Week 2 of the NFL season began on Thursday night with a Buffalo Bills blowout win over the Miami Dolphins. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the game in the third quarter with a concussion.
On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tamed the Detroit Lions, and the New Orleans Saints’ offense proved to be too much for the Dallas Cowboys. Packers quarterback Malik Willis helped lead Green Bay to its first win of the season, while the Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens fell to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Our NFL Nation reporters are reacting to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
Jump to:
BUF-MIA | LAC-CAR | NO-DAL
IND-GB | TB-DET | SF-MIN
NYJ-TEN | SEA-NE | NYG-WSH
CLE-JAX | LV-BAL
So THIS is what the offense is supposed to look like? After an anemic six-plus quarters of football — the Raiders had only 48 yards of offense at halftime in Baltimore — quarterback Gardner Minshew, wide receiver Davante Adams & Co. came to life. Trailing by 10 points with 12 minutes to play, Las Vegas became a juggernaut as Adams finished with nine catches, 110 receiving yards and a touchdown. The offense’s awakening gave the defense a breather and complementary football that led to the win.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Raiders forgot to pack their running game on offense. Or did you miss Las Vegas rushing for 4 yards in the first half? Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy authored the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack in 2022 for the Bears and was No. 2 last season. What gives?
Most surprising performance: Defensive end Maxx Crosby. When he wasn’t in Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s face — he sacked the elusive QB twice — the talkative Raiders edge rusher was in Jackson’s ear. And for good reason. After Jackson ran for 122 yards and seven first downs during the Ravens’ season-opening loss at Kansas City, Crosby helped limit Jackson to just 20 yards on the ground. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Can the Ravens rebound from an 0-2 start? This is essentially uncharted territory for the Ravens. The only time Baltimore has started 0-2 in coach John Harbaugh’s previous 16 seasons was in 2015, when the team finished with its worst record under him (5-11). After failing to hold a 10-point lead against the Raiders with 12 minutes remaining Sunday, Baltimore has dug itself in a hole. The Ravens’ next three games are against two defending division champions — at Dallas and home against Buffalo — and at Cincinnati. QB Lamar Jackson has work to do to get Baltimore back on track as one of the top Super Bowl contenders.
Describe the game in two words: Another collapse. This marks the Ravens’ fourth loss after leading by double digits in the fourth quarter since 2022. This ties the Bears for the most in the NFL in that span, according to ESPN Research. The Ravens can only blame themselves for that fourth-quarter collapse. A false start by running back Derrick Henry on the Ravens’ version of the “tush push” stopped Baltimore from converting a third-and-1. A pass interference penalty by cornerback Brandon Stephens set up the Raiders’ game-tying touchdown.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, is having trouble with longer kicks. Tucker, 34, missed wide left from 56 yards, which makes him 1-for-7 from 50 yards over the past two seasons. He had been one of the best from distance. In his first 11 seasons, Tucker’s 57 field goals from 50 yards or longer ranked second over that span. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Is this closer to what the Browns’ new offense wants to be? The Browns’ offense wasn’t perfect by any means, but it put forth a much better effort than its Week 1 no-show. Cleveland ran the ball well and frequently brought in extra linemen to get the ground game going. Penalties continued to be an issue, but the Browns got cleaner play from quarterback Deshaun Watson, who didn’t turn the ball over and rushed for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Describe the game in two words: Undisciplined football. After the Browns were flagged for 11 accepted penalties in Week 1, they committed 13 penalties that were accepted Sunday. They were especially undisciplined late, with three infractions negating a potential game-sealing touchdown drive and giving the ball back to the Jaguars.
Early prediction for next week: The Browns’ offense will break out against the Giants. The unit wasn’t great against Jacksonville but showed signs of life in the first half. The Browns could finally get one or both of their top tackles back next week in Hakeem Adeniji and Germain Ifedi, which could help jump-start the unit. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Can the Jaguars salvage September? After an 0-2 start, they still have road games at Buffalo next Monday night and Houston the following week. There has been only one team make the playoffs after an 0-4 start: The 1992 San Diego Chargers. This team has to overcome some major issues, starting with an offense that was missing for nearly three quarters against the Browns. Owner Shad Khan had said before the season that the time to win was now, and missing the playoffs puts the potential for changes on the table.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Losing tight end Evan Engram in pregame warmups to a hamstring injury forced the Jaguars to adjust their game plan less than two hours before kickoff. Second-year player Brenton Strange got more work but Engram is a major part of the offense, especially when the Jaguars want to execute short, quick throws to essentially function as part of the run game or slow down the pass rush. There isn’t another tight end on the roster that can do what Engram does, though Strange did step up in the intermediate pass game with three receptions for 65 yards.
Early prediction for next week: Rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. will become a bigger part of the offense. He delivered a big play for the second week in a row — catching a 66-yard pass on a post pattern to set the Jaguars up inside the 10-yard line for their only touchdown. He had only four targets last week and three this week, but he’s averaging 22.6 yards on his five catches.. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: at Bills (Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Did Washington discover its run game? Quarterback Jayden Daniels needs more help and the run game provided it Sunday. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. had the two longest runs of his career (32 and 40 yards) en route to 133 yards. His power inside made a big difference and Austin Ekeler’s contributions in the pass game fueled the offense. Ekeler caught three passes for 47 yards and ran eight times for 38 more. Washington needs to find its identity and lacks firepower in the pass game, but if the run game produces they can at least control the game and limit the defense’s time on the field.
Describe the game in two words: Ugly win. But it sure beats a pretty loss for a group that’s trying to rebuild the franchise. Daniels was sacked five times but led a game-winning drive — thanks to a 34-yard pass and 14-yard run — that was capped by Austin Seibert’s seventh field goal.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Washington’s coverage plan vs. Nabers. Washington used backup Mike Davis against the Giants rookie for the first half and it did not go well as Nabers caught five passes for 73 yards. Washington kept playing man against Nabers in key spots, and he’d beat them on crossers. — John Keim
Next game: at Bengals (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Is this finally a step in the right direction for QB Daniel Jones? It’s hard to tell. Why? Jones always seems to play well against Washington. He threw a pair of touchdown passes Sunday and now has 12 TD tosses and three interceptions against the Commanders in his career. But Jones played well in this matchup, making good plays even late in the fourth quarter. It had to be good for his confidence. That’s huge considering it was a concern entering Week 2.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Giants didn’t have a kicker. Yes, that really happened. They couldn’t even try to kick a field goal to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining because Graham Gano pulled his hamstring chasing down the opening kickoff. Problem was that the Giants knew Gano was already hurt entering Sunday (they added him to the injury report Saturday with a groin problem) and didn’t leave themselves with a contingency.
Most surprising performance: Wide receiver Malik Nabers. It’s not that surprising that the No. 6 draft pick is playing well, but what is surprising is his 18 targets — the most for a rookie since Rams’ Puka Nacua’s 20 in Week 2 last season. Nabers wasn’t just part of the game plan, he was the game plan for the Giants. He finished with 10 catches for 127 yards and his first career touchdown. Only problem is that his fourth-down drop with just over two minutes remaining deep in Washington territory was costly.– Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Is QB Geno Smith one of the NFL’s most clutch quarterbacks? Smith routinely came through in crunch time last season, throwing a single-season record seven go-ahead touchdown passes in the fourth quarter or overtime. He did it again Sunday, leading field-goal drives to tie the game late in regulation and win it in OT. Smith finished 33 of 44 for 327 yards, a touchdown pass and no turnovers despite five drops and next to no help from his run game, which produced 46 yards.
Early prediction for next week: The Seahawks will wear out the Jugs machines over the next few days in preparation to face the Dolphins. They had five drops against New England — two apiece by DK Metcalf and Noah Fant plus another by Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Fant’s second drop came just outside the red zone on their second-to-last drive of regulation.
Most surprising performance: Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He appeared poised for a breakout all offseason, and this was a matchup that seemed to suit him. But who saw this big of a day coming? Smith-Njigba’s 12 catches for 117 yards on 16 targets were all career highs, easily topping his previous bests (seven catches, 11 targets, 63 yards). — Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Do the Patriots have a vulnerable pass defense? The Patriots’ defense was impressive in Week 1 against the Bengals but sprung some leaks as QB Geno Smith finished 33-of-44 for 312 yards and one touchdown. Some credit should go to the Seahawks and their excellent WR corps, but it wasn’t without self-inflicted wounds, too. The one TD appeared to be a communication breakdown involving cornerback Christian Gonzalez and safety Kyle Dugger. There were also defensive pass interference penalties on CBs Marco Wilson and Jonathan Jones that led to a touchdown and the game-winning field goal in OT. They’ll have little time to recover with a Thursday night game against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.
Describe the game in two words: Overtime heartbreaker. The Patriots played true to their identity in running for 185 yards, and received the opening kickoff of overtime to give themselves a chance to win the game. In the end, their lack of explosiveness in the passing game and inconsistent pass defense was the difference.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Production from WRs in passing game. Outside of rookie Ja’Lynn Polk’s 5-yard touchdown catch, a 7-yard Polk catch late in the fourth quarter and a 7-yard catch by K.J. Osborn in overtime, the Patriots didn’t have a receiver register another catch. That’s likely a result of the Patriots running more two-TE packages — and TE Hunter Henry had a big day. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Jets (Thursday , 8:15 p.m. ET)
Can QB Aaron Rodgers continue to bail out the Jets? Rodgers hit some clutch passes in the fourth quarter to save the Jets from a crushing loss and an 0-2 start, going 5-for-5 on a 74-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown. Despite pedestrian numbers — 18 of 30 for 176 yards — Rodgers delivered when it mattered most and didn’t turn the ball over, the reason why they traded for him last year. He brings the kind of winning mentality they’ve lacked for … well, decades. But it will be difficult to maintain unless the offense achieves more overall consistency.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was targeted only six times and had four receptions. Rodgers said he wanted to get Wilson more touches than last week (six), but they went in the wrong direction. He was covered a lot by cornerback La’Jarius Sneed, which was a factor, but there were ways (see: pre-snap motion) to create favorable matchups. Truth be told, Rodgers struggled to get the ball to every wide receiver. The passing attack was dink-and-dunk to the max. Rodgers had to rely on his running backs, Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, both of whom caught touchdowns.
Most surprising performance: Defensive end Will McDonald IV. He had three sacks, equaling his career total. The biggest came with 23 seconds left, a third-down play in the red zone. The former first-round pick came up huge on a day in which the Jets may have lost defensive end Jermaine Johnson to a season-ending Achilles injury — which puts more pressure on the Jets to solve the Haason Reddick holdout. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. New England (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
How much are QB Will Levis’ costly turnovers hurting the Titans? Levis single-handedly destroyed the Titans momentum early in the game against the Jets. Tennessee was en route to consecutive scoring drives until Levis made a careless play that led to a turnover for the second week in a row. Levis tried to pitch the ball backward instead of taking a sack on third down, and instead, it was a fumble recovered by the Jets on their own 12-yard line. A score would have put the Titans up double digits. This comes a week after Tennessee wasn’t able to recover from some fatal errors.
Describe the game in two words: Momentum swings. The momentum was swinging back and forth in this game. Levis’ fumble and interception on consecutive drives gave the Jets life. The Titans fought back to tie it up, thanks to a miraculous touchdown catch by WR Calvin Ridley. In total, the Jets lost and regained the lead three times before coming up with the win.
Most surprising performance: Linebacker Harold Landry III. He had two sacks against the Jets and now has a total of three after two games. Landry isn’t normally a fast starter, as shown by his 3.5 total sacks through the first two games of his five previous seasons. The veteran outside linebacker is off to the best start of his career. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
What physical condition will the Vikings be in for Week 3? As exciting as Sunday’s victory was, the Vikings were playing without most of their offensive playmakers by the end of the game. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson departed in the third quarter because of a right quad injury, while wideout Jordan Addison (ankle) was inactive and T.J. Hockenson (knee) was on the PUP list. Running back Aaron Jones, meanwhile, seemed slow in the fourth quarter after a trip to the blue tent. Unless there are some quick recoveries, the Vikings could be short-handed heading into next Sunday’s matchup against Houston.
Describe the game in two words: Brian Flores. The Vikings’ defensive coordinator spun up a scheme that pressured QB Brock Purdy on 13 of his dropbacks and sacked him six times, which are both the most taken by Purdy in his career. The Vikings also intercepted him once and recovered his lone fumble. There will be plenty of adulation around the organization for this 2-0 start, but Flores has found ways to affect both victories via pass coverage and forced turnovers.
Eye-popping advanced stat: Jefferson ran a total of 127.5 yards on a 97-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, the most by a ball carrier on an offensive touchdown since 2016, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Darnold sent the pass 50 yards in the air, but Jefferson had to stop after catching it, pivot and outrace Ji’Ayir Brown and George Odum to the far corner of the end zone for the score. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Will the 49ers ever win in Minnesota again? No matter how good they have been, the Niners simply can’t get it done in the Twin Cities. Sunday’s loss was their eighth straight at Minnesota with their last win coming in 1992. This loss was more alarming for the fact that the Vikings were missing multiple key offensive players for most or all of the game and still rang up 407 total yards. Save for linebacker Fred Warner, the Niners have a lot of improvement to do defensively if they want to get back to the team they’ve been in recent years.
Biggest hole in the game plan: It’s no secret that Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league, and with Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson unavailable for Minnesota, it stood to reason the Niners would take special care to force anyone else to beat them. Instead, Jefferson posted four catches for 133 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown, before leaving with an injury. San Francisco wants to stick to its defensive principles of rushing four and playing zone coverage, but if the pass rush isn’t getting home consistently, there has to be a better plan for players of Jefferson’s caliber.
Describe the game in two words: Error-filled. Playing on the road and at 10 a.m. PT for the first time this season, the Niners were seemingly sleepwalking for much of the game. It led to numerous costly mistakes, such as a blocked punt, a muffed punt and Purdy simply losing the ball for a fumble before he could throw it. In a place as difficult to win as Minnesota, that’s not going to get it done. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Are we looking at a career-best season for QB Baker Mayfield? Mayfield’s five passing touchdowns (with a sixth on the ground) are the most ever for him over the first two games of a season. His ability to thrive under duress (he was sacked five times) and connect with wideout Chris Godwin — who has amassed 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the first two games — was the difference maker against the Lions.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Without starting right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion), Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson dominated Tampa Bay’s offensive line, registering 4.5 sacks. The Bucs had all week to prepare for the 2022 No. 2 draft pick. While the first sack came on a stunt with DT Alim McNeill, Hutchinson just man-handled backup Justin Skule on the next two, and it wasn’t until then that Skule got some help from another blocker. Even then, Hutchinson rattled off 1.5 more sacks.