NFL Preseason Week 2: The key storylines, top matchups, full schedule, and how to watch this week’s must-see football

From heated quarterback competitions to teams eager to silence critics after a rough opening week, DAZN News breaks down the top storylines, marquee matchups, and complete schedule as Week 2 of the 2025 preseason approaches.

Key storylines

With Shedeur Sanders likely sidelined, can Dillon Gabriel make up ground in the QB battle?

Sanders' excellent performance in his Browns' debut raised the bar and sent a message to the other Cleveland quarterbacks on the roster. How will the players he is competing with respond when the Browns face the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday?

Fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been nursing a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice this week. He desperately needs to get back on the field and deliver a strong performance against the defending Super Bowl champions if he is to avoid losing ground in the Browns' quarterback competition.

At this point, it still seems more likely that veterans Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett will open the regular season as the starter. But if Sanders can recover quickly or Gabriel strings together a series of strong performances, starting this weekend, then this race will be far from over.

Will Justin Fields keep the momentum rolling with another standout game?

The pressure is on quarterback Fields to elevate the Jets' offense to new heights in 2025 after joining the team on a two-year, $40 million deal in free agency. And if last week is any indication, the former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is capable of doing just that.

In the Jets' Week 1 preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, the dual-threat quarterback completed three of four attempts for 42 yards and rushed for 14 yards, scoring a touchdown on the opening drive.

There has been no official word on whether Fields will play in the Jets' Week 2 game against the New York Giants, but if he does feature, you can bet all eyes will be on whether he can keep his hot streak going.

Can the much-maligned Cincinnati Bengals' defense silence doubters after a poor showing last week?

Many of the Bengals' defensive starters sat out their Preseason Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but their performance raises serious questions about the quality of depth on a defense that has struggled mightily in previous seasons.

The Eagles offense piled misery upon Cincinnati, with young quarterback Tanner McKee completing 20 of 25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals' defense also allowed over 100 yards on the ground.

With 2024 sack leader Trey Hendrickson continuing to hold out for a contract extension, Cincinnati would dearly love their young pass rushers - and their defense as a whole - to raise their game and deliver the goods when they take on the Washington Commanders this weekend.

Featured games

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles

Kick-off: Saturday, August 16 at 6pm BST / Saturday, August 16 at 1pm ET

The Browns' quarterback circus mentioned above rolls into Philly and will undoubtedly be one of the hottest storylines to follow. Sanders may not start, but he's likely to play at some point, and how his performance compares to Gabriel could have far-reaching ramifications in the race to succeed presumed Week 1 starter Joe Flacco.

Will we see an appearance from Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts? Can Tanner McKee continue his preseason heroics? Is Browns' linebacker Carson Schwesinger as good as advertised? There are plenty of reasons to watch this one closely.

New York Jets at New York Giants

Kick-off: Saturday, August 17 at 12am BST / Friday, August 16, 2025 at 7pm ET

Preseason or not, any time the Jets face the Giants, the stakes are high. And with the two teams participating in joint practices in the build-up to the game, there will even be plenty to talk about before the game time approaches.

If Fields plays, how he fares against a Giants' defensive line that added Abdul Carter to a dangerous group comprising Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux could make for can't-miss football.

The Giants, too, must be hoping their young signal-caller can build on his strong start. Jaxson Dart will remain firmly behind veteran Russell Wilson most, if not all of the year, but head coach Brian Daboll was impressed with what he saw from the Giants' first-round pick last week.

Full Preseason Week 2 Schedule

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