Seth Wenig/Associated Press After six long months, NFL fans saw their first game since Super Bowl LII. The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears kicked off the 2018 preseason in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday. Now that we've celebrated the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees for their hard work and dedication to the game, exhibition play comes into full focus, with four weeks of action on the slate before the regular season begins September 6. Coaching staffs will assess rosters of up to 90 players as September 1 cuts approach, mandating an active headcount of 53. Every team has at least one starting spot up for grabs—two clubs have major decisions at quarterback. In other scenarios, head coaches will test the strengths and weaknesses of their projected starters. Secondly, players on the bubble are prepared to fight for roster spots and avoid meetings with the Turk. Take a moment to check out the full 2018 preseason schedule, with television and live-stream viewing information for national broadcasts. We'll also highlight the biggest storylines to follow through August. Video Play Button Videos you might like 2018 Preseason Schedule Hall of Fame Weekend Thursday, August 2 Ravens 17, Bears 16 Week 1 Thursday, August 9 Carolina at Buffalo: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Chicago at Cincinnati: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Tampa Bay at Miami: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Cleveland at New York (Giants): 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Pittsburgh at Philadelphia: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New Orleans at Jacksonville: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Washington at New England: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Los Angeles (Rams) at Baltimore: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Tennessee at Green Bay: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Houston at Kansas City: 8:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Dallas at San Francisco: 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Indianapolis at Seattle: 10 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Friday, August 10 Atlanta at New York (Jets): 7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Detroit at Oakland: 10:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Saturday, August 11 Minnesota at Denver: 9 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Los Angeles (Chargers) at Arizona: 10 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Week 2 Thursday, August 16 Philadelphia at New England: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Pittsburgh at Green Bay: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New York (Jets) at Washington: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, WatchESPN Friday, August 17 Kansas City at Atlanta: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New York (Giants) at Detroit: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Buffalo at Cleveland: 7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Miami at Carolina: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Arizona at New Orleans: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Saturday, August 18 Jacksonville at Minnesota: 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Oakland at Los Angeles (Rams): 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Cincinnati at Dallas: 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Tampa Bay at Tennessee: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass San Francisco at Houston: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Chicago at Denver: 9:05 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Seattle at Los Angeles (Chargers): 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Monday, August 20 Baltimore at Indianapolis: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, WatchESPN Week 3 Thursday, August 23 Philadelphia at Cleveland: 8 p.m. ET, Fox, Fox Sports Go Friday, August 24 New York at New York: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Denver at Washington: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New England at Carolina: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Seattle at Minnesota: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Detroit at Tampa Bay: 8 p.m. ET, CBS, CBS All Access Green Bay at Oakland: 10:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Saturday, August 25 Kansas City at Chicago: 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Houston at Los Angeles (Rams): 4 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Tennessee at Pittsburgh: 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass San Francisco at Indianapolis: 4:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Baltimore at Miami: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Atlanta at Jacksonville: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New Orleans at Los Angeles (Chargers): 8 p.m. ET, CBS, CBS All Access Sunday, August 26 Cincinnati at Buffalo: 4 p.m. ET, Fox, Fox Sports Go Arizona at Dallas: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports Week 4 Thursday, August 30 Miami at Atlanta: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Indianapolis at Cincinnati: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Cleveland at Detroit: 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass New England at New York (Giants): 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass New York (Jets) at Philadelphia: 7 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Carolina at Pittsburgh: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Jacksonville at Tampa Bay: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Washington at Baltimore: 7:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Buffalo at Chicago: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Minnesota at Tennessee: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Los Angeles (Rams) at New Orleans: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Dallas at Houston: 8 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Green Bay at Kansas City: 8:30 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Denver at Arizona: 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL Game Pass Los Angeles (Chargers) at San Francisco: 10 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Oakland at Seattle: 10 p.m. ET, Regional Service Network, NFL Game Pass Biggest Preseason Storylines Who Wins Quarterback Competitions for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills? Seth Wenig/Associated Press We will see two intriguing quarterback battles in the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will utilize the preseason to evaluate the most important position on the roster. The Jets selected quarterback Sam Darnold No. 3 overall in April's draft, but he just signed his rookie deal Monday. He will compete against the 39-year-old Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, who looks to take another step in a recovery from a significant knee injury two years ago. There's a twist to the competition, with Bridgewater's trade value set to rise or fall based on his performances. The 25-year-old's departure could clear the way for Darnold to start. If he's shaky in exhibition play, the Jets may opt to audition him through the regular season to spark interest. The Bills quarterback battle features three inexperienced signal-callers. The front office signed fifth-year veteran AJ McCarron, but he's only started three NFL games. General manager Brandon Beane moved up to No. 7 overall to take Josh Allen in April's draft. Nathan Peterman goes into his second season after two starts with the team in 2017. Through training camp, McCarron saw first-team reps on back-to-back days, per WKBW reporter Joe Buscaglia: Despite his minimal advantage in experience, McCarron's five years in the league should help him read vanilla coverages in the preseason, giving him a slight edge in the quarterback battle. What Can We Expect from Quarterback Patrick Mahomes? Charlie Riedel/Associated Press The Kansas City Chiefs decided to trade quarterback Alex Smith in January, turning the huddle over to their 2017 first-round pick, whom they traded up to select at No. 10. Patrick Mahomes started against the Denver Broncos in the 2017 regular-season finale. He threw for 284 yards, an interception and zero touchdowns. During the offseason, the Chiefs added wideout Sammy Watkins, who provides another dynamic receiving threat alongside Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in the passing attack. Expect Mahomes to take more shots at explosive plays downfield than Smith with the offensive personnel in place. Mahomes has thrown several interceptions during training camp practices, which shouldn't cause concern since teams treat these sessions as an experimental period. Nonetheless, thet Texas Tech product will go under a microscope over the next few weeks. He's set to lead a squad coming off consecutive AFC West titles. What's Next for the Seattle Seahawks Secondary? Elaine Thompson/Associated Press The Seattle Seahawks released cornerback Richard Sherman. Safety Kam Chancellor doesn't have clearance to play with a neck injury. Fellow safety Earl Thomas continues to hold out in a contract dispute. The combined absence of the three defensive backs takes 14 Pro Bowl honors and six All-Pro seasons off the field. Once upon a time, the Seahawks secondary locked down opposing offenses as one of best units, with the three aforementioned players leading the charge with stops, interceptions and big hits. Cornerback Shaquill Griffin put together a solid rookie campaign on the boundary, but the cumulative talent won't compare to groups from recent years. Quarterbacks will test Seattle's new secondary to see who, if anyone, impresses in those vacant spots. Furthermore, former Seahawks defensive backs coach Kris Richard moved on to take the same position with the Dallas Cowboys. We will soon find out how the sweeping changes affect the pass defense.<doc-sep>The preseason is less about results and more about how rookies look in their first glimpse of the NFL. So, consider Friday night's slate of preseason games a doozy. After Thursday night gave us the return of Tom Brady, Week 2 of the NFL preseason continues on Friday with games that feature No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield and the Browns facing No. 7 pick Josh Allen and the Bills, the Cardinals and No. 10 pick Josh Rosen going up against the vaunted Saints defense, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (who sat out most of his entire rookie year) matching up against the Falcons' budding defense. As an added bonus, we'll be treated to two revenge storylines folded into one game as Tyrod Taylor takes on the Bills and Corey Coleman takes on the Browns. There are five games in all. Below, you'll find the complete schedule and list of results. Further down below, you'll find our Friday night takeaways, which will be updated as the night progresses. OK, let's get to it. Scores, schedule Thursday Washington 15, N.Y. Jets 13 (box score) New England 37, Philadelphia 20 (box score) Green Bay 51, Pittsburgh 34 (box score) Friday Kansas City 28, Atlanta 14 (box score) N.Y. Giants 30, Detroit 17 (box score) Buffalo 19, Cleveland 17 (box score) Carolina 27, Miami 20 (Box score) Arizona 20, New Orleans 15 (Box score) Saturday Jacksonville at Minnesota, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network (GameTracker) Oakland at L.A. Rams, 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network (GameTracker) Cincinnati at Dallas, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network (GameTracker) Tampa Bay at Tennessee, 7 p.m. ET (GameTracker) San Francisco at Houston, 8 p.m. ET (GameTracker) Chicago at Denver, 9:05 p.m. ET (GameTracker) Seattle at L.A. Chargers, 10 p.m. ET (GameTracker) Monday Baltimore at Indianapolis, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN (GameTracker) Patrick Mahomes with a rollercoaster outing Patrick Mahomes' outing in the Chiefs' preseason opener can be best described as blah (5 of 7 for 33 yards). His performance in Week 2 was anything but blah. In one half of work, Mahomes went 8 of 12 for 138 yards (11.5 yards per attempt), one touchdown, one pick, and a 98.6 passer rating. Before Chad Henne took over after halftime, Mahomes demonstrated why the Chiefs moved on from Alex Smith this offseason and reminded us that he's still pretty much a rookie after sitting out almost all of last year. Let's start with the good, because oh my god it was incredible. At the end of the first half, Mahomes showed off his tremendous arm talent with a 69-yard bomb to speedster Tyreek Hill. Smith was the league's highest-rated deep ball passer a season ago, but he wasn't doing stuff like this: That right there is why the Chiefs made the switch from Smith and Mahomes. There are only a few quarterbacks -- Aaron Rodgers, to name one -- who can make a throw like that. Mahomes can, which means his ceiling is substantially higher than Smith's. But his floor is also considerably lower. Mahomes, because of his arm strength and athleticism, likes to take risks, which means he's probably going to throw his fair share of interceptions in his first season as an NFL starter. That trait was also on full display. After nearly getting picked in the end zone before the Chiefs settled for a field goal on their second series, Mahomes finally got intercepted on their third series when he forced a pass downfield. As you can see below, Mahomes didn't appear to identify that the safety was helping the cornerback over the top, in essence just waiting for Mahomes to loft up an interceptable pass. And that's exactly what Mahomes did. He threw it up right to the safety. It's a nice reminder that Mahomes is still pretty much a rookie. We can't expect him to be perfect. He's going to make a ton of mistakes, and he's also going to make a ton of wow plays that only he is capable of making. The hope is that over time, he eliminates the mistakes while maintaining a high percentage of those wow plays. Considering Andy Reid is his coach, he'll probably get to that point. It might just take some time. At the very least, it'll be a fun process to watch. Even when Mahomes is throwing bad interceptions, he'll be making jaw-dropping plays. In other words, it'll be the exact opposite of the Alex Smith experience. Josh Allen should start because he's the Bills' best QB During the draft season, Josh Allen was often regarded as a project quarterback with huge upside in that he and his rifle for an arm would benefit from a season on the bench as he learned the nuances of the NFL. After what happened Friday night, it's getting easier to view Allen as a Week 1 starter instead of a long-term project. Part of that can be attributed to the other two quarterbacks vying for the Bills' starting job, AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman. Part of that can also be attributed to how Allen fared in his second preseason outing. Against the Browns, Allen took over for McCarron in the second quarter. At that point in time, the Bills had scored zero points and done next to nothing on offense. Allen proceeded to lead the Bills on a 15-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that culminated with some nifty footwork within the pocket as Allen bought time for his receiver, Rod Streater, to gain separation in the back of the end zone. And then, Allen did what he does best. He used his rifle: That touchdown came after McCarron went 3 of 6 for 12 yards and a 56.3 passer rating, and departed the game with a shoulder injury. According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, McCarron suffered a hairline fracture of the collarbone. But this is less about McCarron, who has gotten his fair share of hype as a starting-caliber quarterback even though he's never really looked like a starting-caliber quarterback, and more about Allen. Allen would get pulled for Peterman midway through the third quarter. He finished 9 of 13 for 60 yards, one touchdown, no picks, and a 104.6 passer rating. That should be enough for Allen to earn the start in the all important third preseason game. The Bills traded up to draft Allen. He's the future of their franchise. If he doesn't develop into a franchise-saving quarterback, the Bills will likely remain a bad team. If he does develop into a franchise-saving quarterback, the Bills might time their ascent perfectly with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick seemingly nearing the end of their reign over the rest of the AFC East. So, with Allen looking like the best quarterback in Buffalo -- at the very least, he's been just as good as McCarron and Peterman so far -- he's probably done enough to earn a spot atop the depth chart. There's no point in delaying the beginning of the Allen era. Just start him now. Why wait? Then again, this is the same coaching staff that once benched Tyrod Taylor for Peterman in the middle of a playoff race. So, we'll have to wait and see how the Bills handle this development. Mayfield's pocket presence remains impressive After a sizzling debut a week ago, Mayfield's final stat line from Friday night won't wow anyone. But that's OK. For Mayfield, Friday night was more about the traits he demonstrated and less about his final numbers. Specifically, Mayfield was impressive with his footwork within the pocket and his escapability. His escapability reminded me of Russel Wilson's. His footwork within the pocket looked like footwork belonging to a seasoned veteran. Look at him maneuver within the confines of the pocket until his target frees up downfield: The Browns have maintained all along that Tyrod Taylor is their starter and that Mayfield is battling for the backup job. But it's getting difficult to understand how a team that's never had a franchise-saving quarterback can leave the top-overall pick, who happens to look like an NFL-caliber quarterback right now, on the bench. That's not a criticism of Taylor, who's been a good quarterback during his career. It's an acknowledgement that Mayfield doesn't look like a quarterback who needs time to figure out the NFL from the sidelines. At the very least, the Browns should open up the competition. In all, before handing the reigns over to Drew Stanton, Mayfield went 7 of 13 for 75 yards. He would've had two touchdowns, but both were reversed (one for pass interference and the other after an official review). It's not too late for the Browns to reverse their stance that Taylor is their undisputed starter. Josh Rosen flashes improvement in second outing Coming off a lackluster preseason debut a week ago (6 of 13 for 41 yards), Cardinals rookie quarterback Josh Rosen improved substantially in his second outing. Against the Saints, Rosen completed 10 of 16 passes for 107 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a 102.9 passer rating. His touchdown came as a result of some incredible pass protection, but also perfect ball placement on Rosen's part. Rosen, however, appears to be firmly positioned behind Sam Bradford on the depth chart. Bradford was a perfect 6 of 6 for 61 yards. Barring an injury, he should be the team's Week 1 starter. But the Cardinals should be pleased that Rosen took a step forward in his development. Bradford is nothing more than a bridge to Rosen and given his injury history, it's not wrong to assume that Rosen will see the field at some point during the upcoming season. Falcons come out firing, Calvin Ridley breaks out If the Falcons are going to make the leap from playoff team to Super Bowl team, they'll need oft-maligned offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian to figure out a way to get the most out of his insanely talented offense after a disappointing first season at the helm. Against the Chiefs on Friday night -- without starting running back Devonta Freeman and WR1 Julio Jones -- Sarkisian provided a preview of how dominant the Falcons' offense can be during the upcoming season. On the team's opening series -- after rookie Calvin Ridley began the game with a 34-yard return -- they went 65 yards on seven plays, polishing off the drive with a four-yard touchdown from Matt Ryan to Austin Hooper. Would you look at that: Sarkisian called a very smart, sensible play in the red zone leading to a very easy touchdown. And so, it's time to begin Hooper's Fantasy football hype campaign. In addition to bringing in that touchdown, he also converted a third-and-11 with a 29-yard grab. On the play, Ryan escaped the pocket and bought extra time for Hooper, who stayed with his quarterback the entire time. Hooper, who is coming off a career-best 526-yard sophomore season, could be ready to breakout in a much-improved Falcons offense that might finally be comfortable with Sarkisian calling the plays. If the Falcons do get everything figured out on offense, they'll be a legitimate contender in the hyper-competitive NFC. Speaking of a breakout, rookie receiver Calvin Ridley torched the Chiefs. He began the game with that impressive return and then on the team's second series, he broke free downfield and hauled in a 36-yard pass from Ryan. And quite frankly, if Ryan had hit Ridley in stride, it likely would've been a touchdown. Ryan, by the way, finished 5 of 7 for 90 yards and a touchdown before getting pulled for Matt Schaub midway through the second quarter. He appears to be comfortable in Sarkisian's offense. Ridley got his touchdown shortly after, squatting down at the goal line in between coverage to secure a 7-yard touchdown from Schaub. So to recap, Ridley: Returned the opening kickoff 34 yards. Caught a 36-yard pass that could've been a touchdown with a better throw. Caught a 7-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. Caught a first down just before his touchdown. This Falcons offense is absolutely loaded with talent. Adding Ridley is almost unfair. Don't forget about Carlos Hyde in Cleveland<doc-sep>
Football is back, and now we're ready for more. The NFL's 2018 preseason schedule kicked off Aug. 2 and hit full stride a few days later. And with September rolling closer along with the regular season, it's only a matter of time until the real games begin. Until then, we've got another full week of action on the docket. Between Super Bowl rematches and prime-time intra-conference showdowns, Week 2 of the 2018 preseason figures to be just as noteworthy as the first. Here, we've got you covered with a glimpse at each and every matchup on tap: How to watch TV: All preseason games will be shown locally, so check your local listings. Five different games will be shown on national TV. Stream: ESPN, NFL Game Pass, NBCSports.com, fuboTV Note: Nationally televised games will be designated with an asterisk (*). Preseason Week 2 games Thursday, Aug. 16 Eagles at Patriots, 7:30 p.m. ET: Rematch! The Super Bowl LII foes will meet again, this time in Foxborough. As per usual, the preseason lineups won't be nearly as sexy as they were in February, but the Eagles are at least planning to get Nick Foles some snaps after he sat out the opener. Let's see how Philly's new nickel cornerback(s) handle the Pats' shifty receivers, too. Steelers at Packers, 8 p.m. ET: A rematch of the 2010 Super Bowl, this has a good deal of juice if only because of the teams' history. Ben Roethlisberger wasn't likely to play anyway, but he'll definitely be sidelined now that he's overcoming a head injury. Still, Green Bay's backup quarterback spot is still something to watch with DeShone Kizer in the fold. *Jets at Redskins, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN: The biggest story here might be whether Terrelle Pryor and D.J. Swearinger bring their training camp beef to the field. In all seriousness, all eyes will actually be on Alex Smith, who figures to make his Washington debut, and the QBs on the other sideline -- mostly Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater, who are both looking good. Friday, Aug. 17 Chiefs at Falcons, 7 p.m. ET: Preseason wins don't mean anything, but if you're a Falcons fan, you're probably using this matchup as a slight barometer on how prepared Atlanta really is. Because things were pretty sloppy in the opener vs. New York. In Kansas City, meanwhile, the focus probably remains on how Andy Reid's re-centralized offense can thrive behind Patrick Mahomes. Giants at Lions, 7 p.m. ET: Saquon Barkley stole the show in the Giants' 2018 debut, and he'll be the man to watch (if he's healthy) against Detroit, which would've given up a 60-yard Marshawn Lynch touchdown in Week 1 if not for a Raiders penalty. The Lions as a whole are a question mark, but their own rookie runner, Kerryon Johnson, is worth a peek as well. *Bills at Browns, 7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network: The stars of "Hard Knocks," the Browns get Friday night's national spotlight against a team that's also in desperate search of revival in Buffalo. Record- and history-wise, this is a pretty uninspiring matchup, but it's also an example of what preseason's all about: Getting guys like Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield as many live snaps as possible. Dolphins at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET: Adam Gase apparently has the Dolphins team he's always wanted (and that's even clearer now that he's axed a player who scuffled with Kenyan Drake at camp), but time will tell if the team is truly any good. The Panthers are still working to get the rhythm down with their wide receivers and cornerbacks -- a familiar story if you're from Carolina. Cardinals at Saints, 8 p.m. ET: Sam Bradford and Larry Fitzgerald made their first connection in the Cardinals' preseason opener, and it was indicative of exactly the kind of offense Arizona figures to run with Sammy B -- short and sweet. This matchup is sneakily good, if only because it has the potential to preview a not-so-crazy NFC playoff possibility. Saturday, Aug. 18 *Jaguars at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network: Jalen Ramsey just got done calling out half the QBs in the NFL, and Kirk Cousins was one of the few he respected. Cousins looked sharp in his Minnesota debut, too, so it'll be nice to go up against Jacksonville's secondary for a superior test. This game is also a rematch of one of the NFL's most recent trips to London. *Raiders at Rams, 4 p.m.