Week 1 of the NFL season wrapped up with the Minnesota Vikings storming back to a massive divisional win over the Chicago Bears, 27-24. There were many stories to follow and new information to come out from Week 1, some good and others not so much. From the Colts steamrolling the Dolphins to the Bills hosting the Ravens in potentially the Game of the Year, the NFL is back! Let’s dive into my top five takeaways from the opening week of the NFL 2025-2026 season.
5. The Miami Dolphins-Worst Team in NFL?
For someone who didn’t have high expectations for the Miami Dolphins entering Week One, I was the nonetheless disappointed in all aspects of the team. They genuinely might have the worst secondary in the NFL. After trading Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers, we knew they weren’t going to be good, but you can’t play much worse than that. Until they scored a meaningless touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts near the end of the game, their offensive drives went as follows: Interception, fumble, punt, interception, turnover on downs. That is pitiful.
One of the great qualities of having a quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa is his decision-making. Neither of the interceptions he threw was a great play by the defense. The first one was an overthrow; the second pick was as if he was playing catch with Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu. Just flat-out inexcusable mistakes from a player whose accuracy and decision-making are some of his great qualities. It is time the Miami Dolphins blow this thing up. Clean house and start their rebuild.
4. NEVER Trust the Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have proven to be one of the most untrustworthy elite teams in the NFL. Blowing a 15-point 4th quarter lead in any competition is unacceptable. Now the Buffalo Bills have the tiebreaker in the AFC and are one step closer to having the NFL Playoffs go through Orchard Park.
Now, did they get a little unfortunate with Derrick Henry fumbling? Yes, but when you have a two-time MVP and someone untackleable like Henry is, you must close games where you a have double-digit lead with five minutes left. That comes down to coaching, and John Harbaugh is “quietly” on the hot seat.
3. Buccaneers’ Offense Unstoppable?
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense gets healthy, they will be almost impossible to slow down. Emeka Egbuka looked great in his NFL debut. He finished with four catches, 67 receiving yards, and two touchdowns, including the game-winning TD with 59 seconds left. I would not be surprised if he turned into Baker Mayfield’s go-to receiver later in the season. For all Mayfield and Egbuka fantasy owners, you all should be doing backflips. Is it an overreaction? Maybe. But the talent on this side of the ball is undeniable.
2. Philadelphia Eagles’ Defense was Leaky
Despite Jalen Carter’s ejection against the Dallas Cowboys, their defense performed abysmally, particularly in the secondary. Outside of Quinyon Mitchell, they are in dire need of cornerbacks. Adoree’ Jackson was getting picked on all night long. If CeeDee Lamb didn’t have the most drops in a game in his career, the story is how the Dallas Cowboys ruined the Eagles’ Banner Night.
They lost an abundance of talent on that side of the ball; the release of Darius Slay and his subsequent signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers being a prime example of this. If the Eagles want to repeat as Super Bowl champions, their secondary needs to show great improvement in the coming weeks.
1. The Detroit Lions’ Ugly Start
The loss of both coordinators reared its ugly head in their season opener. They were destroyed by the Green Bay Packers 27-13 in one of the more one-sided games of the weekend. Detroit looked unprepared, as if it wasn’t ready to play. Pass catchers were running wide open, and the offensive line was not getting any push; they were all over the place. Jordan Love resembled the player we saw at the end of 2022, when he was arguably the hottest quarterback in the NFL. If the Lions can’t get it together in Week 2, they could be in for a long season.
Final Thoughts
The first week of the NFL season revealed many things, from contenders not ready to get over the hump to pretenders looking like contenders. Some teams believe it could be their year, while others are waiting for the offseason. Regardless, I can speak for all in saying that we are happy football and the NFL are back!
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts and takeaways from Week One of the NFL season as we enter Week Two tonight! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
