Author: Eternity Lab

As Week 2 kicks off, several key injuries to star players were at the forefront of Thursday’s NFL news cycle. 

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is hopeful Aaron Donald will be ready for Monday night against the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray showed progress on Thursday, participating in practice on a limited basis.

Following a wave of star injuries, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is set to return this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the other hand, Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Houston Texans’ Nico Collins could miss their respective games this week.

Here’s the latest from around the league on Thursday.

The Aaron Donald return is inching closer. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay spoke to reporters on Thursday, saying Donald is “champing at the bit” to suit up, and the team remains optimistic about his timeline.

“What we are hopeful is, is that we’ll have some good work today and tomorrow, and then hopefully he’s feeling good enough. And if he says he’s ready to go, then we’ll be excited to see him rock.”

If Donald makes his return on Monday night against the New York Giants, it will be his first time on the field since the 2024 NFC Wildcard game against the Detroit Lions. With All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett on injured reserve, adding Donald back on defense is pivotal.

Following a rough Week 1 loss to the 49ers in Australia, the Rams head home looking for a much-needed bounce-back win against the Giants.

After suffering a concussion in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray’s availability for Week 2 remains up in the air. Murray practiced in a limited capacity for the second consecutive day.

According to CBS Sports, Murray still has a few steps left in the NFL’s protocol before he can be cleared for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

If Murray isn’t cleared, Carson Wentz is expected to step back in under center for the Vikings’ offense. To make matters worse, Minnesota could also be without wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who missed practice again on Thursday.

Murray has a realistic shot at returning for Week 3, but getting cleared in time for Sunday remains a tall order for both him and the Vikings offense. He took a hit to the head while sliding on a third-down scramble against the Packers and was quickly ruled out with a concussion.

Wentz led a late fourth-quarter comeback against Green Bay after throwing for 133 yards and three touchdowns off the bench. If Murray can’t go, head coach Kevin O’Connell and his staff should feel plenty comfortable turning to Wentz for another start.

Sidelined since late August with an ankle injury, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is set to return Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has been cleared to play without limitations.

“I’m ready to go. Thank God I’m healed up now,” Henderson said to reporters on Thursday. “I’m excited to be back out here with my teammates.”

After missing the season opener, Henderson’s return gives the Patriots their full backfield dynamic. With both Rhamondre Stevenson and Henderson active, quarterback Drake Maye should see some pressure lifted off the passing game.

With wide receiver A.J. Brown sidelined on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, getting Henderson back should give the offense a major boost. With Brown out, the offense will rely on Henderson, Stevenson and wide receiver Romeo Doubs until he’s back.

Last season, Henderson rushed for 911 yards and nine touchdowns, bringing the kind of explosive playmaking the Patriots need to ignite the offense. 

All eyes remain on the health of Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey after he exited Week 1 with a rib injury. McConkey has yet to return to practice and head coach Jim Harbaugh earlier in the week said he considers him day-to-day.

According to ESPN, McConkey still wasn’t practicing on Thursday and was limited to working on the side with trainers. With back-to-back missed practices, his availability for Week 2 is looking increasingly doubtful.

However, if McConkey sits out against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chargers still have plenty of targets at receiver. Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris, and Brenen Thompson are all in prime position to step up and help lead a bounce-back performance following the team’s Week 1 loss.

“It’s an important week for the entire group if Ladd plays or not,” offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said to reporters. “Guys need to seize the opportunities. It can’t be my secret anymore, it can’t just be in practice.”

Missing McConkey this week will be a massive blow to the Chargers’ passing game. Before leaving with a rib injury against the Cardinals, he was Justin Herbert’s primary target, hauling in five receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.

While there was speculation that McConkey’s rib injury could keep him out longer, he isn’t expected to be sidelined for much time. The Chargers haven’t signaled any plans for an injured reserve stint, keeping the door open for a return in short order.

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins injured his hamstring during Wednesday’s practice. While the team doesn’t believe the injury is serious, according to ESPN, his status for Sunday’s game remains up in the air.

On Thursday, Collins was officially listed as a limited participant as the team evaluates his injury. Given the timing of the hamstring tweak, there’s a chance the Texans hold him out of Sunday’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Collins is coming off a strong Week 1 performance, hauling in seven of his 10 targets for 75 yards and a score. Even in the loss to the Buffalo Bills, Collins showed why he’s C.J. Stroud’s top target.

With Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell already out, if Collins can’t go on Sunday, it sets up a massive opportunity for the secondary receivers. If that’s the case, the Texans’ offense will be relying heavily on Jaylin Noel, Kayshon Boutte and Xavier Hutchinson to step up.

Injury Updates & Notes

• Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned to practice on Thursday. According to ESPN, Burrow was a limited participant during practice while dealing with a back injury.
• CBS Sports reported that Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver injured his hip during pregame warm-ups and didn’t play Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.
• The Baltimore Ravens announced that wide receiver Zay Flowers missed practice again on Thursday while dealing with a hamstring injury.
• ESPN reported that Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers did not practice on Thursday. He is still recovering from a meniscus trim on his knee and has yet to return to practice.

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No. 13 Texas Tech will host No. 22 Houston on Friday in a Week 3 ranked college football matchup on FOX.

Both teams are off to 2-0 starts and are expected to be among the Big 12’s top contenders this season. Houston and Texas Tech have each beaten Oregon State — the Red Raiders by 11 and the Cougars by 13 — while also earning wins over FCS opponents.

After a chaotic offseason in which expected starting quarterback Brendan Sorsby parted ways with the program, Will Hammond has completed 76.7% of his passes for 487 yards, two touchdowns and one interception through two games.

Still, Texas Tech has looked shaky at times. The Red Raiders beat Abilene Christian by only 23 points as 42.5-point favorites in Week 1, then trailed Oregon State early in the fourth quarter before scoring 14 unanswered points to secure the win.

Houston, meanwhile, is off to a dream start. The Cougars are averaging 55 points and 562 total yards per game, including 308 rushing yards, while allowing only 13 points and 261.5 yards per contest.

Let’s take a look at the odds for Houston vs. Texas Tech at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Sept. 18.

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   No. 22 Houston @ No. 13 Texas Tech Odds

Moneyline 

[–>
• Texas Tech: -210 (bet $10 to win $10.25 total)
• Houston: +172 (bet $10 to win $27.20 total)

Spread 

• Texas Tech -7.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Houston +7.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 53.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 53.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   No. 22 Houston @ No. 13 Texas Tech Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has completed 69% of his passes for 425 yards, four touchdowns and one interception while adding another score on the ground.

Texas Tech was outstanding last season, winning the Big 12 and earning a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff before losing to Oregon in the quarterfinals. But despite entering 2026 with similarly high expectations, the Red Raiders have not looked like the same team. They lost significant defensive production to the NFL, including David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez, and have struggled to put away each of their first two opponents.

Houston, meanwhile, has rolled through its first two games and looks capable of making serious noise in the Big 12. Take the Cougars to cover the 7.5 and even sprinkle a little on the moneyline. 

   The Pick: Houston +7.5

How to Watch Texas Tech vs. Houston

• Date: Friday, Sept. 18. 2026
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX

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The Portland State Vikings visit the No. 21 Oregon Ducks on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 at 10:30 p.m. ET from Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Portland State enters at 0-3 after losses to UC Davis (24-31), San Diego State (20-53) and North Dakota (23-47), while Oregon is 1-1 following a 34-27 win over Boise State and a 31-39 loss at Oklahoma State.

Oregon’s offense still runs through Dante Moore. He has thrown for 569 yards and five touchdowns without an interception through two games, even as the Ducks look to bounce back at home after the Oklahoma State setback.

Portland State has kept throwing despite the 0-3 start. Gabe Downing has passed for 513 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, and the Vikings’ 77 receptions rank sixth in FBS.

The Ducks are 57.5-point favorites over the Vikings at DraftKings, with a total of 69.5.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Portland State vs. Oregon

• When: Friday, September 18, 2026 at 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
• TV: BTN
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players to Watch

Oregon is still sorting out a 1-1 start after the Oklahoma State loss, and Moore is the quarterback who has to reset the Ducks’ passing rhythm at home. He has thrown for 569 yards and 5 touchdowns without an interception through two games.

Portland State is allowing 260.0 passing yards and 43.7 points per game, so Moore’s clean efficiency should find windows if Oregon stays aggressive. Hitting explosives early at Autzen keeps this from turning into a grind the Ducks do not want on a short week.

Oregon needs a physical run game to complement Moore after a road loss, and Davison leads the Ducks with 113 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. That production matters against an FCS visitor that has struggled to stop the run.

Portland State is allowing 205.0 rushing yards per game. Davison winning early downs forces the Vikings to load the box and opens the perimeter for Oregon’s skill players.

Portland State is 0-3 and needs a cleaner passing game on the road, which puts Downing in the spotlight. He has thrown for 513 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while the Vikings try to keep Autzen from getting out of hand early.

Oregon is allowing 249.0 passing yards and 33.0 points per game, so there is room to move the ball if Downing protects it. Completing intermediate throws and avoiding the empty drives that come with turnovers give Portland State its only realistic path to staying competitive.

Downing’s clearest deep threat is Loville, who leads Portland State with 221 receiving yards. The Vikings rank sixth nationally in receptions, so the volume is already there if someone can finish drives.

Oregon’s secondary has to respect vertical shots even in a mismatch. Loville winning outside and creating chunk gains is how Portland State flips field position instead of playing the entire night in its own territory.

Portland State vs. Oregon Odds

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The No. 22 Houston Cougars visit the No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET from Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Both teams enter at 2-0, with Houston coming off wins over Oregon State (33-20) and Southern (77-6) and Texas Tech off wins over Abilene Christian (33-10) and Oregon State (35-24).

Houston’s offense has set the early pace. Conner Weigman has thrown for 425 yards and four touchdowns with one interception through two games, and the Cougars are averaging 55 points per game.

Texas Tech has answered with its own aerial production. Will Hammond has passed for 487 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, and the Red Raiders are completing 75.8% of their passes, 10th in FBS.

The Red Raiders are 7.5-point favorites over the Cougars at DraftKings, with a total of 52.5 and a moneyline of -306 for Texas Tech and +240 for Houston.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Houston vs. Texas Tech

• When: Friday, September 18, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players to Watch

Texas Tech’s passing attack is humming at a 75.8 percent completion clip, 10th in FBS, and Hammond is the quarterback making that efficiency travel. Through two games he has thrown for 487 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception while the No. 13 Red Raiders sit at 2-0 entering Big 12 play.

Houston has allowed 251.5 passing yards per game so far, so Hammond’s job is to stay on schedule against a Cougars defense that has otherwise been stout. Clean intermediate throws and limited empty drives give Texas Tech its clearest path to controlling this Friday night opener at Galaxy Stadium.

When Houston loads up to slow the pass, Williams becomes the Red Raiders’ downhill answer. He leads Texas Tech with 187 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns through two games, giving Lubbock a second gear behind Hammond.

Houston is allowing only 10.0 rushing yards per game, the kind of run defense that will test every cutback. Williams winning early downs and forcing the Cougars out of light boxes opens the rest of Texas Tech’s playbook in a top-25 Big 12 kickoff.

Houston is averaging 55.0 points per game after two wins, and Weigman is the quarterback who has to keep that tempo alive on the road. He has thrown for 425 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception while the No. 22 Cougars open conference play at Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders are allowing 17.0 points and 268.0 passing yards per game, so the window is there if Weigman stays aggressive without feeding takeaways. Timing throws and finishing drives keep Houston from letting Texas Tech dictate a Friday night track meet.

Houston’s ground game is the clearest early identity on the roster, ranking fifth nationally with 31 rushing first downs and posting 308.0 rushing yards per game. Hughes leads that charge with 142 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns through two contests.

Texas Tech is allowing only 65.0 rushing yards per game, which makes every successful early-down run a statement. Hughes getting north-south and forcing the Red Raiders to crowd the box creates room for Weigman to work on the perimeter.

Houston vs. Texas Tech Odds

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No. 1 Nebraska stays home Friday night, hosting No. 25 North Carolina at Bob Devaney Sports Center after a 3-0 win over No. 20 Creighton. The Cornhuskers enter at 8-0, while the Tar Heels arrive at 4-2 following losses to No. 3 Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

The programs are tied 1-1 all-time, with North Carolina taking the most recent meeting in 1996. Carolina is 0-1 in Lincoln and has not faced Nebraska in nearly three decades, making Friday a rare nonconference measuring stick for both sides on the college volleyball calendar.

How to Watch Nebraska vs. North Carolina Volleyball

• Date: Friday, Sept. 18
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: BTN
• Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
• Location: Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, Nebraska

Nebraska vs. North Carolina Preview

Nebraska has not lost a match this season and enters Friday ranked No. 1 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. North Carolina, an NCAA second-round team a year ago, opened the season ranked and still sits in the Top 25 despite recent setbacks against SEC competition.

All-ACC returners Safi Hampton and Chelsea Thorpe headline the Tar Heels’ attack, with sophomore Bridget Malone adding another scoring option. Nebraska continues an undefeated nonconference run that already includes wins over Texas, Baylor, Georgia Tech and Creighton before Big Ten play resumes.

Nebraska’s Remaining 2026 Volleyball Schedule on FOX Networks

Here is every Nebraska match left this season that airs on FOX, FS1 or BTN, current as of Sept. 16. All times are Eastern and subject to change.

• Wednesday, Sept. 23: vs. Missouri, Lincoln, Nebraska – 7 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Ohio State, Lincoln, Nebraska – 9 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Thursday, Oct. 1: at Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania – 7 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Thursday, Oct. 8: at Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana – 6:30 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Wisconsin, Lincoln, Nebraska – TBA (FOX)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: vs. Purdue, Lincoln, Nebraska – 5 or 9 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Thursday, Oct. 22: vs. UCLA, Lincoln, Nebraska – 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. USC, Lincoln, Nebraska – 9 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Saturday, Nov. 7: at Oregon, Eugene, Oregon – 10 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Sunday, Nov. 8: at Washington, Seattle – TBA (FS1)
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: vs. Minnesota, Lincoln, Nebraska – 8:30 p.m. ET (BTN)

Nebraska’s schedule also includes matches on B1G+ and other outlets outside FOX’s family of networks. Stream every FOX, FS1 and BTN broadcast with FOX One, which brings all of FOX’s Nebraska volleyball coverage into one subscription. The Big Ten Volleyball Tournament runs Nov. 20-25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, and FOX will air the championship match at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 25 if the Huskers advance that far.

Nebraska’s schedule is subject to change. Check back for updated start times and TV designations.

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The Buffalo Bills’ offense ran roughshod on the Detroit Lions’ defense on Thursday night, and it had an immediate impact on Detroit’s stars. 

“They got after us today, for sure. That was not good enough. Things will definitely be changing,” Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said in a press conference following the team’s 41-31 loss to the Bills.

“I don’t know what that is necessarily, but I know there will be changes. We’re not going to keep banging our heads against the wall. … Something’s got to change … It was not good enough, and it was bad ball out there.”

Buffalo scored a touchdown on each of its first four possessions and reached the end zone on six of its eight complete possessions. The Bills took a knee to end the game on their ninth possession.

The Bills tallied 446 total yards, rushing for 203 yards — 135 of them coming from running back James Cook — and three touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Bills superstar quarterback Josh Allen threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns, posted a 121.4 passer rating and rushed for 69 yards and two scores.

“Hats off to them, [but] we played terrible. It starts with me,” Lions linebacker Jack Campbell said in a postgame press conference. “I feel like it’s on me. I got to be better, and I don’t have anything else to do other than look in the mirror and be better, so that’s really where it starts. It starts with us, but they did a good job.”

Campbell, a 2025 All-Pro who logged 176 combined tackles, three forced fumbles and five sacks last year, finished the night with six combined tackles. Hutchinson, a two-time Pro Bowler who racked up a career-high 14.5 sacks last season and had two sacks in the team’s Week 1 victory over the New Orleans Saints, finished with one sack and three combined tackles.

Thursday night’s performance continues a discouraging start for Detroit’s defense, which is in its second year with Kelvin Sheppard as defensive coordinator. Last week, the Lions gave up 469 total yards and a combined 30 points in the second half and overtime of their win against the Saints. Detroit stopped a would-be game-winning two-point conversion with 1:34 remaining in overtime to escape with a victory.

Last year, the Detroit defense was 22nd in the NFL in opponent points (24.3 per game), 20th in opponent passing yards (217.4 per game), 18th in opponent total yards (331.9 per game) and 14th in opponent rushing yards (114.5 per game).

Hutchinson, Campbell and the Lions host the New York Jets, whose head coach is the Lions’ former defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, in Week 3 (Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX).

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The Washington Commanders visit the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both teams are 0-1 after Week 1. Washington fell 24-22 at Philadelphia, and Dallas dropped a 28-20 decision at the Giants.

Washington stayed within a late two-point try of the Eagles. Jayden Daniels threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns, added 31 rushing yards on five carries, and did not turn the ball over.

Dallas found scoring chances in New York but could not close. Javonte Williams ran for 41 yards and a touchdown and added five catches for 31 yards and another score, while CeeDee Lamb finished with five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in a passing game that totaled 175 yards.

The Cowboys are 3.5-point favorites over the Commanders, with a total of 50.5 and a moneyline of -214 for the Cowboys and +178 for the Commanders.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Commanders vs. Cowboys

• Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
• Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

In the opener at Philadelphia, Jayden Daniels threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns, added 31 rushing yards on five carries, and did not turn the ball over.

Dallas forced four fumbles and recovered one in Week 1. Against that defense, Daniels’ ball security and ability to pick up yards with his legs are the clearest things to watch.

Dallas leaned on Javonte Williams as its primary back in Week 1. He handled 12 carries for 41 yards and a rushing touchdown against the Giants, then added five catches for 31 yards and another score, while no other Cowboys running back had more than two carries.

Washington’s defense opened with 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. Against that front, Williams’ early-down runs and checkdowns are the clearest things to watch.

CeeDee Lamb led Dallas with eight targets in the opener, turning five catches into 44 yards and a touchdown while the Cowboys managed only 175 passing yards as a team.

Dallas averaged under 8 yards per catch in that loss at New York. Lamb winning early and finishing in the red zone is how the Cowboys stretch Washington’s defense.

Washington leaned on the run in Week 1, and Austin Williams was the wideout who flashed. The rookie third-rounder caught all four of his targets for 64 yards and a touchdown, leading the Commanders in receiving yards.

Dallas allowed 28 points in its opener and ranks 21st in points allowed per game through one week. Williams’ perimeter speed is one of the first ways Washington can test that Cowboys defense.

Commanders vs. Cowboys Odds

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New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough has the respect of the defensive coordinator of the Saints’ Week 2 opponent. Baltimore Ravens DC Anthony Weaver detailed how the second-year signal-caller “reminds” him of “a poor man’s Josh Allen” — in a positive way.

“[Shough] has all the arm talent in the world [and] can run. I don’t think he gets enough credit for how good [of] an athlete he is,” Weaver said in a press conference Thursday, per NFL.com. “So, particularly as you get down to the low red [zone], we are constantly going to be conscious of just his ability to scramble and create those extended plays — no different than our guy [quarterback Lamar Jackson].

“I just think the more reps he gets, the more confident he’s going to get in that scheme and with the talent around him. I think they have done a good job of trying to build the talent around him. They have tremendous skill players. I think they have upgraded their offensive line from when I saw [them] a year ago. So, sky’s the limit for the kid.”

After falling behind 21-0 with 8:54 remaining in the third quarter and throwing two interceptions in the Saints’ Week 1 road tilt against the Detroit Lions, Shough and the Saints stormed back to force overtime. Granted, they failed to convert a game-winning two-point conversion attempt with 1:34 remaining in overtime and lost 31-30.

In all, Shough threw for 410 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, finished with an 87.6 passer rating and completed 62.5% of his passes in the loss.

Last season as a rookie, the 6-foot-5 Shough started nine games for the Saints, making 11 appearances altogether. He totaled 2,384 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 91.3 passer rating, while completing 67.6% of his passes. Shough also rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints went 5-4 in the games he started.

New Orleans selected Shough with the No. 40 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a seven-year collegiate career during which he played for three schools (Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville). Injuries were a prime catalyst for Shough’s prolonged career, as he suffered a broken collarbone in 2021, which the quarterback injured again the next season, and a broken fibula in 2023.

As for the Saints’ Week 2 opposition, the Ravens are coming off a 41-23 win on the road over the Indianapolis Colts, with Weaver in his first season as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator under new head coach Jesse Minter. Weaver was previously a defensive assistant for the Ravens under John Harbaugh from 2021-23 before becoming the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins from 2024-25.

“We played [the Saints] towards the latter half of the year when I was in Miami last year, and I was impressed with him then as a rookie,” Weaver said of Shough.

As for the aforementioned game, which came in Week 13 of last season, Shough threw for 239 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and completed 68.4% of his passes in what was a 21-17 loss for the Saints. 

Regarding Weaver’s player comparison for Shough, Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP and a four-time Pro Bowler, and the Buffalo Bills are off to a 2-0 start, with wins over the Houston Texans (36-31) and Detroit Lions (41-31).

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It’s been a little more than a year since the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons and began rebuilding the defense in the image Jerry Jones preferred. He spent the millions he didn’t spend on Parsons to make them big, physical and tough, so they could stop the run and stop being pushed around.

The result of his efforts was disastrous on Sunday night, of course. They were “out-physicaled” by the New York Giants, in the words of Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer after their 28-20 loss. They couldn’t get any consistent pressure on the quarterback. They gave up 165 yards on the ground. They only stopped the Giants twice on 11 third downs.

So it was nothing like the brick wall Jones envisioned when he shipped Parsons to the Packers before the start of last season. 

But it certainly was ironic.

“What that defense desperately needs,” an NFC scout told me, “is a guy like Micah Parsons.”

Micah Parsons continued his streak of at least 12 sacks in a season last year, which began in his rookie year with the Cowboys. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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It’s way too early to judge this Dallas defense yet, and maybe the next Parsons is there somewhere, waiting to break out. But that emergence needs to come quickly, before the Cowboys waste yet another season, because this defense doesn’t seem to have what Parsons used to give them: a playmaker, a game-wrecker, and someone to make something happen when it really counts.

And after one night, it’s not even clear who that breakout star could be. Maybe safety Caleb Downs, the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick, who at least had a mild impact — particularly when he lined up at safety instead of in the slot. He even got a sack and two other pressures, even though he blitzed just three times, according to Next Gen Stats.

But Quinnen Williams, who cost the Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith plus a first- and a second-round pick in a trade and then got a three-year, $105.9 million contract extension in August? He pressured the quarterback just once in 28 tries, according to Next Gen Stats, even though he was single-teamed 17 times. And Kenny Clark, the centerpiece of the Parsons trade? Not a single pressure in 28 tries despite being mostly matched up against Francis Mauigoa, a rookie guard.

Quinnen Williams was among the Cowboys players who disappointed in Week 1. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

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Obviously, those two weren’t even speed bumps for the Giants’ inside-outside rushing attack either — an attack that ran over and around the Cowboys at a clip of five yards per carry. And the entire defense forced only one turnover, even though the Giants tried to help by putting the ball on the ground four times.

Or to put it another way: Not a single defensive player had a tangible impact on the game.

“We just probably had a little unrealistic expectations in terms of what we could do, especially on the defensive side of the ball with all the new faces and a brand new coordinator,” Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said in an interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Monday morning. “It’s not like they were popping explosives. They were grinding it out. We didn’t make the plays to get them off the field.”

Some of the blame for that goes to what Jerry Jones alluded to in his radio interview the next day — the massive amount of changes the Cowboys made to a defense that gave up more points than any other team last season. They had five new starters on defense, and 60% of their snaps on Sunday night went to players who didn’t play at all for the Cowboys in 2025.

And, of course, they have a new, first-time defensive coordinator in 34-year-old Christian Parker, who came over from the Philadelphia Eagles and promised an aggressive new scheme that blitzed on 44.4% of the Giants’ pass plays. But it’s not like they rattled Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns and ran eight times for 59 yards (not including his three kneel-downs).

Christian Parker’s first game as Cowboys defensie coordinator ended with zero sacks and loss to the Giants. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)

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And when there was no blitz, there was no pressure — two pressures on 20 four-man rushes, per Next Gen Stats. In most cases, there was no coverage either. Dart was 17 of 19 for 200 yards and two touchdowns against a four-man pass rush, and all three of his touchdowns were to wide-open receivers. He had unbelievable success throwing to open players across the middle and players uncovered in the flat. Running back Devin Singletary caught four dump-off passes for 22 yards that Next Gen Stats said included a startling 40 yards after the catch.

So where was the coverage? Where was the pressure? Where were the playmakers?

“When there’s no pressure and guys are that open, it makes it seem like guys are just standing around,” the scout told me. “Maybe they were unsure where to go or what to do in the new scheme. They can fix that.

“But they had to be asking themselves, ‘Why couldn’t someone just make a play?’”

Here’s a better question: Who would that playmaker be on this defense? Who can do that on a consistent basis, the way Parsons once did?”

Schottenheimer thinks the playmakers are there. “Every day we went against them in practice,” he said. “The defense we saw in practice was not what we saw [Sunday] night.”

Jerry Jones still thinks his bold plan for the post-Parsons era will somehow come together, too.

“I saw nothing on review yesterday that tells us that we should depart away from the plan,” Jones said. “The facts are we got a lot of new people on defense doing different things than they’ve been doing. So that’s got to come together. If we keep our head down and keep working on it, it will be better than it was Sunday night.”

Kenny Clark didn’t log a pressure in the Cowboys’ loss to the Giants.  (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Maybe that’s true. Maybe Williams will re-emerge as the force he once was with the Jets — albeit four years ago. Maybe Clark will become the run-stuffing dominator Jones insisted he was when he came over from Green Bay. Maybe Rashan Gary, who cost the Cowboys a fourth-round pick this offseason, will become the player who had 7.6 sacks in the first seven games last season, instead of the player who’s had none in the 10 games since.

Or maybe the playmaking will come from behind the line. Downs has breakout potential. Cornerback DaRon Bland once had nine interceptions in 2023 (though only one in the 20 games he’s played over two-plus years since then). They have a lot of hopes in Dallas for speedy linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, too.

But that’s the problem. The Cowboys always have hope and promise. What they need out of this defense is production, starting when they return home to face the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon. And they need someone who can make it happen every time he steps on the field.

“The thing about [Parsons] was that even if he had a bad game, he changed things just by his presence,” an offensive assistant coach told me. “You had to game-plan around him. You had to account for him on every snap. Because if you forgot about him for a second, he was up in your face.”

“That made everyone else’s job easier. That made his teammates more dangerous. And that made the Cowboys always difficult to play against.

“I just don’t think they have a player like that anymore.”

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NFL offenses were literally too busy scoring in Week 1 for coaches to have much time for scoreboard watching, but the final numbers were unexpectedly high. A whopping 791 points, or a combined 49.4 per game, were scored in Week 1, matching the most for any Week 1 in the Super Bowl era.

“I was definitely surprised to look up at the scoreboard on Sunday and see some of the scores at halftime,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “The Carolina-Bears game, it was crazy. I typically don’t see that in Week 1.”

The Chicago Bears had a 31-24 lead on the Carolina Panthers at halftime and ended up winning 59-37. That was one of six games that had 60-plus total points scored, two more than any other opening weekend in NFL history. Week 2 opened with the Buffalo Bills beating the Detroit Lions 41-31, suggesting the Week 1 scoring explosion might not be an outlier.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a 31-0 lead on the Cleveland Browns three minutes into the second half on Sunday, but Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski was busy enough in postgame that he didn’t fully appreciate just how many points were scored until he caught up by watching the NFL RedZone’s wrap-up, which shows every single touchdown scored during Sunday’s slate in one glorious clip.

“RedZone does the touchdown montage at the end of the day, and I took a quick break from looking at Denver and getting stuff ready for this week, and you notice: ‘Man, this montage is going on forever,'” Udinski told me. “Then you start looking at scores, and you say, ‘Oh, OK, this makes more sense.’ It wasn’t until you got tape in from around the league that you realized all the stuff that some of those offenses, like Chicago did, and really lit it up.”

Three teams — the Panthers, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints — scored 30 or more points and lost, something that’s happened just once ever in Week 1 (2002). So why such a spike in scoring? Is it a trend likely to continue deep into the 2026 season, or a symptom of ever-changing approaches to preseason games — where fewer starters play to avoid the risk of injury — and even training camp practices, which don’t have nearly as much contact and actual tackling as they used to have?

“I watched some around-the-league stuff, and it felt like guys just were making plays,” Robinson said. “There [were] a ton of plays being made after the catch … defenses are so limited with what they can do based on the rules [before] you get to live tackling, and it’s a different ballgame.”

The lack of physicality in preparing for an NFL season can make even the best defenses look rusty in their first games. The Denver Broncos, who had a top-three defense last year in points and total yards allowed, recorded 28 missed tackles in their humbling 31-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.

Kenneth Walker rushed for 179 yards after contact (per Pro Football Focus) in the Chiefs’ Week 1 win over the Broncos. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

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High-leverage situations favored offenses in Week 1. Not a single NFL team converted half their third-down opportunities last year. Yet, in Week 1, nine teams were better than 50%, and three were above 70% on conversions. Red zone? The most efficient offense in the NFL got touchdowns on 70% of their trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, but in Week 1, there were nine teams that got touchdowns on every red-zone opportunity they had.

“The lack of opportunities to go live and tackle, whether it’s preseason or training camp, I think less and less teams have live periods where you’re actually tackling ball carriers to the ground,” Udinski told me. “It’s hard to account for those yards when you’re practicing some of the things that show up with different angles of tackles. 

“Even sacks on quarterbacks, where a guy might be blown down before a defensive end gets a hand on a quarterback, and now, they’re in a game and the quarterback can escape and extend plays. A play might have gotten blown dead, but next thing you know, you’re in a scramble and you’ve had limited reps in scramble drills.”

Jaxson Dart wasn’t sacked in the Giants’ season-opening win as the Cowboys had a four-man pressure rate of just 10.0%, their lowest in a game in five years, according to Next Gen Stats.  (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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One more factor to consider in the high scoring: NFL games are rarely hotter than in Week 1 with mid-September highs, and six openers had temperatures at kickoff recorded at 89 degrees or hotter. You combine that conditioning concern with players testing their stamina by playing a full game in most cases for the first time in eight months.

“There are no two-a-days. They’re never on the field for three and a half hours on a given day,” Udinski said.

If the record scoring was a surprise to some, it wasn’t to Las Vegas oddsmakers, as the 16 Week 1 scoring totals had eight games go over their over/under point totals and eight games fall short. Thursday’s Bills-Lions game had an over/under of 54.5 points — four points higher than any Week 1 game — and the two teams still cleared the over by 16.5 points in the end.

The scoring explosion was led by the Bears, and their head coach, Ben Johnson, has expressed a team goal of becoming the highest-scoring team in NFL history. Scoring 59 in an opener is a great start toward that, as the record for an entire season is 37.9 points per game, which was scored by the 2013 Broncos. 

So, Chicago can be three touchdowns a game worse than they were Sunday and still fulfill their goal of becoming the highest-scoring team ever. That’s how high the bar was set by Week 1 this season.

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