Bleacher Report's Preseason Week 3 NFL Awards

Each team had walls during Week 3 of the NFL preseason. How the franchises and players handled them showed where they are as we approach Sept. 8, when wins and losses start to matter.

Trevor Siemian scaled a wall, while Mark Sanchez splattered against one for the Denver Broncos, who have reached the conclusion of their long, winding quarterback-decision road. They'll pursue more Super Bowl jewelry with a passer who may not be experienced, but that's not nearly as bad as being Sanchez.

The Chicago Bears, meanwhile, had a wall fall on their offense, with the first-team unit doing only slightly more than nothing. The Bears may be rebuilding, but it's still possible to resemble a professional football team in the process.

Then there's Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who tried to run through a wall multiple times.

Elliott took home Rookie of the Week honors when we handed out awards for the annual August Super Bowl week (or dress rehearsal, if you prefer). Let's get to the rest.

Naming the best of the best and the worst of the worst from Week 3 of the preseason wasn't easy. But six Bleacher Report writers (myself, Brad Gagnon, Gary Davenport, Mike Freeman, Mike Tanier and Brent Sobleski) were up to the task for these expert consensus awards.

Player of the Week

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (four votes)

If you flip forward a few slides (don't do it yet—stay with me here!), you can see the first of several that heap praise on Siemian, the Broncos' new starting quarterback. That gives us an interesting contrast between two of the most significant quarterback stories from Week 3 of the preseason. Or at least the two that didn't involve the Cowboys and Tony Romo, who suffered a fractured bone in his back.

On one hand, you have the defending champs, and they're about to start a quarterback who's still a rookie as far as his regular-season experience is concerned. Siemian's first pass attempt in Week 1 will also be the first one he's thrown in any meaningful game. He'll cost the Broncos a tiny sum of $525,000 in 2016, which is what most other quarterbacks spend on their garage-door opener.

On the other hand, you have the Houston Texans. They agreed to pay $72 million over four years this offseason for Brock Osweiler, who has plenty of potential and talent, but he's still made just seven career starts.

There's more than one way to build a quarterback life raft and hope you get ashore after years of drowning at the position. But the Texans' method of choice is more common. Teams either throw high draft picks or money at quarterbacks and then cross their fingers until they cut off circulation.

After Week 3 of the preseason, Texans head coach Bill O'Brien can loosen his fingers just a little. The usual preseason caveats always apply (it's one game, usually about a half), but Osweiler showed signs of progress.

He averaged only 6.5 yards per attempt against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 of the preseason, but that average spiked to 11.2 on Sunday during a 34-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals. That included a beautifully thrown 26-yard touchdown to wide receiver Will Fuller into a tight window.

At minimum, Osweiler cleared a simple but critical bar during his brief dress-rehearsal appearance. He's starting to look comfortable in his new surroundings and mentally in tune with what O'Brien wants from his offense.

Others receiving votes: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (one vote), Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown

Team of the Week

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Winner: Houston Texans (four votes)

Watching the scoreboard in a preseason game or caring about it at all generally isn't wise. Even the supposedly all-important Week 3 games in August still feature backups seeing roughly half of the action.

However, there are exceptions to willful scoreboard blindness, and the Texans provided one.

Their first-team offense stayed on the field for nearly the entire first half against the Cardinals, with Osweiler throwing his final pass at the 2:56 mark of the second quarter. In that opening half, the Texans scored 31 points. Their point-per-game average in 2015? A smelly 21.2 points, which was awful enough to tie for 21st.

It all came against a Cardinals secondary playing without safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Patrick Peterson. But the Texans will giddily click their heels and take the positive offensive vibes during the only preseason game that matters even a little bit. 

Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh Steelers (two votes)

Breakout Player of the Week

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian (five votes)

In a move that would have sent most of us searching for the meaning of life just months ago but now isn't surprising, the Broncos will defend their Super Bowl crown with a quarterback who hasn't thrown even one regular-season pass. A radically different approach to how teams win and defend championships in the NFL is now official.

Siemian has earned his job and deserves to be an NFL starter—at least until 2016 first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch is ready. The Broncos named Siemian their starting quarterback Monday morning in a move that stunned no one.

In a cyclical bit of football poetry, he'll become the first quarterback in a long, long time to make his first start in the defending champion's season opener. The last guy to do it also played for the Broncos, and it was Brian Griese back in 1999, when he replaced John Elway, according to The MMQB's Albert Breer.

Siemian wasn't spectacular in the 17-9 victory against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night. But the Broncos never needed spectacular out of their quarterback. With their defense and their running game, they need something between average and good, with the odd great throw mixed in for good measure.

That is exactly how you can describe Siemian's brief evening. For the most part, he was either good or solid while averaging 7.2 yards per attempt on 11-of-17 passing with a touchdown, and Denver produced 10 points in the signal-caller's one-half of play. He threw an interception, but that was quickly forgotten when the 24-year-old hit wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with a pinpoint throw lofted over cornerback Marcus Roberson's outstretched hands for a 43-yard gain.

Siemian is the safe option, and Lynch will become the future. Meanwhile, Sanchez will surely be looking for work elsewhere soon.

Others receiving votes: Oakland Raiders running back DeAndre Washington (one vote)

Goat of the Week

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: The entire Chicago Bears team, including coaches (four votes)

There were a few votes here that basically said the same thing: The Chicago Bears were remarkably bad under the brightest preseason spotlight, and that might not change much come September.

A vote for head coach John Fox was among the goat entries, along with one for new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. There's no wrong target for what feels like the beginning of sludge-bucket football in Chicago.

Starting quarterback Jay Cutler has attempted 31 preseason passes. That's nearly even with his per-game average of 32.2 throws per game in 2015, and we're still waiting on his first passing touchdown.

We likely won't see a preseason passing touchdown from the Bears' first-team offense now, as starters are usually superglued to the bench in Week 4. But the Bears might want to break from that routine as their search for any sense of cohesion in Loggains' offense continues.

Because really, anyone who enjoys watching a competent offense would warmly embrace even a shred of comfort with the new playbook. The Bears didn't score a single point until the 5:49 mark of the fourth quarter Saturday during a 23-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Worse, the first-team offense recorded just 20 yards on 18 plays in the first half and converted two first downs.

Watching the Bears won't be fun in 2016, and it could become hazardous to your health.

Others receiving votes: Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril (one vote), Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and his three drops (one vote)

Rookie of the Week

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (five votes)

The Cowboys knew Elliott runs like a bowling ball that's bouncing over multiple lanes. Anyone who watched him at Ohio State was well aware of his thirst for contact.

But finally seeing him in action as he squared up and created a seismic event while ramming into Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor was a reminder of the 6'0", 225-pound running back's power.

Doing that often probably isn't the best way to have a healthy NFL existence. But Elliott's postgame comments shed some light on his brazen approach to running behind the Cowboys offensive line.

"Running behind the Cowboys O-line, all you worry about is making the safeties miss," he told Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "They usually take care of the first two levels."

He's not wrong, though again, going hammer-to-hammer with the likes of Chancellor is a good way to put serious dents in a running back body that's pretty pristine right now.

But that physical nature is what made Elliott the fourth overall pick. It's also what gave him an average of 6.9 yards per carry on seven attempts in his first NFL game.

The Cowboys aren't about to ask Elliott to change. His physicality is what they needed and wanted behind a dominant offensive line, and the 21-year-old will now become his offense's backbone with fellow rookie Dak Prescott as the short-term quarterback.

Others receiving votes: Texans wide receiver Will Fuller (one vote)

Best QB Performance

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Winner: Osweiler (four votes)

Let's marvel at another impressive number produced by Osweiler on Sunday, albeit one that came in a small sample size.

The 25-year-old faced pressure from the Cardinals four times. When blitzed, his passer rating was 152.1, according to Sam Monson from Pro Football Focus. His rating under pressure in 2015 was 81.3. He also completed 84.6 percent of his throws after that percentage fell to 61.8 in 2015.

That provides another small slice of encouraging development for the Texans and O'Brien to build on. But what likely fills Texans decision-makers with the most glee is how well a youth-filled offense is clicking already.

Osweiler's lack of starting experience is well-known. And when that combines with some of his top targets' inexperience, the potential for jittery rookie growing pains emerges.

But he should have quieted those concerns, at least for now. Osweiler will be throwing to three wide receivers who are either in their first or second NFL seasons. On Sunday, Fuller, Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong combined for 118 yards on eight receptions.

Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (one vote), Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (one vote)

Best RB Performance

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (three votes)

Throughout his college career, Melvin Gordon was known for turning carries into track events, quickly leaving defenders searching for both the running back they had to tackle and sideline oxygen.

That rapid acceleration through holes and far beyond is what led to an astronomical 7.54 yards per carry and 2,587 rushing yards overall for the Wisconsin Badgers in 2014. Then, everything seemed to vanish in his rookie season, when the No. 15 pick logged a minuscule 3.5 yards per attempt.

Gordon plays a position that we're conditioned to expect immediate results from, especially the high draft picks. But no two prospects are cut from the same cloth, and he needed time to adjust.

"I had a whole year pretty much to figure things out," Gordon told Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "… It was a long season. It was a grind. Mentally and physically."

He was hesitant far too often during his rookie season. Even when Gordon had room behind a rickety offensive line, he struggled to read and react to his blocks.

But it seems a new Gordon is here for 2016—or, rather, the old Gordon.

Gordon has recorded two 35-plus-yard plays this preseason. The most recent was his 39-yard touchdown run on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings when he cut once and was gone.

The Chargers need frequent sightings of that one-cut lightning this season. And now they'll be leaning on Gordon even more with backup running back Branden Oliver out for the year because of a torn Achilles, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Others receiving votes: Elliott (one vote), Seattle Seahawks running back Christine Michael (one vote), the Tennessee Titans' tandem of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry (one vote)

Best WR Performance

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (four votes)

There are two ways to look at Mike Evans' second NFL season.

First, you could remember that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver battled slippery hands constantly in 2015 and finished with 15 drops on 89 catchable passes, per Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. That's not a good look for anyone, and fighting drops becomes especially troublesome when you're a large-bodied receiver like Evans whom the team relies on to secure contested catches in high-traffic areas.

Or you could look over his booming production, highlighted by three games with 150-plus receiving yards, and trust that Evans is going to explode in 2016 if he makes even a modest improvement with his drops.

The latter scenario seems much more likely as second-year quarterback Jameis Winston continues to mature alongside Evans. Even with his drops, Evans piled up 1,206 receiving yards last season. In Week 3 of the preseason, he lit up the Cleveland Browns.

Evans caught all five of his targets for 115 yards, which included a 49-yard touchdown when he showed his downfield burst by blowing past Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert. All of his receptions went for 15-plus yards, proving yet again that at 6'5" and 231 pounds, Evans can separate deep with ease.

For much of the offseason, Evans was held up as one of the leading breakout candidates at his position. That hasn't changed as September nears.

Others receiving votes: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon (two votes)

Best TE Performance

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph (six votes)

Late in the 2015 season, a connection started to develop between young Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and tight end Kyle Rudolph. Over the final seven games, Rudolph recorded four of his five performances with 50-plus receiving yards, topping out at 106 yards in Week 11.

If Bridgewater is to grow in his third season and finally take the significant stride forward his offense needs, then his connection with Rudolph needs to keep blossoming too.

Early indications are their on-field bond is still budding. The 6'6", 265-pound tight end has 110 receiving yards over his last two preseason games. That includes catches for 18 and 27 yards during a 23-10 win over the Chargers on Sunday. The latter reception came in razzle-dazzle fashion when Rudolph sprinted up the seam, then skied high and reached out to snare a nicely floated Bridgewater touchdown pass. 

"Kyle is a big target," Bridgewater told ESPN.com's Ben Goessling. "He makes it easy for a quarterback to be able to throw across the middle of the field. He went up there [and] made a great play and finished it with a touchdown."

If Rudolph can stay healthy, he'll likely become one-half of a top-tier tight end-quarterback duo. But health has always been a hurdle for the 26-year-old, who's missed 16 games over his five-year career.

Others receiving votes: None 

Best Defensive Performance

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Houston Texans outside linebacker John Simon (four votes)

It seems the Texans are bent on filling their defense with players who stretch the boundaries of what's considered possible for human hand-eye coordination.

We've seen defensive end J.J. Watt bat down balls or pull off stunningly athletic interceptions for a man of his hulk-like stature. Now linebacker John Simon showed us that Watt's magic just might be contagious.

Simon was buzzing around the edge fast against the Cardinals. Arizona let him gain speed by design, as tight end Darren Fells provided only minimal interference before rolling out and preparing to receive a screen pass.

The part where quarterback Carson Palmer lobbed a soft touch pass over Simon's head should have come next, along with Fells marching downfield for possibly a nice gain. Simon was too aware for that, though.

As he sprinted toward Palmer, the 2013 fourth-round pick stuck his right hand out while leaning back with all of his body momentum headed in the opposite direction. He tipped the ball directly upward, located it in the air right away and then took off again for a 59-yard touchdown.

Simon has now scored two preseason touchdowns, with the other one coming against the San Francisco 49ers on a 41-yard fumble return. He's a high-motor sub-package defender, and it might be increasingly difficult for Houston to keep Simon on the sideline after he played only 61.8 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2015, per PFF.

Others receiving votes: Buccaneers defensive end Jacquies Smith (one vote), Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt (one vote)

Best Decision

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: The Broncos moving on from Sanchez and giving Siemian more playing time (five votes)

Analysts at B/R and just about everywhere else have written that the Broncos don't need perfection or anything close to it at quarterback. Their defense and rushing attack are so effective that they can tolerate some passing gaffes and the turnovers sure to come when someone as inexperienced as Siemian is starting.

There was just one simple qualification to become the Broncos' starting quarterback in 2016: Don't throw interceptions in bunches and constantly gift the opposing offense turnovers.

The Broncos gave Sanchez every opportunity throughout OTAs and training camp to correct his decision-making and demonstrate better field vision. But he was consistently little more than a walking spontaneous combustion.

Sanchez didn't get on the field in Week 3 of the preseason, which was a clear indication he has little value in Denver. He played his way into that position by committing three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception) on just 30 preseason dropbacks, and he was also sacked three times.

Heading into this preseason, it seemed as though Sanchez had the job qualifications to be a bridge to Lynch. Now he's quickly tumbled past even that part of his career.

The next stage is when Sanchez becomes that guy who's always on a roster because he started a bunch of games years ago and was sort of good. That's also known as the Matt Flynn stage.

Others receiving votes: The Indianapolis Colts pulling Andrew Luck (one vote)

Worst Decision

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Colts calling a quick snap on fourth down when their offensive line wasn't ready (five votes)

There's a time for experimenting and trickery. Some may say any time when games don't matter is a fine opportunity to test-drive the gimmick section of your playbook. Often, that's true, but not when it leaves your franchise quarterback who missed nine regular-season games in 2015 exposed.

The Indianapolis Colts were having a rare, somewhat successful drive in the second quarter of their 33-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. The first-team offense was on the field for five drives, and three of them ended in punts.

But Indianapolis had advanced to just shy of red-zone territory on the drive in question, which was something. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano decided to go for it on 4th-and-inches from the Eagles' 29-yard line. His decision was fine, but what the Colts did next and how they went about wasting a scoring chance was, well, very 2015 Colts.

They used a quick snap on fourth down, which put the ball in Andrew Luck's hands long before his own offensive line was set. Eagles middle linebacker Jordan Hicks then promptly hammered Luck as he threw, and the ball fluttered harmlessly toward the ground.

The Colts will have a hard enough time keeping Luck in one working piece with an offensive line that's forced him to manage pressure on 37.5 percent of his preseason dropbacks, per PFF, with three sacks. Doing anything before that line is ready will always end badly.

Others receiving votes: Anything Bears related (one vote)