And just like that, the NFL season is off to a hot start. From illegal spitting to surprising upsets and unbelievable 4th-quarter comebacks, the league’s storylines have never been more wowing. With plenty of high-octane match-ups in week two and tons of questions league-wide, what should fans be paying attention to? Find out below, and for more in-season NFL content, visit my profile HERE.
NFL Week 2 Storylines
1. Super Bowl LVIII Rematch
Super Bowl rematches don’t come often, but when they do, America always leans forward to find out what part II has in store. The Eagles demonstrated dominance in their last matchup, specifically on both sides of the line of scrimmage. It was clear that the overmatched Kansas City offensive line couldn’t compete with Philadelphia’s deep rotation of quality pass rushers. Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach took notice and made adjustments, trading away All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, sliding Kingsley Suamataia inside to replace him, and kicking rookie Josh Simmons out to left tackle. How will they hold up against an elite defense, including a pissed-off Jalen Carter? We’ll see.
2. How Will the Ravens’ Pass Defense Hold Up against the Browns?
Things were looking pretty solid for the Ravens defense in a top-tier match-up against the Buffalo Bills entering the 4th as they clung on to a two-possession lead. What followed was a near-record final quarter for Josh Allen, who diced up the Ravens’ secondary for 251 yards. It was especially dissapointing to see, as their pass defense was by far their greatest weakness last year. They should be able to turn it around against the lowly Cleveland Browns, who have one of the least-talented receiving corps in the league, led by a 40-year-old Joe Flacco. If not, the Ravens, one of the betting Super Bowl favorites, will have quite a rough 2025 season.
3. Level of Dysfunction for the Dolphins
It’s been a while since we’ve seen such an ugly debut for an NFL team. It looked like the Colts were playing a college team wearing the Dolphins’ colors last week. From ugly interceptions to a non-existent running game and a defense that couldn’t stop a nose bleed, the Dolphins need to bounce back more than any other team. It won’t be easy coming against the Patriots, but at least they are at home. They do have additional organizational pressure as owner Stephen Ross has made it known he’s willing to make any changes necessary.
4. How Valuable is Brock Purdy to the 49ers?
While the 49ers’ starting quarterback was able to finish the game last week, he didn’t dodge the injury bug. Reports say he may be out for up to five weeks with a toe injury. This presents a meaningful opportunity for high-end backup Mac Jones, who many believe Kyle Shanahan wanted to draft back in 2021. The game-manager stigma around Purdy will either disappear or stick around, based on Jones’ performance this week and beyond. He should look more than capable, at least against the New Orleans Saints this week. Time to find out how much Purdy means to this team.
5. Can Daniel Jones Maintain a High Level of Play/Can Bo Nix Step it Up?
No one was suspecting Daniel Jones to have the performance he did, throwing for 272 yards on a 75.9% completion percentage and accumulating three total touchdowns, yet that’s exactly what he did. Take it with a grain of salt, as it came against a mentally defeated Dolphins team, but it did make a positive impression. The same can’t be said for Bo Nix’s week one debut, in which he looked lost against a nationally underrated Titans’ defense. Will the tides continue to rise or fall for each of these quarterbacks? We’ll get our answers during this week’s afternoon slate.
6. Will D.K. Metcalf Prove His Worth?
The Steelers made plenty of waves this offseason, but it all started by acquiring D.K. Metcalf in return for a 2025 second-round pick and a late-round pick swap. Along with the trade, Steelers’ General Manager Omar Kahn handed Metcalf a massive, 150-million-dollar five-year contract, making him the 4th highest paid receiver in the NFL – an impressive number for someone who hasn’t recorded more than 1,150 receiving yards since 2020. Ability has never been the question with Metcalf; it’s always been about the consistency. We’ll see this week if he can prove the haters wrong against the team that drafted him, the Seattle Seahawks.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
