9 things we learned from NFL Week 1, from electric debuts to downright disasters

Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers might be a perfect match

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ matchup with the New York Jets was one of the most entertaining of the weekend, and while it went back and forth, it was Aaron Rodgers and his new teammates who escaped with the win.

Rodgers threw 22 of 30 completions for 244 passing yards and four touchdowns, hitting four different pass catchers for a score in the game.

The veteran had great chemistry with his offense, including DK Metcalf, who ended the day with 83 yards, and Calvin Austin III, who caught four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown.

This game had been marked on the calendar since the veteran quarterback shared details on his meeting with Aaron Glenn. Rodgers was asked about that situation following the win. He simply said:

“I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets.”

The Miami Dolphins are worse than we thought

Expectations had been lowered for the Miami Dolphins heading into the 2025 season, after a difficult offseason in building their roster.

A lot of talent left, and little talent came in to replace those players, which had many analysts wondering if the Dolphins could compete for a playoff spot in 2025.

As it turned out, however bad you thought it was, it was worse. The Dolphins imploded in their season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, and the issues were widespread across the entire roster.

The offense was bad, the defense allowed the Colts to walk up and down the field, and Daniel Jones set an NFL record for a Week 1 performance.

Miami has more work to do than any other franchise in the NFL, and could be headed for a fire sale before the trade deadline if they can’t turn things around.

The Jacksonville Jaguars never wanted to abandon Travis Etienne Jr.

Many have speculated about Travis Etienne Jr.’s future with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, including us here at NFL Analysis.

The running back is headed into the final year of his current deal, and after being benched in the 2024 season, there were questions about his involvement under Liam Coen and the newly appointed coaching staff.

Those questions were answered in Week 1, when Etienne took 16 carries for 143 yards, while Tank Bigsby had just five touches for a total of 12 yards.

Etienne averaged an impressive 8.9 yards per attempt, and is very clearly RB1 in Coen’s offense.

The Giants may switch to Jaxson Dart sooner rather than later

Russell Wilson’s leash just got shorter in New York, after failing to throw a touchdown pass in the opening game of the season.

The Giants scored just six points, being held to two field goals in a frustrating performance for the offense. Wide receiver Malik Nabers had five catches for 71 yards, but appeared agitated by the team’s performance on the sidelines.

It was clear in the offseason that if Wilson struggled, rookie Jaxson Dart could quickly find himself on the field. Head coach Brian Daboll needs to show ownership that the team is progressing this year, or he may be out of a job.

The head coach was non-committal on naming a starting QB for Week 2, and it’s not outlandish to consider Dart might get his shot.

The Cincinnati Bengals still have serious problems

The Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line was dreadful, once again highlighting the top-heavy roster the franchise has built. They may have a star quarterback and elite wide receivers, but that trio can’t solve the team’s roster problems by themselves.

Joe Burrow was sacked three times, the Bengals punted six times, and barely escaped with a win. The Browns were the better team, but fumbled the decisive points with a missed extra point and field goal.

Geno Smith was slinging the football in Las Vegas

Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders secured their first win over the New England Patriots, and Geno Smith was one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league.

Smith threw for 362 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception with his new offense, including a deep shot to Tre Tucker to open the game.

Brock Bowers had five catches for 103 yards, and Jakobi Meyers caught eight passes for 97.

Smith and Carroll picked up in Vegas where they left off in Seattle, and the Raiders are here to compete.

Denver’s defense is still very much for real

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos offense did not look good in Week 1, but fortunately, the defense is still among the best in the league.

The Broncos invested heavily in their defense this offseason, and it’s already paying off. They held Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans to a total of 133 yards of offense, and a grand total of -2 net yards in the second half of the game.

Denver totaled six sacks in the game, including one from their new $120 million man, Nik Bonitto.

The Green Bay Packers made a statement, and it’s not just Micah Parsons

The Packers clearly felt they were a contender this season, opting to trade their next two first-round picks for Micah Parsons, before handing him a four-year, $188 million deal.

Parsons had a major impact on the game despite only playing 45% of the team’s defensive snaps, and the NFL world reacted to that performance with some hot takes for the coming season.

The defensive end said himself that the team has got some really talented players on defense, holding the Detroit Lions offense to just 46 rushing yards.

It was a statement win for Green Bay against a strong division rival. The Packers looked like one of the most completeteams in the league, and still have plenty of room to improve.

Justin Fields is not just a running QB, and could earn the Jets’ job long term

While Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers got the win, Justin Fields was equally deserving of the result.

The dual-threat QB is on trial this season as the franchise quarterback of the Jets, but he looked the part in the season opener against his former club.

Fields threw a sensational touchdown pass to former college teammate Garrett Wilson, who had seven catches for 95 yards in the game.

The quarterback completed 16 of his 22 passing attempts for a total of 218 passing yards, while also rushing for 48 yards and scoring two rushing touchdowns.

The Jets outgunned the Steelers with a total of 394 yards of offense, while the Steelers had just 271. A nightmare fumble from Xavier Gipson on a kickoff was the turning point, and had that not happened, Fields might have gotten the win he deserved.