Quarterback Overreactions From Week 1

Multiple NFL teams fielded new quarterbacks in Week 1, leading to overreactions around the league.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) on the field near the end of the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in Landover, Md. Commanders won 21-6. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo

With the first week of the NFL season in the books, many opinions are floating around the league regarding teams’ starting quarterbacks—especially the new ones.

For instance, many fans wanted to see New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson benched after a lackluster performance against the Washington Commanders. The Giants didn’t overreact, and the team will start Wilson against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.

Now here’s a look at some of the biggest overreactions, including how soon Wilson will get benched, after Week 1.

Daniel Jones Is the Colts’ New Franchise QB

While Daniel Jones shone in his debut with the Indianapolis Colts, there’s a long way to go until the team can truly call him the franchise quarterback and pay him like one.

Jones went 22-29 passing for 272 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, and he rushed for 26 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. He benefitted from strong receiving games by Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren, and running back Jonathan Taylor produced on the ground with 71 yards on 18 carries.

Continued play like that from skill players could bode well for Jones this season. If he produces a true turnaround season, Jones, 28, could reap results similar to Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold with a big contract after a career year.

Sam Darnold Will Regress From His Vikings Days

To be sure, Sam Darnold did not reach the level of his Minnesota Vikings days in his Seattle Seahawks debut—unless it’s comparing his last two games with the Vikings from last season.

Darnold went 16-23 for 150 yards, got sacked once, fumbled once, and rushed for only 14 yards on two carries in a 17–13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. It gets tougher for Darnold quickly with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1–0) in Week 2, but those are the kind of games the Seahawks pay him a $100 million contract for.

Time will tell if Darnold can deliver in the Pacific Northwest or if his career will sink into the Puget Sound. Rookie Jalen Milroe could be in line to start if that happens, but that’s a ways off.

Aaron Rodgers Will Lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl and Win MVP

Aaron Rodgers certainly delivered in his Steelers debut with 22-30 passing for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a 34–32 win over the New York Jets.

He rallied the Steelers from nine points down twice and won a shootout along the way. Both are things Rodgers did well during his long tenure with the Green Bay Packers that didn’t show up in two seasons with the Jets.

While Rodgers’s first outing holds promise, the Steelers defense gave up 32 points to the Jets—a team that was 24th in scoring a year ago. If the Steelers need Rodgers to carry the team more than a few times at age 41, that could spell trouble later on when or if the opponents are the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, or Kansas City Chiefs.

Jaxson Dart Should Start Soon for the Giants

New York keeping Wilson as the starter for Week 2 may not please Giants fans, but the plan has worked in the past.

Twenty-one years ago, the Giants had Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner as the starter for the first nine games in 2004, but then started rookie quarterback Eli Manning. Four years later, Manning hoisted the first of two Lombardi Trophies with the Giants.

New York doesn’t need to rush Wilson off the field. It’s giving Jaxson Dart, a first-round pick from Ole Miss, time to develop. However, if Wilson doesn’t improve on his 45.9 percent completion rate for 168 yards against the Commanders, the team could at least go to veteran backup Jameis Winston in the near future.

Cam Ward Is a Draft Bust and Other Exaggerations Among Young QBs

Tennessee Titans quarterback and recent No. 1 pick Cam Ward looked like a rookie against the Denver Broncos, amid a 42.9 percent completion rate for 112 yards in a 20–12 defeat.

That’s one game and doesn’t make him a draft bust, and the Titans as a whole have been a losing team for the last three seasons. It was possible originally that Ward could have sat at least the first part of the season behind veteran quarterback Will Levis, but that changed when Levis sustained a season-ending injury before the regular season.

Similar to Ward, former No. 1 pick and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams isn’t a bust, although his Week 1 performance in year three doesn’t suggest he is going to play like a generational talent as he was touted to be. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels also aren’t all headed toward sophomore slumps because of any shortcomings in their Week 1 performances.

There are 17 more weeks of regular-season football ahead.