The NFL’s Week 1 slate wraps up Monday night with Patrick Mahomes’ return from a torn ACL, but Sunday brings 13 games first, from a rookie-coach reunion in Baltimore to a Bears-Panthers quarterback rematch. Here’s every Sunday and Monday matchup, plus how the season’s first two games already went.
1 p.m. ET window
Bears at Panthers (Fox) — Caleb Williams and Bryce Young, the first overall picks of the 2024 and 2023 drafts, face off with both teams coming off division titles. Young is 0-3 in career season openers, with Carolina scoring exactly 10 points in each of those losses; Chicago opened as a 3-point favorite. Carolina leans on receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who topped 1,000 receiving yards last season.
Buccaneers at Bengals (Fox) — Cincinnati, a 3.5-point favorite, has historically started seasons slowly with Joe Burrow at quarterback, and the offensive line remains a question mark. Tampa Bay’s defense looked sharp in the preseason under Todd Bowles, blitzing from multiple angles that could pressure Burrow early.
Ravens at Colts (CBS) — The Ravens open their first season since 2007 without John Harbaugh, who was fired in January after 18 seasons and hired weeks later by the Giants. New coach Jesse Minter takes over with Lamar Jackson still under center, a 3.5-point favorite on the road. Indianapolis brings back Daniel Jones, who went 8-5 as a starter last season with career-best numbers.
Bills at Texans (CBS) — New Buffalo head coach Joe Brady makes his debut against a top-tier Texans defense. C.J. Stroud is looking to bounce back after a rough playoff exit last season. The line sits nearly even, with the total set at 44.5 points.
Saints at Lions (Fox) — New Orleans travels to Detroit as the presumptive rebuilding team of the NFC South, but oddsmakers still expect the Saints to keep it competitive against a Lions team many analysts favor to repeat as division champions.
Jets at Titans — Robert Saleh, fired by the Jets partway through 2024, now coaches the team facing his old locker room. Tennessee opened as slight favorites in the reunion game.
Falcons at Steelers (Fox) — Atlanta hands the starting job to Tua Tagovailoa, signed in free agency after Miami released him, while presumed franchise quarterback Michael Penix Jr. recovers from injury — Tagovailoa is Atlanta’s sixth different Week 1 starter in six years. He faces Aaron Rodgers, in his second season in Pittsburgh after leading the Steelers to the playoffs in 2025; the Steelers opened as 5.5-point favorites.
Browns at Jaguars (CBS) — Deshaun Watson starts for Cleveland in the final guaranteed year of his contract, entering his 10th NFL season. Jacksonville opened as heavy favorites, roughly 8.5 points, at home.
4:25 p.m. ET window
Cardinals at Chargers (CBS) — Jim Harbaugh has won six straight regular-season openers as a head coach, and Los Angeles opened as roughly 9.5-point favorites over Arizona.
Packers at Vikings (CBS) — A near pick’em in the NFC North, with Minnesota installed as a 1.5-point favorite at home.
Dolphins at Raiders (Fox) — Both teams changed direction this offseason: Miami hired former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and brought in Malik Willis at quarterback, while Las Vegas hired former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and signed Kirk Cousins. Miami also enters the year carrying a $181.6 million dead-cap hit, more than 60% of this year’s salary cap. Las Vegas opened as 3.5-point favorites.
Commanders at Eagles (Fox) — Philadelphia enters with a retooled offense after trading receiver A.J. Brown, drafting first-round receiver Makai Lemon, and hiring new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, and opened as 5.5-point favorites over their NFC East rival.
Sunday Night Football
Cowboys at Giants, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) — A new era in New York begins under John Harbaugh, hired away from Baltimore in January, while Dallas enters its tenth year with Dak Prescott at quarterback. Dallas opened as 3-point road favorites.
Monday Night Football: What does Patrick Mahomes’ return actually look like?
Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) — Kansas City closes out Week 1 with Mahomes making his first regular-season start since tearing his ACL and LCL last season. He returns against a Denver defense considered one of the best in the league, with the Chiefs opening as 2.5-point favorites and the total set at 43.5. Denver enters looking to build on last year’s AFC West title, giving the Chiefs a genuine measuring-stick opponent rather than a get-well game for Mahomes’ return.
What already happened: recapping the Wednesday and Thursday openers
The season actually started two days before Sunday’s slate, with two games already in the books.
Patriots at Seahawks, Wednesday — In the NFL’s first Wednesday season opener since 2012, the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks held off New England 13-10, with Drew Lock stepping in after Sam Darnold’s hip injury and Josh Jobe’s late interception sealing the win. Full recap: Seahawks Hold Off Patriots 13-10.
49ers at Rams, Thursday — San Francisco routed Los Angeles 27-7 in the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, played in Melbourne. Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, connecting with Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and Demarcus Robinson, while the 49ers defense shut down the Rams offense for most of the night. It was a lopsided start for a Rams team many expected to contend in the NFC West.
Sources: CBS Sports · ESPN · The Washington Post · Giants.com · BaltimoreRavens.com · AtlantaFalcons.com
