The 2026 NFL preseason is complete. The league played 49 exhibition games from the Carolina Panthers' 33-30 Hall of Fame Game win over the Arizona Cardinals on August 6 through the Chicago Bears' 24-15 victory over the Tennessee Titans on August 29. That total includes the standalone Canton opener and 16 games in each of Preseason Weeks 1, 2 and 3.
This page preserves every final, calculates each team's win-loss-tie record and points for and against, and identifies the results that deserve a second look. Preseason wins do not carry into the regular-season standings, so the tables are best read as a record of how each roster's depth performed—not as an early playoff table. For the interactive weekly view, changing schedule information and game detail links, use the 2026 NFL preseason schedule.
2026 NFL preseason results at a glance
The preseason unfolded in four distinct windows. Carolina and Arizona opened the calendar in Canton on August 6, then the league played three full weekends on August 13-15, August 20-23 and August 27-29. That structure explains a detail that can look like an error in a record table: the Panthers and Cardinals each played four times, while the other 30 teams played three.
- Total games: 49, including the Hall of Fame Game.
- Perfect records: Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Rams each finished 3-0.
- No wins: Houston, Miami and Philadelphia went 0-3; Indianapolis, Kansas City and Seattle went 0-2-1.
- Tied games: Indianapolis-New England finished 13-13 in Week 1, and Seattle-Kansas City finished 9-9 in Week 3.
- Extra-game teams: Carolina finished 3-1 and Arizona finished 1-3 after playing in Canton.
Those records are useful shorthand, but “preseason standings” should not be confused with the standings that begin on Kickoff Weekend. The results do not award a head start, create a playoff tiebreaker or change a team's position in the 2026 NFL schedule. Coaches also distribute snaps differently: one club may protect most starters while another gives its first unit a longer audition. The score therefore reflects an entire roster and a particular evaluation plan, not necessarily the strength of the lineup that will play in September.
The best way to use this recap is in layers. Start with the weekly finals to verify a result, move to the team table to see the complete body of work, and then use the takeaways to identify repeatable signals such as depth scoring or defensive consistency. If you need game pages rather than a finished-season archive, the preseason hub remains the cleaner navigation point.
Every 2026 NFL preseason final score
The tables below use winner-first notation except for the two ties. Dates are the official U.S. game dates. They intentionally omit kickoff times and broadcast assignments, which were useful before the games but add clutter to a completed-results archive. Follow the linked weekly pages when you want individual matchup pages, video availability or the original schedule view.
Hall of Fame Game
| Date | Final |
|---|---|
| Aug. 6 | Carolina Panthers 33, Arizona Cardinals 30 |
Carolina and Arizona received the extra exhibition because they opened the league calendar in Canton. That 63-point game also became one of the preseason's highest combined totals, and it is included in both clubs' records below.
Preseason Week 1 finals
| Date | Final |
|---|---|
| Aug. 13 | Cincinnati Bengals 16, Detroit Lions 14 |
| Aug. 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Green Bay Packers 9 |
| Aug. 13 | Indianapolis Colts 13, New England Patriots 13 (tie) |
| Aug. 13 | Los Angeles Chargers 27, Houston Texans 7 |
| Aug. 13 | Arizona Cardinals 27, Las Vegas Raiders 14 |
| Aug. 13 | Tennessee Titans 19, San Francisco 49ers 13 |
| Aug. 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, New York Jets 16 |
| Aug. 14 | Washington Commanders 20, Miami Dolphins 7 |
| Aug. 14 | Denver Broncos 27, Atlanta Falcons 7 |
| Aug. 15 | Minnesota Vikings 13, New York Giants 10 |
| Aug. 15 | Buffalo Bills 29, Carolina Panthers 14 |
| Aug. 15 | Chicago Bears 34, Cleveland Browns 10 |
| Aug. 15 | Jacksonville Jaguars 24, New Orleans Saints 20 |
| Aug. 15 | Los Angeles Rams 20, Kansas City Chiefs 12 |
| Aug. 15 | Baltimore Ravens 24, Philadelphia Eagles 7 |
| Aug. 15 | Dallas Cowboys 17, Seattle Seahawks 7 |
Week 1 produced the first tie and an immediate reminder that preseason form can turn quickly. Chicago posted the week's widest margin in its 34-10 win over Cleveland, while Denver and the Chargers each won by 20. For dates, matchup pages and the weekly navigation view, see the Preseason Week 1 schedule.
Preseason Week 2 finals
| Date | Final |
|---|---|
| Aug. 20 | Las Vegas Raiders 22, Houston Texans 20 |
| Aug. 20 | San Francisco 49ers 41, Los Angeles Chargers 17 |
| Aug. 21 | New York Jets 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 0 |
| Aug. 21 | Carolina Panthers 34, Jacksonville Jaguars 17 |
| Aug. 21 | Green Bay Packers 33, Denver Broncos 13 |
| Aug. 22 | Detroit Lions 17, Washington Commanders 13 |
| Aug. 22 | Atlanta Falcons 34, Indianapolis Colts 6 |
| Aug. 22 | Buffalo Bills 31, Cleveland Browns 7 |
| Aug. 22 | Baltimore Ravens 13, Minnesota Vikings 3 |
| Aug. 22 | Los Angeles Rams 34, New Orleans Saints 0 |
| Aug. 22 | New York Giants 26, Miami Dolphins 3 |
| Aug. 22 | Cincinnati Bengals 27, Chicago Bears 9 |
| Aug. 22 | New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21 |
| Aug. 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16, Kansas City Chiefs 15 |
| Aug. 22 | Dallas Cowboys 34, Arizona Cardinals 13 |
| Aug. 23 | Tennessee Titans 19, Seattle Seahawks 16 |
The Rams supplied the weekend's clearest scoreboard statement, shutting out New Orleans 34-0. Atlanta beat Indianapolis by 28, while Buffalo and San Francisco each won by 24. At the other end of the scale, Las Vegas-Houston, New England-Philadelphia, Tampa Bay-Kansas City and Seattle-Tennessee were all decided by three points or fewer. Explore the original grouping on the Preseason Week 2 schedule.
Preseason Week 3 finals
| Date | Final |
|---|---|
| Aug. 27 | Buffalo Bills 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 27 |
| Aug. 27 | Cleveland Browns 37, New England Patriots 13 |
| Aug. 27 | San Francisco 49ers 18, Las Vegas Raiders 12 |
| Aug. 27 | Los Angeles Rams 20, Los Angeles Chargers 18 |
| Aug. 28 | Baltimore Ravens 41, Washington Commanders 3 |
| Aug. 28 | Atlanta Falcons 17, Miami Dolphins 12 |
| Aug. 28 | Carolina Panthers 16, Houston Texans 13 |
| Aug. 28 | New York Giants 23, New York Jets 6 |
| Aug. 28 | Jacksonville Jaguars 19, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0 |
| Aug. 28 | Cincinnati Bengals 30, Philadelphia Eagles 13 |
| Aug. 28 | Seattle Seahawks 9, Kansas City Chiefs 9 (tie) |
| Aug. 28 | New Orleans Saints 27, Dallas Cowboys 24 |
| Aug. 28 | Green Bay Packers 42, Arizona Cardinals 38 |
| Aug. 28 | Denver Broncos 34, Minnesota Vikings 6 |
| Aug. 29 | Detroit Lions 25, Indianapolis Colts 16 |
| Aug. 29 | Chicago Bears 24, Tennessee Titans 15 |
Baltimore's 41-3 win over Washington created the largest margin of the entire preseason. Green Bay and Arizona delivered the opposite kind of finale—a 42-38 game with 80 combined points—while Buffalo edged Pittsburgh by one. Seattle and Kansas City supplied the second tie. These games were played immediately before final roster decisions, which makes individual assignments and special-teams snaps more informative than the result alone. The Preseason Week 3 schedule provides direct matchup navigation.
These are final historical results, not a live ticker. When the regular season is underway and you need the current slate instead, switch to NFL games today for the date-specific schedule and status view.
Final 2026 NFL preseason records by team
This table is calculated directly from the 49 finals above. PF means points for, PA means points against, and Diff is PF minus PA. A positive differential means the team scored more than it allowed across the preseason. Teams are alphabetized rather than ranked because the exhibition record does not create seeding, and because Carolina and Arizona played one more game than everyone else.
| Team | W-L-T | PF | PA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 1-3-0 | 108 | 123 | -15 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-1-0 | 58 | 45 | +13 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 3-0-0 | 78 | 13 | +65 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3-0-0 | 88 | 48 | +40 |
| Carolina Panthers | 3-1-0 | 97 | 89 | +8 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-1-0 | 67 | 52 | +15 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3-0-0 | 73 | 36 | +37 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-2-0 | 54 | 78 | -24 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-1-0 | 75 | 47 | +28 |
| Denver Broncos | 2-1-0 | 74 | 46 | +28 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-1-0 | 56 | 45 | +11 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-1-0 | 84 | 79 | +5 |
| Houston Texans | 0-3-0 | 40 | 65 | -25 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-2-1 | 35 | 72 | -37 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2-1-0 | 60 | 54 | +6 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-2-1 | 36 | 45 | -9 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1-2-0 | 48 | 65 | -17 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1-2-0 | 62 | 68 | -6 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3-0-0 | 74 | 30 | +44 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-3-0 | 22 | 63 | -41 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-2-0 | 22 | 57 | -35 |
| New England Patriots | 1-1-1 | 50 | 71 | -21 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-2-0 | 47 | 82 | -35 |
| New York Giants | 2-1-0 | 59 | 22 | +37 |
| New York Jets | 1-2-0 | 39 | 47 | -8 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-3-0 | 41 | 78 | -37 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-2-0 | 55 | 54 | +1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-1-0 | 72 | 48 | +24 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-2-1 | 32 | 45 | -13 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-1-0 | 40 | 50 | -10 |
| Tennessee Titans | 2-1-0 | 53 | 53 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 1-2-0 | 36 | 65 | -29 |
Four teams completed perfect three-game runs: Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati and the Rams. Baltimore's +65 differential was the largest, driven by 78 points scored and only 13 allowed. The Rams followed at +44, Buffalo reached +40, and Cincinnati and the Giants each finished +37. Arizona's 108 points were the league's highest raw total, but the Cardinals had four opportunities; among teams with three games, Buffalo led with 88.
Six clubs finished without a win. Houston, Miami and Philadelphia were 0-3, while Indianapolis, Kansas City and Seattle were 0-2-1. Miami's -41 was the lowest differential, followed by Indianapolis and Philadelphia at -37. Tennessee landed exactly at zero after scoring and allowing 53 points, an especially clear example of why a 2-1 record and a scoring profile can tell different stories.
Use the record column as an index, not a verdict. Point differential can reveal whether a club repeatedly controlled games with its reserves, but it can also be distorted by a single lopsided result. To move from this league-wide summary to the schedule and matchup trail for one club, open the NFL team schedules directory.
The scores that defined the 2026 preseason
A complete list answers who won, but the distribution of those scores shows where the preseason separated. The most revealing comparisons are margins, total points and consistency across all three weeks—not the supposed importance of one exhibition victory.
Biggest margins and shutouts
Baltimore produced the largest win, beating Washington 41-3 in Week 3 for a 38-point margin. The Rams' 34-0 win over New Orleans in Week 2 was next at 34. Atlanta's 34-6 win over Indianapolis and Denver's 34-6 win over Minnesota each created a 28-point gap. Four more teams won by 24: Chicago over Cleveland, Buffalo over Cleveland, San Francisco over the Chargers, and Cleveland over New England.
There were only three shutouts in 49 games. The Jets beat Pittsburgh 17-0, the Rams blanked New Orleans 34-0, and Jacksonville closed with a 19-0 win over Tampa Bay. A shutout can reflect solid depth and clean situational play, but it can also be shaped by which quarterbacks, linemen and special-teamers each staff chose to evaluate.
Highest-scoring and closest games
Green Bay's 42-38 win over Arizona was the scoring peak at 80 combined points. The Hall of Fame Game was a distant second among the most visible shootouts, with Carolina and Arizona combining for 63 in a 33-30 opener. Arizona appeared in both, one reason its league-high 108 points scored must be read alongside its extra game and 123 points allowed.
The tightest decided games went the other direction. Tampa Bay edged Kansas City 16-15 in Week 2, and Buffalo beat Pittsburgh 28-27 in Week 3. Nine additional games were decided by two or three points, while Indianapolis-New England and Seattle-Kansas City finished tied. Those endings are useful practice for late-game operation, even though the standings consequence is zero.
Best aggregate scoring profiles
Baltimore paired a perfect record with the strongest differential, scoring 78 and allowing 13 for +65. The Rams reached +44 and Buffalo +40; Cincinnati and the Giants shared +37. Each profile suggests that the club's available units controlled the particular preseason snaps they played. It does not establish that those teams have the league's five best regular-season rosters.
The reverse is equally important. Miami's -41 was the lowest differential, but it should prompt a review of the snaps and personnel rather than a September forecast. One blowout can dominate a three-game sample. Use the preseason results hub and its Week 2 and Week 3 views to investigate the matchup behind a number before drawing a broader conclusion.
What preseason records do—and do not—mean
The cleanest rule is simple: preseason results do not count in regular-season standings. Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati and the Rams will all begin the regular season at 0-0, just like the six teams that did not win an exhibition. Preseason point differential is not a playoff tiebreaker, and a tie does not become half a regular-season win.
The deeper reason for caution is that the inputs are uneven. Coaches decide independently how long to play established starters, which positions need extended evaluation and when to protect players from unnecessary exposure. A first-team offense may face a reserve defense for only a short series. Later quarters can feature players competing for the final roster places, and clubs generally avoid revealing the full package they plan to use against early regular-season opponents. The scoreboard combines all of those different situations into one number.
| Useful preseason signal | Misleading shortcut |
|---|---|
| A player executes the same assignment correctly across several games. | One long touchdown guarantees a regular-season role. |
| Reserve linemen communicate and protect consistently against different fronts. | A large final margin proves the starting line is elite. |
| Coverage, tackling and special-teams units avoid repeated breakdowns. | A shutout automatically predicts a top regular-season defense. |
| A quarterback manages protections, timing and late-game situations cleanly. | A high passer total against mixed-depth units settles every depth-chart question. |
| The same depth group responds after a poor outing. | A 3-0 or 0-3 record establishes the season's direction. |
That framework also prevents a common mistake with the 2026 Texans. Houston finished 0-3, yet its two-point Week 2 loss to Las Vegas could still contain positive individual evaluations. A club can dislike the result while identifying a reserve who handled his assignment, created a turnover or proved he could contribute on special teams. Conversely, a winning staff may find serious errors hidden by a favorable final score.
For fans, the practical next step is to pair a final with snap-level context. Ask who was on the field, which unit the opponent used, whether the performance repeated, and whether the role transfers to game day. Treat explosive plays as prompts to investigate, not automatic conclusions. That approach preserves what is fun about a 41-point night without pretending August wins predict January.
How Week 3 results connect to roster decisions
The third preseason weekend ran August 27-29, and the next deadline arrived quickly. Clubs had to reduce their active/inactive lists to 53 players by 6:00 p.m. ET on August 30. That timing makes Week 3 the last public game evidence before many decisions, but the final score is only the container. Coaches and personnel departments are evaluating whether individual players can fill the roles the 53-man roster requires.
A backup defensive back, for example, may improve his case through coverage discipline and work on multiple special-teams units even when his team loses. A reserve quarterback can lead a scoring drive but still lose ground if protections, reads or ball security were inconsistent. Availability and position balance matter too: the final player at one position is competing against the roster's needs elsewhere, not only against the teammate beside him on a depth chart.
- Check official transactions. A strong Week 3 performance is not confirmation that a player made the roster.
- Separate release from waiver outcome. Eligible players can be claimed by another club, so the first transaction may not reveal the player's eventual destination.
- Watch the next-day window. Claims on players waived at final reduction were scheduled to expire at 1:00 p.m. ET on August 31.
- Track practice-squad announcements. Clubs could establish practice squads after the league-wide notification process. The standard size is 16, with a possible 17th place when the applicable international-player provision is used.
- Look for role language. Reports about special teams, position versatility, protection calls or developmental value usually explain more than the player's team result.
The 2026 finales illustrate why this sequence matters. Washington's 41-3 loss, Green Bay's 42-38 win and Seattle's 9-9 tie were radically different games, yet every participating staff faced the same basic deadline. Each team still had to convert camp practices, meetings, medical information and game snaps into a balanced 53-player group.
After the initial roster is announced, expect movement rather than a permanent finished product. Waiver claims can displace a player who appeared to survive the first cut, and released players may return on the practice squad if they clear the process and remain eligible. Use the team schedule directory to reach the club you follow, then pair its game trail with official transaction reporting. That is a more reliable route from Week 3 performance to roster status than reading the win-loss line alone.
2026 NFL preseason scores FAQ
How many preseason games were played in 2026?
The NFL played 49 preseason games. Carolina and Arizona met in the standalone Hall of Fame Game on August 6, and all 32 clubs then participated in three standard preseason weeks containing 16 games apiece. The arithmetic is one Canton opener plus 48 games across Weeks 1-3. Because the Panthers and Cardinals played in the opener, they each finished with four exhibition results; the other 30 teams had three.
Which teams went undefeated?
The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams each finished 3-0. Carolina won three games but was not undefeated because it lost to Buffalo after winning the Hall of Fame Game. Perfect preseason records are useful historical facts, but all four 3-0 clubs still start the regular season at 0-0.
Did any games end in a tie?
Yes. Two games ended level: Indianapolis 13-13 New England in Week 1 and Seattle 9-9 Kansas City in Week 3. As a result, the Colts and Seahawks finished 0-2-1, Kansas City went 0-2-1, and New England finished 1-1-1. The tie belongs only to each team's preseason record.
Do preseason wins count in NFL standings?
No. Preseason wins, losses, ties, points and differentials do not transfer to the regular-season standings or playoff tiebreakers. They document exhibition results while coaches evaluate players, install systems and prepare the roster. That is why this page presents records as a reference table rather than ranking teams from first to 32nd.
Where can I find current NFL scores and the regular-season schedule?
Use NFL games today for the date-specific slate and game statuses. The site's full NFL schedule provides the season overview, while the preseason hub keeps the week-by-week exhibition archive. Those tools are better for current navigation; this article is the permanent 2026 preseason results snapshot.
One final reading rule keeps the entire archive useful: verify the score, identify who played, and only then decide what the performance might mean. The first step is fact; the last is interpretation. Keeping them separate lets fans enjoy the wins and dramatic finishes without turning a three-game exhibition sample into a promise about the season ahead.
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