The wait is finally over. Honestly, the first week of the 2025 season felt like someone took the NFL script, threw it in a blender, and hit the "chaos" button. If you looked at the NFL week one scores and thought your betting app was glitching, you aren’t alone. We saw Super Bowl contenders look like they’d never played a down of football together and rookie quarterbacks playing like ten-year vets.
It was a bloodbath for the "locks."
Basically, everything we thought we knew about the power rankings was wrong. Take the Detroit Lions, for example. People had them pegged as the NFC juggernaut after a 15-2 run last year. Then they went into Lambeau Field and got absolutely dismantled by a Green Bay Packers squad that looked ten times faster. It wasn't even close. The Packers walked away with a 27-13 win that had Dan Campbell looking like he wanted to bite someone's kneecaps off in frustration.
The Josh Allen Show and a Ravens Meltdown
The Sunday night game was the real head-turner. If you fell asleep early, you missed the Buffalo Bills staging a comeback that shouldn’t have been possible. Buffalo trailed 40-32 late in the game, and the Baltimore Ravens had a road win virtually gift-wrapped.
Then Derrick Henry fumbled.
It was a classic Baltimore self-destruction. Ed Oliver punched the ball out, Terrel Bernard jumped on it, and the momentum shifted so fast it gave the fans whiplash. Josh Allen, who finished with a staggering 394 yards and four touchdowns, took over. He punched in a one-yard score himself and then set up Matt Prater for a walk-off field goal to seal a 41-40 Buffalo victory.
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Baltimore has this weird habit of losing games they have no business losing. It’s a pattern now. John Harbaugh’s group has these late-game lapses that feel less like bad luck and more like a curse.
Rookie QB Fever: McCarthy and Daniels Make Statements
If you’re a Vikings fan, you probably spent the first half of Monday night hiding behind your couch. J.J. McCarthy’s debut started about as poorly as a debut can. He had a measly 48 passing yards in the first half and threw a pick-six that put Minnesota in a 17-6 hole against Caleb Williams and the Bears.
But then the kid grew up.
McCarthy stayed poised, tossed three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and dragged the Vikings to a 27-24 win. It’s that mental toughness that people were whispering about during the draft. He didn't blink. Meanwhile, in Washington, Jayden Daniels was busy proving he belongs. The Commanders took down the Giants 21-6, with Daniels putting up 233 yards through the air and showing off some serious chemistry with Deebo Samuel in his Washington debut.
- Washington Commanders: 21, New York Giants: 6
- Minnesota Vikings: 27, Chicago Bears: 24
- Indianapolis Colts: 33, Miami Dolphins: 8 (Daniel Jones with a statement win here)
The Brazil Showcase and Friday Night Chaos
The NFL's trip to Brazil gave us a Friday night thriller between the Chargers and the Chiefs. Everyone expects Patrick Mahomes to just "be" Mahomes, but Jim Harbaugh’s new-look Chargers had other plans. Justin Herbert was surgical, throwing for 318 yards.
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The Chargers won 27-21, proving that the AFC West might actually be a two-horse race this year.
It's sorta wild how much the coaching changes impacted these early scores. Aaron Rodgers, now in Pittsburgh, looked like his old self (mostly) in a 34-32 win over his former team, the Jets. He threw four touchdowns and reminded everyone that while he’s 41 and moves like he's stuck in mud sometimes, the arm is still elite.
A Quick Look at the Sunday Scoreboard
The early window was a mess of tight finishes. The Bengals managed to avoid their usual slow start by edging out the Browns 17-16. Cleveland had so many drops—Joe Flacco was literally putting the ball in his receivers' hands only to see it bounce off their chests.
The Buccaneers continued their weird Week 1 winning streak, beating the Falcons 23-20. Baker Mayfield only had a handful of yards, but he threw three touchdowns. Efficiency is the name of the game, I guess.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 34, New York Jets: 32
- Cincinnati Bengals: 17, Cleveland Browns: 16
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 23, Atlanta Falcons: 20
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 26, Carolina Panthers: 10
- Denver Broncos: 20, Tennessee Titans: 12
Why These Scores Matter for the Rest of the Season
Don't overreact. Or do. It’s Week 1, that’s what we do.
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The biggest takeaway from these NFL week one scores is the vulnerability of the "elite" defenses. Baltimore gave up 41. Detroit’s secondary looked lost. The Chiefs couldn’t stop a slant route to save their lives.
We also learned that the league is younger than ever. Guys like J.J. McCarthy and Jayden Daniels aren't just "game managers." They are being asked to carry the load from Day 1. The gap between the veteran stars and the newcomers is closing.
Actionable Insights for Week 2
If you’re looking at your fantasy lineup or thinking about next week’s slate, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Injury Reports: The 49ers won 17-13 against Seattle, but they lost George Kittle to a hamstring injury and Jauan Jennings to a shoulder issue. Their depth is already being tested.
- Don't Give Up on the Lions: They lost their coordinators and had 21 players on the IR list or recovering. They’ll bounce back once the chemistry clicks.
- Ride the Bills' Momentum: Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level already. Until a defense shows they can contain his scrambling and his deep ball, Buffalo is the team to beat in the AFC.
The road to the Super Bowl is long, but if Week 1 taught us anything, it's that nobody's spot is safe. You've got to show up every Sunday, or you're going to end up on the wrong side of a highlight reel.
Check the waiver wire for Minnesota's skill players and keep an eye on those Washington defensive stats—Dan Quinn has that unit playing at a different speed.