–Just seven months ago, the Kansas City Chiefs were a game away from becoming the first team of the Super Bowl era to threepeat. Instead, they were routed by the Eagles, 40-22 in the Super Bowl. Now after losing to the Eagles in the rematch, 20-17, the Chiefs are off to an 0-2 start for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era and facing questions about whether they’re in a rebuilding stage. Mahomes doesn’t have enough weapons, and Travis Kelce suddenly seems near the end. A pass went off his hands at the goal line and turned into an interception that was the turning point in the game, although Mahomes said he could have made a better pass and it appeared to be tipped. Meanwhile, the defending champion Eagles are 2-0 in their quest for a repeat. The Eagles weren’t particularly impressive, but they find ways to win and their “tush push” keeps drives alive, although there may be another attempt to ban it after the officials failed to call the Eagles for being offsides on the play once Sunday. Coach Nick Sirianni said to the naked eye it might not be as obvious they were offsides as in slow motion, but they have to clean up the play.
–The Bengals beat the Jags 31-27 but probably lost their season when Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury and will undergo surgery for ligament damage that will sideline him three months, if not the entire season. Backup Jake Browning led the Bengals to a victory over the Jaguars for the second time in three years but is unlikely to take them to the playoffs, so the Burrow injury may open the door for another team in the AFC to make the playoffs. Burrow’s injury also raised questions about whether the Bengals need to do a better job of getting him a good offensive line so he doesn’t become another Andrew Luck.
–The Colts are a surprise team with a 2-0 start with Daniel Jones at quarterback after the Broncos tried to block a 60-yard field goal attempt at the end and were called for leverage. The Colts then kicked a 46-yard field goal to win the game. The Broncos probably shouldn’t have attempted to block the long kick. Even coach Sean Payton said it was a mistake not to go into their usual field-goal formation because it was such a long kick instead of the one that they use to try to block game-winning field goals, and it resulted in the leverage penalty. Payton admitted the officials made the right call.
–The NFC West is the only team with three teams at 2-0 as the 49ers beat the beat the Saints 26-21 with Mac Jones replacing the injured Brock Purdy, while the Rams beat the Titans 33-20, and the Cardinals beat the Panthers, 27-22. It should be a good division race. All four teams play the four AFC South teams.
–The Lions bounced back from the opening loss to Green Bay to spoil Ben Johnson’s homecoming and beat the Bears, 52-21. The Bears are off to an 0-2 start under Johnson, one of nine teams at 0-2. The odds are against them making the playoffs. Only 32 0-2 teams since 1990 made the playoffs.
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