NFL
5 NFL Facts to Know for Week 2
Calvin Johnson was masterful in Week 1, but exactly how great was he analytically?

Wasn't that a wild Week 1 in the NFL? Strap in for 16 more exciting weeks of football! And before this football weekend get started, check out these five facts you should take note of.

Calvin Johnson Doesn’t Need Scott Linehan

Check out this play before you read the rest of this article.

With all the talk about FantasyFootballCalculator.com).

QuarterbackWeek 1 FinishAvg Draft Pos
Matt RyanQB1QB7
Matthew StaffordQB2QB4
Andrew LuckQB3QB5
Peyton ManningQB4QB5
Carson PalmerQB5QB18
Jake LockerQB6Undrafted
Derek AndersonQB7Undrafted
Andy DaltonQB8QB16
Jay CutlerQB9QB9
Colin KaepernickQB10QB12
Russell WilsonQB11QB14
Ben RoethlisbergerQB12QB17

Two quarterbacks, Jake Locker and Derek Anderson, went undrafted in many fantasy football leagues. Granted, Cam Newton was a late scratch, but even his draft position was starting to slip. But I find it odd that Jake Locker wasn’t even drafted as a backup quarterback in standard leagues while Johnny Manziel was being selected as the 19th quarterback over the last month of fantasy drafting season.

Lesson learned, fantasy footballers: the elite quarterbacks aren't doomed this season already, but as I alluded to last week, quarterbacks are very replaceable on a weekly basis.

Three Teams Proved No Lead is Safe

We went over two games that saw big comebacks, but the respective team still ending up on the losing side. Below are three comebacks that netted a win for each team that fought back furiously.

San Diego Chargers at Arizona Cardinals
As the Cardinals faced a 17-6 deficit going into the fourth quarter, they still weren’t fazed. Thanks to two long drives, Carson Palmer completed a touchdown pass to Stepfan Taylor on one drive and then another to rookie John Brown to give the Cardinals a one-point lead.

The Chargers became the first team in the Super Bowl era to blow double-digit leads in the fourth quarter and go on to lose the game. They face an even tougher NFC West foe as Seattle comes to town in Week 2, while the Cardinals head to the East Coast to face the Giants in what could be a big defensive struggle as both teams' run defense ranks in the top-10 according to our numbers.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles
Talk about a tale of two halves between these two opponents. The Jaguars looked to have the game under control after going up 17 points thanks to Nick Foles three first half turnovers. But after halftime, the Eagles straightened their wings and flew by with 34 unanswered points. Jeremy Maclin, Darren Sproles and Zach Ertz all scored a touchdown in the second half as the Jaguars couldn’t muster much of anything. The Jaguars get an injury-riddled team as they travel up the coast to Washington while the Eagles hope to put on another clinic against the Colts.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
For the first time since 2003, the Patriots lost a season opener. Also for the first time since Week 3 of 2012, the Patriots don't have at least a share of the AFC East division lead. Oh, and Tom Brady had the worst Passing NEP of Week 1, at -10.71 points below expectation. Add in 23 unanswered points for the Dolphins, and you have a recipe for beating the Patriots. The Dolphins travel to Buffalo for Week 2, while the Patriots travel to the Midwest and take on the Vikings and their top-rated Week 1 defense.

Passing Volume Isn't Everything

Five quarterbacks dropped back to toss the pigskin at least 50 times in Week 1: Joe Flacco, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Jay Cutler and Nick Foles. That’s reasonable considering the offenses each player captains.

However, only one quarterback played above expectation and accumulated a positive Passing NEP: Andrew Luck. Volume doesn’t always equal success. Plus, while Luck had a positive Passing NEP, he still only contributed 6.43 points to the Colts thanks in part to two late touchdown passes against the Broncos. The three most efficient quarterbacks of Week 1 (Matthew Stafford, Colin Kaepernick and Matt Ryan) had 33, 24, and 44 drop backs, respectively. When it comes to great quarterback play, it's not always about having the most opportunities - its about making the most of your opportunities.

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