Requested & Answered: Are the Vikings, Saints legit? When are we going to take into tale the Trevor Lawrence magic?

Every week in the NFL season brings a bunch of fresh questions … and solutions some outdated ones, too. Let’s flee down what we realized in Week 2 … and what we’ll be questioning about in Week 3 and past.

ASKED: How some distance can the Vikings trot?

We’re not but able to renounce on all our “Sam Darnold is terrible” takes over the years; if we dangle to do away with cherished beliefs esteem that, what else blueprint we dangle? But you’ve obtained to admit Darnold has looked — well, not “rejuvenated,” that can imply he modified into as soon as juvenated to commence with — let’s trot with “impressed.” He threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, snaring a 3rd of his yardage complete on this absolute seed to Justin Jefferson:

Kevin O’Connell has the Vikings buzzing after Sunday’s immense 23-17 buy over the 49ers. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is working magic on that aspect of the ball. It will get tougher from here — the Texans and Packers look forward to — nonetheless it indubitably’s obvious that this crew won’t be the NFC North walkover all americans anticipated.

ANSWERED: Whether the Saints are legit

Beating the Panthers isn’t exactly the designate of a champion. Beating the brakes off Dallas, in Dallas, and as well you are going to have the power to commence by the division crown. The Saints were spinning in field since Drew Brees retired, nonetheless Sunday’s converse beatdown of Dallas — 44-19, and it didn’t even seem that close — is the extra or much less sport that makes us reassess every little thing we know about this crew.

On condition that the Saints’ quarterback is Derek Carr and their main rusher modified into as soon as Alvin Kamara — each and every of whom we know very well at this point — the X element is clearly sleek offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who has managed to harness after which unleash an array of weapons. (Kamara getting 115 yards and three touchdowns on the bottom? Three receivers topping 60 yards? It took field!) The ask of Dallas’ viability is one which hangs over the Cowboys each and every year, nonetheless the Saints dangle keep the league on ask that they’ll be having a take into tale to advance to their very dangle historic glory very soon.

ASKED: When are we going to take into tale the Trevor Lawrence magic?

the road on Lawrence — simplest No. 1 draft recall since Peyton Manning, savior of Jacksonville, blah blah. It’s the commence of 365 days 4 now, and Lawrence is superb … OK? If that? Jacksonville misplaced a really winnable sport against Cleveland Sunday, 18-13, and it modified into as soon as in huge fraction thanks to Lawrence’s lack of capacity to gain receivers, keep the Jaguars in the head zone, and — on the head of the game — retain from getting sacked in the head zone himself. These aren’t the actions of a marquee, front-line, elite-stage quarterback — and Lawrence will get paid esteem one, and has the total expectations of one.

Two games in, and Jacksonville is two games in the motivate of Houston for the division lead. The one shock here is that it’s not an even bigger deficit. Despite every little thing, you don’t spell DUVALLL with W’s.

ANSWERED: Whether Arizona is on the moral direction

Search for, it’s superb to admit you had questions about Kyler Murray’s viability as an NFL quarterback, whether per his dimension, propensity for fracture or resolution-making. But while you had those questions, you now dangle your respond: When wholesome, and when surrounded by the moral playmakers, Kyler Murray is a uncertain QB. Murray and the Cardinals diced the Rams 41-10 Sunday, the extra or much less beating that leaves some long-interval of time psychic scars.

Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. might perchance superb be the next sizable QB/WR combo. They curved up for a easy 130 yards and two touchdowns, rendering Harrison’s unspectacular rookie debut closing week a moot distress. Harrison modified into as soon as basically the most productive participant on the sphere in college; why would any individual deem he’d be the worst in the NFL? James Conner (122 yards speeding, 1 landing) has chanced on his mojo this season too, and the head result is an offense that’s as lethal as anticipated. But don’t bargain the Cardinals defense, either; it takes weight to shut down a Sean McVay/Matthew Stafford offense the trend Arizona did Sunday. We’re not but able to write in Arizona as an NFC celebrated, nonetheless it indubitably has the total objects important to elbow into the playoff conversation.

ASKED: How grand distress are the Bengals and Ravens in?

Probabilities are you’ll perchance’ve made quite loads of cash having a wager that every and every the Ravens and Bengals might perchance be 0-2 at this point in the season, while you’re the extra or much less particular individual that likes wagering on others’ effort. Two AFC playoff perennials, already observing a colossal mountain to climb superb to make your mind up up into the postseason? Unattainable! But here we are, so let’s dig in.

Whenever you happen to’re shopping for the “better” loss, take into tale to the Bengals. After closing week’s gruesome and unexpected loss to Unusual England, Cincinnati chanced on its footing and extremely nearly beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, dropping on a leisurely field aim. The Bengals might perchance or might perchance not be a postseason threat, nonetheless they’ve a superb runt stretch developing here — Washington and Carolina, before a showdown with Baltimore — that might perchance attend them erase these early-season woes in a trek.

Baltimore, on the opposite hand, saw a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead against Las Vegas — Las Vegas! — evaporate en route to a 26-23 loss. That’s a signal of an all over-the-board breakdown, uncharacteristic for a John Harbaugh-coached crew. Baltimore has a choppy avenue in the immediate future — Dallas, Buffalo and that Bengals divisional matchup — so if this crew desires to connect itself in field to be a Super Bowl contender, there’s no extra time to fracture.

ANSWERED: Whether the Bears are able to stage up

Whenever you happen to clutch a Bears fan, give ‘em a hug on the present time. This fanbase hasn’t had grand to cheer about since, oh, 1985, so as soon as they landed Caleb Williams in the draft this year, there modified into as soon as (justifiable) trigger for celebration. Now? No longer so grand. Williams threw two interceptions — gruesome ones, at that — and by no advance looked chuffed in a 19-13 loss to Houston Sunday evening. Granted, hundreds of that isn’t Williams’ fault — it’s obvious that the Bears’ O-line modified into as soon as overmatched, and the closing element you might perchance perchance like a rookie quarterback to take into tale is a swarming, hungry defense esteem Houston threw at Williams. Any time you resolve seven sacks, you’re hurting.

Chicago is going to are attempting to regulate its protection for Williams, pronto, or this season is going to trot sideways. With Detroit (ask above), Minnesota (furthermore ask above) and Inexperienced Bay (TBD) in the division, Chicago has no room for error. The Bears dangle a decide up-moral sport subsequent week against Indianapolis and a sophisticated one against the banged up Rams before they are able to exhale with a Carolina date. They’ll must camouflage bigger than they’ve to this point before we’re in on them.