22 Years since a quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the draft won in his debut. Caleb Williams became the first to do so since the Texans’ David Carr in 2002. In between Williams and Carr, quarterbacks chosen No. 1 were 0-14-1 in their initial starts. 1 Bears rookie quarterbacks to win a season opener since at least 1950. Williams secured that honor Sunday while becoming the first Bears rookie quarterback to start a season opener since Kyle Orton in 2005. Williams also became the fifth Bears rookie quarterback to win their first NFL start since at least 1950, joining…

Nick Cammett/Getty ImagesThe goal for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott hasn’t changed after signing a record-setting $240 million extension.Prescott told reporters following Sunday’s 33-17 win over the Cleveland Browns that winning a Super Bowl is “my only motivation.””Hold up my part of this deal. Just deliver that. That’s my motivation,” he said. “Right now it’s about celebrating this win tonight. Hell of a win with these guys, excited for this plane ride back with them, but then turning the page tomorrow, getting on to the Saints and taking it one game at a time. That is what is at the…

Taking a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Down: Rampant inefficiency.Every time the Jaguars needed to move the chains in the second half, they came up empty. They were 0-for-5 on third down and Travis Etienne got thrown for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-1. It’s not like the Dolphins are a shut-down defense, so that issue needs to get fixed quickly.Up: Tank BigsbyAll the struggles the Jaguars’ running back had as a rookie in 2023 appear to be fully behind him. He followed…

Paolo Uggetti, ESPNSep 8, 2024, 05:21 AM ETEUGENE, Oregon — Oregon’s record may still be perfect after two weeks of the college football season, but it doesn’t take a magnifying glass to notice that the team that began the year ranked third in the country has shown several blemishes.After struggling to beat an unranked opponent for the second week in a row, the Ducks were able to find a way to win again Saturday, outlasting a tough Boise State team 37-34 thanks to Atticus Sappington’s last-second, game-winning field goal.The result left head coach Dan Lanning in a conundrum of emotions.Editor’s…

Will Compton and J.D. PicKell Preview Nebraska vs. Colorado On Saturday, Nebraska and Colorado will meet for the second straight season. Last year, the Buffaloes defeated the Cornhuskers 36-14. On Thursday, HuskerOnline’s Sean Callahan explained how Nebraska can avoid a similar fate this weekend. “I just think the plan with Shedeur Sanders — are they going to drop seven? Can they blitz him? When do they blitz him?” Callahan said. “North Dakota State didn’t really blitz him a lot. I do think Nebraska is going to come at him with more looks and defensive schemes that they haven’t shown yet,…

CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase returned to practice on Wednesday. The 24-year-old hasn’t agreed to a long-term extension, but contract talks appear to be progressing. Star quarterback Joe Burrow met with the media on Wednesday, speaking for nearly 20 minutes. He reflected on what his negotiations were like last year and admits that they can be distracting. “It’s definitely a distraction when it’s not [done],” Burrow said. The Bengals and Burrow came to terms on a five-year extension on the Thursday night before the season opener last year. Will Chase’s deal get done in a similar way? There…

The No. 23 USC Trojans defeated the No. 13 LSU Tigers in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic, and the Trojans are expected to move up in the second AP Poll of the season, released at 11 a.m. PDT. The only college football game played on Sept. 1, the ESPN broadcast of the Trojans’ victory peaked at 11.1 million viewers. With that many eyes on USC coach Lincoln Riley and the upset over the Tigers, the Trojans could potentially move into the top 15 in the latest version of the poll. USC fans should expect the team to move up seven…

A nearly 2-and-a-half rain delay did little to slow Penn State in its 34-12 win over West Virginia. Going into the season, Penn State was optimistic that new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki could awaken an offense dormant in big games. It’s been only one game, but the No. 8 Nittany Lions certainly passed the eye test on Saturday. Here’s what we learned from Penn State’s season-opening win in Morgantown. Penn State brings back the explosive playPenn State ranked 97th nationally last season with just 47 plays of 20+ yards. Against West Virginia, the Nittany Lions tallied 11 explosive plays and seemed much…

The Green Bay Packers signed three players to the practice squad and placed running back Nate McCrary on the practice squad/injury reserve on Friday, filling the practice squad at 17 players. With three open spots, the team signed veteran running back La’Mical Perine, veteran fullback Andrew Beck and rookie cornerback Kamal Hadden. Perine was a fourth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2020. He rushed 72 times for 263 yards and two touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 63 yards over 14 career games with the Jets (2020-21). In 2023, Perine played in three games for the Super Bowl…

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed quarterback Russell Wilson in March at the beginning of free agency. Pittsburgh then traded for Justin Fields where a quarterback battle ensued throughout the summer, in which Wilson was victorious and named the Week 1 starter. Wilson shared a message of gratitude on X, saying he is excited to lead the Steelers in 2024. “Blessed & Full of Gratitude,” Wilson wrote. “Honored to Lead this special group of men. ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’ Matthew 6:33” Blessed & Full of Gratitude. Honored…