After two weeks of the 2024 NFL season, nine of the league’s 32 clubs, or about 28%, are still searching for their first win. Nine others, meanwhile, have yet to be handed a loss, entering Week 3 atop the standings. Some were widely expected to be in this place. Others, not so much.
A 2-0 record, after all, can be deceiving or indicative of what’s to come. So which of the unbeaten squads are for real? And which of them just might be imposters? Here’s how we’d sort the nine with spotless records, knowing full well that these labels will be confirmed or rewritten by the remainder of this season:
Potential imposters
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
Look, Mike Tomlin is decidedly not an imposter when it comes to keeping the Steelers scrappy and competitive. The defense is legit. And Justin Fields has controlled the ball, for now. We still expect this team to hang around the wild-card picture, as it always does. But the rival Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, a combined 0-4, still register as more dangerous in the long run.
8. Seattle Seahawks
Wins: vs. Broncos, @ Patriots
Mike Macdonald’s certainly got the defense back on track in Seattle. And Geno Smith remains something of an underrated crunch-time playmaker under center. Injuries have already taken a toll, however, including to bell-cow back Kenneth Walker III, and the offensive line remains a concern. You can only withstand iffy trenches for so long, and they’ve also yet to square off with a legit offense.
7. Los Angeles Chargers
New coach Jim Harbaugh is living up to early expectations regarding the installation of a run-first attack. If Justin Herbert continues to enjoy such ground support, then it’s not crazy to envision a playoff push. J.K. Dobbins has to buck a personal trend of availability concerns down the stretch, though, and at some point Herbert will be required to beat far superior clubs with his new receiving corps.
Pleasant surprises
6. Minnesota Vikings
Everyone identified this as a solid spot for Sam Darnold, but no one expected him to look this sharp, this confident, this resilient as the point guard for a 2-0 start, even with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson banged up or absent altogether. The depth is real here, as is Brian Flores’ defense, which outmatched even the San Francisco 49ers in sheer tenacity for Week 2’s home upset.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Wins: vs. Commanders, @ Lions
The 2023 season announced Baker Mayfield as a gritty comeback story. The 2024 campaign is threatening to announce him as an MVP candidate. Todd Bowles’ defense remains a focal point of this scrappy NFC South squad, but Mayfield has looked like his college self under new coordinator Liam Coen, playing with authority as both a passer and scrambler. Another postseason bid is within sight.
4. New Orleans Saints
Wins: vs. Panthers, @ Cowboys
Speaking of NFC South surprises, there’s been none bigger than this. Derek Carr and Dennis Allen came into the season looking like sitting ducks, but the former has looked five years younger slinging the ball and feeding Alvin Kamara under the direction of first-time coordinator Klint Kubiak. The offense is legitimately humming like it did during their 2009 Super Bowl run. And Allen can still coach a “D,” too.
Confirmed contenders
3. Buffalo Bills
Wins: vs. Cardinals, @ Dolphins
Letting Kyler Murray and the young Arizona Cardinals threaten a Week 1 upset was a bit concerning, but Josh Allen has played MVP-caliber ball, James Cook is breaking out behind him, and Sean McDermott’s defense absolutely embarrassed the rival Miami Dolphins on a short week. In the end, even with the overturned receiving corps, it’s hard to discount Buffalo to any degree when Allen is at the controls.
2. Houston Texans
Like the Bills, they nearly let one slip to a division rival out of the gate, but their MVP-level signal-caller has lived up to the hype; C.J. Stroud has been just as sharp and decisive as he was when we last saw him as a star rookie. Throw in more Nico Collins dominance on the outside, the added threat of Stefon Diggs as a possession target, and DeMeco Ryans‘ improved pressure-generating front, and they’re a really tough out.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Wins: vs. Ravens, vs. Bengals
Boring? Sorry, but until this team proves otherwise, they are the contender to beat. Two other AFC heavyweights gave them good fights to start the year, and yet the reigning champions prevailed, all while managing injuries to key names like Isiah Pacheco and Marquise Brown. Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been perfect, but as per usual, he’s delivered when it counts. They’re simply built to win.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
September 19, 2024 | 9:25 am
