The NFL hands out optimism every offseason. Coaches get credit for a scheme, front offices get praised for flashy signings, and the preseason hype machine fills the feeds. Then Week 1 happens and the scoreboard tells the truth. These five NFL teams looked better on paper than they played on Sunday. I am not guessing. I am pointing at the box scores and saying be skeptical until they prove otherwise.

Detroit Lions: NFL contender talk stalled by a weak run game

The Detroit Lions were supposed to be a rising NFL powerhouse. Instead, they scored just 13 points in a 27-13 loss and rushed for a pathetic 46 yards. Jared Goff put up average completion numbers, but that means nothing when your running backs are bottled up and your offensive line loses control. The Lions threw 39 times and still couldn’t control the game. That made them predictable and flat.

In today’s NFL, if you cannot run the ball or protect your quarterback, defenses will force you into bad spots and dare you to win with field goals. Right now, Detroit looks like a team whose hype train is headed for the tracks.

Cincinnati Bengals: An NFL offense that went missing

The Cincinnati Bengals won 17-16, but only because their defense forced turnovers and the other side missed kicks. Joe Burrow threw for 113 yards. Total offense? 141 yards. Their opponent nearly doubled them with over 300.

That is not the identity of an NFL team built on an explosive passing attack. When your $275 million quarterback barely clears 100 yards, it’s more than rust. It’s a red flag. One win doesn’t erase the fact that the Bengals’ offense looked like it was sleepwalking. If they do not show improvement soon, their defense will be overworked, and this will spiral.

New England Patriots: NFL defense looks ready, offense still stuck

The Patriots looked like the same broken team we’ve seen the last couple years. Their defense was fine. Their offense cost them the game. New England scored just 13 points and committed penalties in critical moments that wiped out chances to win.

NFL football is not about moving the ball between the 20s. It’s about finishing drives. The Patriots could not do that. They kicked field goals, stalled on third downs, and came up empty when the game was on the line. That is not a one-off problem. That is their identity until proven otherwise.

Houston Texans: An NFL defense that looks elite, an offense that looks fragile

Everyone expected Houston’s defense to show up. And it did. They held the opponent to 14 points. But the Texans only scored 9. C.J. Stroud put up a decent box score, but the Texans failed to turn long drives into touchdowns. The offensive line allowed pressure at key times, and the big plays downfield never came.

That might work against a weaker opponent in September. It will not work against playoff-caliber NFL teams in December. Houston looks like a squad that is still too lopsided, leaning heavily on defense while the offense sputters.

Denver Broncos: NFL win hides offensive mistakes

The Broncos won, but don’t let the score fool you. Their offense turned the ball over, their quarterback forced throws under pressure, and the line gave up too many hits. The defense bailed them out. That works in Week 1. It will not work in Week 12.

Denver has lived this cycle before. They waste strong defensive performances because the offense hands possessions away. If Sean Payton doesn’t fix the offensive identity, the Broncos will look like the same stale NFL team they’ve been for the last half decade.

What these NFL games really showed us

The throughline is obvious. All five of these NFL teams showed major flaws on offense. Bad line play. Turnovers. Failure to finish in the red zone. Quarterbacks under pressure. Box score yardage that didn’t turn into touchdowns. That is the fastest way to waste a season.

These weren’t fluky bounces or bad luck. The Lions couldn’t run the ball. The Bengals’ passing game disappeared. The Patriots stalled every time it mattered. The Texans kicked field goals instead of scoring touchdowns. The Broncos survived despite offensive errors.

Week 1 doesn’t decide an NFL season, but it does expose preseason lies. And right now, these teams have to prove they aren’t just hype.

Bottom line

The Lions, Bengals, Patriots, Texans, and Broncos all deserve the benefit of the doubt. But the reality is their Week 1 games exposed exactly the weaknesses fans and analysts worried about. If they don’t fix them fast, they won’t just disappoint. They will be NFL teams that flat out suck.

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