Week 1 of the NFL season brought us an action packed slate from beginning to end. Big names like Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, and Puka Nacua put up big numbers for their teams starting the season off with great performances. Here are the biggest winners and losers from every game in week 1 of the NFL season.
Cowboys 20 @ Eagles 24
Loser: Jalen Carter
The biggest loser of the first week happened before the first play of the first NFL game. Jalen Carter a star defender for the Eagles walked over to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott immediately following the kickoff return and spat on him. Carter was promptly ejected from the contest without playing a single snap and is awaiting a decision from the NFL’s disciplinary comittee. While the Eagles went on to win this game against the Cowboys, they needed a late stop on 4th down to get the job done. Carter’s absence was felt by his team in this game and his reputation took a big hit with his impulsive decision to spit on another competitor.
Winner: Dak Prescott
Even though his team lost the game and he put up relatively pedestrian stats with 188 passing yards and no touchdowns, Prescott played well in his first game back since suffering a torn hamstring last November. In fact, if not for a trio of dropped balls by star wide receiver Ceedee Lamb late in this contest the Cowboys had a real shot at winning this game outright against the defending Super Bowl champs. If Prescott can stay healthy and give this offense a downfield threat in the passing game then the Cowboys will surprise some people this year.
Chiefs 21 vs Chargers 27 (in Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Loser: Chiefs Players Injuring Each Other…Again
For the 2nd season running a Kansas City Chiefs star offensive player has taken out another star player for extended time in a freak play. A season ago quarterback Patrick Mahomes did major damage to receiver Rashee Rice’s knee on a tackle attempt following an interception. That injury resulted in Rice missing the entire 2023/24 season from that point on and was the difference in last year’s Chiefs team winning or losing the Super Bowl. This year it was Xavier Worthy, the replacement for Rice while he serves a 6 game suspension, that took the brunt of a hit from a fellow teammate. Tight end Travis Kelce ran a crossing route over the middle and completely took out Worthy on just the 3rd snap of the game. It remains to be seen how costly of an injury this will be for Worthy and the Chiefs, but as of right now the signs do not look good.
Winner: Quentin Johnston’s Hands
In the 2023/24 season Johnston struggled with finishing catches dropping 7 passes on a 9.7% drop rate that made him tied for 5th among all receivers in the NFL. The TCU product finished with 5 receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns, but most importantly 0 drops on the night. Johnston was the leading receiver in the Chargers opener and if he can continue that level of play then the Chargers will have a sneaky good receiver corps. The return of Keenan Allen forming a trio with Ladd McConkey and Johnston will give opposing defenses problems all season.
Raiders 20 @ Patriots 13
Loser: Rhamondre Stevenson
Stevenson is just a couple seasons removed from a 1,000 yard rushing season where he averaged 5 yards per carry and caught almost 70 passes for 421 yards. After averaging less than 4 yards per carry last season, it seems the Patriots are ready to move on from the 5th year running back. TreVeyon Henderson was taken by the Patriots with the 38th pick in the 2025 NFL draft and in the opener he outpaced Stevenson by 27 yards to 15 on 2 less carries. To make matters worse, Stevenson who has primarily shined as a pass-catching running back as of late got 3 less targets than Henderson and recorded 4 less catches. Fantasy owners and Patriots fans alike should be viewing Stevenson moving forward as a backup running back for this Patriots team immediately.
Winner: Seattle Comes to Vegas
Legendary former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and last year’s quarterback Geno Smith got their Raider debuts off to hot strong starts with a win on the road in Foxborough. Smith finished with 362 yards and a touchdown in their 20-13 season opener on Sunday. Last year’s Raiders offered nothing as far as quarterback was concerned and it was refreshing to see a team in black and silver moving the ball offensively with a player other than Brock Bowers. While the upstart Patriots are not the NFL’s most feared defense especially with star cornerback Christian Gonzalez missing, a road win for Carroll and Smith will give their fans more hope than they have had in a while.
Buccaneers 23 @ Falcons 20
Loser: Falcons Kicker Younghoe Koo
Unfortunately for Koo this is the roller coaster life of an NFL kicker and shows just how fickle NFL teams can be. Reports are already out that the Atlanta Falcons are hosting tryouts for a new kicker following Koo’s 44 yard miss in the closing seconds of a 23-20 loss to division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Koo was once the most accurate kicker in the league, but since the start of the 2024 Koo ranks 29 out of 31 in field goal percentage at 73%. The Georgia Southern alumni will have significantly more pressure and scrutiny upon his shoulders moving forward for a team that needs consistency from their kicker.
Winner: Rookie Receiver Emeka Egbuka
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the best passing offenses in the NFL last season and still used their first round pick on Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egabuka. That pick looks to already be paying dividends as Egbuka debuted with a 67 yard 2 touchdown performance for a Buccaneers team that will be spoiled for receivers when Chris Godwin returns from injury. Egbuka became just the 2nd player since 1970 to record a game-winning touchdown reception with under a minute remaining in his first career game. For a team who suffered multiple injuries to their veteran receiving corps last season Egbuka provides much needed depth and already has a major role in this high powered offense.
Bengals 17 @ Browns 16
Loser: Jerome Ford
Browns kicker Andre Szmyt was a major loser in this game, but I decided to focus on veteran Browns running back Jerome Ford. Ford had his best chance to prove that he deserves to get more carries this season with the absence of 2nd round draft pick Quinshon Judkins and did absolutely nothing with it. Judkins finally signed his contract with the Browns this past weekend after it was delayed due to his arrest this summer. However, it was 4th round draft pick Dylan Sampson who stole the spotlight from Ford doubling the veteran’s carry total and leading the Browns in receptions with 8 and 64 yards receiving. Moving forward look for Judkins to get the majority of the carries on the ground for the Browns and Sampson subbing in as a change of pace back as well as for passing plays.
Winner: Cincinnati’s Defense
A season ago the Bengal’s defense was the primary culprit behind Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase missing the playoffs with the duo performing at an All-Pro level. The Bengals have also been notorious for their slow starts to the season losing 10 out of 11 under head coach Zac Taylor in their first 2 games of the season. This year it was a different story as the Bengals defensive unit rescued Burrow and Chase with 2 huge second half interceptions in a low-scoring win. The Browns were held to just 49 yards rushing and new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden got off to a dream start in week 1. A pair of missed kicks, including an extra point, by Browns’ kicker Andre Szmyt in the 2nd half also played a huge part in his team’s loss.
Dolphins 8 @ Colts 33
Loser: Everything Miami Dolphins Related
Things just went from bad to worse for the Miami Dolphins who dealt with injuries to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last season and discontent from receiver Tyreek Hill this past offseason. An absolute beatdown at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts will not help Mike Mcdaniel’s case to remain as the Dolphins’ head coach. The offensive line looked atrocious allowing 3 sacks 1 of which led to a fumble recovery by the Colts. Tua added a pair of interceptions and the Colts nearly doubled the Dolphins’ time of possession cruising to an easy win against a team that is in contention for the #1 pick in the draft 1 week into the season.
Winner: Danny Dimes
The much maligned former New York Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones, was the biggest winner of the week scoring on all 7 of the Colts’ drives a feat that no other NFL quarterback since 1990 has accomplished. Jones ran for 2 scores and threw for another in a 33-8 rout of the Miami Dolphins for the Colts’ first 1-0 start since 2013. Ball security has always been Jones’ kryptonite, but in this contest he took care of the ball and found receiver Michael Pittman Jr. as well as rookie tight end Tyler Warren repeatedly in his debut. Jones looked like a rejuvenated player in week 1 and if he continues to protect the ball the Colts will be in contention for the AFC South title at the end of the season.
Cardinals 20 @ Saints 13
Loser: Saints’ Discipline
The New Orleans Saints were penalized 13 times for 89 yards with many of those penalties committed by the offense. Compare that to the Cardinals who were flagged 9 times for 54 yards and the Saints hurt themselves time and time again in this one. Rookie head coach Kellen Moore said after the game that “We (Saints) got to play at a higher standard” and he will be frustrated watching this game in film this week. This was a winnable game with Murray sick and the home crowd desperate for any type of momentum to begin their season. The Saints will look back on this game as a missed opportunity for a team that may not win many games this year. Unfortunately for Saints fans, Moore and the Saints did not perform up to their standards in week 1 in what was a winnable game.
Winner: Kyler Murray Flu Game
The Cardinals quarterback had reports that he was “feeling ill” the morning of Sunday’s game. Murray decided to play through the illness and performed admirably throwing for 2 touchdowns and rushing for 38 yards in his team’s 20-13 road win. The game actually came down to the wire after Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland’s 46 yard attempt was blocked by Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. Ultimately, the Saints failed to score on their final drive following the blocked kick and Murray was able to lead his team to a win despite feeling less than 100%.
Steelers 34 @ Jets 32
Loser: Garret Wilson’s Rib Cage
Wilson had a fantastic season opener on paper posting 7 receptions to go along with 95 yards and a touchdown. However, the game was put to bed when Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey leveled Wilson for a pass break up late in the game. Ramsey and Wilson were seen earlier in the game partaking in some extracurricular pushing and shoving so emotions were high. Unfortunately for Wilson, Ramsey would get the last laugh in this week 1 game.
Winner: Both Quarterbacks on Revenge Tours
Both Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields have had their doubters recently with the former coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Rodgers showed why he will be a first ballot hall of famer one day tossing 4 touchdowns passes on impressive efficiency. Fields looked like a dynamic dual threat NFL quarterback after an injury-riddled season with the Steelers a year ago. The Ohio State product finished with 266 yards of total offense and returned to Pittsburgh trying to prove a point. In fact, both quarterbacks finished with no interceptions thrown to go along with a combined 7 total touchdowns in their returns to their teams from a season ago. While Fields lost the contest he will have nothing to be ashamed of except maybe that he didn’t see Jalen Ramsey on his final pass.
Giants 6 @ Commanders 21
Loser: Mr. Unlimited Is No Longer DangeRuss
Once a 2 time Super Bowl winning quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson is now a shell of his former self. The aging signal caller looked stiff and inaccurate finishing with a measly 168 yards passing on 37 attempts at a 4.5 yard average completion. Wilson did manage to scramble for 44 yards making him the Giants leading rusher on the day. An aging smaller quarterback who relies on his legs combined with one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL is a recipe for disaster. The New York Giants should already be considering a move to rookie Jaxson Dart or even backup Jamies Winston to provide this team with much needed life.
Winner: Jacory Croskey-Merrit
We already know how good Jayden Daniels is based on last year and he was great again here, but Croskey-Merrit was a sleeper heading into this game and has established himself already in this vacant Commanders backfield. Veteran Austin Ekeler is the rookie’s primary competitor for carries and on Sunday he looked better than his older teammate. The 7th round pick from Arizona finished with 82 rushing yards on 10 carries for 8.2 yards per carry. While Ekeler will still see the majority of the 3rd and long passing type situations, Croskey-Merrit took a big step towards leading the backfield for one of the NFL’s premier offenses.
Panthers 10 @ Jaguars 26
Loser: Bryce Young
Last season ended on a high note for Bryce Young and the Panthers winning 2 of their last 3 games against scoring 30+ points in each of those wins. Week 1 of the 2025 season looked more like the beginning of last year when the Panthers struggled out the gate only winning 1 game in their first 8 games that would lead to Bryce Young being benched. Young played poorly in the opener to the tune of 154 yards passing on 35 attempts and 2 picks to just 1 touchdown. Rookie 8th overall pick Tetairoa McMillan looked NFL-ready for the Panthers catching 5 passes for 68 yards, but he was the lone bright spot in this game.
Winner: Travis Etienne
Etienne had a poor season by his own standards last year, but on Sunday he topped the century mark for just the 2nd time in his last 28 games. The Clemson product finished with 143 rushing yards on just 16 carries and with the trade of Tank Bigsby to the Eagles the Jags have made it obvious who they plan to lead their backfield moving forward. Rookie Bhashul Tuten is still on the roster to compete with Etienne, but a meager 3 carries on his first ever NFL game is not a threat to Etienne’s share. Fantasy owners, Jags fans, and Trevor Lawrence will all be excited to see Etieene flex his potential in week 1.
Titans 12 @ Broncos 20
Loser: #1 Overall Quarterbacks
Quarterbacks taken #1 overall in the NFL draft are now 1-15-1 since 2000 highlighting just how hard it is to transition to the next level. Not only that, but the teams that are drafting #1 overall are always teams with lots of holes outside of just 1 position. This Titans team is no exception with questions at the skill positions and at offensive line. Running back Tony Pollard has been decent but he lost a fumble on Sunday that did not do Ward any favors. Calvin Ridley has the potential to be a solid receiver, but he only brought in 4 of 8 targets in this game. The rookie quarterback will need more help from his team for the Titans to succeed.
Winner: Broncos Defense…again
The Denver Broncos had one of the league’s best defensive units last year and it looks like this season will be no different. The defense piled up 6 sacks and held rookie top overall pick Cam Ward and the Titans to a meager 2.4 yards per play. The Titans were held to 2-14 on third down conversions and their 133 yards of total offense was nearly equaled by their 131 yards of penalties. The Titan’s defense actually managed to force 4 turnovers, but the offense couldn’t capitalize off them as they only scored 6 points off those takeaways. Last season, teams that had 4 or more turnovers won just 3 of 18 games. This is a testament to just how elite this Broncos defense can be, even when the offense isn’t playing well.
49ers 17 @ Seahawks 13
Loser: 49ers’ Health (See Below)
Winner: Ricky Pearsall
The 1st round pick 2nd year receiver out of Florida caught 4 passes for 108 yards in a game where George Kittle left with an injury. The 49ers needed a receiver to step up for Brock Purdy who was also missing top wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. Pearsall stepped up in a big way for an injured 49ers offense that made it 17-13 with 1:34 left to score the go ahead touchdown. It is being reported that Kittle will miss extended time with a hamstring injury and with Jennings and Aiyuk already out a lot of the responsibility will fall on Pearsall.
Lions 13 @ Packers 27
Loser: Head Coach Dan Campbell
Campbell is known for having his teams prepared and mentally ready to compete every week. That was not the case in week 1 as the departure of both coordinators in the offseason seems to have had a serious impact on the team’s performance. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn left for the New York Jets vacancy in the offseason. There was speculation all offseason that the Lions would take a step back after Johnson left and week 1 will not give Lions fans confidence.
Winner: Micah Parsons
Not only did Parsons get traded to an NFC contender, but he no longer has to deal with owner Jerry Jones and the circus that is the Dallas Cowboys. Despite recovering from an injury, Parsons still suited up and got a sack for his new team in their season opener. The Packers won their 13th consecutive season opener, the longest such streak since 1976 and it was in no small thanks to Parsons and the defense. The Lions scored an NFL high 33.2 points per game last season, but didn’t reach the endzone until the final minute of the game on Sunday. The Lions netted just 6 points from their first 3 drives into the red zone and the Packers looked like one of the NFL’s best teams in week 1.
Texans 9 @ Rams 14
Loser: CJ Stroud and the Texans Offense
Stroud is coming off a sophomore slump season where he regressed from his rookie campaign. On Sunday it was more of the same for Stroud and the Texans offense who didn’t manage a single touchdown in their season opener. 9 points off 3 field goals is all the Texans could muster with the absence of running back Joe Mixon coinciding with their failures on offense. The Rams may just have an elite defense this year, but that remains to be seen. Stroud’s struggles look to be continuing into this season and that is bad news for Texans fans.
Winner: Puka Nacua
Despite a bloody cut on Nacua’s forehead that forced him out of the game for concussion evaluation, the Rams receiver returned and still posted 10 catches and 130 yards. He also helped Matthew Stafford become just the 10th quarterback in NFL history to pass for 60,000 yards. The fact that Nacua missed almost half of this contest and still achieved those stats is a giant green flag for fantasy owners. More star performances are in store for Nacua and that will be necessary if the Rams want to win more games this year.
Ravens 40 @ Bills 41
Loser: John Harbaugh
Following a heartbreaking season that concluded with a last minute loss to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs last year, this loss to Allen will hurt especially bad. The Ravens dominated the vast majority of the game behind Derrick Henry’s 169 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. A fumble by Henry late in the 4th quarter threw the game into the chaos that would eventually lead to a Bills win. Even after that fumble however, Harbaugh had a chance to put the game away with either Henry or Lamar when the Ravens decided to punt to Allen and the Bills on 4th and 3 from their own 38 yard line with 1:33 remaining. That decision will haunt Harbaugh and Ravens fans as they lost a game they should have won.
Winner: Josh Allen
Allen and the Bills did not quit even when they faced a 15 pint deficit in the final 4 minutes of what was undoubtedly the game of the week on SNF. The NFL’s reigning MVP capped the win by leading a 9 play 66 yard drive over the final 1:26 to set up a game winning 32 yard field goal as time expired. This was just the 3rd time the Bills overcame a 4th quarter 15 point deficit in team history. The Bills couldn’t move the ball at all in the first half, but a 22 point 4th quarter was enough to get the win.
Vikings 27 @ Bears 24
Loser: Ben Johnson
While the Bears offense looked improved after last season’s debacle, there were still plenty of issues with the Bears in their opener. The former Lions play caller looked to be cruising to an opening win until JJ McCarthy came alive. One area Johnson will need to clean up sooner rather than later is the penalties. The bears committed 12 infractions for 127 yards of penalties and in a close game like this that was a huge difference maker.
Winner: JJ McCarthy
The long awaited debut of Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy started out as a nightmare, but ended in a dream finish. McCarthy delivered down the stretch after struggling through his first 3 quarters of NFL football. He sat last season after a knee injury before the season following a college football national championship with Michigan. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has expressed his confidence in McCarthy and he was proven right in a thrilling MNF game. The Vikings’ quarterback threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for another all in the 4th quarter. A team that was questioned for letting go of last year’s signal caller Sam Daarnold to free agency looks like they’ve found their franchise QB.
The Bookie of Eli 
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