Every NFL season provides a chance to relish the unpredictable. Some things are fairly straightforward, like the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills showcasing electric offense from their MVP quarterbacks. Yet other storylines have to be seen to be believed, like the reigning AFC champions opening 0-2 for the first time in more than a decade, or another AFC squad playing host to an improbable quarterback rejuvenation.
Two weeks is most certainly not enough time from which to draw definitive statements about which players and teams are bound to be on top of the standings — or at the bottom — by the end of the year. But two weeks is something. And already during the 2025 campaign, we’ve had a handful of surprises across the league.
With that in mind, here are some of this season’s most stunning NFL revelations as we approach Week 3, from the potential end of a long-running dynasty to the emergence of a new MVP candidate in the same division:
The Chiefs‘ reign might be over
We’re not foolish enough to say that with any real sense of conviction; Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have routinely come up big when they’re needed most over the last half-decade. But 0-2 is 0-2, and Mahomes is genuinely pressing to make magic out of a middling crop of aging and/or injured weapons. After an embarrassing Super Bowl LIX defeat in which their once-vaunted attack looked out of gas, they’re still hunting for a spark.
No one would’ve pegged Indianapolis as the envied pasture for wayward quarterbacks, but the Colts have so far been precisely what Jones needed to put his tumultuous Giants career completely in the rearview. Besides the fact he’s led an offense that’s yet to punt this year, Jones has also thoroughly looked the part during a 2-0 start, most notably driving the ball downfield with confidence. Do we dare call this group a playoff contender?
Some might disagree that this is a surprise; Herbert, after all, has gotten the benefit of the doubt for much of his career, with ardent fans always suggesting his elite physical gifts have been overshadowed by poor support. But he ended 2024 with a whimper, underscoring concerns about his ability to elevate the Chargers on big stages. That’s all changed during a 2-0 start, as he’s added top-level confidence and pinpoint late-game accuracy to his arsenal.
Week 3 NFL QB Power Rankings: Chargers’ Justin Herbert bolts into top three, but where is Patrick Mahomes?
Cody Benjamin
Everyone was quick to crown Washington the next big thing after Jayden Daniels‘ stellar rookie season, which ended on the doorstep of the Super Bowl. But Daniels is already hurting while trying to keep the Commanders afloat after just two weeks, during which the club averaged 19.5 points per contest. Dan Quinn’s roster is old, and it’s showing. There’s plenty of runway left to stay in the NFC East race, but it’s shaping up to be a fight.
Even with his future Hall of Fame resume, Rodgers wasn’t necessarily a hot commodity this offseason, coming off two stagnant seasons as the aging face of a dysfunctional Jets team. Two games into his first run wearing black and gold, however, A-Rod’s arm looks plenty fresh. He’s also moving fairly well. But that’s because he’s needed to behind a shaky O-line. And Mike Tomlin’s defense has been no better, allowing 31.5 points per game.
This is a fresh development, but it’s major: Minnesota is set to be without J.J. McCarthy, its handpicked face of the franchise, for multiple games. Wentz, meanwhile, is taking over less than a month after coming aboard as a last-minute backup. The wildest part: The Vikings might not be all that pained by the emergency quarterback swap, considering the 22-year-old McCarthy struggled to find a steady rhythm in the first two starts of his career.
The Dolphins are going down
We’re not sure anyone is that surprised Miami is struggling after the club fell to 8-9 and endured another scary injury to Tua Tagovailoa in 2024. But the degree to which the Dolphins have stumbled to an 0-2 start is another thing: Tagovailoa already has four turnovers in two games, and his situational reliability seems to be getting worse. It doesn’t help the Dolphins’ overhauled defense is also among the worst in the game. Change is inevitable.