NFL Notebook: Heinicke impresses in second career start

Week 2 of the 2021 National Football League season is underway, and it began with a nail-biter between two NFC East teams. The recap of that contest kicks off this week’s NFL Notebook, so let’s get to it!

Washington Football Team Edges Giants, 30-29

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Dustin Hopkins got a chance to fulfill that mantra when New York Giants special-teamer Dexter Lawrence jumped offsides on a missed field goal.

Hopkins converted his second try, and that gave Washington its first win of the season. New York, meanwhile, slips to 0-2, and the franchise has lost five of its last six regular-season games dating back to December 2020.

Heinicke Solid in Victory

Washington’s backup quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, was pressed into service Thursday night after Ryan Fitzpatrick was knocked out of the season opener with a hip injury. The second-stringer responded with a pretty sharp performance and finished with 336 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Chiefs vs. Ravens Headlines Sunday Slate

The Chiefs and the Ravens will do battle on Sunday Night Football this week, and the focus, naturally, will be on two of the top quarterbacks in the game.

Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson will square off, and Jackson will look to avenge a loss from last season’s meeting between the two clubs. The Baltimore QB threw for less than 100 yards that night, while Mahomes was brilliant in victory and finished with 385 yards, four passing touchdowns, and a rushing score.

Bills vs. Dolphins, and Titans vs. Seahawks Should Be Fun Daytime Matchups

Of the nine games in the early window, this writer’s eye is drawn to Buffalo’s trip to Miami.

Unlike every other team in the AFC East, the Dolphins won their season opener and will look to move to 2-0 against last year’s division champs. Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle hosts Tennessee, and the two well-regarded teams had very different starts to the season.

The Seahawks were never truly threatened in a 28-16 win at Indianapolis, while the Titans never got anything going in a 38-13 blowout loss to Arizona.