NFL Week 1 delivers records, big performances and premature conclusions
Chicago’s 59–37 win over Carolina set a Week 1 scoring record, while CBS Sports cautioned against treating one round of results as a settled verdict on the season.
Chicago’s 59–37 defeat of Carolina became the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, producing an immediate rush of assessments about both teams. Caleb Williams accounted for four touchdowns, while D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
The Bears’ attacking performance was matched by defensive concerns. Carolina quarterback Bryce Young passed for 361 yards, while CBS Sports identified problems with coverage, tackling and the pass rush after Chicago conceded 37 points. The result raised the possibility of an unusually productive but vulnerable Bears team, though that remains speculative after one game.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson also attracted early MVP discussion after throwing for 324 yards and a touchdown, as well as rushing for another score in the Ravens’ win. CBS Sports linked his performance to Baltimore’s new offensive coordination, highlighting the efficiency of the team’s screens, quick passes and play-action concepts.
DJ Moore made an immediate impact in his Buffalo debut, catching five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. The performance strengthened the case that he can add a downfield dimension to the Bills’ passing game, but CBS Sports stopped short of declaring him the NFL’s best offseason addition.
Other early judgements were less favourable. Tennessee struggled in a 23–10 loss to the Jets, while Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield lost three fumbles and was sacked four times in a 33–27 defeat by Cincinnati. The Los Angeles Chargers scored only 14 points in a 26–14 loss to Arizona, exposing possible growing pains under a new offensive system.
Philadelphia edged Washington 24–22 in a game CBS Sports described as showing both promise and shortcomings. The Eagles’ defence and Jalen Hurts’ key third-down plays provided encouragement, while penalties and offensive inconsistency affected both teams. The wider lesson from the opening round, the analysis said, is that new systems and individual performances require more than one game before they can be treated as reliable indicators.
