Lamar Jackson made his third appearance this preseason against the Colts. I was hoping to see more growth from the Louisville product, but that wasn’t the case. He failed to complete half of his passes, going 7-of-15 for only 49 yards and a touchdown along with four scrambles for 26 rushing yards.
Jackson was so inaccurate as a whole in this game that he didn’t complete a pass until his fourth drive. His first heave was underthrown. The second was behind his target. The third was overthrown downfield. Jackson then dropped back 25 yards in the pocket – literally – to avoid pressure. After that, Jackson appeared to lose a fumble on a second-down scramble, though replay review showed that he was down by contact.
Jackson finally got moving on the fourth possession. His completion was a short toss, but then he had two inaccurate hurls into the end zone, forcing Baltimore into a field goal try.
It wasn’t all bad for Jackson, who had a great touchdown pass to Chris Moore off a play-action bootleg. The difficult throw featured perfect ball placement, and it was a sign of what Jackson is capable of. He just needs way more seasoning.
As for Joe Flacco, he opened his evening with an attempted bomb to John Brown. The pass fell incomplete, as it was a tough throw into double coverage. However, that was one of just two misfires Flacco had on the evening. He threw the ball well otherwise, and it truly looks like the hard work he finally put in this offseason is paying off. Flacco finished 7-of-9 for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Here were Flacco’s targets:
Buck Allen: 2
Nick Boyle: 1
John Brown: 2 (1 end zone)
Michael Crabtree: 1
Kenneth Dixon: 2
Willie Snead: 1
Flacco targeted Brown twice. The aforementioned bomb fell incomplete, but Brown managed to reel in a 7-yard touchdown. He bobbled the ball at first, but re-caught it and managed to get both feet inbounds before falling out of the back of the end zone. Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree caught his only pass, which was a 29-yard reception in which he found an open spot in Indianapolis’ zone.
Alex Collins sat out, so Buck Allen and Kenneth Dixon rotated as Baltimore’s running backs. Allen, who had 19 yards on three carries, fumbled on a third-and-1 attempt on the opening drive. Dixon, meanwhile, tallied 32 yards on six attempts.
As for the Colts, Andrew Luck made his first home appearance since 2016. I was interested to see if Luck would test his arm, which is something he didn’t do last week. We once again didn’t witness that, however. < br>
Luck’s first two passes were batted away on a three-and-out drive. He then threw an interception in the red zone to end the second drive, as he tried to force in a ball to a covered receiver. Luck’s first completion came on the third possession to Jack Doyle, but then he threw behind Ryan Grant. His best pass came after that, as he hit Doyle for a first down on third-and-12 when he stepped up in the pocket. He converted another third down to Chester Rogers, but then was victimized by a couple of drops. Luck’s evening concluded with a pair of sacks on third down. He didn’t see Terrell Suggs on the first occasion, while he held the ball way too long the second time.
Luck failed to complete half his passes against the Ravens, going 6-of-13 for 50 yards and an interception. Two of Luck’s misfires were dropped, and he didn’t have T.Y. Hilton at his disposal, but he failed to test his arm strength. It’s unclear if Luck is at 100-percent health right now, but it doesn’t seem that way. Luck is still smart, and he’ll shred bad defenses, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to perform well versus stout stop units like Baltimore’s.
Here were Luck’s targets:
Jack Doyle: 3
Eric Ebron: 2
Josh Ferguson: 1
Ryan Grant: 2
Chester Rogers: 2
I’ve listed Ryan Grant on my Fantasy Football Sleepers page, but I’m starting to re-think my stance on him. Andrew Luck doesn’t appear to be 100 percent, while Grant is proving to be an inefficent receiver. Grant saw two targets versus Baltimore, yet failed to secure either, dropping a ball in the process.
The Colts started Christine Michael against the Ravens for some reason, which seemed like a waste. It would’ve been a perfect opportunity to see rookie Jordan Wilkins with the starters. Wilkins played with the second team, but looked good. He had some tough runs in the interior, finishing with 26 yards on seven carries. Wilkins is worth a shot in the late rounds.
Reports suggest the Seahawks offered a second-round pick for Jacoby Brissett, and this game made it easy to see why. Brissett did OK last year despite having absolutely no opportunity to practice with his new teammates prior to the season. Brissett looked much better in this contest, going 14-of-23 for 172 yards. He made some terrific passes that showed he has the potential to be a starter in the NFL at some point.
Colts second-round rookie linebacker Darius Leonard had a strong performance. He was flying to the football and looked good in coverage.
Adam Vinatieri tied his career-long field goal distance with a 57-yarder. Remember, Vinatieri is 45 years old! It’s insane how he’s still able to establish himself as one of the NFL’s best kickers, year after year.
NFL Preseason Announcers: ESPN’s new telecast seems like a bust. I don’t mind Jason Witten or Booger McFarland. The play-by-play guy, however, was a train wreck. He called Nyheim Hines “Nasheem Hines” and yelled annoying things like, “WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF JACOBY BRISSETT, IS HE A TOP-20 NFL QUARTERBACK!?” Who is asking that question? Seriously. I like Brissett, but no one is asking if he’s a top-20 NFL quarterback.
I was excited to see this game, as it featured a matchup between two young quarterbacks in what could eventually be a potential Super Bowl LIII clash. Neither played very much, but neither disappointed either.
Jimmy Garoppolo took the field first. He opened by hitting Marquise Goodwin with a 40-yard bomb down the sideline. Later on the drive, he kept a play alive by going through his progressions on a fourth down, then found a target to move the chains. This ultimately led to a touchdown. Garoppolo made another accurate hurl to Goodwin along the sideline on the next possession. However, his night ended with an interception, as a pass of his to Dante Pettis was a bit too high. Pettis put his hand on the ball, tipping it to a Texan.
Garoppolo was flawless except for that last pass, going 10-of-12 for 136 yards, one touchdown and that interception. He’s going to pick up where he left off last year, only now with better weapons. There’s a good chance he leads the 49ers to a divisional championship.
There were reports that Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite target in training camp has been Marquise Goodwin, and the second preseason game affirmed those beliefs. Goodwin led the starters in targets with three, and he caught all of the passes thrown to him for 61 yards – all in just a quarter of action.
Garoppolo was able to throw to Pierre Garcon for the first time in live action. He targeted him twice, and Garcon caught one of those balls for 17 yards.
Second-round rookie receiver Dante Pettis tipped the Garoppolo pass that turned into an interception, but he didn’t play poorly. He caught a 20-yard slant, then beat a cornerback badly on a double move. Unfortunately for him, C.J. Beathard sailed the pass way over his head.
With both Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida out, the 49ers started Joe Williams in the backfield. Williams didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, managing just 18 yards on eight carries.
Meanwhile, the other young franchise quarterback didn’t play much, as Deshaun Watson was on the field for just one drive. Watson misfired thrice, but all three incompletions were drops; two came from Bruce Ellington, while the other was Braxton Miller’s responsibility. Ellington and Miller were targeted so frequently because both DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller sat out.
Despite missing his top two wideouts, Watson played very well. He went 5-of-8 for 73 yards and a touchdown. He threw a dart to Ellington and then connected with tight end Ryan Griffin via a play-action fake.
Here were Watson’s targets:
Bruce Ellington: 5 (2 end zone)
Ryan Griffin: 2
Braxton Miller: 1
Ellington led the Texan starters in targets with five, catching four of those for 50 yards and a touchdown. I won’t upgrade him in fantasy, however, because both Hopkins and Fuller were out. Ellington won’t be much of a factor unless one of those two players is injured.
Lamar Miller started, but didn’t do much, mustering six yards on four carries. The Texan broadcasters discussed Miller’s durability issues, and it’s a real thing. It’s why Miller is atop my Fantasy Football Busts list.
NFL Preseason Announcers: The Texans’ color analyst was doing his best Matt Millen impression, as he had these things to say:
“I want to see what kind of manhood the men on the Texans offensive line have.”
“That’s where your manhood gets tested.”
We didn’t hear a “backside,” which goes oh so well with manhood.
Mitchell Trubisky saw extensive action for the first time in Matt Nagy’s offense. Save for a couple of mistakes, the early returns must be considered positive.
One of Trubisky’s early drives featured a nice strike to Trey Bruton on a slant for 19 yards. He was then guilty of a lost fumble when he dropped a shotgun snap in his own end zone for a safety, but he rebounded by drawing a deep pass interference flag on a shot to Kevin White. Trubisky threw an interception later, as his toss to Tarik Cohen was slightly off the mark, allowing safety Justin Simmons to make a great play. However, he was able to finish his night with a touchdown drive, capped off with a hurl to Burton.
Trubisky finished 9-of-14 for 90 yards, one touchdown and an interception. One of his incompletions was dropped by Cohen. The Bears mixed in some RPOs for Trubisky, who scrambled thrice for nine yards. Trubisky showed some promise for sure, but needs to clean up the mistakes.
Here were Trubisky’s targets:
Trey Burton: 6
Daniel Brown: 1
Tarik Cohen: 3
Anthony Miller: 2
Adam Shaheen: 1
Kevin White: 3
Trey Burton saw a team-high six targets, as he and Mitchell Trubisky apparently have a tremendous rapport. Burton caught four of those passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. It’s also worth noting that the Bears’ other prominent tight end, Adam Shaheen, was carted into the locker room with an ankle injury. Burton’s fantasy stock arrow is pointing way up.
Kevin White, as mentioned, drew a deep pass interference flag. He actually caught some passes this week as well, hauling in two balls for 15 yards. He’s not a fantasy factor until he proves himself in live action.
Rookie receiver Anthony Miller flashed. He saw two targets from Mitchell Trubisky, one of which was a tremendous reception over Bradley Roby for 19 yards. Miller hauled in three passes for 33 yards. He has lots of potential, both in real life and fantasy.
Jordan Howard was obviously the primary ball-carrier for the Bears, and he looked good, tallying 32 yards on nine carries. Cohen, meanwhile, did his work as a receiver, though he dropped a pass.
As for the Broncos, they had a much better showing than in last week’s game, though Case Keenum didn’t get off to a good start. In fact, he heard some boos from the home crowd when he missed an open Emmanuel Sanders on a third down. However, Keenum managed to rebound with a quick strike to rookie receiver DaeSean Hamilton for 18 yards. He then overthrew Hamilton in the end zone for what should’ve been a touchdown, but he managed to draw an interference flag with Courtland Sutton on a deep shot.
Keenum wasn’t great, but he improved from the preseason opener, going 8-of-13 for 78 yards. The good news is the Broncos’ first-string offense actually converted a first down this week.
Here were Keenum’s targets:
Devontae Booker: 1
DaeSean Hamilton: 3 (1 end zone)
Jeff Heuerman: 3 (1 end zone)
Andy Janovich: 1
Phillip Lindsay: 1
Emmanuel Sanders: 6 (1 end zone)
Courtland Sutton: 1
Case Keenum loved throwing to Adam Thielen last year, and it appears as though his new favorite target is Emmanuel Sanders. He targeted Sanders six times in this game, double that of anyone else. Sanders caught half of the passes thrown to him for 27 yards.
Devontae Booker and Royce Freeman rotated as Denver’s running backs throughout the first half. Freeman had 20 yards and a touchdown on six carries, while Booker generated 17 yards on four attempts. This appears to be an early time share, but the back to own is definitely Freeman.
Speaking of Denver running backs, I don’t think it’s out of the question that undrafted rookie Phillip Lindsay will have some sort of a role this year. Lindsay has been outstanding this summer, and that trend continued in this game. He rushed for 32 yards on six carries. It seems like he’ll be Denver’s third back, at the very least. He’s someone to remember.
It’s not out of the question that Chad Kelly could replace Keenum as the Broncos’ starting quarterback at some point this year. Kelly was tremendous once again. He entered the game ahead of Paxton Lynch in the middle of the second quarter. His first real throw was a touchdown to Sutton, a 16-yard dart that was on the money down the seam. On the next possession, Kelly had a nice completion after bootlegging left. The receiver, upon review, didn’t get both feet inbounds, but a better player would have been able to do so. Kelly shook it off by hitting Tim Patrick with a great touch pass for 27 yards.
Kelly’s next drive featured a pass where he fit a ball into a tight window on a slant to Brian Parker. He then showed good arm strength on a throw outside the numbers where only his receiver could catch it. Kelly made a rare mistake after that, barely missing Patrick on a fade deep down the sideline.
Kelly finished 7-of-9 for 90 yards and a touchdown. He’s been a great surprise for the Broncos, and if he keeps this up, the fans will be calling for him to start if Keenum struggles.
Paxton Lynch was Denver’s third quarterback, and he struggled as usual. His first pass was a low throw, and he then took a sack because he held the ball too long. He later didn’t see the pressure and was sacked again.
Lynch failed to complete half his passes, going 5-of-11 for only 39 yards. The Bronco announcers noted that Lynch asked John Elway why he was demoted to third string. If Lynch doesn’t know why that happened, that’s certainly part of the problem.
NFL Preseason Announcers: The Broncos’ telecast seemed pretty contentious at times. Check out the following exchange between the two announcers:
Color Analyst: That’s a tough pronunciation!
Play-by-Play Guy: No, it’s not.
Color Analyst: I bet no one knows how to pronounce his name!
Russell Wilson may have been missing Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, but he was able to convert some long plays in this contest against a stellar Charger defense. He and Brandon Marshall drew a deep pass interference on the Chargers, and then Wilson hit someone named David Moore with a 52-yard bomb.
Wilson had some tremendous highlights, but struggled against the Charger backups at times because his offensive line couldn’t hold up. Wilson finished 13-of-21 for 193 yards. Some of the drives that couldn’t develop versus the reserves showcased why the Seahawks will be erratic offensively this season. The blocking is poor, and the weapons are mostly gone.
Here were Wilson’s targets:
Jaron Brown: 2
Chris Carson: 1
Mike Davis: 4
Marcus Johnson: 4
Brandon Marshall: 2
David Moore: 2
Keenan Reynolds: 1
Caleb Scott: 2
Damore’ea Stringfellow: 1
Nick Vannett: 2 (1 end zone)
Brandon Marshall saw two targets from Wilson. He didn’t log a reception, but did manage to draw a deep pass interference. Sadly, the declining Marshall was Wilson’s top receiver this evening, as both Baldwin and Lockett were missing. I imagine Seattle fans are wondering why the team didn’t select Courtland Sutton or Christian Kirk in the 2018 NFL Draft, as Wilson has very little help beyond Baldwin.
That said, maybe this David Moore fellow can step up. Moore, a seventh-round pick from the 2017 NFL Draft, hauled in a 52-yard bomb between two defenders. He then made an impressive reception over a cornerback. The 6-foot, 215-pounder reeled in two receptions for 71 yards.
Chris Carson started for the Seahawks with Rashaad Penny sidelined. Carson made one grave mistake – he fumbled at the goal line – but he had a strong outing otherwise. He had a nice first run in which he hopped over a defender. He then appeared to score on a 23-yard touchdown with a broken tackle, but it was negated by an illegal block in the back. Carson later had a 12-yard run with numerous broken tackles. The fumble at the goal line soured the evening, but it’s enough to make me more confident in Carson, whom I was already high on.
Seventh-round rookie quarterback Alex McGough played for Seattle in the fourth quarter. McGough opened with some short tosses, but then converted on a deep back-shoulder completion, and he followed that up with a pretty fade touchdown. McGough finished 9-of-12 for 97 yards and a score. He looked good, as one of his misfires was a spike to stop the clock, while another was a failed Hail Mary at the end of regulation. McGough seems like a better quarterback than Austin Davis, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s promoted ahead of Davis at some point in the near future.
Philip Rivers made his debut for the Chargers this preseason, and he didn’t disappoint. Rivers misfired just once in two drives, going 6-of-7 for 62 yards. The primary highlight was when Rivers somehow avoided a sack – despite the fact that he has no mobility – and fired up a prayer to Tyrell Williams for a 21-yard connection. It’s a small sample size, but there’s every reason to believe that Rivers will have a big year.
Mike Williams didn’t see a target from Philip Rivers in the opening two drives, but he made a terrific catch from Geno Smith. Williams made a leaping grab for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was a great reception that showcased his potential. Rivers must be excited to work with such a great talent.
Melvin Gordon had some decent runs, gaining 35 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. What’s significant is that the Charger announcers noted that the team plans to involve Gordon more in the passing game this year. Gordon, as a result, was second in targets from Philip Rivers with two (behind Keenan Allen’s three.) Gordon, who caught both of those balls for 18 yards, was already a first-round fantasy pick, but this has to make him even more appealing.
Geno Smith had a nice showing, going 6-of-8 for 85 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled twice for 14 rushing yards. Smith was a bust for the Jets, but appears to be one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL (which isn’t really saying a lot.)
NFL Preseason Announcers: One of the Charger announcers called Geno Smith “Geno Smits.” I began wondering if Geno Smits was a long-lost relative of Rik Smits, then realized how stupid that was. It’s been a long day.
Marcus Mariota was playing his second game under new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, and he didn’t have a very impressive performance. The stat line doesn’t look too bad – 4-of-7, 80 yards, one touchdown – but numbers can be deceiving.
Mariota opened the evening by overthrowing Corey Davis. It wasn’t even close, so it’s possible that Davis may have run a poor route. Mariota then overshot Tajae Sharpe for what should’ve been a 15-yard completion. The reason why Mariota’s yardage total is so high is because he completed a short toss to Taywan Taylor, who ran 47 yards into the end zone. If it wasn’t for that short connection, Mariota would’ve finished his night 3-of-6 for 33 yards.
Here were Mariota’s targets:
Corey Davis: 1
Derrick Henry: 1
Dion Lewis: 2
Tajae Sharpe: 1
Taywan Taylor: 1
Nick Williams: 1
Taywan Taylor, a 2017 third-round pick, generated a loud buzz for what he was able to accomplish against the Buccaneers. Taylor caught a pass at the line of scrimmage and then blew by Tampa’s entire defense for a 47-yard touchdown. He made some other grabs from Blaine Gabbert to finish with four receptions for 95 yards and the touchdown. I ordinarily would be skeptical of Taylor in Tennessee’s run-heavy offense, but considering that Rishard Matthews has yet to practice this summer, Taylor will have more of an opportunity to receive substantial targets.
Derrick Henry was on the field for the entire first drive, and he gained seven yards on three carries. It was then Dion Lewis’ turn on the second possession. He was given one carry, which he turned into a single yard, but he had a 16-yard reception in which he juked two defenders.
Titans rookie quarterback Luke Falk struggled once again. His numbers weren’t bad – 8-of-12, 64 yards – but those figures aren’t indicative of his play. Falk’s first pass was a deep shot downfield that was so underthrown that a confused cornerback was guilty of pass interference because he didn’t think a pass could be so weak. Falk then was faced with a fourth-and-12 situation, but tossed a 3-yarder, failing to even attempt to move the chains. Falk completed some short tosses after that, then sailed a helpless pass out of bounds. Falk does not look like an NFL-caliber player.
Ryan Fitzpatrick started for the Buccaneers because of Jameis Winston’s suspension. He struggled, failing to complete half of his passes. He went 5-of-13 for only 46 yards. Some of the lowlights include Fitzpatrick underthrowing DeSean Jackson deep downfield and then heaving wide of O.J. Howard in the red zone. The Buccaneers are going to be in trouble until Winston returns, and by then, it might be too late.
Winston was predictably much better than Fitzpatrick. His stat line was tremendous, as he went 13-of-18 for 226 yards and two touchdowns. It’s worth noting that Winston was battling Tennessee’s backups, but he still looked sharp.
Winston opened his night by connecting with Mike Evans on a ridiculous back-shoulder throw down the sideline. He then hit Chris Godwin for a touchdown, but that play was negated by a hold, drawn by rookie Harold Landry. Winston made up for it by buying extra time in the pocket to find Howard to reach the red zone. He then drilled Godwin for a score as he was getting hit.
This was a strong performance by Winston, but once again, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt because he was playing with all of his starters against the Tennessee scrubs.
Here were Winston’s targets:
Cameron Brate: 1
Mike Evans: 1
Chris Godwin: 3 (1 end zone)
O.J. Howard: 2
Adam Humphries: 1
DeSean Jackson: 2
Bernard Reedy: 3
Jacquizz Rodgers: 1
Justin Watson: 3 (1 end zone)
The Tennessee broadcasters were making fun of Peyton Barber’s job security because of Ronald Jones’ presence, but he made them eat their words with a terrific 18-yard run in which he showed good patience and broke some tackles. Barber gained 32 yards on six attempts, while Jones was limited to two yards on four tries. Jones had a 6-yard gain negated by a hold.
Fifth-round rookie receiver Justin Watson has struggled in camp, but he thrived in live game action, albeit against Tennessee’s backups. Watson caught four balls for 54 yards and a touchdown from Winston. He’s not on the fantasy radar at the moment, but it’s nice to see him show some potential for a change.
NFL Preseason Announcers: If you think NFL preseason announcers are major homers, you haven’t heard anything yet. Consider this when the two Titans guys were discussing backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert:
Announcer 1: “Blaine Gabbert’s talents match up with this offense!”
Announcer 2: “Blaine Gabbert can duplicate the stuff Marcus Mariota does!”
Talents? What talents? And if by “duplicate” you mean “take a s**t before the game,” then I might agree.
It’s always a bummer when an injury to a major player is the primary story coming out of a preseason game, but that’s the case in this situation. Cowboys All-Pro guard Zack Martin took a hit to the knee in the second quarter and was removed from the game after he limped off the field. There’s no indication on how severe this is yet, but it would be a devastating development if Martin were out for a while.
At any rate, Dak Prescott had a mixed performance. He did a good job of moving the chains at times, but threw a couple of poor balls, including one that was way wide of tight end Blake Jarwin. Prescott finished 10-of-15 for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Here were Prescott’s targets:
Michael Gallup: 3
Allen Hurns: 2
Blake Jarwin: 4 (1 end zone)
Rod Smith: 1
Geoff Swaim: 2
Terrance Williams: 2 (1 end zone)
Second-year tight end Blake Jarwin has been the primary tight end for the Cowboys in training camp, and that translated to the second preseason game. Jarwin led the Cowboys in targets from Dak Prescott with four. He caught two of them for 11 yards. He should’ve logged a third reception, but Prescott threw wide of him. Jarwin is a solid fantasy TE2 with some upside.
Third-round rookie Michael Gallup led all Dallas receivers in targets (3) from Dak Prescott in the second preseason game. Gallup caught two balls for 16 yards. An 8-yard reception of his was very impressive, as he snatched the ball while extending his arms and falling down. Gallup should’ve been called for offensive pass interference on one play, but it was otherwise a positive performance for Dallas’ new No. 1 wideout.
Ezekiel Elliott sat out. Rod Smith started in his place, and he gained 49 yards on 13 carries to go along with a 19-yard reception. Smith will need to be added if Elliott gets hurt this year.
Cowboys rookie guard Connor Williams was chosen in the second round despite some teams having a fifth-round grade on him. Those teams believed Williams lacks the frame to be a tackle and doesn’t possess adequate power to be a guard. The latter was evident when he was blown up by a bull rush early in the evening.
Dallas has a young group of cornerbacks, headlined by Chidobe Awuzie. The 2017 second-rounder made a highlight-reel interception, stabbing the ball with a one-handed leaping grab.
Speaking of Cowboy defenders, linebacker Jaylon Smith looks like a different player this summer. Smith struggled last season, as he was coming off a brutal injury. He now looks like the top-five prospect everyone projected him to be coming out of Notre Dame.
Rookie quarterback Mike White played in the fourth quarter. He didn’t have good fortune, as his receivers constantly screwed up. He was victimized by three drops from his wideouts, including one that was a deep shot along the sideline. The receiver who dropped a long pass also slipped on a different route. Otherwise, White completed some short passes and was guilty of taking two sacks because he held on to the ball too long. He also fired wide on one play. White finished 8-of-16 for 76 yards.
Moving on to the Bengals, Andy Dalton misfired on just two passes, going 5-of-7 for 41 yards. However, he didn’t play all that well. Dalton overshot an open A.J. Green on the opening third down of the evening, then was nearly picked on an overthrow toward Green. Most of his completions were short tosses.
Joe Mixon started in Cincinnati’s backfield. He didn’t find much running room, mustering eight yards on four attempts. I wouldn’t downgrade Mixon for this, as it was a very small sample size.
A.J. Green led the Bengals in targets from Dalton with three. However, he came up with just one reception for nine yards because Dalton was inaccurate on two of the misfires.
John Ross, chosen in the first round in 2017, didn’t catch a pass from Dalton. He finished the evening with only one grab for 29 yards.
Bengals third-round rookie defensive end Sam Hubbard played very well in this contest. He strip-sacked Cooper Rush and drew a holding penalty on another play. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Hubbard passes Michael Johnson as a starter at some point this year.
Seventh-round rookie cornerback Logan Woodside didn’t get to play much. He completed 1-of-3 passes for four yards. One incompletion was dropped, while the other appeared to be a downfield connection, but the receiver couldn’t land inbounds.
NFL Preseason Announcers: Nothing crazy here, except when an announcer named “Babe” discussed that he used to lie to his teammates about his sister’s dating availability. I would’ve thought someone named Babe would just talk about oxen for three hours, but that just shows how much I know.
No starters played in this game, and that’s not an exaggeration. With the Raiders and Rams set to square off in Week 1, both coaches decided that showing anything to the other would be a mistake, and rightfully so. It makes me wonder why they even scheduled this game in the first place.
I’ll have some notes on each team. For the Raiders, they started Connor Cook and Chris Warren in their backfield. Cook performed well last week, but struggled in this contest. He went 6-of-12 for only 49 yards. He threw mostly checkdowns, and he was nearly intercepted in the third quarter. This was a disappointing outing from Cook after he finally showed some promise a week ago.
A couple of young Oakland defenders stood out. P.J. Hall, a second-round rookie, had an impressive debut last week. He repeated that performance in this contest. Fellow rookie Maurice Hurst, a fifth-rounder, was tremendous as well. Hurst had a tackle for a loss and a sack, reminding everyone that he may have been a second-round choice if it weren’t for a scary heart condition.
Chris Warren handled the entire workload for the Raiders. He was a beast, tallying 110 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. If he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, then preseason games are absolutely meaningless for evaluating backups.
As for the Rams, it was Sean Mannion and Malcolm Brown starting in the backfield. While Brown was the primary runner in the early going, sixth-round rookie John Kelly looked good. Kelly had some tough runs and scored a touchdown, generating 56 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts.
Elsewhere for the Rams, third-round rookie tackle Joseph Noteboom blocked well, while a receiver named KhaDarel Hodge made some nice catches. Hodge hauled in a 47-yard bomb, then made an impressive back-shoulder reception.
NFL Preseason Announcers: Even the announcers didn’t take this game seriously. Consider this exchange:
Announcer 1: “We’re going to see vanilla offense today.”
Announcer 2: “I like vanilla ice cream!”
They also spent some time talking about the movie Vanilla Sky. This really felt like a Week 4 preseason game.
Kirk Cousins had an impressive drive in the preseason opener last week, so Viking fans were undoubtedly excited to see him in his Minnesota home debut. Cousins, however, didn’t perform nearly as well as he did at Denver.
Cousins completed just three of his eight passes for only 12 yards. He was nearly intercepted on his second throw, and he misfired poorly on a couple of occasions. Jacksonville’s pass rush made it very difficult for Cousins behind his offensive line, which could be a huge problem in 2018. Not only did the Vikings lose blockers to retirement and injury, but line coach Tony Sparano passed away several weeks ago. Minnesota’s offense could be very erratic as a result, especially against teams with ferocious defensive fronts like Jacksonville.
Neither Stefon Diggs nor Adam Thielen caught a pass in the second preseason game. Diggs saw one target, which fell incomplete. Diggs should’ve drawn pass interference, but the officials failed to throw the flag. Meanwhile, Thielen has yet to catch a ball from Kirk Cousins through two preseason games. He was targeted thrice against the Jaguars, but he and Cousins just don’t seem to have the same chemistry that Thielen enjoyed with Case Keenum. Thielen is being overdrafted in fantasy leagues.
Dalvin Cook sat out, so Latavius Murray drew the start. Murray had a nice 11-yard run, but ball security was a major issue. He fumbled on the opening drive, but a teammate recovered. He then lost a fumble on the next possession, ruining a scoring chance near the red zone.
Third-string running back Mike Boone, an undrafted rookie, had a stellar performance. Boone broke a tackle on a 10-yard run, then plowed through a Jaguar on a 26-yard burst to reach the 1-yard line. He scored on the next play. Boone has looked great through two preseason games, as he gained 91 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts in this contest.
Box-score observers may question that, as Bortles was 12-of-20 for 159 yards and an interception, which isn’t a bad stat line. However, half of Bortles’ yards came against Minnesota’s backups. Bortles should’ve thrown two interceptions, as a first potential pick of his was bobbled by two different Vikings, then dropped. Bortles’ actual interception sailed right to Harrison Smith, as Bortles didn’t see him somehow even though Harrison was standing right in front of him. Bortles followed that up by sailing a pass out of bounds toward Marqise Lee, then threw way behind Keelan Cole for what should’ve been a routine 8-yard completion.
To add on to all of this, Bortles never once checked out of a play when the Jaguars had eight and nine men in the box. Bortles doesn’t take his career seriously, opting instead to party all the time, so he likely doesn’t even know when and how to check out of plays, which has to be very disconcerting for the Jaguars. Jacksonville was extremely fortunate last year to avoid Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson, but that won’t be the case in 2018. If Bortles doesn’t improve, the Jaguars will find it very difficult to reach the playoffs, despite how great their defense is.
Here were Bortles’ targets:
Keelan Cole: 1
Leonard Fournette: 3
Rashad Greene: 1
Marqise Lee: 3
Donte Moncrief: 1
James O’Shaughnessy: 2
Niles Paul: 3
T.J. Yeldon: 3
Dede Westbrook: 3
Leonard Fournette struggled to find much running room in this contest, managing just 12 yards on eight carries. Fournette saw plenty of eight- and nine-man fronts, as the Vikings completely disrespected Bortles’ ability to beat them. This will be a common theme for Fournette this season.
I like Dede Westbrook as a sleeper, as he’s Jacksonville’s No. 1 receiver, but it was discouraging to see him catch only one of his passes for six yards. This wasn’t Westbrook’s fault; he was targeted thrice, leading all starters in that regard, but Bortles’ inaccuracy hurt Westbrook’s chances.
There was yet another horrible helmet penalty in this game. A.J. Bouye was flagged on a helmet hit to the chest. The thing is, he couldn’t do anything otherwise. Vikings sideline reporter Ben Leber, who once played linebacker for the Vikings, said, “This makes me sick.”
Even worse, the Vikings had a routine sack of Cody Kessler in the fourth quarter. The flag was thrown, and the official announced it was “roughing the passer.” The play-by-play guy said it was “the worst call I’ve ever seen in the National Football League.” Leber added, “I give up. I just give up.”
NFL Preseason Announcers: The Vikings’ play-by-play guy has more energy than any other broadcaster. He shouted this during the telecast:
“AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS, STRIPPED BY BARR, TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS!!!”
Seferian-Jenkins wasn’t even active. The play-by-play guy was yelling about a call he made in a game that occurred a couple of years ago.
Let’s begin with the Lions, as the Giants sat Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. Matthew Stafford, conversely, was on the field for a few drives, but had some struggles.
Stafford finished 2-of-5 for 51 yards. Two of his misfires were a couple of poor throws to Marvin Jones. Stafford also dealt with pass-protection issues. He took some sacks and fumbled on one occasion, as his arm was hit as he released the ball. He grabbed his elbow afterward, but it didn’t seem too serious.
Detroit fans shouldn’t panic about Stafford based on this result. Unfortunately for the Lions, they have several other problems to worry about.
Here were Stafford’s targets:
Marvin Jones: 3
Theo Riddick: 1
There’s a lot to talk about regarding Detroit’s running backs. Ameer Abdullah drew the start, but don’t read anything into that. Abdullah played into the fourth quarter as well. The Lions rotated all of their running backs throughout the entire evening, and all four primary ones – Abdullah, Kerryon Johnson, LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick – saw action in the second half.
If I were to guess, I’d say Kerryon Johnson will win the job. The Detroit announcers agreed with this sentiment. Johnson is the best back on the roster. He gained just nine yards on four carries versus the Giants, but had an 11-yard burst negated by a hold. It was a shame, as Johnson’s run showed some great patience and acceleration. Johnson also did a good job of picking up the blitz. His talent is undeniable, and the Lions won’t be able to keep him off the field.
It’s also worth noting that the other running backs, save for Riddick, struggled somehow. Blount, who gained 32 yards on 11 carries, dropped a pass and was stuffed on a fourth-and-2. Abdullah, meanwhile, tallied seven yards on two attempts. He fumbled on the second play of the game, though he managed to make a great blitz pick-up to allow Stafford to fire a deep shot to Jones. As for Riddick, he had just one carry, but naturally did most of his work through the air, hauling in three receptions for 50 yards.
I mentioned earlier that the Lions have some glaring concerns. Their primary issue is the linebacking corps. Former first-rounder Jarrad Davis, who struggled last year, made some nice run stops, but allowed a touchdown to Wayne Gallman on a reception. The announcers stated that they had deep concerns about Detroit being able to cover pass-catching running backs and tight ends, thanks to shoddy linebacker play.
As mentioned, the Giants sat Manning, Barkley and Beckham. The other two primary skill-position players, Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram, were on the field. Engram caught two balls for 13 yards. Those numbers aren’t spectacular, but one reception, a 9-yarder, was a great, leaping grab.
With Manning out, the Giants started former third-round pick Davis Webb at quarterback. The Cal product struggled in the past, but he performed well in this contest. Things didn’t begin well for Webb, who was strip-sacked on the second drive. Webb hit Shepard with a perfect, 27-yard pass near the sideline on a third-and-17. Webb was able to get away with throwing across his body into the end zone, but made up for it with a nice fade pass to a backup receiver.
Webb finished 14-of-20 for 140 yards and a touchdown. The Giants need to find a successor for Manning, and Webb made a strong case that the Giants should at least give him a chance to take the reins following Manning’s retirement.
The Giants’ other young quarterback, Kyle Lauletta, didn’t fare as well as Webb. He had a great highlight play when he made a nice juke on a defender during a scramble to run into the end zone, but his passing was just mediocre. He went 2-of-5 for 27 yards. He connected with a teammate on a nice strike in a tight window, but previously overshot a receiver on a deep ball.
NFL Preseason Announcers: One of the announcers said a very cryptic message at one point:
“Pat Shurmur, the former divine child.”
What the hell does that mean? And is Shurmur no longer divine, or is he a divine adult?
Also, the officials were awful. They incorrectly overturned an obvious fumble, and the head official, new to the job, announced, “Half-distance penalty on the Giants!”
I’ve heard of holding penalties, offside penalties and personal-foul penalties. But half-distance penalties? Man, the NFL rules are getting complicated.
Josh Rosen earned a “C” grade from the Cardinals announcers in the opening game of the preseason. I didn’t see them issue new grades, but I have to imagine that Rosen’s second performance warranted a much higher mark.
Rosen had two terrific drives in this contest. He was hot immediately, hitting Chad Williams with a 13-yard pass, then drawing a pass interference flag deep downfield on a shot to J.J. Nelson. Rosen capped off the possession by throwing a dart to Christian Kirk on third-and-goal from the 13-yard line.
Rosen was then able to hit tight end Gabe Holmes with a 17-yard pass right down the seam that was on the money. This prompted the Cardinals’ color analyst to remark, “He looks like a different guy.” Rosen followed that up by drilling a deep ball to Kirk down the seam for 21 yards.
Rosen wasn’t perfect, however. He overthrew Kirk at one point, and then he fired behind Holmes. He was nearly picked after holding the ball too long, and he took a delay-of-game penalty in the red zone. Still, Rosen was terrific in his second NFL preseason appearance, going 10-of-16 for 107 yards and a touchdown. It should be noted that he was playing with the starters against the Saints’ backups, but this was still a promising development for the rookie.
Rosen won’t start right away because Sam Bradford is entrenched as the No. 1 quarterback. Bradford was perfect in this game – literally – as he completed all six of his passes for 61 yards. Bradford showed his tremendous accuracy, which he would be more recognized for if he weren’t so injury-prone.
Here were Bradford’s targets:
Larry Fitzgerald: 1
Gabe Holmes: 1
David Johnson: 1
Christian Kirk: 1
Greg Little: 1
Chad Williams: 1
David Johnson looked great on two carries last week, and he was impressive once again in this contest. Johnson gained 22 yards and a touchdown on six attempts. The score was amazing, as Johnson moved a huge pile five yards in the end zone with the help of Mike Iupati, who has enjoyed a tremendous camp.
Second-round rookie receiver Christian Kirk led the Cardinals in receiving with four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. This includes an impressive reception on a crossing route thrown behind him, as well as a 21-yard grab down the seam. Kirk had a middling summer, but showed tremendous rapport with Josh Rosen. I don’t think I’d draft him in standard leagues just yet, but Kirk is definitely way more on my radar after this showing.
There’s not much to say about the Saints, as Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara both sat out. Mark Ingram did play, and he was given seven carries because he won’t be available until October because of a suspension. Ingram turned those seven attempts into 36 yards.
As for New Orleans’ starting quarterback in this game, former BYU star Taysom Hill drew the start. Hill completed 11 of his 15 passes, but was atrocious. He overthrew Michael Thomas. He fired an interception on a heave behind his receiver. He lost a fumble despite being untouched. He hurled a second interception that was overthrown by a mile. He fumbled on an exchange with the running back. He lost another fumble on a strip-sack. His completions, by the way, came versus the Arizona backups, as he struggled against the starters. Hill does not look like an NFL quarterback, and the Saints will be in major trouble if they have to use him this year.
Saints’ third-round rookie receiver Tre’Quan Smith caught three balls for 60 yards, which included an impressive 24-yard reception. Smith is behind Michael Thomas and Cameron Meredith on the depth chart, but he’s someone to watch in the future.
NFL Preseason Announcers: I like to criticize preseason announcers, but there was a nice moment during the Saints telecast where a woman who looked like she was in her 20s was interviewing Sean Payton before the game. The first thing Payton said was, “People may want to know that I’m your dad.” She then said that she has watched her father go through a decade of Saints preseason games, and Payton looked like he was choked up by it. She ended the interview by saying, “Thanks, dad,” and Payton looked very proud. It was a great break from the disastrous preseason broadcasting we get to see all the time.
Meanwhile, on the Cardinals’ telecast, Ron Wolfley said the following in his Joe Swanson-sounding voice:
“You can take a beef stick and hide it in his belly button!”
“Throw water on a seedling, baby, and watch it grow into a plant!”
“The back wax!!! RIIIIIIPPPPP!!!”
“Mother Football will love the desperate! Loves the wretched! Loves the downtrodden!”
Mother Football? What the hell is Mother Football?
Cam Newton was playing in his second game in Norv Turner’s offense. Last week, he struggled early before catching fire, and he repeated that pattern in this contest.
Newton threw an interception in the opening quarter on a pass to Greg Olsen. He didn’t see cornerback Xavien Howard sitting in a zone, so Howard was able to make the pick. Newton was sacked twice early as well; left tackle Matt Kalil was easily beaten by Robert Quinn on the second sack. The overpaid Kalil will be a liability this whole season.
Newton, however, rebounded in the second quarter. He was eventually able to lead a touchdown drive. He and Devin Funchess drew a deep pass interference flag, then he hit rookie tight end Ian Thomas for a 27-yard touchdown. Newton finished 9-of-12 for 89 yards, one touchdown and the interception.
Here were Newton’s targets:
C.J. Anderson: 1
Devin Funchess: 2
Christian McCaffrey: 5
Greg Olsen: 2
Torrey Smith: 1
Ian Thomas: 1
If Christian McCaffrey wanted to atone for a fumble he was guilty of in the preseason opener, then it was mission accomplished. McCaffrey scored on an early 71-yard touchdown run against Miami. He sprinted through a big hole, shed an arm tackle and then ran into the end zone. McCaffrey later hauled in an 18-yard catch where he grabbed a ball that was thrown slightly behind him. McCaffrey finished with 92 rushing yards and a touchdown on five carries as well as four receptions for 28 receiving yards. His one mistake was a dropped pass, but he was terrific otherwise.
D.J. Moore played with the starting offense, but didn’t see a target, which was disappointing. I won’t downgrade him for it, but I’m eager to see how he performs next week. Meanwhile, Funchess caught one of his two targets for 13 yards. The other target resulted in a deep pass interference.
Rookie tight end Ian Thomas caught two passes for 35 yards, including the aforementioned 27-yard touchdown on a crossing route from Newton. Thomas has some major potential, but he’s trapped behind Olsen for now.
Curtis Samuel, a 2017 second-rounder, played with the scrubs in the second half, but made an amazing catch for 39 yards. He leapt into the air and twisted his body around to secure the reception. Perhaps this will earn him some playing time with the ones.
Ryan Tannehill posted a solid stat line against the Panthers, going 14-of-17 for 100 yards. He was accurate, but seldom challenged Carolina downfield. He threw some decent short and intermediate passes to his myriad of receivers. He was solid, but most definitely not spectacular.
Here were Tannehill’s targets:
Danny Amendola: 2
A.J. Derby: 1
Kenyan Drake: 3
Jakeem Grant: 5
Albert Wilson: 7
Kenyan Drake was the star for the Dolphins in the second preseason game. It didn’t begin well for him when he fumbled. He was fortunate to have the ball bounce into a teammate’s arms. He was able to rebound from that, especially on a 34-yard gain. He made a nice spin move and sprinted downfield. He also saw three targets from Tannehill. Drake finished with 54 yards on eight carries, and he also caught three passes for four yards. Drake is a solid pick in the fourth round of fantasy drafts.
You may notice that Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant led the Dolphins with targets from Tannehill with seven and five, respectively. However, it’s worth noting that neither Kenny Stills nor DeVante Parker played. I’m not sure how much of a factor Parker will be, but Stills figures to be a big part of Miami’s offense this year.
NFL Preseason Announcers: Take a look at this picture, and see if you can locate what’s wrong with it:
The Panthers broadcast is using the old Panthers logo for its graphics! How pathetic is that? I mean, sure, my Web site looks like it was built by a 17-year-old – that’s because it was – but isn’t a TV telecast supposed to be professional? How do the Panthers not update their own logo!?
This Mick Mixon fellow, by the way, might be the worst play-by-play guy in the league right now. He called Kenyan Drake “Kenyan Grant” and even said the Dolphins were punting when they lined up for a field goal. He also sounded like he was half-asleep during the telecast; he would realize things five minutes after they’d happen. For example, the Dolphins fumbled, and several minutes later, he said, “You know, that might have been a fumble.” It was already ruled a fumble, Mick!
This was a battle between the first- and seventh-overall picks from the 2018 NFL Draft, as both Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen came off the bench in this matchup.
Mayfield was terrific last week, but had some troubles early in this contest. The offensive line simply wouldn’t cooperate on his first few drives. Mayfield had to throw some passes away and took a 9-yard sack. He was forced into a dangerous throw that was broken up. On a rare occasion in which Mayfield had time, he fired a strike to a tight end, but the player dropped the ball. The Cleveland announcers suggested that Hue Jackson would pull Mayfield because the front couldn’t protect him, but Jackson kept Mayfield on the field. He was rewarded for this decision.
Mayfield led two consecutive scoring drives to finish his evening. He began by throwing a 9-yard laser where only his receiver would catch it. He then bought time in the pocket to find a teammate for 26 yards, and he followed that up with what appeared to be a short touchdown, but that was nullified by offensive pass interference.
Mayfield began his final possession with a nice strike on third-and-long, but then made a horrible throw late across his body toward the middle of the field. He was lucky he wasn’t intercepted. Mayfield shook it off and hurled a nice fade pass into the end zone. It was caught for a touchdown, but replay review overturned it.
Mayfield finished 7-of-13 for 75 yards. He had two touchdowns that were wiped out by penalty and review. He made a couple of mistakes, but played very well overall, especially when considering how poorly he was protected on his first few drives.
Tyrod Taylor had a strong preseason debut last week, but took a step backward against his former team. He led the Browns on a touchdown drive to open the game, thanks to some long Carlos Hyde runs, but struggled to move the chains afterward. Taylor missed Jarvis Landry downfield and then overshot Rashard Higgins on a launched bomb toward the end zone. Taylor went 4-of-7 for just 22 yards. If he has more performances like this, the Browns may opt to start Mayfield sooner rather than later.
Here were Taylor’s targets:
Antonio Callaway: 1
Darren Fells: 1
Rashard Higgins: 3
Carlos Hyde: 1
Jarvis Landry: 1
David Njoku: 2
Carlos Hyde was the star for Cleveland’s offense among the starters. He looked great, tallying 64 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He gained 10 yards right away, thanks to a big hole on the left side, then rumbled for 28 yards with the help of a great stiff-arm. He scored later on the drive when he bounced outside and ran into the end zone, thanks to a great Jarvis Landry block. Hyde is one of my favorite value players in fantasy this season.
Nick Chubb, meanwhile, was able to rebound from a rough debut last week. He opened his evening with a 10-yard run through a big hole, pushing defenders forward after contact. He then had a nifty run to the 1-yard line where it looked like he scored. The Browns didn’t challenge, opting to give Chubb an attempt at the goal line. Chubb was stuffed, but scored in a similar situation two plays later. Chubb concluded his evening with 53 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Cleveland’s young receivers both did something of note. Rashard Higgins, who has been enjoying a great training camp, caught two passes for 20 yards. He had a chance to catch a long touchdown, but Tyrod Taylor overthrew him. Antonio Callaway, meanwhile, caught just one pass for eight yards, but had a 9-yard reception wiped out by penalty.
As for the other rookie quarterback, it could be argued that Josh Allen played evenly with Baker Mayfield. Allen misfired toward Kelvin Benjamin to begin his evening and then took a big blind-side hit, where he was at fault for not seeing a safety coming down to the line of scrimmage. Allen then threw behind a teammate coming out of the backfield. He showed no touch on the play, and this prompted the Browns’ color analyst to say, “He threw the ball 100 miles per hour behind the running back.”
All of this sounds horrible, and it seemed as though Allen would be in for a rough night. However, he caught fire after that. He began by fitting a ball into a tight window to his tight end, then connected on a touchdown to Rod Streater, as he avoided pressure and stepped up in the pocket to find the receiver for the score.
Allen’s next drive featured some timely scrambles to put the Bills into field goal range. There were some possessions featuring decent throws after that, as Allen finished 9-of-13 for 60 yards and a touchdown, all while scrambling thrice for 18 yards. There was definitely some cause for optimism for what Allen accomplished, but he also made some errors that made it apparent that he still needs a lot of work.
The Cleveland play-by-play guy shouted, “It’s a big-time quarterback battle in Buffalo!” during the opening quarter. I’m not so sure that’s the correct compound modifier. Nevertheless, we saw a different starter this week. Nathan Peterman got the nod in the opener, so it was A.J. McCarron’s turn to get a chance. McCarron couldn’t really do anything, unfortunately. He had absolutely no time in the pocket, as Buffalo has one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. McCarron went just 3-of-6 for only 12 yards. Making matters worse for him, McCarron injured his shoulder, and it sounds serious. Sean McDermott will now likely have to decide between Allen and Peterman.
Peterman was the third quarterback on the field. He played well again, going 8-of-10 for 113 yards and a touchdown. Things didn’t go well for him right away, as he was nearly pick-sixed and then was penalized because he threw the ball when he scrambled beyond the line of scrimmage. However, Peterman then made some quality completions. He converted on a nice, back-shoulder throw to Nick O’Leary, then found O’Leary again for a 35-yard touchdown on a blown assignment. With McCarron hurt, Peterman could be Buffalo’s Week 1 starter unless Allen is terrific next week.
NFL Preseason Announcers: The Cleveland announcers pronounced Tyrod Taylor’s name wrong the entire night. Granted, Taylor just told everyone that his name should sound like “Tah-ROD” instead of “TIE-rod.” But you’d think that people covering him would know that!
The score graphic had a very strange message next to the score: “Awesome wine in a can.” There was no explanation for this; it’s almost like the graphics guy just wanted to drink awesome wine in a can.
Patrick Mahomes is a gunslinger. He’s going to throw some amazing passes, but he’ll also make mistakes, at least during the early stages of his career. We saw both the good and bad versus Atlanta.
Mahomes began well, firing a great strike to Travis Kelce for 14 yards on third-and-11. I couldn’t help but think that Alex Smith would’ve dumped off the ball in that situation. Mahomes then appeared to throw a touchdown to Kareem Hunt, but the score was wiped out by an illegal formation. Things turned for the worse after that, however, as Mahomes was guilty of throwing late across his body into the end zone. An Atlanta player nearly intercepted the pass. Mahomes was then picked off on a deep shot into double coverage toward Sammy Watkins.
It looked like it would be an underwhelming night for Mahomes, but that’s when he launched a 69-yard touchdown bomb to Tyreek Hill just prior to halftime. “Bomb” might be an understatement. Mahomes heaved the ball from his own 25, and Hill caught it at the Atlanta 6-yard line. It was a terrific throw that showed Mahomes’ potential.
Mahomes finished 8-of-12 for 138 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He also led the starters in rushing with 16 yards on two scrambles. Mahomes has tremendous fantasy and real-life potential, and I’ll be targeting him in Rounds 10-11 of my fantasy drafts.
Here were Mahomes’ targets:
Tyreek Hill: 3
Kareem Hunt: 4 (1 end zone)
Travis Kelce: 3 (1 end zone)
Sammy Watkins: 3 (1 end zone)
Sammy Watkins struggled in Kansas City’s second preseason game. Watkins saw three targets, but couldn’t come up with a single catch. He was targeted on Mahomes’ interception, and he didn’t fight for the ball to potentially break up the play. Watkins then dropped a pass that was thrown a bit behind him. Watkins was a big disappointment with the Rams, and he’s not off to a good start in Kansas City.
Kareem Hunt struggled to find running room against the Falcons, managing just 15 yards on seven carries. What’s worth noting is that Hunt led all the starters in targets, as he saw four balls from Mahomes. He caught two of them for 20 yards. He also appeared to score a touchdown through the air, but the play was nullified by penalty.
Moving on to the Falcons, they didn’t have Julio Jones or Devonta Freeman available, but that didn’t stop the coaching staff from keeping Matt Ryan on the field for a couple of drives. Despite missing his top two weapons, Ryan was unstoppable. He shredded an Eric Berry-less Kansas City secondary, going 5-of-7 for 90 yards and a touchdown. His longest completion was a 36-yarder to first-round rookie Calvin Ridley.
With Julio Jones out, Calvin Ridley was the star player in Atlanta’s receiving corps in the second preseason game. He really took advantage of the opportunity. He began the night with a nice kickoff return to the 35-yard line. Matt Ryan then targeted him right away, then connected with his rookie wideout again for 36 yards, as Ridley beat David Amerson. Ridley later caught a touchdown while falling to the ground. He finished his night with three grabs for 49 yards and the score.
Tevin Coleman started with Freeman out, and he posted tremendous stats, gaining 35 yards on five carries. Coleman had two long runs on his first three carries, thanks to Atlanta’s tremendous offensive line. The blocking is terrific, especially with newly signed Brandon Fusco in the mix. Fusco had a pancake block on a 15-yard Coleman gain.
There was an atrocious “helmet” penalty in this game. I used the word “helmet” in quotations because the hit didn’t even involve a helmet. Falcons safety Keanu Neal tackled a Chief with his shoulder, yet was flagged for 15 yards. It was one of the most pathetic calls I’ve ever seen, and if the NFL keeps this up, it’ll lose so many more viewers.
NFL Preseason Announcers: The Atlanta announcers had some pronunciation issues early. For example, the play-by-play guy said “Calvin Ridley, the rookie out of Bana!” I wasn’t sure Alabana was a state, but you learn something new every day.
A bit later, there was this:
“He was credited with the capple.”
Man, these new NFL rules are weird. I’ve heard of tackle before, but capple? I give up.
The major news coming from this game was the shoulder injury Nick Foles suffered in the second quarter. Newly acquired Patriot Adrian Clayborn blew by backup left tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai and stripped the ball out of Foles’ hand. Another Patriot scooped and scored, but all attention was on Foles, who grabbed his arm. He immediately was taken to the blue tent on the sideline. This could have been a complete disaster, given Carson Wentz’s questionable status for Week 1, but it sounds like it’s not too serious. Foles told the media following the game that his shoulder felt OK.
This was the end of a horrible evening for Foles, as Philadelphia’s offense as a whole was lethargic and sluggish. Foles’ first pass sailed out of bounds despite him having an open player downfield. Jay Ajayi then bobbled a pitch and took a loss of six as a result. Foles then launched a high pass to a running back that was nearly picked off. The second possession featured a false start, then a throw from Foles that was way behind Kamar Aiken. Foles then took a sack on third-and-8 because he held on to the ball too long. Foles’ third drive saw him sail a pass way over Mike Wallace’s head. He then led Wallace out of bounds with an inaccurate heave. Foles took another sack on third down, as Vaitai couldn’t block Clayborn on another instance.
And then, the injury happened. By the time the Patriots scooped and scored, it was 17-0. Not that preseason results mean anything, but the Eagles looked very complacent. Foles, meanwhile, was especially brutal. He was wildly inaccurate, finishing just 3-of-9 for 44 yards. I’m willing to bet the Patriots are wondering why they didn’t see this version of Foles in Super Bowl LII.
Here were Foles’ targets:
Kamar Aiken: 1
Jay Ajayi: 2
Zach Ertz: 1
Wendell Smallwood: 1
Bryce Treggs: 1
Mike Wallace: 3
If the Eagles have to start Nate Sudfeld in the season opener, it might not be a complete disaster. Sudfeld went 22-of-39 for 312 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in this contest. Sudfeld wasn’t that bad, and he played some drives against New England’s first-string defense. His pick wasn’t even his fault, as Sudfeld’s pass toward Matt Jones hit the lethargic running back in the helmet and bounced into the arms of a New England linebacker. He’s accurate and puts some nice touch on his passes. He made a terrific throw in the third quarter under heavy pressure to launch an accurate toss into the end zone to Richard Rodgers. Sudfeld’s very next throw was a 57-yard bomb to Shelton Gibson from his own end zone after a horrible punt return. On the next possession, he hit a receiver with a perfect, 31-yard touch throw for his third score of the evening. Sudfeld certainly looks like a capable No. 2 quarterback in the NFL, and perhaps even more if he can be taught to stop holding on to the ball too long, which is what he does now on occasion.
Dallas Goedert didn’t see a target from Foles, but he made an impressive reception late in the second quarter when he beat Patrick Chung for a 28-yard gain. Goedert finished with his night with three receptions for 57 yards. He almost came down with two touchdowns as well, but different New England players made nice plays on the ball on separate occasions.
Mike Wallace saw three targets from Foles, but couldn’t catch a single pass. Two of the throws were uncatchable. A third was close, and Eagles’ color analyst Mike Mayock criticized Wallace for not extending his arms enough for the ball.
Second-year cornerback Sidney Jones, who would’ve been a first-rounder in 2017 if it weren’t for an injury, had a mixed performance. He missed a tackle on Cordarrelle Patterson, who was able to run into the end zone. However, he made up for it with great coverage on Patterson to knock away a Brian Hoyer deep ball. A bit later, he showed great speed to deflect a pass.
Tom Brady ordinarily would’ve been the most prominent story in this contest, but that wasn’t the case because of Foles’ injury. Still, Brady looked great. He actually was on the field for the entire opening half, and he certainly did not appear to be playing like a 41-year-old quarterback.
Brady went right down the field on the opening drive to lead the Patriots into the end zone. He bought time on third-and-goal, stepping up in the pocket and finding Chris Hogan in the end zone after Eagles rookie cornerback Avonte Maddox slipped. Brady’s next possession didn’t go as well, as he overthrew Cordarrelle Patterson and was nearly picked by Ronald Darby on a deep shot to Hogan. Brady then was victimized by a couple of drops, but was able to throw a second touchdown on another quality drive.
Brady finished 19-of-26 for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Again, two of his incompletions were dropped, while another misfire was thrown away because of pressure. It’s a small sample size, but Brady certainly seems as though he’ll be capable of leading the Patriots to another Super Bowl appearance.
Here were Brady’s targets:
Phillip Dorsett: 3
Julian Edelman: 4
Chris Hogan: 6 (1 end zone)
Jacob Hollister: 1
Cordarrelle Patterson: 2
Will Tye: 2
James White: 6
Chris Hogan tied James White for the Patriots’ team lead in targets from Tom Brady in the second preseason game with six. Hogan caught five of them for 25 yards and a touchdown, and the sole miss was a dropped pass that would’ve resulted in a 20-yard reception. Hogan has a nice opportunity to be very productive in the first four weeks of the season while Julian Edelman is serving his suspension.
Cordarrelle Patterson caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown, but the stats could’ve been much better. He blew by Philadelphia’s defense for what appeared to be a 60-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but he barely stepped out of bounds at the Philadelphia 40-yard line.
The Patriots signed Eric Decker several weeks ago, but the move hasn’t panned out yet. Decker has dealt with drops in training camp, and that lingered into this contest, as he dropped a ball from Brian Hoyer in the middle of the third quarter. At this point, it would be surprising if Decker made the team, as he looks completely done.
The battle between Mike Gillislee and Jeremy Hill continued. Gillislee gained 22 yards on nine carries. He converted a third-and-1 on the second drive, though it seemed like he didn’t cross the line to gain. Hill, meanwhile, tallied 31 yards on four attempts. He appeared to fumble once, but was ruled down by contact.
NFL Preseason Announcers: Mike Mayock is the best, but this quote is something I feel like could be taken way out of context:
Aaron Rodgers was seeing his first action since he made his one-game return late last year following his collarbone injury. It was natural to expect some rust from Rodgers, but there wasn’t any.
Rodgers played just one drive, but made it count. He went 2-of-4 for 35 yards and a touchdown. Both of his incompletions were thrown away under pressure. Upon entering the red zone, Rodgers recognized that the Steelers had 12 men on the field and was able to draw a penalty on them. He then found Jimmy Graham in the end zone on the very next play. Rodgers is a tremendous fantasy option when healthy, but he’ll be overdrafted based on his sketchy durability.
Here were Rodgers’ targets:
Davante Adams: 1
Randall Cobb: 1 (1 end zone)
Jimmy Graham: 1 (1 end zone)
Lance Kendricks: 1 (1 end zone)
Jimmy Graham looks like he’s going to have a big year. Graham caught a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers on the opening drive versus the Steelers, then drew a 26-yard pass-interference flag on the next drive on a pass from Brett Hundley. His final stat line was just one catch for eight yards and a touchdown, but he was on the field for just two possessions, and only one with Rodgers. He’s a candidate for double-digit touchdowns in 2018.
Running back Jamaal Williams suffered an ankle injury against Pittsburgh. It’s unclear how severe it is. It would be a shame if this sidelined Williams for a lengthy amount of time because he had a great opportunity to establish himself as Green Bay’s bell-cow back.
We know who the Packers’ top two receivers are. There are five guys competing to be the No. 3 wideout behind Adams and Randall Cobb. Let’s discuss them all…
– Geronimo Allison is the incumbent. He played, but wasn’t targeted at all.
– Fourth-round rookie J’Mon Moore had some misfortune in this game. He was clearly interfered with on one play, but the flag wasn’t thrown. He then secured an 18-yard reception, but had it nullified by a holding penalty. Moore, however, dropped a deep ball in the fourth quarter. The Packer announcers noted that drops have been an issue for Moore this summer. Moore failed to log a single reception.
– Fifth-round rookie Marquez Valdes-Scantling hauled in a 15-yard reception despite being tightly covered. That was his only catch of the evening.
– Sixth-round rookie Equanimeous St. Brown made a nice sliding catch, but was guilty of two drops in this contest. He was inefficient, as he hauled in just one of five targets.
– Dark-horse candidate Jake Kumerow made some spectacular plays. He had a 20-yard catch and run, then scored on an 82-yard reception from Kizer. Kumerow got separation and then blew by some helpless defenders. He finished with three grabs for 114 yards and a score. Kumerow has been the talk of camp, and he’s translated it to in-game action. He’s very impressive, and there’s a good chance he could be the No. 3 wideout.
Packers linebacker Reggie Gilbert really stood out. A UDFA from the 2016 NFL Draft, Gilbert spent the past two seasons on the practice squad, but that won’t be the case this year. Gilbert has been tremendous in both exhibition games thus far. He recorded 2.5 sacks in the opening half alone, prompting the play-by-play guy to refer to him as a “one-man wrecking crew.”
Another Green Bay defender worth noting is second-round cornerback Joshua Jackson. The Iowa product clearly should’ve been chosen in the opening round, and it showed. He had some great coverage in this game, and he also came away with a pick-six.
The Steelers, meanwhile, started rookie quarterback Mason Rudolph in the wake of Ben Roethlisberger’s concussion. Rudolph had a nice opportunity to surpass Landry Jones as the No. 2 quarterback, but didn’t take advantage of it.
Rudolph’s first pass of the game was pick-sixed by Tramon Williams. Rudolph telegraphed it all the way, and Williams had an easy score. Rudolph was then nearly picked again on a deep floater, and he followed that up by being guilty of a delay-of-game penalty. Rudolph was gifted a touchdown on the ensuing drive by a Packer lost fumble on a kickoff return, and he made a nice pass to Justin Hunter on the following possession. However, Rudolph launched a pass that was too high toward James Washington and fired way behind his next target. Rudolph’s final drive saw him fumble; he didn’t recognize the blitzer and coughed up the ball. A teammate of his recovered, but it was still an 11-yard loss.
Rudolph’s final numbers looked like this: 5-of-12, 47 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Those numbers are bad, but they’re even worse when considering that 21 of his yards came on a routine, short toss, while his touchdown, as mentioned, was a 4-yard pass that came off a lost fumble. It’s too early to determine that Rudolph will be a bust, but I was down on him coming out of Oklahoma State in the first place, as he seemed like yet another Big XII lollipop thrower.
Le’Veon Bell continued his holdout, so James Conner earned the start at running back. Conner had some very impressive runs. He broke free for a 26-yarder despite one of the defenders grabbing and pulling his face mask. He then broke several tackles on the next attempt to score a touchdown. Conner finished with 57 yards and a touchdown on five attempts. If Bell gets hurt this year, Conner will need to be added ASAP.
Second-round rookie receiver James Washington made several acrobatic catches in this game. He caught five passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns. The first score was a great snatch over a defender in the end zone, then he did the same thing on the second touchdown. This prompted the Packer play-by-play guy to exclaim, “He is some kind of player!” Ben Roethlisberger has to be thrilled to have a third dynamic downfield threat at his disposal.
While Rudolph struggled, second-year quarterback Joshua Dobbs rebounded from a pedestrian showing last week. Dobbs went 12-of-18 for 192 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The pick occurred right away, as it was telegraphed. Rookie cornerback Joshua Jackson snatched the ball and took it back for six. However, Dobbs did a great job of moving the chains after that, though James Washington making ridiculous catches certainly helped.
NFL Preseason Announcers: Both announcers goofed in this game. The play-by-play guy said, “There are very few as good at edge rushing as Bud Dupree.” Uhh… what? Dupree’s career-high sack total is six, and he’s widely considered a disappointment. Meanwhile, the color analyst called Josh Jackson “Josh Johnson.”
Sam Darnold was awarded with his first-career start in the NFL. It won’t go down as an official NFL start, but it would be a nice test for Darnold because Washington’s defense should be pretty stout this year. Darnold passed with flying colors.
Darnold played slightly less than a half, but didn’t get too many drives because both Alex Smith and Colt McCoy helped the Redskins dominate the time of possession. Still, Darnold did some impressive things. He began by avoiding a sack with good pocket mobility. His second possession featured a third-and-3 conversion in which he recognized the coverage, looked off a safety and threw a strike for a first down. However, he held the ball way too long on the next third down and took a sack as a result. Darnold final possession concluded with an interception on fourth down. The Jets would’ve turned the ball over on downs anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal that Darnold threw into heavy traffic.
Darnold finished 8-of-11 for 62 yards and an interception. He was 6-of-7 for 47 yards versus the Redskin starters. Darnold made a couple of mistakes, but otherwise had a strong outing. It’s looking like he’ll be the Jets’ starting quarterback in the season opener.
Here were Darnold’s targets:
Robby Anderson: 1
Jermaine Kearse: 2
Tre McBride: 2
Bilal Powell: 2
Thomas Rawls: 1
Eric Tomlinson: 1
Clive Walford: 1
Isaiah Crowell didn’t play, so Bilal Powell started over Thomas Rawls. Powell picked up 17 yards on six carries and caught two passes for 20 receiving yards.
It was disappointing that Robby Anderson saw just one target from Darnold, though the Jets’ starting offense didn’t have too many possessions. I’d like to see the two show better chemistry with each other. That said, I’m not going to downgrade Anderson, as this was a small sample size against a Josh Norman-led secondary.
Teddy Bridgewater played the entire second half, and he looked good again. He went 10-of-15 for 127 yards, one touchdown and an interception. The pick was thrown into tight coverage, but Bridgewater thrived otherwise. An incompletion of his was even dropped. One of his best plays saw him avoid a sack and throw a strike to move the chains. With Darnold playing great, the Jets will be able to trade Bridgewater for something substantial.
Moving on to the Redskins, Alex Smith saw his first action with his new team. Smith led a drive that concluded with a field goal, going 4-of-6 for 48 yards. He nearly had a touchdown to rookie receiver Trey Quinn, but Jets defensive back Buster Skrine did a good job of knocking the ball away. This was Smith’s sole possession.
Here were Smith’s targets:
Vernon Davis: 1
Josh Doctson: 1
Rob Kelley: 2
Trey Quinn: 1 (1 end zone)
Paul Richardson: 1
With Derrius Guice out for the season, Robert Kelley was named the starting running back in the second preseason game. He played the entire initial drive, tallying 17 yards on seven carries. He also saw two targets from Alex Smith, catching one of them for 13 yards. Samaje Perine entered the contest on the second possession, but left immediately with an ankle injury on a 30-yard run. It appears as though Kelley is the player to target in the middle rounds as a value starting running back.
Undrafted Redskins rookie running back Martez Carter might be someone worth monitoring. Carter flashed in the third quarter, breaking tackles on a long run and then sprinting 33 yards on the next play, which featured a great cut. Carter led the Redskins in rushing with 45 yards on seven attempts.
NFL Preseason Announcers: ESPN’s new Monday Night Football crew was featured in this game. Jason Witten is the color analyst, and he was OK. The play-by-play guy was some ESPN person I had never heard of before. He wasn’t impressive, especially when he exclaimed, “Everyone wanted a piece of Sam Darnold!” Right… except the Browns and Giants.
