The opening week of the NFL common season would possibly garner all the joy, however Week 2 is far, far more necessary. It’s right here the place we get to see how gamers reply to the successes and failures of the earlier week, in addition to how teaching staffs can alter their strategy putting in new sides of the offense and protection. There’s a world of distinction between beginning 0-1 on the 12 months, and falling into an 0-2 gap — which means that this week is crucial.
What we noticed in Week 1 was a surprising quantity of mediocre play, notably on the quarterback place. Whereas it’s true that NFL defenses have gotten higher at utilizing inventive fronts and unique blitz packages, we nonetheless noticed passing down across the whole league in Week 1. It’s because of this plenty of quarterbacks make the listing of gamers who want to enhance.
To ensure that groups to take a step ahead we have to see significantly better play from these six gamers in Week 2.
No. 1: Deshaun Watson
The Browns must be able to be a playoff staff this season, however what we noticed out of Cleveland in Week 1 was something however. This begins and ends with Deshaun Watson. There’s no good method to say it: Watson is being paid an excessive amount of cash to play soccer like ass. It’s about useful resource allocation as a lot as the rest, and because it stands the Browns could be an equal, if not higher staff, with virtually another quarterback within the league proper now.
The saving grace for Watson and the Browns in Week 2 is that they play the Giants, who will probably be vying with the Carolina Panthers for worst staff within the NFL. There may be completely no cause Watson shouldn’t have success, but when he struggles once more, or God forbid the Browns fall to 0-2 — nicely, it’s going to get ugly.
No. 2: Aaron Rodgers
This can be a pretty related scenario to Watson, although not fairly as pronounced. One other sweetheart decide to make the playoffs, the Jets struggled in Week 1 as a result of their protection couldn’t deal with the 49ers’ floor sport, whereas Rodgers wasn’t in a position to do sufficient to maintain them in rivalry.
Rodgers and the Jets offense actually need to get issues transferring in opposition to the Titans on Sunday. Each excuse for this staff is gone now. Previously they had been in a position to make use of Zach Wilson and poor QB play because the scapegoat for underperformance, however this merely can’t proceed with Rodgers underneath heart. One other sport they need to win, if the Jets fall to 0-2 we very nicely could possibly be seeing the tip of Robert Saleh’s tenure as head coach.
No. 3: Bryce Younger
No fanbase got here crashing all the way down to earth extra shortly in Week 1 than the Carolina Panthers. It’s not a lot that Panthers followers anticipated brilliance of mass quantities of wins in 2024, however they needed to see enchancment — and as a substitute received a 47-10 beatdown by the hands of the Saints.
Younger wasn’t the one difficulty for the Panthers, however he was a giant a part of his. His mediocre, two interception day did nothing to assuage fears that these are the “usual Panthers,” and there’s already social media chatter about Carolina’s commerce for him being one of many worst of all time.
That has to alter in opposition to the Chargers. It’s much less about profitable the sport, and extra about really displaying some drive and potential even in a loss. Younger wants to indicate he can command the offense and take a step ahead, or we could possibly be witnessing one other ugly period of Panthers soccer.
No. 4 and No. 5: Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns
On paper the Giants regarded like they had been going to boast top-of-the-line go dashing duos within the NFC this 12 months, and in Week 1 each their defensive ends had been completely terrible. The Vikings have a stout offensive line, however there’s no excuse to area two elite go rushers like Thibodeaux and Burns, however get virtually no manufacturing out of them.
Thibodeaux lay a goose egg in opposition to Minnesota, contributing nothing within the sport. His non-factor efficiency was coupled with Burns, who managed to register 4 tackles — however just one strain.
This week they face the Browns, and an offensive line which was very shaky in opposition to Dallas. In flip there’s no excuse for a weak efficiency from these high go rushers, and if they’ll’t get any disruption it’s going to be an extended, lengthy season in New York.
No. 6: Kirk Cousins
The Falcons made Kirk Cousins the very best paid participant free agent quarterback with the assumption he may get them excessive and safe the NFC South, and now one week in they’re tied on the backside of the division with the Panthers.
Sure, it’s just one week, however Cousin’s first efficiency within the black and purple was nothing to write down house about. He didn’t stretch the sector, couldn’t discover Drake London with regularity, and didn’t try a single go of 20+ air yards.
The complete cause Cousins was signed was to have the ability to air it out the place Desmond Ridder couldn’t, and we didn’t see any of that in Week 1. In an effort to restore some religion he’ll want a significantly better displaying in opposition to the Eagles.