Analysis: Kickers benefited from rusty, ineffective offenses

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NFL kickers benefited from sloppy and rusty offensive performances in Week 1.

With many teams struggling to move the ball effectively and consistently, kickers got a chance to provide plenty of scoring.

They delivered at a record-setting pace.

Kickers made 21 of 23 field goals from 50 yards or longer, an astounding 91.3% success rate. That number was the most 50-plus yarders in a single week in NFL history, surpassing the previous high of 15 in Week 3 last year.

Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell and Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn both went 3-for-3, and San Francisco’s Jake Moody, New Orleans’ Blake Grupe and Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey went 2-for-2. Aubrey made a 66-yarder that would’ve tied Justin Tucker’s record for longest but it was negated by a penalty.

On the other side, passing numbers were way down. That helped created more opportunities for the kickers because more drives stalled or went nowhere in some cases after turnovers.

Seventeen quarterbacks had fewer than 200 yards passing, including 14 under 175. Eleven QBs had a passer rating under 85. There were only 35 touchdown passes across the league. Two teams — Chicago and Pittsburgh — won without scoring offensive TDs.

Part of the reason offenses struggled was many starters saw their first action in a game since last season because fewer guys play in the preseason. It’s clear they need to spend more time working together to get in a rhythm and operate more smoothly.

“I think you can probably look around the league and see sloppy football all the way around,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday, three days after Philadelphia beat Green Bay 34-29 in a mistake-filled opener in Brazil.

“You’re trying to control as much of that as possible. I don’t think it matters who played their starters in the preseason, who didn’t play their starters in the preseason. I saw sloppy football out of both sides. I won’t get into ‘This team was sloppy and this team,’ whatever.

“I got to sit and watch football (Sunday) and there was a lot of the sloppy football. Just like we had sloppy football. That’s something you’re constantly trying get better at through the season as you go.”

Josh Allen already had a chip on his shoulder long before a player survey conducted by ESPN during the offseason called him the “most overrated quarterback” in the NFL.

Allen stuck it to his critics with a stellar effort in Buffalo’s 34-28 comeback win against Arizona. Allen threw two touchdown passes, ran for two scores and posted a 137.7 rating.

“That’s just part of who I am,” Allen said told the AP about playing with a chip on his shoulder. “I’ve always kind of been the guy who was counted out going back to high school, having no scholarship offers, going to junior college, only having one offer to the University of Wyoming. Trying to prove everybody wrong? Yeah, but more so trying to prove myself right. I’ve always had that internal drive and the want to be in the position I am today. I’ve always told myself there’s two types of people in this league: the guys who figure it out and the guys who get figured out. I’ve always said I’d be the guy who figures it out.”

Tom Brady’s much-hyped broadcasting debut with Fox Sports drew mixed reviews. The seven-time Super Bowl champion obviously is knowledgeable and brings a pedigree so impressive that he received a $375 million contract to analyze games.

But Brady is a work in progress behind the microphone. He came across to some viewers watching the Cowboys-Browns as lacking personality. Brady didn’t display much of a fun side playing for Bill Belichick in New England. However, he displayed an entertaining, enlightening, engaging persona after joining Tampa Bay in 2020.

Brady has shown his sense of humor and willingness to poke fun at himself on social media and in commercials. He joined former teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman for a series of funny spots for Tostitos that were released last week.

“I don’t really need to give Tom Brady advice on the game of football,” Gronkowski said. “He was the one who gave me a lot advice and helped me be the player I am. The guy is the greatest to play the game and he knows how to break down a defense better than anyone and he knows how to break down an offense better than anyone. ... He just needs to bring that perspective and let it go, let it just project out to the fans and be himself.”

The NFL’s dynamic new kickoff rules resulted in 33% being returned, an increase from 21% in Week 1 last season.

Still, it’s far less than the anticipated return of 55-60% that was targeted when the rule was overhauled in the offseason.

The average start for drives was the 29.4-yard line, up from the 25 last year after one week. Arizona’s DeeJay Dallas had 96-yard kickoff return for a TD.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl