The opening week of the 2025 NFL season is underway, and we're already off to a wild start.
In the season opener on Thursday, the Eagles held off the Cowboys despite a lightning delay and the ejection of defensive tackle Jalen Carter before the first play from scrimmage. The action continued Friday night, when the Chargers stunned the Chiefs with a tight win in S�o Paulo, Brazil. And in the early window Sunday, new Colts quarterback Daniel Jones scored three total touchdowns in a blowout win over the Dolphins.
Our NFL Nation reporters are reacting to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let's get to it.
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MIA-IND | KC-LAC | DAL-PHI
Indianapolis 33, Miami 8
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Colts
What does Sunday's performance say about Daniel Jones' potential? This game went exactly according to plan for Jones and the Colts. All along, coach Shane Steichen had predicted Jones would be a quick decision-maker and not force bad throws. He showed that by delivering on-time, quick throws but also utilizing timely aggressive downfield targets to Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Warren and Alec Pierce. Jones finished 22-of-29 for 272 yards and a touchdown pass. He also added two rushing scores on goal-line sneaks, becoming the first Colts quarterback with two rushing touchdowns in a season opener.
Trend to watch: The Colts used a variety of blitzes Sunday, something the team rarely employed under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. But under new coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Colts got aggressive. DBs Kenny Moore II and Nick Cross recorded sacks and defensive end Laiatu Latu had an interception while dropping into coverage on a creative blitz call. Indianapolis ranked 29th in blitz rate in 2024 at 18.7%. -- Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
Where was the connection between Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill? Tagovailoa appeared out of sync with his top target, which makes sense considering he hasn't taken live game snaps with Hill since last December. The Dolphins' leading receiver finished with four catches for 40 yards on six targets, but 21 of those came on a single completion. Neither player seemed concerned about their cohesiveness during the week, but this performance raised eyebrows. They now have a date next week with the Patriots and coach Mike Vrabel, whose Titans teams gave Miami trouble in 2021 and 2023.
Most surprising performance: The Dolphins' front seven is supposed to be the strength of their defense, but it failed to make an impression Sunday. Indianapolis scored on its first seven possessions, gashing the Dolphins' defense with 156 rushing yards. Jones was also surgical whenever Miami was able to pressure him, completing 5-of-6 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown -- with a whopping plus-16% completion percentage over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
L.A. Chargers 27, Kansas City 21
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Chargers
What's going on with right guard Mekhi Becton? Becton looked exhausted throughout Friday night's game and spent time on the sideline receiving oxygen during offensive series. He missed three weeks of training camp practice with an undisclosed injury and came into Friday night's game questionable with an undisclosed illness. The positive sign for the Chargers is that Becton finished the game on the field, but the number of snaps he missed was concerning.
Most surprising performance: Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston finished with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, buoying the Chargers' victory. He has been one of the Chargers' most maligned players in his first three years, struggling to find consistency since his rookie season. Friday was a sign that he could reach the potential that made him a first-round pick in 2023. -- Kris Rhim
Next game: at Raiders (Monday, 10 p.m. ET)
Chiefs
Will Xavier Worthy's injury put the Chiefs' offense back in the same predicament as last season? After his first pass of the season, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was without three of his key receivers -- Rashee Rice (suspended the first six weeks), rookie Jalen Royals (knee tendonitis) and Worthy (right shoulder). If Worthy and Royals are unavailable next week, Mahomes will likely have to be a superhero again, relying primarily on tight end Travis Kelce and his improvisational skills. The one receiver who can still make a difference is Hollywood Brown, who finished last week's game with 99 receiving yards.
Stat to know: Entering the season opener, the Chiefs had won a league-record 17 straight one-score games, including the playoffs. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was excellent in the second half, allowing his team to keep its lead despite Mahomes' impressive rallying efforts. In the second half, Herbert completed 13 of his 16 pass attempts for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs blitzed him often, sacking him twice, but he sealed the victory when he scrambled to his right for a 19-yard gain on a third-and-14 just before the two-minute warning. -- Nate Taylor
Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 4:20 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia 24, Dallas 20
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Eagles
Can the secondary get things buttoned up for their Week 2 matchup against the Chiefs? The cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell was a question mark all summer and remains so after Adoree' Jackson was flagged for a pass interference, yielded five catches for 103 yards and missed two tackles, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The outcome could have been worse if not for some critical drops by Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will have to decide whether to make the move to Jakorian Bennett, who was acquired from the Raiders in August, or stick with Jackson for the Super Bowl rematch against Patrick Mahomes.
What to make of the QB performance: Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts picked up where he left off, taking advantage of large rushing lanes to score a pair of rushing touchdowns and propel the Eagles' offense. He now has 16 games with multiple rushing touchdowns, extending his NFL record for a QB (second is Josh Allen with 12). -- Tim McManus
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:20 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
Is there a reason to be encouraged even in a loss? Probably so, but let's remember that an ugly win is better than a morale-serving loss. The offense has a chance to be explosive, and the young line performed much better than expected. The defense struggled at the start (123 rushing yards in the first half) but only allowed three points in the second half. Playing the defending Super Bowl champ on their celebratory night is never easy, yet the Cowboys hung with the Eagles. They opened some eyes with what they did, but they still need a win in Week 2 in a bad way.
Turning point: In games against teams like the Eagles, margins for error are slim, which is why Lamb's drops were critical. But Miles Sanders' fumble at the Eagles' 9-yard line in the third quarter flipped the momentum. Sanders got the Cowboys in position to retake the lead in the third quarter with a 49-yard gain, his longest since 2020, but then he lost the ball on his next carry. On the next three possessions, the Cowboys did not make it to Eagles' territory. -- Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
