NFL Week 2 winners, losers: Dak Prescott's value rises, Kirk Cousins makes costly mistake

It’s already Week 2 of the NFL season, in which nine teams stayed undefeated, while eight dropped to 0-2 after Sunday’s slate of action. Some major injuries have already cropped up, while some players are off to incredible statistical starts.

Here are Week 2’s winners and losers.

WINNERS

Dak Prescott: Let’s just say that the price is going up with each week. In the middle of an ongoing contract negotiation, Prescott’s stellar play to start 2019 continued with an efficient showing in another dominant victory, this one against the Redskins, 31-21. He did throw an early interception — his first ever against Washington in his career — but after that proceeded to complete 22 of his next 26 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns. He finished the game with a 123.5 QB rating. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week that he expected a Prescott extension to be “imminent.” Prescott and his reps have been more deliberate. If Prescott keeps playing like this, no reason to rush.

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Mahomes MVP try: CBS analyst Tony Romo joked during the Chiefs-Raiders broadcast that Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes had “regressed.” Romo, tongue-in-cheek and all, was technically correct, but not by much. Mahomes won the NFL’s most valuable player award last season, and by his first two games of 2018, he had already posted 10 touchdowns and 582 passing yards. This season, after another dynamic performance in a 28-10 victory against Oakland, Mahomes has thrown for (just) seven touchdowns. It’s still very early, but Mahomes is already off to a great start to defend his title with eye-popping numbers: 71.4% completion rate, 821 passing yards, the seven scores, and a QB rating of 136.3.

Tom Brady: We put him on this list last week assuming that the Antonio Brown connection would be a boon, and Week 2 proved that this pair is only getting started. Of course, there’s plenty of debate to be had on whether the Patriots should even be playing Brown, who was accused of sexual assault in a civil case filed last week. The NFL will investigate, so a lot is pending. But as long as Brown is available and engaged, he will be New England’s top receiver, and a lethal weapon for Brady and this offense. In the team’s 43-0 demolition of the Dolphins, Brown led the Patriots in targets (eight), yards (56), and tied for the team best in receptions (four) and touchdown catches (one). Brady looked early and often to Brown, entrusting him with timing and placement throws, like the 20-yard, back-shoulder touchdown in which Brown had to adjust to make the grab. Assuming Brown will be available, their connection should only get better.

LOSERS

Kirk Cousins: The problem with a fully guaranteed, $84 million contract over three years, is that expectations instantly increase. And since Cousins has been the quarterback of the Vikings, he has simply committed too many mistakes like the one that absolutely derailed Minnesota’s comeback try in a 21-16 loss against the Packers. With 5:17 left to play in the game, from Green Bay’s eight-yard line, Cousins dropped back to pass, and off of his back foot, floated a pass into double coverage in the right corner of the end zone. Packers corner Kevin King picked it off, and eliminated the best chance the Vikings would have to take the lead. There’s no excuse for Cousins, at this point in his career, eight years in, to be making mistakes like that.

New Orleans Saints: They got a look at life without Drew Brees, and it wasn’t pretty. After Brees suffered a thumb injury in the first half of the 27-9 loss against the Rams, the team’s offense looked lifeless. The Saints listed Brees as questionable to return, but he couldn’t even grip a football on the sideline. Brees has missed just one game because of injury in his NFL career — a Week 3 game in 2015 — but now reports indicate he'll miss six weeks after undergoing surgery on his thumb. That could be catastrophic for New Orleans’ season, but it’s not the only problem. The Saints' offensive line was mauled by Aaron Donald and the Rams, and the rushing game has shown it still needs to find consistency and still misses the production of Mark Ingram, who signed with the Ravens.

Doug Marrone: Not only did Marrone, the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, have a blow up on the sideline with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, but he also made a questionable decision at the end of the game that cost his team the chance to tie the game. In a 13-12 loss against the Houston Texans, Marrone saw his team — led by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew — battle back to score nine unanswered points inside the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. All the Jags needed to do was kick the extra point to tie the game. Instead, Marrone opted to go for two — an aggressive move that can’t necessarily be faulted — but he took the ball out of the hands of Minshew, who had all the momentum and was making play after play. Instead, running back Leonard Fournette rushed up the middle, was stuffed, and Jacksonville lost the game. Now the Jags are 0-2, in an early hole in the AFC South, and Marrone might be creeping onto the hot seat.

Steelers offense: This offense was already in transition as it tried to navigate life after Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, but now it's also without Ben Roethlisberger for the remainder of the season. In the second quarter of a 28-26 loss against the Seahawks, Roethlisberger was in obvious discomfort when he tried to throw the ball, grabbing at his right, throwing elbow. He went to the sidelines briefly, and then was declared questionable to return. At the start of the second half, backup Mason Rudolph entered the game, while Roethlisberger was relegated to the sideline with a hat. Injuries to throwing elbows are tricky, and now that Roethlisberger is out for the year, Pittsburgh’s slide seems likely to continue. Making matters worse, running back James Conner left the game with a knee injury.

Adam Vinatieri: If this is the end of his storied career, what a ride it has been. The all-time NFL record holder for points, Vinatieri is officially struggling more than he ever has at any point in his career. The Colts' place kicker missed two extra points in Sunday’s 19-17 victory against the Titans. That means that dating back to last year’s loss in the divisional round of the playoffs, Vinatieri has now missed four extra points and three field goals (of 23, 46, and 29 yards) in his last three games. Colts owner Jim Irsay did say the misses were cause for “concern.” It didn’t cost Indy against Tennessee, but if that changes down the road, the Colts might eventually consider a switch.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.

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