Thursday, August 27th

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills

Will Howard should be done in Pittsburgh

Ironically, as I write this, news comes down that the Steelers are expected to carry four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster for the 2026-27 season. Regardless, it does not feel like Will Howard has a genuine shot at getting any sort of meaningful playing time this year following a lackluster preseason as well as the emergence of Drew Allar. Therefore, it makes sense for him to try and get away from this team next off-season.

Will Howard played the entire first half on Thursday, going nine of 15 on pass attempts for 69 yards, two touchdowns, an interception, and three sacks taken. If we go beyond the box score and look at the actual game tape, we're left with an underwhelming performance. The first TD he threw had more to do with wide receiver Germie Bernard than Will Howard. After all, Howard threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage, and Bernard took the pass into the end zone. On the next possession, Howard threw another touchdown to tight end Lake McRee, who took a pass he caught wide open behind the line of scrimmage to the house for six more points. Though the stat sheet says Will Howard threw two touchdowns, he actually just completed a pair of screen passes, and his receivers made fantastic plays.

It feels like every week, I log on to this website in order to rag on Will Howard, but the kid has not been good enough to warrant a roster spot. At best, he is a practice squad player. It does not make sense for Howard to make the 53-man roster this season. In all likelihood, he would be better suited to force his way out of Pittsburgh and play somewhere else because Drew Allar has firmly taken control of the promising young quarterback role in the Steel City.

Skyler Bell is going to make a noticeable impact for the Bills this year

With the addition of wide receiver D.J. Moore, Bills Mafia probably didn't realize that they have a budding young star on their roster in fourth-round draft pick Skyler Bell. But after the performance he had on Thursday, Buffalo is now well aware of the native New Yorker.

Bell made his NFL preseason debut last week, and he did not disappoint. He caught seven of 10 targets for 49 receiving yards and even made his presence felt on the ground with a 28-yard touchdown run. Bell was all over the field. He made catches surrounded by defenders, caught screen passes, didn't hesitate to go over the middle, and even showed explosiveness in the rushing attack. He did everything well when called upon.

There's not much of a question as to who the top three wide receivers are in Buffalo. It goes D.J. Moore, Khalil Shakir, and Keon Coleman. With his performance in the preseason, though, Skyler Bell will be featured frequently in this offense as the Bills' number-two slot wideout. I wouldn't be surprised to see this kid catch at least 25 passes for 300+ yards and two or three touchdowns this season. As a rookie and the fifth/sixth-best receiving option on the team, those are pretty good numbers. I’m confident that Bell will become more and more prominent in the offense over the next few years.

New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns

Dillon Gabriel just re-inserted himself into the quarterback conversation

The biggest news that came out of last week was that the Browns named Deshaun Watson the Week One starting quarterback, which was an idiotic decision if you ask me. As a result, Cleveland gave second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel the start, and he showed everybody why he got playing time last year.

The former third-round pick might have had the best performance of any quarterback during the 2025 NFL Preseason, completing 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns for a preposterous 157.9 passer rating. For context, the highest passer rating a player can record is 158.3. Gabriel looked poised, made all the right reads, completed throws on the run, and showed a strong understanding of head coach Todd Monken's offense. This was undoubtedly the best performance by a Browns quarterback that we have seen in a long time.

Just when it seemed like Cleveland's quarterback battle was whittled down to two candidates, another promising young player shows that he has what it takes to run this offense. Granted, he might have gone 1-5 in six starts last season, but he also threw seven touchdowns vs. just two interceptions. On top of that, Gabriel had the highest passer rating of every player that made a start for the Browns last season (80.8). Whenever Cleveland inevitably decides to bench Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel might have a case to come into the game and be the Browns' new starting quarterback, especially with how bad Shedeur Sanders looked at times last season.

San Francisco 49ers @ Las Vegas Raiders

Another tough outing for Fernando Mendoza

Thursday night marked the end of Fernando Mendoza's preseason, and he once again played poorly. Kirk Cousins started the first two drives before Mendoza took the reins. He got six drives to show that he's ready to start a regular-season game, and that couldn't have been further from the case. Against expected backups and cut candidates, Mendoza posted a 31 passer rating after taking two sacks and completing seven of 14 pass attempts for 57 yards, an interception, and zero touchdowns. That will be the last time we see Mendoza until the games actually count.

Fernando Mendoza is clearly not ready to start right away. Unlike former number-one overall picks Cam Newton, Joe Burrow, Caleb Williams, and Andrew Luck, Mendoza needs more time to adapt to NFL-level competition. Mendoza is closer right now to where Eli Manning, Baker Mayfield, and Jared Goff were when they first came into the league. That doesn't mean that Fernando Mendoza is going to be a bust. However, it would be organizational malpractice to throw him in the deep end and expect him to swim. It's much more likely that he would drown and crash out, causing him to turn into David Carr or Sam Bradford, when he has a much higher ceiling than both of those guys.

Rookie running backs played well

Both the Raiders and 49ers are set at the starting running back spots. That's why they started rookies on Thursday. Vegas' Mike Washington Jr. and San Francisco's Kaelon Black made the most of their snaps.

Mike Washington Jr. capped off a fantastic preseason with 49 rushing yards on eight attempts. In three outings, the fourth-round draft pick accumulated 186 scrimmage yards, which comes out to 62 yards per game. He demonstrated exceptional speed and also showed some strength by going against defenders head-on. Washington has cemented himself as the number-two back in Las Vegas, which gives the Raiders one of the most dynamic backfields in the NFL.

On the other side, Kaelon Black got the nod for the Niners. He only had four carries for 28 yards, but he showed why San Francisco used a third-round pick on him. Black had an impressive burst of speed that will make him a good rotational running back. If he can get a better understanding of the passing game, then he should be able to put it all together and become a reliable backup to Christian McCaffrey. Considering how often the 49ers deal with injuries, it doesn't hurt to have a talented RB2 in the Bay Area.

Los Angeles Rams @ Los Angeles Chargers

Ty Simpson nailed his preseason audition

In what will probably be his last start of the 2026-27 season, Ty Simpson once again looked like a capable NFL quarterback. The 13th overall pick in the 2026 Draft completed 18 of 23 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown as well as another 10 yards on the ground. He didn't take any sacks, made all the right reads, didn't force the ball downfield, was elusive, and led the Rams on three scoring drives. Hell, it could've been four scoring drives had Los Angeles been able to convert a fourth-down attempt with its rushing attack.

With that performance, Simpson's preseason is now over. If we're being honest, he far and away exceeded expectations. In three games played, he posted a 109.9 passer rating, which ranks second amongst all qualified players in the preseason. You really can't ask for much more than that considering the kid is not expected to see the field for at least two years. In the meantime, though, Rams fans can feel confident that they have their quarterback of the future whenever Matthew Stafford calls it a career.

Greg Desrosiers Jr. just made a name for himself

You shouldn't feel too bad if you've never heard of Los Angeles Chargers running back Greg Desrosiers Jr. After all, the undrafted rookie out of Memphis never recorded 1,000 scrimmage yards in any season of his college career. However, that didn't stop the 25-year-old back from having a stupendous performance on Thursday.

Desrosiers' third preseason game was his best. Despite not taking the field until the second half of the game, Desrosiers had 126 total yards and a rushing touchdown on 10 total touches. That included a 34-yard touchdown run and a 33-yard run on his very next carry the following offensive possession.

With that impressive outing, Greg Desrosiers Jr. might have made his NFL dreams a reality. He didn't earn a spot on the opening day roster, but he was signed to the practice squad. And when you realize how much of a beating running backs take every week, we might one day see Greg Desrosiers Jr. get carries in meaningful NFL games.

Friday, August 28th

Washington Commanders @ Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore passed every possible test

Many people were curious as to how the Baltimore Ravens would perform under a new head coach. After all, John Harbaugh had been leading the team for the last 18 years. But if the preseason was any indication of what's to come in Baltimore, then the Ravens likely won't miss a beat this year.

Baltimore ended the 2026 preseason with the most impressive win we have seen thus far, a 41-3 shellacking of the Washington Commanders. They did everything well, outgaining the Commanders by 279 yards. The Ravens averaged 6.6 yards per play on offense, while holding Washington to just one third-down conversion on 12 attempts. Every Ravens QB scored a touchdown, including Tyler Huntley, who finished the game with a perfect passer rating.

The Ravens are clearly ready for the regular season. They had the fourth-best offense in the NFL during the preseason (26 points per game) while finishing first in defense (4.3 points per game allowed). Baltimore led all teams in point differential, scoring 78 points while allowing just 13. The Ravens passed every conceivable test; now, they just need to bring it all together during the regular season.

Atlanta Falcons @ Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa cemented himself as Atlanta's backup QB

Apparently, some believed Tua Tagovailoa had a shot at overtaking Michael Penix Jr. as Atlanta's starting quarterback. After a solid but not mind-blowing performance on Friday night, it's very obvious that Tua is only capable of being the Falcons' backup QB.

Tua Tagovailoa was fine on Friday. If we're being honest, it was probably his best performance in a black and red uniform. He went seven of eight for 95 yards. Though he did put the football on the ground, he recovered his own fumble, so no harm, no foul. But, in reality, Tua should've been much better in this game. After all, he was going against his former team. He should have some idea of how to attack the Dolphins, even if they have a new GM and head coach. Despite that working in his favor, Tagovailoa failed to score a touchdown for a third game in a row. More importantly, when the Falcons made it to the red zone, Atlanta only attempted one pass, and it was a rollout that allowed him to safely throw the ball away.

Based on his preseason performance and the playcalling that we saw from the Falcons' coaches, it's very apparent that Atlanta does not trust Tua Tagovailoa to make plays when it counts. That's why he will be going into the regular season as the clear-cut number-two quarterback in the ATL.

Houston Texans @ Carolina Panthers

Houston has complete trust in Davis Mills

After Graham Mertz suffered an injury a few weeks ago, the Texans signed Brett Rypien to their training camp roster. He was only given two games to show what he's capable of, and Houston was clearly unimpressed with his performance, which is why he was released over the weekend. In two games, Rypien went 19 of 33 for 141 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, which equates to a 52.7 passer rating.

It's not that Brett Rypien was horrible. In fact, one could argue he was decent as a third-string quarterback, but the Texans know that Davis Mills is their number-two quarterback option. Even though many teams carry at least three QBs on their roster, that is not the case in H-Town, where Mills is C.J. Stroud's backup. Mills didn't set the world on fire in the preseason. Then again, he didn't have to. This is a guy who has proven he can be a reliable backup quarterback. Despite only playing in six games last season, he led the Texans to a 5-1 record while posting an 81.6 passer rating after tossing five touchdowns compared to just one interception. There are no questions about the pecking order for QBs in Houston.

New York Giants @ New York Jets

Big Blue's veterans earn their roster spots

The Giants are loaded with young talent like quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Cam Skattebo, wide receiver Malik Nabers, and so on. However, it was the older players on the roster trying to keep their careers alive that made headlines in the Big Apple. Odell Beckham Jr., Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, Jason Pinnock, and Ar'Darius Washington all made the final cut after being on the fence for most of the preseason.

Safeties Ar'Darius Washington and Jason Pinnock solidified themselves as meaningful contributors in the backend of the secondary with 10 total tackles in the preseason, including seven solo tackles. Running backs Najee Harris and Devin Singletary bring some much-needed depth to the running back room after combining for 146 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. That level of production will be valuable considering how reckless Cam Skattebo is as a player. Last, but not least, is wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who, despite not playing at all last season, looked like one of the Giants' top three wide receivers! The soon-to-be 34-year-old showed the world that he still has what it takes to make an impact in the NFL, catching seven passes for 76 yards in a limited capacity during the preseason. Every one of the guys just mentioned will play an important role for the G-Men this season as they hope to jumpstart an impressive one-year turnaround under new head coach John Harbaugh.

Jason Sanders is the Jets' kicker... for now

The New York Jets brought in two kickers during the preseason with the hopes of solving the team's void at that spot following the departure of Nick Folk in free agency. In the battle between Jason Sanders and Cade York, Sanders emerged victorious. However, it feels like the Jets went with him because he was the lesser of two evils.

Cade York went two of three on field goals during the preseason while connecting on his lone extra point attempt. Unfortunately, that was not good enough to impress New York's front office because York was waived by the Jets on August 25th, five days before NFL roster cutdowns. As a result, the Jets went into Friday's game with Jason Sanders as the only kicker on the roster. Yet, he ran into serious issues. Not only did he miss a 54-yard field goal attempt towards the end of the game, but he also pulled an extra point attempt wide left, meaning he ended the night without a single successful kick!

It would've been much easier for the Jets to have just paid Nick Folk what he wanted. Believe it or not, Gang Green was the best kicking team in the NFL last season, making 28 of the 29 field goals they attempted. Hell, the only field goal attempt Folk missed last season was a 55-yarder, and he made up for that with a game-winning 56-yarder in the very same matchup! Instead, the Jets will be putting their faith in Jason Sanders, who has been solid throughout his career. However, he will undoubtedly have a short leash and could easily be benched or cut if he struggles early on.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Buccaneers do not have enough QB depth

Not a whole lot stood out in this game since both teams were starting backups across the board. However, the biggest takeaway that I noticed is how limited the Buccaneers are when it comes to quarterback depth.

Three QBs took snaps for Tampa Bay on Friday night, and none of those guys were impressive. Jalon Daniels, Connor Bazelak, and Jake Browning combined for a 62.4 passer rating after completing 12 of 21 passes for 31 net yards and five sacks! Apparently, though, that was all the Buccaneers needed to see because they cut Jake Browning and waived Connor Bazelak. That means they only have two QBs on the opening day roster: Baker Mayfield and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels.

I don't want to rain on the kid's parade. After all, it's always nice to see an undrafted rookie make an NFL roster. Daniels was respectable during the preseason, going 27 of 44 for 239 yards, a passing TD, 37 rushing yards, and a rushing TD. Still, it’s incredibly risky to make him your backup quarterback. I’m always in favor of utilizing a veteran as a QB2. More often than not, they have seen NFL action and know how to lead an offense. But with an undrafted rookie, we have no idea how he will perform when it counts. If Baker Mayfield were to go down with an injury, would you feel comfortable letting somebody who has never taken a regular-season snap lead this team? Personally speaking, I would be very concerned about the Bucs' quarterback room. If Baker Mayfield has to miss time, it could spell disaster for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys

Dallas had the best quarterback room in the NFL before yesterday

In the National Football League, most teams are lucky if they have one good quarterback on their roster. However, in Dallas, the Cowboys were blessed this preseason with three QBs who could start for multiple NFL teams.

Obviously, you have Dak Prescott, who has always been a reliable producer despite his shortcomings in the playoffs. Since 2022, Prescott is tied with Josh Allen for the 10th-best passer rating in the NFL (97.7). After him, they had Joe Milton, who was absolutely electric once again during the preseason. Amongst qualified passers, Milton had the highest passer rating of any player during the preseason (118.2). Lastly, we must highlight Sam Howell and his 104.7 passer rating after connecting on 27 of his 40 pass attempts for 314 yards, three TDs, and an interception during preseason action.

To be honest, it is genuinely shocking that the Cowboys decided to waive Milton. He has all the tools necessary to not just be a backup quarterback but a starter in this league. Even if they never intended on keeping him, Dallas still could have used him as trade bait. A quarterback-needy team gladly would've taken a risk on him this season.

Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers

Kyle McCord deserves to be a QB2

With the preseason now behind us, quarterback Kyle McCord played his way onto an NFL roster for the second straight season. In fact, he was so impressive that the Miami Dolphins sent the Packers a sixth-round draft pick for the kid.

Just a week after saying the Dolphins needed to add a veteran backup QB, they made a trade for a young and promising quarterback in McCord, who dazzled during the preseason with the second-most passing yards in the NFL (446), four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His best performance came on Friday, when he completed 22 of 35 passes for 226 yards and four TDs. Plus, he threw a game-winning touchdown pass to put the Packers ahead with 20 seconds remaining in the contest.

Now, McCord finds himself playing in Miami, where he is the Dolphins' best and only backup quarterback. Miami parted ways with both Cam Miller and Mark Gronkowski, meaning they will go into the regular season with Malik Willis and Kyle McCord as the only two QBs on their roster. Had it not been Miami, though, somebody would've made a move for McCord. He was excellent during the preseason and has yet to turn 24, meaning he can still learn, grow, and improve as a passer.

Gardner Minshew locks up backup job in Arizona

Outside of the Cleveland Browns, the Cardinals have had the most interesting quarterback competition in the NFL this off-season. Just when it looked like Carson Beck was the obvious choice to be the QB2 in the desert, Gardner Minshew reminded everybody why he has been in the league for so long.

Minshew was phenomenal against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night. The eighth-year pro completed seven of nine passes for 126 yards, a touchdown, and a ludicrous 155.8 passer rating. Amongst every player that attempted a pass during the preseason, Minshew was 16th in passer rating (113.9). Not to mention, he had the fourth most passing yards in the league (404) while finishing tied for eighth in completion percentage (83.3).

Though Carson Beck was good during the preseason, he only played one game. Plus, he has been losing snaps to Gardner Minshew as he continues to battle a rib injury. For a rookie who is learning a new offense and trying to adapt to NFL speed, that’s a clear sign that he will not be the backup quarterback in Arizona to start the season. Things might change later on down the line after Beck gets more reps in practice, but for now, Gardner Minshew has earned the Cardinals' backup QB role.

Seattle Seahawks @ Kansas City Chiefs

Seattle's running back depth is worrisome

Following the departure of Kenneth Walker III in free agency, it was always expected that the Seahawks' rushing attack would not be as effective as it was last season. That's why they signed Emanuel Wilson and took Jadarian Price with their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, the running game still seems to be lacking something, and those issues will likely carry over into the regular season now that projected starter Zach Charbonnet will miss Seattle's first four games.

With limited running back depth, it's not shocking to see the Seahawks only gave three guys carries on Friday. Unfortunately, the two running backs that got the start for Seattle (Jacardia Wright and Justin Jones) didn't do much with that opportunity. They were held to 34 rushing yards on 18 attempts, which comes out to less than two yards per carry. Plus, neither one of those guys ended up making the final 53-man roster.

The Seahawks only have three running backs to start the season until Charbonnet can return: Price, Wilson, and George Holani. Unfortunately, just one of those guys took the field during the preseason: George Holani, and he's projected to be the third-string running back on opening day. Meanwhile, Price is a rookie, and Wilson has only carried the ball 242 times over the last three seasons. In all likelihood, Seattle will have a hard time getting the running game going until Zach Charbonnet returns from injury. Even then, this is one of the weaker running back rooms in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Philadelphia Eagles

A bad preseason for Philly's rookie pass catchers

The Eagles spent the off-season trying to find guys to replace A.J. Brown. They signed two wideouts, traded for another, and used their top-two draft picks to add two more pass catchers in Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers. Though we have not gotten a chance to see what the rookies can do during the regular season, they were uninspiring during the preseason.

We start with Eli Stowers, who has struggled mightily during training camp. Hell, Jimmy Kempski of the PhillyVoice said that Stowers "hasn't shown much to get excited about as a receiver or as a blocker." Those problems were apparent during preseason games, considering he finished with just three catches for 12 yards on five targets.

Makai Lemon also ran into issues. He only played in one preseason game, but he did not look like a difference-maker, catching three of his five targets for a grand total of three yards. Granted, he wasn't playing with Jalen Hurts, but Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton are compotent enough to find receivers and get them the football.

I'm not going to say that Stowers and Lemon are both busts. It would be unfair to do that to a pair of rookies who have yet to play a regular-season snap. However, the way these guys have performed during training camp and the preseason does not instill much confidence heading into Week One.

Another good showing for the Bengals' defense

The new-look Bengals defense closed out the preseason with another strong performance. They forced an interception and three punts on Philly's first four offensive possessions of the game. In the end, they held the Eagles to 210 total yards while recording three sacks and holding the Birds to 13 points.

The Bengals did everything you could ask for during the preseason on the defensive side of the ball. Cincy had the most forced fumbles in the league (five) and the second-most fumble recoveries (eight). Though they allowed their opponents to average 268.7 total yards per game, they executed the bend-but-don't-break defense perfectly by limiting opponents to 12 points per game, which was good for fourth in the NFL. Obviously, we can't expect this to be one of the best defenses in the NFL during the regular season, but there are plenty of reasons to feel positively about this unit taking a meaningful step forward this year.

Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos

The book has closed on J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota

Former number-ten overall draft pick J.J. McCarthy was unable to play in the Vikings' final preseason game due to an ankle injury. After this announcement, rumors swirled that McCarthy would not make Minnesota's 53-man roster. Luckily for him, though, McCarthy survived cut day and is still a member of the Vikings. In reality, though, it's only a matter of time before the Vikes cut him loose.

McCarthy was not good during the 2026 NFL preseason. He made the same mistakes we have seen during the regular season, did not respond well to pressure, and failed to throw a touchdown pass.

It would not be surprising to see a team trade for McCarthy at some point during the regular season. Even if that doesn't happen, then he might just be cut outright next off-season. To call this experiment a failure would be an understatement. J.J. McCarthy is one of the biggest busts in NFL history. The best thing for him now is to get out of Minnesota and try his luck somewhere else in the league. He clearly does not have a future with the Vikings.

Saturday, August 29th

Detroit Lions @ Indianapolis Colts

Secondary concerns persist in Detroit

For a few years now, the Lions' secondary has been a weak link given how good the rest of the team has been. The statistics back up this claim since Detroit is seventh in receiving yards allowed per game over the last three seasons (248).

Against a Colts squad that was starting backup QBs and several cut candidates at wide receiver, the Lions' secondary continued to struggle. Detroit allowed 206 receiving yards despite playing several starters in the secondary, including Keith Abney II, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and Roger McCreary. The worst part was that they allowed Anthony Richardson to complete 70% of his passes, which is troublesome since he is widely known as one of the least accurate quarterbacks in the NFL.

On top of all this, the Lions are missing their two best players in the secondary. Starting safety Brian Branch will miss the first four games of the season as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles. Other safety Kerby Joseph is in the same boat as he tries to fend off a lingering knee issue. With both of those guys missing the first four games of the regular season, Detroit's secondary will likely be a weak spot through the first quarter of the year.

Chicago Bears @ Tennessee Titans

Tyson Bagent is an elite backup

Everybody is well aware that the Bears are set at the quarterback position with Caleb Williams. However, not many people know about backup QB Tyson Bagent, who just concluded another incredibly impressive preseason.

He had a near-perfect performance against the Titans over the weekend, completing 16 of 17 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball twice for 21 yards and threw a 97-yard touchdown on his first pass of the game. The only negative play he had was a muffed hand-off on a jet sweep handoff. But we can't put all the blame on him for that play since he did put the ball in his wideout's hands.

Bagent posted a 119.3 passer rating during the preseason after completing 29 of 39 passes for 377 yards, three TDs, and an interception in two games. Realistically, he has the skills to be a starter somewhere in this league. At the very least, he deserves a shot to show what he can do when given the reins of an NFL offense.

It's reasonable to be worried about Chicago's defense

A lot was made of the Bears' failure to address many of their key needs on the defensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, many of those issues reared their ugly head during the preseason, even though Chicago faced two of the three worst offensive teams in the NFL.

Most recently, the Bears gave up 143 passing yards to Will Levis, who was just cut and went unclaimed on the waiver wire. They also failed to sack Levis or force him to turn the ball over. Regardless of who they were starting, the Bears' defense should have enough talent on that side of the ball to make life difficult for a guy who is now an undesired free agent. But that was not the case, and we have to wonder how well this unit will perform in the regular season, when they have to face good quarterbacks like Drake Maye, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Jared Goff. The defense will likely be Chicago's downfall once again this year.