Geoff Lowe
September 17, 2014, 8:20 AM
Geoff Lowe
September 17, 2014, 8:20 AM
NFL fans everywhere know the stat, so let’s break it down simply: 2-0 is a good thing, 0-2 not so much.
Seven unblemished records remain after two weeks, but the most imposing of the 2-0 teams have done it with overwhelming, stifling defence.
The Bengals and Panthers have shot to the top of this week’s rankings with absolutely dominant performances defensively; the Cardinals pulled out a win without their starting quarterback; finally, the Texans – the team that made the biggest leap on this list – is allowing just 10 points a game.
Sure, the NFL is most proud of its flashy offences, but its built on oppressive defence.
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TEAM | PREV | ||
1 |
The Broncos aren’t getting it done the way they were in 2013, but they’ve shown some character in holding off late rallies in their first two wins. The real test, though, comes this Sunday in Seattle. |
2 |
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2 |
No A.J. Green, no problem. The Bengals overcame the loss of their best player thanks to a spectacular showing from Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill. Oh, and that defence is nasty. |
5 |
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3 |
Russell Wilson and company simply didn’t have enough time on the field to make a difference. Ten days after shutting down Aaron Rodgers, the Legion of Boom was shelled by the Rivers-Gates connection. |
1 |
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4 |
So much for taking a step back this season. The Panthers defence might even be better than it was in 2013; that’s a scary thought. |
11 |
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5 |
Some botched calls late aided the Eagles, but a second comeback win in as many weeks takes guts. The dynamic Darren Sproles has proven to be a perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s offence. |
4 |
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6 |
Sunday night’s collapse showed exactly why Colin Kaepernick can’t be considered elite. His four turnovers cost the 49ers a game they should’ve wrapped up in the third quarter. |
3 |
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7 |
A week after losing in Miami, the Patriots got back to what made them successful last season: running the football. That revamped defence also had a nice game. |
7 |
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8 |
It may not have been pretty, but the Cardinals sit atop the NFC West even after a full game without their starting QB. Opportunistic special teams play made the difference. |
8 |
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9 |
Did anyone else think Antonio Gates had retired? In all seriousness though, the Chargers did a shockingly good job of keeping the champs off the field and it paid off. |
16 |
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10 |
Green Bay’s nightmare start looked like it was going to continue at Lambeau Field, but Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson woke up the Packers. There has to be big worries defensively, though. |
12 |
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11 |
What a way to pay tribute to Ralph Wilson: another win and sole possession of first in the AFC East. Sammy Watkins broke out in a big way. |
20 |
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12 |
Could the Texans be for real? The defence has allowed just 20 points in the first two games and Arian Foster looks brand new. |
25 |
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13 |
The most painful part of New Orleans’ 0-2 start? They’ve blown leads in the final minute of both of their games. Rob Ryan’s got some serious work to do on defence. |
6 |
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14 |
Some questionable play calling late in the game hurt the Colts bad. Andrew Luck has 11 career game-winning drives, but Trent Richardson is getting touches late in the fourth? C’mon. |
10 |
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15 |
After a turbulent week leading up to the Thursday night game, the Ravens responded with a dominant outing against their hated rival. The ground game looked revitalized. |
17 |
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16 |
The Bears looked absolutely dreadful early, but a heroic performance from an injured Brandon Marshall changed all that. Losing five key defenders to injury is going to hurt though. |
21 |
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17 |
The Lions displayed exactly why they fell apart at the seams last season: they can’t close out games. Two fourth-quarter turnovers doomed Detroit. |
14 |
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18 |
The Falcons offence had a rough go of it against Cincinnati, but so do most. The real issue is the defence; the unit has given up almost 950 yards in its first two games. |
9 |
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19 |
After an impressive Week 1 win over the Patriots, the Dolphins didn’t even bother showing up at Orchard Park. The loss of Knowshon Moreno is going to sting. |
13 |
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20 |
The last six quarters have been vile for the Steelers: No touchdowns in that span and they’ve been outscored 50-9. Yikes. |
15 |
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21 |
Note to Sheldon Richardson: leave it to your coaches to call timeout. Geno Smith looks much more comfortable this season, but Rex Ryan’s issues in the secondary were exposed big time. |
22 |
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22 |
What do you do when your defence leaks like a sieve? Keep them off the field. The Cowboys held the ball for more than 41 minutes Sunday, thanks to a monster game from DeMarco Murray. |
26 |
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23 |
Could Kirk Cousins overtake Robert Griffin III as the face of the franchise? It’s certainly possible; the Redskins looked like a whole different team with No. 8 under centre. |
29 |
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24 |
If there’s one thing you can say about the 2014 Browns, it’s that they’re exciting. After two riveting games, the Dawg Pound’s staying pretty quiet about you know who. |
28 |
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25 |
On the plus side, the Chiefs looked much better Week 2. The negative? It still wasn’t good enough and they lost their best player in Jamaal Charles. He has a high-ankle sprain. |
23 |
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26 |
The future looked bright for Jake Locker and the Titans after a Week 1 drubbing of the Chiefs. That all went down the drain Sunday; that offence even made Dallas’s defence look good. |
18 |
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27 |
The Vikings desperately missed Adrian Peterson, racking up just 54 yards rushing Sunday. Matt Cassel won’t survive many more showings like that with Teddy Bridgewater waiting on the sideline. |
19 |
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28 |
After a dreadful 2014 debut, the Rams rebounded well in Tampa Bay. The solid play of third-string quarterback Austin Davis provides a tiny glimmer of hope. |
32 |
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29 |
Despite the controversial way in which the Bucs lost, Lovie Smith’s squad just hasn’t lived up to heightened expectations early. There’s a lot of work still to do in Tampa. |
27 |
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30 |
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. The Giants had a minus-four differential in that category Sunday and it was their demise. |
24 |
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31 |
The Jaguars are reportedly hesitant to make rookie QB Blake Bortles the starter because of offensive line concerns. “Concerns” is an understatement; they gave up 10 sacks to Washington. |
30 |
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32 |
Another terrible display in front of Raider Nation has even Oakland’s leaders talking trash. As Charles Woodson put it, the Raiders “suck” and are “embarrassing.” Well said. |
31 |