Hello football friends, and welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!

The second Sunday of the NFL season is officially in the books, and if we learned one thing from Week 2, it's that the Miami Dolphins might be the worst team ever. Actually, I take that back, the Chargers might be worse, or at least more depressing. Everyone knew the Dolphins would be bad, but the Chargers actually had high expectations this year. Instead, they fell flat on their face coming out of the gate. 

The Chargers opened the season by losing to the Cardinals and Raiders at home (both games ended 26-14). Arizona and Las Vegas both went 3-14 last year, making the Chargers the first team since 1926 to lose back-to-back games by double digits to teams that finished with winning percentages under .200 in the prior season. 

And it gets worse. Actually, you know what, we're not going to pile on the Chargers today. OK, we might pile on the Chargers. Anyway, we've got grades to hand out in today's newsletter, plus we'll have the latest details on the injuries to Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, so let's get to the rundown. 

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1. QB catastrophe? Details on injuries to Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels

There always seems to be a few serious quarterback injuries every season, and we saw two of those on Sunday with Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams both going down. Although Daniels will likely be out for an extended period of time, the Bears might have caught a break with Williams. 

Let's go over the details of each injury. 

CALEB WILLIAMS INJURY

  • Bears QB suffers non-contact injury. Williams had to be carted off the field after suffering a non-contact injury during the fourth quarter of Chicago's 9-3 loss to the Vikings (You can see a video of the injury here). When Williams went down, it was hard to tell which body part he injured. There was some speculation that it might be an ACL or Achilles injury, but it turned out to be a hamstring injury. "I'm actually happy it's nothing with the knee," coach Ben Johnson said after the game. "That was my first inclination. But yeah, a hamstring can be pretty damaging as well. We'll see how bad it is [on Monday], and we'll go from there. 
  • Williams return timeline. You never want to see an injury in the NFL, but in his case, injuring his hamstring might be the best-case scenario for Williams. After the game, Bears reporter Adam Jahns noted that Williams was in the locker room "walking under his own power, no crutches or anything, maybe a slight limp." The news got even better on Monday afternoon with Tom Pelissero reporting that Williams has avoided a major injury. According to Pelissero, there's a chance that Williams could play in Chicago's Week 3 game on Monday night against the Eagles. If Williams isn't quite ready to go this week, it sounds like he'll be back on the field by either Week 4 (Jets) or Week 5 (Packers) at the latest. No matter how it shakes out, this is great news for Williams and the Bears. 

You can check out our full story on Williams' injury here. 

JAYDEN DANIELS INJURY

  • Commanders QB suffers elbow injury. Daniels was injured on the final play before halftime in Washington's 37-20 loss to the Cowboys. On the play, his teammate stepped on his foot, and as Daniels was falling, he tried to brace his fall with his left hand, and that's when the injury happened. The injury was so gruesome that Fox announcer Tom Brady said "Oh Sh--" right when it happened. Dan Quinn is catching some flak for the injury because it came with just three seconds left in the first half. Kicking a field goal probably would have made sense on the play, but Quinn decided to go for the touchdown, and Daniels ended up getting hurt on the play. 
  • Daniels' Injury details. Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow in his non-throwing arm, which is the same exact injury that sidelined him last year. In 2025, he returned after just four weeks only to re-injure the elbow, which knocked him out for the season. Based on that timeline, it seems Daniels will be out for at least a month, and since the Commanders will likely want to play it safe after what happened last year, it won't be surprising if he's out for six weeks or more. 

If you want the full details on Daniels' injury, we've got that here. 

2. NFL Week 2 winners and losers: Tyler Shough comes up clutch

You can't have a week of NFL action without having winners and losers, so we have some winners and losers. Carter Bahns came up with this week's list, and we're going to check out his winners below. I was going to share the losers on his list, but that's too depressing a way to start the week: 

WINNERS

  • Fourth-quarter Tyler Shough. New Orleans trailed the Baltimore Ravens by eight points entering the final period. Shough then connected with Chris Olave on a 21-yard touchdown pass, and later in the quarter, he and the offense converted two third-down and two fourth-down conversions before finding the end zone on a go-ahead quarterback sneak. It is still early in the year, but Shough has the looks of the NFL's next second-year quarterback to break out as a star.
  • The Bengals. The hope for the Bengals entering the year was that their retooled defense would inch closer to the level of their elite offense. Through two weeks, everything appears to be coming together for what might be a dark-horse Super Bowl contender. Nearly all of the new faces on the defense delivered impact plays in Week 1, and Dexter Lawrence announced his arrival in Week 2. The best part of Cincinnati's defensive renaissance through two games is that it has not come at the cost of the offense.
  • The Broncos. The Broncos on Sunday accomplished something that no other team had since Nov. 9, 2025: Defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars in a regular-season game. Rather than fall into a 0-2 hole, though, Sean Payton's Broncos rallied with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 20-13 victory. The offense still has a ways to go in order for first-year play-caller Davis Webb to command widespread praise, but that fourth quarter was a good sign.

If you want to see Carter's list of losers (and a couple of other winners), be sure to click here. 

3. Overreactions from Week 2: Are the Vikings going to win the NFC North?

Everyone on the internet loves to overreact to things, and that's especially true when we're talking about the NFL. Personally, I overreact to everything. With that in mind, Zach Pereles decided to take a look at several things that happened during Week 2 to decide if we're all overreacting.  

Statement: Drake Maye's turnovers vs. good defenses are going to doom the Patriots.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction. Maye is still making too many mistakes. The negative plays are a worry. But there's still a lot to like there, and once A.J. Brown returns, it should provide a big boost. Maye is still a young player with a lot of room to grow. He'll continue to grow, and the Patriots' defense, which looks really good early, helps a lot, too.

Statement: The Vikings are going to win the NFC North.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction. The Vikings are 2-0 with two wins in the NFC North despite their starting quarterback, Kyler Murray, having played just a few snaps. They are now the favorites to win the NFC North at DraftKings (+130). I'm not quite ready to go that far yet. It's just too early for me to say, definitively, that the Vikings are going to win the division. I have real questions about the offense, mainly the quarterback. This is by no means a shot at the Vikings. They're just surviving by very thin margins -- several penalties and a fourth-and-1 stop saved them in Week 1, and we already discussed the narrow escapes in Week 2 -- and those margins usually don't hold up over an entire season.

Statement: The Chargers, Buccaneers and Commanders are all in trouble at 0-2. 
Overreaction or reality: Reality. They say Week 1 lies, but what about Week 2? Over the past five seasons, 75% of the teams that start 2-0 make the playoffs, while only 16% of the teams that start 0-2 do. The Chargers are an absolute mess. Justin Herbert and Mike McDaniel was always a "square peg, round hole" pairing stylistically. The Commanders are set to be without Jayden Daniels for at least a bit after he dislocated his left elbow. The Buccaneers are 0-2 and just lost to Deshaun Watson.

There are plenty more overreactions; if you want to check them out, click here.

4. NFL Week 1 grades: Saints earn high mark for stunning Ravens, Chargers lose again

If you're wondering what I did with my Sunday, I watched every single NFL game yesterday and then graded each team based on how they played. I've been doing this for so long that I've started to hand out grades in other aspects of my life. I gave my wife's breakfast an 'A-' this morning. Would have been higher, but she snuck in egg whites instead of regular eggs. I don't want egg whites. 

Anyway, here's a look at the grades from two notable games that were played Sunday:

Saints 24-17 over Ravens

  • Saints takeaway: The Saints' defense did the impossible: Went into Baltimore and shut down Lamar Jackson. The Saints pulled off this stunner thanks in large part to a defense that held the Ravens to just 84 yards in the second half. Chase Young looked like a man possessed on a day when he sacked Jackson 1.5 times. For the second straight week, the Saints' offense didn't show up until the second half, but once Tyler Shough got the unit going, New Orleans was unstoppable. Shough played at an MVP level in the fourth quarter, going 12-for-14 for 119 yards and a TD. One reason the offense has been so successful is because no one has been able to cover Chris Olave. The receiver had 86 yards after going for 182 in the opener. The Saints feel like they could be a surprise team this season. Grade: A
  • Ravens takeaway: The Ravens' new offense looked unstoppable in Week 1, but it came crashing back to earth on Sunday. The Ravens had multiple chances to put this game away, but the offense could muster only 32 yards on Baltimore's final three possessions. The Ravens also seemed to forget that Derrick Henry existed. Their star running back had just five carries in the second half, including just one in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens leading 14-3 at halftime, it's surprising that they didn't lean on Henry more in the second half. One reason the Ravens got rid of John Harbaugh was the blown leads in the second half. Well, in his second game on the job, Jesse Minter now has a blown fourth-quarter lead on his resume. Grade: C

Raiders 26-14 over Chargers

  • Chargers takeaway: Mike McDaniel was brought in to improve the offense, but instead, he might actually be making things worse. In two games with McDaniel as the offensive coordinator, the offense has been almost non-functional. Justin Herbert hasn't been helping things with his unexpected struggles. In this game, the Chargers QB threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, and the worst part is that two of those three turnovers came in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. If McDaniel and Herbert don't get on the same page soon, the Chargers might end up being the most unexpected disaster in the NFL this year. Grade: D-
  • Raiders takeaway: With Brock Bowers out, the Raiders needed someone to step up in the passing game, and that someone turned out to be Tre Tucker. The Raiders receiver caught five passes for 119 yards and a TD. Tucker was one of eight receivers to catch at least one pass in the game. Kirk Cousins' ability to spread the ball around has been a big reason the offense has survived without Bowers. The defense also deserves a lot of credit for this win. Malcolm Koonce and the pass rush absolutely terrorized Justin Herbert, with the defense totaling three sacks and forcing three turnovers. Through two weeks, the Raiders have been playing smart football in all three phases of the game, and that's a big reason why they're arguably the most surprising 2-0 team in the NFL right now. Grade: A-

As for the other 28 grades that we handed out in Week 2, you can check those out by clicking here. 

5. Monday night preview: Picks and best bets for Giants at Rams

The final game of Week 2 goes down in Los Angeles with the Rams hosting the Giants. John Harbaugh actually had his team fly out to L.A. on Saturday, which means the Giants will spend more time in California than the Rams did in Australia. I'm starting to think the Rams will never live down their Australian travel plan. 

At 0-1, the Rams can't really afford a loss tonight, which might explain why they're breaking out their secret weapon: Aaron Donald will be making his return. After spending the past two years in retirement, Donald will finally be making his 2026 debut, which is one reason why you'll definitely want to watch tonight. 

Here's one reason why each team should be feeling confident going into the game: 

  • Why the Giants can win: The Giants pulled off an upset in Week 1 by controlling the clock. Not only did they rush for 165 yards, but they converted 9 out of 11 of their third-down attempts. Well, guess what the Rams couldn't do in Week 1? They couldn't stop the run and the 49ers had their way with L.A. on third down. If Cam Skattebo and the Giants' rushing attack can get going, that will keep the clock moving and keep the Rams' offense off the field. When John Harbaugh was in Baltimore, his Ravens led the NFL in rushing in two of the past three seasons, so he understands how important it is to establish the run, especially against good teams, so look for him to try to do that tonight. 
  • Why the Rams can win: If the Rams want to win, they need to protect Matthew Stafford. In Week 1, the 49ers didn't sack Stafford, but they applied plenty of pressure, which kept the Rams' QB from getting into any sort of rhythm. The Rams can't let that happen again tonight. From Puka Nacua to Davante Adams, the Rams have a lot of receiving weapons, and Stafford knows how to use them when he has time to throw. One injury that could impact the Rams' passing game is Nacua's hip. He didn't practice all week, and he's been listed as questionable for tonight. If he can't go, the Rams might have to consider going with a game plan that gives the Giants a heavy dose of Kyren Williams. 

You can get a full preview of the game from Jared Dubin by clicking here.

If you're thinking about betting on the game, here are a couple of props. 

  • ONE RUSHING PROP I LIKE: Cam Skattebo OVER 48.5 rushing yards (-140 at BetMGM): I think the Giants are going to have to be able to run the ball to win this game, so I think Skattebo is going to see a lot of action tonight. After going off for 81 yards in Week 1, I feel like he gets to 49 against a Rams' defense that got steamrolled for 174 rushing yards in Week 1. 
  • ONE KICKING PROP I LIKE: Dominic Zvada OVER 1.5 field goals (-110 at FanDuel): The Giants didn't kick a single field goal in Week 1, but that's mostly because they were unstoppable on third down, so they never faced a decision about whether or not to kick. If John Harbaugh has proven one thing in his career, it's that he's much more likely to take the points on the road. Last season, the Ravens attempted at least two field goals in six of their eight road games. I think we'll see the Giants attempt at least two, and then hopefully Zvada can knock them through to hit the over. 

If you're wondering how my props are doing this year, I'm 3-3 (1-2 on kicker props and 2-1 on all other props).

And now, it's time for some picks. 

PICKS FOR 'MNF'

Jared Dubin's pick: Rams 27-17 over Giants
John Breech's pick: Rams 27-24 over Giants
Jordan Dajani's pick: Rams 30-21 over Giants
Tyler Sullivan's pick: Rams 30-21 over Giants
Prisco's pick: Rams 30-14 over Giants

That's right, we're all on the Rams. That almost always seems to be the kiss of death around these parts. 

Over on our CBSSports.com picks page, six of our seven experts are taking the Rams to win, but only three of us have them covering as a seven-point favorite. 

6. Extra points: Cowboys-Ravens field conditions drawing concern ahead of game in Brazil

 It's been a busy few days around the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything, I put together a quick roundup for you.

  • The playing field in Brazil appears to be in rough shape. The Cowboys and Ravens will make history in Week 3 with the NFL's first game ever in Rio De Janeiro. Before the matchup can take place, though, the NFL has to make sure the field at Maracaña Stadium is ready to host the game, which could be an issue because the turf doesn't seem to be in great shape right now. Several soccer players in Brazil have been complaining about the turf over the past few weeks. There was a soccer game at the stadium on Sunday, so the NFL won't be able to access the building to inspect the turf until today. The NFL has several days to try to improve the turf at Maracaña, but this will certainly be something to keep an eye on when the Ravens and Cowboys take the field at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 in a game that will be televised on CBS. We've got the full details on the situation here. 
  • Falcons hoping Michael Penix Jr. will be ready for Week 3. The Falcons got another ugly performance from Cooper Rush in their 34-3 loss to the Panthers in Week 3. Rush eventually got benched for Jack Strand, but he wasn't much better. The Falcons are now hoping that Penix will be ready to play this week, according to ESPN.  The one thing that could hold him back is that the Falcons play on Thursday night. If he's not on the field in Week 3, then you can bet either Penix or Tua Tagovailoa will be the starter for Atlanta's Week 4 game against the Saints. The Falcons' QB play has been horrendous this season, and you'll be able to witness that first-hand over the next few weeks because Atlanta has three straight games in primetime starting this Thursday.  
  • Dak Prescott sets Cowboys' career touchdown record. The Cowboys QB threw four TD passes against the Commanders, which gives him 249 for his career. His final TD pass of the game broke Tony Romo's franchise record for most touchdown passes. We've got a full breakdown on Dak's historical day and you can check it out here. 
  • Former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi dies. Ernie Accorsi, who spent 30 seasons in the NFL as either a general manager or an assistant GM, died at the age of 84. Accorsi served as the Giants' general manager from 1998 through 2006, during which he drafted Eli Manning and hired Tom Coughlin. That combo would eventually lead the Giants to two Super Bowl wins. You can read more about Accorsi's life here. 
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