The start of the 2024-25 NFL season brings many possibilities, some leaving fans looking forward to every week and others questioning why they even watch football. Unfortunately, fans can not decide between the two until their team takes the field. Some teams continue to perform well, while others have disappointed their fan bases within the first few weeks.
The Carolina Panthers have underperformed so far. The Panthers made a huge trade in 2023 with the Chicago Bears, in which Carolina got the first overall pick. In return, the Bears got the Panthers’ 2023 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), 2023 second-round pick (No. 61 overall), wide receiver D.J. Moore, a 2025 second-round pick and most importantly, the 2024 first overall pick. The Panthers made these moves to land quarterback Bryce Young from the University of Alabama in the 2023 draft. Young was expected to come in and change the Panthers’ franchise, yet he has had a tough time adjusting to the league. After week two, the Panthers decided to bench Young for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. In week three, Dalton impressed Carolina, leading the team to their first win against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Once again, the New York Giants struggle to excite their fans in the first weeks. Coming out of the 2022 season and making it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, there is still hope the team can turn things around after the failed 2023 season. Giants head coach Brian Daboll, 2022 coach of the year, made several questionable decisions, ultimately costing the team the win against the Washington Commanders. Specifically, Daboll’s decision not to elevate another kicker after Graham Gano was placed on the injury report for a groin issue. Although Gano injured his hamstring on the opening kickoff and was active for the game, it was still suspicious that Daboll did not consider the possibility of him not playing at his full potential. The Giants’ offense scored three touchdowns but missed every extra point because of the kicker’s absence. It was the first time in NFL history that a team scored three touchdowns and lost to a team that only scored field goals in regulation. Despite the mistake, it is early to give up on Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen since the rookie class has looked solid. Wide receiver and sixth overall pick Malik Nabers has the second most receiving yards and cornerback Dru Phillips has made crucial plays keeping teams out of the endzone. In week three against the Cleveland Browns, Nabers became the youngest NFL receiver to score two touchdowns in one game, and better yet, he did that in the first half. Sixth-year quarterback Daniel Jones is in a make-or-break year for his chance to be an NFL starter. In week one, fans agreed that he looked awful, but has improved a lot in the three weeks after. In week four, the Giants had a competitive matchup with their division rival, the Dallas Cowboys, but came up just short. New York’s record is still a toss-up considering their challenging schedule.
However, this unfortunate start is not the case for all teams. The Minnesota Vikings have started the season undefeated and are on pace for a successful year. The Minnesota Vikings drafted national champion quarterback JJ McCarthy from the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, McCarthy tore his MCL in the preseason, giving veteran Sam Darnold the starting job. Darnold has made impressive plays so far, leading the team to crucial victories against the Giants, 49ers, Texans, and Packers. Mirroring the success of the Vikings, the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are exceeding fans’ expectations of them.
A huge factor in making or breaking teams’ success is how healthy their roster is. Star players from various teams, including Cooper Kupp, Isaiah Pacheco, Christian McCaffrey Jermaine Johnson and David Njoku, have been put on the injured reserve list in the first weeks. Players will heal and lineups will change, ensuring this football season remains interesting. As the year goes on, fans will have no choice but to keep their eyes glued to the television every Sunday to continue rooting for their teams.
Photo credit: “NFL” by Parker Anderson is licensed under (CC BY-ND 2.0).
