Week 1's Biggest Surprises Are Now Week 2's Biggest Questions

One week aft starting nan NFL play pinch plentifulness of skepticism and small buzz, nan Steelers, Colts and Jets will beryllium among nan astir intimately watched teams of Week 2 arsenic fans and analysts hunt for clues to 1 of nan astir unexpected questions of nan young season.

Can nan backmost trio of Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, the Jets’ Justin Fields and Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones look this bully again?

Each had been formed disconnected by their erstwhile squad during nan offseason, and different bad capacity successful Week 1 threatened to constitute them disconnected pinch their caller one, too.

When media outlets published preseason rankings of nan league’s starting quarterbacks, each 3 routinely classed successful nan bottommost half; nan NFL’s own website ranked Fields and Jones 30th and 31st successful a 32-team league. Rodgers, a erstwhile four-time convention MVP, was 21st.

That deficiency of assurance was justified. Jones had a 1-5 grounds successful play openers pinch nan Giants. Then, successful his first commencement pinch nan Colts since supplanting Anthony Richardson connected nan extent chart, Jones led Indianapolis to points connected each of its first 7 drives to rustle retired nan Dolphins, 33-8, and triumph nan Colts’ first Week 1 crippled successful 12 years. Jones mixed for 3 touchdowns. It was nan first clip since astatine slightest 1978 that a squad scored connected each possession of a game, according to convention research.

Like Jones, Fields had been drafted successful nan first information pinch awesome expectations that were ne'er fulfilled. After losing his starting occupation successful Pittsburgh past season, he signed pinch nan Jets arsenic nan replacement for Rodgers, who had been formed speech by New York’s caller coaching staff. Fields completed 16 of his 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 2 much touchdowns. The passing ratio was reminiscent of nan measurement he started past season, mostly capably pinch Pittsburgh, too; nan quality successful his Jets debut was really overmuch much Fields aired nan shot out, averaging astir 11 aerial yards per attempt, nan highest of his profession by 4 yards successful 5 profession play openers, according to nan stats database Stathead.

The Jets mislaid contempt scoring 30-plus points because Rodgers was moreover amended successful his debut pinch a caller team. With Pittsburgh, Rodgers threw for 4 touchdowns without a turnover, thing he hadn’t done since 2021. He’d thrown for 4 touchdowns successful a play opener only erstwhile successful 17 erstwhile tries. His passer complaint was nan second-best of his profession successful play openers, arsenic well, while his touchdown complaint was a career-high successful specified scenarios, per Stathead.

It was unexpected. It was surprising.

Is it sustainable?

Jones hasn’t won consecutive games since October 2022. Whether that will alteration depends connected whether he tin enactment healthy, a changeless struggle while he was pinch nan New York Giants, and really overmuch he learned while spending half of past play successful Minnesota nether coach Kevin O’Connell, a noted backmost coach. Jones told the “Pat McAfee Show” this week that he was impressed watching nan granular level of item that O’Connell paid attraction to erstwhile scheming against defenses. With nan Colts, he besides has nan use of throwing to standout rookie tight extremity Tyler Warren.

Rodgers, who relished beating nan Jets successful his postgame news conference, appears arsenic motivated arsenic ever, and his limb showed nan aforesaid zip that made him a four-time MVP. But Father Time is arsenic daunting to outrun arsenic an unblocked separator rusher. In nan 19 games since he near Green Bay — and since Rodgers turned 40 and has mislaid mobility — he has been sacked much often (45 times) than he has thrown touchdown passes (32).

Criticized during stops successful Chicago and Pittsburgh for really often he scrambled alternatively than fto plays create from nan pocket, Fields was markedly amended successful his Jets debut, ranking first among each Week 1 quarterbacks successful explosive plays and expected points added erstwhile he dropped backmost to pass, according to nan NFL’s Next Gen Stats. His expertise to tally provided Fields a 3rd chance to beryllium he is an NFL starter. But producing arsenic a passer will find really agelong it lasts.

“We’re gonna fto him play quarterback, we’re gonna spot nan things that he likes, and we’re besides gonna advancement pinch nan things that he’s not bully astatine truthful he tin get amended successful that aspect,” Aaron Glenn, New York’s first-year coach, told reporters aft nan game.

What we’re watching for successful Week 2:

Jacksonville (1-0) astatine Cincinnati (1-0): No backmost was pressured little successful Week 1 than Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence. The Bengals are hoping to summation much than nan 7 yards they produced successful past week’s 2nd half.

New York Giants (0-1) astatine Dallas (0-1): When Dak Prescott plays, nan Cowboys person won 13 consecutive games against nan Giants. The NFL grounds belongs to Bob Griese, who won 17 consecutive games against Buffalo done 1979.

Chicago (0-1) astatine Detroit (0-1): This is uh-oh territory for Detroit, which is successful threat of going from past year’s No. 1 playoff seed successful nan NFC to an 0-2 commencement to this season.

Los Angeles Rams (1-0) astatine Tennessee (0-1): Only 16 interceptions were thrown mixed successful Week 1, nan fewest during a season-opening week since nan NFL/AFL merger successful 1970, according to nan NFL. L.A.'s Matthew Stafford and Titans No. 1 prime Cam Ward kept that number debased by staying pick-free past week.

New England (0-1) astatine Miami (0-1): Last week nan Dolphins averaged 6.5 yards per carry, among nan champion successful nan league. They besides rushed nan shot a league-low 12 times.

San Francisco (1-0) astatine New Orleans (0-1): Out goes 49ers backmost Brock Purdy, perchance for a month, pinch a toed injury. In his spot steps backup Mac Jones.

Buffalo (1-0) astatine New York Jets (0-1): Cam Newton holds nan NFL grounds for astir games (45) by a backmost pinch a passing and rushing touchdown, per Stathead. Buffalo’s Josh Allen tin necktie him Sunday.

Seattle (0-1) astatine Pittsburgh (1-0): It’s Steeler wideout DK Metcalf’s first crippled against nan squad that traded him. It’s besides an opportunity for Aaron Rodgers (507 profession touchdown passes) to walk Brett Favre (508) for 4th each time.

Cleveland (0-1) astatine Baltimore (0-1): According to nan NFL, nan Ravens produced an explosive play connected astir a 3rd of their violative plays successful Week 1, nan highest percent by immoderate squad successful nan past decade. Yet they lost.

Denver (1-0) astatine Indianapolis (1-0): Here’s a large trial for Daniel Jones to beryllium his basking Week 1 was for real. After starring nan NFL successful sacks past year, Denver produced an NFL-best six much successful Week 1.

Carolina (0-1) astatine Arizona (1-0): After a promising extremity to his 2nd season, erstwhile No. 1 wide prime and Panthers backmost Bryce Young completed conscionable 18 of his 34 passes for 154 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Philadelphia (1-0) astatine Kansas City (0-1): The Chiefs haven’t started a play 0-2 since 2014.

Atlanta (0-1) astatine Minnesota (1-0): Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson is 1 drawback distant from tying Larry Fitzgerald arsenic nan youngest receiver to scope 500 profession catches. Jefferson will beryllium 26 years and 90 days aged connected Sunday, nan aforesaid property arsenic Fitzgerald to nan time erstwhile he accomplished it.

Tampa Bay (1-0) astatine Houston (0-1) (Monday): Coming disconnected consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, nan Texans’ apical receiver, Nico Collins, sewage conscionable 3 catches for 25 yards successful nan opener. Houston backmost C.J. Stroud has been sacked 104 times since entering nan convention successful 2023, 12 much than immoderate different quarterback.