- Denver Broncos 27, Atlanta Falcons 7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, New York Jets 16
- Washington Commanders 20, Miami Dolphins 7
Score
27
Denver Broncos
Score
7
Atlanta Falcons
- Tua underwhelms in ATL debut. Atlanta’s first two offensive possessions under Tua Tagovailoa probably aren’t what he or new head coach Kevin Stefanski envisioned. The Falcons offense started its preseason with a three-and-out that included Tagovailoa fumbling a second-down shotgun snap. Atlanta’s next drive lasted five plays before ending in a second punt. All in all, the Tua-led offense amassed 24 yards on eight plays over two drives, with Tagovailoa accounting for 22 of the yards on 3-of-5 passing. The caveat is that Tagovailoa wasn’t working with his full arsenal while facing starters across a brutal Broncos defense. Wide receiver Drake London played only two snaps, running back Bijan Robinson didn’t play period, and Denver rattled Tagovailoa on a few plays while getting pressure on 60% of his dropbacks. Regardless, it must be a bit of a maddening QB competition for the Falcons. Michael Penix Jr. still isn’t full go, and there was likely little for Stefanski to discern from Tagovailoa’s short, ineffective outing.
- Broncos rookie RB makes strong impression. It was mission accomplished for Denver’s starters (minus Bo Nix), as wide receiver Courtland Sutton keyed the Broncos’ first-drive touchdown by skying for a 40-yard catch down to the 1. The defense harassed Tua Tagovailoa into two blink-and-you-miss-it drives, while corners Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron collected picks later in the night. That was all mostly expected. How rookie running back Jonah Coleman would look was more of a question. The answer? Quite good. The fourth-rounder out of Washington averaged 6 yards a pop, finishing with 24 yards on four carries while showing off both good vision and tough running. His highlight was a 13-yard run on which he bounced off a defender through the hole and kept plugging before a cast of Falcons took him down another 8 yards later. Coleman also had another 9-yarder wiped away by a holding penalty. He’s listed at the very bottom of Denver’s unofficial depth chart, but he possesses the stuff to have a say in Denver’s rushing attack as the season progresses.
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Watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets during Preseason Week 1 of the 2026 season
Score
24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Score
16
New York Jets
FULL BOX SCORE
- Bucs were well aware of Bailey. No. 2 overall pick David Bailey has received rave reviews during Jets training camp. While he didn’t deliver any wow plays for fans to salivate over in his eight snaps on Friday, he showed some promise as the other half of New York’s pass-rush duo alongside Will McDonald IV. Tampa Bay, which saw Bailey up close and personal the past couple days during joint practices, chipped the rookie multiple times and committed a double team to him on one of the two third downs he was on the field for. Bailey ended the night with one pressure and an assist on a tackle. On McDonald’s sack to end the Buccaneers’ first drive, Bailey was right there after shoving off a chip from tight end Bauer Sharp and rerouting to put pressure on quarterback Connor Bazelak up the middle. It’ll do for a quick debut.
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Highlights from the Preseason Week 1 matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders during the 2026 NFL season
Score
7
Miami Dolphins
Score
20
Washington Commanders
FULL BOX SCORE
- Douglas, Washington clearly atop Fins’ WR group. It was a who’s who of starters sitting out for the Commanders, but the Dolphins offense did exactly what it needed to do. Malik Willis led a 14-play, 91-yard touchdown drive, taking off twice, handing to running back De’Von Achane a whopping seven times and only targeting receivers Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington. That will be Miami’s offensive formula. Douglas and Washington were the only two wideouts who logged a snap on the opening drive outside Jalen Reagor’s two. Washington had three catches for 15 yards on 12 snaps, while Douglas — who was in for all 14 plays, including multiple on the goal line — came down with a remarkable one-handed snag for 28 yards after hand fighting with cornerback Antonio Hamilton. He’s a rookie, which showed when he didn’t get both feet inbounds on his first target despite having a ton of room, but the hype looks real. He’s going to play an integral role alongside Washington in Miami’s passing game.
- Commanders have battle for final RB spot(s).Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White reside at the top of Washington’s running back depth chart. Behind them are two veterans, Jeremy McNichols and Jerome Ford, and two rookies: sixth-rounder Kaytron Allen and undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr. Both first-year players scored on Friday, perhaps making a push for the final 53-man roster. The more impressive of the two was Henry. He had the juice, breaking off a 15-yard run early and later beating everyone to the outside for a 22-yard score. He finished with 75 yards on 12 carries (6.3 YPC). Allen also represented himself well (23 carries for 85 yards), sporting a long of 16 and taking a goal-line plunge to find the end zone. Could either or both supplant a vet on the roster? Croskey-Merrit, a 2025 seventh-rounder, shot up the depth chart his first year, so it’s certainly possible.
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