The Buffalo Bills launched the new NFL season in unforgettable fashion, pulling off a dramatic 41-40 comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens in one of the wildest opening-week games in recent memory.
Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson — both recent MVPs — delivered a duel worthy of the spotlight, trading big plays all evening. The Ravens, powered by Jackson and Derrick Henry’s 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns, appeared in control with a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. But a costly Henry fumble opened the door, and Allen took full advantage.
The Bills’ star quarterback engineered 16 points in just four minutes, finishing with 394 passing yards, four total touchdowns, and setting up 41-year-old kicker Matt Prater — signed only days earlier — to nail a game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired. It marked Buffalo’s first fourth-quarter comeback of 15 points or more since 1967. “Our team didn’t quit,” Allen said. “Some people left the stadium early, and that’s OK — but have some faith next time.”
Elsewhere, veteran Aaron Rodgers enjoyed a revenge-fueled debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers, tossing four touchdown passes against his former team, the New York Jets, in a 34-32 thriller. Rodgers, who turned 41 this year, relished silencing doubters. “There were probably people who thought I couldn’t play anymore,” he said. “It was nice to remind them I still can.” Chris Boswell sealed the win with a 60-yard field goal — the longest in franchise history.
In Green Bay, prized signing Micah Parsons made an instant impact for the Packers after being traded from Dallas just 10 days ago. Despite limited snaps, he sacked Detroit quarterback Jared Goff and constantly disrupted the Lions’ offense, helping the Packers cruise to a 27-13 win.
The Indianapolis Colts ended an 11-year opening-day drought with a 33-8 demolition of the Miami Dolphins, led by new quarterback Daniel Jones. The former Giants QB threw for 272 yards, scored three total touchdowns, and oversaw an offense that scored on all seven of its drives — something the NFL says hasn’t been achieved in nearly half a century.
There were also wins for the Bengals, who edged Cleveland 17-16 thanks to a much-improved defense, and for the Buccaneers, who saw rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka make history with a last-minute game-winning touchdown. The Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Rams also recorded opening-week victories, while the San Francisco 49ers overcame Seattle despite losing star tight end George Kittle to injury.
Rookie debuts also drew headlines. Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter played on both sides of the ball in a comfortable win over Carolina, while No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward fell short as his Tennessee Titans were beaten by the Denver Broncos.
With comebacks, debuts, and dramatic finishes, Week One showed exactly why NFL Sundays remain one of sport’s most thrilling spectacles.
Week One Results
San Francisco 49ers 17–13 Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans 12–20 Denver Broncos
Houston Texans 9–14 Los Angeles Rams
Detroit Lions 13–27 Green Bay Packers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23–20 Atlanta Falcons
Cincinnati Bengals 17–16 Cleveland Browns
Miami Dolphins 8–33 Indianapolis Colts
Carolina Panthers 10–26 Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders 20–13 New England Patriots
New York Giants 6–21 Washington Commanders
Pittsburgh Steelers 34–32 New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals 20–13 New Orleans Saints
Kansas City Chiefs 21–27 Los Angeles Chargers (Friday)
Dallas Cowboys 20–24 Philadelphia Eagles (Thursday)
