5 NFL overreactions for Week 2 on who you can and can’t trust

Two games do not make a season in the NFL. Last year, the Baltimore Ravens started 0-2 and ended the year as a playoff team at 12-5. Still, there are some pretty big historical trends to be drawn after the first two games.

There are currently nine 0-2 teams in the NFL heading into Monday Night Football. Since 1990, only 12.2 percent of teams who started 0-2 have made the NFL Playoffs. There are currently six 2-0 teams heading into Monday night. About 64 percent of teams that start the year 2-0 make the NFL Playoffs since 1990.

It’s time for more overreactions after a super fun Sunday slate in Week 2. No, I’m not ready to call the 2-0 Indianapolis Colts a contender yet, especially after the wild way that game ended. These are things that actually seem real right now, but we know how quickly the tide can change in the NFL. Check back next week and again at the end of the year to see how these hot takes have aged.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ luck has run out

The Chiefs were the greatest Houdini act in the NFL last year. Kansas City seemed to play a close game every week, and they would always pull out a win. The Chiefs were 10-0 in games decided by seven points or less last year. Maybe the Eagles stomped the luck out of them with a rout in the Super Bowl, because in the new season, KC’s luck isn’t carrying over.

The Chiefs are 0-2 after falling to the Eagles in the Super Bowl rematch in Week 2. After losing a one-score game to the Chargers in Week 1 in Brazil, Kansas City dropped another close game to Philadelphia, 20-17.

I fully expect the Chiefs to right the ship soon, and still become a playoff team. The Chargers and Eagles are both really good. Still, it felt like Kansas City had a horseshoe stuck up their rear end all of last season, and I just don’t think that’s sustainable. The Chiefs look a half step below the AFC’s other contenders right now, and unless that changes, I don’t think this is a Super Bowl team.

The Chiefs have reached at least the AFC Championship Game in seven straight seasons. I’m not ready to say that streak is ending yet because Patrick Mahomes is still phenomenal, but opponents can no longer chalk up Kansas City’s comebacks to “Chiefs’ Devil’s Magic.” If KC is going to regain their position as the league’s best team, they need to start blowing some opponents out.

The Green Bay Packers are going to the Super Bowl

The Packers were going to be very good even before the Micah Parsons trade. Green Bay won 11 games last year, and if they didn’t blow their final two games of the regular season, they could have avoided the Eagles in the playoffs for a bit. After the big deal for Parsons, Green Bay has the game-wrecker it needed to push them over the top. Parsons has been electric so far rushing the passer, and it’s elevated Green Bay’s defense to one of the league’s best units.

I didn’t give the Packers defense enough credit for shutting down the Detroit Lions in Week 1. After the Lions hung 52 points on the Chicago Bears in Week 2, it’s clear that Green Bay’s defense must be really good to hold the Lions in check in the opener. At this point, I’m convinced the Packers have one of the best defenses in football with Parsons leading the way, and the offense looks explosive in its own right with Jordan Love consistently throwing downfield while other QBs checkdown.

The Packers and Eagles feel like they are a cut above everyone else in the NFC right now. Green Bay has been a little more impressive, so I’ll deem them the favorites in the conference so far.

The Bears are one of the worst teams in the NFL

Leave it to the Bears to kill the preseason optimism around head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival after just two games. Chicago collapsed in Week 1 against the Vikings, and in Week 2, they were absolutely steamrolled by the Detroit Lions. The Lions dropped 52 points on a helpless Bears defense that just couldn’t get out of its own way. Chicago can’t buy a call from the refs so far this year, but that’s not why they lost. The talent level on this team is just really poor.

General manager Ryan Poles signed an extension before the season, and right now that’s looking like a massive mistake. Poles is getting nothing out of his rookie class so far with Colston Loveland and Luther Burden making no impact, and multiple Day 2 picks ending up as healthy scratches. Meanwhile, Poles has already wasted premium picks on players he’s already cut (Zachh Pickens, Velus Jones Jr), traded for Chase Claypool (yikes), and used to take take a mediocre punter. The Bears’ pass rush is non-existent right now. The defensive backs have been decimated by injuries (including Jaylon Johnson, whose status the rest of the year is in jeopardy with a groin strain). The offense can’t run the ball at all, and Caleb Williams doesn’t look anything like a franchise QB so far.

Poles has to get fired if the Bears win six games or fewer. He’s made so many poor moves in Chicago, and this thing isn’t getting better any time soon. Johnson should still have a bright future as a head coach, but he’s not a miracle worker. The Bears are very bad.

Trevor Lawrence isn’t it for the Jags

Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but anyone who watched the game knows how much he struggled. Lawrence threw two costly interceptions, and only completed 24-of-42 passes on the night. His lack of accuracy cost the Jags in a game that Joe Burrow had to exit with a turf toe injury. It’s never good when you’re getting out-dueled by Jake Browning.

Lawrence threw this terrible interception:

He had the funniest throw of Week 2 (not a compliment) when he launched this ball several yards past the line of scrimmage:

He also beefed with his new head coach on the field:

Lawrence was supposed to be generational, and instead he might not even be average. Unless Lawrence can improve his accuracy quickly, he’s not the savior he was supposed to be for Jacksonville.

Drake Maye is the truth for the Patriots

While I’m not buying Lawrence, I am buying Drake Maye as the long-term answer at QB for the New England Patriots. Maye was sensational in a win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, finishing with 230 yards passing, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and also adding 31 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown. Maye is big, strong QB who can deliver strikes from the pocket with accuracy and velocity.

Look at him step up in the pocket and put this throw on the money:

Look at the touch on this touchdown throw:

Maye has the prototypical NFL QB skill set. I’m not sure if he’ll really be an elite NFL QB, but I expect him to flirt with top-10 status eventually. The Patriots have their answer at quarterback.