NFL: Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers
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The 2025 NFL preseason's first full week of action was remarkably thrilling despite the end result not being the focus. 

Development and back of the roster depth are the focus, but plenty of memorable things still went down. Rookie quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart shined. Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee rapidly raised his stock, and Dallas Cowboys All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb absorbed one of the hardest hits of the week despite not suiting up against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. 

Overreactions for preseason openers are both unreasonable and unavoidable. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at how all 32 NFL teams' Week 1 preseason games unfolded, plus highlighting the noteworthy plays and players as we spotlight the good, bad and ugly in the opening week of the 2025 preseason. 

Arizona Cardinals

The good: Running back Emari Demercado. The 26-year-old took a short screen pass from backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett 43 yards to the house for the longest touchdown of the game. He wove through early traffic before absolutely turning on the jets to breakaway for the score. That play accounted for half of Brissett's production on the day: 81 yards passing and two touchdowns on five of eight passing. Brissett's other scoring strike came from a yard out. 

The bad: Wide receiver Greg Dortch fumbling a kickoff return. Dortch is set to enter his sixth NFL season in 2025. He just can't be doing things like that. 

The ugly: Quarterback Kyler Murray's mind-numbingly horrific interception. Murray ran a play-action rollout to the left side of the field, and he hit Kansas City Chiefs second-year safety Jaden Hicks right in between the numbers as if Hicks was his intended target. Murray's actual target on the play was Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., but he completely forgot to put the requisite touch on the football that was needed to hit Harrison along the left sideline near the goal line. That's a throw Murray will certainly look to get warmed back up ahead the regular season. 

Atlanta Falcons

The good: Backup quarterback Easton Stick. After toiling away as Justin Herbert's backup with the Los Angeles Chargers, Stick appeared to learn something from the Pro Bowl quarterback. He had a near-perfect night, completing 15 of his 18 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown (a 13-yarder to wide receiver Chris Blair). That's pretty good. 

The bad and the ugly: The game ended prematurely in the fourth quarter after Lions safety Morice Norris Jr.'s head snapped backward after colliding with Falcons running back Nathan Carter's leg on a tackle attempt. Norris left the field in an ambulance. Thankfully, the Lions announced Morris' condition is stable, and he has sensation and mobility in all of his limbs. 

Baltimore Ravens

The good: The return of running back Keaton Mitchell and the Ravens' rookie class. Mitchell had a solid rookie season in 2023, but it ended about halfway through after he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He wasn't the same in 2024, playing in just five games and totaling 30 yards rushing on 15 carries. 

However, he was outstanding in the Ravens' 2025 preseason opener against the Colts. He erupted for 68 yards on nine carries, including a 22-yard rushing touchdown. Mitchell also added 64 more yards on three kickoff returns. If he can average anywhere within the zip code of his 7.6 yards per carry average from Thursday night, Mitchell will certainly be a factor to receive snaps when Derrick Henry is on the sideline taking a breather. 

Second-round rookie edge rusher Mike Green, who led college football with 17.0 sacks at Marshall in 2024, was outstanding. He produced a quarterback pressure to force an Anthony Richardson incompletion that led to the Colts settling for a field goal. 

Sixth-round rookie wide receiver LaJohntay Wester racked up 104 yards and a touchdown (87 yards) across three punt returns. First-round pick safety Malaki Starks started the game and finished with one tackle on a handful of series. 

The bad: Sixth-round rookie kicker Tyler Loop missing his first field goal attempt from 46 yards. Missing from under 50 yards isn't ideal for an NFL kicker. He did end up making his second kick from 52 yards though.

The ugly: Sixth-round rookie cornerback Bilhal Kone needing to be carted off with his left leg in an air cast. His leg bent in an odd direction while knocking down a red zone pass from Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones to wide receiver Ashton Dulin. Coach John Harbaugh announced postgame that Kone is out for the 2025 season. 

Buffalo Bills

The good: New five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa played solid football on the Bills' first two series and exited the game unscathed. Bosa has been on the NFL's top 10 pass rushers when on the football field, his 72 sacks since entering the NFL in 2016 are tied for the 10th-most in the league, but his availability has been an issue the last three seasons. He's 23 games across the last three years while dealing with various injuries. 

However, he played with the first-team defense on the first two series' of the game, and he played solidly against the run and rushing the passer.

The bad and the ugly: Pro Bowl cornerback Tre'Davious White in coverage and tackling. White, when healthy and in his 20s, was one of the NFL's top cover corners. However, he's now 30 years old with plenty of wear and tear: White tore his ACL in 2021 and his Achilles in 2023. On Saturday, White allowed a completion or two on the first two series, and he struggled with tackling after the catch. Yes, White is an established vet, and it's just one preseason game. However, his struggles on the first two series are worth monitoring to see if what happened Saturday starts becoming White's new normal. 

Carolina Panthers

The good: Quarterback Bryce Young, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, flashed plenty of confidence, and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, looked the part of a No. 1 receiver. The duo connected for a 30-yard gain on the first play of their second drive. Young finished his night, two drives, with 58 yards passing and a touchdown on 4-of-6 passing. McMillan's night ended with 43 yards and two catches on five targets. 

Most encouraging of all for Young on the night is that his swagger from his University Alabama days appears to be back. He waved open wide receiver Jalen Coker for a 5-yard touchdown pass. Early on in his career, Young looked lost on an NFL football field. Now, the mojo is back, which is certainly something for the Panthers to celebrate. 

The bad and the ugly: Their defense. They were shredded by Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-round pick quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders was able to remain clean for most of his night, taking just two sacks. When not under pressure, Sanders is an accurate passer, and that was certainly the case Friday night. He picked Carolina apart to the tune of 138 yards and two touchdowns on 14 of 23 passing. Tyler Huntley entered the game and also thrived: he completed six of his eight passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. 

Chicago Bears

The good: Edge rusher Austin Booker. The 2024 fifth-round pick is now the 2025 NFL preseason's sacks leader through one week with three to go along with four quarterback hits. One of those sacks was a strip-sack of Dolphins backup rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers that set Chicago up with a first-and-goal at the 3. Three plays later, the Bears were in the end zone thanks to a touchdown pass from backup quarterback Case Keenum. Booker is competing to be the No. 3 edge rusher between Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, and he made a great case for himself in Week 1 of the preseason. 

The bad and the ugly: Wide receiver Samori Toure's pursuit of the football, or lack thereof, resulting in the sole Bears' turnover of the day. He put both of his hands up, but he needed to reach for the football instead of waiting for it to reach his hands. That lack of aggression at the catch point allowed Tyson Bagent's throw to be popped up in the air and eventually intercepted by Dolphins safety Patrick McMorris. It was one of the few negatives about an otherwise solid preseason day at the office in new coach Ben Johnson's Bears debut. 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Result: Lost to Philadelphia Eagles (34-27)

The good: Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are still Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. Burrow completed 9 of his 10 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns while Chase caught all four of his targets for 77 yards and a touchdown (36-yard catch-and-run). This duo looks poised to continue lighting many more offensive fireworks in 2025.

The bad: The Bengals' first-team defense. CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr was on hand in Philadelphia, and he noted Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee connected on five of his six passes for 73 yards while adding a rushing touchdown (one yard via the Tush Push) on two drives against Cincy's defensive starters. It's one thing to get shredded when Super Bowl LIX MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts is throwing to Pro Bowler A.J. Brown and the dynamic DeVonta Smith. It's another when it's McKee throwing to fellow Philadelphia backups. If their preseason opener is any indication, the defensive coordinator change from Lou Anarumo to Al Golden may not make much of a difference. 

The ugly: Cincinnati's overall execution. A penalty committed on Eagles' missed field goal allowed a do-over, and then a make on the second try. Another penalty on a long kickoff return that allowed Philadelphia even more yards, a long punt return (46 yards) was allowed, backup quarterback Jake Browning threw an interception. The Eagles were in the end zone five plays later after their ensuing drive began on the Bengals' 20. Just a rough night all around.

Will Shedeur Sanders start Browns' second preseason game? Team evaluating options, including Dillon Gabriel
Austin Nivison
Will Shedeur Sanders start Browns' second preseason game? Team evaluating options, including Dillon Gabriel

Cleveland Browns

  • Result: Beat Carolina Panthers (30-10)

The good: Rookie fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders proved he belonged in the NFL. He threw two touchdowns to wide receiver Kaden Davis and finished with 138 yards passing while completing 14 of 23 passes. Sanders also added 19 yards rushing on four carries. The 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year's tumble from projected first-round pick to a fifth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns ended up becoming the story of the 2025 NFL Draft because of how shocking it was. For a night, Sanders held all of his haters at bay, and he perhaps showed the league's other 31 teams that they made a mistake passing on him as many times as they did. 

The bad and the ugly: Not a whole lot bad or ugly to write home about for the Cleveland side in their 30-10 win. They didn't commit any turnovers as a team, and they had nearly as many touchdowns (four) as they did punts (five). Defensively, they allowed a 5-yard passing touchdown to Panthers starting quarterback Bryce Young and wide receiver Jalen Coker, but they completely locked in after that. 

Dallas Cowboys

  • Result: Lost to Los Angeles Rams (31-21)

The good: Running backs Phil Mafah and Malik Davis as well as linebacker Marist Liufau. Mafah ran well, totaling 14 yards on his first three carries en route to 36 yards on 10 carries behind an offensive line decimated by injuries. The Cowboys re-signed undrafted running back Malik Davis days before the preseason opener following injuries to Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue. Davis stayed ready and racked up 63 yards rushing on seven carries -- 9 yards per carry. 

Linebacker Marist Liufau, who will factor into the linebacker rotation in the regular season, flashed during early play time on defense and special teams. He lit up a Rams kick returner on special teams and racked up three tackles on defense in limited action.  

"He's [Liufau] been incredible this whole time in camp. Just the physical nature he plays with. Another guy that you love the play style," head coach Brian Schottenheimer said postgame Saturday night. … "He's kind of a throwback linebacker, just gritty. I'm not surprised he played well. He's been working so hard to get to this point."  

The bad: Backup quarterback Joe Milton and the Cowboys offense's start to the game in the first quarter. Passes were dialed up on the Cowboys' first plays of the night, something Schottenheimer said he didn't intend to do. Milton connected on only one of his first six throws for 1 yard, and Dallas went three-and-out on its first two drives. That allowed the Rams, who started the game with the ball, to outgain the Cowboys 160-1 in total yards at the end of the opening quarter. Los Angeles rolled up 10 first downs to Dallas' none as the Rams rushed out to a 14-0 advantage. That wound up as a 31-21 victory for the home team. 

Schottenheimer would like Milton to mix more of the changeup in with his fast ball going forward. 

Joe Milton vs. Rams, By QuarterFirst QuarterSecond-Fourth Quarter

Comp-Pass Attempts

2-6 (33.3%)

15-23 (65.2%)

Pass Yards

1

142

Pass Yards/Attempt0.26.2

TD-INT

0-0

1-1

Passer Rating

42.4

78.5

The ugly: All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb getting decked by an official and drawing a penalty, and Dallas as a whole being called for 11 penalties. Most notable among them was Lamb getting caught up celebrating wide receiver Jonathan Mingo breaking right open while standing on the thick white line of the sideline. That's where an official was running up the sideline to keep up with the play, and he was so focused on the play that he didn't see Lamb right in front of him and decked the All-Pro. Lamb was penalized for sideline interference as a result. Tough to have your WR1 absorb a massive hit on his day off on top of 10 other penalties. 

"I told the guys 'hey, we competed hard, but we got to clean some stuff up. We can't have the penalties, 11 penalties or whatever that was," Schottenheimer said postgame. ... "[Spoke with Lamb] Briefly. We got to be better with discipline, and I think I hope the guy [the official] is OK. I think he's OK, but we have to do better than that. CeeDee knows better. We know better. ... We have to do a better job coaching and playing. ... You can't give away penalties in this league. So we have to be better."  

Denver Broncos

The good: Edge rusher Nik Bonitto, whose 13.5 sacks were the third-most in the NFL last season, picked up right where he left off this preseason. He ranked up a sack and three quarterback hits on three consecutive plays on the 49ers' second offensive drive of the night. That's a monster performance to lead a unit that generated four takeaways. 

The bad and the ugly: Broncos quarterback Bo Nix's up-and-down outing. He completed just 6 of his 11 passes, and he came up a bit short on a deep toss to wide receiver Troy Franklin, which allowed 49ers cornerback Chase Lucas to knock the football away. Nix also committed an intentional grounding penalty that wound up as a safety. Rough night for the second-year starter. 

Detroit Lions

  • Result: Beat Atlanta Falcons (17-10, game was suspended after scary injury to Lions safety Morice Norris Jr. with 6:19 left to play)

The good: Backup Kyle Allen thrived. The veteran Allen came off the bench Friday night after Hendon Hooker started the game, and Allen certainly moved ahead of the former Tennessee Volunteer in the battle to be Jared Goff's backup. He hit rookie wide receiver Jackson Meeks on a 68-yard shortly after entering the game, and he capped that possession with an 11-yard touchdown pass to another rookie receiver, Isaac TeSlaa. Allen also hit Meeks for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter from a yard out. Allen finished with a stellar line of 120 yards passing and two touchdowns while completing seven of his eight throws. 

The bad and the ugly: The game ended prematurely in the fourth quarter after Lions safety Morice Norris Jr.'s head snapped backward after colliding with Falcons running back Nathan Carter's leg on a tackle attempt. Norris left the field in an ambulance. Thankfully, the Lions announced Morris' condition is stable, and he has sensation and mobility in all of his limbs. 

Green Bay Packers

  • Lost to New York Jets (30-10)

The good: Rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden can catch. He reeled in his sole target of the night from starting quarterback Jordan Love to move the chains. He could become Love's go-to guy in a hurry. 

The bad and the ugly: Pro Football Focus only officially charted the Green Bay Packers as having three drops on Saturday night, but there were a few more pass plays in which Romeo Doubs and others could have been assessed drops. Green Bay registered 28 drops as a team in 2024, the fifth-most in the NFL, which is likely why they selected Golden in the first round, and TCU wide receiver Savion Williams in the third round. Love hit many of his targets in the chest and/or hands, but the football was dropped -- both on Saturday and last season. His receiving core needs to lock in quickly. 

Houston Texans

The good: Wide receiver Braxton Berrios. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract to come to Houston this offseason, and the Texans also drafted two wide receivers in the first three rounds: Iowa State's Jayden Higgins (34th overall in the second round) and Iowa State's Jaylin Noel (79th overall in the third round). Berrios needs a strong preseason to simply make the roster, and he delivered on Saturday. He caught all three of his targets for 33 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown from quarterback Davis Mills. Berrios did everything he could have hoped for to raise his stock in the opening week of the preseason in his first game back following a torn ACL. 

The bad: Houston's run game. Yes, the starters weren't on the field on Sunday, but head coach DeMeco Ryans certainly would have liked for the Texans to do more than average 3.8 yards per carry en route to 65 yards rushing on 17 carries. 

The ugly: Backup quarterback Graham Mertz's NFL debut. The rookie sixth round pick rode the struggle bus, throwing a whopping three picks and completing just 50% of his passes -- 7 of 14 for 27 yards. Mertz couldn't have looked worse in his first game in the pros. 

Indianapolis Colts

  • Lost to the Baltimore Ravens (24-16)

The good: First-round rookie tight end Tyler Warren appears as advertised early on. He took a screen pass for 7 yards by bulldozing over defenders -- a notable play even though it was wiped away by a penalty. He caught a pass over the middle in a tight window from quarterback Anthony Richardson before he exited with an injury, more on that in a moment, and quarterback Daniel Jones threw and completed his first pass of the night for an 11-yard gain to Warren. The Penn State All-American caught all three of his targets for 40 yards, and he looked the part of the middle of the field weapon Indianapolis has thirsted for the last few years. 

The bad and the ugly: Quarterback Anthony Richardson's dislocated pinky injury. In a vacuum, an injury like this isn't a big deal. However in the context of Richardson's overall NFL career plus how it happened, it's a big deal. His 15 starts through his first two NFL seasons are tied for the third-fewest in the last 75 seasons by a quarterback who started the season opener in both years, according to CBS Sports Research. 

The play itself that Richardson suffered his injury, one could argue, is even more alarming. A Ravens rusher came free off the edge from the right side of the line of scrimmage, but Richardson didn't have the awareness to feel him coming. Even worse was Richardson had a checkdown option out of the backfield to the right, but the quarterback had his back turned to the checkdown as he scanned the left side of the field. Not being in a position to utilize the checkdown in a situation like that and/or feel the pass rush closing in is a major indicator that Richardson still has much to learn fundamentally about the quarterback position.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The good: Jaguars kicker Cam Little draining what appears to be the longest field goal in football history. Jacksonville lined up Little for a 70-yard bomb at the end of the first half, and he cleared it. It won't go down as the official longest made field goal in NFL history because this was a preseason game, but still a magical moment.

The bad and the ugly: The pass defense. Steelers backup quarterback Skylar Thompson shredded the Jaguars defense to the tune of 233 yards and three touchdowns on 20 of 28 passing. The starters didn't play for long, but you'd like for the Jaguars secondary to put up more of a fight. 

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Result: Lost to Arizona Cardinals (20-17)

The good: Patrick Mahomes played the opening drive following a Cardinals' fumble on the opening kickoff, only threw one pass (it went for a touchdown) and then checked out of the game unscathed. First-round pick left tackle Josh Simmons also played well in his first NFL game action, not allowing any quarterback pressures. 

The bad: Offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia, the Chiefs' 2024 second-round pick. He struggled at left tackle a year ago, and he wasn't great in his 11 snaps at left guard in Week 1 of the preseason. Getting tossed to the side by blitzing Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson certainly isn't helping his standing on the defending AFC champions. 

The ugly: The Chiefs' tackling fundamentals on Cardinals running back Emari Demercado's 43-yard screen pass, catch-and-run touchdown. A lot of poor angles of pursuit occurred and a couple of Kansas City defenders also tripped each other at the tail end of Demercado's run. Ugly stuff. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The good: None of the Raiders' starters who played suffered any injuries. Starting quarterback Geno Smith ran just four plays, completing one of his three passes for 15 yards. Sixth overall pick running back Ashton Jeanty lost a yard on three total carries. 

The bad and the ugly: Jeanty's NFL debut. He's fresh off an all-time great 2024 season at Boise State: his 2,601 yards rushing were the second-most in a single-season in Division I history, just 28 yards shy of Barry Sanders' all-time record set back in 1988. Three carries is an extremely small sample size, but netting out positive yards should be as easy for Jeanty as getting out of bed in the morning. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The good: Rookie, undrafted cornerback Eric Rogers and third-year edge rusher Caleb Murphy. Rogers racked up two interceptions on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints: one off of Jake Haener and a pick six off rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough. Rogers perfectly read Shough to jump the rookie's throw, do a summersault and pop back up for a 43-yard interception return touchdown. 

Murphy produced two sacks of Saints second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler, including a strip-sack in the second quarter that led to three more points for Los Angeles. These two youngsters dominated New Orleans on Sunday. 

The bad: Nyheim Miller-Hines' ball security issues. He muffed a punt in the first quarter that led to Los Angeles' only turnover of the day, and he muffed another punt in the first quarter that he was fortunate to recover himself. Rough day on special teams for the six-year veteran. 

The ugly: Rogers suffered an injury while on the kickoff team, and he was seen, by The Athletic, with crutches in the locker room postgame. 

Los Angeles Rams

  • Result: Beat Dallas Cowboys (31-21)

The good: The Rams ran all over the Cowboys backup-laden unit. They rolled up 181 yards rushing on 38 carries, nearly five yards a rush (4.8). Second-year running back Blake Corum powered his way into the end zone for back-to-back touchdowns to open the game. Los Angeles had this game on cruise control from the opening kickoff. 

The bad and the ugly: They only picked off Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton once. Milton was erratic, and the Rams deflected a number of his passes, but they were unable to hang on to them outside of Milton's end zone deep shot into the end zone in the third quarter. The Rams don't have much to complain about after Saturday night. 

Miami Dolphins

  • Result: Tied Chicago Bears (24-24)

The good: Sixth-round rookie running back Ollie Gordon. Gordon led all players in the 24-24 affair in rushing yards (33) and recorded his first touchdown (from a yard out) on eight carries for a decent 4.1 yards per carry average. 

The bad and the ugly: Miami's backup quarterbacks. Both Zach Wilson (five for nine passing for 96 yards and four sacks taken) and Quinn Ewers (5 for 18 passing, 91 yards passing, two fumbles and two sacks taken) were brutal on Sunday. The Dolphins need to hope and pray Tua Tagovailoa can stay healthy in 2025. 

Minnesota Vikings

  • Result: Beat Houston Texans (20-10)

The good: Minnesota's defense took advantage of Texans rookie sixth-round pick Graham Mertz, and starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy looked relaxed in his lone drive of work. Mertz put the football in harm's way a number of times against the Vikings defense, and the unit more than capitalized, hauling in three picks. 

McCarthy played just one drive, but it was an extended possession: 13 plays for 58 yards that ended in a 48-yard made field goal. McCarthy completed four of his seven passes for 30 yards in limited work. The only nitpick was his third-down incompletion that forced Minnesota to settle for three. He also scrambled 8 yards to pick up a first down. Very small sample size, but McCarthy didn't look overwhelmed in his first game back from a meniscus injury. 

The bad: Wide receiver Tim Jones, a fourth-year player, was penalized twice on special teams. 

The ugly: Wide receiver Rondale Moore's tough leg injury. He needed to be carted off the field, which stinks because he had to miss the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL. 

New England Patriots

The good: The top of their rookie class. Second-round pick running back TreVeyon Henderson got the party going in New England by appearing shot out of cannon on his 100-yard return touchdown on the opening kickoff. Fourth overall pick left tackle Will Campbell paved the way for an 18-yard gain on the ground for Henderson. Henderson also hauled in all three of his targets for 12 yards. The future is bright for the Patriots offense. 

The bad and the ugly: Overall, Campbell had a nice night, but his getting beat clear off the line of scrimmage directly led to a fumble by starting quarterback Drake Maye -- the team's only turnover of the night. Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton blew by Campbell to stun Maye, which forced him to fumble. 

New Orleans Saints

  • Result: Lost to Los Angeles Chargers (27-13)

The good: Second-year, undrafted wide receiver Mason Tipton. He provided the lone bright spot for New Orleans on Sunday on his 54-yard touchdown catch from rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough. Tipton just burned the Los Angeles' defense on a vertical route straight down the left sideline to set up an easy pitch-and-catch for the score. Those were the only offensive fireworks for the Saints this week. 

The bad and the ugly: The ball security for all three of the Saints quarterbacks who threw a pass on Sunday: Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Haener and Shough threw interceptions with Shough's being returned for a touchdown. Rattle was strip-sacked, which resulted in another turnover. The Saints are strong contenders to possess the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft based on their current quarterback room. 

New York Giants

  • Result: Beat Buffalo Bills (34-25)

The good: The Giants' pass rush, and rookie first-round pick quarterback Jaxson Dart's preseason debut. New York was without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on Saturday, but the rest of their defensive line feasted against the Buffalo Bills' starting offensive line on two drives played. 

Rookie third overall pick edge rusher Abdul Carter gave Bills four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins the business repeatedly. His performance was so strong it might be worth New York simply tossing him in bubble wrap the rest of the preseason. Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns, along with former top-five pick edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and fill-in defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris, also balled out. Buffalo punted on both drives while the Giants' first-team defense was on the field. 

Dart was also strong in his preseason debut, completing 12 of his 19 throws for 159 yards and a touchdown. New York went on three scoring drives in a row in the second quarter with Dart at the controls. His 29-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey was his best throw of the day. Buffalo's pass rush was bearing down on Dart, but he did a nice job holding his ground and hitting Humphrey in stride down the left sideline for the score. 

The bad: Cornerback Deonte Banks' struggles to turn his head around to track the football. Banks was nearly burned for a big play, but he was able to wall off Bills wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson just enough to where he landed out of bounds. It's a habit that has Banks, a 2023 first-round pick, fighting to be New York's No. 2 corner in 2025. 

The ugly: Fill-in starting left tackle James Hudson. The 26-year-old, 2021 fourth-round pick is filling in for Andrew Thomas while he works his way back from a Lisfranc injury. Hudson racked up consecutive penalties, a false start and a holding call. Starting quarterback Russell Wilson managed well enough with Hudson in the Giants' preseason opener, but things could get more dicey in the regular season.

New York Jets

  • Result: Beat Green Bay Packers (30-10)

The good: New starting quarterback Justin Fields marched the Jets right down into the end zone on his only drive at Lambeau Field in Week 1. He hit on three of his four throws for 42 yards and capped the drive with a 13-yard scramble into the end zone. Yes, it's a small sample size, but New York has some hope at the quarterback position. 

The bad and the ugly: There wasn't a ton to complain about for the Jets in Week 1, except for some lapses in discipline. Defensive lineman Michael Clemons got into a small fight, but new head coach Aaron Glenn benched him for the rest of the night. Linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball was penalized for a late hit, and Glenn lit into him. 

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Result: Beat Cincinnati Bengals (34-27)

The good: Backup quarterback Tanner McKee started the Eagles' preseason, and he looked like an NFL starter. He balled out, completing 20 of his 25 passes for 252 yards and two passing touchdowns in addition to a 1-yard rushing touchdown via the Tush Push. Most notable about that stat line is how McKee scorched the Bengals' first-team defense. 

CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr was on the scene in Philadelphia, and he tracked that McKee completed five of his six passes for 73 yards while adding his rushing touchdown on two drives against the Bengals defensive starters. His three total touchdowns were scored across Philadelphia's five first-half possessions, four of which ended in points. 

The bad and the ugly: Third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo's lackluster performance. Ringo was one of the few starters to play on Thursday: he's in competition for the No. 2 cornerback job opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Yes, he had the misfortune of lining up multiple times across from 2024 triple crown-winning wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, but he looked WAY out of position all night long. Ringo was in position to tackle Chase and limit him to gain of 6 or 7 yards, but he horribly whiffed on his tackle attempt. That allowed Chase to waltz into the end zone untouched for a 36-yard score. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Result: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars (31-25)

The good: Both of the Steelers' backup quarterbacks. Rookie Will Howard didn't play with an injury, but both Mason Rudolph (84 yards and a touchdown on 9 of 10 passing) and Skylar Thompson (233 yards and three touchdowns on 20 of 28 passing) balled out. 

The bad and the ugly: The run game. Rookie third-round pick running back Kaleb Johnson mustered just 20 yards on eight carries, 2.5 yards a pop. He was stuffed on a fourth-and-1 run to the right in the second half behind a backup-laden offensive line. Overall, not a great start for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's preferred method of moving the football with the Steelers generating 66 yards rushing on 25 carries, 2.6 yards a pop. 

San Francisco 49ers

  • Result: Lost to Denver Broncos (30-9)

The good: Cornerback Chase Lucas. He generated two of San Francisco's nine points when his blitz from the slot forced Broncos quarterback Bo Nix into an end zone intentional grounding penalty. He also led the 49ers with eight tackles, five of them solo stops. Lucas was the shining star for San Francisco in defeat. 

The bad: Linebacker Nick Martin's three missed tackles on a single drive. The athleticism and speed are there, but the rookie third-round pick just needs to clean up his fundamentals. 

The ugly: Backup quarterback Carter Bradley. Bradley completed just 6 of his 14 passes for 32 yards and an interception. The pick was ugly because it occurred as a result of Bradley staring down wide receiver Russell Gage for what felt like a long time. He was also called for an intentional grounding penalty, a delay-of-game penalty and had a near-second interception that just so happened to be erased by a Broncos penalty away from the ball. 

Seattle Seahawks

  • Result: Tied Las Vegas Raiders (23-23)

The good: Second-year, undrafted running back George Holani outshines former Boise State teammate Ashton Jeanty. Holani totaled just 10 yards rushing on three carries in five games played as a rookie last season, and he well eclipsed that production while playing only in the first quarter. He racked up 61 yards and a touchdown (24 yards) on seven carries. Meanwhile, Jeanty collectively went backward 1 yard on three carries. No, that doesn't mean Jeanty's career is doomed to be worse than Holani's, but for a night, Holani outshined Jeanty, the 2025 sixth overall pick. 

The bad and the ugly: Backup quarterback Drew Lock started Thursday night in place of starter Sam Darnold, and his interception was pretty cringey. The Seahawks offensive line blocked up the Raiders pass rush well, allowing him to throw from a clean pocket. Rookie wide receiver Tory Horton, his intended target on the play, had his man beat by a step or two when Lock released the football, but the pass was completely underthrown. That's how the play ended as an interception for Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao. The turnover was also ill-timed with Seattle driving and already in Las Vegas' territory. In a game that ended in a tie, a couple more first downs could have resulted in a difference-making field goal. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The good: Rookie first-round pick wide receiver Emeka Egbuka flashing the goods on his 21-yard catch. There's been plenty of buzz about Egbuka throughout Buccaneers training camp, and he showed why on his 21-yard catch, the third play from scrimmage for Tampa Bay. He deftly walled his defender off before corralling the football for a big play downfield. Egbuka didn't receive much playtime Saturday night, but he certainly will in the regular season.  

The Buccaneers' secondary that feasted on Titans' backup quarterbacks Brandon Allen (one interception) and Tim Boyle (two interceptions) also deserves a shoutout. 

The bad and the ugly: The Buccaneers' ball security. Yes, Tampa Bay only turned the football over once, but it could have been worse. There was the actual fumble by wide receiver Jacob Harris, and a poorly timed snap between backup quarterback Kyle Trask and backup center Elijah Klein nearly resulted in another turnover. Yes, they are backups, but fundamentals need to be tightened up. 

Tennessee Titans

  • Result: Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers (29-7)

The good: The Cam Ward to Calvin Ridley connection. The 2025 first overall pick quarterback has an early mind-meld with his No. 1 wide receiver. Ward targeted Ridley three times, all on the second drive of the night, and all three were receptions for a total of 50 yards. Ward missed on his first two throws of the night on the opening drive, but he got in rhythm after hitting Ridley open downfield for a 27-yard pickup over the middle. Their connection will work wonders for Ward's early NFL development. 

The bad: The Buccaneers got almost whatever they wanted on the ground, piling up 178 yards on 41 carries for a 4.3 yards per carry average. Not great. 

The ugly: The performances by Tennessee's non-Ward quarterbacks. Brandon Allen (62 yards and an interception on 6 of 12 passing) and Tim Boyle (24 yards passing and two interceptions on 4 of 13 passing) each put together putrid performances in the opening week of the preseason. 

Washington Commanders

  • Result: Lost to New England Patriots (48-18)

The good: Rookie second-round pick cornerback Trey Amos. He played a total of just 13 snaps, but he had a strong all-around effort as one of the lone bright spots for Washington on Friday. He didn't allow a catch on his lone target while adding a couple of tackles. 

The bad: Both backups to 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman, threw an interception. The offense struggled to move the ball all night as the Commanders went down 20-0 early in the second quarter, 27-3 at halftime and 41-11 early in the fourth quarter. Washington's offense and defense combined to accomplish almost nothing. 

The ugly: Surrendering a 100-yard kickoff return to a rookie on the opening kickoff of the preseason. C'mon man! It's the first play of actual football in months. Lock in and don't get embarrassed right from the jump like that. Pitiful effort to begin the preseason, and it's an effort that carried over to all three phases for the Commanders for the rest of the night.