Did you miss some or all of this week's NFL action? Don't worry, we've got you covered with some quick takes on the first week of the season. 

Broncos 49, Ravens 27

-Joe Flacco was far from spectacular in last Thursday’s opener. But the Ravens’ Super Bowl run made people forget that Flacco was inconsistent and unspectacular in last year’s regular season as well.

-It didn’t help that Baltimore couldn’t get their running game going. With two running backs as talented as Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce, it was very surprising that offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell didn’t seem to have many plays designed to get them on the field and involved at the same time.

-The Ravens’ receivers are also terrible, which is all the more reason for Baltimore to lean heavily on their running game. When Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley (11 catches, 111 yards combined) are integral parts to your offense in 2013, that’s a bad sign. Torrey Smith needs to step up.

-The revamped Ravens defense looked good, at least for the first half. Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham and Michael Huff were all torched in the second half, but the talented Ravens pass rush should be better in the future and will help out that secondary.

-It’s worth mentioning again how terrible Michael Huff looked. He needs to play better or he won’t be in the NFL much longer. On the bright side, cornerback Lardarius Webb looked really good coming off of a torn ACL. He’s one of the best corners in the league.

-On the Broncos side, Peyton Manning is awesome. His arm obviously isn’t what it used to be, but his mind is sharper than ever. As long as he can dissect defenses with such precision, he will be a valuable asset in the NFL.

-The above-average talent and depth at the running back position for the Broncos should give their offense enough of a run threat to keep defenses honest, which is all Manning needs.

-And even when a receiver as good as Eric Decker has as bad a night as he had, the offense didn’t miss a beat. This depth at receiver could very well make the Broncos unbeatable in playoffs.

-Denver's pass rush also stepped up in Von Miller’s absence. Former Charger Shaun Phillips seems to be benefitting from a change in scenery. finishing with 2.5 sacks as well as some stellar run defense.

-Former undrafted cornerback Chris Harris has become one of the best, if not the best, slot corners in the league. Denver’s secondary should get even better with Champ Bailey returning in the next few weeks, too.

Patriots 23, Bills 21

-The Patriots will be just fine as long as Tom Brady is quarterback, since he always makes his receivers better. Speaking of which, Danny Amendola played great and is a perfect fit for the offense as long as he stays healthy.

-The Patriots ran the ball well and showed depth after Stevan Ridley fumbled, with Shane Vereen subsequently coming in and running for over 100 yards. 

-It's important to remember that the Patriots should get Rob Gronkowski back from injury within the next few weeks, making their already-competent offense even more dangerous.

-From the Bills’ perspective, EJ Manuel played like a first-round pick. CJ Spiller was surprisingly bottled up, but give credit to the New England defense for that. Spiller’s ineffectiveness makes Manuel’s job even more impressive. The Bills did show that they have above-average offensive weapons, including rookie and USC alum Robert Woods.

Seahawks 12, Panthers 7

-The Seahawks simply could not run the ball for most of the game. Marshawn Lynch looked a step slow, and the offensive line gave him nowhere to run.

-Russell Wilson overcame a bad overall offensive line performance and a lack of run support to throw for over 300 yards, including the game-winning 43 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to Jermaine Kearse.

-Much like they characteristically did last year, Seattle’s defense let the Panthers to move the ball up and down the field at times, but still only allowed seven points. Seattle’s lack of pass rush was alarming, but Cliff Avril, Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin should all be back after the next three weeks to hopefully provide a much-needed boost. The run defense was so-so, and a lot of the time is seemed as if everybody was waiting for someone else to make a play.

-On the Panthers, Cam Newton had an efficient game, but couldn’t find much success downfield against probably the best secondary in the league. Newton is undoubtedly gifted, but needs to be more consistent.

-The Panthers’ front seven on defense looks like one of the best in football. They held Marshawn Lynch in check and were able to deliver punishing hits on Russell Wilson all game long.

Bears 24, Bengals 21

-The story for the Bengals was Andy Dalton to AJ Green, and Green finished with nine receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Dalton crucially turned it over twice, however, and that proved to be the difference in the game.

-The Bengals’ defense was disappointing, as their pass rush wasn’t as strong as expected. Give credit to Chicago’s offensive line, however, which has been one of the league’s worst in the past but looks much improved this year.

-On the Bears, Brandon Marshall is still a beast. This was a great win for the Bears and their new coaching regime, and the new offense under Marc Trestman looks like a good fit for Jay Cutler.

Dolphins 23, Browns 10

-The Dolphins just couldn’t get their running game going, evidenced by Lamar Miller running for just three yards on 10 carries. That makes this victory all the more impressive, as Ryan Tannehill was forced to carry the offense with his arm.

-The big question is where’s Mike Wallace? Wallace didn’t have great (or even good) statistics in this game, but it must be remembered that part of his value to the offense is the threat that he poses to the defense because he makes the defense commit two defenders to covering him deep instead of just one. Still, Wallace was not happy about his lack of direct involvement in the offense.

-On the Dolphins defense, Cameron Wake is unbelievable. He had two-and-a-half sacks against one of the better offensive lines in the league, and it's still baffling how he went undrafted.

-The Browns could be a sleeper to make the playoffs, but only if Brandon Weeden plays efficiently. Which he didn’t in this game. Three interceptions is three too many for a team that is built around the defense and running game.

-Cleveland’s defensive front seven in particular is very talented, and it was a very good sign that pricey free agent acquisitions Desmond Bryant and Paul Kruger had three sacks combined. The Browns secondary, especially the cornerback spot opposite Joe Haden, is still in question.

Lions 34, Vikings 24

-Adrian Peterson started off with a bang, exploding for a 78-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game. But he rushed for less than 20 yards after that first carry.

-Christian Ponder’s three interceptions suggests he hasn’t improved much from last year, and free agent wide receiver acquisition Greg Jennings had only three catches for 33 yards in his Vikings debut. They were a playoff team last year, but thus far the Vikings look like an average team at best.

-For the Lions, left tackle Riley Reiff did a very good job on Jared Allen. This is a great sign for a team trying to replace Jeff Backus, the Lions’ left tackle for over a decade.

-Reggie Bush looked great, and is a perfect fit for an offense that throws the ball as much as the Lions. If he stays healthy, expect big numbers for the former Trojan this year. On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Nick Fairley might be better than Ndamukong Suh. He’s a force.

Colts 21, Raiders 17

-Terrelle Pryor was surprisingly good. The play calls were fairly simple and it didn’t seem as though Pryor was going through many reads, but he ran around and made some offense happen. If he stays healthy and doesn’t turn the ball over too much, the Raiders could actually be somewhat exciting to watch this year.

-Oakland’s defense also played much better than expected, and the defensive line harassed and beat up Andrew Luck throughout the game. If Lamarr Houston was on a better team, he would be recognized as one of the best young defensive linemen in the league.

-The Colts defense was a bit shaky, but Andrew Luck pulled out the win in the end. Indy’s offensive line needs to play better if they want to beat better teams, though.

Chiefs 28, Jaguars 2

-Justin Houston may be the best player nobody has heard of. Seriously. Next time you watch the Chiefs, keep an eye on Number 50. The dude can rush the passer.

-It was a good sign for the Chiefs to see last year’s first-round pick, Dontari Poe, get involved with five tackles and one-and-a-half sacks in the game. Physically, this guy is capable of being one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league.

-Alex Smith played efficiently and didn’t make many mistakes, which is what he was brought in to do.

-It's hard to find a positive for the Jaguars. They were the worst team in the league on Sunday, and it wasn’t really close. Blaine Gabbert is not good at football, and at this point it looks like the Jaguars will end up with Teddy Bridgewater come next year’s draft.

Saints 23, Falcons 17

-Tony Gonzalez continues to be a touchdown machine, and it's comical how predictable his touchdowns are.

-Roddy White is not completely healthy, but if Harry Douglas keeps making plays, that will help ease the blow of White’s absence from full involvement.

-The Falcons defensive line held up well against the run, but their pass rush leaves much to be desired.

-For the Saints, it’s good to have Sean Payton back. Their defense played extremely well, and pairing that with an already-elite offense should result in a deep playoff run this year.

-The Saints like playing Marques Colston in the slot in spread formations in order to create favorable matchups. Look at what happened on Colston’s 25 yard touchdown reception: He ran a seam route against an outmatched linebacker who had no chance to keep up. Perfect.

-Mark Ingram continues to underwhelm with 11 yards on nine carries. Fellow running back Darren Sproles, however, is one of the MVPs of the Saints over the past few seasons, and continues to be an integral part of the passing game. The mismatches created by the personnel of the Saints offense, including Colston, Sproles and Jimmy Graham, are impossible to consistently defend.

Jets 18, Buccaneers 17

-Josh Freeman did not play well enough. In a contract year, he could be a $100-million player come free agency. Or, if he continues to put up performances like he did on Sunday, he could be the next Jason Campbell.

-And it’s not like Freeman’s struggles are the result of him having incompetent weapons. Vincent Jackson continues to be one of the best free agent wide receiver acquisitions in recent memory.

-Lavonte David made a boneheaded play. He should know that refs and rules favor quarterbacks, and if he makes what even looks close to a late hit on a QB he will probably be flagged for it. He’s actually one of the best young linebackers in the league, which is sad because people will now remember him for that play in that crucial spot.

-For the Jets, Geno Smith carried the Jets to victory. Smith playing well is the most likely way Rex Ryan will keep his job.

Titans 16, Steelers 9

-Jake Locker continues to underwhelm, but he didn’t turn the ball over against the Steelers. The Titans defensive line also rushed the passer extremely well, with Trojan alum Jurrell Casey taking down 'Big Ben' Roethlisberger twice.

-Pittsburgh couldn’t run the ball whatsoever, and the pass protection was subpar as well. It didn’t help that center Maurkice Pouncey left the game early due to an injury, which turned out to be a season-ending torn ACL.

-The Steelers lost the turnover battle. Bad offensive line play combined with a negative turnover margin is a recipe for losing to an inferior team, and games like this one show the unpredictability and excitement of the NFL.

49ers 34, Packers 28

-The Packers’ front seven played well, but the secondary was bad. They can be comforted by the fact that two of their normal starters, safety Morgan Burnett and cornerback Casey Heyward, didn’t play Sunday. Still, giving up over 200 receiving yards to one of the slower receivers in the league in Anquan Boldin is embarrassing.

-Clay Matthews is simply one of the best players in the NFL. The swim move he put on 49ers left guard Mike Iupati was ridiculously good, showing that he isn’t just a high-effort player, but plays with good technique as well.

-The back shoulder throws between Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson are just impossible to defend. The Rodgers/Nelson combo is one of the hardest to defend in the entire league, and I’m not sure if there are two other human beings on the planet who can execute the back shoulder pass the way they do.

-The Packers’ offensive line is shaky, but this is nothing new to Rodgers. Their inconsistency and lack of depth makes the prospect of a deep playoff run questionable, however.

-For San Francisco, Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis ran wild. It will be interesting to see if they will continue to dominate, or if Packers’ defense is just bad at making adjustments.

-Boldin should have a much tougher matchup next week against Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner of the Seattle Seahawks, who are two of the most physical corners in NFL. The Niners can combat this by playing Boldin in the slot the majority of the time, where Sherman and Browner rarely play.

Rams 27, Cardinals 24

-Welcome back, Larry Fitzgerald! It’s great to see what he’s capable of with a competent quarterback. He’s still among the best in the league.

-Bruce Arians’ offense is fun to watch in general. Fitzgerald, along with Michael Floyd and Andre Roberts, form one of the better receiving corps in the NFL. All three had at least 80 yards on Sunday.

-Robert Quinn might be best pass rusher in NFC West, and is quickly skyrocketing to upper echelon of the NFL. Sure it was against the Cardinals, but his physical ability is still obvious.

-Sam Bradford played very well. It looks like he has finally taken a step to be a playmaker on offense, but now he has to show consistency.

-Jared Cook is finally being used correctly, and he’s a beast. What an athlete.

Cowboys 36, Giants 31

-The Giants turned it over six times. No team can do that and expect to win. Running back David Wilson might not see significant playing time for a long time, since Coughlin has shown in the past (with Wilson, ironically) that he’ll bench a guy for fumbling.

-The Giants have so many weapons at wide receiver, it’s silly. That’s why it’s a bit ridiculous that they called so many running back screens on Sunday, two of which were intercepted. They don’t need many designed pass plays for the running back when they have Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Reuben Randle, all of whom had over 100 yards receiving.

-The Cowboys’ offensive line played extremely well, which is surprising given the unit’s performance in recent years.

-It’s good to see Miles Austin finally healthy and involved in the offense, and he should get more than his fair share of targets if teams consistently double cover Dez Bryant like the Giants did Sunday night.

-One thing I noticed about the Cowboys' new defense is that all eleven players consistently attack the ball instead of just going for the tackle. This is reminiscent of the Bears’ defense in recent years, which was a turnover machine. Monte Kiffin looks like one of the best hires of the offseason, and his defense is a big reason why the Cowboys are very capable of making a playoff run.

Eages 33, Redskins 27

-The Eagles offense looked just like the one we were used to seeing at Oregon, as they were able to run over 50 plays in the first half alone. On their opening drive, Philadelphia unhesitatingly went for it on 4th down and short from around the Redskins' 20-yard line, something I’ve never seen an NFL team so unquestioningly do. This constant hurry-up offense had a few major effects on the defense: It obviously tires out the defensive players and hinders the defense’s pass rush because of the players’ exhaustion, it keeps the defense from blitzing often because the players are unable to communicate in time, and it takes the opposing crowd out of the game. All of these factors were evident on Monday night.

-Trent Cole has been very underrated for a very long time. Not only is he a perennial double-digit sack player, but his play against the run is among the best in the league as well. He’s adjusting well to his new outside linebacker role.

-The Eagles’ quick pass, screen-heavy offense is conducive to Desean Jackson and his yards-after-catch ability. Watch him have a big year.

-The Redskins came out very slow. If it hadn’t been for the fluky backwards pass they returned for a touchdown, Washington might have been down by 20 by the end of the first quarter.

-Robert Griffin III started to get into rhythm in 3rd quarter, but still looked rusty overall. It’s impossible to say for sure, but I bet that if he’d been given a chance to play in the preseason, RGIII would have looked a lot more comfortable in Monday’s game. Despite what many may think, the preseason matters.

Texans 31, Chargers 28

-Duane Brown was one of the best left tackles in football last year. On Monday night, however, he repeatedly got manhandled by Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney, especially in the first half.

-The Texans brought more pressure in the second half, which was very effective against Philip Rivers. The best example of this was on the interception return touchdown by former Trojan Brian Cushing, who benefitted from a hurried throw by Rivers because of pressure from the blitz.

-JJ Watt made a very limited impact on the game, and credit to Jeromey Clary and DJ Fluker is due.

-On the Chargers’ side, Rivers looked like himself from three years ago. Well, for the first half, at least.

-Eric Weddle played a lot up near the line of scrimmage. I even saw him setting the edge a couple times, which is a job usually reserved for defensive linemen and linebackers. Weddle is as good an all-around defensive back as there is in the NFL.

Reach Staff Writer Andrew McKagan here or follow him on Twitter.