Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

So many players had trouble with their footing on the NFL's opening weekend.

It began with Isaiah Likely's touchdown-negating toe-tap at the back of the end zone at Arrowhead Stadium and continued throughout a waxy weekend that featured the Eagles and Packers slipping and sliding their way around Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena soccer pitch as the league expanded its global footprint with its debut in Latin America's largest country.

Even games stateside also had their share of missteps, even those played indoors such as the one at Ford Field, where the Lions blamed themselves and not the turf after stumbling their way to an overtime win against the Rams.

The Lions might have won it in regulation if not for a trio of slip-ups on their final drive that ended with a field goal.

Jared Goff sailed a would-be touchdown throw over the head of Jahmyr Gibbs, who stumbled as he ran open in the Rams' secondary with about a minute remaining. Amon-Ra St. Brown lost his footing on an incompletion two plays later and Kalif Raymond fell down on a third down misfire before Jake Bates' field goal tied it.

After the Lions found their footing in overtime for a 26-20 win, Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams suggested the issue wasn't a slippery surface but the rusty Lions themselves.

Practicing on grass and with so many vets sitting out the preseason, it takes some time to get reacclimated to the artificial grass, Williams said.

The problem ran deeper in Brazil, where the converted soccer field was covered with divots by halftime of Philadelphia's 34-29 win over Green Bay.

Saquon Barkley, who otherwise shined in his Eagles debut, slipped for a 5-yard loss on his first carry for Philadelphia.

Packers receiver Christian Watson missed out on a touchdown catch when he slipped in the end zone and Green Bay running back Emanuel Wilson fell on the seat of his pants as he tried to cut after a 14-yard gain.

When Jordan Love got hurt in his first game since signing a $220 million contract extension, newly acquired backup Malik Willis came in for one final play but slipped in the pocket and was sacked by Zack Baun before he could even heave a desperation pass.

With players on both sides of the ball falling on just about every play, former NFL star J.J. Watt chimed in with a post on social media that said: “Soccer fields are made for speed and agility. Smaller bodies gliding across the surface with minimal contact. They are not properly conditioned to have the size & strength of NFL players cutting, pushing and driving all game on them. This is common at international games.”

In Kansas City, where Taylor Swift and other Chiefs fans are hoping for a Super Bowl three-peat, they watched the opener come down to a different kind of footing issue.

Just as Ravens coach John Harbaugh was calling for a 2-point attempt to try to beat the back-to-back champs, video clearly showed Likely’s right big toe on the white endline — the tight end was wearing black cleats — nullifying his touchdown with no time left and leaving the Chiefs 27-20 victors in the 2024 NFL kickoff.

Patrick Mahomes had a friendly message for Likely afterward.

“You have to wear white cleats next time,” Mahomes cracked.

Had Likely worn white shoes as his teammate Roquan Smith did, the TV cameras almost certainly would have still shown he was on the endline, but his black cleats gave him no chance of getting away with it at all.

Tongue-in-cheek or not, it's actually sound advice from Mahomes, suggested Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, who was on the wrong end of something similar eight years ago in New Orleans.

While the league allows black cleats or even cleats featuring a team color, wearing white shoes “does make a difference because it’s got to be conclusive evidence for it to be overturned, or for it to be confirmed, one of the two,” said Lutz. “If you're wearing black they can clearly see it.”

It’s just like players wearing white gloves can get away with holding a white jersey easier than they can if they’re wearing dark colored gloves, Lutz noted.

Lutz had an up-close view the last time cleat color played such a prominent role in the final score. It was Nov. 10, 2016, in a game between his current team, the Broncos, and his former team, the Saints.

New Orleans had just tied the game late, but Lutz's extra point attempt was blocked by Justin Simmons and scooped up by Will Parks, who raced 84 yards down the Saints' sideline for the first game-winning defensive 2-point conversion in NFL history.

The Saints swore he stepped out of bounds at about the 35-yard line, but the play was upheld as officials couldn’t verify the claim because his white cleats blended in with the white sideline and no camera angles were available to prove otherwise.

Games can come down to the strangest of things.

Color choice, a slip here, a trip there.

Even a big toe.

This story has been corrected to reflect the proper spelling of Saquon Barkley in the 9th paragraph and Zack Baun in the 11th paragraph.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) takes a moment after scoring a one-yard touchdown run against the Los Angeles Rams during overtime in an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Green Bay Packers linebacker Eric Wilson (45) during the first half of an NFL football game, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill, left, defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Players blame football fields, themselves as they slip and slide through the NFL's opening weekend

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn was not about to put everything on the line in her first World Cup race back after more than five years of retirement.

Not with her history of crashes and injuries.

Not with her new titanium knee.

Not at age 40.

Vonn took a low-risk approach and finished 14th in a super-G on Saturday, crossing 1.18 seconds behind Austrian winner Cornelia Huetter.

“This was the perfect start,” Vonn said. “Today is just the first step and I’m not looking for more. Today I really needed to get to the finish. I wanted to have a solid result. And that’s exactly what I did.

“There’s definitely a lot that I have left to give," Vonn added. "Today was not the day to try to do anything special.”

Still, when Vonn came down, the crowd of Swiss-flag-waving fans turned silent in anticipation and all of the other top skiers watched her run on a perfectly clear day in the Alps.

“To have her back on the world stage is just fantastic,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “Just the attention she’s bringing to the sport and the role model she is — it’s a big day.

“These kind of moments transcend outside of just sports. We see it with Mikaela (Shiffrin) and what she’s done recently, which is just superhuman as well, setting all those records."

Vonn lost time early in her run but nearly matched the top finishers in the middle and bottom section of the Corviglia course.

When she reached the finish and saw her time, Vonn flashed a wide smile and waved to the crowd.

“I didn’t risk anything with the line. I was a little bit conservative in some sections, but overall I skied really well. Now I just need my top section to be a little faster and I’ll be in really good shape,” said Vonn, who is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Vonn finished less than a second off the podium, which also included Olympic champion Lara Gut-Behrami in second place, 0.18 behind Huetter, and Sofia Goggia in third, 0.33 back.

“I’m really close to being there," Vonn said. "I’m just not quite there yet.”

Vonn started No. 31 under a new wild card rule for former champions. But that still meant going after all of the current top-ranked skiers had raced.

“The course was a little bit bumpy when I went and so some sections I was a little bit more conservative with my line," she said. “But in some sections I was really fast.”

Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries, but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted into her right knee. Her knee feels better than it has in years, so she decided to come back.

“The last few years of my career were so much different than they are right now," Vonn said. "I’m skiing without thinking about my knee, which I really haven’t done since I first tore my ACL in 2013. So it’s been a long time that I felt this good and I’m a little bit older, but honestly, I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I once was.”

Eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher also took advantage of the wild card rule and returned this season after five years away. But then Hirscher tore his left ACL while training in giant slalom and announced earlier this month that his comeback season was done.

Vonn left the tour with 82 World Cup wins — the record for a woman at the time and within reach of the then all-time Alpine mark of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s record held by Vonn was eclipsed last year by Shiffrin, who now has an outright record 99 wins.

Shiffrin, who shares the record of five wins in St. Moritz with Vonn, isn’t racing this weekend as she recovers from abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she sustained in a crash last month.

Vonn is attempting to enter unchartered territory in terms of success at an advanced age in women’s skiing.

The oldest woman to win a World Cup race was Federica Brignone, the Italian who won the giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, in October to start this season, at age 34.

“It’s super impressive,” said Vonn’s U.S. teammate Jacqueline Wiles, noting that Vonn didn’t have as much preseason preparation as other skiers. “If anybody could do it, she could. The more she gets comfortable and gets kind of back up to speed, she’s going to be right in there.”

So will Vonn charge harder on Sunday?

“Step by step,” Vonn said. “Patience.”

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Sofia Goggia of Italy, left, and Lindsey Vonn of United States of America, talk with journalists after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, takes a selfie in the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smiles after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn competes in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.(Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smiles after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

Italy's Sofia Goggia, left, hugs United States' Lindsey Vonn after Vonn competed in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn competes in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, is congratulated by Red Bull Head of Athletes Special Projects Patrick Riml after she competed in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smiles after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn does a course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)