Getty Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings.
Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season is officially in the books, and to say it was a wild one is a mild understatement.
Nine teams out of 32 remain undefeated, with the Cowboys, Eagles and Ravens all falling and the Vikings, Chargers and Saints looking like threats early. Let’s take a look at where each team currently stands with Week 3 just around the corner.
NFC East
š¤ Cowboys:Ā (1-1) It was an ugly one in Dallas this week, with the Cowboys getting roughed up by the Saints, 44-19. QB Dak Prescott tossed a pair of interceptions and the offense couldn’t get anything going, managing just 3 second-half points. The Cowboys host what should be a desperate Ravens squad Week 3, so Mike McCarthy had better have his team prepped.
š¦ Eagles:Ā (1-1) In one of Week 2’s wildest games, the Eagles had an 18-15 lead over the Falcons with just under 2:00 remaining. Philly wound up losing, 22-21. QB Jalen Hurts had 2 total TDs, but he also tossed an interception on the team’s potential game-winning drive. Hurts and the Eagles head to New Orleans to face the league’s most high-powered offense next, so it could get scary for Philly in a hurry.
š½ Giants:Ā (0-2) Week 2 brought another loss to the Giants’ door when they fell to the Commanders, 21-18. Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had a game, hauling in 10 passes for 127 yards and a score, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the seven field goals scored by Washington. The Giants visit the Browns next week.
š«” Commanders: (1-1)Ā The CommandersĀ edged the Giants, 21-18, with quarterback Jayden Daniels leading an offensive attack that gained 425 total yards. Washington failed to score a TD, but they didn’t punt once. Seven Austin Seibert field goals was enough. Next up? The Commanders head to Cincinnati to play the Bengals on Monday Night Football.
NFC West
āļøĀ Cardinals:Ā (1-1) Kyler Murray and the Cardinals took the Rams to school, beating them 41-10. Murray threw for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns, and rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. had a coming out party, catching 4 passes for 130 yards and 2 scores. The Lions come to town next in what should be an explosive matchup.
šĀ Rams:Ā (0-2) The Rams haven’t had many things go their way to start the season. After losing Puka Nacua Week 1, Cooper Kupp went down with an ankle injury in the team’s 41-10 loss to the Cardinals Week 2. He’ll also head to IR. The 49ers are coming to town next, so an 0-3 start is a very realistic possibility.
āļøĀ 49ers:Ā (1-1) San Francisco fell to the Vikings in a surprising 23-17 road loss. The 49ers had two turnovers on offense, including a Brock Purdy interception, and the usually-stout defense gave up 403 total yards. The Niners head to L.A. Week 3 to face the Rams in what should be a big divisional matchup.
ā Seahawks:Ā (2-0) The Seahawks sit atop the West after beating the Patriots in overtime, 23-20. Geno Smith finished with 327 yards and a touchdown, also leading the game-winning drive in OT. DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba both had 100-yard games against a tough Patriots defense.
NFC North
š»Ā Bears: (1-1) Concerns are beginning to mount in Chicago after rookie QB Caleb Williams struggled for the second week in a row. The Bears fell to a superior Texans team, 19-13, with their defense holding its own against a dynamic offense led by C.J. Stroud. Chicago heads to Indy to face the Colts Week 3, so a get-right game could be in store for Williams.
š¦Ā Lions:Ā (1-1) The Lions lost at home to the Buccaneers, 20-16. Quarterback Jared Goff threw two very costly interceptions despite leading the offense — we’ll call it the Goffense — to 463 total yards. Despite seven trips to the red zone, though, the Goffense scored just one TD. Detroit visits an explosive Cardinals team next week.
š§Ā Packers:Ā (1-1) Sure, we’re just two games in, but Matt LaFleur is making a case for himself for Coach of the Year. Utilizing an offensive script that called for a ton of runs, LaFleur led backup quarterback Malik Willis and the Packers to a 16-10 win over the Colts. The Packers should be able to get back above .500 next week when they take on the Titans.
š”ļøĀ Vikings:Ā (2-0) Sam Darnold was impressive for the second straight week, leading the Vikes to a 23-17 win over the 49ers. He threw for 268 yards and 2 TDs, while Justin Jefferson proved to be unguardable, catching 4 passes for 133 yards and a score. Minnesota plays host to the undefeated Texans next week in what should be a barn burner.
NFC South
š¦Ā Falcons:Ā (1-1) Despite his inconsistent play, quarterback Kirk Cousins led the Falcons on an impressive game-winning TD drive to beat the Eagles, 22-21, in the final seconds. RB Bijan Robinson added 122 total yards in the win. Next up? Another prime time matchup, as the Chiefs come to town Week 3.
š¾Ā Panthers:Ā (0-2) Carolina got walloped for a second straight week, falling to the Chargers, 26-3. Second-year QB Bryce Young struggled again, throwing for 84 yards and an interception. The Panthers have scored 13 points over their first two games, which led to the surprise benching of Young after the game. The Panthers head to Allegiant Stadium to face the Raiders Week 3.
āļøĀ Saints:Ā (2-0) Alvin Kamara had 4 total TDs and QB Derek Carr went 11-16 for 243 yards and 2 TDs in New Orleans’ 44-19 rout of the Cowboys. For those keeping track, the Saints have now scored 91 points in two games. New OC Klint Kubiak seems to have unlocked Carr and an offense that averaged just over 23 points a game last year. The Saints host the Eagles next Sunday in a huge NFC showdown.
š“āā ļøĀ Bucs:Ā (2-0) The resurgent Buccaneers are still undefeated after a gritty 20-16 win over the Lions. QB Baker Mayfield threw for 185 yards and accounted for 2 total TDs, while Tampa Bay’s defense tightened up in the red zone for a complete team win. The Bucs host the Broncos next Sunday.
AFC North
š¦āā¬Ā Ravens:Ā (0-2) The Ravens lost their second straight, falling to the Raiders, 26-23. Baltimore hasn’t started the season with an 0-2 mark since 2015. It finished with a 5-11 record that year. The Ravens visit the Cowboys Week 3, so an 0-3 start could be staring them in the face.
š Ā Bengals:Ā (0-2) Starting 0-2 seems to be the status quo for the Bengals, as they’ve done it the last two seasons and still finished with a winning record each year. Joe Burrow and company gave the Chiefs all they could handle Week 2, but lost 26-25 when Kansas City drilled a field goal in the final seconds. Cincinnati hosts Washington next Monday night.
š«Ā Browns:Ā (1-1)Ā Cleveland notched its first dub of the season this week, beating the Jaguars 18-13. The Browns defense sacked Trevor Lawrence four times, making him uncomfortable all game. The Giants come to town next week, so another dominant defensive performance could be on the docket.
Ā āļøĀ Steelers: (2-0) Defense won the day yet again for Mike Tomlin’s squad, who eked out a 13-6 win over the lowly Broncos this week. In his second straight start, QB Justin Fields did enough once again, finishing 13-20 for 117 yards and a TD. The undefeated Chargers come to town next week in what should be one of Week 3’s best matchups.
AFC South
š®Ā Texans:Ā (2-0) C.J. Stroud led the Texans to a 19-13 win over the Bears, throwing for 260 yards and a score. DeMeco Ryans had his defense swarming Bears QB Caleb Williams, sacking the rookie a ridiculous seven times. Next up, the Texans take their talents to U.S. Bank Stadium, where the 2-0 Vikings await.
šĀ Colts:Ā (0-2) After an up-and-down Week 1 performance, Anthony Richardson and the Colts looked abysmal Week 2 in their 16-10 loss to the Packers. Richardson threw 3 INTs in a loss that felt far more lopsided than the final score indicates. Indianapolis hosts a gritty Bears team next Sunday at noon.
šĀ Jaguars: (0-2) The Jags are off to a disappointing 2024, losing to Miami Week 1 before falling again to the Browns, 18-13, this week.Ā Jacksonville has scored just 30 points over its first two games. Trevor Lawrence and company have to head to Buffalo to face a Bills team that’s ranked fourth in the NFL in points scored (32.5).
š¹Ā Titans:Ā (0-2) The Titans couldn’t get much going offensively against the Jets, losing 24-17. Titans QB Will Levis had two more ugly turnovers, which Titans coach Brian Callahan called “dumb” after the game, according to The Athletic. Tennessee has a tough Packers defense coming to town next weekend, so it could get uglier fast.
AFC East
š¦¬Ā Bills: (2-0) Josh Allen is coming off another solid performance, leading the Bills to a 31-10 win over the Dolphins Thursday. Buffalo also did it with defense, snagging 3 interceptions. The Bills host the Jags next Monday night.
š¬Ā Dolphins:Ā (1-1) Miami lost more than the game when they fell to the Bills, 31-10, last Thursday. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion over the last 24 months. WhileĀ Tagovailoa says he plans to continue playing, it’ll be some time before he returns. It’ll either be new addition Tyler Huntley orĀ Skylar Thompson at QB for Miami when they visit the Seahawks Week 3.
šŗšøĀ Patriots: (1-1) New England fell in overtime to the Seahawks this week, 23-20. The Patriots played a relatively clean game (three penalties, no turnovers), but they struggled to do much other than run the ball (185 of their 310 total yards came on the ground). The Pats head to MetLife Stadium to play the Jets Thursday night, so they’ll need to get right quick.
āļøĀ Jets: (1-1) The Jets benefitted from another bad day from Titans QB Will Levis, who had two turnovers in New York’s 24-17 victory. Aaron Rodgers went 18-for-30 for 176 yards and 2 TDs, and rookie RB Braelon Allen added two scores in a solid team win. The Jets host the Patriots in a huge divisional game this Thursday night.
AFC West
š“Ā Broncos:Ā (0-2) It was ugly for Bo Nix and the Broncos‘ offense Week 2. In their 13-6 loss to the Steelers, Denver was held scoreless until the fourth quarter, managing just two field goals in the game’s final 15 minutes. Nix threw 2 INTs, which proved to be crucial in a game this close. Denver heads to Tampa to play the red hot Bucs next.
š¹Ā Chiefs:Ā (2-0) It went down to the final seconds, but Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs edged the Bengals, 26-25. A last-second field goal from Harrison Butker made the difference after a back and forth contest that featured an uncharacteristic 2 picks from Mahomes. Kansas City heads to Atlanta to face the Falcons for SNF next week.
ā ļøĀ Raiders: (1-1) After a slow start, the Raiders came back to beat the Ravens, 26-23. Gardner Minshew used his playmakers, with Davante Adams snagging 9 passes for 110 yards and a TD and rookie tight end Brock Bowers adding 98 yards on 9 receptions. The winless Panthers come to town Week 3, so a 2-1 record should be the expectation.
ā”Ā Chargers: (2-0) L.A. is fresh from beating up on the beleaguered Panthers, 26-3. Jim Harbaugh has his squad playing inspired ball, with the Chargers’ defense giving up just 159 yards and 3.5 yards per play in the win. On offense, RB J.K. Dobbins currently leads the NFL in rushing with 266 yards. The Chargers visit the Steelers next in a battle of 2-0 teams.
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Week 2 NFL Recap: 9 Undefeated Teams Remain After Wild Week