NFL Week 2 Results 2017: 5 Takeaways From Sunday's Schedule

The second NFL Sunday of the 2017 season was much different than the first one. There were barely any upsets as just three of the 14 underdogs won outright and road teams went 4-13.

What did we learn from all of Sunday’s games? Here are five takeaways from Week 2:

Atlanta remains the team to beat in the NFC

Any questions about the Falcons having a Super Bowl hangover might’ve been answered in the season’s first two games. Aside from constantly saying that they are over blowing a 28-3 lead to New England last February, Atlanta is proving it on the field. The Falcons avoided potential meltdowns in Week 1 and Week 2, starting the year with a perfect record makes them the Super Bowl favorites in the conference.

Winning in Chicago wasn’t overly impressive, but Atlanta took care of business in the season opener. Their 34-23 victory against Green Bay Sunday night was further evidence that no one in the NFC can match the Falcons offensively when they are at their best. Matt Ryan has picked up where he left off after winning the MVP award, while Julio Jones is a nightmare for opposing secondaries. The Falcons are able to protect their quarterback better than almost anyone during a time in which so many teams have offensive line issues.

Atlanta clearly ranks ahead of Green Bay with three wins over the Packers in the last year, and the Cowboys and Seahawks have some holes following 1-1 starts. The Falcons won’t have an easy time navigating the NFC South, though the 2-0 Buccaneers and Panthers have a long way to go before showing they can contend for a title.

We're 2-0.

No more hangover questions, okay? pic.twitter.com/ATnstSjAo7

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 18, 2017

The Chargers and Saints are in big trouble

It’s getting late early for both Los Angeles and New Orleans. Staring up at three undefeated teams from the basement of their respective divisions, the Chargers and Saints could lock up fourth place within just a couple of weeks. Losing winnable games in the early going will be a problem, especially considering the AFC West and NFC South are the two best divisions in football.

L.A. seemingly has made correctable mistakes, missing field goals in consecutive weeks that would’ve given them a win or sent them into overtime. Maybe that’d be the case if the Chargers haven't been finding new ways to throw away games over the last few years. The Saints look to be the same team that’s gone 7-9 in three straight seasons, unable to stop anyone with probably the NFL’s worst defense.

Most of the 0-2 teams started the year with no expectations. No one thought the Jets, Browns, Bears and 49ers would compete for a playoff berth, and it became evident that the Colts would have a long year when it was announced that Andrew Luck would miss several weeks. L.A. and New Orleans seemingly have the talent to make a postseason push, though one doesn’t appear to be coming for either team.

The AFC West Has 3 Super Bowl Contenders

The Chargers might not be any good, but the rest of the division is terrific. The Chiefs, Raiders and Broncos don’t simply have a chance to make the postseason—all three could pose a legitimate threat to the Patriots.

Denver’s been the biggest surprise of them all after missing the playoffs a year ago. The dominant defense that led the Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50 hasn’t taken much of a step back, but their offense seems to be much improved in 2017. With the No.6 passer rating through two games, Trevor Siemian is looking like much more than just a game-manager. Denver’s 25-point win over the Cowboys was a clear sign that they can make a deep playoff run with even slightly above-average play at the quarterback position.

A healthy Oakland team might have been the biggest threat to New England in 2016, and they look even better with Derek Carr back and the addition of Marshawn Lynch in 2017. The Raiders’ victory in Tennessee is one of the best wins of the young season, and they blew out the Jets the way a championship team should.

With wins in New England and at home against Philadelphia, Kansas City has a claim to sit atop any NFL power rankings after Week 2. Alex Smith looks like a different quarterback now that he has weapons like Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Don’t be surprised if Hunt is this year’s version of Ezekiel Elliott and leads the NFL in rushing.

The clock is ticking for Mike Glennon

The Chiefs won’t be benching Smith for Patrick Mahomes anytime soon. It took only two quarters for the Texans to replace Tom Savage with Deshaun Watson. How much longer before the Bears start the quarterback they drafted in the first-round?

Mitchell Trubisky made a case to be named Chicago’s No.1 starter with his play in the preseason. Glennon was good enough to keep the job that was given to him before the draft. He was far from good enough in the team’s 29-7 loss to Tampa Bay.

Glennon was decent in Week 1, and he might’ve led a game-winning drive against the Falcons if it wasn’t for a few dropped passes. But the reality is the Bears are 0-2 and going nowhere this season. Chicago won’t give up on 2017 just yet, but there would be little reason to let their quarterback of the future sit on the bench after a few more consecutive losses. Facing the Steelers and Packers in the next two weeks, head coach John Fox could have a decision to make at 0-4.

Week 1 was an aberration for the Jaguars and Rams

How good are the Jaguars and Rams? The question had to be asked after Jacksonville and L.A. had the two biggest margins of victory in Week 1. Both are probably improved after dismal 2016 campaigns, but Week 2 indicated that they’ve still got a long way to go.

Following a 29-7 win in Houston, Jacksonville was barely competitive against the Titans in their home opener. Blake Bortles is still among the NFL’s worst starting quarterbacks, and the Jaguars’ defense struggled when taking on a competent offense. The talent they have upfront on both sides of the ball could help Jacksonville be more competitive in 2017, but they won’t be a real threat in the AFC South until they find a reliable signal caller.

It’s hard to get a read on the Rams. They obviously weren’t as good as they looked in their 46-9 season-opening win over the Colts, though there are reasons to believe they could flirt with a .500 record. Jared Goff is much improved with more weapons at his disposal as he plays behind a better offensive line. The NFC West is no longer top heavy since the Seahawks and Cardinals both have major issues on offense. Still, a loss at home to the Redskins is far from a sign that L.A. can actually contend in the division.