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Four
NFC WEST
Arizona
Cardinals
A
successful 2013 for the Cardinals will be built on strong defense,
forcing turnovers, and special plays from special teams. As compared
to last year, the offense is in a much better place under coach
Bruce Arians and with quarterback Carson Palmer leading the team,
but it appears they still have a ways to go before being a consistent
scoring threat. Against Dallas they scored 12 points on four field
goals from Jay Feely, three of which came off of 51 first-half plays
and five extra possessions. The defense created six turnovers (five
in the first half) and only gave up a late touchdown, but still
the Arizona offense was unable to capitalize. Two of those turnovers
came from late fumbles after huge gains following a catch and run;
without those, the Cardinals likely give up 10 if not 14 more points,
painting the game in a very different light. If they’re unable
to score touchdowns against San Diego next week, the outlook for
this season takes a drastic downturn, especially considering linebacker
Daryl Washington’s four-game suspension related to performance
enhancing drugs; he will be replaced by Jasper Brinkley, a free
agent signee from Minnesota.
St. Louis
Rams
A
second suspension was handed out to the St. Louis Rams this week
for linebacker Jo-Lonn
Dunbar in relation to performance enhancing drugs. He will
miss the first four games of the season and will likely be replaced
by Will
Witherspoon. Previously suspended running back Isaiah
Pead will miss only the first contest for violating the league’s
substance abuse policy. On the field against Green Bay, the Rams
were sufficient on defense and underwhelming on offense. Aside
from a beautiful deep ball to wide receiver Chris
Givens, a great catch and run by tight end Jared
Cook, and a poorly placed ball near the end zone, quarterback
Sam
Bradford was efficient but not spectacular. He did fumble
a snap at the goal line on fourth down; certainly not a stellar
display of composure. The running game didn’t have much going
for it, but both Pead and Daryl
Richardson ran hard and protected the ball. Defensively St.
Louis gave up five scores but only nine points (3 FGs) were scored
by the Green Bay starters. Compared to 2012, the defense looks
solid if not a touch better and the offense has much more potential
but hasn’t quite put it all together yet.
San Francisco
49ers
For
the 49ers, their second preseason game was business as usual,
with dominating defense, powerful rushing, and most first-team
players not seeing much game time. On their first touch of the
game, running back Frank Gore ran a beautifully executed cutback
for 52 yards, which was more than half of the yards allowed by
the San Francisco defense in the entire half (92 yards). They
were also responsible for fifteen quarterback pressures (seven
sacks and eight hurries) and nine tackles for loss. Facing the
Chiefs' less-than-stellar offensive line helped, but the 49ers'
dominance contributed more than their opposition’s weakness.
Starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick was asked to do very little,
yielding his time to the two backups vying for the No. 2 spot.
Replacing David Akers, kicker Phil Dawson hit two 55-yard field
goals in addition to a 42 yarder, with no misses. The game plan
was to keep players healthy and let the defense dominate as backup
quarterbacks battled for depth chart positioning; the result was
successful but left fans wondering how much trouble the team would
be in without Kaepernick. But goodness did the defense look spectacular!
Seattle Seahawks
It
looks like the Seahawks have found a wide receiver to step up
in place of the injured Percy Harvin. How Jermaine Kearse fits
in among the other receivers hasn’t been determined, but
in six quarters of preseason football he has scored three touchdowns
(107-yard kickoff return, 12-yard catch, 11-yard catch) to go
along with his strong showing in training camp. In more good news
for the Seahawks, this week tight end Zach Miller (plantar fasciitis)
was activated from the PUP list, and defensive end Cliff Avril
(foot, hamstring) practiced in pads for first time this season.
In the 40-10 dismantling of the Broncos, the Seahawks couldn’t
stop the Denver quarterback but found ways to force turnovers
against the run and after catches were made. Offensively, quarterback
Russell Wilson threw two touchdowns on eight of twelve passing
attempts for 127 yards in the first half, and the running game
featured backups almost exclusively but was still good enough.
The story of the game was four turnovers (including a 106-yard
fumble recovery for a TD) and special teams performances. There
were no real low points considering that they were facing a future
Hall of Fame quarterback and his passing talents.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
The
Falcons faced off against the 2012 Super Bowl champs in the second
week of the preseason and came away with largely positive results.
They didn’t win but led 20-7 at halftime, suggesting the Atlanta
starters were better than those of the Ravens. Running back Steven
Jackson ran extremely well and quarterback Matt
Ryan found wide receiver Julio
Jones several times, including once for a touchdown. Veteran
wide receiver Roddy
White suffered a minor ankle injury but is expected to be ready
for Week 1. The offensive line misses right tackle Mike Johnson
but Lamar Holmes is filling in adequately. The defense isn’t in
great shape but they did limit Baltimore for an entire half, if
you choose to exclude the long Torrey
Smith touchdown catch and run. The linebacker position is dramatically
thin with Sean
Weatherspoon out, but he’s been back to practice and is supposed
to play in the third preseason game. In his absence, undrafted free
agents Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu are making plays, possibly
earning themselves roster spots. Even so, it is in the secondary
in Atlanta that has the most at stake. The young talent at cornerback
lacks experience but hopes to be able to make up for it with effort
and natural ability.
Carolina Panthers
Perhaps
the biggest goal for the Panthers this preseason was to avoid serious
injuries. Through two games and all of training camp they’ve
been almost entirely successful. After that, the good news is a
little harder to find. Quarterback Cam Newton has started slow through
two games, but at least against the Eagles he didn’t throw
an interception. The coaching staff has made a point to reduce the
read-option game and turn Cam into more of a pocket passer while
also simplifying his responsibilities. In games where he commits
no turnovers the Panthers are 10-1, while in games where he produces
300-plus yards or three or more touchdowns Carolina is 4-10; counter-intuitively,
his team is better when the star quarterback is more of a game manager.
From the starting running backs only Jonathan Stewart was healthy
against the Eagles, but he ran hard as part of the team’s
revamped power rushing offense. On defense the Panthers did little
to disrupt the quarterback competition in Philadelphia even though
they did force three turnovers and cornerback Josh Norman came up
with his second interception of the preseason. Rookie defensive
tackle Star Lotulelei appeared unable to maintain the fast pace
set by the Eagles.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been a tale of two teams recently: a phenomenal
offense and a disappointing defense. Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan
appears to be fixing the latter; against the Oakland starters the
Saints recorded five sacks and didn’t give up any points until
a late-half touchdown made the game 23-7. Yes, this success was
against the Raiders, but for once the Saints looked like a legitimate
NFL defense. All of that was without Jonathan Vilma, also, who underwent
a scope procedure on his knee Thursday and hopes to be ready for
the regular-season opener. The defense still has holes all over,
but as young players and quality veterans adapt to the 3-4 scheme,
those holes will continue to shrink under Rob Ryan. On offense quarterback
Drew Brees was in mid-season form, leading his team to two touchdowns
and three Garrett Hartley field goals before halftime. Young wide
receivers Kenny Stills and Nick Toon rose to the occasion as starters
this week and caught a combined five catches for 120 yards and one
touchdown. That in addition to the production from tight end Jimmy
Graham and running back Darren Sproles bodes well for the New Orleans
offense in 2013.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Through
two preseason games, the Buccaneers starters haven’t been
particularly great on either side of the ball. This biggest issue
last year was pass defense, and against the Patriots they showed
no signs of improvement. New England’s quarterback completed
his first 11 passes and, even without star receiving options, the
mismatches were painfully exploited. The first-half rushing defense
allowed nearly five yards per carry and failed to close off running
lanes. On offense quarterback Josh Freeman only participated in
six plays (two completions on three attempts) but was sacked twice
and constantly under pressure. Backup quarterbacks only fared better
against the second-string defense. The running game was constantly
disrupted in the backfield and had limited success on plays that
weren’t screens or draws. Starting running back Doug Martin
suffered a minor head injury while pass blocking but was cleared
to play by halftime, even though he didn’t return. His backups
recorded 154 yards on 33 carries, mostly against the Patriots' backups.
Rookie kicker Derek Dimke added two more made field goals (37 and
23 yards) to his perfect preseason, making him 5-5 in the absence
of Lawrence Tynes.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Once
again the Bears are succeeding because of their defense and special
teams, as they forced four turnovers and blocking a punt in addition
to getting big returns from Devin
Hester on the opening kickoff (45 yards) and his backup Michael
Ford (100 yards). Against the Chargers, rookie linebacker Jon
Bostic leveled a monster hit after a bubble screen, while
defensive ends Corey
Wootton and Shea
McClellin came up with important sacks against the starting
quarterback. Other areas of pass defense were mediocre and the
run defense seemed to over pursue against the San Diego zone blocking
scheme, but for now it was good enough. On offense there were
a few bright spots (Matt
Forte, for example) but things were mostly disappointing.
Quarterback Jay
Cutler was both good and bad, finding wide receiver Brandon
Marshall in a tight window for a 5-yard touchdown but also
tossing a terrible interception into double coverage. Other than
two sacks early, the O-line was reasonable in pass protection,
and in the running game they continually got a good push against
an admittedly weak Chargers defense. Right tackle J’Marcus Webb
was replaced by rookie Jordan Mills, joining fellow rookie Kyle
Long on the right side. The O-line troubles from 2012 are slowly
dissipating as the new starters begin to assert themselves.
Detroit Lions
The
second preseason game was not a good one for the Lions, especially
on offense; the first team has yet to score this preseason. Without
wide receiver Calvin
Johnson (knee bruise), the offense was ineffective and conservative,
though running back Reggie
Bush handled a heavy load and displayed abilities reminiscent
of another famous Detroit running back. The offensive line is
currently in open competition at the right guard and right tackle
positions, areas the Lions needed to improve upon before the season,
and it seems that practice battles are beginning to pay off in
live games. As bad as the offense was, it's possible the defense
was worse. Safety Louis Delmas is still out and misses practice
frequently to protect the health of his knees, and in his absence
the secondary yielded to the Browns' quarterback without much
resistance. The only bright spot is on the defensive line where
tackle Ndamukong
Suh continues to expand his leadership role. His energy and
physicality drive the defense but are also responsible for unnecessary
personal fouls. If the mistakes can be minimized and the rest
of the team can play up to the standards of the D-line, Detroit
will be much improved.
Green Bay
Packers
Eddie
Lacy made his long awaited NFL debut for the Green Bay Packers
against St. Louis, and by all accounts he did not disappoint,
averaging five yards per carry (8 car, 40 yds) and adding an 11-yard
swing pass after spinning by a defender. In Green Bay, though,
everything revolves around quarterback Aaron
Rodgers and the passing game. Wide receivers Jordy
Nelson and Randall
Cobb were out for this game, but that allowed more time for
tight end Jermichael
Finley (4 rec, 78 yds) and a slew of backup receivers. No
touchdowns were scored by the starters but they moved the ball
well and only surrendered one sack. The defense gave up zero points
and the starters came up with two big stops on fourth down inside
their own five-yard line. They did get beat on two big plays (57
and 37 yds) but otherwise were solid against the Rams. Coach Mike
McCarthy said the kicking competition between Mason
Crosby and Giorgio Tavecchio is still ongoing though the veteran
did go 3-3 compared to 1-2 from his challenger.
Minnesota
Vikings
Evaluating
the Vikings while superstar running back Adrian
Peterson is on the sidelines seems a little disingenuous,
but that is what preseason game number two requires. Incumbent
starting quarterback Christian
Ponder completed five passes for 53 yards in five offensive
series and backup Matt
Cassel wasn’t any better. The offensive line suffered from
poor play against the Bills' strong pass rushers, and without
fullback Jerome
Felton (recovering from an appendectomy) protecting the quarterback
and lead blocking, they were incredibly disappointing. Two bad
snaps from center only worsened their problems. But the game was
close because of the play of the Vikings defense. In the first
five Buffalo drives they forced four punts, and a pass tipped
by Xavier
Rhodes resulted in a Jamarca
Sanford interception. On special teams, last year’s sensational
rookie kicker, Blair
Walsh, is still adjusting to the new timing associated with
a new holder and long snapper, which was seemingly the excuse
for his missing a 49-yard field goal wide right. Adrian Peterson
is the heart and soul of the offense, and without him there things
don’t work like they should, but at least the defense can hold
their own and keep games close in his absence.
NFC EAST
Dallas
Cowboys
The
offensive starters for the Cowboys committed five turnovers in
the first half against the Cardinals. Two came at the end of otherwise
phenomenal plays, a 27-yard catch by wide receiver Dez Bryant
and a 43-yard catch and run by running back Lance Dunbar, both
of which resulted in fumbles and coaches challenges. Each time
the subsequent review led to a fumble being called (one upheld,
one reversed) and Arizona gaining possession of the ball. Without
those gaffs the Cowboys would have played reasonably well on offense.
Aside from a miscommunication with wide receiver Terrance Williams,
the passing game of quarterback Tony Romo was on time and on target
as he committed no turnovers and his offensive line gave up no
sacks. Dallas gained only 36 yards on 14 carries (plus two more
for 12 yards from backup quarterback Alex Tanney), an area that
needs to be improved next week against the tough defense of the
Bengals. The Dallas defense played well, yielding only three field
goals despite facing many short fields and more than fifty plays
in the first half. If the defense can stay strong and the offense
can limit turnovers, the Cowboys should have a great season.
Philadelphia
Eagles
The
biggest story for the Eagles is undoubtedly the competition at
quarterback between Michael
Vick and Nick
Foles. Against the Panthers they both demonstrated their ability
to run Chip Kelly’s offense, though both did throw interceptions
(Vick on a Hail Mary). Throughout training camp and to this point
in the preseason the two appear to be neck and neck, but the stats
do favor Vick. The third preseason game (at Jacksonville) will
go a long way to determining the regular-season starter. Wide
receiver Jeff Maehl was acquired in a trade with Houston for a
reserve offensive lineman and is expected to compete for a depth
position. Against Carolina running back LeSean
McCoy had the play of the night, using speed and his “Shady”
agility on an open field run. Defensively the Eagles played much
better against both the run and the pass, though there were few
highlight-quality plays. Defensive tackle Fletcher
Cox pressured the quarterback frequently despite not recording
a sack, and cornerback Bradley
Fletcher gave reliable pass coverage while demonstrating great
tackling skills. These two players will anchor the defense in
Philadelphia if the Eagles are going to improve on their abysmal
2012 season.
New York
Giants
Luckily
for the Giants this is only the preseason because they made far
too many mistakes against the Colts Sunday night. Ten penalties
for 98 yards, and interception from QB Eli
Manning in addition to a sure-thing bobbled interception from
CB Aaron
Ross that resulted in a TD for Indianapolis, and no scored
touchdowns of their own. Three starters picked up minor injuries
but all are expected to be ready for the third preseason game,
a silver lining on an otherwise disappointing evening. The starting
defense had a difficult time stopping Indianapolis’ QB, allowing
107 yards and two TDs on nine of thirteen passing, though DE Justin
Tuck did record a batted ball well behind the line of scrimmage.
The running back committee of David
Wilson and Andre
Brown gained 70 yards on 16 carries and K Josh
Brown was 4-4 (47, 45, 27, 25) on the night, but possibly
the most inspiring display from the game happened before kickoff.
New York put together a video tribute to ex-Giant now-Colt RB
Ahmad
Bradshaw recognizing his role in their Super Bowl winning
seasons and what he contributed to the organization. Class act
New York, well done.
Washington
Redskins
Washington
Redskins fans and even Robert Griffin III thought the star QB
might be going into the game following the injury (foot sprain)
to backup Kirk Cousins, but Coach Mike Shanahan stuck to his word
and RG3 remained on the sideline. Rex Grossman went in instead
and put in a respectable backup performance, tossing a TD to WR
Leonard Hankerson but also throwing an interception. In the game
against the Steelers both teams combined for seven turnovers in
a combination of poor offensive play and spectacular defensive
displays. LB Ryan Kerrigan intercepted Pittsburgh’s starting
QB and returned it for a 27 yard TD and later forced a fumble
by stripping the backup QB. Both teams were affected by a handful
of injuries but none appeared to be immediately serious. Between
penalties (fifteen total) and turnovers the game was relatively
sloppy and with most starters leaving the game early it’s
not easy to draw many conclusions about individual performances.
The biggest concern is at the QB position of course, but if returns
as anticipated there will be a collective sigh of relief from
the Redskins coaching staff and all across the nation’s
capital.
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