NEW YORK, New York | NSBNsports.com | September 8th, 2025 — Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season delivered drama from Philadelphia to São Paulo and Buffalo. The defending champion Eagles held off their biggest rival, the league staged its first regular‑season game in Brazil, rookies made splashes and a wild finish in Western New York capped Sunday’s slate.
The action opened Thursday night in Philadelphia, where Jalen Hurts leaned on his legs. Hurts rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 152 yards as the Eagles edged the Dallas Cowboys 24‑20. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott passed for 188 yards, but a pair of red‑zone stands kept the Cowboys from spoiling the Eagles’ banner night. Javonte Williams scored twice for Dallas.
The NFL took center stage in São Paulo on Friday. Justin Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns and scrambled for a game‑clinching first down to lead the Los Angeles Chargers past the Kansas City Chiefs 27‑21. The matchup was the league’s second game in South America, and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh called the win “monumental,” noting it could “go down in some Charger lore.” Patrick Mahomes threw for 258 yards and both passed and ran for scores, but Kansas City’s seven‑game winning streak over Los Angeles ended. The crowd of 48,000 at Corinthians Arena included Brazilian star Neymar, giving the event a carnival‑like feel.
Sunday produced 13 games and a flurry of story lines:
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Cardinals 20, Saints 13 – Arizona’s Kyler Murray threw two touchdowns and 163 yards, connecting with rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on a 71‑yard score. Trey Benson added 69 rushing yards as the Cardinals spoiled Spencer Rattler’s first start for New Orleans.
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Steelers 34, Jets 32 – In his Pittsburgh debut, 41‑year‑old Aaron Rodgers tossed four touchdowns and 244 yards, out dueling New York’s Justin Fields. Breece Hall rushed for 107 yards and Garrett Wilson caught a late scoring pass for the Jets, but a last‑minute Hail Mary fell incomplete.
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Colts 33, Dolphins 8 – Indianapolis new quarterback Daniel Jones passed for 272 yards and a touchdown and Jonathan Taylor rushed for 71 yards. Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa threw two interceptions and the Dolphins didn’t score until midway through the fourth quarter.
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Buccaneers 23, Falcons 20 – Baker Mayfield found free‑agent signing Emeka Egbuka for two scores and finished with three touchdown passes. Atlanta rookie Michael Penix Jr. threw for 298 yards and Bijan Robinson had 100 receiving yards in a losing effort.
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Commanders 21, Giants 6 – Jayden Daniels’ calm debut produced 233 passing yards and a touchdown. Washington’s defense sacked Russell Wilson four times and Jacory Merritt’s 82 rushing yards sealed the win.
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Jaguars 26, Panthers 10 – Travis Etienne gashed Carolina’s defense for 143 yards, taking pressure off Trevor Lawrence, who threw for 178 yards and a score. Bryce Young threw two interceptions for Carolina.
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Bengals 17, Browns 16 – Cincinnati survived despite being out‑gained; Joe Burrow completed only 13 passes for 113 yards, but Chase Brown’s 43‑yard rushing day and a stingy defense overcame Joe Flacco’s 290‑yard afternoon.
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Raiders 20, Patriots 13 – Geno Smith burned New England for 362 yards, hitting tight end Brock Bowers for 103 yards. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye kept the Patriots close with 287 passing yards but could not find a tying score.
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49ers 17, Seahawks 13 – San Francisco’s defense held Seattle scoreless after halftime. Brock Purdy threw touchdowns of 58 and 12 yards despite two interceptions, and rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall had 108 yards. Jaxon Smith‑Njigba’s 124 receiving yards were wasted for Seattle.
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Broncos 20, Titans 12 – Bo Nix overcame two interceptions to throw a go‑ahead touchdown pass, while RJ Harvey’s 70 rushing yards gave Denver balance.
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Rams 14, Texans 9 – Matthew Stafford threw for 245 yards and Puka Nacua continued his breakout with 130 receiving yards as Los Angeles won a defensive struggle.
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Packers 27, Lions 13 – Jordan Love threw two early touchdown passes and Josh Jacobs added 66 rushing yards. Green Bay’s revamped defense limited Detroit to one touchdown.
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Bills 41, Ravens 40 – In the wildest finish of the weekend, Buffalo erased a 15‑point deficit with 22 points in the fourth quarter. Josh Allen passed for 394 yards and two scores, and Keon Coleman and Zay Flowers traded highlight‑reel grabs. Derrick Henry’s 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns weren’t enough for Baltimore.
Week 1 concludes Monday night when Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings. With early upsets and standout performances already in the books, the 2025 season promises more fireworks.
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