Week 2 is headlined by a Super Bowl rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, while across the league several contenders are fighting to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.
It may be early, but the urgency is already real. Here are 5 things to know about Week 2:
The Chiefs opened their season with a stumble in Brazil, falling 27-21 to the Los Angeles Chargers. Now, it doesn’t get any easier: Kansas City welcomes the defending champs on Sunday in a Super Bowl rematch.
Philly blew out the Chiefs 40-22 back in February’s Super Bowl, and oddsmakers like the Eagles again. In fact, it’s the first time Patrick Mahomes has been a home underdog since October 2022 against the Buffalo Bills.
History though says that might not be such a bad thing for Kansas City. Mahomes has played 20 games as an underdog in his career – he’s won 13 of them and covered the spread in 14. Betting against him usually doesn’t pay.
The New York Giants’ Week 1 loss wasn’t just ugly – it was historic. New York became the first team since the 1940s Detroit Lions to go three straight openers without scoring a touchdown. That’s not exactly the record Brian Daboll was hoping for.
Russell Wilson looked out of sync, hitting on just 17 of 37 passes against the Washington Commanders. Daboll says Wilson will get another start Sunday in Dallas, but if the offense sputters again, don’t be surprised if rookie Jaxson Dart gets the call. Dart was sharp in the preseason and has the fanbase buzzing.
JJ McCarthy’s first start as Minnesota’s quarterback had all the highs and lows you could ask for. A pick-6 left the Vikings trailing 17-6 heading into the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears, and it looked like the rookie was about to learn a hard lesson. Instead, McCarthy caught fire, leading three touchdown drives in the final 15 minutes to steal a win at Soldier Field.
Only two quarterbacks since 1980 have erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter of their debut: Steve Young and now McCarthy. Not bad company for a 22-year-old still finding his footing. On Sunday, he gets his first taste of the home crowd as the Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons.
For three years, Ben Johnson was the architect of one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. Now, he’s back in Detroit – only this time on the opposite sideline as the Chicago Bears’ new head coach.
The Lions badly missed his magic touch in Week 1, mustering just 13 points against the Green Bay Packers. Jared Goff completed 31 passes but averaged only seven yards per completion. Without Johnson or Sean McVay coaching him, Goff is 3-18-1 as a starter.
Both teams are desperate to avoid an 0-2 start, and Johnson’s return adds another layer of intrigue to a sneaky-big early season matchup.
Football fans are getting treated to a double dip Monday night. The Houston Texans host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7 p.m. ET, then the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers kick off in Sin City at 10 p.m.
The NFL added these doubleheaders as part of its 2021 media deal with Disney, and we’ll see the format four times this season: Week 2, Week 4, Week 6 and Week 7.
It’s a lot of football for a Monday, but who’s complaining?
