Rodgers’ Steelers and Parsons’ Packers both collected statement wins in their debuts.
Speaking of players on the move, Colts QB Daniel Jones managed something Peyton Manning never did for his new squad.
Some high-profile rookies didn’t exactly light it up, though one propelled his team to victory.

The 32 things we learned from Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season:

0. The number of career receptions – entering Sunday – by San Francisco 49ers TE Jake Tonges. But, filling in for injured star George Kittle, Tonges had three grabs in Seattle, including a game-winning 4-yard TD snag, in the Niners’ 17-13 defeat of the Seahawks.

1. As in still No. 1. If the Philadelphia Eagles can win Super Bowl 60 next February, it would mark just the second time in league history that there would be back-to-back back-to-back Super Bowl champions, the lone occurrence as of now being when the 1974-75 champion Pittsburgh Steelers followed the 1972-73 Miami Dolphins. Philly started its quest with a 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, making defending champions 21-5 since 2000 in regular-season openers directly following a Super Sunday triumph.

1a. As in the fresh jersey number worn by newly obtained Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons, who was also undoubtedly the No. 1 story of the offseason following his shocking trade from the Cowboys. In Parsons’ Pack debut, creaky back and all, he registered a fourth-quarter sack of QB Jared Goff – and pressured him twice, per PFF – in Green Bay’s 27-13 statement rout of the Detroit Lions, NFC North champs the past two seasons.

2. The number of wins the Cincinnati Bengals have collectively in Weeks 1 and 2 since Zac Taylor became their head coach in 2019, a figure that includes Sunday’s 17-16 squeaker over the Cleveland Browns.

2a. The last time the Bengals won in Week 1, in 2021, they eventually reached Super Bowl 56.

3rd. As in new Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is the third-oldest player (41 years, 279 days) to throw at least four TD passes in a game, joining Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Rodgers’ new team barely survived his former one, the New York Jets, in a 34-32 thriller at MetLife Stadium.

3a. The game was also Rodgers’ 28th with at least four touchdown passes and no interceptions, matching Brady’s record.

3b. Opposed by new Jets QB Justin Fields, who also had a nice debut, the game was the first in league history with quarterbacks opposing each other in Week 1 playing against teams that they’d started the opener for the previous year.

4. Sunday night’s meeting between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills marked the fifth time the reigning league MVP (Bills QB Josh Allen) faced his predecessor (Ravens QB Lamar Jackson) in Week 1. It also happened last year when Jackson played against the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. Prior to that, such a matchup hadn’t occurred since 2000, when eventual Hall of Famers Kurt Warner and Terrell Davis squared off.

4a. And yet that kind of pregame hype couldn’t live up to a contest, miraculously won 41-40 by the Bills on a game-ending field goal from replacement K Matt Prater, 41, that almost undoubtedly be in the conversation for game of the season five months hence. Buffalo scored 16 points in the last four minutes to pull out the win in the final opening night in Highmark Stadium’s history.

5. The number of quarterbacks, since 1990, to make their starting debuts on Monday night, assuming the Minnesota Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy does so against the Chicago Bears to cap Week 1. The man McCarthy is replacing, Sam Darnold, is also on that (pretty solid) list, joined by Brian Griese, Philip Rivers and Rodgers.

6. The number of Week 1 wins the Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh has … in six NFL seasons as a head coach (including four with the San Francisco 49ers) after the Bolts took down the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil on Friday night. No one in the league’s 106 seasons has more without a loss.

7. The number of scoring drives – in seven possessions – led by newly installed Indianapolis Colts QB1 Daniel Jones in a 33-8 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins. Jones, who ran for two TDs and passed for one, became the first QB in the 21st century to lead his team to points on that many drives without suffering a scoreless one. Of course he did. Wildest stat of the weekend.

8. The number of points scored by Miami, the second fewest of any team in Week 1 with just one game left to play. Fins HC Mike McDaniel’s hot seat just had gas poured all over it.

8a. The Dolphins had 43 yards in the first half … while the Colts ran 43 plays.

9. The last time the Colts won in Week 1? How about 2013, when Andrew Luck was their second-year quarterback.

9a. Good thing Colts S Cam Bynum still celebrates like no other.

10. The number of NFL quarterbacks – ever – who have passed for 60,000 career yards. The Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford joined their ranks Sunday, his brittle back absorbing three sacks in a 14-9 defeat of the Houston Texans.

10a. The number of touches Deebo Samuel had in his debut with the Washington Commanders. He led the team with seven receptions for 77 yards (on a team-high 10 targets), returned a pair of kickoffs and iced a 21-6 victory with a 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. All told, 146 all-purpose yards.

11. Yards covered by Steelers WR DK Metcalf on Sunday’s clutchest catch – one that ricocheted off of him and then right back on Pittsburgh’s game-winning field-goal drive.

12. And how about Steelers K Chris Boswell drilling the game-winning shot from 60 yards? Yeah, 60 yards is so passé. Wake us up when there’s a 70-yarder that counts, y’all.

13. Both the number of penalties and points produced by the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Saints do know Arch Manning apparently isn’t entering the draft next year, right? (To the extent he’d be the No. 1 pick anyway …)

14. Additionally, the Saints’ new (old?) ‘Gameday Golds’ jerseys also rendered them unwatchable.

15. Believe it or not, Sunday was the first time the Saints had lost their opener since 2018.

16. The final snap count for Jacksonville Jaguars ballyhooed rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter? How about 45 (six on defense) … about 40% what he did at Colorado, where the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner averaged about 112 per game.

17. Hunter’s Jags rolled over the Carolina Panthers 26-10, thanks in large part to third-year Carolina QB Bryce Young, who’s now 0-3 on opening day with a passer rating of 44.2 Young has never thrown for as many as 200 yards in Week 1 and hasn’t completed 50% of his passes over the course of those three games.

18. As Young was in 2023, the Tennessee Titans’ Cam Ward looked every bit the overwhelmed rookie quarterback drafted No. 1 overall … by a bad team. Ward was sacked six times, passed for just 112 yards, and the Tennessee offense generated just 133 in a 20-12 loss to the Denver Broncos in one of the weekend’s more unsightly contests.

18a. Since 2000, the 17 quarterbacks drafted first overall are 1-15-1.

19. The number of carries by Las Vegas Raiders rookie RB Ashton Jeanty on Sunday … for 38 yards. This ain’t the Mountain West, Boss, and we haven’t forgotten your preseason proclamation that you’ve “arrived.”

20. But props to the Silver and Black and first-year coach Pete Carroll – now the NFL’s oldest head coach of all time (73 years, 357 days as of Sunday) – for notching a 20-13 victory in New England against the Patriots, one of Carroll’s former teams.

21. Carroll and the Jaguars’ Liam Coen were the only head coaches (among seven) to enjoy victorious debuts with their new teams, though Chicago’s Ben Johnson could still join them Monday night.

22. The Jets-Steelers game was effectively decided when new Pittsburgh DB Jalen Ramsey dislodged the ball from NYJ WR Garrett Wilson on fourth down of Gang Green’s final offensive play as they were trying to get into position for a game-winning field-goal try. The nice part – and sportsmanship is an emphasis league-wide in 2025 – was seeing them congratulate one another just mere minutes after the pivotal sequence.

23. Rookie of the week? Here’s a vote for Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka, who caught a pair of TD passes in his NFL debut, including the game-winning 25 yarder in the final minute as the Bucs outlasted the division rival Atlanta Falcons, who swept the perennial NFC South champs in 2024, 23-20.

23a. Egbuka, Wilson, Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba all had big games Sunday − further evidence that Ohio State has become Wide Receiver U.

24. The Atlanta-Tampa Bay game also served as a reminder that kickers can be very rusty out of the gate. The Bucs’ Chase McLaughlin missed a PAT and 44-yard field goal, while the Falcons’ Younghoe Koo misfired on a 44-yard FG try – the game would have been tied had he connected and likely gone into overtime – on Atlanta’s final play.

25. In addition to McLaughlin’s and Koo’s travails, the Ravens’ Tyler Loop, Chiefs’ Harrison Butker, Saints’ Blake Grupe, Browns’ Andre Szmyt and Patriots’ Andy Borregales all had big misses in defeat.

26. Talk about throwing it into reverse. On the heels of a spectacular preseason, the Giants lived down to the regular-season expectations most had for them about a month ago. No one encapsulated that more than rookie RB Cam Skattebo, whose first two NFL runs both went for negative yardage.

27. Big Blue fans who couldn’t wait to get rid of Jones will likely now be calling for Russell Wilson’s head – and rookie Jaxson Dart’s ascension – any minute now after their team was embarrassed by the Commanders 21-6 on Sunday. Wilson, 36, completed 17 of 37 passes for 168 yards in a very lackluster Giants debut.

28. Yet it must be noted that the Giants stink in Week 1 under coach Brian Daboll. Per OptaSTATS, they’re the first team since World War II to be held without a touchdown in three consecutive openers.

29. Ward is the sixth quarterback drafted No. 1 overall since 2019. Among that group – which also includes Young, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence – only the Bears’ Caleb Williams won a Week 1 start.

30. Tough loss for the Browns, who have dropped two in a row to the Bengals in Cleveland after winning six straight at home against their cross-state rivals. The Browns should have had another victory Sunday after bottling up Burrow and outgaining the Bengals by nearly 200 yards. But two turnovers plus a missed PAT and FG (36-yard attempt) by Szmyt proved too much to overcome.

31. Thought Week 1 was good? Don’t forget Week 2 will feature a Super Bowl 59 rematch between Philadelphia and Kansas City, the Chiefs hosting it Arrowhead Stadium as they desperately try to avoid an 0-2 start.

32. Though Jones was the story on the field, the story of a victorious day in Indianapolis was the induction of late owner Jim Irsay into the team’s Ring of Honor. Irsay was the Colts’ controlling owner for nearly three decades until his death in May. He spent his entire adult life working in the organization and oversaw its only Super Bowl victory since it relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. His is quite a legacy, and one that won’t be merely remembered for his football accomplishments.

By the time Mike Quinlan arrived on the scene, people were running out on the mini-golf course looking for Caleb Williams. The Chicago Bears quarterback had shown up to Skokie Sports Park with a friend on the evening of July 15. Word had traveled fast. 

They arrived already wearing Bears jerseys, spilling out of cars before Williams had even made the turn. They lingered outside holes 17 and 18, watching the Heisman Trophy winner attempting to end Chicago’s decades-long search for a franchise quarterback, first attempt to pull off a summer date in front of a throng of fans in the North Shore suburbs. 

It took about two hours to finish the round. Skokie Sports Park employee Josh Herrera even convinced Williams to take a swing at the driving range. The footage quickly spread through NFL and Chicago social media. Herrera had never seen the place so packed.

“But he didn’t turn down a picture. He probably took 1,000 pictures,” said Quinlan, the golf operations supervisor at Skokie Sports Park. “It was odd. I didn’t think he’d be so, he seemed down to earth. Just to show up to a municipal mini golf course …”

There is anxious optimism throughout Chicago that Williams can prove current perceptions of him are not reality as this high-profile football marriage between the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and the Bears enters year two. He begins the 2025 NFL season as one of the league’s most intriguing and polarizing figures, with a quarterback-starved fan base and a historic franchise in transition eyeing his every move, still hopeful they’ve got their long-awaited star but also in a hurry. 

The Bears hired coveted Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to replace former coach Matt Eberflus, beefed up their offensive line and used their first three draft picks on offensive players this offseason. The honeymoon period during a tone-setting and culture-shifting preseason has featured buy-in and a blossoming partnership between Williams and the offensive guru attempting to course-correct after a rockier-than-expected rookie year. 

Williams was notably out-shined by No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels and lost 10-straight games in 2024, despite producing passing statistics that compare favorably to previous No. 1 picks that started at quarterback as a rookie. He was also the subject of reports about attempts to avoid being drafted by Chicago because of its reputation with quarterbacks, including a much-discussed book by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham that also details some of Williams’ problems with the previous Bears coaching regime during his rookie year. 

Those pre-existing and complicated dynamics still fuel national and local debates, and linger over every conversation about the Bears.

“He’s under as much pressure as anyone in the league this season, fair or unfair – and by the way, I think he’s up for it,” said former Bears wide receiver Tom Waddle, co-host of the long-running “Waddle & Silvy” show on ESPN 1000 radio in Chicago. “The town has never had one of those elite, franchise kind of quarterbacks. I think you put it all together and it tells you that there’s a lot that’s been given to him and a lot that’s going to be expected of him.”

Where Caleb Williams fits in Chicago QB ‘fishbowl’

Williams seemed to accept the spotlight he’s under, and how distinct it is to Chicago, when training camp began and he announced one of his goals for this season: “Being the first 4000-yard passer in Bears history.”

The Bears are the only team in the NFL without one. 

More recently, they’ve used first-round draft picks on Mitch Trubisky (No. 2 overall in 2017) and Justin Fields (No. 11 overall in 2021) that didn’t pan out. Williams performed better than either of them did as a rookie. 

Indeed, Williams had a better QB rating as a rookie than former No. 1 picks turned future Pro Football Hall of Famers like John Elway, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning in their debut NFL season. He finished with a better QBR than fellow No. 1 picks and current NFL starting quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence in their rookie season. 

Only Manning, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck had more touchdown passes (20) as a rookie quarterback among No. 1 picks. Only Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow had a higher completion percentage (62.5%) as a rookie. No former No. 1 pick who became a starting quarterback as a rookie has thrown fewer interceptions (5) than Williams did in 2024.

‘I think it’s easy to dismiss some of the things that make up who he is when you have talent,” said Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who first worked with the Bears quarterback when Williams was a 14-year-old at a QB Collective camp. “People make a lot of assumptions, and I do think that he, based on knowledge of him as a player for awhile, he does work to the caliber of NFL quarterbacks when no one’s watching, and he’s done that for awhile.’

Williams nonetheless ranked 28th out 32 eligible quarterbacks in QBR last season, and scrutiny about his readiness followed in spite of the chaotic circumstances, particularly given Daniels’ early success in comparison.

“That will always hang over you,” Waddle noted. 

The Bears just gave backup QB Tyson Bagent a weird contract

Williams famously doesn’t fit typical quarterback conventions, with painted fingernails and a passion for fashion dating back to when he first burst on the national scene at Oklahoma and USC in college. But the toughness he showed after taking 68 sacks in 2024 – tied for the third-most in league history – earned the respect of Bears’ teammates, who now defend him in the wake of public attacks they’ve deemed unnecessary. 

“When you’re the No. 1 pick and you’re yourself, you’re going to get a lot of hate,” Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze told reporters on Aug. 26. “It’s sad to say that, but that’s just kind of how the light that we were put in and Chicago sports are very wanting success and having it now, and they expect a lot from all their sports teams. So we’re in that light, and you take the good with the bad. He gets a lot of hate for those reasons, but he comes in, he works hard every single day and he’s himself. So I appreciate him for that.”

Bears fans can perhaps be forgiven for being impatient. Trubisky in 2018 is the only Pro Bowl quarterback produced by the franchise since Jim McMahon made it from the 1985 Super Bowl team.

Trubisky is viewed as a draft bust after Chicago selected him eight spots before the Kansas City Chiefs chose Patrick Mahomes. He doesn’t see the experience that way after the Bears allowed his rookie contract to expire in 2021.

“It is a fishbowl, but at the same time I would say enjoy it. Like really take it all in,” Trubisky said in August when asked to give Williams advice while back at Halas Hall as a member of the Buffalo Bills for a joint practice and preseason game against the Bears. 

“I only had it for four years. I wish I had it longer, to be honest, so take it in, enjoy the process,” Trubisky continued. “All eyes are (on) you in the city, but it’s really a privilege and there is a lot of pressure that comes with that. But it’s a privilege and I miss that. It’s a lot of fun to be the franchise guy, especially in a city like this.”

How far can Caleb Williams carry the Bears?

George McCaskey looked almost incredulous when presented with the observation. There can’t be many NFL owners standing in the August heat to greet every fan who wants a brief audience with him at a practice. 

“The least I can do is say thanks,” the Bears chairman and controlling owner told USA TODAY Sports, and so there he was fielding questions from fans young and old lined up to speak with him before the team’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins last month. 

After a few minutes, his mindset heading into the season emerged: “Whatever it takes to get to the playoffs,” McCaskey answered at one point.

This remains a family-run organization in the wake of Virginia McCaskey’s death last February, and it’s facing a pivotal few months on multiple fronts. The Illinois state legislative session in October is crucial to the Bears moving forward with their plans to build a fixed-roof stadium and mixed use development in Arlington Heights, Illinois that would attract the Super Bowl and other major events, team president Kevin Warren said in multiple interviews during the preseason. 

The Bears, meanwhile, have just one playoff win since 2006, and it’s not lost on anyone what the presence of a long-term solution at quarterback would mean.

“A lot of people are waiting with bated breath because it’s been so long since we’ve had a guy at the quarterback position who can quite literally carry us in times of need, and Caleb showed us last year that he’s capable of that,” said former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long. “Can you imagine what would happen in Chicago if Caleb Williams was the tide that rose all ships and everybody becomes media darlings? The Super Bowl thing is a kingmaker and if you’re in Chicago and you do it, it’s way different than that.”

There have been glimpses of greatness and groans during Johnson’s first training camp with Williams in Chicago. He overloaded Williams with information on purpose before paring down his playbook as Monday’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings approaches.

Williams worked meticulously at times on footwork and the proper cadences for play calls. There are still concerns about the number of sacks he took last year and how quickly he’s reading defenses. The team signed back-up Tyson Bagent to a new contract and kept veteran Case Keenum on the 53-man roster as a third quarterback for additional support. 

Johnson acknowledged recently Williams hasn’t often met the coach’s goal of completing 70% of his passes in practice and described his new quarterback’s training camp as ‘a couple steps forward and one step back.’ 

‘We’re going to grow together. This offense is going to grow together with him,’ Johnson told reporters. ‘There will be some bumpy steps along the way, but that’s OK. That’s the nature of doing it. But I feel really good about where he’s at right now and there’s no reason why we can’t win this year.’

But the statistics and milestones, for now, may be less important than the perception that Williams is ready to embrace being the superstar Bears quarterback Chicago desperately wants him to be.

“Him and I are going to be here for awhile,” Williams said of Johnson. “That’s the plan.”

They’ve been nondescript and largely underwhelming all year. Suddenly, though, the New York Yankees have a puncher’s chance at a prime time spot in the playoffs.

The Yankees finished off their season series with the first-place Toronto Blue Jays by winning two of three at Yankee Stadium and suddenly, with 19 games left in the season, are just two games out of the American League East lead.

Couple that with the putrid play of contenders in the AL West and the East champion is virtually assured a top two seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

It’s all surprising stuff for a Yankee team that was 6 ½ games out just two weeks ago, and in danger of missing the playoffs altogether. Now, they’ve surged three spots in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, reaching No. 6.

While New York has a half-dozen challenging upcoming games against Detroit and Boston, it will finish the season with seven games against Baltimore and three apiece vs. the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota, all well under .500. Toronto, however, does hold the tiebreaker thanks to winning the season series. Yet what once felt like settled business is once again a race.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

On pace to win an even 100 games.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

Smooth September disrupted by Trea Turner’s hamstring strain.

3. Toronto Blue Jays (-)

Anthony Santander (remember him?) slated to start rehab assignment.

4. Chicago Cubs (+1)

Oh, no: Closer Daniel Plascencia has shoulder injury.

5. Detroit Tigers (-1)

‘Pitching chaos’ is back due to rotation struggles behind Tarik Skubal.

6. New York Yankees (+3)

How many extra bases will Aaron Judge’s throwing arm cost them?

7. Los Angeles Dodgers (-1)

Jack Dreyer shaping up to be pivotal piece of postseason bullpen.

8. Boston Red Sox (-1)

600 career wins for Alex Cora trailing only Terry Francona (744) and Joe Cronin (1,071) in club history.

9. San Diego Padres (-1)

Five-game skid softened by Dodgers’ woes; just one game out.

10. Houston Astros (-)

Framber Valdez loses first start after drilling own catcher in chest.

11. New York Mets (-)

Juan Soto update: 38 homers, 29 steals, .928 OPS.

12. Seattle Mariners (-)

Amid grim September, Cal Raleigh one homer shy of Mickey Mantle’s record for a switch-hitter.

13. Texas Rangers (+1)

Reliever Shawn Armstrong with a 0.83 ERA in second half.

14. Kansas City Royals (-1)

Bobby Witt Jr. slowed by back spasms.

15. Cleveland Guardians (+2)

José Ramírez passes Jim Thome for No. 2 on Guardians’ all-time RBI list.

16. San Francisco Giants (-)

Even six shutout innings can’t get 300-hunter Justin Verlander a win.

17. Cincinnati Reds (-1)

Hunter Greene strikes out 12 for third time this year as Reds snag series from Mets.

18. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)

Briefly crawl above .500 for first time since July 1.

19. St. Louis Cardinals (-)

Jordan Walker ends an 0-for-25 skid in fine fashion – a walk-off double.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

Playoff drive stunted by closer Pete Fairbanks two losses and blown save in seven-game span.

21. Los Angeles Angels (-)

Top starter Jose Soriano has 2.47 ERA on road, but 4.50 at Angel Stadium.

22. Miami Marlins (-)

Brian Navarreto hits first big league home run five years after debut.

23. Baltimore Orioles (+3)

A 5-1 run against NL West powers San Diego and Los Angeles.

24. Atlanta Braves (-1)

Chris Sale gives up just two runs in 12 ⅔ innings in return from rib cage injury.

25. Athletics (-)

Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers should both top 30-homer mark on next trip to Yolo County.

26. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

Bubba Chandler gives up nine runs to Brewers in first career start.

27. Minnesota Twins (-3)

Pablo Lopez returns from three-month absence with six strong innings.

28. Washington Nationals (-)

Josiah Gray makes first rehab start, 17 months after last appearance.

29. Chicago White Sox (-)

Dominic Fletcher, 28, makes long-awaited return to majors.

30. Colorado Rockies (-)

100th loss comes in embarrassing brawl-marred game.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills mounted a 15-point comeback over the final four minutes of regulation to stun the Baltimore Ravens on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.

The Bills scored on each of their final three drives to win the 41-40 shootout. They capped the miraculous comeback with a 32-yard field goal by 41-year-old kicker Matt Prater, who had replaced the injured Tyler Bass earlier in the week.

Allen was the driving force behind the comeback. He passed for 167 yards over the final three drives and accounted for two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground. He finished the game with 394 passing yards and two touchdowns in addition to 30 yards and two scores on the ground.

The Ravens appeared to be in control for most of the game thanks to the excellence of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. The duo combined for 239 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns while Jackson added 210 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

However, Henry had a key fumble on the Ravens’ penultimate possession that set the Bills up for their final touchdown. He and Jackson couldn’t get a first down on Baltimore’s final possession, which would have given it a chance to run the clock out on Buffalo.

The Bills have now won back-to-back games against the Ravens, including a 27-25 victory over them in the 2024 NFL playoffs.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from ‘Sunday Night Football’ below.

Matt Prater hits field goal with time expiring, Bills complete comeback

Matt Prater just joined the Bills, and he’s already helping them win games. The veteran kicker completed the comeback with a 32-yard field goal, giving the Bills an incredible comeback on the first ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup of 2025.

Josh Allen puts Bills in field goal range with laser to Josh Palmer

Josh Allen is showing why Josh Allen won MVP in 2025. Allen laid in a beautiful pass to offseason acquisition Josh Palmer, who took it to Baltimore’s 34-yard line to put Buffalo in field goal range.

Bills hold Ravens to three-and-out, get chance to take lead

The Bills have no timeouts left but they do have two other things: The reigning NFL MVP and an opportunity to take the lead with a field goal late after holding the Ravens to a three-and-out.

Josh Allen scores, Bills fail 2-point conversion

This game was a 2-point conversion from being tied after Josh Allen extended over the goal line for a score. An attempt to Keon Coleman in the end zone fell to the turf, meaning the Bills are still down two points with 1:58 left in the matchup.

Derrick Henry fumbles, Bills recover on 30-yard line

Down eight points, Henry coughed it up, with the Bills recovering on Baltimore’s 30-yard line with time ticking away in the fourth.

Bills strike again, tighten lead late

Josh Allen had a little bit of luck on his side tonight, as evidenced by this touchdown pass.

On his 41st throw of the night, Allen found Keon Coleman in the end zone for six points. It wasn’t a direct line, however: The ball was tipped around the goal line before it landed in Coleman’s hands.

Ravens 40, Bills 32

Derrick Henry strikes again, logs 46-yard TD run

Henry has found the end-zone for the second time of the night. He found a seam in the left side of the defense and managed to run through it untouched for the core.

The Ravens could not make the extra point, however, so their lead over the Bills will remain 15 points.

Ravens 40, Bills 25

Lamar Jackson eludes Bills defense, scrambles for first down on third-and-10

Jackson was nearly sacked on a third-and-long. Instead, he ended up getting away from the pressure and running for 19 yards.

Josh Allen cuts Bills deficit with 2-yard TD run

Two plays after James Cook racked up 51 yards on a third-down dump-off pass, Allen found a way into the end-zone. He bootlegged into the end-zone to cut the Bills’ deficit to 9 points.

The Bills once again went for two and were unable to convert it. Allen was intercepted by Kyle Hamilton on the play. The ball was lateraled to Kyle Van Noy, who took a knee after getting the ball out of Buffalo’s end-zone.

Ravens 34, Bills 25

DeAndre Hopkins makes incredible one-handed TD catch

Hopkins’ first catch as a member of the Ravens goes for a touchdown. The veteran made a beautiful, one-handed grab behind Christian Benford and pulled it into his body before tumbling over the goal line for the score.

Tyler Loop makes the extra point, and Baltimore has a 15-point lead.

Ravens 34, Bills 19

Baltimore defense forces Buffalo to punt

The Bills picked up one first down after forcing the Ravens to punt for the first time, but their offense stalled after that. Josh Allen had a chance to complete a deep pass down the field to Khalil Shakir, but Kyle Hamilton was able to break it up.

The Ravens will now get the ball back, leading by 8 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

Josh Allen tosses pass to Khalil Shakir on the move

Allen and Lamar Jackson are two of the best playmakers in the NFL. They both have made big plays tonight, with Allen’s on-the-move dump-off to Shakir being the latest example of his unique skill set.

Ravens forced for punt for first time after 3-and-out

The Bills defense was finally able to stop the Ravens. Baltimore started its drive with a 5-yard run by Derrick Henry, but Ed Oliver stonewalled him in the backfield for a 5-yard loss one play later.

Lamar Jackson followed that up with an incompletion, so the Bills will get the ball back looking to tie the game.

James Cook punches in 2-yard TD run

James Cook led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns last season. He got on the board in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season by punching in a 2-yard carry on second-and-goal to cut the Buffalo’s deficit to one possession.

A penalty on Ravens during the point after prompted the Bills to go for 2 from their 1-yard line. Allen hit Keon Coleman on a short pass, but the second-year receiver had stepped out of bounds before making the catch. By rule, that made it an incompletion, so the try was no good.

Ravens 27, Bills 19

Pass interference sets up Bills with goal-to-go opportunity

The Bills decided to go for it on fourth-and-5 on the Baltimore 31-yard line. Josh Allen couldn’t find anyone open so heaved one up downfield to Josh Palmer. Cornerback Jaire Alexander tackled Palmer, who was coming back to the underthrown ball, resulting in a pass interference and setting up the Bills with a goal-to-go chance.

Ravens open second-half scoring with 23-yard Zay Flowers TD

Derrick Henry was the big story of the first half. The Bills sold out to stop him to open the second half, which opened things up for Lamar Jackson and Flowers.

Jackson hit Flowers on back-to-back plays for gains of 39 and 23 respectively. The second one saw Flowers scamper through Buffalo’s defense on a screen pass and easily waltz into the end-zone.

Tyler Loop made the extra point and Baltimore is now leading by two scores.

Ravens 27, Bills 13

Buffalo makes most of minimal time, Matt Prater kicks field goal

Starting their drive with 25 seconds left and no timeouts, the Bills managed to gain 48 yards and split the uprights with a Matt Prater 43-yard field goal to tighten the gap entering the break.

Allen hit tight end Dalton Kincaid with a crucial 22-yard gain, leaving a single second on the clock before the kick.

Ravens 20, Bills 13

Tyler Loop knocks through field goal, expand lead to 10

With time ticking down in the half, new Ravens kicker Tyler Loop netted his second field goal of the night, giving the Ravens a 10-point lead with 25 seconds left in the half. That’s enough time for the big-armed Allen to make some magic before the half.

Ravens 20, Bills 10

Ravens hold Bills to field goal after 12-play, 63-yard drive

After consecutive 3-and-outs, Buffalo managed to mount an extended drive. The Bills got as far as the Baltimore 7-yard line, but the Ravens eventually managed to stop them and force a 25-yard field goal attempt.

Prater’s kick was true and Buffalo’s deficit is now one score with 2:50 remaining in the first half. Ravens 17, Bills 10

Ravens-Bills score: Lamar Jackson caps drive with TD run

The Ravens are running all over the Bills in the second quarter. Not long after Henry’s 49-yard run, Lamar Jackson took it 11 yards for the score to lengthen Baltimore’s lead in the second quarter.

Derrick Henry rips off 49-yard run

Henry remains the Bills’ Kryptonite. He finds yet another hole in Buffalo’s defense and turns it into a gain for 49 yards.

Henry already has 101 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries.

Bills go 3-and-out for second straight possession

After marching down the field effectively on their first possession, the Bills have been stymied by the Ravens defense. They went just 4 yards before giving the ball back to Baltimore, which will now look to build on its lead.

Derrick Henry powers in 30-yard TD run

Henry had 283 rushing yards against the Bills in two games last season. He is picking up right where he left off, adding a 30-yard TD run to his ledger to kickstart the second quarter and give the Ravens their first lead of the game.

Henry is now up to 52 rushing yards across Baltimore’s first two drives. Tyler Loop made the extra point to give them a 3-point lead. Ravens 10, Bills 7

Lamar Jackson injury update

Sideline reporter Melissa Stark detailed on the NBC broadcast the Ravens medical staff had been working on Jackson’s throwing hand after Baltimore’s first drive. She said they appeared to be looking at a small cut near the base of his nail.

Jackson was able to take the field for the Ravens’ second drive and Baltimore did not provide an injury update about the quarterback. As such, the cut isn’t believed to be a serious issue at present.

End of first quarter: Bills have early lead on Ravens, 7-3

The Bills and Ravens both scored on the first possession of their ‘Sunday Night Football’ clash. Josh Allen hit Dalton Kincaid for a 15-yard touchdown while Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop hit a 52-yard field goal to get Baltimore on the board.

Allen and Lamar Jackson have both been efficient so far. Allen has completed 3 of 4 passes for 22 yards and a touchdown while Jackson has completed 4 of 5 passes for 41 yards.

Jackson (11 yards) has outperformed Allen on the ground (3 yards) while Derrick Henry (5 carries, 22 yards) is on pace for another strong rushing performance against Buffalo.

Bills go 3-and-out on second possession

The Bills ran the ball three times with James Cook on their second offensive drive of the game. Cook gained 9 yards on the first carry but was stonewalled for no gain and a loss of 2 yards on the ensuing two carries.

Brad Robbins punted the ball back to Baltimore. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 15-yard line.

What happened to Justin Tucker?

The Ravens released Tucker on May 5 after sexual misconduct allegations were made by more than a dozen massage therapists. Tucker has maintained his innocence, but the Ravens decided to move on from him after spending a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Tyler Loop.

Tucker has remained unsigned since the Ravens released him. The NFL opened an investigation into the allegations against him in February. The league announced in June that it had suspended Tucker for the first 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

Tucker will be eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. He can serve his 10-game suspension as a free agent.

Ed Oliver sacks Lamar Jackson for 15-yard loss to force field goal

The Ravens got the ball into the red zone, but they went backward to end the drive. On a third-and-8, Jackson faded back to pass and attempted to evade Oliver, who came free up the middle. Oliver was able to mirror Jackson, stay in front of him and bring him down for the loss.

Rookie kicker Tyler Loop came on to attempt the 52-yard field goal and he managed to sneak it inside the right upright. The Ravens are now trailing by 4 early.

Bills 7, Ravens 3

How old is Matt Prater?

Prater, who is kicking for the Bills in the absence of Tyler Bass, turned 41 in August. He is the second-oldest active player in the NFL behind only Aaron Rodgers.

Josh Allen hits Dalton Kincaid for 15-yard TD

The Bills open the scoring in their Week 1 matchup against the Ravens. Allen found Kincaid open over the middle of the field and fired a bullet to him. The veteran tight end reeled it in easily before Kyle Hamilton could hit him, getting Buffalo on the board.

Matt Prater made the extra point to give the Bills an early 7-point lead.

Bills 7, Ravens 0

Where to watch Bills vs. Ravens

Channel: NBC
Stream: Peacock | Fubo

The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens contest on ‘Sunday Night Football’ will be broadcasted on NBC. For fans who prefer to stream the action, Peacock and Fubo, which comes with a free trial, are both carrying the broadcast.

Mike Tirico is set to handle the play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth joins him in the booth to provide analysis. Melissa Stark will report from the sidelines, rounding out the NBC broadcast crew for the game.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ live with Fubo (free trial)

Bills vs. Ravens TV channel

The Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens game will be broadcasted on NBC on Sunday night.

Bills vs. Ravens start time

Date: Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Bills and Ravens game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Is Isaiah Likely playing tonight?

Likely has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Bills.

The tight end suffered a small foot fracture during training camp on July 29. He underwent surgery and is said to be recovering well, but he still needs more time before getting back into game action.

Mark Andrews should see a boost in workload and Charlie Kolar could have a bigger role in Sunday night’s action.

Bills vs. Ravens live odds, moneyline, over/under

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Oldest players in NFL in 2025 

Just three players in the 2025 NFL player pool are 40 years old or older: Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Jets kicker Nick Folk, and Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. 

Rodgers will turn 42 during the season, with a birthday coming the first week in December. 

Here’s the full list of the oldest players in football: 

QB Aaron Rodgers, Steelers: 41 years old (Dec. 2, 1983) 
K Matt Prater, Bills: 41 years old (Aug. 10, 1984) 
K Nick Folk, Jets: 40 years old (Nov. 5, 1984) 
QB Joe Flacco, Browns: 40 years old (Jan. 16, 1985) 
C/LS J.J. Jansen, Panthers: 39 years old (Jan. 20, 1986) 
C/LS Jon Weeks, 49ers: 39 years old (Feb. 17, 1986) 
P Thomas Morstead, 49ers: 39 years old (March 8, 1986) 
C/LS Morgan Cox, Titans: 39 years old (April 26, 1986) 
QB Josh Johnson, Commanders: 39 years old (May 15, 1986) 
DL Calais Campbell, Cardinals: 39 years old (Sept. 1, 1986) 

Josh Allen arrives for Week 1 vs. Ravens

The reigning NFL MVP arrives for the Bills’ Week 1 matchup and is wearing the first of nine custom hats designed by patients at Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital. After each home game, his hat will be auctioned off to support the Patricia Allen Fund.

Lamar Jackson has arrived for ‘Sunday Night Football’ vs. Bills

The two-time NFL MVP has arrived at Highmark Stadium for the Ravens’ Week 1 game.

Ravens inactives vs. Bills

Bills inactives vs. Ravens

Who are the announcers for Bills vs. Ravens on NBC? 

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 

When is the Bills new stadium opening?

The Bills are set to move into their new stadium at the beginning of the 2026 NFL season. The hope is that the stadium will be open for fans in July 2026, a month before the preseason begins. As a result, the 2025 NFL season is slated to be the Bills’ last at the current Highmark Stadium.

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins? 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six. Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups. The 49ers have eight total Super Bowl appearances and have five rings to show for it, the most recent coming in 1994. 

Where is Justin Tucker?

Tucker was suspended for the first 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season after a league investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. The kicker will be eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11 and can serve out the suspension as a free agent.

The five-time All-Pro was released by the Ravens on May 5 after sexual misconduct allegations were made by more than a dozen massage therapists. Following the allegations, the NFL opened an investigation in February and announced the suspension in June.

Tucker has maintained his innocence in the matter.

‘I cannot be any clearer,’ Tucker said in a statement. ‘These accusations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me, and more importantly, my family.’

Who is the Ravens new kicker?

Baltimore selected him with the 186th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft – the first time in franchise history that the Ravens drafted a kicker.

NFL Week 1 final scores

Thursday, Sept. 4

Philadelphia Eagles 24, Dallas Cowboys 20

Friday, Sept. 5

Los Angeles Chargers 27, Kansas City Chiefs 21

Sunday, Sept. 7

Las Vegas Raiders 20, New England Patriots 13
Pittsburgh Steelers 34, New York Jets 32
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23, Atlanta Falcons 20
Indianapolis Colts 33, Miami Dolphins 8
Arizona Cardinals 20, New Orleans Saints 13
Washington Commanders 21, New York Giants 6
Cincinnati Bengals 17, Cleveland Browns 16
Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Carolina Panthers 10
San Francisco 49ers 17, Seattle Seahawks 13
Green Bay Packers 27, Detroit Lions 13
Los Angeles Rams 14, Houston Texans 9
Denver Broncos 20, Tennessee Titans 12

NFL MVP odds 2025

1. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (+500)
T-2. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (+600)
T-2. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+600)
4. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+700)
5. QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (+900)
6. QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+1200)
7. QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+1400)
8. QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (+1500)
9. QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (+2500)
10. QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3000)

Have the Bills won the Super Bowl?

The Bills are one of 12 NFL teams that have never won the Super Bowl. Buffalo made it to the Big Game four consecutive seasons from 1991 to 1994, but the Bills lost each time.

Who is Josh Allen married to?

Josh Allen is married to actress Hailee Steinfeld. She is best known for her roles in True Grit, the Pitch Perfect movies, The Edge of Seventeen and, most recently, Sinners.

Resistance takes many forms.

Sometimes it’s people taking to the streets in protest, as they did this weekend in Chicago and its suburbs. Sometimes it’s governors banding together to ensure their citizens have access to vaccines that have been thoroughly vetted, as the governors of California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii have.

And sometimes it’s ABC and ESPN not muting the full-throated chorus of boos that occurred when the president of the United States was shown at the U.S. Open on Sunday.

The U.S. Tennis Association’s request that broadcasters “refrain from showcasing any disruptions to the President’s attendance in any capacity’ was an embarrassment. This is not North Korea or Russia, and it is not ABC’s, ESPN’s or any other broadcaster’s job to stroke President Donald Trump’s ego. His vice president, Cabinet secretaries and Republican House leadership have that covered.

ABC and ESPN refused to kowtow. While they didn’t linger on Trump when he was shown during the national anthem ahead of the men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, they didn’t filter out the reaction to him, either. The jeers and catcalls, resounding in Arthur Ashe Stadium, were clearly audible.

ABC broadcast the match while ESPN livesteamed it on its app.

Refusing to bow to authoritarian demands is important, regardless of whether they come from the White House or a sports governing body. If Trump chooses to go to the U.S. Open, it’s fair game for ABC and ESPN to show the public’s reaction to it. Just as it was in 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton went.

To suggest otherwise was wholly inappropriate by the USTA and, worse, served to overshadow the anticipation for the latest meeting in what has become tennis’ next great rivalry. Instead of talking about Sinner and Alcaraz, the focus before the match was on the USTA’s clumsy attempt at censorship.  

ABC and ESPN’s refusal to sugarcoat Trump’s reception was important for another reason, too.

Trump’s most diehard supporters often get their news from outlets — Fox News and X, to name two — that consider facts to be an inconvenience. These people are fed a steady diet of lies about Trump and his most horrific policies and ideas, giving them a worldview that does not reflect reality.

These people are told Chicago is the “murder capital of the world,” prices have come down and manufacturing jobs are coming back to the United States. This toxic stew of propaganda also serves to create the illusion that Trump is wildly popular, beloved by everyone except the nasty libs.

None of this is true, of course. Chicago’s homicide rate isn’t even in the top 20 of major U.S. cities and crime there has been falling. Prices remain stubbornly high, and retailers are starting to say they will have to hike prices even further because of Trump’s tariffs. The latest jobs report, issued on Sept. 5, showed a loss of 12,000 manufacturing jobs, continuing a decline for the year.

And poll after poll show more people disapprove of both Trump and his policies than approve of them.

Anything that can pierce Trump supporters’ bubble of misinformation is a good thing. Hearing Trump get jeered — loudly — for a couple of seconds during the U.S. Open broadcast might not cause the fever to break. But it could make his supporters question why. Especially if they’re already feeling disillusioned about their growing grocery bills or Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein files.

A seconds-long clip of a president being booed on a U.S. Open broadcast shouldn’t be a big deal. But so many guardrails have been erased by Trump and his minions, and obeying the USTA’s edict would have been one more. Good for ABC and ESPN for recognizing that.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

UCLA quarterback Pierce Clarkson has been suspended from the team after he was arrested on an unspecified felony charge.

Clarkson was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department at 12 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 5, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff online jail records. The charges against Clarkson were not released.

UCLA said in a statement on Sept. 7 it was aware of the charges against Clarkson and ‘he has been indefinitely suspended from all team activity pending the outcome of the legal process.’

‘This situation will be evaluated by the UCLA Office of Student Conduct and any further action taken will be in accordance with that evaluation and University policy,’ the statement read.

Clarkson’s bail was set at $30,000 and he was released the same day he was arrested after he posted bond. He is set to appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court on Oct. 3.

A 21-year-old transfer from Louisville, Clarkson has been battling for the backup quarterback position for the Bruins alongside Luke Duncan while Nico Iamaleava is the starter. Clarkson played in three games with the Cardinals, completing four passes on six for 18 yards along with three rushes for 14 yards during his time in Louisville.

Clarkson hasn’t seen any action in the first two games of the 2025 season. UCLA confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that he was not with the team in Las Vegas for the team’s game against UNLV.

The Bruins are 0-2 to start the season.