NFL: Here"s What We Learned in Week 1

Patriots vs. Cardinals (Week 1) | Post Game Highlights | NFL
Brian Cushing, Keenan Allen Suffer Serious InjuriesPhoto Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen hurt his knee in the third quarter. Credit Peter Aiken/Getty Images

The Houston Texans had to temper some of the enthusiasm for the teams come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears because of what appeared to be a significant knee injury to Brian Cushing, a linebacker who is among the teams leaders on defense. Cushing, who has dealt with several knee injuries in the past, went down in the first quarter and did not return.

Keenan Allen, a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, suffered a non-contact injury to his right knee early in the second quarter. The Sporting News is reporting that Allen tore his ACL, which would be a big blow to the Chargers, who had started the game well but ended up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. Allen, who is the teams best receiver when healthy, already had 6 catches for 63 yards at the time of his injury.

Raiders Gamble Pays OffPhoto Michael Crabtree celebrated his two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Credit Bill Feig/Associated Press

Following a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders decided he had no interest in going to overtime against the New Orleans Saints, and instead went for a 2-point conversion with just 47 seconds remaining. The upstart Raiders made Del Rio look like a genius, with Derek Carr finding Michael Crabtree for the conversion, and then the Oakland defense held on to secure a 35-34 victory in New Orleans.

I was thinking were here to win, lets win it right now, Del Rio said at a news conference following the game. Thats why we took some clock there at the end, so they wouldnt have as much, thats why we went for two after the score. Everything about our strategy at the end was to win.

The Raiders, trying to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season, survived a 423-yard, 4-touchdown passing game by Drew Brees and a 98-yard touchdown by Brandin Cooks that was the longest reception in the N.F.L. since 2011.

Victor Cruz is back! Facing a crucial goal-line situation yards from the Dallas end zone, the Giants turned to a star who was injured and out of the lineup last season. Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, playing his first game in nearly two years, craftily zig-zagged around and between two Dallas defenders to get open for a 3-yard touchdown pass that gave the Giants a spirited 20-19 victory. Heres how they won.

Carson Wentz Makes Browns Pay: The Cleveland Browns felt strongly enough that Carson Wentz was not the answer for the team at quarterback that they traded away the No. 2 pick in this years draft rather that select him. After getting a good look at the 23-year-old quarterback in his role as the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles, they may be regretting that decision. Wentz hit the ground running in his N.F.L. career, throwing a touchdown on his first drive and eventually beating the Browns 29-10.

This is who he is, Eagles coach Doug Pederson said after the game. This is his DNA. He prepared like a veteran and he played that way. His maturity level was outstanding.

The Browns, who have seemed cursed at the quarterback position since Bernie Kosar was released in 1991, knew that keeping the No. 2 pick in the draft would guarantee them either Jared Goff (who ended up going No. 1 to the Los Angeles Rams) or Wentz, but according to Paul DePodesta, the teams chief strategy officer, neither player was enticing enough, so the team instead traded the pick to the Eagles for five draft picks.

Time will tell if Wentz is an elite quarterback, but in the first game of his career he completed 22 of 37 passes for 278 yards and threw two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Late field goal dooms Jets: The scheduling doyens at N.F.L. headquarters did not do the Jets any early-season favors. Five of their first six opponents this season advanced to the playoffs last season, a hazy maze of danger that began Sunday afternoon when the Cincinnati Bengals visited MetLife Stadium.

Sure enough, the first game of the season ended in disappointment for the Jets, whose defensive backfield had more seams than a three-piece business suit. The Bengals held on for a 23-22 win as Mike Nugent kicked a 45-yard field goal with 54 seconds left.

Heres our Jets game story.

Packers survive in Jacksonville: The Jaguars and their young quarterback, Blake Bortles, made it difficult, but Aaron Rodgers was too much for them, leading the Packers to a 27-23 victory. Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score. He looked every bit like, well, a two-time league MVP. He extended plays with his feet, escaped sacks and had precision accuracy all over the field.

Bortles gave Rodgers a challenge, completing 24 of 39 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown, but he came up short on the Jaguars final drive.

Osweiler Solid in Texans Debut: Brock Osweiler threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns in his debut with Houston to lead the Texans and their revamped offense to a 23-14 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Osweiler, who signed to a $72 million contract from Denver in the offseason, was helped by an offense filled with playmakers.

He completed passes to eight different receivers, led by rookie first-round pick Will Fuller, who became the first player in franchise history to have 100 yards receiving in a debut with 107 and a touchdown. DeAndre Hopkins added 54 yards and a score and running back Lamar Miller had 106 yards rushing in his first game with the Texans. Associated Press

N.F.L. Week 1 Schedule and Scores

All times Eastern

Tampa Bay 31, Atlanta 24

Baltimore 13, Buffalo 7

Houston 23, Chicago 14

Green Bay 27, Jacksonville 23

Kansas City 33, San Diego 27, OT

Oakland 35, New Orleans 34

Cincinnati 23, Jets 22

Philadelphia 29, Cleveland 10

Minnesota 25, Tennessee 16

Seattle 12, Miami 10

N.Y. Giants 20, Dallas 19

Detroit 39, Indianapolis 35

New England 23, Arizona 21

Correction: September 12, 2016

An earlier version of a headline in this article misspelled the given name of the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. He is Russell Wilson, not Russel.

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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/11/sports/nfl-scores-schedule.html