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NFL Overreactions Week 2: Philly wins, Browning steps up for Bengals<\/p>\n
Sports Seriously’s Mackenzie Salmon overreacts to some of the best games from Sunday’s Week 2 slate.<\/p>\n
Sports Seriously<\/p>\n
Frenetic start. Frenetic finish. In between, a fairly boring Week 2 Monday night game eventually won by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>, who defeated the Houston Texans<\/a> 20-19.<\/p>\n A matchup of 2024 division winners wasn\u2019t nearly as exciting as their shootout from two years ago \u2013 both clubs finished in first place in 2023, too \u2013 won 39-37 by the Texans<\/a>. But Monday ended with a flurry, Bucs QB Baker Mayfield orchestrating an 11-play, 80-yard TD drive in the closing minutes that provided the final margin while snapping Tampa Bay\u2019s five-game losing streak to Houston.<\/p>\n While the 2-0 Buccaneers are headed in the right direction<\/a> to capture a fifth straight NFC South crown, the winless Texans find themselves in a significant early hole.<\/p>\n But winners and losers from Monday night\u2019s opener of a two-game act run deeper than that \u2026<\/p>\n WINNERSTodd Bowles<\/p>\n Four seasons, four consecutive 2-0 starts \u2212 all culminating in division crowns \u2212 for the Bucs’ unassuming head man.<\/p>\n Emeka Egbuka<\/p>\n After finding the end zone twice in his NFL debut a week ago, the Bucs\u2019 first-round wideout scored again Monday on a 15-yard catch-and-run hookup with Mayfield early in the second quarter. Better, Egbuka\u2019s drop on third-and-10 during the last possession didn\u2019t lead to a soul-crushing loss after Tampa Bay lost the lead with 2:10 to go.<\/p>\n Charlie Heck<\/p>\n The Bucs’ reserve tackle got away with a fairly blatant trip that sprung Egbuka for his TD. If you ain’t cheatin’ etc. etc.<\/p>\n Danielle Hunter<\/p>\n Now in his 11th NFL season, the Houston pass rusher’s sack of Mayfield gave him more than 100 for his career and made him only the seventh active player to reach that plateau.<\/p>\n Indianapolis Colts<\/p>\n Their stunning 2-0 start<\/a> looks even better in light of the Texans\u2019 rut.<\/p>\n Lavonte David<\/p>\n The veteran linebacker, who’s going to have solid Hall of Fame credential when he retires, became the first player in Tampa Bay history to start 200 games.<\/p>\n Native Texans<\/p>\n Mayfield and WR Mike Evans are among the Lone Star State sons playing for the Bucs who enjoyed a happy homecoming. Mayfield threw two more TD passes Monday, giving him 46 since the start of last season \u2013 more than any NFL player save Lamar Jackson (47). Mayfield’s 15-yard scramble on fourth-and-10 on Tampa Bay’s decisive drive effectively saved the game. Evans, who had dozens upon dozens of family and friends in attendance from nearby Galveston, caught five passes for a game-high 56 yards.<\/p>\n LOSERSHouston Texans<\/p>\n They\u2019re 0-2 and looking up at Indy. The offense managed only 266 yards and 12 first downs, while the defense couldn\u2019t keep the Bucs out of the end zone in the final two-plus minutes. Plenty to work on here \u2013 though it must be noted Houston was also 0-2 in 2023, the club\u2019s first season with coach DeMeco Ryans and QB C.J. Stroud.<\/p>\n Lavonte David<\/p>\n If the Bucs’ longtime defensive leader doesn’t turn into Mr. Butterfingers in the fourth quarter, Houston’s late-game surge might have never transpired.<\/p>\n Bucs’ injured list<\/p>\n Heck was in because starting RT Luke Goedeke, who recently signed a four-year extension, left the game in the first quarter with a foot injury. (LT Tristan Wirfs has yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery in July, though his return seems close.) Tampa Bay also lost DL Calijah Kancey in the first half to a pectoral injury. For a team that’s also still without WR Chris Godwin, the medical issues are piling up fast.<\/p>\n Tampa Bay special teams<\/p>\n