What can we expect from the week 2 NFL games this year?

The NFL kicked off with a wild week. Football coming back amidst the pandemic is a welcome return for fans who were worried about how the NFL would be affected. So far, everything is looking good and there are already plenty of big stories from week one to discuss.

As the NFL enters week two, it will be exciting to see how many of these stories play out and develop throughout the season. Here are some situations in the NFL that fans should look for in week two. 

The New England Patriots look to prove that the dynasty still has life

Last season, after the Patriots lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans, many thought that the Patriot’s reign as the top team in the NFL may be coming to an end. When Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it appeared the dynasty was dead.

However, signing Cam Newton during the offseason gave some hope to Patriots fans. During week one, Newton looked good against the Miami Dolphins – but the Dolphins are a fairly easy opponent. This Sunday, Newton and the Patriots will be going against the Seattle Seahawks on primetime Sunday Night Football. The Seahawks are a much fiercer team with good defense and an intimidating Russel Wilson.

If Newton puts on a good performance in week two along with the Patriots defense, then the Patriots can prove that they are still one of the best teams in the AFC and maybe the NFL. NFL fans know that you can never count out the Patriots as long as Bill Belichick is the head coach. 

Baker Mayfield’s career could be over

Mayfield had a great rookie season that showed a lot of promise. In his sophomore year, the Browns brought in Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Kareem Hunt, giving Mayfield a stacked offense to work with. Unfortunately, Mayfield with a less than stellar season that led to the Cleveland Browns not even making the playoffs. 

In week one, the Browns got smacked by the Baltimore Ravens, losing 6-38. It looks like this season might be the same old Browns. In week two, the Browns are going up against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that nobody is expecting to be good this season. If Mayfield can’t lead the Browns to a win against the Bengals, then it might be time for the Browns to start going in another direction from Mayfield. 

Are the Buccaneers overrated?

During the offseason, the Buccaneers got Tom Brady, Leonard Fournette, and Rob Gronkowski. Along with their two great wide receivers, Mike Evans & Chris Godwin, a good defense, and head coach Bruce Arians, the Buccaneers were becoming an NFC favorite as well as a Super Bowl contender from some analysts. 

In week one, the Buccaneers played division rival, New Orleans Saints, and their offense was handled by the Saints defense, even intercepting Brady twice. The lack of chemistry seen in the Buccaneers offense could be blamed on no preseason games, leaving the offense to build chemistry as the season moves along. 

The Buccaneers defense did appear strong and there were some bright spots in the Buccaneers offense, especially on their opening drive. Brady is looking to prove that at age forty-three, he still has what it takes to lead a team. The Buccaneers will look to get an important win against a rebuilding Carolina Panthers. 

Is the Washington Football Team the real deal or was week one a fluke?

The Washington Football Team pulled off an impressive comeback against the reigning NFC East champs, the Philadelphia Eagles. After being down seventeen points, the Football Team rallied back with a spectacular performance from their defense. The defensive line looked frightening with Ryan Kerrigan dominating and a great debut performance from first-round pick Chase Young. 

New head coach Ron Rivera is looking to change the culture of this team after years of losing seasons under owner Dan Snyder and a front office that is riddled with scandal, including recent sexual harassment accusations from former employees. After the week one comeback, it looks like Rivera may be leading the team in the right direction. Washington faces a tough week two opponent in the Arizona Cardinals. 

How badly will the DeAndre Hopkins trade affect the Houston Texans?

One of the most confusing trades during the offseason was when the Texans traded Hopkins to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson and not much else. Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the NFL and gave Texans Quarterback Deshaun Watson a great target to throw to. 

During the Thursday Night opening game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Texans, Hopkins absence was noticeable as Watson clearly didn’t have any targets who possessed the same abilities that Hopkins has. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Cardinals Quarterback Kyler Murray & Hopkins had great chemistry, leading to Hopkins having 151 yards in a win against reigning NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers. 

The Texans will face another of the AFC’s best teams, the Ravens, on Sunday. This game will reveal whether the Texans can survive without Hopkins or whether the trade was a brutal mistake. 

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Week two should be another exciting week of football games and will provide interesting narratives for each team that will develop throughout the year. It will be fascinating to see which teams are the strongest and which are going to be left in the dirt.