Summary of Week 1 Hangover: Impressive 2026 debuts for the Ravens, Jets and Raiders

Overview of The Athletic Football Show: Week 1 Monday Hangover

This episode breaks down three Week 1 games that revealed a lot about early-season team identity: Ravens-Colts, Jets-Titans, and Raiders-Dolphins. Robert Mays and Derek Klassen focus on film-based takeaways, especially how new offensive and defensive systems looked in real games. The biggest theme: the teams that showed a clear, coherent plan in Week 1 — Baltimore, New York, and Las Vegas — looked encouraging, while Tennessee and Miami raised major questions.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts

Why the Ravens looked so dangerous

The Ravens’ offense looked explosive right away and seemed to confirm everything optimistic about their revamped approach:

• Derrick Henry fit the run game perfectly

  • Baltimore leaned heavily into outside-zone concepts.
  • The offensive line and blocking scheme looked cleaner and more creative than expected.
  • The staff added wrinkles like tight-end motion and backside insertion blocks to create cutback lanes.

• Lamar Jackson looked like an MVP again

  • He was calm, controlled, and excellent against pressure.
  • Several plays showed his unique ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes, movement, and arm talent.
  • The podcast repeatedly emphasized that Lamar looked fully in command, not hurried or panicked.

• Zay Flowers was a major weapon

  • He created easy explosives and consistently found space versus the Colts’ coverage looks.
  • The Ravens are clearly building the offense around his speed and separation ability.

• Tight ends mattered

  • The show highlighted how Baltimore used its tight ends, especially on run-game inserts and play-action.
  • The overall message: the offense has multiple layers, not just Henry and Lamar.

Ravens defense also passed the test

The defense was nearly as impressive as the offense:

• The front held up against the run and created disruption.
• Roquan Smith was singled out as elite.
• Travis Jones stood out as a difference-maker versus both the run and pass.
• Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton both made key impact plays.
• Baltimore mixed in more blitzing and disguise than expected, and it worked.

Colts takeaway

The Colts’ offense showed some promising moments, but the defense looked vulnerable:

• Their linebackers were repeatedly stressed in coverage and in run fits.
• The defensive approach leaned heavily on man coverage, but Baltimore had answers for it.
• The film suggests the Colts may be fine offensively against lesser teams, but the defense is a real concern.

New York Jets vs. Tennessee Titans

Why the Jets were encouraging

The Jets looked like a real, functional football team — which was a big deal given the offseason skepticism around the staff.

• The run game was well designed

  • The offensive line had a strong day, especially in the run game.
  • They mixed personnel, motion, and formation changes to create favorable angles.
  • The design felt intentional rather than reactive.

• Garrett Wilson reminded everyone how good he is

  • He made difficult catches in traffic and showed elite hands and body control.
  • The offense seemed capable of featuring him in multiple ways.

• Protection was better than feared

  • The passing game wasn’t perfect, but the protection plans held up well enough.
  • That matters because the biggest fear entering the season was that this staff would recreate the worst tendencies of previous Frank Reich-led offenses.

Jets defense looked organized

The defense used a lot of coverage variety and looked more buttoned-up than last year:

• The secondary showed promise, especially with young corners.
• The defense mixed man and zone instead of living in one look.
• The overall message: the Jets looked competent and competitive, not chaotic.

Titans offense was a mess

The Titans were the biggest red flag of the episode:

• The offense had no clear identity.
• The structure looked too conservative and too shallow, especially for a young quarterback like Cam Ward.
• There were repeated issues with:
  • route spacing
  • pass protection
  • situational play calling
  • players running into each other
  • poor fourth-down and field-position decisions
• The staff seemed unsure how to best support the quarterback or play to the strengths of the roster.

Bottom line on Jets-Titans

This was presented as a true measuring-stick game:

• The Jets looked organized and intentional.
• The Titans looked disjointed and concerning.
• Week 1 caveat applies, but the contrast in structure was stark.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins

Why the Raiders’ debut felt promising

The Raiders’ new offensive setup under Clint Kubiak looked cohesive and thoughtful:

• The offensive line was better

  • The podcast specifically praised Spencer Burford.
  • The line created enough movement for the run game to function.

• Ashton Jeanty was featured the right way

  • He looked explosive and patient.
  • The Raiders used him creatively in the run game and passing game.
  • They clearly want him to be a centerpiece, not just a downhill runner.

• Michael Mayer matters

  • The episode framed Mayer as a valuable, versatile tight end in multi-TE sets.
  • His role helps unlock the more explosive weapons around him.

• Kirk Cousins managed the offense well

  • He looked comfortable working through progressions.
  • The passing game had structure, timing, and purpose.
  • The staff used formation and motion to create easy answers for him.

Raiders’ offensive identity

The big positive was that the Raiders looked like they knew exactly what they wanted to be:

• good at the run game
• efficient with play-action
• flexible with multiple tight ends
• intentional about getting their best players the ball

That’s a huge step forward compared to a chaotic offense.

Raiders defense was also solid

The defense especially impressed against the run:

• Miami struggled to establish anything on the ground.
• The linebackers looked improved.
• The front was sturdier than expected.
• The episode suggested the Raiders may no longer have to live in desperate “stack the box and survive” mode.

Dolphins concerns

Miami’s offense and defense both looked shaky:

• The defense was leaky, especially up front.
• The offense struggled to impose itself physically.
• The episode’s tone suggested the Dolphins were simply outclassed in structure and execution.

Key Themes and Takeaways

1. Week 1 revealed clear identity gaps

The strongest teams in this episode weren’t necessarily the most talented on paper — they were the ones with the clearest plan.

2. Coaching matters immediately

Baltimore, New York, and Las Vegas all looked like teams with an actual blueprint. Tennessee, in particular, did not.

3. Quarterbacks need structure, not just talent

• Lamar Jackson thrived because the scheme matched his strengths.
• Kirk Cousins was efficient because the Raiders built a coherent offense around him.
• Cam Ward was put in a situation that looked too messy and underdeveloped.

4. New staffs deserve optimism when the details are good

The show was especially impressed by:

• motion and formation design
• protection plans
• run-game wrinkles
• situational awareness
• using star players as focal points

What to Watch Next

• Ravens: Can they do this against a different defensive look?
• Jets: Will the structure hold up against a more dangerous offense?
• Raiders: Is this offense legit or just taking advantage of a weak Dolphins defense?
• Titans: How quickly can they clean up the details and define an identity?