Eight early-window games are in the books. Chicago detonated for 59 points, Baltimore rolled behind Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Detroit survived the best finish of the afternoon, and Josh Allen rescued Buffalo late in Houston.
The first full Sunday of the 2026 NFL season did not ease anyone back into football. The early window produced 458 points, four games decided by one score, an overtime finish and a 59-point eruption from Chicago.
This is the first edition of The Sporting Page’s Sunday lead. The late-afternoon results will be added to this same story once those games are complete.
CHICAGO 59, CAROLINA 37
Bears 1-0 | Panthers 0-1
Chicago and Carolina traded punches until the game reached 31-31 in the third quarter. From there, the Bears turned a shootout into a rout, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive possessions and eventually hanging 59 on the Panthers.
Caleb Williams accounted for 334 yards of offense, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns while adding 65 yards and two more scores on the ground. D’Andre Swift ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai added 100 yards on only 10 carries. Chicago finished with 552 total yards, including 291 on the ground.
BALTIMORE 41, INDIANAPOLIS 23
Ravens 1-0 | Colts 0-1
Baltimore’s first regular-season game under Jesse Minter quickly became a showcase for an offense that looked comfortable from the start. The Ravens piled up 506 yards and built a 28-6 second-quarter lead that Indianapolis never seriously threatened.
Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards, Derrick Henry ran for 144 and scored three times, and Zay Flowers produced a career-high 150 receiving yards. Henry’s three scores moved him to 125 career rushing touchdowns, passing Marcus Allen for third in NFL history.
PITTSBURGH 20, ATLANTA 13
Steelers 1-0 | Falcons 0-1
Pittsburgh won in a way that would have looked familiar in almost any Steelers era. The offense did enough, Aaron Rodgers protected the football, and the defense supplied the decisive play.
With Atlanta hanging around in the fourth quarter, T.J. Watt intercepted Cooper Rush and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. Watt also recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss. Rodgers threw for 221 yards and a score, while Rush finished with 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
JACKSONVILLE 34, CLEVELAND 10
Jaguars 1-0 | Browns 0-1
Jacksonville controlled this one before Cleveland could settle into the season. The Jaguars scored four touchdowns on their first six drives and led 31-0 early in the third quarter.
Trevor Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Cleveland finished with 272 net yards, committed 11 penalties and turned the football over twice. The Browns’ only touchdown came with two minutes remaining.
CINCINNATI 33, TAMPA BAY 27
Bengals 1-0 | Buccaneers 0-1
The Bengals built their afternoon around Tampa Bay mistakes. Cincinnati forced fumbles on three consecutive Buccaneers possessions in the first half, turning those opportunities into a 24-10 halftime advantage.
Tampa Bay recovered enough to make the finish uncomfortable, pulling within 33-27 on Baker Mayfield’s touchdown run with 3:25 remaining. Cincinnati never gave the football back. Joe Burrow completed 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, while Mike Gesicki led the Bengals with 78 receiving yards.
NEW YORK JETS 23, TENNESSEE 10
Jets 1-0 | Titans 0-1
Geno Smith’s return to the Jets began with a controlled road victory in Nashville. New York possessed the football for nearly 39 minutes and leaned on Breece Hall while its defense repeatedly forced Tennessee off the field.
Smith completed 19 of 24 passes for 215 yards without an interception. Hall ran for 102 yards and scored in the third quarter. Tennessee did not reach the end zone until late in the fourth, after the Jets had already forced seven punts and sacked Cam Ward three times.
DETROIT 31, NEW ORLEANS 30
Lions 1-0 | Saints 0-1
Detroit led 21-0 in the third quarter and still needed overtime to survive the best game of the early window.
Tyler Shough dragged New Orleans back into the game with 410 passing yards and three touchdowns. After the Saints forced overtime, Jared Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a four-yard touchdown to put Detroit ahead. Shough answered by finding Noah Fant for an eight-yard score, cutting the margin to one.
Kellen Moore chose to go for the win. Shough’s two-point pass fell incomplete, and Detroit escaped 31-30. Jahmyr Gibbs carried 29 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while St. Brown caught 10 passes and both of Goff’s touchdown throws.
BUFFALO 36, HOUSTON 31
Bills 1-0 | Texans 0-1
Buffalo trailed 31-30 late in Houston and needed the kind of possession that has defined the Josh Allen era. Allen delivered it.
The Bills quarterback led a 96-yard go-ahead drive and found Joshua Palmer for a 34-yard touchdown with under two minutes remaining. Houston still pushed into Buffalo territory, but Greg Rousseau forced a C.J. Stroud fumble on a sack and Terrel Bernard recovered it to end the game.
Allen finished 20 of 29 for 334 yards and two passing touchdowns, then added 23 rushing yards and two more scores. Dalton Kincaid caught five passes for 130 yards, and DJ Moore produced 100 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut.
For the injury and availability follow-up to Sunday’s results, see Fantasy Pulse’s dated all-team updates.
The late-afternoon window is already underway. Once those games are final, they will be added directly to this story. The headline stays exactly where it belongs: THE NFL IS BACK!
