NFL Week 1 overreactions: Are Seahawks sunk?

Lorenzo Reyes | USA TODAY

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The NFL is back. And just like it’s tradition to spend Sundays in front of the TV, blowing results out of proportion is customary for many fans after the first weekend of action.

But just because it’s only Week 1 doesn’t mean we can’t push back on a few overreactions already taking shape.

Here are five conclusions from the NFL’s first set of regular-season games that are worth a closer look:

The Seahawks' failure to score a touchdown is cause for panic

Of course it’s not time to panic. It’s Week 1.

The Seattle Seahawks are notoriously slow starters and have typically played their best football in the second half of the season under coach Pete Carroll. So even though all the defending NFC West champions could muster was three field goals in their 17-9 loss Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, it’s not time to jump off the bandwagon.

Officiating isn’t the reason why the Seahawks lost, but a no-call on an apparent pass interference late in the third quarter from the Packers' 3-yard line would’ve given Seattle four chances to punch it in. Instead, they settled for an easy field goal.

With that said, the longstanding concerns at offensive line have yet to be resolved. The lack of protection for quarterback Russell Wilson and narrow running lanes are problems Seattle needs to address if they are to compete for an NFC championship.

Going 3-of-12 on third-down attempts and 0-for-2 in the red zone also didn’t help.

Seattle’s defense was always going to be the strength of this team. Facing a Packers offense that is even more difficult to stop at Lambeau Field, the Seahawks showed that they still have the talent to frustrate even the NFL’s best — as long as they avoid mistakes like giving Aaron Rodgers free plays.

Asking Wilson to overcome the shortcomings up front yet again might prove to be Seattle's undoing. But it’s far too early to tell if that will be the case.

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Time to pay Odell Beckham Jr. like a quarterback

The star New York Giants receiver made headlines this offsesaon when he said he wanted to be the highest-paid player in the NFL, a position historically held by star QBs. But after the Giants stumbled to a 19-3 loss against the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, there’s no denying how important Beckham, who missed the contest with an ankle injury, is to the offense.

The output from New York's wide receivers was dismal: 12 catches on 18 targets for 108 yards. The lone reception for Brandon Marshall, the offseason’s top acquisition, came in garbage time. The Giants crossed midfield once.

In all, it was plain to see how much the team missed its star, Beckham, who has recorded a minimum of 90 receptions, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his three seasons.

He is entering the final season of his rookie deal, but the team exercised its fifth-year option that keeps him locked up through the 2018 season.

Giving him quarterback money would only hurt New York’s chances of keeping a team full of productive veterans happy (and paid). It’s not going to happen.

Beckham deserves a sizable contract — just not one normally reserved for the league's elite passers. One lackluster game from the rest of the offense doesn't amount to ample leverage for such a payday.

More: Giants offense pulls a no-show in Dallas

The decline of Tom Brady and the Patriots is here

On the day they unveiled their fifth Super Bowl banner, the New England Patriots sputtered to one of the most stunning losses of the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era in a 42-27 blowout Thursday night courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs.

With Brady now 40, an age at which few quarterbacks have found continued success, could the Patriots finally be headed for a fall?

The loss certainly exposed some flaws. New England’s front seven is as weak as it has been in some time, with a lack of depth at linebacker looking particularly troublesome. New additions — receivers Brandin Cooks and Phillip Dorsett, tight end Dwayne Allen, defensive end Lawrence Guy, linebacker David Harris and cornerback Stephon Gilmore among them — are going to require some time to become fully comfortable.

And it’s clear that the team can't shrug off the loss of receiver Julian Edelman, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Hhe provides a safety blanket for Brady underneath, especially when faced with man coverage, which the Chiefs frequently deployed Thursday.

But Brady has bounced back before when everyone was ready to write him off, most notably three years ago after another rout by Kansas City. With a talented roster and ample time for their new pieces to coalesce, Brady and Belichick deserve the benefit of the doubt.

More: Tom Brady calls out Patriots' effort after Chiefs' historic outburst

Given the Texans' all-around woes, Tom Savage should get another shot as starter

It took just two quarters before Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien diverted from his plan and benched Savage in favor of rookie Deshaun Watson.

Savage completed only seven of 13 passes for 62 yards in Houston’s embarrassing 29-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He held onto the ball far too long, got sacked six times and lost two fumbles.

Watson was only slightly better (12-for-23, 102 yards, one TD, one interception, one lost fumble), but he did provide a short-lived spark, thanks to his mobility and ability to extend plays.

So now what? O’Brien isn't ready to commit to a starter for Week 2.

Despite O'Brien's backing, Savage still is not a proven commodity as a No. 1 option. He has three starts to his name, has thrown 105 passes and still has not produced a regular-season touchdown.

O’Brien and the Texans really don’t owe him Savage more opportunities. They gave him the chance to lock down the job, but he has not taken advantage.

Houston needs to determine if Watson really provides an immediate upgrade. That’s going to be tough to assess on a short week with the Cincinnati Bengals looming Thursday night. But with Houston’s offensive line playing so poorly and with starting left tackle Duane Brown still holding out, Watson’s athleticism may be enough to hand him the job — for good.

More: Deshaun Watson steps in for Tom Savage as Texans stumble against Jaguars

The preseason hype for the Titans wasn’t justified

The Tennessee Titans were a trendy pick to win the AFC South, and Sunday’s 26-16 loss against the Oakland Raiders shouldn’t change expectations.

The game revealed more about where the Raiders are now than how much the Titans need to develop.

With Oakland touting an already formidable offense, the biggest surprise on Sunday was a solid outing from a defense that ranked 26th in yards allowed (375.1 per game) in 2016. The Raiders established themselves as a potential Super Bowl contender by securing an impressive win on the road.

The Titans aren't at that level just yet, though an improvement over last year’s 9-7 record should be expected.

One problem for Tennessee on Sunday was its struggles inside the red zone, where the Titans converted just one of their three attempts. Tennessee marched inside the 10-yard line twice in the first three quarters, only to come away with a field goal each time.

These are issues that the team can solve. As long as quarterback Marcus Mariota continues to protect the ball and make smart decisions, the Titans should remain in the hunt.

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Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes

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