Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season wasted no time turning the league upside down. Big offenses showed up, a few defenses got exposed, and injuries started reshaping the conversation before the first Sunday was even over. A handful of players also made it clear they’re not just part of the story - they might be driving it.
One of the loudest statements came in Las Vegas, where the Raiders rolled past Miami 27-13 and looked like a team with a real centerpiece in Ashton Jeanty. Kirk Cousins handled the quarterbacking job exactly the way the Raiders wanted, throwing three touchdown passes, and two of them went to Jeanty.
The rookie also went over 100 rushing yards, giving Las Vegas a weapon Miami never really answered. Michael Mayer chipped in with six catches while Brock Bowers was out, and Caleb Douglas turned heads too.
On the other side, De’Von Achane was bottled up to 36 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards, while Malik Willis managed 220 passing yards and a rushing touchdown but never found the end zone through the air.
New York also walked away from Week 1 with a much different vibe than expected after beating Dallas 28-20. Jaxson Dart looked calm from the jump, throwing for 230 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 yards on the ground.
Isaiah Likely was the biggest surprise in the passing game, finishing with six catches for 78 yards and two scores. Malik Nabers’ return from his ACL injury was another major development, and he immediately looked like a difference-maker with six receptions for 69 yards.
Dallas never found enough rhythm to keep pace. Dak Prescott threw for only 175 yards, and George Pickens was held to three catches for 28 yards.
Chicago’s opener was the kind of game that makes people stop and stare. The Bears and Panthers combined for 96 points in a wild 59-37 Chicago win, the highest-scoring game in Bears history.
Ben Johnson’s offense came out swinging, with D’Andre Swift piling up 124 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Caleb Williams accounting for four touchdowns, and Kalif Raymond adding eight catches for 84 yards. Carolina had its own fireworks, especially from Jalen Coker, who caught eight passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
But the Panthers’ defense never had an answer for Williams, and that was the difference.
The Rams, meanwhile, left Week 1 with a much harsher reality. San Francisco beat Los Angeles 27-7, but the bigger blow for the Rams came when Myles Garrett was set to undergo knee surgery and go on injured reserve after failing to record a tackle in his debut.
He is expected to miss at least four games, which is a huge hit to a defense that was supposed to be one of the league’s best. The 49ers got production from Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Kaelon Black, with Black carrying 14 times for 65 yards and giving San Francisco another offensive piece worth watching.
Baltimore’s offense looked dangerous right away. Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards and a touchdown, and Derrick Henry powered in for 144 rushing yards and three scores in a 41-23 win over Indianapolis.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle made a strong first impression, and Jackson looked at ease in the new system. Zay Flowers was electric before leaving with a hamstring injury, finishing with five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
That one is worth watching closely.
Cincinnati’s win over Tampa Bay was shaped just as much by defense as by anything Joe Burrow and the offense did. The Bengals came away with a 33-27 victory after forcing four turnovers and recording four sacks, repeatedly handing the offense short fields.
Tampa Bay made too many mistakes to survive. Bucky Irving was a bright spot for the Buccaneers with 45 rushing yards, a touchdown and seven receptions, while Ja’Marr Chase had a quiet fantasy day that doesn’t figure to last.
And then there were the injuries, which hit fast and hard across the league. Seattle lost Sam Darnold to a hip injury, which could put Drew Lock in line to start if Darnold misses time.
Rookie running back Jadarian Price added 52 yards on 10 carries, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba stayed hot with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. New England took an even bigger hit when A.J.
Brown went on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss multiple games, leaving the Patriots scrambling for answers in the passing game.
In Other News...
Rams Have One Bigger Concern Than An Ugly Week 1 Loss
The Rams Week 1 trip to San Francisco ended in a lopsided 27-7 loss, but the bigger takeaway for Sean McVays team was how uneven the overall showing felt on both sides of the ball. McVay said the lesson now is to absorb it, fix it and move on, because the opener offered too many reminders that this roster still has some early-season sorting out to do.
Matthew Stafford was held well below his standard, and the defense, under Chris Shulas zone-heavy approach and low blitz rate, never found enough answers to slow the 49ers. The Rams do have some relief on the horizon with Aaron Donalds possible return looming and depth along the defensive line, but the more immediate concern is whether the issues exposed in Week 1 are just opening-week rust or something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Have A Week 13 Problem Their Defense Knows Too Well
Kenneth Walker III is arriving at Week 13 with a familiar kind of warning label for the Rams. He just gashed the Broncos for 173 yards and two touchdowns, the sort of performance that turns a backfield into the centerpiece of a game plan, and Los Angeles is already bracing for what he can do next as it gets ready to face the Chiefs.
For the Rams, the timing is awkward because run defense has already been a point of emphasis after a shaky showing in Week 1. Walker is no longer with the Seahawks, but he remains exactly the kind of downhill challenge that can expose lingering issues in a defense still trying to tighten up against the ground game. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Can't Let Their Week 1 Surprise Create A Bigger Problem
A week after the Cardinals opened with a win over the Chargers, the division picture already feels like it is shifting around them, especially with Seattle next on the schedule. Mike LaFleur has kept the message simple, stressing that Arizona has to treat each week on its own and avoid getting pulled too far ahead by the noise that follows a surprise result.
For the Rams, the more immediate concern is what happens when a rough opener starts inviting bigger questions. Los Angeles drew scrutiny after a poor Week 1 performance, and the chatter around Myles Garrett has only added to the unease, with some league observers wondering about his fit and his readiness after he acknowledged he did not feel like his usual self in Australia. The Rams do not need the side issues becoming the story, but that is the pressure that comes with an early stumble. [Read more 🡒]