2025 NFL season, Week 2: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Ravens bounce back emphatically. Baltimore had 41 reasons to charge out of the gate with fury in Week 2 and delivered on that expectation, charging after Joe Flacco and the Browns offense and capitalizing on a blocked punt with a sharp touchdown pass in the red zone to open the scoring. While Cleveland's defense made the going temporarily difficult for Lamar Jackson and Co., the Ravens eventually overcame the challenge thanks to some elite playmaking from Jackson, Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins, who made two spectacular catches to push the Ravens way out in front. Baltimore only finished with 242 total yards of offense but played fantastic complementary football, racking up 41 points by winning in all three phases of the game, a trademark of a legitimate Super Bowl contender and a superior team handling its business against an inferior team. Fittingly, the Ravens finished with 41 points in Week 2, which should help wash away the pain from their Week 1 collapse -- a 41-40 loss -- and reduce it to little more than a memory.
2. Browns offense is painfully limited. Cleveland's Week 1 loss came down to failures in the details of the game. Week 2, however, illustrated how low its offensive ceiling is. Joe Flacco's lack of mobility was a glaring weakness against Baltimore's manufactured pressure, directly contributed to two turnovers and preventing the Browns from capitalizing on drives that moved into Baltimore territory. No matter how well the Browns' defense played in the first half and how often they provided the offense with additional possessions, it was all but guaranteed the their handcuffed offense wouldn't capitalize. Their only touchdown of significance required Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey to allow a pass to go through his hands and deflect upward toward Cedric Tillman, and even the most promising possessions fizzled before long. It's only Week 2, but the Browns might already be forced to confront this reality before October, especially after rookie Dillon Gabriel -- a quarterback who fits Kevin Stefanski's offensive approach better than Flacco -- moved the offense swiftly against Baltimore's backups. Naturally, Gabriel's garbage time touchdown drive -- which included three sharp passes, including a layered touchdown toss to Dylan Sampson -- has already prompted reporters to ask if Stefanski is considering a change under center, which he quickly rejected. If they continue along this subpar trajectory, he might need to consider it more seriously soon.
3. Baltimore continues to produce big plays. The Ravens finished short of 250 offensive yards on Sunday but their frequency of explosive plays carried over from their Week 1 fireworks display in Buffalo. Jackson tossed four touchdown passes and they went to three players -- including two of 20-plus yards -- set up another score via a 41-yard improvisational connection with Hopkins and proved that this Ravens offense can only be limited if the opposing defense keeps the clamps on them on every single play. Cleveland's defense did another excellent job of reducing an opposing offense's output on a consistent basis, but just when it thought it was about to get off the field, Jackson would make a key play that proved just how frustrating it can be to try to stop Baltimore's offense. Add in Roquan Smith's fumble recovery returned 63 yards for a touchdown and Nate Wiggins' 61-yard interception return and you can understand how the Ravens put 41 points on the board. They can beat opponents in a number of fashions

Next Gen Stats Insight for Browns-Ravens (via NFL Pro): Joe Flacco struggled mightily under pressure Sunday, finishing 6 of 18 for 24 yards and an interception. Ten Ravens defenders generated a pressure against Flacco.

NFL Research: The Ravens' 31 second-half points are the third-most scored in franchise history and the most points scored in a second half with Lamar Jackson at quarterback.

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• READ: Burrow suffered turf toe injury expected to sideline him 3 months

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Browning leads gritty comeback win for Cincinnati. In relief for an injured Joe Burrow, Jake Browning led a 15-play, 92-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that concluded with the backup quarterback breaking the plane on a sneak for the game-winning score. Browning, who had previously thrown three interceptions, wiped those bad throws from his memory by going 9-of-13 passing for 65 yards on a game-winning drive that included a pair of fourth-down situations. The second of which featured No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, who was in at cornerback getting flagged for pass interference while covering Andrei Iosivas to extend the possession. Browning keyed in on the rookie soon after, zipping a 16-yard strike to Ja'Marr Chase off Hunter's soft coverage to get to the 21-yard line. It was quite a frenetic sequence once the Bengals got within the 5-yard line as they got stuffed near the goal line multiple times while expending timeouts, but Browning's number was called on Cincinnati's last chance to avoid settling for a tie from the 1. Browning finished 21-of-31 passing for 241 yards, two TDs and three INTs for a 69.9 passer rating in his two and a half quarters of play, and while Burrow's injury hung a cloud over Paycor Stadium, having a backup with some moxie was the silver lining. 
2. Pair of big drops stymie Jacksonville's steady offense. The Jaguars were simply unstoppable with the ball through the first three quarters by scoring on five of their first seven possessions. If it weren't for self-inflicted mistakes — ill-timed penalties, turnovers and a couple of big drops — Jacksonville would've walked away with an easy win by virtue of its fantastic offense. The dropped passes might've been the biggest blunders. Dyami Brown, who scored the game's first TD, let a would-be TD pass go right through his hands, which led to the Jaguars settling for three points from the 8-yard line. Later in the fourth, with an opportunity to add to a three-point lead off Browning's third pick, the Jaguars went for it on fourth-and-5 from the Cincinnati 7-yard line but Brian Thomas Jr. couldn't corral it near the sticks. It wasn't a great day for Thomas, who had four receptions (49 yards) on 12 targets and could be blamed for Trevor Lawrence's second interception of the afternoon after the wideout seemingly heard footsteps on a throw up the middle. Despite those two moments, Liam Coen's offense was humming for most of the game. Lawrence operated it well, completing 24 of 42 passes for 271 yards and three TDs, but a stellar rushing attack that averaged 5.1 yards per tote had the Bengals on their heels. 
3. Cincinnati's high-priced talent came through. Ja'Marr Chase, the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver, came through with 14 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown to provide Jake Browning with a comforting target in relief. Tee Higgins, who inked a $100 million-plus contract as a No. 2 receiver, broke free on a 42-yard score to square it up, 24-24, late in the third quarter. Trey Hendrickson, who earned a $14 million raise in late August, brought five QB pressures — one of which influenced an early INT in the red zone — and secured the only sack for Cincinnati in the final seconds to force Jacksonville into a final play frenzy.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jaguars-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Travis Hunter did not play a defensive snap until cornerback Jarrian Jones was injured late in the first quarter. Hunter finished the game with 42 snaps on offense and 37 snaps on defense (six in Week 1), including a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth down with 1:54 left in the game to keep the Bengals’ game-winning touchdown drive alive.

 NFL Research: Ja'Marr Chase had his eighth career game with 150-plus receiving yards and one-plus receiving TD, tying Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for second most such games in a player's first five seasons. Only Hall of Famer Lance Alworth has more such games (12) in first five seasons.

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• READ: OT thriller 'cool way' for Schottenheimer to win first game

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Cowboys embrace their offense-first identity. The Micah Parsons trade sent Dallas' best defensive playmaker packing and positioned the Cowboys as a team that would likely need to rely on its offense to win games. We knew it to be true after Week 1 and that same certainty was unavoidable Sunday. The memorable fireworks display saw Dak Prescott throw for 361 yards and two scores, Javonte Williams finish with 97 rushing yards -- including a 30-yard touchdown run right up the middle -- and CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Jake Ferguson all make key contributions. This is largely how Dallas is going to be forced to operate in 2025 if the Cowboys are going to stack wins, so fans better get used to it. It likely won't require much convincing; everybody loves a shootout, right?
2. Russ almost dunked on all of his haters. Giants coach Brian Daboll started the week by spending roughly 24 hours warding off strong recommendations to bench Russell Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart, then watched Wilson break free from the red zone handcuffs that had restricted the Giants in Week 1 and compile one of the best days of his career. Wilson was all about the deep strike Sunday, connecting with Malik Nabers for a 29-yard touchdown, hitting Wan'Dale Robinson on a 32-yard dime for a touchdown on a must-have fourth down late in the fourth, and following that up with another missile to Nabers for a 48-yard touchdown to give the Giants a three-point lead. By all accounts, Wilson looked like the superstar from his best days in Seattle, throwing for 450 yards and powering a wildly explosive day for the Giants -- that is, until he went big game hunting one too many times, launching another deep ball toward Robinson in overtime that was intercepted and gave the Cowboys the chance they needed to win the game. That error might overshadow the day for Wilson, but once the pain of defeat subsides, we can all recognize that Wilson answered his critics emphatically Sunday and silenced the calls for Dart -- at least, until next Sunday afternoon.
3. Clean it up, guys. Lost in the absurd offensive totals were a combined 26 accepted penalties between the Giants and Cowboys. Initially, it was Daboll's unit that couldn't get it together, drawing seven flags in the first quarter alone. Yes, four of New York's early penalties came as a result of tackle James Hudson having a minor on-field meltdown in the first period, but this was by no means a clean game for either side. This game had it all: Pass interference, roughing the passer, offensive and defensive holding, false starts, illegal contact. You name it, the Giants and Cowboys were probably penalized for it. The infractions were one of the many herbs and spices mixed into this outrageous concoction, which made for a wildly thrilling afternoon in Arlington. But it isn't the hallmark of a true contender, and both sides need to clean things up going forward.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Giants-Cowboys (via NFL Pro): Russell Wilson completed 7 of 11 deep passes for 264 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the Giants' Week 2 loss to the Cowboys, the most deep passing yards by any quarterback in a game since at least 2016.

NFL Research: The Giants and Cowboys combined to score 41 points and five touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the most in a game since Week 12 of the 2024 season (Dallas at Washington, which also produced 41 points and five touchdowns). It was just the third game in NFL history to go to overtime after each team scored 20-plus points in the fourth quarter.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Lions bounce back with demolition of Bears. Following last week’s dismal performance in Green Bay, Detroit came out with a purpose and urgency, steamrolling the Bears in the final three quarters, scoring 24 straight at one point. Given plenty of time this week, Jared Goff played splendidly, dicing up Chicago’s defensive to the tune of 334 yards and five touchdowns on an 82.1 completion rate for a 156.0 passer rating. From the first snap, Goff’s play-action was on point, and he looked comfortable against a struggling Bears defense. When Goff has time — which the middle of the offensive line provided this week — he can pick apart a secondary. The connection with Amon-Ra St. Brown (nine receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns) was unguardable, especially in the red zone. This was the offense we’d come used to seeing in Detroit: Explosives for days, a run game gobbling up yards, and Goff carving up the middle of the field. By the time Jameson Williams pranced for a 44-yard touchdown in the third quarter, the party was on in Detroit. Locals can breathe a sigh of relief. The offseason of change didn’t completely alter everything. Sunday was the juiciest of 50-burgers against a division rival and former OC. What we really learned: Green Bay’s defense appears even better a week later.
2. Bears offense sputters again. Ben Johnson might have wished he were standing on the other sideline once again. As we saw last week, Caleb Williams got off to a good start leading an eight-play, 79-yard TD drive. The QB had another good possession to end the first half, but there was far too much inconsistency. He missed targets and made ill-advised throws, including an off-balance heave that was 10 yards off the mark and picked off. Williams’ infancy in Johnson’s offense is glaring as he still struggles to make the quick, easy throws regularly. The Bears' offense turned the ball over twice and was stopped on fourth down another two times. Solid early protection devolved as the deficit yawned, with Williams getting sacked four times before sitting down in the fourth quarter of the blowout. Chicago not only fell to 0-2, but it did so in depressing fashion against division opponents. In two weeks, all the offseason optimism in the Windy City has blown into Lake Michigan.
3. Lions defense makes game-altering plays. Kelvin Sheppard promised his defense would force turnovers in Week 2. It did just that. Brian Branch was all over the field Sunday, like a heat-seeking missile. The safety popped the ball loose from Bears running back D'Andre Swift for a first-half fumble. Branch finished with a sack, two tackles for loss, a pass defended, the forced fumble, and six tackles. Kerby Joseph added a diving interception. The turnovers were sandwiched around a turnover on downs when the defensive front stuffed Williams twice on sneaks. The Lions lacked pass rush early and still gave up chunk plays -- particularly to Rome Odunze -- but they made the big stops when the game was still in balance. With their ears pinned late, the pass rush finally showed up, including seven QB pressures and a sack from Aidan Hutchinson. Smothering a division opponent is a good sign in Sheppard’s first home game as a coordinator.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Lions-Bears (via NFL Pro): Jared Goff was at his best when using play-action, completing 12 of 14 attempts for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Goff was also 8 for 11 for 241 yards and two touchdowns on passes 10 or more yards downfield, the most yards he’s recorded on such passes since Week 16 of the 2022 (255).

NFL Research: Fifty-two points is tied for second most in a game for the Lions all time. Detroit scored 52 points in two games in 2024 with Ben Johnson as offensive coordinator (club record is 55-20 win over Chicago on Thanksgiving in 1997)

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Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. New England ends on high note after topsy-turvy day. The Patriots experienced a roller coaster of emotions when their defense and special teams took the field, but those units ultimately secured their first victory. Antonio Gibson's 90-yard kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter, which was the ensuing play after the punt team allowed a 65-yard TD return by Malik Washington, quickly got the Patriots the go-ahead score and Andres Borregales nailed a 53-yard field goal with under two minutes to play to provide a six-point cushion. Those two crucial scores made up for earlier blunders from Gibson and Borregales, with the former muffing an earlier return for bad field position and the latter missing two point-after attempts after the Patriots scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. New England's defense was leaky for a majority of the game, allowing Miami to get into an offensive groove due in large part to its poor tackling, but the fourth-quarter effort was phenomenal. Marte Mapu secured an interception that led to Borregales' final kick and the pass rush found two sacks on the Dolphins' final two offensive plays of the game, which ended on a turnover on downs. 
2. Dolphins lost their groove late in the fourth quarter. Tua Tagovailoa's first pass of the day was a near continuation of last week's calamity (offsetting penalties negated the would-be interception), but the Dolphins' QB would soon orchestrate the high-octane offense that took the league by storm not that long ago. Wideouts Tyreek Hill (six receptions, 109 yards) and Jaylen Waddle (five receptions, 68 yards, TD) produced familiar totals, and De'Von Achane (eight receptions, 92 yards, TD) provided an X-factor out of the backfield who really gave the Patriots trouble. Everything was going swell for Mike McDaniel's offense until late in the final frame, when Tagovailoa misfired on a crucial interception with a little over two minutes to play. That pick took the air out of a Dolphins offense that seemed to find its groove, and on its ensuing possession after New England cushioned its lead, the offensive line's pass protection struggled to allow Tagovailoa the time needed to find his playmakers downfield on the last possession. Tagovailoa finished 26-of-32 passing for 315 yards with two TDs and the INT -- an efficient stat line that once brought Miami success. Perhaps it's a good sign for the Dolphins following last week's crushing defeat in the season opener, but a winning result will have to wait.
3. Maye, Stevenson lead efficient Patriots offense. New England came out of the gate firing with three consecutive 10-plus play, 68-yard-plus scoring drives to begin the game. Drake Maye's passing and Rhamondre Stevenson's rushing led that charge, bringing a well-balanced attack that kept Miami honest. Maye finished 19-of-23 passing for 230 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 31 rushing yards and another score to his day. He finished with a career-best 137.3 passer rating. Stevenson led the team in rushing and receiving to total 132 scrimmage yards, with a good amount of those touches moving the chains for a New England offense that converted 7 of 12 third-down conversions. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): De’Von Achane forced eight missed tackles against the Patriots, tied for his third in a game in his career. The rest of the Dolphins offense forced four missed tackles combined. Most of Achane’s production came through the air, as Achane caught eight of his 10 targets for 92 yards and a touchdown, including 101 yards after the catch, second-most in a game in his career.

NFL Research: Drake Maye is the first Patriots quarterback with multiple passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the same game since Tom Brady in Week 2, 2019.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Jones throws three TDs in first start with San Francisco. Filling in for Brock Purdy, Mac Jones played well, spreading the ball around and mostly looking comfortable in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Jones started jittery, missing his first four passes -- including two grimace-inducers. However, the fifth-year pro settled in, hitting eight straight at one point. Jones’ ability to play the roll-out game fits well in Shanahan’s system. Jones peppered the middle of the field, putting balls on the money, including hitting Jauan Jennings in stride for a 42-yard touchdown. Despite Christian McCaffrey looking spry, the Niners called 39 passes for the backup quarterback, who finished with a 113.1 passer rating. Sunday marked only the second time in Jones’ career he’s thrown for 250-plus yards and three TDs (once in 2023). It wasn’t all perfect, with Jones holding the ball too long at times, including on a fumble. He could be a career backup at this point, but Jones showed he can handle this offense for as long as Purdy misses. That skill should keep him in the league for a while.
2. Rattler, Saints come up short in comeback bid. He might not be the long-term answer, but Spencer Rattler has been fun to watch through two weeks this season. The signal-caller lacks consistency and misses some gimmes – i.e., a wide-open Chris Olave on the opening drive that should have been an easy TD. Then Rattler will drop a dime, zip a dart over the middle, or shimmy past a defender with his legs for a crucial first down. Rattler completed 73.5% of 34 attempts and got the Saints into the right plays. He ran Kellen Moore’s offense well and found his quick targets often. If it weren’t for a few drops, his numbers would look even better. Falling to 0-2 is never great, but Moore’s club showed that it’s not a doormat. It's battled each game, made some entertaining plays, and kept the games close. If not for a third-quarter Alvin Kamara fumble that allowed the 49ers to stretch the game to two scores, it could have been a different outcome for a plucky Saints club.
3. Niners' kicking game figured out? San Francisco cut Jake Moody last week, handing the gig to Eddy Pineiro. Kyle Shanahan sacrificed some distance for an accurate veteran. Off the bat, things looked shaky with Pineiro shanking his first extra point try badly. However, he bounced back by putting two mid-40-yarders right down the pike and making his other two PATs. Shanahan could have passed up on the second field goal on a fourth-and-short, but instead trusted the veteran to make it. The change feels like it might finally stabilize the Niners' kicking game after two-plus years of shakiness

Next Gen Stats Insight for 49ers-Saints (via NFL Pro): Mac Jones targeted the intermediate level of the field (10-19 air yards) on 35.9% of his attempts in Week 2, his highest rate in a game since 2021. Jones completed 9 of 14 attempts when targeting the intermediate area for 158 yards and two touchdowns (+10.4% CPOE). 

NFL Research: Alvin Kamara now has four fumbles lost against the 49ers in his career. He has lost three others against only three other teams (Panthers, Buccaneers, Seahawks).

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• READ: Jets' Fields suffers concussion in Sunday's defeat
• READ: Bloody nose doesn't keep Allen from lead Bills to 2-0

Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:

1. Bills run over, and run it up, against division rivals. There was no post-Sunday Night Football thriller hangover for Buffalo. Josh Allen and Co. dispatched the upstart Jets with ease, scoring points on six of eight drives with the starting QB under center. Allen set the tone with a 40-yard scamper on the first march, and James Cook hammered home the message with 132 yards (second-best of his career) and two touchdowns. Against a Jets team that put up big offensive numbers in Week 1, Buffalo played keep-away with ease, dominating the time of possession battle with 25 first downs in over 38 minutes on offense. Everyone ate – 10 skill-position players logged touches – and Elijah Moore, a former Jet, had a healthy helping of revenge (31 receiving yards, rushing TD). Even when the Bills were bloodied, they were never even close to beaten; Allen missed just two plays in the first half after significant bleeding from his nose. Buffalo will enjoy this laugher with a short week coming up before its second straight AFC East test in five days against Miami.
2. For Jets offense, sequel not as good as original. Justin Fields' and Tanner Engstrand's debuts came as welcome shocks to the system in Florham Park. For the first time in what felt like forever, the Jets had themselves a quarterback and an offensive coordinator working in perfect harmony … which made Sunday's performance all the more discordant. Fields and the Jets offense were lifeless in Week 2, averaging 4.7 plays per drive and 3.3 yards per play. Buffalo keyed in on the run after New York rumbled over Pittsburgh in Week 1, and it worked. Breece Hall was bottled up (29 yards on 10 totes), and Fields was held at bay (49 yards) after running all over the Steelers. With the run game stalled and penalties frequently pushing the Jets back, the passing attack, nonexistent as it was, struggled. Fields was just 3-of-11 passing for 27 yards before exiting in the fourth quarter, deep into a blowout, to be evaluated for a concussion. New York didn't convert a single third down (0-for-11) on the day and didn't reach the end zone until a Tyrod Taylor-to-Jeremy Ruckert strike with less than four minutes to go. Was the Jets' Week 1 jumpstart for real or just an aberration? New York's first road test in Tampa Bay next week will be telling.
3. Glenn might need to send another message. After Xavier Gipson fumble turned the tide of the Jets' loss to Pittsburgh, the first-year Gang Green head coach quickly sent him packing. Glenn denied Gipson was waived for his costly cough-up, but the message was sent: Unforced errors will not be tolerated. After Sunday's shellacking, there are too many culprits on the Jets for New York to field a roster next week. Micheal Clemons was the most notable offense on Sunday after his unnecessary roughing the passer penalty on a third-and-19 in Jets territory on the Bills' first drive set Buffalo up for the game-opening TD. Clemons' foul was one of five on the day for 35 yards. Errors similarly riddled the secondary for the second week in the row, with Bills receivers easily beating the Jets secondary on crossing routes. Who, if anyone, will incur the wrath of Glenn this week?

Next Gen Stats Insight from Bills-Jets (via NFL Pro): Jets QB Justin Fields finished with a -41.6% completion percentage over expected, the lowest in the NFL (minimum 10 passing attempts) since at least 2016.

NFL Research: Sunday's game was the first time in the Super Bowl era that the Jets allowed four-plus passing TDs (Week 1 against Steelers) and 200-plus rushing yards (Week 2 against Bills) in consecutive home games.

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• REWATCH: Seahawks-Steelers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Rodgers ties Favre on career TD list
• READ: Holani takes advantage of rookie gaffe for Seahawks TD
• READ: Battista: Seattle defense a Week 2 bandwagon to jump on

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Seahawks dominated the second half, kept Rodgers, DK in check. The Seahawks have played some pretty good defense through two games, and their efforts Sunday helped get them in the win column. Although Seattle spotted the Steelers 10 points on two turnovers, the defense – without Devon Witherspoon – was doing its job in the first half, holding them to 64 yards. Old friend DK Metcalf caught a touchdown pass, but he was mostly quiet all day. The Steelers started gaining some momentum in the second half, but Seattle’s second pick of Aaron Rodgers came on a wild play in the end zone. Derion Kendrick had dropped an easy pick early, but he atoned with the diving, tipped-ball stab to end the final Steelers threat. Credit Mike Macdonald and his unit for showing up big defensively in a big win that avoided an 0-2 start.
2. Steelers’ banged-up defense allowed 30-plus points again. In Week 1, the Steelers survived allowing 32 points to the Jets in a close-shave victory. On Sunday, the Steelers once again allowed more than 30 points on defense – and the unit is hurting badly. Pittsburgh was already without Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott to start the day and lost Alex Highsmith, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson to injuries mid-game. Even so, it was shocking at times how easily the Seahawks moved the ball, especially on the ground. The back breaker came when Kenneth Walker III walked into the end zone virtually untouched on third-and-goal from the Pittsburgh 19-yard line. The Steelers picked off Sam Darnold twice, but Darnold had too much success throwing against a beaten-up secondary. Mike Tomlin thought his defense had special potential in the preseason, but it's now allowed as many 30-point games through two weeks as it had all last season.
3. Steelers rookie committed horrible sin on kickoff. Third-round running back Kaleb Johnson has gotten off to a rough start to his rookie season. In Week 1, he had five offensive snaps and one carry for minus-2 yards. On Sunday, Johnson was again a bit player on offense, but he made his biggest impact on special teams – and not in a positive way. After the Seahawks took a 17-14 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the game, they kicked off to Johnson. The ball hit in the landing area and was a live ball, skipping off the Heinz Field grass and bouncing over Johnson. It was a live ball, but he never chased it. The Seahawks’ George Holani did, however, recovering the ball in the end zone for a massive, momentum-shifting TD.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Seahawks-Steelers (via NFL Pro): Jaylen Warren picked up 48.5 yards after catch over expected on his 65-yard catch and run.

NFL Research: Aaron Rodgers threw his 508th TD pass in the NFL, hitting DK Metcalf for his first scoring catch as a Steeler. That TD tied Rodgers with Brett Favre for fourth all time on the TD passing list. 

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• REWATCH: Rams-Titans on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Stafford bounced back from bad pick as Rams dominated second half. Tennessee took a 13-10 lead into halftime as the Rams left points on the board. Matthew Stafford's bad interception in the closing minute of the first half allowed the Titans to gain the edge, and the Rams were lucky that a Titans punt return for touchdown was called back by a penalty. But they countered with a dominant second half, scoring on four of their first five possessions before running the clock out. Stafford completed 14 of 17 passes for 191 yards and two touchdown strikes in the second half, hitting Davante Adams to make it a two-score game late. The Rams also ran the ball effectively, even without Steve Avila on the offensive line, getting Blake Corum more touches and controlling the line of scrimmage the longer the game went on. The red-zone execution (3 for 6) needs work, but the overall product still looked strong.
2. Ward displayed his potential, but Titans couldn’t sustain momentum. Even while facing pressure in the first half, rookie Cam Ward – making his Nissan Stadium debut – had the crowd in the palm of his hand early, leading three scoring drives and giving the Titans a halftime lead. Ward followed up a terrific throw to (and catch by) Elic Ayomanor on the sideline for 23 yards. A few plays later, Ward bought time, threw across his body and hit Ayomanor for a highlight-reel TD. The Titans matched the Rams’ opening field goal in the third quarter, regaining the lead, but nothing worked offensively after that. Ward took a sack and fumbled deep in his own zone, and the Rams took control of the game thereafter. In the second half, Ward completed only 9 of his 16 passes for 52 yards, taking three sacks under heavy duress. This Titans offense will take some time to jell, but there’s at least some promise with Ward at QB. Now the Titans just need to protect him better.
3. Rams’ defense rises up, but was dealt blow with Witherspoon injury. The Rams clamped down defensively after halftime, holding the Titans to two field goals – including one in garbage time – and keeping them to fewer than four yards per play for the game. The big blow was Byron Young’s sack on Cam Ward, recovered by Nate Landman (who has had two great games), and the Rams would close the game out thereafter. Ward made some terrific plays, but the Rams’ steady pressure led to five sacks and a frustrated Ward by game’s end. It wasn’t all good news, however. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon suffered a broken clavicle, which is a significant blow to this unit. The Rams have Philadelphia next week and will be seeking revenge for their narrow playoff loss, but they’ll likely be shorthanded in the secondary for that one.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Titans (via NFL Pro): Cam Ward had only a 14.2% completion probability on his first career touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor. The throw traveled an air distance of 42.3 yards.

NFL Research: The Rams’ 33-19 victory was their biggest margin of victory since Week 13 of the 2023 season. It’s also the Rams’ first 2-0 start since 2021.

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• REWATCH: Panthers-Cardinals on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Cardinals force early turnovers, hold on late to move to 2-0. On the third play from scrimmage, Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat bullied his way into the backfield, punching the ball out of Bryce Young's hand. The ball pinballed around until Zaven Collins corralled it and tumbled into the end zone. On the ensuing possession, Mack Wilson crushed Young on a blitz, forcing a wobbler that was picked off by Baron Browning. The Cards took a 10-0 early lead. The lead would balloon to 27-3 early in the third quarter. Carolina battled back, scoring three touchdowns, and got the ball back on an onside recovery. However, despite a penalty-filled drive that kept Carolina’s hopes alive, 85-year-old Calais Campbell called game, sacking Young to end the threat. The early pressure packages made life miserable on Young, but after a slew of injuries to the Arizona secondary, many of those were tabled during the Panthers’ comeback bid. Campbell generated two sacks and two tackles for loss. The Cards' D did enough to push them to 2-0. The hope is that many of the injuries will not be long-term.
2. Young’s poor start overshadows good finish. Much like last week, Bryce Young's turnovers were the story of the game. The Panthers' QB spotted the Cards a double-digit lead in the first quarter with two avoidable turnovers. Under pressure, Young missed passes early and was rarely in rhythm in the first two quarters. Whether it was simply settling into the contest or a result of the Cards’ more vanilla defense, Young bounced back. He looked sharp, made heady throws, moved well in the pocket and was the force behind 19 straight points. His best play might have been a fouth-and-16 dart after stepping through the mess of a pocket to keep a touchdown drive alive. Young completed 34 of a whopping 55 attempts for 328 yards (the second 300-plus yarder of his career) with three TDs. Obviously, if it weren’t for the early mishaps, the Panthers wouldn’t have been in desperation mode for the entirety of the second half. The turnovers are something Young must erase from his game. This Panthers squad isn’t talented enough to overcome such errors.
3. Cards offense starts fast but sputters late. Kyler Murray led scoring drives on five of his first six possessions to build a big lead. There were some electric plays from the signal-caller, including a magical 31-yard scamper in which he covered nearly 68 yards. Despite the win, the Cards’ offense needs to improve in the red zone and generate more consistency. Murray’s biggest error helped jumpstart the Panthers' comeback. The QB tried to make a play on a third down, throwing an interception in the red zone on a play he should have given up on. The INT helped Carolina get back in the game. Against better clubs, it was the sort of play that gets you beat. The Cards' offense still has things to iron out, as they put up just 293 yards with 16 first downs – fewer than Carolina’s 342 and 26. The run game is lacking, and the Marvin Harrison Jr.-Murray connection didn’t click. But it’s much better to be tweaking things at 2-0 than the alternative.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cardinals-Panthers (via NFL Pro): The Cardinals defense recorded 21 pressures on Bryce Young’s 59 dropbacks (35.6%), tied for their third-most pressures in a game since Jonathan Gannon took over as head coach in 2023.

NFL Research: The Cardinals join the 2024 Steelers as the only teams since 2020 to start 2-0 despite having under 300 yards of total offense in each game.

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• REWATCH: Broncos-Colts on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Excellent balance powers Colts to 2-0 start. Daniel Jones' skeptics were eager to see how he might handle the test presented by the Broncos' defense after he carved up Miami's unit in Week 1, and to the dismay of those skeptics, he thrived for a second straight week. Jones operated the Colts' attack comfortably, throwing for 316 yards and a touchdown while avoiding major mistakes. We're starting to see why Shane Steichen confidently chose Jones as his starter during the preseason. But what truly powered the Colts to this comeback win was the offense's balanced approach, which leaned on Jonathan Taylor and his ever-present big-play threat. It came to fruition in a key spot in the fourth quarter when Taylor sliced through traffic and hit top speed on a 68-yard run that led to a crucial chip shot field goal. If Indianapolis can maintain this level of balance throughout the season, Jones will prove to be consistently effective, and the Colts will be AFC South contenders.
2. Denver folds in the fourth. Throughout much of this close contest, Bo Nix and the Broncos seemed to be a slight step ahead of the Colts, at least offensively. They converted consecutive red zone opportunities into touchdowns, opened the third with another convincing scoring drive and appeared poised to bury the Colts in the fourth when their operation began to crumble, starting with a Nix pass that was intercepted by Camryn Bynum. That swung things in Indianapolis' direction, and even when the Broncos drove deep into Colts territory late in the fourth, they still couldn't get out of their own way. J.K. Dobbins drew a delay of game penalty for spiking the ball after a 23-yard run, Adam Trautman was flagged for a facemask, and Wil Lutz clanged a 42-yarder off the right upright, leaving the door open for the Colts to go win the game. When Sean Payton reviews this tape, he'll be frustrated by the fact the Broncos simply didn't close what should have been a win. Luckily, it's early.
3. Shrader delivers. Kicking is rather volatile in football these days, with Cowboys boot Brandon Aubrey drilling 60-plus-yarders to send their game to overtime, while others like Younghoe Koo and Andre Szmyt missed crucial kicks in Week 1 losses. It's a treacherous landscape to enter as a youngster, but not for Spencer Shrader. Entering Sunday, Shrader had attempted just nine kicks in his NFL career and while he'd converted all of them, few were as important as the five he nailed Sunday -- including three in the fourth. The Colts failed to find the end zone in the final quarter, but were able to claw their way to a win because their kicker nailed each of the trio, including bouncing back from a missed 60-yarder nullified by penalty to convert the game-winner from 45. Kicking is a pressure-packed profession in today's game, but Shrader had nerves of steel Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Broncos-Colts (via NFL Pro): Jonathan Taylor reached a top speed of 22.38 mph on his 43-yard reception in the first quarter Sunday, the fastest speed by a ball carrier since Raheem Mostert in Week 2 of the 2020 season (23.09 mph).

NFL Research: The Colts are 2-0 for the first time since 2009, a season that ended with Indianapolis losing to Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV.

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• REWATCH: Eagles-Chiefs on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Eagles outslugged Chiefs in Arrowhead. Compared to the Super Bowl, Sunday’s Eagles-Chiefs game was a veritable rock fight. The Eagles took control in the third quarter, stopping the Chiefs twice (once on fourth down), but they led only 13-10 when Patrick Mahomes threatened to break them. That’s when Andrew Mukuba picked Mahomes off and ran it back 41 yards. Jalen Hurts then converted a massive third-and-10 throw to DeVonta Smith down to the Chiefs’ 3-yard line, and a tush-push TD made it a two-score game. The Chiefs appeared to have a legit gripe on the play, with both Eagles guards false starting, yet it went uncalled. The Eagles later converted another tush push where Chris Jones and Andy Reid protested either a false start or the marking of the ball. Either way, the Eagles won the physical battle on Sunday and made the fewer mistakes of the two teams, deepening the Chiefs’ misery a bit more.
2. Chiefs 0-2, and Kelce’s nightmare drop was the turning point. Travis Kelce was making a good impact on Sunday’s game, with four catches for 61 yards, when he dropped a well-placed pass from Patrick Mahomes at the Eagles’ goal line. It glanced off his hands and into those of the Eagles’ Andrew Mukuba, who would have scored had it not been for a terrific-effort tackle from Josh Simmons. It’s a play Mahomes and Kelce have run a thousand times, yet the future Hall of Fame tight end appeared to turn around a second late, unready for the pass. There were other missed connections, with Mahomes and Tyquan Thornton missing twice in the final minutes for what could have been big plays before finally connecting on a TD. The defense improved from its Week 1 showing, but the offensive struggles are a big reason why the Chiefs are 0-2 for the first time in the Mahomes era. The offense is just out of sorts, even if we must give the Eagles’ defense proper respect. Marquise Brown made a few big catches, and Thornton and Nikko Remigio made plays late, but there are just too few threats right now. Mahomes was brilliant scrambling early, but they had little else to fall back on.
3. Eagles’ Mukuba came up big. Eagles rookie Andrew Mukuba made several big plays in this game, including a first-half sack and a great third-down tackle short of the sticks one play prior to the Eagles forcing a turnover on downs on the Chiefs’ first possession of the second half. But Mukuba’s biggest play was the interception of Mahomes off Kelce’s hands that he nearly ran back for a touchdown. That was potentially a 14-point swing there, keeping the Chiefs out of the end zone and setting up the Eagles’ offense on what would be the game-winning TD. Mukuba missed a tackle that could have forced a fourth down, and he did rotate some with Sydney Brown, but the rookie looks like he could be a fascinating addition to this defense. He wasn’t part of last season’s Super Bowl victory, but helping the Eagles win in Arrowhead isn’t a terrible consolation prize.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Chiefs (via NFL Pro): The Chiefs blitzed Jalen Hurts on 16 of his 25 dropbacks (64.0%), which was the highest blitz rate by the Chiefs’ defense in a game since Steve Spagnuolo became defensive coordinator in 2019.

NFL Research: Jake Elliott is now 3 for 3 on field goal tries of 50-plus yards this season. In 2024, Elliott was 1 for 7 from 50-plus yards (14.3%), which was the lowest among qualifying kickers last season (minimum two such attempts).

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Grant Gordon's takeaways to come: