NFL Week 2 winners and losers: Falcons, Russell Wilson and Dolphins fans
By Zach Cohen
Who were the NFL’s biggest winners and losers in Week 2?
Week 2 of the NFL season is in the books and some people deserve heaps of praise. Others might wish their second games of the season had gone differently. Either way, it was an exciting weekend of football, no matter how weird you think it has been.
Having to watch football without any fans is an acquired taste, though, at the end of the day, we’re pretty lucky to have any NFL games at all. Of course, not everyone felt lucky on Sunday.
Injuries headlined an otherwise thrilling day of football, which I’ll touch on later. But first, a quarterback proved he’s here to stay with his Week 2 performance.
NFL Week 2 Winner: Ryan Tannehill
As good as Gardner Minshew looked, Tannehill gets the nod over him because the Titans won and the Jaguars didn’t. Tannehill looked sharp against Jacksonville, which doesn’t sound that impressive. Tannehill is slowly proving that 2019 was not a fluke. He showed off his arm and legs, as he tossed two touchdowns and ran for two more. In Mike Vrabel’s system, Tannehill could be a legitimate five-to-six-year starter.
NFL Week 2 Loser: Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins was the anti-Tannehill on Sunday. On a day he’ll likely want to forget, Cousins went for 11-of-26 for 113 yards and three interceptions. I’m not sure if the Vikings’ 0-2 start is just a two-game slump or if they really miss offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who left to man the helm in Cleveland.
Cousins wasn’t terrible in the first game — 19-for-25 for 259 yards and two touchdowns — so he’ll have to prove this game was just an anomaly when he faces the Tannehill and the Titans next week.
NFL Week 2 Winner: James Conner’s fantasy stock
People were ready to write off Conner after a poor performance in Week 1. Health concerns and the rise of Benny Snell contributed to his stock trending down ahead of the Steelers’ game against the Broncos.
Well, 106 yards and a score later, Conner appeared to silence some doubters. And he was reportedly going to split carries with Snell, who had a mere three rush attempts for five yards. I won’t overreact too much here, but for now, Conner appears to mend his falling stock.
NFL Week 2 Loser: Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon
The rookie quarterback and the newly paid running back have looked pretty solid in their first two games of 2020. This is more about how bad their offensive line has looked. In Thursday’s game against the Browns, Burrow was sacked three times and was constantly pressured. Mixon couldn’t get much going, either.
After watching Burrow scramble for his life and Mixon struggle to find grass, you’d think the Bengals were playing with four offensive linemen. If this young duo is to flourish, they’re going to need much better protection up front.