Week 2 grades just dropped, and if your team is staring down an 0-2 record, you know the vibe: it is brutal out there. Since the playoffs expanded to 14 teams in 2020, only eight out of 51 teams that started 0-2 have clawed their way into the postseason. That is not great odds, folks. Unfortunately, the Texans, Titans, and Falcons are all now 0-2 after losing on Sunday, putting them in a deep hole early this season.
New Orleans Pulled Off a Baltimore Blocker
The New Orleans Saints, however, avoided that brutal 0-2 start, earning a much-deserved ‘A’ grade. They stunned the Ravens 24-17 in Baltimore, and it was a defensive masterpiece. Their D did the impossible, shutting down Lamar Jackson in his own house! They held the Ravens to a measly 84 yards in the entire second half. Talk about a lockdown! Chase Young looked like a man possessed, racking up 1.5 sacks on Jackson. For the second straight week, the Saints’ offense took its sweet time to get going, but once Tyler Shough got that unit rolling in the second half, they were unstoppable. Shough played at an MVP level in the fourth quarter, completing 12 of 14 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. Plus, Chris Olave is proving impossible to cover, adding 86 yards after his 182-yard opener. Seriously, the Saints feel like they could be a surprise team this season, and after that Week 2 performance, who can argue?
Ravens Forgot How to Score, Steelers Forgot How to Play
On the flip side, the Ravens got a ‘C’ grade, and honestly, that might be generous. Their “new offense” looked unstoppable in Week 1 but completely crashed back to earth against the Saints. Baltimore had multiple chances to put the game away, but the offense could only muster a pathetic 32 total yards on their final three possessions combined. You just cannot win like that. And what about Derrick Henry? Their star running back had just five carries in the entire second half, including only one in the fourth quarter, even with the Ravens leading 14-3 at halftime. It is absolutely baffling they did not lean on him more. New coach Jesse Minter, who replaced John Harbaugh because of blown second half leads, now has a blown fourth-quarter lead on his resume in only his second game. Ouch.
Then there are the Steelers, who got a ‘D’ after losing 20-3 to New England. Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers might have a “long history together,” but you would not know it watching them play on Sunday. The Steelers’ offense could not get out of its own way. It was a total mess.
Week 2 already delivered some serious drama and showed us who is in a deep hole. While it is a long season, those 0-2 teams have a massive climb ahead of them, and every single snap counts from here on out. That is the NFL, baby!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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