27 takeaways from Thursday's preseason games.
After washing out in Seattle, Dallas and Washington last season, enigmatic tailback Christine Michael experienced his football epiphany last December and January when the Seahawks offered him a second chance at realizing his vast potential.
Thrust into the starting lineup for the regular-season finale and the wild-card game, Michael ran with authority while moving the chains in the most promising two-game stretch of his disappointing career. Immediately thereafter, multiple Seahawks coaches noted that a suddenly disciplined Michael was truly humbled by his failings.
"This is a classic example of if you just keep hoping and you stay with it and you give guys chances that sometimes they come right through for you," coach Pete Carroll explained in mid-January. "This is looking like that. It's only a few games, but they're really strong indicators that he's ready to take advantage of this opportunity. Nothing less than what we had hoped for a while back."
Michael carried that newfound maturity into the offseason, emerging as the leader in a running back room missing Marshawn Lynch for the first time in a half decade.
When Darrell Bevell was asked last week why fans should believe in Michael, Seattle's offensive coordinator responded, "He's had an awakening."
The new and improved Michael was evident in the preseason opener, inspiring Carroll to wax poetic about a lethal one-two punch with Thomas Rawls.
Carroll went on to laud Michael as an "explosive and dynamic athlete." Lest that be written off as hyperbole, it should be noted that Michael's "athletic explosiveness" has been compared to Adrian Peterson's.
Where Michael struggled prior to last winter's epiphany was in the mastery of fundamentals. He was reluctant to switch the ball to his left hand when the situation called for it. Even more troubling, he struggled to read the holes in Tom Cable's zone blocking scheme, leading to hesitation in his first crucial steps toward the line of scrimmage.
The preseason game film suggests he has overcome those issues.
"Physically, I think he's showed greater consistency hitting things the way we expect him to hit them. He was kind of a loose cannon (before)," Carroll said early this week. "Mentally, certainly he's different. He's grown up."
Michael was a revelation versus the Vikings Thursday night, showcasing the vision, explosiveness and tackle-breaking ability of an elite NFL running back. He also lined up out wide for the second straight week, evidence that the coaches have no qualms about utilizing him in the passing game.
These are demonstrated traits that Michael will carry into September versus legitimate NFL defenses.
We know that a healthy Rawls is a stud running back. Now that Michael has seen the light, Carroll boasts a pair of exciting playmakers in his backfield.
That might be anathema to fantasy footballers, but it's a godsend for the post-Lynch Seahawks.
After washing out in Seattle, Dallas and Washington last season, enigmatic tailback Christine Michael experienced his football epiphany last December and January when the Seahawks offered him a second chance at realizing his vast potential.
Thrust into the starting lineup for the regular-season finale and the wild-card game, Michael ran with authority while moving the chains in the most promising two-game stretch of his disappointing career. Immediately thereafter, multiple Seahawks coaches noted that a suddenly disciplined Michael was truly humbled by his failings.
"This is a classic example of if you just keep hoping and you stay with it and you give guys chances that sometimes they come right through for you," coach Pete Carroll explained in mid-January. "This is looking like that. It's only a few games, but they're really strong indicators that he's ready to take advantage of this opportunity. Nothing less than what we had hoped for a while back."
Michael carried that newfound maturity into the offseason, emerging as the leader in a running back room missing Marshawn Lynch for the first time in a half decade.
When Darrell Bevell was asked last week why fans should believe in Michael, Seattle's offensive coordinator responded, "He's had an awakening."
The new and improved Michael was evident in the preseason opener, inspiring Carroll to wax poetic about a lethal one-two punch with Thomas Rawls.
Carroll went on to laud Michael as an "explosive and dynamic athlete." Lest that be written off as hyperbole, it should be noted that Michael's "athletic explosiveness" has been compared to Adrian Peterson's.
Where Michael struggled prior to last winter's epiphany was in the mastery of fundamentals. He was reluctant to switch the ball to his left hand when the situation called for it. Even more troubling, he struggled to read the holes in Tom Cable's zone blocking scheme, leading to hesitation in his first crucial steps toward the line of scrimmage.
The preseason game film suggests he has overcome those issues.
"Physically, I think he's showed greater consistency hitting things the way we expect him to hit them. He was kind of a loose cannon (before)," Carroll said early this week. "Mentally, certainly he's different. He's grown up."
Michael was a revelation versus the Vikings Thursday night, showcasing the vision, explosiveness and tackle-breaking ability of an elite NFL running back. He also lined up out wide for the second straight week, evidence that the coaches have no qualms about utilizing him in the passing game.
These are demonstrated traits that Michael will carry into September versus legitimate NFL defenses.
We know that a healthy Rawls is a stud running back. Now that Michael has seen the light, Carroll boasts a pair of exciting playmakers in his backfield.
That might be anathema to fantasy footballers, but it's a godsend for the post-Lynch Seahawks.
1. Teddy Bridgewater didn't play against the Seahawks, and coach Mike Zimmer declined to comment on why, other than to say it wasn't disciplinary.
2. The Seahawks drafted defensive tackle Jarran Reed with the belief that he was the best run-stuffer available. He lived up to that billing Thursday night, dominating the interior of the Vikings' offensive line.
3. We thought Blair Walsh had redeemed himself from his playoff miss against Seattle last season with his 27-yarder in the second quarter. It turns out, Walsh is still searching for his atonement. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, Walsh had the opportunity to make what could have been a game-winning 47-yard field goal. Like his playoff miss last season, however, Walsh hooked it left. Marcus Sherels bailed the kicker out with his game-winning pick-six off Trevone Boykin just four plays later, but Walsh's lack of clutchness still looms large in Minnesota.
4. Playing without four of the Patriots' top weapons in the passing game, Jimmy Garoppolo started slowly and finished in strong fashion for the second consecutive week. Once again, he wasn't quite as impressive as the box score might suggest. Meanwhile, Tom Brady was held out of action after accidentally slicing his thumb on a pair of scissors.
5. Pay no attention to the speculation that LeGarrette Blount is on the roster bubble. New England's most impressive offensive player Thursday night, Blount is locked in as the between-the-tackles hammer.
6. Keep an eye on Patriots second-year defensive end Trey Flowers, who was a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage for the second week in a row.
7. Despite offseason discussion of a committee attack in Chicago, Jeremy Langford sure seems to have a stranglehold on the No. 1 job. Operating as the every-down back, he showed a nice burst and decisive cutting against the Patriots' first-string defense.
8. For all of the hype lavished upon Sammie Coates this month, the second-year Steelers receiver has been outplayed by Eli Rogers in the first two preseason games. Although Coates made a spectacular toe-tapping sideline grab and a second nice hands catch, he was out-contested on a pair of interceptions and charged with an offensive pass interference penalty. A favorite of offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Rogers is emerging as the favorite to enter Week 1 as the slot receiver.
9. The Cowboys' backup quarterback failures have garnered national attention over the past couple of years, but the Steelers haven't done any better behind Ben Roethlisberger. Former fourth-round draft pick Landry Jones hasn't developed into a reliable backup and veteran Bruce Gradkowski is out indefinitely with a torn hamstring. Will we see another Mike Vick sighting in Pittsburgh?
10. Undrafted rookie Paul Turner is making a push for a roster spot in Philadelphia. He led the team in receiving for the second straight week and has been the most consistent wideout in training camp (which tells us plenty about the Eagles receivers). "He's really beginning to stand out," coach Doug Pederson said after Thursday's victory.
11. Pederson told reporters earlier in the week that recently acquired Dorial Green-Beckham would sit out versus the Steelers. That didn't happen. Green-Beckham entered in the middle of the second quarter and saw a pair of targets with the second-team offense.
12. News of the weird: Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis suffered a pregame concussion when an errant punt hit him in the head.
2. The Seahawks drafted defensive tackle Jarran Reed with the belief that he was the best run-stuffer available. He lived up to that billing Thursday night, dominating the interior of the Vikings' offensive line.
3. We thought Blair Walsh had redeemed himself from his playoff miss against Seattle last season with his 27-yarder in the second quarter. It turns out, Walsh is still searching for his atonement. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, Walsh had the opportunity to make what could have been a game-winning 47-yard field goal. Like his playoff miss last season, however, Walsh hooked it left. Marcus Sherels bailed the kicker out with his game-winning pick-six off Trevone Boykin just four plays later, but Walsh's lack of clutchness still looms large in Minnesota.
4. Playing without four of the Patriots' top weapons in the passing game, Jimmy Garoppolo started slowly and finished in strong fashion for the second consecutive week. Once again, he wasn't quite as impressive as the box score might suggest. Meanwhile, Tom Brady was held out of action after accidentally slicing his thumb on a pair of scissors.
5. Pay no attention to the speculation that LeGarrette Blount is on the roster bubble. New England's most impressive offensive player Thursday night, Blount is locked in as the between-the-tackles hammer.
6. Keep an eye on Patriots second-year defensive end Trey Flowers, who was a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage for the second week in a row.
7. Despite offseason discussion of a committee attack in Chicago, Jeremy Langford sure seems to have a stranglehold on the No. 1 job. Operating as the every-down back, he showed a nice burst and decisive cutting against the Patriots' first-string defense.
8. For all of the hype lavished upon Sammie Coates this month, the second-year Steelers receiver has been outplayed by Eli Rogers in the first two preseason games. Although Coates made a spectacular toe-tapping sideline grab and a second nice hands catch, he was out-contested on a pair of interceptions and charged with an offensive pass interference penalty. A favorite of offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Rogers is emerging as the favorite to enter Week 1 as the slot receiver.
9. The Cowboys' backup quarterback failures have garnered national attention over the past couple of years, but the Steelers haven't done any better behind Ben Roethlisberger. Former fourth-round draft pick Landry Jones hasn't developed into a reliable backup and veteran Bruce Gradkowski is out indefinitely with a torn hamstring. Will we see another Mike Vick sighting in Pittsburgh?
10. Undrafted rookie Paul Turner is making a push for a roster spot in Philadelphia. He led the team in receiving for the second straight week and has been the most consistent wideout in training camp (which tells us plenty about the Eagles receivers). "He's really beginning to stand out," coach Doug Pederson said after Thursday's victory.
11. Pederson told reporters earlier in the week that recently acquired Dorial Green-Beckham would sit out versus the Steelers. That didn't happen. Green-Beckham entered in the middle of the second quarter and saw a pair of targets with the second-team offense.
12. News of the weird: Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis suffered a pregame concussion when an errant punt hit him in the head.
13. The Lions' first-team offensive line was better in pass protection this week, but still can't open any holes in the ground game. If the group doesn't improve, Matthew Stafford might need to throw it 50 times a game for the Lions to move the ball.
14. Stafford looks very comfortable in Jim Bob Cooter's offense. The big-armed quarterback slung it in his first drive and completed 8 of 11 passes for 113 yards. Look for a big dose of no-huddle from Detroit's offense this year. Stafford's connection with Marvin Jones looks in midseason form. Jones caught back-to-back big plays on the first drive, including a gorgeous toe-tapping 19-yard grab against his former team.
15. The Bengals didn't show any signs of missing Jones or Mohamed Sanu. Rookie Tyler Boyd continued his studly preseason. The receiver had a spectacular diving snag on the first series and later found a soft spot in a zone defense for a touchdown. Despite the offseason hand-wringing, Cincy's offense will be just fine in 2016. It's an efficient, grinding production.
16. Jeremy Hill flashed decisiveness, power and burst through the hole, battering his way for 5.3 yards per carry on three first-drive totes, which culminated in a powerful 9-yard TD rush. Hill is entering 2016 surprisingly under the radar after coming on strong down the stretch last season.
17. Quarterback Brett Hundley started for the Packers, but re-injured his left ankle on the third drive. The second-year player missed time in camp with the injury. It's something to monitor for Aaron Rodgers' backup, but coach Mike McCarthy said the injury doesn't look serious. With undrafted quarterback Joe Callahan under center, we won't take much away from the receiver battle, but Davante Adams and tight end Jared Cook displayed sure hands -- a notable change for two drop-prone pass catchers.
18. The Packers' first-team offensive line did yeoman's work against a solid Raiders defense on the first drive of the game: A 14-play, 74-yard grinder that culminated in an Eddie Lacy leap into the end zone. Lacy again looked spry, powerful and patient to the hole. But there were several plays he went untouched until the second level thanks to the offensive line's blocking. A clicking Packers' O-line is a gorgeous sign for Rodgers and Lacy.
19. Could the Packers have the most underrated secondary in the NFL?
20. The Raiders' offense had a mediocre night -- that's being nice because it's preseason. Coach Jack Del Rio kept sending the first-team unit on the field the entire first half in an effort to coax something positive. It never came. Derek Carr's struggles were similar to those he battled down the stretch in 2015. At one point Carr hurled a forced pass to Amari Cooper that was picked off. It's the type of play that conjures the negative side of all those Brett Favre comparisons. Carr ended up with nine completions for 38 yards for an average of 2.9 yards per pass. Luckily for Carr and the Raiders, the preseason doesn't count.
21. Oakland's highly regarded offensive line was good in pass blocking, but struggled to open up holes in the running game. The Raiders' offense needs better balance moving forward.
22. Robert Griffin III continued to flash deep-ball accuracy and a beautiful connection with Terrelle Pryor.
23. The Carl Nassib cult is growing. The Browns' intriguing rookie defensive end began rotating with the starters. On his first drive, he immediately tipped a Matt Ryan pass. The rest of his snaps (which were plentiful) seemed like he was in the Falcons' backfield every play. Nassib finished with a strip-sack, fumble recovery and had another sack negated by penalty. Nassib, Emmanuel Ogbah and Jamie Meder offer some the Browns young, intriguing building blocks in the front seven.
24. It wasn't all roses for the Browns. The backend of their defense is a mess. At this point it wouldn't even be shocking if former first-round pick Justin Gilbert ended up getting cut. Despite the optimism of some young players, this is still a defense devoid of starting playmakers. The Falcons' first-team unit moved the ball at will on the first drive and went for 234 first-half yards. It could be an ugly season for Cleveland's D.
25. With Vic Beasley sitting out, the Falcons' pass rush was nearly nonexistent against a Browns offensive line that was destroyed last week.
26. The Falcons continue to split first-team snaps between Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. It's clear who is the better runner. Freeman went for 10.5 yards per carry (long of 19 yards) and a touchdown on four totes. Coleman had 16 yards on five carries. It's not even just the stats; it's how they run. One dashes with decisive, quick cuts, getting up field. The other often stutters and gets smothered. Freeman's talent should eventually force the Falcons to scrap a shared system.
27. How you feel about Atlanta's playoff chances in 2016 likely depends on what side of the Mohamed Sanu debate you fall. Thursday he flashed for three catches on five targets, including a 32-yard catch and run on a second-and-20. It's clear he's head-and-shoulders better than the spare parts the Falcons had at No. 2 receiver last year.
14. Stafford looks very comfortable in Jim Bob Cooter's offense. The big-armed quarterback slung it in his first drive and completed 8 of 11 passes for 113 yards. Look for a big dose of no-huddle from Detroit's offense this year. Stafford's connection with Marvin Jones looks in midseason form. Jones caught back-to-back big plays on the first drive, including a gorgeous toe-tapping 19-yard grab against his former team.
15. The Bengals didn't show any signs of missing Jones or Mohamed Sanu. Rookie Tyler Boyd continued his studly preseason. The receiver had a spectacular diving snag on the first series and later found a soft spot in a zone defense for a touchdown. Despite the offseason hand-wringing, Cincy's offense will be just fine in 2016. It's an efficient, grinding production.
16. Jeremy Hill flashed decisiveness, power and burst through the hole, battering his way for 5.3 yards per carry on three first-drive totes, which culminated in a powerful 9-yard TD rush. Hill is entering 2016 surprisingly under the radar after coming on strong down the stretch last season.
17. Quarterback Brett Hundley started for the Packers, but re-injured his left ankle on the third drive. The second-year player missed time in camp with the injury. It's something to monitor for Aaron Rodgers' backup, but coach Mike McCarthy said the injury doesn't look serious. With undrafted quarterback Joe Callahan under center, we won't take much away from the receiver battle, but Davante Adams and tight end Jared Cook displayed sure hands -- a notable change for two drop-prone pass catchers.
18. The Packers' first-team offensive line did yeoman's work against a solid Raiders defense on the first drive of the game: A 14-play, 74-yard grinder that culminated in an Eddie Lacy leap into the end zone. Lacy again looked spry, powerful and patient to the hole. But there were several plays he went untouched until the second level thanks to the offensive line's blocking. A clicking Packers' O-line is a gorgeous sign for Rodgers and Lacy.
19. Could the Packers have the most underrated secondary in the NFL?
20. The Raiders' offense had a mediocre night -- that's being nice because it's preseason. Coach Jack Del Rio kept sending the first-team unit on the field the entire first half in an effort to coax something positive. It never came. Derek Carr's struggles were similar to those he battled down the stretch in 2015. At one point Carr hurled a forced pass to Amari Cooper that was picked off. It's the type of play that conjures the negative side of all those Brett Favre comparisons. Carr ended up with nine completions for 38 yards for an average of 2.9 yards per pass. Luckily for Carr and the Raiders, the preseason doesn't count.
21. Oakland's highly regarded offensive line was good in pass blocking, but struggled to open up holes in the running game. The Raiders' offense needs better balance moving forward.
22. Robert Griffin III continued to flash deep-ball accuracy and a beautiful connection with Terrelle Pryor.
23. The Carl Nassib cult is growing. The Browns' intriguing rookie defensive end began rotating with the starters. On his first drive, he immediately tipped a Matt Ryan pass. The rest of his snaps (which were plentiful) seemed like he was in the Falcons' backfield every play. Nassib finished with a strip-sack, fumble recovery and had another sack negated by penalty. Nassib, Emmanuel Ogbah and Jamie Meder offer some the Browns young, intriguing building blocks in the front seven.
24. It wasn't all roses for the Browns. The backend of their defense is a mess. At this point it wouldn't even be shocking if former first-round pick Justin Gilbert ended up getting cut. Despite the optimism of some young players, this is still a defense devoid of starting playmakers. The Falcons' first-team unit moved the ball at will on the first drive and went for 234 first-half yards. It could be an ugly season for Cleveland's D.
25. With Vic Beasley sitting out, the Falcons' pass rush was nearly nonexistent against a Browns offensive line that was destroyed last week.
26. The Falcons continue to split first-team snaps between Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. It's clear who is the better runner. Freeman went for 10.5 yards per carry (long of 19 yards) and a touchdown on four totes. Coleman had 16 yards on five carries. It's not even just the stats; it's how they run. One dashes with decisive, quick cuts, getting up field. The other often stutters and gets smothered. Freeman's talent should eventually force the Falcons to scrap a shared system.
27. How you feel about Atlanta's playoff chances in 2016 likely depends on what side of the Mohamed Sanu debate you fall. Thursday he flashed for three catches on five targets, including a 32-yard catch and run on a second-and-20. It's clear he's head-and-shoulders better than the spare parts the Falcons had at No. 2 receiver last year.
Takeaways from Friday's preseason action.
Tony Romo was relegated to an afterthought in his first game back from a broken collarbone. That's the power of Dakmania. Cowboys backup Dak Prescott lit up the Miami Dolphins' secondary Friday night just like he did against the Los Angeles Rams last week. The rookie fourth-rounder showed off his full arsenal with back-shoulder throws, a long touchdown pass to Dez Bryant and a gorgeous rainmaker to Brice Butler that traveled more than 60 yards. Oh, and he also rushed for 28 yards and two scores.
A young backup quarterback will be popular in any town. But owner Jerry Jones must feel like he struck oil with Prescott after failed attempts to trade up for Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook in the draft.
All of the usual preseason caveats apply. Prescott is playing against vanilla schemes and often against backups. The Cowboys' offensive line is so good that it makes game action look like a 7-on-7 drill. But the kid now has more touchdowns (6) than incompletions (5). Prescott's decision-making and accuracy coming out of a spread offense have been more impressive than his athleticism. NFL quarterbacking isn't supposed to look this easy.
None of this means Prescott will be a superstar or that we should be taking "QB competition!" jokes seriously. Prescott will make mistakes and also has been fortunate, having an interception overturned Friday by a roughing the passer penalty. But it's not too early to say Dallas has a potential "quarterback of the future" to groom. That's a key position when you have a 36-year-old starter facing his football mortality.
Here's what else we learned Friday:
1. Romo's return to the field helped solidify his encouraging training camp. He looked like Romo, completing 4 of 5 passes and leading the Cowboys to a touchdown on his second drive.
2. Alfred Morris (13 carries for 85 yards) has looked so reliable all month that Darren McFadden could have a hard time passing him on the depth chart when McFadden gets healthy (one of them could also become available for a trade).
3. The healthy return of Dez Bryant also has been fun to watch. He keeps aggressively attacking passes like it's the regular season, and he beat Miami starter Byron Maxwell for one of his two catches.
4. Miami's 41-14 loss to Dallas flipped the team's preseason narratives. The defense was a sieve while Ryan Tannehill played very well. If not for an ugly Jordan Cameron drop, the Dolphins would have scored touchdowns in three of Tannehill's four drives.
5. Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills took a step toward bouncing back from a poor first year in Miami, grabbing three passes for 71 yards and two scores. His first grab came on a beautiful 55-yard bomb when coach Adam Gase had Tannehill on a planned roll out. Miami coaches have always strangely stayed away from calling Tannehill throws on the run, which might be his biggest strength.
6. Jay Ajayi started over Arian Foster at running back for Miami, but Foster earned two carries with the starting unit on the game's second drive. Foster lost five yards on the carries.
7. The pitchforks will be out for Jets backup Geno Smith after an interception where he failed to see an underneath defender. Bryce Petty rallied the Jets' deep reserves for 16 points in the second half. Second-round pick Christian Hackenberg never got off the bench. Geno is still expected to keep the backup job, but expect media/fan push for Petty to compete.
8. The Washington Redskins sat a number of healthy key starters, including starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. That didn't prevent an injury to a valuable starter, with Matt Jones leaving the game after spraining his AC joint in his left shoulder. Chris Thompson is next on the depth chart and rookie Keith Marshall struggled for a second straight week.
Perhaps the Redskins could give the Cowboys a call and see if that trusty veteran Alfred Morris is available in a deal.
9. Other injuries of note: Dolphins backup Matt Moore was evaluated for a concussion. Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is in the concussion protocol after leaving the game. Chargers tight end Jeff Cumberland was carted to the locker room with an Achilles tendon injury and didn't return.
10. The Jets' starters and backups had a rough half against Washington, getting dominated on both lines of scrimmage. But that feels like a minor annoyance compared to the healthy return to the field by Darrelle Revis. He had a nice open field tackle and an end-zone interception in limited work. Despite all the great players up front, he feels like the key to the Jets' defense.
11. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians will have plenty to swear about this week. The first five drives by the Cardinals included three first downs and two interceptions. Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers made an incredible play on a blitz to pick off Carson Palmer and score. Palmer had another pass that could have been intercepted.
12. San Diego has more defensive talent than most people realize. Rugged inside linebacker Denzel Perryman and free agent pickup cornerback Casey Hayward were among the standouts. It appears that Hayward will play on the outside for the Chargers, with Flowers in the slot. Arizona didn't score until there was under five minutes left.
13. Random quarterback depth chart note: Chargers undrafted rookie Mike Bercovici played ahead of Zach Mettenberger. It's possible Mettenberger doesn't make the team.
14. There is definitely a new trend by NFL coaches sitting key starters in Week 2 of the preseason. Philip Rivers sat Friday, just like Aaron Rodgers, Teddy Bridgewater, Kirk Cousins and many others. It feels like a matter of time before the preseason is officially reduced a game.
Tony Romo was relegated to an afterthought in his first game back from a broken collarbone. That's the power of Dakmania. Cowboys backup Dak Prescott lit up the Miami Dolphins' secondary Friday night just like he did against the Los Angeles Rams last week. The rookie fourth-rounder showed off his full arsenal with back-shoulder throws, a long touchdown pass to Dez Bryant and a gorgeous rainmaker to Brice Butler that traveled more than 60 yards. Oh, and he also rushed for 28 yards and two scores.
A young backup quarterback will be popular in any town. But owner Jerry Jones must feel like he struck oil with Prescott after failed attempts to trade up for Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook in the draft.
All of the usual preseason caveats apply. Prescott is playing against vanilla schemes and often against backups. The Cowboys' offensive line is so good that it makes game action look like a 7-on-7 drill. But the kid now has more touchdowns (6) than incompletions (5). Prescott's decision-making and accuracy coming out of a spread offense have been more impressive than his athleticism. NFL quarterbacking isn't supposed to look this easy.
None of this means Prescott will be a superstar or that we should be taking "QB competition!" jokes seriously. Prescott will make mistakes and also has been fortunate, having an interception overturned Friday by a roughing the passer penalty. But it's not too early to say Dallas has a potential "quarterback of the future" to groom. That's a key position when you have a 36-year-old starter facing his football mortality.
Here's what else we learned Friday:
1. Romo's return to the field helped solidify his encouraging training camp. He looked like Romo, completing 4 of 5 passes and leading the Cowboys to a touchdown on his second drive.
2. Alfred Morris (13 carries for 85 yards) has looked so reliable all month that Darren McFadden could have a hard time passing him on the depth chart when McFadden gets healthy (one of them could also become available for a trade).
3. The healthy return of Dez Bryant also has been fun to watch. He keeps aggressively attacking passes like it's the regular season, and he beat Miami starter Byron Maxwell for one of his two catches.
4. Miami's 41-14 loss to Dallas flipped the team's preseason narratives. The defense was a sieve while Ryan Tannehill played very well. If not for an ugly Jordan Cameron drop, the Dolphins would have scored touchdowns in three of Tannehill's four drives.
5. Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills took a step toward bouncing back from a poor first year in Miami, grabbing three passes for 71 yards and two scores. His first grab came on a beautiful 55-yard bomb when coach Adam Gase had Tannehill on a planned roll out. Miami coaches have always strangely stayed away from calling Tannehill throws on the run, which might be his biggest strength.
6. Jay Ajayi started over Arian Foster at running back for Miami, but Foster earned two carries with the starting unit on the game's second drive. Foster lost five yards on the carries.
7. The pitchforks will be out for Jets backup Geno Smith after an interception where he failed to see an underneath defender. Bryce Petty rallied the Jets' deep reserves for 16 points in the second half. Second-round pick Christian Hackenberg never got off the bench. Geno is still expected to keep the backup job, but expect media/fan push for Petty to compete.
8. The Washington Redskins sat a number of healthy key starters, including starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. That didn't prevent an injury to a valuable starter, with Matt Jones leaving the game after spraining his AC joint in his left shoulder. Chris Thompson is next on the depth chart and rookie Keith Marshall struggled for a second straight week.
Perhaps the Redskins could give the Cowboys a call and see if that trusty veteran Alfred Morris is available in a deal.
9. Other injuries of note: Dolphins backup Matt Moore was evaluated for a concussion. Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is in the concussion protocol after leaving the game. Chargers tight end Jeff Cumberland was carted to the locker room with an Achilles tendon injury and didn't return.
10. The Jets' starters and backups had a rough half against Washington, getting dominated on both lines of scrimmage. But that feels like a minor annoyance compared to the healthy return to the field by Darrelle Revis. He had a nice open field tackle and an end-zone interception in limited work. Despite all the great players up front, he feels like the key to the Jets' defense.
11. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians will have plenty to swear about this week. The first five drives by the Cardinals included three first downs and two interceptions. Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers made an incredible play on a blitz to pick off Carson Palmer and score. Palmer had another pass that could have been intercepted.
12. San Diego has more defensive talent than most people realize. Rugged inside linebacker Denzel Perryman and free agent pickup cornerback Casey Hayward were among the standouts. It appears that Hayward will play on the outside for the Chargers, with Flowers in the slot. Arizona didn't score until there was under five minutes left.
13. Random quarterback depth chart note: Chargers undrafted rookie Mike Bercovici played ahead of Zach Mettenberger. It's possible Mettenberger doesn't make the team.
14. There is definitely a new trend by NFL coaches sitting key starters in Week 2 of the preseason. Philip Rivers sat Friday, just like Aaron Rodgers, Teddy Bridgewater, Kirk Cousins and many others. It feels like a matter of time before the preseason is officially reduced a game.
Zimmer: I sat Teddy Bridgewater 'because I wanted to'.
For those who might have had their brains wiped clean of the 2015 season, or choose to deny its existence to help themselves sleep at night, the Minnesota Vikings were a missed field goal away from winning a playoff game.
A kick hooked left sent the Vikings home and Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett literally to the ground on one knee, praising the heavens for his team's good fortune. Fast forward to August 2016, and the Seahawks and Vikings met again in preseason action Thursday night. There was one surprising absence: Teddy Bridgewater, suited up and ready to go, never took the field for Minnesota.
When asked after the game why Bridgewater, who practiced all week prior to the game, was left on the bench for the entire game, head coach Mike Zimmer said simply, "because I sat him."
And the reasoning for that was ...?
"Because I wanted to."
Reporters began asking if it was disciplinary. Zimmer shot that down.
"Teddy Bridgewater is the nicest kid in the world," Zimmer said, via the Minnesota Star-Tribune. "There is no disciplinary action ever with Teddy. It had nothing to do with discipline and it had to do with my decision."
Let's ask one more time, just for good measure.
"It was my decision. How many times are we going to go through this? It was my decision. Good enough?"
Well, if that's all we're going to get, sure.
Bridgewater started the preseason with a solid performance and appears to be headed toward a season with more offensive weapons than ever, and a defense that some think will be even better than it was in 2015. If his benching was just a coach's decision, it wasn't an unwise one. If the lone reason to play Bridgewater is to get some live reps against one of the NFL's better defenses, erring on the side of caution and keeping your franchise quarterback protected from possible and meaningless injury is never a bad look, especially against a fellow contender.
For those who might have had their brains wiped clean of the 2015 season, or choose to deny its existence to help themselves sleep at night, the Minnesota Vikings were a missed field goal away from winning a playoff game.
A kick hooked left sent the Vikings home and Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett literally to the ground on one knee, praising the heavens for his team's good fortune. Fast forward to August 2016, and the Seahawks and Vikings met again in preseason action Thursday night. There was one surprising absence: Teddy Bridgewater, suited up and ready to go, never took the field for Minnesota.
When asked after the game why Bridgewater, who practiced all week prior to the game, was left on the bench for the entire game, head coach Mike Zimmer said simply, "because I sat him."
And the reasoning for that was ...?
"Because I wanted to."
Reporters began asking if it was disciplinary. Zimmer shot that down.
"Teddy Bridgewater is the nicest kid in the world," Zimmer said, via the Minnesota Star-Tribune. "There is no disciplinary action ever with Teddy. It had nothing to do with discipline and it had to do with my decision."
Let's ask one more time, just for good measure.
"It was my decision. How many times are we going to go through this? It was my decision. Good enough?"
Well, if that's all we're going to get, sure.
Bridgewater started the preseason with a solid performance and appears to be headed toward a season with more offensive weapons than ever, and a defense that some think will be even better than it was in 2015. If his benching was just a coach's decision, it wasn't an unwise one. If the lone reason to play Bridgewater is to get some live reps against one of the NFL's better defenses, erring on the side of caution and keeping your franchise quarterback protected from possible and meaningless injury is never a bad look, especially against a fellow contender.
Thank you GG.....I have quite a few mock drafts in this thread.....Check it out.
Good luck!
Bills release RB Karlos Williams.
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills have waived second-year running back Karlos Williams, the team announced Saturday.
The NFL announced in July that Williams is suspended for the first four games of the regular season for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. He can serve the suspension as a free agent if he is not claimed off waivers or signed by another team.
Williams, 23, began training camp on the active/non-football illness list after he reported to minicamp in June out of shape. His weight went as high as 261 pounds during the offseason, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Williams attributed his weight gain to his pregnant fiancée's food cravings.
Williams, whose listed weight on the Bills' website was 230, was activated Monday from the non-football illness list and practiced this past week.
The Bills' decision to release Williams represents a reversal of course from the team, which had supported him despite his poor conditioning and suspension.
"I think we're all excited about the talent he has," coach Rex Ryan said Monday. "It's clear this is a really talented young man and yeah, we hope that he's here for a long time and does the right things and handles himself well off the field. So that's something that we're counting on from him."
A fifth-round pick last season, Williams played in 11 games, starting three. He gained 517 yards on 93 carries and scored seven rushing touchdowns in addition to two receiving touchdowns.
Williams tied an NFL record last season by scoring a touchdown in each of his first six games played in the league. New England Patriots running back Robert Edwards also scored touchdowns in his first six games as a rookie in 1998.
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills have waived second-year running back Karlos Williams, the team announced Saturday.
The NFL announced in July that Williams is suspended for the first four games of the regular season for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. He can serve the suspension as a free agent if he is not claimed off waivers or signed by another team.
Williams, 23, began training camp on the active/non-football illness list after he reported to minicamp in June out of shape. His weight went as high as 261 pounds during the offseason, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Williams attributed his weight gain to his pregnant fiancée's food cravings.
Williams, whose listed weight on the Bills' website was 230, was activated Monday from the non-football illness list and practiced this past week.
The Bills' decision to release Williams represents a reversal of course from the team, which had supported him despite his poor conditioning and suspension.
"I think we're all excited about the talent he has," coach Rex Ryan said Monday. "It's clear this is a really talented young man and yeah, we hope that he's here for a long time and does the right things and handles himself well off the field. So that's something that we're counting on from him."
A fifth-round pick last season, Williams played in 11 games, starting three. He gained 517 yards on 93 carries and scored seven rushing touchdowns in addition to two receiving touchdowns.
Williams tied an NFL record last season by scoring a touchdown in each of his first six games played in the league. New England Patriots running back Robert Edwards also scored touchdowns in his first six games as a rookie in 1998.
