Hop on the Bandwagon of These NFL Teams Before It's Too Late

If you're still looking for another NFL team to root for, now would be a good time to hop onto the bandwagon before it starts to take over. 

Although a number of teams around the league showed real promise in Week 1, only a handful had a second straight game in which they proved their opening performance may not have been a fluke. There could be a variety of reasons for that, whether it's great coaching, easier matchups or just talented players starting to find their groove in 2020.

Of course, two weeks of strong performances don't mean it's time to start crowing quite yet. Still, the Baltimore Ravens were a great example last season of a team that started out hot and took the league by storm thanks to an MVP season from quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

There are some encouraging signs from a few teams that signal this could be a big year for their respective franchises, so let's take a look at a group that football fans might want to start rooting for.

Buffalo Bills

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It feels like the Buffalo Bills get off to a hot start almost every season. However, given all the talent on this year's team, this might finally be the season when the Bills make real noise in the AFC as a potential contender.

Although there were a couple of hiccups along the way, the Bills got a solid win over the Miami Dolphins thanks to a big fourth quarter from quarterback Josh Allen, winning 31-28. Allen had a career game through the air, completing 24 of 35 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns. His 729 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions through the air statistically make him one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now. 

What's even more impressive is that the running game is still producing, taking some of the pressure off of their second-year quarterback. They've rushed for 209 yards over two games thanks to a talented and young one-two combo at running back in Devin Singletary and Zack Moss.

On the other side of the ball, the defense is putting a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks with a strong pass rush. Their six sacks as a team so far have put Sam Darnold and Ryan Fitzpatrick on their toes. Players like Tre'Davious White and Jordan Poyer in the secondary haven't picked up any interceptions yet, but it's only a matter of time before the defensive backs start to make some plays as well.

Two wins in the AFC East is a great start for Buffalo, but the New England Patriots are still the team to beat in the division. If Allen can stay hot and the defense can keep getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, however, then this could finally be the year Buffalo wins its first division title since 1995.

Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't been the perennial powerhouse they used to be the past few seasons. That's a great opportunity for fans seeking an opportunity to buy back into the franchise, especially after this promising 2-0 start.

Returning from a season-ending injury last year, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would've been forgiven for needing a couple of weeks to shake off some of the rust. While there have definitely been a handful of ducks from the future Hall of Famer, he made some classic Big Ben throws in the 26-21 win over the Denver Broncos. 

The play of the game Sunday came on an 84-yard bomb to rookie receiver Chase Claypool in the second quarter. It was a great showcase for one of the Steelers' several young receivers, who have made Roethlisberger's job a lot easier so far. Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster have also been making plays on offense, as have Pittsburgh's running backs, James Conner and Benny Snell Jr.

However, it's the defense that looks like it could steal the show this year. The Steelers defense completely shut down New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley in Week 1, holding him to just six rushing yards on 15 carries. Meanwhile, T.J. Watt is filling up the stat sheet with 2.5 sacks, two pass deflections and an interception on the year. 

On paper, the Steelers are stacked at almost every position. Today's NFL requires elite quarterback play in order to make deep playoff runs, however, so a lot of the team's success will still come down to Big Ben's ability to make plays.

So far, Roethlisberger is looking a lot like his old self. As long as that's the case, this team could make a lot of noise. 

Arizona Cardinals

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With the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, a young up-and-coming head coach and a brand-new No. 1 wide receiver, it's hard not to like the Arizona Cardinals right now.

The Cardinals moved to 2-0 this weekend after another great showing from the offense, taking down the Washington Football Team 30-15. Quarterback Kyler Murray carried over his great play from Week 1 into Sunday, passing for 286 yards, a touchdown and an interception while adding another 67 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Murray's dual-threat ability has made it so difficult for opponents to contain the Cardinals so far. Even going against a stacked San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 1, the Cardinals put up a respectable 24 points. New wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has added another element to Arizona's offense, catching 22 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown in two games.

Although Arizona's defense isn't an elite unit, the playmakers on that side of the ball are worth mentioning. Budda Baker just signed a massive contract extension, while rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons has the chance to be one of the more versatile and dangerous defenders in the league as he gets comfortable in Arizona's scheme. There's also Chandler Jones coming off of a 19-sack season, the second-most in the NFL.

The next three games for the Cardinals are against the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. Anything can happen, but Arizona has a great chance to start the season 5-0 and take control of an ultra-competitive NFC West.

Los Angeles Rams

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The Los Angeles Rams may have missed the playoffs last season, but they look determined to get back to the postseason this year after a promising 2-0 start.

Head coach Sean McVay's offense was clicking Sunday, and the Philadelphia Eagles had no answer for it. The Rams won the game 37-19 while racking up 449 yards of total offense and averaging 6.7 yards per play. Quarterback Jared Goff carved up Philadelphia's secondary by completing 20 of his 27 pass attempts for 267 yards and three touchdowns with a 142.0 passer rating.

However, where the Rams really make a name for themselves is with their talent on defense. While Aaron Donald has remained relatively quiet on the stat sheet, he's still one of the most dominant and intimidating players in the league, forcing offenses to plan their whole game around containing him. Meanwhile, cornerback Jalen Ramsey continues to be an enforcer in the secondary, regularly making big plays.

With all the injuries suffered by the San Francisco 49ers this week, the NFC West opened up a bit more for the Rams to try for another division title. Next week's contest against the Buffalo Bills will tell us a lot about this team, but even if it doesn't win that one, it has easier matchups against the New York Giants and Washington Football Team coming up.

A bright offensive-minded head coach paired with a talented defense should be enough for fans still looking for a team this year to consider picking the Rams.

Green Bay Packers

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For fans of explosive offenses and potential Super Bowl contenders, it's time to hop on that Green Bay Packers hype train before it leaves you behind.

After a sluggish start Sunday against the Detroit Lions, the Packers offense took off on the strength of an incredible performance from Aaron Jones en route to a 42-21 victory. While Aaron Rodgers had another strong showing under center, it was Jones who was the star, picking up 236 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur's offensive game plan looks much more sound through two weeks this season after a lot of ups and downs in 2019, his first season with the team. Players are more comfortable with the system in place, which is likely a big reason the team has scored 85 points in just two games.

Despite all of the offensive success, the defense still looks like it has some issues, allowing 27.5 points per game so far. That being said, the defense is still doing a good job of creating splash plays, recording six sacks, two interceptions, a safety and a defensive touchdown against two division opponents. 

The defense might look a little shaky in the coming games against the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, but with Rodgers under center and the offense firing on all cylinders, Green Bay could be a real Super Bowl contender this season.