NFL - Week Two Recap

The Eagles used their famous play to beat the Chiefs. 

Ridiculous finishes and a lot of excitement around the entire NFL in Week Two was on the menu and when all the dust settled, some surprising teams are now 2-0 while some others are a disappointing 0-2 so far. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) held off the host Kansas City Chiefs, 20-17 as the famed "tush push/brotherly shove" play helped make a difference in the final score. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts scored on a one-yard run with 7:48 left to play and then Kansas City got to within 20-17 when QB Patrick Mahomes (187 passing yards, one TD, one INT and one rushing score) threw a 49-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Tyquan Thornton with three minutes to play. From there, Philly ran out the clock and the Chiefs fell to 0-2 for the first time since the 2014 season.  

In Cincinnati, the Bengals (2-0) stormed back to tame the Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-27 behind backup quarterback Jake Browning (241 passing yards, two TD, three INT) as starter Joe Burrow (76 passing yards, one TD) left the game with a severe turf toe injury, which will sideline him for at least three months following surgery. The Jaguars (1-1) led throughout the game, but QB Trevor Lawrence (271 passing yards and three TD) was intercepted twice, including one in the Bengals' end zone that helped turn the tide. Cincinnati finally won the game when Browning scored from one yard out with just 18 seconds remaining in the game.

The wildest game of the day was in Dallas, where the Cowboys (1-1) prevailed, 40-37 on a 46-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey in overtime against the New York Giants. The two teams went back and forth in the fourth quarter (NFL record six lead changes) and Aubrey made a 64-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into the OT session. Dallas (1-1) had gone in front, 34-30 with 52 seconds left and then the Giants (0-2) scored just 27 seconds later on a 48-yard pass from QB Russell Wilson (450 passing yards, three TD, one INT) to WR Malik Nabers (nine receptions for 167 yards, two TD) for a 37-34 lead prior to Aubrey's game tying kick. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had 361 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the win. The Giants (0-2) gained 506 yards while Dallas had 478 total yards. 

The New England Patriots (1-1) beat the host Miami Dolphins, 33-27 in a game that featured back-to-back kick returns for touchdowns. The Dolphins (0-2) went ahead 27-23 on a 74-yard punt return TD by Malik Washington. But New England's Antonio Gibson took the ensuing kickoff back 90 yards for the touchdown and a 30-27 lead with 7:06 left in the game. The Patriots added another field goal prior to stopping the Dolphins on downs in the final minute to seal the win. Pats QB Drake Maye had a pair of scoring passes and also a touchdown run in victory.

 

Lions QB Jared Goff had five TD passes in rout of the Bears. 

In Detroit, the Lions (1-1) bounced back from a poor first game and smashed the Chicago Bears, 52-21 with QB Jared Goff (334 passing yards) throwing five touchdowns, including three of them to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (nine receptions, 115 yards) while running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each found paydirt with Detroit using balanced offense (177 rushing, 334 passing yards) to amass 511 total yards. The Bears fell to 0-2 as QB Caleb Williams had two TD passes, but was sacked four times and threw one interception. 

 

The Indianapolis Colts (2-0) shocked the Denver Broncos, 29-28 when kicker Spencer Shrader (five field goals) made a 45-yard field goal as time ran out. The Broncos were penalized 15 yards for "leverage" that set up the game winning boot. The Colts trailed the Broncos (1-1) 28-23 after three quarters before Shrader nailed two more, including the game winner, to wrap things up. Colts QB Daniel Jones threw for 316 yards and had a TD pass and scoring run while RB Jonathan Taylor ran for 165 yards and scored a touchdown. Broncos QB Bo Nix had three TD passes and one interception in the loss. 

Last Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers (2-0) manhandled the visiting Washington Commanders, 27-18 with QB Jordan Love passing for two scores, including an eight-yard TD strike to tight end Tucker Kraft (six receptions, 124 yards) in the fourth quarter that gave the Packers a 24-10 lead with 8:57 left. Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs had a rushing touchdown as well. The Commanders (1-1) cut the deficit to 17-10 on a 20-yard TD pass from QB Jayden Daniels to tight end Zach Ertz early in the fourth quarter, but then the Packers took over and put the game away. Washington RB Austin Ekeler suffered an Achilles injury in the loss and is out for the season. 

The Baltimore Ravens (1-1) hit the 40-point mark again this week, but this time they won as they blasted the visiting Cleveland Browns, 41-17 with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (225 passing yards) leading the way as he had four scoring passes and linebacker Roquan Smith took a fumble recovery back 63 yards for another touchdown to pace the rout. The Browns (0-2) managed to outgain the Ravens, 322-242 in yardage in the blowout loss. 

The Buffalo Bills (2-0) went on the road and dominated the New York Jets, 30-10 behind tremendous defense that limited the Jets (0-2) to only 154 yards in total offense. The Bills rushed for 224 yards in the game and running back James Cook ran for two scores and gained 132 yards on 21 carries to lead the way. Jets QB Justin Fields left the game with a concussion.

The San Francisco 49ers (2-0) held on for a 26-21 road win against the New Orleans Saints (0-2) with backup QB Mac Jones passing for three touchdowns and 279 yards to offset three scoring passes by Spencer Rattler. 

Arizona (2-0) won a wild one against the visiting Carolina Panthers, 27-22 as they almost blew a 24-point lead. The Cardinals built a 27-3 lead behind QB Kyler Murray (220 passing yards and one TD along with an interception) and RB James Conner scoring a rushing touchdown and a fumble recovery score by Zaven Collins. The Panthers (0-2) scored 19 unanswered points in the second half as QB Bryce Young had three TD passes and finished the game with 328 passing yards, but the comeback fell short. 

The Seattle Seahawks (1-1) beat the host Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-17, taking advantage of a fumbled kickoff return which they recovered for a touchdown (24-14 lead) and the defense intercepted a pair of passes to help make the difference. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold had a pair of scoring passes and Kenneth Walker III (13 carries for 105 yards) scored on a 19-yard run with 3:41 left to ice the game. The Steelers (1-1) led 14-7 at halftime, but their defense gave up 395 yards and allowed 30-plus points for the second straight time. 

The Los Angeles Rams (2-0) won on the road, 33-19 against the Tennessee Titans (0-2) as WR Puka Nacua scored on a 45-yard run and QB Matthew Stafford (298 passing yards) threw two TD passes, including a 16-yard TD strike to WR Davante Adams, who had six grabs for 106 yards in the win. Titans rookie QB Cam Ward had a touchdown pass in defeat. 

The Sunday night game in Minnesota saw the Atlanta Falcons (1-1) dominate in a 22-6 win. Falcons kicker Parker Romo drilled five field goals and Tyler Allgier scored a five-yard rushing touchdown while Bijan Robinson rushed for 143 yards (on 22 carries) as they gained 218 yards on the ground. The Vikings fell to 1-1 as they only managed 198 total yards.  

There were two Monday Night Football games and in the early one in Houston, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) stunned the Texans (0-2) in a thriller, 20-19 when Rachaad White scored on a two-yard run with six seconds remaining in the game. Houston had gone ahead 19-14 on a 25-yard TD run by Nick Chubb with 2:10 left. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield (215 passing yards) had two touchdown passes that gave  his team a 14-10 halftime lead. Tampa Bay had good balance on offense, rushing for 169 yards and also had 191 passing yards. Texans QB C.J. Stroud had 207 passing yards and one TD pass in the loss. 

Out in Las Vegas, the host Raiders dropped to 1-1 this season by losing to the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-9 as QB Geno Smith was intercepted three times, including a pick by Chargers defensive back Donte Jackson in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. The Chargers (2-0) took a 17-6 lead into the half as QB Justin Herbert (242 passing yards, two TD) threw scoring passes to wide receivers Keenan Allen and a 60-yard bomb to Quentin Johnston just before halftime. The second half was about the defense with the Chargers getting two of the three interceptions and finishing with three sacks while limiting the Raiders to only 68 rushing yards and 218 total yards in offense.  

 

WEEK TWO RESULTS 

Green Bay 27, Washington 18  

Detroit 52, Chicago 21 

L.A. Rams 33, Tennessee 19

Baltimore 41, Cleveland 17 

Cincinnati 31, Jacksonville 27 

Buffalo 30, N.Y. Jets 10 

New England 33, Miami 27 

Seattle 31, Pittsburgh 17 

San Francisco 26, New Orleans 21 

Dallas 40, N.Y. Giants 37 (OT) 

Philadelphia 20, Kansas City 17

Indianapolis 29, Denver 28 

Arizona 27, Carolina 22  

Atlanta 22, Minnesota 6

Tampa Bay 20, Houston 19  

L.A. Chargers 20, Las Vegas 9