There’s no better feeling in life than the start of a new NFL season, is there? Well, maybe there is, but the start of football signals new hope and a changing season. For NFL fans, the beginning of a new season sparks optimism and a renewed interest in their favorite teams. No matter how good or bad your favorite team is expected to be, the first few weeks of a new season are the most fun. In my opinion, the league didn’t let its fans down in Week 1, with plenty of close games, exciting plays, and even
surprising results. It’s best to never overreact to the opening week of the season, but it’s part of a 17-game formula that crafts our Power Rankings, so let’s dive in!
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)
Was it perfect for the Eagles on Thursday night against the Cowboys? No. This team also lost several key players on both sides of the ball in free agency. The talent is there, and so is the coaching. Sometimes it takes teams some time to get going at the start of the season. The Chiefs have been a prime example of that lately, consistently making it to the Super Bowl. The biggest question moving forward will be getting the defense back on track, which they did in the second half.
Next up: At Chiefs
2. Buffalo Bills (1-0)
Has there been a better Sunday Night Football opener than what we saw in Week 1? The Bills were down 15 points with under a half a quarter to go, and somehow came out on top against an elite Ravens team. Quarterback Josh Allen was outstanding when it mattered, and he received help from some unlikely friends, including fifth-round tight end Jackson Hawes. Sunday’s 15-point comeback was further validation that this could be the year the Bills finally get over the hump in the playoffs.
Next up: Vs the Jets
3. Green Bay Packers (1-0)
The Packers were a blocked field goal away from going 0-6 in the NFC North a year ago. Add in Micah Parsons, a struggling Lions team, and their first home season opener since 2018, and you get a dominating divisional win that made a statement to the entire league. The Packers offense is rarely a question, but if this defense can reach a Top 3-5 status, they might finish the year as the NFC favorite. Avoiding the Week 1 overreactions is key, but it’s hard to find a more impressive 60-minute performance from the season-opening.
Next up: At Commanders
4. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)
Speaking of statement wins, Jim Harbaugh continues to impress with a quick turnaround in Los Angeles. Quarterback Justin Herbert was slinging the ball around without a care in the world, and that defense is still excellent. With all of the talk about Denver challenging for the AFC West crown, did we overlook the Chargers? We’ll see soon, but Friday was a great start in the right direction.
Next up: Vs. Raiders
5. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
I’m still not anywhere close to being in the camp that believes the Chiefs’ downfall is coming anytime soon. They are still an outstanding team with some apparent flaws, but every team in the NFL will have flaws. The last time they played in Week 1, they won the Super Bowl. The bigger concern on Friday night was their inability to get after the quarterback. Well, that and the health of Xavier Worthy. Either way, they should be fine, but they’ll be thin at receiver for the next month.
Next up: Vs Eagles
6. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)
Week 1’s Sunday night shootout might have been exciting for most NFL fans, but it’s hard to imagine that the Ravens come out of that game sharing the same excitement. They blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in a game that they thoroughly controlled throughout. The Ravens are no strangers to slow starts, but luckily for them, they’ll host the Browns in Week 2. There’s no reason to think that the Ravens won’t be primed for another deep playoff run in January, though.
Next up: Vs Browns
7. Washington Commanders (1-0)
Washington came into Week 1 with the league’s oldest roster, and it really wasn’t even that close. The good news for them is that their quarterback and other key players are still young. That, and they’ve got plenty of cap flexibility moving forward. Although it didn’t result in a blowout on Sunday, there was never a doubt who was in control of that game. We’ll see how this group holds up as the season progresses, but so far, so good. A big test awaits in a short week against Green Bay.
Next up: Vs Packers
8. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)
It wasn’t the prettiest of performances for the Rams, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise after quarterback Matthew Stafford missed almost all of training camp with a back issue. In the end, their defense performed well, and Stafford delivered when he needed to. The Rams could be gearing up for a tight divisional race, but assuming they hit their stride, they appear to be in perfect shape moving forward. They’ll have yet another favorable matchup in Week 2, even if it’s on the road.
Next up: At Titans
9. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
It was an ugly first three quarters for the Vikings, but they figured it out in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points on their way to a 27-24 victory at Soldier Field. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy made his first-ever NFL start and delivered when it mattered the most in the fourth quarter. There’s no question this is one of the league’s most talented teams, but much of their pending success will rely on McCarthy’s development.
Next up: Vs Falcons
10. Denver Broncos (1-0)
Is the defense elite? Absolutely. Do they have one of the more talented rosters in the league? Yes. Despite that, winning by eight points against a rookie quarterback who couldn’t get the ball out of his hands isn’t ideal, especially when their own second-year quarterback had such a poor performance.
Simply put, Bo Nix is going to need to be much better if they are going to come close to being considered a contender in the AFC. The defense is there, as is the rest of the infrastructure. The rest is up to Nix.
Next up: At Colts
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)
It wasn’t pretty, but in the end, they got the win off a missed field goal. The offense started slow, but the defense held its own for the majority of the game. In the end, the Bucs profited from a young offense that is still finding its way, and in Week 1, that’s completely fine. As the offense gets healthier, fans can expect this team to round into form. Week 2 should be a fun test.
Next up: At Texans
12. Detroit Lions (0-1)
Disastrous is the one way to describe the Lions’ season opener on the road against the Packers. They looked out of sorts from the start and never figured it out. Only time will tell how much the impact of losing both coordinators (and numerous assistant coaches) will have, but for now, Lions fans must sit through a rough week. On the plus side, they’ll host the Bears in Week 2. The loser of that game will move to 0-2 within the division and conference, creating a big hole to open the season.
Next up: Vs Bears
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
Is Aaron Rodgers back? It certainly seemed like his vintage self en route to a four-touchdown performance on Sunday afternoon against a rebuilding Jets team. Even with all of the optimism surrounding the offense, the defense did not look good against an offense that wasn’t expected to do much, especially so early in the season. The Steelers have the talent, but most of their stars are aging. This might be their last legitimate shot at a run, so getting to 1-0 was a good start in the right direction.
Next up: Vs Seahawks
14. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Looking back at the box score, it’s hard to believe the Bengals were out-gained by so many yards, yet still won the game. It’s no secret that Cincinnati struggles out of the gate, so a win is a win, especially with history showing that they tend to heat up as the season moves on. Joe Burrow will need to be better, and it’s fair to expect him to be. The offense isn’t the big question, but it was a positive (overall) day for the defense. They have a real chance to get to 2-0, which would be a massive boost for their early-season playoff hopes.
Next up: Vs Jaguars
15. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
It wasn’t pretty, but in the end, the 49ers pulled off a big win to open up the season. 49ers fans breathed a sigh of relief when Christian McCaffrey played, and another one when tight end George Kittle was deemed healthy after leaving the game with an injury. San Francisco is one of the more interesting teams in the league, with the talent to win the division, but the injury history to finish out of the race yet again. Good luck trying to figure out where they’ll land.
Next up: At Saints
16. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
Heading into the season, the Cardinals were at the top of my list of teams that could see a big jump in 2025. While I’m still fully confident in that feeling, they didn’t exactly light the world on fire in Week 1. Quarterback Kyler Murray threw for less than 200 yards and took too many sacks. This team should continue to round into form and will have a favorable Week 2 matchup at home.
Next up: Vs Panthers
17. Houston Texans (0-1)
The offensive woes in Houston continued to persist at the start of 2025, mainly due to an offensive line that is still simply not good enough. Quarterback C.J. Stroud didn’t have a strong game and was once again sacked too much. The defense is more than good enough to keep them in games, but the offense needs to start taking steps forward soon. Luckily, they are in a division without another clear contender.
Next up: Vs Buccaneers
18. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)
Despite leading for the majority of the game, two unfortunate events occurred, and the Seahawks found themselves at 0-1 heading into a pivotal Week 2 matchup on the road against the Steelers. The defense played well enough to win, and quarterback Sam Darnold had his moment. Between San Francisco’s improbable touchdown catch and Darnold’s fumble at the end, sometimes teams just have to accept it wasn’t meant to be. We’ll see if they can rebound.
Next up: At Steelers
19. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Atlanta might not have won the game, but second-year quarterback Michael Penix looked great. I’m still unsure what the ceiling is for this Falcons team, but it’s considerably higher if Penix proves to be Top 10 at the position. Younghoe Koo’s missed kick to send it to overtime hurts, but fans should feel good about how they looked for the majority of the game.
Next up: At Vikings
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
The Liam Coen era got off to a solid start on Sunday after a dominant 26-10 win at home. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn’t need to do anything special, especially after Travis Etienne rushed for 143 yards on 16 carries. More importantly, the defense showed significant improvements, which will be key to any success they have this season. Week 2 will be a much bigger test on the road against the Bengals.
Next up: At Bengals
21. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)
Who had Daniel Jones as a front-runner for MVP after Week 1? Just kidding, of course, but he was good in his debut with the Colts. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren was involved early and often, and as a whole, they dominated from start to finish against Miami. We’ll see what happens when they start playing better teams, but it’s hard to ask for much more from Jones and a team that is facing profound changes without a winning season.
Next up: Vs Broncos
22. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
All Pete Carroll does is turn football organizations around. Despite being the oldest head coach to lead a new team, things already look far different from what they did over the past few years. Having a reputable quarterback like Geno Smith helps, and the defense also looked the part. The biggest concern I’ll continue to have with this team is the offensive line. Smith was sacked four times, and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty averaged just two yards per carry on 19 attempts.
Next up: Vs Chargers
23. Chicago Bears (0-1)
The start of the Ben Johnson era was promising, as the team’s first offensive drive of the game resulted in a touchdown. Then the offense started struggling, but the defense looked flat-out dominant. In the end, it all fell apart in the fourth quarter, once again leaving more questions than answers. At this point, it seems clear that this is going to be a process for Johnson and his staff to get this team on track.
Next up: At Lions
24. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
In fairness to the Cowboys, they hung around with the Eagles much better than almost anybody expected them to. Quarterback Dak Prescott appeared to be back in form, and there’s plenty of talent on the offensive side of the ball. The biggest question will continue to be on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus made some nice second-half adjustments, but he made a fatal error on third down to effectively end the game. The offense will keep them in games as long as Prescott is healthy, but will it be enough to win games? We’ll see.
Next up: Vs Giants
25. New York Jets (0-1)
Of all the rebuilding teams coming into the season, the Jets were far and away the most competitive. Although that might be a surprise to some, first-year head coach Aaron Glenn was highly regarded coming from Detroit. Most importantly, offensive coordinator (and first-time play caller) Tanner Engstrand had the offense humming from their opening drive. Quarterback Justin Fields also looked much improved. Despite the loss, Jets fans should feel good coming out of Week 1.
Next up: Vs Bills
26. New England Patriots (0-1)
Some viewed the Patriots as a team that could have a quick turnaround, while others, like myself, saw this as a rebuilding team that was still a year or two away. A significant component of their future is second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who was uneven at best on Sunday. New England had chances to win the game, but a severe imbalance of play calling on the offensive side of the ball (50 pass calls to 18 runs) is not going to be a recipe for success moving forward. We’ll see how they look against a lowly Dolphins team.
Next up: At the Dolphins
27. Tennessee Titans (0-1)
Are the Titans a work in progress or yet another product of a team that had no business taking a quarterback at No. 1 overall? Although they hung tight with the Broncos for most of the game, rookie quarterback Cam Ward was running for his life, while being sacked six times for a loss of 50 yards. To make matters worse, he had a 42.8% completion rate and finished the game with a QBR of 7.4. Better times should be ahead, but the Titans haven’t exactly been the model of stability.
Next up: Vs Rams
28. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Was the Panthers’ disjointed 26-10 loss in Jacksonville part of a funky Week 1, or is this a sign of things to come? On paper, I projected Carolina to be improved. That was mainly due to my expectation that quarterback Bryce Young would take another step. Following a disastrous two-interception performance where he was just over 50% throwing the ball, I’m starting to rethink this one already.
Next up: At Cardinals
29. New Orleans Saints (0-1)
Truth be told, the Saints were more competitive in Week 1 than I would have expected. Granted, I’m pretty high on the Cardinals, but the Saints had the ball with a chance to tie the game in the final minutes. Quarterback Spencer Rattler was solid, and the defense kept Murray under 200 yards passing. Bad teams can start strong(ish), so we’ll see what the next few weeks hold.
Next up: Vs 49ers
30. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
There was no worse performance in Week 1 than the Dolphins. Head coach Mike McDaniel went into the year with the highest odds of being the first head coach to be fired, and his team did him no favors on Sunday. Tua looked lost, the defense looked toothless, and as a whole, they showed no life. The battle of the cellar commences in Miami in Week 2.
Next up: vs Patriots
31. New York Giants (0-1)
Is the Russell Wilson era already coming to an end? Head coach Brian Daboll wouldn’t commit to the veteran after posting a 25.6 QBR and averaging just 4.5 yards per passing attempt. Heading into the year, I had the Giants as one of three primary contenders for the top pick in the 2026 draft, and their lackluster 21-6 loss did nothing to dissuade me from that opinion.
Next up: At Cowboys
32. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Good teams find ways to win, while bad teams find ways to lose. The latter part of that statement fit the Browns like a glove on Sunday, after they had every opportunity to walk away with one of Week 1’s biggest upsets. Kicker Andre Szmyt missed a potential game-winning 36-yard field goal, on top of an extra point. Their next offensive drive, Cedric Tillman dropped a catchable pass, which turned into an interception, effectively ending the game. On the plus side, the defense is still legit.
Next up: At Ravens
