NFL Preseason Week 1 Recap
The 2025 NFL Preseason Week 1 slate provided fans with an early glimpse of rookies, depth chart battles, and returning stars shaking off the offseason rust. With NFL preseason Odds and NFL Betting markets already reacting to standout performances, this week’s action also gave insight into players who could impact the NFL Draft conversation next spring.
While some teams took a conservative approach by resting starters, others offered extended looks at key contributors in meaningful evaluation spots. Here’s a game-by-game breakdown from this week’s action.
Los Angeles Chargers 27 – New Orleans Saints 13
Neither team played its regular starters, but the Saints’ quarterback competition was in focus. Spencer Rattler started and struggled during his quarter-and-a-half, relying on short checkdowns on key third downs, including a 6-yard pass on third-and-10 and a 3-yarder on third-and-7. He missed behind receivers, lost a fumble on a strip-sack, and his longest gain, a 21-yard completion, came off busted coverage.
He led zero scoring drives. Tyler Shough took over before halftime, showing more zip on throws, highlighted by a 54-yard deep touchdown to Mason Tipton and a 16-yard strike on the move. Mistakes included a pick-six from staring down a receiver and taking an unnecessary long sack.
Trey Lance entered in the second quarter for the Chargers, delivering an 11-yard back-shoulder pass and using his legs for multiple first downs. Omarion Hampton was held out, signaling confidence in his role. Rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith failed to record a catch on three combined targets.
Miami Dolphins 24 – Chicago Bears 24
Tua Tagovailoa played in an opening preseason game for the first time, lobbying for one drive. He hit Malik Washington and Tahj Washington on short gains to convert three third downs, moving to the 1-yard line before Miami’s offensive line was stuffed on three straight runs. Targets: Malik Washington (3), Tahj Washington (1), Dee Eskridge (1). De’Von Achane logged four carries, one nullified, with his best run going 11 yards. Jaylen Wright replaced him but was repeatedly stopped at the goal line.
Rookie QB Quinn Ewers endured a rough debut, completing under 33% of passes, losing two fumbles, and floating errant throws. Chicago sat veterans but played rookies Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Kyle Monangai. Loveland’s 8-yard grab came on third-and-16, Burden added two catches, including a 16-yard conversion, and Monangai impressed with vision, power, and broken tackles, potentially climbing the depth chart.
Denver Broncos 30 – San Francisco 49ers 9
Sean Payton kept starters, including Bo Nix, into the second quarter. Nix was inconsistent, barely completing half his passes with limited yardage. Four of his 11 attempts went to running backs, and while Courtland Sutton dropped one, Nix missed on several throws. R.J. Harvey started over J.K. Dobbins, flashing with runs of 7 and 11 yards but losing yards on an outside bounce attempt.
Harvey, athletic yet raw, gave way to Dobbins on all third downs but may see his role expand. Troy Franklin continued his intense camp, catching three of four targets, including a contested fourth-and-5 grab. The 49ers rested starters, but rookie Jordan Watkins hauled in a 50-yard pass from Mac Jones and could earn playing time with receiver injuries.
Arizona Cardinals 20 – Kansas City Chiefs 17
Patrick Mahomes played one drive for Kansas City, throwing a single pass for eight yards and a touchdown after Arizona fumbled the opening kickoff, setting up a short field. Kyler Murray had two drives for the Cardinals. His first ended in an interception thrown to a defender with no receiver in sight, possibly due to miscommunication.
On his second drive, Murray looked sharper, completing accurate passes and scrambling effectively to set up a field goal. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught one pass for 15 yards, with broadcast commentary noting his added offseason weight. James Conner took all snaps on the opening drive before rookie Trey Benson entered on the second and played with the backups. Despite Conner’s mention of a 1A/1B committee, this game did not show an even split.
Baltimore Ravens 24 – Indianapolis Colts 16
Anthony Richardson’s promising camp came to an abrupt halt in the preseason opener. The Colts starter completed two passes on the opening drive, including a gain to tight end Tyler Warren that was negated by a penalty, before the series ended in a dropped interception and a field goal. His next possession turned costly when David Ojabo broke through for a clean shot, forcing Richardson from the game with an arm injury.
His targets went to Ashton Dulin (1), Adonai Mitchell (1), and Warren (2). Daniel Jones entered earlier than expected, starting with a near-pick on a miscommunication with Mitchell and taking a sack on third down. He settled in on the next drive, finding Warren for a chunk gain and leading two field goal marches. Jones targeted Dulin five times—three in the end zone—along with Anthony Gould (1), Will Mallory (1), Mitchell (5), Andrew Ogletree (2), and Warren (2).
Warren impressed in his debut, showing athleticism on a screen pass wiped out by a penalty and later a long reception from Jones. Baltimore rested starters, but Keaton Mitchell provided an early spark with a long touchdown run on the opening drive. His burst and open-field speed make him a dangerous depth option behind Derrick Henry.
Los Angeles Rams 31 – Dallas Cowboys 21
Neither team played starters. Joe Milton started for the Rams and struggled with accuracy, missing open targets and nearly throwing several interceptions. His ball placement issues were evident from the first drive. Stetson Bennett was more composed, connecting on some deep throws despite one poor back-foot attempt.
In the running back competition, Blake Corum scored two early touchdowns despite an initial drop, while Jarquez Hunter was more productive overall. Both remain in contention for the backup job.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29 – Tennessee Titans 7
Cam Ward made his NFL debut for Tennessee with two drives. The first was rocky, featuring inaccuracy and late throws under pressure. On his second series, he displayed better rhythm, highlighted by a drive ending in a Tony Pollard short touchdown run. Calvin Ridley excelled with three catches for 50 yards in limited action, showing early chemistry with his quarterback. Pollard took all starting reps, while Tyjae Spears played with backups late into the first half, an ominous sign for his role.
For Tampa Bay, veterans rested. Rookie Emeka Egbuka played one drive, catching a 21-yard pass from Kyle Trask and nearly grabbing a deep ball. Rachaad White received significant snaps with backups, fueling speculation he could be showcased for a trade.
Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – Jacksonville Jaguars 25
The Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence and his new-look receiving corps one series, which ended in a field goal. Lawrence relied heavily on rookie Travis Hunter, targeting him three times in seven attempts, as well as Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Etienne. Hunter converted a third-down catch and later made defenders miss on a short reception.
He didn’t start on defense right away, suggesting Jacksonville may be managing his two-way workload. Etienne had a 10-yard reception but continued to struggle on the ground, while Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten were more efficient running behind him. Notably, kicker Cam Little drilled a 70-yard field goal before halftime, which would have shattered the NFL record in a regular-season game. The Steelers rested starters, with Kaleb Johnson’s missed tackle on Hunter being his most notable play.
New York Jets 30 – Green Bay Packers 10
Both teams played starters briefly, with Justin Fields looking sharp for the Jets. Fields completed three of four passes and scored a rushing touchdown on the opening drive. His targets included Garrett Wilson, Tyler Johnson, and Andrew Beck.
Green Bay’s offense sputtered under Jordan Love, plagued by three early drops and off-target passes. Rookie Matthew Golden stood out despite modest stats, catching a quick slant for seven yards to move the chains and drawing a pass interference flag against Sauce Gardner.
Minnesota Vikings 20 – Houston Texans 10
J.J. McCarthy made his return from an ACL tear, showing mobility on a fourth-down conversion but struggling with accuracy on some throws. Without Justin Jefferson, he leaned on Jordan Addison, who saw four targets. Jordan Mason started at running back in place of Aaron Jones, showing solid production.
Houston rested offensive starters; rookie Woody Marks entered after Dare Ogunbowale, suggesting he’s currently behind on the depth chart. Rookie Jayden Higgins caught two short passes for Houston, while Tai Felton added two catches for Minnesota.
New York Giants 34 – Buffalo Bills 25
Russell Wilson was the only starting quarterback to take the field, leading the Giants to a field goal on his lone drive. Wilson completed six of seven passes, primarily short throws, targeting Theo Johnson three times and connecting with Wan’Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy. Jaxson Dart replaced Wilson, playing ahead of Jameis Winston.
While Dart’s stat line appeared solid, a large chunk came from Montrell Washington’s yards after a short catch, and he narrowly avoided an interception. He later connected on a deep touchdown to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
Tracy handled most of the opening drive work, converting a key fourth down, and Johnson impressed with his athleticism. For Buffalo, Mitchell Trubisky saw most of the snaps. Dalton Kincaid caught a 10-yard pass, and Ray Davis started over James Cook but had little room to run. Cornerback Taron Johnson was briefly evaluated for a concussion but returned. The broadcast lacked replays, focusing instead on discussions about Buffalo’s new stadium.
New England Patriots 48 – Washington Commanders 18
TreVeyon Henderson stole the spotlight, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown and adding an 18-yard run on the first offensive series. He caught three passes, showing the burst and versatility that could make him a major contributor as a rookie.
Rhamondre Stevenson opened the game but is likely headed for a secondary role, similar to David Montgomery’s in Detroit, albeit with a wider split favoring Henderson. Drake Maye played two drives, fumbling on the first after being sacked but bouncing back with a rushing touchdown on the second.
His targets included Henderson, Mack Hollins, and Austin Hooper. For Washington, starters were held out, but rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt impressed with his tackle-breaking ability on a nine-yard run.
Cleveland Browns 30 – Carolina Panthers 10
Shedeur Sanders played most of the game for Cleveland, showcasing mobility and touch passing after an early overthrow. He connected on a 29-yard strike before capping the drive with a touchdown pass, exceeding expectations for a fifth-round pick. Rookie running back Dylan Sampson had just two carries, suggesting a protective approach by the coaching staff.
First-round pick Tetairoa McMillan showed both promise and inconsistency, making a superb over-the-shoulder grab and a 13-yard catch but dropping two passes, including a would-be touchdown. Bryce Young played two series for Carolina, finding Jalen Coker for a score after McMillan’s drop kept the drive alive. Chuba Hubbard started but rotated with Rico Dowdle, who saw red-zone opportunities. Xavier Legette was ejected for fighting, giving Coker more snaps.
Detroit Lions 17 – Atlanta Falcons 10
The contest came to an abrupt end in the fourth quarter after Lions safety Morice Norris sustained a serious head and neck injury during a tackle attempt. Medical personnel immediately stabilized Norris on the field before transporting him via ambulance, prompting officials to halt the remainder of the game.
Before that, both teams opted to rest their starting units. Hendon Hooker started at quarterback for Detroit, operating a conservative, short-passing scheme that leaned heavily on quick completions and safe reads. His drives were methodical but lacked explosive plays.
For the Falcons, Easton Stick started under center and demonstrated more efficiency as a passer, showing better rhythm on intermediate routes and hitting checkdowns to keep drives alive. The primary offensive highlight came from Detroit rookie Isaac TeSlaa, who secured a well-timed fade-route touchdown from Kyle Allen, displaying strong hands and body control in the end zone.
Seattle Seahawks 23 – Las Vegas Raiders 23
Ashton Jeanty’s debut for the Raiders was a challenging one, with all three of his rushing attempts resulting in negative yardage due to poor offensive line blocking and strong penetration from Seattle’s defensive front. The Seahawks opened with Geno Smith at quarterback for one series, nearly connecting on a deep pass to rookie Dont’e Thornton, who later hauled in a 17-yard reception from Aidan O’Connell. Thornton, however, was also targeted on an O’Connell interception, a play disrupted by tight coverage.
Seattle’s standout was rookie receiver Tory Horton, who displayed excellent body control on contested catches and precise route execution to create separation consistently. Rookie fullback Robbie Ouzts also impressed, delivering powerful lead blocks that freed running back George Holani for several effective carries. Quarterback Jalen Milroe played behind Drew Lock but made an impact with accurate throws on the move and athletic scrambles, showing poise despite working with second-string personnel.
Philadelphia Eagles 34 – Cincinnati Bengals 27
Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor gave his starters a full first quarter of action, and quarterback Joe Burrow looked sharp after missing on his first pass. He completed all subsequent attempts, finding Ja’Marr Chase five times, including a touchdown and another score that was erased by a penalty. Chase Brown handled every snap at running back with the first team, showcasing his ability as both a rusher and receiver while breaking multiple tackles to extend drives.
Tahj Brooks entered as Brown’s replacement but had a limited impact. The Eagles rested their starters and handed the offense to Tanner McKee, who delivered a clean performance aside from a single near-interception before halftime.
Rookie receiver Johnny Wilson made a strong impression with multiple acrobatic catches against Cincinnati’s starters, using his size to win contested battles. Running back Will Shipley provided a spark with a 38-yard burst, while backup A.J. Dillon displayed improved acceleration and decisiveness compared to recent seasons, adding valuable depth to the Philadelphia backfield.
What will the NFL Preseason Odds for Week 3 Bring Us
Stay tuned to the BUSR News for the NFL Preseason odds for the week 3 showdowns to come. On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons will host the Tennessee Titans (you can check our prediction here), and the Seattle Seahawks will face the Kansas City Chiefs (check our picks for this matchup here).
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