NFL 2023 Week 1: Biggest questions, risers and takeaways - ESPN

The 2023 NFL season is here, and Week 1 has been wild. In the early window, the San Francisco 49ers picked up right where they left off with a healthy Brock Purdy, the Cleveland Browns shut down Joe Burrow, and a handful of rookies really stood out in their debuts.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins came out on top after an offensive battle against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, Jordan Love had no issues being the Green Bay Packers No. 1 quarterback and the Denver Broncos didn't score enough — again. Capping off Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys dominated the New York Giants en route to a 40-0 blowout.

Our NFL Nation reporters are reacting to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and picking out who — or what — is rising and falling for every team. Let's get to it.

Jump to a matchup:
DET-KC | CAR-ATL | HOU-BAL | CIN-CLE
JAX-IND | TB-MIN |TEN-NO | SF-PIT
ARI-WSH | GB-CHI | LV-DEN | PHI-NE
MIA-LAC | LAR-SEA | DAL-NYG

Are the Cowboys really this good? The last time the Cowboys opened the year with a dismantling of the Giants was in 1995 (35-0). That team went on to win Super Bowl XXX. The Cowboys have been searching for another Super Bowl ever since. The road ahead will be much more difficult — maybe as soon as next week against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium — so don't book flights to Las Vegas yet. But this was as dominant of a performance the Cowboys have had in Mike McCarthy's tenure. The defense shut down the Giants and contributed a touchdown. The special teams contributed a touchdown. Tony Pollard contributed two goal-line touchdown runs, answering any questions as to how the Cowboys would handle the loss of Ezekiel Elliott.

Stock up after the win: Dan Quinn.