It’s never too early to gaze upon the NFL landscape and wonder who is actually good…
and who is a fraud.
Which 2-0 Teams Are Actually Good?
What Happened: One chaotic Monday Night Football ending later, and here we are. Through two weeks of regular season action, there are nine teams undefeated so far in this young NFL season.
For comparison, last season featured the same number of 2-0 teams, but the balance from then to now is much different; in 2023, seven NFC teams won their first two games and just the Dolphins and Ravens did so in the AFC. This season, the AFC holds the slight edge, with five teams featuring a flawless record.
So, which of these teams are legit and which can expect the fun to end soon?
Why It Matters: Of the nine undefeateds, five made the postseason last time around; the Chiefs, Bills, and Texans seem like safe bets to return.
The other two? Well, Pittsburgh’s offense has looked uninspiring while the team relies on defense and special teams, so…right on schedule there. If Tampa Bay has truly unlocked something in Baker Mayfield, winning the NFC South again doesn’t feel out of the question.
Speaking of the NFC South, what in the world is going on in New Orleans? A team still reluctant to bottom out following the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era is looking like a powerhouse. The Saints lead the NFL in point differential, and while beating the Panthers is something some high school teams might be able to pull off, wrecking the Cowboys in Dallas is nothing to scoff at.
New Orleans is now the +150 (per ESPN BET) favorite to top its division when all is said and done. The Bucs? Only third at +200 while we try to figure out what exactly Kirk Cousins and the Falcons (+185) are following a needed win over Philly.
Elsewhere, the Chargers have taken to Harbaughball and seem likely to ride their 1998 offense to a wild card berth. They are -115 to make the playoffs, but +425 to wrestle the division away from Kansas City. If you believe in the Sam Darnold Renaissance, the Vikes are +275 to win the NFC North. And our paying members know what we think about the Seahawks; let’s just say we are feeling good about our preseason look at them…
How We’re Feeling Today
Champions League (12:45 PM ET) – Plenty of storylines to watch in this first day of the new Champions League campaign. (Just don’t ask us to explain how the newfangled format works.) Aston Villa makes its return to the competition after a casual 41-year break in the early slate. At 3:00, take your pick – you can catch Kylian Mbappe make his UCL debut for Real Madrid, or see how Liverpool will fare in their return to the big leagues, albeit sans Jurgen Klopp.
Phillies at Brewers (7:40 PM ET) – Both of these clubs have their divisions just about wrapped up, but the seeding atop the National League is still in flux and hugely important. Philly currently leads the entire Senior Circuit and thus is in position for a first-round bye in the postseason. That lead is just a single game over the Dodgers, with Milwaukee only three games back from the top spot, so still plenty to play for here.
Aces at Storm (10:00 PM ET) – Two teams with playoff spots already locked up enter on impressive win streaks (three straight for Vegas, four for Seattle.) The Aces have taken two of three from the Storm this season already.
The Look Ahead
Darren McCaughan OUTS RECORDED – It’s a pretty light line for McCaughan tonight at 14.5 outs recorded. We don’t have much faith he’ll hit the over here. The right-hander is on his second stint with the Fish, and neither has gone particularly well. In three starts, he’s gotten 15 outs just once, and has to contend with the Dodgers’ stacked lineup tonight. Good luck Darren – you’re gonna need it.
