Probably the most attention-grabbing occasions of any skilled sports activities league schedule is Week 2 of the NFL season.
Week 1 is all the time wild and the outcomes could possibly be a bit deceptive. “Any given Sunday.” Nonetheless, for individuals who lose to open the season, they are going to really feel actual stress to keep away from beginning 0-2, which, as historical past has proven, is usually a steep gap to dig out of. So, let’s have a look at 5 groups and figures who’re beneath stress to ship after Week 1 stumbles., introduced in alphabetical order:
The Ravens appeared nice for many of Sunday night time on the Buffalo Payments. They appeared like an actual Tremendous Bowl contender. Then, they’ve an epic meltdown, blowing a 15-point lead within the remaining 4 minutes of the sport, and dropping 41-40 to the Payments. What a fully bitter option to begin the season. In fact, the Ravens’ season is way from over. They’re clearly an upper-level crew within the AFC. However they have to reply positively this week to attempt to transfer on from the Buffalo catastrophe. They’re setup properly as they host the Cleveland Browns — although they did lose to the Browns in 2024. John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and firm should reply and maintain enterprise.
Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions
In contrast to the Ravens who had been sturdy in defeat, Campbell’s Detroit Lions had been a crew with large expectations that didn’t play properly in Week 1. They had been fully outclassed by the Inexperienced Bay Packers in a 27-13 recreation that wasn’t even that shut. Campbell changed offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (who each bought head-coaching jobs) with John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard, respectively. There have been lots of questions on who this transition would look and in Week 1, it didn‘t look good. Now, Campbell should regroup in opposition to Johnson on the Chicago Bears at house. The NFC is hard, if Detroit drops to 0-2, issues will get tight across the Motor Metropolis.
The Cowboys performed fairly properly in a troublesome circumstance in a 24-20 loss on the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night time. Enjoying within the season opener on the street is all the time powerful and the Cowboys gamers had been nonetheless processing the gorgeous commerce of star pass-rusher Micah Parsons to Inexperienced Bay only a week prior. However the Cowboys performed exhausting beneath new coach Brian Schottenheimer. Now, they have to do the whole lot they’ll to enhance to 1-1 at house in opposition to the New York Giants. Vibes will sink additional round Jerry World if the Cowboys drop to 0-2 and to 2 division foes. In the event that they win, they’ll really feel fairly good about themselves, although.
The Chiefs adopted their Tremendous Bowl loss to the Eagles, with a troublesome 27-21 defeat to AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. That’s an extended flight house after that kind of loss. The Chiefs fought exhausting and will have received. However Patrick Mahomes’ already skinny group of weapons took successful when huge receiver Xavier Worthy was misplaced after a friendly-fire collision with Travis Kelce. Plus, the Chiefs’ protection was uncharacteristically out of sync. Now, the Chiefs are tasked with a Tremendous Bowl rematch with the highly effective Eagles at house in Week 2. This can be a powerful, powerful problem. If the Chiefs aren’t as much as it, they are going to fall to 0-2 and could possibly be getting ready to a severe Tremendous Bowl hangover season in a division the place the three different groups began 1-0. This looks like must-win territory for Andy Reid and Mahomes.
You realize it was a troublesome begin to Wilson’s tenure with the New York Giants when coach Brian Daboll was requested if he was going to get replaced the day after the sport. Wilson is clearly on a brief leash and the Giants might flip to first-round decide Jaxson Dart quickly. If Wilson, who’s clearly close to the top of his profession, places up one other stinker in Dallas on Sunday, he would quickly be benched.
