NFL offenses provide one of the highest-scoring opening weeks in history

Offenses didn’t need any time to shake off the rust.

They lit up the scoreboard in one of the highest-scoring opening weeks in NFL history.

The Bears beat Carolina 59-37, falling three points shy of tying Atlanta’s 53-year-old record for the most in Week 1. The game featured 1,030 total yards and the most combined points (96) ever in an opener.

Josh Allen led the Bills to a stunning performance against Houston’s once-stingy defense in a 36-31 road win. The Texans allowed the second-fewest points (17.4 per game) and fewest yards (277.2 per game) in 2025. But Allen threw for 334 yards and Buffalo scored on eight of its 11 possessions before kneeling down to win coach Joe Brady’s first game.

Ten teams scored more than 30 points, and six had at least 24 in the first half.

Maybe starters don’t need to play in the preseason. Quarterbacks were in midseason form as 13 posted a passer rating over 100.

All those joint practices must have benefited offenses more than defenses.

One of Chicago’s team goals set by coach Ben Johnson is to break the NFL record for most points in a season. Johnson believes the Bears still have room to improve despite scoring touchdowns on their last four drives.

“There’s still a number of things on there that I didn’t love just from the sideline perspective,” Johnson said.

Entering the Broncos-Chiefs game on Monday night, teams have combined to score 750 points. The record in Week 1 is 791 in 2012.

Here are 10 takeaways from Sunday’s games:

Caleb Williams kicked off his second season in Johnson’s offense playing like a guy who is going to be an MVP candidate. He made precision throws, big plays with his legs and was in command for Chicago’s offense from start to finish.

Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens were impressive in a 41-23 victory at Indianapolis, giving coach Jesse Minter his first win. Baltimore has high expectations and the team’s core players were spectacular.

Jackson, who dealt with injuries last season, played like a two-time MVP. The 32-year-old Henry ran like he’s 22. Zay Flowers had a career day.

The Colts have now lost eight straight games after starting 8-2 last year. Quarterback Daniel Jones was ineffective in his first game back from a torn Achilles, and the defense was poor.

John Harbaugh had a better day than brother Jim. Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and the New York Giants defeated Dallas 28-20 in their first game with their new coach. The Giants played like Harbaugh’s old Ravens teams. They controlled the ball for almost 37 minutes and kept Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ playmakers off the field.

Justin Herbert and the Chargers had an inconsistent start in Mike McDaniel’s first game as offensive coordinator and the Cardinals pulled off the biggest upset of the week with a 26-14 win in Los Angeles.

Rookie coach Mike LaFleur had an excellent game plan and QB Jacoby Brissett executed it well to lead Arizona, which was a 9 ½-point underdog.

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were up and down in offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s first game, relying on big plays to overcome inconsistency. Hurts made enough splash plays to lead Philadelphia to a 24-22 win that was secured by the defense stopping a 2-point conversion. Saquon Barkley got half of his 83 yards rushing on a 42-yeard carry. He’s going to need more running lanes.

The Packers knocked Kyler Murray out of the game and had a 12-point lead in the second half only to see Carson Wentz rally the Vikings to a 39-22 victory. Green Bay fell to 0-6 without All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, who is still recovering from ACL surgery. Jordan Love and the offense can’t afford to continue having so many miscues.

The Bengals bolstered a defense that desperately needed a makeover and it paid off early. Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and other new starters harassed Baker Mayfield throughout the game in a 33-27 victory. Mayfield lost three fumbles in his first game since signing a new contract. Joe Burrow didn’t have to be prolific thanks to Tampa Bay’s four turnovers.

The Saints’ comeback bid fell short in overtime when coach Kellen Moore went for the victory and the 2-point conversion was stopped by Detroit. But Shough’s performance is reason for optimism. He overcame a poor start, showed poise, maturity and had a strong finish to help New Orleans rally from a 21-0 deficit.

Deshaun Watson’s stat line don’t tell the true story. The Browns were overmatched and overwhelmed by the Jaguars, 34-10. It’s hard to imagine Watson will start Cleveland’s home opener in Week 3.

Aaron Rodgers began his last season in the NFL with a win in his reunion with coach Mike McCarthy. The Steelers beat the injury-depleted Falcons and third-string QB Cooper Rush 20-13. Rodgers is clearly comfortable in McCarthy's offense and the 42-year-old still is an elite passer. But DK Metcalf struggled and the run game was lackluster.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele (14) pulls in a touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) celebrates his touchdown catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after wide receiver DJ Moore scored a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely, center, gestures after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs to score a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

LINKÖPING, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 14, 2026--

AMRA Medical today announced an investment from HealthCap, one of Europe’s leading life science venture capital firms. This milestone marks a significant step in AMRA’s growth, underscoring market confidence in the company’s vision to transform the measurement and understanding of muscle and fat.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260914838191/en/

HealthCap’s backing comes as quantitative MRI gains vital importance in understanding how fat distribution and muscle composition influence disease, treatment response, and patient outcomes. Built on over 15 years of research, AMRA’s proprietary methods move beyond conventional metrics—like weight, and BMI and muscle function tests—to provide the standardized, automated data from advanced muscle and fat imaging necessary for modern clinical research. With its deep scientific expertise and an extensive network across the global life sciences ecosystem, HealthCap is uniquely positioned to support AMRA in scaling this technology to reach broader clinical and research applications.

“Our next phase is about translating years of scientific validation into broader clinical and research impact,” said Olof Dahlqvist Leinhard, CEO of AMRA Medical. “HealthCap’s extensive life sciences experience and global network will be instrumental as we extend the reach of our technology and the deep scientific insights it provides.”

This investment aligns with the growing focus in metabolic and neuromuscular medicine on obtaining more precise, biomarker-driven insights. As these fields evolve, standardized, advanced muscle and fat imaging is becoming a valuable tool for improving clinical research and evaluating treatment outcomes.

“AMRA combines differentiated technology and strong scientific validation with clear relevance to critical areas of medicine and unmet medical need,” said Dr. Mårten Steen, Managing Partner at HealthCap, who will join the board. “We see significant potential for AMRA’s technology as clinicians increasingly demand better data to track patient progress and treatment effects. We look forward to supporting the team through this next phase of global growth.”

This investment will fuel AMRA’s continued research and development, product innovation, and international commercial expansion.

About AMRA Medical

AMRA Medical is a global leader in health informatics, pioneering the field of fat and muscle analysis with proprietary, MRI-based technologies. Our gold-standard platform delivers highly precise and standardized biomarkers, providing an advanced understanding of metabolic and musculoskeletal health that surpasses conventional measures of muscle and fat. These insights play a critical role in optimizing clinical trial design, improving endpoint selection, and supporting data-driven decision-making in both research and clinical practice.

Built on rigorous science and driven by continuous innovation, AMRA’s solutions are designed to meet the complex demands of modern healthcare and pharmaceutical development. Through standardized, cloud-based workflows and strategic collaboration, we enable partners to access actionable data with clarity and confidence–accelerating progress from early-stage discovery to impactful clinical outcomes.

About HealthCap

HealthCap is a European venture capital firm investing globally in life sciences since 1996. The firm has backed and built more than 130 companies, taken 48 public, and completed numerous trade sales. HealthCap's investment strategy targets diseases with a high unmet medical need, backing breakthrough therapies and innovative healthcare solutions with the potential to be transformative, changing clinical practice and improving the lives of patients suffering from these conditions.

HealthCap Invests in AMRA Medical to Accelerate Global Growth in Quantitative MRI