Yardbarker's NFL Week 2 game-by-game analysis, grades

CARDINALS (0-1-1): One popular misconception about the Air Raid offense is that it is pass-happy. Effective running is supposed to be a feature of the attack. It wasn’t for Arizona on Sunday, and it cost the Cardinals dearly. On three drives that resulted in field goals, Arizona ran a combined 10 offensive plays from inside Baltimore's 15-yard line. Two of those plays were runs, and eight were passes. Larry Fitzgerald and Charles Clay profile as the Cardinals' best red-zone receiving threats, but defenses will be able to take them away because of Arizona's lack of a running game. Had the Cardinals turned two of those field goals into touchdowns, they would have pulled off the road upset. The Cardinals’ offensive line is not a strength, but it must find a way to create space for David Johnson near the goal line. Kyler Murray’s legs may prove to be the key. GAME GRADE: C+ | NEXT: vs Panthers 

-- Chris Mueller

RAVENS (2-0): Most expected Baltimore to dominate, but the Cardinals were a surprisingly difficult out. QB Lamar Jackson is the real deal. His decision-making, both as a passer and when executing the read option (120 yards rushing), stood out. So did Jackson’s accuracy and overall throwing ability. He has already thrown for more touchdowns (seven) in 2019 than he did in his entire rookie season. Clearly, he is developing an on-the-field relationship with rookie Marquise Brown and second-year wideout Mark Andrews. They combined for 16 receptions and 198 receiving yards. Jackson’s amazing running talents were not needed Week 1 in Miami, but just in case anyone forgot, the second-year quarterback put on full display how dangerous he is in that capacity. Jackson is the engine of this offense,  and it's extremely difficult for defenses to get a bead on him. Get the feeling Week 3 against KC will have playoff implications down the road? GAME GRADE: B+ | NEXT: at Kansas City

-- Matt Williamson

COWBOYS (2-0): With contract negotiations an ongoing drama and an opposing cornerback eager to call Dak Prescott out, a lot weighed on the performance of the Cowboys QB. Facing a key division rival, Dak balled out, posting an .867 completion percentage, throwing for 269 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing for 69 yards. On a 42-yard scamper, he got a chance to stare down Josh Norman, who labeled Prescott as pedestrian during the week. After Prescott's phenomenal rookie season -- 13-3 record, 3,667 yards passing and 23 TD passes --  there was a stretch where it seemed like the learning curve was too steep for him, but he surely has proven otherwise. GAME GRADE: B | NEXT: vs. Miami

-- Mike Tunison

REDSKINS (0-2): Safety Montae Nicholson was a study in contrasts. He registered an interception early but then guessed wrong in coverage later in the first half. With Washington up 7-0 midway through the second quarter, Prescott hit Devin Smith for a 51-yard TD pass to tie the score. At first blush, it just seemed like Dak torched Josh Norman, but the corner had understandably been counting on safety help from Nicholson, who bit on the underneath coverage. It was the second week in a row such a mistake led to an opposing touchdown, as a similar Week 1 gaffe led to a TD by Philly's DeSean Jackson. Dallas ran away with the game from there, aided by more than a few careless penalties. GAME GRADE: D+ | NEXT: vs. Chicago (Mon. Sept. 23)

-- Mike Tunison

COLTS (1-1): Frank Reich said he had “zero concern” about Adam Vinatieri in the wake of two missed extra points. While the head coach was correct to say that the first miss was not Vinatieri's fault, on account of a bad snap and hold, passing off the second one as no big deal because it hit the upright is being too lenient. The Colts have so far weathered Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement and could easily be 2-0 instead of 1-1. Vinatieri cost them in Week 1 against the Chargers with a missed extra point and misses from 46 and 29 yards. The AFC South appears to be a muddled mess of teams, and the Colts may well have the best roster top to bottom. Vinatieri is arguably the best kicker in league history, but sticking with him for too long could be fatal to the Colts' playoff chances. GAME GRADE: B+ | NEXT: Vs. Atlanta

-- Chris Mueller

TITANS (1-1): After a resounding Week 1 win over Cleveland, Tennessee crashed back to earth. The offense was again the issue, particularly Marcus Mariota. Up four and with a chance to run clock and salt away a victory, the Titans went three and out, then three and out again after the Colts scored a go-ahead touchdown; Then the Titans were unable to maneuver far enough down field to attempt a winning field goal. Mariota averaged a paltry 5.5 yards per attempt, and the Titans had only one play over 20 yards. Mariota’s average yards per attempt for his career is 7.5. In games in which he finishes under that number, the Titans are now 13-22. Indianapolis’ defense is much better than Cleveland’s, but Mariota was drafted to be the kind of quarterback who produces regardless of the caliber of defense across from him. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Jacksonville (Thur.)

-- Chris Mueller

SEAHAWKS (2-0): Seattle stubbornly insisted on establishing the run against Cincinnati in Week 1, perhaps to its detriment. That lack of success (25 carries, 72 yards) did not dissuade it in Pittsburgh, as the Seahawks kept at it and found much greater success. Seattle ran for 152 yards on 33 carries, 122 on 25 carries from Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson. Penny’s 37-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was a major turning point in the game. Perhaps the most effective and important runner, however, was Russell Wilson, as he had multiple key scrambles on Seattle’s clock-killing drive. Also significant: Carson, after an earlier fumble that set up a Steelers score, got the call on the game’s most crucial play, a fourth-and-one that he converted via second effort to seal the win. GAME GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. New Orleans

-- Chris  Mueller

STEELERS (0-2): Big news I: Ben Roethlisberger left at halftime with a right elbow injury. Big news II: His replacement, Mason Rudolph, was OK. The Steelers' offense had a tough go of it with Roethlisberger running the show. When Rudolph took over, that changed. In fact, he should have moved the chains on a pass to Donte Moncrief, who had a horrible drop that resulted in a Seattle interception. But Rudolph came back strong and showed great poise leading a Pittsburgh touchdown drive with his next opportunity. A few things really stand out with Rudolph for such an inexperienced passer. He plays on time. The ball comes out when it should. He also rarely gets rattled in the pocket and subtly buys time while keeping focus downfield. This is rare for a young, inexperienced QB. Lastly, while Rudolph doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, he throws a catchable ball with accurate placement. This one didn’t go Pittsburgh’s way, but Rudolph showed promise. GAME GRADE: C- | NEXT: at San Francisco

-- Matt Williamson

BILLS (2-0): Facing a Giants team already down its top two wide receivers, the Bills made Eli Manning’s Sunday tougher with a batted-ball barrage. Buffalo defenders knocked down six Manning passes at the line of scrimmage, this vision-disrupting montage coming a week after their front seven swatted away five Sam Darnold tosses at MetLife Stadium. The most pivotal sequence stalled a Giants second-quarter drive that neared the red zone. First-round pick Ed Oliver knocked down Manning’s pass, and an unusual carom routed the ball into Trent Murphy’s hands – giving Murphy a takeaway in three straight games. The Bills did not cede their two-score lead the rest of the way. Bills defensive tackle Harrison Phillips posted two bat-downs, with Murphy, Lorenzo Alexander and Tremaine Edmunds adding one apiece. Manning completed 26 of 45 passes. The work from Buffalo’s front seven may complicate Pat Shurmur’s decision on his team’s future at quarterback. GAME GRADE: A- | NEXT: vs. Cincinnati

-- Sam Robinson

GIANTS (0-2): Saquon Barkley remains a force in the Giants' offense. He rushed for 107 yards and scored a touchdown, but otherwise there weren’t many positives in Big Blue’s unsurprising descent to 0-2. The defense allowed touchdowns on three consecutive drives in the first half. "I don't think that's a conversation for right now," Giants coach Pat Shurmur said when asked by a reporter when he would consider playing first-round pick Daniel Jones. In reality, the Giants are set up for a transition to the rookie QB. It’s a matter of weeks until Manning finds the bench in a symbolic transition. It likely won’t be this week, even if Week 2 was a poor, flat performance, but it’s coming. Eli , who was OK in the Week 1 loss to Dallas, is basically treading water. GAME GRADE: D | NEXT: at Tampa Bay

-- Mike Tunison

49ERS (2-0): It would be easy to point to San Francisco’s offensive outburst (572 yards, its highest total in seven years) as the most impressive part of its demolition of the Bengals. But in an NFC West that features Seattle’s run-heavy attack, plus Todd Gurley and the Rams’ stable of running backs, the Niners’ stifling of Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard may have been more impressive and relevant. San Francisco dominated the line of scrimmage, limiting the Bengals to 25 yards on 19 carries, and sacking Andy Dalton four times. Ronald Blair III was a force, finishing with a sack and three tackles for loss. To be sure, San Francisco will need Jimmy Garoppolo to play at a high level to have a good chance at the playoffs, but more defensive efforts such as this one will give them a greater margin for error. GAME GRADE: A+ | NEXT: vs. Pittsburgh

-- Chris Mueller

BENGALS (0-2): The Bengals, an utter disaster on defense, had no answer for San Francisco’s offense. But let's focus on a positive. In fact, it might be the only positive from this defeat. Cincinnati really has something in receiver Tyler Boyd (10 catches for 122 yards) and John Ross (four for 112). These two couldn’t be any more different, but they are adeptly used all over the formation. It isn’t uncommon to see Ross lined up in the slot and sent deep. Boyd is as reliable as can be and has toughness and contested catch skills. Ross is the opposite. He has developed a more well-rounded game, but his trump card remains his heart-stopping speed and big-play ability. They complement each other well. Give new coach Zac Taylor a ton of credit for maximizing these two while A.J. Green is sidelined with an injury. GAME GRADE: D | NEXT: at Buffalo

-- Matt Williamson

CHARGERS (1-1): Two missed field goals by the Chargers’ punter, a goal-line fumble from Austin Ekeler and Philip Rivers’ late interception into double coverage helped do in the Chargers in Detroit. The Bolts outgained the Lions by nearly 100 yards and scored two touchdowns on the third-quarter drive that ended in Ekeler’s fumble – but penalties nullified both. A questionable Dontrelle Inman holding penalty erased a 60-yard Justin Jackson touchdown, and right tackle Sam Tevi was whistled for a block in the back to scrap a 22-yard Ekeler TD grab. This drive ended up producing no points, which was pretty much the theme for this hard-luck Chargers loss. Reinforcements do not appear to be en route. The Bolts will be without their optimal skill-position array for the foreseeable future, with Hunter Henry again dealing with knee problems and Melvin Gordon holding out. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Houston

-- Sam Robinson

LIONS (1-0-1): Have the Lions finally committed to Kerryon Johnson? Ty Johnson carried the ball five times and C.J. Anderson had five rushes for just eight yards in the defensive-oriented slugfest in Detroit. But Johnson’s showing (88 combined yards on 14 touches) is exactly what the Lions need from this young man. For the offense to work at optimal capacity, it should go through him. That strategy allows the Lions to cover some of their weaknesses. The Lions' special teams hurt them, plus they have holes on defense. And, yes, they benefited from several Chargers penalties. But Detroit has a handful of strong skill players. GAME GRADE: Grade: B-minus | NEXT: at Philadelphia

-- Matt Williamson

VIKINGS (1-1): The big headline: Kirk Cousins (14-for-32, 230 yards) was awful; this certainly was one of his worst games as a Viking. As he has shown throughout his career, he can't win a game by himself. He needs a steady running game, a strong defense and a favorable game script. It also didn’t help that the Vikings committed too many unforced errors and were victimized by several questionable calls. Minnesota’s quarterback cannot overcome such obstacles. The offense generated several big plays, including a 75-yard touchdown run by super-quick running back Dalvin Cook, but it lacked the rhythm and consistency it showed in Week 1.  GAME GRADE: Grade: C | NEXT: vs. Oakland

-- Matt Williamson

PACKERS (2-0): Aaron Rodgers came out on fire in Green Bay’s home opener, taking a 21-0 lead. The Packers protected him well, ran the ball effectively, and the play-calling kept Minnesota’s defense off balance in the first half. Having an early 21-0 lead helped, of course, but it was neat to see the offense go through Aaron Jones (23 carries, 116 yards), taking pressure off its Hall of Fame quarterback, who cooled off as the game went on. It's clear Jones is the most talented and versatile running back in Green Bay’s arsenal. In addition to carrying the rushing load, he was quite useful as a receiver (four catches for 34 yards) in short zones. That's great news for the Packers, who will get more comfortable in first-year coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. GAME GRADE: B+ | NEXT: vs. Denver

-- Matt Williamson

JAGUARS (0-2): Doug Marrone and corner Jalen Ramsey got into an argument on the sideline, but the head coach may have won points with his team by going for two points and a likely win after the Jaguars drove for a late touchdown. It was a smart, bold move even though it didn’t pay off. Jacksonville managed only 281 yards of offense, 129 on its final two drives of the game -- rookie QB Gardner Minshew II was clearly playing his best at that point. Had the game gone to overtime, the Texans would have had the advantage, and it is conceivable that the Jaguars would have had to score twice to win. In that context, betting on the offense to get two yards was the gutsier and better strategy. GAME GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. Tennessee (Thur.)

-- Chris Mueller

TEXANS (1-1): One week after looking impressive in a loss at New Orleans, the Texans were anything but in the win. The most troubling trend was a familiar one: an inability to keep Deshaun Watson from getting hit. Watson was sacked four times, the eighth straight regular-season game he has taken at least four sacks. Only Blake Bortles and Jeff George have been sacked at least four times in eight straight games since the stat became official in 1982. Watson has only had one professional start in which he was not sacked. The short-term effect of those hits is to stifle Houston’s offense. In the long term, it might shorten Watson’s career. Head coach Bill O’Brien must figure a way to get the ball out of Watson’s hands quickly without neutering the team’s playmakers, specifically DeAndre Hopkins. GAME  GRADE: C+ | NEXT: at Los Angeles Chargers

-- Chris Mueller

PATRIOTS (2-0): The Patriots keep their Super Bowl window open annually by employing some of the greatest bend-but-don’t-break defenses in NFL history. They have deployed a top-10 scoring defense in 15 of the past 18 seasons, affording Tom Brady a margin for error unparalleled in the modern era. This year’s defense has a chance to bend less, thus raising the floor for the NFL’s highest-floor team. The Pats have allowed three points through two games – the first team to do that in 38 years. They have yielded one only red zone appearance this season, and the Dolphins did not cross the Pats’ 35-yard line. Stephon Gilmore and Jamie Collins notched their first career pick-6s, and six different players registered a sack. New England ranked 21st in yards allowed last season and won Super Bowl LIII. This group reaching its scary potential enhances the Pats’ capabilities. GAME GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. New York Jets

-- Sam Robinson

DOLPHINS (0-2): Exiting Week 2, Miami looks set to field one of the worst teams in NFL history. The lack of talent on this roster is striking. A simple stat to illustrate the state of the 2019 Dolphins: the 102 points they have given up through two games are 31 more than what they have allowed through their first two games any other season in the franchise’s previous 53 years. After the Ravens lit up the Dolphins’ in Week 1, Miami’s offense took its turn for a beatdown. It mustered 38 yards through three quarters. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished with two pick-6s. The Patriots sacked him and Josh Rosen seven times. This undercut a reasonably effective defensive showing against Antonio Brown’s new team. The winless 2017 Browns through two games were outscored 45-28; the 2008 Lions gave up 82 points and scored 46 to start their winless season. Concerns about the Dolphins’ over-tanking are now legitimate. GAME GRADE: Grade: D-minus | NEXT: at Dallas

-- Sam Robinson

CHIEFS (2-0):  Patrick Mahomes’ virtuoso 2018 season came with 16 Tyreek Hill starts, making Sunday his first relevant action without the NFL’s premier deep threat. The Chiefs prodigy made this matter little in a 443-yard outing. Kansas City’s Nos. 3-4 wide receivers – Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson – combined for 10 receptions, 233 yards and three touchdowns, each score coming in Mahomes’ nuclear second quarter. The reigning MVP threw for the second-most yards in one quarter (278 in the second) in the past 40 years. Robinson’s outburst, which included a 39-yard TD catch despite blanket coverage from Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley, was particularly impressive. The 2016 fourth-round pick/career reserve posted a Week 2-leading 172 yards; he entered Week 2 with 500 in his career. The Chiefs likely drafted Hardman in Round 2 as Hill insurance this year; they will now have the option of deploying both speedsters once their No. 1 receiver returns later this season. GAME GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Baltimore

-- Sam Robinson

RAIDERS (1-1):  Managing the rare feat of holding an NFL team to 31 rushing yards and losing by three scores, the Raiders could not climb back in the game despite shutting out the Chiefs in the second half. A defense Gardner Minshew II shredded in Week 1 stonewalled the Raiders after their 10-0 first quarter. Derek Carr took three sacks and threw two interceptions in the NFL’s presumptive final game played on a baseball field. The Chiefs scored four second-quarter touchdowns, and the Raiders followed up their two scoring drives with 32 yards on their ensuing four possessions. And their first two third-quarter marches ended in INTs. Carr finished 23 of 38 for 192 yards. Having these issues occur while assembling a passing attack perhaps should not be unexpected. Jon Gruden’s latest Oakland offense was built to funnel around Antonio Brown. His ugly exit stands to leave this offense battling uphill often. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Minnesota

SAINTS (1-1): Drew Brees was sidelined with a hand injury early, and the offense unsurprisingly stalled with Teddy Bridgewater (17-for-30, 165 yards) in sudden relief. It didn't help that the Saints were victims of another key officiating error, when a fumble by Jared Goff that would have been returned for a touchdown was whistled dead instead of being allowed to play out. Ultimately, when you lose by 18, it's hard to cry too hard about one call. It's clear New Orleans will need Brees -- who has missed only one start since high school -- to be OK if they hope to be a factor in the NFC. Otherwise, the Saints can get all the favorable calls they want, and it may not mean much. They would need the defense to be airtight, and seeing how Cooper Kupp strolled through their defense for 66 yards to set up a key score in the second half, that's unlikely to be the case. GAME GRADE: C-minus | At Seattle

-- Mike Tunison

RAMS (2-0): L.A. once again benefited from a controversial call that left Saints fans furious, as Jared Goff’s second-quarter fumble was initially ruled an incomplete pass, resulting in the play being blown dead. New Orleans still got the ball after a review, but Cameron Jordan’s touchdown return was nullified, and the Saints saw seven points disappear. Beyond that, balance was again the name of the game for Los Angeles, as Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown combined for 100 yards on 22 carries. Six receivers caught at least two passes from Goff, and the Rams, after not scoring a touchdown in the first half, wore down a Saints defense that tried in vain to stem the tide in the final 30 minutes. Los Angeles must continue to carefully monitor Gurley’s workload, as the NFC West, with three of its four teams now 2-0, is shaping up to be arguably the NFL’s best division. GAME GRADE: B+ | NEXT: at Cleveland

-- Chris Mueller

BEARS (1-1): Predictably, offense was really hard to come by -- the Bears didn’t score their first touchdown of the season until their seventh quarter of play. Both defenses merit kudos, but man was there some ugly quarterback play in this one. Chicago's Mitch Trubisky, awful in Week 1, is a mess. His inaccuracy and footwork issues were on full display, as was his lousy feel in the pocket and inability to play on time and in rhythm. How much longer can Chicago’s defense bail him out? Khalil Mack was a terror, especially to Garett Bolles, who racked up holding penalties at a startling rate. In the fourth quarter, Chicago’s defense, including Mack, began to tire in the thin Denver air. This also was predictable and exactly the set of circumstances the Broncos needed to steal this game. But just as the Broncos were pounding on the door to tie the score, the Bears' defense snatched its first turnover of the season, an interception by Kendall Fuller on the goal line. And believe it or not, Chicago was bailed out by its kicker, who booted the winning FG! GAME GRADE: C | NEXT: at Washington (Mon., Sept. 23)

-- Matt Williamson

BRONCOS (0-2):  Both the Broncos and Bears saw questionable roughing-the-passer calls damage their respective efforts, but the final-minute whistle on Bradley Chubb proved far costlier. Chubb’s hit on Mitch Trubisky looked like standard contact, and the extra 15 yards helped the Bears turn a desperation drive into a winning field goal. But Trubisky, who entered the final drive with 90 passing yards, enjoyed a well-defined pocket on a fourth-and-15 completion to Allen Robinson to set up Eddy Pineiro’s 53-yard try. The Broncos have featured menacing pass rushes throughout Von Miller’s career, and this year’s version was expected to improve under Vic Fangio. Through two games, the Broncos have no sacks and two QB hits (both from Chubb on Sunday). Miller was ineffective again, helping Denver squander a smothering coverage effort and an improved Joe Flacco outing. If the Broncos cannot rely on their pass rush, their routes to victory will be dicey. GAME GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Green Bay

-- Sam Robinson

EAGLES (1-1): What’s so staggering about the Falcons' offense being held in check much of the game in Atlanta is how awful cornerback Ronald Darby played most of the game. Early in the third quarter, NBC showed a graphic indicating that Darby had been thrown at 12 times, giving up eight catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns. That’s bad for an entire game, let alone little more than a half. Darby did get the last laugh, even if it wasn’t all his doing, as he recorded an interception later in the game to set up a touchdown that got the Eagles back into the game. It wasn’t due to great coverage, -- the pass rush forced Matt Ryan into an underthrow. It’s a big testament to that pass rush that Ryan threw three INTs in the game considering how bad the coverage was at times. GRADE: C+ | NEXT: vs. Detroit

-- Mike Tunison

FALCONS (1-1): It’s surprising the Eagles recorded only one sack because Jim Schwartz’s unit was so aggressive and swarming all night. It may not have brought Ryan down in the backfield, but the pressure certainly got to him, forcing him to throw just errantly enough to miss big plays, if not result in interceptions. But the Falcons' line deserves credit that it wasn’t a truly disastrous night in the face of the rush. On a critical fourth down, Atlanta used the Eagles' aggressive tendencies against them, going with a receiver screen to Julio Jones, who went 54 yards for the deciding score. On that play, Jake Matthews thundered downfield to issue a devastating block on a DB to spring Jones. Quite impressive, although we should take a moment to feel for the little defensive back who had to absorb a pancake from a lineman. GAME GRADE: B- | NEXT: at Indianapolis

-- Mike Tunison

BROWNS (0-1): The Browns must play with more discipline -- they were penalized 18 times in the Week 1 loss to Tennessee. Cleveland’s other huge problem, pass protection, is unlikely to be heavily exposed. The Jets lack premier edge rushers, and their early first-round pick, Quinnen Williams (ankle), isn’t playing in this matchup. CJ Mosley (groin) is also out, and the Jets are weak at cornerback. WR Odell Beckham Jr. should explode as he returns to the Big Apple. It is even worse on the other side of the ball for the Jets, as QB Trevor Siemian will fill in for Sam Darnold (mono), and New York’s offensive line could be in a for a really long night trying to block Cleveland's defensive line. This sets up as a great rebound performance for the Browns. NEXT: vs. LA Rams

-- Matt Williamson

JETS (0-1): The Jets, who blew at 16-0 lead against Buffalo in Week 1, are staring down an 0-2 start. A 6.5-point home underdog against a more talented Cleveland team, New York turns to Trevor Siemian in place of Sam Darnold. Siemian has not played in a regular-season game since December of 2017, but the 2015 seventh-round pick is 13-11 as a starter. He started under three offensive coordinators with the Broncos from 2016-17, becoming a trivia question as Denver’s immediate post-Peyton Manning QB1. Siemian threw 18 touchdown passes in 2016 and won eight games leading a flawed Denver offense. The Jets reportedly sought the Northwestern product via trade in both 2017 (when the Broncos were briefly connected to Tony Romo) and 2018 before landing him this year. While Siemian was since-fired GM Mike Maccagnan’s choice, the new-look Jets front office will depend on him to steer Gang Green away from a potentially lost season. NEXT: at New England.

-- Sam Robinson

BUCS (1-1): Early in the Thursday night contest in Carolina, NFL Network displayed a rather unflattering graphic about Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, showing that since 2015 he is tops in the NFL with 79 turnovers and 61 interceptions, and is tied for the lead with 18 fumbles lost. Though Winston didn’t set the world on fire against Carolina, Winston ended up with a clean performance, throwing no picks and not once putting the ball on the ground. An impressive 41-yard strike to Mike Evans set up a 20-yard dart to Chris Godwin for the Bucs first touchdown, giving them the lead going into halftime. Winston’s efficient outing stood in stark contrast to Cam Newton, who was wildly inaccurate. GAME GRADE: C+ | NEXT: vs. New York Giants

-- Mike Tunison

PANTHERS (0-2): After a nine-year stay in Tampa in which he was the cornerstone of the defense, Gerald McCoy got to face off against his former teammates. The six-time Pro Bowler downplayed the significance in the lead-up to the game after being cut by Tampa this offseason and signing with a division rival, but that didn’t stop it from being one of the key storylines going in. Ultimately, that was probably for the best as McCoy’s performance in the loss was a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, he had a nice tackle for loss in the first half. In the second half, however, he was baited by Bucs center Ryan Jensen into committing a personal foul, which prolonged a Tampa drive that ended into a touchdown, giving the Bucs a lead they never surrendered. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Arizona

-- Mike Tunison