It's the second week of the NFL season, which means opening day jitters are out the window and we're starting to get a feel for which teams are better than expected, which teams are right on track, and which teams could be in deep trouble.
Week 1 was about as eventful as it could have been. Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury, the Dallas Cowboys laid a 40-point beatdown on their division rivals, and several alleged contenders lost in inexcusable fashion.
Well, it looks like we're in for more of the same this week. For every team that looks shockingly like a Super Bowl contender, there's a predicted Super Bowl contender that looks shockingly like Caleb Williams' next team.
As the new season begins to take shape, here are some Week 2 winners and losers to chew on.
NFL Week 2 winner: D'Andre Swift
The Philadelphia Eagles' defense was the driving force behind their 34-28 Thursday night victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Kirk Cousins followed up his three-interception Week 1 with a more efficient outing, but his playmakers coughed up four fumbles to negate any hint of progress.
That said, the real winner for the Eagles was newcomer D'Andre Swift, who the team acquired in a preseason trade with the Detroit Lions. Swift was unexpectedly quiet in the Eagles' Week 1 victory over New England — two touches for three yards — but the Eagles leaned heavily on the UGA product in Week 2, and to great effect.
Swift accrued 175 yards on 28 carries, with two touchdowns to show for it. He even added three receptions and six more yards through the air for those in PPR fantasy leagues. Swift was initially billed as the Eagles' No. 1 back following the trade, but he saw Kenneth Gainwell receive those touches in Week 1. After Week 2, it's hard to imagine the Eagles not force-feeding Swift on a more regular basis, even after Gainwell is back in the lineup.
NFL Week 2 loser: Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers made Justin Herbert one of the NFL's highest-paid QBs with a five-year, $262.5 million contract over the summer. It's hard to blame Herbert for the team's woes — 534 yards and three touchdowns across two games — but the Chargers are in an unexpected 0-2 hole to start the season. That's not going to cut it.
There are fingers to point everywhere, from the absence of Austin Ekeler to rampant miscommunication on both sides of the ball. The Chargers managed to keep Ryan Tannehill to a modest 246 passing yards and Derrick Henry was uncharacteristically ineffective on the ground (80 yards on 25 carries), and yet Los Angeles still found itself on the wrong side of 27-24.
The Chargers have a reputation for choking under pressure and fumbling golden opportunities. The Dolphins in Week 1 and now the Titans in Week 2 are solid, respectable opponents, but Los Angeles has to win close games against quality teams if the goal is to contend. If you pay your star QB over $50 million annually, your goal is to contend.
NFL Week 2 winner: Baker Mayfield
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-0 under new QB Baker Mayfield. Expectations were naturally low following the departure of future Hall of Famer and seven-time NFL champion Tom Brady, but Mayfield is more than carrying his weight for a team that's not ready to leave the contenders' circle.
Mayfield completed 26-of-34 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs' 27-17 victory over the Chicago Bears. While it's easy to chalk up the Bucs' hot start to the Vikings' undisciplined offense or Justin Fields' complete inadequacy in the pocket, it's hard to win NFL football games. It's time to give the Tampa, and Mayfield, some credit.
There is a lot of talent on the roster still left over from the Brady era. Mike Evans could be playing his last season as a Buccaneer, but he's not going out quietly. He caught six passes for 171 yards and a touchdown Sunday afternoon, emerging (as expected) as Mayfield's favorite target.
Don't look now, but Tampa has some juice.
NFL Week 2 loser: Justin Fields
We are fast approaching the panic zone with Justin Fields. Despite his incredible athletic gifts and natural talent as a runner, it will be impossible for Fields to chart a long and successful NFL career without more stability in the passing game. The Bucs' defense ate him alive on Sunday, as Fields mustered 16-of-29 passes for 211 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked six times.
Fields is waiting way too long in the pocket, struggling to make advanced reads and getting pressured before he locates his targets. His ability to improvise and generate extra time with his legs is helpful to a degree, but he can't fall back on that athleticism all the time. He has to be able to stand in the pocket and deliver on-time, on-target passes without telegraphing his intentions.
The Bears are 0-2 with a potential crisis at QB. Not how Chicago fans wanted to start the season.
NFL Week 2 winner: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks rebounded from a lousy Week 1 performance to outlast a very good Detroit Lions team in overtime. Geno Smith was back in last season's form — 32-of-41 passes completed for 328 yards and two touchdowns — and the receiving corps came to play, with nine different targets reaching double-digit yards through the air. Tyler Lockett was the star of the show, grabbing eight receptions for 59 yards and accounting for both of Smith's TD passes.
Seattle found less success on the ground, but Kenneth Walker made up for a rough evening (43 yards on 17 carries, 2.5 yards per carry) with two visits to the end zone.
The Lions played a solid game, with Jared Goff putting 323 yards and three touchdowns on the board, but overtime went the way of the Seahawks. Goff also threw one poorly timed interception, a credit to the Seahawks' swarming defense.
NFL Week 2 loser: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars authored a commanding Week 1 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, which led many to peg Trevor Lawrence's team as a below-the-radar contender. Week 2 didn't exactly dispel that notion, but the Jags lost 17-9 to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. It's hard to feel great about that outcome.
Frankly, it would have been better if the Jags lost 48-40. If you lose a shootout to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' explosive offense, you tip your hat and move on. That wouldn't have shined the most positive light on the defense, but it happens. It's Kansas City.
But, that was not the case Sunday afternoon. The Jags' defense actually held the Chiefs in check, with Mahomes only managing one touchdown strike en route to 17 points. No Chiefs receiver broke off more than 73 yards or four receptions. And yet, the Jags' offense still couldn't get the job done. Lawrence completed a paltry 22-of-41 passes for 216 yards. He struck up a fruitful connection with Christian Kirk (11 catches for 110 yards), but that's all the Jacksonville offense had going for it.
At 1-1, there's time for the Jaguars to get the offense recalibrated for future weeks. This was a prime opportunity for a meaningful upset, however, with the bonus of putting the Chiefs in a 0-2 hole. The Jaguars couldn't get it done.
NFL Week 2 winner: Bijan Robinson
The Atlanta Falcons are 2-0 despite the shaky QB play of Desmond Ridder, and a lion's share of the credit belongs to rookie RB Bijan Robinson. The No. 8 pick thrived in his second game, leading the Falcons' run-heavy attack with 19 carries for 124 yards. He also added four catches and 48 yards through the air.
The highlight of the day was a huge fourth-down run late in the game, which set up the Falcons' game-winning field goal with one minute left. It was a gutsy call from Arthur Smith and it shows how confident the Falcons are in Robinson's ability to make plays.
He is the crown jewel of an effective Atlanta offense. Even if the passing game continues to falter, the Falcons are going to pound defenses into the ground with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier in the backfield. That strategy has worked so far.
