NFL Preseason Week 3 Roundup: Kizer Has Earned Chance to Shine in Cleveland

What happens in the preseason matters.

Injuries can change a team. Just ask the New England Patriots. How an individual performs during these exhibitions can build or destroy their confidence. Just ask Blake Bortles.

The third week of the NFL preseason reveals the most regarding each franchise's regular-season plans. But even those plans remain guarded.

Wins and losses don't matter. Who starts and how the first-team offense and defense functions do. Competition reaches another level too. Most camp battles are decided during Week 3 of the preseason, while a few spots are secured at the bottom of the roster.

No team is going to expose its playbook or plans until the games matter, but their performances provide a look at the season's possibilities.

A team wants to look sharp and not fall apart during the league's dress rehearsal. Its effectiveness and efficiency on each side of the ball during this stage of the process were monitored, with a few achieving the goal and others falling short.

Browns' DeShone Kizer Worthy of QB1 Status

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

Rookie DeShone Kizer is the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback. All doubt has been removed after Saturday's performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A cursory glance might indicate otherwise. Kizer was erratic. He finished his third preseason contest 6-of-18 passing for 93 yards with an interception.

His talent is obvious, though.

It's more than just Kizer's physical tools too. Yes, the second-round pick is 6'4" and 233 pounds with more than enough arm talent to complete even the toughest passes.

Kizer had every reason not to excel in his third appearance. He faced a challenging defense on the road in poor weather. Yet he made multiple NFL-caliber throws into tight windows. Not all of them were completed, but the first-year signal-caller showed a willingness to push the ball downfield and make plays. He stood tall in the pocket and delivered, particularly on third down.

Were there hiccups? Of course. Kizer tended to stare down receivers, which allowed Tampa Bay's defensive backs an extra second to break on the ball. The rookie was also late over the middle with one of his passes, leading to a tipped ball that was intercepted.

"[He] did not fall flat on face," head coach Hue Jackson said, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, who noted Kizer "exceeded Jackson's expectations in some aspects."

An organization must accept the good and the bad with a rookie quarterback. What matters is whether the good outweighs the bad. The Browns should be excited about Kizer's potential because his play was quite good at points, even if it wasn't perfect.

Bills Send Marcell Dareus Home

Adrian Kraus/Associated Press

First-year Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott are trying to establish a new culture. They are not going to allow their players to run amok like they did under Rex Ryan's supervision.

Instead, the team's leadership group made sure to deliver a message Saturday before the Bills' third preseason contest, against the Baltimore Ravens, by sending Marcell Dareus home for violating a team rule, per the Associated Press' David Ginsburg.

"Sean and I are going to do things the right way," Beane said, per Ginsburg. "He violated a team rule, so we sent him home. Disappointing."

Dareus hasn't been available at the start of each of the past two seasons because of league suspensions. Now, he's made the wrong impression when an opportunity for a fresh start existed.

"It's very disappointing," Beane said. "Any player that you have to send home, this is not the norm. This is not what you're looking for. Obviously a guy with his contract status, you would hope that he would be a better leader than that, and hopefully, he learns from it and moves on and continues to be a Buffalo Bill."

Beane sent a message with that final point. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman isn't guaranteed to be a Bill this season. Yes, his contract makes it nearly impossible to release the 2011 third overall pick, but other teams could call with trade interest in the troubled star.

Jets' Christian Hackenberg Isn't Ready to Start

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg does not look like he belongs in the NFL. The Jets have provided every opportunity for last year's second-round pick to claim the starting job, yet Hackenberg has continued to fail.

The Penn State product completed 12 of his 21 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown. Two of his passes also went the opposite way for scores after being intercepted. According to the New York Post's Brian Costello, the Jets didn't score a point during 30 straight series with Hackenberg at the helm before finally breaking through with a field goal in the second quarter.

Hackenberg is 14-of-27 passing for 140 yards in his past two outings. His 127-yard performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 of the preseason is all but forgotten.

Josh McCown seems the obvious choice to start the regular season, yet he didn't receive a single pregame rep, per ESPN.com's Rich Cimini. Head coach Todd Bowles said the 38-year-old veteran doesn't have an injury, per the Associated Press' Dennis Waszak Jr. 

Bryce Petty has been New York's top quarterback through three preseason games. But that's not a ringing endorsement. He's simply been the best of a bad bunch. But he suffered an injury against the New York Giants. 

Whether McCown or Petty starts, Hackenberg should no longer be considered. It's clear he's not ready—and he may never be.

Sheldon Richardson Gives Jets Maximum Effort

Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson hasn't always been the best teammate or most consistent on-field performer. As such, he's been the subject of trade rumors dating back to last season's deadline.

Part of the problem is the fact Richardson is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The Jets may not be interested in retaining the 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Another issue stems from his usage. He's a natural 3-technique, yet he played out of position at points last season and during this preseason as well.

None of that will matter if Richardson continues to play like he did Saturday against the New York Giants. The 2014 Pro Bowl performer returned to form, blowing up the Giants offensive line throughout the contest and registering a sack, one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits.

Two things can come of this outstanding effort. Either the Jets will move forward with Richardson as a core piece of their defense or the defender just upped his trade value for those teams still interested.

Undrafted Receiver Makes Strong Case for Giants Roster

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Good things happen to good people.

Travis Rudolph became a household name last year after he befriended Bo Paske. For those who haven't read the heartwarming story, Paske is an autistic child who was sitting alone during lunch. Rudolph and his fellow Florida State Seminoles were visiting his middle school when the wide receiver noticed Paske. The college junior decided to sit with the youngster. By doing so, Paske's classmates noticed, and he became the most popular kid in school.

One act of kindness can mean so much to a person and their family.

Fast-forward a year. Rudolph wasn't drafted after leading the Seminoles with 56 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns. Yet he received a significant opportunity with the New York Giants after Odell Beckham Jr. suffered an ankle injury during the second week of the preseason.

With Beckham out of the lineup, the undrafted receiver worked his way on to the field with New York's first-team offense, and he capitalized.

Rudolph caught three passes for 81 yards against the New York Jets, including an impressive 57-yard snag over the top of defensive back Darryl Roberts.

The Giants may decide not to keep Rudolph once the team makes its final preseason cuts. But the 6'0", 190-pound target made sure everyone around the league noticed him. He will make his way on to some roster.

Adrian Peterson Participates in Preseason for 1st Time in 6 Years

Bill Feig/Associated Press

An Adrian Peterson sighting during the preseason is the NFL equivalent of finding Bigfoot. That's why his appearance Saturday against the Houston Texans was startling.

Peterson hadn't played a preseason down since the 2011 campaign, as the Minnesota Vikings kept their franchise back in bubble wrap before unleashing him during the regular season.

But Peterson isn't the face of the Vikings anymore. He's part of the New Orleans Saints' running back rotation, and he needs reps while finding his way in a new offense.

While the idea of the future Hall of Famer playing in the preseason is exciting, Peterson didn't provide much punch. The 32-year-old carried the ball six times for 15 yards. He also a caught a pass for a one-yard loss.

Peterson's teammates have been blown away by his explosiveness and physical presence during training camp, per the Associated Press (h/t USA Today). Neither was on display Saturday. Everyone has come to expect so much from the four-time All-Pro, but those expectations should change since Peterson will share time in the backfield with Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara.

Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott Receives 1st Preseason Reps

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

In Week 2, the Dallas Cowboys offense sent a message without running back Ezekiel Elliott in the lineup. It did the same with Elliott in the backfield Saturday against the Oakland Raiders.

The Cowboys must prepare for life without Elliott in the first six weeks of the regular season after he was suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy following domestic violence accusations against him. The 22-year-old's appeal will be heard Tuesday.

If the suspension is overturned or shortened, Dallas provided a glimpse of what its offense will look like with the running back in the fold.

Eight of the Cowboys' first 11 plays were either Elliott carries or Elliott targets in the passing game. The All-Pro provided 24 total yards.

Darren McFadden entered the contest during the second series and carried the ball twice for 21 yards. Dallas has plenty of depth at running back, but Elliott is a special talent; the offense is almost impossible to defend with him behind or beside quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys coaching staff made sure Elliott remained part of the mix as it awaits a final ruling on his regular-season status.

Rams Franchise QB Still a Work in Progress

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff has been one of the better stories this preseason after being written off during a poor rookie campaign. The 2016 No. 1 overall pick has seemed to rapidly progress under the tutelage of head coach Sean McVay.

But Goff is only 22 with seven career starts under his belt. Like any other young quarterback, he's going to experience ups and downs.

For example, the second-year signal-caller started 3-of-4 passing during the Rams' initial drive Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers. At that point, he looked to be in command. Yet the final play of the drive was a strip-sack by Joey Bosa, and Melvin Ingram scooped up the ball and raced 76 yards for a Chargers touchdown.

Goff never felt Bosa while he stood in the pocket and looked to his left.

The play could have been overlooked if it weren't followed by a worse turnover. During the next series, Goff fluttered a pass to Sammy Watkins. Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett came down with the interception. It was a terrible pass that came out of Goff's hand awkwardly.

The Rams quarterback finished 5-of-8 for 56 yards with the two turnovers.

Goff's play through the first two preseason games was promising. His third effort wasn't. These growing pains are going to occur as the organization builds around its franchise quarterback.

Luckless Colts Surprise with Strong Effort Against Steelers

Fred Vuich/Associated Press

All is not lost for the Indianapolis Colts.

Saturday's meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers perfectly encapsulated preseason football. The Steelers are considered Super Bowl contenders. The Colts had been the NFL's worst team through two weeks of preseason action.

None of that mattered when Indianapolis went to Heinz Field and left with a 19-15 victory.

More importantly, the Colts played well through the first half, when the majority of starters were on the field. The ageless Frank Gore ran the ball five times for 23 yards and a touchdown. He will be the offense's bell cow since quarterback Andrew Luck's return date from offseason shoulder surgery has yet to be determined.

Luck's absence put a spotlight on Indianapolis' quarterback depth. That's less of a concern after Saturday's effort than it was going into the contest.

Scott Tolzien played efficient football, completing 7 of his 10 passes for 123 yards. He did throw an interception, though. Stephen Morris continued to take advantage of every opportunity he receives. The fourth-year signal-caller was 12-of-16 passing for 143 yards.

"They both moved the offense and did a good job," head coach Chuck Pagano said, per Andrew Walker of the team's official site.

Pagano refrained from naming either the team's starting quarterback.

Injury Roundup

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

NFL coaches want to win every game, even in the preseason. What they want more, however, is to leave the exhibition matchups without any injuries. But the NFL is a 100 percent injury league, and a handful of teams suffered major blows to their respective lineups during Saturday's action.

QB Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills: Concussions don't always occur from a direct blow to the head. In many cases, a player's head snapping back and hitting the ground has the same effect. That is what happened to Tyrod Taylor. Since the quarterback left Saturday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens, he will enter the league's concussion protocol.

QB Bryce Petty, New York Jets: Just when Jets fans saw a glimmer of hope from the quarterback position, it was snatched away in the cruelest manner possible. Petty threw three touchdowns during an unsuccessful comeback against the New York Giants, only to injure his knee in the fourth quarter. The quarterback will get an MRI on Sunday to assess the damage, per the New York Post's Brian Costello.

DE Leonard Williams, New York Jets: A quarterback injury is always deflating. An injury to a team's best player is even worse. Leonard Williams left Saturday's contest with a sprained wrist. He should be ready for Week 1, but he might not be fully healthy.

LB Anthony Hitchens, Dallas Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens has developed into a solid, reliable presence at linebacker over the past three years. But his 2017 campaign appears to be over before it even began. Hitchens suffered a significant knee injury against the Oakland Raiders, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

QB Paxton Lynch, Denver Broncos: If the Broncos' quarterback competition weren't already over, it is now. Paxton Lynch suffered a right shoulder injury and didn't return to the Denver sideline during Saturday's win over the Green Bay Packers, per NFL Network's James Palmer.