With a lot of the Week 2 NFL schedule full, allow us to take a look at a few of the largest winners.
Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings | When rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending damage within the offseason, many had written off the Vikings. Although Darnold had 56 video games of beginning expertise below his belt, the Vikings have been nonetheless picked to complete final within the NFC North. However two video games into the season, Darnold has been one of the best QB in his division.
His efficiency in Sunday’s 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers was notably spectacular as he threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to top-of-the-line defenses within the NFL. Darnold is 2-0, and he is likely to be within the excellent scenario to assist him revive his profession very similar to Jared Goff did in Detroit and Geno Smith did in Seattle.
Matt LaFleur, head coach, Inexperienced Bay Packers | No Jordan Love, no drawback. The Packers began third-year QB Malik Willis in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in a recreation many anticipated them to not be aggressive in, they usually got here out with a 16-10 win. It could have been one in every of LaFleur’s higher teaching performances of his profession.
Inexperienced Bay ran the ball proper down Indy’s throat and it restricted Willis’ passing conditions to play to his strengths. The Liberty alum was greater than environment friendly, finishing 12 of 14 passes for 122 yards and a landing whereas including 41 yards speeding, and he wasn’t sacked as soon as. LaFleur coached a near-perfect recreation.
James Cook dinner, RB, Buffalo Payments | It sounds unusual to say {that a} operating again who completed fourth within the NFL in speeding a season in the past has been flying below the radar, however that’s precisely what Cook dinner has executed. The 24-year-old is beginning to flip some heads and set up himself as one of many premier RBs within the league, and his breakout recreation in opposition to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday did nothing however assist his case.
Cook dinner rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns, and he added one other rating by way of the air on a 17-yard landing strike. The Payments are beginning to adapt to his versatility, they usually’re getting extra inventive in getting the ball in his arms. Cook dinner might be within the dialog of being a top-five RB by the tip of the season.
Dennis Allen, head coach, New Orleans Saints | Many have been calling for Allen’s job after the Saints completed 9-8 final season and missed the playoffs. This yr, they’re 2-0 and have arguably one of the best offense within the NFL to this point. Quarterback Derek Carr has seemed just like the Professional Bowler he was in 2015-2017, and the Saints offense scored factors on 15 of its first 21 drives of the yr. Allen is pushing all the suitable buttons, and at the very least quickly, he seems to have cooled the temperature on his seat which was pretty sizzling only a few weeks in the past.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Las Vegas Raiders | It’s protected to imagine that no person anticipated the Raiders led by Minshew, a journeyman QB, to go in and upset the Baltimore Ravens, who’re one of many Tremendous Bowl favorites within the AFC. However that’s precisely what occurred on Sunday, as Minshew rallied the troops from a 16-6 deficit to come back again and rating two touchdowns and two subject targets within the second half after the offense was shut down within the first two quarters.
Regardless of taking 5 sacks and throwing an interception, Minshew completed with 276 yards and a landing, and he obtained Davante Adams (9 receptions, 110 yards, one landing) and Brock Bowers (9 catches, 98 yards) extra concerned as the sport went on. No one is placing Minshew within the elite tier of QBs, however he’s proving head coach Antonio Pierce proper in naming him the staff’s QB1.
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers | Herbert has by no means had a 1,000-yard rusher in any of his first 4 seasons within the NFL (the closest he got here was Austin Ekeler’s 915 yards in 2022), which is probably going why he averaged 278 yards passing per recreation by way of his first 62 profession video games.
However now below head coach Jim Harbaugh, issues are totally different. J.Ok. Dobbins has rushed for over 130 yards in back-to-back weeks, and Herbert’s job has develop into a lot simpler when he doesn’t must do every little thing himself. The 26-year-old QB has thrown for 144 yards and 130 yards, respectively, in L.A.’s first two video games, and but the Chargers are 2-0 and have outscored their opponents 48-13.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals | Many have been involved for Harrison Jr. after he had only one reception on three targets for 4 yards in his NFL debut final week. However he quieted these worries after an excellent first quarter in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. The star rookie had 4 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns (23 yards and 60 yards), and he confirmed the flashes of brilliance that made him the No. 4 total choose in April.
Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sure, the numbers for Fields in Sunday’s 13-6 win over the Denver Broncos weren’t overly spectacular — 117 yards passing, 42 yards speeding, one landing — however a win is a win, and the Steelers are 2-0 with Fields as their QB1. With Russell Wilson battling an damage that’s stored him out of the primary two video games of the season, so long as Fields retains successful, it’ll be tough for head coach Mike Tomlin to take him out of the lineup.
