Rob Maaddi, FISM News
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Upsets and injuries highlighted the first Sunday of the 2022 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Pittsburgh Steelers star rusher T.J. Watt suffered the most significant injuries.
Prescott broke his right thumb in a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will undergo surgery and is expected to miss up to two months.
Before he got hurt, Prescott and the Cowboys had a poor performance against Tampa’s defense. He completed less than half of his passes (14-of-29) for only 134 yards and threw an interception.
“I’ve hit my hand on helmets or bodies a lot in my career and never had anything, maybe a jammed finger, and actually thought that is what it was,” Prescott said of his injury. “Told the trainers the same thing, I can’t grip (the ball), I feel like if you yank it, I’ll be OK. Came in and got X-rays, and things are different.”
Prescott said he was told after the X-rays that the injury “was much cleaner than it could have been.”
It’s a disappointing setback for the 29-year-old Prescott, who returned last season from a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2020 season after five games. He threw for 4,449 yards and 37 touchdowns and led the Cowboys to an NFC East title.
“Obviously going to miss some time and not be there for my team, and that’s what hurts more than anything, especially after the start that we just put out there,” Prescott said. “Wanted to be able to respond and not necessarily having that opportunity for several weeks, yeah, it’s unfortunate. But I’ll do what I’ve always done any time adversity comes, take it on headfirst and I’ll give my best and I’m sure I’ll come out of this thing better.”
Now, the Cowboys turn to Cooper Rush.
Against Dallas, 45-year-old Tom Brady became the oldest player to start at quarterback. He was vintage Brady, completing 18-of-27 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown.
“I always play the game for my team, my teammates, and the organization,” Brady said. “Just being around them is something I always enjoy. It keeps me very grounded, very humble. I feel like just one of the guys. Not many places where I can go where I feel like just one of the guys, but the locker room’s definitely one of those places.”
Watt likely to miss most of the season
Watt, the reigning Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, sustained a torn pectoral. He was scheduled for more tests to confirm the diagnosis. That type of injury typically requires several months to return to action.
Watt left Pittsburgh’s 23-20 overtime win over reigning AFC champion Cincinnati in the fourth quarter with his left arm hanging limply at his side.
Watt tied the NFL single-season sacks record with 22 1/2 last season despite missing two games.
Around the league
In other games, the Minnesota Vikings made Kevin O’Connell’s head coaching debut a successful one by shutting down Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers 23-7.
The New York Giants rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 21-20 on the road in Brian Daboll’s first game as coach. Daboll made an aggressive decision to go for a 2-point conversion and the win instead of an extra point for the tie late in the fourth quarter. Daniel Jones completed a 1-yard pass to Chris Myarick to lift the Giants over the Titans, who were the AFC’s No. 1 seed last year.
Matt Ryan’s first start for the Indianapolis Colts ended in a 20-20 tie against the Houston Texans. Houston was the largest underdog in Week 1 and led 20-3 in the fourth quarter before Ryan rallied the Colts to a tie.
Carson Wentz, who was the starting QB for the Colts last season, tied a career-best with four TD passes to lead the Washington Commanders to a 28-22 win over the Jaguars and Doug Pederson, his former coach in Philadelphia.
“He played a heck of a football game, showed a lot of composure and brought his team back and knows how to win a football game, so hats off to him and his team for doing that,” Pederson said.
Baker Mayfield couldn’t get a win for the Carolina Panthers in his first game against his old team, the Cleveland Browns. A 58-yard field goal in the final minute won it for the Browns, 26-24.