Sunday Rundown: Instant takeaways from Week 2 early slate
Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.
Bengals in trouble
The Bengals' issues have been well-documented at this point - the defense is bad, and the offensive line isn't any better. Still, Cincinnati was always going to have a chance to overcome those shortcomings with Joe Burrow under center. However, that could become nearly impossible in light of the star quarterback's toe injury. We're still awaiting word on his status, but Burrow didn't return after leaving in the second quarter and was reportedly seen using a one-leg scooter after undergoing an MRI. Although the Bengals managed to steal a win against Jacksonville and move to 2-0 despite three interceptions from Jake Browning, that won't produce favorable results against many other opponents. An upcoming stretch against the Vikings, Broncos, Lions, and Packers could potentially crater Cincinnati's season if Burrow faces a lengthy absence.
Lions make statement
The big story heading into this week's matchup between Chicago and Detroit was Bears head coach Ben Johnson going head-to-head with his former team. The big story coming out is that his new squad can't hold a candle to his old one - at least not yet. The Lions made the statement of all statements in that regard by dropping 52 points on Chicago. It was fair to wonder whether Detroit's loss of its former coordinator, as well as key pieces on the offensive line, would lead to regression. A six-point effort in last week's loss to the Packers only fanned those flames, but we can probably all move on now. There's just too much talent for this offense not to be one of the best in football.
Reality check
It may only be a matter of time before the Bears start to see results in the win column, but Sunday's blowout loss in Detroit was an important reminder that expectations should be kept in check in the short term. They've got a long way to go. While Caleb Williams certainly looks more comfortable in the new system and there's plenty of talent in place around him, Johnson's offense won't approach the heights we saw in Detroit without the foundation of a strong run game. Chicago is getting virtually nothing from that group to this point, ranking 26th in rush success rate, according to TruMedia. Investments made in the offensive line need to start paying dividends.
Cowboys sweat one out
Micah Parsons single-handedly elevated an otherwise mediocre Cowboys defense for the better part of the last four years. Trading him to Green Bay a week before the season felt like a surefire way to guarantee this would be one of the worst units in football. That's exactly how it looked for most of Sunday's contest against the Giants, as Russell Wilson went off for 450 yards and three touchdowns. But the Cowboys can put points on the board, too. George Pickens getting involved alongside CeeDee Lamb after a quiet debut gave us a good look at how good this passing game can be. It'll rarely be stress-free, but the Cowboys will have a chance to win on a fairly regular basis with this kind of firepower.
FG record watch
Brandon Aubrey nailing a 64-yard field goal to force overtime was a big part of the Cowboys' thrilling win over the Giants. While he's arguably the best kicker in football right now, anyone making that kind of boot look like a chip shot is a sign of things to come this campaign. The NFL quietly made a key adjustment to its special teams rules this offseason, allowing teams to prepare kicking balls to their liking before game day. It was only fair to assume this would lead to some added distance, and Cam Little connecting on a 70-yarder in the preseason all but confirmed that. Justin Tucker's regular-season record of 66 yards, set in 2021, could be topped multiple times this year.
Tuten on the rise
Bhayshul Tuten is rostered in just 55% of Yahoo fantasy football leagues. If you have a team in the 45% range where he's available, you may want to ensure you beat your friends to the punch. The explosive rookie saw a major uptick in opportunities following the recent trade of Tank Bigsby, producing 42 rushing yards on eight carries while adding another two catches for 32 yards and a score as a receiver out of the backfield. Travis Etienne remains the lead back for the time being, but Tuten's role should continue to grow as the season progresses. There's Bucky Irving-like upside here if he can earn any sort of significant workload.
TreVeyon's limited role
An impressive preseason made TreVeyon Henderson a popular pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year. At this rate, he won't even be in the conversation. It's not even really his fault. The Ohio State product is at least temporarily buried behind Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield pecking order. I was among the many who assumed Henderson would at least have a significant role in the passing game, if not leapfrog the veteran for a true feature role. But Stevenson isn't really giving the Patriots an opportunity to consider it. He was New England's most productive weapon in Sunday's win over the Dolphins, taking 11 carries for 54 yards and adding five receptions for a career-high 88 yards.
0-and-Tua
The Dolphins deserved all the heat they took for last week's embarrassment. The offense was quite a bit better in Week 2, but it wasn't enough. While Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De'Von Achane each made their share of big plays, Miami's defense forced just two punts and allowed Drake Maye to complete all but four of his 23 pass attempts. The offensive line surrendered another five sacks, and although Tua Tagovailoa's final line looked good, his brutal interception on a late fourth-down play squandered a chance to secure the win. A 0-3 start feels certain with a trip to Buffalo up next Thursday night. The schedule eases up from there, but can the Dolphins keep it together long enough to take advantage?
Warren not going anywhere
Anyone hoping for Kaleb Johnson to be a key contributor in his rookie season is probably going to end up disappointed. Jaylen Warren's status atop the Steelers' depth chart is the main thing standing in his way, and it doesn't seem like the veteran back will relinquish that role any time soon. He was Pittsburgh's most reliable playmaker this week against the Seahawks, running for 48 yards and adding four catches for 86 yards. Johnson may have a hard time earning the trust of the coaching staff anyway. He made a critical error in the return game by allowing a kickoff to bounce into the end zone for a Seahawks touchdown, putting the Steelers at a two-score deficit in the fourth quarter. That won't make Mike Tomlin inclined to play a rookie over his more experienced backs.
Cool the Jets
It was easy to get excited about what we saw from the Jets' offense in the season opener. New York's rushing was every bit as good as expected, and Justin Fields was even providing some big plays as a passer. In hindsight, that would appear to be this year's big Week 1 mirage. Fields completed just 3 of 11 passes for 27 yards before exiting with an injury in Sunday's blowout loss to the Bills. The non-QB rushing attack wasn't much better, as Breece Hall averaged 2.9 yards on a team-high 10 carries. Buffalo is a significant step up in competition, so we should be careful not to swing too far back in the other direction here. Still, we're talking about a Bills defense that gave up a league-worst 8.6 yards per play in Week 1. Fields and the Jets' offense looking overwhelmed isn't a great sign.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.