It seems the NFL season is flying by already, as we’re approaching Week 3 just as quickly as Week 2 ended. We have some surprises (cough, cough Buffalo Bills) and a few shockers out there (New Orleans Saints).
It sure has been a whirlwind season so far, but let’s look at the Top 10 storylines going into Week 3.
1. Super Bowl Rematch
Nothing gets better than watching the two best teams in the league go at it. Peyton Manning and Richard Sherman are still playing at the same level, so this matchup has all the intrigue in the world.
The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a loss last week and will be playing in front of the 12th Man. Think Manning’s job will be hard? Probably.
2. Can the Buffalo Bills Keep it up?
The Bills have started the season like a team ready to finally breakthrough in the AFC East. They took down the Chicago Bears, 23-20, in Week 1 and followed with a commanding 29-10 win over the Miami Dolphins last week.
With EJ Manuel playing efficiently and a running game with C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson flourishing, this team could be no fluke. The San Diego Chargers will present a good challenge, though.
3. Kirk Cousins vs. the Philadelphia Eagles
An injury to Robert Griffin III is not a storyline anymore, but Cousins’ success certainly could be. He threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but will need to step it up even more against the Eagles.
Chip Kelly and his team will come after the Washington Redskins’ suspect offensive line and Cousins will need to lead.
4. Are the Houston Texans Back?
The Texans, like the Bills, are 2-0 despite struggling most of last season. However, wins against the Redskins and Oakland Raiders don’t necessarily add up to an elite team.
With Jadeveon Clowney out and Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing the ball, the Texans need to keep winning to prove the doubters wrong. A matchup with the abysmal New York Giants offense should help.
5. How will the Minnesota Vikings Deal with the Adrian Peterson Saga?
The Baltimore Ravens came out about dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wake of their Ray Rice scandal. However, the Vikings aren’t as good a team and are facing the desperate Saints.
Can Matt Asiata give this offense a boost? That remains to be seen. It could be up to Matt Cassel if the Vikings succeed.
6. Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
The NFC North is always a hotly contested division, but this early matchup between two contenders could prove important down the road. Both sit at 1-1 and will certainly not want to sink into a 1-2 hole in this battle.
Matthew Stafford struggled against the Carolina Panthers last week, but he’ll have home-field advantage and a weak pass defense up against him. However, so will Aaron Rodgers, so this could be a high-scoring game.
7. How Good are the Indianapolis Colts?
It’s tough so far to weigh what the Colts struggles mean in terms of a division title and beyond. They’ve dropped their first two games by a total of 10 points against the Denver Broncos and Eagles.
However, a matchup with the Jaguars should be the easiest test so far this season. Will the Colts run game produce and give Andrew Luck more time to throw the ball? We’ll find out a lot about this team in Week 3.
8. Arizona Cardinals Defense vs. San Francisco 49ers Defense
This is an important NFC West battle and both teams know it. The Cardinals lead this division, which was supposed to be controlled by the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
The 49ers rank sixth in the league in defense and the Cardinals sit 10th, so this game should prove to be a battle of the lines. Will the Cardinals hold at home or will the 49ers score a crucial division win?
9. Can the Carolina Panthers Maintain Their Offense?
Cam Newton came back in Week 2 and the Panthers won in commanding fashion over a Lions team. This brought many to believe that the Panthers won’t suffer from the loss of much of their offense.
A game against Steelers should go a long way in figuring out whether this offense can keep up with premier defenses. The Steelers need a win after losing last week, so they’ll be out to stop Newton at any cost.
10. Can the Cleveland Browns Move Above .500?
The Browns have lost 11 of 13 games, but have a chance to grab a winning record for the first time since Week 5 of last season. Brian Hoyer led his team to the win over the Saints last week, which cast a spotlight on this town as the Ravens head into town.
However, Joe Flacco boasts an 11-1 record against his division foe. The Ravens looked much better in Week 2, but this game will be much closer.