Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season brings a packed Sunday slate, and the early window already has no shortage of intrigue. Two unbeaten teams meet in Chicago, Joe Burrow and the Bengals head to Houston, and Baker Mayfield lines up against the Browns in Tampa Bay in one of the day’s most familiar quarterback storylines.
The Vikings-Bears matchup stands out right away. Minnesota travels to Chicago after both teams opened with wins, and the Vikings’ aggressive defense under coordinator Brian Flores will get a real test from Caleb Williams and an offense that put up 59 points in Week 1. That one has the feel of an early measuring-stick game.
Houston gets Cincinnati with Burrow dealing with back tightness, while the Texans may be without receiver Nico Collins. The Browns-Buccaneers game carries its own edge, with Mayfield facing the team that took him No. 1 overall before moving on. Cleveland’s defense was shaky in the opener, allowing 34 points and producing just four pressures, and Tampa Bay also comes in off a loss.
There’s also a quarterback matchup in Denver, where Jacksonville visits the Broncos with Trevor Lawrence and Bo Nix set to square off. The Jaguars have scored at least 23 points in 12 straight games, but Denver brings one of the league’s better defenses into the matchup.
The rest of the Sunday board is loaded as well, with the Saints at Ravens, Steelers at Patriots, Packers at Jets, Eagles at Titans, Raiders at Chargers and Seahawks at Cardinals. The Giants close the week on Monday night against the Rams.
Here’s the full Week 2 Sunday schedule, all times Eastern:
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m., Fox
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans, 1 p.m., CBS
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots, 1 p.m., CBS
Green Bay Packers at New York Jets, 1 p.m., Fox
Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m., CBS
Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., Fox
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., Fox
New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., Fox
Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m., Fox
The Sunday night game is Colts at Chiefs, airing on NBC with Mike Tirico on play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth as analyst. It can also be seen on FuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Monday night wraps things up with Giants at Rams at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN.
In Other News...
Saints Lose First Tyler Shough-Jaxson Dart Test For One Frustrating Reason
The Saints were already preparing for a young quarterback challenge this week, but the matchup shifted when Jaxson Dart went down with a knee injury against the Rams. What had initially looked like an MCL sprain turned out to be more extensive after an MRI, and the Giants now appear headed toward a long absence for their rookie signal-caller.
For New Orleans, that means the first Tyler Shough-Jaxson Dart test will not happen after all, at least not in the form many expected. Dart is out for the upcoming game, and Jameis Winston is expected to start in his place, leaving the Saints to adjust to a different kind of opponent and a frustratingly altered version of the weeks quarterback storyline. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Already Made A Tough Call In Their Backfield Battle
Audric Estimes Saints stint hit a hard stop before he ever got the chance to settle into the backfield rotation. New Orleans waived the running back from injured reserve with an injury settlement after the thigh injury sidelined him, a move that both compensates him for time missed and clears the way for him to look for another landing spot once he is healthy.
For the Saints, it is another sign of how quickly the backfield picture has shifted around the injured list and the players who stayed available. Estime had been in the mix for playing time, but while he worked his way through recovery, others moved up the depth chart and carved out roles, leaving New Orleans to make a difficult roster decision with the season plan already taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Brees Just Reframed That Strange Broncos Comeback Story
The odd little Broncos comeback idea got a lot clearer when Drew Brees addressed it on SiriusXMs Lets Go podcast. Brees said he was the one who reached out to former Broncos assistants Pete Carmichael and Joe Lombardi about the possibility of playing for Denver in the 2025 AFC Championship game, which is the kind of late-career twist that instantly gets attention around the league and in Saints circles alike.
Brees said he seriously considered the comeback, but his old injuries kept him from being able to follow through. The NFL has not commented on the matter, and nothing further came from the conversation, leaving the whole episode as one of those strange what-if stories that briefly surfaced, then slipped back into the background. [Read more 🡒]