Drama was the name of the game for week 2. 11 of the 14 games on Sunday were decided by one possession. Here’s the breakdown of Sunday’s best…
Trouble in Baltimore?
The Baltimore Ravens came into this weekend looking forward to their home opener against a struggling opponent in the Las Vegas Raiders. The Ravens lost last week, but it was to the reigning Super Bowl champs. However, yesterday’s debacle will certainly create a sense of urgency.
The Raiders were led by Gardner Minshew, who went 30/38 for 276 yards, a touchdown, and an interception – a very respectable game from the NFL journeyman. However, Las Vegas ended the game with only 27 rushing yards.
Lamar Jackson had 247 yards, a touchdown, and an interception – with 45 rushing yards to go along. Derrick Henry had a better outing than in Kansas City, finishing with 84 yards and a score. Also, Mark Andrews reclaimed the top tight end role, having 4 receptions for 51 yards compared to Likely’s 2 for 26.
The Ravens had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter but failed to guard it. With the game on the line, Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson drilled a game-winning field goal in the final minute, handing Baltimore a heartbreaking loss.
Baltimore has a chance to rebound versus the Dallas Cowboys, with an 0-3 record looming large. The Raiders host Carolina looking to cruise to a promising 2-1 start.
Vikings Stun 49ers
The Minnesota Vikings are in the early running for wildcard team of the year. They lost their first-round and starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus and many expected this year to be exploratory in the first place.
The 49ers are fresh off of dominating the Jets in Monday Night Football, as their eyes remain set on the Lombardi Trophy in February. However, on Sunday, they hit a bump in the road against this feisty Vikings squad, losing 23-17.
Sam Darnold continued his career-best play, finishing with 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns – while adding an interception for balance. Justin Jefferson reminded us why he is the highest paid non-QB in history with his 4 reception day that totaled him 133 yards and a house call that went for 97 yards.
Speaking of that 97-yard lightning strike, it came following a San Francisco turnover on downs. The 49ers repeatedly got in their own way, despite respectable performances from many. Jordan Mason continued his surprise excellence in the absence of Christian McCaffrey with 100 yards and a score. Brock Purdy had 319 yards as well as a touchdown and an interception. While not an alarming stat line, Purdy’s command of the offense lacked cohesion at times, ultimately costing them.
The San Francisco 49ers look to have their “get right” game against the floundering Los Angeles Rams, while Minnesota hosts Houston with a chance to really get wild.
Another Super Bowl Home Team?
The New Orleans Saints dismantled the Carolina Panthers last week 47-10. It raised some eyebrows, as Derek Carr looked impressive, but most quickly moved on because the Panthers are in disarray. However, Sunday’s results paint a much different headline.
The Saints went marching into Dallas who was bolstering a 16-game win streak at home. Derek Carr put his haters in a choke hold after tossing for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 16 attempts, handing Dallas a devastating 44-19 defeat. Alvin Kamara also reminded many of his silent excellence, toting a 180 total yards and 4 touchdowns.
Aside from one drive that ended in a CeeDee Lamb touchdown, the Cowboys settled for 4 field goals and struggled to find a rhythm. Dak Prescott had 293 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Typically, in a lopsided game we see the quarterback playing catchup end with inflated passing yardage. That was not the case here.
The Saints have a date with the Philadelphia Eagles at home, as they continue to prove themselves. As stated earlier, Dallas and Baltimore will square off in an all-important game to set things right for their squads.
Note: the 44-19 final score was a Scorigami1, marking the second in two weeks. Happy Scorigami!
Divisional Round Rematch
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions faced off in what was the rematch of last year’s intense Divisional Round game that saw the Lions claim victory 31-23. This time, however, Baker and the Bucs flipped the script, winning 20-16.
In what was a field-goal-heavy weekend across the league, only 3 touchdowns were scored in this anticipated matchup. Baker Mayfield did it all for Tampa, but was not as surgical as last week. He threw for 185 yards and had a touchdown and interception. Additionally, he was the Buccaneers leading rusher with 34 yards and a score.
Jared Goff threw the ball an absurd 55 times, which is uncommon in such a low-scoring affair. Besides the 2 turnovers, you could point the finger to the unbalanced play calling that led to an inability to finish off drives.
Despite being outgained and outplayed2 in almost every metric, the Bucs pulled out a gritty win, relying on Baker Mayfield’s leadership and a few key defensive stops to edge out Detroit.
Detroit will play Arizona in what now looks to be a fun and potentially high-scoring matchup. Tampa Bay plays the Denver Broncos with a prime opportunity to start 3-0 while Bo Nix struggles to get Denver in sync.
End of an Era in LA
The Rams’ Super Bowl victory in 2022 feels like a distant memory, as their current 0-2 start has fans questioning whether the magic is gone.
The Rams have already been through the wringer, with Puka Nacua sidelined several weeks, Cooper Kupp being in a walking boot, and the league’s oldest starting QB Matthew Stafford flirting with Father Time. The 2009 No. 1 overall pick was sacked an alarming 5 times yesterday, while no Rams receiver went over 50 yards and no running back over 28.
The Cardinals put on an offensive clinic, featured by three outstanding performances:
Kyler Murray was 17/21 for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. He added 59 on the ground as well.
James Conner had 122 yards on 5.8 YPC3 and one trip to pay dirt.
Rookie Marvin Harrison had his breakout game with 4 receptions for 130 yards and a pair of scores.
Kyler Murray is finally healthy and Jonathan Gannon’s schemes seem to finally be gaining traction. They sent the Rams to the Bottom of the NFC West, winning 41-10.
As previously highlighted, Arizona gets a much-anticipated home game against Detroit and the Rams will try to defend against the 49ers assault.
Bitter Rivalry
In what’s quickly becoming one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries, the Chiefs and Bengals clashed in a thriller, with Kansas City narrowly escaping with a 26-25 victory after a crucial Bengals penalty.
Joe Burrow threw for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns. A staggering 151 of his yards were to tight ends – Mike Gesicki, Erick All Jr., and Drew Sample.
Patrick Mahomes had a down day in his standards with just 151 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and a pair of interceptions. Isiah Pacheco controlled the tempo with 19 carries and 90 yards. Unfortunately, the reliable back fractured his fibula and will miss considerable time this season.
The team stats were nearly identical, except for Cincinnati’s sluggish running game. The Bengals had the advantage late in the fourth quarter, but penalty discipline proved costly. They committed twice as many penalties as Kansas City, including a crucial pass interference that set up the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal.
The Bengals are no stranger to slow starts, and they look to get things rolling against the reorganizing Washington Commanders. The Chiefs have their eyes set on a historic third-straight Lombardi Trophy. They will face off against the Falcons on Sunday Night Football.
Wrap Up
Week 2 brought all the drama, from last-second field goals to upsets and breakout performances. As the season unfolds, the stakes will only get higher – so stay tuned for more!
- A unique score in the NFL that has never occurred previously. Sunday’s Scorigami was the 1,086th unique score in NFL history. ↩︎
- Detroit doubled Tampa Bay in total yardage, had 12 more first downs, 5 more third down conversions and 3 more fourth down conversions, ran 36 more plays, had 5 sacks and gave up none, punted 3 less times, and possessed the ball for nearly 8 minutes longer than the Bucs. The only nod Tampa gets is their narrow edge in the turnover battle (+1). ↩︎
- Yards per carry – used to measure a running back’s efficiency. ↩︎
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