“When someone shows you who they are, believe them” – Bill Parcells
We’re just two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, and the unpredictability has already taken hold. Nine teams remain undefeated, but most are not who we expected. Which of these 2-0 teams are frauds and who can we believe in?
Buffalo, Kansas City, and Houston all stand at 2-0, though that may come as no surprise as they were all favored to win their respective divisions.
A Strong NFC South
Last year, Tampa Bay won the NFC South, but many expected them to take a step back (me included) with the loss of offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who received much of the credit for the resurgence of QB Baker Mayfield. Last offseason, Mayfield signed a 3-year, 100-million-dollar contract and has earned every penny. A large part of the Buccaneers’ 2-0 start can be attributed to his 73.5 completion percentage for 474 yards and 5 TDs to just 1 INT.
Their NFC South rival New Orleans Saints are off to a hot start and appear to be the early team to beat in the NFC. After burying the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 by a score of 47-10 it seemed that the Saints were just beating up on an awful team. Heading to Dallas for the Cowboys home opener in week 2, New Orleans continued with another dominating performance by defeating the Cowboys 44-19. Under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the Saints lead the league in points per game at 45.5. The defense is no slouch either allowing only 14.5 points per game – good enough for 4th in the NFL.
Unexpected Starts
Also sitting atop their divisions at 2-0 are the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Each team had its own reasons for tempered expectations heading into 2024, but neither was bothered by it.
The Seahawks started with wins against Denver and New England, which may not be much to brag about, but you can only play who is put in front of you. Week 3 brings the Tua-less Dolphins to Seattle then it’s off to Detroit to face the Lions, who may be the Seahawks’ first true test.
Minnesota elected not to bring back Kirk Cousins this past offseason and drafted Michigan National Champion J.J. McCarthy to be the QB of the future. Unfortunately, McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury in preseason, and the team was turned over to journeyman Sam Darnold. The season was thought to be lost, but the former #3 overall pick has played the best ball of his career so far. Brian Flores’ defense has been just as impressive allowing only 17 points in a win against the San Fransisco 49ers.
A Tough 2-0
Over in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers are each sitting at 2-0 and doing it their way. Strong running games and hard-nosed defense put these teams in a good position to start the season. Jim Harbaugh has brought a toughness to the Chargers that they have been lacking for years. They are 2nd in the league in rushing at 197.5 yards per game and have allowed the fewest points with just 13 through 2 games. Amidst a never-ending quarterback controversy, Mike Tomlin has his squad squeaking out victories by winning ugly – a style that has become his staple over the years in Pittsburgh. It just so happens that these 2-0 teams will collide in Pittsburgh this week. I look for an old-school, hard-hitting and low-scoring affair.
Who do we Believe in?
We all expect the Bills, Chiefs, and Texans to be there in January, but who else? The Buccaneers and Vikings have impressive victories over the Lions and 49ers, respectively. The Steelers and Seahawks have made narrow escapes against lesser competition, but wins are wins. The Chargers and Saints have dominated their competition with point differentials of +35 and +62, though their opponents hold a combined record of 2-6.
It’s much too early to tell who a real contender is and who isn’t, but it seems there will be some new teams to take note of in 2024. Through 2 weeks it’s already been a wild ride and we’re just getting started. Keep it locked into Blitz Sports Media for all of your NFL, College Football, Fantasy Football, and Gaming needs throughout the 2024 NFL season.