Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season had its surprises, upsets, and unpredictable scores across the board and we were blessed with some great Football Games. We had the revenge game of Aaron Rodgers propelling the Pittsburgh Steelers into a 1-0 record while he threw for 4 TDS. We also had the late emergence of the Buffalo Bills coming on top of the Baltimore Ravens in dramatic fashion and witnessed the Los Angeles Chargers dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs sending them to 0-1 to start the year. Creating the real possibility of the Chiefs starting 0-2 as they play the defending super bowl champs being the Eagles this week.
While the Cowboys did make it interesting against the Philadelphia Eagles, it is still hard for me to take the birds out of that #1 spot. Jalen Carter being ejected within the first drive of the game was a huge game changer for me and the Cowboys pass rush was still weak while the offensive line for Philly still shined. Buffalo and Baltimore battled it out on Sunday night football as well and while the Bills did come up with the win due to late turnovers and the clutch from Quarterback Josh Allen, the Ravens still show one of the best rosters in the league and the one two punch, containing running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson.
With first week performances we have to remember that some teams may look off or some divisional games may have looked uncharacteristic for some including the Detroit Lions. I have them as one of the biggest “falls” in this list due to not only their poor performance against the Green Bay Packers in their season opener, but because of how that offense competed against the Packers. They could not keep up to everyone’s surprise and their electric offense, which is normally feared, was almost silent.
Now going into week 2 edition of my power rankings, the best part of this list still is that it will be refreshed so if you do not like where your team is placed they will probably end up higher on this list at some point during the season. It is only the first week of the regular season so I did not want to overreact. I wish everyone a continued great 2025-2026 NFL season. Happy Football!
1. Eagles: The first week one outing went off to a crazy and bizarre start for the Philadelphia Eagles after Eagles defensive linemen Jalen Carter was ejected after spitting towards Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. With that being said it made their defensive line weaker but it still forced Dak Prescott to play with urgency. Uncharacteristic outings from AJ Brown as well with only receiving 1 catch for 8 yards. For me as long as the superbowl champs do not lose in convincing fashion, it will be hard for me to take them off the #1 spot while they have the league’s best in Saquon Barkley.
2. Packers: Lambeau Field on Sunday was rocking for the Green Bay Packers and for good reason. Their offense shined with returning running back Josh Jacobs and star quarterback Jordan Love dishing touchdowns and moving the chains repeatedly on offense. Obviously the addition of Micah Parsons is a gamechanger and it showed as Green Bay destroyed the Detroit Lion’s offensive line. Like stated in last week’s article, If the Packers can unlock rookie WR Matthew Golden and get healthier as a team the sky is the limit and I still see them competing for a superbowl and quite possibly will lift up the Lombardi in February.
3. Bills: The Buffalo Bills showed grit during their first outing after coming from an 15 point deficit defeating the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night Football. Josh Allen, James Cook, and tight end Dalton Kincaid all came to play and helped Buffalo towards their first victory sending them to 1-0. Josh Allen the returning MVP threw for nearly 400 yards which made a statement, reminding everyone why he is still one of the league’s best.
4. Ravens: To say that the Ravens should have come away with the week one win is an understatement. Though Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Deandre Hopkins all still looked their part having their offense put up 40 points. I believe that the defense still was leaving room for much improvement after adding playmakers on defense during the offseason. Though with a recurring theme for this week’s edition of power rankings and that being it is still week one and the journey potentially for Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson getting a Lombardi trophy will be a long one. I expect the Ravens to bounce back with ease against the Browns in week 2.
5. Chiefs: You might be asking yourself why the Chiefs would still be ranked higher above the Chargers after just conceding a loss to them. The answer for me is simpler. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs still had that game go down to the wire and I still see them competing for a title more than Los Angeles still. Though next week can all change their ranking considering they might have an 0-2 start. Playing the Philadelphia Eagles next week while having an abundance of injuries at the wide receiver position does not help their chances against one of the league’s best defenses. Xavier Worthy left the first contest early after colliding with Tight End Travis Kelce and it will be up to JuJu Smith Schuster, Hollywood Brown and the rest of the receiving core to help out this Chiefs offense.
6. Washington: A week one division matchup for the Washington Commanders was won with ease as they played against their rivals being the New York Giants. Jayden Daniels and Wide receiver Terry Mclaurin with the rest of Daniels’s offensive weapons seemed to not miss a beat and still look as one of the better offenses this league has to offer with even Croskey Merrit scoring a touchdown. However, a Thursday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers led by new pass rusher Micah Parsons will certainly be the earliest test for sophomore year quarterback Jayden Daniels.
7. Buccaneers: Winning a close division matchup against Atlanta was a huge statement for this Tampa Bay team. While they may have squeaked out the win while some may argue,the early emergence of Quarterback Baker Mayfield and new rookie Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was too sinister for me to ignore. Egbuka got involved early and finished with 2 touchdowns on the day. I have said all offseason that this duo will be one to be reckoned with and they showed early in game 1 why that will be the case. For the defensive side of the football they showed poise and still look strong under defensive minded head coach Todd Bowles. Buccaneers still atop of the NFC South for me.
8. Chargers: Justin Herbert lit it up, throwing for nearly 400 yards and 3 touchdowns in what looked like the beginning of a potential MVP campaign. He was in complete command of the offense, carving up a Kansas City defense that has given plenty of quarterback trouble over the years. Herbert’s connection with second year wideout Quentin Johnston was especially electric while also getting rookie running back Omarion Hampton involved in the mix. Johnston hauled in two of those touchdowns, showing off his speed and physicality in key moments in the redzone. It looks like Herbert will be taking a big leap forward this year and the Chiefs days of being division champs could be numbered.
9. Rams: The Rams had faced off against one of the best AFC teams of last year being the Houston Texans and they took care of business winning the game 14-9. While one may argue that it was both defenses stealing the show, I loved what I saw from the new connection of Wide Receiver Devante Adams and Quarterback Matthew Stafford. Offensive power containing Puka Nacua and Kyren Willias along with the returning crew of one of the league’s top defenses, I still see the Rams on top of the NFC West.
10. Broncos: Sophomore year Quarterback Bo Nix shined against the Tennessee Titans last Sunday taking the Denver Broncos to a 1-0 start. Head Coach Sean Payton looks to keep this defense hot with star corner Patrick Surtain II still continuing with his strong defensive pass defense. The Question is, have they added enough to reface and beat teams like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs? The first contest with the Titans was closer than we thought but was it more of a defensive battle between the two?
11. Texans: Quarterback CJ Stroud looked still solid against a difficult defensive opponent being the Los Angeles Rams. With an easier division it looks like this year being the AFC south, I still expect this squad to be strong with only having really the Jaguars to worry about. Their defensive pass rush still looked strong containing Stafford mostly with standout Will Anderson Jr. however, Stingley struggled at times against Veteran Devante Adams on the other side. If Joe Mixon also can come back healthy alongside running back Nick Chubb I expect this offense to look way better than what it did.
12. Seahawks: Heartbreaking fashion loss to your division rival is not necessarily the way you want to start the season but luckily for the Seattle Seahawks there is plenty of football to be played and there is nothing to be majorly concerned with after just one game of football. I thought Sam Darnold still looked poised and had many major connections with Wide receiver Jaxson Smith Njigba, while the defense looked stellar with new additions like Nick Emmanwori and Demarcus Lawrence. The standout for me however this week for Seattle is rookie offensive lineman Grey Zabel who allowed just 4% of pressures from his play last sunday.
13. Falcons: Michael Penix has arrived and he looked amazing in his week one outing against his division rivals being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons defense looked like a force to be reckoned with and without a late missed field goal, the Falcons could have very well sent the game into overtime. I think there are a lot of good things for the Falcons to work off of coming after this loss. Running back Bijan Robinson leading this offense with Kyle Pitts gives this Quarterback the weapons he desires to put up points on the board.
14. Lions: The Lions are the biggest movers moving down in this list and for good reason. With an uncharacteristic game against a divisional opponent, I believed we all scratched our heads as we saw Detroit’s offense being weak considering they are one of the league’s top offenses when it comes to scoring. One thing was clear from this week for the Lions, it might be what we believed to be a potential struggle of losing both past coordinator coaches. Can they bounce back in what looks to be a juggernaut division being the NFC North this season?
15. Bengals: The Cincinnati Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow escaped the Cleveland Browns with a win in Week 1. The Bengals are infamous for slow starts so hopefully this offense and team can continue to grow. With uncharacteristic games from both Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins it was easy to see why Cleveland could be in that game. Lastly though, from a shaky defense and barely sneaking out the victory there is still much to be desired.
16. Steelers: Aaron Rodgers exploding for four touchdowns and taking the victory over his former team being the New York Jets was a huge statement for the quarterback in week one. We saw vintage Rodgers on full display as he killed the Jets defense with the play action and his decision making poise. The Steelers defense however struggled mightily against the run and T.J Watt did not get too involved. Jalen Ramsey and company flourished in moments when it mattered most but letting 32 points up is something not of norm for the Steelers. If they can figure out their running back room getting Kaleb Johsnon more involved while still keeping Warren and Gainwell involved there, they have the possibility of having a great running back room.
17. Jets: The Jets came very close to coming off a week one victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers but ultimately lost in heartbreaking fashion. Nonetheless there are still more positives than negatives for this Jets team. Justin Fields exploded for two rushing touchdowns and connected with Garrett WIlson for a touchdown showing his former team that he still has it. I thought Quarterback Justin Fields played more than exceptional and there is lots to love with what we’ve seen. For starters the Jets did not punt the ball the entirety of the first half, something that has not happened since 1991! Armand Membou also allowed zero pressures in his rookie debut while helping Braeleon Allen also find the enzone. The Jets face off against the bills in week 2 and look to bounce back against their division rivals.
18. Bears: With a frustrating loss to the Minnesota Vikings you would think that the bears would be lower on this list but we have to remember that division games can go either way and it was still an impressive outing of football from Caleb Williams and company. It is first year head coach Ben Johnson’s job to keep his defense on its toes and we hope to see the Bears bounce back in week 2. The Bears need to get rookie receiver Luther Burden III involved more in this offense and could clean it up on the defensive side of the football more.
19. Cowboys: The Cowboys arguably looked impressive against the superbowl defending champions being the Philadelphia Eagles. Ceedee Lamb continued to cook and weapon KaVontae Turpin flourished on offense this past Thursday night. The pass rush however did certainly look much different without pass rusher Micah Parsons and in the end they could not stop the Eagles offense. I was pleasantly surprised however with new coach Schottenheimmer’s gameplan and the team’s execution.
20. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence and the crew got it done week one against the Panthers and the Liam Cohen era starts off with a win. Travis ettienne got involved early after having a off year last year and also the experiment of Travis Hunter playing both sides of the ball has commenced. Combining him on the offensive side of the ball with other wide receiver Brian Thomas was successful and they look to get Hunter more snaps on defense as the season progresses. Duval!
21. Raiders: Geno Smith and the Raiders took the victory over the New England Patriots with having a very strong first drive with new offensive faces including the new rookie sensation Ashton Jeanty who later found the endzone. It was a ugly day in terms of weather in Foxborough but Pete Caroll gives this Raiders team a new breath and I still have them improving this season. This week however, will there be a huge test against the team who just dethroned the division champs being the Los Angeles Chargers?
22. Vikings: I will be honest JJ McCarthy looked completely rough in the first half against the Chicago Bears on Monday night football. Lucky for the Vikings and McCarthy, these were just the first growing pains and they later took the win over the Bears. Their defense coming up clutch with Justin Jefferson applying pressure on offense helped propel them towards victory. Special teams came into fruition and they upset their division rivals during primetime. We will continue to see the development of the new quarterback but in my eyes it is still way too premature to rank them higher than I have.
23.Patriots: While I have mentioned before it was not a pretty day in Foxborough for the week one matchup against the Patriots and Raiders. Drake Maye did not have the best outing in recent memory but it is indeed week one of the season. Rookie Matt Campbell looked stellar leading the offensive line in front of other “rookie” running back Treyveon Henderson but this offense left much to be desired. I expect new coach Mike Vrabel and this team to bounce back
24. Cardinals: With a close contest against the New Orleans Saints one could argue that they should have won that game with more ease but Kyler Murray got it done. Sophomore year receiver Marvin Harrison jr hauled in some nice catches as well and running back James Connor seemed to not miss a beat. Though I still see them as a weaker NFC team.
25. Titans: Cam Ward looked great in his rookie debut against the Denver Broncos. It was an away game for him but he still kept his team in the game the whole way. Like I’ve stated before, the media should have covered him more during the offseason and they will see why soon enough. Ward looked calm in the pocket for a rookie quarterback and Tennessee will gladly build off of their week one positives from this Denver game. Watch out for their defense too!
26. Colts: Daniel Jones absolutely lit up the Miami Dolphins defense and used his offensive weapons to the best of his ability. The Colts offense unexpectedly exploded for more than 30 points while getting new standout rookie tight end Tyler Warren Involved. With a solid defense and also Jonnathan Taylor on offense can this Colts team pull off more sneaky wins? Or were the Dolphins just that bad?
27. 49ers: With San Francisco being the lowest ranked 1-0 team I have them all the way down at 27. Because of their injuries. Without Quarterback Brock Purdy potentially I would expect this 49ers offense to turn on its head and look completely different. Ricky Pearsall however had an outstanding outing hauling in 4 receptions for 104 yards and the 49ers defense with special teams held on to defeat the Seattle Seahawks. With George Kittle also on the IR, it seems the 49ers will have to get a lot healthier if they want to succeed.
28. Panthers: Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers did not look awful by any means and I was impressed by the first outing of standout rookie Wide Receiver Tetairoa Mcmillian, the Jaguars looked to be much improved this season so it is hard to be difficult on the Panthers performance in week one. They still have a solid running back room containing Rico Dowdle and company and it will be interesting to see if the Panthers have any surprise wins up their sleeve. They can very much bounce back against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals this upcoming week.
29. Giants: I’ve said it all offseason and that is the Giants might look to start Rookie Quarterback Jaxson Dart over veteran Quarterback Russell Wilson sooner than we all might think. The defense looked weaker than expected against their divisional rivals being the Washington Commanders and the offense struggled to get it going with Malik Nabers feeling frustrated with his involvement getting into it with Coach Daboll on the sideline. I believe the Giants season can be saved if they give the rookie a shot. They still have a rough next stretch of games and I do not see them coming out on top anytime soon.
30. Browns: It was a closer than expected duel against a divisional rival being the Cincinnati Bengals but with a lack of crazy firepower on offense it was still hard for Cleveland to stay active. Their saving grace is their stellar defense but how far can that take them against opponents?
31. Saints: Spencer Rattler was pretty solid against the Arizona Cardinals giving New Orleans a chance to compete and that is all the Saints need from the quarterback position this year as they try and figure out their rebuild with new head coach Kellen Moore. Wide Receiver Chris Olave was still in effect and veteran Alvin Kamara continued to shine. I still don’t give them much of a chance in their division or the league as a whole this year.
32. Dolphins: The offense looked depleted and the continued question of Mike McDaniel’s job is still in play. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa seemed to not be able to do anything against a weak opponent being the Indy Colts and even now rumors of Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill seeking a trade does not look good for Miami. The Dolphins did lose a plethora of players to free agency also on both the offensive and defensive sides of the football. It is not looking good so far for the teal and orange.
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