NFL Week 2 Recap
Week 2 is in the books and already we’re starting to see some interesting results, potential Super Bowl contenders are struggling to find rhythm and the majority of the games racked up close to 30+ points!
Without further delay, let’s get into the games from Week 2!
Thursday Night Football
Philadelphia Eagles 34 – Minnesota Vikings 28
The Vikings could not stop the rushing of D’Andre Swift who gashed the Vikings defence for 175 yards and a TD. On their first TD drive the Eagles ran the ball 13 out of 16 plays, the Vikings had no answer for the Eagles ground game.
Jefferson’s fumble which went through the endzone, resulting in a touchback ensured the Vikings would not be able to keep pace with the Eagles. The Eagles secondary did give up 159 yards to Jefferson on the night which they will need to ensure is not a developing trend going forward if they want to return to the Super Bowl!
Sunday Early Window
Atlanta Falcons 25 – Green Bay Packers 24
Even throwing three TDs and no INTs, Jordan Love could not topple the Falcons who came back late in the fourth quarter to secure a one point victory. Bijan Robinson is making a case already for Offensive Rookie of the Year with his 172 scrimmage yards (124 rushing, 48 receiving) while he had no TD’s he put the team on his back and iced the game for the now 2-0 Falcons!
Buffalo Bills 38 – Las Vegas Raiders 10
After losing in OT last week the Bills came out and ran the ball down the throat of the Raiders defence, with James Cook racking up 123 yards on the ground. The Bills put the game into Jimmy G’s hands by shutting down the Raiders run game and it proved too much for Garoppolo to handle, this could be something to watch going forward if other teams can replicate.
Baltimore Ravens 27 – Cincinnati Bengals 24
Who dey? Well they are definitely not the Bengals of last season. Lamar Jackson is heating up and made sure that the Bengals will start out 0-2 on the season. Burrow is clearly struggling and while it did take until the second half before he came to life and brought the Bengals close to victory, you have to wonder if the calf injury is still an issue? If so, can you risk letting him play or do you place him on IR for four games to see if that helps?
Seattle Seahawks 37 – Detroit Lions 31
A shocking result, the Lions were pegged to win this match up but Geno Smith lead the Seahawks on an overtime drive to seal the win. The Seahawks defence also forced Jared Goff to throw his first INT in 383 attempts, when you can force Goff to make mistakes like that, you can beat this Lions team. With the loss of David Montgomery the Lions run game became non-existent which helped the Seahawks grind out this win!
Indianapolis Colts 31 – Houston Texans 20
The explosive Anthony Robinson left the game early with a concussion but this didn’t slow down the Colts as Gardner Minshew unleashed Minshew mania and orchestrated consecutive 75+ yard TD drives in the first half, practically sealing the win then and there.CJ Stroud is suffering behind an O-Line that is made of swiss cheese, he has hit 9 times and sacked 6 times keeping him on his toes and unable to answer the call of Minshew Mania!
Kansas City Chiefs 17 – Jacksonville Jaguars 9
The Chiefs struggled against the Jaguars, a lot of experts bet against the Chiefs heading into this game and they were almost right! The Jaguars muffed a punt, resulting in the Chiefs getting a field goal. Then they reached the red zone twice and settled for a field goal and then turned the ball over on the second trip. They gifted points and left points on the field, not something you can do against the defending champions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27 – Chicago Bears 17
Baker Mayfield and the 2-0 Buccs ladies and gentlemen! Mike Evans forced the Bears defence for a 70 yard catch and run and a 32 yard TD as well. Mayfield went for 317 yards 1 TD 0 INT and no sacks! Justin Fields struggled all day, the Buccs defence sacked him 6 times in the game and pressured him non-stop. Fields has come out already and blamed his play on “coaching”. Chase Claypool finally make an impact on the game, giving Bears fans some hope that the trade with the Steelers wasn’t a total loss.
Tennessee Titans 27 – Los Angeles Chargers 24
Who had the Chargers starting 0-2? You’d be hard pressed to find someone who would have made that bet! Without Austin Ekeler the Chargers are struggling and Joshua Kelley cannot replace him. While on paper Tannehill looked good (246 yards and a TD) the passing attack struggled all game, you have to wonder is Tannehill looking in the rearview mirror at Willis and Levis, feeling the pressure of two dynamic backups waiting to take his spot?
Sunday Late Window
New York Giants 31 – Arizona Cardinals 28
The Giants squeaked out a win against the Joshua Dobbs lead Cardinals. While losing Barkely late in the game was a big factor, he delivered TDs on two drives in the game, Daniel Jones ensured that the Giants could close out the game. James Conner carried the Cardinals with 106 yards and a TD but the Giants defence did not let the Cardinals move the ball at all in the fourth quarter, ensuring Jones could close out the game.
San Francisco 49ers 30 – Los Angeles Rams 23
Even with Puka Nacua breaking the record for the most catches in a players first two games with 25 and even racking up 147 yards against this impressive 49ers defence, the Rams still fell short of the win.Purdy struggled with downfield throws all game which kept this match up close, off target throws and over throws plagued Purdy in this game and gave fans cause for concern. However, his sneak for a TD ensured the 49ers would remain undefeated.
Dallas Cowboys 30 – New York Jets 10
The Cowboys rolled the Jets defence, they made the look below average racking up 134 rushing and 255 passing yards on the evening. CeeDee Lamb accounted for 143 passing yards alone! Then Micah Parsons entered the conversation, 2 sacks, 9 pressures and a strip all adding to his DPOY Campaign. Zach Wilson couldn’t handle the pressure, when the Cowboys pulled away, Wilson struggled to answer back and threw 3 INTs in the fourth quarter, ensuring the Jets would fall to the Cowboys.
Washington Commanders 35 – Denver Broncos 33
Sam “Second Half” Howell, led his team on 3 TD drives in the second half after only leading his team down field for 3 points in the first half. He kept plays alive by scrambling and threw for 2 TD’s and 299 yards. Russell Wilson started strong with a 60 yard score and perfect timing routes for a score but his deep pass perfection finally came to an end in the second half. It took until a final hail mary connection in the final seconds before Wilson found his deep ball accuracy again but this was too little too late as the Commanders defence made sure the Broncos would not come back to win.
Sunday Night Football
Miami Dolphins 24 – New England Patriots 17
The Patriots held Tyreek Hill to 40 yards and the Dolphins responded with Raheem Mostert who carried the weight of the team for 121 rushing yards, including a 43 yard TD in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins proved they can score in the air and on the ground. The Patriots and Mac Jones struggled to find an answer for the Dolphins defence who caused multiple turnovers, picking up 4 sacks and shutting down the Patriots run game. Mac Jones had no answer as the Patriots fell to the Dolphins.
Monday Night Football
New Orleans Saints 20 – Carolina Panthers 17
This game was a slow burn for the most part with both sides struggling to find rhythm and the endzone until almost the fourth quarter. Chris Olave’s 42 yard reception finally kick started the Saints who finally found the endzone late in the game. Bryce Young is struggling and defensive coordinators are bringing the pressure as the Panthers offensive line struggles to keep Young protected all while overthrowing receivers and failing to convert on third down multiple times, it’s clear that Young is a rookie in the NFL and is going to need a lot more time before he lives up to his potential.
Pittsburgh Steelers 26 – Cleveland Browns 22
“Fire Canada” chants rang out in Acrisure Stadium in the second quarter, loud enough they were picked up on TV broadcasts. While the Steelers offence is still struggling to find any kind of rhythm, the defence showed up angry and looking for revenge. With both Highsmith and Watt scoring for the defence the Steelers defence outscored their offence on the night. Nick Chubb suffered a season, (hopefully not a career) ending knee injury during the game however Jerome Ford stepped in and gashed the Steelers for 106 yards on the ground. Watson was pressured all game and sacked 6 times and TJ Watt managed to become the Steelers franchise sack leader during this game. While the Steelers won, having only 9 first downs in the entire game is not going to get you the division or into the playoffs!
Injuries
Heading into Week 3 we see an increase in players appearing on the injury report. Here are the latest injury updates for players from across the league;
Arizona Cardinals
Carlos Watkins – Doubtful
Josh Woods – Questionable
Leki Fotu – Questionable
Budda Baker – Out – Injured Reserve
Atlanta Falcons
Troy Anderson – Questionable
Baltimore Ravens
Devin Duvernay – Questionable
Jadeveon Clowney – Questionable
Justice Hill – Questionable
Odell Beckham Jr – Questionable
Marcus Williams – Questionable
Ronnie Stanley – Questionable
Tyler Linderbaum – Questionable
Marion Humphrey – Questionable
Ar’Darius Washington – Out – Injured Reserve
Buffalo Bills
Leonard Floyd – Questionable
Micah Hyde – Questionable
Dawson Knox – Questionable
Jordan Phillips – Questionable
Terrel Bernard – Questionable
Carolina Panthers
Justin Houston – Questionable
Brian Burns – Questionable
Miles Sanders – Questionable
Bryce Young – Questionable
Chandler Wooten – Questionable
Shaq Thompson – Out – Injured Reserve
Chicago Bears
Eddie Jackson – Questionable
Lucas Patrick – Questionable
Darnell Mooney – Questionable
Braxton Jones – Out – Injured Reserve
Josh Blackwell – Questionable
Cincinnati Bengals
Nick Scott – Questionable
Joseph Ossai – Questionable
Chris Evans – Questionable
Joe Burrow – Questionable
Cleveland Browns
Za’Darius Smith – Questionable
Anthony Walker Jr – Questionable
Jedrick Wills Jr – Questionable
Sione Takitaki – Questionable
Amari Cooper – Questionable
Nick Chubb – Out – Injured Reserve (Season)
Greg Newsome II – Questionable
Dallas Cowboys
Zack Martin – Questionable
Brandin Cooks – Questionable
Jayron Kearse – Questionable
Tyler Smith – Questionable
Denver Broncos
Justin Simmons – Questionable
Frank Clark – Questionable
Garett Bolles – Questionable
Mike Purcell – Questionable
Detroit Lions
C.J. Gardner-Johnson – Out – Injured Reserve
Emmanuel Moseley – Questionable
Josh Reynolds – Questionable
Kerby Joseph – Questionable
David Montgomery – Questionable
Amon-Ra St. Brown – Questionable
James Houston – Out – Injured Reserve
Taylor Decker – Questionable
Green Bay Packers
Lukas Van Ness – Questionable
Rashan Gary – Questionable
Aaron Jones – Questionable
Christian Watson – Questionable
David Bakhtiari – Questionable
Houston Texans
Eric Murray – Questionable
Tavierre Thomas – Doubtful
Laremy Tunsil – Questionable
Denzel Perryman – Questionable
C.J. Stroud – Questionable
Tank Dell – Questionable
Jonathan Greenard – Questionable
George Fant – Questionable
Jimmie Ward – Questionable
Jalen Pitre – Questionable
Indianapolis Colts
Ryan Kelly – Questionable
Grover Stewart – Questionable
Kenny Moore II – Questionable
Quenton Nelson – Questionable
Anthony Richardson – Questionable
Jacksonville Jaguars
Andrew Wingard – Questionable
Folorunso Fatukasi – Questionable
Zay Jones – Questionable
Antonio Johnson – Questionable
Kansas City Chiefs
L’Jarius Sneed – Questionable
Willie Gay – Questionable
Nick Bolton – Questionable
Richie James – Questionable
Isiah Pacheco – Questionable
Kadarius Toney – Questionable
Las Vegas Raiders
Bilal Nichols – Questionable
Jakobi Meyers – Questionable
Divine Deablo – Questionable
Marcus Epps – Questionable
Tyree Wilson – Questionable
Chris Smith II – Questionable
Jakorian Bennett – Questionable
Chandler Jones – Out
Los Angeles Chargers
Chris Rumph II – Questionable
Daiyan Henley – Questionable
Joey Bosa – Questionable
Eric Kendricks – Questionable
Austin Ekeler – Questionable
Los Angeles Rams
Joe Noteboom – Questionable
Miami Dolphins
Terron Armstead – Questionable
Jaelan Phillips – Questionable
Tyreek Hill – Questionable
Andrew Van Ginkel – Questionable
Tyler Kroft – Questionable
Rawkwon Davis – Questionable
Jaylen Waddle – Questionable
Salvon Ahmed – Questionable
Kelvin Joseph – Questionable
Julian Hill – Questionable
Elijah Campbell – Questionable
Minnesota Vikings
Marcus Davenport – Questionable
Jalen Nailor – Questionable
Josh Metellus – Questionable
Jordan Hicks – Questionable
Olisaemeka Udoh – Out – Injured Reserve
Garrett Bradbury – Questionable
New England Patriots
Trent Brown – Questionable
Marcus Jones – Questionable
Jonathan Jones – Questionable
DeVante Parker – Questionable
Cole Strange – Questionable
Mike Onwenu – Questionable
Christian Barmore – Questionable
Sidy Sow – Questionable
New Orleans Saints
Foster Moreau – Questionable
Taysom Hill – Questionable
Jamaal Williams – Questionable
New York Giants
Andrew Thomas – Out
Ben Bredeson – Out
Micah McFadden – Questionable
Azeez Ojulari – Out
Wan’Dale Robinson – Questionable
Saquon Barkley – Out
New York Jets
Duane Brown – Questionable
Mekhi Becton – Questionable
John Franklin-Myers – Questionable
Greg Zuerlein – Questionable
Breece Hall – Questionable
Philadelphia Eagles
Avonte Maddox – Out – Injured Reserve
Kenneth Gainwell – Questionable
Reed Blankenship – Questionable
James Bradberry – Questionable
Pittsburgh Steelers
Larry Ogunjobi – Questionable
Minkah Fitzpatrick – Questionable
Gunner Olszewski – Questionable
Darnell Washinton – Questionable
Damontae Kazee – Questionable
Markus Golden – Questionable
San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk – Questionable
Ambry Thomas – Questionable
Seattle Seahawks
Mike Morris – Out – Injured Reserve
Riq Woolen – Questionable
Coby Bryant – Questionable
Julian Love – Questionable
Will Dissly – Questionable
Jarran Reed – Questionable
Phil Haynes – Questionable
Evan Brown – Questionable
DK Metcalf – Questionable
Boye Mafe – Questionable
Charles Cross – Questionable
Devin Bush – Questionable
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chase Edmonds – Out – Injured Reserve
Calijah Kancey – Questionable
Carlton Davis III – Questionable
SirVocea Dennis – Questionable
Tennessee Titans
Peter Skoronski – Questionable
Amani Hooker – Questionable
Derrick Henry – Questionable
Harold Landry III – Questionable
Teair Tart – Questionable
Anthony Kendall – Questionable
Luke Gifford – Questionable
Denico Autry – Questionable
Washington Commanders
Daron Payne – Questionable
Logan Thomas – Questionable
Jartavius Martin – Questionable
And there we have it, our recap and injury update heading into Week 3. How wild will this weeks game go? Or will we see a return to “normal” and playoff teams actually playing like playoff teams!?
See you all next week!