2025 NFL preseason, Week 2: What We Learned from Saturday's games

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• READ: Campbell: Allen has ‘proven more’ in Lions’ QB2 battle

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Jaylen Wright spins his wheels a bit. It’s been tough sledding for the Dolphins second-year back thus far this preseason. He did score last week, but he now has 19 yards on 12 carries through two contests. Wright was never able to find space to showcase his speed against Detroit, and he fumbled on his final tote, a red-zone gaffe that would’ve ended an impressive drive for Miami had tight end Tanner Conner not fallen on the ball. The Dolphins released Raheem Mostert to go young in the backfield for 2025, but Wright has yet to show he can be a meaningful complement to De'Von Achane. Sixth-round rookie Ollie Gordon II, however, likely caught the eyes of some fans. He showed burst, decisiveness and highlight-reel ability on multiple runs while going for 50 yards on 10 carries.
2. Nephew of ex-Lion making roster case. His uncle Za'Darius Smith had four sacks for the Lions last season. Now, undrafted rookie wideout Jackson Meeks is making his best case to continue playing for the Lions beyond this preseason. Meeks led all Lions wideouts with 93 receiving yards on seven catches, and he came wide open on a well-designed out route for a score. Meeks has now stacked two quality performances in a row, having paced Detroit pass catchers last week with 78 yards and another TD. It’ll still be difficult for him to crack the Lions' initial 53-man roster given Detroit's WR depth. For instance, third-rounder Isaac TeSlaa had four receptions and dropped jaws with a beautiful touchdown snag just before halftime, but Meeks has shown he’s at the very least worthy of a priority practice squad add.

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David Ely's takeaways:

1. Nick Chubb flashes old self in Texans debut. Houston needs someone to assert himself in the backfield with questions surrounding Joe Mixon's availability to start the season. Summer signee Chubb attempted to do just that on Saturday. Chubb -- now two years removed from a gruesome knee injury -- impressed in his first action of the preseason, displaying his trademark quick burst and strong between-the-tackles running that defined his days in Cleveland. Chubb finished with 25 yards on five carries with a long of nine yards in two series with the starters. Another bright spot for Houston: rookie RB Woody Marks, who ripped off runs of 12 and nine yards on his first two totes. Marks finished with 40 yards on the day.
2. Panthers starters have work to do. Saturday wasn’t the best of days for the Carolina 1s. Bryce Young and the first-team offense, which showed promise last week versus the Browns, regressed against a tough challenge in Houston. Young didn’t complete a pass in two series and the starting group had a discouraging -2 net yards on the day, with its lone first down coming via penalty. The defense didn’t fair much better, allowing chunk plays on the ground and a fourth-and-goal conversion when C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins for six.

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• READ: Colts HC Steichen ‘very close’ on QB1 decision

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Colts' QB battle remains close. Both Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson looked better in Week 2 of the preseason, posting similar stat lines featuring highs and lows. Jones' outing included a pass he sailed beyond an open target downfield but also featured a pretty connection with rookie Tyler Warren down the sideline. Richardson extended a few plays for positive gains and completed a gorgeous pass to Anthony Gould (which was wiped out by a penalty on Adonai Mitchell), but he couldn't find enough success to sustain drives long enough to finish in the end zone. Jones was able to lead a couple of scoring drives before Richardson replaced him, but neither gained much ground in a battle that is frustratingly too close to call. While Shane Steichen will spend plenty of time attempting to come to a final decision on his starting quarterback, he'll have more on his plate on the injury front after four Colts -- including tackles Braden Smith and Blake Freeland -- left with injuries, further complicating their preseason preparation.
2. Packers need to work on the details. Green Bay embodied sloppiness in Saturday's contest. They reached halftime with more penalties (11) than first downs (6), fumbled away possession in the second quarter and despite tallying 167 total yards of offense in the first half, finished with just three points. The final few minutes of the first half dragged on because it seemed as if neither team could complete a play without drawing a flag. For Green Bay, an illegal formation penalty wiped out an excellent touchdown grab by tight end Ben Sims, and the same player committed the same penalty two downs later, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal to end the half. The sequence was emblematic of how Green Bay needs to clean up its operation before Week 1, regardless of who is on the field.

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Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Trio of new Patriots looks promising. New England’s first-team offense got two drives and 15 plays against a collection of mostly Minnesota backups, picking up 83 yards and a touchdown. Mack Hollins served as Drake Maye’s most trusty option. The former Bill collected three receptions for 38 yards, including a 20-yard toe-tapper on the sideline to convert the first of three third-down conversions on the Pats’ first TD drive. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson continued to fuel his preseason hype machine, too. He showed tremendous speed bursting through a massive hole for 11 yards on a third-and-10, then three plays later flexed his muscle, shaking off multiple Vikings defenders on a bruising trip to the end zone. Lastly, undrafted rookie WR Efton Chism III completely dominated the second-team offense’s most impressive drive, accounting for 52 yards (on three catches) during an 88-yard TD march in the second quarter.
2. Depth behind J.J. McCarthy has rough day. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell rested McCarthy after seeing what he wanted this week in joint practices. Sam Howell got the start, and he didn’t necessarily inspire confidence should he need to play in the regular season. Howell was jumpy and inaccurate, going 1 of 5 for 13 yards. He did some good with his legs, but his lowlight came while trying to buy time. In the first quarter, Howell threw up an inexplicable, off-balanced prayer into the waiting arms of New England’s Alex Austin. While Brett Rypien went 7 of 11 for 83 yards and had the offense moving better, he notably zipped a red-zone fourth-down attempt too high for anyone to even have a chance. The Vikings are all in on McCarthy, and he must make good on their belief in him -- there doesn’t seem to be anyone the quality of Sam Darnold behind him this year.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Highs and lows for Dillon Gabriel. One week after Shedeur Sanders made waves with his impressive preseason debut, Gabriel tried his best to follow suit. His first drive lived up to that standard, as Gabriel converted three third downs through the air on an 13-play, 63-yard march that included a perfect 4-of-4 start for the rookie. It wasn't all perfect, though; Gabriel learned a hard lesson when rolling left on the Browns' next possession, firing a pass into traffic that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. In total, Gabriel looked confident and threw with conviction, completing 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards. It will be interesting to see how he handles more complex looks beyond the preseason.
2. Have a day, Andrew Mukuba. Because of time missed in camp, the rookie safety from Texas seemed to have lost too much ground to Sydney Brown in the battle for the starting safety job prior to Saturday. One day filled with standout play, however, might have changed the equation. Mukuba only finished with one tackle but registered two takeaways, including an interception he returned for a touchdown made possible only by his refusal to give up on the play. Fittingly, when Gabriel and Pierre Strong botched a handoff, Mukuba magnetically found the loose ball and recovered it in Browns territory. At minimum, the Eagles saw some examples of what they envisioned when they spent the 64th pick on Mukuba.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. The Pete Carroll Raiders have legitimate juice. We all figured this might be the case when Las Vegas hired Carroll, traded for Geno Smith and drafted Ashton Jeanty, but it was much more satisfying to witness (even in a preseason setting) Saturday than merely envision. Smith is the same courageous pinpoint passer and set the tone with a strike to Brock Bowers to start the game, kept the offense moving on their next drive with bullets to Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer to set up Jeanty's first rushing touchdown, and the offense balanced quite well between the threat of Smith's arm and Jeanty's legs. Speaking of which: Jeanty is clearly built for the pro game, running through multiple tacklers in a bruising outing in which he displayed burst, power and all of the attributes that made him a star at Boise State. Raiders fans have legitimate reason to be excited to watch their football team this season, even if they might exist in the toughest division in the AFC.
2. San Francisco's receiver problem isn't as bad as it seems. Yes, it isn't ideal to start a season without your $30 million-per-year receiver (Brandon Aiyuk) and uncertainty regarding Jauan Jennings' status, but general manager John Lynch deserves some credit for filling up this roster with additional veteran options. Judging by how well he handled his job Saturday, Demarcus Robinson (three catches, 44 yards) might prove to be a crucial pickup. Russell Gage (three catches for 25 yards, including a spectacular diving grab) brings experience to the corps, and I'm intrigued by what Isaiah Hodgins (two catches, 21 yards) could do for this group provided he makes the team. I write all of this to caution against buying into what the doubters are selling; if Brock Purdy is given time to throw, I think the 49ers will be just fine.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Joe Milton III is stuck in neutral. The second-year passer followed up a rough preseason debut with an even uglier showing Saturday. He completed just 2 of 8 passes for 14 yards in the first half and threw another interception on a deep end-zone shot launched into double coverage -- his second such pick thrown in as many weeks. Dallas’ offense couldn’t get anything going throughout the first half, and Milton routinely sailed passes over intermediate targets, finding success only on short bullets. Fortunately, Milton (9-of-18, 122 yards, INT) isn’t seeking the starting job, but if Dallas finds itself in the same unfortunate position it was in after Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury last season, it might be in deep trouble.
2. Devontez Walker capitalizes on opportunity. As the NFL’s most explosive offense with its full complement of producers returning, Baltimore doesn’t have much to figure out in the preseason, opening the door for players like Walker to prove they’re worthy of a roster spot. Walker seized the opportunity, serving as Cooper Rush’s favorite target while catching six passes for 61 yards and helping the Ravens sustain early drives. Baltimore is well stocked at receiver, but it’s encouraging to see Walker produce after being touted in the spring as the player with the greatest chance to take a leap forward in 2025. 

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Christian Gonzales' takeaways:

1. Bennett shows promise in rare full preseason start. With Matthew Stafford dealing with a back injury that appears to be more worrisome as each day passes, Stetson Bennett did the most with his opportunity under center. The former Georgia quarterback commanded the playbook very well as Aubrey Pleasant acted as the head coach in Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers. He made the right decisions when needed and didn’t force throws. In the first quarter with backup Jimmy Garoppolo watching from the sidelines, Bennett marched L.A.’s offense down the field. He ended the Rams’ first drive with a short pass to rookie Konata Mumpfield for a touchdown. His best throw came in the third quarter as he launched a deep pass to Mario Williams in between two Bolt defenders for a 38-yard TD. Despite throwing a late interception to Chargers DT TeRah Edwards, the Rams QB bounced back in the final drive to complete a thrilling comeback. It was Bennett’s best showing as a Ram, as he finished the afternoon completing 28 of 40 passes for 324 yards, three touchdowns and one INT with a passer rating of 108.8.
2. Chargers may need help at WR position. The injuries have been piling up for the Chargers, and more have been added on after Saturday’s preseason game. In Justin Herbert’s first career preseason start, he delivered some big strikes to his receivers, looking to get some reps after not playing in L.A.’s first two preseason games. Early in the first quarter, Herbert took a chance on a deep shot to Quentin Johnston as he was covered by two Rams. Unfortunately, Johnston took a big hit and did not return to the game after he was carted off. Rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith got a lot of snaps and made some big plays for the Bolts’ offense. Both receivers were reliable options for Trey Lance and Taylor Heinicke. Harris finished with six receptions for 85 yards while Lambert-Smith contributed two catches for 66 yards, respectively. The Bolts will await the status of Johnston, but the rookie wideouts did have their moments when they had the ball.

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Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:

1. Giants' QB picture crystallizes. Russell Wilson, the Giants' presumptive QB1 come Week 1, got his second straight preseason start in his MetLife Stadium debut. The 36-year-old veteran showcased his trademark deep shot on an 80-yard moonball to UDFA receiver Beaux Collins in the first quarter, setting Big Blue up for an early score. That could've been it for Wilson, who has little to prove to the coaching staff. But the Giants left Wilson in to start a fourth (!) drive, only to replace the 10-time Pro Bowler with rookie Jaxson Dart after one play -- and for one play. After Dart connected with Theo Johnson for a 30-yard screen, Wilson came back, trying another deep ball two plays later and misfiring into the waiting arms of Qwan'tez Stiggers. The okey-doke was confusing in the moment. (Will New York regularly swap out QBs mid-drive? Why replace Dart after a plus play?) The rookie then showed out in the second half, throwing fearlessly into the middle of the field and flashing mobility on two scoring drives (13-of-14 passing for 107 yards, one TD pass, one TD run). Though it may not say so in the team's depth chart, Dart, not Jameis Winston, is New York's sure-fire QB2 and starter in waiting. When Big Blue stops playing around with the rookie -- and lets him see more first-team action -- that will become clear.
2. Jets grounded in sloppy first half. Gang Green's positive momentum from their pounding of the Packers the previous week didn't carry over into Saturday's game. A miscommunication between DBs Qwan'tez Stiggers and Andre Cisco allowed the Giants to connect on an 80-yard pass. In Justin Fields' two drives under center, only one of five passes was completed (4 yards to Mason Taylor) and three targets to Garrett Wilson went uncompleted. New York's first-team offense continues to find some success in the run game, utilizing the one-two punch of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen (or vice versa) to move the chains. But after finding just six points in as many first-half drives, first-year coach Aaron Glenn labeled his team "sloppy" in a halftime interview. The Jets weren't much better in the second half. New York has one more preseason game to clean it up before the real action kicks off.

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Christian Gonzales' takeaways:

1. Bucs' young talent make highlight plays. Tampa Bay’s offense with Teddy Bridgewater in Saturday’s preseason game was electric. It all started with Bucky Irving catching a beautiful, floated pass by Bridgewater for a 15-yard touchdown, which allowed the second-year running back to showcase his pass-catching ability. Then, there was rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka, who certainly made some Buccaneers fans excited about his potential alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. On Tampa Bay’s second series, Bridgewater led the Bucs offense down the field again, but this time it was Egbuka’s turn to get involved. The Ohio State product showed off his craftiness by using his body to slow down a Steelers defender and caught a 5-yard TD for his first preseason score. It was a promising showing from Irving and Egbuka, who may see more snaps with Rachaad White (groin) and Jalen McMillan (back) dealing with injuries.
2. Steelers WR shows off speed. Pittsburgh wide receiver Roman Wilson didn’t see much of the field in his rookie season. He certainly made his case to be more involved in Arthur Smith’s offense in Year 2 with Saturday’s performance. Wilson made Mason Rudolph’s job a lot easier with his speed. On a first-quarter scoring drive, the 2024 third-round pick out of Michigan got off the line of scrimmage quickly and ran past a Buc defender as he reached a speed of 20.15 mph for a 42-yard catch, according to Next Gen Stats. If Rudolph threw it a little further down the middle, it could have potentially been a touchdown. Backup Skylar Thompson went back to Wilson shortly thereafter for a 30-yard reception. Despite being listed behind a few veterans in the depth chart, Wilson could provide a spark when called upon.

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Christian Gonzales' takeaways to come: