Samwise NFL Newsletter
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Bills Open Highmark Stadium with 41–31 Victory Over Lions as Josh Allen Posts Five Touchdowns
Josh Allen’s five-touchdown performance opened Buffalo’s $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium in style Thursday night, as the Bills defeated the Detroit Lions 41–31 in the first regular-season game at their new home. Allen produced 248 passing yards and 69 rushing yards, accounting for three passing and two rushing touchdowns as Buffalo surged to a 27–10 halftime lead. The Lions made a spirited second-half comeback but could never seriously threaten the Bills’ advantage. Buffalo’s new stadium features a 66,000-seat capacity with a notably taller bowl design than their previous home. The victory pushed the Bills to 2–0 on the season.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Vikings Rule Out Kyler Murray for Week 2 Against Bears; Carson Wentz to Start
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Friday that quarterback Kyler Murray will sit out Sunday’s Week 2 matchup against the Chicago Bears after failing to clear concussion protocol. Murray suffered the injury in Week 1 when he was hit by Green Bay Packers defenders Lukas Van Ness and Javon Bullard during a scramble, leaving the game shortly after. Carson Wentz, who has six previous starts for the Vikings, will take over at quarterback. O’Connell said Murray has shown a lot of progress and that the team fully anticipated him clearing protocol early next week. The Bears enter the game at 1–0 after their 59–37 Week 1 win over Carolina.
Sources: CBS Sports
Rams Place Myles Garrett on Injured Reserve with Knee Injury, Miss Key Pass-Rusher for Minimum Four Games
The Los Angeles Rams placed defensive lineman Myles Garrett on injured reserve with a knee injury on Wednesday, September 17, dealing a significant blow to their defensive front ahead of Week 2. Garrett will miss a minimum of four games under league IR rules. The Rams are already navigating a crowded injury report, and his absence raises questions about the team’s ability to generate consistent pass rush during the early weeks of the season. Los Angeles enters Week 2 at 0–1 after a Week 1 loss and now faces the Giants on Monday Night Football with major roster uncertainty on both sides of the ball.
Sources: CBS Sports
Aaron Donald Set to Make 2026 NFL Season Debut Monday Night as Rams Host Giants
Defensive lineman Aaron Donald is set to make his 2026 NFL season debut Monday when the Los Angeles Rams host the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, according to an NFL.com news roundup published Friday. Donald unretired on August 30 and has been preparing to return with Los Angeles throughout the preseason. His arrival provides some defensive reinforcement during a difficult week for the Rams: Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury Wednesday, while wide receiver Puka Nacua added a hip ailment to the team’s growing injury report Friday. The Rams open at 0–1 after a Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Brock Bowers Listed as Doubtful for Week 2 Road Game vs. Chargers with Knee Injury
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has been listed as doubtful for Sunday’s Week 2 road game at the Los Angeles Chargers due to a knee injury. Bowers underwent a meniscus trim on September 8 after suffering the ailment during training camp. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak described the injury as not overly serious and said Bowers is day-to-day, though the tight end did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday. Las Vegas enters 1–0 on the season following a 27–13 Week 1 victory, and the Raiders face the Chargers as 6.5-point underdogs at SoFi Stadium. Kubiak stated the team does not view the knee as a long-term concern.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Nico Collins (Hamstring) Out for Week 2 as Texans’ Receiving Corps Takes Another Hit
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins will not play Sunday in Week 2 due to a hamstring injury that kept him off the practice field all week. His absence removes a primary receiving option from the Texans’ passing game as Houston enters the week at 0–1. TreVeyon Henderson is expected to make his 2026 season debut Sunday after returning to practice this week, offering some offensive reinforcement. The Texans also lost Ricky Pearsall to injured reserve, further thinning the receiving corps depth. Houston will need to rely more heavily on their tight end group and running backs as they attempt to avoid an 0–2 start on Sunday.
Sources: Yahoo Sports / NBC Sports
DJ Moore’s AC Joint Sprain in TNF Win Threatens Absence for Bills’ Week 3 Game
Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore exited Thursday’s 41–31 win over the Detroit Lions with an AC joint sprain suffered before halftime, and his status for Buffalo’s Week 3 matchup against the Chargers is now uncertain. Moore recorded no catches before leaving the game early. With Moore out, Josh Allen leaned on tight end Dalton Kincaid, who has emerged as a featured receiving target through the Bills’ first two games this season. Buffalo will monitor Moore throughout the week as the 2–0 Bills prepare for a Week 3 road trip. The AC joint sprain is not considered structurally serious, but recovery timelines vary by individual.
Sources: NBC Los Angeles
Chiefs Host Colts on Sunday Night Football in Key Early-Season AFC Matchup
Sunday Night Football delivers a significant AFC showdown as the Indianapolis Colts travel to Kansas City to face the undefeated Chiefs. Kansas City enters 1–0 after a dominant 31–10 victory in Week 1, while the Colts fell to 0–1 following a 41–23 loss to Baltimore. The Chiefs are 6.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 46.5 points, per CBS Sports. Indianapolis holds a 6–4 record in the last 10 meetings against Kansas City, and the Colts are 4–0 against the spread in their last four games as road underdogs. The game kicks off at 8:20 PM on NBC with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth calling the action.
Sources: CBS Sports / NBC Sports
Puka Nacua Hip Injury Adds to Rams’ Growing Injury Concerns Ahead of MNF vs. Giants
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was added to the injury report Friday and did not practice due to a hip injury, adding another concern to the team’s preparations for Monday Night Football against the New York Giants. His status for the game was not immediately determined after Friday’s session. The Rams enter Week 2 at 0–1 after a 27–7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and now face the possibility of playing their prime-time game without Nacua while defensive lineman Myles Garrett is already on injured reserve and Aaron Donald is just returning from retirement.
AFC Standings
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC East | |||
| Buffalo Bills | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Jets | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AFC North | |||
| Baltimore Ravens | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AFC South | |||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston Texans | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AFC West | |||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 1 | 0 |
NFC Standings
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFC East | |||
| New York Giants | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NFC North | |||
| Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Bears | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Detroit Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NFC South | |||
| Atlanta Falcons | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NFC West | |||
| San Francisco 49ers | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0 | 1 | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency