Reactions From Week 2 in the NFL

Week 2 of the NFL season is officially behind us.

Here are some reactions and takeaways from Week 2:

Lamar Jackson Finally Delivers Against the Chiefs

*Image: Christian Petersen - Getty Images*

Coming into Sunday’s showdowns against Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson was 0-3 in his career against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have proved to be a real obstacle for Jackson, and he failed to deliver in all three instances. But, during Sunday’s matchup, Lamar Jackson finally delivered. Jackson may have thrown 2 interceptions, but Jackson played well when it mattered most. He finished the game with a completion percentage of 69.23%, and rushing for over 100 yards on the ground.

Jackson and the Ravens were 6-11 on third-down, and converting on a pivotal fourth-down to end the game. The Ravens still have an uphill battle to climb due to all of their injuries on both sides of the ball. But, Lamar Jackson has shown the ability to take over a game when he has to. Sunday’s win over the Chiefs will do a lot for the Ravens and Lamar Jackson going forward. The Ravens still should be the favorites to win the AFC North, and Sunday’s victory proves it.

Carson Wentz’s Injuries Continue to Pile Up

Carson Wentz has dealt with a wide variety of injuries throughout his career. He’s missed a grand total of 12 games in his career, seemingly proving to be one of the least durable quarterbacks in the NFL. Wentz even got banged up in training camp. Many expected that Wentz would miss the first month of the season. But, Wentz’s foot healed, and he was healthy enough to give it a go in Week 1.

But, it only took Wentz up until Week 2 to get injured again. During Sunday’s game against the Los Angels Rams, Wentz sprained BOTH of his ankles. It’s unclear how long Wentz will be out for, but, this just isn’t good news for the Indianapolis Colts. Wentz’s inability to stay healthy does not project well for their future, or for their payroll. The Colts are off to an 0-2 start, and have a daunting task in front of them in the Tennessee Titans. This could be a long season for the Colts, especially if Wentz misses a significant amount of time.

Taylor Heinicke Should be the Quarterback Going Forward in Washington

Taylor Heinicke deserves an opportunity to become the team’s long-term answer at the quarterback position. Heinicke has looked promising in his two career starts, making some big plays down the field. On Thursday, Heinicke showed great command of the offense, and led the Washington Football Team to a game winning field goal drive. Heinicke was 34 of 64 passing, throwing for 336 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to miss a large portion of the season, but even after his return, this should be Heinicke’s team. Fitzpatrick isn’t the answer long term, that part is obvious. But, nobody truly knows how Taylor Heinicke would look in an extended period of time. From the small sample size that we have gotten to see, he has looked the part of a starting quarterback in this league. If it doesn’t work out, then Washington can look to the draft in 2022, as they would have likely done so regardless of Fitzpatrick’s injury. Let Heinicke string some starts together, he’s earned it.

Zach Wilson Looks Lost

Zach Wilson’s performance against the New England Patriots was as bad it gets. The rookie had a total of 4 interceptions, 2 of which came on his first 2 pass attempts. Wilson looked baffled by the Patriots’ defensive backs, as he was off the mark from the first snap of the game. Wilson was over throwing receivers, misreading coverage, everything a quarterback should not be doing. This performance on Sunday begs the question if he should even be out there?

To this point, Wilson does not look ready for football at the NFL level. Through two games, he’s thrown 5 interceptions, and has been sacked 10 times. His offensive line is injury plagued, and he can’t seem to get on the same page with his skill position players. The Jets should have entered training camp with real competition at the quarterback position. Bringing in a real veteran presence should have been the route the Jets took. Instead, Wilson has been thrust into failure, and faces the chance of an epic disaster.

Tom Brady is Lighting the World on Fire, and Nobody is Talking About it

Tom Brady at age 44 is quietly putting together the best season of his career. Through two games, Brady has tossed 9 touchdown passes, averaging 327.5 yards per game. He has a quarterback rating of 113.3. Brady and the Bucs offense have been putting up points at will. They put up 31 points in the opener, and dropped 48 points against the Atlanta Falcons on Week 2.

The defending Super Bowl champion Bucs offense looks electric, and they aren’t goin anywhere anytime soon. Tom Brady looks as good as ever, and should be at the forefront of the MVP conversations. I’m not sure why people aren’t talking about how great Brady has been playing. Look out, the Bucs are on fire to begin the 2021 season, and Tom Brady is continuing to defy odds each and every week.