Ravens have problems against Raiders, Vikings win over 49ers
Prince Grimes analyzes all the ups and downs of the second week of the 2024 NFL season.
Sport in Seriousness
The second week of the NFL is largely complete and numerous teams are struggling with unexpectedly slow starts.
The Baltimore Ravens, the AFC’s reigning No. 1 seed, are among the expected playoff contenders who begin the year with an 0-2 record. The Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams are also in the mix, and all will be looking to enter Week 3 with all their might to avoid slipping to the dreaded 0-3 mark.
The Carolina Panthers are also 0-2. They have one of the weakest offenses in the NFL, having scored just 13 points in two games. Does that mean it’s time to bench Bryce Young and declare him a lost cost?
The Panthers aren’t the only team with quarterback questions. The Miami Dolphins have to reckon with the looming absence of Tua Tagovailoa indefinitely, as they only have Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle in their quarterback lineup. Are the Dolphins doomed, or can Mike McDaniel find a way to keep them competitive until Tua can return?
And what are we to make of the New Orleans Saints after they crushed the Dallas Cowboys on the road to improve their record to 2-0? They could be an NFC contender, but they may not even be the best team in their division.
Here’s more about the most notable overreactions from Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season:
The Dolphins are doomed without Tua Tagovailoa
Hardly anyone would blame the Miami Dolphins for feeling a little hopeless after their 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football. Not only did the team lose by 21 points, but they also lost with starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffering another concussion.
Tagovailoa has suffered four known concussions since the start of the 2022 NFL season, so his status moving forward is unclear. He reportedly wants to keep playing, but some believe he should hang up his cleats to preserve his long-term health.
Regardless of Tagovailoa’s decision, it looks like he will be out indefinitely in the short term. That would not be good news for the Dolphins, whose record is 1-4 games that Tua missed during Mike McDaniels’ two-plus years as Miami head coach.
Still, it’s too early to write off the Dolphins. McDaniel still has weapons like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane at his disposal, so he can plan enough plays to keep the offense going even if Thompson is his best quarterback. And if Tagovailoa returns to the field sooner than expected, Miami might not fall too far behind in the race for the AFC wild card.
YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD: Why the Dolphins’ future looks bleak if their quarterback is out after a concussion
The Ravens are in trouble after a 0-2 start
Ravens fans were likely frustrated after an unfortunate road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. Their anger will only grow after Baltimore blew a 10-point lead to the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth quarter and fell to 0-2.
Still, the Ravens shouldn’t panic just yet. Yes, they’ve lost twice by close margins, but they’ve outgained their opponents by 99 and 123 yards respectively in their losses. Their defense has held up reasonably well, while their offense has been decent despite the team incorporating three new starters on the offensive line.
If the Ravens’ offensive line comes together, they should be better positioned to win some of these hard-fought games. That needs to happen soon — their next three games are against the Cowboys, Bills and Bengals — but they still have time to work their way into the AFC North race, which should be highly competitive.
The Saints are the best team in the NFC South
The Saints impressed many when they crushed the Panthers in Week 1, but few expected them to give the Cowboys the same treatment in Week 2.
New Orleans beat Dallas 44-19 in a game in which Alvin Kamara scored four total touchdowns while Derek Carr completed 11 of 16 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Saints’ new offense under Klint Kubiak seems to suit Carr and Kamara well, so there’s plenty of reason for optimism in New Orleans. The NFC is wide open, so the Saints could become a real contender if their offense continues to play at a high level.
But calling the Saints the clear best team in their division might be premature. The three-time defending division champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers just beat the Detroit Lions 20-16 to improve their record to 2-0 for the fifth straight season, so Todd Bowles’ team won’t willingly surrender the title to the Saints. And the newly formed Atlanta Falcons may still believe they can work their way to the top of the NFC South as Kirk Cousins gets more comfortable with his Achilles surgery and in Zac Robinson’s offense.
KIRK COUSINS: The quarterback’s problems in Week 1 have already thrown the Atlanta Falcons’ hype train off track
The Panthers have to bench Bryce Young
If it were purely about performance, then yes: The Panthers should probably bench Bryce Young. He hasn’t played well at all this season, failing to score a touchdown in two games, throwing three interceptions and generally looking uncomfortable in the pocket.
At the same time, the Panthers are left with a backup quarterback in 36-year-old veteran Andy Dalton. They don’t get much out of benching Young, especially since they brought in head coach Dave Canales to motivate the quarterback in his second year.
The Young era may not have been pretty for the Panthers so far, but it doesn’t appear to be over yet. If his problems continue, Carolina will likely have to think about admitting defeat and replacing the player selected first in the 2023 NFL Draft. But that won’t happen until later — if it happens at all this season.
BRYCE YOUNG: Panthers head coach says despite difficulties: “Bryce is our quarterback”
The Rams’ injuries make them a non-contender
Aaron Donald’s retirement was a huge blow to the Rams’ defense, but he’s far from the only player the team is missing. The Rams’ offense has been decimated by injuries as well, and that only got worse in Week 2.
Cooper Kupp missed more than half of Los Angeles’ 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals with an ankle injury and was seen wearing a walking boot after the game. He joins a long list of injured Rams that also includes receiver Puka Nacua (knee), guard Steve Avila (knee), backup left tackle Joe Noteboom (ankle) and tight end Tyler Higbee (ACL).
As long as this unit remains undermanned, the protection and weapons around Matthew Stafford will be severely limited. That will make it difficult for Los Angeles to make up for its defensive deficiencies with offensive production, as the Rams did last season during their playoff run.
This could result in Los Angeles remaining in the basement of the NFC West, especially if the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks continue to exceed early-season expectations.
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