Passing Matchups Week 2

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Go here for this week's Rushing Matchups.

Top 5 Passing Matchups

Detroit vs Seattle

Jared Goff and the Lions made a strong statement in their opening night win against the Chiefs, demonstrating their ability to compete with any team in the NFL. Despite missing Jameson Williams for the next few weeks, Josh Reynolds stepped up as the number two receiving option behind Amon-Ra St. Brown. Sam LaPorta also showed promise with five receptions for 39 yards, a positive sign for the second-round rookie tight end. The Lions offensive line performed exceptionally well against the Chiefs, boasting significant talent with players like Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, and Frank Ragnow, all former first-round picks. The Lions will need to rely on these players to give Goff time, especially until Jameson Williams comes back from suspension.

The Seahawks secondary, which was a surprise unit in 2022, appeared to struggle in Week 1. The group had been supported by late-round rookies such as Coby Bryant (4th round), Tariq Woolen (5th round), and second-year player Tre Brown (4th round). They were overwhelmed by Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense, allowing 337 passing yards. However, it's worth noting that last season, a similar pattern emerged when they allowed 340 passing yards to Russell Wilson in Week 1 but improved significantly as the season progressed, ultimately yielding just 227 passing yards per game. While Bryant, Woolen, and Brown have demonstrated their abilities, it remains to be seen whether teams have discovered vulnerabilities in the late-round picks or if this was merely a one-week setback for the Seahawks secondary.

Tennessee vs LA Chargers

The Titans passing offense is facing some challenges as they seek to find their groove. Sitting at 0-1, there's mounting pressure on Ryan Tannehill, who threw three interceptions last week. While Will Levis is not close to starting, as evidenced by his "Emergency Quarterback" status in Week 1, the pressure on Tannehill will still remain if he is unable to get this season going to replace him with the rookie at some point this season. DeAndre Hopkins, in his first game with the Titans, had a solid but not spectacular performance, recording 7 receptions for 65 yards. The big question for the Titans is identifying reliable targets beyond Hopkins. Treylon Burks, a former first-round pick, had just 2 receptions for 18 yards in Week 1, while Nick Westbrook-Ikhine managed to catch four passes for 58 yards. The Titans offense is grappling with injuries, with both Burks and Hopkins missing practice on Wednesday. If they were to sit out, it would add to the challenges the Titans face this week.

As for the Chargers, regardless of preseason expectations, allowing 466 passing yards in Week 1 lands you in the top five in passing matchups. This unexpected performance has the Chargers pass defense under scrutiny. Before the season, there was anticipation that they would follow the trend of their previous strong pass defenses while facing questions about their run defense. In 2022, they allowed just 217 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. However, in Derrick Ansley's first game as defensive coordinator, the Chargers defense appeared disoriented. Despite a talented secondary with players like Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr, Derwin James, and J.C. Jackson, they couldn't contain Miami's speed. The Chargers also struggled with their pass rush, surprising given the presence of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, who failed to record a sack and allowed Miami's Tua Tagovailoa ample time to exploit the defense.

LA Chargers at Tennessee

The Chargers passing game had a somewhat slow start despite putting up 34 points in a loss. Justin Herbert threw for just 229 yards in a game where he was outplayed by Miami's Tua Tagovailoa. This performance was surprising, given that in 2022, Herbert threw for less than 229 yards only three times. The Chargers have high expectations for their offense, with Justin Herbert considered one of the league's top quarterbacks, so improvement is needed across the board. Apart from Keenan Allen, the other wide receivers struggled to get open, with Mike Williams recording just 45 yards and first-round pick Quenton Johnson gaining only 9 yards.

The Titans defense can be characterized as a "funnel defense," with their run defense being significantly stronger than their pass defense. In 2022, the Titans allowed an average of 290 passing yards per game, which was the highest in the NFL by a margin of 10 yards. In Week 1, this trend continued as the Saints threw for 305 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per attempt. Teams often look to exploit the Titans through the air. The vulnerable areas of the Titans defense are on the outside, where cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Kristian Fulton both struggled in Week 1. One bright spot was Roger McCreary, who performed well from the slot. Despite the expectations that came with the signing of Murphy-Bunting, his willingness to agree to a one-year, $3.5 million contract and change organizations suggests that there may not have been significant interest in the cornerback, who has generally been a replacement-level player in his career.

Chicago at Tampa Bay

Justin Fields showed some improvements as a passer in Week 1, even though the Bears suffered a disappointing 38-20 loss. Fields threw for 216 yards, completing 65% of his passes, which marked one of his better passing performances when compared to his 2022 season. Bears fans may be disappointed, considering the offseason hype, and Fields may be facing unrealistic expectations from the Chicago faithful. One concern for the Bears is the lack of production from D.J. Moore, who is the second acquisition to join Fields without making a significant impact. While it's only one week for Fields, Chase Claypool, who has had a full offseason, appears to be falling out of favor with the coaching staff after being on the field for 78% of plays without catching a pass.

Tampa Bay has a funnel defense where teams prefer to pass the ball rather than run against their elite run defense. While Minnesota's passing offense had a strong showing against Tampa Bay last week, throwing for 344 yards, Minnesota is capable of doing that about most defenses this season. The real concern lies in Tampa Bay's defense toward the end of last season, where their secondary struggled after a strong start. From Week 7 onward, the Buccaneers allowed an average of 1.8 touchdowns per game to opposing quarterbacks, the second-highest in the NFL during that period. This defense employs creative schemes, sometimes dropping defensive linemen into coverage, as defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has aimed to reduce his blitz percentage from over 40% to around 30% in 2022. Cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis will need to perform better than they did in Week 1 to bring the passing yardage allowed closer to their 2022 average of 222 yards per game.