NFL 2026-27: Preseason Game Week – 2 Stats & Picks

NFL Week 2 Overview

NFL Preseason Week 2 runs from August 20-23 and features 16 games over four days. Teams will continue to assess young and new players. Established players might get some playing time. This is another great opportunity for teams to build their coordination.

NFL Week 2 Schedules

Date	Teams	Time Zones			Venue
		ET	PT	IST
20 August 2026 (Thursday)	Houston Texans vs Las Vegas Raiders	8:00 PM	5:00 PM	5:30 AM (Next day)	Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
20 August 2026 (Thursday)	Los Angeles Chargers vs San Francisco 49ers	10:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:30 AM (Next day)	SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
21 August 2026 (Friday)	Pittsburgh Steelers vs New York Jets	7:00 PM	4:00 PM	4:30 AM (Next day)	Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
21 August 2026 (Friday)	Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers	7:30 PM	4:30 PM	5:00 AM (Next day)	EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
21 August 2026 (Friday)	Denver Broncos vs Green Bay Packers	9:00 PM	6:00 PM	6:30 AM (Next day)	Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Detroit Lions vs Washington Commanders	12:00 PM	9:00 AM	9:30 PM	Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Indianapolis Colts vs Atlanta Falcons	1:00 PM	10:00 AM	10:30 PM	Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Cleveland Browns vs Buffalo Bills	1:00 PM	10:00 AM	10:30 PM	Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, Ohio
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Minnesota Vikings vs Baltimore Ravens	1:00 PM	10:00 AM	10:30 PM	U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Miami Dolphins vs New York Giants	4:00 PM	1:00 PM	1:30 AM (Next day)	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints	4:00 PM	1:00 PM	1:30 AM (Next day)	SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Cincinnati Bengals vs Chicago Bears	7:00 PM	4:00 PM	4:30 AM (Next day)	Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles	7:00 PM	4:00 PM	4:30 AM (Next day)	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs	7:30 PM	4:30 PM	5:00 AM (Next day)	Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
22 August 2026 (Saturday)	Arizona Cardinals vs Dallas Cowboys	10:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:30 AM (Next day)	State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
23 August 2026 (Sunday)	Tennessee Titans vs Seattle Seahawks	8:00 PM	5:00 PM	5:30 AM (Next day)	Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

Match Previews

Los Angeles Chargers vs San Francisco 49ers

Date: 20 August 2026 (Thursday)

Time: 10:00 PM ET | 7:00 PM PT | 7:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Expected NFL Squads

Los Angeles Chargers

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Justin Herbert
Running Back	Omarion Hampton
Wide Receiver	Ladd McConkey
Wide Receiver	Quentin Johnston
Wide Receiver	Tre’ Harris
Tight End	Oronde Gadsden
Fullback	Alec Ingold
Left Tackle	Rashawn Slater
Left Guard	Kayode Awosika
Center	Tyler Biadasz
Right Guard	Cole Strange
Right Tackle	Joe Alt

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Teair Tart
Nose Tackle	Dalvin Tomlinson
Right Defensive End	Jamaree Caldwell
Weakside Linebacker	Tuli Tuipulotu
Left Inside Linebacker	Daiyan Henley
Right Inside Linebacker	Denzel Perryman
Strongside Linebacker	Khalil Mack
Left Cornerback	Cam Hart
Strong Safety	Derwin James Jr.
Free Safety	Elijah Molden
Right Cornerback	Donte Jackson
Nickel Back	Tarheeb Still

San Francisco 49ers

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Brock Purdy
Running Back	Christian McCaffrey
Wide Receiver	Mike Evans
Wide Receiver	Deebo Samuel Sr.
Wide Receiver	Jordan Watkins
Tight End	Jake Tonges
Fullback	Kyle Juszczyk
Left Tackle	Trent Williams
Left Guard	Robert Jones
Center	Jake Brendel
Right Guard	Dominick Puni
Right Tackle	Colton McKivitz

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	C.J. West
Nose Tackle	Alfred Collins
Right Defensive End	Grace Halton
Weakside Linebacker	Sam Okunayinonu
Left Inside Linebacker	Dre Greenlaw
Right Inside Linebacker	Fred Warner
Strongside Linebacker	Ogbo Okoronkwo
Left Cornerback	Deommodore Lenoir
Strong Safety	Ji’Ayir Brown
Free Safety	Ashtyn Davis
Right Cornerback	Renardo Green
Nickel Back	Upton Stout

Statistical Context & Preseason Performance

Metric / Detail	Los Angeles Chargers	San Francisco 49ers
Preseason Record	1–0	0–1
Last Game Score	Won 27–7 vs Texans	Lost 19–13 vs Titans
Total Offense (Last Game)	379 Total Yards (275 Pass / 104 Rush)	322 Total Yards (238 Pass / 84 Rush)
Turnover Differential	+1 (1 Int Thrown / 2 Def Takeaways)	0 (0 Int Thrown / 0 Def Takeaways)

This NFL game will be decided by backup depth. Both first-team offenses should mount early drives successfully. The 49ers are suffering from quarterback injury limitations and self-admitted offensive struggles. Meanwhile, Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers have displayed much cleaner execution and strong depth performance. Expect a low-scoring affairs that edge heavily towards Los Angeles.

The Pick: Los Angeles Chargers.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers

Date: 21 August 2026 (Friday)

Time: 7:30 PM ET | 4:30 PM PT | 5:00 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

Expected NFL Squads

Jacksonville Jaguars

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Trevor Lawrence
Running Back	Bhayshul Tuten
Wide Receiver	Brian Thomas Jr.
Wide Receiver	Parker Washington
Wide Receiver	Jakobi Meyers
Tight End	Brenton Strange
Left Tackle	Anton Harrison
Left Guard	Emmanuel Pregnon
Center	Robert Hainsey
Right Guard	Ezra Cleveland
Right Tackle	Walker Little

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Travon Walker
Left Defensive Tackle	Arik Armstead
Right Defensive Tackle	DaVon Hamilton
Right Defensive End	Josh Hines-Allen
Weakside Linebacker	Foyesade Oluokun
Middle Linebacker	Ventrell Miller
Strongside Linebacker	Yasir Abdullah
Left Cornerback	Travis Hunter
Strong Safety	Eric Murray
Free Safety	Antonio Johnson
Right Cornerback	Montaric Brown
Nickel Back	Jourdan Lewis

Carolina Panthers

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Bryce Young
Running Back	Chuba Hubbard
Wide Receiver	Tetairoa McMillan
Wide Receiver	Jalen Coker
Wide Receiver	Xavier Legette
Tight End	Tommy Tremble
Left Tackle	Monroe Freeling
Left Guard	Chandler Zavala
Center	Luke Fortner
Right Guard	Robert Hunt
Right Tackle	Albert Reese IV

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Derrick Brown
Nose Tackle	Bobby Brown III
Right Defensive End	Jared Harrison-Hunte
Weakside Linebacker	Patrick Jones II
Left Inside Linebacker	Devin Lloyd
Right Inside Linebacker	Trevin Wallace
Strongside Linebacker	Jaelan Phillips
Left Cornerback	Mike Jackson
Strong Safety	Tre’von Moehrig
Free Safety	Nick Scott
Right Cornerback	Jaycee Horn
Nickel Back	Chau Smith-Wade

Statistical Context & Preseason Performance

Metric / Detail	Jacksonville Jaguars	Carolina Panthers
Preseason Record	1 – 0	1 – 1
Last Game Score	Won 24 – 20 vs New Orleans Saints	Lost 29 – 14 vs Bills
Total Offense (Last Game)	275 Total Yards (157 Pass / 118 Rush)	201 Total Yards (140 Pass / 61 Rush)
Turnover Differential	+1 (0 Int Thrown / 2 Def Takeaways)	-2 (2 Int Thrown / 0 Def Takeaways)

NFL Preseason will mostly be about which team is executing their moves correctly. Carolina’s starters are not in the rhythm currently. This was visualized by their failure to secure a first down on their initial three possessions last weekend. Jacksonville is utilizing Trevor Lawrence to build his momentum. The Jaguars are well-positioned to show a multi-score lead in the first half. Expect a cohesive performance from Jacksonville.

The Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars.

Minnesota Vikings vs Baltimore Ravens

Date: 22 August 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 1:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST

Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Expected NFL Squad

Minnesota Vikings

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Kyler Murray
Running Back	Aaron Jones Sr.
Wide Receiver	Justin Jefferson
Wide Receiver	Jordan Addison
Wide Receiver	Jauan Jennings
Tight End	T.J. Hockenson
Fullback	Max Bredeson
Left Tackle	Christian Darrisaw
Left Guard	Donovan Jackson
Center	Blake Brandel
Right Guard	Will Fries
Right Tackle	Brian O’Neill

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Levi Drake Rodriguez
Nose Tackle	Caleb Banks
Right Defensive End	Jalen Redmond
Weakside Linebacker	Andrew Van Ginkel
Left Inside Linebacker	Eric Wilson
Right Inside Linebacker	Blake Cashman
Strongside Linebacker	Dallas Turner
Left Cornerback	Charles Demmings
Strong Safety	Jay Ward
Free Safety	Theo Jackson
Right Cornerback	James Pierre
Nickel Back	Byron Murphy Jr.

Baltimore Ravens

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Lamar Jackson
Running Back	Derrick Henry
Wide Receiver	Zay Flowers
Wide Receiver	Rashod Bateman
Wide Receiver	Ja’Kobi Lane
Tight End	Mark Andrews
Fullback	Lucas Scott
Left Tackle	Ronnie Stanley
Left Guard	John Simpson
Center	Ethan Pocic
Right Guard	Olaivavega Ioane
Right Tackle	Roger Rosengarten

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Nnamdi Madubuike
Nose Tackle	Rayshaun Benny
Right Defensive End	Calais Campbell
Weakside Linebacker	Tavius Robinson
Left Inside Linebacker	Roquan Smith
Right Inside Linebacker	Trenton Simpson
Strongside Linebacker	Trey Hendrickson
Left Cornerback	Nate Wiggins
Strong Safety	Jaylinn Hawkins
Free Safety	Malaki Starks
Right Cornerback	Marlon Humphrey
Nickel Back	Kyle Hamilton

Statistical Context & Preseason Performance

Metric / Detail	Minnesota Vikings	Baltimore Ravens
Preseason Record	1–0	1–0
Last Game Score	Won 13–10 vs Giants	Won 24–7 vs Eagles
Total Offense (Last Game)	238 Total Yards (127 Pass / 111 Rush)	24+ Point Outing (Led by ground dominance)/ 440 Total Yards (298 Pass / 142 Rush)
Turnover Differential	+2 (0 Int Thrown / 2 Def Takeaways)	+1 (0 Int Thrown / 1 Def Takeaway)

This NFL preseason match is decided by experienced benched players when the starters sit out. Minnesota has a great backup plan in Carson Wentz. He can easily run a simple offense without making a mistake. Combined with stadium advantage and a disciplined defense that forced two turnovers just last weekend. The Vikings had a slight advantage due to Baltimore’s depth issues and made a close-call victory at home.

The Pick: Minnesota Vikings.

Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints

Date: 22 August 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 4:00 PM ET | 1:00 PM PT | 1:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Expected NFL Squad

Los Angeles Rams

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Matthew Stafford
Running Back	Kyren Williams
Wide Receiver	Puka Nacua
Wide Receiver	Davante Adams
Wide Receiver	Jordan Whittington
Tight End	Colby Parkinson
Left Tackle	David Queensberry
Left Guard	Steve Avila
Center	Coleman Shelton
Right Guard	Kevin Dotson
Right Tackle	Warren McClendon Jr.

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Larrell Murchison
Nose Tackle	Poona Ford
Right Defensive End	Braden Fiske
Weakside Linebacker	Byron Young
Left Inside Linebacker	Nate Landman
Right Inside Linebacker	Omar Speights
Strongside Linebacker	Desjuan Johnson
Left Cornerback	Jaylen Watson
Strong Safety	Kamren Kinchens
Free Safety	Kam Curl
Right Cornerback	Trent McDuffie
Nickel Back	Quentin Lake

New Orleans Saints

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback	Tyler Shough
Running Back	Travis Etienne Jr.
Wide Receiver	Chris Olave
Wide Receiver	Jordyn Tyson
Wide Receiver	Devaughn Vele
Tight End	Juwan Johnson
Left Tackle	Kelvin Banks Jr.
Left Guard	David Edwards
Center	Erik McCoy
Right Guard	Cesar Ruiz
Right Tackle	Taliese Fuaga

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End	Cameron Jordan
Nose Tackle	Davon Godchaux
Right Defensive End	John Ridgeway III
Weakside Linebacker	Carl Granderson
Left Inside Linebacker	Kaden Elliss
Right Inside Linebacker	Pete Werner
Strongside Linebacker	Chase Young
Left Cornerback	Kool-Aid McKinstry
Strong Safety	Justin Reid
Free Safety	Julian Blackmon
Right Cornerback	Quincy Riley
Nickel Back	Jonas Sanker

Statistical Context & Preseason Performance

Metric / Detail	Los Angeles Rams	New Orleans Saints
Preseason Record	1–0	0–1
Last Game Score	Won 20–12 vs Chiefs	Lost 24–20 vs Jaguars
Total Offense (Last Game)	321 Total Yards (228 Pass / 93 Rush)	277 Total Yards (221 Pass / 56 Rush)
Turnover Differential	0 (0 Int Thrown / 0 Def Takeaways)	+1 (0 Int Thrown / 1 Def Takeaway)

This NFL game is decided by who has the better quarterback backup in a pressure situation. New Orleans has solid depth options like Zach Wilson. Similarly, the Rams’ offense is handled by TY Simpson’s explosive downfield distribution. Los Angeles Rams have multi-dimensional aerial depth compared with the Saints. Saints’ rushing attack backed up a unit that struggled to stay on. The Rams cover the three-point spread at home and had the advantage.

The Pick: Los Angeles Rams.

Conclusion

NFL Preseason Week 2 gives teams a chance to test themselves before the regular season. The coaches get a chance to evaluate their depth and rookies. The players who are trying to make it onto the team’s roster. These chosen games will definitely keep fans entertained. NFL Week 3 is ahead, so every performance is important for teams to prepare their final rosters.