NFL 2022: Five Key Statistics for Week 2

Football is certainly a game of numbers. But statistics really mean nothing without the proper context. Whether they regard this season’s action or football history, there are lots of numbers to consider. Once again, here are some key statistics that may or may not open some eyes as NFL 2022 enters its second week.

9

It was a rough week for team who reached the postseason in 2021. In Week 1 this year, nine of the 14 clubs that went to the playoffs this past season dropped their season opener. In the case of four games that pitted ’21 playoff clubs (Bills at Rams, Steelers at Bengals, Chiefs at Cardinals and Buccaneers at Cowboys), there would be a loser barring a tie. Five other teams – 49ers, Patriots, Raiders, Packers and Titans – fell to non-playoff participants.

5

It has now happened only five times in the 56-year history of the Super Bowl Era. This past season, the Los Angeles Rams edged the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in Super Bowl LVI. In Week 1 of 2022, the former was routed by the Buffalo Bills, 31-10, and the latter fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-20, in overtime. And yes, it’s just the fifth time that both Super Bowl participants lost their first game the following season. Can both clubs avoid a 0-2 start?

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0

A year ago after one week of play, the NFC North featured four teams that all lost their season openers. This time around, it’s the AFC South that does not have a team with a victory after one week of play. The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans needed five quarters to come up with a 20-all tie. And the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans squandered second-half leads in losses to the Washington Commanders and New York Giants, respectively.

3

On Sunday in Atlanta, the Saints rallied to beat the Falcons, 27-26. Later that day at Nashville, the Giants came back and stunned the Titans, 21-20. And on Monday night in the Pacific Northwest, the Seahawks spoiled Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle, 17-16. That’s three one-point games to kick off 2021. A year ago, there were only seven games decided by a single digit. The record for one-point games in a season (since the merger) is 19 back in 1988.

11

In Week 1, 15 teams went down to defeat and the Colts and Texans played to a 20-20 tie. But there’s still a chance that one of those 17 clubs could claim a Lombardi Trophy. It’s worth a mention that 11 times in 56 years of the Super Bowl Era that a club failed to win its first game of the season and still won an NFL championship (the 1967 Packers tied in Week 1). The last team to drop its season opener and win a Super Bowl? The 2020 Buccaneers.