NFL Week 2 Recap

By Mateo Siman

Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals is helped off the field following an injury in the second quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images/TNS)

Week 2 was filled with surprises. We saw everything from new contenders to season-altering injuries.

Burrow’s Out. Are the Bengals in Trouble?

On Sunday, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury, which will keep him sidelined for at least the next 3 months. The roster behind the MVP-caliber quarterback looks really shaky. This injury puts a lot of pressure on the newly named starter Jake Browning. He has shown flashes of competence in the past but still has much to prove in order to keep up with this loaded offense for the rest of the season. To make matters worse, Cincinnati’s defense has not been up to par either. Losing Burrow this early in the season almost guarantees the loss of this season. Burrow’s absence as a crucial leader on the field will ultimately lead to diminishing hopes of a Bengals playoff run.

Packers are Super Bowl Contenders

The Green Bay Packers have never been as good as they are right now. When you consider their leaders, there is no doubt this team is bound for success. Starting with their quarterback Jordan Love and a fantastic balance of weapons on offense, they are looking scary.

That’s without even mentioning their defense, which is in contention to be the best in the league. Green Bay’s defense, led by new addition Micah Parsons, is looking extremely terrifying. This defense allowed two of the best offenses in the league to have miserable nights on the offensive side of the ball. The Lions were held to a shocking 13 points in week 1 behind their great offense. The commanders were also put in a miserable situation when they faced off against Green Bay. The Packers’ dominance on both sides of the ball makes them huge favorites to come out of the NFC and makes them true contenders. 

A Reset in Miami?

The Miami Dolphins, led by head coach Mike McDaniel, have had a rough start to the season. The defense never seems to get off the field and allows the other team to score on most drives. Their unstable offense doesn’t help the struggle. The offense led by Tua Tagovailoa and stars surrounding him like Tyreek Hill and Devon Achane have not lived up to expectations.

Instead of having an exciting season in front of them, their flaws have been exposed with disturbing performances in the first two weeks. As the season has already slipped past their hands, fans say that the team should look forward to next season and reset the roster. This would start by getting rid of head coach Mike McDaniel.

”As much as I loved Tyreek as a player, it’s time to let him go. I don’t think he is a good fit for our team, and he is losing value quickly,” says senior Jake Reed on the matter.

All Eyes on Ben Johnson

After an impressive tenure as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Ben Johnson was hired to fill the role as the new Chicago Bears head coach. Considering the talent and aspirations carried by Chicago, Johnson is held to very high expectations. Bears fans thought Johnson would turn the entire team around. Unfortunately, the first two weeks have been nothing but disappointing.

Starting off with a crushing defeat to division rival Minnesota Vikings on prime time, it only got worse. The next week, they were handed an embarrassing loss to Ben Johnson's former team, the Detroit Lions. Their inability to perform on both sides of the ball eventually led to a 31-point loss to Dan Campbell's Lions. Johnson is under an insane amount of pressure after this 0-2 start. If there’s going to be any hope for Chicago, changes are necessary.