NFL Week 2's most underrated games: Why you should watch these three under-the-radar games — SkimNews
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- Patriots vs. Steelers headlines Week 2's underrated slate as the defending AFC champions host Aaron Rodgers and new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, who replaced longtime head coach Mike Tomlin for the first time since 2006; Rodgers has called 2026 his final season.
- Patriots enter off a 13-10 loss to Seattle in which they lost offseason addition A.J. Brown to injury, with Mack Hollins leading receivers at just 51 yards, fueling early overreactions about Drake Maye's MVP candidacy and the Mike Vrabel offseason drama.
- Steelers defense, anchored by T.J. Watt's pick-six, two sacks, two quarterback hits, and four solo tackles in Week 1, faces a Patriots secondary that didn't force a turnover, though cornerback Joey Porter Jr. left Thursday's practice with medical staff due to a back injury.
- Commanders vs. Cowboys pits two division rivals coming off Week 1 defeats — Washington fell 24-22 to the Eagles and Dallas lost 28-20 to the Giants — with DraftKings installing the Cowboys as -3.5 favorites in their AT&T Stadium debut.
- Rams were blown out 27-7 by the 49ers as reigning MVP Matthew Stafford managed just 155 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and they placed Myles Garrett on injured reserve, though head coach Sean McVay expressed optimism about Aaron Donald's potential return from retirement.
- Giants posted their first home-opener win since 2010 behind rookie Jaxson Dart's 230-yard, three-touchdown, zero-interception debut and Cam Skattebo's 81 rushing yards in his return from an October injury.
Why it matters: Each of these three games carries narrative weight that exceeds its Week 2 billing: a Patriots loss to a Steelers defense led by T.J. Watt would deepen early doubts about Drake Maye and the Vrabel-era overhaul, while a Cowboys home loss would drop Dallas to 0-2 in the NFC East. For bettors, DraftKings' Cowboys -3.5 is the only spread cited in the article. Monday's Giants-Rams result will recalibrate whether Jaxson Dart's debut was a fluke or a genuine 1-0 signal for a team that hadn't opened a season at home with a win since 2010.
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