As the saying goes, great teams do not make losing become a habit. In week 2, the Chiefs and the Bills responded to their week one adversity by producing a dominant display in contrasting fashions. On the other hand, it is a big surprise to see the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals slumping to 0-2 records. The Bengals can show the critics how they climbed out from a similar hole last season to make the playoffs but win the division and march to the AFC Championship. However, two defeats in the division will sting, and defying the odds last year means nothing this year. Yes, like the stock market, many players and teams rose and fell in week 2, and we discuss three each below in this article.
1. NFC East Comebacks- The Eagles and Cowboys were regarded as the best teams in the division entering the season. Both teams won in weeks 1 and 2 which means that the Giants and Commanders had to find a way to keep pace with the leaders, and they did it spectacularly. The Giants lost 40-0 at home to the Cowboys and fell behind the Cardinals 20-0 in the first half of week 2. However, whatever Daboll said in the locker room made all the difference. A different Giants took the field in the second half and outscored their opponent 31-8 to pull off the comeback. The victory came with a price because Saquon Barkley suffered a serious injury in the contest. The Commanders were equally impressive comeback in the Mile High City of Denver. The home team led the game 21-3, and yet Sam Howell did not flinch but rallied the team to lead the game 35-27 late in the fourth quarter. Despite the comeback, they almost gave the game away by giving up a 50-yard Hail Mary pass from Russell Wilson to Brandon Johnson. However, the Commanders clung to win controversially with a blatantly missed offensive pass interference on Corey Sutton.
2. Buffalo Bills offense- the Jets defense dominated Josh Allen and the Bills offense on Monday Night Football. Josh Allen threw a hat trick of interceptions and a fumble in an embarrassing loss to a Jets team missing Aaron Rodgers. It led to much criticism about the star quarterback and the mettle of this team to bounce back. Allen answered the bell at home against the Raiders by completing 31 of 37 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Impressively, the Bills ran the ball effectively by outrushing the Raiders 183 to 55 yards with James Cook giving up 127 yards and one touchdown a piece from Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. The Bills could be getting back to their best, or some will see the performance as one coming against a poor defense.
3. Mike Evans- imagine being a star Wide Receiver catching passes from Tom Brady, winning a championship for the city, and the franchise still fails to value what you bring to the team. Mike Evans has produced for the Tampa Bay Buccanneers to propel the franchise to a 2-0 record despite being disgruntled over the team’s failure to reward him with an extension. Evans has led the team with 12 catches, 237 yards, and two touchdowns. Evans has quickly become Baker Mayfield’s top target, and it will be interesting to see if he remains with the team if there is a downturn in results or if he gets traded to a contender.
Stock Falling
1. Chargers Defense- things are not looking too bright in Los Angeles for the Bolts. The Chargers’ problem last week was the defense in conceding 36 points to the outstanding Dolphins attack. However, the unit failed to meet expectations in week 2, allowing 27 points against a Titans team struggling to put points on the board. The Chargers were so bad that it made Ryan Tannehill seem like an elite quarterback after coming off an atrocious three-interception debut against the Saints. Tannehill completed 20 of 24 passes, 246 yards, and one touchdown. It forced Justin Herbert to try to save the day, and for a second straight week, it was too much to overcome.
2. Justin Fields-Fields was selected 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and was seen as the savior who would dominate the league for the foreseeable future. However, there have been growing pains with the young quarterback. Fields has shown flashes of his brilliance but has failed to deliver consistently in the league. In week 2, against the Bears, it appeared to the naked eye that he lacked a pocket presence and led to unnecessary sacks. Fields threw a costly interception that swung the game in Tampa’s favor, and back-breaking turnovers continue to plague the team.
3. Patriots’ Mistakes -speaking of mistakes, the New England Patriots have tortured the fans in weeks 1 and 2. Some fans can grasp at straws feeling the team played well and kept it close to the end but failed to land the decisive blow to win the game. However, the reality is that the Patriots continue to struggle to win games because they are error-prone on offense. The team falls behind in games by making early turnovers, and they struggle to complete the comeback. It is a shocking contrast to the Brady era when they would wait until the other made the costly mistake and pounced in the clutch to grab the win. A decent season is hard to fathom in Gillette stadium place due to the struggles to protect the football.