Hope springs eternal until the games actually count. And the levels of hope around the NFL depend on how much you want to react to Week 1.

We only need to rewind one year to remind ourselves how quickly things change, for better and for worse. In Week 1 of 2024, the Commanders lost by 17 at the Buccaneers . The 49ers beat the Jets 32-19, and Christian McCaffrey's injuries were only a slight worry. Through two weeks, the Saints were the best team in the NFL.

It can be really hard to tell what's real and what's not this early. Starters play so little in the preseason, and even the starters that do play and do look good can struggle in Week 1.

But just because it's hard to parse out meaning from this week's game doesn't mean it's impossible. We can't come to any conclusio

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