The NFL season is long and grueling, but it’s also only 17 games. Every week is important, and sometimes playoff hopes can hinge on a single game. With Week 1 in the books, and half the league undefeated, who needs a win the most in Week 2?
The post-Ben Johnson era got off to a rocky start in Detroit last week. The Lions took on the Green Bay Packers and had the doors blown off. The offense couldn’t find a rhythm, the run game was nonexistent, and the defense gave up 5.7 yards per play.
The Lions are meeting with Johnson, their former offensive coordinator, on Sunday. If they were off to a 1-0 start, the pressure wouldn’t be so high here. Dropping to fourth place in the division in what should be a revenge game would be rough, though.
Detroit hasn’t started a season 0-2 since 2021, and that led to a 12-week winless skid en route to a 3-13-1 record. This team finally found a winning culture; now isn’t the time to lose it. They need this win to prove they can survive without Johnson’s big brain.
The Baltimore Ravens’ performance on Sunday Night Football wasn’t necessarily bad, and against most teams, it would’ve resulted in a W. Unfortunately for the Ravens’ flock, the reigning NFL MVP found a way to put them down in the final moments.
Baltimore dominated for much of the game, with Derrick Henry rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Lamar Jackson threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, along with another score on the ground. With mere minutes left, they were up by 15 points, and it seemed they had things in the bag.
The Ravens are missing the clutch gene. They play insanely well for most of a game, only to give it away late. They have a division matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. There’s no reason Baltimore should lose this, right?
Mike McDaniel’s seat might be feeling a little toasty after the beatdown Miami received from the Indianapolis Colts. The Fins looked more unprepared than ever, and Tua Tagovailoa threw 14/23 for 114 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
The Dolphins lost this game 33-8 to Daniel Jones and what some thought was a dead Colts team. Nothing went right for them in this game. Tyreek Hill only logged four receptions for 40 yards, and the defense was put in a shredder for 60 minutes.
Miami has a date with its division rival, the New England Patriots, who are also coming off a big loss. The Dolphins were expected to make a playoff push this year, and so far, they look like a top-three Draft pick in April. Mike McDaniel and the boys need to pick things up soon; his job might just depend on it.
The Cincinnati Bengals are the only 1-0 team to make this list, and that’s because they didn’t play like a 1-0 team last week. Cincy eeked out a 17-16 win over the Cleveland Browns, and nothing looked good for them.
Joe Burrow only threw for 113 yards and one touchdown, while Ja’Marr Chase was doing cardio. He came away with two receptions for 26 yards. Tee Higgins and Noah Fant were the two leading receivers with 33 and 26 yards, respectively.
The defense wasn’t impressive, Burrow wasn’t impressive, and even Chase Brown only managed 43 yards on 21 carries. The Bengals haven’t started a season 2-0 since 2018. They need this momentum to make a playoff push later in the year. The slow starts have been a killer for “Who Dey” nation.
The team on this list that needs a win more than anyone is the Kansas City Chiefs. KC lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 27-21 in Brazil. The Chiefs didn’t look like themselves, and the defense was unusually bad against Justin Herbert.
The Chiefs are without Rashee Rice, who is still serving a six-game suspension. They’ve also lost Xavier Worthy to a shoulder injury, and playing this week is a long shot for him. They’re facing the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl LIX rematch, and they might not be prepared for this.
Philly’s offense was efficient even with Saquon Barkley rushing for only 60 yards. The defense wasn’t up to it’s 2024 standard, but they’ve gone through a lot of offseason turnover. This is a tough game for Kansas City, but starting the season 0-2 could be devastating for them in a now-loaded AFC West.
Through the 2024 season, only 32 out of 279 NFL teams have started the season 0-2 and made the playoffs, coming out to about 11.5%. It’s not impossible, but with only 17 games in a season, every week matters.
These teams need to win this week for a myriad of reasons. Whether it’s to cool down a coach’s hot seat or to return to the postseason, they can’t afford to be down this early. Week 2 is sure to be a fun one, so who can turn their luck around?
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
