A wild Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season is formally within the books after some miraculous fourth-quarter comebacks and shocking outcomes. Whereas most playoff groups from final season both picked up the place they left off or obtained higher, others fell flat and have some work to do after one recreation.
Every of those three groups will doubtless be high-quality when the postseason rolls round if the previous few seasons are any indication, however they discover themselves looking for solutions as issues stand.
Patrick Mahomes remains to be below heart for the Chiefs, so there ought to be brighter days forward for Kansas Metropolis. Nonetheless, they didn’t look nice in a 27-21 Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a group that they had not misplaced to since 2021.
As soon as broad receiver Xavier Worthy exited the sport with a dislocated shoulder within the opening quarter, Kansas Metropolis solely averaged 6.1 yards per go try. Except for a 37-yard connection from Mahomes to tight finish Travis Kelce to get the Chiefs inside two within the fourth quarter, there was not a lot explosiveness on offense.
Huge receiver Rashee Rice is not going to be out there till Week 7 as he serves a six-game suspension, and the Chiefs head right into a Tremendous Bowl rematch in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. It’s too early to panic, however for a group that finds itself final within the AFC West for the primary time since 2021, it’s in uncharted territory, even whether it is after one recreation.
In accordance with Stats Carry out, the Lions have been 6-0 in opposition to NFC North opponents final season for the primary time in franchise historical past. That won’t be the case in 2025 after a disappointing 27-13 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Sunday.
Week 1 marked the start of the post-Ben Johnson period, as the previous Lions offensive coordinator is now the top coach of the Chicago Bears. For a group that led the league in scoring final season, it solely put up 13 factors and 246 complete yards of offense in John Morton’s first recreation as OC.
The Lions are nonetheless loaded with Jared Goff at QB, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at operating again and Amon-Ra St. Brown main a powerful receiving corps, however they’ve some work to do after struggling to maneuver the ball in opposition to the Packers.
If Sunday’s 14-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams was an indication of issues to come back, the Texans is perhaps in for a difficult season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud had no safety and obtained little assist from his run recreation. He even called his team out after the sport.
The irritating half for the Texans is these are the identical points that plagued them final season. They have been tied with the Seattle Seahawks for the third-most sacks allowed (54) in 2024, per StatMuse, and allowed three on Sunday.
This group has greater than sufficient expertise surrounding Stroud on offense and clearly has a protection able to holding its personal. If these points don’t enhance quickly, although, it may very well be an extended season for Houston.
