There was a definite belief heading into the new season that rookie head coach Jesse Minter was inheriting a very good situation taking over the Baltimore Ravens after 18 years with John Harbaugh at the helm.
Yes, the Ravens didn't make the playoffs in 2025, but I think we all believe that was an anomaly. They are loaded with talent, and that talent showed up big time on Sunday night with a 41-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Lamar Jackson threw for more than 300 yards and a touchdown, while also running in a score. Derrick Henry rushed for more than 100 yards and found the end zone three times on the ground, and Zay Flowers at wide receiver had 150 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Ravens put up over 500 yards of offense.
That shines a spotlight not just on the stars and the head coach, but also on their offensive coordinator, 30-year-old Declan Doyle. He has been brought in specifically to work closely with Lamar Jackson, and I'm so excited to see how that pair can work together in the coming months.
Doyle comes from the Ben Johnson tree of play calling, so there's going to be a lot of creativity, and I think he represents a new age in coaching, and Lamar is relishing this fresh start. I spoke with Lamar Jackson over the summer, and he talked about things feeling like a breath of fresh air in Baltimore.
That's not to disparage Harbaugh, who was excellent during his time with the Ravens, but sometimes change is needed, and I think it was needed for the Ravens as a whole and for their quarterback. And they certainly got off to the best possible start on Sunday night.
Who’s Hot…
Josh Allen… Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen ventured into the belly of the beast on Sunday night and took down the Houston Texans – and their outstanding defense - with a 36-31 victory, sealing the win with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Josh Palmer with just 1:36 left on the clock. Allen reminded us all that he will be the driving force of the Buffalo Bills this season, even if they have new additions, notably in the form of wide receiver DJ Moore (over 100 yards receiving on the day). Allen threw for more than 300 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and he rushed for two touchdowns. He remains a unicorn, one of the most unique attacking threats we've seen in the NFL in many a decade. And if the Bills are to end all those years of hurt, it will be because of what number 17 does in the coming months.
The Chicago Bears’ offense… If you want to know how crazy Week 1 in the NFL was, look no further than the game between the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers as these two teams combined for the most points in an opening weekend contest in NFL history, putting 96 on the board. The Bears conceded 37 points on the road, but won by 22 in a blowout. 59-37 was the incredible final from Charlotte. Caleb Williams was very, very efficient in his second season under Ben Johnson and his third in the NFL, completing 21 of 29 for 269 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. But it was on the ground where the Bears sent a real message to the rest of the NFL. They ran the football 39 times for 291 yards and six touchdowns. If Chicago can combine finesse and skill with brute force and physicality, they are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming months.
Trevor Lawrence… The Jacksonville Jaguars were expected to win their game at home against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night. But surprises can occur early in a season, and these Jags have stubbed their toe in previous campaigns when they went in with high hopes. But they took care of business and that was the most encouraging thing about the result on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence looked completely in control of this offense, throwing for 245 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He has well and truly arrived as an NFL star and how he grows even further in the coming months under head coach Liam Cohen is going to define Jacksonville's season. But based on Sunday night's performance, which again was a very winnable game, Jacksonville are going to be in the mix throughout this campaign.
Who’s Not…
The Los Angeles Rams… It's not been a very nice few days for the Los Angeles Rams, a universal Super Bowl favourite heading into the 2026 season. The Rams had their Australia travel plans ripped to shreds by anyone with an opinion heading into Week 1. They had their backsides handed to them on a plate by the San Francisco 49ers and now they lose Myles Garrett, their star defensive end, to a knee injury that's going to sideline him on Injured Reserve for at least the next four weeks. We're still waiting to see Aaron Donald play for the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford looked so out of sorts in Melbourne, so there are many questions. And those next four weeks: home to the New York Giants, at Denver, at Philadelphia, back at home to the Buffalo Bills. This is a month that is going to really test Sean McVay and his team.
Baker Mayfield… Tampa Bay’s star quarterback signed a new contract extension worth $55 million on the eve of the new season but it didn’t pay dividends in Cincinnati, where the Buccaneers turned the ball over four times in a 33-27 loss to the Bengals. Mayfield was held without a touchdown pass and lost two fumbles, one of which Cincinnati took to the end zone for a score. Baker is too much of a fighter to stay down for long, but there are some big-picture concerns when it comes to the Bucs that could heap some early-season pressure on head coach Todd Bowles. Dating back to a slump at the end of last season, Tampa Bay have now lost eight of their last 10 games. That is a serious worry, even though they remain tied for first place in the NFC South with an 0-1 record.
The Fast Five…
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There is always criticism of Jalen Hurts and his game as quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. He definitely blows hot and cold and that happened for periods of Sunday’s 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders. But Hurts threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns and added some timely runs. In a league where several teams still don’t have a long-term QB answer, maybe the Eagles and their fans should simply be happy with what they have at that position.
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Washington came up short with a failed two-point attempt that targeted backup tight end John Bates (I didn’t like the call), but I think they can improve drastically on their five wins from a year ago. It’s clear what a difference Jayden Daniels makes so keeping their QB healthy wire to wire will be key. And the defense that was the NFL’s worst in 2025 looks faster and more creative. Moral victories count for nothing in the NFL, but the Commanders can feel good about pushing Philly all the way on opening day.
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There is always one funky result on opening weekend and it came in Los Angeles where the lowly Arizona Cardinals took down the Chargers by a 26-14 scoreline. It was a great moment for the Cards, but a real worry for Los Angeles. Justin Herbert was sacked three times and intercepted. And the running game totaled just 81 yards on the ground. That was not the best of starts for new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
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Strange game in Minneapolis. The Green Bay Packers led 22-10 late in the third quarter but allowed the hometown Minnesota Vikings to score the last 29 points for a 39-22 win. And what now of the quarterback situation for the Vikes? Kyler Murray’s first pass for Minnesota was a horrible one that got intercepted. He left the game with a concussion, opening the door for Carson Wentz to throw three touchdown strikes. Could we have a mini QB controversy on our hands?
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While John Harbaugh might no longer have been the ideal head coach for the Baltimore Ravens, it feels like he is the right guy at the right time for a New York Giants team that won just 13 contests in the previous three seasons combined. New York got off to a winning start with a 28-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and while Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo provide the excitement, it is the head coach who has added steel to this franchise. It was only one game, of course, but there was a toughness to the Giants and they came away with a big division win.
Fact of the Week
On a high-scoring Sunday, a total of 10 teams scored at least 30 points in games. The New Orleans Saints (30), Houston Texans (31) and the Carolina Panthers (37) scored at least 30 points and still lost their season-opening games.
Final Thought…
There is a long way to go in this season. Storylines will change, those who rise early could very easily disappear into the ether and a Super Bowl champion might lurk in the pack until well after Thanksgiving in late November. We simply don’t know how the coming weeks and months are going to pan out. This time last year we were reporting on the New England Patriots – winners of just four games the previous season – losing to the lowly Las Vegas Raiders at home. That New England team wound up in the Super Bowl. So, one game does not make a season. That said, if the likes of Baltimore, Buffalo, Jacksonville and Chicago can flex their offensive muscle in the same fashion consistently in the coming months, they will establish themselves as true Super Bowl contenders. I was very impressed by those clubs in Week 1.