Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
The Cincinnati Bengals were able to stave off a Cleveland Browns comeback for a 17-16 win. Cleveland kicker Andre Szymt missed a 36-yard field goal that would’ve given the Browns the lead with less than 2:30 left in the game.
Cincy’s defense looked much better today than it did last year. The Bengals forced two turnovers, recorded two sacks, and held Cleveland to 49 rushing yards.
Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow didn’t get on the board until late in the second quarter, when he found tight end Noah Fant for a one-yard TD pass. Burrow had 113 passing yards and a touchdown in the victory.
Joe Flacco also had a good day, going 6/6 for 40 yards on Cleveland’s first offensive possession. He finished the game with 290 passing yards, two INTs, and a touchdown, which put Cleveland ahead in the third quarter. However, he threw an untimely interception late in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Bengals to take home the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers downed the Atlanta Falcons 23-20 after Atlanta missed a game-tying field goal with six seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Falcons quarterback Micahel Penix Jr. was outstanding. He had 298 passing yards, a passing touchdown, 21 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown that gave Atlanta a 20-17 lead with 2:17 to go in the fourth quarter.
Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was the hero of the game, though. He had four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which gave Tampa Bay a 23-20 lead with 59 seconds left in the game, and ultimately, the win.
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson looked as good as he did last year when he was elected to the Pro Bowl. He finished the game with 124 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown.
Tampa quarterback Baker Mayfield was able to overcome a bad start and ended the day with 167 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and a team-high 39 rushing yards.
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts blew the doors off the Miami Dolphins by a score of 33-8 for Indy’s first Week One win since 2013.
Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones looked great in his first regular-season start with Indianapolis. He went 22 for 29 passing with 272 yards, 26 rushing yards, a passing touchdown, and two rushing TDs. His first rushing touchdown put the Colts ahead 17-0 in the second quarter.
Seven different players caught a pass in this game for the Colts. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren and wide receiver Michael Pittman combined for 13 catches, 156 yards, and a touchdown.
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was awful. He was sacked three times, lost a fumble, and was picked off twice on a day when he was held to 114 passing yards and just one touchdown.
Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots
The Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the Pete Carroll era with a win over the New England Patriots 20-13.
Quarterback Geno Smith looked sharp in his Las Vegas debut. He opened the game by going three for four passing with 58 yards and a touchdown to go up 7-0 in the first quarter. He finished with 362 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
New England second-year quarterback Drake Maye connected with wide receiver Demario Douglas for a three-yard touchdown to tie the game up before the Pats hit a field goal, giving them a 10-7 halftime lead. Maye was 30/46 passing with 287 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the game.
Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty had a solid afternoon, where he accumulated 40 scrimmage yards. He also scored his first career touchdown on a three-yard run to help Vegas reclaim the lead 14-10.
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
The Arizona Cardinals defeated the New Orleans Saints on the road 20-13 for the team’s first Week One win in four years. The Cards forced an incompletion in their own end zone on the final play of the game to earn the victory.
Following a Cardinals field goal to start things off, the Saints put together a ten-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped off with an 18-yard touchdown run by running back Alvin Kamara. That was his first ground TD since October 13th, 2024.
The Cards wouldn’t be down long, though. Quarterback Kyler Murray tossed two touchdowns in the second quarter to give Arizona a 17-10 lead at halftime. He finished the game with 163 passing yards, 38 rushing yards, and two passing TDs.
The Cards looked excellent coming out of halftime. After forcing a punt, they recorded a field goal to go up 20-10, thanks in part to a 52-yard run by second-year tailback Trey Benson, the longest play of the 23-year-old’s NFL career.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Jets 34-32 thanks to a game-winning 60-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell, a new career-long for the 2024 All-Pro.
Aaron Rodgers was remarkable in his first game with the Steelers. He completed 24 of 30 passes for 244 yards and four passing touchdowns. In his last two regular-season games, Rodgers has eight passing touchdowns.
The New York Jets’ rushing attack looked much better than it did last year. During the 2024-25 season, the Jets averaged 91.8 rushing yards per game. As a team, they had 106 ground yards by the end of the second quarter and 182 rushing yards on the afternoon.
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson had seven catches for 95 yards and caught a beautiful 33-yard touchdown pass. On the other side, new Steelers wideout DK Metcalf caught four passes for 84 yards.
Justin Fields looked good in his Jets debut. He had 218 passing yards, 48 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns. Unfortunately for Gang Green, his fourth-down pass attempt late in the fourth quarter was dropped after the intended receiver took a huge hit, securing the win for Pittsburgh.
New York Giants @ Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders smothered the New York Giants for a 21-6 win. With that victory, the Commanders improved to 8-1 in their last nine games, with their only loss during that stretch coming in the 2025 NFC Championship Game.
The difference was the offenses. The Commanders outgained the Giants in terms of yardage, 432 to 231. Washington also averaged 6.6 yards per play, compared to New York, which only averaged 3.7 yards per play.
Washington got on the board first with an eight-play, 89-yard drive that ended in a seven-yard touchdown pass by second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. He recorded 233 passing yards, 68 rushing yards, and a touchdown today.
Washington rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was great in his regular-season debut. The seventh-round draft pick ran for 82 yards, including a six-yard touchdown to extend the Commanders’ lead to 14-3 in the second quarter.
Deebo Samuel Sr. also played a huge role in the win. He had 19 rushing yards and a rushing TD as well as seven catches for 77 yards.
Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars dominated the Carolina Panthers 26-10 in a game that was delayed more than an hour due to inclement weather.
Carolina quarterback Bryce Young struggled mightily in this one. He turned the ball over three times and took a sack while being held to just 154 passing yards.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was better than Young. Though he threw an interception, he also completed 19 of 31 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown.
Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne Jr. was great in the win. He had 156 scrimmage yards on 16 carries and three catches, meaning he averaged 8.2 yards per touch.
*Author’s note: all information and statistics are tracked in real time and are provided by the game’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*
