Graphic by Raj Brodie
Renee Lu
Sports Reporter
Week two of the National Football League gave us fans a handful of exciting matchups, many of which ended in shocking upsets, fourth-quarter comebacks, and heartbreaking injuries. In case you were not following, here is a quick rundown of what you might have missed.
Thursday Night:
Thursday Night Football brought a nailbiter between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. Kansas City got off to a slow start, but a massive 99-yard Jalen Watson pick-six gave the Chiefs the lead and shifted the momentum greatly. Kansas City stayed on top and completed the 27-24 comeback victory. Unfortunately, late in the fourth quarter, Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert took a hard hit from Chiefs’ defensive end Mike Danna that had all Chargers fans holding their breath. The diagnosis revealed a fracture in his rib cartilage, and the injury is reported to be day-to-day for now.
Sunday Afternoon:
The Patriots visited Pittsburgh to face off against the Steelers this weekend and returned home with a win. The game started slow and sloppy, with both offenses turning the ball over, but eventually, the Patriots got a lead and held on as they worked their way to a 17-14 win – their first win of the season.
To say that the Ravens’ home opener against the Dolphins was heartbreaking for Baltimore fans would be an understatement. Lamar Jackson had an electric first half and heading into the fourth quarter, it seemed safe to say that the Ravens had another win in their pocket. No one could have predicted what was about to happen next. Down 21 to start the fourth quarter, Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa worked a miracle, throwing four touchdowns and racking up another win to keep the Dolphins undefeated on the season. Dolphins’ wide receiver duo Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle looked elite and showed the league that, when they are hot, they can be the most unstoppable duo in the NFL.
After an awful season opener against the Bills, the reigning Super Bowl champions got their first win as the Los Angeles Rams beat the Atlanta Falcons in a tight score of 31-27. Late in the game, star cornerback Jalen Ramsey hauled in a massive interception to seal the deal and hopefully put the Rams on track this season.
The Cardinals came back against the Raiders in a thrilling overtime win to bounce back after a tough 23-point loss against the Chiefs in week one. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray was exceptional, giving Cardinals fans hope that the 230 million dollar contract might be worth it after all.
The 49ers took care of business in a promising 27-7 victory over the Seahawks. Although they won the game, they suffered a much bigger loss in young quarterback Trey Lance, as he was carted off the field with an apparent injury. It was later reported that he had suffered a broken ankle and will, unfortunately, be out for the rest of the season.
Sunday Night:
The Packers rolled right through the Bears in a 27-10 win. Bears’ quarterback Justin Fields looked awful (to put it nicely) as he only completed seven passes for 70 total yards. Green Bay, on the other hand, had a game to be proud of: their rushing game was dominant as the lead running back, Aaron Jones, had 132 yards on 15 carries. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a solid game with 234 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Monday Night:
Monday Night Football brought us two very entertaining matchups in the Bills facing off the Titans and Eagles matching up against the Vikings.
The Bills dominated the Titans, making a statement in their 41-7 win. Bills’ Wide receiver Stefon Diggs had a commanding game, reeling in three touchdowns. The Titans’ defense seemed to be in shambles as they let Josh Allen throw for 317 yards on 26 completions. Tennessee looks to be in trouble after falling to a record of 0-2 for the year.
The Eagles handled the Vikings in a 24-7 win as Jalen Hurts made history, becoming just the second Eagles Quarterback with 300 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a game. Philadelphia’s defense looked incredibly promising as well, as they were able to lock up star wideout Justin Jefferson and running back Dalvin Cook, who was only able to gather 17 rushing yards. After winning their first two games this season, the Eagles seem to be the real deal.
Quick Hits:
The Jaguars shocked everyone with a 24-0 shutout over the Colts.
Tom Brady and his Buccaneers finally beat the Saints after getting swept by them last season.
The Jets pulled out their first win of the season against the Browns.
The Lions’ offense exploded in a 36-27 win over the Commanders.
New York barely beat the Panthers in a 19-16 victory, giving the Giants a 2-0 record.
The Broncos held on for a 16-9 win over the Texans.
The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals seem to have lost their magic from last season as they dropped a close game to the Dallas Cowboys, leaving them with zero wins thus far.
