Week 1 of the preseason has come and gone, and it was a doozy. We loved back-to-back triple headers on Thursday and Friday earlier than the majority of the slate unfolded all through Saturday, and it concluded with two contests on Sunday.
Over the course of the weekend, a number of rookies flashed, quarterback battles waged on, and there was even somewhat little bit of NFL historical past (form of). Whereas it is pure to lean in the direction of the positives that come out of the preseason, it isn’t all rosy presently of the 12 months, as some groups are nonetheless figuring out the kinks earlier than they get to Week 1.
So, who impressed in the course of the opening week of exhibitions and who disillusioned? We’re right here to interrupt all of that down. Beneath, we’re diving into among the notable winners and losers, which incorporates two rookie signal-callers as clear winners and a potential playoff contender that finds itself a loser due to one aspect of the ball.
Winner: Giants GM Joe Schoen
Joe Schoen arguably has one of many warmest seats for a basic supervisor within the NFL coming into the 2025 season, however he might find yourself saving his job because of his pair of first-round rookies. This offseason, New York used its No. 3 total choose to pick out Penn State cross rusher Abdul Carter, then traded again into the primary to deliver Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart aboard with the No. 25 total choice. Of their debuts, it is arduous to not just like the early returns.
Within the Giants preseason opener in opposition to the Payments, each Carter and Dart flashed. Beginning with Carter, he performed simply six performs on the afternoon, however made essentially the most of it. Of these six snaps, three had been pass-rushing snaps. On all three of these snaps, he utilized pressures.
In the meantime, Dart had a far longer leash in his preseason debut and was simply as spectacular. He got here in after Russell Wilson performed the opening drive. From there, he accomplished 12 of his 19 passes for 154 yards and a landing, whereas including 24 yards dashing. Towards a few of Buffalo’s starters on protection, Dart did not look too phased beneath stress. His most eye-popping second got here on a 28-yard landing cross to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. He hit him in stride regardless of having stress respiratory down his neck and taking a success.
I ranked Dart as essentially the most spectacular rookie quarterback to play in Week 1 of the preseason, and if he continues to flash like this, it’ll make Schoen look sensible shifting again as much as get him after touchdown an All-Professional caliber cross rusher in Carter.
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Loser: Bengals protection
The Bengals are attempting a distinct technique this preseason by giving their starters extra run than in years previous in hopes they keep away from one other sluggish begin to the common season. Whereas some might have a look at their preseason opener as successful on the trail in the direction of undertaking that objective, I am skeptical. Not as a result of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase did not appear to be they had been in midseason type (they did). It is as a result of the the Philadelphia Eagles reserves lit up the beginning protection.
Backup quarterback Tanner McKee led scoring drives on the Eagles first two possessions of the night time, together with a nine-play, 75-yard landing drive on Philly’s first possession of the sport. He completed finishing 20 of his 25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Whereas the Cincy starters weren’t on the market for all of that manufacturing, they had been for not less than two drives throughout which they surrendered 10 factors. Once more, this is not a Jalen Hurts-Saquon Barkley-led Eagles offense we’re speaking about. So, positive, Burrow and the offense appeared dialed in, however the protection — arguably the important thing cause they missed the playoffs a 12 months in the past — appeared like their outdated selves, which is not an excellent factor.
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You could not have requested for a greater begin to your NFL profession than what TreVeyon Henderson did on Friday night time. New England’s second-round rookie took the sport’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a landing, weaving round Commanders defenders en path to the tip zone.
But it surely wasn’t simply Henderson’s prowess within the return recreation that has him as considered one of our winners. Each time he touched the ball, he appeared liable to tug off a prime 10 spotlight. His lone carry of the night time noticed him burst by way of the opening for an 18-yard achieve (credit score to first-round rookie sort out Will Campbell), and he hauled in all three of his targets within the passing recreation.
The Patriots have lacked explosion on the offensive aspect of the ball for fairly some time, but it surely looks as if occasions are altering with the likes of Henderson within the fold.
In some circles, you will discover of us who consider the Arizona Cardinals may very well be one of many shock groups of the 2025 season. Whereas that definitely may nonetheless be the case, Kyler Murray did not instill a ton of confidence for an Arizona breakout throughout one second of their preseason opener. Within the early minutes of the primary quarter, the Cardinals quarterback rolled out to his left on a first-and-10 play and threw a lame duck cross on to a Chiefs defender for an interception.
Did he lose his grip on the soccer? Did he not see the defender? Or did he merely not put sufficient energy into the throw to succeed in Marvin Harrison Jr.? Irrespective of the rationale, it raises some stage of concern, even when that was his lone incompletion on the night time.
Possibly the story of Week 1 of the preseason was Shedeur Sanders. With Joe Flacco resting and each Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined with hamstring accidents, Sanders bought the beginning within the Cleveland Browns opener, and the fifth-rounder balled out. He accomplished 14 of his 23 cross makes an attempt for 138 yards and two touchdowns whereas enjoying deep into the third quarter. He stood tall within the pocket, moved properly, rolling to his left and proper, and had numerous notable passes on the run. His first landing noticed him roll left, set his toes and thread the needle to the back-left nook of the tip zone.
Arguably his finest throw got here simply earlier than the two-minute warning main as much as halftime when he rolled to his proper to evade stress and tossed a superbly positioned ball to Luke Floriea for a 30-yard achieve.
It wasn’t an ideal outing for Sanders (he almost threw a choose when throwing into visitors within the second quarter), but it surely was ok to warrant head coach Kevin Stefanski taking a good more durable have a look at his rookie all through the preseason earlier than attending to Week 1.
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Coming into the summer time, essentially the most notable quarterback competitors resided in Indianapolis, as Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones had been slated to duke it out for the Colts Week 1 job. At present, it seems like much less of a quarterback battle and extra like a conflict of attrition. Richardson bought the beginning within the preseason opener in opposition to Baltimore, however was rapidly knocked out of the sport after dislocating his pinky. In all, Richardson threw simply three passes.
Accidents have been a significant piece of Richardson’s NFL story since coming into the league because the No. 4 total choose again in 2024. Over two seasons, he is performed in simply 15 video games. A few of that was attributable to an in-season benching in the course of the 2024 season, however a bit has been attributable to damage. If he is unable to remain wholesome all through the summer time, Jones might win the job by default.
Does it depend within the NFL report books? No. Is it nonetheless wildly spectacular? Indisputably!
The Jacksonville Jaguars kicker netted a 70-yard subject objective simply earlier than heading to the locker room at halftime. Had this occurred in the course of the common season, it might’ve set the report for the longest subject objective in league historical past. At present, former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker holds the report with a 66-yarder he hit again in 2021, so this could’ve damaged it by a wholesome quantity. Whereas the report nonetheless stands, Little did publish on X that “this may not be the final 70-yarder.”
And right here we thought Travis Hunter was going to be the principle draw to look at the Jaguars in 2025!
He did not play within the Dallas Cowboys‘ preseason opener, however CeeDee Lamb someway took one of many hardest hits of the preseason. Lamb was celebrating an extended completion between Joe Milton III and Jonathan Mingo, and, whereas having his again turned to the motion, bought in the way in which of the sideline official who was working up the sphere. The 2 collided, and each hit the bottom.
Oof. To make issues worse, Lamb was known as for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for contacting the official. Within the pool report after the sport, referee Alex Moore mentioned it was “sideline interference” as a result of Lamb was standing within the restricted white border space. Fortunately for Lamb and the Cowboys, the star wideout wasn’t damage on the play, which might have additional compounded the scenario.
