The NFL preseason has reached its midpoint with Week 2, which is serving as a de facto “dress rehearsal” for starters to prepare for the start of the regular season – which is just three weeks away. For teams not training together this week, week 2 of preseason is crucial.
The Carolina Panthers won’t play Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold against the New England Patriots on Friday, but New England will play its starters after practice together this week. Jordan Love starts for the Green Bay Packers against the New Orleans Saints, who have to do without Jameis Winston (Foot). The Houston Texans will round off the night with the Los Angeles Rams.
Below we follow all the highlights of Friday’s action, the appetizer for this weekend’s main course of games.
Schedule
Thursday
Bears 27, Seahawks 11 (snack)
Friday
Patriots 20, Panthers 10 (snack)
Packers 20, Saints 10 (Recap)
Rams 20, Texans 17 (Fourth Quarter – Gametracker)
Saturday
Broncos at Bills, 1 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Lions at Colts, 1 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Commanders at Chiefs, 4 p.m. ET (Gametracker)
Steelers at Jaguars, 7 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Raiders at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
49ers at Vikings, 7 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Buccaneers at Titans, 7pm ET (Gametracker)
Cowboys at Chargers, 10 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Sunday
Eagles at Browns, 1 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Bengals at Giants, 7 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Ravens at Cardinals, 8 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
Monday
Falcons at Jets, 8 p.m. ET (Game Tracker)
catch the night!
Playing their starters for the first half of this preseason contest against the Los Angeles Rams, the Houston Texans were able to take a 7-6 halftime lead thanks to that spot-on catch from Nico Collins in the end zone. Collins just outplayed Derion Kendrick for the ball and got away with the result.
Collins will play a role on the Texans offense in 2022. Games like this will give him more goals.
What makes this touchdown run in Etling so special? The play took place during an interview with Aaron Rodgers on the Packers show. Rodgers’ excitement over Etling’s goal adds even more excitement to this game.
Jordan Love run
Love looked like an NFL quarterback Friday night, finishing with 113 yards and a touchdown pass. He also showed off his running skills with that 11-yard run for a first down.
Chris Olave scores his first touchdown
Olave gives Saints fans a preview of what’s to come when he stars alongside Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry this fall. The first-round pick tied with Ian Book on a 20-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left in the first half – his first in a Saints uniform.
Olave only had one catch for four yards last week, but in the first half of that one he had two.
Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe made a dangerous throw that rolled to the left, and Hayes read the pass to take the ball the other way and tie the game. Zappe wasn’t as keen on his second game this preseason with Matt Patricia calling games.
Romeo Doubs touchdown
There’s a place for Doubs to earn first-team snaps this year, and this Jordan Love touchdown catch shows why. Doubs came up with that impressive 4-yard touchdown reception against Brian Allen to give the Packers a 10-3 lead over the Saints in the second quarter. Love is beginning to show confidence in the fourth-round rookie.
59-yard field goal by Wil Lutz
Lutz missed all of 2021 with a core muscle injury as the Saints missed his reliability in the pedaling department. He certainly looked like his old self with that 59-yard field goal to end the first quarter.
Only 13 of 23 in 50+ yard field goals in his career, Lutz hitting that kick is very encouraging.
Romeo Doubs advocates climbing up the depth chart
Doubs was one of the young wide receivers to criticize Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throughout the week, so he took the spotlight while the second teamers attended most of those games. A 17-yard catch on the opening drive on a Jordan Love throw makes a strong impression, even though Doubs failed to catch a third-down pass earlier.
Hill is no longer a quarterback for the Saints and has shifted his focus to the tight end for the 2022 season. New Orleans No. 2 tight end Hill made an early impression by catching a 10-yard pass from Ian Book. Hill adds an extra dimension to the Saints’ offense in his new role and can still play wide receiver and running back in short-yard situations.
The Patriots averaged just 1.9 yards per play in the first quarter on just 21 yards of offense, but Nelson Agholor changed that with this 45-yard catch on an impressive throw from Mac Jones. Whether or not they’re going up against a second-team defense, that’s what Patriots fans want to see from their revamped offense.
New England scored a touchdown – a two-yard run by Ty Montgomery – three games later.