The NFL kicks off the 2024 season in a big way, offering an action-packed slate of revamped matchups, new faces, comeback performances and everything from 10 games to a touchdown or less.
Can Week 2 deliver the encore it deserves? The action began Thursday night between division rivals Buffalo and Miami, with the Bills winning 31-10 — and the Dolphins wondering what’s next after Tua Tagovailoa suffered another concussion. It rolls on Sunday with 14 more contests before ending Monday night in Philadelphia for Falcons-Eagles.
Here are six compelling NFL storylines to follow in Week 2. (See schedule here.)
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1. Which 0-1 teams will bounce back?
The 16 teams that lost last week will bounce back with performances that reflect improvement and promise. An 0-2 hole isn’t desirable, as the odds of making the playoffs after such a start aren’t great. (Since 2002, roughly 90 percent of 0-2 teams have missed the playoffs.)
Sunday couldn’t come fast enough for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, who entered the season with Super Bowl expectations, but saw much more against a true contender in San Francisco. Rodgers returned from a torn Achilles tendon and escaped Sunday night’s game unscathed. But New York’s offense sputtered. Rodgers completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and the Jets managed just 68 rushing yards. Defensive effort was also very low.
Next: A road game against the Tennessee Titans, a Week 1 loss. We’ll see if that season-opening action is enough to rust Rodgers and his still-fresh offensive linemen, or if things will turn around. Even longer to gel. Meanwhile, the Titans hope young Will Lewis can improve on the Chicago Bears’ ball security issues against Tennessee.
The Ravens, Packers, Bengals, Jaguars, Browns and Rams were predicted by many to make the playoffs. (Jets at Titans, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
2. Can Malik Willis keep the Packers afloat?
Quarterback Jordan Love led the Packers on an impressive playoff run last season, including upsetting the Cowboys and nearly defeating the 49ers, before turning it into a massive contract extension. The sprained MCL he suffered in the closing seconds of the Packers’ loss to the Eagles in Brazil could hinder Green Bay’s chances of sweeping the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.
Love is listed as questionable on Sunday, but he should be back in Week 4. Coach Matt LaFleur should turn to Willis, a former Liberty University star and 2022 Titans third-round pick.
Green Bay acquired Willis in an Aug. 27 trade, so he’s still working to firmly grasp the playbook. Willis is a prospect after appearing in just 11 games earlier this season. He went 1-2 as a starter in 2022 with three interceptions and no touchdowns and attempted just five passes in three games last season. LaFleur is an accomplished quarterback coach, offensive architect and play caller. But can he position Willis for success early in the quarterback’s tenure with Green Bay? LaFleur believes the answer is yes.
The Packers will need Willis to manage the game and take care of the football to keep them afloat while Love recovers. His first Test comes against a poor Indianapolis Colts team at Lambeau Field. (Colts at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs face the Bengals on Sunday. (Denny Medley/USA Today)
3. Bengals-Chiefs: AFC title preview?
NFL planners have refused to help the Chiefs ease their quest for title defense. After a heavyweight matchup with the Ravens in Week 1, the Chiefs host the Bengals — another team challenging them for AFC supremacy.
Patrick Mahomes is the gold standard for this generation of quarterbacks, but Joe Burrow has a 3-1 record against his Chiefs opponents. He bested Mahomes in both of their regular-season meetings (34-31 Week 17 shootout in 2021 and 27-24 Week 13 shootout in 2022). They are 1-1 in the postseason. Burrow topped Mahomes 27–24 in the AFC Championship Game in January 2022, and Mahomes avenged that loss with a 23–20 victory in the next conference title game. What will this meeting look like?
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Based on last week’s performance against Baltimore, it looks like Mahomes and the Chiefs could be even more dangerous in 2024 than last season’s title defense run. Meanwhile, Burrow waits for his arsenal to return to full strength. Contract conflicts between the Bengals and his top two receivers, Ja’Mar Chase and Dee Higgins, prevented him from building a proper foundation for the season. With a rusty Chase (he also said he’s recovering from food poisoning), and Higgins sidelined with a hamstring strain, Burrow managed just 164 passing yards in last week’s 16-10 loss to New England. Can the Bengals bounce back this week and give the Chiefs another serious challenge? (Bengals at Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. and Sunday.)
4. Mayo-McDonald Rookie Coach Chess Tournament
Two of the season’s most intriguing figures: New England coach Jerrod Mayo, former Patriots linebacker turned Bill Belichick assistant; and Seattle coach Mike McDonald, the former Baltimore defensive coordinator.
McDonald, 37, was one of the most coveted coaches in the last hiring cycle, while the Patriots have long eyed Mayo, 38, as their head coach in waiting. Sunday’s meeting between these young coaches in Foxboro will be the sixth time in NFL history that a pair of coaches under the age of 40 have faced each other.
Both led their teams to wins in Week 1. Mayo’s Patriots upset the short-handed Bengals despite being in the middle of a rebuild. McDonald’s Seahawks bounced back from a slow start to defeat the Broncos at home. The Patriots and Seahawks are still establishing their identity, but both coaches prefer to play a physical brand of football while leaning heavily on their defense for tone-setting plays. It reverses the trend of high-scoring, attack-focused activities, so Sunday’s game may have a throwback feel.
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An interesting sidebar to this matchup: the quarterback position, which also has similarities. The Seahawks’ offense is led by Geno Smith, who has revived his career after six years and enters his third season as Seattle’s starter. Meanwhile, New England’s starter is Jacoby Brissett, who spent most of his nine-year career as a backup. Like Smith, he wants to prove he can provide the consistent power and playmaking ability needed to lead a winning team. (Seahawks at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs are headed in the right direction after beating the Chiefs in Week 1. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today)
5. Bucks-Lions NFC playoff rematch
The last time these teams met, in the divisional round of the playoffs, the host Lions beat the Buccaneers 31-23. Now, eight months later, these 1-0 teams are aiming to lay the foundation for another playoff run.
Both teams are off to strong starts in Week 1. Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to a blowout of Washington after throwing for four touchdown passes, 289 yards, no interceptions and a 146.4 passer rating. Mayfield’s performance reflected his continued comfort in Tampa. In his last eight starts, he averaged 278.6 yards per game, 20 touchdown passes and only recorded four interceptions. He will lead the Buccaneers against a Detroit defense anchored by Aidan Hutchinson, who has 15 sacks in 20 home games (including the playoffs), and a Lions offense led by Jared Goff. Goff directed an eight-play, 70-yard, game-winning drive in overtime against the Rams last week.
Between these two gunslingers and their teams we must be in for a feast. In January’s playoff meeting, Goff passed for 287 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. But Mayfield came out firing. He amassed 349 passing yards and three touchdowns and pulled his team within 8 points with a touchdown pass to Mike Evans with 4:37 remaining. But then Detroit linebacker Derrick Barnes ended Tampa Bay’s comeback quest with an interception with 1:35 left on the clock. (Bucks at Lions, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)
6. Stroud v. Williams: The Next Generation
Sunday night’s action offers a treat: a showdown between Houston’s CJ Stroud, the top quarterback in last year’s draft class, and Chicago’s Caleb Williams, the first pick in this year’s draft. If the predictions are accurate, these two will eventually take over as the faces of the league.
Stroud is certainly headed that way after a record-breaking rookie season. Now he and the Texans host the Bears and try to build on last year’s surprise win, followed by last week’s win over AFC South rival Indianapolis. Stroud continued to impress in Week 1, passing for 234 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
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Williams opened his career with a win against the Titans — but delivered a forgettable performance (14-for-29 for 93 yards and no touchdowns). Chicago’s success came largely as a result of strong special teams and defensive play. In the second half, Chicago scored on an interception that was returned 21 yards for a touchdown by safety Jonathan Owens and a 43-yard pick-six by cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. On the bright side, Williams didn’t commit a turnover. But the Bears expect more from him, and he delivers. After the game, Williams vowed, “I’ll be fine.” However, excelling against a talented Texans defense will be challenging. (Bears at Texans, 8:20 p.m. and Sunday.)
(Top photo of Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
