Bears Concede Home Lead on Monday Night, Aaron Rodgers Looks Vintage, Bills Stun Ravens Late
- Jake C
- Sep 9
- 7 min read
The first week of the 2025 NFL season wrapped on Monday night from Soldier Field in Chicago. The Bears, with new head coach Ben Johnson and a revamped offensive line (Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson) and Caleb Williams in his second season have higher expectations than last season’s 5-12 team.
Briefly on Monday night, it looked like they were about to make a dent on those expectations. The defense forced a Viking three and out and the offense proceeded to go down the field on a 10-play, 61-yard drive. 7-0 Bears. But the offense sputtered for the remainder of the half, gaining just 91 yards.
With 12:51 remaining in the third quarter, cornerback Nahshon Wright picked off J.J. McCarthy and ran the ball back 74 yards for a touchdown. The Bears were leading 17-6 and looked to be in control.
In the fourth quarter with 12:13 on the clock, the Vikings impressively went down the field with a six play, 60-yard drive that made the score 17-12 Bears. On the next drive, McCarthy found Aaron Jones for a 27-yard touchdown. The 2-point conversion to Adam Thielen was good.
McCarthy scored on a 14-yard run with 2:53 on the clock, which made the score 27-17 Vikings. Williams found Rome Odunze for a touchdown with 2:02 remaining in the game, and though the Bear defense would force a Viking punt, it was too late as a last second play with no timeouts and having to go eighty yards proved futile.
Boos rained down as the clock expired. At home in prime time to open the season, it was a game that you would not want to relinquish especially with a new coach wanting to set the tone and offseason acquisitions made to improve your roster. Williams completed 21-of-35 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. He also had 58 yards rushing and a touchdown. D’Andre Swift ran 17 times for just 53 yards. The Bears play at the Detroit Lions next Sunday at 1 p.m.
On the flip side, it was a key divisional win for the Vikings and a huge victory for J.J. McCarthy in his first NFL start. McCarthy completed 13-of-20 passes for 143 yards with two touchdowns. Jordan Mason carried 15 times for 68 yards. Justin Jefferson caught four balls for 44 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday night.
Aaron Rodgers in his Pittsburgh Steeler debut on Sunday afternoon looked like the old Aaron Rodgers, not old Aaron Rodgers, in delivering four touchdown passes (22-of-30) for 244 yards through the air in the Steelers’ 34-32 win over the New York Jets. Rodgers was moving well and was accurate. D.K. Metcalf caught four balls for 83 yards while Calvin Austin III caught four balls for 70 yards and a touchdown. Ben Showronek, Jaylen Warren, and Jonnu Smith were recipients of Rodgers’ other touchdown passes.
The Jets’ Justin Fields, like Rodgers playing against his old team, delivered a stellar performance of 16-of-22, 218 yards and a touchdown through the air while running 12 times for 48 yards and two scores. Breece Hall ran for over 100 yards, with 107 on 19 carries. Garrett Wilson had the best day out of the receiving corps, with seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers’ defense, which acquired Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay in the offseason, did not look crisp on Sunday. However it was the veteran Ramsey who saved the game as he dislodged the ball from the grasp of Wilson with the game on the line. The win was a major one for the Steelers as they embark on a journey this season with a retooled roster. For the Jets, it was a difficult loss but one where they performed well in head coach Aaron Glenn’s debut.
Up next for the Steelers are the Seattle Seahawks in Pittsburgh at 1 p.m. in Week 2, while the Jets will host the Buffalo Bills at 1.
Speaking of Buffalo, the Bills shocked the Ravens on Sunday night in Orchard Park. The Bills found themselves down 40-25 with 11:46 remaining in the game after Derrick Henry (18 carries, 169 yards, two touchdowns) scored on a 46-yard run.
The Bills managed just five yards on their next drive, but the Ravens punted as well. Buffalo went down the field - 80 yards on 10 plays in just 3:20 - with Allen finding Keon Coleman for a touchdown.
With 3:10 remaining, Henry was hit by Bills’ defensive lineman Ed Oliver and fumbled, with the Bills recovering. With 1:58 on the clock, Allen scored a one-yard touchdown run. On their next drive, the Ravens punted, and Allen led his team down the field in nine plays, 66 yards. The Bills wound the clock down and kicker Matt Prater delivered the game with a 32-yard field-goal.
The win was jubilation for the Bills, an improbable comeback at home. In the Ravens’ case, it was a supreme stinger - a game on the road against another top team that they had control of, not to mention wasting the performances of both Henry and Jackson. While Henry compiled 169, Jackson completed 14-of-19 for 209 yards and two touchdowns while accumulating 70 yards on six carries and a touchdown on the ground. Allen was spectacular, completing 33-of-46 for 394 and two touchdowns. Coleman caught eight balls for 112 yards and a score, while Khalil Shakir caught six for 64 and Joshua Palmer five for 61.
While the Bills look to get to 2-0 when they face the Jets, the Ravens host the Browns at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Around the NFL
Eagles 24 (1-0)
Cowboys 20 (0-1)
*Thursday
Hurts: 19/23, 152 yards, 14 carries, 62 yards, 2 TD
Barkley: 18 carries, 60 yards, TD
Dotson: 3 catches, 59 yards
Baun: 9 tackles
Prescott: 21/34, 188 yards
Williams: 15 carries, 54 yards, 2 TD
Lamb: 7 catches, 110 yards
Hooker: 9 tackles
Chargers 27 (1-0)
Chiefs 21 (0-1)
*Friday in São Paulo, Brazil
Herbert: 25/34, 318 yards, 3 TD
Hampton: 15 carries, 48 yards
Quentin Johnson: 5 catches, 79 yards, 2 TD
McConkey: 6 catches, 74 yards
Allen: 7 catches, 68 yards, TD
Gilman: 9 tackles
Mahomes: 24/39, 258 yards, TD, 6 carries, 57 yards, TD
Hollywood Brown: 10 catches, 99 yards
Smith-Schuster: 5 catches, 55 yards
Kelce: 2 catches, 47 yards
Tranquill: 2 sacks
Buccaneers 23 (1-0)
Falcons 20 (0-1)
Mayfield: 17/32, 167 yards, 3 TD, 5 carries, 39 yards
Irving: 14 carries, 37 yards
Egbuka: 4 catches, 67 yards, 2 TD
Evans: 5 catches, 51 yards
Tykee Smith: 11 tackles
Penix Jr: 27/42, 298, TD, 6 rushes, 21 yards, TD
Robinson: 12 carries, 24 yards, 6 catches, 100 yards, TD
Pitts: 7 catches, 59 yards
London: 8 catches, 55 yards
Terrell Jr: 6 tackles
Bengals 17 (1-0)
Browns 16 (0-1)
Burrow: 14/23, 113 yards, TD
Brown: 21 carries, 43 yards, TD
Higgins: 3 catches, 33 yards
Fant: 4 catches, 26 yards, TD
Chase: 2 catches, 26 yards
Battle: 12 tackles
Flacco: 31/45, 290 yards, TD, 2 INT
Sampson: 12 carries, 29 yards
Jeudy: 5 catches, 66 yards
Sampson: 8 catches, 64 yards
Tillman: 5 catches, 52 yards, TD
Garrett: 5 tackles, 2 sacks
Colts 33 (1-0)
Dolphins 8 (0-1)
Jones: 22/29, 272 yards, TD
Taylor: 18 carries, 71 yards
Pittman Jr: 6 catches, 80 yards, TD
Warren: 7 catches, 76 yards
Cross, Moore II: 1 sack each
Tagovailoa: 14/23, 114 yards, TD, 2 INT
Achane: 7 catches, 55 yards, 3 catches, 20 yards, TD
Hill: 4 catches, 40 yards
Brooks: 14 tackles
Dodson: 13 tackles
Raiders 20 (1-0)
Patriots 13 (0-1)
Smith: 24/34, 362, TD, INT
Jeanty: 19 carries, 38 yards, TD
Bowers: 5 catches, 103 yards
Meyers: 8 catches, 97 yards
Tucker: 2 catches, 54 yards, TD
White: 11 tackles
Maye: 30/46, 287 yards, TD, INT
Henderson: 5 carries, 27 yards, 6 catches, 24 yards
Boutte: 6 catches, 103 yards
Henry: 4 catches, 66 yards
Diggs: 6 catches, 57 yards
Landry III: 2.5 sacks
Cardinals 20 (1-0)
Saints 13 (0-1)
Murray: 21/29, 163 yards, 2 TD
Benson: 8 carries, 69 yards
Harrison Jr: 5 catches, 71 yards, TD
McBride: 6 catches, 61 yards
Baker: 10 tackles
Rattler: 27/46, 214 yards
Kamara: 11 carries, 45 yards, TD
Johnson: 8 catches, 76 yards
Olave: 7 catches, 54 yards
Werner: 9 tackles, sack
Commanders 21 (1-0)
Giants 6 (0-1)
Daniels: 19/30, 233 yards, TD, 11 carries, 68 yards
Croskey-Merritt: 10 carries, 82 yards, TD
Samuel: 7 catches, 77 yards
Wagner: 10 tackles
Wilson: 17/37, 168 yards, 8 carries, 44 yards
Tracy Jr: 10 carries, 24 yards
Nabers: 5 catches, 71 yards
Robinson: 6 catches, 55 yards
Okereke: 16 tackles
Burns: 2 sacks
Jaguars 26 (1-0)
Panthers 10 (0-1)
Lawrence: 19/31, 178 yards, TD, INT
Etienne Jr: 16 carries, 143 yards
Strange: 4 catches, 59 yards
Brown: 3 catches, 52 yards
Hunter: 6 catches, 33 yards
Oluokun: 10 tackles
Young: 18/35, 154, TD, 2 INT
Hubbard: 16 carries, 57 yards, 3 catches, 32 yards
McMillan: 5 catches, 68 yards
Moehrig: 11 tackles
Broncos 20 (1-0)
Titans 12 (0-1)
Nix: 25/40, 176 yards, TD, 2 INT
Harvey: 6 carries, 70 yards
Dobbins: 16 carries, 63 yards, TD
Sutton: 6 catches, 61 yards, TD
Hufanga: 10 tackles
Ward: 12/28, 112 yards
Pollard: 18 carries, 60 yards, 1 catch, 29 yards
Ridley: 4 catches, 27 yards
Brownlee Jr: 9 tackles
49ers 17 (1-0)
Seahawks 13 (0-1)
Purdy: 26/35, 277 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
McCaffrey: 22 carries, 69 yards, 9 catches, 73 yards
Pearsall: 4 catches, 108 yards
Kittle: 4 catches, 25 yards, TD
Warner: 8 tackles
Bosa: 6 tackles, sack
Darnold: 16/23, 150 yards
Charbonnet: 12 carries, 47 yards, TD
Smith-Njigba: 9 catches, 124 yards
Love: 10 tackles, sack
Packers 27 (1-0)
Lions 13 (0-1)
Love: 16/22, 188 yards, 2 TD
Jacobs: 19 carries, 66 yards, TD
Doubs: 2 catches, 68 yards
Reed: 3 catches, 45 yards, TD
Cooper: 12 tackles
Gary: 1.5 sacks
Parsons: 1 sack
Goff: 31/39, 225 yards, TD, INT
Montgomery: 11 carries, 25 yards
LaPorta: 6 catches, 79 yards
St. Brown: 4 catches, 45 yards
Campbell: 9 tackles
Rams 14 (1-0)
Texas 9 (0-1)
Stafford: 21/29, 245 yards, TD
Williams: 18 carries, 66 yards, TD
Nacua: 10 catches, 130 yards
Adams: 4 catches, 51 yards
Young: 9 tackles, sack
Stroud: 19/27, 188 yards, INT
Chubb: 13 carries, 60 yards
Higgins: 2 catches, 32 yards
Collins: 3 catches, 25 yards
Lassiter: 9 tackles
To’oto’o: 6 tackles, sack
Comments