For 18 straight weeks, National Football League (NFL) teams face off against each other and play for 60 hard-fought minutes. Some games will have you falling asleep on your couch, while others will have you on the edge of your seat. Some weeks are better than others, and this week did not disappoint. All five games picked this week might have been number one in any week of last season. Here are the top 5 games from week 1 of the 2025 NFL season:

5. Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears (Vikings win 27-24)

The last game of week one proved to be a good one, as the Vikings took down the Bears in a back-and-forth battle. The new Bears coaching staff showed promise early, as second-year Quarterback Caleb Williams marched the Bears down the field in what was a seven-play, 61-yard drive capped off with a rushing touchdown. The Bears were not able to carry over the momentum, and their offense looked stagnant from there. The Vikings, on the other hand had the opposite story. Second-year Quarterback JJ McCarthy led the Vikings to three unanswered touchdowns in a row, and following a failed lateral attempt, the Vikings jumped out to a 1-0 record. This one had a good comeback, but not enough end-of-game antics to warrant a higher spot on this list. 

4. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Chargers win 27-20) In Sao Paulo, Brazil

For the second season in a row, the NFL decided to put a Friday night game in São Paulo, Brazil. This year, the NFL chose a divisional matchup between the Chargers and Chiefs, and as expected, this was a close game. The Chargers took the lead early and never looked back, with Chargers Quarterback Justin Herbert hitting third-year Wide Receiver Quinten Johnston, who many consider to be a bust, for two scores and 79 yards. The Chiefs did not go down without a fight, even after losing their top target, Xavier Worthy, to a shoulder injury. Kansas City battled the Chargers until Justin Herbert ended their hopes of securing a week one victory, when he scrambled for 19 yards in the fourth quarter and slid into a Chargers win. This game had enough scoring and was competitive for 58 minutes; however, it lacked drama and a good ending, which is why it ends up at number four on this list.

3. Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Eagles win 24-20)

For the third straight year, the NFL’s opener delivered a great game. This game started uniquely, with Eagles all-pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter spitting on Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott’s face before the first snap of the game. “The Spit” ended up getting Carter ejected from the game, and the NFL fined Carter $57,222 for the incident. Carter being ejected was huge for Dallas, as they didn’t have to worry about his game-wrecking ability. They took advantage of it on their very first drive, driving down the field and eventually scoring the first touchdown of the 2025 NFL season. The Eagles responded with a rushing touchdown of their own, as Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts ran in for a touchdown. The game was back and forth, with the Eagles leading 21-20 at halftime. After halftime, the Eagles kicked a field goal, and from there, scoring stopped. A very eventful first half and a very disappointing second half, with a lightning delay in the middle of it all. 

2. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets (Steelers win 34-32)

All eyes were on this game, as future Hall of Fame Quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to New York to take on his former team, the Jets. However, this wasn’t just a homecoming for one quarterback, as Jets starting Quarterback Justin Fields was facing off against his former team as well. This was another back-and-forth battle, with Aaron Rodgers showing flashes of his former self, tossing for four touchdown passes. On the other hand, Justin Fields showed why he was a first-round pick just a few years ago, scoring three total touchdowns against a strong Steelers defense. The game ended dramatically, as Justin Fields stepped up in the pocket and fired a strike to Receiver Garrett Wilson. The pass appeared to be caught for a Jet first down, which would keep their hopes alive; however, former all-pro Cornerback Jalen Ramsey came out of nowhere to hit Wilson and jar the ball free, securing the win for the Steelers. This game not only had great storylines, but also turned out to be an extremely fun watch, with an exciting finish, which is why it earned the number two spot on the list.

1. Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills (Bills Win 41-40)

The Baltimore Ravens rolled into Orchard Park, New York, to seek revenge against a Buffalo Bills team that just 233 days ago broke their hearts in a divisional playoff game that came down to the wire. We knew this game was going to be great, but it exceeded everyone’s expectations. Quarterback Josh Allen picked up from where he was last season in no time, marching the Bills down the field on the very first drive of the season, and then capping off a very impressive seven-play, 50-yard drive with a 15-yard strike to Tight End Dalton Kincaid to put the Bills up 7-0. The Bills’ lead did not last for long, as Ravens running back Derrick Henry showed reminiscences of his 2020, 2,000-yard season in the first half. Henry rushed for a 30-yard touchdown on Baltimore’s second drive and then followed it up with a 49-yard run on his very next touch. Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson capped off the drive with a nice 10-yard touchdown run of his own to put the Ravens ahead by ten. The Ravens jumped out to a sizable lead in the second half and went up 40-25, but momentum shifted following a Derrick Henry costly fumble in the fourth quarter. The Bills scored twice, with one touchdown being a deflected pass caught in the back of the end zone by second-year Receiver Keion Coleman. Down by 2 points, the Bills forced a quick Ravens three-and-out before driving down the field in 39 seconds, where newly signed Kicker Matt Prater nailed a 32-yard field goal to beat the Ravens. This game had everything, from one-handed touchdown catches to a dramatic finish. This week one affair will undeniably go down as one of the greatest regular-season games of the twenty-first century.