A Wild Welcome Back to Football

The 2025 NFL season kicked off with a bang, delivering a weekend full of stunning upsets, dramatic comebacks, and standout performances that reminded everyone why professional football is the ultimate show. From a thrilling Super Bowl rematch to the arrival of new faces making their mark, Week 1 provided a perfect mix of what's to come. Here's a look back at the highlights and key takeaways from each game.

Philadelphia Eagles 24, Dallas Cowboys 20

The NFL season opener was a hard-fought battle that saw the Eagles hold off a resilient Cowboys team. Despite a sloppy game with plenty of penalties, Philadelphia's star power ultimately prevailed. New Eagles running back Saquon Barkley made his presence felt early, scoring a 10-yard touchdown to give the team its first lead of the season. The Cowboys were able to hang around thanks to big plays and Eagles' mistakes, but they couldn't overcome a crucial red zone fumble by running back Miles Sanders. A thunderstorm delay in the third quarter seemed to kill the momentum for both teams, but the Eagles were able to do just enough to secure the win.

Los Angeles Chargers 27, Kansas City Chiefs 21

The Chiefs' season started on a sour note in Brazil, with a disappointing loss to the Chargers. Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert was flawless, while the Chiefs' offense struggled without a key player, wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who was injured early in the game. The Chiefs' defense also struggled, allowing the Chargers to score on almost every possession. Despite a valiant second-half effort from Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs couldn't complete the comeback, falling to their division rivals.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23, Atlanta Falcons 20

The NFC South race started off with a bang as the Buccaneers edged out the Falcons in a nail-biter. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three touchdowns, including a late-game winner to rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. The Falcons, led by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., put up a good fight, but a late fumble and a stout Buccaneers defense in the fourth quarter sealed their fate.

Cincinnati Bengals 17, Cleveland Browns 16

The Bengals and Browns played a classic AFC North dogfight, with Cincinnati coming out on top in a defensive slugfest. Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense struggled to get going for most of the game, but a late fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase secured the victory. The Browns' offense, led by quarterback Joe Flacco, was unable to overcome a key fourth-quarter interception, and a missed field goal in the final minutes proved to be the difference.

Indianapolis Colts 33, Miami Dolphins 8

In one of the most surprising outcomes of the weekend, the Colts completely dominated the Dolphins. The Colts' offense, led by quarterback Daniel Jones, scored on seven of its possessions. Jones had a fantastic debut, throwing for 272 yards and a touchdown, while also adding two scores on the ground. The Dolphins' offense, on the other hand, was anemic, struggling to get anything going against a stout Colts defense. It was the first time the Colts have won their season opener since 2013, a truly remarkable start.

Las Vegas Raiders 20, New England Patriots 13

The Patriots, in their first game without Bill Belichick, started the season with a loss to the Raiders. Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith had a fantastic game, throwing for 362 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers was a standout, with 103 yards receiving and a touchdown before leaving the game with a knee injury. The Patriots' offense struggled to move the ball, and their new quarterback was unable to provide the spark they needed.

Arizona Cardinals 20, New Orleans Saints 13

The Saints' home opener under new coach Kellen Moore was a frustrating affair marked by a staggering 13 accepted penalties. The Cardinals capitalized on the Saints' self-inflicted wounds, with a 52-yard run from running back Trey Benson and a 45-yard reception by Marvin Harrison Jr. setting up scores. For the Saints, running back Alvin Kamara's 18-yard scamper marked the 1,000th touchdown scored in the Caesars Superdome. Despite a solid performance from quarterback Spencer Rattler, the penalties and big plays allowed were too much to overcome.

Pittsburgh Steelers 34, New York Jets 32

In a matchup that many had circled on the calendar, Aaron Rodgers made a triumphant return to the field, but it was with the Steelers against his former team. Rodgers threw for four touchdowns, including two in a lightning-fast 50-second stretch after halftime, to lead the Steelers to a last-minute victory. The high-scoring affair was a surprise to many, with the game easily going over its low-total of 38 points.

Washington Commanders 21, New York Giants 6

The Commanders opened their season with a commanding win over the Giants. The Washington defense was a force, holding the Giants to no touchdowns and shutting down their red zone opportunities. Washington's offense was led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, who threw for 233 yards and a touchdown. New Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel also scored a touchdown in his debut, taking a reverse handoff for a 19-yard score.

Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Carolina Panthers 10

The Jaguars defense completely shut down the Panthers' offense, holding them to just 10 points. Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a solid game, but it was the ground attack that stole the show. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. gashed the Panthers' defense for 143 yards on the ground, helping the Jaguars control the clock and cruise to a comfortable victory.

Denver Broncos 20, Tennessee Titans 12

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a solid debut for the Broncos, leading them to a win over the Titans. Nix threw for 176 yards and a touchdown and showed great poise in the pocket. The Titans' offense, led by quarterback Cam Ward, struggled to find the endzone, settling for four field goals on the day. Denver's defense, a key strength last year, continued its dominance by holding Tennessee to no touchdowns.

San Francisco 49ers 17, Seattle Seahawks 13

The 49ers and Seahawks battled it out in a classic NFC West showdown. San Francisco's defense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, sealed the win with a crucial strip-sack of Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold in the final minutes of the game. On offense, the 49ers were led by Brock Purdy, who threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, including a crucial go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay Packers 27, Detroit Lions 13

The Packers started the season strong, handing the Lions a decisive defeat. The Lions' offense, which was one of the most explosive in the league last year, looked lost without former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears. The Lions failed to score a touchdown until the final minute of the game and mustered just 246 total yards. On the other side of the ball, the Packers' new star defender, Micah Parsons, had his first sack in a Green Bay uniform. Running back Josh Jacobs also set a new franchise record, scoring a touchdown for the ninth consecutive game.

Los Angeles Rams 14, Houston Texans 9

In a low-scoring defensive struggle, the Rams came out on top against the Texans. The Rams' defense was a brick wall, holding C.J. Stroud and the Texans' offense to just three field goals and a touchdown. The game was ultimately decided by a clutch fumble recovery by new Rams linebacker Nate Landman in the final seconds, sealing the victory.

Buffalo Bills 41, Baltimore Ravens 40

In what was arguably the game of the week, the Bills staged a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback to stun the Ravens. Trailing 40-25 with just five minutes remaining, Josh Allen led the Bills on a furious rally, capped by a walk-off field goal by Matt Prater. Despite an early dominant performance by Lamar Jackson and new Ravens running back Derrick Henry, a late fumble by Henry opened the door for Allen to orchestrate the game-winning drives. Josh Allen's rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter marked his 66th career rushing touchdown, setting a new Bills franchise record.

Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings

The final game of Week 1 was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that saw the Vikings stage an exciting fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Bears. Chicago, led by second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, seemed to have the game in hand for the first three quarters, with Williams throwing a touchdown and scrambling for another. However, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, after a slow start, rallied the Vikings with two touchdown passes and a game-winning 14-yard rushing touchdown of his own in the final minutes. Despite a late touchdown by Chicago, the Vikings held on for the dramatic win.