Thursday night brought the first full wave of NFL preseason action, with six games on the schedule and several quarterbacks getting their first game reps of 2026. Drew Allar was the biggest winner after a three-touchdown performance for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gardner Minshew also played well for Arizona, while Cam Ward had a rough night for Tennessee. Anthony Richardson showed some good signs, but his performance was far from perfect.
Drew Allar makes a strong first impression for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Drew Allar was easily one of the biggest standouts of the night. The rookie completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.He also ran for another touchdown as Pittsburgh won 28-9. Allar did not need many throws to make an impact, and his ability to push the ball down the field gave the Steelers another reason to like what they saw. The NFL confirmed his three-touchdown performance.Allar was a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after an uneven final season at Penn State. That makes Thursday’s performance especially interesting.It is still only preseason, and he was playing against Green Bay’s backup-heavy defense, but the 22-year-old showed the arm strength and mobility that made him an attractive pick.Anthony Richardson gives the Indianapolis Colts some positivesAnthony Richardson’s night was more mixed, but there were still things to like. He completed 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and added 53 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries.He also threw an interception and lost a fumble during Indianapolis’ 13-13 tie with New England. Reuters reported the final numbers from his first-half appearance.The Colts are giving Richardson another chance to improve his place on the depth chart after he requested a trade during the offseason.He did not start a game in 2025 and played only two games. His performance Thursday was not enough to settle the QB2 battle, but it gave Indianapolis more to work with.
Gardner Minshew helps Arizona’s QB group
Gardner Minshew quietly had one of the cleanest nights among Thursday’s quarterbacks. He completed 14 of 16 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns as the Arizona Cardinals beat the Las Vegas Raiders 27-14.The bigger story in Arizona was the way the quarterbacks handled their chances. Carson Beck did not play because of a rib injury, while Jacoby Brissett also saw action.Reuters reported that Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in his debut, so the game gave both teams useful information about their quarterback groups.
Cam Ward has a difficult night against San Francisco
Cam Ward had the toughest outing among the quarterbacks on this list. The Tennessee Titans quarterback completed only five of 12 passes for 57 yards in a 19-13 win over the San Francisco 49ers.The NFL noted that Ward missed several short throws and struggled to find his rhythm after a decent opening drive.Ward is entering his second NFL season and is now working in Brian Daboll’s offense. One preseason game does not tell the full story, but there was not much to like about his passing Thursday.
Riley Leonard has more work to do for Indianapolis
Riley Leonard followed Richardson for the Colts and could not match his teammate’s numbers.Leonard struggled after taking over in the second half, making the QB2 battle worth watching as Indianapolis moved through the preseason.The Colts had already said Leonard would start their second preseason game against Atlanta on August 22, while Richardson is expected to play the second half.That gives both quarterbacks another clear chance to make their case. Reuters reported those plans before Thursday’s game.
