The NFL preseason enters its second week on Saturday, featuring eight exciting matchups. Among them, three games will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network, while five others will air locally. All preseason games remain accessible for streaming on NFL+.
On Saturday, fans can look forward to the first appearances of rookie quarterbacks Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart, as well as Justin Fields making his debut with the New York Jets. J.J. McCarthy is also set to return to the field after missing the entirety of last season due to a knee injury. In a fresh start for the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Liam Coen will showcase his offensive strategy, although it remains unclear how much star quarterback Trevor Lawrence will participate in the preseason opener.
Key matchups on Saturday include:
– New York Giants at Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
– Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings at 4 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
– Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars at 7 p.m. ET (KDKA 2 for Steelers, FOX30 for Jaguars)
– Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams at 7 p.m. ET (KTVT 11 for Cowboys, KABC 7 for Rams)
– Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. ET (WKRN 2 for Titans, WFLA 8 for Buccaneers)
– New York Jets at Green Bay Packers at 8 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
– Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals at 8 p.m. ET (CBS 5 for Cardinals, KSHB 41 for Chiefs)
– Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers at 8:30 p.m. ET (KPIX 5 for 49ers, 9News for Broncos)
As the games unfold, there are notable expectations. Notably, Aaron Rodgers will sit out the Steelers’ opener despite offering to play, while Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson will share quarterback responsibilities against the Jaguars. Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is known for allowing his starters to gain experience in the preseason, so fans can anticipate some game time for Patrick Mahomes, albeit likely not more than a quarter.
Additionally, all eyes will be on Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall draft pick, to see how he splits his time between receiver and cornerback for the Jaguars. Even Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell may consider playing J.J. McCarthy to give him the valuable reps he missed last season.
As the season approaches, the NFL preseason is shaping up to provide fans with thrilling matchups and a glimpse of the future stars of the league.