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NFL Nation
We’re two weeks into the 2025 NFL season, which means narratives are beginning to take hold — prematurely. The NFL’s 10 remaining 2-0 teams cannot all be Super Bowl-bound. (History confirms some in that group won’t reach the playoffs.) The group of 0-2 teams stands 11 deep entering Week 3, but those teams are not all hopeless. What all 32 teams have in common is a need to either reverse an early trend that stands in the way of progress, or to continue one that might help them reach their destination. ESPN’s 32 team reporters identified such a trend for their teams, also sizing up whether that trend is likely to continue over the next 15 games (and perhaps beyond).
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
The early surprise: The Bills lead the league in rushing attempts.
The verdict: Real to an extent. The offense under coordinator Joe Brady has put an emphasis on a productive run game to support quarterback Josh Allen. That will continue as the season progresses, especially behind a strong offensive line that has returned the same starting five from last year and with James Cook starting the season off on a strong note. It also helps if the Bills can build leads early in games, like in their Week 2 win over the Jets. With Allen and the passing potential, staying first in attempts seems unlikely, but emphasizing the running game will continue. — Alaina Getzenberg
1:19
Woody: Chiefs ‘have nothing on offense that threatens any team’
Damien Woody calls out the Chiefs’ offensive deficiencies following a loss to the Eagles that saw them start 0-2 for the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ NFL career.
The early surprise: The Dolphins rank 29th in the NFL in rushing yards per game.
The verdict: Real. Miami had issues running the ball in 2024 as well, finishing 21st in rushing yards. The Dolphins attempted to address the issue by adding two new offensive guards and drafting power back Ollie Gordon II, but they’ve already had to replace the entire right side of their offensive line because of injuries, and Gordon has not been a consistent part of the game plan through two weeks. Starter De’Von Achane has picked up where he left off last season, when he led NFL running backs in catches and receiving yards, but there’s no sign so far that Miami’s production on the ground is a mirage. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
The early surprise: The Patriots are averaging 10.5 accepted penalties per game.
The verdict: Mirage. New England was called for 12 accepted penalties for 75 yards in its win over the Dolphins, which came after getting flagged for nine accepted penalties for 70 yards in a season-opening loss. The Patriots haven’t reflected the buttoned-up team one would expect with Mike Vrabel at the helm. That shouldn’t continue, particularly with false starts, as starting offensive tackles Will Campbell and Morgan Moses have combined for six. — Mike Reiss
The early surprise: The Jets rank 21st in yards allowed, 30th in points allowed.
The verdict: Mirage. They’re not this bad on defense. They have 14 holdovers from a defense that finished fourth in yards allowed, so you know there’s talent. They have former All-Pros on all three levels — tackle Quinnen Williams, linebacker Quincy Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner. Part of the problem is they’re still learning a new defense, a hybrid system that blends schemes used by coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Shoddy tackling isn’t helping matters. — Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
The early surprise: Mark Andrews’ lack of productivity.
The verdict: Real. Andrews has surprisingly not been part of the Ravens’ game plan, recording two catches for 7 yards in the first two games of the season. He used to be Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, but he has a total of four targets despite tight end Isaiah Likely being sidelined with a foot injury. Andrews, 30, just isn’t getting many opportunities, running 38 routes, which ranks 24th among tight ends. It’s difficult to think Andrews’ target share will increase going forward, especially with Likely expected to return in the next couple of weeks. — Jamison Hensley
1:25
Why Stephen A. thinks Bengals can succeed without Joe Burrow
Stephen A. Smith says the Bengals could still be competitive if Joe Burrow returns later this season.
The early surprise: The Bengals can’t run the ball.
The verdict: Mirage. After Monday’s games, the Bengals dropped to last in the league in yards per rushing attempt (2.4). Cincinnati had high hopes for running back Chase Brown entering the season. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said there were a few yards left on the table in a Week 2 win against the Jaguars. With Jake Browning now at quarterback in place of Joe Burrow, there is a chance the offense could find a bit more balance, which could lead to increased rushing efficiency from Brown. — Ben Baby
The early surprise: The Browns’ retooled running game has produced only one run of 10-plus yards.
The verdict: Mirage. The run game was a point of emphasis for coach Kevin Stefanski and Cleveland’s offense this offseason, but the Browns are averaging 3.6 yards per carry and generating few explosive plays. The run blocking hasn’t been optimal, but the team’s run block win rate ranks 19th. The debut of rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was also a promising sign. Judkins produced the team’s lone explosive run in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens and registered a team-high 61 rushing yards, 36 of which came after first contact. The Browns’ run game should pick up as Judkins gets more comfortable. — Daniel Oyefusi
1:17
Why Quinshon Judkins is a top-25 RB option for Week 3
Field Yates ranks Quinshon Judkins as a top-25 RB for Week 3 with fantasy upside, though a potential suspension still looms.
The early surprise: The Steelers’ defense ranks 29th in yards and points allowed per game.
The verdict: Real. Despite fielding the league’s highest-paid defense by nearly $25 million, the Steelers’ defensive issues have been glaring through two weeks. Not only have the Steelers allowed opponents to score at least 30 points in the past two weeks, but each team had a 100-yard rusher. The Steelers rank 28th with 149.5 rushing yards allowed per game. Because they can’t stop the run, the pass rush also hasn’t gotten going, and the Steelers are tied for 25th with 1.5 sacks per game. From top to bottom, the defense is abysmal, and there don’t appear to be any easy fixes on the horizon. — Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
The early surprise: C.J. Stroud’s high pressure rate.
The verdict: Real. Stroud has been pressured on 39.1% of his dropbacks, seventh most in the league, and that’s not a mirage. It’s a full malfunction, from the playcalling to getting pass catchers open down the field, to the pass protection plan, to the Texans’ offensive line struggling to block and sometimes Stroud holding the ball. The Texans’ season will flop if they don’t get this fixed, especially with better AFC opponents coming down the pike in Kansas City, Baltimore and Buffalo. — DJ Bien-Aime
The early surprise: The Colts have one of the NFL’s most potent offenses.
The verdict: Real. Indy is on the kind of offensive tear you might expect in the Peyton Manning era, scoring on its first 10 drives of the season and not punting through two games. No one is predicting that audacious level of consistency, but the Colts’ combination of decisiveness from QB Daniel Jones, savvy playcalling from coach Shane Steichen and a versatile stable of offensive weapons positions them to remain a dangerous offense. The Colts rank second in offensive expected points added (23.6) and are tied for first in yards per play (6.5). — Stephen Holder
The early surprise: The Jaguars lead the NFL in rushing.
The verdict: Mirage-ish. Liam Coen took Tampa Bay’s run game from last in the NFL in 2023 to fourth last season, so there was an expectation that he would be able to significantly improve the Jaguars’ ground game in 2025. There’s no question the additions along the offensive line and the two young running backs have helped, along with Travis Etienne Jr.’s resurgence. The Jaguars will be a better running team than they were last year (101.7 yards per game), so that part is real. Expecting them to lead the league over the course of the season is the mirage. — Michael DiRocco
The early surprise: The Titans’ third-down distance is the worst in the league.
The verdict: Real. The Titans’ average distance to go on third downs is 9.9 yards, third worst in the league. Tennessee has faced 31 third downs, with 21 of them being third-and-7 or longer. No team has had more third-and-long situations. Most of the problems come from early penalties in drives. The Titans have been penalized 23 times for 193 yards in two games. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has been sacked 11 times. — Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
The early surprise: The Broncos are tied for 28th in the league in turnover margin.
The verdict: Real. If the Broncos really consider themselves ready to slug it out with the AFC heavyweights — and they spent a lot of time this offseason saying they were, from coach Sean Payton on down — they cannot live on the minus side of the turnover margin. The Broncos are minus-3 after two games, and only Cleveland and Miami are worse (both at minus-4). Quarterback Bo Nix, who went without an interception 10 times as a rookie, did throw four in his first two starts combined last year and is tied for most interceptions this season after two weeks with three. Toss in that the Broncos are also one of 10 teams with more than 120 penalty yards after two games and that is not the profile that’s going to succeed in their own division, let alone the AFC playoff race. — Jeff Legwold
The early surprise: Patrick Mahomes leads the Chiefs in rushing.
The verdict: Mirage-ish. The Chiefs certainly hope it’s a mirage. But Mahomes has had to scramble to give the Chiefs a legit option on the ground. Although Isiah Pacheco is healthy, he has struggled with his limited touches. Kareem Hunt is mostly a short-yardage and third-down back. Still, it’s wild that Mahomes is the second quarterback since 1950 to record double any other player on his team in rushing yards in each of the first two games of a season, joining Cam Newton (2020). — Nate Taylor
The early surprise: The Raiders have the fifth-fewest points allowed.
The verdict: Real. Las Vegas has allowed 16.5 points per game through two weeks. Against the Chargers, the defense kept the game within reach, allowing just three points in the second half. Even though the Raiders still have question marks in the secondary, coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham have shown they can find a way to get the best out of the talent at hand. — Ryan McFadden
The early surprise: Quentin Johnston’s production.
The verdict: Real. Johnston has 150 receiving yards and three touchdowns through two games, leading the team in both categories. He is the first Chargers player with three touchdowns through L.A.’s first two games since tight end Antonio Gates in 2014. Despite Johnston’s fluctuating play through two seasons, he has remained one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite targets. Johnston should continue to be productive this season. — Kris Rhim
NFC EAST
2:08
Should Javonte Williams be viewed as a lineup lock, top-10 RB?
Daniel Dopp, Field Yates and Stephania Bell debate whether Javonte Williams is a lineup lock and a top-10 fantasy running back.
The early surprise: Four rushing touchdowns.
The verdict: Real. That might not sound impressive to some folks, but the Cowboys had just six rushing touchdowns last season. Six. Javonte Williams has three, the most by a Dallas running back through two games since Marion Barber in 2008. Miles Sanders has the fourth. New offensive coordinator Klayton Adams helped design Arizona’s run game and has brought some changes to how the Cowboys get it done on the ground, particularly by getting his linemen on the move. Last year, the Cardinals had 18 rushing touchdowns. Good red zone teams run the ball into the end zone. If the Cowboys can be a threat on the ground inside the opponents’ 20, it will help Dak Prescott and his pass catchers find some space, too. — Todd Archer
The early surprise: Bottom-five rushing attack.
The verdict: Real. The offensive line isn’t great at pass blocking. There was a belief based on the second half of last season that it would at least be a better run-blocking unit. But the Giants have problems on the interior of their offensive line, a main reason they are averaging a paltry 79.0 yards on the ground. They get minimal push. That seems unlikely to magically change, and the running game is already searching for answers. Tyrone Tracy Jr. was replaced by Cam Skattebo as the primary ball carrier after one week. — Jordan Raanan
2:04
Is Cam Skattebo the best fantasy RB on the Giants?
Field Yates and Stephania Bell debate whether Cam Skattebo is the preferred fantasy running back out of the Giants’ backfield.
The early surprise: A.J. Brown has not been a major factor in the offense, catching just six balls for 35 yards.
The verdict: Mirage. Brown has had over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his three seasons in Philadelphia and has gone over 1,400 yards twice. He has averaged 15.6 yards per reception over his career compared with just 5.8 through two games. The Eagles pass game is still finding its way under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. This is a run-oriented offense but that hasn’t stopped Brown from being productive. He missed significant time this summer with a hamstring injury. Assuming his health continues to trend in a positive direction, he should be back to filling up the stat sheet before long. — Tim McManus
The early surprise: Terry McLaurin is on pace for less than 700 yards.
The verdict: Mirage. McLaurin has topped 1,000 yards in five consecutive seasons so there’s no reason to believe his production won’t increase. But the slow start was somewhat expected given that he missed all of training camp (in addition to OTA and minicamp practices) while holding out/in. He’s receiving a similar number of targets as he did last year (6.88 in 2024; 6.5 in 2025) and he was getting open vs. Green Bay — but the Packers’ pass rush often negated chances. McLaurin is still getting open — when he runs a route after lining up wide left (his usual spot), he’s averaging 2.53 yards of separation compared with 2.63 last year. It’s a matter of time for McLaurin. — John Keim
NFC NORTH
1:04
How much will the Bears miss Jaylon Johnson?
“The Pat McAfee Show” crew reacts to the news about Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson being out indefinitely after sustaining a groin injury against the Lions.
The early surprise: Chicago’s defense ranks 32nd in points allowed.
The verdict: Real. And that’s the scary part. The Bears’ defense is supposed to be the backbone of this team while Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the offense get established, but Chicago has allowed 73 points over its past five quarters and let the Lions average 8.8 yards per play in Week 2, the highest rate they allowed in a game since 1961. Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy coming back to earth after the Vikings scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter is a bad look for the Bears. What’s worse were the 52 points allowed to Detroit, the most Chicago has given up in a game since 2014. — Courtney Cronin
The early surprise: The Lions are tied for the NFL’s most receiving touchdowns.
The verdict: Real. With so many offensive playmakers returning, Lions QB Jared Goff could very well continue this trend. Goff and Detroit scored five touchdowns during the 52-21 Week 2 beatdown versus Chicago — All-Pro WR Amon-Ra St. Brown scored three of those — but Goff will also be throwing to WR Jameson Williams, rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa, TE Sam LaPorta and RB Jahmyr Gibbs this season. Detroit was able to set a franchise record by averaging 8.8 yards per play on offense against the Bears and produced a game with at least 500 total net yards, five passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns for the first time in franchise history. — Eric Woodyard
2:12
Was Week 1 or 2 a fantasy overreaction for the Lions?
Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell examine the fantasy performances of the Lions in Week 2.
The early surprise: The Packers lead the league in QB pressures.
The verdict: Real. After ranking a pedestrian 17th in the NFL in quarterback pressures last season, they’re No. 1 in the league with 38 after two weeks, according to ESPN Research. They’re also second in sacks. The reason it could be sustainable is simple: the arrival of Micah Parsons. On a limited snap count, Parsons ranks second in the NFL in individual pressures with nine. — Rob Demovsky
1:07
Jordan Love: Micah Parsons has taken our team to another level
Jordan Love joins “The Rich Eisen Show” to discuss what the addition of Micah Parsons has meant for the Green Bay Packers.
The early surprise: A rough start for a revamped offensive line.
The verdict: Real. The Vikings devoted premium assets to revamping their offensive line this offseason, signing center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries to deals that totaled $106 million while drafting left guard Donovan Jackson in the first round. But the line has yet to gel, in part because of injuries, and it has been a contributor to quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s struggles. Kelly is the only starter who ranks among the NFL’s top 60 in pass block win rate, and in the run game, the Vikings rank No. 28 in the league with an average of 1.91 yards gained before contract. Kelly suffered a concussion in Week 2, and that — along with left tackle Christian Darrisaw’s ongoing recovery from a 2024 left knee injury, has complicated matters. — Kevin Seifert
NFC SOUTH
The early surprise: The Falcons have one of the most potent pass rushes in the league.
The verdict: Mirage — to an extent. The Falcons are fourth in the league in quarterback pressure rate (46.3%) and fourth in sack rate (10.4%). Their seven sacks, six of which came against the Vikings on Sunday night, make for the third highest total in the league. Atlanta has been a cellar dweller in getting to the quarterback. Coming into this season, the Falcons had 30 fewer sacks than any other team going back to 2019. The 2025 numbers will revert to the mean. But the team’s defense, under new coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and after a commitment to adding talent in the offseason, is undoubtedly improved. — Marc Raimondi
The early surprise: Xavier Legette’s horrible start.
The verdict: Real. The 32nd pick of the 2024 draft had one catch for minus-2 yards Sunday and through two games has four catches on 15 targets for 8 yards. Coach Dave Canales says he still believes in Legette, but is there reason to? Legette had only a 58.3% catch rate last year and worked hard during the offseason to improve that. Instead, he has gone backward and is at 26.7%. He should be in danger of being replaced. — David Newton
The early surprise: The Saints defense is tied for second in the league with eight sacks.
The verdict: Mirage. Though the Saints were able to generate some sacks in the first two games, two sacks were tackles for no gain when Kyler Murray was on the run and one sack was a result of Mac Jones stumbling and falling last week. According to TruMedia, the Saints rank 28th in pass rush win rate and 30th in pressures. Although things could change when Chase Young returns from injury, New Orleans likely won’t stay at the top of the league in that statistic. — Katherine Terrell
1:23
Baker Mayfield: We’ll take the wins, but we have a lot to clean up
Baker Mayfield breaks down the Buccaneers’ win over the Texans on “Monday Night Football.”
The early surprise: The Bucs’ 2-0 hot start.
The verdict: Real. This is the third straight year the Bucs have started 2-0 under Todd Bowles, something no other team has done since 2023. The issue has been the midseason lulls following their hot starts. In 2024, the Bucs started 3-1 and then proceeded to drop five of six games before winning six of seven in the end. In 2023, they started 3-1, dropped six of seven and then won five of six. Last year, their losing coincided with the loss of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. In 2025, they’ve started the season 2-0 without Godwin, Jalen McMillan and All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, and now they’ve lost Calijah Kancey for the year. Assuming they stay healthy in other position groups, their play should elevate by midseason — not decline. — Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
The early surprise: RB James Conner is off to a slow start.
The verdict: Mirage. The 30-year-old Conner is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons but has rushed for just 73 yards this season — the 39th most this season. It puts him on pace for 620.5 yards, which would be his fewest since 2019. He’s bound to break out at some point, but the Cardinals’ backup running back, Trey Benson, has been looking impressive in the limited snaps he has received thus far. Conner is a hard, downfield runner with game-breaking ability. It’s just a matter of time before he finds his rhythm and gets his stats up to speed. — Josh Weinfuss
The early surprise: OLB Byron Young leads the Rams in sacks.
The verdict: Real. Young, a 2023 third-round pick, has a team-leading three sacks in two games. The Rams have an excellent defensive front that also includes Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Jared Verse, but Young has been a standout through two games. Rams head coach Sean McVay said he thought Young was “outstanding” against the Titans, saying, “I thought he took his game to the next level.” Young’s three sacks tie him for fourth in the league this season. — Sarah Barshop
The early surprise: The Niners are again middle of the pack in scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
The verdict: Mirage. Through two games, San Francisco has scored a touchdown on 57.1% of its trips to the red zone, tied for 17th in the NFL. That’s exactly in line with the 57.1% the 49ers posted for all of last season, which ranked 14th. But there’s reason to believe that number will improve as the year goes on. While the 49ers can never count on being “fully” healthy, they should get tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) back at some point to complement running back Christian McCaffrey. Having even two of those three should put San Francisco in position to convert more long drives into touchdowns as the season goes on. — Nick Wagoner
The early surprise: Zach Charbonnet is playing more than Kenneth Walker III.
The verdict: Real. This might surprise only those who weren’t paying attention to the hints that Charbonnet was poised for an increased role this season. Through two games, he has outsnapped Walker 66 to 44. However, they each have 27 touches, and Walker has been the more productive of the two, with 142 yards and a touchdown compared with Charbonnet’s 57 yards and one score. Charbonnet is excellent in pass protection and is as reliable as they come, so expect him to continue to play extensively even if Walker continues to outproduce him. — Brady Henderson
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