The Seven Points for Week 2 in the NFL

This week saw the injury bug infect a multitude of teams as we’re just getting things situated into the new season. We also saw some teams step up to the plate and slug it out in a few nail-biters this week. Let’s go through some of the essential storylines after week 2.

Fields of (Broken) Dreams

Justin Fields was one of, if not the most anticipated quarterback to leap this season. Going into his third year with a number one receiver (DJ Moore) and investment in the offensive line, we were expecting Fields to hit the ground running, yet he’s done anything but that, figuratively and literally. He’s been sacked 10 times already through two weeks, some of which were due to indecisiveness in throwing the ball. Fields only have 62 rushing yards through two weeks after running for well over 1,000 yards last year. This has led to Fields not trusting the coaching staff and playing “robotic”. When asked about why he’s thinking so much on the field, he poignantly said “Coaching”. “They’re doing their job when they’re giving me what to look at, stuff like that,” Fields said. “But at the end of the day, I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes.” It will be intriguing to see how the next game plays out for Fields with his new mentality of playing loose. Unfortunately for him, he’s got to rebound against the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Good luck Justin!

Nacua Matata

Every season in the NFL sees one player with little to no hype coming out of the woodwork to become a focal point of their team. When the Rams put Cooper Kupp on the Injured Reserve list, someone needed to step up for the team, and 5th-round pick Puka Nacua from BYU has done that and then some. Through two games, Nacua has a remarkable 25 catches on 35 targets. He’s played like a true alpha wide receiver under Head Coach Sean McVay’s system and has carved out a great role in the offense. When Kupp returns, Nacua and He along with TuTu Atwell will give Matthew Stafford a litany of options, and it could be what pushes the Rams forward to a surprise season.

The Great Bijan

Unlike the previously mentioned Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson was a prospect with a lot of expectations to be the next superstar running back in the league, and so far, so good. He gained 174 scrimmage yards and was the MVP in the Falcons’ win over the Packers last week. He passes the eye test with his explosiveness and great vision and has made an already good Falcons run game into arguably the most dangerous in football. With Bijan adding a new dynamic to the 2-0 Falcons offense and an improved defense, the Falcons are a solid candidate to win a softer NFC South, although the Saints and Buccaneers are undefeated as well and will be competitive.

Giant Lies

After being the surprise playoff team of 2022, the New York Giants have looked anything but playoff caliber in the first two games of the season. First, they got blown out 40-0 against the rival Cowboys, they trailed 28-7 against the bottom-feeder Cardinals before coming back to win 31-28. The big issue is the main catalyst for their comeback (Saquon Barkley) is out for the foreseeable future. They rank dead last in defensive DVOA (defensive value over average) and it showed with journeyman QB Joshua Dobbs carving up the Giants’ secondary. I feel that it’s going to get worse before it gets better with the 49ers, Seahawks, dolphins, and Bills for the next four games.

The Bungals

Okay, so things aren’t as smooth in Cincinnati as they should be. I said last week not to worry about them, and while it’s very early, I think the Joe Burrow injury is affecting his play more than what was led on. Joe has only completed 57 percent of his passes and as a result, has put his team in an 0-2 hole. Jamarr Chase has had a quiet start after a spectacular first two seasons in the league, and it will be key for him and Burrow to get back in sync so that they can avoid a 0-3 start, that is if Burrow’s calf is good to go by Monday.

Commanding your attention

The Washington Commanders have an exciting offense that is spearheaded by an offensive coordinator with championship pedigree, Eric Bienemy. He’s brought a variety of shift-motion play calls to the team and it has paid off for them. QB Sam Howell completed 68.9 percent of passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. RB Brian Robinson ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns of his own. With WRs Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samual all viable to make big plays, the Commanders are a sneaky team that can be more competitive than we were expecting at the start of the season.

Chubb’s done.

An unfortunate injury on Monday night left Nick Chubb out and on the shelf for the rest of the season, as that’s back-to-back weeks we’ve seen a superstar player’s season end on primetime. The Browns’ identity on offense was Nick Chubb, so this injury will result in a major shift that QB Deshaun Watson will have to spearhead. The problem is that he hasn’t looked good going back to last season. He’s thrown 7 interceptions in his eight career starts as a Brown and hasn’t passed the eye test like he did with the Texans previously. Head Coach Kevin Stefanski is from an offensive background, so he’s going to be tasked with restructuring the offense and building up the passing attack. The re-signing of RB Kareem Hunt may help with said passing game, along with WR Amari Cooper who’s a consistent 1,000-yard player. It’s still a long year so only time will tell how it all shakes out.