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NFL Week 3 panic meter: Bears, Bengals raising alarms; Chiefs, Giants merit patience

In The First Read, Jeffri Chadiha provides a snapshot of the hottest stories and trends heading into Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season, including:

But to kick things off, it's time to examine the winless teams and other troubled areas around the NFL ...

One of the constants that comes within the first month of every NFL season is the discussion about slow starts. Once we reach the end of Week 2, we know the teams that have yet to win will be driving debates and nonstop chatter for a few days. That's because 0-2 starts always serve as reasons to talk about how teams that begin that slowly rarely end their years with positive results. Almost 90 percent of the squads that land in those precarious positions usually end up missing the playoffs.

This is why this edition of The First Read has made an annual exercise of evaluating teams that start 0-2. It's a great opportunity to talk about whether we should be panicking about these franchises or exercising patience with them. It also seemed like a good idea to add some intriguing wrinkles to the process this year, just to spice things up. So instead of just focusing on the teams that are winless after two weeks, we'll point out some other areas of the NFL that feel troubled at this very moment.

Here's what one writer thinks about all this stuff, starting with the nine 0-2 teams.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs haven't been 0-2 since 2014, which was back when quarterback Patrick Mahomes was a freshman at Texas Tech. Mahomes also is enduring his first three-game losing streak in the NFL, when you add last year's Super Bowl loss to Kansas City's first two defeats of this season. To say this is uncharted territory in Kansas City would be an understatement. The Chiefs were 19-4 in September with Mahomes under center heading into this season. That's a good reason why it's smart not to overreact to what's happening with this franchise after two weeks. Yes, its 20-17 loss to Philadelphia was a rock fight, as the Chiefs gained just 294 yards and suffered a debilitating turnover early in the fourth quarter when tight end Travis Kelce bobbled a Mahomes pass into the hands of Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba for an interception. It's also true that Kansas City is playing without its two best receivers; Rashee Rice is serving a suspension, while Xavier Worthy is nursing a dislocated shoulder. The offense will improve once that duo is back on the field again. The defense also performed well after Justin Herbert picked that unit apart in a season-opening loss to the Chargers. Limiting Philadelphia to only 216 yards should make everyone in Kansas City feel a little better about what Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is working with over there. It's fair to wonder if Kansas City will dig itself into an early hole that could make winning a 10th straight AFC West crown a real question. On the other hand, there shouldn't be any mystery about whether this is still a playoff team. The Chiefs will be there when the postseason starts. VERDICT: PATIENCE

Chicago Bears

Anybody who looked at the Bears' schedule knew the first two weeks wouldn't be easy for a young team trying to ascend in the ultracompetitive NFC North. Chicago had to start the year with a Minnesota Vikings team that won 14 games in 2024 before traveling to Detroit to meet the same Lions squad that has owned the division the last two seasons. Two defeats to start the season were reasonable to expect. The problem in Chicago is how those losses have come. The Bears had the Vikings in a chokehold last Monday night before blowing a 17-6 lead and allowing Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy to score three fourth-quarter touchdowns. What happened in Detroit on Sunday was even more unsettling. That 52-21 beatdown revealed even more holes in the Chicago defense, as the Lions generated several explosive plays and quarterback Jared Goff finished with five touchdown passes. There's been so much discussion about how new head coach Ben Johnson can help second-year quarterback Caleb Williams and that offense evolve that we're witnessing firsthand how suspect that defense might be all season.

The Bears don't get many breaks with the schedule over the next few weeks, either. Four of their next six games are on the road and three of those six are against teams that have shown an ability to light up the scoreboard (Dallas next week, Washington in Week 6 and Baltimore in Week 8). Chicago had better find a way to slow teams down real fast. There are other areas to address – the penalties and the inability of Williams to play a complete game – but the Bears clearly need more defense if they want to hang with the heavyweights in the NFC. VERDICT: PANIC

New York Jets

The good vibes that came out of a 34-32 loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers sure evaporated fast. The Buffalo Bills used Week 2 as a chance to remind the Jets that there's still plenty of work to do for that team to be considered competitive. Buffalo didn't even need to have quarterback Josh Allen do superhuman things in that 30-10 lopsided contest. The most disturbing aspect of the defeat was how the Bills mashed the Jets with a dominant running attack that generated 224 yards with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. New head coach Aaron Glenn is trying to create a tough, physical culture. The best thing about the Jets the last few years has been the defensive talent they've amassed on their roster. Those things weren't anywhere to be found Sunday, and it's troubling that this team has allowed 30 points to two consecutive opponents. We all know quarterback Justin Fields didn't help matters with a lousy effort -- he finished with three completions in 11 attempts for 27 yards and a lost fumble -- but he's not in a place where he can prosper in that kind of environment. The Jets need to keep the scores down and play with the lead to help him be at his best. If that doesn't happen soon, then it's going to be long year in New York. VERDICT: PANIC

Miami Dolphins

Head coach Mike McDaniel came into this season on the hot seat. Nothing that has happened in the first two weeks gives this writer reason to believe he's going to keep his job. The Dolphins were exceptionally lousy in a season-opening loss to Indianapolis, as they fell behind 30-0 before ending up with a 33-8 defeat. Miami looked better offensively in Sunday's 33-27 loss to New England – with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing for 315 yards after committing three turnovers against the Colts – but this feels like a team that already lacks the juice to bounce back from a 0-2 hole. This used to be a squad that thrived off mercurial speed and explosive plays when McDaniel arrived. Those days have long since passed, as wide receiver Tyreek Hill doesn't impact defenses like he used to, and the defense can't hold anybody down. Miami's next game also happens to be a Thursday night matchup with Buffalo, where the Dolphins haven't won since 2016. It's easy to see this team spiraling after that affair. VERDICT: PANIC

New York Giants

The Giants played the most exciting game of Week 2, even if they wound up taking a loss that dropped them to 0-2. That 40-37 overtime defeat in Dallas won't ease the frustrations around that franchise, but there was one encouraging aspect to it: Quarterback Russell Wilson reminded us that he still can play football at a high level. Wilson passed for 450 yards and three touchdowns, including a 48-yard scoring pass to Malik Nabers in the final minute that gave New York the lead before Dallas sent the game into overtime with a field goal. Wilson wasn't perfect -- his lone interception in overtime gave the Cowboys the opportunity to win the game – but the biggest question surrounding the Giants heading into Week 2 was how long they should wait before supplanting Wilson with first-round pick Jaxson Dart. That now feels like a conversation that doesn't have the same urgency. Russ undoubtedly has his limitations. The Giants also would be better served to give Dart as much time as possible to keep learning before playing in a meaningful game. That was whole point of having Wilson around in the first place. He's given the Giants a decent reason to stick with that plan. VERDICT: PATIENCE

The rest of the 0-2 crowd

That would be a group that includes the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers. It's impossible to judge these teams by the same standards as those teams mentioned above, even though they sit at 0-2 as well. The Browns and Saints spent the offseason trying to determine which quarterback should start for them, while the Titans (with first overall pick Cam Ward) and Panthers (with 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young) are trying to help their young signal-callers become consistent performers. You could say these teams should be panicking because of their records. However, it's more realistic to think the bar was never that high for this bunch to start. If these teams can find some real optimism about what they have under center, then that's a win for this season. VERDICT: PATIENCE

Bengals dealing with another Joe Burrow injury

There are already reports that Joe Burrow could undergo surgery on a turf toe injury that occurred in Sunday's 31-27 win over Jacksonville. If that ends up being the route he takes, then the Bengals are facing a rough road ahead. Burrow already has endured two seasons in his career that ended with debilitating injuries -- a torn ACL in 2020 and a torn wrist ligament in his right hand in 2023 – and the Bengals understandably felt his absence. That injury in 2023 was especially deflating because Cincinnati was trying to fight for a playoff spot but couldn't win enough games without him. Now, it's a real possibility that backup Jake Browning will be asked to lead this team for a long stretch until Burrow is healthy enough to return. Browning looked great on the final drive of that Jaguars game, as he drove the team 92 yards before scoring the deciding touchdown on a quarterback sneak. The question is how many of those moments can Browning deliver as the Bengals move deeper into the season. He has the weapons around him -- namely wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, who finished with 14 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown -- but Browning also threw three interceptions against Jacksonville. That's not a sustainable formula for a team that was hoping to return to the playoffs after two years of watching those games at home. Burrow being available is the biggest factor in all those dreams coming true. VERDICT: PANIC

San Francisco 49ers' injury problems

The 49ers should be experts by now when it comes to battling through injuries to key players. Their 2024 season imploded after several key starters went down with health woes, and this campaign is starting in a similar fashion. The 49ers won Sunday's meeting with the Saints despite both quarterback Brock Purdy (toe and shoulder) and tight end George Kittle (on injured reserve with a hamstring injury) being able to play. Kittle won't be back for at least three more weeks, while it's unclear how long Purdy will have to sit. The good news in San Francisco is its schedule. The 49ers were able to secure a 26-21 win over New Orleans on Sunday largely because the Saints aren't good. San Francisco backup quarterback Mac Jones threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns, and it's conceivable that he could play well enough to help the 49ers beat Arizona and Jacksonville in the next couple weeks. The 49ers also came into this season with so many injuries at wide receiver and running back that general manager John Lynch made some personnel moves in late August to fortify those spots, including trading for running back Brian Robinson and wide receiver Skyy Moore and signing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling). The hope in San Francisco is that there's enough reliable talent down the depth chart to keep this team winning until guys like Kittle, Purdy and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (who's recovering from a torn ACL) return to the field. Given the quality of opponents coming up, there's a good chance of that happening. VERDICT: PATIENCE

The Travis Hunter Experience

The Jaguars are feeling their way through how best to use their rookie wide receiver/cornerback. Thus far, it's hard to be excited about how they're operating here. Travis Hunter played 39 snaps on defense and 42 on offense in Sunday's 31-27 loss to Cincinnati. He finished with three catches for 22 yards and two tackles with a pass breakup, but those numbers weren't what stood out on Sunday. It was the way Cincinnati targeted Hunter when the game was on the line. Officials flagged him for pass interference on one play (that turned into a 25-yard gain) and Ja'Marr Chase picked up 16 yards on another reception on the game-winning drive. These kinds of things are going to happen to every defensive back in this league. The issue with Hunter is that he's played two games and has yet to impress. Forty-two of his 48 snaps in a Week 1 win over Carolina came on offense. He wound up with six receptions for 33 yards in that game. At this rate, Hunter is going to end up being a mediocre receiver and an underwhelming cornerback in a season when he can be a true difference-maker. It might take the Jaguars a few more weeks to figure out where he needs to spend the bulk of his time, but it's already becoming apparent that this must happen. The hope is that they decide defense is where he needs to do that. Averaging six yards per catch over several more contests might be enough incentive to make that move. VERDICT: PATIENCE

Cowboys over Giants (OT). These teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense -- and 41 fourth-quarter points! -- in a game decided by a Dallas field goal in the final seconds of overtime.

Bengals over Jaguars. Bengals backup quarterbacks Jake Browning led Cincinnati on a 92-yard scoring drive and scored the game-winning touchdown in the final minute of this contest.

Colts over Broncos. Indianapolis got two chances at the game-winning field goal after a penalty and converted the second chance into the team's first 2-0 start since 2009.

MOST INTRIGUING GAME OF WEEK 3

Detroit scored 52 points in Week 2, while the Ravens dropped 41 on Cleveland. Both teams also lost their season-openers in noteworthy fashion -- Baltimore blew a 15-point fourth quarter lead against Buffalo, and Green Bay dominated the Lions – so this contest is about momentum. These teams both have the potential to reach the Super Bowl. They also don’t want to be 1-2 heading into Week 4.