Every week in the NFL season brings a host of new questions … and answers some old ones, too. Let’s run down what we learned in Week 2 … and what we’ll be wondering about in Week 3 and beyond.
ASKED: How far can the Vikings go?
We’re not yet ready to give up on all our “Sam Darnold is terrible” takes over the years; if we have to get rid of cherished beliefs like that, what else do we have? But you’ve got to admit Darnold has looked — well, not “rejuvenated,” that would imply he was juvenated to begin with — let’s go with “inspired.” He threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, snaring a third of his yardage total on this absolute seed to Justin Jefferson:
Kevin O’Connell has the Vikings humming after Sunday’s big 23-17 win over the 49ers. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is working magic on that side of the ball. It gets tougher from here — the Texans and Packers await — but it’s clear that this team won’t be the NFC North walkover everyone expected.
ANSWERED: Whether the Saints are legit
Beating the Panthers isn’t exactly the mark of a champion. Beating the brakes off Dallas, in Dallas, and you can start thinking about the division crown. The Saints have been spinning in place since Drew Brees retired, but Sunday’s utter beatdown of Dallas — 44-19, and it didn’t even seem that close — is the kind of game that makes us reassess everything we know about this team.
Given that the Saints’ quarterback is Derek Carr and their leading rusher was Alvin Kamara — both of whom we know very well at this point — the X factor is clearly new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who has managed to harness and then unleash an array of weapons. (Kamara getting 115 yards and three touchdowns on the ground? Three receivers topping 60 yards? It happened!) The question of Dallas’ viability is one that hangs over the Cowboys every year, but the Saints have put the league on notice that they’ll be looking to return to their own former glory very soon.
ASKED: When are we going to see the Trevor Lawrence magic?
You know the line on Lawrence — best No. 1 draft pick since Peyton Manning, savior of Jacksonville, blah blah. It’s the start of Year 4 now, and Lawrence is just … OK? If that? Jacksonville lost a very winnable game against Cleveland Sunday, 18-13, and it was in large part because of Lawrence’s inability to find receivers, put the Jaguars in the end zone, and — at the end of the game — keep from getting sacked in the end zone himself. These are not the actions of a marquee, front-line, elite-level quarterback — and Lawrence gets paid like one, and has all the expectations of one.
Two games in, and Jacksonville is two games behind Houston for the division lead. The only surprise here is that it’s not an even bigger deficit. After all, you don’t spell DUVALLL with W’s.
ANSWERED: Whether Arizona is on the right path
Look, it’s fair to admit you had questions about Kyler Murray’s viability as an NFL quarterback, whether based on his size, propensity for injury or decision-making. But if you had those questions, you now have your answer: When healthy, and when surrounded by the right playmakers, Kyler Murray is a dangerous QB. Murray and the Cardinals diced the Rams 41-10 Sunday, the kind of beating that leaves some long-term psychic scars.
Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. might just be the next great QB/WR combo. They hooked up for an easy 130 yards and two touchdowns, rendering Harrison’s unspectacular rookie debut last week a moot issue. Harrison was the best player on the field in college; why would anyone think he’d be the worst in the NFL? James Conner (122 yards rushing, 1 touchdown) has found his mojo this season too, and the result is an offense that’s as lethal as expected. But don’t discount the Cardinals defense, either; it takes weight to shut down a Sean McVay/Matthew Stafford offense the way Arizona did Sunday. We’re not yet ready to write in Arizona as an NFC favorite, but it has all the pieces necessary to elbow into the playoff conversation.
ASKED: How much trouble are the Bengals and Ravens in?
You could’ve made a lot of money betting that both the Ravens and Bengals would be 0-2 at this point in the season, if you’re the kind of person that likes wagering on others’ misery. Two AFC playoff perennials, already staring at a huge mountain to climb just to get into the postseason? Inconceivable! But here we are, so let’s dig in.
If you’re looking for the “better” loss, look to the Bengals. After last week’s ugly and unexpected loss to New England, Cincinnati found its footing and very nearly beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, losing on a late field goal. The Bengals may or may not be a postseason threat, but they have a pleasant little stretch coming up here — Washington and Carolina, before a showdown with Baltimore — that can help them erase these early-season woes in a hurry.
Baltimore, on the other hand, saw a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead against Las Vegas — Las Vegas! — evaporate en route to a 26-23 loss. That’s a sign of an across-the-board breakdown, uncharacteristic for a John Harbaugh-coached team. Baltimore has a choppy road in the immediate future — Dallas, Buffalo and that Bengals divisional matchup — so if this team wants to put itself in position to be a Super Bowl contender, there’s no more time to waste.
ANSWERED: Whether the Bears are ready to level up
If you know a Bears fan, give ‘em a hug today. This fanbase hasn’t had much to cheer about since, oh, 1985, so when they landed Caleb Williams in the draft this year, there was (justifiable) cause for celebration. Now? Not so much. Williams threw two interceptions — ugly ones, at that — and never looked comfortable in a 19-13 loss to Houston Sunday night. Granted, a whole lot of that isn’t Williams’ fault — it’s clear that the Bears’ O-line was overmatched, and the last thing you want a rookie quarterback to see is a swarming, hungry defense like Houston threw at Williams. Any time you take seven sacks, you’re hurting.
Chicago is going to need to adjust its protection for Williams, pronto, or this season is going to go sideways. With Detroit (see above), Minnesota (also see above) and Green Bay (TBD) in the division, Chicago has no room for error. The Bears have a get-right game next week against Indianapolis and a tough one against the banged up Rams before they can exhale with a Carolina date. They’ll need to show more than they have so far before we’re in on them.