Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

NFL 2025–26 Preseason Week 2 Takeaways – Flacco Named Starter, Bears Trounce Bills, Questions in Indy

Key decisions still pending as the NFL preseason week 2 draws to a conclusion

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

With the Bengals defeating the Commanders on Monday night, the curtain came down on week 2 of the preseason games. As we inch closer and closer to the start of the regular season, teams are getting a better idea of what their final 53-man roster would look like.

There is still one round of preseason action left where fringe players can make their cases. But, by now, it is safe to say that most of the teams will have finalized all but a few spots on their rosters. Up until now, most of the starters have seen only limited playing time, but week 3 may see them take the field for an extended period.

Key Takeaways From Preseason Week 2

Preseason week 2 brought us some fascinating moments, and various players took the opportunities presented to them to impress. Some teams, like the Bears, balled out in their win over the Bills, while others, like the Chiefs, still don’t look up to speed. Here are the key takeaways from week 2.

Young Defenders Showing Promise for the Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons were one of the struggling teams on defense last season. However, the upcoming season could be different, especially if they continue to get quality play from their rookies, Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., and safety Xavier Watts.

Although Walker did not play in the game against the Titans, Pearce was a force on the field. The linebacker came away with 3 quarterback pressures and 4 tackles. He was also at the heart of the play, which forced an interception from Brandon Allen. Watts’s performance in the secondary was also noteworthy as he fights for a spot alongside Jesse Bates III for the starting spot.

Watch James Pearce Jr. on the outside #Falcons pic.twitter.com/zZjhIHOblm
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) August 16, 2025

Browns Name Joe Flacco as Starting quarterback

After Shedeur Sanders started preseason week 1 for Cleveland, the Browns went with Dillon Gabriel for week 2. Then came the big announcement of the offseason after a five-way battle for the starting spot under center ended with Kevin Stefanski naming veteran Joe Flacco as the starter under center.

While Sanders had been quite impressive throughout training camp and followed that up with a solid debut in preseason, Gabriel had his ups and downs. Eventually, Stefanski has decided to keep trust in the experienced player for the time being, by naming Joe Flacco as the starter for the Browns’ upcoming season.

Browns name Joe Flacco as starting quarterback. pic.twitter.com/uohdSwfif5
— NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2025

Colts Starting Quarterback Still To Be Determined

Staying with quarterback battles, the next one is the one between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson at Indianapolis. The Colts are still unable to make up their minds on who will be the man for the job, as neither signal caller has shown a clear edge so far.

Both players showed improved performances in week 2, but neither has been able to pull away. However, another major worry for the Colts is the injuries that are piling up. Tackles Braden Smith and Blake Freeland both left the game with injuries.

Jaxon Dart Looks Like a Lock for Backup Quarterback in New York

The Giants are more or less sure to roll with Russell Wilson as their starter in the regular season. However, with rookie Jaxon Dart showing excellent potential, there is little doubt that he will become the backup signal caller in New York. That means the Giants could be looking to ship Jameis Winston if they can find a suitable trade partner.

Jaxson Dart is 26-for-35 for 291 yards, 2 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD over his first two games with the #Giants. More than anything, he’s passing the eye test of being in command. Good start. pic.twitter.com/JKexgjpBN8
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 17, 2025

Bears Offense in Cruise Control against the Bills

The Chicago Bears looked like a well-oiled machine under new head coach Ben Johnson. Second-year quarterback Caleb Williams was handed the first two series of the game, in which he looked great on the opening drive.

Backup quarterbacks Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed also navigated the Bills’ defense well. On the other hand, Buffalo’s struggled to get anything going, and Chicago’s defense held them to zero points as the Bears marched to a commanding 38-0 win.

Mitchell Tinsley Shines in Bengals Win Over Commanders

The Bengals already boast of arguably the best pair of wide receivers in the league with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, third-string receiver Mitchell Tinsley had himself a game against the Commanders, catching 5 passes for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Mitchell Tinsley earning a roster spot tonight: pic.twitter.com/i14odsAn26
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Joe Burrow and his O-line struggled for much of the time they were on the field, despite finishing one drive with a touchdown. Burrow went 9 of 14, but more importantly, took 2 big sacks.

With week 2 in the books, it’s now time to turn our attention to the final preseason game of the year for all teams. It will give them one last chance to make some key decisions before August 26, which is the 53-man roster deadline.

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

2025 NFL Preseason

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!