Sports

NFL Scores, Brief Takeaways, And Week 2 Schedule

By Staff Report / August 17, 2026

Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason officially concluded over the weekend, giving football fans their first full look at high-profile rookie debuts and critical quarterback battles across all 32 teams.

Weekend Scoreboard & Results

The first full weekend of exhibition matchups brought everything from blowout victories to tightly contested finishes:

Thursday, August 13

MatchupFinal ScoreNotable Takeaways
Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals14–16Cincinnati’s depth wide receivers turned heads, highlighted by a massive 48-yard kickoff return from Ke’Shawn Williams.
Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers9–28Rookie quarterback Drew Allar dominated for Pittsburgh, throwing for three scoring drives and earning a 154.8 passer rating.
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots13–13 (Tie)A defensive battle that stalled out late; both teams focused on resolving secondary positional battles.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans27–7The Chargers’ defensive front overwhelmed Houston’s backup offensive line, registering constant pressure.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders27–14Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love flashed immense potential, tearing off 58 yards on 11 carries.
Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers19–13Niners rookie De’Zhaun Stribling shined with seven catches, while Titans top-pick Cam Ward struggled with footwork.

Friday, August 14

MatchupFinal ScoreNotable Takeaways
Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons27–7Denver’s cohesive backup unit moved the ball at will against an aggressive but undisciplined Falcons defense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets24–16Jets mentor Aaron Rodgers watched from the sideline as Tampa Bay’s special teams and depth secondary closed out the game.
Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Commanders7–20Washington’s defense dictated the game tempo from the start, limiting Miami’s ground game

Saturday, August 15

MatchupFinal ScoreNotable Takeaways
Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills14–29Keon Coleman hauled in a red-zone touchdown from Josh Allen, while Bryce Young and the Panthers’ offense stalled.
Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears10–34Chicago capitalized heavily on miscues, converting two turnovers from rookie Shedeur Sanders into quick scores.
Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants13–10Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart bounced back from a heavy hit to throw a touchdown pass to Malachi Fields.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs20–12Rams backup Ty Simpson commanded the offense perfectly, completing 21-of-25 passes for two touchdowns.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints24–20Undrafted rookie J’Mari Taylor carried the load for Jacksonville in the second half, securing 58 yards and a score.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens7–24Head coach Jesse Minter’s defense ruled the day, forcing seven three-and-outs against a struggling Eagles offense.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks17–7Both teams sat their primary starters, giving backup quarterbacks Sam Howell and Joe Milton III room to shine.

Big Themes From the Full Week 1 Slate

  • Quarterback Competitions Loom Large: Cleveland’s signal-caller depth remains under intense scrutiny following the up-and-down performances of Watson and Sanders. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell split early reps between veterans and rookie J.J. McCarthy to evaluate command of the system.
  • Rookies Flashing Potential: Beyond Ty Simpson’s stellar performance for the Rams, 49ers second-round wideout De’Zhaun Stribling turned heads on Friday night, logging seven catches for 62 yards against starting Titans defensive backs.
  • Preseason Injuries Sting: Teams are already navigating structural adjustments. Notably, the Arizona Cardinals placed Chase Bisontis on injured reserve, and the Carolina Panthers are adjusting to life without pass rusher Nic Scourton following a season-ending knee injury.

Week 2 Pre-Season Schedule

Thursday, August 20

MatchupTime (ET)TV Channel / Platform
Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans8:00 PMESPN
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Chargers10:00 PMNFL Network

Friday, August 21

MatchupTime (ET)TV Channel / Platform
New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers7:00 PMNFL Network
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars7:30 PMESPN App
Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos9:00 PMNFL Network

Saturday, August 22

MatchupTime (ET)TV Channel / Platform
Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions12:00 PMLocal / Regional Affiliates
Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts1:00 PMLocal / Regional Affiliates
Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings1:00 PMESPN App
Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns1:00 PMNFL Network
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams4:00 PMESPN App
New York Giants at Miami Dolphins4:00 PMNFL Network
Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals7:00 PMLocal / Regional Affiliates
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots7:00 PMNFL Network
Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers7:30 PMESPN App
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals10:00 PMNFL Network

Sunday, August 23

MatchupTime (ET)TV Channel / Platform
Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans8:00 PMFOX
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