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Week 2 of the 2014 NFL season is upon us, and your team is either 1-0 or (sadly) 0-1. Here are 10 things that we've learned heading into the second week of action.
1. The Panthers defense is for real, as they demonstrated in a Derek-Anderson led win over Tampa Bay. In fact, they could challenge Seattle as the best defensive unit this year from the way they looked Sunday afternoon.
2. Seattle was mentioned, so let's just get this one out of the way. The defending champions met up against a very tough offensive juggernaut and essentially made short work of the Packers. It might be a while before they're not the clear-cut best team in the NFL.
3. The Bengals should be throwing a party for Mike Nugent, who went 5/6 on field goals, including a 49 yarder for his first of the season. However, Cincinnati will have to start scoring touchdowns if they want to keep up with offenses like Atlanta this week.
4. The Saints defense apparently didn't deserve the hype, as the team barely prevented Matt Ryan from passing for 500 yards, causing them to lose 37-34 in OT.
5. Cordarelle Patterson is a star in the making, after catching 3 passes for 26 yards rushing for 102 yards, including unbelievable vision and speed on a 67-yard touchdown.
6. Denver's offense started right where it left off.... and the defense looked to be much improved, until the fourth quarter. How far will the bend-but-don't-break attitude carry them on that side of the ball? They're thanking their lucky stars that Peyton is at the helm.
7. Andrew Luck, despite losing in Denver this week, will make his fantasy owners VERY happy this season. With a running game that barely meets par and an anemic defense, much will fall on him to carry the Colts in 2014.
8. The post-Rice era has begun in Baltimore. The good thing for Ravens fans is that Justin Forsett looks very ready to carry the load if Bernard Pierce can't step up.
9. Brian Hoyer....well, he's either really good or really bad. Whatever yoga session he underwent in the halftime locker should be repeated, given the 24 straight points he put up against the Steelers in the second half.
10. The Cardinals defense is ridiculous, maybe even more so than we thought. Bruce Arians was loving the fourth quarter blitzes. And why not? With a strong secondary comfortable with cornerbacks on islands, they basically derailed Philip Rivers.