Takeaways from Thursday Night's NFL Preseason Week 1 Action

While this past Sunday's Hall of Fame Game was a tasty appetizer, Thursday night provided the first real night of football on the 2013 NFL calendar.

Yes, it's only the preseason, but for football-starved fans around the country, it was practically Christmas day.

The preseason is always interesting because of position battles, young players trying to make their mark and, of course, teams trying desperately to avoid the injury bug. Thursday's action proved to be no different.

Here are the main takeaway's from Thursday night's preseason action.

Titans RB Chris Johnson Looking Good

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is now four seasons removed from his 2,006-yard campaign (2009), and he has yet to crack 1,400 yards in any of the seasons following.

At Super Bowl radio row last February, Johnson joined SiriusXM NFL Radio and talked about how the Titans needed to improve their offensive line if the artist formerly known as "CJ2K" was going to return to prominence.

Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster and coach Mike Munchak listened, as this offseason the team signed guard Andy Levitre to a big-money free-agent deal and selected Alabama guard Chance Warmack in the first round.

After one preseason game, the return for the Titans on these investments is extremely encouraging, as Johnson ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run in Tennessee's 22-21 loss to Washington, showing the speed and elusiveness that was regularly on display during his 2,000-yard season.

That one run doesn't mean Johnson and the Titans running game are due for big things in 2013. But after the team made a pointed effort to improve its ground game, the play represents a very promising start.

Redskins QB Kirk Cousins Proves His Capability Again

When the Redskins selected Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 draft after selecting Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick, some wondered what general manager Bruce Allen and coach Mike Shanahan were thinking.

Not only did Cousins prove his worth last year in relief of an injured Griffin, but he's emerged as a potential trade chip for the team moving forward, and his performance in Thursday night's preseason opener, a 22-21 win over the Titans, will only serve to fan those flames (via ESPN.com).

With Griffin continuing to recover from ACL surgery, Cousins started against Tennessee and went 6-of-7 for 52 yards and a touchdown, looking poised and in command of the offense.

If Griffin isn't ready to play in Week 1, the Redskins should feel confident in Cousins. Thursday's effort is yet another reason why that is the case.

Rams Dodge a Bullet with OT Rodger Saffold Injury

The Rams have reason for optimism in 2013. The team went 4-1-1 against a stacked NFC West in 2012, and added playmakers on offense this offseason.

With that said, the one malady the Rams cannot afford is significant injuries along their offensive line, as they've had perennial trouble protecting quarterback Sam Bradford.

In that vein, it appears the team dodged a bullet. In the first half of Thursday night's 27-19 loss to Cleveland, right tackle Rodger Saffold left the game with a left shoulder injury. While coach Jeff Fisher admitted after the game that Saffold "may miss a little bit of time," it doesn't look to be serious.

The Rams need Saffold, who moved to the right side to accommodate the free-agent arrival of left tackle Jake Long, to stabilize their line and give the team the best chance to succeed. His health status will be a story to watch throughout the preseason.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden Looking Sharp

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden looks set to enter the 2013 season as the starter, but with a new head coach (Rob Chudzinski) and offensive coordinator (Norv Turner), it would certainly behoove Weeden to play well in the preseason.

On Thursday night, Weeden got off to a smashing start, directing the Browns on two scoring drives in the team's 27-19 win over St. Louis. Weeden finished the day 10-of-13 for 112 yards and a touchdown, a two-yard toss to running back Dion Lewis.

For Weeden, who had a subpar rookie campaign, this was the kind of start he desperately needed to curry favor with both the coaching staff and fanbase. His play in the opener should silence talk of any quarterback controversy in Cleveland—at least for now.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce Is a Monster

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce burst onto the scene as a rookie, averaging nearly five yards per carry in both the regular season and postseason, providing an excellent complement to starter Ray Rice and helping Baltimore claim a Super Bowl championship.

In 2013, Pierce should have an even larger role in the offense, and he showed why in Thursday night's 44-16 win over Tampa Bay, rushing for a 20-yard touchdown that brought back memories of his stellar rookie campaign.

While Pierce did leave the contest with a knee injury, coach John Harbaugh didn't seem concerned afterwards, a positive sign.

If Pierce can remain healthy, he and Rice will form a devastating one-two combo at the running back position.

Bucs QB Mike Glennon Fails to Distinguish Himself

While Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is the unquestioned starter right now, the fact that the team has allowed him to enter the final year of his contract without discussing an extension is telling.

That fact was amplified when Tampa Bay selected North Carolina State quarterback Mike Glennon in the third round of April's draft.

The dirty little secret that coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik are hiding? If Freeman struggles in a year in which Tampa Bay is expected to contend for a playoff berth, inserting Glennon into the starting lineup wouldn't be a surprise—provided he proves himself capable of handling the job.

He didn't exactly sparkle in Thursday night's 44-16 loss to Baltimore, completing 11 of 23 passes for 169 yards and an interception.

While one game does not a season make, Glennon will want to perform better in the remaining slate of preseason contests if he's to offer any legitimate challenge to Freeman.

Bengals DT Geno Atkins Looks Ready to Dominate Again

Only one play in the Bengals' 34-10 victory over the Falcons on Thursday night was needed to put the dominance of Cincinnati defensive tackle Geno Atkins on display.

On Atlanta's opening drive, the team faced a 3rd-and-2 from the Cincinnati 16-yard line. The Falcons handed the ball to running back Steven Jackson, and Atkins burst up the middle to corral Jackson for a three-yard loss, showing his tremendous combination of burst and power.

It was breathtaking to watch.

This followed reports that the Bengals are looking to extend Atkins with a big-money contract, which is an absolute no-brainer decision.

49ers QB Scott Tolzien Takes the Lead in Race to Back Up Colin Kaepernick

When the 49ers traded Alex Smith to the Chiefs and acquired Colt McCoy from the Browns, it appeared as if McCoy would assume the mantle of backup quarterback to starter Colin Kaepernick.

But with one preseason game in the books, it now looks like Scott Tolzien will serve as Kaepernick's primary understudy, as McCoy left the game with a shoulder injury, affording Tolzien the lion's share of the playing time in the 49ers' 10-6 loss to Denver.

With McCoy failing to pull away in the backup quarterback competition, his injury could essentially force Tolzien into the role of the No. 2 signal-caller. Tolzien completed 15 of 26 passes for 158 yards and an interception in the loss.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, RB Christine Michael Look Terrific

Don't let the meager statistics fool you.

Yes, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was 2-of-6 for just 23 yards and added two scrambles for nine yards in Seattle's 31-10 win over San Diego. But if you watched closely, you would have noticed that Wilson was his usual composed self, slipping out of pressure and extending plays, as he did in his outstanding rookie season a year ago.

There looks to be no sophomore slump on the horizon for Wilson.

As for Seattle's backup running spot behind starter Marshawn Lynch? Robert Turbin didn't play against San Diego because of a sore foot, leaving the door open for the team's second-round selection from this past April's draft, Christine Michael, to hoard the lion's share of the carries. Michael didn't disappoint, running the ball 16 times for 89 yards.

If Michael can continue to run at that clip during the remainder of the preseason, he should end up as Lynch's primary backup.