Cincinnati Bengals: Could Joe Burrow’s injury trigger a move for Kirk Cousins, asks Neil Reynolds? | NFL News

It was a wild Week Two in the NFL, with so many incredible finishes, so many amazing plays and performances. Some teams are already feeling good about themselves, while others are already feeling the pressure.

Lions roar again

It was really impressive to see how the Detroit Lions bounced back from that Week One defeat to the Green Bay Packers.

They were very motivated to show that they can exist without former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was on the other sideline leading the Chicago Bears.

This was a huge game for head coach Dan Campbell, new OC John Morton and for Jared Goff, who was excellent, and a scoreline of 52-21 was emphatic.

Giants-Cowboys becomes modern classic

I didn’t expect the New York Giants’ visit to the Dallas Cowboys to become a modern-day classic, but it felt like that as they went back and forth.

Russell Wilson was excellent for most of the game, and Dak Prescott was bold and attacking.

The two teams went toe to toe; Prescott thought he’d won it with a touchdown pass to George Pickens with 52 seconds left, only for Wilson to think he’d won it with a touchdown pass to Malik Nabers with 25 seconds left.

Brandon Aubrey then kicked things into overtime, where he’d finish the job on a huge, needed win for the Cowboys. For the Giants, this game was at least a big boost after having not scored an offensive touchdown in Week One.

Jones takes Colts to 2-0

The Indianapolis Colts had a dramatic win over the Denver Broncos with a twice-taken field goal from Spencer Shrader.

But the story for me is Daniel Jones, who threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown pass. It’s his second-straight week with a good performance as the new quarterback for the Colts.

As for Indianapolis, they’re the first team in the Super Bowl era not to punt in their first two games – incredible!

Jones maybe doesn’t have the high ceiling like backup QB Anthony Richardson, but I think head coach Shane Steichen wants someone he can rely on and someone he can coach from down to down – and it is paying dividends early in the season for the Colts.

Eagles beat Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch

The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl 59 rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs.

For me, this match was all about their physicality, their depth and their strength. It wasn’t flashy, there weren’t too many big plays – especially through the air – from Jalen Hurts, other than one long throw to DeVonta Smith.

The Eagles are built on power and the strength of their roster. It’s a complete team effort.

On the other side, Patrick Mahomes is 0-2 for the first time in his NFL career, also losing three games in a row for the first time since entering the league.

It’s not his fault. Mahomes fights for every yard on the field, puts his body on the line in the process but he just doesn’t get enough help. The Chiefs have turned him into an expensive game manager.

Pressure heating up in Miami

The pressure is really building on the Miami Dolphins after their 33-27 loss to the New England Patriots.

It looks like head coach Mike McDaniel is aging before our very eyes. The stress is really showing on him, with Tyreek Hill frustrated too as Tua Tagovailoa fails to get the job done – the quarterback then biting back at his receiver in the media.

Miami go on the road to the Buffalo Bills in Week Three, meaning they could leave with an 0-3 record that would only put more pressure on McDaniel. His seat is getting hotter by the minute.

Player of the Week – Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions

There’s a lot been said about Goff, about how he’s been helped out over the years by the likes of offensive coaches Sean McVay and Ben Johnson.

Sunday against Detroit was a chance for him to show that’s he’s absolutely fine standing on his own two feet or working with a new coordinator.

He had over 300 yards passing, five touchdowns and zero interceptions – pretty much perfection.

Coach of the Week – Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions

I’m picking Campbell, for much the same reasons as Goff.

He had a lot to prove and had to settle down his team, with a bit of panic evident in the Lions during the first week of the season.

He has instilled some confidence in them and showed them the way forward. They are loaded with talent, they’re going to be good still, they just had a bad week at the office in Week One.

Campbell sent all the right messages to his team and it paid off on Sunday.

Play of the Week – Brandon Aubrey’s field goal

I’m not going to go with a touchdown run, nor a touchdown pass. What about instead, Aubrey’s game-tying field goal for the Cowboys as time expired in Dallas?

With barely a sweep of his leg, it went 64 yards for the game-tying field goal to sent things to overtime.

It was so nonchalant, so effortless, that when he lined up for a 46-yarder on the final play of overtime, it felt like it was going to be an easy chip shot – he made it and Dallas got their first win.

Aubrey is the best kicker in the NFL.

On the radar… Joe Burrow and QB injuries

What do the Cincinnati Bengals do moving forward? It’s a hammer blow to lose Joe Burrow for three months to a toe injury.

There is no replacing a man who led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season, but do they swing a trade for backups Kirk Cousins (Atanta Falcons) or Jameis Winston (Giants)?

Those teams will smell the desperation and pump up the price, so the Bengals probably stick with Jake Browning and hang on for dear life.

Whoever it will be, they won’t be Burrow, so the Bengals are in a lot of trouble right now, even though they’re 2-0.

He is one of a number of quarterback injuries to monitor leading into Week Three: JJ McCarthy is out for the Minnesota Vikings, meaning it’s Carson Wentz’s time, and will it still be Mac Jones for the San Francisco 49ers instead of Brock Purdy?

Also, keep an eye on Washington Commanders star QB Jayden Daniels with a knee injury… will they have to turn to backup Marcus Mariota?

Some early worries at the game’s most important position.

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