Two weeks into the season, three teams have separated from the pack by winning every game they have played. The Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings are all 2-0. Each unbeaten start carries a different story about who is actually doing the heavy lifting.
Records only tell part of it. The quarterbacks pushing these teams forward are Drew Lock in Seattle, Josh Allen in Buffalo and Carson Wentz in Minnesota. Each is proving something different about himself and the roster around him through two games.
1. Seattle Seahawks: Drew Lock Answers the Call
Seahawks starter Sam Darnold suffered a soft tissue injury to his glute in Week 1 against New England. He was sacked on just the third snap of the game. Coach Mike Macdonald said he does not anticipate placing Darnold on injured reserve. The team has not set a firm timetable for his return.
That left Drew Lock, who has started games for four different organizations, to lead Seattle on the road in Arizona for Week 2. Lock delivered. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns. One long connection went to receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seattle beat the Cardinals 31-7.
Seattle is now 2-0 without its starting quarterback for a full game. That is a real sign of what Macdonald has built. The receiving corps and a defense that has not let a big lead slip can absorb an injury at the sport’s most important position.
2. Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen Doing Everything at Once
Josh Allen has accounted for nine total touchdowns through two games, five through the air and four on the ground. He has not thrown a single interception.
He opened the season with 334 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Houston. He followed that with 248 passing yards, 69 rushing yards and three more touchdowns against Detroit.
Buffalo is 2-0, and Allen’s combination of volume and ball security has put him near the front of early MVP conversations. What separates his start from a typical hot streak is the turnover column. Zero interceptions against that heavy a workload is difficult to sustain, and Allen has done it twice in a row.
3. Minnesota Vikings: A Defense That Refuses to Bend
Minnesota is 2-0 despite not having its starting quarterback on the field for Week 2. Kyler Murray was in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Carson Wentz started in his place.
Wentz completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns in Minnesota’s Week 1 comeback win over Green Bay. He then helped the offense do enough to hold off Chicago in Week 2.
The bigger story has been the defense. Coordinator Brian Flores blitzed on more than 81 percent of Chicago’s dropbacks. Minnesota won 9-3 while forcing two turnovers. Byron Murphy had an interception, and running back D’Andre Swift lost a fumble.
Chicago’s offense had scored 59 points the week before that game. A three point output against Flores’ pressure package stood out, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Minnesota has allowed just a handful of points across its last two games. That kind of defensive standard buys patience for Wentz. It also buys patience for whoever ends up under center once Murray clears the concussion protocol.
| Team | Record | Quarterback Story | Defining Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-0 | Drew Lock filling in for injured Sam Darnold | 235 passing yards, 3 TD in Week 2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-0 | Josh Allen producing through the air and on the ground | 9 total touchdowns, 0 interceptions |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-0 | Carson Wentz starting with Kyler Murray in concussion protocol | 81 percent blitz rate held Bears to 3 points |
Three different paths have produced the same result. Seattle is leaning on a backup quarterback’s poise. Buffalo is riding the most complete two game stretch of Josh Allen’s career.
Minnesota is proving a defense can carry a team while its quarterback situation sorts itself out. Two weeks will not decide a season. Each of these three teams has given a clear reason to believe the good start is not an accident.
