NFL Week 2 Ranks: Vikings, Packers get the same rank after playing a shocking tie; kickers get an 'F'

The Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson may have managed to get out of Sunday's job in a 29-29 draw that had everything but a winner.

In a match that had a heroic performance of Aaron Rodgers and an incredible comeback in the fourth quarter by the Vikings, it's a kicker who stole the show, and not in the way a kicker wants steal the show.

The Vikings would probably have escaped Lambeau Field with a win, but Carlson prevented that from happening after a 0-in-3 that included a 35-yard defeat in the final overtime game and a 49-yard loss with a little less eight minutes play overtime.

More than 2 weeks

For Viking fans, it was like a nightmare in a nightmare. The franchise has a long history with kickers who manage to miss the match and Carlson has probably just burned his name in the infamy of the Vikings with his performance.

It's almost a pity that things ended in a tie because it was the type of match that deserved a winner. On the The end of the Packers, fans spent four quarters holding their breath hoping that Aaron Rodgers would not hurt any other part of his body. Despite a knee injury that prevented him from training all week, Rodgers still had a great performance with 281 yards and a touchdown. Even more impressive is the fact that he did it by taking four bags.

At the end of the Vikings, the game was extended only by Kirk Cousins. designed a Rodgers-esque return in the fourth quarter. First, there was a 75 yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs that reduced the Packers' lead to 23-21.

The 75-yard reception was Diggs's second touchdown during the quarter.

The only thing more impressive than the 75 yards from Diggs was that Adam Thielen's 22-yard touchdown that certainly should not have happened. The Packers had two defenders in the right place; they just could not make a play, and Thielen did it.

As for Carlson, he might not be the only kicker in the unemployment line this week, as there have been several missed kicks in the NFL. The Packers kicker, Mason Crosby, was 5 of 6 against the Vikings, but his only miss was a big one. He left in a 52-yard field goal that would have won the game in the last game of regulation.

Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez had a poor performance with a 2 to 4 performance on field goals in a game that the Browns lost just three. Gonzalez also missed two more points. Oh, and let's not forget the Texan kicker Ka'im Fairbairn, who missed a 54-yard throw in a 20-17 loss to the Titans.

Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed a penalty (49 yards) and an extra point in Pittsburgh's five-point loss to the Chiefs.

The Raiders also had a special team when Mike Nugent was stuck in a game that Oakland lost only one. Basically, it was an ugly week for kickers, and everyone seemed to notice it.

That's why kickers have an "F" this week. Now, to the notes of the team.

Green Bay 29-29 tied with Minnesota

Vikings: B

After experiencing difficulties early in the game, the Vikings rebounded by playing a fourth quarter without fail. The only reason this game went into overtime was that Kirk Cousins ​​had three TD passes, including two savages (an unlikely 22-yard pass to Adam Thielen and a 75-yard score to Stefon Diggs). Unfortunately for Minnesota, not everyone was perfect for them in the match; the special unit of the Vikings was particularly bad. Not only were there three goals missed on the field, but Minnesota had also returned a punt blocked for a touchdown in the first period.

Packers: B

If the Packers learned one thing on Sunday, it's that playing Aaron Rodgers on one leg is better than not having Aaron Rodgers. Despite the injury, the Packers quarterback managed to get 281 yards and one touchdown. The Packers could have won that game in regulation, but Mason Crosby missed a 52-yard field goal after being frozen by Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. It was a long day for the kickers.

Atlanta 31-24 on Carolina

Panthers: C

After closing the Cowboys in the first week, the Panthers defense was shredded in Atlanta. The Panthers had no answer for a Falcons offense that totaled 442 yards. To put this number in perspective, the Panthers did not give up more than 400 yards in a game. all from last season. When an offense explodes like that in Carolina, it almost always means a loss. Since 2013, the Panthers are 0-7-1 when they drop 420 offensive yards or more in a game.

Falcons: B +

After being mocked for his calls in the red zone during Week 1, Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian apparently took it personally, as the Falcons definitely looked better on Sunday. In four trips to the red zone, the Falcons scored four touchdowns and the most unlikely part could be that Matt Ryan grabbed two of those scores. Ryan has had more touchdowns in the Carolina race than he has in the last six years (1). Devonta Freeman having been eliminated, the Falcons also got a huge performance from Tevin Coleman, who had 107 yards, the second highest total of his four-year career.

New Orleans 21-18 on Cleveland

Browns: C +

If the Browns are going to get rid of Josh Gordon, they may want to consider trading him for a kicker, and that's mainly because Zane Gonzalez will likely not be welcomed in Cleveland after his performance against New Orleans. Browns kicker missed two additional points and two field goals in a loss of three points, and this is not even the ugly part. The ugly part is that two of the missing ones came in the last 80 seconds of the match.

Saints: C

Sometimes you can win in the NFL when you play football completely mean, and the Saints have proved it Sunday. This game had upset all that was written until Drew Brees and Michael Thomas released the Saints in the fourth quarter. After scoring just three points in three quarters, Thomas helped the Saints blow up 18 points in the final quarter of the game by catching two touchdown passes. Thomas has 12 receptions for 89 yards in the game and now has 27 receptions this season, giving him the most receptions among the NFL players. through two games since 1950. Although this victory was not good, the Saints will win, especially because they almost always lose in the first two weeks of the season. Since 2014, New Orleans is 1-9 in the first two weeks of the season, with its only win in this game.

Tennessee 20-17 on Houston

After electrifying the NFL with Deshaun Watson last season, the Texan attack crashed and burned until 2018. There is a lot of blame for the team's fights, but let's go for it. abandoned four sacks against the Titans. If Watson was not a mobile quarterback, that number could have doubled.

With Marcus Mariota and two offensive linemen due to injury, Titans coach Mike Vrabel decided to go crazy with the team's playbook. In this game, we saw the Titans get a 66-yard touchdown on a fake portico, we saw the Titans go to the fourth rank their own 32, and we saw the Tennessee pull out the Wildcat with Derrick Henry even completing a pass. Vrabel has set up a coaching clinic, which has probably felt particularly good since he's spent the last four seasons as a Houston coaching assistant.

Indianapolis 21-9 on Washington

The defense never really gets a lot of credit, so we will give them all the credit here. Not only have they sacked Alex Smith three times, but they have also kept the Redskins only 65 yards, scoring the first time since 2009 that the Colts have an opponent within 70 yards in a row. They also kept the Redskins out of the end zone, which is a big problem because the Colts almost never do it. This game marked the second time since December 2014 that Andy had a single-digit opponent. If the Colts' defense continues to play like this, Andrew Luck will have plenty of time to let off steam.

Someone has clearly forgotten to give Jay Gruden the memo that says you will not win if Alex Smith has to throw the ball over 40 times. In early Sunday's game, Smith scored 4-15 at the time of throwing the ball 40 times or more, and it looks like we could attack another defeat at this record. Smith threw the ball 46 times in the game and, not surprisingly, most of the controls led to running back Chris Thompson. Thompson has 12 assists, which is good if you have him in a PPR fantasy league, but not so good when your team is trying to win a game by playing from behind.

Kansas City 42-37 on Pittsburgh

It's official: there's no way to stop Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs' attack was right for the Steelers, largely thanks to Mahomes, who racked up 326 yards and six touchdowns. Mahomes now has 10 TD passes in two games, which is now the NFL record for most TD passes over two weeks. Even Sammy Watkins took part in the action (six catches, 100 yards), which explains how the Chiefs attack was launched.

If the Steelers have the Veon Bell in quick dialing, they may want to move on this week. Although the Steelers struggled in almost every aspect of their game on Sunday, their hasty attack has definitely bottomed out. The Steelers had 33 yards in 13 races (2.5 ypc). It was not surprising to see them throwing the ball so often after losing 21-0, but it was amazing to see the ground game disappear completely in the second half when things were tied (the Steelers had cumulative 19 yards in the second period). half). At 0-1-1, the Steelers are without a win after two weeks for the second time only in Ben Roethlisberger's 15-year career.

Los Angeles Chargers 31-20 on Buffalo

When you miss your best defensive player, this can sometimes be a problem, but not when you play Buffalo. Even without Joey Bosa on the field, the Chargers' defense has always dominated the Bills in this game. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is likely to have nightmares about the Chargers after being sacked five times. Offensively, Austin Ekeler hosted a Chargers night, winning 77 yards in 11 races. Ekeler now has an absurd average of 7.25 yards per race during the season.

The Bills made three round trips in their first two orders, and things only got worse. In fact, things are so bad in Buffalo right now that players are leave the team and retire at half-time.

Lorenzo Alexander said early in the second half that Vontae Davis had resigned and retired.

– Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) September 16, 2018

The only bright spot in this game for Buffalo was Josh Allen. Although he was not great (18 of 33, 245 yards, two interceptions and a time-out), it was a giant step by Nathan Peterman, who scored 0.0 QB during week 1.

Miami 20-12 on the Jets of New York

If you want to fight with a rookie quarter, you have to put pressure on him, and that's exactly what the Dolphins did in this three-bag game. After giving the Titans only 13 points in the first week, the Dolphins defense suddenly seems to be one of the NFL's first surprises. Another surprise? Ryan Tannehill is unbeatable. Tannehill is not flashy, but he rarely makes mistakes and lately, he almost always wins. Dating back to 2016, Tannehill is 9-1 in his last 10 starts.

This game can haunt the Jets for a while, and that's because they were distributing points to Dolphins. The Jets returned the ball more than twice in the first period, leading to two Miami touchdowns. An interception of Sam Darnold and a lost fumble from Robby Anderson put the Jets in a 14-0 first hole. When a rookie quarter makes his first start at home, it's not enough to dig an early hole. It does not help either when this recruit has no help in the field; The Jets rushed for only 42 yards in 19 races.

Tampa Bay 27-21 against Philadelphia

The Eagles gave a 75-yard touchdown pass in the first scrum game, and things only got worse. The Eagles' attack could not keep up with the high-flying Buccaneers, and that did not help that he lost two key players as a result of an injury (Jay Ajayi, Jason Peters). Even though Ajayi came back, the Eagles ground game did not take place. Philly only tallied 91 rushing yards and Nick Foles was forced to throw the ball 48 times, the third highest total of his career.

The Buccaneers could be away for a week, after what Ryan Fitzpatrick did against the Eagles. A week after destroying the Saints' defense, Fitzmagic did exactly the same thing with the defending Super Bowl champions with 402 passing yards and four touchdowns.

With this demonstration, Fitzpatrick became the first quarterback in Bucs' history to win four touchdowns in consecutive games. Jameis Winston returning from suspension after the third week, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter will have an interesting decision to make. If DeSean Jackson has a say on the beginner, there is a good chance he will vote for Fitzpatrick. After accumulating 129 receiving yards and a touchdown against Philly, Jackson now has five receiving touchdowns of Fitzpatrick during his time in Tampa and just one of Winston.

Los Angeles Rams 34-0 against Arizona

It's a pity that there is not a note lower than "F" because that's what the Cardinals deserve. In two weeks, the Cardinals were beaten 58-6 and they probably seem to be the worst team in the NFL. The 137 total yards were the lowest card yield since 2010, when they reached 134.

The Rams wanted so much Brandin Cooks this off season that they were ready to trade a first choice for him, and now we know why. The cooks caught seven passes for 159 yards as the Rams made their way through Arizona. The only thing more impressive than the cooks' performance was the three touchdowns of the Tods Gurley. And the only thing more impressive than these two things was the Rams' defensive performance. L.A. has made his second shutout since 2015 and has limited the Cardinals to only 137 yards of offense.

San Francisco 30-27 on Detroit

The Lions had to go to the West Coast after playing a game on Monday night in the first week. The Lions attack did not really move until the fourth quarter, but at that time it was too little, too late with the Lions behind 30-13. Matthew Stafford finished 34 of 53 for 347 yards and three touchdowns, but as is almost always the case in Detroit, he can not do it himself. The Lions are now 1-12 when Stafford rolls 50 or more passes in a match.

The 49ers were distributing Jimmy Garoppolo's bobblehead ahead of Sunday's game, but they may have missed out on Matt Breida, because the running back stole the show in the San Francisco victory. Breida carried the ball 11 times for 138 yards and one touchdown. It's a good thing that the 49ers were able to play the ball because Garoppolo could have been killed if he had to throw him more than him. Garoppolo was sacked six times in just 26 attempts.

Denver 20-19 on Oakland

After essentially blaming Oakland Week 1 's defeat against Derek Carr, Jon Gruden will have to find someone else to blame for this one. The Raiders led most of the game thanks in large part to Carr's almost perfect performance, which finished 29 of 32 for 288 yards. Gruden's biggest problem last week was that Carr was not going to hand the ball over to Amari Cooper. Well, he also corrected that, with Cooper catching 10 passes for 116 yards. On the other hand, if Gruden wants to blame Carr for defeat, it will still be possible. One of Carr's three completions came in fourth and fourth in the fourth quarter. Gruden could also blame his special teams; The difference of one point occurred because the Raiders had an extra point blocked after a touchdown in the second quarter.

Although there were a lot of kicker attacks across the NFL on Sunday, the Broncos did not have to face one in Denver. Brandon McManus was perfect for the Broncos, going 2-2 on both goals and extra points. The biggest kick from McManus came in a 36-yard field goal that allowed the Broncos to advance with just six seconds. The Broncos also got a huge performance from rookie Phillip Lindsay. The undefeated running back overcame his 71-yard performance last week, rushing for 107 yards in 14 races against the Raiders.

Jacksonville 31-20 on New England

If Bill Belichick distributed the scores here, he would probably give an "F" to his defense, which delivered 481 yards of total foul. This match marked the first time since 2012 that the Patriots have yielded more than 480 yards on the road. The Patriots did not get an answer for Jags receiver Keelan Cole, who caught seven passes for 116 yards and one touchdown. Worse still for New England, the fact that their defense was destroyed in a match where one of the biggest stars of Jacksonville (Leonard Fournette) was injured.

Jaguars fans probably had flashbacks in the AFC championship game when Jacksonville took a 24-10 lead in the fourth quarter on Sunday, but unlike in January, the Jags failed to do so thanks to Blake Bortles. The Jaguars quarter had 377 yards and four touchdowns and Tom Brady was ahead. One of the main reasons the Jags managed to counter the situation was that they converted 10 of 14 on the third beat, which prevented Brady and the Patriots from leaving the field.