NFL Preseason Week 2: What to Watch for in Thursday's Action
The NFL preseason ramps up during the second week of play. Teams ease into the first week as multiple starters and veterans barely play or don't see the field at all. The third week is considered the dress rehearsal. And the fourth game is a final chance to fill out the roster with backups playing the majority, if not all, of those contests.
Game 2 sees an uptick of importance. Squads start to come together as the first units usually play until halftime.
More importantly, the bubble wrap is removed from some of the league's more precious commodities, although some franchises remain wary. For example, the Green Bay Packers don't plan to play Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson until the third contest.
Better overall play should still be expected from all parties, while teams hope they can make it through two quarters without any major injuries.
Thursday's schedule features the "Battle of Pennsylvania" between the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers and a playoff rematch between the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks.
Nothing says forced rivalries quite like preseason football, but the overall competition will be better as franchises prepare for the all-important third contest.
Sam Bradford's Show with No Carson Wentz in Sight
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford can breathe a sigh of relief.
There's no reason for Bradford to look over his shoulder after this year's No. 2 overall pick, Carson Wentz, suffered a hairline fracture in his ribs during last Thursday's preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
No matter what Bradford did this preseason, Wentz was always looming. It didn't matter how many times the team's front office or coaching staff proclaimed Bradford the starter or that they planned to slowly develop Wentz. Once an organization invests heavily in the quarterback position, fans will call for the franchise's new face to start.
This won't be the case in Philadelphia, because the North Dakota State product needs to get healthy and then ease his way back into practice and game situations. As such, he won't be ready for the regular season. No one knows exactly when he'll be ready to start.
The Eagles are Sam Bradford's team for the foreseeable future.
"I'm so excited for Sam Bradford," head coach Doug Pederson said in an interview on ESPN's Mike & Mike. "He's the starter and the leader of this team."
The fact that Bradford held out earlier this offseason and requested a trade seems like a distant memory. All that matters in the NFL is a player's on-field production. The former No. 1 overall pick didn't do much in the preseason opener, but he's expected to play into the second quarter this week and can establish himself as the dominant voice in the Eagles offense.
"I'd really just like to see this get into a flow, get into a nice rhythm and get in and out of the huddle, breaking the huddle efficiently, getting up there with plenty of time on the play clock," Bradford said, per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Zach Berman.
A strong performance will ease concerns as Philadelphia puts Wentz in the rearview mirror (for now) and allows Bradford to operate.
Pittsburgh Steelers' Attempt to Solve TE Mystery
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Chants of "Heeeath" may come from the Pittsburgh Steelers faithful for an entirely different reason during the upcoming season. Instead of cheering on Heath Miller after another reception, thousands of fans will be crying out for the retired tight end to return.
Without Miller on the roster, the Steelers' tight end depth chart is a mess. The organization believed it addressed the position when it dipped into free agency and signed Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20 million contract.
Unfortunately, Green has yet to practice during training camp and is still listed on Pittsburgh's PUP list. The reason why remains a mystery.
"He's on PUP because of his ankle. We stated that," head coach Mike Tomlin said last Friday, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Chris Adamski.
According to CBS Pittsburgh's Ed Bouchette, Green is actually in the league's concussion protocol.
The San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gehlken discussed the tight end's concussion history with DK Pittsburgh Sports Radio's Tim Benz:
"In September of last year, he was twice diagnosed with concussions in a period of 11 days. I also know that in December he didn't travel back with the team following its Christmas Eve game against the Raiders and the exact reason for that, I don't know. I know there's a lot in terms of Ladarius Green's medical background with the Chargers particularly in his final two seasons, maybe season and a month of his time in San Diego, that was of some concern.
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With Green's return nowhere in sight, the offense must turn to second-year tight end Jesse James. The Penn State product caught one pass for four yards in the team's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions. He believes he's ready for a bigger role, per the Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly:
"Ever since Heath retired, it has been a role that I have expected to be able to handle and take. Nothing changed when Ladarius was signed. I had the same mentality coming in. I wanted to show that I could compete with him and show that I was ready to take on a bigger role. Nothing has changed for me the past couple months and even into camp.
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None of the Steelers tight ends can replace Miller, but an opportunity exists to be a big part of the offense if any of them prove to be reliable options.
Tyler Boyd's Time to Shine for Cincinnati Bengals
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Over the last two seasons, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu combined to catch 154 passes for 2,000 yards for the Cincinnati Bengals. Both are now gone, and head coach Marvin Lewis and his staff continue to search for their replacements.
Rookie Tyler Boyd can't replace both, but he can serve in a similar role. This year's second-round pick is working his way into becoming A.J. Green's new bookend. Sanu and Jones admirably filled said role in 2014 and 2015, but further opportunities enticed them to sign elsewhere. It's now up to Boyd to prove he can be a legitimate second receiver within the Bengals' offensive scheme.
The Pitt product opened eyes with his impressive play throughout camp and with a 40-yard reception against the Minnesota Vikings in the first preseason contest.
"I try to go out there and just go and do what I was coached to do throughout minicamp and training camp," Boyd said, per Cincy Jungle's Kyle Phelps. "I feel confident in myself, so when I went out there and made that big play, I knew things were paying off."
For any rookie, the daily grind can't overwhelm him. One good performance must be followed by another. Boyd has looked exceptional, and a recent injury creates even more opportunity to secure a starting spot opposite Green.
Veteran Brandon LaFell is dealing with a fractured hand, and he'll decide in the coming days if he'll have surgery, according to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole. The Bengals listed LaFell as a starting wide receiver going into the first preseason game.
However, expectations are already growing for Boyd.
"Tyler has come in and learned a lot, considering we've moved him around a lot to learn different positions," quarterback Andy Dalton said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Ralph N. Paulk. "He's going to help us out a lot with his skill set."
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Danny Shelton's Attempt to Prove Himself vs. Browns' Old Pro Bowl Center
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Danny Shelton and Alex Mack went head-to-head every day in practice last season. They're now wearing different uniforms, but they'll continue to butt heads when the Cleveland Browns' first-team defense meets the Atlanta Falcons' first-team offense.
The matchup is particularly important for Shelton, who hasn't lived up to expectations after being the 12th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Meanwhile, Mack became a three-time Pro Bowl lineman during his seven years in Cleveland. Yet the Browns decided to let the 30-year-old blocker leave via free agency, where the Falcons swooped in and signed the center to a five-year, $45 million contract.
At this point in his career, everyone knows what to expect of Mack. Shelton, on the other hand, is still trying to establish himself, and it's been a rocky process. He struggled as a rookie, and his performance during the first preseason contest against the Green Bay Packers underwhelmed.
"He can help us," Browns defensive line coach Robert Nunn said last week, per the Orange and Brown Report's Fred Greetham. "He can do more than just be a first- and second-down player. When he's playing at a high level and at nose guard, there are certain offenses that are not going to keep pounding their head against that rock."
But Shelton has yet to develop into a consistent performer. He's struggled to play with leverage and often gets single-blockedโtwo major issues for any nose tackle, let alone a highly drafted individual expected to turn the team's run defense around.
Backup nose tackle Jamie Meder outplayed Shelton last week. As a result, the Ashland product earned first-team reps earlier this week, albeit at defensive end, as noted by the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.
Shelton showed drastic improvement this offseason by dedicating himself to his craft, taking football more seriously and losing nearly 30 pounds, according to the Chronicle-Telegram's Scott Petrak. His new approach needs to translate to the field against a quality opponent, or a different nose tackle might be starting in the middle of the Browns defense the following week.
Chicago Bears Offensive Line Needs to Respond
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The Chicago Bears offensive line didn't play well during last week's 22-0 loss to the Denver Broncos. The offense surrendered seven sacks and averaged a paltry 2.8 yards per carry.
To put this woeful performance into context, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware weren't the ones terrorizing the Bears. Names like Vontarrius Dora, Jared Crick and Dekoda Watson created havoc in the Chicago backfield.
What makes the overall effort more depressing is the fact that the Broncos didn't blitz to create pressure. According to Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, five of the sacks came courtesy of a four-man rush and two more with a five-man rush.
Of course, not everything falls on the offensive line. The unit is still adjusting under new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, and the team suffered an unfortunate injury when starting center Hroniss Grasu tore an ACL 10 days ago.
But plenty of talent remains along Chicago's offensive front.
The organization signed Bobby Massie to a three-year, $18 million contract this offseason to solidify right tackle. Charles Leno held his own at left tackle last year in his second season. Left guard Cody Whitehair is a recent second-round pick. New center Ted Larsen has started 57 career games. Left guard Kyle Long is a Pro Bowl-caliber performer.
One performanceโparticularly a preseason performanceโwon't define the entire group.
In an interesting side story, Long will face his older brother Chris during Thursday's contest.
"He's a really good kid," Chris said, per the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer. "And I enjoy watching him grow into being a man in this league. I know the work it takes and more than anything, just seeing the way he's plugged away, he grows up every year."
The 27-year-old blocker needs to take a leadership role and help mold this year's offensive line into a functional unit. Overall, the group needs to jell quickly, or the team's quarterbacks and running backs will be pounded throughout the regular season.
New England Patriots TE Martellus Bennett Faces Old Team
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Don't tell New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett there's no place like home.
Bennett spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Bears, but he wasn't afraid to burn bridges after being traded.
"I'd be open and he'd throw into double coverage," Bennett said in an interview with ESPN.com's Mina Kimes after his brother, Michael, called Jay Cutler the "worst quarterback in the NFL."
The two squads practiced together this week, but Bennett didn't extend any pleasantries toward his former quarterback.
"In early November, Bennett told reporters, 'At some point they have to come my way [on offense],' and, 'I'm open...so,'" ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson wrote after covering Bennett in Chicago. "That was clearly a shot at Cutler, who again took the high road publicly. Privately, the two men had no use for each other."
Cutler might gloss over Bennett's comments, but he's an NFL athlete who would like to play well Thursday to prove his ex-teammate wrong. For once, there is a little extra incentive in a preseason contest.
Bennett, meanwhile, is still trying to establish himself in New England.
Rob Gronkowski didn't play last week, and QB Jimmy Garoppolo targeted Bennett four times. Even if Gronkowski doesn't play for a second straight week due to a bruise he suffered Monday, according to the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe, the tight end position will be featured.
"It looks like he can do pretty much everything you want a tight end to do," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of Bennett, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley.
In the joint practices, Bennett kept quiet and prepared for his old team. The talking will now be done on the field.
George Atkinson's Increased Role with Oakland Raiders
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Every year, there's an unexpected player who lights up the preseason and gets the NFL to take notice. In the first week of play, Oakland Raiders running back George Atkinson III is this year's version.
Atkinson exploded past the Arizona Cardinals defense for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only five carries. His speed tantalized onlookers, especially during his 53-yard scoring scamper.
The performance should help him climb the depth chart after appearing as the fourth (or fifth) running back on the initial version. Granted, depth charts at this point of the season can be taken with a grain of salt, but Atkinson clearly needs to earn a roster spot.
"He is very good and very hungry to be a part of the team," head coach Jack Del Rio said, per CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair. "He has improved. There's no question about his speed and his eagerness to help on special teams."
With Latavius Murray, Taiwan Jones and recent fifth-round pick DeAndre Washington ahead of him, Atkinson must prove his value in other ways. His blazing speed can be an asset as a returner and a weapon out of the backfield.
He's already shown improvement after being on the Raiders practice squad the last two seasons.
"Reading the defense," the 23-year-old back mentioned as something he's been working on, per ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez. "Knowing the blocks before they happen and trusting the line that they're going to make those blocks. That's what I did tonight, and it was a great night."
If Atkinson continues to perform well throughout preseason, it may be impossible for Del Rio and general manager Reggie McKenzie to cut the Raiders' legacy (Atkinson's father played for the Raiders from 1968 to 1977).
"This year, he's been saying I really have to buckle down," Atkinson told reporters of his father. "He said, 'As soon as you get the opportunity, you need to let the coaches know you can make the squad.'"
Brett Hundley Works with Green Bay Packers' 1st-Team Offense
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No Aaron Rodgers? No problem.
Brett Hundley should finally experience preseason action when the Green Bay Packers host the Oakland Raiders.
For the second-year quarterback, this preseason meant a lot to his development. However, Hundley has been slowed by an ankle injury and didn't play in the first two contests (with one being the botched Hall of Fame Game).
Rodgers' status remains undetermined for Thursday's contest. Meanwhile, head coach Mike McCarthy placed last year's fifth-round pick with the Packers' first-team offense leading up to the contest, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Michael Cohen.
As Hundley plays with the starting offense during team sessions, Rodgers had some fun as the scout team quarterback.
"You might occasionally throw some no-look passes out there," the 12th-year veteran joked, per Mike Spofford of the team's official site. "It's a time you can practice a few things you want to try, but you're trying to be really efficient as well. When you can add those things to your game and still be effective, it's really fun."
It isn't a joking matter for Hundley, though. The UCLA product needs to be prepared after missing valuable time and be ready in case the need arises to replace Rodgers at any point during the regular season.
Both Joe Callahan and Marquise Williams played relatively well against the Cleveland Browns, but neither is a recent draft choice being groomed for the backup role. Hundley is, and he needs as many reps as possible until Rodgers is reinserted into the lineup.
Teddy Bridgewater's Evolution as Minnesota Vikings' Starting Quarterback
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OK, Teddy Bridgewater. We see you. Now that you've done it once, let's see you do it again.
When the Minnesota Vikings quarterback uncorked a 49-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Charles Johnson, his supporters were quick to join the social media fray with a chorus of "I told you so."
Whether or not he's been unfairly saddled with the designation of a poor deep passer, Bridgewater showed he's capable of connecting with downfield targets.
"I don't listen to it," Bridgewater said after the game, per CBS Sports' Pete Prisco. "I play the position that is the most scrutinized position in football. It comes with the territory. I am not surprised."
The next step is showing he can make similar passes in the coming weeks.
After all, it's not Bridgewater's fault the offense is built around one of the NFL's greatest running backs in Adrian Peterson. It's not the quarterback's fault his surrounding castโat least among the team's wide receiversโhasn't been good.
His comfort level within Norv Turner's scheme continues to grow while he takes on a bigger role. His growth as a signal-caller stems from an increased level of trust with his receivers.
"It's just having confidence and being comfortable," the quarterback said, per Viking Update's Eric Oslund. "Trusting that those guys are going to go out there and make those plays for you."
The Louisville product now has legitimate targets at his disposal with second-year sensation Stefon Diggs, this year's first-round pick, Laquon Treadwell, and a revitalized Johnson.
This makes the Vikings dangerous. If Bridgewater consistently threatens defenses with the deep pass, Peterson becomes even more unstoppable, and the Vikings offense will be difficult to stop.
Will Seattle Seahawks' Bradley Sowell Remain at Left Tackle?
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On paper, the Seattle Seahawks own the league's worst offensive line. But head coach Pete Carroll and offensive line coach Tom Cable are piecing together the best possible starting five.
For example, Bradley Sowell isn't a likely candidate to start at left tackle for most teams, yet he's in a position to do so for Seattle. More importantly, Sowell hasn't been overwhelmed on the blind side.
Originally, the staff moved Garry Gilliam from right to left tackle to replace Russell Okung, but the Penn State product returned to the strong side when J'Marcus Webb injured a knee earlier in camp and Sowell took over at left tackle.
Carroll explained those moves, per ESPN.com's Sheil Kapadia:
"Garry is doing fine. He had to jump back, we were a little bit slow bringing him on just to make sure he was right. He's doing well. He's played a considerable amount on the left side. With J'Marcus going out, we're going to start with Sowell on the left side and Garry at the right side see how they do. And then next week we'll revisit and see where we are.
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Webb returned to practice Tuesday, but he worked with Seattle's second-team offensive line, according to 710 ESPN Seattle's Brady Henderson.
With only one day of practice before the second preseason contest, Webb might not play Thursday as Sowell stays at left tackle.
The longer the fifth-year tackle can hold down the position without any major hiccups, the better Seattle's offensive front will be. Cable discussed where his offensive line stands with CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, saying, "We're progressing. We have a ton of work to do, but from where we started, to where we're at now, I feel excited about it. The thing they've done is come to work every day and our mission has been to just get better at something every day, and we've been able to do that."
Continuity is a must for any successful offensive line. It's essential to establish the team's starting five soon so the group can come together and be effective for the regular season. Sowell has the potential to be a big part of that process.
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