NFL Week 1 offers early signals, but few firm conclusions

Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence and Kenneth Walker III were among the leading figures in CBS Sports’ review of the opening week of the 2026 NFL season, which produced a record-scoring weekend and several notable tactical shifts.

Williams impressed for Chicago, with Next Gen Stats recording a reported completion percentage over expected of plus-11.4. The performance marked a sharp contrast with his minus-6.7 figure from last season, although CBS Sports noted that Carolina’s defence struggled and that the statistic remains based on a single game.

Lawrence completed 78.3 per cent of his passes for Jacksonville, compared with an expected completion rate of 62.1 per cent, according to the report. His reported plus-16.2 completion percentage over expected was presented as evidence of the improved level he showed during the second half of the previous season.

Kansas City’s offence also drew attention after Walker rushed for 149 yards in his debut for the Chiefs. The team used the run on 51 per cent of its first-half plays, as the Chiefs moved towards an attack less dependent on Patrick Mahomes’ passing game. CBS Sports said the change could offer a new direction for an offence that had previously lacked explosive rushing production.

The review also identified early problems for Denver and Pittsburgh, while stressing that new coordinators and play-callers may need time before their impact can be assessed. Pittsburgh defeated Atlanta 20-13 but managed two conversions from 13 third-down attempts and failed on both fourth-down attempts.

Washington and Dallas were criticised for costly game-management errors. A post-touchdown penalty forced Washington into a longer extra-point attempt before a failed two-point conversion, while a taunting penalty contributed to a missed extra point for Dallas. CBS Sports cautioned that the wider significance of these results will only become clearer as the season develops.