Most concerning NFL upsets: Who should be worried most after Ravens, Bears losses in Week 2?

Sunday was a reminder that things rarely go according to plan in the NFL.

In their respective season openers, the Bears and Ravens started 2026 strong, while the Texans did lose, but still have plenty of reason for optimism this season. All three of those squads lost in Week 2, while the Eagles and Packers also survived scares.

Highlighted by the Bears' offense dropping from 59 points last week to just three against the Vikings, while there's plenty of season to be played, some contenders have reason to be concerned moving forward. 

Here's a ranking of the most stunning results from Week 2 so far, breaking down how worrying the loss should be for each contender.

MORE: Inside Caleb Williams' recovery timeline after suffering hamstring injury

Ranking the most surprising upsets of NFL Week 2

3. Bengals send Texans to 0-2

In fairness to the Texans, their two opening matchups in 2026 both came against elite quarterbacks and offenses. After dropping a Week 1 contest to Josh Allen and the Bills, this time, Joe Burrow and the Bengals took down what was anticipated to be one of the NFL's best defenses.

Houston, which allowed 36 points to Buffalo last week, fell 20-6, primarily due to an inefficient offensive day. C.J. Stroud completed just 29 of his 52 passes, while the Texans averaged just 3.3 yards per carry as a team.

Burrow found Ja'Marr Chase twice in the end zone, and that was plenty for Cincinnati on the road.

RUN IT BACK. 9 ➡️ 1.#CINatHOU September 20 at 1:00 PM on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/lsJHwpwL1b

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 20, 2026

For Cincinnati, a 2-0 start to the season is a welcome change after years of early-season struggles. But Houston will enter Week 3 winless — and if there's anywhere for DeMeco Ryans to be concerned, it's with his offense. Stroud couldn't solve Cincinnati's defense, while Houston's run game largely remains a non-threat.

The Texans could be fine, set to face the Colts next week, but their start to 2026 hasn't been ideal.

MORE: What does a Keenan Allen suspension mean for the Colts?

2. Saints quiet Lamar Jackson, pick up first win on road

New Orleans' offensive talent made it a trendier preseason pick to take a step forward in 2026 after winning six games last year. Tyler Shough wasn't flawless in Week 2, but the Saints did prove they can be a dangerous opponent in any given game.

Despite going down 14-3 as Derrick Henry found a rhythm in the first half, New Orleans rallied for a 24-17 win over the Ravens on the road. Shough (252 yards, 1 TD) had a solid day against a talented Ravens defense, which virtually silenced Saints running backs. Shough's connection with Chris Olave is quickly becoming one of the NFL's most reliable, and it showed in Week 2, with the duo connecting eight times for 86 yards and a touchdown.

— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Perhaps the most surprising takeaway, though, was the Saints defense's ability to halt Lamar Jackson.

Jackson threw a late interception after consecutive touchdown drives from the Saints, while Henry got just five second-half carries. There's no reason for the Ravens to panic much quite yet — this win says more about New Orleans' legitimacy than Baltimore — but it's undoubtedly a game that Jessie Minter's side let slip away.

MORE: How controversial Tyler Shough TD led to Saints' win over Ravens

1. Bears manage just three points, lose Caleb Williams vs. Vikings 

As quickly as possible, the high of the Bears' Week 1 came has come crashing to the ground. Not only did Ben Johnson's team manage just three points in a 9-3 final score vs. Minnesota more fit for a baseball game, but Caleb Williams' injury put a massive damper on the result.

🫶 pic.twitter.com/WCL5Kib0Vk

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 20, 2026

While nobody was getting ahead of themselves after the Bears' 59-point performance last week, Johnson's offseason comments about becoming the "best offense of all-time" in 2026 had an amazing start. A week later, even before Williams went down with an apparent hamstring injury in the fourth quarter, Chicago's offense was struggling.

Williams threw an interception, tight end Colston Loveland has another silent outing, and a first-quarter field goal would be the Bears' only points of the day. Weather and an elite Minnesota defense played a role, but the hype train came to a halt.

Minnesota had a strong enough day on the ground (119 rushing yards) to manage nine points, and in a touchdown-less game, Wentz won another game. 

In terms of concerning losses, it doesn't get much worse than zero touchdowns and an injured star quarterback. In the best-case scenario, Williams can return soon, and Chicago shakes off Week 2 as an anomaly in a divisional matchup — otherwise, the Bears' Week 1 offensive eruption may become more of an outlier as the season progresses.

Per ESPN Research: the Bears' 56-point differential between Week 1 and Week 2 is the fourth-biggest point differential week-over-week in NFL history, and the biggest since 1973

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 20, 2026

MORE: Caleb Williams suffers hamstring injury in Week 2 loss to Vikings