The 2026 NFL season rolls on with teams still trying to establish an identity and a footing in this young campaign. It will take a few weeks to truly understand how strong teams will be in certain areas and for clubs to get up to full speed.
But the NFL is a locomotive that slows for no team. The big games are coming thick and fast even in the early stages of the new season. There are more massive encounters coming up this weekend and those games headline three big storylines I'll be monitoring on Sunday.
Chargers begin a challenging run
The Los Angeles Chargers have been one of the biggest disappointments of the season to date, stubbing their toe in home losses to the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders. And now things are about to get really difficult, starting with a Week 3 trip to Buffalo.
Between now and mid-November the Chargers have a run of games that will see them face the Bills, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, LA Rams, Houston and Baltimore. That is either going to be season-defining or season-wrecking… and based on the start made by the Chargers, it's more likely to be the latter.
The Bills have looked explosive with the supporting cast around superstar quarterback Josh Allen playing very well indeed. And the former NFL MVP is as good as ever, accounting for nine offensive touchdowns in the first two weeks. Could this be Buffalo's year?
The international adventure rolls on
The second of nine regular season games to be played around the world will take place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on Sunday as the Baltimore Ravens take on the Dallas Cowboys. It's incredible to type those sentences and to think that many games will be played internationally in 2026. The NFL's global plan is not slowing one bit.
Both teams enter the game with 1-1 records and stars who can take over a game. But they also come with questions. Dallas have failed to show up defensively in the first two weeks, while the Ravens are coming off blowing a 14-3 lead and losing at home to the New Orleans Saints.
I expect a lot of points in this one. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are in mid-season form for the Cowboys and Baltimore will be led by the constant threat that is Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. It's early and this is not a divisional or a conference clash, but it feels big.
A heavyweight clash on Sunday Night Football
Two genuine contenders will be feeling better about themselves as they prepare to meet on Sunday Night Football. The Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos evened up their records with Week 2 victories after playing poorly in Week 1.
And now they will go head-to-head at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The Rams showed their scoring prowess in Monday's defeat of the New York Giants. Matthew Stafford threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, Davante Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two scores; and LA rushed for 163 yards.
The Broncos saw Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle heat up in the second half of their Week 2 win over Jacksonville. And now the pass rush that has led the NFL in sacks in each of the past two seasons will have to come up with another big day to keep Stafford in check. I think that will be the biggest battle in this heavyweight contest – the Rams' passing attack against Denver's pass defense.
