Winner: Arizona Cardinals
It’s at all times satisfying to see shaky NFL narratives confirmed false shortly after they bubble up, particularly when it issues a first-round draft choose. The knives had been out for Arizona’s rookie extensive receiver Marvin Harrison Jr after his one-catch debut in opposition to the Buffalo Payments in week one. Some assessments had been unkind to say the least: “shockingly sluggish and unsure” was one of many extra light ones on social media. However some grace for a tough debut was due contemplating how a fierce Payments protection restricted his influence. On Sunday, he put in a redo for the file books as he torched the LA Rams with two touchdowns and 130 yards within the opening quarter, greater than his father gained in any quarter in his Corridor of Fame profession. The spotlight was a 60-yard rating during which Harrison’s uncooked velocity turned tight protection right into a yawning runway. Rams security Kamren Curl remains to be asking for instructions to the closest finish zone.
Loser: Baltimore Ravens
Isaiah Possible can’t catch a break. Per week after a toenail out of bounds dominated out a landing and the prospect of upsetting the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, the shoulder of Jack Jones arrived to disrupt Possible’s beautiful sideline catch. The Las Vegas cornerback’s impolite arrival upset a play that might have given Justin Tucker a makeable area objective to tie the sport with one second remaining. After dropping two winnable video games, the Ravens are actually scratching their heads at 0-2. There isn’t a disgrace in dropping to Patrick Mahomes and none, on paper, to the Raiders both. The added context of John Harbaugh’s group turning a 10-point closing quarter lead right into a 26-23 defeat, a well-known pattern for a group who typically wrestle to place opponents away, is the place issues flip bitter for the Ravens. Because the begin of the 2022 season Baltimore have blown a double-figure lead seven instances. Certain, Maxx Crosby helped bulldoze the Raiders again into rivalry, however killer errors, similar to Brandon Stephens’ move interference giving Las Vegas a gimme landing, imply a troublesome journey to Dallas now appears like a should win with the Payments and Bengals ready within the wings.
Winner: kickers
Is it simply me or are kickers having fun with a sizzling streak, wrapped in a golden age, inside an apex? All over the place you look 50-yard bombs are thundering by means of the uprights. The numbers are unbelievable: as of Sunday, 136 area objectives had been made out of 146 makes an attempt at a 93% success price. Final season the success price was 89% over the opening two weeks and 86% throughout the season as an entire – the second-highest hit price after 2013’s 86.5% (the common season success price since 2013 is 84%.)
The numbers solely get you up to now although. The Commanders introduced in Austin Siebert after Cade York’s two misses in week one. First-day jitters? Nope. The brand new child scored each level of Washington’s 21-18 win over the New York Giants, with seven area objectives. Veteran Chris Boswell did one thing comparable for Pittsburgh, with six from six in week one. The NFL’s elite toes have gone from making 80% of whole area objectives in only one season final century to now forming a military of Justin Tucker clones (though Baltimore’s traditionally correct boot is certainly one of solely three kickers to have missed twice this season). Harrison Butker’s game-winning 51-yarder for the Chiefs in opposition to the Bengals neatly tied a double bow on issues. His kick hit the security web so excessive up it appeared as if it might need challenged Tucker’s 66-yard NFL file. How significantly better can these kickers get?
Loser: Anthony Richardson
Would the Colts have been higher off holding Gardner Minshew? It feels improper to counsel so, contemplating the upside of Anthony Richardson’s ridiculous arm – the overhead view of his 60-yard rating final week needs to be seen to be believed. However his former backup did have some success final season because the Colts simply missed out on the playoffs, a state of affairs that feels unlikely beneath the prevailing wind in 2024, with the Colts at 0-2. On Sunday Richardson’s excessive stakes type delivered the entire threat and not one of the reward with three interceptions in an embarrassing loss to the Packers, who had been led by backup Malik Willis. Whereas QB suitability is at all times going to be questioned after such a defeat, the larger challenge for the Colts is how a lot stress their flimsy protection is placing on Richardson. Behind the restricted capability of Willis, Inexperienced Bay’s plan was at all times going to be to run the ball. Quite a bit. But Indy laid right down to such an extent they allowed 164 speeding yards in a single quarter and 261 in whole, lacking 16 tackles within the course of. And this after they gifted 213 speeding yards to the Texans within the first week of the season. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s run protection regressed regardless of understanding what Inexperienced Bay would do. The Packers simply hogged the ball, chewing up an immense 40 minutes of possession to Indy’s 20, the precise energy-sapping break up as in opposition to Houston. Richardson or some other quarterback will fail if the protection continues to skew video games so wildly away from the Colts’ management.
Winner: defensive disciples
New Orleans and Minnesota got intimidating defensive assignments on Sunday. The Saints needed to cease a Cowboys group on a 16-game regular-season dwelling successful streak, whereas the Vikings had a go to from Kyle Shanahan’s mighty 49ers. Each groups had been big underdogs. Each had been pushed to beautiful wins by means of defensive would possibly. Whereas Derek Carr pitched an MVP innings on one facet of the ball, his defensive counterparts pulled their weight with three sacks and two interceptions. Dak Prescott appeared shot to items as he got here again with nothing from three journeys to the crimson zone. The Saints’ most spectacular flip was cornerback Kool-Support McKinstry holding CeeDee Lamb to 90 yards on 4 catches. The rookie is proving a greater than succesful understudy to Marshon Lattimore.
The Vikings have their very own star in defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He wrote the proper script to disrupt Brock Purdy and the 49ers. Flores’s artistic blitz schemes generated seven QB pressures and 6 sacks. Credit score should additionally go to GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah whose acquisition of free-agent linebackers Blake Cashman, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel has added chew this season. They every had one sack whereas Cashman additionally deflected three passes. Purdy’s trustworthy post-game reward of Flores says all of it: “Your scheme is loopy.”
