The first week of the NFL season devastated several quarterback rooms.
The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a gritty victory, but lost starter Sam Darnold to a unique, non-structural hip and glute tendon injury. Drew Lock will hold down the fort as they travel to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.
The Minnesota Vikings managed a thrilling second-half comeback to beat Green Bay, but lost their newly acquired starting quarterback, Kyler Murray, to a concussion early in the game. Veteran backup Carson Wentz stepped in seamlessly, throwing three touchdowns to secure the victory, and may start this week’s divisional matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons are facing an immediate identity crisis. Cooper Rush struggled heavily
in Week 1 and is likely to start again in Week 2 while Tua Tagovailoa rehabs an oblique injury. Former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. is still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered late last year.
Other top storylines to follow around the league:
Super Bowl favorites in last place in NFC West
The Rams host the New York Giants on Monday Night Football at SoFi Stadium, looking to bounce back from a rough opening-week performance after scoring only seven points in a blowout loss to San Francisco in Australia.
Rams superstar offseason acquisition Myles Garrett is out for at least four weeks after being placed on IR with a knee injury. He won’t appear in a game with fellow star defensive lineman Aaron Donald until at least Week 6 against the Cardinals.
Thursday Night shootout: Lions vs. Bills
The marquee game of the week kicks off on Thursday Night Football, as the Detroit Lions travel to face the Buffalo Bills in their new stadium in Orchard Park.
Both teams came out of Week 1 flying high. The Bills squeezed out a 36-31 road win against Houston, while Detroit edged the Saints in a 31-30 thriller.
With high-powered weapons like Josh Allen and Jahmyr Gibbs, and Super Bowl expectations for both squads, this cross-conference matchup serves as a litmus test for two of the league’s most potent offenses.
Early survival mode for the Packers
After dropping an ugly divisional opener to the Vikings, Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers head into MetLife Stadium to face the New York Jets desperate for a bounce-back win. Starting 0-2 puts immense pressure on a team’s playoff hopes.
This game will prove whether the Packers’ opening-week offensive issues were related to rust or signaled deeper trouble, and whether the Jets’ season-opening victory at Tennessee was merely a product of facing the toothless Titans.
Hobbled star receivers
Fantasy managers and offensive coordinators are scrambling after a rough opening week for pass-catchers.
The New England Patriots placed superstar receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve with a severe high-ankle sprain, sidelining him until at least Week 6.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is dealing with a knee issue but could make his season debut against the Chargers, while Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers re-aggravated a hamstring injury.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sam Darnold, Kyler Murray, Rams among top stories entering NFL Week 2
