NFL 2023: Week 2 Takeaways

First & Jenn’s Game of the Week:

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles

Final Score: Eagles 34-28

Vikings: The team has the right pieces and wrong execution. Ball security is huge for this team to focus on right now. They look for their first win next week and their schedule will not light up. 

Eagles: These past two wins have not been pretty, but they’re wins regardless. The Eagles still know how to beat a team multiple ways, en if they aren’t the best wins.

First & Jenn’s Game to Skip:

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans

Final Score: Colts 31-20

Colts: I think the Colts have something in Anthony Richardson and he put up fantastic numbers versus the Jaguars. You’re not always going to have perfect weeks, especially as a rookie. I want to see Richardson develop more.

Texans: CJ Stroud, on the other hand, put up fantastic numbers this week.

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons

Final Score: Falcons 25-24

Packers: I’m still confident the Packers can figure things out with Jordan Love. The team has plenty of veterans to help alleviate stress.

Falcons: Desmond Ridder and Bijan Robinson are exciting to watch and I’m looking forward to seeing how they both can develop as the season goes on.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Buffalo Bills

Final Score: Bills 38-10

Raiders: The Raiders had some issues this week and I think they need to figure out what’s going on to be able to put up the numbers offensively and defensively while still only having 10 points to show for this game.

Bills: I figured the Bills would find a way to bounce back this week whether or not it would result in a win. Josh Allen was electric in this game.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

Final Score: Ravens 27-24

Ravens: Being undefeated on the season so far, I think the Ravens are a real dark horse team in the AFC to make it to the playoffs.

Bengals: I’m not sure what is going on with the Bengals but it is very uncharacteristic for the team to all of the sudden not have dominant performances.

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions

Final Score: Seahawks 37-31

Seahawks: This was a fun game to watch and I think the Seahawks could be a middle of the pack team to keep an eye on in the NFC. Besides penalties, I think the Seahawks could have had a great, clean game.

Lions: The Lions also put up fantastic numbers and had a great game. I think this team has major room for improvement on defense for teams that are a little bit more competitive.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Final Score: Chiefs 17-9

Chiefs: With Travis Kelce, anything is possible. I’m not totally convinced the Chiefs are back, but I don’t think anyone else is in the AFC top spot.

Jaguars: The Jaguars are a hot team this season, too. I think this game solidified that you should keep an eye on what they do and how the team develops as they try to get back to a deep playoff run.

Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Final Score: Buccaneers 27-17

Bears: I think the Bears are a little concerning right now, but hopefully they will find their way with the next few games. I think they are very capable of being an NFC North winner, but they need to work out offensively what’s going wrong.

Buccaneers: The Buccaneers continue to excel, now being undefeated. Baker Mayfield had perfect numbers this week against the Bears. 

Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans

Final Score: Titans 27-24

Chargers: I think the Chargers need a little more time to develop, I still think they can be a playoff team.

Titans: The Titans could also very well be a team that contends.

New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals

Final Score: Giants 31-28

Giants: The Giants might be back in the dominant hunt we saw last season. The NFC East has three undefeated teams, but the adjustments the Giants made in this game prove to me they can bounce back in adversity – something they’ll face against their NFC East rivals.

Cardinals: I’m really convinced the Cardinals are not in a position to win this year. I think there are too many moving parts and to lose to a team who couldn’t put up any points last week is very concerning.

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

Final Score: 49ers 30-23

49ers: The 49ers continue to be dominant, but now we got a taste of what they’re like against an above average defense. Even though they’re undefeated, I want to see how they compare against more NFC teams before I make a judgement about who they are.

Rams: The Rams should not be counted out yet. The defense is great and I want to see what the Rams are able to do this season as they attempt to get back to the Super Bowl.

New York Jets @ Dallas Cowboys

Final Score: Cowboys 30-10

Jets: Even without Rodgers, the Jets should not be this bad. I mean this was supposed to be a fun game. The Jets still have great guys on the team, and to only put up 10 points is alarming as their chances at a playoff run might be slim in an already tight race AFC.

Cowboys: The Cowboys continue to dominate, having only allowed 10 points this season so far. I want to see how the Cowboys do against better defenses and what their defense can do against offenses that can win in multiple ways.

Washington Commanders @ Denver Broncos

Final Score: Commanders 35-33

Commanders: The Commanders are kind of surprising this season. As an undefeated team, they really solidified their exciting win over the Broncos. I think the ending of that game lit a fire underneath them to not allow games to come that close again, but we’ll see.

Broncos: Maybe the Broncos are not really ready to contend. I think to put up 33 points and not push a little harder to win kind of tells me that they gave up at the end of the game.

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots

Final Score: Dolphins 24-17

Dolphins: The Dolphins are a dark horse AFC East contender since the Jets and Patriots are down. Them beating the Patriots is an early statement win about who they are as a team.

Patriots: People are saying that the Patriots defense is good, but they had holes in the middle of the field last week and this week, so I’m not seeing where the excellence is. I want to see Mac Jones develop because if they go 0-3 or 0-4, they might have to call in help.

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

Final Score: Saints 20-17

Saints: I would say the only shaky thing about the Saints is the close games they let happen so far. Otherwise, I think they literally dominated across the stat board.

Panthers: That’s not to say the Panthers didn’t have a good day. I think the Panthers really matched up against the Saints, I just want to see better effort from the rookies and defense.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Final Score: Steelers 26-22

Browns: The Browns really could have ran way with the game, holding the Steelers to only 55 rush yards. They also had more time with the ball, to which was lost with three fumbles and one interception.

Steelers: The Steelers just somehow managed to let the chips fall in their favor and do everything right to win the game. Pickett had a good game, but definitely needs room for improvement.

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