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What a week. What teams am I proclaiming done? Who are the breakout stars of the NFL so far this year? Let’s talk about it.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 (1-1) Carolina Panthers 14 (0-2)

What in the world is going on in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers are now 0-2 and questions are being asked about offensive coordinator Norv Turner and former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. Newton has just recently said that he aggravated his foot injury in Thursday’s game against the Bucs. He didn’t report to practice on Tuesday so the Panthers are now in deeper trouble then they thought. The game started out slow as the wideout Chris Godwin scored the only touchdown of the first half for the Bucs, and the score was 10-9 going into halftime. The Panthers would turn to undrafted free agent kicker Joey Slye for four field goals as they failed to reach the end zone once the whole night. The Panthers ability to finish a drive was absent as they were stopped on a 4th & 1 at the Buccaneers two-yard line after running a “Philly Special” type play. You are on the 2-yard and you don’t want to give one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks a chance to make a play? Cam went a shocking 25-51 for 333 yards with no touchdowns and also rushed twice for 0 yards. It just seems like either the injury or Norv Turner’s close-minded playbook is slowing down Cam. The Panthers need to take a long look in the mirror and realize that they can’t just rely on their defense to try and make plays to save them. For the Bucs, Jameis actually kind of played like a quarterback as Chris Godwin caught 8 passes for 121 yards and a TD. Their success just depends on how well Mr. Let’s Eat A W does.

New England Patriots 43 (2-0) Miami Dolphins 0 (0-2)

I feel bad for Brian Flores. It’s only week 2 and there’s players just completely giving up on the team and wanting out. 2018 first round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick was just traded to the Steelers yesterday and running back Kenyon Drake is also rumored to be traded soon. Antonio Brown scored on his Patriots debut, Jamie Collins and Stephon Gilmore both had pick-sixes, and the defense sacked Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen seven times. The Patriots defense are the unsung heroes of this team, they have not been scored on since the AFC Championship game last year. Absolutely ridiculous. Yes, Tom Brady played a great game as usual, but the defense set the tone for the game and dominated throughout. Sony Michel also had a good game carrying the ball 21 times for 85 yards and a touchdown while James White had a somewhat quiet game despite catching a touchdown. The Patriots are looking dangerous while the whole NFL community is just praying for the Dolphins. God bless their fans.

San Fransisco 49ers 41 (2-0) Cincinnati Bengals 17 (0-2)

Prepare for what I’m about to say. Are you ready? Ok here it goes… Jimmy Garoppolo played like a quarterback. And the 49ers actually played very well on Sunday. Yes it was against the Bengals but the defense and the offense both stepped up to the plate. Garoppolo went 17-25 for 297 yards with 3 touchdowns and only 1 interception. With Tevin Coleman hurt the 49ers backfield showed it’s surprising depth. Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert ran for a combined 204 yards while Jeff Wilson Jr. scored 2 rushing touchdowns. The Bengals still have some some positive things to take away from this game. Even though they were blown out at home, the Bengals offense had some bright spots like receivers Tyler Boyd and John Ross III. After only having 210 receiving yards last year, John Ross III has 270 in two games and is leading the league in receiving yards. The record-holder for the 40-yard dash at 4.22 seconds is finally coming into his own and showing what he is made of. Against the 49ers Ross caught 4 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Boyd caught all 10 of his targets for 122 yards. The one problem that held the Bengals back during this game was the lack of a rushing attack, after finishing the game with only 25 rushing yards. Both of these teams have unpredictable futures for the rest of the year, but I’m excited to see how it turns out.

Baltimore Ravens 23 (2-0) Arizona Cardinals 17 (0-1-1)

If you told me that two weeks into the season Lamar Jackson would be in the MVP conversation, I would’ve been a little surprised, but I knew this was coming. Lamar has been showing the world his explosiveness and strong arm since he won the Heisman at Louisville. Lamar is now 8-2 as a starter for the Ravens with losses to only the Chiefs and Chargers. He became the first player in NFL history to have 250+ yards passing and 120 yards rushing in the same game. Yes he’s played the Cardinals and Dolphins this year, but the man has talent. Talent that absolutely cannot be overlooked and that can take the Baltimore Ravens to an AFC North title. With Baker Mayfield inconsistent, Big Ben out for the year, and the Bengals just never in the race, the Ravens seem to be the team to take over the AFC North. With their young talented offense of Jackson, Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and Mark Ingram II, it seems that Jackson has established a connection with all of his weapons. In 10 starts, Lamar Jackson has thrown 13 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. As long as the injury bug doesn’t hit Baltimore, Maryland, the Ravens are in for an interesting year.

Houston Texans 13 (1-1) Jacksonville Jaguars 12 (0-2)

The Jaguars should’ve won this game. After throwing only three incompletions last week against the Chiefs, Gardner Minshew II once again showed up when he was needed the most. Minshew went 23-33 for 213 yards and a touchdown as the Jaguars came up one point short in Houston. Minshew led a late fourth quarter drive down the field, which had two 4th down conversions, to throw a 4 yard touchdown to DJ Chark to put the Jaguars within one point of tying the game. Then Doug Marrone struck. Marrone called for the offense to stay on the field and go for two as Leonard Fournette was stopped inches short of the goal line. In this game of defense Jalen Ramsey, arguably the best corner in the league, got into a heated argument with his coach. After the game he officially requested a trade. It is not looking very good in Jacksonville right now, but we’ll see how it turns out.

Buffalo Bills 28 (2-0) New York Giants 14 (0-2)

Somehow, someway, the Buffalo Bills are the team of New York. Josh Allen & Co. have beaten both the New York Jets (week 1) and the Giants to claim the title as New York’s best football team. Josh Allen went 19-30 for 253 yards 1 passing touchdown and 1 rushing touchdown. Even after releasing star running back LeSean McCoy the Bills have developed a dependable backfield with the combination of rookie Devin Singletary and veteran workhorse Frank Gore. The Giants played lackluster game as Eli Manning threw one touchdown to T.J. Jones but threw two interceptions on the day. This was supposedly the last straw for head coach Pat Shurmur, who announced today that their first round selection Daniel Jones will be their starter going forward. Jones was a controversial selection for the Giants as many people claimed they were reaching at pick #6, but he has a chance to prove himself to all his doubters next week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As usual, Saquon Barkley was the lone bright spot for the G-Men as he ran the ball 18 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, but his effort was not enough for a win. Let’s see how Daniel Jones handles the pressure of being a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers 21 (2-0) Minnesota Vikings 16 (1-1)

A couple of takeaways from this game. Kirk Cousins stinks, Aaron Jones is good, Dalvin Cook is great, Davante Adams is a top five wideout, and the Packers defense is looking serious. Kirk Cousins was 14-32 for 230 yards with a touchdown and 2 interceptions, just once again proving that he cannot beat a team over .500. Just a friendly reminder that the Vikings gave him a fully guaranteed contract with $84 Million. Yikes. Dalvin Cook did all he could as he ran the ball for 154 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, as he continues to lead the league in rushing with 265 yards. Stefon Diggs did have a 49-yard touchdown, but it was his only catch on the afternoon as he only has three receptions so far this year. Rodgers went 22-34 with 209 yards and 2 touchdowns, but for a change, he had some help from the rest of the team. Aaron Jones ran the ball 23 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Davante Adams caught 7 passes for 106 yards. The Packers defense stepped up once again as they picked off Cousins twice and kept Thielen and Diggs to under 100 yards. As the NFC North looks like a toss up so far, we’ll see if Rodgers and new head coach Matt LaFleur can come together and grab a division title for the cheeseheads.

Seattle Seahawks 28 (2-0) Pittsburgh Steelers 26 (0-2)

To all the yinzers, I pray for you. After getting absolutely obliterated on national television by the Patriots, you were excited about coming home to the ketchup stadium to try to get a win. However, you were hit with the worst news of all. Your quarterback, Big Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow during the game. Usually when Ben gets hurt during a game he comes right back out, but this time it was different. Second year quarterback Mason Rudolph was inserted in to the game, trying to bring the Steelers a victory. But he just couldn’t get it done. Rudolph went 12-19 for 112 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. An average game for the Oklahoma State alumni. The Steelers defense looked shaky as they once again couldn’t make the big stops when it mattered. Russell Wilson put on a clinic going 29-35 for 300 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Wilson connected with tight end Will Dissly twice and rookie D.K. Metcalf for his touchdowns. The defense didn’t look so good but at least picked off Rudolph and held James Conner to only 33 rushing yards. As I predicted, the Seahawks are looking very dangerous and my pick to win the NFC West. The Seahawks go back home as the get ready to play the Drew Brees-less Saints. As for the Steelers, I can honestly see them finishing last in their division and this being Mike Tomlin’s final year in Pittsburgh.

Dallas Cowboys 31 (2-0) Washington Redskins 21 (0-2)

The Redskins are just, bleh. The thing is Case Keenum isn’t even playing that bad. After a solid week 1 performance against the Eagles he went 26-37 for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. Over two weeks, Keenum has thrown 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, pretty solid. However, the defense isn’t giving him a chance. Yes, they’ve played the Eagles and the Cowboys, but they need to be better. After letting DeSean Jackson torch them in week 1, the Redskins defense once again played poorly. In two games, the Skins defense has allowed 336 yards rushing while the offense has only rushed for 75 yards. In order for them to win games, they need to establish a run game and a better pass defense. Obviously the injuries to Quinton Dunbar, Jonathan Allen, Fabian Moreau, and Derrius Guice don’t help, but I believe the Skins are deep enough to have players step up and make these plays. With Terry McLaurin shining, we’ll have to see how much patience the Redskins fans have with Case Keenum starting while their first round pick Dwayne Haskins, sits on the bench. As for the Cowboys, they are looking like the favorites to win the NFC East. Something I’m not very excited about because their fans on Twitter and Instagram are not the most pleasant people, to keep it PG. Dak Prescott put on another great performance going 26-30 for 269 yards, 3 touchdowns, and one unlucky tipped interception. Mr. Holdout Ezekiel Elliot proved his worth rushing for 111 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown. I think right now the Cowboys can take the NFC East title but you never know with this division.

Indianapolis Colts 19 (1-1) Tennessee Titans 17 (1-1)

Jacoby Brissett is not here to play around. Being Andrew Lucks replacement is a huge responsibility, but Brissett is handling it with ease. After taking the Chargers to overtime in week 1, the Colts traveled to Nashville to take on their division rivals, the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were fresh off a 43-13 victory against the Browns and were looking to continue their success against the Colts. First, Brissett hit tight end Eric Ebron to make it 7-0 going into the second quarter. The Titans then equalized with a respectable lineman touchdown by David Quessenberry, but the Colts answered right back with rookie Parris Campbell getting his first touchdown in the NFL to make it 13-7 going into the half. Running back Derrick Henry punched it in from a yard out and Cairo Santos made a 49-yard field goal, to make it 17-13 for the Titans heading into the final quarter. The Colts defense forced two punts and a turnover on downs as they held the Titans scoreless in the 4th, while Brissett hit T.Y. Hilton for the game-winning touchdown. Brissett’s numbers weren’t completely eye-opening (17-28, 146 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT) but he showed up when it mattered. Most people completely wrote off the Colts when Andrew Luck retired before the season, but if the defense plays well and Brissett maintains control of the offense, I don’t see why they can’t fight for a wild-card spot.

Detroit Lions 13 (1-0-1) Los Angeles Chargers 10 (1-1)

This game was the perfect representation of each of these franchises. Average. The only exciting things about this game were the running backs (and Kenny Golladay). Replacing the absent Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler has shined in his first two games as the Chargers #1 back. He has proven to be an explosive runner while also catching passes out of the backfield. Through two games he has two rushing and passing touchdowns. Ekeler scored against the Lions, but unfortunately it was his teams only trip to the end zone. Mr. No Condom Phillip Rivers had a pretty off game, going 21-36 for 293 yards and one interception. While the opposing quarterback, Matthew Stafford, went 22-30 for 245 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 picks. Both quarterbacks have the multiple personalities syndrome. They either show up and play a helluva game, or throw questionable picks. Now back to the running backs, let’s talk about Kerryon Johnson. The running back out of Auburn showed flashes of greatness as he outran the Chargers defense for a 36-yard receiving touchdown and made some Chargers defenders look absolutely silly on another run. Then, wideout Kenny Golladay scored the game-winning touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Stafford. Golladay had a strong game catching 8 passes for 117 yards and the touchdown. Even with this win, I still don’t believe in the Lions to make the playoffs but I still believe that the Chargers will make the wild-card in the AFC.

Kansas City Chiefs 28 (2-0) Oakland Raiders 10 (1-1)

Patrick Mahomes is pretty unreal. Four touchdowns in one quarter is insane, even for him. Mahomes finished the day going 30-44 for 443 yards and the 4 touchdowns. Both Demarcus Robinson and Travis Kelce had productive days catching passes from the reigning MVP. Robinson caught all 6 of his targets for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Kelce caught 7 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs are already a serious contender for the AFC crown, but there is an upgrade possibility that’s being heard around the NFL. Jaguars corner Jalen Ramsey is rumored to land in Kansas City, with receiver Tyreek Hill tweeting at Ramsey today. If the Chiefs are somehow able to land Ramsey, it would give them a legitimate secondary with Kendall Fuller, Tyrann Mathieu, and Ramsey. On the opposite side, Josh Jacobs showed up once again for the Raiders. Now fourth in the league in rushing yards, Jacobs carried the ball 12 times for 99 yards while Derek Carr threw 2 interceptions and the teams only touchdown to Tyrell Williams. The Raiders ability to win games depends on the play of their big-money quarterback, so we’ll have to wait and see how Carr and head coach/quarterback guru Jon Gruden execute the offense. The Chiefs welcome Lamar Jackson and the Ravens this upcoming Sunday at Arrowhead, I’m enticed to see how this Chiefs defense deals with Jackson and the explosive Ravens offense.

Chicago Bears 16 (1-1) Denver Broncos 14 (0-2)

How does Vic Fangio expect to win when you make Joe Flacco throw the ball 50 times? My goodness. Flacco went 35-50 for 292 yards, one touchdown, and a crucial red zone interception. The lone bright spot for the Broncos office was veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who hauled in 11 catches for 98 yards, a touchdown, and the two point conversion to give the Broncos the lead with 0:37 left. However, after a very controversial roughing the passer penalty on Bradley Chubb, Mitch Trubisky found Allen Robinson for a 25 yard gain on 4th & 15 to set up the new hero of Chicago, Eddy Piñeiro for the game-winning 53 yard field goal. The Bears will not make the playoffs if Mitch Trubisky continues to play like this. The man they call “Titties Trubisky” has not scored yet and has thrown an interception. The offense looks slow and in order for the Bears to contend in this division, they’re gonna need to step it up. The Broncos on the other hand, as long as they have Joe Flacco at quarterback they aren’t winning more than 7 games. And that’s just a fact.

Los Angeles Rams 27 (2-0) New Orleans Saints 9 (1-1)

The Saints got screwed by the refs again, kind of. Even if Cam Jordan’s clear fumble recovery for a touchdown counted, they still would’ve lost by 11 points. The Saints didn’t exactly start in the best way, after Brees was picked off incredibly by John Johnson III, who picked off Brees for the second time while being on the ground. Then on the next possession Brees hurt his thumb after Aaron Donald hit his hand while throwing. Brees has now had surgery on the thumb and has been declared out for at least six weeks. Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, and even Jared Goff scored to give the Rams the win. Even though the Saints beloved savior is out, it’s not time to hit the panic button just yet. Teddy Bridgewater is one of the NFL’s best backups who has led a team to the playoffs before (2015 Vikings) and has been to a Pro Bowl. With Sean Payton at the helm, I believe that the Saints can still fight for their top spot in the NFC South even without Brees. However, Bridgewater is going to need more help than what he got on Sunday. Multiple dropped passes were shown throughout the day as star players Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas just weren’t themselves. If Bridgewater develops strong chemistry with those two, the Saints definitely still have a chance. The Rams haven’t really wowed me with their play, showing a step down of their play from last year so far. However, Cooper Kupp is showing his importance to this offense as he caught 5 passes for 120 yards. Goff and Kupp have an incredible chemistry that was definitely missing on the field last year when Kupp went down with an ACL injury. The Rams take on the Browns on Sunday Night Football in Cleveland this week. Should be a very interesting game.

Atlanta Falcons 24 (1-1) Philadelphia Eagles 20 (1-1)

Julio Jones is different. The man is an absolute monster. Always saving this team when they need it the most. The combination of Jones and Calvin Ridley is honestly one of the few things keeping this team alive. Jones caught 5 passes for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns while Ridley caught 8 passes for 105 yards and a ridiculous touchdown grab. While Matt Ryan decided to turn into Ryan Leaf in the red-zone (besides Julio’s first TD), throwing three interceptions, the duo kept their team in the game. Ryan went 27-43 for 320 yards, 3 TDs, and 3 INTs. Now let’s talk about that team that won one Super Bowl one time. I’m going to give them credit where credit is due though, they fought hard for a team riddled with injuries. And let’s get this straight, Carson Wentz is a solid quarterback. Wentz threw two questionable interceptions early, but bounced and kept the Eagles in the game with a passing and rushing touchdown. Especially that crazy throw he made basically on his knees. With DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey both out for at least two weeks, Wentz will be truly tested to lead his team to victory. Nelson Agholor played a great game with 8 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown, but dropped the potential game-winner. He did make up for it later on a long 4th down conversion but it was too little too late for the Eagles. The Falcons travel to Indianapolis while the Eagles host the Lions this week. Both teams are in divisions that are toss-ups this year, and right now I think the Falcons have a better chance of winning theirs due to Drew Brees’s recent injury.

Cleveland Browns 23 (1-1) New York Jets 3 (0-2)

Odell Beckham Jr. The man is an absolute menace. Gregg Williams is an absolute joke. Lastly, I feel bad for Le’Veon Bell, Jamaal Adams, and the Jets fanbase. Let’s first recap the Browns victory. They got off to a slow start only kicking two field goals in the first quarter, but in the second running back Nick Chubb scored on a 19-yard rush. Going into the half the Browns were leading by a comfortable 13 points with the score at 16-3. However, in the third quarter Odell took a short slant route 89 yards to the house to make it 23-3, his longest touchdown of his career. Baker Mayfield went 19-35 for 325 yards a touchdown, and an interception while Odell caught 6 passes for 161 yards and the touchdown. Now let’s talk about the Jets. After Sam Darnold was declared out with mono, backup Trevor Siemian was going to make the start. Unfortunately, Siemian didn’t get to finish the game, as he suffered a gruesome season-ending ankle injury. So in comes Luke Falk, a sixth round pick in 2018 out of Washington State, to now try to lead the Jets. Falk finished the game going 20-25 for 198 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Jets travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the reigning champion New England Patriots. Let us all have a moment of silence for the Jets and their fans (shout out Walter we know you going through some tough times bro). Meanwhile, I’m a little disappointed in Baker Mayfield. He played some incredible football down the stretch last year but just hasn’t seemed like himself these past two weeks. With 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions maybe he’s having trouble adjusting to the new expectations and new teammates around him. I still believe that he can turn his season around and lead the Browns to the AFC North title. They host the Rams this Sunday night, a true test for the promising squad.