Written by: Tyler Deakin
Football is back & better than ever as the first week of NFL action is in the books. There were some great games played last week, headlined by the Raiders thrilling victory over the Ravens on Monday Night Football. I expect more great games to be played this week, with several games on the docket drawing my interest. Amongst these games, there are several divisional rivalries & a couple potential playoff matchups that should entertain NFL fans. Without further ado, here is my list of contenders for the best games on the Week 2 NFL docket.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens (Sunday Night Football)
This is a must win game for the Ravens after their MNF loss to the Raiders. The only problem is, the Chiefs are 3-0 against the Ravens during the Patrick Mahomes era. Kansas City is the AFC Champion team from last year, and they’re favored as Super Bowl contenders this year. Will Lamar Jackson & company defeat the Chiefs to avoid an 0-2 record to start their season? I have a feeling that this game could turn into a bit of a shootout, & possibly an absolute thriller. It’s possible that this game could emerge as Week 2’s Game of the Week amongst NFL fans.
New York Giants at Washington Football Team (Thursday Night Football)
Stay with me on this one, as the matchup between Daniel Jones & Taylor Heinicke doesn’t seem initially appealing for Thursday Night Football. These are two desperate 0-1 teams though, so I believe this game has potential to outperform expectations. It’s also the only football available for us to watch on Thursday night, so let’s face it we’ll probably watch it anyways. Divisional games between two desperate teams are usually defensive slugfests that end in drama. Will Chase Young & the Washington defense slow down Saquan Barkley & the Giants offense?
Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 1 couldn’t have gone any better for the Raiders & Steelers, as both teams pulled off upset victories over heavily favored teams to start their seasons 1-0. Both teams attacked their opponents in different ways, with the Raiders winning a shootout against the Ravens & the Steelers winning a defensive slugfest against the Bills. What kind of game will we see from these two teams in Week 2? I believe that a high scoring game could spell trouble for the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger’s arm doesn’t look as strong as it once did, so the key to victory for the Raiders should be to score consistently & often against a great Steelers defense headlined by TJ Watt.
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
My goodness, what a performance the Saints put up against the Packers last week! They won 38-3 in a “home” game on the road in Jacksonville, & Jameis Winston had 5 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Panthers took care of business at home against the lowly Jets by winning 19-14. The Buccaneers are obviously the class of the NFC South, but it’s possible that the Saints or Panthers could emerge as a Wild Card contender in the NFC. This game could well determine which team sneaks into the playoffs this year & which team watches them play from the couch. Unfortunately, my Falcons won’t join them in contending for an NFC playoff berth this season.
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
Yikes! The Bills are in trouble as they prepare to face the Dolphins this weekend. Buffalo took a tough home loss to the Steelers last weekend, while the Dolphins pulled off the road upset against the Patriots in Foxborough. An 0-2 start for the Bills could spell disaster for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. That’s why this is a must win game for them, and why I think this will be an excellent matchup against two great divisional rivals. Get your popcorn ready, folks!
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