NFL preseason Week 2 takeaways: Justin Fields injects life into Steelers' offense, but struggles remain

NFL Nation, ESPNAug 17, 2024, 10:08 PM ET

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and Kansas City Chiefs veteran Patrick Mahomes looked strong Saturday in the second week of the 2024 NFL preseason. The rest of the league continued matchups on Saturday and will wrap up Sunday (full schedule below).

Week 2 of the preseason often serves as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. Our NFL Nation reporters tell you what you need to know from each game as we head toward cut-down day on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Saturday’s Games

Rams: The Rams don’t play many starters or key players during the preseason, so Week 2 wasn’t much of a dress rehearsal for the regular season. But although it wasn’t the starting offense, the Rams got another look at quarterback Stetson Bennett, who played the entire game for the second time in less than a week.

Bennett, who threw four interceptions on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, protected the football until late in the third quarter, when he threw an interception in the end zone. After throwing what was eventually the game-winning touchdown pass, Bennett fumbled on the first play of the next drive. Bennett finished 17-of-31 for 213 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a fumble. Although he is the Rams’ third-string quarterback, he is in line to back up quarterback Matthew Stafford for the first two games of the season while Jimmy Garoppolo is serving his suspension. Stafford left the Rams’ joint practice with the Cowboys this week with hamstring tightness, but is expected to return to practice next week. — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Texans (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Chargers: Starting quarterback Justin Herbert is still out with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot, but was on the field before the game without his walking boot. In his absence, backup quarterbacks Easton Stick and Luis Perez each played a half for Los Angeles, but neither found the end zone.

Stick, who started the game, finished 8-for-13 for 85 yards and an interception. Perez completed 13 of 20 passes for 78 yards. The Chargers had a long list of players not in uniform for the second week of the preseason, including running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, outside linebackers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and safety Derwin James. — Kris Rhim

Next game: at Cowboys (Saturday, Aug. 24, 4 p.m. ET)

Bills: This can’t be considered a dress rehearsal for the Bills because coach Sean McDermott stayed conservative and sat key healthy players — notably quarterback Josh Allen as well as middle linebacker Terrel Bernard and pass rusher Von Miller.

The defensive line has looked like a strength of the Bills throughout training camp, and further signs of that were on display vs. the Steelers. Greg Rousseau sacked Russell Wilson 2.5 times (the other 0.5 attributed to Ed Oliver) in 11 snaps played with four total tackles and three quarterback hits. On the offensive side, the rushing game showed some positives after struggling the week prior. James Cook rushed six times for 25 yards, while rookie Ray Davis had eight carries for 58 yards. The line also allowed only two sacks. — Alaina Getzenberg

Next game: vs. Panthers (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Steelers: While Russell Wilson‘s preseason debut was mired by offensive line struggles and penalties, Justin Fields injected energy into the offense with dynamic, yet inconsistent playmaking on his feet. Fields, who played five series with the second-team unit, finished as the Steelers’ leading passer (11 of 17, 92 yards) and rusher (8 carries, 42 yards).

Wilson, meanwhile, completed 8 of 10 attempts for 47 yards in five series and was sacked three times for a loss of 21 yards. Through eight series in two preseason games, the Steelers’ first-team offense has failed to score any points and recorded just seven first downs. But the offensive shortcomings of the unit hardly fall only at the feet of the quarterbacks. The starting offensive line has given up five sacks in that span, including three Saturday.

Prior to the game, Mike Tomlin told the team website that the quarterback competition between Wilson and Fields would heat up now that Wilson is back from his calf injury. And if Saturday night is any indication, the temperature of a seemingly stable situation is rapidly increasing.— Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Lions (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans: The Titans didn’t play any of their starters after two days of intense work with the Seahawks in joint practices this week. Entering week 2 of the preseason, rookie outside linebacker Jaylen Harrell was the first player Titans coach Brian Callahan mentioned when asked who he was looking forward to watching.

Harrell’s strong training camp thrust him into a battle for a starting spot, pending veteran linebacker Arden Key’s suspension for violating the league’s performance enhancing substance policy. Key’s suspension was overturned early Saturday, but Harrell remains in competition with veterans Rashad Weaver and Shane Ray, along with second-year outside linebacker Caleb Murphy. Harrell took major steps towards solidifying a steady spot in the rotation with an impactful performance against Seattle. The 2024 seventh-round pick got the start and played [18] snaps on defense. Harrell finished with two sacks and a tipped pass. Harrell was the last player Tennessee selected in the draft (252 overall), this year but he’s definitely not Mr. Irrelevant for the Titans. — Turron Davenport

Next game: at Saints (Sunday, Aug. 25, 2 p.m. ET)

Seahawks: The Seahawks played only a few starters, having gotten them plenty of live reps against the Titans earlier in the week over two days of joint practices. With Geno Smith sitting again, Sam Howell made a second straight start, and the takeaway was the same as it was after the preseason opener: Howell, for whatever reason, is better in games than he is in practice. He was accurate and efficient, completing 11 of 14 attempts for 153 yards while playing the entire first half. He led three scoring drives in five possessions, including a 23-yard touchdown on a well-placed fade ball. His lone mistake was a lost fumble on one of the two sacks he took.

But even with that turnover, this was the best Howell has looked since Seattle acquired him in a March trade with Washington. As for Smith, expect Seattle’s QB1 to get some playing time next week against Cleveland. The only defense the Seahawks have faced all offseason is their own — the Chargers and Titans both run versions of it — so the Seahawks likely want to see how their offense stacks up against a different scheme. — Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. Browns (Saturday, Aug. 24, 10 p.m. ET)

Colts: The Colts practically all their starters and key backups (including No. 2 quarterback Joe Flacco). But starting cornerback JuJu Brents was among those who played extensively, and that came at a price. Brents left the game in the second quarter with a nose injury and was unable to return. It’s the latest in a long line of injuries for the 2023 second-round pick for whom the Colts continue to have high hopes.

Tight end Jelani Woods, a 2022 third-round choice who suddenly finds himself in a battle to make the roster, also left the game with a toe injury. — Stephen Holder

Next game: at Bengals (Thursday, Aug. 22, 8 p.m. ET)

Cardinals: Two things stood out in the Cardinals’ second preseason game, which did not feature any starters on either side of the ball: Trey Benson and the pass rush. Benson looked significantly better than last weekend. He not only found holes but he exploded through them for significant yardage, showcasing his speed in the process, finishing with nine carries for 43 yards.

And Arizona’s pass rush, which has been a question mark all offseason, stood out with its relentlessness off the edge. Xavier Thomas and Cam Thomas, both outside linebackers, had sacks, and overall, Arizona’s edge rushers accounted for four of the Cardinals’ eight quarterback hits. Both Xavier Thomas, a fifth-round draft pick this year, and Cam Thomas are fighting to make the team, but both showed Saturday night that they should be part of the outside linebacker rotation, which took a hit during camp when B.J. Ojulari, the presumptive starter, went down with an ACL. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, Aug. 25, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Dolphins: The Dolphins’ quarterback situation is settled only at the top. Tua Tagovailoa was sharp in his one series, completing all five of his pass attempts for 51 yards and a 13-yard touchdown to River Cracraft. Behind him was a different story.

Skylar Thompson played for roughly two quarters, completing 8-of-15 passes for 61 yards. He flashed the same ability to extend plays that he’s shown since his rookie season in 2022, but could almost be described as antsy in the pocket. Mike White took over midway through the third quarter and it only took him 5 attempts to surpass Thompson’s output. The two backup quarterbacks have split snaps fairly evenly at practice this summer but considering neither was sharp in the preseason opener last week, the preseason finale next week will likely decide who wins the No. 2 job behind Tagovailoa — with the loser destined for the practice squad. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: at Buccaneers (Friday, Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Commanders: Quarterback Jayden Daniels continued to look good — he has not yet officially been named the starter for the season opener, but that’s always been a matter of when, not if. Daniels showed poise and patience again in the pocket, and he once more threw in rhythm and gave receivers a chance to run after the catch. He completed 10-of-12 passes for 78 yards. He even ran on a zone read for 13 yards, but he needs to remember to slide. Running back Brian Robinson (three carries, 22 yards) has looked good — his vision and decisiveness have been keys. — John Keim

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, Aug. 25, 8 p.m. ET)

Jets: This wasn’t much of a dress rehearsal for the Jets. They rested quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor, along with every starter and most key reserves. Two notables who did play were defensive ends Will McDonald IV and Micheal Clemons, both of whom are in the spotlight because of Haason Reddick‘s holdout (26 days and counting).

McDonald, their 2023 first-round pick, made a splash play — a highlight-film sack. He used his signature move — the spin — to blow past backup right tackle Ricky Lee. McDonald (one tackle in 13 snaps) has terrific closing speed when he beats his man with his initial move, but he needs to add more to his arsenal. Clemons (no tackles, 10 snaps) had a quiet night. If Reddick’s holdouts lasts until the regular season, the Jets will have to use a McDonald-Clemons combo to replace him. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Giants (Saturday, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Panthers: No dress rehearsal for quarterback Bryce Young — or any of the starters. Coach Dave Canales was comfortable enough with Young’s performance during Thursday’s joint practice against the Jets that he didn’t risk injury in the game. It’s unlikely Young will play in next week’s preseason finale, which speaks to his command of the offense in practice.

There were some encouraging signs for the receiving corps Young will work with. Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr. combined for three catches after each had a drop in the preseason opener. Young will need Mingo, working with the first team ahead of first-round pick Xavier Legette throughout camp, to be reliable behind Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen. Marshall’s two-catch performance was an extension of Thursday’s practice in which he had two touchdowns, the second a diving, twisting catch on a fade route. Corners Lamar Jackson and D’Shawn Jamison looked decent as Carolina searches for a starter to play opposite Jaycee Horn with Dane Jackson (hamstring) out at least six weeks. — David Newton

Next game: at Bills (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Lions: The Lions rested their starters for the second consecutive game. Veteran quarterback Nate Sudfeld started in the first half, going 14-for-27 with 196 passing yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception while second-year quarterback Hendon Hooker returned to the field and started in the second half after suffering a concussion in the preseason opener against the New York Giants on Aug. 8.

Hooker looked comfortable in the pocket, putting together a strong third-quarter drive, completing five straight passes at one point before making an incompletion — which was capped by a 32-yard field goal kick from Jake Bates. Hooker would end with 150 passing yards, while going 12-for-15.

Earlier in the week, Hooker said his mother, Wendy, encouraged him to slide more after taking so much contact versus the Giants. Wendy told him, “We gotta slide!” and he took her advice. Both Hooker and Sudfeld are vying for the QB2 spot behind Jared Goff. — Eric Woodyard

Next Game: vs. Steelers (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Chiefs: The Chiefs got much of what they wanted from the two possessions with Patrick Mahomes and the starting offense on the field, except a touchdown. The Chiefs moved the ball well and got a long pass from Mahomes to first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy. But they twice stalled in the red zone and had to settle for Harrison Butker field goals — this against the backup Lions defenders.

The starting offense has kicked a field goal on each of its three drives including during the initial preseason game. Worthy later caught a 22-yard touchdown pass, but it was thrown by Carson Wentz. Worthy caught three passes for 62 yards, including the 39-yarder from Mahomes. Rashee Rice caught four passes, all from Mahomes.

Mahomes also made a slick behind-the-back pass to Travis Kelce. — Adam Teicher

Next Game: vs. Bears (Thursday, Aug. 22, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Vikings: The Vikings had no choice this week but to look past rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s season-ending knee surgery and take a revised stock of their quarterback room. Sam Darnold has shifted from the likely to unquestioned Week 1 starter, and fellow veteran Nick Mullens has moved from an insurance policy to the presumptive No. 2 spot.

And so a week after sitting out the Vikings’ first preseason game, Mullens started Saturday against the Browns and played the entire first half before Jaren Hall took over. Mullens’ stint was the most notable part of a game in which the Vikings held out nearly all of their offensive and defensive starters — having opted instead to put them through two days of full-pads work during joint practices Wednesday and Thursday with the Browns. (Right guard Ed Ingram, cornerback Akayleb Evans and rookie outside linebacker Dallas Turner were the only starters in uniform.)

The Vikings looked to make up for lost time with Mullens, having him drop back on 24 of their 41 first-half plays, not counting a kneel-down just before halftime. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 135 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown to receiver Trishton Jackson. But playing behind mostly backup offensive linemen, he took three sacks and was hit a total of 11 times. — Kevin Seifert

Next Game: at Eagles (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Browns: The Cleveland Browns rested their starters, but a concerning offensive tackle situation was only exacerbated against the Minnesota Vikings. Already practicing without starting tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin, who are on the physically unable to perform list, Cleveland lost three more tackles on Saturday. James Hudson, Hakeem Adeniji and Germain Ifedi, all of whom have taken reps at left tackle in training camp, did not return after leaving the game with injuries.

The ailments left the Browns to play Lorenzo Thompson, an undrafted rookie, at left tackle during the second half. There has been no update from head coach Kevin Stefanski on the return timeline for Wills or Conklin, both of whom sustained season-ending injuries in 2023. Stefanski recently said that Wills, who injured his MCL on his right knee last November, is close to returning.

Stabilizing the left tackle position, either with the return of Wills or an outside addition, is vital as quarterback Deshaun Watson is returning from his own season-ending shoulder surgery. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next Game: at Seattle (Saturday, Aug 24, 10 p.m. ET)

Bears: It took Caleb Williams and Chicago’s starting offense well into the second quarter to get into a groove after beginning with three consecutive three-and-outs. Rookie Rome Odunze got things moving on a 16-yard end around after veteran wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen exited the game.

Williams then drew a 43-yard defensive pass interference when targeting Tyler Scott on a deep ball, which got the Bears their first trip to the red zone, resulting in a field goal.

After connecting with Williams on a 45-yard dime, Odunze set up the Bears inside the red zone on the offense’s fifth drive. Had Odunze kept his feet in bounds, the No. 9 pick would have recorded his first NFL touchdown on a beauty of a throw from Williams in the corner of the end zone.

Two plays later, Williams showed off his ability to scramble and keep his eyes downfield while running in a 7-yard touchdown, his first of the preseason after 23 snaps against the Bengals.

Defensively, Chicago took no mercy on Cincinnati’s backups by drawing up 10 blitzes against Bengals third-string quarterback Logan Woodside — including three corner blitzes from Kyler Gordon, Josh Blackwell and Reddy Steward with the latter two helping produce two interceptions for the Bears’ defense. — Courtney Cronin

Next Game: at Chiefs (Thursday, Aug. 22, 8:20 p.m.- ET)

Bengals: The starting cornerback battle was supposed to be the most compelling aspect of Saturday’s preseason game against the Bears. But DJ Turner and Dax Hill — the two combatants for the starting job opposite outside cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt — didn’t get a chance to make a play on the ball.

Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t target either one of them before Turner and Hill were replaced.

Rookie Josh Newton, a fifth-round draft pick out of TCU, had a good and bad moment early in the game. He had a big pass deflection on a ball intended for Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, who just signed a $110 million extension. But later in the game, he was whistled for defensive pass interference on a deep ball intended for Chicago’s Tyler Scott.

Newton could push for a starting job eventually, but the battle still appears to be between Hill and Turner. — Ben Baby

Next Game: vs. Colts (Thursday, Aug. 22, 8 p.m. ET)

Texans: The Texans’ defense stole the show — to the point that it limited the offense’s reps — as the starters only played the first quarter. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. almost started the game with an interception return for a touchdown but dropped Daniel Jones‘ pass.

The next defensive possession however, safety Jalen Pitre did what Stingley almost did and intercepted Jones and returned it for a score. The next drive, the Giants’ offense crossed mid-field but Stingley ended the possession with an interception.

The Texans’ starting offense didn’t score but quarterback C.J. Stroud was efficient going 7-for-10 for 88 yards. The unit only got one drive and reached the 6-yard line but Stroud threw an incompletion ending its sole full drive. Overall, both units flashed what could make them potent in the season. — D.J. Bien-Aime

Next Game: vs. Rams (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Giants: Nothing that unfolded early in Daniel Jones’ first preseason action — since tearing his ACL in his right knee last November — will make the Giants feel better about their starting quarterback, especially considering they looked for his potential replacement this offseason.

Jones threw two interceptions on his first three drives, including an ill-advised pick-six from his own end zone. He was actually lucky it wasn’t three for three because his first pass hit cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in the chest. Perhaps it was rust. Or nerves. Or simply that’s why the Giants were looking for his replacement.

At least Jones and the Giants were able to leave with a better taste in their mouths after they played a much better second quarter. Jones hit Darius Slayton deep down the right sideline for a 44-yard gain and led a pair of scoring drives. He looked healthy and moved well when necessary, which is probably most important of all. Wide receiver Malik Nabers also confirmed the hype with four catches for 54 yards in an up-and-down afternoon for the starting offense. — Jordan Raanan

Next Game: at Jets (Saturday. Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Ravens: Trenton Simpson is ready to replace Patrick Queen at inside linebacker. Simpson made impact plays all over the field and stopped the Falcons’ first three drives. He recorded a quarterback hit on third down of the opening series, made an open-field tackle of quarterback Taylor Heinicke on third down of the second drive and broke up a pass 10 yards downfield on third down of the third possession.

A third-round pick from a year ago, Simpson has gone from a question mark at the start of the offseason to one of the team’s top performers this summer. He only played a total of 46 defensive snaps last season because he was behind Queen, who made his first Pro Bowl. Now, after Queen signed with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, Simpson is one of two new starters on a defense who ranked first in the NFL in fewest points allowed (16.8), most sacks (60) and most takeaways (60). Whether it has been a preseason game or a training camp practice, Simpson has been fast and aggressive, becoming a reliable playmaker next to middle linebacker Roquan Smith. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Green Bay (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Falcons: The Falcons didn’t suit up around 40 players, including all their starters and many of their key second-team players — such as rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. That left a group of young players attempting to impress for a backup role or a spot on the 53-man roster.

The biggest impressions made were by Atlanta’s rookie defensive linemen: Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus. Both have had to work hard in practice to get more reps and Orhorhoro has started to get consistent runs with the second team, while Dorlus has started to make appearances there, as well. On Saturday, Orhorhoro had a huge sack in the first quarter and Dorlus was hustling all over the field with a fumble recovery and a tackle for a loss. That’s encouraging for a team that suddenly has a lot of optimism up front on defense with the addition of edge rusher Matthew Judon. Wide receiver Chris Blair and cornerback Natrone Brooks had big games, too, making a case for themselves to become Falcons — or find a spot elsewhere after Aug. 27. — Marc Raimondi

Next Game: vs. Jaguars (Friday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. ET)

Thursday’s game

Eagles: Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the rest of the offensive starters got the night off. A handful of regulars saw action on defense, meanwhile, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio continued to sort through the competition at a couple of key spots, including linebacker and cornerback. Several linebackers helped their cause against the Patriots. Zack Baun, who has seen most of the first-team reps this summer alongside Devin White, showed good pursuit to stop running back Rhamondre Stevenson for no gain early in the first quarter. Nakobe Dean spent much of his night in the New England backfield and finished with a team-high five tackles.

There were positive developments at edge rusher as well. Nolan Smith Jr., a first-round pick in 2023, registered his second sack of the preseason. Free agent acquisition Bryce Huff was mostly a pass rush specialist during his time with the Jets, creating uncertainty as to whether he could be a three-down player. Time will tell on that, but he made a good read to shut down a short pass to the right side in the first quarter and recorded three tackles in limited action. — Tim McManus

Next game: vs. Vikings (Saturday, Aug. 24, 1 p.m. ET)

Patriots: Rookie quarterback Drake Maye played in four series over two quarters — totaling 25 snaps — and the results (albeit against Eagles backups) sparked hope for the Patriots’ future. After playing just one series last week, Maye helped lead the offense to 10 points — a 51-yard Joey Slye field goal and then a 4-yard TD run from himself. He entered at the start of the second quarter in place of starter Jacoby Brissett (3 series, 3-of-7 for 17 yards, 1 interception).

Maye’s stat line — 6-of-11 for 47 yards, in addition to 15 yards on 4 carries — didn’t necessarily reflect the calmness of his performance as he patiently went through his progressions. For example, he delivered a pinpoint deep ball in the third quarter to diving rookie wide receiver Javon Baker that was dropped. Had that connection been made — and Maye couldn’t have thrown it any better — it would have been a headline play. — Mike Reiss

Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, Aug. 25, 8 p.m. ET)