#40 + the already unanswered 200 questions prior to that

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8 things to watch in NFL’s Week 2

Is Tom Brady mortal? Will Jay Cutler make a difference? Are the Eagles for real?

The NFL’s opening week unleashed a scattering of twists and turns that reset this offseason’s storylines. 30 teams began their 2017 campaigns, leading to some surprising outcomes -- like the Patriots losing, the Jaguars winning, and the Rams obliterating the Colts -- and others that carried on familiar narratives.

But one week of the season isn’t enough to get a sense of what to expect around the league this season. Is Alex Smith a gunslinger now? Is Jared Goff really as improved as he looked in Week 1, or was that a byproduct of playing the Colts? Is the NFC West really going to be one of the weakest divisions in the league? Week 2 should give us a clearer picture.

We can expect more surprises, emerging stars, and rebounding veterans this week. Here are the eight things to watch for in Week 2 of the 2017 NFL season.

1. Marshawn Lynch’s first game as a Raider in Oakland

Lynch officially made his post-retirement debut last week against the Tennessee Titans. Everything about it reminded us why we missed him so much during his year off from the NFL. But this week marks Lynch’s first game in Oakland, in front of a home crowd.

Lynch entertained us last week with his play and with classic Marshawn antics, like flipping the Titans Karl Klug a double bird and interrupting Jack Del Rio’s post-game presser to make sure he wasn’t going to get fined for ducking out without talking to the media.

Now Lynch will finally get to play in front of a home crowd in Oakland, his hometown that he loves so dearly. And we can’t wait.

2. Is Tom Brady headed for a slump?

Brady was handily outplayed by Alex Smith in the Patriots’ season opener, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and failing to find the end zone. That could be a function of the Chiefs’ smothering pass defense, or just the natural progression of time finally catching up to the 40-year-old quarterback.

He’ll have the opportunity for a major rebound in Week 2 against a Saints secondary that allowed Sam Bradford to throw for 346 yards on Monday night. Brady’s dodged prolonged slumps throughout his career, but a poor performance in New Orleans could leave him wandering through a valley he’s rarely had to visit.

For now, though, he insists the end of his career is not near:

Is there any chance that this is your last year? #TomBrady: "No. No."@CBSThisMorning @Patriots @CBSSunday http://pic.twitter.com/41xkxKkrmr

— Norah O'Donnell (@NorahODonnell) September 15, 2017

3. Will leaving Chicago create any kind of change in Jay Cutler?

Cutler’s retirement this offseason lasted only three months before Ryan Tannehill’s torn ACL lured him out of the broadcast booth and into the Dolphins backfield (thanks to a 2000 percent raise). The strong-armed veteran never reached the expectations placed on him once he was traded to Chicago, but he’s now reunited with Adam Gase — the Bears offensive coordinator-turned-Miami-head coach with whom he enjoyed one of the best seasons of his mercurial career.

Cutler also has a shiny array of weapons at his disposal, starting with a tailback who ran for 200+ yards in three games last fall and leveling up with a trio of receivers (DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, and Jarvis Landry) who can run under Smokin’ Jay’s rocket-armed heaves downfield. The veteran quarterback may have landed in the best offense of his 12-year career; will it make a difference?

Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram, who terrorized the Broncos’ offensive line for 1.5 sacks on Monday, doesn’t think so.

#Chargers DE Melvin Ingram was asked what kind of problems Dolphins QB Jay Cutler presents this weekend. "None."

— Jack Wang (@thejackwang) September 14, 2017

4. Can Jacoby Brissett drag the Colts out of their self-induced haze?

Indianapolis suffered the opening weekend’s worst loss, giving up 46 points to a team that averaged 14 per game in 2016 (the Rams) while scoring just nine points of their own. The only spark in the Colts’ Sunday implosion came from Brissett, the newly-acquired quarterback who sat out the first three quarters in favor of enchanted scarecrow Scott Tolzien. Brissett may not have known the team’s offense, but he did do this with his first pass:

That set up the team’s only touchdown and was light years more interesting than anything Tolzien did.

Brissett will have another opportunity to prove his value on Sunday when Indianapolis takes on Arizona, a team that allowed Matthew Stafford to rack up nearly 300 passing yards last week. The Colts may be in the middle of a rebuild — at least as long as Andrew Luck is out — but Brissett seems to bring considerably more potential to the pocket than Tolzien does as the team’s backup.

5. Can Philadelphia upset the Chiefs?

In 13 of the past 14 seasons, a team has rallied from a fourth-place finish the year prior to win their division. In 2017, one strong candidate to keep that trend moving forward is Philadelphia. Carson Wentz and the Eagles dispatched Washington to open its season, forcing Kirk Cousins into one of his worst showings in a 30-17 road win.

The best way to keep that momentum rolling — and prove 2017 isn’t a repeat of 2016 when the team started 3-0 and crashed to a 7-9 record -- would be to beat the red-hot Chiefs in Week 2. Kansas City throttled New England on the road with 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points, making them an early team to beat in the NFL. Finding a way to beat the team the defending champs couldn’t figure out would be a statement from a team that finished dead last in the NFC East last winter.

6. Will the Saints give Adrian Peterson all the carries he wants?

Peterson earned only six touches in New Orleans’ season opener — fewer than rookie Alvin Kamara. His face on the sideline during the Saints’ 29-19 loss to the Vikings said it all.

After the loss, Peterson said the exchange with Payton was overblown, but he also “didn’t sign up for nine snaps” per game with the Saints this season.

Peterson wasn’t the player he once was to kick off his 11th season in the league, rushing for only 18 yards while his replacement in Minnesota, rookie Dalvin Cook, torched New Orleans for 127 yards. Can Peterson harness his frustration and return to his “All-Day” form?

7. Can the Sean McVay-led Rams knock off Washington?

The Los Angeles Rams could not have asked for a better start to their 2017 campaign. They completely annihilated the Indianapolis Colts, 46-9, in front of their own fans. Sophomore quarterback Jared Goff showed why he was worth the No. 1 pick in 2016, collecting 306 passing yards and one touchdown. Indeed, he looked confident and poised in the pocket.

The Rams have a chance to get off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2001 — but they have to go through Washington, McVay's old stomping grounds, to do so. McVay served as Washington's offensive coordinator from 2014-16. After orchestrating Washington's third-ranked offense last year, he took the head coaching job in Los Angeles to groom Goff into a franchise quarterback.

McVay's already responsible for tapping into Kirk Cousins' potential, so Washington shouldn't be surprised that Goff is performing well under McVay's tutelage. The only question now is whether McVay can remain undefeated in this young season by handing Washington its second loss.

8. The Falcons make their regular season debut in Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Against the Packers, too. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a beautiful work of architecture that’s home to the Falcons, Atlanta United, and Alabama football at least once a year for the SEC Championship game. It’s the newest stadium in the NFL, and it’s getting a grand debut as the Falcons welcome Green Bay.

The last time the two teams played was in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome, where the Falcons put a beating on the Packers in the NFC Championship Game following the 2016 season. This year, both teams are expected to contend for the NFC title again, and we’ll have a great matchup to end the Week 2 Sunday slate. The Packers are going to hope it goes better than last time.