Week 1 can be misleading, but some performances reveal changes that may carry into the next game. Several teams showed new looks on offense or defense that stood out in the opening week.

From the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive adjustments to the Buffalo Bills’ aggressive passing plan, here are the five key takeaways ahead of 2026 NFL Week 2.

1. The Cincinnati Bengals defense looks much improved

The Cincinnati Bengals defense adjusted after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers found success on their opening drive. Defensive coordinator Al Golden moved from heavy man coverage to mostly zone, with some man mixed in.

The change helped Cincinnati limit big plays, force turnovers, pressure Baker Mayfield and tighten up in the red zone. The revamped defensive line, featuring Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, also gave the Buccaneers’ offensive line problems.

According to The Athletic, the Bengals did not allow a run of 15-plus yards after ranking 31st in the NFL in that category last season. Four turnovers may be difficult to repeat, but the defense showed clear improvement.

2. The Baltimore Ravens offense used a different approach

The Baltimore Ravens offense showed a different look in offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s first game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Lamar Jackson lined up under center on 41 per cent of snaps, the highest rate of his career, helping open the boot game and create cutback lanes for Derrick Henry.

The revamped offensive line also performed well in outside-zone blocking and pass protection. Jackson continued to make plays when the initial design did not create an easy option, while his connection with Zay Flowers produced a 54-yard touchdown.

Flowers left with a hamstring injury, while rookie Ja’Kobi Lane is expected to miss time with a broken wrist. That leaves Baltimore with fewer receiving options heading into Week 2.

3. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills attacked the Houston Texans

Josh Allen had a standout performance against the Houston Texans as the Buffalo Bills used an aggressive plan. Buffalo handed the ball off only 15 times and used play action on 40 percent of its dropbacks.

Allen recorded 13.68 average air yards per attempt, the highest against Houston in the previous two seasons. Joe Brady also used chips, fake chips and pullers to help control Houston’s edge rushers and give Allen time to throw downfield.

D.J. Moore gives Allen another option against man coverage, while a healthy Dalton Kincaid can also help in that area. The Bills’ protection plan helped create opportunities for the passing game.

4. The San Francisco 49ers defense changed its approach

The San Francisco 49ers defense used more two-high safety looks against the Los Angeles Rams instead of relying heavily on its traditional single-high scheme.

Matthew Stafford’s interception showed the adjustment. San Francisco initially showed a man look with one deep safety before rotating into Cover 2. Stafford expected Puka Nacua to have one-on-one coverage, but Renardo Green dropped underneath the route and intercepted the pass.

The 49ers used two-high defenses on 51.72 percent of dropbacks, the highest rate during the Kyle Shanahan era. They also used six defensive backs on 14 percent of dropbacks. The run defense remains a concern, but the new structure gives the defense more options against passing offenses.

5. Caleb Williams helped the Chicago Bears offense explode

The Chicago Bears scored 59 points against the Carolina Panthers, while Caleb Williams completed 72.4 percent of his passes and reduced his off-target rate from 14.6 percent to 10.3 percent.

Williams’ timing looked better, while he continued to make plays outside the structure of the offense. The Bears did allow 37 points, so their defense remains an area to watch in Week 2.

With defensive changes from the Bengals and 49ers and strong offensive performances from the Ravens, Bills and Bears, these five Week 1 takeaways could shape what to watch in 2026 NFL Week 2.

Written by

Divyanshi Raj