In this article, I will go over every week 1 NFL game that has happened so far and then predict each teams future. My record in week 1 was 11-5. Not bad for the first week as it is the hardest week to predict. On to week 2.
Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Score:
Eagles: 24 – W
Cowboys: 20
My Prediction:
Eagles Win (correct)
This was a really fun game to kick off the season. Brawls, Jalen Carter spitting on Dak Prescott and getting ejected 6 seconds into the game, and an energized crowd made for a entertaining first quarter. Through the first half, both offenses scored on every drive, making it a fun shootout. Dak was looking like an MVP candidate all night and Jalen Hurts was doing his thing. Then came the weather delay. On the other side of the delay, it was a defensive battle. Neither team scored and it came down to CeeDee Lamb dropping a few balls and the Eagles defense barely surviving.
I was shocked that the Cowboys came out like they did. I had very little confidence in their new HC Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys defense. Both proved their worth during this game. Kenny Clark made an immediate impact on stopping the run and their defense flashed some really good things. I don’t expect this Cowboys team to make the playoffs but they have a real chance to compete with the Commanders for the number 2 spot in the division. Yes, I am implying that the Eagles win the NFC East and attempt another playoff run. I doubt they go to the Super Bowl but they are the defending champs so who knows. Cowboys fans should be really excited about the future of this team, especially now that they have 4 first round picks in the next 2 years.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs
Score:
Chargers: 27 – W
Chiefs: 21
My Prediction:
Chiefs Win (incorrect)
My first missed pick of the season happens in the second game of the year. I expected the Charger to be bad this year. Boy was I wrong. Looking back at it, I can’t believe I bet against John Harbaugh. Good coaching really makes the difference even with a poor roster (not saying the Chargers roster is poor). Justin Herbert looked fantastic as did Patrick Mahomes. I was really surprised about how well WR Quentin Johnston played. The Chargers offensive line really held up in the pass game which carried the Chargers offense as Omarion Hampton never really got going. I was surprised that the Chiefs defense got picked apart the whole game. The had the Chargers pinned in a 3rd & 14 situation to get the ball back at the end of the game and whiffed it. Justin Herbert ran about 20 yards for the first down to seal the game. Another really fun game to start the season.
Both of these teams looked like playoff caliber teams. Expect them to have a good rest of the season and gear up for a playoff push. Despite the loss, I think the Chiefs have a better chance to make a playoff push this year. The Chargers could have a shot at contending in the next couple of years. The Chiefs head into a tough game at home next week against the defending champs (Eagles) and the Chargers should beat the Raiders next week.
New Orleans Saints vs Arizona Cardinals
Score:
Cardinals: 20 – W
Saints: 13
My Prediction:
Cardinals Win (c0rrect)
I wasn’t able to watch the full game but I did see parts. Trey Benson looked better than James Conner at some points in the game and could start getting more and more reps as the season goes on. Trey McBride targeted and used very often. Seems like the go-to guy for Kyler Murray. Also Marvin Harrison Jr. could breakout this year. My notes for the Saints includes a pleasantly surprising defense and better than expected game from the offense. I projected this team to tie for the worst record in the NFL at 2-15 and get the second overall pick. While I still think they will get a top-5 pick, they didn’t look as bad as I thought they would and actually made this game competitive. I’m not a big fan of the Kellen Moore hire for the Saints and Spencer Rattler is a young QB, but both looked fine out there.
After that performance, I expect the Cardinals to get last place in the NFC West and miss the playoffs. This also means that HC Jonathan Gannon will likely be fired as well. Again, I still believe the Saints will be drafting high in the draft this year and unless Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough proves to be the future, they could be taking a first round QB. Probably Garrett Nussmeier because he is the top QB in the class in my opinion and his dad is the OC for the Saints.
Indianapolis Colts vs Miami Dolphins
Score:
Colts: 33 – W
Dolphins: 8
My Prediction:
Colts Win (correct)
I wasn’t able to see this game at all but what a performance from Daniel Jones and the Colts defense. Maybe more significantly, what a loss for the Dolphins. I can’t tell if the result of this game is because the Colts are good or the Dolphins are really bad. I think maybe it’s a bit of both. Tua looked terrible from the clips I saw and despite a solid group of pass rushers, the Dolphins defense is clearly not up to par. The obvious weakness is the secondary but its seems the whole defense may be weak. It looks to me like the Dolphins will have a top-5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and HC Mike McDaniel will be fired. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they drafted a QB with their first pick and maybe even traded away WR Tyreek Hill. If you couldn’t tell, I’m suggesting a full rebuild.
I am curious what the future holds for the Colts. Their defense is likely legit but their offense could be fraudulent. QB Daniel Jones played very well but doesn’t seem like the long-term answer. I could see the Colts getting a winning record this year, more or less 9-8. This should allow time that QB Anthony Richardson always needed to develop properly and maybe become their future. Tyler Warren looked fantastic as expected and they overall looked like a solid, fringe-playoff team.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
Score:
Jaguars: 26 – W
Panthers: 10
My Prediction:
Panthers Win (incorrect)
What a disturbing game for the Panthers fans out there. Bryce Young and Dave Canales gave me so much hope for this year in the second half of the season last year. I mean they were on fire. Despite this, Bryce looked like he was reverting to his old ways including interceptions and fumbles. He offensive line didn’t play great and his defense was abysmal but still I expected more from him. Xavier Legette looked awful from what I saw from him. His isn’t that impactful in the pass game and refuses to block for his teammates on some plays. TMac looked like the real deal at least. Canales has got to get his team and play calling back together for them to have a chance at the playoffs or a winning record. I expect the Panthers to give some of their younger defensive players more opportunities and for Bryce Young and this offense to bounce back next week against the Cardinals.
On the other hand, the Jaguars looked solid. Their pass rush was good and their running game was surprisingly good. New HC Liam Coen is already making a huge difference on the offensive end. With Tank Bigsby traded to the Eagles, expect rookie RB Brayshul Tuten to start making a serious impact. I view him as a potential star and the future of the Jaguars RB room. Again, it was a great start for Liam Coen’s tenure as a Jaguars HC and Jaguars fans should be optimistic for what’s to come in their weak division. I think it will be a good game next week against the Bengals but will ultimately result in a loss to Joe Burrow and crew.
New York Jets vs Pittsburg Steelers
Score:
Steelers: 34 – W
Jets: 32
My Prediction:
Steelers Win (correct)
What a game. If not for the Bills vs Ravens game later that night, it was easily the game of the week in my opinion. What I thought would be a low-scoring, defensive battle turned into a shoot out between Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers. DK Metcalf didn’t have a huge presence during the game and certainly didn’t look worth the $33M APY. What really stood out to me was the Jets offensive line dominating what was expected to be a top-5 defensive unit in the Steelers. The coaching was good and the Jets future looks bright despite the loss. For the Steelers, I still think they should fire HC Mike Tomlin. Just like Pete Carroll in Seattle, his ways are outdated and won’t win a Super Bowl.
I expect both of these teams to fight for spots in the playoffs and probably one or the other makes it. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers isn’t the future at QB for the Steelers, so they will have to either sign another one or draft one after this season ends. That will be interesting because their current strategy of being very passive with the QB position isn’t working. For the Jets, Will McDonald and Quinnen Williams looked great for their defense and the defense should keep getting better.
Washington Commanders vs New York Giants
Score:
Commanders: 21 – W
Giants: 6
My Prediction:
Commanders Win (correct)
Despite the 15 point loss, I thought the Giants defense looked pretty solid. I also think their offense has some potential but QB Russell Wilson struggled as well as their offensive line. It seems likely that rookie QB Jaxson Dart will take over soon for the Giants which will be fun to watch. Nabers is still a star and second year TE Theo Johnson shows promise. On the defensive side, DT Dexter Lawrence, EDGE Brain Burns, and rookie EDGE Abdul Carter looked excellent and should continue to get better. For the Commanders, QB Jayden Daniels looked good as always but they have a few things they need to tweak and get working properly. Plus their defensive line played great against the run and made it difficult for the Giants offense to operate.
Expect the Commanders to win a one or two playoff games before falling short to the Packers or the Eagles. Next year could be their year in my opinion. Expect the Giants to win a top 10 pick and miss the playoffs but have a great defense and an improving offense. If things go well this year, it sets them up next year to make a run at the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Score:
Buccaneers: 23 – W
Falcons: 20
My Prediction:
Falcons Win (incorrect)
What a fun game. Both teams looked solid but with a lot of things to improve. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka looked amazing and filled in for Chris Godwin perfectly. Bucky Irving and the run game could get going a little bit more though. Baker looked accurate and the defense looked ok. For the Falcons, Michael Penix Jr. is really starting to develop into a great player and made several game saving plays despite the loss. The game should’ve gone to OT if not for the missed field goal by the Falcons at the end of the game. I think the Falcons’ rookie defensive pieces should continue to get better every week and start making a serious impact. Bijan and Drake London looked dangerous as always.
I’m still unsure of HC Raheem Morris as the long term answer for the Falcons but a successful defensive season and good clock management could help his case a lot. I still think the Buccaneers will win the NFC South but lose in the playoffs while the Falcons will show flashes of a good team but fall short of their playoff hopes.
Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals
Score:
Bengals: 17 – W
Browns: 16
My Prediction:
Bengals Win (correct)
I didn’t see much of this game but the most significant thing I noticed was Cleveland’s defensive line. I watched one Bengals possession where the Brown’s defense had 3 straight sacks. It was extremely impressive work from Myles Garret and their other pass rushers. This was a game the Brown’s should have won but lost because their kicker missed 4 points worth of kicks. Their offense obviously needs to get better after only scoring 16 points against a poor Bengals defense. I do feel bad for Joe Burrow as his offensive line was getting destroyed and he was suffering the consequences. Again their defense isn’t great but held up against a bad Brown’s offense.
My predictions for the Bengals are missing the playoffs and HC Zac Taylor and some front office members are fired. They handled Trey Hendrickson’s contract horribly as well as rookie Shemar Stewart. My predictions for the Browns are a top 10 pick despite their great defensive and them spending it on an offensive position.
New England Patriots vs Las Vegas Raiders
Score:
Raiders: 20 – W
Patriots: 13
My Prediction:
Raiders Win (correct)
I watched the first part of the game but soon turned it off. What a boring game. Jeanty did ok for his first start and Geno actually looked pretty good. It was fun to see Pete Carroll get his first Raider win but otherwise there isn’t a lot for me to talk about. They aren’t a great team. They won’t make the playoffs but might compete for a border line winning record. The Patriots are in very similar situation. A new HC, a rookie RB, and a solid defense. Maybe after next weeks games I will have more to talk about for these two teams, but for now that it my predictions.
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
Score:
49ers: 17 – W
Seahawks: 13
My Prediction:
Seahawks Win (incorrect)
Wow! That Seahawks offense was extremely disappointing and underwhelming. While players like Kenneth Walker II and Cooper Kupp struggled, it was the new OC Klint Kubiak who carries the most blame. Despite play action being a strength of his scheme and of Sam Darnold, the Seahawks ran the least amount of play action across the entire NFL. Are you kidding me? No wonder the Seahawks didn’t have success. Plus JSN was the only receiver who got involved in the game at all. I blame that on Kubiak as well. The only reason this game wasn’t a blowout was because of an excellent defensive performance from Mike McDonald and crew and a few good special teams plays. However, Tariq Woolen did give up to massive plays on the 49ers game-winning drive. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets benched next week against the Steelers. I had predicted the Seahawks to go 12-5 but they look a lot closer to 8-9 based off week 1. Time will tell if Kubiak can get this offense going or it will be a repeat of last year.
For the 49ers, Robert Saleh and Nick Bosa were fantastic. Their key offensive contributors Christian McCaffrey and Ricky Pearsall played well too. It’s crazy that Trent Williams had the highest pressure rate in this game since joining the 49ers and the Seahawks couldn’t capitalize. Bad news is that the 49ers are aging and injured. Kittle will be out 5 weeks, Trent is looking old and Brock Purdy might be out next week against the Saints. That doesn’t even include their beat up WR room. I doubt they make the playoffs this year but have a chance and seem like a 9-8 team.
Denver Broncos vs Tennessee Titans
Score:
Broncos: 20 – W
Titans: 12
My Prediction:
Broncos Win (correct)
Despite Bo Nix and the offense best efforts to lose this game, the Broncos defense saved the day and got a W. Seriously, I was disappointed to see Nix struggle like that. I have faith he will bounce back in the next few weeks and continue developing into the great player I know he can become. Again, that Broncos defense is really freaking good. Poor Cam Ward was getting destroyed in his first ever NFL game and his WR’s were dropping passes left and right. Sutton looked good and they should figure out their starting RB situation in the next few weeks. For the Titans, I thought rookie QB Cam Ward played amazing for having a mediocre team and HC around him. Yes, I do think Brian Callahan will be fired either mid season or after the season. He was a big part of why they lost this game with his clock management and play calls. Their defense looked solid and Jeffrey Simmons still looks like a beast.
I think the Titans will earn a top 10, probably top 5 pick in the 2026 draft and will have a new HC to lead them. Even with the slow start, I think the Broncos will make the playoffs and have a shot at beating some really good teams. It will be fun to watch.
Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions
Score:
Broncos: 27 – W
Titans: 13
My Prediction:
Packers Win (correct)
The Packers start off the season with a bang beating their division rival by about 20 points. Their defense looks top tier and their offense play calling was superb as it always is with Matt LaFluer. The Lions just couldn’t figure things out, mostly due to their new OC and DC. It will be tough to get things on track but when and if they do, the Lions will be dangerous again. They have too much talent and too many weapons to not be a good team. I have confidence HC Dan Campbell and his staff will figure it out by mid season.
I expect the Packers to compete with the Eagles to win the NFC and they have a real shot to win the whole thing. In my opinion, there are 2 teams in each conference who have a real shot at winning the Super Bowl this year: Packers, Eagles, Bills and Ravens. The Commanders and Chiefs are honorable mentions. Again if the Lions can get things going they have a shot at the playoffs and winning a game or two.
Los Angeles Rams vs Houston Texans
Score:
Rams: 14 – W
Texans: 9
My Prediction:
Rams Win (correct)
The elite Texans defense made it hard on Sean McVay and the Rams to operate but they still managed to get it done. I was much more impressed with the Rams defense than their offense. They completely shut down Nico Collins and put a lot of stress on CJ Stroud. Jared Verse is still a beast and they have some underrated defensive pieces. For the Texans, they need to get their offense figured out but what they have now just won’t cut it. Again, their defense looks great.
I expect both of these teams to make the playoffs but key injures to either team could destroy them. For the Rams, if QB Matthew Stafford or WR Puka Nacua is out, their offense just doesn’t operate the same. It would likely lead to them missing the playoffs all together. For the Texans, an injury to CJ Stroud or a key offensive lineman would really hurt their already poor offensive attack.
Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens
Score:
Bills: 41 – W
Ravens: 40
My Prediction:
Ravens Win (incorrect)
WHAT A GAME! Wow this was fun to watch. Two MVP’s and potential hall of famer’s going at it head to head in the first week of the season. Like I said before, these two teams are the only true contenders to win the AFC. They are just on a whole other level than everybody. Currently, that includes the Chiefs too. I don’t have a lot more to say than WOW what a comeback victory and that anything can happen in these games between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Both have the star power to carry their teams to an insane victory. We will see who gets the win when it really matters: the playoffs.
Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings
Score:
Vikings: 27 – W
Bears: 24
My Prediction:
Vikings Win (correct)
After a great first drive, the Bears and QB Caleb Williams stalled the rest of the game. It was hard to watch errant throws and a struggling run game all night lead by a supposed offensive genius. I’m not saying that Ben Johnson isn’t a great offensive coach but it is gonna take him several weeks to get this team on track. Honestly, I doubt the Bears make the playoffs despite what many people suggest. Caleb Williams just isn’t performing at a high enough level yet. He showed some really good movement, escaping sacks and tackles, but lacked accuracy and proper reads. Also his offensive line struggled against a solid Vikings defensive line. For the Vikings, it was an easy pick for me this week to go with the Vikings. Their coaches are simply too good. Even with a rookie QB, their defense and other positions played well enough to pick up JJ McCarthy’s slack. However, when the 4 quarter started JJ was on a whole new level. He looked great. Really exciting time to be a Vikings fan as they have all the key parts of the franchise intact to go and contend for a Super Bowl. I’m not suggesting they will contend this year, but in the next few years they should have a real chance.
That’s it for the Week 1 review. Let me know what you think!
