Eight teams, including the Cowboys, 49ers and Dolphins, are 2-0 following Sunday's games.
Dianna Russini, Jeff Howe and The Athletic NFL Staff
September 18, 2023 at 8:29 PM EDT
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NFL Week 2 scores, standings, TV channels, streaming and more
Recurring issues for Sam Howell, Commanders
Sam Howell was sacked six times in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals and has already been sacked twice today. According to Howell and coach Ron Rivera, the QB was at fault for some of last week’s sacks, and on two of the sacks today, he has held the ball for more than four seconds.
Howell has been hit a total of six times today, and we’re barely into the second quarter.
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Jaleel McLaughlin's first TD highlights remarkable journey to NFL
Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin's first NFL touchdown highlights a remarkable journey to the NFL. The undrafted rookie was a longshot to even make Denver's roster despite being the NCAA's all-time rushing yards leader, but he turned heads throughout camp and the preseason.
It might not be very surprising to those who know him as overcoming the odds has been his specialty his whole life. The Athletic's Nick Kosmider recently told McLaughlin's inspirational story.
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Jaleel McLaughlin, after inspiring ride to Broncos’ roster, is ready for more
Matthew Stafford picks up where he left off
Matthew Stafford was excellent in the Los Angeles Rams' Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks and he's picked up where he left off Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Stafford is 10 for 12 on the Rams' first two possessions for 93 yards and a TD pass to running back Kyren Williams in the second quarter to tie the game, 10-10.
Stafford, 35, was 24 for 38 against the Seahawks last week for 334 yards and his pass to Williams in the second quarter Sunday was his first TD pass of the season. The 6-yard toss to Williams capped an eight-play, 60-yard drive.
The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue pointed out the block rookie guard Steve Avila threw on the play.
Jack Del Rio’s defense off to disastrous start
Jack Del Rio’s defense is off to a disastrous start in the city where he served as defensive coordinator for three years.
After allowing a touchdown on the Denver Broncos’ opening drive, the Washington Commanders took a roughing the passer penalty and then gave up a 60-yard touchdown to Marvin Mims, as Del Rio sent two cornerbacks on a blitz, but both got picked up and Washington got burned.
It’s 14-3, Denver.
Not-so-great history for Josh Jacobs, Raiders
Mark Konezny / USA Today
Josh Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rush yards last season, the first Raiders player to lead the NFL in rushing since Marcus Allen in 1985.
However, today against the Bills, Jacobs finished with minus-2 yards on nine carries. According to the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info), it’s the first time since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger that a reigning rushing champ finished a game with negative rush yards.
Joey Slye puts Commanders on the board
The Washington Commanders have moved the ball 45 yards and 50 yards on their two possessions so far, but both times, the drive stalled with a sack.
This time, Joey Slye connects from 44 yards, and Washington trails 7-3 late in the first quarter.
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Jets' trickeration leads to first down
Some trickeration by the New York Jets, completing a fake punt from their own 19-yard line. Ashtyn Davis kept the ball, and the Jets got the first down.
Despite this, Zach Wilson and the offense were unable to convert another first down, and were forced to punt again.
Giants D/ST coming up short for fantasy managers
The Giants D/ST had one of the highest roster addition percentages at this position this week (plus-35.7 percent at ESPN) due to what looked to be a very favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Those acquisitions are coming up short right now. Rushing touchdowns by James Conner and Joshua Dobbs have led the Cardinals to a 14-0 lead and dropped the New York D/ST to only four points so far.
Giants can't bring down Dobbs as he extends Cardinals' lead
Wow. Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs just takes off on a scramble and ... no one on the Giants could catch or stop him.
He outran linebacker Micah McFadden and then trucked Xavier McKinney at the goal line for a 23-yard TD.
A sign of things to come for Giants?
Everything seemed to break right for the Giants last year in Brian Daboll's first season as coach, including his challenge attempts. Daboll went 3-for-3 last season.
Now in a season that is off to a dreadful start, Daboll loses his first challenge of the year. A sign of things to come?
Commanders defense won't be happy with first series
Washington’s defense will not be happy with how its first series in Denver went. The Broncos marched 61 yards on seven plays, including five runs (by four different players) for 51 yards.
The Commanders appeared slow to react to a few different misdirection plays, including a toss play on the touchdown by Broncos rookie Jahleel McLaughlin.
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What history says about 2-0 vs. 0-2 start in race for postseason
Just how much of a head start do 2-0 teams have on those who fall to 0-2 this week in the playoff race?
Since the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002:
- 61 percent of teams to start 2-0 have gone on to reach the playoffs (105 of 172)
- 10.1 percent of teams to start 0-2 have gone on to reach the playoffs (17 of 169)
In the two seasons using the current 14-team playoff format:
- 11 of the 13 teams to start 2-0 reached the playoffs including both Super Bowl winners (2021 Rams and 2022 Chiefs)
- 11 of the 12 teams to start 0-2 missed the playoffs (all but the 2022 Bengals)
Rams still looking to solve McCaffrey problem
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today
After a quarter, the Los Angeles Rams still haven't seemed to solve their "Christian McCaffrey" problem. He broke two tackles on an 11-yard touchdown on the San Francisco 49ers' first drive, and just broke off a 51-yard run around the outside (the same area that has plagued the Rams' run defense early on this fall) as the quarter ended.
Matthew Stafford and Los Angeles' offense moved the ball well but a holding call on some edge blocking by Tyler Higbee killed a promising drive and held them to a field goal.
Hopefully you took McCaffrey's over
Christian McCaffrey is off to a fast start against the Rams. After a 51-yard run, he's got seven carries for 80 yards and a touchdown at the end of the first quarter. His over/under for the game was 70.
Cowboys out of the gate fast
The Dallas Cowboys are out of the gate fast again, but this week, it's the offense doing the early work.
And while Dak Prescott was 5 for 5 with 41 yards and a 4-yard TD toss to tight end Jake Ferguson, it was his legs that provided the crucial play of the drive.
On third-and-6 from the New York Jets' 20, Prescott was flushed from the pocket and ran 15 yards for a first down at the 5. Prescott has not run the ball as much since breaking his ankle in Week 5 against the Giants in 2020, but his ability to pick up yards running can be a key to the Cowboys' success on offense.
He ran one time for 6 yards in the Week 1 rout of the Giants, but how often Mike McCarthy calls Prescott's number to run the ball this season will be an interesting storyline to watch.
Falcons believe they can win, and they're doing just that
The Falcons are 2-0 for the first time since 2017, and it’s not because they’re getting brilliant quarterback play, or the offense is anything special, or certainly because officiating calls have all gone their way.
Coach Arthur Smith has a team that actually believes it can win games, which hasn’t always been the case in Atlanta, and he made the mother of all ballsy calls late in the game by going for it on fourth-and-inches from the Packers’ 23 -- and Bijan Robinson carried for seven yards and the first down.
The play allowed the Falcons to bleed the clock before Younghoe Koo kicked a 25-yard field goal in the final minute.
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Plenty of Nick Bosa on 49ers' opening drive
Nick Bosa played 10 of 11 snaps on the 49ers' opening drive on defense. I don't know if the 49ers are going to try to limit his snap count with a Thursday night game looming. (He played 35 snaps last week.)
Bosa's most impactful play was drawing a holding that backed the Rams up and ultimately helped force them to attempt a 43-yard field goal.
Commanders' Camaron Cheeseman's issues continue
Washington Commanders long snapper Camaron Cheeseman continues to have issues.
After having one snap come out as a grounder last week (punter Tress Way managed to get the hold down for a successful kick), Cheeseman’s snap appeared to be short again, and Joey Slye missed the 49-yard attempt well wide right.
Absolutely horrific start for Giants
The Arizona Cardinals just moved the ball at will on that drive.
It was nine plays for 86 yards to be exact, and the Cardinals only had to convert one third down. That's how easy it was for Arizona, which capped the drive with a 4-yard James Conner touchdown run, to take a 7-0 lead.
Oh, and the Giants continue to shoot themselves in the foot. They've already committed three penalties for 25 yards.
After a game of miscues against Dallas in Week 1, the blunders continue.
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