playNFL NationCloseNFL NationNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season., Pamela MaldonadoClosePamela MaldonadoSports Betting AnalystPamela Maldonado is a sports betting analyst for ESPN., Eric MoodyCloseEric MoodyESPN WriterEric Moody is a writer for fantasy football, men’s and women’s basketball, and sports betting at ESPN. Eric joined ESPN in 2021 after working as a senior fantasy analyst at Pro Football Network. Prior to that, he spent much of his career as a manager at a Fortune 100 financial services company., Ben SolakCloseBen SolakESPNBen Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst.
He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Nation and The Draft Network., Seth WalderCloseSeth WalderESPN AnalyticsSeth Walder is an analytics writer at ESPN, specializing in quantitative analysis. He is also a regular on “ESPN Bet Live” and helps cover sports betting. Seth has been at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at the New York Daily News covering the Jets and Giants.
You can follow Seth on X via @SethWalder.Multiple AuthorsSep 18, 2026, 06:00 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsWeek 2 of the 2026 NFL season is here! There are a lot of tough division matchups happening: the Vikings visiting the Bears, the Panthers and Falcons facing off, the Raiders against the Chargers and the Seahawks versus the Cardinals. You can also expect an exciting quarterback duel between Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Denver’s Bo Nix.We’re here to get you ready for the action. First, our NFL Nation reporters take you inside the locker room with the best thing they heard this week, and ESPN Research provides a key stat to know.
Then, analytics writer Seth Walder makes a bold prediction for each matchup, NFL analyst Ben Solak gives one reason to tune in to each game (and rates the watchability of the matchup), fantasy analyst Eric Moody shares fantasy football intel and betting analyst Pamela Maldonado hits betting insights for each contest. We also have Football Power Index (FPI) game projections, and Maldonado, Moody and Walder give us final score picks for every game.Let’s get into the full Week 2 slate, which culminates with a “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Giants and Rams on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted, and all odds are via DraftKings.)Jump to a matchup: MIN-CHI | CIN-HOU | NO-BAL PIT-NE | GB-NYJ | PHI-TEN CAR-ATL | CLE-TB | JAX-DEN LV-LAC | WSH-DAL | SEA-ARI MIA-SF | IND-KC | NYG-LARWhat ESPN Analytics says … Vikings (1-0) at Bears (1-0)1 p.m. ET | Fox | CHI -4.5 (47.5 O/U)What we’re hearing on the Vikings: DC Brian Flores posted an 83% blitz rate in the first half against the Packers and — even after throttling down in the second half — finished with a 71.7% rate that nearly tripled the NFL average in Week 1.
Flores has always favored the blitz, but would he dare repeat that aggression level against the Bears? Flores considers the opening weeks of a season to be about improvement and experimentation. “What are the best groups of players who are out on the field? Who plays well with who?” he said.
“That’s what we’re working through as a staff right now.” — Kevin SeifertWhat we’re hearing on the Bears: Chicago is preparing for the “King of the Cover-0 blitz,” the nickname QB Caleb Williams gave Flores as a rookie. In 2025, Williams was blitzed 37.2% in his first meeting against Minnesota and 66.7% the second time. Trying to anticipate which strategy Flores will deploy is an ineffective plan. “You try to have answers for everything,” coach Ben Johnson said.
“He’s been in this division three years now, and yeah, I mean you’d like to think he’s put everything he could possibly do on tape until you play him next and you realize he hasn’t yet. … There always is with him and that’s what makes him such a good coordinator.” — Courtney CroninStat to know: The Bears need 37 points to break the NFL record for most points in a team’s opening two games, currently held by the 1968 Raiders (95). — ESPN ResearchBold prediction: Vikings QB Carson Wentz will throw multiple interceptions. I know he had some impressive moments and didn’t throw any picks in Minnesota’s Week 1 win. But this is still Wentz, and I assume he’s still prone to a mistake or four. — WalderViewers rating (out of 10): 9.0.
There isn’t a more fun schematic matchup in the entire league than Johnson versus Flores. This is Round 7 of their showdown. With a bad Bears defense on the other side of the ball, there should be explosive plays everywhere. — SolakInjuries: Vikings | BearsFantasy nugget: Bears WR Luther Burden III finished with just five targets and 9.5 fantasy points against Carolina last week. However, he led Chicago’s receivers in routes run and now faces a Vikings secondary that allowed the Packers’ Christian Watson and Matthew Golden to combine for 48.2 fantasy points last week.
Burden is in a good spot to bounce back. See Week 2 rankings. — MoodyBetting insight: All five of Wentz’s starts went over the total last season for the Vikings. Chicago just scored 59 points but also allowed Carolina to produce 478 yards and 37 points. Minnesota’s defense now faces an explosive Bears offense, while Wentz and WR Justin Jefferson get a vulnerable Chicago defense.
Read more. — MaldonadoMaldonado’s pick: Bears 31, Vikings 24 Moody’s pick: Bears 35, Vikings 26 Walder’s pick: Bears 34, Vikings 17 FPI prediction: CHI, 65.6% (by an average of 4.5 points)Matchup must-reads: Mason put on IR after having surgery on thumb … Bears anticipate ‘great challenge’ vs. Vikings defense … No block, no rock’ is not just a mantra for Bears’ offenseBengals (1-0) at Texans (0-1)1 p.m.
ET | CBS | HOU -2.5 (46.5 O/U)What we’re hearing on the Bengals: QB Joe Burrow will be managing back tightness this week. And he’ll be doing so against one of the NFL’s best defenses. OC Dan Pitcher compared the combination of edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. to Cincinnati’s WR tandem of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Keeping Burrow upright and intact this week will be paramount for Cincinnati’s chances against Houston and for the rest of the season. — Ben BabyWhat we’re hearing on the Texans: Houston is staring at another potential 0-2 start.
If the Texans lose this week, it’ll be the third such time under coach DeMeco Ryans since he was hired in 2023. But Hunter said “last year is last year,” in response to being asked about their confidence level to dig themselves out of a hole to start the season. Houston may have to play without Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins (hamstring), who was injured in practice Wednesday. — DJ Bien-AimeStat to know: The Bengals posted a 54% pass rush win rate in Week 1, the team’s highest since November 2024. They had the worst pass rush win rate in the NFL last season (28.8%). — ESPN ResearchBold prediction: Texans RB David Montgomery will average 5.0 yards per carry.
Montgomery scored three touchdowns in his debut but only averaged 3.0 yards per carry. The Bengals’ defense, for all its turnover success in Week 1, did allow .09 EPA per opponent carry in Week 1 — the fifth-worst mark. — WalderViewers rating (out of 10): 8.8. There are high stakes in this one for the traveling Texans, who are trying to avoid 0-2 (against two AFC contenders!). This is one I’m going to keep a close eye on especially because Burrow and Collins are entering the week banged up. — Solakplay1:45Compton on Burrow’s back tightness: ‘I would be afraid’ as a Bengals fanInjuries: Bengals | TexansFantasy nugget: Montgomery finished Week 1 with 23 touches and 28.9 fantasy points, while handling every Houston rushing attempt inside the red zone.
He now faces a Bengals defense that ranked 21st in run stop win rate (25.8%) last week and allowed the Bucs’ Bucky Irving to score 20.3 fantasy p
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