Five Biggest Questions Heading into Week 2 of the NFL Regular Season

Week one of the 2014 NFL regular season is officially in the books. It was an exciting week filled with a few upsets and some very exciting games. After Sunday and Monday’s games, many teams face questions heading into their week two matchups. This article will list five of the biggest questions that various teams face as they prepare for the second week of the season.

1. How will the Baltimore Ravens play in the wake of the Ray Rice controversy? The story about Ravens former running back Ray Rice striking his then-fiancée and current wife Janay in an Atlantic City casino elevator is currently the main news story on every sports television station. The story is becoming so big that even basic news channels have been discussing it. Rice was released by the Ravens after TMZ finally released the video to the public a few days ago. His future in the NFL is uncertain, but his former team has a game to play tonight against their division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Neither one of these teams looked spectacular in their week one games, with the Steelers needing a field goal as time expired to beat the Cleveland Browns, while the Ravens were defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals at home. The Ravens are home again tonight, but that doesn’t mean much when two teams that historically hate each other are facing off. This should be a close game and a physical one, as well.

2. Will the New England Patriots bounce back after a tough loss to the Miami Dolphins? The Patriots’ week one matchup on the road against the Dolphins looked to be a cakewalk for the mighty Patriots. It looked that way throughout the first half of Sunday’s game, but once the second half came around, the Patriots completely fell apart. They didn’t score a single point in the third or fourth quarter, while the Dolphins registered 23 points during these quarters to win the game 33-20. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had a rather pedestrian game, throwing for 249 yards and just one touchdown. The trade of longtime offensive lineman Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked to be costly, as Brady was sacked four times by the Dolphins. Next up for the Patriots this Sunday is a road game against the Minnesota Vikings, who looked decent in their week one victory against the St. Louis Rams. Expect the Patriots to have a bounce-back game and win, but do not be shocked if the Vikings pull off an upset.

3. How will the Philadelphia Eagles fair against the Indianapolis Colts after getting shutout in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week one? Many Philadelphia Eagle fans may have turned off their television sets after the first half of Sunday’s game versus the Jaguars. These fans may have been ill-sighted because the Eagles went on to score 34 points in the second half to top the Jaguars 34-17. The Eagles will now have to travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on Andrew Luck and the Colts on Monday night. This is one of the more intriguing games on this week’s schedule, as both teams are fairly even-matched. The Colts looked impressive in their week one loss to the Denver Broncos, as they had a great second half and almost tied the game within the final minutes. This should be an entertaining game, with either team having an equal chance to take the victory.

4. How will Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton look in his first game of the season? Newton not suiting up for the Panthers’ week one matchup on the road against the Buccaneers was a shock to some, as he has not missed a game in his first three years in the league. Veteran quarterback Derek Anderson took the wheel on Sunday and performed well enough that the Panthers got the win. Newton is expected to be back this week for the team’s home opener against the Detroit Lions, however. But, the fact that the Auburn product is back from injury is not the main question heading into this week. The team’s lack of standout receivers is a topic that many analysts and commentators have discussed going into this season. Rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin had an impressive debut on Sunday, but rookies cannot carry a team. The only reliable weapon Newton has around him is tight end Greg Olsen, so look for those two to hook up a bunch this season. If Olsen goes down with an injury or does not perform to his best abilities, look for Cam and the Panthers to have a disappointing season.

5. What is wrong with Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins? After an outstanding 2012 season, everyone thought Griffin III was a future superstar of the NFL. Then during the Redskins’ playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, Griffin tore his ACL and has not been the same since. The 2013 season was a dreadful year for the Redskins, going 3-13. Griffin looked like an average quarterback that season and he also did on Sunday against the Houston Texans in their week one loss. The team only scored six points and the Baylor graduate did nothing worth noting. The Texans defense did play well, but the Redskins’ offense looked unimpressive, to say the least. Next up for the ‘Skins is a winnable game at home against the Jaguars. However, with the way Jay Gruden’s team looked in week one, not many games will be winnable for them this season.