With all the games, backstories, injuries and developments in a given week in the NFL, it is tough to know what to look for on Sunday. Here are five things to watch:
Potential MVP to watch
Defensive players rarely win the NFL’s MVP trophy, but Von Miller might be playing his way into serious consideration.
The Broncos’ star has picked up right where he left off in the playoffs and Super Bowl, recording four sacks and a forced fumble in the first two games — both Denver victories.
That gives Miller nine sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception just in his past four games, including playoffs. If you want to know how the Broncos are winning despite quarterback Trevor Siemian having one of the worst passer ratings in the league (74.4), look no further than Miller. His record-setting $114.5 million contract over the summer is looking like money exceedingly well spent.
The Bengals, who will play host to the Broncos on Sunday, certainly aren’t looking forward to Miller’s visit. He has four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in just four career meetings with the Bengals.
Ageless wonder to watch
For someone thought to be washed up just two years ago, DeAngelo Williams continues to look reborn with the Steelers.
The former Panthers star led the NFL with 237 rushing yards through two games, which is quite a feat at age 33 — three years after running backs are supposed to hit the dreaded “age-30 wall.”
With 63 yards Sunday when Pittsburgh visits the Eagles, Williams would pass Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton as the oldest player to rush for 300 or more yards in the first three weeks of a season.
Le’Veon who?
Rising wide receiver to watch
Stefon Diggs catching practically everything in sight is making the loss of QB Teddy Bridgewater and the transition to Sam Bradford a lot easier for the 2-0 Vikings.
A fifth-round pick out of Maryland last season, Diggs showed flashes as a rookie, but is looking like Minnesota’s scariest receiving threat since Randy Moss through the first two games this year.
Fresh off a nine-catch, 182-yard performance in last week’s prime-time win over the rival Packers, Diggs enters Sunday’s visit to the Panthers with a league-high 285 receiving yards this season. That is the most by a Vikings player in the first two games since 1969.
Diggs is both explosive and sure-handed. As well as averaging 17.8 yards per catch, he has caught 16 of the 20 passes thrown his way (80 percent).
Resurgent QB to watch
Matt Ryan is off to a torrid start that is making his past three roller coaster seasons just a fuzzy memory.
The Falcons quarterback enters Monday night’s visit to the winless Saints on a roll, leading the NFL with a 121.4 passer rating after completing 73 percent of his passes for 730 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception in Atlanta’s 1-1 start.
Ryan always has thrown a lot of touchdown passes, but also a lot of interceptions (with double-digit INTs in all but one of his first eight NFL seasons), so the low pick total is the real surprise so far.
New Orleans certainly shouldn’t be eager for Ryan’s arrival. He has posted a passer rating of 100 or better in each of his past four games against the NFC South-rival Saints.
Big arm to watch
Andy Dalton is on pace to rewrite his image from game manager to gunslinger.
Headed into Sunday’s home matchup with the Broncos, Dalton leads the league with 732 passing yards and will be looking for his third consecutive game of at least 350 yards.
Dalton is on pace to throw for a whopping 5,856 yards, which would be almost 1,600 yards better than his 2013 career best. Now the Bengals just need Dalton to start finding the end zone more — all of those yards have translated into just two TD passes.