Judging largest overreactions for NFL Week 2 video games

ARLINGTON, Texas — Brian Schottenheimer was having a tough week.

The Dallas Cowboys' first-year head coach had three further days to take a seat with a tricky season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier than teaching once more Sunday towards the New York Giants. Early final week, each of his canine have been bitten by snakes. On Friday, his 82-year-old mom broke her arm and was hospitalized.

“So I hoped issues would flip round in some unspecified time in the future,” Schottenheimer stated after Sunday's sport.

They did, in fact. Then they turned again the opposite method. Then again his method. Then again the opposite method. Then again his method when the Cowboys have been in a position to pull out a 40-37 additional time victory over the Giants to provide Schottenheimer his first win as an NFL head coach.

This sport was packed with potential overreactions. Within the fourth quarter alone — when 41 complete factors have been scored, the ultimate three on a game-tying, 64-yard Brandon Aubrey discipline aim — you may have argued that Russell Wilson is greater than adequate to maintain Jaxson Dart on the bench, Malik Nabers would lead the league in receiving yards this season, the Cowboys' protection is not adequate to get them to the playoffs or that Aubrey ought to get extra MVP voting consideration. In additional time, which practically went the gap, you may have argued that Wilson is not adequate to carry off the rookie, a completely wholesome Dak Prescott goes to be again within the MVP dialog once more this season or that Javonte Williams — not George Pickens — was the Cowboys' most essential offseason pickup.

The sport featured 984 complete yards, 26 accepted penalties (and plenty of, many extra that have been declined or offset), three completely different extensive receivers going over 100 yards and 5 fourth-quarter lead modifications. It was bonkers. When it was over, Prescott and staff proprietor Jerry Jones gifted Schottenheimer a sport ball in a postgame ceremony he characterised as emotional. Schottenheimer's voice was hoarse, and he was requested when it could come again.

“After a few Schotties,” he stated. A “Schotty,” he defined, is vodka, water and three lemons.

After a sport like that, the coach wasn't overreacting. However we're. Let's kind by way of the Week 2 overreactions to attempt to work out which of them may maintain up and which of them are mirages.

Leap to:
Cowboys have playoff-worthy offense?
is Lions' offense simply superb with out Ben Johnson?
May Steelers' protection price them?
Are Eagles-Chiefs nonetheless Tremendous Bowl high quality?
Is Jones this season's Darnold?

The Cowboys' offense is sweet sufficient to get them into the playoffs

It was an unpleasant begin. The Giants dedicated six penalties on a gap drive that lined practically 9 minutes and stored the Cowboys' offense on the sideline till deep into the primary quarter. Dallas seemed rusty when it lastly did get on the market, and the Cowboys trailed 13-10 at halftime and solely led 17-16 initially of the fourth quarter.

However when it was over, Prescott had thrown for 361 yards and run for 17 extra. Broad receiver CeeDee Lamb had 112 yards on 9 catches. Pickens added 5 catches for 68 yards and a landing that put Dallas up by 4 with 52 seconds left in regulation. Williams, the previous Broncos working again the Cowboys signed this offseason for subsequent to nothing, ended with 97 dashing yards, a landing and 33 extra yards on six catches.

The road is taking part in effectively. The quarterback seems to be like he is in implausible form coming off final season's damage. (“Rehab went rather well, guys,” Prescott stated when requested about his 14-yard scramble that arrange the game-winning discipline aim in additional time.) The addition of Pickens might need unlocked some issues, particularly if Williams is de facto having his personal resurgence.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

I am not a idiot. I acknowledge that Dallas' protection goes to should be higher than this. And I believe it is going to be. Dallas could be very shorthanded proper now within the secondary, with cornerback DaRon Bland having joined the ranks of the injured this previous week. However he'll be again in just a few weeks, as will rookie nook Shavon Revel Jr., whom the Cowboys are very excessive on. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown can even return from damage in some unspecified time in the future, and after the sport Jones introduced that the staff had signed veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

The Cowboys could not do a factor Sunday towards Nabers (or Wan'Dale Robinson, for that matter) till additional time, however reinforcements are on the best way. And as they confirmed within the Week 1 loss to the Eagles and once more Sunday, the offense goes to be very powerful to cease. Each time Prescott has performed a completely wholesome season, the Cowboys have been a playoff contender. I do not see why they cannot be this season.

The Lions' offense goes to be simply superb with out Ben Johnson

It's potential folks have been doing a little heavy overreacting final week, when Detroit struggled within the season opener towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers. However it's additionally potential the Packers are a monster staff on either side of the ball, as Washington could not do a lot towards them both this week.

The Lions rebounded Sunday, dropping 52 factors on a Chicago Bears staff that Johnson, their former offensive coordinator, is now teaching. They seemed much more like what we're used to. Quarterback Jared Goff had 334 yards and 5 landing passes. Broad receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught three of these. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery every ran for a landing. It was like previous occasions. Will need to have seemed fairly acquainted to Johnson, who should have hated it.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

We have now one dangerous and one good, so let's have a look at some extra good earlier than we assume all is effectively, proper? I am not essentially as anxious about John Morton's means to exchange Johnson as offensive coordinator as I'm concerning the inside of the Lions' offensive line following the shock offseason retirement of longtime heart Frank Ragnow. It was the problems up entrance that have been most worrisome in Week 1, and I believe we have to see the reconfigured line in motion for just a few weeks earlier than we resolve whether or not it is going to have the ability to maintain up.

And keep in mind, once we say “simply superb” concerning the Lions, we're speaking about Tremendous Bowl contender-fine. The requirements are excessive in Detroit. The Lions might nonetheless be an excellent staff and never be the identical type of wagon they have been on offense final season. In addition they might nonetheless be elite on offense. I simply do not assume we've got sufficient proof both method, and the inside offensive line questions depart some room to marvel.

The Steelers' protection will hold them from making the playoffs

A lot consideration has been paid this offseason to Pittsburgh Steelers' offense and the way it could come collectively round quarterback Aaron Rodgers, extensive receiver DK Metcalf and a rebuilt working again room. They usually scored 34 factors in a Week 1 victory over the New York Jets, so it appeared like issues could be cool. However in addition they gave up 32 in that very same sport. And in Sunday's home-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, they gave up 31 extra whereas the offense seemed significantly extra lackluster.

The Steelers have been outgained 395 yards to 267 and turned the ball over twice. These 267 yards, by the best way, are solely 4 fewer than they gained in Week 1, when the Jets helped them out with some turnovers and quick fields. So by way of two video games, Pittsburgh is averaging 269.0 yards per sport on offense and 394.5 yards allowed per sport on protection. If not for a Chris Boswell 60-yard discipline aim on the finish of Week 1, Pittsburgh can be 0-2.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

We assume the Steelers will at all times be nice on protection. We take it as a given. That is why the speak has been about whether or not the offense could be adequate across the 41-year-old Rodgers. Not elite — the thought is that the Steelers simply have to be adequate on offense and their usually elite protection and particular groups will deal with the remainder. Even when they are going to be an important offense, it is most likely going to take a while for all of it to come back collectively.

However what if the protection is not nice? What if that is the yr it begins to indicate cracks? The names all sound good — T.J. Watt, Jalen Ramsey, Cameron Heyward, Patrick Queen, Darius Slay, Alex Highsmith, and so forth. — but it surely's one of many oldest items within the league and in some unspecified time in the future a few of these guys may not be as nice as they was once.

That is the primary time since 2002 that the Steelers have allowed 30 or extra factors in every of their first two video games of the season. It is the primary time since 2021 that they've allowed 30 or extra factors in consecutive video games at any level of a season. May Mike Tomlin & Co. get it rotated? In fact. But when they offer up 30 extra to Drake Maye and the New England Patriots subsequent Sunday in Foxborough, it could be time to fret.

Neither the Chiefs nor the Eagles will return to the Tremendous Bowl this season

Sunday's Tremendous Bowl rematch was a defensive slog between an Eagles staff nonetheless placing its passing sport collectively and a Kansas Metropolis Chiefs staff lacking the majority of its extensive receiver depth chart. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes stored Kansas Metropolis within the sport together with his legs, but it surely turned on a fourth-quarter interception that bounced off of Travis Kelce's fingers on the aim line after which a pair runs of the Eagles' patented “tush push” — an abomination of a play that 22 of the league's 32 groups voted to outlaw this previous offseason and on which the officers ignored a number of apparent false begins by the offensive linemen.

The Eagles got here out of the sport 2-0, however aside from a bunch of cool scrambles by quarterback Jalen Hurts within the opener towards the Cowboys, the offense has seemed caught within the mud. The Chiefs got here out of the sport 0-2, and outdoors of some sensible working by Mahomes in each video games, their offense has seemed nonexistent. The Chiefs' Week 1 loss was to the Los Angeles Chargers, one of many two different groups of their division that made the playoffs final season, in order that they're behind the 8-ball in a method they have not been in fairly some time.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

The Chiefs have performed within the final three Tremendous Bowls, so forgive me if I must see them mathematically eradicated earlier than I purchase that they cannot get to the following one. If Mahomes have been to lose an AFC Championship Recreation in regulation, that might be the earliest a Chiefs season has ended with him as their beginning quarterback. The receivers will get wholesome, Rashee Rice shall be again from his suspension after Week 6, and no staff within the league has confirmed higher at fixing their issues in-season than Andy Reid's Chiefs have. They don't seem to be out of this but by any stretch.

The Eagles have performed in two of the final three Tremendous Bowls, so it is nearly as silly to write down them off. They're 2-0 with out having performed significantly effectively, which is one thing Chiefs groups of the current previous can relate to. The Eagles are coming collectively round a brand new offensive coordinator, however with Hurts as their chief Philadelphia has what it takes to climate early-season struggles and nonetheless hold successful. I am not telling you to anticipate a rematch of the Tremendous Bowl, and it is potential neither considered one of these groups makes it again. However it's nuts to rule them each out at this early stage of the season.

Darnold was one of many nice tales of the 2024 season. A former top-10 choose who flopped with the Jets and bounced round for a few years earlier than touchdown in Minnesota with head coach and QB guru Kevin O'Connell, Darnold led the Vikings to 14 wins final yr in his seventh NFL season whereas throwing a career-high 35 landing passes.

Jones is a former top-10 choose who flopped with the Giants and really spent the ultimate a part of final season with O'Connell and Darnold in Minnesota earlier than signing with the Colts this offseason. He beat out former top-10 choose Anthony Richardson Sr. for the beginning QB job and after an excellent 29-28 comeback victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, he has the Colts 2-0 to start out the season.

Jones is 45-for-63 (71%) passing with 588 yards and two landing passes in his first two video games and in addition has rushed for 26 yards and three touchdowns. It was one factor to do it in Week 1 towards a Miami Dolphins protection that has but to cease anyone. However the Broncos are presupposed to have probably the greatest defenses within the league, and Jones had his method with Denver on Sunday.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Why not? Jones has expertise. We have seen him get a staff into the playoffs earlier than. The Colts have lots of good items round him, together with working again Jonathan Taylor, a stout offensive line, rookie tight finish Tyler Warren and a good variety of actually good gamers on protection. Their coach, Shane Steichen, acquired the Indianapolis job partially due to the work he did with Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, and he practically made the playoffs two years in the past with Gardner Minshew taking part in quarterback.

May this be a state of affairs the place Jones has a Darnold/Geno Smith-style resurgence and cashes in with an enormous new contract within the offseason? Stranger issues have definitely occurred.