Biggest Surprises of the NFL Preseason

After such a long and depressing locked out offseason, we're already midway through the preseason—time has flown by. 

Each and every day, we get closer and closer to the start of the 2011 NFL season, and each and every day, teams are preparing themselves for Week 1 Sunday, September 11. 

Throughout the first two weeks of the preseason, there has definitely been many surprises and here's 50 of the biggest ones. 

Michael Vick Is Reverting to Falcons Form

Michael Vick was completely and utterly awful against the Pittsburgh Steelers this past week as he threw three interceptions. 

Could Vick be reverting back to his style of play when he was in Atlanta? He certainly looked like it against the Steelers. 

After such a stellar campaign in 2010, Vick is starting off on the wrong foot this year as he's completed only 50 percent of his passes. 

Peyton Manning's Injury Looks to Be Serious

Peyton Manning has yet to play in a game for the Colts this preseason, and there has been no word on if he'll even be ready to play Week 1 of the regular season, according to Pro Football Talk. 

Personally, I believe that there's no reason why Manning won't be on the field ready to play Week 1. The only way Peyton doesn't play is if his arm has fallen off. 

Cam Newton Showing Immediate Promise

Watching Cam Newton so far, it seems like he's right on track to switching from a spread offense quarterback to a pro-style quarterback. 

Newton may have only completed 45.5 percent of his throws, but he's making the right decisions and has all the intangibles to be great in this league.

At this point, it's just a matter of Newton adjusting to the speed and style of the NFL. 

The Eagles Look Like Frauds

The Philadelphia Eagles were one of the busiest teams this offseason, as they made several major transactions, such as signing backup quarterback Vince Young. Once Young was a member of the Eagles, he labeled Philadelphia the "Dream Team."

As this point of the preseason, the Eagles look like a joke, it's almost like they're frauds. 

It may be only preseason, but the Eagles struggled to score points against the Ravens and looked completely horrid against the Steelers. 

Terrelle Pryor Was Drafted by the Oakland Raiders

In this year's supplemental draft, the Oakland Raiders selected quarterback Terrelle Pryor—just another combine freak for Al Davis and his Raiders.

Granted, Pryor is 6'5" and 225 lbs., but there's much concern that he'll even translate into an NFL quarterback.

According to reports, the Raiders have interest in playing Pryor at wide receiver. 

Colt McCoy Looks Like a Superstar

Second-year quarterback out of Texans, Colt McCoy looks like he's ready to make the jump and claim the starting job in Cleveland. 

McCoy has been nothing less than impressive for the Browns so far, as he's posted a 132.6 quarterback rating while throwing four touchdowns and accumulating 231 passing yards. 

Albert Haynesworth Has Yet to Play in a Preseason Game

New England made one of the boldest trades this offseason by acquiring Albert Haynesworth from the Washington Redskins for next to nothing—however, Haynesworth missed weeks of practice and has yet to play in a preseason game as a Patriot.

As of late, there has been good news coming out of Patriots camp, as Haynesworth returned to practice this week, and there is a chance that he'll play Saturday against the Detroit Lions. 

A.J. Green Looks More Like a Possession Receiver Rather Than a Playmaker

Entering the 2011 draft, it was believed that A.J. Green was one of the best playmaking wide receivers to come out of college in a while—however, he looks more like a possession receiver than a playmaker.

In Green's two games with the Bengals and rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, he's snagged five balls for 37 yards and no touchdowns. 

There's no question that Green is a dynamic receiver, but it looks like with the rookie Dalton throwing him the ball, he'll be more of a possession receiver in 2011. 

Tony Romo Is Tearing It Up

According to several reliable sources, many believe that Tony Romo is going to have a career-year for the Cowboys this season. 

Romo will be returning to the Cowboys starting lineup after suffering a broken left clavicle. 

Marcell Dareus Looks To Be a Beast for the Buffalo Bills

The third overall pick for the Buffalo Bills, Marcell Dareus, looks to be as good as advertised as he's playing like an absolute beast in Buffalo's 3-4 defense. 

Dareus has tallied up two sacks for the Bills so far, one in a each of the first two weeks. 

Drew Brees Has Been Struggling

After a down year in 2010, Drew Brees doesn't appear to be playing any better in the preseason so far.

Brees has completed only 44.4 percent of his passes while throwing no touchdowns. 

There's no question that Brees is an elite passer, but it's startling to see him struggling like the way he is. 

Kevin Kolb Looks Sharp as Arizona's Starting Quarterback

So far, so good for Kevin Kolb as the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback.

Kolb hasn't really made any poor decisions throughout the first two weeks of the preseason as he's completed 10 of his 17 passes while throwing zero interceptions. 

If Kolb can develop a trustworthy relationship with Larry Fitzgerald, the two could be quite the combo in 2011 and the near future. 

Tim Tebow Is Now the Third-String Quarterback

After looking like that Tim Tebow would be the starter for the Broncos in 2011, he has now been demoted as the team's third-string quarterback, behind Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn. 

Tebow has been simply awful in practice and hasn't been productive throughout the team's two preseason games.

The days of Tebow competing for the starting quarterback job are all but over. 

Mark Sanchez Has Completed More Than 50 Percent of His Passes

I know, it's shocking, but Mark Sanchez looks like a reliable, quality, NFL-starting quarterback so far.

Sanchez has somehow found a way to complete 66.7 percent of his passes while throwing two touchdowns.

If Sanchez keeps his steady play into the regular season, then Jets could easily make yet another run to the AFC Championship. 

Bob Sanders Is Not on IR Yet

Amazingly, the almost always injured Bob Sanders has been able to stay healthy through the first half of the preseason for the San Diego Chargers—I hope that I'm not jinxing anything. 

According to reports, Sanders will likely start at strong safety for the Chargers this year, if he's able to stay healthy. 

Plaxico Burress Looks to Be in NFL-Shape

Plaxico Burress made his debut with the New York Jets a memorable one as he caught three passes for 66 yards while scoring one touchdown against the Bengals this past week.

If Burress can be as productive as he was when he was with the Giants, then the Jets has the potential to be a dominating aerial attack. 

Patrick Peterson Isn't Starting in Arizona

At this point of Patrick Peterson's NFL career, he's been a bust—but let's not get carried away here. Peterson was one of the most talented and NFL-ready players from the 2011 draft class and should settle in nicely with Arizona. 

So far, Peterson has struggled while playing and has yet to start a game for the Cardinals. 

Giants Wide Receivers Are Actually Catching Passes

Unlike last season, when Eli Manning threw 25 interceptions, the Giants wide receivers appear to be right on track in 2011.

So far, the Giants have been scored a grand total of 51 points in the preseason—yikes!

Tyron Smith Has Been a Beast for the Dallas Cowboys

The ninth overall pick from this year's draft, Tyron Smith, has been playing like a seasoned veteran for the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith has fit in very nicely at right tackle on Dallas' offensive line, and he should have no problem competing against the league's best pass-rushers moving forward in 2011. 

Ryan Mallett Is as Good as Advertised

Ryan Mallett fell to New England in the third round due to character problems but is playing like the best quarterback out of the 2011 draft class.

In Mallett's debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he turned heads as he completed 12 of his 19 passes for 164 yards while throwing one touchdown. 

After Mallett's impressive debut, he came back down to Earth against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but still showed promising signs as he went nine of 14-for-71 yards while throwing his first interception.

The talent is there for Mallett, and while playing behind Tom Brady, he'll have all the time in the world to develop into a solid NFL passer. 

Rex Grossman Hasn't Played as Bad as Expected

There were tons of people that thought Mike Shanahan was crazy for entering 2011 with Rex Grossman as his starting quarterback, but so far Grossman has been a solid option.

Grossman has put up a 89.3 quarterback rating so far as he's completed 68.4 percent of his passes while throwing one touchdown and interception each.

I wonder how long Grossman will keep his play up. 

Julio Jones Is Outplaying A.J. Green

A.J. Green and Julio Jones were projected to be the top wide receivers out of the 2011 draft class, and many believed that Green would end up being the better play—however, Jones has been playing like a seasoned veteran.

The rookie out of Alabama has snagged four passes for 73 yards while breaking two 20-plus receptions. 

Texans Already Looking Dominant with 3-4 Phillips Defense

It's amazing how a change of defensive scheme can completely turn around a defense.

Last season, the Texans were one of the worst defenses against the run and pass, and now, with new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips installing his 3-4 defense, Houston has only allowed 30 points through the first two games. 

Mike Sims-Walker Has Been Irrelevant for the St. Louis Rams

At the halfway point of the preseason, Mike Sims-Walker has only caught one pass for 26 yards for the St. Louis Rams.

When the Rams signed Sims-Walker this offseason, many expected him to settle in as Sam Bradford's number one wide receiver—that has yet to happen. 

Tom Brady Did Not Play in the Preseason Opener

It was a rather strange sight in New England for the preseason opener as Tom Brady, among many other starters, did not play in the Patriots' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Instead, Bill Belichick started Brian Hoyer at quarterback and still found a way to dominate the Jags, 47-12. 

Blaine Gabbert Struggling To Claim Job from David Garrard

The opportunity is there for rookie Blaine Gabbert, but he's simply not executing. 

With the injury to David Garrard, Gabbert was able to start the team's preseason opener against the New England Patriots but only managed to go 9-of-16 for 85 yards. 

In Gabbert's second appearance, against the Atlanta Falcons, he was even worse as he made 11 of his 23 attempts for 96 yards.

Gabbert has yet to score a touchdown and has been not impressive whatsoever. 

Jimmy Clausen Hasn't Been Awful but Hasn't Been Great

It appears that Cam Newton will likely be the starting quarterback for the Panthers in 2011 as Jimmy Clausen has put up rather pedestrian-like numbers throughout the first two weeks. 

Clausen has thrown just one touchdown and one interception but struggles to lead Carolina's offense, which is an obvious issue. 

Jake Locker Looks To Be the Real Deal

It looks like that the Tennessee Titans drafted the right quarterback to build their team around as Jake Locker has had bursts of greatness throughout Week 2 of the preseason.

Locker has gone 15-of-28 for 171 yards while tossing one touchdown and being picked off once. 

It's a good thing to see that Locker, who was inaccurate in college, is completing above 50 percent of his passes. 

Vikings Could Make a Run for the NFC North

Following a rather sluggish start to the preseason, the Minnesota Vikings played like their hair was on fire against the Seattle Seahawks as they crushed them by a score of 20-7.

The Vikings have a solid defense and have the league's best running back, Adrian Peterson and a veteran quarterback in Donovan McNabb—there's no reason why Minnesota can't compete for the division crown. 

Vince Young Has Done Little with the Eagles Offense

The Philadelphia Eagles are expecting Vince Young to be a quality backup behind Michael Vick, but so far, Young has been a major disappointment.

Young has gone 8-of-13 for only 92 yards and throwing no touchdowns while being intercepted once.

If Young wants to have another chance at starting in the NFL someday, then he's going to have to play a lot better than he has. 

The Colts Backup Quarterbacks Are Terrible

If Peyton Manning isn't ready for Week 1 of the regular season, then the Indianapolis Colts are in major trouble. Let's put it this way, the Colts backup quarterbacks are nothing but scrubs. 

Curtis Painter has been awful, and Dan Orlovsky looks like he should be playing in the CFL. 

If I'm a Colts fan, I'm praying that Peyton is ready to go by September 11. 

Chris Johnson's Holdout

Chris Johnson may be holding out for quite sometime, and the Tennessee Titans may be in major trouble. 

According to Rotoworld.com, ESPN Indsider Adam Schefter went on ESPN's SportsCenter this Monday and stated that it's a "real threat" that CJ could miss Week 1 of the regular season. 

Stevan Ridley's Impressive Play in New England

There's no question that New England is a pass-first offense, but the way that Stevan Ridley has been playing for the Patriots, he could make a strong case at getting more touches in 2011. 

Ridley has ran for 148 yards on 30 carries while scoring twice. 

The rookie out of LSU could find himself being a dependable member of New England's backfield along with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead. 

Greg McElroy Has Thrown the Most Touchdowns out of All Rookies

Who would have thought that the New York Jets rookie out of Alabama, Greg McElroy, would have thrown the most touchdowns out of any rookies this year?

This one definitely surprised me when I saw the stats.

McElroy has gone 29-of-48 for 267 yards while throwing a rookie-high two touchdowns. 

Lofa Tatupu Is Still a Free Agent

Just a couple seasons ago, Lofa Tatupu was one of the league's top inside linebackers as he was a tackling machine.

Now, after having double knee surgery this January, the Seahawks decided to part ways with the former USC Trojan, and he still remains a free agent entering Week 3. 

Chris "Beanie" Wells Has the Chance To Redeem Himself in Arizona

The Arizona Cardinals are thin at running back, as they recently traded away Tim Hightower and just learned Ryan Williams is out for a long time with a ruptured right PCL—so, Beanie Wells will have a shot at emerging as the team's starting running back this season. 

Wells has ran for 66 yards on 17 carries through two games.  

Shonn Greene Should Emerge as the Jets True No. One Running Back

If you haven't been following the Jets this preseason, it appears that the team plans on getting Shonn Greene more involved in the team's offense in 2011.

Greene may have missed this past week's game with a foot infection, but in the preseason opener, the third-year back ran for 32 yards in five carries. 

Randy Moss Retired

When news broke that Randy Moss planned on retiring, it was definitely a shocker to me.

I really don't see Moss staying retired for long, as he's leaving the league on such a bad note after becoming the first player in NFL history to be traded twice in one season. 

John Beck Hasn't Played Completely Awful

John Beck sat out the preseason opener, but he started against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 and made the most of it.

Beck threw only three incomplete passes as he went 14-of-17 for 140 yards. 

Entering 2011, the Washington Redskins looked like they were going to have huge issues at quarterback, but both Beck and Rex Grossman have played solid throughout the first half of the preseason. 

New England's Defense Has Been More Aggressive

After playing a 3-4, read and react defense, for quite sometime now, Bill Belichick as let the dogs loose as he's switched to a 4-3 defensive alignment.

New England's defensive has been all over the place so far, as Jerod Mayo and Andre Carter have been able to put pressure on the opposing quarterback several times this preseason. 

New York Jets Defense Struggling

Throughout the first two weeks of the preseason, the Jets have allowed 424 total yards of offense—that may not seem like a lot, but it is for a team that's projected to be an elite defense. 

In the Jets' opener against the Texans, it was clear that Rex Ryan wasn't pleased with his team's performance. 

Like most teams, New York still has a lot of work to do. 

Charlie Whitehurst Is Outplaying Tarvaris Jackson in Seattle

It was practically expected that Tarvaris Jackson was going to be the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in 2011, but Charlie Whitehurst has been working his tail off. 

Whitehurst has thrown only one touchdown, but still, that's one more than Jackson, and he's thrown zero interceptions, which is one less than Jackson. 

Overall, Whitehurst has just looked like he's ready to be the team's starter in 2011. 

Chad Henne Hasn't Been Able To Settle in as Starting Quarterback for Miami

It's really a shame that Chad Henne can't get things together, as he's got such a strong arm with so much upside.

This is almost like make it or break it time for Henne, and he has not impressed with his 59.4 completion percentage and two interceptions. 

Tiki Barber Is Still a Free Agent

There has been no reported interest from any teams in former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber. 

Barber announced that he was going to come out of retirement and play in 2011, but at 36 years old, it's likely that Barber's tank is all but empty. 

Sam Bradford Still Being Treated Like a Rookie

Despite playing in Josh McDaniels' high-flying offensive attack, Sam Bradford is still being treated like a rookie.

Bradford has rarely thrown the ball for more than 15 yards and looks like he's checking down on nearly every single pass play.

The second-year quarterback has completed 15 of his 27 passes for 183 yards while scoring two touchdowns and being intercepted once. 

Andy Dalton Struggling the Most of Rookie Quarterbacks

Does a 30.9 quarterback rating sound good? No way. 

Andy Dalton is in big trouble, as he's thrown three interceptions while completing only 55.9 percent of his passes.

Thanks to the no-show of Carson Palmer, Dalton is likely going to be forced into the team's starting lineup in 2011. 

Donovan McNabb Hasn't Been a Factor

It's almost guaranteed that Donovan McNabb will be the starter in Minnesota, but he's yet to throw a touchdown pass. 

McNabb has gone 12-of-19 for 121 yards. 

It's kind of alarming that McNabb hasn't been able to throw a touchdown, and some may wonder if he'll even be effective this season. 

Greg Little Looks Like Immediate Impact Player

Good news for Colt McCoy, he might actually have a reliable wide receiver in rookie Greg Little.

So far, Little has reeled in four passes for 45 yards and one touchdown. 

Little definitely has the talent and upside, it's just a matter of McCoy and the Browns getting him involved in the offense as frequently as possible. 

Felix Jones Is the Answer in Dallas

Dallas took a gamble as they cut Marion Barber this offseason, but Felix Jones appears to be ready to take the load as the team's number one back in 2011.

Jones has ran for 79 yards on just 10 attempts and has been a physical, north-and-south runner, exactly what Dallas needs. 

Brett Favre Remains Retired

Despite rumors involving Brett Favre and the Miami Dolphins, it's a pleasant surprise to see that he is still retired, and hopefully, it is for good.