The New Orleans Saints produced a dramatic late surge to defeat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17, while the Chicago Bears suffered a defensive struggle against the Minnesota Vikings, resulting in an injury to quarterback Caleb Williams.
In New Orleans, Tyler Shough sealed the victory with a one-yard touchdown run on fourth down with just 1:28 remaining. The drive was crucial after New Orleans faced a penalty and an incomplete pass that allowed Baltimore to stop the clock with only two timeouts left. Although the Ravens drove to the Saints’ 37-yard line, Lamar Jackson’s final pass was intercepted by Julian Blackmon with 13 seconds remaining, preserving the win for New Orleans (1-1).
Meanwhile, at Soldier Field, the Minnesota Vikings relied on their defense to shut out the Chicago Bears 9-3. Isaiah Rodgers was a standout for Minnesota, recovering a fumble and blocking a late field goal attempt. Aaron Jones contributed 105 rushing yards, and Will Reichard added three field goals, including a 39-yarder with over a minute left.
The game took a turn in the fourth quarter when Bears quarterback Caleb Williams exited with a right hamstring injury. Bears head coach Ben Johnson expressed cautious optimism regarding the severity of the ailment, stating, “I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee… We’ll know more tomorrow.” The loss dropped Chicago to 0-2, while Minnesota improved to 2-0 for the first time since the 2024 season.
In other Sunday action, the Philadelphia Eagles edged the Tennessee Titans 24-20 on a last-second drive. Jalen Hurts threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with nine seconds remaining, erasing a deficit after the Titans had taken a 20-17 lead on a Joey Slye field goal. Hurts finished with 264 passing yards and two touchdowns, while DeVonta Smith recorded 10 catches for 117 yards.
The Green Bay Packers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets. Despite committing 14 penalties and trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter, Green Bay held on as Jets quarterback Geno Smith was sacked on consecutive plays late in overtime, forcing a punt. Trey Smack kicked the winning 26-yard field goal.
Joe Burrow, despite dealing with back tightness, led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 20-6 win over the Houston Texans, connecting with Ja’Marr Chase on two touchdown passes. Chase hauled in seven catches for 75 yards, including a spectacular 32-yard score where he dragged his toes inbounds.
Carolina routed the Atlanta Falcons 34-3, with Bryce Young throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns. The Falcons, missing starters Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, relied on fill-in starter Cooper Rush, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
New England continued its strong start with a 20-3 victory over Pittsburgh. The Patriots’ defense stifled Aaron Rodgers, forcing two fumbles, one of which was recovered for a touchdown by Eli Ponder. TreVeyon Henderson also scored on a 39-yard run in his season debut. In Thursday’s opener, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Detroit Lions 41-31.
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