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NFL Week 2 overreactions: Bengals doomed without Joe Burrow? Chiefs in trouble
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- NFL Week 2 overreactions: Bengals doomed without Joe Burrow? Chiefs in trouble
Two potential NFL contenders have lost their starting quarterbacks due to injury. One seems better positioned to survive their top quarterback's absence than the other.
That would be the San Francisco 49ers , who earned a victory over the New Orleans Saints with backup quarterback Mac Jones leading the charge. Jones put together a strong showing in his first start with the 49ers which should quell any concerns about the team staying afloat without Brock Purdy .
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Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals lost quarterback Joe Burrow to an injury during their Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars . Jake Browning was able to guide the team to a come-from-behind victory, but with Burrow facing a long-term absence, the Bengals' outlook may not be as rosy as that of the 49ers.
Here are some of the most notable overreactions from Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season:
The Bengals are toast without Joe Burrow
The Bengals may have earned a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in NFL Week 2, but it came at a cost. Cincinnati lost Joe Burrow to a toe injury in the first half of their victory, and he did not return to action.
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ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Burrow is expected to have surgery to repair his toe injury. The procedure will sideline the talented quarterback for a minimum of three months .
Most NFL teams can ill afford to lose their starting quarterback, but Burrow is particularly important for the Bengals' success. Cincinnati has routinely sported a weak defense, and the team's performance through two weeks – they are allowing 375 yards and 21.5 points per game – indicates the Bengals will need to once again rely on their offense to win them some high-scoring games.
Can Jake Browning do that? Cincinnati's backup quarterback performed well in place of Burrow. He the Bengals on a game-winning drive at the end of the fourth quarter and completing 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
That said, Browning is more turnover-prone than Burrow, as one would glean from his three interceptions against the Jaguars. His career interception percentage of 3.6% is high by NFL standards, and if he continues to turn the ball over at a high clip, that could put extra stress on the Bengals' shaky defense.
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That won't be enough to tank Cincinnati's season, but it will narrow their path to contention with Burrow's absence being of the long-term variety.
The 49ers will be completely fine with Mac Jones at QB
Mac Jones was forced into action in Week 2 after Brock Purdy suffered shoulder and toe injuries in San Francisco's season-opening win against the Seattle Seahawks . The 27-year-old looked great in his 49ers debut.
Jones completed 26 of 39 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers' 26-21 win over the New Orleans Saints . The fifth-year quarterback looked good throughout the day, delivering passes with accuracy and even showing occasional flashes of mobility with a 13-yard run.
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Jones has always profiled as a good fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense. That's part of the reason the 49ers were rumored to be considering him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft before they selected Trey Lance , a higher-upside option.
But seeing exactly how comfortable Jones was in Shanahan's scheme should give 49ers fans extra confidence about Jones steering the team in Purdy's absence. Purdy is expected to be out 2-5 weeks , so Jones can keep the 49ers afloat during that period.
Caleb Williams is the worst of the 2024 NFL Draft's first-round QBs
It's probably too early to reach a verdict on this matter. And did you see how much J.J. McCarthy struggled in his second career start on "Sunday Night Football" against the Atlanta Falcons ? That may grant Williams a temporary reprieve in this debate.
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Still, Williams' performance to date during his NFL career has been discouraging. And any hopes that Ben Johnson would immediately position the USC product to succeed are proving to be pie in the sky.
Williams completed 19 of 30 passes against the Lions for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but many of his shortcomings were on display in the blowout 52-21 loss.
Notably, Williams was sacked four times and lost 29 yards. He continued to show a tendency to too often fade back in the pocket when under pressure and wasn't able to consistently distribute the ball to his receivers with accuracy.
To be fair, the entire Bears team struggled in Week 2, so the lopsided nature of the defeat wasn't entirely Williams' fault. He may also be taking time to adjust to Johnson's offense and could improve as the season goes along.
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Nonetheless, Bears fans are right to be concerned about the former Heisman Trophy winner's career trajectory even at this early stage in his career.
OPINION: Despite off-season changes, Chicago Bears in another downward spiral
Russell Wilson is back to cooking
Wilson was essentially written off after he struggled in the Giants ' Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders . Brian Daboll decided to stick with him, much to the chagrin of Jaxson Dart 's supporters.
The move largely paid off. Wilson was excellent for most of the Giants ' 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys . He completed 30 of 41 passes for 450 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while showing off the deep-ball accuracy that once made him one of the NFL's most feared quarterbacks.
