Ranking best and worst debuts of players, coaches in NFL Week 1

Best and worst debuts from NFL Week 1 highlight how quickly first impressions can flip. The article notes that even big summer narratives don’t always hold, citing the 2025 case in which Pete Carroll’s Raiders beat Mike Vrabel’s Patriots in Week 1, yet New England later rebounded to win the AFC. For Week 1, John Harbaugh earns top marks after a 28-20 Giants win over Dallas, and the piece points to Jaxson Dart’s calm rookie play: 23 of 29 for 230 yards and three TDs without interceptions. It also praises Baltimore’s Declan Doyle, whose offensive leadership helped fuel a 41-point rout of Indianapolis. The section then begins listing worst debuts, but the provided text cuts off early.