The Packers Can Beat the Seahawks & What Else We Learned in NFL Week 2
The Seahawks are winless, and the Cowboys are Tony Romo-less. For now. Here’s what we learned in Week 2 of the NFL:
The Packers Finally Beat the Seahawks
Aaron Rodgers threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, and Green Bay beat Seattle, 27-17, in the highly anticipated rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game on Sunday night. The Packers were obviously more comfortable at home in Lambeau Field, as opposed to the hostile environment of the Seahawks CenturyLink Field.
Of course, the game wasn’t without some drama: Russell Wilson led Seattle (0-2) back from a 13-3 halftime deficit to a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter. However, the Seahawks didn’t have the same magic on the road as they did at home during last season’s miraculous NFC title game rally.
Green Bay (2-0) scored the game’s final 14 points, and Seattle’s last two series ended in a Wilson interception with 6:50 left and a fumble by Fred Jackson with 22 seconds to play.
The Seahawks are now winless after two games for the first time since 2011, while the Packers look like Super Bowl contenders.
The Cowboys Won the Game, but Lost Tony Romo
After smothering the Eagles 20-10 on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys are off to a 2-0 start, but the rest of their season is in jeopardy: quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken left collarbone in the third quarter of the game. It was not clear how long the Pro Bowl QB would be out of action.
Dallas backup QB Brandon Weeden, whose 42-yard pass to Terrance Williams accounted for the Cowboys’ only offensive touchdown against Philly, will start until Romo returns. Dallas receiver Dez Bryant is already out six weeks with a broken foot sustained in Week 1.
Romo’s injury didn’t keep the Cowboys (2-0) from dominating their NFC East rivals. Philadelphia (0-2) was dreadful on offense for the second consecutive week. Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford threw for just 224 yards and a meaningless late score, and he had three turnovers. Former Cowboy-turned-Eagle DeMarco Murray ran for just two yards on 13 carries.
Tom Brady Still Owns the Bills
Tom Brady threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns in New England’s 40-32 win over Buffalo and Rex Ryan. Again. The game was another ho-hum blowout of an AFC East team by the Pats, until the Bills scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to close to within 37-32 with 4 minutes left. It didn’t matter, because Brady owns the Bills.
Buffalo (1-1) committed 14 penalties and allowed eight sacks, while losing for the 11th time in 12 games against New England (2-0). Rob Gronkowski had seven catches for 113 yards and a score. Guess Rex Ryan never did find his King Kong on defense.
On a more serious note, Bills safety Aaron Williams was taken off the field via ambulance after suffering a neck injury on a tackle in the second half, but he was reportedly released from the hospital late Sunday night and had feeling in his extremities.
The Panthers, Falcons and Saints Have Flipped the NFC South Script
The NFC South was expected to be a weak division in 2015, but the Panthers and Falcons didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to stink. And, the perennially favored Saints aren’t very good at all.
Cam Newton threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns — and flipped into the end zone on a glorious two-yard run — as Carolina edged Houston, 24-17. The Panthers (2-0) held on for the win by stopping the Texans (0-2) as they neared the Red Zone with under a minute to play. Carolina now faces showdown games with NFC South foes New Orleans and Tampa Bay in the next two weeks.
Atlanta’s Julio Jones tied a team record with 13 receptions for 135 yards, and the Falcons beat the New York Giants, 24-20, on Sunday. Down 20-10 in the fourth quarter, Atlanta (2-0) rallied behind Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan. The Giants (0-2) lost another close game late thanks to a porous secondary.
For as good as the Panthers and Falcons have been in 2015, the Saints have been a wreck. New Orleans dropped a 26-19 home contest to Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Bucs (1-1) snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season, while the Saints (0-2) lost their sixth straight home game. New Orleans fumbled five times, losing two, and they never led in the game.
Maybe Johnny Manziel Can Play in the NFL?
Johnny Manziel: NFL quarterback? Believe it (this week, anyway). Manziel threw touchdown passes of 60 and 50 yards to Travis Benjamin - with the second toss all but clinching a Cleveland victory with 2:52 left — and the Browns beat the Titans, 28-14 on Sunday. Cleveland (1-1) won just its third home opener since 1999 thanks to Manziel, who started in place of injured Josh McCown.
Tennessee (1-1) didn’t look as good as it did in Week 1, nor did rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota, who was sacked seven times and struggled until well into the second half.
Other Scores
Thursday, September 17
Denver 31, Kansas City 24
Sunday, September 20
Pittsburgh 43, San Francisco 18
Minnesota 26, Detroit 16
Arizona 48, Chicago 23
Cincinnati 24, San Diego 19
Washington 24, St. Louis 10
Jacksonville 23, Miami 20
Oakland 37, Baltimore 33