Caption: Unanticipated Storylines after Week 2 of NFL 2023 play.
By Sam Morris
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sport Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he volunteers in the strategic communications department at BGSU at various sporting events and he also performs, writes, and produces his own rap music.
September 23, 2023
Although the 2023-2024 NFL season is still very young, there have been many intriguing and shocking storylines in just the first two weeks. In this article, I will be summarizing and analyzing these storylines as they currently stand through these first two weeks and will predict how these storylines might develop as the season goes on. I will follow-up on this article and its predictions at the end of the regular season to describe how these early storylines developed throughout the year and how they affected the teams’ seasons that were involved. These storylines will be ranked by me below from 5 to 1 in terms of how surprising I feel the storyline is.
5. Sam Howell’s Success
Caption: Commanders tab Sam Howell as starting QB for 2023 NFL Season.
Sam Howell, a second year QB for the Commanders was selected in the 5th round out of UNC last year. Howell only played 1 game last season as Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinecke split most of the season as starters and he was looked at as more of a bridge QB for the franchise to pick someone in the top of the loaded QB 2024 Draft Class next year. However, the Commanders’ front office and coaching staff felt that Howell didn’t get a chance to prove himself last year and deserved at least another year to become the Commanders QB of the future. The decision to pass up on selecting a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft was in spite of fan pressure to select one of the top 4 QBs with their 16th pick.
Come draft day, with QB Will Levis still on the board, the Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes, a CB out of Mississippi State instead. Because of this decision, Sam Howell has been under constant media attention during the offseason as a deciding factor for the Commanders’ regular season success. Despite many doubters, Ron Rivera and new OC Eric Bienemy strongly believe in Howell and gave him high praise throughout training camp, OTAs, and during the Commanders’ undefeated preseason.
In the first two weeks, Howell has proven the doubters wrong and has not only brought the Commanders to an early 2-0 record but has been a large reason why they have won both games. He’s in the top half of the league in passing yards with 501 (11th in NFL), total touchdowns, with 4 (11th in NFL), and in completion percentage by completing 65.7% of his throws (16th in NFL).
As of right now, Howell is certainly making his case to stay as the starter next season, however his talent and skill will truly be tested in the coming weeks. There’s no doubt that the Commanders’ schedule will get much harder than the Cardinals and Broncos as they play the Bills, the reigning NFC Champion Eagles twice, as well as arguably the best two NFC teams, the Cowboys and 49’ers. In my opinion, as good a start as this has been for Howell, I think he will start to be overmatched by the elite defenses they have to play. He could become a good QB in the future, but at this stage of his young career I would be truly shocked if he led the Commanders to a winning record this season. I’m predicting a decent season for Howell but anticipate that he will slow down as the season progresses, leading Washington to a 4th place NFC East finish.
4. NFC South’s Undefeated Teams
Caption: NFC South predictors did not anticipate 2-0 starts for Saints, Bucs, and Falcons.
Heading into the 2023-2024 season, many experts predicted the NFC South to be the worst division in football. Early into the season, the NFC South has instead looked like one of the best divisions, having a combined record of 6-2, which is second only behind the NFC East’s 7-1. The only team not currently undefeated in the NFC South is the Carolina Panthers, who have lost games to their NFC rivals, the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.
Besides dominating Carolina, Atlanta also had an impressive come from behind victory against Green Bay. Despite Jordan Love lighting up Atlanta’s defense through the first three quarters, throwing for 140 yards with 3 TD and no interceptions, the Atlanta front seven pressured Love out of the pocket for much of the 4th quarter, holding Green Bay scoreless. Down 12 in the 4th, Ridder led the Falcons on an 8 play, 65-yard drive that was capped off with a Ridder rushing touchdown.
Although Ridder had a decent game, throwing for 237 yards with 2 total touchdowns, and 1 INT, it was rookie running back phenom Bijan Robinson who stole the show. Robinson ran for a monstrous 124 yards on 19 carries, with an additional 48 receiving yards on 4 receptions.
New Orleans has also had an impressive start, with a close MNF win against Carolina and a one-point week 1 win over Tennessee. Although their combined margin of victory was only 4, the Saints defense has looked like the best in the division so far, only giving up 16 ppg through their first two contests. Cam Jordan has anchored the front 7, which has a combined 7 sacks, which ranks 10th in the NFL, while Marshawn Lattimore and the defensive back rotation have 3 interceptions, which is tied for 3rd in the NFL.
The Saints offense on the other hand, has been below average. Although Derek Carr has given the Saints a veteran presence at QB and has led some game winning drives, he also has a 1:2 TD:INT ratio (28th in NFL) and a 47.5 QBR (21st in NFL). Despite Carr’s slow start, I expect him to bounce back in the upcoming weeks, especially once Kamara comes back from suspension and Jamaal Williams returns from injury, to give the New Orleans’ offense a more balanced attack.
Tampa Bay is possibly the biggest 2-0 surprise in the division. They’ve defeated the Bears by 10 and the Vikings by 3 while overperforming on both sides of the ball. Their secondary, despite being relatively inexperienced, has forced 5 turnovers (2nd in NFL), and offensively, the Buccaneers passing attack has been a force to be reckoned with. Mike Evans continues to prove why he will go down as one of the most consistent receivers in NFL history, as he is currently 4th in the league in receiving yards. The guy throwing Evans the ball has also been the best QB in the division through the first two weeks. Baker Mayfield has bounced around the league the past two seasons, going from the Panthers to the Rams, and now to the Buccaneers.
We saw a resurgence in Mayfield at the end of last season, when he was fighting for playing time in Los Angeles, and this new confidence has continued to grow through the first two games in South Florida. Mayfield ranks top 10 in the league in QBR, passing TDs, and completion percentage, all while committing zero turnovers. Although it is early, Tampa Bay is playing with a balanced, team-oriented energy, that isn’t relying on one superstar to get the job done. Their chemistry and competitiveness should be a great sign for Buccaneers’ fans as they transition into playing tougher opponents.
Overall, my prediction for these three 2-0 teams is that none of them will be true Super Bowl contenders simply because they each have major holes in one part of their roster (Atlanta’s inexperienced defense, New Orleans’ offensive line, and Tampa Bay’s rushing attack). I do think that each of these three teams will overperform their preseason expectations and that it will be a battle for the NFC South crown until the end of the year. I think the Saints will barely edge past the Buccaneers and Falcons because I think they have the most experienced and deepest roster in the division.
3. Vikings, Chargers, and Bengals Going Winless
Caption: Joe Burrow’s Bengals and and Justin Herbert’s Chargers have 0-2 records.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, three teams have started off the season 0-2 who all made the playoffs last season; the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals. The Vikings had a lot of skeptics heading into the season as to whether or not they would repeat as NFC North champions. This was mostly because the Detroit Lions were one of the most hyped teams the entire offseason, but also because they lost all three preseason games, and they won most of their games by one score last season.
All these fears have come true through the first two games for Minnesota fans. Not only have the Lions looked like the favorites early on, but Minnesota has flipped the script and lost both games by one score. The Vikings’ offense has become one-sided and predictable with Dalvin Cook out of the picture. Nobody can seem to stop the passing attack, with Jefferson leading the league in receiving yards and Cousins being top 5 in the league in completion percentage, TD:INT ratio, and QBR. But this isn’t enough to win them games when they have 69 total rushing yards as a team (Last in the NFL), only 2 rushing first downs, and a leading rusher who isn’t even in the top 50 for rushing yards. The defense also has major holes at cornerback and on defensive line.
Overall, if the Vikings want to repeat as NFC North champs, they need to figure out a way to get the run game going and also need to be able to stop the run on defense. In my opinion, I don’t see both of those things happening unless they trade for some major pieces on defense, and I am predicting the Vikings will fall short in the division and will not make the playoffs.
Although it is surprising for the Chargers to be 0-2, this is less shocking than the Vikings and Bengals because of the quality of their opponents (Dolphins and Titans). Even with these opponents, the Chargers have played really well on offense, losing 34-36 against the Dolphins and 24-27 to Tennessee in OT. Herbert and Ekeler have looked fantastic so far and Quentin Johnston has looked like a solid draft choice.
What Is really concerning for LA, especially with them being in the Chiefs’ division, is that they can’t execute in close games, and that their defense has been horrible. The late game execution was a big problem for the Chargers in their loss to the Jaguars in the playoffs and it has carried over to this season, as they have scored just 10 points in the 4th quarter through the first two games combined. The defense has also given up the 3rd most points in the NFL, just ahead of the Bears and Giants.
In order for the Chargers to reach the playoffs they need to fix both major issues quickly. In my opinion, I think the defense will begin to improve throughout the year and Herbert will be able to lead the Chargers to a 6 or 7 seed in the playoffs.
Lastly, the Bengals are trying to copy their team from last year and have once again started the year off 0-2. Last year, Burrow bounced back and took them to the playoffs and eventually the AFC Championship, where they barely lost to the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs. As the new highest played player in football, Burrow is attempting to lead them back to the playoffs this year, but right now it is not looking good. Burrow has struggled mightily thus far, ranking 30th in passing yards, throwing for just 2 touchdowns while throwing 2 interceptions, and ranking 22nd in QBR. Against the Browns, the Bengals’ offense tallied just 3 points as their offensive line caved in and defense was shredded by Nick Chubb and the rushing attack. The Ravens had a similar game plan with Lamar Jackson. If the Bengals want to make the playoffs they need to fix this run defense quickly and also need Burrow to get back on track.
Good news for Cincinnati is that the rest of the division is currently extremely low on depth. Baltimore, despite being 2-0 have a whopping 17 players injured, including stars, C Tyler Linderbaum and RB J.K Dobbins, while the Browns have lost 2 of their starters in the secondary as well as RB Nick Chubb for the season. Because of these injuries and my faith that Burrow will be able to regain his productivity, I am predicting that the Bengals make the playoffs. However, I do think the Ravens will win the division and that the Bengals will be the 5 seed in the AFC.
2. Puka Nacua
Caption: Rookie Puka Nacua has record 15-catch performance in LA Rams’ loss to 49ers
Where in the world did this guy come from? Puka Nacua, a WR out of BYU, was selected in the 5th round by the Rams in this year’s draft and he has not looked like a 5th round caliber player. So far, Nacua has 25 receptions for 266 receiving yards, along with 111 yards after the catch. These statistics have given him some historic NFL records. His 25 receptions is a new NFL record for a rookie through his first two games, his 15 receptions against San Francisco is the most receptions ever by a rookie in a single game, and he is the first player with at least 10 receptions and 100 yards in each of his first two games. He also has the most yards after the catch in the league as well as the second most receiving yards in the league, behind Justin Jefferson.
Nacua not only is having a great start to the year individually, but he has also propelled the Rams’ receiving core. His play has spaced out the field for Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek to be more productive, while giving Stafford a legitimate #1 WR while Kupp is dealing with injuries. When Kupp comes back, sometime around week 5, the Rams will have a scary 1-2 receiver punch, with a veteran QB, a talented young RB in Kyren Williams, and a defense anchored by Aaron Donald and Byron Young. Although the Rams are a young team that was predicted by many to be at the bottom of the NFC, I think they were overlooked and will shock some people throughout the year.
I am predicting Nacua to continue to be a great receiver after the catch and in open space this season. I think he will finish second in the rookie of the year voting to Bijan Robinson. As for the Rams, I see them hovering around .500 this year and just missing the playoffs by a game or two. If Nacua continues putting up these top 5 WR in the league type numbers though, I could easily see them sneaking in as a 7 seed.
1. Season-Ending MNF Injuries
Caption: Aaron Rodgers (Jets), Nick Chubb (Browns), and Cooper Cupp (Rams) injured
Despite there being many intriguing and shocking storylines so far, the Monday Night Football Injuries to Aaron Rodgers and Nick Chubb have by far been the most league altering. New York Jets fans spent the entire offseason waiting for Rodgers to save their team and for them to finally end the longest active playoff drought in the NFL. However, just one play into the Jets first drive, Rodgers dropped back and was sacked for a loss by the Bills LB, Leonard Floyd. On impact with the turf, Rodgers tore his achilles tendon and was later ruled out for the season.
This monumental loss leaves the Jets in disarray as backup QB Zack Wilson has arguably been one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. Although Wilson led the Jets to a comeback victory Monday Night against Buffalo, he was absolutely decimated by the Cowboys’ defense in week 2. The Jets still have one of the best defenses and wide receivers in the NFL but without a quality QB, their Super Bowl hopes have been destroyed and I am predicting them to miss the playoffs this season. Since Rodgers is on a 3-year deal, he will likely return to the Jets next season, but all the hype and Super Bowl dreams will be delayed. Once Rodgers is healthy, the biggest worry for Jets’ fans will be if he can ever perform at an elite level again, which will depend on how well his achilles heals.
One week later, again on Monday Night Football, Nick Chubb, Cleveland’s superstar running back, suffered a season-ending knee injury. Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick hit him low, causing his leg to twist sideways into the turf. The injury was so severe and gruesome looking that it wasn’t even shown on the broadcast. Browns’ fans watched as Chubb broke down in tears as he was getting carted off the field. Chubb had previously torn three ligaments in his knee causing him to miss the remainder of that season as well, so his career being shortened by this new injury is even more likely.
I personally know many Browns fans who have experienced a wave of emotions over the last two weeks as their team handily beat the Bengals but now sit at 1-1 with their best player on the sideline. Chubb’s absence is catastrophic for the Browns as he is essentially who their entire offense is based upon. Watson will have to be exceptional this year for them to make the playoffs, which I believe they will not.
Overall, these MNF injuries have sparked two additional storylines, the pressure by the players’ union to get rid of artificial turf and the increasing pressure to pay running backs more money, as they are extremely valuable to their teams.
To wrap up this article, it is safe to say that the NFL has brought us an exciting and shocking first two weekends of football. With 15 weeks remaining, it will be interesting to see which of these storylines becomes the most impactful, which will ultimately become flukes, and which will remain a steady topic discussed throughout the year.
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