Cover photo taken from WTOP.
1 – 
Bills (1-0)
Buffalo deserves to be at No. 1 sheerly based on the fact that they won on Sunday night. Did it look like they could hang with the Ravens for most of the game? No. But, Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, putting on the superhero cape and leading one of the more furious comebacks we’ve seen in recent memory to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. That’s worth being on top to start off the 2025 season. But man, they need to get right on defense, particularly in the back end. Ed Oliver is a monster up front, but the lack of a pass rush combined with the injuries they have in the secondary make for a sticky situation. The good news for Buffalo, though? They don’t play another contender until November.
2 – 
Ravens (0-1)
I want to make something clear: I still think the Ravens are the best team in the NFL. They had no business losing a game in which they looked like world-beaters for three-and-a-half quarters. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are both still insane, and I left Sunday night feeling better about Zay Flowers than I ever have. I think this secondary could be a huge weakness seeing as though the Jaire Alexander acquisition isn’t exactly as impactful as many might’ve assumed, but I still believe this is the most talented roster in football from top to bottom. They’ll likely be at No. 1 very soon.
3 – 
Packers (1-0)
The most eye-opening performance of Week 1 probably goes to Green Bay after absolutely thrashing Detroit in a game that almost signifies a passing of the torch at the top of the NFC North. What’s kind of nuts is that the Packers didn’t do anything that blew you away statistically; the box score is one of lies and deception considering the Lions’ end-of-game numbers. It was simply a good old fashioned butt-whooping. Jordan Love was on fire and the defense was suffocating. They looked like the contenders I expect them to be, even with Micah Parsons on a snap count. Considering his impact when he was on the field, imagine what it’ll look like when he’s a full-time starter.
4 – 
Eagles (1-0)
You alright, guys? Do the receivers want to get open against a bad secondary? Does the offensive line want to get a push against a defensive line that no longer has Micah Parsons (though is admittedly improved in the interior)? Does the defense want to show up in the first half? Does Jalen Hurts want to throw a ball past the sticks? Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Hurts was a killer with his legs, and that was the difference. The Eagles are elite for a reason — they don’t need to play their best game every week to win games. They’ll stick to grinding you down over the course of four quarters. But I’m team process over results, and I don’t really like the process I saw. The run defense was abysmal — though Jalen Carter being tossed before the first play from scrimmage plays a big role there — the secondary looked like a glaring weakness and the receiving corps was quiet. But, this is Philly. Those problems won’t last long, I imagine.
5 – 
Chargers (1-0)
Good for the Chargers to finally get a signature win under Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. For my money, Friday night’s performance in Brazil was the best of Herbert’s career, and one that vindicates me for all the support I’ve given him over the years. Against a Chiefs defense that we know is good, LA got everything and anything they wanted, utilizing an effective run game to create a deadly play action attack. And with plenty of time to throw, Herbert was surgical. Combine that with an inspiring defensive performance, and the Chargers looked truly elite. Now, it’s a matter of sustaining it.
6 – 
Chiefs (0-1)
Stop hurting your own players, guys. This ain’t a sustainable formula for winning. For that matter, please figure out what the hell is going on when it comes to downfield passing. How and why Patrick Mahomes has turned into one of the league’s worst deep passers is beyond me, but it has gotten to a point where I’m concerned. Can KC continue to be a dink and dunk, death-by-a-thousand-papercuts offense? Sure. But I don’t think that’s what Patrick wants. In any case, even without Xavier Worthy, this offense isn’t my problem. It’s what I saw out of the defense. No pass rush, no discipline in the secondary, and no real resistance. If that repeats itself against the Eagles in Week 2, it will not end well.
7 – 
Commanders (1-0)
Everyone who hated on the acquisitions of Javon Kinlaw and Deebo Samuel, please meet me outside. I just want to talk. Led by Kinlaw and Da’Ron Payne — who might hoop in his second contract year — the defensive line was the single best unit on the field on Sunday. And on offense, Samuel was the sparkplug, making an instant impact and looking like the player we saw out west for so many years. Combine that with a ho-hum game from Jayden Daniels, a dazzling debut from Bill Croskey-Merritt and a lockdown showing from the secondary, and you get Sunday’s result. Things can be described pretty succinctly — you know it’s a new day in DC when the team plays a game that neither they nor us are super impressed by, and they still win by 15 without allowing a touchdown. Feels good, doesn’t it?
8 – 
Buccaneers (1-0)
Man, this team is fun. I knew Emeka Egbuka would be an instant impact player, but I didn’t realize it’d be like this. You won’t hear any complaints from me, though. Baker Mayfield was unreal on Sunday, and this offense looked like the exciting unit we expected. I still have concerns about this defense, particularly on the backend, and Tampa got away with a couple of Falcons blunders, but I won’t hold that against them for now. I feel like the Bucs won that game more than the Falcons lost it.
9 – 
Rams (1-0)
That looked nothing like I expected it to. You’re telling me that the Rams defense out-performed their offense and were the chief reason why they won against a good team? Maybe the end of last year really is sustainable. I also know that LA won’t face a pass rush as ferocious as Houston’s again this season, which is good news for Matt Stafford, who still made the plays he had to in order to win the game. I give a ton of credit to the Rams across the board for pulling that one out. It was very impressive.
10 – 
Lions (0-1)
Yikes. Just yikes. I was expecting to be proven right at some point this season, but I didn’t know it’d look like that, and I didn’t think it’d be so quick. But our worst fears might be on the verge of coming true, and the Lions might be in serious trouble. The offense looked completely discombobulated and disjointed, completely unable to look remotely competent or on-time like they were under Ben Johnson. What’s the point of all that talent on offense if they can’t mesh to make it work like they did previously? John Morton has a lot to figure out. Oh, and the defense still ain’t exactly ready to step up, either. I still think Detroit will be fine against lesser teams, but they’re clearly not the contender they were in the past two seasons.
11 – 
Bengals (1-0)
So, I guess playing your starters in the preseason means… nothing? By all means, the Bengals should have lost on Sunday. They had seven — count them, seven — yards of offense in the second half on Sunday and got away with the Browns missing two kicks of less than 40 yards. Putting them at No. 11 honestly feels gross. Joe Burrow was awful, Ja’Marr Chase was a nonfactor, the offense was stuck in mud. The defense wasn’t good either, just opportunistic. Credit where credit is due for snagging a couple of picks when it mattered, but I’ve never seen a win feel more like a loss. Cincy needs to tighten up ASAP considering what their next few games look like. We’ll see what they’re really made of very soon.
12 – 
Broncos (1-0)
Speaking of wins that felt like losses, here’s your Denver Broncos! Now, for what its worth, they were largely dominant on Sunday, having the largest delta in net success rate against their opponent of any team in the league this week. But it just didn’t feel that way. The Titans beat themselves more than the Broncos did with drops galore and horrendous coaching. And Denver should be thankful for that, because Bo Nix was arguably the worst quarterback in football in Week 1. Three awful turnovers, terrible decision-making and just horrifically inefficient play leaves such a sour taste in the mouth. But, Denver’s defense is still elite, and that was enough… for now. Let’s see what happens when you’re not playing the Titans.
13 – 
Vikings (1-0)
What a coaching job that was by Kevin O’Connell. To settle your quarterback down in his first start on the road on Monday Night Football after three dreadful quarters of play was unreal to watch in real time. And I’ve got to give a ton of credit to JJ McCarthy, who had as many touchdowns thrown to the defense as first downs going into the fourth quarter, but still dusted off his shoulders and locked in for an incredible comeback. He showed poise, determination and a will to win on top of really great playmaking ability. The remade offensive line looked dominant and the defense was flying around. If the Vikings can extrapolate their fourth quarter into consistency across full games, this team will be right in the playoff mix.
14 – 
Falcons (0-1)
All of a sudden, I feel really good about the Falcons. Michael Penix Jr.? Stud. Bijan Robinson? Most dynamic player in football this season, probably. James Pearce Jr.? Instant impact off the edge, silencing so many doubters, albeit against a patchwork offensive line. Xavier Watts? Probably the most impressive rookie defensive back this week. Kyle Pitts? Actually good! If it wasn’t for Younghoe Koo’s right leg, we’d be talking about the Falcons as having one of the more impressive performances of Week 1. But, alas. We’ll have to settle for a dynamite SNF matchup in Minnesota to see if they can keep it up.
15 – 
Texans (0-1)
So, when is the Texans offense going to look competent? Ever again? Please? I don’t want CJ Stroud to come out and say this team was “lollygagging” ever again. The defense is obviously still insane, but it won’t matter until this offense wakes the hell up. The protection is still a glaring issue, which is just going to hold these guys back. Although, I was pleasantly surprised with the run game. Nick Chubb still has some gas left in the tank. In any case, things aren’t getting easier for Houston with the Bucs on tap, so the offense better figure itself out if they want to avoid an 0-2 start.
16 – 
Cowboys (0-1)
Hey, that wasn’t as bad as we thought it’d be! Good for you! Dak Prescott was genuinely awesome in the opener, though the stats won’t reflect it. The run game was cooking for most of the game, and the defense was a pleasant surprise when it came to anything but stopping quarterback scrambles. If CeeDee Lamb could catch — just a strange problem dating back to last year that’s bogging down one of the league’s best receivers — we’d be talking about the Cowboys as pulling the upset of the opening slate. Alas, we’ll have to settle for giving them a moral victory instead.
17 – 
Steelers (1-0)
Unc still got it. Aaron Rodgers was straight up awesome on Sunday — a statement I didn’t think I’d ever make again. The Jets defense is no slouch, and he still threw it all over the place. Now, the Steelers got just about every break to win it, from a fumble on a kickoff to two super long field goals from Chris Boswell. And I wasn’t very impressed with this defense, though they made the plays when it was time to make them. More than anything, I’m just a lot more interested in this Steelers team. Because that game looked nothing like what I expected it to. So, what comes next?
18 – 
Raiders (1-0)
It’s too early to take my Geno Smith victory lap, especially considering the secondary that he was facing on Sunday. But that game gives me confidence that QB play will not be a weakness in Vegas this fall. The run game, on the other hand, was concerning. Yes, the Patriots have a much stronger front seven, but Ashton Jeanty was not drafted to have 38 yards on 19 carries. I hope they can open things up more for him as the season rolls along. And we’ll see how the defense plays when they line up against some more put-together offenses, like the Chargers on Monday night.
19 – 
49ers (1-0)
Is this harsh? Probably. But it’s more of a reflection of the current state of the 49ers, who are staring at a game against the Saints without Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk. They were absolutely blessed by the football gods to pull that win out in Seattle. There wasn’t really any area where I was impressed, other than with Trent Williams, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, which is par for the course. Obviously all those Jake Moody misses play a role, but I just need to see the Niners consistently win with all these issues they’re dealing with before putting them above some teams that I thought were more impressive this week.
20 – 
Colts (1-0)
Well, well, well. Indiana Jones had a smashing opening weekend at the box office. Good for him, and good for the Colts. I’ll take it with a grain of salt because the Dolphins are an absolute joke, and I’m fascinated to see what the sequel looks like against one of the best defenses in football this week.
21 – 
Cardinals (1-0)
Most nothing win of Week 1? Most nothing win ever? People are asking. But, a win is a win. The Cardinals helped people remain alive in their survivor pools with a remarkably unimpressive win in New Orleans, but I’m leaving with two major positives. To start, Marvin Harrison Jr. was involved! Keep that up. And second, Will Johnson looked every bit like the stud we thought he’d be coming out of college. Looks like Arizona got a real steal there.
22 – 
Jets (0-1)
I said it earlier with Pittsburgh: that didn’t look anything like what I expected it to, but I still loved it. Justin Fields blew us all away, Breece Hall looked explosive and Garrett Wilson was a dog. I’m disappointed in what I saw out of this defense, but I’m not sure how long that’ll continue for. Maybe, just maybe, this Jets team is better than we thought they’d be. Or, this might just be another Fields flash in the pan. I’m sincerely hoping for the former.
23 – 
Seahawks (0-1)
Like their counterparts in Week 1, I feel like I’m being a little harsh to Seattle here. Sam Darnold wasn’t awful by any means, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a monster and the defense held their own… until they didn’t. And that’s what bothers me. Riq Woolen has turned into an absolute liability at corner and now Nick Emmanwori could be headed to the injured reserve. I don’t know if either side of the ball in Seattle is good enough to lift up the other, which means these first few weeks could go awry, especially with some solid teams looming on the schedule.
24 – 
Patriots (0-1)
Boring? Underwhelming? All of the above. I do like what I saw out of Drake Maye, but that was about it. I was expecting a lot more out of the run game, which was way too quiet for my liking. The defense held up as best as they could with Christian Gonzalez being out, but it wasn’t enough. But this was never going to be an overnight thing, as I said. We’ll see how this group continues to gel in the weeks to come.
25 – 
Jaguars (1-0)
Was that a good-looking win for the Jags? Yeah, I guess so. But let’s see it again. And against a better team, please. I think Trevor Lawrence looked good, but certainly not great, so I think this offense still has some work to do. And they’re not going to play many defenses as bad as Carolina’s for the rest of the year. So, show it to me again before I put the respect on you that a lot of folks in the media are.
26 – 
Bears (0-1)
Thank you for one of the best hatewatches I’ve had in years. Game one under Ben Johnson with Caleb Williams looked like so much of what I expected: some scripted success to start followed by abysmal offense, horrendous inaccuracy, bad body language and general feelings of giving up en route to blowing a double-digit fourth quarter lead at home to a division rival. It might be too early to take my victory lap and gloat, but this one is a feather in my cap. Now, Chicago is on the verge of facing some uncomfortable questions if this keeps up. But we’ll cross those bridges when we get there.
27 – 
Panthers (0-1)
After a summer’s worth of hype following the way Bryce Young ended 2024, he goes out there and does that? Not great. This defense is still awful and Bryce looked overwhelmed against a Jags defense that’s nothing amazing. At least Tetairoa McMillan looked awesome!
28 – 
Browns (0-1)
The Browns managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in ways that truly only they can. They moved the ball effectively against Cincinnati while their own defense absolutely suffocated what’s supposed to be one of the best offenses in the league. And it didn’t matter because their kicker can’t kick. Only Cleveland. But, at least we can see that this defense will still hold its weight while the offense flails around for a few weeks until Quinshon Judkins provides a boost in the run game.
29 – 
Titans (0-1)
Just an abject disaster. Brian Callahan was the worst head coach of Week 1 for a CVS receipt’s worth of reasons and nobody lining up to catch passes could do that. Cam Ward’s tape vastly outshines his numbers, which is about what I expected this season. But man, I didn’t know it’d be this bad. So, I simultaneously have hope because of Ward, but no hope because of coaching and the rest of the offense. It’s going to be a weird year in Tennessee.
30 – 
Giants (0-1)
Just bleh. Russell Wilson doesn’t have much time left in this league, the run game was absolutely smothered, and while the defensive front looked good at times, this Giants team was simply outmatched and buried on Sunday. Never a good sign when you don’t score a touchdown and are the lowest-scoring team of the slate. This team really just isn’t worth talking about until Jaxson Dart starts playing.
31 – 
Saints (0-1)
If Spencer Rattler is truly better than Tyler Shough, then I fear the Saints completely wasted that draft selection. I do think New Orleans looked better than the dumpster fire we expected, but I told you guys the game would be close. This offense is just an unwatchable product — much like those disgraceful alternate uniforms — although Kelvin Banks had a nice debut at the tackle spot. And the defense isn’t good enough to make up for any of it.
32 – 
Dolphins (0-1)
Our expectations for you were low, but holy cow. I wasn’t expecting this level of a dumpster fire. Everyone in Miami should be ashamed. But, none of them will be there in a few months’ time, so maybe they just don’t care. It certainly looks like they don’t. Nobody respects Tua, nobody respects Mike McDaniel and nobody wants to be there. What a mess. This might get blown up sooner than I anticipated.
Raza Talks Sports 