PHOTO USA As we speak Sports activities Pictures The NFL preseason is full! Did everybody have a superb time?
Earlier than the soccer season cycles on to roster cutdown day and your fantasy draft, let’s take a second to look again on the greatest storylines and takeaways that got here out of the exhibition season.
Are the Jets… good?
You’ve heard the saying in regards to the preseason. “Our third- and fourth-stringers beat your third- and fourth-stringers.” However generally these outcomes reveal one thing while you dig into them. Within the Jets’ case, they may portend a deep protection, particularly the road.
See, New York didn’t play its starters in any respect this preseason, however the rookies and backups helped the group go 3-0 in August. The Jets laid eight sacks on the rival Giants within the finale, together with 2.5 by Takkarist McKinley, a former first-round decide who figures so as to add depth to the Jets’ entrance. Edge rusher Will McDonald IV had a superb preseason. And on offense, Israel Abanikanda made his case for a backfield position, supporting Breece Corridor and draft picks Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.
Everybody is aware of who the Jets’ quarterback is and what befell final September. With extra of a supporting forged in place, they appear able to run it again and do that once more.
Steelers’ QB state of affairs seems like a lose-lose.
Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) leaves the sector after enjoying the Buffalo Payments at Acrisure Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports activities The Steelers simply made the playoffs with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph dealing with quarterback duties, so on paper, they’ve improved on the place. However the media circus in football-crazy Pittsburgh shall be a sight to behold whether or not the Steelers forge forward with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, two of probably the most polarizing QBs within the league. If there’s anybody match to deal with the distractions, it’s Mike “We Do Not Care” Tomlin. He mentioned the QB1 choice shall be delivered “on the finish of the work week,” a really Mike Tomlin factor to say.
If Wilson seems to be previous his prime or takes dumb sacks early within the season, you’d anticipate followers to holler for Fields to take over. Regardless of botching a number of snaps this preseason, Fields believes he’s proven his new group what he might do as their starter.
Caleb Williams is a star within the making
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a move within the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 2 recreation between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Area in downtown Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. The Bears led 10-3 at halftime. Let’s rapidly verify in on Fields’ former metropolis, the place some followers are shedding tears of pleasure.
The No. 1 general decide lit it up in coaching camp and the preseason, making a number of throws on the run or throughout his physique which have ignited the Bears’ fan base. Williams performed in simply two of Chicago’s 4 preseason video games, however his 10 completions totaled 170 yards and he ran for a landing on a scramble. For a group that has by no means had a 4,000-yard passer, lastly touchdown what seems to be like a surefire rising star QB have to be cathartic. There’s hardly ever been this a lot optimism in regards to the Bears.
The Vikings’ future is within the palms of Sam Darnold. Actually.
Aug 2, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and quarterback Sam Darnold (14) heat up throughout observe at Vikings coaching camp in Eagan, MN. Necessary Credit score: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports activities On to the ghosts of Jets previous! The most important season-ending harm of the preseason was to Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who wanted surgical procedure to restore a torn proper meniscus. Sam Darnold, who was already the favourite to begin the season at quarterback, is now undoubtedly the person. All the things you hear about Darnold today traits positively, although we didn’t see a lot of him in preseason motion.
However why say that the Vikes’ future rests with Darnold? As a result of group co-owner Mark Wilf mentioned the group isn’t interested by extensions for head coach Kevin O’Connell or normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as each males enter the ultimate 12 months of their contracts. If all the things goes incorrect this season, might the Vikings blow it up and begin over? What would a brand new teaching regime and entrance workplace imply for McCarthy?
The Chargers may be a large number in Jim Harbaugh’s first 12 months
Jul 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws through the first day of coaching camp at The Bolt. Necessary Credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports activities When Justin Herbert missed a part of coaching camp with a plantar fascia harm, it solely added extra anxiousness to a extremely unsure state of affairs in Los Angeles. When Herbert is wholesome, who precisely will he be throwing to? ESPN’s Invoice Barnwell ranked the Chargers useless final within the league in talent place expertise (operating again, extensive receiver and tight finish) after the departures of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler. DJ Chark and rookie Ladd McConkey be part of Joshua Palmer in an unthreatening receiving corps.
Jim Harbaugh, in fact, goes to wish to run the soccer, and he’s going to attempt to recreate his brother’s former offense in Baltimore with offensive coordinator Greg Roman and injury-prone operating backs Gus Edwards and J.Okay. Dobbins. With not one of the third-stringers seeming primed for a breakout, the Chargers scored three factors of their first preseason recreation and 9 of their second. That is trying an increasing number of like a full-rebuild challenge and a doubtlessly last-place group within the AFC West.
