Week 2 of the NFL can serve as a great reminder that Week 1 really causes a lot of overreactions. Winning in Week 1 still only counts as one win. And losing only counts as one loss.
No two teams understand that more this season than New Orleans and Green Bay. Did anyone really think that the offseason drama in Green Bay wouldn't affect Aaron Rodgers? But did anyone think that would affect him all season? Give me a break. Rodgers had four TDs in a blowout over Detroit on Monday Night Football. He'll be fine. I feel more uneasy about the Saints than the Packers. The Saints throw the ball all over the field in Week 1, but they can't finagle more than one touchdown against a less-than-stellar Panthers squad? One note on that game: I would hate to have played against anyone with Aaron Jones in their fantasy football lineup...
Washington 30, NY Giants 29
Seriously, how dumb must players be to get called offsides on a field goal attempt with the game in the balance? That game was more about who wanted to lose more. So many mistakes that seemed costly, only for another mistake to swing it back the opposite way again.
I really feel for Daniel Jones, because he's actually getting better. He showed some decisiveness and accuracy. In that fourth quarter, he showed some guts with that perfect deep ball, only for it to be dropped. What a shame.
Washington has some great playmakers on offense, though. And if Taylor Heinicke can not blow games (like he almost did before throwing an absolute dime to get Washington back in it), and if the defense gets back to its normally stout mode, they could be in the running in the NFC Least for sure.
San Francisco 17, Philadelphia 11
Speaking of NFC Least, the Niners-Eagles put on a defensive slugfest the likes of which most NFL teams aren't capable of playing well in. The Eagles front seven was so dominant that the Niners had to adjust the types of runs they were calling. The Eagles got a lot of penetration in that first quarter, but the Niners used their aggressiveness to their advantage by getting out wide. They had two drives of more than 90 yards that turned into touchdowns, and they really seized control from there on.
I'll also say that I was not at all impressed by Jalen Hurts. He hardly ever tried to hit a receiver on a route that wasn't a 9 route. He seems too eager to go for the big play and doesn't seem to have enough development in the rest of the game. He beat the Niners' rookie corner Lenoire once for a whopping 91-yard play, but other than that, he really didn't show any real skills in scanning the field. Reminds me of that one QB in Seattle....
The Niners' defense impressed even me when they held Philly without any points after that 91-yarder. The Eagles even tried their Philly special, but it didn't work. The game turned after that.
Las Vegas 26, Pittsburgh 17
Uh, are the Raiders for real? Even with an injury or two on offense, Derek Carr and that offense certainly did its part for the second week in a row against a tough defense. I suspect the Steelers' defense had the wind knocked out of its sails a bit when TJ Watt left the game. Hopefully he'll be back. I also am more and more convinced that Big Ben is playing his last season with the Steelers this year. He just looks ready to call it a career.
Arizona 34, Minnesota 33
Man, I hate when teams win games they didn't deserve. Minnesota absolutely needs to fire their kicker. The Vikings are such an under-achieving team, but they finally put a lot of pieces together against an Arizona team that probably has its fans thinking it has turned a corner. But if that kick goes through the uprights, the narrative is quite different. Oh well, at least not every team in purple lost.
Tennessee 33, Seattle 30
The Seamonkeys went up 24-9 right before halftime, so I assumed that game was over. I'm rarely as happy to be wrong about assuming games are over than I am here. Derrick Henry practically saved the Titans' season with absolutely monster runs, and that lucky Seattle QB actually looked as dumb to everyone else as he does to me more often than not.
Dallas 20, Los Angeles C. 17
There was a lot of offense as both teams moved up and down the field, so red zone defense became important. Well, that and penalties. 20 combined penalties really made that game less fun that it could've been.
QB injuries suck
Carson Wentz with not one, but two, sprained ankles? Ouch. Dalton's injury wasn't a tear, so he'll be okay-ish. But Tua's injury was most disheartening. Here is a guy who is going to make that leap in his second year, but now we might need to wait and see a little bit first. Miami's offense was non-existent after he went out, and against a tough Bills' defense to boot.