Whilst the early slate of games on Sunday didn’t deliver a tonne of drama, the late window more than made up for it. Three of the four games finished with a winning margin of three or less, including last second wins for both Dallas and Tennessee. That is before we even get onto the chaos that was Sunday night football. Here are the biggest takeaways from Week 2.
Chiefs and Ravens deliver a thriller
Coming into this game the Chiefs were 4-0 against the Ravens under Andy Reid. That run ended last night as the two teams served up a thrilling encounter that went down to the wire. It didn’t always look like it would be close though. The game began with a Lamar Jackson pick six. By the third quarter, the Chiefs held a comfortable 11 point lead.
Whilst they trailed, the Ravens were never too far behind that they were forced to abandon the run. This was their saving grace. The Chiefs were powerless to stop Baltimore’s ground game, giving up 251 rushing yards at an average of 6.1 per carry. Lamar Jackson was exceptional and led the team with 107 yards and two touchdowns. In doing so, he tied Michael Vick’s record of 11 games with 100+ rushing yards at quarterback.
The Ravens will also be very pleased with the performance of rookie first rounder Odafe Oweh. His pressure forced a tide-turning interception in the third quarter and he also recovered the fumble that effectively sealed the win. The result will have settled more than a few nerves in Baltimore after a rough start against the Raiders in Week 1. For the Chiefs they will want to regroup before another tough game against the Chargers next week.
Raiders show they mean business
The Raiders garnered plenty of headlines in Week 1 with their win over the Ravens. This week they proved that that performance was no fluke. They looked absolutely dominant against the Steelers, beating them 26-17 in Heinz Field. This marks the first time in the Super Bowl era that the Raiders have started a season 2-0 with both wins coming against playoff teams from the previous season.
Special credit has to go to Derek Carr. The Raiders were without their star running back in Josh Jacobs and they knew they needed to lean on Carr to get a result. He duly delivered and managed to average an absurd 0.48 EPA per dropback. For context, Aaron Rodgers led the NFL in 2020 with an average of 0.36. Through two weeks Carr leads the NFL with 810 passing yards and ranks third with a 9.1 per cent big-time throw rate.
The Raiders find themselves tied for the lead in the AFC West after two weeks. Whilst the Chiefs will always cause problems, they will feel legitimately confident about their chances to make the playoffs this season. Another strong performance against the Dolphins in Week 3 could really get the ball rolling in Vegas.
Derrick Henry fuels Titans comeback
Few teams needed a win in Week 2 as badly as the Tennessee Titans. They were a shambles on both sides of the ball against the Cardinals in Week 1. Ryan Tannehill looked ineffectual, but perhaps the biggest surprise was Derrick Henry, who finished that game with just 58 yards on his 17 carries. Fans will have been concerned about a repeat performance this week after their first half against Seattle. Henry was held to 35 yards on 13 carries and the team trailed 24-9 at the half.
Their second half performance this weekend will certainly have settled a few nerves. The team rallied to overcome their 15 point deficit and Henry was the gamechanger. After the half he amassed 147 rushing yards on his 22 carries. He also scored three touchdowns, the fifth time he has done so in his career. The 182 rushing yards Henry amassed was the most allowed by a Seahawks defense in the Pete Carroll era.
The Titans secured the win in dramatic fashion, with Randy Bullock’s 36-yard field goal in overtime. Next week they will face a tough division rival in the Indianapolis Colts who, despite starting 0-2, have looked competitive against both the Seahawks and the Rams. This looks set to be a huge game for both teams and it will be interesting to see which one can come out on top.
The Carolina Panthers might just be for real
I was higher on this Panthers team than most, but even I didn’t see them having such a strong start. They have allowed just 21 points through their first two games and did not trail at any point. This weekend they saw off a talented Saints team who were just a week removed from a 38-3 beatdown of the Green Bay Packers. The result never looked in doubt and Carolina looked really polished on both sides of the ball.
The return of Christian McCaffrey has provided a clear boost to their offensive production. He hasn’t shown any signs of rust and has already racked up over 300 scrimmage yards. At this pace he will break the NFL record for single season scrimmage yards, set by Chris Johnson in 2009. The passing game looks good too under Sam Darnold, and their depth of talent at wide receiver makes them a challenging proposition for any defense.
What really makes them a challenging team to beat is their defense. Through two weeks they lead the NFL in EPA allowed per play, a major improvement on last season where they ranked 24th. They have allowed just 143.5 passing yards per game and their run defense looks elite, holding both the Jets and the Saints to less than three yards per carry. Any division with the Bucs is going to be difficult, but the Panthers could have a real shot at a wildcard spot if they continue to play like this.
Time to hit the panic button in Jacksonville?
I know we are only two games in, but things are not looking good at all in Jacksonville. The optimism brought about by the arrival of Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence already seems to be disapating. Their talent has not translated into on-field success and the Jags continue to look very much like the team that went 1-15 last season. This weekend they looked abject against a Teddy Bridgewater-led Broncos, falling to a 23-13 defeat.
The result wasn’t even as close as the scoreline suggests. The Jags offense scored just seven points all game. After their first quarter touchdown they were held to a paltry 152 yards throughout the rest of the game. They also managed to miss two field goals and Lawrence threw his fourth and fifth interceptions of the season. The only saving grace was Jamal Agnew, who returned a kickoff 102 yards for a score.
So it is time to panic? We have already seen Meyer linked with a return to the college game. Whilst there may be no truth to those rumours, it speaks volumes that the team made an official statement on the issue, expressing the head coach’s commitment to the team. On the field they are still clearly a work-in-progress and I can’t see things turning around anytime soon. With a run of games that included four 2020 playoff teams and the 2-0 Cardinals before Week 10, things could get much worse before they get better.
Week 2 MVP
Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears – The Bears’ second-year corner put in the best game of his young career against a talented Bengals receiving corps. He was targeted seven times, allowing just two completions for a total of nine yards. He also chipped in with an interception and two pass breakups.
Rookie of the week
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys – With Demarcus Lawrence injured, Parsons was brought in to play as the Cowboys designed edge rusher against the Chargers. Despite not playing the position since high school he looked dominant. He finished the game with eight pressures, the most of any defender in the NFL this weekend.
Stat of the week
1,726 days – This weekend marks the first time in 1,726 days that the Chiefs have not had a share of the lead in the AFC West. As things stand they sit third behind the unbeaten Raiders and Broncos.
