NFL Week 1: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game

The opening week of the 2025 NFL season is underway, and we’re already off to a wild start.

In the season opener on Thursday, the Eagles held off the Cowboys despite a lightning delay and the ejection of defensive tackle Jalen Carter before the first play from scrimmage. The action continued Friday night, when the Chargers stunned the Chiefs with a tight win in São Paulo, Brazil.

In the early window Sunday, new Colts quarterback Daniel Jones scored three total touchdowns in a blowout win over the Dolphins. Meanwhile, his replacement with the Giants, Russell Wilson, struggled in a loss to the Commanders. More quarterbacks who switched teams also dueled it out, with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers barely coming out on top over Justin Fields and the Jets.

Our NFL Nation reporters are reacting to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

Jump to:
CAR-JAX | TB-ATL | CIN-CLE | PIT-NYJ
NYG-WSH | LV-NE | ARI-NO
MIA-IND | KC-LAC | DAL-PHI

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Jaguars

What should we make of the Jaguars’ defensive performance? The Jaguars forced two turnovers, sacked Bryce Young once and stopped two fourth downs. That’s a good sign after the disastrous season with Ryan Nielsen as defensive coordinator, especially since the Jaguars forced only nine turnovers in 2024. There are still questions, especially on third downs (7-for-14) and after a defensive penalty wiped out a pick-six. But it was a good start for first-year coordinator Anthony Campanile and some key free agent additions. Safety Eric Murray and cornerback Jourdan Lewis combined for four pass breakups, two QB hits, an interception and a fumble recovery. Murray’s PBU led to an interception. Big plays like those were scarce in 2024 and are a sign things could be different this year.

Most surprising performance: Travis Etienne Jr. is clearly the Jaguars’ No. 1 back. After an offseason of being the subject of trade rumors, the new regime drafting two backs and sharing first-team reps with Tank Bigsby in the early part of training camp, Etienne still won the job. He led all backs with 16 carries and finished with 143 yards, including a 71-yard run to set up a touchdown. All four backs were active on Sunday and got carries. Bigsby getting only five carries was a little surprising, though he did get a fourth-and-1 conversion. Until Etienne struggles, he should hold on to the top spot. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Panthers

Was Young’s strong finish last season just a tease? The progress Young showed at the end of 2024 was erased by another horrible opening-day performance. He entered Sunday with one touchdown pass and four interceptions in his two career openers. He added two more interceptions and a lost fumble against the Jags, and was saved from a pick-six by a defensive holding penalty. He had a late touchdown pass, but was ineffective overall (15-of-31 for 144 yards, 1 TD). He appeared frustrated during the third quarter when he slammed his helmet on the sideline.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping the run. GM Dan Morgan put a huge offseason effort into fixing the worst run defense in the league from 2024. Results were not evident. Etienne’s 71-yard run in the second quarter was part of a four-play touchdown drive that went 91 yards — all on the ground. The Jags finished with 200 yards rushing. — David Newton

Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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Chuba Hubbard keeps his feet for a 27-yard TD

Bryce Young finds Chuba Hubbard, who breaks free into the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown.

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Buccaneers

Did the Bucs’ win raise red flags or reflect a resiliency worth celebrating? It wasn’t necessarily pretty, but these guys are closers. There was some rust for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was held out of the preseason and missed some deep balls, they had a completely reconfigured offensive line and they couldn’t get anything going on the ground. Defensively, Todd Bowles got aggressive early, with inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis left one-on-one against Bijan Robinson and it cost them a 50-yard touchdown. But after the defense surrendered a 4-yard touchdown scramble to Michael Penix Jr. with 2:23 left in regulation, Mayfield led a beautiful two-minute drive capped off by a 25-yard touchdown to Emeka Egbuka and Antoine Winfield Jr. was clutch in the end.

Turning point: With 9:03 to go in the first half and the Bucs trailing 7-3, defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and outside linebacker Yaya Diaby stuffed Robinson on fourth-and-1 at the Tampa Bay 47 for a turnover on downs. Then going up-tempo, Baker Mayfield found Emeka Egbuka for a 30-yard touchdown to grab a 10-7 lead. — Jenna Laine

Next game: at Texans (Monday, 7 p.m. ET)

Falcons

What will it take to unlock the Falcons’ promising offense? Robinson took Penix’s second pass 50 yards for a touchdown. It looked like the Falcons’ goal — to have the best offense in the league — was getting off to a strong start. Instead, Atlanta scuffled thereafter. The Bucs were able to stop Robinson in the run game and not allow Penix’s big arm to beat them deep. The Falcons will need better offensive line play after the loss of right tackle Kaleb McGary (leg) for the season.

What to make of the QB performance: Penix’s deep throws weren’t there for him, but he was able to make key plays with his feet. He scrambled for a first down at the 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter and then scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown with 2:23 left to put the Falcons ahead. Atlanta will need more of that from him in close games this season. — Marc Raimondi

Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Younghoe Koo misses potential game-tying FG for Falcons

Younghoe Koo pushes a potential game-tying attempt wide right as the Falcons fall short against the Buccaneers.

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Bengals

Is the Bengals’ offense doing enough? Cincinnati’s offense looked good on its opening drive, but things shifted drastically after that. Heading into the final 15 minutes, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had thrown for just 103 yards, his fourth-lowest output in his career, according to ESPN Research. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, two of Cincinnati’s biggest offseason deals, were not targeted as frequently as the tight ends or running backs. Coming into the 2025 season, the expectation was for the offense to be one of the best in the NFL. Despite a win and a full preseason and training camp workload, that did not exactly come to fruition.

Most surprising performance: Chase just never got involved in Sunday’s game. He had two catches on five targets for 26 yards. While the Browns are always a tough matchup because of defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward, Cincinnati has taken great pride in finding ways to get Chase the ball. But that didn’t happen. Getting more out of him is the only way to justify the team’s $161 million investment. — Ben Baby

Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Browns

Do the Browns still have a kicker problem? Cleveland parted ways with Dustin Hopkins in part because of his shaky performance last season when he missed nine field goal attempts. But Andre Szmyt, who made his NFL regular-season debut, missed an extra point and a potential go-ahead, 36-yard field goal — two major miscues in a one-point loss. How much patience will the Browns have with their young kicker after what was a winnable game?

Most surprising performance: RB Dylan Sampson. The fourth-round pick was primed for a larger role with second-rounder Quinshon Judkins out for the opener, but Sampson was a focal point of the Browns’ offense. He had 20 total touches and showcased his versatility, catching all eight of his targets. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Steelers

What happened to the offseason emphasis on improving the run defense? The calendar said Sept. 7, but it felt like Jan. 11, as the Steelers’ defense got repeatedly gashed on the ground. On a day when Aaron Rodgers threw for four TDs in his Steelers debut, things felt similar to their 2024 season-ending playoff loss against the Ravens — one that coach Mike Tomlin said heavily influenced the team’s offseason moves. The Steelers couldn’t slow running back Breece Hall and struggled to contain quarterback Justin Fields. The defense was without first-round DL Derrick Harmon (MCL sprain), but the problems went beyond missing a rookie as the Jets racked up 182 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, including Fields’ 1-yard score in the fourth quarter on a run fake to give the Jets the lead with seven minutes remaining.

Most surprising performance: Ben Skowronek. The wide receiver and special teamer, who was nicknamed “Dirtbag” by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for his affinity for doing the dirty work, caught Rodgers’ first touchdown as a Steeler and was a key part of the momentum-swinging fourth-quarter play to recover a fumble forced by Kenneth Gainwell on kickoff coverage. The 2021 seventh-round pick by the Rams became fast friends with Rodgers during the offseason, and their connection immediately translated to the field. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Calvin Austin III hauls in go-ahead touchdown for Steelers

Calvin Austin III hauls in go-ahead touchdown for Steelers

Jets

Are the 2025 Jets reading from the ‘Same Old Jets’ script? The 2024 Jets lost a franchise-record six games after leading in the fourth quarter. Coach Aaron Glenn’s mission is to change the narrative, to prove these aren’t the “Same Old Jets.” This wasn’t the way to start. Tortured by their former quarterback, Rodgers, the Jets blew not one, but two leads in the fourth quarter, suffering a crushing defeat. The script was familiar. There were costly penalties and coverage breakdowns and Rodgers’ four touchdowns. There were some positives, mostly on offense. But if Glenn wants to change the losing culture, his team needs to find a way to win games like this.

What to make of the QB performance: Fields made big plays with his legs, rushing for 48 yards and two touchdowns — but that’s hardly an upset. We’re talking about one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL. No, the surprising part of his performance was his accuracy from the pocket and his overall command. Fields, who had a shaky preseason (to be kind), completed 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. He kept his eyes downfield and fit the ball into a couple of tight windows. If he keeps it up, and if the Jets can run it as effectively as they did on Sunday (182 yards), they will win more games than people expect. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Commanders

Is the defense this good? They’ll get a better feel Thursday at Green Bay. But the Commanders’ beefed-up front helped. The run defense (30th-ranked last season) allowed only 38 yards on 15 carries to the Giants’ running backs, as tackles Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne (among others) stood out. Washington’s line depth factored into harassing quarterback Russell Wilson into 17-of-37 passing. The Commanders defense, 30th in points per game in the fourth quarter last season, didn’t allow any Sunday. Yes, it was against a weak offense, but Washington needed this start.

What to make of the QB performance: Jayden Daniels was not as accurate as usual, throwing behind his target on multiple throws over the middle, which partly explains why he was just 3-of-8 on third down. And yet: Daniels’ 71 yards rushing were pivotal and he still threw for 233 yards. He will be more accurate, which bodes well for this offense. — John Keim

Next game: at Packers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Giants

Are these the same Giants from the past two years? The offense looked awfully similar, despite subbing out Daniel Jones for Wilson. The Giants finished with 231 total yards and six points. Their offensive line struggled badly and they reverted to throwing the ball to star wide receiver Malik Nabers in the second half. Returning 10 of 11 starters and only adding Wilson wasn’t the solution in Week 1. But what has changed is rookie Jaxson Dart waiting in reserve and an improved defense. The unit finished with three sacks and kept them in this game.

Key stat to know: When under pressure, Wilson was 2-of-12 for 26 yards with two sacks and two scrambles. The veteran QB and a leaky offensive line (without LT Andrew Thomas) were a bad combination. Wilson isn’t as mobile as he once was. He looked skittish under pressure in his first game with the Giants, going 0-for-5 with a sack under pressure in the first half alone. Not a winning formula. — Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Raiders

Can the Raiders’ defense maintain a high level of play? After the Raiders struggled to contain New England’s passing game in the first half, they stepped up in the second half. Las Vegas held the Patriots scoreless in the final two quarters. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked twice and pressured seven times. The Raiders will face much stronger offenses later in the season, starting with the Chargers next week. But their ability to make adjustments in the second half is an encouraging sign for a unit that had a few red flags going into the season.

What to make of the QB performance: Geno Smith’s first drive was everything the Raiders could hope for, ending with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Tre Tucker. After the offense stalled, Smith settled back in and helped Las Vegas score 10 unanswered points in the second half. Smith also did a good job spreading the ball around. All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers totaled five catches for 103 yards while wideout Jakobi Meyers had eight catches for 97 yards. — Ryan McFadden

Next game: vs. Chargers (Monday, 10 p.m. ET)

Patriots

What can QB Drake Maye do to elevate the offense? Maye’s preseason struggles with high throws continued into the regular season. The Patriots need to address how best to settle him down early and produce a better success rate on higher-percentage throws. Maye did find more of a rhythm as the first half progressed but then got derailed coming out of halftime and played a poor second half as the Patriots fizzled out. He finished 30-of-46 for 287 yards with one touchdown and one interception — a stat line that was bolstered on a final drive when the Raiders were playing a prevent-style defense — as Raiders QB Geno Smith outdueled him in making the critical throws.

Turning point: The Patriots led 10-7 at halftime and received the kickoff to open the second half, but Maye was intercepted on a downfield pass when right tackle Morgan Moses and right guard Mike Onwenu struggled to handle a stunt and Maye was hurried and hit in the chest as he threw. The Raiders turned the pick into a TD and never trailed again. — Mike Reiss

Best quote from the locker room: “That was the decision that I thought was best for us at the time, and that didn’t work out … would like a better punt,” coach Mike Vrabel said about not going for it on fourth-and-10 from the New England 44. The Patriots were trailing 20-10 with 4:53 remaining, and Bryce Baringer had a 21-yard punt instead.

Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Cardinals

Are the offensive inconsistencies concerning? Not now they aren’t. The Cardinals showed flashes of brilliance (Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 45-yard catch and Trey McBride’s 25-yard snag come to mind), but there were more broken and unproductive plays, momentum-killing sacks and penalties than they’d want. There’s the caveat that this was Week 1 and a lot of kinks will be ironed out before their next game. But the number of negative plays (seven) and plays that didn’t gain any yards (four) are drive stallers. If the offense doesn’t show noticeable growth next week, the inconsistencies could become a concern.

Most surprising performance: Running back Trey Benson had a new career high at one point on Sunday with 69 yards, but then lost yardage before he gained it back again. The backup running back shined in the season opener, thanks to a 52-yard run in the third quarter that almost tripled his previous career-long of 20 yards. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Saints

How quickly can the Saints fix their self-inflicted wounds? Penalties, clock management issues and even a rare missed kick from Blake Grupe were some of the most concerning issues that came out of this loss game. New Orleans made puzzling usage of its timeouts, letting the Cardinals bleed the clock at the end of the first half and then not using one on its last offensive drive of the game. The penalties were another concern, as the Saints finished with 13, an issue they’ll have to reverse by next week.

Most surprising performance: Defensive end Cameron Jordan. It took Jordan 10 games to get his first sack last season in what he has admitted was a very difficult year for him professionally. But Jordan, 36, was off to a good start for Year 15, finishing the game with 1.5 sacks, three pressures and a batted pass. He reworked his contract in the offseason for a incentive-based deal based on sacks, needing five to make $300,000. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Colts

What does Sunday’s performance say about Daniel Jones’ potential? This game went exactly according to plan for Jones and the Colts. All along, coach Shane Steichen had predicted Jones would be a quick decision-maker and not force bad throws. He showed that by delivering on-time, quick throws but also utilizing timely aggressive downfield targets to Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Warren and Alec Pierce. Jones finished 22-of-29 for 272 yards and a touchdown pass. He also added two rushing scores on goal-line sneaks, becoming the first Colts quarterback with two rushing touchdowns in a season opener.

Trend to watch: The Colts used a variety of blitzes Sunday, something the team rarely employed under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. But under new coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Colts got aggressive. DBs Kenny Moore II and Nick Cross recorded sacks and defensive end Laiatu Latu had an interception while dropping into coverage on a creative blitz call. Indianapolis ranked 29th in blitz rate in 2024 at 18.7%. — Stephen Holder

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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Daniel Jones dives in for second rushing TD

Daniel Jones powers in a rushing TD for the Colts.

Dolphins

Where was the connection between Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill? Tagovailoa appeared out of sync with his top target, which makes sense considering he hasn’t taken live game snaps with Hill since December. The Dolphins’ leading receiver finished with four catches for 40 yards on six targets, but 21 of those came on a single completion. Neither player seemed concerned about their cohesiveness during the week, but this performance raised eyebrows. They have a date next week with the Patriots and coach Mike Vrabel, whose Titans teams gave Miami trouble in 2021 and 2023.

Most surprising performance: The Dolphins’ front seven is supposed to be the strength of their defense, but it failed to make an impression Sunday. Indianapolis scored on its first seven possessions, gashing the Dolphins’ defense with 156 rushing yards. Jones was also surgical whenever Miami was able to pressure him, completing 5 of 6 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown — with a whopping plus-16% completion percentage over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Chargers

What’s going on with right guard Mekhi Becton? Becton looked exhausted throughout Friday night’s game and spent time on the sideline receiving oxygen during offensive series. He missed three weeks of training camp practice with an undisclosed injury and came into Friday night’s game questionable with an undisclosed illness. The positive sign for the Chargers is that Becton finished the game on the field, but the number of snaps he missed was concerning.

Most surprising performance: Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston finished with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, buoying the Chargers’ victory. He has been one of the Chargers’ most maligned players in his first three years, struggling to find consistency since his rookie season. Friday was a sign that he could reach the potential that made him a first-round pick in 2023. — Kris Rhim

Next game: at Raiders (Monday, 10 p.m. ET)

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Herbert’s big 1st-down run seals Chargers’ win

Justin Herbert converts a crucial 3rd-and-long and seals the Chargers’ big win over the Chiefs.

Chiefs

Will Xavier Worthy’s injury put the Chiefs’ offense back in the same predicament as last season? After his first pass of the season, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was without three of his key receivers — Rashee Rice (suspended the first six weeks), rookie Jalen Royals (knee tendonitis) and Worthy (right shoulder). If Worthy and Royals are unavailable next week, Mahomes will likely have to be a superhero again, relying primarily on tight end Travis Kelce and his improvisational skills. The one receiver who can still make a difference is Hollywood Brown, who finished this week’s game with 99 receiving yards.

Stat to know: Entering the season opener, the Chiefs had won a league-record 17 straight one-score games, including the playoffs. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was excellent in the second half, allowing his team to keep its lead despite Mahomes’ impressive rallying efforts. In the second half, Herbert completed 13 of his 16 pass attempts for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs blitzed him often, sacking him twice, but he sealed the victory when he scrambled to his right for a 19-yard gain on a third-and-14 just before the two-minute warning. — Nate Taylor

Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 4:20 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

Eagles

Can the secondary get things buttoned up for their Week 2 matchup against the Chiefs? The cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell was a question mark all summer and remains so after Adoree’ Jackson was flagged for a pass interference, yielded five catches for 103 yards and missed two tackles, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The outcome could have been worse if not for some critical drops by Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will have to decide whether to make the move to Jakorian Bennett, who was acquired from the Raiders in August, or stick with Jackson for the Super Bowl rematch against Patrick Mahomes.

What to make of the QB performance: Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts picked up where he left off, taking advantage of large rushing lanes to score a pair of rushing touchdowns and propel the Eagles’ offense. He now has 16 games with multiple rushing touchdowns, extending his NFL record for a QB (second is Josh Allen with 12). — Tim McManus

Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:20 p.m. ET)

Cowboys

Is there a reason to be encouraged even in a loss? Probably so, but let’s remember that an ugly win is better than a morale-serving loss. The offense has a chance to be explosive, and the young line performed much better than expected. The defense struggled at the start (123 rushing yards in the first half) but only allowed three points in the second half. Playing the defending Super Bowl champ on their celebratory night is never easy, yet the Cowboys hung with the Eagles. They opened some eyes with what they did, but they still need a win in Week 2 in a bad way.

Turning point: In games against teams like the Eagles, margins for error are slim, which is why Lamb’s drops were critical. But Miles Sanders’ fumble at the Eagles’ 9-yard line in the third quarter flipped the momentum. Sanders got the Cowboys in position to retake the lead in the third quarter with a 49-yard gain, his longest since 2020, but then he lost the ball on his next carry. On the next three possessions, the Cowboys did not make it to Eagles’ territory. — Todd Archer

Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)