NFL Sunday Week 1: Bills stun Ravens as Aaron Rodgers gets revenge on the Jets
The Buffalo Bills ignited the return of football with a breathtaking comeback, stunning the Baltimore Ravens in a thrilling Sunday opener on Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
Reigning MVP Josh Allen and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson delivered a showdown for the ages, with the Bills clawing back from a 15-point deficit to win 41-40 in a game that could define the season. Elsewhere, Aaron Rodgers and Micah Parsons shone in winning debuts for their new teams, while the Indianapolis Colts snapped a long-standing opening-day curse with a dominant performance.
Bills Edge Ravens in Fourth-Quarter Classic
Trailing by 15 in the fourth, Josh Allen powered the Bills to a 41-40 victory over the Ravens, throwing for 394 yards and four total touchdowns. A 32-yard field goal by Matt Prater as time expired sealed the comeback, Buffalo’s first from such a deficit since 1967.
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry (169 yards, two touchdowns) kept Baltimore ahead until a late fumble swung the game. This electrifying clash highlighted both teams’ potential but exposed the Ravens’ late-game fragility.
Rodgers Powers Steelers Past Jets
Aaron Rodgers, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw four touchdowns to outlast his former team, the New York Jets, in a 34-32 thriller, where both teams impressed.
A record-setting 60-yard field goal by Chris Boswell sealed the win; the Jets’ Justin Fields (218 passing yards, three touchdowns) battled well and showed glimpses of promise, but was undone by a fumbled kickoff and defensive miscues. Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt-led defense kept Fields under pressure, giving Rodgers a triumphant return to MetLife Stadium.
Dolphins, Giants and Panthers falter
The Miami Dolphins crumbled in a 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, with Tua Tagovailoa throwing for just 114 yards and three turnovers. Daniel Jones, in his Colts debut, dazzled with 272 yards and three touchdowns, ending Indy’s 11-year Week 1 drought.
The New York Giants fell 21-6 to the Washington Commanders, with Russell Wilson’s poor play sparking calls for rookie Jaxson Dart, while the Cleveland Browns’ offense imploded in a 17-16 loss to Cincinnati, gaining -23 yards in the second half. These teams face early questions about their direction.
In a game interrupted by the weather, the Carolina Panthers look to have regressed back from their impressive end to 2024, as they lost out 26-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. A misfiring Bryce Young threw two interceptions and completed just 50% of his throws, with injury concerns already starting to form for the Panthers offense.
Other week 1 Takeaways
Week 1 delivered unforgettable moments, from Buffalo’s rally to Rodgers’ revenge and standout rookie performances like Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter to Tampa Bay’s Emeka Egbuka. There weren’t any real big shocks, but it was an incredibly dramatic start to the 2025 NFL season.
NFL Sunday Week 1 scores:
- Buffalo Bills 41 – Baltimore Ravens 40
- New York Jets 32 – Pittsburgh Steelers 34
- Indianapolis Colts 33 – Miami Dolphins 8
- Cleveland Browns 16 – Cincinnati Bengals 17
- Jacksonville Jaguars 26 – Carolina Panthers 10
- Washington Commanders 21 – New York Giants 6
- New Orleans Saints 13 – Arizona Cardinals 20
- Green Bay Packers 27 – Detroit Lions 13
- Seattle Seahawks 13 – San Francisco 49ers 17
- Atlanta Falcons 20 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23
- Los Angeles Rams 14 – Houston Texans 9
- Denver Broncos 20 – Tennessee Titans 12
- New England Patriots 13 – Las Vegas Raiders 20
