NFL Standings, Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs remain atop the AFC West
By Drew Brooks
NFC North
Green Bay Packers 1-0-1
Just two weeks into the season and we’ve already seen the second tie of the year. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked good coming off a knee injury, completing 30/42 passes for 281 yards and 1 touchdown. Kicker Mason Crosby missed a field goal that would’ve won the game as time expired in regulation. Initially, Crosby made the field goal but the Minnesota Vikings iced him. The Packers weren’t able to score overtime and the game ended in a 29-29 tie.
Minnesota Vikings 1-0-1
Quarterback Kirk Cousins looked exceptional for the Vikings. He completed 35/48 passes for 425 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs benefitted from Cousins’ passing also. Thielen caught 12 passes for 131 yards and 1 touchdown, while Diggs caught 9 passes for 128 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 two-point conversion. Rookie kicker Daniel Carlson missed all three of his field goal attempts, including two in overtime—one that could’ve outright won the game. The Vikings ended in a tie with the Packers, 29-29.
Chicago Bears 1-1-0
The Bears weren’t able to get anything going on the ground, as running back Jordan Howard only rushed for 35 yards on 14 carries, but their defense got the job done. A pick-six by Prince Amukamara in the 4th quarter all but sealed the deal, and the Bears won 24-17.
Detroit Lions 0-2-0
Quarterback Matthew Stafford rebounded after his awful outing last week. He completed 34/53 passes for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns, not throwing a single interception. Stafford had a chance to win or tie the game with a minute remaining, but they weren’t able to get the job done. They lost to the 49ers 30-27.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0-0
Two words: Ryan Fitzmagic. After last week’s great performance, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had another stellar performance. Completing 27/33 passes, he threw for 402 yards and 4 touchdowns and only 1 interception. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson also had a great game, catching 4 passes for 129 yards and 1 touchdown. Fitzpatrick and Jackson led the Buccaneers to a 27-21 win over the defending Super Bowl champions.
Atlanta Falcons 1-1-0
With starting running back Devonta Freeman out with a knee injury, Tevin Coleman took over. Coleman had a good day, rushing for 107 yards on 16 carries while also catching 4 passes for 18 yards. The Falcons were able to beat the Carolina Panthers 31-24.
Carolina Panthers 1-1-0
Quarterback Cam Newton completed 32/45 pass attempts for 335 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Running back Christian McCaffrey only rushed 8 times for 37 yards, but caught 14 passes for 102 yards. The Panthers weren’t able to win, though, and lost to the Falcons 31-24.
New Orleans Saints 1-1-0
The Saints were in for a scary one for a moment, trailing the Browns for most of the game. In the end, quarterback Drew Brees led the Saints to victory, completing 28/35 passes for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Saints ended up winning 21-18, largely due to Cleveland’s kicking woes.