NFL Week 1 Delivers Big Scores, Comebacks and Early Upsets

The first full Sunday of the 2026 NFL season delivered plenty of offense, close finishes and a few significant surprises. Chicago produced the biggest scoring performance, Buffalo escaped Houston in a thriller and Minnesota rallied past Green Bay after losing its starting quarterback.

Other Action

The Bears’ 59-37 victory over Carolina was the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history. Caleb Williams accounted for four touchdowns, while D’Andre Swift rushed for 124 yards and three scores. Chicago finished with 552 yards and scored the final 28 points after Carolina tied the game at 31. Buffalo also made an early statement with a 36-31 road win against Houston. Josh Allen threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:41 remaining provided the winning points before Buffalo forced a C.J. Stroud fumble on Houston’s final possession.

Key Matchups and Results

• Bears 59, Panthers 37: Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while adding 65 rushing yards and two scores. Carolina’s Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.
• Bills 36, Texans 31: Allen’s four-touchdown performance highlighted a game with four fourth-quarter lead changes. Dalton Kincaid added 130 receiving yards, while Houston’s David Montgomery scored three touchdowns.
• Vikings 39, Packers 22: Minnesota scored 29 unanswered points after Kyler Murray left with a concussion. Carson Wentz came off the bench and threw three touchdown passes, while Justin Jefferson caught eight passes for 92 yards and two scores.
• Giants 28, Cowboys 20: Jaxson Dart threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns in John Harbaugh’s debut as Giants coach. Isaiah Likely caught two touchdown passes, while Cam Skattebo rushed for 81 yards and a score.
• Cardinals 26, Chargers 14: Arizona provided one of Sunday’s biggest betting upsets. The Cardinals entered as 9.5-point underdogs at FanDuel but controlled the game behind Jacoby Brissett’s 277 passing yards and a defense that forced two turnovers.

Other notable results included Baltimore beating Indianapolis 41-23 behind Derrick Henry’s three touchdowns, Jacksonville routing Cleveland 34-10 and Philadelphia holding off Washington 24-22. Detroit survived New Orleans 31-30 in overtime, while Cincinnati defeated Tampa Bay 33-27.

Key Players

Williams and Allen produced two of the day’s biggest quarterback performances, but Derrick Henry also started the season impressively. Henry rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns as Baltimore rolled past Indianapolis, moving into third place on the NFL’s career rushing-touchdown list. Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdown passes for Jacksonville, while Justin Jefferson again showed why he remains Minnesota’s most dangerous offensive weapon. Dart’s performance for the Giants was another major development, particularly after New York entered the season looking for significant improvement offensively.

Betting Recap

Sunday produced mixed results for favorites and several lucrative opportunities for underdog bettors. The most obvious came in Los Angeles, where Arizona was +9.5 at FanDuel and won outright 26-14. The Giants were another underdog winner, entering at +2.5 against Dallas before winning by eight. Minnesota was a slight 1.5-point favorite and comfortably covered against Green Bay.

Favorites Pay Off

Chicago also rewarded favorite bettors. The Bears entered around -3 at FanDuel and easily covered in their 22-point victory. The 96 combined points sailed past the 47.5 total. Buffalo was approximately a 1.5-point favorite against Houston and covered with its five-point victory, while the 67 combined points went well Over the 44.5 total.

Big First Weekend

FanDuel and Hard Rock Bet offered a full range of Week 1 markets, including spreads, moneylines, totals, player props and live betting. Hard Rock Bet was also among the operators promoting NFL Week 1 offers as the season began. The opening weekend reinforced how quickly NFL betting expectations can change. Arizona’s outright win, Chicago’s offensive explosion and Minnesota’s comeback all provided early reminders that preseason projections and Week 1 point spreads don’t always survive the first four quarters.