Tag: NFL Week 2

Detroit Lions Podcast: Breaking down the Jekyll and Hyde 1st two weeks

Detroit Lions Podcast: Breaking down the Jekyll & Hyde 1st two weeks for the Detroit Lions and looking ahead to EWeek 3

It’s been a wild first two weeks for the Detroit Lions and the One Pride fan base. From the heights of beating the reigning champion Chiefs in Kansas City to losing a mistake-filled game at home to the Seattle Seahawks, the team’s performance and the fan reactions to it have been Jekyll & Hyde.

The latest episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast explores the highs and lows of the first two weeks for the fans. There is a lengthy breakdown of the failings of players and coaches in the Week 2 loss, notably one specific coach.

There is a long, thorough dissection of the problematic performance by Aaron Glenn’s defense. Scheme vs. execution is part of it, as is tipping the hat to the talented Seahawks offense, personnel and coaching.

It spins forward into a quick look at Week 3 and the Atlanta Falcons. What can the Lions do to bring back the Week 1 positivity and get back into the win column? How do the teams match up?

The audio-only version of the show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

NFL writer says it is time for Bengals fans to panic

Is it panic time over Joe Burrow’s injury?

The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2 to start the season for the second straight year after a 24-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns and a 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.

Head coach Zac Taylor said Bengals fans should be patient, citing the fact that last season when they had a slow start, they still were only one game away from the Super Bowl. Steven Ruiz of The Ringer says this time it’s different.

He wrote about at what level all eight 0-2 teams should be panicking on a scale from one to 10, and his answer for the Bengals was they should be at a nine out of 10.

Here’s some of what he had to say about their start to the season:

The timing of (Joe) Burrow’s setback could not be worse, with a tricky stretch of games coming up against the Rams (home), Titans (away), and Seahawks (home). Oh, and then the Bengals face the 49ers and Bills back-to-back. Those games will be tough even in the unlikely event that Burrow’s calf heals by then. And two weeks after those tests, Cincinnati will travel to Baltimore for a rematch with the team that just sent it to 0-2. Games against the Cardinals and Texans look like the only sure wins for the next two months.

Cincinnati’s two losses were both to divisional teams, which is another reason this year is worse than last season. They sit last place in the division and will have to beat all three teams each time from here on to have a chance at any tiebreakers.

They do have a tough schedule coming up, and if Burrow isn’t at full health after he reaggravated his calf injury from the preseason, or if he isn’t able to play at all, they likely won’t be favored in almost all of those matchups.

He did finish strong in the second half of Week 2, as Ruiz acknowledges, but limited mobility with a calf injury will make it much tougher for him to improvise when he needs to, allowing defenses to focus more on the pass.

If Burrow comes back healthy and there aren’t any health issues going forward for him, Ruiz said the panic level would be much lower. But he is such an important part of the Bengals teams that have made deep playoff runs it would be a steep climb to even make the playoffs, even this early in the season.

He did say after the game that he wanted to come back out and play, so it sounds like he will be back for next week’s game on Monday night if he has anything to say about it. He didn’t seem confident after the game that his calf was going to heal quickly, though.

“Whenever you have these kinds of things, it’s always ongoing,” he said. “It’s always something that you’re managing. Like I said, I don’t know how I’m going to feel the next couple of days. We’ll have to wait and see.”

It isn’t an encouraging beginning of the season for the Bengals, and many fans are panicking, but for now, they will have to take solace in Taylor’s comments on their situation since he is still preaching to remain calm.

“I feel like we’re in great shape,” he said. “We got some good performances from guys. There are some things we can correct and adjust, then continue to move forward.”

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Texans’ C.J. Stroud embraces the pressure of being a starting QB

C.J. Stroud understands pressure is part of the package of being the Houston Texans’ starting quarterback, and he embraces it.

HOUSTON — When the Houston Texans selected quarterback C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL draft, they knew what type of player they were getting on and off the field.

Stroud has a strong support system, with his family supporting him every step of the way during his rise from the high school ranks at Rancho Cucamonga High School, the college level at Ohio State, and now his start to his NFL career with the Texans.

Stroud, 21, starts every press conference by professing his love for Jesus Christ and being thankful for the opportunity to be who he is, which is a leader that many players have no problem going.

“Wherever C.J. [Stroud] is going, I am following because I know the type of person he is, and he is on the path to success,” said wide receiver Nico Collins. “That’s where I and many of my teammates want to be. C.J. has an attitude that he cannot fail because he has so many people depending on him to be great.”

Stroud could not lead his team to victory on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium as they fell short by a score of 31-20. He had his best day as an NFL quarterback, completing 63.8% (30-for-47) of his passes for 384 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second consecutive game of completing over 25 passes in a game. He has thrown for a combined 626 yards on the season, which ranks him in the top five, but he has come up short of getting a victory for Houston. 

The pressure put on such a high draft pick could be frightening to some, but not Stroud, who thrives when the odds are stacked against him.

“I think people are depending on me, and I love that responsibility,” Stroud said in his postgame press conference on Sunday. “‘E’ [Everet Greelings-Texans Football Communications Manager] was just talking to me about how pressure is a privilege. A lot of people don’t get to live the life I do. It’s hard. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard, but it’s a privilege. I’m blessed enough to wake up every day to walk, to talk, to smell, to interact with people, to play football.”

Things have been tough for the former two-time Heisman Trophy Finalist as he tries to get acclimated to playing without three starters on the offensive line. Before the game started, Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil was ruled out with a lingering knee injury that bothered him all week.

Stroud was sacked six times by the vaunted Colts front seven on Sunday. Combine that with the five given up in Week 1 against the Ravens, and Stroud has found himself getting helped up off the field 11 times, which is the most among starting quarterbacks. Yet, he will not blame the offense’s struggles on the linemen’s constant rotation.

“You’ve got to trust those guys, and I do,” said Stroud. “It’s just a consistent fight every play. I’m up for the challenge, and those guys are too. I appreciate those guys. Even Kendrick [Green], he comes in, and he’s been here two weeks, and he’s fighting his tail off. This is a whole new offense for him. Same thing with George [Fant]. Like Shaq [Mason] was our only starter. Like ‘J.P.’ [Jarrett Patterson] didn’t play at all last year really and was a really good center in college, but this isn’t college, and he’s playing against a really good defensive line two weeks in a row, and he’s fighting his tail off.”

“Josh [Jones] was at guard last week. He moved to left tackle. That’s a hard thing to do. This is the NFL. It’s the best players in the world every week, you know what I mean? So, I definitely appreciate those guys because they’re fighting; they’re not just giving up. It’s easy to put your head down in this league and just turn around and just do whatever, but those guys constantly are looking me in the eye like, man, I got you, and I appreciate that. I love those boys, and I’m going to keep fighting for them because they’re fighting for me.”

It will be another hard test for the Texans’ offense in Week 3 as they head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars, who have been predicted to win the AFC South. 

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Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 2, per PFF grades

Here’s who topped the Patriots’ offense in Week 2.

The offensive frustrations continued for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s run-in with the division rival Miami Dolphins. Like the season opener, it was a hot-and-cold performance from quarterback Mac Jones and company in Week 2.

The unit got off to a horrific start with two turnovers—an interception thrown by Jones and a drive-killing fumble by rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas.

But then there were moments of hope with Jones stepping up and making big-time throws to keep the team in the game. The biggest issue throughout the matchup was the offensive line struggles and the lack of separation from receivers at certain points.

It’s one of those performances where the Patriots can take the little good away and go back to the drawing board for Week 3. But whatever changes are coming need to happen fast with the team already in a two-game hole to start the season.

Here are the top-10 offensive players in Week 2, per Pro Football Focus grades:

Texans fans can vote for QB C.J. Stroud to win FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week

Houston Texans fans can vote for C.J. Stroud to earn the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week for Week 2.

The Houston Texans may not have held steady with the Indianapolis Colts throughout their 31-20 loss at NRG Stadium, but C.J. Stroud delivered a worthy performance in Week 2.

The rookie quarterback was nominated for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week. Stroud went 30-of-47 for 384 yards and two touchdowns. For the second straight week, the No. 2 overall pick avoided an interception as he posted a 63.8 completion percentage and a 103.5 passer rating.

Texans fans have until 2:00 p.m. Central Time Sept. 20 to vote for Stroud at NFL.com/FedEx or on Twitter via the @NFL published polls and on the NFL Mobile App.

If Stroud wins, FedEx will make a $2,000 donation in his name to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), which will go towards needs-based scholarships to deserving HBCU students.

Other Air nominees include Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who went 31-of-44 for 364 yards and four touchdowns with a 125.6 passer rating. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith went 32-of-41 for 328 yards and two touchdowns with a 116.3 passer rating.

The FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week nominees included Philadelphia Eagles running back D’Andre Swift, who carried 28 times for 175 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco 49ers running back had 20 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown. Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert had 18 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday Night Football.

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Shannon Sharpe thinks refs got the Cole Strange first down call wrong

Shannon Sharpe thinks the refs got the overturned first-down call wrong in Patriots-Dolphins game.

The final play of the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins game on Sunday has been a hot topic of discussion.

Several who watched the game believe that guard Cole Strange should have been given a first down, following his reception of tight end Mike Gesicki’s potential game-saving lateral pass.

The call on the field was that Strange was short, after initially being ruled a first down.

It ended up being a big call, as it ended New England’s final drive and secured the victory for the Dolphins.

Analyst Shannon Sharpe talked about the play on ESPN’s “First Take” on Monday and why he believed it shouldn’t have been overturned.

“I am shocked they overturned the call because I see nothing that’s conclusive to definitively say that he was short of the line to gain,” Sharpe said, via NESN’s Adam London. “…When you go back and look at it, on the field they said first down. How can you go and look at the replay and say, ‘No, he was short of the line to gain.’ I don’t believe they should have overturned that call.”

The loss on Sunday dropped the Patriots to 0-2 for the first time since 2001. Now, they will face another divisional opponent in the New York Jets next Sunday.

Sharpe is saying what nearly everyone in New England is thinking at the moment. It still doesn’t make the proverbial bitter pill any easier to swallow.

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How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 2

How every former Badger performed this weekend:

Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season reached its conclusion last night, capped off by a record-setting performance by former Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt.

Former Wisconsin Badgers were in the middle of the action throughout the weekend. We saw a miraculous Hail Mary by Broncos QB Russell Wilson to keep his team alive, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson find the end zone and many online call for the Cleveland Browns to trade for Jonathan Taylor after the injury to star RB Nick Chubb.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 3: Wisconsin rises after ugly win

Taylor unfortunately remains on the PUP list until Week 4, so he is not yet included in this piece. Here is how the rest of the Wisconsin products performed in NFL Week 2:

Best and worst PFF grades for Lions in loss in week 2

In what will be remembered as one of the tougher weeks in recent memory for the Lions, there was some good mixed in with the bad.

The Detroit Lions went from riding a high coming off a week one win over the Kansas City Chiefs to limping out of a tough loss to the Seattle Seahawks. With a handful of major injuries coming out of the game, not having a win to cling to stings a bit more.

Offensively, Jared Goff outside of a costly pick-six looked tremendous. The ball was being spread to a variety of different receivers and because of it, the Seahawks defense was kept guessing. The run game was banged up after an injury to David Montgomery so it had some issues at times.

All of that paled in comparison to the rough go of things the defense had from both their performances but also in terms of the injuries they sustained. The loss’ of C.J. Gardner-Johnson and James Houston will be felt immediately, perhaps the grades from PFF will shine a light on some positives in a game that needs them.

Fantasy Football: Top utilization stats to know from Week 2

How does Week 2 utilization data impact fantasy value?

Fantasy football is driven by data, and reviewing key utilization statistics from Week 2 will help us evaluate what might be ahead in the foreseeable future. Now that a couple of weeks are behind us, it’s time to get a sense for any developing trends.

Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 2

Looking at the major metrics, here is where the Chargers stand after the second game.

The Chargers lost their second consecutive game on Sunday, falling short to the Titans in overtime.

Now that Week 2 is in the rearview, we now know how the Bolts rank statistically compared to the rest of the NFL. Looking at the major metrics, here is where L.A. stands.