Week 2 of the NFL regular season started off with a low-scoring affair on Thursday Night Football, as the Houston Texans were able to hold off the Cincinnati Bengals 13-9. It was the second straight game without a touchdown for Cincinnati (they were shutout 20-0 by the Ravens in Week 1), and the slow start got offensive coordinator Ken Zampese fired from the position.
With one game in the books for Week 2, here are the five games that should be the most anticipated this Sunday.
5. Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will see his team go against the Eagles on Sunday, the team he led for 14 seasons from 1999-2012.
He would love to see his team carry the positive momentum they garnered by upsetting the New England Patriots 42-27 in the Thursday Night NFL season opener. Rookie Kareem Hunt had arguably the best game ever for a running back in his debut. He finished with 148 rushing yards, 98 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Quarterback Alex Smith also picked apart New England's secondary, as he completed 80% of his passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns.
The Eagles defeated the Redskins 30-17 in Week 1. Third-year wide receiver Nelson Agholar compiled the best game of his career, catching six passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. The defense was relentless, forcing four turnovers. One of those was a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
4. New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints
The Patriots will look to avoid falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2001 as they head to New Orleans. The Saints will love to rebound from a flat-footed showdown against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.
New England will be without two key players due to injury; wide receiver Danny Amendola and linebacker Dont'a Hightower.
40-year-old quarterback Tom Brady finally began looking his age as he completed less than half his passes without a touchdown in the Week 1 loss to Kansas City.
One game into running back Adrian Peterson's tenure with the Saints, and he already has expressed his displeasure about the amount of touches he has received. Their defense has been porous for years, and Tom Brady must be expecting a bounce-back after seeing Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford go 27-32 for 341 yards and three touchdowns against the New Orleans defense.
3. Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Vikings started off their season with an impressive win over The Saints. The Steelers, seen by many as Super Bowl contenders, narrowly defeated the Cleveland Browns 21-18.
As mentioned before, Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford had no problems throwing on the Saints secondary. He received an MRI on his knee, and while he is expected to play on Sunday, it is something to keep an eye on. Rookie running back Dalvin Cook rushed for 127 yards in his debut, something that may have been talked about more if not for Kareem Hunt's debut.
With Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell underperforming in Week 1, the Steelers had a few breakout performances to help them squeak by over the Cleveland Browns.
Tight end Jesse James caught two touchdown passes, and rookie linebacker T. J. Watt had two sacks and an interception. Other than James' two touchdowns, their only other score was returning a blocked punt into the end zone.
2. Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos
The Cowboys completely shutdown the New York Giants offense in their 19-3 Week 1 win. It took a blocked field goal as time expired for the Broncos to escape a 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Dallas' defense lost several starters over the offseason, but they held the Giants to just 233 total yards (35 rushing yards). Linebacker Sean Lee was all over the field making plays, and the team sacked Giants quarterback Eli Manning three times.
They head to Denver to face a Broncos offense not exactly seen as elite.
Denver had their moments though in Week 1 as quarterback Trevor Siemien did enough, and the team established a strong running game. C. J. Anderson rushed for 81 yards, while Jamaal Charles' Broncos debut saw him gain 40 on the ground. Despite allowing three Phillip Rivers touchdown passes, the defense played well in only allowing 249 total yards.
1. Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
This week's Sunday Night Football Game pairs the two teams who met in last season's NFC Championship Game. Atlanta won that meeting 44-21, in a game where Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was nearly flawless. He finished with 392 yards and four touchdowns.
The Packers won their season opener 17-9 over the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday. Nick Perry and Mike Daniels both finished with 1.5 sacks, as the defense forced sustained pressure on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson all game. Altogether, Seattle finished with just 225 yards of total offense.
Atlanta defeated the Chicago Bears 23-17, in a game that was much closer than many people expected. Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman were not able to establish any type of running game, but reigning MVP Matt Ryan finished with 321 yards while completing 70% of his passes. Their defense sacked Bears quarterback Mike Glennon four times.
