Week 1 Was Back With A Bang as the NFL Returns for 2025

It has been a long old summer for fans around the globe who eagerly follow the trials and tribulations of National League Football, but having patiently waited for the stories sparked by this years NFL Draft and then progressed through the training camps and the pre season routines, this weekend the gridiron properly returned, and as widely anticipated there were twists, turns and even a couple of very enjoyable upsets.

The Buffalo Bills had an epic start to their 2025 season as they had to stage a captivating comeback to stun the Baltimore Ravens into defeat in Sunday’s action. For those fans with a dedicated IP they would have undoubtedly used it solely for the NFL viewing enjoyment. Recent Most Valuable Players Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson went head to head in a classic encounter that many will feel will be hard to top for the remainder of the season. After looking dead and buried as the fourth quarter ticked by, Allen topped out with four touchdowns as they rallied late on to take a 41-40 win.

The Bills were trailing by 15 points on home soil, and some fans had even left the Highmark Stadium believing that the game was over as a contest before their QB showed his MVP rating and led them to their comeback with 16 points registered in four minutes, capped off by a 32 yard field goal as time expired by 41 year old Matt Prater – he only joined the franchise on Thursday and has already proven his worth.

For those who like a stat, the last time the Bills pulled off a 15 point comeback in the final quarter was way back in 1967.

Aaron Rodgers turned back the clock and returned to his favourite pastime of proving people wrong as he made his debut for new side the Pittsburgh Steelers. Having been let go by the New York Jets this summer, it was almost inevitable that he would make his MetLife Stadium return, relish the boo’s he received, and then throw four touchdown passes to lead them to a wild 34-32 debut win against The Jets, where the Steelers also recorded a 60 yard field goal in the final minute, to win it.

Somewhat predictably, Rodgers became the first QB to throw four touchdowns against a former team in the last 15 years as he secured his revenge and had the last laugh.

In potentially the trade of the summer as the Dallas Cowboys rather inexplicably let Micah Parsons make the switch to the Green Bay Packers very late on in the pre season window, with almost everyone in the game criticising the decision for how it strengthened a divisional rival (particularly as the Cowboys had basically built their entire defence around him), he naturally also enjoyed a winning debut.

After a resounding reception at Lambeau Field, despite playing only 29 of the 65 snaps, Parsons sacked Detroit QB Jared Goff and constantly pressured him as the Packers dominated the Lions in a 27-13 victory, and there will be plenty more to come from him as he has only been with the side for ten days prior to making his debut.

It probably explains why he ran out to the wrong end of the field initially for the warm ups.

Even the Washington Commanders had reason to cheer on the opening day. The Colts unfortunately boasted the worst opening day record with eleven straight defeats going back to 2013 prior to their encounter with the New York Giants. With a surprise debut for QB Daniel Jones, it turned into a blockbusting day for them as the Giants former cast off, threw for 272 yards and a touchdown, including running in two of his own as he led them to a 21-6 win.

Rather amazingly, the Colts also scored points on all their seven possessions, and the NFL commented that this had not happened in at least the last 47 years.

There was plenty of other opening day entertainment around the league, and even Patrick Mahomes did Patrick Mahomes things as the Kansas City Chiefs went down 27-21 to the Los Angeles Chargers as he was yet again accused of taking cheap shots at defenders as he runs out of bounds.

It was a busy week one of action, what does week two have in store?