NFL Week 2 Overreactions: Will Bengals' Zac Taylor survive the 2024 season? Is Seahawks' Geno Smith the best quarterback?

What a wild week the NFL had in Week 2. There were 10 games decided by a single point (eight points or less) – including four where the deciding point came in the final minute of regulation or overtime. Four teams started the season 2-0 after missing the playoffs the previous season, highlighting the balance of the league.

Thanks to an unpredictable second week, there's a lot of overreaction. Which overreactions after Sunday afternoon's games deserve an overreaction? Which overreactions are actually reality?

Zac Taylor will not last the season as head coach of the Bengals

Overreaction or reality: reality

Another 0-2 start for the Bengals, something that has become the norm under Taylor. The Bengals lost seven straight games in Weeks 1 and 2, but have somehow overcome the slow starts and finished with a win each of the last two seasons. Taylor and the Bengals have been playing with fire, and at some point they're going to get their fingers burned.

If Cincinnati misses the playoffs this season, will Taylor survive? After reaching the AFC Championship game in 2021 and 2022, missing the playoffs in back-to-back years would be a massive setback for the franchise. Burrow had a relatively healthy training camp and is healthy enough to impact games. The mistakes the Bengals are making are too costly to survive in a crowded AFC North and a tough AFC.

Taylor may not be around much longer if the Bengals don't turn things around this year.

Rams finish last in NFC West

Overreaction or reality: reality

That wasn't on the bingo card for the NFL season. After two weeks, the Rams are the worst team in the division – and completely banged up, too. Puka Nacua will be out for several weeks and Cooper Kupp was seen wearing a walking boot after the devastating loss to the Cardinals.

In addition to Matthew Stafford's two top playmakers being out, the Rams have injured offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom (both on the injured list). This comes a week after Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson were the only offensive linemen to finish the game. Tight end Tyler Higbee is also still on the PUP list, recovering from a torn ACL.

These early season injuries are too much for the Rams to handle, and the Cardinals and Seahawks have shown significant improvement over last year. Someone has to take last place in this division.

Ravens miss the playoffs

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

The Ravens are off to their first 0-2 start since 2015, uncharted territory under John Harbaugh. In previous 0-2 starts in franchise history, the Ravens have failed to win or make the playoffs. With this slow start, is there any reason to panic, especially after a bad loss to the Raiders?

Baltimore has the fourth-best yard differential (+222) by an 0-2 team in the Super Bowl era, a good sign that the Ravens are moving the ball. They also blew another 7+ point fourth quarter lead, their 10th in the last four seasons. Baltimore has overcome these losses before against inferior opponents. The two losses are by a combined 10 points.

The Ravens have a tough task ahead of them with the Cowboys, Bills and Bengals, but after that the schedule gets a lot easier. Harbaugh and Jackson deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Geno Smith is the best quarterback in the NFL

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Patrick Mahomes exists, but that's not a knock on Smith. Rather, it's a tribute to Smith and his ability to get the Seahawks back in the game. Last season, he threw seven touchdown passes to give the Seahawks a fourth-quarter/overtime lead and picked up where he left off in Sunday's win over the Patriots.

Smith led the Seahawks to a game-tying field goal drive in the final minute of regulation and the game-winning drive in overtime. Smith was 11 of 14 passing for 103 yards (97.0 rating) in the fourth quarter/overtime and has thrown 10 touchdown passes and just one interception in the fourth quarter/overtime since the start of last season (105.1 rating is second best in the NFL).

Smith deserves his flowers for his good play in the final stages of games, but that title still belongs to Mahomes.

Saints have the best offense in the NFC

Overreaction or reality: reality

It's easy to dismiss the fact that they scored 47 points against the worst team in the NFL. The Saints went on offense two weeks in a row, scoring touchdowns on their first six possessions, giving them 44 points against the Cowboys. The offense did slow down as the game got out of hand, but the first offense started the season by scoring a point on each of its first 15 possessions.

The Saints have scored on 16 of their 20 possessions (not counting late game). They have averaged 32.5 points per game in the first half and 45.5 points per game overall for the year. New Orleans has scored 91 points this season, which is the fourth-most in NFL history after two games, and is the fifth team in NFL history to score 44 or more points in three consecutive games (since last year).

Not only is Derek Carr playing well, the Saints also have playmakers like Alvin Kamara, Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave at the skill positions. They have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak calling the plays.

Until proven otherwise, this offense is the best in the NFC.

Trevor Lawrence is not a franchise quarterback

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

This is a fair statement after Lawrence struggled again in another loss for the Jaguars. Lawrence has lost seven straight starts, which is the second longest active streak in the NFL (Sam Howell has eight), as the Jaguars have lost 7 of their last 8 games since last season. The only win came in Week 17 of last season against the Panthers (who won 2 of their last 19 games) and Lawrence missed the game.

In Lawrence's last seven starts, the Jaguars are 0-7, while their starting quarterback has completed just 60% of his passes, thrown 16 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions, and averaged 6.7 yards per attempt. Those aren't encouraging numbers for a quarterback who was given just $55 million per year by a team in the offseason.

Lawrence completed just 14 of 30 passes for 220 yards in the Week 2 loss to the Browns, while the Jaguars scored just 13 points. Jacksonville has scored more than 20 points once in its last six games, numbers that franchise quarterbacks should be able to get a handle on.

If Lawrence doesn't improve this season or the Jaguars continue to lose games, this discussion will only escalate. It's too early to say anything about Lawrence being a franchise quarterback, so let's see if he can play his way out of it.

Marvin Harrison Jr. will reach 1,000 yards in his rookie year

Overreaction or reality: reality

After a catch in Week 1, Harrison showed why he was the best player in the 2024 draft. Harrison finished the Cardinals' blowout victory over the Rams with four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. He scored a 23-yard touchdown and a 60-yard touchdown in a 2:16 stretch early in the first quarter, showing how he can change a game in an instant. He made all of his 130 yards in the opening quarter.

After his stellar performance, Harrison is on pace to rush for 1,139 yards this season – challenging Anquan Boldin's rookie franchise record of 1,377 yards. 1,000 yards is certainly possible, but it remains to be seen if Harrison will challenge Boldin.

Regardless, Harrison has already shown how good he is in his NFL career.