The opening weekend of the 2024/25 NFL season produced its usual share of fascinating results. On the back of the returns from game week one, many pundits continue to identify likely winners of the Super Bowl next year.
It may also be possible to pick out the teams that will struggle in this campaign. Those same experts have been predicting the franchise most likely to finish with the worst regular-season record, so have those results given us any pointers?
Outstanding Performances
The very first game of the new season provided the most entertaining encounter of week one. Defending Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs came through via a 27-20 scoreline over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Chiefs are favorites to retain their crown in 2025. They will attract great interest in the futures and NFL player props markets, and while the result seems close, Kansas City look to be on course.
Elsewhere, the highest points aggregate came from Philadelphia where the Eagles edged past the Green Bay Packers 34-29. Every fan wanted an entertaining start to the campaign, and they weren’t disappointed. There were clear winners, but who were the notable losers from the opening weekend?
Carolina Panthers
The team that finishes bottom of the regular season table has the consolation prize of claiming the number one draft pick ahead of the next campaign. The franchise widely tipped to be in that position is the Carolina Panthers who are the rank underdogs to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The Panthers didn’t disappoint on the opening day, going down to the heaviest defeat of the first weekend. Carolina’s 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints suggests that the predictions are correct and that they will be the worst team this term.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a long way from the days of John Elway and those back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the 1990s. They may have added a third championship in 2015, but that was the last time that the men in orange appeared in the NFL playoffs.
It looks like another fruitless campaign for the Broncos, and many feel they will earn the dubious honor of claiming the number one draft pick next term.
Part of Denver’s problem is the fact that they will have to start with a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix. He’s a promising player, but he’s unlikely to carry a struggling franchise that went down 26-20 to the Seahawks on game week one.
New England Patriots
No franchise could ever be a one man team, but the Patriots came close. New England has been unable to compensate for the loss of Tom Brady in 2020. This year, they may also have to start the season with a rookie quarterback, as Drake Maye waits for his chance.
Maye doesn’t have a great pool of talent to pass to, and New England is weak on defense too. Their position in the AFC also puts them up against some of the toughest NFL teams right now, with the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams among those waiting to inflict more misery.
The Patriots did, however, start with a win, overcoming a strong Bengals side by a 16-10 scoreline.
New York Giants
Both New York teams are expected to struggle in 2024, but the Giants may have the toughest ride. They ranked badly for key stats last term including yards per play and overall success rate.
The Giants have worked hard in terms of recruitment, but it looks like being another campaign that will finish at the end of the regular season. It’s hoped that rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers will help address the slide, but a 28-6 loss to the Vikings on the opening weekend backs up the theory that this will be a tough campaign.
Washington Commanders
They may have enjoyed a promising offseason, but the Washington Commanders are also in contention to finish 2024/25 as the NFL’s worst franchise. They are lacking in most departments, and while quarterback Jayden Daniels is a promising draft, there are weaknesses throughout the roster.
A 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first week may have confirmed fans’ worst fears. They’ll continue to fight, but the aim of a postseason run looks hopeful at best.
Over a long NFL season, there is rarely room for any major upsets. There may be some surprising results along the way, but in general, the strongest teams will always rise to the top.
Ahead of the 2024/25 season, pundits had their say on the worst performers in the league. In the main, the opening results from week one have done little to suggest they got it wrong. It’s very early days, but it looks like being a long and fruitless campaign for fans of these five NFL teams.
