2024 NFL season, Week 2: What We Learned from Sunday's games

Las Vegas Raiders

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Baltimore Ravens

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Bobby Kownack’s takeaways:

1. Adams, Bowers are already a game-changing duo. Gardner Minshew was incredibly conservative on Sunday, attempting 28.9% of his 38 passes behind the line of scrimmage and another 39.5% under nine air yards. That led to some tough sledding on offense early, especially considering Las Vegas didn’t have a ball-carrier hit double-digit rushing yards until the fourth quarter. The Raiders eked out an upset, nonetheless, overcoming a 10-point deficit with just over 12 minutes remaining thanks in large part to the work of Davante Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Those two combined for 21 targets compared to the 17 that went to everyone else. Bowers was consistent throughout, proving to be a tough-running safety blanket for 98 yards on nine receptions, while Adams took over in crunch time to turn a lackluster outing into a spectacular one. He had just 24 yards on five catches through three quarters before exploding on the team’s final two scoring drives. Each of his next three receptions went for 26-plus yards, and his final one was a 1-yard score to tie the game late. Both players were tremendous, and they’ll factor heavily in Las Vegas’ winning formula moving forward.
2. Ravens aren’t playing Ravens football just yet. Baltimore let its opponent hang around far too long in this one and paid for it with an 0-2 hole to start the season. The defense played well for nearly the first three quarters, especially Odafe Oweh (2.5 sacks) and Kyle Van Noy (2.0 sacks), but late lapses allowed Las Vegas to steal one. The Ravens, last year such a defensive force, gave up four consecutive scoring drives — 20 points — to close the game. They looked off offensively, as well. At halftime, the rushing attack had managed just 21 yards, with Derrick Henry staring at a 0.7 yards-per-carry average on seven attempts. He rebounded to finish with 84 yards and a score, but Baltimore seemed to still be searching for an identity that could work consistently rather than taking it to the Raiders. Justin Tucker notably continued his struggles from deep. He erred on a 56-yard attempt in the second quarter, and counting last week’s 53-yard miss, is now 1 of 7 on 50-plus yard attempts since the 2023 season began. Those obviously aren’t automatic, but Tucker is among the greatest kickers of all time. His miss was huge in a game decided by three points.
3. Las Vegas defense delivers valiant performance. Forget allowing a net total of 383 yards by game’s end, this was an Antonio Pierce special. The head coach’s defense stood tall against Baltimore’s imposing offense, consistently forcing it to settle for field goals early and shutting the door late. Maxx Crosby led the way, tying his career high with four tackles for loss, one pass deflection, five QB pressures and two sacks. Robert Spillane also made his mark as he ripped away a bobble by Rashod Bateman for a midfield interception when the Ravens were up 10 and looking to pull away midway through the third quarter. The unit kept the Raiders in reach throughout, and after Las Vegas knotted things at 23 with 3:57 remaining, forced a three-and-out (with the help of Crosby’s timely second sack, of course) to get the ball back for a go-ahead score. Daniel Carlson’s 38-yard kick to put Las Vegas up, 26-23, with 31 seconds remaining was the team’s first lead of the game.

Next Gen stat of the game: Maxx Crosby played on 100% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps for the second consecutive game (63 total plays).

NFL Research: The Ravens, who have never made the playoffs after starting a season 0-2, are now 0-2 for the first time since 2015.

Los Angeles Chargers

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Carolina Panthers

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Bobby Kownack’s takeaways:

1. Johnston finally flashes. It was a rookie year to forget for Quentin Johnston in 2023, leading many to dismiss him as a major pass-catching threat moving forward. He didn’t see a ton of opportunities in Los Angeles’ low-volume pass offense on Sunday, but Johnston took advantage of them to present his case that such thinking was perhaps immature. His first exclamation point came on the Chargers’ first score, a 29-yarder slightly underthrown by Justin Herbert that Johnston adjusted to and snagged against cornerback Jaycee Horn. Later, he came wide open in the end zone on a third-and-goal to collect an easy score. He finished the day with those two TD receptions, plus three more catches, for 51 receiving yards. Carolina is obviously a struggling opponent at this point, but props are still owed to Johnston for reminding everyone he was a 2023 first-round pick for a reason.
2. Chargers have their way on the ground. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s game plan worked to perfection. With the Panthers offense struggling and their defense putting up little resistance, Los Angeles was happy to take to the ground to do their damage. Roman ordered up 44 run plays for 219 yards compared to 20 throws for 130. J.K. Dobbins handled 17 of those carries and again looked to be the team’s most dangerous runner. He averaged 7.7 yards a tote, good for 131 yards, the finest of which was a 43-yarder where he broke free, shook off a defender late and flipped into the end zone. He came up short on a few long gainers last weekend, something he accurately predicted he would correct in Week 2. Even Justin Herbert got involved, looking healthy coming off a preseason plantar fascia injury to add 18 yards on six rushes.
3. Panthers are in dire straits. There’s very little working for Carolina so far in the 2024 season. Without defensive lineman Derrick Brown, the defense had no answer up front, and the secondary allowed L.A. pass catchers open space on intermediate routes far too often. The offense didn’t achieve a first down until its fifth drive, with just under four minutes remaining in the first half. Bryce Young threw an interception into traffic on the very next play. He managed just 84 yards through the air, the lowest total of his career, on 18-of-26 passing. Even when there was some progress, the team was far too undisciplined, leading to 90 penalty yards on nine infractions. All of it is why the Panthers are already staring at a negative-60 hole in point differential through two games.

Next Gen stat of the game: Bryce Young did not complete a single pass over 10 air yards. He attempted only two passes over 10 air yards despite trailing on every one of his dropbacks.

NFL Research: J.K. Dobbins became the first player with 130-plus rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first two games since the 49ers’ Garrison Hearst in 1998.

New Orleans Saints

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Dallas Cowboys

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Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. Carr, Saints divebomb Dallas defense. The early returns on the Klint Kubiak offense are perfect. New Orleans has put up points on Derek Carr‘s first 15 drives of the 2024 season. On Sunday, the Saints scored touchdowns on their first six possessions before a tipped interception ended the streak. The Saints came out firing, with Carr hurling perfect deep shots. The QB hit Rashid Shaheed in stride for a 70-yard touchdown, a picture-perfect pass. Alvin Kamara took a screen 57 yards for one of his four touchdowns of the day, blowing things open in the second quarter. Kamara looks vintage in Kubiak’s offense, owning the perfect vision and slipperiness for the outside runs. The offensive line held up well in front of Carr, keeping the QB mostly clean and allowing time for the deep shots (Micah Parsons had just three QB pressures). The Saints offense was so effective that they not only found pay dirt six straight times but barely got to third downs. In five first-half drives, the Saints faced a third down three times. That’s the definition of efficient.
2. Cowboys’ red zone struggles persist. Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense didn’t play poorly but continued an early season trend of drives stalling out. The Cowboys scored on four of their five first-half possessions, but three were field goals. With New Orleans putting up touchdowns, it was a recipe for the game to get away from Mike McCarthy’s club. Dallas made plays early, including a 65-yard catch-and-run touchdown from CeeDee Lamb, but the red-area struggles persisted. The lack of a consistent running game showed in key moments and hindered Dallas’ ability to extend drives. The Cowboys finished 6-of-13 on third downs, 1-of-3 on fourth downs and 0-of-3 in the red zone. Not punching the ball into the end zone didn’t hurt Dallas last week, but it was a killer Sunday.
3. Saints defense plays with bad intentions. Dennis Allen’s D threw haymakers all game, punishing every ball-carrier and pass catcher. Whether it was Demario Davis rumbling downhill, Alontae Taylor darting into the backfield for a tackle for loss, Carl Granderson gobbling up 1.5 sacks and a team-high seven pressures or Tyrann Mathieu lowering his shoulder into a would-be pass catcher or flying in for an interception, the Saints’ men in black were all over. We knew the defense would be solid entering the season. With the offense rolling, the defense has been able to pin its ears back and attack the ball. Through two weeks, New Orleans has put together the two most complete games in the NFL. Week 1 was somewhat dismissed due to the opponent. Shellacking Dallas in Big D should get the league’s attention.

Next Gen stat of the game: Derek Carr’s 70-yard TD to Rashid Shaheed traveled 54.5 yards in the air. It was Shaheed’s seventh reception over 50 yards of air distance since the start of 2023, most in the NFL. No other receiver has more than four.

NFL Research: Alvin Kamara is the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to have multiple games with 150-plus scrimmage yards and four-plus scrimmage TDs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Detroit Lions

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Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. Banged-up Bucs avenge playoff loss in Detroit. Todd Bowles’ club headed to Detroit dealing with injuries to key players. Tampa entered with star Antoine Winfield Jr. among several secondary players absent, Calijah Kancey was out, and the club didn’t have starting right tackle Luke Goedeke. During the game, the Bucs also lost star defensive lineman Vita Vea. Despite Aidan Hutchinson essentially wrecking the game for stretches, Tampa persisted. Baker Mayfield showed deft pocket mobility and never panicked despite Hutchinson whipping Justin Skule nearly every play. Mayfield connected repeatedly with Chris Godwin (seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown) and scored the game-winning touchdown on a QB draw. Mayfield’s ascension directly correlates to his increased pocket presence and heady ability to avoid disasters. The Bucs took advantage of the Lions’ miscues and, for the most part, avoided their own toe stubs. It might not have been a pretty win, but it was a gritty one for Bowles’ club against a playoff contender — and the team that ended its postseason run last season.
2. Lions can’t overcome miscues. Dan Campbell took the blame for a botched end-of-half that cost the Lions a chance to kick a field goal. In a four-point game, the glaring mistake — too many men on the field to wipe out the final three seconds of the second quarter — proved massive. However, that wasn’t the only miscue. Detroit committed big penalties. Had two turnovers. Missed tackles. Jared Goff‘s wobbly start to the season continued as the QB chucked misfires and repeatedly threw short of the sticks on key plays. Goff’s first interception might have been a missed penalty, but his second was a glaring error, throwing it over the middle where no receiver was close as the Lions were in scoring range. Goff hasn’t looked comfortable through two games and has made some uncharacteristically poor decisions. Detroit came in trying to take advantage of the Bucs’ mangled secondary. It didn’t work out as planned.
3. Bucs D repeatedly holds the Lions out of end zone. Detroit went 1-of-7 in the red zone and 1-of-2 in goal-to-go situations. Bowles’ defense gave up 463 total yards but slammed the door when needed. Safety Jordan Whitehead made play after play. Linebacker SirVocea Dennis came up huge late, showing range and speed. Rookie nickel Tykee Smith made a big tackle for loss. And corners Christian Izien and Zyon McCollum stepped up. It was a group effort for Bowles’ club to keep a high-powered Lions offense out of the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers became the second team since the 1970 merger to win a game despite being outgained by 200-plus total yards (463-216) and having a sack differential of minus five or worse (other: Houston Oilers in Week 8, 1987, at Cincinnati Bengals).

Next Gen stat of the game: Jared Goff under pressure was 9-of-17 passing for 117 yards, two interceptions and a 35.3 passer rating.

NFL Research: Aidan Hutchinson had a career-high 4.5 sacks in Week 2, the second-most sacks by a Detroit player since individual sacks were first tracked in 1982. Hutchinson had 3.0 sacks in the first quarter, becoming the fourth player since 2000 with three-plus sacks in the first quarter of a game (first since Arizona’s Chandler Jones in Week 1, 2021 at Tennessee). 

Indianapolis Colts

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Green Bay Packers

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Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Willis does his job subbing for Love. In Malik Willis‘ first NFL start in 2022, he led the Titans to a 17-10 victory as a rookie, completing six of his 10 passes for 55 yards with a pick and running for 12 yards. He was given a little more rope in his first start as a member of the Packers, and Willis was far more efficient, too, completing 12 of 14 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, leading a hard-fought win over the Colts. We knew the Packers’ passing game would take a hit with Jordan Love out for the time being, and Willis attempted only five first-half passes as the Packers ground away at the Colts with their run game — 237 yards at the half, including 164 in the first quarter alone. But the more the game wore on, and the more the Colts closed gaps up front, the more Matt LaFleur trusted him. Willis finished the game with zero turnovers and zero sacks taken, also rushing for 41 yards to go with his first NFL TD pass. The Packers left points on the board with penalties, Josh Jacobs‘ fumble near the goal line and a late missed field goal, but Willis and a stout run game covered those mistakes. For a player whose future felt unknown not long ago, Willis could end up playing a major role in Green Bay’s 2024 fortunes.
2. Colts offense is still a work in progress. In Week 1, the Colts rang up explosive pass plays and had trouble running the ball with anyone but Anthony Richardson. In Week 2, the Colts finally got Jonathan Taylor loose on the ground, but Richardson threw three picks and couldn’t generate the same field-flipping results through the air. Through two weeks, it’s fair to say the Colts are still searching for their offensive identity. Richardson’s first two interceptions can’t be excused reasonably. His first pick was thrown off his back foot and was off-target into traffic; the second one never had a chance of being completed, as he stared down his intended target. A lot of people will glom onto Richardson’s struggles, and some of it is deserved, but there were plenty of mistakes elsewhere too, including dropped passes (two by rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell), poor routes and a lack of overall rhythm early. The Colts also didn’t utilize Richardson as a designed runner much despite never trailing by more than two scores. The Colts looked more dangerous as the game wore on, and it’s incredible they had a slim chance to pull it out, but there’s a lot for them to work on.
3. LaFleur kept Colts defense humbled. The Colts came in with their share of injuries, especially on defense, missing Julian Blackmon and JuJu Brents and with DeForest Buckner limited to nine snaps against Green Bay. But the first-half defense, allowing 237 rushing yards, was inexcusable. Just as bad was making Willis look highly efficient in his first start in two years. Linebacker Zaire Franklin made a game-saving play, stripping Jacobs on the threshold of the end zone, with the Colts down 10-0, and they’d rally to keep it a close game. The second-half results were better defensively, but they had only two true stops. Credit Packers head coach Matt LaFleur for navigating the game brilliantly in Willis’ first start, and throwing the kitchen-sink running game at the Colts in the first half, revising some of the tackling and angles-to-the-ball issues we saw versus Houston. But if Indianapolis wants to win games such as this, it must put together a better four quarters on defense.

Next Gen stat of the game: Colts QB Anthony Richardson completed 6 of 16 passes over 10 air yards for 100 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Richardson completed 4 of 10 such passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 against the Texans. Richardson’s only completion against man coverage came on his 4-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce in the final minutes of the game. Over the first two games of the 2024 season, Richardson has more interceptions thrown against man coverage (two) than completions (one).

NFL Research: With their win over the Colts in Week 2, the Packers became the first NFL franchise to reach the 800-victory mark.

Cleveland Browns

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Jacksonville Jaguars

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Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Schwartz’s defense returns to form. Because of a frantic fourth quarter, the final numbers don’t suggest what was essentially reality for the Jaguars on Sunday: Jim Schwartz’s defense made life incredibly difficult for them. At halftime, Jacksonville had just 81 yards of total offense and had possessed the ball for less than 10 minutes. Prior to a 26-yard completion to Brenton Strange on third-and-10 with 10:09 left in the third, Trevor Lawrence had completed just five of 16 passes for 16 yards. Schwartz’s defense had the Jaguars in a vice grip, pressuring Lawrence, closing passing windows and denying most everything for more than two quarters. Jacksonville found a way to make it interesting in the fourth, but the game’s most decisive play — an Alex Wright sack of Lawrence in the end zone for a safety — defined the day for a Browns defense that rediscovered its stifling style from 2023.
2. Jaguars cannot get out of their own way. While Cleveland more than doubled Jacksonville in accepted penalties (13 to 6), much of the Browns’ early successes depended on the Jaguars giving them extra opportunities. Jacksonville committed two roughing the passer penalties, incurred two delay of game penalties in a goal-to-go situation (ultimately forcing it to settle for a field goal), and even an illegal shift on the Jags’ final drive of the game cost them a 10-second runoff and lowered their chances of pulling off a last-second comeback. In between, Lawrence struggled to connect with open targets and the offense didn’t exit the starting blocks until late in the third quarter, thanks to a long completion to Brian Thomas Jr. The conditions weren’t favorable, but the Jaguars also didn’t help themselves out at all in this one, leaving too little time to pull off the comeback. They’ll need to be cleaner to dig out of this 0-2 hole.
3. Watson takes a few small steps forward. Deshaun Watson was so bad in Week 1, Browns fans were clamoring for a change at quarterback entering Week 2. Fortunately for them, Watson managed to get back on track, at least relatively speaking, leading a methodical 16-play, 89-yard touchdown drive which he capped with a 1-yard touchdown run. Watson was much more accurate in his second start of 2024, even amid consistent rain showers, finishing with a 22-of-34 passing line for 186 yards, and if it weren’t for a number of penalties occurring around him, he might have finished off this win with an emphatic final drive that saw him convert third and fourth-down attempts while draining clock. It wasn’t remarkable, but it was a step in the right direction for a quarterback who absolutely must prove he can handle the job this season.

Next Gen stat of the game: Trevor Lawrence struggled against the Browns defense, generating his lowest completion percentage over expected (-11.2) in a game since Week 2 of the 2023 season.

NFL Research: Myles Garrett (102 games) tied J.J. Watt as the third-fastest player to 90 career sacks since sacks were officially tracked, beginning in 1982 (only behind Hall of Famer Reggie White and Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt).

San Francisco 49ers

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Minnesota Vikings

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Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Flores stymies 49ers offense. After dominating the Jets at the point of attack and in time of possession in a runaway Week 1 win, the 49ers met a much tougher opponent in Week 2. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense made life incredibly difficult for Brock Purdy and the 49ers, forcing Purdy to throw an interception on a pass released under duress, and as the game progressed, it appeared as if Purdy grew increasingly uncomfortable, serving as a testament to Flores’ game plan against the young star quarterback. San Francisco still finished with 399 yards of total offense, but with just 17 points to show for it. The 49ers reached Minnesota’s red zone just four times all afternoon, turned it over on downs on their first trip, finished 2 for 10 on third down and failed to keep pace with the Vikings offense, a rare outcome for a Kyle Shanahan-led offense. That’s the handiwork of Flores and a Vikings defense that has proven rather stout through two weeks.
2. Aiyuk produces another quiet outing. Purdy finished with 319 passing yards and completed 28 of 36 attempts Sunday, yet for a second straight week, Brandon Aiyuk was essentially a nonfactor. He ended the game with four catches for 43 yards, but it didn’t take an expert to note that George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and running back Jordan Mason were much more important to San Francisco’s offensive efforts. Some of this was undoubtedly a product of how Flores’ defense approached San Francisco’s offense, but in a game that ended in a one-score difference, it pains an observer to watch the 49ers mount effective drives and fail to finish them off. After we spent months tracking Aiyuk’s contract situation, the payoff has not arrived for anyone involved.
3. Two weeks, two good showings for Darnold. It was fair to question whether Sam Darnold, the former first-round pick of the Jets, would be able to handle starting duties in 2024, especially considering how he’d performed the last time he was a frequent starter in Carolina. Those worries are starting to melt away, because for a second straight week, Darnold commanded his role and propelled the Vikings to victory. Darnold posted another quality line — 17 for 26, 268 yards, two touchdowns — tacked on 32 rushing yards on five scrambles, and only made one mistake when he threw an interception, which was as much of a great play by 49ers linebacker Fred Warner as it was a bad decision by Darnold. Most importantly, Darnold did not wilt under the pressure of a tight game, and showed off his maturity when he ripped a rocket down the seam over Warner and between three 49ers defenders to Jalen Nailor for a pickup of 26 on third-and-8. Darnold hasn’t made that kind of play since his days at USC, and they’re becoming more frequent (see: his 97-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson). That bodes well for these Vikings.

Next Gen stat of the game: Justin Jefferson traveled 127.5 yards in total on his 97-yard touchdown reception, the most distance traveled by a ball carrier on an offensive touchdown in the NGS era (since 2016).

NFL Research: Sam Darnold has a 72.0 completion percentage and 111.8 passer rating over two games in 2024, both wins for the Vikings. In comparison, Darnold had the lowest completion percentage (59.7) and passer rating (78.3) in the NFL from 2018-2023 (among 39 QBs with 1,000-plus pass attempts).

Seattle Seahawks

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New England Patriots

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Coral Smith’s takeaways:

1. WRs bail out Seahawks’ struggling ground game. With Kenneth Walker III out this week with an oblique injury, the Seahawks’ run game was put squarely on the shoulders of Zach Charbonnet, who was tasked with facing off against a Patriots defense that held the Bengals to 70 rushing yards last week. Unfortunately, the RB was unable to seize the moment and replicate Walker’s impact, finishing the overtime contest with 38 yards on 14 rushes. He had one touchdown, albeit a 1-yard score, and a key third-down conversion on a reception in overtime, but overall it was a paltry showing, with the Seahawks relying heavily on their pass game. Fortunately for Seattle, getting yards through the air was little issue, as the dynamic duo of DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 129 and 117 receiving yards, respectively. While it was a tough matchup and the Seahawks nevertheless came out on top to move to 2-0, Charbonnet’s struggles will be a story to keep an eye on if Walker can’t return next week.
2. Clutch defense secures OT win. With the Seahawks unable to score for most of the second half, it was up to their defense to keep things close. And while it surrendered a touchdown that gave the Patriots a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, the defense came up clutch in the final minutes and overtime to secure the win. When New England had a chance to extend its lead two drives later with a field goal try, safety Julian Love instead got into the backfield and got a hand on it, blocking the attempt to keep it a three-point game. After Seattle tied it up, the defense forced a three-and-out to close out regulation, followed by another quick stop on third-and-1 in overtime to give it back to the offense, which got a field goal for the win. 
3. Ground game strong, but not enough for Pats. For the second straight week, the Patriots established themselves on the ground when it mattered, led by another quality performance from Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson’s best game since 2021. It was a slow start with just 57 rushing yards in the first half, but things picked up after the break with 126 second-half rushing yards for New England. That included Stevenson’s 36 yards and TD run in the fourth quarter that put them temporarily ahead, and a 45-yard run by Gibson where almost all of the yardage came after breaking multiple tackles. Stevenson finished with 81 yards and Gibson 96, though the lack of a complementary passing game caused issues in the loss, as Jacoby Brissett had just 149 passing yards.

Next Gen stat of the game: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez aligned across from DK Metcalf on 36 of 44 routes (82%) on Sunday. Metcalf was targeted seven times against Gonzalez, coming away with three receptions for 24 yards. Metcalf caught all seven of his targets against other defenders for 105 yards and a TD.

NFL Research: DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are the first pair of teammates in Seahawks history with 10-plus catches and 100-plus receiving yards in a game each.

New York Jets

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Tennessee Titans

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• READ: Titans HC on Levis’ latest blunder: ‘He knows better’

Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Jets will take ugly road win. It wasn’t pretty, but the Jets rebounded to earn their first victory of the season, using an opportunistic defense and special teams to fuel the win while the offense remains too inconsistent. Penalties on defense were an early problem, with five alone in the first 17-plus minutes of the game. The biggest was a (questionable) roughing-the-passer call against Jermaine Johnson II, which wiped out a Jets stop and led to a Titans touchdown. They appeared ready to take a two-score lead before Will Levis made a boneheaded lateral amid heavy pressure. The Jets got after Levis all game, sacking him four times and pressuring him on a whopping 60% of his dropbacks. They lost linebacker C.J. Mosley (toe) mid-game and let Levis slip out of a few more would-be sacks late, keeping the game alive. But they took the lead after a huge blocked punt from the Jets’ Irvin Charles, helping steal back momentum in the third quarter, giving the Jets just enough cushion at the end.
2. Levis makes some plays but has to avoid the bad ones. On the surface, there were things to like about Levis’ Week 2 game, coming off the disastrous fourth quarter in the loss at Chicago. Levis completed 19 of 28 passes for 192 yards and threw a highlight-reel TD pass to Calvin Ridley, who split the Jets’ Chuck Clark and Sauce Gardner to make a circus catch. Levis also had some nice plays with his legs late, showing where his improvisational skill can come in handy. But in a two-play stretch in the first half, Levis made the types of head-scratching plays he did late against the Bears, which is stunting his development in a critical Year 2. The Titans were poised to take a two-score lead with the ball at the Jets’ 6-yard line, but he opted to try to lateral the ball under heavy pressure, which led to a Jets recovery and Titans coach Brian Callahan losing his mind on Levis. On Levis’ next offensive rep, he fired a very questionable pass into two defenders — on first-and-10 with a 7-0 lead. Too much! When Levis let the game come to him more, he looked OK. And it’s not as if he can’t be a playmaker, but Levis is still learning that fine line between risk and reward in tight games.
3. Jets might have something with Allen. While Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ passing game remains in preheat mode, the ground game kept them afloat Sunday. We expect it from Breece Hall, one of the best backs in the NFL who took over in the third quarter with a 30-yard run and a beautiful 26-yard catch on a wheel route for a touchdown. But give a hat tip to fourth-round running back Braelon Allen, who might have carved out a complementary role in the backfield with his two-TD performance Sunday. He caught a short TD pass on a pretty design that caught the Titans off guard, with Allen blasting into the end zone for his first NFL score. He earned his second score — the game-winner — by using his speed to get to the edge on a 20-yard sprint. Hall and Allen averaged 4.5 yards per rush (even while being hit several times in the backfield) and earned 12 of Rodgers’ 30 pass attempts, combining for nine catches for 75 more yards and the two scores. Rodgers was effective when he got rid of the ball quickly, but the pass game isn’t there yet. Expect the Jets to expand what their two top backs do going forward until they can get that passing rhythm down. 

Next Gen stat of the game: Titans WR Calvin Ridley hauled in four receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Jets, with three of those receptions coming against Sauce Gardner for 71 yards and a touchdown. Gardner allowed five receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown when targeted, his most yards allowed as the nearest defender in a game in his career.

NFL Research: Jets RB Braelon Allen (20 years, 239 days of age) is the youngest player to score a touchdown in the NFL since Arnie Herber — who was also 20 years, 239 days of age –caught a 15-yard TD in 1930 against the Frankford Yellowjackets.

New York Giants

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Washington Commanders

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Coral Smith’s takeaways:

1. Kicker drama rules the afternoon. Kicker Austin Seibert made his Commanders debut after he was signed five days ago to replace Cade York, who missed a pair of field goals in Week 1. Asked to step up when the offense continually stalled in the red zone, Seibert delivered, setting a new Washington record with seven field goals made (previous record was five), accounting for all 21 of its points. On the other side, the Giants dealt with a lack of a kicker for almost the entire game after Graham Gano exited due to injury following the opening kickoff. New York tried to utilize punter Jamie Gillan, but he hooked his point-after attempt wide right. The Giants didn’t try a PAT for the rest of the game, instead going for two on both subsequent touchdowns, both of which were unsuccessful. And then driving down the field late in the fourth quarter in a tied game, the Giants came up on a fourth-and-4 from the 22-yard line, which would normally mean the field goal unit gets sent out. Instead, they had to go for it and failed, setting up the Commanders’ final field goal drive to win it.
2. Daniels gives legs a rest with focus on passing. Head coach Dan Quinn has made it known he wants rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to focus on being a “passer first” after a run-heavy season opener, and Sunday’s game plan seemed to reflect that philosophy. He completed 23 of his 29 pass attempts for 226 yards, up from 17 of 24 last week, while halving his rushing yard total. It helped that he had the support of Brian Robinson’s 133 yards on the ground, Washington’s first rusher since 2021 to hit the 100-plus yard mark. There’s still work to be done in this offense, namely in protection for Daniels — who took five sacks and scrambled out of a few more — and in converting in the red zone, in which the team was 0 for 6, with Daniels still looking for his first career passing touchdown. Nevertheless, it proved to be a promising outing for the offense, and more in line with what Quinn had been looking for out of his rookie.
3. Giants QB-WR duo blossoms despite loss. The bright spot of the Giants offense’s frustrating Week 1 performance was the budding chemistry between Daniel Jones and rookie receiver Malik Nabers, which led to 66 yards. And the pair built on that outing this Sunday, with that connection accounting for almost the entire passing offense for New York. Jones targeted Nabers 18 times, with the wideout hauling in 10 receptions for a whopping 127 receiving yards and a touchdown just before the half. All other Giants pass catchers had six receptions for 51 yards combined. While Nabers couldn’t quite bring in possibly his most important target, a fourth-down throw along the sideline which would have extended a possible winning drive for the Giants, there’s no doubt this duo has found its stride together, enough to keep New York in the game to the end.

Next Gen stat of the game: Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux generated five pressures on 29 pass rushed for a 17.2% pressure rate, his fourth-highest in a game in his career.

NFL Research: With Devin Singletary’s 7-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, the Giants snapped the longest active streak of games without a touchdown on the opening drive, having failed to get one in their previous 27 contests.

Los Angeles Rams

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Arizona Cardinals

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• REWATCH: Rams-Cardinals on NFL+
• READ: Cardinals rookie Harrison Jr. dazzles with two TDs in first quarter
• READ: Kupp suffers ankle injury in loss, leaves locker room in walking boot 

Eric Edholm’s takeaways:

1. Marvin Harrison Jr. has arrived. In Week 1, the Cardinals had trouble getting the ball to their rookie phenom in a one-catch dud of a debut. Consider that one dead and buried. Harrison exploded for touchdown catches of 23 and 60 yards in the first three-plus minutes of Sunday’s win. Harrison had more targets at the end of the first quarter (five) than he received all game last week. Amazingly, all of Harrison’s catches came in that first quarter, so they still can work on that connection, even if the Rams adjusted their defense and the Cardinals took their foot off the pass-game gas pedal up in a blowout. Still, don’t overlook those four catches. It’s always nice when you surpass what your Hall of Fame dad did as a rookie — see below — but the more important development for the Cardinals was getting Harrison loose after his inauspicious debut. With Kyler Murray, Trey McBride, James Conner, Harrison and others, the Cardinals offense is starting to become very, very interesting.
2. Rams’ shorthanded offense went backward in Week 2. In spite of losing receiver Puka Nacua and linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom last week, the Rams rang up nearly 400 yards of offense and nearly beat the Lions at Ford Field. But even with right tackle Rob Havenstein back in the lineup, the Rams allowed three sacks on Matthew Stafford’s first 11 dropbacks. Considering the way the Cardinals struggled to consistently pressure Josh Allen in Week 1, it was a surprising development for their defense. The Rams’ run game also was shut down early. They turned the ball over on downs and went three-and-out three times in their first five possessions, finding themselves in a 24-3 hole. Stafford rallied them late in the first half, but the Cardinals once more stopped them on downs right before halftime. Had they cut it to a two-score game there, the Rams’ chances of winning would have been much higher. Stafford clearly was gutting through this one, but he’s not going to have it much easier the next three games against the 49ers, Bears and Packers before the Week 6 bye. The Rams started 3-6 a year ago and still made the playoffs, and it looks like they’ll need to climb out of another early hole this year at 0-2.
3. Kyler Murray, Jonathan Gannon could be a winning pair. There was not an overwhelming chorus of celebration when the Cards hired Gannon as their coach, especially amid questions about Murray’s development following his 2022 ACL injury. But both have earned some praise since then, especially in Sunday’s blowout of the Rams, a team that had their number previously. Murray looked more comfortable with each start down the stretch last season, and he built on a hot-and-cold Week 1 showing with his best performance in recent memory. Murray had the Rams flailing at him early as a scrambler (59 rush yards) while also buying time in the pocket, and he diced them up for 266 pass yards on only 21 attempts. The 99-yard drive before the half was Murray and the Cardinals offense at their finest. And credit Gannon for getting his defense ready to come after Stafford and a battered Rams offense. The Cardinals were the aggressors all game, as Arizona delivered yet another statement victory in Week 2 at home under Gannon after taking down Dallas one year ago.

Next Gen stat of the game: Kyler Murray completed each of his five deep passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Murray did not attempt a deep pass in the second half. The probability of Murray completing all five deep attempts was just 0.3%. Murray also completed each of his four passes on the run for 119 yards and two touchdowns, good for his second-most yards when traveling over 8 mph in a game in his career. 

NFL Research: Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is the first rookie to have 4+ receptions and 2+ receiving TD in a first quarter since his dad, Colts WR Marvin Harrison, did it in 1996. In fact, Harrison Jr. had more receiving yards (130) in the first quarter in Week 2 than his dad had in any single game as a rookie in 1996.

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Denver Broncos

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• REWATCH: Steelers-Broncos on NFL+

Kevin Patra’s takeaways:

1. T.J. Watt, Steelers D roll in Denver. Pittsburgh’s defense didn’t allow Sean Payton’s offense to reach pay dirt on Sunday, smothering the Broncos’ ground game and intercepting Bo Nix twice. The biggest play of the game came from second-year corner Cory Trice Jr., who picked off Nix in the end zone in the third quarter. Trice stepped in front of a woeful pass from the QB, snuffing out the Broncos’ first sustained drive. Watt surged down the stretch, generating a sack and two tackles for loss as the Steelers stiff-armed a Denver comeback attempt. It was a mucky, defensive game with a ton of flags and unforced errors. Winning ugly is the Steelers’ specialty. The 13 total points allowed is the fewest Pittsburgh has given up through two games since 2007. The six points scored is the second-fewest by a Sean Payton-coached team. 
2. Bo Nix takes baby steps in second half after early struggles. It wasn’t pretty for the first-round pick, who generated 39 total passing yards, took two sacks and didn’t complete a pass beyond seven yards through two quarters. Nix repeatedly stared down his receivers, threw into traffic and didn’t threaten the defense in any manner. Things began to open up in the second half. Nix finally connected on a trick-play deep pass and found a modicum of success on intermediate routes. However, his back-breaking red zone INT and a few other bad misses thwarted a comeback bid. The loss wasn’t all on the QB. The run game was once again non-existent. The O-line struggled against Pittsburgh’s front. Receivers dropped passes. And several plays were negated by penalties. It was good to finally see the offense open up a bit in the second half, but some of the production also came with the Steelers sitting back, protecting a double-digit lead. 
3. Justin Fields plays well early, cools off in the second half. Fields experienced the inverse afternoon of Nix. The QB slung some darts in the first half, leading the Steelers to two first-half scoring drives, including a 12-play, 78-yard touchdown march. The offense, however, bogged down in the second half, with Fields generating 16 passing yards on eight attempts in the final two quarters. Fields finished 13-of-20 passing for 117 yards and a touchdown while taking two sacks. However, the QB played better than the stats indicate. He had multiple big plays called back due to penalties, including a ridiculous off-balance, on-the-move, 51-yard dime to George Pickens. A TD pass to Pickens was also negated by a penalty. The Steelers need to figure out their O-line issues if the offense is to make strides. Former first-round pick Broderick Jones didn’t start and played just nine official offensive snaps before being sent back to the bench. His final snap on offense was a hold that wiped out the big Pickens catch (his third penalty on the drive). It wasn’t pretty, but Mike Tomlin will surely take a 2-0 start to the season regardless of how it looks. 

Next Gen stat of the game: Joey Porter Jr. lined up across from Courtland Sutton on 23 of his 35 routes (65.7%), holding Sutton to just one reception for 26 yards on a single target as the nearest defender in coverage.

NFL Research: Eight of the last nine teams to start 2-0 with both wins on the road made the playoffs (PIT has made playoffs each of last six 2-0 starts; last missed in 1999). 

Cincinnati Bengals

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Kansas City Chiefs

2-0

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• REWATCH: Bengals-Chiefs on NFL+
• READ: Bengals’ Chase used ‘abusive language’ toward official

Nick Shook’s takeaways:

1. Chiefs find way to win ugly. This was not your ideal game if you’re a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions. Fullback Chris Steele fumbled away possession. For a nervous few minutes late in the fourth quarter, it appeared as though those mistakes — plus a 1-for-8 conversion rate on third down — might doom the Chiefs. Instead, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo dialed up a blitz the whole football world could anticipate, allowing nickelback Chamarri Connerto polish off a terrific day with a crucial third-down sack and forcing a Bengals punt with fewer than three minutes to play. That gave Mahomes one more possession, and with a bit of help from an error made by the Bengals defense, he was able to move the Chiefs into Harrison Butker‘s range for a walk-off field goal. The performance largely lacked the high-flying, explosive plays (save for a 44-yard touchdown strike to Rashee Rice), and marked two straight rough outings for rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia, who doesn’t look like he’s quite yet ready to handle the job and was benched in the final minutes. Still, though, the Chiefs found a way to get the job done, and send the Bengals back to Cincinnati with an 0-2 record.
2. Cincinnati looks better, and that’s a good start. After Week 1, folks were rightfully worried about the Bengals. They lacked fight in their season-opening loss to New England, and conspiracy theorists believed much of it had to do with Joe Burrow‘s wrist. Well, we can put those concerns to bed, folks, because Burrow looked pretty good, completing 23 of 36 passes for 258 yards and two excellent touchdown tosses to Andrei Iosivas, and managed to do so by working with the full cast of receivers, including rookie Jermaine Burton (one catch for 47 yards), star Ja’Marr Chase (four catches for 35 yards) and a handful of others in the absence of Tee Higgins, who missed another game due to a hamstring injury. Defensively, coordinator Lou Anarumo once again proved he possesses answers for Kansas City’s offense in most situations, leading to an incredible interception by Cam Taylor-Britt and another pick by Akeem Davis-Gaither, plus a nice day for problem-causer Trey Hendrickson, who victimized the aforementioned Suamataia for most of the afternoon. Yes, they lost, but the Bengals looked like a much more competent — and competitive — team than they did a week earlier, and at this stage of the season, that’s what matters most.
3. Bengals suffer eerily familiar fate. Two seasons ago, a trip to the Super Bowl was on the line when Mahomes scrambled toward the right sideline for a key first down late in the AFC Championship Game and was shoved an extra yard or two out of bounds by Joseph Ossai, drawing a penalty that moved the Chiefs into field goal range. Fast forward to Sunday, and it was again a penalty on a crucial down — this time, pass interference on rookie Daijahn Anthony on fourth-and-16 — that pushed the Chiefs into Butker’s range. Bengals fans have to be pleading with the football gods for some end-of-game mercy in these matchups after the way this one played out, and understandably so, even if the penalty was indisputable. That seems to be the difference between these two teams right now, because otherwise, they were evenly matched. If this holds throughout the long season that remains ahead, don’t be surprised if we see these two duking it out again in January.

Next Gen Stat of the game: Patrick Mahomes’ 44-yard touchdown pass to Rashee Rice traveled 35 yards downfield, marking his second deep touchdown pass in as many games and equaling his combined total deep touchdown passes thrown between the 2022 and 2023 seasons (two, on 108 attempts). 

NFL Research: Travis Kelce has just 39 receiving yards in 2024, the fewest in any two-game span in his NFL career.

Chicago Bears

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Houston Texans

2-0

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• REWATCH: Bears-Texans on NFL+
• READ: Bears QB Williams ‘a little bruised up’ after seven-sack night

Grant Gordon’s takeaways:

1. Anderson, defense lead way to Texans’ 2-0 start. In a marquee matchup featuring the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, and the 2023 No. 2 selection, C.J. Stroud, the No. 3 choice in 2023 led the way for a dominant Houston defensive effort. Will Anderson posted 1.5 sacks, four tackles, two QB hits, two tackles for loss and nine QB pressures as the Texans terrorized Williams all night. Williams was pressured on 47.9% of his dropbacks and sacked seven times. Williams was bludgeoned, leaving the game’s final six-point margin feeling like it was far more. Anderson was hardly the Texans’ only notable defender, as Henry To’oTo’o, Jalen Pitre, Kamari Lassiter, Derek Stingley Jr. and Danielle Hunter turned in notable performances. Hunter had a pair of sacks, and the second came on the Bears’ final drive to put a symbolic exclamation point on the affair. For the first time since 2016, Houston is 2-0 to start a season, and a ferocious Texans defense was at the forefront on Sunday night.
2. Williams, Bears not ready for prime time. The Bears are now 1-0 in games in which they don’t score offensive touchdowns and 0-1 in those they do this season. Either way, through 120 minutes, Chicago’s offense has been a struggle bus. Williams showed some progress from an underwhelming 91-yard debut against the Titans, but he threw two bad interceptions and struggled through a night in which he should be lauded for surviving. He was battered, seemingly under constant duress. It’s not all on Williams, though, and it shouldn’t be for the rookie, who piloted an offense that mustered a miniscule 205 yards. Head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t help the cause with two head-scratching challenges that he lost. The running game was next door to non-existent (27 yards on non-Williams runs; 71 yards total). There also were some drops mixed in, and Chicago’s offensive line got worse as the game wore on and its QB was worn down. It was the hope that the Bears would be on the ascent this year, but it’s clear their offense has problems aplenty through two games. 
3. Collins manages to stand out in defensive slugfest. In a game full of hard-hitting, solid defense and often ugly offense, the 6-foot-4 Nico Collins stood tall as the offensive highlight. Collins, who put up 135 yards on eight catches, has established himself as the WR1 in an uber-talented Texans receiver room and as one of the top, burgeoning talents at his position league-wide. He had the play of the game to start the second quarter when he made a 28-yard touchdown look far too easy. Facing second-and-24, Collins was barely slowed by an illegal hands to the face penalty from cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, and Stroud hit Collins in stride over the middle before he brushed away a would-be tackler en route to six. Much was rightfully made of Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans turning around the Texans, but Collins blossomed in 2023 and, after back-to-back 100-yard games, is showing last season was anything but an outlier. 

Next Gen stat of the game: Despite being questionable to play with an MCL sprain, Bears first-round wide receiver Rome Odunze played 93.9% of the Bears’ offensive snaps (62) and ran a team-high 42 routes. 

NFL Research: C.J. Stroud has not thrown an interception in seven straight games, the longest active streak in the league.