Week 2 rarely waits around to make sense. One Sunday can already send fan bases spinning, and this slate has plenty of that energy again. The loudest attention is going elsewhere, but there are a few games worth parking yourself in front of because they could spit out all kinds of reactions by the time the weekend ends.
Patriots vs. Steelers has enough star power and history to get noticed, even if it’s still not getting the full spotlight it deserves.
New England is back home for its 2026 debut after a tight 13-10 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, and the problems from that opener were easy to spot. The Patriots also lost their biggest offseason addition, A.J Brown, to injury, and even before that, the passing game wasn’t exactly humming.
Against Seattle’s defense, Mack Hollins led the way with 51 receiving yards, while Rhamondre Stevenson finished with 44 yards through the air.
That’s why the noise around the Patriots is already building. Is Drake Maye actually an MVP candidate?
Was last year just the result of an easy schedule? Did the Mike Vrabel drama from the offseason throw things off?
Is it time to panic? The answer right now is no, but another flat outing would only make those questions louder.
Pittsburgh brings its own baggage to the conversation, starting with Aaron Rodgers and his declaration that this will be his last season. The Steelers are also in their first year without head coach Mike Tomlin since 2006, with Rodgers’ former Packers coach Mike McCarthy now running the show.
Their first game back together ended in a win, though it wasn’t clean. Even against the Falcons’ third-string quarterback Cooper Rush, Pittsburgh only won by a touchdown.
Rodgers needed time to settle in, and that’s where New England has a chance to make things uncomfortable. The Patriots defense didn’t force a takeaway last week, so any mistake from Rodgers has to be turned into something.
Pittsburgh’s defense was the real difference in Week 1, even without cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who had been seeking a new contract before the season and has been dealing with a back injury. He left Thursday’s practice with a member of the medical staff, leaving his status for Sunday in question.
The biggest name on that side, though, is still T.J. Watt, who posted a pick-six, four solo tackles, two quarterback hits and two sacks in last week’s win.
That one should give us plenty to talk about no matter how it unfolds.
Commanders vs. Cowboys is another one that feels like it could say a lot about both teams without either one being fully trusted yet.
It’s an NFC East matchup between the division’s two teams that did not win in Week 1. Washington lost to the Eagles 24-22, while Dallas fell to the Giants 28-20.
The quarterback angle alone makes this worth watching. Both teams have Pro Bowl passers who have already shown they can play at a high level, and both are former Offensive Rookie of the Year winners.
Jayden Daniels is still early in his career, with only one full season behind him after being limited to seven games last year because of injury. He threw for 174 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Philadelphia, and he could be in line for a better statistical day against a Dallas defense that gave up 394 yards to the Giants.
This one also comes with a familiar setup: Washington is on the road for a second straight week, while Dallas gets its AT&T 2026 debut. The Cowboys are favored by 3.5, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Still, there’s reason to keep an eye on both sides because neither inspires complete confidence. Washington is still getting used to success, and Dallas has a habit of falling short of its ceiling and making costly mistakes.
That’s exactly why this game feels so revealing.
Then there’s Giants vs. Rams on Monday night, which might not sound underrated at first glance because it’s on “Monday Night Football.”
But if you had been asked before Week 1 which of these teams would be 1-0 and which would be 0-1, most people would have pointed to Los Angeles as the team with the win. Instead, the Giants beat the Cowboys 28-20, while the Rams were routed by the 49ers, 27-7.
Matthew Stafford had a rough opener, finishing with 155 yards, no touchdowns and one interception as San Francisco controlled the game in every major category. The Rams also lost Myles Garrett to IR this week.
Aaron Donald returned from retirement this offseason to rejoin the team, but he did not play in Week 1. Sean McVay said he was optimistic about Donald’s chances for Monday, adding, “if he feels good enough to be out there, he will be out there.”
The Giants, meanwhile, got a much-needed home opener win, their first since 2010. Jaxson Dart was sharp, throwing for 230 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Cam Skattebo led the ground game with 81 yards in his first game back since suffering an injury in October. Isaiah Likely paced the receivers with 78 yards and two touchdowns, and Malik Nabers added 69 yards.
If Donald is out there, even with Garrett gone, that could make life rough for the Giants offense.
Both teams could end up making Week 1 look like the outlier, just for different reasons. That’s what makes this one so interesting: the Rams can erase a pile of jokes and memes with a strong response, while the Giants could slide right back into familiar territory at any time.
In Other News...
Commanders Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Cornerback Depth
The Commanders made a small but telling roster tweak ahead of their game against Dallas, promoting cornerback Isaac Yiadom from the practice squad to the 53-man roster while parting ways with defensive tackle Ricky Barber in a corresponding move. It is the kind of transaction that usually flies under the radar, but it speaks to where Washington sees its immediate need as it prepares for a division matchup with one of its biggest rivals.
Yiadom arrives with the sort of veteran background that can matter in a pinch, having bounced around multiple NFL stops since entering the league in 2018. For Washington, the move gives the secondary another experienced option and suggests the staff wanted a little more insurance at cornerback as the week turned toward Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Linebacker Concern Heading Into Dallas
The Commanders shored up their interior offensive line by adding veteran Lucas Patrick for depth at guard and center, a move that helps stabilize a position group that can always use insurance over a long season. But the roster shuffle came with a catch: Washington had to clear a spot, and linebacker Jordan Magee was the one sent to injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 1.
Magees absence leaves the linebacker room a little thinner just as the Commanders are trying to sort through the rest of their injury report. Washington also added two linebackers to the practice squad, a sign the team is already working to patch the depth chart while keeping an eye on what comes next. The Dallas trip now carries a little more intrigue on that side of the ball, because the Commanders may need answers sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Owens Breakout Just Gave Commanders Fans One Immediate Concern
Tyler Owens gave Washington an early jolt in the season opener against the Eagles, turning in a standout special teams moment that quickly went viral and even landed him the Angry Runs award. For a player trying to carve out a bigger role as both a safety and gunner, it was the kind of burst that can change how a coaching staff views him, especially in a game that already carried plenty of weight in the division.
The concern came soon after, when Owens left with an ankle injury that Dan Quinn later confirmed. Owens said afterward that he was feeling good, but the Commanders will still be watching his recovery closely, because one eye-catching play is only valuable if it does not come at the cost of availability. [Read more 🡒]