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NFL preseason Week 2 schedule, live scores, updates, highlights: Drew Allar, Will Howard to split time
Keep up with all the biggest developments from Friday’s preseason action
Aug 21, 2026
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8:04 pm ET
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1 min read
Happy preseason Week 2, football diehards. The NFL is back once again with another full slate of games, including a Friday triple header.
The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ backup quarterback depth chart battle continues between 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar, the hometown favorite fresh off a stellar outing against the Green Bay Packers, in which he threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 10-of-13 passing. They’ll both face a New York Jets squad that is also playing their starters, with QB1 Geno Smith making his 2026 preseason debut.
Then, the two South division winners from the NFC (the Carolina Panthers) and the AFC (the Jacksonville Jaguars) square off, with both Panthers coach Dave Canales and Jaguars coach Liam Coen leaning towards playing their starters. In the nightcap, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will make his 2026 preseason debut in his first action since a brutal ankle injury in the team’s AFC divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills. Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love and the rest of head coach Matt LaFleur’s starters are also set to play at Mile High on Friday night.
Stay tuned to our live blog below for all the action ahead in Week 2 of the preseason.
Preseason Week 2 scores/schedule
Thursday
Raiders 22, Texans 20
49ers 41, Chargers 17
Friday
Jets at Steelers, 7 p.m. ET
Panthers at Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. ET
Packers at Broncos, 9 p.m. ET
Saturday
Commanders at Lions, noon ET
Ravens at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
Bills at Browns, 1 p.m. ET
Falcons at Colts, 1 p.m. ET
Saints at Rams, 4 p.m. ET
Giants at Dolphins, 4 p.m. ET
Bears at Bengals, 7 p.m. ET
Eagles at Patriots, 7 p.m. ET
Chiefs at Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Cowboys at Cardinals, 10 p.m. ET
Sunday
Aug 21, 2026
at
8:04 pm ET
Panthers’ Jonathon Brooks scores his first NFL rush TD after return from second ACL tear
Brooks, who was the first running back drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft with the 46th overall pick in the second round by the Carolina Panthers, finally finds the end zone in the NFL for the first time. Brooks tore his ACL in his final season at the University of Texas, and he missed the entire 2025 NFL season with another ACL tear. He is back in the 2026 preseason, and Brooks was able to shimmy his way into the end zone from a yard out at the Jacksonville Jaguars. Carolina leads Jacksonville 7-0 with just under four minutes left in the first quarter.
Aug 21, 2026
at
7:54 pm ET
New York Jets defense records first interception of 2026
The 2025 New York Jets became the first team in NFL history to finish a season with zero interception. That dry spell is over now in Week 2 of the preseason. Safety Andre Cisco jumped Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard’s throw to wide receiver Roman Wilson for the takeaway. New York’s 18-game drought without an interception, including the first week of the preseason, under head coach Aaron Glenn is finally over.
Aug 21, 2026
at
7:35 pm ET
Cade Klubnik shows off his wheels to move the chains on third down
Klubnik, a dual-threat quarterback at Clemson, showed off his wheels as he scrambled his way out of a third-and-2 at his own 12 all the way out to the 28 on a 16-yard gain down the right sideline. That mobility gives New York a different flair at quarterback than the 13-year veteran in Geno Smith.
Aug 21, 2026
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7:33 pm ET
Geno Smith’s night ends after one drive, Cade Klubnik in at QB for Jets
Geno Smith led a perfect drive with the Jets’ starting lineup on the opening possession before head coach Aaron Glenn decided he’d seen enough from the 35-year-old veteran quarterback to end his night. Smith completed all six of this throws on New York’s opening drive, including the 13-yard scoring strike to tight end Jelani Woods. He also connected with both of the Jets’ top wide receivers Garrett Wilson (one catch on one target for 10 yards) and Adonai Mitchell (two catches on two targets for 29 yards).
New York’s 2026 fourth-round pick quarterback Cade Klubnik out of Clemson is now in at quarterback for the Jets.
Aug 21, 2026
at
7:19 pm ET
Will Howard-led Steelers go three-and-out on Pittsburgh’s opening drive
Pittsburgh began their night with consecutive runs by Jaylen Warren that netted a total of a yard before Howard sailed a third-and-9 throw just out of the reach of wide receiver Roman Wilson. The Steelers punt after just three plays, so the Jets get the ball back n their own 16 up 7-0 with 7:34 left in the first quarter. Run, run, pass isn’t exactly the most creative sequence the Steelers could have gone with to begin the night.
Aug 21, 2026
at
7:14 pm ET
Geno Smith starts hot, caps first drive back with Jets with pass TD
Smith completed all six of this throws on New York’s opening drive, including the 13-yard scoring strike to tight end Jelani Woods. After a rough year with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025, Smith is off to a hot start in his second stint with the Jets, and New York leads 7-0 with 9:04 left to play in the first quarter.
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Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/

