c/o Bleacher Report

For most people, the return to school in early September means catching up with friends, enjoying the nice weather, and getting back into the swing of schoolwork and college life. For others, the cooling temperatures and hustle and bustle of college is accompanied by another anticipatory feeling: the beginning of the NFL season. If you are like me and compete in too many fantasy football leagues to adequately keep track of, you’ll be familiar with the heartbreak, ecstasy, and overall chaos of the first two weeks of every season. This year was no different. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories from these first two weeks.

Injuries

About one year ago, the NFL suffered one of its worst days of player injuries in history. Stars like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa all suffered long-term injuries, and many more were still to come in the following weeks. Many attributed this injury plague to the lack of a preseason and vowed that the 2021 season would be different. However, after just two weeks, fans once again have been reminded that football is a dangerous game, with or without a preseason. These past weekends, no fewer than five starting quarterbacks were forced to exit due to injury, while eight players suffered concussions, and the Baltimore Ravens lost their top three running backs to season-ending injuries. In fact, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has actively stated that he will no longer be commenting on any injury speculation for the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see what (if anything) the NFL will do to address the clear risks players assume when on the field, and if more safety rules like those designed to prevent helmet-to-helmet contact will be added in years to come.

Rookie Stars (and Flops)

The high levels of excitement for the 2021 season were largely attributed to the NFL’s vast, highly talented rookie class. Many fans were eager to see first-round picks like Trevor Lawrence (JAX) and Zach Wilson (NYJ) showcase their talents on the big stage for the first time. However, most Jaguars and Jets fans will be disappointed with their start to the season, both teams having lost their first two games. Wilson has had a particularly rough time in the big leagues, throwing five interceptions in his 70 pass attempts across the two games. Other noteworthy rookie performances are those of Ja’Marr Chase (CIN), who has had a touchdown in each game and shown solid rapport with second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, and Najee Harris (PIT), who started slowly in week one but showed impressive versatility as both a rushing and pass-catching threat in the Steelers’ week two loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. We will see more of what these young players are capable of as the season progresses.

Brady and Gronk Light up the Scoresheet

After his historic win in Super Bowl LV, it seemed that Tom Brady could do no wrong. The unrivaled “best to ever do it” entered his 21st season with only one question: Can he continue to post record-breaking numbers, or are his best days behind him? However, these first weeks should show that Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are only just getting started. Throwing a staggering nine touchdowns in his first two weeks, four of which were hauled in by former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski, Brady appears to be showing no signs of slowing down, even at 44 years old (which makes him the oldest active player in the NFL). Coupled with one of the toughest defenses in the league and a plethora of dangerous receiving weapons at their disposal, Brady and the Bucs seem to be in a good spot to make yet another bid for a Super Bowl title.

While these first two weeks have given viewers a lot to think about, there are still fifteen regular-season games to be played. Regardless of which team you support, it is wonderful to see fans back in stadiums, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of this year plays out. However, next week’s Monday night divisional showdown between the Eagles and the Cowboys will certainly have me pulling out my own hair. Go Birds.

Thad Bashaw can be reached at tbashaw@wesleyan.edu.