Nothing beats the feeling of a new NFL season. Opening day is exciting because fans get to see if Super Bowl favorites or preseason media darlings can live up to the hype. It’s also a chance to watch the most exciting rookies in the regular season for the first time. Meanwhile, there are always a few explosive, eye-catching performances that stand out.
So we broke down 25 of the most exciting individual displays from opening day. We’re looking all over the field from offense to defense. Some sustained their Week One brilliance throughout the season, but others fizzled out. But ultimately they were all explosive in the first game of the season. Check out the list below via Bleacher Report and CBS Sports.
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25. Khalil Mack (2018)
Mack made his debut for the Chicago Bears in 2o18 as the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. He showed that he was worth every nickel with a performance for the ages. The DE showed what he was about with a brutal and explosive week one display against the Packers. Green Bay won the game, but everybody was talking about Mack’s relentless pressure.
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The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year forced a strip-sack and a pick-six with the Bears up 10 points (via USA TODAY). Later in the first half, he created another sack, drew a penalty, and scored a touchdown. He achieved all of this without any preseason work. Furthermore, he forced the Packers to bring the injured Aaron Rodgers back into the game after ruining Deshone Kizer.