The Seattle Seahawks lost their Week 1 game and now are hoping they haven’t lost their starting offensive tackles for Week 2.

Charles Cross, selected No. 9 overall by Seattle in the 2022 draft, and Abe Lucas, a third-rounder in 2022, suffered injuries in the Seahawks’ 30-13 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Cross has a toe injury and Lucas was dealing with “an old knee injury.” Carroll said during a radio interview that both players would be monitored this week in advance of the team’s Sunday game at Detroit.

Both players left the game and did not return. Cross was carted to the locker room.

Cross started all 17 games last season as a rookie while Lucas played in and started 16.

–Field Level Media

Denver coach Sean Payton was “pleased” with the decision making of quarterback Russell Wilson in the Broncos’ 17-16 season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Wilson was 27-of-34 passing for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He did not throw an interception but was sacked twice while posting a 108.0 passer rating.

“I was pleased with the decision making. The key is to be able to run the ball and have the sustained success. We were able to do that at times,” Payton said Monday. “Part of that where the ball went was a byproduct of what we were seeing. Teams will be in and out of different coverage looks.”

The Broncos were without No. 1 wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (hamstring), while tight end Greg Dulcich left the game with a leg injury. Wilson threw at least one pass to 11 different players, but his longest completion was only 21 yards.

Payton chalked up some of Denver’s modest offensive numbers (including 94 rushing yards) to each team having just six possessions.

“Points then become at a premium. Generally speaking, you’re between 10 and 12 possessions a game,” he said. “Part of it was a result of both teams having long, sustained drives, overcoming some third downs, maybe some penalties to keep drives moving. It was a little unusual that way.

“If you told me we were going to win the turnover battle (or) we were going to win the rushing battle against that team, I would’ve been really happy and said that more than likely we were going to win the game. But it wasn’t the case.”

Denver is 0-1 along with Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. The Broncos will play host to Washington in Week 2 before road games at Miami and Chicago ahead of a Week 5 showdown in Denver against the New York Jets.

–Field Level Media

Denver Broncos safety Caden Sterns will miss the rest of the season with a torn patellar tendon, NFL Network reported Monday.

Sterns left Sunday’s season-opening 17-16 loss to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders in the second quarter with an injury to his left knee.

The backup to starting strong safety Kareem Jackson, Sterns played two snaps on defense and three more on special teams before the injury.

A fifth-round pick by Denver in 2021, Sterns has recorded 49 tackles, four interceptions and two sacks in 21 career games (five starts).

On Monday, Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed that Sterns was having an MRI on his knee. “I’m not going to be early on any updates,” he said.

Payton also said tight end Greg Dulcich is getting an MRI to determine the extent of a leg injury that occurred early in Sunday’s setback.

Dulcich, 23, had two catches for 22 yards against the Raiders. The 2022 third-round pick caught 33 passes for 411 yards and two scores in 10 games (six starts) as a rookie.

–Field Level Media

Week 1 of the 2023 NFL regular season comes to a close with a marquee “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Buffalo Bills at the New York Jets.

It’s a season-opening tilt between AFC East rivals who both harbor realistic Super Bowl aspirations.

QUICK PICK
The Bills opened as 1.5-point favorites at BetMGM and the line has held steady with Buffalo backed by 68 percent of the spread-line bets and 69 percent of the money. However, the Jets’ +110 moneyline has also been a popular play as it has drawn 63 and 60 percent of the action, respectively.

There are still a lot of unknowns in terms of how the Jets’ offense will exit the gates with quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the helm. But New York also has a stout defense that gave Bills quarterback Josh Allen fits in two meetings last year, so we’re taking the points with the Jets at home.

Prediction: Jets 26, Bills 23

THE NEWS
Allen was 9 years old when Aaron Rodgers was drafted by Green Bay. Allen said he’s mimicked a lot of Rodgers’ movements and looks up to him. Rodgers wants the Bills looking up at the Jets in the standings when the dust settles Monday.

At 39, Rodgers relocated for the first time in his career following a prolific run with the Packers. Unpacking Super Bowl and MVP credentials in New Jersey, Rodgers said he’s grown comfortable in a new shade of green in part because of the level of talent around him.

“I think we’re ready,” Rodgers said. “I played in a great spot for 18 years. We had a great home-field advantage, place was always sold out. I’m expecting a big crowd, a loud crowd. It’s going to be electric — ‘Monday Night Football’ — last game of the first week. It will be a pretty special moment to take the field against a division rival and a great quarterback, really good football team. It will be a special environment to start off my career with the Jets.”

Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and created a quick connection with Rodgers, who compared his new No. 17 — Wilson — to former Packers teammate and All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. The Jets also signed free agent Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal and added familiar Rodgers cronies Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.

There’s depth here, too. New York wants to co-feature running back Breece Hall with Cook and brought in wide receiver Mecole Hardman from the Chiefs.

KEY STAT
Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner, a rare All-Pro selection at cornerback in his first season, and the Jets’ defense have an established track record of mortalizing Allen.

Gardner made sure Allen’s favorite target, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, didn’t have his hands full in their two matchups in 2022. Allen had 147 passing yards in the Bills’ 20-12 win on Dec. 11 — when Diggs was held to three receptions for 37 yards — and New York’s defense sacked him eight times with two picks in those two games. Allen had three rushing TDs.

In the Nov. 6 meeting, Gardner intercepted Allen and broke up a late pass on fourth-and-21 that ended Buffalo’s final drive and preserved the Jets’ 20-17 win.

“They’re a pretty good group — really good group for that matter,” Allen said. “They’ve got rushers that have motors, they sub those guys in and out so they’re fresh. Their DBs are smart. They game-planned pretty well for us the last couple times we’ve played them and we’ll have our hands full come Monday night.”

PROP PICK
Two of the most bet player props for Monday night at BetMGM involved Wilson, the Jets’ second-year wideout.

No. 1 has been Wilson at +145 to score a touchdown in the game, while Wilson topping 68.5 receiving yards at -115 is No. 4.

The Jets signed Hardman and long-time Rodgers running mate Lazard to help keep defenses honest. Wilson will still be the primary focus of Buffalo’s secondary, but the Bills will be hard-pressed to keep the playmaker in check for four quarters so we like the Over on 68.5 receiving yards.

INJURY REPORT
Despite safety Micah Hyde dealing with a back injury, the Bills are still expected to make Damar Hamlin inactive Monday night and go with Taylor Rapp and Cam Lewis as the primary backups. Hamlin, 25, made the 53-man roster as the latest awe-inspiring mile marker of his progress returning from on-field cardiac arrest at Cincinnati in January.

The Jets are expected to be at or very close to full strength, with everyone taking part in Saturday’s final practice of the week.

THEY SAID IT
–“That first game, I feel like it’s also finding yourself, what kind of team you’ve got, figuring out your identity.” –Diggs on being ready for the Jets in Week 1.

–“Having a guy like Aaron come in, the type of caliber player and person he is, he elevates everyone. You have to elevate your standards and your level of play. And across the board, we have so much talent. It is probably the most talented team I have been on and a great mixture of youth and veteran leadership.” –Jets OT Duane Brown on Rodgers’ presence.

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns starting right tackle Jack Conklin will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee, ESPN reported Monday.

The two-time All-Pro was injured midway though the second quarter of Sunday’s season-opening 24-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals.

Conklin, 29, was pass blocking and Cincinnati edge rusher Trey Hendrickson was in pursuit of quarterback Deshaun Watson when Hendrickson fell and rolled up on Conklin. He was carted off and ruled out moments later.

Conklin was replaced by 2023 fourth-round draft pick Dawand Jones out of Ohio State.

A first-round pick (eighth overall) by Tennessee in 2016, Conklin has played in 94 games (all starts) with the Titans (2016-19) and Browns.

–Field Level Media

Former All-Pro defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested early Monday at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport after police responded to a report of an “unruly passenger.”

Jones was booked on misdemeanor charges of alcohol intoxication, disorderly conduct and terroristic threatening, according to Boone County Jail Capt. Kevin Klute. He was released hours later.

Airport spokesperson Mindy Kershner said police were called at 6 a.m. to help an outbound flight crew with an unruly passenger at the airport in Hebron, Ky. Kershner identified the passenger as Jones and said he was arrested prior to takeoff.

Jones told WLWT-TV that the incident started over a phone charger not working, adding that he wasn’t intoxicated.

Jones has had multiple run-ins with the law. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Jones pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in 2021, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor resisting law enforcement as part of a 2019 plea deal, and was arrested in 2017 following an argument with police. He was fined in that case. All of those incidents came in the greater Cincinnati area.

Jones, 39, played 12 seasons in the NFL after being selected No. 6 overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2005. He played eight seasons in Cincinnati, earning All-Pro honors in 2014 and a Pro Bowl nod in 2015.

He finished with 17 interceptions in 146 career games (104 starts) with four teams. He missed the 2007 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after multiple arrests. He also did not play in 2009.

–Field Level Media

Offseason hype and preseason hope hit the brakes for a handful of NFL players in Week 1 of the 2023 season.

Justin Fields for MVP? Daniel Jones taking the next step? Steelers out of their slumber in the AFC North?

Overreaction comes naturally from fan bases. Pride and pressure are factors for players who failed to perform or missed chances to deliver desired results.

Here are five players on the hot seat entering Week 2:

–Giants QB Daniel Jones
Not to say the goose egg in Week 1 falls entirely on Jones’ shoulders. It’s not his fault. He’s entitled to an extra share of the blame by virtue of the four-year, $160 million contract he bagged in March.

We could list offensive linemen by name and underline whether Brian Daboll’s QB whisperer credentials were burnt to a crisp by looking wholly unprepared to deal with a division rival on Sunday night. Instead, we’re keeping the tight focus on the highest-paid player on the roster.

Jones completed 15 of 28 passes and was sacked seven times. It wasn’t a matter of not having time to throw. He averaged 3.04 seconds in the NFL’s “time to throw” metric, which was fifth-best in the NFL through Sunday’s games. Credit coverage while questioning if the Giants have enough skill outside to consistently separate and give Jones windows for downfield completions.

Not to be overlooked on the hot seat, special mention for right tackle Evan Neal. He had a rough night and said after the game he was “embarrassed” by the 40-0 result.

Up Next: At Arizona

Say what?
“I’d say we got a lot of work to do in every area.” –Brian Daboll after Week 1 loss to Dallas

–Bears QB Justin Fields
If this is the season general manager Ryan Poles plans to measure Fields’ ability to be a true pocket passer, Week 1 must be graded as an incomplete.

NFL Next Gen Stats reveal Fields averaged 3.3 “intended air yards” and the same “complete air yards” per attempt. Only the Atlanta Falcons with Desmond Ridder in his fifth career start (3.0 IAY, 2.3 CAY) were less aggressive than the Bears.

Fields never looked comfortable against the Packers and head coach Matt Eberflus said in his assessment of the offense on Monday morning that the Bears “certainly need to threaten the defense down the field.” The ultra-conservative approach also shows up in the Bears’ offense averaging 6.9 yards to the sticks, a strong indictment of the team’s woes on first and second downs.

On the bright side, Fields led the team in rushing with 59 yards and attempts (nine). But he was also sacked four times.

Up Next: At Tampa Bay

Say What?
“Nobody’s in good spirits. This one hurts. I’m not going to lie to you. I want to say sorry to teammates, to fans who were rooting for us. But we’ll bounce back.” — Justin Fields on losing Week 1.

–Colts RB Deon Jackson
In a Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, Colts running backs combined for 25 yards on 16 carries and Jackson averaged 1.1 yards per carry with 13 rushes for 14 yards in his bid to fill the role vacated by Jonathan Taylor. Taylor (ankle) is on the physically unable to perform list and might not return because of his standoff with the team over his contract.

Now the question for the Colts is whether Jackson returns as the starter in Week 2. He lost a fumble on fourth down and each of his five receptions (for 16 yards) was on a safety outlet valve toss from rookie QB Anthony Richardson. Zack Moss was inactive with a forearm injury and could be back as an option this week.

Rookie Evan Hull (knee) left Sunday’s game with a knee injury, which could require the team to add a running back. Worth noting: free agent Kareem Hunt visited the team last month and was reportedly offered a contract.

Up Next: At Houston

Say What? “We like what Deon has done. We think Deon has taken another step.” — Colts GM Chris Ballard on Deon Jackson.

–Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney
He had four extra days to hear about his three critical drops — one that led to a Pick-6 — in Kansas City’s flat opening night showing and 21-20 loss to the Detroit Lions. Toney’s catch percentage of 20 percent highlights his issues in a spot where the Chiefs were counting on him to help ease the absence of tight end Travis Kelce.

Up Next: At Jacksonville

Say What?
“Obviously he would have wanted to catch a few of those in the game but I have trust that he is going to be the guy that I go to in those crucial moments and he’s going to make the catch and win us some games like he did last year … I’m sure that those drops will disappear.” — Patrick Mahomes on Kadarius Toney.

–Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
No longer sweating his salary — Jackson signed a five-year deal after being hit with the franchise tag — and given more input in the system of first-year coordinator Todd Monken, some version of MVP Lamar Jackson was envisioned in Week 1.

Security blanket Mark Andrews was inactive but Jackson was ineffective for long stretches, had two turnovers (fumble, INT) and further modifications to the offense are likely with running back J.K. Dobbins lost for the season to a torn Achilles.

Jackson led the Ravens in rushing (no surprise) and did flash moments of brilliance in the pocket. See the perfectly placed toss to Odell Beckham Jr. to convert a 3rd-and-6 with 7:28 left in the game and a 22-9 lead.

We’re giving Jackson a mulligan considering this was his first game since November 2022. He missed the final six games last season and didn’t play in preseason games.

Up Next: at Cincinnati

–Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Broncos PK Will Lutz, Saints LT Trevor Penning, Seahawks secondary, 49ers RT Colton McKivitz, Steelers QB Kenny Pickett

Burrow completed an NFL-low 45.2 percent of his passes at Cleveland, where defensive end Myles Garrett and a constant Browns’ pass rush helped doom the Bengals.

Acquired via trade by the Broncos, Lutz missed an extra point and 55-yard field goal in a 17-16 loss.

Penning was responsible for multiple sacks of Saints quarterback Derek Carr.

The Rams blew up the Legion of Boom. Only Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (10.9) had a higher “completed air yards” number in Week 1 than Rams QB Matthew Stafford (9.2).

McKivitz was promoted to the starting RT job when Mike McGlinchey joined the Broncos in free agency. On Sunday he was baptized by T.J. Watt of the Steelers. He had three sacks and a forced fumble.

Pickett had a lot of positive press in the preseason but was erratic and helped the Steelers dig a massive hole they couldn’t climb out of against the 49ers.

–Field Level Media

Injuries hit the Philadelphia Eagles defense in a Week 1 win over the New England Patriots.

Cornerback James Bradberry is in concussion protocol and linebacker Nakobe Dean will miss multiple weeks with a foot injury.

“We’re expecting him to be out for a couple weeks. Just thankful it’s not a season-ending injury,” head coach Nick Sirianni said of Dean on Monday.

Bradberry will be hard-pressed to graduate through the NFL-mandated protocol for documented head injuries with the Eagles (1-0) facing a short week ahead of Thursday night’s game against the visiting Minnesota Vikings.

Dean’s injury will not require surgery but could potentially lead to a stint on injured reserve.

“We feel like we have some good options there at linebacker,” Sirianni said of how the Eagles would fill Dean’s spot.

Dean, 22, started and recorded seven tackles before exiting in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s 25-20 victory.

A third-round pick out of Georgia in 2022, Dean played in all 17 games as a rookie and registered 13 tackles while mostly playing on special teams.

As insurance, ESPN reported that the Eagles are signing linebacker and former Tennessee Titans first-round pick Rashaan Evans to their practice squad.

Evans, 27, started all 17 games for Atlanta last season and led the team with 159 tackles. He has 476 tackles, five sacks, five fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 76 games (67 starts) with the Titans (2018-21) and Falcons.

Bradberry, 30, had four tackles on Sunday. The 2020 Pro Bowl selection has 18 interceptions in 110 career games with the Carolina Panthers (2016-19), New York Giants (2020-21) and Eagles.

–Field Level Media