After a long seven months, NFL football has finally returned. 

What a slate of games for week one. “Americans’ Team” and the city of Brotherly Love kick things off on Sept. 4, 2025 while the Vikings travel to face the Bears on Monday Night Football on Sept. 8,2025 to end week one. The two games covered this week feature two teams who swapped quarterbacks over the offseason and the 2025 first overall pick making his debut in the Rocky Mountains. 

Disclaimer: *All stats shown are pulled from espn.com/nfl/stats, nfl.com/stats and Pro Football Focus (PFF).* 

Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields face off against each others’ former teams at MetLife Stadium

After just two seasons–with one as a starter–for the Jets, the team decided it was best to move on from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In what felt like ages, Aaron Rodgers waited until after the 2025 NFL Draft to make a decision on where he was going to sign. The Steelers decided to give the veteran a call and make him the official starting quarterback. What does this mean for the offense?

Last season was nothing short of a Mike Tomlin season. The team started out hot by winning 10 games through their first 13. As usual in the Tomlin Era, the team just had to finish close to .500 in their final games. However, dropping the final four games of the season led to them finishing just two games above that .500 mark. 

In hopes of turning around this dysfunctional offense led by Russell Wilson, the team moved on and signed Aaron Rodgers to a one year deal worth up to $20 million. Before signing Rodgers, the team made three massive trades: trading away wide receiver George Pickens to the Cowboys; trading for Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf and trading for Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith–who is now reunited with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for the third time in his career spanning over five teams. 

The Steelers are going all in and did not stop at the offensive side of things. Third year cornerback and former second round pick, Joey Porter Jr. is coming off a weaker sophomore season and needs some more time. In turn the Steelers went out and added veteran Eagles cornerback Darius Slay via free agency. In a shocking move, the team also went out and added former All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey via a trade from the Dolphins. The only downside of the deal being the team sent their signal caller of the secondary, Minkah Fitzpatrick, in return. 

Back in the city of New Jersey–yes the Jets play in New Jersey not New York–the Jets looked for their new franchise quarterback after a disappointing time with Rodgers. In an ironic set of moves, the Jets signed former Bears and Steelers quarterback Justin Fields to a three year, $33 million contract. 

Fields is now reunited with two of his former Ohio State Buckeyes teammates in Jets 2022 first round pick wide receiver Garrett Wilson and 2022 third round pick tight end Jeremy Ruckert. The team clearly has faith in the Fields and Wilson connection to expand even further after signing Wilson to a massive four year, $130 million contract in July. 

The Jets offensive additions continue. The team looked towards the draft to fill in the holes left by the retirement of left tackle Tyron Smith and free agency departures in right tackle Morgan Moses and tight end Tyler Conklin. 

The left tackle problem is solved by 2024 first round pick Olu Fashanu. Who is expected to step up after being mentored for a season by Smith. As for the right side of the line, the team drafted Missouri Tigers right tackle Armand Membou with the seventh pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. To fill in and hopefully improve at tight end, the team selected LSU tight end Mason Taylor with the 42nd pick in the 2025 NFL draft. 

With new additions at quarterback for both teams, whose offense will prevail in the battle at MetLife Stadium? In the end the Jets will pull off an upset in a game where Fields and Wilson connect for over 100 receiving yards and the defense picks off Rodgers twice. 

Final Score: Steelers 17 – Jets 24 

Cam Ward makes his first start against an elite Broncos defense at Mile High Stadium

After arguably the worst season in franchise history, the Titans had pick one overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Without a second thought the team selected Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. 

In preparation to protect Ward, the team moved 2024 first round pick J.C. Latham to his college position at right tackle. For the left tackle spot the team looked to the expensive free agency market and signed Steelers left tackle Dan Moore to a four year, $82 million contract. This move is interesting to say the least after Moore led the league in sacks at 10 and was near the top of the list in pressures allowed at 41. Both stats from Pro Football Focus(PFF). 

Back to the right side of the line, the Titans added an elite guard in Lions Kevin Zeitler by signing him to a one year, $9 million contract in free agency. Zeitler posted an 86.5 grade via PFF which ranked fifth out of 136 qualifying guards. 

What about adding some new possible weapons for Ward? The team did add a veteran in free agency in long-time Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Lockett should provide a nice safety net for Ward alongside wide receiver Calvin Ridley who enters his second season as a Titan. In preparation for the future, the team also added three new weapons all in the fourth round of the draft. 

At pick 103, the team drafted Florida Gators receiver Chimere Dike, who should be the backup slot to Lockett. At pick 120, the team decided to take a look at the great state of football and select Texas tight end Gunner Helm. While Helm did not earn the starting tight end job, he could easily take over at any point in the season with him and veteran Chig Okonkwo having battled it out in camp. At pick 136, the Titans selected Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor–who earned a starting role after a strong camp and offseason. 

In a season where many predicted the Broncos to be more towards the middle of the pack, the team surprised everyone by making the playoffs with 10 wins and seven losses. This came thanks to an elite season from the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, cornerback Pat Surtain. Surtain posted an 85.6 PFF grade which ranked second among 222 cornerbacks and four interceptions which ranked fifth among those same cornerbacks. 

Not only him but several other Broncos defenders had elite seasons from edge rusher Nik Bonitto who had 13.5 sacks; safety Brandon Jones who had an 86.1 PFF grade, ranking fifth among 171 safeties and defensive tackle Zach Allen who posted 75 pressures–ranking first among 220 defensive tackles according to Pro Football Focus. What better way to make your defense better by adding not one but two players who had elite seasons last when healthy. The team went out and added two former 49ers in off-ball linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a three year, $31.5 million contract and safety Talanoa Hufanga to a three year, $39 million contract. 

What about adding a new partner-in-crime for Surtain? The team did exactly that by drafting Texas cornerback Jahdae Baron at pick 20 in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

In what should be a tough first matchup for Ward, I have him playing well but not well enough to get the Titans the win. 

Final Score: Titans 19 – Broncos 31

Remaining Week One Games

TNF Cowboys at Eagles: The Cowboys play the defending champs close but ultimately cannot stop Saquon Barkley. Final Score: Cowboys 22 – Eagles 25

FNF Chiefs at Chargers in Brazil: The Chargers pull off the upset in a close defensive game. Final Score: Chiefs 17 – Chargers 21

Dolphins at Colts: Jonathan Taylor runs all over the Dolphins in a surprisingly dominant win. Final Score: Dolphins 14 – Colts 30

Panthers at Jaguars: Liam Coen wins the battle of former Buccaneers offensive coordinators in an offensive cat battle. Final Score: Panthers 23 – Jaguars 26

Cardinals at Saints: The Saints debut their new gold uniforms but cannot find gold in a blowout loss. Final Score: Cardinals 33 – Saints 9

Giants at Commanders: The Giants pass rush keeps them in the game but the former LSU quarterback proves to be too much. Final Score: Giants 14 – Commanders 27

Buccaneers at Falcons: Bijan Robinson takes over to secure the win in an NFC South showdown. Final Score: Buccaneers 24 – Falcons 31 

Bengals at Browns: The Browns shockingly take the Bengals to overtime to debut the new rules but cannot get it done at home. Final Score: Bengals 26 – Browns 23 OT

Raiders at Patriots: Josh McDaniels faces off against his former NFL team but struggles to find rhythm. Final Score: Raiders 25 – Patriots 14

49ers at Seahawks: The Seahawks defense comes out tough, forcing three interceptions from Brock Purdy. Final Score: 49ers 13 – Seahawks 24

Lions at Packers: Micah Parsons gets home twice but it is not enough against Sonic and Knuckles. Final Score: Lions 33 – Packers 20

Texans at Rams: Matthew Stafford puts the injury thoughts to rest by throwing three touchdown passes in a lopsided victory. Final Score: Texans 17 – Rams 38 

SNF Ravens at Bills: In a great duel of elite quarterbacks and MVP candidates, the 2024 MVP comes out on top. Final Score: Ravens 28 – Bills 31

MNF Vikings at Bears: J.J. McCarthy makes his return to his childhood home team but gives it away too many times. Final Score: Vikings 20 – Bears 23 

Top 10 Power Rankings before Week One

1. Eagles
2. Bills
3. Ravens
4. Lions
5. Rams
6. Broncos
7. Chiefs
8. Vikings
9. Packers
10. Buccaneers