Predicting when every 0-1 team after Week 1 will get its first win

Week 1 of the NFL regular season is in the books, and it goes without saying that it was crazier than expected. Jalen Carter was ejected before a snap was played in the season opener. The Kansas City Chiefs lost their season opener. Daniel Jones looked like one of the best quarterbacks on the field. The Buffalo Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens in what could end up being the game of the year.

It's always fun to have football back, but Week 1 is just that. There's ample time for teams that won to prove themselves as fraudulent and for teams that lost to bounce back. With that in mind, let's take a look at each of the 16 teams that lost the season opener and predict when they'll get in the win column for the first time.

Atlanta Falcons

Predicted First Win: Week 3, Sun. 9/21, @ Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons could very well be 1-0 right now had a couple of things broken their way in the season opener. Michael Penix Jr. certainly played well enough to win, as did their defense for the most part, but an inefficient effort on the ground by Bijan Robinson and a missed field goal from Younghoe Koe ultimately did them in. As crushing as it was, I thought the Falcons looked decent and believe it won't be too long until we see them in the win column. Unfortunately, because of the schedule at hand, Falcons fans will have to wait until Week 3 for that to happen.

A road game in a hostile environment against an elite team doesn't exactly scream "win." Sure, J.J. McCarthy looked like a rookie for three quarters of his NFL debut, but he was unbelievable in the fourth, stealing a win for the Minnesota Vikings. Riding off that high, combined with his elite roster and the adrenaline that will come from playing in front of his home fans for the first time, I have a hard time believing the Falcons will win next week.

With that being said, a softer spot comes about in Week 3 with a road matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Winning on the road in the NFL is always tough, and many did project improvement from Carolina this season, but the Panthers looked quite shaky in their season opener, and the Falcons have far more talent on both sides of the ball. They should win this game rather comfortably. If they don't, their schedule becomes much tougher, and it could be a while before we see the Falcons win.

Baltimore Ravens

Predicted First Win: Week 2, Sun. 9/14, vs. Browns

The Baltimore Ravens had Week 1 in the bag until they didn't. They led 40-25 early in the fourth quarter, only to allow the Buffalo Bills to win the game. As crushing as it was to lose this game, it took a heroic effort from Josh Allen for that to happen. Fortunately for Ravens fans, Baltimore doesn't have to deal with Allen until the playoffs. With that in mind, finding a win for Baltimore isn't so hard. In fact, it should come in Week 2.

Nothing is a slam dunk with this Ravens team. In fact, just last year, we saw Baltimore lose in Week 2 on their home field against a subpar Las Vegas Raiders team fresh off a crushing Week 1 loss. With that being said, there's a clear talent mismatch here.

The Ravens are a team many have pegged to make it to the Super Bowl, while the Browns could easily end up in No. 1 overall pick contention. Anything can happen, but the Ravens should win in Week 2 rather comfortably, evening their record.

Carolina Panthers

Predicted First Win: Week 4, Sun. 9/28 @ Patriots

The way Bryce Young finished last season gave me some hope that the Carolina Panthers would show noticeable improvement in 2025, especially with Tetairoa McMillan in the mix. If Week 1 was any indication, I couldn't have been more wrong. The Panthers were embarrassed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, losing 26-10 on the road. The Jaguars were impressive, but the Panthers looked bad, particularly on the offensive end. Given that, it might be a while before we see a Panthers win.

To be fair, all three of these upcoming games could be semi-winnable, but what did we see from Carolina to suggest they can defeat the Cardinals on the road or outlast a far more talented Falcons team? The best bet is in Week 4, when they face a fairly similar New England Patriots team.

The Patriots are another team many hoped would show signs of improvement this year that laid an egg in Week 1. They're led by a young quarterback, Drake Maye, with some questions revolving around the surrounding parts, and a lackluster defense. This game could go either way, but I'll ride with Carolina, the more desperate team, in that one.

Chicago Bears

Predicted First Win: Week 2, Sun. 9/14 @ Lions

In typical Chicago Bears fashion, the team looked really good through three quarters only to let the Vikings steal a win on their home turf. It was a crushing loss for Caleb Williams and Co., but fortunately, I believe they'll win their next game.

Winning on the road against the Detroit Lions is a tall task, but they've played Detroit far tougher than most might give them credit for. I mean, last Thanksgiving, the Bears had a chance to upset the Lions on the road but failed to put points on the board in their final drive. In 2023, the Bears again came close to defeating the Lions in Detroit and did beat them in Chicago by two scores.

Ben Johnson has a good idea of what the Lions will want to do, and the Bears showed far more promise in Week 1 than Detroit. This could easily backfire, but give me the Bears to upset Detroit on the road for their first win of the season.

Cleveland Browns

Predicted First Win: Week 7, Sun. 10/19 vs. Dolphins

If Andre Szmyt had made one of a chip-shot field goal or an extra point that he missed in Week 1, the Cleveland Browns might've upset the Cincinnati Bengals. His inability to do so not only cost the Browns a game, but it raises the question of when they can possibly win again. Their schedule is so tough that I believe it'll be a while.

Who are the Browns realistically supposed to beat on this schedule? Upsets happen all the time, but it's tough to realistically pick Joe Flacco and Co. to upset any team on this upcoming schedule until they get to face a Miami Dolphins team that looked like an utter disaster in Week 1.

Assuming the Dolphins are never able to click and that the weather won't be all that pleasant in mid-October, the Browns should find a way to earn their first win of the season in Week 7.

Dallas Cowboys

Predicted First Win: Week 2, Sun. 9/14, vs. Giants

The end result is all that really matters, but the Dallas Cowboys did play better than most expected against the Eagles on Banner Night. They fell short, but had CeeDee Lamb caught a couple of very catchable passes from Dak Prescott (who was one of the most impressive quarterbacks in Week 1), the Cowboys might've stolen that game. With that in mind, a win should be coming sooner rather than later.

With the New York Giants coming to town in Week 2, the Cowboys might be the lock of the week. The Cowboys are far from a perfect team, but the Giants looked like the worst team in football in Week 1. With home-field advantage, the talent advantage, and the momentum on their side, it'd be a shocker if the Cowboys fall short.

In addition to all of the on-field advantages that they have, Dak Prescott has owned New York, going 13-2 against them in 15 career games. Granted, this Giants pass rush is as potent as any Giants' pass rush he's ever faced, but beyond that, the Giants don't have enough to keep up with and upset Dallas.

Detroit Lions

Predicted First Win: Week 4, Sun. 9/28, vs. Browns

The Detroit Lions hoped to prove that even without Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, they're still one of the best teams in the NFL. They didn't look anywhere near the best team in Week 1, as they were utterly dominated by the Green Bay Packers on the road. Winning at Lambeau is tough, and the Packers are a great team in their own right, but NFL fans expected better on both sides of the ball from Detroit. With that loss in the rearview mirror, when will Detroit win its first game?

The Lions could easily bounce back in a huge way and win in their home opener against the Bears, but as mentioned above, I just have a feeling about Chicago in that matchup. Following that Chicago matchup, the Lions have to travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens on Monday Night Football. Detroit can win that game, but I'm going to pick the Ravens at home.

It's weird to have a team as talented as the Lions start their year 0-3, but they looked awful in Week 1 and have a tough schedule ahead. They're a team NFL fans should be fascinated by right now.

Kansas City Chiefs

Predicted First Win: Week 2, Sun. 9/14, vs. Eagles

The Kansas City Chiefs lost a close Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil to kick off their season. As much as I'd like to get on the Chiefs for losing against a Chargers team they've owned in recent years, I think that game was much more good Chargers than bad Chiefs. Given that, a win shouldn't be too far off, and I think they bounce back in Week 2 at home.

This game won't be easy, as the Philadelphia Eagles, the team that defeated them in last year's Super Bowl, will be coming to town, but I think knowing what happened last season will only motivate Kansas City even further. They not only need a win to even their record, but they'd certainly like to get some sort of revenge for what transpired last year.

The Eagles are a great team, but they didn't exactly dominate in Week 1. I believe the Chiefs will come out firing on all cylinders and take care of business at Arrowhead.

Houston Texans

Predicted First Win: Week 4, Sun. 9/28, vs. Titans

The Houston Texans were as disappointing as any team in Week 1. Their defense was as advertised, and the matchup against a potent Rams team was tough, but losing this game 14-9 should've never happened. C.J. Stroud wasn't at his best, but this game made it abundantly clear that the Texans just don't have a good enough supporting cast alongside the young quarterback on offense. Their defense will win them games, but I'm not sure the Texans are as good as many had hoped they'd be.

Admittedly, the Texans could easily win any of their three upcoming games. The Buccaneers are tough, but the Texans do have home field, so perhaps they can scratch out a win. Unfortunately, I think the Bucs showed a lot more than Houston in Week 1. The Texans could easily win in Week 3 in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars really impressed in Week 1, and even in a down year, Jacksonville played Houston tough in 2024.

I have the Texans earning their first win of the season at home against Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans. I have high hopes for Ward, but it's hard to expect much from him against this elite Texans defense. The Texans shouldn't need to score much to win, and I expect them to accomplish that goal.

Miami Dolphins

Predicted First Win: Week 5, Sun. 10/5, @ Panthers

I thought Week 1 was winnable for the Miami Dolphins, but the 33-8 final score indicated the opposite. Sure, the Colts played extraordinarily well, but the Dolphins looked abysmal. In addition to their glaring on-field holes, I think this team has some off-field drama to deal with, raising the question of how many wins they can pull off this season. Ultimately, I think it'll be a little while before we see a Dolphins win.

Some of these games are winnable. I wouldn't be overly shocked if they beat the Patriots at home in Week 2, but I think Week 1 was so bad that the Dolphins will require additional time just to get semi-right. They could win in Week 4 against the Jets, but I thought New York looked great offensively and could shred this Dolphins defense.

Ultimately, I have Miami earning its first win of the season in Week 5 against a Panthers team in dysfunction. If there was a team that looked worse than Miami in Week 1, it might've been Carolina. I believe Tua Tagovailoa can break out against this Carolina defense and the Dolphins can get some sort of good vibes going on this Sunday afternoon.

New England Patriots

Predicted First Win: Week 2, Sun. 9/18 @ Dolphins

As mentioned above, I have the New England Patriots beating the Dolphins in Week 2. This game could conceivably go either way, but the vibes around these two teams are drastically different. Sure, the Patriots underwhelmed in Week 1, but they're still on the right path and should show improvement as the season progresses. The Dolphins, on the other hand, are a complete mess.

Even without as much to work with offensively, I have Drake Maye outplaying Tua Tagovailoa and delivering New England its first win of the season. With how badly last week went for Miami, there's a lot they have to work through. Expect Mike Vrabel to have his team ready to take advantage of the situation and get onto the winning track.

New Orleans Saints

Predicted First Win: Week 6, Sun. 10/12, vs. Patriots

This was easily the toughest team to figure out. The New Orleans Saints have one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and probably the worst starting quarterback in the league. They won't win many games this season so picking when they'll get their first one was tough. I have them accomplishing this in Week 5.

The Saints have a fairly tricky schedule to begin their season, with matchups against solid teams like the Niners, Bills and Seahawks on the agenda. The only game they might be favored to win is in Week 5 against the Giants, and I'm not sure they'll be able to score against that vaunted defense. Their Week 6 matchup against the Patriots is the one I believe they'll be able to win.

The Patriots are better than the Saints, but if there's a pass defense they can throw against, it's New England's, which allowed Geno Smith to throw for 362 yards in Week 1. A healthy Christian Gonzalez could change things, but based on what we saw from New England, I like the Saints' chances in this game.

New York Giants

Predicted First Win: Week 5, Sun. 10/5, @ Saints

Somehow, Sunday's 21-6 loss was uglier than the final score indicated. The New York Giants did a solid job defending a dynamic Washington Commanders offense, but their offense looked completely non-competitive. Pairing that with the NFL's hardest schedule, it's tough to find too many wins for the Giants.

Talk about a gauntlet of an upcoming schedule, sheesh. The Giants have just about no chance to earn a win in the first month of the season, and I predict some ugly losses ahead. Assuming the offense continues to struggle, Russell Wilson's leash can't be that long, especially considering how good Jaxson Dart looked in the preseason.

I predict Dart takes over as the starter in a soft-ish spot in Week 5 on the road and leads the Giants to a win in New Orleans. If he's unable to do that, they might have a legitimate shot of going 0-17. The schedule is simply too hard to expect much from this team.

New York Jets

Predicted First Win: Week 4, Mon. 10/29 @ Dolphins

This pains me because I thought the New York Jets played really well on the offensive side of the ball in Week 1. Justin Fields looked like the true two-way threat everyone hoped he'd be, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall each had explosive plays, and the offensive line held its own. With that being said, I don't expect this offense to shine as brightly as it did in Week 1 too often, and their good vibes generated from a fun Week 1 showing will come to a halt thanks to a tough upcoming schedule.

The Jets have actually done a pretty good job against Josh Allen in recent years, but this defense, as we saw in Week 1, isn't nearly as formidable as it once was. Following the Bills' game, the Jets go on the road to face a potent Bucs team in what can only be deemed a very tough matchup. Tampa should win that one.

This leaves the Jets winless until Week 4 when they play the Dolphins. I've gone over ad nauseam how bad I think the team and vibes are in Miami, and I think the Jets will take advantage of that. That game could potentially go the Dolphins' way, but the Jets' offense looked too promising in Week 1 to keep them winless beyond Week 4.

Seattle Seahawks

Predicted First Win: Week 3, Sun. 9/21, vs. Saints

The Sam Darnold era did not get off to a very good start. Darnold threw for just 150 yards in their Week 1 loss against the San Francisco 49ers, and he couldn't get anything going with a Seattle Seahawks playmaker not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks' defense did well, particularly against the run, but I'm not sure what to expect from Darnold away from Kevin O'Connell.

Their Week 2 matchup is tough, as they have to travel across the country and take on a Pittsburgh Steelers team that looked better offensively than expected. Even assuming Aaron Rodgers isn't quite as good as he was in Week 1, their offense looked miles ahead of Seattle's, and I'd take Pittsburgh's defense too, even after a rough opening week.

This leaves us to Week 3, when the Seahawks return home and face an easy opponent in the Saints. As mentioned above, Seattle's defense excelled in Week 1, particularly against the run. If they were able to hold Christian McCaffrey to 3.1 yards per carry, they should have similar, if not more success, against Alvin Kamara and Co., forcing Spencer Rattler to throw the ball. Whether it winds up being Rattler or Tyler Shough, I don't expect much from the Saints' offense, and think the Seahawks can score enough to win.

Tennessee Titans

Predicted First Win: Week 3, Sun. 9/21 vs. Colts

Cam Ward was handed a brutal Week 1 matchup, having to travel to Denver and face a vaunted Broncos defense. The result was predictably ugly, but I will say Ward played far better than the box score would suggest. With that in mind, I have Ward earning his first NFL victory when the Tennessee Titans face an easier matchup.

The Los Angeles Rams present a tough matchup for the Titans, but Week 3 against the Colts is when I think Ward leads his team to victory. It's the perfect spot for it.

I get that Indianapolis played great in Week 1, but are we sure that's who they'll be all season? Was that more a product of the Dolphins being bad rather than the Colts being good? I think Tennessee can match up well against the Colts, a team they came within one score of beating twice last season without Ward, and will win in Week 3 at home against them.

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