Week 2 is complete in the NFL. From the injuries to what felt like half of the league as well as the drama filled ending to many of the games, this week felt like one of the most craziest in recent memory.
From the Dallas Cowboys’ late heroics to the overtime win for the Kansas City Chiefs over division rivals Los Angeles Chargers. In addition to the thriller we saw on Sunday Night Football between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, it was quite the weekend.
New England Patriots 30-35 Seattle Seahawks
There is only one place to start, and this is the game in Seattle between the Seahawks and Patriots. This was quite the game.
In a repeat of Super Bowl 49 which famously ended with a Malcolm Butler interception at the goal line that won New England the game, this time it was Seattle that won the game in the red zone. Quarterback Cam Newton ran the ball with the ball snapped at the 1 yard line in the final play of the game, but failed to get over the line.
It was a truly gripping game right until the end. Russell Wilson further showed his MVP credentials with a brilliant performance. Cam Newton showed that he is far from finished in the NFL and that many teams will be regretting not taking him in the off season.
Cam Newton appears to be a perfect fit for New England. Not only is this because of their RPO plays but also for the arm of the 2015 MVP. Newton has been throwing some good balls so far this season and against Seattle his arm looked very comfortable. He threw for 397 passing yards and a 68.2% completion percentage.
Performer Of The Week: Russell Wilson
It is one of the biggest injustices of the past ten years in the NFL that Russell Wilson has never received a single vote for the MVP. Wilson won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and appears to be getting better with age. Sundays 35-30 win was Wilson at his best.
He managed to get the throws he needed to make at the most crucial of times. This was most notable with the Seahawks on 2nd and 5 with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. Wilson, under pressure from New England defence, found a throw to running back Chris Carson for 18 yards and a touchdown. Seattle held on for the win as they now move to 2-0.
Injury Massacre
Of course, the big story to come out of Week 2 was the injuries suffered to players, with many big names now expected to spend time on the sidelines.
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley suffered an ACL injury during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The San Francisco 49ers lost George Kittle in Week 1 and lost four more players in Week 2 against the New York Jets.
Pass rusher and 2019 Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa suffered a season ending ACL injury and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a first half injury. Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas was another 49er to suffer a season ending injury and running back Raheem Mostert also got injured. Garoppolo and Mostert are not expected to miss more than 4-6 weeks, but Bosa is a big loss for the 49ers and one that could ultimately impact their season.
The Super Bowl hangover may become a factor due to the injuries for the 49ers, especially with the strength of their division. We saw how San Francisco improved last season with not only the drafting of Nick Bosa but with a healthy Garoppolo, who missed most of the 4-12 2018 season with injury.
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after his high ankle sprain. The Denver Broncos lost Von Miller before the season started and lost quarterback Drew Lock to a shoulder injury as well as wide receiver Courtland Sutton to a torn ACL.
The Giants have brought in former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman as a replacement for Barkley and the Denver Broncos have brought in former Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Blake Bortles to fill in for Lock.
Whether it is going to be Bortles starting in week 3 or Jeff Driskell, who replaced Lock in the game, it is clear to see that the Denver Broncos along with San Francisco have been significantly hit with injuries. Whether this is due to a lack of pre season or due to a severe case of bad luck is hard to know but their play off chances have both been significantly affected.