Week 2 in the NFL couldn't match the opening round of games in either fanfare or fireworks.
It comes as no surprise, of course, that anticipation surrounding the second set of games for every team would be at least a little more muted than the prior week, which broke a months-long wait for action. But Sunday also served as a scaling back of the prolific scoring output that colored Week 1. After the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions got things off to a rousing start on Thursday night, there were nearly as many teams held without a touchdown (five) this weekend as there were outfits to cross the 30-point threshold (six).
Yet even as teams continue to feel things out in the early going, the slate featured plenty of noteworthy fallout.
Here are the biggest
winners and losers from Sunday's action:
NFL Week 2 winners
Minnesota Vikings' defense
Between the inclement weather and Caleb Williams' fourth-quarter exit due to a hamstring injury, the latest chapter in the fascinating battle between Ben Johnson and Brian Flores felt as though it never had a fully even playing field. Flores, however, did plenty to keep things tilted in the Vikings' favor. Jalen Redmond not only helped bottle up a Bears ground game that ran wild a week earlier but also forced a D'Andre Swift fumble at the 1-yard line when the defense showed some rare vulnerability. Minnesota's early-down dominance further enabled Flores to unleash havoc on Williams, who was blitzed on 81.8% of his dropbacks and pressured on a career-high 54.5%, according to Next Gen Stats. It was a fitting conclusion, then, for a simulated pressure to help Dallas Turner get a matchup on tight end Colston Loveland, whom the breakout edge rusher walked back for a game-clinching sack on backup Tyson Bagent. For now, this looks like the NFL's most vexing unit – and it might be some time before the Vikings have competition for that title.
Todd Monken
Since taking over the Cleveland Browns' top job, the 60-year-old first-time NFL head coach has repeatedly insisted that things weren't as dire inside the team as they often seemed. Those assertions were met with a good deal of skepticism, especially as Deshaun Watson upped the discontent with the quarterback quandary and mistakes piled up in a Week 1 blowout. On Sunday, however, Monken got his moment in the sun, even if it actually came with the backdrop of a gray sky and lengthy weather delay to close out the contest.
Watson didn't nearly clear the 400-yard, five-touchdown bar he said last week that the media had set for him, but his functional outing was sufficient to quiet the growing rumbles that Cleveland might re-evaluate its choice for starter ahead of next week's home opener. Meanwhile, a defense that looked lost in the opener seemed far more composed against Baker Mayfield, denying the signal-caller whom the Browns pushed out for Watson what surely would have been some satisfying revenge. And while some coaches might be reticent to take a victory lap, Monken clearly took note of the initial slights, as he punctuated his postgame news conference with an explicit response to Mike Tomlin.
Sean Payton
For a crew that set the high-water mark in continuity, the Denver Broncos began the season with a truly startling level of sloppiness across the board. But as questions lingered about yet another September stumble for Payton, the coach pulled off an impressive regrouping with a 20-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Patience with integrating Jaylen Waddle into the offense paid off, as the speedy receiver exploded for 132 yards on eight catches while changing the complexion of the attack. Given the persistent penalties (10 for 53 yards) and how things derailed in a couple of ugly red-zone finishes, there's still room for new offensive coordinator Davis Webb to grow as a play-caller. But Denver found its footing late against a strong outfit, and its trajectory should be encouraging.
Tyler Shough comeback machine
Kellen Moore surely doesn't want to live like this on a weekly basis after his New Orleans Saints once again fell into a sizable hole in the early going. This time, however, his team managed to complete the unlikely comeback, stunning the Baltimore Ravens by rallying to a 24-17 win. Shough, the second-year signal-caller, reprised his role as the catalyst for the surge. He opened up what had been a buttoned-down attack with his confident downfield passing, showing how effective he could be in evading and managing an oncoming rush. With rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson sure to add to Shough's arsenal whenever he comes off injured reserve to make his NFL debut, the Saints could ramp up their explosiveness – and perhaps not have to rely on putting things together late.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
When faced with forging ahead with your backup quarterback, it sure helps to have the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year at your disposal. Drew Lock continued to fill in admirably for Sam Darnold, leading the Seattle Seahawks to a 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Smith-Njigba, however, was the real propellant for the offense. Not only did he haul in all three of Lock's touchdown passes, but he also accounted for 155 of the team's 235 receiving yards. With a matchup next week at the Washington Commanders, Darnold doesn't have to rush back into action so long as Smith-Njigba continues to do so much of the heavy lifting for the offense.
DeVonta Smith
On a day in which almost nothing went consistently right for the Philadelphia Eagles, Smith was the one figure who kept things all together. In a 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans, the go-to receiver saved the offense with his toe-tapping 19-yard catch on third down with less than a minute remaining. One play later, Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper for the game-winning 3-yard scoring strike. In all, Smith finished with 117 receiving yards on 10 catches. That might not seem like a stunning output, but the wideout was a steadying presence amid Saquon Barkley getting hurt, the offensive line wavering and Hurts having an up-and-down performance.
Devin Lloyd
After conceding a franchise-record 59 points to the Chicago Bears last week, some might have seen the Carolina Panthers' free-agency splash on defense as more of a belly flop. While Lloyd was far from the only figure who didn't live up to his billing, the linebacker still had a regrettable debut. He bounced back in a big way, though, by recording two interceptions – including a pick-six – along with a sack and nine tackles. Lloyd also got his hands on another pass that fellow linebacker Bobby Okereke collected for an interception. Some calibration is required here, as Carolina feasted on an Atlanta offense down to its third- and fourth-string options behind center in Cooper Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand - both of whom Lloyd picked off. Still, this is the stat-stuffing effort Lloyd proved himself capable of last season with the Jaguars and the type of high-impact production head coach Dave Canales and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero clearly coveted.
Lukas Van Ness
Even though the Green Bay Packers exercised his fifth-year option in April, the No. 13 overall pick in 2023 entered this year not having done enough to justify his lofty draft status. On Sunday, however, Van Ness delivered a true breakout performance during his team's time of need in a 20-17 overtime win over the New York Jets. The edge rusher racked up a career-high nine pressures, with five of them coming under 2.5 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats. He also tied the team lead with 10 tackles along with 1 1/2 sacks - with 1/2 coming in overtime - four quarterback hits and three tackles for loss. After Green Bay's defense last season wilted when Micah Parsons was lost down the stretch, Van Ness is providing some hope that the group can keep things together until the All-Pro's potential return in October.
Hezekiah Masses
The Cal product and Florida International transfer flew under the radar a bit despite establishing himself last fall as one of college football's premier ballhawks. While the fifth-rounder might have been an afterthought to some in a Las Vegas Raiders draft class that featured higher-priority secondary investments in Treydan Stukes (second round), Jermod McCoy (fourth round) and Dalton Johnson (fifth round), Masses is easily outpacing his peers with his early contributions. The cornerback secured two interceptions of Justin Herbert to fuel a surprising 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. His first pick appeared to be a product of good fortune, as he grabbed hold of a pass bobbled by tight end David Njoku, but Masses was in prime position on his second takeaway when he jumped a throw and helped extinguish any late comeback hopes for Los Angeles. Not bad for a player making his first start. Even when Darien Porter gets healthy, the Raiders might have a hard time sitting Masses.
NFL Week 2 losers
Chargers
New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel tried to close the book on a truly putrid showing by calling his group's Week 1 results "kind of shocking." After that wake-up call, the offense's execution in the loss to the Raiders might be even more alarming. Everything about the Bolts' operation seemed off-kilter, with the team's six fumbles underscoring just how discombobulated things became. Only one was lost, but that fourth-quarter giveaway by running back Omarion Hampton was a massive swing, with the Raiders scoring a touchdown three plays later to make it a 10-point game. Struggling right tackle Joe Alt and the rest of the Chargers' front were overwhelmed from start to finish, allowing three sacks of Herbert and a 54.8% pressure rate, according to Next Gen Stats. Those issues seem likely to linger, and the Chargers now face a brutal seven-game stretch that will bring matchups with five playoff teams from 2025. A sharp turnaround is required to keep the season from slipping away in short order.
Todd Bowles
With Watson and the Browns again rarely threatening downfield, the Buccaneers should have had a prime opportunity to tee off against the struggling quarterback – or at least box him in. Time after time, though, Tampa Bay gave the Browns a free pass with repeated miscues. The most egregious slip-up came late in the third quarter, when Browns rookie receiver Denzel Boston spun out of the grasp of one defender and warded off two more converging on him before racing into the end zone for a 55-yard score. Meanwhile, Mayfield had a rather unhinged outing at a time when he merely had to be an efficient distributor. "Nobody's coming to save us," said Bowles after the team dropped to its first 0-2 start since 2014. If things stay like this, though, someone will likely come to hold this group accountable.
Pittsburgh Steelers' offense
A year ago, the Steelers pummeled Drake Maye and parlayed repeat errors by the New England Patriots into a 21-14 win against the eventual AFC champions. Maye and the Patriots offense didn't iron out all their issues in Sunday's 20-3 win over Pittsburgh, but they still didn't flounder anywhere near as badly as their counterparts did. Aaron Rodgers never encountered any degree of comfort throughout the day, taking four sacks and coughing up two fumbles. The lack of protection from a front that finally seemed settled after some offseason reshuffling compounded the unit's problem with generating explosive plays, as the passing attack retreated even further into quick hits. DK Metcalf didn't help with opening things up. He had just one catch beyond the line of scrimmage, while smothering cornerback Christian Gonzalez had two pass breakups. First-year coach Mike McCarthy took the blame for the offense's faceplant, promising a stripped-down approach in the weeks to come. But when a group that's counting on efficiency and precision to keep it alive goes 2 for 12 on third down, a season-long struggle might be in order.
Ben Johnson
The Bears coach saw his team knocked off course for reaching his goal of becoming the all-time highest-scoring offense, but there are weightier concerns – namely, Williams' health – at play. Johnson tried to take an optimistic view after the loss, saying he was glad that his scintillating quarterback had not been felled by a knee issue. Yet the pain on Williams' face after being hurt was hard to shake, and it might become the indelible image of the Bears' season if he misses significant time. Maybe Tyson Bagent can at least keep things afloat for a little while. But for a franchise that finally seemed to have the coach-quarterback partnership that could spark the year-over-year offensive consistency that has been absent for decades, losing the one player most integral to that systemic success was a devastating reminder of a season's fragility.
Ravens' new regime
The worst week-to-week whiplash might be found in Baltimore, which followed up its masterful opening statement against the Indianapolis Colts with its dud against the Saints. The most discouraging element of the letdown game, however, was how familiar this collapse felt. Not only did the Ravens squander a 14-3 halftime lead, they did so with self-inflicted setbacks. Moving away from Derrick Henry, who had just five carries in the second half and was overlooked on a fourth-quarter third-and-1 that wasn't converted, and stacking up penalties sparked plenty of jabs about how similar the events felt to the later John Harbaugh years. Maybe a comedown was to be expected, especially with the receiving corps hampered by the absence of Zay Flowers and Ja'Kobi Lane. But a team that's been one of the AFC's most volatile entities for the last couple years clearly hasn't settled in after just a couple weeks under first-year coach Jesse Minter.
Falcons
Atlanta was one of four teams to carry four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster. Who would have thought the team would have exhausted its options behind center by Week 2? Cooper Rush again got his turn against Carolina and again sapped the offense of any sense of hope, throwing two interceptions before being subbed out in the third quarter. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand didn't fare much better, his first pro attempt getting intercepted off a ricochet. Add in two lost fumbles and zero trips to the red zone through two weeks, and it's difficult to find a more futile opening anywhere in the NFL. Perhaps Michael Penix Jr. makes it back for the "Thursday Night Football" tilt against the Green Bay Packers, but there's no more hiding the ineptitude: Atlanta has prime-time games in each of the next three weeks.
Houston Texans' run game
So much for the new-look ground game. In a 20-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, running backs David Montgomery and Woody Marks combined for just 18 yards on 14 carries. Wide receiver Jaylin Noel nearly matched their output with a 13-yard jet sweep, and quarterback C.J. Stroud finished as the leading rusher with 29 yards on three carries. The net effect: Houston became almost entirely one-dimensional, with Stroud registering a career-high 55 passing attempts. The hopelessness in short-yardage situations (see: Dexter Lawrence's stuff on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter) took a severe toll on later downs (5 of 17 on third downs, 0 for 4 on fourth downs) and in the red zone, where the team went 0 for 4. Leading receiver Nico Collins' eventual return from a hamstring ailment should help invigorate this unit, but coordinator Nick Caley has some work to do to figure out how to keep a methodical attack going despite a shortage of weapons and a front that remains suspect.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 2 winners and losers led by Chargers' alarming faceplant
