Every single year, Week 1 bombards us with information and we rush to make judgements. And every single year, we realize that over half of what we learned in Week 1 was either an outlier, a misconception or simply wrong. Many times, even the first few weeks of the season typically don’t provide trustworthy information. But, if you know what to look for, you can see as early as Week 2 which players, coaches and teams are learning and preparing the right way.
Are Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray’s (fourth quarter) Week 1 performances sustainable?
The former Heisman winners will go head-to-head this week in what should be among the most exciting games of the week. Everyone knows how Jackson and Murray played last week, so I don’t need to restate the obvious. Murray will have his work cut out for him against Earl Thomas and the Ravens. Jackson, on the other hand, should pick the Cardinals’ depleted secondary apart. We may have to wait a few more weeks to learn about Jackson’s sustainability, but we should get some meaningful insight into Murray’s this week.
Can Kirk Cousins win a pivotal divisional game on the road?
Minnesota thrashed Atlanta in what many people, including myself, thought would be a close game. This week, the Vikings travel to Green Bay for the rights to the early NFC North division lead. Kirk Cousins has a… let’s say unimpressive résumé in similar situations. History is not on Minnesota’s side in Week 2.
Who’s for real in the AFC South?
The Texans, Colts and Jaguars looked frisky in Week 1 losses, while the Titans ran away from the Browns in the fourth quarter. Houston and Indianapolis lost close matchups against quality opponents due to easily correctable errors. Despite the losses, I am more optimistic about both teams moving forward.
The Jaguars, however, lost Nick Foles for the foreseeable future and will trot out sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew II. Minshew was spectacular in relief last week, but Jacksonville was playing from behind against a weak defense. He has more than enough confidence and swagger to thrive as a team leader.
Week 2 features all AFC South matchups as the Titans host the Colts while the Jaguars travel to Houston. We should learn if Houston or Indianapolis corrected last week’s blunders, if Minshew is the next Dak Prescott or the next Nathan Peterman and if the Titans can take firm control of the division.
Can the Bears offense rebound?
Despite a tremendous performance from Chicago’s defense, the Bears offense contributed a measly three points in their Week 1 loss to Green Bay. Allen Robinson absolutely roasted the Packers’ secondary all night, but Mitchell Trubisky’s ineptitude held Robinson to only 102 yards. Furthermore, the Bears did not run the ball one time in the second half, seemingly forgetting they have rookie phenom David Montgomery on their roster. And I’m not just saying that because he’s on my fantasy team.
This week, the Bears will face Vic Fangio, their former defensive coordinator. He should know better than anyone how to stop Matt Nagy and Trubisky’s offense. Matt Nagy proved to be a creative head coach last season. Now, it’s time to prove he can handle failure.
Will last year’s NFC Championship game be motivation or a distraction for the Saints?
I’ve been on record stating the Saints’ persistent rehashing of the 2019 NFC Championship game will be to their detriment. It bears a stark resemblance to the Houston Rockets, whose constant complaints about referees doomed them against the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 and 2019 NBA playoffs. It’s up to Drew Brees and Sean Payton to convey the right message to the rest of the team. Otherwise, this game could get ugly.
Honorable Mentons:
Is a homecoming all the Steelers need to right the ship?
How much does Antonio Brown contribute in his Patriots debut?
Was Zac Taylor quietly the offseason’s best hire?
Will Dak Prescott be able to demand a $50 million annual salary after today?
Josh Allen? (Yes, that’s the whole question.)
The Browns can’t seriously blow this week too, can they?