SBF Franchise/ Week 1

Jaguars were never troubled, putting Buccaneers away 37-13. Bhayshul Tuten carried the load for Jaguars — 17 carries, 283 yards, 3 TD. Jayden Goodrich was steady for Buccaneers — 20/32, 217 yards, 1 INT — in a losing effort. On the ground: Jaguars 306, Buccaneers 93.

Chargers got it done 37-21 over Colts. Justin Herbert was steady for Chargers — 17/23, 333 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT. Anthony Richardson Sr did the damage for Colts — 18/25, 257 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT — in a losing effort. Worth noting: David Njoku, 79 overall, is 3 in the league in receiving yards. Total yards: Chargers 477, Colts 320.

Ava Collins: "Pittsburgh's passing game was unstoppable—DK Metcalf alone accounted for 199 yards and 3 scores, and the Steelers scored at will to pull away. Mendoza put on a show for Las Vegas with 476 yards and 6 touchdowns, but Pittsburgh's precision on the outside was the difference in a 49-43 shootout where both teams abandoned the run game entirely." Jordan Hayes: "Will Howard put up 5 touchdowns in his first game, but Pittsburgh's defense only needed to generate 2 sacks while Las Vegas got 5—that's the real gap between a team that won by 6 and one that should've won."

Pittsburgh beat Las Vegas 49-43 in a shootout where both teams abandoned the run game entirely and lived through the air. Fernando Mendoza threw for 476 yards and 6 touchdowns for the Raiders, but Will Howard and DK Metcalf were enough for the Steelers, with Howard completing 20 of 36 for 336 yards and 5 scores while Metcalf caught 9 for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Steelers outgained Las Vegas 489 to 473 and held the edge in total yards despite both offenses throwing on 90-plus percent of plays. Mendoza's output was wasted by a Raiders rushing attack that went minus-3 yards.

Sierra Vaughn: "San Francisco made this look like a practice drill — McCaffrey ran for 236 yards and 4 touchdowns while the defense didn't allow Los Angeles a single point, and the Rams' 7 turnovers turned what might have been competitive into something that stopped being a game early." Zoe Bell: "Ricky Pearsall: 2 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD on what was effectively a practice drill tells you everything about where San Francisco's ceiling sits — they didn't need to ask him to do much, and he still made it count." Priya Sable: "San Francisco put up 70 points and Los Angeles managed 9 rushing yards — this wasn't a game, it was an indictment of everything the Rams tried to do on either side of the ball."

49ers were never troubled, putting Rams away 70-0. Christian McCaffrey ran it for 49ers — 23 carries, 236 yards, 4 TD. Nick Bosa got after the quarterback for 49ers — 3 sacks. On the ground: 49ers 266, Rams 9.

Caleb Brooks: "Miami had the better day — 502 yards, Willis hitting his receivers all over the field — but 2 turnovers and Henderson's 115 on the ground was enough for New England to close it out. The Phins beat themselves." Devon Walker: "Chris Bell put up 242 yards and nobody in a Pats secondary that gave up only 191 through the air could stay with him — but 6 catches and 2 touchdowns on a 502-yard day still adds up to a loss when your defense can't force a stop."

Patriots 35, Dolphins 28. Miami moved the ball at will—502 yards, 355 through the air—but Malik Willis's 2 interceptions and a turnover margin of minus-1 cost them the game. Chris Bell caught 6 for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns, the kind of evening that ordinarily wins football games. TreVeyon Henderson's 115 rushing yards on 18 carries and 2 touchdowns were enough. New England's defense generated 3 sacks to Miami's 1, and that marginal advantage in pressure proved decisive in a shootout neither team should have won.