Joe Burrow's turf toe injury becomes one of the major talking points in week 2!
Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
The second game of the double-header on Monday Night Football (MNF) between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers was the last game of week 2 of the 2025-26 NFL season, meaning it’s now time for NFL week 2 key takeaways.
Week 2 began with the Green Bay Packers continuing to look impressive as they took on the Washington Commanders, and after a full slate of 16 games, we finally have a bit more clarity heading into week 3.
2025–26 NFL Season Week 2 Key Takeaways
It might only be week 2 that has come and gone, but even then, we have started to get an idea of where teams are at this season. There is still plenty of work to be done, but some key developments have given rise to interesting situations. While some teams remain undefeated, others have questions that need to be answered quickly.
Micah Parsons and the Packers’ Defense Is Legit
The Green Bay Packers put in a strong performance in week 1 against the Detroit Lions and followed that up with yet another dominant one over the Washington Commanders in week 2. While the offense is clicking and doing its job, it is the defense that has been the main talking point.
The addition of Micah Parsons has definitely been a huge boost, even though it is still early days for the former Cowboys’ pass rusher. The stats may only show a couple of tackles and just half a sack, but Parsons’ presence on the field has elevated the Packers’ defensive front to a whole new level. At the moment, Green Bay looks tough to beat.
Commanders’ Struggle on Offense
On the other side of the ball against the Packers were the Washington Commanders, who came off an easy win over the New York Giants in week 1. However, that game did not highlight the Commanders’ struggles on the offensive side of the ball.
After a contract hold-in that lasted for the entirety of the offseason, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and Jayden Daniels seem to have lost some of the spark they had last season. McLaurin did finish the game with 5 receptions for 48 yards, but some of last year’s magic is not there. Moreover, Washington has lost running back Austin Ekeler for the season following an Achilles injury.
Lamar Jackson Solidifies Case As Early MVP Candidate
The Baltimore Ravens just proved that the loss against Buffalo in week 1 is not a big concern. Lamar Jackson and company came out of the gates with full force and dismantled divisional rivals, the Cleveland Browns.
Despite the Ravens not going ballistic in terms of total yards, they still managed to put up over 40 points on the Browns. Jackson put the team on his back, finishing 19 of 29 with 4 passing touchdowns amid a running game that didn’t show up.
Bengals Season Could Already Be Over with Burrow’s Latest Injury
Surprisingly so, the Cincinnati Bengals are 2-0 this season, but once again, they face the possibility of missing the playoffs even after just 2 games. Starting quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 2, and that means he will be on the sidelines for a minimum of three months.
The Bengals did come from behind to win with backup quarterback Jake Browning under center and Ja’Marr Chase’s 165-yard receiving game that included a touchdown. But put that to one side, and Browning also threw 3 picks in the game, something that could have cost Cincy the game had the opposition been better.
Mahomes is the Only Positive on a Struggling Chiefs’ Offense
The Kansas City Chiefs are 0-2 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. They are also 0-2 for just the second time in the Andy Reid era, but they missed the playoffs when that happened in 2014 after finishing 9-7.
Right now, nothing, absolutely nothing, is going right for the Chiefs on offense. They are down their top two pass catchers with the injury to Xavier Worthy and the suspension to Rashee Rice. Tight end Travis Kelce is still a top target, but he has started showing his age since last season and is no longer the most feared player at his position.
The defense may have looked better in week 2 against the Eagles, but Chris Jones is yet to be his dominant, usual self. With the Chargers 2-0 to start the season, this could be the year the Chiefs lose their stranglehold over the AFC West.
49ers Missing Starters but Winning Games
The 49ers came into this game without starting quarterback Brock Purdy under center. They will continue to miss the services of top wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle, but they still found a way to win against the Saints on Sunday.
Backup signal caller Mac Jones had an outstanding debut, throwing for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns, but one has to remember he was up against the New Orleans’ defense. That said, the 49ers have the easiest schedule in the league this year, and that should ease their path to the playoffs.
The AFC East Is the Bills to Lose Once Again
Josh Allen may not have had a similar performance that he had against the Ravens in week 1. But no matter, the Bills still easily dispatched the Jets 30-10 with the help of running back James Cook, who had 132 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.
New York crumbled against Buffalo despite showing tremendous ability in week 1 against the Steelers. Justin Fields had no answer for the Bills’ defense, going 3 of 11 before leaving the game due to a concussion on a Joey Bosa sack at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins and the Patriots, the other two teams in the division, faced off in week 2, with New England coming out on top in a game that went back and forth. Miami has several things to figure out and is currently sitting at the bottom with a 0-2 record, while the Patriots still have some ways to go before they can threaten the Bills in the AFC East.
Vikings and Bears Have Work to do after suffering crushing losses
In the NFC North, the Packers are currently the clear favorites. Detroit, however, has steadied its ship somewhat after annihilating the Bears in week 2. Dan Campbell and the Lions taught Ben Johnson’s new team a masterclass as Jared Goff threw for 334 yards and 5 passing touchdowns.
After two games, the pairing of Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams hasn’t gotten off to the type of start Bears fans would have expected. It seems the head coach’s game plan and his signal caller’s abilities are not in sync, but if they don’t turn things around quickly, another season will be wasted.
As for Minnesota, their offensive woes may have been overlooked to a certain extent in the first game of the season due to the remarkable fourth-quarter comeback. However, against Atlanta in week 2, they got exposed as J.J. McCarthy is yet to get the hang of the NFL level. Speaking of McCarthy, his progress will have to wait further as he suffered an ankle injury in the game, which will force him to miss the next two to four games.
Next up is week 3, which begins with Thursday Night Football (TNF) pitting the Bills against the Dolphins in an AFC East showdown. A couple of games to watch out for in week 3 include the Eagles taking on the Rams and the Lions going up against the Ravens.
Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!
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