Week 1 introduces possibilities.

Week 2 starts testing them.

Chicago scored 59 points. Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdowns. Josh Allen already looks like an MVP candidate. The Giants may have found something real with Jaxson Dart. And several teams that entered September with playoff expectations are already staring at the uncomfortable possibility of an 0-2 start.

Buffalo’s 41-31 victory over Detroit already opened Week 2 on Thursday night.

Now comes the full Sunday slate.

If you’re watching one thing in every game, make it this.

Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans

Can Cam Ward make the offense look functional against Philadelphia?

Tennessee managed only 195 total yards and 11 first downs in its 23-10 Week 1 loss to the Jets. Cam Ward completed 19 of 32 passes and acknowledged afterward that he missed throws and needed to play better. (tennesseetitans.com)

The encouraging part is that Ward has protected the football: Tennessee notes that he has gone 153 consecutive passes without an interception dating to last season.

Now he gets Philadelphia.

The Eagles will be without Jonathan Greenard, which removes one important pass rusher, but Tennessee still needs to prove it can create sustained offense before the game has already tilted away from it. (nfl.com)

The storyline: Does Ward respond—or does Tennessee’s offensive concern become a trend?

Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots

Can Drake Maye play a cleaner game against an experienced Pittsburgh defense?

New England had Seattle beaten entering the fourth quarter of Week 1.

Then everything unraveled.

Drake Maye’s late interceptions turned control into a 13-10 loss, and now the Patriots get Aaron Rodgers and a Pittsburgh team that already found a way to win its opener.

The Steelers will be without Michael Pittman and Joey Porter Jr., while New England has its own absences in the secondary. (nfl.com)

This feels like a patience game for Maye.

The spectacular throws aren’t the issue. Knowing when not to attempt one is the next step.

The storyline: Can Maye turn Week 1’s fourth-quarter mistakes into evidence of growth?

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

What does Minnesota look like with Carson Wentz against the NFL’s hottest offense?

We already have the answer at quarterback.

Kyler Murray is out, and Carson Wentz will make the 100th start of his NFL career. Wentz entered cold against Green Bay last week and threw three touchdowns while Minnesota erased a 22-10 deficit with 29 unanswered points. (vikings.com)

Now he has to do it from the beginning.

Across the field is a Bears offense that rushed for 291 yards and scored 59 points against Carolina. D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai and Caleb Williams all hurt the Panthers on the ground. (vikings.com)

This game may test Minnesota’s defense more than Wentz.

The storyline: Can Wentz keep Minnesota in control if Chicago turns this into another track meet?

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

Can Cooper Rush give Atlanta enough offense to avoid 0-2?

Atlanta’s complicated quarterback room has produced another simple game-day answer:

Cooper Rush starts again.

Michael Penix Jr. has been ruled out, while Tua Tagovailoa is doubtful with the oblique injury that cost him Week 1. Rush completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against Pittsburgh. (nfl.com)

That performance was not good enough.

Fortunately for Atlanta, Carolina just surrendered more than 100 rushing yards to two separate Bears running backs.

If I’m the Falcons, this game runs through Bijan Robinson until Carolina proves it can stop him.

The storyline: Can Atlanta protect Rush with the running game—or does the quarterback uncertainty become a full-blown problem?

Green Bay Packers at New York Jets

Can Jordan Love punish a Jets defense missing important pieces?

The Jets won comfortably in Week 1.

They did not emerge healthy.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Omar Cooper Jr., Joseph Ossai and Kene Nwangwu are out, and Cooper has now been placed on injured reserve. Green Bay has problems of its own up front, with defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Warren Brinson unavailable. (nfl.com)

The matchup I care about is Jordan Love against a Jets secondary without Fitzpatrick.

Green Bay lost its opener.

The Jets won theirs.

If Love is the quarterback Green Bay expects him to be, this is where he needs to exploit a defense missing one of its most experienced playmakers.

The storyline: Does Love create explosive plays against a depleted New York secondary?

New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens

What does Baltimore’s passing game look like without Zay Flowers?

Zay Flowers was destroying Indianapolis before his hamstring gave out.

Five catches.

150 yards.

One touchdown.

Now he is officially out for Week 2, while rookie Ja’Kobi Lane is already on injured reserve following wrist surgery.

That shifts more responsibility toward Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Baltimore’s remaining receivers.

New Orleans may also be without Chris Olave, who is questionable with a hamstring injury. (nfl.com)

Baltimore still has more than enough offense.

The interesting part is how the distribution changes.

The storyline: Who becomes Lamar’s primary answer when Flowers isn’t available to tilt coverage?

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans

Can C.J. Stroud win without Nico Collins?

This may be Houston’s biggest problem Sunday.

Nico Collins is out with a hamstring injury, removing C.J. Stroud’s most dependable receiver against a Cincinnati team that enters 1-0. The Texans will also be without Ed Ingram, Jadeveon Clowney and Jake Hummel. (nfl.com)

Collins caught seven passes for 75 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo.

Now somebody else has to absorb those targets.

On the other side, Joe Burrow is officially questionable with a back issue, although he finished the week as a full participant. (nfl.com)

This game was already a quarterback showcase.

The injuries make it considerably more interesting.

The storyline: Can Stroud manufacture enough offense without his No. 1 receiver?

Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

How much patience does Cleveland really have with Deshaun Watson?

Todd Monken already answered the immediate question.

Deshaun Watson remains the starter.

Now Watson has to give Cleveland a reason to stop discussing Shedeur Sanders.

The final Week 1 statistics weren’t horrible, but Jacksonville led Cleveland 31-0 before the Browns generated meaningful offense. Sunday’s opponent adds another layer because Baker Mayfield will be standing on the other sideline.

There will be emotion.

There will be quarterback comparisons.

There will also be pressure on both 0-1 teams.

The storyline: Does Watson quiet Cleveland’s quarterback conversation—or amplify it?

Afternoon Window

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos

Trevor Lawrence’s breakout gets a much more difficult test

Trevor Lawrence could not have opened the season much better.

18-of-23.
245 yards.
Four touchdowns.
Zero interceptions.

Jacksonville beat Cleveland 34-10.

Now comes Mile High.

Denver is without Marvin Mims Jr., but the larger question is whether its defense can disrupt a Jaguars quarterback who looked completely in command in Week 1. Jacksonville enters with no players carrying game designations, giving Lawrence his full complement of weapons. (nfl.com)

We moved Lawrence aggressively up the FPC quarterback rankings.

Sunday tells us whether that was merely a Week 1 reaction or the beginning of something sustainable.

The storyline: Can Lawrence look just as comfortable when the opponent becomes considerably tougher?

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers

Can Las Vegas remain explosive without Brock Bowers?

The Raiders are 1-0.

They’re also preparing to play another game without a healthy Brock Bowers.

Bowers is officially doubtful after returning to practice only on a limited basis Friday. The Chargers have their own uncertainty, with Ladd McConkey questionable because of a rib injury. (raiders.com)

That puts even more responsibility on Ashton Jeanty and Michael Mayer.

Las Vegas survived Week 1 without Bowers.

Doing it against a divisional opponent is different.

The storyline: Can the Raiders reach 2-0 before their best receiving weapon gets back?

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

Drew Lock gets the full-start test

Week 1 was emergency football.

Week 2 is different.

Sam Darnold is out, meaning Drew Lock has known all week that this is his offense against Arizona. Seattle is 1-0 after Lock helped engineer the comeback against New England, while Arizona also enters undefeated. (nfl.com)

That makes this a sneaky important NFC West game.

Lock no longer gets graded as the backup who unexpectedly entered after five plays.

He gets a full game plan.

Full preparation.

And a divisional opponent that prepared specifically for him.

The storyline: Can Lock prove Week 1 wasn’t simply a good relief appearance?

Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers

Can Miami keep Malik Willis from spending the afternoon under siege?

Miami’s reset gets a difficult second assignment.

The Dolphins enter 0-1 and now travel to San Francisco against a 49ers team that looked dominant while beating the Rams in Australia.

Miami will also be without linebackers Chop Robinson and Ronnie Harrison, while San Francisco is missing receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. (nfl.com)

For Miami, everything still starts with Malik Willis.

The Dolphins need to avoid obvious passing situations and keep San Francisco’s pass rush from turning this into a survival exercise.

The storyline: Can Miami create an offense that keeps Willis out of constant third-and-long?

Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys

Which 0-1 NFC East team handles urgency better?

Somebody is leaving Sunday 0-2.

That’s enough storyline by itself.

Washington lost to Philadelphia in Week 1. Dallas lost to the Giants.

Now the Commanders arrive without linebacker Frankie Luvu and tight end Chig Okonkwo, while Dallas will be without DeMarvion Overshown and Malik Hooker. (commanders.com)

That puts more pressure on Jayden Daniels and Dak Prescott.

The season isn’t over at 0-2.

It just becomes considerably less comfortable.

The storyline: Which quarterback prevents his team from spending the next week answering panic questions?

Sunday Night Football

Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs

Is Kenneth Walker about to change the way Kansas City wins?

Patrick Mahomes threw for only 184 yards in Week 1.

Kansas City won by 21.

That’s what makes this Chiefs offense interesting.

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 173 yards and scored twice, giving Kansas City something it has rarely possessed during the Mahomes era: a running back capable of independently taking over a game.

Indianapolis now has to decide how aggressively it wants to devote resources to stopping him.

Commit too heavily?

Mahomes gets favorable passing looks.

Play lighter?

Walker gets opportunities again.

The Chiefs will be without left tackle Josh Simmons, while Chris Jones is questionable on defense. (nfl.com)

The storyline: Was Walker’s debut an explosion—or the beginning of a fundamental change in Kansas City’s offense?

Monday Night Football

New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams

Can Jaxson Dart prove Week 1 changed the Giants?

This is the perfect follow-up test.

Jaxson Dart threw three touchdowns, completed 23 of 29 passes and added 54 rushing yards against Dallas.

Now he goes across the country for Monday Night Football against a desperate Rams team trying to avoid 0-2.

Los Angeles also has an important injury question: Puka Nacua is questionable with a hip injury after missing two consecutive practices, while Jordan Whittington is doubtful and Kamren Kinchens is out.

The Giants looked composed in Week 1.

Road primetime football gives us another data point.

The storyline: Is Dart’s Year 2 leap real enough to travel?

Game of the Day

Vikings at Bears.

Chicago produced the most shocking offensive result of Week 1.

Minnesota produced one of the best comebacks.

Now Chicago’s explosive offense faces Brian Flores’ defense while Minnesota turns to Carson Wentz in place of Kyler Murray.

That’s exactly what Week 2 should be.

Week 1 gives us theories.

Week 2 starts attacking them.

Was Chicago’s offense really that good?

Is Trevor Lawrence genuinely entering another tier?

Can Houston function without Nico Collins?

Can the Raiders keep winning without Bowers?

Can Jaxson Dart reproduce his opener away from home?

By Sunday night, several of the things we thought we learned last week are going to look much smarter.

And several are going to look ridiculous.

Welcome to Week 2.

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