With two weeks and 32 matches of NFL data now crammed into our brains, we’re starting to get a clearer picture where this season’s contenders and pretenders are concerned.

The AFC is looking like the New England Patriots to lose, however, the offensive juggernaut otherwise known as the Kansas City Chiefs remain a clear and present threat, as do the Baltimore Ravens, whose early season form has been menacing.

Where the AFC appears to be at best a three-team affair, the NFC is relatively wide open.

The Los Angeles Rams are the understandable favourites with the bookmakers, however, there are a plethora of teams beneath them fighting for top-tier status.

The Dallas Cowboys couldn’t have started the season more impressively, however, their quality of opposition remains highly suspect. The New Orleans Saints - who started equal favourites in the conference -  will now have to deal with the absence of their star quarterback, Drew Brees, who has undergone thumb surgery. The Philadelphia Eagles, another pre-season fancy, also face questions surrounding their contention, with a maligned secondary continuing to give up costly, game-defining plays.

With so many trends, themes and statistical oddities across the first two weeks of the NFL season, here are ten tidbits that have caught our attention.

The NY Giants defense might be the worst in the NFL

Through two weeks, the 0-2 New York Giants are the only team in the NFL conceding more than 6.5 yards per play, while also failing to produce a single turnover.

While the fantasy football world continues to celebrate and marvel at the incredible feats of its star running back Saquon Barkley, this remains a franchise in total disarray. The naming of Daniel Jones as the starting QB (replacing veteran Eli Manning) looks to be signalling a changing of the guard in Week 3.

The best receiver in the NFL is actually... John Ross?

Not much was expected of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019, and to be fair, not much has really been delivered as yet, but in WR John Ross III they have a speedster who is finally living up to his lofty 2017 NFL Draft status, having been selected #9 overall out of the University of Washington.

Last season Ross started ten games for the Bengals, catching 21 catches for 210 yards. He already has a league-leading 270 yards this season, along with three touchdowns from two games.

Now while the title of this segment may be a little facetious, is John Ross III finally someone new to look out for in the world of star receivers so completely dominated by the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones and Antonio Brown?

<ad>

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense might actually be really good

While many fixated on the welcome return of "QB Whisperer" Bruce Arians to the NFL coaching ranks, they didn’t realise how comprehensive his turnover of staff was, with one of his key appointment being former New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles as his Defensive Coordinator.

Through two games, the Bucs are ranked #4 in the NFL for defensive yards per play (4.6), while it’s a unit which has also produced three turnovers in two games.

However, the most impressive element of the Tampa Bay defense in 2019 might actually be its grittiness.

They’ve so far stared down six opposition red zone entries and conceded not a single touchdown. That constitutes a remarkable turnaround, considering they gave up TD's on a league-worst 77.6% of opposition red zone opportunities in 2018.

If Dalvin Cook can stay fit, he’ll win the rushing title 

If there’s one thing we’ve learnt about the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 it’s that they want to run the ball.

Through two games, only the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens have run the ball more, however, none have been as efficient as the Vikings, who are producing 5.7 yards per carry, as well as four touchdowns on the ground - a number only the Buffalo Bills can claim to match so far.

And it’s in comeback RB Dalvin Cook where the Viking’s run game is thriving.

The former Florida State star was limited to just 11 games last season, which very much affected the Vikings playoff chances. A much healthier Cook leads the league with 265 rushing yards in 2019, with only the Colts Marlon Mack registering more carries (45) than Cook’s 41.

Kyler Murray is a special talent

While the winless Arizona Cardinals organisation is in flux with a roster a long way from genuine contention, one thing they got very right was taking Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray with the #1 selection in last April’s NFL Draft.

Through two games, just three players - 2018 NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes, 3x Pro Bowler Andy Dalton and 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Dak Prescott - have thrown for more than Murray’s 651 yards, while the rookie also has the distinction of being the only player in NFL history, along with 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton, to throw for more than 300 yards in both of his first two NFL starts.

While the Cardinals seem destined for a last-place NFC West finish, Murray makes tuning in to their games a must.

Mitch Trubisky is struggling

Yes, the Chicago Bears squeaked out a victory in Denver - thanks to a 53-yard Eddy Pineiro field goal as time expired - however, no-one should kid themselves that QB Mitch Trubisky played any meaningful role in the win.

In fact, through two games, the former NFL Draft overall #2 pick boasts a highly alarming 65.0 QB rating while he threw for just 120 yards in the Bear’s weekend victory.

Of the 40 NFL QB’s to have thrown at least 40 passes in 2019, only Trubisky, Cam Newton and Ben Roethlisberger have failed to contribute a single touchdown, with Roethlisberger and Newton, of course, now both injured.

The Bears have one of the best defensive units in the league, which appears as devastatingly good as it did in 2018,  however, it’s a unit which is simply not being complimented by even league-average play at QB.

<ad>

Kicking matters

There are fifteen teams in the league who have been perfect form a field goal kicking point of view in 2019, going a collective 44/44 across the season. Arizona’s Zane Gonzalez leads the pack having gone 7 for 7 so far.

Indianapolis’ 46-year-old, four-time Super Bowl champion Adam Vinatieri, however, has not had a great start to his season, having missed two of his three field goal attempts while also blowing three of his five extra point attempts.

That’s obviously a lot of points left off the board, and, in an AFC South division which figures to go down to the wire, special teams play - and especially field goal kicking - could very well play a big role in deciding its fate.

The Houston Texans offensive line is still deplorable

One of the most frustrating aspects of this new NFL season is the Houston Texans continual struggles along the offensive line.

Not only has it been an issue for the past two seasons, but the quarterback in question, whose health is being continually compromised (see: ANDREW LUCK), is quarterback DeShaun Watson, who along with Patrick Mahomes, is one of the NFL’s most exciting prospects.

Houston already leads the league with ten sacks against, with their QB getting sacked an incredible 14.5% of all dropbacks.

For comparison’s sake, their Texas neighbor, the Dallas Cowboys, have incurred just one sack this season, with Dak Prescott and his offensive line incurring a sack on just 1.6% of their dropbacks.

A lot has changed in terms of NFL athleticism and game planning. Something that hasn’t is how paramount good offensive line play is. Houston however doesn’t seem to have got the memo.

If Kyler Murray isn’t Rookie of the Year, it might go to Josh Jacobs

The Oakland Raiders have 99 problems, however their rookie running back Josh Jacobs isn’t one.

Plenty has gone wrong since Jon Gruden took over the franchise reigns almost 18 months ago, ranging from the maligned Khalil Mack trade to Antonio Brown’s bizarre stay. However, something that the Raiders seem to have hit on was taking Alabama’s Josh Jacob’s with the 24^th pick in April’s draft.

Jacobs has already amassed more than 200 yards from scrimmage, while also producing two touchdowns. The only other player from the 2019 draft to have produced more than 100 rushing yards is Buffalo’s Devin Singletary who’s 127yds have come from just ten carries.

<ad>

This is the Atlanta Falcons’s best defense in years

The Atlanta Falcons started with a dismal 12-28 opening day loss away to Minnesota, however so much has changed in the last week.

Not only did the Falcons register their first win of the season with a gutsy four-point defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles, but got some good news with arch divisional rival New Orleans losing Drew Brees for six weeks with a broken thumb.

Matt Ryan has already thrown five interceptions this season and looks a shadow of the offensive player who won the 2016 MVP, and, while their star running back Devonta Freeman is averaging just 2.2 yards per carry, it is Atlanta's defense which has been the one consistent so far this season.

Through two games, only the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills are conceding less than Atlanta’s 4.6 yards per play, while they’ve been nearly impossible to throw against, giving up just 334 yards through the air so far.

Did you enjoy this article? Leave a comment below, or join the conversation on the Stats Insider Twitter or Facebook page.