The Cleveland Browns lost every game they played last season. They ended that run on the NFL’s opening weekend, although they still did not manage to win. The Browns were beneficiaries of a shaky performance from Ben Roethlisberger, who threw three interceptions but the game could not be settled, even after overtime. The final score was 21-21.

Buffalo Bills 3-47 Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens harassed and embarrassed Buffalo quarterback Nathan Peterman on a rainy Sunday and beat the rebuilding Bills 47-3.

Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes for the Ravens, one to each of the new receivers Baltimore added during the offseason to enhance a lackluster passing attack. Flacco went 25 for 34 for 236 yards before being replaced in the third quarter by rookie Lamar Jackson, who did little more than hand off the ball after entering with a 40-0 lead.

Making their debut under defensive coordinator Don Martindale, the Ravens held Buffalo to 33 yards and no first downs as they went up 26-0 at the half.

Baltimore added two touchdowns in the third quarter following Buffalo mistakes before Bills coach Sean McDermott had finally seen enough, replacing Peterman with rookie Josh Allen. Making his third NFL start, Peterman went 5 for 18 for 24 yards and two interceptions for a quarterback rating of 0.0. Allen was 6 for 15 for 74 yards in Buffalo’s most lopsided defeat since a 56-10 loss to New England in November 2007.

Houston Texans 20-27 New England Patriots

Tom Brady threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Rob Gronkowski for 123 yards and a score to lead the defending AFC champion New England Patriots to a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans.

Brady and Gronkowski, who both floated the possibility of retiring over the offseason, connected seven times, including a 21-yard touchdown three plays after Deshaun Watson fumbled a handoff at the Texans 19 on Houston’s first offensive play. Phillip Dorsett and James White also caught TD passes from Brady, the 41-year-old reigning NFL MVP.

Watson, who missed the final nine games last season with a torn right ACL, completed 17 of 35 passes for 176 yards, one score and one interception. He struggled to move the team in the first 40 minutes, managing just a pair of field-goal drives before Alfred Blue ran it in from 1 yard to make it 24-13 in the last two minutes of the third period. A muffed punt by New England’s Riley McCarron with under five minutes left set up Watson’s 5-yard TD pass to Bruce Ellington and cut the deficit to 27-20. But after getting the ball back at their 1 with 43 seconds left, the Texans failed to reach midfield.

Jacksonville Jaguars 20-15 New York Giants

Just like last season, the Jacksonville defense is carrying the team. Linebacker Myles Jack scored on a 32-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter and the Jaguars spoiled the New York Giants debuts of coach Pat Shurmur and second-overall draft pick Saquon Barkley, and the return of Odell Beckham Jr with a 20-15 win.

Blake Bortles threw a short touchdown pass and led two other first-half field goal drives. The Jaguars dominated with the exception a Barkley-induced hiccup in opening a season by living up to the Super Bowl hype.

Held in check much of the game, Barkley brought the sellout crowd to their feet shortly after the Jack touchdown with a spectacular 65-yard run aided by a great block by receiver Sterling Shepard. It got New York within 20-15 with 10:39 to play.

New York went for the two-point conversion and Barkley (18-rushes for 106 yards) was stopped.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-40 New Orleans Saints

Ryan Fitzpatrick dives for a touchdown during Tampa Bay’s victory over the Saints. Photograph: Derick E Hingle/USA Today Sports

Ryan Fitzpatrick highlighted a 417-yard, four-touchdown performance with two scoring strikes of more than 50 yards, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stunned the New Orleans Saints 48-40.

Starting for the suspended Jameis Winston, Fitzpatrick completed 21 of 28 passes without an interception and also ran for a short touchdown, bowling over free safety Marcus Williams on his way into the end zone.

Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, had arguably the worst performance of his career trying to cover receiver Mike Evans, who caught seven passes for 147 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 41-24 late in the third quarter. DeSean Jackson caught scoring passes of 58 and 36 yards to highlight his five-catch, 146-yard day before leaving with a concussion.

Cincinnati Bengals 34-23 Indianapolis Colts

Andy Dalton rallied the Cincinnati Bengals with three scores in the final 19 minutes Sunday and Clayton Fejedelem scored on an 83-yard fumble return with 24 seconds to go, giving the Bengals a 34-23 victory at Indianapolis.

Cincinnati snapped an eight-game losing streak in Indy. The loss spoiled the Colts’ season opener and the return of Andrew Luck, who made his first start in more than 20 months.

It looked as if Luck was up to his old tricks after staking the Colts to a 23-10 lead midway through the third quarter and again late when he led the Colts 50 yards to the Bengals 25-yard line in the final minute. But after completing a pass on third down to Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle, who appeared to have the first down, Fejedelem knocked the ball out, scooped it up and sprinted down the sideline avoiding Luck on his way to the end zone for the sealing score.

San Francisco 49ers 16-24 Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins passed for two touchdowns in his much-anticipated Minnesota debut, and the Vikings forced four turnovers to fuel a 24-16 victory over San Francisco to stick 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with his first loss in eight games as an NFL starter.

Cousins connected with Stefon Diggs in the second quarter and Kyle Rudolph in the third quarter for scores, and the defense finished the job with three sacks and three second-half interceptions of Garoppolo. Mike Hughes turned one pick into a 28-yard touchdown return, the first by a rookie in a Vikings season opener.

Garoppolo finished 15 for 33 for 261 yards and a touchdown pass to rookie Dante Pettis. With an injury depleted offensive line in front of him and the absence of top wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, Garoppolo was unable to capitalize on the opportunity for a comeback after the 49ers defense forced three straight three-and-out possessions by the Vikings to start the fourth quarter. Cousins went 20 for 36 for 244 yards, targeting Adam Thielen 12 times. He caught six passes for 102 yards.