Biggest Concerns for NFL Teams That Are Already Under Pressure Entering Week 2

Unlike most sports leagues, the NFL runs on a compact 17-game regular-season schedule. Teams can fall behind quickly with a few early losses. 

While it's too early to panic, coaches feel the pressure of expectations, especially if their players underperformed in a season-opening stinker.

Looking ahead to this week's matchups, teams face challenges they must overcome.

Here are seven of the biggest concerns regarding roster personnel, scheme and injuries to monitor heading into Week 2.

Broncos HC Sean Payton Should Keep Play-Calling Options Open

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton

This offseason, head coach Sean Payton delegated play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Davis Webb, who has risen through the ranks as a quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator. The Denver Broncos' lead skipper may reassess that decision if the team's offense continues to struggle in the early stages of the season.

ESPN's Laura Rutledge asked Payton how it felt not to call plays, and he didn't have a definitive response, fueling speculation that the Broncos' head coach may reverse his decision to give up that responsibility.

Denver scored 10 points and accumulated just 176 total yards of offense, setting off alarm bells across the Mile High City among fans with high expectations after the team's appearance in the previous AFC Championship Game.

It's too early to determine whether Webb will hold on to play-calling duties throughout the regular season, but he's off to a rocky start. Then again, Broncos receivers must do the bare minimum and catch the football. Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant all had a drop in last Monday's loss. 

That said, as Payton said to Rutledge, he would probably like to see Webb call more run plays. Denver's running backs logged 11 carries in the lopsided loss.

Chargers' New Offensive and Defensive Coordinators Are Off to Slow Start

AP Photo/Caroline Brehman

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh

In the biggest Week 1 upset, the Arizona Cardinals knocked off the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in a game they controlled for four quarters. Arizona played turnover-free football and won the time-of-possession battle 37:31 to 22:29.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters that resting starters in the preseason led to errors that normally happen in exhibition games, but the Chargers' issues could be more complex.

Remember, Los Angeles hired offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to replace Greg Roman and Chris O'Leary to fill its open defensive coordinator role after Jesse Minter took over as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. 

With new play-callers on both sides of the ball, the Chargers have a lot to sort out, which goes back to Harbaugh's regret about sitting his starters in the preseason.

While there are valid questions about how good Justin Herbert is and can be, the Chargers should be able to score more than 14 points against a team that ranked 29th in points allowed last year and retained its defensive coordinator, Nick Rallis.

As a first-time pro play-caller, O'Leary has a lot to prove, taking over a unit that ranked ninth in scoring last year and allowed the fewest points in 2024.

Cowboys Defense Has New Faces with the Same Disappointing Results

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Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker

This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys hired defensive coordinator Christian Parker, drafted defensive back Caleb Downs and edge-rusher Malachi Lawrence in the first round, traded for 2024 Pro Bowl edge-rusher Rashan Gary and signed pass-rusher Von Miller, cornerback Cobie Durant and safety Jalen Thompson. Yet their defense looked much like last year's unit that routinely struggled to make stops.

The Cowboys allowed New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely to log his third career two-touchdown game and couldn't locate pass-catchers in the flat on short completions.

With a new coordinator who had success as the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator and several new acquisitions, the Cowboys defense had one of the most deflating performances, given the offseason excitement around the revamped unit.

Like any first-time play-caller, Parker should get some grace in a new role, but with the talent on his side of the ball, the Cowboys' patience could quickly run thin with him.

Falcons' QB Situation Remains Unstable Because of Injuries

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

In July, the Atlanta Falcons signed journeyman quarterback Cooper Rush as Tua Tagovailoa dealt with a back injury and Michael Penix Jr. recovered from offseason knee surgery.

Two months later, Rush could make consecutive starts to open the Falcons' season.

Tagovailoa has a strained oblique. Penix still feels that he has to clear some hurdles before getting back on the field.

"I'm close," Penix said to reporters. "I know I've been saying that, but it's just a couple technical things that I want to hit, some goals that I have that I want to achieve before I do step foot out on that field." 

In the Falcons' season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rush went 12-of-22 passing for 143 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. If he has a performance similar to that against the Carolina Panthers, who gave up 59 points and 552 total yards to the Chicago Bears, Atlanta may take a look at undrafted rookie Jack Strand, following his strong offseason showing.

Packers Are Too Reliant on Passing Attack Without RB Josh Jacobs

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur must reinvent his offense without running back Josh Jacobs, who's out indefinitely on the commissioner's exempt list and facing charges of battery and criminal damage to property from a May incident with his girlfriend.

Thus far, Green Bay seems overreliant on its passing attack, a one-dimensional approach that will become easier to defend as the season goes on.

In Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers jumped out to a 22-10 lead late in the third quarter, but they failed to close it out.

Last week, Green Bay didn't have an offensive closer to work the clock. MarShawn Lloyd averaged 2.8 yards per carry on 13 rush attempts. Chris Brooks finished with seven carries for 29 yards, but he gained nearly half of that total on a 14-yard run. Meanwhile, Jordan Love threw 42 times and completed 50 percent of his passes.

Wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden can produce explosive plays over the top, but without an effective ground attack to balance the offense, the Packers will be vulnerable to late-game collapses when they're stagnant through the air.

Patriots Are Dealing with Wide Receiver Woes

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87)

After a close Week 1 loss, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye took the brunt of criticism for his inexcusable late-game interception, but his wide receiver corps took a hit and let him down in key situations.

Star wideout A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in the third quarter of last week's contest. Without him, Romeo Doubs had to fill the lead receiver role, and he finished with zero catches and a frustrating drop.

No one should absolve Maye of his poor situational awareness, but he won't have his most explosive perimeter playmaker, and Doubs may have lost some trust as a reliable target.

On Sunday, Maye will face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who allowed the second-fewest passing yards without their No. 1 cornerback, Joey Porter Jr., in Week 1. 

This week, the Steelers won't have to worry too much about big plays over the top with Brown on the sideline and Doubs still settling into the Patriots offense.

Rams' Defensive Line Needs Starpower

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald

The Los Angeles Rams' 2026 dream team had a subpar outing in Australia last week. In the 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Myles Garrett played 62 percent of the defensive plays, down significantly from his normal workload. 

According to The Ringer's Tom Pelissero, Garrett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, and the Rams placed him on injured reserve. He'll be out for at least a month.

Aaron Donald didn't travel with the team to Australia and is still working his way back into game shape from retirement.

After the Rams acquired Garrett from the Cleveland Browns and Donald agreed to return, Los Angeles' defensive line seemed prime to dominate the trenches with two players who won a combined five Defensive Player of the Year awards, Pro Bowler Byron Young and ascending interior linemen Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. 

But on the contrary, the Rams' defensive front needs a boost after giving up 174 yards and a touchdown on the ground to the 49ers. By the way, Los Angeles didn't record a sack on Brock Purdy.

The Rams need their star defenders to solidify a shaky front line. With Donald's Week 2 status uncertain and Garrett on the mend, the New York Giants could push around the Rams' defensive front Monday night.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.