What’s Hot and What’s Knott in Football – Week 2

By Rhys Knott

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is hot in Week 2. Serious injuries to the most exciting players in football are very much Knott. And you’d have to be a sick puppy to think that injuries caused by friendly fire are hot (guilty). 

It’s not all bad news, though; there’s another episode of the hilarious interception club, some massive hits and a very sweary colour commentator. 

And there’s a philosophical question to ponder – As Week 2 draws to a conclusion, is it possible that Ben Johnson has revolutionised the NFL?  

For all the pearl-clutching about the league legislating defense out of the game (because player safety is just terrible, guys), it took one intense (borderline psychopathic) coach to turn the NFL into the NBA. 

Since Johnson said he wants his Bears team to be the highest-scoring offense in football, we’ve seen the highest-scoring Week 1 in history (level with 2012) when teams combined for 791 points! And, even though Week 2 took a step back, eight teams scored 30 points! 

Ironically, Johnson’s Bears team weren’t one of those, as the weather had to be the big winner in Week 2. It both very hot and very Knott, depending on where you were playing. 

What’s Hot in Football – Week 2

Embed from Getty Images

Patrick Mahomes is a hot quarterback in Week 2. But not for the reason you’re thinking. Not only did Mahomes drag his Chiefs to a second win of the season in overtime, but he’s also the only QB to win a game while throwing more than 37 passes.

Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff threw 41, 39 and 38 passes respectively and all lost. C.J. Stroud won the “most desperate offense of the week” award in Week 2, though. Stroud attempted 55 passes, and the Texans still lost 20-6!

Brock Purdy is so hot in Week 2 that we should talk about it, but we’re not going anywhere near the heap of manure that is the 2026 Dolphins. 

In other quarterback news, Josh Allen is hot too. In what might not be earth-shattering news, Joe Brady’s offense is Josh Allen. The quarterback accounted for 70% of the Bills’ total yards this week.

Tyler Shough’s Saints team is hot, but only in the fourth quarter. That may be a problem later in the season, but for now, let’s just enjoy the chaos. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown is hot too, even if the Lions look like they’re about to get Dan Campbell fired! On what finished as a quiet night for Jahmyr Gibbs (who still gained 113 total yards, 73 fewer than last week), ARSB racked up 142 receiving yards and caught two touchdown passes.  

Ja’Marr Chase wants you know that not only is he hot, he’s also a ballet dancer.

Are the Vikings hot? Yeah, as inexplicable as it seems, they are hot. 

But it had very little to do with the Minnesota offense. Find you someone who loves you the way Brian Flores loves a blitz package. 

On the subject of elite defense, how good is Devin Lloyd? Lloyd had a career game against the Falcons.  The linebacker shone as part of the 2025 Jaguars defense, making five interceptions. They sure could have used him in Week 2. 

The top 30 defenders in Week 2 all recorded a sack, and eight of those guys recorded more than 1 sack! But we haven’t got time for all that; let’s get to the turnovers.
 
Theoretically, interceptions are Knott, but these interceptions are laughable, so that makes them hot. And Jordan Schulz is all over our justice for the quarterbacks campaign. 

Back to Devin Lloyd. The 27-year-old is so good that he helped his mate grab an interception. Bobby Okereke snagged a Cooper Rush pass that had been tipped by Lloyd. 

Elsewhere, Aaron Rodgers’ pass eventually became a pick by Patriots rookie Gabe Jacas, with a little help from Steelers’ rookie Germie Bernard! 

Justin Herbert had a very Knott Week 2, but David Njoku did not help at all!

Baker Mayfield, on the other hand, has the perfect excuse for throwing a pick. Maybe. Either way, just believe he was hot. 

That’s enough quarterbacks making fools of themselves for one week. Well, almost- wanna see Aaron Rodgers get squeezed like a tube of toothpaste and the hilarity that followed? Of course you do. 

And while we’re at it, check these earth-shuddering hits out. Brevyn Spann-Ford nearly vapourised poor old Jaylin Lane. 

Then, Caleb Downs followed up his Week 1 crunching of Jaxon Dart by ironing out Terry McLaurin. 

And, just because they lost doesn’t mean da Bears didn’t make an impression on the Vikes. Just ask Aaron Jones.

What’s Knott in Football – Week 2

In short, penalties are Knott. There were 15 in the Bills game against the Lions alone. What’s worse is how the Lions’ indiscipline killed their chances of an upset stone dead. 

Five of the Bills’ 34 first downs came via Lions penalties! It doesn’t get more Knott than that! Detroit’s offense only converted four 3rd downs!

When the Lions’ defense wasn’t shooting itself in both feet, it found plenty of other ways to be Knott. Leaving Josh Palmer in acres of space is just one of the many ways they totally bungled this game. 

DeeJay Dallas’ mug shot is very Knott too.

In Knott officiating news, Shawn Hochuli’s crew and Craig Wrolstad’s shamozzle continue their eternal battle to be crowned the worst officiating team in the NFL. A contest that sadly nobody, not least football fans, can ever win. Now, that’s infinitely Knott. 

First off, how is this NOT a touchdown? 

And how did L’Jarius Sneed get penalised for letting go of Josh Downs? 

While we’re talking about officials making a mess of simple calls, come on, guys, how are we missing this facemask?

There’s bad weather, then there’s Knott weather. 

The Chargers are so Knott that they’re breaking records.

The Bears weren’t so much Knott as borderline terrible; they played in some very British weather, had a field goal blocked, went 5/15 on third down and saw Caleb Williams injure his hamstring! They’d better put a rook in that new stadium in Indiana. Going from scoring 59 points in Week 1 to 3 points in Week 2, that’s very Knott. 

Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons are reaching new depths of Knott each week.

Having two quarterbacks injured at the start of the season is Knott; signing Cooper Rush as a third-string quarterback is pretty Knott too. But putting your young and promising project quarterback in a position where he can throw a pick with his first attempt is diabolically Knott! He’s in good company though.

On the topic of exciting signal callers damaging their own bodies, Jaden Daniels re-injured the elbow he dislocated twice last season! He really needs to learn to tuck and roll, or we’ll be subjected to more of Tom Brady’s potty mouth! 

TB12 didn’t stop there, though. Who had Fox’s number 1 colour commentator working blue on their 2026 bingo card? 

You can’t be cursing to the high heavens when you’re dressed like this Thomas!

But if you’re looking for the most Knott thing to happen in Week 2, it was players injuring their own teammates! Kaytron Allen absolutely nailed another oft-injured Commander, Sam Cosbi.  Fingers crossed Sam likes eating soup. 

A broken jaw is very Knott. 

The Cowboys found a new level of self-sabotage, though. This is too Knott for words! 

RHYS KNOTT

NFL/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST

Rhys has been watching the NFL for 30 something years and still hasn’t managed to pick a team to support. When he’s not fixatED on pass rushers you can find him blithering on about most sports on Twitter @wrhys_writes

Rated 5 out of 5