NFL Week 2 insider notebook: Latest buzz on QB1 uncertainty, plus the Rams' and Chargers' rough starts — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Kyler Murray will start for the Vikings in Week 2 if he clears concussion protocol after taking a hit that put him in the fencing position; Carson Wentz is likely to start if Murray can't go, with J.J. McCarthy serving as the emergency third QB.
- Sam Darnold will miss Week 2 (and possibly Week 3) for the Seahawks; Drew Lock is set to start, and the team has refrained from placing Darnold on short-term injured reserve — a sign Seattle expects a swift return.
- The Falcons face a tangled quarterback picture: Michael Penix Jr. wants full confidence before returning from his third ACL reconstruction, Tua Tagovailoa has an oblique strain that can linger, and Cooper Rush may start again, with a Thursday night Week 3 complicating Penix's reacclimation.
- The Rams managed just 7 points against the 49ers in their Australia opener and now lose Myles Garrett — the league's best pass rusher — for at least a month after a knee injury the team may have managed too conservatively through training camp.
- The Chargers' offense collapsed after Ladd McConkey (day-to-day rib injury) exited the Cardinals game, exposing what insiders called a "flimsy" game plan; Maxx Crosby and the Raiders await in Week 2 with AFC West standings on the line.
- Mike LaFleur (Cardinals) drew the most surprising coaching debut praise after Arizona looked good across the field, while Todd Monken's Browns debut in Jacksonville was flat, with Deshaun Watson continuing to struggle at quarterback.
Why it matters: With three teams juggling backup-quarterback decisions and the Rams and Chargers both at risk of 0-2 starts, Week 2 reshapes early-season rankings across the NFC and AFC West. Atlanta's long-term outlook hinges on Michael Penix Jr. overcoming mental hesitation from his third ACL reconstruction on a player-controlled timeline.
Ask SkimNews