NFL Week 2 Recap

There are always too many discussion points during any given NFL weekend to write individually about, so I've decided that instead I will just recap the games in one post. The week started this past Thursday night with the Packers beating the Bears 23-10, and it will end tonight with the Broncos in Atlanta to play the Falcons. In between, there was all sorts of fun. I'll try to touch on every game (even if it is just briefly for some), and then look closely at the Giants. So without further ado, here is my NFL Week 2 recap (minus the Monday night game).

Packers 23 Bears 10 - Green Bay was able to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start by shutting down a Chicago team that seemed to be extremely confident heading into this game. Green Bay proved that the road to the NFC North crown still runs through Lambeau Field, and Chicago's offensive line was a problem again. These two will probably be in close contention for the playoffs at the end of the year, so this head-to-head win really helps the Packers and hurts the Bears. Both teams now stand at 1-1 heading into Week 3.

Bills 35 Chiefs 17 - Buffalo played this game exactly how they need to in order to be successful. C.J. Spiller had a huge day, running for 123 yards, and Ryan Fitzpatrick only had to throw 19 passes. Fitzpatrick did a fine job when he did throw, and we really need to start giving credit to a Buffalo running attack that is very good. The Bills sacked Matt Cassel five times as well, and it was actually 35-3 until Kansas City scored two late touchdowns to satisfy Dwayne Bowe's fantasy owners and make the score look somewhat respectable on paper. Buffalo now stands at 1-1, and the Chiefs already find themselves two games behind in the AFC West at 0-2.

Bengals 34 Browns 27 - Andy Dalton was able to spread the ball around, as six different Cincinnati receivers had over 30 receiving yards, and three different receivers scored touchdowns. The Bengals didn't trail once during the game, but Cleveland's rookie quarterback and running back played much better than they did in Week 1, in what was a definite step forward for a Cleveland team that not much was expected of this season. Cincinnati is now 1-1, and Cleveland is 0-2.

Panthers 35 Saints 27 - It has only been two weeks, but it is looking like the frenetic offseason in New Orleans is definitely effecting the team, despite the great amount of talent on the roster. Drew Brees was not at his best, and despite being able to score, New Orleans could not slow down a steady, Cam Newton-led attack. Once again, head-to-head divisional games always play a role in deciding who makes the playoffs and who doesn't, so two months from now, this win could look even better for Carolina.

Texans 27 Jaguars 7 - This game was the perfect example of the Texans. Quiet dominance. Houston went about its business with little to no fanfare, and completely dominated the Jaguars. They pounded out 216 rushing yards, Matt Schaub was efficient and effective, and their defense suffocated an obviously overwhelmed Jacksonville team. Houston ran 83 plays as opposed to 38 for the Jaguars, and Blaine Gabbert threw for a measly 53 yards, while the team as a whole only gained 117 yards of offense. Houston now stands at 2-0, and the Jaguars are 0-2 and close to being in the market for a new quarterback.

Dolphins 35 Raiders 13 - It took a lot longer than expected, but Reggie Bush seems to have firmly entrenched himself as a true number one back in the NFL. Bush ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns, and Ryan Tannehill looked much better than Week 1 and was able to get his first win as an NFL quarterback. Carson Palmer had a good day for Oakland, but they were unable to run the ball, and eventually were overwhelmed by Miami's attack. The Dolphins moved to 1-1, and the Raiders dropped to 0-2.

Cardinals 20 Patriots 18 - This was probably the biggest surprise of the week, as Arizona was able to go into New England and beat the Patriots thanks to a missed field goal in the final seconds by Stephen Gostkowski. The Patriots put up pretty good numbers on paper, but they just couldn't put the ball into the endzone. New England's first touchdown came with 2:06 to go in the game. Elite teams are entitled to a clunker here and there though, so I wouldn't expect this to be anything other than a blip on the radar for the Patriots. The Cardinals moved to 2-0 with the win though, so maybe we are seeing a team that will take a nice leap forward in 2012. New England dropped to 1-1 with the loss.

Eagles 24 Ravens 23 - You could ask 10 different NFL fans with 10 different viewpoints about the Eagles' first two games and I guarantee you will get 10 different answers. After turning the ball over five times in Week 1 against the Browns, you figured that Philly could pull off a tightrope act like that against bad teams but not good ones. However, the Eagles came out and turned the ball over four times against a very good Ravens team and eked out a victory this week as well. Two games, two wins, and a combined margin of victory of two points. I tend to think that the Eagles are playing with fire with all of these turnovers and are bound to get burnt sooner rather than later, but at this point, all they need to say in response is look at the standings. It doesn't matter how you win them, as long as you win them. Philadelphia is now 2-0, while the Ravens drop to 1-1.

Colts 23 Vikings 20 - Andrew Luck showed a lot of good things in getting his first career win. Indianapolis seemed to have the game in hand with a 20-6 lead, but the Vikings scored twice in a span of less than five minutes to tie the game at 20 in the fourth quarter. However, Luck stayed the course and led the Colts into field goal range in the final seconds to allow Adam Vinatieri to kick the game winning field goal (because, really, is there anything else that Vinatieri does besides win games with field goals?). This was a positive sign for the Colts for more than a few reasons. Indianapolis and Minnesota now both stand at 1-1.

Rams 31 Redskins 28 - RG3 had another very good game for Washington but Josh Morgan took a horrible unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that took the Redskins out of range for a potential game-tying field goal and St. Louis held on here. Granted, it still would have been a long kick, and it was far from a sure thing (just ask the Patriots), but for the week, Washington fans can blame Morgan for the loss. The biggest storyline of this game going forward though, is how good Griffin seems like he will be. Washington and St. Louis are both 1-1.

Seahawks 27 Cowboys 7 - This was such a typical Dallas Cowboys performance. After looking very good and beating the Giants on national television to open the season, they get a long week of rest to listen to everyone say how good they are and they go to Seattle and lay an egg. Marshawn Lynch had a huge game on the ground with 122 yards, and Dallas went without a point for the final 42 minutes of the game. New England gets a pass for losing a game they should have won this week because they have a history of success. Dallas doesn't get a pass from me because they have a history of failing to come through in the clutch, and any bad game against a team they should beat has the potential to prevent them from making the playoffs yet again.

Steelers 27 Jets 10 - The Jets were served a slice of humble pie in Pittsburgh after a huge performance in Week 1 and a good start in Week 2. After taking a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, the Jets could muster only three points the rest of the way, as they were unable to mount any type of offense after that. We did get a look at two very good run defenses here, as Bilal Powell's 33 rushing yards was the most by any individual on the day. In the end though, this scoreline is pretty much exactly what many people would have expected. The Steelers and Jets are both now 1-1.

Chargers 38 Titans 10 - No Ryan Mathews and no Antonio Gates meant no problem for San Diego, as Jackie Battle and Dante Rosario combined for five touchdowns in a beat down of Tennessee. Chris Johnson has gone from superstar running back to complete disaster in the Tennessee backfield, and he has fantasy owners across the country absolutely infuriated with his poor play. The best thing he can say about yesterday was that at least his rushing yardage was actually higher than his number of total carries, unlike it was in Week 1. The focus should be on the Chargers here though, as they put on a solid all-around performance, and are one of only five teams that have started the season 2-0 (although barring a tie, the winner of tonight's game will make it six 2-0 teams). So far, so good for the Chargers, but if recent history has taught us anything, it is that we need to wait a while before judging the Chargers because they are prone to long hot and cold stretches. Tennessee is 0-2.

49ers 27 Lions 19 - Through two weeks, it would be hard to argue against the 49ers looking like the best team in the league. They have held two potent offenses in Green Bay and Detroit in check, and they are using the same formula that they used last season to perfection so far this year. Unlike most teams in the NFL, the 49ers actually tackle and don't just try to make huge, jarring hits that are either highlight reel successes or embarrassing failures, and they continue to protect the ball on offense. When Detroit did get into scoring range, San Francisco was able to hold them to four field goals and only one touchdown. There is still a lot of time to go, but San Francisco looks like they are on a war path to get to the Super Bowl. They stand at 2-0, while the Lions are now 1-1.

Giants 41 Buccaneers 34 - In what was a crazy game on a hot day at the Meadowlands (as my sunburn can demonstrate), the Giants did what they normally do: put themselves and their fans through a range of emotions that include excitement, rage, elation, disgust, and finally, happiness with a win. Eli Manning threw three first half interceptions, one just before halftime that was run back for a touchdown and really hurt. However, as usual, he was excellent down the stretch and led yet another comeback victory. Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz ran rampant all day, and Martellus Bennett added a lot of yards as well. Andre Brown came in for an injured Ahmad Bradshaw and also had a really nice game on the ground to ensure that there was some sort of offensive balance. Bradshaw may miss this Thursday's game, so hopefully Brown can step in and provide the same kind of help this week because it seems like David Wilson still does not have the confidence of the coaching staff.
The secondary is still a major concern for the Giants though, as Vincent Jackson had a huge day as well for Tampa Bay. However, when plays absolutely needed to be made in the fourth quarter, the defense was able to do just enough to hold on.
Between Manning, Nicks, and Cruz, the Giants probably have the best threesome in terms of the passing game in the entire NFL. There are flaws around that though, and Bradshaw's injury, along with an injury to David Diehl that we still don't know the severity of, prove that this is far from a perfect team. In the end though, a win is a win, and the Giants never like to do things the easy way. A short week followed by a game this Thursday against the Panthers means we need to recover quickly and try to find a way to at least slow down Steve Smith so we have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. If that happens, the best fourth quarter quarterback in the NFL will get us another win.
Tampa Bay dropped to 1-1 with the loss.

So Week 2 will be complete in about seven hours. We will have six 2-0 teams, six 0-2 teams, and a whole lot of 1-1 teams. Aside from the Giants, some games to look forward to next week are Atlanta vs San Diego, Houston vs Denver, and New England vs Baltimore.