After a historic first weekend in the NFL, teams are already starting to set their sights on Week 2. Before we move on, let’s recap three of the games that made this weekend so special.
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers (59-37, Bears W)
Ben Johnson stated that he wanted the 2026 Bears offense to be the highest-scoring offense since the 2013 Denver Broncos, who averaged 37.9 points per game. With 59 points in Week 1, the Bears are certainly off to a good start.
Quarterback Caleb Williams played nearly perfect, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai added 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns between them.
Swift especially stood out, averaging 6.9 yards per carry and capping off the game with a filthy 24-yard run for his third touchdown of the day. This backfield should have no problem continuing this success as long as they can stay healthy.
The Panthers got beat, but not for a lack of trying. Former first-round pick Bryce Young threw for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns himself. Young needs to be a primary focal point of this Panthers team if they want to build on the success they had during the 2025-26 season.
In the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, I can see both teams benefiting from this matchup. The Bears solidified themselves as one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL, while the Panthers showed that they can still compete despite giving up 59 points.
Both of these teams can, and should, make the playoffs. If they do, we could be talking about this game again come January.
Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts (41-23 Ravens W)
The Ravens took no time to insert themselves into the AFC contenders list. With an entirely new coaching staff and a lot of returning talent, fans were unsure of how the team would adapt. The Ravens offense denied speculation and WENT OFF.
Lamar Jackson was the biggest story here. At the end of last season, Lamar Jackson fell below expectations and wasn’t playing his usual brand of football. Fans attributed his struggles to his injury history. Well, rest assured, Lamar Jackson is back. Jackson threw for 324 yards and a touchdown. He added 40 rushing yards and another touchdown, but most importantly, 0 interceptions. For someone with so much doubt surrounding him, Jackson played nearly perfect and is reinserted into MVP talks early.
Derrick Henry is another Raven who has been doubted this offseason. Every season, fans speculate Henry is going to lose a step, and every season, he just gets better. 144 yards on the ground and a hat trick of touchdowns from Henry quickly turned Baltimore’s performance from great to scary for all defenses in the AFC.
The Colts played well too, with solid performances from running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Alec Pierce. If the Colts can avoid unnecessary turnovers, they’ll be a good team in the AFC. I see playoff potential from the Colts’ Week 1 performance. However, they ran into the Ravens already in mid-season form.
Zay Flowers was a notable player from Sunday morning, making fantasy owners happy with 150 yards and a touchdown (26.0 fantasy points). However, Flowers suffered a left hamstring injury and is now considered day-to-day. I don’t foresee this hurting the Ravens much, even if he does miss time. The Ravens already look like serious contenders.
New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions (31-30 Lions W)
This is the game you NEED to see from Sunday. The Lions showed dominance early, going up 21-0 with 8:54 left in the 3rd quarter. And then the unthinkable happened: Tyler Shough came alive, Detroit’s defense fell apart, and it came down to the wire in overtime with the Lions squeaking it out on a failed two-point conversion. In true Dan Campbell fashion, the lions fought to the very end while still making things interesting.
Three hundred twenty-five second-half passing yards, three touchdowns, and a one hundred twenty passer rating. Tyler Shough’s four-hundred-ten-yard performance set a franchise record for most second-half passing yards by any Saints quarterback. If he is a free agent in your fantasy leagues, he’ll be a huge addition.
Chris Olave blew up the stat sheet for the Saints, racking 182 receiving yards, but it was Devaughn Vele and Juwan Johnson getting in the endzone with notable touchdowns. All three of the Saints’ primary targets should be considered highly valuable fantasy options for the next couple weeks as the Saints continue to build an identity.
Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown are starting to become a legendary offensive duo for the Lions. Shades of former Lions like Barry Sanders and Golden Tate are what I see from the two on a Lions team that never could put two legendary players together in the same era. The offense is only going to get better from here on out, and I’m all here for it.
Detroit’s defense was the biggest concern. Looking like a lockdown unit in the first half, the Lions fell apart defensively. Letting up a 21-0 lead and being forced into overtime was a huge scare for a defensive unit that’s supposed to be well respected. In bigger games if the defense falls apart late, I can see that being a massive issue for the Lions
Week 1 gave us plenty to talk about, but these three games already gave us some interesting storylines to follow. The Bears look like they could have one of the most dangerous offenses in football, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens look like legitimate AFC contenders, and the Lions may have some defensive issues to figure out. If this weekend was any indication, we’re in for one hell of an NFL season.
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