Week 2 of the NFL season saw eight teams improve to 2-0 and another eight fall to 0-2, while 11 of 16 games were decided by just one score. After overreacting to all the happenings of Week 1, it’s always interesting to see which trends continue the very next weekend. Here are the most surprising developments from Week 2.
Aaron Rodgers looks very mortal
After two weeks, the two-time NFL MVP is averaging only 5.89 yards per attempt, which leads only Blaine Gabbert and Case Keenum among qualifying quarterbacks. He’s also 30th in completion percentage (57.1), 27th in passing yards (412) and 22nd in the NFL in passer rating (82.6). Rodgers struggled for long stretches to end 2015, but many expected those issues to fade away with Jordy Nelson healthy, Eddie Lacy slimmed down and Jared Cook added to the mix. They haven’t. He looks like he has established some bad habits, and bad habits are hard to break, even for a transcendent quarterback talent. Sunday night in Minnesota was as ugly a 60 minutes as we’ve seen from Rodgers, who had three fumbles and the game-sealing interception in a 17-14 loss.
Expensive Giants defense paying off
No team spent more on defense this offseason than the Giants, who broke the bank for defensive end Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison. The early returns have been fantastic. The Giants are 2-0, with a defense that has only allowed two touchdowns and 32 total points in two games. New York held the high-powered Saints offense to only 288 yards and 13 points in Week 2, despite the Giants turning the ball over three times. New Orleans rushed for 41 yards and converted just 3-of-13 third downs. The Giants’ lone touchdown didn’t come on defense, but Jenkins did return a blocked field goal for a score. With a talented defense playing this well, New York looks like a potential contender in the NFC.
Young Jaguars are disappointing
A roster overflowing with young talent had many expecting the Jaguars to roar in 2016, but the first two weeks have been a massive disappointment. Jacksonville threw away a chance to upset Green Bay in the home opener, and a trip out west to San Diego in Week 2 turned into a never-ending horror show. The Jaguars fell behind 35-0 and eventually lost by a 38-14 final, giving the franchise an 0-2 start for the fourth time in the last five years. Jacksonville has never been good when traveling to the West Coast (now 0-8 since 2004), but Sunday was a wake up call for those who believed Gus Bradley’s team was ready to turn a corner. Blake Bortles and the Jaguars still have a long ways to go.
Stefon Diggs and the birth of a star
Sunday night was the opening night for U.S. Bank Stadium and the first start for new Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford, but Diggs stole the show. He caught nine passes for a career-high 182 yards and a touchdown, and he now leads the NFL in receiving yards with 285, or 59 more than any other player. Diggs torched the Packers, catching two passes over 40 yards and hauling in Bradford’s incredible 25-yard touchdown pass in the second half. There is some Antonio Brown to Diggs’ game, especially in terms of quickness and subtle route-running techniques. He’s now currently on pace to catch 128 passes for 2,280 yards. Diggs won’t come close to hitting those numbers, but he’s well on his way to NFL stardom.
Rookie quarterbacks play like veterans
Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz continue to play like 10-year pros. Prescott led the Cowboys to a come-from-behind win in Washington, while Wentz was dynamite for the Eagles in a primetime win in Chicago. The two don’t have overwhelmingly good numbers through two weeks, but both have a calmness and sureness to their game that is increasingly rare for a young player at the position. Neither has been rattled inside the pocket, even against heavy pressure. In fact, Prescott and Wentz have thrown 146 combined passes without an interception to start their NFL careers. You don’t want to crown the two after just two games, but the Cowboys and Eagles have to be happy with their respective quarterback investments.
