It’s only NFL Week 2, but some teams already feel like they have to bounce back after disasters in their first games. Losing the opener isn’t an immediate death sentence. Sometimes it’s just a bad matchup, or guys are a little rusty because they didn’t play in the preseason. Since 1990, only about 12% of teams that start 0-2 go on to make the playoffs. There are a few teams that absolutely need to win this week to avoid unnecessary noise.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys overachieved to a degree last year. There was real skepticism about the Brian Schottenheimer hire, but the team looked much more competitive than expected. After an abnormally quiet offseason where they got George Pickens to quickly sign his franchise tag and brought in Christian Parker as defensive coordinator, Dallas became a trendy pick for success.
Then they kicked off at MetLife last Sunday night, and all those good vibes disappeared. Dallas looked completely lost on defense. The offense had no rhythm. They looked like they simply didn’t get off the bus. They need to have an exceptional showing this week to prove that last week was just the ultimate “burn the tape” game. To add to the pressure, they get another divisional matchup to make this game feel bigger than it already is for them.
New England Patriots
The Patriots got a tough draw to start the year. Having to watch Seattle raise their banner in a Super Bowl rematch to start the season makes Week One feel like a season-defining game. New England didn’t just lose that game; it was a worst-case-scenario event. They blew a ten-point lead after Sam Darnold got hurt and lost A.J. Brown for a month along the way.
The Pats go to Pittsburgh this week after some extended rest to turn this early part of the season around. This matchup didn’t go well for New England last year as they turned the ball over five times in a 21-14 loss. Mike Vrabel may have to dip into the revenge mindset, along with tapping into the frustration from last week, to get his guys ready to go on Sunday. They desperately need a win to avoid being labeled as another team bitten by the Super Bowl Slump.
Los Angeles Chargers
This might be the get-right game of all get-right games. The Chargers and Justin Herbert once again came into the season with massive hype. The excuse last year was that their tackles were hurt, and what can Herbert and Jim Harbaugh do if their full roster isn’t available? Well, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater played last Sunday, and the Chargers lost by 12 to a Cardinals team with a 3.5 win total.
They don’t need to just win this week; they need to dominate the Raiders. Herbert has already garnered the label of “What If Quarterback,” and Harbaugh has quieted the choking narrative a little after winning the National Championship with Michigan. If Herbert gets outplayed again this week and they only survive Las Vegas, not a single soul should feel any better about this team. They have the coach; they have the quarterback. Now it’s time to start winning.
Los Angeles Rams
It was a tough week for Southern California. The Rams built a super team and thought they were smarter than every scientist that’s ever existed. People have been studying the effects of jet lag for years, but the Rams thought sending 13 staffers over would help them discover something new. Surprisingly, that method failed miserably, and they looked lifeless against the Niners in Melbourne.
LA may be down Myles Garrett this week, but they’re getting a young team that’s feeling themselves on Monday night. It doesn’t matter how good the Giants looked last week; the Rams have to take care of business. This last chapter for Matthew Stafford gets really short if they fall to 0-2.
Denver Broncos
All the talk surrounding this team for two years has been about how well-run Denver has been. The defense is deep at all three levels, the offensive line is loaded, and they hired a brilliant coach in Sean Payton. They’ve led the league in sacks the last two seasons and made the playoffs both times. All they needed was a legitimate number one receiver for Bo Nix, so they traded for Jaylen Waddle. In their opener, he had one catch for two yards, the defense had 28 missed tackles, and Nix was sacked four times in a 21-point blowout loss to the Chiefs.
Denver feels like they got robbed last year, with Nix missing the AFC Championship Game with a broken ankle. The discourse surrounding them compared to the Chiefs is black and white. The Broncos are a trendy pick to get over the hump while everyone is stating the end of the Chiefs’ reign. That game Monday night was a wake-up call for Denver. Two overachieving seasons don’t make a sweeping declaration. It won’t be easy with Trevor Lawrence and the Jags coming to town, but the Broncos need to right this ship and do it fast before this season gets away from them.
