A Fresh Beginning Once Again

The 2016 NFL season has finally kicked off with the Carolina Panthers playing and losing a rematch game with defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. As many teams are in a rebuilding season, others try to strive for a spot in the postseason.

Many teams did not start off how they would have liked to, such as the Los Angeles Rams who got blown out by the San Francisco 49ers 28-0, and then there are teams who had no problem in getting a win such as the Philadelphia Eagles who beat the Cleveland Browns 29-10.

Week 2 had many important games going as many teams did not want to fall into a record of 0-2. Statistics show that only 12 percent of teams who have started the season 0-2 have managed to make it to the playoffs, the last team in doing so happens to be the New York Giants in 2007 when they went 10-6 and went on to beat the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14.

Teams who went on a roll and who are currently 2-0 include the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles,and Minnesota Vikings. The teams who have yet to win a game and are 0-2 included the New Orlean Saints, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The rest of the league’s teams are currently situated at 1-1.

Players from each conference are recognized for their outstanding performance after every week. Week 1 had Jameis Winston, quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week who went 23-32 in completions, threw 281 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Antonio Brown, wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, who caught 8 receptions for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Week 2 had Stefon Diggs, wide receiver of the Minnesota Vikings as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, who caught 9 receptions for 182 yards and 1 touchdown,meanwhile, Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback of the New York Jets was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, who went 24-34 in completions, threw 374 yards and 1 touchdown.

Many teams have been or will be without many of their star players. For instance, the New England Patriots, for the first 4 weeks of the regular season will be without starting star quarterback Tom Brady, who is serving the suspension handed to him by the NFL. They will also be without star tight end Rob Gronkowski who is currently injured but is expected to play against the Houston Texans in Week 3. They also lost backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a broken shoulder. Injuries around other teams include star running players such as Adrian Peterson, Doug Martin, Robert Griffin III, Tony Romo, Keenan Allen, Keanu Neal, Teddy Bridgewater, and Corey Coleman.