The Patriots’ offense was one of the biggest disappointments of Week 1, scoring just 10 points and gaining 277 yards despite adding A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.
They better fix it quickly, because the rest of the NFL is ready to run a track meet.
The NFL saw an offensive explosion in Week 1, with 10 teams cracking 30 points. Ben Johnson and the Bears led the way with 59 points against Carolina, tying the 2019 Ravens for the second-most points in Week 1 since the 1970 merger (the 1973 Falcons scored 62). The Panthers scored 37 points in defeat, making the Bears the first team in history to score 50 and allow 30 in the season opener.
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The Ravens put up 41 points in a blowout win over the Colts. The Vikings scored 39 with backup quarterback Carson Wentz. The Bills scored 36 against the stingy Texans’ defense in their first game with Joe Brady as head coach. The Jaguars, Bengals, Texans, Lions, and Saints also lit up the scoreboard.
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Add it all up, and this year is on pace to be the highest-scoring Week 1 in NFL history since the merger at 50.0 points per game (51.9 if you remove the Patriots’ 13-10 loss), not including Monday night’s game. It was a marked difference from last year, when teams averaged just 41.3 points per game in Week 1.
With upcoming games against the Jaguars, Bills, and Bears, Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels better get their problems fixed quickly.
Other takeaways from Week 1:
⋅ The Eagles didn’t seem to miss Brown much. Jalen Hurts looked pretty much like the same quarterback as last year, throwing for a modest 203 yards but with three touchdowns and no picks in a 24-22 win over the Commanders. Newcomer Dontayvion Wicks picked up the slack with two catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Stefon Diggs had four catches for 55 yards in his Washington debut, and his 10-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter closed the gap to 17-15. However, Diggs’s boneheaded touchdown celebration resulted in a 15-yard penalty and cost the Commanders a chance to go for 2 and the tie.
first as a Commander 🤩
📺 #WASvsPHI FOX pic.twitter.com/BFX7I2XBpb
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 13, 2026
Kayshon Boutte, the other receiver discarded by the Patriots, had a limited role for the Texans, catching one of two targets for 21 yards in the Texans’ loss to Buffalo.
⋅ Brown and Doubs were hardly the only newcomers with shaky debuts. The Chargers scored just 14 points and gained 268 yards in their first game with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, with Justin Herbert looking utterly lost for much of the game. McDaniel’s scheme in Miami relied heavily on runs after the catch, and the Chargers’ offense has a lot of plodders.
Kyler Murray threw an interception on his first pass as a Viking, left the game with a concussion later in the first half, then watched as backup Carson Wentz threw three touchdowns and led the Vikings to a big comeback victory.
The Browns’ offense looked lifeless in their 34-10 loss to the Jaguars in the first game under head coach Todd Monken, though the Jaguars’ defense, Jacksonville heat, and Deshaun Watson’s shaky play probably contributed a lot to it.
Robert Saleh’s debut in Tennessee was also a dud, losing, 23-10, in the revenge game against the Jets. Saleh’s defense compiled just one QB hit and no sacks against Geno Smith, and Cam Ward played as poorly as he did in his rookie season, throwing for just 140 yards and a touchdown.
Things went from bad to worse for Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter as he dropped an interception and was beaten in coverage for the Bills' go-ahead touchdown on the next play.
Things went from bad to worse for Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter as he dropped an interception and was beaten in coverage for the Bills' go-ahead touchdown on the next play.
⋅ Josh Allen had another sublime performance, throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns and scoring two more on the ground in the 36-31 win over the Texans. But boy, did he get away with one at the end of the game, with a heave into the end zone that should have been intercepted by the Texans’ Kamari Lassiter, but was dropped. Allen won’t get much criticism because the Bills won, but it was as bad of a decision as Maye’s final interception against the Seahawks.
Tracking Former Patriots
Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett: You have to feel good for the journeyman, who threw for 277 yards and a touchdown with no giveaways in the Cardinals’ 26-14 win over the Chargers. The Cardinals gave Brissett a $10 million raise, money well spent.
Commanders DE K’Lavon Chaisson: Had two QB hits and no other stats in a 24-22 loss to the Eagles. The Patriots let him walk after securing 7½ sacks but are a little thin at edge rusher and could probably use him.
Jaguars WR Jakobi Meyers: Had just two catches for 40 yards but caught a touchdown in the Jaguars’ win over the Browns.
Cardinals WR Kendrick Bourne: Had eight catches for 75 yards in the win over the Chargers.
Cardinals LB Jack Gibbens: A backup last year, the player Mike Vrabel called “Dr. Gibby” led the Cardinals with seven tackles and had half a sack.
Quick hits
⋅ The Ravens put up 41 points and 506 yards in their first game with offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, a Sean Payton disciple. A fresh voice in the headset may reinvigorate Lamar Jackson, who threw for 324 yards and a touchdown.
⋅ Bears coach Ben Johnson went for it on fourth and 1 from his own 21-yard line in the second quarter, got stuffed on the QB sneak, and the Panthers scored the game-tying touchdown three plays later. It didn’t matter, with the Bears racking up 552 yards and scoring on 9 of 14 possessions (one was a kneel down). They might be a juggernaut.
⋅ The NFC South didn’t get much return on investment in Week 1. The Buccaneers gave Baker Mayfield a $10 million raise, and he lost three fumbles in a 33-27 loss to the Bengals. The Panthers spent over $100 million guaranteed fixing their defense, and almost gave up a 60-burger. And all four teams lost.
⋅ The Rams didn’t play Sunday, but still took a big “L” with the news that Myles Garrett needs knee surgery and will be out at least four weeks. It’s not something that happened in Australia, and considering Garrett had all offseason to get his knee fixed, something is clearly off.
Defended for the dub pic.twitter.com/Pe3KG4GQUE
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 13, 2026
⋅ Saints coach Kellen Moore absolutely made the right call going for 2 and the win in a 31-30 overtime loss to the Lions despite the play failing. The Saints played with a lot of heart in erasing a 21-0 deficit, and Moore’s show of faith in his players will pay dividends later this season. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (410 yards) might be the real deal, throwing for 325 yards and leading four touchdown drives after halftime.
⋅ The Packers’ four possessions in the fourth quarter: Turnover on downs, fumble, interception, turnover on downs. Despite throwing for 387 yards, Jordan Love struggled with Brian Flores’s aggressive blitz rate (78 percent), taking four sacks and 15 QB hits (seven by Dallas Turner).
⋅ Have the Bengals finally fixed their defense? Al Golden’s unit had four sacks and four takeaways against the Bucs.
⋅ Why they play the games: The Chargers were the NFL’s biggest favorites this weekend (9½ points), Jim Harbaugh entered the game 6-0 all-time in Week 1, and the Cardinals are practically tanking. So naturally, the Cardinals beat the Chargers by double digits.
⋅ If the season ended today, the Jets would be AFC East champions.