 | THE LATE WINDOW ISSUE #5 · WEEK 2 · MON 21 SEP 2026 |
The 30-second version
| 1 | The points vanished. A week after a 96-point game, Chicago scored three. Vikings 9–3 Bears had no touchdowns, and Sunday afternoon averaged 36.8 points a game against 49.4 in Week 1. |
| 2 | Two young quarterbacks are hurt. Caleb Williams (Bears, hamstring) is “week to week”. Jayden Daniels (Commanders) dislocated his left elbow; no timeline yet. |
| 3 | The three veterans all won. Watson beat Tampa, Cousins has the Raiders 2–0, and Mahomes threw for 382 yards to beat the Colts in overtime. |
| 4 | London's first game is 0–2 v 0–2. Colts v Commanders, Tottenham, Sunday 4 October, 14:30. |
| 5 | Free-to-air this Sunday: Ravens v Cowboys from Rio, 21:25 UK on Channel 5. Tonight: Giants @ Rams, 01:15 UK, Sky / RTL. |
Scoreboard · every Week 2 result so far
| Thursday night | ||
| Bills 41 Lions 31 Allen: 3 TD passes, 2 TD runs | ||
| Sunday, 18:00 UK | ||
| Panthers 34 Falcons 3 Lloyd: 2 interceptions, one for a TD | ||
| Vikings 9 Bears 3 No touchdowns. Williams hurt | ||
| Eagles 24 Titans 20 Winning TD with 9 seconds left | ||
| Patriots 20 Steelers 3 Rodgers sacked four times | ||
| Packers 20 Jets 17 Overtime. From 17–7 down | ||
| Browns 23 Buccaneers 19 Watson's late winner | ||
| Saints 24 Ravens 17 4th-down sneak, 1:28 left | ||
| Bengals 20 Texans 6 Chase: 2 TDs | ||
| Sunday, 21:05 / 21:25 UK | ||
| Broncos 20 Jaguars 13 Last 17 points; Jags' run of 9 ends | ||
| Raiders 26 Chargers 14 Cousins: 3 more TDs. LA 0–2 | ||
| Cowboys 37 Commanders 20 Prescott: club-record 249th TD | ||
| Seahawks 31 Cardinals 7 Lock to Smith-Njigba, three times | ||
| 49ers 35 Dolphins 13 McCaffrey's 100th career TD | ||
| Sunday night | ||
| Chiefs 33 Colts 30 Overtime. Mahomes 382 yards | ||
| Winner in bold; every score checked against ESPN, CBS and NFL.com. |
This week · stay up for
| Game | UK / CET | UK TV | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonight Giants @ Rams | Tue 01:15 02:15 CET | Sky Sports NFL, Main Event | RTL (free), Sky Sport NFL |
| Thursday night Falcons @ Packers | Fri 01:15 02:15 CET | Sky Sports NFL | RTL (free) |
| Sunday early Patriots @ Jaguars | Sun 18:00 19:00 CET | 5Action (free) | see note below |
| Sunday late, from Rio Ravens v Cowboys | Sun 21:25 22:25 CET | Channel 5 (free) | Sky Sport |
| Sunday late Cardinals @ 49ers | Sun 21:05 22:05 CET | not announced | RTL (free) |
| Sunday night Rams @ Broncos | Mon 01:20 02:20 CET | Sky | RTL (free) |
| Monday night Eagles @ Bears | Tue 01:15 02:15 CET | Sky | RTL (free) |
Sky had not published its Sunday picks when this went out. Germany, Sunday 19:00: RTL has a free game, but RTL’s own sport.de lists Seahawks–Commanders and Sky’s guide says Patriots–Jaguars, so check on the day. Full listings at the bottom.
From this side of the Atlantic
London gets a pair of 0–2s. The first London game of 2026 is Indianapolis Colts v Washington Commanders at Tottenham on Sunday 4 October, 14:30 UK. As of this morning both are 0–2: the Colts have lost nine in a row, and Washington's quarterback has a dislocated elbow. Each plays once more before flying (Washington host Seattle on Sunday).
Wembley tried college football. Arizona State beat Kansas 24–17 on Saturday in the first college game played there. The announced crowd was 46,523, short of the organisers' 60,000 target in a stadium that holds more than 86,000; the upper tier stayed empty. The event's chief executive had told the Associated Press beforehand that "anything over 40-to-50,000 is a viable business model."
The full read · for the train
Three things that mattered
1. "Where is all the points?"
That was Terry Bradshaw on Fox's half-time show, and it was a fair question. Week 1 produced 791 points, level with the most in any opening week, at 49.4 a game. Front Office Sports counted Sunday afternoon's 13 games at 36.8 a game. The extreme case was Chicago: seven days after scoring 59, the Bears managed one field goal against Minnesota, who won 9–3 with Carson Wentz still standing in for the concussed Kyler Murray. NFL.com's Dan Parr noted it was the second-fewest points scored by an offence run by Bears coach Ben Johnson since 2022. Elsewhere Pittsburgh and Atlanta also scored three, and Houston six. ESPN's Dan Graziano says it is not an overreaction to suggest the Vikings' defensive coordinator Brian Flores deserves another head-coaching job.
2. Two young quarterbacks hurt in one afternoon
Chicago. Caleb Williams injured his right hamstring scrambling near the goal line in the fourth quarter and did not return. Ben Johnson on Sunday: "I'm actually happy it's nothing with the knee… but the hamstring could be pretty damaging as well." After Monday's scan Johnson called him "week to week" (not on injured reserve, reassessed each week). Backup Tyson Bagent is next in line for the Bears' next game, at home to Philadelphia next Monday night.
Washington. Jayden Daniels dislocated his left (non-throwing) elbow on the final play of the first half in Dallas. X-rays showed no fracture; more scans were due on Monday and no timeline has been given. He dislocated the same elbow last November. Marcus Mariota takes over. Head coach Dan Quinn: "Man, are we bummed for him. He was really playing his ass off."
3. The three quarterback decisions we followed all summer, two weeks on: all three won
Cleveland. A week after the 34–10, Deshaun Watson completed 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers, and brought the Browns back from ten points down in Tampa. Shedeur Sanders again did not play. Head coach Todd Monken ended his press conference with an answer to Mike Tomlin, who had repeated the old line "the Browns is the Browns" on NBC a week earlier: "Browns are gonna Browns. (Expletive) that! The guys took that to heart." Tomlin, on air that night: "Hey, I'm glad that I can still motivate, although I'm not coaching anymore."
Las Vegas. Kirk Cousins, 38, has six touchdown passes in two games and the Raiders are 2–0. NFL Research says he is only the second Raiders quarterback to throw three or more in each of the first two games of a season; the other was Ken Stabler in 1976, the year they won the Super Bowl. Number one pick Fernando Mendoza has still not played. The other side of that result: per Opta, via NFL.com, the Chargers are the second team in league history to lose consecutive home games by double digits to teams that won fewer than a fifth of their games the year before. The first was the 1926 Racine Tornadoes, who played one more game and folded. Jim Harbaugh: "I'm not deterred. No one in that locker room is deterred."
Kansas City. Mahomes' 382 yards came on 47 attempts, on the rebuilt knee, in a game that went the full extra period. The Chiefs are 2–0.
Injuries & fallout
- Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers receiver — neck injury on the Packers' second play in New Jersey; taken off on a backboard and kept in hospital overnight. He has movement in all his limbs. Head coach Matt LaFleur: "That was obviously a very scary deal." On the same drive right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele was carted off with a knee injury; LaFleur: "I think he could be out for a long time."
- Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks — Tua Tagovailoa (strained oblique, a side muscle) and Michael Penix Jr. (returning from knee surgery) were both inactive again. Cooper Rush started, was benched in the third quarter, and rookie Jack Strand's first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Atlanta are 0–2 and play at Green Bay on Thursday night with no starter named.
- Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks quarterback — better news. The injury is now described as a glute (buttock muscle) problem. Coach Mike Macdonald says the timetable "has shifted quite drastically", and on playing at Washington on Sunday: "Yeah, I'll say it's possible. We'll see."
- Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings quarterback — missed the Chicago game in concussion protocol. ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports that coach Kevin O'Connell expects him to be cleared early this week.
- Mike Onwenu, New England Patriots guard — carted off in the first quarter; reported as a broken ankle. Coach Mike Vrabel: "We'll have to unfortunately try to replace him." A.J. Brown remains on injured reserve (out at least four games).
- Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams pass-rusher — still on injured reserve after knee surgery and misses at least four games, starting tonight. Sean McVay: "He had crutches yesterday, and then he was walking without crutches today, so he's like Wolverine, healing fast."
- Philadelphia Eagles — Saquon Barkley left on the first offensive play with a stinger (a jolt to the nerves of the neck and shoulder that numbs the arm), returned after half-time and said he felt "alright". Tight end Dallas Goedert hurt a knee and did not return.
- Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts receiver — left heel, carted off in the first quarter; X-rays negative.
- Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints running back — played for the first time this season. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens receiver, did not (hamstring).
- Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers running back — still on the Commissioner's Exempt List (paid leave while the league investigates). He has reached a plea deal over the charges from May; ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote that a four-to-six-game suspension "could be the range", adding "that's obviously fluid".
The table, minus the noise
Two weeks in, eight teams are 2–0: the Bills, Bengals, Chiefs and Raiders in the AFC; the Eagles, Vikings, Seahawks and 49ers in the NFC. The Giants can join them tonight. Eight are 0–2: the Dolphins, Texans, Colts, Titans, Chargers, Commanders, Buccaneers and Falcons, and the Rams will make nine if they lose tonight. Of last week's four fancied 0–1 sides, the Packers and Cowboys won, the Chargers did not, and the Rams are still to play. Full standings.
Every result, with the story
Winner first. Every score read off ESPN's scoreboard and checked against CBS's and NFL.com's.
Thursday night (Friday morning here)
Bills 41–31 Lions — the first regular-season game in Buffalo's new stadium. Josh Allen threw three touchdowns and ran in two more; the Bills led 21–0 before Detroit woke up. The Lions have now conceded 71 points in two games.
Sunday, 18:00 UK
Panthers 34–3 Falcons — a week after conceding 59, Carolina's defence ran the game. Linebacker Devin Lloyd intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. Atlanta are on their third-choice quarterback; more below.
Vikings 9–3 Bears — four field goals, no touchdowns, in the rain. More below.
Eagles 24–20 Titans — Tennessee kicked a field goal to lead with 1:56 left; Jalen Hurts took Philadelphia 65 yards and found Darius Cooper for the winning touchdown with nine seconds to go.
Patriots 20–3 Steelers — New England sacked 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers four times and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Packers 20–17 Jets (overtime) — Green Bay trailed 17–7 in the fourth quarter, tied it with a field goal, and won it with another in extra time. The two teams committed 27 penalties between them. The Packers paid for it in injuries; more below.
Browns 23–19 Buccaneers — Deshaun Watson's winning touchdown pass came with under four minutes left, in a game stopped for 2 hours 12 minutes by lightning. More below.
Saints 24–17 Ravens — Baltimore led 14–3 at half-time. Tyler Shough won it for New Orleans with a one-yard sneak on fourth down with 1:28 left, a call that survived a replay review.
Bengals 20–6 Texans — Ja'Marr Chase caught two touchdowns from Joe Burrow. Cincinnati had conceded at least one touchdown in 65 consecutive games, the longest such run in the league; that is over.
Sunday, 21:05 and 21:25 UK
Broncos 20–13 Jaguars — Denver trailed 13–3 early in the third quarter and scored the last 17 points. Jacksonville's run of nine straight regular-season wins is over.
Raiders 26–14 Chargers — Kirk Cousins threw three more touchdowns. Los Angeles are 0–2, both defeats at home, both 26–14. More below.
Cowboys 37–20 Commanders — Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns, the last of them his 249th for Dallas, a club record. Washington lost their quarterback just before half-time. More below.
Seahawks 31–7 Cardinals — the champions' backup, Drew Lock, threw three touchdowns, all of them to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the first an 82-yarder on Seattle's second play.
49ers 35–13 Dolphins — San Francisco scored touchdowns on each of their first five drives, and Christian McCaffrey scored the 100th touchdown of his career.
Sunday night (Monday 01:20 UK)
Chiefs 33–30 Colts (overtime) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns in his second game back from knee surgery, and Harrison Butker kicked the winner from 40 yards as extra time ran out. Mahomes: "I think guys were resilient, and we just strained to finish." Indianapolis have now lost nine games in a row.
Monday night (Tuesday 01:15 UK)
Giants @ Rams — not played yet. See the bottom of this email.
This week: the full TV listings
US Eastern plus five is UK, plus six is CET.
Tonight
- New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams — Tue 01:15 UK / 02:15 CET — Sky Sports NFL and Main Event (UK); RTL free-to-air and Sky Sport NFL (Germany). John Harbaugh's 1–0 Giants against a Rams side that scored seven points in Melbourne. Matthew Stafford is fit; receiver Puka Nacua (hip) is a game-time decision.
The one that needs an alarm
- Atlanta Falcons @ Green Bay Packers — Fri 01:15 UK / 02:15 CET — Sky Sports NFL (UK); RTL free-to-air (Germany). Thursday Night Football, with Atlanta's quarterback unknown.
Sunday, 18:00 UK / 19:00 CET — nine games
New England at Jacksonville, Seattle at Washington (possibly Darnold's return, against Mariota), Kansas City at Miami, the LA Chargers at Buffalo (0–2 at 2–0), Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, Houston at Indianapolis, the New York Jets at Detroit, Tennessee at the New York Giants, Carolina at Cleveland.
- UK: Patriots–Jaguars free on 5Action (coverage from 17:30). Sky had not published its Sunday picks when this went out; check skysports.com/nfl/fixtures later in the week.
- Germany: RTL has a free-to-air game at 19:00. RTL's own sport.de lists it as Seahawks–Commanders; Sky's guide says Patriots–Jaguars, so check the listing on the day. Chiefs–Dolphins is on RTL+. NITRO's free conference runs from 19:00, and sport.de says this Sunday is the last free one of the season.
Sunday, 21:05 and 21:25 UK / 22:05 and 22:25 CET — four games, one of them in Rio
Arizona at San Francisco and Minnesota at Tampa Bay (21:05); Las Vegas at New Orleans and Baltimore Ravens v Dallas Cowboys at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro (21:25), the league's international game of the week and, for once, at a civilised hour here.
- UK: Ravens–Cowboys free on Channel 5 (on air from 21:00).
- Germany: Cardinals–49ers free on RTL (22:05); Ravens–Cowboys on Sky Sport.
The other two night games
- Los Angeles Rams @ Denver Broncos — Mon 01:20 UK / 02:20 CET — Sky (UK); RTL (Germany). Sunday Night Football, six days after tonight for the Rams.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears — Tue 01:15 UK / 02:15 CET — Sky (UK); RTL (Germany). Monday Night Football, probably Tyson Bagent against a 2–0 Eagles side.
Everything else is DAZN NFL Game Pass only (£179.99 a season in the UK, €199.99 in Germany), with two Sunday games a week on a 24-hour delay in the UK.
Back at 07:00 next Monday, properly this time. Confused by anything this week? Hit reply — we read every one.