The Chiefs have won 8 straight season openers. They have a ways to go to catch the longest streak

The Chiefs have won 8 straight season openers. They have a ways to go to catch the longest streak

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Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been quick starters to the NFL season.

The defending-champion Chiefs head into their opener Thursday evening at residence towards Detroit having won eight straight regular-season openers, which is tied for the fifth longest streak of the Tremendous Bowl period.

Kansas Metropolis final misplaced in Week 1 again in 2014 with Alex Smith at quarterback after they fell 26-10 to Tennessee in a recreation performed earlier than Mahomes had even made his school debut at Texas Tech.

They won the subsequent three openers with Smith at QB after which all 5 since Mahomes grew to become the starter, scoring no less than 33 factors in the final seven Week 1 video games.

They have a good distance to go to catch the longest streak ever as the Cowboys won 17 straight openers between 1965-81. The final workforce to win greater than eight straight was the New England Patriots, who won 10 in a row from 2004-13.

Mahomes has been notably sharp to begin the season, throwing no less than three TD passes in all 5 season-opening begins in his profession for the longest streak ever. The solely QBs to have greater than 5 profession Week 1 video games with no less than three TD passes are Tom Brady (9), Dan Marino (seven) and Drew Brees (six).

In actual fact, solely 9 groups apart from the Chiefs have had 5 Week 1 video games with no less than three TD passes in the final 20 seasons. The Bengals have the longest drought of that sort with none since Boomer Esiason did it in 1988.

On the different finish of the Week 1 dominance is the Indianapolis Colts, who ended a eight-game dropping streak in season openers with a 20-20 tie vs Houston final yr. The solely workforce that has a longer streak with out profitable a season opener in NFL historical past is the Browns, who went 0-16-1 from 2005-21 earlier than beating Carolina 26-24 final yr.

The Colts open the season at residence towards Jacksonville on Sunday.

QB SHUFFLE

One other season, one other Week 1 beginning QB in Washington and Indianapolis.

The Commanders and Colts are set to turn out to be the fourth and fifth groups in the Tremendous Bowl period to have a totally different beginning QB in seven straight season openers.

Sam Howell will be a part of Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Carson Wentz to begin in Week 1 for Washington since 2017.

Rookie Anthony Richardson follows Matt Ryan, Wentz, Philip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck and Scott Tolzien to do it in Indianapolis.

The solely different groups with seven Week 1 beginning QBs in seven seasons are Cleveland (2013-19), Baltimore (1997-2003) and Chargers (1987-93).

With Derek Carr having left Las Vegas for New Orleans and Aaron Rodgers with the Jets after beginning 15 straight openers in Inexperienced Bay, Dak Prescott will have the longest after streak of Week 1 begins at QB with the identical workforce when he makes his eighth straight begin in the season opener.

MOVING TIME

Baker Mayfield has been a well-traveled quarterback throughout his quick time in the NFL.

Mayfield is about to begin for his fourth workforce since being picked first general by Cleveland in 2018. He additionally hung out in Carolina and with the Los Angeles Rams final season.

Mayfield is about to begin the opener for his fourth workforce of his profession, Tampa Bay on Sunday towards Minnesota. No different high choose QB in the widespread draft period since 1967 began for greater than two groups in his first six seasons.

Mayfield shall be the sixth quarterback in the Tremendous Bowl period to begin the season opener for 3 franchises in three seasons after doing it in Cleveland in 2021 and Carolina in 2022. He’ll be a part of Carson Wentz (2020-22), Donovan McNabb (2009-11), Brett Favre (2007-09), Kurt Warner (2003-05) and Jim Harbaugh (1997-99).

DO IT AGAIN

The Philadelphia Eagles try to pull off the uncommon NFC East repeat.

Philadelphia is attempting to turn out to be the first repeat division winner in the NFC East since the Eagles won it from 2002-04 in the first years of the present division format.

The Eagles are additionally trying to turn out to be the fourth workforce to win the Tremendous Bowl the yr after dropping the title recreation, becoming a member of the 1971 Dallas Cowboys, the 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2018 New England Patriots.

The solely different Tremendous Bowl losers even to make it again to the large recreation are the 1974 Minnesota Vikings, 1987 Denver Broncos, 1991-93 Buffalo Payments.

FALLING OUT

Seven groups made the playoffs final season after lacking the postseason in 2021, marking the thirty third straight season when no less than 4 groups pulled off the trick.

4 groups which can be prime candidates to fall out of playoff place are the groups that made it final season regardless of getting outscored: Minnesota, the Giants, Tampa Bay and Miami.

The final 9 groups to make the playoffs regardless of being outscored missed the postseason the following yr with the 2015 Carolina Panthers the final to make it.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl