The NFL preseason is notorious for creating narratives that vanish the moment the regular season kicks off, but some developments from the second week of action feel too significant to ignore. In Cleveland, the quarterback competition appears to have reached a sudden and decisive turning point. While Shedeur Sanders did not necessarily dominate the field, his steady presence stood in stark contrast to a disastrous outing from Deshaun Watson. With Watson struggling through poorly placed throws and facing boos from his own home crowd, the door has swung wide open for Sanders to claim the starting role before the opener.
Across the league, other headlines are sparking early excitement that might be premature. The San Francisco 49ers have found a surprising bright spot in rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, whose chemistry with Brock Purdy has already sent betting odds for Rookie of the Year tumbling. Similarly, there is plenty of noise surrounding Tua Tagovailoa’s precarious position in Atlanta, where a healthy Michael Penix Jr. is poised to challenge for the starting job after several underwhelming performances from Tua in training camp.
Meanwhile, New York Jets fans are celebrating a defensive performance that looked like a complete reversal of last year’s struggles. After a dismal 2025 campaign devoid of interceptions, the Jets’ secondary suddenly looked predatory against Pittsburgh, hauling in two picks and shutting out their opponent for long stretches. However, seasoned observers are wary of calling this a fix given that much of the success came against backup offensive units. While it provides hope for Aaron Glenn’s squad, claiming the defense is solved based on an exhibition game remains firmly in the category of an overreaction.
