PMT DB
PMT DB
NFL Week 2 Recap: Ravens and Bengals 0-2, Chiefs Are Inevitable, and Bears Stinker
Week 2 of the NFL season is officially in the books, and if you played a survivor league, you're probably already dead. Big Cat and PFT opened the show by trying to process a Sunday that felt like a vortex of chaos, highlighted by the Ravens and Bengals both falling to 0-2 and the Saints suddenly looking like the 2007 Patriots. The theme of the week was clear: the teams we thought were locks are in trouble, and the teams we laughed at in August are currently doing the laughing.
The Ravens and Bengals are in the Mud
The biggest shocker of the early slate was the Raiders going into Baltimore and pulling off a massive upset. Gardner Minshew found his inner magic, Brock Bowers looks like a superstar, and the Ravens looked uncharacteristically sloppy. Big Cat noted that the Ravens are always good for one or two head-scratchers a year, but starting 0-2 with a tough schedule ahead has the alarm bells ringing in Maryland.
PFT CommenterJustin Tucker is officially washed compared to his peak
Is Justin Tucker washed? Yes. He is washed compared to peak Justin Tucker. 100%. He's no longer Justin Tucker. He's no longer, 'Hey, we have a 50-yard field goal, we're gonna make it because we have Justin Tucker.'
Meanwhile, the Chiefs did exactly what they always do: let the other team think they have a chance before ripping their hearts out at the buzzer. The Bengals played Joe Burrow's best game since the injury, but a late pass interference call—which was definitely a penalty, despite what Bengals Twitter says—set up Harrison Butker for the game-winner. Big Cat and PFT agreed that even though the Bengals are winless, they remain the one team that actually scares Kansas City.
Big CatThe Bengals are the team the Chiefs fear playing the most
I think you proved that now that Joe Burrow's back, you guys are the hardest out for the Chiefs. That's a fact. If you ask Chiefs fans, if you ask Patrick Mahomes, you ask Andy Reid, you hit him with truth serum and you're like, what team do you not wanna play? It's the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Saints and Bucs are NFC South Powerhouses?
Nobody had the Saints and Bucs at the top of the NFC through two weeks, but here we are. Derek Carr is playing out of his mind, and Alvin Kamara looks like he found a fountain of youth in the bayou. The Saints have scored on 15 straight drives to start the season, a stat so ridiculous it sounds like it came from a video game.
Big CatThe Saints are the best team in the NFL through the first two weeks
If we were just going off of two weeks, are the Saints the best team in the NFL? Yes, they are. I think that they are the best team in the NFL. If you go off two weeks, cumulative scores are 91 to 20.
PFT is also fully bought in on the Baker Mayfield resurgence. After a gritty win over the Lions in Detroit, the Bucs are suddenly looking like legitimate contenders in a division that everyone spent the summer mocking.
PFT CommenterThe Buccaneers are currently the number one team in my NFL power rankings
The Bucs have now beaten two outstanding teams. I think I have the Bucs number one in my power rankings right now. Commanders and the Lions.
Sam Darnold and the Viking Renaissance
Perhaps the most feel-good story of the day was Sam Darnold lighting up the 49ers. After years of being poisoned by Adam Gase and seeing ghosts in New York, Darnold looks like a functional, dare we say, good NFL quarterback. He connected with Justin Jefferson for a 97-yard bomb that reminded everyone why he was a top pick in the first place.
Big CatSam Darnold has officially arrived in the NFL after seven years
Sam Darnold's back. Sam Darnold has arrived. Sam Darnold is our Baker Mayfield of this year. It took him seven years, but he has finally arrived in the NFL. He is now, dare I say, good.
While Darnold is thriving, other quarterbacks are struggling to find their footing. PFT pointed out that while the Vikings' defense is eating people alive, the coaching dynamics in Minnesota are finally clicking for their new signal-caller.
PFT CommenterBrian Flores is a great defensive coordinator but not a good head coach
The Vikings defense kind of ate you up a little bit. Brian Flores, he's a good defensive coach. Not a good head coach. Good defensive coach. I think that might be a mark of a great defensive coordinator, if you hate quarterbacks that much.
Sunday Night Football Horror Show
The night ended on a sour note for Big Cat as the Bears' offense looked like a total disaster in Houston. While the defense played well enough to win, the offensive line gave Caleb Williams zero help. The rookie was pressured on nearly every drop-back, leading to a frustrating second half where the offense completely stalled.
Big CatCaleb Williams won't survive the season behind the Bears' offensive line
Caleb Williams is gonna get murdered. He's gonna get killed behind this offensive line. I'm actually like worried that even if Caleb Williams, I still believe in Caleb Williams. I don't know if Caleb Williams will survive because the offensive line is that bad.
Big Cat was particularly incensed by Matt Eberflus, who somehow managed to make Brian Daboll look like a master of the challenge flag. Eberflus burned timeouts on challenges that had zero chance of being overturned, further complicating a night where the Bears' coaching staff seemed a step behind.
Big CatMatt Eberflus is an even worse coach at utilizing challenges than Brian Daboll
Everything we said about Brian Daboll and his challenges, Matt Eberflus is a hundred million times worse. Those were two of the dumbest challenges I've ever seen. One was right in front of him. You could see him on the sideline, watch the play clearly two feet down and then he challenged it. Zero chance. Take the flag away from him.
To wrap things up, Big Cat officially locked in his Pinky Team for the season. Despite the Ravens' struggles, he's looking toward the NFC South for his sacrificial lamb.
Big CatI will cut off the tip of my pinky if the Falcons win the Super Bowl
Falcons are not winning the Super Bowl. Guaranteed. Falcons are not winning the Super Bowl. That's, I I believe it end the season. Tip of the pinky. If the Falcons somehow win this game on Monday night, I have to also have the Rams.
At least we still have the lottery ball, even if Max is the only one who ever seems to win it.
