Week one of the NFL season is carefully constructed to provide what football executives believe is a maximally entertaining start. A week featuring intense rivalries (Cowboys vs. Eagles, Lions vs. Packers, and Chiefs vs. Chargers), quarterback drama (Steelers vs. Jets), and other generally awesome matchups (Texans vs. Rams and Ravens vs. Bills) is naturally going to be a hard act to follow. As such, it’s around week two when new fans begin to lose interest – because, in comparison, week two is a weaker product than week one. Needless to say, this year follows a long trend of the “week two drop-off” experience.

 

Many new fans will look at the second week’s games with some disappointment. Casual viewers will glance at the schedule, thinking Eagles vs. Chiefs must be one of only a few “good” games. The Super Bowl rematch must be the best game here, right? However, those with experience watching – and with knowledge of the NFL – will see that there are two VERY exciting and important matchups in the week two schedule.

 

Eagles vs. Chiefs is not one of these games.

 

PACKERS VS. COMMANDERS

 

This matchup is extremely interesting. Both of these 2025 playoff teams have high-powered offenses and similarly high aspirations. In 2024, Jayden Daniels’ electrifying playing style took the league by storm and the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, while the Packers’ playoff hopes ended on Wild Card Weekend. Both teams – eliminated by the future Super Bowl Champion Eagles – have questions that need answering before a Lombardi is truly in their sights. “Can Jordan Love rebound from a disappointing 2024?” and “Will we see a Jayden Daniels sophomore slump?” will be on full display in this excellent week two matchup.

 

Any time two young teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations meet in the regular season, it’s bound to be a good show. As such, Commanders vs. Packers deserves its flowers. This matchup is so interesting for exactly the same reason Chiefs vs. Eagles isn’t. NFL promoters will disagree, but with the former, we get to try to answer some pressing unknowns with the highest potential.

 

We’ve already seen Chiefs vs. Eagles at the highest of stages. We know that Saquon Barkley can hurdle defenders and that Mahomes can throw like a magician with his hair on fire. While we’re likely to see an excellent game, we already know these teams are bona fide contenders.

Commanders vs. Packers is a horse of a different color. Already, the Commanders seem poised for a generational run on the arms and legs of Jayden Daniels, but we have no way of knowing if he’ll be able to replicate his rookie magic. Look no further than former Washington signal-caller RGIII for proof that it doesn’t always last.

 

As for the Packers, Love has yet to prove that he can follow in the footsteps of Packer legends Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Fans, bettors, and pundits don’t really know what to make of this Packers team that has many of the pieces needed to thrive at the next level (especially on defense), but has yet to achieve anything of note. This Thursday Night Football matchup at Lambeau Field is bound to be extremely compelling.

 

VIKINGS VS. FALCONS

 

In a week two that already features a Super Bowl rematch and a duel of established young contenders, neither is the most interesting game on the slate. On Sunday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons will travel to U.S. Bank Stadium to face the Minnesota Vikings in primetime. So early in the season – when uncertainty and drama are the name of the game – this one has the most potential by far.

 

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft featured several quarterbacks within the first 12 picks, and of them, the two greenest are former Washington Husky Michael Penix Jr. and former national champion and Michigan Wolverine J.J. McCarthy. Penix Jr., a surprise pick by the Falcons at eighth overall, will duel the Vikings’ tenth pick, McCarthy, in a showdown of unproven quarterbacks. During the 2024 season, Penix Jr. started the last three games for the Falcons, while a meniscus injury kept McCarthy sidelined after only a single preseason appearance. However, in their limited NFL reps, both have shown tremendous potential.

 

Penix Jr. threw for over 700 yards, three passing touchdowns, and scored another with his legs. McCarthy, in a smaller sample, had several deep passing touchdowns and made some exciting scrambles, showcasing both his mobility and pocket awareness. As a result, there is tremendous hope that McCarthy and Penix Jr. will be as successful as the four quarterbacks selected before them.

 

Both teams are built to win now, boasting an embarrassment of riches on offense – with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts supporting their respective signal-callers. Additionally, both franchises used free agency and the draft to shore up weaknesses, with solid-to-excellent pieces at every position except for the most important one.

 

If J.J. McCarthy becomes what everyone in the organization believes he can be, the Vikings could enjoy a decade-plus of playoff football – potentially even capturing their first Super Bowl. Perhaps a year or two behind the Vikings, the Falcons have the same plans for Penix Jr. This week two primetime matchup could be one of the earliest peeks at what each of these young quarterbacks can do for their teams.

 

This SNF game could be the first of many exciting battles between the two top teams in the NFC – or it could be the night where one franchise celebrates its investment while the other wishes the draft had a refund policy. Going head-to-head, this game will be the first step toward answering key questions about the future of these franchises and the direction they’re heading with their unproven quarterbacks.