The AFC, traditionally seen as the NFL’s powerhouse conference, currently has two 2-0 teams (Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins), while the NFC boasts six, with the New Orleans Saints possibly making it seven soon. The Cleveland Browns might add to the AFC’s 2-0 count by the end of Week 2.
It’s worth noting that all six teams that started the 2022 season 2-0 ended up making the playoffs.
Week 2 showcased instances where referees appeared reluctant to throw flags in high-leverage situations, reminiscent of the New York Jets’ Week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills, the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Commanders defeating the Denver Broncos.
Broncos QB Russell Wilson, who endured a league-high 55 sacks in 2022, was sacked seven times on Sunday. His history of high sack counts continued, as he was never sacked fewer than 30 times in Seattle and had at least 40 sacks in each year before 2023.
Despite the sacks, Wilson nearly orchestrated a remarkable comeback, connecting with Brandon Johnson for a 50-yard Hail Mary TD at the end of regulation.
Wilson also surpassed 5,000 rushing yards for his career, becoming only the third quarterback in NFL history to achieve this milestone, alongside Michael Vick and Cam Newton.
The Commanders deserve credit for starting the season 2-0 after overcoming an 18-point second-quarter deficit, marking their first 2-0 start in 12 years.
The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves at 0-2 for the second consecutive season. However, they managed to win the AFC North in 2022 despite a similar start, making them the only team to reach the playoffs with an 0-2 record since the NFL expanded to a 14-team playoff field in 2020.
Although the Bengals’ offense looked better in their Week 2 loss to the Ravens compared to their near-shutout by the Browns in Week 1, WR Ja’Marr Chase continues to struggle with just 10 catches for 70 yards this season.
The New England Patriots are 0-2 for the first time since 2001, ending a 22-year streak of avoiding such a start. Notably, their first Super Bowl win followed the 2001 season when Tom Brady was on their roster.
The New York Giants began the season with a disheartening 60-0 deficit in their first six quarters of play, a historically poor start. In the Super Bowl era since 1966, only the 1978 Baltimore Colts, who conceded 86 consecutive points, fared worse.
However, the Giants mounted an impressive comeback from a 28-7 third-quarter deficit against the Arizona Cardinals, winning 31-28.
The Dallas Cowboys continued their dominance in New York, first defeating the Giants 40-0 and then the Jets 30-10, making it a tough couple of weeks for New York football fans.
The Giants’ victory may come at a high cost, as star RB Saquon Barkley appeared to suffer an ankle injury late in the game, and they have a quick turnaround with a Thursday game against San Francisco.
The last defending Super Bowl champion to start a season 0-2 was the 1999 Broncos. The Kansas City Chiefs maintained that streak with a 17-9 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Kansas City has now defeated the Jaguars three times since November and extended their winning streak to eight games against them.
Reigning league and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes celebrated his 28th birthday with an impressive performance, passing for 305 yards and two TDs. This marked his 42nd career 300-yard game, the most by any player in their first nine seasons, surpassing Dan Marino and Matt Ryan. It’s worth noting that Mahomes is in his seventh season, with only one appearance in his rookie year (2017).
Speaking of rookies, Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua set records with 15 receptions for 147 yards and 25 catches through two games, becoming the first to achieve double-digit receptions and 100+ yards in his first two games.
Lions QB Jared Goff had an opportunity to break Rodgers’ record for consecutive passes without an interception (402) but fell short at 383, the third-longest streak ever. Unfortunately, his effort came in a game the Lions lost 37-31 to the Seattle Seahawks.
Despite the perception of a shootout, the Lions and Seahawks failed to set a record by combining for 80+ points in three consecutive matchups.
Seattle’s 48-45 win at Ford Field last year, the highest-scoring game of 2022, played a crucial role in Detroit missing the playoffs.
The Lions faced trolling from Seattle fans after DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson endorsed the blue ski mask schtick.
The Buffalo Bills convincingly defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 38-10, demonstrating their potential as a dangerous team with multiple players scoring touchdowns.
Bills QB Josh Allen played a clean game, ending a streak of six consecutive games with at least one turnover.
Raiders RB Josh Jacobs had a tough day, rushing for -2 yards, the lowest total ever by a reigning rushing champ in the Super Bowl era. He did contribute with five receptions for 51 yards, providing some consolation for fantasy owners.
Sunday served as a reminder of the risks associated with investing heavily in one talented running back, as both Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, who were franchised in the offseason, are scheduled to be free agents in 2024.
Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love has made an impressive start to the season with three TDs in each of his first two starts, outperforming legendary predecessors like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in their early careers.
However, Love couldn’t lead the Packers to a 2-0 start on the road, a feat that has eluded the franchise in its 103-season history.
The Chicago Bears are off to a challenging 0-2 start, with QB Justin Fields struggling despite significant investments in free agency.
The absence of Nate Davis in the lineup further hampered Chicago’s performance on Sunday.
Once the winningest franchise in NFL history, the Bears have relinquished that title to the Green Bay Packers. Chicago is currently enduring a 12-game losing streak, the worst in its 104-season history.
The Bears’ alternate uniforms, featuring orange helmets and jerseys, may appear monstrous, but at least they wisely reserve this look for road games rather than sporting it at Soldier Field.
The Chicago Bears are still searching for their first win, but the Tennessee Titans managed to break an eight-game losing streak that began on Thanksgiving weekend last year by defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime.
In another game, the San Francisco 49ers extended their regular-season winning streak to 12 games by defeating the Los Angeles Rams 30-23.
The 49ers have also now beaten the Rams nine consecutive times in the regular season.
Interestingly, the game featured a unique quarterback matchup: “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy