NFL Schedule & Predictions 2015: 5 Teams Who Must Win Week 2 Games
The first week of the 2015 NFL season is complete, and "overreaction Tuesday" knows no boundaries. Numerous teams had terrible defeats in Week 1 with crushing losses in the final minutes. Others just got blown off the field, and they need to rebound this upcoming week. A few teams even won their first game, but still have to rise up this week.
Here are five teams who have to win in Week 2
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Despite being the favored team on Monday Night Football, the Philadelphia Eagles laid an egg against the Atlanta Falcons. Chip Kelly coached one of his worst games as an NFL head coach, and DeMarco Murray got just eight carries the entire game. The Eagles will take on the Dallas Cowboys next week at home. That is a huge must win game for them, especially considering Dez Bryant won't be playing. If Sam Bradford and the Eagles drop to 0-2 while the Cowboys improve to 2-0, the NFC East may be over quicker than we thought. Back to back conference losses isn't how you want to start a season.
The Eagles play the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. EDT.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs did win their opening game. Yes, they are in first place with a 1-0 record. But, there are no more excuses for the Chiefs in the AFC West; they have to beat the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Since Manning arrived in the division, the Broncos are a perfect 6-0 against the Chiefs. The Broncos didn't look very impressive in Week 1, but they still escaped with a win over the Baltimore Ravens. Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and Jeremy Maclin need to put up points early with Justin Houston and Tamba Hali causing chaos to the Broncos front five. Don't be surprised if Arrowhead Stadium retakes new noise record back from the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chiefs play the Broncos on Thursday at 8:25 p.m. EDT.
3. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts got absolutely embarrassed against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Despite adding Frank Gore to the roster, many questions still remain in regards to the ground game. The harsh reality is that the Colts just aren't a very good team when they play outside the soft AFC South. The Colts will take on the 1-0 New York Jets, and Antonio Cromartie may not play. Even at 0-2 the Colts could still win the AFC South, but the odds of them getting home-field advantage with back to back losses is very slim. This game will be played at home for the Colts on Monday Night Football in front of everyone.
The Colts play the Jets on Monday at 8:30 p.m. EDT.
4. New York Giants
What on Earth were the New York Giants thinking in the fourth quarter? Whose ever fault it was, it resulted in a stoppage of time, and the Giants are now 0-1. After that terrible loss, the Giants return home for the next two games in very winnable matches. First up will be against the Falcons. The Falcons may have beat the Eagles, but they still have a very suspect defense, and the Giants can't drop to 0-2 in this division. The Giants did in fact beat the Falcons at home last season, 30-20.
The Giants will play the Falcons on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT.
5. Baltimore Ravens
There's no doubt about it: the Baltimore Ravens were the biggest losers in Week 1. They lost a game they should have won against the Broncos, Steve Smith dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Flacco, and they lost Terrell Suggs for the season. Now the Ravens face a must-win game against the hopeless Oakland Raiders. It may be a road game, but the Ravens have to stay in contention by winning this one. If the Ravens lose this game, they are in serious trouble.
The Ravens will play the Raiders on Sunday at 4:04 p.m. EDT.
Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1