As NFL Week 2 begins, the shadow of Aaron Rodgers looms large, even as he faces season-ending injuries. Did he prepare Jordan Love enough to replace him as the starting QB before leaving the Green Bay Packers for the Jets? Will Love thrive in the spotlight despite having played second fiddle to Rodgers for three years? Did Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills drop his guard because Rodgers wasn’t playing and literally drop the ball in the opening game against the Packers?

Is Joe Burrow’s new haircut signifying the desire for a new beginning with the Cincinnati Bengals? Was he struggling with the rainy weather in the Cleveland game, only to fall victim to “wet football syndrome” and aggravate the calf muscle strain that kept him on the bench during training camp?

So far, the LA Rams and SF 49ers are undefeated, with 49ers QB Brock Purdy looking strong after arm surgery. In their upcoming match-up, do the Rams have the home-field advantage, or can the 49ers outplay them on SoFi turf?

Stanford, Cal, and SMU have joined the Atlantic Coast conference amid the Pac-12 diaspora. Will the traditional regional school rivalries eventually fall by the wayside? Shouldn’t geographical logistics be taken into consideration and not just dollar signs? The travel time from coast to coast is going to impact all of the sports teams at each university, not just the football teams. How will time for schoolwork be affected? Aren’t players student-athletes first and not the other way around? And while some East Coast schools that usually have to play in cold and snowy conditions might get an occasional reprieve on the West Coast, the same won’t be true for the former Pac-12 teams as they play in unfamiliar territory and inclement weather. Will the upcoming adjustment period upset everyone’s applecarts, or will the players prove to be resilient and take it all in stride?

Email Fred, Art, and Andy with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com