NFL Preseason Week 3: Takeaways from Saturday's Action

The NFL brought us a massive slate of preseason games Saturday and left us with plenty of exhibition action and intrigue. 

In total, 22 teams took the field for the preseason melee. While none of the participants had anything to gain from the numbers on the scoreboard, each team had something to learn about itself between the sidelines.

We learned a few things from Saturday's action as well.

A couple of speedy return specialists showed why special teams is important, a pair of quarterbacks not named Robert Griffin showed that the Washington offense can be efficient, and the Eagles showed why Sam Bradford might be a perfect fit in Philadelphia. 

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers showed why rookie quarterback Jameis Winston could be in store for a long and painful inaugural campaign. 

Let's take a look at the biggest takeaways from Saturday's preseason contests. 

Michael Vick Can Still Play

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran signal-caller Michael Vick to replace injured backup Bruce Gradkowski.

On Saturday against the Buffalo Bills, Vick showed that he still has the talent to be an effective quarterback in the NFL. 

Vick's arm strength, which has never really been in question, was on full display against the Bills. He finished the game 4-of-5 for 106 yards without a touchdown or an interception. His first pass went for 63 yards and he ended up averaging a whopping 21.2 yards per attempt. 

Before the game, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler wrote why a strong debut would be important for Vick:

"

If the Steelers have their way, Vick won't play at all during the season. That means Ben Roethlisberger is healthy. But the Steelers believe Vick can still play, and the fans want to see that. Vick wouldn't mind throwing for a touchdown on Bills coach Rex Ryan, who recently said Vick can't throw in cold weather. 

"

Vick did indeed show that he can still play, which should make the Steelers feel better about their backup situation. It might also cause teams with questionable quarterback play to second-guess their decision not to give Vick a serious look during the offseason.

The Bills' Quarterback Situation Suddenly Looks Promising

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Focus, Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is likely to pick his team's starting quarterback on Sunday.

"I talked about the problem I wanted, I think I got it,” Ryan said, per Florio. “But to me it’s not a problem it’s a—you know, all three guys had a tremendous preseason and that’s all you can ask. I think we’ll address it at the appropriate time, but obviously I feel really good about all the quarterbacks.”

In all, the Bills really have gotten fairly positive preseason results from quarterbacks EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel and Matt Sims. Against the Steelers on Saturday, the four signal-callers were downright impressive.

Manuel got the start and finished 7-of-8 for 170 yards and two touchdowns. He appeared poised, confident and effective against the Steelers defense during his time on the field. Unfortunately for Manuel, Taylor—who started and was effective a week ago—was also impressive.

Taylor finished the game 12-of-13 for 122 yards and scored on a 20-yard scamper in the third quarter.

"Manuel could have woken up Sunday morning as the surprise favorite in this QB competition if not for another promising effort by Taylor," Dan Hanzus of NFL.com wrote after the game. "Taylor was greeted with cheers from the Ralph Wilson Stadium faithful as he entered the game in the second quarter and did nothing to shake his favorite status."

Not to be outdone, Cassel (6-of-7 for 38 yards) and Sims (5-of-5 for 65 yards and a touchdown) also looked sharp against Pittsburgh.

Darren McFadden Might Just Be a Factor

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Last week, running back Darren McFadden didn't have the type of preseason debut that would make many believe he can be an effective weapon in the Dallas Cowboys offense. Against the San Francisco 49ers, he carried the ball three times for a measly four yards.

Against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, McFadden was much more effective. He showed much better vision with the ball and flashed the type of speed that made him a first-round pick coming out of Arkansas years ago.

He finished the game with 37 yards on four carries, one of which went for 15 yards. He also caught one pass for six yards.

"Running back competition is getting interesting tonight," David Moore of the Dallas Morning News wrote during the game. "Darren McFadden has looked really good tonight, better than Joseph Randle."

Yes, it's only the preseason, but it's worth noting that the Vikings came into the week with the seventh-best run defense of the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus. 

The Cowboys, of course, are trying to build a committee with McFadden and Randle that can replace reigning NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray. If McFadden can continue running like he did on Saturday—and can remain healthy throughout the season—the Cowboys will have an easier time trying to achieve their goal.

Travis Benjamin Could Be in for a Big Year with the Browns

Scott Audette/Associated Press

A couple of years ago, Cleveland Browns wideout Travis Benjamin looked like the type of speedster who could be a difference-maker in multiple facets. 

Benjamin, who ran a blazing 4.36-second 40 at the 2012 scouting combine, returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his first two seasons. He also averaged 21.0 yards per reception and 48.7 yards per kickoff return in 2013 before he was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

He didn't look nearly as fast or as confident coming off the injury last season. He was mostly ineffective as a returner in 2014 and averaged just 8.5 yards per punt return.

Still, some have predicted that Benjamin could be in store for a breakout season in 2015. May Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group recently wrote the following:

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Receiver Travis Benjamin, a.k.a. "Rabbit," has quietly produced one of the best camps of all the wideouts this season, and is a virtual lock to the make the team after some folks had written him off. In fact, coach Mike Pettine said Monday that the Browns are "pretty set" with Benjamin as the lead punt returner, which pretty much secures a spot at the crowded receiver position.

"

Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Benjamin showed exactly why the Browns are eager to keep him around. He opened the game up with an explosive 53-yard punt return for a touchdown and was the most consistently open Browns receiver on offense. 

He finished with four receptions for 39 yards.

The Browns have been rightfully criticized for having a lack of playmakers at the offensive skill positions, but Benjamin is looking like he can be one.

Tyler Lockett Is Going to Be a Game-Changer

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

The Browns got a touchdown out of their punt returner on Saturday, and so did the Seattle Seahawks. 

The difference is that Seattle's guy, rookie receiver Tyler Lockett, has now produced a return touchdown in two of his three preseason outings. 

This week's edition of the Lightning Lockett Show included a blazing 67-yard punt return for a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers. 

In Week 1, Lockett returned a kickoff 103 yards for a score versus the Denver Broncos. 

Heading into Saturday's game, Lockett was averaging an impressive 41.0 yards per kickoff return and 12.7 yards per punt return. He returned two kickoffs on Saturday for an average of 28.5 yards and will undoubtedly hold Seattle's return job entering the regular season.

He looks like we hoped he would look,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said of Lockett last week, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “We drafted him with the thought that he might give us a real spark in an area that we wanted to find a way to improve and be more dynamic.”

Back in March, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah predicted that Lockett would be one of the steals of the 2015 draft. Even if the third-rounder does most of his damage as a return specialist, it is starting to look like the Seahawks did indeed get themselves a steal. 

They also seem to have gotten a player who can break open a game with a single play.

The Buccaneers Have Serious Concerns Along the Offensive Line

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jameis Winston struggled in his first outing against an NFL 3-4 defense on Saturday. He frequently appeared flustered by Cleveland's defensive looks and finished the game just 6-of-15 for 90 yards with an interception.

However, the bigger concern in Tampa is the poor pass protection that Winston is likely to deal with in the upcoming season. The Buccaneers came into Saturday's game ranked 24th in pass-blocking by Pro Football Focus but looked even worse against Cleveland.

After the game, Marc Sessler of NFL.com explained just how badly the line failed Winston:

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Cleveland's aggressive front controlled Tampa's offensive line, with defensive end Desmond Bryant chalking up two sacks in the first quarter alone while owning Bucs rookie guard Ali Marpet. Bryant and his teammates allowed just 3.5 yards per play during Winston's time on the field, holding the rookie to 6-of-15 passing for 90 yards. The former Heisman winner absorbed four sacks and a whopping seven hits during a rough outing.

"

Buccaneers quarterbacks were sacked six times in all, and the Buccaneers produced just 73 rushing yards against a run defense that was worst in the NFL a year ago.

This is obviously a problem, because Winston is likely to have a much more difficult transition into the NFL if he doesn't have the benefit of adequate pass protection or a strong running game.

Sam Bradford and Chip Kelly Could Be a Scary Combination in 2015

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly turned plenty of heads when he made the bold decision to trade for quarterback Sam Bradford during the offseason. 

Against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, Bradford gave the impression that he is going to be a very threatening force in Kelly's uptempo offense and that Kelly made a wise decision.

Bradford actually made his debut in Kelly's offense last week against the Baltimore Ravens. However, his performance there was a little underwhelming. He finished that game 3-of-5 for 35 yards. Against the Packers, who are ranked sixth overall in pass coverage for the preseason by Pro Football Focus, Bradford was scary good.

With Bradford under center, the Eagles absolutely shredded the Packers pass defense. The former first overall pick led three drives and finished 10-of-10 for 121 yards and three touchdowns. 

According to Corey Seidman of CSN Philadelphia, Bradford was expected to see about three-quarters of work in this week's "dress rehearsal" game. Instead, he looked good enough on his three touchdown drives that the Eagles didn't need to see any more. 

If Saturday was an accurate indication of what to expect from Bradford, then the Eagles are going to be a very, very tough team to match up against in the regular season.

The Jets Might Be Just Fine with Ryan Fitzpatrick Under Center

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The New York Jets will be without third-year quarterback Geno Smith for at least part of the season as he recovers from a broken jaw.

If Ryan Fitzpatrick plays during the regular season the way he performed against the New York Giants on Saturday, Smith may never see the field even when he is healthy.

Fitzpatrick's efficiency (and his magnificent beard) was on full display against the Giants. The former Ivy Leaguer completed nine of his 14 pass attempts for 127 yards and two touchdowns. His numbers (13-of-19 for 118 yards) against the Atlanta Falcons a week ago were encouraging, but the starting offense appeared much more formidable against New York.

"The biggest takeaway was the crisp performance of Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets' starting offense," Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wrote after the game. "The Fitzpatrick-led unit generated 194 yards in the first half as it displayed a more aggressive passing attack than in past weeks."

Fitzpatrick was aided by a rushing attack that averaged 4.5 yards per play during the game. If the Jets offense can be this efficient in games that matter and the defense can be as good as it appears on paper, then this is going to be a tough matchup for many opponents in 2015.

Washington Has to Reconsider Its Quarterback Situation

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Because quarterback Robert Griffin III was not cleared to return from his concussion, the Washington Redskins were forced to rely on backup Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy for their "dress rehearsal" preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The end result was the most efficient and effective Washington offense we have seen this preseason.

Cousins got the start and rebounded from an early interception to put together a 20-of-27, 190-yard outing with one touchdown to go with the pick. 

According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, Washington head coach Jay Gruden "thought it was awesome" how Cousins responded to his early mistake.

McCoy was even more impressive, finishing his night by completing 10 of his 12 pass attempts for 95 yards and two scores. Both quarterbacks showed more poise than we saw from Griffin in his two preseason appearances.

Pro Football Focus rated Griffin 101st among all quarterbacks heading into the third week of the preseason.

Based on the way the three quarterbacks have performed in these exhibitions, it would seem silly for the Redskins not to at least contemplate handing the keys over to a quarterback other than Griffin. This possibility makes even more sense when you remember the way Griffin and Gruden clashed last season.

"If it’s indeed up to Gruden," John Keim of ESPN.com wrote earlier this week, "then any opening Griffin leaves could pave the way for a longer change than just the one or two weeks he might miss."

According to ESPN's Britt McHenry, Gruden insists that there is no quarterback controversy.

However, if Gruden believes he is in any way coaching to save his job this season, then he will have to carefully consider every possible option.

Melvin Gordon Continues to Be a Work in Progress

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

At some point, we're likely to see 15th overall draft pick Melvin Gordon shine as a running back for the San Diego Chargers. However, that time hasn't come yet, and it's beginning to look like his opportunities to do so will be limited in the 2015 season.

Coming into Saturday's game against the Seahawks, Gordon had carried the ball just six times for 11 yards. He got much more work against Seattle, but the results weren't a whole lot more promising.

Gordon finished his evening with 34 yards on 14 carries, giving him an average of 2.4 yards per carry. It's better than the 1.8 yards per carry he averaged coming into the game, but it's still an unacceptable number for a potential NFL starter. 

Meanwhile, veteran backs Danny Woodhead (six carries for 18 yards, three catches for 19 yards) and Branden Oliver (scored on a 70-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter) continued their productive preseasons. 

According to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, Chargers running backs coach Ollie Wilson doesn't believe that Gordon is a liability in pass protection. Therefore, this shouldn't be an issue that keeps the rookie off the field.

What keeps Gordon off the field will be a habitual struggle with vision and patience against pro defenders. Hopefully, the Chargers will give the former Wisconsin star enough work in the preseason finale to gain a little rhythm and confidence heading into the regular season.

Otherwise, he is likely to keep looking up at a talented San Diego backfield.