem
Colleen Ricker of Peabody
Maura Moore of Newbury
Tom Salvo of West Newbury