NFL roundtable: Aside from the Buffalo Bills, which 2-0 team has been most impressive?
Starting the season 2-0 is one way for NFL teams to greatly increase their postseason chances.
Since 1990, clubs that have won their first two games have made the playoffs 63% of the time, while 11.3% of teams have advanced that started 0-2.
In 2022, six teams – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants – are 2-0.
The Bills, with their two primetime blowout victories, appear to be the clear frontrunners in the AFC. Which is why Buffalo is not eligible for this week's roundtable discussion:
Which other 2-0 team has been the most impressive?
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WHAT'S ON TOP IN WEEK 3: Bills-Dolphins battle to remain undefeated; Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady
Philadelphia Eagles
The Bills, Chiefs and Buccaneers are supposed to be 2-0. So are the Dolphins, but their comeback over the Ravens was far better than their ho-hum opener against the Patriots. And the Giants have beaten fellow bottom-tier teams. The 2-0 team I’m most impressed with is the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts is coming into his own as an NFL starter, commanding the Eagles offense and setting his team up for success in the first two weeks. Hurts helped Philly score 38 points by the third quarter in Detroit during Week 1 and a 24-7 lead by halftime against the Vikings’ high-powered offense in Week 2. The Eagles have a prime opportunity to dominate the NFC East and are off to an ideal start. — Safid Deen
Miami Dolphins
And the Dolphins will really be impressive if they can hang one on the Bills this weekend. Regardless, the breakout game for Tua Tagovailoa that sparked the huge comeback at Baltimore was such a statement. Tua can't throw deep? Well, that question has been answered with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle eager to cash in on any given play. Yet beyond the speed, new coach Mike McDaniel has demonstrated, so far, that he is no Kliff Kingsbury. He's crafted some serious stuff to create opportunities. No way that Hill and Waddle get behind the Bills' top-notch secondary like they did against Baltimore. Leslie Frazier, Buffalo's underrated D-coordinator, will craft some stuff to deal with that. And he has Von Miller bringing the heat off the edge. Then again, nothing can be assumed. That's why they play the games. And if the Dolphins can stack the statements to get to 3-0 — against Buffalo, of all foes — it will prove that this new South Beach flow is no fluke. — Jarrett Bell
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are off to their best start since 2016 and are playing like the best team in the NFC East. I am really impressed with Jalen Hurts. He’s improved tremendously since his rookie year. He’s more poised in the pocket, his mechanics are a lot better and he’s playing with a lot of confidence. You can tell that he’s put in the work since he was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. Hurts’ 723 total yards are the most by an Eagles player through two weeks since Mike Vick (2012). Defensively, the Eagles have a plus-3-turnover differential. The Eagles are flying high right now. I’m impressed with the way they’ve performed on both sides of the ball, and I expect Philly to improve to 3-0 this week. — Tyler Dragon
Philadelphia Eagles
There are a couple of good options including the Dolphins and Chiefs, but the Eagles are off to a good start, too. They won a track meet against Detroit in Week 1 and then turned in a much better defensive performance against Minnesota in a 24-7 victory Monday night. Of course, much of the conversation surrounds Jalen Hurts and rightfully so. He’s completed 69.8% of his passes so far and has added three rushing touchdowns. Philly’s also averaging 5.2 yards per carry overall — mostly Hurts and Miles Sanders — and has a variety of offensive weapons. Not only do the Eagles already have two wins on the board, but their upcoming schedule, (at Washington and vs. Jacksonville) suggests they can potentially keep it going for a while. — Parker Gabriel
Kansas City Chiefs
They still have one of the best players in Patrick Mahomes at the most important position. Mahomes and the offense dazzled in Week 1 on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. For all of the concern over losing Tyreek Hill – yes, the offense won't be as explosive as a result – Mahomes connected with nine receivers and threw five touchdowns. He was off his game five days later, but the Chiefs' defensive front-seven pressured Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and Jaylen Watson made a key pick-six in a 27-24 victory over a, frankly, more talented team that wants to overthrow Kansas City as kings of the AFC West. They haven't been as dominant as Philadelphia or as surprising (in a good way) as Miami, but the Chiefs are playing quality complementary football ahead of a road contest against the Indianapolis Colts. — Chris Bumbaca
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 3 schedule analysis: Aside from Bills, which 2-0 team is top?
