The NFL season is two weeks in, and fans are already starting to overreact to what they've seen thus far. Some overreactions are overly negative, while others shine their team in too bright a light. Here is one red-hot overreaction for each team commonly construed by fanbases that just isn't reality.
Arizona Cardinals
Overreaction: The Cardinals will be one of three teams to make the playoffs from the NFC West
It is very possible that three teams make the postseason in a really good but not great NFC West. However, the Arizona Cardinals won't be one of them, despite the fact that they've started the season 2-0.
The Cardinals haven't lost yet this season, but neither have the Los Angeles Rams or the San Francisco 49ers. Those teams should distance themselves from the Cardinals as the season progresses. The Seattle Seahawks also arguably have a deeper roster, especially on defense, and could leapfrog the Cardinals in the standings sooner rather than later.
Atlanta Falcons
Overreaction: Kirk Cousins will be traded soon
Kirk Cousins has been the biggest name on the trade market since he was benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. last season. It has been widely assumed that a quarterback-needy team would deal for the current Atlanta Falcons backup at some point, but a deal never came to fruition during the offseason.
Now a number of teams are dealing with quarterback injuries, as Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Jayden Daniels, Brock Purdy, and JJ McCarthy are all sidelined. It is possible that none of those teams will trade for Cousins, though. Cousins is signed to a huge contract that includes a cap hit of $40 million this season. He also had a dead cap hit of $35 million next season and $12.5 million the year after that.
Adding that contract to the books is easier said than done, so teams with QB health problems will likely look at other options or deploy their current backups under center while the starters recover. That means Cousins will stay in Atlanta as an overqualified and overpaid backup this year.
Carolina Panthers
Overreaction: Bryce Young will live up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick
Bryce Young was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had a disastrous rookie year and was benched quickly into year two. Then after being reinserted into the starting lineup, Young started to turn things around. He has put up solid numbers so far as he has four passing touchdowns through two weeks.
Young no longer looks like he will be one of the biggest draft busts of all time. However, it does seem unlikely that he will live up to the expectations that come with being a No. 1 pick. First overall selections are not only supposed to be really good, but they are expected to be Hall of Fame caliber. It doesn't look like Young has that level in him, and his Carolina Panthers are already 0-2.
Chicago Bears
Overreaction: Caleb Williams was the wrong pick at first overall in 2024
Dialogue that selecting Caleb Williams first overall during the 2024 NFL Draft was a mistake started dating back to last year, and it hasn't stopped since the Chicago Bears started their season 0-2. While it is true that Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix have thrived since they were drafted in the same class, Williams still has by far the highest ceiling of his sophomore peers.
Williams was commonly regarded as one of the best draft prospects this century, and the killer arm strength and big-play ability that made him so highly touted haven't disappeared. Williams has struggled with holding on to the football for too long, decision-making, and some accuracy issues, but those are issues that plague many young quarterbacks.
His Bears have also struggled in late-game scenarios. Williams will figure it out, though, as will his Bears, and the USC product will reach his potential sooner rather than later.
Dallas Cowboys
Overreaction: The Cowboys' offense will get them back into the playoffs
The Dallas Cowboys missed the playoffs last year largely because Dak Prescott was hurt and the offense took a step back. The offense is seemingly back and better than ever with George Pickens now paired up with CeeDee Lamb to form a great pass-catching duo. The team came out of the gates hot against the Philadelphia Eagles, and they put up 40 points against the New York Giants. Many believe this will be enough to get America's team back into the postseason.
However, the defense will hold Dallas back from a playoff berth. The team traded Micah Parsons. Since then, they allowed the Eagles to come back and beat them, and they nearly lost to a bad Giants team. Despite projections being unfavorable to New York, the Giants scored 37 points in Week 2. The loss of Parsons will come back to bite the Cowboys, and more games giving up a lot of points are likely to come.
Detroit Lions
Overreaction: The interior offensive line will stop the Lions from reaching the Super Bowl
The Detroit Lions struggled in Week 1, and many blamed the departure of Ben Johnson to the Bears. Then Detroit bounced back with a huge victory in which they scored 52 points in Week 2. There are weapons all over the offense, and the defense looks much improved and finally healthy.
The only concern some have is that the interior of the offensive line is a weak point. That weakness won't be enough to prevent the Lions from getting to the Super Bowl, though. Detroit should be the favorite to emerge from the NFC this season.
Green Bay Packers
Overreaction: The Packers will win the NFC North
The NFC North is the best division in football, and the Green Bay Packers are viewed as the frontrunners to take the division title. The team is 2-0. They have an elite defense that recently added Micah Parsons, who is one of the best players in the NFL. Jordan Love also has a surplus of weapons to feed the ball to.
All of the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears could push for playoff spots, too, and it will be the Lions who take the NFC North crown in the end. Green Bay killed Detroit in Week 1, but the Lions have more superstar talent and will get their redemption later in the season.
Los Angeles Rams
Overreaction: Puka Nacua will lead the NFL in receiving yards
Puka Nacua has been the best receiver in the NFL through two weeks. He has a league-leading 18 receptions as well as 221 receiving yards to boot. This is somewhat of a surprise because fans were concerned with Matthew Stafford's back coming into the year. The two have always put up huge numbers when on the field together, though.
Nacua will be one of the leading receivers in the NFL all season long, but he won't actually finish first in receptions or receiving yards. That is because Davante Adams needs his fair share of targets as well. Nacua and Cooper Kupp formed a great duo, but injuries prevented the two from sharing the field very often. This new Los Angeles Rams receiver tandem is even better, but there is only one football to go around.
Minnesota Vikings
Overreaction: JJ McCarthy and Justin Jefferson don't mesh well
When the Minnesota Vikings decided to let Sam Darnold walk in free agency and use JJ McCarthy as their 2025 quarterback, it was well-known that there would be growing pains associated with the pseudo-rookie. What fans didn't expect was for McCarthy to struggle so much getting Justin Jefferson the football.
Jefferson is, of course, arguably the best receiver in the NFL. He has historically put up huge numbers regardless of who his quarterback was, whether it was Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall, or Nick Mullens. Jefferson has only caught seven passes through two games so far as the Vikings' offense struggled as a whole in six of eight quarters played so far. McCarthy even had to apologize to his receiver and tell him not to lose faith in his ability.
McCarthy is still learning the ropes, and it isn't a guarantee he will ever pan out. He will get better at utilizing his star receiver, though. However, recovering from a sprained ankle will be his first priority.
New Orleans Saints
Overreaction: The Saints don't need to bench Spencer Rattler for Tyler Shough
Spencer Rattler won the New Orleans Saints' quarterback competition against Tyler Shough. He has since thrown for three touchdowns and hasn't thrown an interception. Losing the quarterback competition signaled that Shough is still raw and likely a ways away from competing at a high level in the NFL.
That shouldn't matter for the Saints, though. They are arguably the worst team in the NFL, and they made Shough the second quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL Draft for a reason. Rattler has been nothing but mediocre in the NFL, so the Saints might as well see if Shough shows flashes of stardom. If not, the team will need to consider another quarterback addition next offseason.
New York Giants
Overreaction: The Giants should keep the NFL's passing leader under center
Russell Wilson, the New York Giants' starting quarterback, leads the NFL with 618 passing yards. That has seemingly bought him some time before Jaxson Dart takes over under center, but New York should move on from their bridge option and hand the reins over to the first-round rookie sooner rather than later.
Wilson is well past his prime. Despite putting up big numbers through two weeks, he has had some bad moments, and the Giants are already 0-2. Wilson was intercepted in the overtime game against the Dallas Cowboys, and it resulted in a loss. Young quarterbacks get better with live game reps, not from learning on the sideline. Dart is the team's future, and the Giants won't win many games this year regardless of who is under center. Because of that, it is already time to give the youngster a promotion.
Philadelphia Eagles
Overreaction: The Eagles are a shoo-in to get back to the Super Bowl
The reigning Super Bowl champions have gotten off to a hot start that has many believing that they will get back to the championship game with ease. Don't be so quick to hand the Eagles the Lombardi Trophy, though. Philadelphia's offense has looked flawed to start the year. Most notably, Jalen Hurts hasn't been able to get A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith going.
The defense is also a lot weaker than it was last year. Darius Slay, James Bradberry, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Isaiah Rodgers all left the team in the offseason. The team found some solid replacements, but it was a disappointing offseason of departures, nonetheless. While they will be contenders, the Eagles' newfound lack of depth will cost them in the long run and prevent them from winning Super Bowl 60.
San Francisco 49ers
Overreaction: The San Francisco 49ers are back to Super Bowl-caliber after a 2-0 start
The San Francisco 49ers lost in Super Bowl 58, but they had a young core that looked like it could contend for years to come. However, the 49ers only won six games in 2024 as the team was riddled with injuries. The 49ers are 2-0 to start the 2025 season, but the injury bug has bitten them yet again.
Christian McCaffrey's calf is acting up again; George Kittle and Brock Purdy missed Week 2; and Brandon Aiyuk will be out for at least half the season. These injuries will take their toll on the 49ers in a season succeeding the biggest spending deficit in NFL history.
The 49ers lost Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins, Dre Greenlaw, Chavarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga in the offseason. Their thinner-than-normal roster and susceptibility to injuries means that the 49ers won't reach the highest level again. A postseason berth is possible, but a first-round elimination seems like the 49ers' ceiling this year.
Seattle Seahawks
Overreaction: Sam Darnold is a clear-cut upgrade over Geno Smith
The Seattle Seahawks swapped Geno Smith for Sam Darnold as their quarterback in the offseason. The former draft bust-turned Pro Bowler signed a three-year deal with Seattle after a breakout campaign with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. However, it is still possible that Darnold's 2024 season was a fluke and a product of Kevin O'Connell calling plays.
Darnold has arguably outplayed Smith so far this season but not by much. He has mediocre numbers of 445 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions thus far. The Seahawks might have swapped one average signal caller for another, meaning Darnold isn't a clear-cut upgrade at quarterback.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Overreaction: Injuries will be the death of the 2025 Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-0, but some fans are panicking about the team's injuries stacking up. Receivers Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan are out as are tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke. Calijah Kancey was just ruled out for the season as was Cody Mauch. The Buccaneers have great depth, though, and all the aforementioned players except for Kancey and Mauch should return to the fold.
The Buccaneers avoided a slow start, and reinforcements will help out when they arrive. Tampa Bay is primed to make a deep playoff run.
Washington Commanders
Overreaction: Deebo Samuel has supplanted Terry McLaurin as the Commanders' WR1
Through two games, offseason trade addition Deebo Samuel has 14 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed the ball into the end zone once. Terry McLaurin, who was Jayden Daniels' favorite target last season, only has seven catches for 75 yards. This doesn't mean that Samuel is now the top receiving option in Washington, though.
McLaurin was predictably going to get off to a slow start because he missed training camp and the preseason while holding out/in during a contract dispute. Long term, though, Samuel will be more of the gadget weapon, while McLaurin will be the first receiver Daniels looks to in the passing game.
Baltimore Ravens
Overreaction: The Ravens finally break through and reach the Super Bowl
It has long been seen as inevitable that the Baltimore Ravens would eventually get to the Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson leading the way. After all, Jackson is a perennial MVP candidate and one of the best rushing quarterbacks ever, and the team always has a great defense. Derrick Henry has brought a whole new dynamic since joining the team, too.
The Ravens will have a great season, like they always do, but they will fall just short yet again. The Kansas City Chiefs have historically owned them. Despite starting out 0-2, Kansas City seems poised to bounce back. The Buffalo Bills are also looking unstoppable, evidenced by their Week 1 win over the Ravens. The Ravens can most definitely make a deep playoff run but not enough has changed for them to finally reach the Super Bowl.
Buffalo Bills
Overreaction: The Bills will outscore the 2024 Lions
The Buffalo Bills have been the best NFL team so far. They've scored 41 points and 30 points in their first two games, which averages out to 35.5 points per game. That would be the third-highest average ever and greater than the 2024 Lions, who averaged 33.2 points per game.
Detroit's 564 total points scored last season were the fourth most ever. Although Buffalo is on pace to beat this number, they won't end up outscoring last year's Lions team. That doesn't mean that Buffalo won't have a great season. They very well could lead the NFL in scoring. The Lions just had such a special 2024 season on the offensive end that their point total will be too much to surpass for Buffalo.
Cincinnati Bengals
Overreaction: Jake Browning will be above .500 as the starting quarterback
Joe Burrow is slated to miss three-plus months with a turf toe injury. Some have called for the Cincinnati Bengals to trade for a quarterback, but it looks like the team will go forward with Jake Browning under center. Many view Browning as one of the best backups in the league.
Rich Eisen even claimed that he is better than a third of the starters in the NFL. If that statement is true, then Browning should surely win more than half his games. Considering that the Bengals started the season 2-0, they'd likely make the playoffs if Browning went above .500 as the starter.
This won't be the case, though. Despite his experience starting in relief of Burrow, Browning will struggle more often than not, and the Bengals will end up once again on the outside looking in of the playoff picture. Browning will be scrambling behind a bad offensive line, and the defense will do him no favors either.
Cleveland Browns
Overreaction: Both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will get a shot behind center this year
Joe Flacco is the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback. He is just a bridge option, though. Considering the Browns are 0-2, it might be just a matter of time until Cleveland hands the reins to one of their rookie signal-callers. The Browns have two: third-round pick Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders is, of course, the more famous of the two, but Gabriel is first in line to take Flacco's position. Sanders has the higher ceiling than Gabriel, but the Browns will likely give Gabriel the rest of the season to prove he can start for the team. Therefore, Sanders would remain glued to the bench, barring injury, of course.
Denver Broncos
Overreaction: Sean Payton doesn't know how to use his ‘Joker'
Sean Payton preached all offseason long that the Denver Broncos needed a Joker, which is a player who creates unique mismatches for his position. Evan Engram was signed in the offseason to be this player. However, Engram has gotten off to a slow start, and some have claimed that Payton doesn't know how to use him.
After all, Engram has only been on the field 38% of the time, which is significantly less than Adam Trautman. Engram only had one catch in Week 2, but Payton will utilize him more often and in a more efficient way going forward. Engram's early-season struggles and lack of playing time can be pinned on a calf injury. Once he is fully healthy from that, Payton will unleash the tight end.
Houston Texans
Overreaction: C.J. Stroud will never become elite
C.J. Stroud had one of the best rookie seasons ever in 2023, highlighted by becoming just the third player ever to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio. The only other two players to accomplish that feat were Joe Montana and Tom Brady.
Everybody assumed Stroud would become elite, but he had a sophomore slump last season and has struggled with mediocrity this year. Stroud still has great potential, though, and he will figure things out and one day become an MVP-caliber player again.
Indianapolis Colts
Overreaction: Daniel Jones is this year's Sam Darnold
Last season, Sam Darnold turned from draft bust into a Pro Bowl quarterback with the Vikings. After years of underperforming, Darnold looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Many are calling Daniel Jones this year's version of Darnold after back-to-back impressive performances to start the season.
Jones already has 588 passing yards, and he even led the Indianapolis Colts to scores in each of his first 10 possessions. That feat had never before been done, so it has looked as if Jones is bucking the bust label. However, it won't last. Jones is mediocre at best, and being benched for Anthony Richardson at some point this season shouldn't be ruled out.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Overreaction: Brian Thomas' rookie season was a fluke
The 2024 NFL Draft class was stacked with receivers. Brian Thomas was one of the very best. In fact, his 1,282 receiving yards were the third most in the entire NFL. Thomas has been one of the biggest talking points in the NFL this season. He has struggled through two games largely because he has looked afraid of contact and afraid of the ball.
Thomas even had a costly drop in the Jacksonville Jaguars' last game. His struggles won't last, though. A player of his caliber should be afforded a bad game or two, and he will return to his star level going forward.
Kansas City Chiefs
Overreaction: The Chiefs' dynasty is over
The Kansas City Chiefs have been to five of the last six Super Bowls. They were crowned champions three of those years, and, therefore, they are in the midst of one of the greatest dynasties ever. Some are claiming that the dynasty is over now that they've lost three straight games dating back to Super Bowl 59.
That couldn't be further from the truth. More Super Bowls are in Patrick Mahomes' future. The team only narrowly lost their first two games of the season, but they have a track record of winning those close games. Their experience will help turn this season around and reestablish their claim as the best team in the NFL. Expect at least one more Chiefs Super Bowl victory in the next year or two and potentially even more to come after that.
Las Vegas Raiders
Overreaction: The Geno Smith trade was a mistake
The Las Vegas Raiders traded for Geno Smith in the offseason. Smith has had an interesting career trajectory. He was a second-round pick in 2013 who looked like a draft bust after two seasons as the New York Jets' starting quarterback. He then spent seven seasons sidelined as a backup.
Smith turned his career around with the Seahawks, and he even made two Pro Bowls before the Raiders handed him the reins this year. Smith has been a little bit erratic since joining the Raiders, but he is still their best quarterback since Derek Carr was in his prime. That doesn't mean Smith is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he most definitely is an upgrade. Considering the team is only tied to him for this year and next, they could find a replacement in the draft if need be, too.
Los Angeles Chargers
Overreaction: The Chargers are a pass-first offense
Jim Harbaugh joined the Los Angeles Chargers last season and immediately changed the culture. He turned the team into a run-first, grind-it-out, hard-nosed team. That has changed in 2025 as the Chargers have focused on the aerial attack. Justin Herbert has 560 passing yards and five touchdowns. The Chargers have yet to lose, too.
This won't last forever, though. Finding more balance was key, especially because Herbert is one of the most talented passers in the NFL. The Chargers will pass more than they did last season, but their bread-and-butter will still be the running game. Los Angeles drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Running backs are rarely taken that early, so the Chargers are going to use him.
Miami Dolphins
Overreaction: Tyreek Hill is washed up
The last few seasons with the Miami Dolphins haven't been easy on Tyreek Hill. The speed threat was the consensus best receiver in football during his time with the Chiefs, but his production and seemingly his love of the sport have dipped since switching teams. This culminated in a trade request at the end of last season, which Hill ended up backtracking on.
Don't be surprised if another trade request comes to fruition, though. If Hill were moved, he could prove that he still has plenty left in the tank. It isn't easy being a burner on an offense led by Tua Tagovailoa, a quarterback with one of the weakest arms in the NFL. Hill would find the deep-ball production that has eluded him recently with a different quarterback. He has also long been underrated when it comes to route running and sure-handedness. Hill is far from washed up, and a trade would prove that.
New England Patriots
Overreaction: The Patriots found their long-term WR1 in Kayshon Boutte
Kayshon Boutte was once looked at as a first-round pick, but he fell to the sixth round in the 2023 NFL Draft after a poor final season at LSU and underwhelming combine testing results. Boutte did next to nothing as a rookie with the New England Patriots, and he was just okay in year two.
The receiver currently leads the team in receiving yards (119), though. Boutte can now be looked at as a long-term part of the Patriots' core, but that doesn't mean he will be their WR1 going forward. Stefon Diggs was a part of a massive free-agent overhaul, and he is looking more like himself after recovering from a torn ACL. The Patriots will also likely pursue more receiver help to find a true No. 1 option in the future.
New York Jets
Overreaction: Justin Fields will be benched by season's end
Justin Fields will miss Week 3 because of a concussion, but he will return to his role as the New York Jets' starting quarterback once he returns to health. Fields is one of the worst starters in the NFL, and the Jets could struggle to a poor record this season, but Fields won't ever be benched.
That is because Tyrod Taylor is the backup. Taylor is a career journeyman who is reliable as a backup, but the Jets have no need to see him take over the reins of the team's offense. Taylor is 36 years old and, therefore, not the future of the team. The Jets might as well continue using Fields until at least the end of this season. After all, he is one of the best rushing quarterbacks ever, and he has Ohio State familiarity with Garrett Wilson.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Overreaction: The Steelers lost the Minkah Fitzpatrick-Jalen Ramsey trade
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins swapped Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey in the offseason. It was a questionable decision for both teams. The Dolphins lacked cornerback depth but traded Ramsey nonetheless, and the Steelers added a player well past his prime.
It can be argued that neither team won the trade, but the Steelers definitely didn't lose it. Although Ramsey had a rough game in Week 2, he did have the game-winning stop in Week 1. Furthermore, Jonnu Smith was included in the deal, and he pairs with Pat Freiermuth to form arguably the best tight-end tandem in the league.
Tennessee Titans
Overreaction: Cam Ward will be an underwhelming first overall pick when it is all said and done.
There have been 58 first overall picks during the common draft era. Some of them became all-time NFL legends, such as Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Troy Aikman. Others ended up as massive busts, such as JaMarcus Russell, Ki-Jana Carter, and Tim Couch. Cam Ward wasn't viewed as one of the most highly touted No. 1 picks ever, but the Miami product was still expected to make a big impact right away after the Tennessee Titans took him first overall.
Ward only has 287 yards and one touchdown through two weeks, which has led to some prematurely questioning if he was the right choice atop the 2025 NFL Draft. It is way too early to give up on Ward. For starters, he has already shown flashes of stardom, but his receiving corps has let him down with drops.
He has also gone up against the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams, who are two of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Ward has shown rare poise for a youngster as well as an ability to overcome adversity. He didn't have much competition for the first overall pick this year, but he will eventually meet the expectations that come with such lofty draft status.
