After nearly seven months of pause, the NFL returned with momentum: all 32 teams opened the 2025 season, delivering dramatic finishes, dazzling wins, and painful losses. Below are the three key takeaways from Week One that set the tone for the coming months.<\/p>\n
A Veteran Start: Derrick Henry Opens the Season with a Historic Game<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old veteran at the running back position proves once again that his peak form time is not over. In the festive prime-time showdown against Philadelphia, Henry showcased a strong mix of both ground and explosive qualities, scoring two touchdowns and forcing the opponent\u2019s defense to squeeze every last ounce out of each moment. This start underscores his ability to blend physical contact with top-end speed \u2013 exactly what has long set him apart from most competitors.<\/p>\n
His ability to withstand pressure from the line and then attack the defense across the width of the field allows him to maintain a balance between power and precision. After a long tenure in the league, Henry has again become one of the team\u2019s main sources of points, raising the bar for his teammates and striking fear into opponents\u2019 hearts. However the fourth quarter brought an unexpected twist: a turnover seemed costly, and it allowed the opponent to keep hopes for a comeback alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, I need to take care of the ball,\u201d Henry told reporters after the game. \u201cI told my teammates after the game to take responsibility for themselves. I take responsibility, as a man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013 Derrick Henry<\/p>\n
Despite the late mistake, Henry remains the engine of his team\u2019s offense. Last year\u2019s surge and his ability to seize initiative in pressure situations continue to excite fans and analysts. If he keeps the pace with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have a good shot at continuing their playoff push and facing other teams at a high level.<\/p>\n
Miami Loses Its Way: Opening Loss and Growing Concerns<\/p>\n
The Miami Dolphins began the season with disappointment: a 33-8 loss to Indianapolis cast doubt on their playoff plans. The words of star receiver Tyreek Hill and public posts on social media hinting at internal tensions only intensified the discussion around the team. Tua Tagovailoa misfired on many expected plays \u2013 two interceptions and a fumble \u2013 lacking the consistency to generate points. The Colts\u2019 defense also made an impression \u2013 Daniel Jones, coming in from the offseason, delivered a measured performance in the air and on the ground, creating problems for the opponent.<\/p>\n
Postgame comments from head coach Mike McDaniel described the situation as a learning experience: \u201cGuys, let the noise and shine of Week One not blind us; we\u2019re a young team going through a transition.\u201d He emphasized that the team must grow from its mistakes and quickly find a path to a stable performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys, let the noise and glow of Week One not blind us; there are some deep lessons ahead,\u201d \u2013 McDaniel said after the game. \u201cWe are a young team going through a transitional phase. This happens in the NFL, but we learn from the toughest examples.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013 Mike McDaniel<\/p>\n
Now Miami needs a reevaluation of its game plan and an overhaul of the team\u2019s spine. The schedule, set against division competition, points to a challenging path to the playoffs, but the season has just begun, and there are still plenty of chances to get back on the winning track.<\/p>\n
Could a Surprise Team Be a Title Contender? Brazil Perspective<\/p>\n
As part of Open Week, the NFL league returned to Brazil for the first time in years \u2013 a event that lets us see whether a team can realistically contend for the Super Bowl. If last year the surprise was the Philadelphia Eagles\u2019 upset over the Green Bay Packers with a subsequent triumph in Super Bowl LIX, this year attention is focused on the Los Angeles Chargers: they celebrated a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs by 27-21.<\/p>\n
Even from more than 6,100 miles from their California home, the Chargers showed serious ambitions. The defense, supported by an aggressive offense, helped reduce KC\u2019s impact, and the main story is quarterback Justin Herbert\u2019s all-around performance: 318 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a decisive 19-yard run at the end of the game that ended a long losing streak to the Chiefs.<\/p>\n
\u201cJustin was phenomenal in every aspect of the game with truly precise throwing,\u201d \u2013 said after the game Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, acknowledging Herbert\u2019s contribution to the win. \u201cI was impressed by his footwork and the finish to seal the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013 Jim Harbaugh<\/p>\n
The Chargers\u2019 victory in Brazil over the Chiefs again confirms their potential as a serious playoff contender and perhaps a deeper run in the title race. With avoiding serious injuries and repeating consistency, the team has a high chance of a long playoff push and, perhaps, a return to a title run.<\/p>\n
The opening week brought three key milestones: Henry\u2019s experience, Miami\u2019s energetic start, and the Chargers\u2019 ambitious steps. Whether they maintain their pace through the season remains to be seen, but already they are crafting a tense and engaging story for all of 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After nearly seven months of pause, the NFL returned with momentum: all 32 teams opened the 2025 season,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":356547,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2064],"tags":[241,292,7,1159,895,1014,262,2444,2443,251,88,6,14906,63569,17481,40927,84,17520],"class_list":{"0":"post-356546","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles-chargers","8":"tag-chargers","9":"tag-derrick-henry","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-justin-herbert","12":"tag-lamar-jackson","13":"tag-los-angeles","14":"tag-los-angeles-chargers","15":"tag-losangeles","16":"tag-losangeleschargers","17":"tag-miami-dolphins","18":"tag-news","19":"tag-nfl","20":"tag-nfl-2025","21":"tag-nfl-2025-derrick-henry-miami-dolphins-los-angeles-chargers-nfl-season-opener-nfl-brazil-game-nfl-highlights-lamar-jackson-justin-herbert-nfl-playoffs","22":"tag-nfl-brazil-game","23":"tag-nfl-highlights","24":"tag-nfl-playoffs","25":"tag-nfl-season-opener"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115179423570503013","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}