A week after starting the NFL season with lots of skepticism and small talk, the Steelers, Colts and Jets will become one of the most common teams in Week 2 as fans and analysts look for clues in one of the young season’s most unexpected questions.
Do Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers quarterback trio, Jets’ Justin Field and Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones look so good?
Each was cast by previous teams during the offseason, and another bad performance in week 1 threatened to write them down with their new ones.
When the media outlet released the preseason rankings for the league’s starting quarterbacks, all three were routinely ranked in the bottom half. The NFL’s own website ranked Field and Jones 30th and 31st in a 32-team league. Former four-time league MVP Rodgers was on the 21st.
That lack of confidence was justified. Jones had a 1-5 record with the Giants in the season opener. Then, in his first start from the Colts after Anthony Richardson replaced the depth chart, Jones led Indianapolis to each of his first seven drives, blowing the dolphin, 33-8, winning the Colts’ first game of one week in 12 years. Jones was combined for three touchdowns. According to a league survey, it was the first time a team had scored on all possessions of the game since at least 1978.
Like Jones, Fields was drafted in the first round. After losing his job in Pittsburgh last season, he signed with the Jets to replace Rodgers, who was abandoned by the new coaching staff in New York. Fields completed 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, then rushed for two more touchdowns. Passing efficiency was reminiscent of the way he began last season. According to Stats Database Stathead, the difference between his Jets debut was how many fields aired the ball, and on average he aired the best air yards of his career, with four yards and four yards of his career.
The Jets lost despite scoring over 30 points as Rodgers got even better with his debut with his new team. Along with Pittsburgh, Rodgers threw four touchdowns without leaving the job. This is something he hasn’t done since 2021. He tried four touchdowns in the season opener only once before 17. His passerby rate was the second-best of his career in the season-opening game, but his touchdown rate was the highest in such a scenario, according to Stassad.
That was unexpected. It was amazing.
Is it sustainable?
Jones has not won consecutive games since October 2022. Whether that changes depends on whether he can stay healthy, the constant struggles he has been with the Giants in New York, and what he learned while spending half of last season under quarterback coach Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. Jones told The Pat McAfee Show this week that he was impressed by the fine-level details O’Connell paid attention to when opposing the defense. With the Colts, he also has the advantage of throwing rookie tight end Tyler Warren into an outstanding su-out.
Rodgers, who defeated the Jets at a postgame press conference, was as motivated as ever, with his arm showing the same zip that made him a four-time MVP. But Father’s time is just as difficult as an unblocked edge rush. In 19 games since leaving Green Bay, he was fired more frequently (45 times) than he threw a touchdown pass (32).
According to the next NFL Gen Stats, Fields was markedly better at stops in Chicago and Pittsburgh, with the frequency he scrambled rather than developing the play in his Jets debut, first ranked among the predicted points added when he returned to explosive plays and passes for a week. His execution ability provided the field with a third chance to prove he is an NFL starter. But producing as a passerby will determine how long it will last.
“We’re going to let him play quarterbacks. We’re going to see what he likes. We’re also going to advance what he’s not good at and we can make him better on that aspect.”
What I’m seeing in the second week:
Jacksonville (1-0) at Cincinnati (1-0): No quarterback was under pressure in week one as Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence. The Bengals hope to get more than seven yards they produced later last week.
New York Giants (0-1) Dallas (0-1): When Duck Prescott played, the Cowboys won 13 times against the Giants in a row. The NFL Records belong to Bob Griese, who won 17 consecutive games with Buffalo until 1979.
Chicago (0-1) Detroit (0-1): This is the UH-OH territory of Detroit. This puts him at risk of moving from first place playoff seed in the NFC last year to a 0-2 start of this season.
According to the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams (0-1) have the fewest 16 interceptions thrown in week one in the first week since the NFL/AFL merger. LA’s Matthew Stafford and Titans No. 1 Cam Ward kept that number low by keeping the pickley last week.
New England (0-1) Miami (0-1): Last week, the Dolphins averaged 6.5 yards per carry, the best in the league. They also rushed the ball at League Low 12 times.
San Francisco (1-0) in New Orleans (0-1): Out will likely be the 49ers quarterback block pardy with a toe injury for a month. Back up Mac Jones in his place.
Buffalo (1-0) with the New York Jets (0-1): Cam Newton holds NFL records for most games (45) at quarterback with passing and rushing touchdowns per stassad. Buffalo’s Josh Allen can tie him down on Sunday.
Seattle (0-1) Pittsburgh (1-0): Steeler wideout DK Metcalf’s first game with the team who traded him. It’s also an opportunity for Aaron Rodgers (507 career touchdown pass) to have Brett Fabre (508) match for the fourth time.
Cleveland (0-1) at Baltimore (0-1): According to the NFL, the Ravens produced explosive plays in almost a third of their offensive plays in week 1. Still, they lost.
Denver (1-0) in Indianapolis (1-0): A big test for Daniel Jones to prove his hot week 1 is real. After leading the NFL with the Sacks last year, Denver produced six more NFL-Best 6s in week one.
Carolina (0-1) at Arizona: After a promising end of his second season, former No. 1 overall pick and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 18 of 34 passes for 154 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Philadelphia (1-0) in Kansas City (0-1): The Chiefs have not started season 0-2 since 2014.
Atlanta (0-1) in Minnesota: Viking Wide Out Justin Jefferson is one catch from tying Larry Fitzgerald as the youngest receiver to reach a career catch of 500. Jefferson will be 26 years and 90 days on Sunday, and will be the same age as Fitzgerald.
Houston (0-1) (Monday) at Tampa Bay (1-0): After a back-to-back 1,000-yard season, the Texans’ top receiver Nico Collins scored just three catches for 25 yards in the opener. Houston quarterback CJ Stroud has been fired 104 times since joining the league in 2023.
