NFL Week Two brought us more blowouts, and, unfortunately, some major injuries to some key players across the league. Top tier teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots marched with ease to a 2-0 record while other teams clawed their way.
Where do the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers go from here now that they’ve lost Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger, respectively, for the time being? Brees will return while Big Ben will not. Can their backups of Teddy Bridgewater and Mason Rudolph get the job done?
Can the new-look defense of the Green Bay Packers keep up this tremendous pressure while the offense continues to find its footing? How about Lamar Jackson‘s resurgence of being a passer first rather than a running back with an arm? Has Dak Prescott earned his money now?
These are our five takeaways from NFL Week Two.
NFL Week Two: Five Takeaways
5. Packers Defense Leads to a 2-0 Start
The Green Bay Packers have only allowed 19 points through two games this season. While this is a small sample size, it’s one that’s extremely important for the Packers moving forward. The Packers haven’t had a top-10 defense since their Super Bowl season back in 2010.
General manager Brian Gutekunst‘s free agency acquisitions of Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith continues to pay dividends. The two have instilled a winning philosophy on defense not seen since the prime days of Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews. Packers fans everywhere should be thrilled with the constant high quality of play Green Bay’s defense has shown in the early going.
It’s also never a bad thing when your offense jumps out to a 21-0 lead early on and having the defense take over for the rest of the game. Other than Minnesota’s chunk plays, they bottled Kirk Cousins and company for 60 minutes. Kevin King‘s red-zone interception — which is their second week in a row with one — shut it down once again, leading to a 2-0 start.
4. Maybe the Colts aren’t Left for Dead
When Andrew Luck announced his shocking retirement during the preseason, that left head coach Frank Reich with no choice but to turn to backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. After a slow start in Week One against the Chargers, Brissett balled out against the Tennesee Titans with three touchdown passes.
No matter who’s playing quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, the Titans just can’t seem to beat the Colts — who had never beaten Andrew Luck when he was the starter. The Colts on offense still have plenty of players that should take the pressure off of Brissett as the season moves forward.
Now we can play the what-if game with the Colts and predict how far they’ll go, but it’ll all come down on the shoulders of Brissett to keep them in contention. Especially given how the AFC South has looked after two weeks. Hey, anything can happen.
3. The Bills Emerge as New York’s True Team
The Buffalo Bills — aka the only team actually from New York — are finally finding their footing as second-year quarterback Josh Allen looked comfortable as ever on Sunday. Granted it was at the hands of the New York Giants, but the old sports adage is you’re supposed to beat the teams you’re supposed to beat.
In year’s past, the Bills might’ve choked this game away but no longer are they those Bills teams. Allen accounted for two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) while their ground game of the ageless wonder Frank Gore and rookie Devin Singletary rushed for a combined 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Buffalo’s passing attack hasn’t quite come to life yet through two weeks, but the duo of Gore and Singletary are going to open up those lanes when opposing defenses will have to start respecting them. The AFC East, specifically the New England Patriots, haven’t had a second team that has wowed anyone in recent memory. Could this finally be the year of the Buffalo Bills?
2. Controversy Strikes Again for New Orleans
For the first time since the NFC Championship Game, we didn’t have to wait long for the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams rematch that created the reviewing of pass interference in 2019. The problem is that the league still hasn’t gotten all of it’s officiating right.
For whatever reason, the Saints continue to be snakebitten by the officials in crucial games. With the game tied 3-3 in the second quarter, the Rams were on the move before quarterback Jared Goff was sacked and fumbled on the play. The ball was scooped up by Cameron Jordan and ran it back for a touchdown that would’ve given New Orleans the lead and momentum after losing Brees for the contest.
Instead, the touchdown was overruled and the Saints took over at their own 13-yard line before turning it over six plays later. Upon review, Goff had an empty hand before going to the ground and it was a clear recovery and advancement by Jordan. However, none of it was to be and the Saints failed to gain any traction against the Rams, adding insult to injury.
1. Chicago Finally has a Kicker
Going into the season we knew that the Chicago Bears would continue to have a fantastic defense restoring their prestigious “Monsters of the Midway” moniker. However, Bears fans may not have seen their offense struggling — and not to be outshined by their kicker, Eddy Piñeiro. There have been searches for a true kicker since Robbie Gould left and all of them have failed until Piñeiro’s debut. Piñeiro hit the only points against the Packers during the season opener but saved his best for last the next week. In a game of struggling offenses, both Denver and Chicago failed to put meaningful drives together until the fourth quarter — or as I like to call it, “The Heart Attack Quarter.”
Joe Flacco led his Denver Broncos down the field for a touchdown and two-point conversion try to steal a win with 31 seconds left after trailing for most of the contest. However, after hitting a 40-yard and a 52-yard field goal earlier in the game, Chicago head coach Matt Nagy knew he just had to give him a chance.
A questionable roughing the passer call against Bradley Chubb gave Chicago that chance and with ONE second left, Piñeiro hit a 53-yard field goal to add to his evergrowing legacy in Chicago to give them their first win of the season. The man may never buy his own food or drinks again in Chicago.
